The Worst of All Possible Worlds

38 - Man of the Year (feat. Luke Savage)

Luke Savage (Michael and Us, Jacobin) joins the lads for some minor election fraud as they cover Barry Levinson’s 2006 political satire//thriller/rom-com/centrist fever dream: Man of the Year. Topics include the movie’s tonal whiplash, Laura Linney’s bafflingly committed performance, and the hollowness of centrist ideology as reflected through Robin Williams doing fart jokes.

 

Michael and Us: https://open.spotify.com/show/44Uwr3yMXRlqE5Elh5KuL9?si=f74aa9293f6a4a9c

 

Michael and Us Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

 

A Link to Luke’s Book The Dead Center: https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/the-dead-center/

 

The “Stars and Strife” episode of Chapo Trap House: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95FwFqqgvhE

 

The NYC Pinball Championships:

nycpinballchamps.com

 

TWOAPW Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

 

Theme by Brendan Dalton

www.brendan-dalton.com

https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

37 - Perchance To Eugene (feat. Jen Albright) [Whit’s Endless Summer #14]

THIS IS A PREVIEW. CHECK OUT THE FULL EPISODE AT https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

Brian and Josh return to Odyssey with Have You Seen This? host Jen Albright (@Bowsnonk) in tow, this time to focus on everyone’s favorite polymath and teenage genius: Eugene Meltsner. And Eugene’s secret shame—his lack of a driver’s license—doesn’t prevent us from going all in on his various annoying tendencies. Additional topics include the uneven standards that Christians apply to shock jocks, the inherent difficulty of reshaping one’s opinion, and obscure town ordinances about horses.

Episodes covered:

• #157 - Last in a Long Line
• #193 - A Tongue of Fire
• #194 - A License to Drive
• #200 - Food for Thought

Have You Seen This? website:
https://www.haveyouseen.us

Have You Seen This? on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/haveyouseenthis

TWOAPW Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

Theme by Brendan Dalton
www.brendan-dalton.com
https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

36 - Dear Evan Hansen (2021): The Gang Exploits a Teenager’s Death (feat. Brendan Dalton)

The lads wave through a window as they force theme song composer/wandering troubadour  Brendan Dalton (Dickinson, Younger) to climb the great rotting tree that is the 2022 film adaptation of the hit 2016 Broadway hit: Dear Evan Hansen. They discuss the musical’s baffling plot, Ben Platt’s trip to the beach that makes you old, and the greater state of mental health in a world where you won’t necessarily #befound.

 

Christmas in Middle-Earth: https://www.brendan-dalton.com/christmas-in-middle-earth.html https://open.spotify.com/album/5dhwDnIufW1vdorSYQGGpc?si=C8ieo9nSR8CQk6-MZOruow

 

TWOAPW Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

 

Theme by Brendan Dalton

www.brendan-dalton.com

https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

35 - The Visit: One Day an Old Lady Will Come for Us Too

THIS IS A PREVIEW. Check out the full episode at patreon.com/worstofall

The lads hop on the midnight train to Güllen as they explore the delightfully weird and morally murky depths of Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s classic tragicomedy: The Visit. They discuss the many adaptations of the play, the enduring legacy of its themes, and the uneasy feelings brought on by the justice of an unstoppable bionic woman.

TWOAPW Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

Theme by Brendan Dalton
www.brendan-dalton.com
https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

34 - Kenneth Branagh’s William Shakespeare’s Hamlet

While Josh is out sick with the novel coronavirus, Brian and A.J. return once again to Elsinore Castle as they dive headlong into the four-hour, bloated monstrosity that is Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. They discuss the difficulties of adapting Hamlet to the screen, Kenneth Branagh’s lips, and the dangers of treating any text, no matter how great, as sacrosanct.

 

TWOAPW
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

 

Theme by Brendan Dalton
www.brendan-dalton.com
https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

UNLOCKED: Josh interviews Harm Venhuizen on Calvin University’s recent controversies

Last week, Josh got on a call with Harm Venhuizen, outgoing editor-in-chief of Calvin University's student newspaper Chimes to discuss the recent policy choices made by the school and their consequences.

Links to Harm’s articles:

“Calvin’s Policies Against Same Sex Marriage a Motivator in Split with Center for Social Research, Sources Say”https://calvinchimes.org/2022/03/14/calvins-policies-against-same-sex-marriage-a-motivator-in-split-with-center-for-social-research-sources-say/

"‘I’m not going to be ashamed’: Queer CSR employee quits to speak freely about split from Calvin”
https://calvinchimes.org/2022/03/21/im-not-going-to-be-ashamed-queer-csr-employee-quits-to-speak-freely-about-split-from-calvin/

“‘Walking a tightrope’: Calvin’s complicated stance on LGBTQ+ issues has caused problems for decades”
https://calvinchimes.org/2022/04/10/walking-a-tightrope-calvins-complicated-stance-on-lgbtq-issues-has-caused-problems-for-decades/

“Calvin denies reappointment for professor who officiated same-sex marriage”
https://calvinchimes.org/2022/04/21/calvin-denies-reappointment-for-professor-who-officiated-same-sex-marriage/

TWOAPW Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

Theme by Brendan Dalton
www.brendan-dalton.com
https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com 

33 - Actually, It’s About Ethics in Middle School Journalism [Whit’s Endless Summer #13]

THIS IS A PREVIEW. Check out the full episode at patreon.com/worstofall

The lads follow a trail of corruption and intrigue as they return to Odyssey to dig up a scoop on the greatest calamity facing the youth of today: the ethics of middle-school journalism. Topics include the true meaning of free speech, the importance of school newspaper competitions, and the right-wing radicalization of Lucy Cunningham-Schultz. Plus, an interview with Harm Venhuizen (@HarmVenhuizen), the outgoing editor-in-chief of the Calvin University student paper Chimes (@CalvinChimes), to talk ethics in collegiate journalism and beyond.

Episodes covered:

• #143 - Muckraker
• #185 - A Question of Loyalty
• #233 - Thy Will Be Done

Links to Harm’s articles:
“Calvin’s Policies Against Same Sex Marriage a Motivator in Split with Center for Social Research, Sources Say”https://calvinchimes.org/2022/03/14/calvins-policies-against-same-sex-marriage-a-motivator-in-split-with-center-for-social-research-sources-say/“

‘I’m not going to be ashamed’: Queer CSR employee quits to speak freely about split from Calvin”
https://calvinchimes.org/2022/03/21/im-not-going-to-be-ashamed-queer-csr-employee-quits-to-speak-freely-about-split-from-calvin/

“‘Walking a tightrope’: Calvin’s complicated stance on LGBTQ+ issues has caused problems for decades”
https://calvinchimes.org/2022/04/10/walking-a-tightrope-calvins-complicated-stance-on-lgbtq-issues-has-caused-problems-for-decades/

“Calvin denies reappointment for professor who officiated same-sex marriage”
https://calvinchimes.org/2022/04/21/calvin-denies-reappointment-for-professor-who-officiated-same-sex-marriage/

TWOAPW Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

Theme by Brendan Dalton
www.brendan-dalton.com
https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Wendy Lecker and Nicole Ciullo of the Education Law Center

You’ve probably seen a lot of clips recently of the ongoing culture war coming to a flashpoint in school board meetings across the country. To learn how the reactionary right is using these conflicts to push for increased school privatization, Josh (@boshj) sat down with Wendy Lecker and Nicole Ciullo from the Education Law Center, a Newark-based organization that defends public schools and advocates in the courts for educational equity.

This forty-minute interview covers topics such as the broader context for the current curriculum battle, the history of the mechanics of school funding and segregation, and how key players including former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos continue to push for laws that would further privatize education in the United States.

Plus, at the end, enjoy a teaser for a Patreon-only episode, available now, where we recap a truly unhinged “documentary” that propagandizes for all aspects of the conservative educational project.

Links and additional resources:

THE EDUCATION LAW CENTER advocates for school funding equity in the state of New Jersey through research and litigation. They also provide resources and assistance to lawyers advocating for public schools across the country. Check out their publications and case history: https://edlawcenter.org

PUBLIC FUNDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS is a project of the Education Law Center that follows public school privatization efforts. There’s a bill tracker for tuition voucher efforts at the state level, as well as news, webinars, and research papers. Check out their website, and consider making a donation: https://pfps.org

TWOAPW on Patreon: Get access to our recap of Whose Children Are They? along with other premium podcast episodes and subscriber exclusives for $5/month! https://www.patreon.com/worstofall

32 - Heart Condition (1990): Denzel Washington’s Worst Movie (feat. Michael Kupperman)

The lads throw on their bad hair pieces and fine Italian suits as they, along with special guest Michael Kupperman (@Mkupperman), gaze into the gaping maw of the much-maligned Bob Hoskins and Denzel Washington buddy-cop/ghost/crime-thriller/“comedy”: Heart Condition. Topics include mid-budget 90s studio movies, Denzel Washington’s comedy chops, and the rot at the diseased heart of the supposed end of history.

Michael Kupperman’s Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/MichaelKupperman

TWOAPW Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

Theme by Brendan Dalton
www.brendan-dalton.com
https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

31 - Reefer Madness (feat. Stefan Borst-Censullo)

This is a PREVIEW. To listen to the full episode, go to https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

It’s D.A.R.E.’s worst nightmare as the lads, along with renowned cannabis lawyer Stefan Borst-Censullo (@Stefan_BC), reach new highs and tackle the devil’s weed in the 1936 propaganda film Reefer Madness. Topics include the racist history of narcotics crackdowns, the current state of marijuana law in the United States, and the circular madness of the war on drugs.

 

TWOAPW Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll

 

Theme by Brendan Dalton
www.brendan-dalton.com
https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com