Thursday, December 26, 2013

Episode #28 - "Big Book of British Smiles" - Show Notes

Download Episode (61MB, Running Time: 2h 12m)

iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

Alternate Title: "Let's Talk About Chicks, Man"
  • Special Co-Host: Otto the Autopilot
  • Tonight's Beverage: Smirnoff Ice Raspberry (Dirk); Crown Royal (Otto)
  • Stumble out of the gate with three cracks at the intro and the false promise of doing the Deep Thoughts Musicians Quiz game.
  • Comparing Christmas loot hauls.
  • What makes The Grinch Who Stole Christmas good. (Not Dr. Seuss.)
  • Discussion of Dirk getting Watchmen Collector's Edition: Ultimate Cut + Graphic Novel [Blu-ray] and Alan Moore's stories, particularly Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition. (The original inked panel showing a nude Barbara Gordon.)
  • The evolution of Batman in comics and movies.
  • Escher Girls.
  • The 40 Worst Rob Liefeld Drawings.

  • Alicia Silverstone's body. Dirk didn't get to  mention that she's modeled nude for a PeTA ad since she's vegetarian.
  • The whole kerfuffle about body-shaming/fat-shaming/shame-shaming.

  • Debate over who should play Wonder Woman with Otto's ideal and lookalikes Lucy Hale and Phoebe Tonkin:


  • J.Law: Hot or not; fat or not; was Silver Linings Playbook mismarketed; and is another Oscar in her near future?
  • Hot chicks we don't want to bang.
  • Anna Silk's baby weight vs. Jessica Alba and Anna Paquin. Here she is before the baby:
  • And after:
















  • Rachel Nichols in P2:




  • Otto's connecting to Dale Bozio of Missing Persons.




  • Who goes to the movies on Christmas?




  • Otto's list of people who died in 2013.
  • Thursday, December 19, 2013

    Episode #27 - "Saturday Morning Mild Hangover" - Show Notes

    Download Episode (57MB, Running Time: 2h 5m)

    Subscribe to podcast via iTunes, Stitcher or RSS 
    Like/Follow/Contact Us: Facebook • Twitter • CVRadio313@gmail.com


    Alternate Title: "The One Where We Quote Scrooged"
    • Special Co-Host: Otto the Autopilot
    • Tonight's Beverage: Smirnoff Ice
    •  A 35-year Royal Oak Christmas tradition is ending, but we digress through...
    • ...and Winona Ryder before discussing it.
    • A Scrooged quote-a-thon!
    • Legendary 89X DJ Kelly Brown is coming to Raw Radio X.
    • Bill Murray's career.
    • The 60-year-old kid meme.
    • Pussy Riot freed. Dirk's review of Pussy Riot: A Punk Rock Prayer.
    • Canuckian politician who felt cyberbullied when her topless appearance on The L-Word was tweeted by a kid.
    • The weird connection between Marv Albert and Chuck D.
    • Detroit musican Patrick Davy drops by to discuss what he's been up to. We listen to his recorded music, he plays a tune, and plays the Deep Thoughts Musicians Quiz game.
    • Discussion over Patrick and Dirk's thoughts on Radiohead.
    • The pros and cons of saying you're a musician from Detroit.
    • Dirk's rare moment of rock glory.
    • Battlefield 4 continues to be buggy and Dirk sucks at The Witcher 2.
    • Low Winter Sun is canceled. No loss.
    • Joseph Gordon-Levitt making a Sandman movie and Paul Rudd is Antman.
    • Frank Darabont sues AMC for The Walking Dead $$$.
    • An Onion story about an upcoming season of Girls.
    • Go help the Hater Kitty Rescue Army, please! Buy a card!

    • Lost Girl is back, so here's a gratuitous shot of the girls: Zoie Palmer, Anna Silk, Ksenia Solo

    Thursday, December 12, 2013

    Episode #26 - "Gottahavium" - Show Notes

    Download Episode (58MB, Running Time: 2h 6m)

    iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

    Alternate Title: "Alan Alda: A Very Believable Dick"
    • Special Co-Host: Otto the Autopilot
    • Tonight's Beverage: Smirnoff Ice Raspberry
    •  The case of the missing music.
    • Android 4.4.2 released for Nexus devices and Chromecast gets more usable.
    • A theory about Bob Koski.
    • Otto's life as a Boblo boat DJ.
    • Dirk's purchase of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey extended edition Blu-ray, the crazy amount of extras and Otto's deep dislike of Peter Jackson's take on the book.
    • Comic book artists who drive us away from books we'd like to read.
    • Home For The Holidaze 11: Songwriter Showcase and Charity Drive on December 20.
    • The Batman/Superman movie will be shooting in Michigan and Fast & Furious 7 is being rewritten to give Paul Walker an appropriate sendoff.
    • More Star Trek Into Wrathness of Khanness Blu-ray annoyance.

    • Dirk's review of Elysium prompts a vigorous debate (*cough*) of Jodie Foster's performance in Contact.
    • Should Oscar-winning actors who make terrible movies have their awards repossessed?
    • Free Fallout games (deal has expired; listen to the live show, kids) from GOG.com and the Fallout 4 and leaks confirming its reality.
    • Music by Def Ref: "A Girl Without Hands (Def Ref Takes the Message Mix featuring Lisa Vicious)"
    • Dirk misremembered the specifics, but jump to 1:50 for the non-smoking gag:
    • Battlefield 4 single-player remarks and Dirk & Otto's gaming histories. 
    • Doom's 20th Anniversary; John Carmack's leaving id Software; game engines explained. Heavy nerd tech yammering ensues. Frostbite 3 article.

    • Movie trailers quickly discussed:


    • Otto has never seen Bound! Infidel!
    • The Maxx needs to be on DVD. What's that? It is?!?!? w00t!!!

    • Detroit radio DJ legend Ken Calvert retires.
    • ABC News and Ted Koppel screwed over the freelance journalist who interviewed Cambodian genocidal dictator Pol Pot.
    • Go to www.HaterKitty.com to get the Christmas card that fundraises for Hermione's East Side cat rescue.
    • Unnecessary photo of J.Law: Murder Girl of West Virginia:


    Thursday, December 5, 2013

    Episode #25 - "Ingmar Bergman's Elf" - Show Notes

    Download Episode (55MB, Running Time: 1h 59m)

    iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

    Alternate Title: "A Runnier Vagina Than Alan Alda"
    • Special Co-Host: Otto the Autopilot
    • Tonight's Beverage: Smirnoff Ice Green Apple Bite
    • Thanksgiving recap, Black Friday disappointments and horders.
    • Problems with Battlefield 4. (Even EA's stock price is taking a hit.)
    • Talking about the weather and beer.
    • The Android 4.4.1 for Nexus devices. (UPDATE 12/9/13: 4.4.2 is out!)
    • The David Bowie is exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
    • The mid-series finale of The Walking Dead and how everything remains Andrea's fault!
    • The benefits of B&W movies.
    • Dirk finally started catching up on the backlog at DirkFlix with The Prestige, Trance, 2 Guns, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, The To Do List and Snitch.
    • Dirk thinks Almost Human is slipping and isn't crazy about emo Nikita in this final season.  Otto enjoyed this season of Boardwalk Empire.
    • Mopping up last week's sci-fi horror discussion with Pandorum.
    • Dirk got his car back! Yay!
    • Paul Walker RIP and what they should do with the in-production Fast & Furious 7 to address Brian O'Connor's absence. (Later, Hermione suggested Channing Tatum.)
    • Elf: The Musical at the Detroit Opera House and where you should sit in a theater.
    • The casting of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman for the Man of Steel sequel and the insipid bleats about body-shaming.
    •  
    • Odds and ends which will be discussed next week.

    Thursday, November 21, 2013

    Episode #24 - "Seven Flying Phalluses" - Show Notes

    Download Episode (58MB, Running Time: 2h 7m)

    iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

    Alternate Title: "Stay Boring, My Friend"

    Thursday, November 14, 2013

    Episode #23 - "Electric Boogaloo: The Quickening" - Show Notes

    Download Episode (57MB, Running Time: 2h 5m)

    Subscribe to podcast via iTunes, Stitcher or RSS 
    Like/Follow/Contact Us: Facebook • Twitter • CVRadio313@gmail.com


    Alternate Title: "Radio Blah Blah Blah"
    • Tonight's Beverage: Okocim (Polish beer)
    • Android KitKat, the Nexus 5 and the Moto G. The benefits of the Nexus line and going pre-paid rather than signing contracts for cell service. (Dirk uses Straight Talk.)
    • The Playstation 4 launch. (Ars Technica's review)
    • Clutch Cargo's closing.
    • The new Humble Store.
    • WDIV reporter drops F-bomb and blows up the Internet.
    • Special Guest: Bob Koski returns for more discussion of Detroit radio.
      • Extensive discussion of Doug Podell - longtime Detroit radio DJ and PD (Bob's view)-slash-evil d-bag (Dirk's view) - and Dirk's complicated history with him.

      • The insanity of demographics-driven radio programing and how the companies will screw everything up for no rational reason.
      • Dirk's encounters with celebrities while delivering flowers.
      • How do arrogant decisions happen even after focus group testing?
      • The favoritism shown Drew and Mike.
      • A game giveaway.
      • A listener calls in to discuss the shallowness of radio due to consultants.
      • Why local music gets ghettoized to nights and weekends when it gets played at all.
      • Why long songs like "Free Bird" and "Kashmir" became FM radio staples.
      • Why doesn't anyone try free-form radio again?
      • How The Bruiser Band came up with parodies.
    Finally, a gratuitous shot of J.Law's new short hair which is actually pretty hot. Sort of a sultry Ellen Barkin-ish vibe going here.

    Thursday, November 7, 2013

    Episode #22 - "Radio Blah Blah" - Show Notes

    Download Episode (58MB, Running Time: 2h 8m)

    Subscribe to podcast via iTunes, Stitcher or RSS 
    Like/Follow/Contact Us: Facebook • Twitter • CVRadio313@gmail.com


    Alternate Title: "Dirk's One-Man Band Show"
    • Tonight's Beverage: Labatt's Blue
    • Where's McHatin?
    • Special Guest: Bob Koski, former producer for the legendary J.J. and the Morning Crew in Detroit.
    • Apple Mavericks problems and Target iPad trade-in schemes.
    • Jamie Alexander's Thor premiere dress:
    • Dirk's poor experience seeing Gravity.
    •  Rob Ford: Gangsta Mayor of Toronto.
    • Discussion of Bob's career in morning radio:
      • What a show producer does and how the show was assembled.
      • His pre-radio career and early life.
      • The beginnings of Drew and Mike and how people could basically BS their way onto the radio.
      • Who the real Dick the Bruiser was and the legendary fight between him and Alex Karras.
      • The difference between a Program Director and Music Director.
      • Arthur Pennhallow tales.
      • Why radio playlists are so boring and the dirty secret of the real purpose for programming.
      • The "radio" playlists that Google Play Music generates.
      • A horrifying tale of radio exec ignorance.
      • The poor treatment of DJs.
      • How Dirk tried to save the music industry and sorta predicted Spotify.
      •  Can radio be saved?
    • How Digg screwed itself.

      Thursday, October 3, 2013

      Episode #21 - "Grand Theft Dirk" - Show Notes

      Download Episode (56MB, Running Time: 2h 2m)

      iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

      Alternate Title: "Really Living Without It"
      • Tonight's Beverages: Water and diet iced green tea for Dirk; nothing McHatin.
      • The sad story of Dirk's car being stolen and the damage done.
      • The remains of the steering wheel with the club still on it.
      • McHatin unfriended Dirk, so we revisit some of the hot babes he wouldn't date because they're 6 years older.
      • Non-discussion of the Dexter finale and slight discussion of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and other shows, new and old.
      • The lethal motivation trope of hero's journey.
      • Edward Snowden, the surveillance state, and the weird demands for privacy from a society that's constantly oversharing.
      • McHatin tries to turn the moped discussion back onto Dirk with little success.
      • Dirk doesn't like Natalie Portman (top) but likes Keira Knightly despite them looking very similar:

      • The sorry state of rap music these days and Dirk's sorta connection to LL Cool J.
      • The troubles with the launch of GTA V Online and Dirk's helicopter troubles leads into a discussion of tough spots in games and their videogaming histories.
      • Dirk's Xbox Achievement milestones:

        December 2009, after 3 years 8 months, hit 10,000.

        December 2012, after 3 years 8 days more, hit 15,000.
      • The BS way the media blames violent incidents on videogames.
      • Steam news: Family sharing, SteamOS, Steam Machines (aka Steamboxes), the radical new Steam Controller, and why Dirk thinks Valve's fanboys are almost as uncritical as Apple's iHerds. Time magazine: 7 Big, Unanswered Questions About SteamOS and Steam Machines.
      • Battlefield 3 cheaters and Punkbuster fail.
      • Quick movie talk about Parker, Pain & Gain, The Purge, Europa Report (all Dirk reviews to come) and Dead in Tombstone.
      • The source articles for Pain & Gain at the Miami New Times.
      • We tease a topic that we may not actually do in the future.
      • End Note: McHatin finally discovered that some Iranian blogger was pitching Persian princes, not a prince trying to lobby for the gig.

      Thursday, September 26, 2013

      Episode #20 - "The Moped Theory" - Show Notes

      Download Episode (55MB, Running Time: 2h)

      iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

      Alternate Title: "No Blondes, No Dogs, No Irish"
      • Tonight's Beverages: Water and diet iced green tea for Dirk; nothing McHatin.
      • Discussion of various stand-up comics throughout history prompted by the thesis that Louis C.K. is wildly overrated.
      • The One True God subreddit which worships Nicolas Cage.
      • McHatin's bizarrely strict parameters for dating based on age and hair color which means he wouldn't date any of these women because they're too old, too blonde, or too young and blonde:



        Yeah, Dirk was shocked, too.
      • Quick reactions to the premiere of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 
      • Music of Mojo Nixon and The Luckouts.
      • The Luckouts dropped by to talk about their new CD, their musical backgrounds and to play the Deep Thoughts Musicians Quiz game.
      • Cherkiterts: The Age of Ra (The Pantheon Trilogy) (McHatin); Lazarus: Form Recovery for Firefox and Chrome.

      Thursday, September 19, 2013

      Episode #19 - "Dickwolves of London" - Show Notes

      Download Episode (55MB, Running Time: 2h 1m)

      iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

      Alternate Title: "Toughen Up, Buttercups!"

      Thursday, September 5, 2013

      Episode #18 - "What Letter Does Carrot Start With?" - Show Notes

      Download Episode (49MB, Running Time: 1h 48m)
      iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

      Alternate Title: "Low Winter Xbox One"
      • Tonight's Beverage: Labatt Ice (for Dirk; nothing for McHatin).
      • Dirk won Cracked.com's Photoplasty contest: "If Movie Titles Were Honest This Year"
      • Dirk's halfway through Season 3 of Breaking Bad and reports progress.
      • A discussion of Low Winter Sun and how it would've been so much better with a slight change in the set-up.
      • Reddit spoiler trolls.
      • The RoboCop statue is a year from reality.
      • Xbox One release date is set for Nov. 22, 2013; a week later and still $100 more than the PS4.
      • Whether focus groups for games are happening and whether publishers are even listening?
      • The Jimquitision videos: "On-Disc DLC Cannot Be Justified" (April 2012) and "Downloadable Discontent" (August 2013)
      • The huge patch Killzone: Mercenary will require on top of the base load.
      • The huge Skyrim: Legendary Edition strategy guide and the cash-milking evil of Disney Infinity.
      • Why Dirk pre-ordered a PS4.
      • The game Gamestop was selling used for $90 that we couldn't remember was Xenoblade. Behind the controversy.
      • Norwegian weirdo music.
      • The sheer f*ckery of the Star Trek Into Darkness Blu-ray release with extras scattered across different retailers.
      • Internet rage about the casting of the 50 Shades of Grey movie.
      • Android 4.4 is no longer Key Lime Pie, but KitKat. About the secret cross-promotion deal.
      • The image we discussed of a dragon getting bizzay with a car. WARNING: Extremely NSFW and you can't unsee this stuff! You have been warned! Click at your own peril!
      • Samsung Galaxy Gear and Note 3 mentioned.
      • ScarJo's boobs return! (But she's engaged now. Boo.) Before and after comparo:
      • Nexus 5 incoming?
      • Some more Reddit grousing.

      Thursday, August 29, 2013

      Episode #17 - "So You Think You Can Twerk" - Show Notes

      Download Episode (55MB, Running Time: 2h 1m)

      iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

      Alternate Title: "It's A Black-Off!"
      • Tonight's Beverage: Trader Joe's Simple Times Lager (for Dirk; nothing for McHatin).
      • Car stereos.
      • Recapping last week's post-show fun and McHatin's confrontation with a crack ho and the resultant "black-off" and twerking.
      • The results of the Humble Origin Bundle and the lame Comedy bundle that followed it, but the decent Weekly deal.
      • Dirk is playing Bioshock Infinite (aka Sky-o-Shock) and we talk about the racism of the story so far.
      • The grisly deaths of Tomb Raider.
      • The results of Audra Kubat's crowd-sourcing campaign and why Indie Go-Go is vastly superior to Kickstarter.
      • Her terrific pitch video:
      • In a world...

      • Lita Ford and Cherie Currie are doing a Christmas single.
      • McHatin has read 10 books in the past week.
      • NPR's list of the Top 100 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Novels and how many we've read and why Dirk reads young adult novels.
      • Nexus 4 has its price cut a C-note to $199 or $249. Killer deal.
      • Japanese cell phones that McHatin craves.
      • Using the Chromecast with a proper Internet connection.
      • The Miley Cyrus VMA controversy.
      • A typical digression into Breaking Bad S2 and people spoiling.
      • The image of Jesse's house that caused the spoiling:
      • Report of fuzzy graphics on the PS4 version of Battlefield 4.
      • Back to the Miley situation.
      • The image that Dirk made that bombed on Reddit:
        Why we've never seen Miley Cyrus and Bill the Cat together before.
      • Dirk learns how Reddit's "front page" works.
      • The South Korean trainer cougar who buffed up at 40.
      • The chick who busts on personal transformation before-and-after photos:
      • The continuing nerd rage over Ben Affleck as Batman and the rumors of Bryan Cranston wanting to play Lex Luthor.
      • James Spader cast as Ultron and McHatin has nerd purity rage about it.
      • Dirk's deal getting a USB drive for his Xbox.
      • Is Olivia Munn a real nerd girl or a stuck-up bitch.

      Thursday, August 22, 2013

      Episode #16 - "Shiny Happy Dystopian Futures" - Show Notes

      Download Episode (46MB, Running Time: 1h 41m)

      iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

      Alternate Title: "Breaking News From Official Sources"
      • Tonight's Beverage: Labatt Ice (Dirk; nothing for McHatin).
      •  Humble Origin Bundle charity update (deal continues until August 28, 2013) and how DLC is gamers' fault.
      • Are bloggers journalists? Boisterous debate ensues.
      • Reddit readers.
      • McHatin wants Hollywood to collectively focus on one subject per year.
      • Music by Japanese girl-rockers The Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass, "House of the Rising Sun"
      • Dirk talks about his Google Chromecast.
      • EA's Great Game Guarantee and whether rage against Dragons Age 2 and Mass Effect 3 was merited.
      • Should sci-fi be happy and leave the rape out of it?
      • The RAGE screenshot and caption referred to.
      • A digression into Robert Rodriguez movies.
      • Discussion of Gamescon news.
      • McHatin smokes?!?!?
      • Breaking news: Ben Affleck cast as Batman and the new Star Wars to be shot on 35mm!
      • The San Francisco plane crash prank.
      • SwiftKey - the best Android keyboard - has been updated and is on sale for half-price for a limited time.
      • The Boondock Saints and McHatin's mutt background.
      • McHatin doesn't like what comic movies are being made and makes his case for The Boys.
      • Dirk's Three Laws (and One Strong Suggestion) of Band Naming. 
      • Christina Hendricks to play stripper. Yeah, right.
      • Memories of the 2003 Blackout (which was last week).
      • Porn star Minka. (We're not linking it cuz it's scary.)
      • News finding methods.
      • Premature show termination due to drama at the station. Sorry about that.

      Thursday, August 15, 2013

      Episode #15 - "Surfin' Paraguay" - Show Notes

      Download Episode (55MB, Running Time: 2h 2m)

      Subscribe to podcast via iTunes, Stitcher or RSS 
      Like/Follow/Contact Us: Facebook • Twitter • CVRadio313@gmail.com


      Alternate Title: "Red Hot Chile Meat Brick"
      • Tonight's Beverage: Labatt Ice (Dirk; nothing for McHatin).
      • Cool weather is cool.
      • Cherie Currie show recap and our interview vs. another interview.
      • Nudity in '80s movies.
      • Crisco Can Redux as Jerry Vile holds a going out of business sale for Detroit.
      • Dirk has finally started watching Breaking Bad.
      • Dirk is on Reddit and hits a home run with his first TIL post.
      • Internet trolls and the trouble of finding decent discussion online.
      • Girl gamers and how the player in this first match:

        Looks like Morgan Saylor:

      • A fan calls. Or we got trolled. Probably the latter. 
      • Excitement for Grand Theft Auto V. Here's the Grand Theft Auto Online play trailer:
      • Music from Fabulous Disaster.
      • A trio of calls for the upcoming (Aug. 17-18) Zombie Con: Doug Schulz, who organized the event; illustrator Jeff Sornig of Sornigrafix Cartoons; and Piper Smith who will be running a booth collecting for Gleaners Community Food Bank, her new Creepy n Cute Shop with zombie-themed dolls and jewelry, and how great it is that Andrea on The Walking Dead is dead because she was a terrible person.
      • Jeff whipped up this drawing after his interview! Thanks, Jeff!
      • The hot zombie chick referenced:
      • The alternate season finale from The Walking Dead.
      • Laura Mendoza and Jorge Cortez from White Shag were in the studio and we talked about:
        • Opening for Cherie Currie and wardrobe malfunctions.
        • Background on the band.
        • The sexual aspect of their music.
        • Their South American roots and fun geographic facts.
        • A live performance of "Out Here"
        • Why they're only playing Hall & Oates songs now.
        • They play the Deep Thoughts Music Quiz game!
        • Their Big 80s costumes:

      • The killer Humble Origin Bundle where all proceeds go to charity. (Note: This deal runs until 1 pm EST, Aug. 29, 2013)
      • Dirk's quick thumbs up for Kick-Ass 2.

        Thursday, August 1, 2013

        Episode #14 - "Cherie: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway" - Show Notes


        iTunes Podcast Subscribe Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-vultures-podcast/id641892049

        Alternate Title: "Crisco Wolverine Cherie Runaway Chainsaw Android Drunk Swimming"
        • Tonight's Beverage: Water. (Sorry, boring, but we were on Skype tonight.)
        • The Crisco Can of Detroit.
        • Discussion of The Wolverine and the demands for nerd purity. (Dirk's review.)
        • An epic, 85-minute-long interview - excerpts transcribed here and here - with Cherie Currie covering:
          • Her last gigs in the Detroit area.
          • The fate of her long-awaited album and her upcoming tour.
          • Music from Live In Japan: "Queens of Noise" and "Cherry Bomb."
          • The Runaways history; how fast they were signed; how they had to sue for royalties; and her feelings about Kim Fowley.
          • Could the band have survived under other circumstances?
          •  More music: "You Drive Me Wild" and "American Nights."
          • Artists influenced by The Runaways.
          • The problem of bullying nowadays.
          • Her favorite Runaways tune. (Not what you'd think or what you've heard.)
          • The fluke of her name and its impact on fame.
          • The obligatory discussion of what's holding up a Runaways reunion and the shocking reason why Lita Ford didn't participate in the movie.
          • The differences between what was portrayed in the movie and reality.
          • The reasons for her autobiography, Neon Angel, and its radical updating and re-release.
          • Her thoughts on the documentary Edgeplay: A Film About The Runaways and her last day with the band.
          •  Why the Seventies were a better, more moral time. (Wait, what?!)
          • Her recent movie and TV work and whether this means a return to acting.
          • The reality of her trademark corset.
          • Her upcoming show with Glenn Danzig at the Gibson (Universal) Amphitheater and its significance to her.
          • Her interesting thoughts on singing contest shows like American Idol and The Voice.
          • Plus an abbreviated version of the Deep Thoughts Music Quiz Game
        • The back story of how the interview was conducted.
        • Nerd Stuff: A quick mention of Android 4.3, the new Nexus 7 (Ars Technica review), and Google's Chromecast.
        • Drunk guy swims the Detroit River.
         Cherie Currie - 1976 - 16-years-old:

        Cherie Currie - 2013 - 53-years-old:
        Cherie Currie @ The Magic Bag.jpg
        Not shabby at all!

        UPDATE: Photos from the show!

        Cherie Curie - The Culture Vultures Interview (Part 2)



        This week’s episode of Culture Vultures will feature a epic-length and wide-ranging interview with Cherie Currie, the legendary lead singer of The Runaways who is coming to perform in the Detroit area for the first time in 36 years. Since the raw taped interview with music runs 85 minutes, here are only a few of the juiciest tidbits that were discussed.

        NOTE: The first part of this excerpt is at Motor City Blog and should be read before diving into this section. We’ll wait until you’re back...........back now? Good. Here we go!


        Were there any conflicts in the musical direction the band wanted to go versus what Kim wanted or was it more a manner of management style, touchy-feely vs. “Where’s our money?”


        Well, if we asked about money we knew that we were going to be in big trouble. Actually Jackie - she’s a very bright gal, I mean she’s a lawyer now - and she was saying, “Where’s our money?” and it got to the point where Kim would turn around and say, “OK, I’m just gonna walk away and you guys aren’t going to have a record deal and you’re over.” He would always use that as leverage to keep us quiet.

        Kim is a songwriter, he was very colorful. But as we continued on we started wanting to put our input in more. Of course Joan was writing the majority of the material with Kim, so we all started finding our own selves in the process.

        Do you think you would’ve lasted longer if you’d been older when you started or paid some dues before being signed or if the management had been more attentive to what they’d created?

        I feel we would’ve lasted a lot longer had we had some kind of mediator, somebody that could kind of be a mother figure that would’ve been able to sit us down and keep us grounded and let us talk to each other because it got to the point where we weren’t even talking to each other. There were these deep-seated resentments, there were jealousies, there were all these things. Kim always would pit one of us against the other because he said it would keep us on edge and it would be good rock & roll, but what it did was slowly dissolve our relationships and sisterhood of being on the road together.

        I don’t think that us being older would’ve mattered. It’s just that had there been any care taken whatsoever instead of throwing us out there, it’s like throwing us out in the middle of the ocean and telling us to swim back to shore with no raft, no life jacket, nothing. We would’ve survived, I believe. I would’ve stayed.

        While prepping for this interview I was comparing the live versions to the studio versions and I really preferred the live version. Do you think that if Live In Japan had been released in America at the time when live albums like KISS Alive and Frampton Comes Alive were instrumental in blowing up bands by showcasing them at their live and energetic best that it would’ve helped the band continue?
        You’re really right. I never actually thought about that until right now because Frampton Live was huge at that time and I know that it was some kind of deal that was made directly with directly with Japan and I also know that the imports of that album were extraordinarily expensive for the fans to buy. But I absolutely agree with you, I really believe that had - and I never really thought about it til now, wow - yeah, I think it would’ve done something, I do. You’re right.

        Here’s another thought-provoker: According to the legend, “Cherry Bomb” was written at your audition and it riffed of you’re name, Cherie. What if you were not named Cherie? What if you were named Lynda or Brenda or Julie? They might have written a different song but would it have been a bit hit; would The Runaways have been a hit? Is it the luck of the draw that you were named that or that your sister wasn’t named and you weren’t named Marie. Have you ever considered that there’s the alternate universe where you were named something different and none of this happened for anybody, so Lita and Joan and everybody else doesn’t have a career either. (laughs)

        (laughing) There’s so much more to Dirk than meets the eye. I’ve never thought about that. My brain is firing at massive speed right now. That’s interesting; I don’t know. I really don’t know.

        Here comes the uninteresting question that I’m sure you’re asked endlessly: So, what’s up with The Runaways reunion? When’s that gonna happen? What’s the holdup?

        Well, Lita and I are on board to do it; Joan really doesn’t seem to be interested and that’s really disappointing.

        There always seems to be factionalism in the band where people kinda pair off against others. Previously there was some hassle where Lita was not involved with the movie; she didn’t think she was offered enough for her life rights, so it was you and Joan, but now it’s you and Lita and now Joan is the problem?

        I just had dinner with Lita last week and we actually discussed this. Lita, bless her heart, got a divorce from a crappy husband and he very much sheltered her and wouldn’t let her know what was really going on and that was this whole factor about the life rights. He was absolutely, completely wrong and he lied to her. Either that or he didn’t read the contract because that was not what the contract stated. He just told her what he wanted to tell her so she wouldn’t have anything to do with it.

        Wait, so when Lita was saying that Kenny Laguna was only offering a thousand bucks, that wasn’t what happened, that was just what Lita was told?

        No, no, not at all. In fact what it was was there was a small amount of money offered at the signing, but when it went into production then you received a substantial amount more. But of course her crappy, asshole husband wouldn’t tell her that part. She didn’t know. She didn’t know what the real deal was and that is how he controlled her. But she’s free of him now and that’s why she’s doing so well, thank God. She’s a great person. I can’t even explain to you how wonderful it is to talk to her and be around her now because, you know, we were just kids when we parted ways. She’s a remarkably strong woman. Remarkably strong. I’m really proud of her. Getting away from that creep was not an easy thing for her to do and she did it. She deserves all the success.

        There seems to be this recurring theme of men being a problem for The Runaways’ careers - Kim abusing the band, carving up the band because he didn’t know how to treat people; the conflicts with Kenny and now Lita’s husband - it seems like The Runaways’ legacy is constantly being deferred and delayed and damaged because of the influence of outside forces. It’s not band against each other; it seems like there’s guys talking to people causing problems. Am I reading that correctly?

        I think there’s a lot of manipulation that’s gone on. Not for the well-being of the member of The Runaways; it’s always about manipulating and taking control of that person. Unfortunately, this has kinda been what’s happened with a lot of these situations with us and this constant drama that everybody talks about and all this. I mean, my God, Lita and I are both parents, we have children, and our kids turned out pretty good, so I don’t know. You’re talking to a 53-year-old woman right now, you’re not talking to the 16, 17-year-old Cherie from The Runaways. So you look back and you go, “Why can’t we just all just get along?” and the thing is that it’s always been the people around us that kept that from happening. I don’t know, men like to covet. They like to covet and I think that that’s been one of the major reasons why things haven’t been smooth sailing.


        Moving onto a discussion of The Runaways movie, we ran through several of the inaccuracies like Joan Jett not wearing leather pants back then; the meeting of Kim and Joan with Cherie shown occurring at Rodney’s English Disco which in reality was closed and they’d met at the Sugar Shack; her rape at the hands of her sister’s boyfriend which triggered her Bowie makeover being omitted; the inexplicable change in artist that her audition of “Fever” was based on; and what really happened at the talent show.


        Was [“Lady Grinning Soul”] the song you did at the talent show and did everybody bring paper to throw at you? What happened with that?

        No, actually I did Bowie’s “1984” and I won that talent show! People were on their feet and it was fantastic. It was a great day in my life. But actually the food being thrown at me and all that stuff did happen before that and it usually would happen in the food court or in the hallways or whatever because I would go to school with a lightning bolt on my face and I went there in Bowie garb, but that was my way of attacking the bullies because I had witnessed a young kid who was wearing glasses be brutalized and be thrown in the trash can and be called a freak. I was so appalled and disgusted by these creeps that I just walked up and said, “You call this kid a freak? I’ll show you a real freak,” and I came to school the next day with a lightning bolt across my face and my hair dyed red, white and blue.

        It was my way of punching them in the gut...it was a fight for the kids who couldn’t fight for themselves and I had enough enough anger in me from the experience when I had been raped at 14-years-old; that was my way of setting it right and that was to protect the kids that didn’t deserve this. It was a noble fight, because I was right, and when you’re right you can do anything and you’re driven to do what you can. So, “Lady Grinning Soul” was not the song.

        So you recommend that people who’ve seen The Runaways and want to know more buy your book, Neon Angel, to get the real story about what happened. 

        [Cherie went into detail about the the two versions of the book and the impact it had on kids who read it, but there wasn't time and space to transcribe all that.]

        Also there is the documentary done by one of the bassists who passed through the band [Vicki Blue aka Victory Tischler-Blue] called Edgeplay: A Film About The Runaways that had everyone interviewed except for Joan, which I thought was a rather big piece to leave out. It’d be like doing a Rolling Stones documentary without Mick or Keith in it. Is that a good source for those who want to know more about The Runaways?

        Somewhat, but I really wasn’t too thrilled with Vicki. She wasn’t in The Runaways; I never stepped on a stage with her. Even though she and I became friends after The Runaways, after the band had dissolved.

        She wasn’t in the band or she wasn’t in the band when you were in the band?

        I left just days after she joined, so we were never on a stage together. You know she, of course, went for the drama and she also being the director and editor of the film could piece anything she wanted to together. I was really disappointed because my last day in The Runaways was absolutely a 180 from what she had in there, that I was always late, that I was a prima donna. I was there two hours early, in fact, helped [photographer] Barry Levine set up the shot.

        Isn’t the story that you had to leave to give your sister the car because you shared it and Lita showed up late?

        The session went from like 11 [am] or 12 to 6 [pm] and my sister and I shared a car. Like I said, we didn’t make any money in The Runaways. So I needed to get back home to give her the car so she could go to her acting class and I had told Barry that when I was helping him set up all the shots. I got there early and it was unfortunate that it was Lita and Vicki that were late - like an hour late. By the time six o’clock rolls around...I’d told Barry that I need to go, I need to go on time. Of course, Barry being a drama king at that time threw his camera when I said I gotta go and smashed it on the floor and did everything he could to make that last day of my life a little bit more miserable instead of being supportive. And that’s where Lita kicked the door in and that was just it for me because you just couldn’t win. You couldn’t win, you couldn’t have any peace.

        But I have to say in Kenny’s defense with Edgeplay is that Kenny had a vision years in advance that a feature film would be made about The Runaways. He had that in the back of his mind when Vicki was approaching Joan to use the songs and have Joan be a part of it. Vicki and I were, I’d heard some things - of course this is a little drama here - she had a lot of resentment about me because she felt I kept her from being in the lawsuit that Lita and Joan and Sandy and I had against Mercury and Kim. She felt she should’ve been part of that lawsuit. I totally disagreed with her. I didn’t think she deserved to be a part of it, but I didn’t intentionally keep her out of it. I just was very busy and so on and so forth.

        Had Joan been a part of Edgeplay I don’t really know if that movie [The Runaways] would’ve happened at all, so in Kenny’s defense and also Joan knew that I had a lot of problems with Vicki and she just wouldn’t participate. So, in a way it was a good thing.
         --------------
        The full conversation will be aired in its entirety on the Culture Vultures Radio show on Raw Radio X at 9 pm EST on August 1, 2013 and will be available as a podcast via the Culture Vultures Radio site and iTunes shortly thereafter.

        A million-billion-trillion thanks to Cherie for being a terrific and gracious participant in the conducting of this interview. 

        Thursday, July 18, 2013

        Episode #13 - "Nerd Rage Against The Machines" - Show Notes

        Download Episode (56MB; Run Time: 2h 3m)

        Alternate Title: "It's the McHatin Show with a Special Appearance by Dirk." 
        • Tonight's Beverage: Beck's.
        • Hot weather and McHatin's distaste for John Cusack and what actors have to do.
        • The differences in fantasy fiction and McHatin's childhood.
        • The dangers of presuming an audience is familiar with previous similar art.
        • Cloud Atlas and Lost and complex mythologies.
        • The differences between the Marvel and DC movie universes prompted by this article.
        • Bruce Wayne vs. Tony Stark....WHO YA GOT?!?
        • Upcoming interviews with Lynda Mandolyn and Cherie Curie are teased.
        • Music from Inside Out that no one is supposed to have.
        • Listener question about what books have been most poorly served by their movie adaptation is answered.
        • Unmentioned during the show because we moved on too quickly, but there's a book on the making of The Bonfire of the Vanities called The Devil's Candy: The Anatomy Of A Hollywood Fiasco.
        • Emmy nominations announced and as predicted Tatiana Maslany didn't get nominated for Orphan Black. ATTICA! ATTICA! ATTICA! (The Huff Poo agrees: Emmy Nominations 2013 Biggest Snub: 'Orphan Black' Star Tatiana Maslany Was Robbed)
        • This is the same actress and they all act different, but it's not good enough? Perhaps if she was Tracy Ullman?
        • Comic-Con preview discussion, McHatin's lack of interest in Jamie Foxx's Electro and the challenges of superhero costumes and adapting Wonder Woman.
        • The problem with movie trailers - too many, 20-second teasers for 60-second teaser trailers, international trailers. Enough!
        • Why is Spike Lee remaking Oldboy?
        • Other movie trailers discussed:

        • Dirk's Spring Breakers review.
        • Discussion of Pacific Rim and by "discussion" we mean Dirk calling out the cheap date nerds who have giving it a pass despite its insurmountable flaws for about a half-hour. He mad, bro! (Related reviews: The Dark Knight Reloaded and Real Steel.)
        • The VR scene from Disclosure that's referenced:
        • A list of hot babes with small breasts.

        Thursday, July 11, 2013

        Episode #12 - "World's Cutest Causer of Chaos" - Show Notes


        Alternate Title: "Attack of the Manic Pixie ShowGirl"
        • Tonight's Beverage: Guinness Black Lager
        • McHatin describes how he would give hours of oral love to Rosario Dawson. Lucky girl. (Note: Not lucky.) We're off to a great start. (Note: Not a great start.)
        • Dirk is having technical problems with his hard drive.
        • The Steam Summer Sale started so we talk about games we'd like to buy at what price; the cost of games; the trouble Tim Shafer's Kickstarter-backed game has run into despite swimming in money; and what the heck does a massive AAA game like GTA V cost?
        • Music: Metal remix of t.A.T.u.'s "All The Things She Said" (can't find the link)
        • Burlesque performer Hayley Jane drops in for a wild ride of an interview, lasting nearly 90 minutes where she talks about:
          • The Downtown Brown musical she's writing;
          • Her serious role-playing game nerd cred and how her burlesque career collided with a game store one night;
          •  The origins of the Manic Pixie ShowGirl persona and how she's phasing it out;
          • Living in Ferndale and stupid protesters;
          • McHatin's problem with clowns and how he couldn't cope with this photo:
          • The photo from the first time Dirk saw Hayley Jane (yeah, MySpace was a thing then):
          • SPAG Burlesque - Blondie's (1/24/2009)
          • Her origins in small-town Pennsylvania and how burlesque is a criminal activity;
          • Her involvement with the Wonderland show - a burlesque telling of Alice In Wonderland;
          • Her high school-era music and how it relates to Dresden Dolls;
          • How she moved, started working in a strip club, and the differences between burlesque and stripping;
          • SHOWGIRLS(!) and strippers in movies;
          • Her take on Dita Von Teese's style;
          • A performance of "Ren Faire Romance" with backing "vocals" by the CVR Mens Chorus;
          • Why she's not doing music anymore despite being awesome at minute;
          • Finally, Miss Wigglebottom is not a thing!
        •  
        • A bunch shots of Hayley and Lushes LaMoan (from Detroit Dizzy Dames) are in this set:
        • w
        • Proof that no matter how rich, famous, talented or beautiful they may be, they're just one unfortunate frame grab away from looking like the rest of us peasants.

          Thursday, June 27, 2013

          Episode #11 - "30 Years High" - Show Notes

          Download Episode (59MB; Run Time: 2h 9m)

          Alternative Title: "Extremely Random Access Talk"
          • Tonight's Beverage: Labatt's Blue (for Dirk; McHatin had water)
          • GILFs; fun with TSA; EGOT; and Kinky Boots. That's the first 5 minutes.
          • The missing Detroit City Council member; plotting next week's show; the first Dirk & McHatin Show video. That's the next five minutes.
          • The madness about how Detroit does nothing until they rush and do something stupid triggers an explanation of the plot to RoboCop to Agatha Christie, a discussion of how hot Nancy Allen was and how she isn't Melanie Griffith.
          • The Go-Go's/B-52s show is discussed (show review and photos here), plus Dirk's hate for Belinda Carlisle and the stunning GILFness of Kate Pierson as illustrated with this photo:
          • Lemmy had a hematoma then felt really better.
          • Cool free Android app-of-the-day app: AppGratis.
          • McHatin's back on his ICP hobby horse again.
          • Tweets reacting to the Red Wedding.
          • Dirk's frustration with Injustice: Gods Among Us.
          • Alyssa Milano is in next month's Maxim leading to the shocking revelation that McHatin has never seen Embrace of the Vampire and thus he's never seen this scene! (EXTREMELY NSFW!!! So make sure your boss/parents aren't around.)
          • One-hump chump pick-up lines.
          • What happens to cloud saves if you let your Xbox Live Gold expire? (Apparently you can still copy them down local.)
          • The messed-up plot to Dragons Age: Origins and The Witcher 2's nudity.
          • The new book Dirk has started reading (I'm Dying Up Here) and McHatin's reading Ready Player One leads to a discussion of whether Andy Kaufman was funny or not and whether there is any room for originality left in art?
          • Do guys prefer big fake boobs? We discuss it!
          • McHatin's confusion about which Gabor sister he abused himself to.
          • The new Sandra Bullock/Melissa McCarthy flick, The Heat (review here), whether women are funny (and if size matters), and McHatin's brilliant suggestion for a gender-swapped Rush Hour.
          •  
          • Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection
          • Discussion of This Is The End (review TK), and Man of Steel (review TK).
          • Funny takedown at io9 of the really dumb story points of Man of Steel: The Most Important Scenes from Man of Steel (As I Remember Them)
          • The laziness of Star Trek Into Darkness (review here).