Matt Talks Media

Milkpocalypse!

On this utterly calcium-fortified episode of Matt Talks Media, the crew unintentionally dives headfirst into the strange cultural afterlife of milk in media, folklore, and underground print culture. Steven Doughty explores the unsettling history of missing children appearing on milk cartons and how the campaign blurred the line between public service messaging and mass media spectacle. Dr. Nolan Meditz shifts gears into the world of comic poetry, including a bizarre milk-themed example that proves dairy and literature make a surprisingly cursed combination. Finally, Dr. Matt Dorr examines the infamous underground zine Kurt Cobain Was Lactose Intolerant, unpacking conspiracy culture, alternative media, and the strange humor that circulated through late-1990s zine communities. It’s weird. It’s academic. It’s probably shelf-stable. Welcome to Milkpocalypse! Music featured in the episode: https://korgansteinke.bandcamp.com/album/tattoo [https://korgansteinke.bandcamp.com/album/tattoo] https://dangerousways.bandcamp.com/album/high-anxiety [https://dangerousways.bandcamp.com/album/high-anxiety] https://gayagainstyou.bandcamp.com/ [https://gayagainstyou.bandcamp.com/]

Urban Legends and Constructed Languages

In the shadows of folklore and the scaffolding of language, Matt Talks Media returns for Season 2 with a deep dive into how stories are built, shared, and believed. Dr. Matt Dorr explores the evolution of urban legends from whispered cautionary tales and campfire lore into a form of niche media shaped by online communities, participatory culture, and digital circulation. What happens when folklore stops being just “told” and starts being produced? Then, Dr. Nolan Meditz steps into the world of constructed languages, unpacking how creators like Tolkien and the architects of Klingon have engineered entire linguistic systems for media. Along the way, he examines the friction between constructed and natural languages—where authenticity, usability, and cultural meaning collide. From haunted highways to invented vocabularies, this episode maps the strange terrain where storytelling and structure meet. Music featured in this episode (support the artists!): https://mothercain.bandcamp.com/album/unreleased [https://mothercain.bandcamp.com/album/unreleased] https://campwinapooka.bandcamp.com/album/capture-the-flag [https://campwinapooka.bandcamp.com/album/capture-the-flag]

Ep. 12: Hockey Blogs & Witch Hunts

This episode of Matt Talks Media skates straight from medieval paranoia to modern sports analytics. Dr. Matt Dorr explores the history and origins of the Malleus Maleficarum, the infamous 15th-century text that fueled witch hunts across Europe. We unpack how this ominous book shaped fear, authority, and media narratives long before the digital age. Dr. Nolan Meditz shifts the ice under our feet with a deep dive into the rise of hockey blogs, particularly those that specialized in breaking down NHL salary caps. From fan-driven analysis to influencing mainstream coverage, we look at how blogging communities reshaped hockey discourse. Music featured in this episode: Scepter of Eligos https://scepterofeligos.bandcamp.com/ [https://scepterofeligos.bandcamp.com/] Soul Annihilation https://soulannihilation.bandcamp.com/ [https://soulannihilation.bandcamp.com/] From medieval manuals to cap-space spreadsheets, this episode traces how texts shape power, panic, and fandom.

Episode 11: Scarves, Emulators and Bigfoot

This episode of Matt Talks Media stitches together sports culture, retro gaming tech, and legendary creatures into one beautifully strange conversation. Dr. Nolan Meditz explores the history of fan scarves, especially in soccer and hockey cultures. From stadium identity to ritual and belonging, we look at how a simple piece of fabric became a powerful symbol of loyalty and community. Steven Doughty dives into the world of video game emulators—what they are, how they work, and why they matter for preservation, access, and gaming history. Dr. Matt Dorr rounds things out with a look at NOBRO, a Bigfoot research organization based in Oklahoma. We talk regional cryptid lore, grassroots research communities, and why Bigfoot refuses to step out of the cultural imagination. Music featured in this episode: * Copulatory Wounding – “Exquisite Entwinement of Aborted Innards” * CIA Hippie Mind Control – “An Eternal Stream” * Alhymor – “The Illusion Falters” Three topics. Three rabbit holes. One episode.

Episode 10: Format Wars, Beer Cans & Unblack Metal

On this episode of Matt Talks Media, we’re cracking open a three-part deep dive into the weird corners of media history, design culture, and underground music. First, Steven Doughty takes us back to the legendary format war that divided living rooms everywhere: JVC’s V/H/S vs. Sony’s Betamax. We dig into what the fight was really about (tech, timing, marketing, and consumer habits), and how this battle shaped the way people interacted with media at home for decades. Next, Dr. Nolan Meditz steps up to the bar and delivers a surprisingly fascinating history of the beer can, then dives headfirst into the world of craft beer can design. From branding aesthetics to visual storytelling, we explore how cans became tiny metal billboards, and why craft breweries treat packaging like art. Finally, Dr. Matt Dorr closes things out with a spotlight on The Unblack Archive: a fascinating database dedicated to Christian extreme metal artists. We talk about what “unblack metal” is, why it matters, and how scenes like this complicate the easy assumptions people tend to make about genre, ideology, and community. 🎧 Music featured in this episode: * Oak of Weeping – “Job 3: Job Curses the Day He Was Born” ⁠ [https://oakofweeping.bandcamp.com/track/job-3-job-curses-the-day-he-was-born]https://oakofweeping.bandcamp.com/track/job-3-job-curses-the-day-he-was-born⁠ [https://oakofweeping.bandcamp.com/track/job-3-job-curses-the-day-he-was-born⁠] * Alaretin – “Psalm 66: How Awesome Is He” ⁠ [https://alaretin.bandcamp.com/track/psalm-66-how-awesome-is-he-alaretin]https://alaretin.bandcamp.com/track/psalm-66-how-awesome-is-he-alaretin⁠ [https://alaretin.bandcamp.com/track/psalm-66-how-awesome-is-he-alaretin⁠] * Majesty – Exaltation I-IV ⁠ [https://majestyofficial.bandcamp.com/album/exaltation-i-iv]https://majestyofficial.bandcamp.com/album/exaltation-i-iv⁠ [https://majestyofficial.bandcamp.com/album/exaltation-i-iv⁠] If you like media archaeology, design nerdery, and extreme music rabbit-holes, this one’s for you.