Disneyland Adventures on Xbox Kinect

On Ken P. D. Snydecast #163: Holiday Shebangery the boys talk a lot about video games in Walt Disney theme parks.
Dana laments that they haven't just made a video game where you walk around Disneyland.


Since then, XBOX has:

The Disneyland Adventures game for the XBOX360 Kinect is about the closest thing to actually being there.

Basically every square inch of the Anaheim Disneyland park has been created in a virtual world. You can walk by and see the buildings, trash cans, restaurants and ride facades. It's a pretty remarkable recreation.

Take a look at these videos just showing a walk around of some of the different lands:










The downside to the realism is that you can't just hop on and pretend to ride most of the attractions.
Some of them, like King Arthur's Carousel and Astro Orbiter do work that way, but most of the rides represented in the game are "based on" the original ride and play more like a goofy kids game than an actual ride on, say Haunted Mansion.

The attractions that appear as playable games are:

Alice in Wonderland 

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 

Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters 

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage 

Haunted Mansion Pixie Hollow 

It's a Small World 

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 

Matterhorn Bobsleds 

Peter Pan's Flight 

Pirates of the Caribbean 

Disney Princess Fantasy Faire 

Space Mountain 

Splash Mountain 

Jungle Cruise

Here is a look at the game play of the Haunted Mansion:

The Kinect is sorta like the Wii only the XBOX can see and hear you, so you don't hold a controller. I find the  controls far more responsive than the Wii too.
I also find that I would rather sit on the couch and hold a controller... but that's my problem.
Basically when you stand in front of your XBOX and move your leg, your character moves his leg in the same fashion.
You can't flip off Mickey Mouse in the game, however, I tried. It doesn't let you.
But you can hug Cinderella too... but you can't touch her there... or there... or there...
Oh well. 

#LesserDarths

Over on Twitter Ken was tweeting about #LesserDarths:

I always liked Darth Barth.

To follow Ken, Dana and anyone else involved with The Ken P. D. Snydecast click here.

Songs for Helping VI: Unknown

Episode VI of Dana's "Songs for Helping" is out!

Check out all the episodes on the "Songs for Helping page on the Adult Swim website at: www.adultswim.com

Ken's New Year tweets

As midnight approached, Ken sent this out:



Zac Knutson, who's distain for for Home Town Buffet was mentioned on the most recent Snydecast, responded:



Shortly before midnight we got this:



Then after midnight he sent out this:



Welcome to 2012, Ken, may it be The Year of the Plume.

Ringing in the New Year with The Snydecast

This article was originally posted on 12/31/2010


As we look forward to 2012, take a look back to 1949. This wonderful movie theater promo features the death of Old Man 1949 and a bunch of guys singing to us as they sit on a champagne glass.


Here are some of the New Year podcasts that the boys have produced in the past - with original descriptions from asitecalledfred.com:

12/31/2009 KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #128: Trust Us That It’s Happy New Year

Ken & Dana return with their year-end wrap-up, wherein much bitterness and recrimination is wiped away, to be replaced by all new bitterness and recrimination. Huzzah!

1/10/2009 Ken P. D. Snyde-Cast #77: My Name Is Fish

Ken & Dana return to greet a brand new year with an ostensible year-in-review, but instead get to chatting and a bickering with each other in an over-long episode packed with something. Lots of something…

12/31/2007 KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #30: Year In Revue

Dana & Ken return after another of their epic absences with a special look back at the year, plus a pledge for the year ahead.

1/26/2007 Ken P. D. Snyde-Cast #23: Are You Having Any Fun?

[adult swim]’s Dana Snyder and Ken Plume’s weekly chat podcast returns with discussions of obscure menu items at landmark Hollywood restaurants, some movie that Dana has coming up, Ken’s attempts to conquer the ukulele, and more…

Of Muppets and Men

Have you been listening to all of Ken's "Bit of a Chat" podcasts? He has, as usual, been cranking them out at an astonishing pace.

On one of the recent ones, A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Wyatt Cenac there is a bunch of talk about The Muppets. Check it out and you can hear Ken's thoughts the new Muppet flick.

It's a well thought out critique that sums up what many of us Muppet films thought.

In addition, the wonderful documentary "Of Muppets and Men" is talked about. I think everyone should check out this wonderful film. If you like the Muppets or are interested in what goes on behind the scenes in television make sure and check this out:

PHOTOS: Jack Benny

If you are a long time listener to the Ken P. D. Snydecast, you have certainly heard Ken and Dana talk about their fondness of Mr. Jack Benny.

KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #53: Fleet Feet And All You Can Eat starts off with Ken's impersonation of Eddie "Rochester" Anderson (Jack Benny's valet on the radio and TV series The Jack Benny Show.)
Then the boys discuss Jack's comedy techniques and what made him so successful.

On KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #142: iFail Dana discusses his purchase of an iPad. At around the 12 minute mark Ken breaks into an impression of Jack Benny and Rochester at the Apple store.

More recently Dana discussed his birthday in KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #160: Scratch Fever and his desire to follow in Benny's footsteps when it comes to mentioning his age.
Jack Benny famously always said he was 39 years old no matter how old he was.

Below are a handful of beautiful images of Jack from Life.com.

First, from 1959, it's Jack and President Truman. Check out the cue cards on the right:

Direct link to this image here.


Next from 1952 is a photo described as "Comedian Jack Benny sitting on floor w. pile of fake money, looking stunned; in this skit from "The Jack Benny Show," he is counting money he supposedly lent to William Paley and CBS and which they have returned to him via armored truck.":

Direct link to this image here.


From 1961, this next picture shows Jack Benny acting as pallbearer for Gary Cooper's funeral:

Direct link to this image here.

Finally, this 1959 photo is described as "Comedian Jack Benny (L) relaxing under painting of Abraham Lincoln after taping his TV show.":

Direct link to this image here.

I hope you enjoyed these photos. Make sure to go to Life.com and check out the many wonderful photos they have online.

Cannonball Run & Smokey and The Bandit

On Ken PD Snydecast #118: It’s A Gas Ken and Dana chat about two of the most awesome action/comedy films ever made.





THAT is a great double feature!

Songs for Helping V: Mobile

Episode V of Dana's "Songs for Helping" is up!

Check it out on the "Songs for Helping page on the Adult Swim website at: www.adultswim.com

Hey, Hey, It's Knishmas!

Here is a neat Dana Snyder TV appearance that hasn't been bootlegged to YouTube.

It HAS been bootlegged to Vimeo.

From 2008, this is the  Chowder  special Christmas episode "Hey Hey It's Knishmas".

Dana Snyder plays Gazpacho who in turn is playing Knish Kringle:


It's a silly parody of Christmas about a Santa like character who vomits presents for you if you are good (and make a good smingerbread house.)

If you are bad he goes into a terrible rage and destroys your smingerbread house.


Chowder - Hey, Hey It's Knishmas! from CHOWDER on Vimeo.

A Snydley Christmas

Digging through the archives of the site I found this pair of videos that John J. posted many years ago.

They are certainly worth another look:

Dana Snyder Christmas

Jack Benny Goes Christmas Shopping

This article was originally posted 12/20/2010.

If you are a long time listener to the Ken P. D. Snydecast, you have certainly heard Ken and Dana talk about their fondness of Mr. Jack Benny.

KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #53: Fleet Feet And All You Can Eat starts off with Ken's impersonation of Eddie "Rochester" Anderson (Jack Benny's valet on the radio and TV series The Jack Benny Show.)
Then the boys discuss Jack's comedy techniques and what made him so successful.

On KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #142: iFail Dana discusses his purchase of an iPad. At around the 12 minute mark Ken breaks into an impression of Jack Benny and Rochester at the Apple store.

More recently Dana discussed his birthday in KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #160: Scratch Fever and his desire to follow in Benny's footsteps when it comes to mentioning his age.
Jack Benny famously always said he was 39 years old no matter how old he was.

So, how familiar are you with Jack Benny? Had you heard of him before you started to listen to the Ken P. D. Snydecast? Did you just know his name from the scene in Back to the Future when Doc assumes that if Ronald Reagan became President, Jack Benny must be secretary of the treasury? BTW, Doc's line was a rather witty joke since Jack's character was notoriously cheap.

Whether you have seen Jack Benny on his TV show or in movies, or if you only have a vauge knowlege of him; or if you are so young that Back to the Future seems like it was in the stone age and you aren't totally sure who that Ronald Reagan cat was, I have a treat for you.

Jack Benny Goes Christmas Shopping is one of the very best episodes of The Jack Benny Show and possibly the funniest Christmas special of all time.

It features Jack and Rochester along with a great cast of comedic actors:

Frank Nelson who's comic "yeeesssss" was often featured on both Jack Benny's show and Sanford & Son.




Charlie Cantor who plays a lingerie salesman who is uncomfortable touching the garments with his bare hands- especially the black ones.




And Mel Blanc who steals the show playing a wallet salesman descending into madness. Watch closely towards the end of the episode. When Mel starts rolling, even Jack can't help but laugh.


Go ahead, give it a look and next time Ken and Dana start to talk about the greatness of Jack Benny you will know why.

Brian Blessed as Santa

If you're like me, all you know about Brian Blessed is that Ken likes to imitate him and... uh... well, that's all I know about him.

This next clip wont teach you anything, but it does prove that Ken's impression is dead on.

Blessed appears just before the 2 minute mark.

Sydecast Christmases of the Past

Portions of this article were originally posted 12/22/2011.
There is still time for a new Christmas Snydecast for 2011, but in the meantime, this oldie is definitely a Christmas classic.
KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #22: Part 1 - Holiday-a-Go-Go and KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #22: Part 2 - Holiday-a-Gone-Gone are the two parts of a wonderful musical Christmas journey.

Recorded back to back in 2006, these episodes feature Dana and Ken sharing songs from their holiday CD mixes. You get a sample of a most of the songs they mailed out that year.

First you get to hear Ken as David Seville and Alvin, Simon and Theodore. The words "Go to Hell, Dave" have never sounded so adorable.


Barry Gordon's "Zoomah, The Santa Claus From Mars" and Troy Hess' "Christmas on the Moon" compliment each other perfectly with wacky space themed holiday tunes warbled by kids.


Also on the boys' CDs are a pair of monster themed songs 'A Monster's Holiday' and 'Monster Christmas Mash'.

Dana and Ken go through most of the tracks on each of their CDs. Ken's features music he found listenable.
Dana found his CD, of mostly novelty tunes, to be more listenable.
For example Ken included a track by the Flaming Lips. Dana's reaction to it is priceless.

These episodes are great to spin as you wrap presents or a background to your office holiday party.

You get a little bit of Christmas music and a lot of bickering. Enjoy KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #22: Part 1 - Holiday-a-Go-Go and KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #22: Part 2 - Holiday-a-Gone-Gone.

As a bonus, here is one of Dana's selections Crackerjack Christmas (by Captain Kangaroo) in it's entirety:

VIDEO: KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #75: The Christmas Horn

I posted this video at the end of the summer, but with Christmas fast approaching (and Hanukkah starting today) now seems like the right time to revisit this video.

The video features audio from KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #75: The Christmas Horn where Ken and Dana discussed favorite Christmas presents and favorite toys in general.