The Village Video: Staff Selects Podcast Episode 1

Episode 7: Betsy Kenney

This episode features actor, writer, and fellow Philadelphian Betsy Kenney. Betsy is TikTok famous for her Philadelphia ASMR series [https://www.tiktok.com/@betsy_kenney], as well as her excellent podcast Done with Dara Katz [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/done-with-dara-katz-and-betsy-kenney/id1376384093]. Her film selections got us chatting about depression, father-daughter dynamics, dangerous drag stars, local theater, childhood memories, and little freaks. In addition to subscribing to this substack, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/village-video-store-staff-selects/id1887686034] also. And if you are able, please consider financially contributing to the substack. All proceeds will go directly to opening a brick and mortar video store. Here’s a link where you can pre-order the film Dead or Dying on physical media! https://www.videostoreage.com/products-cydvg/p/deadordyingdrive [https://www.videostoreage.com/products-cydvg/p/deadordyingdrive] Thank you for coming to the village. Get full access to Village Video Store at villagevideostore.substack.com/subscribe [https://villagevideostore.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 6: Junesploitation 2026

What’s this?! No guest?!?! Yes, it’s just me this episode because I wanted to talk about Junesploitation: a yearly Internet movie challenge where you watch one movie a day each from a specific exploitation sub-genre. I’m fascinated with exploitation film from throughout history so when given the opportunity to explore it, you better believe I’m explorin’. Here’s a link to this year’s Junesploitation challenge, courtesy of F This Movie blog [https://www.fthismovie.com/2026/05/announcing-junesploitation-2026.html]. Here’s a link to my (subject to change) Junesploitation list on Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/lukerobot/list/junesploitation-2026/]. Make your own list and play along at home! Here’s a link to the full schedule of the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival [https://aobff26.eventive.org/schedule]. The film I acted in, Dead or Dying, is having its East Coast premiere on Tuesday, June 2nd at 7pm in the Film Noir Theater. I’ll be at the screening along with writers and directors John Purcell and Malin von Euler Hogan (this podcast’s first guests!). So if you’re in the New York area, please consider attending! Here’s a link to the Cannibal Apocalypse June 26-27 weekend event presented by Exhumed Films and the Mahoning Drive-In Theater [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/mahoningdrivein/CannibalApocalypse26?fbclid=IwY2xjawSEhS1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFhMWxyQUJvT0NUeVg0bkVnc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjpal61yJS904kGwLSm80I43XEUikiKqfQXxzZpN7ADHtJF-rT9xfae1oxxU_aem_l-gG7pV14DN823PFiCSpXA]. Support your local trash cinema curators! Get full access to Village Video Store at villagevideostore.substack.com/subscribe [https://villagevideostore.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 5: Ben Stanton

This episode features actor, writer, and fellow physical media addict, Ben Stanton. Ben is the leader of the Commonwealth Film Club, a group of friends we brought together to watch movies from our extensive physical media collections. He selected five films for his Staff Selects shelf that got us chatting about the power of music, memories on film, toxic lovers, early aughts nostalgia, lady plumbers, capitalist influence in East Asia, and Pixar. In addition to subscribing to this Substack, please consider financially subscribing, as all of the proceeds I earn from it will be used to open the Village Video Store. I’d also appreciate it if you could subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/village-video-store-staff-selects/id1887686034]. I’d like to expand the web of listeners and this is the best way to do it. Thank you for coming to the village. Get full access to Village Video Store at villagevideostore.substack.com/subscribe [https://villagevideostore.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 4: Jess Ross

This episode features my improv soulmate, Jess Ross. We have been writing and performing together since 2010 and we both share a devout love of movies. Jess picked out five movies for her Staff Selects that got us talking about thrills, chills, sills, and good gay fun. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or listen to it here through the Substack. Please consider financially subscribing, as all of the proceeds I earn from it will be used to open the Village Video Store. I had some interesting developments recently that are starting to make it feel like a reality. I also acquired nearly 500 used DVDs for just $20; a strong start to a robust rental library. Thank you for coming to the village. Get full access to Village Video Store at villagevideostore.substack.com/subscribe [https://villagevideostore.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 3: Kait Thompson

This episode of the Village Video Podcast features artist, writer, and actor Kait Thompson, one of my oldest and dearest friends that I’ve made through the Philadelphia improv community. Kait selects five films for her Staff Selects that got us talking about lesbians, sex in film, the joys of music as a teenager, the cost of independent film, the destructive nature of capitalism, reality television, environmental racism, 90s hacking, and fish with lips. Please listen and enjoy. You can now subscribe to both the Village Video Store podcast on Apple Podcasts app. If you do, please rate and review it. The more people who find the podcast through there, the more people who may be likely to subscribe to the Substack. Watch Audience [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1OO5qb24r0](Barbara Hammer, 1982) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1OO5qb24r0] Watch Nitrate Kisses [https://archive.org/details/nitrate-kisses](Barbara Hammer, 1992) [https://archive.org/details/nitrate-kisses] Thank you for coming to the village. Get full access to Village Video Store at villagevideostore.substack.com/subscribe [https://villagevideostore.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]