PODCAST · society
The Worst of All Possible Worlds
by Josh Boerman, A.J. Ditty, and Brian Alford
The first and only podcast bringing you weekly case studies in the pop culture of a dying empire. Every Wednesday, co-hosts Josh, Brian, and A.J. dissect an artifact of popular culture, breaking down how its narrative choices reflect or subvert the reactionary political project. From video games to movies to theater to an apparently infinite supply of evangelical Christian radio drama, we expose the machinations of the worst of all possible worlds in order to figure out how to build a better one.Also, we have bits.
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240 - Candide
LIVESTREAM AND IN PERSON TICKETS TO OUR MAY 24 LIVE SHOW IN BROOKLYN ARE AVAILABLE NOW! To get your tickets, go to Littlefieldnyc.com The lads ring in their fifth anniversary by finally explaining the show’s title as they cover the 1974 revival of Leonard Bernstein’s hit operetta: Candide. Topics include Voltaire’s poster mind, the masterful direction of Hal Prince, and what it takes to remain hopeful in the face of the worst of all possible worlds. Media Referenced in this Episode: Candide. Dir. Hal Prince. 1974. “Candide” by Voltaire Libretto for the 1974 Production Libretto for the 1956 Production TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “The Worst of All Possible Worlds” // Music by Leonard Bernstein // Lyrics by A.J. Ditty // featuring A.J. Ditty as “A.J.“, Josh Boerman as “Josh”, and Brian Alford as “Briangloss”
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239 - Raiders of the Lost Ark
THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall TICKETS TO OUR MAY 24 LIVE SHOW IN BROOKLYN ARE ON GENERAL SALE NOW! To get your tickets, go to Littlefieldnyc.com The lads grab their fedoras and make for Cairo as they cover Steven Spielberg’s 1981 megahit: Raiders of the Lost Ark. Topics include the undeniable charm of Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones’ skeevy origins, and what it means to be an active part of living history. Media Referenced In this Episode: Raiders of the Lost Ark. Dir. Steven Spielberg. 1981. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Dir. John Huston. 1948. King Solomon’s Mines. Dir. Compton Bennett and Andrew Marton. 1950. Secret of the Incas. Dir. Jerry Hopper. 1954. Kiss Me Deadly. Dir. Robert Aldrich. 1955. Tim Tyler’s Luck. Dir. Ford Beebe and Wyndham Gittens. 1937. The S From Hell by Rodney Ascher. 2010. Jungle Jim. Dir. Ford Beebe and Clifford Smith. 1937. Alfred Molina remembers Raiders CBS - Great Movie Stunts: Raiders of the Lost Ark “How Spielberg, Lucas, and Kasdan Created Raiders of the Lost Ark (Story Conference Transcript)” by Indie Film Hustle. Indie Film Hustle. May 31st, 2023. “Indiana Jones was an abusive creep (but he was almost much worse)” by Ben Kuchera. Polygon. August 3rd, 2015. “Raiders Floorplan Animatic” by Vashy Nedomansky and Jonathan Ochmann “Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People” by Jack G. Shaheen. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, vol. 588, 2003, pp. 171–93. “The Making of Raiders of the Lost Ark” by Empire. Empire. June 11th, 2021. The Making of Raiders of the Lost Ark Special Feature Documentary “The Spielberg Oner” by Every Frame a Painting TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Florizo Forrestal and the Booby Trap of Doom” // Written by A.J. Ditty // feat. David Armstrong as “Florizo Forrestal/Indy” and A.J. Ditty as “Marcus” // Music by: Indiana Jones - Bad Recorder Cover
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267
238 - A Chorus Line (feat. Heath Saunders)
TICKETS TO OUR MAY 24 LIVE SHOW IN BROOKLYN ARE ON GENERAL SALE NOW! To get your tickets, go to Littlefieldnyc.com Heath Saunders (Jesus Christ Superstar Live; Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812) joins the lads on the line as they kick-ball-change their way through Marvin Hamlisch, Edward Kleban, James Kirkwood Jr., and Nicholas Dante’s 1975 musical megahit: A Chorus Line. Topics include the rise of Michael Bennett, the serendipity of surprise playbills, and what it means to produce a show about 1970s labor in 2026. Heath Saunders: Instagram // Bluesky // spectra.theater Media Referenced in this Episode: A Chorus Line. 1975. Dir. Michael Bennett. A Chorus Line. 1984. Dir. Richard Attenborough. A Chorus Line. 2006. Dir. Bob Avian. Every Little Step. 2008. Dir. James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo. Free For All: Joe Papp, The Public, and the Greatest Theater Story Ever Told by Kenneth Turan and Joseph Papp. Knopf Publishing. 2009. On the Line: The Creation of A Chorus Line by Robert Viagas, Baayork Lee, and Thommie Walsh. Limelight Editions. 1990. “What I Think About When I Hear That Broadway is Racist” by Heath Saunders. Medium. June 10th, 2020. TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “I Can’t Do That” // Music by Marvin Hamlisch // Lyrics by Dr. Samuel Bultch, D.D.S. // feat. Dr. Samuel Bultch, D.D.S. as “Dr. Samuel Bultch, D.D.S.”
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The first and only podcast bringing you weekly case studies in the pop culture of a dying empire. Every Wednesday, co-hosts Josh, Brian, and A.J. dissect an artifact of popular culture, breaking down how its narrative choices reflect or subvert the reactionary political project. From video games to movies to theater to an apparently infinite supply of evangelical Christian radio drama, we expose the machinations of the worst of all possible worlds in order to figure out how to build a better one.Also, we have bits.
HOSTED BY
Josh Boerman, A.J. Ditty, and Brian Alford
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