Literate ApeCast Ep. 228—Waffle Parties, Baby Goats, and Gemma with John Beardmore
Joining the ApeCast is longtime listener and Severance superfan, John Beardmore. Yes, we talk about the Apple+, Ben Stiller produced, dark workplace dystopia. WARNING: Spoliers abound.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 227— with Sci-Fi Author Brendan Wilson
David and Don talk with Brendan Wilson, author of The Achilles Battle Fleet: Book One: Mei-Ling Lee, recently published via Literate Ape Press and available everywhere.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 226—In Praise of Thin Skin, My Ass
What else are we gonna talk about this week? The Slap. Also, Dr. Roxanne Gay’s NYT defense of having thin skin.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 225—The Brothers Himmel Converge (Part Two)
The second half of the conversation with David’s two younger brothers (Eric and Steven).
Literate ApeCast Ep. 224—The Brothers Himmel Converge (Part One)
Per our conversation last week, David is entering into the growing Russian family mode. As he becomes overwhelmed by family, he decided that a discussion with his two younger brothers (Eric and Steven) about his role as Big Brother to them and what he might learn for Harry and his upcoming baby brother. We talked for a long time so I broke it up into two parts.
NOTE: This was recorded via a four way ZOOM call and apparently Eric Himmell’s computer has a red Solo cup for a microphone.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 223—A Wife, Two Kids, Two Dogs, and a Mortgage
David is slowly becoming Papa Walton as his family gently increases. Don is curious how Mr. Himmel is handling all of this. We also talk about Jussie Smollet and teaching kids about gender fluidity as well as Don’s irritation at St. Patrick’s Day.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 222—The Kids Are Alright but Maybe Biden is Not
Don crawled, blind and barely cogent, out of his Vegas spider-hole and went to a college in Utah to teach. Turns out the college kids are not as fragile as the media paints them. David did not watch the State of the Union but has thoughts anyway. And both have decided they still like Sam Elliot but cannot have dinner with him now.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 221—Will Professor Bruce Be Cancelled for Doing This Podcast?
Joining Don and David is St. George College theater professor Brandon Bruce and he takes us into the dismal and scary world of collegiate academia in 2022. Elements of self censorship regarding the creation and teaching of art during a cultural movement that values work that demonstrates the world the way it could be rather than the way it is are discussed.
Apparently, his students feel Hamilton is a better play than Death of a Salesman which causes Don to figuratively shit his pants and David to spend ten minutes using his bidet.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 220—What Is This Episode About Again?
A long-winded meandering of topics with no compass to guide it. Don quit his job, Katie has a stranger request to dress him to go to hospital, Rorschach of the News, and Six Things but I’ll be damned if tgeir is rhyme or reason to this conversation.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 219—The Flaccidity of Portland, Things That Cracked Us Up, and Pelaton is for People with Too Much Money (with Vincent Truman)
David and Don are joined by guest Vincent Truman and the three catch up with Vince’s prognosis on Portland, OR, shameless self promotion of a film he and David made before they could drink legally, and the incredibly stupid things that have made them laugh hard enough to feel exhausted.
Plus, Rorschach of the News (where we learn of Don’s utter disgust with Pelaton) and Six Things.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 218—The Book of Boba, The Commodification of Wordle, and the Rorschach of the News
David completely spoils the sixth episode of The Book of Boba Fett as the guys talk about his assertion that the series is all about religious dogma. David revisits his Literate Ape article bemoaning the NYT purchase of Wordle and Don introduces a new segment called Rorschach of the News.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 217—Can Artists Help with the Mental Health Issues of the Broken? (with Heather Bodie)
Heather Bodie turns the pain of those devestated by mental health issues into performed monologues for a living. The two Ds have an engaging conversation with her about theater, the struggle of the artist during COVID, and whether people today are really dealing with trauma or have the definitions become so all-inclusive that the word has been rendered meaningless?
Literate ApeCast Ep. 216—Peter Parker and Lee Harvey
David finally saw Spiderman: No Way Home so he and Don can do a spoiler-laden discussion of the film. Don saw the latest Oliver Stone salvo regarding the JFK assassination and, knowing David is a long-historied JFK conspracy theorist, opens up that can of worms.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 215—Bloodsport and Bullshit
Don asks the question “What are you gonna do when the GOP wins the midterms?” and the two hosts go on an audio journey that encompasses an interview David had with Rudy Giuliani, an inarticulate quote from Kamala Harris, and some stuff about the Clintons. Following that up is the answer to the question “Does David suddenly sound like a Republican in April 2020 in regards to COVID?”
And Don does the single worst impression of Fauci on record.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 214—Himmel’s COVID, One Year Since Insurrection, and Is “Don’t Look Up” Worth Your Time?
The Apes ring in January 2022 with the tale of David’s battle with Omicron, some discussion about the anniversary of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, and two very different perspectives on Adam McKay’s Netflix satire Don’t Look Up.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 213—Tools Are My Friends (with Dana Jerman and Lawrence Volbrecht)
ApeCast producer Dana Jerman does a Kansas follow-up from her interview with her mother-in-law last year by sitting in the garage with with her father-in-law, Lawrence Volbrecht, and letting the tools inspire her guest for stories of silver making, bullriding, barfights, and boxing.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 212—The Headlines Predicting 2022
In the pursuit of predicting both personal and societal future, the chimps discover that David’s In-Laws think he’s basically Jerry Seinfeld, that Don has no Jew Radar, David’s barber is a benign racist, and present three headlines to predict their personal journeys in the coming year and five headlines that foretell the trends and news of 2022.
WARNING: There might be weed and whiskey involved so this fucking thing devolves into two morons drooling on their iPads.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 211—What Does the Second American Civil War Look Like and Will Jussie Smollett Be the Spark That Starts It?
David and Don walk through the possibilities of a second American Civil War. Has it already started? Will people die en masse? And what about Jussie?
Literate ApeCast Ep. 210—The Horrors of Holidays (with Rory Zacher)
Joining the monkeys with microphones is none other than Rory Zacher. The three talk about mullets, tattoos, and the worst holidays the can recall.
Literate ApeCast Ep. 209—Write with a Broadsword or a Rapier (with MT Cozzola)
In a rare moment, the Chimps have a female guest and talk about writing instead of Marvel movies! The Chicago playwright MT Cozzola joins and the three discuss why writers write, how thety write, and David spends a lot of time gushing about Cozzola’s use of language. I mean, she is one of the few who can effectively use the word ‘verdant’ and not make you run for the toilet, amiright?