Podcast

In Episode 37 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) sits down with Daniel Zimmerman, Master Model Builder at LEGOLAND New York and custom LEGO builder known online as TacoBricks. Daniel shares how a childhood obsession with LEGO never went through a dark age, eventually taking him from building MOCs in his basement and attending BrickFair with his mom to turning LEGO building into a full-time career.

Daniel takes us behind the scenes of life as a Master Model Builder, from maintaining Miniland and designing new models to teaching workshops, interacting with guests, and occasionally chasing rabbits out of the displays. He talks about building seasonal models, creating Miniland versions of celebrities and LEGO community members, working on massive projects for the park, and collaborations with organizations like Radio City Music Hall and the Newburgh Armory.

The conversation also explores Daniel's work outside LEGOLAND, including custom commissions, writing and building for BrickNerd, and the six-foot-long 1924 Studebaker model that took 14 months to complete. Daniel shares the story of his first commission for one of his favorite bands, Slow Pulp, his passion for music-inspired builds, and the projects he hopes to tackle next, from AC/DC and Def Leppard logos to trains and more Ninjago creations.

Find Daniel Zimmerman:

• Instagram: @TacoBricks • BrickNerd: Find Daniel's builds and articles on BrickNerd • Visit Daniel and the Master Model Builders at LEGOLAND New York

To find the best LEGO deals, check out the Bargain Bricks app.

View the video version of this podcast at https://youtu.be/-THMbhZnw0Y

For more Tales From The Brick, visit talesfromthebrick.com.

Until next time... play well.

In this episode of 3 Movies That Changed Your Life screenwriter Stuart Wright talks with screenwriter and founder of Scriptology UK Alkin Emerali about: All Harry Potter Films, Consequences Of Love, and Napoleon Dynamite. Discover how these films shaped her screenwriting journey, personal growth, and understanding of cinema’s power. Plus, Alkin Emerali introduces us to the Scriptology UK method of learning how to write screenplays. Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about Scriptology UK and the lasting impact of cinema on Alkin Emerali’s life with Stuart Wright on his movie podcast.   [1:20] Scriptology UK method of learning how to write screenplays 3 Movies That Changed Your Life [19:00] Do The Right Thing (2001-2011): social commentary that pays no attention to social realism [24:35] Consequences Of Love (2001): humbling experience to watch as an early stage filmmaker [30:00] Napoleon Dynamite (1996): prepared to push the narrative to the lowest priority to indulge in comedy and characterisation like few other films before or since Key Take Aways:   Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth.  Learn about the Scriptology UK method of learning how to write screenplays . Understand cinema’s transformative power through Do The Right Thing (1989), Consequences Of Love (2004), Napoleon Dynamite (2004) Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast About my Guest:   Alkin Emerali is a screenwriter, founder & head scriptologist at Scriptology UK For more information or how to sign up for Scriptology UK https://www.scriptologyuk.com/  Credits:   Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

• 00:01:00 — Episode 255, Now With No Action: The show proudly announces the 255th episode and immediately promises “no action,” which is both a joke and a warning.
• 00:01:31 — Fred’s Gun Show: Fred’s sleeves apparently ripped right off his body because his 50-year-old arms are simply too powerful.
• 00:02:18 — Contractually Not Celebrating Fred Again: Parker explains that they celebrated Fred last week and are not contractually obligated to do it again, then spends half the episode doing exactly that.
• 00:03:34 — Surprise Party at Fred’s Own House: Fred’s wife tries to hide a surprise party while hosting it at the place where Fred lives, which is a bold logistical choice.
• 00:04:36 — The Big Tents: Fred gets forced to set up two huge tents for a party that supposedly no one is attending. The man was building his own surprise.
• 00:05:21 — Ocean’s Eleven But Domestic: Fred realizes his buddy is trying to get him out of the house and describes the operation like a heist movie with more beer.
• 00:06:45 — Classy Gentleman Drink: Fred, now 50 and classy, chooses Long Island iced teas as his grown-man drink of choice.
• 00:07:09 — Fred Ascends to Heaven: Fred’s camera light makes him look like he is being raptured mid-podcast, only for heaven to send back the wrong Fred.
• 00:08:17 — Melbourne Iced Tea: Outback becomes the natural home of the “Melbourne Iced Tea,” whether or not Australia asked for that.
• 00:09:17 — Shoe Koozie: Fred once used a shoe as a koozie for a giant Foster’s can and made it his Facebook profile picture. That is internet archaeology.
• 00:09:43 — Fred Loves Big Cans: The crew learns two things about Fred: he loves big cans, and he loves big cans.
• 00:10:16 — The White Shorts Incident: Fred admits he did not entirely make it to the bathroom while wearing white shorts, which is basically a comedy war crime against yourself.
• 00:12:17 — Dribbling to the Next Bar: Instead of going home, Fred continues the birthday adventure because “you only live once” and apparently white shorts are already compromised.
• 00:13:32 — Richard Butts: Two strangers start talking about a guy named Richard Butts, and Fred loses his mind trying not to hear “Dick and Butts” over and over.
• 00:14:50 — Not Surrounded by Dick and Butts: The crew imagines Fred dying at the restaurant and refusing to go out surrounded by Dick and Butts.
• 00:15:11 — Give Me Your Keys: Fred’s buddy finally does the responsible thing and takes his keys, which somehow feels like the most adult moment in the entire show.
• 00:18:15 — Just Got Out of County: Fred arrives at the surprise party dressed entirely in white and immediately gets compared to someone who just left county jail.
• 00:19:23 — White Party: Fred explains he was wearing white because he knew Labor Day was coming and wanted to get all the white out of his system.
• 00:19:49 — Kids Playing Blackjack: Fred teaches the kids blackjack at his birthday party, which turns the celebration into a tiny casino with Capri Suns.
• 00:22:51 — Fred’s Blackjack Table: The blackjack table becomes the only thing kids care about, leaving the other party games abandoned like ghost towns.
• 00:24:03 — Wife Wins the Gift Contest: Fred’s wife tops everybody by gifting him tickets to see Jeff Arcuri in Las Vegas.
• 00:26:16 — BLC Vegas Meeting: The show announces a Vegas trip for early February 2027 and immediately tells everyone not to tell Fred’s wife.
• 00:27:35 — Vegas Destroys the Nation: The crew decides every time BLC goes to Vegas, one more pillar of the country collapses.
• 00:30:51 — The Promised Video Game Segment: The crew claims they have promised since episode two that episode 255 would include a video game segment. Sure. Why not.
• 00:31:45 — First Consoles: The guys compare childhood systems, including Sega Master System, NES, ColecoVision, and Atari 2600.
• 00:33:01 — White House Arcade: Parker describes a political arcade game set with knockoffs inspired by Tetris, Snake, Flappy Bird, and other games. The crew’s reaction is basically disbelief and dread.
• 00:35:48 — Tetris Responds: The Tetris Company distancing itself from the “Build the Wall” knockoff becomes one of the more normal parts of a very abnormal segment.
• 00:39:17 — Wolverine Is Canadian: The Wolverine game discussion turns into the obvious conclusion: Wolverine is the meanest Canadian ever.
• 00:41:03 — GTA Roleplay: Allan explains GTA roleplay with servers, cops, criminals, jail, trials, lawyers, proximity chat, and character rules, and Parker realizes this game may have a more functional justice system than reality.
• 00:45:21 — Corrupt Cop Allan: Allan casually reveals he plays a corrupt cop, which somehow surprises no one.
• 00:47:07 — Fred Has Never Played GTA: Fred admits he has never played Grand Theft Auto, and the room reacts like he has confessed to never seeing a car.
• 00:49:52 — Leaks: GTA VI leaks turn into a perfect setup to roast Fred’s earlier bathroom leak.
• 00:50:15 — Dongs Karate: The episode swerves into a fake ad for Dongs.com and “Dongs Karate,” because apparently every weak spot in a karate fight needs branding.
• 00:52:13 — Man vs. Chimp: The crew discusses MMA fighter Cole Johnson saying he could beat a chimpanzee, and immediately starts rooting for the chimp.
• 00:53:18 — Put It on the Sphere: The imagined chimp fight becomes a Vegas spectacle that absolutely must be shown on the Sphere.
• 00:55:40 — $500,000 to Fight a Chimp: The crew decides this is exactly what GoFundMe should be for: not tragedy, but funding a man’s terrible decision to fight a chimp.
• 00:57:35 — Next Up, Polar Bear: The alleged next fight is a polar bear, and the crew debates whether the human should get a sword, a knife, or nunchucks. The bear still wins.
• 01:07:54 — Caesar D. Monkey: The fake movie franchise ends with a chimp named Caesar D. Monkey, which rolls directly back into the earlier “Dick and Butts” joke.
• 01:09:04 — Hold On to Your Butts: The perfect closing line for an episode built on tents, white shorts, blackjack, GTA cops, and chimp combat.

#blcpodcast #podcastingforthepeople #funny #podcast #greenvillesc #scpodcast #yeahthatgreenville Listen at: https://americasfavoritepodcast.com Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blcpodcast/ Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blcpodcast/ Buy Fred and Allan Beer: https://www.patreon.com/blcworld

Read transcript

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Every generation needs a reminder that games-based-on-movies-based-on-comics are their own strange little ecosystem, and Hellboy: The Science of Evil is a proud, slightly confused citizen of it. It doesn’t adapt either del Toro movie directly. Instead it just borrows the general vibe, invents its own plot, and trusts you to recognize a giant stone fist and a wisecracking demon without needing either film’s actual story. It’s the video game equivalent of a cover band that only plays originals.

And that giant stone fist deserves a moment, because it’s doing some real character-design heavy lifting. Hellboy is built around exactly one absurdly oversized body part, and that’s basically the whole design manual for a certain flavor of comic book tough guy: pick one appendage, blow it up past the point of reason, let the silhouette do the talking. Todd McFarlane ran the identical play with Spawn, except he went south instead of north, handing us a hero who could probably punt a sedan but might struggle to tie his own laces. One big fist, one big boot. Same weird design instinct, opposite ends of the body.

Which is a good excuse to bring in George Marston of Spawnography, the podcast where podcast where Pierce Lydon joins in to spend their time in the giant-boot corner of that exact design philosophy. George is flying solo this round to see how a giant fist holds up against a their usual task of studying a giant boot.

So pick your favorite oversized body part, brace for a beat-em-up that seems mildly allergic to its own source material, and let’s find out whether The Science of Evil earns a place next to del Toro’s films, or whether it belongs exactly where most tie-in games end up: forgotten. And don’t forget about the Nazi occultism.

Learn such things as:

• How close was Hellboy to being a real thing?
• Isn’t it horrible when the game makes you have a certain item to progress, but also takes that item away because you did normal game actions?
• At what point does it stop being a movie tie in game and start just being a game based in the movie universe? And is there even a difference there?
• And so much more!

You can find Spawnography on BlueSky, and Instagram, and of course those Apple Podcast, YouTube, and Spotify places. You can find George personally on Instagram @crypttrash and be sure to check out their band La Cigarette.

If you want to be a guest on the show please check out the Be a A Guest on the Show page and let me know what you’re interested in.

If you want to help support the show check out the Play Comics Patreon page or head over to the Support page if you want to go another route. You can also check out the Play Comics Merch Store.

Play Comics is part of the Gonna Geek Network, which is a wonderful collection of geeky podcasts. Be sure to check out the other shows on Gonna Geek if you need more of a nerd fix.

Play Comics is also part of Art Comedy Pop-Culture Network, which is a long-standing creative organization spawning from a love of Adult Swim. Be sure to check them out for all sorts of entertainment news, commentary, and just plain fun stuff.

You can find Play Comics @playcomics.bsky.social on Bluesky, @playcomicspodcast on Threads, @playcomics on YouTube, or the Play Comics website.

If you want to hear Chris talk with Karrington Martin about the lessons we learned from children’s media and how crazy it is that we’re supposed to just forget about that now that we’re adults, then Sugar, Spite, and Everything is Fine is probably something you should check out.

A big thanks to Brynn Reno and the Fire Within from Mattie Paige and Lee Carvalo’s Podding Challenge for the promos today.

Intro/Outro Music by Backing Track, who has one big boot and one big glove, but they go on the wrong foot and hand.

Check out our podcast host, Pinecast. Start your own podcast for free with no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-89f00a for 40% off for 4 months, and support Play Comics.

In Episode 36 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by Jessica and Justin Rupp, longtime LEGO city and train builders and the creators of BrickLayouts, a web app designed to make planning LEGO displays easier.

Jessica and Justin share how a model train show helped reignite their love of LEGO, eventually leading them to join the Washington Metro Area LEGO Train Club and attend the very first BrickFair in 2008. They talk about nearly two decades of building and displaying together, from trains and detailed city layouts to landscapes, cabins, animals, and even the LEGO wedding canopy they built together and had their guests sign.

The conversation also dives into the problem that led them to create BrickLayouts. After years of planning displays with paper, graph paper, spreadsheets, and other workarounds, they decided to build their own solution. Jessica and Justin explain how BrickLayouts lets builders plan layouts across devices, work with track, roads, buildings, layers and custom shapes, share plans with other builders, and prepare collaborative convention displays. They also discuss upcoming features including custom MOCs, expanded support for LUGs, a public layout gallery, more track options, and some more ambitious ideas for the future.

Find Jessica, Justin & BrickLayouts:

• Website: https://bricklayouts.com • App: app.bricklayouts.com • Instagram: BrickLayouts • Facebook: BrickLayouts • Reddit: BrickLayouts • Discord: BrickLayouts

To find the best LEGO deals, check out the Bargain Bricks app.

For more Tales From The Brick, visit talesfromthebrick.com.

View the video version of this podcast at https://youtu.be/cDNOoP4wqnM

Until next time... play well.

In this episode of 3 Movies That Changed Your Life screenwriter Stuart Wright talks with Director of East Midlands Film Office Emma Smith about: All Eight Harry Potter Films, Y tu mamá también, and Romeo + Juliet. Discover how these films shaped her screenwriting journey, personal growth, and understanding of cinema’s power. Plus, Emma Smith discusses the aims and ambitions of the East Midlands Film Office. Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about the the East Midlands Film Office and the lasting impact of cinema on Emma Smith’s life with Stuart Wright on his movie podcast.   [1:20] the East Midlands Film Office 3 Movies That Changed Your Life [18:21] All Eight Harry Potter Films (2001-2011): Great to be a part of the communal analysis about whether the books translated accurately to what you imagined in your head [29:20] Y tu mamá también (2001): A movie not watched for over two decades but left an indelible mark. [34:35] Romeo + Juliet (1996): Went to watch it because of Claire Danes and Leonardo Dicaprio. Completely blind to the visceral experience this tragedy would put her through.   Key Take Aways:   Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth.  The aims and ambitions of the East Midlands Film Office and how to get in touch. Understand cinema’s transformative power through All Eight Harry Potter Films (2001-2011), Y tu mamá también (2001), Romeo + Juliet (1996) Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast About my Guest:   Emma Smith is the founder of Spin Off Studios and Director of the East Midlands Film Office, Attracting and supporting high-profile film, TV and commercial productions to the region. Overseeing everything from location scouting, permissions and casting to working with local authorities and crew, ensuring world-class filming experiences while showcasing the East Midlands’ unique talent and locations. For more information or how to get in touch see https://eastmidlandsfilm.com/ Credits:   Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

• Episode 254 opens with “Shiver If Day,” Hot Trip Salad, platform plugs, ChatGPT jokes, and Bruce Buffer confusion.
• The crew discusses the Tupac case, Keith D., “Baby Lane,” old interviews, book confessions, and 30 years of delayed justice.
• The Tupac segment turns into food-based courtroom comedy with Savory Justice and fake detective John Savory.
• Parker’s car gets burgled, and the stolen items are weirdly personal: Bluetooth adapter, headphones, charger, cash, and his Aldi quarter.
• Fred admits to old car-handle-pulling behavior from the cassette-tape era.
• The guys revisit the story of Draper’s car getting stolen at a Braves game and returned with Funyuns and more gas.
• Allan tells a mugging story that ends with him admitting he actually was looking at the guy’s girlfriend.
• Parker tells a strange nun, tiger, cliff, and strawberry parable that immediately gets stepped on by the show.
• The USS Abraham Lincoln docking in Thailand after 200 days at sea becomes the title moment: VD Day.
• Fred’s 50th birthday becomes a full roast, including AI-written jokes, Satan, AARP, and Bernie Mac.
• Sports returns with Fred’s son starting middle school football and facing a terrifyingly large 13-year-old lineman.
• The crew makes Super Bowl picks, including real teams and fake teams that sound like rejected fantasy football names.
• Parker calls the farmers market a scam after paying too much for asparagus labeled as a product of Peru.
• The episode ends with sourdough, agua fresca, grocery-store loyalty, and Fred’s Big 5-O.

#blcpodcast #podcastingforthepeople #funny #podcast #greenvillesc #scpodcast #yeahthatgreenville Listen at: https://americasfavoritepodcast.com Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blcpodcast/ Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blcpodcast/ Buy Fred and Allan Beer: https://www.patreon.com/blcworld

Read transcript

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>Let’s just say it up front: turning a trading card game into a video game is a magic trick where the “trading” and the “card” both quietly slip out the back door, leaving you with a menu that goes “ding” when you win. And Marvel decided this was worth doing not once, but on two separate handhelds that weren’t even talking to each other, like a superhero team-up where nobody checked who else was showing up.

Somewhere, someone looked at the specific joy of slapping a foil Spider-Man card down on a table hard enough to rattle the juice boxes, and said: what if we replaced that with a stylus tap? What if deck-building, the sacred art of jamming eighty cards into a rubber band and hoping for the best, became a scroll menu instead? Visionary. Extremely quiet. Nobody’s little brother has ever stormed off in a rage over a scroll menu.

Dealing me in for this one is Gen Moonen, co-host of the “Fun” & Games Podcast alongside Matt Storm, a show built entirely around two people who genuinely, unapologetically love games, which honestly should be a requirement for every gaming podcast and somehow still isn’t.

So grab a deck, or a controller, or whatever the modern version of “shuffle and pray” is, and let’s find out if Marvel Trading Card Game is a genuinely good time, or a lesson in why some hobbies were never meant to leave the kitchen table.

Learn such things as:

• Is it as satisfying to play an amazing card in the game as it is to play that card in real life?
• Does it bother anyone that the winner of the fight is at least partly decided by random number generation?
• How is it even possible to get a story going when nobody can know what you’ll be able to do later in the game?
• And so much more!

You can find Gen on BlueSky @gnoisegenerator.bsky.social, on Instagram @gnoisegenerator, her podcast “Fun” & Games, and her own website GenMoonen.com.

If you want to be a guest on the show please check out the Be a A Guest on the Show page and let me know what you’re interested in.

If you want to help support the show check out the Play Comics Patreon page or head over to the Support page if you want to go another route. You can also check out the Play Comics Merch Store.

Play Comics is part of the Gonna Geek Network, which is a wonderful collection of geeky podcasts. Be sure to check out the other shows on Gonna Geek if you need more of a nerd fix.

Play Comics is also part of Art Comedy Pop-Culture Network, which is a long-standing creative organization spawning from a love of Adult Swim. Be sure to check them out for all sorts of entertainment news, commentary, and just plain fun stuff.

You can find Play Comics @playcomics.bsky.social on Bluesky, @playcomicspodcast on Threads, @playcomics on YouTube, or the Play Comics website.

If you want to hear Chris talk with Karrington Martin about the lessons we learned from children’s media and how crazy it is that we’re supposed to just forget about that now that we’re adults, then Sugar, Spite, and Everything is Fine is probably something you should check out.

A big thanks to Adventures in Erylia and Once Upon a Geek for the promos today.

Intro/Outro Music by Backing Track, who would play this card game with you right now if he could find his deck. Or his other deck. Or his other deck. Or his other deck. Or his other deck. You get the idea.

Check out our podcast host, Pinecast. Start your own podcast for free with no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-89f00a for 40% off for 4 months, and support Play Comics.

In Episode 35 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by Kate, AKA BrickHuntress, an award-winning LEGO mosaic artist and high school mental health counselor whose work combines art, unconventional parts, lighting, and even wearable LEGO creations.

Kate shares how building alongside her older brother introduced her to LEGO as a kid, how her son's interest brought her back after her dark age, and how seeing The Art of the Brick completely changed the way she looked at LEGO. That inspiration led to her first mosaic, painstakingly built over several months using pieces she dug out of the bulk bins at her local LEGO shop.

The conversation dives into how Kate's artistic background influences her builds, from using botanical elements and unexpected pieces to create hair and texture to hiding Easter eggs throughout her mosaics. She also talks about incorporating lighting into her artwork, creating a wearable LEGO dress using nets, and why she loves pushing LEGO beyond traditional building techniques.

Kate also brings her experience as a mental health counselor into the conversation, discussing the calming, tactile nature of LEGO and how students naturally gravitate toward the bricks in her office. She shares how she has brought LEGO into the classroom, used mosaics to teach art history, and seen firsthand how building can give kids a creative outlet.

Plus, Kate talks about collaborating with Eric Clough on a massive Harry Potter build, the magic of watching kids discover MOCs at conventions, and her plans for a new dinosaur mosaic that will combine three-dimensional building, LEGO nets, and motorized movement.

Find Brick Huntress:

• Instagram: @brickhuntress • TikTok: @brickhuntress

To find the best LEGO deals, check out the Bargain Bricks app.

Until next time... play well.

In this episode of 3 Movies That Changed Your Life screenwriter Stuart Wright talks with TV director George Kane about: Back To The Future, Monkey Business, and Faces. Discover how these films shaped his screenwriting journey, personal growth, and understanding of cinema’s power. Plus, George Kane talks about archiving his personal photographs and videos. Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about why George Kane archives his photographs and videos and the lasting impact of cinema on George Kane’s life with Stuart Wright on his movie podcast.   [1:20] Archiving your photographs and video 3 Movies That Changed Your Life [15:08] Back To The Future (1985): this film is in his DNA [20:20] Monkey Business (1931): Joke for joke is funnier than the more popular Duck Soup [25:27] Faces (1968): Inspired a short film that was pivotal in his directing career   Key Take Aways:   Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth.  Learn about the benefits and delights of archiving personal photographs and videos. Understand cinema’s transformative power through Back To The Future (1985), Monkey Business (1931), Faces (1968) Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast About my Guest:   George Kane directed episodes 1, 2 & 3 of season 2 of Ludwig. He is also known for Timewasters (2017), Flack (2019) and Crashing (2016). For Ludwig season 2 see BBC iplayer https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0022wvz/ludwig  Credits:   Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices