

Too Much Information
iHeartPodcasts
'Too Much Information' is a new iHeartRadio podcast that gives you the secret history, behind-the-scenes details and little-known fascinating facts about your favorite movies, music, TV shows and more. The series is brought to you by two trivia titans with too much free time. Jordan Runtagh and Alex Heigl are big-time pop culture nerds and longtime listicle writers who've worked at Rolling Stone, People, Entertainment Weekly, VH1, and Page Six. Now they're let off the leash and ready to dive deep into a different beloved entertainment classic three times a week. Get ready for everything you never knew about 'Rugrats,' 'Hook,' "Dancing Queen," Sonic the Hedgehog, 'Jeopardy,' 'Top Gun,' 'Jagged Little Pill'...The list goes on, and so will these guys. But in a good way. Promise.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 14, 2022 • 1h 30min
Home Alone: Everything You Didn't Know
Let Jordan and Alex be your filthy animals of facts on this exploration of what might possibly be the most violent movie in the holiday canon. They'll explain the feud with a comedy legend that helped set this production in motion, and also the insanity of Macaulay Culkin's literal rags-to-riches family drama — plus the time Joe Pesci bit him on the set, quite literally scarring him for life. You'll also learn which role Chris Farley nearly played, why John Candy was pissed at the production, all the ways they pulled off those brutal booby tracks, and what a doctor says those traps would do to you in real life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 9, 2022 • 1h 1min
A Christmas Story: Everything You Didn't Know
Jordan and Alex explore the creation of this idiosyncratic holiday classic, from the beat poet who wrote the original book, to the influence it had on the beloved TV mainstay The Wonder Years. You’ll also learn how a vintage soda ad inspired the famous leg lamp (a.k.a. the major award), how the director went from a Christmas-themed slasher to a raunchy teen sex comedy to this, and how they got Flick’s tongue stuck to that pole. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 7, 2022 • 55min
“All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey: Everything You Didn't Know
The TMI Team take a look at what Jordan calls “the best Christmas song of the 20th century” and what Heigl calls “the evil twin of ‘Monster Mash.’” (You can make up your own mind about who’s right.) You’ll hear about the traumatizing circumstances of Carey’s early life that lends a poignancy to this holiday party anthem, and the ongoing battle over the songwriting credits. They’ll explain the music theory of why it’s so damn catchy and so damn Christmas-y, the many sales records it holds, and why it makes goats produce more milk than the Chipmunks' Christmas song. (Long story.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 2, 2022 • 56min
The Muppet Christmas Carol: Everything You Didn't Know
There's more of gravy than the grave about Jordan and Alex as they forge ahead with their holiday programming by tackling the beloved 'Muppet Christmas Carol,' the first film released by Jim Henson Production following his tragic death. They'll continue to explore star Michael Caine's complicated relationship with blinking, reveal how Jim Henson gave his Kermit successor Steve Whitmire his blessing in a dream, and delve into why this was an especially poignant project for Muppets songwriter Paul Williams. Along the way, they'll detour into the behind-the-scenes magic that makes a Muppet movie and explore why enemy of the pod Jeffrey Katzenberg ensured a crucial musical number remained missing from the film's digital releases for years. Wherever you find love it feels like Christmas — and this episode has it in spades.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 30, 2022 • 39min
How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Everything You Didn't Know
Jordan and Alex’s hearts grow three sizes as they explore the making of the classic 1966 animated holiday special. You’ll learn about the truly devastating personal story that inspired the original book, the crappy car rental that influenced the Grinch’s green color, the surprising impact of WWII on getting the special green-lit, the drama over the Grinch’s singing voice, the little-known sequel specials — and the CORRECT way to pronounce “Seuss.” (Yes, we’ve all been saying it wrong.) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 25, 2022 • 1h 26min
Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black': Everything You Didn't Know
Jordan and Alex observe Black Friday by delving into the agony and the ecstasy of one of the greatest albums of the 21st century. They'll explain the relationship drama and emotional turmoil that influenced the record, explore the classic '60s songs that inspired its distinctive sound, and introduce the band of Brooklyn soul giants who gave it the groove. They'll also explain the argument that led Amy to cover the Zutons song “Valerie,” the NYC stroll that inspired "Rehab," and how Mark Ronson got Amy Winehouse to overcome her unholy hatred of strings for "Love Is a Losing Game."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 23, 2022 • 1h 7min
Batman - The Animated Series: Everything You Didn't Know
You ever pod with the devil in the pale moonlight? Alex puts Jordan through the Bat-wringer in a Bat-tastic exploration of "Batman: The Animated Series," in tribute to the recently deceased voice of the Dark Knight, Kevin Conroy. They'll Bat-detour through the show's origins in a show about Looney Tune babies, the secrets behind the series' beautiful aesthetics, how Mozart informed Mark Hamill's positively terrifying performance as the Joker, and the woman behind the Bat-music, Shirley Walker. They are the vengeance, they are the night, they are ... Too Much Information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 18, 2022 • 1h 11min
The Parent Trap (1998): Everything You Didn't Know
It's Double Trouble Day on TMI as Jordan and Alex give you the behind-the-scenes lowdown on the beloved remake of the Disney classic. They'll discuss the future superstars who duked it out with Lindsay Lohan for the lead role (or rather, roles), the crazy twin-centric coincidence involving the actress playing Chessy, and the wild real-life reunions of long-lost twin siblings. They'll also explain the cutting-edge camera tricks employed to turn one Lilo into two, how they came up with that elaborate secret handshake, and all subtle ways the remake paid tribute to the original — plus, the time the author of the original children's book was chased down by the Nazi SS!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 16, 2022 • 52min
MTV Cribs: Everything You Didn't Know
Alex and Jordan take you inside the pioneering reality series, which provided our favorite aughts-era celebrities with the opportunity to take us inside their homes — or, in some cases, rent fake homes and lie to us. You'll discover who was honest and who balled out for the sake of the show as the TMI gang reflects on the most truly ridiculous celebrity abodes. You'll also learn about all the ways this show nearly never got made, hear the surprisingly heartfelt story at the center of Mariah Carey's famous appearance, and get the whole backstory on Redman's infamous episode — plus they'll reveal the first artist to describe their bedroom as "where the magic happens." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 11, 2022 • 1h 51min
Freaks & Geeks: Everything You Didn't Know
Jordan and Alex pay tribute to the most concentrated dose of coming-of-age TV nostalgia this side of The Wonder Years. They’ll pore through Judd Apatow and Paul Feig’s real life teenage traumas that inspired the most iconic scenes and the interpersonal ups and downs in the cast of future film stars. (Spoiler: James Franco was kind of a pill and Linda Cardellini was the best...but y'all knew this.) They’ll also explore the once-in-a-generation convergence of talent that made this show unforgettable, and the once-in-a-blue-moon convergence of poor network decisions that ultimately doomed it to One Season Wonder status. You’ll learn all about all the ways the show broke network sitcom convention, the insane attention to detail that went into the production, and the fate of the characters had the show continued for another season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.