Happy Memorial Day! I love sitting down and talking with Mike about life, podcasting, and more. Mike is one of the first Philly podcasting buddies I made, and while we don't talk often, I have so much respect for him.

We catch up, talk parenthood, podcasting, and more.

Find...

• Doom Thugs on Facebook @doomthugspodcast, the web at doomthugs.com, and on Twitch @doomthugs
• Kev on TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, Threads @ThatNerdyKev ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | Get 'Em Next Year

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears. You can also support us by telling a friend!

GO BIRDS.

My intro and outro to this episode say it all. FanExpo 2025 was important to me for many reasons. It brought me back to Everything is Awesome, which has been with me through ALL my trauma and what I can only assume is the onset of my fragile mental health. This show makes me happy, and I need to be here more with it.

I was also reminded about why we take shots, even if it is improbable to make them. Thanks for the reminder, Devan.

On the panel, we talk about the Go Birds mentality: what it means, why it's so special, and why it travels so well. What other fandoms share that mentality? All this and more.

Find...

• Devan Kaney on Twitter @Devan_Kaney, Instagram @DevanKaney, TikTok @devan.kaney | 94WIP | FOX29 | DevanKaney.com
• Craig Liggeons on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok @craigliggeons | Comic Book Gurus
• JJ on Get 'Em Next Year (getemnextyear.com)
• Kev on TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, Threads @ThatNerdyKev ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | Get 'Em Next Year

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears. You can also support us by telling a friend!

WARNING: The audio for the panel was recorded differently because the cable I needed changed from years past. That said, I can't believe how well it turned out despite the way we recorded it.

There's nothing like a live show, panel, or performance to get your creative juices flowing. And that's what This is Heavy: 40 Years of Back to the Future did for me. While I did panels at last year's FanExpo, I also worked a community table, which was wonderful but took so much energy out of me.

During this panel, I was just floored by how many of you actually cared about what my friends and I had to say about a 40-year-old movie. Beyond that, working with Dan, Stephen, and Meghan from I Like to Movie Movie reminded me how much I like to do things with friends. I hope to do more of this, especially with this crew.

This is a love fest on Back to the Future, I'm not sure what else to say. We touch on the legacy and why this film is still so important after 40 years, stand-out moments and aspects of the film, how we would cast this movie today, and much more.

Find your Senators | Find your Congressman | Make 5 Calls | Support HEADstrong Foundation | Trevor Project | Support Black Lives Matter

Find...

• I Like to Movie Movie on Apple Podcasts, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @moviemoviecast
• Kev on TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, Threads @ThatNerdyKev ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | Get 'Em Next Year

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears. You can also support us by telling a friend!

WE'RE BACK. For real. Fan Expo 2025 has energized me to return to Everything is Awesome and commit to it more than ever. I miss talking to people about their awesome things, and there are so many conversations you haven't heard.

I'm playing off the momentum to bring you FAN EXPO week! Today is a conversation I had with Ben Beck LAST YEAR about Fan Expo Philadelphia 2024, but the heart of the conversation is timeless. It's also a great way to kick off Fan Expo week because it gives a peek behind the curtain at what it takes to pull off running a panel.

Ben and I talk fandom, meeting celebrities, and even get into some podcast advice!

Find your Senators | Find your Congressman | Make 5 Calls | Support HEADstrong Foundation | Trevor Project | Support Black Lives Matter

Find...

• Ben Beck and his podcast at Welcome to Wilhem: https://welcometowilhelm.com/ and Altered Reality Entertainment: https://www.alteredrealityentertainment.com/
• Kev on TikTok, BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, Threads @ThatNerdyKev ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | Get 'Em Next Year

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears. You can also support us by telling a friend!

Kev sat down a few weeks ago with the unofficial co-host of Everything is Awesome, Mike DeAngelo, to talk about 2024 and 2025, what they liked, and what they're looking forward to.

If you listened to the small episode we dropped last week, you know that Kev has been preoccupied with a death in his family, so the show notes are simple here, as the editing for this episode was started BEFORE things got bad and finished last week. So simple show notes!

Best of Film/TV/Games in 2024 and what they are looking forward to in 2025, plus their plans for various projects.

Find your Senators | Find your Congressman | Make 5 Calls | Support HEADstrong Foundation | Trevor Project | Support Black Lives Matter

Find...

• Mike DeAngelo on Twitter @tellest | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok @tellestbooks | Tellest.com | Etsy | Twitch
• Kev on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok @ThatNerdyKev ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | We'll Get 'Em Next Year

Please support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears. You can also support us by telling a friend!

Quick Update from Kev about what's going on.

Ana Saia joins Kev for an engaging and thought-provoking conversation about social media’s evolution, cultural identity, and the art of storytelling. Kev kicks things off by marveling at the fact that podcasting is now a college class, leading to a discussion about generational differences between “Old Man Kev” and the next wave of creators.

The two dive into the progression of social media, from MySpace and Twitter to TikTok, and the ways these platforms have shaped how we connect. Ana opens up about her experiences growing up as a white-presenting Hispanic, the challenges of proving her cultural background, and embracing the complexities of different Spanish dialects. Together, they discuss their journeys with learning Spanish, reclaiming cultural authenticity, and how “No Sabo” moments have taken on new meaning.

Ana also shares how her cultural identity influences her work in acting and music and her love for emotional storytelling. They explore the heavy narratives often found in kids’ movies and discuss the creative challenges of transitioning from short-form to long-form content.

Find your Senators | Find your Congressman | Make 5 Calls | Trevor Project | Support Black Lives Matter

Find...

• Ana Saia on TikTok: @saianana | Instagram: @anasaiaofficial | YouTube: @saianana | The Reason, La Razón
• Kev on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok @ThatNerdyKev

ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | We'll Get 'Em Next Year

Support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears :) You can also support us by telling a friend!

Steve Cooper, host of the long-running Cooper Talk podcast, joins Kev for an insightful and entertaining conversation! They dive into the art of podcasting as Steve approaches his 1,000th episode (at the time of recording, at release, Steve has released 1,029 episodes), sharing his philosophy on keeping things simple, making the process fun, and not taking it too seriously. They also talk about the editing process, reflecting on the bittersweet moments when celebrity and past guest deaths hit close to home.

The discussion covers the cultural differences between East Coast and West Coast living, Steve’s passion for Philly sports, and the importance of traveling and exploring life outside your hometown. From social media observations to podcasting tips, this episode is packed with humor, wisdom, and heartfelt moments.

Find your Senators | Find your Congressman | Make 5 Calls | Trevor Project | Support Black Lives Matter

Find...

• Steve Cooper at CooperTalk.net and The CoopTank.
• Kev on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok @ThatNerdyKev

ThatNerdyKev.com | AwesomePodcast.com | MayorOfLevittown.com | Avatar State Radio | We'll Get 'Em Next Year

Support Everything is Awesome by leaving a 5-star review on iTunes. Apple's math gets us in front of more people's eyes and ears :) You can also support us by telling a friend!