It's a plane, it's Superman... it's a... BIRD! Let's take Ye Olde Timed Machinerium back to the Jurassic Period shall we? It's time to for the Debut Buddies to find the FIRST BIRD. This "ancient wing" hung out mostly in Germany, probably listening to Kraftwerk, but now it's a fossil and--boy--are we feeling paleontological! After digging into our n…

PANTS! They were essential to Western Expansion in the 1800s... but damn if they didn't suffer frequent "blow outs" to the pockets and crotch! That's embarrassing! Luckily, a tailor named Jacob Davis took up the challenge to reinforce denim and found a partner in a certain famed jean magnate, way before he was even a jeans gent! Fast forward to tod…

In 1869, a crew secretly dug a tunnel under Broadway in Manhattan. That tunnel became a huge attraction that proved scientific potential, supporting Civil War orphans, and eventually fell into disrepair. On this episode, we discuss the First New York City Subway and its creator, Alfred Ely Beach, who was one of those few-and-far-between Good Dudes …

A colorfully named cast of suited criminals with equally colorful vocabularies walk into a diamond heist... If you haven't heard this one before, you'll want to check out 1992's Reservoir Dogs, the first film by Quentin Tarantino. With special guest, Eric Weintraub, author of the books South of Sepharad, and Dreams of an An American Exile, we Buddi…

Let's talk about labor, their trials and travails, their battles with oppressive and abusive employers, their wresting from beneath the boots of all systems monarchical, oligarchical, and industrial. On this episode we dive into the First Labor Union, with special appearance by Weavers, Cordwainers, Blanketeers, Spenceans, and more. Join us because…

If a footage falls in the woods and no one finds it, is it ever even really a movie at all? On this episode, we dig into the First Found Footage Film, 1961's brilliant indie THE CONNECTION. We also discuss the oft mislabeled First Found Footage Film, 1980's CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (about 1:10 - 1:30). **Trigger Warning: sexual violence, animal cruelty.*…

Back in 2007, a review of Cameron Crowe's ELIZABETHTOWN on a little website called The A.V. Club set off a cultural firestorm by birthing the term "Manic Pixie Dream Girl". On this episode of Debut Buddies, we get into the origins of (and problems with) the term, discuss the original MPDG in question (as played in the film by Kirsten Dunst), and co…

Once there was a dog, and it was hot. Then, there were more of these hot dogs, and they were pursued by insatiable eating machines that sought only their delicious destruction in horrifying numbers. Now, we celebrate these eating champions as gods among humanity, turning what could be months of school lunches for a child into 10 minutes of gladiato…

Sometimes, you want a podcast with some extra swing... and a side of high-flying, above-pool acrobatic action! This episode, special guest Buddy Savanna Sneeringer helps us explore the ins and outs of trapeze, and the fascinating life of Jules Leotard, the first trapeze artist... and namesake of an article of clothing you're likely familiar with! P…

Eleven years ago, a little 6 second video sharing social media app that could (until it no longer did) came into being. The app: Vine. The First: Well... the first video shared on Vine, of course! We discuss a lost subway clip, the first Vine tweeted (which is probably the oldest still out there), the first Vine to be sold as art, and so much more!…

Necessity is the mother of invention, sure. But what is the mother of patents!? We've got our heads up our ash on this episode exploring the late 18th century origin of U.S. patents with very special guest Kylan Savage from the Church Jams Now! podcast. And, of course, we spend some time learning about Gene Simmons' patent trolling, and dip into th…

We are the best in the world at what we do and whatcha gonna do when Debut Buddies Mania runs wild on you!? On this episode, we discuss what could, debatably, be the First Professional Wrestling Match (especially for Pro Wrestling as we know it today). We dig into some early history, then tackle the slobberknocker that was two bouts between Frank G…

In October 1981, a little film made by a crew from Michigan at a cabin in Tennessee on a shoestring(ish) budget changed horror cinema forever by introducing the world to Bruce Campbell's chin and a fancy new kind of DEAD EVIL called the Deadites. We discuss Sam Raimi's First Film, The Evil Dead, and delve into all the storied gore that springboarde…

What if you could photograph your thoughts!? On the newest pod, we dive deep into Ikuko Nagao, Ted Serios, Uri Geller and other prominent thoughtographers, who claimed the gift to project their minds onto the medium of photos. We get paranormal, we get supernatural, we get historical, and we get informational! Join us for a heady (HAHA) discussion …

Grab some space popcorn, power up your droids, and prepare your Midichlorian gut biome... It's time to talk about the FIRST STAR WARS PREQUEL. In 1999, 16 years after Return of the Jedi, George Lucas brings Star Wars back to cinemas with Episode I - The Phantom Menace. We saw it then, with wide ranging amounts of anticipation, and we were disappoin…

Back in 2001, two triple threats decide to start the most epic comedy rock duo of all time. The threats: Jack Black and Kyle Gass. The duo: Tenacious D. We dig into the hits, the skits, and the shits that comprise the group's first, and titular, record. Plus, we talk about foot stuff, teeth stuff, Garf stuff, and so much stuff. We even play I See W…

Heads will roll on this newest episode of Debut Buddies! We're diving into Sergio Canavero's quest to one-up the movie Face/Off by popping someone's head on another person's body! (Don't worry, they won't be using it at the time.) He claimed it was successful in 2017! (Also, he's moved onto just boring old brain transplants now, maybe?) Technically…

Here we go... for the first time! Nate's never seen Kelly's favorite movie, 2008's Mamma Mia! starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Christine Baranski, and so many more, so he watched it! We talk ABBA, island paradises, Greek mythical allusions, good singing, bad singing, and living deliciously. Plu…

We didn't know that much about K-Pop going into this episode of Debut Buddies, but damn if we didn't luck out to have K-Pop lover and expert Julia Clausen on as our guest! Julia (Book Club with Julia and Victoria) gives us a temporal rundown of K-Pop's origins (Seo Taiji and Boys), it's political and social ramifications for South Korea's youth (an…

Get ready to get board! Kelly, Chelsea, and Nate explore the FIRST BOARD GAME, which might be The Royal Game of Ur OR Senet OR Mancala... OR it could even be YOU! No... that's silly. It's not you. It's definitely one of those three games we just listed. We discuss games we've loved, and even almost kinda invent our own! Plus, there's some sweet sou…

Get ready for a particularly animated episode of Debut Buddies. We discuss the FIRST STUDIO GHIBLI FILM, luminary Hayao Miyazaki's brilliant Castle in the Sky (1986), with two kinds of dubs and one kind of subs! Join us for an exploration of whimsy, sky pirates, chill robots, and perennial allegories about technology, power, nature, and humanity. P…

Okay, okay... so we couldn't get the whole FIRST BARBARA WALTERS SPECIAL, and we ended up mostly talking about Barbara Walters' life, career, interview style, and impact on media and culture. If it bothers you, give us 5 stars and request a formal interview where we can eat hot wings and you can grill us with hard-hitting questions. You're gonna le…

The year is 1957. The race is of the space variety. Soviet scientists are emBARKing upon a new orbital achievement... They're gonna put a sweet little stray dog up high beyond the atmosphere. Get ready to cry... We discuss Laika, pupper cosmonaut, and true international astro-hero... and a few other dogs who slipped the surly bonds of Earth. Plus, …

Webster's defines superhero as a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers; also: an exceptionally skillful or successful person. Guest Mike Gravagno (Movie of the Year, The Superhero Show Show) helps us discover the First Superhero, explore the concept of comic canon, and delve into the many mighty champions of ink, pen, and silver …

We saw the Sein, and it opened up our eyes. It also opened up our mouths and a whole bunch of talking came out! We're discussing the FIRST FESTIVUS as presented in the season 9 episode 10 of Seinfeld, "The Strike". We even come up with a couple new holidays of our own, and air some grievances too! And then, there's the Mouth/Bug/Bird/guard/Garf/ Re…

On this episode we talk about the First Computer Virus, a little fella called Creeper that just creeped from one computer to another on a network in 1971... Plus, we discuss other viruses, virus protection, memetic/viral ideas, and AI... perhaps the ultimate self-driven, self-propagating program that's gonna do more than just creep. Then we dig int…

Happy (belated) Anniversary! For this podcast's FIRST we're watching Angela Robinson's FIRST MOVIE, 2004's D.E.B.S. We discuss this exceptional film, its bad CGI, good storytelling, and groundbreaking vibe. Then we delve into parallels between the film and the podcast, talk MOTHGARF (HEATHCLIFF?) and play I See What You Did There. It's been a year …

It's not a bird, or a plane, or even that clown SUPERMAN. No no! It's MOTHMAN, the prophesizer, the thicc, the red-eyed and ready! On this GROUNDBREAKING episode of Debut Buddies, we discuss Kelly's (and guest, Savanna's) first Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. We get into disasters, cryptids, big butts, vendors, mysteries, and mor…

I know WHOOOoooooOooOOOOooooOo did it! So says a ghost when testifying in court. And it turns out there are a couple of historically relevant events of GHOST TESTIMONY in criminal cases that could be considered the FIRST, so you know the Debut Buddies gotta talk about them! We discuss the Greenbriar Ghost and Rebecca Cornell of Portsmouth, RI and t…

It's time for some whimsy! We're going way back in time, and across to pond to talk about the First Jack-o'-Lantern! Get ready to turn(ip) it up because this ep is all about warding off evil, lighting your way, and thousands of pre-pumpkin years of glowing jack! You'll learn about Samhain, bogs, will-o'-the-wisps, and so much more! Plus, the MouthG…

Put on your duffle coat and don't forget your marmalade sandwiches... for this episode we dive into 2017's Paddington 2, the First Paddington (cinematic) sequel. We discuss earnest ursines, CGI, Hugh Grant, Brendan Gleeson, Peter Capaldi, crying in movies, sincerity, and popping books! Plus, we get into the Garfbug Report and play some I See What Y…

“You wil have to listen us before you git him from us, and pay us a big cent to!" That's the Debut Buddies promise for this fortnight's episode about the First Ransom Note. We travel back to 1874 Germantown/Philadelphia, PA and tell the story of the kidnapping of Charley Ross, a four year-old, and the first time a ransom note had ever happened in t…

Look! Up in the sky! It's a Legit Ass Goose! No, wait... It's a UFO! On this ep, we're discussing the FIRST ALIEN SIGHTING which might've happened during the reign of Thutmose III back in 1450 BC! Plus, we dig into other alien sightings, Fortean Phenomena, and recent spooky, potentially paranormal stuff! Kelly's got a very special surprise for us i…

It's time for another HOT GIRL SUMMER so we're talking about the day that officially kicks off the season (depending on who you talk to): the Summer Solstice. Yes, this is a NorHem centric podcast, so we're talking about June 20-22 as the Summer Solstice, but we give some love to our friends in the SoHem who celebrate Christmas on their own Summer …

What was the first skyscraper? Was it a building? Was it a particularly tall horse? Or just a regular-sized horse next to a very small man? Guest Victoria Bruick (Book Club with Julia and Victoria) joins the Buddies to talk about tall buildings, sinking structures, steal, stone, and Chicago... And so much more. Plus, we dive deep into the Mouthgarf…

These days, people drop F-bombs everywhere! Why, you'd be hard pressed to find a place where you won't hear one! But when was f*ck first spoken on American television? For that, we have to go back to 1981, but we'll go back even further... to 1956. Guest Michael J. O'Connor (musician, writer, podcaster) sits us down and tells us a tale of Saturdays…

In the beginning there was nothing... Then, suddenly, you had to hide your kids, hide your wife, build an Ark, get down with some Nephilim, and beget shit done (mostly more begetting). We dig deep into the First book of the Bible, Genesis, purportedly written by Moses, considered to be historically a good bit younger, but filled to the brim with za…

Back in 1958, Robert Rauschenberg erased a De Kooning. Sometime since 1964, an Angry Girlfriend vandalized an Amazing Spider-Man #14. In 2023, we're assaulting your ears... On this episode, we discuss the First Artwork to Increase in Value After Being Vandalized. Was it "Erased de Kooning Drawing"? Was it the Angry Girlfriend Variant? What is vanda…

Prehistorical ballsacks, missing teeth, and haphazard sketches of giant lizards done by bewigged men... On this episode, we're talking about the First Dinosaur Discovered, and that bad boy is Megalosaurus. First pondered in 1677, but resurging on 90s Jim Henson TV, this dinosaur brings all the cloaca to the yard, and we just happen to take moment i…

WE WANT TO BELIEVE so on this episode, Kelly, Chelsea, and Nate investigate the paranormal pilot of The X-Files, starring David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, William B. Davis, and some legit early-90s spookiness. What will the Buddies think of this Debut? The Truth is in this very episode! And, we get into the Mouthgarf Report... and Chelsea's REAL W…

Hot on the heels of our First Conspiracy Theory episode the Debut Buddies discuss the First Female Serial Killer... or do we!? Lavinia Fisher was purported to have poisoned men who were looking for a place to stay in Six Mile House outside Charleston, SC in the early 19th century... But did she? Kelly puts on a show with some shocking revelations! …

We do our own research this episode and discuss the First Conspiracy Theory from 1863, and so very much more. Moon Landing! DIA! Paul is Dead! Dyatlov Pass! Others! All we can tell you through this unsecured channel is that this is a new episode of Debut Buddies... Or is it? Join the secret society as we talk Mouthgarf Report and I See What You Did…

Danced all night? Check. Drank sixteen beers? Check. Started up a fight? Check. On this episode, we Buddies soak up the First Single with Profanity in the Title to Break the UK Top 40... 1981's Too Drunk to Fuck by Dead Kennedys. Is that FIRST ENOUGH FOR YOU!? HUH!? LISTENERS!? We talk about punk, make wild interpretations and speculations, and tak…

Hut Hut Hike! The Buddies discuss 1967's Super Bowl I, featuring the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs, played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in front of Kirk Douglas, two jetpacks, 4,000 pigeons, and two network broadcasts. Has football changed much? Do we even really talk about the game on this episode? Oh, you'll have to listen to f…

Buddies, where do fairytales come from? Well, child, the history of storytelling is complicated, but let me tell you a very old story, that might just be the first fairytale! This ep, Kelly, Nate, and Chelsea get into the Bronze Age story, The Smith and the Devil. We discuss its ancient origins, some variations found elsewhere around the world, and…

Don't have a cow, man! This episode, the Buddies (Chelsea, Kelly, and Nate) dive into the first episode of the Simpsons, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," a Holiday special that's also a pilot that wasn't supposed to be the pilot but ended up kicking off the longest running prime time cartoon of all time and also formed almost all of Nate's and …

It's a us, the Debut Buddies! We're talking about the epically chaotic first live action video game adaptation film... 1993's Super Mario Bros. with Bob Hoskins, Dennis Hopper, and John Leguizamo! Nate, Chelsea, and Kelly get into evolution, de-evolution, Brooklyn, plumbing, and the movie's anti-fascist and Marxist brilliance. Is it the perfect mov…

It's February 2nd. You just woke up. You exit your burrow to sniff the cold air. If you see your shadow, you recoil and usher in weeks of Winter. If you don't, then Spring is near. Now... imagine it's a TIME LOOP and your name is Bill Murray! On this episode, we explore the origins of Groundhog Day, from Celtic Imbolc to Candelmas, St. Brigid's Day…

Nate, Kelly, and Chelsea delve into the first breakthrough video game that became available on multiple platforms (like a tiny-screened refrigerator computer) and even spawned the first arcade game! The game: Spacewar! The year: 1962. The fun: Not entirely existent! We discuss this piece of history, some code lore, some sci-fi legacy, and more! Plu…

This episode, Kelly, Chelsea, and Nate lend their ears to Lionel Richie's Can't Slow Down, an album that came out in 1983 and went Diamond (10x Platinum) in 1985 (assuming the Wiki chart is accurate)... which means it was the FIRST DIAMOND ALBUM. (If we were wrong, tweet at us!) We dig into the titular track, the awesome All Night Long, the soggy m…