Smark & Friends
By Two Finger Guns Club
Smark & FriendsMay 21, 2020
Space-Truckin', Ass-Stompin' with MOTHER TRUCKER creator "Animal" Andy Belanger
IWS is back. MOTHER TRUCKER is back. All in all, it's a good time to be Animal Bob Anger! We've talked to Bob at length about MOTHER TRUCKER on previous episodes, and since then his sci-fi comic about a space-truckin' ass stomping wrestling goddess has come to fruition. Much like the kickstarter for book one, the crowdfunding campaign for book two "The Cut Off" was fully funded in a matter of HOURS!
But now that MOTHER TRUCKER is no longer an idea and a real book in readers' hands, now what? We talk about what's next for Bob, Lethal Comics, IWS, and more-- including the return of CONVERSATION SMARKERS on the Smark & Friends Podcast.
Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, on Instagram @smark.mouth, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook.
Pub Trivia II
Another round of pub trivia, just in time to gather with friends and enjoy a pint or two. Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, on Instagram @smark.mouth, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook.
Threat Level: Money Plane! Reviewing Money Plane with Flying Frank Milano
We've been wanting to cover Money Plane for a while, and with a moniker like that of our guest, now is the perfect time. Professional wrestler Flying Frank Milano joins the show today! Frank is a second-generation wrestler who makes the Quebec wrestling scene his stomping ground. We talk a little about that but mainly, we're here to review Money Plane, starring WWE's Rated R Superstar Edge alongside Kelsey Grammer. The stakes are high - literally and figuratively - in this heist flick, and we have almost as much fun reviewing the film as Kelsey Grammer had twirling his mustache. Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, on Instagram @smark.mouth, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook.
Half a Granola Bar, Half a Banana featuring BUDDY!
**Disclaimer : The video in this watchalong begins with a strobe light**
It's the first episode of the summer, and in the spirit of rest and recreation, Zak welcomes his five-year-old son and return guest Buddy to Smark & Friends. This lucky kid got to watch TWO wrestling matches this week after some technical difficulties in our first attempt, but we landed on a watchalong of the enigmatic Orange Cassidy taking on Psycho Mike at Smash Wrestling - which goes exactly as you'd expect a match between Orange Cassidy and Psycho Mike to go! Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, on Instagram @smark.mouth, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook.
Conversation Smarkers with Taryn From Accounting
We're proverbially heading back to the West Coast to speak to one of Albertan wrestling’s rising stars. Balancing books with striking good looks, we're speaking to the master of the Number Cruncher, Taryn From Accounting joins the show. Taryn’s been wrestling for 3 years and has recently gotten back into the ring as COVID-related restrictions begin to ease up out west. We talk about that, we talk about her finishing move, we talk about Dolly Parton, AND, Taryn helps us kick off a new format of Smark & Friends with Conversation Smarkers - a series of oddball questions thrown out over a couple o' beers!
When The Going Gets Weird with Ravenous Randy Myers
Call him the punk hunk, the weirdo hero, call him Ravenous, Zak welcomes west coast’s wrestler Randy Myers to the show. Randy’s a vet, having worked for 20 years in the wrestling scene, but he’s now about a year removed from wrestling - which, admittedly, sucks, but that hasn’t stopped Randy from being busy. Down time in the wrestling scene has afforded this absolute creative force of nature the time to double down on his interest in stand-up comedy. He’s kept busy with live shows, particularly stand-up in front of a Zoom audience. We gab about stand-up, we also chat at length about his web series “The Weirdo Hero” and what drove him to creating the series, and much more. Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, on Instagram @smark.mouth, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook.
Craft Beer, Indie-Wrestling and Hockey Fights
Joining the show today are two guests who are as passionate about beer as Zak is about wrestling. Robin LeBlanc and Jordan St. John, co-hosts of The Ontario Craft Beer Guide The Podcast join the show for a wrestling watchalong. Robin and Jordan have been writing and podcasting about craft beer for years. Between the two of them they have written beer columns for staples in Toronto media, as well as their own books on the subject all in the spirit of preaching good beer! We are watching a match featuring a wrestler who very much enjoys beer - as you do when you are the personification of heavy metal - as WARHORSE goes head to head with Canada's own "Speedball" Mike Bailey at Alpha-1 Wrestling. If you love a good Canaian brew, Robin & Jordan's content is the stuff you want to be checking out over at https://www.ontariocraftbeerguide.com/. Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, on Instagtam @smark.mouth, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. (edited)
The Carfax Cinematic Universe! Reviewing Las luchadoras contre robot asesino with Rocketman
As he's recently kicked off the second season of Rocketman Explores, the Rocketman himself makes his three-peat appearance on Smark & Friends. We tried to find a wrestling film that would tie into RME's present theme of Artificial Intelligence, but the closest we got is Las luchadoras contre robot asesino (1969), which is exactly about what the title says; Women's wrestlers vs the Assassin Robot. Be sure to follow our guest's adventures on Rocketman Explores wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, on Instagram @smark.mouth, and like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook.
More Than A Wrestler with Shay Purser
He loves being a wrestler, but he wants to be more than that - and his Twitch channel is just the tip of that iceberg! Shay Purser began his in-ring career by surprising Pete Dunne with a school boy to win the ATTACK! 24/7 Championship and continues his journey as a wrestler to this day seven years on. But here's the thing, Shay sees himself as more than a wrestler and wants you to see that as well! Whether it be a Twitch channel presently experiencing massive growth or building a platform to communicate his love of fashion and style, Shay wants people to know that he's more than just the master of Shay Fu. Even the glimpse of Shay's journey in this episode presents Shay for what he is - an creative force of nature, and of course, more than a wrestler. Catch Shay's daily Twitch streams at twitch.tv/sppurser. Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, on Instagram @smark.mouth, and like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. Like what you hear? Drop us some stars at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Nobody Kicks Out Of The Peregrine Arrow with Jason Lapidus
It’s a big week for comic book lovers in Canada as the Toronto Comic Arts Festival kicks off this weekend, running from May 8th through the 15th. Sticking to digital as they had last year, they'll be welcoming some very dynamic creative forces, including today's guest. Jason Lapidus is the talented artist behind Group of 7, a work of historical fiction about real-life Canadian legends who all served overseas at the same time. If it wasn’t crazy enough that these historical figures were fighting in World War I at the same time, Jason and Group of 7 writer Chris Sanagan made them their own unit and pit them against conspiracy and monsters and all those wonderful staples of the comic book world.
We talk all about Group of 7, Jason's anticipation for his very first TCAF, the value of alternate history in an academic setting, and much more, all before jumping into a wrestling watchalong. In fact, one of the competitors in the match we watch is very familiar with TCAF himself. Artist Andy Belanger, AKA Bob "Animal" Anger defends the Heavymania Championship against the powerhouse Max Lemire at Heavy MTL!
Quick shout out to the IWS - we are watching a match filmed by an attending fan, which we did with the blessing of IWS themselves. If you want the full IWS experience (aside from attending live, of course), you'll want to visit the official IWS YouTube channel. Catch some of the earliest matches of talents like Bob Anger, Shayne Hawke, EverRise, Kevin Owens, Brodie Lee, El Generico, and many more.
This episode was presented in affiliation with Toronto Comic Arts Festival. Tremendous thanks to TCAF Programming and Partnership Officer Irene Velentzas for putting us in contact with Jason Lapidus.
Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, on Instagram @smark.mouth, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. Like what you hear? Drop us some stars at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends.
$5 Daft Punk with Erica Taddeo
Feels like awhile since we did a watchalong, huh? Well, we have a great guest to get back into the swing of things. Erica Taddeo is a stand-up comedian out of our fine city and has been named one of the rising stars of comedy by The Comedy Nest. She's also a staple on a monthly geek war game show called BattleCOM which was originally a stage show, but pivoted online early in the pandemic, allowing everyone to join in on the interactive fun! We talk shop, we get nostalgic, and we watch Benjamin Tull wrestle Space Monkey out of Greektown Wrestling.Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, on Instagram @smark.mouth, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. Like what you hear? Drop us some stars at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends.
Cutting Room Floor Tragedies with Out In The Ring Filmmakers Ry Levey and Brad Webb
Coming soon to the film festival circuit; Out In The Ring! This documentary film explores the growing prominence of LGBTQ+ culture in the wrestling industry and it's often under-discussed history. We're joined by filmmakers Ry Levey and Brad Webb to discuss the making of the film, how changes in the wrestling and global landscape shifted the focus of the film, and tragic tales of what's on the cutting room floor. Follow us on Twitter @smarkandfriends, follow Zak on Instagram @smark.mouth, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. Like what you hear? Drop us some stars at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends.
Cherry Pie Turtle! Reviewing Death From Above with Time Warp Radio
One of the motivators behind creating new formats of our podcast is so we can invite rad return guests like Time Warp Radio! It's always an absolute blast recording with Katie and Hayley and our next episode is no different. They recently wrapped up Time Warp Radio, a minute-by-minute deep dive into Rocky Horror, and are now moving on to a new minute-by-minute podcast analyzing Rocky's sequel/equal Shock Treatment in a cleverly titled podcast ShockTreatMinute. We're talking the new podcast as well as it's source inspiration, all before moving on to a film review of Death From Above, the 2012 film starring Kurt Angle, James Storm, Psycho Sid, and Anti-Flag. Yes, you read all that correctly! Follow ShockTreatMinute wherever you get your podcasts so you're ready the moment it goes live! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smarkandfriends, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. Like what you hear? Drop us some stars at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends.
Insane Wrestling & Rap Podcast! with The Kevin Bennett
Rap artist, YouTube personality, producer, Smash Wrestling Champion - you won't find many resumes like that of The Kevin Bennett! Kevin's talent for rap and wrestling come in equal measures have lead to rapid growth of his YouTube channel, fast approaching 15K subscribers. His Insane Pokemon Rap Song went viral and opened some very unique doors for him in the nerdcore rap scene. We talk about all of this, how wrestling influences his rap, how rap influences wrestling and so much more! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smarkandfriends, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. Like what you hear? Drop us some stars at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends.
Pants?! Reviewing Slaxx with Rhia O'Reilly
Reviewing a movie about homicidal denim jeans. Yes you read that correctly! Pro Wrestling Eve Champion and reputable horror buff Rhia O'Reilly joins the show for an in-depth review of the horror comedy Slaxx. You can consider this episode an unofficial sequel to a past episode, when we had Slaxx filmmakers on to watch a Rhia O'Reilly match! Please be advised that this review is chock-full of spoilers so please enjoy Slaxx on Shudder, Apple TV or Google Play before listening to this podcast. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smarkandfriends, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. Like what you hear? Drop us some stars at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends.
Rhodes Trip Music featuring Ian Abel
We'd like you to meet a very talented musician whose music is growing more and more intertwined with the wrestling industry. His songs have been featured in All Elite Wrestling as the score for hype videos for huge rivalries. Most recently, the single Not Afraid to Die was featured as the theme for the match between Cody Rhodes and Darby Allin at Full Gear this past fall. Ian Abel of the Ian Abel Band joins me on today’s podcast. We’re talking rock music, pro wrestling, how he got connected to AEW and all that good stuff. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smarkandfriends, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. Like what you hear? Drop us some stars at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Chekhov's Lego with Michael Mongiardi of The Sonar Network
If you've ever stepped on a Lego block, be ready to cringe! We are joined by Michael Mongiardi in this latest episode. Michael is one of the co-founders of The Sonar Network, a network of podcasts based out of the Toronto area. Sonar's podcasts range from critically acclaimed to award winning, and by sheer volume of content they produce they quite literally have something for everyone! Michael's own podcast "That's How I Remember It", which features himself and other improvisors telling the story of fan-favourite films, has won 7 Canadian Podcast awards and has been voted one of the top Toronto Podcasts by blogTO, The Comedy Network Online and more! Visit thesonarnetwork.com to explore their amazing library of podcasts. Now, about the Lego - ever seen a Lego Deathmatch? Neither have we, so we're watching one from Fighting Spirit Pro between Adam Bueller and JJ King! Not for the faint of heart! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smarkandfriends, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. Like what you hear? Drop us some stars at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends .
Helpful Heels featuring Kayla Jaye
Balancing wrestling and pursuing your master's degree - no sweat for The Golden Child. One of the must-see talents of the Alberta wrestling scene Kayla Jaye joins the show. We're talking life on the western Canadian indie wrestling scene, as well as her current academic endeavors working towards her degree in psychology. What drives Kayla to be a despicable villain in the ring but strive to help others on outside of the ring? This and more in this episode! Follow Kayla on Instagram and Twitter @kaylaajaye. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smarkandfriends, and Like Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook. Like what you hear? Drop us some stars at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Spontaneous Scented Candles featuring Main Event Candles
In a perfect world, this podcast would be scratch n' sniff. Only then would you get a true sense of the amazing work done by Chris Pilkington at Main Event Candles. Chris has been crafting scented candles inspired by pro-wrestling. Be it a beer & leather scented candle called 'Hell Yeah'' or a Lavender & Chamomile candle that will leave you feeling 'Tranquilo', Chris has been creative in both namesakes and craftsmanship. We also happened to catch him at the perfect time, as he dropped HUGE NEWS this week (All Elite Wrestling fans, you gotta listen)! Shop candles for the wrestling fan in your life at https://maineventcandles.com/ Follow @smarkandfriends on Twitter and Instagram, Like the Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook, and leave a kind word at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Frickin' Timezones featuring Chris Perish and Spencer of Love Wrestling
How about a little pod-on-pod action? Zak welcomes Love Wrestling founder Spencer Love and professional wrestler Chris Perish to the show. Together, Perish and Spencer have put together a new podcast which will serve as a cornerstone to Love Wrestling! We talk all about this awesome project - which we are refraining from saying it's title and let them do the honours - but we also gab about how lovewrestling.ca came together, as well as Perish's career in the western Canadian Wrestling scene. We'll say this much; don't believe everything you read on cagematch.net. Follow @smarkandfriends on Twitter and Instagram, Like the Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook, and drop a leave a kind word at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
The Grapes and the Graps featuring Miroki Tong of 9 Ounces Please
Glasses up, friends. We're watching wrestling and enjoying some vino with wine blogger Miroki Tong of 9 Ounces Please. Zak and Miroki find a lot of common ground between wrestling fans and wine circles. The conversation gets heavy and worthwhile, but it's not without it's fun either! We're watching Nicole Matthews take on Nicole Savoy for the ECCW Women's Championship - a match chosen solely because Nicole Matthews has wine glasses in her merch catalog! Follow @smarkandfriends on Twitter and Instagram, Like the Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook, and drop a kind word at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
For Brodie. Featuring Artist David Speed
The wrestling world is in mourning for the loss of a great talent and a better man. As we all process the loss of Jon Huber, better known as Brodie Lee and as Luke Harper, wrestling television and social media is awash with tributes for Huber. Among those tributes was a mural painted in neon colours out of London that captured the love and attention of the wrestling scene. We are joined on today's episode with David Speed, the artist behind this tribute. We speak briefly about his background and his wrestling fandom, but our focus is what inspired him to paint this piece and what it was that made Brodie Lee so special. It was a great conversation, but an emotionally challenging one to have. Be sure to listen to Creative Rebels, the podcast David co-hosts, as well as follow @davidspeeduk on Instagram. Follow @smarkandfriends on Twitter and Instagram, Like the Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook, and drop a little holiday cheer at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
The TFGC Christmas Special
Join the TFGC crew in their inaugural Christmas Special. What was supposed to be a family show quickly becomes hectic within minutes as trivia host Alexa gets lost in her own logic of the game, silent partner Alex decides to speak up, Technical Tina gets aggressive, Zak reveals his stripper name, Rocketman fends for himself and Dora swears in Romanian. The crew does unite however over the hatred of dabbing Santa, so all is well within the TFGC realm. If you wish to play along, make sure your general podcasting knowledge is up to speed, you’ve watched some classic Christmas movies and of course have listened to some key TFGC podcasts.
Peanut Butter Sandwich and Yogurt with Buddy
Ending the year with a return by our favourite guest. Zak's son Buddy, now 5 years old, is back to watch a little wrestling! Honestly, is there anything like hearing a budding fan get invested in a match? Because that's exactly what happens when Zak shares one of his favourite matches - Sami Zayn vs Adrian Neville from NXT R Evolution - with Buddy!
Bazooka Ex Machina! Reviewing Santa's Slay with Evan Harkai
We're in the thick of the holidays now, so it's time to spend time with your closest friends, even if remotely! Zak welcomes longtime pal and jack-of-all-trades Evan Harkai for a review of Santa's Slay, the slasher/comedy starring wrestling legend Bill Goldberg as an evil Santa! Evan is presently working on an awesome project - he's working with Santa Claus! Evan's directing Santa in a series of Zoom Meet & Greets with kids all over the world. You can get tickets for your kids to meet Santa over Zoom at https://www.tyttheatre.com/, and as you'll hear in the podcast, Zak can't recommend it enough! Follow @smarkandfriends on Twitter and Instagram, Like the Two Finger Guns Club on Facebook, and drop a little holiday cheer at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
GrapsParade : The Best of 2020
The pocket-sized podcast procuring your positive perspectives on the world of wrestling... yes the alliteration falls apart. We're sorry. GrapsParade returns, and we're talking about all the good stuff this year. Yes, 2020 was an odd-duck, but there was quite a bit to celebrate in the world of wrestling, and content creators from the wrestling scene have weighed in on what they loved this year. FEATURING: Alberto's Mouse, Amanda Caliber, Dez from Talkamania, Mighty Joe from Turnbuckle Talk, Jordan from Poetry of a Promo, and Spencer Love. Let us know your favourite moments of the year on Twitter and Instagram @smarkandfriends, and on the Two Finger Guns Club Facebook page. Drop a kind word over at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Hyrule, IRL with Patricia Summersett
Fresh off of the release of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, voice of Princess Zelda Patricia Summersett returns to Smark & Friends. We talk all about reprising the role as Zelda, doing voice work for Star Wars Squadrons as well as Wasteland 3, and also speak about Friends At The End Of The House, the upcoming sophomore album from her indie folk band Summersett. After we gab about all those awesome projects, we jump into a wrestling watchalong, and we found a matchup between two Legend of Zelda fans in the wrestling Industry; Nyla Rose takes on Riley Shepard in Warriors of Wrestling. Queue up the match on YouTube so you can watch along with us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgn1mzYye9U. Listen to Summersett's first album Act One at https://summersett.bandcamp.com/. And if you like what hear leave us a kind word over at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Not Another Screwjob Podcast! Reviewing Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows with Spencer Love
Twenty-three years ago this week, an infamous night in Montreal. Backstage politics gone haywire, or intended long-term storytelling? Former owner of Win Column Sports Network Spencer Love joins us as we review the 1998 documentary Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows. After an in depth review of the film, Zak and Spencer jump into the never-ending question with no answer in sight; The Montreal Screwjob, a work or a shoot? If you like what you hear please head over to ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends and leave us a kind word or two!
Sterilize the Props featuring Nikki Haggart and Annie Yao of Dungeons and Distancing
Should we roll for persuasion to get you to listen, or can we just tell you how awesome Annie Yao and Nikki Haggart are? The writers, directors and co-stars of Dungeons & Distancing join us on today's podcast for a wrestling watchalong. The webseries follows a Dungeons & Dragons party not only involved in their campaign, but dealing with the inherent isolation of socially distant gaming. Giving you that context, you can probably guess who's in the match we're watching, can't you? That's right, we're watching AEW's D&D Enthusiast Brandon Cutler face off with Peter Avalon as both wrestlers continue to chase their first win in their W-L-D record. Follow Dungeons & Distancing by subscribing to Chaotic Goat on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjcDeAEgQcpN9n5MrYJv9CA. Rate and review our podcast at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Smarky Horror: There's a Light (Over at French Frankenstein Place) featuring PCO
It's Halloween, it's our biggest guest to date, and we're not sure what to be more excited about! Whether you know him from WWF’s golden age in the French Canadian tag team The Quebecers, whether you know him today as a former Ring of Honor World Champion or from somewhere in between, the man behind one of the most surprising career reinventions in wrestling history, the French Frankenstein PCO joins us to wrap our month of Halloween specials. We’re talking wrestling, specifically his run in Ring of Honor and how they’re getting the ball rolling again and doing safely in the COVID world. We’re also talking about his huge ambition involving Olympic Stadium here in Montreal, and we’re talking PCO Justice, the web series following PCO and his creator Destro serving justice to the criminal underworld of suburban Quebec. Happy Halloween, folks! If you like what you hear please head over to ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends and leave us a kind word or two!
Smarky Horror: Torcha Torcha Torcha Torch Me featuring Time Warp Radio Podcast's Hayley Mervini and Katie Tomeny
You may have noticed we’ve adopted a bit of a Rocky Horror aesthetic this month. Don’t beat yourself up if you didn’t, we were pretty subtle, but someone who did pick up were the hosts of Time Warp Radio. Once they were on our radar we thought they'd make great guests for our show, and WERE THEY EVER! Katie & Hayley's Time Warp Radio podcast is a minute-by-minute deep dive into the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and they stop by to watch the infamous death match between Vampiro and Pentagon Jr from Lucha Underground. Listen to Time Warp Radio wherever you get your podcasts - if you're a Rocky afficianado you owe it to yourself to give them a listen! Like what you hear on our end? Drop us a kind word at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Smarky Horror: I Can Make You a Manhausen featuring Cloak & Dagger Theatre Company
October is usually when Montreal is bustling with outrageous theatre and other spirited live events. For obvious reasons that's not happening this year, but luckily our guests have a show they want to share with you! Cloak & Dagger Theatre Company will be putting on a 'Cabaret of Curiosities' at the end of the month in which they'll be streaming sketches and songs all in the spirit of the season. Cloak & Dagger founder Courtney Rasmussen and Cabaret of Curiosities musical director Veronique Gagnier stop by Smark & Friends to tell us all about this production, and then watch a little wrestling with us. Hope you like caskets, because we're watching Danhausen take on Mojo McQueen in a Coffin Match! Catch Cabaret of Curiosities on the Cloak and Dagger Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cloakanddaggermtl/ - and their Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/cloakanddaggermtl. Like what you hear? Drop us a kind word at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Smarky Horror: The River Was Dull, But We Watched It featuring Andy Belanger aka Bob "Animal" Anger
The last time Andy Belanger joined our podcast he was getting the gears moving on Mother Trucker, his ambitious sci-fi/wrestling graphic novel. As Mother Trucker is heading to the Kickstarter phase THIS WEEK, Andy is back to talk a little more about the project, as well as the set of tapings for IWS he performed in as Bob "Animal" Anger. Plus, you can't go through Halloween without watching at least one horror flick, and we review a.. hmm... "gem" in River of Darkness, starring Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, Psycho Sid Vicious and Glacier! Follow Andy on Instagram @andy_belanger and keep an ear to the ground for the Mother Trucker Kickstarter. Review Smark & Friends at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends. CW: Sexual assault reference, as per the reviewed film.
Smarky Horror: Crimson Tints My World featuring Real Life Apocalypse Podcast's Ian Geldart and Julia Borsellino
You can't have Halloween without costumes, so Ian Geldart and Julia Borsellino of the Real Legitimate Apocalypse join us to watch some cosplay wrestling from FSCW. Real Legitimate Apocalypse is part of the Real Legitimate Anthology podcast, a fictional podcast serial from The Sonar Network. Real Legitimate Apocalypse follows Hannah - played by Julia - who inadvertently uncovers a sinister Toronto cult looking to bring about the end of times. Catch Real Legitimate Anthology at https://thesonarnetwork.com/real-legitimate-anthology/, and follow them @rlaseries on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Smark & Friends on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and drop us a kind word or two at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Smarky Horror: Shiver with Mispronounci... ATION featuring Holidead
It's October, and we are spending the month with all the people you want around for this wonderful Halloween season! Our guest kicking off this wicked and ghoulish month with us joins us from the Other Side of Darkness, international pro wrestler Holidead. We're talking about going to war in a cage match this past weekend at Titan Championship Wrestling, as well as Shimmer at the Collective coming up on October 11th, being trained by Gangrel, Halloween Candy, Star Trek, yeah, we go a little bit everywhere in this episode! Follow Holidead on Twitter @holidead and on Instagram @holideadandi. You can also follow Smark & Friends on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and drop us a kind word or two at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Musical Theatre Endorses Wrestling featuring Matt Lacas and Rosie Callaghan
Pour yourself a cocktail, you won't be drinking alone listening to this episode! Matt Lacas and Rosie Callaghan are actors out of Toronto who have put together #IsolationCocktails, a web show where they guide you through some very tasty beverage recipes. Matt and Rosie join in on a wrestling watchalong where we catch Private Party vs Hybrid 2 from AEW All Out - and come up with cocktails inspired by the match itself! You can find #IsolationCocktails via Matt's Instagram @is_that_mattlacas as well as more tidbits from the show on Rosie's Instagram @callaghan.rosie, and on top of that you can enroll in their classes (ranging from FREE to $$$) at sidebizstudio.ca. Follow Smark & Friends on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and drop us a kind word and as many stars as you like at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Indie Wrestling vs COVID-19 with Jack Pride
Man of Two Minds Jack Pride was having an amazing 2019 wrestling on the independent scene in Western Canada, but we'll give you a guess what happened to his 2020. COVID-19 took the steady workload out from under him along with hundreds if not thousands of others in the Canadian wrestling scene. Jack spoke with us about what his experience was at the start of the pandemic to offer a portrait of what it all looked like from his perspective. But it's not all doom and gloom! We also talk about how he got his start in wrestling, a novelty match from 2019 that went viral, missing the Attitude Era (not longing for the Era, mind you. Actually missing it as a fan), and more! Follow Jack on Twitter and Instagram @mindofjackpride, and if you need a good laugh you should check out the podcast he co-hosts, Two Baked Hams. Follow Smark & Friends on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and drop us a kind word and as many stars as you like at ratethispodcast.com/smarkandfriends
Carny at Heart: Reviewing You Cannot Kill David Arquette with Julian Stamboulieh
Last time we had Julian Stamboulieh on the show, we took him out of his element with a wrestling watchalong. This time we got him to bring his filmmaker's eye to review a new documentary. We're talking You Cannot Kill David Arquette, the unlikely wrestling documentary highlighting Arquette's return to the pro-wrestling scene. The film has made waves at SXSW and the Fantasia Film Festival, and is now available on demand from YouTube and other major platforms. On top of our in-depth review, we're talking to Julian about his brand new project 'The Coolian', in which he presents a broad overview of filmmaking from basic equipment to advanced techniques. Not to mention he and the Beanduck Productions team are gearing up to crowdfund the highly anticipated third season of the fan favourite webseries LARPs, now playing on the Fantasy Network. Please be advised this review is full of spoilers!
a FORK?! featuring Slaxx director Elza Kephart and star Sehar Bhojani
This podcast is a real kick in the pants. Fresh off of their world premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival, director Elza Kephart and star Sehar Bhojani of the horror-comedy Slaxx are in for a wrestling watchalong. We're catching Rhia O'Reilly take on Alpha Female in Pro Wrestling Eve, as well as discussing the big premiere, how Fantasia is handling going digital, and most importantly, how the movie about a murderous pair of denim jeans came to be! Catch Slaxx across Canada on September 11th and internationally on Shudder this March
The Septic Side of Things: Reviewing Ready to Rumble with Alexa Jordens
Hey, a brand new format for Smark & Friends! On top of watchalongs and interviews, we're adding wrestling-related film reviews to our repertoire. TFGC co-founder joins Zak to review the 2000 classi-- err-- 2000 film Ready To Rumble! Spoilers: There are A LOT of plot holes.
Wrestling as an Art Form with Wrestling Resurgence
We were going to call this episode "the art of wrestling" but we don't want to step on any toes. John Kirby and Sam West of the UK's theatre-led promotion Wrestling Resurgence join the show. Wrestling Resurgence has something of an unconventional background for a wrestling promotion, as the creative team - Sam and John included - all have backgrounds in the arts. What exactly makes wrestling an artform? What's it like showcasing wrestling in art galleries? What would the rules of a Sam Beckett match be? This and more!
The Thigh-High Boots Advantage with Alana Cosgrove
Terrific actor, brilliant singer, and now the teacher of her own school! Alana Cosgrove joins us on Smark & Friends to talk about Songbird Music School before we watch an AAW Pro match between ACH and Garza Jr. We still want you to check out the Powerslam Wrestling Network, but if you'd like to watch along with us this match is freely available on YouTube! Check out Songbird Music at musiquesongbirdmusic.com
Mixed Martial Arts with Magnificent Mitch Clarke
He's the Monster Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, but before he found success in wrestling he was a lightweight division fighter in the UFC. "Magnificent" Mitch Clarke joins us to talk his upcoming defence at MPW's The Return before getting very candid about his time in UFC. Mitch DOES NOT pull punches in this one! Will Zak's stomach survive Mitch's list of injuries and surgeries? Listen and find out!
Apples and Bananas featuring Buddy
Future guests have big shoes to fill. Zak's four-year-old son Buddy joins the show for a wrestling watchalong! Unlike our usual guests, Buddy doesn't have anything to promote, but he will let you know about what books he's reading and what he had for breakfast. Then we jump into a fatal-four way match from Qatar Pro Wrestling with Rey Mysterio Jr, PJ Black, Carlito and Mil Muertes!
Relaunch - Writing Comics with Andrew Stott
This is a throwback! Back in February we did our first interview with someone in the wrestling industry about their outside projects as part of TFGC's 28in28 Challenge, but now it made sense to migrate this episode to the Smark & Friends feed. We're joined by a man who wears many hats both in and out of the IWS wrestling ring, and on top of a real what's what of responsibilities, our guest Andrew Stott also writes comics! Learn how Andrew got into comics, a lengthy conversation about his work on WWE Comics, as well as chatting about IWS's rapid growth in the independent wrestling scene. It's an older episode but it's still plenty fresh! Give 'er a listen!
Graphic Novel Illustration with Andy Belanger - aka Bob "Animal" Anger
He's a graphic novel illustrator who brought a comic book character to life in the wrestling ring! Andy Belanger - aka Bob "Animal" Anger joins the show! Andy's extensive list credits include Friday the 13th, Kill Shakespeare, WWE Comics, Southern Cross (sidebar: we got some breaking news on that in this episode), and recently Pound For Pound out of TKO Studios. Plus: Andy shares info about his ambitious wrestling graphic novel that he's been working on called Mother Trucker, which you're going to want to read as badly as we do after hearing more about it.
The Phyllis Flipperino featuring Elizabeth Neale & Jonathan Silver
Smark & Friends gets adventurous on the latest episode as we welcome the team behind the interactive storytelling gaming platform for kids called Adventures To Go, actors Elizabeth Neale and Jonathan Silver! We're watching a matchup straight out of a tabletop gaming session where King Khash takes on the one and only Luchasaurus in DEFY Wrestling.
Pub Trivia Answer Key
If you haven't listened to episode "Pub Trivia", do not listen to this episode! Open this up only if you've finished our wrestling themed quiz and check your scores while Zak blitzes through the answers! Find @smarkandfriends on social media and let us know how you did!
Pub Trivia
Almost one year ago, Zak hosted trivia night at Hurley's Pub in Montreal in promotion of Smark & Friends. The questions were wrestling themed, but not entirely about wrestling? Are you up for the challenge? Take the quiz!
Additional sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com
Let's Go To A Bistro featuring Shanice Bowrin & Kelly Harvey-Mykula
This episode is BANTS(are we using that right?)! The stars of the web series Sofa Queens Kelly Harvey-Mykula and Shanice Bowrin joins the show for a wrestling watachalong as Jamie Hayter takes on Session Moth Martina at EVE Riot Grrls of Wrestling!