An Audio Podcast of Questionable Distinction – Details, episodes & analysis

Rumble Falls is the kind of sleepy mining town where the neon flickers, the saxophone never sleeps, and somebody is always “accidentally” falling into a shaft. Into this glitter-dusted grit strolls a most 80s power-couple: Tycho Brahe—yes, the 16th-century Danish astronomer with the polished brass nose—reborn by unexplained TV science and forever quoting the heavens, and Mrs. Longfellow—cocktail-wielding socialite, magazine maven, and problem-solver who can spot a murder motive faster than she can finish a bourbon. Think Hart to Hart chemistry, Simon & Simon stakeouts, and Murder, She Wrote coincidence—all poured over crushed ice and served with a cheeky umbrella. 

 The unaired two-hour pilot drops our lovers into “A Case of Miss Dynamite,” where a pageant queen goes boom, a mayor sweats rosewater, and a foreman insists a lit stick of dynamite is a “romance candle.” Crane shots you can practically hear, freeze-frame laughs you can definitely feel, and a theme song that says “lighthearted crime show” before the first commercial bumper. Tycho charts trajectories and blood spatter like star maps; Mrs. Longfellow reads people like a society page. The clues point left-handed, the alibis go right out the window, and every time Tycho’s about to solve it, she solves him instead. Do they crack the case? Eventually. Do they sizzle? Constantly. (Cue the rim-lit promo still, police tape just out of focus, and a jet that keeps “turning around” for one more kiss.) 

 In true 80s fashion, the town’s brass can’t stand them, the townsfolk adore them, and the captions were supposed to explain everything… not that anyone read those during the key change. The result is a gloriously anachronistic, neon-noir valentine to prime-time sleuthing: part telescope, part tumbler, all chemistry. 

Credits (1985 pilot)

• Written & Directed by Tom Konkle
• Produced by Tom Konkle and Kurtis Bedford (Mindstream Audio)
• Stephanie Dulli … Mrs. Longfellow
• Tom Konkle … Tycho Brahe
• Jude Gerard Prest … Mayor Gribbons
• Kurtis Bedford … Lt. Hassellhoff
• Jill Maglione … Darla / Barmaid
• David Beeler … Foreman Steve
• Andy Hartson-Bowyer … Narrator

(Never aired. Cult status inevitable.)

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Comedy - Faux-cumentary    Podcast episode from Radio that explores the baffling, invisible world of certain radio genres. Through interviews with delusional producers, haunted technicians, and emotionally unstable tap soloists, this satirical audio documentary uncovers the lost legacy of those who danced for the ears… and sometimes against common sense.  The Radio Dance Teams is a tribute to the forgotten, the footlighted, and the deeply confused. Written, Edited, and Directed by Tom Konkle  

Cast (in alphabetical order):

• Kurtis Bedford as Clarence Klomper / Bobby “Big Breath” Mulligan / Big Tony Radio Announcer 3
• David Beeler as Foxtrot Radio Announcer 2 / Neville Spon
• Jude Gerard Prest as Big Tony Two Feet / Radio Critic
• Tom Konkle as Cecil Periwinkle / Various Radio Announcers / Ventriloquist and Dummy / Disenchanted Dancer
• Les Marsden as Trev Coddlington
• Jill Manglione as Doris Mabel “Mabby” Smoot-Haversham / Midge / Mabel Dobbins / Chesty
• Pete Lutz as Intro Announcer / Edgar
• Zander Schaus as Skip McDaniel
• Stephanie Stearns Dulli as Glenda / Dorothy “Dotty” Sweeney / Myrtle Finkelbaum
• Gino C. Vianelli as Lorne Cagney / Sid Gersback

Music, sound sound effects editing and post sound by Tom Konkle 

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Comedy - Proving that he can, on occasion, recall where he’s stashed his most ingenious inventions, Dr. Zarkov cobbles together some last-minute scientific marvel that prevents Sky City from plummeting dramatically into the lower atmosphere. The Hawkmen, who had previously thought of Earthlings as barely bipedal amateurs, are suddenly singing Zarkov’s praises in slightly off-key harmonic squawks.

Meanwhile, amid the chirpy gratitude and relative lack of impending doom, Prince Baron experiences a significant epiphany upon gazing at Princess Aura—namely that she’s rather lovely and he’d fancy a future not entirely dominated by Ming the Merciless. In what passes for true romance in the cosmos, he attempts to woo her with tales of heroic escapades and the occasional well-timed smoulder.

But will everyone manage to ignore the looming threat of Ming long enough for Baron and Aura to exchange meaningful, starry-eyed glances? Almost certainly, yes—because with a city no longer at risk of falling on unsuspecting passersby, there’s clearly time for a spot of interplanetary courtship.

Flash Gordon was played by Tom Konkle, later famous for nothing in particular. The cast also included Bob Clendenin as Dr. Zarkov and Kurtis Bedford as Ming the Merciless,  Jude Gerard Prest as Prince Baron, Tanya Johnson as Dale Arden and Theresa Ireland as Princess Aura .  And Zander Schaus as many! The radio series broke with the strip continuity in the last two episodes, when Flash, Dale and Zarkov returned to Earth. The announcer is Tom Konkle.  Sound effects by Vince Colavitti.   Music by Bryan Arata.   The show script was adapted by Tom Konkle.

The comic strip was adapted into The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon, a 26-episode weekly radio serial. The series followed the strip very closely, amounting to a week-by-week adaptation of the Sunday strip for most of its run. 

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Comedy - In a dramatic display of avian-inspired displeasure, the famously feather-brained Hawkmen of Sky City have clapped Flash Gordon and company into a prison that is, quite literally, floating on a cloud. Naturally, none of our heroes had the forethought to pack parachutes or anti-gravity underpants—though Dr. Zarkov swears he was working on a prototype (if only he could remember where he put it).

Now, trapped high above the swirling mists, Flash, Dale, Aura, and Barin must negotiate their freedom with a race who believe that having wings automatically makes you superior, not to mention just a tad huffy. Will Flash’s charm and a well-timed escape plan be enough to sway their captors, or will our heroes become permanent occupants of the world’s most precariously positioned birdcage? Only time—and a healthy disregard for gravity—will tell.

Flash Gordon was played by Tom Konkle, later famous for nothing in particular. The cast also included Bob Clendenin as Dr. Zarkov and Kurtis Bedford as Ming the Merciless, Jude Gerard Prest as Prince Baron, Tanya Johnson as Dale Arden and Theresa Ireland as Princess Aura . And Zander Schaus as many! The radio series broke with the strip continuity in the last two episodes, when Flash, Dale and Zarkov returned to Earth. The announcer is Tom Konkle. Sound effects by Vince Colavitti. Music by Bryan Arata. #flashgordon #scifi #comedy #melbrooks #woodyallen 

 The comic strip was adapted into The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon, a 26-episode weekly radio serial. The series followed the strip very closely, amounting to a week-by-week adaptation of the Sunday strip for most of its run. 

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Comedy - After somehow escaping Ming’s clutches, Flash and Princess Aura are captured by Prince Baron, who never get around to forming an alliance against Ming. Having returned from an “off-screen” escapade involving the Shark Men—who, it turns out, are deeply unimpressed by Flash’s attempts at small talk—our dashing hero and the ever-resourceful Princess Aura find themselves unceremoniously nabbed by Prince Barin. Meanwhile, Dr. Hans Zarkov, who was presumably rummaging for a misplaced spanner, is revealed to be locked up by the very same Prince. It’s all quite awkward.

However, in a grand gesture that might have something to do with Barin realising Flash could actually be useful, the three unite to dethrone Ming the Merciless. The plan? Why, tunneling straight into Ming’s palace, of course. And if that’s not a brilliant strategy, then nothing is—except, possibly, not tunneling into a villain’s front room unannounced.

 Flash Gordon was played by Tom Konkle, later famous for nothing in particular. The cast also included Bob Clendenin as Dr. Zarkov and Kurtis Bedford as Ming the Merciless,  Jude Gerard Prest as Prince Baron, Tanya Johnson as Dale Arden and Theresa Ireland as Princess Aura .  And Zander Schaus as many! The radio series broke with the strip continuity in the last two episodes, when Flash, Dale and Zarkov returned to Earth. The announcer is Tom Konkle.  Sound effects by Vince Colavitti.   Music by Bryan Arata.  

 The comic strip was adapted into The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon, a 26-episode weekly public domain radio serial. The series followed the strip very closely, amounting to a week-by-week adaptation of the Sunday strip for most of its run. 

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Comedy -  Armed with nothing but his heroic chin, a questionable understanding of astrophysics, and a spaceship that runs on whatever’s left in the glove compartment, Flash is whisked away to the nefarious planet of Mongo, where the diabolical Emperor Ming the Mildly Irritating has a cunning plan to do something probably quite bad. But first—paperwork! 

Written and  Produced by Tom Konkle and Kurtis Bedford.
Starring Tom Konkle as Flash Gordon, Stephanie Stearns Dulli as Dale Arden,  Kurtis Bedford as Ming, Messenger, Red-Monkeyman and Announcer, Jude Gerard Prest as Prince Baron and Announcer, Gino C. Vianelli as Thune and Bob Clendenin as Dr Zarkov, Red-Monkeyman and Ming Slave. 
Music by Bryan Arata. 
Directed and edited by Tom Konkle 

Quite unexpectedly (as these things tend to be), an entirely new planet has sidled into our solar system, graciously promising to collide with Earth at its earliest convenience. Dr. Hans Zarkov, who by now must be on some cosmic watch list for Very Peculiar Scientists, greets the crisis by pointing a gun at Flash Gordon and Dale Arden and bundling them into his rocket. As you do.

They soon land on the curiously named planet Mongo, presided over by the diabolical Emperor Ming the Merciless—whose mercilessness might, in polite company, be described as “thorough.” Ming whips up a casual bit of gladiatorial entertainment, pitting Flash against a herd of Monkey Men who have evidently skipped several important lessons in etiquette. Fortunately, Princess Aura (who clearly has a thing for chiselled but slightly confused heroes) intervenes to save our intrepid Earthling.

Meanwhile, the Lion Men choose this very moment to attack Ming’s palace with their state-of-the-art Space Gyros, causing general havoc, flamboyant yowling, and property damage of truly cosmic proportions. Teaming up with the charismatic Prince Thun—who wields a delightful line in heroic one-liners—Flash dashes off to rescue Dale from Ming’s forced wedding, thus ensuring that planetary collisions, interstellar politics, and bizarre monkey-based sporting events are all suitably thwarted in time for tea.

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Comedy - A holiday comedy podcast, Dr. John H. Watson recounts a delightfully absurd mystery that tests Sherlock Holmes' renowned deductive skills and Watson's digestive endurance. Set in the bustling streets of Victorian London, Holmes and Watson are thrust into a baffling case involving the spontaneous detonation of Christmas puddings across the city. As London’s festive spirit is marred by explosive desserts, the duo must unravel the bizarre occurrences before the holiday season crumbles into chaos.

Holmes, ever the eccentric genius, is distracted by philosophical musings on pudding explosions and the deeper meaning of Christmas cheer, while Watson struggles to convince him that he might be more involved in the case than he realizes. Between sarcastic banter, off-key violin solos, and a crescendo of chaos, the pair find themselves navigating a convoluted plot involving a taxidermied peacock, botched seances, and a villainous Professor Moriarty, who has set his sights on London’s left shoes.

As the puddings continue to explode and Holmes' theories grow more elaborate, it becomes a race against time to save London’s Christmas from a culinary catastrophe. Full of witty repartee, hilarious misunderstandings, and absurd twists, The Case of the Exploding Christmas Puddings is a fast-paced comedy caper that serves up a hearty helping of festive fun—complete with an extra dollop of chaos, custard, and a side of mystery.

An Audio Podcast of Questionable Distinction presents the Mindstream Players Christmas Special.   Written, edited, mixed and directed by Tom Konkle     Starring Kurtis Bedford and Dr. John Watson, Tom Konkle as Sherlock Holmes, Stephanie Stearns Dulli as Mrs. Hudson, Lady Arabella, Penelope Chutney-Featherstone, Pete Lutz and Barnaby Winklethorpe, Jude Gerard Prest as Figgy, Gino C. Vianelli as Humphery Carruthers, Bob Clendenin and Algernon Butterworth, and ????? as Madam Zepyra.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TomKonkle

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Comedy - In this darkly comedic and utterly irreverent retelling of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge faces not only the ghosts of his past, present, and future but also the chaos of a world gone delightfully mad. Written by Tom Konkle and Kurtis Bedford, this hilarious parody keeps the spirit of Dickens' classic while adding a twisted modern edge.

On Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley, who attempts to deliver the typical message of redemption but is instead caught in a negotiation with Scrooge over fees for haunting services. As Marley struggles to convey the seriousness of Scrooge’s impending visitations, Scrooge remains obsessed with financial matters, turning the haunting into an absurd conversation about ghostly economics.

As the night unfolds, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts, each more ridiculous than the last. The Ghost of Christmas Past attempts to conjure emotional nostalgia but is met with Scrooge’s sarcastic jabs and an obsession with Bella Lugosi. The Spirit of Christmas Present arrives in a literal present-shaped package, only to be drawn into a series of increasingly juvenile jokes. Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrives in a bizarre twist—a mime, communicating Scrooge’s grim future in awkward silence.

The madness escalates as Scrooge, now filled with a twisted version of holiday cheer, embarks on a rampage through London. Hilarity ensues as he steals a prized turkey from a butcher shop, flees from the law, and wreaks havoc at the Cratchit household. Bob Cratchit and his family are dragged into Scrooge’s chaotic spree, culminating in a wild showdown where Christmas spirit is expressed through gunfire and deranged laughter.

With sharp wit, absurd characters, and relentless comedic energy, The Haunting of Ebenezer Scrooge or The Festivus Incident offers an outrageous take on a beloved holiday story.  Scrooge like you've never seen before—armed, dangerous, and full of misguided Christmas cheer.

 Written by Tom Konkle and Kurtis Bedford.  Directed by Tom Konkle.  Starring David Beeler as Scrooge - Tom Konkle as Marley,  Bartholomew Troutingstone , the old BBC film projector narrator, Police Constable, Mrs. Cratchit - Kurtis Bedford as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Bah, Boy outside window, Bob Cratchit,  Santa - Michael Neill as Fred, and The Ghost of Christmas Present - Bob Clendenin as Ghost of Christmas to Come, Tiny Tim - Jude Gerard Prest as Show Narrator, Humbug, London Paper Boy and carolers Jim Blanchette and Lisa Wyett.  Sound mix by Vince Colavitti.    Edited by Tom Konkle

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#merrychristmas # #scrooge #AChristmasCarol #TheGoonShow #MontyPython #comedy #audiobook #funny  #christmas #holidaypodcast #annualholiday #podcast #comedy

#parody

#humor

#Britishcomedy

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Live Drama - Orson Welles’ radio portrayal of The Shadow, particularly in the episode titled The Three Ghosts, is a standout in classic radio drama. Originally aired on October 31, 1937, this Halloween episode follows the mysterious vigilante, The Shadow (alias Lamont Cranston, played by Welles), as he investigates a series of eerie events involving three supposedly vengeful ghosts haunting an old mansion.

In the story, The Shadow uncovers that the “hauntings” are part of a sinister plot by a group of criminals using superstition and fear to cover up their illegal activities. Using his iconic powers of invisibility and his “clouding men’s minds,” The Shadow reveals the truth and brings the villains to justice.

Lamont Cranston / The Shadow – Tom Konkle
Margo Lane – Jill Maglione
Professor Snead / 1940s Announcer – Pete Handelman
Spike Collins / Newspaper Man / Mr. Barclay /Officer – Kurtis Bedford
Caroline Snead / Miss White / – Maray Ayres
Commissioner Weston - John Strysik
Mr. Wilson - No one...
Adapted and Directed by Tom Konkle  Sound effects live by Kurtis Bedford and John Strysik. Music by Bryan Arata.
Performed live at The Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles

 October 31, 1937  The Shadow episode was originally performed by 

• Orson Welles as The Shadow (Lamont Cranston)
• Agnes Moorehead as Margot Lane

A recently married woman is brought to madness while living in her husband's creepy manor. He is really a crook who has altered her Last Will and Testament for his benefit and is now trying to scare the new bride to death.

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Live Drama - H.P. Lovecraft’s The Rats in the Walls is one of his most acclaimed and chilling tales, first published in 1924 in Weird Tales magazine. The story follows Delapore, an American who moves to England to restore his ancestral estate, Exham Priory, a medieval mansion that has fallen into disrepair. As Delapore settles in, he begins hearing disturbing sounds—the incessant scurrying of rats behind the walls. Driven by these noises, he uncovers a horrifying secret about his family’s dark history and the ancient, malevolent forces lurking beneath the mansion.

The story is celebrated for its Gothic atmosphere and slow-building horror, expertly blending psychological dread with supernatural elements. Lovecraft uses themes of inherited guilt and the concept of ancient evil to explore how the past haunts the present. 

DELAPORE - Pete Handelman, NORRYS - Tom Konkle, MR BAKER - Kurtis Bedford, MRS BAKER - Jill Maglione, ANNOUNCER - Kurtis Bedford, ALICE - Jill Maglione,
JOAN - Mary Ayres.  Directed by Tom Konkle. Adapted by John Strysik. Live sound effects by Kurtis Bedford and John Strysik.

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