The first half of this week’s show is all about the art and craft and future of podcasting! Storyteller Dave Pickering joins us from his home in Lancaster in the north of England to talk about his brilliant podcasts (“Getting Better Acquainted”, “Down to a Sunless Sea”, “The Family Tree” and more), about college lectures he gives about podcasting, about where he sees the art form at present, and what he thinks the future might hold. Actress Lily Holleman drops by in the second half of the show to reveal her Screen Actors Guild Awards ballot and to discuss what she looks for in performances. A whole bunch of great movies and performers get discussed. Great podcasts and great movies – truly two of our favorite things!

This week’s show really puts the “Hollywood” into YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour! The cold open starts with a quick, wicked and insightful recap of the Writers Guild of America winners for Best Original and Best Adapted screenplays. Spring has sprung and your friends in podcasting are high energy, high-stepping their way through remembrances of 3 actors, a journalist, a beloved children’s book author, a Tuskegee Airman, and the inventor of cassette tapes, as well through a diversity-inspired round of their almost weekly celebration of vintage movie ads from the 1980s and 90s! From there, Dean and Phil set sail for the “Season of Self-Congratulation”, focusing on the forthcoming Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Oscars. They discuss such TV shows as “Ted Lasso”, “Dead to Me” and “The Crown” and such movies as Minari, The Father, Da 5 Bloods, Wonder Woman 1984, Zack Snyder’s Justice League and more! All that plus several of the best directors working in film today: Christopher Nolan, Chloe Zhao and Kelly Reichardt.

Pop quiz: What do an Oscar-winning writer-editor, four dead actors, the story of how William Shatner became a star, 3 hilarious movie ads from the 1980s, anti-trust lawsuits pitting writers against actors, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Independent Spirit Awards, a graphic novel, and the brother of presidential assassin James Wilkes Booth have in common? They are all a part of this week’s episode of YOUR Chillpak Hollywood Hour!

Phil just got back from two weeks in Northern California, so Dean and he have almost too much show for one hour! From utilizing Phil’s training as a Violence Prevention Specialist in discussing issues of relationship violence as they pertain to Chris Brown and Rihanna … To answering a question from loyal listener The Sicillian about casting directors and the auditioning prcoess … From discussing the late Ron Silver’s claims that his career was unjustly derailed due to his own conservative politics … To the continued in-fighting between factions vying for control of the economic sinking ship that is (or used to be) the Screen Actors Guild … This Chillpak Hollywood Hour is so filled with hard-hitting news analysis, you’ll swear you’re listening to NPR.

Phil just got back from rubbing elbows with the D.C. social set. Dean stayed in town and hit a Hollywood party and hit it hard based on the stories he shares (Fran Drescher? Poop? Three bottles of champagne?). In addition to comparing notes on their holiday hijinx, Dean and Phil discuss the many films they’ve seen during the past two weeks. Phil saw several foreign language films, including a couple of fantastic ones you won’t want to miss. Dean reveals he saw The Spirit. This makes Phil very angry. Truth be told, though, from the Screen Actors Guild to Proposition 8, from people not knowing history to Dean’s viewing habits, Phil really comes out swinging … The boys are back and 2009 can finally begin!

Dean and Phil are off to Olandar tonight for a special reading of Phil’s new screenplay, but before they go, they’ve checked into the offices to record a special birthday episode. Join Dean in helping Phil celebrate as Phil turns The New 30! Dean also catches us up on the latest adventures filming Rough Hustle on location in Nevada. Dean and Phil discuss the James Bond franchise, the “Star Trek” franchise and Twilight. They also briefly touch on the impending Screen Actors Guild strike. Forgive a few occasional glitches in audio quality during the show. They don’t last long and we promise to get to the bottom of things once we sober up from Phil’s birthday celebrations!