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PODCAST · arts

Two Broke Nerds

by Alec Kerr and Brian McElhiney

Alec Kerr is a film geek. Brian McElhiney is a music geek. We like talking about the stuff we love. Now we're sharing it with you. Because what else do we have to do during a global pandemic? And why are we broke you may ask? Because we are print journalists in the 21st century. Yay!

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Episodes

  1. Imagine All Things Coming Up: The Beatles Solo

    The broke nerds are back! They've talked about The Beatles before but, this time, Alec and Brian discuss their post-Beatles output.

  2. Not live from two parts of the world, it's whatever day you're listening to this

    Brian and Alec discuss the 50th anniversary of "Saturday Night Live."

  3. Toys and tangents: Movies based on toys and other random thoughts

    Alec and Brian decided to use the "Barbie" movie to discuss other movies based on toys. They talk about that subject half of the time. Enjoy.

  4. Paul Reubens: That's his name don't wear it out

    Ever timely, Alec and Brian discuss the work of Paul Reubens aka Pee-Wee Herman who passed away July 20, 2023. The episode goes off the rails in a way that we think Reubens would appreciate.

  5. Bonus: Long Movies and good performances in bad movies

    All our episodes have random tangents, but this one was so off topic, it had to be trimmed from the episode "Hello, are you enjoying your dystopia today?" But here it is for your listening pleasure.

  6. Hello, are you enjoying your dystopia today?

    So because we're living in the worst timeline and basically the dystopia we've been warned about our entire lives in movies, literature and TV, we decided to talk about dystopian art and just the general mess that is our society. Fun!

  7. Go away! Franchises that need to stop

    With the recent announcement of projects like TV series based on "Harry Potter" and "Twilight," more "Lord of the Rings" movies and a live action version of "Moana," Alec and Brian discuss franchises that need to leave well enough alone and just stop.

  8. Missed opportunities: Projects we wish existed

    Two Broke Nerds celebrates its third anniversary by taking requests from its loyal listeners. Joel Barber suggested discussing projects that were announced that didn't happen and franchises that you wish had caught on.

  9. Here to amuse you: The fine line between stupid and clever

    Hey, everyone! We made it to 50 episodes! And for our 50th episode we wanted to talk about a couple of our favorite comedians who are no longer with us: Robin Williams and George Carlin. That leads into a larger discussion free speech, cancel culture and comedy in general.

  10. Well, there it is: The Jurassic Park/World Franchise

    Alec and Brian discuss the mixed bag that is the Jurassic Park/World franchise.

  11. We meet again, at last; Or How Old Ben got his groove back

    Timely as ever, Alec and Brian finally discuss Disney+'s "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series and make their suggestions on what should happen in a second or third season. There may be a lot of giggling involved.

  12. Bonus: Marvel and Toxic Fans

    We always go off on tangents on Two Broke Nerds. It is kind of our thing. But on our clickbait episode, we went way off topic — even for us and it had to be cut to make the episode flow better. It was a worthwhile discussion of Marvel and toxic fandom, so here it is for your listening pleasure.

  13. They say this is the most offensive podcast on the internet. Find out why.

    Clay Groves on Magic 104 has been call us the most offensive podcast on the internet, now you finally hear why. And also learn about a clickbait article by Spin claiming to list "The 50 Worst Songs By Otherwise Great Artists."

  14. Watch out, here come the Spider-Nerds

    Brian and Alec finally discuss "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and inevitably get off topic and discuss the other corners of the MCU.

  15. Holy broke nerds, Batman!

    Alec and Brian have spoken about Batman before and they will likely again, but amazingly it two them two years to dedicate a full episode to the Dark Knight.

  16. We like classy food, too

    Alec and Brian finish their food trilogy by talking about their favorite international cuisine. The broke nerds also debut their new theme music, "Seattle Skies," which was original written for their musical "Catchy Band Name and the Contest of Melodic Sounds."

  17. Too much of a good thing?: The ever expanding MCU

    Better late than never, Brian and Alec dive into the first three Marvel Disney+ shows, "WandaVision," "Falcon and the Winter Soldier" and "Loki" and discussion the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

  18. One Person's Junk (Food) is Another Person's Treasure

    The broke nerds are backing with the next installment in their food trilogy. This time they're talking about their favorite junk foods, including chips, candies, snake cakes and cookies.

  19. In defense of fast food

    There's a lot of snobbery around fast food, but the broke nerds won't deny that they eat it, probably more often than they should. Get ready for a discussion that deep dives into the good, the bad and possibly not even food of fast food.

  20. Outtakes from the Catchy Band Name Reading

    A couple months ago, we read a few scenes from the musical we wrote together "Catchy Band Name and the Contest of Melodic Sounds." Here are some outtakes featuring Doug Shapiro, Tristan Andrews-Preston and Ashley Kerr.

  21. Wait, that's not them: Bands Whose Sound Changed

    This week, Alec and Brian discuss bands whose sound changed drastically from where they started. These are artists whose first albums barely resemble the signature sound they would later be associated with. Bands discussed include Sugar Ray, Goo Goo Dolls, The Beatles, Alanis Morissette, Depeche...

  22. Alec and Brian Wrote a Musical?!: Into the Two Broke Nerds-verse

    Yes, it is true. Brian McElhiney and Alec Kerr wrote a musical, "Catchy Band Name and the Contest of Melodic Sounds," a sequel/spin off to Alec's play "Conflict of Interest." As one might expect, it is super silly and geeky but also has a lot of heart. It is the story of down-on-their-luck band...

  23. The Shameless Self Promotion One Year Anniversary Special

    It has been a full year of "Two Broke Nerds," so we're going to extra self indulgent and promote our own work again. For the first time on the podcast, discusses his music, and Alec discusses his latest play, "Conflict of Interest," which was performed via Zoom is available now on YouTube:...

  24. Here We Go Again: Sequels that Have No Business Being as Goods as they Are

    After teasing it for more months, we are finally doing our episode of our favorite sequels that aren't really talked about enough. We aren't talking about obviously great sequels like "Empire Strikes Back," but unsung gems like "Shock Treatment," "Batman Forever," "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey,"...

  25. Sexism in the Music Industry

    Inspired by the weird negative backlash Phoebe Bridgers received for her guitar-smashing performance on "Saturday Night Live," the broke nerds discuss sexism in the music industry.

  26. No-guilt Guilty Pleasures: Music You Wouldn't Expect Us to Like

    Brian and Alec and share some of the music that you wouldn't necessarily expect them to like and explore the negative stigma associated with pop music.

  27. Check Into the Asylum: So Bad, It's Good Cinema

    This week, Brian and Alec discuss their love of Asylum Films, the company behind mockbusters like "Almighty Thor" and "Transmorphers" and cheapie monster movies like "Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus" and the "Sharknado" franchise. From their they go on discuss other bad, or perhaps not-so-bad movies...

  28. You Always Remember Your First Time

    After a month-long hiatus, we're back for our first episode of 2021 to discuss memories of our firsts: First album, first concert, first movie, first, crush, etc. This week, Alec's wife, Ashley, joins in on the fun.

  29. Adapt or Die: HBO Max and Warner Bros. Change Film Distribution Game

    This week we discuss the implications of the announcement that Warner Bros. will be releasing all of its 2021 films to theaters and HBO Max on the same day. Is this the beginning of the end of cinemas or will movie theaters still have a place in the future?

  30. Outtake: Two Swedish Broke Nerds

    We got silly (what's new?) before recording our latest episode. Luckily, the record button was hit and some of it was captured.

  31. Nerds, Broke, Nerds Talking About Sean Connery

    This week we pay tribute to acting legend Sean Connery who passed away on Oct. 31, 2020, at the age of 90. Brace yourself for an abundance of Connery impressions.

  32. Formula 86 Delayed-Action Roald Dahl Geek Maker

    Brian and Alec discuss Robert Zemeckis' new adaptation of Roald Dahl's "The Witches" as well as Dahl's other works, including both film versions of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Danny the Champion of the World, "The BFG" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox." There's also a brief detour to discuss the...

  33. Horror Filmmaker Corey Norman is Making a Killing in Maine

    Alec and Brian are joined by their third guest: horror filmmaker Corey Norman who is in pre-production on the new 1980s-style slasher "Time's Up." Norman discusses being an indie filmmaker during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as some of his other films, including his Stephen King adaptation…

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  34. Doug Shapiro Plays a New Role (Or Three Guys with Cool Mugs)

    We are back with our second guest: New York-based actor Doug Shapiro. Doug discusses how working as a business role-player and standardized patient has kept him a float while acting gigs have largely dried up during the pandemic as well as other ways he's adapted as an actor to the new normal. In...

  35. Joel Barber Wears Million Dollar Underwear

    For the first episode of season two, the nerds are joined by their first guest, Joel Barber, to discuss his comedy zine Million Dollar Underwear. To check it out go to milliondollarunderwearzine.com.

  36. Why We Do What We Do

    For the season one finale, discover the secret origins of Brian and Alec as they share their influences, discuss why they became entertainment journalists and revisit their early days together at Keene State College’s student newspaper, The Equinox. In the process, they go off on several tangents...

  37. Long Live the King: A Tribute to Chadwick Boseman

    This week we pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman who passed away at the age of 43 on Aug. 28, 2020, from colon cancer. He was an actor best-known for playing Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as such historical figures as James Brown, Thurgood Marshall and Jackie Robinson.

  38. There is a little less happiness and joy with Ren and Stimpy

    This week, Alec and Brian have a difficult discussion about "The Ren and Stimpy Show," a show that was a huge part of both their childhoods, but the legacy of which has been tainted by its creator John K.'s reprehensible behavior.

  39. Nerds Assemble! A Marvelous Conversation

    This week we discuss the Marvel Cinematic Universe and delve into the self-contained films vs. the serialized storytelling.

  40. Fake bands that make real music

    This week, Alec and Brian discuss some of their favorite bands from film and TV. While it is structure as a top 10 list, there are several tangents of honorable mentions that helps make this a pretty comprehensive look at the subject matter. To listen the bands discussed as well as some others…

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  41. Discussing The Beatles with Dodgy Liverpudlian Accents

    It is time to listen to two nerds talk about the fab four. Will Maxwell's silver hammer come down upon Alec's head? Will Brian reveal himself to be a real nowhere man? Join us on our magical mystery podcast.

  42. Dinosaurs in Spaaaaaace! — Exploring the comic "The Wounding Tooth"

    Part two of our shameless self-promotion series focuses on Brian’s comic book “The Wounding Tooth,” a sci-fi adventure with dinosaurs in spaces The comic is available at thewoundingtooth.thecomicseries.com/ and facebook.com/thewoundingtooth/.

  43. Two Broke Nerds Presents "Figuring Out Will" A Radio Play by Alec Kerr

    In a world full of emotional pitfalls, one geeky teen will join forces with his two best friends to face his insecurities. Comedy. Drama. Doritos. Get ready to figure out Will. “Figuring Out Will” is a coming-of-age story written by Alec Kerr that made its debut at the NYSummerfest Theater…

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  44. Figuring out "Figuring Out Will"

    This week, Brian interviews Alec about his radio play "Figuring Out Will." They discuss the writing process, the play's debut in New York City in 2018 and how the play was adapted for the radio play format.

  45. The DCEU: The Good, the Bad and the Justice League

    In honor of Zack Snyder getting to have his cut of "Justice League," which seems like it will be keep anything and everything in, we are not editing anything out this week. Alec and Brian dive into the DCEU and vent their frustrations about the wasted potential of "Justice League." Buckle up.…

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  46. We are all Devo!

    Q: Are we not men? A: We are Devo fans through and through. Brian and Alec go deep into their love of all things Devo, so join them fellow mutants and spudboys (and girls) into a journey of our continual devolution.

  47. Hey, It worked in Blazing Saddles: Mel Brooks and the Power of Satire

    Alec and Brian talk about one of their favorite comedies, "Blazing Saddles," which, with its commentary on racism, is still all too relevant.

  48. Black Lives Matter. Period.

    Alec and Brian take a break from geeking out about some of their favorite things to address what's been going on our country through a discussion of systemic racism, white privilege, passing for white, free speech vs. hate speech and other issues connected to Black Lives Matter.

  49. Hey, Wha Happened? A Tribute to Fred Willard

    Actor Fred Willard, a frequent collaborator with writer/director/actor Christopher Guest, passed away May 15, 2020, at the age of 86. Alec and Brian pay tribute to him by discussing his work in Guest's series of mockumentaries, including "Waiting for Guffman," "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind."

  50. Deleted Silliness: Brian Making Tea

    We actually did a marathon recording of the "Lord of the Ring" and "Hobbit" episodes. Brian made tea in the pause between the recording of the two episodes. Luckily, we are able to capture and preserve this magical moment.

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TOPICS IN THIS SHOW

broke podcast budget-friendly film reviews music commentary pandemic perspective pop culture critique print journalism

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Alec Kerr is a film geek. Brian McElhiney is a music geek. We like talking about the stuff we love. Now we're sharing it with you. Because what else do we have to do during a global pandemic? And why are we broke you may ask? Because we are print journalists in the 21st century. Yay!

HOSTED BY

Alec Kerr and Brian McElhiney

CATEGORIES

arts performing

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Two Broke Nerds have?

Two Broke Nerds currently has 58 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Two Broke Nerds about?

Alec Kerr is a film geek. Brian McElhiney is a music geek. We like talking about the stuff we love. Now we're sharing it with you. Because what else do we have to do during a global pandemic? And why are we broke you may ask? Because we are print journalists in the 21st century. Yay!

How often does Two Broke Nerds release new episodes?

Two Broke Nerds has 58 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Two Broke Nerds?

You can listen to Two Broke Nerds 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 Two Broke Nerds?

Two Broke Nerds is created and hosted by Alec Kerr and Brian McElhiney.
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