The Worst of All Possible Worlds-logo

The Worst of All Possible Worlds

Media & Entertainment Podcasts

The first and only podcast bringing you weekly case studies in the pop culture of a dying empire. Every Wednesday, co-hosts Josh, Brian, and A.J. dissect an artifact of popular culture, breaking down how its narrative choices reflect or subvert the...

Location:

United States

Description:

The first and only podcast bringing you weekly case studies in the pop culture of a dying empire. Every Wednesday, co-hosts Josh, Brian, and A.J. dissect an artifact of popular culture, breaking down how its narrative choices reflect or subvert the reactionary political project. From video games to movies to theater to an apparently infinite supply of evangelical Christian radio drama, we expose the machinations of the worst of all possible worlds in order to figure out how to build a better one. Also, we have bits.

Twitter:

@twoapw

Language:

English


Episodes
Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

237 - The Trump Prophecy (2018)

4/22/2026
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall HEADS UP: Tickets to our Brooklyn live show on May 24 are on general sale now! To get your tickets, go to Littlefieldnyc.com In 2011, as he sat in his recliner in the liminal state between asleep and awake with Fox News blaring, an Orlando firefighter named Mark Taylor received a message from God: the man yelling about the devaluation of the dollar on TV right then would be the next president of the United States, serving for this nation as Benjamin Neteyahu had for Israel. Four years later, when Donald Trump announced his candidacy, a woman named Mary Colbert and her husband Don cited this “prophecy” to convince evangelical Christians that they should back him, conveniently raising their own profiles in the process. While evangelical support for Trump has remained overwhelming and steadfast since then, events within the past few weeks have raised serious questions about the durability of Trump’s appeal to Christians. This week, Josh and Brian read the 2017 book The Trump Prophecy and watch its bizarre Liberty University-backed 2018 film adaptation of the same name to try to figure out how evangelicals coalesced behind Trump so quickly and strongly, why the state of Israel is such a pervasive rallying point for them, and whether things can ever change for a group of people willing to believe in a fire lieutenant and self-titled prophet who also goes by the name Shakina Kami. Media referenced in this episode: TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Duration:00:28:22

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

236 - American Psycho (feat. JP Brammer)

4/15/2026
HEADS UP: TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR OUR MAY 24 LIVE SHOW IN BROOKLYN, EXCLUSIVELY AT PATREON.COM/WORSTOFALL JP Brammer (¡Hola Papi!) and the lads throw on their raincoats, dance to Huey Lewis and the News, and commit some mild homicide as they cover both Bret Easton Ellis’ original book and Mary Harron’s film adaptation of the trials and tribulations of Patrick Bateman: American Psycho. Topics include Ellis’ rage-bait politics, Christian Bale’s hardbody, and what it means when a significant portion of a population aspires to be Patrick Bateman. JP Brammer: Substack // Bluesky // Instagram Media referenced in this episode: American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. Vintage. 1991. American Psycho. Dir. Mary Harron. 2000. “An 'American Psycho' Drama : Books: The flap surrounding Bret Easton Ellis' third novel flares again. NOW is seeking a boycott of his new publisher. Other observers raise questions of censorship.” by Elizabeth Venant. Los Angeles Times. December 11th, 1990. “Bret Easton Ellis on American Psycho, Christian Bale, and His Problem with Women Directors”. Movieline. May 18th, 2010. "Bret Easton Ellis on Talking Porn With Kanye, a New Novel, and (Yes) Trump" by Corey Seymour. Vogue. April 16th, 2019. “On Adapting American Psycho” by Mary Harron. London Review of Books. February 28th, 2024. “Phil Collins webchat – your questions answered on prog rock, self-doubt and Miami Vice.” The Guardian. October 19th, 2016. Music/audio used in this episode: Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street 緑茶:日本の伝統茶道 - Nhạc Jazz Không Lời Huey Lewis & The News - Hip To Be Square Phil Collins - Sussudio Genesis - In Too Deep Genesis - Mama Genesis - That's All Genesis - Home By The Sea LilMati - Air Conditioner Fan Hum.wav jzielke011 - Urban Rain 01.wav TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Salve & Salve” // Written and Performed by A.J. Ditty

Duration:02:36:49

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

ANNOUNCEMENT: LIVE SHOW IN BROOKLYN SUNDAY MAY 24TH

4/13/2026
Presale for PATREON MEMBERS ONLY goes live April 15th, 2026 at patreon.com/worstofall General Sale goes live Wednesday April 24th, 2026 $25 for seated, $20 for standing. 6pm doors/7pm show. Littlefield, 635 sackett st, brooklyn 11217 Join us as we get to the bottom of the gay agenda once and for all.

Duration:00:02:40

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

235 - Beast Games from MrBeast Season Two: StrongSmart (feat. Kill the Computer)

4/8/2026
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall June and Caleb from Kill the Computer meet the lads for another round of stacking blocks in Beast City as they cover the second season of MrBeast’s nightmare of a game show: Beast Games: Strong/Smart. Topics include the improvements to the games themselves, the professionalism of Jeff Probst, and what it means to model yourself as a philanthropic savior while actively taking money from some of the worst people on the planet. June: Twitch // Patreon // Bluesky Caleb: Bluesky Kill the Computer: June and Caleb talk about the ways in which internet culture spills out into the real world; good and bad. PatreonApple PodcastsSpotify Ill Conceived: A podcast about natalism. Hosted by Josh Boerman (The Worst of All Possible Worlds, Traditional Scrench) and June Sternbach (Western Kabuki, The Onion) PatreonSpotifyApple Podcasts Media Referenced in this Episode: “Gov. Stein approves $15 millions grant for filming Beast Games second season” by WITN Web Team. WITN First Alert. September 11th, 2025.“In 'Beast Games,' contestants get buried alive before heading to Saudi Arabia” by Jim Halterman. LA Times. February 11th, 2026.“MrBeast ‘Beast Games’ Hits 50 Million Viewers in 25 Days, Amazon’s Biggest Unscripted Show Ever” by Selome Hailu. Variety. January 16th, 2025.“MrBeast: If You Want To Be Liked, Don’t Help People! I Lost Tens Of Millions on Beast Games…But I’m Worth $1 Billion!” The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett. February 20th, 2025.North Carolina Department of Commerce Film Industry Grants“Prime Video Gives Two-Season Renewal to Global Hit Competition Series Beast Games.” Amazon Press Release. May 13th, 2025.“The REAL Tea on Beast Games (with Michelle the Human Calculator)”. Wait, Say More with Eric Cheng. January 15th, 2026 TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “2 People Play Hopscotch for $2,000,000” // Written by A.J. Ditty // feat. David Armstrong as “MrBeast”, Eleanor Philips as “Contestant 1/Chandler”, and A.J. Ditty as “Contestant 2/Young Jimmy/Planet Jimmy”

Duration:00:31:06

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

BONUS - Kill The Computer: The Smile Merchant feat. TWOAPW

4/6/2026
Those of you who have been listening to our show for a while might remember last year when we did a cross-over collaboration with our friends at Kill The Computer to celebrate the work of Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson. We called it Beast Week. And now, Beast Week is back. In this episode of Kill The Computer, we talked with June and Caleb about a number of videos MrBeast released in 2025. Then we dug into his theme park Beast Land, a temporary pop-up in Riyadh that was open for 45 days as part of the annual Saudi entertainment festival known as Riyadh Season. Next up, on Wednesday, June and Caleb will be joining us on The Worst of All Possible Worlds Patreon for a premium episode about season 2 of Beast Games. Finally, on Friday, we’ll conclude Beast Week on the Kill The Computer Patreon with an in-depth conversation about what Jimmy’s been up to so far this year and where we think he might go next. Thanks for listening. Cool Voltaire loves you!

Duration:01:47:47

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

234 - Bernard After Reading (feat. Brooke from I Hate James Dobson) [Whit’s Endless Summer 51]

4/1/2026
Brooke from the I Hate James Dobson podcast joins the lads in Odyssey for further adventures in local access television, getting boils in the land of Uz, and the increasingly diabolical schemes of the Novacom Corporation. Topics include the questionable accent choices, the dubious ethics of Whit’s latest invention, and what it means to craft a serialized plot where you rail against the evils of teaching kids about pollution. I Hate James Dobson: Join therapists Jake (a former Evangelical) and Brooke (who knows almost nothing about Evangelical culture) as they read and tear apart Dobson’s works. Get ready to laugh, cry, and rip your hair out as we explore the very many reasons why I Hate James Dobson. SpotifyApple PodcastsTwitterInstagram Media Referenced in this Episode: “The Disturbing Views of God and Suffering in the Book of Job” by Bart D. Ehrman. Misquoting Jesus Podcast with Bart D. Ehrman #75. April 23rd, 2025.“The Historical Context of the Book of Job” by Edward L. Greenstein. Yale University Press. August 5th, 2020.“Speaking Truth to Power, Job Accuses God of Being Unjust” by Edward L. Greenstein. The Torah.com. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Duration:02:36:21

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

233 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 [Part II] (feat. Joe Kassabian)

3/25/2026
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Joe Kassabian (Lions Led by Donkeys) rejoins the lads in their fight against the Paintress they cover the final two acts of Sandfall Interactive’s hit 2025 grief simulator: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Topics include the importance of le family, Monoco’s feet collect-a-thon, and what it means to use art as a balm for one’s grief and, more importantly, when to let that art go. Joe Kassabian: Bluesky Lions Led by Donkeys: The Lions Led By Donkeys podcast is a military history podcast for laughing at the worst military failures, inept commanders, and crazy stories from throughout the history of human conflict. Patreon // Youtube // Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Instagram Media Referenced in this Episode: TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Expedition 32 ½: Tatienne” // Written by A.J. Ditty // feat. Eleanor Philips as “Tatienne”, David Arsmstrong as “Gaston”, and A.J. Ditty as “Esquie/Verso”

Duration:00:29:18

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

232 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 [Part 1] (feat. Joe Kassabian)

3/18/2026
Joe Kassabian (Lions Led by Donkeys) and the lads throw on their expedition armbands and make for the Paintress as they cover the first act of Sandfall Interactive’s hit 2025 French simulator: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Topics include the AI controversy, Ubu Roi, and what it means to make a game that finds the clair in the obscur. Preorder Joe’s Upcoming Book The Highlands Burn here!!! Joe Kassabian: Bluesky Lions Led by Donkeys: The Lions Led By Donkeys podcast is a military history podcast for laughing at the worst military failures, inept commanders, and crazy stories from throughout the history of human conflict. Patreon // Youtube // Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Instagram Media Referenced in this Episode: “After GOTY pull, Clair Obscur devs draw line in sand over AI: 'Everything will be made by humans by us'” by Patricia Hernandez. Polygon. December 24th, 2025.“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Lead Writer talks Story, Ending, and More” by Game Maker's NotebookClair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Sandfall Interactive Q&A“Interview Clair Obscur Expedition 33 : ‘On ne s'attendait pas à une réception aussi énorme’” by Par Kelma. Gamekult. August 28th, 2024. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Gaston Garbageman’s Gommage-Proof Garbage Can” // Written by A.J. Ditty // feat. David Armstrong as “Gaston” and A.J. Ditty as “Citizen of Lumière”

Duration:03:02:37

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

231 - Perfect Blue

3/11/2026
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads cast off their pop idol personas and get caught up in the murderous world of Japanese procedurals as they cover Satoshi Kon’s first animated feature: Perfect Blue. Topics include the Aranofsky drama, the podcaster’s persona, and what it means to exist in a world that necessitates breaking yourself into many different personalities just to survive. Media Referenced in this Episode: “Interview with Satoshi Kon” by Bill Aguiar. Tokyo Pop. April 25th, 2007.The Real History of 'Perfect Blue' and 'Requiem for a Dream'. Animation Obsessive. March 20th, 2022.“Satoshi Kon Interview for Perfectblue.com”. September 4th, 1997. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Two-Step Verification” // Written and Performed by A.J. Ditty

Duration:00:26:17

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

230 - The Traitors (feat. Peter Shamshiri)

3/4/2026
Peter Shamshiri (5-4, If Books Could Kill) and the lads throw on their green cloaks and make for the castle at Inverness as they cover the fourth season of the hit reality game show: The Traitors. Topics include the show’s Dutch origins, Alan Cumming’s fabulous fits, and what it means to move through the world thinking that you're a faithful surrounded by traitors. Peter Shamshiri: Bluesky 5-4 is a podcast about how much the Supreme Court sucks. Hosted by Peter Shamshiri, Michael Liroff, and Rhiannon Hamam, produced by Rachel Ward, and presented by Slow Burn co-creator Leon Neyfakh. Patreon // Spotify // Apple Podcasts If Books Could Kill: Michael Hobbes and Peter Shamshiri discuss the airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds. Patreon // Spotify // Apple Podcasts Media Referenced in this Episode: The Traitors US: Season Four“40 Traitors Rules and Sneaky Behind-the-Scenes Secrets You Didn't Know” by Madison McGee. Men’s Health. February 9th, 2024.“9 Rules You Didn't Know The Traitors Contestants Have to Follow” by Rebecca Aizin and Jordana Comiter. People. January 9th, 20268 Unexpected Rules the Cast of 'The Traitors' Has to Follow” by Emily Kelleher. Instyle. January 8th, 2026. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: Brian Alford by Brian Alford, written by Brian Alford, featuring the voices of Brian Alford and Brian Alford

Duration:02:24:01

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

229 - The Dutch Knight Returns [Whit’s Endless Summer 50]

2/25/2026
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads return to Odyssey for more adventures in fractured fairy tales, the start of the Novacom Saga, and the final and fond farewell to everyone’s favorite devious Dutchman: Dr. Regis Blackgaard. Topics include Phil Lollar’s long-awaited goodbye, the logistics of time portals, and what it means to stare down Odyssey’s next big movement in serialized storytelling. Media Referenced in this Episode: TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “The Hound” // Written by A.J. Ditty // feat. Jessie Cannizzaro as “Dr. Chris Cavalcante”, Brendan Dalton as “Dr. Wesley Winthrop”, and A.J. Ditty as “The Pilgrim”

Duration:00:27:22

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

228 - Alone (feat. Rax King)

2/18/2026
Rax King (Sloppy, Low Culture Boil) joins the lads in Patagonia for adventures in catching fish and staving off the dread as they cover the third season of the History Channel’s hit reality TV show: Alone. Topics include the history of the History Channel, the appeal of Dad TV, and what it means to make a show there’s always a puma lurking right off screen. Rax King: Bluesky // Instagram // Website BUY RAX’S BOOK SLOPPY HERE! Low Culture Boil: Hosted by trashy babes Rax King and Amber Rollo. If you’ve ever asked yourself “would Susan Sontag have enjoyed ‘Jersey Shore’,” why did Twinkie file for bankruptcy, or if you don’t know how to read and at this point you know it’s too late to ask, this is the podcast for you! SpotifyApple PodcastsPatreon Media Referenced in this Episode: “Whoever Starves Least, Wins” by Nicholas Quah. Vulture. June 13th, 2024.“Why Did Jami Fowler Leave?” by Jami Fowler TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Zac Skatchewan: Days 1-2" // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. David Armstrong as “Zac/Mr. Producer” and A.J. Ditty as “Monty/Intern”

Duration:02:38:07

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

227 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

2/11/2026
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads grab their heart-boxes and make for the creepy woods as they cover Walt Disney’s 1937 landmark animated film: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Topics include the origins of Walter Elias Disney, the make-it-up-as-you-go-along production, and the enduring legacy of the film that built the Disney empire. Media Referenced in this Episode: “Before Snow White” by J.B. Kaufman. Film History, Jun., 1993, Vol. 5, No. 2, Animation (Jun., 1993), pp. 158-175“The Disney Way of Death” by Gary Laderman. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Mar., 2000, Vol. 68, No. 1 (Mar., 2000), pp. 27-46. Oxford University Press.“The Great Animation Strike” by Kristin Hunt. JSTOR Daily. January 2nd, 2020.“‘With a smile and a song …’: Walt Disney and the Birth of the American Fairy Tale” by Tracey Mollet. Marvels & Tales, Vol. 27, No. 1 (2013), pp. 109-124. Wayne State University Press TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Hermann Huntsmann’s Heart-Box Hut” // Written by A.J. Ditty // feat. A.J. Ditty “Hermann Huntsmann/The Animals” and Eleanor Philips “Snow White”

Duration:00:31:02

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

226 - Kingdom Hearts (feat. Lucy Valentine)

2/4/2026
Lucy Valentine (Boonta Vista, Savant-Garde) and the lads hop in their Gummi Ship and make for Hollow Bastion as they cover the infamous Square and Disney RPG crossover of 2002: Kingdom Hearts. Topics include Tetsuya Nomura’s incredible character designs, the dated gameplay, and what it means to create a game where Donald Duck is seduced by a gorilla. Lucy Valentine: Bluesky Boonta Vista: The least consequential news from around the world from the least informed minds in Australia. Andrew, Theo, Lucy and Ben bring you the week’s stories that conveniently fit into one of their countless, concerningly specific segments. Keep up with the latest news from Nature Corner, Paging Dr. Lucy, Planely Speaking, Omens and Portents, The Hole Report and many, many more. PatreonWebsiteMerchSpotifyApple Podcasts Savant-Garde: Hosted by Lucy Valentine (Boonta Vista) and Jesse Black (Sludgefest). Savant-Garde is almost certainly the world’s only podcast where one autistic ex-wife and one OCD ex-husband unpack the disgracefully disordered worlds of Adrian Monk and the Good Doctor, Shaun Murphy, through the lens of two very normal brains. PatreonInstagramSpotifyApple Podcasts Media Referenced in this Episode: The Collaborative History of Disney & Square Enix to the Development of Kingdom HeartsTGS 2004: Tetsuya Nomura Q&A by Anoop Gantayat. IGN. Updated June 30th, 2016.Iwata Asks: Nintendo 3DS Vol. 12: Dream Drop Distance. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Kingdom Hearts 4.3 Prologue: A Maritime Fragment: H(earts). M(inds). S(ora). Titanic Trailer (Version 1.5)” // Written by A.J. Ditty // feat. A.J. Ditty as “Sora/Donald/Goofy/Billy Zane/Mickey/Announcer”, David Armstrong as “Winnie the Pooh/Eeyore/Fabrizio/Shipmaster/Jack”, and Eleanor Philips as “Rose/Margaret”

Duration:02:29:20

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

225 - Trading Places (feat. Justin Roczniak)

1/28/2026
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Justin Roczniak (Well There’s Your Problem) joins the lads in Philly for a good old fashioned rags-to-riches and riches to rags switcheroo as they cover John Landis’ 1983 Eddie Murphy-fest: Trading Places. Topics include the joys of seeing your hometown on screen, the rapid rise of Eddie Murphy, and what it means to have a movie where the climax entails the future price of frozen orange juice. Justin Roczniak: Twitter // Youtube // Bluesky Well There’s Your Problem is a podcast about engineering disasters and systemic failures, from a leftist perspective, with jokes. YoutubeTwitterInstagramPatreonApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle Podcasts Media Referenced in this Episode: “It's The 30-Year Anniversary Of The Greatest Wall Street Movie Ever Made: Here's The Story Behind It” by Rob Wile. Business Insider. June 27th, 2013.AFF At Home: Comedy Q&A with Herschel Weingrod. May 4th, 2020. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Harry Hypemen Inc.” // Written by A.J. Ditty // feat. A.J. Ditty as “Harry Hypeman/Werner B/Announcer”, Brian Alford as “Horace Hypeman/Werner A”, David Armstrong as “Holden Hypeman/Werner C”

Duration:00:30:42

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

224 - Angels in the Whitfield (feat. Tom O’Mahony) [Whit’s Endless Summer 49]

1/21/2026
Tom O’Mahony (Lions Led by Donkeys, Beneath the Skin, Bloodwork) joins the lads in Odyssey for further adventures in tower construction, child death dreams, and what happens when an honest to God ANGEL comes to town. Topics include the myth of the Tower of Babel, the brain soup of Phil Lollar, and what it means to believe that incredibly attractive men in very expensive suits are constantly watching your every move. Tom O’Mahony: Bluesky // Instagram BLOOD WORK: A podcast about the economy of violence. Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Patreon // Bluesky // Instagram Beneath the Skin: A podcast chronicling the interconnected history of the world through the complicated history of tattooing. Hosted by Art History professor, museum curator, and tattoo historian Dr. Matt Lodder, and podcast producer, and tattoo collector Thomas O’Mahony. The show is trying to tell the history of tattooing as it interweaves with politics, society, and the weirdest corners of the world. So why don’t you join us, and take a journey beneath the skin. Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Patreon // Bluesky // Instagram Lions Led By Donkeys: A military history podcast for laughing at the worst military failures, inept commanders, and crazy stories from throughout the history of human conflict. Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Patreon // Bluesky // Instagram Media Referenced in this Episode: TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Three Guys, A Bear, and A Burger Place” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. Brian Alford as “Alistair Adelman”, A.J. Ditty as “Melvin/Estragon/Phoebear”, and Josh Boerman as “Timmy ‘Taxman’ Thompson”

Duration:02:33:46

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

223 - A Thief In The Night II: The Me2al Age: 2 A 2 Distant 2 Thunder

1/14/2026
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads return to the New Year just in time for the end of the world as they kick off their annual Rapture Ranuary with a follow up to one of the most influential Christian films of all time: A Thief in the Night: A Distant Thunder. Topics include the origins of premillennial dispensationalism, the trustworthiness of mustaches, and what it means to be shaped by a world view where you live in constant fear of the U.N. beheading you with a guillotine. Media Referenced in this Episode: A Distant Thunder. Dir. Donald W. Thompson. 1978.ReligionfForBreakfast: the origins of the raptureReligionForBreakfast: Who are the 144,000 in the book of RevelationThe Bart Ehrman Blog: The Community Behind the Gospel of John TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Slasher Jesus” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. A.J. Ditty as “Announcer/Jesus/Big Al”, David Armstrong as “Flurk/Mayor”, and Eleanor Philips as “Timmy/Reporter” // Music: “Something’s Not Right” by Lucas Quinn Creations

Duration:00:28:51

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

59 UNLOCKED - Chess: The Musical (feat. Jake Beckhard)

1/12/2026
Time to reach once more into the ol' Cool Vaultaire Jake Beckhard (Blue Balls NYCFC) challenges the lads to the match of the century as they try to outmaneuver the bopping songs and confounding political intrigue of the infamous Tim Rice/Benny Andersson/Björn Ulvaeus flop musical: Chess. Topics include the many different versions of the show, the innate appeal of a broken musical, and the ever increasing eccentricities of one Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the rest of this episode, our full back catalogue of premium and bonus episodes, and add your name to the masthead of our website by subscribing for $5/month at Patreon.com/worstofall! Jake Beckhard Website: jake-beck.com Bluesky: @jakebeckhard.bsky.social Instagram: @jakebeckhard Blue Balls NYCFC: You’ve got Blue Balls! How lucky for you. Check in every week for rapturous pod talk on all things NYCFC. With NYC Hosts Jake Beckhard and Trey Fillmore. Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Podomatic Media Referenced in this Episode: Get Onto My Cloud: The Tim Rice Podcast: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Google Podcasts “Chess Seeks to Shed Its Checkered Past” by Stephen Holden, NYTimes Chess (1986 London Concept Cast): Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon Chess In Concert (2008): AppleTV / YouTube / Letterboxd TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: brendan-dalton.com / brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Duration:02:08:52

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

187 UNLOCKED - Sky King: The Story of Richard Russell (feat. Caleb from Kill The Computer)

1/7/2026
Caleb @BirdRespecter (Kill The Computer, 60 Minute Drill) joins Brian and Josh to tell the story of Richard “Beebo” Russell, a man who walked off his job as a baggage handler at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport one day in 2018 to steal an airplane. Russell and his ill-fated flight quickly became a cause célèbre among some of the darkest corners of the internet, continuing to this day. This episode tries to figure out how and why that happened. Note: This episode deals with suicide and racist extremism. Caleb: Bluesky // Twitter // Linktree Kill The Computer: June and Caleb talk about the ways in which internet culture spills out into the real world; good and bad. Patreon // Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Bluesky // YouTube Media referenced this episode: “The Sky Thief: Beebo Russell’s Last Flight” by Tim Dickinson. Rolling Stone, June 24, 2021. “I Worked With Richard Russell at Horizon Air, and I Understand Why He Did What He Did” by Todd Bunker. The Stranger, August 17, 2018. “‘Airplane of opportunity’? Richard Russell raised pilot’s suspicions a year before Sea-Tac plane heist” by Lewis Kamb. The Seattle Times, September 12, 2018. “Sea-Tac air traffic controller faced ‘one in a million’ scenario with stolen plane” by Daniel Beekman and Michelle Baruchman. The Seattle Times, August 11, 2018. “FBI: Richard Russell, who stole plane from Sea-Tac, acted alone, crashed on purpose; motive a mystery” by Lewis Kamb. The Seattle Times, November 9, 2018. “Human remains, flight data recorder found among wreckage of stolen plane on Ketron Island” by Stacia Glenn. The News Tribune, August 13, 2018. “Airline job was way for man who crashed stolen plane to visit Alaska” by Adam Lynn, Alexis Krell, Sue Kidd, Lauren Smith and Craig Sailor. The News Tribune, August 12, 2018. “White nationalists and the ‘Sky King’” by Martin McKenzie-Murray. The Saturday Paper, August 18, 2018. FBI press release on investigation from November 2018 Redacted FBI report from the investigation Music used in this episode: Anticipation by Drill Folly Lookin’ For That Orca (Beebo’s Song) by Johny Maudlin TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: The first seven pages of “The Hidden Enemy,” written and performed by Josh Boerman with music by Sean Callery from 24

Duration:02:10:31

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

222 - 2025: A Year In Review

12/31/2025
It is time once again for our cherished annual tradition: taking calls from listeners and guests, then stitching them together with your favorite moments from the year. (Plus, very special messages from A.J., Brian, and Josh starting at the 1:51:02 mark.) Thanks to everyone who called in, and hold on for 2026. We will find a way.

Duration:02:00:06