Michael and Us

Latest Episodes:

UNLOCKED - #492 - The Eddie Anderson Story Apr 13, 2024

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When he emerged on radio, he was celebrated as a pioneering black star in a white entertainment landscape. By the time of the Civil Rights Movement, he was regarded by many a symbol of black subservience. In this solo documentary episode Cohost Will considers the career and thorny legacy of Eddie Anderson, the actor and comedian who played "Rochester" on The Jack Benny Show. "Jack Benny and the Golden Age of American Radio Comedy" by Katherine H. Fuller-Seeley - https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520295056/jack-benny-and-the-golden-age-of-american-radio-comedy This episode first appeared on the Michael & Us Patreon. For an extra episode every week, join us at https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

PREVIEW - #515 - Escape from the Dinosaur Hour Apr 13, 2024

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With the world in flames, it was time to have a little fun. We return to one of our all-time favourite discoveries, checking in on John Cleese's mind-bogglingly awful GB News chat show THE DINOSAUR HOUR to see how or if it has evolved since its debut. PLUS: What exactly do conservatives mean by "Marxism"? And Will uncovers a right-wing Evangelical book from the 1950s that exposes the dark heart of Hollywood. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/515-escape-from-102297790

#514 - Sit Down, Sit Down Apr 08, 2024

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For seven weeks in 1936 and 1937, workers at the General Motors plant in Flint Michigan held a risky sit-down strike. A true David vs. Goliath story, their strike won recognition for the United Auto Workers and changed labour in the United States forever. With a newer UAW strike fresh in the memory, we discuss the BBC documentary THE GREAT SIT-DOWN (1976). JOIN US ON PATREON FOR AN EXTRA EPISODE EVERY WEEK - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Watch "The Great Sit-Down" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2Py_vNt4fc&ab_channel=NickSmith See will introduce Gamera: Super Monster at the Fox Theatre in Toronto on April 16 - https://www.foxtheatre.ca/movies/important-cinema-club-gamera-super-monster/ "Joe Lieberman? Really?" by Branko Marcetic - https://jacobin.com/2018/07/joe-lieberman-democratic-party-conservative-left "Sam Bankman-Fried will grow old in jail. But don’t forget those who basked in his orbit" by Aditya Chakrabortty - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/28/sam-bankman-fried-jail-ftx-money

PREVIEW - #513 - The Parallax View Apr 08, 2024

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Imagine a world where shadowy forces completely disconnected from democracy control everything. Friends, you don't have to imagine, because this world is the setting for the quintessential '70s paranoia thriller, THE PARALLAX VIEW (1974). PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/513-parallax-101743154

PREVIEW - #512 - Walking Tall Speed Run Apr 05, 2024

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We follow up our recent episode on a 1973 law-and-order semi-classic by examining its Bush-era remake. We found a gentrified and sandpapered WALKING TALL (2004), with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson" in a role "inspired by a true story" "suggested by events in the life of Buford Pusser." PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/512-walking-tall-101441962

#511 - All the President's Hot Dogs Mar 27, 2024

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In 1939, King George VI visited President Roosevelt to gain his support in the coming war. Some years later, it happened. As the Bill Murray vehicle HYDE PARK ON HUDSON (2012) unconvincingly argues, the Special Relationship was sealed over a hot dog. We dig up a forgotten piece of failed Oscar bait just to bury it all over again. BONUS Hyde Park on Hudson talk on our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/posts/101187856 "The National Review Wants You to Work Till You Drop" by Luke Savage - https://jacobin.com/2024/03/national-review-32-hour-workweek-sanders

PREVIEW - #510 - 2017-core Mar 26, 2024

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Our Superdelgate patron tier has tasked us with discussed the sitcom THE GOOD PLACE, and it leads us down a dark and scary path of remembering culture and politics in the early Trump era. PLUS: Checking in with Garfield Eats, and Luke sounds off on Masters of the Air. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/510-2017-core-100993255

#509 - Kung Fu Bicycles Mar 23, 2024

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For decades, a cottage industry flourished in the subterranean depths of the American music industry: send a company your poem, and for a fee, they'll turn it into a song. Maybe the song will even be your entryway into the industry and the Billboard charts! But most assuredly it will not be. Was this industry exploitative? Did it produce art? What even is "art" anyway? We tackle all these questions and more as we discuss the documentary OFF THE CHARTS: THE SONG-POEM STORY (2003). Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/posts/100937391

PREVIEW - #508 - Spice World Mar 17, 2024

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An anti-imperial saga dreamed up by a Nixon-supporting conservative... a White Saviour narrative adapted to a time skeptical of White Saviours... folks, you could say that DUNE: PART TWO (2024) and its source material are a land of contradictions. PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/508-spice-world-100540196

#507 - Fresh Prince of Persia Mar 14, 2024

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In 1991, over 100 of the the most famous singers, movie stars, an athletes in America got together to record a song for the troops in the first Gulf War. We take a visit to the consent-manufacturing factory and discuss the "apolitical" James Woods-hosted TV special VOICES THAT CARE: STAND TALL, STAND PROUD (1991). Watch the special here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ1S_UNaWps&ab_channel=LeapingTrout Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus

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