Mt. Rushmore Podcast

Things. The lifeblood of society. Where would we be with out 'em? Well, some things lose their luster real fast. In this episode we turn on the Mt. Rushmore-alizer and offer up some personal experiences with things we think are essential to our lives, but end up just gathering dust. 

This week we're sitting down at the table and eating a big plateful of dinner scenes! Dinner scenes are prevalent in film and television. They work because it's an excuse to get a lot of characters into one place where things that are both mundane and fraught with tension can happen.  SHOW NOTES "The Incredibles" (Richard's Choice) "Dysfunctional Family Dinner" from "SNL" (Michael's Choice) "Back to the Future" (Richard's Choice) "Beetlejuice" (Joint Choice) "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (Michael's Choice) "Goodfellas" (Joint Choice)

This week's episode is getting ready to run wild on you, brother, as we discuss some of the most noteworthy things with -mania attached to them. SHOW NOTES Wrestlemania (Joint Choice) Beatlemania (Joint Choice) Kleptomania (Michael's Choice) Lisztomania (Richard's Choice) Fernandomania (Michael's Choice) Rollermania (Richard's Choice) 

Sometimes, artists need to step away from the personas they've created in order to stretch themselves and push the limits of their creativity. Or, it's just cool to pretend to be someone else. Either way, lots of musicians have developed alter egos over the years to produce music that steps outside the box of what you might expect from them. SHOW NOTES The Three Wise Men (XTC) - Richard's Choice Humpty Hump (Shock G) - Michael's Choice 2-D (Damon Albarn) - Joint Choice MacPheesto/The Fly (Bono) - Michael's Choice Dee Dee King (Dee Dee Ramone) - Richard's Choice Chris Gaines (Garth Brooks) - Michael's Choice "The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands" - Richard's Choice

Think about your car. It's reliable. Dependable. It's...sensible. Now think back to when you were a kid. Is this the type of car that you wanted? Heck no! You dreamed about something that was bigger, faster, and just more extreme than anything you own today. This week we're taking a high-speed trip down memory lane and looking at the cars we wanted the most when we were kids. From car-crushing monster trucks to muscle cars, this episode will get the fuel flowing through your veins. SHOW NOTES Cadillac El Dorado (Richard's Choice) Lamborghini Countach (Michael's Choice) Bigfoot (Richard's Choice) 1964-1/2 Ford Mustang (Michael's Choice) The "Smokey and the Bandit" Trans Am (Richard's Choice) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Party Wagon (Michael's Choice) The Hornet R/C Car (Richard's Choice) VW Jetta (Michael's Choice)

Everyone can remember a favorite TV show that went on far too long. Or maybe an athlete who kept playing well past their prime. Or even, theoretically, a podcast that keeps on putting out episodes into an inky black chasm of nothingness. Sometimes it's hard to decide that enough is enough. Of course, this doesn't have to be the case. This week we're looking at people and things that got out while they were still on top.  SHOW NOTES Bill Watterson (Michael's Choice) Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson (Richard's Choice) Michael Phelps (Michael's Choice) The Police (Richard's Choice) King Kong (Michael's Choice) J.D. Salinger (Richard's Choice) Westley from "The Princess Bride" (Michael's Choice) "The Sopranos" (Richard's Choice)

The funny pages are the great equalizer: everyone looks at them if they pick up a newspaper. Sure, some people might first go to Sports while others go to Arts & Entertainment, but at some point, you need to find out if Garfield got his lasagna today. SHOW NOTES "Little Nemo in Slumberland" (Michael's Choice) "Calvin and Hobbes" (Joint Choice) "Peanuts" (Richard's Choice) "Garfield" (Michael's Choice) "The Far Side" (Richard's Choice) "Serious" comics (Michael's Choice) "Bloom County" (Richard's Choice)

It turns out that Neil Sedaka was dead wrong: breaking up is relatively easy to do. Whether it's a lover or a work partner, it doesn't take much to go from a rosy pairing to a bitter end. This week we look at breakups that involve celebrities and ourselves. But not that we're breaking up! No, we've got a lot more Rushmores to get through, and besides, we forgot to sign a prenup with Jeff! SHOW NOTES The Beatles (Joint Choice) Prince Charles and Lady Diana (Michael's Choice) Post-Breakup Hook-Ups (Richard's Choice) Sam and Diane from "Cheers" (Michael's Choice) Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (Richard's Choice) The Supercontinent (Michael's Choice) Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez (Richard's Choice)

Typhoons! Hurricanes! Earthquakes! SMOG!!! These aren't just things that Elmer Fudd sends crashing down to take out Bugs Bunny in "What's Opera, Doc" - they are just some of the ways that Mother Nature gets revenge on humans for screwing up the planet over and over again. This week we're looking at the real and fictional devastation that nature can wreak on us helpless dopes.

Sometimes a star is born, and sometimes a star's almost-as-beloved but less successful friend is born. This week it's time for the journeymen to take a turn in the limelight, as we're exploring the rich world of second bananas. SHOW NOTES Art Garfunkel (Michael's Choice) George Harrison (Richard's Choice) The "Other" Ghostbusters (Michael's Choice) Carl Winslow from "Family Matters" (Richard's Choice) Jelly (Michael's Choice) Daffy Duck (Richard's Choice) Luigi (Michael's Choice) Marty Janetty (Richard's Choice)

This week we're talking about expenses ranging from the mundane-but-infuriating to the ostentatious-but-ridiculous. If you've ever grumbled because you had to pay for a new printer cartridge or for your favorite hat to be returned via a first-class fight, this episode is for you. SHOW NOTES VHS Replacement Fees (Michael's Choice) The Alaskan "Bridge to Nowhere" (Richard's Choice) Oil Change Services (Michael's Choice) The Department of Defense Sponsoring NASCAR Teams (Richard's Choice) Streaming Services (Michael's Choice) Bono's Hat (Richard's Choice) Printer Cartridges (Michael's Choice) First Class Airfare (Richard's Choice)  

Happy April Fool's Day! No, we aren't going to trick you with any fake announcement, like that we're ending the podcast or that we've signed on to replace Joe Rogan. Instead, we're going to celebrate the day by tipping our cap to some of the greatest pranks, from simple gags to elaborate schemes that were years in the making. (Also: your shoelace is untied.)

Shoes! Everybody's got to have them but some are more iconic than others. This week we're taking a look at the most famous footwear (pardon the pun) in history, from mythological sandals to futuristic high tops. SHOW NOTES Ruby Slippers (Joint Choice) Nike MAGs from "Back to the Future II" (Michael's Choice) The Glass Slipper from "Cinderella" (Richard's Choice) The Shoe Phone from "Get Smart" (Michael's Choice) Talaria aka Hermes' Sandals (Richard's Choice) The Cooked Shoe from "The Gold Rush" (Michael's Choice) "These Boots Are Made for Walking" (Richard's Choice)

Some songs are undoubtedly great. But only a select few songs can alter your life forever. This week we're discussing songs that shaped how Richard, Michael and Jeff look at music and life. SHOW NOTES "Leash" by Pearl Jam (Michael's Choice) "Satisfaction" by Devo (Richard's Choice) "The New Year" by Death Cub for Cutie (Michael's Choice) "Blitzkreig Bop" by the Ramones (Richard's Choice) "Neighborhood No. 3 (Power Out) by the Arcade Fire (Michael's Choice) "Dear God" by XTC (Richard's Choice) "I Saw Her at the Anti-War Demonstration" by Jens Lekman (Michael's Choice) "Deadbeat Club" by the B-52s (Richard's Choice)

We're not too scared to call out some of the biggest cowards out there. Of course, they would probably respond by cowering in a corner or flat out running away, but that's beside the point: this week is all about our "favorite" real-life and fictional cowards. SHOW NOTES The Cowardly Lion from (Michael's Choice) The Coward of the County (Richard's Choice) George Costanza (Michael's Choice) GOP Senators (Richard's Choice) Chozen Toguchi from "The Karate Kid Part II" (Michael's Choice) Blackadder (Richard's Choice) Cringer from "He-Man" (Michael's Choice) Scooby-Doo and Shaggy (Richard's Choice)

Admit it: you are powerless to resist the charms of a good baby picture on Instagram. One photo of a cherub in, say, a pumpkin, and even the hardest heart will melt. Unless you don't like kids...in which case: get that baby out of my feed! We're exploring all things good, bad and sappy about babies on Instagram this week. We're joined by actress, writer and comedian Bethany Therese, who has some STRONG (and hilarious) opinions about baby eyes. SHOW NOTES Anne Geddes/Georgia O'Keefe Pictures (Bethany's Choice) Monthly Update Pictures (Michael and Richard's Choice) Costumes/Tricks (Bethany's Choice) The Fantasy Photo Shoot (Michael and Richard's Choice) Baby Eyes (Bethany's Choice) Daily COVID Photos (Michael and Richard's Choice) Babies on Social Media (Bethany's Choice) Baby Accounts (Michael and Richard's Choice)

The universe is, like...REALLY large. And so are the Extended Universes of some of your favorite films and TV shows. This week we're extending our reach to include comedian, writer and actor Jim Coughlin to the show to discuss all of the different ways that one show can become a whole ecosystem. SHOW NOTES The Archie Bunkerverse (Jim's Choice) The MCU (Richard and Michael's Choice) Star Wars (Jim's Choice) The Dark Universe (Richard and Michael's Choice) See You Next Wednesday (Jim's Choice) St. Elsewhere (Richard and Michael's Choice) Star Trek (Jim's Choice) What We Do In the Shadows (Richard and Michael's Choice)

Are you digging WandaVision? So are we, even though it's confusing as hell. But that's part of the charm - trying to sift through all of the clues and Easter eggs to figure out exactly what's going on. We needed some reinforcements to help us with all of the different fan theories out there. Good thing that The Masters of the Obvious were there to help us. Enjoy a different type of episode as we...OK, do you want me to take it from the top?

Contrary to popular belief, the concept of a Karen wasn't invented last year. There have been Karens throughout history, showing a sense of entitlement and general busybodiness. We're joined this week by actor/writer Tara O'Brien who is NOT a Karen at all but is a great podcast guest. Also, if you'd like to speak to the manager of this podcast, take it up with Jeff. SHOW NOTES Phyllis Schafly (Tara's Choice) Amy Cooper (Michael and Richard's Choice) Kate Branch (Tara's Choice) Carrie Nation (Michael and Richard's Choice) Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren (Tara's Choice) Elizabeth from Knoxville (Michael and Richard's Choice) Rosie Chappelle (Tara's Choice) Tipper Gore (Michael and Richard's Choice)

You think that there are no more interesting topics left for us to cover? Wham! We're already three moves ahead of you. That's because we're talking about chess players - both real and fictional - with chess aficionado Scott Vinci. CHECK AND MATE! SHOW NOTES Bobby Fischer (Scott's Choice) Chewbacca (Richard and Michael's Choice) Magnus Carlsen (Scott's Choice) Woody Boyd from "Cheers" (Richard and Michael's Choice) Beth Harmon from "The Queen's Gambit" (Scott's Choice) Deep Blue (Richard and Michael's Choice) Chess Boxing Champion Matt Thomas (Scott's Choice) Professor Charles Xavier (Richard and Michael's Choice)