Nick welcomes WLS-AM producer and movie obsessive Tom Hush back for another round of Tom Hush’s Theater of Trash. This time the spotlight is on the late-80s surfer crime oddity Red Surf starring George Clooney and Gene Simmons of KISS. Tom breaks down the movie’s strange charm, the ridiculous plot, and why parts of it feel suspiciously close to Point Break. It turns into a very funny appreciation of a very strange movie.

Esmeralda Leon joins Nick later and the conversation shifts to the western comedy Goin’ South starring Jack Nicholson and John Belushi. From there things take a weird turn into celebrity clone theories, starting with the idea that Jim Carrey has somehow been replaced. That leads to a hilarious rundown of other famous “replacement” conspiracy theories that have floated around for years. It’s trash cinema, classic comedy, and some wonderfully ridiculous speculation. [Ep 435]

Herb “The Consumerman” Weisbaum from Checkbook.org joins Nick for a packed For The People installment. They talk about the steady stream of data breach notices that keep landing in inboxes, share a few real-world debt success stories, and get surprisingly detailed about how to do laundry the right way without wasting time or money. Herb is also marking 45 years in consumer reporting, so they look back at how scams have evolved over four decades and why some tricks never really go away.

Car Guy Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive jumps in next to talk about what he’s been driving lately and what’s happening with Tesla and its CyberCabs. They also dig into how the recent Supreme Court of the United States tariff ruling is affecting automakers, along with thoughts on the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Intensa, the Toyota Highlander, and a fun comparison of Best Buys from 1970 and today.

The episode wraps with fresh rounds of StarSpotter and MysteryShow, keeping the mix of useful advice, car talk, and pure trivia fun right where it belongs. [Ep 434]

THRILLED to welcome Suzanne Vega back to the show. He has been a fan since her debut in 1985, and that longtime admiration shapes the conversation as they talk about her career, her new album “Flying With Angels,” and the current world tour. They also spend time on the film version of her one-woman show about Carson McCullers, “Lover, Beloved,” which is now available on PBS and airing this weekend. It’s a relaxed, thoughtful exchange with an artist who has built a career on sharp writing and quiet power.

Later, Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy join Nick to talk about the decision to keep the new Scream installment away from critics, which rarely signals confidence. They also review several new releases, including Pillion, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, In the Blink of an Eye, and Dreams. It’s music, movies, and a little industry skepticism, all packed into one lively episode. [Ep 433]

Nick welcomes Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter back to talk TV, starting with how the Olympics were covered and whether it actually worked. Dan runs through a stack of new shows, including Netflix’s animated comedy “Strip Law,” the return of Scrubs, the Irish mystery comedy How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, and HBO’s not-exactly-a-barrel-of-laughs “Neighbors.” There are a few strong recommendations, a few warnings, and the usual back-and-forth over what deserves your time.

We also take a few minutes to remember James Van Der Beek and talk about his career and the strange way certain TV stars become part of your life whether you expect it or not.

Esmeralda Leon jumps in later and we drift into everything else, including Pro-Wrestling at the Jewel with Jojo, prom nights that should have been canceled, terrifying mall Easter Bunnies, creepy Tooth Fairies, and the complicated ethics of lying to your kids about Santa. It’s one of those episodes where we start with television and end up everywhere else.[Ep 432]

Nick catches up with Monica Eng from Axios to talk through the stories she’s been covering lately. They get into Governor J. B. Pritzker’s push for new nuclear power facilities in Illinois, ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and the annual joy of Paczki Day. Monica also shares thoughts on the new production of “Hamnet” at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, her first experience trying a Dirty Soda, and highlights from a recent trip to Puerto Rico.

Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick for a loose, funny catch-up that turns into a debate about traditions that might be past their expiration date. The handshake gets questioned, and class reunions get a full breakdown, complete with stories and strong opinions. It’s news, food, travel, and a little social commentary, all rolled into one easy conversation. [Ep 431]

Nick welcomes Forbes music journalist Jim Ryan back for another round of concert stories and backstage encounters. They talk about recent shows including the Lemonheads at Thalia Hall and Sons of the Silent Age at Metro, then swap stories about run-ins with Flavor Flav of Public Enemy, Chip Z’Nuff of Enuff Z’Nuff, and Al Jourgensen from Ministry. They also look ahead to upcoming tours and vent about just how expensive concert tickets have become.

Esmeralda Leon joins in to talk about the weirdness of Valentine’s Day, how they spent the weekend, and why the holiday lends itself so easily to horror movies. That leads into a deep dive on ridiculous 80s slasher films, including My Bloody Valentine, and a continuation of their conversation about celebrity pranksters, with Tom Cruise and Ben Affleck added to the mix. It’s music talk, holiday skepticism, and horror nostalgia, all rolled into one. [Ep 430]

Nick is joined again by film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy for a packed round of new movie reviews. They break down the latest take on Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, the chaotic sci-fi satire Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die with Sam Rockwell, and the thriller Crime 101 featuring Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry. They also weigh in on the animated sports comedy Goat, with plenty of agreement, disagreement, and side tangents along the way.

Esmeralda Leon jumps in later for a spirited conversation about Friday the 13th superstitions, which quickly turns into a deep dive on Jason Voorhees and his most memorable kills. There’s a firm stance taken on the fact that he absolutely did not take Manhattan, along with a playful breakdown of how Jason and Freddy Krueger operate very differently and why those differences fuel their long-running feud. It’s movie talk with a side of horror nerdery, exactly as it should be. [Ep 429]

Nick welcomes Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter back for another wide-ranging TV catch-up. They talk about how Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline stole the show on the latest SNL, why the new version of The Muppet Show works so well, and take a moment to remember the recently lost Catherine O’Hara. The conversation also takes a sharp turn into Super Bowl territory, breaking down the game, the commercials, and reactions to the Bad Bunny halftime show.

Esmeralda Leon jumps in for a joyful detour that turns into an unapologetic love letter to Arby’s, from the Half-Pound Beef and Cheddar to the Black Cow and the magic of Horsey Sauce. From there, things spiral into stories about celebrity pranksters, with Quentin Tarantino, Billy Dee Williams, and George Clooney all getting their due. It’s TV talk, fast food passion, and famous troublemakers, mixed together exactly the way this show likes it. [Ep 428]

Nick welcomes back Nell Minow, better known as The Movie Mom, for a wide-ranging conversation that moves easily from Washington politics to movies. They talk through what’s happening in DC, run through several new film releases, look ahead to the upcoming Academy Awards, and take a moment to remember the remarkable career of Catherine O’Hara. It’s the kind of discussion that blends smart analysis with genuine affection for the art form.

The show then shifts gears when Nick’s longtime friend Lisa Zane drops by. She talks about her upcoming photography exhibition opening next week at Eskell, along with her music, her recent appearance at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention, and life in Chicago. Along the way, she shares a few great movie stories, including the small detail that she once killed Freddy Krueger.

It’s a relaxed, fun conversation that mixes movies, art, friendship, and just enough horror trivia to keep things interesting. [Ep 427]

Herb Weisbaum is back just in time for tax season, and he comes loaded with advice that actually matters. We talk through smart tax-time tips, how the AI boom has quietly pushed up the price of computers and phones, and the ways marketers are getting sneakier when it comes to kids. Herb also puts me on the spot with a few questions from the College of Knowledge quiz, which goes about as well as you’d expect.

Car Guy Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive joins in to cover what’s happening on the road right now. We get into Tesla’s ongoing struggles, the best-selling convertibles of 2025, what might be the worst-looking Cadillac ever made, Mazda’s move upmarket, and why car payments feel downright brutal these days.

We wrap things up with fresh rounds of StarSpotter and MysteryShow, keeping the mix of useful info, car talk, and nonsense exactly where it belongs. [Ep 426]