Gobbledygeek Paul Smith and Arlo J. Wiley

In an age where Deadpool & Wolverine is set to smash box office records, it can be hard to remember what things were like in the first wave of superhero blockbusters. Costumes were primarily made of black leather, nu-metal montages were all the rage, and yet–there was a willingness and desire to be experimental that is often lacking today. That's the scene The Incredibles burst onto in 2004, with its dynamic color palette, its retro-futuristic atmosphere, and (shockingly) its sharply defined point of view. For the next nostalgic installment of That Was Then, Paul and Arlo are joined by The Deli Counter of Justice co-founder Eric Sipple to discuss Brad Bird's landmark entry into the superhero canon. The gang discusses how Bird and his team utilized relatively primitive CGI to striking artistic effect, how comic books were not the film's main influence, and how Hollywood learned all the wrong lessons from The Incredibles’ success.
 
NEXT: let's head to 1994 for more That Was Then, as we gaze upon the horrors unleashed by the Oliver Stone/Quentin Tarantino collab Natural Born Killers.
 
 
LINKS
The Cinematography of The Incredibles, Part 1 by Ron Doucet, Flooby Nooby
Part 2
Part 3
 
 
MUSIC
“The Glory Days” by Michael Giacchino, The Incredibles (Music from the Motion Picture) (2004)
“The Incredits” by Michael Giacchino, The Incredibles (Music from the Motion Picture) (2004)
 
 
GOBBLEDYCARES
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 
Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/ 
National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/ 
Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/ 
Register to vote: https://vote.gov/
 

Hail and well met! This week, Paul and Arlo raise their overpriced goblets to Lance Oppenheim’s HBO docuseries Ren Faire. The three-episode series concerns the nation’s largest Renaissance faire, the Texas Renaissance Festival, and the power-hungry Oompa Loompas looking to take over the chocolate factory from their perverted Willy Wonka. The boys are in awe (derogatory) of TRF owner George Coulam, a self-professed horny old man who seems much more interested in “sugaring” young women than in running his theme park. George berates all his pitiful hangers-on, including lifer Jeffrey Baldwin, Red Bull aficionado Louie Migliaccio, and no-nonsense Darla Smith. Topics of discussion include Oppenheim’s blend of documentary and narrative filmmaking techniques, whether or not anyone involved is deserving of our sympathy, and LARPing.
 
NEXT: hope you know where your super suit is, because The Deli Counter of Justice co-founder Eric Sipple is joining Paul and Arlo for a That Was Then look back at 2004’s The Incredibles.
 
 
LINKS
Important Scoop: A Job Shuffle at HBO’s ‘Ren Faire’ by Vince Mancini
Ren Faire’s Darla, Jeff, and Louie on Surviving HBO’s Real-Life Succession and King George by Julie Miller, Vanity Fair
What If Game of Thrones and Succession Had a Docu-Baby? by Rebecca Alter, Vulture
“Harvesting Artifice”: Lance Oppenheim Heightens Reality in HBO Series ‘Ren Faire’ by Dan Schindel, Documentary Magazine
 
 
MUSIC
“How Can I Keep From Singing?” by Enya, Shepherd Moons (1991)
“Who I’d Be” by Daniel Breaker & Bryan D’Arcy James, Shrek: The Musical (2010)
 
 
GOBBLEDYCARES
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 
Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/ 
National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/ 
Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/ 
Register to vote: https://vote.gov/
 

The stork just made a special delivery, and it’s a new episode of Gobbledygeek! Bat-Turkey also welcomes a new addition to the family: Alexandra Jade Wiley, who came into this world on April 28, 2024. Arlo’s second daughter has arrived at a pivotal time, a time in which Paul has become consumed by Taylor Swift’s life-altering new album The Tortured Poets Department. Besides raving about the ladies in their lives, the boys catch up on pop culture: Luca Guadagnino’s triple threat Challengers, the tremendous second season of Interview with the Vampire, the riff-laden roots of heavy metal, and kaiju weepie Godzilla Minus One, among much more.
 
NEXT: huzzah! We take a trip to the Middle Ages with Lance Oppenheim’s HBO docuseries Ren Faire.
 
 
MUSIC
“But Daddy I Love Him” by Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department (2024)
“Changes” by Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 (1972)
 
 
GOBBLEDYCARES
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 
Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/ 
National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/ 
Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/ 
Register to vote: https://vote.gov/
 

For the first time this season, Paul and Arlo have lost the plot. That’s right, the beloved Gobbledygeek freestyle episode has returned, new and improved for 2024, including such scintillating subjects as: Back pain! Stomach bugs! Car crashes! Country mouse Arlo took a trip to New York City, taking a bite out of the Big Apple for the very first time; Paul is planning a secluded getaway just to listen to the new Taylor Swift album; and, what’s that? The boys are writing again? They’re going to release another book? Yes! Well, maybe! Probably! All that and more on the latest episode of your very most favorite podcast.
 
NEXT: anything is possible.
 
 
MUSIC
“Welcome to New York (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (2022)
“Borrowed Time” by John Lennon, Milk and Honey (1984)
 
 
GOBBLEDYCARES
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 
Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/ 
National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/ 
Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/ 
Register to vote: https://vote.gov/
 

You’re a better podcaster than us, Michael Holland. That’s right, the City of Angels’ very own boy wonder is back to take Paul and Arlo to film school. The That Was Then classic gracing our screens this time is George Stevens’ 1939 adventure film Gunga Din, starring Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The gang discusses the film’s connection to William Goldman, the subject of the first season of Michael’s podcast From Out of the Past; why it represents a milestone in action-adventure cinema; its surprising, or refreshing, lack of plot; and why Paul and Arlo had such a hard time watching this 85-year-old film for the very first time.
 
NEXT: much like Schwarzenegger, we’ll be back.
 
 
BREAKDOWN
00:00:42  -  Intro / Guest
00:10:23  -  Gunga Din
01:16:05  -  Outro / Next
 
LINKS
From Out of the Past Podcast
Holland_Imaginarium
 
MUSIC
“The Ballad of Gunga Din” by Jim Croce, Facets (1966)
“You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” by Bob Dylan and the Band, Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits Vol. II (1971)



GOBBLEDYCARES
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 
Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/ 
National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/ 
Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
Register to vote: https://vote.gov/
 

Around and around we go, where we’ll stop–only Arlo knows! For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Gobbledygeek’s enfant terrible has chosen Junji Ito’s 1998-99 horror manga Uzumaki. Will Paul ever forgive him? On hand to find out is The Deli Counter of Justice co-conspirator Eric Sipple, who will be appearing on FCF episodes for infinity. The gang discusses Ito’s beautifully grotesque imagery, the book’s at times confounding narrative, their (in)experience with the manga form, and snails. Plus, Arlo has been dabbling in other East Asian art with more Godzilla movies and Edward Yang’s Taiwanese masterpiece Yi Yi; and Paul cannot hold back his rage when it comes to X-Men ‘97.
 
NEXT: where you been, Gunga Din? Hollywood’s own Michael Holland joins us to discuss George Stevens’ 1939 classic.
 
 
BREAKDOWN
00:00:49  -  Intro / Godzilla banter
00:14:23  -  X-Men ‘97 rage!
00:28:33  -  Uzumaki
01:49:54  -  Outro / Next
 
MUSIC
“Spiraling Shape” by They Might Be Giants, Factory Showroom (1996)
“Snails Pace” by Bob Brown, Snails Pace (2022)
 
GOBBLEDYCARES
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 
Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter
Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/
Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org
Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/ 
National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org
Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/ 
Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/
Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/
Register to vote: https://vote.gov/