Downlowd: The Rise and Fall of Harry Knowles and Ain't It Cool News

Latest Episodes:

BONUS: The He-Man Effect with Brian 'Box' Brown + Updates Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

With his latest book The He-Man Effect: How American Toymakers Sold You Your Childhood, documentary graphic novelist Brian 'Box' Brown tells a story about how corporations essentially brainwashed an entire generation of children to trade their imaginations for hunks of plastic. He joins Downlow.d host Joe Scott to talk about how this happened as well as what it's like being a non-fiction storyteller in a world that is more than ready to mine his ideas and storybeats for movie projects like the Apple Plus film Tetris. Lastly, they discuss the meaning of the #comicsbrokeme hashtag and how it reflects the current state of comics professionals in the United States.

Places where you can buy The He-Man Effect:

Plus Joe Scott shares updates about the future of Downlow.d as well as what's going on with some of the people he met as part of The Rise and Fall of Harry Knowles & Ain't It Cool News.

BONUS LINKS:

Brian Box Brown's Homepage

Joe Scott's interview with Barbara Genova for Runaway

Drew McWeeny's Substack

Drew McWeeny's Other Substack

Drew McWeeny's Podcast (Patreon)

Joe Scott on BlueSky

Bonus Episode: Exit Interview with Alan Cerny Sep 02, 2022

Show notes

Former AICN writer Alan Cerny, aka Nordling, talks with Joe Scott about his experiences with The Rise and Fall of Harry Knowles, and shares what he liked and didn't like about the show. Alan also speaks to why he chose NOT to listen to the interview with Harry Knowles.

READ ALAN'S REVIEWS:

https://www.vitalthrills.com/author/alanc/

LISTEN TO ALAN'S PODCAST:

http://matineeheroes.com/

BONUS: The Final Comments Section of Season One Aug 18, 2022

Show notes

Executive producer Kristina Bell returns to talk with Joe about reactions to the interview with Harry Knowles, updates within the world of AICN, and wrapping the first season of their show. Plus a deleted 'wedding scene' from Episode Seven.

BONUS EPISODE: Postscript From Xanadu at Skull Island Aug 04, 2022

Show notes

After the conclusion of The Rise and Fall of Harry Knowles and Ain't It Cool News, we are sharing excerpts from a 2021 conversation with Harry Knowles. During this talk, we try to find out what - if anything - the once pioneering webmaster learned from The Rise and Fall of Harry Knowles and Ain't It Cool News.

Episode Nine: "The Air We Breathe" Jul 13, 2022

Show notes

The emotional conclusion of "The Rise and Fall of Harry Knowles and Ain't It Cool News." Even after Harry Knowles destroys his website twice, there are lingering influences from AICN that few could have expected.

Written, narrated, and edited by Joe Scott.

Executive produced by Kristina Bell

With production and sound engineering by Eddie Garcia

Production assistance by Abrar Mubashar

Online production by Janessa Smith.

With Ben Jones as the voice of Harry Knowles

And Jake Steward as The Christmas Eve Poet

Got questions or comments?

Visit our website at www.downlowdpod.com

Episode Eight: "Hay Bales (Parts I & II)" Jun 23, 2022

Show notes

Part I (0:00) - In September of 2017, a perfect storm of controversies threaten to destroy the Alamo Drafthouse, Fantastic Fest, and Ain't It Cool News.

Part II (50:07) - The bravery of the women who stepped forward to speak out against Harry Knowles helped one woman to gain new context for events that transpired in 2004. Plus an examination of the culture that enabled sexual harm in the Austin film and internet movie geek communities for more than two decades.

Written, narrated, and edited by Joe Scott.

Executive produced by Kristina Bell

With production and sound engineering by Eddie Garcia.

Editorial assistance by Erin Poythress.

Production assistance by Abrar Mubashar

And Online production by Janessa Smith.

With Ben Jones as the voice of Harry Knowles.
AJ Schraeder as James Gunn

Jake Steward as Devin Feraci

Cabell Wilkinson as Caroline

Jon Chenoweth as Todd Brown

Kristen Korkowski as Jen

And Jasmine O'Connell as Diane.

Got questions or comments?

Visit our website at www.downlowdpod.com

Episode Seven: "The Anti-Social Network (Part Two)" Jun 10, 2022

Show notes

Through his website’s only technological innovation, Harry Knowles exploits a secret that will eventually transform future social media platforms into billion dollar companies. And Drew McWeeny 'fixes' one last major film production before leaving AICN for good.

Written, narrated, and edited by Joe Scott.

Executive produced by Kristina Bell with sound engineering by Eddie Garcia.

Production assistance by Reis Allyn and Abrar Mubashar as well as online production by Janessa Smith.

Featuring Ben Jones as the voice of Harry Knowles with a chorus of angry ‘Talkbackers’ played by AJ Schraeder, John Chenoweth, Reid Pegram, and David Decareax.

Visit our website at https://www.downlowdpod.com/.

PREVIEW: Episode Seven: The Anti-Social Network Part II Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

Get ready to take your shots! Downlow.d will launch the beginning of the final trilogy of episodes in The Rise and Fall of Harry Knowles and Ain't It Cool News starting Thursday, June 9th! Here's a preview of Episode Seven. See you next week!

Click here to visit our website:

https://www.downlowdpod.com/

BONUS INTERVIEW: Outlaw Vern May 16, 2022

Show notes

UPDATE: The narrative episodes of Downlow.d will return on June 2, 2022.
On this special bonus interview of Downlow.d, we talk with alleged criminal and ex-con Outlaw Vern about his film criticism that he wrote for AICN as well as his life of crime (or lack thereof). We also discuss Vern’s fantastic book “Seagology: A Study of the Ass-Kicking Films of Steven Seagal” and what it was like to work the Direct to Video action movie beat for Ain’t It Cool News.
Vern’s Website:
https://www.outlawvern.com/

BONUS INTERVIEW: Don Dupree, director of Siskel & Ebert May 09, 2022

Show notes

What was it like to be on set for Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert and witness the fights between the legendary film critics that didn't make it to the airwaves? In this special archive interview, Joe Scott shares the full conversation he had with TV director Don Dupree, who made more than 200 episodes of Siskel & Ebert. Topics include getting Harry Knowles ready for TV, the lack of a comprehensive archive of old Siskel and Ebert episodes, as well as one of the most underrated comedies of the 90s. We also give shoutouts to everyone who supported the Comics For Kids fundraiser, which ended successfully on May 6th.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Downlowd: The Rise and Fall of Harry Knowles and Ain’t It Cool News

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected