Mt. Rushmore Podcast

You might have recently heard a certain current President joking that he belongs on Mt. Rushmore. As experts on the matter, we can say this: we certainly don't want him joining Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and...let me check, it's Teddy and not FDR, right...yes, Teddy Roosevelt on this hallowed monument.

However, we have another place he can go. (Well, several, but most of them aren't fit for a family podcast.)

In honor of our 75th episode, we build our Mt. Rushless - a symbol of the crummiest Presidents this country has ever seen. WARNING: lots of pre-and post-Civil War leaders ahead!

A reminder that our podcast is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a FREE audiobook download and 30-day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/rushmore. Browse from more than 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or MP3 player. One great book that relates to this week's episode is "The Teapot Dome Scandal: How Big Oil Bought the Harding White House," which tells you all you need to know about one of the biggest graft scandals in US history.

SHOW NOTES

Richard's Choices: James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Warren G. Harding, George W. Bush

Michael's Choices: James Buchanan, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Donald Trump

Canada: our neighbor to the North, with access to everything from free healthcare to French fries topped with gravy and cheese curds. (Note: perhaps there's a correlation between the poutine and the need for healthcare?) They're just like us, except for being much more polite, speaking two languages and having a working system of governance.

So when we decided to do our Rushmore of Canadians, we knew we were out of our depths and needed an expert. Fortunately, we were lucky enough to convince Casey Corbin to join us as a guest judge. Casey is one of Canada's most successful stand-up comedians and a REAL CANADIAN who truly understands what makes Canadians tick. (Answer: mostly maple syrup.)

If you like funny things (despite your patronage of this podcast), you should definitely follow Casey on Twitter and listen to his comedy album "Vampires Are Popular" on Spotify. And if you like wrestling, also make sure to check out his Talk 'N Wrestling Podcast.

So grab a Labatt's, order some Pizza Pizza, turn down the "Hockey Night in Canada" theme and crank up this episode. Please?

SHOW NOTES

RICHARD'S PICKS

John A. MacDonald

• "Sir John MacDonald, Drunk and In Flames"
• "Facing Sir John A. MacDonald's Legacy"
• "Heritage Minutes: Sir John A. MacDonald (Video)"

Don Cherry

• "Don Cherry Turns 80: The Man and His Best (and Worst) Moments"
• "Don Cherry Sets His Sights On His Own Colleague in Latest Embarrassing Rant"
• "Don Cherry Interview 1987: Soviet Union/Canada Hockey Fight"

John Candy

• "Uncle Buck Stars Remember John Candy: He Was Just That Guy You Wanted Him to Be (Video)"
• "John Candy Remembered: His Children Share New Stories About Their Late Father On the Eve of His Birthday"

Neil Young

• "The 12 Most Canadian Things About Neil Young"
• "Neil Young Rouses Hearts and Raises Hell for Canada 150 and July 4"
• "Neil Young Is Pumped for the Winnipeg Jets Season (Video)"

MICHAEL'S PICKS

Lorne Michaels

• "10 Things We Learned from Lorne Michaels' WTF Interview"
• "Let a young Lorne Michaels school you on one of comedy's most important truths"
• "The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour (Video)"

Gordie Howe

• "The great myth of the Gordie Howe hat trick"
• "Toronto Maple Leafs vs Detroit Red Wings: The Night Teeder Kennedy Almost Killed Gordie Howe"

Bret "The Hitman" Hart

• "Bret Hart Opens Up About the Infamous 'Montreal Screwjob'"
• "Bret Hart and the Legacy of Canadian Wrestling"
• "The 'Incident' in Montreal - Survivor Series (Video)

Celine Dion

• "45 Interesting Facts About Celine Dion"
• "Celine Dion Sings 'O Canada' (Video)"

This week, the boys are loading up the Big Orange and putting the hammer down on the Super Slab. They've got a load of hot takes on pop culture truckers, and they aren't stopping until they reach the 99. That is, if they can get their convoy past Smokey.

Yeah, we really don't know what that means, either, but we know it sounds cool as hell. And that's because truckers are cool as hell. Well, the ones who aren't serial killers, but really, that's such a small population that we shouldn't worry about it. Instead, we're talking nothing but bandits. Outlaws. Good Buddies, if you will.

So turn on your CBs and get ready for a big Breaker 1-9 on the Mt. Rushmore of Truckers.

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!

SHOW NOTES

3:16 - Bo "Bandit" Darville from "Smokey and the Bandit" (Michael's Choice)

9:45 - Philo Beddoe from "Every Which Way But Loose" (Richard and Michael's Choice)

17:15 - Anonymous Truck Driver from "Duel" (Richard's Choice)

22:53 - Jack Burton in "Big Trouble in Little China (Michael's Choice)

28:20 - Rubber Duck from the song/movie "Convoy" (Richard's Choice)

34:04 - Large Marge from "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (Richard and Michael's Choice)

OK, before we get on the road with this podcast, make sure that you've got everything you need. Everyone went to the bathroom before we left, right? Everyone has snacks and whatever they are going to read or listen to on the road? Because once we get this podcast started, I'm not stopping until it's time for lunch.

Yes, there's nothing like the lure of the open road. Especially when you are trapped in a car for hours with your family or friends. So instead of another game of Slug Bug to break up the boredom of your 11-hour trek from Sioux City to St. Louis, put this week's episode on over your car speakers as we discuss the best and worst things about road trips.

Wait, what? You have to go to the bathroom? But we just left 10 minutes ago! Fine, we'll pull this podcast over, but after this, that's it.

SHOW NOTES

4:40 - Road Trip Music (Joint Choice)

12:28 - Car Problems (Richard's Choice)

19:25 - The Person Who Has to Use the Restroom (Michael's Choice)

25:25 - Shitty Food Choices (Richard's Choice)

29:52 - Car Games (Michael's Choice)

33:38 - The Guy Who Smokes (Richard's Choice)

37:40 - Roadside Attractions (Michael's Choice)

Look, we don't have any money. But we're willing to trade ya 40 minutes of our C minus quality podcasting for 40 minutes of your super extra valuable time. Sound fair? Good.

This week we cover the Mt. Rushmore of Trades. From The Great One to the Bambino to Oswald the Rabbit, we've pretty much got it covered.

We also accept magic beans.

Has this ever happened to you - you're trying to find a new podcast episode but your ears just keep getting filled with the same old boring stuff? Well, now there's help. Say hello to our As Seen On TV Products episode!

You'll get all four of Richard's favorite useless products. But wait! We'll throw in Michael's semi-informed opinions ABSOLUTELY FREE! And if you act now, you'll also get Jeff's imperialistic judgments as a bonus gift. How can you possibly turn this down?

SHOW NOTES

2:21 - The George Foreman Lean-Mean Fat Grilling Machine (Michael's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pCy1FE89KI

7:32 - The Sports Illustrated Football Phone (Richard's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-1yWDMapdI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFgR4Cz13NI

13:25 - The Snuggie (Michael's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xZp-GLMMJ0

17:03 - Freedom Rock (Richard's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eGWW8KOQio

21:51 - The AbGymnic Ab Belt (Michael's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weUIzGBM4to

27:47 - The WaxVac (Richard's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Htbo1yW6qeU

32:22 - The Pasta Boat (Michael's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mv1z1h30LI

37:41 - The Knife Show/Cutlery Corner (Richard's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuuNlSA6vOE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blgrGiL0a8U

Our musical tastes change as we get older - one day you are listening to "Sesame Street Fever" as a precocious child. Then you grow up into a moody teenager and dive into the world of Japanese thrash and Norwegian techno because you're cooler than everyone else. And then you hit your 30s and start listening to "Sesame Street Fever" again because your kids found it in the garage and it's STILL AMAZING.

This week Richard and Michael dig deep into their youths to talk about the albums they remember loving as a kid. And no frontin' - that means not retroactively making your choices cooler than they were. Jeff and his brother Sam are on board to keep them honest and ensure that this is a NO FRONTIN' ZONE

SHOW NOTES

4:38 - "Synchronicity" by The Police (Richard's Choice)

13:04 - "Chipmunk Punk" by The Chipmunks (Michael's Choice)

19:25 - "Big Bam Boom" by Hall and Oates (Richard's Choice)

23:55 - "Hearts and Bones" by Paul Simon (Michael's Choice)

30:01 - "Graceland" by Paul Simon (Richard's Choice)

37:52 - "Licensed to Ill" by The Beastie Boys (Michael's Choice)

44:08 - "Sports!" by Huey Lewis and The News (Richard's Choice)

48:00 -"Stand By Me" Soundtrack (Michael's Choice)

Getting your music video played on MTV was the goal of almost every musical act in the 1980s and 1990s. (Yes, kids: MTV actually used to play music videos instead of a 24/7 loop of Real World/Road Rules Challenge). And there was nothing to make your music video stand out like have a celebrity - or multiple celebrities - show up for a cameo.

Who could deny the celebrity firepower of Rodney Dangerfield, Milton Berle or Ally Sheedy? One of them appearing in your music video = instant hit! We break down the best - and strangest - celebrity music video cameos ever. Jeff's had enough of Michael and Richard's shenanigans, so he's brought in some help - his brother Sam!

It's double the Hopkins, double the judgments.

Michael's Picks:

• Eddie Murphy (and others) in "Remember the Time" by Michael Jackson

• Kim Basinger in "Mary Jane's Last Dance" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

• Christopher Walken in "Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim

• Every Supermodel Ever in Freedom! 90 by George Michael

Richard's Choices

• Paul McCartney in "They Don't Know" by Tracey Ullman

• Milton Berle in "Round and Round" by Ratt

• Keanu Reeves in "Rush, Rush" by Paula Abdul

• Ally Sheedy and Johnny 5 in "Who's Johnny" by El DeBarge

SPOILER ALERT! No, that's actually what we're talking about in this episode. As social media becomes more ubiquitous - Facebook and Twitter feeds will be implanted straight into our eyes by 2025 - it's harder to keep "shocking" twists shocking. You practically have to live like a hermit and NOT LOOK AT YOUR PHONE FOR HOURS if you don't want those jerks on the East Coast to ruin all the fun of the "Riverdale" season finale.

So while we're talking about Spoiler Alerts this week, we won't spoil our choices (except for after the jump). Trust us: We wouldn't dare ruin the surprise that Michael chose all spoilers from Korean soap opera as his picks. And definitely not the fact that Jeff is actually Richard's father. That would just be awful.

SHOW NOTES

2:30 - Olympics Results (Joint Choice)

16:22 - The Death of Spock from "Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan (Michael's Choice)

19:55 - Verbal Kint is Keyser Soze from "The Usual Suspects" (Richard's Choice)

31:06 - Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's Father from "The Empire Strikes Back" (Michael's Choice)

37:47 - The Red Wedding from "Game of Thrones" (Joint Choice)

45:35 - Dil Is a Male from "The Crying Game" (Richard's Choice)

Few styles of rock music are as evocative of a particular time and place than surf music. As soon as the opening guitar or drum riff to a surf classic, you are instantly transported back to a time when it was all about catching some waves and soaking up the sun. Or, you are currently at Island's taking advantage of their 2-for-1 Kona Longboard Happy Hour specials.

There are no better people to give their opinions on the most iconic surf songs than three guys whose experiences with surfing are limited to watching "Point Break." There's a decent chance we missed something that should be on the Mt. Rushmore of Surf Songs - let us know what it is.

SHOW NOTES

4:04 - "Skeet Surfin'" by Nick Rivers from "Top Secret" (Richard's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af9N7UhTMA8&t=1s

7:55 - "Surfin' USA" by the Beach Boys (Michael's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s4slliAtQU

13:10 - "Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen (Richard's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gc4QTqslN4

17:12 - "Pipeline" by the Ventures (Michael's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaJaNVqrYgc

22:15 - "Having an Average Weekend" by Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet (Richard's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3L1iMAhI-w

27:21 - "Let's Go Surfing" by the Drums (Michael's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtYFn6RI6MI

31:45 - "Wipeout" by the Surfaris (Joint Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsjcyKQpMKk

37:15 - "Surf's Up" by the Beach Boys (Jeff's Choice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTifX3mpnV4