Pop culture pedestal podcast

The bedroom comes alive.

The host reads a listener-submitted story from Casey about a terrifying childhood encounter with a mysterious creature on his family's rural North Carolina property.

The host shares a personal discovery story about finding Fleischer Superman cartoons on VHS as a child, then explores the history and artistry of these groundbreaking 1940s animations.

This episode explores the 1989 Batman film, covering the massive hype and casting controversy around Michael Keaton, his acclaimed performance, Tim Burton's dark direction inspired by Frank Miller, and the Joker's origin story.

This episode explores the origins of A Nightmare on Elm Street, detailing how Wes Craven drew from personal fears and real events to create Freddy Kruger.

Dave Mack keeps things hushed.

One haunted house was not enough.

This episode explores the history of Dracula adaptations, from early silent films to the iconic 1931 Universal movie.

The host explores why people buy more books than they read, examining psychological factors like dopamine hits from purchasing, modern distractions from phones and social media, and personal time constraints.

A lost Austin murder story resurfaces.

This episode explores the 1986 horror film Critters, discussing its place in the shift towards pint-sized, campy horrors post-Gremlins, its use of practical effects and puppetry, and its blend of sci-fi menace with dark humor.

It opens with the claim that The Muppet Christmas Carol is one of the very best Christmas movies ever made.

A detailed review and analysis of the 1994 action-comedy film True Lies, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by James Cameron.

The host passionately defends Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) against its critics, particularly addressing the controversy over Kevin Costner's American accent.