One of the most popular ongoing segments in Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness’ long-running, weekly “Chillpak Hollywood Hour” was always when they celebrated the lives and legacies of those who made indelible marks in the arts or in media. Now that Celebrity Deaths has become its own podcast in the Chillpak Hollywood Presents … universe of shows, these celebrations are no longer merely interesting and inspiring. They have also become truly bizarre and hilarious, especially with frequent contributor Jon Lawlor now along for the ride. So, join your friends in podcasting (and Jon Lawlor) as the following media notables get remembered …

*Longtime drummer for ZZ Top Frank Beard

*Innovator in 24 hour around-the-clock television programming Bill Rasmussen

*Mary Heilmann, influential and trailblazing abstract painter

*Oscar-nominated director and “actor’s whisperer” Mark Rydell

*Child actress-turned-multi-talented performer and activist Hayden Panettiere

*Dolly Parton, who was, according to The New York Times, the only thing we can all agree on!

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Dan Butler is known primarily as an actor, having played major roles in theatre, on television and in film. He has also written, directed and produced for all of those mediums as well. Perhaps most widely known for his role as Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe in the NBC sitcom “Frasier”, appearing in every season but one between 1993 and 2004, Dan reprised the role in a 2024 episode of the beloved show’s continuation. He played two different characters in the Hannibal Lecter film franchise, he played the role of NSA Director Admiral Shaffer in Enemy of the State and in 2006, Butler produced and starred in the faux documentary Karl Rove, I Love You (which he also co-directed with Phil Leirness). Dan’s recent film credits include the Marilyn Monroe bio-pic Blonde and his recent television credits include “The Blacklist”. On stage, he played Lenin in the 2018 Broadway revival of Tom Stoppard’s Travesties, he played Truman Capote in American Repertory Theater’s 2017 production of Rob Roth’s Warhol/Capote, and he played Jack in the 2013 Off-Broadway production of Conor McPherson’s The Weir (as well as its 2025 revival).

Dan’s poetry has been seen in ONE ART; a journal of poetry as well as the anthology The Path to Kindness, Poems of Connection and Joy. Let Me Lay One On You marks Dan’s debut poetry collection. Part time travel, part investigative wonderment, this chapbook of poetry is a kaleidoscopic journey of people, places, and things that continue to haunt, surprise, and inform the writer – as they will the reader.

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In a cold open, Phil tells of the “Live Event of the Week”. Then, in the return of “Lawsuit of the Week”, the ongoing saga of Paramount’s desired merger with Warners gets updated, and the recent UK privacy lawsuit involving such notables as Prince Harry, Elton John and Liz Hurley gets analyzed. Two listener emails pertaining to the recent, epic episode of “Deep Dive” exploring 1940s Film Noir get shared. The incredible, just-released episode of “The Wayback Machine” gets discussed and Phil follows up on what was covered in that show by asking Dean about the hit 2009 film District 9 and by quizzing Dean on hit sci-fi television of the past 20 years. Phil has fun discussing the attitudes of fans that have assumed “public ownership” of beloved properties (like “Star Trek”) and Dean makes a plug for his favorite band! Finally, Phil discusses the great Jafar Panahi’s multi-Oscar nominated It Was Just an Accident and this leads to he and Dean comparing notes on their go-to streaming channels or apps.

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Marc Hershon is a branding expert who has dreamed up names for countless hit products. He is a comedy veteran, a comedy impresario, and he teaches improv comedy. He has penned several television movies, and is the co-author of I Hate People, a guide to getting “what you want out of your job.” He has reviewed comedy podcasts for The Huffington Post and Splitsider and was the longtime producer and host of “Succotash” the comedy podcast podcast. Marc has spent much of his adult life trying to get people to stop using the word “podcast” and to use “soundcast” instead. Yet, he refers to this show as a “podcast”. He’s mercurial, that guy.

On this episode …

*Marc and Phil remember “Heroes” and “Nashville” star Hayden Panettiere, who died at the age of 36.

*Phil talks about what he’s been watching (“Ted Lasso” season 4, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” season 4, “Sugar” season 2, “Down Cemetery Road” and “Diarra from Detroit” season 1) and asks Marc about each show.

*Marc previews a forthcoming comedy series, “Dig”, from Michael Schur and Amy Poehler, based on the novel Excavations.

*Marc offers positive reviews of the Will Ferrell vehicle for Netflix “The Hawk”, the Apple TV thriller miniseries “Lucky”, and the first episode of HBO’s “Lanterns”.

*Marc bids halfhearted farewells to three recently-cancelled series: “The Hunting Party”, “Going Dutch” and “Good Cop/Bad Cop”.

*Dean and Phil have sketch comedy on their minds as they each offer up an all-time favorite “guilty pleasure”.

*Finally, the festivities close with Marc interviewing a VERY unique guest. In fact, it’s safe to declare that this guest has never been asked these interview questions on any show before.

Come for the news, views, previews and reviews. Stay to figure out the connection between the classic TV instrumental theme used to open the show and the closing theme song with lyrics!

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In a cold open, Dean and Phil share how impressed they are with an animated short made by the college student son of one of Phil’s high school classmates. In the return of “Lawsuit of the Week”, the most recent threats and developments surrounding Paramount’s desired merger with Warners get fully explained and analyzed. Phil shares sadness surrounding the impending departure of longtime favorite son of Los Angeles, Gustavo Dudamel, who is leaving the L.A. Phil to take over the New York Philharmonic. A great story about Lily (Holleman) Leirness’ encounter with Dudamel gets shared. Dean has started watching “Diarra from Detroit” at Phil’s urging and loves it! A loyal listener has a slight correction to something Dean said on the recent, epic episode of “Deep Dive” exploring 1940s Film Noir. Phil follows up on a couple of films discussed in that show, offering greater context to the writing of The Stranger (1946) and Sidney Greenstreet’s performance in The Maltese Falcon (1941). Chris Carter’s “director’s cut” of the 2nd “X-Files” movie has been released and … Dean and Phil have thoughts. Phil re-watched Citizen Kane, which inspires in-depth discussion of that film’s continued greatness and resonance, and which inspired his watching the recent Japanese psychological suspense film Exit 8, a film Dean is now ready to reappraise!

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In many ways, our expansion of the long-running Chillpak Hollywood Hour into an entire universe of different podcasts here on Substack was inspired by our desire to take some of Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness’ longer form conversations and put them in one place where people can easily find them by topic.

So, welcome to to DEEP DIVE!

Today’s show features an in-depth analysis of and appreciation for Film Noir of the 1940s. Let Dean and Phil guide you through the shadowy darkness as they explore whether or not film noir is a genre, a style, or something else altogether. They compare notes on what made them fall in love with noir and what a noir film must have in order to be considered (by them) Film Noir. They discuss the great films, the great performers, and the great filmmakers that made an indelible mark on noir of that decade. Come for the incredible cinematography, stay for the cynicism, deceit and betrayal!

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Programing Note: This is our final episode of “The Art Life” for a couple weeks while (Jon Lawlor) travels throughout Scotland …

If you are new to this show, then you probably need to know that for the past several years, Dean Haglund, Phil Leirness, and Jon Lawlor have been getting together almost weekly to hold each other’s feet to the fire in the pursuit of creating art that is filled with life, while also learning how to live more artfully. That is how this podcast, “The Art Life”, was born!

This week’s topics include:

*Ways of teaching painting that serve to get the student out of their ideas and into freedom of expression

*The art of location photography and turning locales into “characters”

*According to one columnist the 25 objects that explain to the world who we are as Americans

*How objects and animals can serve as mirrors for ourselves

*Allowing real life into acting auditions and acting performances

*How Dean’s ongoing ritual involving “earth, water, air and fire” has changed his relationship to gravity

*Phil’s all-time favorite job

*1,000 episodes of “Chillpak Hollywood Hour”

*Marching orders for Jon on his trip to Scotland, and one of the Edinburgh festivals he might encounter

Chillpak Hollywood Presents ... is a listener-supported joint. Creating three new shows each week does not come without costs. To support our work, please become a free or paid subscriber.

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In some ways, Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness pick up where last week’s show (the one thousandth episode of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour) left off, by reminiscing about a couple of their early years spent “changing the way people listen to the internet” and by examining more in the shifting release strategies for television and the viewing habits of television viewers. They also go deeper still into the issues surround the soon-to-be-litigated proposed Paramount merger with Warners. They continue their ongoing analysis of the potential benefits, and current costs, of our evolving relation to Artificial Intelligence. They also discuss one video game movie, one sci-fi comedy from the 1980s, and one current samurai era “whodunit”. They share their love of a raft of different contemporary television series and reveal which streamers they enjoy the most and which shows keep them excited between seasons. Also, they preview this week’s release of an R-rate “director’s cut” of the second “The X-Files” feature film!

Chillpak Hollywood Presents ... is a listener-supported joint. To receive new shows and support our work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit deanandphil.substack.com/subscribe

One of the most popular ongoing segments in Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness’ long-running, weekly “Chillpak Hollywood Hour” was always when they celebrated the lives and legacies of those who made indelible marks in the arts or in media. Now that Celebrity Deaths has become its own podcast in the Chillpak Hollywood Presents … universe of shows, these celebrations are no longer merely interesting and inspiring. They have also become truly bizarre and hilarious, especially with frequent contributor Jon Lawlor now along for the ride. So, join your friends in podcasting (and Jon Lawlor) as the following media notables get remembered …

*Irish singer, songwriter and actor Glen Hansard

*Groundbreaking doo-wop legend Arlene Smith of The Chantels

*David Z, chart-topping music producer and an architect of the “Minneapolis Sound”

*Trailblazing orchestrator and musical director Harold Wheeler

*Free jazz and experimental guitarist James “Blood” Ulmer

*Nicole Hollander, popular cartoonist behind the long-running “Sylvia” strip

As always, come for the stories of fascinating media notables, stay for the endless tangents!

Chillpak Hollywood Presents ... is a listener-supported joint. To receive new shows and support our work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit deanandphil.substack.com/subscribe

Be warned, when you hear Phil Leirness say, “This is clearly the worst podcast we have ever been a part of,” you know it’s probably an unusual show.

Of course, Dean Haglund responds by saying, “I can hardly wait for us to start recording.”

For the past several years, Dean Haglund, Phil Leirness, and Jon Lawlor have been getting together almost weekly to hold each other’s feet to the fire in the pursuit of creating art that is filled with life, while also learning how to live more artfully. Now, Chillpak Hollywood Presents … “The Art Life” as a regular podcast!

This week’s topics include:

*Dean’s birthday celebrations

*How AI suggested Dean and Phil commemorate the 1,000th episode of “Chillpak Hollywood Hour”

*Why AI doesn’t have a favorite color, but if it did, why it would be dark blue

*More on Phil’s 40th high school reunion ritual, Jon’s ritual of exploring flavor, and Dean’s exploration of earth, wind, air and fire through ritual

*Dean’s exploration of “the insanity of green” through art

*The role music plays in great comedy movies

*The great comedy Jon must watch before his forthcoming trip to Scotland

Chillpak Hollywood Presents ... is a listener-supported joint. To receive new shows and support our work, come on in for the big win and become a free or paid subscriber!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit deanandphil.substack.com/subscribe