Scandal Sheet

Enjoy the Video Version: https://bit.ly/4m1fOQN

This episode marries the previously released teaser with our in-depth conversation between Anuradha, myself, and frequent guest, professional composer/movie critic, JOHN HOEKSTRA. 56 minutes of informative and hilarious entertainment.

 Today, we think of the movie “Jaws” as a blockbuster game-changer in movie history. But back in 1973-1975, it appeared to be the biggest financial disaster in cinema history to producing company Universal Studios and many Hollywood insiders. Directed by a talented, but inexperienced and unknown filmmaker, Steven Spielberg, it appeared to be a runaway train leading the studio to eventual bankruptcy. The initial shooting schedule swelled from 55 days to 159 days. And the budget soared from $3.5 million to $12 million. Almost everything went wrong. Spielberg, an age 24 TV director, had no idea what he was doing on a project of this massive scale. They started with no useable script and they spent $1.5 million on a mechanical shark that mostly didn’t work while shooting. Also, there was drug and alcohol addiction among the major actors. How could the production of this movie possibly be worse? (Universal executives picked a very bad year to stop sniffing glue*.) And yes, it eventually became the most successful film of all time to that date – BUT HOW THE HECK DID THAT HAPPEN? We tell you the REAL story behind the scenes.

Our music is composed, preformed and produced by the genius John Hoekstra. You Tube https://shorturl.at/i1Q8h SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/user-363005792

Longtime actors for the pod join us for the cold open. Leonardo from Manhattan – please look up his podcast: arrivealivepodcast.com. And my co-host, Anuradha. Find here Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber.

* Extra points to anyone that gets that 1980 Paramount joke. Send responses to scandalsheetpod.com.

Find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Also, please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

WATCH THE GREAT VIDEO VERSION: https://bit.ly/456frNy

In advance of our full episode we offer this previously unknown and behind-the-scenes glimpse into 1970’s Hollywood movie politics. We dramatize a confrontation between two historical people, Sidney Sheinberg. President and CEO of both Universal Studios and the parent company, MCA, and Verna Fields, an unbelievably talented editor, that would influence how films were crafted going forward. Despite their adversarial relationship during “Jaws”, Sheinberg would eventually make Fields his head of production for all Universal Studios - a job never held by a woman before.

We tell you what you don’t know!

Longtime actors for the pod join us for this cold open. Leonardo from Manhattan – please look up his podcast: arrivealivepodcast.com. And my co-host, Anuradha. Find her Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber.

Find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Also, please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

Watch the Video Version: https://youtu.be/yAMYgCPjrd8

Despite its apparent opening weekend success, one person who has a very different view of this movie is a frequent guest of this podcast and a founding member of the Mets Mob, a popular baseball commentary trio in NYC. We are delighted to welcome back ROB (aka "Handsome Rob") from the Upper East Side of the Big Apple.

Find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Also, please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

Fantastic Video Version: https://bit.ly/44qQyfh

Who doesn’t love summer cooking and food? Ahhh…the smell of the grill and the sun on your face. We’ve been very serious lately so we’re going to lighten it up a little bit for the summer holidays  - with another cooking show. Yeah man! In this Part 1 episode, we feature my amazing co-host, Anuradha, cooking with HER MOTHER, Aruna. Soooo cool. Check it out. We also have a top Hollywood camera person, Mollie Helfand – one of my dearest friends on the planet - sharing one of her favorite summer recipes. Both of these recipes are easy, fast, and perfect for your next cook-out. Eat it up! Stay tuned for part 2 soon.

Find co-host, Anuradha’s Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber. Find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Also, pPlease reach out to us at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

Terrific Video Version: https://bit.ly/4mS3Cmg

A modern Shakespearean tragedy? Or Greek? On the occasion of the release a best-selling book on President Joe Biden’s last 8 months in office, we decided to examine whether the many accusations on Biden's mental health in the last year of his Presidency hold any water. If they actually do, what does that say about any influential national/global leader’s responsibility to step down, when they become physically/mentally impaired? The book we are referencing is entitled, “Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again”. Strangely, it is written by 2 authors who are often identified with the left-of-center press: Jake Tapper from CNN and Alex Thompson of Axios and CNN. Two “lefties” throw a Democrat under the bus????

In its 4 year history, “Scandal Sheet”, has stood by its pledge not to take sides with any running political candidate or sitting office-holder, of either party. We also steer away from contemporary partisan parties or their various policies. But this is not partisan politics. This is a unique scandal -- where loyal supporters, the press, and the general public were allegedly misled on the health of a top political leader. This is bigger than just politics. Former President Biden has been out of office and retired for almost 6 months. We believe the actions of his former administration - and its top insiders - is both fair game and worthy of thoughtful discussion. BUT we WILL NOT discuss or take positions on his policies or those of his political opponents, over his term.

Anuradha and I are joined by a 35-year marketing/data science specialist and executive for numerous Fortune 500 companies, Jim Mauer. He has also been a volunteer political activist for numerous candidate-specific campaigns, but not a party member. We welcome his unique insights.

Find co-host, Anuradha’s Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber. Jim is also a professional photographer: jmaurerphoto.com

Find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

AMAZING VIDEO VERSION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWvaQ1duFhE

HAPPY SUMMER KICK-OFF everyone! After the half-year we’ve all had, you all definitely deserve some time off... and a few laughs to boot. We have your new favorite – and funniest - beach listen right here. How does one of the cheapest, ultra-low budget comedy movies of all time become a billion-dollar franchise? We’re gonna tell you! As every movie studio in the world refused to finance this movie in 1974, the 6 young (then) Monty Python boys turned to top English rock/pop acts for seemingly hopeless angel investments. These bands essentially financed most of the film’s tiny budget. The investors included: Elton John, members of Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, and Jethro Tull. Who knew in 1975 that all these folks would eventually receive tens of $$millions in royalty checks? While “Holy Grail’s” ridiculously short 5 week production was extremely unlikely for a feature film, it went onto shape what we think of as comedy in 2025.

So, slather on the sunscreen, feel the wet sand on your toes, the warm gamma rays on your face, and prepare to be entertained by your friends at Scandal Sheet.

Find co-host, Anuradha’s Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber. We are joined by returning movie expert guest, Joseph Long. Check out Joe’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@cruiseonloc.

Find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/bPKX-lp21_8

America’s favorite mystery monster, Bigfoot, is now BIGGER and more popular than ever! Recently, there have been numerous Bigfoot reality shows on cable TV and streaming, featuring serious ‘cryptozoologist’ scientists, that have run for many years. Additionally, Bigfoot sightings have increased almost exponentially across the U.S. This has prompted the growth of annual conventions, attracting thousands of ordinary people, just to examine and debate the latest evidence. Polls suggest more people now believe in the factual existence of Bigfoot/Sasquatch than in whether UFO’s are extraterrestrials from another galaxy. Can many millions of hard-working Americans truly be this delusional?

Your friends here at Scandal Sheet dig into the newest dirt on this matter. We also cover the latest photographic evidence from this past March, published by NOOA, (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). They run the National Weather Service, among other things – so probably not crazy. We also revisit the 1967 Patterson-Gimlin film that started the modern Bigfoot hysteria: https://bit.ly/42LdFSm (stabilized version). WATCH if you haven’t seen. It will blow your mind.

And, if you missed our hilarious cold open SNL-style teaser, “Bigfoot’s Revenge” it’s included here at the front. Whether a skeptic, a believer or something else, you’ll find red meat entertainment and information on the growing Bigfoot frenzy in this episode.

Find co-host, Anuradha’s Instagram accounts: @anuradhaduz_food and @artist_anuradhachhibber. Our music is composed, preformed and produced by the genius John Hoekstra. You Tube https://shorturl.at/i1Q8h SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/user-363005792

You can now find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

Bigfoot is BIGGER than ever! In this teaser we imagine the “Big Is Beautiful Salon And Spa” - a White-Lotus style establishment catering exclusively to affluent Bigfoot/Sasquatch people…er, creatures…or whatever. Enjoy the laughs! Stay tuned for the complete episode coming soon.

GREAT VIDEO VERSION: https://bit.ly/42hIZb9

Often called, “the greatest American novel” today - why is this book such a scandal? Read on and then watch/listen! Though an initial publishing failure, the book that many of us (Boomers, X-ers, Millennials) were forced to read in high school English class, is having a great centennial birthday. Currently, the new Broadway/London musical adaption is the hottest ticket in theater. Additionally, the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio made almost $ ½ billion dollars. It also continues to sell over 500,000+ print copies per year, despite being one century old - making it one of the most successful books in all history (excluding the “Holy Bible”). The author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, was the highest paid and best reviewed writer in U.S, history, when “Gatsby” was first published in 1925 – and he was only 31. BUT, this book turned out to be a great disappointment in sales upon its initial release and helped lead to the author’s very early death. What went wrong? During WW2 – years after the author’s death - it experienced a great resurgence in popularity and has, today, become a multi-billion-dollar franchise with multiple movies, TV adaptions, and theater. But it’s author died tragically at only 44 and in poverty, with all his books out of print. My co-host and I - with the help of literary expert, Dylan Cuellar - attempt to unravel one of the most tragic mysteries in U.S. publishing history.

Find co-host, Anuradha’s Instagram food account @anuradhaduz_food. Guest, Dylan Cuellar, has a very popular podcast  of his own https://bit.ly/3IFRwKb, which he creates with his wife, Kassia Oset, our series co-founder.

You can now find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Please reach out to us at scandalsheetpod.com@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

In honor of National Women’s History Month, we are celebrating Julia Child. Most people aren’t aware that she was also a professional SPY for the U.S. in WWII, for years. NO WAY! – you say. Okay … let me back up a little. Most of us think of Julia, in the early 1960’s and decades beyond, almost single-handedly, exploding ideas about the role of women in American society by writing best-selling cook books and making an extremely popular TV cooking show – eventually distributed to over 50 countries across the globe. She was one of the earliest female entrepreneurs anywhere. But, BEFORE she was a celebrated chef, author, television celebrity, and women’s advocate – she served as a VERY successful spy !!!  

Listen to learn about Julia’s important story of her adventures in spy craft. Though she may not have driven an Aston Martin and probably didn’t carry a Walther PPK pistol in her brassier, she did love her vodka martinis -- just like James Bond. And she was involved in some very impactful spy stuff to help win the war. We’re gonna tell you all about it! Despite her butter and fat-infused, French cooking style, this incredible person lived to age 91! She will always be a pioneering American hero in our collective memory.

Find co-host, Anuradha’s Instagram food account @anuradhaduz_food. Guest, Dylan Cuellar, has a very popular podcast  of his own https://bit.ly/3IFRwKb, which he creates with his wife, Kassia Oset, our series co-founder.

You can now find us on Patreon at patreon.com/ScandalSheet with bonus content for premium subscribers. We’d love to have your generous support for only the price of one Starbuck’s coffee per month. Please reach out to us at  scandalsheetpod.com@gmail.com, find us on Facebook as 'Scandal Sheet' or on X at @scandal_sheet. We’d love to hear from you!

Our music is composed, preformed and produced by the genius John Hoekstra. You Tube https://shorturl.at/i1Q8h SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/user-363005792

Encore from March 2024.