Episodes
Ep. 131 | The Beatles Sell Out: The Fab Four in Ads
What makes a "sell out"? Did you sell out? Did Who? How 'bout when? Or sometimes, y? #sometimesand #provtalk
And what about AI? Does it scare you? Is it weird to be scared of a 76'er who retired years ago and hated - I mean, HATED - practice? Not the game! He's talking about practice.
Today's episode considers both related topics. Do commercials with covers or (ahem, sloppily edited) original Beatles music brand our beloved Fabs as sell outs? And what of Beatles AI: awful, or artful?
Along this Journey (#OpenArms), our own cell outs (#AmeritechBell) consider:
🥩 Does everybody know your name at Chili's, Applebees, or Rudy Tuesjays?
🇺🇸 John Lewis remains a beloved, American civil rights hero. Was he also a UK department store?
🐴🪦 Is Golden Slumbers best heard as a cover in a TV commercial with the sounds of a large, apparently quite ill animal snoring and I think farting?
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Ep. 130 | A Trivial Beatles Podcast - Game 1, Part 2
Arguably, the most famous sitcom episode of the 1990’s was from the syndicated-only “New WKRP In Cincinnati”, where station manager Arthur “Big Guy” Carlson challenges rival station WPIG to an on-air poker match. Two problems: 1) poker on the radio? WHUT. And 2) Despite the generational hilarity of its predecessor, “The New WKRP” su-su-su-su-SUCKED! What were you thinking, Bill Dial?
But you know what doesn’t suck? The Beatles! And especially non-sucking is The Beatles Trivial Pursuit special edition! This week, Tony & T.J. square off and conclude their inaugural game. No spoilers, but a last-minute rule change fixed the result worse than the only actual rigged election in recent memory, the one the Supreme Court handed to GW Bush that began the downfall of America! BUT WE DIGRESS!!!
So girl, get your game play on, and join us as we also ask:
🥧 What’s the best Prince song: “Purple Pie”, “When Doves Pie”, “The Ballad Of Dorthy Pie-ker”, “Raspberry Pie-ret”, or “Sexy Mother F🥧🥧ker (Pie Remix)?” #RuleOfFives
⚾️ (Read as angry, vaguely drunk White Sox fan): How come Bruce Spizer don’t write no books about CBS’ critically adored, little watched, New Orleans-focused dramedy from 1987, “Frank’s Place”? And how come Spizer hates Tim Reid AND Tim Anderson?
📻 Is Radiohead’s “Kid A” the equivalent of “Abbey Road”, for people who don’t care about minor details like “memorable songs”?
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Ep. 129 | The Beatles’ (Fantasy) Country LP
Tony & T.J. aren’t just Beatles fans. Nah, son. Look at them arms. They country strong. LOOK AT THEM ARMS! G’ON, LOOK! NOW TOUCH THEM ARMS. TOUCH THEM. NOW SQUEAL LIKE A PIG…
And, like The Beatles, we at the UBP have a deep appreciation for classic Country music. (Western, however can go f**k itself. Got that, “Paint Your Wagon” soundtrack? #DrunkLeeMarvin)
Based on a great episode suggestion from perhaps our youngest listener, Owen (#ThanksO), this week Tony & T.J. assemble their fantasy takes on a Beatles Country album. And while they boot scoot boogie their way thru many Fab country tunes, they also ponder:
⚾️ Was Enrico Pallazzo on the legendary, literally-everybody's-heard-of-it, #FantasyRecords?
😭 CLASSIC PARTY GAME ALERT! Let’s play “Pair someone from Tears For Fears with one of the Three Stooges!”
🍆 Did anyone else watch “Skiffle After Dark” on Skinemax back in 1989? #LonnieDongagain
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Ep. 127 | A Trivial Beatles Podcast
Trivia! What a silly word. I mean, how many words rhyme with “Jergens?” Feel me, Jacque?
Sadly, ever since Alex Trebek pulled a (rather cowardly) #HeGone, the pursuit of trivia - Beatles and otherwise - has been largely dormant in America. But not this week! Because Tony and T.J. each break out their deluxe editions of Beatles Trivial Pursuit and play a heated, often deadly round or three of the game! But don’t you D.A.R.E. think we put the board in “bored game”! Because, madness (#OurHouse) ensues as we also trivially pursue:
🚕 Would NBC have ever considered green-lighting “Dear John” if not for its’ one, ill-fated season of “Taxi”?
⚾️ Were the 90’s Yankees really better without ding-dong-dinger machine Donnie Baseball? (Drunk old Chicago White Sox fan: “What about Bronny Dosco?”)
🚥 Is “Steve Winwood: The Musical” the new “Blind Faith: The Musical”? And will you miss both if you’re stuck in traffic? Shit that’s a lot of Steve Winwood references, right? Too many? Or just about right, in a “rule of 3’s” way? We ask rhetorically, like don’t send us notes or anything like that, because we won’t read it. Who’s got the time? Like, how do YOU even have the time to write a Beatles podcast about a failed Steve Winwood bit? Think about that next time you find yourself drinking a High Life again. Drinking a high…life…again.
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Ep. 124b | Sixth Beatle Bracket Part 2
OK, OK, we got all our April foolishness out of our systems… now back to the VERY SERIOUS BUSINESS at hand. This week T.J., Tony, and Casey pick up right where they left off in their pursuit to crown the undisputed SIXTH BEATLE.
Join as we narrow the field down from our Sweet XVI, see whether any Cinderella stories stretch through the Final IV, and find out:
🍳 What’s Tony’s deal with Mel from Mel’s Diner?
👖 What’s Brian Epstein’s deal with trousers?
🤖🍑 What’s T.J.’s deal with robutts?
To almost quote the great Chicago Bulls play-by-play announcer Chuck Swirsky: This hotly anticipated finale is (glass) ONIONS BABY, ONIONS.
EPISODE LINKS:
Download your bracket to play along at home
Check out Giles Martin and Rick Rubin on Broken Record (Part 1, Part 2)
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Ep. 125 | The Bouncy Chronicles of BeadleMania: A Dexterous and Manimalistic Odyssey
Episode description courtesy of FabGPT
Embark on a mind-bending journey into the Untitled BeaDles Podcast with your fearless hosts, Tony Menodza and T.J. Shanoff! In this brain-tickling episode, we whirl through a kaleidoscope of strange and surprising topics that defy logic, reason, and perhaps even good taste. Hold on tight as we:
📀🦘 Unravel the enigmatic Dave Dexter’s zany influence on the Beadles’ American records, including his integration of the fads and crazes of the times
📺🐬 Reminisce about some of the more mind-boggling sitcoms of the MCMLXs
🧐🔍 Probe the perplexing existence of Kathy Bartlett from East Meadow, Long Island, and her inexplicable connection to the Beadles
Join us as we traverse the absurd and cerebrum-stapling landscape of UnbeeMania, leaving no stone unturned or pogo stick un-bounced.
Our love for our listeners is boundless, and we will go to great lengths to ensure their happiness – all while keeping a watchful eye on their well-being. So plug in your earbuds, fire up the Unatbed Beadles podcast, ampersand let the madness begin!
Ep. 124 | Sixth Beatle Bracket Part 1
Have you filled out your 2023 Beatles Brackets yet? WELL, HAVE YA? Because this week, we begin a two week journey (#AnyWayYouWantIt) - as seen on CBS/TBS/TNT/truTV/TNN/WOR(What is it good for?)/and your local PAX affiliate - to crown the VIth BEATLE! Get ready for shocking upsets, cinderella stories, and a special appearance by our own Brad Nessler, Casey Baker! (Casey was also briefly handed NBA on ABC broadcasting coverage back in 2003 and was just also not ready for the limelight… Or the Medusas.)
When The Band wasn't up on cripple creek with chest fever, they had hoops fever! We do too, and in our delirium, also ask:
📰 Why don't more wealthy Gen Z entrepreneurs invest in big-city newsstands? The fools!
🎙 (cue angry Chicago guy) How come Lake Shore Drive gets named after Jean Baptiste Point DuSable but we don’t call the Kennedy the Biondi??? And where did my Dominicks, go guy??
🍜 How many of y’all would listen to a podcast of #JustTony, in a race against time, and likely nude, converting random numbers into roman numbers? How about Ramen numbers?
Buckle up and if you’re not big enough for this ride, stretch yourself like Johnny Bravo did! (That's a 2 Brady Episode Mash up for 1 Semi-Joke!) It’s the Untitled Beatles Podcast's Sixth Beatle Bracket, Part One Shining Moment!
EPISODE LINKS:
Download your bracket to play along at home
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Ep. 122 | If These Walls Could Sing (2022)
"They're gonna put Ringo in the movies!" - Rush, Moving Pictures
It's a Tony & T.J. Marshall Field trip to the cinema, as they bravely brave a warm, late-fall Chicago day to see Tyler Perry's Mary McCartney presents, "If These Walls Could Sing".
Spoilers, the movie and Mrs. McCartney are both delightful. Five freaking fabs!!!
Plus:
🏊🏻♂️ Did T.J.'s famous faux friend, Todd Bridges, have similar or diff'rent strokes?
🚽 Hey, is Tony still in the john?
⚾️🍆⬇️ If Elton John is Derek Jeter, does that make Billy Joel Nomar Garciaparra? If so, did Billy Joel's groin also tear off while wearing a Cubs jersey?
Join Shmiskel and Shebert, at the sneak preview movies!
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Ep. 120 | Concert for George 20th Anniversary Screening (A Very Special Untitled Beatles Field Trip)
Fire up your (Gloria) DeLorian(ing) because we’re going back in time! Back, through the mists of time, to a time we call November, 2022, for a special one night only screening of “Concert for George” on its 20th anniversary. Tony and T.J. road trip to Tony’s hometown—Addison, IL—on a blustery Chicago early winter’s eve to see the film and also ask:
🐅 Has the intro to the Cougs’ “I Need A Lover Who Won’t Drive Me Crazy” ended yet?
🧀 Would Radio Shack still be around had corporate followed their Beaver Dam, WI, franchisee’s decision to stock blank 8-track tapes in the mid 1990s?
🇨🇩 Is Springsteen’s hit “My Hometown” written about Zaire, the country in Africa? Or Zayre, Framingham, MA-based discount store that was popular in Chicago?
We hope you will enjoy the show! Please consider supporting us on Patreon, and joining our growing Discord community. All together now!
EPISODE NOTES:
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Ep. 119 | 1973 Fantasy Beatles Albums
We asked 100 Untitled Beatles Podcast (only)fans what comes to mind when they hear the words “1973 Fantasy.” Show me, Tattoo! (Buzzer sfx.) Show me, Seven Years Pre-“Double”! (Louder buzzer sfx. Too loud, even.) Show me, 1973 Fantasy Solo LP! Survey says? (Ding ding ding ding!) (Dong dong dong dong!)
Yes, it’s the 50th anniversary of one of the great solo Beatles years. And listener Beatle Dave suggested that we honor ’73 by compiling a fantasy Beatles island/album culled from that year’s releases. Did any surprises make the list, Tony? What classics are nowhere to be found, Todd? What other gold did you, Producer Casey, begrudgingly leave in this edit? Possibly, but not limited to…
🦕 Is Tony on Team Barney, Team Betty, or Team Rock Roll? #TwitchTwitch
📼 Should the “family values” jokers be concerned that the kids are getting into ASMVCR?
🐔👅 Does the Kenny Rogers Roasters in Meat Free Monday City serve impossible chicken suckin’ mother truckin’?
What 1973 Fantasy Solo LP would you compile? Let us know on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram OR HELL GO MAKE YOUR OWN PODCAST, WE DON’T HAVE A MONOPOLY ON THE FORMAT. #allcaps
EPISODE LINKS
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