Hats Off Entertainment

For George and John, with gratitude.

On the first installment of my new interview series, I take my “Hats Off” to the multi-talented Brandon Hardesty — a fitting first guest as he was the first YouTuber that I ever subscribed to way back in 2006! Brandon joined me for an in-depth discussion on his career, from his humble beginnings as one of the first YouTube stars, to his supporting roles in film and television.

This video was not commissioned or sponsored by Vinegar Syndrome. I just wanted to highlight the great work that they did on this release.

In the early 2000s, the best way to spend a Saturday morning was at N.Y.U.K. — AMC's Three Stooges block, hosted by Leslie Nielsen. Here's a retrospective on a show that reinforced my love of the Stooges, and helped me discover some of their shorts for the first time.

This video explores the history of Terry Jones' adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's ‘The Wind in the Willows’ in 1996, which was renamed by Disney to ‘Mr. Toad's Wild Ride’ in the US.

When I started making content on Hats Off, I never expected it could one day lead to me sitting down with Chris Candy to talk about the life, legacy, and career of his dad—the great John Candy. Chris was kind enough to join me for a discussion on all things John Candy-related, including his partnership with John Hughes, his overlooked film roles, Camp Candy, and more! Do not miss John Candy: I Like Me, which is out on October 10 and is currently touring. Ticket info at: www.johncandy.com

It's easy to write off Baby's Day Out as just another Home Alone knockoff—but there's a lot more to the story. In this retrospective, I take a look at how John Hughes' follow-up to one of the biggest hits of the ’90s got lost in its shadow, dismissed as a punchline, and also why it deserves a second look. To help me tell the story, I was joined by the great Brian Haley, who played one of the kidnappers. With insights from someone who was there to see it all happen, this is the deepest dive I've ever done on a movie—and one that might just change how you remember Baby's Day Out.

On paper, Dracula: Dead and Loving It should've been a companion piece to Young Frankenstein. But when the movie arrived in theaters during the 1995 holiday season, it was ignored by audiences, savaged by critics, and ultimately became the final film Mel Brooks ever directed. Thirty years later, I want to revisit how this movie got things wrong—exploring its production, its missteps, and what its failure says about the end of an era for both Mel Brooks and the parody genre itself.

Writer, producer, and longtime co-host of Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast, Frank Santopadre joins me for a conversation about his storied showbiz career and working alongside the legendary Gilbert Gottfried. We also revisit the origin stories behind some of the show's most beloved recurring bits, such as Bob Hope's Jack Frost, Cesar Romero and his orange wedges, and "The Helicopter Story". We also talk about Frank's new show, Fun for All Ages, and how he's continuing the spirit of curiosity, humor, and history behind Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast.