Phantom Troublemaker, Mike Gordon, and Ryan Cadaver discuss Alien and special bonus footage from Alien: Covenant after a Regal RPX screening on Alien Day, 4/26! Alien is one of the greatest movies of all time and April 26th has been designated (in a clever marketing move by FOX) as Alien Day! This is a reference to LV-426, the planet where the colonists had some bad times in Alien . Obviously Needless Things had to celebrate this momentous occasion, so Phantom organized a field trip to scenic an...
Apr 27, 2017•1 hr 14 min
Phantom Troublemaker, Beth V, and Chad J. Shonk discuss Timothy Zahn’s new Star Wars novel, Thrawn , as well as Grand Admiral Thrawn’s history in the galaxy far, far away! In 1991 Timothy Zahn released the first official, Lucasfilm approved narrative to expand the Star Wars galaxy beyond the events of Return of the Jedi . He continued the adventures of the characters we all knew and loved, but also introduced a number of new characters that would grow to become vital and beloved fixtures in the ...
Apr 21, 2017•1 hr 41 min
Part of an ongoing series – the Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Phantom Zone to provide their own unique commentary on classic genre films! Special Guest Mr. Beau Brown chooses this month’s movie – the 1983 sci-fi/fantasy cult classic, Krull ! Thanks to Star Wars and Conan the Barbarian science fiction and fantasy were hot genres in the early 80s. Movies that blended the two were always exciting prospects for Hollywood, which is how an original idea like Krull ended up with a $47,000,00...
Apr 14, 2017•2 hr 20 min
Mike Gordon returns to the Needless Things Podcast! Phantom and Mike run down some current events in this multi-faceted episode! From the new trailer for Universal's The Mummy to creators on social media to the Undertaker riding off into the sunset at WrestleMania 33 , this week's episode is all over the place in the very best of ways! Additionally - Mike Gordon is one of the most fantastic people walking God's green Earth, but his home is under threat due to circumstances beyond his control. Pl...
Apr 07, 2017•1 hr 52 min
Phantom Troublemaker teams up with Noel from DorkDroppings.com for a special look at WWE and WrestleMania! It's time for the so-called Ultimate Thrill Ride - WrestleMania 33! This is the event that WWE builds up to all year long - the most intense feuds, the most entertaining angles, and the biggest matches. In theory, this event is the culmination of a year of booking and wrestling and is the opportunity for the Superstars of the WWE to create Moments that will be remembered forever. Listen in ...
Mar 30, 2017•1 hr 46 min
A Very Special WrestleMania Monday Episode! Phantom Troublemaker talks to wrestler and cosplayer Mikal Mosley on this special bonus episode of the Needless Things Podcast! Mikal Mosley is literally on the road to WrestleMania! While en route to Orlando for a special double-secret WWE project (Mikal's best friend is Xavier Woods - place your bets as to what he's working on), the hybrid cosplayer/wrestler got on the phone to share as much as he could about his work for the world's biggest wrestlin...
Mar 27, 2017•47 min
LIVE from Toylanta 2017 (formerly Joelanta and the Great Atlanta Toy Convention), Phantom Troublemaker hosts an all-new Toy Stories panel! Everyone has a toy story. Join Phantom Troublemaker and a selection of special guests as they share reminiscences about the playthings they grew up with. The topic this year was “How We Play” - the panelists discussed how they played with the toys of their youth. Did we follow the cartoons and comics or create our own stories? Outside or inside? Did we mix to...
Mar 23, 2017•1 hr 6 min
Part of an ongoing series – the Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Phantom Zone to provide their own unique commentary on classic genre films! Filmmaker Andy Sidaris left the world the gift of twelve unparalleled works of cinematic art before he shuffled off this mortal coil. Sidaris had a taste for guns, beaches, ripped bros, and sweet titties. His aesthetic was uniquely suited to the era in which he released his films; from 1985 to 1998. It's tough to find auteurs of Sidaris' caliber in ...
Mar 17, 2017•1 hr 47 min
Phantom Troublemaker and Beth reminisce about the original survival horror franchise – Resident Evil ! Twenty-one years of terror! From the very first video game on the original Sony PlayStation to the current one-two punch of the seventh entry in the primary line of video games and the sixth and supposedly final film, few video game franchises have enjoyed as much success and notoriety as Resident Evil . With forays onto nearly every modern video game system and countless tie-ins, the series kn...
Mar 10, 2017•2 hr 2 min
Phantom Troublemaker talks to the delightful Buddy Finethy, artist, designer, and one of the showrunners for Joelanta & The Great Atlanta Toy Convention ! Ever since receiving his first GI Joe figure in the early 70s, Buddy Finethy has had a passion not just for Joes, but for the art of toys. From following the Grateful Dead on tour to working with Hasbro to starting up the revered Joelanta convention, Buddy has had a heck of an interesting life! Listen in as Phantom and Buddy discuss toys, ...
Mar 03, 2017•1 hr 28 min
The Needless Things Irregulars assemble for their annual look at the New York International Toy Fair! The 2017 New York International Toy Fair was held from February 17th – 19th so that toy manufacturers from all over the world could get retailers and journalists excited about their offerings for the upcoming year. Hasbro, Mattel, Funko, NECA, and many more all bring out their prototypes, concepts, and newest licenses to display in the biggest toy-oriented gathering of the year! Listen in as Pha...
Feb 24, 2017•3 hr 8 min
Phantom Troublemaker interviews elusive rock legend Dale Jepson of Dale Jepson and the Night Hawks! In the late 70s Dale Jepson was on the road to rock n roll fame before misfortune derailed his life and his dreams. Now, in 2017, he has assembled the Night Hawks and is looking to reclaim his birthright. Pure chance led to this opportunity for Phantom Troublemaker to interview a man that had previously been an enigmatic voice on an old, discarded cassette tape. Listen in as Phantom and Dale discu...
Feb 17, 2017•56 min
Mr. Beau Brown returns to the show for a discussion of the final year of Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Classics toy line! It looked like 2015 was going to be the end of Mattel’s Classics line , but they squeaked their way through 2016 with two lines that weren’t technically Classics, but totally were – Club Grayskull and Collector’s Choice. But by year’s end it was revealed that Mattel was closing the doors on MattyCollector.com and that the Masters license would be moving on to Super 7. List...
Feb 10, 2017•2 hr 57 min
Part of an ongoing series – the Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Phantom Zone to provide their own unique commentary on classic genre films! Released on May 13th, 1994, Alex Proyas's The Crow was the graphic, edgy comic book movie that fans had been wanting since 1989's Batman. The trendsetting soundtrack helped the movie launch a new era of Goth culture while the dark themes of the movie inspired countless teens to don black and start acting all swoopy and dramatic. Additionally, the tr...
Feb 02, 2017•1 hr 51 min
Phantom Troublemaker talks to Son of Celluloid , Nathan Hamilton, about modern horror and his plans for the Blue Track at Days of the Dead Atlanta ! Over the last several years Days of the Dead has become a staple of Atlanta's convention scene and has spread its influence as a traveling convention. In 2017, for the first time, Days of the Dead Atlanta will be spotlighting the local horror scene thanks to the efforts of Nathan Hamilton, best known as a guru of Atlanta horror and haunt attractions...
Jan 26, 2017•1 hr 5 min
Part of an ongoing series – the Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Phantom Zone to provide their own unique commentary on classic genre films! In the mysterious depths of Phantom Troublemaker’s psyche there exists a very special list of films from the 80s. These are categorized as “The HBO Movies”. Thirty years ago premium cable television wasn’t what it is today and the same rotations of a dozen or so movies would play regularly for months. Many of the films that shaped Phantom were part ...
Jan 20, 2017•1 hr 51 min
The Needless Things Irregulars look at the jam-packed list of upcoming 2017 movies that didn’t get mentioned by the listeners for last week’s episode! After basing episode 141 of the podcast on listener comments about what they were excited for in 2017, Phantom realized that a ton of great movies had been left out of the conversation. This week, the Irregulars seek to rectify that oversight by discussing some of the movies coming out during the first few months of the year - Resident Evil: The F...
Jan 13, 2017•1 hr 38 min
The Needless Things Irregulars look ahead at 2017 to see what pop culture has to offer! It’s a brave new year full of promise, exciting events, and gigantic monkeys! From movies to comics to television and everything in between, we already know a lot of what is coming this year. Listen in as Phantom Troublemaker, Beth V, Mike Gordon, and the Rad Ranger run down what’s got them excited for 2017! Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the conversation for this wee...
Jan 06, 2017•1 hr 57 min
Join the Needless Things Irregulars for a discussion about the newest entry into the ongoing Star Wars franchise – Rogue One! The first film ever to divert significantly from Skywalker family drama and its impact on the galaxy far, far away, Rogue One carried the heavy responsibility of telling a great, engaging story and of launching a new style of Star Wars film. With a different look and feel from anything movie going audiences have seen from the franchise, Rogue One told the story of the doo...
Dec 30, 2016•1 hr 37 min
Phantom Troublemaker talks about Christmastime in Walt Disney World with his family! Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the conversation for this week’s episode! Let us know what you think! “Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com You can follow Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram for all the latest on pop culture!...
Dec 23, 2016•1 hr 9 min
Part of an ongoing series – the Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Phantom Zone to provide their own unique commentary on classic genre films! In 1992 moviegoers and comic book fans were treated to Christmas in June with the follow-up to Tim Burton’s mega-successful 1989 Batman. The sequel featured Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader squaring off against Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, Danny DeVito as Penguin, Christopher Walken as Max Schreck, and hundreds of puppet penguins with missiles...
Dec 16, 2016•2 hr 9 min
Phantom Troublemaker and Head of Research Ryan Schweck discuss the current seasons of Agents of SHIELD , Gotham , and the CW DC shows! Every week we follow along with the highs and lows of our favorite superheroes on TV. Sometimes they can be over-the-top fun, sometimes they can be grim n' gritty, and sometimes they're just a drag. But there's no denying we're living in an amazing age of comic book-based television shows! Listen in as Phantom and Ryan talk about happy Supergirl, dumb Barry, bada...
Dec 09, 2016•2 hr 16 min
A very special episode of the Needless Things Podcast dedicated to the Beastie Boys! Phantom Troublemaker talks to friends new and old about one of the coolest and most influential musical acts of his generation. Arian and the Rad Ranger show up live in the Phantom Zone to discuss the Beasties' impact on their lives, Phantom talks to his old pal, Carlee, about seeing them in 1995, and for the first time ever Pappy Troublemaker joins the show! Pappy took and eleven-year-old Phantom to see the Bea...
Dec 02, 2016•1 hr 16 min
Phantom Troublemaker tries something new with an audio version of Vintage Troublemaker! Seven years ago Rob Zombie came to Georgia to film Halloween 2. Phantom Troublemaker spent a day on the set as an extra. The story of that grueling day of Hollywood magic was one of the earliest posts on Phantom’s MySpace blog – the precursor to Needless Things – and was later updated and reposted here . Today’s episode is like an audiobook version of that post, read by Phantom in his inimitable style. It’s a...
Nov 25, 2016•57 min
Part of an ongoing series – the Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Phantom Zone to provide their own unique commentary on classic genre films! It’s Thanksgiving break and there’s no better place to go than Crawberg for some sex, booze, and MURDER MOST FOWL! ThanksKilling is an ultra-low budget horror movie about a killer turkey and the “teens” that he’s after. It’s a rare combination of bad direction, bad acting, and puppetry that will liven up and family gathering. Phantom Troublemaker is...
Nov 18, 2016•1 hr 26 min
Mike Gordon returns to the Needless Things Podcast! Doctor Strange, Agents of SHIELD, and Westworld are just a few of the topics covered in today’s episode. After a review of Marvel’s newest entry into their cinematic universe, Phantom and Mike discuss what’s happening on TV and in comics. From Ash vs Evil Dead to new comics publisher Aftershock, find out what’s cool in the world of dorkery! Listen in as Phantom Troublemaker and Mike Gordon talk about their favorite current pop culture on the ne...
Nov 11, 2016•1 hr 45 min
A presentation of the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track! It’s the final podcast from this year’s Dragon Con - a live panel celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of John Carpenter’s classic Big Trouble in Little China! Also, Phantom breaks down the benefits of SupportPhantom.com and how you can help keep Needless Things independent and free. Listen in as Phantom Troublemaker and a cast of Classic Track Irregulars as they discuss Jack Burton, Gracie Law, David Lo Pan, monsters, and Wang on...
Nov 04, 2016•1 hr 14 min
Phantom Troublemaker, Beth V, Rad Ranger, and Derek Tatum talk about Halloween and spooky stuff! It’s a Needless Halloween! In this Very Special Episode the gang talks about the past, present, and future of Halloween and spooky stuff in general. From discovering the fun of spooky stuff to big dreams of horror-themed amusement parks, this is a fun ride through Halloweentown! Listen in as Phantom, Beth, Rad Ranger, and Derek Tatum get spooky and sentimental on the newest episode of the Needless Th...
Oct 28, 2016•1 hr 41 min
Phantom Troublemaker is joined by Beth V and by Doc Rotten from Horror News Radio to talk about found footage horror movies! Found footage is a movie subgenre that creates the illusion of discovered events unfolding as a narrative in front of the viewer. Classic examples of the format include The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, and the much larger scale Cloverfield. It takes a lot of planning and skill to execute this particular style of filmmaking effectively, and some are definitely ...
Oct 21, 2016•1 hr 17 min
Phantom Troublemaker welcomes Mr. Beau Brown and puppeteer Gavin Cummins to the show to discuss the upcoming Halloween Puckin’ Fuppet Show , taking place at the Village theater in Atlanta on October 22nd! The Puckin’ Fuppet show is an Atlanta tradition that features live, adult-oriented puppetry in a theater setting. Phoenix puppeteer Gavin Cummins is this year’s special guest. He will perform two segments during the show, alongside a collection of some of Atlanta’s finest puppeteers. Additional...
Oct 14, 2016•1 hr 36 min
