MBSing - Podcast Details

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The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 255 - MBSing with Casey Toney - Audio EditingCasey has put his general health and wellbeing on the line as he works up to 30 hours editing each episode of NeoScum, an actual-play podcast in which five Chicago improvisers (including Casey himself as well as past MBSing guest Mike Migdall) play the tabletop RPG Shadowrun. A longtime lover and performer of musicals, Casey's level of perfectionism and lack of self-confidence launched him into editing the show and the rest, as they say, is history. In spite of the occasional pains from nerve damage and Twitter complaints, the show has been a source for absolute passion and pride in Casey...2018-07-191h 51

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 232 - MBSing with Thomas Jefferson - 8 MileIn the studio with Abraham Lincoln AGAIN and this time with fellow former president Thomas Jefferson?! For the unfamiliar, last year past guest of MBSing Timothy Dunn took a trip to Springfield, IL, and Abraham Lincoln appeared before him. They've been making a podcast together ever since. Tim's even producing a rap album Thomas and Abe are making together. This episode is about how 8 Mile inspired them to make that album. Or maybe about how they inspired 8 Mile to be a movie. It's pretty unclear, but there's an unfortunate amount of freestyle rapping. For more backstory and fun with Lincoln, li...2017-11-1524 min

The Nerdologues Present: Your StoriesBeing a Wrestler with Colt Cabana (from MBSing)Your Stories is taking another sort of breather this week to continue prepping for end of year celebrations, so we thought we'd take the time to share another great podcast ep from the Nerdologues stable of champions. This week, enjoy a recent episode of sister show MBSing with Mary Beth Smith in which Mary Beth speaks to wrestling star Colt Cabana about his journey from football to the WWE to podcasting. That's freaking cool. MBSing with Mary Beth Smith releases every Wednesday on Nerdologues.com and on Apple Podcasts. Don't forget to get in your nominations for your favorite Your...2017-11-141h 23

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 230 - MBSing with Frank Spiro - New Orleans SportsFrank Spiro fell in love with the Saints, the Pelicans (née Hornets), and the atmosphere surrounding them when he landed in New Orleans for college. Forever loyal to Drew Brees and Anthony Davis, the New Orleans fan base seems unwavering to Frank in spite of their recent struggles and general lack of media coverage. As a frequent contributor to The Bird Writes, Frank is given the opportunity to stretch his comedic muscles while writing about a team he loves, a privilege he attributes to the overall c'est la vie attitude that seems to pervade New Orleans in general. Don't s...2017-11-011h 15

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 212 - MBSing with Susan Glynn - Interior DesignThanks to model home furnishings in the house she grew up in, Susan Glynn has rebelled against the status quo of design from a young age. After accomplishing her Limited Too-fueled dream of having a room with bright orange walls, yellow trim, and a blue clouded sky ceiling, she was set off on a journey of thrifty vision and bold choices. Having graduated to living with roommates and now to a significant other, adult Susan finds herself curating her living spaces as a middle ground with her cohabitants while using ways to keep it all affordable and aesthetically pleasing for...2017-06-281h 28

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 210 - MBSing with Savannah Million - Harvest Moon and Animal CrossingSavannah Million has put in so much time farming, harvesting, and upgrading you'd think she'd have some fields to show for it. WHICH SHE DOES, but they're all of the digital variety. A longtime fan of the admittedly-flawed Harvest Moon franchise and newer convert to the Animal Crossing games, Savannah unpacks what it is that makes these game mechanics so satisfying and even how the min-maxing of certain traits of the game makes them less fun to traverse though more easily conquered. Stick around for a breakdown of MBS's Pokémon Go habits as well as the influence Harvest Moon an...2017-06-141h 12

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 206 - MBSing with Katy Jenkins, Dylan Schaefer, and Molly Southgate - Sci-Fi/Fantasy in TheatreKaty, Dylan, and Molly share a love for watching and performing within the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres as well as sharing the stage in Otherworld Theatre Company's forthcoming original play, The Rogue Aviator. Dylan is an Otherworld (and MBSing) vet, Katy is a cast member of OTC's ongoing Sailor Moon parady series called Moon! Prism! Power!, and 10-year-old Molly is Otherworld's first child actor and was previously the youngest podcast host in the iTunes store. We spend some time on each of their favorite entries in the genres, the joys and frustrations of being a fan of these novels/fi...2017-05-171h 49

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 204 - MBSing with James D'Amato - Independent RPG DesignJames has been GMing RPGs like a boss for four years as the host of the One Shot Podcast, and he brings his love of tabletop RPG design to MBSing with the same kindness and fervor that pervades their network. From finding the most basic of rules to honing in on how to bring about specific attributes in characters via their abilities, so much design ground is covered. If you're into D&D but have never ventured outside of the dungeon OR if you've always thought tabletop RPGs were only for serious gamer geeks and fantasy nerds, this conversation...2017-05-031h 21

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 203 - MBSing with Hal Lublin - Professional WrestlingHal's enthusiasm knows few bounds, especially when it comes to the joys and silliness of professional wrestling. From his childhood fandom when WWF was only regional wrestling in the Northeast to having every match every week immediately available via the WWE Network, Hal's seen a lot of facets of wrestling at home, ringside, and even during one backstage endeavor (!!). There's talk of wrestler's music endeavors, the wonderful Aronofsky film The Wrestler, and what Hal would try to get over on audiences if he had the chance. Notes: SB Nation piece from a first-time watcher of wrestling Hal's shows Tights and...2017-04-261h 24

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 200 - MBSing with Jenn Bane - NeopetsJenn Bane feels she wouldn't be the woman she is today without Neopets; It introduced her to gaming, message boards, and friends she still keeps in touch with. What started as and could have easily remained a conversation about the land of Neopia awaiting users at Neopets.com ends up being a discussion about Jenn and MBS's social habits as young people and how Neopets and youth have changed over the life of the Internet. There's talk of brands, business acumen, and the Disney Channel Original Movie Brink! (there's always time for Brink!). Notes: Jenn is a cohost of the...2017-04-051h 02

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 194 - MBSing with Luis Cortes - Universal Studios HollywoodLuis put in his years as a Universal Studios tour guide so that you, the listener, could be regaled with tales ranging from giving a VIP tour to a certain CA Governator to the ridiculous costume his union rep was wearing when he was let go from the job (dude had to go back to Duloc after the meeting). From Courthouse Square (downtown Hill Valley in Back to the Future) to Colonial Street (Wisteria Lane in Desperate Housewives), Luis knows the ins and outs of the lot so well it often distracts him when he's watching one of the plethora...2017-02-221h 28

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 181 - MBSing LIVE with David Pasquesi - Italy[Recorded live as part of the first annual Chicago Podcast Festival] Noted actor-improviser David Pasquesi fell deeply in love with living in Italy when he spent a year "studying" there as a college student (by slowly convincing his parents he was considering joining the priesthood so they'd let him stay). From the general demeanor of its residents to its remarkable food to its storied, centuries-long history, Dave cannot separate himself from the nation of his ancestors. The country and his time spent there has colored his life from his grandfather's immigration to the states as a teenager to living there wi...2016-11-2332 min

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 179 - MBSing with Bill Green Redux - Politics 2016Regular listeners may remember Bill's first MBSing appearance right after Election Day 2014. At the time he worked with United Way and Get Covered Illinois. He returns to unpack Election Day 2016 as a first year law student driven by the desire to affect policy. This conversation was recorded about six hours after the presidential race was called. It is raw, biased, and comes from a place of privilege. Thanks to Field Notes Brand for supporting this show and giving me a place to write down my hopes, fears, and dumb ideas. Thanks to the Chicago Podcast Cooperative for helping me and ot...2016-11-091h 52

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 177 - MBSing with Abraham Lincoln - WeezerWOW what an exciting episode! Past guest of the show Timothy Dunn recently took a trip to Springfield, IL, and Abraham Lincoln appeared before him and said he’s returned to earth to guide the American people through this election. Tim convinced him to do a podcast for 15 minutes every week to discuss current events. President Lincoln reached out to MBS personally (!!!) to take a break from discussing the 2016 election to talk about his new favorite band, Weezer, on MBSing. But don't worry, for some reason he thinks they only have two albums. For more fun with Lincoln, definitely listen to...2016-10-2626 min

15 Minutes with LincolnMBSing With Abraham Lincoln - WeezerPresident Lincoln takes a break from discussing the 2016 election to talk about his new favorite band, Weezer, on MBSing.2016-10-2126 min

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 173 - MBSing with Nick Mestad - Pixar FilmsFrom Toy Story to Finding Dory and everything in between, Nick Mestad has been a die hard Pixar fun since he was eight. He can rattle off the films, their directors, and other fun facts no problem, but the real joy of this conversation is how invested Nick has been as a fan and an aspiring creator all along. Pixar's fascination with effective storytelling has been a huge driving force in Nick's personal life and creative endeavors. Join us as we celebrate how Pixar has perfected making unique, believable worlds for over two decades. Check out MBS's new podcast with...2016-09-281h 48

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 160 - MBSing with Friends - Part FiveOn the third anniversary of the release of the first episode of MBSing, MBS holed up in a studio and took 35 calls from past guests of the show. The topics ranged from specific episode updates to current concerns to catching up. The guest list filled quickly, and there were a handful of interested parties who wanted to catch me on another day (and a couple people I specifically reached out to as I knew they had incredible follow-up tales). Here are those six stragglers: Rob Grabowski, who humored me with a discussion about the new Ghostbusters film and decried Clue an...2016-06-301h 26

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 159 - MBSing with Friends - Part FourOn the third anniversary of the release of the first episode of MBSing, MBS holed up in a studio and took 35 calls from past guests of the show. The topics ranged from specific episode updates to current concerns to catching up. Here's the fourth installment of nine calls from friends: Nick Johnson, who shared a story about the worst NOFX concert experience he has ever had. Bryan Duff, who addressed some FAQs he gets about his episode re gluten, food allergies, and paying attention to what your body wants and needs nutritionally. Claire Friedman, who realized her life changed pretty drast...2016-06-221h 44

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 158 - MBSing with Friends - Part ThreeOn the third anniversary of the release of the first episode of MBSing, MBS holed up in a studio and took 35 calls from past guests of the show. The topics ranged from specific episode updates to current concerns to catching up. Here's the third installment of nine calls from friends: Vernon Mina, who remarked on how much we made each other laugh and offered a clarification of his parents' roles in his life. Eric Braband, who made a Spotify playlist of Rustic Overtones songs and remarked on our newfound cohabitation. Katie Wadsworth, who updated myself and the listeners on her tran...2016-06-151h 25

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 157 - MBSing with Friends - Part TwoOn the third anniversary of the release of the first episode of MBSing, MBS holed up in a studio and took 35 calls from past guests of the show. The topics ranged from specific episode updates to current concerns to catching up. Here's the second installment of nine calls from friends: Stephen Kropa, who caught me up on all things Harmon and Wright since our first chat. Jessie Stegner, who started a podcast of her own recently and was looking forward to Little Mermaid at the Hollywood Bowl. Becca Taubel, who completed The Tanners trio and talked time. Tim Swindle, who...2016-06-081h 32

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 156 - MBSing with Friends - Part OneOn the third anniversary of the release of the first episode of MBSing, MBS holed up in a studio and took 35 calls from past guests of the show. The topics ranged from specific episode updates to current concerns to catching up. Here are the first eight sandwiched between some sweet voicemails: Sarah Shockey, whose new show Marty and Sarah Love Wrestling you should give a listen. Mike Gifford, who laments the passing of Shake, Rattle, and Read in Uptown Stephanie Corkery, who has nowhere near enough time to describe our colonic experience Andy Herren, who edits his love of lying...2016-06-011h 26

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 154 - MBSing with Bennett Botero and Brendan Stallings - Pen-and-Paper RPGsGrab a D20 and roll up a character sheet because we are gonna go on a softly-guided journey, listeners. Bennett and Brendan have both had a love for tabletop RPGs since being looped into campaigns as teenagers. After years of different game groups and editions of Dungeons and Dragons, they've joined forces with other members of their theatre company, Otherworld, to create a staged version of their beloved pastime, Fight Quest, that recruits an audience member at the top of the show to be their hero. Lots of talk about other fun RPGs (Fiasco, Lasers and Feelings, Vampire: The Masquerade...2016-05-181h 44

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 153 - MBSing with Eric Schinzer - SynthwaveEric Schinzer is no musical sheep waiting around for the sounds he loves to pop up in the lame stream. He knew he loved the sweet sound of synth from a young age (citing Dire Straights's Walk of Life as an early intro) and became a fan of midi, 80s sounds (and styles) from then on. A recent resurgence of synth came with a heavy dose of love of 80s-style scoring and turned into this specific Synthwave genre. It's mostly taking off in France and the UK, driven by soundtracks like Drive and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, and makes Eric...2016-05-111h 44

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 144 - MBSing with Bryson Howard - FranceIt's a very special college reunion episode of MBSing with dear friend, former improv teammate, and playwright Bryson Howard who has more love for France than anyone I've ever met. We talk about his early years in French classes, spending a semester abroad in Versailles, and his current stay as a teacher in a program called TAPIF just outside of Paris. It's many, many laughs, some pep talks, and a sobering conversation towards the end regarding his experience during and thoughts on the Paris attacks in 2015. Thanks to Cards Against Humanity and the Chicago Podcast Cooperative for sponsorship and camaraderie.2016-03-092h 03

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 141 - MBSing with Mike Gifford - CompanionshipMike Gifford graced MBSing with his presence for a frank conversation on companionship, or lack thereof. We cover ground from Mike's (late) introduction to masterbation, a peer into his soul-searching as a lifelong single person, a recent experience of the grass not being green at all on the other side, and his feelings about late Justice Scalia.2016-02-171h 44

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 137 - MBSing with Adam Schreck - Boy Scouts of AmericaBe prepared for an excellent MBSing episode full of campfires, merit badges, and Eagle Scouts with my friend Adam. He loves how much he learned as a scout, the time he got to spend with some of his best friends and father, and all the nights spent around a campfire (that he built) cooking for and otherwise entertaining his troop. It doesn’t surprise me to learn that the BSA was a very formative aspect of young Adam’s life as he’s only ever treated me and the audiences I’ve seen him entertain with the kindness and respect one woul...2016-01-201h 42

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 134 - MBSing with Leah Frires - MotownLeah Frires brought some much needed soul to MBSing with talk about her love of all things Motown. We spent time talking The Temptations, Steve Wonder, Diana Ross, and plenty of others PLUS we chatted about the cool bands her parents have been members of over the years that kept Leah passionate about music. I try to uncover how watching a modern version of The Temptations crushed Leah's spirit, but she was just too taken by them. We may meander here and there, but talk about how the Motown musical glazes over some important issues leads us into explorations of...2015-12-301h 49

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 133 - MBSing with Kevin Budnik Redux - Nicktoons Holiday SpecialsIt's an MBSing holiday special as I welcome back Kevin Budnik 100 episodes later to talk about a very specific, festive corner of his original topic, cartoons. We cover a lot of ground (Catdog, As Told By Ginger, The Wild Thornberrys, Fairly Odd Parents, etc.), but we spend the most time dissecting Rugrats Chanukkah and the Christmases of Doug, Hey Arnold, and Rocko. My favorite part is not the nostalgia but how we view these specials as adults and the lasting themes they have for us. Kevin's got some fun insight as to more serious inspiration for certain silly storylines and...2015-12-231h 37

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 121 - MBSing with Alex Cox - RobotsAlex Cox, Deputy Events Manager at Cards Against Humanity and cohost of the Roboism podcast, came on MBSing to talk of her love of all the little robots in her life. From R2D2 to Siri and an MIT robotics lab to Ex Machina, we cover a lot of AI and Sci-Fi robot ground all within a discussion of gender, feminism, and general altruism and humanity as it relates to robotics and the empathy that makes us humans. Thanks to Emporium Arcade Bar for sponsoring and The Chicago Podcast Cooperative for coordinating sponsorships and support.2015-09-301h 32

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 117 - MBSing with Brandon Shockney - Spider-ManYour friendly neighborhood Brandon Shockney swung by MBSing with some sweet Spider-Man knowledge in tow. From the uber '90s animated series to the current Ultimate Spider-Man comic series with Miles Morales to the next remounting of Spidey's story on the big screen, Brandon and I explore what it is about Spider-Man that makes him an accessible hero. I learned a ton about the different iterations of the character while Brandon humored my critiques of the more recent additions to the Marvel film universe (as well as voicing his own frustrations and desires for bigger risks to be taken). We...2015-09-021h 41

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 115 - MBSing with Brendan Dowling - MysteriesBrendan Dowling stopped by MBSing to weave tales of mystery and intrigue. We covered the books, television, and film he grew up with and continues to enjoy all in the vein of whodunits (The Westing Game, Marple, and Clue, to name a few), and I love the insight into what draws him to the genre and how it feeds into his life as a performer. Some personal highlights include that Brendan knows he's immediately interested in something if it's set at a boarding school, that he developed a love for a PBS Masterpiece series at an age that has to...2015-08-1921 min

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 114 - MBSing with Amy Sumpter - The Beastie BoysMCAmy (AKA Ms Sumpta if ya nasty) joined me for a second time (I LOST THE FIRST ONE. AN MBSing FIRST. SHE TALKED ABOUT THE WHITE SOX AND IT WAS A GREAT EP, TOO) to talk her love of everyone's favorite hip hop group featuring three Jewish dudes from NYC. After laying down the truth on how the Boys' gear change around '94 to clean up their lyrics turned her into a feminist, Amy breaks down the origins of her all-female Beastie Boys tribute band, She's Crafty. Yeah. You read that right, and it's the best. They have performed all...2015-08-131h 29

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 107 - MBSing with Wyn Evans - Well-BeingWyn Evans is more present, happy, and aware than he has probably ever been in his life, and he came on MBSing to share some of his relatively-newfound peace and understanding with me. Wyn found this "persistent nonsymbolic experience" through spirituality, meditation, and other exercises in The Finders Course on human well being, but the biggest takeaway here is loving yourself and knowing you deserve love and happiness. We discuss the fine lines between awareness and meditation that can fill you with optimism and gratitude versus soul searching that leads to codependency and "dark nights of the soul." We also get...2015-06-241h 34

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 100 - MBSing LIVE with Trin Garritano - Parks and RecreationOh Trin, you beautiful tropical fish. You’re smart as a whip, and you’re cool under pressure. You cunning, pliable, chestnut-haired sunfish. You poetic, noble land-mermaid. Thank you for joining [read: enabling] me to talk about Parks and Recreation in front of an audience of friends, past guests, and fellow contributors to this incredible live celebration of the first 100 episodes of MBSing. Before a backdrop of an early edition of the Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness graciously provided by Sarah Shockey, Trin and I babbled about as much of Parks as we could cover, but damn if there aren't 1,000,000 thing...2015-05-061h 52

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 98 - MBSing with Logan Dean - HP LovecraftGrab your Necronomicon and find a well-lit area because it's about to get allllll Lovecraftian on MBSing! Logan is a huge HPL aficionado to the extent that he's written an entire biographical play about him and descended into madness during the process (much like a Lovecraft protagonist!). If that doesn't get you onboard the 'craft, I don't know what will. We chat a ton about his enormous influences in spite of his short life and limited, scattered works mostly made up of short stories written for pulp magazines, but we also get into the way art can tend to be...2015-04-221h 18

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 79 - MBSing with Danny Groh - The Chicago Improv CommunityDanny Groh is about to PowerSlam his journey from being a misbegotten salesman in Wisconsin to leaving the Chicago improv community behind for the creative allures of The Big Apple RIGHT into your earholes. He's warm, enthusiastic, and an absolute powerhouse on stage and as an MBSing guest, and I'm excited to share this man's experience in the community I'm a part of with the listeners. Danny achieved an MBSing first of telling MULTIPLE stories that made me openly cry. The man can tell a story, but he's also really had some wonderful people in his life helping him find...2014-12-102h 04

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 71 - MBSing with Stephanie Corkery - PoopStephanie Corkery is my very best friend. After attending college with her for three years and living with her for two, I may very well be the person who has heard her talk about poop more than anyone else. We decided to share this gift with the world. This episode made me laugh constantly, much like Stephanie does. We talk close calls, not making it, poop jokes, good poops, bad poops, what your poo is saying about you, and many other facets of our BM lives. She has also sat through countless MBSing recordings while being respectfully quiet in her own...2014-10-151h 34

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 70 - MBSing with Mel Evans - Female-Committed True CrimesFellow podcaster Mel Evans drops by MBSing for some October-appropriate scary killer talk! She is as delightful as she is knowledgeable about women who have committed murders. From Lizzie Borden to Snapped, we cover a lot of killer ground and have a total blast along the way. I don't think I ever would have pondered the different ways/reasonings females commit such crimes or the disparity between how they're treated for such sprees versus the drive behind male-committed killings and the way most are shrugged off as chemical imbalances. It's a weird thing we do as a society to slap a "...2014-10-081h 29

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 69 - MBSing with Marie Maloney - The KennedysMarie Maloney can tell you more about Jackie O than most people can tell you about themselves. This chat was a total blast [from the past] and a uniquely historical MBSing. Listen to me struggle to keep up as my historical knowledge specifically politically is feeble at best. But I did manage to recommend some great Kennedy-related pop culture recommendations. Marie has been fascinated by the Kennedys since the first or second grade when she read some god-forsaken children's book about presidential assassinations. Who writes that?? Also, she went totally method as Jackie for a class presentation the next year a...2014-10-011h 30

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 68 - MBSing with Graham Elwood - Crime Drama/Mob MoviesStand up comedian/podcaster/documentarian Graham Elwood joins me for an excellent MBSing exploring one of his favorite film genres, crime and mob movies. Upon moving from Madison, Wisconsin, to Evanston, Illinois when he was 11, Graham garnered a unique perspective on the films as he watched mobsters and crooked cops rule the streets both on his family's newly-acquired color TV and in his new hometown of Chicago. Graham is not just a film enthusiast, he cohosts the Comedy Film Nerds podcast, cowrote The Comedy Film Nerds Guide to Movies, and has directed two documentary films, Laffghanistan about his multiple stand up...2014-09-241h 11

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 60 - MBSing with Andy Junk - BatmanAndy Junk may have mad love for the Caped Crusader, but he is far from a Dark Knight. Brimming with kindness and enthusiasm, Andy covered all eras and all mediums of Batman fandom (comics, films, live action and animated TV series, video games, collectables... the works). There were no stones left unturned in this delightful romp through the bat cave. After rapidly consuming most of MBSing in a few weeks, Andy has become a super fan, so it's easy to see how he was able to become a buff on all things Batman after plowing through all the comics he...2014-07-301h 32

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 55 - MBSing with Matt Kidd - Playing SportsPut down your cleats and sit inside for a while to get into this sporty sports time ep of MBSing with Matt Kidd! Matt's a software engineer by day, so he's no normal brute, he just super loves sports from track to volleyball to that game you made up in high school at the lunch table. We cover a lot of ground where Matt's sports-playing history and future are concerned, but we also get into why we find sports so entertaining to play and watch even though the whole thing can seem silly and baffling at times. Come for the...2014-06-251h 15

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 54 - MBSing with Sean Price - The MuppetsIt's time to start the music, it's time to light the lights, it's time to listen to this hot off the presses episode of MBSing with my guest Sean Price who lovably gets into his fandom of the always lovable Muppets! Logically, we begin by touching on Muppet Babies (which is, fairly shamefully, some of my only real, consistent exposure to the whole Muppet thing), and move on to which films Sean likes the most, how we feel about the new Muppet movies, and work in some important Labyrinth/Dark Crystal talk. One of my favorite aspects was some discussion...2014-06-181h 22

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 53 - MBSing with Katie Johnston-Smith - Tom HanksChicago's sweetheart Katie Johnston-Smith makes a splash on MBSing by talking America's sweetheart, Tom Hanks. Seriously, who doesn't like that guy? Nobody. But I don't know anyone who likes him as much as KJS. At least not young Tom Hanks. Yeah, she specifically loves that scrawny, charming leading man, and we get into a discussion on whether that kind of guy even exists anymore in Hollywood and how he sometimes overcame the dreaded "80s pacing" of films and other times... not so much (we're looking at you, The Burbs). Come for the background on her "movement" surrounding Young Tom Hanks on...2014-06-111h 03

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 52 - MBSing LIVE with Max Temkin - AnimorphsI wanted to do something big for my 1-year anniversary, and boy was this night one of my favorites in a long time. Max Temkin and I got to carry on about our mutual love of the long-running young adult novel series Animorphs for an hour while getting laughs from a live audience and being flanked by some other incredible past guests along the way. If you've never read Animorphs, there's no need to fret: Max covers the plot basics before diving into his favorite aspects of the novels and the many, many qualms he had with the short-lived television...2014-06-041h 36

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 51 - MBSing with Andy Herren - LyingDear friend Andy Herren swings by MBSing today to tell me a bunch of hilariously true stories about times he's [mostly innocently] lied to some unwitting victims. Buckle up and enjoy the ride, and look out for some sweet nods to his time on Big Brother 15 where he used his love of lying to win buckets of money. Andy legitimately has some of the funniest stories I've ever heard a person share, and this episode is packed with them. Keep an ear out for multiple mentions to the Legally Blonde films (yes... both of them) and a time he may...2014-05-281h 08

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 49 - MBSing with Steve Persch - Making WebsitesNerdologues member/webmaster/genius Steve Persch graces the MBSing hot seat to jam about all things website building. Or at least as many things we had time for plus some other tangents. Listen to my gears churn as I try to keep up with the details, and stand in awe as you listen to someone with a theatre degree describe how he turned a challenge into a career (and a hobby) through self-teaching. Steve is such a jack of all trades, and hearing him compare certain aspects of website building to certain aspects of improv was especially interesting. He really...2014-05-151h 22

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 48 - MBSing with Chris Smith and Nathan Smith - The Atlanta BravesAny regular listener of MBSing (or friend of mine) knows how much I love the Atlanta Braves, and a vast majority of that love is due to my father and my brother. I had the opportunity to sit down with them to chat about our mutual love for the Bravos and how it has flourished over the years. Eyes got teary, metrics got sabered, and fun was had. My dad, Chris, gets into how his love of the Atlanta Braves has existed ever since the team was the Atlanta Braves. Civil rights becomes an interesting aspect of the conversation, he tell...2014-05-081h 06

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 47 - MBSing with Wolfgang Stein - StorytellingPop a squat on a campfire log, listeners. Wolf has been telling me stories since shortly after I moved to Chicago, and I couldn't have been happier to have him weaving tales with me on MBSing. Wolf's love of storytelling was born at summer camp, and he continues to entertain audiences with a passion ignited there by Mountain Mike, a tall tale telling counselor. Wolf is incredibly warm and kind, and I imagine the people he got this love from are, too. He shares his love all over the city in many different ways and even feels unsure if he's f...2014-04-301h 14

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 44 - MBSing with Sawyer Heppes - SitcomsSawyer Heppes (of the Otherworld Theatre ensemble and host of his own podcast, OC Dweeb) tunes in to MBSing to share his love of and long-standing fandom for television sitcoms. What started with TGIF (Boy Meets World, Step by Step, Full House, Family Matters, etc.) was bolstered by Nick at Night (Bewitched, I Love Lucy, ...Fresh Prince, etc.) and continues with the most recently syndicated shows (HIMYM, Big Bang Theory, Community, etc.), and Sawyer has a lot of insights as to how he feels those shows affected his family life growing up and his creative tastes now. My favorites include his...2014-04-091h 22

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 43 - MBSing with Adam Levin - FailureAdam Levin is a Chicago improviser not afraid to air out his failures, and it made for a really compelling, funny episode to record. He tells so many stories of improv, romantic, and work-related failures that, if nothing else, this will be a fun ep to commiserate with (or make you feel better about your own, less awkward failings?). Adam is determined and kind throughout all of these anecdotes, and he never tries to point fingers and blame others for his stumbling blocks. His honesty is refreshing, and his thoughts on his own situations are so new and present he...2014-04-022h 26

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode [Sum] 41 - MBSing with Jeff Murdoch - High School MusicThe ever-hilarious Jeff Murdoch comes by MBSing to talk about not only the music he loved while he was in high school but also the universal idea of music and things everyone liked when we were in high school in order to seem "cool." As well as doling out some totally solid life advice ("Don't sleep. Eat cookies."), Jeff gets into why he thinks he continues to like a lot of those high-school-favorite bands. DJ Jazzy Jeff spins jams as we chat and professes that if at the end of the day, someone asks him if he wants to listen to...2014-03-191h 31

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 39 - MBSing with Chris White - Power BalladsIndependent filmmaker Chris White's request to be on the show prompted a need for the first call-in MBSing, and the results made for one of my favorite episodes! Chris shared his top five power ballads in film with me, and we got off on a ton of other film (and reminiscent) tangents. I really loved working with Chris while I was in college and have enjoyed following his filmmaking career from afar since I moved to Chicago, so getting him on the show to preach the merits (and broad definition) of power ballads was a real treat. We cover from R Ke...2014-03-071h 42

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 34 - MBSing with Padraic Connelly - Jeopardy!What is a great episode of MBSing? In this week's episode, Pad tells me of his long-standing love for Jeopardy! that recently culminated in an appearance on the show. His episode won't air for another month or so, but Padraic explains the process, describes some of the true characters he encountered along the way, and covers why he thinks the show and a love of trivia have remained as important as they are to him. We also get to unpack what Pad's fun fact introduction on the show was and how it later came back to haunt him in Double Jeop...2014-01-291h 08

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 32 - MBSing with Julia Weiss - FoodAnyone who knows Julia knows she's an incredibly passionate person, and I couldn't wait to get her on MBSing to chat about one of the many things she's passionate about. Possible topics included feminism, childhood/nannying, social networks, drinking, Beyoncé, family, and a handful of others, but at the top of the episode my lovely roommate Stephanie drew Julia's topic out of a hat as an unbiased observer. Thus sealing our topic of discussion: food. We explored the good and bad emotions attached to food (comfort, joy, guilt...), the progression of Julia's tastes from exploratory meals she made as a c...2014-01-151h 14

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 27 - MBSing with Claire Friedman - DrawingClaire and I tackle the task of talking about a visual medium on an audio podcast, and we succeeded with flying colors. Claire is such a smart, kind lady who I consistently find myself lucky to have the pleasure of collaborating with regularly. She loves art and MBSing and did an excellent job sharing her love of both with me. Get into it to hear us gab about Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the superlatives we did and did not get in high school (that we are still inexplicably holding on to), and the growth of her love for and...2013-12-111h 02

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 26 - MBSing with The Bearded Ones - ImprovThis is a v. exclusive MBSing first: a podcast crossover episode! The first half is The Bearded Ones podcast hosted by my dear friends hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, Evan Harris and Jason Underwood. I tell them one of my most embarrassing performance stories that happened a few weeks ago, a tale about Clark Gregg's actor's nightmare, and an assortment of other fun things. The second half is me interviewing them about a mutual passion of theirs, improv comedy! They're on a team in South Carolina together called Laughing Stock and weave some tales of woe and triumph from their expe...2013-12-041h 54

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 19 - MBSing with Chandler Goodman and Spencer Smith - College FootballThere's a lot of MBSing firsts in this ep, guys! Two guests! Over one hour of conversation (because there were two guests)! So many bros talking about so much football in this, and I love every second of it. Chandler says a thing about sixth graders playing chess that is still making me laugh every time I think about it. Spencer informed me that Nebraska football games become the third-largest city in Nebraska whenever they take place. This. Episode. Is. Glorious. Notes: Here's Squall's site with an updated list of all of our shows. I deathly afraid this is what we sounded l...2013-10-161h 26

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 15 - MBSing with Jessie Stegner - MusicalsCaution: If you do not like singing AND fun, you will not like this episode because there is a ton of both. Jessie Stegner (the third member of my improv team Raygun Reagan to be on MBSing) and I gab like gal pals about a favorite topic of both of ours: musical theatre. She spoke more than once about how important musical theatre is to performance in general and why she thinks some people wrongfully write it off. Now let's go on with the show! Notes: Like the Ray Rea Wednesday page on Facebook for updates about our weekly show on Wed...2013-09-1858 min

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 13 - MBSing with Eric Garneau - Bruce SpringsteenDon your sleeveless shirts and tie your bandannas, folks, because this MBSing has a dress code. I sat down with my friend and fellow Nerdologues member Eric Garneau (and his sweet doggie AC) to chat about his musical hero, Bruce Springsteen. Eric has actually written a scholarly paper and been to a symposium about The Boss (both of which I'd think are MBSing guest firsts). As a result, he has some gloriously well-worded thoughts and feelings about Springsteen. Phrases like "the magic of Springsteen's music is elevating the mundane to the epic" left me feeling at a loss for words to...2013-09-0454 min

The Nerdologues Present: MBSingEpisode 2 - MBSing with Whitney Golden - The ’80sMore MBSing for your ear holes! Listen to Whitney Golden and me discuss her favorite decade: The 1980s! The music, the movies, and the jean jackets... you name it, we gabbed about it. Blondie would've wanted you to listen! Notes: I reference this in the introduction (Patton Oswalt on birthdays): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJnCHy0p6n4 Whitney references this in the interview (a-ha's Take on Me video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914 (It's awesome, and I had never seen it!) 2013-06-0846 min