After a hiatus, Hand Me the Mike is back with one of our most fun episodes yet! Host Daniella Mazzio is joined by Minneapolis-based writer Natalie Marlin to talk about John Waters' irreverent Hollywood satire Cecil B. Demented (2000). Listen as Daniella and Natalie discuss the different eras of John Waters' career, his prescience regarding the future of filmmaking, and how Michael Shannon's small but pivotal role within the ensemble utilizes his signature intensity.

Natalie Marlin is a writer, art and culture journalist, and essayist based near Minneapolis, MN. Her writing has been featured in publications such as Stereogum, The Quietus, Bright Wall/Dark Room, and Pitchfork. Her book Noise Music is forthcoming from Bloomsbury as part of Genre: A 33 1/3 Series.

Follow Natalie on Bluesky.

This is a completely free, DIY project; support is optional, but greatly appreciated.

Follow Daniella on Twitter and Instagram at @DaniellaMazzio and on Bluesky at @daniellamazzio.bsky.social‬.

The Hand Me the Mike theme song samples R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming."

Additional music includes Hallelujah the Hills' very generous public domain track "01 Untitled, Actual Title (Joker 1)" from the album DECK: JOKERS. Check out the band's playing card-inspired releases at: https://hallelujahthehills.bandcamp.com/.

Hand Me the Mike cover art features an illustration from Daniella and fonts designed by Steve Shanabruch as part of The Chicago Neighborhoods.

Additional audio snippets are from Cecil B. Demented, The Simpsons, and They Came Together.

This episode of Hand Me the Mike was produced by Joe Engleman and Daniella Mazzio, and edited by Daniella Mazzio.

Reviews, profiles, and interviews featured in the episode:

Natalie's interview with Michael Shannon for Stereogum: https://stereogum.com/2249662/weve-got-a-file-on-you-michael-shannon/interviews

Michael Shannon interviews from...

Dread Central (2020)

Mandatory (2015)

Fangoria (2011)

Nashville Scene (2010)

John Waters Interviews from...

Boston Globe (2024)

Nitrate Online (2000)

Filmmaker Magazine (2000)

Windy City Times (2000)

Indiewire (2000)

Order 'The Extended Universe' by Vicky Osterweil

Read the first part of Daniella's write up on public funding in the film industry.

Read Daniella's 2023 reporting on why certain movies aren't always available to audiences.

Watch the "White Lie" music video from Foreigner featuring Michael Shannon and Nick Offerman.

Get tickets to the Pink Flamingos screening at The Heights Theater in Minneapolis (introduced by Natalie!)

As we near the end of 2025, host Daniella Mazzio is joined by cartoonist Whitney Wasson (Sober Rabbit) to discuss Michael Shannon's directorial debut Eric LaRue. Though the film (written by Brett Neveu, adapted from his play) hasn't made it into awards conversations, Daniella and Whitney discuss the 2025 release and how it encapsulates many of the feelings from the past year—particularly how Americans handle discomfort around tragedy and fear.

Whitney Wasson is a Chicago-based cartoonist, theater person, and comedian originally from Arkansas. They draw Sober Rabbit, an ongoing comic series about addiction recovery, disability and mental health. You can learn more at soberrabbit.com.

Follow Whitney on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Subscribe to the Sober Rabbit Patreon.

This is a completely free, DIY project; support is optional, but greatly appreciated.

Follow Daniella on Twitter and Instagram at @DaniellaMazzio and on Bluesky at @daniellamazzio.bsky.social‬.

The Hand Me the Mike theme song samples R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming."

Additional music includes Hallelujah the Hills' very generous public domain track "01 Untitled, Actual Title (Joker 1)" from the album DECK: JOKERS. Check out the band's playing card-inspired releases at: https://hallelujahthehills.bandcamp.com/.

Hand Me the Mike cover art features an illustration from Daniella and fonts designed by Steve Shanabruch as part of The Chicago Neighborhoods.

Additional audio snippets are from Eric LaRue and Arrested Development.

This episode of Hand Me the Mike was produced by Joe Engleman and Daniella Mazzio, and edited by Daniella Mazzio.

Shout out to the Chicago International Film Festival. 😊

Reviews, profiles, and interviews featured in the episode:

Everytown Research and Policy's Gunfire on School Grounds data: https://everytownresearch.org/maps/gunfire-on-school-grounds/ (Additional sources for each incident named in the episode are cited in Everytown's data).

Isaac Feldberg's interview with Michael Shannon: https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/michael-shannon-eric-larue-interview

Variety interview with Michael Shannon and Judy Greer: https://variety.com/2025/film/features/eric-larue-michael-shannon-judy-greer-1236359453/

Chicago Reader interview with Michael Shannon and Brett Neveu: https://chicagoreader.com/film-tv/movie-feature/eric-larue-film-brett-neveu-michael-shannon/

Al-Jazeera explainer – U.S. school shootings in 2025: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/28/how-many-school-shootings-have-there-been-in-the-us-in-2025

Host Daniella Mazzio has finally emerged from the bunker (aka a month of depression) to bring you the latest Hand Me the Mike! Writer and musician Ross W. Berman IV joins to talk about Joshua Oppenheimer's first narrative feature (and a musical, too!) The End. We discuss how Oppenheimer's film is in conversation with his seminal documentary The Act of Killing, varied perspective on the filmmaker's humanistic lens, and Michael Shannon's work playing a character that challenges what we expect from his performances.

Ross W. Berman IV is a Chicago-based folksinger and comedian, as well as a writer/editor at Wrestling Inc. His music is available at rossberman.bandcamp.com.

Follow Ross on Twitter, Bluesky, Letterboxd, Instagram, and Substack.

This is a completely free, DIY project; support is optional, but greatly appreciated.

Follow Daniella on Twitter and Instagram at @DaniellaMazzio and on Bluesky at @daniellamazzio.bsky.social‬.

The Hand Me the Mike theme song samples R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming."

This episode also includes an introductory song based on "Big Blue Sky," originally sung by Michael Shannon for The End; alternative lyrics sung (unfortunately) by Daniella; music composed by Joshua Schmidt with lyrics by director Joshua Oppenheimer.

This episode's closing song is Ross W. Berman IV's "In the Way" from the 2021 album Where the Light Don't Reach.

Hand Me the Mike cover art features an illustration from Daniella and fonts designed by Steve Shanabruch as part of The Chicago Neighborhoods.

Additional audio snippets are from The End and (unfortunately) Hamilton.

This episode of Hand Me the Mike was produced by Joe Engleman and Daniella Mazzio, and edited by Daniella Mazzio.

Reviews, profiles, and interviews featured in the episode:

Michael Shannon interview for Vanity Fair: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/michael-shannon-interview-the-end

For further reading:

Daniella's coverage on NEA/NEH funding cuts: https://chicagoreader.com/music/music-feature/neh-nea-imls-arts-grant-clawback-funding-nonprofit/

Last week was a wild one, to say the least. We took a week off, but we're back and boy do we have a doozy!

On the latest Hand Me the Mike, host Daniella Mazzio is joined by Chicago-based writer Peter Raleigh to talk about two 2009 Werner Herzog movies—both featuring Michael Shannon—My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. Listen for a discussion that spans big performances, Greek myths, David Lynch, man vs. nature narratives, the duality of crime, and Jessie Ventura. PLUS: Daniella and Joe discuss season two of Boardwalk Empire in a new installment of "Under the Boardwalk."

Peter Raleigh is Chicago-based writer whose work can be found on his newsletter Long Library.

Follow Peter on Twitter and Bluesky. Subscribe to his Substack and read his piece on Lost Highway and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (mentioned in the episode).

This is a completely free, DIY project; support is optional, but greatly appreciated.

Follow Daniella on Twitter and Instagram at @DaniellaMazzio and on Bluesky at @daniellamazzio.bsky.social‬.

The Hand Me the Mike theme song samples R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming."

Additional music includes Hallelujah the Hills' very generous public domain track "01 Untitled, Actual Title (Joker 1)" from the album DECK: JOKERS. Check out the band's playing card-inspired releases at: https://hallelujahthehills.bandcamp.com/.

Hand Me the Mike cover art features an illustration from Daniella and fonts designed by Steve Shanabruch as part of The Chicago Neighborhoods.

Additional audio snippets are from My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.

This episode of Hand Me the Mike was produced by Joe Engleman and Daniella Mazzio, and edited by Daniella Mazzio.

The song "I Was Born to Preach the Gospel," featured in My Son, My Son, is written and performed by Washington Phillips (as Rev. George Washington Philips).

Reviews, profiles, and interviews featured in the episode:

Herzog's Minnesota Declaration: https://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/herzogs-minnesota-declaration-defining-ecstatic-truth

2017 Addendum: https://walkerart.org/magazine/werner-herzog-minnesota-declaration-2017-addendum

Werner Herzog's Rogue Film School: http://www.roguefilmschool.com/default.asp

Herzog on Los Angeles/California: https://laist.com/news/entertainment/werner-herzogs-take-on-los-angeles

The Making of My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMFne3Kcp1Q&t=340s&pp=ygUfbXkgc29uIG15IHNvbiB3aGF0IGhhdmUgeWUgZG9uZQ%3D%3D

Background on the Story My Son, My Son is inspired by: https://web.archive.org/web/20100922043815/http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/apr/05/lz1c05grant20233-inspired-tragedy/

In the latest Hand Me the Mike, host Daniella Mazzio is joined by Caitlin Durante, comedian, writer, educator, and co-host of the Bechdel Cast podcast. Together, they talk about Groundhog Day (1993), media conglomerates, the five stages of grief, the dissolution of Harold Ramis and Bill Murray's friendship, Groundhog Day's romance, Caitlin's memories of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Daniella's bad experience working a Bill Murray show at the Chicago Theatre, and of course, the scene-stealing film debut of Michael Shannon.

Caitlin Durante is a comedian, writer, educator, and co-host of the Bechdel Cast podcast. Follow Caitlin on Instagram and learn about upcoming shows and screenwriting classes at https://www.caitlindurante.com/.

Listen to the Bechdel Cast wherever you get your podcasts, stay up to date with the podcast on Instagram, and subscribe to the Patreon ("aka Matreon") for bonus episodes at https://www.patreon.com/bechdelcast.

This is a completely free, DIY project; support is optional, but greatly appreciated. Follow Daniella on Twitter and Instagram at @DaniellaMazzio and on Bluesky at @daniellamazzio.bsky.social‬.

The Hand Me the Mike theme song samples R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming." Additional music includes Hallelujah the Hills' very generous public domain track "01 Untitled, Actual Title (Joker 1)" from the album DECK: JOKERS. Check out the band's playing card-inspired releases at: https://hallelujahthehills.bandcamp.com/.

Hand Me the Mike cover art features an illustration from Daniella and fonts designed by Steve Shanabruch as part of The Chicago Neighborhoods.

Additional audio snippets are from Groundhog Day.

This episode of Hand Me the Mike was produced by Joe Engleman and Daniella Mazzio, and edited by Daniella Mazzio.

Reviews, profiles, and interviews featured in the episode:

Harold Ramis on Fresh Air with Terry Gross: https://www.npr.org/2014/02/25/282485864/harold-ramis-on-working-at-playboy-and-writing-animal-house

Stephen Tobolowsky on Groundhog Day: https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/actor-stephen-tobolowsky-recalls-how-lsquogroundhog-dayrsquo-went-from-good-to-great/

Tom Hanks was almost in Groundhog Day: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/happy-groundhog-day-heres-5-769137/

Michael Shannon's interview with The A.V. Club: https://www.avclub.com/michael-shannon-1798218507

Further reading on _Groundhog Day'_s production and the tense relationship between Ramis and Murray:

Harold Ramis in The LA Times (1993): https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-12-ca-1377-story.html

Danny Rubin on writing Groundhog Day: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/08/07/how-i-wrote-the-script-for-groundhog-day-in-less-than-a-week/ and https://bigthink.com/videos/big-think-interview-with-danny-rubin/

Additional history on _Groundhog Day'_s development: https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/how-groundhog-day-changed-dramatically-during-development/, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/04/19/comedy-first?currentPage=all, and https://variety.com/2018/film/news/groundhog-day-at-25-bill-murray-1202691391/

Uproxx on the Ramis/Murray relationship: https://uproxx.com/movies/the-story-behind-bill-murray-and-harold-ramis-21-year-rift/

Ryan Gilbey's book on Groundhog Day: https://archive.org/details/groundhogday0000gilb/mode/2up

Bill Murray and Groundhog Day: https://www.rd.com/article/why-bill-murray-hated-groundhog-day/

A comprehensive guide to Bill Murray's alleged misconduct throughout his career: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/10/everyone-who-has-publicly-accused-bill-murray-of-misconduct

Last, an unearthed short review of the Chicago Theatre show Daniella ushered (Bill Murray, Jan Vogler, and Friends): > Bill Murray proves to an audience of beaming superfans that he has no idea what goes into curating an evening of music and selections read from a slate of his favorite literary heavyweights. Seriously, what would prompt Murray to read passages from Hemingway and Twain that feature prominent misogyny and racial slurs? Laziness? Bad shrimp? We may never know the inner workings of this self-proclaimed folk hero’s mind, but what is clear is that “New Worlds” suffers from a lack of outside perspective. It’s easy to read a loaded piece of literature when you’re a wealthy, white, beloved character actor, and there are very few pieces of literature that would ever have the power to make you feel unwelcome in a space. So, he proceeds to make us all unwelcome; he reads choice selections from Hemingway that reduce women to breast size, and the most offensively broad, imbecilic interpretations of Black characters from “Huckleberry Finn.” Murray asks us to find poignance buried somewhere in his mountain of white male gaze. The most that I, and my fellow patrons who left long before the show was over, could muster was: LOL NO. -Maggie Wagner

In the latest Hand Me the Mike, host Daniella Mazzio is joined by illustrator and Sidney Lumet evangelist Vincent Mollica to talk about Lumet's final film Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Topics of conversation include Lumet's actor-first process, the movie's layers of visual metaphor, the southern gothic pulse throughout the film, and how Michael Shannon's brief role is nonetheless a crucial foil to Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance and character.

Vincent Mollica is a Student Processing Specialist who lives in Madison, WI although he considers Chicago home. He is also a cartoonist, illustrator, and animator who uses the Instagram handle Movie Theater Stories. He is currently packing many stacks of DVDs he purchased at thrift stores around the Midwest.

Follow Vincent on Instagram and check out his recent work in Lumpen Comics Issue #143 (the first issue since 2022)!

This is a completely free, DIY project; support is optional, but greatly appreciated.

Follow Daniella on Twitter and Instagram at @DaniellaMazzio and on Bluesky at @daniellamazzio.bsky.social‬.

The Hand Me the Mike theme song samples R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming."

Additional music includes Hallelujah the Hills' very generous public domain track "01 Untitled, Actual Title (Joker 1)" from the album DECK: JOKERS. Check out the band's playing card-inspired releases at: https://hallelujahthehills.bandcamp.com/.

Hand Me the Mike cover art features an illustration from Daniella and fonts designed by Steve Shanabruch as part of The Chicago Neighborhoods.

Additional audio snippets are from Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.

This episode of Hand Me the Mike was produced by Joe Engleman and Daniella Mazzio, and edited by Daniella Mazzio.

Reviews, profiles, and interviews featured in the episode:

Michael Shannon's interview with The Film Stage: https://thefilmstage.com/michael-shannon-on-kubrickian-inspiration-sex-as-storytelling-and-sidney-lumet/

Martha Pinson's Notes on the "Lumet Method": https://marthapinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/THE-LUMET-METHOD-1.pdf

Sidney Lumet interview with BFI: https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/interviews/sidney-lumet-before-devil-knows-youre-dead

Carter Burwell on the score: https://www.carterburwell.com/projects/Before_The_Devil.html

In the latest Hand Me the Mike, host Daniella Mazzio is joined by Jack McCoy, owner and founder of Sweet Void Cinema in Chicago, to discuss Zack Snyder's Man of Steel. Yes, we talk about James Gunn's take on Superman, but we unpack so much more, including philosophy and politics at the heart of Man of Steel, Snyder's vulgar auteurism, and why Michael Shannon brings an appropriate amount of intensity to his take on General Zod.

A note: This episode was recorded prior to the loss of Terence Stamp on August 17th. While Stamp is an actor worthy of celebration for much more than his take on Zod in Superman II, we'd be remiss to not acknowledge Stamp's passing and to recognize the gravitas he originally brought to the role.

Jack McCoy is the owner and founder of Sweet Void Cinema, a production company and microtheater in Humboldt Park. He writes, directs and produces local Chicago movies, including the most recent Michael Glover Smith feature film Hekla and José Pérez's What Rhymes With Magdalena, which premiered at the Chicago Latino Film Festival. His second feature, Step Six, will premiere alongside Harvey Pullings' short "Thanks for the Ride, Aileen," at Facets in December. 

Follow Sweet Void Cinema on Twitter and Instagram.

Follow Jack on Letterboxd and read his review of The Love Guru (gotta listen to the episode to learn what that's all about!)

This is a completely free, DIY project; support is optional, but greatly appreciated. Follow Daniella on Twitter and Instagram at @DaniellaMazzio and on Bluesky at @daniellamazzio.bsky.social‬.

The Hand Me the Mike theme song samples R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming."

Additional music includes Hallelujah the Hills' very generous public domain track "01 Untitled, Actual Title (Joker 1)" from the album DECK: JOKERS. Check out the band's playing card-inspired releases at: https://hallelujahthehills.bandcamp.com/.

Hand Me the Mike cover art features an illustration from Daniella and fonts designed by Steve Shanabruch as part of The Chicago Neighborhoods.

Additional audio snippets are from Man of Steel and Justice League.

This episode of Hand Me the Mike was produced by Joe Engleman and Daniella Mazzio, and edited by Daniella Mazzio.

Reviews, profiles, and interviews featured in the episode:

Port Magazine interview with Michael Shannon.

In the first full episode of Hand Me the Mike, host Daniella Mazzio is joined by critic Isaac Feldberg to discuss the 2011 Jeff Nichols film Take Shelter. Listen as we discuss why Michael Shannon is "the meltdown maestro," how Take Shelter predicts the social anxieties dominating our lives today, and what makes the movie secretly a love story. Plus: A discussion of Boardwalk Empire, including the first installment of the segment "Under the Boardwalk," featuring producer Joe Engleman.

Isaac Feldberg is a Chicago-based entertainment journalist, critic, and Michael Shannon super-fan with bylines in RogerEbert.com, Letterboxd, Filmmaker Magazine, Men’s Health, Paste, and more. Follow Isaac on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky. Read Isaac's interview with Taron Egerton on She Rides Shotgun. Preorder The Films of Larry Fessenden: Volume 1 from Vinegar Syndrome, featuring a booklet essay from Isaac.

Sign up for the latest updates sent directly to your inbox at room-tone.ghost.io/#/portal/signup. This is a completely free, DIY project; support is optional, but greatly appreciated.

Follow Daniella on Twitter and Instagram at @DaniellaMazzio and on Bluesky at @daniellamazzio.bsky.social‬.

The Hand Me the Mike theme song samples R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming."

Additional music includes Hallelujah the Hills' very generous public domain track "01 Untitled, Actual Title (Joker 1)" from the album DECK: JOKERS. Check out the band's playing card-inspired releases at: https://hallelujahthehills.bandcamp.com/.

Additional royalty free music included for the "Under the Boardwalk" theme: https://pixabay.com/music/traditional-jazz-joyful-carnival-trumpet-232017/

Additional audio snippets from Take Shelter.

Reviews, profiles, and interviews featured in the episode: Isaac's interviews with Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon. NME's look at Take Shelter at 10. Read J.B. : a play in verse by Archibald Macleish via the Internet Archive.