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Hey Yo! Sorry for the break! But this week we are joined by DeathMatch Jesus Dimitri Alexandrov! We discuss his DeathMatch beginnings! Godzilla! Care Bear Powers! Fuck Yogi The Bear! Bad DeathMatch Wrestling! Cheap Tacos! Scissor Me Weapons? Plus so much more! Enjoy! *I do not own the rights to any music used in this episode*Big Thank You to Breakaway Brewing Company for sponsoring this episode! Breakaway Brewing Company is a cycling-themed brewery and gastropub located at 1518 East Grayson St in San Antonio Tx! The brewery offers a variety of beers which are all Tall Can Approved! Find em on Facebook and Instagram @breakawaybrewingsa !

This week on Skip the Queue, we're stepping into the turret and turning up the tension, as we explore one of the UK's most talked-about immersive experiences.Our guest is Neil Connolly, Creative Director at The Everywhere Group, who have brought The Traitors Live Experience to life. With over 10 million viewers watching every betrayal, backstab and banishment on the BBC show, expectations for the live version were nothing short of murderous.So, how do you even begin to transform a TV juggernaut into a thrilling, guest-led experience? Let's find out who's playing the game… and who's about to be banished…Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Show references: The Traitors Live website: https://www.thetraitorslive.co.uk/Neil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-connolly-499054110/Neil Connolly is a creative leader of design and production teams focused on development, production and installation of live theatre, entertainment, multi-media and attractions for the themed entertainment industry worldwide.Neil began his career as a performer, writer, producer & artist in Londons alternative theatre/art scene. It was during this time Neil developed a love and passion for story telling through the platform of interactive playable immersive theatre.Having been at the vanguard of playable & immersive theatre since 2007, Neil had a career defining opportunity in 2019 when he devised, wrote & directed an immersive experience as part of Sainsbury's 150th Birthday Celebrations. Making him the only immersive theatre & game maker in the world to have HRH Elizabeth Regina attend one of their experiences.In a distinguished career spanning 20 years, Neil has brought that passion to every facet of themed entertainment in the creative direction and production of attractions such as; Handels Messiah, Snowman & The Snowdog, Peppa Pig Surprise Party, Traitors Live, The Crystal Maze Live Experience, Tomb Raider Live Experience & Chaos Karts, an AR go-kart real life battle. Other clients and activations include: Harrods, Sainsbury's, Camelot/The National Lottery, Samsung, Blenheim Palace, Land Rover and Warner Brothers.Neil has worked across 4 continents for many years with private individuals; designing, producing and delivering live entertainment on land, sea & air. A world without boundaries requires freethinking.Neil is currently working with Immersive Everywhere on creative development of show and attraction content for projects across U.K, Europe, North America & Asia. Transcriptions:  Paul Marden: This week on Skip the Queue, we're stepping into the turret and turning up the tension as we explore one of the UK's most talked about immersive experiences.Paul Marden: Our guest is Neil Connolly, Creative Director at The Everywhere Group, who've brought The Traitor's live experience to life. With over 10 million viewers watching every betrayal, backstab and banishment on the BBC show, expectations for the live version were nothing short of murderous. So how do you even begin to transform a TV juggernaut into a thrilling guest-led experience? Let's find out who's playing the game and who's about to be banished.Paul Marden: So, we're underground. Lots of groups running currently, aren't they? How did you make that happenNeil Connolly: Yeah, so now we're two floors under us. There's a lower basement and some other basement. So the building that we are in, there's a family in the 1890s who owned all of the land around Covent Garden and specifically the Adelphi Theatre.Paul Marden: Right.Neil Connolly: And they wanted their theatre to be the first theatre in the UK to have its lights powered by electricity. So they built their own private power station in this building. Like, literally like, all this, this is a power station. But unfortunately for these the Savoy had taken to that moniker, so they quickly built their important institution. The family had this building until the 1980s when the establishment was assumed through the important UK network.Neil Connolly: And then it was sat there empty, doing nothing for 40 years. And so the landlord that is now started redeveloping the building 10 years ago, added two floors onto the top of the building. So now what we're in is an eight-storey structure and we've basically got the bottom four floors. Two of which are ground and mezzanine, which is our hospitality area. And the lower two floors, which are all in the basement, are our experience floors. What we're looking at right now is, if you look off down this way to the right, not you people on audio, but me here.Neil Connolly: Off this side is five of the round table rooms. There's another one behind me and there's two more upstairs. And then I've got some Tretters Towers off to the left and I've got my show control system down there.Neil Connolly: On the floor above me, we've got the lounges. So each lounge is connected to one of the round table rooms. Because when you get murdered or banished, one of the biggest challenges that I faced was what happens to people when they get murdered or banished? Because you get kicked out of the game. It's not a lot of fun, is it? Therefore, for me, you also get kicked out of the round table room. So this is a huge challenge I face. But I built these lounge concepts where you go— it's the lounge of the dead— and you can see and hear the round table room that you've just left. We'll go walk into the room in a while. There's lots of interactivity. But yeah, super fun. Neil Connolly: But unfortunately for these the Savoy had taken to that moniker, so they quickly built their important institution. The family had this establishment until the 1980s when the establishment was considered through the important UK network.Paul Marden: Yeah. So we've got 10 million people tuning in to Traitors per episode. So this must be a lot of pressure for you to get it right. Tell us about the experience and what challenges you faced along the way, from, you know, that initial text message through to the final creation that we're stood in now.Neil Connolly: So many challenges, but to quote Scroobius Pip on this, do you know Scroobius Pip? Paul Marden: No. Neil Connolly: Great, he's amazing. UK rapper from Essex.Neil Connolly: Some people see a mousetrap and think death. I see free cheese and a challenge.Neil Connolly: There's never any problems in my logic, in my thinking. There's always just challenges to overcome. So one of the biggest challenges was what happens to people when they get murdered or banished. The truth of the matter is I had to design a whole other show, which happens after this show. It is one big show. But you go to the Lounge of the Dead, there's more interactivity. And navigating that with the former controller, which is O3 Media and IDTV, who created the original format in the Netherlands, and basically designing a game that is in the world and follows the rules of their game with some reasonable adjustments, because TV and live are not the same thing.Neil Connolly: It takes 14 days to film 12 episodes of The Traitors. Paul Marden: Really? Okay. Neil Connolly: So I was like, how do I truncate 14 days of somebody's life down into a two-hour experience and still deliver that same impact, that same power, that same punch?Paul Marden: Yep.Neil Connolly: But I knew from the beginning of this that it wasn't about time. There is a magic triangle when it comes to the traitors, which is time, space, atmosphere. And time was the thing that I always struggled with. I don't have a Scottish cattle show, and I don't have two weeks. No. So I'm like, 'Cool, I've got to do it in two hours.' So our format follows exactly the same format. We do a breakfast scene, then a mission, then a roundtable banishment, then there's a conclave where the traitors meet and they murder somebody. And I do that in a seven-day structure, a seven-day cycle. But it all happens within two hours around this round table.Neil Connolly: I'm the creative director for Immersive Everywhere. We're a vertically integrated structure in the sense that we take on our own venues. So we're now standing in Shorts Gardens in the middle of Covent Garden. So we've leased this building. We've got a lease that is for a number of years and we have built the show into it. But we also identify the IP, go after that ourselves, we capitalise the projects ourselves. We seek strategic partners, promoters, other people to kind of come involved in that journey. But because we're also the team that are licensing the product, we are also the producers and I'm the creative director for that company. So I developed the creative in line with while also getting the deal done. This is incredibly unusual because other producers will be like, 'Hey, I've identified this IP and I've got it.' Now I'm going to approach a creative agency and I'm going to get them to develop the product. And now I've done all of that, I'm going to find someone else to operationally put it on, or I'm going to find a venue to put it on in, and then I'm going to find my ticketing partner.  But we don't do that. We have our own ticketing platform, and we have our own database, so we mark our own shoulders.Neil Connolly: As well as other experiences too. Back, we have our own creative industry, we are the producers, we are the female workers. So we cast it, we hire all the front of house team, we run the food and beverage, we run the bars. The operations team is our operations team because they run the venue as well as the show at the same time. So that's what I mean. We're a vertically integrated structure, which means we do it, which makes us a very unusual proposition within... certainly within the UK market, possibly the world. It makes us incredibly agile as a company and makes us to be able to be adaptive and proactive and reactive to the product, to the show, to the market that we're operating in, because it's all under one roof.Neil Connolly: This show started January 24th, 2023. Right. It's very specific because I was sitting on my sofa drinking a lovely glass of Merlot and I had just watched... UK Traitors, Season One. Yep. Because it came out that Christmas. Immediately I was like, 'Oh my God, this is insane.' And then I got a text message that particular night from our head of licensing, a guy named Tom Rowe, lovely man. And he was like, Neil, I'm at a licensing event with some friends of mine and everyone's talking about this thing called Traitors. I've not watched it. Have you watched it? Sounds like it might be a good thing. And so I sat back and drank my Merlot. And about five minutes later, I text him back and I was like, Tom, get us that license.Neil Connolly: And then I sent him a bunch of other details of how the show in my head would work, both from a commercial standpoint, but also from a creative standpoint, because I'm a commercially minded creative. Right. So I instantly took out my notebook and I started writing down exactly how I thought the show was going to do, the challenges that we would face and being able to translate this into a live thing. But I literally started writing it that night. And then he watched the first episode on the train on the way home. And then he texted me the next morning and he was like, 'I love it.' What do we need to do? And I was like, 'Get us in the room.' Two days later, we were in the room with all three media who own the format globally.Paul Marden: Okay.Neil Connolly: So we sat down and then they came to see one of our other shows and they were like, 'Okay, we get it now.' And then that was like two and a half years of just building the show, getting the deal done and facing the myriad of challenges. But yeah, sometimes it just starts with the text message.Paul Marden: So they get to experience all the key parts of the TV.Neil Connolly: All the key beats. Like right now, I'm holding one of the slates. They're not chalkboard slates. Again, this is... Oh, actually, this is a good challenge. So in the TV show, they've got a piece of slate and they write on it with a chalkboard pen. This seems so innocuous and I can't believe I'm talking about this on a podcast.Neil Connolly: Slategate was like six months of my life. Not in its entirety, but it was a six month long conversation about how we do the slates correctly. Because we do... 48 shows a day, six days a week. And those slates will crack. They will bash. And they're kind of a bit health and safety standards. I was like, can't have them. Also, they write on them with chalk pens, white ink chalk pens. But in the TV show, you only do it once a night. Yeah.Paul Marden: And then you have a producer and a runner.Neil Connolly: They just clean them very, very leisurely and set them back for the next day. And I was like, no, I've got to do a whole bunch of roundtable banishments in two hours. So we talked a lot about material, about style, literal viewership, because if you take a seat at the table. Yeah. If you're sitting at the table here, you'll notice that we've got a raised bit in the middle. If I turn mine around, the other person on the other side can't see it. So I was like, 'Okay, cool.' So we had to do a whole bunch of choreography. But also, the room's quite dark. Yes. At times, atmospheric. Yeah. In that magic triangle time-space atmosphere. So anything that was darker, or even that black slate, you just couldn't read it. And then there was, and then I had to— this is the level of detail that we have to go into when we're designing this kind of stuff. I was like, 'Yeah, but I can't clean off these slates with the white ink because everyone will have to have like a wet cloth chamois. Then I've just got loads of chamois around my venue that I just don't need.' And so then we're like, 'Oh, let's use real slates with real chalk.' And I was like, 'No, because dust will get everywhere.' I'll get chalk just all over my table. It'll just ruin everything. It'll ruin the technology that's inside the table because there's lots of hidden tricks inside of it. Paul Marden: Is there really? Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Neil Connolly: There's loads of hidden tricks inside the table. So after a while, going through many different permutations, I sat down with Christian Elenis, who's my set designer and my art director. And we were, the two of us were nearly in tears because we were like, 'We need,' and this only happened like.Neil Connolly: I would say two, three weeks before we opened. We still hadn't solved how to do the slate, which is a big thing in the show. Anybody who's seen the show and loves the show knows that they want to come in, they want to write somebody's name on the slate, and they want to spell the name incorrectly.Neil Connolly: Everyone does it on purpose. But I wanted to give people that opportunity. So then eventually we sat down and we were like, Christian, Neil. And the two of us in conversation went, why don't we just get a clear piece of Perspex, back it with a light coloured vinyl. And then Christian was like, 'Ooh,' and I'll make it nice and soft and put some felt on the back of it, which is what I'm holding. And then why don't we get a black pen? And we were like, 'Yeah,' like a whiteboard marker. And then we can just write on it. And then A, I can see it from the other side of the table. Thing one achieved. Two. Every marker pen's got an eraser on the top of it. I don't know why everyone thinks this is important, but it is. That you can just rub out like that, and I'm like, 'There's no dirt, there's no mess, and I can reuse this multiple times, like dozens of times in the same show.' And I know that sounds really weird, but that's the level of design I'm going to need.Paul Marden: I was just about to say, and that is just for the chalkboard. Yeah. Now you need to multiply that. How many decisions?Neil Connolly: How many decisions in each game. But also remember that there are eight round tables in this building. Each round table seats 14 people. And we do six sessions a day. So first ones at 10 a. m. Then we do 12, 2, 4, 6, and 8 p. m. So we do 48 shows a day, six days a week.Paul Marden: I love the concept that these are shows. This is not this is not visitor attraction. This is theater repeated multiple times a day for multi audience is concurrently.Neil Connolly: And I've just spent five minutes describing a slate to you. Yeah. But like, I haven't even got— it's like the sheer amount of technology that is in the show. And again, theatrical, like, look above our heads. Yeah. You've got this ring light above every seat. It's got a pin light. There's also microphones which are picking up all the audio in the room, which again is translating to the lounge of the dead. Every single one of the round table rooms has four CCTV cameras. Can you see that one in the corner? Each one of them is 4K resolution. It's quite high spec, which is aimed at the opposite side of the table to give you the resolution in the TV. In the other room. Then you've got these video contents. This is constantly displaying secret information through the course of the show to the traitors when they're in Conclave because everyone's in blindfolds and they took them off. They get secret instructions from that. There's also a live actor in the room. A live actor who is Claudia? They're not Claudia. They're not pastiches of Claudia. They are characters that we have created and they are the host of The Traitor's Game. Right. They only exist inside this building. We never have them portrayed outside of this building in any way whatsoever.Neil Connolly: They are characters, but they live, they breathe— the game of Traitors, the world of Traitors, and the building that we have designed and constructed here. And they facilitate the game for the people. And they facilitate the game for the people. One actor to 14 people. There are no plants, even though everyone tries to tell me. Members of the public will be convinced that they are the only person that's in that show and that everyone else is a plant. And I'm like, no, because that would be insane.Neil Connolly: The only actor in the room is the host.Paul Marden: 14 people that can sit around this table. How many of them are in the same group? Are you with your friends or is it put together where there are other people that you won't know in the room? If you book together, you play together.Neil Connolly: Yes. Okay, so if you don't book 14 people... Ah, we also capped the number of tickets that you can purchase to eight. Right. So you can only purchase a maximum of eight tickets unless you do want a full table of 14, at which point you have to then purchase a VIP package because you are booking out a whole table for yourselves. The game doesn't work if there's less than 10 people at the table. So there has to be 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14 people sat at a round table for the show to actually happen, for it to work. By capping the number of tickets that you book for eight, then that guarantees that strangers will be playing together. And that is the basis of strangers. Yeah, yeah. Like, you need to be sat around a table with people you know, you don't know, that you trust and you don't trust. Yeah. Fact of the matter. And do you see people turning on the others in their own group? Every single time. People think genuinely, and I love this from the public, you would think that if you're turning up as a group of eight and a group of four and a group of two, that the bigger group would just pick everybody off to make sure that someone in their group gets through to the end game.Neil Connolly: I'm sure they think that and they probably plot and plan that before they arrive on site. As soon as this game starts, gloves are off and everyone just starts going for each other. We've been open nearly two months now. I have seen, like, children murdered of their mothers.Neil Connolly: Husbands murder their wives, wives murder their husbands. I've seen, like, three generations—like, we get, because it's so intergenerational, like our lowest, the lowest age that you can play this is 12. Right. And then it's upwards. I've seen three generations of family come in and I've seen grandkids murder their own nan.Neil Connolly: Absolutely convinced that they're a traitor. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 100%. Or they banish them. Like, it's just mental. I've also seen nans, who are traitors, murder their grandkids.Neil Connolly: Like, and this is in a room full of strangers. They're just like, 'No, I'm not going to go for Barbara, who I met two hours ago in the bar. I'm going to go for my own grandson. It's mental.'Neil Connolly: The very, very first thing that I always think about whenever I'm creating an experience or whenever I'm designing a show is I put myself in the position of 'I'm a member of the public.' I have bought a ticketNeil Connolly: What's the coolest thing that I am going to do for my money? What is my perceived value of my ticket over actually what is the value of that ticket? I wanted to give people the experience of knowing what it was like to be sitting in one of these chairs at this table and feeling their heart. The pounding in their chest and I mean, the pounding in their chest, that rush of adrenaline from doing nothing— from sitting in a chair and all you were doing was sitting in a room talking to people and your heart is going.Neil Connolly: Because you're either being accused of being a liar. And trying to defend against it. And trying to defend against it. Or you actually are lying and you're trying to whittle your way out of it. And that feeling is the most alive that you will ever feel. Not ever. Like, I'm sure they're... No, no, no. But, like, give people that opportunity and that experience, as well as, like, access to the world of traitors and the law and everything else. But also, it's like any other theme park ride. People go on roller coasters because the imminent fear of death is always there. Yeah. And you feel alive. You're like, you've got such a buzz of adrenaline. Whereas, arguably, we do exactly the same thing as roller coasters, but in a much more longer-drawn format and multiple times. Yeah. And people do feel alive. When people walk out of the show, you see them go upstairs to the bar, and they are... Yeah.Paul Marden: You've said to me already that you don't use the word 'immersive,' but you know, I'm, I'm, I'm sat. The company is called 'immersive' everywhere. I'm sat behind the scenes. Okay. I'm sat in the room and the room is hugely convincing. It's like the highest fidelity escape room type experience that I've ever sat in. It feels like I'm on set, yeah, yeah. Um, I can totally believe that, in those two hours, you can slip. I sat on a game. It was only a two-minute game at iApple, but I was being filmed by one of the team. But within 30 seconds, I'd forgotten that they were there because I was completely immersed in the game. I can believe that, sitting in here right now, you could forget where you were and what you were doing, that you were completely submerged in the reality of the land that you're in.Neil Connolly: Yeah, 100%. Like, the world does not exist beyond these worlds. And for some people, like, I have my own definition. Everyone's got a different definition of what immersive is. I've got my own definition. But... I can tell you right now, as soon as people enter this building, they're in the bar, they're kind of slowly immersed in that world because the bar is a themed bar. It's done to the same, like we designed and built that bar as well. But as soon as they start descending that spiral staircase and coming into the gameplay floors, into the show floors, they just forget the rest of the world exists. And especially when they sit down at this table, it doesn't matter. I'm sat next to you here, but you could be sat at this table with your loved one, strangers, whatever. The gloves come off and just nothing exists apart from the game that you're about to go through.Paul Marden: You've been open now for a couple of months. More success than you were anticipating, I think. So pre-sales went through the roof? Yes. So you're very happy with the results?Neil Connolly: Yeah, yeah, we were. Yeah, well, we still are.Neil Connolly: We were very confident before we'd even started building the show, like the literal structural build, because we did very well. But then that set expectations quite high because I had a lot of people that had bought tickets and I was like, 'OK, I need to put on a good show for these people. And I need to make sure that they get satisfaction relative to the tickets that they bought.' But I don't feel pressure. I do feel anxiety quite a lot. Creatively? Yeah. I mean, I meditate every day.Paul Marden: But you've created this amazing world and you're inviting people into it. And as a creative, you're opening yourself up, aren't you? People are walking into the world that you've created.Neil Connolly: Yeah, this was said to me. This is not something that I came up with myself, and I do say this really humbly, but it was something that was said to me. It was on opening day, and a bunch of my friends came to playtest the show. And they were like, 'Oh, this is your brain in a building.'Neil Connolly: And I was like, 'Yeah, I hadn't thought about that.' But yeah, it is my brain in a building. But also that's terrifying, I think, for everybody else, because I know what happens inside my brain and it's really quite chaotic.Neil Connolly: But, you know, this I am. I'm so proud of this show. Like you could not believe how proud I am of this show. But also a huge part of my job is to find people that are smarter than me at the relative thing that they do, such as the rest of my creative team. They're all so much smarter than me. My job is vision and to be able to communicate that vision clearly and effectively so that they go, 'I understand.' The amount of times that people on the creative team turn around to me and go, 'Neil, that's a completely mental idea.' If people are saying to me, 'No one's ever done that before' or 'that's not the way things are done.'Neil Connolly: Or we can do that, but we're going to have to probably invent a whole new thing. If people are saying those things to me, I know I'm doing my job correctly. And I'm not doing that to challenge myself, but everything that I approach in terms of how I build shows is not about format. It's not about blueprints. It's not like, 'Hey, I've done this before, so I'm just going to do this again because I know that's a really neat trick.' I go back to, 'I made the show because I wanted people's heart to pound in their chest while they're sitting in a chair and make them feel alive.'Paul Marden: Is that the vision that you had in your head? So you're articulating that really, really clearly. Is that the vision that you sold to everybody on, not maybe day one, but within a couple of days of talking about this? No, it was day one.Neil Connolly: It was day one. Everyone went, that's a completely mental idea. But, you know, it's my job to try and communicate that as effectively and clearly as I can. But again, I am just one man. My job is vision. And, you know, there's lighting design, sound design, art direction, there's game logic. We haven't even gotten to the technology of how this show works yet, or how this room works.Neil Connolly: Actually, I'll wander down the corner. Yeah, let's do that. But, like, there's other, like, lots of hidden tricks. Like, this is one of the games, one of the missions. In the world and the lore of the show, the round table is sacrosanct.Paul Marden: Yes.Neil Connolly: Traitors is the game. The game is in other people. I can do so many missions and there's loads of missions and they're really fun in this show. But the game is in other people. It's in the people sat on the other side of the room. But also I wanted to do a thing where people could interact directly with the set. And so I designed one of the missions to be in the round table itself.Neil Connolly: So there's a course of these moon dials, which you basically have to align through the course of it. And there are sensors built into the table so that they know when they're in the correct position. How you find out the correct position is by solving a very, very simple puzzle and then communicating effectively to a bunch of strangers that you just met.Neil Connolly: And the sensors basically read it all. And when that all gets into position, the lights react, the sound reacts, the video content reacts, the whole room reacts to you. So I wanted to give people something tangible that they can touch and they make the room react to them. Yes, it's. I mean, I've designed, I've got background in escape rooms as well, right? Um, so I've done a lot of that kind of stuff as well. So I wanted people to feel in touch, same, but like, there's more tangible props over here. Um, yeah, that is a model box of the room that we are stood in, yeah. Also, there's an exact replica of it on the other side of it. There are very subtle differences between it, and that informs one of the missions. So that is two model boxes in this roundtable room. There's one of these in every single roundtable room. So there's 16 model boxes of the show that you're stood in on the set. And again, theatre. It's a show. But it's one of the missions, because I wanted people to kind of go, 'Oh, there's a live actor in front of me.' I'm having fun. Oh, look at all these lights and all the sound. Oh, there's a model box over here. That's in theatre land and blah, blah, blah. But that is also a really expensive joke. It's a really expensive joke. And there's other, like, lots of hidden tricks.Neil Connolly: Let's go look at backstage. Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.Neil Connolly: I say backstage, like how we refer to it or how I always go. I use 'I' and 'we' very interchangeably. Like right now you're on the set. Like you're on the stage. Yes. We're just wandering around a long corridor. There are round table rooms off to either side. But like, you know, there's a green room upstairs where the actors get changed, where the front of house team are, where the bar team all are. But as soon as they go out onto the show floor, they're on stage—yes, completely. We'll very quickly have a look at the gallery—yes, show control. Hi, Robbo. Do you mind if I stand in your room for the purposes of the audio? I'm talking to the technical manager, Thomas Robson. We're recording a podcast.Paul Marden: Robbo, oh yeah, okay. My mind is absolutely blown. So you've got every single room up on screen.Neil Connolly: Yeah, so that's great. There's 164 cameras—something like that. But every roundtable room has four cameras in it. Each camera is 4K resolution. So we've got cameras on all of them. We've got audio into those rooms. That's two-way, so that if show control needs to talk directly to them, they just press a button here and they can talk directly to the room itself. Mainly just like, stop misbehaving, we're watching you.Neil Connolly: We've then got cameras into all of the lounges, all of the show spaces, all the front of house, all of the bar areas, the mezzanine and back of house. And then you've got QLab running across all of the different shows. We've got backups on all of these screens. So if one... of the computers goes down, we can very quickly swap it in for a backup that's already running. We've got show control, which is, there's a company called Clockwork Dog, who, they're an amazing company. What COGS, their show control system, is doing is pulling in all of the QLab from sound, all of the QLab from lighting, and also we built our own app. to be able to run the show. So there's a whole logic and decision tree based on the decisions that the public do through the course of the game. So yes, there is a beginning, a middle, and an end in terms of our narrative beats and the narrative story of the show that we're telling people. But also that narrative can go in. Hundreds of different directions depending on the actions and the gameplay that the people do during the course of the show. So, you haven't just learned one show— you have to learn like You have to learn a world, and you have to learn a whole game.Neil Connolly: Like, there's the server, stacks, which we had to build. You had to network and cable the entire building. So we have built an entire new attraction, which didn't exist before. And also we're pulling in information from the front of house system which is also going into the show itself because again, you put your name into the iPad when you arrive on site and then you tick a box very crucially to say, 'Do you want to be selected as a trader? Yes or No.' Because in the game, it's a fundamental rule. If you say no, you cannot be selected as a traitor by the host during traitor selection. That doesn't mean you can't be recruited.Paul Marden: By the traitors later on in the game. So you could come and do this multiple times and not experience the same story because there were so many different pathways that you could go down.Neil Connolly: But also, the game is in other people. Yes. The show is sat on the opposite side of the table to you because, like, Bob and Sandra don't know each other. They'll never see each other ever again. But Bob comes again and he's now playing against Laura. Who's Laura? She's an unknown quantity. That's a whole new game. That's a whole new show. There's a whole new dynamic. That's a whole new storyline that you have to develop. And so the actors are doing an incredible job of managing all of that.Paul Marden: Thanks, Robbo. Thank you. So you've worked with some really, really impressive leading IP, Traders, Peppa Pig, Doctor Who, Great Gatsby. What challenges do you face taking things from screen to the live experience?Paul Marden: Challenges do I face? We're wandering here.Neil Connolly: So we are in... Oh, we're in the tower.Neil Connolly: Excellent. Yep, so we're now in Traitor's Tower. Good time for you to ask me the question, what challenges do I face? Things like this. We're now stood in Traitor's Tower. Paul, let me ask you the question. Without the show lights being on, so we're just stood on a set under workers, what's your opinion of the room that we're stood in?Paul Marden: Oh, it's hugely impressive. It feels like, apart from the fact you've punched the fourth wall out of the telly, it does feel like you're on set.Neil Connolly: It's a really faithful reproduction of the set. So that's kind of one of the challenges is managing the public's expectations of what they see, do and feel on site. So that I don't change the show so that people come and play the game that they're expecting to play. But making reasonable adjustments within that, because TV and live are two very, very different things. So first and foremost was making sure that we get the format right. So the game that people play, which informs the narrative of the show and the narrative structure of the show. Breakfast, mission, round table, conclave. Breakfast, mission, round table, conclave. I've designed a whole bunch of new missions that are in this, taken some inspiration from missions that people know and love from the TV shows, whether that's the UK territory or other territories around the world. And also just other stuff is just clear out of my head. So there's original content in there. paying homage and respect to the world that they've built and allowing ourselves to also play and develop and build out that world at the same time. Other challenges.Neil Connolly: This is not a cheap project. No, no. I mean, the production quality of this is beautiful. Yeah, yeah, thank you. It is stunning. When people walk in here, they're like, 'Oh my God, this is... High end.' I am in a luxury event at a very affordable price.Paul Marden: Thank you. And then we're going back upstairs again. Yes. And in the stairwell, we've got the crossed out photos of all of those that have fallen before us.Neil Connolly: No, not quite. All of the people that are in this corridor, there's about 100 photos. These are all the people who built the show.Neil Connolly: So this is David Gregory. He's the sound designer. This is Kitty, who is Immersive Everywhere's office manager. She also works in ticketing. That is Tallulah and Alba, who work in the art department. Elliot, who's our lighting designer. So all of these people are the people who brought the show to life.Paul Marden: Amazing.Neil Connolly: And we wanted to pay homage to them because some of them gave years of their lives to building the show from literally the inception that I had in 2023. Through to now and others are the people who literally spent months of their life underground in these basements building hand-building this set and so we wanted to pay homage to them so we got all of their photos we did the iconic red cross through it yeah and we stuck them all up in the corridor just because we thought it'd be a nice thing to do.Paul Marden: You're in the business of trading and experiences and that ranges from art exhibitions to touring shows. There's always going to be a challenge of balancing innovation and profitability. What is the formula? What is the magic formula?Neil Connolly: I believe, first and foremost, going back to what I was telling you earlier about us being a collaborative organisation. We are not a creative crack that has been used for the show. We are also the producers of the show. And to make my point again, I'm a commercially minded creative. So I actually sit down with the producers and go, 'Okay, cool.' There are 112 seats in the show.Paul Marden: Yep.Neil Connolly: Therefore, how many shows do we need to do per day? How many shows do we need to do per week? How many shows do we need to do per year? Therefore, let's build out a P &L. And we build a whole business plan based around that.Paul Marden: By having everybody— that you need in the team— makes it much easier to talk about that sort of stuff. It makes it much easier for you to design things with the end result in mind. You don't have a creative in a creative agency going off— feeding their creative wants without really thinking about the practicalities of delivering on it.Neil Connolly: Exactly. So you've got to think like, literally, from the very, very beginning: you've got to think about guest flow. You've got to think about throughput. You've got to think about your capacities. Then you've got to basically build out a budget that you think— how much, hey, how much really is this going to cost? Yeah. Then you build out an entire business plan and then you go and start raising the money to try and put that on. And then you find a venue. I mean, like the other magic triangle, like the traitor's magic triangle is, you know, time, space, atmosphere. That's how you do a show. Like with my producer's hat on, the other magic triangle is show, money, venue.Neil Connolly: The truth of the matter, like I make no bones about it, I can design shows till the cows come home, but I'm always going to need money to put them on and a venue to put them in. Also, I want to stress this really important. I use the words 'I' and 'we' very interchangeably.Paul Marden: It's a team effort.Neil Connolly: You can see that in that corridor. I am not a one-man band. I am the creative director of a company. I am a cog that is in that machine, and everybody is doing... We are, as a team... I cannot stress this enough. Some of the best in the business are doing what we do. And everyone is so wildly talented. And that's just us on the producing side. That's immersive everywhere, limited. Then I've got a whole other creative team. Then we've got operations. Then we've got... It's just mad. It's just mad, isn't it? This is a job. Who would have thought, when you were at school, this was an opportunity? Not my principal or my maths teacher.Neil Connolly: So, sorry, just to balance the kind of economies of scale. That was the question, wasn't it?Paul Marden: Well, we were talking about what is the formula for making that an investment, but you know, the authority here is the effort you've put in to do this feels high, but at the same time, you have to find this thing. There is a lot of investment that goes into the front.Neil Connolly: But that comes back to creatives. Caring and I'm not saying the creatives don't, but I care. I care about building businesses. Yeah, not necessarily like building my own CV, like there's so many projects that across our desks. I'll be like, 'Yeah, that'd be really fun to work on.' But do I think that I can make that a touring product? Can it be a long-running location-based entertainment sit-down product? Can it be an art shop? Like you've kind of got a balance with what do you think is just creatively cool versus what can we do as a company that is a commercially viable and financially stable product? And so all that comes through in terms of the creative, but also in terms of the activities of how we run the building, how this model realizes. Because if you think about it, let's make Phantom of the Opera run in the West End. Yes. The show is very obvious, with many casts on a room, away, fruit team away, terrace, it's a big activity. If they haven't sold half that away, they have to use the whole show and play all those people.Neil Connolly: But if they haven't sold half that away from one of my shows... I only have to activate four of my rooms, not eight of them. Therefore, I don't have to call in four actors. I don't have to call in a bunch of the other front of house team and I can scale in the operations on the back. It's an entirely scalable process. Flexible, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, 100%. But also, like, we've got eight rooms here. If we decide to take this to another territory, and that territory demands a much higher throughput, then instead of eight rooms, I can do 20 rooms, 30 rooms. As long as we know that the market is there to be able to kind of get people through it.Neil Connolly: I love this show and I'm so proud of it. The main reason why I'm proud of it is when the show finishes, let's go into one of the lounges. Have you been into one of the lounges?Paul Marden: I've had a nose around a lounge.Neil Connolly: There are different shapes and sizes. We won't go into that one. We'll go into this one down here. That one, that one. It's always such a buzz when you're stood in the bar and the shows kick out, and you see tables and tables of 14 people going up into the bar.Neil Connolly: Area and before they've even gotten a drink, they will run straight over to their friends, families, strangers, whoever they were playing with in that table of 14, and instantly be like, 'Right, I need to know everything that was going on inside your head, your heart, and your soul over the last two hours of my life because this was my experience.'Neil Connolly: And they'll just go, and they'll be like, 'And this is what I was thinking.' And then I thought it was you because you did this and you touched your nose in a weird way. And then I thought you were sending secret signals. And then everyone's like, 'No, that's not what I was doing.' I was just trying to be a normal person. And they were like, 'Well, why did you say that thing?' It sounded super weird. And they're like, 'That's just what I do.' And it's just totally mental. And then they all get a drink from the bar. And we call it the bar tab chat.Neil Connolly: It's another revenue stream.Neil Connolly: I do talk about this like it's a show. And it is a show. You've walked around, do you think it's a show? Completely. I talk to established houses all the time. Like, you know, the big theatres of the land. Organisations that are national portfolio organisations who receive a lot of Arts Council funding. The thing that they want to talk to us about all the time is new audiences. They're like, 'How do I get new audiences through my door?' What can I do? And I'm like, 'Well, firstly, make a show that people want to go and see.'Neil Connolly: Again, they're like, 'But I've got this amazing writer and he's a really big name and everyone's going to come because it's that name.' And I'm like, 'Yeah, that's wicked. That's cool.' And they can all go pay reverence to that person. That's really wonderful. Whereas when you look at the attractions landscape or the immersive theatre landscape or like anything like... Squid Game, or The Elvis, Evolution, or War of the Worlds, which has also laid reality, or any of that kind of stuff, across the landscape, it is nothing but new audiences. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It is nothing but actual ticket-buying audiences.Neil Connolly: And they come from all different walks of life. And what I love is that they do come in to this experience and we hit them with this like secret theatre.Neil Connolly: And they're like, 'Oh my God.' And often it's a gateway to them being like, 'Oh, I didn't realise that.' Maybe I'll go see a Western show or maybe I will go to the National Theatre and see something. Because that's the level of archery. Because those organisations, I love them and I've worked in a few of them, but those buildings can be quite austere, even though they're open and porous, but it's still very difficult to walk through that threshold and feel a part of it.Paul Marden: Whereas coming in here, coming into an event like this, can feel like a thing that they do.Neil Connolly: Because it's the same demographic as theme park junkies. People who love going to theme parks love going to stuff like this because it's an experience, it's an otherness, it's an other nature kind of thing. Because modern audiences want to play and do, not sit and watch. But we all exist in the kind of same ecosystem. I'm not taking on the National Theatre.Paul Marden: Gosh, no. I always talk about that. I think the reason why so many attractions work together in the collaborative way that they do is they recognise that they're not competing with each other. They're competing with sitting on your backside and watching Netflix.Paul Marden: Yeah, yeah.Paul Marden: Our job for all of us is to drag people away from their screens and drag people off of their sofas to do something. And then that's the biggest challenge that we all face.Neil Connolly: I think then that kind of answers the question that you asked me earlier, which I didn't answer. And I'm very sorry.Neil Connolly: is about identifying different pieces of IP. Like, yes, we largely exist in the world of licensing IP. And how do we identify that kind of IP to be able to translate? Not just how do we do it, but like, actually, how do we identify the right thing that's going to... How do you spot the winner? Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And that is one of the biggest challenges to your point of we're talking directly to people who consume arts, culture and media and technology in a slightly more passive way, whether that's just at home and watching Netflix and then bringing that to life. In a very, very different way. If you have a very clear marketing campaign that tells people what it is that they're buying and what they're expected to see or do on their particular night out, because that's what modern people really care about, what they do with their money. Yeah. And they want to have a good night out. And I'm in the business of giving people a good night out. We also happen to be murdering a lot of people in the course of the show.Neil Connolly: Still a good night out. Still a good night out. But I'm in a place where the dead sit. Yeah, exactly. Lounge of the dead. And like, you know, this is a really cool space. Oh, it's just beautiful. You know, we've got the telephone really works. There's lots of information that comes through that. The radio works, that does different things. The TV screen on the wall, that has the actual live feed into the round table room that you've just left. And there's other little puzzles and hints and tricks in this room, which means that after you've been murdered or banished and you come to the Lounge of the Dead, you're still engaged with the game to a degree. You just don't directly influence the outcome of the game. But you're still involved in it. You're still involved in it. It's super fun. Oh, and you can have a drink in here.Paul Marden: I don't let people drink in the round table. Even more important. What's this?Neil Connolly: The dolls, the creepy dolls. What this is, this is the void. Creatively speaking, this is where all the gold goes when people win or lose it. And the creepy dolls are from the TV show. Ydyn nhw'r un gwirioneddol o'r sioe? Felly, gafodd studio Lambert, sy'n gwneud y sioe tebyg, llawer o brops o'r sioe tebyg i ni eu rhoi ar y ddispleiddio yma. Felly, mae gennych chi'r Dolls Creepy o'r lles 3 yno. Rydyn ni'n mynd i fyny. Yn ôl yma, mae'r peintiwch Deathmatch.Paul Marden: Which is from season three.Neil Connolly: And they get the quill and they write the names and got the quill upstairs. We've also got over here, the cards that they used to play the death match with. Excellent.Paul Marden: So you began your career in theatre. How did that evolve into the world of immersive live experiences?Neil Connolly: Life story. I am the son of a postman and a cook. And if you haven't noticed already, I'm from Ireland. There was no theatre in our lives, my life, when I was growing up. And I stumbled into a youth theatre. It's called Kildare Youth Theatre. And the reason why I joined that is because there was a girl that I really fancied.Neil Connolly: She had just joined this youth theatre and I was like, 'Oh, I'm gonna join that as well' and that kind of opened the world of theatre for me. At the same time, I then got spotted by this guy, his name's Vijay Baton, his real name's Om, but he converted to Hare Krishnanism in the 90s. And he set up a street theatre company in Ireland. He just taught me street theatre. So he taught me stilt walk, he taught me juggling, he taught me how to build puppets. And so I spent years building puppets with him and going around Ireland doing lots of different street theatre while I was a teenager. And doing street theatre and doing my youth theatre and then kind of all of that kind of came to a head when I had to decide what I was going to do with my life. I applied to go to drama school. And I applied to two drama schools. One was Radha. Didn't get in. Didn't even get an audition. And the other one was Rose Bruford. And they took me. And the reason why they took me— I probably wasn't even that good. But on the day that I was auditioning to get into Rose Bruford was the same day as my maths exam for my final exams at school. You call them your A-levels, we call them the leaving certificate.Neil Connolly: And while all of my friends were back in Ireland doing their maths exam, I was in an audition room pretending to be a tree or the colour black.Neil Connolly: Who knows? And they kind of went, 'Well, if I fail my maths exam, I don't get into university in Ireland.' Like, it's just a blanket thing. And so I was like, 'I literally sat across the panel' and I was like, 'eggs, basket.' And they were like, 'cool.' So they let me in based off of that. So I got a classical training. Then what happened is I came out of university. I was living with two of my friends, Natalie and Joe. And we had our own little production company called The Lab Collective. And we just started making shows. In weird ways, we joined a company called Theatre Delicatessen. Let's get away from this. Yeah, yeah, yeah.Neil Connolly: So Theatre Deli was a company set up to take over disused spaces in London and convert them into art spaces.Neil Connolly: Basically legalised squatting. It's the same as like a guardianship. But we weren't living in the buildings. We were just putting on shows and we put on art shows, we put on theatre shows. We did Shakespeare for a while. We wrote our own work and we just did lots of really, really cool stuff. And I worked in music festivals, classically trained actor. So I was trying to do shows. I did a lot of devising. I also joined an improvisation group. And kind of through all that mix, like those years at Delhi, which was making these weird shows in these weird buildings, were very, very formative years for us. The Arts Council wouldn't support the kind of work that we were making. We were like, 'Cool, how do we get space?Neil Connolly: How do we get or make money to support ourselves? And what are the shows? There's the magic triangle all over again. Space, show, money. And that's your apprenticeship, I guess, that brings you to here. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And like, again, I make no bones about it. 10 years ago, I was selling programs on the door of the Royal Festival Hall while doing all of that stuff. So in one of the Theatre Daily buildings, we did a show called Heist, which is you break into a building and steal stuff. That's what the public do.Neil Connolly: And a bunch of us did that. I mean, it's so much fun— kind of doing it. And off the back of that, somebody else basically tried to chase down the crystal maze. And then they went away, and then they called me up and they were like, 'Hey, I've got the rights. Do you want to make the crystal maze?' And I was like, 'Yeah, sounds like fun.' So I got involved with that, did that for a while. And then, from there, this is the end of a very long story. I'm so apologised. Yeah, from there, all of those different things that I've done through the course of my life in terms of operations, designing experiences, being a creative, understanding business.Neil Connolly: Building a P&L, building a budget, talking to investors, trying to convince them to give you money. All of that stuff kind of basically came together. And over the last few years, like the wildest ride is that pre-2020.Neil Connolly: We were just a bunch of people doing a bunch of weird things, making weird shows and weird attractions in kind of different ways. And then that year happened. And I don't know what happened, but literally every single major studio, film, TV production, game designer, licensor in the world, suddenly just went— brand extensions, world extensions, and they all just started calling us. And they were like, 'Hi, I've got this thing.' Can you develop it into a thing? Because I need to extend my brand or I want to build a world and extend that for the public. And we were like, 'Yeah, okay, cool.' And we were just lucky, serendipitously, to be in the right place at the right time. To be those people that people can approach. And we're always, we're very approachable.Neil Connolly: As you can tell, I talk a lot. And, you know, so the last five years, it's just been a mad ride.Paul Marden: So look, Neil, it's been amazing. I have had the most fun. Last question for you. What's next? Are you putting your feet up now because you finished this? Or on to the next? Neil Connolly: Very much on to the next thing. So we're already in production with our new show, which is called Peppa Pig Surprise Party. And that is opening at the Metro Centre in Gateshead next year. Oh, how exciting is that? It's very exciting.Paul Marden: So quite a different demographic.Neil Connolly: The demographic for Peppa Pig is two to five year olds. It's been a really fun show to design and create. To go back to a question that you asked me very early on, there is no blueprint, there is no format. I have embraced the chaos tattooed on my arm. And always when I approach things, any new show or any new creative, I am thinking of it from a ticket buying perspective: 'I have paid my money.' What is the coolest thing that I can possibly do with that money? And so therefore, I'm now looking at families and, like, what's the coolest thing that they can do for that ticket price in the world of Peppa Pig?Paul Marden: Let's come back in the new year, once you've opened Peppa Pig, let's go to Gateshead and see that. That sounds pretty awesome to me. I reckon there's a whole new episode of Designing Worlds for two to five-year-olds that we could fill an hour on.Neil Connolly: Oh yeah, 100%. It's a totally different beast. And super fun to design.Paul Marden: Oh mate. Neil, it has been so wonderful having a wander around the inside of your crazy mind.Paul Marden: If you've enjoyed today's episode, please like it and leave a comment in your podcast app. It really does make it so much easier for other people to find us. This episode was written by Emily Burrows from Plaster, edited by Steve Folland, and produced by Sami Entwistle from Plaster and Wenalyn Dionaldo. Thanks very much. See you next week.  The 2025 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsTake the Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

Before The Rock, John Cena, or Batista did it, The Undertaker went Hollywood! Join wrestling superfans Alex Doriot and Travis White alongside fellow P.S.K. member Stephen Zieman as they hop in the time-traveling hearse back to 1999 and the summer The Undertaker was making guest appearances on all sorts of tv shows! It's an often overlooked era of Taker's career and even The Dead Man's most dedicated fans may have never even heard of some of these offbeat appearances. We'll break down his guest roles on MTV cartoons like "Celebrity Deathmatch" and "Downtown," his brief stint as a host on the SciFi Channel, and in our main event, his biggest acting role yet as The Soul Chaser on an episode of "Poltergeist: The Legacy"! Taker actually has a major role on this episode as the "monster of the week" character and we get to see what he could have done had he chased down fame and fortune as an action star. It's also hilarious time-capsule of low-budget 90s tv and we have a great time breaking down even if you've never seen or heard of this one. All that plus our monthly Undertaker Sightings including his role in the WrestleMania 43 press conference and his big surprise for Stephanie McMahon at WrestlePalooza. Download, enjoy, and Taker Easy!      Make sure you're subscribed to the Collecting Deadman channel to see Stephen's incredible toy room tour!   Pick up our new P.S.K. Motorcycle Patch Logo merch over TeePublic.com and celebrate 25 years of the Biker Taker with us!    Listen to "Reconstruction", the new full length album from Travis White! Stream Travis's new album of original tunes on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or wherever you love to listen!   Stay connected with our Creature Community by following us on Instagram and Facebook!   Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and check out all our travel vlogs from SummerSlam and Royal Rumbles past!

In this episode, Mark Longo navigates the fast-moving world of options markets for Friday, September 26th. The episode covers various segments such as VIX, SPY, S&P 500, small caps, NASDAQ (Qs), and key single-name options including AMD, Intel, Tesla, Palantir, and more. Mark provides detailed insights into the trading volumes, notable contracts, and market activities, highlighting major trades and significant trends.    00:26 Welcome to the Hot Options Report 00:54 Public: The Cost-Effective Way to Trade Options 01:28 Scanning the Tape: VIX and SPY Analysis 04:02 Small Caps and NASDAQ Insights 05:29 Single Name Options 15:20 Conclusion and Next Steps -------------------------------------------------------------------- All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Open to the Public Investing Inc, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors.  Customers must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before considering any options strategy.  Options investors can rapidly lose the value of their investment in a short period of time and incur permanent loss by expiration date. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk, including the potential for losses that may exceed the original investment amount, and are only available for qualified customers.  Index options have special features and fees that should be carefully considered, including settlement, exercise, expiration, tax, and cost characteristics.  See Fee Schedule for all options trading fees. There are additional costs associated with option strategies that call for multiple purchases and sales of options, such as spreads, straddles, among others, as compared with a single option trade. Rebate rates vary monthly from $0.06-$0.18 and depend on the particular security, whether the trade was placed via API, as well as your current and prior month's options trading volume. Review Options Rebate Terms here. Rates are subject to change. Go to public.com/optionsbrief to learn more.

In this episode, Mark, Andrew Giovinazzi (The Option Pit) and Russell Rhoads (Indiana University) delve into the current state of market volatility, discussing the impact of an anticipated government shutdown, the fluctuating volumes in VIX options trading, and the contrasting signals from gold and VIX as indicators of market sentiment. The episode explores the latest developments in the volatility trading world, including compelling options strategies and a sneak peek at a quantitative model predicting future VIX levels.   01:03 Welcome to Volatility Views 02:24 Market Updates and Analysis 17:44 VIX and Gold as Market Sentiment Gauges 22:13 VIX Futures Term Structure 34:42 Top 10 VIX Trades of the Week 36:28 Russell's Weekly Rundown 52:08 VIX ETPs and Market Sentiment 54:25 Crystal Ball Predictions 01:00:18 Closing Remarks and Resources

In this episode, Mark, Andrew Giovinazzi (The Option Pit) and Russell Rhoads (Indiana University) delve into the current state of market volatility, discussing the impact of an anticipated government shutdown, the fluctuating volumes in VIX options trading, and the contrasting signals from gold and VIX as indicators of market sentiment. The episode explores the latest developments in the volatility trading world, including compelling options strategies and a sneak peek at a quantitative model predicting future VIX levels.   01:03 Welcome to Volatility Views 02:24 Market Updates and Analysis 17:44 VIX and Gold as Market Sentiment Gauges 22:13 VIX Futures Term Structure 34:42 Top 10 VIX Trades of the Week 36:28 Russell's Weekly Rundown 52:08 VIX ETPs and Market Sentiment 54:25 Crystal Ball Predictions 01:00:18 Closing Remarks and Resources

The professional wrestler has worked for various promotions on the indie circuit, and is the first wrestler to win the so-called "big three" of American deathmatch tournaments. 

SummaryIn this episode, Josh and Jeremy discuss the lengthy AEW pay-per-view 'All in Texas,' highlighting its nearly six-hour runtime and the impact it had on viewers. They delve into the complexities of AEW's faction-heavy booking, the confusion surrounding match outcomes, and the controversial victory of MJF in the Casino Gauntlet match. The duo critiques the predictable patterns of the Young Bucks and the implications of injuries on storylines, particularly focusing on Dustin Rhodes' title win. They also touch on the competitive strategies WWE is employing against AEW and conclude with a discussion on Athena's rise in women's wrestling. In this conversation, Jeremy Willey and Josh discuss various aspects of recent wrestling events, focusing on AEW matches, wrestler performances, and character dynamics. They analyze specific matches, highlight standout moments, and express their opinions on the direction of storylines and character developments. The discussion also touches on personal experiences as fans, upcoming matches, and predictions for future events, providing a comprehensive overview of the current wrestling landscape.TakeawaysThe pay-per-view was excessively long, affecting viewer engagement.AEW's reliance on factions complicates storytelling.Match outcomes often lack clarity and logic.MJF's victory raises questions about booking decisions.The Young Bucks' matches follow a predictable formula.Injuries can significantly alter storylines and match outcomes.Dustin Rhodes' title win may be a strategic decision tied to his Texas roots.Athena's performance highlights her growing prominence in women's wrestling.WWE's competitive tactics pose a threat to AEW's success.The wrestling community is divided on the effectiveness of current booking strategies. Statlander, Megan Bain, and Willow Nightingale were key performers.Willow's character is gaining popularity.Factions in wrestling often lack clear purpose.Nick Wayne's turn was unexpected but intriguing.Toni Storm's character development is impressive.Death matches are becoming a staple in AEW.The unification of titles can confuse fans.Fan interactions can shape perceptions of wrestlers.Women's wrestling is evolving with strong characters.AEW's frequent pay-per-views can overwhelm fans.Sound bites"Too many factions, rep.""MJF shouldn't have won.""I like her character."Chapters00:00 The Lengthy Pay-Per-View Experience02:44 Factions and Booking Decisions in AEW05:41 The Confusion of Tag Teams and Trios08:23 The Casino Gauntlet Match Dynamics11:25 MJF's Controversial Victory14:24 Adam Cole's Injury and Its Implications17:15 Dustin Rhodes' Title Win and Future Speculations23:25 Frustrations with Wrestling Styles29:35 The Young Bucks' Consistency and Critique31:45 WWE vs AEW: The Competitive Landscape34:22 The Future of AEW and Talent Management38:21 Factions and Their Impact on Storylines42:55 Personal Experiences with Wrestlers49:34 Reflections on Wrestling Culture and Fan Engagement49:57 Confrontations and Personal Opinions52:46 Match Previews and Predictions53:57 Wrestling Performances and Character Development57:30 Title Unification and Match Outcomes01:02:33 Death Matches and Their Impact01:07:24 Future Predictions and Upcoming Events

Frank is joined by Jamie, an Australian wrestling journalist and podcaster, to unpack Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. They break down Mickey Rourke's career-defining turn as Randy “The Ram,” why the film treats wrestling with rare respect, how indie scenes work behind the curtain, and what the movie gets right about pain, pride, and the gig life. Expect talk on blading, deathmatches, deli counters, and the bittersweet final leap. The Wrestler - CA Timestamps & Topics 00:00 Welcome and guest intro, Jamie's magazine and The Commentary Booth 01:33 Why The Wrestler, and why it treats wrestling seriously 02:21 Indie wrestling in Australia and how regional styles differ 04:27 Two-minute plot speed run for The Wrestler 06:12 Rourke's comeback, near-miss Oscar, and how his story mirrors Randy's 07:03 Aronofsky parallels with Black Swan and the “passion vs body” theme 08:46 The physical toll: pain, injuries, and why “fake” is the wrong word 10:04 Casting what-ifs and why Rourke was the right choice 11:07 Marisa Tomei's character, boundaries, and mirrored struggles 14:18 Real wrestlers on screen: Necro Butcher, Blue Meanie, R-Truth, Nigel McGuinness 15:43 Backstage authenticity: planning matches and protecting spots 16:38 Filmmaking choices: over-the-shoulder, docu feel, sound and silence 17:11 The deli counter sequence and why it hurts so much 21:16 Blading 101, when companies allow blood, and modern policies 23:05 The indie hustle: bookings, calendars, and life on the road 25:07 Health care, rehab access, and duty of care today 26:42 Drugs, CTE, and hard lessons from wrestling's past 28:46 Favorite scenes and the ambiguous ending 31:04 Locker room rituals, “match memory,” and shared shorthand 32:50 What aged well and what hits harder in the gig economy era 34:16 Deathmatch primer and recommended watch list 43:56 Awards talk, where The Wrestler ranks, and Jamie's current projects 46:04 Outro and how to send us your challenges Key Takeaways The Wrestler is a love letter to pro wrestling that treats the craft and its workers with respect. Rourke's performance lands because his real-life arc echoes Randy's fall and claw-back. The movie nails backstage realities: match planning, protecting limbs, and protecting spots. “Fake” is a myth. Stories are scripted. Physicality is very real. Aronofsky's choices — handheld camera, long silences, ring sounds — put you in Randy's head. The deli scene is a perfect “what if” path that collapses under one bad interaction. Indie wrestling is a grind: bookings, travel, day jobs, and recovery are constant tradeoffs. Modern policies are better on rehab and blood, but the culture still battles pain and risk. Memorable Quotes “It's definitely a love letter to wrestling overall.” — Jamie “The stories are fake, but the physicality is real.” — Frank “It almost feels more like a fly on the wall documentary rather than a big budget motion picture.” — Jamie “I love the ambiguity of the ending.” — Jamie “You have to survive the bad days.” — Frank Links & Resources Our site: GeekFreaksPodcast.com GeekFreaksPodcast.com is the source of all news discussed during our podcast. Mentioned by Jamie: The Commentary Booth, Wrestle Radio Australia, Australian Wrestling Cards, and his magazine project all found at pariomagazine.com.au Related watches: You Can't Kill David Arquette, Queen of the Ring Film: The Wrestler (2008), directed by Darren Aronofsky Call To Action Enjoyed this conversation? Follow and subscribe, rate us 5 stars, and share the episode with a friend using #ChallengeAcceptedLive. Your reviews help more listeners find the show. Follow Us Challenge Accepted: Instagram @challengeacceptedlive, TikTok @challengeacceptedlive, Twitter @CAPodcastLive Hosts: Frank on Instagram @franklourence79, Thomas @thomascraigviii Listener Questions Send your challenges, hot takes, and questions for the next episode: ChallengeAcceptedGFX@gmail.com. We might read yours on air. Apple Podcast Tags The Wrestler, Mickey Rourke, Darren Aronofsky, Marisa Tomei, indie wrestling, deathmatch wrestling, Ring of Honor, Necro Butcher, backstage wrestling, blading, wrestling journalism, Australian wrestling, movie review, Aronofsky style, Challenge Accepted Podcast

Alex Hammerstone speaks with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard about his Texas Death Match with Matthew Justice, why he's not a fan of the stipulation, Justice mocking him for leaving MLW, other potential names returning, his experience in TNA's Ultimate X match, and more!

It's been over a month since the NHL announced their opening night schedule and Frogboy is still not over the back to back Champs being placed in the 5:30 slot, which then spirals into a conversation of if 100 fans from each franchise were to fight to the death for these time slots, who would be the last fan base standing? After the Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders was confirmed to be injured the Dolphins signed a new kicker til Sanders can make his return, and lets just say … it doesn't sound great! Frogboy then gives Leroy and Brittney the list of notable players in the NFL for MVP this season… they had issues with it. If Frogboy is hosting then you know games will be played, the gang plays a South Florida Sports edition of The Price is Right… and naturally it gets competitive.

✦ Brunching in Atlanta is practically a sport, and many of us don't know how to play. There are strategies involved—arrive early to beat the rush of a crowd, or maybe you're a diner that prefers to make reservations. BUT in this economy, who has the money to drop $80 to $100 on breakfast food and drinks every weekend? In our new mini-series, "Brunchin' on a Budget," we look at several delicious AND affordable brunch spots in Atlanta. On today's installment of "Brunchin' on a Budget," WABE Arts Reporter Summer Evans heads to Memorial Drive to highlight Homegrown. ✦ City Lights Collective member Shane Harrison spends his days at Arts ATL looking for cultural events to share with readers. He joins us weekly to share highlights, and today his mix includes House in the Park, The Atlanta Black Theater Festival, and a preview of Dragon Con. ✦ Dee Dee Bridgewater embodies jazz. She takes jazz standards and makes them her own while being true to the original composition. This is something she's done before and since releasing her debut album in 1974. No stranger to Atlanta, Ms. Bridgewater returns to the Rialto Center for the Arts on September 6 to the delight of all. Ahead of her concert, City Lights Collective Co-Host Jon Goode sat down with Ms. Bridgewater to discuss her new album, her return to Atlanta, and to share a laugh or three. ✦ Get ready for some cinematic chaos, VHS Deathmatch is coming to Monday Night Garage on September 26th. Part screening, part comedy showdown, the event takes the best (and worst) of B-movie VHS tapes and pits them head-to-head for ultimate bragging rights. City Lights Collective producer Josh Thane spoke with organizer Kristopher Bolz about the madness audiences can expect at the Deathmatch. ✦ Kosmo Vinyl is a visual artist and lifelong music lover. He bought his first LP when he was just nine years old and went on to spend decades immersed in the world of music. He got his start at London's groundbreaking indie label Stiff Records, and in 1979, he began working exclusively with The Clash—staying with the band until they disbanded in 1986. Today, Kosmo's legendary record collection fuels his social media series Kosmo's Vinyl of the Week, and he joins us every Wednesday to share the stories behind the records he treasures. Today, he tells us the story behind Creedence Clearwater Revival's 1969 hit, "Born on the Bayou." ✦ Ebony magazine debuted in 1945 and quickly became an inspiring celebration of Black life, culture, and achievement. The monthly magazine thrived for over seven decades, and within its pages lived the iconic column, "Fashion Fair," created by Eunice W. Johnson. "Mrs. Johnson," as all reverently called her, is the subject of the children's book, "Miles of Style," Eunice W. Johnson and the Ebony Fashion Fair." The book is the first by Atlanta author Lisa D. Brathwaite, and when City Lights Collective co-host Kim Drobes spoke with the author last year, Brathwaite explained how she first learned about Mrs. Johnson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“We can't ever talk about this so let's talk about not talking about it when we're talking about it…” Released on July 14th, 1992, COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION, the 5th MEGADETH album (and the 2nd to feature “the classic lineup” of Dave Mustaine, David Ellefson, Marty Friedman, and Nick Menza) would become the follow up to “one of the most perfect thrash albums of all time”, featuring a more streamlined, simplified, straight forward approach which served as a sonic palette cleanser to the progressive thrash complexity of 1990's masterpiece, Rust In Peace. Simply stated, COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION is complex in its simplicity. Even though this might be the most offensive episode we've ever made, we'd like to remind everyone that we're still all about “rainbows and peaches” even though we've emphatically stated for the record that “we're not gonna talk about it”.  Remember proper cell phone etiquette to avoid being bothersome to others, prepare yourself for “The Average Double-Team”, head on down to Dangol County for some “High Speed Dirt”, and last but not least, find out “how to get out of offending anybody” when you “go pick up some honkies” and JOIN US as we start the clock and begin our analysis of MEGADETH's COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION.   Visit www.metalnerdery.com/podcast for more on this episode Help Support Metal Nerdery https://www.patreon.com/metalnerderypodcast Leave us a Voicemail to be played on a future episode: 980-666-8182 Metal Nerdery Tees and Hoodies – metalnerdery.com/merch and kindly leave us a review and/or rating on your favorite Podcast app Follow us on the Socials: Facebook - Instagram - TikTok Email: metalnerdery@gmail.com Can't be LOUD Enough Playlist on Spotify Metal Nerdery Munchies on YouTube @metalnerderypodcast   Show Notes: (00:01): “We're not gonna talk about it…but you always wanna talk about it…” / “We can't ever talk about this so let's talk about not talking about it when we're talking about it…”/ “Rainbows and peaches, dude…”/ #buttstuff / “It's more peach-like in flavor…”/ #KoolAidMan / “Is she a #Redskin?” / “Is it the Washington Nationals?” (NOTE: It's the Commanders.) / #RacistReflections and using your phone in public (where EVERYONE can hear your music, your conversations, etc.) / “So is it racist…?” / “Do you know where #honky comes from?” / “Why don't we have better slurs?” / #beeroftheepisode / “Let's go pick up some honkies and go out and do some stuff…” / ***WARNING: #listenerdiscretionisadvised    (07:27): ***WELCOME BACK TO THE METAL NERDERY PODCAST!!!*** / #DreamReflections / “Has anybody caught the new #KingOfTheHill…?” / #RussellsReflectionsNostalgiaEdition / “He LEANS into it…”/ #onmicburp / “King of Hill…”/ #InMemoriam / “There's some conspiracy…”/ “They're selling their #voicerights to AI…”/ #DangolCounty / “Dude…the Average Double-team…that's our new podcast…that's this side of the table…”/ #TheAverageDoubleteam   (14:44): ***JOIN US on the Socials at #Facebook #Instagram #YouTube and #TikTok at #metalnerderypodcast and EMAIL US at metalnerdery@gmail.com and VOICEMAIL US at 980-666-8182!!!*** / ***PATREON US at patreon.com/metalnerderypodcast *** / #BunkerpoonRequestLine / #PatreonShoutOut / “We'll do 3 solo episodes…kinda like the solo albums…”   (17:11): #TheDocket METAL NERDERY PODCAST PRESENTS: MEGADETH – COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION / “Can you believe it's been 33 years!?” / July 14th, 1992 / #wisdomteeth and #drysockets / “I remember I had these tea leaves…”/ “When they pulled it out…it was purple…”/ “Do you hear that? I hear a lot of gay…” / “This was the follow up to probably one of the most perfect thrash albums of all time…”/ SKIN O' MY TEETH / “Slurps?” / #rrrrrollthoserrrrrs / “Let's get to the meat…”/ “It's very old school…”   (26:26): SYMPHONY OF DESTRUCTION / “Watch him become a god…” / “Complex in its simplicity…”/ ARCHITECTURE OF AGGRESSION / “That's a bazooka…”/ “Time to pay with your ass…” / “In 2004, they went back…and fucked up the drums…”/ FORECLOSURE OF A DREAM / “I'm not hungry dude, but thank you…”/ “It's their #BlackAlbum…”   (34:00): “This was the fun one…”/ SWEATING BULLETS / “It's an extra 24 seconds long…”/ “Remember the video for this?” / #WAYUPFRONT / “Twenty Daves talking to Dave…”/ “Now I just jump out of airplanes and do kung fu…”/ THIS WAS MY LIFE / “Hey…”/ “That was the end of side 1…” / NOTE: CD's do not include Side 1 and Side 2. Russell could not have been more wrong. / “Here's how you can get out of offending anybody…”/ “I don't identify with that unless it can get me free food…” / “Finish the story…Russell…”/ #WaylonSomething #WaylonJennings #WaylonSmith / #Edgelord / “My wife does not have #toethumbs she has nice thumbs…”   (41:11): COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION / “There's a #Nirvana song that has a similar progression…it might be In Bloom…”/ “She's talking about sushi…”/ “I know it's gonna be an unpopular opinion…the problem is the mix…”/ “How pissed off would you be if you put on #MasterOfPuppets and everything sounded different?” / “The drums on this are completely different than the original…”/ “It sounds like a shitty drum machine…”/ Remixing vs Remastering / HIGH SPEED DIRT / “Doesn't High Speed Dirt sound like a drug?” / “Dave was ahead of his time because he was singing about AI back then…Psychotron is apparently a #Polaroid camera…”/ PSYCHOTRON / “What did #whatshisdick say to #SarahConnor before he banged her back in 1984?” (51:00): CAPTIVE HONOUR / “It's like a clean scoop…” / “The last one is the most proggy…”/ ASHES IN YOUR MOUTH / “This sounds like it could have been on Rust In Peace or Peace Sells…” / “Asses in your mouth…”/ “It's after this next part…”/ Potential future #DeathMatch episodes / “If we do that, that's a bloodbath…” / “So it has aged like fine wine for you guys…”/ “It sounds as different as putting bass on #AJFA and making the drums sound like #StAnger…” / THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!!! / #untilthenext #outroreel

Hey gang! This week on the show we cover the 2001 WWF SummerSlam and the Smackdown that followed. It definitely seems like a bit of a transition period, but we are here to see where it goes. We also had boots on the ground at the premier Deathmatch tournament in the Midwest: The Insane 8. It was a great time in Waukesha, and those folks should be proud of the show they presented. We also took some time to chat about the first SuperBrawl and a whole lot more. Cheers!

Days before My World Live in London, Tom Campbell (stepping in for Conrad Thompson this Saturday night) chats to Jeff Jarrett about the upcoming show, his in-ring status and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre DeathMatch Championship!JOIN US this Saturday! Get tickets at MyWorldLiveUK.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Big” Mac Hartman is living his dream in promoting his first-ever show and local wrestling podcaster Sean Lennon has joined him for the ride. Hartman and Lennon join Windy City Slam Podcast to discuss They Live Wrestling's “All Out of Bubblegum,” which takes place in Berwyn on Aug. 30. We break down all the matches on the show and what to expect. We also discussed Hartman's dream match with Colt Cabana and who helped in his early days as a wrestler. Mike also recaps ICW Milwaukee's Deathmatch extravaganza “The Insane 8,” Chicago Style Wrestling, TNA Emergence and TripleMania and previews a loaded weekend of action including AEW Forbidden Door, NXT Heatwave, Freelance Wrestling, Southland Championship Wrestling, Squared Circle Megastars, Defiant Pro Wrestling and Ultimate Combat Gauntlet. Mike Pankow is a 25-year-plus professional journalist and wrestling superfan who covers local Chicagoland wrestling and national promotions like AEW and WWE. If there is something going on in Chicago, Mike knows about it. Enjoy "Wrestling, Chicago-Style" on The Broadcast Basement On-Demand Radio Network! Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Get your local wrestling fix every Tuesday everywhere podcasts can be found and always at WindyCitySlam.com!

The streetwalkin' cheetah takes a walk on the wild side. Which icon will be crowned victorious? Jon Lamoreaux joins BJ for some meaningless fun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 81 is here pals! It's a "Match of the Week" 'Sin Limite' Edition of the show w/ my pal from across the pond, Richard of Video Plant - chattin' a month worth of delightfully eclectic matches - each totally wonderful in their own way. We've got Mascara Dorada vs Zandokan Jr. (the 2025 CMLL Copa Jr. VIP Tournament Final), the El Desperado vs Jun Kasai 2022 Deathmatch epic, the ZSJ vs Goto IWGP World Heavyweight Championship bout from February & the absolute All Japan classic that was Terry Funk vs Bruiser Brody from 1977! We also chat a bit about my illustrations of said matches, a bunch of CMLL & just all the things. I really enjoyed this conversation & hope you do too!In my 'World of Chris-Things' intro monologue I talk my recent adventures, what I have coming up & a spot of work-life balance guilt.Everyone be sure to be following Richard's @Video.Plant for all of the coolest cult cinema & VHS collecting goodness.Enjoy!!Check out the Chris Things MOTW illustrations in question here: Mascara Dorada vs Zandokan Jr.El Desperado vs Jun KasaiZSJ vs GotoTerry Funk vs Bruiser BrodyChrisThings.com.au is the place for original art, prints, calendars & much more!Follow us on Instagram: @ChrisThings, @Video.Plant @SocialSuplexFollow us on Twitter: @ChrisThings, @SocialSuplexLike us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SocialSuplex/Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/QUaJfaCVisit our website for news, columns, and podcasts: https://socialsuplex.com/Join the Social Suplex community Facebook Group: The Wrestling (Squared) CircleWrestling-Art with Chris Things is the Pro-Wrestling Art niche Podcast of the Social Suplex Podcast Network. Support the Social Podcast Network by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/social-suplex-podcast-network/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: Contact Chris TodayPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/social-suplex-podcast-network/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 81 is here pals! It's a "Match of the Week" 'Sin Limite' Edition of the show w/ my pal from across the pond, Richard of Video Plant - chattin' a month worth of delightfully eclectic matches - each totally wonderful in their own way. We've got Mascara Dorada vs Zandokan Jr. (the 2025 CMLL Copa Jr. VIP Tournament Final), the El Desperado vs Jun Kasai 2022 Deathmatch epic, the ZSJ vs Goto IWGP World Heavyweight Championship bout from February & the absolute All Japan classic that was Terry Funk vs Bruiser Brody from 1977! We also chat a bit about my illustrations of said matches, a bunch of CMLL & just all the things. I really enjoyed this conversation & hope you do too!In my 'World of Chris-Things' intro monologue I talk my recent adventures, what I have coming up & a spot of work-life balance guilt.Everyone be sure to be following Richard's @Video.Plant for all of the coolest cult cinema & VHS collecting goodness.Enjoy!!Check out the Chris Things MOTW illustrations in question here: Mascara Dorada vs Zandokan Jr.El Desperado vs Jun KasaiZSJ vs GotoTerry Funk vs Bruiser BrodyChrisThings.com.au is the place for original art, prints, calendars & much more!Follow us on Instagram: @ChrisThings, @Video.Plant @SocialSuplexFollow us on Twitter: @ChrisThings, @SocialSuplexLike us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SocialSuplex/Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/QUaJfaCVisit our website for news, columns, and podcasts: https://socialsuplex.com/Join the Social Suplex community Facebook Group: The Wrestling (Squared) CircleWrestling-Art with Chris Things is the Pro-Wrestling Art niche Podcast of the Social Suplex Podcast Network. Support the Social Podcast Network by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/social-suplex-podcast-network/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: Contact Chris TodayPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/wrestling-art-with-chris-things/donations

HiFi Mike launches BookIt!Verse 5 with the chaos of RCW: Celebrity Deathmatch — where pop culture collides in the ring.#BookItVerse #RCW #CelebrityDeathmatch

Get out the gauze and don't big league anyone, it's Whatcha Been Watchin', the TV and movie (And Pro Wrestling, Apparently) review show on the AewchCast. On this episode, Aewch reviews one of the darkest pieces of media he owns, (Yes, even darker than Jackass 3!) as he reviews the 2007 IWA-MS King of the Deathmatch Tournament. You absolutely should not, but if you wanna watch the event, click Right Here!Social Media: @JustAewchEmail: aewch64@gmail.com

In H1 2025, a new social engineering technique called ClickFix started reshaping the threat landscape, quickly becoming the latest craze among all kinds of threat actors and rising to #2 in ESET telemetry. In stark contrast to this surge, law enforcement disrupted two major infostealer-as-a-service operations: Lumma Stealer and Danabot. And of course, no threat report would be complete without ransomware—this time highlighted by dramatic, deathmatch-style infighting that brought down several players including the leading RansomHub. For more details, visit Welivesecurity.com and read the latest H1 2025 report – no paywall or registration required. Discussed: ClickFix and FakeCaptcha 1:05 Whack-a-hack, infostealer version 9:20 Ransomware deathmatch 18:40 Host: Aryeh Goretsky, ESET Distinguished Researcher Guest: Ondrej Kubovič, Security Awareness Specialist Read more @WeLiveSecurity.com and @ESETresearch on Twitter ESET Threat Report H1 2025

This week the dudes chat about: AEW, Superman, Keith in Chicago, airlines, and comics!

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TCW Podcast Episode 238 - Quake   We dive into the development of Quake, the ambitious and turbulent follow-up to Doom from ID Software. John Carmack set out to build a groundbreaking engine featuring full 3D rendering, dynamic lighting, and client-server multiplayer. This pushed the technical boundaries in a pre-GPU world. To achieve this, he brought in legendary programmer Michael Abrash from Microsoft, selling him on the vision of Quake as a step toward the metaverse as imagined in Snow Crash. Meanwhile, John Romero envisioned Quake as a fantasy RPG inspired by a character from his D&D campaign, but lack of direction and his growing obsession with Deathmatch led to team frustration and eventual fallout. The result was a game that redefined first-person shooters and laid the groundwork for decades of engine development. It also marked the end of an era at ID with the ouster of John Romero.   TCW 030 - DOOM!: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/doom-1479057917/ TCW 197 - The ID of Game Development: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-id-of-game-development/ Doom States and DeHackEd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTa3diypjv4 P2P vs Dedicated Servers?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt3ZLHKcP2U Token Ring - The Betamax of Networking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjLctlmZSp4 Artie - The Strongest Man In the World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6Bh3LskNbs Space Strike (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtDdEuKFQps Cosmic Crusader (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKOTa5iQAw8 Big Top (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXUCacgF72M Snack Attack II (DOS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu-SEjcnnjo So You Haven't Read "Snow Crash": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO64ZhBYy9E Ramblings in Realtime by Michael Abrash: https://www.bluesnews.com/abrash/ QuakeWorld Launch Event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXw6BkZ-gdY Quake (DOS 6.22): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyLC1vR9oGk Quake Longplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7GagGXXUtI Excerpt Quake Postmortem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2OE-74bTQw   New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!   TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com  Twitter: @tcwpodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1     Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode  Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love    Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Deathmatch Wrestling Icon/Former WWE-NXT Referee Drake Younger hangs out and talks evolving w/ Cory Kastle. • Drake Younger • Drake Wuertz • WWE referee • CZW wrestling • Deathmatch wrestling • Big Japan Pro Wrestling • Pro Wrestling podcast • Cory Kastle • Evolving with Cory Kastle • Independent wrestling stories • NXT behind the scenes

@ohchxrlie & @baneduke here talking this weeks WRESTLING in AEW. Lots of fun on the build up to ALL IN BAYBAY. ESE Fantasy: https://linktr.ee/eatsleepelite

Join SP3 and Jimmy Macram for an all-new AEWramble reviewing the 7/2/25 300th edition of AEW Dynamite ft. Kazuchika Okada vs Kota Ibushi & Mercedes Mone vs Mina Shirakawa for the TBS Championship. Leave your thoughts on this episode and review in the live chat and comments section. Like, share, superchat and subscribe to support! #AEWDynamite300 #AEW #AEWDynamite #KazuchikaOkada #KotaIbushi #KennyOmega #MercedesMone #MinaShirakawa #MJF #CasinoGauntlet #AEWAllInTexas Welcome to the Tru Heel Heat Wrestling YouTube channel where we cover  the sport of professional wrestling including all WWE TV shows (Raw,  Smackdown, & NXT), AEW Dynamite/Dark, IMPACT Wrestling, NJPW, ROH,  Dark Side of the Ring and more. Our weekly podcast hosted by SP3, Top  Guy JJ & Miss Krssi Luv breaking down the weekly wrestling news and  present unfiltered, honest thoughts and opinions for wrestling fans by  wrestling fans, drops every Saturday. We also include PPV reviews,  countdowns, and exclusive interviews with wrestlers from all promotions  hosted by a wide range of personalities such as Romeo, Chris G, Ness,  StatKing, Drunk Guy JJ, J-News and more. Subscribe and enable ALL  notifications to stay posted for the latest wrestling WWE news,  highlights, commentary, updates and more.Become a member of Tru Heels Facebook community: www.facebook.com/groups/1336177103130224/Subscribe to Tru Heel Heat on YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC0AmFQmsRyQYPKyRm5hDwNgFollow Tru Heels on Twitter: twitter.com/truheelheatFollow Tru Heels on Instagram: www.instagram.com/truheelheat/Music composed by JPM

On a special episode of the Business of the Business podcast available here 1st, we are joined by Brett Lauderdale of GCW Wrestling with a special 'run-in' later in the show by Violent J of the ICP/Juggalo Championship Wrestling.Brett covers:- TRILLER relationship in light of financial concerns in the news - Working with WWE ID and why promotional material just lists "ID"- How a change from New Orleans to Vegas affected Collective 2026 planning- Running NJ during Summerslam weekend, how Fanatics necessitated a venue change - Effy as World Champion - Collaboration with Maimonides Park and the Brooklyn Cyclones for July eventViolent J covers: - Aspirations for growing JCW- Looking up to GCW- JCW vs. GCW feud This is the deepest dive into GCW and JCW out there today. If you utilize any quotes or information from this interview, please credit the Business of the Business podcast. In its fifth year, the Business of the Business takes a deep dive into the pro wrestling industry far outside the WWE & AEW spotlights. Hosted by John Poz (the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling) and Lavie Margolin (TrumpMania).The podcast is distributed by the Creative Control Network and is the official business podcast of PWPonderings For further inquiries, please contact Lavie Margolin via Laviemarg@Lioncubjobsearch.com or via X @LaviemargSupport #CCN by checking out mybookie.ag ! Use the code CONTROL to get a 50% bonus on your deposit! Deposit $50 & get $25, or go big and deposit $100 & get $50! Plus bet on #WWE #MITB , or any other sport on this planet! Easy deposit system & even easier withdrawals at #MyBookieGet 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code BIZ at Manscaped.com. That's 20% off with free shipping at manscaped.com and use code BIZ. Time to feel sexy and free this 2025 with MANSCAPED™Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-business-of-the-business--4870725/support.

After making some major strategic blunders, Thomas Mowbray and Henry Bolingbroke now find themselves fighting to the death. But as the crowds amass, Richard II throws them a last-minute curveball that keeps them in a state of suspended animation.  If you can't get enough of This Is History, we'd love to welcome you to the royal court over on our Patreon. There, you get bonus episodes, PLUS extra perks including dispatches from Dan and the team, the chance to vote on future subscriber episodes, and lively chat rooms with fellow history nerds.  We'd love to see you there: patreon.com/thisishistory  A Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices.  Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices  Presented by Dan Jones Producer - Alan Weedon  Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Executive Producer - Simon Poole  Production Manager - Jen Mistri  Production coordinator - Eric Ryan  Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux Head of content - Chris Skinner  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bodyslam.net's Cassidy Haynes interviews AKIRA, in his first interview as a free agent after his most recent run with MLW (Major League Wrestling). AKIRA talks about his time with MLW, working with some of the worlds top stars, what is next for him as a free agent, future aspirations, his time in Japan as the current Big Japan Pro Wrestling Deathmatch Heavyweight Champion, US fans vs. Japanese fans, and More. Plus, AKIRA drops an exclusive news byte on us as he reveals when his Deathmatch career will come to an end.Like and share this video, and give us a follow/subscribe!#AKIRA #MLW #BJW #Wrestling #ProWrestling #IndependentWrestling #IndieWrestling #DeathmatchWrestling #Deathmatch #Bodyslam

The Hillbilly and the Killbilly ! Tonight Ruthless Pro Wrestling rolls in to town for their #florida debut we will be joined by The Killbilly Nathan Mowery and the Hardcore Hillbilly ! Pro Wrestling, Deathmatches and Slap Fights ?!? #ruthless #ruthlessprowrestling #deathmatch #hillbilly #knockoutsand3counts #hardcorehillbilly #killbilly

The Hillbilly and the Killbilly ! Tonight Ruthless Pro Wrestling rolls in to town for their #florida debut we will be joined by The Killbilly Nathan Mowery and the Hardcore Hillbilly ! Pro Wrestling, Deathmatches and Slap Fights ?!? #ruthless #ruthlessprowrestling #deathmatch #hillbilly #knockoutsand3counts #hardcorehillbilly #killbilly

This episode of The Option Block dives deep into various facets of the options market. The hosts discuss the latest market trends, the impact of macroeconomic factors, and notable unusual options activity. Highlight segments include a debate on the preferred terminology of 'ratio spread' versus 'back spread' and the critical choice of the best asset in an apocalyptic scenario (gold, diamonds, Bitcoin, or bullets). The show also features discussions on recent significant trades in VIX, Rocket Companies, NuScale Power, and Oracle, and an intriguing revelation about a potential volatility death match involving the FlowMaster.   01:19 Meet the Hosts and Panelists 03:08 Kicking Off the Option Block 04:57 Introducing Today's Guests 07:13 Market Analysis and Trends 17:54 VIX and Trading Volume Insights 21:14 Single Name Options Activity 27:24 Odd Block: Unusual Options Activity 29:19 Rocket Companies Stock Analysis 30:33 Unusual Options Activity in Rocket Companies 32:53 Nuscale Power Corp Stock Surge 37:35 Oracle's Unexpected Call Options 42:19 Listener Mailbag and Poll Results 53:29 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Events  

This episode of The Option Block dives deep into various facets of the options market. The hosts discuss the latest market trends, the impact of macroeconomic factors, and notable unusual options activity. Highlight segments include a debate on the preferred terminology of 'ratio spread' versus 'back spread' and the critical choice of the best asset in an apocalyptic scenario (gold, diamonds, Bitcoin, or bullets). The show also features discussions on recent significant trades in VIX, Rocket Companies, NuScale Power, and Oracle, and an intriguing revelation about a potential volatility death match involving the FlowMaster.   01:19 Meet the Hosts and Panelists 03:08 Kicking Off the Option Block 04:57 Introducing Today's Guests 07:13 Market Analysis and Trends 17:54 VIX and Trading Volume Insights 21:14 Single Name Options Activity 27:24 Odd Block: Unusual Options Activity 29:19 Rocket Companies Stock Analysis 30:33 Unusual Options Activity in Rocket Companies 32:53 Nuscale Power Corp Stock Surge 37:35 Oracle's Unexpected Call Options 42:19 Listener Mailbag and Poll Results 53:29 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Events  

The AIWF Worlds Deathmatch Champion, Dean Mercer comes onto the show! Dean shares what drove him to pursue pro wrestling, and some of the many situations that can arise while traveling from show to show. Find out who the Deathmatch wrestlers that he likes to watch, and the Old-school wrestler that Dean aspires to be! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Steven and Jeremy had a free-flowing conversation covering the passing of a former IWGP Champion, Sumo's connections to pro wrestling with the promotion of Onosato to Yokozuna, and why Taichi has a strong run left in him. Steven unboxed a prize from the NJPW fan club, plus they broke down each match from the Best of the Super Juniors Finals.   

Kris and David are guestless as we discuss the week that was May 28-June 3, 2006. Topics of discussion include: Terry Taylor being named the Director of Talent Relations in TNA and how the Torch was all over that news in an absolute shocker.TNA Knockouts being featured in the magazine "Sole Collector.”.NJPW holding Masahito Kakihara's retirement show.Cibernetico undergoing knee surgery, which kills a major angle for TripleMania.Rey Bucanero turning tecnico in CMLL.Davey Richards making his ROH debut.Lex Luger and New Jack have issues at an NWS show.Sabu torches Dory Funk Jr. on a BANG! show.IWA Mid-South's annual King of the Death Matches tournament.Why did Michael Modest leave wrestling?Hulk Hogan giving a crazy interview with The Sun.Jake the Snake goes fishing.WWE's plans for the new ECW.Paul Heyman and Mick Foley having quite the debate on Raw regarding the new ECW, featuring Kurt Angle joining the “third brand.”Funny CM Punk stuff from OVW.This was quite the show, so don't miss out!Timestamps:0:00:00 TNA0:36:14 Eurasia: AJPW, NJPW, NOAH, Zero-One MAX, Dragongate, King's Road, Michinoku Pro, Osaka Pro, Jd', JWP, NEO Ladies, & IPW UK1:03:50 Latin America: AAA, CMLL, IWRG, Monterrey, WWC1:41:21 Classic Commercial Break1:44:22 Halftime2:23:25 Other USA: ROH, NEW, NWS, PWElite, BANG!, IWAMS, Wrestle Birmingham, OWG, Michael Modest, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Jake Roberts, & Nikolai Volkoff3:29:09 WWETo support the show and get access to exclusive rewards like special members-only monthly themed shows, go to our Patreon page at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets and become an ongoing Patron. Becoming a Between the Sheets Patron will also get you exclusive access to not only the monthly themed episode of Between the Sheets, but also access to our new mailbag segment, a Patron-only chat room on Slack, and anything else we do outside of the main shows!If you're looking for the best deal on a VPN service—short for Virtual Private Network, it helps you get around regional restrictions as well as browse the internet more securely—then Private Internet Access is what you've been looking for. Not only will using our link help support Between The Sheets, but you'll get a special discount, with prices as low as $1.98/month if you go with a 40 month subscription. With numerous great features and even a TV-specific Android app to make streaming easier, there is no better choice if you're looking to subscribe to WWE Network, AEW Plus, and other region-locked services.For the best in both current and classic indie wrestling streaming, make sure to check out IndependentWrestling.tv and use coupon code BTSPOD for a free 5 day trial! (You can also go directly to TinyURL.com/IWTVsheets to sign up that way.) If you convert to a paid subscriber, we get a kickback for referring you, allowing you to support both the show and the indie scene.You can also use code BTSPOD to save 25% on your first payment — whether paying month to month or annually — when you subscribe to Ultimate Classic Wrestling Network at ClassicWrestling.net!To subscribe, you can find us on iTunes, Google Play, and just about every other podcast app's directory, or you can also paste Feeds.FeedBurner.com/BTSheets into your favorite podcast app using whatever “add feed manually” option it has.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/between-the-sheets/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Kris and David are guestless as we discuss the week that was May 28-June 3, 2006. Topics of discussion include: Terry Taylor being named the Director of Talent Relations in TNA and how the Torch was all over that news in an absolute shocker.TNA Knockouts being featured in the magazine "Sole Collector.”.NJPW holding Masahito Kakihara's retirement show.Cibernetico undergoing knee surgery, which kills a major angle for TripleMania.Rey Bucanero turning tecnico in CMLL.Davey Richards making his ROH debut.Lex Luger and New Jack have issues at an NWS show.Sabu torches Dory Funk Jr. on a BANG! show.IWA Mid-South's annual King of the Death Matches tournament.Why did Michael Modest leave wrestling?Hulk Hogan giving a crazy interview with The Sun.Jake the Snake goes fishing.WWE's plans for the new ECW.Paul Heyman and Mick Foley having quite the debate on Raw regarding the new ECW, featuring Kurt Angle joining the “third brand.”Funny CM Punk stuff from OVW.This was quite the show, so don't miss out!Timestamps:0:00:00 TNA0:36:14 Eurasia: AJPW, NJPW, NOAH, Zero-One MAX, Dragongate, King's Road, Michinoku Pro, Osaka Pro, Jd', JWP, NEO Ladies, & IPW UK1:03:50 Latin America: AAA, CMLL, IWRG, Monterrey, WWC1:41:21 Classic Commercial Break1:44:22 Halftime2:23:25 Other USA: ROH, NEW, NWS, PWElite, BANG!, IWAMS, Wrestle Birmingham, OWG, Michael Modest, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Jake Roberts, & Nikolai Volkoff3:29:09 WWETo support the show and get access to exclusive rewards like special members-only monthly themed shows, go to our Patreon page at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets and become an ongoing Patron. Becoming a Between the Sheets Patron will also get you exclusive access to not only the monthly themed episode of Between the Sheets, but also access to our new mailbag segment, a Patron-only chat room on Slack, and anything else we do outside of the main shows!If you're looking for the best deal on a VPN service—short for Virtual Private Network, it helps you get around regional restrictions as well as browse the internet more securely—then Private Internet Access is what you've been looking for. Not only will using our link help support Between The Sheets, but you'll get a special discount, with prices as low as $1.98/month if you go with a 40 month subscription. With numerous great features and even a TV-specific Android app to make streaming easier, there is no better choice if you're looking to subscribe to WWE Network, AEW Plus, and other region-locked services.For the best in both current and classic indie wrestling streaming, make sure to check out IndependentWrestling.tv and use coupon code BTSPOD for a free 5 day trial! (You can also go directly to TinyURL.com/IWTVsheets to sign up that way.) If you convert to a paid subscriber, we get a kickback for referring you, allowing you to support both the show and the indie scene.You can also use code BTSPOD to save 25% on your first payment — whether paying month to month or annually — when you subscribe to Ultimate Classic Wrestling Network at ClassicWrestling.net!To subscribe, you can find us on iTunes, Google Play, and just about every other podcast app's directory, or you can also paste Feeds.FeedBurner.com/BTSheets into your favorite podcast app using whatever “add feed manually” option it has.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/between-the-sheets/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Surprise! It's a bonus episode! This time, Mr. Miller tackles the unfortunate task of playing and reviewing MTV's Celebrity Deathmatch. He also dives into his thoughts on ClayFighter, explaining why he believes it's the far superior game. Clay-based chaos, nostalgic rants, cancelled celebrities and mild hot takes await! Super Garbage Day DiscordSuper Garbage Day YouTubeSuper Garbage Day PatreonB-Ross's Twitch StreamSupport the showShow Links: https://linktr.ee/supergarbagedayHosted by: B-Ross, Vanfernal, and Mr. Miller Produced and edited by: B-Ross Email us at: supergarbageday@gmail.com

The end is here. https://www.deathmatchis.land/ https://www.patreon.com/bastardquest https://www.barrelandbondky.com/ https://www.norsefoundry.com/ https://linktr.ee/bastardquestpodcast

The whole crew is assembled, plus special guest Logan Danger. Some big topics covered and put to bed. Tune in and let us know what you think!

Enjoy! Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heel-shit-podcast/id1672868064Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0nDJTA8hpz09Yp2Wr1Gh1f Please support the Podcast: https://streamlabs.com/heelshitpod/home Merch: https://streamlabs.com/heelshitpod/merch SurfShark VPN (86% Off + 3 Months!): https://surfshark.sjv.io/c/4079613/2803697/9043 SMACKIN' Sunflower Seeds (20% off): https://www.smackinsunflowerseeds.com/HSP Amazon Music Unlimited (30 days free) https://www.tryamazonmusic.com/jrYZe5 Havoc Energy Drink (10% off): https://tryhavocenergy.com/discount/HSP10?ref=kcdHaCxWlgEnOi Join Streamlabs:  https://streamlabs.pxf.io/c/4079613/1963764/23134 Website: https://heelshitpodcast.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heelshitpodcastTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/heelshitpod*NEW* TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heelshitpodcastFacebook: https://facebook.com/heelshitpodcastTwitter: https://twitter.com/heelshitpodcast "Bad Guys do Heel Shit" ~ Dark Cordz #wrestlingpodcast #heelshitpodcast #TFK #ForbiddenKingdom #wrestlingcommunity #WWE #wrestlingnews #wrestlingroundtable #swordincident #wrestlingfans #prowrestling #wrestlingcontent #independentwrestling #wrestlingbanter #viralwrestling #wrestlingstories #wrestlingupdates #heelshit

Chapters:OPEN (21:33) Cena promo bed(21:39) It's been an interesting week for former SHIELD Members(25:53) Jon Moxley gets the attention he deserves(30:05) Dave Meltzer gets excited about deathmatch spots now(40:27) Sting might not induct Lex Luger into WWE Hall of Fame(45:33) Conrad says WWE is defying AEW by running European tour(52:49) Dave Legreca doesnt understand the backlash of Mox(57:24) Tijuana Commission suspends Alberto del Rio for 180 days over chair incident(01:01:21) Saraya revealed that her wrestling career is nearing its conclusion(01:05:57) House of Glory kicked JD from commentary before Mercedes Mone's match(01:19:07) A glance at this weeks EVOLVE(01:21:20) Jordan Oasis vs. Sam Halloway on Evolve(01:29:26) Kali Armstrong is the younger, meaner Jazz(01:39:24) Close and plugsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-soup--1425249/support.