Following up on last week’s milestone (and VERY bizarre) episode #500 (where Dean and Phil took a road trip to a cemetery) is no easy task, and this week’s show proved to be torture in its production, so please forgive the (slight) delay in getting it to you and the (frequent) technical problems during it. This being 2016, there are, of course, new “Celebrity Deaths” to discuss. There is also an email from a listener like you (yes, YOU!). There is the return of “What We Are Reading”, several “Live Events of the Week” and New Year’s Eve plans get compared. Then, the subjects of year end critics’ lists and award nominations get discussed and a handful of new and recent films get analyzed, including Rogue One: A Star Wars StoryPatriots DayLion, and Lights Out. Is it possible that the best film of the year is also one of the best TV shows of the year? Find out NOW on YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour!

YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour turns 500 episodes old this week and your friends in podcasting celebrate this august milestone with one of their most bizarre shows ever, and it’s truly an episode where everyone is dying to get in … You see, after meeting up at a certain historic building in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles to discuss such topics as a recent Guillermo del Toro exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Dean’s art work AND Dean’s long-awaited graphic novel, Dean and Phil go on a field trip to Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, one of the most unusual cemeteries in all the world! Never mind their usual segment “Celebrity Deaths”, in this episode your friends in podcasting celebrate death itself! Sound odd enough for you?

Recorded a few days early, this week’s show truly has something for everyone, and if anyone claims it doesn’t, we hope they feel better soon! True gentleman and outstanding filmmaker Curtis Hanson is remembered in “Celebrity Deaths”. The Emmy Awards, and especially Jimmy Kimmel’s performance hosting them, are discussed. The Colin Kaepernick National Anthem protest saga is re-visited in the wake of more African-American deaths at the hands of police and in the wake of Kaepernick’s Time Magazine cover being released. And this week, the conversation inspired by Kaepernick’s protest goes in many unexpected, inspired and even hilarious directions – from sensitivity training, to Swedish massages, to the lyrics of “America the Beautiful.” That patriotic tune and the national anthem are far from the only songs discussed this week as Dean and Phil get downright musical while following up on Phil’s tirade from last week about “nostalgia” with a “Live Event of the Week” that features musical acts Hall & Oates, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews & Orleans Avenue, and the powerful Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. In fact, they even preview the new album from Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam! Then, Dean and Phil comfort each other in the wake of Brad Pitt’s divorce from Angelina Jolie, and they wonder why the hell anyone cares about it in the first place … Finally, “What We’re Reading” becomes the “Explanation of the Week” as Phil goes all “patronus charm” on an email from a listener like you (yes, YOU) criticizing his critique of the first two “Harry Potter” movies. EXPELLIARUMS! All in all in, it may be one of the best installments of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour ever and after almost ten years, how many podcasts could claim that? Your friends in podcasting, STILL changing the way people listen to the internet …

The world really took it on the chin this week with abominable violence in Brussels and the deaths of a groundbreaking rapper, a gentleman actor-turned-union leader, and one of the most influential figures in the history of comedy. Your friends in podcasting will try to make sense of all of it, while celebrating new voices in comedy, a great new sci-fi film, and challenging their own industry to send bolder, more clear messages that discrimination anywhere will not be supported.

Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness – When the world is at its worst, they tend to be at their best.

If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode #455, make sure to do so BEFORE you check out this week’s brand new show. Your friends in podcasting pick up where they left off as both Dean and Phil will reveal their Top Four favorite television series of 2015 (10 thru 5 were counted down last week). After that, Phil explains why he is so thrilled about the sequel to Blade Runner that is finally going before the cameras this summer, and in “Celebrity Deaths” one of the most important entertainment figures in Asia and a beloved American character actor are both remembered. Dean and Phil then tackle Hollywood’s award season, including analysis of the Producers Guild and Screen Actors Guild Awards, before launching into the LATEST controversy over the Oscars’ lack of diversity (#‎oscarsowhite). Boycotts generate headlines, membership changes … change the membership. Real change, however, might involve actually changing the awards themselves and your friends in podcasting have some serious ideas in this regard, changes that will reward those unsung in the business for too long, refocus the purpose of the awards AND might just lead to greater diversity. That’s all this week on YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour.

Dean Haglund is back from Australia where he was busy laying the groundwork for his full-time move down under in May. While he was there, he Skyped with Phil Leirness because, well, your friends in podcasting miss each other when they are apart AND because there was the big news about the return of “The X-Files” to discuss. Part of this week’s show will be that (recorded) conversation, wherein they also discuss Gillian Anderson’s “other” current series, the absolutely terrific “The Fall”.

Back in L.A. there’s plenty of TV news to discuss, including Emmy Awards rulings, a new host for “The Daily Show”, the return of “Coach”, the possible return of “Twin Peaks” and the “Sherlock” Christmas special. Before his trip, Dean performed and gave a fantastic presentation about Chaplin and City Lights at the Los Angeles Breakfast Club. This will get discussed as the “Live Event of the Week” before Dean and Phil launch into movie news featuring the latest on Eddie Murphy, Idris Elba, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Bradley Cooper. All that, plus two puzzling emails from listeners.

This week on YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour! Wherever good podcasts can be found!

The holidays are rapidly approaching, so it’s only appropriate your friends in podcasting gift you with one of their most heartfelt shows of the year as they welcome special guest Suli McCullough. Suli is an accomplished, talented and hilarious writer, producer, actor and stand-up comic who has written for “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, acted in such films as Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood and is currently producing a documentary about stand-up comedy featuring the biggest names in the business. Suli and Phil grew up together, so in addition to fascinating and irreverent stories of show business adventures, this week’s episode will boast thoughtful and moving discussions about race, art, culture and communication. Even after more than 7 1/2 years of free, weekly podcasty goodness, Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness keep coming up with new and ever-more nourishing helpings of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour!

 

What is 70 minutes long, was recorded LIVE at BottleRock in downtown Los Angeles and boasts appearances by Lily Holleman, Robbie Consing, Matt Doherty, Erynn Petrulis, Pete Handelman, Alanna Vicente, Shaun Parker, Burt Bulos, Jake Head, Ilana Rein, Marc Hershon of Succotash and both Page Branson and J.D. Jackson of Level 7 Access: A Marvel Agents of Shield Podcast? Why, it’s YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour, of course, also featuring a live appearance from show announcer Garrard Whatley!

We apologize for the occasional (semi-regular?) audio glitches during the show – Phil was playing hurt, Dean was drinking wine, there was a party going on … And we’re sure despite these glitches (because of them?) this episode will help get your week off to a great start!

Back when YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour was just getting started (as “From the Heart of Hollywood”), it’s quite likely that Erynn Petrulis was the youngest listener of the show, teen-ager, living in the UK, who had already acted on-stage with Dean Haglund (while he was touring the UK with his one-man “X-Files” improv).

Now, 7 years later, Erynn is a college graduate and a budding actress, having appeared in dozens of plays and short films. More important, she becomes the youngest guest yet on YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour.

So, join us poolside, high atop the historic core of downtown Los Angeles, as the delightful Miss Petrulis swaps stories with her two mentors, your friends in podcasting, Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness.

With special music, clips from previous shows, previews of two “Live Events of the Week”, memories of 3 “Celebrity Deaths”, a whole bunch of emails, tweets and texts from loyal listeners and two very special announcements, what could this possibly be but the 7th anniversary episode of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour!

So, put on those party hats, break out those noise-makers and celebrate seven years of Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness changing the way people listen to the internet!