Shows
The Guest Room PodcastSpecial Tenth Anniversary Special Announcement SpecialIt's the Tenth Anniversary of The Guest Room Podcast! To commemorate this momentous occasion Larry and Dr. Jess recorded an EPIC episode discussing all things life, love, and art. And Larry accidentally deleted it. So you get this one instead. Enjoy?
2024-08-1705 min
The Guest Room PodcastShell Gets His Money's WorthAfter a LONG hiatus Larry and Dr. Jess are back, discussing life during COVID-19, Star Trek, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Hamilton, Perry Mason (sort of), Ennio Morricone, and Bruce Lee. This episode was recorded and "edited" on Larry's phone. Since Larry is a novice this episode is no frills. And no music. P.S. Wear a damn mask.
2020-07-1451 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Picard Mid-Season ReviewThe Guest Room Podcast is back with Larry and Dr. Jess reviewing the first five episodes of Star Trek: Picard. There are also brief asides about Sherlock and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
2020-02-2139 min
The Guest Room PodcastLarry is joined by his niece and frequent guest Autumn and her boyfriend and brand new guest Ryan! The trio discuss director Sam Mendes' World War I drama 1917. Ryan offers a unique perspective as a well read history buff. Larry offers praise for cinematographer Roger Deakins. Autumn cried. (During the movie, not the podcast) Follow Ryan's history blog on Instagram @the_great_wars
2020-01-1430 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerHappy New Year! Larry and Jess are back after a LONG hiatus to discuss Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. They talk about the story, characters, J.J. Abrams, George Lucas, and the overall Star Wars franchise, including some brief thoughts on The Mandalorian. Also Jess complains about the way Larry drives.
2019-12-3138 min
The Guest Room PodcastThe Big Bang Theory FinaleLarry and Dr. Jess discuss the series finale of The Big Bang Theory, recall their favorite moments of the series, and speculate about what the future holds for the cast. Sidebar discussions include New Girl, Roseanne, Bob's Burgers, cop shows and streaming availability.
2019-05-2034 min
The Guest Room PodcastAvengers: Endgame and the Marvel Cinematic UniverseLarry gives his thoughts in Avengers: Endgame, discusses his early MCU skepticism, and offers his updated rankings on the entire MCU.
2019-05-1614 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Discovery, Season 2, Episodes 10-14Larry and Dr. Jess are WAY behind on their media consumption, which doesn't make for timely podcasting, which is nearly tragic for Larry, a lifelong Trekkie who had to wait several weeks to catch up on Star Trek: Discovery. But, all's well that ends well, and the duo give their thoughts on the DISCO episodes "The Red Angel," "Perpetual Infinity," "Through the Valley of Shadows," "Such Sweet Sorrow," and "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2."
2019-05-0557 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Discovery, Season 2, Episodes 6-9This week Dr. Jess and Larry give their instantaneous reactions to the Star Trek: Discovery episodes "The Sounds of Thunder," "Light and Shadows," "If Memory Serves," and "Project Daedalus." Preorder The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbull at all book retailers. See Larry in Pitt Floyd at The Lamp Theatre in Irwin, PA, on March 30.
2019-03-181h 05
The Guest Room PodcastCaptain MarvelThis week Larry is joined by his Marvel crew, including KX, Lesley, and fan-favorite Greg O to talk about the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain Marvel. They also diverge into some other topics including horror movies, Game of Thrones, the perils of TV buying and problems with LG customer service.
2019-03-131h 02
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Discovery, Season 2, Episodes 1-5Dr. Jess and Larry have been watching Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery. They've even been recording podcasts about it. But Larry has failed in his job as editor, having allowed these perfectly good podcasts to collect digital dust. No worries, as he's edited the podcasts into one epic episode covering the DISCO episodes "Brother," "New Eden," "Point of Light," "An Obol for Charon," and "Saints of Imperfection." This episode contains Larry's performance of the David Bowie classic "Space Oddity" in honor of Ensign Tilly's favorite song.
2019-02-191h 15
The Guest Room PodcastSolo: A Star Wars StoryNew host Dr. Jess and her guest Larry finally saw the not much anticipated Han Solo origin story. They discuss the many false starts and moments in which they almost watched it, which leads into some existential territory, but have no fear because they do review the film, cast, comparisons in recasting Solo to recasting Captain Kirk, etc. They then discuss the Nintendo Switch game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
2019-01-141h 04
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Short Treks: The Escape ArtistDr. Jess and Larry dissect the latest Short Trek, The Escape Artist, directed by and starring Rainn Wilson. They talk about their feelings on Short Treks overall and their excitement for season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery and even name a Federation Starship!
2019-01-0609 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Short Treks: The Brightest StarThis week Larry and Dr. Jess discuss the latest Short Trek, titled The Brightest Star, which examines fan favorite Saru's backstory. They also discuss (further) Cadwell Turnbull's upcoming novel, Larry's next show with Pitt Floyd and his being recruited into another musical project.
2018-12-1112 min
The Guest Room PodcastCreed II (or, Rocky IV II)Yo! This week Larry is (sadly) flying solo to discuss Creed II, the latest installment in his beloved Rocky franchise. You want more details? Listen!
2018-11-2733 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Short Treks: CalypsoThis week Larry and Dr. Jess discuss differing uses of the title "Funny Face" before diving into a review of the latest Star Trek: Short Trek, titled Calypso. They get into the benefits of short form storytelling, the attractiveness of actor Aldis Hodge, and the Pittsburgh based education of writer Michael Chabon. Pre-order Cadwell Turnbull's novel, The Lesson, here: https://amzn.to/2OzQHEk Purchase tickets to Larry's next show with Pitt Floyd here: https://bit.ly/2Pn9Yu1
2018-11-1111 min
The Guest Room PodcastThe First and First ManThis week Larry checked out First Man, the new film from Oscar winning director Damien Chazelle and starring Ryan Gosling, and The First, the Hulu series starring Sean Penn. Both are about the space program, both deal with challenges on the home front, and one is fiction. How does Larry, a lover of all things space, feel about the more domestic approach these stories take?
2018-10-1420 min
The Guest Room PodcastSo Much Star Trek TalkLarry breaks down the first installment of Star Trek: Short Treks, titled Runaway, and then is joined by Dr. Jess to discuss the newest Star Trek: Discovery trailer, which dropped at New York Comic Con. They also discuss the budding career of frequent Guest Room guest Cadwell Turnbull. Pre-order Cadwell's novel, The Lesson, here: https://amzn.to/2NuiPYV Buy tickets for the next Pitt Floyd show here: https://bit.ly/2Pn9Yu1
2018-10-0725 min
The Guest Room PodcastA Manageable ProblemLarry is joined by old friends Paul from The McSoss Comic Book Podcast and Brian aka Spud aka Brizzle. The trio weave in and out of a variety of topics including life at 40, concert going experiences, aging rock stars, pizza, tequila, hair care products, and frightening NHL mascots, of which Gritty is only the tip of the Iceberg. Get it?
2018-10-011h 22
The Guest Room Podcast2001: A Space OdysseyLarry, an enormous science fiction fan who loves all things space had never seen Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Seriously. That all changes here as Grant joins him to see it on the biggest screen in Pittsburgh. Does it live up to 50 years of hype? Follow the Monolith and enter the Star Gate to find out!
2018-09-0927 min
The Guest Room PodcastJack RyanLarry binged the Amazon series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan this weekend and now he must speak of it. He was a big fan of the early 90s film series. Does this new series live up to his enthusiasm for the older films, or does it fall somewhere near the multiple attempted reboots?
2018-09-0321 min
The Guest Room PodcastMission: Impossible and BlackKklansmanThis episode begins with a special announcement that Larry has been invited to join the Pittsburgh based Pink Floyd tribute band called Pitt Floyd! Afterwards he reflects on life now that he's turned 40 before getting into reviews of the bonkers early Denzel vehicle Ricochet, the latest Spike Lee joint BlackKklansman, and further evidence that Tom Cruise is indeed crazy, Mission: Impossible-Fallout, the latter of which includes a discussion with Cadwell and Elliot.
2018-08-2636 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Discovery, Season 2 TrailerThis week Larry and Dr. Jess discuss the newly released trailer for Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery, breaking down what the presence of classic characters like Pike and Spock will mean for the new show. They also discuss numerous things in the Star Trek pipeline, some confirmed, some rumored, including two limited series featuring Picard and Khan respectively, animation, a potential young adult series, and feature film news which leads to Larry and Jess passionately debating how the departure of Pavel Chekov should be handled. They disagree. Passionately. There is also brief discussion about Super Mario Odyssey and listener...
2018-07-231h 04
The Guest Room PodcastWhere Have You Been?Larry is back after a long hiatus and he explains why (it has something to do with synovial fluid). Afterward he catches up with the audience about things he's seen, and hasn't seen, including Solo: A Star Wars Story, Cobra Kai Season 1, Lost In Space Season 1, Westworld Season 2, Fahrenheit 451, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, Ant-Man and The Wasp, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
2018-07-1635 min
The Guest Room PodcastAvengers: Infinity WarAfter a brief tribute to the late drummer John "Jabo" Starks, Larry gets into the nuts and bolts of Avengers: Infinity War with Greg O. and his posse of Elwin, KX Emm, and Lesley, all first time Guest Room guests and all very much up to the task. The group breaks down what they liked and didn't like about the film, performances, the past and future of the MCU, strange features of English automobiles, and why Thanos reminds Larry of a character from Star Trek: The Original Series. After the group discussion Larry offers his updated rankings of the...
2018-05-041h 12
The Guest Room PodcastThe Naked Truth with Jean-Pierre DorleacLarry welcomes a true Hollywood veteran to the show, Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated costume designer Jean-Pierre Dorleac. Jean-Pierre talks about his early experiences in theater, both as an actor and as a costume designer, having the legendary Edith Head as a mentor, his life-long friendship with Jean Simmons, and his experiences on specific projects like the iconic film The Blue Lagoon and, of course, one of Larry's favorite series of all time, Quantum Leap. You can find Jean-Pierre's autobiography, The Naked Truth, and his murder mystery novel, Abracadabra Alakazam, at his official website here: jean-pierredorleac.com
2018-04-2446 min
The Guest Room PodcastReady Player OneA few years ago Cadwell bought Larry a copy of Ernest Cline's novel Ready Player One for Christmas. Now that novel has been adapted into a feature film directed by Steven Spielberg. Larry and Cadwell get into all the nuts and bolts of what worked - and what didn't - about the movie.
2018-04-0526 min
The Guest Room PodcastTop 10 Quantum Leap EpisodesLarry is joined by Travis Jay Coleman of Superenthusiast Radio to discuss the timeless time travel series Quantum Leap, counting down each of their top 10 episodes. In the process much time is spent gushing over the acting prowess of Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell. Brief tangents include Michael Keaton and filming movies in Utah.
2018-03-261h 23
The Guest Room PodcastMute/Cloverfield/Annihilation/Red SparrowThis week Larry offers his quick takes on the Netflix movies Mute and The Cloverfield Paradox and the theatrical releases Annihilation and Red Sparrow.
2018-03-0529 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Discovery Season 1 FinaleLarry and Dr. Jess break down the Season 1 finale of Star Trek: Discovery, titled "Will You Take My Hand?" They get into the nuts and bolts of the episode, discuss whether it provided a satisfying conclusion to the season long story arc, and speculate on what may be coming in Season 2.
2018-02-1234 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Discovery Episode 14This week Larry and Dr. Jess review the Star Trek: Discovery episode titled "The War Without, the War Within," singing the praises of the actors and writers, contemplating the creative process, and discussing how deftly the plot points have been handled throughout the season. This week also marks the return of Fun Facts with Numbers!
2018-02-0729 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Discovery Episode 13Dr. Jess and Larry wanted to have their cake and eat it too this week so they watched the Grammys in their entirety before Star Trek: Discovery Episode 13, titled "What's Past Is Prologue." The result is a brief and rather sleepy discussion, but still one worth listening to!
2018-01-2911 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: Discovery Episode 12Larry and Dr. Jess review the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery, "Vaulting Ambition." In addition to the episode review they also discuss fan reaction to the series overall and how it compares to reaction to Star Wars: The Last Jedi. They also discuss how television has evolved over the years and how Star Trek, past and present, fits in.
2018-01-2236 min
The Guest Room PodcastO' Christmas Song, O' Christmas Song, How Lovely Are Thy LyricsThis week Larry and Dr. Jess asked past and future Guest Room guests to select their top 3 (or 5 if they were so inclined) Christmas songs. Larry and Jess discuss all the selections, count the number of times each song came up in someone's list, and whatever song got the most mentions gets played in classic Guest Room drum and vocal style by Larry!
2017-12-3041 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Wars: The Last JediThis week Larry, Dr. Jess, Autumn, Ashley, and Greg O. review Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the latest installment in the sci-fi/fantasy franchise. Larry and Greg have talked ad nauseam about their lukewarm reaction to The Force Awakens and their lack of excitement for this film. Has writer/director Rian Johnson restored their faith?
2017-12-1852 min
The Guest Room PodcastAlias GraceThis week Dr. Jess and Larry are joined by Anju, Cadwell, Ashley, and Therese to watch and review the Netflix series Alias Grace, based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, which in turn is based on a true story. It's a six episode limited series (which we used to call mini-series) and the gang watches each episode and gives their instantaneous reaction. Is Larry gonna break with his norm and actually enjoy a period piece? Listen to find out!
2017-12-041h 11
The Guest Room PodcastJustice LeagueAfter a brief cameo by Paul from McSoss regarding The Flash, Larry gets into his thoughts about the newest superhero mash-up, Justice League, discussing each hero individually and how they come together. Larry also gets into his thoughts on why he thinks this movie, which has underwhelmed critics and audiences alike, is significantly better than than Thor: Ragnarok, which has been met with almost universal acclaim. Is Larry being objective, or is he letting his life-long nostalgia for Superman cloud his judgement? Listen to find out!
2017-11-2020 min
The Guest Room PodcastRegina Spektor at The Palace TheatreDr. Jess and Larry attended the Regina Spektor concert at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg, PA and are here to talk to you about it! Before they attend the show they discuss Jess' great love for this unique artist and then, after a so-so performance of "On the Radio" by Larry, they discuss the show itself. Other topics include long forgotten commerce, indoor axe throwing, and what happens when exhaust fumes meet skunk (hint: it has something to do with kielbasa).
2017-11-0839 min
The Guest Room PodcastLarry's Favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation EpisodesIn honor of the 30th Anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Larry runs off his list of favorite episodes! There may be some surprises as to which ones he likes...and doesn't.
2017-09-3047 min
The Guest Room PodcastDunkirk and DiscoveryLarry is joined by his nephew Anthony for a 70MM screening of Christopher Nolan's WWII thriller Dunkirk. The pair preview by discussing war movies they've seen and liked (and didn't like-looking at you, Pearl Harbor). Then they review the film, talking about the intensity, cinematography, characters, you name it. Afterwards Larry ranks Nolan's ten feature films. He then closes the show with some more Star Trek: Discovery talk, because it wouldn't be The Guest Room Podcast without Star Trek talk.
2017-08-0536 min
The Guest Room PodcastHella Spider-Man TalkThis week Larry offers a review of Spider-Man: Homecoming, the reboot of the reboot which is also a sequel to a Captain America movie that is kind of an Avengers movie. Regardless, Larry gets into the nuts and bolts of this installment and then ranks the live-action Spider-Man movies in order from worst to first.
2017-07-0928 min
The Guest Room PodcastGuardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2Larry and Greg O. got to see Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 a week late. And then Larry took an extra week editing their discussion. The pair had a lot of fun with this movie, both in viewing and in discussion. Dr. Jess also offers some occasional off-mic two-cents. Afterwards Larry and Dr. Jess offer some brief thoughts on the trailer for Star Trek: Discovery, which dropped in the week Larry was to have edited this program.
2017-05-2153 min
The Guest Room Podcast2017 Movie Preview Part II: Transformers to Star WarsThis week we give you part two of our 2017 Movie Preview featuring Paul from McSoss! He and your host Larry get into the nuts, bolts, washers, and everything else regarding Transformers: The Last Night, Spider-Man: Homecoming, War for the Planet of the Apes, Dunkirk, The Dark Tower, It, Blade Runner 2049, Thor: Ragnarok, Justice League, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Be warned: if you happen to be sensitive to Star Wars criticism, you may find yourself frothing at the mouth after listening to Larry and Paul nitpick The Force Awakens.
2017-05-081h 06
The Guest Room PodcastJason BourneLarry finally got around to seeing Jason Bourne, the fourth film in the Bourne franchise (since we pretend The Bourne Legacy doesn't exist). He was supposed to see it in August, and there is a recap of previous Bourne films recorded then that's attached to this episode. But for the Jason Bourne review Larry is joined by Dr. Jess and Therese. Enjoy the brief performance of With You I'm Born Again by Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright.
2017-01-0935 min
The Guest Room PodcastRogue One: A Star Wars StoryLarry, Dr. Jess, and Anthony went to see the new Star Wars spin-off, Rogue One. After a brief discussion about Constitutional Amendments, the trio get into the nuts and bolts of this film. Is it worth it to see this story who's ending is pretty much known to the audience? Will it restore Larry's faith in the franchise after his lukewarm reaction to The Force Awakens? Listen and find out!
2016-12-2225 min
The Guest Room PodcastProfessor Emeritus: The Last Days of RushThis week (after a long absence) Larry welcomes new guest Tom Grandinetti to The Guest Room. Larry and Tom connected over their love of music, the fact that they are both drummers, and the band Rush, so they went to see the new documentary Rush: Time Stand Still, which chronicles the band's final tour. The pair also get into some other music related topics including Tom's playing experience, other bands like Yes and Genesis, and the state of the music industry. This episode contains two (very different) performances of the song Time Stand Still.
2016-11-051h 22
The Guest Room PodcastThe Beatles by Ron HowardLarry and Dr. Jess talk about Ron Howard's new documentary, The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years. They discuss the arc of the film, the band's art as well as its personality, and their own feelings about The Beatles, which leads to a great coda about the nature of memory and how, even though their both too young, Larry and Dr. Jess can have vibrant memories of John Lennon, who died when they were both infants. Brief sidebars throughout include whether or not they should by an expensive Megabloks set and the importance of content vs...
2016-09-2653 min
The Guest Room PodcastLarry's Favorite Star Trek EpisodesIn honor of Star Trek's 50th Anniversary, Larry is presenting a Trek-tacular episode! First, he gets into what he's doing to celebrate the 50th, including seeing movies, playing Star Trek Catan, and more! He then presents a list of his favorite episodes of The Original Series (and one from The Animated Series). This is not a ranking, it's merely a presentation of all the episodes that he loves! Live Long and Prosper!
2016-09-0642 min
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek Beyond ReviewIt's finally here: The Guest Room Podcast is reviewing new Star Trek! After a brief discussion of the upcoming series Star Trek Discovery (what a week!) Larry and Dr. Jess review Star Trek Beyond which they saw on opening night, getting into the good (all) and the bad (none). They also compare Beyond to previous installments and debate how Anton Yelchin's passing should be handled in the next installment. Larry just had to see it more than once so he invited his nephew Anthony to join him, and they have a rainy discussion. Oh, and SPOILER ALERT!
2016-07-2548 min
The Guest Room PodcastNYPD Blue Revisited, Part IILarry kicks things off this with a vocal performance of Gene Chandler's Duke of Earl followed by some talk about the state of NYPD Blue in the streaming world, with special acknowledgement to the folks at Save NYPD Blue (Twitter handle: @SaveSipowicz). Then the discussion that began last week resumes, with Larry and Dr. Jess picking up with the departure of Jimmy Smits and taking it all the way to the end of the series, discussing characters, story arcs, politics, and most anything else along the way.
2016-06-271h 00
The Guest Room PodcastNYPD Blue Revisited, Part ILarry and Dr. Jess have spent the past year re-watching the stellar police drama NYPD Blue and they have much to say. So much, in fact, that this discussion is presented in two parts! Come back next week for the Part II! First, they spend some time talking about other procedural dramas like Columbo, Murder, She Wrote, and NCIS and its spin-offs. Then they discuss their experience watching the show in its initial run and what sparked this renewed interest in this show. This part of the discussion runs through the David Caruso and Jimmy Smits years, stopping just...
2016-06-201h 17
The Guest Room PodcastDixie Chicks Concert Review and Concertgoer BehaviorDr. Jess counts Dixie Chicks as one of her top three favorite artists of all time. Last week she and Larry took in their show at First Niagara Pavilion. The pair kick things off with some talk about favorite songs, albums, etc. After a musical performance of Goodbye Earl by Larry, the happy couple review the show. (Hint: it was really good) After that they get into some discussion about the behavior of concertgoers and the nature of how people experience things.
2016-06-141h 12
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek Beyond Trailer 2 ReviewLarry talks about the Star Trek Beyond Fan Event held at Paramount Studios which featured appearances by cast and crew, a special street naming in honor of Leonard Nimoy, and (FINALLY!) the debut of the new trailer for Star Trek Beyond. Larry gives his thoughts on the trailer including visuals, potential plot points, Idris Elba, and what his anticipation level is now.
2016-05-2125 min
The Guest Room PodcastGreen RoomLarry starts things off with a review of Green Room, the VERY intense thriller starring Sir Patrick Stewart. Afterward, he gets into some things he's recently watched, including The Hunger Games- Mockingjay: Part 2, Spotlight, Spy, and Sicario. Larry then closes the show with a eulogy to the great entrepreneur, innovator, and humanitarian Remo Belli. This week's Drum & Vocal is Sinister Purpose by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
2016-05-0329 min
The Guest Room PodcastLots of Batman and Superman StuffLarry was a week late seeing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but he decided to do a podcast anyway, bringing along Big Lar, Anthony, and Mia, making her podcast debut! The quartet get into the nuts and bolts of the film and discuss its strengths and weaknesses. Afterward Larry ranks the films in both superhero franchises and decided where this new one fits in.
2016-04-0656 min
The Guest Room PodcastSir George Martin: The Fifth BeatleIt's Episode 75 of The Guest Room Podcast and Larry is paying
tribute to Sir George Martin, the legendary producer of The
Beatles, among others. Some thoughts are shared, but Larry thought
that the best way to pay tribute to Sir George was with music.
Performances include Live and Let Die, Sister Golden Hair, and a
medley of Yesterday, Strawberry Fields Forever, and You Never Give
Me Your Money. It sounds odd, for sure, but in the spirit of Sir
George and The Beatles, it was worth giving it a shot.
2016-03-2923 min
The Guest Room PodcastJohn Carpenter's The ThingLarry and Greg O. went to Row House Cinema in Pittsburgh to check out John Carpenter's The Thing. It was Larry's first time seeing it and he reacted strongly. The pair talk about that film in detail as well as Carpenter's career overall, his collaborations with Kurt Russell, his coupling with Adrienne Barbeau, and more. They even touch a little on Jean-Claude Van Damme, for some reason. This episode features a partial performance of Toto's Rosanna and a full version of Hold the Line, as originated by the late, great, Jeff Porcaro.
2016-03-101h 11
The Guest Room PodcastStar Trek: The Ultimate VoyageLarry and Jess had the privilege to take a backstage tour of the Benedum Center performance of Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage, the symphonic concert tour celebrating the franchise's 50th anniversary. Larry was also granted an interview with the show's Conductor, Nicholas Buc, which is heard on this episode. It's Larry's first interview and he's very excited. Afterward he and Jess get into their thoughts about the show and the overall experience, which was quite memorable.
2016-03-0347 min
The Guest Room PodcastAnd the Oscar for Best Achievement in Stunts Goes to...After Larry saw Mad Max: Fury Road, it occurred to him that there isn't an Oscar for stunts. Well, there should be, and Larry being Larry, he did an awful lot of research (including determining which crew members were eligible) to compile a list of movies that would have won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Stunts throughout history. Honorable mentions are also, um, mentioned.
2016-02-261h 00
The Guest Room PodcastA Tribute to Glenn FreyThis week Larry pays tribute to singer, songwriter, guitarist,
pianist, and Eagles founder Glenn Frey, touching on the impact the
band had on his early musical development. Larry also talks about
his first date with Jess and how the Eagles' music played a role in
breaking the ice. Performances include The Heat Is On and One of
These Nights.
2016-02-1621 min
The Guest Room PodcastConcussionLarry and Cadwell went to see the new Will Smith drama Concussion. The pair touch on Smith's career before getting into their thoughts on the film, which inevitably leads to a sociopolitical discussion on how we don't properly care for each other or the world we live in (with proper focus being paid to the corruption of the NFL). Afterward they touch briefly on the anthology series Black Mirror and then get into some more Star Wars: The Force Awakens talk, reading from text messages Greg O. sent Larry before Cadwell gets into his own thoughts on what the...
2015-12-291h 02
The Guest Room PodcastStar Wars: The Force AwakensLarry, Jess, Anju, and Cadwell come to you live on the scene in Raleigh, NC to talk about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. After a brief into before seeing the film, the quartet get into the nuts and bolts of this thing and break it down. After that Larry gives a brief wrap-up in his best jazz radio voice.
2015-12-2134 min
The Guest Room PodcastCreedLarry took his old man to see Creed, the new Rocky sequel/spinoff. In spite of a recorder malfunction, Larry managed to capture some of Big Lar's thoughts on the film, touching on its many strengths and getting personal with some of the themes of mortality, loss, love, and the like. Drum Groove of the Week is On the Turning Away by Pink Floyd.
2015-12-0137 min
The Guest Room PodcastRanking the Rocky MoviesAfter a musical cameo by fan favorite Greg O., Larry welcomes new guest Josh (father of Autumn, brother of Jess) to talk Rocky. Both are big fans of the franchise and have had many discussions pertaining to it in the past, so Larry thought it would be a good idea, with the upcoming release of Creed, to rank the Rocky films from worst to first. The pair go off on some interesting tangents as well, discussing Star Trek, Star Wars, Die Hard, The Fugitive, James Bond, wrestling, and even politics! Enjoy!
2015-11-231h 42
The Guest Room PodcastMore SpectreLarry wraps up three weeks of James Bond coverage with another conversation about Spectre, and this time he is joined by Jess, Ashley, and Therese. The quartet saw the film and shared their thoughts, with Larry making his final determination about its quality. Daniel Craig will return. Hopefully.
2015-11-1621 min
The Guest Room PodcastBoldly Going HomeMore Star Trek talk this week as Larry discusses the franchise's return to television (albeit on a streaming platform) and his expectations for it creatively. Larry also goes into some thoughts on the upcoming feature film Star Trek Beyond and why he thinks its messy preproduction process (kicked off by the departure of JJ Abrams) has tempered his excitement for the return of Star Wars.
2015-11-1214 min
The Guest Room PodcastSpectreLarry's old man Big Lar makes his return to the podcast this week to talk about Spectre, the 24th (or 25th, or 26th, or 27th, depending on what you're counting) film in the James Bond franchise. The two gush about the film's action set pieces, cast, cars, you name it. After that Larry gets into some more thoughts on the film, specifically what he thinks DIDN'T work and whether or not he needs to lighten up and embrace the fun of it all. He also reflects on the Daniel Craig era as a whole. Drum/Vocal Groove of the...
2015-11-0934 min
The Guest Room PodcastThe MartianLarry finally got out of the house (three weeks late) to go see The Martian, a movie he was very excited about, and he talks it up quite a bit. Is it worthy of the recent run of terrific science fiction? Short answer: yes. Long answer: listen to the show! After that Larry invited long time listener and ardent GuestRoom supporter Jen onto the show to talk Interstellar, which they disagree about. In fact, they disagree on a number of things, as you'll hear. Drum/Vocal Groove of the Week is Space Oddity by David Bowie.
2015-10-2640 min
The Guest Room PodcastWill the Real Stephen Colbert Please Stand Up?This week Larry gets into some more serious late night TV discussion, focusing on the debut of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Larry also spends some time discussing Jon Stewart, James Corden, Seth Meyers, and the two Jimmys. Afterwards Larry gets into some of what he's been watching, including more on NYPD Blue, Sonic Highways, and American Ninja Warrior.
2015-09-2128 min
The Guest Room PodcastThe Shatner Family PortraitLarry attended his first pop-culture convention in 24 years when he went to Wizard World Pittsburgh. The reason he attended? The presence of William Shatner, who was also present at Larry's last convention all those years ago. Larry came home and told Jess all about his experience, having his picture taken with Mr. Shatner, sitting in the Batmobile, seeing Ernie Hudson, and more. Drum/Vocal Groove of the Week is Mr. Tambourine Man, performed in the style of The Transformed Man himself.
2015-09-1530 min
The Guest Room PodcastRanking the Star Trek MoviesIt's episode 50 of The GuestRoom Podcast! It's also Star Trek Day! Can you handle this much excitement? Larry spends this episode doing what he does far too often: talking about Star Trek. Larry thought long and hard about this and here he presents his Star Trek feature film rankings, 1 through 12. After he finished, Jess came home, read Larry's list, and offered a rebuttal, which appears in this episode AFTER the closing theme, so stick around.
2015-09-081h 15
The Guest Room PodcastFoo Fighters at First NiagaraLast week on Larry's birthday the Foo Fighters were in town! Larry and Jess went to the show and recorded themselves gushing about the band and their greatness. Larry was so excited that he recorded not one but two Drum Grooves of the Week: I'll Stick Around and Big Me. Enjoy!
2015-08-3133 min
The Guest Room PodcastMission: Impossible: Rogue NationIt's the one year anniversary of The GuestRoom Podcast! After some acknowledgements and Fun Facts with Numbers, Larry is joined by his dad for a Quickie review of Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, during which the two also get into some James Bond talk. Oh, and Big Lar can't stop gushing about Crazy Tom. Larry then goes into his thoughts on the earlier films in the franchise before Drum Groove of the Week, which is Slow an' Easy by Whitesnake.
2015-08-1737 min
The Guest Room PodcastFilm, Football, and EuthanasiaDid you know Greg O. went to film school? You're about to learn all about it! After a rather somber edition of Fun Facts with Numbers, in which Larry and Greg discuss a number of topics including the 46 defense and the merits and political ramifications of euthanasia, the pair get into the nuts and bolts of the film school experience. Greg talks about his professors, his doomed senior project, and his time in the early 90's working on film sets. The two also debate whether you should chase your dreams or take a more pragmatic approach to life. Drum...
2015-08-101h 40
The Guest Room PodcastA Long Overdue Tribute to James HornerThis week Larry discusses one of his favorite composers of film music, James Horner, looking at his career as a whole and talking about what the music means to him. There are also memories of the early days of buying compact discs and some inaccurate box office predictions. Larry really needs to do his research.
2015-08-0341 min
The Guest Room PodcastTrainwreckLarry and Jess were joined by Ashley and Therese for a night out to see Trainwreck. After returning to the GuestRoom Studios the quartet discusses the film while eating (and discussing) mac and cheese. Therese also chastises Larry for not watching How I Met Your Mother and Larry strongly recommends Fresh Off the Boat. Drum Groove of the Week, which is starting to become Drum/Vocal Groove of the Week, is A Matter of Trust by Billy Joel and Liberty DeVitto. Someone needs to tell Larry to stop singing.
2015-07-2758 min
The Guest Room Podcast42: An Appreciation of Douglas AdamsIt's episode 42 of The GuestRoom Podcast, and while most podcasts celebrate episode 50, we here in The GuestRoom celebrate episode 42. Why? Because it is the answer to life, the universe and everything. At least according to Douglas Adams. Larry and Jess reminisce about their experiences reading Douglas Adams, its relevance, and break down the feature film adaptation, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Larry then serenades the listeners with another vocal performance, this time of one of Adams' favorite bands, Procol Harum.
2015-06-291h 10
The Guest Room PodcastJurassic World and Other StuffLarry is flying solo this week and he's taking you back to a time when dinosaurs ruled at the box office. As opposed to now. Larry recalls his experience seeing the original Jurassic Park, talks about the sequels and whether or not they hold up, and then launches into his review of Jurassic World. He then goes on a brief tangent about procedural dramas, focusing on Columbo and NYPD Blue, before presenting a special anniversary gift to his wife (which contains some Beatles commentary). A little bit of everything this week.
2015-06-2255 min
The Guest Room PodcastHerCadwell and Elliot have been after Larry for quite some time to watch the Spike Jonze film Her. Larry was reluctant to watch what he assumed was a shallow love story about a man and his phone. But having been bombarded with AI stories recently, Larry felt it was the right time to engage. With Cadwell in town (but unfortunately without Elliot) the two watched the movie together and had a very deep conversation, not only about the film, but about the nature of romance and relationships. It was so interesting that Anju and Jess had to join in...
2015-06-081h 10
The Guest Room PodcastMore Ex MachinaLarry liked Ex Machina so much that he had to see it again, and this time he took Cadwell with him. The two discuss the film, gaining insights not heard in Larry's first review. They also get into some other topics, including a mini debate about the quality of Joss Whedon and a breakdown of the merits of serialized vs. episodic storytelling. Drum Groove of the Week is one of Larry's high school favorites, Hootie & the Blowfish.
2015-06-0153 minThe Guest Room PodcastMore Trailer TalkLarry gives his thoughts on the Jurassic World clip (and Joss Whedon's response to it), trailers for Ant-Man and Terminator: Genisys, whether or not True Lies holds up, and Interstellar on Blu-ray. Stay after the closing theme music as Larry discusses the new Star Wars trailer as well!
2015-04-1617 min
The Guest Room PodcastIt Follows (with Trailer Talk)Larry caught up with the horror sensation It Follows and recorded his thoughts for all to hear. Is Larry as impressed with this film as many others or is his reaction a bit lukewarm? Only way to find out is to listen and stick around after as Larry gets into some trailer analysis regarding Spectre and Trainwreck.
2015-03-3015 min
The Guest Room PodcastBatman TalkPaul McGinty from McSoss.com is back this week and he is a big comic book fan. It makes sense, then, that he and his cohorts host the weekly McSoss Comic Book Podcast. After their last encounter Paul loaned Larry the graphic novel Batman: The Long Halloween and they convened to discuss the book, other comics, movie adaptations, and what brought Paul to comics in the first place. They also dip into some awards season stuff and even a little Super Bowl talk. Larry also plays more Aerosmith for Drum Groove of the Week. Enjoy!
2015-03-231h 05
The Guest Room PodcastCaptain America: The First Avenger and The Winter SoldierGreg Olszewski makes his triumphant return to The GuestRoom and he doesn't like Samuel L. Jackson. Why? Listen and find out as Larry and Greg talk at length about both Captain America movies, what they liked (hint: they really liked Hayley Atwell) and didn't like and everything in between. Stick around for Drum Groove of the Week as Larry once again tackles Motown and the legendary genius Marvin Gaye. Did you know Marvin played the drums? Larry didn't either.
2015-03-101h 29
The Guest Room PodcastGarth BrooksThis week Larry and Jess are talking about Garth Brooks. Why, do you ask? Because Jess is a life-long, die-hard fan of the man and he's playing in Pittsburgh tonight! No better occasion than for Larry to tackle his first ever country and western Drum Groove of the Week!
2015-02-0543 min
The Guest Room PodcastTrek WarsPaul from McSoss.com is back and he and Larry talk about Star Trek. And Star Wars. But it's not the debate you'd expect from a die hard Trekkie and a die hard, uh, whatever Star Wars fanboys call themselves. The two find a lot of common ground, talk about JJ Abams' contributions to both fanchises, wax nostalgic about their youth and discover that they crossed paths before they met without knowing it! Drum Groove of the Week dips into the Aerosmith well yet again as Larry reminisces about his days jamming with Paul. Oh, and the show actually...
2015-01-1249 min
The Guest Room PodcastLeaving Middle Earth BehindLarry and Jess kick off 2015 with their review of The Hobbit: The Battle of the five Armies. The two of them talk at length about what they liked and didn't like about the new film, about the Hobbit trilogy, and about the Middle Earth saga as a whole. Larry also teases a little of what's to come on The GuestRoom Podcast!
2015-01-0558 min
The Guest Room PodcastDeath Cab for CutieSeveral weeks ago Larry and Spud poked fun at an old friend for being a fan of Death Cab for Cutie. This week Larry is joined by that friend, Paul McGinty of mcsoss.com, where you can find the McSoss Comic Book Podcast and the McSoss Webcomic, among other things. Larry and Paul talk about all kinds of music, not only Death Cab but country, pop, progressive rock, hair bands, classical music and even christian rock (gasp!). They also spend a good deal of time on Aerosmith, who they both love. This week's Drum Groove is, of course, Death...
2014-12-151h 14
The Guest Room PodcastVideo Games Rot Your BrainLarry's buddy Grant is a hardcore gamer. Larry is far more casual. At Grant's urging (and joined by Greg O) Larry checked out the first chapter of The Walking Dead video game. What ensued after was a conversation about video games, their history, different consoles, televison and cable companies as well. Has Larry embraced video games as an interactive and expansive form of storytelling or does he want everyone to get off his lawn? Listen and find out and wait around to hear Larry's take on The Zombies for Drum Groove of the Week.
2014-11-2451 min
The Guest Room PodcastFoo Fighters: Sonic HighwaysLarry is joined this week by his old buddy Brian "Spud" Szczypinski, who is the biggest Foo Fighters fan he knows. The two talk about music overall, the Foo's career and the new album Sonic Highways. They DO NOT talk about the HBO series of the same name since Larry is too cheap to pay for premium cable. This week also marks the triumphant return of Drum Groove of the Week, in which Larry plays-wait for it-Foo Fighters!
2014-11-1757 min
The Guest Room PodcastAccessibly Dark: The Films of Christopher NolanLarry is flying solo the week as he looks back at the career of Christopher Nolan. Larry gives a brief review of each film Mr. Nolan has directed, leading up to the release of Interstellar, which Larry has been anticipating since he first heard of its existence. Has Interstellar lived up to Larry's expectations? Spoiler alert-yes. Oh, and spoiler alert-Larry reveals many plot details, so listen at your own risk!
2014-11-111h 06The Guest Room PodcastThe Guest Room Quickie: BirdmanIn the latest GuestRoom Quickie, Larry gives an instantaneous reaction to Birdman, the critically acclaimed film starring Michael Keaton. Has Larry discovered the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance? Take a listen and find out! It'll only take you ten minutes!
2014-11-0509 min
The Guest Room PodcastAnime-niacs!Anju and Cadwell have been after Larry to watch Anime for a long time. Larry finally relented. Joined by Jess, the conversation that ensued after watching the first episode of Psycho Pass was a varied one, covering literature, genre specific tropes, sci-fi as a whole, and a number of other things. Has Larry been converted? Does he now appreciate Anime as something more than big eyes and goofy music? Only one way to find out. There is no Drum Groove of the Week segment as Larry is dealing with a knee injury. Sorry.
2014-10-271h 09
The Guest Room PodcastX-Men: Days of Future PastThis week Cadwell Turnbull returns to the GuestRoom and he's brought Elliot Richards to the party. Like Cadwell Elliot is a talented writer and pop-culture junkie and this week they're talking about superhero movies, starting with X-Men:Days of Future Past (available this week on Blu-ray) and working our way back with comments on Spiderman, Superman, Unbreakable and even Star Trek (because Larry always wants to talk about Star Trek). They also touch on Cadwell's motion picture debut! This week's Drum Groove is Pink Floyd, thankfully without Larry singing. Enjoy!
2014-10-1355 min
The Guest Room PodcastDead Dogs and Yellow Tents: The Films of Wes AndersonThis week Larry is joined by his friend and coworker Grant McElheny as they discuss the films of Wes Anderson, specifically Moonrise Kingdom and The Royal Tenenbaums. Is Larry now a fan of Mr. Anderson? Listen and find out as Larry and Grant go in depth and on several tangents about music, Kristen Wiig, how the wealthy are portrayed in movies and many other things. This week's Drum Groove discusses Phil Collins and Genesis and, perhaps unfortunately, features a vocal performance by our host.
2014-10-061h 13
The Guest Room PodcastOnce Upon a TimeThis week Larry is joined by his friend and contributor Therese Joseph as they discuss Therese's favorite TV show, Once Upon a Time, as well as other fairy tale adaptations. Has Larry become a fan of a show he's payed little attention to until now? Listen and find out! Also this week's drum groove features the recently snubbed Denny Carmassi of Heart.
2014-09-1444 min
The Guest Room PodcastFinding a GrooveIt's all about the drums this week as Larry is joined by his friend and fellow drummer Mike Conte. Larry and Mike talk about their experience as musicians, their influences, what they love most about the drums and where they think music is headed. Drum Groove of the Week features Larry tackling the master, Neil Peart. Is he successful? Listen and find out!
2014-09-0957 min
The Guest Room PodcastThe GiverLarry and his wife Jessica are great fans of Lois Lowery's Newbery Medal winning book The Giver. Are they now fans of the film adaptation starring Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep? Find out as they take the audience on a date (complete with wind noise). Stick around after as Larry discusses his first love in rock and roll, Aerosmith, and pays tribute to the incomperable Joey Kramer.
2014-09-0257 min
The Guest Room PodcastBoyhoodThis week Larry is joined by talented writer and overall awesome guy Cadwell Turnbull as they go in depth and talk about Richard Linklater's "Boyhood." Larry's wife Jessica aka the Most Amazing Human on Planet Earth also chimes in, and even though she didn't see the movie, she still has some interesting things to say. Is the unusual way in which it was filmed innovative? Listen and find out! Stick around for Drum Groove of the Week as Larry pays tribute to Ringo Starr and the Beatles as they relate to the movie. Oh and it's Larry's birthday!
2014-08-2558 min
The Guest Room PodcastGuardians of the GalaxyHost Larry Ganni is joined by his friend and coworker Greg Olszewski as they talk about the Marvel film Guardians of the Galaxy. Larry and Greg offer an in-depth and spoiler heavy review as well as comparisons between the current crop of big budget blockbusters and those of the past. Stick around after for Drum Groove of the Week as Larry talks Motown!
2014-08-1758 min