Episodes
Monday Oct 19, 2020
Episode 200: A Million Deaths Are Not Enough for Yueh
Monday Oct 19, 2020
Monday Oct 19, 2020
Since 2008, Geek Salad has attempted to bring you the finest (and sometimes drunkest) of nerdly conversations! Now, we are proud to present our mega-sized 200th episode, this time with the our very special guests; Nik from the Black Girls Do Stuff Too podcast and Thomas from Movies After Work! Also joining us in a pre-recorded interview is Em from Verbal Diorama!
So while we’ve aged like fine wine, we discuss the things that we used to love that have aged like vinegar. If it’s a change in attitudes in regards to how we view different ethnic groups or different gender identities, to the poor aging of how our viewpoints in storytelling against things that were popular way back when, we’ve got some really great conversations!
Please do yourself a favor and check out Verbal Diorama (@verbaldiorama) Black Girls Do Stuff Too (@BlkDoStuffToo) and Movies After Work (@MoviesWork) at the apps you use to download Geek Salad!
Geek Salad is available at www.geeksalad.podbean.com, or can be subscribed to at the iTunes store by using keyword “geek salad.” Geek Salad is also part of the Stitcher family, as well as being available on Spotify, iHeart Radio and the Google Music app! Download the apps for your Android, iPhone, or Blackberry at www.stitcher.com!
Also, check out the Podbean App where you can stream and download the entire Geek Salad archive right from your Android or iPhone! You can get the app at either the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store!
Want Geek Salad swag? Check out our new store on Tee Public, where you can get t-shirts, mugs, stickers, and so much other stuff!!! Shop here!
Geek Salad episodes are now also available to stream on YouTube. “Like” and Subscribe to their channel at Geek Salad Podcast at www.youtube.com
Contact Geek Salad at geeksaladradio@gmail.com. Geek Salad is also available on Facebook under the group heading “Geek Salad Podcast.” Check out their website at www.geek-salad.com, and please subscribe to their Twitter feed: @geeksaladradio
Geek Salad is intended for adult listeners and contains coarse language and profanity. Listener discretion is advised.
Wednesday Feb 28, 2018
#NotMyGeekSalad : A Geek Salad Side Salad Discussion
Wednesday Feb 28, 2018
Wednesday Feb 28, 2018
So there is a straw that finally broke Geek Salad’s camel’s back…toxic fandom. Pretty much, the last couple of years have produced some of the most maddening arguments and, quite frankly, some of the worst people that humanity has produced (thanks GamerGate!), all due to something that we either love, or “love”….
So as a quick, non-cannonical, aside to our episodes, Andy, Joe, and Mike discuss toxic fandom!
Geek Salad is available at www.geeksalad.podbean.com, or can be subscribed to at the iTunes store by using keyword “geek salad.” Geek Salad is also part of the Stitcher family. Download the app for your Android, iPhone, or Blackberry at www.stitcher.com!
Also, check out the Podbean App where you can stream and download the entire Geek Salad archive right from your Android or iPhone! You can get the app at either the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store!
Geek Salad episodes are now also available to stream on YouTube. “Like” and Subscribe to their channel at Geek Salad Podcast at www.youtube.com
Contact Geek Salad at geeksaladradio@gmail.com. Geek Salad is also available on Facebook under the group heading “Geek Salad Podcast.” Check out their website at www.geek-salad.com, and please subscribe to their Twitter feed: @geeksaladradio
Geek Salad is intended for adult listeners and contains coarse language and profanity. Listener discretion is advised.
Saturday Oct 22, 2016
Episode 134: Sir Not Appearing in This Podcast
Saturday Oct 22, 2016
Saturday Oct 22, 2016
It is known as one of the greatest legends of all time. It has been called a great epic story! It’s also been called “Only a Model……” And on this night, Geek Salad calls it Episode 134: “Sir Not Appearing in this Podcast.”
Join Andy, Mike, Joe, Katherine, and special guest “Also Joe” as they discuss the legend of King Arthur in the realms of popular culture. From literature, to music, to television, to movies, the Geek Salad team has you covered, including a not so lengthy discussion on “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
Special thanks to David McLain for his contribution to the historical film renditions of the Arthurian legend. Help him out by buying his book “The Time Traveler’s Resort and Museum” and contributing to his Indie Go Go page, www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-time-traveller-s-resort-and-museum#/
Geek Salad is available at www.geeksalad.podbean.com, or can be subscribed to at the iTunes store by using keyword “geek salad.” Geek Salad is also part of the Stitcher family. Download the app for your Android, iPhone, or Blackberry at www.stitcher.com!
Also, check out the Podbean App where you can stream and download the entire Geek Salad archive right from your Android or iPhone! You can get the app at either the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store!
Contact Geek Salad at geeksaladradio@gmail.com. Geek Salad is also available on Facebook under the group heading “Geek Salad Podcast.” Check out their website at www.geek-salad.com, and please subscribe to their Twitter feed: @geeksaladradio
Geek Salad is intended for adult listeners and contains coarse language and profanity. Listener discretion is advised.
Sunday Jul 21, 2013
A Few Marvel/DC Thoughts from San Diego ComicCon
Sunday Jul 21, 2013
Sunday Jul 21, 2013
So this is all based from sources that I read, so I'm sure I'll get something wrong here or there: Thor: The Dark World: Early word is that it looks underwhelming. We said that 2 years ago and were proven extremely wrong on that. I've really enjoyed Chris Hemsworth's interpretation of Thor (adding more humor than we were expecting) and Tom Hiddleson is fucking genius....worst case, it turns into Iron Man 2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier: The concept art is selling this movie right now. It should be as good as the first movie....and as long as they get the nationality of the Winder Soldier's handlers right, it's still a thousand times better than the Matt Salinger movie. Guardians of the Galaxy: In a conversation I had with a friend, he was worried that it would get weird by being left in the hands of the director of Tromeo and Juliette. First off...Disney isn't going to be giving James Gunn a very long leash. Secondly, the movie features a talking tree and a gun toting raccoon....what could possibly be weird about that? Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Joss Whedon is going to be fully involved in this...Coulson's back (resurrection, apparently, totally blow off), as is Agent Hill (Colbie Smulders will be needing a job after How I Met Your Mother wraps this season). And Ron Glass from Firefly plays an agent, opening the door for everybody from Whedon's stock players to make an appearance! X-Men: Days of Futures Past: First off, in 2011 when we had 4 superhero movies released, X-Men First Class turned in the best production! Now, we're melding the two casts together. It could be awesome, or it could be a convoluted mess. But Peter Dinklage and Sentinels should balance it towards the "awesome" column! The Flash/JLA: Imagine, if you will, that Hawkeye got a stand-alone movie before Thor. Then, imagine that you spent two hours watching a guy who's sole ability is to be really good at archery. Don't get me wrong, I looooove me some Hawkeye. But Thor needed the added benefit of being fully drawn out in a movie prior to being featured in The Avengers. Now, replace "Hawkeye" with "The Flash" and "Thor" with "Wonder Woman." The Flash is a decent character (albeit, with a rouge's gallery that consists of villains too stupid for Superman to face), but I fear for this turning into another Green Lantern, and nobody wants that... Superman/Batman: I guess the bigger question is, do they just simply replace Christian Bale with somebody else (and with a 2015 release date, they better get cracking at finding that person) and continue the continuity of the Nolanverse, or start fresh? I don't think that Batman's origin needs to be retold again, but establishing what type of Batman this will end up being (Nolan, Burton, Schumacher, or *shudder* West) remains the bigger question. This is definitely a step in the right direction, but with Man of Steel struggling to hit the $300 million domestic marker (and fall substantially short of the $1 Billion world marker that Iron Man 3 hit earlier in the summer) they will need to tread lightly and really have a plan going in to all of this.... What are your thoughts? Go forth and be nerdful! Andy
Wednesday May 15, 2013
A List of Demands for "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D"
Wednesday May 15, 2013
Wednesday May 15, 2013
Okay folks….now that we’ve stamped out the final post orgasmic cigarette after seeing the super awesome “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” trailer, we here at Geek Salad have come up with a list of demands that will guarantee that the show remains awesome.
Alan Silvestri MUST do the opening theme.
I’m pretty sure that ABC already has somebody like Bear McCreary or W.G. “Snuffy” Walden on tap to provide weekly music to the show (although Michael Giacchino would be awesome), after the fanfare scored by Mr. Silvestri for “The Avengers,” every week must make us feel like we’re watching something awesome.
Female S.H.I.E.L.D. agents must be wearing skirts…like the micro mini kinds found in the new Star Trek flicks
It'll cause less outrage than the plunging zippered necklines showcased in “The Avengers.”
Now that Disney has the rights, would it kill them to get Punisher, Daredevil, or Ghost Rider right for a change?!?!
And while we’re on the subject, a few C-Listers won’t hurt either….I’m looking at you, Brother Voodoo!!!!
And to a far greater extent, how about GODDAMN MOON KNIGHT!
I realize that he’s really just a knock off of Batman, hence, while you’ll never see him appear in his own film (but Patton Oswalt’s version of Episode VII would put him front and center).
The less said about Coulson’s return from the dead the better….and for god’s sake, don’t give him PTSS just to give him a “flaw!”
Don’t water-down the characters from the movie Phases I or II by making them appear AT ALL on the series!
Speaking of watering down, keep us out of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent’s personal lives. That includes any and all inner-office romances and issues with the kids!
If David Duchovney, Gillian Anderson, or any of the Lone Gunmen make so much as a cameo on the show, I vow on the lives of my children, that I will buy every season of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” on Blu-Ray!
….and finally…
Stan Lee absolutely MUST make an appearance in each and every episode either buying a hot dog from a street vendor, pulling a kid out of a busy street, or walking out of an elevator with Lou Ferrigno
Anything else I’m leaving off?
Geek Salad
Sunday Jul 01, 2012
The Iceman Cometh...and the Audience Goeth!
Sunday Jul 01, 2012
Sunday Jul 01, 2012
As we in the nerd community prepare for the end of an unbelievably brilliant trilogy of Batman films with The Dark Knight Rises, we have seemed to have forgotten about the 15th anniversary of the end of another series of Batman films. On June 20, 1997, Warner Brothers and DC Comics released Batman & Robin, the final installment of the….um, I guess we can call it “The Michael Gogh/Pat Hingle Quadrillogy” since by the time this series concluded, the element that stayed consistent were the actors who portrayed Alfred Pennyworth and Commissioner Gordon were those two venerable character actors.
In the past few years, I have truly appreciated the personal touches given to well known comic book properties by some pretty skilled filmmakers. Directors like Sam Raimi (Spider-Man), Kenneth Branaugh (Thor), Joss Whedon (The Avengers), and especially Christopher Nolan (the aforementioned Batman series) have put a stamp on their movies that have made these big budget tent-poles seem at home within their film credits. Unfortunately, that can have an adverse effect, as in the case of Joel Schumacher, whose past as an interior and set decorator allowed him the “vision” to turn the once dark city of Gotham into a Day-Glo Rave. Gone were the gritty street fights, replaced with battles that would start with somebody crashing a tank into the 30th floor of a building (???), eventually result in a battle over 500 feet above said building, and end on the top of a giant, logistically impossible to exist, statue overlooking the entire city.
Much was made in Schumacher’s previous entry, Batman Forever, about the inclusion of nipples on the Bat-Suit, and not in a good way. In Batman & Robin, the nipples are still there, but were also paired with comically large codpieces, tight buttocked pants, and for Batgirl, stiletto boots, molded vinyl corset, and thong…which, I should add, was designed by her elderly uncle! The villains didn’t fare any better in the costume department either. Mr. Freeze’s outfit was large, clumsy, and didn’t make a whole lot of sense to the character. It was pretty hard to screw up Poison Ivy’s leaf-themed leotard, but the extreme eyebrows didn’t help!
As with the previous Schumacher film, the script was written by Akiva Goldsman, who would go on to win an Oscar four years later for A Beautiful Mind. Any evidence that we were listening to the words of a future award winner weren’t noticeable. If I didn’t know any better, I’d have to guess that most of the dialogue was improvised, as only somebody like Arnold Schwarzenegger would find a line like “What killed the dinosaurs? The Ice Age” would be amusing…especially since the dinosaurs were extinct long, long, long, before the Ice Age occurred! And terrible dialogue and one-dimensional characterizations go hand-in-hand with actors who look like they’re only there to collect a paycheck!
For the first time since the 1989 Tim Burton directed Batman, the actor playing the villain top lined the movie over the actor playing Batman. In this case, Arnold Schwarzenegger took top billing over George Clooney. He also pocketed $25 million for his troubles in the role of Mr. Freeze. Schwarzenegger could possibly be the worst choice for the role, as Mr. Freeze has always been depicted as a lean, mean, scientific machine! Schumacher thought that the character should look like he was chiseled out of a glacier (thanks IMDB!), with alternative casting choices being Sylvester Stallone and Hulk Hogan. All that is demanded of Schwarzenegger is to stand around, look menacing, and utter ice-related puns. Unfortunately, he seemed more interested in amusing himself with his performance that to amuse the audience.
And speaking of the worst choice for the role, why anybody who just watched Clueless would point to the screen and say “That’s it! We’ve found our Batgirl!” in regards to Alicia Silverstone should have their urine screened. Apart from the unforgivable deviation from the original stories that Batgirl is now Alfred’s niece instead of Commissioner Gordon’s daughter, she has also been cast as a thrill seeking tomboy instead of a brainy shut-in that Batman fans have known and loved for decades. “Suit me up, Uncle Alfred!” indeed!
Chris O’Donnell’s Dick Grayson/Robin was unwelcome in Batman Forever….moving on…
As to the two headliners who we knew could act, George Clooney and Uma Thurman, it seems that they’re suffering from the opposite problems. Clooney dialed down his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman to the point where they should have CTRL+F’ed the character’s name and replaced it with “George Clooney.” Thurman went in the opposite direction and dialed the performance of Poison Ivy up way too much! There’s so much scenery being chewed that we (almost) don’t notice that she’s somehow adopted Mae West’s inflection halfway through the movie (“Continuity? What’s that?”-Joel Schumacher, circa 1996).
There are also a series of supporting characters that, if Goldsman and Schumacher were meaning to create the most despicable, annoying, moronic people in the history of the Silver Screen, do a competent job in their roles. Search YouTube for any scenes involving Gossip Gertie or the “Dirty Fighter” scientist in the Gotham Observatory for more evidence!
Batman & Robin holds the distinction of a “Franchise Killer,” as the once profitable series was reduced to middling box office returns, and universal ridicule from fans and casual viewers alike. And in the history of awful comic-book based movies, Batman & Robin stands atop the heap due to its gigantic budget, marquee stars, and huge expectations left over from Batman Forever. The closest that a movie based on a superhero may have come to missing the mark this badly is Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, but that’ll have to wait until we see how Man of Steel is! It also may be the perfect “Bad Movie,” as there is nothing enjoyable about it!
Well, I’ve said my peace and given Batman & Robin the birthday present is likely deserves! Now here’s hoping that the post-Nolan iteration of Batman will fit in with some sort of Justice League scheme!
Go forth and be nerdful!
Andy
Geek Salad
Saturday Mar 03, 2012
Look Who's Lazy Now!
Saturday Mar 03, 2012
Saturday Mar 03, 2012
Hey everybody! I want to take a moment to apologize to the dozens of you who were promised content on the site regarding our last couple of shows....what can I say? I just got lazy! In the future, I may post show content prior to the actual show itself. Brace yourself for last show's trailer park in a little bit, as well as some comic strips! Be Nerful! andy
Monday Oct 03, 2011
Why I'm Not Giving Up Netflix
Monday Oct 03, 2011
Monday Oct 03, 2011
“Why are you defending them?” my wife asked me when I told her about this article. “They’re going to make it harder to jump between the two sites….I only hope that our ques carry over!”
There has been a lot of nonsense that has been brought on by Netflix since their announcement this summer that they were going to be raising their rates to up to 60% and that charges would be split individually between the DVD side and the streaming side. This was followed a few weeks ago by the announcement that the DVD site would be changed from Netflix.com to Quikster.com (it hasn’t gone unnoticed that they couldn’t even go with the common spelling of the word “quick”) and that both ques would need to be managed separately, creating a level of inconvenience and confusion not seen since people were asked if they honestly liked Michael Bay’s “Transformers.”
As a customer of Netflix since 2001, I have shaken my head enough to try to figure out what the hell they were thinking. But never once did I consider dropping them and going to another outlet such as Blockbuster, Red Box, Wal-Mart Online, or Comcast On-Demand. The closest thing I have thought about was to drop from my 3 discs (with Blu-Ray) and streaming down to two discs (Blu-Ray and streaming) to save a couple of bucks.
I can’t defend the stupidity of their actions. Personally, I think that the splitting of the brand is unbelievably dumb! My rate increase was not as drastic as the subscribers who only do the 1 disc and streaming (mine only went up under 20%, and I am not alone in subscribing with the multiple discs). I also have an issue with, what seems to be, the dwindling selection of their vaunted streaming library. Ill-advised strong arming during negotiations has cost Netflix the abilty to steam Starz Play (where the Disney animated features are coming from), as well as other studios work. Also, certain titles seem to come and go with no real reason given. As it stands right now, I’m still pissed that the series of “Word World” has vanished from the library, causing my wife to broach the subject with our 3 year-old as if we had to describe that the cat was now “sleeping” in heaven. I can’t justify any of this, but what I can defend is the inherent value of the service that I have been partaking of for the last 10 years.
When I first started with Netflix, I had done it solely to start up with back episodes of “The Sopranos.” This was also back when the only shipping depot was across the country in California. Once I had finished the first 3 seasons of “The Sopranos,” I began to look very deep into the selection of DVDs that were available. It was like going back to the family owned video store that I worked at during college. The selection gave me the most obscure comedies, the hardest to find classics, and more than just the current Oscar nominated documentaries. Thanks to Netflix, I have significantly increased my movie viewing experience and have been able to watch the types of films that I wouldn’t normally have access to. Since those early days, I have seen my rates go up at first, and then down to lower than when I started. I have seen the delivery time dwindle from having to wait 5 days in between deliveries to 2 days. Then Netflix Streaming was introduced, and I could watch more during the in between days that I waited for another disc to arrive. All in all, this is a better value per an entire month than a single night out at the movies (and don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy the movie going experience, but I’ve got a kid and a mortgage!).
Changing to another movie provider would incur a number of changes that I just don’t think anybody should have to settle for. Let’s start with selection. Going through Redbox means that I can only get the latest new releases, all of which are feature films. So that means no documentaries, no “need to catch up on” classics, and no diversity. I’d probably enjoy Redbox if I was thirteen years old and was into the latest PG-13 horror movies, but I’ve been to the other side of the mountain.
Going through Blockbuster or Wal-Mart Streaming means that I get the best movies completely whitewashed of controversy and director’s integrity. It is the policy of both providers that any movie they carry requires a rating, meaning that if an unrated director’s cut of a movie is available, you’ll have to pound sand and deal with the PG-13 version of it (I don’t lend the show “Family Guy” much credence, but there was a pretty spot-on bit about Blockbuster where they said that it was their policy to remove anything that might upset certain viewers. They then cut to a scene from “The Prince of Tides” where Streisand’s nose had a black bar in front of it.). These two carriers have had a hand for the past decade in dumbing down the movie viewing experience such as putting an emphasis on Full Screen movies over Widescreen, not going beyond the big studios, and limiting access to smaller movies that could use the audience.
Finally, cost and the overall value play a huge part in it. I could go through my Comcast On-Demand, but I’m paying about $5 for a hi-def movie that I can watch as many times as I want within a 24 hour period. Have you ever tried to watch “Kung Fu Panda” more than once in a row???? Now multiply those $5 per movie by 30 days in a month…see what I mean? Plus, we get back to selection. Sure, On-Demand gets movies faster than Netflix (and Redbox), but that’s again only if you’re interested in new releases.
Look, no company is perfect. You just need to turn on the news to realize that. However, I think that once the furor of the price hikes and web changes are in the past, we’ll go on to enjoying what Netflix does best; deliver the most impressive selection of movies and tv anywhere. Think about that the next time you’re going through Redbox and somebody asks you if you want to watch “The Manchurian Candidate” (the Laurence Harvey version, not that Denzel Washington shit!). Or if you’re so inclined…feel free to bootleg….more power to you!!!!