Ten years ago, author and essayist Christopher Hitchens died from complications of esophageal cancer. Ryan and Sebastian take a look at his books and legacy, as well as talk about the conundrum surrounding the development of his unauthorized biography due out next year. The guys also take a detour on a trip they took in Downtown L.A. recently at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA to see the immersive art of Pipilotti Rist. To learn more and check out Rist's art: https://www.moca.org/exhibition/pipi...
Dec 18, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 96
Returning guest Ryann Perkins joins the show to talk with her co-host Morgan Morrison about their new podcast, "Am I Doing This Right?" Eleven episodes in, they've ranged from a wide variety of topics critical to millennials going through their twenties and aging out into their thirties, and whether or not they're getting them right. From quitting your job to sex while single, Ryann and Morgan go all in on their young show that YOU should give a listen. To do so, go to: https://podcasts.apple.co...
Dec 10, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 95
Sit back and relax during the first half of the show as the guys catch up on their week off spending Thanksgiving with loved ones, how work's going, the breaking news on the omicron variant of COVID-19 reaching the Golden State and the overall decline of the American Empire. For the second half, Beatlemaniac Ryan gives his mixed analysis on Peter Jackson's recently released Disney+ documentary, "The Beatles: Get Back." Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastia...
Dec 03, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 94
Ryan and Sebastian are off this week, so here's the full and unedited (for the most part) conversation whittled down to four minutes for KCRW's 24-Hour Radio Race talking about rascally neighbors paranoid about crime in the suburbs and how those obsessions drive the culture of pseudo-vigilantism in a hyper-alienated age of reaction. Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: Seabass on YouTube Ryan Mancini: @mancinira (Twitter) and @manciniryan (Instagr...
Nov 26, 2021•38 min•Season 2Ep. 93
Reporting from Downtown Los Angeles, Ryan talks about the concept of book bans among avid book collectors while Sebastian talks about his latest official and unofficial illustrations, and the guys engage on their recent contribution to KCRW's 24-Hour Radio Race about what the state of neighborhoods in America mean in a world gone mad. Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: Seabass on YouTube Ryan Mancini: @mancinira (Twitter) and @manciniryan (Insta...
Nov 20, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 92
The guys tour the classes of history and whether or not learning about history is about "making it" as an angry young, idealistic man. While not shooting the podcast in the foot, however, Ryan gives his final take on the recently released adaptation of "Dune." Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: Seabass on YouTube Ryan Mancini: @mancinira (Twitter) and @manciniryan (Instagram) Artwork by Zachary Erberich (@zacharyerberichart) "Space X-plorers" Ke...
Nov 13, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 91
We've reached Episode 90. What a milestone. Today's show is pretty fun as we reflect on book reports in elementary through high school. This dovetails into a long discussion on the story, characters, history, illustrations and logic of "The Indian in the Cupboard" series and 1995 film. Finally, we look back to traumatic assigned readings during our formative years and how, while there may have been a reason for us to read such dark tales of human misery at a young age, they were not presented wi...
Nov 06, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Season 2Ep. 90
For Mars on Life's second Halloween episode, the guys review the 2016 Japanese film "Shin Godzilla." Returning guest Ryan Wilson joins them as they discuss the franchise's history, the film's story and its shocker of an ending, as well as Eastern media translating for Western audiences and vice versa along with where the guys watched the movie: in a haunted house! Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: @drsebby (Instagram) and Seabass on YouTube Rya...
Oct 31, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 89
We talk once again about the state of films, killing off classic characters, thoughts on upcoming "Star Wars" series and how one should approach new films in the post-2020 world going forward. Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: @drsebby (Instagram) and Seabass on YouTube Ryan Mancini: @mancinira (Twitter) and @manciniryan (Instagram) Artwork by Zachary Erberich (@zacharyerberichart) "Space X-plorers" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed unde...
Oct 29, 2021•16 min•Season 2Ep. 88
Ryan finished "Squid Game" and watched the season premiere of "Succession." He also has some thoughts about the latest James Bond film that have left him shaken and stirred. Also, Dennis Prager claimed to intentionally catch COVID-19. Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: @drsebby (Instagram) and Seabass on YouTube Ryan Mancini: @mancinira (Twitter) and @manciniryan (Instagram) Artwork by Zachary Erberich (@zacharyerberichart) "Space X-plorers" Kev...
Oct 22, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 88
We went to The Autry and Ryan finished "Squid Game." (Editor's note: Either an AC or those Santa Ana winds came up on the audio, shouldn't be an issue moving forward.) Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: @drsebby (Instagram) and Seabass on YouTube Ryan Mancini: @mancinira (Twitter) and @manciniryan (Instagram) Artwork by Zachary Erberich (@zacharyerberichart) "Space X-plorers" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By At...
Oct 16, 2021•1 hr 33 min•Season 2Ep. 87
Sebastian talks about the latest Netflix sensation, the Korean series "Squid Game," and why you should watch it. We also talk about other new movies, Sebastian's recent viewing of "Twilight" and how it went unscathed from the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike – which transitions into the latest news regarding IATSE's developing plan to strike. We also dive deep into subtitled entertainment (and encourage more people to watch foreign films and shows), and Ryan provides his final analysis ...
Oct 09, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 86
Enough grouchiness about Congressional votes and depressing American history: Russel T Davies is returning as "Doctor Who's" showrunner! We (re)give our hot takes on the show, catch listeners up to speed on the current Doctor and evaluate what Davies' return means for the almost-60-year-old science fiction program. "Harry Potter" discourse also graces this episode – you've been warned! Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: @drsebby (Instagram) and ...
Oct 02, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 85
Sleepy? You're not alone. We look back on some goofy comments and requests Ryan received on Instagram, what kept Sebastian awake into the wee hours of the day we recorded and what both of the guys did over the weekend involving America's oldest pastime. Thanks to the algorithm, the show takes a look at some children's videos made by PragerU to teach the "real history" of Ronald Reagan and how he ended the Cold War. An illogical nightmare, we breakdown the installment of "Leo & Layla's Histor...
Sep 24, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 84
L's stay L-ing. Larry Elder was flattened by California voters despite getting the most votes during the California Recall Election. But we focus our attention on the Met Gala and the messaging behind AOC's dress and Ryan breaks down why the term "progressive" means nothing anymore in politics. Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: @drsebby (Instagram) and Seabass on YouTube Ryan Mancini: @mancinira (Twitter) and @manciniryan (Instagram) Artwork by...
Sep 17, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 83
We start off on some personal anecdotes in Hollywood followed by our analysis on British pop culture. The meat of the show is spent looking back on the events of September 11, 2001, a day Ryan still very much remembers despite being at a young age. We look on the ramifications of that day, how society and televised media responded in the following years to it, its historiography when compared to the you've-heard-us-put-it-this-way-but-here-we-are ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, how it pertains to rec...
Sep 11, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 82
Happy Labor Day, comrades! We continue where we left off, as Ryan takes a stab at the Democratic Socialism Simulator. With a bit of filibustering, will he maintain control of Congress and decrease global carbon emissions while stimulating the middle class to take hold of political power? We also delve into the the myriad of problems in U.S./Mexico policy that's worse than "open borders," how politics won't be over with the flick of a switch and how democratic socialists need to expand their effo...
Sep 06, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 81
Eighty! After all this time, hooting and hollering about absolutism and the news about Joe Rogan, we find ourselves with a simulator! In this first part playing the Democratic Socialism Simulator by Paulo Pedercini, Seb makes a go at leading the United States as a DemSoc president and making choices based those principles ("I didn't know Mitt Romney was a socialist?"). Will Sebastian maintain control of Congress? Will he see to the end of his tenure as president and win a second term? Find out! ...
Sep 04, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 80
Relax. Breath. Lose yourself to the antics of two combative British personalities. Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: @drsebby (Instagram) and Seabass on YouTube Ryan Mancini: @mancinira (Twitter) and @manciniryan (Instagram) Artwork by Zachary Erberich (@zacharyerberichart) "Space X-plorers" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 "Giant Wyrm" Kevin M...
Sep 01, 2021•3 min•Season 2Ep. 79
In this titanic episode, Ryan and Sebastian transition from their Facebook chat ( see the previous bonus episode ) into a reflection of their high school years. While more is expected in the episodes ahead, they provide a lens on the social aspect of being a teenager in 2010's America and how radically and mediocrely different their respective experiences are compared to what's become so stereotyped by 60 years of postwar teen culture, now met with the hindrances and oddities of where the hosts ...
Aug 28, 2021•1 hr 45 min•Season 2Ep. 79
OnlyFans is back in the headlines, but its actions as of this week may be too little, too late after announcing a ban on sexual content. We discuss technology's hold over the gig economy, the failure of institutions barely holding society up and the dominion that is Facebook. You can see why we don't view the social network in a positive light. Social media: Mars on Life: @marsonlifeshow on Twitter and Instagram Sebastian Schug: @drsebby (Instagram) and Seabass on YouTube Ryan Mancini: @mancinir...
Aug 27, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 79
"Cooking is a philosophy, not a recipe." - Marco Pierre White, chef and mentor to Gordon Ramsey Let's change things up. Seb's old friend and chef Arthur Tovmasyan joins the show to talk about his life and career cooking, a passion that's pushed him to his limits but has also refined his outlook on working in restaurants. He talks about his influences, work culture and advice for those seeking to go down a similar path. We cannot thank Art enough for joining us, expect him to return before the se...
Aug 21, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 78
Oh, yes. The influencers are back and they've brought an army. Unlike Dumbledore's Army, however, they serve the 46th president's wishes for everyone to get vaccinated. Will this work or is this pre-2022 midterms paranoia kicking in? We discuss this topic, as well as put a pin in our earlier discussions about the "California exodus" regarding a new-ish study about that very subject. Learn more about the exodus study at: https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2021/07/07/comprehensive-uc-study-debun...
Aug 13, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 77
If the last seventeen months are any indication, not all goes according to plan. Sebastian and Ryan salvage this episode with a Bob Dylan-esque stream of consciousness starting on the frivolities of influencers and why they ought to not combine their acts with restaurants, followed by how absolutism in politics outweighs two decades of debating and moralizing that's resulted in stagnation and societal decay. Those failures result in the over-saturation of podcasting, a consequence of the myth of...
Aug 06, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 76
We took a much needed detour on our last episode to cover some old news regarding the state of Texas and its education requirements cutting pivotal moments in American history pertaining to white supremacy (specifically, the KKK) and civil rights (namely, Martin Luther King, Jr.). Though this isn't a full examination or condemnation of our respective educations on history while growing up, we give our understanding from the outside looking in – as products of the California education system – to...
Jul 31, 2021•16 min•Season 2Ep. 75
This week's show concludes the avenue of American political and historical quizzes with The Campaign Trail, another free online interactive quiz where players can strategically campaign for the American presidency – and maybe win? It's not an exact science, as playing as the historically losing candidates may assure defeat while playing as the historical winners...also assures defeat. Well worth checking out, we recommend playing it and choosing which pivotal election you think you can win (watc...
Jul 30, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Season 2Ep. 75
We take another crack at an interactive episode with yet another quiz. This time it's the ISideWith quiz, where we discover which political parties and popular American politicians we are deemed to most agree with – some of it may surprise you, other comparisons likely won't. Either way, we had more fun tackling it as counterfactuals, (fun) predictions, historical trivia and personal anecdotes ensue. It's the show you know, you know? Stay tuned for a teaser to our next interactive quiz next week...
Jul 23, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 74
Filmmaker Amanda Sinks returns to Mars to talk about her latest film project, tentatively called "Delivery," and brought her cinematographer Alex Raaen along to talk about the 80's filmmaking styles that heavily inspired the shoot. As Amanda's previously put it, "It’s a short film about a local delivery pizza guy who is tested for his courage of love. This story is a part of a bigger story world. But for now this story will warm your heart, and make you have a laugh or two." We discuss the filmm...
Jul 16, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 73
Musician, vocalist and longtime friend of the show Ryan Wilson makes his first appearance on "Mars on Life" to catch up with Sebastian and Mancini, talks about his musical development, different genres of metal and how people feel about it, his photography and the latest single that's just dropped by his group Skinwalker, "Premonition." He also talked about how he's managed to write and develop music under COVID-19 conditions and the hosts reflect on how they each met "Cowboy." To check out Skin...
Jul 09, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 72
Mars on Life brings its next interactive episode as we each take the Political Compass quiz. There's plenty of commentary along the way, plus Ryan gives countless book and film recommendations. We also leave off on some explaining in regards to democratic and libertarian socialism, and how much they differ from Stalinism, the cherry-picked communism utilized by strongmen and what 20th century education on communism got wrong. More to come, we assure you. Want an estimate on your political ideolo...
Jul 03, 2021•1 hr 30 min•Season 2Ep. 71
