Verge of the Dude

Hey Dude, on International Podcasting Day my old friend Paula Small reminds me of the inspirational early days of podcasting and the "spiritual experience" I had with Sugarman . CHARACTERS: Individual One , Dan Klass , Joseph Dougherty , Malik Bendjelloul , Rodriquez LOCATIONS: Coffee Fix , Studio City , Palm Springs , South Africa PODCASTS: The Bitterest Pill , The Dan and Lance Podcast Experimen...

Anyways Dude, I had a wacky weekend that was thankfully saved when I found the DVD for Searching for Sugar Man . (If you listen closely with headphones, you might hear me have a peak experience .) CHARACTERS: John Wayne , John Ford , Jimmy Stewart , Blayney F. Matthews , Bob Dylan , Sixto Rodriquez , Malik Bendjelloul LOCATIONS: Los Angeles , England , South Africa , Detroit MOVIES/TV: Netflix , T...

Hey Dude , I had a blast at the book signing of "More Fun in the New World" at Vroman's . I felt a deep connection to the DIY spirit and legacy of Los Angeles , punctuated by a bear hug from John Doe of X . CHARACTERS: John Doe , Tom DeSavia , Bob Dylan , Chris Morris , Allison Anders , Louie Perez , Los Lobos , X , Woody Guthrie , Kurt Voss , Billy Zoom , Exene , Dan Klass , Krissy Teegerstrom ,...

Hey Dude, the other night I watched the movie While We're Young with Marisol and it was like looking into a mirror...a funhouse mirror...the satire cut deep down into our marrow. CHARACTERS: Sweet Leaf , Ben Stiller , Naomi Watts , Adam Driver , Amanda Seyfried , Individual 1 , Adam Horovitz , Peter Yarrow LOCATIONS: Peru , Christmas Tree Lane , Altadena Library MOVIES/TV/MUSIC: Twin Peaks , Girls...

A humble tribute to our beloved tuxedoed companion Sweet Leaf , who lived a life of rags to riches...and everything in-between. (PLEASE NOTE: This piece was originally conceived for the KCRW 's 24 Hour Radio Race for their Independent Producers Project . The theme was "Where the sun don't shine." My race crashed and burned, but I did salvage this 10 minute rough cut of the story. The finished, pol...

Hey Dude , my recent binge of The Sopranos wakes me up and reminds me of the time that Richie Aprile  cut in front me at the Jamba Juice in Sherman Oaks . CHARACTERS: Sweet Leaf , Michael Imperioli ( Christopher ), James Gandolfini ( Tony Soprano ), Lorraine Bracco ( Dr. Melfi ), Edie Falco ( Carmela ), Little Steven ( Silvio ), David Proval ( Richie ), Martin Scorsese   TV/FILMS: Goodfellas , The...

Hey Dude, a trip to Palm Springs takes me back to the summer of 1999 when I learned I had cancer on the same day The Phantom Menace was released. Also a cool online interaction with John Lurie ties the call together. CHARACTERS: Doctor Dolittle , Garry Paskwietz , Lance Armstrong , John Lurie LOCATIONS: Palm Springs , La Quinta , Blaze Pizza , Vista Theater , Los Feliz FILM/TV/MUSIC: The Road Runn...

Hey Dude , a bootleg photoshoot for a "podcast thing" leads me to wear my "Original Westerley" Pendleton sweater and tap into The Dude's mystical energy. CHARACTERS: Sweet Leaf , Dracula , Dr. David Viscott , Frasier , Leonardo DiCaprio , Brad Pitt , Quentin Tarantino , Rock Star LOCATIONS: Descanso Gardens , Park Bench Deli , Macy's STUFF: head shot , selfie , robe , cape , comic book crowd , vam...

Hey Dude , I finally listened to S-Town as inspiration for my epic L.A. noir-style family history podcast. I also compare and contrast my rejection letters from American Public Media and This American Life . CHARACTERS: "Tricky Dick" Nixon , "Wild Bill" Clinton , Red Tie Dude , Bertolt Brecht , Mickey Cohen , Howard Hughes , D.J. Bonebrake , Lenny Bruce , Ira Glass , Julie Snyder , Dan Klass PODCA...

Hey Dude, the end of my relationship with the Tomboy sends me into dark tunnel of despair and ultimately to the edge of the cliff...literally.  LOCATIONS: Reseda , Laurel Canyon , Burbank , Yosemite , Tuolumne Meadows , Camp Curry , Happy Isles , Vernal Fall , Nevada Fall , Half Dome , Mist Trail , Glendale , San Fernando Road , Millard Canyon Fall STUFF: Garden of Eden , arm wrestle , bootie call...

Anyways  Dude , I riff on how I met the off the charts "Bombshell" at my church and the magic of the cabin up in Laurel Canyon , as the story chugs its way towards the final meltdown. CHARACTERS: Joseph Campbell , Tom Petty , Bob Dylan , Debbie Harry , Michelle Pfeiffer , Marilyn Monroe , Jakob Dylan , Jackson Browne , John Hughes LOCATIONS:   Burbank , Van Nuys , Reseda , Ventura Blvd. ,  West Va...

Hey Dude , on a moody day I remember my "Tomboy" girlfriend, who I worked with at a creepy cluster of used bookstores on the edge of Glendale. I also allude to the "Bombshell" and the crooked road to the impending meltdown.  CHARACTERS: Christopher Reeve   LOCATIONS: Burbank , Glendale , San Fernando Road , Rose Bowl , Pasadena , Eagle Rock , West Valley , Laurel Canyon,    STUFF: Arroyo Seco , Fo...

Hey Dude , I get back on track by tripping on the story's main locations including the little rundown house, the cavernous used bookstore, the UU Church and the magical cabin in Laurel Canyon. LOCATIONS: Burbank , Glendale , San Fernando Road , West Valley , Laurel Canyon , Sunset Strip SOUNDS: wind, palm trees, planes, birds, muscle car GENRE: storytelling , personal narrative , personal journal...

Hey Dude , I sing the praises of the Days of My Life podcast which takes me back to my old  LA Podcasters  days with my fellow solo storytelling podcasters. PODCASTERS: Aidan Wheller , Dan Klass , Tim Coyne , Cush PLACES: Los Angeles , England , University of Cambridge , Liverpool SOUNDS: wind, palm trees, planes, birds GENRE: storytelling , personal narrative , personal journal PHOTO: "Zane's Pal...

Hey Dude , I recall my VW Bug 's leaky roof and my disastrous relationship with a fancy redhead who's previous boyfriend drove a Jaguar . PEOPLE: Tim Coyne PLACES: The Valley , Los Feliz , Oakwood Apartments , Cahuenga Pass , Warner Bros. , Universal Studios , South Bay THINGS: monk , celibacy , 1992 , Taoism , Chi , sunroof , Unitarian Universalism , popcorn ceiling , Thanksgiving , "Detachable P...

Hey Dude , I riff on my "Little Red VW Bug" and the time I drove it up into the mountains for a singles weekend at my church's camp with it's infamous hot tub .  PEOPLE: Jane Alexander PLACES: Eagle Rock , Burbank , Hollywood , Santa Monica THINGS: VW Rabbit , Chevy Chevette , VW Bug , The Recycler , Unitarian Universalism , 1960s , 1970s , L.A. Riots SOUNDS: wind, palm trees, car horns, birds GEN...

Hey Dude , I had a crazy dream I was at a party up in Laurel Canyon  during the 1970's  where  David Bowie rolled a joint for me and Bob Dylan . PEOPLE/MUSICIANS: Harry Houdini , Jim Morrison PLACES: The Valley , Ventura Blvd , Mulholland Drive , Sunset Strip , Hollywood , New York City THINGS: Laurel Canyon Country Store , VW Bug , shake , shapeshifter SONGS/MUSIC: Folk Scene in Laurel Canyon , "...

Hey Dude, after both my little 1995 Toyota pickup and the country were rear-ended back in November of 2016, I finally bought a "new" 2005 Ford Ranger to help me get back on track. PEOPLE: Freakin' Trump PLACES: Longo Toyota , El Monte , North Hollywood , North Hollywood High , Uganda , Dallas , USC , Los Angeles County Music Center THINGS: 2016 Election , football , baseball , airbags , zombie , W...

To mark my 10th anniversary of podcasting, I revisit my storytelling past and then proudly present my old "It's Free" story with a new drum score by D.j. Bonebrake . Recorded March 30, 2015 in my pop-up studio in the observation room of the Zane Grey Estate in beautiful Altadena, California . All stories are written and performed by Lance Anderson. Theme music composed and performed by D.j. Bonebr...

Hey Dude, I tearfully recount Stan Hillas ' celebration of life where I had to call upon my inner Dudeist priest to help lead the ceremony. ARTISTS: The Beatles , Ringo Starr , John Lennon , George Harrison , Paul McCartney , Tom Petty , Joe Frank , (DJ) Peter Hillas , Lenny Bruce , Jim Morrison , Spalding Gray , The Dude ,  Jim Rueland PLACES: Glendale , Guitar Center, South Pasadena , Descanso G...

The sudden passing of my longtime friend and collaborator, the artist and musician Stan Hillas , leaves me feeling lost and in shock. PEOPLE: Jamie Kennedy , Leonard Cohen , Britney Spears , Joe Frank , Spalding Gray PLACES: Hollywood , Eagle's Coffeehouse , North Hollywood , Raven Theatre, Santa Monica , Tarzana , Descanso Gardens , Twain's Coffee Shop , Coldwater Canyon , Ventura Blvd ., Burbank...

Hey Dude, I howl like a wounded animal searching for other solo personal narrative podcasts. Then an old North Hollywood High School classmate reminds me of my weird connections to Lance Armstrong . PODCASTERS: LA Podcasters , Dan Klass , Cush , Tim Coyne , Libsyn , Elsie Escobar MUSICIANS: Sheryl Crow SONGS: "Steve McQueen" PLACES: Millie's THINGS: Jeopardy , Tour de France GENRE: storytelling ,...

Hey Dude, while having lunch with my dad at the Smoke House to celebrate my mom's birthday, I mentioned that I watched the Sam Cooke documentary, which unlocked a few clues about my mysterious grandmother. PEOPLE: Charles Kuralt MUSICIANS: Bob Dylan SONGS: You Send Me , Blowin' in the Wind , A Change is Gonna Come PLACES: Warner Bros. , Camarillo State Mental Institution , Burbank THINGS: CBS Sund...

Hey Dude , an unguarded moment on my mom's birthday allows an anonymous critic to land a body blow, so I throw a haymaker of my own with the help of Bob Dylan  and my dad. PEOPLE: Trump , James Jeffries , Gorgeous George , Ira Glass WRITERS/MUSICIANS: Johnny Depp , Scott Warmuth , Ernest Hemingway , Woody Guthrie , Ramblin' Jack Elliott PLACES: Jeffries Barn , Burbank , Dinkytown , Minneapolis THI...

Hey Dude, I take a moment to remember my mom on the eve of her birthday. Then I riff on how cool podcast artwork and the quality of the show are related.  PEOPLE/ARTISTS: Tim & Emile Bourquin , Michael W. Geoghegan , Bob Dylan , "John in the UK" , Dan Klass , Krissy Tee , Grace Duncan , Christopher Reeve , Heath Ledger , Adam Levine PODCASTS: Verge of the Fringe , New York Said , Beyond and Back P...