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!

A day late, but now available on Stitcher (you can get the Stitcher app and rate and review the show!), your friends in podcasting are back at it, battling back the forces of darkness with their lethal wits and their irreverent bon mots!

Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness discuss the snubs in the recent Oscars’ “In Memorium” tribute, Dean’s upcoming live comedy shows, MesoAmerican art, Chris Carter’s new show, their ongoing search for the TRUTH and much, much more …

Hear all about Los Angeles’ design for a new green space that will rival Manhattan’s High Line (and will give bicyclists and pedestrians an uninterrupted path from Burbank all the way to downtown), learn why Canada doesn’t have game shows, remember L.A.’s first official film czar as well as a folk music icon and some of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s great on-screen roles, and appreciate the difference between “English” and “Irish” …

All that, PLUS, your friends in podcasting examine the storytelling in Harmony Korine’s The Spring Breakers, make sense of the success of The Lego Movie, the failure of The Monuments Men and the claim that Chris Pine’s days as a leading man are numbered following the failure of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.

With a full week’s supply of insight, irreverence and inspiration, it’s YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour. Enjoy!

 

Let’s not kid ourselves … The holidays are never easy. And putting together this week’s episode of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour was particularly trying …

In fact, after an hour-long Skype-based conversation with their trans-Atlantic guest, Alex Lewczuk, your friends in podcasting, Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness, were shocked to discover that almost none of it was recorded!

So, they just kept talking … Without starting over! If it seems a little bit like joining a conversation in the middle, well … that’s EXACTLY what it IS! It’s a fun, free-wheeling conversation, however, about such a wide range of topics as ageism in the media, science-fiction, academia, Roman settlements, ancient cathedrals, Christmas markets … and more!

Those of you familiar with Phil’s extra-curricular activities know that he is a regular contributor to Alex Lewczuk’s Midweek Drive program(me) for Siren FM and Southside Broadcasting in the UK. You also might remember hearing Alex as part of the 28 hour Mayan podcastathon Dean and Phil conducted last year at this time.

Though, it lacks structure, due to the structure not being recorded, this week’s show is sure to stuff your stocking with audio good cheer. The elves at Rational Exuberance have edited together several holiday-themed goodies for inclusion in this week’s show – another way in which its like no other episode you’ve heard!

Happy Holidays, one and all!

45 complete trips around the sun ago, your friend in podcasting, Phil Leirness, was born. We here at YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour wish him Many Happy Returns and we’re celebrating with one of our funniest episodes ever.

Long before Dean Haglund was the host of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour and even before he was “Langly” on a certain television series, Dean was “Spock” in a long-running, live musical stage version of “Star Trek” in Vancouver, B.C. Like his Vulcan first officer, the “Kirk” from that show also went onto great success in a long-running sci-fi television franchise …

Actor, writer, improv comic and voice artist Gary Jones is perhaps best known for playing “Sgt. Walter Harriman” on “Stargate SG-1”, “Stargate: Atlantis” and “SGU Stargate Universe”. For years, we’ve been trying to get him onto the show and schedules have never alligned.

This week, we’ve got him on a long layover from Australia and he’s armed with hilarious stories about “Stargate”, Peter Deluise, Dean Haglund, Katharine Hepburn, Nick Nolte and there’s even an hilarious recurring joke about Rae Dawn Chong! What other show can claim that?!