The Nick D Podcast on Radio Misfits

Nick kicks things off by talking about Oscar Day with Nick Digilio at the Museum of Broadcast Communications happening Sunday, March 15 from noon to 2:30. The event celebrates the Oscars and Nick’s book, with Rick Kogan hosting the afternoon. If you want to be there, tickets are available now at museum.tv. Comedian and podcast host Lauren LoGiudice stops by next to talk about the upcoming Misfit Variety Show at The Annoyance Theatre. After that, TV critic Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter checks in for his regular TV rundown. They get into the HBO series “DTF St. Louis,” “Rooster” starring Steve Carell, and the new Guy Ritchie series “Young Sherlock” featuring Colin Firth and Joseph Fiennes. They also talk about the latest SNL episodes and the new season of Top Chef. Esmeralda Leon closes things out with some Oscar chatter, complaints about Daylight Saving Time, and a few more traditions that probably should have disappeared years ago. It’s a full show with movies, TV, comedy, and the usual amount of chaos. [Ep 436]

Nick welcomes WLS-AM producer and movie obsessive Tom Hush back for another round of Tom Hush’s Theater of Trash. This time the spotlight is on the late-80s surfer crime oddity Red Surf starring George Clooney and Gene Simmons of KISS. Tom breaks down the movie’s strange charm, the ridiculous plot, and why parts of it feel suspiciously close to Point Break. It turns into a very funny appreciation of a very strange movie. Esmeralda Leon joins Nick later and the conversation shifts to the western comedy Goin’ South starring Jack Nicholson and John Belushi. From there things take a weird turn into celebrity clone theories, starting with the idea that Jim Carrey has somehow been replaced. That leads to a hilarious rundown of other famous “replacement” conspiracy theories that have floated around for years. It’s trash cinema, classic comedy, and some wonderfully ridiculous speculation. [Ep 435]

Herb “The Consumerman” Weisbaum from Checkbook.org joins Nick for a packed For The People installment. They talk about the steady stream of data breach notices that keep landing in inboxes, share a few real-world debt success stories, and get surprisingly detailed about how to do laundry the right way without wasting time or money. Herb is also marking 45 years in consumer reporting, so they look back at how scams have evolved over four decades and why some tricks never really go away. Car Guy Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive jumps in next to talk about what he’s been driving lately and what’s happening with Tesla and its CyberCabs. They also dig into how the recent Supreme Court of the United States tariff ruling is affecting automakers, along with thoughts on the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Intensa, the Toyota Highlander, and a fun comparison of Best Buys from 1970 and today. The episode wraps with fresh rounds of StarSpotter and MysteryShow, keeping the mix of useful advice, car talk, and pure trivia fun right where it belongs. [Ep 434]

THRILLED to welcome Suzanne Vega back to the show. He has been a fan since her debut in 1985, and that longtime admiration shapes the conversation as they talk about her career, her new album “Flying With Angels,” and the current world tour. They also spend time on the film version of her one-woman show about Carson McCullers, “Lover, Beloved,” which is now available on PBS and airing this weekend. It’s a relaxed, thoughtful exchange with an artist who has built a career on sharp writing and quiet power. Later, Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy join Nick to talk about the decision to keep the new Scream installment away from critics, which rarely signals confidence. They also review several new releases, including Pillion, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, In the Blink of an Eye, and Dreams. It’s music, movies, and a little industry skepticism, all packed into one lively episode. [Ep 432]

Nick welcomes Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter back to talk TV, starting with how the Olympics were covered and whether it actually worked. Dan runs through a stack of new shows, including Netflix’s animated comedy “Strip Law,” the return of Scrubs, the Irish mystery comedy How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, and HBO’s not-exactly-a-barrel-of-laughs “Neighbors.” There are a few strong recommendations, a few warnings, and the usual back-and-forth over what deserves your time. We also take a few minutes to remember James Van Der Beek and talk about his career and the strange way certain TV stars become part of your life whether you expect it or not. Esmeralda Leon jumps in later and we drift into everything else, including Pro-Wrestling at the Jewel with Jojo, prom nights that should have been canceled, terrifying mall Easter Bunnies, creepy Tooth Fairies, and the complicated ethics of lying to your kids about Santa. It’s one of those episodes where we start with television and end up everywhere else.[Ep 432]

Nick catches up with Monica Eng from Axios to talk through the stories she’s been covering lately. They get into Governor J. B. Pritzker’s push for new nuclear power facilities in Illinois, ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and the annual joy of Paczki Day. Monica also shares thoughts on the new production of “Hamnet” at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, her first experience trying a Dirty Soda, and highlights from a recent trip to Puerto Rico. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick for a loose, funny catch-up that turns into a debate about traditions that might be past their expiration date. The handshake gets questioned, and class reunions get a full breakdown, complete with stories and strong opinions. It’s news, food, travel, and a little social commentary, all rolled into one easy conversation. [Ep 431]

Nick welcomes Forbes music journalist Jim Ryan back for another round of concert stories and backstage encounters. They talk about recent shows including the Lemonheads at Thalia Hall and Sons of the Silent Age at Metro, then swap stories about run-ins with Flavor Flav of Public Enemy, Chip Z’Nuff of Enuff Z’Nuff, and Al Jourgensen from Ministry. They also look ahead to upcoming tours and vent about just how expensive concert tickets have become. Esmeralda Leon joins in to talk about the weirdness of Valentine’s Day, how they spent the weekend, and why the holiday lends itself so easily to horror movies. That leads into a deep dive on ridiculous 80s slasher films, including My Bloody Valentine, and a continuation of their conversation about celebrity pranksters, with Tom Cruise and Ben Affleck added to the mix. It’s music talk, holiday skepticism, and horror nostalgia, all rolled into one. [Ep 430]

Nick is joined again by film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy for a packed round of new movie reviews. They break down the latest take on Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, the chaotic sci-fi satire Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die with Sam Rockwell, and the thriller Crime 101 featuring Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry. They also weigh in on the animated sports comedy Goat, with plenty of agreement, disagreement, and side tangents along the way. Esmeralda Leon jumps in later for a spirited conversation about Friday the 13th superstitions, which quickly turns into a deep dive on Jason Voorhees and his most memorable kills. There’s a firm stance taken on the fact that he absolutely did not take Manhattan, along with a playful breakdown of how Jason and Freddy Krueger operate very differently and why those differences fuel their long-running feud. It’s movie talk with a side of horror nerdery, exactly as it should be. [Ep 429]

Nick welcomes Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter back for another wide-ranging TV catch-up. They talk about how Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline stole the show on the latest SNL, why the new version of The Muppet Show works so well, and take a moment to remember the recently lost Catherine O’Hara. The conversation also takes a sharp turn into Super Bowl territory, breaking down the game, the commercials, and reactions to the Bad Bunny halftime show. Esmeralda Leon jumps in for a joyful detour that turns into an unapologetic love letter to Arby’s, from the Half-Pound Beef and Cheddar to the Black Cow and the magic of Horsey Sauce. From there, things spiral into stories about celebrity pranksters, with Quentin Tarantino, Billy Dee Williams, and George Clooney all getting their due. It’s TV talk, fast food passion, and famous troublemakers, mixed together exactly the way this show likes it. [Ep 428]

Nick welcomes back Nell Minow, better known as The Movie Mom, for a wide-ranging conversation that moves easily from Washington politics to movies. They talk through what’s happening in DC, run through several new film releases, look ahead to the upcoming Academy Awards, and take a moment to remember the remarkable career of Catherine O’Hara. It’s the kind of discussion that blends smart analysis with genuine affection for the art form. The show then shifts gears when Nick’s longtime friend Lisa Zane drops by. She talks about her upcoming photography exhibition opening next week at Eskell, along with her music, her recent appearance at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention, and life in Chicago. Along the way, she shares a few great movie stories, including the small detail that she once killed Freddy Krueger. It’s a relaxed, fun conversation that mixes movies, art, friendship, and just enough horror trivia to keep things interesting. [Ep 427]

Herb Weisbaum is back just in time for tax season, and he comes loaded with advice that actually matters. We talk through smart tax-time tips, how the AI boom has quietly pushed up the price of computers and phones, and the ways marketers are getting sneakier when it comes to kids. Herb also puts me on the spot with a few questions from the College of Knowledge quiz, which goes about as well as you’d expect. Car Guy Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive joins in to cover what’s happening on the road right now. We get into Tesla’s ongoing struggles, the best-selling convertibles of 2025, what might be the worst-looking Cadillac ever made, Mazda’s move upmarket, and why car payments feel downright brutal these days. We wrap things up with fresh rounds of StarSpotter and MysteryShow, keeping the mix of useful info, car talk, and nonsense exactly where it belongs. [Ep 426]

Nick welcomes Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy back fresh from Sundance with stories, opinions, and plenty to argue about. They break down what they saw at the festival, including early reactions to upcoming releases like the Courtney Love documentary Courtney Love, Olivia Wilde’s new comedy The Invite featuring Edward Norton, Penélope Cruz, and Seth Rogen, and a film with the refreshingly subtle title of The Shitheads. A few new wide releases also get reviewed, along with a look at how the box office shook out over the weekend. Esmeralda Leon joins Nick later as the conversation wanders into everything else rattling around their heads. They talk about the return of Scrubs, the enduring stupidity of Morning Zoo prank calls, and the exhausting feeling of living in a world where it’s getting harder to tell what’s real and what’s fake. Somewhere along the way, rabid chimpanzees ripping people’s faces off come up, which feels about right for the times. [Ep 425]

Nick catches up with Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter for another round of TV talk, starting with a few standout documentaries from Sundance and the latest run of SNL episodes. From there, Dan digs into a busy slate of new shows, including Memory of a Killer starring Patrick Dempsey, The Beauty from Ryan Murphy, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins with Tracy Morgan, and a new spinoff from the Game of Thrones universe. Esmeralda Leon joins Nick later as the conversation shifts into what they have been watching lately and quickly veers into some truly baffling casting choices. They revisit moments like Angelina Jolie playing the mother of Colin Farrell and the long tradition of actors in their twenties and thirties somehow passing as high school kids. It’s a mix of sharp TV insight, shared viewing notes, and plenty of head shaking over casting decisions that still make no sense. [Ep 424]

Nick kicks things off by diving into the 2026 Oscar nominations, running through his predictions and unloading on the snubs and head-scratching choices that immediately set him off. There’s praise where it’s earned, frustration where it’s deserved, and plenty of strong opinions about how the list shook out. Marnie Shure returns to talk food, fear, and a little chaos. She brings along her monthly Horror Report with thoughts on 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, plus a handful of food stories worth paying attention to. The two also talk about the upcoming Mortified live show and take on the important work of taste-testing Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters, with results that are taken very seriously. Esmeralda Leon joins later as the conversation drifts back into the strange world of forgotten celebrity talk shows. Names like Harry Connick Jr. and Fran Drescher come up, before landing on Chevy Chase and what might be the worst talk show idea ever put on television. It’s Oscars, horror movies, candy, and bad TV decisions, all wrapped into one very on-brand conversation. [Ep 423]

Nick is joined by former radio producer and longtime movie obsessive Tom Hush for the debut of what instantly feels like a dangerous new segment, Tom’s Theater of Trash. The two dive headfirst into the world of gloriously bad and forgotten films, starting with Tom’s love for the sharksploitation oddity Jaws 5: Cruel Jaws. That spirals into a conversation about the history of the subgenre, the fine art of stealing footage, why low-budget filmmaking can be charming, and exactly how Sharknado managed to miss the entire point. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to clean out the voicemail bag and wander into the graveyard of celebrity talk shows no one remembers, including brief, strange detours hosted by Martin Short and Zach Galifianakis. Things wrap up with shared memories of attending tapings of The Jenny Jones Show, which were exactly as chaotic and ill-advised as you would expect. It’s trash cinema, forgotten TV, and bad decisions, all handled with pride. [Ep 422]

Nick is joined by film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy for the first round of new movie reviews of 2026, and they jump right into a mixed bag of releases. The conversation covers the fourth entry in the horror franchise with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the historical musical drama The Testament of Ann Lee starring Amanda Seyfried, and the gritty cop thriller The Rip featuring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. They also get into the urban vampire thriller Night Patrol and a few other titles, with plenty of honest reactions along the way. Before wrapping up, Erik and Steve look ahead to their upcoming trip to the Sundance Film Festival and what they’re hoping to see this year. Things get sillier when Esmeralda Leon joins in and a couple of new voicemails roll in about the McRib lawsuit. That opens the door to a free-for-all discussion about some of the dumbest lawsuits ever filed, and why the fictional but highly confident Esmaolas Law Firm is clearly ready to take them all on and somehow win every case. [Ep 421]

Nick catches up with Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter to break down the Golden Globe Awards while they are still fresh. They talk through the winners and losers, how the broadcast actually played, and what worked and didn’t with host Nikki Glaser. It’s a straight-shooting reaction to an awards night that gave everyone plenty to argue about. Dan also weighs in on a few new things worth watching, including the Amazon series The Night Manager, the drama His and Hers starring Tom Hiddleston, Tessa Thompson, and Jon Bernthal, and a new documentary centered on Chevy Chase. The reviews are thoughtful and honest, with the kind of context only a longtime critic brings. Things take a sharp turn into chaos when Esmeralda Leon joins in and British bon vivant and game show tormentor Slap Slapply returns. Nick and Esma get thrown into another round of 80s and 90s trivia madness, and the results are as ridiculous and entertaining as you would hope. [Ep 420]

Nick welcomes Monica Eng back for her first visit of 2026, catching up as she prepares for a colonoscopy and somehow still manages to be the hungriest person in the room. The conversation moves through the latest local and national stories she’s been covering for Axios, along with a rundown of the ten best things she ate in 2025 and five Chicago-area restaurants she’s watching closely. There’s also a sober moment on how everyday costs keep creeping up for Chicagoans, even when the food is great. Esmeralda Leon joins Nick later to unpack a federal class-action lawsuit against McDonald’s over the McRib and its lack of actual rib meat. That opens the floodgates to a fast food rabbit hole, with stories and laughs about some of the strangest menu items ever unleashed on the public. It’s a mix of sharp reporting, food obsession, and just enough legal absurdity to keep things moving. [Ep 419]

Herb Weisbaum sits this one out while he recovers from a hip replacement, but the show rolls on with a look back at the biggest consumer stories of 2025 and a few trends already shaping how people will spend and shop in 2026. Herb will be back next month with fresh intel and, by all accounts, a much more flexible outlook. Car Guy Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive jumps in to talk about the cars he has been driving lately and what to watch for at the upcoming Chicago Auto Show. The conversation takes a sharp turn into the future of electric vehicles, including why models like the Ford F-150 Lightning and the VW ID Buzz may be facing an early exit. As always, nostalgia sneaks in with a look back at classic car ads for the 1954 Nash Metropolitan and the 1972 AMC Javelin Pierre Cardin. The fun wraps up with another round of Starspotter and Mystery Show, capped off by the accidental discovery of Tom’s truly fantastic old gas station nickname. Even without the Consumerman, there is plenty to cover, plenty to laugh about, and more than a few surprises along the way. [Ep 418]

We sit down with film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy for an extended, no-rush conversation about what 2025 looked like at the movies. It was a strange year, sometimes exciting, sometimes frustrating, and we dig into what worked, what didn’t, and why the box office and streaming landscape felt so uneven. Trends, surprises, and a few head-scratching moments all get their turn. From there, things get very opinionated. Erik and Steve each roll out their picks for the best movies of 2025 and the worst, and yes, the disagreements come fast and loud. There are a handful of rare moments where they line up, plenty where they absolutely do not, and some strong feelings about how certain films landed or completely missed the mark. We also look ahead to what has us excited for 2026, and somehow, against all odds, everyone agrees on the single best movie of 2025. It’s a long, passionate movie nerd conversation that takes its time and leaves no opinion unchallenged. [Ep 417]