New Jersey Is The World

We're back with our semi-regular series highlighting small businesses around New Jersey, this time with our friend Steve Zig over at Backyard Cinemas! Steve's company has a Jersey origin, a lot of hustle, and is growing fast. By going all over the state setting up mobile screenings, he and his crews see different parts of New Jersey, run into Jersey hustles of their own, and have a unique on the g...

This week, Don Fanelli and myself had the pleasure of interviewing Peter Candia, a writer and editor at the New Jersey Digest. We set out to talk about his list of the 40 best pizzas in the state, but we never got there. Mostly because him and Don have a longstanding bromance and took off running. From restaurant etiquette, to new school fancy places dropping the attitude, to what makes Jersey uni...

In this very idiotic high concept episode, we pre-suppose the not at all important question: "If New Jersey was in fact a prepared dish cooked in a kitchen instead of a state, which towns would be the ESSENTIAL ingredients?" We had a lot of fun sorting this out but also we imagine there are going to be people telling us we got it wrong. We can't wait. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...

Newark Airport is a center of gravity for this entire state. Which leads us to ask: What do we hate about EWR? What are the good aspects? Are there any? Also, roughly a dozen manic tangents that have nothing to do with Newark Airport. Plus, Bonadooch tells stories of what it was like building portions of Newark Airport. Also, Geth almost bought a painting once or something? This one is all over th...

When was the last time you were really afraid? Bonadooch and MikeD are joined by our good friend urban explorer and photographer Max Boncina. We spend an hour swapping stories about the people you meet in abandoned asylums, the horror of Jersey mosquitoes, what really happens in the Paris catacombs and the kind of pranks that go down really well in old hospitals. You can check out Max’s photograph...

We asked you to leave us voicemails about Halloween, Mischeif/Goosey/Cabbage Night, and freaky New Jersey stuff in general - and man did you deliver. In this episode Geth, Andrea, Bonadooch and Mike D answer a slew of your voicemails - some quite bizarre, some full of nostalgia for this time of year, some downright freaky. THANK YOU to everyone who leaves voicemails at 973-780-4660 and remember, f...

This week Mike D interviews illustrator Michael Jasorka, who's made a slew of Jersey focused graphic novels, and just last year put out an illustrated version of the real employee handbook from the infamous Wildwood attraction known as CASTLE DRACULA. This is some real deal Jersey love on display, and we're lucky that Michael shared his words with us. To find more of his work visit http://www.bomb...

On this week's show, we look at a brief history of Halloween, both overall and in relation to New Jersey in general. But as Mike D predicted, this really becomes an avenue to go down 145 rabbit holes and also follow 3,000 tangents. It is a fun, rambly mess in the best way. LET'S SAVE MISCHIEF NIGHT! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are here with a mega-episode focusing on places in New Jersey that are genuinely scary. Which Weird NJ spots actually send shivers? What are some under-discussed places that will freak you out? Halloween MATTERS in this state and October is upon us. Let's talk about places all over this great Garden State of ours that produce true fear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

John Cozz is a musician. He's a coffee roaster. He's an artist. He's a music label runner. He's a filmmaker now, too? Most of all, he is a true lover of New Jersey and one of the most vital manic minds making DIY art in our great state. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we welcome esteemed New Jersey Senator BOBBY GOLD BARZ to the New Jersey Corruption Hall of Fame! First we discuss the accusations against Senator Menendez, the insanity of his money jacket and gold bars, as well as the in-the-moment-as-we-recorded news that Andy Kim was going to primary him. Then on top of all that Mike D breaks down the New Jersey corruption hall of fame and the...

Geth has finally gone to the infamous Belmont Tavern in Belleville, and he and Don Fanelli are here to talk about it. This springs into a discussion the tiers of Italian food - from street food all the way up to fine dining. And a surprisingly thoughtful though admittedly un-researched conversation about immigration, assimilation, real estate, and America's moving goalposts on the definition of wh...

Chris Christie was asked to create a playlist of “songs that stir his soul”. With an assist by special guest Jody Bergen County the NJITW crew examines this playlist track by track. Join us for the most judgmental, petty episode of NJITW yet! But we know you’re all going to agree with us. Sure, “Thunder Road” is a great song - but that’s the best you can do? Aerosmith? Let the shade throwing begin...

It's Geth and Bonadooch this week, checking in with each other about how summer has gone and what they hope to do in the final days of the season. You might not be shocked to hear this turns into a lot of screaming about handjobs, but you might be surprised at who's leading the charge on that. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The town of West Orange is fining Bagels by Jarrett over $1,000 a day for having window shades. This has created a ton of chatter in the New Jersey online world, ranging from "Just put the window shades up," on one end all the way to "This represents authoritarianism and we must rally behind our beloved bagel shop that barely even serves bagels." It's also shown up in newspapers and on tv news pro...

Have you heard the nurses of one of New Jersey's largest and most influential hospitals are on strike? Have you been surprised there hasn't been more press or political speech in relation to it? Us too. Luckily, one of the striking nurses, Carol Tanzi, came and spoke to us. She filled us in on the picket line, what caused the walkout, and why it's not just about the nurses getting a living wage, i...

It's always a joy to talk to someone who has a different view of New Jersey due to their unique job - and private investigator (and author!) James Lynch is here to tell us what it's like from his very unusual perspective. Has he ever had to crack skulls during a stakeout in Bayonne? Listen and find out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Geth recently had the chance to bring his four year old son to the Land of Make Believe, an amusement park he hasn't been to in over 35 years. It's located in the small Warren County town of Hope, which we assume was named as such because people really felt like they needed it. First things first - the Land of Make Believe RULES and is worth your time and money. That being said, there are some ins...

Gethard is camping somewhere in the hinterlands of northwest Jersey, so Mike D takes the helm this week! He sat down with Mark Bucci from the band Brewster. What started out as a conversation about their new record quickly turned into a deep discussion on Rahway. Did you know Rahway has a deep, long running DIY music scene? Neither did we. Have a listen and start your Rahway re-education. Hosted o...

I first came to know of Wheeler Antabanez when he ran an incredible website about the Bin, the haunted asylum in the hills of West Essex County that was a huge part of my high school lore. Then over the years we became part of the same Weird NJ inner circles, and I've long admired his obsession with going to the exact types of places in New Jersey that many people try to ignore the existence of. W...

It's the best time of the month, everyone: when all of the creators from NJITW get together and listen to *your* voicemails. Usually this is reserved for the Turnpike tier patrons over at our patreon, but we had so many amazing voice mails this month that we decided to put some here in the main feed. Don't worry, Patrons, we saved the real batshit ones for you later this week. As always, thanks to...

In this edition of our semi-regular series featuring conversations about Jersey's largest city, we talk with Gerald Flores, co-founder of the Brick City Run Club. We talk about how he came to start a running club in Newark, how people can participate, and if there's anything inherently activist (if not political) about helping people get a street level view of a city so many area residents are tau...

The great Pete Genovese returns to the show! NJ.com 's culture and food writer, the former steward of the Munchmobile, a guy we like so much we once had him do a live show at Asbury Park with us where we knighted him. Pete's written a new book on the Jersey Shore and it rules. We talk about that and a whole lot more. You can check out the book right here!   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we interview New Jersey musician Brian Fallon. As a music fan, you probably know him from his many solo albums or his group work with The Gaslight Anthem. As a New Jersey fan, you might know him as "someone who did the local scene proud and is also personal friends with Bruce Springsteen now, which is wild." We talk about all of these topics, plus MANY others, including the importance of...