LA in La La Land
Verge of the Dude
Hey Dude, I finally watched La La Land and it really struck me to the core, especially the scenes at my beloved Smoke House and the wacky one person show stuff. QUOTE: "My recording situation isn't perfect..." CAST: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Ming Ming (cameo) LOCATIONS: Oregon, 105 Freeway, The Dresden Room, The Smoke House, Warner Bros., Griffith Park, The Griffith Observatory, Sunset Blvd. FILM/TV: A Complete Unknown, The Chocolate War, La La Land, SNL, Drive, Barbie, Portlandia PODCASTS: Pine Drive-in SOUNDS: children playing footsteps, gravel, airplane, birds, meow...
info_outline
My Own Private Chocolate War
Verge of the Dude
Hey Dude, I trip out on being a heathen freshman at a Catholic high school, and then I goof on the reason why I left. QUOTE: "I didn't want to sell the chocolates." CAST: Pope Francis, Jesus of Nazareth, Spartacus, Chris Prine, Danny DeVito, Annette Bening, Jennifer Jason Leigh LOCATIONS: Notre Dame High School, Beth Meier Preschool, Corvallis High School, Descanso Gardens, Altadena PROPS: Bible, Old Testament, New Testament, My Own Private Idaho, The Chocolate War, Poolman, The Big Lebowski, Chinatown FAITHS: Catholicism, Judaism, Unitarian Universalist SOUNDS: wind, footsteps, gravel, ...
info_outline
Completely Unknown
Verge of the Dude
Hey Dude, after stumbling from the ashes, I finally sat down to have my mind blown by the film A Complete Unknown...twice. QUOTE: "The wheels have completely fallen off the wagon." CAST: Brandi Carlile, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Joe Friday, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Fred Neil, James Mangold, Elijah Wald, Timothée Chalamet, Sylvester Stallone, Joaquin Phoenix, Johnny Cash, Boyd Holbrook, Joan Baez, Monica Barbaro, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Suze Rotolo, Scott Warmuth SPECIAL GUEST STAR: Ming Ming LOCATIONS: Burbank, Altadena, Ming Ming's Barn PROPS: ADU, Grammys, SNL, Hulu, A...
info_outline
"Have a nice f**king day, Sir!"
Verge of the Dude
Hey Dude, my super funky weekend was redeemed after Reverend Rick let his freak flag fly from the pulpit of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City. QUOTE: "I don't know if I should say this in church." PEOPLE: Kris Kristofferson, Philip Roth, Jack Nicholson PLACES: Altadena, Los Angeles, DTLA, Los Angeles Central Library, Universal City, Studio City, Harvard Westlake Sports Complex, UUCSC THINGS: Sunday Morning Coming Down, The Last Detail, Shore Patrol PHOTO: "Beautiful UU Springstar" shot with my RECORDED: March 31, 2025 in "The Cafe" under the flight path of the ...
info_outline
Marching into Podcasthon
Verge of the Dude
Hey Dude, I talk about how I'm struggling to keep my head on straight this year as I deal with the Altadena Fire, my induction into the Podcast Hall of Fame and my 20th anniversary of podcasting. All while trying to celebrate the efforts of the people at Podcasthon, as Dean and I ask for your help with our own non-profit, the History of Podcasting Project. PEOPLE: PLACES: Altadena, Burbank, Los Angeles, California, Canada, France, "The Gulf of Canada" THINGS: Eaton Fire (Altadena Fire), , , GENRE: , , PHOTO: "Podcast Hall of Fame Trophy Boxed" shot with my RECORDED: March 19, 2025 in...
info_outline
Altadena, Revisited (Part 1)
Verge of the Dude
Hey Dude, I headed up to Altadena to visit the three historic places where I once lived. All three were burned to the ground. Yet I still feel a tinge of hope. PEOPLE: David Lynch, Zane Grey PLACES: Altadena, Jane's Village, Zane Grey Estate, Woodbury Building THINGS: History of Podcasting Project SOUNDS: footsteps, gravel path, airplane GENRE: , , PHOTO: "Woodbury Building Mural" shot with my RECORDED: March 1, 2025 in the "Cafe" under the flight path of the in , GEAR: Zoom H1 XLR with Sennheiser MD 46 microphone. HYPE: "It's a beatnik kinda literary thing in a podcast cloak...
info_outline
Go Find Me
Verge of the Dude
Hey Dude, obviously there has been a lot going on with the Eaton Fire burning down my studio in downtown Altadena. So many people, suffering so much loss, so I'll wait to tell my side of the story for another day. SOUNDS: footsteps, gravel path, sirens GENRE: , , PHOTO: "Go Find Me" shot with my RECORDED: February 1, 2025 in the "Cafe" under the flight path of the in , GEAR: Zoom H1 XLR with Sennheiser MD 46 microphone. HYPE: "It's a beatnik kinda literary thing in a podcast cloak of darkness." Timothy Kimo Brien (cohost on and host of ) DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly...
info_outline
Dreams of the 90s
Verge of the Dude
Hey Dude, I briefly talk about being inducted into the Podcast Hall of Fame, before I flashback to my not so distant dreams of living in the 90s. QUOTE: "I didn't play it cool enough, so I dropped the ball." PEOPLE: Grant Baciocco, Hiram, Alicia Silverstone PLACES: Orlando, Burbank, Westside, South L.A., San Bernadino THINGS: Podcast Hall of Fame, Dr. Floyd, Toiley T. Paper, Kittens for Christian, Reality Bites, Portlandia, SNL, mime, Music Center of Los Angeles, Clueless, Verge of the Fringe SOUNDS: birds, footsteps, gravel path, helicopter, wind, GENRE: , , PHOTO: "Dream of the...
info_outline
Secret Successes and Broken Shoelaces
Verge of the Dude
Hey Dude, I'm really sorry it's been so long since my last call. I riff about a "big f'n deal" announcement that is still a secret, while also lamenting all of the broken shoelaces in my life. QUOTE: "It's not the big things in life that kill you. It's the little things like breaking a shoelace with no time left." - Charles Bukowski PEOPLE: Charles Bukowski, Sylvester Stallone PLACES: North Hollywood High School THINGS: Rocky, X (the band), Twitter, Bluesky SOUNDS: plane, birds, footsteps, gravel path, GENRE: , , PHOTO: "Cafe at Christmas" shot with my RECORDED: December...
info_outline
Ode to Joan Baez
Verge of the Dude
Hey Dude, the other night I watched the Joan Baez documentary "I Am a Noise" and it struck me to the core. My new found reverence for Joan Baez is beyond measure. Plus I couldn't think of my favorite singer's name...Brandi Carlile. QUOTE: "Madonna, not Madonna the performer. Madonna the Virgin Mary." PEOPLE: Norah Jones, Kacey Musgraves, Billie Eilish & Finneas, The Carpenters, The Go-Go's, Brandi Carlile, Lady Gaga, Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Virgin Mary, Taylor Swift, Aretha Franklin, Adele, Mimi Fariña PLACES: Laguna Beach, California, Los Angeles, Highland...
info_outlineHey Dude, my life has been a real jigsaw puzzle, slowly put back together this past month. Not only does my truck have a rebuilt engine, I may have found my voice...again.
QUOTE: "At first I thought it was going to be a disaster, but in the end, it was perfect."
PEOPLE: Dean Whitbread, John in the UK, Father Time, Joseph Dougherty
PLACES: Altadena Library, Bob Lucas Branch, Bob's Big Boy (Toluca Lake), Yosemite, Fresno, Oakhurst, Frazier Park, Los Angeles County, Bakersfield, Central Valley
THINGS: Ford Ranger Truck, History of Podcasting, Facebook, Podcast Movement
SOUNDS: footsteps, gravel path, wind, birds, plane, Laguna Sawdust Cowbell Chimes
GENRE: storytelling, personal narrative, personal journal
PHOTO: "Intro Pod Tweet" with my iPhone XS
RECORDED: June 29, 2023 from the "Wawona Lawn" under the flight path of the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California
GEAR: Sony ICD PX370 digital voice recorder and Sony ECM CS3 "tie-clip" microphone.
HYPE: "It's a beatnik kinda literary thing in a podcast cloak of darkness." Timothy Kimo Brien (cohost on Podwrecked and host of Create Art Podcast)
DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised.