Featured Guests

Todd Berliner, Professor of Film Studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, teaches film style, storytelling, and aesthetics and American film history. He is the author of Hollywood Aesthetic: Pleasure in American Cinema (Oxford University Press, 2017), Hollywood Incoherent: Narration in Seventies Cinema (University of Texas Press, 2010), and many articles and book chapters. He was elected a Fellow of the Society for Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image in 2010 and currently serves as a board member.

Professor Berliner was the founding chairman of UNCW’s Film Studies Department and the recipient of two Fulbright Scholar awards, including the Laszlo Orszagh Distinguished Chair in American Studies.

He holds a master’s degree and doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley.

Featured in Episode: One

(Biography from uncw.edu)

Brett Boles is an award-winning musical theatre songwriter and music director. As a vocal arranger, Brett works regularly with Randy Rainbow, and has done vocal arrangements for Seth Rudetsky, arranging work for Stephanie Mills and Orfeh for the Concerts for America series. 

He is a proud member of the Tony-honored BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, and the Dramatists Guild of America. TikTok @brettboles, Instagram @thebrettboles

Brett is the host of The M Tea! (Musical Theater, Music Teacher, Music Theory, Musical Tea) his mission is to teach you WHY you love the songs you love and to demystify the songwriting process while keeping it fun and entertaining!  He is also the founder of Transformational Songwriting, helping songwriters master their craft and connect with their audiences.

Featured in Episode: Five

(Biography from Brett's social media)

In 2012, Mitch Hallock began to produce and organize Terrificon which grew larger year after year and it's reputation for being a TRUE comic con has spread throughout the professional and fan community.  And in 2017, he satisfied the Gaming community of Connecticut with the new show - CTGAMERCON™! 

Hallock's creativity knows no limits - he is an award winning illustrator, television producer and photographer. In his spare time, Mitchell has also written many short stories, scripts, and screenplays and is a current member of the Writers Guild of America. 

Hallock can be heard on Connecticut's #1 Morning Radio show - CHAZ and AJ on 99.1 WPLR where he is known as "THE KING OF THE NERDS" commenting on genre related TV shows, movies, comic cons, video games and more! In addition, he does his own weekly podcast; "The Power Cosmic" Podcast with famed comic and toy collector, John Cimino. And since 2007, he has written the content and served as news writer for the world's #1 Indiana Jones website - TheRaider.net and a regular correspondent on the "IndyCast" podcast with Ed Dolista. Hallock's love for Indiana Jones went even further when he appeared on Kevin Smith's "Comic Book Men" in season four, dressed as the famed archaeologist and treasure hunter. 

Terrificon is the Connecticut's #1 comic book convention for fans of; comics and their creators, actors from superhero, sci-fi, horror shows and films! Plus the best shopping for comic books, artwork, pop-culture memorabilia and gaming goods. Finally, TERRIFICON® has the State's coolest COSPLAYERS and don't forget our famous after con activities!​ 

Read more: terrificon.com

Featured in Episodes: One, Two, Three pt1 & pt 2

(Biography from bigfedoramarketing.com and terrificon.com)

New York Times bestselling biographer Brian Jay Jones is known for covering iconic creative geniuses who have made indelible contributions to pop culture. He has explored the lives and legacies of Jim Henson, George Lucas, Washington Irving, and Dr. Seuss for serious fans and newcomers alike.

George Lucas: A Life (Little, Brown, 2016) was named one of Kirkus‘s Best Books of 2016. The first comprehensive biography of the influential creator of Star Wars and Indiana Jones in nearly two decades, George Lucas: A Life was praised as “definitive” (New York Times),  “whiz-bang” (People), “must-read” (Parade) and deemed by Rolling Stone as “the one biography for casual and die-hard [Star Wars] fans alike.”

Brian has also discussed his work on Morning Joe, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Today, The Diane Rehm Show, Tavis Smiley, and The Cycle, as well as in numerous documentaries, including NatGeo’s Top Ten: The ’80s and PBS’s In Their Own Words: Jim Henson. 

You can find him running his mouth on Twitter at @brianjayjones, and @OfficialBrianJayJones on Facebook. 

Read more: brianjayjones.com

Featured in Episodes: One, Three pt1
(Biography from brianjayjones.com)

Kirk LaVecchia has a life long love of theme parks, especially the Disney parks. A few years ago, his family left their home in New Jersey, his job in marketing, and moved to Florida to make a full-time gig of this passion.

Through his tiktok, instagram, youtube, and facebook pages, Kirk shares this love along with his world-famous hacks, snacks, and fun-facts with his followers. 

His family also runs a fantastic Disney-themed clothing company that sell, as they put it: "theme park clothes that don't stink", called WalrusCarp.com

Read more: walruscarp.com

Featured in Episode: Three pt2

(Biography created from stories told by Kirk)

Mark C.E. Peterson is Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies with the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, and former President of the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture.  

He began his work at the University of Toronto focused primarily on Hegel’s natural philosophy and its links to the history of science and technology. These interests evolved to constellate around the larger questions of how humans are related – scientifically, philosophically, and spiritually – to nature. 

A practitioner of both taijiquan and kundalini yoga for over 40 years his academic research is currently engaged in a semiotic analysis of the relationship between explanatory and narrative/mythological accounts of nature and an Aristotelian re-examination of environmental ethics. 

Read more: jcf.org

Featured in Episode: Episode 4

(Biography from jcf.org)

Brian Volk-Weiss (born May 28, 1976) is an American film and television producer and director. He is the founder and current chief executive officer (CEO) of The Nacelle Company and its subsidiary company, Comedy Dynamics.

Volk-Weiss is the creator, producer, and occasional director of the current Netflix series, The Toys That Made Us and The Movies That Made Us, along with the television specials, Kevin Hart's Guide to Black History and Discontinued (originally on The CW). Through Comedy Dynamics, he has produced and directed numerous stand-up specials and comedy albums for comedians like Kevin Hart, Jim Gaffigan, Ali Wong, Tiffany Haddish, Ilana Glazer, and many others. Volk-Weiss has also produced several television shows including Join or Die with Craig Ferguson, Behind the Attraction on Disney+, A Toy Store Near You, The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek, and Down to Earth with Zac Efron. He also serves as executive producer on the revival of the 1992 TV series, Mad About You.

Read more: nacellecompany.com

Featured in Episode: Three pt1 & pt2

(Biography from wikipedia.com)

Dr. Lynn Zubernis, is a clinical psychologist and professor at West Chester University and Area Chair for Stardom and Fandom for the Southwest Popular Culture Association. Lynn is on the editorial board of the Journal of Fandom Studies and also writes for MovieTVTechGeeks and for Psychology Today .

Lynn’s newest book, There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done, is a celebration of Supernatural’s legacy and a way to always remember how special the show is, written by its actors and fans. The book also explores the evolution of the show in terms of diversity and representation, through the diverse perspectives of its fans and cast.  Family Don’t End With Blood: Cast and Fans on How Supernatural Has Changed Lives, also written by the actors and fans of the show, is a love letter to Supernatural and the SPNFamily, with heartfelt, powerful and personal chapters written by Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Mark Sheppard, Jim Beaver, Rob Benedict, Kim Rhodes, Briana Buckmaster, Ruth Connell, Rachel Miner, Matt Cohen, Gil McKinney and Osric Chau. If Supernatural has changed your life, this book makes it clear that you’re not the only one! (PSA: Have tissues ready when you read).

Read more: fangasmthebook.com

Featured in Episodes: Two, Three pt1 & pt 2

(Biography from fangasmthebook.com)

Quentin Salgado is a member and Garrison Public Relations Officer for the Connecticut Garrison of the 501st.

His costumes include: Inferno Squad-Del Meeko and Rise of Skywalker Kylo Ren.

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Lou Secki is a member of the Connecticut Garrison of the 501st, as well as a host of the ForceChatter Podcast.

His current costume: Mudtrooper

Read more: Quentin | Lou

Featured in Episodes: Two, Three pt1 & pt2

(Biography from 501st.com)