PrePopCulture

52: One year anniversary!

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:07:00 +0000

It's hard to believe this podcast has been going on for a year! Jen takes the anniversary as an opportunity to give some updates on topics from previous episodes and share some unaired clips. Plus she tells you where to find some fun promo videos for the podcast, because she's been doing them for a little while but hasn't mentioned them on the show itself. And who wouldn't want to watch a couple throw marshmallows at bowls tied to each other's heads in a living room replica of Double Dare?

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

You can follow PrePopCulture and Jen on Twitter and find the PrePopCulture video promos on YouTube.
Check out JJ Abrams' TED talk on his Mystery Box and his discussion of Star Trek on the Daily Show, plus Damon Lindelof telling Grantland about the Dark Tower optioning process
Check Arrested Development's official Twitter to find Bluth's Original Frozen Bananas
The East
Eternal Darkness sequel kickstarter
Come to the LA Indie Improv Festival on May 25!
Locke & Key
Michael Moorcock's advice on writing a book in three days
Patton Oswalt's Star Wars filibuster
Check out Out of Print and its YouTube channel
Steampunk Legos

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

51: LA Indie Improv Festival

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:48:00 +0000

Casey Feigh (Crashbar) and Nick Mandernach (Room 101) return to discuss the upcoming 2nd Annual LA Indie Improv Festival. From where it all started in 2012, to the ways the festival has grown this year, to how the teams are selected and scheduled, these three give you an inside look at anything and everything you might want to know about this event. So take a listen, and come out to enjoy the LA Indie Improv Festival on May 25! Oh, and if you've got a line on any fruit punch SoBe Power, let Casey know. He's jonesing for it.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

Follow Casey and Nick on Twitter and check out their indie improv shows Crashbar and Room 101. You can also see them in UCB Harold team John Velvet and their hip hop improv group, Hip Hop Penguin.
Check out the LA Indie Improv Festival on 5/25/13! We're still taking volunteers and accepting donations. We're also doing a Cagematch fundraiser on 5/18/13!
The Manifesto Show is also still taking submissions until 5/19/13 for the 2nd Annual Manifesto Late Night Show on 5/24/13. Click the link for details on how to submit a team!

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

50: Steampunk

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:25:00 +0000

Scott Narver returns and Steve Sears comes by for the first time to discuss steampunk culture, a genre most commonly associated with the intersection of science fiction and the Victorian era. If it's steam-powered, mechanized, filled with automatons, and has zeppelins, odds are it falls under the steampunk purview, which Scott, Steve, and Jen are admittedly not experts on but are certainly interested by. But Steve does kinda have steampunk facial hair, so maybe he knows more than he initially let on…

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

Check out Scott and Steve's podcast Curtain Jerks, their improv group Bro Squad 5 which you can see every Saturday at 9:30pm at the Saturday Night Main Event at Second City in LA, Scott's YouTube show Scott Vs Box, and Steve's forthcoming movie Dave Made A Maze. You can also follow Curtain Jerks, Scott Vs Box, Dave Made A Maze, and Steve on Twitter.
Bob Bassett's steampunk accoutrements
Bioshock Infinite
The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart and the accompanying stop-motion animated music video
Machinarium
Jules Verne
H.G. Wells

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

49: Lifehacking

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 02 May 2013 01:44:00 +0000

Stephen Perlstein returns this week to dissect lifehacking, which has the very broad definition of anything that solves a problem or increases productivity in everyday life. Lifehacking sites have everything from tips and tricks for around the house, to guides for tinkering and DIY projects, to app recommendations, to general life advice, to strategies for increasing efficiency. Basically, if there's a problem plaguing you big or small, odds are there's a lifehack for it. But if the term is so broad that it can basically mean anything, then does it really mean anything at all? Who knows, but at least Stephen's figured out how to stop accidentally washing his hair too many times.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

Follow Stephen on Twitter and check out the Improv Obsession Podcast
Lifehacker.com
Lifehack.org
The picture list of 99 lifehacks
And if you're curious whether you're tying your shoes wrong, check out the TED talk Terry Moore: How to tie your shoes.

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

48: Revival cinema

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:54:00 +0000

This week, Julia Marchese joins Jen to discuss revival cinema, the type of movie theater that has classic and special programming rather than first run films. Working at and loving the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles, Julia is a veritable expert on revival cinema and has also been inspired to fight back against studios phasing out 35mm film prints by making her upcoming documentary, Out of Print. Julia shares thoughts on the importance of revival cinema to movies as a whole, what makes the New Beverly so special, plus cool tidbits about Out of Print. She also reveals what it's like to have Quentin Tarantino as your landlord.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

Follow Julia on Twitter and stay tuned to the website for Out of Print for updates about the documentary!

If you're in Los Angeles, check out the New Beverly!

Butt-Numb-A-Thon

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

47: Nickelodeon nostalgia

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 07:05:00 +0000

Mike Carlson and Lindsay Katai join Jen this week to talk about all the great Nickelodeon shows of their childhood. From cool gameshows like Nick Arcade and Legends of the Hidden Temple, to weird cartoons like The Ren & Stimpy Show and Rocko's Modern Life, to totally unique live action shows like Clarissa Explains It All and The Adventures of Pete & Pete, there was something on Nickelodeon for every kid. And even though they might get some of the things about old Nickelodeon shows now that they didn't as kids, it doesn't mean they're any less fond of them as adults.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

You can follow Mike and Lindsay on Twitter and see them in the Tournament of Nerds at Upright Citizens Brigade, where you can also see Mike on Harold team Kid Grift and check out Lindsay's show Les Sizzlerables.
The Adventures of Pete & Pete
Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Clarissa Explains It All
Legends of the Hidden Temple
Nick Arcade
The Ren & Stimpy Show
SNICK

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

46: Crap Kingdom with DC Pierson

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:04:27 +0000

DC Pierson joins Jen this week to talk about his latest novel Crap Kingdom, which is about a teenager who discovers he's the Chosen One in a fantasy kingdom that to his disappointment turns out to be, well, crappy. DC also chats about his first book, The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To, and the various ways he interacts with his readers, from writing their names into custom rap songs if they pre-ordered Crap Kingdom, to replying directly to a query about his book on Yahoo Answers. Former theater nerds, current comedy nerds, really nerds of any kind will totally relate to DC's protagonists. And of course, idiot douchebags won't get it at all.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

You can follow DC on Twitter, watch sketches by DERRICK comedy, see him in Shitty Jobs on Sundays at 11pm at Upright Citizens Brigade, and check out his weekly stand-up show Big Money on Thursdays at 7:30pm at The Virgil.
Buy Crap Kingdom!
Buy The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To!
See DC at the LA Times Festival of Books on Sunday, April 21 at 1:30pm at the Young Adult Fiction: Guffaws & Giggles panel at the YA Stage.
And check out the custom raps for people who pre-ordered Crap Kingdom!

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

45: TV show revivals

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 22:14:00 +0000

Jacki Merchant joins Jen this week to talk about the many TV shows that have in some way gotten a second wind. From a Kickstarter-funded movie years after the fact, to fan campaigns reversing cancellations, to changing networks or moving to Netflix, there are tons of examples of TV shows that have been rescued from the grave. Of course, for all the shows that got resuscitated and made good on their second shot at life, there are also a few that fumbled their reprieve.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

44: TED Talks

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 10:19:00 +0000

Alex Berg joins Jen this week to discuss the nerdy wonders that are TED Talks, the lectures on technology, entertainment, and design given throughout the year at various TED events as well as provided free online. From robotics to ancient relics to defining life, love, and consciousness, there's a TED talk for just about everyone, though Alex and Jen admittedly geek out primarily over the talks that fall under TED's "T." Of course, that doesn't mean they haven't also watched talks about porn and sex toys. They are human, after all.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

You can follow Alex on Twitter, see his improv group Convoy on Thursdays at 11pm at Upright Citizens Brigade Los Angeles, and check out his movie Hell Baby this fall.

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

43: TL;DR

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:52:56 +0000

Guest James Mulholland returns (sorry, Stephen C. James, he's expanding his lead) for a nearly half-size episode on the internet phenomenon of TL;DR, or "too long; didn't read." Normally episode descriptions are more detailed than that, but when they are does anyone actually read them anyway? Maybe when they also tease exciting tangents, like a John Mayer spotting!

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

You can follow James on Twitter, but he doesn't necessarily advise it since he rarely tweets
Google Reader and the petition to save it
Instapaper
The A.V. Club covering Gilmore Girls

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

42: Completing the trilogies

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:13:00 +0000

Having finally watched the third installments of the Back to the Future and Star Wars franchises, Jen has Stephen C. James back for his third appearance on PrePopCulture. Though they agree that both movies aren't the most essential parts of their respective franchises, they disagree about which trilogy is better over all. And even though Jen watched all of Return of the Jedi, it's entirely possible she still managed to miss a very pivotal moment.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

Follow Stephen on Twitter and check out his improv show The Sunday Social at iO West. His sketch show Sketch Devils returns to Second City in May.

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

41: Social media oversharing vs. social media blackout

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Danny Cohen and Farley Elliott return this week to talk with Jen about the extreme ends of the spectrum when it comes to social media use. From why certain people (*ahem* Danny) choose to abstain from Facebook altogether, to why other people seem to think everything about their lives is worth sharing with the world, plus all the privacy issues that crop up in between, these three definitely agree on at least one thing: push notifications are annoying.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

Follow Danny and Farley on Twitter and check out Minutiae. Farley is also one of the hosts of the Manifesto Show.
Join Boppbopp
Forever Dancer is an album Danny made. You can download it. Seriously.

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

40: Toys of the 80s and 90s

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:08:00 +0000

Andrew Wollman (Doctor Who Live!) returns to talk with Jen about their favorite toys from the 1980s and early 1990s. From Centurions to Lite-Brite to Skip-It, some of these old favorites have been forgotten, some have been updated for today's kids, and some, in retrospect, were maybe just invented for parents to tire their children out. Plus, Andrew reveals how he cleverly "supplemented" his allowance, and Jen realizes the stories she played out with her toys were not exactly normal.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

You can check out Andrew's tumblr and see him in Doctor Who Live! at iO West, the Tournament of Nerds at Upright Citizens Brigade, and his indie improv show The 11th Hour Show at the Clubhouse.

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

39: Magic

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:52:37 +0000

Leeman Parker (The Filthy Liars) joins Jen this week to discuss the peaks and valleys of the popularity of magic over the years, from the heyday of the '80s and early '90s when magic could sustain a primetime TV special, to the late '90s trend of endurance stunts masquerading as illusions, to a potential resurgence on the horizon given two mainstream movies about magicians are due out within the next three months. Plus Leeman talks about his experiences performing at the Magic Castle, and Jen performs a feat of etymological magic by declaring "heisting" a word.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

See Leeman do improv with Bro Squad 5 at Second City's Saturday Night's Main Event every Saturday at 9:30pm, and perform comedy magic with The Filthy Liars at venues like the Magic Castle and the Hollywood Fringe Festival.
2006's dueling magic movies, The Illusionist and The Prestige
David Copperfield's private islands, The Islands of Copperfield Bay
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
The Magic Castle
Magicians (2007)
The Masked Magician
Now You See Me

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

38: Horns by Joe Hill

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:12:58 +0000

Art Tebbel (Box Office Democracy) returns to discuss Horns by Joe Hill. Because what's more appropriate for Valentine's Day than a novel Stephen King's son wrote about a guy who was accused of raping and murdering his girlfriend suddenly waking up one morning to discover devil horns growing out of his head? That's right, nothing!

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

You can follow Art on Twitter and check out Box Office Democracy as a blog and podcast
Horns
And here's a picture of Daniel Radcliffe in costume as Ig

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

37: Conspiracy theories

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 02:38:36 +0000

This week, Paul Bartunek joins Jen to talk about the all truths the government and big business and the lizard people don't want you to know about. Conspiracy theories run the gamut in terms of scale and scope, from celebrities that aren't really dead to disasters that are inside jobs to the forthcoming destruction of the entire global economy, but weirdly an awful lot of them seem like they might just have a kernel of truth in them. And even if they don't, it can't hurt to put a piece of tape over your webcam just in case someone's watching, right?

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

You can follow Paul on Twitter and Instagram.
Above Top Secret
Alex Jones' Infowars
Bilderberg Group
David Icke and the lizard people
New World Order
The questionable deaths of Andy Kaufman, Paul McCartney, and Tupac Shakur
Illuminati symbol from Freevector and used under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

36: Famous or infamous

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:17:00 +0000

Guest James Mulholland returns to protect his status as most frequent guest, and to talk about the weird cultural thing that happens when something receives more attention for a peripheral aspect of it than for what it is in and of itself. Yikes, that sounds vague, huh? Don't worry, we've got plenty of weird examples ranging from blockbuster movies to bestsellers to fast food. And we even talk a little about BDSM.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

You can follow James on Twitter, but he doesn't necessarily advise it since he rarely tweets
Dying is good for Batman
Everyone loves a comeback
James Frey and his fake memoir
Twilight fan fiction

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

35: Mobile gaming

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:10:00 +0000

Danny Mastrangelo (Silhouette Games; Been There, Played That) returns for more gaming talk, this time getting into games for handheld and mobile devices. The gap between these is becoming progressively murkier what with games from each type of device being ported to the other, but Danny and Jen find the differences between these types of games actually go much deeper than what you happen to be playing them on. They also can't help but bring up Animal Crossing again, and it's even sadder this time around.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

Follow Danny on Twitter and check out his video game development site Silhouette Games and video game review site Been There, Played That.
Bastion
Chaos Rings
Jetpack Joyride
Sound Shapes
Sword & Sorcery
Thomas Was Alone
Tiny Tower
Tiny Wings

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

34: John Irving is a weirdo

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 09:27:22 +0000

Darien Clark (MurderCliff) and Andrew Wollman (Tournament of Nerds) join Jen to talk about the prolific American author John Irving, and the various ways in which his books have been adapted as movies. If you've read even one book by Irving, you won't be surprised that wrestling, horrific accidents, and bears come up. Jen and Andrew also reveal unusual choices for make-out movies, plus Darien and Jen kiss a little. Or at least Andrew wants you to think they do.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

You can follow Darien on Twitter and see her group MurderCliff at Cagematch on January 23 at 11pm at Upright Citizens Brigade. You can check out Andrew's tumblr and see him in the Tournament of Nerds on January 19 at midnight at Upright Citizens Brigade and every other Saturday in Doctor Who Live! at 11:30pm at iO West.
The Cider House Rules as a book and a movie
The Hotel New Hampshire as a book and a movie
A Prayer for Owen Meany and Simon Birch
A Widow for One Year and The Door in the Floor
The World According to Garp as a book and a movie

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

33: Viral marketing

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 09:28:00 +0000

Guest Joel Jensen (Denizen) returns to walk Jen through the ins and outs of viral marketing. From developing ad concepts, to seeding the finished videos, to explaining to clients why it isn't bad that they have random views in Belarus, Joel covers all the bases. Plus he knows secrets about the internet in China, and sometimes he gets to play with cool bugs!

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

You can follow Joel on Twitter and check out his indie improv show Room 101.
Check out Joel's company Denizen to view cool viral ads like Bug Circus, Lights Out, One Charge Challenge, Budweiser's Flash Fans, Skittles's Touch, and more.
Chatroulette turned viral ad
Samsung's Peter the elephant spot
The Viral Factory

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

32: Dissolution

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:28:24 +0000

To kick off season two, Jake Goldman joins Jen to tackle history and mystery in the novel Dissolution by C.J. Sansom. The book takes place in Tudor England and follows a hunchback lawyer as he's sent by Lord Cromwell to investigate a murder at a country monastery during Henry VIII's dissolution of papist religious houses. Naturally Jake and Jen get into relevant details like what constituted getting to third base with someone in 1537.

An important note on spoilers! Jake and Jen discuss who the killer is from 50:47-57:33. If you haven't read the book but want to, you can safely listen to the rest of the episode and just avoid that spoiler-y portion.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

You can follow Jake on Twitter and check out new episodes of Futurama this summer.
Dissolution
SNL's Anne Boleyn sketch
And #FindTesla!

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

31: 2012 in review, part 2

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 04:37:00 +0000

Wrapping up the first season of PrePopCulture, guests Sarah Claspell and Scott Davis return to talk about what they were glad to see get big this year, what they'd hoped would be big in 2012 but wasn't, and what they hope to see get big in 2013. But what it really boils down to is that they all love cute animals on the internet.

Thanks for listening to the first season of PrePopCulture! If you're enjoying the podcast, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

You can follow Sarah and Scott on Twitter. Check out Scott's podcast One Photo Reviews and Sarah's website well that's adorable.
David Mitchell: Back Story
Game of Thrones
Grumpy Cat
The Hunger Games
Ikea Monkey
Magic Mike
The Newsroom
Side Effects

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

30: 2012 in review, part 1

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 05:22:00 +0000

In the first half of a two part episode, guests Danny Cohen and Jon Mackey return to talk about what they were glad to see get big this year, what they'd hoped would be big in 2012 but wasn't, and what they hope to see get big in 2013. Danny also reveals his favorite character in film history, and Jon reveals the secret to putting on weight for a role.

Come back next week for part two with Sarah Claspell and Scott Davis!

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

You can follow Danny and Jon on Twitter. Issue #9 of Danny's humor publication Minutiae is available now, and you can see Jon's sketch group Big Grande at the San Francisco Sketchfest on January 25 and 26 at The Dark Room.
Arrested Development
BFF
Homeland
Instagram
Key & Peele
Portlandia
Terriers
The Walking Dead

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

29: Underappreciated holiday movies

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:19:59 +0000

Guest James Mulholland returns to discuss lesser known holiday movies as well as movies that take place around the holidays, which is quickly found to be an important distinction. Apparently the amount of snow shown has a huge impact on whether or not Jen considers it to be a holiday movie, plus she shares her wild New Years plans.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

You can follow James on Twitter, but he doesn't necessarily advise it since he rarely tweets
Disney's Christmas special, A Disney Christmas Gift
A Garfield Christmas Special
Hoops & Yoyo Ruin Christmas
The Ice Storm
Mickey's Christmas Carol
Prancer
Check out the Rare Exports trailer or rent/buy it on iTunes
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
Scrooged
Wonder Boys

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

28: Liveblogging

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 10:05:22 +0000

Guest Farley Elliott returns to chat about the insta-reporting/comedy we've come to know as liveblogging. From tech events, to bad movies, to politics, to sports, there doesn't seem to be something that isn't liveblog-worthy these days. In fact, somebody's probably liveblogging this episode right now...

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show Notes:

Follow Farley on Twitter and check out his liveblogs for episode 16: Micro/internet publishing, episode 22: The Gates and The Infernals, episode 25: NaNoWriMo, and episode 26: Six month anniversary!. You can also check out our indie improv show, The Manifesto Show.

The Funny Or Die Debate Experts tweets

Grantland Live

Je Shirt

KimKierkegaardashian

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

27: Late to the Back to the Future party

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Stephen C. James (The Sunday Social) and Scott Narver (Curtain Jerks) return to discuss another thing Jen was way behind the curve on: Back to the Future. Having watched the first and second movies in the franchise for the first time this week, Jen dug the way the movies use time travel, wasn't as enthralled with the DeLorean as Stephen and Scott are, and noticed a particular (and slightly disturbing) similarity between these movies and Star Wars. Plus, Scott does an impression that's one of the best things that's ever happened on the podcast.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show notes:

Check out Stephen's improv show The Sunday Social, plus his improv groups Tuskegee Experiment and Nerdvana at Second City LA's Toys 4 Tots benefit show on December 7, as well as Scott's podcast Curtain Jerks and YouTube show Scott Vs Box. You can also follow Stephen, Curtain Jerks, and Scott Vs Box on Twitter.
You surely don't need a link to find a place to watch Back to the Future, so instead you can check out the 25th anniversary edition of the trilogy on DVD
Back to the Future TV cartoon

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

26: Six month anniversary!

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Wow, six months of the podcast? Crazy! In this episode, Jen gives some updates on previous topics, shares clips that got cut out of other episodes for time, and tells you where to find some excellent liveblogging of the show. It felt super awkward doing an episode without a guest, so don't expect another solo show for a long time.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it in iTunes and Like it on Facebook! And since this episode was recorded a week before it was posted, iTunes reviewers who posted after 11/16 will be thanked in episode 27!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show Links:

Do No Harm, the first article from Matter
Minutiae issue #9 is out now
The prequel and trailer for this year's Doctor Who Christmas special, Doctor Who: The Snowmen
Looper: Baldness Anxiety, Nick Wiger's inadvertently spoiler-y Funny or Die video
The Clubhouse, a new home for indie improv in LA
Farley's liveblogs for episode 16: Micro/internet publishing, episode 22: The Gates and The Infernals, and episode 25: NaNoWriMo

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

25: NaNoWriMo

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0000

This week, Sarah Claspell and returning guest Dickie Copeland join Jen to chat about National Novel Writing Month. They're all trying to write 50,000 words over the month of November and (spoiler alert) they're all super behind. But that's okay! They commiserate over the challenges of churning out an entire novel in 30 days, share their writing routines/rituals and the ways they developed their concepts, plus Dickie is able to give some insight about how to just get through it since she's a veteran to NaNoWriMo unlike first timers Sarah and Jen. Plus if you like Game of Thrones references and/or people calling themselves monsters, this episode is going to keep you entertained through and through.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes and Like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show Links:

Follow Sarah and Dickie on Twitter, check out Dickie's website, and come vote for their improv team Bikini Tiger at The Manifesto Show's Three-Man Tournament this Friday!
National Novel Writing Month

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

24: Underappreciated video games

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 01:56:56 +0000

Guest Danny Masterangelo (Silhouette Games; Been There, Played That) returns to discuss the video games he and Jen love but find casual gamers are usually unaware of. From visual novels to shooters to 8 bit and more, these games stand out because they're exceptionally immersive, addictive, creepy, or just plain crazy. Actually, most of them fall into more than one of these descriptors. And one might even help get you through a breakup.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show links:

Follow Danny on Twitter and check out his video game development site Silhouette Games and forthcoming video game review site Been There, Played That
Animal Crossing
Bastion
Bit Trip Runner
Corpse Party
Double Fine Adventure
Eternal Darkness
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Journey
No More Heroes
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Psychonauts
Shadow of the Colossus
Syphon Filter 2
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect
Wario's Woods
Zero Escape Series - 999: Nine Hours, Nines Persons, Nine Doors and Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

23: Doomed adaptations

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 01:15:00 +0000

Guest James Ross (Tournament of Nerds) returns to discuss the many failures and disappointments that have been created as a result of Hollywood having run out of original ideas. Whether adapting literature, real life stories, comics, toys, or board games, the sad truth is that though once in a blue moon the result is something as amazing as Clue, more often than not you end up with Battleship.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show Links:

Follow James on Twitter, check out his indie improv show The 11th Hour Show, and see him in Tournament of Nerds
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Ender's Game
Fantastic 4 movies are never good even if they do make money
GI Joe: Retaliation just released a new trailer
Lost in La Mancha
Mockingbird Lane makes a mockery of The Munsters
Police Academy: The Animated Series
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty worked in 1947, but will it work in 2013?

Theme song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

22: The Gates and The Infernals

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 08:44:16 +0000

This week, Dickie Copeland joins Jen for a Halloween episode about two novels by John Connolly, The Gates, and its sequel, The Infernals. The books kick off with 11 year old Samuel Johnson discovering a portal between Earth and Hell through which a demonic horde intends to invade on Halloween, and chronicle Samuel's adventures battling the evil invasion with the help of his dachshund Boswell and a not-so-demonic demon named Nurd, among others. Naturally, this leads to Jen relating a traumatic childhood experience of her own, and Dickie revealing another novel she's reading that is disturbing and far less appropriate for young adults. Spooooky!

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com

Show Links:

Follow Dickie on Twitter and check out her group Styx Martin at Room 101 on Halloween
The Gates
The Infernals

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

21: Roger Dodger and P.S.

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 05:29:00 +0000

This week, Jon Mackey (Winslow) joins Jen to discuss two movies by filmmaker Dylan Kidd, Roger Dodger and P.S. Both have a lot to do with relationships and sex, so there are some uncomfortable moments to be had. In the movies, that is. Not the podcast. Also, Jon forgot to mention while they were recording that he really likes the scene in Roger Dodger on the street near the beginning of the movie that was shot with a telephoto lens because it's one long take and impressively choreographed, so Jen said she'd put that in the episode description. And now she has.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show Links:

Follow Jon on Twitter and check out his Harold team Winslow, plus Big Grande's Little Sketch Show on November 1 at Upright Citizen's Brigade in LA.
Roger Dodger
P.S.

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

20: Comics, now with commies!

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:20:32 +0000

Guest Mark David Christenson (One Photo Reviews) returns to talk more comics! From an alternate reality Superman who grew up under Communist Russian rule to two more series that hit Jen's literary sweet spot by employing characters from fables and great novels, there was nary a complaint to be had this time around. Plus, Dave inadvertently reveals who his dream woman is, and her identity surprises even him.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Want to suggest a topic for an episode? Email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Show Links:

Follow Dave on Twitter and check out his podcast One Photo Reviews. And if you're in LA, come check out our indie improv show, The Manifesto Show.
Fables
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Superman: Red Son
Saga

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

19: Underappreciated kids movies

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:06:00 +0000

Joel Jensen (Room 101) joins Jen to discuss movies from childhood they loved but think are underappreciated, whether because they were forgotten over time or just not that big in the first place. They realize that anthropomorphized fighting animals and catchy songs were selling points for them, respectively. They also discover they were both gluttons for punishment, as many of their most loved movies also had parts that really freaked them out. If you don't remember the Jabberwock from the 1985 Alice in Wonderland 2 part TV movie, just trust them. It's terrifying.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and Like it on Facebook!

Show Links:

Follow Joel on Twitter and check out Room 101
Adventures in Dinosaur City
Alice in Wonderland (1985)
The Brave Little Toaster
Disney's Halloween Treat
Ernest Scared Stupid
Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
Pete's Dragon
Super Mario Brothers
Surviving the Game
You can get This is America, Charlie Brown from Netflix! Who knew?
The Ugly Dachshund
The Warriors of Virtue
And check out Transcendental Youth, the latest album from The Mountain Goats

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

18: Alternate reality games

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:30:00 +0000

This week, John Ford (Tournament of Nerds) joins Jen to discuss ARGs: alternate/augmented reality games. Whether existing as a self-sustaining enterprise or being used to promote a movie, show, or product, a good ARG will have players immersed in a fictional world that they can actually interact with through multiple media platforms as well as real-world components. These games often ask players to solve a mystery, and John and Jen have both fallen down rabbit holes trying to do just that.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Relevant Links:

John's not on Twitter, but you can see him in Tournament of Nerds
The Beast (A.I. ARG)
Cloverfield ARG
The Dark Knight ARG
Flynn Lives (TRON Legacy ARG)
I Love Bees (Halo 2 ARG)
Lost ARGs
Perplex City and an album of Jen's Perplex City artifacts
Weyland Industries (possible Prometheus ARG)
Year Zero (Nine Inch Nails ARG)
And if you're looking for a comprehensive hub for ARGs, check out Unfiction

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

17: Indie Game: The Movie

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 06:06:00 +0000

Guest James Mulholland returns to discuss Indie Game: The Movie, a great documentary about indie game development and culture. Braid, Fez, and Super Meat Boy certainly gave the documentarians plenty to focus on, so it's no surprise that James and Jen nerd out about the games themselves as much as the movie. And despite reassurances that he has no intention to "Danny Cohen" the end of the podcast, James has an extensive list of things to recommend since a second time guesting means he's come super prepared.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Show Notes:

You can follow James on Twitter, but he recommends against it.
Indie Game: The Movie
Braid
Fez
Super Meat Boy
Double Fine, makers of Double Fine Adventure
Journey
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Limbo
Penny Arcade
Republique and the WIRED article about its Kickstarter campaign
Telltale Games, makers of Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent
Wasteland 2

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

16: Micro/internet publishing

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 10:20:00 +0000

In this episode, Danny Cohen (Minutiae) joins Jen to discuss the almost oxymoronic expansion of niche publishing. By offering an easier delivery system for content whether it be journalism, narrative, or comedy, the internet has completely changed the scope and potential for micropublications, taking endeavors that were once limited to zines and turning a lucky few into near media empires. Also, Danny decides to make the recording an editing nightmare for Jen by talking as long as possible, which means he resorts to things like telling the ladies why he'd make a good boyfriend.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes and like it on Facebook!

Relevant Links:

Follow Danny on Twitter and check out Minutiae
Boppbopp really does have a creepy privacy policy
Matter
McSweeney's
The Onion

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

15: Scorsese B-sides

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 10:14:00 +0000

This week, guest Leigh Myles joins Jen to talk about The King of Comedy and some of Scorsese's other lesser known gems. From comedy to obsession to love of cinema, there's plenty beyond the mafia in Scorsese's CV even if these aren't the first things that come to mind when thinking about this great director. Plus Leigh reveals her dream movie cast and Jen tells a cryptic anecdote relating why Leigh's dream will sadly never be.

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Show Notes:

Follow Leigh on Twitter and check out her website for great videos ahe's produced, directed, written, and acted in.

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore on Netflix / Amazon

The King of Comedy on Netflix / Amazon

Who's That Knocking at My Door? on Netflix / Amazon

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

14: Late to the Star Wars party

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 11:03:00 +0000

In this week's episode, guest Scott Narver (Curtain Jerks) joins Jen to discuss something she was waaaay behind the times on: Star Wars. Having watched A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back for the first time ever this week, Jen has a lot of reactions, some of which are valid, some of which are weird, but all of which Scott is really nice about. He even talks her into trying to use the Force, but of course nothing comes from the attempt. Or does it...?

If you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Show Notes:

Check out Scott's podcast Curtain Jerks and follow the show on Twitter, and also check out his improv group Bro Squad 5 and follow them on Twitter

And on the off chance you've also reached adulthood without having seen Star Wars, you should watch it. This is just a suggestion without a link since there are so many ways to see it.

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

13: A podcast podcast

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 11:16:00 +0000

In this episode, Jen and her guests Robert Chan (Box Office Democracy, The One Four Oh) and Stephen Perlstein (Improv Obsession Podcast) chat about different styles of podcasting, how they got into hosting their own shows, and of course, the myriad of podcasts they listen to. And if you're looking for the inside track on which podcasts have the most dulcet-toned hosts, they've got you covered. Basically, in meme speak, "Yo dawg, I heard you like podcasts, so I put some podcasts in your podcast so you can hear about podcasts while you listen to a podcast!"

And if you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Links:

Follow Robert and Stephen on Twitter and check out their podcasts Box Office Democracy, The One Four Oh, and Improv Obsession Podcast.

And since about a thousand podcasts came up, here's an abbreviated list of the the ones that were mentioned more than once:

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

12: Tournament of Nerds

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Ever wonder who would in a fight between Cthulu and the Swedish Chef? Or Mr. Spock versus Ren & Stimpy? Believe it or not, there's a show that has the answer: Tournament of Nerds. Started as a live stage show in 2008, this monthly endeavor is now a part of The Nerdist Channel on YouTube, bringing the most bizarre character battles you never imagined to anyone with the internet. This week, Jen's joined by two of the show's nerds, James Ross (The 11th Hour Show) and Jonny Svarzbein (TNT) to discuss past battles, strategies for defending characters close to their hearts in nerd versus nerd debate, and what it was like bringing the live stage show to this year's Comic-Con.

And if you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Relevant Links:

Follow James and Jonny on Twitter, and check out their indie improv shows The 11th Hour Show and TNT.
Check out the Tournament of Nerds website, Facebook page, and the Nerdist Youtube Channel to watch videos of past battles and vote in current brackets.
And go see Tournament of Nerds live at UCBLA!

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

11: Another Earth and Sound of My Voice

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Rene Gube (writer, Up All Night) joins Jen to talk about a couple of amazing indie movies starring and co-written by Brit Marling. Whether playing a girl whose quest for redemption after a drunk driving accident coincides with the discovery of another Earth that's a mirror to ours, or a girl forming a cult of followers around herself by claiming to be from the year 2054, Marling makes movies that leave a great deal up to the viewer's interpretation. Which means Rene and Jen have an awful lot to talk about.

An important note on spoilers! Rene and Jen discuss the end of Sound of My Voice from 49:25-56:19 and the end of Another Earth from 56:19-1:03:26, so if you haven't seen either or both of these movies yet, you can safely listen to the rest of the episode and just avoid the relevant spoiler-y chunks.

And if you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook!

Show Notes:

Follow Rene on Twitter and check out Hop Hop Penguin, UCB Harold Team John Velvet, indie improv show Room 101, Werner Hotdog: The Documentary, and the show he writes for, NBC's Up All Night.
Another Earth is available on DVD and Blu-ray
Sound of My Voice will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 2, 2012

Theme Music:

Theme song: Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

10: Adapting British comedies for the US

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 08:21:00 +0000

Stephen C. James (The Sunday Social) joins Jen to discuss a myriad of attempts at brining UK sitcoms to the US. Whether it's down to different styles of humor, level of adherence to the original, or simply the right or wrong actor taking over a role, few shows handle the transition as successfully as the one from Wernham Hogg to Dunder Mifflin. But that doesn't mean an awful lot haven't tried. Seriously. So many failed attempts.

Relevant Links:

Follow Stephen on Twitter
Coupling
Friday Night Dinner doesn't air in the US and isn't available here on DVD, but as of now you can watch the first series here on Youtube
The Inbetweeners
The IT Crowd
The Kids in the Hall on the Nerdist Channel
Peep Show
Really Awesome Improv Show
Red Dwarf
The Sunday Social
Tuskegee Experiment

Theme Music:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

9: Indie improv, with Casey Feigh and Nick Mandernach

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 07:01:00 +0000

In the second installment of a two-part series on improv, Jen chats about the indie improv community with guests Casey Feigh (Crashbar) and Nick Mandernach (Room 101). They cover everything from the genesis of each show to how a line-up is put together to social anxiety about hosting. They also recall the dirty thirty and discover a mutual admiration for weird ball games, but don't worry, nothing about either of those things is blue.

For the first part of the series, check out Episode 8: Long form improv, with Neil Campbell.

And if you're enjoying PrePopCulture, please rate/review it on iTunes, and like it on Facebook.

Relevant Links:

Follow Casey and Nick on Twitter
Check out their indie improv shows Crashbar and Room 101, plus other LA indie improv shows TNT, The 11th Hour Show, and The Manifesto Show
Hip Hop Penguin
UCB Harold Team John Velvet

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Non-Commercial No-Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

8: Long form improv, with Neil Campbell

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 02:59:00 +0000

In the first installment of a two-part series on improv, Jen talks with guest Neil Campbell (Artistic Director, Upright Citizens Brigade Los Angeles) about long form improv. They discuss why it's lesser known than short form improv, and whether or not it ever could (or should) be more broadly consumed. And because they're both improv nerds, they get into some of the nitty gritty about performing long form as well. But odds are if you're listening to this, you're an improv nerd too, so yes, and this episode by tuning in next week for part 2, indie improv with Casey Feigh (Crashbar) and Nick Mandernach (Room 101). And if you've got any questions for them about improv, email prepopculture@gmail.com!

Relevant Links:

Theme Song:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Non-Commercial No-Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) License

7: Superheroes need not apply

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:22:00 +0000

In this episode, guest Mark David Christenson (One Photo Reviews) helps ease Jen into the world of comics. Tackling All-Star Superman, The Cape, Locke & Key, and The Unwritten, Jen and Dave find they're attracted to very different things when it comes to comics. Dave also contends that he and Jen are dating, which she denies.

Relevant Links:

You can find Dave on Twitter and One Photo Reviews podcast
All-Star Superman
The Cape
Locke & Key
The Sandman
The Unwritten
LA comic stores Golden Apple and Secret Headquarters

Theme Music:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

6: Dr. Jekyll and Mr...Holmes?

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 05:47:00 +0000

In this episode, Jen and her guest, writer James Mulholland, talk Jekyll and Sherlock, two modernized versions of classic literature by the same showrunner, Steven Moffat. From skillful updating to delightfully devious baddies, these shows have a lot in common but significantly different audiences, for which Jen and James try to puzzle out an explanation. They also discuss the last three trailers they saw, plus Jen shares an old vocabulary lesson that teaches James the French word for "bedroom."

Relevant Links:

Episodes on Showtime
Jared Harris has done a lot of stuff
Jekyll on IMDb and Netflix
The Mountain Goats
Shadow Show on Amazon
Sherlock on iTunes series 1, series 2, and on BBC

Theme Music:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

5: Internet sketch comedy

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:46:00 +0000

In this episode, Jen and her guest Alex Fernie (Funny or Die) dive into internet sketch comedy. From the huge splash The Landlord made five years ago to the giant online comedy market today, Jen and Alex chat about genre spoofs, topical content, sketches with celebrities, and even making brands funny. Plus they name, like, twenty specific videos that are bound to make you laugh. One has a dog dressed as Cthulhu!

Relevant links:

Check out Alex Fernie's videos on Funny or Die and follow him on Twitter
CollegeHumor
Eyehole Paintings with Adam West
Funny or Die's Pepsi Next videos
Funny or Die's show on Fuse, Billy On The Street
Jim Carrey's failed bit
ThunderAnt

And if your podcast player doesn't make those links clickable, you can also get the full show notes on prepopculture.com.

Theme Music:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

4: Doctor Who

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 03:31:00 +0000

In this episode, Jen and her guests Marlene Maginot and Danny Mastrangelo really get into Doctor Who. Like, really get into it. From how they each began watching the show, to their most and least favorite things about it, to why it's not more popular in the US, they probably could've gone on much longer than the duration of one episode. Seriously. They kind of nerd out about it.

Relevant Links:

Find Marlene and Danny on Twitter
For a crib sheet of details discussed about the show, go here
The Doctor Who Experience
The Writer's Tale
...and last but not least, the adorable little boy doing the Doctor's speech from The Pandorica Opens

Theme music:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

3: Guerrilla food service

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 10:48:00 +0000

In this episode, Jen and her guest food writer Farley Elliott get into the delicious world of guerrilla food service. From the first food truck to go gourmet to guys that serve uni in their own living room, Farley has tried it all. Jen... not so much. But she did eat a century egg recently, so that should count for something, right?

Oh, and apologies for the drop in sound quality this episode. Had a bit of an issue with the microphone but it'll be resolved by next week.

Relevant links:

You can find Farley Elliott on LAist and Serious Eats as well as his personal blog

Anthony Bourdain's The Layover

Grub Street LA

The Kogi truck

LA Weekly's online food blog, Squid Ink

Starry Kitchen

Theme Music:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

2: Movie monsters

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 05:41:00 +0000

In this episode, Jen and her guests Beth Bruckner and Scott Davis (One Photo Reveiws) chat about movie monster trends. They discuss the way zombie popularity shambles up and down, why vampires just won't die, and mull over whether a new monster might be lurking beyond the horizon. They also give a whole lot of spoilers, but don't worry, they're not from anything recent.

Relevant Links:

One Photo Reviews

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Theme music:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.

1: Ready Player One and The Magicians

prepopculture@gmail.com (Jen Krueger) — Thu, 31 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Jen and her guest Art Tebbel (Box Office Democracy) discuss the novels Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and The Magicians by Lev Grossman. They also come up with a new unit of measurement, and Jen realizes she has very particular views about eyebrows.

Relevant Links:

Box Office Democracy

Ready Player One on Amazon

The Magicians on Amazon

The Magician King on Amazon

Mondo

Grantland

Theme Music:

Alps by Motorama is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (aka Music Sharing) License.