Episode Ninety - Paper Mache, Confetti and Kings
Jul 30, 2020
Show notes
Animal Crossing in action (or is that inaction).
We welcome GameXplain’s Andre Segers (@andresegers) to the pod for the first time to chat about past, present and future of some video games.
First up is the new Paper Mario game, The Origami King. It’s a spoiler filled discussion, so if you haven’t finished the game yet, this section starts around 03:10 and goes until 22:36. We discuss the story, the characters (old and new), the bosses, the game play, the music and how it compares to past games in the series, including the loved Thousand Year Door and no so loved Sticker Star.
Then, we talk about the phenomenon that is Animal Crossing. Just how was this the perfect to be released when the world was sequestered in their homes and how even Andre’s mom became an AC player. We talk about the updates, Andrew recreating a movie scene on his island, the ennui that sets in after playing daily for months and what might the future hold for the game. For context, we recorded the show the day before the August update came out.
We discuss the next generation of consoles, did the recent trailers from Sony and Microsoft really make either of us want to get a Playstation 5 or Xbox Series X at launch and what if anything is coming for the Switch the rest of 2020.
We close out with some retro gaming talk, including reminiscing about the Nintendo 64, Sony Dreamcast, text based game and getting Japanese imports. Andre also talked about the upcoming 200th episode of GameXplain’s Real Talk podcast. Check out @Gamexplain on YouTube for much of what we talked about on the pod and more.
Episode Eighty-Nine - The Force of July
Jul 02, 2020
Show notes
The 1986 Great American Bash program cover
We look back at a special wrestling event that took place 36 years ago as we write this, the first date on the 1986 Great American Bash tour, held on July 1, 1986 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. The Winter Palace host was at the shot and has a couple guests to look back at the show.
First up is one of the hardest working man in the podcast business, Kris Zellner (@kriszellner), co host of Between the Sheets (@BTSheetspod) , Exile on Badstreet, Cover 2 Cover and more. We go over the card, match-by-match and talk about some of the infamous stories that happened backstage. We also talk about the 1986 Bash tour as a whole, where it was successful and where it was not. We also talk about a bunch of other subjects including the logistics of watching wrestling in the 1980s, the days of tape trading, how Kris managed to find the time to do all those shows and some recommendations of classic matches to watch online.
(52:18) Also on the show is Mark’s high school friend Jim, who, to protect his real identity, we will call Jim K. Fabe. Jim and Mark were impressionable 16-year old wrestling fans who attended that Bash show in Philadelphia. We talk about what we remember about the show live, other wrestling shows we attended back in the 1980s, favorites then vs favorites and more. We also talk about the current problem in popular culture of separating the art from the artist, centering about Jim’s teenage fandom for Jimmy Snuka and reconciling that with what we know about the death of Nancy Argentino. That branches out into the same problems effecting creators in film and tv, sports, comics and more. It was Jim’s first podcast appearance and we think he did a bang up job talking a trip down memory lane.
Check the show notes below for The Final Best of 7 match between Magnum TA and Nikita Koloff for the Unites States Title from JCP TV and Jim Cornette’s podcast where he discusses the Great American Basn tours.
Episode Eighty-Eight - Let Loose the Cannons
Jun 18, 2020
Show notes
Ron Wright, Dennis Condrey and Phil Hickerson from a 1978 episode of Southeastern Wrestling.
We are thrilled that today’s episode featuring what we hope is the first of many podcast appearances by the longtime wrestler/announcer/trainer/promoter Les Thatcher (@LesThatcher). The main reason we invited Les to come on the show was to talk about the just-passed 20th anniversary of the 2000 edition of the Brian Pillman Memorial Show, which featured a famous match between Chris Benoit and William (then Steven Regal). We talk about that match, the creation of the Pillman Memorial Shows, the Mark Curtis (Brian Hildebrand) Fantasy Camps and some great news about how people will soon be able to see many of those matches.
Speaking of lost footage, we talk about the 1978 episode of Southeastern Wresting that was just posted to Youtube (see link below). Les explains his part in getting that tape out to the wrestling watching public, the creation of the revolutionary television program with Ron Fuller (@RonFullerWelch), working Knoxville for at least five different companies, teaming with Whitey Caldwell vs the Wright Brothers and more.
We only scratched the surface of Les’ 60 year career, so we definitely want to have him back to talk working in the Maritimes, characters like The Mongolian Stomper and Kevin Sullivan and too much to list here. And don’t forget Les is still doing wrestling seminars with folks like Dr. Tom Prichard (@drtomprichard).
Episode Eighty-Seven - Jazz Hands
May 26, 2020
Show notes
Bix meets Louis Armstrong. from BIX by Scott Chantler. (C) Scott Chantler
I’m happy to welcome to the show for the first time cartoonist Scott Chantler (@scottchantler) to discuss his new book BIX and a number of his other books, along with some industry chatter.
BIX tells the life and times of Jazz great Bix Beiderbecke, from growing up in Iowa to playing with Louis Armstrong to his all-too-early passing. We discuss how Scott chose Bix as a subject for his book, separating fact from fiction and legend and some of the stylistic choices he made in designing the book.
We also discuss a number of his past projects, including Northwest Passage, Two Generals, the Three Thieves series, his Red Ensign strip in the True Patriot Canadian anthology projects, which features folks like J. Torres (@jtorrescomics) and Faith Erin Hicks (@faitherinhicks) and more.
The pod ends with a discussion of the comics business, comic shops and the book market. Scott talks the pros and cons of having books distributed in each one, while I tell some stories about working in both an indy friendly comic shop and as a clerk and manager at Borders (RIP). We mention how often one does not know the workings of the other (how many folks do not know Raina Telgemeier)) and how people like Jeff Smith paved the way for comics in the book trade.
Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the show.
Episode Eighty-Six - Kaos Theory
May 08, 2020
Show notes
The high point of Star Trek Picard: the reunion with Riker, Picard and Troi.
With the Splendid Isolation mini-series ended, we are back to regular episodes. Thanks to those who listened while I tried to keep busy.
We welcome back John Champion (@dvdgeeks) from the Mission Log Podcast (@missionlogpod) to discuss the recently-completed Star Trek Picard season one. We chat about what we liked and what was problematic and where the show might go in future seasons. On the Trek front, we talk about the changes to Mission Log, with Ken Ray departing and Norman Lao arriving at the beginning of the year.
From there, it’s lots of spy talk, starting naturally with Get Smart (since it’s episode 86). From there, it’s a cornucopia of shows on the docket, including Mission: Impossible, the Man from UNCLE and more. With the passing of Robert Conrad, we of course discussed the Wild Wild West, including why the show was so fun. And with the recent death of Honor Blackman, we talk about the Cathy Gale version of The Avengers, as well as her role in Goldfinger.
To round up the show, it’s some other British programs to examine, including Danger Man, the Prisoner, Randal and Hopkirk Deceased (which John had not seen before) , Department S, Jason King and how the star of the last two shows had a connection to the Bronze Age X-Men comic books.
Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the show.
Episode Eighty-Five Splendid Isolation Four
Apr 23, 2020
Show notes
Jerry Lawler, Dave Brown and Scott Bowden. RIP Scott.
First off, condolences to the friends and family of Scott Bowden, who died earlier this week. We had been talking to Scott the last couple weeks about returning to the podcast to talk Memphis wrestling and even were Tweeting with him a few days ago.
On the show we are finally to nabbed The King of Kingsport Beau James (@kingofkingsport) to be on the show. We start by remembering Scott, as Beau had just done his Kentucky Fried Rasslin’ podcast not that long ago. As one of the foremost experts on East Tennessee wrestling, we pick Beau’s brain on all things about the Knoxville/Southeastern/Continental/USA territory, so plenty of stories about Ron and Don Wright, Whitey Caldwell, Les Thatcher, Ron and Robert Fuller,, Jimmy Golden, Ron Garvin and many more folks. We also talk about Memphis, including the angle (see below) when Robert Fuller brought back Nick Gulas to do an angle about the control of the promotion. There’s way too many stories to listen here, including Beau’s long friendships with Buddy Landell and Jimmy Valiant, starting in the business at 16 years old, indy wrestling horror stories and so much more. Easily one of my favorites podcasts, as Beau is a master storyteller. If you want more, be sure to check out his new Patreon and his King of Kingsport website.
Episode Eighty-Four - Splendid Isolation Number Three
Apr 11, 2020
Show notes
They Buried The Cowboy Under the Russian Flag!
We’re back with an extra-special edition of the new Splendid Isolation podcast series, as we welcome back Mike Sempervive (@sempervive) from Wrestling Observer Live and the Mid Atlantic Championship Podcast (@midatlanticpod).
We kick if off with a long chat about Bill Watts and the UWF, discussing how hot the promotion began after the name change from Mid-South Wrestling and its expansion outside its home region into places like Baltimore, where young Mike and slightly older Mark watched it in the spring of 1986. We reminisce about the initial title switches, promoting the Jim Crockett Sr Memorial Cup and one of the greatest angles of all-time, one so good we named a spin-off magazine after it: Eddie Gilbert and the Russians burying Watts under the USSR flag. We bracket that with the UWF TV show after the promotion was bought by JCP and just how quickly the show changed.
One of the other big topics covered is Mike’s new Mid-Atlantic Championshop Podcast, which he co-hosts with Roman Gomez. We talk about how the show started, why they chose 1982 as a starting point, some of the main players in the territory at the time and plenty of other JCP topics, including the Final Conflict show in 1983 and play WHAT IF? with various wrestlers (What if Gino had come in 1986? What if Buddy Landell had shown up for that TV taping?).
There’s plenty of other chat for the rest of the podcast, not limited to: the state of the territories by the mid 1980s, the hidden gem that was Southeastern Wrestling, the greatness of Ron Fuller’s Studcast podcast, classic 1980s TV and a brief chat at the end about sports uniforms.
Mike is always a great guest, so big thanks for him for giving so much of his time. We have more shows planned for the future, branching out in topics, so keep an eye out for them. Thanks for listening.
Episode Eighty-Three - Splendid Isolation Number 2
Apr 09, 2020
Show notes
Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens. Almost always worth watching
Splendid Isolation Number Two takes us around the world as we welcome back Odessa Steps contributer and Segunda Caida writer Matt D.
The fine folks at Segunda Caida (@segundacaida) embarked a little while ago on this project of reviewing classic French Catch wrestling. Matt is going to explain how the project started, describe what the product was like in France in the 1950s and 1960s, who some of the better wrestlers have been and more. (And all of this done without mentioning Roland Barthes.) Matt picked some of his favorite bouts so far for folks to check out if they have never seen this footage before.
Matt is also one of the more knowledgeable folks on the Paul Boesch era of Houston Wrestling, so we talk about the footage that the NWA posted on their youtube channel recently. We talk about what was new in that upload, but what to look for online of the Houston stuff that was put online as part of the NWA On Demand service a few years ago.
There’s also some brief lucha chat, because we never pass up a chance to talk about Negro Casas. Look for more episodes coming soon. Thanks for listening.
Episode Eighty-Two - Splendid Isolation Number One
Apr 08, 2020
Show notes
You can’t go wrong recommending Negro Casas
Just when you thought it was safe to presume the podcast was gone. Our idle hands were put to use with the creation of a new podcast series “Splendid Isolation,” where we get folks on the blower to recommend things to watch or read or play during all this down time most people now have in their lives.
After a long hiatus, it’s the return of The Cubs Fan (@luchablog). We start off talking about the recent empty arena match held days ago by @LuchaMemes and shown on Lucha+ TV (see link below). Cubs gives a rundown on the show and what matches are worth watching. Then, we discuss the future plans of Lucha in Mexico, including the recently postponed Dos Leyendas show, and when will the hair match between Cavenario and Felino take place. We also mention some recent matches now online to watch and reminisce about CMLL’s 2014 Busca de un Idolo tournament. And if you didn’t notice elsewhere on the site, we are finally reviving our review of that event, which we started a year or ago but progress on it got delayed and delayed. But, now is a good a time to bring it back as ever. You may have even see Friend of the Show @hechicero tweeting clips from some of his matches.
Finally, like millions of people around the world, Cubs and I are addicted to the new Animal Crossing game on the Nintendo Switch. We talk about our respective progresses so far in the game, watching YouTube hint videos versus avoiding spoilers and how it has helped while away the time.
We have a few guests lined up for these short mini-episodes, so hopefully they will help. Thanks for listening
Episode Eighty-One - A Pox on Both Your Houses
Oct 15, 2019
Show notes
Charles Xavier in House of X #1. (C) 2019 Marvel Comics
It’s an old school Beat reunion as we welcome the other half of the House to Astonish podcast, Paul O’Brien (@ifdestroyed), to discuss the relaunch/reboot of the X-Men with the recently concluded House of X and Powers of X. As a long-time chronicler of the mutant corner on the Marvel Universe with his X-Axis column, who better to examine what Jonathan Hickman has done and might do with the new era of X-books. We chat about the events of HOX and POX, the portrayal of various characters in the book and the new line of books, some of which will written by Hickman.
Leaving the X-books aside, there’s also talk about noteworthy books that Paul and HTA co-host (and our first pod guest) Al Kennedy (@housetoastonish) have discussed on their show, including Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen by (former pod guest) Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber, Strange Skies Over East Berlin, Steeple and more.
We end the show with some quick wrestling chat, with the first shots of the new Wednesday Night Wars having just been fired a few weeks ago. There’s talk about the inaugural AEW shows, what worked and what didn’t, the booking so far, the new NWA Power show on Youtube, the greatness of Eddie Kingston and a few other things.
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