Episodes
On the latest Jagbags we talk the comedy genius of the great Richard Pryor -- a true American original whose comedy sounds as fresh and (sadly) timeless as ever. We talk his comedy albums, his appearances on SNL, the short-lived but incredible "Richard Pryor Show", and movies such as "Silver Streak", "Lady Sings The Blues", and "Richard Pryor: Live In Concert", arguably the greatest stand-up film of all time. Tune in for interesting discussion.
Published 11/20/24
On this darkest of American times, we fearlessly bring you a recap episode for you to hopefully enjoy. Len continues to fall behind in his issues of the New Yorker. The Kansas City Chiefs continue their winning ways. The Browns inquire about just quitting at 2-7. The Chicago Bears take it on the chin from the Cardinals. The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to stay unbeaten and lay the wood to the Golden State Warriors. Plus "I Recommend", Len is forced to listen to yet another jazz LP, Hugh...
Published 11/15/24
We talk the growing popularity of the 1997 sci-fi classic "Starship Troopers", starring Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Clancy Brown, Neil Patrick Harris and the great Michael Ironside. Directed by Paul Verhoeven. We talk through the plot, initial critical reaction, and box office performance. We then rate our favorite and least favorite performances, and talk about whether the satire landed or not. What explains its enduring popularity, more than 25 years later? Tune in for cult movie...
Published 11/13/24
We have a great recap episode in store for you! The Bears and Browns both lose while the Chiefs stay as the last unbeaten team in football. The Cavs stay as the last unbeaten team in basketball. Plus "I Recommend", Robert Christgau's A+ albums, Beave's 2024 album review, and undiscovered Top 40 hits! TUNE IN!!
Published 11/08/24
We are talking the music of Beck on the latest episode of Jagbags! We talk our favorite albums, and we each go through our 45-minute playlists as well. It's hard to believe he has been around for almost 30 years. Enjoy!
Published 11/06/24
It's a jam-packed recap episode where Beave reluctantly grills Len on his progress in keeping up with his New Yorker subscription (while Jennifer Beals waits in suspense). The Cavs are off to a white-hot start to the new NBA season. Bears lose a heartbreaker in DC on a Hail Mary. Indiana Fever fire their head coach, and the Yankees go down in the World Series, to America's delight. Plus, "I Recommend", Beave reviews the best jazz album of 2024 while Len naps, Recently Discovered Top 40...
Published 11/02/24
Beave and Len discuss the greatest debut albums ever made, and provide their own favorite Top Ten. From the Cars to Pearl Jam to Hendrix to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and N.W.A., we cover all genres and talk the music acts that absolutely roared out of the gate with an all-time classic! Tune in for ultimate debut record discussion and some tremendous jams!
Published 10/30/24
Beave laments the fallen Guardians but shares his night at the wild Game 3 -- the best baseball game he has ever attended. Plus the WNBA has a new champion in the New York Liberty and Len shows off his new Sloot swag. Beave innocently asks how reading The New Yorker is going, and Len explodes. Plus "I Recommend", Beave's review of the new Ministry album, the Beach Boys' "Wild Honey" -- how good is that LP? And secret Top 40 hits featuring Oleta Adams and the Addrisi Brothers (who?) TUNE IN!
Published 10/25/24
Friend of the Pod Morgan Gire returns to the pod to talk the movies of the great director Robert Zemeckis, who is known best for Back To The Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Forrest Gump, and many more. What are the hallmarks of a Zemeckis movie? We also talk about other great movies that people may not know he directed. What performances in Zemeckis movies are your favorite? What is his most overrated movie? And are you excited for "Here"? We talk all Zemeckis, plus a little movie I...
Published 10/23/24
In the latest recap episode, Beave and Len talk the pulse-pounding WNBA Finals between New York and Minnesota. Has there ever been a better one? Plus Len celebrates the suddenly powerful Chicago Bears as they steamroll the Jaguars in London. Yankees go up 2-0 on the Guardians, while Beave frets helplessly. Beave recommends "Monsters: The Menendez Brothers" on Netflix. Len tries to catch up on all the New Yorker articles. Beave and Len review Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible", which received an...
Published 10/18/24
With the NBA season due to kick off soon, Beave and Len don their expert hats and pick the playoff teams, conference winners, and eventual NBA champions. They also debate who could win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year. What team will surprise and which team is about to let its fans down hard? Plus we do deep dives on the Bulls and Cavs. Will the return of Lonzo Ball make a difference for Chicago? Is the addition of Josh Giddey a plus or minus? We answer all...
Published 10/15/24
Yet another recap episode where cookies stand front and center! Beave makes more shameful cookie consumption confessions.
Len introduces Beave to MeTV Mall, whereupon Beave promptly disappears for the next two days. Guardians battle the Tigers in the ALDS playoffs, and Beave has the Game 1 attendance report. The WNBA Finals loom, and Len makes his picks for the eventual league champs. Bears look great in sending Red Rifle crying to Len's backyard. Plus new season of Only Murders in the...
Published 10/11/24
We're talking Mel Brooks movies on the newest Jagbags! Which movie is your favorite? What movies would you put in his all-time Top Five? Has he ever made a bad movie? (He has.) Where do you stand on Spaceballs? Or High Anxiety? Who gave the greatest comic performance in a Mel Brooks movie? We take on all these questions FEARLESSLY. Tune in for ultimate comedy discussion! SEDAGIVE?!??
Published 10/08/24
Beave and Len preview the MLB playoffs opening by predicting winners of all the wildcard matchups. Beave has a horrific Javy Baez/Kyle Schwarber 2016 World Series flashback. They also talk the Bears and Chiefs' win and the Browns' awful loss to the Raiders. Len roots for the Minnesota Lynx to make the WNBA Finals. Beave tries to guess the #1 seeds in Len's Facebook cookie brand bracket, which leads to an incredibly in-depth discussion of kinds of cookies, Beave's alarming cookie-eating...
Published 10/05/24
We're talking Matthew McConaughey movies on the latest Jagbags! Which performance is his greatest? OK, David Wooderson doesn't exist -- which performance is his greatest? We also talk his book "Greenlights", which has sold six million copies. We talk his Oscar-winning turn in "Dallas Buyers Club", his stunning performance in "True Detective", and much more! Tune in for insightful, expert McConaughey discussion!
Published 10/02/24
On the latest recap episode, Len completes his Favorite 500 Albums review by going five through one. Tune in to see what LP grabs the coveted top spot! Plus NFL (Red Rifle Returns With a Venegeance), MLB (GUARDIANS FEVER), and WNBA playoffs. Beave reviews the new Fontaines DC album, "The Gentlemen" on Netflix and the Pillow Queens concert in Cleveland. Len talks through "little known" Top 40 hits, and reviews the B-52's installment from the movie "The Flintstones". Tune in!
Published 09/28/24
RATINGS GOLD guest Amy Seeley comes back and this time the subject is the New Wave legends the Cars, led by Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr. Beave and Len discover they've been pronouncing "Ocasek" incorrectly all this time. Amy talks about her teenage love of the Cars, and has some outstanding stories as well. We go through our favorite albums, put together a tight 45-minute playlist, and discuss the secret of their appeal. And is the Cars' debut album one of the greatest of all time? ...
Published 09/26/24
In the newest recap episode, Beave cautiously celebrates the Guardians' drive to the playoffs, Len lauds Ian Happ's excellent season, and the Sox make a final push for infamy. Plus the Bears fall to Houston, KC wins a tight one over Cincy, and the Browns escape Jacksonville. Beave and Len lament the end of the Chicago Sky's season. Beave struggles with "Einstein", by Walter Issacson. And LEN'S FAVORITE 500 ALBUMS COMES TO A CLOSE! We talk the near misses, then jam out with a little band...
Published 09/21/24
Friend of the podcast Chris Marcum joins Jagbags for a CONTENTIOUS discussion of the current state of the WNBA, reasons for its explosion in popularity, and the influx of rookies making an impact on the league. Chris shares his experience of traveling to Indianapolis for a Fever game. We argue Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese vociferously! Who will win the WNBA championship this year? What team could surprise? And what should the league do to maintain and grow its positive momentum? Tune...
Published 09/17/24
Len and Beave do another SPEED RECAP for you. Len is on the cusp of entering the Top Ten of his all-time favorite albums. They go through five more albums, which leads to discussion of the dean of American music critic Robert Christgau's word choices of "fatuous" and "middling". The NFL season kicks off with a Bears and Chiefs win and a terrible Browns loss. MLB winds down as the Guardians sweep the Sox (who have lost 27 of their last 28 home games). Len watches Kyle Hendricks in...
Published 09/14/24
NFL Expert Matt Beyer rejoins the podcast to talk through the 2024 NFL season, with particular attention paid to the Browns, Bears and the defending champion Chiefs. Can the Ravens or 49ers break through? Who will be the surprise team of the season? Who will win MVP? Why do the guys make so many Aaron Rodgers/Egypt jokes? And when will Carolina quit messing around and turn over the keys to future Hall of Famer Red Rifle? TUNE IN FOR FOOTBALL EXPERTISE!
Published 09/10/24
Recap action is back and we have sports, music and TV favorites for you! Beave recommends "Dark Winds", available on Netflix. Len recommends "Hum", the new novle by Helen Phillips. Guardians continue to get pushed to the brink, then fight back. Cubs make a bid for the postseason. Sox make a bid for the wrong kind of baseball immortality. The Chicago Sky endure a losing streak at the worst possible time. Beave reviews the new Pearl Jam LP. And Len's Favorite 500 continues the...
Published 09/06/24
On the newest Jagbags, Beave and Len go deep into the music of Pink Floyd as the newest Facebook bracket kicks off. Beave correctly guesses all top seeds and then collapses from joy. They talk the tragic tale of band founder Syd Barrett, and how Floyd progressed from his departure to the triumph of "Dark Side of the Moon", one of the best selling albums in music history. They go through their five favorite Floyd albums and then their 45-minute playlists (which you can access on Spotify). ...
Published 09/03/24
Although the latest recap episode features MLB, WNBA recaps, plus "I Recommend", Beave's New Album Review, and Len's Favorite 500 Albums, we spend the majority of time arguing The Boys, and ranking the main characters in show from worst to first. Which characters are strongest? The weakest? Who is the moral center? Who has the most interesting arc? And which character is your favorite and least favorite? We talk them all in the latest recap. TUNE IN!
Published 08/30/24