Ninja Leslie Nielsen

Update: 2025-08-06

Description

EPISODE 53: Ninja Leslie Nielsen

Summer’s in full swing, the bats are (mostly) gone, and Neal’s first attempt at mowing the lawn was almost a Disney nature documentary—minus the narrator and with a lot more screaming. Lauren’s on bat patrol until “The Batman” (the wildlife kind) cometh, and Patreon member Guy Carter weighs in with a skeleton-running-away-worthy comment. From spiders to baby rabbits to birdhouse injuries, it’s a wild week in the great outdoors… which just confirms that Neal and Colleen are officially indoor kids.

But then we get to the good stuff—this week’s prompts (“Chrome, 834, Surfboard”) lead to two very different film deep dives. Lauren revs up for a passionate ode to George Miller’s Mad Max franchise, covering everything from dystopian deserts and practical effects to Jenny Beavan’s award-winning costumes and the legendary Doof Warrior. Neal counterbalances with a trip back to 1993 for the gloriously goofy Surf Ninjas—a martial arts/surf comedy hybrid with Ernie Reyes Jr., Leslie Nielsen as a cyborg villain, Rob Schneider playing a “teenager,” and a prophetic Sega Game Gear. Yes, really.

Plus:
🎬 The unlikely link between Mad Max and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
🎮 Why Surf Ninjas’ video game dropped before the movie
📚 A new Patreon $10 “Book Club” tier announcement—fiction, nonfiction, and maybe a cozy murder mystery or two
🎵 Music League updates and possible future “Movie of the Month” club
🦇 Listener bat solidarity stories

Prompts for next episode: 1519, Lavender, Washer. Send us your takes, your movie recommendations, and—if you dare—your Surf Ninjas VHS nostalgia.

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