Back by Popular Demand with Dennis Camlek

1982 was a banner year for Sylvester Stallone. “Rocky III” is a knockout and months later he stars in “First Blood,” a lean, tough-fibered actioner that introduces John Rambo to the world. It’s an acclaimed and important film; one can even posit that it’s the best work Stallone has ever done. Not unlike Rambo, Chief Boatswain’s Mate Jason Thompson, United States Navy, Ret. has seen the world in wa...

Few filmmakers actually achieve “rock star” status and it didn’t take Quentin Tarantino long to do so. Since bursting onto the scene with the incendiary “Reservoir Dogs,” his films have earned critical acclaim, sparked great debate and left an indelible mark on pop culture. As “Dogs” celebrates its 30th Anniversary, Lance Neuhauser pulls up a chair, opens a pack of Red Apples and joins Dennis to d...

It’s 1992. Paramount Pictures hires you as a college intern. Your remit? Promote the studio’s films on local campuses. Your very first campaign (in what would become a career of countless campaigns)? “Wayne’s World,” a smart, rather clever comedy based on the popular SNL sketch. No way! Way! As the film celebrates its 30th birthday college pals David Buckingham and Tom Lucia join Dennis to revisit...

In 1986 “Top Gun” buzzed the tower, swept the nation and became the highest-grossing film of the year. It made Tom Cruise a massive movie star. On the eve of the highly-anticipated sequel, we revisit the film and discuss its cultural significance and why it has endured. Joining Dennis are fanboy Nick Malone, movie-loving big brother Jim Camlek and former colleague (and marketer) Scot Safon. We pro...

Sean Duggan joins Dennis to bookend a conversation that started five years ago. It was then when he shared his vision for a documentary film: to tell the untold story about the dawn of surfing in Ireland. Amazing to think that by the late 1960's nobody knew that Ireland quietly featured some of the best surf in the world. All that was about to change. A first-time filmmaker delivers a fascinating...

Bill Bergofin always felt like he was the little big guy. Which is an interesting take. With impressive career stops at the NFL, Fox Sports, Comcast and NBCUniversal his IMDb suggests otherwise. But it kind of makes sense. He embodies an upstart mentality and welcomes a good challenge. Bill was the perfect choice to market the Premier League for NBC Sports, to take the piss out of English culture....

Bill Koenigsberg is a titan of industry. As President, CEO and Founder of Horizon Media he built what is considered today the largest independent media agency in the world. And to think it happened because someone once reneged on a promise. Little did Dennis know when he joined this company twenty years ago that this media visionary would soon become a professional mentor and guide him throughout...

Jeff Press has a rather cool job. Which is apropos considering he’s a rather cool guy. As Chief Creative Officer of Morgenthal Frederics and Robert Marc NYC, he leads the design and creative for two highly-acclaimed luxury eyewear brands. Not a bad deal for a Journalism major who really wanted to be a musician. Dennis’ former intern discusses how his career came to fruition and what inspires him t...

The fact that Lance Neuhauser is a successful and highly-accomplished media executive is immaterial. Those are just career stats, albeit impressive ones. Sure, he’ll talk shop, but there are many other subjects he’d rather explore. He’s the quintessential guest. A man who likes to engage, to question how you arrived at a decision, but not the decision itself. As you’re about to learn, being friend...

June 12, 1981. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is released to massive box office and critical acclaim. It also opened the eyes of two young boys from Long Island. In this impromptu episode Jim Camlek joins his kid brother to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Spielberg masterpiece. Together they sing its virtues, speak bad German and discuss the impact it had on their lives. In typical Indy fashion,...

One of our favorite pastimes was snatched away when the pandemic brought film exhibition to a halt. When movie theatres closed studios had to adapt and develop new distribution strategies and revenue streams. Countless companies felt the effects. Cliff Marks (National CineMedia) and Bruce Friend (Screen Engine/ASI) lead companies which are critically tied to the motion picture business. As a revam...

It’s a fascinating time in media. Fragmentation fuels consumer choice and marketers are left navigating a rapidly changing landscape. Data and technology enable consumer targeting in ways we’ve never seen before. Media heavyweights and former colleagues Howard Shimmel and Michael Strober enter the ring to discuss the television marketplace, the importance of Addressable and why marketers are embra...

Ruth Metzger and Dennis Camlek are movie buffs, there’s no doubt about that. They could talk movies for hours (and certainly have!) One could even make the case that they’re cinematic soul mates. Once former colleagues, Ruth and Dennis discuss their love of film and how a passion became a profession. Would you believe the movie “Dances with Wolves” played a serendipitous role for both of them? Tat...

Dennis was ‘all in’ on Lauren Colantoni from the moment he interviewed her. She had that thing you look for in a candidate, he knew it for sure, so he hired her. What he didn’t know was that a decade later she would launch The Woffle Company, a "Get & Give" dog bed business that would eventually sponsor this very podcast you're about to listen to. So random. So cool. So Lauren. Hosted on Acast...

A pandemic challenged us to revisit how we entertain ourselves. When cabin fever came knocking Jim Camlek, Nick Malone (and Dennis) answered the bell. Harnessing their respective creative abilities and love of movies they created a Virtual Screenplay Reading series. This diversion quickly snowballed into something bigger and more joyous than they ever could have imagined. It turns out many of you...

If there is a Hall of Fame for the media industry then research veteran Brad Adgate should have a fancy plaque in Cooperstown. When “The Most Quoted Man in Media” joins Dennis to talk shop you never know where the conversation will turn, whether it’s the streaming wars or The Chairman of the Board, Whitey Ford. That sums up time with Brad Adgate...and it’s just delightful. Hosted on Acast. See aca...

Meet Leslie Gray Streeter. The lovely and hilarious author joins Dennis to discuss her career in Journalism and the heartwarming journey that led to "Black Widow," her critically-acclaimed debut that producers are eager to adapt into a television series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The trailer for "Back by Popular Demand with Dennis Camlek" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.