One of the darkest days for the UBP was in May 1990, when Vic Tayback, a.k.a. Mel on CBS’ “Alice”, left this earth; and perhaps others. Despite taking place literal decades before the UBP began, Mr. Tayback’s death caused a deep level of pain that has us forever kissing our own grits.

Flash forward to June, 2025. Another entertainment hero is gone - one arguably bigger than Mr. Tayback - who helped define American music in the 1960’s, and inspired Paul McCartney and The Beatles to reach arguably their greatest artistic heights.* (*Does not include “Now And Then”.)

Indeed, the incredibly sad passing of Brian Wilson was felt deeply by the Gab Two; longtime Beach Boys fans who, in this episode, pay tribute to one of Macca’s undying inspirations. Along the way, they also ask:

💔 F'k Mike Love, yeah?

🍸 Is it ironic that “Kokomo” tends to be the #1 Brian Wilson-penned song for people who openly voted for/support fascism?

🏄‍♂️ Did T.J. actually mean to refer to the milquetoast Beach Boys cover of “California Dreamin” from the 1986 compilation “Made In U.S.A.” when he mentioned “Rock & Roll Music”?

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John Lennon literally said it best: "All You Need Is Love: The Cirque Du Soleil Soundtrack, on CD in multiple editions, streaming with bonus tracks on iTunes, and on a making of DVD."

And in 2020, a younger, dumber, sadly Casey-less Gab Two gabbed fab and dished deep on this album!

Now, for the first time, here's the Deluxe Edition remaster, in 5.1 Dolby NR Cr02 Color.

See you next week with an all new episode!

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-----

[Originally released September 19, 2020]

In this episode of Pizza Talk, T.J. and Tony get acrobatically off-topic trying to discuss The Beatles collaboration with Cirque du Soleil. It contains 101 local Chicago references.

We think this episode will sell a lot of tickets for the Vegas show.

What’s your Favourite Beatles Cover, Art? Or, more generally, for those listeners not named Art, what’s your Favourite Beatles Cover Art? There are seemingly endless global 7” and 12” covers from which to choose. Despite all but a small few ever being authorized by the Fabs, a good many are iconic, super weird, or a mesmerizing combination of both.

Loyal listener and Patreon member Mick B brought us this great suggestion, inspired by the live-performance photo on the cover of “The Beatles In Italy”; which, indeed features hits by The Beatles! Just not live. Or “In Italy”. Maybe Bruce Spizer will help us sue Calderstone/Odeon for fraud???

In this episode, the Cover Two (#GOBEARS) show…and tell…and show, if you smash this link for our WORLD PREMIERE SHOW VIDEO, their Favourite Beatles Cover Art. Along the way, they ask the hard hitting questions that those grotty, non-officially-Apple-authorized podcasts are too meat free Saturday, chicken-substitute-s**t to ask, like:

📐Could AI create a geometry-inspired parody called “Oblong-Di, Oblong-Da”, and make it sound like it’s being sung by They Might Be Giants? And, both existentially and ethically, would it all be worth it?

🍆 (Angry Chicago Guy, he’s upset because he’s still unclean): “And how come Beatlefest don’t have no Beatles ASMR room no more? And how come if they did, they wouldn’t let me feel up Terri Hemmert’s copy of “Rock N’ Roll Music” to feel if the print is raised up like Diane said I can’t do no more?”

🕰 Could the front cover art for “Now & Then: The Final Beatles Song (TM)” have been so much better if only it didn’t suck?

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Look, some “Beatles podcasts” don’t have the 🏀🏀 to break into 14th-Beatle Vanessa Williams’ “Save The Breast For Last” while deep-dishing Beatles Covers.

Unfortunately, the UBP is not just any “Beatles podcast”. First off, and obviously, we’re officially authorized by #BMGDarkHorse, #CalderstoneuMe, and #Apple (Pantry on Fullerton, near Marco’s Beef).

Second, let’s change the subject and use AI to write about this collection of listener-suggested cover songs made famous by the Beatles, and re-interpreted by other artists of different genres and eras. Some argue that Beatles covers cannot be as good as the originals, but Producer Tony, Casey, P3Z-Nutz and Todd might argue differently, given their contrarian and occasionally strained attempts at unusual musical humor.

So, s’il vous plaît, faites-nous plaisir, bande de jagbags, and give a listen to our second installment of Fab Beatles Covers!

🌵🏜 Is the series finale of the Linda Lavin vehicle “Alice” better than literally every single Beatles album?

🚍 (Angry Chicago Guy. He’s drinking Kirkland-branded Malort that he brought to the bar from his sad home:) How come Petula Clark don’t come to Chicago and call herself Petula 22, like the CTA bus? Who’s she crappin’? And how come George Harrison didn’t take no selfies of his Red Line stop? And where do we burn our copies of “Plastic Ono Band” now that we got a Chicago pope?

💉 Who’s the “better” Macca Collaborator: Wix or Lennon? (Hot take: it’s Eric Stewart.)

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Dust off your funny bone (actual NBC ad copy circa 1987), it’s the long-awaited conclusion to T.J., Tony and Producer Casey’s forensic deep dish into Paul McCartney’s 1993 appearance on Saturday Night Live!

Yes, the boys are combing through every Macca performance, each Clinton-era comedy sketch, and almost every opinion... Unfortunately, Producer Casey did not inform the affiliates that we would be running over, so regularly scheduled programming resumed as planned.

Of course, any well-executed satire (like the Gap Girls sketch!) will elicit thought-provoking questions. Such as:

💰🚳 Didn’t Lorne Michaels offer Paul $3000 to not play “Biker Like An Icon”?

🥔🥔 Who made the best mall potato: The Great Steak and Potato Company or Tater Junction? #mallpotatoes

📺🏀 Why is everyone standing in front of the damn TV during the Knicks game?? WOOO-OO-OO-OO-OO….

And as a bonus, The Nerk Triplets cover some hidden extra features on T.J.’s VHS cassette tape. We’re fast-forwarding you with Peace and Love…Be kind! Rewind! 📼📼📼

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Remember when Paul wasn’t in The Beatles anymore? And, um, he was on that TV show Saturday Night Live? A second time? And he played all those songs nobody knew from that record only T.J. Shanoff loved called Off the Ground?

Remember that?

That was awesome.

(But also some of it might’ve been hot garbage #AlecBaldwin #AnalcAnal)

Join Tony, T.J., and Producer Casey as they foray into Sir Paul’s second foray into live sketch comedy, his 1993 appearance on SNL. Along the way, the gang finds out:

👄👅 Was Dana Carvey on to something? Was it true SNL could never top Luke Perry with musical guest Mick Jagger?

👕🟥 How come those jagbag shock jocks never went after Linda for flubbing Adam Sandler’s iconic lyrics?

🎸🤡 Can G.E. Smith out-smarm Wix Wickens’s smarmy synth strings?

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Did you know that fellow '60's Brit rockers The Kinks had their biggest ever hit in 1984? Who didn't love "Kum Backing", their tribute to one of the very first bootlegs: the Beatles acetate "Kum Back"?

Here at the UBP we love the Kinks, kink shaming, Kum & Go gas, and this legendary bootleg, heard by the #Kum2GetherToo for the very first time just this month! Some Beatles "fans", right? I'll bet they can't even pronounce "Esher" correctly...

So do get your tape recorders rolling, but be forewarned; Kash Patel may come to your home to sing songs about justice for people who poop on senate desks. Smart fella, that one. All of 'em, really.

ANYHOO, when your tape is rolling, Bob, be ready for more questions than a societally-destructive right wing manosphere podcast is "just asking", such as:

🐭🍆 Did (Lovely) Rita Rudner ever guest star in a "SHOtime After Dark" entry, or was she merely the lead-in programming, immediately following "An American Tail"?

✝🍕 (Angry Chicago Guy:) If Paul McCartney's pitching is in a strident manner, how come he and Mark Buherle ain't in Cooperstown? And how come the Pope ain't returning no answering machine messages no more, he too good for me now? We go to Aurelio's every Tuesday, he better show up.

🚫🧸 Cancel "Teddy Boy", correct?

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Some “podcasts” only hear The Beatles (TM, pending) tell some. But only one “Podcast” hears the Beatles tell all, for one. #Sting #BryanAdams #RodStewart #TellMeAllYourThoughtsOnRod

This week, our own Dunhill & V.J. - Tony & T.J.! - jump into one of the long-forgotten, 1964 V.J. record label cash grabs, “Hear The Beatles Tell All”. This tabloid-style Beatles interview album contains no Beatles music, but it does feature one of rock & soul music’s greatest drummers this side of Purdydice City. Take! Me! Home! #PurdiePlayedOnThatTrackToo

Take a trip back to late 1964, when this album was released, or sometime in the 1980’s, when T.J bought a fake V.J. version in a real Chicago record store, played it, and carefully put it back in a rice paper sleeve, where it lived until about a week ago. Which pressing does he have? Do you really care? Does he? Does Tony? Casey? P3Z-Nutz? Why is John pregnant, again? And why not use this gone tropportunity to ask more questions, such A$:

👄👨‍⚕️ Is anyone else clamoring for the Untitled Motley Hatchet podcast, or is that idea just flirtin’ with Dr. Feelbad?

🎤🚗 Would it be so terrible if the official 9th Beatle (as formally recognized by Calderstone) was Harry Schmerler, your singing Ford dealer? #RockaybeYourBabyyyyyyyyyy

🍗 If you give out Putin pal/draft dodger Donald Trump’s address, will you come down with a case of Chicken Doxx? Because you’d have doxxed an actual f’ing chicken?

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