Mt. Rushmore Podcast

Are you digging WandaVision? So are we, even though it's confusing as hell. But that's part of the charm - trying to sift through all of the clues and Easter eggs to figure out exactly what's going on.

We needed some reinforcements to help us with all of the different fan theories out there. Good thing that The Masters of the Obvious were there to help us. Enjoy a different type of episode as we...OK, do you want me to take it from the top?

Contrary to popular belief, the concept of a Karen wasn't invented last year. There have been Karens throughout history, showing a sense of entitlement and general busybodiness. We're joined this week by actor/writer Tara O'Brien who is NOT a Karen at all but is a great podcast guest.

Also, if you'd like to speak to the manager of this podcast, take it up with Jeff.

SHOW NOTES

• Phyllis Schafly (Tara's Choice)
• Amy Cooper (Michael and Richard's Choice)
• Kate Branch (Tara's Choice)
• Carrie Nation (Michael and Richard's Choice)
• Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren (Tara's Choice)
• Elizabeth from Knoxville (Michael and Richard's Choice)
• Rosie Chappelle (Tara's Choice)
• Tipper Gore (Michael and Richard's Choice)

You think that there are no more interesting topics left for us to cover? Wham! We're already three moves ahead of you. That's because we're talking about chess players - both real and fictional - with chess aficionado Scott Vinci. CHECK AND MATE!

SHOW NOTES

• Bobby Fischer (Scott's Choice)
• Chewbacca (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• Magnus Carlsen (Scott's Choice)
• Woody Boyd from "Cheers" (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• Beth Harmon from "The Queen's Gambit" (Scott's Choice)
• Deep Blue (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• Chess Boxing Champion Matt Thomas (Scott's Choice)
• Professor Charles Xavier (Richard and Michael's Choice)

Some of your favorite songs aren't even real. I mean, they are real songs, but just not from real bands. Instead, they were created to be part of a fictional world in film and TV. This week we're looking at our top tunes from bands that don't really exist...except in our hearts.

SHOW NOTES

• "The Cantina Song" from "Star Wars" (Michael's Choice)
• "Big Bottom" from "This Is Spinal Tap" (Richard's Choice)
• "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" from "A Mighty Wind" (Michael's Choice)
• "I Must Be In Love" from "The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash" (Richard's Choice)
• "Free Love Freeway" from "The Office UK" (Michael's Choice)
• "That Thing You Do" from "That Thing You Do" (Richard's Choice)
• "Un Poco Loco" from "Coco" (Michael's Choice)
• "Sugar, Sugar" from "The Archie Show" (Richard's Choice)

When you think of a cult, we all know what you think about (and for legal reasons, we can't name names). But on this week's podcast we're opening up the definition of what exactly is a cult. Helping us to break it all down are Tom and Steph Clark of the I'm a Rescue podcast.

SHOW NOTES

• Scientology (Tom and Steph's Choice)
• Mindhead from "Bowfinger" (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• Multi-Level Marketing (Tom and Steph's Choice)
• Raelism (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• The Catholic Church (Tom and Steph's Choice)
• Crossfit (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• The Girl Scouts (Tom and Steph's Choice)
• Movementarians from "The Simpsons" (Richard and Michael's Choice)

Let me bcc you in on a little secret: this week's episode is all about email! It's something that we use all the time, but we don't think about until something goes wrong. Do you remember a time before email? We do - barely!

It's also episode 250 for us, which is a great time to say thank you to all of our listener(s) out there. Here's (god willing) hoping to 250 more.

This week we're talking magic in movies. No, not that David Copperfield crap. We mean wizards and sorceresses and all that cool stuff. And we're joined by professional bon vivant Christian Fitzharris, who uses his multitalented knowledge to basically wipe the floor with Richard and Michael.

SHOW NOTES

• The Matrix (Christian's Choice)
• The Necronomicon (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• The Craft (Joint Choice)
• The Ninth Gate (Christian's Choice)
• Harry Potter's "Expelliarmus" spell (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• Dr. Strange (Christian's Choice)
• Yen Sid's Hat from Fantasia (Richard and Michael's Choice)

On this week's episode, the boys attempt to put this disaster of a year (2020, not the season) behind them and look ahead to some things that might make 2021 not suck quite so much.

SHOW NOTES

• Meeting Co-Workers (Richard's Choice)
• Recording the Podcast In Person (Joint Choice)
• Going to the Library (Michael's Choice)
• Not Thinking About Politics (Joint Choice)
• Travel (Richard's Choice)
• Rain in Los Angeles (Michael's Choice)

There are some things that will rope you in every time. It could be a movie, or a favorite food choice, or any number of other things. They aren't necessarily guilty choices - they can be things that are legitimately great - but they are things that have an unusual hold on you every time you encounter them.

SHOW NOTES

• Shitty Philly Cheesesteaks (Michael's Choice)
• Mint Chip Ice Cream (Richard's Choice)
• Frontmen of Bands With Weird Voices (Michael's Choice)
• Non-Pschyedelic Bands That Put Out a Pschydelic Song (Richard's Choice)
• Disneyland (Michael's Choice)
• Dodger Dogs (Richard's Choice)
• Michael's Kid (Michael's Choice)
• The "Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend" Trope (Richard's Choice)

Every band has the occasional clunker of a show - a gig where the audience was downright hostile, the playing was terrible or the energy just wasn't there. But it takes a truly awful set of circumstances for a gig to go from "bad" to "outright disaster." And this week we're joined by someone who knows a thing or two about the subject.

Our guest is author and journalist Jon Niccum of WorstGig.com. He's documented countless tales of misery from the road from some of the biggest names in music. Listen as he shares these stories and relives his own personal worst gig moment.

SHOW NOTES

• Joe Satriani vs. the Malaysian Army (Jon's Choice)
• The Clash at the US Festival (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• Graham Nash and David Crosby (Jon's Choice)
• Cat Power Canceling (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• The Cowboy Junkies at an Industry Showcase (Jon's Choice)
• Jefferson Airplane at the Altamont Free Concert (Richard and Michael's Choice)
• Ian MacKaye vs. the Polish Skinheads (Jon's Choice)
• The Station Fire (Richard and Michael's Choice)