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Multiverse Tonight - The Podcast about All Your Geeky Universes
Multiverse Tonight is a geeky podcast that brings you all the latest news about your favourite TV shows and movies. Every other week, we cover DC Comics, Marvel, Star Trek and everything in between! This podcast has you covered with any big story or scoop on all of your fandoms.
Multiverse Tonight - The Podcast about All Your Geeky Universes
From Poisoning Pigeons to Silent E: The Music of Tom Lehrer
San Diego Comic-Con delivers major news as George Lucas makes his historic first appearance and Marvel's Kevin Feige reveals plans extending through 2032. Fantastic Four tops the box office with $118 million in its opening weekend.
• George Lucas receives standing ovation at his first-ever Comic-Con appearance while promoting Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
• Star Trek Strange New Worlds announces Muppet crossover episode created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop
• Paramount+ reveals Star Trek: Starfleet Academy teaser set in 32nd century with Holly Hunter as Chancellor
• Kevin Feige confirms Marvel scaling back to one TV show per year with Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom
• Warner Bros' Coyote vs. Acme saved from cancellation, now set for 2026 theatrical release
• Booster Gold TV series moving forward at HBO Max with Our Flag Means Death creator David Jenkins
• Tom Parker and Matt Stone strike reported $1.5 billion South Park streaming deal with Paramount
• Cultural icons Ozzy Osbourne (76), Malcolm-Jamal Warner (54), and Tom Lehrer (97) remembered after passing
Please visit Multiversetonight.com for our Patreon and Ko-Fi links, check our show notes, visit our TeePublic store, and follow us on social media @MultiverseTom on Blue Sky and Twitter, and @MultiverseKnight on Threads, Facebook, and Instagram.
Thanks for listening! Come visit the podcast at https://www.multiversetonight.com/
Tonight, san Diego Comic-Con news, marvel's future discussed, and remember Hulk Hogan, ozzy Osbourne, malcolm, jamal, warner and Tom Lehrer All that and more in this edition of Multiverse Tonight. Welcome to Multiverse Tonight, your source for geek news. We dissect films, games, comics and much more, bringing you insightful commentary on pop culture. This is Multiverse Tonight. Now here's your host, thomas Townley. Well, hello everyone, and welcome to episode 245 of Multiverse Tonight. I'm, of course, your host, thomas Townley, and we have lots of news today.
Speaker 1:Of course, fantastic Four came out this past weekend. So let's go and look at the box office report. Starting at number seven with how to Train your Dragon still running along it's seventh week. It's made $257 million. I Know what you Did Last Summer drops from number three to number six. It's made $23.5 million. Smurfs dropped from four to five in its second week. That's not good Making $22.7 million. F1 movie went from five to four in its fifth week with $165.5 million. And your top three, jurassic World Rebirth dropped from two to three in its fourth week Now with $301.5 million. Superman dropped from number one to number two. Of course, that's cutting about $57.5 million from the week before, but still it's up there at $289.5 million in the third week and Fantastic Four, first steps, of course, was the big winner with $118 million in week one. So you know Fantastic Four is doing well, fantastic. But anyway, let's go on to the Star Wars news.
Speaker 1:Roger roger, at a historic appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, george Lucas, the visionary behind Star Wars, captivated thousands in Hall H. This marked his first time at the popular arts convention, which owes much of its growth to his creative legacy. The event drew the largest Sunday panel in the convention's history, a testament to Lucas's immense influence. Now, attendees who waited for hours chanted Lucas Lucas before giving him a thunderous standing ovation. He was introduced by Queen Latifah and joined on stage by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and Star Wars production designer Doug Ching. Despite the 6,500 strong crowd, lucas did not discuss Star Wars or Indiana Jones. Nonetheless, cries of I love you, george and the waving of lightsabers filled the air, demonstrating the audience's unwavering admiration. Lucas received an outstanding ovation upon concluding his presentation, which focused entirely on the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art that he and Del Toro and Ching were there to offer a sneak peek of the museum and advocate for the importance of narrative art, including comic book art, as a vital form of expression.
Speaker 1:Now Lucas described his museum as a temple of the people's art. Quote. He shared that his passion for collecting began in college when he could only afford comic book art. With his success, his collection grew to over 40,000 pieces. Del Toro emphasized the significance of the collection, saying, quote what is important to me is what is magical is is not a man, and his collection, it's a lineage of images, unquote. He also added that we're in a critical moment, which one thing they like to disappear is the past, and this is a memorization, a popular, voracious and elegant moment in our visual past that belongs to all of us, and this museum celebrates it Now. A video presentation showcased the museum's interior, noble for its lack of right angles, as highlighted by Latifa.
Speaker 1:The presentation also displayed a selection of artworks selected for the collection. These include covers from DC's Mystery in Space featuring Adam Strange's debut EC's 1950s Tales for the collection. These include covers from DC's Mystery in Space featuring Adam Strange's debut EC's 1950s Tales from the Crypt, the first Flash Gordon comic strip and strips from Peanuts and Garfield. Art by Diversive Comics, diversive creators like Brian Bolin, hellboy creator Mike Mignola, underground cartoonist Robert Crumb, windsor, mckay and Mobius was also featured, alongside images of Astro Boy and Scrooge McDuck Notably. The collection also includes works by Norman Rockwell, nc Wyeth and Frida Kahlo. The museum will also house concept and storyboard art from Star Wars and Rays of the Lost Ark by Ralph McQuarrie and Jim Storenko, as well as props like starships and speeders from various Star Wars films. Like starships and speeders from various Star Wars films.
Speaker 1:Jiang explained that comic art has historically been undervalued, stating that it's not taken seriously and recounting how he was told as a child quote you will outgrow it one day, unquote. He expressed gratitude that he never did, stressing that a core strength of narrative art is its story-driven nature. Quote story comes first, art comes second, unquote. Now, lucas repeatedly emphasized the idea of narrative art fostering community and shared belief systems. Del Toro delved into philosophical distinctions between art for myth building and art for propaganda and clarified quote myth belongs to all of us, propaganda belongs to a very small group. Myth unites us, propaganda divides us, unquote. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, after several delays, is projected to open sometime next year.
Speaker 1:Now let's go on to the Star Trek news. Star Trek Strange New Worlds is boldly going to where no Star Trek show has gone before the world of Muppets. At the Star Trek Universe panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, the cast and exec producers of Star Trek Strange New Worlds debut a teaser for the fourth season of the series, which just finished production. It revealed Captain Christopher Pike sitting on the captain's chair of the Enterprise, but as a Muppet, saying on the captain's chair of the Air Prize, but as a Muppet Quote. There might have been an unexpected and terrible transport accident, said executive producer Akiva Goldsman on the stage, which might have some unexpected, felt-like effects. Unquote Now, the puppets were created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop for the episode, which is directed by Jordan Koenig, who did Fraggle Rock back to the rock, and in keeping with the Strange New Worlds approach of treating each episode as its own unique genre, including horror, screwball, comedy, costume, fantasy and even a musical episode and a crossover episode.
Speaker 1:That was with Star Trek Lower Decks, of course, in 2024, variety cover story on the future of Star Trek. Goldman even teased the puppet episode. As long as we're in storytelling that is cogent and sure-handed, I'm not sure there is Unquote Now. Goldsman said when asked if there was a genre the show couldn't handle, could it do Muppets? Sure, could it do. Black and white Slapstick, maybe. So what do you think about a Muppet episode. I think it's kind of cute.
Speaker 1:Paramount Plus has launched a new era for the Star Trek franchise with the release of the Star Trek Starfleet Academy teaser trailer. Now, the trailer, which debuted at San Diego Comic-Con with executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau, marks a transition as the first generation of Paramount Plus Star Trek series concludes and new shows like Starfleet Academy take center stage. Starfleet Academy will explore the furthest point in the Star Trek timeline, set in the 32nd century. The series focuses on the Federation's efforts to rebuild its ranks after the loss of transwarp travel plunge the galaxy into a new dark age, as depicted in Star Trek Discovery. Seasoned instructors will guide a diverse group of recruits to become the Starfleet officers needed in these challenging times. The teaser features Holly Hunter delivering an inspiring speech to cadets, emphasizing the show's core themes of scientific curiosity, exploration and inclusivity, values intended to resonate with Gen Z. The series' tagline promises quote Star Trek. Starfleet Academy follows the adventures of a new class of cadets and of the most legendary places in the galaxy. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they'll discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Federation and the Academy itself. Unquote.
Speaker 1:Now Paramount Plus also released details including character descriptions. Holly Hunter plays Nala Aki, the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy and Captain of the USS Athena and a long-lived half-Lathenite. Sandro Rosota is Caleb Meir, an orphaned cadet with a troubled past. Karam Dayani is Jay Dunn-Karag, a Klingon cadet aspiring to be a medical officer. Karais Brooks is Sirius Acclamation Mill, the first for kind to attend the academy. George Hawkins is Doreen Ramey, an inspiring captain from a wealthy home world. Bella Shepard is Janice's life and an admiral's daughter, determined to forge her own path. Zoe Steiner is Terima Saddle, the daughter of the president of Bayazid, and Robert Picardo is reprising his role as the Doctor, and Tig Notaro as Jet Reno, with Oded Fahir as Admiral Vance, chancellor's first officer and cadet master. And Paul Giamatti will be a recurring guest star and will portray Nos Braca, the season's villain with a mysterious past linked to one of the cadets.
Speaker 1:Now, visually, the series appears consistent with other Paramount Plus Star Trek productions, and, while Hunter's monologue is compelling, the teaser primarily offers a glimpse at the full season series potential. So, yeah, it looks good. I'm interested to see what version of the Doctor this is. Is this the one that was left in the Delta Quadrant and traveled all the way back. Or is this the original version? I'll at least tune in for the first season, where it goes from there, who knows? But there going into other forms of media.
Speaker 1:Star Trek Khan, a new scripted audio series, will premiere on September 8th, with new episodes releasing on Mondays. Now this podcast explores the untold events of City Alpha 5, chronicling Khan's transformation from a superhuman visionary into the vengeful villain we see in Star Trek II, the Wrath of Khan. The series was unveiled at Comic-Con, where fans received a sneak peek trailer and key art. It's written by Christian Beyer and David Mack and based on the story by Star Trek II writer-director Nicholas Meyer. The podcast is directed by Fred Greenlaw.
Speaker 1:The cast includes Navin Andrews as Kanunin Singh, ren Schmidt as Lieutenant Marla MacGyvers, sonia Cassidy will play Dr Rosalind Lear, with franchise veterans George Takei reprising his roles Captain Sulu and Timurus as Ensign Tuvok. The supporting voice cast features Ali Haskivi as Delma, murray Starling as Ivan Mercy Malick as Ursula and Zero Washington as Medot. Star Trek Con will be produced by CBS's iPodcast Productions, corporate Seeker, hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, with Realm serving as the production studio. Exec producers include Alex Kurtzman, aaron Byers, kirsten Beyer, molly Barton, carly McNara, fred Glaringla, trevor Roth and Rod Roddenberry, with Robin Johnson as co-executive producers. That was a mouthful.
Speaker 2:Let's go to the Marvel News begins with Kevin Feige discussing Marvel Studios' past present and future with Kevin Feige, discussing Marvel Studios' past, present and future.
Speaker 1:Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios, recently offered insights into the studio's trajectory in a rare candidate interview at the Marvel offices in Burbank. He revealed ambitious plans for the MCU extending seven years into the future, a departure from the traditional five-year outlook now reaching 2032. Addressing the too-much-content era, feige acknowledged that the post-Adventures Endgame era saw a significant increase in content. While Marvel produced 50 hours of stories from 2007 to 2019, the six years since Endgame has yielded over 100 hours of content, including 127 hours for the multiverse saga, including animation. Instead, this rapid expansion, partially driven by Disney+, led to an overabundance of supply rather than a drop in demand, leaving audiences feeling overwhelmed. Feige emphasized his belief that this quanti-trumps-quality approach, which Marvel has historically avoided, was a core issue. He cites the success of DC Studios' Superman as evidence against superhero fatigue. He cites the success of DC Studios' Superman as evidence against superhero fatigue, highlighting the quality of the film. Now shifting focus less TV, more focused films. To address these challenges, marvel is significantly scaling back its television output to just one live-action show per year, and these shows will have less overlap with the feature films. The goal is to remove the expectation that audiences need to watch everything to understand any given MCU project. Feige referenced earlier TV shows like Daredevil and Agents of SHIELD, which had a loser canon to the films, as a model that they're returning to. While some character crossovers will still occur, such as Punisher appearing in both a TV special and Spider-Man, the overall volume will be much less. Now this reduction has led to delays for completed projects like Ironheart and Wonder man, which Feige dislikes. Now. Diversity remains a priority, but Miles Morales is on hold. Feige affirmed Marvel's continued commitment to diversity, evident in projects including women, people of color and LGBTQ plus characters. He praised Iman Villani, aka Ms Marvel, as exceptionally casting and expressed excitement for her future appearances. However, he was more cautious about the potential for a young Avengers project, saying it's potentially on the horizon, dependent on finding the best story and character dynamics. Now, regarding Miles Morales' introduction into the horizon dependent on finding the best story and character dynamics. Now, regarding Miles Morales' introduction into the MCU, feige was definitive Quote that is nowhere unquote. He explained that Sony Pictures, which holds the film rights, has requested Marvel stay away until the animated Spider-Man trilogy concludes in 2027.
Speaker 1:Now the Marvel method will endure with cost adjustments. Feige defended Marvel's interpretive filming process, or plussing, where films are continually refined throughout production. Crediting Walt Disney for the concept, he said that Marvel never started a movie without a full script and is never satisfied with the script, always striving for improvement. He emphasized the value of listening to actors' ideas, especially those who have played characters for years Now, while the creative process remains largely unchanged, marvel has focused on reducing film budgets. After ballooning costs post-Endgame, primarily due to the pandemic and drive for spectacle, films like Daredevil and Wolverine through the Fantastic Four are about a third cheaper than two years prior. Marvel even consulted with the team behind the creator to learn about their cost-effective production methods.
Speaker 1:The MCU feature is global and post-Kang. Upcoming Avengers films, doomsday and Secret Wars will be produced in London's Pinewood Studios, a decision driven by securing soundstage rather than solely subsides. The Feige anticipates future Marvel films will return to the US production hubs like Georgia and New York, due to the more competitive film incentives. Feige also confirmed the departure of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, even revealing that the studio had concerns about Kang's impact as a character before Quantumania was released. Robert Downey Jr will return to the MCU to play Dr Doom, who Feige believes has the long-standing comic book gravitas to be a major antagonist.
Speaker 1:Avengers Secret Wars in 2027 will not only conclude the Marvel vs Saga but also act as a reset for the entire MCU, including a new cast for the X-Men films. While major cameo characters' futures are uncertain, feige hinted at the return of characters introduced post-Endgame in future projects, embracing the comic book tradition of characters appearing anywhere. He also teased a post-Secret Wars film that will return to a singular storyline by embracing a certain genre we haven't seen in a while. Feige also expressed excitement for the Fantastic Four joining the MCU among, aiming to make them A-listers, emphasizing that the film will be a no-homework-required movie not connected to prior MCU projects. Revealed his current interest in watching classic films from the 30s and 40s, seeing them as a reminder of, quote, what cinema is and how everything old is new. Again.
Speaker 1:Regarding his own future, feige expressed a desire to continue making big movies for big audiences for years to come, saying quote Marvel's a great way to do that for me right now, but I hope to make big movies for lots of people forever. Unquote that for me right now, but I hope to make big movies for lots of people forever unquote. So yeah, I think that the you know King was never the lead story, as kind of BS yeah he was. They wouldn't have included him in post-credit scenes and stuff like that if that wasn't the way they were actually going to go. Frankly, I'm fine with or without Kang, but don't say oh, we had reservations about it so we just decided that wasn't the way we were going to go. Yeah, baloney.
Speaker 1:Anyway, despite numerous false starts, mahershala Ali's debut as the vampire slayer Blade is still in the works. According to Kevin Feige Quote, mahershala is still attached. Feige told a room full of journalists gathered at Marvel Studios which would see the two-time Oscar. The project would see the two-time Oscar winner assume the role originated on screen by Wesley Snipes, who played the part in the late 90s and 2000s, as well as 2024's Deadpool and Wolverine. Quote.
Speaker 1:The obstacle was Ryan Coogler called and said we'd love some costumes for sinners. He joked referring to costumes created by Ruth E Carter for the abandoned Blade film that Marvel commissioned, then sold back to Carter for Coogler's vampire movie and we said take him man, no problem, he's a good friend. Take our costumes, we'll hold off on the movie, unquote. In all seriousness, feige explained that the prolonged delays on Blade were a symptom of Marvel's overexpansion, and how the executive characterizes the studio's response to Disney's mandate to produce more content for the Disney Plus streaming service. Feige has stated to use a dramatic term like fallout to characterize the resulting situation, but for the very first time ever, quantity trumped quality. Now he said a lot more, but we won't go into that. Anyway, spider-man Beyond the Spider-Verse has a new release date of June 25th 2027, pushed back three weeks from its original June 4th 2027 slot. Now this marks another delay for the film, which was initially set for March 29th 2024, but was moved due to the 2023 strikes.
Speaker 1:The third installment in the Spider-Verse series concludes the story of Miles Morales, who is on the run across the Spiderverse and discovered a parallel version of himself. Had become the villainous Prowler in a New York City without Spider-Man and rampant with lawlessness. His friends, including Gwen, may not be able to save him. The first two films, 2018's Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, an Oscar winner for Best Animated Feature, and 2023's Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse, have collectively grossed $1.8 billion globally. The intricate animation style unique to each film requires significant effort and a source close to the production noted that Across the Spider-Verse was still being worked on up to its June 2023 world premiere indicating the dedication involved.
Speaker 1:Beyond the Spider-Verse is directed by Bob Pruschetti and Justin K Thompson. The screenplay is by David Column, phil Lord and Christopher Miller, with Lord and Miller producing alongside Amy Pascal, avi Arad and Jinko Guth. And let's go on to the DC Comics News. And DC News begins with James Gunn, who's co-head of DC Studios, actively clarifying speculation surrounding the casting of Wonder Woman for the DC Universe, particularly as production on Superman finished up.
Speaker 1:Gunn addressed rumors on social media, specifically debunking claims that the studio was seeking a TV actress similar to Millie Alcock, who was cast as a Supergirl after her role in House of the Dragon. He emphasized that casting decisions are based on talent, not an actor's past work in TV or film. Quote I didn't cast Millie because of her past, but because she was the best one for the role, gunn stated on Threads. He further clarified that the Wonder Woman role is not currently being cast or even discussed until the script is finalized, responding to a fan's question about the film being fast-tracked finalized. Responding to a fan's question about the film being fast-tracked, gunn confirmed it's a priority but not fast-tracked, reiterating that no filming will commence until the script is deemed excellent. During the Superman press tour, gunn also dispelled rumors linking actress Adriana Arjona to the Wonder Woman role, after social media users noted he followed her on Instagram. He explained that their friendship dates back seven years to a film they worked on together and he had been following her since then. While acknowledging Arjona she'd be a great Wonder Woman, by the way, he clarified that his social media activity is not an indication of casting. Your mileage may vary. Hbo Max is moving forward with its Booster Gold TV series, with David Jenkins, creator of Our Flag Means Death, attached to write the pilot and potentially serve as the showrunner if the series is greenlit Now. The news followed the Penguin's significant Emmy nominations, positioning Booster Gold as the potential major DC Comics TV adaptation for Warner Bros Discovery.
Speaker 1:Booster Gold, whose real name is Michael John Booster Carter, was created by Dan Juergens, a member of the Justice League. Born in Gotham City, he was expelled from university after losing his football scholarship due to gambling. He became a superhero, getting his nickname from Ronald Reagan after saving the former president. However, he is often irritating to others due to his pursuit of fame and wealth. Over two years ago, dc Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Pierre Safran unveiled a vast slate for the new DC Universe, including a Wonder Woman reboot and Paradise Lost. At that time, they did mention the fans of Booster Gold would quote use basic technology from the future to pretend to be a superhero in the present day unquote. Did mention the fan favorite Booster Gold would quote use basic technology from the future to pretend to be a superhero in the present day unquote.
Speaker 1:However, progress on the series has been slow and recent reports indicated that the project lost its initial showrunner and rumors of Kamal Nanjiani playing Booster was expelled for the time being. If Booster Gold is picked up, it would mark a reunion between HBO Max and Jenkins. His unique pirate rom-com, our Flag Means Death, was cancelled in January of 2024 after two seasons and failed to find a new home. At the time of its cancellation, jenkins commented that the comedy starring Taika Waititi and Rice Darby had quote come to a premature end unquote. While praising HBO boss Casey Bloys of the show. Jenkins also created the TBS sci-fi series People of Earth. This development comes just in time for San Diego Comic-Con, where DC TV properties are expected to be a hot discussion point. Meanwhile, hbo Max is celebrating the success of the Penguin, which garnered 24 Emmy nominations, including limited anthology series for its lead actors Colin Farrell and Christian Miloti, nearly setting a record for comic book adaptations, playing limited anthology series for its lead actors, colin Farrell and Christian Miloti, currently setting a record for comic book adaptations.
Speaker 1:Now let's go on to the geek news, thank you. Hasbro has announced strong quarterly results and raised its full year forecast in King that the impact of tariffs will be less severe than initially projected three months ago. Despite a significant $1 billion write-down to its consumer products division, partially due to retailers delaying holiday orders and economic uncertainty, hasbro saw substantial growth in our areas. Substantial growth in our areas. Revenue from Magic the Gathering jumped 23%, largely due to the successful launch of Final Fantasy, which marked the biggest set release in Wizards of the Coast history. Ceo Chris Cox noted a surge in both new and existing players for the fantasy game. This success was crucial in maintaining total sales at $981 million and keeping adjusting or upbarring profit flat for the quarter ending in March. The mobile game Monopoly Go also performed well, contributing $44 million in revenue.
Speaker 1:Hasbro has been actively diversifying its production footprint, with about 50% of its toy volume currently sourced from China, a primary target of Trump's administration tariffs. The company aims to reduce this to under 40% by 2027. Cfo Gina Goeder mentioned exploring opportunities to increase US production. Recent updates in trade policies have eased some pressure, with China tariffs now at 30% and Vietnam another key toy producer at 20%. Goeder stated that the anticipated 2025 tariff costs, previously modeled to between $60 million and $108 million, are not expected to remain at the lower end of that range.
Speaker 1:Regarding entertainment offerings, cox highlighted Hasbro's second-to-none licensing deal with Marvel, citing upcoming titles like Spider-Man, star Wars and Avengers Doomsday as significant drivers of top-line growth for their Marvel portfolio. The company is also collaborating with Lionsgate on a feature film based on Monopoly and an unscripted competition series. Additionally, the animated series Peppa Pig, based on a Hasbro property, was among Netflix's most-watched licensed content. In the first half of the year, adult Swim announced a new adult animated comedy, present Curtis set in the Rick and Morty universe. News came during the San Diego Comic-Con panel, which featured a surprise appearance by lead actor Keith David. Rick and Morty execs producers Dan Harmon and James Siliano are helming the series, which stars Keith David Reprising his role is present. Andre Curtis, stephanie Beatrice and Jim Rash also joined the cast. Notably, rash and David are community alums, further connecting the show to the Harmon creative universe.
Speaker 1:David has been active in voice acting, lending his voice to Harmon's Fox series Crapopolis and securing a new role in Hulu's King of the Hill revival. His recent voice credits include has Been Hotel, gremlin's, secret of the Mogwai Family Guy, invincible Fight Girl, catman Hell yeah, hit Monkey and Masters of the Universe, revolution. On camera. He appeared in Duster, high Potential and Abbott Elementary and has been seen in FX's the Lowdown. In a statement, keith David expressed his excitement saying quote statement. Keith David expressed his excitement saying quote President Curtis has always been a blast to play. Getting to explore his world more deeply in this new series is a dream, and I can't wait for fans to see what kind of chaos he serves when Rick isn't around to steal the spotlight. Unquote.
Speaker 1:Previous Rick and Morty TV spinoffs include Vindicator 2's Last Stand Between Earth and Doom and Rick and Morty the Anime, in addition to various shorts and games and Adult Swim. President Michael Allen stated that this is a series we would have greenlit even if it didn't have anything to do with Rick and Morty. President Andre Curse is just that good of a character. The rest of the world and the team is fleshed out as super fun and totally stands on its own, and he can't wait for you to see it. It all depends on its own and he can't wait for you to see it.
Speaker 1:The Nacelle Company will make a new animated series based on the cult 90s show Wild West Cowboys of Moo Mesa. Now this news came, of course, saying to Comic-Con as part of the company's plans to create a shared universe of reimagined toy and animation hits dubbed quote the Nacelleverse. First introduced in 1991 by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles artist Brian Brown, cowboys' Moo Mesa inspired a TV line, a Saturday morning cartoon on ABC comic books and an arcade game, along with new toys and a new comic. The Nacelle Company is developing a fresh upcoming series which shares a connected universe and timeline with two other Nacelle animated reboots RoboForce, which is executive produced by Brian Volk-Weiss, dwayne Johnson, danny Garcia and 7 Bucks Entertainment, and Biker Mice from Mars, executive produced by Volk-Weiss, ryan Reynolds and Maximum Effort. The upcoming anime series will comprise eight episodes.
Speaker 1:Set in the 1800s, the show follows a group of bovine lawmakers, including Marshall Moo Montana, cowl Loretto Kid and Dakota Dude, as they serve up frontier justice and protect Cow Town from crooked Oscar Mayor, oscar Bologna, ruthless Sheriff Terrible and a rogue gallery of outlaw varmints. Other characters from the show include those names are just terrible, just terrible. Anyway, amazon MGM Studios is developing a TV series adaptation of the Wolfenstein video games. Plot details are scarce, but an official logline is quote the story of killing Nazis is evergreen, unquote. Now Patrick Summerall will serve as creator, writer, exec producer and showrunner through his chaoticgoodtv banner. Other exec producers include Joe Nolan, Lisa Joy and Athena Wickham of Kilter Films, james Altman of Keyframe Films and Jörg Gustafson of Machine Games, the Wolfenstein developer. Now the Wolfenstein franchise is known for popularizing first-person shooter video games, primarily featuring US World War II soldier William BJ Blauskowski fighting Nazis who are experimenting and dabbling in the occult. These series begin with Castle Wolfenstein 1981, followed by Beyond Castle, wolfenstein 1984, both top-down perspective shooters. The franchise shifted to first-person in Wolfenstein 3D in 1992. There are 14 games in total, with the most recent being the VR game Wolfenstein Cyberpilot. A film adaptation was previously attempted in 2012, but did not move forward.
Speaker 1:Netflix is expanding the Wednesday universe with a third season of the Supernatural comedy series and a planned spinoff. The show starring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, has been a massive success at the streamer, becoming the most-watched original series ever with over 250 million views and earning 12 Emmy nominations, including one for Tega. The renewal comes ahead of the season two launch on August 6th. Tim Burton and his exec producing, with series creators Offred Goh and Miles Millar are behind the series. The show follows Wednesday Adams after she's expelled from school and sent to Nevermore, a private academy for OutKast. The cast includes Gwendolyn Christie, emma Myers and Ricky Lindholm. Series 2 introduces Catherine Zeta-Jones, louise Guzman, isaac Ardonis and Luinda Anunana-Louis Naomi as series regulars, with Billy Piper, steve Buscemi, eve Templeton, owen Painter and Noah Taylor joining along. Now details have been scarce, with Burton Artega having confirmed that a spinoff is in development.
Speaker 1:Peacock's Crystal Lake, a prequel series to Friday the 13th, has announced five new reoccurring guest stars. Callum Vinson, nick Cardellini, joy Soprano, danielle Koch and Phoenix Parnevik are joining the cast Now. Vincent will portray a young Jason Voorhees, appearing alongside Linda Cardellini, who was previously announced as Jason's mother. Pamela Cardellini will play Ralph, soprano will play Rita, koch will play Claudette and Parnevic will play Barry. Serious regulars already confirmed include William Catlett, dave Kensler, cameron Zoggins, gwendolyn Sunstorm, and, while specific plots are being kept secret, the show will explore Pamela's life before the events of the first Friday the 13th film Next up, the Walking Dead, daryl Dixon has been renewed for a fourth and final season.
Speaker 1:Production on the eighth episode of season four will begin this month in Spain and will film in and around Madrid, in locations like Biloba, galicia, Andalusia, the Singovia region, toledo and much more. Quote Norman Reedus, in a statement, said Daryl Dixon has been an incredible journey. I thank each and every fan who has joined us for this ride. It's been Against all odds.
Speaker 1:The underdog film Coyote vs Acme is set for a global theatrical release on August 28, 2026, according to stars Will Forte at San Diego Comic-Con. Now, this live-action animation hybrid centers on Wiley Coyote's lawsuit against the Acme Corporation for its defective products which repeatedly failed him in his pursuit of the Roadrunner the products which repeatedly failed him in his pursuit of the Roadrunner. The movie faced an uncertain future in 2023 after Warner Bros Discovery shelled it after completion to claim a $30 million tax write-off. This decision aligned with CEO David Zaslav's shift away from streaming and more towards theatrical releases, which also led to the cancellations of Batgirl and Scoob Holiday Hunt in 2022. However, coyote vs Acme was saved in March 2025 when Ketchup Entertainment acquired it for an reported $50 million.
Speaker 1:The Comic-Con panel, moderated by Paul Scheer, playfully acknowledged the film's tumultuous history. Scheer kicked off the panel by declaring, quote this is the panel that you were not supposed to see. This movie was not supposed to come out unquote. He also shared a brief clip featuring Wally Coyote recalling Acme product failures, intercut with classic Roadrunner animations set to Johnny Cash's Hurt. The panel was then interrupted by actor PJ Byrne portraying an Acme Corporation representative and lawyer in the film who served Hall H with the synthesis paper shouting you do not have permission to share information or footage from this anti-ACME film. Please leave the stage Now.
Speaker 1:This extended comedic bitch calling in a group of unpaid interns, unsuccessfully attempting to prevent the trailer's debut, humorously alluded to the film's production woes without explicitly naming Warner Brothers' discovery Fong, deforte and Scheer welcome director David Green and voice actor Erika Basia, who voices all Looney Tunes characters, and co-star Martha Kelly to the stage and they premiere an extended clip from the film depicting Wiley's disastrous first day in court. His lawyer, kevin Avery, played by Forte, is out of practice and faces off against Acme's former lawyer Buddy Crane, played by John Cena. The scene filled with playful Looney Tunes references, including a knitting mother hen on the jury, a playboy penguin as a courtroom sketch artist and a judge played by Louise Guzman with a squeaky cartoon gavel. The panelists promised even more cameos, from characters like Bugs Bunny to more obscure ones like the animated version of actor Peter Laurie. So you know, mark that on your calendar. So I want everyone to give Warner Bros Discovery the middle finger and go see this movie next year. Okay, can you do that for me? Good, these Simpsons producers announced new guest stars and upcoming storylines at Ascendant of Comic-Con, including Kieran Culkin, glenn Howerton, albert Brooks, cole Escola, danny Putty, adam Paley and Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson for Season 37. The annual Treehouse of War episode will feature Idris Elba, michael Keaton and Viola Davis, with an opening by Stan Kelly of the Onion. Idris Elba, michael Keaton and Viola Davis, with an opening by Stan Kelly of the Onion.
Speaker 1:Those on stage at the panel included Matt Groening, matt Schlemmelman and Mike Price, director Matt Vaughan and consulting director and producer David Silverman. Groening joked about the show's longevity, stating, quote I honestly thought 36 was where we were going to end it. No, there's no end in sight, we're going to keep going. The landmark 800th episode is set to air on Fox in February of 2026. Solomon teased, quote it's a big deal to do 800 shows and so we're going to be doing two brand new original episodes that night. They're top secret for now, but I promise you they'll be the best 800th episode of anything you've ever seen.
Speaker 1:The panel also addressed the recent online buzz about Marge Simpson dying in the season 36 finale. Selman reiterated that Marge is in every episode and there is no canon for the show, calling such headlines trick baits designed to drive clicks. He advised viewers to apply just a little ounce of thinking before believing such claims. Now, with American Dad returning to Fox and broadcast television, the show's producers admit that they're going to have to adjust to those broadcast standards. Quote the only thing that we're going to have to get used to is no longer being able to say beep and beep, beep. Exec producer Matt Whiteson told the audience at the show's San Diego Comic-Con panel on Saturday. But you know what? We don't have to find creative ways to be entertained.
Speaker 1:The show, entering its 20th season, recently received a whopping four-season order at Fox, alongside four-season renewals for the Simpsons, family Guy and Bob's Burgers. Fox originally launched the show in 2005, but after it canceled the show, pbs picked it up in 2014. When PBS opted not to renew it, fox took it back. And finally, news about Futurama is set to return with its 13th season on September 15, 2025, but this time it will premiere all 10 episodes simultaneously on Hulu at 5 pm Pacific, 8 pm Eastern. This binge-a-thon approach marks a change from the previous two seasons, which were put out with weekly releases. Fxx will also air Season 13, showing two episodes weekly, starting September 15th at 8 pm Eastern. Now David X Cohen at Comic-Con revealed that the 2026 season finale will delve further into Fry's childhood backstory. Cohen also announced that San Antonio Spurs player Victor White Banana will make a guest appearance in the upcoming season opener.
Speaker 1:The logline for season 13 prompts his highest excitement. Quote Bender's rampaging out of control, a volcano is about to explode, fry confronts a rival for Leela's love and Dr Zoidberg is rising up to heaven. The excitement might be too much. You've been warned it's an all-new season of Futurama Unquote. From phantoms to vampires.
Speaker 1:Cbs has ordered a pilot titled Eternally Yours, a blood-sucking love story from the writers and exec producers of Ghosts. The single-camera comedy follows Joe Port and Joe Wiseman, fellows to vampires, who have been married for 500 years. The undying couple is challenged when their daughter begins dating a human. In August of 2024, cbs announced it was opening a development room for Eternally Yours, which has since wrapped. Eric Tenenbaum. Kim Tenenbaum and Jason Wang served as executive producers on the project. Ghost meanwhile has a two-season renewal.
Speaker 1:In a significant move for the streaming landscape, south Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have reportedly struck a five-year $1.5 billion deal with Paramount for the global streaming rights to their hit animated series. This agreement, valued at $300 million annually, comes after a period of tense negotiations and marked a strategic shift for the show, bringing regular South Park episodes to Paramount Plus in the US for the first time. Previously, warner Bros Discovery was the home for episodes, but that deal expired last month. Sources indicate that, while the deal is in place, specific details are still emerging. Paramount has not officially commented on the agreement. This new pact will reportedly break down to a previous decade long $3 billion deal between Parker Stone and Paramount Global, which Skydance is in the process of acquiring, paramount allegedly rejected. The strained relationship between Parker Stone and Paramount was evident with the season 27 premiere of South Park, which was delayed by two weeks to July 23rd. A blunt statement released by the official South Park X Twitter timeline said the creators expressed their frustration, attrib attributing their delay to quote this murder and hoping fans would somehow get to see new episodes. The new streaming deal coincides with the show's launch on Comedy Central and just to have Parker and Stone's scheduled appearance at San Diego. Beyond the streaming rights, parker and Stone are in discussions with Paramount to extend their overall deal, which currently runs through 2027, to continue producing new South Park episodes for Comedy Central.
Speaker 1:Family Guy is expanding its content offerings with new exclusive specials for Hulu, in addition to its ongoing Fox episodes. The Family Guy team at Comic-Con released news about an upcoming Halloween and other Halloween holiday-themed editions specifically for Hulu. The new Hulu specials will debut on Monday, october 6th with a Halloween special titled A Little Fight Music. That marks the first of two exclusive episodes for the streaming platform. Specials will debut on Monday, october 6th with a Halloween special titled A Little Fight Music. This marks the first of two exclusive episodes for the streaming platform. The logline for A Little Fight Music reveals quote Brian and Stewie realize there is a shortage of quality holiday songs and set out to write a hit with Peter and the guys discover that lying about trick-or-treating can have deadly consequences. These Hulu specials are distinct from the show's upcoming 24th season, which is scheduled to premiere on Fox in 2026 and subsequently stream on Hulu.
Speaker 1:Family Guy recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. According to 20th, the series, which debuted in 1999, has achieved cult status among fans, and its breakout star, a in 1999, has achieved cult status among fans and its breakout star, a talking baby, has become one of the greatest TV characters of all time. And now let's honor those who have passed on before us. Hulk Hogan, who served as the main catalyst for launching pro wrestling off the top rope and into the pop culture stratosphere when he joined the World Wrestling Federation and became perhaps its biggest star, died Thursday in Clearwater, florida, at the age of 71. Wwe confirmed his death but did not reveal the cause. Local police said Hogan real name Terry Bollea suffered cardiac arrest at his home and was pronounced dead at a hospital. Now I could give the man a longer obituary, but he really came out as a big giant turd these last few years, so he can just go to hell and sit and spin. I'll remember the character of Hulk Hogan, but Terry Bollea was trash Anyway.
Speaker 1:Our next dead person is Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic Prince of Darkness, who co-founded British heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath and embarked on a huge, successfully solo career and later charmed audiences as a reality TV star. He passed away on Tuesday, july 22, 2025, after a protracted battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 76 years old. His family released the following statement, quote it is with more sadness that mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time. Unquote. And surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time. Unquote. Now, just weeks before his passing, on July 5th, osborne delivered what was billed as his final performance, a poignant reunion with Black Sabbath at the Back to the Beginning Festival in Birmingham, england. Now this event, a massive tribute to the legendary band, saw the stage shared with spiritual descendants like Metallica, guns N' Roses, slayer, tool, bantertera and Alice in Chains.
Speaker 1:Osborne had publicly disclosed his Parkinson's disease back in January of 2020, following two years of escalating health issues. In February of 2023, he announced his retirement from touring, citing spinal injuries sustained in a 2018 accident. He expresses heartache at the decision. Quote in all good conscience, I have now become come to the realization that I'm not physically capable of doing my upcoming European UK tour dates, as I know I can't. I couldn't deal with the travel required. Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really beat me up more than you will ever know. Never would I.
Speaker 1:From 1969 to 1979, osbourne was the electrifying frontman for Black Sabbath, the Birmingham-based band that codified the heavy, churning sound and dark lyrical themes that would define dozens of metal bands to come. Despite a chaotic history marked by substance abuse and tumultuous infighting, the early albums remained foundational classics, with critic Deborah Frost, on the occasion of Black Sabbath 2006 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, succinctly stating Black Sabbath simply oozed upon us, unfestuned by a pretense of art, peace, love. Commercial terms eclipsed his former band's success. His solo projects launched the careers of guitar stars like Zach Wild and the late Randy Rhoades. His immense popularity led to his wife and manager, sharon Osbourne, to create Ozfest, a touring festival built around him, which became one of the biggest box office attractions of the 1990s and helped launch many careers.
Speaker 1:Osbourne garnered additional fame in the early 2000s as the oft-bewildered patriarch of the Osbournes, a MTV reality series that offered an unfiltered look into the rock star's home life. New York Times TV critic Karen James noted that the season's second season quote the Osbournes remain a wacky, harmlessly outrageous variation on every family, as full of warmth as there are the weirdest Ozzy the trembling, goth-looking dad, sharon the explicit-spying mom, daughter Kelly the pudgy would-be singer, and son Jack, the unformed, belligerent adolescent. Plagued by lifelong struggles with drug and alcohol addiction and at times visibly impaired. On stage, the unpredictable Osbourne was a magnet for trouble and controversy. His lair tenure with Black Sabbath was famously marred by a Concert no show that ignited a riot. Most famously, at the 1981 Meeting with CBS record executives to promote his Debut album, he drunkenly bit the head off a live dove. A similar episode Involving a live bat occurred at a 1982 show in Des Moines, iowa. Nessus Tang, a review shot, seemingly intent on Living off of his musical fantasies of violence and horror on stage. He had a especially tumultuous relationship with his second wife, sharon. Their often violent domestic quarrels became tabloid father, with one altercation in 1989 leading to Osborne's arrest for attempted murder. Despite the turmoil, the couple always reconciled.
Speaker 1:Joe, born John Michael Osborne in Birmingham on December 3, 1948. He was one of six children of a working-class family. He dropped out of school at 15 and became a manual laborer and was briefly engaged in petty crime, serving a six-week jail sentence for burglary At 19,. He partnered with bassist Terence Gieser Butler as the vocalist in an unsuccessful local band. As Terence Geezer Butler as the vocalist in an unsuccessful local band, they were soon joined by former mythology members, guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward. Initially known as Earth, the quartet changed their name to Black Sabbath after learning of a similarly named group, taking inspiration from Mario Bava's 1963 Horrors Anthology.
Speaker 1:Signed to Phillips Records in the UK and Leonard Warner Brothers Records in the US, black Sabbath released their debut album in 1970, on Friday the 13th. Despite being largely reviled by the press, the murky, morbid LP became a top 10 hit in Britain and reached number 23 in the US. They swiftly recorded a follow-up album, paranoid, which firmly established the band on both sides of the Atlantic, topping the English charts and reaching number 12 stateside. It featured several heavy riffing tracks with lyrics penned by Butler and powerfully delivered by Osborne, helping to define the metal sound, with War Pigs, paranoid, hand of Doom and the group's ultimate signature, iron man. The original lineup released their highest-trading album, master of Reality, in 1971, which climbed to number eight and included Sweet Leaf, a crowd-pleasing ode to pot smoking.
Speaker 1:The band diversified its sound on Volume 4 in 1973, featuring a surprise Osbourne ballad changes and the wildly admired Sabbath, bloody Sabbath, distinguished by a threshing attack and instrumental tracks by the 70s, osbourne and his bandmates drifted apart. The singer's heavy drug and alcohol consumption led to the collapse of his first marriage, in which he fathered daughter Jessica and son Louis, and other Sabbath members also indulging heavily in their own vices. The problems led to a significant decline in music quality and record sales. Sabotage peaked at number 28, while its successor, technical Ecstasy, recorded amid distractions in Miami, managed a weak number 51. Following a troublesome later album, osbourne briefly left the group in 1977 to pursue a solo project, blizzard of Oz, and was replaced by singer Dave Walker of Savoy Brown. However, he quickly returned to the Sabbath fold for a dismal collection, ironically titled Never Say Die, released in the game-changing punk revolt in 1978, which topped out at number 69, which was followed by his disaster Sabbath tour, which was opened by young Pasadena band Van Halen. A melee erupted in Nashville's municipal auditorium after Osborne overslept and failed to make the show. Enraged by his disinterest and lack of discipline, the other members of Black Sabbath fired him in early 1979 and replaced him with Ronnie James Dio.
Speaker 1:His epic solo debut, blizzard of Oz, revitalized Osborne's commercial fortunes and introduced his dynamic lead guitarist, randy Rhoades. It peaked at number 21 and eventually went quadruple platinum featuring one of Osbourne's layer signature tracks, crazy Train. Another track, suicide Solution, prompted a lawsuit from the parents of an American teen who claimed the song prompted their son to kill himself in 1984. The sophomore solo released, diary of a Madman, surpassed its predecessor. Following his first post-Roads release, bark at the Moon and the Ultimate Sin, osborne scored his only hit single, close my Eyes Forever, a debut with former Runaways guitarist Lita Ford, which reached number six in 1988, and found a winning combination with Zach Wild, who took over in guitar In 1996,.
Speaker 1:After Lollapalooza declined Osborne services. Sharon Osborne conceived the idea of a metal festival centered around Ozzy's participation, mild in just two days in Arizona and California. Ozfest was a smashing success, becoming a top-grossing US and UK touring event that attracted most of the big names in metal, including a regrouped Black Sabbath. Osbourne made a return to Black Sabbath in 1998, and after a couple of on-stage reunions for the live set reunion, the two-desk release featuring all four members, including the new bonus studio recordings, peaked at number 11 nationally and captured a Best Middle Performance Grammy for its concert rendition of Iron man In 2001, osburn's first studio recording in six years down to earth, shot to number four and during the first half of the 2000s, osburn split his activities between touring and work on the Osburns, which featured, of course, ozzy, sharon and two of his three children.
Speaker 1:Osborne split his activities between touring and work on the Osbournes, which featured, of course, ozzy, sharon and two of his three children. Daughter Amy declined to participate. The male equivalent of Ozzy and Herod, the comedic look at the rock and roll domesticity, became MTV's highest-rated reality show. Osborne issued two popular late-career solo albums Ordinary man, which went to number three in 2020, and Patient, number nine, in 2022. A new reality show starring the Osbourne family, home to Roots, documented their return to the UK after 25 years in the US, was announced by the BBC in late 2022. Again, ozzy Osbourne is survived by his wife and five children. Ozzy Osbourne was 76 years old.
Speaker 1:Next up, malcolm Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Theodore Theo Huxtable on the Cosby Show, has died at 54 due to accidental drowning. Abc News reports that he was on family vacation in Costa Rica and succumbed to asphyxia near Cochlea Beach in Le Mans after being caught in a high current while swimming. His body was identified by Costa Rica's national police on Sunday. Warner's representatives have not come out on the passing. A beloved figure, 1980s television, warner was nominated for an Emmy for his performance as the only son of Bill Cosby's character, cliff Huxtable, on the Cosby Show. As a teenager, he was an early fan favorite, with audiences watching Theo negotiate life's challenges.
Speaker 1:After the Cosby Show, warner continued his career with diverse roles, starring as Malcolm McGee in the UPN series Malcolm and Eddie for four seasons and led the BET sitcom Reed Between the Lines from 2011 to 2015. He played Sticky on FX's Sons of Anarchy and AJ Austin on the President from 2018 to 2023. His other acting credits include Showtime's Jeremy, 911, alert, missing Persons Unit and Suits. He portrayed Al Cowlings on the limited series the People vs OJ Simpsons American Crime Story and made a guest appearance on shows like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, grown-age and Community. He also served as producer character and served as executive producer for PBS's the Magic School Bus.
Speaker 1:Born in New Jersey, warren developed an early interest in acting, leading his parents to enroll him in New York City Performing Arts School. He auditioned for Theo on the final day of the nationwide search and was personally selected by Bill Cosby. Beyond acting, warner also made significant contributions as a director. In his late teens he began directing music videos for artists like Mudition and Special Ed. He also directed episodes of the Cosby Show All that, kane and Kel and Malcolm and Eddie. He also directed the widely viewed 1992 educational video Time Out the Truth About HIV, aids and you. Additionally, he earned a Grammy as a featured artist on the song Jesus' Children with Robert Glasper and Lala Hathaway. Most recently, warner co-launched the podcast Not All Hood with Wasu Baraka and Candace Kelly, where they discussed black masculinity, mental health and media representation.
Speaker 1:Warner survived by his wife and daughter and again, malcolm Jamal Warner, dead at the age of 54. Brief mention Chuck Mangione, the Grammy-winning virtuoso jazz flugelhorn player, trumpeter and composer who had a left-field top-five pop hit with Feel so Good in 1978 and released some 30 albums during his career, died Tuesday in Rochester, new York. He was 84 years old. Mangione's family told his hometown newspaper, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, that the musician died at home in his sleep. That's a shame. That's one of those songs that just Do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do.
Speaker 2:Finally, tonight we remember the man who created the following song I ache for the touch of your lips, dear, but much more for the touch of your whips, dear. You can raise welts like nobody else, as we dance to the masochism tango. But also songs like this You're wearing your squeaky shoes and right there taking a snooze is a tiger.
Speaker 1:So how do you walk on?
Speaker 2:by there taking a snooze is a tiger.
Speaker 1:So how do you walk on by, silently, silently, silent?
Speaker 2:l y this one's one of my personal favorites. I always will remember it was a year ago, november. I went out to hunt some deer on a morning, bright and clear. I went and shot the maximum the game laws would allow Two game wardens, seven hunters and a cow. I was in no mood to trifle. I took down my trusty rifle and went out to stalk my prey. What a haul I made that day. I tied them to my fender and I drove them home somehow. Two game wardens, seven hunters and a cow.
Speaker 1:That's Tom Lehrer. The acclaimed singer-songwriter-pianist known for his sharp and witty and darkly satirical songs, passed away at 97. A friend reported he was found dead in his Cambridge Massachusetts home this past Saturday. Laird gained national recognition in the 1960s when his topical songs were featured on the comedic TV news show that Was the Week that Was. He had previously built an underground following in the early 1950s with self-released albums.
Speaker 1:Despite his musical success, laird was primarily a mathematics professor, teaching at Harvard and Laird at UC Santa Cruz. He often joked about his academic profession saying, quote I don't like people to get the idea that I have to do this for a living. I mean, it wasn't as though I had to do this. I could be making, oh, $3,000 a year just teaching, unquote. His academic career remained his main focus for most of his life.
Speaker 1:A trailblazer of musical black comedy during the optimistic Eisenhower era, laird influenced Laird musical satirists. A trailblazer of musical black comedy during the optimistic Eisenhower era, laird influenced Laird musical satirists such as Randy Newman, weird Al Inkvick and Harry Shearer. With his lean, bespectacled appearance he tackled taboo subjects like sexuality with the masochist in Tango. Drug addiction, like with the old dope peddler. Homosexuality and the Boy Scouts called Be Prepared and militarism and makes a fellow proud to be a soldier. On his early albums. His fame significantly grew with the binding material he wrote for TW3, nbc's American adaptation of a popular British show hosted by David Frost His 1965 reprise album.
Speaker 1:That Was the Year that Was reached number 18 on the American charts, featuring incisive songs that satirized Prejudice, national Brotherhood Week, nuclear Proliferation. So Long Mom, the Catholic Church, the Vatican, rag and Education, the New Math. Born in New York to a Jewish family, laird began piano lessons at seven, receiving classical training while also developing an early interest in American pop music. Receiving classical training while also developing an early interest in American pop music, he became a versatile keyboardist capable of playing in nearly any style. A mathematics prodigy, he enrolled at Harvard at 15, graduating magna cum laude in 1945 and earning his master's a year later. He intermittently pursued a doctorate there for 15 years, even mocking the school's formality in his early song Fight Fiercely Harvard. He taught at Harvard, mit and Wellesley before his passion for musical theater led him to songwriting.
Speaker 1:In 1951, he contributed material to a Harvard musical review and in 1953, he recorded his debut solo album, songs of Tom Lehrer, in a single Boston studio session for $40, with the cover depicting him as a devil playing piano in hell. Initially sold on Boston campuses, it became a cult hit selling 10,000 copies. His second LP, more of Tom Lehrer, was released in 1959 after his military service. It included live repertory staples such as the Elements, a rapid-fire recitation of the periodic table inspired by Danny Kaye's A Gilbert and Sullivan melody, the masochism tango and the darkly humorous ode to spring poisoning pigeons in the park. This album led Time Magazine to categorize Laird alongside sick comedians of the era like Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl. Material from more of Tom Laird was also recorded live at Harvard as An Evening Wasted with Tom Laird was the Laird Tom Lehrer was also recorded live at Harvard as An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer was a letter released by Reprise. Songs of Tom Lehrer was re-recorded for the label in entirety in 1966, and his natural breakthrough arrived in 1965 with the solo recital of the satirical, topical songs he composed for TW3.
Speaker 1:While continuing his academic career, lehrer was popular enough to occasionally tour as a solo performer for overseas audiences, punctuating his biting material with a bullfish grin. After writing a few songs for the PBS educational series the Electric Company and performing at fundraisers for Democratic personal candidate George McGovern in 1972, lehrer dedicated the rest of his life to academia, teaching math and musical theater at the University of California, santa Cruz, for many years. Despite his retreat from the public eye, his work remains cherished. His music became a regular feature on Dr Demento's syndicated radio show Tomfoolery. A review of his work premiered in London in 1980. Rhino Records released a box set of his material, the Remains of Tom Lehrer, in 2000. And Shot Factory digitally re-released his catalog and issued a DVD of a 1967 concert in Oslo, Norway. Tom Lehrer never married and had no children Again. Tom Lehrer dead at the age of 97.
Speaker 1:And stick around after the credits and I'll play you one of my favorite songs. But that brings us to the end of the show for today. Now please be sure to check us out on social media. We're on Blue Sky and Twitter, at Multiverse Tom Threads, facebook and Instagram as well at Multiverse Knight. Ifreads Facebook and Instagram, as well at Multiverse Knight.
Speaker 1:If you've gotten some value out of the show and would like to pay it back, head on over to MultiverseKnightcom, where you'll find our Patreon and Ko-Fi links, check our show notes, visit our TeePublic store and so much more. Now, if this is your first time listening, thank you very much and welcome. Now go ahead and hit that subscribe button and share this with others. Now, thanks to Hot Dope for the intro music and Lola Loco for the outro theme music. Thanks for watching this edition of Multiverse Tonight. We'll be back in two weeks with more sci-fi and comic book news. Now, please exit the universe in an orderly fashion. Good night.
Speaker 1:Multiverse Tonight is a production of Pathway John Productions. Good night, so let's play one of my favorite songs. By the way, another nice thing about this man is he put all of his songs in the public domain. It says right here I, tom Lehrer, individually and as trustee of the Tom Lehrer Trust 2007, hereby grant the following permissions All copyrights to lyrics and lyrics music written or composed by me have been permanently and irrevocably relinquished and therefore such songs are now in the public domain. So head on over to tomlearsongscom and you'll find his whole work right there. But let me pay you.
Speaker 2:I'd like to take you now on wings of song, as it were, and try and help you forget, perhaps for a while, your drab, wretched lives. Here's a song all about springtime in general and in particular about one of the many delightful pastimes that the coming of spring affords us all. Spring affords us all. Spring is here, a-suffering is here, life is skittles and life is beer. I think the loveliest time of the year is the spring. I do, don't you? Of course you do.
Speaker 2:But there's one thing that makes spring complete for me and makes every Sunday a treat for me All the world seems in tune on a spring afternoon when we're poisoning pigeons in the park. Every Sunday you'll see my sweetheart and me as we poison the pigeons in the park. When they see us coming, the birdies all try and hide, but they still go for peanuts when coated with cyanide. The sun's shining bright, everything seems all right when we're poisoning pigeons in the park.
Speaker 2:We've gained notoriety and caused much anxiety in the Audubon society with our games. They call it impiety and lack of propriety and quite a variety of unpleasant names. But it's not against any religion to want to dispose of a pigeon. So if someday you're free, why don't you come with me and we'll poison the pigeons in the park. You come with me and we'll poison the pigeons in the park, and maybe we'll do in a squirrel or two. While we're poisoning, we'll murder them all amid laughter and merriment, except for the few we take home to experiment. My pulse will be quickening with each drop of stricken and we feed to a pigeon. It just takes a smidgen to poison a pigeon in the park.
Speaker 1:Thank you, tom Lehrer. Thank you for the music, good night.
