front row network

NEW SHOW PREMIERE - CONVINCE ME - Ep. 1 - Kyle Fields

By Larry Smith • Jul 1, 2020

We teased it last week and now we're proud to bring the newest show in the Front Row stable: #ConvinceMe with Larry Smith. In his first episode, Larry welcomes fellow comedian and radio personality Kyle Fields. Get ready to laugh!

FEATURING: Larry Smith & Kyle Fields

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

The Rundown - Ep. 1 - Movie Release Date Musical Chairs

By Jeremy Goeckner • Jun 29, 2020

Welcome our new video series #TheRundown. Here we will give you a very quick review of the biggest entertainment news you might have missed last week. This episode is packed with new movie release dates, new projects and a slate of new trailers. Check it out!

FEATURING: Jeremy Goeckner

Celebrity Photographer Michael Grecco Interview

By Jeremy Goeckner & Craig McFarland & Erin McCabe • Jun 28, 2020

The Network is proud to welcome celebrity photographer Michael Grecco to the Front Row! Michael has led a truly incredible life on his way to becoming one of the foremost celebrity photographers in the world. Whether it's his origins in the punk music scene to his time with the biggest magazines in the world, Michael has always had his camera out and ready to capture every moment in front of him. We talk about everything from his origins to his amazing list of celebrity subjects. Join us for a truly wonderful look at life through Michael Grecco's lens.

Now Playing - Super GG Radio’s Games of June 2020

By Super GG Radio • Jun 27, 2020

Here is what the Super GG Radio crew are playing for the month of June

Phil Orona

The King of Fighters XIII

Why: I have been a huge King of Fighters fan since KoF 94’. It’s a solid series that was never just another Street Fighter wanna be.

What I like: The large colorful backgrounds, well animated characters and great overall fighting system.

What I would like to see improved: More unlockable characters.

NEW SHOW PREVIEW - Convince Me w/ Larry Smith

By Jeremy Goeckner & Craig McFarland & Larry Smith • Jun 23, 2020

We at the Network are always looking for new content and the best content creators to keep you entertained! And so we are so psyched to introduce you to our good friend Larry Smith and his brand new show for the Network and NPR Illinois called "Convince Me". Check out this interview for a preview of what this hilarious show has in store for your earbuds.

FEATURING: Larry Smith, Jeremy Goeckner & Craig McFarland

FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS

nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network

Video Game Minute - June 15, 2020

By Alex Orona • Jun 19, 2020

We're happy to be debuting a brand new segment from the Super GG Radio team: The #VideoGameMinute. Here they will break down the latest news from the world of video games in a nice, quick episode. Enjoy the first of many!

FEATURING: Alex Orona

FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS

nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/

FIND US ON TWITTER

WWE Backlash 2020 Review

By Jeremy Goeckner • Jun 15, 2020

WWE has pushed forward in the months since the COVID-19 outbreak in the US. It hasn't been easy but they've been able to build on some storylines and give us one of the best champions we've had in a long time in Drew McIntyre. We've seen yet another evolution in these live shows as WWE has now taken to adding a limited audience by having upwards of 50 WWE trainees at social distances in the arena while separating the ring with plexiglass panels. It's added much to retrieving the old feeling of having a crowd and we might even have more evolution that we'll talk about later.

Greatest 90s Song of All Time Bracket

By Louis Hare • Jun 10, 2020

For the third month in a row we're breaking out the bracket to decide a champion! This time it's our #MayMusicMadness as the bracketmaster Lou has given us the chance to crown the Greatest 90s Song of All Time. Join our all-star panel as they make the picks and crown the champion of 90s music!

FEATURING: Louis Hare, Donna Hare, Tiffany Topol, Steve Ponzo & Calivero

FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS

nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

MEMORIAL DAY 2020 SPECIAL - Hacksaw Ridge

By Jay Hoffman & Erin McCabe • May 25, 2020

One of our favorite episodes every year is the annual Memorial Day film spotlight. This year, veteran Jay Hoffman is joined by regular Erin and fellow vet Ian to discuss Mel Gibson's 2016 Desmond Doss drama/biopic Hacksaw Ridge. To all the veterans out there, thank you for your service.

Featuring: Jay Hoffman, Erin McCabe, Ian Pflug

FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS!

https://www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

FLASHBACK - Mad Max

By Ryan Lootens & Jay Hoffman • May 18, 2020

It's a big day for the latest episode of FLASHBACK! First, we christen our brand new co-host Jay Hoffman! Second, we welcome first-time guest Ben Wier. Third, we're talking the pure dystopian template of fast car craziness that is Mad Max.

FEATURING: Ryan Lootens, Jay Hoffman & Ben Wier

___________________________________________

FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS!

https://www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

CLASSICS - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

By Brandon Davis & Eric Flick • May 13, 2020

#Classics is back with a sorely needed break in the state of the world right now with perhaps one of the best comedies of all time. Oh, and it also happens to be a fantastic Western with two of the biggest movie stars of all time. That's right, we're breaking down #ButchCassidyAndTheSundanceKid. #NPR #FRN

FEATURING: Brandon Davis & Eric Flick

___________________________________________

FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS!

https://www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network

CLASSICS - The Godfather Part II

By Brandon Davis & Eric Flick & Louis Hare • Apr 10, 2020

#Classics is back with a new episode and the age-old debate of which film is actually better as the crew takes a deep dive on perhaps the greatest sequel of all time in #TheGodfatherPart2. #FRN #NPR

FEATURING: Brandon Davis, Lou Hare & Eric Flick

___________________________________________

FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS!

https://www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

The Definitive WrestleMania 36 Review

By Jeremy Goeckner • Apr 8, 2020

The absence of professional sports in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak has left a pretty sizeable void in the world. An unassuming beneficiary of those shutdowns has been World Wrestling Entertainment. Despite performing in front of empty arenas, they and their competitors are the one mass live entertainment enterprise still producing new live content. Any WWE fan and even casual observers can tell you that the entire wrestling calendar revolves around Wrestlemania. The annual April mega show is not just a WWE showcase.

eSports Hits It’s Stride Amongst COVID-19

By Philip Orona • Apr 7, 2020

The world of esports, while not at all a new thing, has been promoted to the forefront as a mainstream offering during these times of isolation and social distancing. The remainder of the F1 2020 season was put on hiatus as of March 20th, but that didn't stop the international racing juggernaut from debuting a brand new esports F1 Grand Prix series on Sunday on March 22nd.

Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Movies of the Last Decade

By Louis Hare • Apr 5, 2020

When I started the Guilty Pleasures podcast almost 3 years ago, I started with the basic question: What is a “Guilty Pleasure?” Some would say it’s a movie that’s so bad it’s good, a movie you watch with a sort of ironic detachment, laughing at something as opposed to with it. While I certainly agree with some of that, as I’ve delved further into the world of Guilty Pleasures, I find that concept to be a little incomplete.

FLASHBACK - Outbreak & Contagion

By Ryan Lootens & Erin McCabe & Jay Hoffman • Apr 4, 2020

With everything going on in the world, it's no wonder the films #Outbreak and #Contagion have become very popular again. But subject matter aside, how accurate are they and how well do they portray their situations? The #Flashback crew is ready to break them down. #FRN #NPR

FEATURING: Ryan Lootens, Erin McCabe & Jay Hoffman

___________________________________________

FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS!

https://www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

12 Video Games to Play During Shelter-In-Place

By Super GG Radio Staff & Contributing Guests • Mar 30, 2020

We at Super GG Radio usually focus on the lighthearted, the fun, and what we love spending our time doing with friends. While we can’t ignore how COVID-19 and the downstream effects of it spreading across the world have affected not only us but those in our community, we along with some friends & collaborators want to offer some of our favorite video games (in no particular order) we feel could help offer a distraction while many of us are holed-up in our homes. Whether this time to you feels like a forced staycation, a fearful period without work, or time standing still, we hope one

BOX OFFICE MINUTE - Mar. 16, 2020

By Jeremy Goeckner • Mar 16, 2020

March 16, 2020

It's time for your weekly BOX OFFICE MINUTE. Here we will give you the rundown on what won the weekend at the theaters. The biggest story was the immense collective downturn in all numbers. However we still do have a top 5 and they include 3 new releases. Here is your #BoxOfficeMinute

FEATURING: Jeremy Goeckner

___________________________________________

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE!

www.frnpod.com

FIND US ON NPR ILLINOIS!

GUILTY PLEASURES - Tremors & Tremors 2

By Louis Hare & Erin McCabe & Ryan Lootens • Mar 15, 2020

It's a crossover kind of day! The collective powers of #GuiltyPleasures and #Flashback combine to.... honor?.... the 30th anniversary of the sci-fi horror comedy #Tremors. And as an added bonus? Why not throw in #Tremors2 as well?! Gonna be fun taking this one to the Guilt Meter. Natives of a small isolated town defend themselves against strange underground creatures which are killing them one by one.

BEYOND THE MOUSE - News Roundup! A Couple of Bobs

By Craig McFarland & Brett Rutherford & Vanessa Ferguson • Mar 2, 2020

It's been a while since #BeyondTheMouse has a done a good old fashioned #Disney news roundup! We're discussing the HUGE shakeup as CEO Bob Iger suddenly steps down, do some Disney+ reviews and much more. #BTM #FRN #NPR

FEATURING: Craig McFarland, Brett Rutherford & Vanessa Ferguson

Front Row Network Welcomes Newest Show: Super GG Radio

By Jeremy Goeckner • Feb 26, 2020

The Front Row Network is proud to announce the addition of the latest group of contributors to the ever-growing entertainment network. We’re proud to announce that Super GG Radio will be joining the Network under the NPR Illinois banner. Super GG Radio is a video game-centric podcast dealing with news and reviews of new and existing titles as well as editorial stories. The Network has long wanted to get into the video game realm and adding a crew like Super GG Radio is just the perfect addition to get us there.

Why We Can't Stop Arguing About Star Wars (or, The Unexpected Virtue of Chili)

By Louis Hare • Feb 21, 2020

Is anyone out there as tired talking about Star Wars as I am (“well, you’re the one writing about it, jackass”)? For over 40 years, the adventures of the Skywalker family have captivated, frustrated, and splintered us. So much so, I’ve added on to an old saying – there are 3 things you don’t discuss in public: religion, politics, and Star Wars.

What Happened to The Irishman?

By Louis Hare • Feb 10, 2020

From the time it was announced, Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman seemed destined to dominate the Academy Awards. An epic film from one of Hollywood’s most revered filmmakers, which sees him reuniting with long-time collaborator Robert DeNiro? And Joe Pesci coming out of retirement? AND Al Pacino? Top all of that off with a screenplay from Steve Zallian, based off a book inspired by true-life events and it would seem to hit Oscar Bingo.

Oscars Best Picture Rankings

By Louis Hare • Feb 9, 2020

Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

To put it in the most purely academic term I can think of, it has been a stupid good year for film. This year’s Academy Awards features categories overflowing with strong choices, so much so that a whole separate show could be cobbled together featuring all the overlooked nominees. There are still some snubs that hurt, and the Academy’s diversity problem is still a much too slow work in progress, but it also feels as if the Academy’s Best Picture lineup is the strongest its been in a long time.

POP CULTURE DRAFT NIGHT - Oscars Draft 2020

By Phil Rockwell • Feb 8, 2020

After a long hiatus, #PopCultureDraftNight is back with one of our favorite episodes of the year: The Annual Oscars Draft! The teams are assembled and we'll see this Sunday which one reigns victorious.

WATCH THE OSCARS WITH US AT OUR 2ND ANNUAL OSCARS VIEWING PARTY AT THE HOOGLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
https://bit.ly/2Re76mg

OSCAR SPOTLIGHT - Best Original Screenplay

By Ryan Lootens & Phil Rockwell & Jay Hoffman • Feb 3, 2020

Netflix, Amblin Pictures, Columbia Pictures, CJ Entertainment, Lionsgate Pictures

Our #OscarSpotlight category series now turns to Best Original Screenplay in a race that has become increasingly too close to call. #FRN #NPR

FEATURING: Ryan Lootens, Phil Rockwell & Jay Hoffman

WATCH THE OSCARS WITH US AT OUR 2ND ANNUAL OSCARS VIEWING PARTY AT THE HOOGLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
https://bit.ly/2Re76mg

Democratic Candidates as Best Picture Nominees

By Louis Hare • Feb 3, 2020

It’s a harrowing time for Hollywood Democrats. As we speak, Academy voters are logging in and submitting their votes for the Academy Awards. At the same time, voters everywhere are preparing for their state’s primaries to select a candidate in the Democratic primary (The Republicans already have their candidate, so Jon Voight can rest easy). While on the surface, these seem like very disparate events (with only one having some actual stakes behind them), this year’s contests seem very similar.

OSCAR SPOTLIGHT - Best Adapted Screenplay

By Craig McFarland & Ryan Lootens & Jay Hoffman • Feb 2, 2020

Our #OscarSpotlight series now turns to the big 8 categories as we take a look at the nominees, talk some snubs and tell you who should and will win on Oscar Sunday. First up is Best Adapted Screenplay. #FRN #NPR

FEATURING: Ryan Lootens, Jay Hoffman & Craig McFarland

WATCH THE OSCARS WITH US AT OUR 2ND ANNUAL OSCARS VIEWING PARTY AT THE HOOGLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
https://bit.ly/2Re76mg

OSCAR SPOTLIGHT - Bombshell

By Brett Rutherford & Vanessa Ferguson • Jan 31, 2020

Our #OscarSpotlight series continues with a look at the true story of one of the most tumultuous times in American media history and the 3-time nominated #Bombshell. A group of women take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over at the network.

IMDB PAGE: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6394270

FEATURING: Brett Rutherford & Vanessa Ferguson

OSCAR SPOTLIGHT - Judy

By Jeremy Goeckner & Brandon Davis & Sara Baltusevich • Jan 29, 2020

Our #OscarSpotlight series continues with a look at what many consider the best female performance of the year in the late-life biopic #Judy. Legendary performer Judy Garland arrives in London in the winter of 1968 to perform a series of sold-out concerts.

IMDB PAGE: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7549996/

FEATURING: Jeremy Goeckner, Brandon Davis & Sara Baltusevich

Pages