Scandal Water

Remembering Catherine O’Hara: Comedian, Actress, and America’s Mom

You know a performance is iconic when a simple phrase like “Kevin!” or “Fold in the cheese, David” can immediately bring a detailed image to your mind… and a smile to your face. 
 
Such is the case with beloved actress and comedian Catherine O’Hara,  who passed away on January 30, and to whom we pay tribute in this podcast. 
 
What young comedian (who would go on to become famous) helped Catherine get her start at Second City? How did renowned director Tim Burton play matchmaker for Catherine on the “Beetlejuice” set? What was the actress’s breakout Hollywood role, and what title did it earn her? How did Catherine create the quirky but lovable character Moira Rose, and what role did Catherine say she would most like to be remembered for? 
 
We discuss all this and more. 
 
Thank you to Ron for his top-of-the-episode shout-out! 
 
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Something That’s Green… Audrey II and “Little Shop of Horrors”

It was 44 years ago that a theater audience first heard mild-mannered Seymour and his bombshell crush, Audrey, belt out “Suddenly Seymour”  while a bloodthirsty plant lurked in the background. 
Yet today, that same show– “Little Shop of Horrors”– is currently in its 6th year of a highly successful Off-Broadway revival. And if you have an appetite for fun, we’re here to feed it with this entertaining podcast on the beloved cult classic!
What black-and-white B movie was the inspiration behind the musical “Little Shop of Horrors”? How did “Sesame Street” puppeteer Martin Robinson design the original, ever-growing Audrey II? What behind-the-scenes stories does Frank Oz recall from directing the hit 1986 movie adaptation? And what issue with the ending nearly derailed the film?
We discuss all this and more, so just “leaf” it to us! 
Many thanks to Rich for his top-of-the-episode shout-out! 
 
How to support Scandal Water:
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Become a member on patreon.com/ScandalWaterPodcast or buymeacoffee.com/scandalwaterpod – which will also grant you access to fabulous bonus content! #LittleShopofHorrors #Audrey2 #FeedMeSeymour #Broadway #HowardAshman #AlanMenken #FrankOz #Puppetry #Trolls #Trollhunter #Norway #NorwegianFolklore #AsbjornsenandMoe #TheBrothersGrimm #Dracula #BramStoker #Vampire #History #Literature #Writer #MoreMonsterMadness #KingKong #MonsterVerse #GoldenAgeofHollywood #Film #Movies #ScandalWaterPodcast #Podcast 

Trolls: The Lore, the Tropes, and the Cult Classic “Trollhunter”

Trolls stink… literally. 😉
 
But as we see in the 2010 cult classic “Trollhunter,” trolls also make powerful antagonists, with their massive size, brute strength, ability to smell the blood of a Christian man, and tendency to turn to stone in the sunlight. What else do they make? A fascinating subject for this week’s podcast!
 
How did Asbjornsen and Moe– the Norwegian equivalent of the Brothers Grimm–contribute to troll lore? What are some of the most famous works about trolls from Norwegian culture? Where have the dim-witted brutes appeared in recent books and movies, and what are some of the most common troll tropes?
 
We discuss all this and more in this beast of a podcast! Music Credit:  Hall of the Mountain King by Kevin MacLeod  •  Edvard Grieg | http://incompetech.com
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
 
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Become a member on patreon.com/ScandalWaterPodcast or buymeacoffee.com/scandalwaterpod – which will also grant you access to fabulous bonus content! #Trolls #Trollhunter #Norway #NorwegianFolklore #AsbjornsenandMoe #TheBrothersGrimm #Dracula #BramStoker #Vampire #History #Literature #Writer #MoreMonsterMadness #KingKong #MonsterVerse #GoldenAgeofHollywood #Film #Movies #ScandalWaterPodcast #Podcast

Making It COUNT… The story behind Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”

Bram Stoker likely had no idea when he created the infamous Count Dracula that his monster would not only help solidify the archetype of a vampire, but also one day be named the most portrayed literary character in film by the Guinness Book of World Records.
In this fascinating podcast, we discuss the creation of “Dracula” and the circumstances that led to its wild success… unfortunately, years after Bram Stoker’s passing. 
What famous literary work about vampires pre-dates “Dracula”? Why did Bram Stoker say his horror story touches on both mystery and fact? What evidence points to Vlad the Impaler as a source of inspiration for the character Count Dracula? And how did a copyright battle with the makers of “Nosferatu” lead to a stage and film version of “Dracula”? 
You’re going to dig this episode… you can stake your life on it! 😉  Thank you to Lizzie for her top-of-the-episode shout-out! 
How to support Scandal Water:
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Become a member on patreon.com/ScandalWaterPodcast or buymeacoffee.com/scandalwaterpod – which will also grant you access to fabulous bonus content! #Dracula #BramStoker #Vampire #History #Literature #Theatre #Writer #VladtheImpaler #Nosferatu #MoreMonsterMadness #KingKong #MonsterVerse #GoldenAgeofHollywood #Film #Movies #ScandalWaterPodcast #Podcast 

King Kong: Origins

The 1933 classic “King Kong” has been referred to as not only a terrifying monster movie, but also an epic fairy tale, tragic love story, and landmark piece of cinema. 
 
In fact, this groundbreaking film actually originated the legendary character of King Kong, now part of the MonsterVerse… and it’s the focus of this week’s fun podcast!
 
What role did a Komodo dragon play in inspiring the story concept for “King Kong”? Why has Fay Wray been called the very first Scream Queen? Just how did Willis O’Brien and his team bring King Kong to life, in what has been described as “a towering achievement of ingenuity and early effects mastery”? And what is the mystery behind the lost spider pit sequence?
 
We discuss all this and more in this monster of an episode! 
 
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Harper Lee, Truman Capote, and the Legacy of “To Kill a Mockingbird”

The 1960 novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” became an American classic. 
 
The 1962 film adaptation earned 8 Oscar nominations, 3 wins, and Atticus Finch the #1 spot on AFI’s 2003 list of greatest movie heroes.
 
And the Pulitzer Prize awarded to Harper Lee is believed to be one factor behind her failed friendship with Truman Capote.
 
In this fascinating podcast, we discuss the legacy of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and trace the long journey of this classic work. 
 
What elements of Harper Lee’s own life are reflected in “To Kill a Mockingbird”? What does Mary Badham, who played Scout, consider her favorite memory from filming? What role did Harper Lee play in creating Truman Capote’s book “In Cold Blood,” and what caused the long-time friends to drift apart? And why has Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird” for Broadway been referred to as a ‘rethink’?
 
We discuss all this and more!
 
Thank you to Scamanda creator/investigator Nancy Moscatiello for her shout-out at the top of the episode! Be sure to check out the podcast Scamanda, available everywhere podcasts are found, along with the docuseries of the same name, exclusively on Hulu. Our coverage of the case can be found in Episodes 198, 199, 205, and 206 (September & November 2025)!
 
How to support Scandal Water:
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Follow the show on your favorite app or Scandal Water Podcast YouTube channel. 
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Become a member on patreon.com/ScandalWaterPodcast or buymeacoffee.com/scandalwaterpod – which will also grant you access to fabulous bonus content! #OrderintheCourt #JuryDuty #Courtroom #ToKillaMockingbird #HarperLee #TrumanCapote #GregoryPeck #AtticusFinch #Scout #MaryBadham #InColdBlood #AcademyAward #Oscars #PulitzerPrize #JohnGrisham #BestSeller #NewYorkTimesBestSeller #ATimetoKill #TheFirm #Writer #AFewGoodMen #Film #Movies #Podcast #February 

John Grisham: The Master of the Legal Thriller

Often referred to as “The Master of the Legal Thriller,“ John Grisham published his first book, “A Time to Kill,” in 1989, and 37 years later, he shows no signs of slowing down. 
He has now written 51 consecutive #1 bestsellers that have been translated into more than 50 languages. 
 
So  what better time to celebrate the career of the acclaimed and prolific author John Grisham than the week of his 71st birthday (February 8)?
 
What real-life experience inspired John Grisham to write “A Time to Kill”? How did “The Firm” change the author’s life? What’s the best writing advice John ever received? How has John’s wife Renee been instrumental to his success? And just how HAS he produced more than 50 bestsellers?
 
The verdict is in… this podcast episode is for you! 
 
How to support Scandal Water:
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Become a member on patreon.com/ScandalWaterPodcast or buymeacoffee.com/scandalwaterpod – which will also grant you access to fabulous bonus content! #OrderintheCourt #JuryDuty #Courtroom #JohnGrisham #BestSeller #NewYorkTimesBestSeller #ATimetoKill #TheFirm #Writer #AFewGoodMen #Film #Movies #Podcast #February

You Can’t Handle This Episode: The 1992 Blockbuster “A Few Good Men”

“You can’t handle the truth…”
 
If you’re a fan of  the 1992 classic “A Few Good Men”-- a film is widely considered to be one of the top 10 courtroom dramas in American film history– this episode is for you!
 
What mystery surrounds a Marine involved in the real-life incident that inspired “A Few Good Men”? How did Aaron Sorkin’s sister (and cocktail napkins) help him create the story? Why did a TV exec question Demi Moore’s casting? And what have Jack Nicholson’s castmates said about their experience working with the legendary actor?
 
We discuss all this and more, including a brief tribute to director Rob Reiner. 
 
How to support Scandal Water:
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#OrderintheCourt #JuryDuty #Courtroom #AFewGoodMen #AaronSorkin #RobReiner #TomCruise #JackNicholson #DemiMoore #KevinPollack #KevinBacon #Film #Movies #Podcast #February

An “Unbroken” Hero: The Survival Story of Louis Zamperini

In September of 1943, bombardier Louis Zamperini and his friend Phil, the pilot of their crashed B-24 plane, finally reached land after being stranded on the ocean for 47 days.
 
Louie had no idea the two had landed in Japanese territory, at a location nicknamed “Execution Island,” and that his situation was about to get much worse…
 
In this fascinating podcast we tell the story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini, who survived  a plane crash and 47 days in a life raft, only to face 2 years in Japanese POW camps and a sadistic guard nicknamed “The Bird.”
 
You won’t want to miss this inspiring story, detailed in the bestselling 2010 book “Unbroken” and the 2014 film by the same title. 
 
How to support Scandal Water:
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 #SurvivorStories #ScandalWaterPodcast #LouisZamperini #Unbroken  #PlaneCrash #WorldWarII #Olympics #POW #Survivors

2 Miles and Falling… The Survival Story of Juliane Koepcke

“I hadn’t left the plane… the plane had left me.”
 
This is the situation that 17-year-old Juliane Koepcke faced on December 24, 1971. Hit by lightning, the plane in which Juliane and her mother were traveling had broken up, and the teen– who was still strapped into her bench seat– found herself free-falling to the earth from the height of approximately 2 miles. 
 
Miraculously, Juliane survived, only to realize that she was alone in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, injured, nearly blind due to broken capillaries and her lost glasses, and wearing only a torn minidress and a single sandal. 
 
Be sure to join us for the fascinating story of how Juliane Koepcke survived not only a plane crash, but also 11 days alone in the Amazon jungle.
 
Thank you to Aletta for her shout-out at the top of the episode! Be sure to check out the podcast Scamanda, available everywhere podcasts are found, along with the docuseries of the same name, exclusively on Hulu. Our coverage of the case is in Episodes 198, 199, 205, and 206! (September & November 2025). 
 
How to support Scandal Water:
Rate, review, and subscribe!
Follow the show on your favorite app or Scandal Water Podcast YouTube channel. 
Send your shoutouts to scandalwaterpodcast@gmail.com.
Become a member on patreon.com/ScandalWaterPodcast or buymeacoffee.com/scandalwaterpod – which will also grant you access to fabulous bonus content!
#SurvivorStories #ScandalWaterPodcast #JulianeKoepcke #PlaneCrash #AmazonRainforest #Scamanda #Survivors