Babs and Sly: A Streisand & Stallone Podcast

Kirk Vichengrad and Matt Chernov
  • 5.0 (4)
  • FILM HISTORY

At first glance, Barbra Streisand and Sylvester Stallone would seem to have nothing in common. Yet these two scrappy New Yorkers actually paved similar paths to superstardom, and their filmographies share a surprising number of common themes.    In each episode of this podcast, theatre professor Kirk Vichengrad and entertainment journalist Matt Chernov referee an epic matchup between a movie from each star’s canon. Join them as they explore the cinematic imprint and social impact of the Greatest Star and the Italian Stallion. With each Main Event, the Cliffhanger may not be who goes Over the Top, but how we remember The Way We Were. 

Episodes

  1. FEB 22

    A STAR IS BORN vs. RHINESTONE: That’s Showbiz, Kid!

    Cinema often relies on tropes to tell a story. The familiar rags-to-riches, Pygmalion, fish-out-of-water motifs all surface in the two films theatre professor Kirk Vichengrad and entertainment journalist Matthew Chernov explore in this episode: Barbra Streisand's 1976 hit A Star Is Born and Sylvester Stallone's 1984 flop Rhinestone. With music woven into their narratives, both movies try to convince audiences that supernova stars like Streisand and Stallone can dim their shine and quiet their egos to make their transformations believable. Essential to these classic teacher-student showbiz tales is strong chemistry between co-stars as they attempt to create beautiful music together. Discover whether these two icons find harmony… or hit a few sour notes. Listen all the way to the very end of the episode for a surprise celebrity interview! We look forward to hearing from you on our social media accounts! You can find us at @BabsAndSly on Facebook, X and Instagram, or via email at BabsAndSly@gmail.com. And we invite you to subscribe to the podcast to stay informed about new episodes and other surprises. Also, please click the SEND US A TEXT button below to share your thoughts directly with us. We'd love to hear your opinions of these films, our two superstars, and of course, the podcast itself. As we grow, we are so grateful for your feedback and support, which helps us spread the word of Babs and Sly: A Streisand and Stallone Podcast.  Show theme music composed and provided by Brian Kinler. Send a text

    1h 6m

  2. 09/07/2025

    NUTS vs. COP LAND: Oscar, Can You Hear Me?

    Every actor yearns to stretch, proving their range of capabilities with each role. For superstars like Barbra Streisand and Sylvester Stallone, that desire also means transcending the "persona" that made them stars in the first place. In this episode, our silver screen icons trade the big studio picture for something resembling the emerging independent film scene that exploded in the late 80s - auteur character studies, artistically told with limited budgets but bountiful grit. For many, these films provide an opportunity for a new cinematic voice to be heard; for established performers like Streisand and Stallone it's a shot at reinvention, culminating in that ultimate sign of approval: an Academy Award.  Join theatre professor Kirk Vichengrad and entertainment journalist Matthew Chernov on a fascinating and unexpected exploration of the atypical performances by our legends in their respective Oscar-bait films, "Nuts" and "Cop Land." We look forward to hearing from you on our social media accounts! You can find us at @BabsAndSly on Facebook, X and Instagram, or via email at BabsAndSly@gmail.com. And we invite you to subscribe to the podcast to stay informed about new episodes and other surprises.  Also, please click the SEND US A TEXT button below to quickly share your thoughts directly with us. We’d love to hear your opinions of these films, our two superstars, and of course, the podcast itself. As we grow, we are so grateful for your feedback and support, which helps us spread the word of Babs and Sly: A Streisand and Stallone Podcast.  Show Theme Music composed and provided by Brian Kinler. Send a text

    1h 15m

  3. 04/29/2025

    THE PRINCE OF TIDES vs. FIRST BLOOD: A Novel Adaptation

    Despite the old adage that "the book is always better than the movie," our hosts Kirk Vichengrad, a theatre professor, and Matthew Chernov, an entertainment journalist, argue that a successful adaptation should capture the essence of its source material while standing on its own as an achievement in a different medium. In this episode, they explore the film adaptations of the best-selling novels The Prince of Tides and First Blood, both of which earned critical and commercial success — and the enthusiastic approval of their authors, Pat Conroy and David Morrell. Through a deep dive into Barbra Streisand's 1991 directorial triumph and Sylvester Stallone's 1982 launch of the blockbuster Rambo franchise, the conversation uncovers surprising common themes and compelling insights into "the memories that haunt us and the truth that sets us free." We look forward to hearing from you on our social media accounts! You can find us at @BabsAndSly on Facebook, X and Instagram, or via email at BabsAndSly@gmail.com. And we invite you to subscribe to the podcast to stay informed about new episodes and other surprises. Also, please click the "Send Us a Text" button below to share your thoughts with us directly. We’d love to hear your opinions of these films, our two superstars, and the podcast itself. As we grow, we're grateful for your feedback and support, which helps us spread the word of Babs and Sly: A Streisand and Stallone Podcast.  Our show's theme music is composed and provided by Brian Kinler Send a text

    1h 12m

  4. 03/17/2025

    YENTL vs. STAYING ALIVE: What I Really Want To Do Is Direct

    For Barbra Streisand, it was the resilient culmination of a 15-year passion project. For Sylvester Stallone, it was the formidable task of following up an all-time movie classic. In 1983, they tackled those challenges from the director’s chair, bringing two very different films with music to life. By exploring the harmonies and histories of Yentl and Staying Alive, theater professor Kirk Vichengrad and entertainment journalist Matthew Chernov duet on which superstar really sang and which hit a few too many sour notes. Listen all the way to the very end of the episode for a fun coda to the conversation!  Our show's theme music is composed and provided by Brian Kinler We look forward to hearing from you on our social media accounts! You can find us at @BabsAndSly on Facebook, X and Instagram, or via email at BabsAndSly@gmail.com. And we invite you to follow and subscribe to the podcast to stay informed about new episodes and other surprises.   If you enjoy this episode and want to tell us, just click the "Send us a text" button below and share your thoughts directly with us! Send a text

    1h 18m

  5. 12/22/2024

    THE GUILT TRIP vs. OVER THE TOP: Are We There Yet?

    Memories of family road trips intersect with the related, and relatable, theme that links this episode’s two cinematic contenders: The Guilt Trip and Over The Top. So take a journey with our hosts as they reminisce about their travel adventures and share their surprising thoughts about this unlikely double-feature. And don’t miss an exciting detour featuring a very special guest! We look forward to hearing from you on our social media accounts! You can find us at @BabsAndSly on Facebook, X and Instagram, or via email at BabsAndSly@gmail.com. And we invite you to subscribe to the podcast to stay informed about new episodes and other surprises. Our show’s theme music is provided by Brian Kinler.  Send a text

    1h 8m

  6. 12/22/2024

    WHAT’S UP, DOC? vs. OSCAR: May The Farce Be With You

    The elements of farce – that classic comedic genre defined by physical humor and mistaken identities – connect this episode’s battle between Barbra’s What’s Up, Doc? and Sly’s Oscar. Though comedy is especially subjective, our hosts Kirk and Matt appear to be in agreement over the winner of this contest…. and by much more than a hare!  We look forward to hearing from you on our social media accounts! You can find us at @BabsAndSly on Facebook, X and Instagram, or via email at BabsAndSly@gmail.com. And we invite you to subscribe to the podcast to stay informed about new episodes and other surprises.  Our show’s theme music is provided by Brian Kinler.  Send a text

    1h 1m

  7. 12/22/2024

    A PODCAST IS BORN!

    In this premiere episode, you’ll get to know our hosts as they discuss the origin and objective of this fresh and fun new series devoted to Hollywood heavyweights Barbra Streisand and Sylvester Stallone. Whether you’re a fan of these superstars, an avid moviegoer, a pop culture connoisseur or a purveyor of unique podcasts, you’re invited to come along on this journey down Paradise Alley and Up The Sandbox…to wherever it may lead! We look forward to hearing from you on our social media accounts! You can find us at @BabsAndSly on Facebook, X and Instagram, or via email at BabsAndSly@gmail.com. And we invite you to subscribe to the podcast to stay informed about new episodes and other surprises.  Our show’s theme music is provided by Brian Kinler.  Send a text

    49 min
  • 7 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

At first glance, Barbra Streisand and Sylvester Stallone would seem to have nothing in common. Yet these two scrappy New Yorkers actually paved similar paths to superstardom, and their filmographies share a surprising number of common themes.    In each episode of this podcast, theatre professor Kirk Vichengrad and entertainment journalist Matt Chernov referee an epic matchup between a movie from each star’s canon. Join them as they explore the cinematic imprint and social impact of the Greatest Star and the Italian Stallion. With each Main Event, the Cliffhanger may not be who goes Over the Top, but how we remember The Way We Were. 

Information