But Why Tho?
384 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 days ago - ★★★★★ - 43 ratingsPop culture matters...But why tho?
Looking to catch up on pop culture? We're reviewing the latest movies and television, interviewing industry creatives, and of course - breaking down why all the things we love matter. But Why Tho? is a bi-weekly podcast where we'll dive into the past week in pop culture and get to discoursing on important conversations.
Additionally, you'll be able to check out But Why Tho? Reviews, our review show where we give you a quick spoiler-free review of the latest in pop culture.
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Episodes
Episode 46: Play More Indie Games
April 17, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBThis week, Alex and Kate are joined by Mike Towndrow of Six One Indie and The Indie Council podcast to talk about the state of indie games.
INTERVIEW: Abubakar Salim Explores The Complexity And Vibrancy Of Grief
April 12, 2024 14:29 - 19 minutes - 7.01 MBAfter his panel at SXSW, I spoke to the actor-turned-studio head Abubakar Salim. Surgent Studios' debut game, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, which is published under the EA Originals banner, is a story about grief. But unlike other forms of media tackling the subject, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a vibrant blend of Bantu mythology, each level taking the player through different emotions and quests to process their loss. We spoke with Abubakar Salim about creating Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, the importance of...
INTERVIEW: Goran Stolevski on 'Housekeeping for Beginners'
April 08, 2024 15:11 - 15 minutes - 21.7 MBWe interview director Goran Stolevski about his new movie Housekeeping for Beginners. He shares what it's like growing up in a crowded house, working with young and untrained actors, and the importance of throwing away the rules.
Episode 45: Cinema for Gaza and Quiet on Set
April 03, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 108 MBCW: This episode discusses child abuse and sexual abuse at great length. This week, Alex, Neysha, and Swara talk about the ongoing Cinema for Gaza fundraiser and the documentary "Quiet on Set."
INTERVIEW: Open Roads Team Wants You To Call Your Mom
April 03, 2024 01:07 - 20 minutes - 13.6 MBDeveloped by the Open Roads Team and published by Annapurna Interactive, Open Roads doesn't rest on its laurels, which are its lead actresses, Kaitlyn Dever and Kerri Russell. Instead the game's dialogue, choices, and immersive art style is core to this mother-daughter story. We spoke with the Open Roads Team developers which included Amy Fincher (Executive Producer), Noël Clark (Art Director), Aaron Freedman (Engineering Lead), Sarah Robertson (Operations Manager & Associate Producer), and ...
Episode 44: Hands Up For Akira Toriyama
March 27, 2024 18:41 - 1 hour - 103 MBEarlier this month we lost the iconic storyteller, Akira Toriyama. This week, we remember him.
REVIEW: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
March 22, 2024 18:19 - 25 minutes - 35.1 MBJason and Prab review Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, but is the second lega-sequel in the franchise Firemaster hot or Death Chill cold?
Episode 43: Are The Oscars More Diverse This Year? Alex Asks to a Chorus of Laughing "No's"
March 06, 2024 15:37 - 1 hour - 88.4 MBThis week, we're talking about the Oscar's. Alex, Kate, and Jason talk about everything they watched (which is more than the voters), what they avoided, and the real snubbs that weren't Margot Robbie.
Episode 42: Piracy is Our Oral Tradition
February 21, 2024 18:41 - 1 hour - 90.5 MBWhat do you do when companies are erasing art from existence? What do you do if you never really own media if its digital? Alex, Kate, and Adrian talk about the erasing of Funimation as a platform, the taking down of games, and other general dystopian "you don't own it" corporate attitudes and where piracy fits into it all.
Episode 41: Let People Be Big
February 08, 2024 20:53 - 52 minutes - 72 MBThis week, Alex, Kate, and Neysha talk about body diversity in media and how casting thin actresses for buff characters perpetuates outdated and colonial ideas of beauty.
Episode 40: But Like, What If Steamboat Willy F***ed?
January 24, 2024 15:13 - 1 hour - 86.5 MBThis week, Alex, Kate, and Jason talk public domain and why everyone collectively went "But Like, What If Steamboat Willy F***ed?" They discuss the immediate reaction to make anything public domain sexy or a horror story from Pooh Blood & Honey to all of the muder-varients of Steamboat Willy.
Episode 39: Do People Like Sci-Fi? (Seems Like No)
January 10, 2024 15:36 - 58 minutes - 80.2 MBThis week, Alex, Kate, and Matt ask the question: Do people really like sci-fi? Or do they just like space fantasy and think that everything else is boring?
Episode 38: Is Your War Over Now?
December 27, 2023 16:37 - 54 minutes - 74.3 MBThis week Alex, Kate, and Matt get together to say goodbye to 2023 and talk about all the things they loved in pop culture throughout the year. From video games to movies and why Godzilla Minus One needs an oscar, listen to our last episode of 2023.
Episode 37: "Why" Is The Spice of Life
December 06, 2023 15:41 - 1 hour - 89.2 MBThis week Alex is joined by Jason and Adrian to talk about the validity of disliking things, and how sometimes it’s alright to hate stuff, no matter what the internet says. From Star Wars to Fast X and beyond, there’s something for everyone (to dislike).
From Patreon: I Bet You Haven't Seen This - Episode 1
November 29, 2023 16:31 - 19 minutes - 26.8 MB[From Patreon] Welcome to a new bi-weekly Patreon exclusive show, I Bet You Haven't Seen This. Every other week, Patrons at any tier will get to hear about at least three things we bet you haven't seen and why you totally should. This week, But Why Tho's Senior Editor Jason takes the reigns to walk you through what's on VOD, what's seating in theaters, and what's fleeting from streamers at the end of November. #1: Seating/Streaming — Maestro #2: Streaming(ish) — The Shadow of the Sun (...
Episode 36: We're All A Little Bloodthirsty
November 22, 2023 16:04 - 57 minutes - 79.5 MBThis week, Alex, Adrian, and Kate talk about the appeal of competition as entertainment. From Survivor to The Challenge and Physical 100, the trio talk about why they like watching this specific genre of entertainment and why we're all just a little bloodthirsty in the end.
INTERVIEW: The Lost Caverns of Ixalan with Art Director Ovidio Cartagena
November 22, 2023 02:45 - 24 minutes - 33.4 MBWizards of the Coast and Magic: the Gathering have been embracing diversity in fantasy storytelling. With a beautifully adapted Lord of the Rings set that was released earlier in 2023 and The Lost Caverns of Ixalan set, it's a beautiful time to see yourself represented in fantasy in ways that haven't been present before. This month, Magic the Gathering released a stellar Mesoamerican-inspired The Lost Caverns of Ixalan that brought to life gods, places, and the dinosaurs of the Yucatan and r...
Episode 35: Opps, All Recommends
November 08, 2023 18:50 - 52 minutes - 72.4 MBIf this week’s episode was a cereal it would be Oops All Recommendations. Listen along as Alex, Swara, and Adrian share the things that have them excited. From manga to TV to games and beyond, if you’re looking for something to love we’ve got you covered.
INTERVIEW: Saga And Horror In Alan Wake II With Sam Lake & Kyle Rowley
October 27, 2023 05:12 - 25 minutes - 17.1 MBAlan Wake II is already set to be one of the top games of the year. With layered horror storytelling and a mixed-medium approach to game design, this sequel to 2010's Alan Wake carries on the legacy of one of gaming's biggest horror-mystery icons. Developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Epic Games, we got the chance to talk with Creative Director Sam Lake and Game Director Kyle Rowley about Remedy's first survival horror game and revisiting an IP 13 years later. Additionally, we d...
Episode 34: Talking About Pop Culture When The World Is On Fire
October 25, 2023 14:24 - 1 hour - 90.3 MBThis week, Alex, Kate, and Swara skip the news, skip the jokes, and get serious. Whether it's saying, "it's a great year for gaming," when every studio is laying off developers, talking about movies during a strike, or having podcasts while a genocide is being allowed to happen, how do we keep talking about pop culture when the world is so...bad? It's a tough question and one we've been grappling with and today, we talk about it. How do you keep talking about pop culture when the world is...
Episode 33: Eternal Content of the Game as Service Mind
October 11, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 87.8 MBThis week, Alex, Kate, and Matt talk about games as service. Which genres benefit from it? Which ones struggle with the pivot? And, we debate, the question: Sequel versus constant expansions? While live service may bring an eye roll from some gamers, we think they may just be an answer to some of gaming's problems.
INTERVIEW: Lee Majdoub and Sarah Beaulieu on the Cultural Power of Assassin's Creed: Mirage
October 03, 2023 15:00 - 24 minutes - 21 MBAssassin's Creed Mirage is bringing this iconic video game franchise back to its roots in more ways than one. Perhaps most significantly, by setting this installment in West Asia (the Middle East) once again, like the original Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft has moved the franchise forward by taking it back to its roots. By giving us another Arab Assassin protagonist (after Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad) in Basim Ibn Ishaq (Lee Majdoub) in Assassin's Creed Mirage. When we interviewed the game's star, ...
INTERVIEW: Shohreh Aghdashloo on 'Assassin's Creed Mirage'
October 03, 2023 15:00 - 18 minutes - 11.9 MBAs the Assassin's Creed franchise returns to its roots in West Asia for Assassin's Creed: Mirage, allowing players to explore the splendor of Baghdad during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th Century, Ubisoft has recruited a Persian legend to help bring this story to life. An icon in Iranian and many other SWANA communities and beyond, Shohreh Aghdashloo has paved the way for SWANA actors to have roles that transcend beyond the stereotypes we're too often limited to, even though these nuanc...
INTERVIEW: Creating 'Castlevania: Nocturne' and "Hot Goth Guys" With Sam & Adam Deats and Kevin Kolde
September 29, 2023 14:14 - 23 minutes - 8.83 MBCastlevania: Nocturne Season 1 is here and it's expanding the world of the hit series, that some people would say broke the video game adaptation curse (it's me, I'm some people). Set in the 18th century in the middle of the French Revolution, audiences are introduced to a new Belmont, and a new evil, the Vampire Messiah. In this interview, Directors Sam and Adam Deats and showrunner Kevin Kolde talk about bringing Castlevania to life, the changes in animation, Annette's (Thuso Mbedu) journe...
Episode 32: Leave The Tomatoes On The Vine
September 20, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 114 MBThis week, Alex, Kate, and Matt are on to talk about Rotten Tomatoes or, more importantly the "Decomposition of Rotten Tomatoes," the Vulture article that questioned not only the legitimacy as the aggregator but the critics of it as well. Do we need a middle ground? Or is fresh and rotten enough? Also, how does widening access almost always result in high scores — hint, it's not from bribing. We dive into the topic and discuss the importance, or the lack thereof the review aggregator.
INTERVIEW: 'Disney Illusion Island' Past, Present, and Future With Dlala Studios
September 16, 2023 18:07 - 33 minutes - 23.2 MBIt's not every day that a studio gets handed the keys to Disney's most magical property, Mickey and Friends. Recently, Dlala Studios was given that chance and more in their new game, Disney Illusion Island. In their fresh take on the Metroidvania genre, Dlala got to create their own fresh story for Disney's Fab 4, and even were one of the historical few to create a new design for Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy. Yet there were some lingering questions after hitting the credits. Like, why ...
INTERVIEW: Building A Lasting Community in 'Wizard101'
September 12, 2023 04:26 - 47 minutes - 37.5 MBAt PAX West 2023, we got the chance to talk to Design Director Artie Rogers and Narrative Director Sam Johnson, developers on Wizard101 and Pirate101. In this interview, the duo discusses the importance of building an MMO that is driven by the community and how Wizard101 has been able to evolve over time to offer players the ability to play how they want to.
Episode 31: Consume Content Now, Or Else
September 07, 2023 13:21 - 59 minutes - 81.8 MBThis week Alex, Katherine, and a Charles sit down to talk about how consumption and capitalism collide when a movie, game, or show launches. Is it your fault when something “underperforms?” Do studios give shows enough time to breathe before canceling them? All that and more this week on But Why Tho.
INTERVIEW: Phoenix Labs Talks Collaboration In 'Fae Farm' From Development To Play
September 07, 2023 04:22 - 14 minutes - 5.85 MBPhoenix Labs has swung for the fences with its cozy dungeoneering social sim Fae Farm. With elements of core cozy games like managing your homestead, gathering materials, tending to animals, talking to villagers, fishing, and, of course, customizing your character's appearance whenever you want. But the added ability to find resources in dungeons and move through them, progressing from one floor to the next, is a unique element that begs co-op play. Speaking with Akshay Balakrishnan (Senior ...
INTERVIEW: Sierrra Barnes — 'Creator of Hans Vogel Is Dead'
September 06, 2023 01:48 - 42 minutes - 58.6 MBHans Vogel is Dead began as a webcomic nearly a decade ago, written and illustrated by Sierra Barnes. Now publishing its first of three volumes with Dark Horse, But Why Tho met Barnes at her studio to hear about the series, its origins, Barnes' influences, comic lettering, and what makes the series special.
INTERVIEW: Bringing Final Fantasy XVI with the Voice Cast and Localization Director
September 03, 2023 22:02 - 33 minutes - 45.8 MBFinal Fantasy XVI, the latest addition to the storied Square Enix franchise, is a large and beautiful world with complex and dynamic characters. At PAX West 2023, we sat down with Localization Director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, and some of the voices behind beloved characters, including Clive Rosfield (Ben Starr), Margrace (Jonathan Case), and Benedikta Harman (Nina Yndis) to discuss what it's like joining the legacy of such a special franchise, the skill involved with voice acting, and ...
Episode 30: Nobody's Got Time For That
August 23, 2023 14:49 - 1 hour - 84.2 MBThis week, Alex, Jason, and Kate talk about time - and more importantly how we just don't have any of it anymore. With longer games coming out like Baldur's Gate 3, a stacked movie season, and more on the horizon, how does anyone find the time to play and watch, well, everything they're interested in?
INTERVIEW: Reflecting on the 1000th Episode of 'One Piece' with the Voice Cast
August 18, 2023 23:17 - 26 minutes - 26.6 MBWe were honored to chat with the voices that have skillfully brought some of the most iconic characters in anime to life in the English dub. Their work and dedication to this series have significantly shaped its charm, growth, and adventurous spirit. We dive into all that in this exclusive video featuring Colleen Clickenbeard, the voice of Monkey D. Luffy, Luci Christian, who voices Nami; Sonny Strait, the voice of Ussop; and Eric Vale, the voice of Sanji.
INTERVIEW: Finding The Balance In ‘Lords Of The Fallen’
August 15, 2023 02:44 - 22 minutes - 17.5 MBAfter 9 years, HexWorks is creating Lords of the Fallen, a sequel/reboot to the 2014 title of the same name. The original was one of the earliest games that attempted to put its own spin on the action RPG genre. After nearly a decade of innovation and mainstream success, the latest genre entry is attempting to capitalize on these lessons and invite newcomers to yet another grand adventure. We spoke with Cezar Virtosu, the Creative Director at HexWorks, and Saul Gascon, Head of Studio and ...
INTERVIEW: Hello Kitty is For Everyone With Sunblink's Chelsea Howe
August 10, 2023 23:31 - 12 minutes - 8.97 MBHello Kitty Island Adventure is a cozy and epic joining of Sanrio and open-world gaming. Described as a combination of Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing, this Apple Arcade exclusive from Sunblink is a large world. With the driving motto of "Small gift, big smile," Sanrio is a cultural touchstone, and in this game, players get the chance to talk to, make friends with, and adventure the world of brand with Hello Kitty, Karumi, Aggretsuko, and more. We got the chance to talk with Chelsea...
Episode 29: "Pink Isn't for Black Girls" and Other Lies
August 09, 2023 14:31 - 1 hour - 85.8 MBThis week, Alex, Neysha, and Kate talk about the things they love that people told them they couldn't. With Barbie smashing the box office, we discuss what to do when someone makes a piece of pop culture "not for you." Barbie isn't for Black girls, anime isn't for women; horror isn't real cinema. We talk about the lies that get told to stop your joy and why you should never listen to them.
SDCC 2023: Keto Shimizu of "DC's Legends of Tomorrow"
July 31, 2023 14:18 - 13 minutes - 11.6 MBDC's Legends of Tomorrow was one of The CW's most popular and critically acclaimed shows. Besides being very diverse for a mainline superhero show, it touched on almost every genre you could think of, and with its delightful cast and witty writers, both sets of whom are now on strike, it created something strikingly memorable. Along with her fellow co-showrunners, writer and co-showrunner Keto Shimizu was a pivotal part of making it the success it was. Many fans bemoaned its somewhat abrup...
SDCC 2023: Interview with Jeff Bergman, AKA Bugs Bunny Himself
July 31, 2023 14:14 - 10 minutes - 14 MBMel Blanc was a voice-over legend, originating and playing, for decades until his death, the voices of all the Looney Tunes characters and many more for Warner Brothers. When he passed away in 1989, another voiceover actor would rise to continue his legacy. From Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Marvin, the Martian, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester, Tweety, and so many more icons of animation, legendary voice actor Jeff Bergman has voiced them all in TV and film from the late 80s to today, along with...
SDCC 2023: E.K Johnston Discusses'Star Wars: Crimson Climb'
July 22, 2023 00:58 - 13 minutes - 11.3 MBAt San Diego Comic-Con 2023, we had the opportunity to sit down with E.K Johnston, the renowned author behind critically acclaimed Star Wars novels like Ahsoka and the Queens Trilogy. With her upcoming novel Crimson Climb on the horizon, Johnston shared insights into her approach to writing iconic characters such as Ahsoka and Padme, delving into their unique journeys while staying true to the beloved Star Wars canon. In this interview, she also offers a glimpse into the challenges Qi'ra fa...
INTERVIEW: Union Strong with Dani Fernandez
July 19, 2023 06:02 - 55 minutes - 75.9 MBThe WGA has been on strike for almost 80 days, just 20 shy of how long the strike of 2007-2008 lasted, and as of last week, SAG-AFTRA joined the picket line as the AMPTP refused to concede in contract negotions. To say that this is a watershed moment is some how not strong enough. As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike to ensure fair wages and working conditions and protect their craft from AI, we wanted to do a very special episode to talk about what you can do to help support the unions working f...
Episode 27: The Problem With That Thing You Like
July 12, 2023 19:40 - 1 hour - 90 MBThis week Alex is joined by Swara and Adrian to discuss the state of Twitter, the Grimace Shake, and how to handle things that maybe didn’t age great. From the Problem with Apu to the Breakfast Club to Transformers, there’s a bit of everything here.
Episode 26: At Least He's Hot
June 29, 2023 05:26 - 1 hour - 92.9 MBThis week, Alex, Kate, and Matt discuss the interview with Xbox's Matt Booty that explained how long video games take to make. The trio discusses what kinds of expectations fans put on studios, what pressures studios put on developers, and where developers are in all of this. How long should games take to make? How soon should studios announce them? We dive in.
But Why Tho? Reviews Summer Game Fest
June 21, 2023 07:34 - 35 minutes - 48.4 MBKate and Matt got the chance to be on-site in LA for Summer Game Fest, the Xbox Games Showcase, and the Ubisoft Forward. In this episode, they talk about the highs of the fest, their favorite hands-on previews for games and what they're looking forward to. From Alan Wake 2 to MK1 and Prince of Persia: Lost Crown, 33 Immortals, and Disney Illusion Island, they got you covered with their impressions from the fests.
INTERVIEW: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre with Gun's Ronnie Hobbs, VA Damian Maffei, and Horror Legend Kane Hodder
June 20, 2023 05:31 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MBAt the pre-launch party for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, we got the chance to sit down with GUN's Creative Director Ronnie Hobbs, actor Damian Maffei, the voice of Johnny, and horror legend Kane Hodder, about the game, and what its like to bring what has become a vital part of horror and Texas mythos to life.
INTERVIEW: Creating Cyberpunk 2077's "Phantom Liberty" with Greg Amatangelo
June 20, 2023 05:29 - 10 minutes - 6.46 MBAt Summer Game Fest 2023, we got the chance to play a demo that introduced us to about 45 minutes of gameplay in Dogtown. On a mission to find a relic, we work through the demo, fighting enemies and exploring the new zone. We also got the chance to speak with the “Phantom Liberty” Game Director, Gabe Amatangelo, who expanded on elements that players can look forward to when the expansion releases.
Episode 25: For Real Though, Just Be Kind
June 14, 2023 13:39 - 1 hour - 86.4 MBI’m your host, Alex, joined this week by Charles and Adrian. This week, we’re talking about hobby intimidation. What creates it? How do you deal with it? All that good stuff. But first, we dive into some of the new games announced at the showcases this week.
INTERVIEW: Exploring CS:GO and Dallas' Esports History with Sean Clark
June 14, 2023 02:13 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBWhen it comes to esports, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is one of the leaders. In fact, Counter-Strike has been one of the mainstay first-person-shooter drivers since the birth of esports. This is what makes the Intel Extreme Masters Dallas tournaments all the more interesting and fulfilling at Dreamhack Dallas 2023. At the convention, we spoke with Sean Clark, Senior Director of the Counter-Strike ecosystem at ESL Faceit Group (EFG), about the longevity of Counter-Strike, the i...
INTERVIEW: Embracing GGForAll At Dreamhack Dallas 2023 With Claudia Beaton
June 06, 2023 00:43 - 22 minutes - 15.1 MBWhen it comes to esports, it's important to make the experience inclusive. Gaming, at its core, is for everyone no matter who they are. Because of this, it's fantastic to see ESL Faceit Group (EFG) invest time and commitment to their GGForAll initiative, which aims to fulfill one of the organization's pillars: Universal participation. At Dreamhack Dallas 2023, we got the chance to talk with Claudia Beaton, the Vice President of People and Culture at EFG. Beaton's role is leading diversity, ...
Episode 24: Reviewing Reviewer's Reviews
June 01, 2023 17:23 - 52 minutes - 72.4 MBThis week, Alex, Kate, and Katherine dive into the world of reviews. Are they necessary? Do you read them? And what's better, a binary Rotten and Fresh or a grading scale of any kind? In this episode, the crew breaks down how the depreciating of reviews in our more connected world may be connected to falling media literacy and of course, bite-sized TikTok videos and more.
But Why Tho? Reviews The Little Mermaid
May 26, 2023 23:18 - 28 minutes - 27.4 MBDisney isn't stopping it's live actions any time soon, and the latest may just set a new standard! In this episode, But Why Tho? reviews The Little Mermaid (2023) and discuss what works about this live-action, what could be better, and whether or not you should head to the theater to see it. Kate's score? A 5/10, but Swara gives it an 8/10 - find out their differences and what they agree on. Follow Kate: https://twitter.com/ohmymithrandir Follow Swara: https://twitter.com/spiderswarz W...