RECENT ARTICLES

For some, the 12-minute cartoon show Aqua Teen Hunger Force, available now on HBO Max, is a cult classic. With its odd, surreal humor and unelaborate though quirky animation, the television show struck a chord with twenty-something-year-old viewers when it aired in the early 2000s. Featuring the three iconic characters—Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad—the show, which was part of the original Adult Swim cartoon block that first aired December 2000 and then again more permanently in September 2001, was so unlike anything else on television that its mere spectacle caught and held viewers’ attention for seasons. Soon, with the help of early file sharing methods, the show became an underground hit, along with other Adult Swim shows like Sealab 2021, The Brak Show, Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law and Space Ghost Coast to Coast. We caught up with the creators of Aqua Teen Hunger Force—Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis—to talk about their show’s beginnings, Adult Swim’s early years, and some room called The Fart Vault.

This is the first in a running series on Under the Radar celebrating Adult Swim and the airing of its first original block of cartoons, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021, The Brak Show, and Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law. Watch Adult Swim on HBO Max.

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Famed traveler, writer, television host, activist and tour guide, Rick Steves, is an inspiration. He’s curious and adventurous but he’s also compassionate and empathetic. He works to keep a long view of global sustainability, rather than promote quick gains. And, as such, he’s helped bring countless people out of their shells or out of their normal day-to-day behaviors and taken them on excursions around the world, whether through his travel guides, TV shows, or guided tours.

Steves is also a devout Christian, who works to make the world a better place through his faith. And in a time when travel is at a near standstill, Steves tells Americans (and other travelers) to stay calm, enjoy your nearby surroundings, and hold tight until the world can move about freely and safely again.

We caught up with Steves to ask him about how he first got into travel writing, how it’s changed his life over the decades, what he does to bridge his faith with his adventurous spirit and how he thinks the recent Presidential election might bring about a renewed appreciation for science and leadership.

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If you’re of the right age, chances are you have a favorite song from the ’90s Irish rock ‘n’ roll band The Cranberries. For many, it’s “Zombie,” the aggressive, buzzy track that talks about bombs, guns, and war inside your head. For others, it’s the jangly “Dreams” or sticky “Linger” that have become personal favorites. Whatever the song, the lasting impact of the band, which was founded in 1989, is astounding. A quick YouTube scan will show that the songs above boast hundreds of millions of views—or, in the case of “Zombie,” one billion, despite the fact that these songs were released upwards of a decade before the streaming platform was even conceived.

To commemorate the band, which sadly lost its lead singer, the indelible Dolores O’Riordan, just a few years ago, in January 2018, The Cranberries will release a remastered and expanded version of the band’s seminal 1994-released hit album, No Need to Argue, on November 13. No Need to Argue was the band’s sophomore album and is their best selling one, moving over 17 million albums, in part fueled by “Zombie.” The reissue, out today, includes B-sides, demos, remixes, and live tracks.

We caught up with founding members Noel Hogan (guitar) and Fergal Lawler (drums) to talk about the early days of the group, O’Riordan’s passing, and much more. The band also featured Hogan’s brother, Mike Hogan, on bass.

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Champions and lovers of art, in all its forms, likely have come across the work of musician and performer, David Byrne. The Hall of Fame songwriter rose to prominence in the ’80s and ’90s with his band, Talking Heads, releasing all-time classic tracks like “Psycho Killer,” “Burning Down the House,” and “Once in a Lifetime.” He is known for co-producing one of the most beloved concert films of all time, Stop Making Sense, and more recently, Byrne has made headlines for projects like his positive-thinking magazine, Reasons to be Cheerful, and his Broadway stage show (recently released on HBO MAX), American Utopia.

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Paris Berelc lights up the screen. Whether the 21-year-old actor is working on a Disney show with one of her bright young co-stars or whether she’s showcasing her luminescent talents in a movie like Netflix’ Hubie Halloween with Adam Sandler and China Anne McClain, Berelc is one of the fast-rising on-screen performers of the 2020s.

Berelc, who grew up in the Midwest, has worked seemingly constantly ever since her first gig at 11-years-old. She boasts a number of Disney and modeling credits to her name and, these days, she’s flying between jobs, from New York City to Toronto to who knows where is next. We caught up with the rising success story to ask her about what it’s like working these days, what her time on Hubie Halloween showed her, growing up on-set, and much more.

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For anyone who grew up in the ’80s or ’90s, you likely crossed paths with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If, like me, you were rather obsessed with them, then you likely had dozens of figures and maybe even rode around on the large TMNT blimp like a horse (I regret nothing!). But one of the biggest highlights of Turtle fandom back then was the live action movie released in 1990, which was co-written by Bobby Herbeck and co-produced by Kim Dawson.

The movie, which featured costumes made by the famed Jim Henson, portrayed the Turtles’ story in a darkened, though humorous light. There were jokes about pizza for as much hand-to-hand combat. It was a great movie for fans and did big business in the box office, despite expectations and some critics’ opinions. Today, with the 30thanniversary of the movie’s release, fans can enjoy the special three-day appearance of the movie on movie theater screens nationwide from Nov. 5th through the 7th.

We caught up with Dawson and Herbeck (who dropped into the conversation a little later) to talk about their experiences making the movie, what its success taught them, and which is their favorite Turtle.

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Actor and singer, China Anne McClain, could power a space station with her buoyant energy. In fact, for all we know, she might be doing that right now. She does just about everything else, from sing to act to light up each and every room she enters. McClain, who recently co-starred in the Netflix-released, Adam Sandler-produced Halloween movie, Hubie Halloween, is also one of the three sibling members of he harmonizing trio, Thriii. But to list her complete resume would take a while. McClain has also worked extensively with Tyler Perry, currently co-stars on the CW superhero show, Black Lightening (as the main character’s daughter, Jennifer Pierce, who is also super-powered), sang the Doc McStuffins theme song, worked with Disney, collaborated with Nick Jonas, and much more.

We caught up with the 22-year-old McClain to talk to her about her burgeoning career, what it was like working with Sandler on Hubie Halloween and much more.

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