Guys Of A Certain Age

The Brats are back!

And if you’re keeping score, The Guys are not officially part of the Brat Pack.  But who is, really?  Andrew McCarthy’s fascinating documentary on Hulu attempts to answer that question through interesting camera work and a series of interviews with his old friends, a handful of writers, and a few Brat-Adjacents.  The Guys reminisce with them, with Jay telling a bit too much about his almost-encounter with the one he considered the Queen of the Brats.  

On other channels, it looks like Max is going all in on DC villains this year while waiting for Gunn to gear up the DCU, there was a loss in the Land of the Lost, and the House of Mouse may be reconsidering its renovation of the Tardis.  Grab some friends and listen together in your favorite Georgetown bar or high school detention room.  

Too many cliche’s to choose from, so … let the games begin!  it’s all fun and games until The Guys show up in your earholes, but this time it’s different.  

In this episode, it’s all about games - board games, to be specific - and it’s even more fun because one of the sons-of-the-podcast, Jacob Reed, came to the studio to share his knowledge and geekdom concerning all things board gaming.  Jacob not only built a cabinet specifically for games, he also has an app to keep up with how many times his wife wins, he’s in a Facebook game trading group, and he can explain “deck building” - and it’s not what Robbie is doing behind his house.  They reminisce about the favorite games of their childhoods, and talk about what’s current and how to find the good ones.  

Jacob even contributes a geek of the week about brain science when it comes to gaming.  Art tells of a documentary about the making of a graphic novel, Robbie reveals the drop date of Marvel’s latest TV series, and Jay brings snacks that reveal the dark side.  Be sure to listen to this one, and don’t worry: you won’t be board.  The game is afoot!

The “Get to Know The Guys” series comes to a spine-tingling conclusion in this episode.  And not just because of Robbie’s hard-hitting questions for Jay - spines just start tingling when you get to be a certain age.  

But before they got to the details of “Jay Reed, this is your life,” there were Geeks of the Week.  It’s only a few months until the holidays commence, and in November, Red One hits theaters; Jay thinks it could be the most action-packed Christmas movie since Die Hard.  Dr. Who’s latest season is complete, and Robbie wonders aloud if it’s time to put the Tardis in the garage.  Speed Centaur begs the question: Narnia reject or a regrettable super horselike hero?  

After the break, Robbie unearths Jay’s western roots, eastern travels, northern wife and southern charm in the final installment (and hopefully not exit interview) of the series.  Listen to this one for food recommendations from your favorite Tex-issippian pharmacist.  

At long last, Jay and Art - aka “The Dune Dudes” - abided at their respective houses in front of the telly long enough to watch Dune Part Two.  It had been harkonneng for a long time.  And in a strange twist, they didn’t just arrive at different opinions, they flipped from their opinions of part one.  But both agreed there was enough great action, great actors, and great sand-skiing scenes to keep one’s attention for the nearly three hour spice-fest.  

In another plot twist, Pat Parker, War Nurse, gets a thumbs up in the regrettable superhero segment.  

As for geeks, who’s watching the Watchmen?  Jay is.  Art wants to know who’ll be watching Gladiator 2, and the enthusiasm waned.  Robbie just Hamm-ed it up about another potential Marvel movie not in the works.  Listen to the only podcast around that’s recorded entirely in infrared.  

Once a year, or whenever they get hungry for things with grill marks and smoky aromas, The Guys emerge from the basement and venture into the great backyard with grill-master and friend of the podcast Wes Shelton.  In fact, Wes is one of the rare repeat guests and may be the first ever to bring along his own Geek of the Week.  

Keeping it on subject, Wes talks about the debunking of a common grilling practice, and Jay shares news of a pop-up restaurant in Vegas that will likely be gone by the time the What Happens to The Guys in Vegas Road Trip eventually happens.  Robbie keeps it in Vegas, at least, with the announcement of another supergroup taking their turn at The Sphere.  

Then they head outside to talk lesser-known but delicious cuts of beef that do well on the grill or smoker, where to find them, how to use thermometers and the Egg Genius to make grill life more delicious and efficient, and some thoughts on how to do fish and chicken without drying it out or losing it through the grates.  

There may even be some fruit and veggies on the menu.  Light your coals and listen.  

This week's episode takes a different turn as Robbie and Art welcome special guest Paige Hunt to talk about her favorite movie, Steel Magnolias. In an attempt to broaden the Guys' horizons, Paige explains why this movie is not only the best movie to come out in 1989 (an amazing year for movies) but of ALL time, despite there being nary a lightsaber nor blaster in sight.

In this exciting conclusion to Robbie’s interview with Jim Biddle, a genuine contestant on MTV’s early game show, Remote Control, the question is answered: did he win?  Well, of course … he answers the question.  

And The Guys build that anticipation by answering the question: what are the geeks of the week?  This time Jay shares the celebration of life for one of Disney’s most prolific songwriters, Art is eager to play with some new GI Joe figures, and Robbie catches everybody up on how a Star Wars villain made the jump to Marvel villain.  

Hands off that remote control: keep it on this podcast.  

Somebody said, “I want my MTV!” so Robbie went out and got it, in the form of a two part interview with Jim Biddle, a bona fide contestant on MTV’s first game show, Remote Control.  In this first part (of two), follow the Hero's journey from the fields of Indiana to the sacred Halls of Syracuse to the Gotham battlefield of MTV's Remote Control.

But before that excitement ensues, Jay and Art jump into the studio to play “Geeks of the Week.”  Godzilla - 1 (that’s a minus, not a dash) makes it back from Japan, an early companion of Dr. Who moves on to the great TARDIS in the sky, and yet another iconic popcorn bucket is on its way to select theaters near you. In the great game show of life, listeners are winners.

Watch the whole Remote Control Episode from 1990 here.

What do Eudora Welty and Dan Fogelberg have in common?  They both got their start at WZZQ in Jackson, MS, of course.  Well, sort of.  

Watch WZZQ The Movie on PBS, just like The Guys did, and get all the deets, man.  Though none of The Guys lived in the broadcast range of WZZQ, they still found their own personal connections to this iconic album rock radio station, a first of its kind in the state and beyond.  Nightmare and Sleepy, on the other hand - this week’s set of regrettable superheroes, may have been the last of their kind.  

Jay brings the celebrity obits in this episode, with the recent loss of Dabney Coleman and Susan Backlinie (you know her- you just don’t know you know her.) Art has more news of potential Trekkie prequels and Robbie has a Vision for a sequel. Sit back and listen to this one on your FM stereo converter.  

Watch WZZQ - The Movie here at PBS.org.

Once a year, on a late spring day when Art usually has something better to do, Jay and Robbie talk about their summer plans.  Welcome to summer.  

Movie releases abound, but will they go to the theater or wait till the streaming begins and perhaps watch on Robbie’s new deck?  Will Jay get the hang of his fancy device that takes a lot of the stress out of smoking meats, and will his back porch be ready to host the first annual Guys of Summer eat-fest? Will they travel, or just let their kids come to them?  

Most importantly, you’ll hear Jay’s plans for flying through his neighborhood in 2026 if he can raise the $128K necessary to make it happen.  Meanwhile, Robbie will be waiting for a resurrection of the ultimate Bat.  And for the first time in many weeks, Nelvana of the Northern Lights gives hope that not all superheroes from the 1940’s are regrettable.  

Summer is here, you’re going to be working in the yard anyway, so you might as well listen.