03.11.2026 ARE YOU A BIGGER NERD NOW?!!! With JIMMY PARDO!
MONSTER PARTY MAKES A PARDO PROGNOSIS!
JAMES GONIS, SHAWN SHERIDAN, LARRY STROTHE, and MATT WEINHOLD make a virtual housecall to check on the status of a past guest’s geek standing. It’s an episode that begs the question… ARE YOU A BIGGER NERD NOW?!!!
Approximately ten years ago, the hosts of MONSTER PARTY made a very special visit to a friend and fellow podcaster’s recording studio. The main reason was that this podcaster, who had been a guest on our show, was severely allergic to the cats that roamed the carpets of our own studio. But since this was still in the relatively early days of MONSTER PARTY, this situation also provided us a glimpse at the setup of an A-LIST podcast.
The topic of the episode we recorded was, “WHY AREN’T YOU A BIGGER NERD?” and the guest was the seismically hilarious comedian and host of the groundbreaking/award-winning podcast NEVER NOT FUNNY, JIMMY PARDO! It was a fantastic experience—Mr. Pardo was nothing short of delightful—and we feel we made significant headway in his journey toward healthy nerdism. But after the episode was posted, we lost track of Jimmy’s progress. That is, until now!
In this singular life-affirming event, Jimmy Pardo returns to catch us up on how much his world of genre
Guest(s)
Jimmy Pardo:
Follow Jimmy: https://www.jimmypardo.com | Never Not Funny| Jimmy Pardo on TikTok| Never Not Funny (@nevernotfunny) • Instagram profile
Key Topics Discussed
The Pardo Post-Op: Podcast pioneer Jimmy Pardo returns to the show after a ten year break when he was first asked “Why Aren’t You a Bigger Nerd?” as it’s time to find out if, in fact, Jimmy is now a bigger nerd.
The Evolution of Fandom: A broad discussion on the nature of "nerddom" and whether time spent in the trenches of collecting leads to a deeper obsession or just a more refined sense of taste.
Vintage Costume Chronicles: A nostalgic roast of the "smock and mask" era of Halloween, focusing on the specific design logic of classic retro collectibles.
The Columbo S-Tier: A passionate ranking of the greatest guest villains in detective television history, inspired by the hosts' recent guest appearances on a Columbo podcast.
"Only in LA" Encounters: The hosts and guest share their most memorable "first" celebrity sightings from their early days in Hollywood, ranging from shopping cart collisions to movie theater meet-ups.
Timestamps
00:00:41 - The first "Nerdy!" drop and the long-awaited return of Jimmy Pardo
00:07:01 - Jimmy’s hard "nope" on a $21.99 Batman figure and the reality of collector inflation
00:11:13 - Roasting the logic of Ben Cooper costumes that were just pictures of movie posters
00:13:17 - The financial pivot to dropping thousands on Chicago and Peter Cetera memorabilia
00:14:40 - Practical effects vs. CGI and the "Tusk Rule" for modern monster movies
00:59:51 - Ranking the greatest Columbo guest villains and the smug perfection of Jack Cassidy
01:10:13 - The Michael York "squiggle" and the high stakes of convention autograph etiquette
01:10:55 - Trading stories about Henry Winkler and his status as the nicest man in show business
01:17:30 - Jimmy’s first L.A. celebrity sighting: a literal cart collision with Ernest Borgnine at Target
01:18:20 - Matt’s childhood crush on Shari Lewis and the era of puppet-based entertainment
01:19:37 - Shawn’s popcorn counter encounter with the legendary action icon Sybil Danning
01:23:42 - A heartwarming full-circle moment with child star and Peanuts voice actress Pamela Ferdinand
01:25:22 - Celebrating 20 years of Never Not Funny and the lucky life of a podcasting pioneer
01:40:32 - Perspective Check: Why modern ailments are better than being a peasant in the Middle Ages
Resources/Links Mentioned
Films
Alien: Cited during the roast of the "lazy" Ben Cooper smock designs.
Planet of the Apes: Jimmy confirms this is a sci-fi property he actually loves and considers "for him."
Jaws: Used as an example of a costume that was just a movie poster printed on a shirt.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes: Referenced regarding background masks and the "Tusk Rule" for practical effects.
Star Trek(Chris Pine Reboots): Jimmy admits to liking the first two films in the reboot series because they were "flashy."
Logan’s Run: Mentioned as the film Michael York was known for during the discussion on autograph etiquette.
Emperor of the North: The film Ernest Borgnine was signing photos for at an autograph event.
The Poseidon Adventure: Referenced regarding a film retrospective held at the Queen Mary with Ernest Borgnine as a guest.
The Devil’s Rain: Matt mentions getting his DVD of this film signed by Ernest Borgnine.
Battle Beyond the Stars: Shawn discusses buying the Blu-ray specifically to get a signature from Sybil Danning.
Charlotte’s Web: James recounts giving his soundtrack LP to voice actress Pamela Ferdinand.
Willard: Mentioned during the closing segment regarding modern life versus the Middle Ages.
Television
Star Trek(Original Series): Jimmy and James find their on the same side when it comes to their feelings about Star Trek.
The Sandman: Jimmy admits he has no idea what this "dark fantasy" show is.
The X-Files: Suggested as a possible sci-fi entry, but Jimmy gives it a quick "No, thank you."
The Mandalorian: Discussed as an action-heavy show Jimmy might actually enjoy, though he remains skeptical.
Game of Thrones: Jimmy rejects this series immediately because he isn't a fan of the "medieval" aesthetic.
The Orville: Suggested as a superior Star Trek alternative that Jimmy hasn't seen.
Happy Days: Part of a Star Trek vs. Happy Days softball story involving Henry Winkler and Jimmy’s father-in-law.
Columbo: A deep dive into the show’s legendary guest villains and Jimmy’s desire for a Peter Falk action figure.
Peanuts: Mentioned in relation to guest Pamela Ferdinand’s voice work as Lucy in the animated specials.
Soundtracks
Charlotte’s Web Soundtrack (Album/LP): James recounts the heartwarming story of bringing his copy of the soundtrack LP to be signed by guest Pamela Ferdinand.
