Podcasts about mad magazine

This week, Zach is dead so Brian and Vince revert back to their childhoods to discuss the new DC-focused issue of MAD Magazine.

Kurt Andersen and Joanna Coles dive into the spectacle, symbolism, and political theater surrounding Donald Trump's latest White House ambitions, from plans for a UFC-style event on the South Lawn to a MAGA-branded America 250 celebration that's already losing major performers. Andersen explains why Trump's embrace of entertainment, celebrity culture, and grievance politics was visible decades ago, tracing the roots of what he calls America's long-running “Fantasyland” obsession with self-created narratives. Along the way, they unpack the cabinet's astonishing displays of loyalty, Trump's fixation on revenge, the unraveling politics around Iran, and a startling 1991 MAD Magazine cartoon that seemed to predict Trump's future with uncanny accuracy. It's a conversation about power, performance, and why some of the strangest moments in American politics may reveal more than the biggest headlines. Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://hims.com/BEAST to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As an indie and small press show, its only fitting that this week we talk to one of the great of UK underground comics, and all round legend of the scene Hunt Emerson! From his new retrospective collection '50 Years of Big Noses' currently being crowdfunded, to his cartoonist beginnings,  work in adult magazines, Fortean Times, Beano, how long he spends in stationary shops and why he doesn't consider himself to be an artist! As you can read, its another chat not to be missed. Plus there's discussion on disappointing kickstarter comics, the risk of alienating new readers and another slate of great indie books to check out! Great stuff to check out: Hunt Emerson, 50 Years of Big Noses, Zoop, Firkin the Cat, Mad Magazine, Steve Bell, Kevin O'Neill, Gerald Scarf, Fortean Times, Guy D'Lille, Resident Alien, The American lady, Bronze Star, Mike Baron, London Comic Mart, Lawless Comic Con, Comics Assemble, The Guys #8, Suburban Antichrist #3, Dan Hughes, Lizzie Parsec

We have two episodes coming to you in audio form from our April livestream and here is the first!! Billy Z, Steve and Caleb got together in the middle of the month to discuss new books and it was an even split: half DC and half Indie! First from the house of Superman and Batman, we have the Mad About DC one shot, where some of the biggest names in comics take on DC characters and concepts a la Mad Magazine! We also talk about Batwoman #1, the new series feauring Kate Kane written by her co-creator Greg Rucka with art by DaNi! Rounding out the trio of DC books, we have a book about a trio: Detective Comics #1107 by Tom Taylor and Pete Woods which is the start of an arc teaming up Batman, Green Arrow and Black Canary! Then we switch over to the independent side - first with Red Book #1 from Dark Horse, a companion series to Blue Book by James Tynion IV and Michael Avon Oeming crafted by the same creative team examining UFO sightings throughout history in Russia and China! We then shift our sights onto Defenders of the Earth, a reboot of the 80s cartoon and toy line which brings together the most famous King Features heroes - Flash Gordon, Mandrake, Lothar and The Phantom courtesy of Dan DiDio and James Calafiore. And lastly from new publisher Ignition Comics we chat about the first issue of Dennis Hopeless and Brahm Revel's Just Brutal, a kinetic yet chaotic blend of sorcery and family dynamics!! This is a loaded two-hour melting pot of a funny book fondue so hit play and enjoy!

Recording this before NCBD makes it the perfect time for another round of OUFL! When it comes to Jack Kirby's contributions, MAD Magazine's Usual Gang of Idiots, and comic book events find out what we find overrated and underrated and what's our favorite and least favorite. Plus, some Silver Age Suicide Squad, Absolute Batman by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin, Rikke Villadsen's The Sea, Crazy for You by Paul Theroux and Steve Lafler, and more!

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Oldish: Conversations on Aging in the 21st Century co-hosts Dr. Janet Price and Gregg Kaloust sit down for a chat with substack humorist Mike Bryskier. Mike's substack is Aging Against My Will. It's a Mad Magazine influence grimace at the perils of Aging. Very funny in a grim kind of a way.Mike's substack is at https://mikebryskier.substack.com/. or go to substack and search for Aging Against My Will.Next up will be an episode of The Oldish Book Club. We're reading When The Cranes Fly South by Lisa Rydzen. Get it from your library or our bookstore at bookshop.org/shop/oldishAnd don't forget to love everyone.Support the showOldish is now on substack! Check us out at https://oldishpodcast.substack.comConnect with Janet at https://drjanetprice.comGregg has a new substack newsletter where he's publishing writings old and new: poems, short pieces, works in progress, opinions and notes.You can email Gregg at gregg@kannoncom.com Gregg is now an ambassador for Revolin Sports Pickleball Paddles. If you are in the market for a new paddle, for any playing level, Revolin is made in the USA from sustainable materials, with the finest engineering and quality. Enter the code pickleballnomad at checkout for 10% discount. Gregg wears Tyrol pickleball shoes, the only company that makes shoes just for pickleball. He has been wearing the same pair of Velocity V model shoes for almost a year, and he plays a lot! Click here to purchase Tyrol Pickleball shoes (note, if you purchase Tyrol pickleball shoes after clicking this link Oldish may receive a commission. Thanks for helping to support our podcast!)Comments, suggestion, requests: oldish@kannoncom.comThanks to Mye Kaloustian for the music.

This week we're finishing our journey through the world of MAD Magazine! It turns out one episode wasn't enough to cover over 70 years of MAD, who could have known! Well there's lots to go through but we'll finish it off in this episode.  We'll be chatting more nostalgia from the world of MAD as well as digging into some of the more modern aspects from the property. This is where we get to some of our favorite offerings from MAD as well as some of the newer stuff that has us excited! We hope you enjoy this conclusion to our MAD-STRAVAGANZA!  If you'd like to unlock bonus episodes from Talking Back every month, then check out our page on Patreon! Check out Tim's Youtube Channel Demo Dash! You can also support Talking Back by sending us a Coffee at Buy Us a Coffee!  Please consider leaving a 5 star rating and review on Apple Podcasts! This helps make our Podcast easier for listeners to find.  Feel free to drop us a line on Social Media at Instagram, and Facebook. Or drop us an email us at talkbackpod@gmail.com. This podcast is part of the BFOP Network 

Today we sit down with Dick DeBartolo—longtime MAD Magazine writer and “The Giz Wiz”—for a lively conversation that bounces between comics, comedy, and gadgets. Dick shares how he broke into MAD during its legendary era, what it was like working alongside icons like Al Jaffee and Don Martin, and how the magazine's anything-goes humor shaped his creative instincts. He also digs into his parallel career in tech and radio, explaining how his love of quirky gadgets led to his long-running “Giz Wiz” persona. Throughout the interview, DeBartolo's trademark wit and self-deprecating humor shine through, offering both a nostalgic look at MAD's golden age and a reminder of how curiosity and comedy can fuel a decades-long career. You can follow Dick on Instagram @thegizwiz. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

En este episodio discutimos The Fury of Firestorm #1, donde DC Next Level continúa con el poderoso regreso de Firestorm bajo Jeff Lemire y Rafael de Latorre en una historia intensa, dramática y cargada de energía nuclear que promete redefinir al personaje.Hoy hablamos de- The Fury of Firestorm #1- Action Comics #1097- Star Wars - Shadow of Maul #2- Bizarro: Year None #1- Mad About DC #1- Estuary: A Ghost Story #1- Neighborhood Watch #1- Pretty Hate Machine #1

Alex de Panico Press nos visita para un recap del pasado Puerto Rico Comic Con. Tambien discutimos si Firestorm llego al proximo nivel con el comic de la semana The Fury of Firestorm #1. Algunos de los pulls que hablamos son Mad About DC #1, Neighborhood Watch #1 y Star Wars Shadow of Maul #2. Transmitido el 14 de abril, 2026.

This week we're talking all things MAD Magazine! MAD is a humour/satire magazine that's been in publication for close to 75 years. It's credited with influencing multiple generations of humorists and helping to shape modern American satire.  We're doing a deep dive into the history of the magazine, the cultural phenomena it created, and the various side properties that were spawned. As always we'll share our history with MAD and how it affected us then and how it continues to affect us now.  We hope you enjoy this review of MAD! If you'd like to unlock bonus episodes from Talking Back every month, then check out our page on Patreon! Check out Tim's Youtube Channel Demo Dash! You can also support Talking Back by sending us a Coffee at Buy Us a Coffee!  Please consider leaving a 5 star rating and review on Apple Podcasts! This helps make our Podcast easier for listeners to find.  Feel free to drop us a line on Social Media at Instagram, and Facebook. Or drop us an email us at talkbackpod@gmail.com. This podcast is part of the BFOP Network 

Django and Jeff are not here as never, bummed to write about last week's comic books. Bizarro doesn't have a new book, so we won't talk about it. There's also definitely nothing here about Mad Magazine, the least amount of DC books in a short while, and some intranational lack of movement. So don't hit stop, hated readers! (Editor's note: writing in Bizarro-speak is hard.)0:02:42 - Unwell Unwelcome Wellmer. (Editor's note: We actually do love you Will!)0:07:16 - Bizarro: Year None #10:14:25 - Mad About DC #10:22:06 - Batman #80:30:43 - Absolute Superman #180:34:05 - Royals #10:37:39 - The Sacrificers #200:41:33 - Comics Magazine #20:45:29 - Batman / Superman: World's Finest #50SPOILERS! Tread carefully dear listener, because we're going to talk about what happened in these books. So definitely pause this, read your comics, and come back. We'll still be here!And an enormous thank you, as always, to Andrew Carlson for editing this mess into something listenable.Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you like to get your podcasts.Email us at jeff@thecomicsplace.com! We love hearing from you and there's a good chance we will read it on air!Cover art by Nick PitarraVisit us at The Comics Place next time you're in Bellingham, Washington!Comics Place Book Club - second Thursday of every month. Check the shop for details!

In Part 2, Mike Carlin dives deeper into his defining years at DC Comics, sharing behind-the-scenes stories from his time shaping Superman and reflects on co-editing the landmark Marvel vs. DC alongside Mark Gruenwald, which led to the wild creative experiment of Amalgam Comics. From there, Carlin discusses his role as DC's animation liaison from 2010 to 2011, helping bridge the gap between comics and screen on a range of shows and films, as well as his contributions to the energetic DC Nation Shorts.Plus collaborating with Jerry Ordway on The Power Of Shazam. Revistiting his run as a writer on Star Trek comics, including the first Star Trek: The Next Generation miniseries He even brings things full circle with recent work in Mad Magazine, proving his voice in comics remains as sharp and versatile as ever.

Jace of The Comic Source is joined by Rocky from Comic Boom! for this week's DC Spotlight as they break down a lighter but still varied week of DC releases. Batman/Superman: World's Finest #50 gets discussed for its Dr. Destiny dream story, Superman's dream Supermobile, and a backup featuring Robin, Supergirl, Batgirl and Jimmy Olsen in a rivalry-fueled mystery. Batman/Static Beyond #5 continues to build around older Static mentoring a younger Batman Beyond while Failsafe and the larger Q-energy conflict move the story forward. Adventures of Superman: Book of El #7 delivers another dense chapter in the House of El saga with Otho-Ra, the future descendants of Superman and the larger science fiction mythology continuing to expand. Batman #8 is a slower setup issue centered on Bruce Wayne's conversation with Alan Scott, the threat of Vandal Savage, and Gotham's mayor Poison Ivy turning the city against Batman and Robin. Absolute Superman #18 stands out with Lois Lane confronting Talia al Ghul over her father's death, Ra's al Ghul showing the effect Superman has had on him, and the issue introducing Absolute versions of John Henry Irons and King Shazam while also hinting at the Phantom Stranger. Poison Ivy #43 continues G. Willow Wilson's character-driven run with Pamela Isley using her position as mayor to go after Gotham's corruption, while also advancing the fallout with Harley Quinn, Janet from HR and the consequences of Bob Venus. Bizarro: Year None #1 offers a different take on Bizarro through a Jimmy Olsen and Perry White focused story that sends them to Bizarro World, with the Daily Planet itself playing into that world's creation. JSA #18 wraps up the Year One material while also including more of the Search for the Spectre backup and its focus on the newer generation of Justice Society characters. Mad About DC #1 serves as a full Mad Magazine-style send-up of DC characters, creators and fandom with multiple standout gags and a tone both hosts found genuinely funny. Batgirl #18 leans deeper into the Spirit World mythology, Cassandra Cain's growing connection to the Wu clan, and the question of whether Lady Shiva is capable of redemption. The episode also includes a rundown of the week's collected editions along with rankings for the books discussed and selections for Book of the Week.

"19 men arrived at the airport for what could have been a normal day of flying..." Welcome to This is True Really News EP 1047, where we prove that sometimes the mainstream media is more satirical than we are. Today, Scott Combs and Tony Vercanez dissect a masterclass in "creative framing" from CNN, who recently described a pair of nail-bomb enthusiasts like they were the stars of a Disney coming-of-age indie flick.But wait, there's more! We're diving into the high-stakes world of horse breeding, where the only thing faster than the colts are the terrible puns owners use to ruin an announcer's day. From "Naysayer" to the legendary "Odor in the Court," we've got the full pedigree of comedy.Highlights of today's descent into the ridiculous:The CNN Fan Fiction Award: How a "Mother of Satan" nail bomb became a "change in life circumstances" in a deleted social post. It turns out "freelance explosive technician" doesn't look great on a LinkedIn algorithm.The Horse Name Hall of Fame: Why you should never let a psychologist (or a pun-enthusiast) name a foal. Meet the horses named "Ha Ha Ha," "Why Kick a Moo Cow," and the unfortunately birthed "Odor in the Court."California's Runaway Train: The High-Speed Rail project is now $80 billion over budget, a decade late, and trying to pass a law making it illegal to look at its "weaknesses." It's a bold new era of transparency: if you can't see the records, you can't be mad!The Great Wife-Carrying Race: Inspired by 19th-century Finnish village pillaging—now with more spandex, Hawaiian shorts, and rucksacks filled with flour to meet the minimum weight requirements.Alfred E. Neuman for President: Why the Mad Magazine mascot is looking better than the current options. What, us worry?Subscribe for your weekly dose of true news that sounds like a fever dream!#ThisIsTrue #CNN #SatireNews #CaliforniaHighSpeedRail #WifeCarrying #FunnyNews #HorseNames #MadMagazine #ComedyPodcast

We pause our nascent Monolith of Phobos episodes yet again due to irrational excitement for the forthcoming CLD record, and this time the great Rich Ragsdale joins the podcast to talk about how the visual components of the album came to be. Rich directed the CLD video Blood & Rockets, and returned to the fold to create the comic book that accompanies The Great Parrot-Ox album; he also directed the Golden Egg of Empathy video, which provides a glimpse of the overarching narrative. Rich discusses the creative and collaborative processes for the comic book, including some abandoned concepts, and how his numerous influences led to what we will soon hold in our hands. Find Rich on Instagram @richragsdale and at richragsdale.comGet involvedInstagramFacebookEmailBurn your money 

Alan Bernstein is a filmmaker whose latest documentary is When We Went MAD! Co-hosts: Jonathan Friedmann & Joey Angel-Field Producer-engineer: Mike Tomren When We Went MAD!https://tubitv.com/movies/100047417/when-we-went-mad Amusing Jews Merch Storehttps://www.amusingjews.com/merch#!/ Subscribe to the Amusing Jews podcasthttps://www.spreaker.com/show/amusing-jews Adat Chaverim – Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, Los Angeleshttps://www.humanisticjudaismla.org/ Jewish Museum of the American Westhttps://www.jmaw.org/ Atheists United Studioshttps://www.atheistsunited.org/au-studios

Before inboxes and instant replies, there were stamps, cursive, and the nervous thrill of dropping a letter in the mail. In this episode of The Daily Grateful, I share stories of pen pals, teenage crush notes, Catholic school penmanship battles, and the unforgettable day William F. Gaines wrote back to me about how to grow an “Arthur” plant from Mad Magazine. From embarrassing handwriting disasters to the miracle of modern email, this is a warm reflection on connection—then and now. Is something lost when we stop writing by hand? Or have we simply traded ink for immediacy? Let's be grateful for both.#TheDailyGrateful #LetterWriting #EmailLife #Gratitude #Storytelling #Connection #Nostalgia

After being away from Marvel for about 8 years, Brian Michael Bendis is returning to Marvel. In this episode, Joe and Cory!! discuss what that means, and give out Fave Five Bendis stories! They also discuss: Avengers 800 Has Joe found a new children's joke book? When a comic creator returning works and why And why it doesn't work Joe and Cory!! Have done this before! The history behind people freaking out about comics maturing in their subject matter The sales figures for 2025 for MAD Magazine are in and they are dire Retro Review: Post Cereal Presents the Super Friends! All of this, the usual shenanigans, and much, much more!!

SPY vs SPY - How a MAD Magazine Comic Shaped Spy Cinema explores how a silent comic changed espionage storytelling forever. In this episode, we reveal why Spy vs. Spy matters more to spy movies than most audiences realize. This podcast episode from Cracking the Code of Spy Movies looks past punchlines. It uncovers influence, tone, and lasting ideas: Two identical spies, endless conflict, there are no winners. At first glance, Spy vs. Spy feels like pure comedy.  But beneath the humor lies a brutal truth.  There are explosions, traps, and sudden reversals.  All done with a comedic twist. Episode Focus This episode focuses on how Spy vs. Spy captured Cold War thinking. ·       Paranoia ruled every decision. ·       Escalation never stopped. ·       Trust disappeared completely.   We highlight how wordless storytelling shaped modern spy cinema. If you didn't know, there is no dialogue in Spy vs. Spy.  Also, there is no exposition: only action and consequence. This visual language now defines spy films. We recently released an episode examining how James Bond and his villains are mirrors of each other.  The episode also explores why mirrors matter in espionage stories. Listeners will hear how Spy vs. Spy predicted modern spy themes. How moral ambiguity replaced clear heroes. How technology became unreliable, and finally how victory became temporary. We also connect how Spy vs. Spy created lasting ideas that found their way into major spy franchises: James Bond, Jasone Bourne, Mission: Impossible, and modern Cold War thrillers. Rather than parody, Spy vs. Spy became a blueprint filmmakers still follow, often without realizing it. This episode is fast, focused, and insight‑driven. And it reveals how satire clarified espionage mechanics. If you love spy films, this is essential listening. If you study film storytelling, it's revealing. And if you enjoy uncovering hidden influence, it delivers. Episode Highlights ·       A comic strip predicted modern spy movie structure ·       Mirror logic that shaped heroes and villains alike ·       Silence reinforced visual spy storytelling ·       Escalation replaced resolution ·       Satire became the genre's blueprint This episode proves one thing clearly:  Spy vs. Spy understood espionage better than most movies ever did. Tell us what you think about our look at Spy vs. Spy Were you familiar with this comic strip series?  Had you seen the animated shorts?  Do you agree with our analysis? Let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and what you think of this episode. Just drop us a note at info@spymovienavigator.com.  The more we hear from you, the better the show will surely be!  We'll give you a shout-out in a future episode!   You can check out all our CRACKING THE CODE OF SPY MOVIES podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or our website. In addition, you can check out our YouTube channel as well.   Episode Webpage: SPY vs. SPY – How a MAD Magazine Comic Shaped Spy Cinema

The venerable Mad Magazine warned about advertisement that was true but misleading. Father McTeigue read Cardinal Fernandez's statement to the recent consistory, and began to wonder… Watch on YouTube: DDF Reads Mad Magazine?

We're thrilled to bring you the full, unedited conversation with Gene Luen Yang, the writer currently steering IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles through one of its most emotional and surprising arcs in years.If you've been reading the book, you know the stakes have never been higher. With the shocking reveal of Ujigami's true identity and the return of Splinter casting a long shadow over the Turtles, Gene joins us to unpack the heart of the story and why this arc is really about family, fear, and the consequences of overprotection.Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon! NEWSMarvel just took over OREO with the biggest special-edition drop in cookie historyMarvel Solicitations April 2026Marvel revisits its most divisive event with 'Civil War: Unmasked'Marvel celebrates 50 years of the Eternals with a new character—and a Fall Out Boy creatorMarvel brings back 'Ultimates' #1–6 just in time for the Ultimate Universe's explosive finaleDeadpool is taking over April Fool's Day again—and the Marvel Universe might not survive it'Alien: King Killer' drops humanity into its darkest nightmare yetThe Future Foundation returns in 'Fantastic Four' #11DC Comics solicitationsDC hands the keys to MAD, and lets Chip Zdarsky roast the entire universeAfter 35 years, DC restores the lost Swamp Thing epic fans never thought they'd readExclusive: Valiant's April 2026 solicitations signal a bold new era with Valiant BeyondPrime Video orders 'Lore Olympus' adult animated series, from WEBTOON and Jim Henson CompanyFrom 'Mafia III' to Image Comics: William Harms unleashes a haunting new apocalypse with 'White Sky'Cobra goes silent: Skybound brings back G.I. Joe's most iconic storytelling, this time for the villainsA Murder in the middle: 'Neighborhood Watch' turns a gated community into a powder keg'Hello Body Horror' #1 brings the most unsettling stories from BOOM! Studios' 'Hello Darkness'Exclusive: Dark Horse's 'Did You Hear About Mimi Green?' turns cancel culture into surreal horroOur Top Books of the Week:Dave:Assorted Crisis Events (2025) #8 (Deniz Camp, Eric Zawadzki)X-Men Of Apocalypse (2025) #2 (Jeph Loeb, Simone Di Meo)Chris:​​Nights #17 (Wyatt Kennedy, Luigi Formisano) Good As Dead #5 (David and Maria Lapham)Standout KAPOW moment of the week:Chris: Nights #17 (Wyatt Kennedy, Luigi Formisano) Dave: Exquisite Corpses #9 (art by Valentine De Landro with story by Tyler Boss)TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEKChris: Iron Man #1 (Joshua Williamson, Carmen Carnero)Dave: Absolute Wonder Woman #16 (Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman)JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.Dave: Absolute Martian Manhunter #8 (Eric Canete Variant)Chris: Conan the Barbarian #28 (Gerardo Zaffino Main Cover)Interview: Gene Luen Yang - TMNT #14 out January 14 1. Issue #13 drops a massive bombshell with Ujigami's true identity being Splinter. When you decided to make him the force hunting the Turtles' enemies, what was the emotional core you wanted readers to feel first — shock, tragedy, or inevitability?2. Ujigami isn't just a villain; he's a moral crisis for the Turtles. Was your goal to make this run less about defeating an enemy and more about redefining what justice means for the team?3. In #14, the brothers split up to protect their former enemies from Splinter. That's such a powerful reversal of classic TMNT dynamics — what does this say about how the Turtles have grown since their early days of black-and-white morality?4. You've written a lot about identity and duality in your career. How did that background influence your approach to Splinter becoming Ujigami — a mentor turning into something almost mythic and terrifying?5. Shinigami's introduction brings in mysticism from the 2012 animated series. What made this moment in your run feel right for folding her into IDW continuity, and how did you retool her to fit the tone of your story?6. Your first two issues lean hard into supernatural elements — ninja mythology, death spirits, and destiny. Was that a conscious pivot from recent TMNT runs that focused more on politics and street-level crime?8. You've said the Turtles work in any genre. With Ujigami and Shinigami, you're clearly leaning into horror and dark fantasy — were there specific myths, folktales, or manga influences that shaped this arc?9. You and Freddie E. Williams II are creating some striking, eerie imagery in these issues. How did your collaboration evolve once you realized this arc would live in such a darker, more mystical space?10. With Ujigami revealed and Shinigami now in play, it feels like the table has finally been set for the larger story you and Freddie have planned. Without giving anything away, what should readers be emotionally bracing for as this arc unfolds — heartbreak, redemption, or something even more unexpected?11. If the Turtles had to explain Ujigami to April in the most “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” way possible — full of bad metaphors and half-accurate summaries — which brother would do the worst job, and what would his explanation sound like?

Having worked for Bally Midway in the 1980s, game designer / artist / animator Brian F. Colin has created and worked on more classic arcade games than you can shake a giant mutant wolfman at! RAMPAGE, XENOPHOBE, ARCH RIVALS, PIGSKIN 621ad, GENERAL CHAOS and RAMPAGE WORLD TOUR, just to name a few! Brian infused each of these games with the sardonic wit of MAD Magazine, while ensuring each of these games pushed the limits of what had been created. These were titles that broke new ground and resonated with audiences of the day and are remembered fondly by classic gamers! Brian shares a metric ton of stories from his decades in the industry and dishes all about his upcoming Kickstarter: GENERAL CHAOS - MAJOR SNAFU! The Long-awaited Sequel to the hilarious Squad-based, RTS Sega Genesis Battlegame! General Chaos - Major Snafu is in Pre-Launch now and you should definitely sign up to be notified when the campaign launches! RETRO RIDOCTOPUS is ----------------------------------- "Parasite Steve"...... AKA Steve Van Samson (read) "8-Bit Alchemy "...... AKA Tim Krikorian (listen) "Coopster Gold"...... AKA Justin Cooper (subscribe) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Retro Ridoctopus is a proud member of The Dorkening Podcast Network and is brought to you by Deadly Grounds Coffee. Podcast intro and all heavy metal interstitials by Enchanted Exile.

This week we have...A New Year with Mike and Bill! Same old stuff, different year.Mike started out with his reading and it was about blame and hiding. We were always good at that before we got sober and it could be an easy trap to fall back into. It was a good conversation.We chatted about some medical stuff, New Year's Resolutions, Dry January, Mike's trip to see classic stuff from MAD Magazine, triggers and glimmers, detaching, expressing your feelings, geographicals, Jim Beam shutting down and becoming more difficult with age. Then we wrapped up with Bad Santa. It's a classic.Enjoy the episode.Visit us Podcast  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sobernotmature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Store  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sobernotmatureshop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hobo ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.themoderndayhobo.com

The McGraw Show 12-11-25: Ice in the 1900s, Hall of Fames, Waymo, Peter Thomas & Mad Magazine by

Welcome to Phase 2 of Muppeturgy! We're following paths and pulling threads that came up during our coverage of The Muppet Show to bring you more 70s and 80s variety show nonsense. It's going to take us to some places! (What about them?)We started off close to home and went to the movies with The Muppets and it was…kind of exhausting, honestly. But if you're a fan of Muppets and Mad Magazine and Swedish art films, this special might be for you! https://muppeturgy.com/episodes/movies

Joining us today are two very significant creative forces over at the upstart indie comics publisher that promotes, “comics of every kind for every mind” Cosmic Lion Productions.One is not just the founder Cosmic Lion, but he is also a comic creator himself, fellow podcaster, and maybe one of the most enthusiastic Grendel megafans I've ever seen. The other is the critically acclaimed, Eisner-nominated cartoonist who you may know for his work on MAD Magazine and his cult comic series Minimum Wage.It is our pleasure to welcome both Eli Schwab & Bob Fingerman onto The Oblivion Bar Podcast!---Thank you Oni Press & Endless Comics, Cards & Games for sponsoring The Oblivion Bar PodcastFollow us on InstagramFollow us on TikTokFollow us on BlueSkyConsider supporting us over on PatreonThank you DreamKid for our Oblivion Bar musicThank you KXD Studios for our Oblivion Bar art

SCTV legend Dave Thomas reflects on the bold choices that shaped his life and career, from growing up in Canada to navigating success and uncertainty in Hollywood. He discusses how Shakespeare and literature helped ground him early on, and the pivotal decision to leave a lucrative advertising career to pursue improvisational comedy at Second City. Thomas shares stories of becoming head writer on SCTV and collaborating with comedy icons such as Martin Short, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Harold Ramis, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, and Joe Flaherty. The conversation spans his career-defining work on SCTV, the creation of the McKenzie Brothers, Strange Brew, Mad Magazine, and later successes including Grace Under Fire. Thomas also explores his transition into animation, running his own studio, voice work across major animated series, and eventually shifting into dramatic television with shows like Bones and The Blacklist. He touches on international experiences, including time spent in Ukraine and Thailand, and reflects on lessons learned across decades in entertainment. Throughout the episode, Thomas emphasizes that success in Hollywood depends on having at least two of three essential elements: talent, drive, and luck—along with the courage to take risks and follow creative instincts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SCTV's Dave Thomas talks about making bold life choices, growing up in Canada, Shakespeare saving his ass, choosing between big money success as an ad man or being a broke improviser at Second City, becoming head writer on SCTV, Martin Short, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, John Candy, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Joe Flaherty, Andrea Martin, Grace Under Fire, running an animation studio, turning to dramas like Bones and The Black List, going to Ukraine, Thailand, Mad Magazine, The McKenzie Brothers, Chester Hope, and how, to make it in Hollywood, you need at least two of these three things, Talent, Drive, & Luck. Bio: David William Thomas was born May 20, 1949, in St. Catharines, Ontario. He is the eldest son of British parents, Moreen Duff Muir (May 4, 1928 – May 18, 2022), a church organist for thirty years originally from Glasgow, Scotland and composer of church music, and John E. Thomas (1926–1996), a medical ethicist from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales who was head of the Philosophy Department at McMaster University, and the author of several books. Dave's younger brother, Ian Thomas, is a Canadian singer-songwriter. The family moved temporarily to Durham, North Carolina, where his father attended Duke University and earned a PhD in philosophy. The family moved back to Dundas, Ontario, in 1961, where Dave attended Dundas District high school, and later graduated with an honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.[1]  Starting his career as a copywriter at ad agency McCann Erickson in 1974, Thomas became the head writer of the Coca-Cola account in Canada within a year. After watching a Second City stage show in Toronto, and while suffering from self-described "boredom" in his advertising work, he auditioned for the Second City troupe and was chosen as a performer.[2] He was a cast member of the Toronto production of Godspell, along with Victor Garber, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, and Andrea Martin.[3] Paul Shaffer was the musical director.[3 He first achieved fame as a cast member of the Canadian TV comedy series SCTV, joining Godspell castmates Levy, Martin and later Short, plus Rick Moranis, John Candy, Harold Ramis, Catherine O'Hara and others. Notable characters on the show include Doug McKenzie of beer-swilling brothers Bob and Doug McKenzie, editorialist Bill Needle, Scottish scone-chef/bluesman Angus Crock, motor-mouthed TV ad announcer Harvey K-Tel, Lowery organist/curio pitchman Tex Boil and the "Cruising Gourmet". Thomas's first film role was in Home to Stay, directed by Delbert Mann, in which Thomas played in a scene with Hollywood legend Henry Fonda. He then wrote, co-directed, and starred in the Bob & Doug McKenzie feature film Strange Brew. Soon after, he wrote for and acted in The New Show, produced by Lorne Michaels during his hiatus from Saturday Night Live. Short-lived, this show featured a powerhouse writing staff including Thomas along with Buck Henry, George Meyer, Jack Handey, Al Franken, Tom Davis, Valri Bromfield and Steve Martin. Thomas tried his hand at network television hour-long shows in 1986 when he wrote and co-executive produced Steel Collar Man for CBS. The pilot was produced but did not go to series. He co-wrote Spies Like Us (1985) with Dan Aykroyd.  In 1988, Thomas wrote another hour long show for CBS, B Men, which was back ordered, but Thomas took a directing job at Paramount, which caused the network to drop the series. He reportedly introduced John Travolta and Kelly Preston while directing them in the Paramount film The Experts.  He wrote for, produced, and starred in The Dave Thomas Comedy Show (1990). In 1991, he starred in the Showtime comedy, Public Enemy #2. In 1992, he tried his hand at reality TV and co-executive produced ABC's America's Funniest People with Vin Di Bona, but left after thirteen weeks to appear in the film Coneheads.  In 1993, he co-starred in ABC's Grace Under Fire with Brett Butler and Tom Poston and continued with the show for 5 seasons. In 1995 Thomas starred in the ABC television film Picture Perfect with Mary Page Keller and Richard Karn. In 1995 Thomas produced a pilot of a game show called Family Challenge for ABC. When ABC did not pick up the series, Thomas sold Family Challenge to the Family Channel, where he produced 144 episodes of the show spread over 2 seasons. In 1996, Thomas played the title role in the Fox television film Mr. Foster's Field Trip aka Kidz in the Wood with Julia Duffy. In 1996, he wrote the book SCTV: Behind the Scenes (McClelland & Stewart, publishers). From 1999–2002, he voiced various roles on the animated series Mission Hill. Thomas co-starred in the Paramount feature Rat Race. As of 2001, Thomas has been the Executive Creative Director of Animax Entertainment, an animation studio based officially in Culver City, California. In 2001–2002 Thomas appeared with Eugene Levy and Martin Short on Short's show Primetime Glick as Bob Hope (an impression he had first developed for SCTV with great success). In 2002, he co-starred with Jason Priestley, Dave Foley, and Ewen Bremner in Fancy Dancing. The next year he played a lead role in Beethoven's 5th. In 2003, he directed a hospital comedy feature film entitled Whitecoats, which he also wrote. As of 2004, Thomas was on the official Advisory Committee for the Comedy program at Humber College, the only such diploma program in the world. In 2004, he and Moranis again worked together voicing Rutt and Tuke, two moose based on the McKenzie Brothers, in Disney's animated feature Brother Bear.[4]  Thomas has had a long career doing voices for animation including Animaniacs, Duckman, CatDog, The Adventures of Tarzan, Justice League and multiple roles on The Simpsons, King of the Hill and Family Guy. In 2005, he had a guest stint as Charlize Theron's "Uncle Trevor" on Fox's Arrested Development. In 2006, he reprised his voice role in Brother Bear 2 and appeared as himself in the feature film The Aristocrats. He began production on ArnoldSpeaks.com, a video blog, as the voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger; Animax Entertainment won an Emmy for a broadband animated series produced for ESPN, Off Mikes.  In 2007, Thomas and Rick Moranis reprised their roles as Bob and Doug McKenzie in a one-hour special, Bob & Doug McKenzie's Two-Four Anniversary, for CBC Television. The show featured cameos from McKenzie celeb fans like Ben Stiller, Dave Foley, Tom Green, Paul Shaffer, Andy Dick, Matt Groening, Barry Pepper, Martin Short, and Geddy Lee. Former Prime Minister of Canada Paul Martin was the host. In 2008, Thomas revived Bob and Doug McKenzie in a new animated series, Bob & Doug. While Thomas reprises the character of Doug in the new series, Moranis chose not to voice the character of Bob, which instead is voiced by Dave Coulier. Moranis is, however, involved in the series as an executive producer.[5]  In November 2009, Thomas received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from his alma mater McMaster University and gave the fall convocation speech. In 2010 Animax continued to produce branded entertainment, advertising and digital shorts for corporations like Disney, Warner Brothers, NBC Universal, and Kodak. In 2011, Thomas's company Animax produced another animated show for MTV entitled Big Box along with numerous Internet shorts such as Life With Dad.[6][7]  In 2012 and 2013 Thomas guest starred in the dramatic shows Perception and Bones as well as comedy shows Comedy Bang! Bang! and How I Met Your Mother. In addition in 2013 Thomas voiced the recurring role of Jeff Foxworthy's father Jesco in the CMT show Bounty Hunters.  Thomas joined the writing staff of the Fox crime drama television series Bones beginning in 2013. Thomas worked for two seasons on Bones, writing several episodes and working on staff as consulting producer for two seasons.[8]  In 2015 Thomas joined the writing staff of NBC's The Blacklist as a consulting producer. In 2020 life-sized statues of Thomas and Rick Moranis as their characters Bob and Doug McKenzie were put in place at the ICE District Sports Arena in Edmonton, Alberta.[9] Also in 2020, the Governor-General of Canada announced that Thomas was being appointed to the Order of Canada,[10] Canada's highest civilian award. In 2021, Thomas and Max Allan Collins teamed to write a sci-fi mystery novel, The Many Lives of Jimmy Leighton.

The Cincinnati Art Museum opens “What, Me Worry? The Art and Humor of MAD Magazine.”

In today's #MikeJonesMinuteCon, we'll preview the new Call of Duty and MAD Magazine art exhibit that's opening soon!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Woodring (Creator Of Frank) joins Dave to discuss the creative process behind his award winning surrealist comic art and unique personal vision. Jim recalls his early connection to MAD Magazine and Harvey Kurtzman's grotesque, lyrical style. He reflects on the work of R. Crumb, and the defining influence of Salvador Dalí. They discuss Jim's time working with Gil Kane and Jack Kirby at Ruby-Spears, the mastery of Dave Stevens, and the origin of Jim's long standing relationship with Gary Groth and Fantagraphics.https://www.jimwoodring.com/Join my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/DavengersDirectEditionWWW.WESTCOASTDAVENGERS.COM

Remember the terror of calling a girl and her dad answering the phone?In this nostalgia-packed and hilariously insightful episode of The JB and Sandy Show, the crew dives into what it meant to grow up Gen X—awkward phone calls, Mad Magazine, and the sacred teen landline. But it's not all throwbacks. The conversation takes a wild turn into the world of astrology, cold plunges, and red light therapy hats. Sandy introduces listeners to a young Indian astrologer dubbed the “modern-day Nostradamus,” whose eerily accurate predictions have stunned the world. From earthquakes to crypto booms, this guy's track record is raising eyebrows—and maybe investment portfolios. Meanwhile, Tricia puts Sandy and JB in the hot seat with a round of “One Must Go,” forcing them to choose between their favorite things—from Call of Duty to cold plunges, and even JB's beloved LBJ-style Stetson hat.

Jim Mahfood returns to discuss Defective Comics Presents : Arachnid Enforcer, his newest self-published, Kickstarter-backed bootleg Spider-Man comic. Jim and Dave drink spider-blood and swap stories about their earliest parody influences—MAD Magazine, SNL, and “Weird Al” Yankovic—favorite Spider-Man eras, Jim's character-design work on Into the Spider-Verse, and the perpetual thrill of seeing your work in print.BACK THE KICKSTARTER HERE: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jimmahfood/defective-comics-presents-the-arachnid-enforcerJOIN MY PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/davengersdirectedition

Hey everyone, welcome back to The Following Films Podcast, where we dive into the art, craft, and passion behind the movies — and everything that inspires them. I'm your host, Chris Maynard, and today I'm bringing you an interview recorded at this year's Tucson Comic Book Convention.My guest today is a true legend in the world of comic art — Bill Morrison. You might know Bill as the co-founder of Bongo Comics, the longtime home of The Simpsons and Futurama in print. He's also worked as an illustrator for Disney classics, served as Executive Editor for MAD Magazine, and created his own acclaimed series like Roswell: Little Green Man and Dead Vengeance.In our conversation, Bill shares stories from his journey through animation, comics, and publishing — from working alongside Matt Groening to reimagining The Beatles' Yellow Submarine as a graphic novel. We also discuss the evolution of humor, satire, and storytelling in an era when pop culture is more self-aware than ever.Today's episode of the Following Films Podcast is brought to you by Google Workspace. We keep things running smoothly and efficiently at Following Films with the convenience of cloud-based Google Workspace programs. You should try it and see how it can benefit your business as well. If you sign up using my link, I can give you a discount, and it helps to support the show https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/G6uFEnjoy the show

Meg welcomes Guy Richards Smit to the podcast and recounts the antics and offenses of Imus in the Morning. Guy recalls the perks of being a kid in the city: the practice rooms, the museums, and a grandmother who took him to R rated movies.Please check out our website, follow us on Instagram, on Facebook, and...WRITE US A REVIEW HEREWe'd LOVE to hear from you! Let us know if you have any ideas for stories HEREThank you for listening!Love,Meg and Jessica

Dan Soder and Greg Stone stop by for a wild one. The guys cover everything from steroid-Jesus theories and New York's rat NBA to dissecting cats in high school, Mad Magazine nostalgia, Castro assassination plots, and lemon party memories. Plus, hangover cures that don't work, landlord grudges, and why chest hair is making a comeback. Sponsored by:

The "Happy Hostess Cookbook Party" is an online community focused on cookbooks and hosting, led by Kristie LaLonde. It's part of the larger "Happy Hostess" brand, which includes the “Happy Hostess Podcast” and other resources for aspiring and experienced hosts. The club focuses on exploring recipes from various cookbooks, often accompanied by themed events and discussions.Kristie has so graciously planned to feature the “True North Cabin Cookbook” for her October club. The club meets via Zoom for all members. It's a monthly subscription for an orchestrated “cook along”thats fun and approachable for all levels of cooks interested in joining a community.Stephanie's Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode Transcript Follows:Stephanie:Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk to people in the food space. Many times cookbook authors, other times makers. And this particular episode, we are talking to Kristie LaLonde. She is the Happy Hostess Collective. And Kristie and I found each other through a listener of my radio show. My friend Jilly in Minnesota is. She's. We call them Dishers weekly.Stephanie:Dishers, that's the name of the radio show. And Jilly's been a Disher for over 18 years. We've had the show and I think she's listened as long as we've had it. And she reached out to me because in my sub stack, I have a Sunday newsletter and I did a whole thing about entertaining and how I love when people just entertain and people make entertaining so complicated and it doesn't need to be. And I offered to give around a cookbooks to people that have cookbook clubs because I think they're so fun. And Jilly replied and said, I have this great cookbook club. We would love it if we could win your books. And she is part of the Happy Hostess Cookbook Club.Stephanie:So they won. Jilly got the books. I sent books to all the people in the cookbook group that Jilly's in. And Kristie is the leader of the Happy Hostess Collective, Kristie, welcome to the program. I'm delighted to have you.Kristie LaLonde:Thank you. I am so excited to be here.Stephanie:So explain to the audience what the Happy Hostess Collective is and all the different avenues that you have for fostering your love of cookbooks and clubbing.Kristie LaLonde:Well, I am on Instagram as Happy Hostess Collective, but for our cookbook club, it's actually called Happy Cookbook Party because I couldn't really think of a good name. It's not a great name because it doesn't really let you know it's a cookbook club. But we. There's a lot of emphasis on party in it. So basically it's a cookbook club, but instead of meeting in person, most of the time, we are meeting twice a month on Zoom and we are cooking together from one cookbook, which we usually choose a cookbook and stick with that cookbook for like three to four months, depending upon how robust the cookbook is.Stephanie:And people come from all over the country and tell me, like, how do you logistically do it? Do you have like, you know, 30 people on a Zoom or how does it work?Kristie LaLonde:Actually, we do have. We are on Zoom and basically what happens when we pick a book? I will go through and kind of we have a Facebook Group. And so I ask everyone either which recipes really look good to you that you're wanting to try.And then I look through all of those and make sure that they can fit within the hour to hour and a half timeframe of our Zoom Cook along. And then I make a schedule for the next three months and it's printable. I send it to them so they can print it out. And then every. We meet twice a month, so every two weeks, basically we meet on Zoom and I send them grocery list ahead of time for those two recipes that we choose. Sometimes it's three when we throw in a cocktail in there. Yes, especially we usually meet at noon or 4, so the 4 o' clock ones a lot of times have the cocktail. But so we all just meet in one Zoom meeting and we all cook and I'm kind of leading it, but everyone else is talking just as much as I do because we've gotten to know each other so well and it's so fun because we really learn from each other because we have some like expert bakers and we have some people like me that not expert at all in baking.Kristie LaLonde:And so. And like we have some really strong florists and there's. We just learn a lot from each other. And every once in a while we also do like a tutorial on a different thing that would have to do with being a hostess. For example, we've done flower arrangements that mimic the ones we saw in one of our cookbooks. We've done hostess gifts, like kind of homemade, cute little hostess gifts at Christmas time. So it's a wide variety of things. It's been strange.Like a lot of things have come our way. We had, we were offered to have a Vector cocktails. It's like a cocktail mixer. They offered to do a, a cook. I mean, like a cocktail class for us. It was super fun. They sent us all their mixers and it was great. So we've got a chance to do a lot of stuff.Stephanie:So what is your background and how did you land here?Kristie LaLonde:Well, I have always loved cooking and entertaining, even when I was little. Like, I remember I had one of my cookbooks was like the MAD Magazine cookbooks. I don't know if you remember MAD magazine, but they had like a holiday thing and I just loved it. I remember pouring through that and it's crazy because I do that now, obviously with grownup cookbooks, but. And so that just kind of. Well, and then when I was very young, I was the maid of honor in Three Weddings in one year. So I had a crash course and had a host parties for grownups, and that was very fun. But.Kristie LaLonde:And I'd always really enjoyed the ideas of parties as well. Growing up, my parents were my mom. My father was in an industry where there were lots of fancy, fancy famous parties.Stephanie:Yeah.Kristie LaLonde:Because we live in Kentucky, so the derby parties. And.Stephanie:Yes.Kristie LaLonde:So I would, like, hear them, like, sometimes they would be on the farm that we lived on, like in the party barn. And so, like, I would hear the parties, and I just was kind of fascinated with all of that, and it just kind of snowballed from there.Stephanie:But you on the Happy Hostess Collective on your Instagram, you chronicle a lot of these parties and you have, like, beautiful flower arrangements. And I mean, honestly, the south is just like, I don't know why, but you guys are known for just these over the top, beautiful flower arrangements, beautiful parties, beautiful outfits. In the north, everything feels a little more, like, rustic and just a little more outdoorsy. But, like, the south just feels like China and silver and so beautiful.Kristie LaLonde:Yeah, you know, there's a little bit of everything for sure in the south, but we do tend to go over the top. That is. That is definitely the case. Which makes it fun, though. But. And I love a big theme. It can. It's a lot of fun.And whether it's rustic theme, but it's just like kind of go all in on it. It makes it a lot of fun.Stephanie:How did you figure out, like, I think it's pretty cool that you have this whole cookbook club happening via Zoom. So there's technology there. Right. And then you also have, like a Facebook group. You really use social media to drive a lot of this engagement. It is a paid subscription, which I also think is cool because sometimes if you have to pay for something, you value it a little bit more or you make time for it in your schedule. How did I learn all the technological pieces and have you just learned by trial and error?Kristie LaLonde:Well, fortunately, Zoom is fairly easy to use. And especially after Covid, everybody knows how to use Zoom, thankfully. But actually, I started an E commerce store, like, before people heard of the word E commerce.And I am not techno, very technologically advanced, but I am willing to figure out whatever it is if it makes it possible for me to do what I want. And I really wanted a. A China and dish store, which. Big surprise. So that I had it. No, I don't. I had it for almost 14 years. I think that's, like, my dream.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, it was so fun. And it stopped me from buying all the dishes. Because I had all these gorgeous dishes. Like in a warehouse. Yes. But it's a really heavy, breakable object and not so fun to ship after a while. So I transitioned out of that and wanted to do something that didn't require shipping.Stephanie:And this is brilliant because you've got new friends from all over the country. It could be all over the world.Kristie LaLonde:I suppose it definitely could be. There happens to be just the country right now. We are a small group, but it is a really fun group and it's been a great community. And I really wanted something to tie in my podcast to make it and make it smaller. Well, obviously with the podcast, it's only me or myself and a guest, so I really wanted to be able to, like, get to know my listeners better, and this was the perfect thing.Stephanie:How did you get into podcasting? Because you've have had over a hundred episodes all about this topic of hostessing.Kristie LaLonde:Basically it was the sick of being shipping things. So I thought, okay, well, we could start the podcast. I wasn't really sure what direction it was going to take, but I thought that it would be a good avenue for me to get started. And it kind of led to this.Stephanie:One of the topics that was on your recent podcast that I was kind of interested in, because I think the. It has changed so much since COVID is the whole idea of having a party and the RSVP list. People in my experience tend to be very late at responding to things. And even like, we're finding that restaurant reservations people will make four reservations and cancel three with really no thought about it. Like, it's just we're in a very quick societal change. And you talked a lot about how to get people to RSVP, how important RSVPs are. What were some of your tips there?Kristie LaLonde:Well, it's. It sounds a little old school, but one of them was to actually have a physical invitation delivered to them.Stephanie:Amen. This whole, like, you're gonna send me a digital something, it's fine. It's great as, like, a reminder, but I just. I don't think it's the same as, like, getting an actual invitation to something.Kristie LaLonde:I agree. And for one thing, it's. It's less likely to be forgotten because a lot of times they put it on the refrigerator or somewhere they can see it. And then also, like, it's shocking when you get something in the mail that you. That isn't a bill today, you know, so it's. It seems more special.Stephanie:This is kind of a weird aside, but I used to run a direct mail company. So I love direct mail. And the number one growing category for direct mail is 18 to 34, because they love getting offers in the mail. Because getting mail feels so special now and so unique.Kristie LaLonde:You're kidding.Stephanie:No, it's like it's coming back.Kristie LaLonde:That is so interesting.Stephanie:And the catalog companies have always had a robust business using the mail. They've maybe pared down their catalogs a little bit, or they might have specialty offerings, but people are still sending a lot of catalogs.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, goodness. Well, I'm so glad because I just thought I was like, old school because I really like to have books in my hands. I like. I like getting catalogs if it's from a business that I like. I thought I was the only one that.Stephanie:No, you are not. What other kinds of trends are you noticing in just entertaining in general, good or bad?Kristie LaLonde:Well, catching on. One that I did recently, I did a small series on baby showers. And. Wow. Things have changed since I was having babies, for sure. Like, drastically. Some. Some things I think are good.Kristie LaLonde:Like, for example, a lot of times they're co ed now, which was just a trend that had just barely started when I was having children. And I think that's fun and interesting, for sure. Um, but I do also think that they have gotten, like, kind of out of hand a little bit. And I love going over the top, like I said earlier with a party, so I'm. I'm never gonna, like, shame anybody for that. But it seems like with social media coming in, that everyone is seeing these highlight reels from very sophisticated baby showers.Stephanie:Yeah.Kristie LaLonde:And so I kind of camped out in baby shower groups for, like, a good month, like, trying to prepare for this series. And. And it was kind of sad, really, because people were so. A lot of people, not everyone, of course, but were so sad because they didn't have enough people to invite to have an almost wedding, like, baby shower. Like, it was. It was. And they felt defeated. It was just.Kristie LaLonde:It was kind of disheartening. And I mean, you could tell that they really thought that it was normal that people had to rent out a venue hall in order to have a baby shower.Stephanie:Yeah.Kristie LaLonde:Which is not the case at all.Stephanie:And like, just making diaper cake is still pretty fun, isn't it?Kristie LaLonde:Yeah, absolutely. I mean, so, I mean, yeah, it's. It's really different. It's. It's almost. And it's a whole different vibe from a lot of people. And the thing is, I've not seen this in person, so I don't want to say that everyone's like this. Maybe it's just the vocal people on Facebook, you know, but it seemed a lot more like, this is my party.Kristie LaLonde:This is my. My thing, as opposed to, you know, someone hosting it for you.Stephanie:Yeah. Yeah. Well, you haven't. Have you watched the Mormon Housewives?Kristie LaLonde:I haven't.Stephanie:Okay, good. I don't. It's like, so bad. It's good. So wrong. Right. So I don't really want to, like, encourage anyone to do it because that sort of guilty pleasure. But they have these big over the top and they have a lot of kids and they're all women under 30.Stephanie:So they do have these big, like, over the top baby showers and the baby hills and the baby moons. And honestly, it's just. So if we get to the idea of just like, entertaining, I think people get so hung up on that they have to have like this special meal or that they have to spend all day in the kitchen. What would be like, some of your tips for getting you to entertain? More like, barriers to overcome, I guess.Kristie LaLonde:Well, I think first and foremost is to really focus on your mindset and think about why that you want to entertain. And usually it's because you want to make memories and have connections with your friends and family. Do you want to make memories and those are awesome reasons, or you want to celebrate someone, you know? And a lot of times when we start thinking about entertaining, sometimes we can get a little nervous that maybe I'm not good enough cook or I'm. My house isn't big enough or I don't have enough people to invite, for example, the baby shower. And I really just recommend very first thing to do is to flip your mind and be focused on your guests. Like, what do you want to do for them, how do you want them to feel? You know, obviously you want them to be. Feel welcomed in your home and that sort of thing. So if you could just focus on the.Kristie LaLonde:The guest, you usually can stop all the negative chatter in your mind because you're not focusing on yourself. And then also, most importantly, don't do everything yourself. You don't have to cook everything. You don't have to cook at all if you don't want to. You know, that's why caterers exist. Even if you only cooked one thing that was like a signature dish, then you might. It's. It's like you did cook.And so I really think that trying not to do everything and focusing on your making your guests feel welcome are very important.Stephanie:I figured out late in Life how easy it is to cook fish for a crowd. And that seems like a weird thing, but, like, if you get, like, a whole side of salmon or poach a whole fish or you even have slabs that you're just putting under the broiler, you can have, like, any salads prepared in advance. You know, you can have vegetables prepared in advance, you can have a cheese platter prepared in advance. And then really, like, the only thing you're cooking is this side of salmon or you've got a sauce that you've already made. I was always so afraid to cook fish, and once I kind of got over that hump, I was like, wow, this is actually pretty easy. I can cook a whole side of fish. I can feed 12 people off of it, typically, if I get a big enough one. And with all the sides and everything, everything's already made before they even get here.Kristie LaLonde:That is perfect. And that's like the perfect example of what we're trying to do in the cookbook party is to get people to increase their repertoire of things that are very easy to entertain. Because there are some delicious recipes that we make that would be a nightmare if, you know, for entertaining, you know, they take too long, they need to be done at the last minute, that sort of thing. But if you like, for example, the fish, you know that all. It kind of meets all the requirements. You don't have to do it at the last minute. It's easy preparation, and we want to gain. It's like our entertaining arsenal.Kristie LaLonde:Kind of find those recipes, find ways of doing things that make it simple, where, you know, if, like, for example, things that can be cooked the day before and just reheated, like carnitas, like the meat and that type of thing. Yep. There's just lots of them. And. And we can all have our own little personal style when it comes to that. You know, that's what makes it fun is, is everyone seems like they have their own signature dishes.Stephanie:What's a go to Kristie LaLonde signature entertaining dish?Kristie LaLonde:Well, I just mentioned one of them, carnitas. I love them. They are not. They are kind of time consuming, but it is completely make. You can make it whenever you want, and it tastes great the next day reheated. It's one of those things that, you know, can taste better, even better the same day, and people love them. Everyone seems to like them. So that's one of my go tos.Kristie LaLonde:And then also like, oh, gosh, I can't even remember what I call them now, but they're like the white cream chicken, Chicken enchiladas.Stephanie:Oh, yeah.Kristie LaLonde:Because they can totally be made ahead of time, and all you have to do is put them in the oven, and then, you know, you can make sides easily. A lot of times, actually, with both of those things, I used to. I don't need to now, but I didn't have a good refried beans recipe that I liked, and rice is one of the few things that I really, really struggle with. I need to buy a rice cooker is what I've been told, but so I would just order from the restaurant that's around the corner, baked beans and rice, and then serve that with them. So it was, like, liked. It was homemade. It's in my dish. It looks homemade.Yeah.Stephanie:Time saving. An instant pot is also really helpful in the rice department. If you. Oh, I mean, I make rice in my instant pot. It is a rice cooker. It's a pressure cooker. Rice cooker. It cooks everything.And then also I make risotto in there too.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, wow. I did not know that. Actually, the carnitas is one of the few things I use my instant pot for. So now I got something else.Stephanie:Oh, yes. I'm a big instant potter. In fact, one of the Facebook groups that we run for our radio show is called the Weekly Dish Instant Potters. Oh, some really great recipes there that people have shared or linked to. It's an open group, but I. It's. If you're an instant potter, and I still am. I still love my instant pot.Stephanie:I do my slow cooker, too. You can slow cook in an instant pot, but I also have two other slow cookers because I'm somewhat obsessed with that, but really helpful and easy. Is there a cookbook that you've used on the cookbook Club journey that you really were like, wow, this is a great, entertaining cookbook?Kristie LaLonde:Yes, for sure. And most of the ones that we choose have an entertaining bent to them, typically just because of our interest in what we're trying to accomplish in the group. But Love Welcome Serve by Amy Hannon. Like, really blew my socks off. Every single recipe that we tried just seemed to be over the top, delicious. It was really phenomenal. Like, we've enjoyed all of our books, for sure, but this one, it just really. I was blown away, and I had been told and that it really was such a good cookbook, and I finally caved and put it in there, and I'm so glad that I did.Stephanie:Yeah, I'm looking at it. It looks delightful. It's got kind of an Ina Garten feeling to it.Kristie LaLonde:And she is just a very genuine, kind, hospitable person. She really. She definitely has the mindset. Like, even when she's talking about making little notes, you can just see just. She has such a hospitable nature.Stephanie:And then the recent cookbook that you guys are doing is the. Is it Brunch with Babs?Kristie LaLonde:Brunch with Babs is her account, but the book is called Celebrate with Babs.Stephanie:Okay. And Babs is like everybody's favorite grandma. Her daughter, I think, worked in lifestyle television and has helped her create this really unbelievable social media presence and following. What is it about her books that attracted you?Kristie LaLonde:I. Well, she organizes her cookbooks in the way that I always enjoy, and that is by party or event. I love cookbooks that are organized that in that fashion. And I'd heard good things about it, and so we thought we would try it.Stephanie:Yeah, she's really. I think her recipes are really great. She's not too fussy. She has some that are more complicated than others, but she does a lot of, like, semi homemade kind of things too. Don't you wish that Sandra Lee from Semi Homemade would come back?Kristie LaLonde:Oh, I know. I. Oh, I loved, loved, loved her show because of the party aspect. I absolutely loved it. And we have enjoyed Celebrate with Babs for sure. And you're right, there are a lot of, like, one recipe will be, you know, kind of complicated like you said, and one will be semi homemade. Today at 4. Today we have our.Kristie LaLonde:What's our second to last cook along in Celebrate with Babs. And the theme today is looking forward to fall. So we're doing her new pond chili and then we're doing Mrs. Williams peanut butter bars. So.Stephanie:Yeah, delicious.Kristie LaLonde:Yes, that will be good for dinner.Stephanie:Yes, it will be. It makes me think of my pumpkin spice espresso martini that I'd like to have with that.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, that sounds good. Oh, that sounds so good.Stephanie:Yeah, I'm obsessed with pumpkin spice. And my. My second book is kind of geared from October through April, so more fall time. And I really, I. When you go to get like a pumpkin spice something, it's usually full of such gross ingredients. And I was like, okay, we could make pumpkin spice flavor with pumpkin, right? And spice, like, it wouldn't be that hard. So I made a pumpkin spice cream and then used it in different recipes. And the espresso martini with pumpkin spice was delightful.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, that sounds amazing. Espresso martinis are one of my absolute favorites.Stephanie:Me too. Me too. Well, it's been super great to chat with you about entertaining, Christy. How can people follow you and what's the best way to join if they want to join the cookbook club?Kristie LaLonde:Well, our website is happy cookbookparty.com and I'm on Instagram at Happy Hostess Collective, if you have a question about anything. And I am excited to announce that we are doing one of your cookbooks starting in October.Stephanie:Excellent. That's right on time.Kristie LaLonde:Yes. I'm so excited about it. I can't wait, because this is totally different. I love that we, you know, we've done a lot of Southern cookbooks. Like we did Pizzazzerie and the Southern Living Party Cookbook and a couple others. And then we kind of moved over to the Midwest of it was celebrate with Babs. And so yours will be a perfect fit.Stephanie:Thank you. I'm excited to have you guys do it. And I hope I can find pop in and say hi while everyone's cooking, because that sounds kind of fun.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, I would love it. I would love it. And I would like to offer your listeners, if they want to join us, they can use the code SD50, and they'll get 50% off their first month's membership.Stephanie:That's fun. And how much is a membership generally? Is it 22?Kristie LaLonde:It's $22 a month. Yes.Stephanie:Okay. I love it. That's great. That's fun. It's a good little, like, date night for yourself to do something fun and unusual that you maybe haven't done before, right?Kristie LaLonde:Yes, it is. And it's, you know, I know you not for you, probably because you're immersed in the food industry, and I know you're so big on local, which I love about your cookbooks. I love reading the little stories about the local people. But, you know, a lot of us don't have, like, I love to entertain, and I do have friends that entertain, but I don't have people necessarily close to me that just love it as much as I do and really want to learn. And so it's awesome that I get to hang out with these people all over the country that really do love it as much as I do.Stephanie:Yes. Well, we'll put all this information in the show notes, and you and I will connect on when we want to have the podcast distributed so that people can join. And it was really great to spend time with you. Thanks to Jilly in mn, my favorite Instagram friend and weekly disher who hooked us up. Kristie. I'll connect with you after this podcast by email, and we'll get all the details set up, but thanks for watching, for helping launch my book. It's awesome.Kristie LaLonde:Well, thank you. I appreciate the opportunity.Stephanie:Yes. And we'll talk soon. Thanks for being a guest today. Oh, and I want to shout out your podcast real quick because we'll put a link to that, too.Kristie LaLonde:Thank you. It's called Happy Hostess.Stephanie:Okay. It's really great. You have a lot of episodes on hostessing and fun, entertaining ideas, so. All right, Kristie we'll connect in email.Kristie LaLonde:Awesome. Thanks, Stephanie.Stephanie:Okay, bye. Bye. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

The "Happy Hostess Cookbook Party" is an online community focused on cookbooks and hosting, led by Kristie LaLonde. It's part of the larger "Happy Hostess" brand, which includes the “Happy Hostess Podcast” and other resources for aspiring and experienced hosts. The club focuses on exploring recipes from various cookbooks, often accompanied by themed events and discussions.Kristie has so graciously planned to feature the “True North Cabin Cookbook” for her October club. The club meets via Zoom for all members. It's a monthly subscription for an orchestrated “cook along”thats fun and approachable for all levels of cooks interested in joining a community.Stephanie's Dish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode Transcript Follows:Stephanie:Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie's Dish, the podcast where we talk to people in the food space. Many times cookbook authors, other times makers. And this particular episode, we are talking to Kristie LaLonde. She is the Happy Hostess Collective. And Kristie and I found each other through a listener of my radio show. My friend Jilly in Minnesota is. She's. We call them Dishers weekly.Stephanie:Dishers, that's the name of the radio show. And Jilly's been a Disher for over 18 years. We've had the show and I think she's listened as long as we've had it. And she reached out to me because in my sub stack, I have a Sunday newsletter and I did a whole thing about entertaining and how I love when people just entertain and people make entertaining so complicated and it doesn't need to be. And I offered to give around a cookbooks to people that have cookbook clubs because I think they're so fun. And Jilly replied and said, I have this great cookbook club. We would love it if we could win your books. And she is part of the Happy Hostess Cookbook Club.Stephanie:So they won. Jilly got the books. I sent books to all the people in the cookbook group that Jilly's in. And Kristie is the leader of the Happy Hostess Collective, Kristie, welcome to the program. I'm delighted to have you.Kristie LaLonde:Thank you. I am so excited to be here.Stephanie:So explain to the audience what the Happy Hostess Collective is and all the different avenues that you have for fostering your love of cookbooks and clubbing.Kristie LaLonde:Well, I am on Instagram as Happy Hostess Collective, but for our cookbook club, it's actually called Happy Cookbook Party because I couldn't really think of a good name. It's not a great name because it doesn't really let you know it's a cookbook club. But we. There's a lot of emphasis on party in it. So basically it's a cookbook club, but instead of meeting in person, most of the time, we are meeting twice a month on Zoom and we are cooking together from one cookbook, which we usually choose a cookbook and stick with that cookbook for like three to four months, depending upon how robust the cookbook is.Stephanie:And people come from all over the country and tell me, like, how do you logistically do it? Do you have like, you know, 30 people on a Zoom or how does it work?Kristie LaLonde:Actually, we do have. We are on Zoom and basically what happens when we pick a book? I will go through and kind of we have a Facebook Group. And so I ask everyone either which recipes really look good to you that you're wanting to try.And then I look through all of those and make sure that they can fit within the hour to hour and a half timeframe of our Zoom Cook along. And then I make a schedule for the next three months and it's printable. I send it to them so they can print it out. And then every. We meet twice a month, so every two weeks, basically we meet on Zoom and I send them grocery list ahead of time for those two recipes that we choose. Sometimes it's three when we throw in a cocktail in there. Yes, especially we usually meet at noon or 4, so the 4 o' clock ones a lot of times have the cocktail. But so we all just meet in one Zoom meeting and we all cook and I'm kind of leading it, but everyone else is talking just as much as I do because we've gotten to know each other so well and it's so fun because we really learn from each other because we have some like expert bakers and we have some people like me that not expert at all in baking.Kristie LaLonde:And so. And like we have some really strong florists and there's. We just learn a lot from each other. And every once in a while we also do like a tutorial on a different thing that would have to do with being a hostess. For example, we've done flower arrangements that mimic the ones we saw in one of our cookbooks. We've done hostess gifts, like kind of homemade, cute little hostess gifts at Christmas time. So it's a wide variety of things. It's been strange.Like a lot of things have come our way. We had, we were offered to have a Vector cocktails. It's like a cocktail mixer. They offered to do a, a cook. I mean, like a cocktail class for us. It was super fun. They sent us all their mixers and it was great. So we've got a chance to do a lot of stuff.Stephanie:So what is your background and how did you land here?Kristie LaLonde:Well, I have always loved cooking and entertaining, even when I was little. Like, I remember I had one of my cookbooks was like the MAD Magazine cookbooks. I don't know if you remember MAD magazine, but they had like a holiday thing and I just loved it. I remember pouring through that and it's crazy because I do that now, obviously with grownup cookbooks, but. And so that just kind of. Well, and then when I was very young, I was the maid of honor in Three Weddings in one year. So I had a crash course and had a host parties for grownups, and that was very fun. But.Kristie LaLonde:And I'd always really enjoyed the ideas of parties as well. Growing up, my parents were my mom. My father was in an industry where there were lots of fancy, fancy famous parties.Stephanie:Yeah.Kristie LaLonde:Because we live in Kentucky, so the derby parties. And.Stephanie:Yes.Kristie LaLonde:So I would, like, hear them, like, sometimes they would be on the farm that we lived on, like in the party barn. And so, like, I would hear the parties, and I just was kind of fascinated with all of that, and it just kind of snowballed from there.Stephanie:But you on the Happy Hostess Collective on your Instagram, you chronicle a lot of these parties and you have, like, beautiful flower arrangements. And I mean, honestly, the south is just like, I don't know why, but you guys are known for just these over the top, beautiful flower arrangements, beautiful parties, beautiful outfits. In the north, everything feels a little more, like, rustic and just a little more outdoorsy. But, like, the south just feels like China and silver and so beautiful.Kristie LaLonde:Yeah, you know, there's a little bit of everything for sure in the south, but we do tend to go over the top. That is. That is definitely the case. Which makes it fun, though. But. And I love a big theme. It can. It's a lot of fun.And whether it's rustic theme, but it's just like kind of go all in on it. It makes it a lot of fun.Stephanie:How did you figure out, like, I think it's pretty cool that you have this whole cookbook club happening via Zoom. So there's technology there. Right. And then you also have, like a Facebook group. You really use social media to drive a lot of this engagement. It is a paid subscription, which I also think is cool because sometimes if you have to pay for something, you value it a little bit more or you make time for it in your schedule. How did I learn all the technological pieces and have you just learned by trial and error?Kristie LaLonde:Well, fortunately, Zoom is fairly easy to use. And especially after Covid, everybody knows how to use Zoom, thankfully. But actually, I started an E commerce store, like, before people heard of the word E commerce.And I am not techno, very technologically advanced, but I am willing to figure out whatever it is if it makes it possible for me to do what I want. And I really wanted a. A China and dish store, which. Big surprise. So that I had it. No, I don't. I had it for almost 14 years. I think that's, like, my dream.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, it was so fun. And it stopped me from buying all the dishes. Because I had all these gorgeous dishes. Like in a warehouse. Yes. But it's a really heavy, breakable object and not so fun to ship after a while. So I transitioned out of that and wanted to do something that didn't require shipping.Stephanie:And this is brilliant because you've got new friends from all over the country. It could be all over the world.Kristie LaLonde:I suppose it definitely could be. There happens to be just the country right now. We are a small group, but it is a really fun group and it's been a great community. And I really wanted something to tie in my podcast to make it and make it smaller. Well, obviously with the podcast, it's only me or myself and a guest, so I really wanted to be able to, like, get to know my listeners better, and this was the perfect thing.Stephanie:How did you get into podcasting? Because you've have had over a hundred episodes all about this topic of hostessing.Kristie LaLonde:Basically it was the sick of being shipping things. So I thought, okay, well, we could start the podcast. I wasn't really sure what direction it was going to take, but I thought that it would be a good avenue for me to get started. And it kind of led to this.Stephanie:One of the topics that was on your recent podcast that I was kind of interested in, because I think the. It has changed so much since COVID is the whole idea of having a party and the RSVP list. People in my experience tend to be very late at responding to things. And even like, we're finding that restaurant reservations people will make four reservations and cancel three with really no thought about it. Like, it's just we're in a very quick societal change. And you talked a lot about how to get people to RSVP, how important RSVPs are. What were some of your tips there?Kristie LaLonde:Well, it's. It sounds a little old school, but one of them was to actually have a physical invitation delivered to them.Stephanie:Amen. This whole, like, you're gonna send me a digital something, it's fine. It's great as, like, a reminder, but I just. I don't think it's the same as, like, getting an actual invitation to something.Kristie LaLonde:I agree. And for one thing, it's. It's less likely to be forgotten because a lot of times they put it on the refrigerator or somewhere they can see it. And then also, like, it's shocking when you get something in the mail that you. That isn't a bill today, you know, so it's. It seems more special.Stephanie:This is kind of a weird aside, but I used to run a direct mail company. So I love direct mail. And the number one growing category for direct mail is 18 to 34, because they love getting offers in the mail. Because getting mail feels so special now and so unique.Kristie LaLonde:You're kidding.Stephanie:No, it's like it's coming back.Kristie LaLonde:That is so interesting.Stephanie:And the catalog companies have always had a robust business using the mail. They've maybe pared down their catalogs a little bit, or they might have specialty offerings, but people are still sending a lot of catalogs.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, goodness. Well, I'm so glad because I just thought I was like, old school because I really like to have books in my hands. I like. I like getting catalogs if it's from a business that I like. I thought I was the only one that.Stephanie:No, you are not. What other kinds of trends are you noticing in just entertaining in general, good or bad?Kristie LaLonde:Well, catching on. One that I did recently, I did a small series on baby showers. And. Wow. Things have changed since I was having babies, for sure. Like, drastically. Some. Some things I think are good.Kristie LaLonde:Like, for example, a lot of times they're co ed now, which was just a trend that had just barely started when I was having children. And I think that's fun and interesting, for sure. Um, but I do also think that they have gotten, like, kind of out of hand a little bit. And I love going over the top, like I said earlier with a party, so I'm. I'm never gonna, like, shame anybody for that. But it seems like with social media coming in, that everyone is seeing these highlight reels from very sophisticated baby showers.Stephanie:Yeah.Kristie LaLonde:And so I kind of camped out in baby shower groups for, like, a good month, like, trying to prepare for this series. And. And it was kind of sad, really, because people were so. A lot of people, not everyone, of course, but were so sad because they didn't have enough people to invite to have an almost wedding, like, baby shower. Like, it was. It was. And they felt defeated. It was just.Kristie LaLonde:It was kind of disheartening. And I mean, you could tell that they really thought that it was normal that people had to rent out a venue hall in order to have a baby shower.Stephanie:Yeah.Kristie LaLonde:Which is not the case at all.Stephanie:And like, just making diaper cake is still pretty fun, isn't it?Kristie LaLonde:Yeah, absolutely. I mean, so, I mean, yeah, it's. It's really different. It's. It's almost. And it's a whole different vibe from a lot of people. And the thing is, I've not seen this in person, so I don't want to say that everyone's like this. Maybe it's just the vocal people on Facebook, you know, but it seemed a lot more like, this is my party.Kristie LaLonde:This is my. My thing, as opposed to, you know, someone hosting it for you.Stephanie:Yeah. Yeah. Well, you haven't. Have you watched the Mormon Housewives?Kristie LaLonde:I haven't.Stephanie:Okay, good. I don't. It's like, so bad. It's good. So wrong. Right. So I don't really want to, like, encourage anyone to do it because that sort of guilty pleasure. But they have these big over the top and they have a lot of kids and they're all women under 30.Stephanie:So they do have these big, like, over the top baby showers and the baby hills and the baby moons. And honestly, it's just. So if we get to the idea of just like, entertaining, I think people get so hung up on that they have to have like this special meal or that they have to spend all day in the kitchen. What would be like, some of your tips for getting you to entertain? More like, barriers to overcome, I guess.Kristie LaLonde:Well, I think first and foremost is to really focus on your mindset and think about why that you want to entertain. And usually it's because you want to make memories and have connections with your friends and family. Do you want to make memories and those are awesome reasons, or you want to celebrate someone, you know? And a lot of times when we start thinking about entertaining, sometimes we can get a little nervous that maybe I'm not good enough cook or I'm. My house isn't big enough or I don't have enough people to invite, for example, the baby shower. And I really just recommend very first thing to do is to flip your mind and be focused on your guests. Like, what do you want to do for them, how do you want them to feel? You know, obviously you want them to be. Feel welcomed in your home and that sort of thing. So if you could just focus on the.Kristie LaLonde:The guest, you usually can stop all the negative chatter in your mind because you're not focusing on yourself. And then also, most importantly, don't do everything yourself. You don't have to cook everything. You don't have to cook at all if you don't want to. You know, that's why caterers exist. Even if you only cooked one thing that was like a signature dish, then you might. It's. It's like you did cook.And so I really think that trying not to do everything and focusing on your making your guests feel welcome are very important.Stephanie:I figured out late in Life how easy it is to cook fish for a crowd. And that seems like a weird thing, but, like, if you get, like, a whole side of salmon or poach a whole fish or you even have slabs that you're just putting under the broiler, you can have, like, any salads prepared in advance. You know, you can have vegetables prepared in advance, you can have a cheese platter prepared in advance. And then really, like, the only thing you're cooking is this side of salmon or you've got a sauce that you've already made. I was always so afraid to cook fish, and once I kind of got over that hump, I was like, wow, this is actually pretty easy. I can cook a whole side of fish. I can feed 12 people off of it, typically, if I get a big enough one. And with all the sides and everything, everything's already made before they even get here.Kristie LaLonde:That is perfect. And that's like the perfect example of what we're trying to do in the cookbook party is to get people to increase their repertoire of things that are very easy to entertain. Because there are some delicious recipes that we make that would be a nightmare if, you know, for entertaining, you know, they take too long, they need to be done at the last minute, that sort of thing. But if you like, for example, the fish, you know that all. It kind of meets all the requirements. You don't have to do it at the last minute. It's easy preparation, and we want to gain. It's like our entertaining arsenal.Kristie LaLonde:Kind of find those recipes, find ways of doing things that make it simple, where, you know, if, like, for example, things that can be cooked the day before and just reheated, like carnitas, like the meat and that type of thing. Yep. There's just lots of them. And. And we can all have our own little personal style when it comes to that. You know, that's what makes it fun is, is everyone seems like they have their own signature dishes.Stephanie:What's a go to Kristie LaLonde signature entertaining dish?Kristie LaLonde:Well, I just mentioned one of them, carnitas. I love them. They are not. They are kind of time consuming, but it is completely make. You can make it whenever you want, and it tastes great the next day reheated. It's one of those things that, you know, can taste better, even better the same day, and people love them. Everyone seems to like them. So that's one of my go tos.Kristie LaLonde:And then also like, oh, gosh, I can't even remember what I call them now, but they're like the white cream chicken, Chicken enchiladas.Stephanie:Oh, yeah.Kristie LaLonde:Because they can totally be made ahead of time, and all you have to do is put them in the oven, and then, you know, you can make sides easily. A lot of times, actually, with both of those things, I used to. I don't need to now, but I didn't have a good refried beans recipe that I liked, and rice is one of the few things that I really, really struggle with. I need to buy a rice cooker is what I've been told, but so I would just order from the restaurant that's around the corner, baked beans and rice, and then serve that with them. So it was, like, liked. It was homemade. It's in my dish. It looks homemade.Yeah.Stephanie:Time saving. An instant pot is also really helpful in the rice department. If you. Oh, I mean, I make rice in my instant pot. It is a rice cooker. It's a pressure cooker. Rice cooker. It cooks everything.And then also I make risotto in there too.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, wow. I did not know that. Actually, the carnitas is one of the few things I use my instant pot for. So now I got something else.Stephanie:Oh, yes. I'm a big instant potter. In fact, one of the Facebook groups that we run for our radio show is called the Weekly Dish Instant Potters. Oh, some really great recipes there that people have shared or linked to. It's an open group, but I. It's. If you're an instant potter, and I still am. I still love my instant pot.Stephanie:I do my slow cooker, too. You can slow cook in an instant pot, but I also have two other slow cookers because I'm somewhat obsessed with that, but really helpful and easy. Is there a cookbook that you've used on the cookbook Club journey that you really were like, wow, this is a great, entertaining cookbook?Kristie LaLonde:Yes, for sure. And most of the ones that we choose have an entertaining bent to them, typically just because of our interest in what we're trying to accomplish in the group. But Love Welcome Serve by Amy Hannon. Like, really blew my socks off. Every single recipe that we tried just seemed to be over the top, delicious. It was really phenomenal. Like, we've enjoyed all of our books, for sure, but this one, it just really. I was blown away, and I had been told and that it really was such a good cookbook, and I finally caved and put it in there, and I'm so glad that I did.Stephanie:Yeah, I'm looking at it. It looks delightful. It's got kind of an Ina Garten feeling to it.Kristie LaLonde:And she is just a very genuine, kind, hospitable person. She really. She definitely has the mindset. Like, even when she's talking about making little notes, you can just see just. She has such a hospitable nature.Stephanie:And then the recent cookbook that you guys are doing is the. Is it Brunch with Babs?Kristie LaLonde:Brunch with Babs is her account, but the book is called Celebrate with Babs.Stephanie:Okay. And Babs is like everybody's favorite grandma. Her daughter, I think, worked in lifestyle television and has helped her create this really unbelievable social media presence and following. What is it about her books that attracted you?Kristie LaLonde:I. Well, she organizes her cookbooks in the way that I always enjoy, and that is by party or event. I love cookbooks that are organized that in that fashion. And I'd heard good things about it, and so we thought we would try it.Stephanie:Yeah, she's really. I think her recipes are really great. She's not too fussy. She has some that are more complicated than others, but she does a lot of, like, semi homemade kind of things too. Don't you wish that Sandra Lee from Semi Homemade would come back?Kristie LaLonde:Oh, I know. I. Oh, I loved, loved, loved her show because of the party aspect. I absolutely loved it. And we have enjoyed Celebrate with Babs for sure. And you're right, there are a lot of, like, one recipe will be, you know, kind of complicated like you said, and one will be semi homemade. Today at 4. Today we have our.Kristie LaLonde:What's our second to last cook along in Celebrate with Babs. And the theme today is looking forward to fall. So we're doing her new pond chili and then we're doing Mrs. Williams peanut butter bars. So.Stephanie:Yeah, delicious.Kristie LaLonde:Yes, that will be good for dinner.Stephanie:Yes, it will be. It makes me think of my pumpkin spice espresso martini that I'd like to have with that.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, that sounds good. Oh, that sounds so good.Stephanie:Yeah, I'm obsessed with pumpkin spice. And my. My second book is kind of geared from October through April, so more fall time. And I really, I. When you go to get like a pumpkin spice something, it's usually full of such gross ingredients. And I was like, okay, we could make pumpkin spice flavor with pumpkin, right? And spice, like, it wouldn't be that hard. So I made a pumpkin spice cream and then used it in different recipes. And the espresso martini with pumpkin spice was delightful.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, that sounds amazing. Espresso martinis are one of my absolute favorites.Stephanie:Me too. Me too. Well, it's been super great to chat with you about entertaining, Christy. How can people follow you and what's the best way to join if they want to join the cookbook club?Kristie LaLonde:Well, our website is happy cookbookparty.com and I'm on Instagram at Happy Hostess Collective, if you have a question about anything. And I am excited to announce that we are doing one of your cookbooks starting in October.Stephanie:Excellent. That's right on time.Kristie LaLonde:Yes. I'm so excited about it. I can't wait, because this is totally different. I love that we, you know, we've done a lot of Southern cookbooks. Like we did Pizzazzerie and the Southern Living Party Cookbook and a couple others. And then we kind of moved over to the Midwest of it was celebrate with Babs. And so yours will be a perfect fit.Stephanie:Thank you. I'm excited to have you guys do it. And I hope I can find pop in and say hi while everyone's cooking, because that sounds kind of fun.Kristie LaLonde:Oh, I would love it. I would love it. And I would like to offer your listeners, if they want to join us, they can use the code SD50, and they'll get 50% off their first month's membership.Stephanie:That's fun. And how much is a membership generally? Is it 22?Kristie LaLonde:It's $22 a month. Yes.Stephanie:Okay. I love it. That's great. That's fun. It's a good little, like, date night for yourself to do something fun and unusual that you maybe haven't done before, right?Kristie LaLonde:Yes, it is. And it's, you know, I know you not for you, probably because you're immersed in the food industry, and I know you're so big on local, which I love about your cookbooks. I love reading the little stories about the local people. But, you know, a lot of us don't have, like, I love to entertain, and I do have friends that entertain, but I don't have people necessarily close to me that just love it as much as I do and really want to learn. And so it's awesome that I get to hang out with these people all over the country that really do love it as much as I do.Stephanie:Yes. Well, we'll put all this information in the show notes, and you and I will connect on when we want to have the podcast distributed so that people can join. And it was really great to spend time with you. Thanks to Jilly in mn, my favorite Instagram friend and weekly disher who hooked us up. Kristie. I'll connect with you after this podcast by email, and we'll get all the details set up, but thanks for watching, for helping launch my book. It's awesome.Kristie LaLonde:Well, thank you. I appreciate the opportunity.Stephanie:Yes. And we'll talk soon. Thanks for being a guest today. Oh, and I want to shout out your podcast real quick because we'll put a link to that, too.Kristie LaLonde:Thank you. It's called Happy Hostess.Stephanie:Okay. It's really great. You have a lot of episodes on hostessing and fun, entertaining ideas, so. All right, Kristie we'll connect in email.Kristie LaLonde:Awesome. Thanks, Stephanie.Stephanie:Okay, bye. Bye. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Read transcriptGet ready for some black-and-white mayhem that's more chaotic than trying to untangle Christmas lights while wearing oven mitts! This week on Play Comics, we're diving headfirst into the wonderfully ridiculous world of Spy vs Spy for the original Xbox—the 2005 game that took MAD Magazine's iconic feuding spies and somehow convinced them to blow each other up in glorious 3D. This delightfully deranged espionage extravaganza comes courtesy of the twisted minds at Vicious Cycle Software, who apparently looked at the classic NES version and thought, “You know what this needs? More explosions and better graphics!” Whether you're here for the nostalgic callback to those legendary MAD TV shorts or you just enjoy watching cartoon spies meet their doom in increasingly creative ways, this episode promises to deliver more backstabbing action than a corporate boardroom during budget season. Joining us for this masterclass in mutual assured destruction are two absolute legends from the podcasting world: Anthony Sytko and Doc Issues, the brilliant minds behind Capes on the Couch. When they're not busy psychoanalyzing superheroes and providing much-needed therapy to fictional characters who definitely have trust issues, these two bring their expertise in comic psychology to help us understand why watching two spies repeatedly murder each other is somehow deeply satisfying. So dust off that original Xbox controller, practice your best evil laugh, and prepare for an episode that's guaranteed to be more explosive than a briefcase full of dynamite left by your nemesis. We'll explore whether this modern take on the classic formula captured the essence of those timeless comic strips, or if it just left us feeling like we'd been caught in one of the White Spy's elaborate traps. Learn such things as: Does choosing Black Spy make you morally superior? How many ways can a cartoon spy die before it stops being funny? Why do we find such joy in elaborate revenge schemes involving household appliances? And so much more! You can find Anthony and Doc @CapesOnTheCouch on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and of course the Capes on the Couch website. If you want to be a guest on the show please check out the Be a A Guest on the Show page and let me know what you're interested in. If you want to help support the show check out the Play Comics Patreon page or head over to the Support page if you want to go another route. You can also check out the Play Comics Merch Store. Play Comics is part of the Gonna Geek Network, which is a wonderful collection of geeky podcasts. Be sure to check out the other shows on Gonna Geek if you need more of a nerd fix. You can find Play Comics @playcomics.bsky.social on Bluesky, and in the Play Comics Podcast Fan Groupon Facebook. A big thanks to Escape the Mojoverse and The Monitor Tapes for the promos today. Intro/Outro Music by Backing Track, who cloned himself and is both of the spies at the same time. Support Play Comics by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/playcomics Check out our podcast host, Pinecast. Start your own podcast for free with no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-89f00a for 40% off for 4 months, and support Play Comics.

Send us a textWhat makes a horror film truly terrifying? In our deep dive into Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece Alien, we discover it's what you don't see that haunts you most. The slow-burning tension of the Nostromo's corridors, the cosmic horror of that derelict alien spacecraft, the shadow-cloaked xenomorph – Scott crafts an atmosphere of dread that feels as fresh today as it did over forty years ago. We explore how this film brilliantly balances restraint with shock, particularly in the infamous chestburster scene. Did you know the cast's horrified reactions were genuine? They had no idea what was about to erupt from John Hurt's chest, creating one of cinema's most authentically terrifying moments.Beyond its surface scares, Alien harbors deeper themes about corporate exploitation. The ship's very name, Nostromo, references Joseph Conrad's novel about labor exploitation – a subtle nod to how these working-class crew members are mere pawns in a corporate game. Ian Holm's android Ash embodies this corporate callousness, placing "company orders" above human lives. We dissect his brilliant performance and the shocking milk-white reveal of his true nature.For Rich, experiencing Alien for the first time led to fascinating discussions about expectations versus reality. While some of us grew up with action figures from the more combat-oriented sequels, the original's horror roots came as a welcome surprise. Dakota and Anthony share their childhood memories of encountering the franchise, from Mad Magazine parodies to that unforgettable "mouth within a mouth" design that continues to disturb.Whether you're revisiting this classic or hearing about it for the first time, join us as we celebrate the film that birthed a franchise and forever changed science fiction horror. And stay tuned – next week we're continuing our Alien journey with James Cameron's action-packed sequel, Aliens!Twitter handles:Project Geekology: https://twitter.com/pgeekologyAnthony's Twitter: https://twitter.com/odysseyswowDakota's Twitter: https://twitter.com/geekritique_dakInstagram:https://instagram.com/projectgeekology?igshid=1v0sits7ipq9yYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@projectgeekologyGeekritique (Dakota):https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwciIqOoHwIx_uXtYTSEbASupport the show

  This time he's coming to a different kind of jungle. In a sweltering, crime-ridden Los Angeles, a relentless alien hunter stalks the city's most dangerous criminals and law enforcement. A determined detective finds himself in a deadly game of cat and mouse as he uncovers the creature's terrifying purpose. BPO's Blake O'Donnell returns to to help us wrap up Action August with 1990's PREDATOR 2. Also this week: Cracked vs Mad Magazine, Danny Glover's billowy pants, and Predator munchin' beef. All this--and a whole lot more--on this week's episode of NEON BRAINIACS! "S*** happens." ----- Check out our Patreon for tons of bonus content, exclusive goodies, and access to our Discord server! ----- Predator 2 (1990) Directed by Stephen Hopkins Written by Jim Thomas & John Thomas Starring Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Peter Hall ----- 00:00 - Intro & Opening Banter 15:46 - "The Shpiel" 44:05 - Film Breakdown 1:54:48 - Brain Bucket & Outro        

Writing Legend, Arnie Kogen, talks with Jay and Jay's son, Charlie, about his childhood, career, and what it's like to be 91. Three generations of Kogens in one pod! Bio: ARNIE KOGENComedy Writer/ TV ProducerHas written and/or produced for the Carol Burnett Show, The Tonight Show, Newhart, Mary Tyler Moore, Empty Nest, Mad TV, The Dean Martin Show, Sinbad, Donnie & Marie, The Jackson Five, Evening At The Improv, The Bob Newhart Show, Tim Conway, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Candid Camera, Love, American Style, The Love Boat, The Golden Globes and contributed to The Academy Awards.  Has also written comedy material for Phyllis Diller, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, Shelley Berman, Debbie Reynolds, Connie Stevens, Totie Fields, Jackie Vernon, Diana Ross, Flip Wilson, Ann Margret, Sammy Davis, Morty Gunty and Jerry Van Dyke.For over five decades he has been one of the leading contributors to Mad Magazine.  Kogen has won three Emmy Awards (seven nominations) and one Writers Guild Award (three nominations)

Send us a textJoin former child actor Moosie Drier, and author Jonathan Rosen, as they chat with the host of the Fun For All AGes podcast, Frank Santopadre!Frank discusses his time co-hosting the Amazing Colossal Podcast with Gilbert Gottfried, returning to podcasting with his current show Fun For All Ages, working for MAD Magazine, writing for the Friar's Club Roasts, creating jokes for Bazooka Joe, & much more!Support the show

This episode was recorded prior to Scott Adams' announcement of his cancer diagnosis. As always, Thick Lines wishes good mental, spiritual, and physical health to all creators and createes. Joining Sally today is the business pleasure that is Mattie Lubchansky: former associate editor of The Nib, author of Boys Weekend and the rapidly impending release, Simplicty has had work appearing in Mad Magazine, The Hairpin, The Toast, Eater, New York Magazine, as well as every other publication you've ever enjoyed. Today we have a short interview with Mattie and a special guest, then we read Mattie's pick: The Far Side by Gary Larson! Your favorite! Topics include: cows, cat eye glasses, Joey Alison Sayers, The Vegan Agenda, parents allowing questionable reading material, and desert islands. See Mattie on tour! July 29th at Thespis Theater The Newtown Stage 25-02 Newtown Ave Long Island City, NY   or July 31st at BOOKS ARE MAGIC 122 MONTAGUE ST BROOKLYN, NY 11201-3481 August 2nd you can find them at Riffraff Bookstore and Bar 60 Valley St #107A Providence, RI She has many more tour dates along the east coast you can peruse here

August 14-20, 1999 This week Ken welcomes writer, musician and comedian who has created the video podcast built on music, performance storytelling and Ai visuals, Skulk The Hulk, Steve "Skulk" Pasieka Ken and Skulk discuss Mad Magazine, Steve's Dick DiBartolo mustache, Action shows on TV, Chuck Norris, WWF (WWE), Samo Hung, WCW, Chinese action heroes, Attitude Era of WCW, defining High School by wrestling, backyard wrestling, TV Guide induced vivid dreams, growing up in Chicago, heavy Italian Chicago accents, children with strong regional accents, revolting Pepto Bismol ads, disgusting ice cream photos, Judy Garland, the 90s love of the 70s, no bake Jell-O grossness, too much PB, locking up your Klondike bars, how much smarter Samo Hung is than Kevin Sorbo and Chuck Norris, Halle Berry's comebacks, Brutus the Barber Beefcakes' MBTA "Anthrax" scare, wrestlers lying about their size, Randy "Macho Man' Savage, class action suits, the shock of a Buff Bagwell photo shoot, The Tom Green Show, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, MTV's Real Life, Chyna, HHH, Behind the Music, going into animation, debating Generative AI, what is a tool and what isn't, challenging norms, controversal issues, Ken's theory of innovative amatuerishness, going to Greece, having experiences outside of America, distribution networks, wrestlers with just regular names, UFC replacing WWF/WCW, how you need rules, how having all things available to you stifles creativity, Antiques Roadshow, Celebrity Tug-O-War, Johnny Bravo, Cartoon Network, Spin City, JAWS, Ray Walston, Star Trek, Dee Snider in Strangeland, how massive David Blaine was, Win Ben Stein's Money, Leeza Gibbons hosting Smoking: Truth or Dare, requiring cigarette holders, lost Comedy Central shows of the late 90s, Steve's love of music videos, how some things don't hold up at all, appreciating Men in Black, the Roller Derby resurgence, Ska Punk, Chicago punk bands, Naked Raygun, and The Many Incessent Lives and Subsiquent Deaths Deserved of Skulk the Hulking. 

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Sam Viviano, award-winning cartoonist, and former art director of MAD Magazine, about his membership in MAD's usual gang of idiots; what the careers of Norman Mingo and Jack Davis can teach today's illustrators; why creatives, even the worrywarts, should keep on keeping on; and more.Sam can be found on Instagram.Artists mentioned in this episode include: Steve Brodner, Herbert Lawrence Block, Mort Drucker, Paul Coker, Jack Davis, George Woodbridge, Al Jaffee, Dave Berg, Brad Holland, Guy Billout, Nicholas Blechman, Peter de Sève, Anita Kunz, Barry Blitt, Jack Unruh, Sergio Aragonés, and Don Martin If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribing to our best-selling publication, Notes On Illustration, on Substack. Among other benefits, you will gain access to bonus episodes we call “Extra Credit”. | Visit illustrationdept.com for offerings like mentorships and portfolio reviews, testimonials, our alumni showcase, and more. | Music for the podcast was created by Oatmello.

Comedian Greg Warren joins Adam in studio to talk about his new YouTube special THE CHAMP and Adam's uncanny ability to riff endlessly on just about anything. The two dive into the absurdities of everyday life, from coffee stirrers and peanut butter to Greg's former life as a Jif salesman. They also debate whether BBQ is better on the road or at home, and take a nostalgic turn with deep dives into Deacon Jones commercials, The A-Team, Run Joe Run, and Renegade—all of which, they agree, owe a creative debt to The Fugitive. Greg also shares a surprising story about how Lorenzo Lamas played a small but pivotal role in his decision to pursue comedy full time.Jason “Mayhem” Miller later joins the show to break down the day's headlines, including the surprising fact that no city in California made the list of the top 250 places to live in the U.S. They also cover Mayor Karen Bass signing executive orders to keep film production in Los Angeles, along with the controversy surrounding the lack of digital communications from her office during the 2025 wildfires.Legendary filmmaker David Zucker rounds out the episode with a look back at his groundbreaking career in comedy, from Kentucky Fried Movie and Airplane! to The Naked Gun and Scary Movie 3 & 4. David talks about working with Val Kilmer, reflects on being pushed out of the upcoming Naked Gun reboot, and recounts how close his house came to being evacuated during recent fires. He also previews his upcoming Masterclass launching in July on Mastercrash.com and discusses his appearance in the new Chassy Media documentary When We Went MAD, a tribute to MAD Magazine, available June 24 and currently up for preorder on Apple and Fandango.David and Adam close out the conversation with a surprising discussion about the sad life of Benny Hill and compare notes on their very different childhoods—David's in Milwaukee and Adam's as the class clown in North Hollywood. Get it on.FOR MORE WITH GREG WARREN: INSTAGRAM: @grockwarrenTWITTER: @gregwarrenWEBSITE: gregwarrencomedy.comSPECIAL: THE CHAMP on YouTubeFOR MORE WITH DAVID ZUCKER:INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: @thedavidzuckerWEBSITE: mastercrash.comWHEN WE WENT MAD (Preorder): https://apple.co/4k1ELuqFOR MORE WITH JASON “MAYHEM” MILLER:INSTAGRAM: @mayhemmillerTWITTER: @mayhemmillerThank you for supporting our sponsors:BetOnlineHims.com/ADAMHomes.comPluto.TVRuffGreens.com - Use promo code “Adam”LIVE SHOWS: May 24 - Bellflower, CA (2 shows)May 30 - Tacoma, WA (2 shows)May 31 - Tacoma, WA (2 shows)June 1 - Spokane, WA (2 shows)June 11 - Palm Springs, CAJune 13 - Salt Lake City, UT (2 shows)June 14 - Salt Lake City, UT (2 shows)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week Tom and Julie talk about the unusual lyrics behind Shirley Temple's Animal Crackers in My Soup, their favorite MAD Magazine comics, and watch cursed clips of Katy Perry and friends going to space, and an Instagram ad for a product called Faith Bricks. Plus Tom and Carson play voicemails they received from Troma director Charles Kaufman after prank calling him during a previous Patreon bonus clip.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/tomandjulie and get on your way to being your best self.CLIPS FROM THIS WEEK'S EPISODE:-Katy Perry and friends go to spacehttps://www.instagram.com/p/DIcNXsxM6_g/-Faith Brickshttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DIAlioDMRHf/?igsh=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA%3D%3DWATCH VIDEO CLIPS OF DOUBLE THREAThttps://www.youtube.com/@doublethreatpodJOIN THE DOUBLE THREAT FAN GROUPS*Discord https://discord.com/invite/PrcwsbuaJx*Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/doublethreatfriends/*Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/doublethreatfriendsDOUBLE THREAT MERCHhttps://doublethreat.dashery.com/TOTALLY EFFED UP T-SHIRTShttps://dttfutees.dashery.com/SEND SUBMISSIONS TODoubleThreatPod@gmail.comFOLLOW DOUBLE THREAThttps://twitter.com/doublethreatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/doublethreatpodDOUBLE THREAT IS A FOREVER DOG PODCASThttps://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/double-threatTheme song by Mike KrolArtwork by Michael Kupperman00:00 Intro7:35 Animal Crackers is a weird song11:28 MAD Magazine28:21 The Charles Kaufman voicemails47:00 Katy Perry and friends go to space1:11:43 Faith Bricks1:28:34 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week Tom and Julie talk about the unusual lyrics behind Shirley Temple's Animal Crackers in My Soup, their favorite MAD Magazine comics, and watch cursed clips of Katy Perry and friends going to space, and an Instagram ad for a product called Faith Bricks. Plus Tom and Carson play voicemails they received from Troma director Charles Kaufman after prank calling him during a previous Patreon bonus clip. CLIPS FROM THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: -Katy Perry and friends go to space https://www.instagram.com/p/DIcNXsxM6_g/ -Faith Bricks https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIAlioDMRHf/?igsh=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA%3D%3D This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/tomandjulie and get on your way to being your best self. WATCH VIDEO CLIPS OF DOUBLE THREAT https://www.youtube.com/@doublethreatpod JOIN THE DOUBLE THREAT FAN GROUPS *Discord https://discord.com/invite/PrcwsbuaJx *Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/doublethreatfriends *Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/doublethreatfriends DOUBLE THREAT MERCH https://doublethreat.dashery.com/ TOTALLY EFFED UP T-SHIRTS https://dttfutees.dashery.com/ SEND SUBMISSIONS TO DoubleThreatPod@gmail.com FOLLOW DOUBLE THREAT https://twitter.com/doublethreatpod https://www.instagram.com/doublethreatpod DOUBLE THREAT IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/double-threat Theme song by Mike Krol Artwork by Michael Kupperman 00:00 Intro 7:35 Animal Crackers is a weird song 11:28 MAD Magazine 28:21 The Charles Kaufman voicemails 47:00 Katy Perry and friends go to space 1:11:43 Faith Bricks 1:28:34 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices