Best Pletcher Podcasts (2025)

1
Public Access TV (Science Fiction Edition) 48:45

Play Pause

2M ago48:45

48:45

It's our season finale episode and I'm excited to be chatting about the glory days of public access television with two folks who have first-hand experience in that world. Writer Keith DeCandido is best known these days for his novels and comics but back in the early 90s he was one of the hosts of the New York City science fiction public access sho…

1
Prime Force Directive (with Luke MacPherson) 43:04

3M ago43:04

43:04

I’m excited to talk to writer and musician Luke MacPherson! Luke’s work explores the connections between music, film and philosophy and one of his most recent books, PRIME FORCE DIRECTIVE, draws connections between four cultural forces that shaped his life - the science fiction franchise Star Wars and Star Trek and the heavy metal bands Metallica a…

1
Portishead - Dummy (This Record Changed My Life) 33:21

3M ago33:21

33:21

The second installment of our series of episodes focusing on a single album - I put out the call on social media for folks to get in touch with albums that changed their lives to possibly discuss on the show (with the caveat that I have to like the record as well) and the redoubtable Gary Mitchel (of A Podcask of Amontillado) suggested we discuss P…

1
John Waters and the Filthy Formal / Trash Talent Show (with Identical Cousins) 30:18

3M ago30:18

30:18

We are talking to Emily Arkin and Bridget Duggan from Identical Cousins about their upcoming event THE FILTY FORMAL AND TRASH TALENT SHOW, an immersive tribute to the work of the film director John Waters! The Filthy Formal is a dance party / variety show / excuse to wear your most vile, stupid, and repulsive formal fashions and it’s Saturday night…

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Raiders of the Lost Ark 52:06

4M ago52:06

52:06

We are discussing one of the most famous and successful movies of all time - Raiders of the Lost Ark! Do I even need to go into a little intro spiel about Raiders? Producer George Lucas, director Steven Spielberg, and star Harrison Ford team up to create one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema - a swashbuckling archeologist named…

1
The Musicals of Stephen Sondheim 54:46

4M ago54:46

54:46

We're discussing the musicals of lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim and also talking about the current state of musicals on Broadway - has the supermusical killed the chance for smart shows like Sondheim's to find an audience? Where can his influence be found today? Where should you start with such a vast and acclaimed body of work? I'm joined …

1
7 Seconds - The Crew (This Record Changed My Life) 45:42

4M ago45:42

45:42

Our first in a possible series of sporadic episodes focusing on a single album - I put out the call on social media for folks to get in touch with albums that changed their lives to possibly discuss on the show (with the caveat that I have to like the record as well) and the first response I got was from Christian Campagna of the Talk About the Pas…

1
The Amazing Royal Crowns (with Jason "King" Kendall) 1:07:44

5M ago1:07:44

1:07:44

I’m excited to be talking to the frontman of one of Providence, RI’s greatest bands, Jason “King” Kendall from the Amazing Royal Crowns! The Royal Crowns managed to combine rockabilly, garage, and punk rock energy into something that sounded both familiar and new and they recorded *great* songs - DO THE DEVIL is probably the most well-known one sin…

1
Cthulhu Luau (with Kellian Adams Pletcher) 56:01

5M ago56:01

56:01

Our guest Kellian Adams Pletcher joins to discuss the new interactive, immersive tiki show she has written, Cthulhu Luau, in advance of its sold-out run! We also discuss Kellian's origin in the swing music scene, her long-running seasonal show Club Drosselmeyer, the immersive theater scene in the Boston area, and why she doesn't like Sleep No More …

1
Mystery Science Theater 3000 1:04:18

5M ago1:04:18

1:04:18

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (or MST3K) can be a difficult show to explain to people who haven’t seen it. Wisecracking robot puppets making fun of cheesy movies, mad scientists, invention exchanges, and more. I could not believe something as smart and funny and silly as this show existed when I discovered it. I’m joined to discuss MST3k by two peop…

1
The Death of Rasputin (with Ashley Brett Chipman and Hope Youngblood) 36:35

6M ago36:35

36:35

We're talking to a couple of the talented folks behind the new immersive theatrical company Artemis is Burning about their upcoming show The Death of Rasputin, which will begin performances at LMCC’s Arts Center at Governors Island on April 17, 2025, for a limited run. Ashley Brett Chipman, who conceived of the show, and her co-director Hope Youngb…

1
Red Sox Organist Josh Kantor Talks Music and Baseball 56:52

6M ago56:52

56:52

Fenway Park organist Josh Kantor joins Kevin to discuss his experience as a baseball organist for a team as beloved for the Boston Red Sox, the origins of his interest in both music and baseball, taking social media requests from fans, Stevie Wonder's "Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants" album, his pandemic-era streaming show "The Seventh In…

1
Locas (The Maggie and Hopey stories in Love & Rockets) 52:32

6M ago52:32

52:32

We're discussing the work of someone who may be America’s greatest living cartoonist - YEAH I SAID IT - Jaime Hernandez! Jaime is best known for his groundbreaking work in the Love and Rockets comic book series and the LOCAS stories which are contained therein. LOCAS follows the tangled lives of a group of primarily chicano characters, from their t…

1
Thotbot Implantation Center (with Rebecca Kopycinski) 50:11

6M ago50:11

50:11

Musician/filmmaker/artist Rebecca Kopycinski joins Kevin to talk about her recent installation/performance The Thotbot Implantation Center, which is one piece of a larger multimedia narrative. Rebecca has created an entire dystopian storyworld through podcasts, installation art, immersive theater and performance. As she explains on her website, the…

1
David Lynch 1:10:02

7M ago1:10:02

1:10:02

We are discussing the work of the great David Lynch. A filmmaker, writer, visual artist, and musician, Lynch spent decades crafting a unique cinematic language that blends the unsettling with the poetic, the surreal juxtaposed with images that could be either nightmarish or heartbreakingly beautiful. There was no one like him and like a lot of peop…

1
Looney Tunes 48:00

7M ago48:00

48:00

Overture! Curtain! Lights! In this episode of The Best Stuff in the World we’re taking a look back at the classic Looney Tunes shorts. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies were the umbrella titles for the short cartoons produced by the Warner Brothers studio from the early 1930s through the 1960s, although we’re mostly discussing the shorts released du…

1
Charlie Chaplin 1:08:44

8M ago1:08:44

1:08:44

We're diving into the career of the great Charles Entertaiment Chaplin on THE BEST STUFF IN THE WORLD! Chaplin is one of the masters of silent film comedy, blending humor, sentimentality and social commentary - usually channeled through his iconic Little Tramp character. I’m joined this time by writer and podcaster Mike Gordon and artist Denise Lha…

1
The Simpsons 58:10

9M ago58:10

58:10

We are discussing THE SIMPSONS, the long-running animated sitcom on the FOX network. I’m joined for the episode by my friend Frank Burnham and by Derek B Gayle of the Glitterjaw Podcast Collective. The cover version of our theme song that starts the show this week is by Iron Reverb, the music project from my friend Luke MacPherson. If you ever want…

1
Talking Hecate and Sleep No More with Careena Melia 1:36:00

9M ago1:36:00

1:36:00

As the celebrated immersive theater show Sleep No More winds up its epic run in New York we're joined by original cast member Careena Melia (who originated the role of Hecate) to discuss her experience with the show, creating one on one scenes, the show's magical Boston run and what actually happens when you find Hecate's damn ring. Spoilers for th…

1
Kool Keith (with Sage Francis and Mikey B!) 47:42

10M ago47:42

47:42

We're diving deep into the eccentric and pioneering world of Kool Keith, one of the most influential and enigmatic figures in hip-hop. Keith has been around since his time in the 80s with the group ULTRAMAGNETIC MC’s and he first came to my attention for the album he released under the Doctor Octogon name in 1996, which was unlike anything I’d ever…

1
Dungeons & Dragons 40:53

10M ago40:53

40:53

For this episode we’re exploring one of the most iconic and enduring games of all time: Dungeons & Dragons! For 50 years, D&D has captivated players with its mix of imagination, strategy, and storytelling. When the game’s at its best it can function as this really fun way to do collaborative storytelling - it can seem life and death while also prov…

1
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari 49:04

11M ago49:04

49:04

We're discussing one of the most influential films ever made—the 1920 silent horror film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Directed by Robert Wiene and written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer, Caligari is a film that not only redefined the horror genre but also helped lay the groundwork for German Expressionism in cinema. It’s got twisted abstract sets…

1
The Rocky Horror Picture Show 54:49

11M ago54:49

54:49

I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey. We are talking THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW with special guest Greg Bell! Rocky Horror was originally a U.K. stage show that fused what was going on in the glam rock scene with old science fiction b-movies. The show was written by Richard O’Brien and was enough of a stage success that it wa…

1
FANTASMAGORIANA (with Cash the Composer) 44:47

11M ago44:47

44:47

We're joined by Cash the Composer to talk about their new immersive/interactive musical Fantasmagoriana! What’s Fantasmagoriana about? In the summer of 1816, at the Villa Diodati, Lord Byron, his personal physician John Polidori, his friend Percy Shelley, Shelley's fiancée Mary Godwin, their infant son William, and Godwin's stepsister Claire Clairm…

1
Doctor Who 1:05:53

11M ago1:05:53

1:05:53

Doctor Who first aired on November 23, 1963, making its debut on BBC One. Initially conceived as a children’s show with educational elements, it quickly evolved into a groundbreaking science fiction series that captivated audiences of all ages. The story revolves around the Doctor, a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, who travels through time and…

1
Daemonologie: Signals & Sirens (with Carly Dwyer and Tristan Reynolds) 1:05:51

12M ago1:05:51

1:05:51

We're talking with Carly Dwyer and Tristan Reynolds from Intramersive Productions about their upcoming show DAEMONOLOGIE, SIGNALS AND SIRENGS! Daemonologie is an interactive, open-world theater anthology that explores the intersections of gender, social change, and the supernatural. The series encourages audiences to engage with the events around t…

1
MTV's 120 Minutes 50:06

1y ago50:06

50:06

120 Minutes was an alternative music show that aired on MTV on Sunday nights from Midnight to 2am, playing some of the formative acts of the day (The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Smiths), introducing us to exciting new bands, and - particularly in the years before Nirvana hit big with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" - acting as an oasis for those of us intere…

1
Chris Claremont's X-Men Run (1975-1991) - PART TWO OF TWO 39:30

1y ago39:30

39:30

Kevin is joined by Shaun Rosado (of Popcycled Baubles) to continue their discussion of Chris Claremont's epic run as writer of The Uncanny X-Men! Picking up where we left off in the previous installment, the two discuss The Asgardian Wars, the Wolverine mini-series with Frank Miller, the arrival of artist Jim Lee, the Brood, Magneto, Kitty's Fairy …

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Chris Claremont's X-Men Run (1975-1991) - PART ONE OF TWO 44:29

1y ago44:29

44:29

I'm joined by Shaun Rosado (Popcycled Baubles) to discuss Chris Claremont's seminal run as writer of the Uncanny X-Men comic book from 1975-1991. Claremont did come back a few times after that but we limit our discussion to that initial run and its ancillary titles, which is a good thing because we talked so long that I felt I had to split this epi…

1
Bloom County 47:32

1y ago47:32

47:32

Bloom County is a newspaper comic strip by Berke Breathed that originally ran from 1980 to 1989. (It returned with new strips in 2015.) The comic and its characters Bill the Cat, Steve Dallas, Opus the Penguin and many others would satirize politics, culture and the comics page itself. Like Peanuts the strip had children with adult vocabularies and…

1
Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn 43:21

1+ y ago43:21

43:21

Kevin is joined by filmmaker David Bettencourt and film superfan Bryan Murray to discuss Sam Raimi's 1987 horror/comedy classic Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn! Evil Dead 2, which stars the great Bruce Campbell, is credited with inventing a new film genre - splatstick, which combines physical humor reminiscent of The Three Stooges with the extreme gore t…

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GI JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO 55:11

1+ y ago55:11

55:11

G.I. Joe is the code name for America's daring, highly-trained special mission force. Its purpose: to defend human freedom against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world! It's also a toy line, a cartoon, a series of comic books, and a nostalgic touch point for dudes of a certain age. Kevin is joined by two such dudes:…

1
Sarah Records (with Jane Duffus) 51:06

1+ y ago51:06

51:06

Kevin is joined by author Jane Duffus to talk all things regarding the Sarah Records label. Jane's new book, These Things Happen: The Sarah Records Story, tells the story of the record label, the bands who released music on it, and the people and culture who were affected by it. Sarah was started in 1987 by Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes in Bristol (Un…

1
Ramones! 48:24

1+ y ago48:24

48:24

One of the first and best punk bands, The Ramones recorded their first album in 1976 and they existed as a band for about 20 years after that. Their 70s material is the most beloved, although they continued to tour and put out records until they broke up. It's not an overstatement to say that despite achieving very little commercial success during …

1
Infocom Text Adventure Games 44:04

1+ y ago44:04

44:04

Infocom was a software company founded in 1979 who released a series of graphics-free text adventure games, which came to be known as Interactive Fiction. Notable Infocom releases were the Zork series, Planetfall, Infidel, Deadline, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (which we discussed a little bit in our previous installment), Trinity and A Min…

1
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 56:49

1+ y ago56:49

56:49

Kevin is joined by writer and musician Andre Salles and Amber Lee from the Queer in Cyber podcast to discuss The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - the radio shows, the books, the stage adaptation, the tv series, the film, the computer game and the towels. Every facet of Douglas Adams' infinitely improbable comedy science fiction franchise is tackl…

1
Watchmen 1:05:07

1+ y ago1:05:07

1:05:07

This time out we're discussing Watchmen, the 12 issue comic book maxi-series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Watchmen is widely regarded as one of the great achievements of the comic book medium and, like a lot of people, it totally blew my mind the first time I read it. I'm joined by Kevin Eldridge of The Flopcast to discuss the comic, its influen…

1
Sleep No More (with Kelly Bartnik) 1:10:33

1+ y ago1:10:33

1:10:33

Sleep No More is a long-running immersive theater show in New York and we're joined by original cast member Kelly Bartnik to discuss the show's magical run in Boston, the transition to NYC, the challenges of creating immersive work, the art that inspired her, and her experience in being part of the launch of such a long-running, successful show. Ho…

1
A Hard Day's Night 46:50

1+ y ago46:50

46:50

It's our first full episode! Welcome to The Best Stuff in the World, the podcast for people who like things. This time out we're joined by TV Reporter (and Beatles superfan) Bob Ward and filmmaker Guy Benoit to discuss 1964's A Hard Day's Night, the first film by the Beatles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
Welcome to The Best Stuff In The World 4:02

1+ y ago4:02

4:02

Kevin gives a brief overview of the show in this short trailer and a preview of topics to come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
Episode 062 - Interview with James Petty, CEO of The DevOps Collective INC. 25:39

2y ago25:39

25:39

In this episode, we interview James Petty on the upcoming PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit in Bellevue, WA.By Mick Pletcher & Harjit Dhaliwal

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Episode 061 - Interview with James Petty and Missy Januszko 15:19

2+ y ago15:19

15:19

In this episode, we interview James Petty, the CEO of the DevOps Collective, and Missy Januszko, the content director at the DevOps Collective, both of who made the summit possible.By Mick Pletcher & Harjit Dhaliwal

1
Episode 060 - Interview with Jason Helmick, Sydney Smith, Steven Bucher, and Danny Maertens 52:33

2+ y ago52:33

52:33

In this episode, we have a fantastic and very fun interview with the Microsoft PowerShell team Jason Helmick, Sydney Smith, Steven Bucher, and Danny Maertens. This is a do not miss episode as there is some GREAT news about what's to come with PowerShell!!!By Mick Pletcher & Harjit Dhaliwal

1
Episode 059 - Interview with Rob Barkz, Mike Nelson, Anthony Nocentino, and Joseph Houghes from the Summit Platinum Sponsor Pure Storage 17:47

2+ y ago17:47

17:47

In this episode, we interview four representatives from the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit platinum sponsor Pure Storage.By Mick Pletcher & Harjit Dhaliwal

1
Episode 057 - Interview with Steven Judd 17:16

2+ y ago17:16

17:16

In this episode, we interview Steven Judd who is both a speaker here at the 2023 PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit, and also a long-time attendee. #PowerShell #PSHSummit #PSHNewsBy Mick Pletcher & Harjit Dhaliwal