Annabelle Soto joins the show to explore some of the most dramatic actor recastings in film history. From Eric Stoltz being replaced midway through Back to the Future to the last-minute decision to reshoot Kevin Spacey’s scenes in All the Money in the World, we break down what goes wrong, what it costs, and how these changes reshape movies behind the scenes. It’s a fascinating look at the risks, controversies, and creative pivots that happen when Hollywood has no choice but to start over.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro 

1:22 - What Got Annabelle Into Film

2:39 - La La Land, Lucie Arnaz Stories

4:40 - Forest Gump 2

6:30 - Eric Stoltz, Back to the Future 

7:18 - Burning DVDs

8:04 - Story Behind BTF

12:32 - Thomas F. Wilson

13:56 - Recasting Stoltz

14:49 - The Michael J. Fox Show

15:49 - The Crazy Ones, Appointment Television 

17:40 - MJF on Filming Back to the Future 

18:36 - Jennifer Recast

19:48 - Crispin Glover Prosthetic

20:29 - Bruce Lee in Game of Death

21:12 - Chris Farley in Shrek 

22:50 - Mike Myers, Janeane Garofalo Recast

25:02 - Kevin Spacey in All the Money in the World, House of Cards, YouTube videos

28:34 - Samantha Morton in Her

29:46 - Collin Firth in Paddington

31:49 - Nicole Kidman in Paddington

34:01 - Favorite Casting Choices, Oscar Wins, McConaughey 

37:12 - Robin Williams and Jack Nicholson

38:06 - Florence Pugh’s Performance in Little Women

39:14 - Michael B. Jordan

40:00 - Friday Night Lights, DCOMs, Disney Vault

42:00 - Robin Williams in Aladdin

43:23 - Opinions on Live-Action Disney Adaptations 

44:19 - Jesus Painting Restoration 

46:35 - Outro

Gabriela Machuca joins me for a deep dive into our shared love of acting and the world of award shows. We trace the origins of the Oscars and how they’ve evolved over the decades. Along the way, we explore the craft of performance, the moments that first made us fall in love with movies, and the unforgettable wins, upsets, speeches, and surprises that have defined award shows across eras.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro, Our History with Acting

10:11 - Meeting the Mother of Leon Thomas III, Acting Roles

14:56 - Hannah Montana, Curb Your Enthusiasm 

16:08 - The Oscars, Origins

18:12 - Oscar Namesake

19:07 - Snow White Oscar

19:28 - Defunct Awards and Other Oscar Fun Facts

20:36 - Parasite 

24:16 - Bad Oscar Speeches, Joe Pesci

26:03 - Everything Everywhere All At Once, Jamie Lee Curtis

27:21 - Oscar Snubs, Angela Bassett, Denzel Washington

28:42 - The Honeymooners 

29:31 - Marlon Brando, The Godfather, George C. Scott

31:11 - 2025 Oscars, Anora

33:38 - The Substance 

34:40 - Timothee Chalamet, Adam Sandler

35:55 - Movie Idea

37:35 - Why I Took a Break from the Oscars 

39:09 - Gabriela’s Thoughts on Anora

41:47 - Comparing Anora to the Substance 

44:51 - Nikki Glaser, Ricky Gervais, SAG Awards

46:19 - Singing in the Rain

46:58 - Halloweentown, Recasting Controversy 

48:02 - Beauty and the Beast, Quibi

49:47 - Shrek, Shrek 5 Teaser, Decline of Donkey’s Character 

52:46 - 2001 Best Animated Feature, Disney 

55:05 - Buried

56:08 - Outro

We're switching things up this episode. Carissa Harris joins the show to test her movie knowledge. I give short, cryptic descriptions of popular films, and she has to figure out the title.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

2:30 - Start the Game Show

2:41 - Question 1 (Shrek)

3:50 - Question 2 (Finding Nemo)

4:14 - Question 3 (Hercules), Hercules Tangent, Percy Jackson

7:27 - Question 4 (Harry Potter)

8:19 - Question 5 (Spirited Away), Spirited Away Tangent

10:38 - Question 6 (Princess and the Frog), Turning Red, Wendy Wu

12:50 - Lost, Why Netflix Fell Off

14:09 - Question 7 (Lord of the Rings), Explaining LOTR, GOT

17:32 - Question 8 (Everything Everywhere All At Once), Eat Pray Love, Pretty Woman

21:59 - Question 9 (Star Wars), Star Wars, Catina Music

26:33 - Question 10 (Jurassic Park)

27:27 - Question 11 (Twilight)

27:59 - Question 12 (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl)

29:01 - Question 13 (The Matrix), Red Pill

30:08 - Question 14 (2001: A Space Odyssey), Monkeys in Space, My Gym Partner’s a Monkey

32:18 - Interlude

33:04 - Pinky Dinky Doo, Charlie and Lola, Rolie Polie Olie

34:54 - Question 15 (The Shining), Johnny Carson

40:55 - Outro

From rough sketches to blockbuster moments, Peytin Cronin joins the show to explore how animated movies evolve as they head to the screen. We talk scrapped storylines, surprising changes, and the creative chaos that makes animation so magical.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro 

1:36 - Toy Story 

2:32 - Steve Jobs Tangent

3:30 - Pixar’s Origins

5:16 - Black Friday, Jeffrey Katzenberg

7:55 - My Strange Addiction Tangent 

8:51 - Sid Theory

10:18 - Shrek’s Origins, Chris Farley

14:35 - Pocahontas, The Lion King

16:36 - Kingdom of the Sun, Eartha Kitt, Batman ’60s

19:16 - Live Action Superhero Shows, Gal Gadot and Wonder Woman, She’s All That

21:12 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit

23:30 - Who Censored Roger Rabbit 

25:51 - Alternate Casting 

27:33 - Disney Adaptations, Remakes

31:00 - Anora, Spider-Verse, Shameik Moore

34:03 - Frozen Horror Movie Tangent

36:03 - Development of Disney’s Frozen

42:19 - The Incredibles

44:10 - First Animated Feature Film, Warner Bros, and their disrespect of animation, Gremlins

47:46 - The Sweatbox

50:48 - Moana 2, Hamilton 

55:55 - Atlantis 2, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan 2

56:59 - Shark Tale

58:04 - Outro, Peyton’s Podcast, Piracy

Remember when YouTube was just cat videos and viral memes? We do. This week, I’m joined by Kim Escobar to look back at YouTube’s wild rise, from its scrappy beginnings to the internet giant it is today. We share our first YouTube memories, talk about how it shaped our generation, and wonder what the platform’s future might hold.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

0:55 - The Wayback Machine, Dial-Up

2:32 - YouTube’s Origin as a Dating Site, 2004 Super Bowl Incident 

5:53 - Shift to Focus on a Video Sharing Platform, The Impact it Had on the Internet 

9:06 - First YouTube Video 

10:39 - Google Buys YouTube, iPhone app

13:38 - Vintage Channels, Smosh, Pewdiepie

14:53 - Shoes, Chocolate Rain

15:38 - LonelyGirl15

17:20 - Geriatric1927

18:58 - Viral Videos, Charlie Bit My Finger, Evolution of Dance

20:00 - Fred, Annoying Orange

21:35 - Michelle Phan

22:54 - How YouTube Content Has Changed 

23:47 - Ryan Higa

24:14 - How Our YouTube Tastes Have Changed 

27:10 - Nic Cage Superman Tangent, Matt Damon

29:21 - Actors Trying to Become YouTubers

30:46 - TikTok Hospital Show, Awesomeness TV

33:14 - Shane Dawson, The Chair

37:51 - Vlogging, 8 Passengers, Smosh

40:08 - Adpocalypse

42:18 - Social Experiment/Pranks, YouTuber Breakups 

44:56 - YouTube Prank Gone Wrong, Hawk Tuah

47:11 - Opinions on the Future of YouTube 

48:46 - Outro

Noah Secades returns to the show to talk all things Disney in the 21st century, from the game-changing acquisitions of Marvel and Lucasfilm to the “Neo Renaissance” of the 2010s. We dive into the creative highs and lows, and why the live-action remakes have everyone talking.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro, Recap of Episode 8

4:41 - Superstar Limo

6:15 - Decline of the Parks

7:42 - Eisner Steps Down, Iger Takes Over 

8:46 - Katzenberg, A-list Voice Actors, Shrek

10:45 - Best Animated Feature at the Oscars

11:44 - DisneyToon Studios, Pixar

14:55 - Dumbo 2, Dopey Prequel, Stupid Origins

17:53 - Lasseter Made Head of Disney Animation, End of DisneyToon Studios 

20:11 - Disney Acquires Pixar, Pixar Renaissance 

22:52 - Live Action Films, Saving Mr. Banks

24:06 - The Lone Ranger, John Carter

25:16 - Prince of Persia, Tron Legacy 

26:26 - McFarland USA, Kevin Costner is the Ultimate White Savior 

27:39 - Tomorrowland

28:30 - Oz the Great and Powerful

29:57 - Brad Bird, Star Wars, JJ Abrams, Disney Star Wars 

33:18 - The Failure of Finn’s Storyline 

36:34 - The Success and Revitalization of Marvel, Rise of Cinematic Universes

38:33 - Star Wars vs Marvel, Duel of the Fates

40:18 - George Lucas

41:55 - Expanded Universe 

43:25 - Live Action Disney Remakes, 101 Dalmatians

44:33 - Maleficent, Cruella 

45:24 - Cinderella

47:19 - Snow White, Little Mermaid 

51:05 - Bob Chapek, Iger Returns

55:55 - Hardships in the 2020s

56:33 - Outro

From monkeys to myths, Owen stops by to talk evolution, cavemen, and everything in between. We question what we think we know about early humans and how natural selection shaped us — with plenty of laughs and random tangents along the way.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

3:08 - Evolution, Natural Selection 

6:35 - Gregor Mendel, Darwin

7:53 - Supreme Court Case

9:33 - Lucy

11:45 - Neanderthals

15:28 - Hoaxes, Bigfoot

18:43 - Lochness Monster, Victor Wembenyama, Conspiracy Theories

20:00 - Bigfoot at Blockbuster 

21:00 - Break

21:28 - 2001: A Space Odyssey

23:43 - Star Wars, Dawn of Man

26:07 - The Flintstones

28:53 - Caveman Representation in the Media

29:59 - Neanderthals and Cavemen becoming extinct, Homo-Sapiens

33:25 - Regular Show, The Cloud, Cultural Superiority 

36:00 - Black Mirror: San Junipero, Living Forever 

36:56 - Native Americans, Importance of Education 

40:00 - Break

41:00 - AP History and other great classes from high school, learning about early hominids 

47:57 - Favorite Moments in History, Politics,  Getting Drafted 

55:12 - Outro

In this episode, Chad Phillips and I unpack our personal journeys with music and the artists who shaped us. We discuss everything from COVID’s impact on concerts and Kanye vs. Drake, to The Beatles’ influence, Michael Jackson’s legacy, and the “Paul is Dead” theory. Along the way, we explore how music fandoms, pop culture rivalries, and even Disney Channel shaped an entire generation’s soundtrack.

Timestamps

0:00 - Outro

1:35 - Our Music Backgrounds, MCR, Gerard Way

4:44 - Covid Cancelling Concerts, Kanye and Drake

6:41 - Kevin Hart, Learning Music Tastes from Older Generations 

8:34 - Monoculture, Beatles, Michael Jackson 

11:54 - Last Big Music Phenomenon, Gwen Stefani

13:07 - The Beatles Get Back, Yoko Ono

16:50 - Favorite Female Artists, Fleetwood Mac

18:07 - Brit Pop Battle, Oasis vs Blur

20:11 - Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody Movie, Biopics

23:43 - Steve Jobs Biopic, Beatles Continued

27:04 - Paul is Dead Theory

30:47 - MJ vs Taylor Swift

32:35 - Disney Channel to Pop Star Transition, Hannah Montana Backdoor Pilot, Nickelodeon’s Failed Efforts 

36:23 - Nick vs Disney, Cartoon Network, The Simpsons

38:32 - Class of 3000

41:22 - Outro

Tanisha Naik stops by to rewind the clock to the Y2K era — the time of low-rise jeans, flip phones, and dial-up tones. We talk early 2000s style, culture, and the tech that changed everything (and that we totally take for granted now).

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

2:55 - Y2K Defined, Advances in Technology 

6:46 - Millennium Style 

7:58 - Zenon Movies

8:43 - Style Throwback Trends

10:19 - Y2K Music Videos

11:16 - Michael Jackson, Posthumous Album, Plastic Surgery 

13:56 - Celebrity Culture, Rise of Influencers

17:43 - Tech Breakthroughs, Apple Comeback

26:30 - Looking Back on What Used to Interest Us

27:22 - Rise of Blogging, Elon Musk

31:15 - Grimes, AI, Forgetting Passwords 

34:38 - Emo Music

36:32 - Appointment TV, Loss of Universal Interests

38:47 - Blockbuster Failed Streaming Service, Netflix, Redbox

41:00 - Marvel Movies 

42:53 - 2000s movies, evolution of TV sets

44:29 - Rise of Social Media, YouTube, The Social Network 

49:09 - Inconsistencies with Biopics 

50:40 - Rom-Coms

56:45 - Outro

Julio rejoins the show to discuss The Boondocks and a rabbit hole of other adult animations.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

2:23 - The Boondocks, Origins

4:30 - Cartoon Art Styles

6:40 - Key and Peele

8:25 - Commentary on Culture

9:35 - Celebrity Worship, MJ Super Bowl Performance 

11:45 - Premise

15:56 - Failed Reboot

17:41 - Memorable Episodes 

23:17 - Getting Away with More on Adult Swim

25:29 - Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Boston Bomb Scare

28:45 - Mission Hill, South Park Boom

29:44 - Clerks

31:22 - Space Ghost, Recycled Animation Shows

32:53 - Break

33:20 - Adult Swim Memories 

36:51 - Adult Swim Origins

37:52 - Family Guy, Futurama

40:35 - How the Perception of Animation Changed 

44:05 - Why Jimmy Neutron Ended

46:20 - Regular Show 

47:11 - Break

48:25 - SpongeBob

51:26 - State of Cartoon Network, Toys vs Tablets 

55:28 - Outro