The Worst of All Possible Worlds

Tom O’Mahony (Lions Led by Donkeys, Beneath the Skin, Bloodwork) joins the lads in Odyssey for further adventures in tower construction, child death dreams, and what happens when an honest to God ANGEL comes to town. Topics include the myth of the Tower of Babel, the brain soup of Phil Lollar, and what it means to believe that incredibly attractive men in very expensive suits are constantly watching your every move. Tom O’Mahony: Bluesky // Instagram BLOOD WORK: A podcast about the economy of violence. Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Patreon // Bluesky // Instagram Beneath the Skin: A podcast chronicling the interconnected history of the world through the complicated history of tattooing. Hosted by Art History professor, museum curator, and tattoo historian Dr. Matt Lodder, and podcast producer, and tattoo collector Thomas O’Mahony. The show is trying to tell the history of tattooing as it interweaves with politics, society, and the weirdest corners of the world. So why don’t you join us, and take a journey beneath the skin. Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Patreon // Bluesky // Instagram Lions Led By Donkeys: A military history podcast for laughing at the worst military failures, inept commanders, and crazy stories from throughout the history of human conflict. Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Patreon // Bluesky // Instagram Media Referenced in this Episode: Adventures in Odyssey #416 - “The Tower” #144 - “Someone to Watch Over Me” #406-408 - “Malachi’s Message, Parts 1-3” TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Three Guys, A Bear, and A Burger Place” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. Brian Alford as “Alistair Adelman”, A.J. Ditty as “Melvin/Estragon/Phoebear”, and Josh Boerman as “Timmy ‘Taxman’ Thompson”

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads return to the New Year just in time for the end of the world as they kick off their annual Rapture Ranuary with a follow up to one of the most influential Christian films of all time: A Thief in the Night: A Distant Thunder. Topics include the origins of premillennial dispensationalism, the trustworthiness of mustaches, and what it means to be shaped by a world view where you live in constant fear of the U.N. beheading you with a guillotine. Media Referenced in this Episode: A Distant Thunder. Dir. Donald W. Thompson. 1978. Evangelical Millenialism in the trans-Atlantic world 1500-2000 by Crawford Gribben Judgement Day by Joshua Hill Foster Mine Eyes have Seen the Glory by Randall Ballmer Raptured by Ernest Angley That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsay Titan, Son of Saturn: The Coming World Emperor: A Story of the Other Christ by Joseph Birkbeck Burroughs Writing the Rapture by Crawford Gribben ReligionfForBreakfast: the origins of the rapture ReligionForBreakfast: Who are the 144,000 in the book of Revelation The Bart Ehrman Blog: The Community Behind the Gospel of John   TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Slasher Jesus” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. A.J. Ditty as “Announcer/Jesus/Big Al”, David Armstrong as “Flurk/Mayor”, and Eleanor Philips as “Timmy/Reporter” // Music: “Something’s Not Right” by Lucas Quinn Creations

Time to reach once more into the ol' Cool Vaultaire. If you still can’t get enough Chess, check out our BRAND NEW BOBUS (with Jake!) about the new Broadway revival on our Patreon here. Jake Beckhard (Blue Balls NYCFC) challenges the lads to the match of the century as they try to outmaneuver the bopping songs and confounding political intrigue of the infamous Tim Rice/Benny Andersson/Björn Ulvaeus flop musical: Chess. Topics include the many different versions of the show, the innate appeal of a broken musical, and the ever increasing eccentricities of one Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the rest of this episode, our full back catalogue of premium and bonus episodes, and add your name to the masthead of our website by subscribing for $5/month at Patreon.com/worstofall! Jake Beckhard Website: jake-beck.com Bluesky: @jakebeckhard.bsky.social Instagram: @jakebeckhard Blue Balls NYCFC: You’ve got Blue Balls! How lucky for you. Check in every week for rapturous pod talk on all things NYCFC. With NYC Hosts Jake Beckhard and Trey Fillmore. Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Podomatic Media Referenced in this Episode: Get Onto My Cloud: The Tim Rice Podcast: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Google Podcasts “Chess Seeks to Shed Its Checkered Past” by Stephen Holden, NYTimes Chess (1986 London Concept Cast): Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon Chess In Concert (2008): AppleTV / YouTube / Letterboxd TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: brendan-dalton.com / brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Caleb (BirdRespecter), co-host of Kill The Computer and commentator on online subcultures, walks through the Richard “Beebo” Russell / Sky King story. He discusses Russell’s background, the Sea-Tac theft and crash, radio/audio moments, and how forums transformed the event into myth. Conversation covers online radicalization, white nationalist appropriation, and the tension between real grief and internet idolization.

It is time once again for our cherished annual tradition: taking calls from listeners and guests, then stitching them together with your favorite moments from the year. (Plus, very special messages from A.J., Brian, and Josh starting at the 1:51:02 mark.) Thanks to everyone who called in, and hold on for 2026. We will find a way.

MERCHANDISE NOW ON SALE THROUGH 12/31 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE THROUGH 12/31 The lads grab their tiny red scarves and head for Fozziwig’s Rubber Chicken Factory as they cover Brian Henson’s 1992 holiday classic: The Muppet Christmas Carol. Topics include the arch prose of Dickens, the cutting of “When Love is Gone”, and what it means to create a staple of the holiday season that involves Michael Caine throwing a wreath at a tiny puppet.   Media Referenced in this Episode: The Muppet Christmas Carol. Dir. Brian Henson. 1992. “Michael Caine Loves The Muppet Christmas Carol as Much as You Do” by Laruen Larson. GQ. December 15th, 2016. “Brian Henson on What Makes ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’ So Special and His Father’s legacy” by Alyssa Fikse. Uproxx. December 23rd, 2015. “How we made: The Muppet Christmas Carol” by Ben Beaumont-Thomas. The Guardian. December 21st, 2015.   TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com   Interstitial: “A Letter from Charles Dickens to His Son, Edward ‘Plorn’ Dickens, on the Day of His Departure to Australia, September 26th, 1868" // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. Brian Alford as “Charles Dickens” // Additional Text by Charles Dickens in a Letter to his son, Plorn

MERCHANDISE NOW ON SALE THROUGH 12/31 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE THROUGH 12/31 Jacob and Lenore of Workers’ Lit join the lads down under for some ghost busting and coffin surfing as they cover Hideo Kojima’s 2025 delivery simulator: Death Stranding 2. Topics include the unmatchable gameplay loop, the polarity of Dollman, and the horrors lurking under the surface of a game where evil is defeated through the power of dance. BUY JACOB’S BOOK HERE Workers’ Lit: A podcast about books and the news with Lenore, Aysha, Jen, and Jacob. Books/Culture episodes on Mondays! News/Politics episodes on Wednesdays! Read good books, tell bad jokes, and fight for a better future! Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Youtube // Bluesky Media Referenced in the Episode: Death Stranding 2. Kojima Productions. 2025. TWOAPW #104: Death Stranding (feat. Drew Toothpaste) Ladscast 13: Somehow, More Death Stranding Workers’ Lit: “On The Beach, ft. Brian Alford” Hideo Kojima presents Brain Structure #15 Hideo Kojima x TGA Special: DEATH STRANDING [ENGLISH] “Hideo Kojima on ‘Death Stranding 2,’ the Sequel’s Big Changes and Improvements Post-Pandemic, and How He Hoped to Cast David Lynch in a Game” by Nick Newman. Indiewire. August 7th, 2025. “Hideo Kojima on How His Illness Affected ‘Death Stranding 2,’ Developing A24 Film Adaptation and Why His Collaboration With GU Is About More Than Fashion” by Jennifer Maas. Variety. June 19th, 2025. “Hideo Kojima Says Death Stranding’s Now Had Over 20 Million Players and The Fact Folk Are Still Playing ‘Makes Me the Happiest’” by Rich Stanton. PC Gamer. April 2025. https://liberationnews.org/child-labor-in-alabamas-hyundai-supply-plants/ TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “A Message from Tobogganman, Prime Minister of the Canadian Autonomous Network of Underground Cities” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. David Armstrong as “Tobogganman”

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall MERCHANDISE NOW ON SALE THROUGH 12/31 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE THROUGH 12/31 Scott Benson and Bethany Hockenberry (Night in the Woods) join the lads aboard the Demeter and double back to Transylvania as they cover Francis Ford Coppola’s vampiric 1992 fever dream: Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Topics include the gorgeous aesthetics, the terrors of Gary Oldman, and what it means to create a movie that can only be described as CINNNEEEMMMMAAAA!!!! Scott Benson: Bluesky // Instagram Bethany Hockenberry: Bluesky // Instagram Night in the Woods Night in the Woods Merch Media Referenced in this Episode: Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. 1992. Bram Stoker's Dracula (published 1897) Bram Stoker's Dracula. Williams. Designer Barry Oursler. 1993 TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: “Tom Waits” // Written and Performed by A.J. Ditty // Music: “Grapefruit Moon” by Tom Waits.

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall On this episode of Fancy Movie Time with Brian and A.J., the Fancy Lads unplug their phones and have a good cry as they cover James L. Brooks' 1987 ode to the joys of work: Broadcast News. Does the electric chemistry of the three leads make this movie a Fancy Feast? Or does its overlong runtime make it a Failure to Fancy? One thing's for sure: that Gracie Films' tune sure is catchy.   Next episode: Ordet (1955).

MERCHANDISE NOW ON SALE THROUGH 12/31 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE THROUGH 12/31   Tom Stoppard, the acclaimed, prolific playwright behind Arcadia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Rock 'n' Roll and so many other plays, along with the screenplays to Shakespeare in Love, Brazil, and Anna Karenina, has died. He leaves behind a staggering, inspiring, often frustrating body of work that will continue to be seen long after we are gone. We are joined today by Abigail Thorn (The Acolyte, House of the Dragon) to look at the corners of his oeuvre that have spoken to us over the years, and discuss what we can learn from him going forward.   Abigail Thorn: Bluesky // Instagram The Prince: A transformative new play that has everything: sword fighting, lesbianism, Hamlet, and disappointed parents. Available on Nebula.   Philosophy Tube: Giving away philosophy degrees for free! Youtube // Nebula // Patreon   Kill James Bond! is a comedy film review/ pop culture commentary podcast about the portrayal of masculinity in cinema. November Kelly, Abigail Thorn, and Devon have watched Bond movies, War on Terror movies, Eurospy movies, and now they take on their biggest task yet: Heist Movies. What can Heat, Oceans’ 11, and the Fast and Furious movies teach us about how masculinity was imagined by the people who created them? What does that say about Society? Free episodes are released every fortnight on all major podcast platforms and bonus episodes are released for supporters on Patreon on the interstitial weeks. Website / Twitter / Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcast