The Worst of All Possible Worlds

183 - The War Room (1993)

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall

When Bill Clinton won the US presidential election in 1992, two people were key to his success: James Carville and George Stephanopolous. This week, Brian and Josh step into The War Room, D.A. Pennebaker’s 1993 documentary about how these two men and their team of future top Democratic all-stars cajoled and bullshitted America’s electorate into sending Slick Willie to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Media Referenced in This Episode:

• The War Room, dir. D.A. Pennebaker (Pennebaker Associates/October Films, 1993)
• Feed, dir. Kevin Rafferty and James Ridgeway (Video Democracy, 1992)
• Primary, dir. Robert Drew (Time Life, 1960)
• Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back, dir. D.A. Pennebaker (Leacock-Pennebaker, 1968)
• Original Cast Album: Company, dir. D.A. Pennebaker (Castle Drive/Talent Associates-Norton Simon, 1970)
• “Jeffrey Epstein Was a Sex Offender. The Powerful Welcomed Him Anyway.” Jodi Kantor, Mike McIntire, and Vanessa Friedman, The New York Times, July 13, 2019.
• “Foreign Purchases by Bush Camp Alleged.” Paul Valentine, The Washington Post, September 29, 1992.
• “Second” campaign ad by Bill Clinton (1992)
• “Celeb” campaign ad by John McCain (2008)
• Yes We Can Obama Song by will.i.am (2008)
• Sensual Pantsuit Anthem (Official Rapped Music Video) by Lena Dunham (2016)
• “Carville: Trump collapse happened quicker than I imagined” on Smerconish (CNN, 2025)

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

INTERVIEW: Tim Faust on Defending Medicaid

Our ongoing interview series with people working to fight the rising tide of fascism continues today as Josh sits down with Tim Faust, a healthcare activist who has been advocating for the preservation and expansion of federal and state healthcare programs in the United States for years. Tim recently began touring the state of Wisconsin, talking with local groups about what they can do to fight to preserve access to Medicaid benefits in their communities. Josh talked with Tim about how and why the federal government has been slashing access to Medicaid, what effects these cuts may have, and what people can do to fight back.

RESOURCES YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

• Watch Tim's talk (starting at 8:03)

• Medicaid State Fact Sheets from KFF

• STAT Health News

• Send Tim an email: tim.faust@gmail.com

182 - Video Redeemed The Radio Star: Definitive Edition (feat. Rosey Armstrong)

Saddle up your horses as the lads, along with Rosey Armstrong (Hans Gruber and the Die Hards), slap on their Crosses of Gold and dive headlong into the varied and wild world of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). Topics include what makes Christian music Christian music, the rampaging sexiness of Michael W. Smith, and the importance of artistic integrity in an industry seemingly designed to destroy it.

 

Rosey Armstrong: Bluesky // Instagram

 

Hans Gruber and the Die Hards: Website // Bluesky

 

Media Referenced in this Episode:

• THE PLAYLIST
• Newsboys: Ex Lead Singer John James speaks about his fall and restoration.

 

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

 

Interstitial: “Contemporary Catholic Rock Vol. 1” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Featuring A.J. Ditty as “Driveshaft Persimmon/Lead Homilist Gregory “The Greg” Gregorian”

181 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall

Good morning, everyone! The current date is March 20, 2020. Residents, I have some exciting news for you! The Lads have just moved onto our wonderful island! Let’s all give them a big island welcome! In other news, the museum is under construction and you’ll never go outside again. Be sure to visit Blathers tomorrow once construction is complete. Clean your groceries with bleach and head on down to the shore because we have a visitor to the island! It’s always so interesting learning about different people and the shops are closed and the streets are closed and there’s nothing but deathdeathdeath but don’t you worry because tomorrow Flick is due to come and somebody’s gotta catch those bugs. That’s all for now, I hope you have the loveliest of lovely days!

Media Referenced in This Episode:

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons
• Animal Crossing (GCN)
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons: The Official Complete Guide by The Team at FuturePress. Future Press. 2023.
• i WiLl MaKe YoU rEmEmBeR
• Boss Fight Books #33: Animal Crossing by Kelsey Lewin.Boss Fight Books. 2024.
• CDC Museum of COVID-19 Timeline
• "How Villagers 'Read' Your Letters in Animal Crossing" by Hunter R.
• Interactive Map of the George Floyd Protests
• Monterey Bay Aquarium Tours the Animal Crossing Museum with Emily Graslie of the Field Museum!
• ”Pulse (2001): How J-Horror predicted 2020” by Brian Alford
• “Quest 64: Days of Grief and Werehares” by A.J. Ditty
• Spaceship You by CGP Grey
• Shredded Cheese Fajita Sad Wife / My Wife, Date Night After 3+ Months

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Interstitial: “A New Horizon” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Featuring A.J. Ditty as “Orville” and Madeleine Bundy as “Katherine”

180 - Do Coaches Pray for Electric Sheep?: Average Joe (2024)

The lads take a knee and offer their football up to the Lord as they cover the 2024 Coach Joseph Kennedy biopic: Average Joe. Topics include the return of Harold Cronk, the Deadpoolification of Christian movies, and what it means to build a social movement around one of the most annoying narcissists alive.

Media Referenced in this Episode:

• Average Joe. Dir. Harold Cronk. 2024.

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Interstitial: “Harold Cronk Presents: A Revival of His Much-Acclaimed Production of The Vagina Monologues at the Ivy Substation in Culver City, California” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Featuring Brian Alford as “Announcer Brian” and A.J. Ditty as “Harold Cronk”

179 - The Room (2003)

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall

How did the lads meet? Well that’s a very interesting story, when Brian and A.J. moved to New York with two suitcases and didn’t know anyone and they have-uh-they head to YMCA with a $2000 check which they could not cash. Why? Well, because it was an out of state bank. Anyway, uh- they were working as busboys in a hotel, and uh-uh Josh was sitting, drinking his coffee, and he was so beautiful, and they say hi to him. That’s how they met. What’s the interesting part? Well the interesting part is that after their first recording, Josh paid for dinner.

Media Referenced in this Episode:

• The Room. Wiseau Films. 2003.
• “The Crazy Cult of The Room” by Clark Collis. Entertainment Weekly, December 12, 2008.
• The Disaster Artist: My life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell. Simon & Schuster. 2013.
• Full Transcript of “The Room” transcribed by David Klion
• “Tommy Wiseau” by Steve Heisler. The A.V. Club. June 24th, 2009.
• Tommy Wiseau Guest Directs - Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! - Adult Swim
• “A vintage interview with The Room creator Tommy Wiseau: 'Believe in what you believe'” by Clark Collis. Entertainment Weekly. November 28th, 2017.

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Interstitial: “Dominic Miseau” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Featuring A.J. Ditty as “Dominic Miseau”

178 - Falling Down (feat. Justin Roczniak)

Justin Roczniak (Well There’s Your Problem) and the lads walk in a straight line through Los Angeles and leave carnage in their wake as they cover Joel Schumacher’s 1993 boomer-palooza: Falling Down. Topics include LA geography, the fashion of mechanical engineers, and what it means to hold up an entire fast food joint because those darn cashiers won’t serve you your well-deserved Whomlette with a side of Whammy fries.

 

Justin Roczniak: Twitter // Youtube // Bluesky

 

Well There’s Your Problem is a podcast about engineering disasters and systemic failures, from a leftist perspective, with jokes.

• Youtube / Twitter / Instagram / Patreon
• Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

 

Media Referenced in this Episode:

• Falling Down. Dir. Joel Schumacher. 1993.

 

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

 

Interstitial: “Memories of Hoops” // Written by Josh Boerman // Featuring Brian Alford

177 - Love in the Time of Conniera (feat. Devon) [Whit’s Endless Summer 42]

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall

 

Devon (Kill James Bond!) and the lads return to Odyssey for more adventures in valentines, political blackmail, and volunteering for the Vietnam War. Topics include the logistics of Roman marriage, the intangible dread of grief, and what it means when the great loss that hangs over your entire series is a character as objectively terrible as Jerry Whittaker.

 

Devon: Twitter // Bluesky // Streaming

 

Traditional Scrench: Your favourite podcast idiots are streaming twice a week, every week, at 21:00 UK time Monday and Thursday. We’re a heavily improvised variety stream with a youtube playlist.

• Twitch

 

Kill James Bond! is a comedy film review/ pop culture commentary podcast about the portrayal of masculinity in cinema. November Kelly, Abigail Thorn, and Devon have watched Bond movies, War on Terror movies, Eurospy movies, and now they take on their biggest task yet: Heist Movies. What can Heat, Oceans’ 11, and the Fast and Furious movies teach us about how masculinity was imagined by the people who created them? What does that say about Society? Free episodes are released every fortnight on all major podcast platforms and bonus episodes are released for supporters on Patreon on the interstitial weeks.

• Website / Twitter / Patreon

• Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

 

Trashfuture is a podcast about business success and making yourself smarter with the continued psychic trauma of capitalism.

• Website / Twitter / Patreon

• Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

 

Well There’s Your Problem is a podcast about engineering disasters and systemic failures, from a leftist perspective, with jokes.

• Youtube / Twitter / Instagram / Patreon

• Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

 

Ten Thousand Posts: A show about how everything is a form of posting, and how our lives are guided by the only dialectic that matters: good posts and bad posts.

• Podcast // Twitter // Patreon

 

Media Referenced in this Episode:

• Adventures in Odyssey

  • #562: “The Last ‘I Do’”

  • #368: “The Other Woman”

  • #412: “A Lesson From Mike?”

  • #352: “Memories of Jerry”

• Josh’s Appearance on All Gamers are Bastards

• A.J.’s Appearance on 2 Whits, 1 Cup

 

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

 

Interstitial: “Gay Expectations Video Dating Service Tape #381914: Petey Pounderoga” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Featuring A.J. Ditty as “Petey Pounderoga /Jerry/Pinky/Melvin Mulligan”, Brian Alford as “Butch”, and Josh Boerman as “Lawrence”.

176 - The Social Network

The lads pledge to the Phoenix Club and destroy democracy as they cover David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin’s 2010 techbro parable: The Social Network. Topics include Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ iconic score, the polarizing nature of Sorkin’s writing, and what it means to live in a world ruled by Augustus Caesar wannabes like Mark Zuckerberg.

 

TICKETS TO GO SEE JOSH’S PLAY AT THE TANK IN NEW YORK CITY!

 

Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes by subscribing for $5/month at Patreon.com/worstofall!

 

Media Referenced in this Episode:

• The Social Network. Dir. David Fincher. 2010
• “10 Years Later, Author Ben Mezrich On The Book Behind ‘The Social Network’” by Anhar Karim. Forbes. October 20th, 2020.
• “A Young Mark Zuckerberg’s Early Mistake” by Shachar Bar-on. 60 Minutes. January 13th, 2008.
• “CONFIRMED: Aaron Sorkin Creates Facebook Page, Writing Facebook Movie” by Dan Kois. Vulture. August 27th, 2008.
• “Facebook’s Other Privacy Issue” by Eriq Gardner. The Hollywood Reporter, November 30, 2007
• “Joe Rogan Experience #2255 - Mark Zuckerberg.”
• “Mark Zuckerberg: How to Build a Future” by Y Combinator.
• “Tell-All Book: Zuckerberg Set Up Facebook To Get Laid” by Nick Douglas. Gawker. May 22nd, 2008.
• “What Producers Do: Explaining The Social Network’s Social Network” by Claude Brodesser-Akner. Vuture. February 24th, 2011.

 

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

 

Interstitial: “The M.A.R.K.-BOT” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. Brian Alford as “Mark Zuckerberg”

INTERVIEW: maia arson crimew on online privacy and operational security

Our interview series about practical tactics to keep yourself and your community safe from the rising tide of fascism continues this week as Josh talks with maia arson crimew (it/she), a hacktivist and past guest on the show. Topics include:

• The mechanics of how corporations and governments identify and track you across virtual and real-world spaces
• Common ways that your devices give away information without your knowledge and how to disable those features
• What encryption is and why it matters, especially when it comes to law enforcement
• Tools that you can use to anonymize your usage online

USEFUL LINKS THAT YOU SHOULD CLICK:

• Get Surveillance Self-Defense basics and tool guides from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
• Get uBlock Origin for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera
• Download Tor Browser for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
• Download Signal Messenger for Android, iPhone, Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Get Mullvad VPN and download Mullvad Browser
• Send maia a donation via ko-fi