Con Wars Episode XXXI: The Fandom Menace - The Toxic Side of the Force

Con Wars Episode XXXI: The Fandom Menace - The Toxic Side of the Force

This week, Dan and Adrian limp across the finish line on approximately one functioning brain cell and somehow end up having one of their most honest conversations yet. What starts as tech issues, Bluetooth confusion, and convention-road exhaustion spirals into a surprisingly thoughtful discussion about toxic fandoms, gatekeeping, nostalgia, reboots, and why people get so weirdly territorial about the things they love. From Star Wars and Star Trek to Battlestar Galactica, Critical Role, Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, and even the infamous 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, the guys unpack the strange cultural cycle of fandom outrage, ragebait grifters, “lazy writing” discourse, and studios weaponizing criticism against audiences. Along the way, they explore the difference between healthy critique and toxic gatekeeping — including Dan confessing to accidentally gatekeeping Star Wars from his own kid in a Disney gift shop over a Bespin Cloud Car toy.

Cars Can’t Run in Space… Family Can

This week on The Con Men Show, Dan and Adrian somehow begin with tabletop roleplaying games, detour through cosplay discourse, spiral into Moulin Rouge appreciation, take an unexpected international food tour, and eventually land on the question: what terrible movie ideas somehow became billion-dollar franchises? Along the way: D&D nostalgia, Robotech memories, Shadowrun chummers, Paris travel stories, and the realization that the LEGO Movie absolutely should not have worked as well as it did. The guys break down cinematic long shots like Pirates of the Caribbean, Clue, Phone Booth, The Purge, Fast & Furious, and Roadhouse while trying to invent the perfect “bad” movie concept that Hollywood would still greenlight immediately. There’s also a heartfelt defense of Mission: Impossible, a discussion about why Paris feels uniquely Paris, and an important public service announcement about not flying overseas just to eat at McDonald’s. Also in this episode: * Slug Killer Leia * Fast food convention pitches * Why Tim Curry makes everything better * Why cars absolutely cannot run in space * Why “family” apparently can * And one deeply concerning ogre roleplaying story involving roadside bandits and cannibalism

Warm Blankets and Cold Reboots

This week, The Con Men Show opens where all serious cultural criticism should begin: with action figures, shelf math, and the adult collector’s sacred distinction between “playing with toys” and “building dioramas.” From GI Joe displays to Star Wars figures, from still-carded Star Trek toys to one wounded LEGO Shuttle Discovery, Dan and Adrian stumble directly into the real topic hiding in plain sight: nostalgia. Because comic cons, collectibles, celebrity guests, autographs, and the stories we keep carrying around are all part of the same weird little emotional ecosystem.   From there, the guys dig into the big question: is nostalgia saving pop culture, or slowly eating it from the inside like a very sentimental xenomorph? Star Trek, Star Wars, Picard Season 3, The Matrix sequels, Mortal Kombat, He-Man, Power Rangers, Disney live-action remakes, and the endless parade of reboots all get pulled into the conversation. Sometimes nostalgia gives us exactly what we wanted. Sometimes it gives us almost what we wanted. And sometimes it hands us a thing we used to love and says, “Here, now be disappointed in HD.”     Nostalgia can flatten originality, sure — but it is also the warm blanket we reach for when new stuff asks us to pay attention with our whole tired adult brains. The guys land somewhere between “please make new things” and “yes, obviously we’re still watching the He-Man movie,” which may be the most honest answer available. Nostalgia might be choking the industry, but by golly, it’s still got a comfy grip.

Cosplay Is Not Consent

This week, The Con Men wander through the stars before landing squarely on the convention floor. What starts as a deceptively simple question—which era of Star Trek would you actually want to live in?—turns into a thoughtful (and occasionally ridiculous) breakdown of technology, comfort, danger, and the strange appeal of frontier living versus utopian polish. From smoky-jacket Original Series vibes to the clinical precision of Next Gen—and yes, the chaos of Deep Space Nine—it’s the kind of debate that only gets better the longer it goes on. But as always, the road leads back to conventions. Drawing from real-world experience on both sides of the table, Dan and Adrian dig into the unspoken rules that make or break a con experience. From the golden rule of “cosplay is not consent” to line etiquette, vendor respect, and the simple-but-somehow-necessary reminder to practice basic hygiene, this episode doubles as a field guide for first-timers and a reality check for veterans who should know better by now. Along the way, the conversation detours through pop culture’s take on conventions—from Galaxy Quest to Community—and why those portrayals hit (or miss) the mark. Whether you’re planning your next con weekend or just here for the ride, this episode is equal parts fandom philosophy, practical advice, and the kind of conversation that feels like you just pulled up a chair at the table. As always: be kind, be courteous… and don’t be a jerk.

Mountain Dew & The Con Men Two

This week the Con Men roam free through the pop culture wilderness—favorite podcasts, Star Trek legends, celebrity panels, forgotten comedy bits, Mountain Dew flavors, and the strange joy of media that sticks with you for decades. Along the way, Dan and Adrian trade stories from conventions, movie theaters, fandom life, and the kinds of random conversations that somehow become the best conversations. And in a heartfelt turn, the show pauses to remember a friend and fellow podcaster—because sometimes the things we make with people become the things that remain.