russrev1ews

Aw jeez guys. We did it. 1 year. In the books. Join me and Jim as we celebrate my 1 year anniversary by reviewing what it’s like being a “amateur hobby podcaster.” For this episode I had over the reigns to Jim and he interviews me. It made me uncomfortable but then I remembered how much I love the sound of my own voice ;-) I think I’m allowed to say it’s a GREAT episode. Hope you enjoy! Many thanks to Megan+August, Mickey, Caleb, Amanda, Spicy Tim, Rudy, Hillary, Casey, Cousin John, Neighbor David, Dave-man, Mike, Jeanette, Jim, the Duke, Bestie Tim, and Vermont Tim for helping me verbalize the desire to be a podcaster. So many Tims!?  And a very special thanks to my first fan, Kim! We’re 99.9% sure she’s not A.I.If you want to be friends with Jim like me, well, good luck. He’s busy. But your best bet is find him at the local neighborhood BBQ!If you like what you hear (or don’t tbh) please subscribe to the pod at russrev1ews.com. Looking forward to year 2!

It’s hard to believe that Caleb and I have recorded six episodes now, but it’s true! And I have to say, this one is my favorite so far. It’s a brand new concept™ I’m calling “The Disney Dump” where basically we dump our hearts and our souls and share about all the various Disney happenings we’re excited about. For the inaugural dump, Caleb reviews one of the newest ships in the DCL fleet, the Disney Destiny (10:39), we talk about my favorite Disney hobby, pin collecting (55:34), and we react to the news of Disney Co. finally hiring a new CEO and CCO (1:07:00). We also learn about the podcast’s first #1 fan (5:03) and Caleb gives us an update on the travel agent side hustle (7:02). It’s a full and fun episode, and I hope you enjoy.If you’re interested in learning more about taking your own magical Disney vacation, please book a free consultation with Caleb at GetawaysByCaleb.com.If you like what you hear (or don’t tbh) please subscribe to the pod at russrev1ews.com.

So I’m an idiot and thought the baseball season started on April 1st (like a normal person). It does not. It started last week (on NETFLIX™ coool!). Hopefully my tardiness doesn’t dissuade you from listening as me and, the best man from my wedding, Timothy R. Miller, preview the upcoming 2026 Major League Baseball season (11:27). We also spend some time looking at our favorite team, the Chicago Cubs and their hopes for ‘26 (44:06). We also do a little “System of a Down mini-rev1ew” (3:50), which is as sweet as SUGAR! This episode has been challenged by ABS and they say, “IT’S A BALL!” Hope you enjoy.Tim is anti-social media, so good luck finding him.Learn more about me (the aforementioned russ) and subscribe to the pod at russrev1ews.com.

As the band Muse once said, “M-m-m-m-m-m-m-march mad-madness.” That’s right folks one of the best sporting events across all the land kicks off this Thursday (March 19, 2026) as the NCAA March Madness tournament commences. I am joined once again by my “college” experts Mike S. and Jeanette S. as we look at the madness from a macro and micro perspective. It’s a fun conversation around college basketball, and near the middle of the show (38:48) we give our predictions for each region.Jeanette also told me I should have an “official” podcast brakcet group. So…if you would like to join the “official” russrev1ews™ tournament™ bracket challenge™ group on ESPN.com, please click here.If you want to follow along Jeanette’s literary jounrey, please subscribe at instagram.com/jeanettesjots.Learn more about me (russdie) and subscribe to the pod at russrev1ews.com.

Would you all scream “hooray” for Hollywood’s biggest night and join me for this special episode of russPrev1ews or maybe better yet russpred1cts?! During the show myself and Evan “The Duke” Jarzynski do our best to predict the Oscars winners for 7 major categories during the upcoming 98th Academy Awards (22:24). Before we dive into our guesses, we spend a little time talking about Evan’s experience with watching movies and awards show culture in general (10:30). It’s a great show and nobody gets slapped!If you want to connect with Evan about watches and watch culture please visit tickingtimehomme.com and follow him on Instagram at instagram.com/tickingtimehomme. Learn more about me (russdie) and subscribe to the pod at russrev1ews.com. 

I gotta be honest. I was sick when we recorded this one, and, thusly, I was kind of in my feelings. And I think uhmandaplz was also in her feelings (or at the very least she didn’t want to provide me with free therapy – which is fine). What’s also fine is this amazing episode where uhmandaplz makes her glorious return to the inter webs! During this emotional episode we review uhmanda’s hiatus from micro-influencing (7:14) and we spend a majority of our time discussing one of our favorite topics – video games (23:45). And in classic uhmanda/russdie fashion we talk about all the random games we played in 2025. Hopefully it’s not too boring, but if it is, just fall asleep to it, so I can still get the listening analytics?If you'd like to connect with Amanda, please visit linktr.ee/uhmandaplz.Learn more about me (russdie) and subscribe to the pod at russrev1ews.com.

The two-dude bookclub is back for it’s fourth excursion into the wondrous depths of Victor Hugo’s timeless epic, Les Misérables. Join me (russ) and Mick as we review a tome which has quite a laborious title which many translators have taken liberties with. I personally would translate it as “the chiiill expository part and the siiick war part.” In our discussion we’ll see how this volume tackles the pragmatics and the consequences of revolution while providing some riveting battle scenes. Interestingly enough, the key conflict is what inspired Hugo to write Les Mis in the first place. We also discuss the timeless question: “what’s love got to do with it?” And the episode is littered with gamin. It’s a wild ride and I hope you enjoy.To find the episodes for volumes, one, two and three and to learn more about the pod, please visit russrev1ews.com.

There are few things more epic than the ocean. The Rocky Mountains maybe? The band Metallica possibly? Or even potentially Soldier Field during the playoffs? But do you know what is more epic? A two-part podcast about a vessel that sails on the ocean. That’s right people, me and Caleb Hayworth (our Disney expert) are doing a 2-PART DISNEY CRUISE EXTRAVAGANZA as we review the Disney Wish. Caleb recently forced me to go on my first cruise, and I had a spectacular time on this amazing boat with my family. There was so much to cover that we couldn’t possibly have a timer, and since I don’t have the cultural cachet of Joe Rogan or Dan Carlin, I decided to split it up into two episodes for your listening ease. It’s a fun one – just like the AquaMouse – so I hope you enjoy! This is part 2 of 2. Click here for part 1.Connect with me and learn more about the pod at ⁠https://russrev1ews.com⁠.If you’re interested in learning more about sailing with Disney Cruise Line, please book a free consultation with Caleb at ⁠GetawaysByCaleb.com⁠.

There are few things more epic than the ocean. The Rocky Mountains maybe? The band Metallica possibly? Or even potentially Soldier Field during the playoffs? But do you know what is more epic? A two-part podcast about a vessel that sails on the ocean. That’s right people, me and Caleb Hayworth (our Disney expert) are doing a 2-PART DISNEY CRUISE EXTRAVAGANZA as we review the Disney Wish. Caleb recently forced me to go on my first cruise, and I had a spectacular time on this amazing boat with my family. There was so much to cover that we couldn’t possibly have a timer, and since I don’t have the cultural cachet of Joe Rogan or Dan Carlin, I decided to split it up into two episodes for your listening ease. It’s a fun one – just like the AquaMouse – so I hope you enjoy! This is part 1 of 2. Click here for part 2 (coming soon).Connect with me and learn more about the pod at https://russrev1ews.com.If you’re interested in learning more about sailing with Disney Cruise Line, please book a free consultation with Caleb at GetawaysByCaleb.com.

I’m not sure about you but I love TV. It’s probably a problem to be honest. But man, it’s just so much fun to gather around with friends, family, and loved ones to watch things together. It’s also a nice way to decompress after a long day. And it’s a ton of fun to debate and discuss with friends. Which is what we’ll be doing today, as me and my most loyal listener, Jim B., get together to review our top 5 shows from 2025. The conversation gets started with a broad look at tv in the age of streaming (15:19) and then we dive into our rankings (37:37). Please feel free to share your favorite shows in the comments or on 𝕏.Connect with me and learn more about the pod at https://russrev1ews.com.

There are few things more fun and nostalgic than rooting for your college team. The colors, the chants, the traditions, the losing? It’s all part of the pomp and circumstance of living and dying with your alma mater. It’s with the pagentry of collegiate athletics in mind that I’m joined by Mike S. And Jeanette S. for my very first 3-person podcast where we dive into all the fun and nuance of college athletics. We start the episode sharing a little bit of our collegiate backgrounds (3:03), wax philosophical about our favorite colors (26:55) and then spend our time working through Mike’s brilliant Mascot Madness™ Bracket (37:35), which I’ve graciously exported as a pdf here. This episode is a ton of fun with lots of laughs, especially at russ’ expense – which is the whole point right? I hope you enjoy and I-L-L!Connect with me and learn more about the pod at russrev1ews.com.

Much akin to Jean Valjean, the two-dude book club is back for a third time! Join myself (russ) and Mickey “petit Marius” Mangan as we ruminate and ponder upon the third volume of Victor Hugo’s classic novel, Les Misérables, which is entitled “Marius.” This tome is action packed yet somehow has, what some have said, the most boring section yet. It’s a real whirlwind of literary intrigue!If you’d like to listen to our past discussions, click here for volume one and here for volume two.Connect with me and learn more about the pod at https://russrev1ews.com.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a 90s kid, and like most 90s kids, I had a lot of rage in a cage. However, no matter how baggy my JNCO jeans got or how angsty my music was, the best way to express my feelings was always through watching a touch of professional wrestling. And I could only watch a little, because I didn’t have cable. Despite my limits I enjoyed watching the WWE and WCW and ECW during their hey day, and I’m so thrilled to have my friend and fellow wrestling fan on to review our experiences with professional wrestling (5:25). This episode is as real as the pain I felt when my friends would hit me with a chair during backyard wrestling, and I hope you enjoy!Connect with me and learn more about the podcast at ⁠⁠russrev1ews.com⁠⁠.

Join me and (recurring guest) Spicy Tim as we cosplay as Bill Simmons and Joe House and give our best effort at making an NBA Season Preview Podcast. Unfortunately, we don't spend 3 hours doing season over/unders, but we do go well over 1 hour waxing philosophical about season storylines (13:37), reviewing Timmy's "Top (Player) Tiers of Twenty Twenty-Five" (41:09), and close the show with russ' rants where I share various gripes and complaints about the NBA, such as, why is it so expensive to watch the Chicago Bulls (58:21)? Does the world need yet another basketball pod? Probably not, but isn't it nice to hear from our sweet Timothy? Enjoy!Connect with me and learn more about the podcast at ⁠russrev1ews.com⁠.

The two-dude book club is back! Join myself (russ) and Mickey A. Mangan as we recover our memories (and yours) from a long hiatus and dive deep into the waters of the second volume of Victor Hugo’s classic novel, Les Misérables. This tome, which is entitled Cosette, has some excellent characters, scenes, and even boat talk – so you are for sure in for (as the French say) un friandise!If you’d like to listen to our discussion on volume one, check it out here.Connect with me and learn more about the pod at russrev1ews.com.

In an ideal world this podcast would’ve been recorded and published several days ago, but we live in reality people. So we appreciate your grace as we present a “semi-instant reaction” to Disney’s Destination D23: A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney, which was recently held over Labor Day Weekend at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando (fun fact, that was my first Disney hotel I ever stayed at). I’m so excited to have my friend and Disney expert, Caleb Hayworth back for a third episode as we break down all of the latest news and announcements that came out of this year’s expo. The first half of the episode we cover the parks and cruise news (5:13) and then we close out the episode reviewing the movie news (46:25).Btw, if the episode gets you hyped for a Disney cruise, please be sure to book a free consultation with Caleb at GetawaysByCaleb.com.If you like what you hear please follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠russreviews⁠⁠⁠⁠ on your podcasting platform of choice and join in on the conversation by following ⁠⁠⁠⁠@russrev1ews⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X.

Editor’s Note: We finished recording this episode 30 minutes before the Micah Parsons trade. Packers will still finish in fourth place. Bear down.Growing up I have vivid memories of sitting in the backseat of the card as my dad listened to 670 the Score and WGN Radio in Chicago. I recall feeling bored, but there was some part of me that must’ve been loving it, because I’ve always had a dream of being a Chicago sports radio broadcaster. And today, that dream comes true (sort of) as I’m joined by my friend, neighbor, and fellow Bears fan friend, David Drake. During the episode we break down the NFL storylines we’re excited about and tired of (8:06), we look at the Bears upcoming season with first year head coach, Ben Johnson (23:50), we share our season predictions for our beloved Bears (32:47), and we close the episode with our “second favorite” fantasy picks at each major position (45:04) because let’s be honest, you never get your first choice. Does the world need another football pod? Probably not, but we had a blast recording it! Hope you enjoy.If you like what you hear please follow ⁠⁠⁠russreviews⁠⁠⁠ on your podcasting platform of choice and join in on the conversation by following ⁠⁠⁠@russrev1ews⁠⁠⁠ on X.

I don’t know about you, but when I was around 10 or 11 I got it into my head that I should start a band and become a famous rockstar. As you can infer from the fact that I’m an amateur podcaster, that career arc did not pan out. Nonetheless, I had a ton of fun learning music, playing shows, and spending time with my friends in church basements and the other random venues that would pity us (ahem…host us). This love of playing music is definitely something baked within my family, and I have so many fond memories of watching my older brothers and cousin playing music together, and I’m so thrilled to have my first ever relative on the pod, John Dolce, Jr. for an episode where we review what it’s like to start a band in high school (11:50). Before we dive into that, John reviews what I was like as a baby (2:49), we discuss our backgrounds getting interested in playing music as kids (6:05), and then we close out the episode learning about John’s latest project – Tÿre Fÿre (46:50). It’s a fun and, I think a genuinely inspirational episode, and I hope it motivates you to take a risk and start something new even if you feel too old.If you’d like to learn more about Tÿre Fÿre and go to one of their shows, please visit tyre-fyre.com.And if you’re looking to self-publish music, check out the service John uses called distrokid.com.Interested in some vintage John Dolce, Jr. rock ’n’ roll where you can see “THE RAIL” in action, check out: SMD BandIf you like what you hear please follow ⁠⁠russreviews⁠⁠ on your podcasting platform of choice and join in on the conversation by following ⁠⁠@russrev1ews⁠⁠ on X.

Join me and the semi-viral influencing sensation @uhmandaplz as we attempt (and fail) to review 10 "content pillars." What’s a content pillar, you ask? Listen to find out! Here are the topics we ended up reviewing: wedding dances (5:34), wedding cocktails (11:35), the @uhmandaplz content empire (18:21), petfluencing (35:09), the pressure to monetize your hobbies (37:16), trading card games (Magic the Gathering & Pokémon) (41:10), Balatro (48:02), and the current video games we’re obsessed with (51:22). Let me know what you think of this episode experiment – I hope you enjoy!If you'd like to connect with Amanda, please visit ⁠⁠linktr.ee/uhmandaplz⁠.If you like what you hear please follow ⁠russreviews⁠ on your podcasting platform of choice and join in on the conversation by following ⁠@russrev1ews⁠ on X.

Spoiler Alert: This episode contains spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases has been working overtime as content creators around the globe seek alternate words for “fantastic” in their reviews, posts, and podcasts. But I’m a man of the people, and I’ll just say it like it is: this movie is “fantastic.” After being a successful comic book for over 60 years, Marvel’s first family finally has a film worthy of its legacy. I’m joined by my dear friend and former podcasting partner, Casey Summers, to review it for a touch longer than an hour. During the show, we revive a lost segment from the Film Lovers Podcast (6:17), review The Odyssey teaser (17:45), and then deep-dive into Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps (24:21). This episode is, for lack of a better word, terrific!

No one mourns the wicked in the same way that no one mourns a struggling podcaster. Nonetheless, we soldier on with an amazing episode featuring my wickedly talented friend Adele Dazeem, ope, I mean Hillary Campbell! Hillary is one of the funniest and most talented people I know and she’s recently started performing again in the community theater scene in Denton, TX. During the episode we learn a little bit about her background and experiences with musical theatre (3:53) and then do our review of Schwartz and Holzman’s hit Broadway musical, Wicked (35:28). Maybe this episode will be the one that makes me popular?If you’d like to connect with Hillary and/or have her be your wedding photographer, please visit hillarycampbellphotography.com.

I probably should’ve published this episode back in the spring of 1862, but computers didn’t exist and neither did myself or Mickey – who is my guest for the very first edition of the @russrev1ews book club. Mickey and I have been reading books together for over a decade, and I’ve always wished we had a recorded document of our discussions so I could better remember the things we’ve read. This was actually a big reason why I wanted to start the podcast in the first place – so you could say, this is the pod in it’s truest essence – and I’m guessing no one will listen. But on the off chance you’re a fan of the novel or French literature or maybe just the musical, we are very excited to be reviewing the first volume of Victor Hugo’s classic novel, Les Misérables, which is entitled Fantine.If you like what you hear please follow russreviews on your platform of choice and join in on the conversation by following @russrev1ews on 𝕏.

Our favorite travel concierge, Caleb, is back to review Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios. We were thrilled to attend this exclusive 3-hour event together at one of our fav theme parks within the Walt Disney World Resort. During the episode we review everything it has to offer and break down all that’s included – from the short lines to the unlimited snacks and everything in between (4:24). To wrap it up, we try our best to genuinely evaluate whether it’s worth the price or not (52:03). This episode is a tour for the stars! Dreaming about a Disney adventure? Be sure to book a free consultation with Caleb at GetawaysByCaleb.com.

Editor's Note: We mislabeled "KidTigrrr" as "KidPop" and apologize for the error. Check out her music here. Join me and show regular, Mickey, as we review Billy Corgan’s latest side project, Billy Corgan and the Machines of God. Mickey and I attended their only Chicagoland performance at the Taste of Joliet on June 20, 2025. During the episode we review their amazing 2 hour plus set, which honored the anniversaries of Mellon Collie and Machina (5:00). We also review the venue, setlist, crowd, and overall vibe (22:59). Mickey also corrects an embarrassing vocabulary error from episode 7, changing the course of my life forever (1:48).Check out the 500th episode of the Vinyl Guide where you'll hear a fascinating conversation with Billy.If you like what you hear, please subscribe and follow on your podcasting platform of choice by visiting russrev1ews.com and join russ in the conversation on the smashing Pumpkins and more by following @russreviews on 𝕏.

Happy Father's Day everyone! In honor of the holiday, I’m humbled to share a conversation with my friend and mentor, Rudy Rivera. The original premise of the show was to compare what it’s like having a 4 year old versus a 22 year old, but we just ended up having a meaningful chat on what it’s like being a dad. Whether you’re a biological dad, adoptive dad, foster dad, mentor, uncle or big brother – I hope this episode encourages you to stay motivated in the journey of raising up this coming generation. Thanks Rudy for gifting me your time!If you'd like to connect with Rudy, please visit drinkofferings.com.Last thing! I bought a URL, so if you like what you hear you can now subscribe and follow on your podcasting platform of choice by visiting russrev1ews.com! Join russ in the conversation on 𝕏 by following @russrev1ews.

It’s hard to believe but after 8 amazing years, the Nintendo Switch is finally being replaced by the completely different Nintendo Switch 2. In light of this, myself and, first time recurring guest, uhmandaplz are going to spend an hour eulogizing, memorializing, and (most importantly) reviewing the Nintendo Switch (10:25). We also spend some time getting feedback from Amanda’s mom (6:17) and create a 1 line review for Morgan Wallen’s new album (8:27). It’s so sad the Switch’s run is over, but we are so grateful for all the great games and great memories. Thanks for listening!If you'd like to connect with Amanda, please visit ⁠linktr.ee/uhmandaplz.Please subscribe and follow on your podcasting platform of choice by visiting russrev1ews.com and join russ in the conversation on 𝕏 by following @russrev1ews.

Join me and my buddy Texas Timmy as we review one of the most popular websites on the planet – YouTube. During the conversation (9:13) we reflect on YouTube’s amazing founding at the greatest university on earth and then review the site’s 20+ year history. Highlights include shoes, falling off ladders, Weezer, video gaming guides, sports, SNL, and more! Feel free to comment with your favorite YouTube video.Videos of NoteRuss’ first YouTube videoTim’s first YouTube videoPork and Beans by WeezerThe Death of Late Night TV by Eddy BurbackThe Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel by Jenny NicholsonEverybody wants to waste your time by Drew GoodenIf you'd like Tim to audit your moderately successful companies please reach out and russ will connect you to him.If you like what you hear, please consider subscribing on Spotify or Apple Podcast, and follow russ on 𝕏 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@russrev1ews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks for listening! Also, russrev1ews is on YouTube now!

Happy Mother’s Day everyone! In honor of this very special holiday, I wanted to share an episode that I recorded with my wife, Megan, all the way back in September of 2020. It was about a month before the birth of our child, and I didn’t fully know what this podcast would be or when it would come to fruition. However, I knew we needed to have a record of what it was like to be pregnant – especially because it was happening in the midst of COVID-19. So I’ve been sitting on this audio for 4+ years now and I’m so grateful to finally share it with you all in this format. It’s one of the more vulnerable art pieces I’ve put out into the world, but it has ended up becoming a sweet relic of a very strange time in our lives. I hope you find some enjoyment out of it, and if you’re a cryer you may want some tissues. Be sure to stay tuned at the end of the pod (52:45) for a song Megan recorded for our son in the spring of 2020.If you like what you hear, please consider subscribing on Spotify or Apple Podcast, and follow russ on 𝕏 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@russrev1ews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks for listening!

I don't know about you, but I spend a ton of time ingesting content, but I don't personally know many of the creators who make this content. So you can imagine how excited I was when my cherished friend, Amanda, decided to embark on the journey of becoming a person of influence. Join us as we spend an hour reviewing what it's like trying to become an influencer. We explore how amazing Spotify is, starting a TikTok, branching out to YouTube, monetization (and why it’s so hard!), narcissism (and is it possible to be a un-narcissistic influencer), and we wrap things up with some advice from Amanda – your main hype girl! This episode is a good influence. I promise!If you'd like to follow or collab with Amanda, please visit linktr.ee/uhmandaplz⁠.If you like what you hear, please consider subscribing on Spotify or Apple Podcast, and follow russ on 𝕏 ⁠⁠⁠⁠@russrev1ews⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thanks for listening!

Don’t tell anybody, but I’m a Disney adult. It’s not my fault – it’s my wife. She’s obsessed with the Disney Parks, so now I’m obsessed with them too. Fortunately, one of my closest friends, Caleb, is also a major Disney adult. So much so he’s started several Disney-centric small businesses over the years. In this episode we review what it's like having a Disney side hustle (1:29), and then we review Animal Kingdom (38:43), Hollywood Studios (49:12), and EPCOT (54:59).If you'd like to connect with Caleb (or buy an amazing Skyliner shirt), please visit GetawaysByCaleb.com.If you like what you hear, please consider subscribing on Spotify or Apple Podcast, and follow russ on 𝕏 ⁠⁠⁠@russrev1ews⁠⁠⁠. Thanks for listening!

My dearest friend Mickey and I have consistently seen bad movies together – often unintentionally. Let’s review the worst of the worst. Featuring Masterminds, Madame Web, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Room, Cars, and more!If you like what you hear, please consider subscribing on Spotify or Apple Podcast, and follow russ on 𝕏 ⁠⁠@russrev1ews⁠⁠. Thanks for listening!