The Worst of All Possible Worlds - podcast cover

The Worst of All Possible Worlds

Josh Boerman, A.J. Ditty, and Brian Alfordwww.worstpossible.world
The first and only podcast bringing you weekly case studies in the pop culture of a dying empire. Every Wednesday, co-hosts Josh, Brian, and A.J. dissect an artifact of popular culture, breaking down how its narrative choices reflect or subvert the reactionary political project. From video games to movies to theater to an apparently infinite supply of evangelical Christian radio drama, we expose the machinations of the worst of all possible worlds in order to figure out how to build a better one. Also, we have bits.

Episodes

179 - The Room (2003)

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall How did the lads meet? Well that’s a very interesting story, when Brian and A.J. moved to New York with two suitcases and didn’t know anyone and they have-uh-they head to YMCA with a $2000 check which they could not cash. Why? Well, because it was an out of state bank. Anyway, uh- they were working as busboys in a hotel, and uh-uh Josh was sitting, drinking his coffee, and he was so beautiful, and they say hi to him. That’s ho...

Mar 05, 202521 min

178 - Falling Down (feat. Justin Roczniak)

Justin Roczniak (Well There’s Your Problem) and the lads walk in a straight line through Los Angeles and leave carnage in their wake as they cover Joel Schumacher’s 1993 boomer-palooza: Falling Down. Topics include LA geography, the fashion of mechanical engineers, and what it means to hold up an entire fast food joint because those darn cashiers won’t serve you your well-deserved Whomlette with a side of Whammy fries. Justin Roczniak: Twitter // Youtube // Bluesky Well There’s Your Problem is a...

Feb 26, 20252 hr 19 min

177 - Love in the Time of Conniera (feat. Devon) [Whit’s Endless Summer 42]

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Devon (Kill James Bond!) and the lads return to Odyssey for more adventures in valentines, political blackmail, and volunteering for the Vietnam War. Topics include the logistics of Roman marriage, the intangible dread of grief, and what it means when the great loss that hangs over your entire series is a character as objectively terrible as Jerry Whittaker. Devon: Twitter // Bluesky // Streaming Traditional Scrench: Your favo...

Feb 19, 202531 min

176 - The Social Network

The lads pledge to the Phoenix Club and destroy democracy as they cover David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin’s 2010 techbro parable: The Social Network. Topics include Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ iconic score, the polarizing nature of Sorkin’s writing, and what it means to live in a world ruled by Augustus Caesar wannabes like Mark Zuckerberg. TICKETS TO GO SEE JOSH’S PLAY AT THE TANK IN NEW YORK CITY! Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes by subscribing ...

Feb 12, 20253 hr 56 min

INTERVIEW: maia arson crimew on online privacy and operational security

Our interview series about practical tactics to keep yourself and your community safe from the rising tide of fascism continues this week as Josh talks with maia arson crimew (it/she), a hacktivist and past guest on the show. Topics include: The mechanics of how corporations and governments identify and track you across virtual and real-world spaces Common ways that your devices give away information without your knowledge and how to disable those features What encryption is and why it matters, ...

Feb 10, 202544 min

175 - Final Fantasy VII  [Part Two] (feat. Joe Kassabian)

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Joe Kassabian (Lions Led by Donkeys) and the lads hop in the Highwind and fly it straight into Sephiroth’s face as they conclude their coverage of Square’s monumental 1997 RPG: Final Fantasy VII. Topics include the wild quests of Yuffie and Vincent, the gamer-rage fueled final dungeon, and what it means to fight the end of the world when you’ve got a Sephiroth still lodged in your head. Joe Kassabian: Twitter Lions Led by Donk...

Feb 05, 202521 min

INTERVIEW: Knowing your rights in the face of ICE

Fighting the tide of rising fascism requires good information. This week, Josh sat down with Isaac Adams, an immigration attorney with nearly a decade of experience defending immigrants in removal proceedings from the United States government, to get a better understanding of the current legal landscape. Among other things, we talked about: What is new under the recently inaugurated Trump administration and what is merely a continuation of long-standing government policy How the recently signed ...

Jan 31, 202550 min

174 - Final Fantasy VII (feat. Joe Kassabian)

Joe Kassabian (Lions Led by Donkeys) and the lads grab their buster swords and hit the streets or Midgar as they do battle with the nefarious Shinra Corporation in Square’s monumental 1997 RPG: Final Fantasy VII. Topics include Square’s dramatic split with Nintendo, the eclectic nature of the many, many minigames, and what it means to kill off a major character before the end of the first disc. Joe Kassabian: Twitter Lions Led by Donkeys: The Lions Led By Donkeys podcast is a military history po...

Jan 29, 20252 hr 18 min

173 - MASH on TV (Bangers of MASH #1)

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads once again return to the frontlines of the Korean War as they rejoin 4077th for the first in an ongoing miniseries covering the hit 70s television show: M*A*S*H. Topics include the show’s origins, the gradual evolution beyond the Altman template, and what it means to make a season finale so powerful it resonates 50 years after the fact. Media referenced in this Episode: MASH Season One, Episode One: “Pilot” Season One...

Jan 22, 202529 min

172 - AOL Whitstant Messenger (feat. Colette Shade) [Whit’s Endless Summer #41]

Colette Shade [Y2K: How the 2000’s Became Everything (essays on a future that never was)] joins the lads in Odyssey for some eXtreme adventures in cliques, Y2K paranoia, and the Odyssians’ forever war with the people of Rakistan. Topics include Y2K aesthetics, being jumpscared by John Avery Whittaker, and what it means to have nostalgia for an optimistic techno future that never came to pass. Colette Shade: Website // Instagram // Twitter // Bluesky Y2K: How the 2000’s Became Everything (essays ...

Jan 15, 20253 hr 45 min

171 - Left Behind World At War

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads dive once more into the apocalyptic mind of Jerry B. Jenkins, as they cover the unintentional finale of the Kirk Cameron Left Behind trilogy: LEFT BEHIND WORLD AT WAR. Topics include the acting bona fides of Lou Gosset Jr., the importance of colons in titles, and how strict adherence to evangelical Christian eschatology will eventually lead you to blowing out the candles of a sad bundt birthday cake in the backroom of...

Jan 08, 202525 min

164 UNLOCKED - God’s Not Dead 2

The lads dare to speak about Christ in the classroom and face the wrath of Ray Wise as they cover Harold Cronk’s 2016 evangelical propaganda film: God’s Not Dead 2. Topics include the horrendous filmmaking, the deeply-flawed rhetoric, and what we can learn about the future of America from a film that posits a world in which the masses will be subjugated by the most annoying people alive. Media Referenced in this Episode: God’s Not Dead 2. Dir. Harold Cronk. 2016. God’s Not Dead (2014) - Financia...

Jan 01, 20253 hr 46 min

170 - 2024: A Year in Review

As has become tradition, we fielded a bunch of calls from you about what The Worst of All Possible Worlds meant to you in 2024 and stitched them together with highlights from the show. Merry Christmas and thanks for being part of our year. We also put out an extra-special Whit's Endless Summer bobus to the premium feed; check it out over on Patreon.com/worstofall! This episode includes clips from the following episodes, in order of appearance: 120 - 2 Left 2 Behind 2 Tribulation 2 Force 121 - Do...

Dec 25, 20242 hr 9 min

169 - Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life

The lads do battle with Mr. Potter for the heart of Bedford Falls as they cover Frank Capra’s 1946 Christmas classic: It’s a Wonderful Life. Topics include the pernicious myth of “Capra-corn”, the art of the Jimmy Stewart impression, and what it takes to be a George Bailey in a system designed to turn you into a Henry F. Potter. REMINDER: SUBMISSIONS FOR OUR ANNUAL CALL-IN EPISODE ARE OPEN! Call +1 347 857 9523 and leave us a voicemail letting us know what the show meant to you this year and/or ...

Dec 18, 20242 hr 59 min

168 - The Nostalgia Critic

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Hellloooooo, we’re The Worst of All Possible Worlds, we remember it so you don’t have to! We all remember Doug Walker, you know, that guy with the glasses, the tie, and the plain white background because they clearly couldn’t afford a better set? Well, wouldn’t you know it, he created a character called the Nostalgia Critic, a loud, obnoxious, Looney Tunes-adjacent blowhard who got famous for being very mad about Batman having...

Dec 11, 202431 min

167 - Frank Capra’s “Why We Fight”

The lads get drafted and give Mussolini the ole One-Two as they once again remember Pearl Harbor by covering Frank Capra’s series of WWII propaganda films: Why We Fight. Topics include the language of propaganda, the shittiness of fascist art, and what it means to watch your country become the thing it once stridently vowed to fight. Media Referenced in this Episode: Why We Fight. Dir. Frank Capra. 1942-1945. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp...

Dec 04, 20242 hr 18 min

166 - Wicked

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads grab their broomsticks and defy gravity as they cover Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s megahit musical: Wicked. Topics include the twisted mind of Gregory Maguire, the highs and lows of Stephen Schwartz, and how to reckon with a show that is simultaneously trying to tackle the horrors of fascism and the inherent melodrama of wanting to kiss a hot Winkie. Media Referenced in this Episode: Wicked. Book by Winnie Ho...

Nov 27, 202420 min

165 - The Hunt for Red OctobWhittaker (feat. Tom Walker) [Whit’s Endless Summer 40]

Tom Walker (Tom Walker: Very, Very) joins the lads for his very first trip to Odyssey as they cover adventures in shock-jock DJing, international espionage, and the return of everybody’s favorite encyclopedia writing, ice-cream selling, NSA asset/God King of Odyssey: John Avery Whittaker. Topics include biblical trading cards, the logistics of owning a beef jerky co-op, and how to make propaganda that doesn’t inspire a life-long obsession with hunting down heretical texts. Tom Walker: Bluesky //...

Nov 20, 20242 hr 23 min

164 - God’s Not Dead 2

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads dare to speak about Christ in the classroom and face the wrath of Ray Wise as they cover Harold Cronk’s 2016 evangelical propaganda film: God’s Not Dead 2. Topics include the horrendous filmmaking, the deeply-flawed rhetoric, and what we can learn about the future of America from a film that posits a world in which the masses will be subjugated by the most annoying people alive. Media Referenced in this Episode: God’s...

Nov 13, 202433 min

ESSAY: Standing

This past summer, Josh wrote an essay about the church and denomination he grew up in, but didn't end up publishing it. The results of the election gave him the push he needed to finish putting it all together. He hopes it helps.

Nov 12, 202429 min

163 - The Blair Witch Project (feat. Tim Sutton)

Tim Sutton (Marble Hornets) joins the lads for a bit of light camping and intense witch-hunting as they cover Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick’s 1999 horror phenomenon: The Blair Witch Project. Topics include the film’s DIY filmmaking, the unprecedented marketing, and what it means to reap the consequences of a nation’s wrongdoings when you’re just trying to make a dang student film. Tim Sutton: Twitter // Instagram Marble Hornets: Youtube Media Referenced in this Episode: The Blair Witch Proje...

Nov 06, 20243 hr 34 min

162 - Skibidi Toilet (feat. Donovan Eyre)

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Donovan Eyre (Radio Free Tote Bag) and the lads grab their plungers and do battle with the toilets as they cover DaFuq!?Boom!’s animated YouTube megahit: Skibidi Toilet. Topics include the origins of machinima, the joys of seeing robots punching each other, and the ramifications of adding Hollywood money into a story about cameramen killing toiletmen. Donovan Eyre: Twitter // Instagram // SoundCloud Radio Free Tote Bag: A week...

Oct 30, 202425 min

161 - Silent Hill 2 (feat. Aysha U. Farah)

Aysha U. Farah ( Life is Strange: Double Exposure ) and the lads have some restless dreams and see the titular town of Konami’s 2001 horror classic: Silent Hill 2. Topics include the history of Team Silent, the difficulties of tank controls, and how to cope when you’ve found yourself at the bottom of five holes in a hell of your own making. Aysha U. Farah: Website // Twitter // Instagram Second Star to the Left: Scout-explorer Gwen Hartley has five years to explore and prepare her planet for set...

Oct 23, 20243 hr 43 min

160 - Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads protect their precious bodily fluids and fight in the war room as they cover Stanley Kubrick’s Cold War paranoia masterwork: Dr. Strangelove or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Topics include Kubrick’s early career, fluoridation, and what it means to worry about the bomb when the rest of the world is burning. DONATE TO PRISM COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE, PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN COLORAD...

Oct 16, 202424 min

159 - Father Shades of Gilbert (feat. Kevin Vibert) [Whit’s Endless Summer 39]

Kevin Vibert (The Penumbra Podcast) and the lads get kidnapped and do battle with demons as they dive into the neurotic mind of one of the pivotal showrunners of Adventures in Odyssey: Paul McCusker. Topics include the utility of goons, the intricacies of sound design, and why Father Gilbert Mysteries might be the show that finally breaks them all. Kevin Vibert: Twitter // Twitch The Penumbra Podcast: At the Penumbra, you might follow Juno Steel, a brooding, sharp-witted private eye on Mars, as ...

Oct 09, 20242 hr 26 min

158 - Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads grab their chicken picnics and get creative as they dive into the madness and glitter of THIS IS IT’s 2010s horror musical sensation: Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared. Topics include the virality of the pilot, DIGITAL STYLE, and how to fully express your creativity when you’re trapped in a house of nightmares. Media Referenced in this Episode: Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared (THIS IS IT, 2011-2016) Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episod...

Oct 02, 202426 min

157 - Blasphemous II (feat. Tom O'Mahony)

Tom O’Mahony (Beneath the Skin, Lions Led by Donkeys) and the lads grab their rosary blades and make for the miraculous city of Cvstodia as they cover The Game Kitchen’s gothic 2023 Metroidvania: Blasphemous II. Topics include the game’s Sevillian origins, the literal Piss-Christ, and the importance of gamifying Catholicism as a merciless, guilt-ridden bloodbath. Tom O’Mahony: Twitter Beneath the Skin: A podcast chronicling the interconnected history of the world through the complicated history ...

Sep 25, 20242 hr 21 min

156 - The Magic School Bus

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads go surfing on a soundwave and swing through the stars as they tag along on the increasingly alarming field trips of Ms. Frizzle in the landmark children’s franchise: The Magic School Bus. Topics include the original books, the extraordinary TV show, and the computer game adaptations that taught a generation about the nightmarish mini-games hiding in their kidneys. Media Referenced in this Episode: The Magic School Bus...

Sep 18, 202421 min

155 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (feat. Mattie Lubchansky)

Mattie Lubchansky (Boys Weekend) and the lads hop in Benny the Cab and floor it to Toontown as they cover Robert Zemeckis’ seminal live-action/animated triumph: Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Topics include the perfect storm of the film’s creation, the meticulous production design, and the vital importance of venerating comedy that hits you like a piano to the head. Mattie Lubchansky: Twitter // Instagram // Patreon Boys Weekend: A hilarious trans-“final girl” horror graphic novel about a bachelor par...

Sep 11, 20243 hr 31 min

154 - When Dobson Met Bundy… (feat. I Hate James Dobson) [Whit’s Endless Summer 38]

Jake from the I Hate James Dobson podcast joins the lads for a Whit’s Endless Summer: Origins as they zero in on Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and his interview with one of the most vicious monsters in American history: Ted Bundy. Topics include the psychopathy of Bundy, the narcissism of Dobson, and the horrific societal implications of trying to ban Santa from your phone sexline. I Hate James Dobson: Join therapists Jake (a former Evangelical) and Brooke (who knows almost nothing ab...

Sep 07, 20242 hr 17 min