Too Much Information

Your favorite folk-rock duo of facts guide you through the troubled waters that lead to the creation of this beloved classic album and its iconic title track. They'll give you a rundown of Simon and Garfunkel's epic feud, which started in childhood and only intensified with stardom, and explain why this record marked the end of the road for the pair. (Basically, if the book 'Catch-22' had never been written, S&G might still be together today...) But it's not all doom and gloom! They'll discuss how "Cecilia" was quietly groundbreaking for its pioneering use of sampling, why its lyrics were a harbinger of social change, and also detail the bizarre connection it has to a Beatles classic. They'll get into Paul Simon's thorny relationship with cultural appropriation on "El Condor Pasa," his unexpected inspiration behind the title song, and how he got that god tier drum sound on "The Boxer." The guys try not to cry as they expose the hidden messages Paul included to his (increasingly estranged) old friend on "The Only Living Boy in New York" and "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright," and unconcover the poignant secret meaning of the final album tracks — but you're welcome to shed a tear, if you want. It's TMI...now with BONUS BOOMER NOSTALGIA! 

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A tuxedo-clad Jordan and Heigl take you to Da Movies with their epic tangent-rich, name drop-y history of Hollywood's biggest night! They’ll dive deep into iconic Oscars moments, like the infamous streaker (and his shocking murder), the fallout from Marlon Brando’s politically-charged boycott, and Charlie Chaplin’s touching homecoming after years in exile — plus lots more lesser-known moments of award show insanity.

You’ll learn all about Oscars gaffes that make “Envelope-Gate” look tame — including the time that an Oscar statuette was stolen right from the stage! — and the disasters that occasionally delayed the broadcast. There’s also the tragic tale of a veteran actor who was forced to sell his trophy to pay for his wife’d medical costs (or take a cruise…), the time Tom Hanks accidentally outed his teacher at the Oscars (or did he…?), and the Oscar nominee who was wanted by police for the theft of tens of thousands of library books! 

Egyptian curses, David Bowie’s preferred cologne, and the sad death of Disney child star Bobby Driscoll also get a mention for some reason, as does Jordan’s office break-room photoshoot with Taylor Swift and his unholy hatred of Richard Gere. He also (briefly!) quizzes his beloved co-host about assorted Oscars milestones and discusses his dream-fulfilling trip to the ceremony a few years back — which was nowhere near as interesting as the time the 'South Park' creators went after donning drag and dropping acid. The jury’s still out on how the Academy Award received its better-known nickname of “Oscar,” but that’s pretty much the only fact they WEREN’T able to track down. Strap in, because these two are going until the wrap-it-up music finally drowns them out. 

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Jordan and Alex rev up their clank-boom-skronk engine and clatter their way into the junkyard for a trip to the heart of Tom Waits’ asthmatic doomer trip 'Bone Machine'! After a brief discussion of Waits’ career up to that point, including his early association with LA’s Troubadour-based Mellow Mafia, they’ll jaws-of-life their way into the album’s rusted center, from figuring out exactly which field recording of Pygmy drumming inspired the opening cut to the precise nature of the chicken-ranch storage room the album was tracked in. They’ll run down every Easter egg in the lyrics, from Tony Franciosa to Oldsmobiles, and identify minutiae from the flea-market piece of music gear Waits got repaired at a TV shop to the details of how Tom met Keef (Richards, that is.) It’s Too Much Information: *incomprehensible gargling bellows*!

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Your Tin Men of trivia are back for round two of their epic deep dive into the making of the most watched movie in history. On this episode, you’ll learn about the hellish production, which ended up injuring, maiming (or, at very least, psychologically harming) at nearly every member of the cast. The Scarecrow was nearly set on fire — but he was saved from his costume made of asbestos. The Wicked Witch actually WAS set on fire, and the frantic crew had to scrub down her freshly-burned skin with alcohol. A “heavily medicated” Judy Garland was emotionally abused by everyone from the studio execs on down — all for the name of MOVIE MAGIC! The wildly-expensive lightening caused brown-outs all over LA, the tornado sequence nearly choked the SFX team, and then there were the poor prop masters who made fake glass out of liquid mercury.

Between the accidentals, constantly revolving cast of writers and directors, and the outbreak of World War II, ‘The Wizard of Oz’ should have been a complete and utter disaster. How did it become a top tier classic, with special resonance within the LGBTQ community? Why does Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' sync up so well with the film? Did a distraught Munchkin actor really hang themselves in the middle of a scene? Take a listen, and all the answers will be revealed!

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Follow the flying monkeys of facts down the Yellow Brick Road for an episode that’s Toto-ly packed with 'Wizard of Oz' trivia! In part one of the TMI’s guy’s epic two-fer on children’s cinematic classic, you’ll hear all about the origins of the original book and how author L. Frank Baum’s (who, it’s worth noting, was bullied by theater people) was inspired by office supplies, family tragedy and his childhood nightmares to develop the magical series. You'll also learn why MGM greenlit the budget-busting production to compete with the world beating success of Walt Disney's 'Snow White,' the biggest blockbuster in history at the time.

This episode focuses on the cast of 'Oz,' nearly all of whom were tortured physically and psychologically. Special shout-out to original Tin Man Buddy Ebsen, who nearly died due to his wildly unsafe makeup. There's also the truly disgusting costumes required for the Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion, and the trials and tribulations of being a Munchkin on the set. (Spoiler: there were no Munchkin orgies.) The TMI duo also explain why The Wicked Witch of the West was actually the loveliest person in the production, why Toto is buried under LA's 101 freeway, and why the Ruby Slippers led to a 13-year FBI manhunt. Plus, prepare to get really bummed out when you learn about Judy Garland's childhood and all the drugs she was (allegedly) being fed by her mom. Yes, the movie making experience was less than wonderful for the cast, but the episode's pretty great. 

Support your friendly neighborhood TMI Guys here! https://ko-fi.com/toomuchinformationpodcast