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Continuing the spoof theme from our recent Patreon episode on Airplane, we re-watched an old favorite, National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1! How great is Whoopi in this? How is this such a keystone to our goofy jokes? Wilderness girls! The Movie! All this and more! Want more Dissecting the 80s? Visit Patreon.com/DissectingThe80s to unlock dozens of bonus episodes right away! “NewsSting, Ouroboros” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Keywords: Emilio Estevez, Samuel L. Jackson, Spoof, 90s, 80s, eighties, movie, podcast
Mark interviews Daryn Brito, an advocate, writer, and researcher dedicated to supporting those who have faced trauma and adversity about her work and her new book THE BECOMING: UNREPEATABLE MIRACLE, WHO ARE YOU? Prior to the interview Mark shares a brief personal update a word from this episode's sponsor, and a trigger warning for listeners. This episode is sponsored by Toronto Indie Author Conference, taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026. In the interview, Mark and Daryn about: Mark first meeting Daryn in a class at the Waterloo Regional Police Citizen's Academy How Daryn's main goal when doing speaking engagements is to start in a way to humilify herself first to help demonstrate her humanity and put the audience at ease The importance of taking her academic study and leveraging it in a way that the average person can understand it How Daryn is currently doing two simultaneous Masters programs in preparation for her Phd The specific therapy models that Daryn is focusing on in her study The undergrad study Daryn did showing that only 3% of people who were in foster care attempt post-secondary education - this is usually due to lack of support How, growing up, school was the one area where Daryn had a sense of control, and how she focused hard in that realm Regularly being told that her heart is too big for her own good Daryn's early childhood experiences, starting with her mother's experience while pregnant with Daryn The first time of having to go to court and testify as a victim of sexual assault at the age of twelve Being a primary caregiver to younger siblings and struggling with a strong/high empathy Deciding she had finally had enough of living in a situation filled with IPV (Intimate Partner Violence) Getting involved in helping to train police officers in better understanding trauma related to IPV Initially mistrusting the police, particularly due to the environment she grew up in How the investigating detective in Daryn's case was one of the most compassionate human being Daryn had ever met in her life The deciding factor in making the police report not being about Daryn getting hurt again, but her feeling responsible for the possibility of other people getting hurt How if it weren't for Daryn's heart for others, she wouldn't be here today Doing a lot of speaking for police at the academy for those being trained in IPV (Intimate Partner Violence) The journals Daryn had always kept which helped provide the fruit for the creation of her book THE BECOMING The importance of breaking down the walls we put up, knowing that it's safe to open your heart to the world again The various groups who have purchased Daryn's group in order to help other people Choosing a release date for her book as her ex-abuser's parole hearing day as a way to make that day brighter What Daryn would say to someone who is or has faced adversity or trauma The incredible "basic needs" special housing program/project that Daryn is looking at The value of showing up with love and compassion After the interview Mark reflects on the concepts of compassion and empathy and the importance of recognizing multiple viewpoints and environments unique to different people. Links of Interest: Daryn Brito Website Waterloo Regional Police Flashpoint TV Series Superstars Writing Seminars Stark Reflections on Pushing for Better (Team Landing Page) CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association) Mental Health Meter What's Your Stress Index? Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building Once Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises Daryn Brito is an advocate, writer, and researcher dedicated to supporting those who have faced trauma and adversity. Through her work, she empowers individuals and strives for systemic change. What makes Daryn's journey so remarkable, is how she turns her lived experiences into transformative wisdom. So through her compelling public talks, her insightful research and her book The Becoming: unrepeatable miracle, who are you? Daryn challenges us to question who we are beneath all the labels, and invites us to step into our most authentic, fullest selves The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Our exit today has us reliving some debaucherous times in college. This week, we are looking at two films about hard partying guys in college who attempt to learn life lessons and change their ways. First, we are going to talk about Sorority Boys, written by Joe Jarvis and Greg Coolidge and directed by Wallace Wolodarsky. Then we will talk about National Lampoon's Van Wilder, written by Brent Goldberg and David Wagner and directed by Walt Becker.Along the way, we talk a lot about Animal House and its influence on these films. We also talk Ryan Reynolds, fraternities, trans cinema, gross-out humor, CW actors, The West Wing vice presidents, Tara Reid, and more.Thememusic by Jonworthymusic.Powered by RiversideFM.CFF Films with Ross and friends.Movies We've Covered on the Show on Letterboxd.Movies Recommended on the Show on Letterboxd.
Mike talks with comedy legend David Zucker, the creative force behind the movie Airplane! Zucker shares what it took to make Airplane!—pitching a spoof no one quite understood, casting serious actors to deliver absurd lines with a straight face, and why making his co-writers laugh was the secret sauce to pleasing the audience. He also discusses his new "Master Crash" course, where Zucker teaches the dos and don'ts of spoof comedy writing. Along the way, we learn how John Landis landed National Lampoon's Animal House, helping ignite a new era of irreverent filmmaking. It's a fast, funny conversation about risk, rebellion, and earning your parking space the hard way. Tip o' the hat to our excellent sponsors SkillsUSA.org/mike Join the skilled trade movement! GoodRanchers.com Code MIKE gets $25 off your first order NetSuite.com/Mike Download their FREE business guide, Demystifying AI MDriveForMen.com Try Boost and Burn to aid energy, metabolism and fat burning.
To kick off the launch of his recent book, "Heroes of the Comics," Gilbert and Frank were joined by their favorite illustrator, the incomparable Drew Friedman. While sitting and admiring Drew's work adorning the walls of Manhattan's Society of Illustrators, the boys managed to cover everything from Drew and Gilbert's days at "National Lampoon" to Gilbert's Lon Chaney, Jr. obsession to the time a 15-year-old Drew paid a visit to the home of the legendary Groucho Marx. ALSO: "The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant"! Jerry Lewis kvells over Drew's portrait! The triumphant return of Milton Berle's schlong! And Drew reveals why he's Howard Stern's favorite artist! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
He's the guy you instantly recognize even if you don't know his name. In this deep dive, we explore the long and fascinating career of character acting legend Bruce McGill, the actor who quietly elevates every film and TV show he appears in. From his breakout role in National Lampoon's Animal House to memorable turns in My Cousin Vinny, The Insider, and Collateral, McGill has spent decades becoming one of Hollywood's most dependable scene-stealers. We will also dive into his television legacy, incliding his fan-favorite role on MacGyver and later appearances in prestige projects like Lincoln. Why does every movie feel richer when he shows up?
For 2 decades, a CIA project ran secret mind control experiments on unsuspecting Americans. Many believe their quest for human behavior modification never truly ended — it only changed its name and went underground. Project MKUltra, active from 1953 to 1973, utilized LSD, electroshock therapy, hypnosis, and total isolation in tests tied to more than 80 institutions. While the program was officially designed to counter Soviet brainwashing, it resulted in the testing of dangerous tactics on prisoners, soldiers, and civilians—often without their knowledge or consent. But we may never know the true depravity of its medical abuses: before the program was exposed, CIA Director Richard Helms ordered the destruction of most records from MKUltra. Mark Groubert is a writer, editor, producer, publisher, and screenwriter. He has written for LA Weekly, edited National Lampoon magazine, produced for HBO, published MTV Magazine, and worked as a screenwriter with the WGA. He co-hosts America's Untold Stories on YouTube. More at https://americasuntoldstories.com and https://x.com/lordbuckly Shane Cashman is a writer and host of Inverted World Live. He is the author of Tales From the Inverted World: Ghosts of the Civil War and reports on technology, land use, and culture. Follow at https://x.com/ShaneCashman Christina Bobb is a Washington, DC-based attorney specializing in national security law. She served as a Marine Corps defense counsel, held DHS leadership roles, and joined President Trump's legal team for election integrity. Author of Stealing Your Vote and Defiant, she now works with Judicial Watch to expose government corruption. Follow at https://x.com/christina_bobb 「 SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 」 • STRONG CELL – If you want to feel more like your younger self, go to https://strongcell.com/ and use code DREW for 20% off. • AUGUSTA PRECIOUS METALS – Thousands of Americans are moving portions of their retirement into physical gold & silver. Learn more in this 3-minute report from our friends at Augusta Precious Metals: https://drdrew.com/gold or text DREW to 35052 • FATTY15 – The future of essential fatty acids is here! Strengthen your cells against age-related breakdown with Fatty15. Get 15% off a 90-day Starter Kit Subscription at https://drdrew.com/fatty15 • PALEOVALLEY - "Paleovalley has a wide variety of extraordinary products that are both healthful and delicious,” says Dr. Drew. "I am a huge fan of this brand and know you'll love it too!” Get 15% off your first order at https://drdrew.com/paleovalley • VSHREDMD – Formulated by Dr. Drew: The Science of Cellular Health + World-Class Training Programs, Premium Content, and 1-1 Training with Certified V Shred Coaches! More at https://drdrew.com/vshredmd • THE WELLNESS COMPANY - Counteract harmful spike proteins with TWC's Signature Series Spike Support Formula containing nattokinase and selenium. Learn more about TWC's supplements at https://twc.health/drew 「 ABOUT THE SHOW 」 This show is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Executive Producers • Kaleb Nation - https://kalebnation.com • Susan Pinsky - https://x.com/firstladyoflove Content Producer • Emily Barsh - https://x.com/emilytvproducer Hosted By • Dr. Drew Pinsky - https://x.com/drdrew Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode Mark interviews Ka-Yee Essoe about the power of stories to instil empathy, resilience, joy, and hope, based on her experiences in the academic world, in research, in teaching, and in writing an epic fantasy novel. Prior to the interview Mark shares a brief personal update and word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Toronto Indie Author Conference, taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026. In the interview, Mark and Ka-Yee talk about: Mark and Ka-Yee's connection to Joshua EssoeKa-Yee's background with two different careers in academia Studying how to help people learn therapeutic techniques better Starting her creative writing journey in 2021 How this story (that became the first of a trilogy she is writing) started to unfold in her head as dialogue 128,000 words of the first draft coming out in about 2 months of writing Ka-Yee's move into an academic teaching role, which is something she's always wanted to do One of the classes that Ka-Yee co-teaches for writers HEXACO - the six-dimension personality test Some of the opposite-character writing exercises that derive from this test Debunking Myers-Briggs because it's not as science-based Ka-Yee's desire to help writers to write who has some sort of disability Helping students understand what therapy looks like and how to depict that relationship Techniques on how to learn memory enhancement How to evaluate routines and your process as a writer The problem with getting into a habit of doing things a certain way and missing out on how to make it better Ka-Yee not realizing she had ADHD until she was an adult The side-effect of suffering from long Covid The concept of deliberate rest Applying the scientific principle to writing an epic fantasy novel How people tend to have two different careers in their life The Kickstarter that Ka-Yee is running for her new book SHAZZWICK OF LAND VOL1: Time Becomes Relevant Aaron Fors as the talented narrator for the audiobook version What Ka-Yee's book is about How she sees the world differently now that she has written this novel After the interview Mark shares a few reflections inspired by the interview. Notes from Ka-Yee as mentioned in the interview: Guidance I provided students to create their own weekly evaluation on their writing process Before you begin, I encourage you to take stalk of your current process. What's your goal, what's your why, what works/doesn't, how often do you write, what resources do you need -- not what you WANT it to be, but what it is now. Then create a survey using the guideline below. Answer the questions now as your baseline, then check in every week (ideally on the same day), revise the questions as you go. There is no wrong way to do this. These can be any format as you see fit, or a combination of. You can make the questions open-ended, some form of rating scales (e.g., rate from 0 to 10, or 1 = Completely Disagree to 5 = Complete Agree), multiple choice, or fill in the blanks. Just don't get too attached, you should be adjusting these as your process evolves or as life encroaches. Ask yourself 6-10 (ish) questions 1-3 questions on what you did in the past week: e.g., did you change/stick with your process? did try something new? how did it go? were you able to stick to it? 2-3 questions on how "productive" or "successful" you are--but remember, every one's measure of success is different. E.g., how much did you write? how good were the writing? how brave were you in sharing your work with others? how zen you were about taking feedback. 2-3 questions on how you are flourishing vs languishing: e.g., do I have mental space to do OTHER things I love? Did I spend time with people who matter to me? Did I feel my life has purpose, joy, satisfaction, and meaning? Last question: ask yourself something that gets to the "why" of your creative endeavour. WHY did you write this week? Did you remember to keep your eyes on that which drives you and keeps you up at night when you forget it. That which makes your writing something that you must do. (okay, then the last last question: do I need to revise these questions for next week?) The most important thing is: again, update these questions as you go. This needs to be a living document, otherwise you aren't giving yourself room to grow and learn. Links of Interest: Snow Quill Press The Novel: Shazzwick of Land, Vol. 1: Time Becomes Relevant Kickstarter for Shazzwick of Land Vol 1 HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (by Drs. Lee and Ashton (2009, 2018)) HEXACO is a 6-factor personality test that measures personality across six dimensions: Honesty-humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness. There's also a bonus trait, Altruism, that pools from subscales within the 6 larger traits. The Big Five Personality Inventory (by Goldberg (1992)) The Big Five is probably the most widely used personality test in psychology. It measures personality across five dimensions, often forming the acronym of OCEAN or CANEO: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Episode 137 - Action Sequences and Sex Scenes with Joshua Essoe Episode 260 - Mood, Atmosphere, and Worldbuilding with Joshua Essoe Superstars Writing Seminars Stark Reflections on Pushing for Better (Team Landing Page) CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association) Mental Health Meter What's Your Stress Index? Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building Once Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises Ka-Yee Essoe, Ph.D. (Psychology, UCLA; Psychiatry Postdoc, Johns Hopkins Medicine) is an assistant professor at a small, public university at rural Maine. As a cognitive neuroscientist specialising in learning enhancement, she understands the power of stories to instil empathy, resilience, joy, and hope. She began writing novels to do just that. As an East Asian immigrant who enjoys many intercultural friendships, rich cultural diversity permeates the worlds and conflicts she crafts in her epic fantasy novels with integral love-story threads. Drawing on her personal experience and 10+ years mentoring others to navigate anxiety, disabilities, abuse, discrimination, trauma, and grief, her stories follow characters facing these struggles to encourage readers through their journeys and growth. The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
This week I'm talking to Steve Neill about his book 'But Something is There' and his youtube channel 'Breaking the silence'.But Something is There is Steve Neill's journey through a life time of dealing with the unknown. Some call the experience "The Visitors" some call it abduction by aliens. The truth is we don't know what it is, But Something is There.BioSteve Neill is a special effects makeup artist, filmmaker, puppeteer, model maker and visual effects (VFX) artist in film and television with a career spanning over 35 years.Steve started in the Industry at American Zoetrope just after high school where he produced his first film, Arthur. He was mentored by Francis Coppola and became good friends.Moving to Hollywood, Steve met Joe Blasco where he apprenticed for a short while before becoming friends with Rick Baker who gave him his start in Hollywood. Later he met Bob Schieffer who was head of Disney make-up and then became friends with Fred B. Phillips as a result of being friends with Bob Schieffer.Steve Neill first worked for Fred B. Phillips on Star Trek: The Motion Picture. His first assignment was to make Spock's ears. Additionally he designed and made the appliances of the dome headed alien on the bridge that was applied by Steve Neill.After working on Star Trek Steve went to work for John Chambers making prosthetics and puppet heads for National Lampoon's Class Reunion.Steve Neill has also worked on Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country for Richard Snell as a sculptor and prosthetic maker of numerous Klingon forehead pieces. Additionally he worked on the Star Trek: The Next Generation pilot episode, "Encounter at Farpoint".Steve Neill was also one of the Famous Hollywood Gorilla Men. Over the course of many years he made three gorilla suits and performed in many commercials, tv shows and movies. Additionally he created the McDonald's “Mac Tonight” moon character puppeteering it for many years. The head was worn by Doug Jones and puppeteered by Steve Neill, Gillian Neill and Bob Burns.He worked on Crater Lake Monster (1977) and Laser Blast (1978). Steve created, wrote and produced The Day Time Ended (1978). He worked on Ghost Busters (1984), Fright Night (1985), and many other sci-fi and horror films.Steve Neill is the author of “But Something is there” and is currently in production at SNG Studio for “But Something is There” produced by Steve Neill, Paul Gentry, Whitley Strieber and Mary Cacciapaglia.Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075BM67LGhttps://sngstudioventura.com/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCam8F83Eqqes5K9QKwoi99Qhttps://breaking-the-silence-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp/https://breakingthesilence001.substack.com/ https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/alienufopodcastMy book 'Verified Near Death Exeriences' https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXKRGDFP Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this short solo episode Mark shares a "Rambling Reflection From The Road" while at Superstars Writing Seminars talking about the important signals that seemed to come at the right time: Your feelings are valid Your opinions matter You are irreplaceable Your best is enough It's okay to take a break You are loved Links of Interest: EP 459 - Creating Experiences in Art and Story with Tanya Hales Superstars Writing Seminars James A. - Everything is Signal Stark Reflections on Pushing for Better (Team Landing Page) CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association) Mental Health Meter What's Your Stress Index? Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building Once Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
In this episode Mark interviews author and artist Tanya Hales. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, comments from recent episodes, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. In the interview Mark and Tanya talk about: When Tanya and Mark first met: at Superstars Writing Seminars The sketch that Tanya made of Mark at SSWS when he was speaking there Identifying herself as equal parts author and illustrator The value of CREATING EXPERIENCES with people How long Tanya has been creating art and how her mother was instrumental in getting her into art The "nature-based" element and love of animals that are recurring in Tanya's art Writing novels in spiral-ring notebooks by the time of Fifth Grade The first time Tanya put her art out into the world at the age of sixteen Handy and helpful resources available to Tanya in her high school The "Doodle Dudes" that Tanya had created back then Doing a lot more digital art lately for logistical parental reasons How one of Tanya's skills is being able to adapt to new things relatively easily Being in different modes, such as writing, editing, art Various Kickstarter projects Tanya has done and is currently doing The Animal Magica Coloring Books Tanya has created Why Tanya thinks that it's evitable that she creates the way she does The first full-length novel in the Animal Magica universe The first cozy fantasy novel that Tanya recently released After the interview Mark reflections on passion and creating experiences. Links of Interest: Tanya Hales Website Tanya's Substack Article: "It Was Inevitable" Tanya's "Go, Writer, Go" - Humorous Parody Book for Writers Kickstarter Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building Once Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises When Tanya Hales was a baby, she enjoyed books by chewing them to pieces before eventually moving on to the higher art of reading. Tanya splits her time between her work as a writer, an illustrator, and a mother, all of which she loves intensely. She now lives in Utah with her husband and four children, illustrating coloring books, writing YA fantasy, making cute stickers, and daydreaming constantly about imaginary worlds. Tanya is the creator of YA epic fantasy as well as the Animal Magica fantasy coloring book series, books made in collaboration with dozens of other authors who contributed beautiful short stores to pair with the art. The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
In this brief bonus episode Mark shares an annual "Push for Better" Push-Up challenge he has joined for the third Feb in a row and the fact he has created a team that others can join. The Push-Up Challenge is one that combines fun physical activity (2000 pushups between Feb 5 and Feb 27, 2026) with support for Mental Health Awareness and fundraising. Team Landing Page: Stark Reflections on Pushing for Better The Canadian version of this program raises funds for CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association). Links of Interest: Stark Reflections on Pushing for Better (Team Landing Page) CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association) Mental Health Meter What's Your Stress Index? Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building Once Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Mark interviews Scott from The Patrick Scott Patterson Project Podcast. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, comments from recent episodes, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. In the interview Mark and Scott talk about: How Scott got into the current numerous roles that he is participating in today, including podcasting Being inspired by the dreams that his parents had but which they pushed off to the side The pro wrestling experience that he did for 10 years The importance of deciding to try Scott's reasoning behind the Patrick Scott Patterson Project How at the end of the day we're all human beings - some folks have just reached for their dreams Interviewing notable celebrities on Scott's podcast Doing the interviews well in advance and having a good 10 episodes in the can already The two year plan that Scott has created for the podcast The positivity in Scott's podcast and what he is doing All the stressful things Scott was going through around the time of the pandemic How Drew Barrymore's new talk show was exactly what Sco needed to get through those hard days The way that Drew Barrymore makes Scott smile - period! How something Barrymore said in one of those episodes really struck with Scott The incredible power of doing/saying even the smallest nice thing such as "have a nice day" which can make a huge difference in someone else's life How Scott feels better himself when he's being kind to someone Meeting Drew Barrymore on her 50th Birthday episode taping after more than 42 years of first seeing her with his mom when he was 7 and they went to see E.T. Some of the favorite moments on Scott's podcast Advice Scott would offer to writers who haven't yet put their work out into the world How Scott first got on Collector's Call because of a fluffy news story from 5 years earlier Gary K Wolf's story about how many times his book "Who Wacked Roger Rabbit" was repeatedly rejected over the years. He never gave up, and it's, incidentally his most well-known book. The movie adaptation would never have happened After the interview Mark reflects on a few things that Scott said about positivity, creating "comfort food" moments, and the importance of having things out there and how it can lead to opportunities. Links of Interest: Patrick Scott Patterson's Website YouTube Channel CBC - Cost of Living - How Scholastic Book Fairs Became Tight With Canadian Schools Mini Trailer for LOVER'S MOON (Romantic Comedy) Full Audio of LOVER'S MOON Read by the Authors (YouTube) Patreon Post (Free for anyone to read): I Get Knocked Down, But I Get Up Again! Substack article: Eight Years, 452 Episodes, And One Important Lesson Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building Once Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises Patrick Scott Patterson is a Texas-based pop culture personality, video game historian, and podcaster. Over the decades, he's moved from professional wrestling rings to television cameras, working with G4tv to produce the first-ever live arcade world record broadcast. He has appeared in documentaries like Nintendo Quest and on MeTV's Collector's Call. He's spoken at San Diego Comic-Con and SXSW, and runs Hyperspace Arcade Repair out of Denton, Texas, where he keeps vintage arcade machines alive for collectors. In 2025, Scott launched The Patrick Scott Patterson Project, a podcast about chasing goals and following unexpected paths—inspired by finally meeting his lifelong celebrity crush, Drew Barrymore, which taught him that the dreams we pursue have a way of opening doors we never anticipated. The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Light some candles, sink into a saline bath, and turn into your primordial self as we get “Rrrrrreal F*ckin' High on Drugs”, our new theme brought to you by Cody! As his first pick of the theme we take a trip back down Ken Russell Avenue for ALTERED STATES. Along the way we round out our holiday watching with a bevy of flicks new and old! Go to patreon.com/SHUDcast where you can sign up for all kinds of extra goodies! 00:00 - 9:00ish - Intros: Cody wants to get rid of us, forgotten subscriptions 9:00ish - 59:00ish - The other stuff we watched this time! Cody - How the Grinch Stole Christmas, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Flesh + Blood, Shrek 2, Anaconda, Krampus, A Christmas Story, The Muppets Christmas Carol, Gremlins, Nosferatu, The Housemaid, Harry Potter 4 & 5, Marty Supreme, Before Sunset, Highlander, Stranger Things Austin - A Christmas Story, The Muppets Christmas Carol, Gremlins, The Long Walk, Wake Up Dead Man, Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Eddington, F1 Curtis - Avatar: Fire and Ash, The Muppets Christmas Carol, Nosferatu, Marty Supreme, Stranger Things, Reflection in a Dead Diamond, Shelby Oaks, Dream Eater, Keeper, It Ends, Born to Fight, The Protector, Clue: The Movie, Queens of the Dead, Die My Love, Meek's Cutoff, The Mastermind, The Lord of the Rings, Ghost: Rite Here Rite Now, Horror in the High Desert, Lucas - Anaconda, The Muppets Christmas Carol, The Housemaid, Die My Love, Sunshine 59:00ish - 1:27:00ish - ALTERED STATES - SHUDdown and discussion! 1:27:00ish - End - The next movie in “Rrrrrrrrrreal F*cking High on Drugs - Horror Movies about Drugs
In this solo episode, Mark reads a new article entitled: The Published Novelist Saves Schrödinger's Cat! How to Improve the Odds Before You Open the Box—OR—What Writers Can Control While Their Book's Fate Remains Uncertain Links of Interest: Substack Article Link The Dialogue Doctor Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building Once Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Comedian Eli Yudin joins the show for what starts as a chat about animation and art school but quickly spirals into deep discussion on why everything is broken. We cover the important stuff: why old Newgrounds animations slapped, whether musical comedy is real comedy, the insane labor practices destroying creative industries, why growth-obsessed capitalism is a death cult, and most crucially, the correct Elden Ring build. Eli shares stories about his comedy special "Humble Offering," explains why he now reads weird little tales instead of doing traditional standup, and reveals his shameful addiction to Escape from Tarkov despite the game being held together with duct tape and broken quests. There's also a detour into how National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation proves that workers have lost all their power, a passionate defense of Tom and Jerry's artistic merit, and Spencer admitting he beat Dark Souls III by just punching everything to death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mark interviews Tara Cremin, Director of Kobo Writing Life about Kobo, Kobo Plus, and the self-publishing platform Kobo Writing Life (KWL). Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. In their interview, Mark and Tara talk about: Tara's background and how she got into the reading/writing world and Kobo Kobo's distinct identity as a platform that is exclusively dedicated to READING How Kobo is the 2nd largest seller of eReading devices in the world Kobo releasing 1 to 2 devices a year and the importance of a distraction-free reading experience The Kobo Clara Colour and the Kobo Libra Colour devices The option of connecting your Google Drive and OverDrive (AKA Libby) library account to a Kobo device for seamless reading of your personal content and library books Being able to add different colours to your highlights when making notes on your Kobo Tara's advice for readers who've not yet attempted a "digital reading diet" The "forever reading" option that now exists within the Kobo reading experience The self-publishing platform Kobo Writing Life and how it's designed to making the publishing process as painless as possible What listeners can expect to hear on the Kobo Writing Life Podcast Kobo Writing Life's "worst-kept secret" of the marketing tab/tool A little bit about how Kobo Plus works for authors The growth in revenue of Kobo Plus around the world in the past few years (it's now available in 28 countries) Partnering with a publisher in Portugal to create a subscription service The importance for authors of always thinking about Kobo in a global sense The value that comes with being in front of the most engaged readers And more... After the interview Mark reflects on numerous things about Kobo that authors should consider when thinking about marketing their books (as well as the amazing people who work there) Links of Interest: Kobo Kobo Writing Life KWL Blog KWL Podcast Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building Once Bitten (Novella) The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises Tara Cremin is the Director of Kobo Writing Life (KWL), Kobo's self-publishing platform. Combining her love for books with a decade of indie publishing expertise, she champions independent authors. Tara is focused on making KWL the most intuitive, author-friendly platform, helping authors reach readers globally. Leading a team of book enthusiasts, she also hosts live events featuring authors and industry experts, sparking engaging conversations and is a regular voice on the Kobo Writing Life Podcast. The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
This week Corporal, Fatty, and Banky talk about "the clap" and a drug ad that Corporal saw with some insane side effects before getting into Fatty going to see National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in theaters and a Mandela Effect of deleted scenes. They also talk about tipping people like your trash pick up drivers and helpers or your mail delivery person and going to a massage parlor. Intro and Outro music written and performed by Andrés Rodríguez (Androzguitar)
Lots of Irish film news ahead of the golden Globes and National Lampoons return with a new movie.
Mark interviews award-winning author Darcy Pattison about publishing childrens' books. In their conversation, Mark and Darcy talk about: Darcy's background on getting into being an author of children's book The 70 books Darcy has written in the past 13 years The number of different illustrators Darcy has worked with over the years The Moments in Science picture books Darcy has written with along with the specific illustrator who has worked on a dozen of those titles with her The books for authors Darcy is releasing in January 2026 that collect details about the current state of publishing for children's books The challenge of doing layout for a children's picture book The importance of an author being clear on their own definition of success How children's book authors can find the right illustrator and/or designer How Darcy fulfills orders online for her books Getting her books into education distributors (Follett, etc - Follett can order their books through Ingram) The EPIC app and how Darcy earns money from it The various reviews Darcy gets, including paid Kirkus reviews (which are important) Who you are writing for versus who you are selling to when it comes to kids books Fiction VS Non-Fiction The importance/difference of being good at illustration versus being good at text (or even layout) The challenge of scaling up things like school visits The benefit of finding places that will sell a kids' book in bulk And more... After the interview Mark reflects on the unique element of the two audiences for childrens' books, as well as the efficient business mind-set Darcy adopted in her approach to how to grow a more scaleable author business. Links of Interest: Indie Kids Books Mims House Books Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Ed Subitzky did a lot of cartooning for National Lampoon back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Much of his work revolves around comics done under certain conditions or showing a certain situation (“Fortune-Telling Comics” “Dull Comics” “Poor Reception Comics”). Neither Kumar nor Tim were familiar with his work until picking up the collection Poor Helpless … Continue reading #862 “Poor Helpless Comics”
Mark reflects on the anniversary of the first episode of this podcast, which took place on Jan 5, 2018. Links of Interest: EP 001 - New Year, New Reflections Substack Article: Eight Years, 452 Episodes, and One Simple Truth Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
We’re back from break! Joey’s family did several escape rooms, Nancy and her husband went to Vegas, and Karly met Hoda Kotb at Disneyland! Monday Morning Wakeup Call with 16-Year-Old, Gracie! Nancy is changing the meaning of Dry January – she's drying up her credit card! She wants to be smarter financially and not spend money on things she doesn’t actually need. Hot Tea: Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes are officially back together again. Jelly Roll made the cover of Men’s Health magazine. Riley Green gave his parents an RV for Christmas. Joey finally let his kids watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. He really wanted them to like it and watched their reactions the whole time. He had to skip a few scenes and explain a few jokes to them, but he thinks they liked it. A monkey was loose in Morristown yesterday. After lots of Facebook drama, it was discovered that the lady in Morristown that “owned” the monkey, wasn’t the rightful owner. The monkey had been stolen from a farm in Alabama and then sold to her. It was caught and is being reunited with its original owners. Lucky 7 for Dollywood tickets Nancy's family took awkward family photos at JC Penney over the break. If you haven’t seen them, go to the Joey and Nancy social media pages! She said they had a blast taking them and that the photographer was awesome. Apparently, over half of the photoshoots JC Penney does around the holidays are the awkward ones. We thought making new year’s resolutions for ourselves was boring, so we each made a few for each other. We all agreed ahead of time that we would not get butthurt about what the others said. Nancy took her Christmas tree down on Christmas day, and Joey is baffled. One of her kid’s friends called her a Grinch. Words that should be banned in 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chevy Chase is one of the most influential comedians of all time—but his legacy is far more complex than laughs alone.In this episode of the MX3 Podcast, we break down the rise of Chevy Chase, his groundbreaking role on Saturday Night Live, iconic films like Caddyshack, Fletch, and National Lampoon's Vacation, and the controversies that followed him throughout his career. With a new documentary shining a spotlight on his life, we explore both the brilliance and the baggage that shaped his public image.We discuss money, motivation, fame, accountability, and what happens when success moves faster than character growth. This is an honest conversation about talent, consequences, and whether legacies can evolve over time.
We’re back from break! Joey’s family did several escape rooms, Nancy and her husband went to Vegas, and Karly met Hoda Kotb at Disneyland! Monday Morning Wakeup Call with 16-Year-Old, Gracie! Nancy is changing the meaning of Dry January – she's drying up her credit card! She wants to be smarter financially and not spend money on things she doesn’t actually need. Hot Tea: Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes are officially back together again. Jelly Roll made the cover of Men’s Health magazine. Riley Green gave his parents an RV for Christmas. Joey finally let his kids watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. He really wanted them to like it and watched their reactions the whole time. He had to skip a few scenes and explain a few jokes to them, but he thinks they liked it. A monkey was loose in Morristown yesterday. After lots of Facebook drama, it was discovered that the lady in Morristown that “owned” the monkey, wasn’t the rightful owner. The monkey had been stolen from a farm in Alabama and then sold to her. It was caught and is being reunited with its original owners. Lucky 7 for Dollywood tickets Nancy's family took awkward family photos at JC Penney over the break. If you haven’t seen them, go to the Joey and Nancy social media pages! She said they had a blast taking them and that the photographer was awesome. Apparently, over half of the photoshoots JC Penney does around the holidays are the awkward ones. We thought making new year’s resolutions for ourselves was boring, so we each made a few for each other. We all agreed ahead of time that we would not get butthurt about what the others said. Nancy took her Christmas tree down on Christmas day, and Joey is baffled. One of her kid’s friends called her a Grinch. Words that should be banned in 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bob Boze Bell has been a friend for over a decade and has provided various features on western titles by L. Ron Hubbard in True West Magazine. His work has appeared in Arizona Highways, Playboy, National Lampoon, the Arizona Republic, and True West magazine. For ten years (2002-2012), he produced a video version of True West Moments, which aired on the Westerns Channel. In this episode, we discuss what makes a Western story different from other genres, along with the role of research in good storytelling. Bob was ahead of the curve in using social media to grow the popularity of True West Magazine, which we also cover. BBB can currently be seen on the series “Gunslingers,” which runs on the American Heroes Channel. Triple B is also the President and executive editor of True West magazine, positions he has held since 1999. He has written a dozen books on Old West characters, including Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Wild Bill Hickok, as well as a three-part series (so far) on Classic Gunfights, which appear in True West. Learn more about Bob and True West Magazine at blog.truewestmagazine.com/
Bob Boze Bell has been a friend for over a decade and has provided various features on western titles by L. Ron Hubbard in True West Magazine. His work has appeared in Arizona Highways, Playboy, National Lampoon, the Arizona Republic, and True West magazine. For ten years (2002-2012), he produced a video version of True West Moments, which aired on the Westerns Channel. In this episode, we discuss what makes a Western story different from other genres, along with the role of research in good storytelling. Bob was ahead of the curve in using social media to grow the popularity of True West Magazine, which we also cover. BBB can currently be seen on the series “Gunslingers,” which runs on the American Heroes Channel. Triple B is also the President and executive editor of True West magazine, positions he has held since 1999. He has written a dozen books on Old West characters, including Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Wild Bill Hickok, as well as a three-part series (so far) on Classic Gunfights, which appear in True West. Learn more about Bob and True West Magazine at blog.truewestmagazine.com/
In this solo episode Mark outlines a dozen tips to consider when setting realistic goals. Links of Interest: EP 451 - Tales from the Backburnder: A Pair of Messages to Readers Draft2Digital Self Publishing Insiders - Jan 1, 2026 Episode (YouTube) Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Mocapped In The Nuts. Caravan Farts. Up your nose with a rubber cthulhu. What kind of a (nerdtacular ticket) deal? Hocus Pocus Let's Focus. Hookin up the poop chute. I don't see you at buc-eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees. Luke's Lightsaber Is Ribbed... Wubbing Alcohol. National Lampoon's Nerdtacular Vacation. Rubber Advice. How to open a lightsaber? Use a bit of Force! Chevy Chased out of everything. (v - Chandler) Could Micheal BEEEEE anymore Jordan. Pack it Up Pack it In, Let Snow Begin w TV's Travis and more on this episode of The Morning Stream. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mocapped In The Nuts. Caravan Farts. Up your nose with a rubber cthulhu. What kind of a (nerdtacular ticket) deal? Hocus Pocus Let's Focus. Hookin up the poop chute. I don't see you at buc-eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees. Luke's Lightsaber Is Ribbed... Wubbing Alcohol. National Lampoon's Nerdtacular Vacation. Rubber Advice. How to open a lightsaber? Use a bit of Force! Chevy Chased out of everything. (v - Chandler) Could Micheal BEEEEE anymore Jordan. Pack it Up Pack it In, Let Snow Begin w TV's Travis and more on this episode of The Morning Stream. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this solo episode Mark shares a couple of recent messages to readers in the hopes that it inspired other authors with ideas of the types of things that their readers might find interesting. The two examples are: 1) Mark's introduction to his recent collection of stupid dad jokes (and how that can tie to the use of making the local community the "hero" or "focus" 2) Mark's recent author newsletter with a gift for readers and the story that updates recent changes to an ongoing series he's writing Links of Interest: Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Come and explore the wonders of exterior illumination. We visit The Griswolds for traditional viewing of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989). We talk about how this silly, slapstick comedy became a staple of the holiday season, and what other movies may achieve its status in the holiday rotation. Leave a comment and rating. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.Also Play:Cinema Chain Game--------------------------------------------Subscribe, rate, and review:Apple Podcasts: Our Film FathersSpotify: Our Film FathersYouTube: Our Film Fathers---------------------------------------------Follow Us:Instagram: @ourfilmfathersTwitter / X: @ourfilmfathersEmail: ourfilmfathers@gmail.com
On this episode of The Recommended podcast we are talking about National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Brenden and Ryker hope you have a wonderful holiday with you friends and family. Unwrap this episode of The Recommended Podcast.
Happy Holidays! What better way to celebrate than to discuss one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made? Why is the family staying for SO long?! How many times have Todd and Margo sued Clark? Did the squirrel's heart give up from the immense pressure? Join us and you'll be part of the jolliest bunch of a**holes this side of the nut house!
Jason and Nick welcome in former Morning X producer Alex 'Son of a Preacher Man' Diamond for an all movies, Christmas episode. They start by running down their top 5 movies of 2025 before firing off a Nitpickers™️ breakdown of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.Bonus episodes available at patreon.com/jasondick or https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/jason-dick/subscribe
Send us a textI love the scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation where Chevy Chase is in the attic and he steps on board after board that hits him in the face. I used to almost pee my pants over that part. This music video for Blame It On the Mistletoe reminds me of the sentimental scene that follows the slap-happy board face-smacking scene. Clark found old family movies and he's reminiscing. Colleen was purposeful in having the video have that feel as well as a nostalgic timeless feel to the song. Colleen used her contacts during the pandemic to get this video created. She remembered asking a bandmate and his wife to do a kissing scene since you know, no actors during the pandemic were going to do a kissing scene, LOL!! Colleen shared about the venue, The Standard, in which the video was recorded. Colleen has performed there many times and met a lot of stars throughout her singing career. She had her friend, Nikki Williams, sing back up on this song. Nikki has some pretty impressive chops and is the go-to in Nashville for songwriting. Colleen gave the inside scoop as to how she and Nikki became friends. Nikki was all too happy to back up Colleen. I hope you all check it out but I don't hope for you to get it stuck in your head for a week, like I did! I "blame it on the mistletoe...." This is on my personal Christmas playlist and will stay there for all future Christmases. Full Show Notes
In this season six finale, Anna and Derek discuss the absurdity of getting an in-ground pool in Illinois, if maybe Cousin Eddie is better in smaller doses, and much more during their chat of the holiday classic National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989).Connect with '80s Movie Montage on Facebook, Bluesky or Instagram! It's the same handle for all three... @80smontagepod.Anna Keizer and Derek Dehanke are the co-hosts of ‘80s Movie Montage. The idea for the podcast came when they realized just how much they talk – a lot – when watching films from their favorite cinematic era. Their wedding theme was “a light nod to the ‘80s,” so there's that, too. Both hail from the Midwest but have called Los Angeles home for several years now. Anna is a writer who received her B.A. in Film/Video from Columbia College Chicago and M.A. in Film Studies from Chapman University. Her dark comedy short She Had It Coming was an Official Selection of 25 film festivals with several awards won for it among them. Derek is an attorney who also likes movies. It is a point of pride that most of their podcast episodes are longer than the movies they cover.We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text message.
A very special Christmas week episode arrives. Chris and Ethan complete the Grungemas calendar and give a scintillating review of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in this week's GB Pod. Support the show on Patreon! Becoming a Patron is the most effective way to support the show: https://www.patreon.com/grunge_bible Support the show, buy some merch! https://grungebible.creator-spring.com/
Find out what the “Six White Boomers” means for Australians during the holidays in this special Christmas week episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss. Steve gets cozy alongside The Bulletin co-hosts Russell Moore and Clarissa Moll for a candid, funny, and deeply comforting conversation about Advent, Christmas carols, and the “mental and emotional load” many people carry this season. Together they explore joy and grief at the manger, the hope of Emmanuel (God with us), and how the nativity story—through figures like Joseph, the shepherds, and the light in John 1—invites us to bring our whole selves to Jesus and be “human-sized” again. Episode Resources: Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God How A Charlie Brown Christmas Almost Wasn't (The New Yorker) Bing Crosby - Christmas Classics “In the Bleak Midwinter” (Christina Rossetti poem + Gustav Holst tune) Boney M's Mary's Boy Child https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/just-drop-the-blanket/ A Charlie Brown Christmas: Linus reciting Luke 2:8-20 Russell Moore's Always Festivus and Never Christmas (article) White Christmas (movie trailer) The Bells of St. Mary's (movie trailer) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (trailer) The Nightmare Before Christmas (“What's This?” clip) Six White Boomers (Australian Christmas song about kangaroos) Wombat Divine (Australian children's Christmas story) Biblical Passages Luke 2:8-10 (ESV) Matthew 2 (ESV) John 1 (ESV) Romans 8 (ESV) Sign up for Steve's Newsletter & Podcast Reminders: Capable Life Newsletter Get Your Copy: The Five Steps to Christmas Sanity PDF New Candles, Advent Prayers, and Journals: https://www.stevecusswords.com/ Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive: Capable Life Intensives Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
WGN Radio's Dave Plier sits down with the stars of one of the most beloved holiday films of all time — National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. In this festive conversation, Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo revisit the behind-the-scenes stories that helped turn the Griswold family's misadventures into a Christmas classic watched by generations. From on-set memories […]
Episode 350 is a Christmas-season milestone for The Kibbe & Friends Show, and the guys deliver exactly what the week before Christmas calls for: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation with all the extra flavor only K&F can add. Rob, Corndog, and Bernie celebrate the “small block Chevy” episode number, clink moose mugs, share the good news that Holley is back for 2026, and recap a successful Toys for Tots push—setting the table for a holiday episode that feels equal parts tradition, gratitude, and pure fun. From there, the crew dives into why Christmas Vacation still works no matter how many times you've seen it. They talk about aging from Rusty into Clark Griswold, revisit the scenes that still make them laugh every single time, and swap favorite moments that prove it's not about the plot—it's about delivery, timing, and how real the chaos feels. Along the way, they sprinkle in car-guy details, Vacation lore, and a killer behind-the-scenes nugget about a scripted ending that never made the final cut. If this movie is part of your yearly ritual, this episode will make you want to queue it up again as soon as the show ends. The post Kibbe & Friends Show #350: 2025 Christmas Spectacular with the Griswolds // Car Movie Review: Christmas Vacation – The Gift that Keeps on Giving the Whole Year! first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.
In the last episode of 2025, Courtney and Whitney are coordinating matching sweaters, planning holiday caroling routes, and discussing why their Momma Ashley needs a "find vibrator" post-it reminder. They revisit last year's caroling outing, which started as an impromptu evening with family, and now seems to be turning into a neighborhood-wide production. Courtney imagines 40 people trying to squeeze onto a porch to sing Jingle Bells while Whitney envisions top hats and petticoats à la Charles Dickens era singing Holly and the Ivy. Together they devise a hilarious plan that will split the generations, spread some holiday cheer, and hopefully not piss off Momma Ashley. Speaking of Momma…Whitney has Courtney ROFL when she shares how Momma recently confessed that she had lost Whitney's "vibrator" that she was using to ease her neck pain. The two sisters barely recover to thank all of the amazing listeners and supporters they've had throughout the year. We'll leave you with a quote from The Ashley Family's favorite holiday movie… "We're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse." Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Love You, Love Your Show! Hey Sis, Eat This is hosted by Courtney Ashley & Whitney Wolder Follow us on social media @heysiseatthis Visit our Website for recipes and more heysiseatthis.com Contact us at hello@heysiseatthis.com
Mark interviews Jarrett Mazza about his action/thriller novels and his mercenary-style approach to writing. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. In their interview, Mark and Jarrett talk about: Jarrett's origins and how he got into writing Starting off writing comic books and short stories How Jarrett considers himself a "mercenary" writer Jarrett's love of fiction within the action genre Getting in contact with action/thriller writers that Jarrett enjoyed Being published by Rough Edges Press and the changes Jarrett rode when they got bought by another publisher Writing every day even if there's nothing to write about Jarrett's early AM morning writing routine before the work day begins The Doormen series and what it's about (Roadhouse meets John Wick) Jarrett's interest in tackling and creating elevated action narratives Roadhouse 1989 VS Roadhouse 2024 Advice Jarrett would give writers What Jarrett is working on now And more... After the interview Mark reflects on Jarrett's dedication and commitment to writing, and also some of the advice that he shared. Links of Interest: Jarrett Mazza's Website EP 449 - The Myth of "Upload Your Book And They Will Come" EP 448 - When Your Writing Gets Rejected "A Gazillion" Times Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is undeniably a Christmas classic, but how does it hold up? Better than the Griswold's house!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. This month, Dre and Jeff WRAP up their season on Movies Dre Should've Seen by Now with the 1989 Christmas Comedy classic National Lampoon's Christmas Vacvation. And because we theme these episodes to the corresponding holiday, we've added special guest (and Christmas aficionado) Emy LaCroix Halle (Hobby Hopping with Emy)There's a lot to unpack about this hilarous (yet rooted in controversy) Holiday staple, so let's get 25,000 lights up on the house, jolin the Jelly of the Month Club, and say Grace (even though she died 30 years ago) as we tackle one of the (debatably) greatest Christmas movies of all-time, that for some reason Dre Hadn't Seen Until Now.And, of course, don't forget to follow Emy (@theemylacroix, @hobbyhoppingwithemy) Dre (@nerdnumbers) Jeff (@heytherejeffro2 or @heytherejeffro) on the socials, and have a nerdy day!
Here's all the info we have right now about what might have happened to Rob Reiner and his wife. Following up from last week, Andy Dick has checked himself into rehab. Jacob Elordi let the paparazzi know how he feels. Don't forget to watch ‘National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' for Bob's Movie Club THIS WEEK! The Atmospheric River has something to say. 10 years ago this week reminds us about a hilarious Serena Williams scandal. Sarah and Vinnie chat about some of their worst interviews over the years.
Hour 1: Rest in peace Rob Reiner. Here's all the info we have right now about what might have happened. Following up from last week, Andy Dick has checked himself into rehab. Jacob Elordi let the paparazzi know how he feels. Don't forget to watch ‘National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' for Bob's Movie Club THIS WEEK! The Atmospheric River has something to say. 10 years ago this week reminds us about a hilarious Serena Williams scandal. Sarah and Vinnie chat about some of their worst interviews over the years. Hour 2: TMZ is reporting more details on Rob Reiner and his wife's death. In much happier news, Sarah and Vinnie are no strangers to matchmaking, and last week's Bad Advice might be the start of another! Hailee Steinfeld and Josh Allen are really having a moment, and we're here for it. The Powerball billion dollar prize is still up for grabs! Is a donation made in your name a good gift? Listen up! Here's how to be a good travel companion next week. (48:16) Hour 3: Remembering Rob Reiner's tremendous career and a film he made about his family. Amy Schumer and her husband announced their split. Dick Van Dyke is 100! Ryan Lochte is auctioning off his Olympic metals. Sarah is making a judgment on a not so shocking story out of Las Vegas. Matty shares a story that makes you wonder how he can be so judgmental. Are seasonal cookies the best holiday snack? (1:29:29) Hour 4: Sarah is recapping Lily Allen on SNL. Courtney Love is telling her story in a new documentary. It's actually crazy how bad the Chiefs season was. Too bad Taylor Swift couldn't help. It's time to whip up those New Year's Resolutions. Plus, a food delivery recipient's worst nightmare, and a game of Dead or Alive! (2:09:59)
MUSICGuns N' Roses released a couple new songs yesterday. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/guns-n-roses-nothin-listen/ Original KISS members Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss are in Washington, D.C. to receive the Kennedy Center Honors from President Trump on Saturday, followed by a ceremony on Sunday at the Kennedy Center. https://www.instagram.com/p/DP4x74HDkRj/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=075f7f51-fc02-4cc0-86e5-43c02df4e841 George Clooney and his wife, Amal Clooney, have never fought during their 10-year relationship, he shared during his appearance on the New Heights podcast. https://people.com/travis-kelce-never-once-argument-with-taylor-swift-11860997 Let's be honest: Taylor Swift can buy anything she wants . . . including a wedding date. https://pagesix.com/2025/12/04/entertainment/taylor-swift-cut-hefty-check-to-snag-brides-wedding-date-at-posh-rhode-island-venue/ · ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante spoke about the band's upcoming record on a recent podcast, mentioning the mixing sessions at Dave Grohl's Studio 606 and working with producer Jay Ruston. https://blabbermouth.net/news/charlie-benante-says-anthrax-pushed-the-envelope-on-upcoming-album-i-think-people-will-really-be-surprised NEW ALBUM RELEASES:Infinite Coles – Sweetface Killah Depeche Mode – M (CD/DVD and CD/Blu-Ray sets), Memento Mori: Mexico City (2 CD/2 LP) Sam Fender – People Watching: Deluxe Verson Freddie Mercury – Mr. Bad Guy (vinyl reissue) Scorpions – Coming Home Live Soundtrack – Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere TV"The Masked Singer" returns for a 14th season next month, so of course that means 18 NEW costumes. These include an EGGPLANT, Pugcasso, Queen Corgi, Scarab, and The Croissants. https://ew.com/the-masked-singer-season-14-reveals-ozzy-osbourne-tribute-11861596 Choose your own nightmare … A new film called Slay Day is set to hit screens in fall 2026 -- but it isn't just a movie. It's being described as an interactive slasher film where viewers get to influence what happens next. The audience doesn't just sit back. They choose. And the horror unfolds in front of them. After a run in theaters, the plan is to release it on both traditional streaming services and gaming platforms like PlayStation, Xbox and Steam. If this thing works, it could blur the line between film and gaming -- and become a whole new sub-genre of storytelling. https://variety.com/2025/film/news/slay-day-interactive-slasher-movie-fall-2026-release-1236598489/ Ric Flair admitted he got "bad information" when he alleged that "street drugs" were responsible for Hulk Hogan's death. https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/ric-flair-admits-he-got-bad-information-about-hulk-hogans-death/ MOVING ON INTO MOVIE NEWS:IN THEATERS:"Five Nights at Freddy's 2" (PG-13) This movie takes place a year after the first film, where we learned that the animatronic mascots were all possessed by the souls of murdered children. In this one, we're introduced to a major antagonist from the video games called The Marionette after Josh Hutherson's little sister answers a call for help and attempts to reunite with her animatronic friends. "Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair" (R) Quentin Tarantino's extended cut merges Volumes 1 and 2, and adds another 25 minutes of material for a total runtime of nearly five hours. (281 minutes) The movie originally came out over 20 years ago, in 2003 and 2004. It stars Uma Thurman as "The Bride", a woman seeking revenge for being attacked on her wedding day and losing her unborn child. Keith Carradine is Bill, Michael Madsen is his brother, and Bill's team of femme fatale assassins include Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, and Daryl Hannah. Jane Seymour admitted feeling nervous about topless scene with Owen Wilson in "Wedding Crashers". https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/jane-seymour-says-wedding-crashers-nude-scene-made-owen-wilson-nervous/ AND FINALLYFavorite Christmas movies by state … A new survey asked 2000 Americans what their favorite holiday flicks are and then determined which is the absolute favorite in each state. The big winner is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, which is the favorite in 31 states. A Christmas Story is the top choice in 10 states. And Home Alone claimed five states. So, what are the other four states watching? Arkansas loves How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Wyoming is all about Elf, Rhode Island's favorite is The Holiday, and Oklahoma picked The Santa Clause. https://pixlparade.com/what-is-the-most-popular-christmas-movie-by-state/ AND THAT IS YOUR CRAP ON CELEBRITIES!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
National Lampoons, raising kids, thanksgiving foods, bourbon, etc.