Is It Camp?!

This episode: Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of War of the Worlds

The Is It Camp Palace is in ruins! What could possibly have happened to get us to this point? Was it poor maintenance? A natural disaster? Bad architecture? Or that Martian invasion that just happened, where they destroyed the countryside with giant tripods shooting lightning beams?! Maybe that last one.

In order to fight back against the unearthly invaders, Sam and Sarah have rigged up a primitive Spotify playlist to listen to Jeff Wayne's Musical of The War of the Worlds.

How do Sam and Sarah picture events differently in this rock opera? How quickly can the Counsellors date themselves? Can subject matter this dire even be considered camp?

Warm up those vocoders for this episode!

This episode: The Great Race (1965)

The Counsellors made it to Hollywood, but ohnoooo now they have to go back… for plot related reasons? Whatever, they've decided to make the trip fun. Sarah will dress all in white, Sam will dress all in black, and they'll race using old-timey automobiles to see who can make it first! I'm sure it will be a delightful romp!

So, to get their engines revved up for it, the Counsellors are watching The Great Race!

Is it possible for a road-trip comedy to be based upon real events? How handsome is a young Peter Falk? And are we certain this isn't actually two separate films?

On your marks, get set, CAMP!

This episode: The Muppet Movie

After exploring the depths of the koi pond and finding nothing, the Counsellors have decided the seek out their fame and fortune by travelling to Collingwood. Ontario. They've heard there's opportunities for fame and fortune, as well as making millions of people happy. What could be more lucrative and giving than that? Thank goodness the in-flight entertainment is The Muppet Movie.

How many long one-liner cameos can possibly fit in a film of this size? Are Muppets real? And can Sam ad-lib a parody song on the spot?

Move right along with us!

This episode: The Meg

The Counsellors have solved the Labyrinth, and are now exploring the koi pond out back. Its so mysterious, who knows what's hidden in its depths. In fact Sam has a hypothesis: that if they dive down deep enough, they'll find a creature believed dead for millions of years: the deep-sea sloth! In order to help flesh out this idea, Sarah has decided to screen The Meg.

How does pressure actually work? While in Development Hell, what kind of people were attached to this project? And how good is Sam at picking up telegraphed cues?

Explore the depths of this film with us!

This week: Labyrinth

It's Camp Counsellor Sam's birthday! And because of that he's chosen to bring a very special guest, Joe Lipsett of Horror Queers fame, and trapped him and Sarah in the Is It Camp labyrinth beneath the Palace for some fun and games. It's so huge and twisty-turny, that Sarah doesn't even show up for the first half of the show! In order to help them both out, and solve Sam's Birthday Labyrinth, why not watch the Jim Henson film Labyrinth?

How many quotes can Sam fit into one episode? Why are we so glad that Smell-O-Vision never caught on? And which David Bowie body part is practically its own character?

Solve the Labyrinth with us and find out!

This week: The King's Daughter

The Counsellors have had an exciting week, but Sam has been doing some introspection, and decided he needs to be immortal now. So he's tasked Sarah with making up some science in order to do so, and naturally she's hunting down the elusive mermaid. Fish top half. Person bottom half. Why? Because science. And she learned it from this week's film, The King's Daughter.

What is the rocky road that brought this film to theatres in 2022, eight years after it was completed? Is Fan Bingbing even in this film? And what's going on with the costumes?

Join us before the Lunar Eclipse, Campers!

This week: Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

The Counsellors did it! They actually pulled off the race, and what was the prize? Why, this beautiful old house, a recipe book, and a dog. Not a single dollar though. What are they supposed to do with this garbage? They already have a grand Palace of undetermined size, Sam doesn't cook, and quite frankly they don't have time for a dog. Thankfully, a kindly relative wants to take it all off their hands.

In order to check the legal ramifications, they've decided to watch Elvira: Mistress of the Dark! I'm sure it'll be full with all kinds of helpful tips.

Have the Counsellors found the ultimate Himbo in this film? Which Groundlings Alumni has been putting in the work? And what's the one joke that sends our Counsellors into fits of laughter?

Join them for a film that will genuinely make you laugh at dad jokes.

This week: Rat Race

It's Year 2 of the Podcast, and we are off with a bang! Part of the goodie bags from the Airing of Delights was a map to a treasure, and now Sam and Sarah are in a race to see who can get it first! It could be jewels, or fine art, or an autograph from Susan Sarandon! Who can say?

In order to help them on their journey, the Counsellors have decided to watch the film Rat Race, and maybe avoid the pratfalls and hijinks they could potentially fall into along the way.

Has this movie aged well in 21 years? How far in advance can you telegraph a joke in a 2 hour film? And can either of the Counsellors pull off an even remotely appropriate Lucille Ball impression?

Quickly, hit the road, or sky, or other means of transportation with us!

This week: The Airing of Delights

It's our anniversary! Instead of covering a piece of media this week, we celebrated by holding an awards show. Who will win? Will there be any surprises? And will Sam make Sarah cry? (Yes, but in a nice way.)

Thanks for being here over the last year, campers. If you listen all the way to the end, you might win something yourself! We'd love for you to get in touch and tell us who you would have chosen for the list of categories below.

Holland Taylor Stunning Older Woman Award

I Am Become a Being of Pure Light 

Colm Feore Could Be Daddy Award

Kylie Minogue "Can't Get You Out of My Head" Award

The "For Me, it was Tuesday" Star-Making Turn

But for the Grace of Hollywood Montrose

The "He DIES? I Thought This Was Supposed to be a Kids' Movie" Background Detail That Shook You

Aren't We Lucky to Have Been Honoured

The David Hyde Pierce Award

I Didn't Know the Delight I was in For

The "And You Were There. And You Were There" Award for Best Ensemble

I Hope This Doesn't Awaken Something in Me

The Hello Fellow Heteros Award

So THAT Was an Ending

The They Should Have Sent a Poet Award for Best Production Design

"I Know You're Right the First Part's SHIT"

The Soda Up My Nose Award

Where Can I Get This Outfit in My Size

The Rich Corinthian Leather Award

This week: The Goes Wrong Show

Is this recording? Oh OK, hello. The usual blurb writer is out sick, so I'm filling it, but my keyboard is broken so I'm doing this via voice to flex. 

The Camp Counsellors are putting on a to person show, where they are directing, producing, designing, and building the whole shebang. What could possibly go wrong question mark. It turns out everything. The sets aren't quite right. Sam keeps forgetting his limes. And Sarah won't stop mugging to the audience. It's almost as if doing the whole show yourself is not a good idea.

So they've decided to check out The Goes Wrong Show for tips on how to make certain the show goes on. How can the Counsellors describe an incredible visual joke through a purely audio medium question mark. What are Sam's three rules for this show question mark. And why are they talking about the ancient Hanky Code question mark.

Hopefully we can avoid any Miss Steaks going forward. The show MUST go on! End message.