Hot Tots!

Dear Ken & Dana,

Congratulations on 200 episodes! It's been quite a wild ride.

To celebrate, and because, in Dana's words, "You know, I'm a health nut," I decided to make Hot Tots, which I'm sure will be the new Ken PD Snydecast signature dish, alongside Dana's French Onion soup and the Ken PD Snydewich.

They turned out quite well! (pictures and recipe attached). I also donated another $50, or 25 cents per episode, to help keep the lights on a little longer. Just consider it a drop in the tip jar.

Here's to another 200!

Keenahn Jung

PS: When Guy posts this to the Experience, please use my full name as I would love for this to be one of the first results when someone Google's me.

Hot Tots! Serves 2

Ingredients:
20-30 frozen tater tots, thawed and room temperature
1 tablespoon Montreal Steak seasoning or Lawry's seasoning salt
2 Nathan's hot dogs
1 large egg
Flour
Oil for deep frying

Special equipment:
Deep fryer or a pot and deep frying thermometer

Preparation:
1) In a large mixing bowl, add the tater tots, egg, and seasoning. Mash together by hand.

2) When thoroughly mixed, add in flour, a little at a time, until batter reaches a sticky consistency and sticks to your hands.

 3) At this time, start heating your oil in a deep fryer or a pot. I recommend peanut oil if you have it, but corn or canola will do as well. The temperature you are aiming for is 350 F or a little hotter (the oil will drop in temperature when you put stuff in it).

 4) Wrap each hot dog in a generous amount of batter, making sure to cover any gaps. Add more flour if the batter is not sticky enough.

5) Once the oil has reached 350 F, carefully (using a large spoon or other utensil) lower the Hot Tots into the oil, one at a time.

6) Keeping the oil close to 350 F, cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.

7) Remove the Hot Tots from the oil, drain any excess oil using paper towels. Serve immediately with ketchup and mustard (optional).

8) ENJOY!

Is Old El Paso salsa made in El Paso?

KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #200 poses the important question:

Is Old El Paso salsa made in El Paso?

It was...

In 1958 the the plant opened in the El Paso County community of Anthony, Texas, the Mexican food plant, popularly known as the Mountain Pass Cannery, provided not only jobs for generations of Texans and New Mexicans, but also a reliable stream of revenue for New Mexico farmers who supplied the plant's giant roasters with a harvest of fresh green chiles and jalapenos every year.

The plant closed in 2002. The company had been purchased by Betty Crocker (which is made by General Mills) and it was deemed more cost efficient to make the products at their existing plants.

On Snydecast 200, Ken wondered if the salsa was now made in New Jersey. It's possible, they do have a plant in Vineland, NJ:

But there are no plants in Texas.

Here are a couple of classic commercials for Old El Paso:

Dana's Tweets from El Paso

Dana's Beard

Dana did an interview from the El Paso convention.

It's funny and it gave us a look at his new beard:

Dana on the train...

As mentioned on Snydecast 200, Dana is at the Sun City Con in El Paso Texas.

He said he was excited to travel by train. I can see why:






Here it is again, slightly enhanced:

The Nerd

On KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #200: Hot Tots Dana mentions his upcoming performance in The Nerd at the Lyceum Theatre in Missouri. CLICK HERE FOR INFO AND TICKETS.

According to wiki, The Nerd  is a two-act comedy written by American actor/playwright Larry Shue. Actors who have taken on the title role include acclaimed British comedian Rowan Atkinson. It was the top grossing American play in London's West End in 1986.

The Nerd started in Milwaukee in 1981 and moved to Broadway for 441 performances from 1987 to 1988.

It starred Mark Hamill and Robert Joy and was directed by Charles Nelson Rielly.

Wouldn't you like to be at that party?

Anyway, its about a nerd that hangs out with a non-nerd and the bond they create with their differences. Should be like the Ken PD Snydecast... if one of them wasn't a nerd.

CLICK HERE FOR INFO AND TICKETS.

Poll is closed

On Snydecast 198 the boys have a debate over Ken's impression of Dana. They decide to let the listeners decide.

KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #200: Hot Tots

KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #200: Hot Tots is finally out!

It's the 200th episode! No special guest! No results of the Academy Awards contest!

It's nothing that was promised... so it's everything that we expect! The boys compare beards, talk about video games and party slush:

Go listen to it 200 times: KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #200: Hot Tots!

Ken's RedNoseNet Chat with Dana Snyder

At 12pm EST on Friday, March 1st, Ken started a 25 hour Bit of a Chat marathon. Almost 24 hours later Dana appeared.

At around 11:35 Ken dialed out to Dana... and got his answering machine.

Ken berated Dana's machine for a few minutes before Dana connected and said his phone had never rung.

They then went into a conversation about the lack of donations. So:

Go! Donate!

Anway, then then talked about Ken's state of exhaustion, pig anuses doubling as calimari, some octopus that Dana ate and Dana's trip to NYC.

All of the podcasts from that day are now available:
http://asitecalledfred.com/2013/04/23/comic-relief-red-nose-2013-chat/
Here is the direct link to Dana's episode:
A Bit of a Chat with Dana Snyder

Hong Kong Disneyland Mystic Manor Ride Through!

Dana tweeted this link last night.It's all about the new Mystic Manor attraction.

From wiki:
Mystic Manor (Traditional Chinese: 迷離大宅) is an upcoming Haunted Mansion-esque attraction in the planned Mystic Point section of Hong Kong Disneyland. The attraction will feature a "trackless" ride system, though what kind has not been specified. It is possible that it may be similar to the system used on Pooh's Hunny Hunt attraction, the vehicles of which move freely throughout the attraction through the use of a local positioning system. The attraction will feature a musical score by Danny Elfman. Continuing the Society of Explorers and Adventurers theme of Tokyo DisneySea, the attraction tells the story of Lord Henry Mystic and his monkey Albert. Having recently acquired an enchanted music box, Albert opens the box and brings everything inside the house to life.

Check it out:

Special Guest for Snydecast 200?

Ooooh! Who could it be? I hope it's Dana's wife, there to say 'hi' to the television audience.

Some of the Snydecast guests over the years have included Chip Duford, Widgett Walls, Brian and Aaron of Cabin Fever, Doc Hammer, Jay Wade Edwards and John Hodgman.

I'm hoping the guest is Talking Dennis Miller. 

The shirt wasn't received because it has to be made extra, extra small.

Dana to appear at Sun City con in El Paso, April 26-28

Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell

Last night Dana tweeted: New Adult Swim Live action show I'm in starting this THURSDAY! Definitely worth watching!

From the NYTimes (yep, THAT NYTimes!)

It’s A Devil of A Job

The History channel scored a ratings triumph with its mini-series “The Bible,” which built to the Crucifixion and a heavenward glance. Now Adult Swim has gone fishing for the same faith-based audience by looking in the other direction.

Ha ha; just kidding. “Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell,” the latest bite-size series to join Adult Swim’s late-night lineup, is certainly looking for an audience, but most assuredly not that one. The series, which has its premiere Thursday night, has the same demented take on the world — or, in this case, the underworld — as the programming block’s other shows, like “Childrens Hospital” and “Newsreaders.”

Gary (Henry Zebrowski), a bumbling “associate incubus in training,” is trying to advance his career in hell by snagging souls. The 15-minute episodes also include occasional glimpses into what eternal damnation might be like. In one Gary has an encounter with a man who seems doomed to be forever banging on a vending machine in which a selection has become hung up and won’t fall to the output tray. Hell indeed. NEIL GENZLINGER

Take a sneak peek:

Oh Dana Snyder, you crazy parole violator, you!

 Whoa! Take a gander at this tall drink of Snyder:

It's like the took a dash of wrestler Owen Hart:

 Added an ounce of Dolph Lundgren:

 Poured in a gallon of Klaus Kinksi:

 and let it simmer for 30 years!

A look at A Bit of a Chat 200

As we approach the 200th Snydecast, why not kick back and re-listen to A Bit of a Chat 200!

On the 200th, Ken chats with living legend Andy Richter about car banter, Conan, props, autographs  sitcoms, execs, watches, and more.

CHECK IT OUT

A Look back... KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #33: A Total Eclipse Of The Heart

As we approach the 200th episode of the Snydecast, here's a look at KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #33: A Total Eclipse Of The Heart!

This gem was originally posted March 7, 2008. It starts with a rambling discussion about images that had been sent in to the infamous logo contest.

Here is a sample of the back and forth on a particular contest entry:

Ken: It's not really split fifty-fifty, is it?
Dana: What do you mean?
Ken: Well, it is both of our podcasts… and… your picture is a little bit bigger.
Dana: Uh, what do you want?
Ken: In fact I almost look, kind of, crowded out.
Dana: You're welcome.
Ken: (chuckles) I'm kind of hurt by this.
Dana: You shouldn't be. You should be glad. That's the exact amount anyone can tolerate, right there.
Ken: Oh, I appreciate that, too.
Dana: And mine's all mouth.
Ken: Well they perfectly captured you, then. Didn't they?
Dana: Yeah. You look like- I don't know what the hell is going on with you. You look like an anime character.
Ken: ...mouth and I notice that everyone tries, you know, whenever they capture you it always has this really disturbing five o'clock shadow to it.
Dana: That is very true.
Ken: It's very… that and your Joker lips are kid of odd.
Dana: Well, I don't know about the Joker lips part as much. Those are pro-lips!
Ken: Yeah, yeah. They look like they might be on an inflatable doll.
Dana: Wow! What have you been thinking about, down in the basement, Plumey?
Ken: Yes. I've been thinking about making an inflatable Dana.
Dana: Wow. That's disturbing on several levels.



Later the conversation strays to a snag they encountered on the road to find Tommy Glasscock and the boys pitch a sitcom about a housebound morbidly obese man. The magic is capped off with Ken paying off that year's Oscar bet with a rendition of, you guessed it, A Total Eclipse Of The Heart.

It's worth a second listen, friends.

KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #33: A Total Eclipse Of The Heart

Don't Do Drugs, Kids!

McIntosh County Shouters

Dana recently tweeted mention of the death of Lawrence McKiver, the last original member of the McIntosh County Shouters.

Lawrence McKiver, a founder and the longtime lead singer of the McIntosh County Shouters, a Georgia group representing the last community in America to perform the traditional ring shout — a centuries-old black form of ecstatic worship that marries singing, percussion and movement — died on March 25 on St. Simons Island, Ga. He was 97.

From the NY Times:

The ring shout, rooted in the ritual dances of West Africa and forged by the Atlantic slave trade, is believed to be the oldest surviving African-American performance tradition of any kind. Centered in the Gullah-Geechee region of the coastal South, it differs from traditional black religious music in repertory, style and execution.

“The shouters, historically, had a separate body of songs that were used expressly and exclusively for the ring shout,” Art Rosenbaum, the author of “Shout Because You’re Free” (1998), a book about the tradition, said in an interview on Friday. “They are not the spirituals or gospel songs or hymns or jubilees that you’d hear in the church.”

 Mr. McKiver, the Shouters’ last original member, appeared with the group until he was in his mid-80s and was widely acknowledged as the ring shout’s chief custodian.

Here is a wonderful old track from the McIntosh County Shouters:




The group continued after McKiver's retirement and will continue on. Here is a more recent performance:

Go Vote

Dana sent this out on Twitter:

Go check it out and vote!

Posted by Guy Hutchinson

More Memories of Snydecast 1-199

In anticipation of Ken PD Snydecast 200, I asked Twitter for some of their memories of the past 199.

Here is a sampling of what you said:

Posted by Guy Hutchinson

A Look Back at Ken PD Snydecast 175

As we approach Snydecast 200, let's revisit a great moment from Snydecast 175.


Ken P.D. Snydecast #175 Stone Cold Stache featured talk about Dana's amazing mustache.

I made a tribute to our old friend.

 

A Look Back at Ken PD Snydecast 75

As Ken PD Snydecast 200 approaches, let's take a listen to part of  KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #75: The Christmas Horn where Ken and Dana discussed favorite Christmas presents and favorite toys in general.