Phoenix Foundation - A MacGyver Podcast

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 27th, 1985 —

MacGyver meets his adrenaline junkie match in reckless oil prospector Bill Farren [SPECIAL GUEST: Cooper Huckabee!]

MISSION: When a fire breaks out at a friend’s oil derrick, MacGyver devises a plan to fight fire with dynamite.

This week’s highlights include:

This week’s show features a chat with veteran actor Cooper Huckabee (Marshall from Urban Cowboy and Lil’ Raj Brittle from Django Unchained). He shares some interesting behind-the-scenes info, like how MacGyver almost wasn’t Richard Dean Anderson! Check out the links below for some of Mr. Huckabee’s upcoming projects.

Keep an eye out for Band of Robbers hitting the festival circuit soon!

Also, let’s all keep our fingers crossed for Pee-wee’s Big Holiday!

The plot of Hellfire bears more than a passing resemblance to 1953’s Wages of Fear.

Editors note: In the draft of the Back to the Future script mentioned on the show, the popular “1.21 gigawatts” line is actually replaced with the significantly less interesting “4200 rads.” Also, the current population of Centralia, PA is down to 10 people (according to google anyway) although more recent articles on the matter cite a population of as few as 6 or 7 people.

UPDATE!: Listener Frank A Sirianni noticed something fun below!

Curie’s Law (Physics)

In a paramagnetic material the magnetization of the material is (approximately) directly proportional to an applied magnetic field. However, if the material is heated, this proportionality is reduced: for a fixed value of the field, the magnetization is (approximately) inversely proportional to temperature. This fact is encapsulated by Curie’s law:

Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curie%27s_law

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 17th, 1985 —

Today, MacGyver faces a ‘fight or flight’ scenario with Kelly Nielson [SPECIAL GUEST: Kay Lenz!]

MISSION: In search of a favorite childhood lake, MacGyver stumbles upon a hostage situation at a small airstrip off the beaten path. Now he must sabotage his captor’s plan to break into an armored truck and escape with the loot by air.

This week’s highlights include:

Kay Lenz has worked with many huge-name directors in her prolific career and is perhaps best known for the lead role in Clint Eastwood’s Breezy opposite William Holden. She also appeared in the original “The Tick” animated series on Fox as American Maid.

The role Kay mentioned that landed MacGyver co-star Jackie Earle Haley an Oscar nomination was 2006’s Little Children.

You can find more information on the July 23rd, 1982 accident on the set of Twilight Zone that took the lives of Vic Morrow and two children on wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight_Zone_accident.

Thermite (Chemistry)

Thermite is a chemical compund of metallic powders that can burn in excess of 4,500 degrees fahrenheit.  Reactions can involve a variety of fuels, but most common is iron oxide and aluminum.

Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermite

Fe2O3 + 2 Al → 2 Fe + Al2O3

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 10th, 1985 —

THIS is how you get ants, with ornithologist Dr. Charles Alden [SPECIAL GUEST: Peter Jurasik!]

OPENING GAMBIT: A geologist is abducted and held captive in a small Basque village, when MacGyver shows up to bust her out and face his greatest fear once again.

MISSION: MacGyver and his old pal Dr. Charles Alden butt heads with Lucien Trumbo, an Amazonian landowner in the path of a trillion ravenous soldier ants.

This week’s highlights include:

This week, we learn Peter Jurasik is the kindest man in the universe. He is perhaps best known for his long-running television contributions as Sid Thurston on Hill Street Blues/Beverly Hills Buntz and as Centauri Ambassador Londo Mollari on Babylon 5. He also made an appearance in Tron as Crom, the unfortunate victim of Flynn’s ring game prowess. Here is a link to the upcoming film he mentioned in our interview.

The Longest Ride

In case we lost you with our “do it live” comments, check this out.

Army Ants (Zoology)

Soldier or Army ants refers to any group of ants that are nomadic in nature and display aggressive foraging methods spread out over a wide area.

Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_ant.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 3rd, 1985 —

On this week’s show, we’ll “bond” with treacherous casino owner Catlin [SPECIAL GUEST: Vernon Wells!]

MISSION: When sixty million dollars disappears on its way to feeding starving African children, MacGyver is brought on to track it down. The search lands Mac in an island casino right out of one of James Bond’s far-fetched capers.

This week’s highlights include:

The insanely talented Vernon Wells did us the great honor of sharing his time with our program this week. He was such an asset to the series that he was invited back to play a second role in MacGyver’s third season, evidently at RDA’s insistence. Mr. Wells has had a long and prolific career, but he is perhaps best known for the roles of Wez in George Miller’s The Road Warrior and Bennett in Mark L. Lester’s Commando. More recently he enjoyed a 38 episode run as the main villain of Power Rangers Time Force, and he’s certainly not showing any sign that he is slowing. Keep an eye out for the several upcoming projects he mentioned during our chat:

– “The Promise” (which Wells will be directing himself!)

Editor’s Note: When this episode was recorded, MacGyver’s houseboat was still up for sale (with a mere $36K asking price) but is unfortunately off the market as of January 12th, 2015.

Schwarzenegger as John Matrix with some kind words about today’s guest.

And here’s more footage from that awesome episode ending stunt.

Acoustic Resonance (Physics)

Resonance occurs when a string, tube, or glass is vibrated at a specific frequency.  The result of which is sound.  Rubbing your fingers across the surface of a wine glass, for example, sticks and slips so quickly as you move your finger around the rim, that the once at the right frequency, the vibration of the glass produces sound that can be manipulated by add fluids to the glass which absorb the energy of the vibration.

Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_resonance.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 21st, 1985 —

This week, MacGyver makes his Central American debut! Who ya gonna call? Pest Control!

OPENING GAMBIT: MacGyver must smuggle a map of military targets out of a heavily guarded desert town. Along the way, the map proves itself unexpectedly useful.

MISSION: Reporter Kate Connelly is willing to risk her life for evidence of an impending military coup. MacGyver is hired by her publisher to escort her from harm’s way, but she persuades him to dig them both into even deeper trouble.

This week’s highlights include:

A look at another, similar Gauntlet…

Casey Kasem was an odd choice to narrate this,

By the way, the plot of the film centers around Clint Eastwood delivering Sandra Locke from Las Vegas to Phoenix (not Santa Fe). Probably should’ve remembered that seeing as how its in the name of our podcast, but whatever.

Iguana meat has historically been important in the culinary traditions of Mexico and Central America; particularly in the states of Jalisco, Michoacán and Colima. Iguana meat is currently illegal in the United States of America and several other countries.

To prepare your own Breast of Lizard a la MacGyver. Roast an iguana over an open flame until the skin is blackened and then peel back the charred layer of skin. Serves two.

Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguana_meat.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 13th, 1985 —

This week, a visit from the titular Thief of Budapest [SPECIAL GUEST: Kora Cypress!]

OPENING GAMBIT: MacGyver puts his horse-thieving prowess to the test in an effort to prevent a tribal dispute from escalating into a full-blown war.

MISSION: When Jana, a young gypsy girl, unknowingly picks the pocket of MacGyver’s intelligence contact in Budapest, she becomes the target of allied Hungarian and Russian spies. It’s up to MacGyver to see Jana and her family to safety while recovering the stolen information in an epic chase that brings new meaning to the phrase “stock car racing.”

Here are the highlights of our third episode:

Kora Cypress has done Phoenix Foundation the enormous favor of appearing as our first official guest! Listen in as Kora shares a bit about her experiences as a child actor and a few stories from the set of this episode! Also be sure and check out her band Spoken Road on Facebook or ReverbNation now!

I don’t see her checking her hands, do you? Reappraisal, 10/10.

The LIngotto Building in Via Nizza, Italy, was once home to the Fiat factory where the testing racetrack for the cars was located on the roof. The factory was closed in 1982 and reallocated as a public space filled with shopping centers, event halls, and theaters.

Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingotto.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 6th, 1985 —

100,000 kyats if you come to Burma, put on show, stop the infamous Narai!

OPENING GAMBIT: MacGyver is tasked with intercepting a briefcase containing Top Secret missile launch codes, but soon finds himself in a tight spot.

MISSION: MacGyver is ordered to Burma to retrieve a canister of toxic material from a crash site, only to discover it has already been collected by the henchmen of a local drug lord. To get it back, he’ll need to involve himself in the struggle of a nearby village of opium harvesting slaves.

Back again with another installment of MacGyver review. Highlights include:

Knight Redoer: Michael Knight (S2E5: “Blind Spot”) and MacGyver (S1E2: “The Golden Triangle”) experience an identical near-crushing defeat.

Hey, Chan. If you take couple steps to your right, there should be some clear breathing space.

Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: September 29th, 1985 —

MacGyver saves the world just in time to shoot hoops with Reggie [SPECIAL GUEST: Shavar Ross!]

OPENING GAMBIT: When a plane carrying dangerous cargo is downed behind enemy lines, MacGyver is dispatched to incapacitate the payload, only to discover the pilot has survived and needs rescuing himself.

MISSION: A series of suspicious explosions at the KIVA laboratory has left a team of scientists, including two Nobel prize nominees, trapped underground with an acid leak that threatens to poison the local aquifer. MacGyver’s mission is to free the trapped scientists and stop the leak before the military is forced to take drastic measures.

Join us as we tackle the show’s premiere (and pilot) episode. Highlights include:

This week, we chat with Shavar Ross, Reggie from the Pilot episode. He tells us all about his work helping to pitch the series with Richard Dean Anderson and Henry Winkler. Mr. Ross can also be seen as Reggie (I have decided, the SAME Reggie) in Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, also from 1985. His acting career spans decades including major roles on the 1982 Little Rascals reboot, Diff’rent Strokes, Magnum P.I. and Family Matters!

MacGyver’s original residence: the Griffith Observatory!

The famous LA structure, typically home to knife-fighting rebels sans cause and a nasty autobot infestation, was MacGyver’s actual home in this first episode.

The Apache-lookin’ helicopter that drops Mac off at the KIVA was borrowed from the production of Blue Thunder, starring Roy Scheider, Daniel Stern, and Malcolm McDowell and directed by John Badham (Short Circuit, WarGames). Check out this awesome trailer!

Paul Stewart, who portrayed Dr. Carl Steubens in this episode, also played the part of Citizen Kane’s butler Raymond once upon a time.

The KIVA bears a striking resemblance to the Wildfire laboratory from The Andromeda Strain (1971).

Comparing Secret Underground Government Laboratories

…and for those curious, B.A.S.E. jumping stands for Building, Antenna, Span, and Earth.

NaOH

Sodium Hydroxide, commonly known as lye, is an inorganic chemical compound that has a variety of uses from the manufacturing of paper and soap, to cleaning and other industrial uses.  The episode correctly points out that sodium hydroxide can be used to safely neutralize a number of acids in addition to stripping the meat off of skeletons.

Check out the article on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hydroxide

Also, the scene in Fight Club where Brad Pitt pours it on Edward Norton’s hand.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 23rd, 2015 —

Welcome to Phoenix Foundation! Today we’ll be introducing ourselves and our plans for this podcast

Phoenix Foundation Podcast Theme (Music)

Our theme song is a remix of Randy Edelman’s MacGyver theme, put together in MIDI form by friend of the show Martin Broder.