Jeff Has Cool Friends: Recent Episodes
Jeff May
Jeff May has cool friends and he wants you to meet them! Join the comedian/host as he and one or more of his cool friends talk about what makes them so cool.
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. This month, Dre and Jeff finish their season on Toy Reboots with special guest David Igo (Sideshow and Tweeterhead's Masters of the Universe lines, Monstors, Kaiju Doom) as they dive into the universally beloved Masters of the Universe 200X line, including how the 200X designs have influenced the modern MOTU collectible world. There's a lot to unpack about this for-the-new-millenium toy series, so let's have have some nice anime hair, don our ice/samurai/wolf armor, and extend our lives at the expense of our joints with our final toy line reboot! And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) and Jeff (@heytherejeffro) and Dave (@DavidIgoStuff/@IgoStuff), check out the Monstors and Kaiju Doom, and have a nerdy day!
My Cool Friend, David Silverman, is one of the most significant contributors to the world of modern animation you could imagine. His history with The Simpsons is obviously what people first think about, as he's one of the architects of the style and direction of the show, starting in the Tracy Ulman days in 1987, directing the Movie in 2007, and still being a member of the crew to this day. But did you know his history with a popular 80's animation meme? His involvement in a classic live-action 80's flick? How about the HUGE Pixar movie he co-directed? His appearance in the MCU? Well, we talk about it, PLUS we answer some of your Simpsons questions, and MUCH MORE!
It's not every day I get to talk with a legend, so please enjoy this one, follow David on IG (@silverootie) and head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for early access to uncensored episodes AND exclusive bonus content recorded just for Patron
OK, so this Cool Friend, the hilarious Jono Zalay, is one of the first people I ever met in comedy. Like, I met him BEFORE I was ever a comic. On the night he became a LITERAL BRAIN SCIENTIST, no less! Crazy! We have since moved to different places, and ended up back in LA, where I see him nearly every Sunday when we play comedy softball! Jono has had an incredibly wild ride, and along the way has had quite a few feathers stuck in his cap, such as being a Comedy Central Comic to Watch, having his show become a part of the Netflix is a Joke Fest, and winding up on the Late Late Show! Plus a ton of other things that are super cool and amazing!
I'm so stoked to bring Jono to your lives, so enjoy, go follow him on the socials (@JonoZalay) and head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for early access to uncensored episodes with bonus content, plus Patreon exclusive content we recorded JUST FOR PATRONS!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. This month, Dre and Jeff continue their season on Toy Reboots with special guest Ken Napzok (Author, "Why We Love Star Wars, Host, ForceCenter) as they dive into the SECOND Star Wars Power of the Force line, rebooting Kenner's 10-year dormant Star Wars line! There's a lot to unpack about this aggressively 90's toy series, so let's have Luke hit the gym, mangle Leia's face for some reason, and make sure we collect EVERY variation of EVERY character with our second toy line reboot! And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) and Jeff (@heytherejeffro) and Ken (@KenNapzok), and give Ken's youtube channels a watch (https://www.youtube.com/@KenNapzok and https://www.youtube.com/@sportscardasmr )and have a nerdy day!
Holy hell, my latest Cool Friend, Rocom is like, the absolute coolest and best. You might know him from his amazing art and ridiculously popular indie toy line Mighty Maniax, which may have a VERY specific connection to a recent Cool Friend! Also, independent of that. his current kickstarter features a pin by one of my other Cool Friends! I'm serious when I say that Rocom and I are like, Forrest Gumping our way through each other's lives in the coolest ways possible. This is such a rad and fun episode, and it legitimately could've been 4 hours long. So do me a favor and enjoy this episode, go follow @Rocom on the socials, and check out the Mighty Maniax Kickstarter campaign if you like kick-ass toys right here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rocom/mighty-maniax-dark-earth and head over to patreon.com/jeffmay to enjoy the exclusive content we recorded JUST FOR PATRONS!
My Cool Friend Ken Napzok is the COOLEST! He and I used to be next-door neighbors that love all the same stuff! Now we live slightly further away while loving the same stuff! You might know Ken from the innumberable amount of nerdy things he's been a part of, like ScreenJunkies, ForceCenter, and like, a skrillion other things. He even wrote a book called Why We Love Star Wars, and it's amazing!
We talk about so much cool stuff, that it's really hard to quantify in just this paragraph, so just trust me that Ken is amazing and you're going to love this episode. So listen, enjoy, follow Ken on the socials (@KenNapzok everywhere, including YouTube!) and head on over to patreon.com/jeffmay to enjoy our Patreon-exclusive content JUST FOR PATRONS!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. This month, Dre and Jeff begin their season on Toy Reboots with special guest Adam Tod Brown as they dive into GI Joe, A Real American Hero, the line rebooting Hasbro's 12" action figure (definitely not a doll) lasting from 1982-1994! There's a lot to unpack about this seminal 80's toy line, so let's fight for freedom wherever there's trouble, never give up, and stay 'til the fight's won as we dive deep into GI Joe, A Real American Hero with our first toy line reboot! And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) and Jeff (@heytherejeffro) and Adam (@AdamTodBrown), and give Adam's podcasts a listen on the You Don't Even Like Podcasts Network and have a nerdy day!
My latest cool friend, TV and comic writer Tom Krajewski, is one of my oldest friends in Los Angeles, and one of the most impressive dudes I know. Among his countless achievements, we find Primer, the absolute DC comics PHENOMENON that is one of the fastest, highest selling books since it's inception a few years ago (co-created with Jennifer Muro, see JHCF episode 23). Well guess what? They are releasing Primer as individual issues, have a sequel coming, and WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE? We talk about it, sure, but we also talk about writing BATMAN COMICS, his various TV shows, Ninja Turtles, the music video he's in with PINK and so much more! We're just bros being bros.
So please enjoy, go gollow Tom on social media (IG: @krajewski_tom, Twitter @TomKrajewski) watch his shows, and find out what super secret project he's working on that'll crossover with a certain other podcast I co-host, and head on over to patreon.com/jeffmay to enjoy the Patreon-exclusive content we recorded JUST FOR PATRONS!
My Cool Friend Dan Bakkedahl has one hell of a resume under his belt. From movies like The Heat, Trumbo, and Action Point to television shows like The Daily Show, Legit, and Veep, Dan has proven himself to be filled to the brim with talent and charm. What you might NOT know, however, is that Dan is one of my best pinball buddies. Don't worry, we let you know ALL about it pretty quickly. On top of that, Mr. Johnson's Time Machine (his incredible new podcast with Joe Canale) is an absolute delight.
I'd tell you to follow Dan on social media, but he deleted them all. I've never been more jealous of a guest in my life. So enjoy this episode, and head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for exclusive content we recorded JUST FOR PATRONS!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. This month, Dre and Jeff finish their season on Unfortunate Video Game Adaptations with the most unfortunate mainstream video game adaptation of all-time: 1994's Double Dragon! There's a lot to unpack about this absoulte violation of a film, so let's bleach our flaptops, engage in some questionable martial arts, and reunite our cheap plastic medallion as we dive deep into Double Dragon with our final unfortunate video game movie! And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) and Jeff (@heytherejeffro), have a nerdy day, and head on over to patreon.com/jeffmay for exclusives, early access to uncensored episodes, and so much more!
Oh boy is my latest Cool Friend a doozy! Honestly, I'm not sure how I even managed to snag Rey Taira for this long, as he was supposed to be getting ready for TF Con (Transformers) as his company, threezero, is going to have a HUGE presence there. But hey, I'm not complaining. Rey is one of the coolest, kindest, nerdiest nerds I know, and I'm so stoked to just geek out with him for a while. Wait until you hear about all the stuff that, not only his company produces, but that he himself does. It's so rad. And like, he's a PRESIDENT. HE PRESIDES OVER STUFF!
I could go on forever about Rey, but I think it's best if you just listen, follow him @ultramanrei and threezero @threezerohk, and head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay to enjoy our specially recorded bonus content JUST FOR PATRONS!
My Cool Friend this episode is the amazing Jon Jabs of one of my favorite Youtube channels, The Past Is Alive. When I was researching card breakers a few years back in order to check out how it's done right, I stumbled onto his fascinating channel and it was just everything I could have hoped for. Jon is fun, knowledgeable, interactive, and charming as heck at every turn, and he's cultivated a fantastic and supportive community in the TPIA family. I quickly became a huge fan of his work, as his entire vibe is about the fun and friendship of the hobby. And hey, it's not every day there are TWO giant bearded dudes who colect toys and open cards on camera on the show, so let's soak this one up.
So please enjoy the episode, and I can't stress enough how much you need to check out Jon's Youtube Channel and Facebook community. Heck, you'll probably even see me in the Live Chats half the time. And head on over to my Patreon for early access to uncensored episodes AND exclusive content we record JUST FOR PATRONS!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. This month, Dre and Jeff are joined by John and Tom Reimann of the Screamplay podcast as they continue their season on Unfortunate Video Game Adaptations with 2005's Doom! There's a lot to unpack about this absoulte whiff of a film, so let's inject some space chromosomes, chainsaw a mutant dog-man's robo-spine, and look down a microscope instead of a sniper scope, as we dive deep into Doom, creeping deeper into 2024 with another unfortunate video game movie!And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) Jeff (@heytherejeffro) John (@johnnyrimes) and Tom (startthemachine) on the socials, go listen to Screamplay (and all the other great podcasts) on the Gamefully Unemployed network, and have a nerdy day!
My latest Cool Friend is one of those friends that, when I met him for the first time, I kinda quietly geeked out. I grew up marveling at his images in secondhand Cracked magazines I got from my mom’s friend Cathy, and admiring his work from there on out at various points in my life. Bob is a master cartoonist, having credits all over the pop culture universe. From Cracked and MAD, to Marvel and DC, to TMNT and Heavy Metal, to his cult comic series Minimum Wage, I can’t imagine you HAVEN’T seen Bob’s work.And now he’s got “That’s Some Business You’re In,” an over-40-year retrospective of his art career (forwarded by the amazing Bill Sinkiewicz) that will have a compilation and notes on work spanning all the way back to his childhood, and which is currently being crowd-sourced at https://zoop.gg/c/bobfingermanWhen I noticed he had just started that campaign, I was about to beg to have him on the show to promote it. Turns out I just had to ask nicely. So here it is! Please enjoy my conversation with Bob, follow him on the socials @BobFingerman, and please, if you can, check out the landing page for That’s Some Business You’re In’s crowdfunding campaign, because I think a whole bunch of you are REALLY gonna want to see this. And while you’re at it, head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay and enjoy some Patreon-exclusive content we recorded JUST FOR YOU!
My latest Cool Friend is the immensely talented comedian/host/rabblerouser Bailey Norton. Bailey is not only a masterful comic (I mean, she’s done Mint on Card several times and co-hosts the amazing Femmes the Rules live show) and fantastic podcast host (Hot Topic with Pickle and Bailey is a delight!), but she’s often found going viral across social media with her delightful traps laid out for toxic masculinity. Her bits have become so legendary, that she’s even partnered up with Reductress to make a sweatshirt using one of her most famous (and divisive) jokes (which you can find right here. This is a wonderfully fun and honest conversation with one of the most wonderfully fun and honest people I know, and I’m excited to bring it to you. So listen up, follow @baileyenorton on the socials, subscribe to Hot Topic with Pickle and Bailey, and head on over to patreon.com/jeffmay for access to Patreon-exclusive content where we talk about one intended thing and one accidental thing!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. Dre and Jeff enter their season on Unfortunate Video Game Adaptations with Street Fighter the Movie, the second direct adaptation of a video game ever! There's a lot to unpack about this campy blockbuster, so let's become undercover reporters, make a monster with some little videos, and keek that sunoffabeetch Bison's-asssss so hardt that thuh next Bison wannabee is going to fill it, as we dive deep into Street Fighter the Movie, easing us into 2024 with some awkward video game movies!And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) Jeff (@heytherejeffro) on the socials and have a nerdy day!Also, if you're feeling adventurous, head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay to access a SPECIAL exclusive episode of NERD! that dropped over the holidays.
OK, for real I'm not sure that I have enough space to list this episode's Cool Friend's accomplishments. Cat LaCohie (or Vixen DeVille, if you want to get all burlesque about it) is one of those people that is so filled to the brim with talent and drive, that I don't even know where to start. When we met, she out-comedied me before walking on shards of broken glass. You've probably seen her breathe fire on tv. She has an award-winning solo show that's dominated many festivals. She's just a friggin dynamo, I'll let the episode speak for itself.
So go follow @VixenDeVille and check out vixendeville.com for more, and hey, head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay to enjoy our Patreon exclusive content where we discuss that time she worked for...well, you'll see. It's WILD.
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep This formerly Pateron-exclusive (and missing "Episode 5") episode of NERD! had Dre and Jeff continuing their season of TV Specials with He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special. There's a lot to unpack about this weird-ass classic, so let's go face off with the Beast-Monster, kidnap some alien children, and remind people the we are NOT NICE with this formerly PATREON EXCLUSIVE Holiday delight!
And, if you want to hear our CURRENT exclusive Holiday episode, head over to patreon.com/jeffmay and give it a listen, and follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) and Jeff (@heytherejeffro) and have a wonderful holiday!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. The 17th episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff EXTENDING their season on Cinematic Child Neglect with Dutch, the rare John Hughes misfire about a nightmare Thankgiving roadtrip starring Ed O'Neill and Ethan Embry. There's a lot to unpack about this hidden holiday classic, so let's buy some racy playing cards, drink some tasty looking water, and wiggle and grunt, as we dive deep into Dutch, juxtaposing our holiday themes because [a few of] YOU demanded it! And don't forget to head one over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for early access to shows like this, plus Patreon exclusives, goodies, and much more, and hey, go follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) and Jeff (@heytherejeffro) on the socials and, of course, enjoy your holidays!
OK, so my Cool Friend TJ Shevlin may be the Product Development Coordinator for Upper Deck's Marvel Comics line of trading cards, and that's pretty amazing. But boy does that merely scratch the surface of all the cool, amazing stuff he's done. TJ is one of only SIX Eisner Awards judges (the Oscars of comics, given away at SDCC) and he's had his hands in almost every nerdy cookie jar you can imagine. This is a really geeky one in the best way, and we could've legit recorded for another 2 hours. Look, just listen up because you're gonna love this one, and go follow @strsmydestination as soon as possible.
And hey, head on over to patreon.com/jeffmay to enjoy our Patreon-exclusive content where TJ may or may not drop a very clear hint about something super secret on the horizon from Upper Deck.
I'm so stoked to put this episode up, as my Cool Friends Michael Randolph (@MRandolph24) Paige Wesley (@RampaigeWesley) and Todd Schlosser (@ToddJAwesome) from two of my favorite pods, Horror Virgin and Romancing the Pod are joining me this week. I've known Paige for quite a while, and since guesting on an episode of HV, I've become fast friends with the Tennessee-based Todd and Mikey. It made perfect sense to have the three of them on to talk about the cool-ass shows they do. We talk about a lot, and I have a lot of questions for the team in this one, so do yourselves a favor and, after you listen to this episode, go subscribe and listen to HV and RtP, follow these three on the socials, and head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for early access to uncensored episodes and go enjoy our Patreon-exclusive content.
Well, well, well, look what we have here. It's David Bell! He's my Cool Friend, and we talk about stuff! And things! Honestly, the way we gel when we talk made this one of the easiest episodes to record, and the time went by so quickly that we couldn't honestly believe that we had burned through an hour. You might know Dave from his work with Gamefully Unemployed (Hype Cast, Fox Mulder is a Maniac, Star Trek the Next Futurama) or as the head writer of Some More News. You might know him from his Cracked days. You might even know him from the previous version of this show from a few years back.
However you know Dave, you MUST know he's an absolute delight, and I'm so excited to have him on the show. Listen up, go follow @moviehooligan on the socials, listen to Gamefully Unemployed's impressive catalog, and hey, head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for early access to uncensored episodes woith bonus content, and what might be my favorite Patreon-exclusive content to date with this episode.
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. The 16th episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff finishing their season on Cinematic Child Neglect with Home Alone 2, Lost in New York, the redundant yet popular sequel (remake?) to the smash hit 1990 film that swept the nation. There's a lot to unpack about this certified rotten holiday blockbuster, so let's order our very own cheese Peet-ZA, fake a hotel shooting (wait, what???), and engage in WAY more attempted murder than we expected, as we dive deep into Home Alone 2, Lost in New York, easing us into the holidays and keeping our second year of the show moving full steam ahead!And don't forget to head one over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for early access to shows like this, plus Patreon exclusives, goodies, and much more, and hey, go follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) Jeff (@heytherejeffro) on the socials and keep the change, ya filthy animals!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. The 15th episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff continue their season on Cinematic Child Neglect (fun!) with Adventures in Babysitting, the mid-80's classic about Elizabeth Shue and maybe some other stuff, but mostly Elizabeth Shue. Yikes. There's a lot to unpack about this stacked piece of vintage nostalgia, so let's run away to the bus station, chop-shoplift a Playboy, and not [fool] with the Lords of Hell, as we dive deep into Adventures in Babysitting, celebrating my birthday, keeping our second year of the show moving full steam ahead!And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) Jeff (@heytherejeffro) on the socials and have a nerdy day!
My latest Cool Friend, the NEWLY EMMY NOMINATED Joey Clift, is a brilliant writer and comedian who also happens to be at the forefront of Native American entertainment, working on projects like Netflix's Spirit Rangers, his own project Gone Native (https://gonenative.tv/) and countless podcasts, panels, and live shows. Joey and I talk about a whole bunch of stuff in this illuminating and fun conversation, and, I could try to sell you on why you should love him, but just listen and you'll get it.
So listen up, go follow Joey on Twitter (@joeytainment) and IG (@joeycliiiiiift), then watch Gone Native and head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for our Patreon exclusive conversation where I face my own idiocy.
My latest Cool Friend, Dan Larson, is the first guest of the show that I haven't knowingly met, although I'm 99% sure we've bumped into each other. The co-creator/writer/host of the popular YouTube channel Secret Galaxy (née Toy Galaxy), Dan is a New England nerd with a career talking about dorky stuff on the internet and HEY WAIT A SECOND!!! Look, it should come as no surprise that I adore Dan and his work, and am extremely lucky that he took the time to sit and chat with me for a while.
So sit back, enjoy one of the dorkier episodes I've ever recorded, make sure you follow and support Dan (@ToyGalaxyDan) and Secret Galaxy (@toygalaxy), check out his fantastic Youtube show @SecretGalaxyTV and while you're at it, check him out on The Toys That Built America's Season 3 premiere on the History Channel!
We’ve got a really great episode coming your way as I’m joined by my incredibly Cool Friends Aviv Rubinstein and Rachel Brodsky from the In Sync Podcast. As a matter of fact, this episode is a bit of what the kids call a collab, as I’m the beneficiary of a scheduling conflict that is allowing me to drop a “lost” episode of In Sync where we cover Seal’s Kiss From a Rose from Batman Forever. (Explains why we did the show together, no?) Consider this a preview, of sorts, of the In Sync pod, a fantastic and fun show hosted by two of the best people out there!
We’ll be back to our regularly scheduled program soon, but for now, please enjoy this really fun look into 1995’s song of the summer, and make sure to follow Aviv (@rambocalrissian), Rachel (@rebrods) and In Sync (@theinsyncpod) and hey, while you’re at it, go subscribe and give them a listen!
And if you want to hear this and many more shows like it, early and uncensored, with bonus content, hit up patreon.com/jeffmay for that and so much more!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. The 134th episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff beginning their season on Cinematic Child Neglect (fun!) with Searching for Bobby Fischer, the mid-90's, mid-budget film about the furious life of...a competitive chess prodigy, sprinkled with facts about one of the world's most famous living anti-semites. Yikes. There's a lot to unpack about this weirdly star-studded look analysis of childhood pressure, so let's slap those alarm clock looking thingies, maybe finally learn what "Castling" is, and become overbearing parental nightmares, as we dive deep into Searching for Bobby Fischer, celebrating chess (and numbers) nerd Dre's Birthday entering our second year of the show!
My latest Cool Friend, Timmy Heague, did something I can't even imagine, when at the age when most of us were figuring out what to do with our lives, he opened what would become one of the most succesful comic shops in Southern California, with Arsenal Comics and Games. Not only is this store the site of the infamous INSULT CGC 10 from the Zeb Wells episode, but it's a store that has reinvigorated an entire community to love and rally behind the comics industry. Here's the thing though: that's not enough for Timmy, as he finally got to WRITE his own comic with the upcoming book TOYBOX OF TERROR courtesy of Archis comics' Horror imprint, which you should preorder from your LCS ASAP, as it comes out on 10/18, which is literally my brithday. I'm so insanely impressed with Timmy's work ethic and love of the comic genre and you will be, too! So enjoy the episode, go follow Timmy on the socials (@comicbosstimmy) and, if you're in the Ventura County area, visit Arsenal Games and Comics (or check out the website) and buy some games and comics!
Sometimes you meet a Cool Friend in the places you least expect them. Other times it's at Comic Con, where a ton of your other Cool Friends are. I met the incredible Lisa Wallen at the second one, and wouldn't you know it, less than a year later she was living within 3 miles of my place in Los Angeles. Funny how things work out. Lisa, aside from being a fantastic standup comic, is a power-nerd, through and through. She's a literal paid expert on anime, has a popular streaming channel on twitch, and is a current content producer/personality for Evil Geniuses. You bet your very good rump I asked her about that stuff, and so much more.
So enjoy the show, follow Lisa everywhere (@wisalallen on like, everything), watch her streams, and if you want to hear more, head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for early access to uncensored episodes with exclusive bonus content!
My latest Cool Friend, Kyle Ayers (Never Seen It, Boast Rattle, Conan) is one of the most prolific and funniest people I know. He is an idea man, who executes some of the most unique and fantastic comedy ideas I've ever come across. His brain is SO sharp, that it's actually trying to kill him with Trigeminal Neuralgia, a rare brain disorder that is also known as Suicide Disease. Fun! Kyle is one of the easiest to talk to people I've ever met, and I'm so glad I could steal him for a bit to talk with me about his upcoming show at the Elysian theater in Los Angeles on September 15th (which he got some practice for at the latest Mint on Card).
So listen up and enjoy, then follow Kyle on the socials (@kyleayers) and head over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for early access to uncensored episodes and enjoy our dense Patreon-exclusive bonus content we recorded JUST FOR YOU!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. The 13th episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff join up with Dre's brother Dan Alvarez finish their exploration into the world of insane sequels to popular films with The Secret of the Ooze, the too fast, utterly toothless follow up to 1990's smash hit, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. There's a lot to unpack about this oft-romanticized letdown of a movie, so let's order some fake pizza, put our weapons away, and eat the nastiest confection in the history of merchandising as we dive deep into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze as we celebrate our FIRST YEAR FINALE!
And hey, don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) Jeff (@heytherejeffro) on the socials and, if you want early access to Nerd! as well as exclusive benefits and shows, head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for more!
My very Cool Friend Joshy G is, as I refer to him in this episode, the Forrest Gump of Hollywood. Many people know him as the trainer to many Wrestling superstars like Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Sheamus, and more, as well as for being one of the owners and operators of Deadboys Fitness along with the aforementioned Seth Rollins. Others might know him as my former co-host at our old job. Others still might know him as a member of the Jeopardy Clue Crew. Or maybe the person that connected two of wrestling's most legendary personalities diue to his work on various movies. Josh has done it all. I ask him a million questions about all of the stuff he's done and his interests and the like. Yeah, you get it. You've heard the show. Give him a follow on the socials (@joshygallegos) and hey, head on over to patreon.com/jeffmay and enjoy some Patreon-exclusive content you perfect, beautiful babies!
OK look: Adam Tod Brown is pretty much my bestest friend in the whole world. I've been podcasting with him for 10 years on shows like You Don't Even Like This Show (formerly Unpops), You Don't Even Like Sports, and our trading card show You Don't Even Like Sports Cards, but today I drop a bombshell that I never told him before. On top of that, we've got a TON to talk about with the shifts he's recently made professionally. I'm not gonna lie, a LOT has happened in the 2 years since he last appeared on the show, and I'm stoked to bring him back as my FIRST return guest.
Make sure you're following Adam and listen to all the great shows on the You Don't Even Like Podcasts network. And hey, head over to Patreon.com/jeffmay to enjoy early access to uncensored episodes and Patreon exclusive content!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. The 12th episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff join up with comedian/podcaster/author Kym Kral (Kral Space, Ugh Fine!, Confessions of a Recovering Party Girl) continue their exploration into the world of insane sequels to popular films with Fievel Goes West, the 4-years too late, officially retconned sequel to the Don Bluth classic smash hit An American Tail. There's a lot to unpack about this complete left-turn of a movie, so let's avoid some cats, downgrade our fast food sponsorship, and cannibalize our creative vision as we dive deep into An American Tail: Fievel Goes West!
And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) Jeff (@heytherejeffro) and Kym (@KymKral) on the socials and have a nerdy day!
It's a big ol' Jeff Party as I'm joined by super cool friend Jeff Haidaczuk of Rucking Fotten. Sure, you might not know Jeff by name, but chances are he's been involved with something nerdy that you think rules. Come on and listen to us talk about goofing around at Cons, his work with the amazing clothing brand Rucking Fotten (seriously, go check em out if you haven't already) and so much more!
Then go follow Jeff and RF on the socials (@xvivahatex, @ruckingfotten) and have a Rucking Fadical day!
Tom Reimann is not just one of my Cool Friends; he's one of my bestest friends and also my cohost on Tom and Jeff Watch Batman. CROSSOVER! Join us as we talk about some of our favorite TAJWB bits of the past 5 years (Holy smokes, we've been doing that show for 5 years???), the trials and tribulations of internet employment, the blast he's having at his current gig at Ranker (including Weird History AND Weird History Food) and SO much more!
Then subscribe to Gamefully Unemployed's Patreon, follow Tom and GU on the socials (@startthemachine and @gamefullyun, respectively) and hey, if you want early access to uncensored episodes, come on over to patreon.com/jeffmay for that AND SO MUCH MORE!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. The 11th episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff begin their exploration into the world of insane sequels to popular films with the long-awaited, often maligned sequel to Joe Dante's smash hit Gremlins. There's a lot to unpack about this meta-foray into self-satire, so let's avoid bright lights, keep dry, and avoid eating after midnight as we dive deep into Gremlins 2: The New Batch!
And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) and Jeff (@heytherejeffro) on the socials and have a nerdy day!
My Cool Friend Aaron Wood and I go back...jeez, a REALLY long time. When we first met, he was slinging his indie comic and trying to survive the nightmarish waters of being a freelance artist. We've shared so many memories together. This dude even came to my school for Career Day back when I was a teacher. I caught Urban Outfitters "accidentally" scamming him. He's surprised me by showing up in my audience. (Seriously, we have a weird-ass history.) He currently designs game stuff and makes incredible works of propaganda and travel art, hitting the convention circuit making cool money and even cooler friends! So enjoy the show, follow @AaronWoodDesigns on Instagram and hey, go visit him at a con, or his Etsy store (/Justonescarf) and buy some art!
My Cool Friend, the amazing Emily Winter, does so much cool stuff! She wrote a cool book (One Day Smarter), runs several amazing live comedy shows (Staff Picks, One Liner Madness), play comedian softball with me, and writes for Nickelodeon (That Girl Lay Lay). Oh hey, that means she's a member of the WGA. GUESS WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT!!! A lot, actually. Not just the strike. But we TOTALLY talk about the strike. Emily's been on NPR, the Today Show, and now she got that brass ring by appearing on her own episode of Jeff Has Cool Friends!
Enjoy the show, and HEY, gofollow Emily on social media (@EmilyMcWinter)!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. The tenth episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff joined by the amazing Elise Golgowski as they continue their foray into the world of collectible card games with the Pokemon Trading Card Game. There's a lot to unpack about the dominant phenomenon of the card gaming world, so let's abandon our families, hit the local gym, and catch 'em all as we dive deep into the Pokemon Trading Card Game!And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) Jeff (@heytherejeffro) and Elise (@TheBigGolgowski) on the socials and have a nerdy day!
My Cool Friend Dallas McLaughlin does so much cool stuff! Not only is he a comedian and musician from San Diego, but he also wrote on the pilots for both Yo Gabba Gabba! AND The Aquabats! Super Show! (SO MANY EXCLAMATION POINTS) He's ALSO got a new album coming out called I Didn't Start the Fire (and Other Lies) that you should check out ASAP! Honestly, this episode is such a blast and the recording went by so quickly that I had no idea we went so long until we wrapped!
I hope you enjoy the episode as much as we enjoyed recording it, go follow Dallas on the socials (Tw: @dallas_mc, IG @dallassmclaughlin) and head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for access to early episodes with bonus content, exclusive shows, and more!
We have an official JHCF First, as author Iva-Marie Palmer is the first guest of the show to punch me in the face (citation needed)! When she's not mercilessly beating me, Iva is a YA Fiction author who's written such books as Gimme Everything You Got, The End of the World As We Know It, and Gabby Garcia's Ultimate Playbook. I am fascinated by her, her career, her incredibly funny tweets, her obsession with basketball, and her upcoming book The Jules Verne Prophecy with David Schwarz.
Editor's note: She was VERY nervous about doing the show and sounding weird, so make sure you hit her up on Twitter at @ivamarie and tell her she was great, because, you know, she was great. And please hit up patreon.com/jeffmay to enjoy the Patreon-exclusive bonus content where we do a fun little thing, as well as early access to uncensored episodes!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive. The ninth episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff joined by the incredible Brian Foster as they continue their foray into the world of collectible card games with the Magic: The Gathering. There's a lot to unpack about the granddaddy of the card gaming world, so let's tap some lands, summon a podcast enchantment, and break out our Power Nine as we dive deep into Magic: the Gathering!
And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) Jeff (@heytherejeffro) and Brian (@BoxScoreBrian) on the socials and have a nerdy day!
My next Cool Friend is actually my longest running Cool Friend. There aren't many people on the planet that I can say I've known for 40 years, but my friend and foster brother Dann passes the litmus test. We've been through so much together, and I figured it would be really cool to start the new "season" of Jeff Has Cool Friends with my oldest Cool Friend. It doesn't hurt that he's essentially been curating, compiling, and uplaoding thousands of hours of classic wrestling footage for Ultimate Classic Wrestling, a channel available on Roku and Amazon Fire, as well as more spots down the line. So enjoy our conversation (including the numerous attempts not to fall into inside-jokes and In Living Color references) and go download the Ultimate Classic Wrestling channel on your Roku of Fire Stick!
What do you do when the magazine you want doesn't exist? I guess you should do what my Cool Friend Ian Jacoby did and create it! Nudge is a pinball mag influenced by the punk/skater media of the 90's, complete with cool as hell visuals and incredible stories. I learned of Ian by purchasing the 1st issue of Nudge at a local retailer and immediately sought out Ian. Want to know what his favorite tables are? Dream tables? What actor from a hugely famous show was one of his first subscribers? No better way to find out than by listening to me and Ian's 2-hour long conversation! (Sorry it's so long, we just didn't want to stop talking!) So listen up, follow @nudgemagazine on the socials and head on over to nudgepinball.com!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive, all nerd. The eighth episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff begin their foray into the world of collectible card games with the Star Wars CCG (Jeff's personal favorite and primary hobby from 1996-2002). There's a lot to unpack about this confusingly canceled juggernaut of the card gaming world, so let's activate force, deploy headphones, and intitiate listening as we dive deep into the Star Wars Customizable Card Game!
And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) and Jeff (@heytherejeffro) on the socials and have a nerdy day!
KWANTSU DUDES! My Cool Friend Nic Cowan is an artist, puppeteer, vinyl collector, and oh yeah, he was one of the main characters of the 1993 cult classic SURF NINJAS! You'll be surprised to know that we talk about all of this. Like, even writing a quick synopsis seems futile on this one, and I'm SO PUMPED ABOUT IT! So listen up and go follow @undeadguy on Instagram because his stuff is so cool!
My next Cool Friend Laurie Kilmartin is one of my favorite comedians on the planet. The author of two killer books (Shitty Mom and Dead People Suck) and Co-host of the Jackie and Laurie Show, Laurie was a writer for Conan (the tv host, not the barbarian) for like, a decade! Her latest album Corset is amazing (so go donwload it!) and she's simply the best!
So listen up, go follow @anylaurie16 on the socials, and have a great day!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep The seventh episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff take a moment to do a one-shot study of Ben Edlund's original The Tick comic book. There's a lot to unpack about this indie comics darling, so let's get some sidekicks, satirize some classic comic tropes, and go sane in a crazy world as we dive right into The Tick comics! SPOON!
My incredibly Cool Friend Anna Valenzuela sat down with me to talk about a lot of cool stuff! We discuss standup, her black belt in karate, 2 decades of sobriety, appearances on Roast Battle, touring, and obviously much, much more. Anna and I have been buds for quite some time and I'm so glad I got to sit down with her to learn more about my wonderful friend! So listen up and follow @AnnaVisFunny on the socials ASAP!
My amazingly Cool Friend Chogrin stopped by to talk to me and man, we had some fun. Chogrin is an incredibly talented artist who has found his way collaborating with creators like Guillermo del Toro, Kevin Smith, and companies like Netflix with his new take on classic animation styles and creative gumption. Starting out as mutual fans, we have come together under one roof to discuss dream gigs, the ever-present struggle of being an independant artist, vintage animation, and much much more!
Enjoy the show and follow @Chogrin on the socials and check out CHOGRIN.COM for a closer look at his work.
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep The sixth episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff continue their season of TV Specials with Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. There's a lot to unpack about this Star Wars "classic", so let's ride some Blurrgs, build some terrifying animatronic costumes, and hang glide-battle a clay dragon as we dive right into Ewoks: The Battle for Endor!
And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) and Jeff (@heytherejeffro) on the socials and have a nerdy day!
I've been wanting to do this episode for YEARS and I'm so stoked to have writer/producer Zeb Wells on the show. If you're a comics person, he's currently writing Amazing Spider-Man! If you're a TV person, he wrote on She Hulk and the upcoming Marvel Zombies! If you're a movie person, he was a writer for the upcoming The Marvels flick! Star Wars? He wrote on the Robot Chicken SW episodes!
Whatever you like, this is one of the most fun episodes I've ever recorded. We talk about everything. Like, everything. Which explains why it's so friggin long!
So listen up, follow Zeb on social media, watch/read his stuff, and if you want to hear more, head on over to patreon.com/jeffmay for bonus content, as well as early access to uncensored episodes and Patreon-exclusive content!
While it may be a Pateron-Exclusive episode, the latest (bonus) episode of Nerd! shows hosts Dre Alvarez and Jeff May dealing with the repurcussions of having to watch He-Man and She-Ra A Christmas Special. Here are some highlights of Jeff's take on a handful of characters that showed up to ruin Christmas.
If you like this and want to hear the whole episode (you do), head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay and come check out all the cool exclusive content you can get for the low low price of like, I don't know, $5? How's $5 sound? That's a pretty good friggin deal.
'Tis the season for Holiday songs, and producer/cohost Alex Simanovsky has chosen to record this glorious show about our favorite sounds of the season! Listen as Alex and Jeff go through a list of their superlatives (and not-so-superlatives) in several categories as they await Santa to watch them sleep, gift them platinum mines, and make out with their moms. Enjoy, and happy holidays to you all!
My Cool Friend, the incredible comedian/writer/actor/host Subhah Agarwal really does so much that it's genuinely hard to keep track of all the cool stuff she's been up to. From her brand new standup album Dog Show, writing on projects like the Jim Jeffries Show, acting in shows like Westworld (RIP), or co-hosting her podcast Family Gems, it's wild she managed to find any time to speak with me. BUT SHE DID! So sit back and enjoy the talk, go follow Subhah on the socials (TW: @Subhah, IG @Subhaha) and BUY HER ALBUM!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep The fourth episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff starting their new season of TV Specials with A Muppet Family Christmas, the Henson Crossover that seems like a holiday fever dream. There's a lot to learn and unpack about this cult classic, from the roots of its creation to its ability to thrive in spite of it never receiving an original home video release. So hang up the holly, polish up your gifting pebble, and watch out for the icy patch, because we're going deep on A Muppet Family Christmas!
And don't forget to follow Dre (@nerdnumbers) and Jeff (@heytherejeffro) on the socials and hey, while you're at it, have a Happy Holiday!
I don't throw the word "hunk" around lightly, but how else am I supposed to describe my Cool Friend Matt Merchant, a brawny stuntman/comedian/musician/title character of the Hallmark-style movie "A Holiday Boyfriend"? I mean, the dude showed up to record this episode on a motorcycle. I kinda feel like I already described the show just by telling you what Matt does, so buckle up because this is a fun one with a friend that I consider one of the most frustratingly cool and talented men on the planet.
So listen up and go follow Matt on social media (Tw: @midmerch, IG: @Matt_Merchant)
My latest (and newest?) Cool Friend Andrew Klokow has made quite a name for himself across social media as @LetsParkIt, one of the world's most prominent theme park accounts! You've most likely seen a few of his videos cross your path over the past few years. But there's so much more to him than videos of waterslides and rollercoasters. Tune in to hear more about Jeff and Andrew's similar pasts, how they connected in the first place, Andrew's connection to a random previous episode of JHCF, and a surprisingly deep and fun conversation about, you guessed it: candles.
And hey, go follow @LetsParkIt on IG and TikTok and head on over to patreon.com/jeffmay to enjoy the bonus content where we, among other things, craft the PERFECT theme park day.
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep The third episode of NERD! has Dre and Jeff completing their cycle of NES classics with Mega Man 2. There's a lot to learn and unpack about this masterpiece(?), from its rocky creation to its lasting cultural impact, so get equipped with Listen Ears and get ready to have mega fun!
Dave Igo is one of my favorite Cool Friends on the planet. We met at Sideshow years ago, where he was Art Director. Since leaving, we've gotten into many adventures together, like collaborating at Tweeterhead, working several conventions together, and just geeking out at all times.
And we talk about all of it, including his incredible projects like The Monstors and his work with Satellite Soda, so buckle up and soak up a couple of nerds in their element and hey, go follow @DavidIgoStuff on social media!
My very Cool Friend Afua Richardson is hanging out with me for my birthday episode of JHCF and I couldn't be happier!
On top of the fact that she's an accomplished artist in her own right (Marvel, Lovecraft Country), Afua is also an incredible multi-hyphenate, as she's a singer, dancer and even double-dipping at cons as a cosplayer. She's also recently found herself in the middle of a ridiculous gate-keeping controversy that united the majority of the comics community, and you bet your rump we talk about it.
So enjoy, go follow Afua on social media, check out her art and enjoy!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive, all nerd.
On our second episode, Dre and Jeff dive deep on the NES classic Punch-Out!! There's so much to discover about this legendary game, so come hang with us for a bit and revisit a classic piece of gaming history as we launch our new show!
Erik Barnes is one of my Coolest Friends. This dude does EVERYTHING, from comedy writing (Cracked, Bunny Ears) to standup (Tournament of Nerds), to acting (Geico!) to friggin wrestling commentary (Wrestling Pro Wrestling) and we talk about ALL of it! In this episode, we talk honestly and openly about our friendship, our accomplishments, our frustrations, and we have a lot of fun doing it. Enjoy the episode and follow @ErikWBarnes on Twitter!
Comedian/Actor/Write/Calendar Model Alex Hooper is my very Cool Friend and I'm stoked to bring him onto the show. You might know Alex from his appearances on Comedy Central or as a semi-finalist on America's Got Talent, roasting his way to fame! Alex is one of the kindest and most talented people I've ever met, overcoming every obstacle he's faced with equal parts optimism, joy, and good old-fashioned hard work. Now he faces the biggest obstacle he's ever come across, and we discuss how that's affected him. This one is a can't miss, so listen in and follow @hooperhairpuff on the socials!
Join mega nerds Dre Alvarez and Jeff May as they geek out on a different nerdy cultural touchstone every month. Part reminiscence, part historical deep dive, all nerd.
On this inaugural episode, Dre and Jeff dive deep on the oft maligned sequel to the NES classic The Legend of Zelda. There's so much to discover about this legendary game, so come hang with us for a bit and revisit a classic piece of gaming history as we launch our new show!
My very Cool Friend Peter Santa Maria AKA Attack Peter has catapulted himself into the artistic stratosophere with his unique print making art style and good dude 'tude! Since last we spoke (on the other show) he's signed a contract with Skybound, designed Toho pieces for Mondo, and even had his Godzilla print converted into a Mondo statue! A literal dream come true for this monster-nerd. And we're gonna talk about it, along with a ton of more stuff like process and finding your voice when you feel like the world isn't asking for it.
ANd hey, go follow Peter at @AttackPeter on the socials!
Holy absolute moly, my Cool Friend this episode is one of the architects of my teen years! David Bertolino created "America's Horror Theme Park" in the middle of the Central MA woods back in 1991 and forever changed the landscape of horror attractions. Ask anybody from the northeast about SpookyWorld and they'll go on a tirade about how amazing and important and rad it was.
Now? Now David is my neighbor 3,000 miles away from our origins. That's so wild! We talk about so much cool background stuff, from the celebrities he worked with, to his origins in the Halloween industry, the upcoming documentary about him Spooktacular: The Movie (you might see a familiar face or two in the trailer), and SO MUCH MORE!
This one isn't to be missed!
My Cool Friend Alice Hamilton is a brilliant and fearless comedian whose Cex Kriminal (available on Youtube) is one of my favorite things of the year. You may have noticed that I don't often have standups on the show (for podcasts like that, please see every other podcast), but I made a special exception with Alice as her hilarious special went after many of the most powerful sexual predators in the comedy world at a time when a lot of people are afraid of losing their careers. God damn I respect the hell out of her. Alice is a FASCINATING person with an incredible history and I can't wait for you to meet her on here! Then go follow her on social media (tw: @AliceRHamilton, IG: MissAliceHamilton) and go watch Cex Kriminal!
My very Cool Friend, actor Ethan Larwrence (After Life, Bad Education, A Bunch of Other British Stuff) and I haven't officially met. Crazy, right? But not only are we the coolest of friends! We've become mutual fans, as he's been listening to my shows from the beginning and I have been enjoying the hell out of his shows! We talk about a lot, as he's been a busy boy involved in a ton of incredible projects, so just dive in and then go follow Ethan (@EthanDLawrence) on the socials. Innit, bruv?
My Cool Friend Therese Curatolo is one of my favorite people on the planet. Not only is she one of the most talented singer-songwriters I know, she's also frustratingly likable and kind. This stands as one of my absolute favorite episodes so far and you'll totally understand why once you listen. We talk about so much stuff and we're just a couple of high-energy open books on this one. Enjoy!
And, as always, if you'd like early acces to uncensored episodes with bonus content, head to patreon.com/jeffmay and hey, go listen to Therese's music and follow her on IG (@reesetea) and subscribe to her Youtube channel.
Thie episode's Cool Friend is none other than the amazing A.J. LoCascio! A.J. is one of the most incredibly talented voice actors in the game, and you'll literally never guess how he got his career started. He's voiced many iconic characters like Han Solo, Marty McFly, Owen from Jurassic World, Lotor on Voltron and many, many more. A.J. is also a mega nerd and we do some wonderful deep dives on all the things we love desperately!
Please enjoy this episode and follow A.J. on social media (@ajlocascio) and check out all of the amazing projects he's involved with! And if you liked this episode and want early access to uncensored episodes and bonus content, please head over to patreon.com/jeffmay for that and so much more!
My very Cool Friend Tara Nicole Whitaker is an INCREDIBLE illustrator and animator/director. She has illustrated books with such writers as Vanessa Williams, Jabari Asim, the team of Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade, and more! She's worked various jobs on shows like Family Guy, Gravity Falls, and most recently DIRECTED several episodes of the Disney+ series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (which is a phenomenal show, btw). Please enjoy this really fun interview where we talk about this, plus so much more, check out taranicolewhitaker.com, and follow her on IG at @taranicolewhitaker and on Twitter at @nicoledessine.
And if you liked this episode (you did) you can head on over to Pateron.com/jeffmay and listen to uncensored episodes early along with patreon-exclusive content!
Dan Telfer is my very Cool Friend and I'm STOKED he could take a minute to chat with me about a bunch of the cool stuff he does, such as being a professional nerd with Nerd Poker and Cortex RPG, a fantastic standup with tons of material available to listen to, our favorite nerdy spots, being the Senior Editor of Mad Magazine and just fountains of other nerdy things to whet your dorky little appetites.
So enjoy this episode, then go follow Dan on socials at @dantelfer and download his albums on BandCamp this Friday (BandCamp Friday!)
I'm so excited that my very Cool Friend Lanie Labens is joining me for this episode! Lanie is the Celebrity Talent Coordinator for ReedPOP (New York Comic Con, C2E2, Star Wars Celebration), the CEO of IDDS management, a published author, and a self-described Doll Girl, and she found time to talk with me, which is a huge honor. Not only do we talk about all of that, but we discuss our unorthodox friendship genesis in Albuquerque, awkward celebrity interactions, her adorable new kitten, and much more! Like, SO much more. Please enjoy and then follow Lanie at @lanielabens on Instagram!
My very Cool Friend writer/author/producer Ben Acker stops by to talk about a million things, not the least of which being his amazing new spooky book Stories to Keep You Alive Despite Vampires (preorder it today!), name doppelgangers, writing comics, nearly inventing the concept of the scripted podcast with Thrilling Adventure Hour, subsequently leaving said show, and so much more. This one is so incredibly dense and fun and I'm so excited to share it with you. Listen and follow Ben at @Bnacker on the socials and if you want to hear more, head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for early uncensored episodes with bonus content and more!
My Cool Friend this episode is Cracked Senior Editor Logan Trent. Of course we talk about the elephant that's been in the room for the last 4 years, but more than that, Logan and I geek out about all the nerdy stuff we know and love, we even talk about sports (which you don't even like), our first con experiences, and, of course, so much more! If you love Logan (you do) go follow him on social media (@theLoganTrent) and if you want early access to uncensored episodes with bonus content, make sure to head over to my Patreon (slash jeffmay) and sign up today!
My very Cool Friend Michael McMillian is an incredibly talented actor (True Blood, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) and podcast host (Bigfoot Collector's Club, Slate Your Name) that you may have heard on the other show. Well he's back, baby! Buckle up because we talk about cryptids, creepy vampire fans, and so much nerdy crap that you wouldn't believe neither of us received a wedgie while recording this. If you like Michael (which, of course you do) make sure to check out his amazing pods and follow him on the socials @McMillzz
This episode's Cool Friend is Charlie Talbert (Watchmen, The Big Short, Love and Death). Charlie was Angus in the movie Angus. So what happens when you're plucked from a Wendy's line out of obscurity and poverty to star in a big time Hollywood movie? Well, Charlie can answer that. This is legitimately one of my favorite episodes of all-time because, after about 8 years of friendship, I finally tell Charlie how important he was to me as a kid. We also talk about the myriad of upcoming and impressive projects Charlie has coming down the line, Charlie's removal of himself from acting, and his complete and total lack of ego in regards to his career. This one is truly not to be missed, and I if you enjoyed this, please feel free to check us out on Patreon.com/jeffmay for uncensored episodes with bonus content, exclusive podcasts, benefits and more!
Cool Friend and World-Record holding Comic Book Artist Scott Koblish (Deadpool, How To Draw: DC) is back to talk about comics and also literally everything else! This is the first episode of JHCF ever to be recorded in person, and we get into it in what can only be described as the most dense episode I've done to date. I watched Scott get married om Zoom, which is nice. Scott's new creator-owned book with Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn "The Secret History of the War on Weed" comes out on 4/20 so don't forget to preorder it from your LCS today! Then follow Scott on social media. Then send me jewels and money.
Super stoked to be joined by my Cool Friend Dave Perillo! If you follow me on social media, you're already familiar with Dave's work, as he illustrated my Twitter and IG profile pictures! Dave is one of the most preeminent print artists working today. You may have seen his work with Disney, the Philadelphia Eagles, and countless galleries across the world. He's been one of my favorite people for over 15 years, and we dive deep into Dave's work for the Festival of the Arts, certain legalities about making licensed art, Dave's metal lunchbox collection, the serendipitously accidental gifting of a Dave piece to me from a good friend, and so much more.
One of my all-time favorite people on the planet, this episode's Cool Friend is the amazing writer and power-nerd Jen Muro! Spoiler alert, she's one of the reasons this show even exists in the first place! When last we spoke (on a pod), Vox Machina was in development, and now it's here, and she wrote a whole bunch of it! She's co-created an incredibly popular young hero for DC Comics (Primer)! She's crossed Star Trek off of her nerdy writing hit-list as a writer for ST Prodigy! She is, without any hyperbole, one of the most successful and talented writers in animation today! But is that where she's staying? Listen closely to find out!
Oh snap, it's Jeff's Cool Friend Timothy Doyle! Tim is one of the country's preeminent print artists and print makers, Tim has gone on one hell of a ride in his career. As a founding member of Mondo, his pedigree is unmatched. To show you how much I love this dude, just know that I recorded this episode next to several framed pieces of his art. Honestly, this could've easily been a 3 hour podcast, as we dive deep into a myriad of topics that cover such a wide spectrum that trying to summarize this pod would be a disservice. Spoiler alert: We do talk about toys, comics, puzzles, and being entrusted with Bernie Wrightson's artistic estate, though.
Folks, she's back. My first ever guest on the other show has returned and boy oh boy a lot has happened. This is an incredibly unique episode, as we dive into the past 3 years of events, from her snagging a spot on Conan and immediately having her career put on hold by a global pandemic, to her fighting back to record an album, plus a bunch of the toils and troubles we've both experienced along the way. We talk gift-giving envy, burritos, the X-Files, and so much more.
So give it a listen, follow her on social media (@Valerie_Tosi) and preorder her album Beach Trash, dropping Friday, January 21st!
And if you want MORE, head on over to Patreon.com/jeffmay for early access to uncensored episodes plus a bevy of exclusive content!
I don't think I've ever met someone whose life has paralleled mine as much as my very good friend, Podcaster/Comedian/Host Ken Reid. He has a wonderful podcast called TV Guidance Counsellor that is so brilliant that I'd be jealous if I didn't love it so much. He's a prominent feature of the Boston comedy scene. He hosts panels at comic cons. Honestly, if we WEREN'T good friends it would be weird. This is a nearly impossible episode to summarize, so just sit back, listen and enjoy.
My very Cool Friend Caitlin Cutt is a NAME in the True Crime world. Having been the cohost of such amazing shows like White Wine True Crime and Pretty Scary, she is also the producer of the Unsolved Mysteries Podcast. She also happens to be one of my first friends in comedy, and one of the funniest people I've ever met. In this episode, we talk all about her rise in the T.C. world, our history together and apart, including getting co-bumped at the Comedy Story by a woman appropriately named Crazy Cindy, shady bookers, and our origins in the basement of a UCLA bar.
And if you liked this, please head over to the Patreon to enjoy the exclusive segment in which I talk about the times I bombed my face clean off at fundraisers that Caitlin was throwing. I had such a blast recording this one and I'm so glad I got her to find time for this.
My latest Cool Friend is voice actor Aaron LaPlante (Primal, Resident Evil Village, Spider-Ham) and man, what a cool ride he's been on lately! Seemingly coming out of nowhere, Aaron has quickly become an incredibly sought after voice in animation and gaming. In this episode we take a deeper dive into how that ride's been, including being John Mulaney's arch nemesis, weird con stories, odd side-quests, changing characters on the fly, being offered the role of Primal's Spear without having to audition at all, and SO much more.
Tim Macuga, this episode's Cool Friend, and I have been friends since high school, making him the longest friendship I've had with a guest so far. Tim is, without a doubt, one of the smartest and most talented people I know. A high school history teacher and animal husbander, he also just happens to be half of one of the most popular shoegaze (I had to look it up because I, myself, am very uncool) bands on the planet, Have a Nice Life. You may have read about them in Vice, heard them on The Rookie, sampled by now-passed Soundcloud rapper Lil Peep, or seen them in any number of Best Of lists.
We talk about finding that balance with life, dealing with the loss of anonymity, fan interactions in the wild, and so much more that a roughly 25-year friendship could entail.
I recently met Joe Dragunas (aka Joseph Michael) at Motor City Comic Con and am legitimately flabbergasted that we hadn't known each other up until then. Joe is a masterfully detailed artist who has been a mainstay at cons across the country for the past decade. He's an incredible creator with a dedicated fanbase of nearly 200,000 Instagram followers, and yet here I am meeting him for the first time in 2021. I'm honestly astounded at this, especially because we clicked ALMOST instantly (more on that in the episode). Normally I go through a few individual points of the pod, but let's just say we talk about a lot of nerdy stuff and also his incredible art style and history.
When last we spoke (on that other show), my very Cool Friend Shelby Young had already made quite a name for herself in the acting world. Since then, she has gone on to become one of the most recognizable voice actors on the planet, with a TikTok that boasts 2.4 million subscribers, several more Star Wars series (Visions, Bad Batch, Terrifying Tales) under her belt, and even an appearance on Good Morning America! And you bet your sweet rump we talk about all of that! We dive deep into the unknown factors of viral stardom, the absolute wonder of voicing so many characters in the Star Wars Universe, and all the comes with your life becoming a whirlwind of hard-earned success over the past two years.
Please enjoy and then follow Shelby on all the socials because she's the best.
Another one of my frequently requested Cool Friends, comedian/actor/podcaster Matt Lieb (Good Mythical Morning, Frotcast, Pod Yourself a Gun, The Star Wars Show) is one of my favorite people on the planet. We talk about a lot of stuff in this one. Hard to summarize if I'm being honest, as we pinball our way through one of the most fun and engaging podcasts I've ever recorded. Matt is legitimately one of the funniest people I've ever met and I couldn't wait to be able to do an episode with him, and I hope you enjoy it. Please feel free to follow Matt at @mattlieb on Twitter and @MattLiebJokes on IG when you get a chance.
If you would like to enjoy episodes early, uncensored and with bonus content (in this one we talk about softball and professional jealousy, two equally important things) head on over to Patreon.com/JeffMay
Artist/Writer/Podcast host Reilly Brown (Batman/Fortnite, Deadpool, Amazing Spider-Man) is my very cool friend and I'm stoked to sit down and talk with him a little bit about a lot of things, like, I don't know, being the artist on the most surprising and fastest selling comic of 2021, being known as one of the "Deadpool guys", just what the hell he was doing at a He Man convention when he hasn't drawn any He Man comics, his podcast Hypothetical Island and so much more! Reilly is one of the most down to earth and likable dudes on the planet and I'm so glad I got to spend some time talking with him and I get to share it with you!
If you like this and want to hear more, there is a bonus discussion with Reilly over on Patreon.com/jeffmay in which we discuss his most controversial work. As always, all Patreon episodes are also uncensored.
Kym Kral is not only my cool friend, she's also the MOST REQUESTED guest since I started this show! Kym, a comedian, host, actor, model and author, and I have known each other for almost as long as I've been in Los Angeles. With that comes a deep, often complicated, always fun history. Kym has recently written and published her first book, Confessions of a Recovering Party Girl, and obviously we talk about that. Beyond that we dive deep into so many different subjects, including some fantastically awkward ones (yeah, why WON'T I host a podcast with her?) and we travel down some fantastic tangents.
Please enjoy this moment in time with one of my favorite people on the planet!
And if this isn't enough for you, we take a minute or twenty to record BONUS CONTENT exclusively for Patrons that highlights a chapter in the book that she wasn't comfortable publishing. Check out Patreon.com/JeffMay for more!
Holy smokes, my Cool Friend Cory Privitera is one of the leading names in the Sofubi world (I had to look it up too). You might now him as Science Patrol, you might not know him at all. You're going to want to, though. Joining me remotely from Tokyo, Cory has quickly become one of the most prolific creators of vinyl toys out there, consistently selling everything he makes out in record time. The story of how we met is incredibly serendipitous, rooted back to DesignerCon (remember cons?) and we've become fast friends. Listen to me grill him about the path that would lead a dude from Buffalo to pack up and move across the globe to make toys. I'm so stoked we got to schedule time to talk and now I'm excited to share that conversation with you. Don't forget to follow Cory on IG at @science_patrols after you listen. Or before, I'm not your boss or anything.
My Cool Friend today is the amazing Khoi Pham! Not just content with being a superstar artist in his own right, he's also an art mentor and all around good guy to know. We talk about everything from giving up his previous careers as a lawyer and venture capitalist for comic art, our long-rooted history in comic conventions, the amazing work he does for local comic shops, his rad new mentoring program, and so much more!
I'm honestly so excited to bring Khoi to you! We've been tight ever since we met at Wizard World Philly over a decade ago, and I literally could've recorded a 9-hour podcast with him because he's so fun to talk with. Enjoy!
OH MY GOSH my very cool friend this week is comedian/podcaster Adam Tod Brown (Unpopular Opinion, Conspiracy the Show, Pretty Scary, You Don't Even Like Sports)!!! Join us as we talk about everything from how to make money on the internet, their preferred Death Row meals, getting fired, bad pizza, good chicken, the sports that neither of them even like, and so much more! It's so fun to be able to do a more free-form style show with Adam and I absolutely LOVE this episode!
You can even hear Adam jinx the Phoenix Suns because he doesn't even like...well, you get it.
After you listen, find Adam's multitude of amazing shows at Unpops.com and follow him on Instagram at @adamtodbrown and on Twitter at @unpops! Enjoy!
Dallas Cowboys Tight End Sean McKeon is one of my very cool friends. Our history is pretty wild: he was one of my students a decade ago! We have each gone in VASTLY different directions as he became an all-star in high school (Shepherd Hill, my alma mater) and college (Michigan) and was signed by the Cowboys. I talk into a microphone.
Join us as we catch up after 10 years and I ask a bunch of questions about what it's like playing for America's Team/having health insurance. I've honestly never been more excited about seeing how the dynamic of a conversation is going to go than this pod. And don't worry for those of you that don't even like sports, that's not what this podcast is about. Enjoy!
Morgana Ignis is my cool friend! She's an amazingly talented actor (voice, body, puppet, EVERYTHING!) who's been featured in so many projects, most notably IFC's Stan Against Evil, Netflix's The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell, Disney+'s Earth to Ned, and the smash hit YouTube cartoon Helluva Boss.
In this episode, we talk about all of these projects and discuss her life as a trans performer and mega nerd in the modern world. We talk nerdy shit, we shout out our local comic shop, we reminisce about pop culture. We just go for it, y'know? Make sure you listen to the episode and then follow her on IG (@ignisgram) and Twitter (@ignistwote) and check out for yourself why Morgana Ignis is one of Jeff's Cool Friends!
And for early access to uncensored episodes, please check out Patreon.com/JeffMay
Comedian/Writer/ Danny Palumbo is Jeff May's very cool friend. A fixture in the standup scene, Danny created my favorite album that came out last year, "Good Morning Mister!" He's gotten a bunch of accolades and stuff too, but he also happens to be a multifaceted member of the culinary world as an expert cook (my dude literally feeds the LA comedy scene every Sunday), food writer, and podcaster. How cool is that???
Listen to Jeff talk about everything from comedy, unplugging from social media, and then Jeff asks the IMPORTANT questions about foods across the country.
You may have heard him on shows I've done in the past, and I couldn't wait to bring him onto this one! Enjoy the episode and make sure to follow Danny on IG (@Palumbros) and literally nowhere else because he deleted Facebook and Twitter and set himself free like a friggin legend! This episode is a must listen! Enjoy!
I'm so stoked to hang out with my very cool friend, writer/actor/comedy legend DANA GOULD (as well as a cameo from the amazing Kat Aegesan) and talk about his bonkers new show "Hanging with Doctor Z", the litany of fandoms he's mired in, agressive Gex fandom, and so much more.
I'm really so lucky to have Dana back for a talk and we take a little extra time to play around at the end.
ENJOY!
Remember for early uncensored episodes, unique content, and more, head on over to patreon.com/jeffmay!
Comics legend Phil Jimenez (New X-Men, Wonder Woman, Infinite Crisis) is my first "official" returning cool friend. An early guest from that "other" show, Phil has been working tirelessly to finish up the long-awaited Wonder Woman "Historia" book (along with writer Kelly Sue DeConnick).
Phil has an endless supply of talent and wonder, but he also judos the hell out of this interview by turning the tables on me and asking me some fantastic questions as well. Join us as we talk about representation in comics, his LGBTQ+ variant covers from Marvel, why Historia is taking so long, some of his favorite writers to work with, and much MUCH more!
I'm so stoked to bring you this episode and I hope you're enjoying them (and the slightly longer format)!
Alana Jordan is one of my coolest friends. We go back to my VERY early days in Los Angeles and find ourselves criss-crossing throughout our silly, nerdy lives. She's one of the foremost interviewers in our geeky corner of the world, winning all kinds of awards for her excellent work, a fixture on the con scene, and an absolute queen of puns.
I'm honored to finally get her onto a show, as we tried scheduling an episode of SSSS but could never match up our schedules. Well, the world is weird now and we have time.
Please enjoy this episode, follow Alana on social media, and check out her amazing work. You'll be so glad you did!
I'm so ridiculously happy to bring you my interview with writer/actor/podcaster/producer/cool friend Jordan Morris (Earth to Ned, Bubble, @midnight) as we talk about everything from teaming up to get destroyed in MCU trivia, comic shop protocol, his acclaimed podcast series Bubble becoming a god damned graphic novel, and so much more! Jordan is one of the most delightful and talented people I know and I'm honored to bring him to you!
Host Jeff May is joined by his Cool Friend/Superstar artist Chris Uminga as they talk everything from art swipers, the Snydercut, new beginnings, and so much more.