Wednesday – What Exactly Makes This Show SO GOOD?

Alexander Kjerulf on January 12, 2023

Is it the costumes? The visuals? Jenna Ortega? That dance scene? Christina Ricci?

Alex has never seen a single Addams Family movie or TV show episode. He doesn’t particularly like Tim Burton and he’s not a fan of high school drama. So why did he love Wednesday, Netflix’s new hit show? Let’s see if we can figure it out.

BTWs include Parks&Rec, Brooklyn 99 and Fred Armisen.

Taylor Swift – From “Just A Pop Star” To Revolutionizing The Music Industry

Alexander Kjerulf on December 15, 2022

Taylor Swift is more than just a pop star – she has changed the music industry in some really interesting ways.

Katie is not a real Swiftie but she is very enthusiastic about the savvy way Taylor Swift has controlled her career and media image.

BTWs include copyright law and who has the worst fanbase.

Kate Bush – Happy Witchy Feminine Musical Genius And Badass

Alexander Kjerulf on December 9, 2022

Kate Bush’s song Running Up That Hill made it to #1 in the UK, 37 years after it was released when they used it in Stranger Things.

Alex has been a fan of Kate Bush since the 80s and when a listener suggested we do an episode on her, he got to research her and find out just how awesome she is.

BTWs include drag queens vs. evil Disney queens.

The Amen Break – Why Is This 6- Second Dirty Drum Solo Used In 6,000 Other Songs?

Alexander Kjerulf on November 3, 2022

You may not have heard OFF The Amen Break – but you’ve definitely heard it. But how did this 6-second drum solo become the world’s most used sample and show up in 6,000 other songs – from Slipknot the Futurama theme.

Alex shares the fascinating history behind The Amen Break, how it was discovered, what makes it so good and why copying other people’s stuff in your art is a good thing, actually.

In the moment of meta Katie talks about 2 new mottos that she believes are essential to enthusiasm:

  • It’s OK to make mistakes
  • Don’t blame others – or yourself

BTWs include:

  • Famous B-side songs that became more popular than the A-side
  • The Danish band that ALMOST became a hit in black dance clubs
  • Paying artists for their work

Links

Koyaanisqatsi – The EPIC 80s Movie With No Actors, No Plot And No Dialogue

Alexander Kjerulf on September 29, 2022

Imagine a movie with no plot, no characters, no actors, no dialogue, no narration, no stunts, no CGI, no special effects and no sound – only super minimalist music. HOW is this movie not a complete boring train wreck?

In this episode, Alex shares his love for a groundbreaking 1980s movie that is utterly beautiful and fascinating and which has inspired so many other works including Madonna music videos, Zach Snyder’s Watchmen and the Grand Theft Auto video game.

BTWs include:

  • Death of the author
  • German expressionist cinema
  • Citizen Kane
  • How NOT to eat marmite

In the Moment Of Meta, Alex and Katie follow up on Katie’s previous challenge to “say yes” to new adventure and share what happened when they did.

Links

Tove Jansson – Moomin Trolls And Anti-Fascism

Alexander Kjerulf on September 8, 2022

The Moomin Trolls are nothing but cute, cuddly, innocent kids’ stories right? Wrong!

And the creator of the Moomins, Tove Jansson, was just a kids’ writer, right? WRONG! She was also a novelist, poet, painter and all-round badass and Alex shares 5 reasons why you should be enthusiastic about her,

BTWs include queer erasure, dancing and lesbian cottage core.

In the moment of meta Katie talks about saying “YES!” to new adventures.

Trixie Mattel – The World’s Hardest-working Drag Queen

Alexander Kjerulf on August 23, 2022

Of all the drag queens in all the world Katie loves Trixie Mattel the most and in this episode you’ll hear a ton of reasons why you should be enthusiastic about her too. This includes her insane work ethic, how funny she is and of course her long-standing partnership with Katia.

BTWs include:

  • Makeup
  • Lying to the media
  • Staying friends in showbiz
  • What Katie wants for her birthday

Moment Of Meta

In the moment of meta Alex gives some tips on how to be enthusiastic about your job. Yes – it’s possible!

Links

RRR: The Epic Indian Action Movie That Goes ALL-IN on EVERYTHING

Alexander Kjerulf on August 17, 2022

RRR (Rise, Roar and Revolt) is a brand-new Indian movie that has Katie VERY enthusiastic because of the insane action, the crazy high energy and the men’s fashions. Just don’t talk to her about whatever it is the women are wearing!

It is a HUGE blockbuster in India and worldwide and you can see it on Netflix right now – but first listen to this episode to hear exactly how awesome it is.

BTWs include:

  • What is Tollywood and why is it different from Bollywood
  • Why you should watch RRR with British people

Moment Of Meta

In the Moment Of Meta we talk about an ad that enraged Alex and how to use hobbies as a source of enthusiasm.

Links

Bees – Fuzzy, cute and essential for our survival

Alexander Kjerulf on July 14, 2022

Bees? Yes, bees! They’re cute, they give us honey and without them we wouldn’t have food. And as all of our listeners probably know by now… WE LIKE FOOD!

Learn how bees communicate through dance and pheromones and how they’ve evolved into the perfect pollinators for all of the plants we rely on.

In the Moment Of Meta, we review the 9 enthusiandments we’ve proposed so far:

  1. Don’t yuck someone else’s yum!
  2. Any topic can be fascinating when presented with enthusiasm.
  3. Make sure to share your enthusiasms enthusiastically (you are not too much).
  4. Thou shalt not fake enthusiasm!
  5. You don’t have to participate in something to be enthusiastic about it.
  6. It’s OK to be enthusiastic about something that is flawed.
  7. Be enthusiastic about people. Always tell your friends what you like about them.
  8. You don’t have to be an expert in something to be enthusiastic about it (but researching a thing can deepen your enthusiasm for it).
  9. Seek out adjacent enthusiasms.

Do you have a suggestion for number 10? Tell us all about it in a comment.

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