Released August 4, 2017
Barbecuing. On this week’s episode we take you for a roller-coaster ride of flavour and emotion as the guys dust off throwing shrimp (well, more like various meats and vegetables) on the ol’ barby! Marvel as Steve struggles to define the term “BBQ”; tremble at Jake’s description of the mysterious pet crematorium in his hometown; attempt to change the conversation as Pat awkwardly expresses his feelings in the middle of a grocery store aisle. All this and more, tonight on The Dust Off!
Read more "038 – “The Blood Plate”"
Released July 28, 2017
Moustaches. Back from The Upside Down, Jake and Pat join Steve for a vacation from themselves. The guys strike back with a lip dusting of everyone’s favourite nose candy in an effort to get their macho groove back. Pat deep-dives back to 300 B.C. in search of stache history; hoping to uncover an era when Jake couldn’t grow facial hair (spoiler: there’s no such time). Steve dons his very first entry in the flavour saver game, to the tune of Frank Zappa (minus the 8-inch lip).
Stick around to find out which historical hero will unanimously win our manstache speed round!
Read more "037 – “Hundred Percent Coverage”"
Released June 23, 2017
It’s our one year anniversary, so we’re dusting off… The Dust Off! Jake and Pat are back from the grave, thanks to Steve, their Lord and Creator. A single unit once more, they tie up some loose-ends from seasons past, look back at the show’s humble beginnings, and talk about some big things they have planned for the future. Oh, and we might be remaking “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” into a radio drama set in space. Maybe.
Read more "036 – “Total Vanity Project”"
Released June 2, 2017
Yard Sales, Garage Sales, Tag Sales – whatever you want to call it. The last of the original Dust Off hosts takes his final stand in this season finale. Steve and his wife, Steph (triumphantly returning from her last appearance at the helm of the show) take part in their neighbourhood yard sale with… varying results. Will Steph’s romatic dream of what a yard sale should be survive the day? Will the slow drive-bys from their neighbours amount to anything? Will anyone end up buying their old food processor? Tune in to find out!
Read more "035 – “We Had Chinatown”"
Released May 26, 2017
Vegetarianism! Steve, Jake, and some guy named Brad (Bort? Bert?) adopt the veggie lifestyle for a week while returning special-guest host Jeremy Fowler tells stories about his life as a dedicated non-meat eater. Plus, tension abounds between the two remaining original Dust Off hosts as Steve’s homicidal tendencies come to the front and Jake attempts to come to terms with Pat’s death.
Read more "034 – “Horse Meat”"
Released May 19, 2017
“Videodrome” (1983) Canadian cult classic. Join Steve, Jake, and guest host Dr. Vesuvius Betamax (he insisted we write his whole name out) on this dive into Cronenberg’s cyberpunk body horror masterpiece. Jake sounds off on the TTC’s St. Clair service, Steve’s finally found a use for his stockpile of Cineplex Scene points, and Dr. Vesuvius Betamax explains the Salisbury diet. Things get weird when the S&M themes set off something deeply repressed in Dr. Vesuvius Betamax. Enjoy some vintage Toronto-spotting, “Blondie” fandom, Datsun love, and lore of the tyrannical John P. Betamax before the Doc (he’ll hate that we didn’t write it out this time) side-lines the show into fittingly Cronenberg territory.
Read more "033 – “Audible Shudder”"
Released May 12, 2017
“She’s All That” (1999) teen rom-com. The show is taken over by far more hilarious hosts this week, with a look at the seminal girl-transforms-herself-for-douchebag “chick-flick” by three of it’s late-90’s target demographic. Join Stephanie, Norah, and Emily as they diagnose Culkin potato face, pen “Sister Prom 2: The Musical”, and attempt to figure out what exactly Usher does at the school (is he a student or an employee?). Just don’t try telling them to ditch their glasses or smile more as the “brain on drugs” girl hears that and more from Buffy’s slow-talking husband.
In all seriousness, though, don’t ever tell a woman (or anyone, really) to “smile more”. It’s incredibly creepy and disrespectful. For real.
Read more "032 – “Mystery Culkin”"
Released May 5, 2017
“Transformer” (1972) sophomore solo album from Lou Reed. Steve and Jake try out a new Craigslist-found co-host, Bernard “Bernie” Stilton, on their revisit of Lou Reed’s Bowie and Mick Ronson produced, jam-packed second album. Bernie brings research notes, stories from his life, a brutal cough, and a pretty weird Andy Warhol impression to the show. Jake winds up Bernie’s “main squeeze”, Steve takes up cobbling, and Bernie packs a constant half Bowie.
He’s no Pat, but Bernie certainly pumps some new (really, really old) blood into the show.
Read more "031 – “Full Bowie”"
Released April 28, 2017
“Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie” (1995) Sega Genesis movie tie-in game. The guys punch and kick their way back to a blue, yellow, white (with some gold), red, pink, and black 1995 with this dismal tie-in Genesis game for the Power Rangers’ first cinematic outing. There’s tension between Pat (temporarily resurrected after his demise last episode) and Steve over the best Ranger – Jason or Tommy – while Jake passes time whittling rocking chairs instead of watching 90’s cable. It’s a reverse “Shaq Fu” this week, with the Genesis’ blast processing falling far short of the SNES version.
Read more "030 – “Bunch Of Purple Boys”"
Released February 24, 2017
“Groundhog Day” (1993) multiversal dramedy. Join the guys on a journey through time and space with our very special guest host (all the way from South Korea), Jon Ewart. We talk “Twilight Zone”, “Hannibal”, “There’s Something About Mary”, 90’s pop singer Robyn, and (naturally) Weird Al in our quest for the Windows 3.1 machine powering the entire multiverse. Strap in, sports fans, this season finale gets a bit dark and tragic. Will all of our hosts make it to season four?
Oh yeah, and we also talk about Bill Murray and Groundhog Day a bunch.
Read more "029 – “Down The Groundhog Hole”"
Released February 17, 2017
“Groundhog Day” (1993) drama-comedy with possibly a hint of rom-com. The guys dive into Bill Murray and Harold Ramis’ magnum opus with our very special guest, Mr. Brett Loughery. Jake and Steve take a barrage of questions from Brett while Pat makes bold, revealing choices. “Heidi II” is inspected, Brett’s pages of notes dissected, and Pat’s harsh vibe rejected. Weird Al, “South Park”, Jim Carrey, and “Stand By Me” are all dragged into this episode, while the hosts try to figure out who is messing with who.
Read more "028 – “Whole ‘Nother Wrinkle”"
Released February 10, 2017
“Groundhog Day” (1993) time warping comedy. Jake and Steve dig into this Ramis/Murray masterwork while Pat works on his crochet skills. Jake brings fun tidbits from the director’s commentary, Steve deep dives on period architecture, and Pat’s pretty certain something is rotten in Denver. Stick around for a surprise phone call from a big fan (apparently we’re a call-in show now?), film law as set by Ridley Scott, and a short thesis on ship maintenance in the Star Wars universe.
Read more "027 – “Nope, No, No, We’re Not”"