Verbal Shenanigans

As the moon falls on an another Halloween, we have one more spooky guest to give…and it's not Burlew in another vampire outfit. Special effects makeup artist, Todd Tucker, tells his story of going from a hair metal band to being a makeup artist on a Steven Spielberg movie. We chat on him founding his makeup studio Illusion Industries, acting and creating looks on horror show and movies like Charmed, Hook, Dracula, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  We also talk about the full circle moment with his latest movie, Rockbottom, where Todd had to create an original soundtrack with rock legends from Quiet Riot and Dokken.  Have a listen!

We also learn about another interesting body encounter from Mike, and Scott has quite an interesting experience at a CPR class.  Check it out!

It's here folks! The 2025 Halloween Extravaganza has arrived.  And it is everything we love to do here at Verbal Shenanigans.  First, friends of the show, Dom and Harry, join us to compete in a grueling game entitled "Escape from Burlewsferatu".  The guys must navigate through 3 nights of Halloween themed questions to avoid being killed by his Lordship, a gross vampire with an aching back, Burlewsferatu!  Lot of fun.  Listeners be weary!

Next, we step into the shadows of Hollywood with this year's Halloween guest, Mark Steger, the actor, performance artist, and choreographer renowned for bringing some of modern horror and sci-fi's most iconic creatures to terrifying life. Steger pulls back the curtain on his unique career, discussing his process for embodying nonhuman characters like the Demogorgon in Netflix's Stranger Things ,the Pale Lady in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and what it's like working with Tool.  A great Halloween episode.

Our guest today is the man who literally holds the keys to some of the most iconic music in history. Mark Linett is a three-time Grammy-winning producer and audio engineer, he's worked with legends like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane's Addiction, and Randy Newman. But you know him best as the sonic architect for The Beach Boys' incredible catalog—the one who gave us the definitive stereo mix of Pet Sounds and meticulously brought The Smile Sessions to life.  A great guest all around.

We also dive into what scared us when we were young, kinks, and play a game where Mike must decide if he has the same brain as Scott's 5 year old.  Have a listen!

We sit down with a true living legend, Parks Bonifay. From being the youngest person ever to waterski at just six months old to becoming arguably the most influential wakeboarder of all time, Parks has redefined water sports. We dive into his decades-long career—covering X-Games gold, pioneering new tricks, the wildest Red Bull stunts, and his time with the Jackass crew. Hear the untold stories from the water and beyond that cemented Parks' unparalleled legacy. This is a must-listen for any fan of action sports and a rare look inside the mind of an icon.

We also get back on track and talk about the Riyadh Comedy Festival, Burlew finds Scott's hate list, and we bust out some Bear News!  Have a listen!

Between being in Thursday, L.S. Dunes, and touring my My Chemical Romance, I'm not sure how Tucker Rule found the time to chat with us.  Tucker is a killer drummer, great guy, and an awesome story teller.  We dive into everything from the life balance involved with being with 3 awesome bands, the mentality of drumming in everything from boys bands, to Dancing with the Stars,  to heavy music, and to simply navigating life as an artist and father.  Check out Tucker on My Chemical Romance's tour today!

We sucked ass this week.  But, we did talk about cheese, lemon sharks, and Diddy, so there is that.  Have a listen!

Another great show for you this week. We not just whistling Dixie, but our guest may. This week we talk with two time world champion, the whistling diva Carole Anne Kaufman. We get into the work and competition in musical whistling. We chat about the whistling community, the work, the different styles, and the upcoming documentary Whistle. Carole was a joy to talk with and you can check her out at the Masters of Musical Whistling International Festival and Competition October 3rd through the 5th in Hollywood, CA. Go to www.mastersofwhistling.com after you listen to our interview.

We also dive in Mike's love of lollipops, Mike returning to visit his cow friend, and Scott has some stories about some interesting side gigs.  Have a listen!

For the 4th time, we are thrilled to bring back US soccer legend, and now Emmy award winning broadcaster, Marcelo Balboa, back on to the podcast.  We dive into everything from the excitement of the growing MLS, the expectation of the US men's team, the problems with youth soccer, and even a trip down memory lane with some gear talk.  Check it out!  

We also hear listen to some classic Burlew clips, Mike's dog almost dying in his blanket, and play a new game called Futbol vs Football.  Have a listen!

Here is a little bonus content for our fellow football fans from two arm chair quarterbacks.  Every year, we give a prediction on both Giants and Commanders upcoming year, and give our Super Bowl picks for the season. 

Don't turn your back on this podcast, You might wind up in a body bag! Tonight, we talk with ESPN reporter and author Marc Raimondi. Along with his coverage of MMA and the Atlanta Falcons, Marc wrote the book Say Hello To the Bad Guys : How Professional Wrestling's New World Order Changed America. We go in depth into wrestling stories, the effects on everything from fashion to politics, and deep dive into all sports.

We also talk about the Charlie Kirk assassination, Scott checks out the original TMNT movie, and Mike gets another dog??  Have a listen!

I know we're out there, somewhere out there.  But today, we reel it in to interview the frontman of Our Lady Peace, Raine Maida.  Our Lady Peace has been making music for over 30 years and continue to change their sound and experiment musically.  Raine is a very unique, up front, and honest guy, who gave us a great interview about the history of the band, the secrets to the band's longevity, his charitable work, and more.  To conclude their year long 30th anniversary celebration, check out their new version of “Whatever (Redux)”, where proceeds donated to mental health and suicide prevention initiatives.

And then there's a guy who thinks he's Superman...Michael Burlew.  Today, we celebrate Mike's 500th episode with the show and get all sorts of strange, from bathtub pics, to a cacopohany of voices, to some good old Burlew trivia, we had a blast celebrating.  Have a listen!