Too Much Information

Your specters of specificity are back — and they see dead people. Jordan and Alex set their sights on M. Night Shyamalan's masterpiece that balances horror with deeply emotional storytelling. You'll learn all about the time we almost got a future Arrested Development star in the lead, why Bruce Willis was forced into his part, and the sting of clever clues sprinkled throughout the movie that point to its iconic twist ending. (Errr, spoiler alert?) Alex shares his own experience with ghosts, Jordan talks about the time he partied with Haley Joel Osment in college, and they also go long on all the ways Donnie Wahlberg put himself through hell for his brief (but important!) role. You'll definitely laugh, you'll possibly cry, but hopefully you won't vomit like Mischa Barton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Alex don their most severe clothing and geometric haircuts to dive in the Big Bang of post-punk and goth: Joy Division’s “Unknown Pleasures!” They’ll trace the band’s origins to a pre-fame Sex Pistols gig in Manchester attended by virtually every member of the city’s musical luminaries to the maddening conditions of recording with insane genius producer Martin Hannett, who maybe tried to suffocate and/or poison their drummer? They’ll also re-litigate 1980s Manchester’s most famous rock feud…among people who aren’t in the Smiths: Joy Division/ New Order’s Peter Hook and Bernard Sumner! Also get ready to be so sad hearing about Ian Curtis’ life! Too Much Information: Two men in their 30s struggling to delicately parse mental health issues via granular trivia!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your poets of pop culture podcasts stand on their desks and sound their barbaric yawps in salute to this uplifting classic of the twinkly-eyed cinema canon — which made Robin Williams into a dramatic star and an untold number of kids crack open 'Leaves of Grass.' You'll learn about the hilarious aborted start to the movie (which resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of sets being torched after Robin Williams failed to show up) and the sweet bond that formed between Robin and Ethan Hawke. You'll also hear all about the lost ending that would have made this movie even more tear-inducing than it already is. Jordan recalls his less-than-pleasant days at a Welton Academy-like New England prep school, and he and Heigl debate the very nature of creativity and artistic instruction. It's a surprisingly soul-baring discussion for the TMI Guys, filled with their patented blend of conversational detours, earnest enthusiasm, and nihilism. So carpe that diem and give a listen!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

iHeart's resident Mogwais accidentally got splattered with water, and they've emerged from their cocoons all sticky and vicious -- and ready to talk about 1984's 'Gremlins.' They'll dive into the absolute murderer's row of 80s luminaries involved — Chris Columbus! Steven Spielberg! Joe Dante! — and the real stars of the film: the puppets! — and the man who nearly killed himself bringing them to life, SFX icon Chris Walas. Along the way they'll trace the aviation-related source of the word "gremlin," how this film forced Spielberg and the MPAA to invent the PG-13 rating, and touch briefly — and ecstatically — on the insane blank-check sequel Dante got to do with a different SFX god — Rick friggin' Baker — 'Gremlins 2: The New Batch!' Too Much Information: Just don't feed them after midnight!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your professors of pop culture embark on a three hour tour of trivia about this beloved monolith of mid-century sitcom kitsch. It's a ride as wild as the S.S. Minnow's doomed voyage as Jordan and Heigl somehow manage to link CIA mind control experiments, the JFK assassination, numerous tragic Hollywood deaths to talk of the seven castaways. You'll learn all about the hilarious feud among the cast, the ridiculously petty secret meaning behind the boat's name, all the ways Mary Anne was a real-life angel, and a story about the Skipper's final days that is guaranteed to make you sob. In addition to the stranger-than-fiction tales of naive good samaritans who tried to launch their own campaign to rescue Gilligan and Co., you'll also hear all about the truly insane made-for-TV reunions projects that somehow encompassed the Harlem Globetrotters, a nuclear apocalypse and murder. You're sure to get a smile from seven stranded castaways — and two crazy podcast hosts — here on Gilligan's Isle!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Alex close out APE-ril by traveling back in time -- or is it forward? -- to the original Planet of the Apes! No aspect of the original will be free of their dirty paws as they probe the original novel, written by the guy who wrote Bridge on the River Kwai and initially translated as "Monkey Planet!" No APE-spect of the film's torturous run-up to production will be missed, from the 30 drafts Rod Serling wrote to the revolutionary makeup that cost more than the actors! Oh, and there's a Sammy Davis, Jr story! Head into May-PE with Too Much Apes-formation!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your Chairmen of the Bored are back with a deep dive into the life and times of Ol’ Blue Eyes and the twisted origins of his signature tune — which went from an obscure French pop song to an immortal karaoke anthem. It was all thanks to former teen star Paul Anka, who wrote the stirring lyrics at his idol’s request on the eve of his retirement. You’ll learn how a Beatle (maybe) witnessed the recording, and you’ll hear an early version of the lyrics written by a pre-fame David Bowie. You’ll discover why Las Vegas became the home base for the Rat Pack, and hear all about Frank’s risky dealings — and crazy love triangle — with the Kennedys and the Mob (and why some believe he maybe-kinda-sorta inadvertently triggered JFK’s assassination…). Jordan and Alex also go deep on the Sex Pistols’ punk-rock cover of the classic, sung by the doomed bassist Sid Vicious, and examine the shocking number of murders that have occurred as a direct result of this song. Regrets, we’ve all had a few — but listening to this episode will not be one of them.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex and Jordan don their finest sweaters and Buddy Holly glasses to explore one of the touchstones of '90s alternative rock. Together they discuss the enigma known as Rivers Cuomo, touching on how his tumultuous upbringing inspired tracks like "Say It Ain't So" and "My Name is Jonas," why he was disappointed that Weezer weren't heralded as the next Nirvana, and the time he replaced all of his newly-fired guitarist's parts in a single session. The TMI guys also share the (slightly corny) original lyrics to "Buddy Holly," explain how Henry Winkler saved Spike Jonze's famous 'Happy Days'-themed video, and the adorable bond between the band and their producer, Cars legend Ric Ocasek — plus the many reasons why Jordan's beloved Beach Boys are the secret MVPs of this record. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan and Alex explore the beloved (yet terrifying) classic of children’s cinema. You’ll learn the many ways the kid who played Atreyu nearly died on the set, the true fate of the horse that sank in the quicksand, the insane lengths they went to build Falkor the Luck Dragon, and Steven Spielberg's secret role in helping finish the movie. They’ll also discuss how the Oracles left some viewers scandalized, why the “Childlike Empress” wore dentures, the ingenious effects that helped create The Nothing, and why the author of ‘The NeverEnding Story’ book hated the movie so much that he sued the studio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your list-living Lotharios are back with an episode that's just too good to be true. Get ready to dive deep into this crown jewel of the late '90s teen movie boom. You'll learn all about the alternate leads we nearly saw instead of Heath Ledger, the songs he nearly sang instead of Frankie Valli, what exactly was behind those tears when Julia Stiles recited the titular poem, and the on-set romance that will blow your minds. Jordan sounds off on why teen movies from this era are just so damn good, Alex opines on all the ways the band Letters to Cleo nearly died by performing on the roof, and together they speculate on the uncompleted sequel that's been tied up in legal hell for over a decade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.