Dave West and Chad J. Shonk join forces to discuss the newest Spider-Man flick, Far From Home ! Listen in as this dynamic duo break down the good and the bad of Peter Parker's international adventures! “Procrastibate” by LeSexoflex.com Interstitial music provided by The Mystery Men? 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! You can follow Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram...
Jul 05, 2019•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 278
The dynamite team of Dave West, Beth V, Rad Ranger, and Chris DePetrillo reunite to look thirty years into the past! 1989 was a remarkable year for pop culture, most notably thanks to the Summer of the Bat! But that conversation will happen at another Bat-time in another Bat-venue. In this episode we’re looking at everything in 1989 other than Tim Burton’s film phenomenon. As part of an annual tradition, Dave gathered some of the Needless Things Irregulars to reflect on the pop culture that made...
Jun 28, 2019•2 hr 1 min•Ep. 277
Part of an ongoing series – the Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Phantom Zone to provide their own unique commentary on classic genre films! What better way to kick off another Needless Summer than with a trip to the ocean with Steve Zissou? This month’s Commentary was chosen by Ryan Cadaver, but is mutually adored throughout the team. Bill Murray leads one of the most remarkable casts ever assembled in what might be Wes Anderson’s most mainstream and watchable film. While the trademark ...
Jun 21, 2019•2 hr 16 min•Ep. 276
Dave is joined by his son, Phantom, Jr., for a review of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 demo! After a trek to Best Buy to try out the newest Marvel video game, Dave and his son share their thoughts on this all-new minicast! 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 Dave as Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram !...
Jun 19, 2019•31 min•Ep. 275
Award-winning author and friend of the show Bobby Nash drops by to talk ‘toons! From the golden age of Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons to the modern era of on-demand animated delight, cartoons have come a very long way! The last four decades have seen amazing changes in animation. Movies, television, and now the internet have proven to be fertile ground for the medium to evolve. Listen in as Dave and Bobby talk about Tom & Jerry , The Simpsons , and everything in-between on the newe...
Jun 14, 2019•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 274
On this week’s episode Dave talks to writer Dan Kozuh! Dan Kozuh is a recent transplant to Atlanta who has written screenplays and numerous articles for The Hard Times . His new novel, Lingeria: Book One of One is currently available on Amazon in both digital and print editions. Listen in as Dave and Dan talk movies, writing, and humor on the newest episode of the Needless Things Podcast! PLUS! Find out how to win a digital copy of Award-Winning Bobby Nash's The Snow Series 1, Vol. 1 ! Be sure t...
Jun 07, 2019•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 273
On this episode of the Needless Things Podcast your host Dave talks about the history of music in his life. This will be an ongoing series, with each installment focusing on a specific era or medium of music. In the first part of the Phantom Music series Dave talks about the beginnings of his passion for music. Family road trips with oldies soundtracks and records of Michael Jackson and the Muppets laid the foundation for a lifelong love of music. MTV and the proliferation of cassette tapes chan...
May 31, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 272
Recorded LIVE at Dragon Con 2018 for the American Sci-Fi Classics Track! Listen in as some of the contributors to The Joy of Joe – a book celebrating GI Joe fandom – share their memories of America's movable fighting man with a capacity live audience at the greatest con around! Featured panelists include Jim Beard, James Palmer, Award-Winning Bobby Nash, Michael D. French, Andrew E.C. Gaska, and of course our own Dave West. Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on...
May 24, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 271
Dave talks to Mr. Beau Brown about (performance) life, (masters of) the universe, and everything (including a Target trip and spiteful toy buying)! Plus – hear about Dave's shameful and guilty Dragon Con secret! Check out the Atlanta Fringe Festival where Beau and Dave, along with Beau's fellow Sci-Fi Janitor Matt Nitchie will be performing the final fifth of The Princess Bride using puppetry and live action tomfoolery! Here's the Facebook event – get your tickets now! Be sure to join the Needle...
May 17, 2019•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 270
Dave and special guest Chad J. Shonk break down, dissect, and interpret Jordan Peele's new masterpiece, Us . 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 Interstitial music provided by The Mystery Men? You can follow Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram for all the best pop culture news!...
May 10, 2019•1 hr 57 min•Ep. 269
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS and SPOILERS Listen in as Dave, Head of Research Ryan Schweck, and Arian SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER on the newest episode of the Needless Things Podcast. SPOILER. Follow Victoria’s Cantina on Instagram , Facebook , and YouTube ! 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! Check out this week's special musical selection - The KBK ! The KBK ...
May 03, 2019•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 268
Dave talks to writer, director, and puppeteer Raymond Carr about his new upcoming project, Joyriders . JoyridersMovie.com Support Joyriders Joyriders on Facebook Raymond Carr on Instagram 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 Dave as Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram !...
Apr 30, 2019•35 min•Ep. 267
Hasbro – one of the most prolific toy companies in the business – blew minds when it announced an all-new experiment called HasLab at Toy Fair 2018. It was to be a place where Hasbro could communicate and solicit funds directly from customers and deliver very special products that would be impossible to market through normal retail. The first announced project was one of the most ambitious toys ever produced – Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge, The Khetanna from Return of the Jedi . Hasbro immediately...
Apr 26, 2019•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 266
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 Lady’s Night in the Phantom Zone! For this month’s selection Nicole Ghouled picked the legendary gross-out flick Dead Alive ! As many older horror fans’ first experience with Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson, Dead Alive sets a very different tone for his career than King Kong or Lord of the Rings . Chock full of innovation and complimented ...
Apr 19, 2019•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 265
Dave and Needless Things' resident Star Wars expert Chad J. Shonk break down the teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker ! 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 Interstitial music provided by The Mystery Men? You can follow Dave as Phantom Troublemaker on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram !...
Apr 15, 2019•42 min•Ep. 264
Game of Thrones is one of the highest-rated, critically-acclaimed, and genuinely engrossing television shows of all time. It’s eighth and final season begins Sunday, April 14th. Spring has just arrived, but Winter is here. Join Dave and Beth as they look back at the past seven seasons of HBO’s crown jewel. Listen in as Dave and Beth discuss the drama, action, and unforgettable characters of the greatest television show of all time on the newest episode of the Needless Things Podcast. Be sure to ...
Apr 12, 2019•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 263
WrestleMania XXXV is this Sunday and the Needless Things Irregulars are gonna cut some promos about it! Dave talks to our pals Arian “The Saltmaster” Gulick and “Howdymania” Mike Gordon about the upcoming Showcase of the Immortals! What are they excited about? What looks terrible? How successfully has WWE booked and promoted this event versus previous years? Listen in as Dave, Mike, and Arian grapple with WrestleMania on the newest episode of the Needless Things Podcast. Be sure to join the Need...
Apr 05, 2019•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 262
We are on the Road to WrestleMania and it’s high time the Needless Things Irregulars talked about their favorite wrestling toys, brother! From LJN to Hasbro to San Francisco Toymakers and beyond, there have been a huge number of popular toy lines based on the greatest sports personalities of all time. Most of the best-known wrestling federations from the last four decades have had toy lines that have seen some level of success. In today’s episode Dave talks to Rich from Nerdy Laser and Chris fro...
Mar 29, 2019•1 hr 58 min•Ep. 261
Part of an ongoing series – the Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Phantom Zone to provide their own unique commentary on classic genre films! We’re on the Road to WrestleMania , so it’s time for a wrestling-adjacent Commentary! Stone Cold Steve Austin is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, so it seemed right to choose one of his films – Hunt to Kill ! Part Commando , part The Most Dangerous Game, and all whoop-ass action, this 2010 action flick p...
Mar 22, 2019•1 hr 53 min•Ep. 260
Our dear friend Dana Swanson is bidding Buttlanta farewell and flying off to the City of Angels to pursue bigger and better things. This episode is the conversation Dave and Dana shared as they packed for the move. It is at times raw and frank and is unlike any episode of the Needless Things Podcast that has come before. There are jokes, tears, and the sounds of packing tape. Listen to two friends sharing their growth and outlook from the last seven years on this special episode of the Needless ...
Mar 15, 2019•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 259
The Rad Ranger stops by the Needless Things Podcast to talk about one of the longest-lived 80s toy lines – Hasbro's Transformers! Originating in the early 80s with the standard toy/cartoon/comic book licensing combo, Transformers changed toys as we knew them. Robots that transformed into cars, jets, guns, and more were an ideal concept for the kids of the era. An amalgamation of several different Japanese toy lines, America's Transformers line saw instant success. That success has lasted right u...
Mar 08, 2019•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 258
Mr. Beau Brown returns to the Needless Things Podcast to discuss Super 7’s Toy Fair reveals, Snake Mountain, the upcoming(?) live action Masters film, and more! Super 7 had some huge surprises at this year’s New York International Toy Fair, including figures based on William Stout’s costume designs and a date for the Snake Mountain playset preorder. Additionally, Paramount is supposedly set to start filming the long-awaited new Masters of the Universe movie this July, with no cast announced! Lis...
Mar 01, 2019•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 257
The Needless Things Irregulars assemble for their annual look at the New York International Toy Fair! The 2019 New York International Toy Fair was held from February 16th-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! Join Phantom, Need...
Feb 22, 2019•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 256
Dave, Ryan Cadaver, and Nicole Ghouled caught an early sneak preview of Robert Rodriguez' adaptation of the classic manga, Battle Angel Alita this past Monday. All three were so enthralled by and impressed with the movie that they had to get together to discuss it for this week's episode of the Needless Things Podcast! Starting with the manga in 1990 and then the animated adaptation in 1993, the story of this warrior has been inspiring fans for decades. Battle Angel draws from many classic genre...
Feb 15, 2019•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 255
This episode of the Needless Things Podcast was recorded in front of a packed ballroom audience at Dragon Con 2018! The man called Sting is one of the most decorated and celebrated heroes in the history of professional wrestling. The Nature Boy Ric Flair is an unprecedented sixteen time World Champion and is generally regarded as the greatest professional wrestler of all time. These men have faced each other – and hundreds of other opponents – countless times through the decades. And now, modera...
Feb 08, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 254
On episode 225 of the Needless Things Podcast your host, Dave, and his guest Kirk Thatcher promised to continue the interview live at Dragon Con. THIS is THAT interview! Conducted in front of a live audience for the Puppetry Track, this conversation includes Kirk’s work with the Henson Company as well as many other puppetry-related projects. Kirk has lived an amazing life in the entertainment business and has a multitude of diverse experiences to share. Listen in as Dave and Kirk share a bit of ...
Feb 01, 2019•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 253
On this week’s episode of the Needless Things Podcast your host, Dave, summons the lions of professional wrestling fandom to form a Voltron of righteous wrestling repartee! From across the country and representing many corners of fandom, the Needless Things Irregulars gather on the Skype-O-Tron to discuss everything there is to chat about prior to WWE’s Royal Rumble , happening this Sunday! From their own personal histories to the state of WWE today, no topic is off-limits in this n-holds-barred...
Jan 25, 2019•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 252
Part of an ongoing series – the Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Phantom Zone to provide their own unique commentary on classic genre films! This ain’t Memphis, but that doesn’t mean that the Commentary Team can’t double down on the Double Deuce with this classic 80s action flick! The Irregulars have been clamoring for a Roadhouse Commentary since the beginning, and after establishing that January was a very Swayze month, indeed, it was determined that it was time to not be nice! Listen ...
Jan 18, 2019•2 hr 9 min•Ep. 251
The Needless Things Irregulars gather in the Negative Zone for a look back at 2018! Dave, Beth, Rad Ranger, Arian, Ryan Cadaver, and Nicole gathered together in person to discuss some of the highlights – and lowlights – of 2018, plus share a bit of excitement for the year to come! It's one of the most epically entertaining episodes ever! Listen in as the Irregulars discuss the best movies, TV, and more of the last year! Be sure to join the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group and get in on the...
Jan 11, 2019•3 hr 21 min•Ep. 250
Our old pal Mike Gordon drops in to talk about the year that just ended and what’s coming up in 2019! Movies, TV, and comic books – what else? - are the topics of discussion on the first Needless Things Podcast of 2019! Dave and Mike discuss some of their favorites from 2018, then look ahead to the insane amount of pop culture goodness that 2019 is poised to unleash. From the Great Streaming Wars to Disney owning… everything , the conversation ranges far, wide, and FUN ! Listen in as Dave and Mi...
Jan 04, 2019•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 249
