Podcasts about blank check

Is John Goodman the devil? Is the studio system good, actually? Is it better to be the director of a bomb than it is to be the director of a film that doesn't exist? Filmmaker (and part of a DGA-sanctioned directing duo) Chris Weitz joins us to talk about Barton Fink, possibly the greatest film ever made about the “art vs. commerce” divide inherent to the movie business. It's not easy to make a picture, folks. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a movie about hats, and a movie about giving folks the high hat. It's also a movie about how Jon Polito is the greatest actor in the world. It's Miller's Crossing! Filmmaker Ari Aster (go see Eddington!)  joins Griffin and David to discuss the Coen Brothers' knotty homage to the gangster genre, a film overloaded with memorable characters and witty lines of dialogue. We're doing a deep-dive on Gabriel Byrne, litigating Marcia Gay Harden's surprise Oscar win for Pollock, and once again examining the Coens' body of work through the lens of Jewish identity. Don't watch Tino's Dick Fart Read Faber Screenplay Books Check out Straight Time See Eddington Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Epstein's list. Donald Trump. Media manipulation. We are being DUPED! In today's volatile political landscape, these headlines dominate—but what are they distracting us from? In Episode 181 of The Bill Kelly Podcast, Bill unpacks the deliberate use of media as a tool for political distraction. He examines how figures like Trump expertly flood the news cycle with outrage and spectacle, diverting attention from deeper issues such as policy failures, democratic backsliding, and investigations with lasting implications—including those tied to the Epstein case.With journalism increasingly bending under the weight of ratings pressure and partisan influence, join Bill as he draws connections between misinformation, public accountability, and the slow unraveling of civic discourse, and his call for a return to truth-telling and responsible media.Don't forget to like, follow and subscribe across our channels! Share with friends you want to stay informed. Thank you.This episode was recorded on: July 22, 2025Become a YouTube channel member or paid SubStack subscriber to hear Bill's stories and life lessons from 50+ years as a broadcast journalist in his members-only series, MORAL OF THE STORY: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeUbzckOLocFzNeY1D72iCA/joinListen to The Bill Kelly Podcast everywhere: https://kite.link/the-bill-kelly-podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBillKellyPodcast/featuredBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisisbillkelly.bsky.socialFacebook: https://facebook.com/TheBillKellyPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisbillkelly/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisisbillkelly/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebillkellypodcastSubStack: billkelly.substack.com/*Comment ‘likes' on behalf of this channel are an acknowledgment of your comment, not necessarily an endorsement of its contents. Thanks for joining these critical discussions in critical times!CHAPTERS00:00 The Art of Distraction in Politics02:54 Media Manipulation and Its Consequences05:47 The Role of Journalism in Democracy09:03 The Importance of Speaking Truth to PowerFURTHER READINGJeffrey Epstein's Friends Sent Him Bawdy Letters for a 50th Birthday Album. One Was From Donald Trump.https://www.wsj.com/politics/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796Trump sues Murdoch and Wall Street Journal for $10bn over Epstein articlehttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c23g5xpggzmoTulsi Gabbard's history with Russia is even more concerning than you thinkhttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/tulsi-gabbard-russian-connection-dni-trump-syria-b2692244.htmlSupreme Court Grants Trump, Future Presidents a Blank Check to Break the Lawhttps://www.aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/supreme-court-grants-trump-future-presidents-a-blank-check-to-break-the-lawAre tariffs bad for growth? Yes, say five decades of data from 150 countrieshttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7255316/Book Review | ‘Free The Press: The Death of American Journalism and How to Revive It' by Brian J. Karemhttps://www.independent.com/2023/08/03/book-review-free-the-press-the-death-of-american-journalism-and-how-to-revive-it-by-brian-j-karem/Explaining the Trump loyalty cult phenomenonhttps://theloop.ecpr.eu/explaining-the-trump-loyalty-cult-phenomenon/HASHTAGS#News#Politics#BreakingNews#PoliticalNews#PoliticalCommentary#NewsToday#NewsUpdates#NewsCommentary#PoliticalCommentary#CanadaNews#TodayNews#Tariffs#TrumpTariffs This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billkelly.substack.com/subscribe

Jesus Cock, that's a hot new episode! John Hodgman returns to Blank Check to chat about Raising Arizona, the Coen's swerve of a follow-up to Blood Simple that trades in the hallmarks of noir for the hallmarks of Looney Tunes. We're talking about Nic Cage's sad eyes, Holly Hunter's year of iconic crying performances, rest stop public pomade, and people we are glad are dead. It's a fun time. And yes, there's yodelling. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textKatie and Bridget question financial decisions being made as they re-watch the movie: Blank Check! Come along as we meet Preston, an 11 year old boy who has no money, no job (lol), and no friends - as we're all incessantly reminded throughout the movie. But Preston does have one thing going for him: a vision board! When he is given a blank check by an escaped convict that nobody's looking for, he gets 1 million dollars and spends it all in 6 days. Somehow his family has no questions! Nor do the police! Including a grown woman named Shay Stanley who literally works at the bank undercover and doesn't see anything weird about all this! It just makes sense! We've got 90's kid antics, boomer-esq money language (BARF), and never ending questions in this Richie Rich wanna be movie. Released in 1994, it stars Brian Bonsall, Karen Duffy, James Rebhorn, Miguel Ferrer, Rick Ducommun, and Tone Loc.

Gather round, folks - it's time to embark upon a journey through one of the most sterling filmographies in American cinema. Our Coen Brothers series - Pod Country for Old Cast - kicks off with Joel and Ethan's remarkably assured 1984 debut Blood Simple. Coen experts and hosts of the To The White Sea podcast Ray Tintori and Jordan Fish join us to do some serious tablesetting for the odyssey ahead, offering some context that JJ didn't even manage to dig up. Speaking of digging - Ben Hosley has some thoughts on the subject. Listen to the To the White Sea Podcast Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Surprise! We're back with a new episode. We jump off from the idea introduced to us by J. Todd Anderson, by way of Alfred Hitchcock, that filmmaking is about two things (and according to J. Todd only these two things): suspense and surprise. We analyze ways in which films create a “burden of knowledge” in the mind of the audience, and how this can dramatically affect the way scenes play out on a screen and behind our eyes. Sometimes you're ahead of the characters, and sometimes they're way, way ahead of you. Check us out in the new episode of Blank Check where we kick off their Coen brothers mini series Pod Country for Old Cast with the first film in the Coens ouvre, Blood Simple! Coens Covered: Raising Arizona, No Country for Old Men, Barton Fink, True Grit, Intolerable Cruelty, The Man Who Wasn't There Want to join the study group? Follow TTWS on social media, tell your friends about the show, and leave a rating/review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. ***You can also support us directly at https://ko-fi.com/tothewhitesea*** For all things TTWS visit tothewhitesea.me – and join the Discord too!

Our Amy Heckerling series comes to an end with 2012's Vamps, a film produced too late to have an appropriate budget, and too early to be a streaming series. However - we find it charming! Caroline Framke returns to the podcast after 6 years (an eternity for us, but probably a blink for a vampire), and we talk about the pitfalls and pleasures of eternal youth, the B in Apartment 23, and how if Heckerling never makes another film, this one would serve as an appropriate career coda.  Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will and Matt discuss screenwriting and comedy when it comes to the late Blake Snyder's one of two screenplays sold. (For those that don't know, Blake Snyder's screenwriting book Save the Cat has taken over Hollywood for like a quarter of a century now... and yet... this is a movie that was written.) DISCLAIMER: Language and Spoilers!!STOP! OR MY MOM WILL SHOOTdir. Roger Spottiswoodestarring: Sylvester Stallone; Estelle Getty; Roger Rees

Michelle Pfeiffer stars as Amy Heckerling and Paul Rudd stars as ????? in a totally normal movie that might actually be a voodoo curse made against Amy's enemies. Oh, also Saorise Ronan makes her FILM DEBUT. What a picture! The incomparable Karen Chee joins us to talk about 2007's I Could Never Be Your Woman, a movie that was financed by a French scoundrel, released directly to Blockbuster, and features some of the most dated cultural references we've ever come across. Is the film good? No. Is it fascinating? We sure think so! Watch A Man on the Inside on Netflix  Listen to Yo-Yo Ma Check out Paul Rudd's trick Follow Karen on Letterboxd  Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blank Check is going back to the British Isles with Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, and one extraordinarily well-endowed zombie this week as they discuss 28 Years Later. This movie has so much to love in it – wet bones, third-act Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer doing a thing, the Angel of the North, Teletubbies, the aforementioned well-endowed zombies, mind-bending digital photography, and did we mention THE WET BONES??? Be prepared for David to get REAL British, for Marie to cry on mic, for Griffin to bring up the manosphere, and for Ben to learn about Operation Yewtree. Gosh, we love this movie so much. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The song. The hat. The…casual date rape?!!? In what should have been Amy Heckerling's “blank check” after the success of Clueless, 2000's Loser is a real LOSER. Filmmaker Chandler Levack joins us to chat about this technically-not-a-remake-of-The-Apartment “comedy” that gets college surprisingly wrong. Come for the Wheatus talk, stay for the in-depth power ranking of every American Pie cast member's post-Pie career. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Okay, so you're probably going, “Is this like a Noxzema commercial or what?” But seriously, this is actually a way normal podcast about one of David Sims' favorite movies! SNL's Heidi Gardner (a total betty) joins us to talk about Amy Heckerling's beloved Jane Austen adaptation, and we're rolling with the homies. Join us for Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd career discussion, a lot of local Kansas City lore, and Ben's takes on Cher's iconic fits.  Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rico and Riger start the second hour with a conversation on what they'd do about Tarik Skubal's potential extension and whether they'd give him a blank check. Then, David joins for another "In Football Today".

Host Tayla is joined by Alicia Vaandering from the University of Rhode Island, James Rosenzweig from Eastern Washington University, and Amanda Melilli from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to share their research project focusing on queer representation in picture books and the creation of the Rainbow Representation Rubric. They also talk about queer subtext in classic films and novels and finding comfort (or not!) in dystopian fiction. In the Last Chapter they discuss: would you rather have a personal library with unlimited space but only filled with books you've never read, or a small collection of books you've read and loved but no space for new books? Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services and is produced by library staff around the Ocean State. We are proud to be a resident partner of theRhode Island Center for the Book. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speakers' own and do not represent those of the Overdueing It podcast, its sponsor organizations, or any participants' place of employment. The content of Overdueing It episodes are the property of the individual creators, with permission for Overdueing It to share the content on their podcast feed in perpetuity. Any of the content from the Overdueing It podcast can not be reproduced without express written permission. Our logo was designed by Sarah Bouvier and our theme music is byNeura-Flow. Books Orsinian Tales by Ursula K. LeGuin Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Sunrise On the Reaping by Suzanne Collins It's a Love/Skate Relationship by Carli J. Corson Bobby and the Big Valentine by Timmy Woitas & Addy Rivera Sonda Love, Violet by Charlotte Sullivan Wild & Charlene Chua Apothecary Diaries by Natsu Hyūga Blue Period by Tsubasa Yamaguchi Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Zone One by Colson Whitehead Little Women by Louisa May Alcott When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff & Kaylani Juanita Salma the Syrian Chef by Ahmad Danny Ramadan & Anna Bron Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty & David Roberts Mr Watson's Chickens by Jarrett Dapier & Andrea Tsurumi I Am Jazz! by Jessica Herthel, Jazz Jennings & Shelagh McNicholas My Rainbow by Trinity Neal, DeShanna Neal & Art Twink Prince and Knight: Tale of the Shadow King by Daniel Haack & Stevie Lewis Media Taskmaster (2015- ) The Handmaid's Tale (2017-2025) Station Eleven (2021-2022) Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020-2024) World of Warcraft (videogame) The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022- ) Blank Check (podcast) Daredevil: Born Again (2025- ) Little Women (2019) The Witcher (2019- ) Other The Rainbow Representation Rubric Rainbow Book List Stonewall Book Awards

Host Tayla is joined by Alicia Vaandering from the University of Rhode Island, James Rosenzweig from Eastern Washington University, and Amanda Melilli from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to share their research project focusing on queer representation in picture books and the creation of the Rainbow Representation Rubric. They also talk about queer subtext in classic films and novels and finding comfort (or not!) in dystopian fiction. In the Last Chapter they discuss: would you rather have a personal library with unlimited space but only filled with books you've never read, or a small collection of books you've read and loved but no space for new books? Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services and is produced by library staff around the Ocean State. We are proud to be a resident partner of theRhode Island Center for the Book. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speakers' own and do not represent those of the Overdueing It podcast, its sponsor organizations, or any participants' place of employment. The content of Overdueing It episodes are the property of the individual creators, with permission for Overdueing It to share the content on their podcast feed in perpetuity. Any of the content from the Overdueing It podcast can not be reproduced without express written permission. Our logo was designed by Sarah Bouvier and our theme music is byNeura-Flow. Books Orsinian Tales by Ursula K. LeGuin Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Sunrise On the Reaping by Suzanne Collins It's a Love/Skate Relationship by Carli J. Corson Bobby and the Big Valentine by Timmy Woitas & Addy Rivera Sonda Love, Violet by Charlotte Sullivan Wild & Charlene Chua Apothecary Diaries by Natsu Hyūga Blue Period by Tsubasa Yamaguchi Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Zone One by Colson Whitehead Little Women by Louisa May Alcott When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff & Kaylani Juanita Salma the Syrian Chef by Ahmad Danny Ramadan & Anna Bron Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty & David Roberts Mr Watson's Chickens by Jarrett Dapier & Andrea Tsurumi I Am Jazz! by Jessica Herthel, Jazz Jennings & Shelagh McNicholas My Rainbow by Trinity Neal, DeShanna Neal & Art Twink Prince and Knight: Tale of the Shadow King by Daniel Haack & Stevie Lewis Media Taskmaster (2015- ) The Handmaid's Tale (2017-2025) Station Eleven (2021-2022) Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020-2024) World of Warcraft (videogame) The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022- ) Blank Check (podcast) Daredevil: Born Again (2025- ) Little Women (2019) The Witcher (2019- ) Other The Rainbow Representation Rubric Rainbow Book List Stonewall Book Awards

Griffin, David, Ben, and Marie accepted the mission. They live and pod in the shadows, for those they hold close, and for those they never meet. They also have a few notes for Tom Cruise and Chris McQuarrie with regards to Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning. Join the crew as they break down all the problems of this latest (and final???) installment of the beloved franchise. Join them as they rave over some of the most incredible sequences ever to grace the silver screen - ALSO in this movie. It's a mixed bag, folks. But speaking of bags - we still love popcorn. And movies. If you're in NY check out the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE—Story and Spectacle at the Museum of the Moving Image Read Owen Gleiberman's Review Use code CHECK at monarchmoney.com in your browser for half off your first year. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kitten Krunch: Part of a balanced breakfast. Please subscribe to the “Five Six Kings” podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, download the episodes, leave a rating, and write a review! Follow us on Instagram @fivesixkings

Griffin Newman (@grifflightning) and David Sims (@davidlsims) of Blank Check join the 'boys to talk NYC eats and video games before diving into a review of Planet Hollywood. Plus, another edition of Frank Check.Catch Blank Check LIVE in New York! Get tickets at Bit.ly/BlankCheck25Watch this episode at youtube.com/doughboysmediaGet ad-free episodes at patreon.com/doughboysGet Doughboys merch at kinshipgoods.com/doughboysAdvertise on Doughboys via Gumball.fmSources for this week's intro:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9cERvUX6sEhttps://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1992https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/stars-like-bruce-willis-arnold-schwarzenegger-and-sylvester-stallone-endorse-planet-hollywood/articleshow/9937771.cmshttps://www.esquire.com/entertainment/a36439327/planet-hollywood-origin-story-history-interview/https://ny.eater.com/2025/2/6/24358961/planet-hollywood-new-york-reopens-times-square-restauranthttps://planethollywoodnyc.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thanks to our awesome Patrons, we're proud to present another episode of Mediasplode! Running Time: 01:00:00 This month, Josh Flanagan and Conor Kilpatrick are joined by their original Pick of the Week co-host Ron Richards to discuss… What We've Been Enjoying:00:01:27 – Conor finished the first season of The Studio and re-watched all of the Mission: Impossible films.00:08:29 – Josh has pretty much been watching nothing but the 2025 NBA Playoffs but he did find time to re-watch Tombstone.00:16:26 – Ron finished the final season of Star Wars: Andor and has been listening to Blank Check with Griffin and David. Discussion:00:21:37 – Ranking the 21st Century Films of Steven Spielberg SPOILERS ABOVE! What's a Mediasplode? It's a monthly special edition show in which we talk about what we are enjoying in media outside of the realm of comic books. It's like our All Media Year End Round-Up but in a shorter, monthly format. Note: Time codes are estimates due to dynamic ad insertion by the distributor. Music:“Hanging By a Moment”Lifehouse   Listen to Josh discuss Fargo on Movie of the Year: 1996. Watch Ron talk about pinball technology on the Daily Tech News Show. Listen to Conor, Josh, and Ron discuss The Crow (1994) on Cradle to the Grave. Watch Josh and Conor talk about how to start a podcast on OpenWater. Listen to Conor discuss Swingers on Movie of the Year: 1996. Listen to Conor discuss Ghostbusters on Movie of the Year: 1984. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ubriacco family are back and - can you believe it? - they're still talking! Actor and filmmaker Max Minghella joins us to talk about Look Who's Talking Too, the contractually-obligated, quickly produced sequel to Amy Heckerling's surprise hit. We're talking about Mr. Toilet Man (he eats your pee pee and poo poo), Elias Koteas' Mr. Scary Uncle Man (he has a gun), and Mr. English Man (David Sims, who grew up in London). Plus, Ben continues to flesh out his “Look Who Hath Talked” prequel, and Griffin becomes the first person with the courage to ask, “Who was the first baby?” Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In perhaps the spermiest film we've ever covered, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley hang out with a baby voiced by Bruce Willis and Amy Heckerling gets revenge on Harold Ramis. As David Sims says early in this episode - Look Who's Talking is a VERY RICH text. Vanity Fair's Hillary Busis joins us to talk about this 1989 “forgotbuster,” a film that made a bozo amount of money and dared to ask the question, “What if baby talked??” We're going deep on Travolta lore, grappling with Kirstie Alley's later career, and following numerous tangents on everything from the rules of the Rugrats universe to advancements in crib safety. Look who's podcasting! Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congratulations! You've won an all-expenses-paid vacation with Griffin, David, Ben, and Jon Gabrus to Europe! Only downside is…well, you have to watch this movie. From the strange cultural stereotypes to the unfortunate lack of jokes, Amy Heckerling's sequel to National Lampoon's Vacation isn't the smoothest trip. But, it certainly gives us an excuse to talk about one of the most beloved franchises of the 1980s! Join us for Stonehenge stories, a deep dive into Beverly D'Angelo's incredible biography, travel talk, and a whole lot of Chevy chat. Listen to Action Boyz and Staying Alive Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ed, Rob, and Jeremy took some time from Wednesday's BBMS to debate the future of Gunnar Henderson in Baltimore. ESPN's Jeff Passan predicts Henderson could command a contract north of 600-million dollars in the not-so-distant future. If you're the O's front office, are you giving him any amount of money to keep him in orange and black?

This Week on the Force Five Podcast:

He's the nicest bad guy in town. His last name is an adverb. And he's got some pretty wacky bits! Sweetie pie comedian Josh Gondelman joins us to talk about 1984's Johnny Dangerously, Amy Heckerling's loving homage to 1930's gangster pictures. Things we attempt to understand in this episode: the cultural legacy of Joe Piscopo; the actual joke that's being told in the “Your Testicles and You” animated reel / is there one?; Marilu Henner's insane memory thing; if the Danny DeVito bull scene is a parody of anything; why does Richie Rich have cent signs in his name if he's so rich?; and most crucially - why is this movie so damned hard to see in 2025?!?! Real fans know that Blank Check started off as an investigative podcast. Maybe it's time to bring that element back! Subscribe to Josh's newsletter If you haven't been able to find the movie maybe watch the Internet Archive version. Buy Mattie Lubchansky's Book Simplicity Listen to Griffin on The Michael Keaton Movie Mount Rushmore episode of The Big Picture Read Coolio's Obituary Watch the end of Disaster Movie Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blank Check! by Pastor Richie Ray

Dr. Jennifer Kates, SVP and Director, Global Health and HIV Policy Program, KFF, provides a tour d'horizon of how global health and health security look at day #98 of the Trump revolution. “The DOGE factor was not on my bingo card,” as it became the battering ram decimating institutions, programs, budgets and staff, far beyond what was environed in Project 2025. It went against what many Republicans favor—just look at the recent dismantling of the Millennium Challenge Corporation. The desire to vanquish likely emanates from the White House OMB. As the budget process, including recissions, advances, the power dynamic may shift to Congress. It may become possible to think about new ways to do foreign assistance. There will be no restoration of the status quo ante. It requires fresh thinking and clear principles, and most importantly, new forms of leadership. 

Send us a textHELLO? THIS IS THE GRANDMOTHER. Imagine this; Jason standing alone in the middle of a casino, laughing his ass off. You're staring at that wall, aren't ya? What would it be like to hang out with Jeremy Piven? Role reversal conundrums. Andy's shot comes out of his nose. Ska punk. Uncovering the racism in Blank Check. Solving the mystery of whether or not Bud Bundy was in this movie. We sniffed it out like a truffle pig. Shrout still doesn't know who the fuck Gavin is. Monopoly guy and Mr. peanut 2028! Join us before we turn into strictly sound bites!Support the showFollow Us Everywhere and Anywhere You Do You Social Medias Stuff: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themovieroulettepodcastTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@themovieroulettepodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themovieroulettepodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMovieRoulettePodcast

We're grabbing our Vans slip ons and heading to the mall as we kick off our Amy Heckerling series - Pod Times at Ridgemont Cast - with Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Fresh off her appearance in Sinners, actual high school friend of Griffin Newman Lola Kirke returns to the pod and things get pretty bogus. Like, David Lynch was supposed to direct this movie!!! David Sims has three performances from this on his 1982 Oscar Ballot! We develop sympathy for Mr. Hand! Griffin used to own a pair of fully black Converse sneakers! And, of course - Ben orders a pizza. Listen to An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba See Lola in Sinner and check out her other projects Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textHey guys, let me tell ya about this adorable little boy who is given a blank check and commits identity theft and bank fraud to buy all the 90s things and a castle. But the real hero of the story is Shay, who is just trying to get to know our cute little boy a little betta. She goes on a date with him, and kisses him, and plays in a fountain with him, getting all wet. Hmmmmmmm. Will the money make him happy, and will Shay be able to get into those sweet pants, or will he lose everything? Listen and find out, as we discuss Blank Check!Support the showFollow Us Everywhere and Anywhere You Do You Social Medias Stuff: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themovieroulettepodcastTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@themovieroulettepodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/themovieroulettepodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMovieRoulettePodcast

Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates Steven Spielberg. Steven Spielberg makes 1993's Jurassic Park and changes movie history. The Big Picture's Sean Fennessey joins us to talk about this totemic blockbuster, and we're spending three hours talking about the bad boys of the Jurassic era (velociraptors), the bad boys of ILM (Steve ‘Spaz' Williams and Mark Dippe), and the bad boy of movie scientists (Dr. Ian Malcolm). Note: this episode was recorded last fall, so some of the takes you'll hear are a bit…frozen in amber. Yup, you guessed it. Hawk Tuah Talk again. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Which one of you nuts has got any guts?” – One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)This week, we check into the ward with special guest Ben Hosley, producer of Blank Check with Griffin and David, to take on Miloš Forman's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. One of only three films to sweep the “Big Five” Oscars, this anti-establishment classic remains a cultural touchstone. We dive into Jack Nicholson's electric performance, Louise Fletcher's chilling turn as Nurse Ratched, and how the film captures the shifting American psyche of the 1970s.New audio episodes drop every Monday at 12am EST, with video premieres on YouTube the same day at 12pm EST. Follow the Show:TwitterInstagramWebsite Music by Mike Natale

Just to be clear, I am ALL FOR forgiveness.  I have talked about on the Save The Marriage Podcast and on my Thriveology Podcast. And in a marriage, there are ample opportunities to practice forgiving.  "Every-day forgiving" and big-time forgiving.  In such an intimate relationship, you are going to step on toes, hurt each other's feelings, make bad decisions -- and still have to figure out how to move forward.  You do that by forgiving. BUT (and this is a big BUT, which is why I capitalized it and bolded it) that does not mean the "forgiven" has carte blanche to keep up the behavior that required the forgiving. (By the way, not to chase a tangent, but did you know that carte blanche means "white card" or "blank card," meaning a check that is blank, but has been signed?  In other words, a "blank check.") When someone is forgiven, it is not permission to do "it" (whatever the "it" is that causes the need for forgiveness).  Forgiving is a decision to move forward.  It may or may not include moving forward in relationship.  But it is deciding to move forward in the face of something that happened. There is a saying that "the first time is a mistake, the second time is a choice." I would add, "the third time, on, it is a habit."  Forgiving something is not an open opportunity to repeat the behavior. Similarly, an apology is not an opportunity to repeat the behavior.  It is an acknowledgement of a mistake and an opportunity for change. One apologizes AND takes the opportunity to change (I have a podcast on apologizing).  One forgives, SO THAT the hurt and pain can be left behind. Listen to the podcast below for more. (. . . and if you need to catch up on the Immutable Laws Of Marriage series, here are the older episodes:) Immutable Laws Of Marriage Series #1 Marriage Is About Becoming A WE #2 Marriage Is NOT A Vehicle for Happiness (Or Misery) #3 We ALL Have Fear #4 There Is NO Pause #5 Connection Is The Lifeblood #6 The Goal Of Conflict Is Progress #7 Love Is What You Do #8 Look For The Best In Your Spouse #9 You Have To Show Up #10 Civility and Respect Is A Choice #11 Trust Is A Gift

Everyone knows Captain Hook got swallowed by the crocodile at the end of Peter Pan. But what this movie presupposes is…maybe he didn't? Let us go back to a time when the coolest thing a kid could have was a clubhouse that looked like a skatepark…when the worst thing a dad could do was own a cell phone…and when the craziest thing a filmmaker could do was agree to make a movie that started off as a child's drawing. Lin-Manuel Miranda - most famous for starring as Captain Hook in his sixth grade production of Peter Pan - joins us on a trip to Neverland as we unpack Spielberg's 1991 fantasia Hook. Bangarang, Blankies! And RIP Rufio. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Griffin Newman returns! And this time he's brought with him the Bat, the Cat, the Penguin, and….Shreck? Yes, we've got THE TICK's Arthur to talk all things superhero movies, performing in costume, transitioning from comedian to action hero, and why there will never be a better Bruce Wayne than Michael Keaton. Also, we gush about how truly reprehensible and brilliant Danny DeVito is in this film! He stayed in character throughout the entire production! Demented!Join the conversation on our Discord at https://discord.com/invite/RssDc3brsx and get more Eye of the Duck on our Patreon show, After Hours https://www.patreon.com/EyeoftheDuckPodReferences:Special FeaturesThe Bat, the Cat, and the PenguinShadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight Part 4Making-up the PenguinAssembling the Arctic ArmyBats, Mattes, and Dark Knights: The Visual Effects of Batman ReturnsInside the Elfman Studios: The Music of Batman ReturnsFangoria #160 Production HistoryCinefantastique Vol 22 No 2 (Oct 1991) Production HistoryCinefantastique Vol 23 No 1 (Aug 1992) Production HistoryCinefantastique Vol 23 No 2-3 (Oct 1992) Production HistoryBurton on Burton by Mark SalisburyCinefex #51 Production HistoryThe Hollywood Reporter Production HistoryStan Winston Penguin SFX BreakdownStan Winston Army of Penguins SFX BreakdownMarlon Wayans Cast (Then Cut) as RobinSean Young on Playing Catwoman NowTim Burton on Returning to the FranchiseMoney Into Light Daniel Waters InterviewASC Cinematography BreakdownEmpire Danny Elfman InterviewAFI Production HistoryDaniel Waters on Batman (1989)We Are Cult Production History“Batman 2” by Sam HammCredits:Eye of the Duck is created, hosted, and produced by Dom Nero and Adam Volerich.This episode was edited by Michael Gaspari.This episode was researched by Parth Marathe.Our logo was designed by Francesca Volerich. You can purchase her work at francescavolerich.com/shopThe "Adam's Blu-Ray Corner" theme was produced by Chase Sterling.This miniseries was programmed with the help of Nik Long.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Letterboxd or join the conversation at Eye of the DiscordLearn more at eyeoftheduckpod.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is it possible for Steven Spielberg to make a movie that doesn't exist? Well, he sure tried with 1989's Always, a film where John Goodman plays Monterey Jack of the Rescue Rangers, Richard Dreyfuss riffs to no one as an annoying ghost, and Holly Hunter falls in love with the most dull hottie at the Plane Depot. Our beloved Richard Lawson joins us to talk planes, boy bands, Marlboro merch, and the enduring mystery of what happened between Kathy Bates, Holly Hunter, and Fran McD in that famous apartment.  Listen to Little Gold Men Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if Indiana Jones had a dad who was a “grail scholar" but also his “eskimo brother" and he was played by James Bond and he had a funny little hat? We are so glad Steven Spielberg dared to imagine this scenario because we got Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade out of it! Chris Gethard - The self-proclaimed “Bad Boy of Blank Check Guests” - joins the crew to talk about this delightful film, considered a fulcrum point in Spielberg's career where he switches perspectives from son to father. We're talking about daddy issues. We're asking if Kazim is the Kit Fisto of this film. We're wondering if Elsa looking hottest when dressed as a Nazi is a weird psychosexual thing Spielberg is exploring. We're realizing in real time that Indiana Jones might be a terrible archeologist. Basically - you should hand in your blimp tickets and join us on a very fun ride. Listen to Gethard's Special A Father and the Sun Listen To Beautiful Anonymous Checkout That Show monthly at UCB NY LIVE and LIVE STREAMED Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Spielbergian journey takes us to new dramatic heights with 1987's Empire of the Sun, the film that brought us Christian Bale (discovered by Amy Irving!), unexpected Joey Pants and Ben Stiller appearances, and a perfect use of John Malkovich. Bilge Ebiri joins us (and the Five Timers Club) to chat about how underrated this film is within the Spielberg canon, and how this movie evolves Spielberg's perception as a serious dramatic artist. Read Bilge's writing at Vulture Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After inventing the Hollywood blockbuster with Jaws, creating the world's most loveable alien with E.T., and resurrecting the classic adventure serial with the Indiana Jones franchise, of course the next logical step in Steven Spielberg's career was to…adapt Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel about the survival and strength of queer black women in the American south? Duh! Obviously! Comedian Kenice Mobley joins us to talk about 1985's truly baffling and seismically important The Color Purple in our latest episode. We want to thank Quincy Jones for discovering Oprah and producing this movie. We want to yell at Quincy Jones for his awful, treacly score. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a special HDTGM and Blank Check crossover episode, Griffin Newman and David Sims join Paul and Jason to discuss Zack Snyder's Justice League aka The Snyder Cut. They talk all about the differences between the theatrical version and the Snyder cut, Cyborg's fleshed out arc, the 'knightmare' epilogue, the Icelandic folk song, and much more. (Originally released 3/25/21) HDTGM Spring Tour 2025 tickets are now on sale for Austin, Denver, Seattle, Boise, San Fran, Portland, & LA at hdtgm.com.Order Paul's book about his childhood: Joyful Recollections of TraumaCheck out new HDTGM movie merch over at teepublic.com/stores/hdtgmJoin the HDTGM conversation on Discord: discord.gg/hdtgmPaul's Discord: discord.gg/paulscheerVisit Paul's YouTube page: youtube.com/paulscheerFollow Paul's movie recs on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/paulscheer/Friend Zone w/ Paul and Rob Huebel live on Twitch every Thursday 5pmPT / 8pmET: www.twitch.tv/friendzoneLike good movies too? Listen to Unspooled with Paul and Amy Nicholson: https://www.unspooledpodcast.com/Listen to The Deep Dive with Jessica St. Clair and June Diane Raphael: www.thedeepdiveacademy.com/podcastWhere to find Paul, June, & Jason:@PaulScheer on Instagram & Twitter@Junediane on IG and @MsJuneDiane on TwitterJason is not on social media Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using the link: siriusxm.com/hdtgm.

“Doom” isn't just describing a Temple here, folks - it's kind of the overarching vibe of this film! George Lucas is going through a bitter divorce. Steven Spielberg is dealing with PTSD from Twilight Zone: The Movie. Harrison Ford is suffering from a back injury from falling off an elephant or something. Kate Capshaw is there. A true cloud of doom hanging over this movie! Fortunately for you all, it's only great vibes for us and Olivia Craighead *podcasting* about Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. It's the return of the “George Lucas got cucked by the stained glass man” lore, of course we're gonna have a blast. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a wonderful night for Blankies! Join us and This Had Oscar Buzz's Joe Reid as we survey the year that was 2024 in cinema. Not to spoil too much, but some things that happen in this episode: Griffy Crystal sings a tribute to The Brutalist to the tune of “Bootylicious,” Nosferatu wins zero awards but shows up to present every category, Griffin is obsessed with Hundreds of Beavers, David hates The Bikeriders, Joe invents an incredible new bespoke category, and as always - Ben ranks his wettest films of the year. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're putting out a bit of a throwback episode for the most iconic (literal) blankie in film history - this week's E.T. episode is guestless, with Griffin going rogue off the dossier, David making fun of Griffin for being an adult who likes toys and animation, and Ben getting emotional over a family film…decade of dreams, baby! Join us as we gush over the child performances, creature creation, and authentic emotionality of Spielberg's canonical hit. Did you know that the Italian guy who designed E.T. kind of looks like E.T.? Or that Researcher JJ wrote his doctoral dissertation about the Reese's Pieces product placement in this movie? Open the schools! But please - no frog dissections. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks to our awesome Patrons, we're proud to present another episode of Mediasplode! Running Time: 01:01:11 This month, Josh Flanagan and Conor Kilpatrick are joined by their original Pick of the Week co-host Ron Richards to discuss… What We've Been Enjoying: 00:02:33 – Conor (and Ron) have been watching Paradise. 00:05:32 – Ron has been listening to Blank Check with Griffin and David. 00:08:17 – It's time to check back in with The Pitt. SNL50: 00:16:43 – SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night 00:24:08 – Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music Game Time: 00:29:30 – The Saturday Night Live Cast Draft! SPOILERS ABOVE! What's a Mediasplode? It's a monthly special edition show in which we talk about what we are enjoying in media outside of the realm of comic books. It's like our All Media Year End Round-Up but in a shorter, monthly format. Note: Time codes are estimates due to dynamic ad insertion by the distributor. Music: “SNL Opening Theme (1991)” The Saturday Night Live Band and “SNL Closing Theme” The Saturday Night Live Band Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're a young movie fan. It's 1981. STEVEN SPIELBERG is teaming up with FREAKING GEORGE LUCAS (!?!?!) to make a movie with HAN SOLO…can you imagine how hyped you'd be?? Marvel Comics legend Brian Michael Bendis joins us to recount the colossal impact of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK in this rollicking adventure of an episode. Jewish mysticism and weird Nazi stuff! Alfred Molina getting covered with a bunch of live spiders! Karen Allen coming up with an incredibly detailed backstory for Marion and Spielberg being like, “sure, whatever”! Danny DeVito almost being cast as Saleh?!?! You bet we're getting into it, snakes and all. Check out JinxWorld Check out Brian's Comics Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He invented the summer blockbuster. He inspired millions of people around the world to “watch the skies.” And now, he has sent Griffin Newman into an existential crisis over the question “what is comedy?” Our friends Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger of The Doughboys join us to talk about Steven Spielberg's infamously unfunny 1941. Why IS this film - loaded with so many comedic superstars - boring as shit? Is the opening scene one of the most embarrassing exercises in hubris ever committed to screen? Would this movie be better if they just inserted the entirety of Dumbo into it? Why does Eddie Deezen keep getting banned from dining establishments? Someone has to ask these things. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five curious tones. A mountain of mashed potatoes. Bob Balaban with a beard speaking french. After the industry-changing success of JAWS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND feels like a classic “blank check.” But it's a little more nuanced than that! JD Amato returns for his 10th mainfeed appearance this week, and we're getting into all of the production drama, real nerdy practical effects shit (cloud boxing!), and the complicated feelings we have towards the behavior of the adults in this movie. Seems like young Stevie Spielberg has some divorce trauma he's working through! Has anyone ever made that observation before? Decade of Dreams Theme and sound design composed by Alex Mitchell Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices