Nick welcomes The Movie Mom, Nell Minow, to the podcast to discuss life, politics, and some great documentaries. Nell also shares her thoughts on movies like *Megalopolis*, *Conclave*, *Venom*, and more.

Then, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to chat about the upcoming election, getting to know the many judges you’ll see on the ballot, and sharing some other voting stories. Nick also gives Esma a quiz about Italy, during which they discover that Vatican City is crime-ridden and no one has ever been born there—because they don’t have a delivery room. They also discuss the Big-Ass truffle grown in Italy and how much it was worth… shocking! [Ep293]

Nick and fellow film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy discuss the 60th annual Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) and review some of the films they saw at the fest. They also share their thoughts on new releases, including Conclave, the award-winning Anora, the latest Marvel sequel Venom: The Last Dance, and the animated film Memoir of a Snail.

Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to talk about weddings, Halloween, and scary movies like In a Violent Nature and Hollow Man, which traumatized Esma thanks to the multiple appearances of Kevin Bacon’s see-through wiener. They also take a quick culinary trip around Italy and taste a couple of cool snacks. [Ep292]

Nick welcomes TV critic Dan Fienberg to the podcast to chat about the recent season finale of *Big Brother* and much more. Dan also reviews *George and Mandy’s First Marriage* on CBS, Reba McEntire’s new sitcom *Happy’s Place*, HBO’s new anthology series *It’s Florida, Man*, and *Hysteria!* on Peacock.

Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to discuss good and bad weddings (mostly bad), the bizarre and terrifying phenomenon of *Those Funny Little People* who used to perform at weddings, and the time Esma met John Tesh—whom Nick mistakenly thought was dead. They also wrap up their Korean snack box with some gum and tasty chocolate wafers. [Ep291]

Nick welcomes food writer and horror fan Marnie Shure to the podcast to discuss the upcoming “Mortified” event at The Music Box Theatre, the *Halloween* movie franchise, and some food stories, including California’s new regulations on food labels, the oddity of McDonald’s Chicken Big Mac, the trend of “Fridgescaping,” and the latest M&M flavor rankings.

Later, Esmeralda Leon teaches Nick about the fabulous Spanish term “tocaya,” and they chat about Gene Hackman being grumpy, vampires avoiding humidity, and why people should just leave Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder alone. They also taste test some incredibly tasty buttery pretzels from Korea. [Ep290]

Nick welcomes music journalist Jim Ryan to the podcast to talk about some of the concerts he’s seen recently, including GWAR, Public Enemy, and Slayer at Riotfest; ELO at the United Center; Crowded House at Ravinia; and Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band in New Lenox. Jim also shares his interview with the co-founder of Riotfest, discussing the festival’s move from Douglass Park to Bridgeview and then back again. They also chat about the pros and cons of The Salt Shed concert venue.

Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to discuss the movie *Blink Twice*, pop culture moments that haven’t aged well, and a strange Stanley Kubrick documentary that Esma watched on Tubi. They also continue their culinary adventure by taste-testing another snack from Korea. [Ep289]

Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy to the podcast to discuss the box office failure of the new *Joker* movie and review several new films, including *Piece By Piece*, the dreadful horror sequel *Terrifier 3*, and *The Apprentice*, a film starring Sebastian Stan as a young Donald Trump in New York.

Then, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to chat about the beauty of never making weekend plans and reflect on pop culture that has aged very poorly, such as Long Duk Dong from *Sixteen Candles*, *The Cosby Show*, ridiculously oversized jeans, and the movie *American Beauty*. They also continue their culinary journey by taste-testing a snack from Korea. [Ep287]

Nick talks with TV critic Dan Fienberg from *The Hollywood Reporter* about the latest episodes of *Big Brother*, the career of John Amos, and Dan’s reviews of several new shows, including *The Franchise* on HBO, FX’s *Grotesquerie* with Niecy Nash, *Nobody Wants This* with Kristen Bell, and a new Beatles documentary. They also discuss the start of the historic 50th season of *Saturday Night Live*.

Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to usher in Spooky Season with the return of Count Fartula, the Silver Shamrock Halloween theme, and other Halloween favorites. They chat about celebrities who hate their own work and celebrate the fact that Gary Busey is now on Instagram and does Cameo videos! Plus, they taste test a ramen noodle product that requires a lot of action! [Ep287]

Nick welcomes Monica Eng from Axios.com to discuss some of the stories she’s currently covering, including Next Restaurant’s recreation of Charlie Trotter’s classic menu, the buzz around the $10 strawberry from Whole Foods, Chicago’s most annoying intersections, potential natural disasters that could strike the area, and the need for ShotSpotter technology in the city.

Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to chat about submarine movies featuring scenes where Gene Hackman gets punched. They also finish their quiz about Korea, fulfill a Magic Megaphone request, and taste test a unique snack. Plus, they dive into some details about a classic haunted house in Chicago. [Ep286]

In this “For The People” episode, Nick welcomes The Consumerman, Herb Weisbaum from Checkbook.org, to discuss a variety of consumer issues and stories, including why Americans pay more for prescription drugs than anywhere else, CarShield’s $10 million settlement over advertising charges, and some big news for planning your vacations.

Then, Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive joins Nick to talk about the curious case of Chinese Chevys in Mexico, the best time to buy a used EV, and why the Hyundai Hybrid is currently a great value car. They also take a nostalgic look back at the hilarious ad for the 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon. Plus, they round off the episode with another edition of StarSpotter and Mystery Show. [Ep285]

Nick welcomes movie critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy to the podcast to review the new movies The Wild Robot and A Different Man, and dive into a lengthy discussion about Francis Ford Coppola’s completely insane epic, Megalopolis. Steve also shares stories from his recent trip to Austin, where he attended Fantastic Fest, a film festival filled with sci-fi, horror, fantasy, and other strange and wonderful movies.

Then, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to be quizzed about Korea, the latest region from which they received snacks through Universal Yums. They also chat about the end of summer, the beginning of fall, hayrides, pumpkin patches, and even the arrival of early Christmas decorations. [Ep284]