Award-Winning, longtime Chicago radio personality Nick Digilio hosts this pop culture/entertainment podcast, featuring interviews, movie reviews and much more. Tuesdays & Fridays on the Radio Misfits Podcast Network
Reading the feed…
Nick reflects on the recent passing of several celebrities, including 2 legends, Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, before film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy return to talk movies. They break down the latest box office numbers and review a batch of new releases, including the long-awaited Looney Tunes comedy Coyote vs. Acme, Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic thriller The Dog Stars, and the creepy new horror movies It Ends and Buddy, about a Barney-like kids TV character who starts killing kids. Later, Esmeralda Leon and Nick make their weekend plans and wrap up their wonderfully weird conver
Nick welcomes TV critic from The Hollywood Reporter Dan Fienberg back to the podcast. Nick and Dan discuss the latest developments in the Big Brother house, including one of the best moves a houseguest has ever made, and CBS’s insistence on jamming “Big Brother Unlocked” down our collective throats. Then, Dan reviews HBO’s new superhero comedy “Lanterns,” discusses the best TV Teen Dramas of all time, this summer’s TV Beauties and Bores, and the life and career of Hayden Panettiere. Then, Esmeralda Leon and Nick talk about their weekends, and dive deep into the weird world of celebrities and t
Nick welcomes Tom Hush back to the podcast for the final edition of “Theater of Trash” before the new Radio Misfits Podcast is launched in September. Here, Tom and Nick examine the truly bizarre, and insanely entertaining Italian flick “Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man,” which is very, very loosely inspired by Starsky and Hutch, and features crime, shoot-outs, an extended motorcycle chase, and the bloody death of a seeing eye dog…among other crazy things. It’s a fun look at one of the great examples of trashy cinema, and a great preview of things to come on the new podcast. Then, Esmeralda Leon
Music journalist Jim Ryan from Forbes.com is back to talk about his latest interviews, including a conversation with Corey Glover of Living Colour. Jim also reviews a packed lineup of recent concerts, including Chicago and Styx at Allstate Arena, Guns N’ Roses and Public Enemy in Tinley Park, Rush at the United Center, and Billy Idol at Ravinia. Jim and Nick also compare notes on this past weekend’s Fan Expo at the Rosemont Convention Center. Later, Esmeralda Leon and Nick continue the Fan Expo conversation, including how Mel Gibson managed to make about $45,000 in just three hours by basicall
Film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy are back to review a new batch of movies, including Tony, the story of Anthony Bourdain as a teenager, the dinosaurs-invade-’80s-suburbia thriller The End of Oak Street, the slasher satire Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, and The Brink of War, a political drama about the Reagan-Gorbachev summit meetings. Later, Esmeralda Leon and Nick talk about their weekend plans before returning to the wonderfully strange world of celebrity phobias. This time they get into Christina Ricci’s fear of houseplants and Benicio del Toro’s constant need to knock o
TV critic Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter is back to review some new shows, including USA Network’s Anna Pigeon, HBO’s reptile-trafficking docuseries Monsters of God, and Ryan Murphy’s latest exercise in excess, The Shards. Nick and Dan also catch up on the latest news from the Big Brother house and talk about what else is happening in television. Later, Esmeralda Leon and Nick catch up on the weekend, talk about Heat, and get into some truly bizarre celebrity phobias. Alfred Hitchcock couldn’t stand eggs, Tyra Banks is afraid of dolphins, and Jennifer Aniston apparently has serious i
Monica Eng from Axios Chicago is back to talk about some of the stories she’s been covering this month, including Chicago’s $13 billion lead pipe problem, the latest twists in the CPS budget drama, the best food to grab at Sox Park, the passing of Corny the Cornstalk, where to find great Uyghur food in Albany Park, and who really serves the best Chicago-style hot dog in the city. Later, Esmeralda Leon and Nick look back on the fun they had at Flashback Weekend before diving into some of the most awkward, outrageous, and unforgettable talk show appearances of all time. From Tom Cruise’s infamou
Nick recaps his weekend at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention, shares a few highlights, and lets listeners know how to pre-order his new book. With The Consumerman Herb Weisbaum on vacation, Nick takes the reins for this month’s “For The People” segment, covering the latest consumer news along with money-saving tips from Checkbook.org on groceries, services, insurance, and more. Later, Car Guy Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive joins Nick to talk about the latest vehicles he’s been test-driving. They also discuss what’s going on with Tesla, how long you should really warm up your ca
Recorded live at the 2026 Flashback Weekend Horror Convention, this special bonus episode finds Nick and Esmeralda Leon on stage with a lively audience sharing scary childhood memories, horror favorites, and plenty of laughs. The fun gets even better with a surprise appearance by Chicago horror legend Svengoolie. The show also welcomes the cast of the cult classic Night of the Creeps to the stage, including Jason Lively, Jill Whitlow, and the legendary Tom Atkins, as they celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary with stories, memories, and a terrific live conversation in front of an enthusiastic
Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy back to the podcast to discuss the incredible box office success of The Odyssey, the latest movie trends, and several new releases, including Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Gregg Araki’s comedy I Want Your Sex, and the sci-fi family drama Sheep in a Box. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to recap the weekend at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention before the conversation turns to TV characters who were written off their shows because the actors were reportedly too difficult to work with. From Susan on Seinfeld to Chef on South Park, the
Nick welcomes The Hollywood Reporter TV critic Dan Fienberg back to the podcast to review several new shows, including Adult Swim’s President Curtis, the new Will Ferrell golf comedy The Hawk, Apple TV+’s Lucky starring Anya Taylor-Joy, and more. They also continue their bi-weekly coverage of Big Brother Season 28 with their latest thoughts on the houseguests and the game. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick as they get ready for the LIVE edition of The Nick D Podcast at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention. Along the way, they talk about tribute bands, the work of Stephen King, and more night
Nick welcomes Mike Kerz, co-creator and co-founder of the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention and co-owner of the Midway Drive-In Theater in Dixon, Illinois, back to the podcast. Mike and Nick look back at Flashback Weekend’s 24-year history, from its beginnings to memorable conventions and celebrity guests, before previewing everything happening at this year’s event. They also talk about featured guests including David Arquette, Jane Levy, David Naughton, Dermot Mulroney, and Chicago’s own Svengoolie, along with special events coming up at the Midway Drive-In. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick
Nick is joined by legendary stuntman and actor Dick Warlock, whose remarkable career included stunt work and stunt coordination on more than 175 films. From the 1960s through his retirement after Spider-Man in 2002, Dick doubled for Kurt Russell for decades and famously portrayed Michael Myers in Halloween II. He shares stories from his incredible career, talks about his upcoming appearance at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention, and discusses his new autobiography, Dick Warlock: The Shape of My Career. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick as they continue their countdown to Flashback Weekend
Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy back to the podcast to break down the latest box office numbers, talk about current movie trends, and review several new releases, including Evil Dead Burn, Moana, and one of the year’s most anticipated films, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick as they continue getting ready for Flashback Weekend by revisiting more childhood movie and TV moments that left lasting scars. From Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Ernest Scared Stupid to the unforgettable talking toilets from Look Who’s Talking Too, Rick and Morty,
Nick welcomes The Hollywood Reporter TV critic Dan Fienberg back to the podcast to review the new Little House on the Prairie reboot and Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness starring Larry David. They also break down the 2026 Emmy nominations, discussing the biggest surprises, the most obvious picks, and a few notable snubs. Plus, Nick and Dan kick off their bi-weekly coverage of Big Brother. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to recap their weekends, talk about the upcoming Flashback Weekend Horror Convention, and revisit some of the movies and TV shows that traumatized them growing up. T
Nick welcomes journalist Monica Eng from Axios Chicago back to the podcast to talk about some of the stories she’s been covering, including great new places to eat in Harbor Country, how police are responding to teen takeovers, the possibility of moving the Pride Parade downtown, refreshing cold soup recipes, and why Lake Michigan stays so unbelievably cold. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to catch up before diving into anthology TV shows like Tales from the Crypt and the creepy Mexican series La Hora Marcada. They also revisit some of the movie and TV moments that traumatized them as kids, a
In his monthly “For The People” edition, Nick welcomes The Consumerman, Herb Weisbaum, back to the podcast to cover the latest consumer news. They discuss what outlet malls are really selling, the newest tricks cybercriminals are using, how to avoid costly overdraft fees, and debunk a few common gas-saving myths. Later, Car Guy Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive joins Nick to talk about the end of Polestar, the forgotten story of AvtoVAZ, the bizarre automotive product Motor Honey, and why cigarette lighters have disappeared from new cars, even though there’s still a way to get one. Plus
Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy back to the podcast to talk about the latest box office news and trends before diving into a new batch of movie reviews. This time they cover the newest entry in the animated franchise Minions and Monsters, the dark comedy The Invite, the campy melodrama Maddie’s Secret, which lands on the list of the year’s worst, and the historical epic Young Washington. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to talk about the summer heat and somehow ends up deep in the complicated history of mules and donkeys. Then it’s round two of terrible TV shows bas
Nick welcomes food writer and horror fan Marnie Shure back for her monthly visit, which includes her review of the new horror hit Backrooms and a funny story about the surprise box office success of Obsession. They also talk about the world of Mortified, the growing trend of government-owned grocery stores, something that may be coming to Illinois, and more. Marnie also shares her thoughts on the wildly popular new Hello Kitty Cafe in downtown Chicago. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to look back at some pretty terrible TV adaptations of great movies, including Heathers, Clueless, and 9 to 5.
Nick welcomes radio producer and film fanatic Tom Hush back to the podcast for another funny, smart, and gloriously weird edition of Theater of Trash. This time, Tom takes apart and celebrates the wild Bollywood film Mahakaal, a movie often described as Nightmare on Elm Street meets Grease. As always, Tom digs into what makes this oddball cult favorite work, and why it deserves a second look. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to talk about some of the hidden gems streaming on Tubi and Pluto TV, including the British series Brassic and the unforgettable TV movie about Corey Feldman and Corey Hai
Nick welcomes The Hollywood Reporter TV critic Dan Fienberg back for another deep dive into what’s happening on television. They wrap up the 23rd season of Top Chef and review new shows including House of the Dragon Season 3, the thriller The Listeners starring Rebecca Hall, and the documentary Playing POTUS. Nick and Dan also take time to reflect on the remarkable career of legendary TV director and producer James Burrows following his passing. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick for another wild round of Pop Culture Trivia Madness with the return of British bon vivant and game show host Slap Sl
Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy back to the podcast for their latest movie reviews and a look at the current box office. They break down some of the big new releases, including the fantastic Pixar sequel Toy Story 5, the dark Hugh Jackman adventure The Death of Robin Hood, the teen drama Girls Like Girls, and the horror film Leviticus. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to catch up on listener emails before diving into a fun conversation about some of the worst movie reboots and remakes ever made. That includes Planet of the Apes with Mark Wahlberg and the gloriously
Nick welcomes music journalist Jim Ryan from Forbes.com back to the podcast to talk about the new Earth, Wind & Fire documentary and his recent interviews with Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil and Jon Spencer of The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. They also review recent concerts by George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Phil Manzanera, and Santana with The Doobie Brothers. Along the way, they discuss the parking headaches at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre and the troubling trend of outdoor venues keeping shows going during dangerous weather. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to read listener emails
Nick welcomes journalist Monica Eng back to the podcast to talk about some of the stories she’s been covering for Axios Chicago, including the latest developments in Chicago politics, Governor Pritzker’s views on data centers and their environmental impact, Pilates classes that can help get you in shape, the growing concerns surrounding e-scooter safety, great local food, Lake Michigan dips, and more. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick for another round of kids’ TV trivia, where they figure out who Skeeter Valentine is and come to the conclusion that That’s So Raven is basically The Dead Zone fo
Nick welcomes The Hollywood Reporter TV critic Dan Fienberg back to the podcast to talk about the latest television news, recap the Tony Awards, and catch up on Top Chef. They also discuss a couple of reality shows they believe are broken, along with some ideas on how to fix them. Dan reviews two new documentaries, one about the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire and another about Mario Cuomo, and shares his thoughts on the new Cape Fear miniseries starring Amy Adams and Javier Bardem. Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to recap the weekend, talk about some great tribute bands, and take a quiz on weir
