The Nerdologues Present: MBSing

Ready for a dense chat about embarrassment, purpose, and fear of death? Good, because it’s coming for you! Shay went from being an artist and coproducer of Mortified Chicago to adding a more recent passion for being a death doula and funeral celebrant. Throughout those projects, she's asked others how they want to be perceived and remembered by audiences and loved ones, what story they want to be telling. And after leaving her job of 20 years and moving into a van a year and a half ago, she's been working on her answers to those questions, too. Garner some orphan wisdom from a caring presence in our new village structure, friends.

Notes:

Mortified's podcast and live shows are all worth a visit

MBS in Ben Plays the Mayor and the Fishbowl

Dive in to this inception of a podcast: MBS was on Blank Cassette to talk to Eric Garneau about U Talkin' U2 To Me. On a week by week basis, Eric uses Blank Cassette to interview a guest about a mixtape or playlist they've made in the past and what went into its construction. MBS has been recommending the podcast UTU2TM to him for a while, and after Eric took her up on it, he made a U2 playlist in response to the show. They talk about what makes UTU2TM work so well, how MBS came to love U2, PLUS which U2 album MBS felt was really hers.

Notes:

Garn on Bruce Springsteen on MBSing

Tickets to CAH Live at UCB Chelsea

Tickets to Ben Plays the Mayor at iO Chicago

Melzer has been mesmerized by Wes Anderson's style since he saw The Royal Tenanbaums in high school, but it was his ability to relate to Rushmore's Max Fischer that cemented Anderson in his pile of people to intake, praise, and emulate. Wander through Wes's filmography with an aspiring filmmaker and learn about how important storyboarding is for Anderson's films, the ways he has brought back classic filmmaking techniques, and the distinctive dialog and powerful aesthetic choices that craft his unique and endearing style. Get on board with Team Zissou, don your Khaki Scout uniform, grab your lobby boy hat, and get into this convo.

Notes:

Watch The Street Wizard's Apprentice, especially to catch all of the borrowed Wes techniques.

Thanks to Cards Against Humanity for sponsoring and the Chicago Podcast Coop for their continued support.

Ever since Ben learned to ace Jungle King and Fireball in his family's basement as a kid, he's been a pinball fiend, seeking out machines on boardwalks and at bars so enthusiastically that he eventually founded Pinball Chicago, a league of competitive gamers and compendium of spots in the city that offer pinball. He starts by unpacking the older electromechanical machines versus the much more numerous and modern solid-state machines that brought the replacement of the characteristic bells and chimes and rounds out the conversation by listing the plethora options of barcades that have popped up around the city and some of his favorite tournament experiences. 

 

Notes:

This was recorded outside of Clark St. Dog in Chicago, IL. Apologies in advance for the street sounds, unless you really like street sounds. Then you're welcome in advance for the street sounds.

See Ben's show The Funny Papers this Thursday and next at 8 PM at the Prop Theatre.

See Ben's show (of which MBS is a fellow cast member) Ben Plays the Mayor on Wednesdays in October at 8:30 PM at iO Chicago.

Thanks to Cards Against Humanity for sponsoring and the Chicago Podcast Cooperative for continued support.

Ever since he saw Jackie Chan's First Strike at the age of 7, Eli has been a huge fan of Chan. Seeking out every film of his, starting from his vast catalog in China and his American-made films as he became more of a domestic success, Eli is in awe of Chan's martial arts abilities as a performer, stunt choreographer, and director. All of Eli's favorite fights and films are covered as well as some fun facts about the Chinese opera school friends Chan has made the most movies with and his penchants for singing the theme songs to his movies and making blooper reels of outtakes and stunt failures. Celebrate someone Eli refers to as one of the greatest entertainers of all time with this conversation paired with a viewing of your biggest Jackie blind spot.

Notes:

Check out Eli's work on fellow Chicago Podcast Cooperative show Improvised Star Trek.

Thanks to Cards Against Humanity for sponsoring this episode.

Maria Randazzo starts her week by perusing a couple of horoscope sources, so this conversation starts with signs (sun and rising) and continues through how these messages permeate her day-to-day life and thoughts on spirituality and the world beyond the physical Earth. Just like being a cafeteria Catholic, Maria has learned to pick and choose the things she takes to heart from astrology, mostly via the influence of a very spiritual mentor. She's also looking for someone to sponsor her interest in getting more frequest psychic readings, so inquire within.

Notes:

Maria's favorite horoscope spots, The Numinous and Chani Nicholas.

Thanks to the Chicago Podcast Cooperative and Cards Against Humanity for sponsorship.

Clint Worthington developed a love for film as an Illinois farm boy who was admittedly more of an inside, MST3K boy than anything else. Since those days of pirated satellite, he's spent years watching film with a critical eye producing reviews for his own podcasting network at Alcohollywood.com and for Consequence of Sound as well as becoming a member of the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle. He cites Ebert and Roeper as big influences of course, but there's also a lot of love for some smaller reviewers and YouTube channels (and a lack of love for some bigger sources like Rotten Tomatoes and CinemaSins). Clint talks movies as empathy machines, reviewing film through the lens of an audience and not just as one critic, and being a Michael Bay apologist.

Notes:

Thanks to Cards Against Humanity for sponsoring and the Chicago Podcast Cooperative for bringing Clint and MBS together as coop-mates.

Jamison Webb started watching Marx Brothers movies as an ill-sleeping 7-year-old. Since then he's written sketches in their style (The Inappropriate ReMarx Brothers) and spotted their influence in other acts he loves (Stella) as well as becoming aware that they're like The Beatles of comedy: Their influence flows under everything thanks to some of the first comedy films translating the success of their vaudeville stage acts to the screen. All the brothers are broken down by their style and presence in the act (including Zippo and Gummo), some of their costars are discussed (Margaret Dumont), and some unlikely writers of unproduced Marx Brothers scripts are unearthed.

Notes:

Jamison on Your Stories re his Weezer fandom.

Thanks to Card Against Humanity for sponsoring and the Chicago Podcast Cooperative for continued support.

Ever since a "Hiking and Haikus" elective course took her to Japan for a month in college, Becca Levine has been enamored with the landscapes and culture of the island nation. She returned post college to teach English to high school students in a small town outside Nagano, and has done everything from traverse a mountain in a monsoon to keep her toothpaste in the fridge to prevent it from freezing during their harsh winters. From the importance placed on natural beauty expressed via poetry to the aesthetic notion of "Wabi-sabi" emphasizing the beauty of imperfections, Becca has used her experiences as a teacher, outdoors-woman, and tourist in Japan to color her life in the US a bit brighter and more roundly.

Notes:

See Becca perform with Baby Wine at the Annoyance Theatre

Your Stories At the Movies

Since she spawned the nickname "Miss Ann" as a child thanks to her behavior beyond her years, Angela Oliver has known she was an old soul. Passing time with her grandmothers watching TCM and church gossiping, she never stood a chance and only had her perception as an older woman exacerbated by fancy attire from her mother's dress shop. Now, she uses her love of jazz, Rockabilly fashion, and vaudeville antics to influence her comedy and add diversity among diversity in her performance endeavors. She's also never going to fully understand technology and will always be carrying Tums.

Notes:

Matt Damon Improv at the Annoyance

Your Stories At the Movies

Thanks to Cards Against Humanity for sponsoring and the Chicago Podcast Cooperative for coordinating sponsorships and organization.