podcast news

This week Blank Check starts a new mini series reviewing the filmography of director James L. Brooks. And joining Griffin and David on today’s episode is Valorie Curry (The Tick) to discuss the 1983 Academy Award winning debut drama, Terms of Endearment. But what 2 movies made over 100 million dollars that year? How has John Lithgow aged? Is it true that when little boys are impatient they don’t get dessert? Together they examine the career’s of Debra Winger and Shirley MacLaine, the invention of the bum astronaut character, the name Flap and Brooks’ background in television. Plus, reports from the Burger Report™ hotline (802-8-BURGER). This episode is sponsored by Hims ( forhims.com/check ) and Casper ( casper.com/check PROMO: CHECK).

Katey Rich (Vanity Fair) returns to discuss 1987’s dramedy masterpiece, Broadcast News. But what journalist and news producer helped inspire and advise Brooks? What actress was originally the female lead but backed out last minute? Who is Charlie? Together they examine the careers of Holly Hunter, Albert Brooks and William Hurt, the amazing screenwriting and more! This episode is sponsored by WeTransfer.com and Casper ( casper.com/check PROMO: CHECK)

Writer and friend of the show Esther Zuckerman joins Griffin and David to discuss 1994’s I'll Do Anything. But was this film originally developed and shot as a musical only to be reedited into a mostly non-musical? Were prolific musicians Prince, Sinéad O'Connor and Carole King brought on to write the songs for this movie? Did Nick Nolte really win People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1992? Together they examine the inside baseball dealings of Hollywood, the bad 90’s fashion, honest curses and comedic frontal nudity. This episode is sponsored by Dollar Shave Club ( dollarshaveclub.com/check ), Beach Body On Demand (Text CHECK to 303030) and Light Stream ( lightstream.com/blank )

James L. Brooks had originally shot I’ll Do Anything as a musical. But in the test screening it was so disastrous the studio insisted he cut all the musical sequences out and reshoot new scenes to fill it in. Having reviewed that theatrical cut, Griffin and David revisit this film with returning guest Esther Zuckerman and discuss the lost, coveted musical cut of I’ll Do Anything in a special bonus episode. But what would the child of Albert Brooks and Julie Kavner sound like? Why does Griffin insist on singing the horrid song “You Are The Best?” Is this episode haunted? Together they go through all the musical numbers and try to decide if this version of the movie makes it any less worse.

Chris Gethard (the Chris Gethard Show on TruTV, Beautiful/Anonymous podcast) joins Griffin and David to discuss 1997’s OCD dramedy, As Good as It Gets. But is the dog the fourth lead of this film? Should the term ‘residuals’ be changed to ‘Ratzenbergers?’ Could a painter really afford to live in downtown Manhattan in the late 1990s? Together they examine the “but I like her” genre of movies, the careers of Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr., Nien Nunb and more! This episode is sponsored by ZipRecruiter ( ZipRecruiter.com/BLANK ), Hims ( forhims.com/BLANK ) and eHarmony (PROMO: CHECK).

Richard Lawson (author of All We Can Do Is Wait) returns to discuss 2004’s Spanglish. But is this movie really about James L. Brooks attempting to justify why he wants to sleep with his maid? Is it believable a character has never seen a man cry? Is this film available on blu-ray and will it’s value increase over time like bitcoins? Together they examine Adam Sandler’s career, Téa Leoni’s VERY big performance, using monologues from Spanglish for auditioning and birthdays at a themed restaurant called Mars 2112. This episode is sponsored by Brooklinen (PROMO: CHECK) and WeTransfer. Music selection: “As I Figure” by Kevin MacLeod ( incompetech.com ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

In the final episode of our mini series devoted to the filmography of James L. Brooks, Griffin and David discuss the disastrous 2010 film How Do You Know. But why would Brooks at this moment in history sympathize with the business executives being held accountable for their corporate malfeasance? What does it mean when referring to a scene as a steam room? And also how do you know? Together they examine the careers of Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson, the Australian word for ‘grogan,’ and the 120 million dollar budget. This episode is sponsored by WeTransfer and Light Stream (lightstream.com/blank). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s pretty hard being the governor of an unnamed state when you’re a 34-year-old woman with a husband who’s the heir to a local pizza empire and you’ve got a brother who has agoraphobia and your sleazy dad keeps leaving you weird voicemails and Julie Kavner is narrating your entire life story! Wooo, that was a lot. James L. Brooks’ Ella McCay is A LOT. Richard Lawson joins us to chat about this very strange movie that feels like a real outlier at contemporary multiplexes. If anything, Ella McCay is a refreshing throwback. Kind of. Minus a few glaring, mind-boggling missteps. Anyway, join us for a fun conversation about this latest Brooksian offering, and stick around for a very exciting announcement about the expansion of Blank Check Productions! Subscribe to Richard’s newsletter Premier ...