Shows
Slow LearnersVINELAND EP 6/7: VoicemailsWe clear out the voicemail machine. Included: Proustian Failure, One Battle After Another, Bungled Anarchist Theory, Joyce Comparisons, Dante and His Divine Three-Volume Series, Japanese Cadences; Is Fiction Just, Like, Autobiography, Man?; Pynchonian Media, Montreal, AND AS USUAL LOTS MORE!!!!!!
2025-12-181h 34
By-The-Bywater: A Podcast about All Things J.R.R. TolkienMaybe They’re Too Peasant Or WhateverJared, Oriana and Ned discuss Jared’s choice of topic: the journey. Both The Hobbit and more specifically and thoroughly The Lord of the Rings, referencing quite well established tropes about quests and more, are centered around months-long journeys by many characters, through a physical landscape as much as a mental and emotional one in turn. But there’s been some random responses in recent years from newer readers encountering Tolkien’s work that find that maybe those journeys are a little too long as if they’re getting in the way of the story. Needless to say, we don’t ag...
2025-12-0158 min
American Gambler Book ClubA Fan's Notes with John SemleyThis week we discuss a book that has it all: a writer succumbs to alcohol and ends up in a mental institution, fist fights with random strangers, has tons of meaningless sex, engages in self righteousness, self hatred, and cynicism in equal measure, rejects middle class morality, and acts as a courier for a single bet made on a football game (we had to get some gambling in there somewhere). The book is Frederick Exley’s “fictional memoir” A Fan’s Notes. Joining me is the writer John Semley, host of the podcast Slow Learners. Presented by InGame.com. Buy...
2025-11-241h 22
Slow LearnersVINELAND EP 6: Vineland The Good?We are back. Sorry for the delay--we were just uh...savoring the book's ending, and the richness of the text.John and Asher ride solo...together. Like DL and Takeshi! In our final Vineland read-through, we cover the book's last three chapters, learn more about Brock Vond's sexual proclivities, witness, the birth of Prairie, get the scoop on Zoyd's whole window-smashing-deal, return to Vineland itself for the Traverse-Becker family reunion, learn the fate of all our characters, and meet like 17 more.We also discuss myths of the afterlife, theories of hereditary madness (courtesy Italian phrenologists...
2025-11-061h 16Slow LearnersVINELAND EP 5: It's The Libidinal Economy, Stupid! (W/Subliminal Jihad)THIS WEEK: John and Asher reads through Chapters 10-12 of Vineland, which takes them back in their shared semester at the College of the Surf (John was Asher's RA). We also learn about the scintillating backstory of Frenesi Gates and her love affair with a COP (ew)--the betrayal of all her ostensible values. We also talk Marx, Freud, Lyotard, Thorazine as a bad-trip-killer, cinematic radicalism, the horny monster who lives inside of you and makes you do stuff you shouldn't want to (or even don't want to) do, May '68, the Emerald Triangle, and the Pynchonian...
2025-10-232h 25Slow LearnersVINELAND EP 4: Keeping it DL (w/Ana Gavrilovska)This week: John and Asher continue reading through and chatting about Vineland, a journey that takes us from California to Ohio to Japan and back again. We mull the novel's conspicuous "Eastern" influences, deep state machinations pitting the mob against the feds, and spend a lot of time with the curious--and amazing!--character Daryl Louise Chastain.Then: we're joined by writer Ana Gavrilovska to talk about D.L., One Battle After Another, Against the Day....and we finally and definitively answer the question: can Pynchon write women?Follow Ana...
2025-10-161h 02
Slow LearnersVINELAND EP 3: Whether Underground (w/Eleanor Stein)And we're back! With VINELAND, chapters 6-8.John and Asher discuss inter-generational negation, luddites, the computerized future, communitarian happenings, Esalen, transpersonal psychology, holotropic breathwork, and '70s solipsism.THEN: We speak with former member of the Students for Democratic Society and the Weatherman Eleanor Stein about '60s radicalism and their intersection with the hippier counterculture, left politics tactics, and the moral crises of then and now.MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE:"God's Children (End)" - The Kinks
2025-10-091h 38Slow LearnersVINELAND EP 2: What Was The Hippie? (w/Jesse Jarnow)We begin our read-through of Thomas Pynchon's Vineland in earnest, covering Chapters 1-5.John and Asher discuss the amateurishness of opening a novel with a character waking up, the perils of transfenestration, the ersatzness of Hawaiian holidays, and whether Billy Barf and the Vomitones are a heavy metal band or a hardcore band. Was there D-beat before the band Discharge? We'll never know...Also! We welcome author, broadcaster and podcaster Jesse Jarnow to talk about the legacy of the '60s hippie counterculture and help situate Pynchon's novel, culturally. Jesse is the author of arguably...
2025-10-021h 37
Story GirlStory Girl presents: Brain DrainS1, E6: In this episode, the Kids in the Hall embark on making their feature film debut. They struggle to stay together as a troupe as opportunities begin to spring up for them as individuals. Where to find: Buster: A Life in PicturesWatch the entire Kids in the Hall series on Amazon Prime.Written and Produced by Ryan Barnett | Co-producer Sonia Gemmiti. Additional voices: Matt Barnett & Sonia Gemmiti. Special archival audio courtesy of Retrontario.Reading/Viewing List:Kids in the Hall: Complete Series One...
2025-10-0219 minSlow LearnersVINELAND EP 1: Snitches Get Stitches (w/ Noah Kulwin)We missed "Pynchon Summer." But just barely! Cut us some slack, eh?In any event, we are back with our read-through of Thomas Pynchon's Vineland (1990). Is it a triumphant return following the interminable 17 interregnum since Gravity's Rainbow? Or a total piece of junk! As usual, the truth is...what we say it is.This intro episode sets up the book, its themes, and background. Then we chat with returning guest Noah Kulwin about the role of the snitch or government informant in American politics and culture. Make sure to...
2025-09-251h 23
Story GirlStory Girl presents: The Atomic Particles of Your Tax DollarsS1, E5: In this episode, Kids in the Hall is in full swing on HBO and CBC. The guys are beginning to gain notoriety, and rub elbows with celebrities. Then, a network shakeup threatens to upset the apple cart. Where to find: Buster: A Life in PicturesWatch the entire Kids in the Hall series on Amazon Prime. *Content Advisory* This episode includes an archival excerpt from a sketch featuring a white actor in Yellowface.Written and Produced by Ryan Barnett | Co-producer Sonia Gemmiti.Additional voices: Ma...
2025-09-1831 min
Story GirlStory Girl presents: Guys in DressesIn this episode, we revisit the Kids in the Hall as they count down to the premiere of their groundbreaking HBO comedy special—a pivotal moment that set the stage for their rise to fame. Featuring rare archival audio from Retrontario, this story captures the excitement, uncertainty, and ambition of Canada’s most iconic sketch comedy troupe. Stream The Kids in the Hall series now on Amazon Prime.Where to find: Buster: A Life in PicturesWatch the entire Kids in the Hall series on Amazon Prime. Try Prime for 30 days by...
2025-09-0421 min
Episode One400 - Alex Branson's Hawaiian House PartyBranson hosts his long-awaited Hawaiian House Party in sunny Akron, Ohio.
Starring in order of appearance: Alana, Will Menaker, Katherine Krueger, Alex Branson, Andrew Hudson, Charles Austin, Nate Ruess, Aaron @bertovo, Michael Hudson, Alex Nichols, Chet @GirlfriendHaver, the Villain Joel, Raina Douris, John Semley, Jesse Farrar, Mike Hale, Hesse Deni, Felix Biederman, Cameron Fetter, Caleb Pitts, Patrick Doran, Titas Vilkaitis, CJ @futurevictim_, Ben @BetrayedMan1990, Tom @tom_on_here, and Brace Belden.
2025-08-142h 20
Story GirlStory Girl presents: Fast Times at the RivoliIn this episode, the Kids are together, performing as a group in the back room of The Rivoli on Toronto's Queen West. But will they stay together as they catch the eye of a talent scout from Saturday Night Live? Where to find: Buster: A Life in PicturesWritten and Produced by Ryan Barnett. Additional voices: Matt Barnett, Susan Passmore & Sonia Gemmiti. Special archival audio courtesy of Retrontario. Reading/Viewing List:Kids in the Hall: Complete SeriesOne Dumb Guy by Paul Myers This Boo...
2025-08-0721 min
TisTalk: a community podcast from Tisbury WiltshireJuly 7-13th 2025 E9S9. Seeds4Success, Charity Opera, Doctor Kinlin🌱 Thomas at Seeds 4 Success🎶 Selina Elwell: Opera in August will support Seeds 4 Success at Semley Grange🩺 Dr Kinlin on Underactive Thyroid📅 What’s On with Lal🎶 Beethoven at St John's ChurchTisTalk is a community podcast from Tisbury, Wiltshire, and the Cranborne Chase, with Mary Myers and guests.
2025-07-0727 min
The Alfred DailyThe Alfred Daily – 26th June 2025On The Alfred Daily Today: Shaftesbury Events Guide Town Council Environmental Committee Wants The Old TIC Semley Firms Demand Action As Roadworks Drag On Past Deadline And Hit Trade View From The Hill – Former High School For Girls Pupil Returns For 60th Anniversary Three Photographers Reveal How Patience Brings Perfection In Shaftesbury Exhibition Events Within 1 Hour Of Shaftesbury – 27th January Dorset Launches Drive For Climate Ambassadors In Schools Shaston Seasonal Reflections – Kathy Morgan On Summer Smells On French Mill Lane Benches Of Sha...
2025-06-2559 minThe Alfred DailyThe Alfred Daily – 30th May 2025On The Alfred Daily Today: Alfred Events Pensioner’s Savings Taken During Hospital Stay – Family Say Police Let Them Down Police Defend North Dorset Coverage And Reveal Plan To Improve Ease Of CCTV Submission Semley Music Festival Grows To Three Days – Sunday Focus: Pampering And The Planet Neurodiverse Donhead Teenager To Cycle John O’Groats To Land’s End View From The Hill – Wolverhampton Couple Visit Gold Hill Could You Be Shaftesbury’s Next Town Crier? Recruitment Starts Soon Events Within One Hour Of Shaftesbury...
2025-05-2958 min
The Nation PodcastsJohn Semley on The Gamblification of America | The Nation PodcastFor sports fans in the US, betting has never been more common, or more accessible. But beneath the surface of this booming pastime, a darker story is unfolding. Writer John Semley joins the podcast to examine the implications of all this access, not just in American sports, but across global betting markets, and how our era of gambling reflects a new world order some economists are calling "casino capitalism." Semley’s feature, “Casino Capitalism 2.0,” appears in the June issue of The Nation.Our Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.comAdvert...
2025-05-2638 min
King MeThe Howling (1981) w/ John SemleyWe get 'em all: sun-worshippers, moon-worshippers, Satanists. The Manson family used to hang around and shoplift. Bunch of deadbeats! - Walter Paisley
Get weekly bonus content on our Patreon:
www.patreon.com/kingmepod
Email us at kingmepod@gmail.com
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2025-04-151h 49
Kreative KontrolEp. #937: Mouth CongressEVERY OTHER KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO MONTHLY $6 USD PATREON SUPPORTERS. Enjoy this excerpt and please subscribe now via this link to hear this full episode. Thanks!Paul Bellini and Scott Thompson return to discuss Valley of Song, the new album by Mouth Congress, recent Kids in the Hall shows featuring banned material, the fate of Amazon Prime’s Kids in the Hall series, Bubby and the Mouth Congress band, Sandinista! by the Clash and making a double-LP, singing influences like Johnny Cash and Buck 65, sexuality, urban myths, and gerbiling, the Gabors vs. the Ka...
2024-12-3121 min
Hit FactoryBuffalo '66 feat. John Semley *TEASER*Get access to this entire episode as well as all of our premium episodes and bonus content by becoming a Hit Factory Patron for just $5/month.Writer, researcher, and fellow podcaster John Semley joins the program to discuss Buffalo '66, directed, written by, and starring the ever-controversial Vincent Gallo and co-starring Christina Ricci, Anjelica Huston, and Ben Gazzara. It's a film of profound beauty, humor and humanity, and although Gallo claims the movie is non-autobiographical, it nonetheless draws from deep reservoirs of personal experience in its depiction of alienation and the grace that can bring broken people...
2024-10-0909 min
Low Culture BoilGuess Who's Back? Not Red Lobster Don't call it a comeback, actually you totally can, that's what it is. Amber and Rax are back to talk about the most important cultural event happening right now, that's right, we're talking about Red Lobster filing for bankruptcy. We just had to come back from hiatus to look into this because something about the headlines smelled...shrimpy. Of course before we get to that we spend about half the podcast catching up, and after we spend a third of the podcast griping, so you get like a quarter or something (we don't do math) of Red Lobster content...
2024-06-151h 13Low Culture BoilGuess Who's Back? Not Red Lobster Don't call it a comeback, actually you totally can, that's what it is. Amber and Rax are back to talk about the most important cultural event happening right now, that's right, we're talking about Red Lobster filing for bankruptcy. We just had to come back from hiatus to look into this because something about the headlines smelled...shrimpy. Of course before we get to that we spend about half the podcast catching up, and after we spend a third of the podcast griping, so you get like a quarter or something (we don't do math) of Red Lobster content...
2024-06-151h 13
Episode One327 - The Ballad of Brewer GrouseSinger-songwriter Brewer Grouse finds himself at the center of the early '60s folk boom in Manhattan and sets out to make his message heard—whether people like it or not.
E1 on Patreon: www.patreon.com/e1podcast
Starring Charles Austin, Dave Weigel, Lisa Vitale, Nate Ruess, Alex Branson, Andrew Hudson, John Semley, Alana Branson, Joel, Margie, Taylor, and Patches.
Written by Charles Austin, Alex Branson, and Andrew Hudson
Songs by Charles Austin, performed by Charles Austin, Lisa Vitale, Nate Ruess, and Alex Branson.
Artwork by Titas Antanas Vilkaitis
Edited by Charles Austin
2024-03-282h 08Slow LearnersMailbag Time (Listener Qs, A'd)We open the ol' mailbag, which is really more of google voicemail inbox, to answer some listener Q&As. At long last!
We accidentally deleted one and apologize. So if you're the person who called in to ask about the "keying waves" sequence, where Slothrop is talking to his dad...well....we are truly sorry. It was a good question!
Stay tuned. We are starting prep on our next season on Proust. We are currently arguing about whether to do just Swann's Way, or all of In Search Of Lost Time, which is like 9 billion...
2024-03-1154 minSlow LearnersAPPENDIX - Is GRAVITY'S RAINBOW an autobiography? (W/ Albert Rolls)In this extra, bonus "appendix" episode, Asher lays out his theory of Gravity's Rainbow, as a coded biography of its author, Thomas Pynchon.
Also: we're joined by author and researcher Albert Rolls to talk about his book, Thomas Pynchon: Demon in the Text, which is itself a not-quite-a-biography of Pynchon.
2024-02-201h 05
Pod Casty For MeClintclusionsWe've run out of Clint Eastwood movies that fit our weird criteria, and now we're gonna talk about what we've learned from this whole endeavor. Where we are on Clint, on the auteur theory, on thinking about film, on thinking about political art, on each other, on the prospect of ever doing anything - it's all here for your inspection, dear listener. Oh and also we reveal what we're doing next! We're very excited about it and we hope you will be, too. Here's a hint: I'm going to start reading the Bible. We can't thank you all enough for jo...
2024-02-161h 20Slow LearnersEP 13 - The Final Delta T (W/Gregory Marks)Covering Part 4: 12...The End. We take an elevator ride to the skies, reflect on "anarcho-sadism," catch up with some of our old pals in Der Platz, smoke out of a kazoo, and take a tour around the L.A. freeways with our man Richard Zhlubb. Oh also, we lean what the S-Gerät is, and figure out the final terminus of the 00000 (sort of).
Additionally: we are joined by Dr. Gregory Marks to chat about the Marxist/historical materialist dimensions of Gravity's Rainbow. Is Tommy Boy a leftist? A crank reactionary? Can both positions potentially be resolved via s...
2024-01-301h 26Slow LearnersBONUS - Weissman's Tarot (W/ Answers In Tarot)This week: before we head into the final stretch of Gravity's Rainbow, we stop to talk tarot and esotericism with Answers In Tarot, also known as L.A. Lubuschagne. He offers us some insights into the cultural context for the Tarot's reemergence in the '60s/'70s counterculture, unpacks Slothrop's identification with "The Fool," and offers a thorough reading of Weissman's Tarot, as laid down in the book (pp. 747-749 in the Viking edition). What will the cards reveal? Listen to find out.
We'll be back next week with our final read-through episode, when everything goes...
2024-01-2338 min
Pod Casty For MeThe 15:17 To Paris (2018) with John SemleyLife has been catapulting us toward this moment...the episode where we lose our minds singing the praises of THE 15:17 TO PARIS with returning guest, writer and Slow Learners Podcast host John Semley! Join us for several hours of exaltant analysis of Clint Eastwood's 2018 avant garde docudrama, starring the real guys who really tackled a heavily armed shirtless man on a train. We really get into it here, folks: millennial masculinity amid the bleak futurelessness in which we've all spent most of our lives, re-enactments/non-professional actors in cinema history, and the transcendental quality of Dutch nightclubs. Listen up...
2024-01-191h 51Slow LearnersEP 12 - Raketen Stadt Of Mind (W/ Jeffrey Severs)Covering Part 4: Chapters 7-11. We follow the Counterforce to a surprise dinner, reflect on The World, learn of Weissman's new frontier, and finally reach the THRILLING climax between Tchitcherine and his Herero half-brother, Enzian.
Also: we speak with Professor Jeffrey Severs, literary scholar and co-host of the podcast Don DeLillo Should Win The Nobel Prize, about the 1962 Seattle World's Fair (a.k.a. the Century 21 Exhibition) and its influence on Pynchon's vision of the future: the Raketen Stadt.
Other topics include: Giving LSD to elephants, Bush (and Bush X), Louis Jolyon West, disgust and absurdism...
2024-01-161h 14Slow LearnersEP 11 - Shine On, You Crazy Sentient Lightbulb (W/ The Computerized Ghost of Harold Bloom)Covering Part 4: Chapters 1-6. We enter the fourth--and final!--part of the novel. We discuss the formation of the "Counterforce," Slothrop's dispersal, and a fan-favorite episode about a sentient lightbulb that goes nuts.
In this episode, we embrace the threat of sentient technology by speaking with an A.I. generated spectre of the late literary critic Harold Bloom. We chat with "Harold" about the novel, Byron the Bulb, gnosticism, and the prospects of us all being killed by computers.
Other topics include: Keying waves, Mandrakes, some characteristics of Imipolex-G, dualistic ontologies, the CIA, gnosis (in...
2024-01-091h 05Slow LearnersEP 10 - Do You Believe In Magic? (W/ Matt Christman)Covering Part 3: Chapters 24-32. We exit THE ZONE. Many BIG THINGS are revealed about Slothrop's purpose, his family history, and just what the HELL this book is about. Also: there's some pinball.
In this episode we chatted with Matt Christman (@cushbomb) from Chapo Trap House, Hell on Earth and his own Cushvlog about the Masons, the Rosy Cross, and how Protestantism gave rise to capitalism, in America and elsewhere.
Other topics include: Alternative currencies, Pirate's Dream, history as geography, parapolitics and the New World Order, cities of the future, the prognostications of hardcore music, racist...
2024-01-021h 14Slow LearnersBONUS - Slow Learners Advent SpectacularWe're taking a short break until the New Year. But for all you true sickos, here's a short (?) seasonal reading of a great passage from Gravity's Rainbow. Blast it with your family, in the car to visit your relations, on the P.A. system of the local mall as last-minute shoppers scramble to snag the last Power Man or Tickle-Me-Elmo.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all, even the haters and losers. Shout out to "Claus."
2023-12-2420 minSlow LearnersEP 9: The Banana Imperium (W/Noah Kulwin)Covering Part 3: Chapters 13-23. Slothrop goes on a boat, and maybe has sex with a child. Then he goes on another boat. And then back to the same boat. Gravity's Rainbow? They should call this book Boats! Also: Slothrop's beging "thinning out." What does that mean? Has Ozempic claimed Tyrone Slothrop?!
This episode: we talk with with journalist and podcast Noah Kulwin (Blowback) about post-war geopolitics, banana republics, and how the multinational corporation came to supplant the nation-state as the fundamental unit through which power operates.
Other topics include: Porky Pig tattoos, the art of...
2023-12-191h 00Slow LearnersEP 8: Better Living Through Chemistry (W/Hamilton Morris)Covering Part 3: Chapters 6-12. Slothrop is reborn as "Rocketman," steals some hash, and meets Mickey Rooney, The John E. Badass appears, and does battle using a hot new drug named Oneirine Thiophosphate (or is it Theo-phosphate???).
This episode: we talk with documentarian and chemist Hamilton Morris about the novel's use of drugs, and chemistry, both technically and metaphorically. Is Oneirine real? Could it be?!
Other topics include: The BoDeans, William S. Burroughs, Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin, alternate histories and uchronies, the feeling of an elf sitting on your chest, S&M sex (again), chemophobia, plasticity, and t...
2023-12-121h 05Slow LearnersEP 7: The Genocidal Gaze (W/Elizabeth Baer)Covering Part 3: Chapters 1-5. Our read-through of Gravity's Rainbow continues as we enter THE ZONE. The War--at least in Europe--is over. But the novel is merely beginning, in some ways. Slothrop meets a witch, a Herero revolutionary, and stumbles upon an abandoned rocket factory factory building rockets. Try not to zone out, eh?
We are joined by Elizabeth Baer, author of The Genocidal Gaze, to get some context for German colonialism in southern Africa, and the history of the Herero people. How did Germany's colonial programming shape their 20th century genocidal ambitions?
Other topics include...
2023-12-0554 minSlow LearnersBONUS - Interview with Prüfstand VII director Robert BramkampHallo Leute!
Interrupting the regular flow with this bonus interview with German writer/director Robert Bramkamp, whose film Prüfstand VII uses Gravity's Rainbow as a way into analyzing the history of the rocket in Germany, and the Nazi program itself. Some very interesting insights on how the novel resonated with a German reader. Also...some fun links below! We'll be back next week with another read-a-long episode, which takes us "Into the Zone." Tschüss!
Rent or Buy Prüfstand VII here.
Read Robert's accompanying book here. Note that the book is in...
2023-11-2838 minSlow LearnersEP 6: Im(i)polex, Gee (W/Alex Ross Perry)Slow Learners continues! This episode covers the entire second section of Gravity's Rainbow, in which Tyrone Slothrop emerges as our clear hero, or the closest thing to it.
We speak with filmmaker Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell, The Color Wheel, Queen of Earth) about his debut feature, Impolex, and about his relationship with Pynchon's writing, literary adaptation, and The Simpsons Movie. Stay tuned for a juicy detail about the mysterious life of everyone's favorite author!
Other topics include: John le Carré, Graham Greene, hash-laced hollandaise, octopus programming, zoot suit fashions, Teletypes, the Shell Oil multinational c...
2023-11-211h 12Slow LearnersEP 5: Use Your Allusion (W/Prof. David Cowart)We wrap the first part of Gravity's Rainbow (chapters 18-21), which sees Pointsman getting lucky, Slothrop shipped off to the Riviera, and Roger and Jessica checking out a cheeky Christmas panto.
In this episode, we're joined by David Cowart, author of Thomas Pynchon and the Dark Passages of History and Thomas Pynchon: The Art of Allusion, to talk about the history of the postmodern novel, and how Gravity's Rainbow defines the form.
Other topics include: Chaucer, Joyce, Christmas Parties, if the British put a moratorium on German art during WWII, meta-narratives, Jerry Garcia, Weimar Germany...
2023-11-1457 minSlow LearnersEP 4: Systems, Scandals, and Literary Hoaxes (w/Alex Shephard)We continue our journey "Beyond the Zero," covering Gravity's Rainbow, Part 1, Chapters 14-17.
And: Alex Shephard (The New Republic) joins us to talk about literary hoaxes, Pynchonian mysteries, how Gravity's Rainbow scandalized the hoity-toity world of arts and letters.
Other topics include: S&M, prosthetic vaginas, church ceremonies, "The Book," by Pavlov, Thomas Pynchon's jump-shot.
Read Proverbs For Paranoids, John's guide to Gravity's Rainbow.
E-mail us your questions, queries, and crackpot theories: slowlearnerspod@gmail.com
2023-11-0757 minSlow LearnersEP 3: Military Mind Control (W/Stephen Kinzer)We get further into the weeds, covering Gravity's Rainbow, Part 1, Chapters 10-13.
We're joined by Stephen Kinzer, author of the Sidney Gottlieb biography Poisoner In Chief to talk about the history of military mind-control, and Project MKUltra.
Other topics discussed: toilets, jive accessories, having sex with a snake, racism, genocide, LSD.
Read Proverbs For Paranoids, John's guide to Gravity's Rainbow.
E-mail us your questions, queries, and crackpot theories: slowlearnerspod@gmail.com
2023-10-3151 minSlow LearnersEP 2: A Screaming Comes Across The Sky (W/Dr. Jordan Bimm)The season begins in earnest with this recap and discussion of Gravity's Rainbow, Part 1: Chapters 1-9.
We chat with Dr. Jordan Bimm, a historian of science and technology, about the history of the V-2 rocket, the Space Race, and the mystical/material dimensions of interstellar travel, Britain's most famous witch.
Other topics include: bananas, '50s monster movies, penis-as-dowsing-rod, low humour, Ulysses, etc., etc.
Read Proverbs For Paranoids, John's guide to Gravity's Rainbow.
E-mail us your questions, queries, and crackpot theories: slowlearnerspod@gmail.com
2023-10-2454 min
Slow LearnersEP 1: Who is Thomas Pynchon, And Why Are We Talking About His Book?Hallo Leute!
In this, intro episode of Slow Learners, hosts Asher Dark and John Semley lay out their ambition plan, or "plot": to read through Thomas Pynchon's massive 1973 Gravity's Rainbow, discuss it, and talk with experts about its themes and ideas, big and small, smart and stupid.
Topics this episode include: Prof. Irwin Corey, literary awards, Alice Tully Hall, preterition (and its meritorious price), being feted, Homer Simpson, Boeing, scrambled eggs, Oyster Bay High School, "The Boys," the character of Robert as played by Brad Garrett on the long-running CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, They-Systems...
2023-10-1726 min
Episode One300 - Pixar's SodasWhen Pepsi is purchased at a Naperville Circle K, Coke and his friends go on the adventure of a lifetime to track her down.
E1 on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/e1podcast
Starring Hasan Piker, Felix Biederman, Raina Douris, and Zola Jesus
Featuring Will Menaker, Matt Christman, Nate Ruess, Alex Press, Cameron Fetter, Caleb Pitts, Patrick Doran, Julian Feeld, Alex Nichols, Branson Reese, Dan Boeckner, Titas Antanas Vilkaitis, Michael Hudson, Sweet Palma, John Semley, Alana Branson, Tom, Hesse, Derek, Wererat (Joel, TJ, and Elliott), and a text-to-speech thing
Written by Alex Branson, Charles Austin, Andrew Hudson, and Felix Biederman
...
2023-09-211h 49
Pod Casty For MeA Perfect World (1993) with Marie Bardi and Chadd HarboldWe're back to discuss what might be Clint Eastwood's finest work, 1993's surrogate father crime film A PERFECT WORLD, with best friends (and Blank Check social media maven and filmmaker, respectively) Chadd Harbold and Marie Bardi! Let us gently abduct you and take you on a journey of Kevin Costner hotness debate, Clint's regrets as a father, talk about his working methods with people who have actually been on film sets, and our long-awaited engagement with the Official Clint Eastwood Twitter kerfuffle(s). Get in the damn car with us already. Topics include: Peter Hyams a...
2023-08-182h 20
Fortune Kit162 - The 6th Most Famous Singer from Minnesota (ft. John Semley)John Semley (@johnsemley3000) joins Charles and Alex to evaluate Bob Dylan's '70s albums. Fortune Kit on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fortunekit
2023-05-311h 09
Chapo Trap HouseMovie Mindset 06 Teaser - Clint Eastwood's Sudden ImpactWill, Hesse and John Semley review Clint Eastwood’s 1983 Dirty Harry film Sudden Impact. Go ahead, make my day.
Subscribe today for access to the full episode and all premium episodes!
www.patreon.com/chapotraphouse
2023-05-3110 minGreyWolf20230531 - Movie Mindset 06 - Real Authorized Official Clint Eastwood： 80’s Clint feat. John Semley
2023-05-3100 minGreyWolf20230531 - Movie Mindset 06 - Real Authorized Official Clint Eastwood： 80’s Clint feat. John Semley
2023-05-3100 min
Jacobin RadioMichael and Us: iPhone, Therefore I AmAs Canadians, we simply couldn't pass up a movie about our greatest national export. Matt Johnson's BLACKBERRY (2023) puts a darkly comic spin on the rise and fall of "the phone you had before your iPhone." We discuss the ways that this very funny film is both similar to and crucially different from such recent boardroom dramas as AIR. PLUS: the return of Pete Buttigieg, and a weekend with the world's most prolific songwriter.If you watch only one movie on Will's recommendation in your life, make it LOCAL LEGENDS - https://vimeo.com/ondemand/locallegends
2023-05-2849 min
Michael and Us#428 - iPhone, Therefore I AmAs Canadians, we simply couldn't pass up a movie about our greatest national export. Matt Johnson's BLACKBERRY (2023) puts a darkly comic spin on the rise and fall of "the phone you had before your iPhone." We discuss the ways that this very funny film is both similar to and crucially different from such recent boardroom dramas as AIR. PLUS: the return of Pete Buttigieg, and a weekend with the world's most prolific songwriter.
If you watch only one movie on Will's recommendation in your life, make it LOCAL LEGENDS - https://vimeo.com/ondemand/locallegends
"BlackBerryIs a Movie That Portrays...
2023-05-2449 min
RoyCastSuccession 4.2, "Rehearsal" with John SemleyIn “Rehearsal”, Succession’s final season begins to take shape as old habits die hard. John Semley joins the RoyCast to discuss the episode’s theme of regression, insularity versus circularity, the cable news landscape, new wrinkles in the Gojo deal, Connor’s blues, family lore, karaoke confrontations, desperadoes, the season’s use of NYC locations, Logan’s ATN visit, business bona fides, Ken’s addictive drives, Mencken’s electoral prospects, and Kerri’s TV ambitions.
~~~
RoyCast is a passion project and we incur minor ongoing expenses related to producing and hosting this independent podcast. The show will never be paywalled, but for t...
2023-04-071h 46
Pod Casty For MeThe Eiger Sanction (1975) with John SemleyGot a mountain-sized episode for ya, folks. Today we're attempting Eastwood's spy thriller THE EIGER SANCTION with writer John Semley (@johnsemley3000) and talking the difficulty of making an American Bond, the deadly injury on the set of this film, and even more George Kennedy appreciation than last week's episode. Listen to it or be sanctioned (just kidding, it's fine)! Topics include: the water in Oaxaca, Jake doesn't know anything about football, scurrying through hatches, some quick and dirty espionage history, Clint's little shorts, Jack Cassidy, the film's casual but intense homophobia, Tom Cruise, the Vanderpump empire, Brenda...
2023-02-241h 41
Depresh Mode with John MoePsychedelically Tripping Out For Your Mental HealthGranted, there have been people very high on the prospects of psychedelics for a long time as a means of achieving better mental health. But these folks didn’t appear in scientific and medical circles so much as they appeared in drum circles. Things are different now, with very promising research and results being reported on the ability of these drugs to kind of un-stick one’s mind and achieve a better state of mental health.We talk with freelance reporter and researcher John Semley, who has been reporting on the gold rush among scientists and pharma comp...
2022-11-2141 min
Michael and UsPREVIEW - #362 - Hands Across America (w/ John Semley)PATREON-EXCLUSIVE EPISODE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/71449739
In the mid-'90s, a car dealership in Texas offered contestants a chance to win a free truck if they could perform one feat of physical and mental agility: keep one hand on the truck for longer than anyone else. The documentary HANDS ON A HARDBODY (1997) captures the contest in all its agony. We're joined by John Semley to discuss what - if anything - this highly evocative document has to say about America.
2022-09-0302 min
Slate TechnologyWhat Next TBD: Big Pharma’s Bet on PsychedelicsThe psychedelic renaissance is here. But not everyone’s on board.Guest: John SemleyHost: Sonari Glinton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-08-1425 min
Slate BusinessWhat Next TBD: Big Pharma’s Bet on PsychedelicsThe psychedelic renaissance is here. But not everyone’s on board.Guest: John SemleyHost: Sonari Glinton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-08-1425 min
What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the futureBig Pharma’s Bet on PsychedelicsThe psychedelic renaissance is here. But not everyone’s on board.Guest: John SemleyHost: Sonari Glinton Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2022-08-1422 min
Uncanny Valley | WIREDReel Talk About InstagramIf you've opened Instagram recently, you've certainly seen Reels. The photo-sharing app has started aggressively pushing the TikTok-like video feeds onto its users, a move that has sparked a heated response. Longtime users, and even celebrities like Kylie Jenner, have been urging Instagram to ditch the feature, which in addition to showing you more viral videos also shows you fewer updates from your friends and loved ones. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has defended the move, saying that Instagram is sticking with Reels and showing more videos in general, no matter how you or the Kardashians feel about that.
2022-07-2830 min
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood NorthAn Interview with Kids in the Hall writer Paul Bellini**Warning** This episode contains language that some may find offensive. BONUS: In this episode, I have a conversation with the man in the towel, the legend, an "interesting physical specimen": Paul Bellini. We talk about the early days of the troupe, working as a writer on the show, and origins of the Touch Bellini contest. Consider supporting us by becoming a Patron: www.patreon.com/knockaboutmediaWhere to find: Buster: A Life in PicturesSponsor Link: https://www.audibletrial.com/hollywoodnorthpodWatch the entire Kids in...
2022-05-3040 min
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood NorthAn Interview with Kids in the Hall biographer John SemleyBONUS: In this episode, I have a conversation with John Semley, author of This is a Book About the Kids in the Hall. We talk about each member of the troupe, the legacy of their show and their post-troupe careers. Consider supporting us by becoming a Patron: www.patreon.com/knockaboutmediaWhere to find: Buster: A Life in PicturesWritten and Produced by Ryan Barnett | Co-producer Sonia Gemmiti.Special archival audio courtesy of Retrontario. *This program and all relevant content is for educational purposes only and to...
2022-05-1932 min
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood NorthKids in the Hall | Brain DrainS1, E6: In this episode, the Kids in the Hall embark on making their feature film debut. They struggle to stay together as a troupe as opportunities begin to spring up for them as individuals. Consider supporting us by becoming a Patron: www.patreon.com/knockaboutmediaWhere to find: Buster: A Life in PicturesWatch the entire Kids in the Hall series on Amazon Prime.Written and Produced by Ryan Barnett | Co-producer Sonia Gemmiti.Additional voices: Matt Barnett & Sonia Gemmiti.Special archival audio courtesy of R...
2022-05-1219 min
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood NorthKids in the Hall | Guys in DressesS1, E4: In this episode, the Kids await the premiere of their HBO special, hoping it will lead to bigger things. Special archival audio courtesy of Retrontario. The Kids in the Hall series is available now on Amazon Prime. Consider supporting us by becoming a Patron: www.patreon.com/knockaboutmedia Where to find: Buster: A Life in PicturesWritten and Produced by Ryan Barnett.Additional voices: Matt Barnett, Susan Passmore & Sonia Gemmiti.Special archival audio courtesy of Retrontario.Additional Music: Daniel Vodovoz Additional clips: UNMAS...
2022-03-3121 min
Blocked PartyJohn Semley v. Steven CrowderJohn Semley (writer) joins us to throw another Steven Crowder block onto the scrap heap as we wax nostalgic for childhood candy, lunch items, and crushes. John also enjoys having a fellow John on the show and we get into getting mistaken for Jons and Jonathans and John Semley tells about his brief foray into being a Jack. Plus, Stefan digs into the Starbucks holiday drink menu, as John Semley goes antiquing and John Cullen learns a new fact about Stephen Baldwin. If you want to learn some new facts, you can head on over t...
2021-11-081h 27The Gnostic Wisdom NetworkThe Gnostic Horror of “Bride of Frankenstein”
We’re doing a month of Gnostic horrors for October and kicking it off with a panel on the 1935 masterpiece “Bride of Frankenstein.” Is this movie a secret Gnostic treatise on the terror of incarnation and the reign of false deities? Is Frankenstein’s monster the true zombie Jesus? Is there a “hidden” gay subtext to the film? This is just some of what we talk about so don’t be scared: tune in now!
Our panel consists of all returning all star gods and monsters:
Benito Cereno: https://linktr.ee/benitocereno
Kris Kringle: https...
2021-10-0700 min
Talk GnosisThe Gnostic Horror of “Bride of Frankenstein”
We’re doing a month of Gnostic horrors for October and kicking it off with a panel on the 1935 masterpiece “Bride of Frankenstein.” Is this movie a secret Gnostic treatise on the terror of incarnation and the reign of false deities? Is Frankenstein’s monster the true zombie Jesus? Is there a “hidden” gay subtext to the film? This is just some of what we talk about so don’t be scared: tune in now!
Our panel consists of all returning all star gods and monsters:
Benito Cereno: https://linktr.ee/benitocereno
Kris Kringle: https...
2021-10-0700 min
JokermenBob Dylan: DYLANOLOGY with John SemleyThe Jokermen are joined by writer and professional podcast guest John Semley to discuss Clinton Heylin's sour new biography The Double Life of Bob Dylan, John's review of said bio, and the phenomenon of Dylanology in general. You don't need a Weberman to know which way the wind blows.READ JOHN'S PIECE ON THE NEW REPUBLIC AND FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTERLISTEN TO JOKERMEN THEME-TYPE RADIO: CITIES ON SPOTIFY AND APPLE MUSICSUSCRIBE TO JOKERMEN ON PATREONFOLLOW JOKERMEN ON ...
2021-06-171h 11
Junk Filter34: God Grodin (with John Semley and Will Sloan)Returning guests John Semley and Will Sloan join the pod to celebrate actor, author and activist Charles Grodin, a comedy hero of ours who passed away this week at age 86.
With special attention paid to his legendary talk show appearances on Carson and Letterman in character as a belligerent and uncooperative guest, his two highly influential film comedy masterpieces The Heartbreak Kid and Clifford, and other highlights of a long career that ranged from Rosemary’s Baby to Midnight Run to two Beethoven movies.
Follow John Semley and Will Sloan on Twitter.
Trailer fo...
2021-05-211h 06
49th Parahell96: Fordpocalypse III Beyond Ontariodome (with John Semley and Jesse Hawken)We regret to inform you that Doug Ford is, in fact, "at it again." I've got writer/researcher John Semley and Junk Filter Pod host Jesse Hawken joining me here in riff city to talk about Doug's very bad week and whether or not we're on board with the redemption arc. http://www.patreon.com/robrousseau
2021-04-231h 08Talk GnosisFilm, Art, & Transcendence in the Black Iron Prison w/ John Semley
Writer, journalist, and film critic John Semely is our guide to the power of being a hater, transcendence through art, how Gnosticism can be cool for atheists, why we need to get better at being critics, the Gnosis of cyberpunk and heavy metal, finding ourselves through movies, pop culture setting us free and then oppressing us, and as always… so much more!
Get more Semley at: johnsemley.com
Make your Twitter experience better by following his account: Twitter.com/johnsemley3000
Read his piece on cyberpunk: https://thebaffler.com/salvos/cyberpunk-is-dead-semley
Read hi...
2021-03-3100 minThe Gnostic Wisdom NetworkFilm, Art, & Transcendence in the Black Iron Prison w/ John Semley
Writer, journalist, and film critic John Semely is our guide to the power of being a hater, transcendence through art, how Gnosticism can be cool for atheists, why we need to get better at being critics, the Gnosis of cyberpunk and heavy metal, finding ourselves through movies, pop culture setting us free and then oppressing us, and as always… so much more!
Get more Semley at: johnsemley.com
Make your Twitter experience better by following his account: Twitter.com/johnsemley3000
Read his piece on cyberpunk: https://thebaffler.com/salvos/cyberpunk-is-dead-semley
Read hi...
2021-03-3100 minJunk Filter12: Femme Fatale and Domino (with John Semley)Spoilers abound during our discussion, please watch Femme Fatale before listening as there is a stunning twist you don’t want us to ruin for you. Femme Fatale is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime. No need to watch Domino first, or even at all!
For the first of likely several Junk Filter episodes about Brian De Palma, Toronto-based writer John Semley joins the program for a look at two films that bookend De Palma’s post-Hollywood exile in the land of European film financing, 2002’s Femme Fatale (a masterpiece) and 2019’s Domino (not a masterpiece). Along th...
2021-01-111h 15
CANADALANDIsolation Interview: John Semley"I fucking hate Zooming... and having to look at my own face." John Semley is a writer and author who splits his time between Toronto and Philadelphia. But mostly Toronto these days.Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2020-05-0806 min
The Landlord and Tenant PodmessThe Writer and Thinker John Semleywww.patreon.com/landlordtenant
Hi. This week, James https://twitter.com/jameshartnett talks about his plans to buy an airline and Michael https://twitter.com/mbalazo discusses his “trip” to Paris. Then, it’s time for the debut of the exciting new segment “SNL At Home Skits We’d Love To See.”
Our guest is writer, critic, journalist and DJ John Semley. We talk with John about all sorts of fun stuff. Be sure to check out John’s work and buy his books Hater and This Is A Book About The Kids In The Hall here: htt...
2020-05-051h 20
Brutal SouthEpisode 2: Psychedelic empathyOne bright morning in May 1953, Aldous Huxley dissolved four-tenths of a gram of mescaline in a glass of water, drank it, and waited to see what happened.It wasn’t idle curiosity that drove the author of Brave New World to try the psychedelic alkaloid of the peyote cactus. Late in life, he had questions that remained unanswered. Chief among them were questions about perception, self-knowledge, and human connection.“We live together, we act on, and react to, one another; but always and in all circumstances we are by ourselves,” Huxley wrote in The Doors of Per...
2020-04-2249 min
Matt D’Elia Is ConfusedJohn Semley | HaterdomMatt has been called many things. One of the things he is most often called is a ‘hater’— a label he fittingly hates. But is it true? And if it IS true, is that necessarily a bad thing? To figure this out, Matt talks to culture critic John Semley, author of a book Matt loves called “Hater: On The Virtues Of Utter Disagreeability”. Matt and John surprisingly and perhaps disappointingly don’t disagree about much, but that allows them to dig deep into what it means to be a hater, what it means to be CALLED a hater, the difference between hati...
2020-02-261h 25
Cuttin TiesUS pt. 1Ty G. II brings in two ties for this episode. A political tie and a racial tie. His wife joins him in the booth as well as guest THEO BLUE, a Cali-based Hip Hop Artist. We dive in deep on Jordan Peele's second offering to the cinematic world, US. We had to dig on this one and thankfully, we brought our shovels. Bring yours too for this episode and then come back next week for part 2!!
Cited Materials:
US directed by Jordan Peele. Blumhouse Production. Universal Studios Production 2019.
The Guardian, Mark...
2020-02-1135 minCANADALANDSHORT CUTS #242 - Inside Jordan Peterson's Antisocial NetworkA look inside Jordan Peterson’s new social media platform, which bans photos, memes, and emojis in the name of anti-censorship! Also, The Toronto Star turns to public shaming. Freelancer John Semley co-hosts. This episode is brought to you by The New Yorker, Hover, ZipRecruiter and listeners like you. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter. A couple of examples of The Star articles we are referencing here and here.Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...
2019-12-1229 min
Nick Flanagan, WeaklyTo Hate, Perchance To Stream (ft. John Semley)John Semley is an author and columnist who has written two books – Hater: On The Virtues Of Utter Disagreeability (Penguin/Random House) and This Is A Book About Kids In The Hall, a biography of the revered Canadian sketch group. His columns for various magazines and newspapers have taken on right-wing grifters, MCU movies and many other subjects that irritate him. Topics covered include the idea that criticism has hit a critical mass, that social media is not going well at all, and many other other interesting observations in this fun back-and-forth. He’s written for The Believer, Salon, The Baff...
2019-06-041h 17
The TLS PodcastThe life-writing issueRuth Scurr on the master biographer Robert A. Caro, whose subjects include Robert Moses, Lyndon B. Johnson and, now, himself; Dmitri Levitin talks us through Diogenes Laertius' Lives of the Eminent Philosophers, an eccentric and often inaccurate guide to early thinkers; Why bother with literary criticism? Whither this generation's Lionel Trilling? Michael LaPointe joins us to discussWorking: Researching, interviewing, writing by Robert A. CaroAmerican Audacity: In defense of literary daring by William GiraldiHater: On the virtues of utter disagreeability by John SemleyLives of the Eminent Philosophers, by D...
2019-04-2542 min
Get New Free Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir, ComedyHater: On the Virtues of Utter Disagreeability by John SemleyPlease visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/351070 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Hater: On the Virtues of Utter Disagreeability Author: John Semley Narrator: John Semley Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 4 hours 10 minutes Release date: October 23, 2018 Genres: Comedy Publisher's Summary: A timely manifesto urging us to think critically, form opinions, and then argue them with gusto. Hater begins from a simple premise: that it's good to hate things. Not people or groups or benign belief systems, but things. More to the point, it's good to hate the things everyone seems to like. Scan the click-baiting headlines of your favorite news or pop-culture webs...
2018-10-2310 min
DetangledDetangled Episode 89 - April 2, 2018.ROSEANNE REBOOT with John Semley DOUG FORD’S CITY HALL RECORD with Jennifer Pagliaro BLUE EYESHADOW with Rae Nudson TUNES: September Fades by Ralph T-Shirt by The Beaches No Surprises by Roman GianArthur & Janelle Monae
2018-04-0259 min
Hollywood: Its Morals and Manners by DREISER, TheoDetangled Episode 89 - April 2, 2018.ROSEANNE REBOOT with John Semley
DOUG FORD’S CITY HALL RECORD with Jennifer Pagliaro
BLUE EYESHADOW with Rae Nudson
TUNES:
September Fades by Ralph
T-Shirt by The Beaches
No Surprises by Roman GianArthur & Janelle Monae
2018-04-0259 minThe Landlord and Tenant PodmessBoomer Journalist John SemleyThis week, James is mad about missing a historic party at Mar-a-Lago and Michael is suffering from a nasty case of sleep deprivation.
Then, Zammer Magazine journalist John Semley stops by to talk about baby boomers with zap, staying active in your golden years, old Toronto and the prospect of a deathless future.
Brought to you By: The Sonar Network
2018-01-291h 05DetangledDetangled Episode 54 - May 1, 2017.FILM CRITICISM SO POLITICAL with John Semley WEEKEND EFFECT with Katrina Onstad 50 FOOT WOMAN with Catherine Meyer Allison is reading Beauty Detox by Kimberly Snyder Vass is reading Start Up by Doree Shafrir TUNES: Leave the Light On by Overcoats Knocking on the Door by The Arkells Song by Sylvan Esso
2017-05-0158 min
Kreative KontrolEp. #291: Long Night Reviews 2016 with Aliya Pabani, Freddie Rivas, Jill Krajewski, John Semley, & Laura HermistonThis episode of Long Night with Vish Khanna was recorded at the Polish Combatants Hall in Toronto, Ontario, as part of the Long Winter festival on Friday December 2, 2016. It was a thoughtful, funny, and fascinating year in review discussion about 2016, featuring some very wise panelists. Aliya Pabani is the host of The Imposter, Canadaland’s arts […]Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2016-12-0557 min
Kreative KontrolEp. #290: John Semley on The Kids in the HallJohn Semley is a prolific journalist and cultural critic based in Toronto who regularly contributes to the Globe and Mail and Macleans magazine. His obsession with comedy led him to fall in love with true originals in the innovative Canadian troupe, the Kids in the Hall. ECW Press has just published This is a Book About […]Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2016-12-011h 02
Polite ConversationsEpisode 17 - Sam HarrisDISCLAIMER: This is an old episode, my views on Sam Harris and his politics have changed quite a bit since this conversation...partially because of how telling this convo was. For more recent views on Sam check out my recent episodes on him, or my miniseries #WokingUp-----Last Friday, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sam Harris! We had an excellent, robust discussion on a variety of topics. We didn’t necessarily agree on everything, but even in disagreement Sam is an absolute pleasure to speak with. I admire his integrity, intellectual honesty and willingness to engage in difficult conversations. ***Be...
2016-11-072h 57
All the Books!New Releases and More for October 25, 2016This week, Liberty and Rebecca discuss Am I Alone Here, On Living, Bruja, and more books.This show has been sponsored by FabFitFun and ThirdLove.Subscribe to All the Books! using RSS or iTunes and never miss a beat book.Sign up for the weekly New Books! newsletter for even more new book news.This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.For a complete list of books discussed in this episode, visit our website.Books discuss...
2016-10-2539 min
The Important Cinema Club#42 - The Horror of James WhaleIt's SHOCKTOBER!
Justin and Will are joined by special guest John Semley to discuss the career of Frankenstein director James Whale. Why is the sequel better than the original? What are our thoughts on the Frankenstein legacy? Why did James Whale stop directing? All the answers can be discovered with one listen!
2016-10-0235 minDetangledDetangled Episode 25 - September 12, 2016.In this week's episode, we get a dispatch from the frontlines of TIFF’s opening weekend from arts and culture writer John Semley. In our second segment, we make some predictions about the upcoming political season with National Post reporter Ashley Csanady. Lastly, we discuss Colour Code, the Globe and Mail’s new podcast on race, with one of the show’s co-hosts Denise Balkissoon. Allison is reading Finding Raffi by Sheila Heti in Vulture. Vass is reading “Here I am” by Jonathan Safran-Foer. TUNES: Unsinkable by Overnight; Real Love Baby by...
2016-09-121h 00
Polite ConversationsEpisode 4 - John Semley - Is Charlie Hebdo Racist?YouTube link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBve1K6u2X8&feature=youtu.beBooks Columnist John Semley (@johnsemley3000) from Canadian paper The Globe & Mail joins us to discuss his review of Charb's posthumous book called Open Letter. Do check out his controversial piece here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/review-charlie-hebdo-editor-charbs-open-letter-is-problematic/article28050654/We evidently have very differing viewpoints on this. Enjoy! And pardon the heavy breathing, promise we weren't jogging while recording this interview...my headset mic is clearly way too sensitive. (-Eiynah) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2016-02-171h 03
The Thrill: The Maclean's Pop-Culture PodcastThe Thrill: Jurassic World, Peaches, and a Duddy Kravitz musical
This week, on Maclean’s pop-culture podcast—hosted by Adrian Lee, Emma Teitel and Julia De Laurentiis Johnson—we start by discussing the record-smashing dinosaur blockbuster Jurassic World. Film writer John Semley joins us to talk about the rules of the summer blockbuster, the stardom of Chris Pratt, and we’ll do a quiz to see what we really know about dinosaurs, given how wrong the original Jurassic Park film was. (Pretty much half the world watched it, but if you’re not among them, please note that the segment features minor spoilers.) Then, we’re joined by the provocative po...
2015-06-1900 minThe Thrill: The Maclean's Pop-Culture PodcastThe Thrill pop-culture podcast: Fifty Shades of MehPhotograph by May Truong
Looking for thoughtful analysis and friendly banter to navigate the pop culture waters? Have no fear: The Thrill, Maclean’s pop culture podcast is here! Every week, Maclean’s arts writers Adrian Lee, Emma Teitel and Julia De Laurentiis Johnson will gather to discuss and break down the hottest topics in TV, film, books and music. Expect discussion, analysis, and interviews, all replicating the feeling of having a coffee and talking pop with your friends!
On this week’s podcast, we do an extra-long segment about Sunday night’s Academy Awards, and we b...
2015-02-2000 min
The Seventh Art: A Cinema Podcast002 - A Perfect Getaway (2009, David Twohy)We discuss the underrated film, A Perfect Getaway, with Jason Anderson (Toronto Star, The Grid), Peter Kuplowsky (Twitch Film, Toronto After Dark Festival), Adam Nayman (Reverse Shot, The Globe and Mail), Kiva Reardon (Torontoist, Cinema Scope) and John Semley (The Onion A.V. Club Toronto).
2012-03-1900 min