Introducing: Catch Basin Cinema
The Hunker Downcast
It's been a while since the last Hunkerdown episode. (Jeff never figured out how to do the remote recording during the pandemic.) We may yet get the band back together eventually. But for now, here is where you'll find us keeping the brand out there... to borrow a phrase from Ray Nagin. It's Catch Basin Cinema, our first spin-off series! Jeff and Varg are down in the culverts and gutters in search of the New Orleans shot or set film with the most #standing. Our first movie, 1993's Hard Target staring Jean Claude Van Damme, is definitely not it, though. Anyway, just getting started so...
info_outline
Episode 58: From the Terrace
The Hunker Downcast
Happy New Year and welcome from distant future. Yes, the 2020s will, in fact, include podcasting. We're very sorry. There was nothing we could do. We spend a few minutes catching up with LaToya's New Orleans in the new decade before launching into an extended discussion of the latest Democratic Primary debate and the stakes of the 2020 election. It's probably the most Bernie Bro #content we've put into one episode so far. Later we sort out the Odell Beckham situation and celebrate the LSU national championship win before getting in a few parting shots about the way the Saints...
info_outline
Election Special 2019
The Hunker Downcast
On Election Day Eve, Jeff and Lance take some time to familiarize themselves with the candidates, issues, and unusual names or nicknames so vital to the future of Louisiana. Make sure you get out and vote against as many of these candidates as possible. If, for some reason you enjoy our show, share, like, rate, tell your friends, or whatever. Thanks for listening.
info_outline
Saints 2019: How I learned to stop worrying and No Longer Exist
The Hunker Downcast
Jeff and Varg sneak off to the Deurty Boys gallery to record this freebird episode sort of previewing the 2019 New Orleans Saints. Because of the events of this week, that means we have to start with thirty minutes of Drew Brees, Focus On The Family, and #CancelCulture. That's followed by the obligatory Dan Arnold Update and then a brief look at the roster before we try and puzzle out the schedule for a while. Finally, in order to evoke anxieties over the dubious future of football, by former almost Saints receiver Rishard Matthews. If for some reason you enjoy our show, share, like, rate,...
info_outline
Episode 57: Summer Of Sorrow
The Hunker Downcast
Hey we're back! oh no... wait... turns out Jeff pulled a severe Dan Arnold on the audio despite what he thought was a very thorough sound check and the result is the garbled mess he's been trying to fix for two weeks now. We're afraid this is about as good as it's going to get. Which is to say not good at all. Sorry. But maybe there's something in here worth sticking it out for anyway. Some of the barely audible topics covered as we tried to catch up from summer hiatus were: - How do beveridges work? - Let's explain some GIFs - Summer of Sorrow - Barry and associated flooding -...
info_outline
Episode 56: Dog farts! Also Mardi Gras stuff feat. Doris
The Hunker Downcast
Finally! It's our Mardi Gras re-cap episode. Only we're uploading it two weeks late because things happened. Also we don't get through all of Mardi Gras because it was late when we recorded this. Also please enjoy the guest appearance by Varg's 15 year old dog Doris. She has a lot to contribute. Anyway we're back.. basically. If you enjoy our show, share, like, rate, tell your friends, or whatever. Thanks for listening.
info_outline
Episode 55: Sitting vigil over the hot spots
The Hunker Downcast
It is Mardi Gras time again and rather than wait for our traditional 10 hour recap episode to dump it all on you at once, we decided to try and get out in front of the chaos before it compounds. And so here is a quick hour and a half on the early season doings. Such doings are as follows. The Downman Mansion, , has burned to the ground. Some of us had a close-up view of the .. uh… calamity. Also it has something to do with Bernie Sanders, probably. Doug MacCash has some ideas about Does he actually believe his own bullshit? Or is he just trolling for clicks? Sound...
info_outline
Sports special! Stupor Bowl V Memories
The Hunker Downcast
A special minisode featuring field reports from Stupor Bowl V which may or may not have been the final appearance of the legendary Vibrio Vulnificus Football Club. Also some brief commentary on New Orleans's Day Of Many Super Bowl Boycotts. If you enjoy our show, share, like, rate, tell your friends, or whatever. Thanks for listening.
info_outline
Episode 54: Refs are cops
The Hunker Downcast
Folks! The Saints game. Have you seen this? Have you heard about this? Well it is bad. People are not happy. Nevertheless we are here to feel all the feelings with you so that… well… that is something anyway. And we are feeling ALL the feelings not only of this game but of the whole Sean Payton era as we go on a deep dive search for reasons. We really put ourselves out there this time. For you we did this. Varg, especially. Just listen and you’ll see what we mean by that. Anyway… we’re not gonna tell you wait til next year because who knows if there will even be one....
info_outline
Episode 53: Year Of The Jaguar
The Hunker Downcast
Happy Holidays! Not only from us but also from everyone at Councilwoman Cyndi Nguyen’s office (“Where family comes first.”) Some of us are in kind of a humbug mood. Or maybe it’s just the lagunitas. But somehow between tangents about things like boil order protocol or who is and is not dead, we manage to run through a re-cap of (some of) 2018. Well, at least, we cover these issues. Kind of in this order. - Canadian Olympic Ice Dancers - Goofy LaToya - That Thai cave rescue - Bad LaToya - World Cup memories - Good LaToya - Eddie the dunking/masturbating otter - Valerio the hero we...
info_outlineAlli isn't here but we're not calling this a "Freebird" episode because Karen Gadbois is sitting in for her "Badstreet" style. We set out to at least try and fit this week's topics in under an hour. We failed to do that.
Segment 1
An attempt to organize a union at Lusher Charter School failed last week. We talk to Karen about the Lusher vote and the Lens's experience trying to cover charter schools. Charters often don't think of themselves as public entities subject to open meetings laws. At one point we mention this Five Thirty Eight article about the importance of the teaching profession for the city's black middle class. Later in the week, International High successfully unionized its faculty.
Ken Havard is a fat guy who wants to regulate the weights of strippers... because "political correctness".. sort of. Ken Havard is a doughy guy. Also we can make his argument better than he can.
Sidney Torres for mayor? The new Torres-inspired TV show is coming out next year.
Bayou Boogaloo Fence: Varg's theory is the fence was about restricting access to Ideal Market. Boogaloo is "Mid-Summer Endymion" We get a little carried away knocking the Boogaloo and Mid City in general. We're (kind of) sorry about that.
Why do we always celebrate when somebody opens a CVS? Especially when this Wall Street Journal article congratulates us for not shopping at Rite Aid.
City Council approved the Bywater "Poshtel" which may or may not be a "hook up hotel" with its own app. Is there a "constant drumbeat" to push more tourists into neighborhoods? What does this mean for our neighborhood peacocks?
Thanks to the Mayor for personally rescuing the HogsHeadJesus Studio from a potential sinkhole.
Thanks to the NFL for not putting another SuperBowl in New Orleans for a while.
And thanks to Karen for sitting in with us.
Segment 2
Twitter questions: The Lens maps. Open invitation to the Governor to come on the show. Favorite snoball place?
SOSO: Jeff didn't leave the house. Lance went out to Doris Metropolitan and to Bayou Beer Garden.
The Jivewire: As always, brought to you by Magnolia Builders.
Thanks again for listening.