Episode 162 - The Double Dubbie Awards

It's taken only six years for our humble little tradition to balloon into a multi-hour masterpiece of mutual appreciation. Yes, the Dubbies are growing up, and this year we're doubling down on the accolades: not only do we honor the best of 2019, but we're also handing out our Dubbies of the Decade to commemorate the best of the past ten years.

It's the only ceremony without a time limit on acceptance speeches, so keep your seat-filler on call for this wonderfully effusive episode!

This year's program of awards:

• Best Actress
• Best Actor
• Best Film
• Best Comeback
• Most Unnecessary Throwback
• Future WWWW Candidate
• Most Nostalgic Moment
• Best New Oldie
• Best Performance by a Guest
• Best Performance by a Co-host
• Best WWWW Episode of 2019
• Dubbies of the Decade

Episode 161 - ENCINO MAN

Hey bud-dy! We return to a time when hair metal and surfer slang ruled the earth as we unearth all the early '90s artifacts of Encino Man. The film is a finely preserved specimen from a fascinating evolutionary period in the teen comedy genre, epitomized by Pauly Shore's colorful verbiage and Brendan Fraser's lunkhead charm.

We find our missing link in first-time guest and lifelong Valley resident Jose Santos, who teaches us how to properly wheeze the juice of this movie's corny Cali vibes. Oooow!

Encino Man (1992)
Directed by Les Mayfield
Produced by George Zaloom
Written by Shawn Schepps
Starring Sean Astin, Brendan Fraser, Megan Ward, Michael DeLuise, Robin Tunney, Mariette Hartley, Richard Masur, and Pauly Shore

Episode 160 - JUMANJI

What year is it!? As the calendar turns to a new decade, we remain comfortably ensconced in the past with one of our most beloved stars. Robin Williams guides us through the perils and pitfalls of the darkest jungle in Jumanji, which transforms the whimsy of a classic children's book into action-packed pathos that's mainly for the adults.

Debuting guest Matt Polizzi joins us in this safari of cinematic, literary, and gaming nostalgia, as we invite all those who seek to find a way to leave the present behind. Jumanji!

Jumanji (1995)
Directed by Joe Johnston
Produced by Scott Kroopf and William Teitler
Written by Jonathan Hensleigh and Greg Taylor & Jim Strain
Based on the children's book by Chris Van Allsburg
Starring Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, Jonathan Hyde, Patricia Clarkson, and David Alan Grier

Episode 159 - WINTER WARS-A-THON

Happy Hoth-idays, everyone! We're spending our holiday vacation in a galaxy far, far away, and turning our traditional yuletide clip collection into a Star Wars celebration. In this very special Winter Wars-A-Thon, we tackle '80s cartoons, novelty records, fan-created art, and anything with the slightest connection to this festive season.

Marvel Star Wars Explorers co-host Brian Rudloff climbs into our toasty Tauntaun carcass with some special unboxing surprises, and joins us in a final round of Star Wars hot takes before we witness the big-screen conclusion to the Skywalker saga. Merry Christmas to all, and may the Force be with you!

Featured in this episode:

TV Episodes
Star Wars: Droids - "The Frozen Citadel" (aired 11/30/85)
Star Wars: Ewoks - "The Season Scepter" (aired 11/1/86)

Music
Mark Jonathan Davis and the X-Swing Fighters - "The Phantom Medley/Star Wars Cantina" from Naboo Road (1999)
Meco - Christmas in the Stars (1980)

Fan Films
Park Wars - "O Holy Night" (1999)
"How the Sith Stole Christmas, Pt. 1" and the trailer for unfinished parts 2-3 (2002)

Episode 158 - THE SANTA CLAUSE

'Tis the ho-ho-holiday season, and we're kicking off our festivities with Tim Allen's turn as a smart aleck St. Nick in The Santa Clause. Is it a sarcastic and saccharine fruitcake of a movie featuring flatulent reindeer, child custody battles, ugly sweaters, and elves...with attitudes? Or is it an eggnog-laced body horror flick featuring a man powerless to prevent his flesh and blood from transforming into the ageless avatar of Christmas cheer?

Jolly old Saint Nate Tapp cartoonishly squeezes down our chimney to help us examine the fine print on this Santa succession story. Whether you were naughty or nice this year, we gift-wrapped this magical episode just for you!

The Santa Clause (1994)
Directed by John Pasquin
Produced by Robert Newmyer, Brian Reilly, and Jeffrey Silver
Written by Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick
Starring Tim Allen, Eric Lloyd, Wendy Crewson, Judge Reinhold, Peter Boyle, and David Krumholtz

Episode 157 - FORREST GUMP

Polish up those back-to-back Best Actor Oscars and pull out those snapshots of lost gloves, because this year WWWW celebrates its first annual Hanksgiving! And what better way to launch this tradition than with the dewy-eyed nostalgia of Forrest Gump? In this episode, we're showing gratitude for unnecessary sprinting, uncanny CGI ventriloquism, and the comedic genius of Thomas Jeffrey Hanks.

We're extremely hankful for all this, plus the always-thoughtful Kev Young—a guest who has a permanent place at our table. The same goes for you, dear listener, so pull up a chair and join our Hanksgiving feast!

And that's all we have to say about that.

Forrest Gump (1994)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Produced by Wendy Finerman, Steve Tisch, and Steve Starkey
Written by Eric Roth
Based on the novel by Winston Groom
Starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Haley Joel Osment, and Sally Field

Episode 156 - THE SUPER LONG 'WEEN-A-THON

This year, our annual 'Ween-A-Thon gets Super Long...and we mean it! Prepare yourself for two-plus hours of festive frights with a superhero twist. It's also the culmination of Joke-tober, as the Clown Prince of Crime's maniacal tricks make a special appearance among our platter of pop culture treats. 

With the help of fellow 'weener Sam Stovold, we've engineered a holiday tribute that nature never intended, bursting with one-of-a-kind features and an extended discussion of our favorite Halloween candy. We're holding nothing back on this episode, so get the funk up and don't stop dancing: it's the Super Long 'Ween-A-Thon!

Featured in this episode:

Batman: The Animated Series - "Almost Got 'Im" (aired November 10, 1992)
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends - "The Bride of Dracula!" (aired September 24, 1983)
Prince - "Batdance" (1989)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - "Super Irma" (aired September 26, 1992)
U2 - "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" (1995)
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman - "Ghosts" (aired November 24, 1996)