Best A.J. Ditty Podcasts (2024)

1
143 - Dennis Prager’s For Goodness Sake (feat. Tall Bart) 2:06:28

23m ago2:06:28

2:06:28

Tall Bart (@verytallbart) joins the lads for another dip into the Prager Pool as they interrogate the painful sketch comedy and baby-brained moralizing of Dennis Prager’s educational video series: For Goodness Sake. Topics include Prager’s unique rhetorical style, the bafflingly high-profile cast, and how David Zucker, Trey Parker, and Matt Stone h…

1
142 - Gerbert (feat. Devon and Trinket) 30:40

33m ago30:40

30:40

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Devon and Trinket (Traditional Scrench) join the lads for some adventures in Christian puppetry as they dive into the rich tapestry of Bible stories and malevolent paint brush gods that is: Gerbert. Topics include UK children’s programming, the militarism of evangelical ideology,…

1
141 - Team America: World Police (feat. Stephen Stout) 2:27:13

9d ago2:27:13

2:27:13

Stephen Stout (Puffs) and the lads hop into their red, white, and blue helicopters and completely obliterate France as they cover Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s 2004 fraught satire of the War on Terror: Team America: World Police. Topics include Parker and Stone’s origins, the film’s overwhelming racism, and what a movie so steeped in the post-9/11 h…

1
140 - Doki Doki Literature Club! (feat. Anne Huston) 33:22

17d ago33:22

33:22

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Anne Huston (Caveat NYC) joins Brian and Josh in getting bombarded by the twee writing, adorable anime girls, and abject existential terror of Team Salvato's 2017 dating sim/horror cult hit Doki Doki Literature Club! Along the way they talk about the appeal of fanworks, the peril…

1
139 - The Dutch Knight Rises (feat. Scott Benson) [Whit’s Endless Summer 35] 3:58:26

17d ago3:58:26

3:58:26

Scott Benson (Night in the Woods) returns once again to Odyssey as he and the lads finally wrap up their three-part coverage of the many spy-games, double-crosses, and hastily wedged in Christian morals of the epic, twelve-part Adventures in Odyssey saga: Darkness Before Dawn. Topics include the wiki-centric writing, the benefits of pirate mutiny, …

1
138 - Baby Reindeer 21:56

24d ago21:56

21:56

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads grab their iFoNeS and spam your inbox as they dive headlong into the nightmarish world of stalking and stand up comedy that is Richard Gadd’s hit 2024 Netflix series: Baby Reindeer. Topics include the show’s origins as autobiography, the incredible performances, and what…

1
137 - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (feat. Josh Sawyer) 2:17:12

1M ago2:17:12

2:17:12

Josh Sawyer (Pentiment, Fallout: New Vegas) and the lads grab their razors and complete their arms as they attend the tale of Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim’s 1979 barber-ic bloodbath: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Topics include the show’s horror film origins, the unimpeachable score, and the long term ramifications of using S…

1
136 - Outer Wilds 31:21

1M ago31:21

31:21

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads hop into their wooden spaceships and fly straight into the dying sun as they cover Morbius Digital Games’ hit 2019 indie exploration/Newtonian physics simulator: Outer Wilds. Topics include the cozy/existentially terrifying vibes, the efficacy of the storytelling, and wh…

1
135 - The Boss Baby: Family Business (feat. Patrick Willems) 2:27:10

2M ago2:27:10

2:27:10

Patrick Willems (Night of the Coconut) returns to finish some unfinished business as he and the lads fight off the deep conservatism and unending baby ninja armies of Dreamworks’ 2021 babypalooza: The Boss Baby: Family Business. Topics include the nebulous target audience, the uncanny animation, and the consequences of pivoting from the increasingl…

1
134 - The Dutch Knight (feat. Trevor Strunk) [Whit’s Endless Summer 34] 21:55

2M ago21:55

21:55

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall! Trevor Strunk (No Cartridge) returns once again to the horrors of Odyssey as he and the lads face down the true return of the devious Dutchman, Regis Blackgaard, in part two of Adventures in Odyssey’s most notorious run: Darkness Before Dawn. Topics include the vocal dexterity o…

1
133 - Sam Shepard’s Buried Child (feat. Yurié Collins) 2:32:27

2M ago2:32:27

2:32:27

Yurié Collins (@babypinkhaus) and the lads grab their shovels and go digging for babies as they cover Sam Shepard’s 1979 Pulitzer Prize-winning fever dream of a play: Buried Child. Topics include the toxic masculinity of the cowboy persona, the plays’ morbidly rich imagery, and the terrors of any generation, past or present, facing the dead baby bu…

1
132 - Macbeth in Canada: Slings and Arrows, Season Two [feat. Graham Techler] 30:42

2M ago30:42

30:42

Graham Techler (Tooning Out the News, Fairview) joins the lads for another cursed production of Macbeth as they return to both the New Burbage Theatre Festival and the second season of the hit AcornTV Canadian dramedy: Slings and Arrows. Topics include the curse of The Scottish Play, the showrunners’ dedication to an authentic portrayal of a life i…

1
Enter the TolkienVerse: The Hobbit 2:48:03

3M ago2:48:03

2:48:03

And so it begins...The Socialist Shelf Tolkien deep dive. The Shelfers begin an examination of the ultimate fantasy series, "The Lord of the Rings," starting with 1937's "The Hobbit" (not technically part of the trilogy but pretty darn important if you want to understand it.) We also talk about the life of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, a world-histori…

1
131 - MASH (1970) 2:27:43

2M ago2:27:43

2:27:43

The lads hop in a chopper and get into some morally dubious hijinks as they cover Robert Altman’s 1970 war/frat house comedy that inspired one of the most well-regarded TV shows of all time: M*A*S*H. Topics include Eliot Gould’s mustache, rampant 70s misogyny, and what it means to live in a country that can only define itself by settler conquest. W…

1
130 - Heaven is for Real (feat. Radio Free Tote Bag) 25:04

3M ago25:04

25:04

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO at Patreon.com/worstofall This week, Josh and Brian are joined by Radio Free Tote Bag as they take the next direct flight straight to God’s Throne. We discuss the history of books about heaven, the Near-Death Experience community, and the many thrills of saying “Burpo” over and over again. Want more TW…

1
Shelf Lore: They Called Her Rebel 27:42

3M ago27:42

27:42

It's short, but it's important (to us!) Ahead of our next month of Tolkien deep-dive, we need another week to read and study. However, we did want to use this time to announce that Jacob is now querying for his novel, "They Called Her Rebel." "They Called Her Rebel" is a story about people power, fantastical revolution, and queer love. If you're in…

1
129 - Blackgaard Begins (feat. Devon) [Whit’s Endless Summer 33] 2:21:25

3M ago2:21:25

2:21:25

Devon (Kill James Bond!) becomes an Odyssian convert as they and the lads journey to Odyssey for further adventures in vandalism, charge cards, and the impending return of the Devious Dutchman himself: Regis Blackgaard. Topics include New York solo shows, the proper way to cook a Chansey, and what it means to be the only pirate in a gang of roaming…

1
SchizoZENia: The Book of Form and Emptiness 2:05:30

3M ago2:05:30

2:05:30

Alternate episode title: "Who Killed Captain Aleph?" The Shelfers get Zen as we dive into Ruth Ozeki's 2021 work of magical realism, "The Book of Form and Emptiness." This book has got it all: psych wards, nonbinary ferrets, anarchist goth GFs, Zizek in a wheelchair, disaster capitalism, Marie Kondo, ghostly fridge magnets...none of this is a joke …

1
128 - Supermarket Sweep 23:43

3M ago23:43

23:43

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads grab their carts and make straight for the turkeys as they cover four iterations of one of America’s favorite game shows: Supermarket Sweep. Topics include the history of supermarkets, the insidiousness of Whammies, and the difficulties of weaponizing 90s nostalgia in th…

1
WORM WORM WORM: Dune, ft Trent 2:09:44

4M ago2:09:44

2:09:44

It's time to talk about DUNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Educator and sci-fi lover Trent returns to the show to discuss Frank Herbert's 1965 epic tale of spice, sand, and worms. The movies get talked about a good bit too (we loved them.) Can Paul Atreides see the dialectic itself? Why is Frank Herbert so scared of women? What is "good" power and what is "bad" po…

1
127 - Death Beconnies Her [Whit’s Endless Summer 32] 2:03:31

4M ago2:03:31

2:03:31

The lads return to Odyssey for further adventures in disability, grief, and how to solve a love triangle when the third point is Jesus Christ. Topics include the edification of the disabled, Bill Kendall’s penchant for cruises, and how to properly mourn the loss of a loved one like a good, honest Christian. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full …

1
Burning Man: Interview w/ Vincent Bevins 1:02:10

4M ago1:02:10

1:02:10

Right at the top: y'all need to get this book. You can find it here. Journalist and author Vincent Bevins joins the Shelfers to discuss his new book, "If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution." Topics of discussion: the need for organization during mass movements, Hunger Games GIFS, and V for Vendetta. Music by Solo Monk (@Sol…

1
126 - Reds (feat. Jake Beckhard and Andy Boyd) 23:52

4M ago23:52

23:52

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Jake Beckhard and Andy Boyd (Three Scenes in the Life of a Trotskyist) join the lads as they head on back to the U.S.S.R. to cover Warren Beatty’s 1981 communist blockbuster: Reds. Topics include the brilliance of Diane Keaton, the terrifying smoochability of Eugene O’Neill, and …

1
History Science Theater 1231: Cross-Time Engineer, ft. Dracula 1:48:07

4M ago1:48:07

1:48:07

Special thanks to THE Count Dracula for stopping by! This week we get into Leo Frankowski's 1986 sci-fi—let's not say "epic," exactly—"The Cross-Time Engineer," the story of the coolest, buffest, smartest, sexiest engineer that's ever lived (and TOTALLY isn't a self-insert power fantasy character of the author!!) What's the deal with creepy liberta…

1
125 - Airplane! (feat. Bernie Wagenblast) 1:52:51

4M ago1:52:51

1:52:51

The voice of the NYC Subway Bernie Wagenblast (Cranford Radio, ITE Talks Transportation) and the lads conquer their drinking problems and call each other Shirley as they cover the Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker comedy blockbuster Airplane!. Topics include the film’s incredible joke variety, the brilliance of Leslie Nielsen, and what it means to like gladia…

1
Cursed Episode: Edgar Allan Poe 1:34:37

4M ago1:34:37

1:34:37

This episode was delayed multiple times due to what is no doubt the curse of the ghost of Poe himself! This week we're discussing the life of famed American spook-smith, Edgar Allan Poe, with a particular focus on his short stories, "The Masque of The Red Death" and "Hop-Frog" Was Poe a tortured genius, or just some guy trying to get by? How do cla…

1
124 - Alan Wake II 25:39

4M ago25:39

25:39

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall My name is Alan Wake. I’m a writer. Two years ago, three “critics” from The Worst of All Possible Worlds podcast decided to slander my good name and drag my first game through the mud. Now, they’ve Returned from their previous Departure and have fully Initiated themselves into my…

1
Fighting Times: Interview with Jonathan Melrod 1:11:58

5M ago1:11:58

1:11:58

We're back with a Socialist Shelf author interview! This week we're talking to labor lawyer, long-time activist, and author of the book, "Fighting Times," Jonathan Melrod! Want to learn how to change the world through working-class organization? Jon is the man you need to hear from! He's an absolute fountain of wisdom. Don't miss this interview...o…

1
29 UNLOCKED - Alan Wake (feat. Jack Gilbert) 1:58:24

4M ago1:58:24

1:58:24

My name is Alan Wake. I’m a writer. Three podcasters and their friend, Jack Horton Gilbert, played through my story and talked about it for three hours. What followed was wild and dark and weird, even by my standards. Stephen King once said, “My wife and kids won’t touch a pizza with anchovies on it. But I like anchovies.“* I think about that all t…

1
123 - Sleep No More (feat. Dara Swisher) 25:14

5M ago25:14

25:14

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Dara Swisher (Here I Am) and the lads grab their masks and book a stay at the McKittrick Hotel as they dive into the deep secrets and complicated legacy of the industry-defining immersive theater piece: Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More. Topics include the history of immersive theater, …

1
The Twisted Mind of C.S. Lewis: Narnia, ft. Aysha U. Farah 1:55:35

5M ago1:55:35

1:55:35

This is a fun one. Fantasy expert and professional hater Aysha U. Farah is back on the show to discuss C.S. Lewis' 1950 children's novel, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," though we really get into all of Narnia and spend a lot of time on its deeply fascinating author. Who was this odd, sometimes-brilliant, sometimes-foolish, always-insane a…

1
122 - Far Cry 5 (feat. Alice Caldwell-Kelly) 2:19:21

5M ago2:19:21

2:19:21

Alice Caldwell-Kelly (Trashfuture, Kill James Bond!, WTYP) books the lads a helicopter ride straight to the heart of Hope County as they bring about the Collapse of Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft Toronto’s Far Cry 5. Topics include the game’s divisive ending, the art of AAA game writing, and the rotten politics seeping out of one of the most morally comp…

1
Good Kush(ner): iHO, ft A.J. Ditty 2:41:52

5M ago2:41:52

2:41:52

We're covering Tony Kushner's 2009 (and 2010, and 2011, and many-times-since-edited) play, "The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures," which incidentally could also be the name of this podcast. Joining us is beloved theater-enjoyer, A.J. Ditty from The Worst of All Possible Worlds podcast! Together…

1
121 - Donkey Kong Country: The Animated Series 22:02

5M ago22:02

22:02

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads hop on Funky Kong’s biplane bound straight for Kongo Bongo as they banana slamma their way through the nightmarish musical that is Donkey Kong Country: The Animated Series. Topics include the origins of televised 3D animation, the staying power of the hit-or-miss songs, …

1
2024, the Year of Lenore: Red Plenty 2:07:51

5M ago2:07:51

2:07:51

It's 2024...new year, new books, a new name...the same, classic socialist spirit. We're talking about Francis Spufford's 2010 historical fiction...novel? Short story collection? Something like that... "Red Plenty." Come for the history of the first worker state, stay for the discourse on whether or not smoking is sexy. We both continue to remain de…

1
120 - 2 Left 2 Behind: 2 Tribulation 2 Force 2:19:41

6M ago2:19:41

2:19:41

The lads kick the new year off with fire-breathing prophets and lengthy discussions about world currencies as they cover the second movie in the Kirk Cameron faith-based trilogy: Left Behind II: Tribulation Force. Topics include the facts and logic of Rapture-based apocrypha, the void romantic chemistry that is Kirk Cameron, and what it means to li…

1
119 - 2023: A Year in Review 22:42

5M ago22:42

22:42

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall In what has now become an annual tradition, we took a couple dozen calls from our Patreon subscribers, reheated some bits from the past year in the microwave, and stitched it all together for your enjoyment. Thanks for being part of our 2023. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the r…

1
Utopia 4 Kidz: The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas 58:27

6M ago58:27

58:27

It's our last episode of 2023...so let's end it on something we all know and love, "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" by Ursula K. Le Guin! What is it about this little story that gets inside people's heads? Is Omelas basically just the story of Jesus? Can you reform a system built on child misery? (I'll go on and answer that one: no.) For more t…

1
118 - A Whit In a Manger [Whit’s Endless Summer 31] 2:52:00

6M ago2:52:00

2:52:00

The lads celebrate the peak of the Arguing Season by returning once again to Odyssey for more adventures in being called to the ministry, making a radio drama, and visiting Bethlehem just so you can be harassed by Roman douchebags. Topics include the vanishing of the Barclays, the brilliance of Will Ryan, and what it means to celebrate the Nativity…

1
Does the Dog Die: The People of Sand and Slag, ft. Karlo Yeager Rodríguez 1:36:07

6M ago1:36:07

1:36:07

Yeah. The dog dies. This week we're discussing Paolo Bacigalupi's sci-fi short story, "The People of Sand and Slag." There's a lot of sand, there's a lot of slag. There's not a lot of joy, but we and our fantastic guest from Podside Picnic, Karlo Yeager Rodríguez, manage to find it where we can. They haven't managed to write a story yet that can de…

1
117 - A Christmas Story 23:13

6M ago23:13

23:13

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads finally get their Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifles and promptly shoot their eyes out as they cover Bob Clark’s 1983 holiday classic: A Christmas Story. Topics include the japes of Jean Shepherd, the horrors of Scut Farkus, and the true meaning of …

1
The Bad McCarthy: The Crucible 1:55:46

6M ago1:55:46

1:55:46

Not all is well in the town of Salem...or Washington for that matter. Join the Shelfers as we dive into Arthur Miller's 1953 not-so-subtle-allegorical play, "The Crucible" Topics of discussion: McCarthyism, religious hypocrisy, Marilyn Monroe, and Jacob playing Judge Danforth in high school. We are doing shout-outs to anyone who donates to PSL Atla…

1
116 - Tora! Tora! Tora! 2:13:35

7M ago2:13:35

2:13:35

The lads make their annual pilgrimage to Pearl Harbor and watch a lot of people read documents as they plunge into the intense historical accuracy and coma-inducing pace of 1970s docudrama: Tora! Tora! Tora! Topics include the unique Japanese/American co-production, the difficulties in making a narrative about Pearl Harbor, and what it means to hav…

1
The One About Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith 2:09:24

7M ago2:09:24

2:09:24

It's a lesser-known series...you probably haven't heard of it. Today the shelfers take on Matthew Stover's 2005 novelization of "Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith," the novel that asks the dangerous question of what would happen if you made ROTS... good? Enjoy us diving into the concept of Star Wars legends, criticize Yoda for undialectical thinki…

1
115 - Cyberpunk 2077 20:38

7M ago20:38

20:38

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads strap on their netrunner suits and sharpen their katanas as they venture beyond the Blackwall to tackle one of the most infamous triple-AAA releases of all time: CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077. Topics include the decade-long development cycle, the breathtaking Keanu Ree…

1
Rock Uber: The Myth of Sisyphus 1:04:29

7M ago1:04:29

1:04:29

Joss reads the entire thing at the opening so you have no excuse not to absorb this text (unless you just don't want to in which case...fair) This week we discuss French philosopher Albert Camus' 1942, essential absurdist work, "The Myth of Sisyphus." You might have heard this one before, it's where the guy is happy despite his whole rock situation…

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114 - The Grapes of Rathbone (feat. Max Graves) [Whit’s Endless Summer 30] 2:18:17

7M ago2:18:17

2:18:17

Webcomic artist Max Graves (what happens next) helps the lads burn down a house as they return to Odyssey for adventures in gang initiations, wheelchairs, and arson. Topics include the lore of Marshall Younger, the panopticon of homeschooling moms, and how to reform someone whom society has deemed to be bad to the Rathbone. Max Graves: Tumblr // Tw…

1
Marxism-Springsteenism: Battle Royale 1:51:25

7M ago1:51:25

1:51:25

History may have gone entirely differently, but the music of Bruce Springsteen is eternal... Today we explore the alt-history dystopia of Koushun Takami's, 1999 novel, "Battle Royale." This one's a little more intense than Fortnite. What does "successful fascism" look like? Why is the genre of kids murdering each other so lucrative? Will Koushun Ta…

1
113 - NEOM: The Line (feat. Riley Quinn) 21:52

7M ago21:52

21:52

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Riley Quinn (Trashfuture) and the lads bear witness to the highs of TROJENA and the lows of OXAGON as they dive deep into the theoretical quackery and architectural absurdity that is the Saudi Arabian “city of the future” project known as NEOM. Topics include the inspirations for…

1
Proletariat Number 1 Great: The Crab Cannery Ship 1:41:46

7M ago1:41:46

1:41:46

Folks welcome to the episode where we debut our BRAND NEW THEME SONG!!!!! Massive shout-out to Solo Monk for putting it together. Please go give him a follow on Twitter @SoloMonk256, on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart, and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/tsalcollective But we do have an episode today outside the music. We're di…

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A.J. Ditty Podcasts

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