This Is Rad!

This podcast was 98 pounds of solid rad until it became... The Toxic Rad-venger! This week Radtober comes to a close for another year with a visit from director/podcaster/fart enthusiast Joe Lynch! The guys have a nice chat about where is the best place in Disneyland to let out farts. They also talk about extreme cinema and the type of person that chases movies that give you a visceral reaction. Yet again, like the Ghosts of the Comedy Store episode marvel as both Kyle and Matthew lean back and let an expert storyteller regal the boys with some insane stories. Troma is one of the longest running indie film company in America and has created and distributed some of the most insane movies ever made. Joe got a front row seat to experience the second wave of Troma's success in the mid to late 90's and man does he have some incredible stories. If you've ever wanted to hear a story about a guy walking in the snow covered in puke wearing a Toxic Avenger costume you have come to the right place. Check out Joe's new m

"We recorded a podcast. We recorded a podcast for you. Oh, what a thing to do. And it was all Giallo…" This week Kyle, Matthew and Natalie sit down with Radtober alum and spooky movie aficionado Alex Jacobs to talk about the uniquely Italian horror movie genre: giallo. Beginning in the 1960s, Italian filmmakers inspired by pulp novels and murder mysteries created proto-slasher films known for their stylistic use of music, color and black-gloved killers (along with brunettes and rampant murders at boarding schools). The gang discusses giallo's grand tradition of insane titles. Kyle and Alex get nostalgic about the use of the snap zooms in movies. Plus, we learn about vintage Italian cinema's total disregard for audio recording. But it wouldn't be "This Is Rad!" if there weren't some solid tangents, including a loving tribute to the non-giallo but still Italian horror classic “Suspiria." A fun and informative chat that lovingly celebrates a cool, lesser known corner of the horror movie landscape. Weekly Rads: R

Booooo...too! This week the rad crew revisits the topic of Ghosts, this time taking a Radtober field trip to a former speakeasy overrun with mobsters and murderers -- better known today as the World Famous Comedy Store! The Virgil to their Dante is return guest Steve Simeone, who managed the Store back in the day and has a lot of spooky stories to tell about the mysterious things he encountered working there, particularly when he was locking up alone at night. They learn about the history of the building, starting from its beginnings as a speakeasy (you can still see the bootlegging tunnels there today) before becoming the legendary Hollywood nightclub Ciro's. Steve is an amazing storyteller, and in this episode, the most haunting thing is how quiet Kyle and Burnside are as Steve marvels them with his experiences. Sit back, dim the lights down and know in your heart Kyle will never be this quiet on an episode again. Check out Steve's new album “What's up Nerds?” and his podcast “Good Times.” Weekly Rads: Are

Dim the lights and gather round, children, because Radtober has begun! Kyle, Matthew and Natalie start the spooky season right with a little outdoor podcast about the internet lore that all the kids love: Creepypastas. They are joined by comedians and creepy aficionados Brian Cox and Vanessa Gritton to break down some of their favorite stories. They point out that not all pastas are created equal, with some being modern classics while others pretty impressively capturing the crude ruminations of a middle schooler with a keyboard. Creepypastas have become the modern version of the urban legend or twice-told tale updated for the world of smartphones and internet. They explore the origins of the genre and how it has evolved, review some of their favorite stories, and recommend some places to get your fix if you're new to this world. This episode is a pretty solid primer for the uninitiated and full of a ton of fun riffs if you're a longtime fan. It's a good time for pretty much everyone but Natalie who thinks th

Yooooooou waaaaant a poooooodcast, but you can't have it... Actually, you can! This week Kyle and Matthew sit down with comedian and return guest Travis Clark to talk about one of rock music's weird and wonderful oddities: Mike Patton. For the uninitiated, Mike Patton was the singer for the band Faith No More, but his back catalogue is pretty incredible. If you've been listening for a while and thought, “boy, they haven't done an episode in a while where three guys nerd out about a bunch of bands I've never heard of...” then fear not, friends, because we have an episode chocked full of music nerd goodness. Kyle points out that Mike Patton might be rock music's most brilliant grouch. Travis breaks down what it is about the singer that has made him such a cult figure for so many. Travis and Matt also point out that all of Kyle's favorite Mr. Bungle songs are terrible. It's a very fun episode and one that has been requested for quite some time, so enjoy! This episode is sponsored by Loot Crate. Give yourself a g

This week Kyle, Matthew and Natalie welcome film critic and podcaster William Bibbiani ("Canceled Too Soon") as he talks about his love of the Step Up franchise. He takes the gang through all five insane films and explains why Step Up is the Fast and the Furious of dance movies. He also talks about the pernicious art of hat theft, why you should always bet on Moose, and the need for a very Step Up wedding. But seriously, these movies are insane. Did you know one character is an effin' robot? This episode is sponsored by Loot Crate. Give yourself a geeky gift this month! Visit www.lootcrate/thisisrad and enter the promo code thisisrad for $3 off on any new subscription. Weekly Rads: American Vandal, Plague Vendor, porcupines, lammergeiers, Kesha's Rainbow & "Godzilla" Raddendums: Channing Tatum, Cry Baby Lane, The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage, Save the Last Dance, Step Up, Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D, Step Up: Revolution, Step Up: All In, League of Extraordinary Dancers, Jem and the Holograms, The

Cheers! This week Kyle and Matthew sit down with Jarrod Bruner and Carlos Huizar to talk about the cause of and solution to all of life’s problems: beer. They taste test some different kinds of beers, including several selections from Carlos' personal collection along with Jarrod's own homebrewed coffee IPA. They all discuss their first experiences drinking beer and how that affected their feelings about drinking over the years. Kyle gives some tips for the best way to shotgun a beer. Carlos shares some experiences with beer festivals. Jarrod takes us through his process of homebrewing. Burnside shares his experience drinking absinthe. Plus, they have a controversial discussion of the proper way to consume a Guinness. A super fun episode that will definitely leave you thirsty for more! This episode is sponsored by Loot Crate. Give yourself a geeky gift this month! Visit www.lootcrate/thisisrad and enter the promo code thisisrad for $3 off on any new subscription. Weekly Rads: Death from Above’s “Outrage! Is N

What happens when three podcasts unite to single-handedly destroy white supremacy? A live show of epic proportions! In this special bonus episode, This Is Rad! is joined by The Goods from the Woods (Rivers Langley & Mr. Goodnight) and The Mean Boys (Keith Carey & Tom Goss) in a podcast crossover extravaganza for the ages, with all proceeds benefiting the Southern Poverty Law Center. There's a charitable dominatrix (Catherine Walters), everyone’s favorite non-gendered corporate spokesbeing (Lootaclaus), a 90 second talk show (featuring Jordan Morris and Brandie Posey) and much more! The show took place at the NerdMelt Showroom on September 8, 2017. Watch the show here: http://bit.ly/2feAGER or make a donation to the SPLC today: https://donate.splcenter.org/

This week Kyle and Matthew sit down with comedian Billy Anderson and Taco Bell grandma Becky Joiner to talk about Stephen King movie adaptations. Kyle thinks we're currently in a "Kingassaince." They unpack the different versions of The Shining, which leads to a nice chat about what makes a good movie versus what makes a good book. They also discuss how Kyle and Billy's friendship comes from their mutual love of The Stand TV miniseries. They work through all the classic King adaptations (and a few of the not so classics) and also chat about how the non-canonical Pet Sematary 2 is pretty great. They explore the evolution of King's themes through the decades and how those themes have been addressed in film. Plus, they point out that there is an Annie Wilkes lurking inside of every nerd. They also propose how much cooler it would have been if the second season of Stranger Things had flashed forward to the kids as adults. Finally, they talk about their cautious optimism for the new It movie, and Kyle encourages e

Where we're going, we don't need rads… This week Kyle, Matthew and Natalie sit down with comedian Caitlin Durante (The Bechdel Cast) to talk about her favorite movie thrillogy: Back to the Future! But first, in traditional "This Is Rad!" fashion, they talk about Titanic for a while and discuss the ill-fated movie Titanic 2, which shockingly does exist. They unpack what makes Back to the Future so great, why Michael J. Fox is a national treasure, and why Crispin Glover is so dang weird. Natalie is obsessed with the Eric Stoltz movie that never was, Kyle defends Back to the Future 2, Caitilin unpacks the "Briff Conundrum," and yes, Part 3 is... addressed. So fire up your flux capacitors, accelerate to 88 miles per hour and travel BACK! IN! TIME! This episode is sponsored by Loot Crate. Give yourself a geeky gift this month! Visit www.lootcrate/thisisrad and enter the promo code thisisrad for $3 off on any new subscription. Weekly Rads: The Good Place, Bubblegum by Mark Lanegan Raddendums: Titanic 2, Thelma &

Seriously, are you even laxing, bro? This week Kyle and Matthew sit down with lax rat and @midnight alum Adam Toltzis to talk about lacrosse! … after about 20 minutes of nonsense about working at @midnight. The gang discusses the fascinating origins of the sport and explore why some sports have such strong regional ties. Adam recounts how his body adjusted for the better after retiring from the sport. Plus, they discuss why this obscure sport has such a bad rap. There is some discourse on douches and how it is unfair to blame a whole sport for the actions of a group of dipshits who enjoy it. (It's a real “the more you know” moment.)  Kyle, Matt and Nat learn what NARPS are. Kyle and Adam unpack the Mighty Ducks franchise. We learn Burnside is a "porpoise boy." Also, Adam shows them that lacrosse players have some of the greatest (i.e. most ridiculous) names in the history of sports. Come for the talk about brony vore porn, stick around for an interesting chat about an often misunderstood sport. Weekly Rads: B

With great power comes great podcasting. This week Kyle and Matthew sit down with comedians Ed Greer and Ron Swallow (Nerd G.O.A.T. Podcast) to talk about everyone's friendly neighborhood webslinger: Spider-Man. The guys talk about what makes the wall crawler such an enduring character. From his origin story to his costuming, Spider-Man does a great job acting as a cypher for every kid who feels powerless in a world of adults. They also talk about his unique position in the Marvel universe. Ron talks about how great it is that there is a superhero with a sense of humor. Ed loves nothing more than watching the webhead fuck people up. Kyle talks about his love for Peter Parker's angst (because of course he does...) and Burnside almost entertains the idea of reading! They also talk about how Spidey has the best rogues gallery and recommend some seminal spider-stories. And don't for a second think that the gang forgot to talk about the nearly infinite film and TV adaptations. They talk about the best and the wors

Pizza pizza! This week Kyle, Matthew and Natalie are back in the studio after an awesome Summer of Rad to talk about an equally awesome topic: Pizza! (Seriously, it took them 170 episodes to talk about pizza?) They welcome comedian and all around good guy Steve Simeone to talk about everyone's favorite cheesy, tomato-y, crusty delight. And he takes his pies very seriously. Steve lays out his recipe for crafting a perfect pizza. They talk toppings. They talk about their favorite pizza chains and pizza places across the country. Pizza's great. It makes people happy. As this episode will make you! This episode is sponsored by Loot Crate. Give yourself a geeky gift this month! Visit www.lootcrate/thisisrad and enter the promo code thisisrad for $3 off on any new subscription. Weekly Rads: The President Show, Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later, Chuck Klosterman's I Wear the Black Hat Raddendums: PizzaRev, Pizza Hut, Domino's, Papa John's, Di Fara's Pizza, Grimaldi's, Two Boots, Vito's, The Amazing Pizza Machi

One year ago, Adam Tyler Murray promised "This Is Rad!" a boat. That promise went unfulfilled… until now. Join us on the high seas as we finish out the Summer of Rad 2017 with special guest Captain Lisa Curry! This episode is sponsored by Loot Crate. Give yourself a geeky gift this month! Visit www.lootcrate/thisisrad and enter the promo code thisisrad for $3 off on any new subscription. Weekly Rads: FYF 2017, Flying Lotus' movie Kuso Brigsby Bear, and check out our new merch on TeePublic! https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/1781384-this-is-rad-podcast?

Hey good lookin'! Whatcha got cookin'? The Summer of Rad rages on in Kyle's backyard with a podcast cookout crossover extravaganza! The rad gang is joined by "The Goods from the Woods" own Rivers Langley and Mr. Goodnight and "What Did You Learn?"'s Monika Scott and Luke Jensen. Also, Kasey Clark and Jarrod Gilbreath are along for the ride! Rivers deep fries a whole mess of delicious food for everyone and shocks no one by knowing the entire history of Chick-Fil-A. (While working there, he found out their secret ingredient and now incorporates it into his own insanely good fried chicken recipe.) Monika spices things up with some hot links and cornbread, Luke sizzles up some steak fingers, Burnside bakes up some cheesy potatoes, Mr. Goodnight's all about that Milo's sweet tea and both Natalie and Kyle... forgot to make anything. It's a super fun summer episode you'll cherish forever! Weekly Rads: Turtles Forever, Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling trailer

Rad's up, dudes! The Summer of Rad continues in beautiful and sunny Malibu, where the gang returns to their buddy Spencer Emmons' beachfront abode to chat about the world of surfing. The rad crew are also joined by very special guest Zac McKeever. Zac is a longtime friend and the heart of the NerdMelt family where he is the head sound tech. Zac and Spence are lifelong serious surfers. The gang explores the origins and history of surfing. They talk about the natural, physical and mental factors that make surfing such a deeply loved and revered summertime staple. They also talk about optimum surfing conditions, the SoCal beach safety lesson the “stingray shuffle,” and bodyboards vs. Boogie Boards. Plus, Spence and Zac share some scary stories of wiping out. And Natalie sets out to understand what makes a wave “tasty.” Weekly Rads: Bedbugs, I'm Alan Partridge Raddendums: Howard Kremer, Duke Kahanamoku, Dogtown, Jeff Ho, Zephyr Surfboards, Larry Bertlemann, the Wedge, Clark Foam, Back to the Beach, Riding Giants,

The Summer of Rad returns! This week the rad gang hits the great outdoors (i.e. Kyle's lovely backyard) with Matt Lantrip and Brandie Posey, two Warped Tour veterans, to discuss this venerable summer music institution. It's the day after Kyle and Nat's big Fourth of July party, and Kyle and Laura spend a lot of the episode downing leftover Jello shots. The gang weighs in on the good, the bad, and the ugly side of the festival and talks about the influence of things like Hot Topic and Myspace on the way that a generation of kids found music. (The late '90s and early '00s pop punk ecosystem was a delicate place full of a lot of dyed hair with swoopy side bangs, and this group has some opinions about it.) About halfway through, Kyle's brother Kasey joins the fray. Together, they chat about the best acts they've ever seen along with a few of the worst. They also have a spirited debate about the most "Warped Tour" band of all time and give some tips for how to make it through a hot day at the festival without dyin

Ommmm... This week Kyle, Matthew and Natalie sit down and stretch out with comedian Dana Moon to discuss the meditative art of yoga! Dana talks about doing hot yoga next to Colin Farrell and Drew Barrymore. Kyle talks about his heady days finding inner peace with Wii Fit Yoga. Matt talks about doing yoga video tapes in Cleveland. Plus, Natalie talks about recently getting into yoga at her gym (and being jealous Dana can do crow pose). Everybody is disturbingly on topic this episode. But don't worry, because the gang also discusses the ideal way to eat Pop-Tarts, math, psychedelic drugs, and Nat exposes that Kyle went through a "sea shanty" phase (to the surprise of no one). Namaste! Weekly Rads: ASSSSCAT 3000 at the Del Close Marathon, Culture Abuse, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit's "The Nashville Sound," Brandie Posey's neighbors' 4th of July displays, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at the Greek & "Lovely Creatures," Burnside's face when he went on Splash Mountain, Doom, and our special guests Laura Knight,

Rad Break foreva... This week Kyle, Matthew and Natalie sit down with comedian Kelly McInerney to talk about the odd yet super cool career choices of actor/filmmaker James Franco. Kyle thinks he's a modern day John Cassavetes and is impressed that he keeps making weird shit that should have ruined his career by now. Kelly dressed up as Alien from "Spring Breakers" for Halloween. The gang work their way through his filmography from mega-hit movies like Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" to the arthouse masterpiece "Spring Breakers" to lesser known works like "Interior. Leather Bar." (which Kyle is weirdly obsessed with). They chat about "Pineapple Express" and how it was able to find a new and interesting take on pot comedies. Plus, Kelly saw an early screening of "The Disaster Artist" at SXSW this past year and gives us a little preview of what we can expect from the upcoming film chronicling the making of the ultimate bad movie: "The Room." A fun chat about a guy who is a lot deeper than some folks give him credit for

Rad-ama! This week Kyle, Matthew and Natalie welcome comedian Bronston Jones to talk about the mighty Van Halen. Van Halen are almost as famous for their larger than life band members than they are for their amazing music. They discuss the insanity of David Lee Roth, debate Van Halen vs. Van Hagar, and give explanation to the band's famously insane "no brown M&Ms" request on their tour rider. Bronston reminiscences about sneaking into Van Halen concerts by just acting like he was supposed to be there. Kyle reminisces about getting a concussion while performing at Bronston's Venice Underground show. Burnside calls hair metal "hairy metal." And Slash (who is not in Van Halen) is apparently a big fan of dinosaurs. So if you are done runnin' with the devil, then sit down right now and JUMP into this episode. Weekly Rads: County fairs, Hollywood Dead Film Festival, John Wick on the USA network Raddendums: 1984, Top Jimmy, Crazy from the Heat, Guns N’ Roses, Alice in Chains, Head, The Osbournes, Some Kind of Mo