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The first and only podcast bringing you weekly case studies in the pop culture of a dying empire. Every Wednesday, co-hosts Josh, Brian, and A.J. dissect an artifact of popular culture, breaking down how its narrative choices reflect or subvert the reactionary political project. From video games to movies to theater to an apparently infinite supply of evangelical Christian radio drama, we expose the machinations of the worst of all possible worlds in order to figure out how to build a better one. Also, we have bits.
Episodes
Wednesday Sep 11, 2024
155 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (feat. Mattie Lubchansky)
Wednesday Sep 11, 2024
Wednesday Sep 11, 2024
Mattie Lubchansky (Boys Weekend) and the lads hop in Benny the Cab and floor it to Toontown as they cover Robert Zemeckis’ seminal live-action/animated triumph: Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Topics include the perfect storm of the film’s creation, the meticulous production design, and the vital importance of venerating comedy that hits you like a piano to the head.
Mattie Lubchansky: Twitter // Instagram // Patreon
Temporal Culture War: Mattie Lubchansky and Clayton Ashley figure out what the hell was going on in culture in the early 2000s while they wade through episodes of Star Trek Enterprise.
Available on Spotify // Apple Podcasts // RSS Feed
No Gods No Mayors: Municipal government: a trap that catches those too incompetent, too corrupt, too incompetent even for national politics. And the greatest of these, the mayor - the highest political office one can hope to reach with a truly oppositional personality or a crack addiction. Mattie Lubchansky, Riley Quinn and November Kelly are teaming up to make a podcast investigating these mayors. From petty Bonapartes to flagrant mafiosi, these are their stories.
Available on Spotify // Apple Podcasts
Media Referenced in Episode:
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Dir. Robert Zemeckis. 1988.
- Behind the Ears: The True Story of Roger Rabbit.
- More info about TV Guardian
- “‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ Hits 30: A Look Back at ILM’s AStonishing Old-School Optical VFX” by Ian Failes. Cartoon Brew. June 21st, 2018.
- “‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ Creators on How They Broke All The Rules” by Brian Welk. The Wrap. June 19th, 2018.
TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com
Commercial: “The Secret to a Perfect Rabbit Marriage” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Starring A.J. Ditty as “Roger Rabbit”
Saturday Sep 07, 2024
Saturday Sep 07, 2024
- Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Twitter // Instagram
- The Playlist
- WHMB-TV Indianapolis Ted Bundy Final Interview & Panel Discussion, 1989
- January 23, 1989 Dr James Dobson press conference on eve of Ted Bundy’s execution
- Dr. James Dobson Interview About Pornography & Ted Bundy
- Dr James Dobson - Pornography: Addictive, Progressive and Deadly
- Ted Bundy Dr. James Dobson on the 30th anniversary of Bundy's execution
- The Research
- “3 state attorneys leaving: Tanner didn't run from controversy” by Dana Treen. The Florida-Times Union. Jan. 4th, 2009.
- “Anti-pornography groups reportedly got profits from Ted Bundy tape” Tampa Bay Times, April 7, 1990
- Attorney General's Commission on Pornography, Final Report
- The Historical Timeline of Focus on the Family
- Defending the Devil : My Story as Ted Bundy's Last Lawyer by Polly Nelson. William Morrow and Company. 1952.
- James Dobson's War on America by Gil Alexander-Moegerle. Prometheus Books. 1997.
- “Last Bundy Interview Called ‘Con Game’” Deseret News, September 12, 1989
- The Only Living Witness: The True Story of Serial Sex Killer Ted Bundy by Stephen Michaud and Hugh Aynesworth. Authorlink Press. 1999.
- “The Root of James Dobson’s Political Power Is Decades of Parenting Advice” by Sarah McCammon. Time. July 25th, 2024.
- The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule. Pocket Books. 2009.
Wednesday Sep 04, 2024
154 - When Dobson Met Bundy… (feat. I Hate James Dobson) [Whit’s Endless Summer 38]
Wednesday Sep 04, 2024
Wednesday Sep 04, 2024
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall
Jake from the I Hate James Dobson podcast joins the lads for a Whit’s Endless Summer: Origins as they zero in on Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and his interview with one of the most vicious monsters in American history: Ted Bundy. Topics include the psychopathy of Bundy, the narcissism of Dobson, and the horrific societal implications of trying to ban Santa from your phone sexline.
I Hate James Dobson: Join therapists Jake (a former Evangelical) and Brooke (who knows almost nothing about Evangelical culture) as they read and tear apart Dobson’s works. Get ready to laugh, cry, and rip your hair out as we explore the very many reasons why I Hate James Dobson.
- Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Twitter // Instagram
Media Referenced in this Episode:
- The Playlist
-
- WHMB-TV Indianapolis Ted Bundy Final Interview & Panel Discussion, 1989
- January 23, 1989 Dr James Dobson press conference on eve of Ted Bundy’s execution
- Dr. James Dobson Interview About Pornography & Ted Bundy
- Dr James Dobson - Pornography: Addictive, Progressive and Deadly
- Ted Bundy Dr. James Dobson on the 30th anniversary of Bundy's execution
- The Research
-
- “3 state attorneys leaving: Tanner didn't run from controversy” by Dana Treen. The Florida-Times Union. Jan. 4th, 2009.
- “Anti-pornography groups reportedly got profits from Ted Bundy tape” Tampa Bay Times, April 7, 1990
- Attorney General's Commission on Pornography, Final Report
- The Historical Timeline of Focus on the Family
- Defending the Devil : My Story as Ted Bundy's Last Lawyer by Polly Nelson. William Morrow and Company. 1952.
- James Dobson's War on America by Gil Alexander-Moegerle. Prometheus Books. 1997.
- “Last Bundy Interview Called ‘Con Game’” Deseret News, September 12, 1989
- The Only Living Witness: The True Story of Serial Sex Killer Ted Bundy by Stephen Michaud and Hugh Aynesworth. Authorlink Press. 1999.
- “The Root of James Dobson’s Political Power Is Decades of Parenting Advice” by Sarah McCammon. Time. July 25th, 2024.
- The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule. Pocket Books. 2009.
TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com
Commercial: “The Interview” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Starring Zac Moon as “Ted Tindale” and James Fouhey as “Kerrin J. Wyatt” // Feat. “Fleetwood Mac - The Chain: violin cover” by Steve Bingham.
Monday Sep 02, 2024
INTERVIEW: Jason Koebler on the origins of Shrimp Jesus
Monday Sep 02, 2024
Monday Sep 02, 2024
Jason Koebler is a co-founder and editor of 404 Media. Throughout 2024 Jason has been reporting on Facebook and how it’s become overrun with uncanny AI content, and last month he figured out where it’s all coming from. This morning Josh sat down with Jason to learn more about his reporting, and over the course of 40 minutes they talked about the degradation of Facebook and how it may be a sign of things to come for the rest of the internet.
Read more from Jason:
- Where Facebook's AI Slop Comes From
- Facebook’s AI Spam Isn’t the ‘Dead Internet’: It’s the Zombie Internet
- Do You Like These AI Images of Dying, Mutilated Children? Facebook Algorithm Wonders
- Facebook’s Algorithm Is Boosting AI Spam That Links to AI-Generated, Ad-Laden Click Farms
Check out Jason’s podcast: The 404 Media Podcast
Listen to Jason's episode of Ten Thousand Posts: The Big Slop Part 1 feat. Jason Koebler
Get access to our full episode about Shrimp Jesus and the Death of Facebook, plus 70+ more premium episodes, for $5/month at our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/worstofall
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
153 - Cities: Skylines (feat. Justin Roczniak)
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
Justin Roczniak (Well There’s Your Problem) joins the lads from some good, old-fashioned city planning as they cover Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive’s 2015 city building simulator: Cities: Skylines. Topics include the origins of city building sims, the many pleasures of Ulm, and the horrors of fully-rendered teeth in a game where you just want to optimize traffic flow.
Justin Roczniak: Twitter // Youtube
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:
- Cities: Skylines. Colossal Order. 2015.
- Cities: Skylines 2. Colossal Order. 2023.
- Urban Dynamics. Jay W. Forrester. 1969.
- Playing Cities Skylines 2 While Getting Dangled From a Crane
TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com
Commercial: “Andy Phillips Presenting to the Doodleburg Town Council On the Eve of the Great ‘Fill The Hole’ Construction Project, July 15th, 2044 ” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Starring A.J. Ditty as “Councilman Mancouncil” and David Armstrong as “Andy Phillips” and “Charles Foster Chungus”.
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
152 - Tom Goes to the Mayor
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall
The lads get photocopied and make their way to Jefferton, alive, as they cover Tim and Eric’s Adult Swim debut: Tom Goes to the Mayor. Topics include the origins of Tim and Eric, their many innovations to comedy, and the prescience of a show that predicted A.I. with a calcucorn.
Media Referenced In this Episode:
- Tom Goes to the Mayor. Created by Tim And Eric. 2004.
- Tom Goes To The Mayor - A Look Behind
- “‘Tom Goes to the Mayor’ granted second season” Today. May 31st, 2006.
- Tom Goes To The Mayor Unaired Pilot # 1
- Tom Goes To The Mayor Returns (Unaired Pilot # 2)
- UsedWigs Interview with Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim
- “Q&A: Tim and Eric's suburban-hell masterpiece, 'Tom Goes to the Mayor'” by Coury Turczyn. Popcult. February 22nd. 2018.
TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com
Commercial: “Coyote Alert” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Starring A.J. Ditty as “Johnny Danger” and Brian Alford as “The Boss Man”
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
151 - Moneyball
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
The lads throw on their Oakland A’s jerseys and get a little romantic about baseball as they cover Bennett Miller’s 2011 anti-sports film: Moneyball. Topics include the chaotic pre-production, the highs and lows of the Zaillian/Sorkin screenplay, and what it means to build a film around a philosophy that would ultimately change baseball for the worse.
Media Referenced in this Episode:
- Moneyball. Dir. Bennett Miller. 2011.
- “Brad Pitt Reveals What He, Sony Did to Save ‘Moneyball’” by Alex Ben Block. The Hollywood Reporter. December 16th, 2011.
- “Soderbergh's Moneyball mothballed” by Xan Brooks. The Guardian. July 3rd, 2009.
- “THR’s Writer Roundtable: 6 Top Scribes Talk Standing Up to Clint Eastwood, Dealing with Rewrites and Being Fired by Your Wife” by Matthew Belloni and Stephen Galloway. The Hollywood Reporter. November 21st, 2011.
- VIDEO: A-Rod regrets kissing mirror in 2009 photo shoot
TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com
Interstitial: “Betrayal” feat. Ben Schrager as “Mr.” and Anne Huston as “Mrs.”
Wednesday Aug 07, 2024
Wednesday Aug 07, 2024
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall
The lads make their long-awaited pilgrimage to the rotten heart of the evangelical project, Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO, to cover the 1000th episode celebration of Adventures in Odyssey. Topics include the horrific vibes, Adventures in Odyssey trading cards, and what it means to watch a corpse of an organization come together to celebrate their own slow, inevitable demise.
TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com
Media Referenced in this Episode:
- Adventures in Odyssey
Commercial: “A Conspiracy Theorist Sits Alone in the Denver International Airport”
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
149 - A.I.: Artificial Intelleugence (feat. Juniper) [Whit’s Endless Summer 37]
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
OUR LIVE SHOW IN COLORADO SPRINGS IS THIS WEEKEND, SUNDAY, AUGUST 4. CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS!
Juniper (Western Kabuki) visits the lads in Odyssey for further adventures in escape rooms, game nights, and bidding farewell to a beloved Odyssian through the power of deepfakes. Topics include Jigsaw middle schoolers, the rage of the Whit 3, and the complicated legacy of both Eugene Meltsner and the man who leant him his voice: Will Ryan.
Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes and add your name to the masthead of our website by subscribing for $5/month at Patreon.com/worstofall!
Juniper: Twitch // Patreon // Twitter
Western Kabuki: Juniper and Caleb with their trusty producer Alex delve into internet topics du jour.
Cratediving: a show where june & snailey plunder the depths of the internet to listen and react to the most esoteric music they can find
- Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Twitter
Media Referenced in this Episode:
- Adventures in Odyssey
-
- #877: A Sacrificial Escape
- #952: Game Night
- #966-969: The Best is Yet To Come, Parts 1-4
TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com
Commercial: “Estragonov’s Escape Room Express”
Wednesday Jul 24, 2024
148 - Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden (feat. Data Transfer)
Wednesday Jul 24, 2024
Wednesday Jul 24, 2024
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall
Audrey and Korla (Data Transfer) take the lads on a trip to the post-cyberpocalypse as they cover Tales of Game’s infamous free-to-play sequel to a certain Michael Jordan/Looney Tunes mashup: Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden. Topics include the game’s overt racism, forum culture in the mid-2000s, and the lessons to be learned from a game where Charles Barkley destroys half of New York with a Chaos Dunk.
LIVE SHOW TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW
Data Transfer: A watch-along series for the Digimon franchise, where two transfemme dorks make their way through every season of Digimon anime that exists. Hosts Audrey and Korla discuss each episode with an intensely queer lens and share their experiences with Digimon throughout their lives along the way.
- Website // Spotify // Apple Podcasts
Post Ponies: Episode recaps of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, hoping to glean something about the rise of fascism in America and around the world. Somehow. Hosted by four trans girls who can not be trusted with the aux. It will not be safe for work.
- Website // Spotify // Apple Podcasts
Radio Free Tote Bag: A weekly relationship advice podcast hosted by Audrey and Donovan.
- Patreon // Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Twitter // Instagram
Media Referenced in this Episode:
- Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden. Tales of Game’s. 2008.
- GZ Post on SA forums about the State of Barkley 2
- Shaq mocks Charles Barkley for his role in Space Jam - Inside the NBA
- Barkley 2 - an RPG Sequel to Barkley Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden
- The future of Barkley 2
- Update 35: Information about Barkley 2 Updates - why you haven't heard from us and why the game isn't dead yet. · Barkley 2 - an RPG Sequel to Barkley Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden
TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com
Commercial: “A Reading of The Navy Seal Copypasta”