Guys Of A Certain Age

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.  

I want my MTV!  And by “my”, The Guys find themselves reminiscing about the good old days of the iconic music video network that is not so much about music anymore.  

These memories were invoked by the podcast “Who Killed the Video Star?” which traces the history and evolution of MTV.  They talk favorite videos, favorite shows that came after the videos, and what MTV is up to now.  And even though MTV News is no more, The Guys still bring updates of all things geek, and this week is no different.  

Robbie switches from MTV to MeTV to watch their new toon channel, Jay warns (mourns?) a slowdown of all things MCU, and Art hits all the rest: DC suit reveals, Star Trek pining for a 4th movie, and Gollum turns to directing.  And let’s not forget Mother Hubbard’s entry into the regrettable superhero lineup.  Or maybe we should.  

Might as well face it, you’re gonna be addicted to this episode. It’s a thriller.  

The Guys did not approach this episode tentatively - rather, it was Tennant-ively.  David Tennant, that is.  

Robbie takes this opportunity to introduce the GGI, the GOCA Geek Index, which heretofore will be used to gauge the geek factor of major screen stars, and it appears that Mr. Tennant scores well.  Though he may be primarily known as the tenth (and the fourteenth) doctor in Robbie’s favorite series, he also makes appearances in just about every other franchise known to geekdom.  And he just seems like the kind of Scot you’d like to hang around with.  

Moon Girl (the 1940’s version) takes a spin on the regret-o-meter, net neutrality is back in the news, Jay tries to convince Robbie to watch Hobbits sing in Chicago, and Art’s obituary this week is … TikTok?  Grab a pen or a stylus while you listen, and keep your own GGI at home!

The Guys watched a lot of movies in the 80’s and 90’s, and a lot of them exist thanks to writer/producer/director/collaborator/uncredited actor John Hughes.  Without Hughes, would we have the Brat Pack?  Would the pop culture references we know and love be absent from our vocabulary?  Would anyone who survived their teenage years during those two decades been able to recognize their angst?  

You’ll have to listen to get The Guys’ answers to these and many more questions on the subject of the legacy John Hughes left us.  Jay handles the obituary page in this episode with memories of running through airports and slowly chasing white Broncos.  Art’s rebel tendencies surface, and Robbie wants to be (or was it see?) a hero.

 Jay’s Regrettable Superhero of the week leaves The Guys a little perplexed on the he/she question, because Madam Fatal is not the droid they were looking for.  Join Art, Robbie, Jay and Duckie this week, for the podcast with almost as many episodes as there are Beethoven movie sequels.  

It’s time for an Art history lesson, podcast family and FOG’s (Friends of the Guys, of course.) But it’s not the kind you sleep through trying to get that one easy credit to graduate, it’s the kind where you learn all about our co-host, Art Shirley.

Jay puts on his interrogator hat - er, it should be interviewer - and extricates all the details of Art’s life.  You’ll learn where he came from, where he’d like to go, and meet all the comic characters he’s created or made famous.  Or will make famous after this episode airs.  

Robbie is sadly absent this week, but Jay and Art forged ahead with geek news from both the Marvel and DC worlds, and Jay’s Regrettable Segment features an early female fighter of Nazis and other dastardly deed-doers that goes by the name of Lady Satan.  Somebody made it up, but The Guys didn’t.  Listen till the end, you don’t want to miss the lightning round!