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Yo Gabba Gabba has always had a special place in my heart. I watched the series with my sister and fell in love with Brobee, the green monster. The show featured many musicians I loved while still being whimsical and fun. It also introduced me to one of my favorite bands, The Aquabats. So getting the chance to interview the co-creators of the original and the new series, Yo Gabba Gabbaland, was an honor. I spoke with them about their philosophy for creating children's entertainment, what guides their musical guests, and the staying power of monsters. The show's second season premieres on January 30th on Apple TV, and the first season is streaming now! Be sure to check it out after listening to or watching our interview!   ABOUT "YO GABBA GABBALAND!" SEASON TWO: Inspired by the original "Yo Gabba Gabba!," the vibrant new ten-episode season is led by rising star Kamryn Smith as Kammy Kam and features the original performers: Brobee (Amos Watene), Foofa (Emma Penrose), Muno (Adam Deibert), Toodee (Erin Pearce) and Plex (Christian Jacobs). Season two brings this group together with a new roster of musical guests to create dynamic performances and original songs to help kids and families uncover life lessons through music, movement and joyful discovery. Created by Emmy Award-nominated Scott Schultz and Christian Jacobs (co-creators of "Yo Gabba Gabba!"), "Yo Gabba GabbaLand" is produced in partnership and collaboration with WildBrain and Yo Gabba Gabba, LLC, co-owners of the brand. Schultz and Jacobs also serve as executive producers for Yo Gabba Gabba LLC, alongside Stephanie Betts and Josh Scherba for WildBrain. Season one of "Yo Gabba GabbaLand!" was recently nominated for a 2026 Children's & Family Emmy Award.  The 'Super Music Friends' and special guests feature an all-star mix of acclaimed and Grammy winning artists including Santigold, Ziggy Marley, Sharon Van Etten, Sleigh Bells, Yola, Still Woozy, Silversun Pickups, Chicano Batman, The Aquabats! and Hemlocke Springs. Viewers will also hear fresh jingles from Freedom Fry, Turnpike Troubadours, Ginger Root, CHVRCHES, King Tuff, Mates of State, Hatchie, Sylvan Esso and Chai. In addition, the new season features returning fan favorites and new guest stars including Billy Eichner ("Bros"), Tiffany Haddish ("Girls Trip"), David Arquette ("Scream"), Brendan Hunt ("Ted Lasso"), Jaime Camil ("Jane the Virgin") and more.   

We are once again joined by the incredibly talented Adams Family. Toby Poser, John Adams, and Zelda Adams joined me to talk about their new film Mother of Flies, which premieres on Shudder on January 23rd. We have previously chatted for Hellbender, and I have been a super fan since. The Adams create terrifying stories as a family, which allows for such creative expression as you will see in this film. Doing interviews like this one is my favorite because I get to dig into so much, since much of the project has been done by a small team. The family gives insight into their process, editing, and so much more about the film. For a film grappling with life, death, and the nature of things, it perfectly captures the horrors of the in-between. Mother of Flies follows Mickey (Zelda Adams), who faces a deadly diagnosis, but she isn't ready to die yet. Heading into the woods with her father (John Adams), she seeks dark magic at the hands of a mysterious recluse, Solveig (Toby Poser), who has an intimate relationship with death and roots that go deep in the land. For three days, Mickey endures Solveig's extreme rituals of death magic. But every cure has its cost, and every curse is another's gift. As buried secrets claw their way to the surface, the veil between the living and the dead begins to unravel, and Mickey finds herself facing dark truths that only the dead and the dying can know. John Adams, Toby Poser, and daughters Lulu and Zelda Adams (collectively known as The Adams Family) have been making films under the creative marquee of Wonder Wheel Productions since 2010. Features include The Deeper You Dig (2019, Dark Sky Films), Hellbender (2021, Shudder), Where the Devil Romas (2023, Tubi), and Mother of Flies (2025, Shudder). The family's films have been represented by Yellow Veil Pictures for sales, festivals, and theatrical runs since 2021. John and Toby also directed the sci-fi feature Hell Hole (2024, Shudder) and the episode 'Plastic Smile' for Screambox's "Tales from the Void" (2024). The soundtrack for Adams Family films is performed by the family's band, H6LLB6ND6R.  

After 16 issues, Dan checks back in with Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly to talk about all things G.I. Joe! The series has been going strong at Skybound and Image for some time, so Dan wanted to do a retrospective on the series so far. Also, any excuse he can find to talk about Cobra Commander, he will take. With the DREADNOK WAR wrapping up this week with Issue #17, we wanted to take a chance to chat about the series and this big event. Joshua Williamson gives insight on writing Cobra Commander and Destro who are both the biggest personalities in any room they walk into. Tom Reilly talks about his character designs for them and how he tries to always give them the most flashy costumes because they have to stand out. We also dig into the first appearance of Road Pig with how the team approached Dan's new favorite character. The team shares thoughts on who the character is in their series and their Texas Chain Saw inspirations for him, including what is stated and what is implied. They dig into the future of G.I. Joe and what's to come in the Energon Universe. We talk about sharing all the cool toys in the Energon toy box and how they work together across teams to keep it cohesive. Joshua talks about collaborating with Robert Kirkman to make the line as tight and accessible as possible for new readers.  

In this episode, we spoke with the team behind Apple TV's new show Born to be Wild. Lucy van Beek (Executive Producer, Tealfeather Productions Founder and Creative Director), Alex Williamson (Executive Producer, Offspring Films Co-founder and Creative Director), Isla Robertson (Executive Producer), and Tom Payne (Showrunner) talk about the documentary. We chat about what it's like to film over the years to follow the journeys of these incredible people and animals. ABOUT "Born to be Wild" Filmed over several years across three continents, the six-part documentary series follows six endangered young animals as they grow up in our world but are destined to return to theirs. From their earliest days through their journey to life in the wild, the series highlights the challenges, triumphs, and resilience that define their survival, both for the animals and the extraordinary people working to raise and protect them. "Born to be Wild," narrated by SAG Award winner Hugh Bonneville ("Paddington," "Downton Abbey," "The Secret Lives of Animals") premieres worldwide on Friday, December 19, on Apple TV. As each animal finds its place in the world after being orphaned or born through conservation programs—from an elephant calf and two young cheetahs, to a ring-tailed lemur pup, a moon bear cub, Iberian lynx kittens, and rescued African penguins—"Born to be Wild" offers an intimate and emotional look at the pow  

WondLa's grand finale to the trilogy is out now on Apple TV! We were lucky enough to sit down with two of the show's leads, Jeanine Mason and Alan Tudyk, to discuss the final season. We chat with both of them about their approach to voice acting and more in these interviews. Make sure to listen before starting the final season of Wondla! About the show: This groundbreaking third and final installment features a star-studded voice cast, including Jeanine Mason ("Roswell, New Mexico") as Eva, Emmy Award winner Brad Garrett ("Everybody Loves Raymond") as Otto, Gary Anthony Williams ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows") as Rovender, Alan Tudyk ("Resident Alien") as Cadmus Pryde, John Ratzenberger ("Toy Story") as Caruncle, John Harlan Kim ("The Librarians") as Hailey, Ana Villafañe ("Castro's Daughter") as Eva 8, Peter Gallagher ("The O.C") as Antiquus, and many more. New cast members include Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated Shohreh Aghdashloo ("House of Sand and Fog") as Darius and Arius, and Maz Jobrani  ("The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour") as Zin.  In the epic final season of "WondLa," war erupts between humans and aliens. With Orbona's fate hanging in the balance, Eva must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: recapturing the stolen Heart of the Forest. Along the way, she gathers old friends and unlikely allies for one last stand.  But to save Orbona, Eva must do more than find the Heart; she must bridge two divided worlds and prove the ultimate truth: "There is no 'them.' There is only us."  The epic trilogy's final season continues with six thrilling half-hour episodes executive produced by Tony DiTerlizzi and Bobs Gannaway alongside Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, Julie Kane-Ritsch, and Skydance Animation's John Lasseter, David Ellison and Dana Goldberg. The series is also produced by Tony Cosanella.  

One of my favorite aspects of doing all this is stepping out of my comfort zone. GateCrashers' mission has always been to help people find new things and engage with them without the fear of embarrassment. So I would not be living by my own mission if I didn't push myself to do new things! The topic for this interview was Formula 1 racing! I got the chance to interview one of the biggest names in the industry, Guenther Steiner. What I learned about Mr. Steiner in my research was that he was, as the title of his book suggests, Unfiltered. I watched many interviews where censors barely caught expletives coming from his mouth or things he put so plainly that many just assume he is blunt. I admire this quality in someone to be themselves at all times, regardless of what others think. It's a power not many possess, and I hope many can emulate this bravado to fully be themselves. While the other interviewers at the WONDERFUL F1 Arcade were in the know about F1, I was not. I stood watching them interview Guenther Steiner with insight into the industry and happenings. I stood, sipping the only beer in the room, admiring people who were good at their craft. I was a bit worried my book-centric interview would be a bit off, but it went wonderfully. Guenther was an incredible interview. I could listen to this man speak for hours. Luckily, you can! For the book, he is doing a speaking tour called "Guenther Steiner: Unfiltered" which is in Philly tonight, November 13th. You can find more dates on his Instagram here. I suggest checking it out to anyone who loves F1 or big personalities. It will give you such new insight into the industry, his life, and what it means to live an unfiltered life.  

The day has finally come. The final season (for now) of Solar Opposites is now on Hulu. When the show started in 2020, I was instantly hooked and have been a Solar ever since. The show is the best Hulu original and will live on. This very special episode is jam-packed with Solar Opposites energy. Chach and Adam join me to talk about the show, the final season, and The Duke's biggest secret at length. I also share my recent interviews with Sean Giambrone, Mary Mack, Josh Bycel, and Mike "The Big Hog" McMahan to talk about the series as a whole. This is a big one, so get your novelty motto t-shirt on and get ready to hear the word mount A LOT. The Solar Opposites final season perfectly encapsulates why this show was a perfect blend of comedy, family, and sci-fi hijinks. It's a worthy send-off for one of the best adult animated shows since The Simpsons. There are episodes that will bring you to tears with their touching moments surrounding the family and what it means to be a finale. The Wall saga comes to a shocking finale that will leave you with your mouth wide open for bugs to crawl in and stuff. Synopsis: Once their alien diamond-making machine gets destroyed, the Solar Opposites must face their greatest challenge yet: living their expensive lives on a budget! When their consumerist habits and expensive hobbies are gone, only their true selves will remain... but will they like who they find? ALSO: The epic story of the people of The Wall has all built to this thrilling and shocking conclusion…  

On this interview special, Dan chats with Yvette Nicole Brown, Scott Adsit, Mac Barnett, and Jon Klassen about their show Shape Island on Apple TV+! They discuss how they carry the life lessons of childhood TV into their own lives, the important elements of storytelling, and much more. Yvette and Scott discuss their approach to voice acting while the show's creators talk about what it was like to let others become involved with something they created. Each interview brings a unique light to the show and what everyone brings to the project. Dan was excited to have such insightful conversations revolving around the show. The show is now available to stream anywhere you watch Apple TV+, so make sure you are checking it out with your family! ABOUT "SHAPE ISLAND" SEASON TWO: The Children's and Family Emmy Award-winning series from Apple TV+ takes place on a charming island and invites viewers to join serious Square, intrepid Circle and tricky Triangle as they dig up some fun, search for answers and build on their friendship — all while learning how to navigate each other's differences. "Shape Island" shows kids that friendship can take many shapes. Season two features the familiar voices of Yvette Nicole Brown ("Frog and Toad") as the narrator, Harvey Guillén ("Puss In Boots: The Last Wish") as Square, Scott Adsit ("Big Hero 6") as Triangle and Gideon Adlon ("Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earth") as Circle. "Shape Island" was co-created by book authors Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, who serve as executive producers. Barnett was recently appointed the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature by the Library of Congress. Kelli Bixler and Drew Hodges ("Tumble Leaf") from the Emmy Award-winning studio Bix Pix Entertainment also serve as executive producers. Ryan Pequin serves as co-executive producer and head writer.  

It's the final day of Anime August Week and Amanda and Patrick have saved the best for last: today, they're treating you all to Hayao Miyazaki's award-winning, record-breaking 2001 Japanese animated fantasy film, Spirited Away! Often considered Ghibli Studios's breakout project—and a usual suspect on "best of" lists throughout the industry—Spirited Away is the company's (and Miyazaki's) first Academy Award-winning film, having been only the second movie to win Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards (following Shrek, the award's inaugural winner, lol). As with all Miyazaki films, Spirited Away tackles themes of community building, environmentalism, and greed, conveyed across a simultaneously tender and exciting coming-of-age adventure set against a backdrop of cultural Japanese folklore. Mythical deities, acerbic witches, and whimsical magical entities (looking at you, Soot Sprites!) are just a few things that the 10-year-old protagonist, Chihiro, encounters during her employment at a bathhouse for spirits, where she's forced to earn her keep if she doesn't want to run afoul of powerful witch Yubaba, the bathhouse's austere owner. If Chihiro hopes to make it back to the mortal realm, she'll have to rely on the help of her coworkers and Yubaba's mysterious right-hand man, dragon-shifter Haku. Join Amanda and Patrick as they engage in some all-too-familiar antics, including (but not limited to): Amanda forgetting how to read, Patrick going on a tangent about music, Amanda literally crying about how much she loves this movie, and Patrick Googling things in real time. We at GateCrashers are so excited to bring you the final episode of one of our favorite annual segments. Thank you for joining us. See you next year. Long live Anime August! 

Amanda and Patrick are back for day 3 of Anime August Week, and this time they're diving into the world of revered director Hayao Miyazaki, starting with his 1984 film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind! Believe it or not this is the first episode in GateCrashers history talking about Studio Ghibli or Miyazaki! Amanda and Patrick are huge fans of Miyazaki's films, so they are very excited to talk about this movie. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is often considered the beginning of the Studio Ghibli era, even though Miyazaki made it before founding the studio. As such, Amanda and Patrick talk about how it feels so classically Miyazaki, fully formed and fledged right from the start, even though it was only his second ever full-length film. There are plenty of classic themes in this film we've come to appreciate in Miyazaki's canon, including environmentalism, Marxism, and our favorite, some funky little airplanes! To that end, this Amanda and Patrick episode has all the classic Amanda and Patrick themes too: yelling about the English dub, learning things in real time about the manga that they absolutely did not read before recording the episode, and going on tangents so deeply unrelated from the topic of the episode that they have to hard segue back to talking about the movie. Ya know, a classic Amanda and Patrick episode! Amanda and Patrick do genuinely believe that this is one of the Miyazaki's best films. They talk about how important and relevant Miyazaki's message in this film is, even 41 years later, as we continue to live in a world affected by ecological disaster, war, and hatred. But importantly, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind has a message of hope for a humanity that chooses to coexists with nature and the Earth instead of dominate it. Come and join us as we continue our annual dive into the world of Japanese animation! And keep an eye (or ear) out for tomorrow's episode about another Hayao Miyazaki movie!

It's another Anime August episode with Patrick and Amanda! This time, we are discussing the anime Delicious in Dungeon (or as it is known in Japanese and on some corners of the internet Dungeon Meshi). This episode covers the first season of the anime series on Netflix (and in theory the corresponding manga - we didn't read it, sorry!), so be sure to watch the whole season to avoid spoilers. (Although Patrick definitely spoiled something he saw online that happens after the first season's story! He's really sorry he promises!) Amanda and Patrick talk about some of their favorite bits of the season of Delicious in Dungeon, including Senshi crotch shots, Marcille's semi-canon lesbianism, and the spectacular English dub. They also discuss autistic representation, perceived or otherwise, in Laios's character (which might be partially influenced by the performance from Damien Haas, his English language voice actor). The food is talked about, of course, but more importantly Amanda yells about how weird it is that people think it's so strange that Laios and party eat the monsters in the dungeon. Naturally, they also get very passionate about side characters like Kabru and Shuro. There is also a good deal of discussion around the influence that Dungeons & Dragons has on Delicious in Dungeon, including how the mangaka read Dungeons & Dragons player and dungeon master books for research. They also discuss the need (or lack thereof) of racism in the fantasy genre (spoiler: they come out hard against racism). And Amanda and Patrick only briefly get sidetracked into talking about Smosh like twice and whether or not Damien Haas's participation in Smosh videos means that we are getting season 2 anytime soon… So come and join us as we continue our annual dive into anime. Be sure to check out our other episodes this month while you're at it!

ANIME AUGUST IS BACK BABY! We're kicking off with a bang, featuring demons, aliens, and GILFs. This is the big time now because we are talking Dandadan. Amanda and Pat are the hosts of this year's Anime August! This episode, they are joined by Dan because no way he was missing a chance to talk about this wild show. So kick back, get your conspiracy theories or demonology books ready, and hit play. Because if you know it, the theme song is already playing in your head. Dandadan is a manga and anime series about two high schoolers, Momo Ayase, a girl from a family of spirit mediums, and Okarun, an occult enthusiast. After Okarun denies ghosts and Momo dismisses aliens, they make a bet to prove each other wrong by visiting legendary paranormal hot spots, which results in both of them gaining supernatural powers after encountering overwhelming entities. They are then forced to join forces, fighting terrifying aliens, yokai, and other threats while also navigating their own burgeoning relationship and the chaotic paranormal events that engulf their lives. You can find Dandadan on Crunchyroll and Netflix, with both dubs and subs available currently, with season 2 wrapping up. The team talks about how they feel about certain voices in subs and dubs with their attachments to some or the other as well in this episode! They also talk about many other things. We are not sorry to any goblins who were hurt during the making of this episode or in the past or future. Dan also gets the chance to talk about a bit of the score that hit him personally that made the show click that it was going to become a personal favorite. It's about a piece everyone knows but not many know the name of but the show and the composer got to play with for the show in a very fun way.

Ben Folds has been an influential artist on me for as long as I have had my own musical identity. I have been able to follow his work to see his growth as a musician, changing and evolving over time. There was never a moment when I thought I would be sitting in a virtual room with him, having a conversation about his current lane of music and how he doesn't really have anyone else like him. We discussed how he approached another outing with Snoopy and the gang with Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical. Listen below or anywhere you get your podcasts!   About Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical This summer, celebrate the joy and magic of summer camp and the importance of preserving what you love. Charlie Brown loves camp and is determined to make his final year special, but Sally – a first-time camper – is nervous and skeptical of the new and unfamiliar place. While everyone settles into camp, Snoopy and Woodstock discover a treasure map that takes them on a wild adventure nearby.  One morning, the Peanuts gang learns that their beloved camp is shutting down because there are fewer campers joining each summer. The news especially saddens Charlie Brown, who feels hopeless about losing a place that has meant so much to him and his friends. Meanwhile, on their adventure, Snoopy and Woodstock find the sought-after treasure chest, but are quickly disappointed when they discover it's not riches, but instruments and photos from past summer concerts held at the camp. Newly inspired, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang use the treasure to host their own concert to save the camp. Featuring original music by Emmy Award-nominated composer Jeff Morrow and Emmy-nominated singer, songwriter, composer, and New York Times bestselling author Ben Folds, the latest special under the acclaimed "Snoopy Presents" banner by Peanuts and WildBrain for Apple TV+ marks the first Peanuts musical in 35 years. Produced for Apple TV+ by Peanuts and WildBrain, "Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical" is directed by Erik Wiese and is written by Craig Schulz, Bryan Schulz, and Cornelius Uliano. Executive producers are C. Schulz, B. Schulz, Uliano, Paige Braddock, Josh Scherba, Stephanie Betts, and Logan McPherson. 

Before Chip Zdarsky, Valerio Schiti and Frank Martin's Captain America shield slashes into stores this Wednesday, I had a chance to converse with Chip about the title, as well as his (and Rachael Stott, Tamra Bonvillain and Ariana Maher's) White House Robot Romance from DSTLRY – going into how it feels to write books with these storylines during this political climate, as well as a wealth of other stuff primarily about Captain America and how he views the character and the mythos. I've been a big fan of Chip Zdarsky since his Spectacular Spider-Man book way back in 2017, and he was the first comics creator I ever met in person, so getting to interview him was a dream come true. The conversation we had about these books, especially Captain America, was a real eye opener in a lot of ways. I even got to talk about one of my criticisms of Avengers: Twilight's ending with him and how that might influence how he writes Captain America, which certainly left me very inquisitive about how this book is going to turn out. I also asked about Gundam (obviously), which he covered with his friends over at his manga podcast Mangasplaining, so be sure to check that out. Captain America #1 hits stores this Wednesday, July 2nd. Check out Chip Zdarsky over at his substack! Synopsis for Captain America #1 While Captain America slumbered in ice, the world changed — for better and for worse. Steve Rogers awakens to a reality where battles are fought in the shadows through secrets and subterfuge, and villains aren't so easy to identify. When a fledgling dictator named Victor Von Doom conquers Latveria, Steve faces a critical decision: adapt to a new kind of warfare, or forge his own path? And what will the choice he makes in the past mean for his future? Experience the untold tale of Captain America's first encounter with Doctor Doom as Chip Zdarsky and Valerio Schiti team up for a game-changing new era of CAPTAIN AMERICA! Synopsis for White House Robot Romance When Chef-9 learns that Service-1 is scheduled for immediate decommissioning, he makes an unprecedented choice: abandon his station, break protocol, and flee with Service-1 into the streets of Washington, D.C. But what starts as a desperate act of defiance quickly spirals into an international crisis. Service-1's memory banks hold highly classified state secrets—ones that could tilt the balance of power between America and Canada. As paranoia mounts and the military mobilizes, the runaway robots find themselves hunted by government agents. Be sure to check out our previous interview with Chip here, where he discusses his other work, Public Domain. We delve into the comics industry, its history, and what it's like working in it today. Be sure to rate and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts! Every rating helps us get fantastic interv

With The Library at Hellbore's release right around the corner (July 22), I got the chance to sit down and have a conversation with Cassandra Khaw about the upcoming book. This conversation was much more than that, though. It was a conversation with a creator whose work made me fall in love with prose as an adult. Cassandra's style of writing is enthralling to the point of outright consumption (which... is a topic in this episode in a more meaty sense). Our conversation digs into the themes of the title in a non-spoiler fashion. Still, it is an overall conversation about horror and the horrors of the world in a wonderfully eye-opening way. If you could see how often my eyes widened as I listened to Cassandra Khaw speak, you would laugh as you listened along but there is so many things they say that made the gears move in my brains. It's one of those interviews where I will always be thankful I got to talk with someone who inspires me. I hope you take something away from this conversation as well. The Library at Hellbore will be in bookstores on July 22nd, but pre-order wherever you get your books now, so you can let them know you want it. In our interview, Cassandra Khaw mentions that there is a perfumist who makes scents based on their works. Here is a link to their site with a TON of really niche scents, lotions, and candles based on all sorts of things that I personally love. I couldn't help myself and got the Deckard, the Clown, and of course, my favorite Khaw book's perfume, Nothing But Blackened Teeth. There is something so cool to me about engaging other senses with things like prose because it only draws you further into the world you're reading about. Follow Cassandra Khaw on Instagram to keep up with everything they've got going on! The Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted is the premier academy for the dangerously powerful: the Anti-Christs and Ragnaroks, the world-eaters and apocalypse-makers. Hellebore promises redemption, acceptance, and a normal life after graduation. At least, that's what Alessa Li is told when she's kidnapped and forcibly enrolled. But there's more to Hellebore than meets the eye. On graduation day, the faculty go on a ravenous rampage, feasting on Alessa's class. Only Alessa and a group of her classmates escape the carnage. Trapped in the school's library, they must offer a human sacrifice every night, or else the faculty will break down the door and kill everyone. Can they band together and survive, or will the faculty eat its fill?