The Worst of All Possible Worlds

Josh Boerman, A.J. Ditty, and Brian Alford

The first and only podcast bringing you weekly case studies in the pop culture of a dying empire. Every Wednesday, co-hosts Josh, Brian, and A.J. dissect an artifact of popular culture, breaking down how its narrative choices reflect or subvert the reactionary political project. From video games to movies to theater to an apparently infinite supply of evangelical Christian radio drama, we expose the machinations of the worst of all possible worlds in order to figure out how to build a better one. Also, we have bits.

  1. 206 - Eugene: Monk (feat. Joe Kassabian) [Whit’s Endless Summer 46]

    11 HR AGO

    206 - Eugene: Monk (feat. Joe Kassabian) [Whit’s Endless Summer 46]

    Joe Kassabian (Lions Led By Donkeys) joins the lads in Odyssey for further adventures in monastic life, missionary work, and the dreaded attraction between cousins. Topics include evangelical views of Catholicism, the blatantly political work of missionaries, and why cruelty begetting cruelty is at the heart of the Evangelical project.   Joe Kassabian: Bluesky // Twitter   Lions Led by Donkeys: The Lions Led By Donkeys podcast is a military history podcast for laughing at the worst military failures, inept commanders, and crazy stories from throughout the history of human conflict. Patreon // Youtube // Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Instagram   STREAMING TICKETS FOR LIONS LED BY DONKEYS LIVE FROM GLASGOW   Media Referenced in Episode: Adventures in Odyssey #366: “Solitary Refinement” #377: “Just Say Yes” #384: “Amazing Grace” #91: “A Mission for Jimmy”   TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com   Interstitial: “Thirteen Madmen for Twenty-One Monks on the Nineteenth of April at the End of the 20th Century” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. A.J. Ditty as “Estragon Estragonov/Melvin Mulligan/Phoebear”

    2h 12m
  2. 205 - Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

    3 SEPT

    205 - Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

    THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads take a walk through this beautiful world and feel the cool rain on their shoulders as they cover Anthony Bourdain’s award-winning CNN travelogue: Parts Unknown. Topics include Bourdain’s rise to prominence, his successes and failures as a documentarian, and the complex legacy of one of the most prolific observers of the modern world. Media Referenced in this Episode: Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown Season 2, Episode 2: “Jerusalem” Season 2, Episode 9: “Detroit” Season 6, Episode 7: “Borneo” Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Season 1, Episode 4: “Malaysia: Into the Jungle” Kitchen Confidential: Adventure in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain. Bloomsbury Press. 2000. Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook by Anthony Bourdain. Ecco. 2010. “Anthony Bourdain obituary” by Tim Hayward. The Guardian. June 9th, 2018. Bourdain’s Tumblr Post “Fighting Mad” “Don’t Eat Before Reading This” by Anthony Bourdain. New Yorker. April 19th, 1999. “New Yorker Editor David Remnick on Anthony Bourdain” by Matt Buchanan. Eater. June 8th, 2018. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Anthony Ditty: Parts Known: Escondido, CA” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Featuring A.J. Ditty as “Anthony Ditty/Producer/Dustin Bendin”

    23 min
  3. 204 - Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

    27 AUG

    204 - Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

    The lads throw back some drinks and bray the night away as they cover Edward Albee’s 1962 nightcap from hell: Who’s Afraid of Virignia Woolf? Topics include Albee’s traumatizing childhood, the music of his dialogue, and the boomer mentality of being afraid of Virginia Woolf.   Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes by subscribing for $5/month at Patreon.com/worstofall!   Media Referenced in this Episode: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? By Edward Albee. 1962. “Edward Albee, The Art of Theater No. 4” Interviewed by William Flanagan. The Paris Review. Issue 39. Fall 1966. Edward Albee: A Singular Journey by Mel Gussow. Applause Books. 2000. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The Original Cast Recording. Columbia Records. 1963. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Dir. Mike Nichols. 1966.   TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com   Interstitial: “The Autograph Theatre Company’s Season Announcement: The Unproduced Plays of Edward Albee” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. Josh Boerman as “Daddy/Albee”, Anne Huston as “Mommy”, David Armstrong as “Irish Priest”, Eleanor Philips as “Mrs. Wife/Sea Monster”, and A.J. Ditty as “Announcer/Tiniest Alice/Mr. Husband”

    2h 15m

  4. 22 AUG

    EMERGENCY POD - Dobson Died, Dead Dobson

    THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Well, the dude croaked. https://jamesdobsonmemorial.com

    5 min
  5. 203 - The Sweatbox/The Emperor’s New Groove

    21 AUG

    203 - The Sweatbox/The Emperor’s New Groove

    THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads grab their pencils and go back to the drawing board as they cover the never released behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of The Emperor’s New Groove: The Sweatbox. Topics include the history of Disney animation, the similarities between the animating and acting life, and what it means to make art while walking the llama-llama and taking in the panorama. Media Referenced in this Episode: The Sweatbox. Dir. Trudy Styler. 2000. The Emperor’s New Groove. Dir. Mark Dindal. 2000. “An Oral History of Disney’s ‘The Emperor’s New Groove’” by Bilge Ebiri. Vulture. July 26th, 2024. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Sting: The Kingdom of the Sun Sessions” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Featuring A.J. Ditty as “Sting/Announcer”

    25 min
  6. 202 - Steven Spielberg’s The Dig

    13 AUG

    202 - Steven Spielberg’s The Dig

    The lads grab their engraved rods and play with some loose bones as they cover the LucasArts’ 1995 xenoarchaeologist point-and-click adventure: The Dig. Topics include the gaming prowess of Steven Spielberg, the incredibly fraught production process, and what it means to have have a point and click adventure imprint upon you as a child that requires you to turn a turtle into a bomb. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes by subscribing for $5/month at Patreon.com/worstofall! Media Referenced in this Episode: The Dig. LucasArts. 1995. A Conversation with Gary Brubaker. Tech Talk with Daniel Albu. April 6th, 2025. “The Dig is a weird LucasArts adventure dreamed up by Steven Spielberg” by Andy Kelly. PC Gamer. May 15th, 2020. The Dig by Jimmy Maher. Digital Antiquarian. July 23rd. 2021. “Exclusive Interview with Noah Falstein” by Santiago Mendez. The Dig Museum. December 27th, 2004. “Interview with Brian Moriarty” by Paco García. Aventura y CÍA. March 2006. “LucasArts Secret History #11: The Dig Bills Tiller and Eaken”. The International House of Mojo. “LucasArts Secret History #11: The Dig Sean Clark’s Recollections of Joy”. The International House of Mojo. Original Design Document for The Dig “So, a Giant Asteroid is Heading for Earth…Again…” by Luke Plunkett. Kotaku. November 2nd, 2011. “Steven Spielberg Apparently Won’t Play Uncharted Because He’s a Big PC Gamer and Only Likes Mouse and Keyboard” by Kat Bailey. IGN. October 2nd, 2024. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Brink” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Featuring A.J. Ditty as “Professor Ludger Brink”

    2h 24m
  7. 201 - My Big, Fat Shank Wedding [Whit’s Endless Summer 45]

    6 AUG

    201 - My Big, Fat Shank Wedding [Whit’s Endless Summer 45]

    THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall   The lads return once again to Odyssey for further adventures in jet-lag, cyber security, and the long awaited return of the godking of Odyssey: John Avery Whittaker. Topics include the interminable will-they/won’t-they of Eugene and Katrina, the logistics of proposing in the year 1996, and what it means to grow up in a religion that asks you to actively throw your feelings through the No-No Door.   Media Referenced in this Episode: Adventures in Odyssey #362: The Right Choice Part I #363: The Right Choice Part II #364: Home, Sweet Home #365: Clara   TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com   Interstitial: “Evidence #381914: Camcorder Belonging to Chester A. Chandler, Found at the Scene of the Lakeshore Lodge Incident on June 22nd, 1996" // Written by A.J. Ditty // Featuring Brian Alford as “Chester A. Chandler” // “The Chain Piano Cover” by GleesinnPiano

    25 min
  8. 200 - Thief II: The Metal Age

    30 JUL

    200 - Thief II: The Metal Age

    In 1998, Looking Glass Studios released THIEF: THE DARK PROJECT, an unprecedentedly immersive and technically impressive first-person stealth simulator. Two years later, they followed it up with their masterpiece, THIEF 2: THE METAL AGE. After hounding Brian and A.J. to talk about this one for years, Josh finally got his wish. Plus, we got Jay Anthony Franke back to voice JC Denton for the interstitial. Thanks for sticking with us for 200 episodes and here’s to 200 more. Jay Anthony Franke - Cameo // Instagram Media Referenced in the Episode: Thief II. Looking Glass. 2000. Ahead of its time: The history of Looking Glass by Mike Mahardy. Polygon. April 6th, 2015. How Thief's Stealth System Almost Didn't Work | War Stories by Ars Technica. February 20th, 2018. The Story of Thief & Looking Glass Studios by Noclip. August 10th, 2021. Thief-TheCircle.com --- Thief II: The Metal Age Strategy Index Thief II - The Metal Age Walkthrough by Orgulo. Gamefaqs. July 5th, 2025 Thief vs. AAA Gaming by Dom Giuca. March 16th, 2014. Through the Looking Glass Forums TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “The Pigeon Job” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. Josh Boerman as “Garrett”, Brian Alford as “Benny”, A.J. Ditty as “Karras”, and Jay Anthony Franke as “Cramble Grenton.”

    3h 7m
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Hosts & Guests

About

The first and only podcast bringing you weekly case studies in the pop culture of a dying empire. Every Wednesday, co-hosts Josh, Brian, and A.J. dissect an artifact of popular culture, breaking down how its narrative choices reflect or subvert the reactionary political project. From video games to movies to theater to an apparently infinite supply of evangelical Christian radio drama, we expose the machinations of the worst of all possible worlds in order to figure out how to build a better one. Also, we have bits.

Information

  • Creator
    Josh Boerman, A.J. Ditty, and Brian Alford
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    224
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2021-22 TWOAPW. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Worst of All Possible Worlds

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