Hey Dude, my recent reconnection to music makes me travel back in time to 2004, where I was living in a basement apartment in "Eagle Rock" and working on a one person show called "Broken Hearts and Sad Country Songs." QUOTE: "Whatever!" MUSICIANS: Stan Hillas, Kittens For Christian, Bruce Springsteen, Marilyn Monroe, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Bob Dylan VENUES: United Kingdom, Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, Sun Valley INSTRUMENTS: spoken word and music, podcasting, Karaoke SONGS: "I'm So Lonesome...
Jun 21, 2025•13 min
Hey Dude, an innocent Sunday drive to the Hollywood Bowl box office with my dad, turns into a mudslide of deep hometown memories. QUOTE: "If you don't drive through your hometown, are you really in your hometown?" LULLABY: "Hooray for Hollywood" (Whitling/Mercer) MUSICIANS/CAST: John Fogerty, Joan Anderson, George Clooney, Billy Strings, Bob Dylan LOCATIONS: The Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, Hollywood Way, Warner Bros., Walt Disney Studio, Universal Studios, Cahuenga Pass, Highland Ave., Sunset Blv...
May 27, 2025•16 min
Hey Dude, I took my dad to see Willie Nelson's Outlaw Music Festival at The Hollywood Bowl and it somehow magically restored my faith in my own home town. QUOTE: "I would call it a borderline spiritual experience..." LULLABY: "California Sober" by Billy Strings MUSICIANS/CAST: Willie Nelson, P-22 (mountain lion), Ricky Gervais, Sierra Hull, Billy Strings, Bob Dylan, Cate Blanchett, Deadheads, Jimi Hendrix LOCATIONS: The Hollywood Bowl, Ventura Blvd, Universal City, Burbank, Griffith Park, LA Zoo...
May 19, 2025•19 min
Hey Dude, I finally watched La La Land and it really struck me to the core, especially the scenes at my beloved Smoke House and the wacky one person show stuff. QUOTE: "My recording situation isn't perfect..." CAST: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Ming Ming (cameo) LOCATIONS: Oregon, 105 Freeway, The Dresden Room, The Smoke House, Warner Bros., Griffith Park, The Griffith Observatory, Sunset Blvd. FILM/TV: A Complete Unknown, The Chocolate War, La La Land, SNL, Drive, Barbie, Portlandia PODCASTS: Pine...
May 06, 2025•13 min
Hey Dude, I trip out on being a heathen freshman at a Catholic high school, and then I goof on the reason why I left. QUOTE: "I didn't want to sell the chocolates." CAST: Pope Francis, Jesus of Nazareth, Spartacus, Chris Prine, Danny DeVito, Annette Bening, Jennifer Jason Leigh LOCATIONS: Notre Dame High School, Beth Meier Preschool, Corvallis High School, Descanso Gardens, Altadena PROPS: Bible, Old Testament, New Testament, My Own Private Idaho, The Chocolate War, Poolman, The Big Lebowski, Ch...
Apr 25, 2025•12 min
Hey Dude, after stumbling from the ashes, I finally sat down to have my mind blown by the film A Complete Unknown...twice. QUOTE: "The wheels have completely fallen off the wagon." CAST: Brandi Carlile, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Joe Friday, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Fred Neil, James Mangold, Elijah Wald, Timothée Chalamet, Sylvester Stallone, Joaquin Phoenix, Johnny Cash, Boyd Holbrook, Joan Baez, Monica Barbaro, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Suze Rotolo, Scott Warmuth SPECIAL GUEST STAR: Ming ...
Apr 13, 2025•17 min
Hey Dude, my super funky weekend was redeemed after Reverend Rick let his freak flag fly from the pulpit of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City. QUOTE: "I don't know if I should say this in church." PEOPLE: Kris Kristofferson, Philip Roth, Jack Nicholson PLACES: Altadena, Los Angeles, DTLA, Los Angeles Central Library, Universal City, Studio City, Harvard Westlake Sports Complex, UUCSC THINGS: Sunday Morning Coming Down, The Last Detail, Shore Patrol PHOTO: "Beautiful UU Springstar"...
Mar 31, 2025•14 min
Hey Dude, I talk about how I'm struggling to keep my head on straight this year as I deal with the Altadena Fire, my induction into the Podcast Hall of Fame and my 20th anniversary of podcasting. All while trying to celebrate the efforts of the people at Podcasthon, as Dean and I ask for your help with our own non-profit, the History of Podcasting Project. PEOPLE: Dean Whitbread PLACES: Altadena, Burbank, Los Angeles, California, Canada, France, "The Gulf of Canada" THINGS: Eaton Fire (Altadena ...
Mar 19, 2025•11 min
Hey Dude, I headed up to Altadena to visit the three historic places where I once lived. All three were burned to the ground. Yet I still feel a tinge of hope. PEOPLE: David Lynch, Zane Grey PLACES: Altadena, Jane's Village, Zane Grey Estate, Woodbury Building THINGS: History of Podcasting Project SOUNDS: footsteps, gravel path, airplane Laguna Sawdust Cowbell Chimes GENRE: storytelling , personal narrative , personal journal PHOTO: "Woodbury Building Mural" shot with my iPhone XS RECORDED: Marc...
Mar 02, 2025•13 min
Hey Dude, obviously there has been a lot going on with the Eaton Fire burning down my studio in downtown Altadena. So many people, suffering so much loss, so I'll wait to tell my side of the story for another day. My GoFundMe SOUNDS: footsteps, gravel path, sirens Laguna Sawdust Cowbell Chimes GENRE: storytelling , personal narrative , personal journal PHOTO: "Go Find Me" shot with my iPhone XS RECORDED: February 1, 2025 in the "Cafe" under the flight path of the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank , Ca...
Feb 03, 2025•7 min
Hey Dude, I briefly talk about being inducted into the Podcast Hall of Fame, before I flashback to my not so distant dreams of living in the 90s. QUOTE: "I didn't play it cool enough, so I dropped the ball." PEOPLE: Grant Baciocco, Hiram, Alicia Silverstone PLACES: Orlando, Burbank, Westside, South L.A., San Bernadino THINGS: Podcast Hall of Fame, Dr. Floyd, Toiley T. Paper, Kittens for Christian, Reality Bites, Portlandia, SNL, mime, Music Center of Los Angeles, Clueless, Verge of the Fringe SO...
Jan 05, 2025•14 min
Hey Dude, I'm really sorry it's been so long since my last call. I riff about a "big f'n deal" announcement that is still a secret, while also lamenting all of the broken shoelaces in my life. QUOTE: "It's not the big things in life that kill you. It's the little things like breaking a shoelace with no time left." - Charles Bukowski PEOPLE: Charles Bukowski, Sylvester Stallone PLACES: North Hollywood High School THINGS: Rocky, X (the band), Twitter, Bluesky SOUNDS: plane, birds, footsteps, grave...
Dec 07, 2024•9 min
Hey Dude, the other night I watched the Joan Baez documentary "I Am a Noise" and it struck me to the core. My new found reverence for Joan Baez is beyond measure. Plus I couldn't think of my favorite singer's name...Brandi Carlile. QUOTE: "Madonna, not Madonna the performer. Madonna the Virgin Mary." PEOPLE: Norah Jones, Kacey Musgraves, Billie Eilish & Finneas, The Carpenters, The Go-Go's, Brandi Carlile, Lady Gaga, Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Virgin Mary, Taylor Swift,...
Mar 19, 2024•17 min
Hey Dude, I had a minor battle with COVID before I really went viral with a Star Wars post in a Generation X group on Facebook. QUOTE: "A two-year-old has no context of anything..." PEOPLE: David Letterman PLACES: Hollywood Burbank Airport, Canada THINGS: COVID-19, vaccines, Star Wars, micro-generations, 1977, Substack, Generation X, 1965-1980, 1960, 1980, Facebook, History of Podcasting, Rocky SOUNDS: birds, footsteps, gravel path, plane, Laguna Sawdust Cowbell Chimes GENRE: storytelling , pers...
Feb 17, 2024•12 min
Hey Dude, I left you a melancholy message about my crazy days before the holidays, along with a sad remembrance of my mom's last Christmas. QUOTE: "At least that's what I call the day after Christmas..." PEOPLE: Dean Whitbread, Doug Mcintyre PLACES: England, Henry's Tacos, Ernie's Taco House, Casa Vega, El Coyote THINGS: Libsyn, Subaru, Outback, Crosstrek, Faberge egg, Christmas, Christmas Eve, "It's A Wonderful Life", redemption story, Boxing Day, Redeye Radio, KFI, New Years, IBM SOUNDS: wind,...
Dec 31, 2023•13 min
Hey Dude, the PBS documentary "The Chinatown Punk Wars" took me back in my mind to my best live performance at the Hong Kong Cafe. QUOTE: "I was totally free on stage." PEOPLE: The Dude , Karen Carpenter , Jay Leno , David Letterman , Jerry Seinfeld , Keith Morris , John Doe PLACES: DTLA , Arts District , Al's Bar , Chinatown , Echo Park , Sunset Blvd. , Millie's , Madame Wong's , Hong Kong Cafe THINGS: Generation X , Boomers , micro generation, Artbound , PBS , "The Chinatown Punk Wars", punk r...
Nov 17, 2023•18 min
Hey Dude, the brewing storm inside my sobriety kept me from going to my North Hollywood High School "rebel reunion" for the class of 1984. I also riff on the weather. QUOTE: "The wind blowing kinda stirred my soul." PEOPLE: Sinéad O'Connor , Dean Whitbread PLACES: North Hollywood High School , Walter Reed Junior High School THINGS: Tropical Storm Hilary , History of Podcasting SOUNDS: wind, footsteps, gravel path, the 5 Freeway, knee pop, motorcycle, helicopter, birds, Laguna Sawdust Cowbell Chi...
Sep 02, 2023•12 min
Hey Dude, the FBI finally sent me the file on my Great Uncle Blayney. It's a 210 page mixed bag, but now I have a new angle to tell his story. I also recently binged GLOW and Ted Lasso. QUOTE: "I'm not easy to work with, for sure." PEOPLE: Alison Brie , Marc Maron , Jason Sudeikis , Lester Holt , Blayney F. Matthews , Alan Ladd , Joseph Dougherty PLACES: Lowe's , Glassel Park , Eagle Rock , Warner Bros ., Hollywood Burbank Airport THINGS: Netflix , HULU, GLOW , Ted Lasso , SNL , FBI , Los Angele...
Jul 22, 2023•13 min
Hey Dude, my life has been a real jigsaw puzzle, slowly put back together this past month. Not only does my truck have a rebuilt engine, I may have found my voice...again. QUOTE: "At first I thought it was going to be a disaster, but in the end, it was perfect." PEOPLE: Dean Whitbread , John in the UK , Father Time , Joseph Dougherty PLACES: Altadena Library , Bob Lucas Branch , Bob's Big Boy ( Toluca Lake ), Yosemite , Fresno , Oakhurst , Frazier Park , Los Angeles County , Bakersfield , Centra...
Jul 02, 2023•14 min
Hey Dude, I riff on the idea of "micro-generations" and make the case that I'm at the center of my own private "Star Wars Generation" even though I'm really a Rocky guy. QUOTE: "The wheelhouse crowd for Star Wars..." PEOPLE/ACTORS: JFK , David Sheehan , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Mark Hamill , Sylvester Stallone , Christopher Walken PLACES: Sherman Oaks , North Hollywood High School FILM/TV: Brady Bunch, Star Wars , Rocky , Han Solo , American Graffiti , Phantom Menace , Shampoo , 1883 , 19...
Feb 07, 2023•20 min
Hey Dude, I was feeling deep blue until I saw a Facebook post from an old high school classmate, and later the video of Annie Lennox getting inducted into the Rock Hall. QUOTE: "Whenever I need to jump start my creativity, I watch it." PEOPLE: Annie Lennox , Dave Stewart , Eurythmics , Edge , U2 , The Tourists , Freddie Mercury , Queen , David Bowie , Gina Gershon , Jennifer Tilly , Jack Kerouac PLACES: The Valley , North Hollywood High School , Wembley Stadium , Universe THINGS: ADU , Facebook ...
Nov 27, 2022•12 min
Hey Dude, I fondly reflect on the passing of our beloved cat Thomas, the great Vin Scully, and the luminous Olivia Newton-John. I also find time to whine about not making it on the radio. QUOTE: "A tear welled up in his left eye." PEOPLE: Zane Grey , Vin Scully , Chick Hearn , Adolfo Guzman-Lopez , Jake Downey , John Rabe , John Doe , Petros Papadakis , Olivia Newton-John , John Travolta , Bob Dylan , George Harrison , Farrah Fawcett PLACES: Zane Grey Estate , Altadena , Burbank , Los Angeles , ...
Aug 10, 2022•17 min
Hey Dude, I riff and ramble about Howard Hughes and his dirty fingerprints all over the 20th century. I also admit to going on a 48 hour binge of The Americans. QUOTE: "Another time, another dime." PEOPLE: Ray Liotta , Edward Albee , James Ellroy , Howard Hughes, JKF , RFK , Larry O'Brien , Richard Nixon , Robert Maheu , Blayney F. Matthews , J.L. Warner , Keri Russell PLACES: Watergate Hotel , Iowa , California , Shoreline Village , Long Beach THINGS: The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia , American Tablo...
Jun 01, 2022•15 min
Hey Dude, while listening to KPCC on the radio, I heard a mashup episode of Snap Judgement and Love + Radio, featuring Nick van der Kolk interviewing Glynn Washington. The whole thing made me trip on the blurred lines between podcasting and radio. QUOTE: "I freakin' love radio." CHARACTERS: Will Smith, Chris Rock , Nick van der Kolk , Glynn Washington , Bob Dylan , Johnny Cash , Evo Terra , Tee Morris , Tim Coyne , Lightnin' Hopkins , Les Blank , Muddy Waters , Howlin' Wolf SETTINGS: Wawona , Uk...
Apr 04, 2022•19 min
Hey Dude, I riff about the relative indifference to Jack Kerouac's 100th birthday by the popular culture, and how my 17th anniversary in podcasting was politely ignored. QUOTE: "He loves the word sad, I love the word sad." PEOPLE: Jack Kerouac , Truman Capote , Bob Dylan , The Beatles , The Doors , Patti Smith PLACES: Altadena , Zane Grey Estate , Hollywood Burbank Airport , Broadway THINGS: #Kerouac100 , Health-Ade Kombucha , spontaneous prose , Interstate Highways , Route 66 , Academy Awards ,...
Mar 16, 2022•13 min
Hey Dude, two years ago I was in a mad dash to pack my stuff to move out of the Zane Grey Estate, when suddenly actor Shia LaBeouf was standing in the middle of my messy studio apartment. QUOTE: "That's one hell of a mom!" PEOPLE: Dean Whitbread , Zane Grey , Shia LaBeouf PLACES: Zane Grey Estate , Altadena , Burbank THINGS: history of podcasting , artist , foyer , Nymphomaniac (film) , embargoed , Ripley's , SOUNDS: wind, footsteps, gravel path, Laguna Sawdust Cowbell Chimes GENRE: storytelling...
Feb 27, 2022•17 min
BONUS EPISODE: A few years ago, my late friend Stan Hillas and I were working on creating a piece about radio pioneer Joe Frank in a Joe Frank style. Set in the mid-90's, the story is about an old girlfriend, who along with her Julie Christie lookalike friend fantasized about meeting Joe Frank. Music and sound design by Stan Hillas. PEOPLE: Joe Frank , Spalding Gray , Ray Bradbury , Julie Christie Laurie Anderson , O.J. Simpson , Dan Klass , Martin Scorsese PLACES: The Wiltern , Glendale , New O...
Jan 25, 2022•12 min
Hey Dude, on the Day of the Dead I quietly celebrated a year without drinking. Meanwhile a random 50,000-Watt punch to the gut leads to a new lease on life. QUOTE: "Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the drum." PEOPLE: Chris Lambert , Kristin Smart , Robert Towne , Spalding Gray , Jack Kerouac PLACES: Walter Reed Junior High , Notre Dame High School , North Hollywood High School THINGS: circus , 2020 Election , Day of the Dead , baseball , Your Own Backyard Podcast , Radio , Dodgers...
Nov 05, 2021•22 min
Hey Dude, a bit of recognition for my photos by Descanso Gardens and The Arboretum paves the way for me to see Ira Glass in a new light, from "broken glass" to an arrow straight to the heart. QUOTE: "The only thing you can do is to keep on keepin' on." PEOPLE: Ira Glass , John Doe , Krissy Teegerstrom PLACES: Descanso Gardens , The Arboretum , Arcadia , Altadena , Heritage Boots THINGS: iPhone 6 , iPhone XS , Carved , Twitter , Instagram , L.A. Magazine , plumeria , Mother Nature , S-Town , All ...
Oct 04, 2021•18 min
Hey Dude, I reminisce about being a goofy 13-year-old during the Summer of 1979, and the time I made Molly Ringwald's stunning older sister Beth laugh at my expense. QUOTE: "OP shirt, corduroy pants / If you had feathered hair / You had half a chance" - Gluey Brothers PEOPLE: Steve Schirripa , Michael Imperioli , Molly Ringwald , Bob Ringwald PLACES: Walter Reed Junior High , Israel , Toluca Lake , Louisiana , Ventura & Laurel Canyon THINGS: Summer , Labor Day , The Sopranos , Talking Sopran...
Sep 08, 2021•18 min
