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Ryan and Adrian continue the live listen of Sylvester Stallone’s The Steps memoir, still on Step One, through the deli shift, an audition, and the winter coat he had to save for.

Ryan and Adrian listen to Sylvester Stallone’s The Steps memoir, still on step one, in the chapter where he cleans lion cages and bombs a Juilliard audition.

Ryan and Doug stay cold on *The Steps*, chapter three of step one. First two agencies never get past the secretaries. No photo, no resume. Pharmacy booth, fifty cents, four poses, nose against the lens. Third office slides the strip back: professional shots only. Last name on the list. Walk-up, German accent, no secretary. He gives Mike Stallone. Then the birth-certificate fight: mother wanted Tyrone, after Tyrone Power; father blew up and put Sylvester on the form, Americanized from the grandfather, firstborn Italian custom. School years as Sylvester the Cat, Tweety, fists, suspensions. Mike ever since, except at home. That agent offers a 10 p.m. Brooklyn audition and does not come upstairs. Apartment 3D, a man called Ed, robe, sake, Death of a Salesman*, a noise in the closet. Sly leaves. Drink maybe laced. Cigarette, elevated train, proud he did not do something stupid. Bill Conti under the exit. Not *The Party at Kitty and Stud’s — Morton Lewis never shows. End of the chapter. No spoilers in chat. Fuse Gino and Sir Robert were in. Nine hours of audiobook, live and unedited, maybe into Christmas. Ryan’s Rocky and Rambo feeds; Doug is back when the clocks line up.

Ryan and Doug keep the cold listen of Sylvester Stallone reading *The Steps*. Step one is New York. Off the bus at Port Authority, heat, horns, no bed, no one he knows. Walk to 46th and 9th, Hell’s Kitchen, where it started. Born July 6, 1946. Mother in denial until labor on a bus. Forceps, crushed nerve, left side of the face, the slur. Cold-water flat, plywood on the tub, $15 rent, steel wool in the baseboards, pink mice under the sink. Father the barber who wanted to sing. Mother the cigarette girl at Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe who later claimed she was the star. She never divorced truck-driver Tommy; a four-year-old son she denied. Furniture broken. Then three years in Queens with Mama Hansen, visits once a month. Frank is not in the room yet — Ryan and Doug flag the half-brother from their Frank coverage and wait for the split. Back to 1969. Bench at Port Authority, Woodstock headline, $80, Bowery flophouses, two nights by the garbage cans, then the Sutton at $21.80 a week. Room smaller than a modern cell. Shared bathroom, shower with the clothes on, Yellow Pages open to talent agents. Bill Conti still under the steps. Ryan’s Conti interview is in the comments if you ask. Frank Stallone coverage lives on the other show.

Ryan and Doug go in cold on the first listen of Sylvester Stallone reading The Steps (William Morrow / Harper Audio). Ryan has been skipping the press tour so the book stays a surprise. Doug takes the inaugural episode after years on the Rocky and Rambo runs. Dedication: Jennifer, Sophia, Sistine, Scarlet, then Sage and Serge. Chat flags Sasha as a character in I Play Rocky (Sir Robert). Sly did not write that film. Then step zero. Pyrenees, 1969, 100 pesetas, Madame Pilar, an egg in a handkerchief. Double lifeline, change around 25, three marriage lines, fortune by 1976, drama not singing, avoid comedy. University of Miami, a few credits short. Draft-dodge line left as a claim; hearing-loss story (amp at a concert) not in the pages yet. Costa Brava at dusk, a fisherman’s mussels, driftwood, time undefeated, then New York. Piano under it is Bill Conti. Live, pauses for comment, no spoilers in chat. Thunderlips is in. Rocky 50th is this year; Star Wars is next. Ryan’s Rocky and Rambo feeds; Doug is back when the clocks line up. The Steps, Sylvester Stallone, memoir, audiobook, Madame Pilar, 1969, Bill Conti, Sasha, I Play Rocky, Rocky 50th

Ryan welcomes Variety writer Matthew Chernov (How the West Was Cast) to It’s a Long Road for a scene-by-scene look at Rambo III’s botched rescue. They talk Variety lists, why Matthew ranks Rambo III second in the franchise, then the failed raid: Trautman still captive, the injured boy, the sewer swim, the RPG that buys time, handing over Co’s necklace, and Stallone’s classic self-surgery with gunpowder. Matthew also walks through the 2021 Julian’s Auctions Stallone sale — First Blood knife, poncho, bow, Rocky script pages — and plugs How the West Was Cast plus his Variety pieces, including Tulsa King costume design. Ryan also hosts One More Round, the Rocky series podcast. 00:00 – Intro and Matthew’s Variety work  08:40 – Why he ranks Rambo III #2  12:50 – Bond and western podcasts / How the West Was Cast  41:00 – Sewer escape, the boy, and the failed mission  43:30 – Sending the boy northwest / Co’s necklace  45:30 – Wound-cauterizing sequence and the body cast  48:30 – How the episode felt as a first-time video guest  49:50 – Plugs: How the West Was Cast, matthewchernov.com, Tulsa King  51:20 – Julian’s Auctions Stallone memorabilia  56:10 – Wrap-up

Ryan welcomes Dominick Tartamella (Movie Thoughts podcast, Genuine Reels impersonations) to It’s a Long Road for another scene-by-scene pass through Rambo III. They cover Dominick’s Stallone fandom from his dad’s VHS tapes, why Rambo III is his least favorite of the series, and then the aftermath of the village attack: the leader’s “where is the honor?” speech, Rambo declaring “it is now” his war, the boy who wants to fight, and the famous “he would do it for me / he calls me Johnny” walk-off. Along the way: hairline debates, possible lip work, a visible costume flub, and plenty of Rocky asides. Find Dominick’s solo reviews on Movie Thoughts. Ryan also hosts One More Round, the Rocky series podcast. 00:00 – Intro and Dominick’s Movie Thoughts / Genuine Reels  06:00 – Stallone and Rambo fandom origin  12:30 – Overall take on Rambo III  16:00+ – Hair, lips, and peak physical Stallone  49:40 – Hair plugs debate  51:40 – Leader scene after the attack / “where is the honor?”  56:00 – “It is now” / “you’re a good friend”  59:30 – The boy wants to fight  1:00:30 – “He would do it for me” walk-off  1:01:30 – Wrap-up and plugs

Ryan welcomes Sicco (Hugging a Cactus / the Mel Gibson podcast, the Arnold podcast, Last of the Action Heroes Network) for his first appearance on It’s a Long Road, the Rambo series podcast. They talk overall Rambo fandom — why First Blood is Stallone’s best acting work — then settle into Rambo III: the well-shot Russian prison sequence with Trautman, the village hospital, Soviet toy mines, Yuri the defector’s rock-and-stick briefing, and the council that decides whether to help free Trautman. Sicco adds real-world timing on the Soviet-Afghan war and why the movie already felt slightly out of date in 1988. Also plugged: Game Changers (starting with G.I. Jane), Bird on a Wire, Nowhere to Run, Spies Like Us, Red Dawn, and the new Arnold season. 00:00 – Intro and Sicco’s shows (Mel Gibson, Arnold, Game Changers)  04:40 – Overall Rambo fandom and First Blood as acting  07:00 – How Rambo III felt in 1988 vs now  11:20 – Real-world Soviet-Afghan conflict timing  16:50 – Back at the Russian base / Trautman in the cell  18:00 – Cinematography and theatrical look  43:40 – Village hospital, prosthetic limbs, toy mines  45:40 – Yuri the defector  47:20 – Council meeting and the miniature base briefing  51:20 – “I’ll go alone” vs asking for two men  53:00 – Holy warriors speech and why Stallone made the movie  57:30 – Wrap-up and network plugs

Ryan welcomes friends Sean and Brad from **Eh & B! The PNW Sports Show** for more Rambo III coverage on It’s a Long Road!   We pick up right after Troutman’s capture, dive into the intense interrogation with the Russian commander, Troutman’s powerful “We had our Vietnam” speech, the prophetic dialogue about the Afghan people, and the epic horseback trek through the mountains with Mousa.   Expect plenty of laughs, wrestling stories, Sly vs. Arnold debate, and real talk about the franchise’s life lessons.   **Find Sean & Brad:**  Eh & B! The PNW Sports Show – available on all major podcast platforms  Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (search Eh & B! or The PNW Sports Show) 00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome  01:15 Sean & Brad Intro + Wrestling Stories  05:00 Eh & B! Podcast Background  05:45 Rambo Franchise Fandom Overview  08:29 Sean’s Rocky/Rambo Origin Story  11:31 Rambo 3 Production Facts  12:34 Sly vs. Arnold & Military Realism  16:20 Picking Up After Troutman’s Capture  43:03 Russian Commander Interrogation Begins  49:24 Troutman’s “We Had Our Vietnam” Speech  54:23 Mountain Trek with Mousa  56:05 Afghan Prayer & Prayer of Crom Comparison  59:15 Closing & Guest Plugs

Continuing Season 3 of It’s a Long Road with special guest Dan from the Retrospectors YouTube channel (Sega retro gaming & online multiplayer on original hardware)! We break down key early Rambo III scenes: Rambo’s refusal of the Afghanistan mission (“I’m not ready yet”), the contemplative rooftop moments, Troutman’s bizarrely planned nighttime operation that goes sideways, and Rambo’s decision to go in unofficially. Dan shares how he discovered the podcast via James Rolfe, his Sega roots (Phantasy Star stories!), and how a younger fan found Rocky & Rambo in the early 2000s. Like, comment your thoughts on the mission planning, and subscribe! Check out Dan’s channel: Retrospectors (Sega-focused retro gaming content). 00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome  00:44 Dan’s Channel & How He Found the Podcast  03:11 Sega Gaming Talk & Phantasy Star Story  09:27 Rambo/Sega Games & Sly Fandom Origins  15:37 Dan’s Path to Rocky & Rambo  32:33 “I’m Not Ready Yet” Scene & Analogy  35:31 Troutman’s Nighttime Mission Begins  41:07 Mission Failure & Capture  43:36 Rambo Learns the News & Goes Unofficial  45:12 Closing & Full Circle Discussion

Host Ryan kicks off Rambo III coverage with special guest Nikki from the Beat the Cult podcast. We dive into the film’s unique opening: Rambo’s intense stick-fighting match in Thailand, his self-flagellation and guilt, Troutman’s surprise arrival at the monastery, and the pitch for the Afghanistan mission. Nikki shares her Sly Stallone fandom origin story (Rocky IV inspiration during her weight-loss journey), first viewings of the Rambo films, and fresh perspective on the character. Like, comment, and subscribe! Follow Nikki / Beat the Cult on YouTube (and Twitter). 00:00 Intro & Guest Welcome  00:53 Nikki’s Beat the Cult Podcast & Atheist Perspective  07:31 Nikki’s Sly Fandom & Weight Loss Journey  16:29 First Time Watching Rambo 3  20:30 Rambo III Opening Credits & Stick Fight Setup  27:22 Stick Fight Sequence & Self-Flagellation  36:27 Troutman Arrives at the Monastery  40:19 Afghanistan Mission Pitch  43:49 Closing Thoughts & Episode Wrap

Sylvester Stallone stars in the 2002 (filmed 1999) horror/thriller Eye See You (ICU) (aka Detox)! The crew dives into this overlooked slasher where Stallone plays an FBI agent tracking a cop killer who ends up in a remote Wyoming rehab facility with other troubled officers. We discuss the bizarre kills (eye-drilling, impalements), weak plot, future tech predictions that didn’t land, strong supporting cast moments (Robert Patrick, Charles S. Dutton, Polly Walker), and why this one flopped despite the talent involved.

Dive into the 1993 Sylvester Stallone sci-fi action classic Demolition Man! The crew breaks down Stallone as John Spartan, Wesley Snipes as the chaotic Simon Phoenix, Sandra Bullock as Huxley, and the wild utopian future society complete with three seashells, simulated sex, and cryo-prison twists. We cover the over-the-top action, hilarious one-liners, future tech predictions that came true, casting stories, and why this leave-your-brain-at-the-door buddy-cop movie still delivers. From the Taco Bell showdown to the epic finale, we discuss what holds up and what doesn’t.

Join the Stallone fan podcast crew for a deep dive into the 1981 classic Victory (aka Escape to Victory)! We break down Sylvester Stallone’s POW soccer drama with Michael Caine, Pelé, and Max von Sydow — covering the epic match, real soccer legends on screen, escape plans, John Huston’s direction, and tons of fun trivia. From Stallone’s training injuries and on-set demands to the legendary bicycle kick, halftime escape chaos, and that crowd-rush finale, we discuss what makes this sports-war hybrid still hold up. Great cast chemistry, impressive cinematography, and plenty of laughs along the way.

Join Ryan, Kyle, and Katie for another fun-filled episode of One More Round: The Rocky Series Podcast as we break down key scenes from Rocky II! We discuss Rocky's emotional rock bottom, his heartfelt conversation with Mickey at the gym, the powerful stairs scenes, and what it means for the Italian Stallion's future in the ring. Plus: Sly news with the hilarious Paramount+ "Stallone Face" Super Bowl commercial featuring his daughters, updates on his upcoming reality show, an in-depth email from our favorite German listener Patrick about the toxic drama on the Stallone Zone forum regarding Creed III, and speculation on Creed IV. We also play Rocky trivia and chat vacations, vacation policies, and more! 0:00 - Intro & Listener Vacations 3:53 - Sly News: Paramount+ Commercial & Reality Show 7:14 - Email from Patrick: Stallone Zone Forum Drama & Creed Thoughts 17:58 - Creed III/IV Discussion & Gatekeeping 23:50 - Rocky Trivia 25:50 - Rocky II Scene Breakdown: Walk with Butkus & Mickey Reunion 31:28 - "You'll Go Blind" Eye Test & Emotional Locker Room Talk 42:34 - Rock Bottom & Working at the Gym 47:15 - Episode Wrap-Up & Trivia Answers