Shows
Pop Culture Field ManualTHE FINAL EPISODEWell, this is it friends. The end of the road. The last hurrah. We here at the PCFM Podcast are hanging up our podcasting shoes. We're putting our gear in a trunk and putting it in the closet until a mission comes up that only we can do.This is our final podcast episode. We're taking an indefinite hiatus from the show to pursue other projects. We may do an occassional podcast here and there, but this is pretty much it. It's been a fun ride. We've loved all the support we've received from day one and thank...
2024-05-221h 16
Pop Culture Field ManualWe Need ClosureWe’ve all experienced a movie, tv show, video game or book that when we reach the end we sit back and think….IS THAT ALL?! ARE YOU FRIGGIN’ KIDDING ME?!?!?! Unsatisfying endings or endings with cliffhangers that never get resolved can stay with us for, well… long enough for one to feel the need to make a podcast episode about. So Izzy and Cam are here to lament over some of their not so favorite endings in pop culture.A near immaculate game of "All the Closure You Can Handle" caps off this sometimes bitter episode. It's deserved...
2024-04-171h 02
Pop Culture Field Manual2023 Year in ReviewWith 2023 firmly in their rearview, it's time for Izzy and Cam to look back and take stock of the year. That's right, folks, it's the PCFM 2023 Year In Review. What were the highs? What were the lows? What pieces of pop culture took them to new heights and which abysmal pieces of crap sent them spiraling in a hate fueled rant, wishing death upon their creators?This episode is tied with a lovely bow of a game called "Two Truths and a Lie - TV Show Edition." Can Cam see the lies or will he be blinded by...
2024-01-101h 12
Pop Culture Field ManualThe Italian StallionThis week in our continuing series of episodes focusing on one person or franchise, we’re turning our big PCFM spotlight onto Sylvester Stallone. If Arnold Schwarzenegger is the granddaddy of all action heroes, then Stallone is certainly the well-to-do uncle. Uncle Sly has been in his fair share of movies and at 77, he’s still making them. Certainly one of the great action icons of our time. Izzy and Cam breakdown everything Stallone and what makes the Italian Stallion such an icon.To end this episode, we've brought back our most popular game (probably) "Who's One Liner Is I...
2024-01-0356 min
Pop Culture Field ManualThe Arnie EpisodeA lot of times on this podcast, we’re all over the place. We cover a wide range of topics and we go off on tangents, and all of that is FINE. But Izzy and Cam thought it’d be fun to focus on one person or franchise for an episode, and we hope to make this a recurring thing. This week, they’re going to talk all about Arnold Schwarzenegger. That's right, the granddaddy of them all. They’ll try and cover literally everything he’s ever done, or at the very least, talk about him semi-intelligently for an hour or so...
2023-11-2952 min
Pop Culture Field ManualPropaganda!Planning on creating a relentless regime with your ideals hell bent on world takeover? Well, armies don't just fall out of the sky! You’re going to have to put in some extremely biased work in order to get those clueless fools to follow you into the loins of battle. "How can I start?" you may ask. Propaganda is a great start. Propaganda has been around for thousands of years and if you have access to the internet, you have probably come across one example. For today’s PCFM episode, Izzy and Cam are going to dive deep into the intr...
2023-09-2753 min
Pop Culture Field Manual1st Annual PCFM AwardsIt's the 1st Annual PCFM Awards! Cam and Izzy are handing out awards to all their favorites. Best Fight, Best Vehicle, Best Action Stars and more! The Golden Grenades are being tossed around like crazy and only the luckiest and most deserving pop culture people and moments are getting them.Of course this episode ends with a game, but we'll let you get to the end and discover how fun it is.Support the showBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.
2023-09-0656 minPop Culture Field ManualWork the BodyWhenever people are placed in front of a burning wall of adversity, the one thing they have control over that can be used as a weapon of mass destruction to tear down that wall is their own physical bodies. The ability to become a barrel chested, 5 mile-running, weight crushing machine is a skill Cam and Israel have honed in their own military experiences, as well as watched heroes in some of their favorite pieces of pop culture cultivate. Ask yourself, would Rambo have been as successful hip firing a M60 if he wasn't that jacked? Exactly. So today, Izzy and...
2023-08-1652 minPop Culture Field ManualAll Anime Part 2It's the long promised part 2 to our first all anime episode. Yes, Izzy and Cam, those big anime aficionados are back for more. They're all over the place in their totally awesome anime (and some non-anime as well) exploration. Arcane? Hell yeah. Invincible? It's in there! Robotech? Eh, probably. We're not going to lie, we've lost track. There's a lot, okay? Just...just listen and enjoy them talking about anime. The game is "Cartoon-Up Part 2" which is in no way related to the game they played on the first anime podcast. Chris just likes the name. Support the sh...
2023-07-2650 minPop Culture Field ManualMarines, Jarheads and LeathernecksMarines! You know 'em. You love 'em. They're the hard charging, the tough-as-nails fighting men immortalized in Full Metal Jacket, Heartbreak Ridge, Halo and too many other pop culture properties to count on one podcast. This week Izzy and Cam pay tribute to all their favorite Marines on the planet (and some on other planets). Semper Fi!An excellent game of "Famous Marine or Just Some Guy" ends this episode of the Pop Culture Field Manual Podcast. Is it the perfect game? We like to think so, but you be judge.Support the showBecome a supporter of...
2023-06-1454 minPop Culture Field ManualPatreon Exclusive Episode 3: This Is WAR!This is a special presentation while the podcast takes a break to reset. This is one of the Patreon Exclusive episodes available to the top two tiers of Patreon subscribers. Enjoy!There are a lot of pop culture properties about war. A LOT. But what is that definitive piece of pop culture that really shows you what a given (American) war was all about? Well, you won't have to think about that ever again because Izzy and Cam lay out their picks for the cream of the crop of war representation in pop culture. A real who's who...
2023-05-101h 25Pop Culture Field ManualBattleground: AfricaAt the PCFM Podcast, we try to cover every angle, every place and include everyone. So in keeping with that, this week we're talking about Africa and all those amazing pop culture battles that have taken place there. Izzy and Cam cover some of their favorites and even some pretty obscure ones everyone should check out. Listen in while we cover Battleground: Africa.And the perfectly crafted game of "AFRICA OR NO AFRICA" puts Cam's Africa pop culture knowledge to the test. We hope it challenges you as well.Support the showBecome a supporter of this podcast...
2023-04-2645 minPop Culture Field Manual100th Episode Spectacular feat. Savage ActualThe moment is upon us. The time has come. The prophecy has been fulfilled. A truly awesome milestone in the history of the Pop Culture Field Manual Podcast. 100 episodes and still going strong! And to help us celebrate this world breaking, epic, momentous event we have two men who are equally world breaking and momentous Patrick Moltrop and Jason Lilley of Savage Actual!An unbelievable game of "Military Movie or Porn Movie" wraps up this extra-special episode of the PCFM podcast. Thank you all for sticking with us. Here's to 100 episodes and to 100 more!Support the show
2023-04-051h 08Pop Culture Field ManualSuper Soldiers Make Super FriendsWhat makes a super soldier super? Is it genetic enhancements? Is it cybernetic implants? Is it a super great attitude? All these questions and more are answered in today's episode. If any questions are not answered, please send us an email and we'll be sure to ignore it because WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. Just kidding. We love your emails and encourage you to continue sending them in!The episode ends with a fun-filled game of "Fun Fact or Fun Fiction." It's more a game about how much you paid attention during the podcast than anything else. S...
2023-03-2246 minPop Culture Field ManualThe Deep DiveHere on the PCFM podcast we cover a wide variety of topics. But in the episode we are going deep rather than wide and jumping into a few pieces of pop culture we think are worth an in depth look. Grab your metaphorical scuba gear and join us in this episode we are calling The Deep Dive.A fun (but challenging) game of "What's My Line?" ties off this episode. The game isn't difficult if you've seen the specific movies, video games and tv shows Chris uses, so there's that.Support the show...
2023-02-011h 08Pop Culture Field ManualThe Christmas Episode: Santa SlaysMerry Christmas, friends and family, listeners far and wide, Fuzzy privates, Salty Sergeants and Lifers all! It’s Christmas time here at PCFM HQ and do we have a cheerful, joyful, merry and murderous show ahead. This episode we are spreading Christmas cheer by sharing our favorite kills from pop culture, the most creative, most brutal, most shocking, most memorable of deaths that we could find. So grab some hot coco, curl up by the fire that is your car because you finally had the courage to set it ablaze, and enjoy some season’s slayings with us.A sw...
2022-12-2146 minPop Culture Field ManualJust. The. Worst.You know something? Here at the PCFM we get to spend a lot of time talking about things we love. We have women in our lives who love us, we eat good food and sleep in nice warm beds and we love pop culture. We love talking about what we love. But that’s all about to change because today we’re talking about the WORST military movies of all time. Hold your nose and get ready to eat all your vegetables at once. The episode ends with a fun game of "Best or Worst Teammate." Would you want any of th...
2022-11-3048 minPop Culture Field ManualA Very Thankful PCFM PodcastWe're thankful for a lot here are at the PCFM Podcast. So for this episode we wanted to share all the things pop culture related (and in real life) that we're especially grateful for this year. That, as always, includes each and every one of you. You make this whole thing possible and without you it'd be two cranky veterans screaming into the void. Hopefully you're tucking into the podcast after a large meal with some family arguments sprinkled in.And because it makes perfect sense, this episodes game is all about "Doomsday Weapons." Happy Turkey D...
2022-11-2349 minPop Culture Field ManualThe Surprise EpisodeThis episode is a surprise episode! Cam and Izzy have no idea what we’re going to be talking about. But I, Magic Voice Chris, know. I KNOW ALL! These questions are all over the place. No theme. No reasons. Just a bunch of surprise questions Cam and Iz have to answer…or else.This episode ends with the classic game This Is Stuff You Should Know." How much do YOU know about Cam and Israel? It might be more than you think (and more than they know about each other.)Support the showBecome a supp...
2022-11-0238 minPop Culture Field Manual2nd Annual Very Spooky Halloween EpisodeIt’s the most wonderful time of the year…NO! Not Christmas! Halloween. The time when the forces of darkness come to cause chaos and havoc to all mankind. Wars, Ecological disasters, Social and political upheaval…so basically like any other time of the year. It’s time for our 2nd Annual Very Spooky Halloween Episode ooOOoOooo!!! Cam and Izzy explore all their favorite Halloween movies, games and tv shows. This week's game has a twist! Magic Voice Chris must answer the questions Israel and Cameron ask in this game called "Who's Out To Get You?" SPOILER: IT'S THE GOVER...
2022-10-2657 minPop Culture Field ManualSequel 2: The ReckoningFirst, they had a podcast. Then, they did it again. Then…they did it 73 more times. And this time…it’s personal…and revenge…and all the other cliched phrases designed to get you interested in, that’s right, the sequel to whatever. Today we are going through our top 5 lists of worst, and best, sequels. And we’re glad you could join us again….again.Izzy challenges Cameron with a game or "Tagline" to round out this epic episode of indeterminate length. Hope you've memorized a bunch of taglines, because that's exactly what the game consists of.Supp...
2022-10-191h 15Pop Culture Field ManualThe Future of FightingLasers! Robots! Small explosives that make big booms! These are the types of things that Izzy and Cam are looking forward to as the future of warfare and defense progresses to that ultimate technological future: robots enslaving us all. Well, maybe not that last part, but lasers are pretty cool! Join our hosts as they think through what the future of fighting will look like!No game for this episode as Cam and Izzy plumb forgot. If you're dying for a game, go back and listen to a past one that really blew your skirt up. Support the s...
2022-10-121h 02Pop Culture Field ManualCama-cama-CAMEOS!Hey!...was that who I thought it was? Why yes, young friend it was. Maybe it was fun. Maybe it was powerful. Maybe it was awkward and unnecessary but the cameo is a mainstay of pop culture story telling. A cameo can be the cherry on top of the sweet strawberry shake of a fine film or the thorn in the bottom of the shoe of a bad one. Today Cam and Iz are exploring some of the best and worst of the military pop culture cameos we could find. SPOILERS, there will be Jimmy Fallon.The episode ends with...
2022-10-051h 01Pop Culture Field ManualWhere My GWOTs At?!GWOT! For those not in the know GWOT stands for Good With Others's Toes. No, not that. That's from our other podcast, TCFM: Toe Culture Field Manual. GWOT is the Global War On Terror. A war we’re sure to win one of these days. Maybe even tomorrow. But for now, the best we can do is bask in all the pop culture fodder that has been made of the GWOT so far. And being two veterans of the Global War On Terror, this happens to fall neatly into the category of “Things we know about firsthand.”A fun ga...
2022-09-281h 10Pop Culture Field ManualThat's An Order!Military Officers. You might pump your fist in the air with pride or cringe at the idea of brass getting lost in the woods. Depending on your reaction you might have been commissioned yourself or had a loved one in the officer corps or done the right thing and enlisted. Whichever it is we don't care and we hate you. All jokes aside officers are at the core of all critical mission planning as well as leading their soldiers into combat. This episode celebrates the officers, good and bad, we see in movies, games and television. But let's...
2022-09-211h 08Pop Culture Field ManualThe KillshotThe perfect time to pull that trigger. The moment you look into the eyes of the man who killed your wife and daughter. Landing the final blow the second before your enemy strikes. Perfect timing, the culmination of all your training, the perfect moment. Good writing REALLY! Today’s episode is all about the best killshots in pop culture. All those satisfying kills in the stories we love most. So strike hard! Strike fast! And fade away into the night….The team finishes up this humdinger of an episode with a game of "Name That Murder Tool." The names...
2022-09-141h 05Pop Culture Field ManualIt’s About TimeTime Travel. It’s fun to talk about. It's fun to DO (theoretically) What would you do? Go back and kill Hitler? BORING. That’s what everyone says, and it’s NOT HAPPENING. Izzy and Cameron talk about what They’d do, what pop culture has done with time travel, and their amazing movie idea for a time travel movie. Cameron is the game master for Izzy called “Time, She’s A-travelin' . Can Izzy get the name of the main character, the original year they time traveled from, or the year they time traveled to? Tune in t...
2022-09-071h 04Pop Culture Field ManualThe Guiltiest of PleasuresYou wake up early, work out, drink your protein shake and get right to work building your life and career. You listen to all the self-improvement podcasts (including this one), read all the Dave Goggins and Jocko Willink books. You work hard! You play hard! You keep you eyes on the prize, your nose to the grindstone and your feet firmly planted on the solid rock of responsibility….and you’re completely exhausted.Sometimes in the midst of all of life's challenges you just need to take a break and indulge in some simple joy and guilty pleasures. These...
2022-08-3157 minPop Culture Field ManualLet's Get RealWe like talking about the military in pop culture. And a lot of times we talk about movies or shows that depict real life events. But we’ve never done an episode where we ONLY talk about real events that feature in pop culture…UNTIL NOW! Ha ha! This episode Cam and Izzy are getting real and talking about their favorite, and also best done and accurate, portrayals of real military events in pop culture.We finish off with a game of "Salute the Rank, Not the Man" for all you fans of officers out there. Support the show...
2022-08-2452 minPop Culture Field ManualGoing RogueHave you ever questioned that the organization you've spent countless years trying to please is actually up to no good? Do you have a hunch that the establishment your connected to is not as morally righteous as your peers consider it to be? Have you ever considered going rogue to find the truth behind your suspicions? Oh… you answered no to all of these because you work for McDonald's? Ok, that is understandable… but not for the characters of the movies we are about to talk about on this episode. Pull out your alternate passports and scrape off our fingerprints. You...
2022-08-1755 minPop Culture Field ManualIn Over Their HeadsNothing is better than a fish out of water story. Unless of course the water is a dangerous situation and the fish is a highly unqualified person. Which brings us to our topic! Movies where a regular person is put in an incredibly dangerous, often military, situation. Will they make it out alive? Will they become battle hardened veterans who are now ready for anything? Let’s talk about it.A nice, friendly game of "Cammo Slammo" is the cake topper on this episode. How well do you know your military camouflage acronyms? Really well? Not well at al...
2022-08-1056 minPop Culture Field ManualWild Wild WesternsThe wild west! Some people say it wasn’t as wild as movies make it sound, but we say WHO. GIVES. A DAMN. Westerns are fun. They’re the original action movies. And there’s typically a clear cut line between good and evil, which is always satisfying. Cam and Iz run down a list of their favorite westerns and why they like them. You know... it's an episode.... about westerns. The game this time around is "Hang 'Em High Five." Think you know the difference between a western movie and a western video game? Saddle up and try it...
2022-08-0358 minPop Culture Field ManualOfficer What's His FaceYou know that one guy who was in that one film that one time? And remember how that one guy was in that other film but you didn’t realize it until you went back and saw that completely different film and then remembered that it was that guy and you’re like, “Hey, It’s what’s his face with the hair from that other movie!” Well today we are talking about that guy and a bunch of other guys and gals that were in things but you didn’t know it until we told you. Whether it's movies or TV or even v...
2022-07-2758 minPop Culture Field ManualNuke 'EmThe nuclear option! We all know what it is and we all know why no one has ever used it (those bombs in Japan were "atomic" and we’ll die on that hill). But that doesn’t mean people in pop culture don’t like to fantasize about it. But what do those fantasies look like? And are they realistic? Let’s find out! Cam and Iz talk about all their favorite radioactive pop culture content and, as is their way, let it blossom (or mushroom?!) into many off-topic discussions. This week's game is named after Cam's favorite song, RA...
2022-07-2050 minPop Culture Field ManualNinja, Please!Today's episode (throwing star!) is all about (sneak attack!) NINJAS! Cam and Iz have a real nice conversation about their favorite ninjas in pop culture, which surprisingly don't involve Japan as much as you think they would (although Japanese ninjas certainly make an appearance, never you worry). So put on your finest black outfit, throw a ski mask or some other black hood and try to sneak up on this podcast, if you even can. (SPOILERS: you cannot)How good are you at discerning Japanese food names from names of famous Japanese warriors? If you've always wondered, but...
2022-07-1350 minPop Culture Field ManualPop Quiz, Hot Shot: Part Deux (WWIACD)This episode is a sequel to our original Pop Quiz, Hot Shot episode we did a while back. It’s also known as “What Would Cam and Izzy Do?” Basically, Chris lays some scenarios on Cam and Israel and they talk (a.k.a. bullsh*t) their way through them and tell you how they would have done it. Do they stick to the script? Do they go rogue? Do they try to just GTFO of every situation Chris puts them in as fast as they can? The game in this episode is "Time is Just a Const...
2022-07-0650 minPop Culture Field ManualSpecial Patreon Announcement!We started a Patreon with three awesome tiers! Join up and get all the bonus goodies that come along with it. Happy 4th of July! America! Fireworks! Pop culture!Support the showBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.
2022-07-0402 minPop Culture Field ManualWaddup Gangsta?!Gangsters are everywhere and everyone. They can be Italian or Irish, Black or White, men or women. It doesn't matter. They're all gangsters and they're all terrifying. Which is exactly what Cam and Israel talk about in today's episode! All things gangster (with some little audio side quests about Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio accents). As the advice goes in the the Godfather, leave the gun, take the podcast.A fun game of "That's Gangster" will leave you wondering who comes up with all the gangsters' nicknames and how do WE GET THAT JOB?!Support the show
2022-06-291h 00Pop Culture Field ManualEggs Benedict ArnoldThis episode is titled: Eggs Benedict Arnold. No, we’re not coming up with a weird recipe for eggs Benedict. Although, if you added a bit of paprika…NO! We must stay on topic. And that topic is TRAITORS. Yeah, those treasonous bastards we all hate to hate. Nothing redeemable. And when they finally meet their ends, we’re all thrilled. You know the ones we’re talking about. Oh, what? You don’t? Then Let Cam and Iz tell you all about them. A fun round of Cam The Redeemer ends the episode as a palette cleanser. And somethi...
2022-06-2256 minPop Culture Field ManualCan You Survive This Episode?!Cameron and Izzy sit down to talk about everything related to survival (in pop culture). They definitely share some bits about their own training and talk, probably too long, about squeezing water from elephant poop. They top it all off with a great game of "Would You Rather?" where no one is the winner and you might throw up in your mouth a little bit. DISCLAIMER: We had some audio issues about halfway through the podcast, so apologies in advance for any poor sound quality on the back half of the pod. Thank you!Support the sh...
2022-06-1546 minPop Culture Field ManualBased!What do a volcano, the Death Star and an ice palace have in common? They're all pop culture bases, lairs and hideouts! Cam and Israel spend the podcast taking you, the lucky audience, on a tour of all their favorites (with a fair amount of detours; hope you like talking about poop) and explore what makes them so cool. There's also a long tangent about an episode of Ray Bradbury Theater that Israel goes on about, but it's interesting, so you'll enjoy it. An impromptu game of "What happened to this base?" finishes off this episode, so we h...
2022-06-0850 minPop Culture Field ManualPrisoners of WarPOW's in pop culture can be a tricky subject, but not in the hands of Israel and Cameron. They tackle prisoner of war movies the same way RAMBO jumps back into the jungles of Vietnam ready to rescue the American POWs. They finish off with a game of Geneva Suggestions: Rules. Real or Fake. Support the show!Support the showBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.
2022-06-0150 minPop Culture Field ManualPutting The EEE in ClicheWe've officially come full circle. Way back at the beginning of this journey we're on, our very first episode in fact, we did an episode about military cliches in pop culture. And here we are again! Expanding the list and still dumping buckets of hate on people who perpetuate these pop culture cliches in real life. Big take away from this episode: don't wear your combat uniform in public, even for a free meal at Denny's. A quick game of Complete the Cliche wraps out this episode with a very satisfying bang. So, keep your head on a swi...
2022-05-2543 minPop Culture Field ManualFantastic Fan Questions in the 4th Dimension!The fan question episode is back in full force. Time to find out the answers to all those burning questions. Did they ever use secret weapons? What was Cam's B-boy nickname? What video game would Cam, Izzy and Chris create? And most important, how do you train for basic training for like the 500th time. (Just do some pull-ups and run a mile everyday.) All these and many more!The episode finishes with a special game about special weapons. Can you name them all? Probably. But can Cam?!?Support the showBecome a supporter of this...
2022-05-1854 minPop Culture Field ManualWay Of The SamuraiThis episode has been a long time coming, and a special thanks to Zeus for the suggestion. That's right, there's no other way to slice it; this is the definitive samurai episode. Israel and Cam break out their trusty katanas to cut right to the heart of the topic, and delve into the history of samurais a bit as well. Yeah, we here at the PCFM podcast can do some learned stuff. It's not all Ghosts of Tsushima and Tom Cruise movies. But we certainly talk about those...a lot. The episode rounds out with a game of "Li...
2022-05-1154 minPop Culture Field ManualMay the 4th Be With YouWe're back! e hope you missed us as much as Rian Johnson missed the mark with the Last Jedi, because you can't miss anything more than that. And if all of our subtle clues weren't enough, this episode is all about Star Wars. Cam and Israel talk about what they love, what they hate and what they know absolutely nothing about! If you ever wanted an in depth PCFM episode about Star Wars then today is your lucky day, because if they dove any deeper into this topic, they'd go right through the center of Naboo. Izzy tries h...
2022-05-0456 minPop Culture Field ManualThe Invasion PersuasionWhat did the sovereign country say to the invasion? WOLVERINES. But seriously, invasions suck, but make for Grade A pop culture fodder. So Israel and Cameron take a minute (or 55) to talk about their favorites; spanning everything from World War II to World of Warcraft. Iz even manages to work in some Miyazaki, like the classy lad he is.Cam invented a game for this episode called "Hum It Like You Mean It." It's pretty great, so make sure you crank up that car stereo of yours to REALLY feel the bass. Good luck guessing the songs, though...
2022-04-1355 minPop Culture Field ManualRusskies!Russkies! They're everywhere in pop culture these days (this is not a political podcast). What is it about them that makes them such great villains (this is not a political podcast)? Cameron and Israel cover all the Russian bad guys, and good guys too, that populate the pop culture landscape and talk about why they've always got a target on their backs (this is not a political podcast). Some of the hits include: Red Dawn (the good one), COD: Modern Warfare Cold War, Zangief, Ivan Drago and many more!A rousing game of "Real or Fake" ties off...
2022-04-0654 minPop Culture Field ManualAvast! Pirates!Yar! Prepare thyselves to set sail on journey ye won't soon forget! Master Cameron and Captain Izzy are taking this motley crew on the sailing adventure....uh, this is exhausting. Pirates! They're everywhere in pop culture these days;TV, movies, videos games and many a romance novel feature pirates. What is it about pirates? Is it the lawless allure? The outfits? The awesome way they speak? (Arrrrrr) Whatever it is, Israel and Cam are going to figure it out. And they're bringing all your favorite pirate stories to the table: Pirates of the Caribbean, One Piece and yes, Treasure Planet.
2022-03-301h 00Pop Culture Field ManualSnipers: Reach Out And Touch SomeoneWhat operator in the military has the most mystique around it? is the the galley cook on a ship? NO. Is it the CIA operative deep behind enemy lines? Ooo. Maybe. That's a good one. We should do another episode about that. But no! It's snipers. Snipers hold all the mystery. The silent assassins. The calculating, patient stalkers of prey. And we have one on the show! Richard Maynes, who is a super cool dude who wouldn't hurt a fly, but is also ready for violence if it comes; his words) We get into what it's like to be a...
2022-03-2356 minPop Culture Field ManualCivil War (Not the Marvel Movie) in Pop CultureThe American Civil war was one of the bloodiest and horrific events in American history (for a great cause, though). Izzy and Cam talk about the ways that comes up time and again in pop culture; from Glory to Cold Mountain to The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, it has cemented its place in movies and TV. Not to mention all the strategy video games that you can play. You always pick the north, right? RIGHT?!The episode ends peacefully with a game of "Civil War Movie or Lifetime Movie." It's harder than you think. Doubly so...
2022-03-1650 minPop Culture Field ManualVehicle Wishlist 2: The WishlisteningRemember waaaay back at the beginning of this podcast? Episode 8? Well this is the sequel to that. That's right! Israel and Cameron are adding more fictional (and some very very real) vehicles to their wishlists. Israel is going into battle with a Tachikoma! Cam is going to fly in with a MH-6 Little Bird and light everything up! They list goes on. We're positive we missed some, so 38 episodes from now we'll do a part 3. Until then, enjoy!Cam tries his hand at a classic game of "Slangin' it!" How much military slang do you know? Probably not...
2022-03-0947 minPop Culture Field ManualMusic To Slay ToYou're getting ready to workout, or maybe go out on patrol on deployment, and you need that perfect music to get your head right. What are you putting on? Izzy and Cam use this episode to talk about music close (and not so close) to their hearts and what they like to hear while they're slaying. From the stuff they listened to while overseas to just plain old pump up music for their workout; this is for anyone who needs some music recommendations with some fun facts sprinkled in. "Name That DOOM!" is the name of the game. I...
2022-03-0249 minPop Culture Field ManualSoldiers of (a Not Very Big) FortuneWant a job that (might) pay well, involves meeting new people, flying to exotic locations and interacting with locals? Then Mercenary might be the career path for you! Cameron and Israel breakdown their favorite mercenaries from movies, video games and television. They really plumb the depths of the question "what is a mercenary?" Do bounty hunters count? What about assassins? And where are vigilantes in all of this? Those answers and more (Chris chimes in A LOT) on this very special PCFM episode.The show finishes up with a rousing game of "The Good, the Bad and the...
2022-02-2354 minPop Culture Field ManualThe Military Is A JokeThere's nothing funny about the military. Actually, on second thought, there are TONS of things that are funny about the military. There are also a ton of military comedies that have been made. All this is to say that this episode is Cam and Israel talking about military comedies (of which Israel has seen surprisingly few, but he explains that). So sit back, have a laugh and laugh. Yeah, we said laugh twice. It's THAT funny.We end the episode with a game of "Whose Line Is IT Anyway?" where Izzy tries to guess the movie from a...
2022-02-1651 minPop Culture Field ManualThose Darn Nazis!Is there a more hated and reviled group than the Nazis? We sure hope not, because boy, do they f*cking suck. Which is probably why they show up so often as bad guys in film, video games and television. Cameron and Israel use this episode to explore the history and references of Nazi Germany throughout pop culture (and actual history). The episode is tied up in a neat bow with the game "Hitler or No Hitler" where our brawny hosts must determine if Hitler is in the movie or video game that is named. It's a hoot. A...
2022-02-0950 minPop Culture Field ManualI Spy With My Little EyeThe C.I.A. is a military pop culture mainstay and it's time we talk about it. (WE KNOW YOU'RE LISTENING, CIA AGENT PERSON) Cameron and Israel go down the MK Ultra rabbit hole in this episode to talk about all the times the CIA shows up in movies, TV and videos games and saves the day, gives everyone a bad time or is just kind of...there. So keep your tinfoil hats on!A rousing game of "5 Clues" tops off this one with Cameron and Israel really flexing their knowledge muscles. Good luck, listeners!Support the show
2022-02-0243 minPop Culture Field ManualSubmarines: They're Not Just SandwichesWe at the Pop Culture Field Manual podcast love every branch of the military. And one particular job in one particular branch that flies under the radar (like, WAY under) is sailing on submarines. It's a tough job that neither Cam nor Israel would want to do, but they salute the men and women who do it. And with that salute, they spend a good 40 minutes talking about their favorite movies with submarines as the true main character; Hunt For Red October, Crimson Tide, Das Boot and all your other favorites. Dive! DIVE! DIIIIVE!This weeks' game is "...
2022-01-2652 minPop Culture Field ManualWhat a F*cking Disaster...Disaster movies are all the rage and have been for quite sometime. Everyone can delight in seeing a major city on earth destroyed by an asteroid, or flood, or aliens, or whatever horrific thing you like. But what people love more than that is seeing the world SAVED. Saved by people with honor. People with integrity. Yes, Izzy and Cam are talking about oil drillers who split asteroids in half for the full 45 minutes of this podcast. NO! They're talking about the military. And specifically about their role in saving the world time and again. Or in some cases, causing...
2022-01-1946 minPop Culture Field ManualHow Well Do You Know Your SOF?Cameron and Israel get a lot of questions about the differences between all the special operations groups in the military. Maybe not a lot, but a fair amount. Like, if you had to put the questions in a bag, it'd be a good sized bag- you know what? We're getting side tracked .The guys give an in-depth look at what all the special operations people do, from Delta, to MARSOC to Rangers and Green Berets. A comprehensive discussion and some fun stories about working with different groups. The episode rounds out with a game of "Who d...
2022-01-121h 11Pop Culture Field ManualSpeechificationSpeechification /spēCHəfəˈkāSH(ə)n/(noun)The act of speechifying and thereby inspiring others. It’s a common trope in movies, and particularly war movies. A hero gets up, gives the big speech and everyone gets jazzed to go and fight. Gives you goosebumps.Izzy and Cam do a rundown of some of the greatest movie and video game speeches in the history of pop culture. So prepare to get inspired and get the warm tinglies as they visit their favorite moments. They wrap it all up with a new fangled game of "F...
2022-01-0551 minPop Culture Field ManualPop Quiz, Hot Shot.Cameron and Israel get quizzed on this special version of the podcast. Scenario Master Chris (surely we can come up with a better name than that. Master Grader? Ugh, no. that's horrible) gives them a famous movie or video game scenario and they have to explain what their approach would be; Die Hard, Mad Max and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare just to name a few. Would they just plow through killing enemies to the end? Try to evade and escape? What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO?!This episode, fittingly, ends with a game of "Pop...
2021-12-2953 minPop Culture Field ManualChristmas in the PCFM Warzone!It's Christmas time, so start stacking bodies, er, we mean presents! Izzy and Cam talk all things Christmas and do their best to tie to action, the military and pop culture. Just they they always say. Die Hard, The Christmas Miracle of 1914 and more get a mention this episode, as well as plenty of personal Christmas stories sure to tug at your heartstrings. Merry Christmas!A fun game of "I'm Dreaming of a RED Christmas" to wrap it all up in a nice bow. It really does a nice job of combining our love for action and death...
2021-12-2254 minPop Culture Field ManualAnime! Anime! ANIME!One of our top requested episode topics has finally come to life! The Anime Episode! Cameron and Israel take a deep dive (holy sh*t do they go deep)into all things anime, covering A LOT; Naruto, Bleach, Studio Ghibli, Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan, and more. We mean, they talk about a lot and they don't even talk about all the stuff they personally love (Hell, there are even general mentions of hentai in there for good measure). They really nerd out and any anime fan should enjoy it. The episode ends with a rousing game of "T...
2021-12-1549 minPop Culture Field ManualDeath From Above!Cameron and Israel take the the skies in this episode dedicated to all those flying fighting forces we love. Be it the Air Force, Navy or even the RAF; they cover a lot of them. There's even some not so airborne stuff covered, like Red Dawn, but hell, it's our podcast and we'll fudge it however we feel like it. If you don't like it (or especially if you do) you can shoot us a line at pcfmpodcast@gmail.com to shout at us. We're happy with all feedback. The episode ends with a nice, well played game of...
2021-12-0848 minPop Culture Field ManualThis Episode is 100% Video GamesWe at the Pop Culture Field Manual podcast love video games. We really do. But we've come to realize a lot of times we end up talking about movies or television shows rather than giving video games the respect and time they deserve. To correct this we've dedicated this entire episode to military (and as always, military adjacent) video games and why we love them. Cam and Iz are bound to bring up one of your favorites, whether it's Call of Duty, World of Warcraft or even something super nerdy like the Lord of the Rings games. It's wall to...
2021-12-0152 minPop Culture Field ManualThe Thanksgiving EpisodeIt's that magical time of year where everyone (in America at least) stops to reflect on what they're thankful for. And although Israel and Cam are superior physical specimens with an intellect an average person can only dream of attaining, they're just like everyone else. This episode is dedicated to giving thanks for all of the pop culture magic they get to enjoy this year and every year.They finish the episode with a fine game of 5 Clues, with Cam in the driver's seat and Iz along for the wild, guessing ride. SPOILERS: Israel is good at this...
2021-11-2440 minPop Culture Field ManualPCFM Dream Teams!We finally did it. After months of planning and meticulously pouring over every possibly combination, we sat Israel and Cameron down to tell us their pop culture dream teams. Izzy's is an ODA and Cam's is a Ranger platoon (sort of) but the gang's all here and ready to fight whatever theoretical battle we can think up. Listen in and see how their teams stack up to your OWN dream team that you've written about obsessively in journal. Yeah, we read your journal. What are you going to do about it?The episode rounds out with a rousing...
2021-11-1743 minPop Culture Field ManualVeterans Day is EVERY DAYJust in time for Veterans Day, our two very own veterans Cameron and Israel sit down with fellow veteran Mike Eckard to share a bevy of cool war stories and talk about their favorite veterans in pop culture. If we tried a little harder, we probably could have fit a few more "veterans" into that previous sentence. Lots to enjoy here from tales of being Special Forces in Vietnam, to everyone dishing about their favorite cadre, to going over Sylvester Stallone's movie career. VETERANS!The episode rounds out with a soon-to-be-classic game of "Name That War." It's exactly...
2021-11-1055 minPop Culture Field ManualDon't Call It A Chick FlickWomen in the military (and action movies/video games) is not only NOT controversial, but something to be celebrated. Think of all the badass women that populate our pop culture: Jill Valentine, Captain Janeway, and of course, Ellen Ripley of the Alien franchise. Cameron and Israel bring on a special guest, retired Marine Jennifer Brofer, to discuss all things we love about fierce women in movies, television and video games. The gang plays an exciting round of "Lifetime Movie or Military Movie" to polish off this doozy of an episode. Finally, an excuse to tap into our collective l...
2021-11-0348 minPop Culture Field ManualA Very Spooky Halloween EpisodeBOO! Did we get you? Well, don't worry... we will. Israel and Cameron bring new meaning to the phrase "the amount of bodies that get stacked, something's gotta come back" as they bring to you the most creepy military ghost stories from around the U.S. Armed Forces: the terrifying events at OP Rock, haunted tunnels in Vietnam and even a chilling first hand account from Cameron's time at Ft. Benning. The episode reaches its final destination after a light-hearted game of PURE EVIL. Do you know which bad guys live in which movies and games? Yeah, well, s...
2021-10-2750 minPop Culture Field ManualBonus Chapter! - The ThingJust in time for Halloween, a bonus chapter discussing The Thing. Israel breaks down why he loves the movie and Cameron interrupts him to tell him why he loves the movie. They go back and forth. It's a whole thing. Very entertaining.Support the showBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.
2021-10-2512 minPop Culture Field ManualA Heist Podcast? WE'RE IN.Assemble your team: you need the quiet person, the technology person and the person that makes ill timed jokes. We're talking HEISTS, baby! In this episode Cameron and Israel run through some of their favorite heist movies including Heat, Die Hard and Point Break. They even do you the huge favor of rating the heists, so please send us your handwritten thank you letters. The only thing they're interested in stealing...is your hearts. (And your time.)They finish up with a game of "What's the score?" It tests their knowledge of pop culture, real life and thievery...
2021-10-2055 minPop Culture Field ManualWe're not crying, YOU'RE CRYING.Tear jerkers aren't just sappy, poorly written Lifetime movies. Action/military movies can be as sad (and cathartic) an experience as anything you'll find. Cameron and Israel fight back the tears as they talk about some of their favorite sad moments in pop culture. Grab something to wipe away those tears: a Kleenex, an old sock or even your favorite issue of Guns and Ammo. They finish off the episode with a fun game of "You're f*cking with me!" It's either a game where Israel has to figure out if the movie premise is made up by C...
2021-10-1348 minPop Culture Field ManualBonus Chapter! - MilSimAnother delightful Bonus Chapter of the Pop Culture Field Manual coming at you. Cameron is discussing his experience with MilSim West (http://milsimwest.com) and what he thinks about that whole world in general. Israel chimes in a few times, but let's be real: this episode is all about Cam.Support the showBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.
2021-10-1111 minPop Culture Field ManualBetter They DieSome people are the WORST. But imagine that person being in your platoon or in command of you; EVEN WORSE. Israel and Cameron explore all the soldiers from movies and video games that make you say "Don't be that guy." The episode rounds off with a "Game of Chicken." IT could also be called "Name that coward," but we didn't name it that and you're going to have to live with that. Unlike the people we talk about in the game who almost all eventually die most often a coward's death.Support the showB...
2021-10-0649 minPop Culture Field ManualWith Veterans Like These...Our two favorite veterans talk about some of their favorite veteran characters populating the pop culture landscape. Walter Sobchak? Check! Walt Kowalski? Right here, buddy! We promise, we talk about veterans not named "Walt."They round off the episode with a game of Israel's invention called "Dance Move or Finisher." Cameron's dance move knowledge is put to the test. Also his Mortal Kombat 11 knowledge. Play (or dance) along!Support the showBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.
2021-09-2949 minPop Culture Field ManualBonus Chapter! - AliensThis is a new segment we're trying out: Bonus Chapters. A little extra content for all the PCFM fans out there. Cameron or Israel (or sometimes both!) will take this time to talk in depth about why they love certain bits of pop culture. Whether it's a game, a movie or even a particular character.This Bonus Chapter, to no one's surprise, is dedicated to Israel's love of the movie Aliens. Enjoy!Support the showBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.
2021-09-2711 minPop Culture Field ManualMonsters vs. The MilitaryWhen a monster attacks, who are you going to call? Probably not the fire department. Certainly not the Ghostbusters, because they're fictional. There's only one choice left...the military! Israel and Cam take a deep dive into the military fighting all types of baddies, whether they be werewolves, beings from another dimension or just plain old Godzilla. Nine times out of ten, the military is more likely to save you in these situations than some egghead, am I right?They end with a game cameron crafted just for Iz, called "Interview With A Monster." We can all agree...
2021-09-2249 minPop Culture Field ManualFan Questions 3: Revenge of the AnswersCam and Iz take some time out from their busy schedule of being badasses to answer some of your most pressing questions. Do soldiers talk politics? What fictional fighting force would they like to join? What's the skinny on gunshot wounds?!? All these and more get the PCFM treatment. They round out the episode with the soon-to-be-fan-favorite game "What number am I thinking of?" It's not what you think. Or it is because you're some freakishly good guesser. Either way, it's fun!Support the showBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/p...
2021-09-1552 minPop Culture Field ManualThat's Not A Knife...Weapons are cool. Cam and Iz know it. You know it. A well built weapon can be the difference between life and death. But what happens when you don’t have that perfectly crafted marvel of modern engineering handy? Why, just grab a bat with some nails in it and voila! You’re a killing machine. Today’s episode is dedicated to all the makeshift weapons out there that we love. Whether it's a katana strapped to a machete or shotgun shells attached to mousetraps, or hell, even a plain, old magazine, no weapon is a bad weapon.They e...
2021-09-0856 minPop Culture Field ManualHey, Man! That's Just A Stereotype!Stereotypes; we all use them. But there are some especially fun ones about military personnel that Cam and Iz have been dying to talk about. Whether you're looking to get a sweet Dodge Charger at 15% APR right out of basic or trying to navigate grunt fashion, or if you're just trying to avoid being a "dirty bird," these guys have all the advice you need. They round it out with a game of "5 Clues" with Israel in the drive's seat and Cameron trying his best to guess before the clues run out. No pressure, Cam, just your ENTIRE R...
2021-09-0137 minPop Culture Field ManualRemember the Alamo!Winning isn't everything. In fact, sometimes being on the losing side is more memorable. Israel and Cameron delve into their favorite last stands in pop culture. The discussion ranges from the Battle of Scarif to Platoon and the always required mentions of Aliens and Lord of the Rings. Oddly enough, the Alamo is never talked about. Weird.They finish with a game of "One Liner Bonanza." Can they match their perfect game from last week? Vegas puts the odds at 1:50. Place your bets!Support the showBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com...
2021-08-2543 minPop Culture Field ManualBad Guys We Love...To HateFrenemies? Who needs that?! Give Israel and Cameron a good old fashioned, evil bad guy any day. Someone that is truly terrible, but you still find yourself rooting for them (just a little bit). They cover a lot of ground here; everyone from the Balrog to Alma from F.E.A.R. We hope you're listening on a long car trip (you know you only listen to this in your car) because once you start this episode you won't be able to stop it. It is...inevitable. They end with a round of "Is This Guy For Real?" a...
2021-08-1848 min