Oh, man, this was a huge week on the Nerdist Podcast Network. Big guests galore. Galore, I tells ya. Like:
Ant-Man! Brian Fontana! Bobby Newport! Paul Rudd did the Nerdist Podcast, and the result will be available Friday sometime (tentative schedule, as soon as we can get it ready). He is, as you would expect, truly charming. You’ll hear how he was raised by funny parents, you’ll weep as Paul and Chris bond over their fathers’ passing, you’ll thrill to the discussions of acting and the press and public shaming. It’s a great companion to Ant-Man as that movie opens this weekend.
Sir Ben Kingsley and Peter Capaldi were the guests for last Saturday’s first of two live Nerdist Podcasts from San Diego Comic Con and we had the result for you Monday. The first guy was in a few movies, the second played a really foul-mouth political operative on a TV show, so some people might recognize their names. Really, SIR BEN KINGSLEY and PETER CAPALDI!!! Sir Ben discussed the difference between acting on the stage and on film, told how his career choice might be the result of being mistaken for “Little Pepito,” the acting process, and the significance of “wearing the yellow star” playing Holocaust victims on film. Then, Peter, the Twelfth Doctor (he will always be Malcolm Tucker to me), talked about being at his first Comic Con this year, his band with Craig Ferguson, toyed with Chris at a drifting-off moment, and how The Thick of It changed and revitalized his career. It’s also fun to hear Chris talk about what happened in Hall H moments after it actually happened. And Chris told of a car ride with Peter Mayhew, who signed the Chewbacca book, because of course he did.
Chad Coleman, he of The Walking Dead and The Wire, visited the Nerdist Podcast and talked about Tyreese’s fate, of course, and acting, parenting, growing up a foster child, and getting fired from a stand-in job on The Cosby Show. And it was an occasion for Chris to admit he’s never seen The Wire. Hey, nobody can see everything.
Comedian Rhea Butcher was this week’s guest on You Made it Weird with Pete Holmes, returning for a solo appearance after being on with her partner Cameron Esposito on the SF Sketchfest episode. This, as Pete noted at the outset, was a very silly episode, which means hilarious, and while there are Colin Hanks jokes and Alan Rickman imitations and observations about the psychic effect of Bob Marley records and the possibility that Billy Joel is actually a woman, you have to listen all the way through to understand the significance of the phrases “Eat lead, Cobra!” and “Show the duck!”
The Tech Guy, Leo Laporte, finally came on the Nerdist Podcast, talking to Chris and Matt about tech, of course, and trolls and hecklers and anonymity, media bias, social media, and podcasting. And you got to hear Leo sans language restraints.
The Nerdist Writers Panel had Chris Carter on, and how huge is that? The creator of The X-Files sat down with Ben Blacker to give you an amazing behind-the-scenes look at the process that led to the iconic series. Oh, yeah, the Nerdist Writers Panel also brought you a bonus episode with the FX Comedy panels from ATX, including the cast and creators of You’re the Worst, Married, and Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll.
Kumail and Emily hit the floor and all around town at San Diego Comic-Con for a special edition of The Indoor Kids, with impromptu guests like Thomas Middleditch, Pete Holmes, Megaran, the Lootcrate crew, Taran Killam, and Dan Harmon, plus a little from the green room at the Nerdist Podcast Panel. They’re great companions for a tour of Comic-Con. Bizarre States came to you live from San Diego Comic Con, as did Today We Learned.
Gil got a chance to talk to the guy behind a lot of hit music, songwriter/singer/producer James Fauntleroy, on The Mutant Season. He’s written for and/or worked with a few people of whom you might know, like Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar, Ciara, Chris Brown, Common, Kanye West, Drake, Timbaland, Jay-Z, Big Sean… is that enough? Anyway, James told Gil about how he started (the movie “Yes Man,” of all things, was an inspiration), his process, and much more.
Kurt Braunohler and Lauren Cook drove all the way across the country from L.A. to Asbury Park, NJ towing an enormous “Love Butt” on a flatbed, and lived to tell about it on this week’s The K Ohle.
The guy behind FX’s You’re the Worst, Stephen Falk, was this week’s Boy of Summer on The JV Club. Once you’re done with that, listen to JV herself, Janet Varney, inspire you as a special guest on Pro You.
Sex Nerd Sandra was back with a new two-parter from the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, featuring comics Kyle Kinane, Elicia Sanchez and Nick Stargui hilariously going through all of the Urban Dictionary sex terms. Part One is here and Part 2 is here.
Alison Rosen, host of Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend and formerly of the Adam Carolla show, joined Kevin and Steve for a new Chewin’ It. There’s a lot about custard, for reasons unclear, and Trader Joe’s, and drugs in high school and Hollywood, and Lemme eating a big piece of Staples Center red velvet cake for lunch. Oh, and Kevin told his Gavin Rossdale cake story. He has a Gavin Rossdale cake story. Seriously, he does.
Amelia Earhart flew once more on a new Thrilling Adventure Hour.
And the Legacy Music Hour remixed its Rock Music episode.
That’s a lot. And you can find it all at the Nerdist Podcast Network homepage, where you should subscribe to all of the podcasts on offer, and then Like the Nerdist Podcast Network Facebook page. Get started now.
Contributor: Kyle Clark
Photo: Marvel/Disney
