The Nick D Podcast on Radio Misfits

Nick welcomes Monica Eng from Axios.com to talk about crazy snacks in Albany Park, her trip to Champaign-Urbana where she stayed at Roger Ebert's house (which may, in fact, be haunted by Roger), her hatred of horror movies, and Monica talks about the time she reviewed movies for The Sun-Times including the Larry David 'classic' "Sour Grapes." Plus, they talk about Senator John Kennedy reading about sex toys on the Senate floor, and how composting needs to be curbside in Chicago. Then, Esmeralda Leon and Nick talk about the upcoming Nick D Podcast LIVE show at Zanies Comedy Club in Rosemont. They also chat about the origin of "Donkey Kong," exactly how many names Puff Daddy has had, the weird setup at The Salt Shed music venue, what the hell is "Ladder Ball?," and who the hell is Al Snopes? And, Nick's Dad Tells a Joke. [Ep180]

Nick welcomes Marnie Shure, the Managing Editor of the food website "The Takeout," to give the latest report on this year's Pumpkin Spice invasion. She also talks about how using A.I. is NOT the best way to forage for mushrooms, the latest fast-food lawsuit (this one involving Arby's), and the weird fact that Chobani is paying someone $200,000 to write about yogurt. Nick and Marnie also talk about horror movies (particularly the Chucky the doll series), and taste-test the new Pumpkin Spice Cream Oreos. Then, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to talk about the upcoming LIVE Nick D Podcast show at Zanies Comedy Club in Rosemont (featuring Special Guest Andrea Darlas), the Morton Salt Shed music venue and its history, the incredible memory of Marilu Henner, and Geena Davis' awesome, vulgar, and hilarious claim to fame. [Ep179]

Nick talks with pro-wrestling expert and producer at AAW Pro, Keith Lipinski about AEW news including the firing of CM Punk, the rise of Ricky Starks and the appearance of Jon Moxley at an AAW event. They also talk about the great stuff that's happening at WWE (including the popularity of the Judgment Day), the new Netflix docu-series "The Wrestlers," and what truly makes for a "punchable face." Then Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to talk about their upcoming appearance at Zanies in Rosemont for The Nick D Podcast LIVE, and they welcome the great British game show host Slap Slapply back to the podcast for another round of music trivia called "For The Record." And, of course, Nick's Dad Tells a Joke. [Ep178]

Nick chats with movie critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy about the new films "Dumb Money," the terrific true story involving the Game Stop stock madness that went on during the pandemic; the new Agatha Christie mystery "A Haunting in Venice;" and the portrait of a real-life luchador wrestler named "Cassandro." Erik also talks about some of the fine films he saw at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, including the latest from directors Richard Linklater and Alexander Payne. Then, Esmeralda Leon and Nick talk about ridiculous 90's disaster movies like "Volcano" and "Deep Impact", and the history of the disaster and nature-strikes-back films of the 70s like "Day of the Animals" (in which a shirtless Leslie Neilsen fights a grizzly bear) and "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure" (in which Michael Caine SCREAMS every single one of his lines), and they discuss how those idiotic movies were actually the DC and Marvel films of that time period....and just as stupid. [Ep177]

Nick welcomes TV critic Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter and The Fien Print, to discuss the latest season of Big Brother, and to review the new "Star Wars" series "Ahsoka," "Thank You Very Much" the documentary about Andy Kaufman, the new series "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon," and they talk about the passing of game show legend Bob Barker. Then, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to have a lively conversation about the weird cable channel Tubi, Michael Bolton's hair and his appearance in the Rodney Dangerfield film "Meet Wally Sparks," and some incredible first roles for actors who bursted onto the scene. They also talk about the upcoming LIVE version of The Nick D Podcast happening on October 24th at Zanies Comedy Club in Rosemont.... And, of course, Nick's Dad Tells a Joke. [Ep176]

In this packed episode, Nick talks with Mike Kerz, the owner of The Midway Drive-In in Dixon Il, about the upcoming Dusk til Dawn HorrorFest featuring some classic scary movies. Then, Nick welcomes actress/writer/storyteller Jen Bosworth-Ramirez to the podcast, to talk about doing theater in L.A., writing horror stories, hating "The Handmaid's Tale," being out on the picket lines, doing Walmart commercials, and working for Nicolas Cage (she also does a killer Nic Cage impression). Then Esmeralda Leon and Nick talk evil nuns, hot priests, possessed goats, stupid murder mysteries, the stupid "Saw" franchise, and the never-ending, mind-blowing Michael Bolton world tour. [Ep175]

In this "For The People" episode, Nick talks with The Consumerman Herb Weisbaum about Amazon raising its minimum purchase requirement in some zip codes; the bad idea of boycotting student loan payments; the best way to shop for pet food and other pet related items; the complete confusion and mumbo jumbo of Xfinity's '10G' network, and, Herb reviews the new Adam Sandler movie! Then car expert from Consumer Guide Automotive, Tom Appel joins Nick to talk about "first cars," Tom's days as a car salesman (he wasn't good at it), the new Nissan Ariya and Frontier Pro-4-X, the new "LOBO" brand from Ford, and the Cadillac Escalade has gone completely electric. Starspotter, Mystery Show, and, of course, Nick's Dad Tells a Joke. [Ep174]

Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy to the podcast to review the terrible horror comedy "Slotherhouse," which is about a sloth that murders a bunch of sorority girls. They also talk about the well-acted, but uninteresting mystery "The Good Mother" with Hilary Swank, and they rave about the outstanding, outrageous, and hilarious new comedy "Bottoms." Then, Esmeralda Leon and Nick talk about Michael Bolton's owhttps://radiomisfits.com/wp-admin/upload.phpn army of security sloths, his love of York Peppermint Patties, the depressing world of the Peanuts cartoons (and the origin of the character Rerun Van Pelt), and the insane stupidity of Stephen King's 1986 dung heap of a movie about toasters and trucks going nuts while trying to kill Emilio Estevez, "Maximum Overdrive." [Ep173]

Nick welcomes podcaster/writer/filmmaker Amy Guth to the show to talk about the time she is spending in L.A., including: dealing with underwhelming hurricanes, non-damaging earthquakes, and horrifying police activities in the Hollywood Hills. Amy also talks about the progress that her new Elvis movie is making, and her recent trip back to Chicago for the 1st annual Jewish Book Festival. Then, Esmeralda Leon and Nick discuss Jackie Chan movies, the brilliance of both the film and video game of "Street Fighter," the lack of offensive Italian accents in the new "Super Mario Bros" movie, and the correct way to eat and enjoy sushi (tip #1: do NOT eat an entire teaspoon of wasabi). And, of course, Nick's Dad Tells a Joke. [Ep172]

Nick is joined by music journalist Jim Ryan, from Forbes & The Daily Herald, to talk about: Bob Mould, Lin Brehmer, Andy Summers, Bruce Springsteen, SAGA, Rock and Roll Jeopardy, and Bret Michaels' Party Gras! Nick and Jim also compare notes about the ridiculous Foreigner concerts they've each attended. Then, Esmeralda Leon and Nick discuss crazy celebrity rumors and urban legends like, Nic Cage is actually a vampire, Lindsay Lohan has a dead twin sister, Cher has had several ribs removed and Stevie Wonder isn't really blind. Plus, they talk about Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, and the girl from Zoom who did that weird stuff with her flailing arms. [Ep171]

Nick welcomes TV critic Dan Fienberg, from The Hollywood Reporter and The Fien Print, to discuss the latest news on the writers/actors strike, the terrible and depressing documentary "Depp V. Heard," how Canada helps American TV a lot, the terrific documentary "Telemarketers," and Dan's less than enthusiastic summation of Rosario Dawson's career. Then, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to chat about the famous people that they went to high school with (Andy Dick anyone??), the genius of "Death to Smoochy" (and the great piece of free swag that Esma has), and how Nick angered Keri Russell by not knowing about a movie she starred in with Edward Norton. Plus, Nick's Dad Tells a Joke! [Ep170]

Nick and film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy, review the new films, including the raunchy dog comedy "Strays," the latest DC Comic adventure "Blue Beetle," and the incredible horror movie "birth/rebirth." They also talk about the fantastic Film Noir series, and the upcoming Billy Wilder matinees at The Music Box Theatre. Then Esmeralda Leon and Nick talk about their mutual hatred of the loud, obnoxious Chicago Air & Water Show, the difference between supermarkets and grocery stores, the fact that people hate ugly vampires, the terrifying world of planefinder.net, and how awful and depressing the new Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard Netflix documentary is. [Ep169]

Nick welcomes writer/director Laura Moss to discuss their new horror film "birth/rebirth," which is inspired by Mary Shelley, David Cronenberg and hilarious black comedy. They discuss the making of the movie, Moss' background in music and production design, and how seeing "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" scarred them for life. Also, there are great stories about a potbellied pig, a sex toy that surprises a roommate, and much more. Then, Esmerald Leon and Nick talk about the comeback of disco roller-skating, the annoyance of electric scooters and how hoverboards are just dumb. And, of course, Nick's Dad Tells a Joke. [Ep168]

Nick welcomes Marnie Shure, the Managing Editor of the food website "The Takeout," to the podcast, and they discuss the fact that McDonald's is loving the creepy Grimace videos all over the internet, that there are just way too many Subway franchises in America, and that State Fair Food is insane. Plus, Nick and Marnie taste test some weird animal-free gummies, and review some new horror movies. Then, Esmeralda Leon and Nick have a delightful conversation about the terrifying world of McDonaldLand and the horrifying world of 70's children's TV, the complicated topic of Eyebrow Technology, and the difference between Donald Westlake and Donald Stephens. Oh, and also, how Phil Collins looks a lot like Charlie Brown. [Ep167]

Nick remembers the great director William Friedkin who just passed away. Nick talks about the classic films that he made like "The Exorcist," "To Live and Die in LA," and "The French Connection," and shares some audio from an interview he conducted with Friedkin in 2013. Then, TV critic Dan Fienberg, from The Hollywood Reporter joins Nick to eulogize Friedkin and Paul Reubens, and review the new season of "Only Murders in the Building" with Steve Martin, Martin Short and special guest stars Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd, plus Nick and Dan talk about what they love and hate so far about the new season of "Big Brother." Then Esmeralda Leon and Nick talk about their adventures at The Flashback Horror Convention including recording a live podcast with the cast of "Christine," and buying VHS copies of cult movies in the vendor room. And, Nick's Dad Tells a Joke! [Ep166]

In this special BONUS episode, recorded LIVE from the stage at The 2023 Flashback Weekend Horror Convention, Nick and Esmeralda Leon talk about all things scary, have fun with the Flashback audience, giveaway some cool stuff, and preview a great new horror film called "birth/rebirth." Then, they welcome actors William Ostrander, Malcolm Danare and Steven Tash to the stage to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the release of John Carpenter's "Christine." [Ep165]

Nick talks with the great character actor Leo Rossi about his upcoming appearance at Flashback Weekend Horror Convention. Rossi has starred in over 100 movies, including "Analyze This," "Halloween 2," "Maniac Cop," "Heart Like a Wheel," "River's Edge," and more. He tells incredible stories about working with Robert DeNiro, Harold Ramis, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantaliano and more, plus, he talks about his first nude scene (listen...the water was cold), his mom's reaction to the horrible character he played in "The Accused," and his days as a rock & roll DJ at WWVU:" The Kingdom of The WooVoo!!" It's a truly great conversation. Then, Esmeralda Leon and Nick talk about the LIVE version of this podcast at Flashback, and they remember the great Paul Ruebens (AKA: Pee Wee Herman). [Ep164]

Nick talking about the great events happening at The Flashback Weekend Horror Convention at The Hyatt Regency O'Hare, August 4th - 6th 2023, and he also briefly remembers Paul Reubens (AKA: Pee Wee Herman) who just passed away. Then, it's time for the latest "For the People" episode, which features Consumerman Herb Weisbaum talking about bogus IRS refund letters, the best sun-screen to use during these final dog days of summer, the new Netflix documentary about tainted food called "Poisened" and, he also tells the story about how he almost murdered a porcelain Ken figure at a Barbie event. Then, Tom Appel, publisher of Consumer Guide Automotive, joins Nick to talk about a couple of new Jeep vehicles, the upcoming Corvette crossover, the movie "Slasher," and how Ford got greedy and had to slash their prices. Plus, he tells Nick about his latest Starspotter posts, and gives a shoutout to a listener who sent him some really cool Porche memorabilia. And, Nick's Dad Tells a Joke. [Ep163]

Nick welcomes actor Malcolm Danare, the star of such movies as "Flashdance," "The Lords of Discipline," "Heaven Help Us" and John Carpenter's "Christine," as tells incredible stories about how he got his first movie, who he ALMOST starred with in "Flashdance" (here's a hint: his name rhymes with 'Heath Pritchards') and what it was like to work with a possessed 1958 Plymouth Fury. Malcolm will also be appearing at this year's Flashback Horror Convention, and he will also be a guest on the LIVE Nick D Podcast recording happening at Flashback on Saturday, August 5. Then, Esmeralda Leon and Nick talk about that very LIVE Nick D Podcast event, hot weather & central air, and, they remember the great Sinead O'Connor, who passed away this week at the age of 56. [Ep162]

Nick welcomes TV critic Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter and The Fien Print to talk about the Emmy Nominations: the snubs, the favorites, the surprises, and how the strike will affect the whole season. They also discuss the return of the classic comedy "Futurama" to Hulu, the glut of other returning shows that will get lost in the mix, and a new documentary about legendary basketball great Wilt Chamberlain. Then, Esmeralda Leon tells Nick about her adventures at the Pitchfork Music Festival (which involve oysters, members of Radiohead, tornado warnings, and Phil Collins soundalikes) while Nick tells Esma about his experience at a Loverboy/Foreigner concert (which involves really old and fat band members, Shriners selling raffle tickets, and an incredibly annoying lead singer in what is basically a glorified tribute band). And, Nick's Dad Tells a Joke. [EP161]