Who cares about pixels? A lot of people, actually. The early age of video gaming was a blocky and colorful world, and there are more than a few people today still rendering art in that decidedly retro style. For his video game music podcast, Singing Mountain, host Drew Mackie makes original pixel cover art for every episode, so apparently getting that Lite Brite for Christmas in 1987 really paid off. If you dig old video games, have a look at the Singing Mountain Instagram page to see what person can do with a grid of squares and a little downtime. And see the episode-by-episode cover art over at the Singing Mountain website.
It seems like it was just ten weeks ago that we were kicking off the new season of Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon Movie … because it was. But this afternoon, we’re putting up the last of season two, and it’s focused on the 1972 TV movie When Michael Calls, starring (appropriately enough) Michael Douglas. In the studio to chat with Sam is (appropriately enough) Michael Varrati, screenwriter and host of the gay horror podcast Dead for Filth. It’s a great episode to close out the season that has also had guest appearances by trans icon Calpernia Addams, Gilmore Girls actress Rose Abdoo and sketch comedy favorite Daniele Gaither. If you haven’t checked out the rest of MAM’s offerings, click here to see all the cool guests Sam has had one the show.
And a big thank you to Adam Dugas for making video previews for each of this season’s episodes.
(Photo: Erwin Recinos)
For the second year, Smart Mouth host Katherine Spiers has co-created a restaurant list for Los Angeles called Rogue 99. Very much in the spirit of the late Jonathan Gold’s work, this project covers 99 of the most essential (not necessarily the best! But sometimes the best!) restaurants, trucks, stalls and sidewalk grills across LA County. Read it here.
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