Merry Christmas

BATMAN podcast

I was a guest on Nick Nadel's new podcast MOVIES MY FRIENDS HAVE NEVER SEEN. 

Having never seen BATMAN RETURNS (1992) I was invited to watch the film and discuss it. 

Hear it here. 

(or here on iTunes )

Some highlights include: 

• My Burton-as-Penguin theory.
• "Batman Returns" is a tagline, not a title. 
• One good reason to respect Tim Burton.
• Me saying "um" a lot. 

BATMAN RETURNS was just added to Netflix Streaming, in case you want to revisit the film (or see it for the first time.) 

And here's a list of titles newly added to Netflix Streaming (We can finally see LOS ANGELES PLAYS ITSELF.) 

A nod to the 1966 episode of the same title. 

Seriously, what does Catwoman want? 

Walken as Walken as Donald Trump as Harvey Dent Max Shreck 

*   *   * 

RELATED POSTS: 

Who Sang It Better? - BATMAN edition 

DREAM DATES GONE WRONG - part 3

A version of this series originally appeared in MY DREAM DATE WITH A VILLAIN.

Fascinator, from THEY LIVE

 Sleestak, from LAND OF THE LOST

Phantom of the Opera

Guest Post: THE ART OF EATING ZOMBIE

Today's post is from Lauren Wilson, author of THE ART OF EATING THROUGH THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. We're giving away a copy of her book at Thursday's ZOMBIE SHOW. (Can't wait? You can buy the book here.)

*      *      * 

Huh? There was a news report of some guy whacked out on bath salts eating some other dude’s face off in the street today? Hurmmmm, there was a piece in the paper about a lady being mauled to death by an unidentified wild animal in a nearby park?

Welcome to the zombie apocalypse! Tomorrow is a big day: you will be losing your head (hopefully not literally) trying to fend off the newly infected. On top of that, those pesky little weak spots in your fortress will surely present themselves, leaving you overwhelmed with survival and physical defense–focused activities.

Before you go to sleep tonight (if it even seems safe to do so), why not plan ahead for breakfast? Not only will it help use up some of your perishables (milk, eggs, butter, bread) before the power goes out, it will also give you a calorie-rich jumpstart to your undead-filled day.

If the power has already gone out, reduce the amount of time you soak the bread to a couple of hours and use an Oven Hack (page 41) to cook this bad boy.

Overnight of the Living Dead French Toast

Yields: 4 Hungry Survivor servings, 6 Regular Joe servings

Requires: Chef’s or survival knife and cutting board

1 bread knife

1 small mixing bowl

1 mixing spoon

1 fireproof baking dish (preferably 7″ x 11″)

1 large bowl

1 whisk (or fork)

Piece of foil, to cover baking dish

Heat Source: Indirect, conventional oven or other Oven Hack (page 41)

Time: 10 minutes prep

4–8 hours inactive soaking time

35 minutes unattended cooking time

HORROR MOVIES A to Z

To get ready for Thursday's ZOMBIE SPECTACULAR** at Nitehawk Cinema, here's an A-Z poem about horror films. 

A is for Alien, chest-bursting bitch

B is for Belial, makes baskets twitch

C's for Chatterer, cenobite #2

D is for Damien, this hanging's for you

DREAM DATES GONE WRONG - part 2

A version of this series originally appeared in MY DREAM DATE WITH A VILLAIN.

M.O.D.O.K.

Non of Krypton (from Superman II)

Hannibal Lecter (from SILENCE OF THE LAMBS)

8 GREAT HORROR MOVIES YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF (But I have, because I'm better than you) ***PARODY***

Looking for some super scary movies this Halloween? Horror Hound Kevin Maher rounds up some of the most obscure films you've never heard of, because you don't know anything. 

HOUSE

This Japanese nail-biter stars William Katt as a horror novelist staying in the most haunted house ever. An instant cult-classic -- and yet most people have never seen it!

 THE GATE
 

Lovers of old movies will love this campy, tongue-in-cheek tribute to scary cinema.

ZOMBIE-MOVIE MADNESS at Brooklyn's NiteHawk Cinema

KEVIN & MATT GEEK OUT ABOUT ZOMBIES

at the Nitehawk Cinema

Thursday October 23rd @ 9:30pm

Get tickets HERE
  
Kevin & Matt Geek Out About Zombies - Trailer from Matthew Glasson on Vimeo.

A two-hour feast of zombie film footage and pop culture commentary.

Comedian Kevin Maher and filmmaker Matt Glasson present an obsessive look at zombies, from White Zombie to World War Z. The hosts explore pre-Romero voodoo zombies, Night of the Living Dead rip-offs, the recurring theme of Nazi Zombies in film, and the recent run of zombies overtaking pop culture. The two-hour show features dozens of clips including zombie film highlights from Italian, Asian, British and Mexican filmmakers.

With special guest presentations by 

• Heather Buckley (Fangoria, Dread Central) 
• Daan Van Versendaal (Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience) 
• Brian Solomon (The Vault of Horror) 
• Captain Cruella (Village Invasion Zombie Crawl)
•  Plus trivia prizes and zombie snack foods!

Kevin and Matt are excited to bring their humorous, terrifying, quite unforgettable video variety show to Nitehawk Cinema. From casual filmgoers to die-hard zombie fanatics, it’s an evening of guaranteed zombie fun for everyone!

Get tickets HERE

A two-hour feast of zombie film footage and pop culture commentary.
Comedian Kevin Maher and filmmaker Matt Glasson present an obsessive look at zombies, from White Zombie to World War Z. The hosts explore pre-Romero voodoo zombies, Night of the Living Dead rip-offs, the recurring theme of Nazi Zombies in film, and the recent run of zombies overtaking pop culture. The two-hour show features dozens of clips including zombie film highlights from Italian, Asian, British and Mexican filmmakers.
With special guest presentations by Heather Buckley (Fangoria, Dread Central), Brian Solomon (The Vault of Horror) and Captain Cruella (Village Invasion Zombie Crawl). Plus trivia prizes and zombie snack foods!
Kevin and Matt are excited to bring their humorous, terrifying, quite unforgettable video variety show to Nitehawk Cinema. From casual filmgoers to die-hard zombie fanatics, it’s an evening of guaranteed zombie fun for everyone!
- See more at: http://www.nitehawkcinema.com/movie/kevin-geeks-out-zombies/#sthash.Ewuk54jD.dpuf

A two-hour feast of zombie film footage and pop culture commentary.
Comedian Kevin Maher and filmmaker Matt Glasson present an obsessive look at zombies, from White Zombie to World War Z. The hosts explore pre-Romero voodoo zombies, Night of the Living Dead rip-offs, the recurring theme of Nazi Zombies in film, and the recent run of zombies overtaking pop culture. The two-hour show features dozens of clips including zombie film highlights from Italian, Asian, British and Mexican filmmakers.
With special guest presentations by Heather Buckley (Fangoria, Dread Central), Brian Solomon (The Vault of Horror) and Captain Cruella (Village Invasion Zombie Crawl). Plus trivia prizes and zombie snack foods!
Kevin and Matt are excited to bring their humorous, terrifying, quite unforgettable video variety show to Nitehawk Cinema. From casual filmgoers to die-hard zombie fanatics, it’s an evening of guaranteed zombie fun for everyone!
- See more at: http://www.nitehawkcinema.com/movie/kevin-geeks-out-zombies/#sthash.Ewuk54jD.dpuf

A two-hour feast of zombie film footage and pop culture commentary.
Comedian Kevin Maher and filmmaker Matt Glasson present an obsessive look at zombies, from White Zombie to World War Z. The hosts explore pre-Romero voodoo zombies, Night of the Living Dead rip-offs, the recurring theme of Nazi Zombies in film, and the recent run of zombies overtaking pop culture. The two-hour show features dozens of clips including zombie film highlights from Italian, Asian, British and Mexican filmmakers.
With special guest presentations by Heather Buckley (Fangoria, Dread Central), Brian Solomon (The Vault of Horror) and Captain Cruella (Village Invasion Zombie Crawl). Plus trivia prizes and zombie snack foods!
Kevin and Matt are excited to bring their humorous, terrifying, quite unforgettable video variety show to Nitehawk Cinema. From casual filmgoers to die-hard zombie fanatics, it’s an evening of guaranteed zombie fun for everyone!
- See more at: http://www.nitehawkcinema.com/movie/kevin-geeks-out-zombies/#sthash.Ewuk54jD.dpuf

FREE TICKET to KEVIN GEEKS OUT - NY COMIC CON SHOW

Free admission to KEVIN GEEKS OUT (with this flyer)

KEVIN GEEKS OUT: 
COMIC CON SPECTACULAR
Saturday October 11th @ 8:00pm
Webster Hall - 125 East 11th Street, NYC


Free admission with the above flyer. 

DREAM DATES GONE WRONG -- part 1

A version of this series originally appeared in MY DREAM DATE WITH A VILLAIN.

Freddy Kruger - A Nightmare on Elm Street

Butterball the Cenobite - Hellraiser

Blue Meanie - Yellow Submarine

NERD COMEDY: For Nerds, By Nerds

You're Invited -- 

This Wednesday (October 8th) @ 8pm

Come to The Way Station 

(Brooklyn's only steampunk bar with a TARDIS bathroom) 

Sarah Palin's True Calling?

Sarah Palin's true calling: WWE Personality or TV Judge? 

Michael Boo-Berryman

REAL Monster cereal: Michael Boo-Berryman

R.I.P. Richard Kiel

Whenever someone from HAPPY GILMORE dies, 
let's add them to this mural. 

Comic Con P.S.A. (and show calendar)

I made this Public Service Announcement for Comic Con because I'm doing two big shows as part of New York Super Week.

1. NERD COMEDY: For Nerds, By Nerds
Wednesday October 8th @ 8:00pm
at The Way Station
683 Washington Avenue in Brooklyn

Nerdy comedy performed at a Steampunk bar with a TARDIS bathroom.

Featuring Frank Conniff (aka TV's Frank from MST3K)
comedian Liam McEneaney (Tell Your Friends podcast)

Rusty Ward as redneck-nerd comic "Jeff Balrogworthy"

Meghan O'Neill (Reductress.com, J. Crew Crew)
Manolo Blank (international clown) 
Nick Nadel (HBO, The Onion) 
Hosted by Kevin Maher

The show includes stand-up, readings, sketches and videos. All designed for nerds, by nerds. 

Tickets are just ten bucks. 
No advanced ticket sales.
Age 21+

*   *   * 

2. KEVIN GEEKS OUT: COMIC CON SPECTACULAR
Saturday October 11th @ 8:00pm
in The Studio at Webster Hall,

A comedy-variety show celebration of everything we love about Comic Con, featuring presentations and comedy bits about Comic Books, Collectable Toys, Horror Movies, Robots, Post-Apocaylptic Fiction, Role Playing Games, Superhero Movies and Celebrity Encounters.

with: 
Screenwriter M. Sweeney Lawless
Professor Geoff Klock
Author/artist Tenebrous Kate
Blogger Nick Nadel
Cartoonist R. Sikoryak
Rusty Ward (host of Science Friction)
With special appearance by Flat Stan Lee. 
Hosted by Kevin Maher. 

Tickets and details HERE.

How to Scientifically Determine When To Turn Down A Job

No one wants to pass up a “great opportunity.” Certainly not me.  When I was in my 20’s I’d say “yes” to countless stand-up gigs, web-videos, presentation pilots, pop culture blogging, you-name-it.

I needed to build-up my professional resume and I knew I could learn from people who had more experience than I did.

But after a few years of fattening my resume, I was burning myself out on other people’s projects. I didn’t have much to show for it. And mostly I was learning that a lot of the projects weren’t what they promised to be and neither were the people.

Worst of all, the combination of low-paying and no-paying gigs was keeping me from pursuing my own dreams. 

But today when someone contacts me with “a great opportunity” I use this simple test (created by my wife and me) to decide what to do.

Once the potential employer/collaborator/Svengali gives me the details on the workload, I rate the project based on these traits.

(1 being the lowest, 5 being the highest)

Money (score it on a scale of 1 – 5) 

Is there pay?  Is the pay any good?  Is there enough money for the amount of time required?

Creatively fulfilling (score it on a scale of 1 – 5)

Will this work be personally satisfying? If not, there better be something else on this list as a reason to do it.

Peers (score it on a scale of 1 – 5)

Will I be in contact with enjoyable, admirable peers? Are these people I want to build a professional relationship with?

Impact on personal life (score it on a scale of 1 – 5)

Will this movie/TV show/interactive online novella get in the way of my time with friends and family?  Am I going to be working late nights?  Is that worth it?

Beneficial for my Career (score it on a scale of 1 – 5)

Does this job represent a clear step forward on chosen professional path?

HOW TO SCORE THE TEST

Just as New York City has standards about what grade of meat is served in its restaurants, I have a number that a project must clear.  

Then I can take a job, provided the sum clears that hurdle.

Sometimes the money’s bad, but the collaborators are good and it’s not too time consuming. 

Or maybe the job isn’t a resume builder, but the money’s great.

Or it’s not inspiring people, but the project is something I’ve always wanted to try so it’s personally fulfilling.

I’ve taken every possible combination of traits and I’ve gone into each freelance job knowing exactly why I took it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN

Identify your top priorities.  Find your cut-off grade.

Maybe you don’t like working early hours.Or you want to work from home. Or you just want to take a one-time gig to put a big-name employer to put on your resume.

How bad does a job have to be for you to say no?  (Or how good does a job have to be for you to say yes?)

Once you decide what’s important to you, you can create your own version of the Freelancer’s test and you can start turning down jobs without any regrets or apologies.

* * * 

Kevin Maher is an Emmy-nominated comedy writer whose work has been seen on HBO, Comedy Central, CNN and Nickelodeon. Journalists have compared Kevin to Ernie Kovacs and Jonathan Winters, but his highest praise came from Tiger Beat who called him “funny!”  Follow him on twitter: @KevinGeeksOut

And see his upcoming live shows during New York Super Week. MORE HERE

RELATED: 

Secrets of a Pop Culture Expert

Flat Stan Lee Goes to FUNSPOT

 

A trip to FUNSPOT -- the biggest arcade in the entire world! 

 

Whoops - I spent the entire game with my left turn signal on. 

Best video game based on a play by William Shakespeare. 

Could it be? A true super-villain inside Funspot 
trying to reclaim his Donkey Kong record??

Kevin Geeks Out -- As seen in The New York Times

The New York Times ran a swell article about Kevin Geeks Out and The Brooklyn Brain Jam. You can read it HERE.

Want to attend an upcoming KEVIN GEEKS OUT show? 
We have 3 big events in October: 

NERD COMEDY: for nerd, by nerds

with TV's FRANK (from MST3K)

at The Way Station

Wednesday October 8th @ 8:00pm

KEVIN GEEKS OUT - COMIC CON SPECTACULAR

at Webster Hall -- click HERE for tickets

Saturday October 11th @ 8:00pm

KEVIN & MATT GEEK OUT ABOUT ZOMBIES

at the Nitehawk Cinema

Thursday October 23rd @ 9:30pm

For details on THE BROOKLYN BRAIN JAM, here's a link for the full schedule and another link for tickets.

* * * 

Lastly, the Times' tin-foil hat photo (by Matt Glasson) is from KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT ALIENS. You can watch the trailer below, along with trailers for previous KGO shows. 

KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT EVIL

Kevin Geeks Out All About Evil Trailer from Matthew Glasson on Vimeo.

KEVIN AND MATT GEEK OUT ABOUT SHARK MOVIES

Kevin & Matt Geek Out About Shark Movies at The Alamo Drafthouse-Trailer from Matthew Glasson on Vimeo.

KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT VISIONS OF THE FUTURE

KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT ALIENS

KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT MONKEYS

KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT WRESTLING

Follow me on twitter to find out about any upcoming events.

@KevinGeeksOut

photo by Tom Henning.

Full Schedule for the BROOKLYN BRAIN JAM

This Sunday, September 7th it's the 

FIRST ANNUAL BROOKLYN BRAIN JAM

A day-long festival of entertainment from long-running shows, including KEVIN GEEKS OUT, THE STORY COLLIDER, NERD NITE and THE BIG QUIZ THING.

Click HERE for tickets.

Sunday, September 7th, 12 - 6pm

at The Bell House

149 7th Street, Brooklyn NY

Dr. Butcher, MD

Doctor Butcher, M.D. 
Not to be confused with Dr. Butcher, DDS.

UPCOMING SHOWS

Updated schedule of Kevin Maher Comedy Shows/Events: 

* * * 

THE BROOKLYN BRAIN JAM
Sunday September 7th, 12 noon - 6:00 PM
at The Bell House, 149 7th Street in Brooklyn

What: A six-hour extravaganza, a buffet of entertainment from four distinct series KEVIN GEEKS OUT, THE STORY COLLIDER, NERD NITE and THE BIG QUIZ THING. 

Tickets and details HERE.


* * * 

NERD COMEDY: For Nerds, By Nerds
Wednesday October 8th @ 8:00pm
at The Way Station, 683 Washington Avenue in Brooklyn

Nerdy comedy performed at a Steampunk bar with a TARDIS bathroom, Featuring Frank Conniff (aka TV's Frank from MST3K), Rusty Ward as "Jeff Balrogworthy", Liam McEneaney, Meghan O'Neill, Manolo Blank and more. Hosted by Kevin Maher. 

Tickets and details HERE

This event is part of NEW YORK SUPER WEEK.



* * * 

KEVIN GEEKS OUT: COMIC CON SPECTACULAR
Saturday October 11th @ 8:00pm
in The Marlin Room at Webster Hall,

A comedy-variety show celebration of everything we love about Comic Con, featuring bits about Comic Books, Collectable Toys, Horror Movies, Robots, Post-Apocaylptic Fiction and Celebrity Encounters. 

with: Screenwriter M. Sweeney Lawless, Professor Geoff Klock, Blogger Nick Nadel, Cartoonist R. Sikoryak and Comedian Rusty Ward. Special Appearance by Flat Stan Lee. Hosted by Kevin Maher. 

Tickets and details HERE.

This event is part of NEW YORK SUPER WEEK. 

* * * 

KEVIN & MATT GEEK OUT ABOUT ZOMIBES
Thursday October 23rd @9:30pm
Nitehawk Cinema, 136 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn

Comedian Kevin Maher is joined by Filmmaker Matt Glasson for a deep-dive into Zombie Cinema. This two-hour show features dozens of video clips, guest speakers, trivia games and prizes.