Nostalgia Trap

What makes John Candy such a unique figure in American pop culture? And why are we still talking about him in 2025? In this episode, Justin and I discuss the new documentary John Candy: I Like Me (dir. Colin Hanks) and reflect on Candy's outsized space in the cultural imagination, while exploring some of the darker elements of our paternal attraction to specific celebrities. Check out our previous episode all about Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (dir. John Hughes), a key work in the Candy oeuvre. Subscribe to the Nostalgia Trap Patreon to access our vast library of episodes and bonus content: patreon.com/nostalgiatrap 

This is a preview clip from a subscribers-only episode. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN. It's time once again to sip some eggnog and survey the wreckage of the past 12 months, as Justin joins us for a conversation about the continuing (though anti-viral) insanity of the Russia-Ukraine War and its significance within the larger framework of Europe's decline. We also talk about the strength of the MAGA project in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination and the rising cost of living, and consider the disturbing implications of the "Fuck Around and Find Out" philosophy as applied to political violence. Happy Holidays!

This is a clip from a subscribers-only episode. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN. As we continue our exploration of various forms of intoxicants, I share some personal stories and insights about America's favorite mind-altering substance: alcohol. From teenage experiments with wine coolers to the tipsy world of New York City dive bars, I've collected some hard-earned perspectives on the complicated role booze plays in our lives and the wider world. Cheers!

This is a preview clip of a subscribers-only episode. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE AND ACCESS OUR LIBRARY OF BONUS CONTENT. Is the Trump Reich in terminal decline? Have we entered a new stage in the madness of this administration? This week Justin joins me to catalog some of the important points of failure and retreat in the White House and beyond, from Trump's faltering ballroom construction project and the quiet shuttering of DOGE, to tech psychos like Sam Altman and Elon Musk selling increasingly unrealistic visions of the future (OpenAI dominance and Nazified white supremacy, respectively). Meanwhile, China sharpens the blades of its own tech projects and Europe casts its eyes eastward.

This is a preview of a subscribers-only episode. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN. Lots of fun stuff today: slavery in the tuna industry, monetized Nazi content driving engagement across every major social media platform, the idea of "moving where it's cheaper" meets open ridicule, poetry as a way of hacking AI systems into encouraging self harm, Iran faces truly apocalyptic drought conditions, and worldwide murder rates decline precipitously because there aren't enough kids around to do the killing anymore.