Amiee Conn's résumé includes a memorable turn in La La Land, from back when auditioning meant physically walking into a studio, the exact kind of audition depicted in the movie itself. She breaks down just how much that process has disappeared: self-tapes are now the default, in-person callbacks are rare, and a whole new category of "vertical actor" has emerged around phone-first micro-dramas that are reportedly out-earning some working actors in traditional film and TV. Layer in the writers' and actors' strikes, and Amiee Conn's read on the last few years is less a slow evolution than several disruptions hitting all at once.

SUPPORT AMIEE CONN

Instagram | Website

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev | ThatNerdyKev.com | AvatarStateRadio.com

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter | Need to Talk? Dial 9-8-8

10 YEARS OF AWESOME! That's right, we've hit 10 years of Everything is Awesome, and we're doing what every other IP does when they hit major milestones: REBOOTING WITH A GENDER SWAP!

Ok, not really, BUT it is fun that our guest this week, Taylor Kellar, is such a big Back to the Future fan, as it ties into a major conversation that Garrett Smith and I had back in the first two episodes of this very podcast. So, yes, Taylor and I do chat about the franchise, but we get into more than that because Taylor is more than "That Back to the Future Girl from Social Media".

We chat about where Taylor got her start in acting, why she's thinking about moving to Los Angeles, and, of course, general pop culture.

What better way to celebrate 10 years of Everything is Awesome than tangents with a new friend?

SUPPORT TAYLOR KELLAR

Instagram | Website

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter | Need to Talk? Dial 9-8-8

Talking with Erin Stegeman feels like sitting down with someone you’ve known forever and immediately picking up where you left off. Erin is a writer, director, and performer who has spent years creating smart, scrappy parody work, and in this episode of Everything is Awesome, we spend a lot of time talking about what happens to creative projects long after you think you’ve moved on from them.

We start in very familiar territory: parenting chaos, kids getting hurt in new and inventive ways, the weird anxiety spiral that comes from googling medical symptoms, and the general realization that once you have multiple kids, your house just becomes a series of controlled disasters. It’s loose, funny, and immediately settles into the kind of tone that defines this show.

From there, the conversation shifts into Erin’s work, especially Once Upon a Time: The Rock Opera, and what it’s been like to see that project find new life a decade later. Erin talks candidly about how scrappy that era was, how much work went into it, and how hard it was for a long time to even revisit the project without focusing on everything she wished she’d done differently. Now, years later, there’s a sense of perspective and appreciation for what it was, how ridiculous it could be, and why it still resonates with people discovering it for the first time.

We also dig into parody as a genre, how comedy changes over time, and why context matters when you look back at humor from the early days of social media. Erin and Kev talk about the difference between punching up and punching down, how certain styles of comedy were everywhere in the late 2000s, and why growing as a creator doesn’t mean pretending your past didn’t happen. It just means you’re not that person anymore.

Later in the episode, we talk about Shame of Thrones, Erin’s Game of Thrones musical parody, how it evolved from a low-budget idea into something much bigger, and what it’s like dealing with IP holders who have very different reactions to parody. There are stories about Comic-Con runs, off-Broadway shows, lawyers calling, and the strange line between being embraced by a fandom and being told to change a font so lawyers don’t get involved.

If you’re into parody, genre storytelling, creative growth, or just honest conversations about making things and surviving the process, this episode is a great listen. It’s funny, reflective, occasionally deep, and very much an Everything is Awesome conversation.

SUPPORT ERIN STEGEMAN

Instagram | M.A.C.B.E.T.H (IG) | M.A.C.B.E.T.H (tickets) | Shame of Thrones | Save the Video Store | OUAT: The Rock Opera

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter | Need to Talk? Dial 9-8-8

Talking with Craig Liggeons is like talking to the guy at the convention who has seen everything, read everything, and somehow remembers every lineup change and post-credit scene along the way. Craig is a Philadelphia pop culture personality, comic book expert, and host of Comic Book Gurus, a show that dives into comic book movies, comics themselves, and fan culture from a Philly perspective. In this episode of Everything is Awesome, we dig into comic books, the MCU, X-Men, Philadelphia sports heartbreak, and how fandom has changed over the last two decades.

We kick things off by talking about being an Eagles fan, especially during postseason runs. There is a particular kind of sports trauma that Philadelphia fans carry, and Craig captures it perfectly. From there, we slide directly into the MCU and how Marvel has shifted since the end of the Infinity Saga. Craig has thoughts on the highs, the lows, and the “what do they even do now?” era Marvel finds itself in as it looks toward its next big crossover. One of the best parts of the conversation is hearing Craig talk about seeing X-Men (2000) in theaters for the first time, and how surreal it was to see a serious comic book movie with a real budget and real actors. For a lot of fans, that movie was the proof-of-concept that made the modern MCU possible.

We also talk about Comic Book Gurus, how it started, and how Craig became known within the Preston & Steve orbit. There’s a charm in hearing how radio, comedy, and comic book culture intersect in Philadelphia, and how fandoms build community in unexpected ways. Craig is the kind of guest who brings strong opinions, deep history, and a storyteller’s brain, which makes the conversation move in every direction in the best way possible.

If you’re into comic book culture, Marvel movies, X-Men nostalgia, Philadelphia sports, or the evolution of fandom from the 90s to today, this is a great episode to check out. It’s loose, it’s funny, it’s passionate, and it’s exactly the kind of geeked-out conversation that defines Everything is Awesome.

Topics Mentioned:

• Marvel Cinematic Universe
• X-Men
• Comic Book Gurus
• Preston & Steve
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Comic book movies and fandom
• MCU post-Endgame era
• Philly pop culture

SUPPORT CRAIG LIGGEONS

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Threads | Comic Book Gurus on YouTube

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter | Need to Talk? Dial 9-8-8

We're dropping this a little late because Kev's oldest got injured in wrestling! Back to a normal schedule next week!

Mike and Kev are back! After taking a sick week, the boys are back to take a look at movies, video games, and TV projects that are coming in 2026. They also take a minute to reflect on their creative goals for 2026.

SUPPORT MIKE DEANGELO

Tellest | Etsy | Twitch

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter | Need to Talk? Dial 9-8-8

PIVOT!

We'll be back next with our look ahead to 2026, featuring Mike DeAngelo, but we're both feeling a bit under the weather. So, we chat with a different Mike!

Enter Michael Pickard—an award-winning author who got his start in writing in an unconventional way. From letters to his daughter to writing the perfect time travel story, Michael's story is that of a true independent creator.

That independent spirit, as the title suggests, is what is at the heart of this conversation.

SUPPORT MICHAEL PICKARD

Amazon | Forward and Back (The Perfect Time Travel Story) | Facebook

Michael Pickard blends his professional background in cutting-edge technology with a deep passion for the creative arts in his writing. He has published dozens of short stories, including Hardwired, which won the Ray Bradbury Creative Writing Prize in 2005. His experience in technology informs the creation of rich fictional worlds and societies, while his sharp use of satire keeps readers engaged, thoughtful, and entertained.

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter | Need to Talk? Dial 9-8-8

It's officially 2026! It's time for our annual tradition of sitting down with Mike DeAngelo to talk about the previous year—that's right, it's the Everything is Awesome 2025 Rewind!

We look back at the entertainment, specifically in film and video games [with a touch of TV and books] that we enjoyed with some rough top ten lists. We also take the time to reflect on what each of us has done creatively this year.

Stay tuned next week when Mike returns for the Everything is Awesome 2026 Look Ahead!

SUPPORT MIKE DEANGELO

Tellest | Etsy | Twitch

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter | Need to Talk? Dial 9-8-8

Happy Life Day and Merry Christmas!

Don't know who Jik-Jak, Rindak, Kessa, and Kyjean are? Go listen to episode 200! It's a great holiday time listen!

SUPPORT MIKE DEANGELO

Tellest | Etsy | Twitch

SUPPORT JEFF STORMER

Party of One Podcast | Bluesky

SUPPORT TAYLOR KELLAR

Taylor Kellar | TikTok

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter

200 episodes. Man, that's something special. This is the first podcast I've done where we've hit that number. Happy Hour hit around 175 episodes or so before I shut it down, though I may have been part of The Stabcast for close to 200 episodes. Regardless... this is special, no matter how long it took to get to it.

And just like we did for Everything is Awesome Episode 100, we're playing a game! This time, we head to a galaxy far, far away (in the distant past) with Star Wars: Edge of the Empire. Inspired by the Campaign podcast and using a modified version of the beginning adventure, I sat down with Mike DeAngelo, Jeff Stormer, and Taylor Kellar to run their little crew around the sands of Tatooine.

SUPPORT MIKE DEANGELO

Tellest | Etsy | Twitch

SUPPORT JEFF STORMER

Party of One Podcast | Bluesky

SUPPORT TAYLOR KELLAR

Taylor Kellar | TikTok

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter

This is one of my absolute favorite episodes I've ever recorded. When I sit down and think about my favorite episodes (and, to be fair, every episode has a special place in my heart), they are usually on opposite sides of the spectrum. Our live shows, which I love, are either in a "Late Night" format or a panel from a convention. We have episodes like 100 (and next week's 200th episode) where we play games, and then episodes like our interview with Tonya Todd and now Brian Reveals: serious conversations about mental health and the state of the world.

And I'm not an overly serious person... I like that Everything is Awesome is silly. It's here if you want to escape the real world. But these conversations that take a serious turn are special. We may not be escaping, but we are engaging. And that's what this episode felt it was really about from top to bottom.

Engaging with your mental health. Making sure you're taking care of it. Making it a priority.

Engaging with politics. Get informed and vote in every election, because the big one every 4 years isn't necessarily going to affect your day-to-day life. (That doesn't mean it's not important!)

Engaging with your community. No matter where you sit when it comes to politics, most people in your community want the same thing: a safe place to live, raise their kids, have a roof over their heads, and three meals a day for their families. The media will have you believe we all hate each other for our beliefs, but the truth is, we have more in common than you might think. You just have to engage with your community to see the truth.

We also talked about So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo, a book I read in 2020 that was as informative as it was enlightening. I encourage you to pick it up from a local bookstore, your local library, or from the link I provided. However you can read it, read it.

SUPPORT BRIAN REVEALS

Brian Reveals Media | The Dynamite Network

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter

Let's talk about podcasting and how no one is an expert. Everything is Awesome is nearly 10 years old. I've been podcasting for nearly 19 years. Yet, an entire interview is missing. It happens to the best of us. None of us is perfect, and we should always be striving to learn from our failures.

"Failure is Success Training." ~ Kevin Smith

It's a short episode this week because of said failure above. We'll need to get them on the show proper in the future, but in the meantime, I need something for episode 198. With the help of an assistant, we compiled a summary of what Grim Philly is: both their tours and their podcast.

Quick production update: we'll be getting back to weekly releases soon, though maybe not until 2026 (I honestly haven't sat down yet to see what we can do). We are also shifting back to our ORIGINAL (from like 10 years ago) release day: Wednesday. While I have all the best intentions of getting episodes edited and scheduled 3-7 days in advance, I do spin a lot of plates (which are in addition to my three kids and day job). Shifting back to Wednesday means that if I fall behind, I don't have to try and put something together over the weekend, which is when I'm at my busiest, and can use Monday and/or Tuesday to get this show posted.

SUPPORT GRIM PHILLY

Grim Philly Tours | Grim Philly Podcast

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter

BAM! We're back with another episode! Jordan Spector is a former multi-sport athlete who walked on to the football team at Temple University. After an injury cut his playing career short, he discovered his true passion for art. Since 2015, he has built a remarkable reputation for creating high-energy mixed-media sports artwork that captures the emotion and motion of the games we love. His work has been commissioned by pro athletes and major sports organizations alike.

Jordan and Kev discuss "What it means 'being from' Philly", their thoughts on the City Connect jerseys, and Jordan's artistic journey. From iconic moments to creating experiences, Jordan is creating a unique space for sports art.

SUPPORT JORDAN

Jordan's Art | The Immortals Experience | Best Friends | Atta Boy

THE SHOW

Everything is Awesome is produced by Starbird Media and edited by Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. The Everything is Awesome logo is by Francois Jooste & Kevin M. Gallagher, Jr. For advertising rates, guest inquiries, or press coverage, email us at info@starbirdmediallc.com.

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-awesome/id1080785725
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6P4LLWBQD5DUFBCykh9adm
• YouTube: Coming Soon!
• Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev. | ThatNerdyKev.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | AvatarStateRadio.com | GetEmNextYear.com.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Please consider supporting The HEADstrong Foundation (https://headstrong.org). They are based in the Philadelphia area, minutes from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. They assist families dealing with cancer with everything from meals to travel and housing. I've been working with them for nearly nine years now, and they are good people.

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter

Blows inside the podcast, kind of like we did to video game cartridges back in the '90s.

It works! Everything is Awesome works! But, for how long? Are we back, back? Or a few before Kev's mental health tanks again.

Folks, it's going to tank again, but I've set up some internal processes that will help keep this show on schedule. Now, for the good stuff:

This week, Kev sits down with the multitalented Tonya Todd—author, actor, activist, and host of Banned Books Conversations—for a thoughtful (and occasionally hilarious) chat about what activism looks like in everyday life. From the fight against book bans to finding creative ways to speak up, Tonya shares how art and advocacy intersect. Of course, things also get delightfully off track when Kev’s mind is blown by the fact that Tonya spent some time in the same Pennsylvania area he did, and the two dive into a discussion about Kurt Russell as Santa in The Christmas Chronicles.

Find Tonya

Tonya Todd’s Website | Tonya’s Books | Banned Books Conversations Podcast | Femme On Podcast And I Thought Ladies | 52 Love | Tonya on Instagram | Tonya on Facebook | Tonya on YouTube | Kev on Banned Books Conversations

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Find Everything is Awesome on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and AwesomePodcast.com.

Follow Kev: TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads, all at @ThatNerdyKev.

Check out more at ThatNerdyKev.com, MayorOfLevittown.com, AvatarStateRadio.com, and GetEmNextYear.com.

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They have some math that gets us in front of more awesome people! Or tell a friend, word of mouth keeps the good vibes going.

Organizations & Causes We Support:

Make 5 Calls | HEADstrong Foundation | The Trevor Project | Black Lives Matter

Happy Memorial Day! I love sitting down and talking with Mike about life, podcasting, and more. Mike is one of the first Philly podcasting buddies I made, and while we don't talk often, I have so much respect for him.

We catch up, talk parenthood, podcasting, and more.

Find...

• Doom Thugs on Facebook @doomthugspodcast, the web at doomthugs.com, and on Twitch @doomthugs
• Kev on TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, Threads @ThatNerdyKev ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | Get 'Em Next Year

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears. You can also support us by telling a friend!

GO BIRDS.

My intro and outro to this episode say it all. FanExpo 2025 was important to me for many reasons. It brought me back to Everything is Awesome, which has been with me through ALL my trauma and what I can only assume is the onset of my fragile mental health. This show makes me happy, and I need to be here more with it.

I was also reminded about why we take shots, even if it is improbable to make them. Thanks for the reminder, Devan.

On the panel, we talk about the Go Birds mentality: what it means, why it's so special, and why it travels so well. What other fandoms share that mentality? All this and more.

Find...

• Devan Kaney on Twitter @Devan_Kaney, Instagram @DevanKaney, TikTok @devan.kaney | 94WIP | FOX29 | DevanKaney.com
• Craig Liggeons on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok @craigliggeons | Comic Book Gurus
• JJ on Get 'Em Next Year (getemnextyear.com)
• Kev on TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, Threads @ThatNerdyKev ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | Get 'Em Next Year

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears. You can also support us by telling a friend!

WARNING: The audio for the panel was recorded differently because the cable I needed changed from years past. That said, I can't believe how well it turned out despite the way we recorded it.

There's nothing like a live show, panel, or performance to get your creative juices flowing. And that's what This is Heavy: 40 Years of Back to the Future did for me. While I did panels at last year's FanExpo, I also worked a community table, which was wonderful but took so much energy out of me.

During this panel, I was just floored by how many of you actually cared about what my friends and I had to say about a 40-year-old movie. Beyond that, working with Dan, Stephen, and Meghan from I Like to Movie Movie reminded me how much I like to do things with friends. I hope to do more of this, especially with this crew.

This is a love fest on Back to the Future, I'm not sure what else to say. We touch on the legacy and why this film is still so important after 40 years, stand-out moments and aspects of the film, how we would cast this movie today, and much more.

Find your Senators | Find your Congressman | Make 5 Calls | Support HEADstrong Foundation | Trevor Project | Support Black Lives Matter

Find...

• I Like to Movie Movie on Apple Podcasts, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @moviemoviecast
• Kev on TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, Threads @ThatNerdyKev ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | Get 'Em Next Year

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears. You can also support us by telling a friend!

WE'RE BACK. For real. Fan Expo 2025 has energized me to return to Everything is Awesome and commit to it more than ever. I miss talking to people about their awesome things, and there are so many conversations you haven't heard.

I'm playing off the momentum to bring you FAN EXPO week! Today is a conversation I had with Ben Beck LAST YEAR about Fan Expo Philadelphia 2024, but the heart of the conversation is timeless. It's also a great way to kick off Fan Expo week because it gives a peek behind the curtain at what it takes to pull off running a panel.

Ben and I talk fandom, meeting celebrities, and even get into some podcast advice!

Find your Senators | Find your Congressman | Make 5 Calls | Support HEADstrong Foundation | Trevor Project | Support Black Lives Matter

Find...

• Ben Beck and his podcast at Welcome to Wilhem: https://welcometowilhelm.com/ and Altered Reality Entertainment: https://www.alteredrealityentertainment.com/
• Kev on TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, Threads @ThatNerdyKev ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | Get 'Em Next Year

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears. You can also support us by telling a friend!

Kev sat down a few weeks ago with the unofficial co-host of Everything is Awesome, Mike DeAngelo, to talk about 2024 and 2025, what they liked, and what they're looking forward to.

If you listened to the small episode we dropped last week, you know that Kev has been preoccupied with a death in his family, so the show notes are simple here, as the editing for this episode was started BEFORE things got bad and finished last week. So simple show notes!

Best of Film/TV/Games in 2024 and what they are looking forward to in 2025, plus their plans for various projects.

Find your Senators | Find your Congressman | Make 5 Calls | Support HEADstrong Foundation | Trevor Project | Support Black Lives Matter

Find...

• Mike DeAngelo on Twitter @tellest | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok @tellestbooks | Tellest.com | Etsy | Twitch
• Kev on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok @ThatNerdyKev ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | We'll Get 'Em Next Year

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears. You can also support us by telling a friend!

Quick Update from Kev about what's going on.

Ana Saia joins Kev for an engaging and thought-provoking conversation about social media’s evolution, cultural identity, and the art of storytelling. Kev kicks things off by marveling at the fact that podcasting is now a college class, leading to a discussion about generational differences between “Old Man Kev” and the next wave of creators.

The two dive into the progression of social media, from MySpace and Twitter to TikTok, and the ways these platforms have shaped how we connect. Ana opens up about her experiences growing up as a white-presenting Hispanic, the challenges of proving her cultural background, and embracing the complexities of different Spanish dialects. Together, they discuss their journeys with learning Spanish, reclaiming cultural authenticity, and how “No Sabo” moments have taken on new meaning.

Ana also shares how her cultural identity influences her work in acting and music and her love for emotional storytelling. They explore the heavy narratives often found in kids’ movies and discuss the creative challenges of transitioning from short-form to long-form content.

Find your Senators | Find your Congressman | Make 5 Calls | Trevor Project | Support Black Lives Matter

Find...

• Ana Saia on TikTok: @saianana | Instagram: @anasaiaofficial | YouTube: @saianana | The Reason, La Razón
• Kev on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok @ThatNerdyKev

ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | We'll Get 'Em Next Year

Support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears :) You can also support us by telling a friend!