This Is Rad!

For our final This Is Rad for 2018 we look back at the past year in pop culture and spotlight a few of our favorites in records, music, movies, and videos games. And hey, as a bonus, Rivers Langley from The Goods From The Woods happened to swing by and hangs out for the whole episode. 2018 had some pretty dramatic ups and downs but we try to look at some of the non-sucky things this year produced. Tweet at us at @thisisradpod and let us know what some of your favorites of 2018. And as another year draws to a close, we just want to thank all of you for listening and we look forward to starting fresh in 2019 with you for a new year of Radness!

 

Love,

Kyle, Matthew, and Laura

 

Check out our merch! 

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/this-is-rad 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_year_in_radview_2018_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This week Kyle and Matthew headed to podcast friend and rival Adam Murray for a chat about the films of Joel and Ethan Coen. Learn how the Coen's work has influenced Adam as a director. Thrill as Kyle reveals a few essential Coen Bros films he has yet to see. It's been a while since we've been this on topic and in depth but whether you are a longtime fan of the Coen Brothers or new to their work this is a great breakdown of an impressive body of work.

 

Producer Note: At the end of the ep, Adam promotes a video of his that will be featured on Vimeo, this ep was originally gonna come out in January but we moved it up, so it won't be out til December 27th. But once it is out, go check the heck out of it. 

 

Have a happy holidays Radsters!

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Theory of Obscurity: A Film About The Residents (documentary)

 

Matthew: Paddington 2 (movie)

 

Laura: Nailed It (Netflix series)

 

Check out our merch! 

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/this-is-rad 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

Instagram: @thisisradpodcast

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http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Coen_Bros_Final_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

This week Kyle and Matthew have comedian and father Dave Apkarian on the podcast to talk about the hardest job you'll ever love, being a parent. In a 48 hour period Kyle had two conversations with comics about being parents and wanted to do them as one super episode about parenting, but due to scheduling issues we are splitting this bad boy into two parts. In this episode we talk about Dads. What is it like being a dad? What is it like having a dad? What makes a good dad? What are some of the classic types of Dads? Also, how terrifying is it to take care of a living human? Dave answers these questions and more and you better believe we make some sweet sweet dad jokes. Dave is a delightful and sweet man and we have a ton of fun. Look for part 2 coming sometime in January. And if you just can't get enough Dad talk, check out Sad Dad, Dave's podcast.

 

Weekly Rads:

 

Burnside – His new Skateboard! (skateboard)

 

Kyle – OnRush (video game)

 

Dave – Shipwrek (EDM artist) (https://shipwrek.bandcamp.com)

 

Check out our merch! 

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/this-is-rad 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Parenting_Pt1_dave_apkarian_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This week on the show, Kyle, Matthew, and Laura are joined by a TON of people for a roundtable discussion of one of the most popular alternative rock bands of the 90's and 00's Green Day. Keith Carey and Nicole Becannon lead the discussion and share their experiences with the band and they each debate what they think are the definitive Green Day songs and albums. The band has been around so long that its interesting to see the different points of entry for different fans and how that colors their vision of the band. But it wouldn't be This Is Rad if there wasn't distractions and this time we have a murders row of distractors: Tom Goss, Tanya Salzer, Taylor Vracin-Harrell, and Jordan Leigh Williams all ready to help provide tangents and some hot hot riffs. Bonus for those who stick around to the end, there just might be a little Tom Lightning Round to close out the show. This one is a lot of fun!

 

Weekly Rads:

 

Kyle – Evangelion is coming to Netflix in 2019! (All is right with the world)

 

also Kyle – Why Are You In Here by Greg Behrendt (comedy album)

 

Check out our merch! 

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/this-is-rad 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Green_Day_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This week Kyle is solo having a very intimate chat with Joe Dosch about Black Metal. They talk about the strangely universal nature of this extreme music genre. Joe chronicles his early days of discovering metal and does a pretty fantastic job explaining the appeal of extreme music. They talk about what makes a good black metal band and they explore some of the darker and more unseemly sides of the genre as well. Good lucky trying to spell most of the band names they bring up this episode, but honestly its a pretty solid primer for the uninitiated into the world of black metal. And hey, we even stay on topic for about the first hour and change. The last forty minutes Kyle and Joe totally go off topic and end up talking about life, art, politics, and in general are two friends catching up and chatting. If you don't wanna hear two guys chatting, if you bail about an hour and ten in, you should get pretty much your fill of metal. Also, this was recorded in early June and then go lost in the cracks for a few months. We are glad we are finally able to present it to you and sorry to Joe for it taking so gosh darn long.

 

Weekly Rad:

 

Kyle - Building Stories by Chris Ware (comic)

 

Kyle's album taping is this upcoming Monday (Dec 3rd) at 8pm at Star Bar in Atlanta, GA! If you live in the area come hang. Tweet @kyleclarkisrad or @thisisradpod for more info you if you're thinking of coming.

 

Check out our merch! 

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/this-is-rad 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Black_Metal_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This Is Rad returns to a tradition that we totally forgot to do last year! Kyle, Matthew, and Laura sat down a few days before Thanksgiving to chat and catch up. Everybody has been pretty brutally busy and we decided it would be fun to talk about things we are thankful for and in general just hang out as the Rad Fam. We talk about being tired a lot. And sleeping on planes. And Pokemon. And Kyle tells a few stories that he has FOR SURE told on the podcast before. But it's fun. If you ever want to know what it sounds like for the 10 minutes before we start recording this is a pretty close approximation. But it's not all gloomy sleepy, there are some fun riffs and bits and some chat about Thanksgiving food. Also a debate about what constitutes a Turkey's butt. All three of us would like to take a moment to truly and earnestly thank everyone that listens to the show. As 2018 comes into the home stretch we've really taken stock of how amazing our community of listeners are. Without you were would be three weirdos doing voices in a living room. But thanks to you, we are three weirdos doing voices in a living room who have the sweetest, smartest, and kindest fans a podcast could ask for (take THAT other podcasts!). Thank you for listening and have a festive and safe Thanksgiving!

 

Kyle's livestream of “Absolute Terror” his new comedy album is THIS FRIDAY (11/23/18) at 7pm pst on Twitch. The Channel name is ThisIsRadPodcast tune in and get an EXLUSIVE one night only event!

 

Kyle's album taping is Monday Dec 3rdat Star Bar in Atlanta, GA. 8pm.

 

Check out our merch! 

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/this-is-rad 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Rat-Ful_2018_Final_fixed.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This week on the show Kyle and Matthew welcome Rebekah and David McKendry to discuss the madcap world of exploitation cinema. Rebekah and Dave are incredible sources on the topic and in this episode they barely even scratch the surface. Folks, we got ourselves another going series here! But this episode has some FANTASTIC info if you have ever been interested in the topic. Go beyond the scratchy film filter of iMovie and dig into what defines an exploitation film. Learn that exploitation goes all the way back to the earliest days of motion pictures. They explore early “educational” films that featured dubious information about taboo subjects, plus the group analyzes why everybody at nudist camps plays so much volleyball. This episode is a lot of fun if you love the underbelly of the film world.

 

Check out Rebekah and Dave's upcoming holiday horror film All the Creatures Were Stirring which is out on December 4thon VOD and perfect for your holiday movie list!

 

Weekly Rads:

(Man we had a whole lot of weekly rads this week!)

 

All: Detective Pikachu (movie)

 

Kyle: Basketball: A Love Story (documentary) and Diablo 3 for the Nintendo Switch (video game)

 

Matthew: King of the Hill on Hulu (show)

 

Laura: Unobscured (podcast)

 

Matthew and Laura: Jackbox Party Pack 5 (video game)

 

Kyle's twitch stream will be 7pm pst on 11/23/18, stay tuned for the name of our twitch channel! 

 

Check out our merch! 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

Instagram: @thisisradpodcast

Tumblr: thisisradpod.tumblr.com

http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Exploitation_Films_The_McKendrys_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This week on the show Kyle and Matthew welcome Jess McNabb not only to This Is Rad but to the United States. Kyle befriended Jess while up in Canada for the Yukon Comedy Festival earlier this year. Jess is a brilliant stage tech up in the great white north and over the course of the festival we learned that the trio all share a passion for snack food. While on her trip to LA, Jess has been exploring the world of American snack food and comparing it to her homeland. Canada knows a thing or two about snacks and we compare notes to see the pros and cons between our two nations. It's like a fun cultural exchange program where everybody eats on mic! Plus, learn that Canada's version of Corn Pops are really different and see how much it disturbs Kyle. This is as SUPER fun episode and a nice break after all the mayhem of Radtober.

 

PS- Next week we will have an update with into about Kyle's album rehearsal live stream!

 

Weekly Rads:

 

Kyle and Matt: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Video Game/potential solution to all of life's problems)

 

Check out our merch! 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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Tumblr: thisisradpod.tumblr.com

http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_American_Snack_Foods_Jess_McNabb_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

For our final episode of Radtober 2018 we have a very special presentation. Join guest host Sack Weldon as he presents two tales of terror written and read by our very own Kyle Clark!

 

1stStory:

This Is Nothing Wrong With Any of Us

 

2ndStory:

Rabbit Season

 

 

Awesome Intro Theme Cover by:

Tyler Rogers

@jazzyderf (twitter)

Download the song (and check out Tyler's other rad music)

https://tylerrogers.bandcamp.com/album/versions

 

 

Less awesome music beds and outro theme by:

Kyle Clark

 

We will return to our regularly scheduled super long and sidebar filled discussions next week.

 

Happy Halloween from This Is Rad!!!

 

Go check out (and buy) our AMAZING Radtober 2018 poster designed by Laura Knight!

https://bit.ly/2NqIBgX

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

Instagram: @thisisradpodcast

Tumblr: thisisradpod.tumblr.com

http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Halloween_Special_2018_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This week Radtober rages on as Kyle and Matthew welcome author and filmmaker Allison Star Locke Nelson to the show to discuss one of the most influential authors in American horror literature, Shirley Jackson. And the gang couldn't have timed it better as Netflix has just released a new adaptation of Jackson's masterpiece The Haunting of Hill House. Both Kyle and Allison are big fans of Ms. Jackson's prose and they get into some nitty gritty about her backstory, writing process, and the elements that make Hill House in particular such an incredible book. They compare the adaptations and talk about what works and what doesn't in the various versions. They also discuss her other work including her short stories like The Lottery. They also go on some pretty sweet tangents about creative process, horror films, and Flimstruck.

 

Weekly Rads:

 

Kyle, Burnside, and Laura: Halloween (2018) (movie)

 

Also! Laura started an online store for her art! Go buy all of her stuff!!!https://www.teepublic.com/stores/lmknight?ref_id=8178

 

Also, also, this episode is sponsored by Mack Weldon! Go to www.mackweldon.comand use the promo code RAD to get 20% off your first order! (And please enjoy part 2 of the Sack Weldon Halloween special!)

 

 

Go check out (and buy) our AMAZING Radtober 2018 poster designed by Laura Knight!

https://bit.ly/2NqIBgX



Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Shirley_Jackson_Allison_Locke_Nelson_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This week on the show Kyle and Matthew are joined by three members of Kyle's horror trivia team The Frogurt Is Also Cursed. Brian Wiley, Amy Drolet, and Jacob Davidson help our boys explore the gloriously insane world of Italian Horror. They discuss the dream logic and surrealism of Italian Horror that make it unique. They talk about the influential directors who helped shape the genre and their impact on the larger horror landscape. And of course, they talk about all the gory kills, insane moments, and latent catholic imagery you can shake a stick at. Things get pretty nerdy this episode and it is a lot of fun.

 

Weekly Rads:

Matthew: Mexican Food (type of food)

 

Kyle Apostle (movie)

 

Go check out (and buy) our AMAZING Radtober 2018 poster designed by Laura Knight!

https://bit.ly/2NqIBgX 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

Instagram: @thisisradpodcast

Tumblr: thisisradpod.tumblr.com

http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Italian_Horror_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This week on the show Kyle and Matthew continue Radtober with the hilarious Jen Saunderson. They chat about the horror anthology movie. The scary short story is maybe horror's purest form and the anthology film has created fun and spooky way to pack a bunch of short stories into one movie. But it wouldn't be rad without some sweet sweet riffs and Jen is truly a riff machine. By the end of this episode you will know to beware the Blandyman. Plus, the recorder falls over at one point and you get to hear Kyle make a pretty goofy sound. We all touch on some of our favorite horror anthologies but man, there sure are a lot of them so please tweet at us and let us know some of your favorites!

 

Hey! LootCrate's back! Use the promo code “thisisrad” at checkout and get 30% off your order!

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Hell Fest (movie)

Matthew: The Good Place (TV Show)

Laura: The Great British Bake Off (TV Show)

 

Go check out (and buy) our AMAZING Radtober 2018 poster designed by Laura Knight!

https://bit.ly/2NqIBgX 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

Instagram: @thisisradpodcast

Tumblr: thisisradpod.tumblr.com

http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Horror_Anthologies_Jen_Saunderson_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

Radtober 2018 begins!!! This week we kick off our month long block of spooky themed episodes with a loving tribute to Kyle's favorite action horror franchise, The Purge!!! And joining Kyle and Matthew on this adventure into the dark heart of future America is the brilliant and hilarious comedian and podcaster Caitlin Cutt (aka Caitlin Lemaire, cause sometimes Kyle forgets that people have stage names...). Caitlin pitched this episode idea months ago and they held it over as their kick off episode for Radtober 2018 and boy is it a doozy. They go film by film exploring the highs and lows of the franchise. They talk about what makes a good Purge movie and they touch on what each of them would do with their own Purge story. Plus, if you want to hear people reference a bunch of very specific Orange county comedy stuff, that also happens. But this might be one of the most focused and intense explorations the gang have done in a minute and if you haven't dived into the world of The Purge, this is a pretty fantastic primer. So grab some fun sized candy, put on a neon glow in the dark skull mask, and prepare for some lawless good times.

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Donut County (game)

 

Burnside: Huluween (Hulu)

 

Go check out (and buy) our AMAZING Radtober 2018 poster designed by Laura Knight!

https://bit.ly/2NqIBgX 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

Instagram: @thisisradpodcast

Tumblr: thisisradpod.tumblr.com

http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

 

 

Direct download: TIR_The_Purge_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

N64

This week on the show Kyle and Matthew are joined by comedian Eric Bell to discuss the Nintendo 64. Thrill as three dudes of a very specific age wax poetic about their formative years spent with the system. Yeah,we talk about Golden Eye. Yeah, we talk about Smash Bros. This episode is fun because everybody had a different set of games that defined the system for them. They chat about the glory days of local multiplayer. Kyle recounts a story of trying to play Golden Eye after years of playing twin stick shooters. They all discuss that magical summer Smash Bros came out where it felt like you couldn't go anywhere without getting sucked into play. But they also bring up some deep cuts. This is one of those great episodes where we didn't even notice we'd done two hours and felt like we could have done even more. If you're feeling nostalgic for the early days of 3D gaming, strap in. And while you're at it, DO A BARREL ROLL!

 

Weekly Rads:

 

Matthew: The Playstation Mini (video game thing)

 

Kyle: Universal Halloween Horror Nights (event)

 

Laura: The Adventure Time series finale (show)

 

Update: It gets mentioned in the episode but Kyle would like to thank EVERYONE who has emailed in aobut letting him run his hour. He was not expecting the amazing outpouring of support and is currently formulating a plan. Check back next week for more info and thank you again for being rad, Radsters!

heck out our merch! 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_N64_Eric_Bell_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This week on the show Kyle and Matthew took a field trip to Disgraceland, the home of their sister podcast The Goods From The Woods, to chat with Rivers Langley, along with River's Mom Gail Langley and first time guest Rosalie Atkinson about one of the great American rock bands The Allman Brothers Band. Kyle and Rivers both share their fandom for the band and Matt talks about his discovery of the band through Rock Band. But Rosalie... Rosalie is on a whole other level. Over the past few years Rosalie has been working on a project about the band that included a pretty incredible road trip/pilgrimage with her Mom to significant locations in the bands history. Along the way she's talked to a ton of folks who worked with the group and her knowledge on the subject is pretty nuts. This is some good old fashion music nerdery. Whether you are a longtime fan or totally unfamiliar with their music, this is a fantastic primer and celebration of the band, their music, and their somewhat tragic history. So kick back, eat a peach, and enjoy!

 

Weekly Rads:

 

Matthew: Fleabag (amazon show)

 

Laura: Sorry To Bother You (movie)

 

Kyle: Radland Records (Kyle is starting a small comedy record label!)

 

Come to Kyle's album taping December 3rdat Star Bar in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

Also: Between now and December, if you would like to schedule a time for Kyle to run his hour with you one on one or with a small group (or if you live in the southwestern United States and have somewhere you'd like him to perform, or if you wanna watch him do it via skype) please contact us atthisisradpodcast@gmail.combecause seriously he's pretty much down for anything as he tries to finalize his new album.

Check out our merch! 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

Instagram: @thisisradpodcast

Tumblr: thisisradpod.tumblr.com

http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Allman_Bros_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

This week on the show Kyle and Matthew chat with their friend and fellow former NerdMelt staffer, Jack Kelly. Together, they break down the most popular broadway musical of the last decade. They are reverent, focused, and absolutely do not spin off on any weird tangents whatsoever... Man, you should see your face right now. This week on the show, Kyle, Matthew, and Jack Kelly breakdown the unstoppable cultural juggernaut that is Hamilton. They discuss their experiences with the play and how it has emotionally effected them. They break down the brilliance of Lin-Manuel Miranda and the fine art of balancing historical accuracy with dramatic storytelling. They get into how the play reflects the larger idea of American identity and how that seems to have manifested into a play that speaks to and has effected so many people in so many ways. Also, they talk about fan fiction. Erotic fan fiction. Over the last few years Jack created a massive alternate universe fan fiction using the characters from this popular play. These stories have created some internet drama. They are also pretty awesome. This episode does a pretty great job illustrating how and why Jack is one of Kyle and Matthew's favorite people and the trio have a fantastic time using the backdrop of this awesome play to get really, really weird. This was a personal favorite episode for all parties involved and before you even ask, yes, we will be doing a follow up with more stories about fan fiction in the future. There is a lot of really fantastic writing out there about the significance of Hamilton as a piece of art. There is also this podcast, which does that but also gets pretty sexy. Please join us on an odyssey into the great American psyche.

 

Weekly Rads:

 

Matthew: Marvel's Spider-Man (video game)

 

Kyle: Smokey and The Bandit (movie)

 

Check out our merch! 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

Instagram: @thisisradpodcast

Tumblr: thisisradpod.tumblr.com

http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Hamilton_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00pm PDT

This week on the show, Matthew is on assignment so Kyle and Laura welcome Kyle and Lucia. Wait, two Kyles?! Oh my medication! Kyle McCormick and Lucia Fasano are two of Kyle C's favorite people. They're amazing musicians, podcasters, and comedy people and they've come on the podcast to chat about their mutual love of RomComs. Now before you scoff, let's remember that every genre of movies has good and bad so before you turn up your nose, give us a chance to sell you on this often maligned genre. Okay, that out of the way, we have a grand old time breaking down what makes a good RomCom and believe it or not, we go on some tangents and riffs. Is The Wedding Singer a perfect movie? What vintage classics hold up and which ones don't? Is it possible to find Billy Crystal kinda hot? All this and more will be explored! Come meet cute with us!

 

Weekly Rads: 

 

Matthew: Magic For Humans (Netflix) 

 

Kyle: Blank Check (podcast) 

 

Check out our merch! 

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_RomComs_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:30pm PDT

Guys, it finally happed. After months of talk on the intros, we are finally devoting a whole episode to Overwatch. And in case that wasn't enough, we brought Adam Murray along as well. Join Kyle, Matt, Adam, and fantastic first time guest and streamer Sloan Wolf as they explore what it is about this game that has taken the world by storm. They break down the complicated lore and the interesting ways it brings people in with its diverse cast of characters. Plus, Adam and Matt get in a pretty heated debate about a hamster. They talk about the positives and negatives of online gaming and they try to assuage Kyle's anxieties about getting made fun of my teens. (Spoiler: he's still afraid) Plus, we learn that Laura really loves blimps.

 

This episode is sponsored by the fine folks at Mack Weldon. Go to mackweldon.com and use the promo code RAD to get 20% of your order. (And tell em Sacky sent ya...)

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Trackmania Turbo (video game)

 

Kasey: Pettyjohn Chime (guitar pedal)

 

Nancy/Mom: That's From Disneyland! Pop Up Exhibit and Auction (event)

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

Instagram: @thisisradpodcast

Tumblr: thisisradpod.tumblr.com

http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Overwatch_Final_with_edits.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

This week Kyle, Matthew, and Laura are joined by comedian/national treasure Jackie Kashian for a chat about the steamy world of romance novels. We learn that the term “romance novel” carries with it about a million sub-categories that range from the delightful to the deranged and just about everywhere in between. For our hardcore book nerds out there this episode also explores a bit of the history of the paperback novel and it's place in the American cultural lexicon. Plus, since Jackie and Kyle are in a room together things of course turn to the broader world of pulp novels including many a fantasy/sci-fi/horror recommendation. Expect to pause this one to write stuff down pretty regularly. If you are a fan of this show you may or may not know that Kyle produces The Jackie and Laurie Show, in which Jackie Kashian is the aforementioned Jackie (along with Laurie Kilmartin). It's a great show and if you are a comedy nerd there are some amazing inside baseball stories. So dim the lights, light a few candles, and spend a little time with your favorite radness based podcast.

 

Weekly Rads:

(from alone in his car while driving!)

 

Kyle – Premier Guitar Rig Rundown videos (youtube)

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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http://www.thisisradpodcast.com

Direct download: TIR_Romance_Novels_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

This week on the show we welcome writer and comedian TK Kelly for a chat about one of America's greatest songwriters, the one and only Tom Petty. The gang explore Petty's career for his early days through the massive success of Damn The Torpedos to some of his incredible collaborations with the grandmasters of rock music. They break down what is is about the Heartbreakers as a backing band that works so well. Kyle highly recommends the 2007 documentary “Running on a Dream” that covers his career in detail and is a great addendum to this episode. Plus, it wouldn't be Rad without a few side tangents and we get into it about Third Eye Blind. What does that have to do with Tom Petty? You'll have to listen to find out. (Spoiler Alert: it doesn't really, but the tangent is pretty fun anyway.)

 

This episode is brought to you by Mack Weldon! Go to www.mackweldon.com and use the promo code RAD at checkout to get 20% off your entire order.

 

Weekly Rads:

 

Kyle: The Raid: Redemptions (movie)

 

Matthew and Laura: The OC Fair Monster Truck Rally (event)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Tom_Petty_TK_Kelly_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Anna Valenzuela and Jenny Chalikian have returned for another installment of our ongoing retrospective of Battlestar Galactica. First and foremost, let's all celebrate the fact that we have gotten Matthew addicted to the show. Now that he's as sick as the rest of us, everyone can dive in and explore season one of the series. At this point, the parallels between the show and the changing political climate of the time are really starting to show. For a show about space robots there sure are a lot of metaphors about 9/11 and the war on terror. Thrill as Burnside has his first hot takes about characters! Plus, Jenny and Anna have been doing rewatches and reflect on how time as influenced their feelings about different characters. The gang dig in and time flies. This retrospective has been super fun and we hope that it has encouraged some of you to watch along with us.

 

Weekly Rad:

 

Matthew: Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (video game)

 

Kyle: So You Wanna Be A Outlaw by Steve Earle and The Dukes (album)

 

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Direct download: TIR_BSG2_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

This week Kyle and Matthew sit down with comedians Christine Little and Leah Lamarr for a delightful chat about self help. Kyle has spent the better part of this year immersed in the world of self help and recently started working with Christine on a new podcast called “A Little Advice” in which she uses her BA in psychology to give other comedians life advice. Leah was her first guest and after they recorded that episode, she stuck around. Here's a fun thing you'll find in this episode, Kyle and Leah (who'd never met before this episode) learn that they have the same terrifying laugh. For real, you'll hear it in this episode and it's pretty haunting. The gang discuss The Artist Way, a creative recovery program that Kyle, Christine, and Leah all participate in. They also discuss relationship advice books and make a few recommendations for books that have been helpful to them. This episode stats real silly but also gets pretty intense by the end. Thrill as Christine and Matthew break down his relationship (spoiler alert: he loves Laura). Marvel as everybody shares about their experiences trying to get out from the darkness that can sometimes cloud your head. This episode hardly scratches the surface of the world of self help but if you're thinking that you might want to explore some of this yourself, this isn't a bad place to start.

 

Weekly Rads:

(with special guest Kasey Clark)

 

Kyle: Heavy Liquid (comic)

 

Kasey: Culture Abuse (band) Babylon 5 (TV show)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Self_Help_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

This week on the show, the gang set off for the high seas for another nautical adventure as they bid adieu to another Summer of Rad. They are joined by their ship captain Lisa Curry along with Kyle's bestie Jarrod Gilbreath and making her podcast debut the hilarious Kate Gaffney. The sextet cruise around Long Beach harbor and have a nice chat about life, boating, and several topics I'm not sure we're allowed to talk about in an episode description. (For real, this is another episode you maybe don't play in the car with the kids.) One more fun in the sun episode for your summer listening pleasure.

 

Also, we totally forgot that last week was the show's four year anniversary! Thank you everyone who has been with us on this crazy journey. We had no idea if anyone would ever listen to this show when we started it and the fact that we've developed such an incredible audience of smart, funny, and sweet people has been such an incredible experience. Truly from the bottom of our hearts, that you for listening!

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Resident Evil 7 (video game) (note: Spoiler warning skip 19 mins 58 seconds to 21 mins 51 seconds, if you don't want the first hour of the game spoiled for you.)

 

Laura: The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (video game)

 

Matthew: Overwatch Update (video game), No Man's Sky Update (video game), and Ladybird (movie)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Boats3_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Summer of Rad is full of surprises including this fun little bonus episode. The good people of Knott's Berry Farm were nice enough to give Kyle and special guest Julia Prescott tickets to spend a day in the park. What neither Kyle nor Julia anticipated was that it would be the hottest day of the summer. While their time at the park was cut short because they were going to die, they got some fun rides in and recorded their experiences with the longtime SoCal staple in the car on the way to and the way back from their trip. Kick back and enjoy two grade-a theme park nerds chatting about theme parks, growing up in SoCal, and working as writers. Enjoy!

 

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Direct download: TIR_BONUS_Knotts_Julia_Prescott.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

This week on the show, come hang out with Kyle, Laura, and Matthew along with their special guests Spencer Emmons and Katie Slockbower as they spend a lovely day at the beach. Kick back, relax, and let the sound of the ocean calm your rattled nerves. Then enjoy maybe one of the sillier episodes we have done. You see, originally our topic was going to be “The Beach”. Our memories, some fun stories, stuff like that. But before we recorded we decided we'd go down to the beach, do some boogie boarding, have a few drinks, and indulge. What resulted is this episode. Don't be afraid. It's a party. Good riffs. Serious silliness. Plus, you'll learn what SNB means and boy Kyle and Matt sure haven't stopped using it since we recorded this. Please enjoy spending a silly summer afternoon with us!

 

Check out Spence's Disneyland Youtube Channel (where Katie is a regular):https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZiAkEqYWv7pZwtWOgmstLw

 

Weekly Rads:

Matthew and Laura: The Spongebob Squarepants Musical (musical) (#joekayewasright)

Kyle: Uncle Drew (movie)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Beach_Shenanigans_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Play rad! This week the summer of rad explores America's favorite pass time, baseball. And joining us is a man who truly love the sport comedian Pat Barker. Pat is a great comedian and a great sports writer and he does a great job framing baseball as an experience beyond the simple act of playing the game. We get into some great stories about sports heckling, we talk about that Simpsons softball team episode, plus Pat explains that no two baseball parks are the same. It gets deep and philosophical but we also get some pretty solid riffs. If you've watched The Sandlot a hundred times but never seen a baseball game (like Kyle) this is a great primer for understanding the sport and the best ways to experience it. So grab your mitt, make some nachos, and grab a cold drink and kick back with us as we coast into the second week of summer of rad 2018. Check out Pat's podcast Pat and Jeff Like Sports if you want more fun sports chat from Pat.

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: A Headful of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

Also Kyle: Joe Bob Briggs 24 Hour Horror Marathon on Shudder 7/13/2018

 

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Direct download: TIR_Baseball_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:55am PDT

Summer of Rad 2018 begins! This week on the show we are trying something a little different. We assembled an elite group of musical nerds and gave them a simple prompt: Create a 1 days music festival, 4 stages, and populate it with your fantasy music festival. No more rules than that and folks got creative. Joining Kyle, Matthew, and Laura are Keith Carey (Mean Boys), Brandie Posey (Lady 2 Lady), and Kasey Clark (Tidemouth, Dogs, anywhere that people are casually talking about Basketball). The lists are diverse and go in some interesting directions. We also reason some single single stages from twitter. Let us know what you think! Whose festival would you be purchasing tickets for? And if you happen to work for Golden Voice or I Heart Radio and feel like any of these festivals should be put on, get it touch with us. I assure you, we are very willing to hear your cash offer.

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Letterkenny Season 5

Matthew: Overwatch Updates 

 

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Direct download: TIR_Fantasy_Music_Festival_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Criiime! Today we've got ourselves a crossover episode! Kyle and Matt welcome Rich Slaton and Jon Shefsky for a discussion of the grimy world of crime. Rich and Jon have a podcast called Criiime where they in fact talk about crime. True crime. Yes, just like that other podcast. Yes, and that OTHER podcast. True crime is very popular. Criiime is insanely fun that is absolutely worth checking out. Kyle and Rich also go way back to their early days as stand up comics. This episode is mayhem but there is a lot of fun to be had. We explore crimes across history and go pretty deep into the insane world of counterfeiting. Also we just might have a bonus Mean Boy stop by during our intro!

 

But more importantly, if you enjoy this mayhem, you can catch Kyle as a guest for Criiime's live show at The Comedy Store this Saturday (June 30th, 2018) at 9pm. Plus, if you order your tickets in advance from The Comedy Store website and use the code “lawbreaker” you'll get FREE tickets!!!!

 

Fair Warning: The language on this episode gets pretty salty. If you find yourself sensitive to our more overtly crass episodes, maybe skip this episode and we'll meet you back here next week for the start of Summer of Rad. No harm no foul but you can't say we didn't warn you. So if you tweet at us, we'll probably send you a screen cap of this message. But we still love you.

 

Weekly Rads:

Matthew: Evil Genius (show)

Kyle: Albeit Living by Sextile (album)

Keith: The Incredibles 2 (movie)

Kasey: Fruits of Gomorrah by Terminal A (album)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Criiime_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Sports narrative! This week Kyle sits down with his brother Kasey Clark to chat about ESPN's amazing 30 for 30 documentary series. Kasey explains the strange way he became a fan of the LA Clippers back when he was in high school (it involves Boys II Men). Kyle explains how Kasey tricked him into understanding sports and the narratives that make it engaging through this series of documentaries. They share highlights from the series and draw a lot of parallels between 30 for 30 and comic book storytelling. Look, we know sports episodes don't do well but this is a really fun episode and you should give it a chance.

 

Weekly Rads:

Burnside: Overwatch League (professional gaming)

 

Kyle: Bay Dream by Culture Abuse (album) (Kyle's summer jam: Calm E)

 

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Direct download: TIR_30_for_30_final_fixed_audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Ruh-ruh-ruh-raaaaad. This week on the show Kyle and Matthew are joined by our very own Laura and animator extraordinaire Mike Mayfield for an indepth discussion of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. This is one of everyone on the episodes favorite movies and we get deep into the production, the back story, the crazy animation tricks, and the insane copyright issues that make this movie a true one of a kind. For real, no part of this movie should work and instead it's one of the best movies ever. It's also kinda a commentary track we had it playing in the background as we talked about it so if you really, really want to you can follow along (just basically start the movie when we get past the intro and you'll be following along). If it weren't for this movie both Mike and Laura might not have gone into animation. This movie legit changed the lives of some of the folks on this episode! So sit back, relax, and enjoy four people aggressively nerding out about an awesome move.

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle and Matt review E3 2018!

 

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Direct download: TIR_Rodger_Rabbit_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:36pm PDT

This week on the show, we're trying something new and exciting. After years of talking about it, this is part one of a series of episodes breaking down one of the greatest sci-fi stories ever told: Battlestar Galactica. Joining Kyle and Matthew are returning guests Anna Valenzuela and Jenny Chalikian, our newly minted official BSG experts. In this first installment we breakdown what Battlestar Galactica is, where it came from, how it came into each of our lives (Except Matthew who had not see the show when we recorded this. He's subsequently been bullied into it, don't worry), and we break down the cast of characters and the two part mini series that launched the show. Yes, this is a three hour episode and we don't even get into the series proper. This is gonna get deep and we're excited to try something new. If you love the show we have some real fun riffs for you. If you haven't watched the show, pretend you are sitting next to Matthew and maybe by the end we'll have tempted you into taking the plunge. We'll be doing these episodes periodically mixed in with regular episodes. So spin up your FTL and get ready. So say we all.

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: The Outsider by Stephen King (book)

Matthew: Apple's AR Kit 2 (tech thingy)

Laura: Have A Great Day playlist on Spotify (music)

 

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Direct download: TIR_BSG_pt1_AnnaJenny_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Hey Rad Boy! This week on the show Kyle and Matthew welcome musician Brandon Niznik for an in depth look at one of culture's most misunderstood musical genres. Kyle and Brandon first met in college and quickly bonded over a love of vintage reggae music. Brandon is an incredibly accomplished reggae musician and his musicianship is only rivaled by his incredible knowledge of the genre. They explore the roots of reggae music in Jamaica and trace it's evolution from Ska and Rocksteady into it's own unique style They explore how reggae changed the way people look at music production and the impact reggae has had on musicians around the world. It's easy to look at reggae and just think of dudes playing “red red wine” on a cruise ship but there is some really incredible music out there for you to explore if you're down to dig deep. And Brandon gives you some great places to start. It's been a while since we've really nerded out about music and this one gets real deep.

 

Please check out Brandon's new musical project Wise Owl and their new ep “The World's on Fire”

 

Also:

Brandon made a Spotify playlist of all the music we talked about in this episode!

https://open.spotify.com/user/12139033673/playlist/7scvR9VfAKMzqiu13TLI4j?si=Nvhk6I7rSl-NI473EVO2sA

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Deadpool 2 (movie)

Burnside: Solo (movie)

Special Intro Guests:

Jenny: Dolores O'Riordan (of The Cranberries) (musician) and Duo Lingo (app)

Anna: Trader Joe's brand Flaming Hot Cheetos (food)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Reggae_Brandon_Niznik_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Welcome to Flavortown! This week on the show Kyle, Matthew, and Laura welcome longtime listener and baker Jesse Rivera to chat about The Food Network. Well... sort of. It turns out the Food Network could be the subject of a whole series of podcasts, so not unlike many episodes before, this is the first in what will likely be a long series of Food Network episodes. But we get into it. We all confess our true feelings for Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. We discuss Robert Irvine's terrifying monster arms. We debate Chopped versus Cutthroat Kitchen. (Something that if feels like we could do a whole episode on.) Plus, there are some pretty insane tangents including a pretty solid breakdown of the Xbox game “Steel Battalion.” Bleach the tips of your hair, scream “bam” as you throw around some spices, and enjoy the madness!

 

Weekly Rads:

(with special guests Katie and Becky!) 

Kyle: The Outsider by Stephen King (book)

Becky: Tokyo Ghoul (manga)

Katie: That video of the lady falling into the grapes (classic youtube video)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Food_Netowrk_Jesse_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Order up! This week Kyle and Burnside are joined by the brilliant and hilarious Andrea Allan and Emily Lubin of the Hot Mess Comedy Hour to chat about the wonderful world of diners. For some they're just a place to get a quick bite but for others, the diner can be a sacred space. They chat about do's and don'ts for ordering at a diner. They point out regional differences and what makes a good diner. Andrea and Emily discuss some of their favorite diners in New York City and Kyle and Matt give them some tips on how to get the most out of their time on the west coast. Should you get to know your waiters and waitresses? Plus, you get some real deep discussion of the age old debate of pie versus cake. So head on over to your favorite all night eatery, order some chicken fingers, and enjoy!

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Oh man the future by De Lux (song)

Matthew: The Week Of (movie)

Laura: The White Album by Weezer (album)

Brandon Niznik (intro guest): Evil Genius (TV series)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Diners_Andrea_and_Emily_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Yes, this not a bit. This week on This Is Rad Kyle and Matthew welcome back returning guest (and national treasure) Becky Joiner along with the brilliant Katie McCarty to discuss the Real Housewives spinoff show Vanderpump Rules. Normally either Kyle or Matthew bring some level of knowledge about a subject to an episode but the sheer level of enthusiasm our guests have for this show inspried us to take the plunge and break down this bananas crazy Bravo reality show. Thrill as we learn the true meaning of “pasta”! Speculate as to how much VD Jax has! Katie brought beers and we have ourselves a pretty great time and the episode gets very very silly. Even if you're not a fan of Bravo's reality programing, this episode has some pretty glorious moments.

Weekly Rads:

Kyle and Matthew: Avengers: Infinity War (movie)

Laura: A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV Show)

 

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Direct download: TIR_VanderpumpRules_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

All tremble before the Infinity Rad! It's that time again. This Is Rad's resident Marvel man Jeremy Scippio returns for our 4thstate of the union of the MCU. This was recorded days before the release of Infinity War and the boys lay out what they think will happen in Marvel's most epic movie to date. Now that it's out check out what the boys got wrong (and maybe a few things they got right...) and hear their takes on Guardians 2, Black Panther, and the Netflix shows (Not a ton of Agents of Shield talk sadly... look there are only so many hours in a day.) Jeremy continues to be one of our favorite recuring guests and you should check him out if he's touring near you because he is a brilliant comic. Plus, as a bonus, on the intro Burnside recounts his and Laura's trip to Huntington Beach for the Back to the Beach Ska Festival. That's right, super nerdy comic book talk AND super nerdy music talk. We're aggressively on brand this week.

 

Weekly Rads:

Matthew: Back To The Beach Ska Festival (music festival) (also God of War is still pretty good...)

Kyle: The Brazillian Girls – Let's Make Love (album)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Marvel_Movies_4_Jeremy_Scippio_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Jingle Jangle... This week Kyle and Matthew are joined by returning guest Alexis Quasarano and her roommate and cosplayer Sarah-Jean Smith for a chat about Riverdale and the world of Archie comics. Somewhere in the last decade Archie comics went from a charming anachronism of the comic world to one of the most interesting and consistently excellent set of books out there. Then just when you thought that would be enough, they unleashed Riverdale on the world. Seriously, it's a great show. The gang chat about their experiences with the show. There's a lot of giggling. There's also a pretty intense sidebar about vore porn. There is a reason Kyle and Alexis are friends. So grab your Jughead beanie and sip on a milkshake from Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe while we take you on a tour of our new favorite fictional town.

 

Weekly Rad:

Matthew: God of War (2018) (video game)

 

Kyle: The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling (documentary)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Riverdale_AlexisSarah-Jean_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Take a deep breath and focus on the rad. This week Matthew and Kyle welcome the incredible Laura House to the show for a chat about meditation. But before they dig in, they cover a whole plethora of topics. Laura is one of Kyle's favorite comics and her new album “Mouth Punch” is amazing. They talk about the origins of Six Flags and the glories of Norway amongst other things before getting into a pretty heavy chat about the benefits of meditation. All three folks on the episode suffer from some level of anxiety and depression and Kyle and Laura have both found that meditation was a bit of a life changing discovery for quieting the parts of their brain that want to ruin their day. It's a fun episode but also gets pretty raw and honest. If you find yourself dealing with any of these issues yourself, maybe this episode can give you some things you can explore for dealing with it. Try it out and hit us up on twitter with your own experiences!

Weekly Rads: 

Burnside: Barry (TV Show) 

Kyle: The Breeders - All Nerve (album) 

 

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Direct download: TIR_meditation_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Oh things just keep getting radder. This week Kyle, Matthew, and Laura welcome comedian Nicole Bucannon to the show for a chat about Queer Eye in all its incarnations (or at least the one from 2003 and the new one). They talk about the effects the show has had on the way they treat themselves and the way they look at the world and you better believe everyone has cried at at least one episode of the new series. This is also the first in a series of eps the gang are doing in their temporary living room studio. They've recorded there before but this is the first time they've brought a guest by the Casa de Matt and Laura. If you like loose and silly episodes this one is a good time.

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Baby Showers/Roasted Whole Pigs/The Food at Filipino Family Gatherings (concept/lifestyle/food)

Laura: Nothanger Abbey (and more generally the collected works) by Jane Austen (book)

Matthew: The new season of Trailer Park Boys (Show)

Nicole: DILFS of Disneyland @dilfs_of_disneyland (instagram)

 

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Direct download: TIR_Queer_Eye_Nicole_Bucannon_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Live rad and prosper. This week on the show Kyle and Matthew welcome Klee Wiggins and Alicia Orme into the very last recording session in the Meltdown recording studio. In the intro they discuss their adventures at the final Meltdown party and say a bit of a fond farewell to their second home of the last 7 years. While it is always sad to say good-bye it begins a new chapter for the show and for everyone's lives. But enough of this sad sack stuff, the gang sit down to talk about Star Trek and after nearly three hours they realize that this is only the first part of what looks to be a long series of chats about one of the greatest sci-fi properties of all time. In this installment they explore their first exposure to Star Trek, as it turns out, everybody has a nerdy family member that brought them to the Trekkie fold. They also talk about the TOS movies and Matthew gets an education in the long standing “Odd vs. Even” Star Trek movie philosophy. Plus, Klee and Alicia both may or may not attribute their early female awakenings to Wil Wheaton. It's long, it's rambly, it sets up future episodes, and we can't think of a better way to send off the old studio. Let us know what aspects of Star Trek you'd like to see us break down in future episodes. The world of TIR keeps changing but what doesn't change is how much we appreciate you, as always thanks for listening and being a part of our lives. (Can you tell we're feeling all emotional this week?)

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Direct download: TIR_Star_Trek_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

This week Kyle, Matthew, and Laura trekked up to the great white north for the first ever Yukon Comedy Festival. They discuss America's super friendly neighbor to the north and have a whole heap of guests help them recount adventures from the fest and just a sampling of the things that make Canada rad! Our first ever solo live episode and it is a real doozy! 

 

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Direct download: TIR_RadLIVECANADA_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

We'd rather be nine people's favorite podcast that nine hundred people's ninth favorite podcast. Today on the show Joe Kaye returns to break down the musical [Title of Show]. [Title of Show] is a pretty amazing and inspiring DIY musical that started as two guys pushing themselves to come up with a show idea and ended up a full on Tony nominated Broadway play. Kyle actually did research for this episode and comes at Joe with a bunch of questions about the history and production of the show. Joe worked as part of the street team for the play and has a pretty amazing story of his personal experience with the play. This is one of those fun episodes that hopefully inspires you to not give up on whatever weird idea you have. Make the time and start it, you never know where it might take you!

 

Weekly Rads:

Joe: Veronica (movie)

Burnside: Sea of Thieves (video game)

 Kyle: The Strangers: Prey At Night (movie)

Annihilation (movie)

Mouth Punch by Laura House (comedy album)

 

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Direct download: TIR_TitleofShow_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Author, father, groovy guy.

Has come to us from Nebraska sky.

And thus we three, a podcast had.

Mike Bockoven talks Vincent Price on This Is Rad!

 

This week we welcome FantasticLand author Mike Bockoven to the podcast. As anyone listening in the last few months know, Mike's book FantasticLand is one of Kyle's new favorite books. Mike was in SoCal for a wedding and we were lucky enough to convince him to come hang with us. We talk plenty about Mike's awesome book including where the idea came from and the process of getting it written while balancing a job and a family (super inspiring stuff!) plus Mike also celebrates the illustrious career of Vincent Price. You'll learn a ton of stuff about the iconic actor that you might not have known. It's an interesting guy coming on to talk about another interesting guy. Plus we answer listener questions about both Vincent Price's career along with some fun questions about Mike's book. If you haven't checked out FantasticLand you owe it to yourself to give it a read. Plus, his next book The Pack is out this July.

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: The Lucky Chops (band)

Matthew: LAN Parties! (lifestyle)

Mike: A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay (novel)

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

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Direct download: TIR_VincentPriceFantasticLand_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Rad me with a spoon! This week, Kyle and Matthew welcome comedian and musician Lisette Alvarez to chat about the wild world of teen movies. From the early days of delinquent films in the 40's and 50's through the genre's golden age in the 80's and 90's the trio break down some of their favorite movies and break down what elements you need to make a classic teen movie. The conversation of course breaks down and everybody goes on a tangent or two about their own experiences in high school. Lisette shares what it was like to be a teen in Miami, Florida. Plus they continue the running dialogue on This Is Rad about indoor versus outdoor high schools. It's a pretty grand adventure into the world of hormones, romantic yearnings, and sweet parties. So grab your poetry notebook, record a mixtape riddled with romantic intrigue, and transport yourself back to those heady days of high school for a festive journey into one of the once great worlds of genre cinema!

 

Weekly Rads:

 

Kyle – All At Once by The Screaming Females (album)

Sound of Siam by Various Artists (album)

 

Matthew – James Harden's crossover in the Clipper's game agains the Huston Rockets (sports thing)

 

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod

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Direct download: TIR_Teen_Movies_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

200 Episodes! Hello everyone and welcome to this very special episode of This Is Rad! Today we celebrate 200 episodes! 4(-ish) years of podcast radness! To mark the occasion Kyle, Matthew, and Laura sat down to chat about life and reminisce a little about the past four years. Plus, we have a very special guest for the episode. Back in November Kyle had the opportunity to chat with the founder of Troma Entertainment, Lloyd Kaufman. Lloyd is one of Kyle's heroes and it was a pretty surreal experience to get to have an extended conversation with one of the people that influenced the direction of his life. It's a fun chat. Troma's latest film Return to Nuke 'Em High part 2 is out March 8th. Go support some true independent cinema and check it out. Also, from the bottom of all of our hearts, thank you so much to everyone who listens to the show, tweets at us, or has ever supported the show. We constantly talk about how lucky we feel to have such cool listeners who share our sense of goofy enthusiasm for all things rad. 200 episodes and we're just getting started. Thank you!

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Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod 

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Direct download: TIR_EP200_Lloyde_Kaufman.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Rad to the hills! Rad for your life! This week Kyle and Matthew are joined by comedian Nat Baimel and musician( and Kyle's former roommate) Eric Bryan for a chat about one of the greatest heavy metal bands of all time Iron Maiden. Everyone talks about their first exposure to Maiden and they gives a few tips on how to approach the band's daunting discography. They explore the unspoken rivalry between Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and the ways in which the two bands vary in their exploration of heavy metal. Plus, this episode features one of the silliest intros the show has had in a while. Crank the volume, cut the sleeves off your t-shirt, and come hang out with four guys quietly sitting in a recording studio talking about bands! Also, check out Nat's new album “Be Nice” out February 23rd!

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Night of the Living Dead (Criterion Edition Bluray)

Matthew: Dirty Money and The Naked Truth (documentaries)

Nat: Mega Man competitive speed run videos

Eric: Xtro (movie) plus Sonic pregnancy fan art

Direct download: TIR_Iron_Maiden_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Who let the rads out? Who? Who? Who!? This week Kyle and Laura are joined by hilarious Las Vegas comics Jozalyn Sharp and Tyler Jolley to discuss man's best friend. We talk dogs. We talk about em a lot. Because we love them. We talk about our experiences with our own pets and tell some pretty great stories about dogs being dogs. Plus we chat about dogs in movies and answer listener questions about our for legged friends. Time was limited but there will DEFINITELY be a sequel episode one day. But in the meantime, grab a fuzzy buddy, snuggle up, and enjoy! Also, Kyle and Burnside are reunited for the first time in a month on the intro!

 

Weekly Rads:

Burnside: Overwatch League

Kyle: Jack in the Box's food truck menu and the new line of flavored Diet Cokes

Direct download: TIR_Dogs_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

When a problem comes along, you must... sit down and have an in depth conversation about Devo. This week Kyle sits down with his best friend Jarrod Gilbreath to discuss Jarrod's favorite band, the one and only Devo. They go album by album exploring the development of the band. They talk about the trend in the late 70's of art collectives that accidentally turned into rock bands. Plus they explore the world of music videos before music videos were a thing. It's a fun episode and hopefully it encourages you to check out some deeper Devo cuts, they were waaaaaaaay more than just a one hit wonder band.

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Madman and The Atomics (comic)

Laura: Blue Planet 2 (show)

Direct download: TIR_Devo_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

School is in session and todays lesson: Radness. This week Kyle and Burnside sit down with Kyle's cousin Drew Donnelly who is a high school physics teacher. While he has the most experience, both Kyle and Matthew has spent time in the teaching trenches and each of them have some pretty amazing stories to share. They discuss using snark in the classroom as a tool to fight mean teenagers. Drew recounts some insane stories of student pranks. Seriously some of his former students really redefined what it means to mess with a teacher. But for those who shudder at the idea of going back to school, fear not! Drew is one of the people who hipped Kyle to a million nerdy things and the boys go on a pretty sweet side tangent about PC gaming. Enjoy this supersized episode and thanks for listening!

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: What Nerve: Alternative Figures in American Art 1960 – the Present (book)

Laura: A Futile and Stupid Gesture (movie)

Direct download: TIR_Teaching_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

It's time to d-d-d-d-duel! This week we have Connor McSpadden of the Mean Boys podcast and LA comic Atlas Novack for a chat about the insane world of Yu-Gi-Oh! Both boys spent the bulk of their teen years playing this collectible card game and them attempt to explain it to Kyle and Burnside. Burnside has a little bit of advantage as he has spent some time playing the Pokemon card game (along with a now in recovery Hearthstone addiction), while Kyle is wholly ignorant to this sector of the nerd world. And man do the boys get deep. They discuss the mechanics of the game, the mythology of the show, and give their own personal insights into the idea of living in a world built around card dueling. If you are a fan of Yu-Gi-Oh!, you are going to have a good time with this episode. If you have no idea what is going on, there are some pretty sweet riffs to be had. If you've ever wondered if Connor has dreams of opening a real world duelers island out in international waters, you'll get your answer inside!

 

(Brief Warning: the language in this episode gets a bit salty at times, nothing crazy but figure it was worth a heads up. Listen at your own discretion.)

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Drawn and Quarterly: 25 Years of Contemporary Cartooning, Comics and Graphic Novels (book)

Direct download: TIR_YuGiOh_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Porgs, space race horses, and a planet made of meat. Rad returns for our yearly Star Wars state of the union with our resident Star Wars experts Klee Wiggins and Ed Greer. For our fourth installment the gang have gathered together a little over a month after the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi for a round table discussion of what they loved, what they hated, and everything in between. SPOILER ALERT: if you have not seen Star Wars: The Last Jedi you might want to duck out on this. But for real, if you haven't seen it yet and you're still worried about spoilers maybe you're working too much. It's been over a month and you only needed like 3 free hours somewhere along the line. Go see it if it means that much to you, and then come join this party. The gang break down this polarizing edition to the Star Wars cannon. There are also some pretty sweet riffs. Klee and Ed are always favorite guests and this episode is no exception.

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle: Coco/My Winnipeg (movies)

Matt: Travel Man (show)

Laura: Addicted to Americana (book)

Ed: Toys That Made Us (show)

Klee: Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure (show)

Bonus Rad: Humble Bundle

Direct download: TIR_StarWarsLastJedi_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

You cannot be told what is rad. You must be shown. This week on the show we have comedian Ken Garr discussing the films and general radness of Keanu Reeves. They work through the classics like Point Break and Speed along with a few of their personal favorites that you might not be as familiar with. Ken and Kyle also talk about their odd friendship, for two guys who live in the same city they only ever seem to see each other at gigs out of town. Speaking of out of town, you get some fun bonus guests on the intro this week, Kyle has been doing a few dates out of town with Keith Carey and Nicole Becannon and has been pretty much sick the entire time. He'd like to thank Dave Apkarian for being a saint while the three of them crash at his place. Burnside and Laura will be back next week and they send their love!

 

No weekly rads this week due to illness. Unless you wanna count “not vomiting” as a weekly rad.

Direct download: TIR_Keanu_Reeves_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

Seriously rad Steven Universe episode... ACTIVATE! This week Kyle and Laura hold down hosting duty as they welcome the truly delightful Kyle Shire. That's right, Laura gets to deal with two times the Kyle as they break down the Cartoon Network show Steven Universe. Kyle (our Kyle) has seen the show but does not have the deep deep knowledge that Laura and Kyle (guest Kyle) have. And boy does he get an education. The show is amazing and shows a whole new generation of people making shows for kids just how smart and progressive kids TV can be. They discuss the deep lore of the show and explore some of the cool ways that the show plays with fantasy storytelling as a way to spread messages of love and acceptance. They also answer a bunch of listener tweets because it turns out you guys have some thoughts on the show. It gets deep. Laura really shines in this one. A super fun way to kick off a new year of podcasts!

 

Weekly Rads:

(with Bonus guests Connor McSpadden and Atlas Novack)

Kyle: Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix (book)

Burnside: John Claude Van Johnson (Show)

Connor: The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn (book series)

Atlas: The Ranch (show)

Bonus Rad: Viewtiful Joe (video game)

 

Direct download: TIR_Steven_Universe_Final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm PDT

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