Guys Of A Certain Age

Rumor has it, the Wives of a Certain Age have told The Guys to “Go outside…and while you’re out there, cook dinner.” Since that’s where the grills are, that’s okay. (If only it wasn’t the dead of summer in the south.)

To make sure everything is up to snuff, they brought in a grilling expert. Wes Shelton is not just a seller of all things involving outdoor kitchens, he knows how to use it all, and has a trophy or two to prove it. Robbie and Jay quiz Wes about his favorite tools for grilling and smoking, get tips on his favorite way to cook a steak, hear about the versatility of grill grates, and take note of common mistakes made by otherwise innocent outdoor cooks.

Art joins them for Geeks of the Week with a toy that is guaranteed to sell at least 3 units - one for each Guy. The Rings of Robbie trailer is released and Jay takes the RunPee app to another level. Light the charcoal, grab your tongs, and get ready to be hungry.

Elvis had left the building…but he’s back!  With Baz Luhrmann’s movie in theaters, the King of Rock and Roll is in the limelight once again.  Robbie is out this week, but Art and Jay talk the movie, the music, the actors, and the cinematography.  

But believe it or not, Art did NOT sing a Presley hit.  To make up for that, they brought in a special guest - someone who actually saw Elvis in concert as an almost-teenager, the infamous Mrs. Reed!  In a nod to Elvis and Gladys, Jay interviews his mother about the concert in Tupelo, her collectibles from Graceland, and her memories of the Elvis era.   This Elvis-ode is not to be missed.  

Obi-wan, obi two, obi wan, two, three… and welcome to Guys of a Certain Age, the Anakin Episode!  

Excitement has been building for months as everyone waited for the Obi Wan Kenobi limited series to begin, and now the Guys are already looking back and doing a recap. Was it worth the wait?  Was it critical to the canon, or just a diversion?  In fact, is it possible the Star Wars fan base is a bit oversaturated with content?  The Guys talk about the role of Leia, the new face(s) of Vader, the two faces of Reva, and all the cameos.  

But before they get to Tatooine, Jay has a restaurant suggestion in Gotham City, Art talks the re-invention of James Bond, and Robbie had so many geeks it was hard to keep up.  

Even if you’ve had your fill of Star Wars, The Guys are only here once a week, so you may want to listen to this Wan twice.  

It’s another riveting interview on this episode, this time led by Art with his old friend (or friend of a certain age, we’ll say) George Abide, who may hold the current record for guest appearances. And speaking of records, that's just what they do, when they put their spin on taking care of vinyl albums in the old days.

But before they wax nostalgic, Robbie and Jay get a word in with Geeks of the Week. Jay mistakes a karate master for a Marvel writer, but is humble enough to admit it, and got a cool graphic novel on sale as a bonus.  Robbie tries to decide if he wants the newest Hasbro Star Wars figurine set, because who doesn’t need another Jawa? Art wonders if 4 hours of Elvis is better than 2. 

It only took 36 years for Tom Cruise to reprise his role in Top Gun: Maverick.  Somehow he looks almost the same, and The Guys definitely do not resemble their 1986 versions.  But that doesn’t mean they didn’t enjoy the film.  From Kenny Loggins to Val Kilmer, this one is full of nods to the original movie, with plenty of new plot and relationship resolutions.  And action - lots of fun, literally high-flying action.  Is it the best movie sequel ever?  Time will tell, but it’s certainly angling for a high rank on that list.  

Meanwhile, Jay tells of another sequel coming that will be musically inclined, Art informs of a potential Princess Leia hire by Disney that all The Guys support, and Robbie announces an previously unfinished J.R.R. Tolkien book that is in the works.  Sit back in your cockpit and listen.  

Guys of a Certain Age don’t just watch Star Wars, attend comic conventions, and see movies with the aid of an app, they also read books. And if Andy Wolverton (https://www.andywolverton.com) has anything to say about it, they also have book clubs.  In this episode, Robbie sits with an old friend to talk about his new book, "Men Don't Read: The Unlikely Story of the Guys Book Club.”  

(Purchase at BookBaby Amazon non-affiliated links)

Andy jumps on with Robbie to talk his journey from band director to library and how he launched Guys Book Club and showed Oprah how it's done! Andy discusses the fateful first meeting, some memorable books read and how the club is still going strong over a decade later.

Art was out of the studio during this recording, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a Geek of the Week, as yet another DC artist passes on.  Jay keeps things in the DC universe with a new-ish podcast about the caped crusader, and Robbie updates Game of Thrones fans with news of a spin-off.  Join the Guys as another guy joins them to talk about what guys should be doing.    

In this strange new episode, aka new Strange episode, the Illuminati of a Certain Age gather to hear Jay’s wisdom and deep thoughts on the Multiverse of Madness movie, which he finally got around to seeing.  In the theater, no less. Listeners will be relieved to learn that all multiverses are not bad, and even zombies can be your friend, especially with the appropriate tie-ins.  

Spoilers abound, by the way, so be sure to watch the movie, all related movies, and prequel television limited series before listening to The Guys ramble on about it for 36 minutes.  Before getting to Strange (or too strange), however, The Guys are getting as pumped up as She-Hulk in a Mach 5 by the thought of being bought out by Team Coco.  Listen now before early retirement (or senility) sets in.  

Though they should be used to it by now, this podcast is a little STRANGE without Jay, as Robbie and Art try to weave in and out of multiverses to review the latest Marvel movie without going mad. In a spoiler-filled recap, the Guys give their thoughts on the good, the bad, and the unexpected in Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. 

Episode topics can originate in strange places, as all Guys of a Certain Age listeners are well aware.  

This one began in a grocery store parking lot, on a t-shirt that Jay happened upon.  To be clear, seeing a dude in a cool t-shirt in a parking lot is not exactly a milestone moment, but it triggered a memory of an event that is unlikely to be repeated (at least in Jay’s lifetime), and even less likely to be forgotten.  It’ll be one of those stories he tells his grandkids even if he can’t remember why he came into the room.  That’s how The Guys are defining signature experiences, and they each have one or two or ten that they share.  

From the Johnson Space Center, to the Ed Sullivan theater, and on to the offices of the Daily Mississippian, The Guys tell tales of wonder.  It’s like the Multiverse (which Nat Geo says might be real, by the way), only different.  Or like traveling to the the world of Pandora, only less blue.  Or like living in a world without iPods.  Wait, that one’s real.  Listen for the details, and be ready to plan your next adventure, GoaCA style.  

Like much of the Marvel fan community, the Guys were looking forward to the Moon Knight series, despite knowing very little about the character.  

And after 6 episodes, they still don’t know much.  What they do know is that Oscar Isaac is a brilliant actor, Ethan Hawke’s foray into the MCU was worth watching, and one shouldn’t make assumptions about hippos in costume.  At the least, the Guys were intrigued, but … spoiler alert … they probably wouldn’t rewatch it.

 In weightier matters, a new Dr. Who is regenerated (or soon will be), the CW “ungenerates” a handful of DC shows, and Canadian mounties are set to experience zero gravity.  The Guys could make this stuff up, but in this case, they didn’t.  At least they can look forward to Kenobi.