Mt. Rushmore Podcast

Let’s take a trip down memory lane this week and head to your favorite place as a kid: the mall. Where else could you see a movie, eat some questionable “pizza” at the food court, wash it down with a frozen “orange” drink and then blow the rest of your money at the arcade playing Street Fighter AND still have time left over before your mom picked you up? The mall experience is dying in America: today’s teens are spending all of their time cybershopping and playing Fortnight to do something productive like mill around Sam Goody’s for a couple of hours. It’s a shame, but that doesn’t mean we can’t wallow in nostalgia and remember all of the best – and worst – parts about a day at the mall.  SHOW NOTES The Food Court – Joint Choice IDing Malls in Films – Michael’s Choice Parking – Richard’s Choice The Mall as the Internet of Its Day – Michael’s Choice Claire’s Boutique – Richard’s Choice The Sadness of Dead Malls – Michael’s Choice Sam Goody’s – Richard’s Choice

Cigars all around! We’re delivering...a new episode of the podcast. This week we’re discussing TV pregnancies – how they were handled by shows over the years, and what depictions of pregnancies tell us about society as a whole. Since we’re three guys, we’re hardly experts at pregnancies, so we brought in someone with a bit more firsthand experience – Sara Reeve, wife of our own Richard Manfredi and mother of their two children. It’s an episode filled with tenderness, laughter and an egg coming out of Robin Williams’ navel and hatching to reveal Jonathan Winters. So, literally, it has it all. SHOW NOTES  2:25 – Mork from “Mork and Mindy” (Joint Choice) 9:36 – Lucy from “I Love Lucy” (Richard and Michael’s Choice) 17:01 – George/Sam Francisco from “Alien Nation” (Sara’s Choice) 24:02 – Murphy Brown from “Murphy Brown” (Joint Choice) 32:30 – Betty Draper from “Mad Men” (Sara’s Choice) 38:25 – Marge Simpson from “The Simpsons” (Richard and Michael’s Choice)

Horror and comedy movies are like Reese’s Cups but with blood instead of peanut butter and brains instead of chocolate – two great tastes that taste great together. Finding the right balance can be tricky, but when it works there’s nothing like a movie that can make you laugh and scream at the same time.  We’re lucky to be joined this week by two people who know how to combine horror and comedy – Ben Rock and Bob DeRosa of the hit web series “20 Seconds to Live.” Make sure you visit 20secondstolive.com to see all of their latest episodes. SHOW NOTES Ben and Bob’s Choices: Return of the Living Dead Re-Animator Evil Dead 2 Cabin in the Woods Richard and Michael’s Choices: Shaun of the Dead Gremlins Dead Alive Young Frankenstein

Look, we’re nerds, and we’re proud of it. But that doesn’t mean that we’re proud of everything. In fact, there are certain elements of the things that we love that we can’t defend. The week we’re exploring the cringeworthiest aspects of the things we hold near and dear to our hearts. Even as superfans, we’re admitting that these elements aren’t so super. We hope this episode is as cathartic for you as it is for us. SHOW NOTES 3:08 – Coffee Culture (Richard’s Choice) 9:34 – Quidditch, IRL (Michael’s Choice) 17:57 – Fantasy Football (Joint Choice) 27:45 – Cosplay Is Too Damned Good (Michael’s Choice) 37:26 – The Doors (Richard’s Choice) 45:36 – Comic Con (Michael’s Choice) 52:12 – Flopping in Soccer (Richard’s Choice)

This week’s topic comes from one of our fans: kickball legend, Lefty Slapper enthusiast and all-around good guy Paddy Culham. He joins us to help decide which artists did it better the second time around with the Rushmore of Cover Songs Better Than the Original. It’s hard to make someone else’s song your own, but these people and bands did it – whether the original song was kind of lousy or already great. Coming next week: we get the crew from How Did This Get Made to debate the same topic, but be much better at it. SHOW NOTES "Hurt" by Johnny Cash/Nine Inch Nails (Richard/Michael's Choice) "Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm/Michael Jackson (Paddy's Choice) "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper/Robert Hazard (Richard/Michael's Choice) "People Are Strange" by Echo and the Bunnyman/The Doors (Paddy's Choice) "The Tide Is High" by Blondie/The Paragons (Richard/Michael's Choice) "Mad World" by Gary Jules/Tears for Fears (Paddy's Choice) "Killing Me Softly" by Roberta Flack/The Fugees (Richard/Michael's Ch

Sometimes, children’s television can be a place of wonder, where kids learn valuable life lessons and are entertained by beloved characters. And sometimes, it’s a place where monsters with TVs in their stomachs speak in gibberish and create countless nightmares for kids and parents alike. Let’s face it – there’s a lot of bizarre children’s TV show concepts out there. Even great shows can have premises that are beyond belief. (Seriously, a group of teens and a talking dog travel in a van to solve crimes featuring villains with hyper-realistic masks? OK.) This week we get weird, so join us as we delve into the world of strange kids’ TV show concepts and try to emerge with our sanity on the other side. SHOW NOTES  2:23 – Teletubbies (Michael’s Choice) 7:56 – Jabberjaw (Richard’s Choice) 12:20 – Zoobilee Zoo (Michael’s Choice) 17:34 – Slim Goodbody (Joint Choice) 26:49 – Lancelot Link: Secret Chimp (Richard’s Choice) 32:45 – Pee-Wee’s Playhouse (Michael’s Choice) 40:56 – H.R. Pufnstuf (Richard’s Choice)

Since you’re a listener of our podcast, it’s easy to deduce pretty much everything about you. I can tell that you only listen to the best podcasts, that you enjoy hearing grown men argue about trivial points and that you are the type of refined person who loves Sherlock Holmes. Of course, you’ve probably never read a Sherlock Holmes story. Who has? So many words – some of them big and old! Instead, I’d wager that you’ve mainly watched one of approximately 120,000 adaptations that have taken place over the past 100 years or so. So, knowing what we know about you, will you appreciate our look at some of the best Sherlock Holmes adaptions over the years? The answer is elementary: you bet your sweet bippy you will. SHOW NOTES "House" (Michael's Choice) "Young Sherlock Holmes" (Richard's Choice) "Deduce You Say" Looney Tunes Short (Michael's Choice) "The Great Mouse Detective" (Richard's Choice) "The Beekeeper's Apprentice" (Michael's Choice) "Without a Clue" (Richard's Choice) "Sherlock" (Joint Choice)  

Ever studied for a test only to discover you have no idea how to answer the questions? Have you gotten a job and realized how unprepared you are for the responsibilities? Ever wish you were BIG on a magic carnival fortune telling machine, get a BIG job in the city, only to be unable to reciprocate an adult relationship because you’re actually 13 and then you run home crying to mama? Well, you’re in luck as we debate the Mount Rushmore of People in WAAAAAY Over Their Heads this week. It’s a healthy helping of Schadenfreude served up by Michael, Richard and Jeff, with a side dish of awkwardness and pity.  

This Sunday is Oscar night, and you know what that means! Well, yes, trying to figure out which celebrities are half in the bag while walking the red carpet and which ones are hopped up on goofballs. And also, yes, rubbing it in your friends’ faces because you got the Best Documentary Short AND Best Animated Short right in your Oscar pool.   More than that, though, we’re talking about your God-given right as an American to boo and throw things at your TV because the Best Picture winner CLEARLY wasn’t the best picture of the year. But why wait until Sunday? You can hear us rant and rail on the worst choices for Best Picture from years past while you throw something at your smartphone or car stereo.  Joining us to bring some much-needed sanity to the proceedings is Erik Anderson of AwardsWatch.com. Few people know more about the history and behind-the-scenes drama of the Best Picture race than him, so who could be better to explain why the best film didn’t always win? Meanwhile, Jeff is interviewing all the sta

Everyone wants to be the headstrong hero who jumps into battle to save their friends in spite of the tremendous danger looming in front of them, ensuring fortune and glory! But what about those better angels on our shoulders who are warning us that maaaaayyyybeee we should cool our jets? This week we debate which Logical and Sensible characters are most justified to be on our Mount Rushmore.  SHOW NOTES Jiminy Cricket (Michael's Choice) Spock (Joint Choice) Frank Grimes from "The Simpsons" (Richard's Choice) C-3PO (Michael's Choice) Nicholas Angel from "Hot Fuzz" (Richard's Choice) WOPR (Michael's Choice) Mike from "The Monkees" (Richard's Choice)

It’s amazing how large a world can be created around a show about nothing. Yes, we watch Seinfeld because of the wacky, misanthropic adventures of Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer, but often it’s the characters outside of the Core Four who wind up stealing the show. Join us this week as we debate who belongs on the Rushmore of Secondary Seinfeld Characters. Some of them can match the gang awful action for awful action, while others are innocents caught up in their wake. Either way, make sure you stay tuned until the end immediately following Jeff’s Airing of Grievances for Richard and Michael competing in the Feats of Strength and then yada yada yada. SHOW NOTES  Newman (Michael’s Choice) Puddy (Richard’s Choice) Jenna (Michael’s Choice) Frank Costanza (Richard’s Choice) The Bizarro Gang (Michael’s Choice) George Steinbrenner (Richard’s Choice) J. Pederman (Michael’s Choice) Bob Sacamano (Richard’s Choice)

It’s a rare breed of people who can be really good at multiple things. Heck, it’s pretty rare to find someone any good at one thing. Most people are like the sandwich “artist” at my local Subway who always puts too much oil and vinegar on my sub even though I ask for just a dash. This week we’re celebrating some of the most famous - and sometimes surprising – polymaths in pop culture and history. These are the Swiss Army Knives of entertainment. Especially in the case of Nick Offerman, who can probably make a canoe out of a log using a Swiss Army Knife. SHOW NOTES Leonardo DaVinci (Michael’s Choice) Hedy Lamarr (Richard’s Choice)  Nick Offerman (Michael’s Choice) Steve Martin (Richard’s Choice) “The Joker” from the Steve Miller Band song (Michael’s Choice) Magic Johnson (Richard’s Choice) Oprah Winfrey (Michael’s Choice) Paul Newman (Richard’s Choice) Phil Hartman (Jeff's "Borglum's Bag" Choice)

This week we’re joined by Jim Hanke from Vinyl Emergency to explore all of the strange, cool and unusual designs found in classic and current albums. We cover everything from edible EPs to covers featuring pictures of pants with fully working zippers (even if it did sort of ruin the physical album inside.) Jim brings his fantastic wealth of information, while Michael and Richard team up with stuff they found on Wikipedia. Who will win? Only Jeff knows, but honestly, the answer is pretty obvious. Make sure you follow Vinyl Emergency on Twitter and Facebook along with checking out his show, where he has interviewed big shots including Matthew Sweet and Roseanne Cash.  SHOW NOTES 8:41 – “Gummy Song Skull EP” by the Flaming Lips (Jim’s Choice) 15:30 – “Sticky Fingers” by the Rolling Stones (Richard and Michael’s Choice) 22:26 – “Vitalogy” by Pearl Jam (Joint Choice) 38:30 – “In Through the Out Door” by Led Zeppelin (Richard and Michael’s Choice) 43:23 – “Lazaretto” by Jack White (Joint Choice) 55:15 – “Friday th

Here it is: the episode you’ve been waiting for! No, it’s not our final episode – it’s our 100th episode! We’re as shocked that we’ve made it this far as you are, so to celebrate, we decided to throw ourselves a big ol’ celebratory spectacular*. There’s no way we could have done this without our friends and family, which is why we hosted a gala BBQ at Jeff’s house and invited people who have meant a lot to the show. We ate, drank and invited people to come up and try to debate us on their on-the-fly Rushmore topics. Needless to say, we were up to the task. And even if you couldn’t make it to the party, we still want you to know how much we appreciate our loyal listeners, whether they are friends we’ve known for years or people we’ve never met. We vow to try better over the next 100 episodes and maybe we’ll get one right eventually! *Not guaranteed to be spectacular.

Depending on your point of view, the Rashomon Effect is either one of the most ingenious plot devices ever created or a crutch for a lazy screenwriter who has run out of ideas and is ready to get multiple storylines out of just one idea. Then again, the question of whether it’s being done by Japan’s most visionary filmmaker or a guy writing an episode of “Diff’rent Strokes” could also make a big difference. Join us as Michael and Richard provide their own very unique perspectives on the Mt. Rushmore of the Rashomon Effect, while Jeff acts as the voice of truth with the honest perspective...or so we think.

According to pop culture, there’s nothing as heartwarming and comical as alcoholism. For every serious portrayal of the damage that alcohol addiction causes, there are three examples of wacky lushes who are permanently soused but always get the best lines. So let’s open up a bottle of your favorite adult beverage and indulge in moderation as we plow through this week’s episode on Lovable Drunks in one sitting!

Look, based on 2017, “aliens land on Earth” is only about the 20th least-likely thing that will happen this year. (Right behind “Trump admits it was a joke” and ahead of “Andy Kaufman admits it was a joke.”) So in case it does happen, as a people we need to have an ace in the hole: movies that we can show to aliens to prove that we’re cool. This week Michael and Richard take different paths to cool, and it’s up to Jeff to separate the Fonzies from the Potsies. And if you aren’t too cool for school, beam yourself over to iTunes or your other favorite podcast listening service and give us a review. SHOW NOTES 3:04 – “Rebel Without a Cause” (Richard’s Choice) 7:13 – “Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Michael’s Choice) 11:59 – “Shaft” (Richard’s Choice) 17:00 – “Mars Attacks” (Michael’s Choice) 23:45 – “Guardians of the Galaxy” (Jeff’s “Gutzon Borglum’s Bag” Choice) 25:45 – “The Professional” (Richard’s Choice) 32:01 – “Wall-E” (Michael’s Choice) 38:41 – “Amateur” (Richard’s Choice) 46:22 – “The Lord of the Ri

As we look forward into 2018 we must first look back on the ruinous hellscape that was 2017. In spite of the world burning around us, we do manage to find some bright spots on the podcast. As always, Michael and Richard feel the unnecessary need to put this into competition form and let Jeff judge his ass off over who chose the best best-of episodes from Season Two of Mt. Rushmore. 

Happy holidays! No matter which tradition you celebrate, there’s one thing that is universal – you’ll desperately need a reason to get away from your family before you murder someone. But there are also several things that are very specific to Christmas. So hang up the mistletoe and make a bowl of figgy pudding (actually, don’t), as we’re tackling Christmas icons and characters. As the year comes to an end, we want to thank you for listening to our show. And if you want to give us a nice present, the No. 1 thing on our list is a review on iTunes, Stitcher or your other favorite pod listener. Or you can send us a lump of coal, via fax. SHOW NOTES  1:58 – Yukon Cornelius from “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” 5:30 – Santa Claus 11:37 – Elf on the Shelf 16:57 – Krampus 23:10 – Ebenezer Scrooge from “A Christmas Carol” 34:23 – The Leg Lamp from “A Christmas Story” 38:22 – John McClane from “Die Hard” 44:18 – The Tree from “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

Call them the Great Pretenders; some people try to become someone else because they are pulling a con; others do it as a joke, or for reasons that no one can imagine. But one thing is for sure: these people’s fake lives are probably way more interesting than your real life. This week we’re talking about some of the biggest impostors, both real and fictional. There’s a good chance that Jeff is back to judging while Richard and Michael are debating, but really, can you be too sure? SHOW NOTES 2:10 - Faker from "He-Man and The Masters of the Universe" (Michael's Choice) 8:38 - Barry Bremen aka "The Great Imposter" of sports (Richard's Choice) 17:22 - Milli Vanilli (Michael's Choice) 25:01 - Iron Eyes Cody aka "The Crying Indian" (Richard's Choice) 33:30 - Frank Abangale Jr. (Michael's Choice) 41:36 - Sarah Emma Edmons - impersonated male soldier during Civil War (Richard's Choice) 47:25 - Danny Kaye in "The Court Jester" (Michael's Choice) 51:14 - Mamoru Samuragochi - deaf composer allegedly neither deaf nor a c