Episodes

Episode 38: Terry Gilliam, Japanese Heists and Cupcakes for Grownups

Terry Gilliam/photo courtesy Sony Pictures

This Week: Filmmaker Terry Gilliam holds the devil at bay… We learn about Japan’s most infamous heist… and Brendan meets a cupcake he actually likes. PLUS the Pixies’ Black Francis breaks the ice… and download a song from rock orchestra Citay.

Icebreaker: Black Francis
the Pixies’ Black Francis sends Ol’ Blue Eyes a-knockin’… in joke form.

Small Talk: Chuck Dickens’ toothpick, Walmart holiday deliveries, and can you smell what the BaROCK is cooking?
The staff at Marketplace tell you about news stories your dinner guests won’t have heard.

History Lesson with Booze: The 300 Million Yen Robbery and the “Fuzzy Screw Bomb This week back in 1968, one of the coolest capers in criminal history went down, when a thief in Japan made off with 300 million Yen without firing a shot. Learn all about the heist, then pound down the drink it inspired.

RECIPE, as created for the DPD by Mike Jin of the Far Bar in LA’s Little Tokyo:

In a pint glass add:

  • Asahi or another Japanese beer (or substitute orange juice)

Fill glass 1.5 inches from rim and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a separate shaker add:

  • 3/4 oz Soju
  • 3/4 oz Peach Schnapps
  • ice

Shake to chill, strain into a shot glass.

Lay a pair of chop sticks across the top of the beer glass. Separate the sticks enough to support the shot glass on its edges.

Pound on the table until the chop sticks separate and the shot glass drops into the beer.

Drink quickly and try to forget The Fuzz just screwed you over.

Guest of Honor: Terry Gilliam Director/Writer Terry Gilliam was a founding member of a little sketch comedy troupe called Monty Python’s Flying Circus — perhaps you’ve heard of them. Since then he’s made a name for himself as one of cinema’s great visionaries. His new film would blow Dr. Gonzo’s mind — It’s called “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.” Hear him tell Rico all about it — then click here for more about Python, Hunter S. Thompson and little toy theaters.

Main Course: Lasagna Cupcakes
Regular DPD listeners have probably deduced by now that Brendan is no fan of the cupcake craze. But a lasagna in cupcake form? Different story. Brendan speaks with Matt Poley, owner of L.A. catering outfit Heirloom and inventor of the pasta you eat with your hands.

One For the Road: Citay “Careful With That Hat”
San Francisco rock orchestra Citay are preparing their latest album “Dream Get Together” for release on January 26th. Meanwhile, download the first single “Careful With That Hat” — it’s just the thing for a happy holiday road trip, particularly if your car is part rocket.

Music in this episode

The Sea And Cake – “The Argument”

The Wedding Present – “Signal”

Link Wray – “Jack The Ripper”

Tipsy – “Liquordelic”

“Reel Time”

The Bunnys – “Hey! Chance”

Geoff & Maria Muldaur – “Brazil”

Eileen Barton – “If I Knew You Were Coming I’d Have Baked a Cake”