In an epic 3 part discussion, Chris and Randall tackle what proves to be a complicated philosophical puzzle.

Topics discussed include:

Nazis USSR Catholic Church authoritarianism and art Santa Claus the artist as revolutionary punching up What is comedy? court jester Mort Sahl Lenny Bruce Richard Pryor Jay Leno Chris Rock Gerald Ford Doonesbury theater Hair Hamilton Orson Wells Clifford Odets Arthur Miller Death of a Salesman The Jungle Animal Farm 1984 Romeo and Juliet Allen Ginsgurg Walt Whitman Thoreau Bertolt Brecht Horror movies

recorded August 31, 2020

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Chris & Randall discuss Improv on famous television shows The Office, Reno 911, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Topics discussed include: Improv Viola Spolin Compass Players Nichols and May Alan Arkin Ed Asner Second City Del Close Long Form Improv Theater in Chicago Mort Sahl Truth in Comedy (book) Impro (book) Spolin's Theater Games (book) Improv rules Dramatic Improv writing for actors Cynthia Seghetti The Office (US TV series) Reno 911 (TV series) The Harold Cinéma vérité Brandon Burkhart Curb Your Enthusiasm (TV series) Woody Allen Ken Loach Mike Leigh

Recorded August 24, 2020

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This is the second part of our video games discussion from ep25.

Topics discussed include:

Are video games entertainment or art? Video games What is art? What is entertainment? Commercial art vs. fine art Artisan vs. artist Duchamp and his readymades Duchamp's "Étant donnés" Waldorf dolls Star Wars THX 1138 Ambiguity in art Infamous Roger Ebert essay (https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/video-games-can-never-be-art) Art vs. craft The test of time Video game publisher Rare Goldeneye Games vs. art Metal Gear Solid Hideo Kojima Jeff Koons

Recorded August 17, 2020

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Don't forget to vote! Visit Vote.org for how.

In this episode, we discuss movies about US politics.

Titles discussed:

The Candidate (1972) PG Dir. Michael Ritchie Written by Jeremy Larner Robert Redford Rent YouTube, Google Play, ITunes, Amazon Prime Bob Roberts (1992) R Written Directed Staring Tim Robbins Not available for Rent Bulworth (1998) R Written Directed Staring Warren Beaty Stream Hulu, Amazon Prime , Starz Rent YouTube, Google All The Presidents Men (1976) PG Dir. Allen J Pakula Written by William Goldman Staring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman HBO Max, Cinemax Rent: Amazon, YouTube, Google Play, ITunes Nixon (1995) R Dir. Oliver Stone Anthony Hopkins Rent; ITunes, Google Play, YouTube, Amazon Prime Frost/Nixon (2008) R Dir. Ron Howard Written by Peter Morton Staring Frank Langella & Michael Sheen Netflix Rent Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, ITunes The American President (1995) PG-13 Dir. Rob Reiner Written by Aaron Sorkin Staring Micheal Douglas Hulu, Starz, Amazon Prime Rent; YouTube, iTunes, Google Play The West Wing (1999 -2006) NBC Aaron Sorkin Netflix Rent : YouTube , Amazon Prime, Google Play West Wing "Hartsfeild's Landing" – HBO Max Game Change (2012) NR Dir. Jay Roach Written by Danny Strong Staring Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, Ed Harris HBO Max Vice (2018) R Dir. Adam McKay Written by Adam McKay Staring Christian Bale Hulu Rent : YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play

Recorded October 27, 2020

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Besides tales of Halloween past, Chris and Randall each present a curated list of Halloween movie classics.

Topics discussed include: Trick-or-treating memories Monster Mash Chris' Halloween school dance Halloween party memories Making costumes Costume memories West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval Knott's Scary Farm Six Flags Fright Fest Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights Bob's Big Boy Burbank Why is Halloween so popular with adults? The Halloween industry

Randall's Halloween movies for kids and families

1. Coco (2017) 2. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) 3. Young Frankenstein (1974) 4. Monsters, Inc. (2001) 5. King Kong (1933) 6. Edward Scisorrhands (1990) 7. Ghostbusters (1984) 8. Coraline (2009) 9. Beetlejuice (1988) 10. Labyrinth (1986) 11. I Am Legend -- read the book to your kids! about 6 hours!

Chris' Ten Underrated Movies Perfect For At Home Halloween

1. The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) PG Sci- Fi Horror Hulu Premium, Amazon Prime. Rent iTunes, Vudu

2. An American Werewolf in London (1981) R Horror Dark Comedy Hulu Premium, HBO Max, Amazon Prime. Rent YouTube, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu

3. Videodrome (1983) R Technology Horror Rent at Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube

4. The Devil's Backbone (2001) R Spanish Language Super Natural Horror Rent -Amazon, YouTube, iTunes, Google Play

5. The Wicker Man (1973) R Horror/ Mystery Rent YouTube, iTunes, Google, Amazon

6. The Last Man on Earth (1964) NR Zombie Dystopia Free Tubi, Amazon, Rent iTunes, Vudu

7. The Others (2001) PG 13 Gothic Supernatural HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Rent on YouTube, Google, iTunes

8. Train To Busan (2016) NR Zombie Action Crackle, Tubi, Sling, Amazon Rent YouTube, Google Play, iTunes

9.Followed (2018) R Serial Killer Suspense Rent Amazon, Google, YouTube, Vudu

10.Sunshine (2007) R Spaceship Thriller Rent Amazon, Google, YouTube , iTunes, Vudu

Recorded October 13, 2020

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Randall suggests that the main reason video game aesthetics are so compelling is because of the close coupling of cause and effect which hardly exists in real life. Chris and Randall go on to discuss many other aspects of video games that overlap with culture and society.

Topics discussed:

Pong Tank battle Dungeons & Dragons The Last Starfighter (1984) Ready Player One (2018) Puzzles Tetris Candy Crush Puzzle games Asteroids Space Invaders Pac-Man Social mobility Socioeconomic status Japanese simulation games Densha de Go! VR games Philip K. Dick Total Recall (1990) Call of Duty

References for this episode:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_games_as_an_art_form

Infamous Roger Ebert essay https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/video-games-can-never-be-art

Kellee Santiago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9y6MYDSAww

Flow in video games https://www.wired.com/story/how-the-videogame-aesthetic-flows-into-all-of-culture/

Recorded August 17, 2020

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ep24: Generation X growing old with radio

Chris and Randall continue their discussion from last week where they reminisced about radio past. This episode, they discuss radio present and future.

Topics discussed include:

AM radio is dead Wolfman Jack Mexican radio WNBC WABC WCBS AM vs FM Stereo KUSC Jim Svejda Classical Music Aaron Copland Hollywood Bowl KDFC KKJZ NPR Morning Edition All Things Considered Morning Becomes Eclectic KLOS KRTH Top 40 radio The Beatles Bohemian Rhapsody Wayne's World Phoenix (band) Franz Ferdinand (band) The Strokes KOLA Muse The Black Keys Nirvana Soundscan Garth Brooks Nevermind College radio Last Night Britney Spears N' Sync KIIS Danger Mouse Broken Bells Foster the People Power pop MP3 players CD players Youtube Pandora Spotify Napster Sirius Satellite Radio Taylor Swift Rhianna Hip Hop Boy Bands Katy Perry Bublegum Pop Mandy Moore Pop music Radiohead Elvis Costello KROQ Rodney Bingenheimer Beck Offspring Sublime Green day Kevin and Bean KYSR KBIG Violent Femmes KRTH Elvis Presley The Carpenters The Rolling Stones The Doors Led Zepplin Steely Dan KOST Janet Jackson Kelly Clarkson The Police Prince Mariah Carey Spandau Ballet Manic Monday Down Under The Outfield What I like About You KCBS Jack FM The Cars Fleetwood Mac Corey Hart Eye of the Tiger Once in a Lifetime Sweet Home Alabama David Byrne American Utopia Neil Young Southern Man Radio DJs What's The Musical Future Of An 'Oldies' Format? Sweet Child O' Mine Post Malone Landslide Blasphemous Rumors My Sharona I Can't Go For That Heaven is a Place on Earth Shiny Happy People R.E.M. Radio Free Europe Thriller British Psychological Society (BPS). "Why singing in a choir is good for you." (accessed October 7, 2020)

Recorded August 10, 2020

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Chris and Randall reminisce about all the good radio they've listened to.

"TV only had 3 stations, radio had what seemed like infinite stations." --Chris

Topics discussed include:

Transistor radios FM vs AM WNBC WABC Cousin Brucie Don Imus The Beatles Wings Chic The Bee Gees Disco Top 40 Radio Studio 54 Record stores Kenny Loggins 45s The Warehouse Elevator Music WOR William B. Williams Sinatra Tony Bennett Big Band Music Classical Music Boomboxes Tomy Dorsey Orchestra Led Zepplin Elvis Costello Pink Floyd Dave Herman Vin Scelsa Fleetwood Mac U2 King Biscuit Flower Hour Joe Jackson Dr. Demento Fish Heads MTV "Weird Al" Yankovic My Sharona Another One Rides the Bus Payola Hit Men: Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business (book) My Bologna The Knack KCAL Phil Spector Judas Priest Poison Guns N' Roses Steely Dan Jethro Tull The Doors WGRE WDRE KROQ Aerosmith Depeche Mode The Smithereens Hoodoo Gurus Whitney Houston Duran Duran The Police WVKR Hüsker Dü Robyn Hitchcock JoBoxers Rolling Stones R.E.M. Fat Boys Run-DMC Loveline Poor Man Trenton Dr. Drew Riki Rachtman Adam Carolla Sometimes I Don't Want to Live Anymore KLOS KISS WNEW WKTU Rodney Bingenheimer David Bowie Off the Boat Tower Records on Sunset Virgin Records on Sunset Tower Records in Westwood 120 Minutes Matt Pinfield Hunga Munga In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida Howard Stern WXRK KFI 640 Phil Hendrie NPR 9/11 David Lee Roth The Man Show Jimmy Kimmel ACME Theater Joe Rogan

Recorded August 3, 2020

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Chris and Randall discuss the Watchmen movie and HBO miniseries.

Original recording date: July 27, 2020

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Chris and Randall have a deep discussion about the Watchmen comics originally published in 1986 and 1987.

Original recording date: July 20, 2020

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