PODCAST · comedy
Pop Culture Roulette
by Nicholas Pepin, Jeremy Jordan, Justin Doffek
Join three lifelong friends as they spin the wheel of entertainment on Pop Culture Roulette! Each week, our trio dives into the vibrant world of pop culture, tackling everything from blockbuster movies and binge-worthy TV shows to trending music and viral moments. With their unique perspectives and playful banter, they dissect the latest news, revisit nostalgic favorites, and explore hidden gems you might have missed. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just looking for some fun conversation, Pop Culture Roulette offers a fresh take on the trends shaping our world.
Episodes
-
Quiz of the Living Dead
It's alive! It's alive! And this time, the whole crew is in the same room! 🧟 For this special Halloween-season episode of Pop Culture Roulette, Justin takes the reins as host, mastermind, and keeper of the questions in an original Jeopardy-style game show built specifically for PCR. Nicholas and...
-
Nightmare Fuel: Franchise Edition
Thirty-two sci-fi and horror franchises enter. Dinosaurs, aliens, giant monsters, undead nightmares, questionable experiments, and things that probably should have stayed buried all have a shot at the crown. But which franchise can survive when the competition gets fierce? For this round of Pop...
-
Dracula: The Ultimate Bracket
Fangs, capes, castles, creepy accents, and an absolutely unreasonable number of ways to say “I vant to suck your blood.” This time on Pop Culture Roulette, the crew puts the most famous vampire in history head-to-head in a bracket featuring Draculas from movies, television, and video games. From...
-
Please Don't Look This Up
Please Don't Look This Up The Streisand Effect Want to make something more popular? Tell everyone they’re not allowed to see it. In this episode of Pop Culture Roulette, the crew dives into the Streisand Effect — that wonderfully backwards phenomenon where trying to hide, ban, delete, or suppress...
-
The Movie That Wouldn’t Come Out
The Movie That Wouldn’t Come Out It started with Coyote vs. Acme. A finished movie gets shelved. Everyone assumes it may never see the light of day. And then, somehow, it escapes the vault and finally makes it to audiences. That got the crew wondering: how many other movies have gone through…
more -
More Than a Memory
Every now and then, pop culture loses someone who feels like they’ve always been part of the landscape. This week, Pop Culture Roulette takes a look at three of those people: Dolly Parton, Tim Curry, and Peter Cullen. We talk about the careers, characters, performances, and moments that made them...
-
License to Bracket: The Spy Who Lied to Us
License to Bracket: The Spy Who Lied to Us Justin pulled a fast one on the other two! After insisting he was never going to watch the James Bond movies, he secretly went on a mission to watch all of them—and then showed up with a bracket ranking the entire franchise. Before getting into the...
-
What Was Our Name?
Somehow, we’ve accidentally created a trilogy. First, we asked “What’s My Name?” Then we moved on to movies and their former titles. And now, because apparently we have learned absolutely nothing, we’re doing it again with bands in “What Was Our Name?” Just like the previous two episodes, we’ve...
-
Lights, Camera, Hype!
Jeremy may be away this week, but the hype train doesn't stop. Justin and Nicholas take over the microphones to break down some of the biggest reveals to come out of San Diego Comic-Con and the latest wave of movie and TV trailers that have the pop culture world buzzing. From our thoughts on the...
-
What's My Name?
Some names become legendary. The ones they were born with? Not always. This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we're back with another round of our trivia game—this time putting celebrity identities to the test. We reveal the real birth names behind some of the biggest stars in movies, music, and...
-
What's My Title?
Behind every iconic movie title is a trail of ideas that never made it to the marquee. This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we're dusting off Hollywood's discarded names in What's My Title? Nicholas puts Justin and Jeremy to the test with a game built around the original titles that famous films...
-
The Hurt Business: Wisconsin's Biggest Trades
The Giannis trade hurts. There's no way around it. Rather than spending an hour dwelling on what happened, we decided to do what Wisconsin sports fans have always done: look back at history and remind ourselves that we've survived heartbreaking trades before. From the Packers to the Brewers to…
more -
Quest Log: Games on the Horizon
This week, Justin and Jeremy take the lead as Pop Culture Roulette opens up the quest log and looks ahead to the video games that have captured our attention. From major franchise releases and long-awaited sequels to promising new titles and intriguing indie projects, we're discussing the games...
-
Rules of the Franchise
Before we can argue about the best franchises in pop culture, we first have to answer a much more difficult question: what actually qualifies as a franchise in the first place? But before we get there, the conversation takes a detour into the changing landscape of traditions. From local customs…
more -
Quest for Second Place: The Jessica Bracket
Quest for Second Place: The Jessica Bracket Some competitions start with a wide-open field. This one started with a champion already crowned. With Jessica firmly holding the undisputed number-one spot in our personal rankings, this week on Pop Culture Roulette we turned our attention to a much...
-
The NFL Cinematic Universe
The NFL schedule release videos have officially become their own form of entertainment… so naturally we had to break them down like they were blockbuster movie trailers. With Jeremy out this week, Justin and Nicholas took a deep dive into the weirdest, funniest, most over-the-top schedule reveals...
-
The Great Pop Culture Bake-Off
This episode of Pop Culture Roulette goes a little old school in the best way possible, with Jeremy out this time, the discussion shifts into a looser, more nostalgic hangout vibe—less structure, more hot takes, and a lot of love for the world of food TV. The conversation digs into favorite…
more -
Sequel Wars: Better Than the Original?
Are sequels actually better… or are we all just lying to ourselves? This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we spin straight into one of the most heated debates in entertainment: when does a sequel outshine the original? Armed with cold, hard numbers from Rotten Tomatoes, we put some of the biggest...
-
Bunnies, Brackets & Candy-Fueled Chaos
Spring has officially arrived, and Pop Culture Roulette is celebrating the only way we know how—with a chaotic mix of debates, nostalgia, and an absolutely stacked candy bracket. This week, Jeremy takes control of the wheel and throws Justin and Nicholas into a series of Easter-themed debates…
more -
Debatable Hits & Roundhouse Kicks
This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we take on a local bracket from 102.9 The Hog… and almost immediately abandon the idea of blindly accepting it. Instead, we spend most of our time asking a much more important question: why are some of these songs even on this list in the first place? As we work...
-
From Genius to Insane: Comics Got Weird
The crew dives headfirst into the wild, weird, and sometimes downright unbelievable world of comic book crossovers—and this time, there’s a twist. With Jeremy missing from the episode, Justin is thrown into the hot seat for a chaotic game where he’s given multiple crossover scenarios and has to...
-
Attack of the Patricks
This week on Pop Culture Roulette, the wheel sends the crew into one of the strangest brackets we’ve ever built: a full tournament dedicated entirely to Patricks. From famous first names and legendary last names to real people, fictional characters, and a few unexpected curveballs, the bracket...
-
Pop Culture Roulette Goes Around the Bases
This week Pop Culture Roulette heads to the ballpark for a special crossover episode. The show welcomes Tim Sternberg and Charlie Semar from the Around the Bases podcast to help settle a very important pop culture debate: what is the greatest baseball comedy movie of all time? With a full bracket...
-
Ultimate Sitcom Theme Song War
In this episode of Pop Culture Roulette, we crank the volume all the way up and launch the Ultimate Sitcom Theme Song War — a full-blown bracket battle to decide which TV intro reigns supreme. This isn’t just about nostalgia (although there’s plenty of that). It’s about catchiness. Cultural…
more -
Spinning the Wheel of 2026: Hype, Hope, and Hot Takes
In this episode of Pop Culture Roulette, we take a deep dive into the movies, TV shows, albums, and video games that have officially landed on our 2026 hype list. From guaranteed blockbusters and long-awaited sequels to risky reboots and potential surprise hits, we break down what we’re counting...
-
We Made a List for 2025 — And Then 2025 Happened
At the start of 2025, we made a list. A very confident list. A list full of pop culture hopes, expectations, and bold predictions about what the year had in store. Now that 2025 is officially in the rearview mirror, we’re back to see how that list actually held up… and spoiler alert: some takes...
-
Christmas Music: Hits, Misses, and Hard Passes
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… and also the season when Christmas music becomes completely unavoidable. 🎄🎶 This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we take a deep dive into the wide (and often exhausting) world of holiday songs. We debate the Christmas tracks we flat-out can’t stand, call...
-
Finding the One True Santa: Who’s the Definitive Santa?
Ho ho hold on — because this week on Pop Culture Roulette, we’re tackling one of the biggest holiday questions of all time: who played Santa Claus the best in live-action film or television? And to be clear, we’re not talking about characters who put on the suit — we’re talking about actors who...
-
Ho-Ho-No: The Fight Before Christmas
The holidays are officially in full swing, and we’re celebrating the season the only way we know how—by diving straight into the snowdrift of mayhem caused by pop culture’s most infamous Christmas villains. In this cheerful-but-chaotic episode, we unwrap every delightfully terrible holiday...
-
Feast Mode: The Ultimate Thanksgiving Bracket
Happy Thanksgiving from the Pop Culture Roulette crew — and yes, welcome to our very special Thanksgiving episode, the kind networks used to hype with dramatic promos even though the biggest twist was usually someone learning the meaning of gratitude. We may not have a heartwarming lesson, but we...
-
Previously On… The Art of the Prequel
After a few weeks away due to totally real and definitely not embarrassing technical difficulties (we blame the prequel to our soundboard), Pop Culture Roulette is back! And fittingly, we’re going back in time ourselves with a deep dive into the strange, storied, and sometimes spectacular world…
more -
Lights, Camera… Fear? The Urban Legends of Tinseltown
Hollywood might be the land of dreams, but behind the glitz and glamor lurk some seriously creepy stories. This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we’re peeling back the red curtain and stepping into the shadows to explore the most enduring—and chilling—urban legends that have haunted Tinseltown for...
-
Episode 169- King-Sized Disasters: The Stephen King Adaptations Gone Wrong
Even the King of Horror has a few skeletons in his cinematic closet. This week on Pop Culture Roulette, the crew dives headfirst into the Stephen King adaptations that didn’t quite earn their crown. Some started with great ideas but stumbled on their way to the screen, while others left us...
-
Episode 168- King Me! The Best Stephen King Movies Ranked
The time has come to decide who truly wears the crown. In this episode of Pop Culture Roulette, the boys dive into the top half of our massive Stephen King movie bracket — where chills, thrills, and impossible choices await. From supernatural horrors to small-town nightmares, from psychological...
-
Episode 167: Any Given Record
This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we go deep into the world of sports milestones that seem downright impossible to beat. We’re talking the legends who didn’t just raise the bar—they set it so high no one’s come close in decades. From MLB’s Joe DiMaggio stringing together that jaw-dropping…
more -
Episode 166: The Great TV Vanishing Act
On this episode of Pop Culture Roulette, we take center stage for The Great TV Vanishing Act! Television history is full of strange mysteries — characters who were endlessly talked about but never actually appeared, and others who showed up once only to disappear without a trace. Was it a clever...
-
Episode 165: The Commercial Crossover
What happens when a clever ad campaign outgrows its 30-second spot and tries to live a bigger life? This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we dive into the wild world of commercials that became movies, TV shows, and even video games. From the humble beginnings of Ernest P. Worrell to his unlikely...
-
Episode 164: The Pacifier Principle
This week on Pop Culture Roulette, Nicholas puts a new game to the test — one built entirely around the strange and wonderful world of “tough guy babysitter” movies. Armed with hilariously vague plot descriptions, the co-hosts must guess which film is being described and who starred in it. From…
more -
Episode 163: Wrestlewood
From body slams to box office gold, the path from the wrestling ring to Hollywood has been walked by legends, icons, and a few surprises along the way. In this action-packed episode of Pop Culture Roulette, we’re diving headfirst into the glitz, the glam, and the grappling to determine once and…
more -
Episode 162: The Treble Lie
🎤 Ever confidently belted out a lyric, only to be told it’s completely wrong? You’re not alone—and this week on Pop Culture Roulette, we dive headfirst into the wonderfully confusing world of misheard lyrics with our new episode: The Treble Lie. Inspired by the infamous mondegreens that have...
-
Episode 161- Bloody Beaches & Killer Cabins: The Summer Horror Showdown
The temperatures are rising, the beaches are packed… and the body count is climbing. This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we dive headfirst into the blood-soaked world of horror movies set during the summer season! From cabins in the woods to lakes with dark secrets, we break down the films that...
-
Episode 160: The Great Cover-Up
Think you know your favorite songs? Think again! On this week’s Pop Culture Roulette, we dive deep into the surprising world of cover songs — those tracks you’ve been belting out for years that didn’t actually start with the artists you thought! From rock anthems to pop hits, we reveal some of…
more -
Episode 159: Father Knows Bracket
This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we fire up another bracket battle—this time to determine the Best TV Sitcom Dad of all time! From the bumbling yet lovable to the unexpectedly wise and quietly iconic, we pit the most memorable television fathers against one another in a clash of comedy…
more -
Episode 158: Mic Drop, Mic Swap
This week on Pop Culture Roulette, we crank up the volume and drop into the chaotic, thrilling world of bands that changed lead singers. Whether it was the result of artistic clashes, personal meltdowns, sudden tragedies, or behind-the-scenes power plays, some of the biggest names in music have...
-
Episode 157- Game Over: The Reality of Lifetime Bans
In this episode of Pop Culture Roulette, things take an unexpected turn as Jeremy is off enjoying the world of anime at a convention, leaving Justin and Nicholas to tackle a fascinating and often controversial topic: lifetime bans in professional sports. The duo dives deep into the stories behind...
-
Episode 156: The Mom Wars
Get ready for a sitcom smackdown like no other! In this episode of Pop Culture Roulette, we dive headfirst into The Mom Wars — a bracket-style battle to determine who truly reigns supreme as the greatest TV sitcom mom of all time. From the loving wisdom of Carol Brady to the sarcastic brilliance…
more -
Episode 155: The Odd One Out
Nicholas sat this one out, leaving Jeremy and Justin at the helm—and they didn’t miss a beat. The duo kicks things off by diving into the surprising delay of the much-anticipated GTA release. Is it just a case of needing more polish, or is there something bigger going on behind the scenes? They...
-
Episode 154- Hop Stars: Rabbits in Pop Culture
Before we dive into the world of pop culture rabbits, let's take a moment to honor a truly special bunny—Hershey. A beloved companion, Hershey brought warmth, joy, and endless charm into your life. His floppy ears and gentle presence made every day brighter, and though he's no longer with us, his...
-
Episode 153: Fools Through Time
In this playful episode of Pop Culture Roulette, we celebrate the joy of April Fools' Day, the one day of the year when pranks take center stage. While the holiday's origins remain a mystery, we tease out some fun theories without spoiling all the surprises. From legendary stunts like the BBC's...
-
Episode 152: Mean, Green Pop Culture Machine
In this episode, we dive headfirst into a nostalgic whirlwind of all things green in pop culture. From the beloved ogre Shrek, whose swampy charm won our hearts, to the crime-fighting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who turned sewer life into something undeniably cool, we revisit these iconic...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Join three lifelong friends as they spin the wheel of entertainment on Pop Culture Roulette! Each week, our trio dives into the vibrant world of pop culture, tackling everything from blockbuster movies and binge-worthy TV shows to trending music and viral moments. With their unique perspectives and playful banter, they dissect the latest news, revisit nostalgic favorites, and explore hidden gems you might have missed. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just looking for some fun conversation, Pop Culture Roulette offers a fresh take on the trends shaping our world.
HOSTED BY
Nicholas Pepin, Jeremy Jordan, Justin Doffek
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Pop Culture Roulette have?
Pop Culture Roulette currently has 204 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Pop Culture Roulette about?
Join three lifelong friends as they spin the wheel of entertainment on Pop Culture Roulette! Each week, our trio dives into the vibrant world of pop culture, tackling everything from blockbuster movies and binge-worthy TV shows to trending music and viral moments. With their unique perspectives and...
How often does Pop Culture Roulette release new episodes?
Pop Culture Roulette publishes regularly with 204 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Pop Culture Roulette?
You can listen to Pop Culture Roulette on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Pop Culture Roulette?
Pop Culture Roulette is created and hosted by Nicholas Pepin, Jeremy Jordan, Justin Doffek.
URL copied to clipboard!