How Did This Get Made?

How Did This Get Made?

by Earwolf and Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas

The award-winning comedy podcast that celebrates bad movies. Comedians and actors Paul Scheer (The League), June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie), and Jason Mantzoukas (Big Mouth) break down the very best of the worst films ever made—we’re talkin’ blockbuster flops, cheesy 80s action movies, Lifetime thrillers, obscure cult classics, and if we’re honest… most Nic Cage and Jason Statham movies. Plus, sometimes they’re even joined by hilarious guests like Seth Rogen, Conan O’Brien, Amy Schumer, Nicole Byer, Nick Kroll, and Charlize Theron. And the best part? They watch these bad movies so you don’t have to! New episodes every Friday. Classic episodes re-released every Tuesday.

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Recent Episodes

Kevin Smith (Clerks) joins Paul, Jason, and June to help break down and share his unique connection to the 1999 steampunk action-comedy Wild Wild West starring Will Smith and Kevin Kline. The crew dis...

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The How Did This Get Made podcast dives into the 1999 steampunk western Wild Wild West, with hosts Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael joined by guest Kevin Smith. The group dissects this notorious box office disappointment that starred Will Smith and Kenneth Branagh, focusing on its bizarre production history, the infamous giant mechanical spider, and how producer John Peters' obsessions shaped the film. Smith shares incredible behind-the-scenes stories from his time working on Superman with Peters, revealing the spider's origin story that eventually made its way into Wild Wild West.

  • Introduction and the Hype Machine Behind Wild Wild West
  • The Film's Troubled Production and Multiple Writers

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Drop Zone

May 22, 2026

Wesley Snipes and Gary Busey star in the 1994 skydiving thriller Drop Zone, which believe it or not is Busey's second film about skydiving criminals after Point Break. Paul, Jason, and June break down...

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Paul, Jason, and June dissect the 1994 Wesley Snipes action film Drop Zone, a skydiving-heavy thriller where federal marshal Pete Nessup must infiltrate a team of extreme skydivers to stop Gary Busey's team of airborne criminals. The hosts explore the film's bizarre physics, confusing plot, memorable Busey performance, and its attempt to make skydiving culture seem like a dangerous subculture akin to Point Break's surfers.

  • Opening Hijack and Marshal Incompetence
  • Skydiving as Extreme Subculture

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A woman who falls in love with a dog that transforms into a man at night is a tale as old as time! HDTGM all-star Jessica St. Clair joins Paul, Jason, and June to break down all the madness in 2011's ...

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Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael are joined by Jessica St. Clair to dissect the bizarre indie film 'Love on a Leash' - a story about a cursed playboy who becomes a dog and must find true love to become human again. The movie features no sound for the first two minutes, monochromatic color schemes, questionable animal treatment, and a romantic relationship between a woman and a dog-man hybrid. The hosts explore the film's disturbing sexual undertones, terrible wigs, inexplicable plot choices, and shocking revelation that the lead actors married in real life. Voice actor Stephen Kramer Glickman reveals he was paid in wontons and cantaloupe, and the film was allegedly financed by a Chinese church that believed it was about Jesus.

  • The Silent Opening and Technical Chaos
  • The Color Green and Bizarre Production Design

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Was Antonio Saboto Jr.'s character moonlighting as a drag queen? And was Melvin Smiley based on a character in Murder, She Wrote? Paul finds answers to these questions and more when he responds to you...

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Paul Scheer hosts this Last Looks episode breaking down listener corrections and omissions from The Big Hit episode. He discusses Darth Maul's deleted drag queen subplot, validates June's bathroom fears, debates chicken cooking methods, and chats with Jason about their favorite current shows including Widow's Bay, Traitors, and The Comeback. They announce Drop Zone as the next movie and share excitement about upcoming live shows.

  • Corrections and Omissions: The Big Hit Breakdown
  • Video Store Nostalgia and Bathroom Anxiety

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MORTAL KOMBAT! Comedian Cameron Esposito enters the fighting arena with Paul, June, and Jason to dissect 1995's Mortal Kombat, the stinker movie adaptation of the beloved video game. They discuss the ...

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The How Did This Get Made podcast tackles the 1995 video game adaptation Mortal Kombat, featuring hosts Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael, along with guest Cameron Esposito. The discussion reveals June never realized it was based on a video game, leading to confusion about the plot, characters, and tournament structure. The hosts dissect the film's bizarre elements including Christopher Lambert's strange performance as Raiden, the underwhelming fight choreography, questionable special effects mixing CGI with practical effects, and nonsensical character motivations. Despite being made for $18 million and grossing $122 million worldwide, the consensus is clear: this is a poorly executed film that fails both as a movie and as an adaptation.

  • June's Video Game Knowledge Gap
  • Christopher Lambert's Bizarre Performance

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The Big Hit

May 08, 2026

Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Christina Applegate star in the 1998 action-comedy The Big Hit—a movie that tries to make a farce out of kidnapping and murder while giving off vibes of a reje...

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Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael dissect the 1998 action-comedy 'The Big Hit,' where Mark Wahlberg plays a people-pleasing hitman who accidentally kidnaps his boss's goddaughter. The hosts explore the film's awkward blend of violent action and romantic comedy, its problematic stereotypes, and its status as a time capsule of late-90s cinema that attempts to emulate Quentin Tarantino's style but falls flat. They discuss everything from the casual treatment of murder to the uncomfortable romance between a hitman and a kidnapping victim, all while celebrating the film's over-the-top performances and nostalgic video store finale.

  • Opening Chaos: Body Parts and Multiple Girlfriends
  • Locker Room Talk and 90s Problematic Content

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Mark Wahlberg and his wig play the lead singer of a heavy metal tribute band who ends up joining the real band in 2001's Rock Star. Comedian Jake Weisman (This Fool, Corporate) joins Paul, June, and J...

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The How Did This Get Made podcast team dissects the 2001 film Rockstar starring Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston. The hosts—Paul, Jason, and June, joined by guest Jake Weisman—explore the bizarre journey of a tribute band singer who becomes the lead of the actual band he idolizes. They discuss the film's confusing tone, problematic themes, aggressive hair choices, and questionable music cues while delivering laughs throughout their live show at Largo in Los Angeles.

  • Introduction and First Impressions
  • Mark Wahlberg's Lovable Doofus Performance

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Last Looks: Live Wire

May 01, 2026

June makes a rare Last Looks appearance to gab with Paul about everything from shooting the new Legally Blonde prequel series Elle, to her side quest to find the perfect carry-on bag. But first, Paul ...

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Paul Scheer hosts a Last Looks episode diving into corrections and omissions for the 1991 action film LiveWire, featuring a rare Just Chat segment with June Diane Raphael filling in for Jason. The episode explores fascinating behind-the-scenes details from the film's writer, analyzes Pierce Brosnan's wandering accent, and features an extensive discussion about travel bags and airport strategies. June shares updates on her new Amazon series Elle (a Legally Blonde prequel) and recommends shows like The Pit that have helped her process hospital trauma.

  • Pierce Brosnan's 'Here Come the Judge' Reference Examined
  • Behind-the-Scenes Intel from LiveWire's Writer

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Paul, June, and Jason break down the 1996 sci-fi thriller Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace. They discuss the jacking into cyberspace, connections to the first film, the black and white trial, Jobe’s...

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Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael tackle the baffling 1996 sequel Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (aka Job's War). The hosts struggle to comprehend this cyberspace thriller that replaces Jeff Fahey with Matt Frewer, features kids living in dystopian subway cars, and presents a dated vision of virtual reality that looks like 90s screensavers. The episode itself faces technical difficulties and recording delays that the hosts jokingly attribute to a curse from Job, the film's antagonist.

  • Recording Chaos and Opening Energy Crisis
  • Complete Confusion About the Plot

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1992's Live Wire stars Pierce Brosnan as a bomb expert with two big problems: someone's using explosive water to blow up senators, and one of those senators is f**king his wife. Johnny Knoxville (Jack...

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The How Did This Get Made podcast team performs live at Largo in Los Angeles to discuss the 1992 Pierce Brosnan film Livewire, a bomb thriller where the explosive device is a water-based substance people ingest. Hosts Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael are joined by special guests Nicole Byer and Johnny Knoxville to dissect this obscure film that never received a theatrical release despite its $9 million budget.

  • Introduction and Film Setup
  • Pierce Brosnan's Cuckolded Character

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Ed Burns and Sir Ben Kingsley travel to the past on a time safari in A Sound of Thunder—a Ray Bradbury adaptation that might have the worst CGI in film history. LIVE from Largo in Los Angeles, Paul, J...

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In this live episode from Los Angeles's Largo, the How Did This Get Made crew tackles the 2005 sci-fi disaster 'A Sound of Thunder,' a film about time travel safari gone wrong. With an $80 million budget slashed to $30 million and unfinished special effects, the movie features Ed Burns sleepwalking through his performance while CGI dinosaurs and catfish people destroy any semblance of coherent storytelling. The team dissects the illogical time waves, Ben Kingsley's committed performance, and why stepping on a butterfly causes inexplicable evolutionary chaos.

  • Introduction and Movie Setup
  • The Time Travel Logic Problem

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An FBI profiler, military detective, and physics teacher all chime in with A+ corrections & omissions on last week's Mindhunters episode! Plus, Jason and Paul recommend a bunch of stuff they're curren...

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Paul Scheer dives into listener feedback on the mind-bending thriller Mindhunters, featuring corrections from FBI profilers, military detectives, and physics teachers. The episode reveals the film's shocking similarities to Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Were None,' debunks the liquid nitrogen scene, and explores whether Val Kilmer's elaborate training scenario could exist in reality. Jason Mantzoukas joins for a wide-ranging chat about comics, books, and the bizarrely corporate Taco Bell special 'Live Moss Live.'

  • Opening and Black Monday Announcement
  • Corrections and Omissions: Professional Fact-Checking

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Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Martin Landau star in the 1996 fantasy adventure film The Adventures of Pinocchio. LIVE from Chicago, Paul, June, and Jason discuss the donkey transformations, Pepe the Cric...

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The How Did This Get Made podcast records live from Chicago's historic theater to dissect the 1996 live-action film 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' starring Martin Landau and voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Hosts Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael explore the film's bizarre choices, disturbing imagery, questionable accents, poor CGI, and overtly sexual undertones that make this children's movie feel more like a fever dream than family entertainment.

  • Introduction and First Reactions
  • June's Hotel Revelation and Movie Length Debate

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Mindhunters

Apr 10, 2026

Val Kilmer, LL Cool J, and Christian Slater star in Renny Harlin's 2004 thriller Mindhunters—a movie about FBI serial killer profilers who act like the worst people in an escape room. Paul, Jason, and...

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Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Manzoukas dissect the 2005 action thriller Mindhunters, a Renny Harlin film about FBI profiler trainees who become targets of a serial killer on a remote island. The hosts are baffled by the film's nonsensical logic, wasteful premise, and failure to deliver on its promising setup featuring Val Kilmer, LL Cool J, and Christian Slater.

  • Opening Confusion and Failed Premise
  • The Profilers Who Never Profile

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Can you make a movie out of a video game? In this case, no! Jenny Slate joins us to discuss Super Mario Bros. the movie on this week’s How Did This Get Made? LIVE at Bumbershoot! We cover everything f...

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The How Did This Get Made podcast hosts a live episode at Bumbershoot in Seattle, dissecting the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie with guest Jenny Slate. The crew explores the bizarre adaptation choices, from the dystopian dinosaur dimension to the film's complete departure from the beloved video game, uncovering production disasters, drunk actors, and one of cinema's most baffling video game adaptations.

  • Opening and First Impressions: A Bonkers Beginning
  • Casting Chaos and the Brother Problem

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Jason and Paul chat about TV, movies, and ask who the Jackass cast members would be if they were in the Fellowship of the Ring. But first, Paul responds to all your corrections & omissions on The Forb...

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Paul Scheer hosts this Last Looks episode covering audience corrections and omissions from The Forbidden Dance episode. He discusses taxi dancing, explores the cast's connections to Dirty Dancing, and reveals a wild environmental PSA using adult content. Later, Jason Mantzoukas joins to discuss their recent TV obsessions including Nirvana the Band the Show, Young Sherlock, and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Perrin, plus Paul shares his experience visiting the Jackass 5 set.

  • Opening and Audience Corrections on The Forbidden Dance
  • The Dirtiest Porn PSA and Taxi Dancing Explained

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Jade (Classic)

Mar 31, 2026

David Caruso, Linda Fiorentino, and Chazz Palminteri star in the 1995 erotic thriller Jade. Paul, June, and Jason entered the F*ck House and discuss the pubic hair lockets, terrible car chases, double...

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Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael dive into the 1995 erotic thriller 'Jade,' directed by William Friedkin and written by Joe Eszterhas. The hosts discuss the bizarre plot involving wealthy sex scandals, blackmail, and murder, featuring David Caruso as a district attorney, Linda Fiorentino as the mysterious title character, and Chaz Palminteri as a suspicious husband. They explore the film's awkward sexual politics, confusing narrative, terrible car chases, and deeply uncomfortable visual choices, including an infamous pubic hair collection scene.

  • Introduction and Amazon Review Breakdown
  • The Infamous Crime Scene and Pubic Hair Collection

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The Forbidden Dance

Mar 27, 2026

Two lambada movies were released on March 16, 1990, but only one was written in 10 days and focuses on a Brazilian princess saving the rainforest by dancing on a TV show judged by Mama Coconut. Paul, ...

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The How Did This Get Made podcast team dives into the 1990 film 'The Forbidden Dance,' a rushed exploitation film about a Brazilian princess who comes to LA to save the rainforest through the power of the lambada dance. The hosts explore the bizarre production history, including how this film raced against a competing lambada movie (both produced by feuding cousins), the terrible dancing, problematic racial politics, and how this environmental message movie somehow thought a dance contest on a Kid Creole show could save the Amazon.

  • The Two Lambada Movies Explained
  • The Lambada Dance and Its 'Forbidden' Nature

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All-star co-hosts Nicole Byer, Rob Huebel, and Gil Ozeri help Paul cover the 1993 Sega-financed comedy Surf Ninjas starring Leslie Nielsen, Ernie Reyes Jr., and Tone Lōc. LIVE from Largo in Los Angele...

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A crew member who worked on Law Abiding Citizen reveals juicy secrets when Paul responds to your corrections & omissions on last week's episode! Plus, Jason and Paul recommend A TON of media they're c...

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Paul Scheer hosts Last Looks for Law Abiding Citizen, featuring insider revelations from an anonymous crew member about the chaotic production. The episode includes corrections from a prison librarian, details about the film's 25+ script revisions, and the joke ending where Gerard Butler's character would have exploded the entire orchestra. Jason Manzoukas joins for Just Chat with extensive TV, music, and book recommendations.

  • Production Chaos: Anonymous Crew Reveals Inside Story
  • Script Differences: The Frank Darabont Version

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