The Pedestal Podcast

In this episode, we achieve total consciousness with the 1980 Harold Ramis sports comedy CADDYSHACK.

We’re joined by special guest Jay Onrait (SC with Jay and Dan) and after Jay discloses the video store racket he ran back in Boyle, Alberta, we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with Chevy Chase’s run as America’s top leading man. We get into why the movie’s loose structure works in its favour, we go deep into the combined brilliance of Rodney Dangerfield and Ted Knight, and Jay wonders if this it the movie that finally made golf cool. We then move onto the case for knocking it off the pedestal with Mike taking issue with Bill Murray’s affected performance. We all rag on what’s wrong with Danny’s story, Pops wonders why a movie called “Caddyshack” has so little to do with caddies, and Shane takes perhaps his most controversial stance in the podcast’s history: why the movie’s famous fart sound was no good.

In this episode, we don’t want to be in love, we want to be in love in a movie with the 1993 Nora Ephron romantic comedy SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE.

We’re joined by special guest Ana Golja (The Cuban, Degrassi: The Next Class) and after Pops explains why “The Cable Guy” is what first drew him to this movie, we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with how, despite the title, the movie is truly a cross-country epic. We get into how much we love Hanks, how the side characters all pulled their weight too, and how the movie had some genuinely laugh out loud jokes. We then move onto the case for knocking it off the pedestal with a massive Meg Ryan debate. We talk about the movie’s very saggy middle, we wonder whether the movie’s mood doesn’t match its plot, and Shane and Pops try to punch up the climactic Empire State scene.

In this episode, we gotta do the Truffle Shuffle with the 1985 Richard Donner adventure comedy THE GOONIES.

After Shane discloses his childhood dream of actually being a Goonie himself, we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with debating what made Corey Feldman such a charismatic star. We talk about the beautiful setting of the town itself, why Chunk is the movie’s true breakout character and Pops ponders the differences between Richard Donner and Steven Spielberg’s directing styles. We move onto the case for knocking it off the pedestal with the movie’s bizarre ending. We debate whether or not nostalgia is the only reason The Goonies remains well regarded, Pops complains about the movie’s annoying "kid" energy, and we go deep into Sean Astin's infamous kiss.

In this episode, some of our best friends don’t know our names with the 1998 Farrelly Brothers comedy THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY.

We’re joined by special guest Miguel Rivas (The Beaverton, Baroness Von Sketch Show) and after getting our mind’s blown by learning how much money this movie made at the box office, we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with the underrated comedic brilliance of Keith David as Mary’s stepdad. We discuss how effectively the film moves through so many different styles of comedy, Shane defends Diaz as his choice for the movie’s MVP, and we all give it up for the epic “Puffy” dog fight. We then move onto the case for knocking it off the pedestal with all its troubling gay panic humour. We ponder whether or not the Farrellys Trojan-horsed in offensive jokes, Miguel stands up for both Brett Favre AND Sarah Silverman, and finally we do a deep dive on the infamous hair gel scene.

In this episode, it’s an excellent day for an exorcism, with the 1973 supernatural horror film THE EXORCIST.

After Pops reveals the movie that scared him the most as a kid (Spoiler: Gremlins), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with the movie’s most audacious and outrageous lines. We laud the patience and process it has with its story, talk about how its incredible special effects still hold up, and Shane and Pops argue over what is truly the best scene.  We move onto the case for knocking it off the pedestal with the bizarre and abhorrent British director character. We wonder how long it would actually take to be convinced that someone was possessed, Shane admonishes the priests for not tag-teaming the demon, as we all take issue with “Captain Howdy”.

In this episode, we’re no messiah, we’re a movie of the week, with the 1995 David Fincher crime thriller SE7EN.

We’re joined by special guest, Golden Globes Water Girl Kelleth Cuthbert (Bold and the Beautiful, Inside Edition) and after Kelleth compares notes with Pops on what life is like as a tall person, we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with Morgan Freeman’s masterful performance. We argue over when Brad Pitt was at his hottest, Kelleth does her best impression of the famous “What’s in the Box” scene, and Pops dives into the movie’s deep hatred of city life. We move onto the case for knocking it off the pedestal with the Great Spacey Debate. We question whether or not the opening title sequence is stuck in the 90s, Shane describes why a barber would make the perfect criminal and Mike asks the question that fans of Se7en have pondered for years: who do you prefer on Frasier, Roz or Daphne?

In this episode, you killed our father so prepare to die with the 1987 Rob Reiner fantasy adventure classic THE PRINCESS BRIDE.

We’re joined by special guest Jordan Claire Robbins (The Umbrella Academy, Supernatural) and begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with how much we loved Fred Savage and his grandfather. Pops gushes over Andre the Giant (and reveals his secret passion for professional wrestling) and Shane does a reading of Inigo Montoya’s climatic scene that brings the house down. We move onto the case for knocking it off the pedestal with the one scene that is so disastrous it was like it came from another movie. We go deep into “The Buttercup Problem” and Jordan takes major issue with Wesley’s mask.

In our 25th episode, we mess with the bull and get the horns with the 1985 John Hughes teen comedy/drama THE BREAKFAST CLUB.

We’re joined by special guest Cynthia Loyst (The Social, Author of “Find Your Pleasure: The Art of Living a More Joyful Life”) and begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with how realistically it portrayed its teenage characters. We debate which of them each of us relate to the most, Cynthia goes into how much of the comedy still holds up, and Pops talks about why some of themes hit home so personally. We move onto the case for knocking it off the pedestal with the ridiculous choreographed dance scenes, we discuss why Bender’s behaviour would never be tolerated in a movie today, and we go deep on how much we all were disappointed by Allison’s makeover.

In this episode, we really tie the room together with the 1998 Coen Brothers crime comedy THE BIG LEBOWSKI.

We’re joined by Arkells frontman and fellow "Mike on Much" host Max Kerman, and begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with how much Max likes all the swearing in the movie. We get into all the classic quotable lines, the legendary characters (especially Jesus), and Max gives a big thumbs to all the Jewish humour throughout. We move onto the case for knocking it off the pedestal with how episodic the whole thing sometimes feels, how annoying we all found Julianne Moore, and Shane and Pops argue over whether or not the Coens can pull off absurdist comedy.

In this episode, you had us at hello with the 1996 Cameron Crowe romantic dramatic comedy JERRY MAGUIRE.

We are joined once again by Matt Unsworth (Heist Podcast) and after touching on Crowe’s hot streak up to that point (3:11) and his fascination with becoming the next Billy Wilder (14:12), we begin the case for keeping it on the pedestal with how young Jonathan Lipnicki may have stolen the show (19:01). We talk about Cuba Gooding Jr’s Oscar winning performance (25:36), we debate whether or not Cush’s dad was a racist (31:58), and get into why the “had me at hello” scene holds up even better than we all remembered (37:52). We move on to the case for knocking it off the pedestal with whether or not Dorothy was too much of an idealized female character (48:41). Mike does the math on Jerry’s wild flight times (53:39), we break down why this movie is sometimes not as smart as it thinks it is (1:01:34), and Pops mounts a defense against the film’s attack on jazz (1:11:06).