Mt. Rushmore Podcast

OK, before we get on the road with this podcast, make sure that you've got everything you need. Everyone went to the bathroom before we left, right? Everyone has snacks and whatever they are going to read or listen to on the road? Because once we get this podcast started, I'm not stopping until it's time for lunch. Yes, there's nothing like the lure of the open road. Especially when you are trapped in a car for hours with your family or friends. So instead of another game of Slug Bug to break up the boredom of your 11-hour trek from Sioux City to St. Louis, put this week's episode on over your car speakers as we discuss the best and worst things about road trips. Wait, what? You have to go to the bathroom? But we just left 10 minutes ago! Fine, we'll pull this podcast over, but after this, that's it. SHOW NOTES 4:40 - Road Trip Music (Joint Choice) 12:28 - Car Problems (Richard's Choice) 19:25 - The Person Who Has to Use the Restroom (Michael's Choice) 25:25 - Shitty Food Choices (Richard's Choice) 29:52 - Ca

Look, we don't have any money. But we're willing to trade ya 40 minutes of our C minus quality podcasting for 40 minutes of your super extra valuable time. Sound fair? Good.  This week we cover the Mt. Rushmore of Trades. From The Great One to the Bambino to Oswald the Rabbit, we've pretty much got it covered. We also accept magic beans. 

Has this ever happened to you - you're trying to find a new podcast episode but your ears just keep getting filled with the same old boring stuff? Well, now there's help. Say hello to our As Seen On TV Products episode! You'll get all four of Richard's favorite useless products. But wait! We'll throw in Michael's semi-informed opinions ABSOLUTELY FREE! And if you act now, you'll also get Jeff's imperialistic judgments as a bonus gift. How can you possibly turn this down? SHOW NOTES 2:21 - The George Foreman Lean-Mean Fat Grilling Machine (Michael's Choice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pCy1FE89KI 7:32 - The Sports Illustrated Football Phone (Richard's Choice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-1yWDMapdI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFgR4Cz13NI 13:25 - The Snuggie (Michael's Choice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xZp-GLMMJ0 17:03 - Freedom Rock (Richard's Choice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eGWW8KOQio 21:51 - The AbGymnic Ab Belt (Michael's Choice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weUIzGBM4to 27:47

Our musical tastes change as we get older - one day you are listening to "Sesame Street Fever" as a precocious child. Then you grow up into a moody teenager and dive into the world of Japanese thrash and Norwegian techno because you're cooler than everyone else. And then you hit your 30s and start listening to "Sesame Street Fever" again because your kids found it in the garage and it's STILL AMAZING. This week Richard and Michael dig deep into their youths to talk about the albums they remember loving as a kid. And no frontin' - that means not retroactively making your choices cooler than they were. Jeff and his brother Sam are on board to keep them honest and ensure that this is a NO FRONTIN' ZONE SHOW NOTES 4:38 - "Synchronicity" by The Police (Richard's Choice) 13:04 - "Chipmunk Punk" by The Chipmunks (Michael's Choice) 19:25 - "Big Bam Boom" by Hall and Oates (Richard's Choice) 23:55 - "Hearts and Bones" by Paul Simon (Michael's Choice) 30:01 - "Graceland" by Paul Simon (Richard's Choice) 37:52 - "Licens

Getting your music video played on MTV was the goal of almost every musical act in the 1980s and 1990s. (Yes, kids: MTV actually used to play music videos instead of a 24/7 loop of Real World/Road Rules Challenge). And there was nothing to make your music video stand out like have a celebrity - or multiple celebrities - show up for a cameo. Who could deny the celebrity firepower of Rodney Dangerfield, Milton Berle or Ally Sheedy? One of them appearing in your music video = instant hit! We break down the best - and strangest - celebrity music video cameos ever. Jeff's had enough of Michael and Richard's shenanigans, so he's brought in some help - his brother Sam! It's double the Hopkins, double the judgments. Michael's Picks: Eddie Murphy (and others) in "Remember the Time" by Michael Jackson Kim Basinger in "Mary Jane's Last Dance" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Christopher Walken in "Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim Every Supermodel Ever in Freedom! 90 by George Michael Richard's Choices Paul Mc

SPOILER ALERT! No, that's actually what we're talking about in this episode. As social media becomes more ubiquitous - Facebook and Twitter feeds will be implanted straight into our eyes by 2025 - it's harder to keep "shocking" twists shocking. You practically have to live like a hermit and NOT LOOK AT YOUR PHONE FOR HOURS if you don't want those jerks on the East Coast to ruin all the fun of the "Riverdale" season finale. So while we're talking about Spoiler Alerts this week, we won't spoil our choices (except for after the jump). Trust us: We wouldn't dare ruin the surprise that Michael chose all spoilers from Korean soap opera as his picks. And definitely not the fact that Jeff is actually Richard's father. That would just be awful. SHOW NOTES 2:30 - Olympics Results (Joint Choice) 16:22 - The Death of Spock from "Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan (Michael's Choice) 19:55 - Verbal Kint is Keyser Soze from "The Usual Suspects" (Richard's Choice) 31:06 - Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's Father from "The Empire S

Few styles of rock music are as evocative of a particular time and place than surf music. As soon as the opening guitar or drum riff to a surf classic, you are instantly transported back to a time when it was all about catching some waves and soaking up the sun. Or, you are currently at Island's taking advantage of their 2-for-1 Kona Longboard Happy Hour specials. There are no better people to give their opinions on the most iconic surf songs than three guys whose experiences with surfing are limited to watching "Point Break." There's a decent chance we missed something that should be on the Mt. Rushmore of Surf Songs - let us know what it is. SHOW NOTES 4:04 - "Skeet Surfin'" by Nick Rivers from "Top Secret" (Richard's Choice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af9N7UhTMA8&t=1s 7:55 - "Surfin' USA" by the Beach Boys (Michael's Choice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s4slliAtQU 13:10 - "Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen (Richard's Choice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gc4QTqslN4 17:12 - "Pipeline" by the Ven

Way back in Episode 10 of this show (Editor's Note: Yipes), we took a look at Video Games That Broke Your Heart. With more than a year of soul-crushing moments under our belts, we felt it was only right to expand this topic to include pretty much anything that has destroyed your spirit. So why "things" and not "people?" Partially it's because no one wants to hear about the girl who stood you up at your junior prom (Editor's Note: THANKS A LOT DIANA!). But also because having a person break your heart at least gives you direct your anger toward. When it's a thing or an event, it's a lot tougher to make yourself feel better by assigning blame. Except for this past Presidential Election. Plenty of blame to go around there. SHOW NOTES 1:10 - Dinosaurs with feathers (Michael's Choice) 9:10 - Cat peed on Mean Gene's Burgers T-shirt (Richard's Choice) 15:09 - Notification from iPad that you've played 24 hours of "Solitaire" (Michael's Choice) 20:30 - The 2016 Presidential Election (Richard's Choice) 27:00 - When peo

You know what is music to your ears? Music. But also an incredibly satisfying sound! Whether is the crackling of the fire on a cold winter day or the swish of a basketball going through the hoop, we all have sounds that make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Is our podcast on your Rushmore of Satisfying Sounds? Probably not! But we think you'll enjoy us talking about some of our favorite sounds just the same. SHOW NOTES The "pop" of opening a package of Pillsbury crescent rolls (Michael's Pick) The "twang" of a metal door stopper (Richard's Pick) The falling snow shovel that sounds like the intro guitar riff to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Michael's Pick) The cracking open of a beer can (Richard's Pick) Silence (Michael's Pick) A perfect strike in bowling (Richard's Pick) The Go-Away-Bird from "Animals Are Beautiful People" (Michael's Pick) A power chord (Richard's Pick)

There might be some controversy to the theory that having grandmothers as part of a family is why humans live longer than apes. But there's no controversy about the statement that grandmothers are great. (Even if they aren't "great grandmothers." Which doesn't mean they aren't great...look, you get the point.) This week we look at the Rushmore of Grandmas - real and fictional. Just not Richard, Michael or Jeff's grandmothers, since that would be cheating. Some of these grandmothers are warm and caring. Others are foul and crass. But one thing they have in common is love. And being a lot older than us. SHOW NOTES 1:25 - The Grandmother from "Little Red Riding Hood" (Michael's Pick) 6:41 - Olivia Foxworth from "Flowers in the Attic" (Richard's Pick) 9:34 - Larry Johnson as Grandmama from 1990s Converse commercials (Michael's Pick) 13:01 - Grandma Moses, famous folk art painter (Richard's Pick) 18:02 - Olenna Tyrell from "Game of Thrones" (Michael's Pick) 20:50 - Madea from "Every Madea Movie" (Richard's Pick)

When it comes to a road trip, sometimes it's less about the destination and more about how you get there. But is this also true when it comes to time travel devices? Sure, you could just go into a plain room like in "12 Monkeys," but where's the sense of style with that? Let's face it, driving a Delorean is cooler than going back to 1955 and having your mom try to get into your Calvin Kleins. We explore the Rushmore of Time Travel Devices with the help of our good friend Paul Lurie, who suggested the topic. He is one of the best Duck Boat drivers in Boston, which means he knows a thing or two about cool forms of transportation. As far as we know, the Duck Boats aren't time travel devices, though. Yet. So join us for an episode that was prerecorded, which means it's basically a time travel device right there. (And definitely not as cool as a Delorean.) SHOW NOTES 1:36 - The Delorean from "Back to the Future" (Joint Choice) 7:34 - The Time Sled from "The Time Machine" and "Time After Time" (Joint Choice) 16:15

There's nothing like watching a great movie, only to have your blood boil every time a certain character appears onscreen. Sometimes the actor is giving a terrible performance. In other cases, they are TRYING to be annoying. And then there are great actors stuck portraying an awful character. In wrestling it's known as "X-Pac Heat" but here we're just talking the Rushmore of Annoying Characters in Great Movies. Join Richard, Michael and Jeff as they overact, use grating accents and otherwise bug the hell out of you. So, basically, it's another show. SHOW NOTES 1:33 - Lina Lamont, "Singin' in the Rain" (Michael's Pick) 7:33 - Fabienne, "Pulp Fiction" (Richard's Pick) 10:55 - Willie Scott, "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (Joint Pick) 14:36 - Mr. Yunioshi, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (Richard's Pick) 18:20 - Ruby Rhod, "The Fifth Element" (Joint Pick) 22:52 - Roger Rabbit, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" (Michael's Pick)    

Nothing says "America" like loading up the family in the Volvo and spending the afternoon at IKEA. And we mean "afternoon" since there's no way you are getting out of there in less than two hours. After you're done, you can unwind by spending the rest of the evening loading giant boxes of plywood furniture from your car to your apartment and then trying to find the right Allen wrench to put your coffee table together. This week we tackle the Rushmore of all things IKEA. From the quality of their goods to the suspicious content of their meatballs, it's a veritable "smorgasbord" of goodness. So grab a giant blue bag, drop the kids off at the playroom and get ready to shop 'til you drop. SHOW NOTES 3:36 - Meatballs (Richard's Choice) 8:49 - Allen wrenches (Michael's Choice) 12:15 - Kids' Play Area, aka Smaland (Richard's Choice) 15:45 - The blue bag (Michael's Choice) 19:38 - Buying a bunch of random stuff you didn't plan on (Richard's Choice) 23:43 - People walking the wrong way/slow people (Michael's Choice) 2

We'll be honest - we thought there was no way that we were going to be able to post this episode. Because of a series of unfortunate investments (I guess last week was a bad time to go all-in on United?) and gambling addictions, we were dead broke and didn't think we could afford the basic podcasting fees. But just when Mr. Willoughby from the bank was ready to foreclose on us, Jeff's eccentric rich uncle died and left him $1 million! Does that garbage ending make you mad? Then prepare for a whole episode of that feeling, since we're talking the Mt. Rushmore of Deus ex Machinas! We get into times when something completely out of nowhere manages to save the hero or wrap up the story. Make sure you listen until the end, when we find the "Make Your Podcast Famous" button on our mixer and become bigger than Marc Maron or that guy who's been stalking Richard Simmons! SHOW NOTES 00:00 - Introduction 03:22 - Michael's Choice: "Batman '66" - Batman and Robin are saved from a torpedo by an off-screen dolphin. 07:59 -

The rivalry between slobs and snobs goes back to the earliest days of man. Ancient wall paintings tell us of Cro-Magnons, who were constantly annoyed by the loutish Neanderthals running around naked all day and banging their rocks all night while they were trying to make their advanced tools. This week we explore the history of Slobs vs. Snobs in movies, sports and music. So, depending on your perspective, crack open a Busch Light or a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and enjoy! SHOW NOTES: 1:55 - "Meatballs" (Richard) 7:40 - "Caddyshack" (Michael) 13:23 - "Animal House" (Richard) 19:15 - "Demolition Man" (Michael) 25:58 - Halftime 27:24 - John Daly (Richard) 34:26 - "Fraiser" (Michael) 39:46 - "Common People" by Pulp 43:22 - The Who's "Quadrophenia" 47:53 - "Breaking Away" (Jeff) 49:40 - Jeff's Choices

Don't call it a comeback!... Wait, do. Do call it that.  Richard and Michael debate the most iconic Comebacks in music, acting, politics and their favorite category "whatever" this week as they try to figure out who has reached the highest highs, then the lowest lows, then a weird gooey middle, before hitting the highs again. Only Jeff can judge who belongs on Mt. Rushmore! SHOW NOTES Joint Choice Elvis' '68 Comeback Special Michael's Choices Pee-Wee Herman 2004 MLB ALCS Boston Red Sox Jesus (H. Christ) Richard's Choices Michael Jackson (Post-Death) Nixon's '68 Comeback Special Bjorn Borg

Hey, did you hear about the Mt. Rushmore Podcast? I heard from Phyllis in HR that they are doing an episode on Office Politics this week. Crazy, right? I shouldn't say too much, but the rumor going around is that Michael thought Richard was stealing his lunch from the fridge, so now they have to go in front of Jeff for arbitration. Anyway, I'm sure they'll talk about a lot more than just that during their session. They are going to get into all kinds of juicy stuff that happens at the office. It's going to be so good! I can't wait until I hear more about it at the water cooler. Also, could you not burn your popcorn in the microwave over your break, man? That's super rude. SHOW NOTES Michael's Choices HVAC Control Free Lunches Workplace Romances Passive Aggressive Notes Richard's Choices Going Over Your Bosses' Head Confusing Org Charts/Job Titles Lunchroom TV Control Employee Reviews

In Episode 55, we looked at the coolest characters ever. This week, we turn the tables and look at the Rushmore of Fictional Dorks. Some might say it's a topic the three of us were born to tackle. Those people are mean bullies who need to stop or else we're telling teacher. So what is a dork? And how is that different than a geek, nerd, or dweeb? We get into that, along with our picks. SHOW NOTES Michael's Picks Tina Belcher ("Bob's Burgers") 17 Reasons Tina Belcher Is the Best Role Model for Young Girls - BuzzFeed The 10 Best Tina Belcher Moments on "Bob's Burgers" - IndieWire Seymour Krelbourn ("Little Shop of Horrors") 11 Bloodthirsty Facts About "Little Shop of Horrors" - Mental Floss "Suddenly Seymour" Is a Heart-Melting Ballad Made Possible By Killer Vegetation - AV Club Gerry Fleck ("Best in Show") The 10 Best Characters from Christopher Guest Films - Paste Magazine Best in Show of "Best in Show" - Nitehawk Cinema Milton Waddums ("Office Space") Top 10 Movie Wimps: Milton Waddams, "Office

This week we take a look at the coolest cats around (and we're not talking about Heathcliff). It's our look at the most definitely and iconic cool guys from TV and film. Because when you are looking for experts on cool, look no further than three guys running a podcast out of a spare bedroom. And make sure you stick around until the end for a shocking cliffhanger that will leave your cliff hung (again, not Heathcliff). SHOW NOTES Michael's Picks Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli (Happy Days) 14 Nostalgic Facts About "Happy Days" - Mental Floss 11 Reasons Why Fonzie Was a Babe Magnet - Fox News Buddy Love (The Nutty Professor) 11 Things You Didn't Know About "The Nutty Professor"" - Esquire Jerry Lewis' "The Nutty Professor" - Neatorama Mike (The Young Ones) Mike Thecoolperson - The Young Ones Wiki The Young Ones - BBC2 British Comedy Guide Spuds MacKenzie (Bud Light Spokesdog) The Life, Death and Resurrection of Spuds MacKenize, the Original Party Animal - Mental Floss Whatever Happened to Spuds MacKe

Ziggy Stardust! The Thin White Duke! Aladdin Sane! Dude singing with Bing Crosby! No matter what phase David Bowie went through in his career, they were never boring. Well, except for Tin Machine, but otherwise… This week we take a look back at the career of rock and roll’s great chameleon and choose the most iconic and interesting phases of his career. So let’s dance and celebrate our favorite Star, man, and all of the changes he went through. SHOW NOTES Joint Choice Ziggy Stardust "Ziggy Stardust": How Bowie Created the Alter Ego That Changed Rock - Rolling Stone The Day David Bowie Abruptly Retired Ziggy Stardust - Ultimate Classic Rock Michael’s Choices Jareth the Goblin King (from “Labyrinth”) "Labyrinth": A Goblin King and a Sexual Dream - Consequence of Sound We Love Villains: The Strange Appeal of Jareth from "Labyrinth" - Smart Bitches, Trashy Books Earthling (1990s era) David Bowie's "Earthling" is 20 Years Old Today - Salon David Bowie Albums from Worst to Best: "Earthling" - Stereogum B