The Midnight Citizen

On America’s birthday, Mike takes a few minutes to remember another historical milestone — the 20th anniversary of “Fred’s Oasis,” the low-budget, low-class exploitation film he made with some friends in college. Listen along as I recount its conception, production and aftermath, which lingers with me to this day, and forces me to ask that eternal question: am I right to be overwhelmed with shame?...

And hellooooooo, everybody! Time to go back down again to the VIDEO STREET VIDEO STORE — return some old tapes and pick up some new ones. This week, we’re doing something a little new. To celebrate the 4th of July, we’re showing a whole television movie, which I think, will really get you in the mood to shoot off some fireworks and scare some shell-shocked vets. So sit back and enjoy! And if you’r...

Join Mike on an epic excursion of summer slacking. After returning from a long delivery trip for Amazon that took him deep into the country and the town where he grew up, he sits out back and reflects on growing up in small town Alabama, and wonders what might have happened if he’d stayed there. Prison maybe? The next day, I venture out into the world to work, but end up at the mall drinking coffe...

And hellooooooo, everybody! Time to go back down again to the VIDEO STREET VIDEO STORE — return some old tapes and pick up some new ones. I didn’t have time to do write-ups this week — you know, go into detail — but that doesn’t mean these three tapes aren’t worth holding up to the light. We’ve got a solid promo video for a summer camp in West Virginia, the kind to make you nostalgic about it even...

Mike’s out of the studio this week, but he’s not lettin’ that stop him. He’s got a guest! Hang out with him and his friend Dave in the backyard, as they discuss all things past and present — how they met as roommates in a mutual friend’s “home of wayward children”, the spaceship in the basement of that house that became a favorite drinking spot, Dark Rides, ghouls, memories of Six Flags Over Georg...

Enjoy the full cut of last week’s show, including my pre- and post-shows — a full 20 minutes of extra material not heard in the original cut! Sorry — this is audio only. Substack kept crashing while I was trying to upload. Still, for the video of the regular show, check it out on my Youtube channel , or just watch down below! And be sure to, ya know… After 14 years, let’s REALLY get folks listenin...

And hellooooooo, everybody! Time to go back down again to the VIDEO STREET VIDEO STORE — return some old tapes and pick up some new ones. This week, we’ve got our longest show yet, but that doesn’t mean we’re thinning out the quality! No way, man. We’ve got a short film from Albert Brooks, some behind-the-scenes magic of a Universal Studios fan favorite, a wimpy kid who complains about violent mov...

Join Mike in the studio late at night, where he wonders why kids aren’t taking summer jobs as much as they used to, and if this means that child labor should be reinstated? Chick-Fil-A tried it this week, and got some mixed responses. In other news, I tried some child labor of my own the past couple weeks, running a playwriting sweat shop in a theater summer camp. There were also some sharks in th...

Join Mike out back for a drink as he decompresses from a hectic week of teaching summer camp and remembers the life and times of Wayne Newton, who’s still alive, but, ya know, kinda forgotten these days… In other news: we’re watching Joe Bob Briggs host “Donnie Darko” (2001) on his late night horror show, “The Last Drive-In”. Also: what the h-e-double-hell is “Donnie Darko” about anyway? And recou...

Join Mike in the studio late at night, where he remembers the time he met the cast of 1987’s “The Monster Squad,” and how they took off with his social security number. Also, are movies over? That’s the question after the mega-budget “Mad Max” movie bombed last week. Mike investigates, though he gets sidetracked by how much a Youtuber talking about the same subject looks like a werewolf. Anyway… I...

Join Mike in the studio late at night, where he mulls over the mental gymnastics of playing violent video games. Does good karma extend to the virtual world also? Be sure to…ya know… A new show drops every Saturday night! In other news, I’m sequestered in my house lately due to (yet another!) car issue; my absurd back-and-forth with a service lady at the dealership; a new “Adults Only” library in...

Join Mike outside for a whiskey on a mild May night, and, later, on a drive through the streets of Birmingham, where he remembers the old 90s joke about how RadioShack wanted to know all your personal business. Also: how I got fired from my new job this week; all about my basset hound Izzy’s risky surgery to remove a mass; Larry Sanders; “The Jinx: Part II”; Roger Corman. Check out the new home ov...

Join Mike in the studio late at night, where he recounts his nightmare adventure of getting his fingerprints taken for a new job, and how things got complicated due to the great cyber hack of Birmingham’s City Hall that’s still going on three months later. It’s a good example of “analog horror” that the kids are all talkin’ about! Also: what is “analog horror,” and why is it everywhere on the Inte...

Join Mike in the studio late at night, where he recounts his protest-free graduation day, and also dives shallow into his first post English-degree book, “Gravity’s Rainbow” by Thomas Pynchon. Also: How I profited from my motorcycle gettin’ stole’d; paranoid dreams of secret societies; “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999); Sanford Strong gets “Strong on Crime”! Music Break: “American English” by the Canoes; “S...

Join me outside for a whiskey and fine cigar in my celebration of finishing graduate school! This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share-Alike US License. Attribution by Mike Boody. Released April 2024 on [The Midnight Citizen]( https://www.mikeboody.com/themidnightcitizen ) and [The Overnightscape Underground]( http://onsug.com/ ). This is a public episode. If y...

Mike discovers a Zoom recorder in the back of his car while waiting for his windshield to defrost, and remembers he has a podcast. Join him for a drive around his hometown of Birmingham, AL as he reflects on a variety of topics, like the South’s latest blast of wintry weather, delivering food on icy roads, updates on his grad school thesis, and the Showtime show “The Curse”. Check out the website...

Join Mike and special guest Dave in the studio late on a Saturday, where they free-range explore a wide variety of topics, including: understanding the frightening concept of plagiarism as a student; the diminishing charitable returns of John Mellencamp’s FARM AID; the Birmingham Batman, as featured on “That’s Incredible” (1980); “Stay Hungry”, the 1970s movie filmed in Birmingham starring Arnold...

Join Mike as he watches the sun set over Birmingham, AL…and later for a drink in the backyard, where he gives his review of Oppenheimer. Topics include: woodgrain console television sets; adult friendships; HBO’s Love and Death and the book it’s based on, Evidence of Love by drive-in film critic Joe Bob Briggs; the use of hypnotism in solving crimes; reviews of Oppenheimer and Mission: Impossible;...

Join Mike at home and in the streets of Birmingham, AL., where he discusses the mysterious “Blackwell Ghost” film series, the Birmingham zip line wars of 2012, and much more! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikesbonfire.substack.com

Join Mike at the Grand River Drive-In in Leeds, AL, where he watches, and occasionally comments on, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikesbonfire.substack.com

Join Mike for some backyard ramblings on a hot summer afternoon in Birmingham, AL. …Talking about a humorous and kinda embarrassing misunderstanding with Buzz the friendly neighborhood gas station clerk over a bottle of wine; delivering PF Changs to a shady meeting between a doctor and a drug rep; the Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs’ surprise friendship with my buddy Dave; organic vs. artificial celebrity...

Join Mike for three days in the streets and alleys of Birmingham, AL, as he takes on and talks about all the side jobs he’s doing to support himself.  Topics do not include: Donald Trump’s legal problems, the lost Titanic submersible, a review of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Check out the website over at mikeboody.com/themidnightcitizen , with links to old episodes on Archive.org , and j...

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikesbonfire.substack.com

Join Mike on an afternoon shift delivering food and walking around the mall in Birmingham, AL. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share-Alike US License. Attribution by Mike Boody. Released June 2023 on The Midnight Citizen and The Overnightscape Underground. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bo...

Join Mike inside the world’s largest Bass Pro Shop in Memphis, Tennessee, where he rides an elevator to the top and checks out the view. Also, hang out with him at the cabin in West Memphis, Arkansas. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share-Alike US License. Attribution by Mike Boody. Released February 2023 on The Midnight Citizen and The Overnightscape Under...