The Best Stuff In The World

Athena Z. Peters from Incantrix Productions joins us to discuss the company's work and their upcoming shows. Incantrix Productions have been putting on immersive/interactive shows in the Boston area for about 10 years and they have two shows coming up in the near future: Romancing Jan, which is coming out the Saturday after this episode releases (so hopefully you haven’t let this sit in your queue for too long) and TAVERN CRAWL, a Dungeons & Dragons pub crawl in Malden. Links for tickets to both events are below:Romancing Jan: Buy Tickets!Tavern Crawl: Buy Tickets!Find out more about Incantrix Productions here: https://www.incantrixproductions.com/You can, as always, email me at gleamingpod@gmail.comTheme music by Mister Michael Brousseau. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am delighted to be talking with Hudson Leick - yoga teacher, intuitive astrologer, dance instructor, and so many other things. In the nerdy circles I sometimes run in Hudson is perhaps best known for portraying Callisto, the best and most iconic villain on the classic television show Xena: Warrior Princess. We talk a little bit about Xena and a lot about all of the amazing things Hudson is doing now, from hosting yoga retreats to emotional healing talks to 5 Rhythms Dance seminars. This one went deeper than I thought it would - Hudson is clearly someone who has a natural ability to connect with people and I was genuinely surprised by how open we both were. While editing I had to ask myself, "Is Hudson Leick my therapist?" (She's not, but she'd be very good at it if she were.) I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.You can find Hudson and sign up for one of her yoga retreats or astrology readings at her website: https://www.hudsonleick.com/Hudson Leick is scheduled to be a guest at the upcoming Salute to Xena convention this October, where you can sign up for a yoga class, a 5 Rhythms Dance Class or an Emotional Healing Talk: https://creationent.com/events/xena/You can, as always, email me at gleamingpod@gmail.comTheme music by Mister Michael Brousseau. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode I have gathered a panel of weapons-grade music enthusiasts to discuss some of our favorite holiday music songs - mostly Christmas tunes but a few more general “it’s wintertime” numbers.The picks run the gamut from beloved songs almost everybody knows (Johnny Mathis! Darlene Love!) to oddball novelty numbers (Max Headroom! Weird Al!) to songs that should be more well-known because they’re so great. I’m joined in this endeavor by returning guest Guy Benoit, who has written and directed independent films and plays, was the singer for the amazing Providence, RI bands Von Ryan’s Express and Thee Hydrogen Terrors, and whose creativity always inspires and impresses me and by two new guests to the show. Chris Cummins has appeared on my other podcast GLEAMING THE TUBE and I don’t know anyone who is better at unearthing strange and wonderful artifacts and clips from recent pop culture. He’s written for Archie Comics, streams a wonderful array of classic pop culture ephemera at his Sci-Fi Explosion Twitch channel, hosts fun live events in the Philadelphia area and at various Sci-Fi conventions around the country and co-DJs the MTV’s 120 Minutes Dance party with me every year at Dragon Con. And Dana Stinson, aka BimboKatan, is a brass band musician, photographer, and passionate music fan.You can find most of (but not all) of our songs picks on my holiday Spotify playlist: XMASPer usual, You can email this show at gleamingpod@gmail.com.The Best Stuff in the World theme song by Mister Michael Brousseau Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am talking to Jaina Cipriano: photographer/experiential designer/filmmaker/Executive Director of the Arlington International Film Festival!Jaina and I talk all about her art and the film festival, including the immersive experience that Witch Hunt Theatre staged at this year’s event. (You may remember that I chatted with Witch Hunt’s artistic director Taylor Stark earlier this year.) Jaina is working on a ton of interesting stuff and it was great chatting with her about the art she makes and the art she loves. Per usual, You can email this show at gleamingpod@gmail.com. You can find out more about Jaina Cipriano at her website: https://www.jainaciprianophotography.com/Check out the Arlington International Film Festival: https://www.arlingtonfilmfest.com/Jaina's experimental tv series The Imposter Syndrome is screening at the Capitol Theatre on January 24th. Get tickets here: https://www.capitoltheatreusa.com/movie/the-imposter-syndrome/The Best Stuff in the World theme song by Mister Michael Brousseau Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this edition of The Best Stuff in the World my guests and I are diving into our collective love of MAD Magazine! For decades, MAD skewered politics, pop culture, advertising, television, and almost anything else you can think of. Joining me to discuss MAD and the "usual gang of idiots" who wrote and drew it are two of The Best Stuff in the World’s usual gang of idiots, returning guests Kevin Eldridge from the great podcast The Flopcast and Michael Brousseau, who I co-host the skateboard movie podcast Gleaming the Tube with and who wrote and sang this very podcast’s theme song!You can find Kevin Eldridge over The Flopcast! You can find Michael Brousseau co-hosting Gleaming the Tube with me!I was a guest on the GIMMICKS podcast to talk all about the series finale of Pee-Wee's Playhouse! Check it out here: Pee-Wee's Playhouse: Playhouse for Sale!You can email me at gleamingpod@gmail.comTheme music by Mister Michael Brousseau Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am BACK ON MY BULLSHIT talking to a former cast member of SLEEP NO MORE - I am delighted to welcome the great Tori Sparks to the podcast this week.I first saw Tori perform in the Boston production of Sleep No More, which is the show that sparked my interest in immersive theater and, in my opinion, was the big bang for what we call “immersive theater” in the U.S. If you’re a person who follows that art form it’s hard not to notice that Tori has been possibly the most significant performer in that space, especially on the East Coast. In addition to her work with Punchdrunk she’s done amazing work with Third Rail Productions on a number of their shows (which we get into), she was one of the people who helped build Life & Trust (Emursive’s attempt to follow up Sleep No More with another big sprawling show that you could lost in), she worked on Kelly Bartnik’s HERE, one-off Punchdrunk shows at MIT, and was the "immersive specialist" on MASQUERADE, the new promenade version of Phantom of the Opera that’s running in New York. She’s everywhere, and I think the reason why is that she’s one of the most gifted and intuitive performers in that space. Her Lady Macbeth in Sleep No More is up there with the greatest performances I’ve seen anybody do in any medium - I genuinely consider her one of the best immersive theater performers in the world. We get into all of that - there is a lot to cover and this could have easily been a three hour conversation because Tori has done so much - as well as the Sleep No More episode of Gossip Girl, her work in horticulture and our shared background in DIY punk scene and how that world informs her work.Find out more about Tori and the amazing things she is doing and has done and will do at her website: Tori SparksYou can email me at gleamingpod@gmail.comTheme music by Mister Michael Brousseau Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined by R. Alex Murray, a cast member of Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern!Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern bills itself as a live, onstage game of Dungeons & Dragons where YOU control the action. By calling out suggestions and making decisions on your smartphone, you’ll determine which heroes appear, where they explore, and ultimately how their story ends. The show is now on tour after an off-Broadway run - I caught it in Boston last month and I had a total blast seeing it and I had a total blast talking to Alex about it. This is one of those conversations that could have easily gone three hours between all the D&D talk and the talk of what it’s like to perform a show like this. If it comes to your town GO AND SEE IT! You can find out more about the the show (including the tour schedule) here: https://thetwentysidedtavern.com/You can find R. Alex Murray on his Instagram: @ralexmurrayAlex's podcast Childz Play is the world's premiere Kidz Bop review podcast! Go and listen: Childz PlayYou can see Alex roll two natural Twenties in Boston here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1457830815331327You can email me at gleamingpod@gmail.comTheme music by Mister Michael Brousseau Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The time out we’re discussing the films of Alfred Hitchcock!For over half a century, Hitchcock reshaped how we experience fear, tension, and surprise in movies. He was able to turn ordinary setting (a shower, a staircase, a crop-dusted field) into unforgettable cinematic nightmares. At his best, he made us complicit in our own voyeurism, could make us laugh at danger, and had audiences at the edge of their seats wanting to know what would happen next. His title as THE MASTER OF SUSPENSE was totally earned.So today, we’re going to talk about why Hitchcock still matters. Why the best of his films (Psycho and Rear Window and Vertigo and North by Northwest and Rebecca and Shadow of a Doubt and my personal favorite Notorious) continue to haunt, thrill, and inspire. And we’ll explore how a man once dismissed as a “mere entertainer” became one of cinema’s defining artists.I’m delighted to be joined for this discussion by podcaster and book editor Michael Gordon and by Heather Stephenson, one of the volunteers at the Brit Track at Dragon Con, the big Atlanta pop culture convention. This was a really fun discussion and obviously with a career that was as long and filled with as many high points as Hitchcock’s it would be impossible to get to everything in the roughly 90 minutes we chatted but I had a blast and I hope you enjoy listening as well. I’ve got some fun stuff lined up for upcoming episodes, both interviews with people who make weird art and discussions like this about art that we love.You can find Mike Gordon's books and podcasts at his Linktree: https://linktr.ee/newlegendmikeHeather Johnson runs the Dragon Con Collectibles ExchangeYou can email me at gleamingpod@gmail.comTheme music by Mister Michael Brousseau Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Best Stuff in the World is back from summer break! I’m talking to Taylor Stark, the founder and artistic director of Witch Hunt Theatre, a Boston-area company that specializes in immersive site-specific horror theater. Taylor and Witch Hunt have a new show called HER RITES opening in Brookline Massachusetts this month and it was great talking to her about the upcoming show and Boston-area theater in general.Check out Witch Hunt Theatre and get tickets to HER RITES here: www.witchhunttheatre.comYou can email me at gleamingpod@gmail.comTheme music by Mister Michael Brousseau Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's our season finale episode and I'm excited to be chatting about the glory days of public access television with two folks who have first-hand experience in that world. Writer Keith DeCandido is best known these days for his novels and comics but back in the early 90s he was one of the hosts of the New York City science fiction public access show THE CHRONIC RIFT and Calvin Watts has been talking about science fiction on Rhode Island cable access for the past 30 years, first as one of the cohosts of the legendary STAR TREK THE UNOFFICIAL FAN CLUB and later as one of the hosts of SCI-FI JOURNAL, a show he is still one of the hosts of TO THIS DAY. A little while back I was a guest on The Flopcast and we discussed public access tv shows in Rhode Island and I look at this episode as kind of a companion piece to that - we cover a little of the same ground but it was super interesting hearing from Keith and Calvin all about what it was like to produce one of these shows both back in the day and, in Calvin’s case, still.You can find all things Keith R.A. DeCandido (books for sale, blog, etc.) at his website: http://decandido.net/Check out an archive of classic 1990s Chronic Rift episodes here: The Chronic RiftCalvin Watts' ongoing public access show Sci-Fi Journal can be found both on Rhode Island Interconnect A and on YouTube: Sci-Fi JournalYou can hear me reminisce about old Rhode Island public tv shows on the Flopcast here: Flopcast 670 - A Camcorder and a Dream Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m excited to talk to writer and musician Luke MacPherson! Luke’s work explores the connections between music, film and philosophy and one of his most recent books, PRIME FORCE DIRECTIVE, draws connections between four cultural forces that shaped his life - the science fiction franchise Star Wars and Star Trek and the heavy metal bands Metallica and Iron Maiden. Luke’s also the lead singer and guitarist in the music project Iron Reverb (who did the cover of our theme song that you hear opening and closing the show this week) as well as the author of several other books that we discuss during our talk. I’ve known Luke for years, ever since his old punk band The Toss-Offs would come and play on my old radio show and it’s been awesome seeing him have this renewed outpouring of creativity lately. We talk about all of that and more during our pretty free ranging conversation.You can order Luke's books here: Author Page for Luke MacPhersonCheck out Luke's music project Iron Reverb!Kevin was a guest on The Flopcast talking all about the comic books of 1987: https://flopcast.net/687.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The second installment of our series of episodes focusing on a single album - I put out the call on social media for folks to get in touch with albums that changed their lives to possibly discuss on the show (with the caveat that I have to like the record as well) and the redoubtable Gary Mitchel (of A Podcask of Amontillado) suggested we discuss Portshead's Dummy. Naturally, I was delighted by this suggestion.When Dummy came out I hadn’t really heard anything like it - the phrase trip-hop wasn’t really in my vocabulary but I loved it’s mixture of noir soul, spy movie static, and hip-hop style productions, with Beth Gibbons' voice floating above everything as she sang about heartbreak and wandering stars.You can find the horror movie podcast Gary co-hosts (A Podcask of Amontillado) as well as his upcoming podcast on the Wheel of Time book series at Good to Be a Geek Media: https://www.goodtobeageek.com/You can email The Best Stuff in the World at gleamingpod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are talking to Emily Arkin and Bridget Duggan from Identical Cousins about their upcoming event THE FILTY FORMAL AND TRASH TALENT SHOW, an immersive tribute to the work of the film director John Waters! The Filthy Formal is a dance party / variety show / excuse to wear your most vile, stupid, and repulsive formal fashions and it’s Saturday night, June 21st, in the Crystal Ballroom of the Somerville Theatre in Somerville Massachusetts!You can get tickets to the Filthy Formal and Trash Talent Show here: https://www.crystalballroomboston.com/events/filthy-formal-trash-talent-show-a-john-waters-tribute/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are discussing one of the most famous and successful movies of all time - Raiders of the Lost Ark! Do I even need to go into a little intro spiel about Raiders? Producer George Lucas, director Steven Spielberg, and star Harrison Ford team up to create one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema - a swashbuckling archeologist named Indiana Jones who, in the 1930s, is in a race with the Nazis and his rival, the French archeologist Rene Belloq, to discover the lost ark of the covenant.Joining us this week are some top men: returning guest Kevin Eldridge from the great podcast The Flopcast and Michael Falkner from the website Creative Criticality. We discuss the film (arguably the greatest adventure film ever made), its inferior sequels, and even touch on some of the ancillary video games and tie-in novels. It's a great episode. Trust me.You can find Kevin Eldridge over at The Flopcast.You can find Michael Falkner at the website Creative Criticality.You can email this show at gleamingpod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're discussing the musicals of lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim and also talking about the current state of musicals on Broadway - has the supermusical killed the chance for smart shows like Sondheim's to find an audience? Where can his influence be found today? Where should you start with such a vast and acclaimed body of work? I'm joined by the mighty Sue Kisenwether from the Star Trek podcast Women at Warp and by returning guest Cash the Composer (who previously joined to talk about their own immersive musical Fantasmagoriana.)You can hear 10 years of awesome feminist Star Trek talk with Sue Kisenwether at Women at WarpSue has a piece in the upcoming book OUTSIDE IN CAN LIVE WITH IT: 171 New Perspectives on 171 Star Trek DS9 Stories by 171 WritersCash's immersive musical FANTASMAGORIANA is being staged June 3rd through 7th in Charleston, South Carolina. Get tickets here: https://cashcomposer.dudaone.com/fantasmagorianaYou can also see a video recording of the show on Cash's Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our first in a possible series of sporadic episodes focusing on a single album - I put out the call on social media for folks to get in touch with albums that changed their lives to possibly discuss on the show (with the caveat that I have to like the record as well) and the first response I got was from Christian Campagna of the Talk About the Passion podcast to discuss the seminal hardcore punk album The Crew by Reno, Nevada's 7 Seconds.Christian and I were are joined in the discussion by our mutual friend (and my former radio co-host) Liam Gray and the three of us wind up talking about other parts of the 7 Seconds discography and what it means to us - this was originally planned as a mini-episode but it wound up being around the length of a regular episode. 7 Seconds are worth it.You can find Christian's podcast here: Talk About the Passion (way back in 2018 I was a guest on episode 13)Liam is currently documenting his RV lifestyle on Instagram at www.instagram.com/thebelugarv/You may remember Gary Mitchel from our episodes on GI Joe and Dungeons & Dragons. I was a guest on Gary Mitchel's horror podcast A Podcask of Amontillado. Check it out here: The Devil You KnowYou can email The Best Stuff in the World at gleamingpod@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m excited to be talking to the frontman of one of Providence, RI’s greatest bands, Jason “King” Kendall from the Amazing Royal Crowns!The Royal Crowns managed to combine rockabilly, garage, and punk rock energy into something that sounded both familiar and new and they recorded *great* songs - DO THE DEVIL is probably the most well-known one since the video played on MTV a few times - and put on an absolutely fantastic live show. Being a bystander in the Providence music scene while they conquered that city was a really cool experience and Jason and I talk a lot about that and also what came after, including how as great as the Crowns were they dealt with a number of setbacks that were kind of out of their control, from having to change their name to The Amazing Crowns due to a lawsuit and their label folding. But it's also worth stressing that despite those challenges they also put out a lot of fantastic music and live shows that people still talk about to this day.The Crowns are playing a show in Cambridge, MA on June 20th with Skavoovie & The Epitones and you can buy tickets here: Skavoovie and The Epitones with The Amazing Royal Crowns at The SinclairCheck out https://royaltotheloyal.com/ to get alerted about the Amazing Royal Crowns digital museum and merch store. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest Kellian Adams Pletcher joins to discuss the new interactive, immersive tiki show she has written, Cthulhu Luau, in advance of its sold-out run! We also discuss Kellian's origin in the swing music scene, her long-running seasonal show Club Drosselmeyer, the immersive theater scene in the Boston area, and why she doesn't like Sleep No More as much as I do.Check out Cthulhu Luau here: https://cthulhu-luau.com/Get notified when Club Drosselmeyer tickets go on sale here: https://www.clubdrosselmeyer.com/Our closing music this week is by Vic Ditches from The F.I.D's. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (or MST3K) can be a difficult show to explain to people who haven’t seen it. Wisecracking robot puppets making fun of cheesy movies, mad scientists, invention exchanges, and more. I could not believe something as smart and funny and silly as this show existed when I discovered it.I’m joined to discuss MST3k by two people who are as smart and silly as the show itself.Guest roll call!Dan Toland podcasts about cheesy movies, cult films, midnight movies and more on CHANNEL 37’s MIDNIGHT MOVIE SHOW Phaea Crede is a children’s picture book author whose new book Oh Deer! Has just hit bookstores everywhere: https://www.phaeacrede.com/Enough introducing on my part. We’ve got podcast sign! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're talking to a couple of the talented folks behind the new immersive theatrical company Artemis is Burning about their upcoming show The Death of Rasputin, which will begin performances at LMCC’s Arts Center at Governors Island on April 17, 2025, for a limited run. Ashley Brett Chipman, who conceived of the show, and her co-director Hope Youngblood discuss the inspiration behind the show and its upcoming run.Whispers in the candlelight, shadows in the corridors— The Death of Rasputin is no mere play; it is a descent into decadence, a fever-dream of power, prophecy, and betrayal. This debaucherous satire unfolds as a lavish, unholy revel, conjuring the espionage and mysticism that danced at the edges of the Romanov dynasty in its twilight hour. Here, every character claws for dominion, every ambition is laced with poison, and every grasp for power pulls them closer to the abyss. With history and legend entwined, and the specter of Rasputin looming large, this production dares to reclaim the grand spectacle of immersive performance, shattering the mold long held by the few. The revolution is here. The prophecy is written. Will you heed the call?Get tickets here: https://deathofrasputin.com/Find Rasputin on Discord here: https://discord.gg/XfgWkq5m Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.