Sorry for the lateness, but I've been fighting off a sinus infection -- or maybe it's a tumor. Nevertheless, I feel OK enough to finally post today's Crizzlecast. On this episode, I talk my old buddy, Philadelphia Weekly film scribe (and disappointed cinephile) Matt Prigge. We talk about his recent move from Philly to New York, how he's enjoying the movie scene in the Big Apple and what movies did he enjoy at this year's New York Film Festival. And, for reasons I still can't figure out, we end u...
Nov 07, 2012•1 hr 41 min
I basically get my Marc Maron on for today's Crizzlecast. I speak with North Carolina comedians Adam Cohen and Shane Smith, the men behind the monthly comedy night known as the Dangling Loafer. Recorded one late evening at a Dunkin' Donuts near a strip club (I'm SO not kidding!), we discuss what got them doing standup comedy, what keeps them doing it and what they're looking to accomplish in their careers. And, in fitting Crizzlecast fashion, we somehow end up talking about porn. Have fun.
Nov 02, 2012•1 hr 9 min
I've never really spoken to Tess Rafferty before she agreed to be a guest on the Crizzlecast. So, I was a bit worried if she and I could get into a good, hour-long discussion. I soon learned that was a silly thing to worry about. Rafferty, a stand-up comic, former writer for E's The Soup and author of the book Recipes for Disaster (in stores today, by the way) is a delight to talk to. During this episode, she and I chop it up about her days as a stand-up in Boston, why she had to leave The Soup,...
Oct 30, 2012•1 hr 7 min
For today's Crizzlecast, I venture back to Houston (via Skype) and talk to another one of my film-critic colleagues, Michael Sicinski. A very well-regarded film writer (thanks mostly to his website, The Academic Hack), Sicinski unfortunately lives in H-Town, which isn't exactly a town a cinephile like him can indulge in his passions. We mostly talk about that, specifically the theaters in Houston that plays art-house films, his problems with the local film-critic society and how he sees films he...
Oct 26, 2012•1 hr 19 min
For today's Crizzlecast, I speak to Odie Henderson, fellow African-American film scribe and all-around super genius. (As you listen to the podcast, you'll find out that I'm SO not kidding about that.) It seems quite a few people have expressed interest in hearing me and Henderson rap a taste. Considering this would be our first time speaking, I was wondering how we'd hit it off. As you'll hear in this episode, he's practically my brother from another mother. We talk about it all: movies, growing...
Oct 23, 2012•1 hr 40 min
When I asked filmmaker and fellow Houstonian Raymond Gayle if he wanted to do the Crizzlecast, there's one thing he immediately wanted to discuss: porn stars who won't do interracial. We spend a few minutes at the top of this episode talking about that before we go into what made him want to be a filmmaker, his experiences as a "video girl wrangler" and why Live and Let Die is the best James Bond movie. Of course, we also talk about the ups and downs he went through directing his own movie, the ...
Oct 19, 2012•1 hr 21 min
Well, people, in my further attempts to rack up hits and downloads for this barely-listened-to podcast, I decided to pull out all the stops and interview a bona fide member of the adult entertainment industry. Somehow, I got Alexis Couture, retired adult-film actress, full-time exotic dancer and all-around fascinating gal, to be a guest on the Crizzlecast. And when I say we get into some freaky-sneaky stuff, I AM NOT EXAGGERATING! We discuss how she got in the adult business, her best and worst ...
Oct 16, 2012•1 hr 15 min
For today's Crizzlecast, I go all the way to Hawaii (via phone) and talk to Gary Chun, features reporter for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. We discuss the odd-but-amusing way we first got to know each other (it involves cookies). We also trade war stories about working at daily newspapers, talk about how shows like Lost and Hawaii Five-O have brought awareness to the state and reveal why you should always have a second Twitter account while working at a daily (like he does). Oh, and Gary also ple...
Oct 12, 2012•1 hr 6 min
We're now in week two of talking to journalists about the politics of the journalism business. And, for today's Crizzlecast, I make a call over to Jersey to talk to the entertaining and exquisite Kellie C. Murphy. A former print journalist with her own news site, I talk to her about her experiences in the print field (especially her stint with Philadelphia Weekly) and how she's persevering in this age of new media. We also discuss the personal hardships she's dealt with, as well as her experienc...
Oct 09, 2012•1 hr 7 min
For today's Crizzlecast, I go back-and-forth about journalism-related stuff with Sam LaGrone, D.C. reporter, U.S. Naval Institute online editor and a former colleague of mine from my News & Observer days, But it isn't all about journalism -- we also talk about being thirtysomething old farts, his experiences in military school, who the hell is that "Gangnam Style" guy and how people in other countries aren't really feeling Americans like we think they are. Oh yeah, we also talk about that ti...
Oct 05, 2012•1 hr 24 min
For the next two weeks, Muhf***as I Know will be talking to journalists about the politics of the journalism business. And, for today's Crizzlecast, I'll be speaking to someone who's been dealing with a lot of journalism business these past few weeks. Independent Weekly editor (and kind of my boss) Lisa Sorg will be discussing the North Carolina alt-weekly's future now that it's been bought by another paper. We also talk about how she became top dog at the Indy, as well as her philosophies on li...
Oct 02, 2012•1 hr 6 min
So, what's it like being married to a rock musician? Shelby Bacchus will tell you all about it on today's Crizzlecast. As we close out Love & Marriage Week, both Shelby and her husband, renowned rock-and-roller Richard Bacchus, discuss the rather sordid tale of how they got together, along with how they manage to stay together even when they're apart. You'll also learn a new term during this episode: "fairly faithful." By the way, they also tell a delightful story about the time thay spent T...
Sep 28, 2012•1 hr 2 min
Well, it's Love & Marriage Week at Muhf***as I Know -- because, sometimes, I need to talk some couples and figure out how the hell they do it. Today's Crizzlecast is a doozy! I speak with Warren & Donna White, a pair of drinking buddies who also has been married for a whopping 40 years! We discuss how they got together, Warren's time in Vietnam, Donna's time working for male chauvinist pigs and just how they've managed to keep their relationship fresh and frisky all these years. Hey, for...
Sep 25, 2012•1 hr 19 min
It's another noisy, lengthy edition of the Crizzlecast. If you can stand the occasional gusts of wind and music playing in the background, you'll probably get a kick out of this installment. I speak with film critic Isaac Weeks about a number of things: why he hated Beasts of the Southern Wild and loved Ted, the hilarious shit he got from readers about those two reviews, why most movies blow, women and relationships, the pros and cons of freelance writing, Jennifer Lawrence's rack, why CGI nudit...
Sep 21, 2012•1 hr 51 min
This week, the Crizzlecast goes punk! I spent a somewhat noisy hour-and-a-half with three members of the Durham punk-rock band the Bastages. We discuss how a bunch of middle-aged white dudes (which includes guitarist and Independent Weekly TV critic Danny Hooley) got together to rock like they were in their twenties. We also discuss old punk-rock memories, the so-called "legacy rock" scene, why being left-wing is better than being right-wing and how Michelle Malkin drives one of them up the wall...
Sep 18, 2012•1 hr 21 min
For today's Crizzlecast, I rap a taste with Toledo poetess (and upcoming radio host) Kayla Marie Williams, a former high-school classmate and, as she reminded me, one of the first newspaper editors I ever had. We discuss whether or not I was a dick in high school, her quite-fascinating family history, her time at Oberlin College (yes, Lena Dunham's name pops up!) and just how vibrant is the literary arts scene in Toledo. We also talk about what foods we can't eat because we're old. Even though i...
Sep 14, 2012•1 hr 33 min
I might as well tell you right now: The next few Crizzlecasts are going to be lengthy. This is what happens when you have endlessly fascinating people for friends. Today, we start with Simon Abrams, perhaps one of the most hard-working, freelance film critics out there. (You can read his published pieces on his blog.) But, along with having one of the most adorable handles on Twitter, he's also a podcaster himself. I caught him before he took off to the Toronto Film Festival one Sunday night. An...
Sep 11, 2012•1 hr 47 min
Once upon a time, I was involved in Houston's spoken-word poetry scene. Oh yes, Uncle Crizzle could rhyme and flow with the best of them. (OK, I'm kind of embellishing there. I was a'ight.) I met a lot of verbally talented people in that community. One of them is today's Crizzlecast guest, poet/recording artist Karega Ani. I talk with my old colleague his various travels, starting and restarting a family and the state of spoken-word poetry today. I also play a cut off his latest album. So, light...
Sep 07, 2012•1 hr 9 min
Today's Crizzlecast is one for the ages! I speak via Skype to Bari Kindle, editor of JusFlippin.com, fellow Texas Southern University alumnus and all-around gotdamn fool. We spend an hour and some change talking about it all: 2Pac, Soulja Boy, Lance Armstrong, ball cancer, Clint Eastwood's old ass at the Republican Convention, the tv show Daria, donuts, strip clubs, bringing donuts into strip clubs, dropping cell phones in the toilet, Love and Hip-Hop, the various uses for Coke and other ignant-...
Sep 04, 2012•1 hr 8 min
This one goes out to all the foodies and people looking to make it in the restaurant business! For today's Crizzlecast, I visit Piebird, the Raleigh restaurant, and talk to its owner, Sheila Duncan. We discuss where she got the idea for a pie-heavy eatery as well as her early days as a former interior designer. Halfway through, some wine shows up and that's when things get interesting. All I gotta say is, making Night Train-flavored pastry, what's good and bad about the Oakwood neighborhood and ...
Aug 31, 2012•1 hr 11 min
I haven't spoken to Houston hip-hopper/producer Andrew Pettinati (aka "Drewski") in years. Nevertheless, when he offered to be a guest on the Crizzlecast, I took him up on it. We ended up having one of the best convos I've had on the podcast so far. This is a must for fans of Houston hip-hop, as we basically spend an hour and some change clocking off the pros and cons of our hometown's hip-hop community -- and hip-hop in general. Apart from the abrupt end (somebody forgot to re-charge their phon...
Aug 28, 2012•1 hr 9 min
On today's Crizzlecast, I speak with the versatile, fascinating and downright cool Jason Woods, aka Flash Gordon Parks. We discuss his career as a Houston-based DJ, photographer, podcaster and all-around, African-American renaissance man. Please forgive the occasional crackling sounds coming from Flash's end; he was calling from a park and, apparently, it would get a bit windy. Hey, this is a low-rent, low-maintenance podcast -- I ain't polished like Marc Maron yet!
Aug 23, 2012•1 hr
For the test show, I get on the phone with Victor J. Morton, aka Rightwing Film Geek, as we discuss movies, being in certain online film-awards groups, Chick-fil-A (you know that was going to come up!) and where this culture of online nastiness and extreme divisiveness will take us in the future.
Aug 21, 2012•1 hr 21 min
