Patreon Newsletter #46: August 2025

Magic Tavern Updates/News: 

• Next week we are coming to Washington D.C. and Philadelphia! Buy your tickets here:  https://hellofromthemagictavern.com/live-shows

• If you happened to be at any of the recent live shows, we have show specific merch that you can pick up HERE! Each one is based on a moment from the live shows!

 From Arnie:

Continues to be punishingly hot in Chicago. But luckily I got out of town a few times. Ohio for the 4th to catch up with family and be in a house where the TV is always on. And then of course, we started our live tour with a trip to Boston and New York City. Had a blast at both shows. It was especially nice to catch up with our old friend Steve Waltein and his wife, the equally talented (and important in the Magic Tavern world) Kate James. Both shows were great but honestly the best part is hanging out backstage beforehand, even if that means signing hundreds of posters. (Also, I have to do a lot less work to change into my “costume”... although… and I’m sure I mentioned it in both shows, the pink polo is getting a bit tight.) We didn’t have a lot of time to do other things but I did trek out to Brooklyn to catch up with Stuart Wellington (and see his bar The Hinterland for the first time). We also all went to see the Broadway show “John Proctor is the Villain” and it was incredible. It’s a limited run, I think, but you’ll definitely be hearing more about this play in the future. 

Looking forward to the next legs of our tour (DC and Philly this month… I’m sure you’re getting tired of us plugging it) and seeing as many of you as can make it out.

Finally, I’ve decided I’m going to use this space to make Adal do things, so recently we were talking and I discovered he has never seen the movie Big Night and the much more recent, but also delightful film Challengers. So, please, in the comments tell Adal he has to watch these movies before he reports back in next month. And you, dear reader, I recommend them to you as well.  

TV – In no particular order. 

• The Bear

• Dexter: Resurrection

• Vice Principals

• Taskmaster

•  YouTube videos of Survivor players playing Blood on the Clocktower hosted by Rob Has a Podcast

Movies – In order of how much I enjoyed them.

1. Miller’s Crossing

2. The Night of the Hunter - this old classic is so much stranger than I ever would have guessed.

3. While You Were Sleeping

4. Blood Simple

5. Mean Girls

6. Better off Dead

7. F1

8. How to Train Your Dragon (2025)

9. 13 Going on 30

10. The Great Gatsby (1974)

11. Superman Returns

12. Shadow of the Thin Man

13. Vamps

14. Man of Steel

Also, technically it was August 1 but I saw the new Naked Gun in the theater and enjoyed it very much. Support comedy in theaters! Wouldn’t it be great if we got more?

Books

Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin - After finishing up the massive book above I wanted something quick and light so I pulled this book off my daughter’s shelf that I’d bought for them a while back, remembering that it was a fun mystery that a teacher had read to my class back in grade school. And it was a pure delight. Clever and funny and sad.

Podcasts

Unsurprisingly I listen to a lot of podcasts, most of which I dip in and out on. Here’s some in my current rotation:

• Blank Check - still probably my all time favorite. Some of my movie choices each month make more sense if you follow that podcast.

• Like Minds - Joey Bland (the voice of Winky Silks) has a great new trivia gameshow podcast that you should definitely check out. Adal’s been on and Matt and I also recorded an upcoming episode. But mostly I just enjoy listening to it.

• The Lonely Island Seth Meyers Podcast - I generally don’t go in for celebs recapping their work podcasts but this one is pretty fun.

• The Big Picture/The Watch - Frequently check in with these movie and tv pods.

• 16th Minute of Fame - Slowly catching up. I love a good analysis of an internet trend.

Arnie

From Matt: 

July 2025

A great kickoff to The 10 Year Tour. Fun shows in Somerville (Boston) and New York. Up next Philly and DC! Go get your tickets now: https://hellofromthemagictavern.com/live-shows

Also, super fun show-specific shirts over on Dashery! (with more to come) https://hellofromthemagictavern.dashery.com/

Not too much new TV. I’m focused on moving apartments for the foreseeable future (i.e. month). It is relaxing however, when I have a few moments to watch people be (mostly fake) mean to Bobby Flay on Beat Bobby Flay.

Gundam Report: Finished Gundam: The Origin extremely good. Started Gundam: Seed. I know this one is pretty popular, but I don’t get it. Good mech designs, but the story is a bit…overwrought? Silly? Thankfully, I don’t have to go out and buy all those model kits now.

We went and saw Superman, and I wasn’t as enamoured with it as everyone else. I had been sick for about a week beforehand, and maybe I was putting too much on it. Or it got hyped up too much for me. I didn’t feel all the feels. I am very happy that people are loving it. I was a big DC fan (more so than Marvel; except for Claremont X-Men) for many years, so I’m glad there is a Superman film that inspires people. That’s what he’s for.

I left my passport in Boston (I got it back) on the last trip and had to go through LaGuardia security without it. Pretty annoying. I guess we need to get Real IDs everyone.

Looking forward to seeing more of you out in DC and Philly. It’s fun to meet all the fans, but really the highlight of touring is spending a weekend hanging out with Adal and Arnie (and other friends along the way). 

 Please have the best possible summer you can and take care of yourselves.

Matt

 From Adal: 

Here’s what I was up to in July. Let me know if you have any recommendations for me!

TV: 

• Dept. Q

• Such Brave Girls season 2 (incredibly funny British sitcom on HULU)

• Always Sunny season 17

• Big Brother season 27

• Quarterback season 2

MOVIE:

• Josh Gondelman - Positive Reinforcement 

• Sinners

• Superman (4DX)

• Now You See Me

• Becoming Led Zeppelin

• Happy Gilmore 2

OTHER: 

• Was July fronted by Damon Albarn? Because it was a BLUR. Boston, NYC, Portland, Seattle and L.A. were all a goddamn delight but I feel about 3 months behind on life. The rest of the Hey Riddle tour dates and tickets are HERE and the upcoming second leg (Philly & D.C.) of the Hello From the Magic Tavern info is HERE

• Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl was outstanding. If you ever get a chance to see Cynthia Erivo belt a song live…take the chance.

• July had me listening to a ton of early Little Richard which is my main rec this month. Listen to early era Little Richard. I always thought of him of just a weird tv personality but it turns out he was a pretty incredible performer and pioneer of rock/r&b (I guess I did always know that but had only heard Tutti Frutti)

• Tomorrow I’m excited to guest on a Twitch Livestream with King Cockroach at 7pm PST/9pm CST/10pm EST. I’ll be improvising and playing video games w/ the titular King Cockroach (as played by the brilliant Dan Lippert). Tune in or watch previous streams HERE

• Two of my friends who happen to create some of the best escape rooms I’ve ever done are looking for a bar manager for their new escape room/mini golf/cocktail spot in Champaign/Urbana, IL! If you’re interested please check out the listing; but otherwise bookmark the spot as a must visit next time you’re in the area after it opens this Fall

• I’m a part of a new podcast (Gumshoes & Dragons) with Erin Keif, JPC and Anthony Burch that debuted yesterday! Check out episode 1 with guest Brennan Lee Mulligan and follow us on Instagram

• Jemma’s family is heading to Greece in September and I’m tagging along to pay tribute to a select few chosen gods & goddesses. If you happen to have any recommendations for Athens, Mykonos or Santorini - please send them my way! 

Adal