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Award-winning radio personality, podcaster, and SNL fanatic/historian NICK DIGILIO hosts this weekly deep dive into the world of the granddaddy of all sketch-comedy shows. Nick, a Second City grad and veteran of Chicago comedy and theater, has watched every single episode of SNL since George Carlin hosted the premiere on October 11th, 1975. Consisting of new and old episode analysis; SNL-relates guests; historical impact; and even entire episodes dedicated completely to just one sketch…this ...
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You don’t have to love Christmas to love this podcast. Film critic Collin Souter and renowned sheep expert Kerry Finegan delve into every type of Christmas movie they can find. Classics, non-classics, horror, Hallmark, obscurities, foreign, shorts, TV specials, unnecessary sequels and remakes. Even films that you might not think of as traditional Christmas movies. The great, the awful and the unusual, all year round.
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Director's Club

Jim Laczkowski

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A monthly show that reviews one film director per episode with the occasional bonus episode. Episodes 123-172 were hosted by Brad & Al. As of 2022, new episodes will be hosted by Jim and/or Bill. directorsclub.substack.com
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TV critic Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter returns to break down the second-to-last episode of Saturday Night Live’s 50th season, the latest from Top Chef, and the return of Poker Face with Natasha Lyonne. He also weighs in on new releases like MurderBot and Duster, and shares thoughts on the quiet shutdown of Amazon’s Freevee. Later, Nick …
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Nick sits down with The Movie Mom, Nell Minow, for a wide-ranging chat that covers everything from her recent congressional testimony to her film writing at RogerEbert.com. They dive into the buzz around Thunderbolts and Sorry, Baby, and she shares highlights from Ebert Fest 2025. Later, Esmeralda Leon drops in for a nostalgic trip back to the chao…
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Nick takes a deep dive into one of the most chaotic and heavily criticized seasons in Saturday Night Live history: Season 20, also known as The Bad Boys Club Season. Following the departure of core cast members like Phil Hartman, Rob Schneider, and Julia Sweeney, the show found itself leaning hard into the rowdy, often crude humor of Adam Sandler, …
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In this “For The People” special, Nick kicks things off with Consumerman Herb Weisbaum from Checkbook.org, covering the return of student loan collections, the recent congressional moves on overdraft and credit card late fees, and some fresh credit card perks you might’ve missed. Herb also shares important health insurance updates and a few eye-ope…
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Kerry and Collin, while trying desperately to recall facts about part 2, finally round out the Tim Allen "Santa Clause" trilogy with should be the best of the bunch, considering the casting of Martin Short. Did it meet the expectation? Maybe. If nothing else, he gives the viewer someone to root for. Is this really "the greatest Santa Claus story ev…
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I once saw a film called Sherman’s March which of course I adored. But then a year or so ago, I watched another film by the same director, Bright Leaves. For some reason, it had a profound effect on me. This episode goes into detail as to why. Joining me throughout is Illinois archivist and historian Eric Edwards for this unconventional approach to…
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Nick welcomes the always-lovely Monica Eng from Axios Chicago to chat about a range of uniquely Chicago topics, including Aldi’s surprising fine-dining options, Potbelly stepping things up with their new prime rib sandwich, the controversial speed cameras on LSD, and the ever-present challenges (and horrors) of riding the CTA Red Line. They also di…
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Sometimes Saturday Night Live sketches don’t make it past dress rehearsal, falling into the “Cut For Time” category. On this episode of THAT SHOW…, Nick revisits five recent sketches that were pulled at the last minute—whether for timing, length, or simply because they didn’t hit quite right. Despite featuring standout performances from a wide rang…
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Nick welcomes Pro-Wrestling expert Dr. Keith Lipinski from AAW Pro to talk about this year’s Wrestlemania—including the Cena-Cody match, the joy of watching Dominik Mysterio, Becky Lynch’s surprising heel turn, and Jay Uso making everyone Yeet! They also discuss the latest developments in AEW, preview the upcoming AAW Pro event, and explore the upc…
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Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy to review several new movies, including “The Accountant 2,” “The Shrouds,” “Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie,” “The Legend of Ochi,” and more. They also share insights and highlights from the upcoming Chicago Critics Film Festival at The Music Box Theater during the first week of May. Later, …
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Nick welcomes film expert, exhibitor, and historian Mike Kerz to the podcast to talk about his lifelong love for Saturday Night Live—a passion that began in his teen years when he would record each episode’s audio with a portable tape recorder. As the co-creator of the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention and co-owner of The Midway Drive-In in Dixon…
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Nick welcomes TV critic Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter to talk about the return of several high-profile MAX shows: The Rehearsal, The Last of Us, and Hacks. Dan also reviews new series including #1 Happy Family, Government Cheese, and the Red Sox docuseries The Clubhouse: A Year With The Red Sox. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to chat a…
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What an honor and a joy it was to talk with Rachel Bellwoar, an extremely talented writer and pop culture enthusiast whose work I’ve enjoyed discovering over the years. Thanks to many mutual cinephile friends and podcasters, we crossed paths in the world of Facebook and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her on the show to talk about an underappre…
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A listener requested this title quite some time ago and it finally happened! Film critic Nell Minow joins Kerry and Collin to talk about this relatively obscure, but wonderful movie that might just be the first ever in the sub-genre of holiday films where the family returns home for the holiday festivities and slowly start airing their grievances a…
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Nick welcomes music journalist Jim Ryan to talk about his recent interview with none other than Jeff Bridges—The Dude himself—and why Jim considers him the best actor on the planet. They also dive into some recent and classic concerts that Jim and/or Nick have attended, including Iggy Pop, Ratboys, Suzanne Vega, Daryl Hall, Heart, Cheap Trick, and …
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On April 19, 1980, legendary character actor Strother Martin hosted Saturday Night Live—and delivered a surprisingly strong performance. Best known for his unforgettable roles in films like Cool Hand Luke, True Grit, Slap Shot, The Wild Bunch, Up in Smoke, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Martin brought his unique presence and versatility to…
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Nick welcomes food writer and editor Marnie Shure to talk about Taco Bell’s new experimental A.I. drive-thru, the most interesting dishes from Netflix’s new restaurant, and the unspoken etiquette of Costco self-checkout lanes. Marnie also delivers her monthly Horror Report and shares details about the upcoming Mortified Chicago event. Then, Esmeral…
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Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy to talk about the upcoming Chicago Critics Film Festival, returning to The Music Box Theatre this May. They also review the latest releases, including Drop, The Amateur, Sacramento, and Warfare. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick for another round of the Ultimate Pop Culture Quiz. They also …
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Nick welcomes musician, filmmaker, and podcast host Jim Laczkowski to That Show… to discuss his love for Saturday Night Live and how he became hooked on the show during the early days thanks to Steve Martin. Jim shares his appreciation for the weirder, more offbeat sketches, WTF moments, and—of course—anything involving cats. As Nick and Jim count …
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Nick welcomes TV critic Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter to talk about the latest episodes of Top Chef and SNL, as well as the big season finale of The White Lotus. Dan also reviews several new shows, including MobLand with Tom Hardy and Helen Mirren, Your Friends and Neighbors starring Jon Hamm, The Studio with Seth Rogen, and the latest s…
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Kerry and Collin are joined by Catherine Mary Stewart, star of the 1984 cult classic "Night of the Comet," an apocalyptic sci-fi film where the world ends at Christmastime, which is the best time to go shopping. They are also joined by returning guest Marya E. Gates, author of the new book "Cinema Her Way: Visionary Female Directors in Their Own Wo…
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Nick welcomes journalist, podcaster, and filmmaker Amy Guth to talk about her latest behind-the-scenes movie work, her illuminating trip to Berlin for a major film festival, what it’s like to cover the news under the current administration, and why she’s excited to start working on a creepy new TV series in Canada. Then, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick t…
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Nick looks back at Season 45 of Saturday Night Live, a season that started off strong with Woody Harrelson hosting and Billie Eilish as the musical guest. Everything felt business as usual—until it wasn’t. No one could have predicted that the season would end early, transformed into a series of prerecorded, at-home episodes due to the onset of a gl…
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In this “For The People” episode, Nick welcomes The Consumerman Herb Weisbaum to the podcast to warn listeners about the latest bogus texts about unpaid toll fees, and discuss how A.I. and algorithms are controlling our financial fates more than ever. They also explore how to effectively deal with household pests and find a trustworthy exterminator…
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Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy to the podcast to chat about the upcoming Chicago Critics Film Festival and review the latest releases, including “A Working Man” with Jason Statham, the horror/comedy “Death of a Unicorn” with Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, and the Steve Coogan-led animal comedy “The Penguin Lessons.” Then, …
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Nick welcomes journalist, author, food writer, and Axios Chicago contributor Monica Eng to the podcast to share her memories of watching Saturday Night Live as a kid, what really makes her laugh, and how SNL helped shape her sense of humor. Monica reflects on her cheerleading days, her love for Jerry Lewis movies, and the influence of her hilarious…
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Dan Fienberg, TV critic from The Hollywood Reporter, joins Nick to talk about the current season of Top Chef in Canada (a nod to Dan’s Canadian roots), the upcoming season of The White Lotus, and to review several new shows and documentaries including Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror, Long Bright River, and Happy Face starring Dennis Quai…
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Nick welcomes The Movie Mom, Nell Minow, to discuss what’s happening in Washington, D.C., the annual Women’s Writers Week at RogerEbert.com, and her latest movie reviews, including Dog Man and Black Bag. They also reflect on milestone anniversaries in their careers as film critics in 2025. Later, Esmeralda Leon and Nick dive into Disney movies and …
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Wayne Wang's "Smoke" doesn't look like a Christmas movie, sound like a Christmas movie or ever feel like a Christmas movie. It really isn't, but the final fifteen minutes of this terrific ensemble film features a moving and poetic Christmas story that makes it worthy of inclusion on this show (hey, it has more Chrsitmas in it than Disney's "Babes I…
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Nick takes a deep dive into one of the best seasons of Saturday Night Live ever: Season 26, which aired from October 2000 to May 2001. Fueled by a memorable election and a powerhouse cast, this season delivered sharp comedy and some of the most iconic sketches in SNL history. Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon took over the Weekend Update desk, while vetera…
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Nick welcomes fellow Radio Misfits podcast host Lauren LoGiudice to talk about her comedy, her podcast, and her upcoming live variety show at The Lincoln Lodge in Chicago. Then, music journalist Jim Ryan joins the conversation to share stories from his interviews with Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith, Mitch Ryder, and Jason Narducy. Jim also reviews recen…
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Nick shares details about his upcoming book, 40 Years 40 Films, a celebration of his four decades as a professional movie critic. Film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy join the podcast to review new releases, including the spy thriller Black Bag and the dark comedies Opus and Novocaine. Erik also reports back from the 2025 SXSW Film Festiva…
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They may have gotten laughs at the table read or killed during rehearsal, but for some reason, these sketches completely tanked on live television. On this episode of That Show…, Nick looks back at five Saturday Night Live sketches that bombed in front of a national audience. You’ll hear those disastrous moments, the stories behind them, and a brea…
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Nick is celebrating 40 years as a professional film critic in 2025, and one of the ways he’s marking the occasion is with the release of his new book, 40 Years 40 Films, a collection of essays analyzing his favorite film from each year of his career. He previews the book and reflects on his journey before welcoming TV critic Dan Fienberg from The H…
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Not too big of a summary this time around since the title says it all and there’s a lot to get to in terms of the episode proper. Every year around late February / early March, I call upon my Chicago film critic buddies Collin Souter & Erik Childress to join me for an epic episode discussing as many movies as we possibly can, traveling back in time…
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Nick welcomes Monica Eng from Axios Chicago to the podcast to discuss some of her latest stories, including the challenges undocumented people are facing with ICE, how the Mayor fared on his recent trip to D.C., and whether Rahm Emanuel is really staging a political comeback. They also dive into Fat Tuesday treats, top-tier fish sandwiches, the bes…
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In this episode, Nick pays tribute to one of the most iconic characters in Saturday Night Live history: Sally O’Malley, the unforgettable 50-year-old who’s proud to tell the world her age. She can kick… stretch… and kick! She’s 50! Created and portrayed by the brilliant Molly Shannon, Sally O’Malley has become a classic SNL character, delivering bi…
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Kerry and Collin look at the often maligned 2004 comedy "Surviving Christmas," starring Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate and Catherine O'Hara and find it's not quite as terrible as critics (Collin included) made it out to be twenty years ago. Is it the two decades of distance from the Bennifer annoyance of that time period? How mu…
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In this For the People episode, Nick welcomes the Consumerman, Herb Weisbaum, to discuss the growing frustration over grocery store digital discount errors and the chaos they’re causing at some supermarkets. They also dive into the possible consequences of Trump dismantling the CFPB and what that could mean for consumers. Plus, Herb shares inspirin…
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Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy to review the latest releases, Riff Raff starring Bill Murray and Last Breath with Woody Harrelson. They also break down their predictions for the major categories at the 2025 Oscars. The conversation then shifts to a tribute to the legendary Gene Hackman, who passed away Thursday morning.…
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Nick looks back at the one and only time Jodie Foster hosted Saturday Night Live on November 27, 1976. At just 14 years old, Foster became the youngest host in the show’s history—until Drew Barrymore took the title in 1982 at the age of 7. Despite her talent, Foster was a nervous wreck, thrown into live television for the first time with material w…
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In this episode, Nick welcomes Dan Fienberg, TV critic from The Hollywood Reporter, to discuss Awards Show Season, the upcoming SNL 50 Special, and more. Dan also reviews The Americas, a new documentary narrated by Tom Hanks, the Netflix political thriller Zero Day starring Robert De Niro, and the highly anticipated new season of The White Lotus. L…
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This is a celebration, not just another Director’s Club episode for a reason. Back in 1990, I became an avid fan and follower of today’s guest and he’s been on this show a couple of times in the past, most recently for the Paul Thomas Anderson Part II episode. I’m talking of course about Nick Digilio. 40 years ago, he began his career as a professi…
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In this episode, Nick navigates the not-so-wonderful world of influenza while fueled by hefty doses of both DayQuil and NyQuil. Despite the fog, he welcomes Food Writer/Editor Marnie Shure back to the podcast for her latest Horror Report. They dive into creative fast-food hacks, including how to transform the Wendy’s menu into a towering 9-patty bu…
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Kerry and Collin showed up late for their discussion of the 2001 rom-com starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, “Serendipity.” Does the movie take its concepts about fate and destiny to absurd heights? How many movies accurately depict the lives of obituary writers? Should the filmmakers have left in the twin towers when the film came out in the…
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Nick welcomes Chicago-based food and entertainment writer Marnie Shure to the podcast for a deep dive into her Saturday Night Live memories. They chat about her experiences growing up with the show, her favorite cast members, hosts, and musical guests. Marnie also counts down her all-time favorite SNL sketches, featuring unforgettable performances …
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Nick welcomes the amazing Amy Guth to the podcast to talk about her many projects, including her podcasts, films, and website. They also discuss her upcoming trip to Berlin for the Berlin Film Festival and much more. Then, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick for a fun dive into pop culture mistakes and surprising predictions—including how Airplane II: The Se…
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Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy to review the latest movie releases, including the new Marvel adventure Captain America: Brave New World, the family-friendly sequel Paddington in Peru, and the Apple TV+ sci-fi thriller The Gorge. Then, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to talk about overhyped snowstorms, how Albert Brooks accide…
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Nick celebrates Valentine’s Day with a hilarious look back at some of Saturday Night Live’s best sketches, bits, and songs that poke fun at—and embrace—the holiday. Highlights include a song about the awkwardness of receiving a Valentine’s Day card from your mom, a last-minute gift guide courtesy of a very honest CVS commercial, and a visit from Ga…
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Nick welcomes back TV critic Dan Fienberg to break down the Super Bowl, from the halftime show and commercials to Tom Brady’s much-anticipated performance in the broadcast booth. Dan also reviews The Z-Suite from Tubi, Clean Slate with George Wallace, and more. Then, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick for more Super Bowl chatter, including the bizarre comme…
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