Best Chris Downey Podcasts (2025)

1
Jodie Foster: A Teenage Star-Turn, a Deranged Stalker, and the Attempted Assassination of Ronald Reagan 38:03

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1d ago38:03

38:03

After being nominated for an Academy Award for her role as a child prostitute in the 1976 film Taxi Driver, Jodi Foster gave up acting to go to college. It was there that her Oscar-nominated performance made her the target of a deranged stalker. That stalker, John Hinckley Jr., was obsessed with Jodie Foster. He wrote her letters and called her on …

1
Chris Eubank, Phone Addiction and Poems From Mountjoy Prison 1:01:18

6h ago1:01:18

1:01:18

Thanks to everyone who has submitted a poem for us for our 2nd volume of The Poetry's Dead Anthology. Submissions are now closed, and we have over 200 poems to read through to bring you a lovely book perfect for Christmas this year. Today's show we have a lot of beautiful poems for you, along with conversations about poetry really can help turn a l…

51
Bonus Episode: From the Great Train Robbery to Natural Born Killers, How Movie Culture Is Crime Culture 36:19

6d ago36:19

36:19

On this week’s Wrap Party, Zeth is talking about the ways in which crime, criminals, corruption, and redemption always have and always will be at the core of the moviegoing experience. What crime film do you think holds a mirror up to a specific moment in history? Call or text (617) 906-6638, email [email protected], or reach out on socials…

1
Humphrey Bogart: Mob Assassins, Rat Packs, and the Downfall of Murder, Inc. 39:40

8d ago39:40

39:40

Murder for hire. Murder for business. Murder for profit. In the 1940s, a crew called Murder, Inc. protected the interests of the Commission, a collective of American gangsters who banded together to run the American underworld like a legit business. Murder, Inc. thugs shot, stabbed, and strangled upwards of 1,000 snitches who dared rat on the mob. …

1
Al Posamentier, "Math Makers: The Lives and Works of 50 Famous Mathematicians" (Prometheus, 2020) 56:37

2h ago56:37

56:37

Today I talked to Alfred S. Posamentier, a co-author (with Christian Spreitzer) of Math Makers: The Lives and Works of 50 Famous Mathematicians (Prometheus, 2020). This charming book is more than just mathematics, because mathematicians are not just makers of mathematics. They are human beings whose life stories are often not just entertaining, but…

1
Bonus Episode: Gangsters and Movie Stars, Deliver Me from Nowhere, and Days of Heaven 36:58

14d ago36:58

36:58

On this week’s Wrap Party, Zeth is talking about Al Capone and Howard Hawks, James Caan and the Colombo crime family, and the mob’s long history in Hollywood. Plus Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, Santana’s “Winning,” the 90-minute epic Days of Heaven, going into brain overdrive with Underworld, and more. And tell us: what is the most underrat…

1
Lana Turner: The Preeminent Pinup Girl, the King of Los Angeles, and the Death of Johnny Stompanato 37:30

16d ago37:30

37:30

As captivating as actress Lana Turner was on screen, her personal life off screen was more dramatic than any movie could hope to be. Her father, turning up dead over a poker pot. Her co-star, Sean Connery, throwing down with pre-Bond panache when her boyfriend threatened to beat her up. And that same boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato, winding up dead in…

1
Halloween! - Frankenstein, Vampires and Shirley Jackson 1:02:24

4d ago1:02:24

1:02:24

OK fair, we are a few days late, but keep the skeletons out for a bit longer as we bring you our Halloween special! Frankenstein, Dracula, the Rock DJ video where we strips his skin off, we leave no tombstone unturned as we take you to the darkest corners of horror with a few poems in the couldron thrown in The podcast builds up to Leon reading one…

1
Bonus Episode: The Coroner to the Stars, Evil Dead 2, They Live, and Other Movie Blind Spots 38:00

20d ago38:00

38:00

On this week’s Wrap Party, Zeth is talking about the so-called “Coroner to the Stars,” Thomas Noguchi, who famously performed autopsies on Marilyn Monroe, Sharon Tate, Janis Joplin, and this week’s Hollywoodland subject, Natalie Wood. Also, you guys bring the fall movie recommendations and we’re talking movie blind spots. What are some of the movie…

1
Raising Men's Mental Health Awareness With Movember 1:00:27

11d ago1:00:27

1:00:27

Join us this week for a special men's mental health podcast in collaboration with Movember. It's not easy out there. Juggling responsibilities, craving rest where there is little time, keeping struggles to yourself. Life can be a very difficult thing to navigate, and today's episode we hope to help with some honest chat interwoven between poems fro…

1
Natalie Wood: Secrets, Prophecies, Pills, and When the Wrong Dreams Come True 40:03

23d ago40:03

40:03

Natalie Wood was one of the most loved child stars of the silver screen in the mid-20th century, and the rare celebrity who was able to transition gracefully into grown-up roles all while maintaining an air of dignity and grace. She acted alongside Orson Welles, James Dean, Warren Beatty, and Bette Davis, and many of her roles remain iconic decades…

1
Bonus Episode: Sal Mineo’s Killer, Fall Albums, and Mr. Scorsese Oct 22, 2025 38:11

28d ago38:11

38:11

On this week’s Wrap Party, Zeth is talking about the latest news surrounding the man convicted of murdering actor Sal Mineo, plus your favorite fall albums, and getting a glimpse of the artist’s brain in the Mr. Scorsese series. Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and any insane story from Hollywood history that you want t…

1
Sal Mineo: Street Gangs, Ouija Boards, and Unabashed Pride 42:56

29d ago42:56

42:56

James Dean’s co-star in Rebel Without a Cause was an early trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community in Hollywood. Over the years he was harassed, heckled, and had his life threatened – just for being himself. When he was mysteriously murdered at the age of 37, the 15-month investigation exposed just how deep intolerance ran in the hearts and minds of m…

1
David Bressoud, "Calculus Reordered: A History of the Big Ideas" (Princeton UP, 2019) 1:27:28

27d ago1:27:28

1:27:28

Calculus Reordered: A History of the Big Ideas (Princeton UP, 2019) takes readers on a remarkable journey through hundreds of years to tell the story of how calculus evolved into the subject we know today. David Bressoud explains why calculus is credited to seventeenth-century figures Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz, and how its current structur…

1
Bonus Episode: Remembering Diane Keaton, Movie Curses, and Clint Eastwood the Singing Cowboy 32:58

1M ago32:58

32:58

On this week’s Wrap Party, Zeth is looking back on the career of Diane Keaton, who recently passed away at the age of 79. He’s also looking for your favorite movies about musicians. Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and any insane story from Hollywood history that you want to tell us! Call or text (617) 906-6638, email d…

1
Poltergeist Curse: Paranormal Activity, a Plane Crash, and Murder 41:45

1M ago41:45

41:45

Four different actors from the 1980s horror franchise Poltergeist died within a 6-year span. Dominique Dunne was murdered. Julian Beck succumbed to stomach cancer. Will Sampson suffered from a degenerative disease. And Heather O’Rourke’s death at the age of 12, was deemed “distinctly unusual.” Was it an eerie coincidence...or something more siniste…

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Manchán Magan, Basic Income For Artists And Remembering Our Grannies 57:36

25d ago57:36

57:36

We are paying tribute this week to the late writer and researcher of all things Irish, Manchán Magan who has departed our current world for the next one. We talk about his influence on the recent fire under the belly of Irish culture and share a few pages of his book '99 Words For Rain'. Good news for the artists of Ireland came in the form of the …

1
Chris Dalla Riva, "Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 1:09:42

1M ago1:09:42

1:09:42

Popular music history collides with data analytics, charts, and numbers in this insightful and surprising look at the greatest hits and musicians, fads, forgotten artists, and much more. Data analyst and musician Chris Dalla Riva reframes everything you thought you knew about music. Did you know that hit songs in the late 1950s were regularly about…

1
Allen B. Downey, "Probably Overthinking It: How to Use Data to Answer Questions, Avoid Statistical Traps, and Make Better Decisions" (U Chicago Press, 2023) 1:02:40

1M ago1:02:40

1:02:40

Statistics are everywhere: in news reports, at the doctor's office, and in every sort of forecast, from the stock market to the weather. Blogger, teacher, and computer scientist Allen B. Downey knows well that people have an innate ability both to understand statistics and to be fooled by them. As he makes clear in this accessible introduction to s…

1
Bonus Episode: Are Movies Dead? Plus PTA Favorites and Zemeckis Goes Full Hitchcock 40:02

29d ago40:02

40:02

By Double Elvis

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Anna Nicole Smith: Methadone, a Murder Plot, and a Fate Like Marilyn’s 36:47

1M ago36:47

36:47

Anna Nicole Smith transcended the laws of celebrity. She was a blonde sexpot who was famous for being famous, and that was reason enough for pop culture. People around the world recognized her Marilyn Monroe-esque curves filled out Guess jeans, and her squeaky baby speaking voice on The Anna Nicole Show. In the early 2000s, the FBI investigated her…

1
Matthew McConaughey, Brianna Parkins and A Lesbian Van 48:52

1M ago48:52

48:52

Alright, alright, alright...it was too tempting to type so leave us alone. How else do you expect us to start this podcast description when we're celebrating the poetry of Matthew McConaughey? Exactly. There are many poems we could have shared from his new books 'Poems and Prayers' but we went with Tips Included. Its a 2 hour listen to complete the…

1
Bonus Episode - Robert Mitchum Sings, European Screen Beauties, and Punk and Disco Collide in One Battle After Another 43:46

2M ago43:46

43:46

On this week’s Wrap Party, Zeth is talking about Robert Mitchum’s eternal attitude, swagger, defiance, and his unexpected singing career. Plus RIP Claudia Cardinale, Herbie Hancock film scores, and ranking Paul Thomas Anderson movies. Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and any insane story from Hollywood history that you …

1
Robert Mitchum: Reefer Madness, a Daring Escape from a Chain Gang, and Not Giving a Damn 41:29

2M ago41:29

41:29

Robert Mitchum was famously busted for marijuana in the 1940s before his career had really taken off. Not so famous is how he managed to save his legacy, and his life: with the unlikely help of one of the most powerful men in the world. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn…

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Live @ Culture Night Special 1:42:53

1M ago1:42:53

1:42:53

We have a chonky boy of an episode for you this week! Due to the magical powers of our sound man, the wonderful Finn O'Reilly (@finnreuben), we present to you our Culture Night episode recorded live at The LAB in Dublin. This episode is an absolute banger, where we cover everything from poetry, comedy, storytelling and music ( interpretive dance do…

1
Bonus Episode: Paul Newman’s Best Films, Erotic Thrillers, and Would You Do THAT for a Million Bucks? 40:26

2M ago40:26

40:26

On this week’s Wrap Party, Zeth is talking about the legacy of Paul Newman, erotic thrillers from the ‘90s, strange burials, Netflix’s Black Rabbit, and more. Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and any insane story from Hollywood history that you want to tell us! Call or text (617) 906-6638, email [email protected]…

1
Philip Larkin, CMAT and Should We Stop Listening To Men? 53:37

2M ago53:37

53:37

We don't agree with CMAT, even though we love her. We think Larkin would have been her biggest fan. Not yet discussed on the podcast, we share Aubade one of Larkin's masterpieces. We then talk about that ability of turning the mundane into art a lot on today's show. We also talk about men, and the value of the stories of men. We also talk about the…

1
Paul Newman: Fast Cars, Cold Beers, and Forgotten Memories 38:15

2M ago38:15

38:15

Paul Newman didn’t race cars to outrun his demons. His past was easily kept at bay, like the World War II memories he didn’t want to think about. But like many actors of his generation, the Brando generation, Paul Newman wanted to act like he wasn’t acting. And to do that, he had to tap into real emotions. Forgotten memories. Demons and all. Or so …

1
Bonus Episode: R.I.P. Robert Redford, Sophisticated Cinema, and Johnny Depp’s Best Oddball Outlaw 42:34

2M ago42:34

42:34

On this week’s Wrap Party, Zeth is talking about the passing of Robert Redford and how movies inform our memories, and also crazy director resumes and iconic onscreen duos. Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and any insane story from Hollywood history that you want to tell us! Call or text (617) 906-6638, email disgracela…

1
Johnny Depp: Homemade Bombs, Bootleg Quaaludes, and Unsolved Disappearances 40:33

2M ago40:33

40:33

Johnny Depp prefers the shadows to the limelight, whether he’s building a bomb with Hunter S. Thompson in the Rocky Mountains, or downing bootleg quaaludes laced with arsenic. After emerging as the leading art flick actor of the 1990s, prodding paparazzi’s desire to paint him as a “novelty boy” often drove him to outbursts that ended in arrests, wr…

1
Claddagh Records, President Michael D Higgins And A Surprise Poem At Electric Picnic 1:02:46

2M ago1:02:46

1:02:46

The President of ireland has a spoken word album Let us do that one more time for you. The President of Ireland has a spoken word album. What a sentence, and you know what, it’s a brilliant piece of work. We discuss the release with chairman of Claddagh Records James Morrissey about the release, spoken word in Ireland and how the project came to be…

1
Bonus Episode: Script Doctors, Car Chase Movies, and the Badass Carrie Fisher 41:31

2M ago41:31

41:31

On this week’s Wrap Party, Zeth is talking about Hollywood icon Carrie Fisher and her little-known side hustle as an uncredited script doctor. Also lots of talk about best car chase movies, Michael Jackson’s “Bad” video, Spike Lee’s latest, and much more. Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and any insane story from Hollyw…

1
Carrie Fisher: Acid in the Desert, Snakes in the Amazon, and More Postcards from the Edge 36:20

2M ago36:20

36:20

Carrie Fisher once dropped acid in the desert with Paul Simon. She did ayahuasca in the Amazon jungle, where she was attacked by a giant snake that may or may not have been real. She did so much cocaine that legendary partyman John Belushi told her to ease up. Her mood swings were such a dramatic part of her personality that she gave them their own…

1
Anthony Bonato, "Dots and Lines: Hidden Networks in Social Media, AI, and Nature" (Johns Hopkins UP, 2025) 1:05:42

2M ago1:05:42

1:05:42

Can networks unlock secrets of AI or make sense of a social media mess? A behind-the-scenes look at how networks reveal reality. According to mathematician Anthony Bonato, the hidden world of networks permeates our lives in astounding ways. From Bitcoin transactions to neural connections, Dots and Lines: Hidden Networks in Social Media, AI, and Nat…

1
Bonus Episode: A Labor Day Emergency, Robert Altman, Scorsese Top 5 Revisited, and ABBA 42:34

3M ago42:34

42:34

On this week’s Wrap Party, Zeth is talking about a Robert Altman retrospective, controversial Martin Scorsese Top 5 lists, Jack Nicholson, ABBA, and much more. Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and any insane story from Hollywood history that you want to tell us! Call or text (617) 906-6638, email [email protected]…

1
Charlie Chaplin: Japanese Assassins, Murder on a Yacht, and a Stolen Corpse 39:24

3M ago39:24

39:24

Charlie Chaplin was a wanted man. Not just by moviegoing audiences that made him one of the biggest stars of the silent and talkie eras. And not just by governments who questioned his politics. He was nearly murdered by a jealous lover, and was likely the intended target of a homicide aboard the yacht of the wealthiest man in America. He survived n…

1
George Musser, "Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation: Why Physicists Are Studying Human Consciousness and AI to Unravel the Mysteries of the Universe" (Picador, 2024) 1:02:10

3M ago1:02:10

1:02:10

A revelatory exploration of how a “theory of everything” depends upon our understanding of the human mind. The whole goal of physics is to explain what we observe. For centuries, physicists believed that observations yielded faithful representations of what is out there. But when they began to study the subatomic realm, they found that observation …

1
Bonus Episode: Devo, Music Documentaries, Child Actors, and Herbie Hancock 39:33

3M ago39:33

39:33

This week, Zeth and Jake are talking about the new Devo documentary on Netflix, which begs the question: is Devo the greatest punk rock band of all time? Plus, movie and music recommendations inspired by this week’s Lindsay Lohan episode. Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and any insane story from Hollywood history that …

1
Lindsay Lohan: Morgues, Ankle Bracelets, and an Addiction to Chaos 39:43

3M ago39:43

39:43

Lindsay Lohan’s arrest record is overcrowded with charges involving theft, cocaine, and the transportation of narcotics. The one-time Disney queen bee shattered her Mercedes and her good girl reputation with back-to-back DUIs when her career was at its peak. After appearing in court 20 times in the span of five years, Lindsay’s acting opportunities…

1
Oasis In Dublin And Poetry At Electric Picnic 1:05:27

3M ago1:05:27

1:05:27

This podcast is an absolute must listen if you were lucky enough to be at the Oasis concert last weekend at Croke Park. Leon was there, and spends a lot of this podcast gushing over Liam and Noel Gallagher, which we should all be here for. We look then to the Glastonbury of Ireland, Electric Picnic which kicks off August 29th. We take the best poet…

1
Noah Giansiracusa, "Robin Hood Math: Take Control of the Algorithms That Run Your Life" (Penguin, 2025) 1:02:25

3M ago1:02:25

1:02:25

Everything we do today is recorded as data that’s sold to the highest bidder. Plugging our personal data into impersonal algorithms has made government agencies more efficient and tech companies more profitable. But all this comes at a price. It’s easy to feel like an insignificant number in a world of number crunchers who care more about their bot…

1
Bonus Episode: Continued Confusion over Moe Greene, Mo Rocca, and Alex Rocco 44:00

3M ago44:00

44:00

This week in the Wrap Party, Jake and Zeth are discussing the differences between Moe Greene, Mo Rocca, and Alex Rocco. Plus ‘70s crime films, Sinatra at the Sands, and what if Old Blue Eyes sang songs by Helmet? Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and any insane story from Hollywood history that you want to tell us! We wa…

1
Alex Rocco: A Mob Murder, a Boston Gang War, and Leaving Winter Hill for the Corleones 36:28

3M ago36:28

36:28

Organized crime. A brutal assault that kicked off a gang war. Car bombs. The brazen assassination of a mob boss in broad daylight. These things all happened in Francis Ford Coppola’s groundbreaking film The Godfather – but first they happened in the real life of Alex Rocco, one-time Boston gang member turned Hollywood character actor whose star tur…

1
David Balfe, Nikita Gill And Sneaky Cats 44:00

3M ago44:00

44:00

On today's pod, we celebrate the release of the second album from For Those I Love, as well as hearing Olivia Rodgrido’s advice about poetry being the foundation for all songwriting, which we’d be on board with. We also dive into the work of Nikita Gill the hidden-in-Instagram-captions genius poetry from Teyindhi Ramsewak and talk about Alice Kinse…

1
Bonus Episode: Harrison Ford, Weapons, and Top 10 Westerns 50:33

3M ago50:33

50:33

This week in the Wrap Party, Zeth and Jake talk about music and movie recommendations related to Harrison Ford, plus Zach Cregger’s new movie Weapons, great Westerns, stacks of books to be read, and more. Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and any insane story from Hollywood history that you want to tell us! Call or text …

1
Harrison Ford: Smashing Bottles, Slinging Weed, and Partying with the Stones 36:32

3M ago36:32

36:32

If someone had told Harrison Ford the odds early on, about his chances of making it as an actor in Hollywood, he may have given up. But he wasn’t an odds kinda guy. He was a guy who did what he had to do to make it. Sometimes that meant swinging a hammer and working as a carpenter on the houses of James Caan and Joan Didion. Other times he found wo…

1
Sylvia Plath, The Fleadh & Changing Jobs Too Quickly 47:16

3M ago47:16

47:16

Difficult third series? F*** that! We missed you guys and are delighted to return to your moistened ears as you go on your jog around the park that you hate to help you through another 5k. Or whatever you're up to listening to us, we're very bloody grateful. We have had a lovely few months off, so lots to fill you in on. From poems in English villa…

1
Dark Horse Westerns, Bad Moms, and Joan Crawford 41:58

4M ago41:58

41:58

This week in the Wrap Party, Zeth and Jake are talking about digging up some crazy, unexpected stories about Joan Crawford, plus music and movie recommendations inspired by the Hollywood icon, and suggest starting a support group for those who mistake Vin Diesel for Walter Matthau. Join the party and get in touch with your recs, your reviews, and a…

1
Joan Crawford: Stag Films, Dead Presidents, and No Wire Hangers 39:11

4M ago39:11

39:11

Joan Crawford once threatened the director of the FBI when she wanted an old stag film destroyed. She accepted an Oscar that wasn’t hers for the sole purpose to get revenge on her co-star. She wrote her daughter out of her will, before she knew the kid was about to permanently ruin her legacy. But how did she wind up at a party with Richard Nixon, …

1
Kendra Fisher: From Olympic Dreams to Mental Health Advocate 54:03

4M ago54:03

54:03

Kendra Fisher was on track for Olympic greatness—a standout goaltender with Team Canada’s hockey program who once heard the words every athlete dreams of: You made the Olympic team. But during those tryouts, her mental health had a different plan and her life changed directions. In this episode of It’s Not A Straight Line, Kendra opens up about the…