The Nick D Podcast on Radio Misfits

• Nick D – Monica Eng, Axios News, and National Stretching Day

  Nick welcomes Axios Chicago’s Monica Eng for a rundown of the stories she has been digging into lately, starting with the city budget and the complicated process required to get it passed. She also highlights a handful of terrific local gift shops for holiday shopping, the recent WBEZ power outage, and new data on CPS college enrollment. The conversation gets delightfully seasonal with a defense of pickled herring and a story about how Monica managed to get snowy bike lanes plowed through sheer persistence. Esmeralda Leon joins Nick afterward to catch up on life and mark National Stretching Day with the kind of chat that makes even basic self-care sound like a group project. She also shares her enthusiasm for a standout Netflix documentary on the legendary Mexican singer Juan Gabriel, a recommendation that quickly becomes its own mini conversation. [Ep 411]

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• Nick D – Dan Fienberg, TV Talk, and The Mysteries of Radiators

  Nick brings Hollywood Reporter TV critic Dan Fienberg back for a fresh round of TV talk, starting with the latest SNL episodes and the unexpected charm of “Pluribus.” Dan runs through his newest reviews, including the Netflix western “The Abandons” with Gillian Anderson and the HBO Max hockey drama and love story “Heated Rivalry,” and he offers an early look at the wonderfully unhinged HBO comedy special “Sarah Squirm: Live + In The Flesh.” They also size up the newly announced 2025 Golden Globe nominations across TV and film. Esmeralda Leon joins Nick afterward for a gleefully odd detour into the history of radiators and how these clunky metal giants actually heat a home. That leads to stories about terrible landlords, the misery of board meetings, and even a memorable Tom Skilling moment that sneaks in before the laughter dies down. [Ep 410]

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• Nick D – Erik, Steve, Movie Reviews and Crazy Christmas Trees

  Nick brings film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy back for a run through several major new releases, including James L. Brooks’ comedy drama “Ella McCay,” the animated sequel “Zootopia 2,” the latest “Knives Out” mystery “Wake Up Dead Man,” and the follow up to the video game horror hit “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.” Their conversation moves quickly, mixing sharp reactions with the kind of easy back and forth that comes from years of arguing about movies together. Esmeralda Leon joins Nick later for a round of holiday chatter, which turns into a story about a South Side spot that sells great Christmas trees and also lets you recycle them by feeding them to a herd of very enthusiastic goats. That leads to a tour of strange Christmas trees from around the world, including one built entirely from full bottles of Heineken. The holiday spirit takes on some unusual shapes, and Nick and Esma have plenty of fun with it. [Ep 409]

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• Nick D – For The People, Dec 2025

  Nick brings back Consumerman Herb Weisbaum for a fresh round of listener questions and a rundown of holiday-season consumer traps. They dig into how many so-called sale prices are nothing more than fake markdowns, take a look at toys that raise safety flags, and walk through Herb’s practical shopping tips that actually matter heading into the 2025 rush. Car Guy Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive jumps in next with updates from the road, including the newest vehicles he has been test-driving and standout moments from the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show. Jeep shows off some eye-catching concepts, and the conversation drifts into memorable vintage car ads like the 1977 Pontiac Can Am and the 1983 Chrysler Fifth Avenue with its Miss Universe tie-in. The show wraps with another round of Starspotter and Mystery Show, keeping the mix of nostalgia, automotive fun, and consumer savvy rolling through the end. [Ep 408]

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• Nick D – Stephen Tobolowsky is Back, and Nightmare Black Friday Stories

  Nick welcomes back the always delightful Stephen Tobolowsky, who slips right into the conversation like he never left. They trade memories about the moviegoing rituals they shared as kids, revisit his early film work on “Josh and Sam,” and dig into the unforgettable day he performed on Broadway for a group of Hispanic schoolchildren who had never seen a play before, complete with Buck Henry running a post-show Q&A. Tobo also talks about the projects he has coming up on both the big and small screens. Esmeralda Leon later joins Nick for a round of Black Friday horror tales that feel equal parts shocking and strangely familiar. There’s a sucker punch at Sears, a kid left behind at K-Mart, and even a customer who stepped over a dying person to grab a bargain at Target. Holiday cheer takes many forms, apparently. [Ep 407]

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