TOPG Ep 75: Buckaroo Banazi Feat. Bob Mersereau
This week on Too Old or Pure Gold, we strap in for one of the strangest cult adventures of the 80s: The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)! Rock star, neurosurgeon, physicist, and interdimensional hero Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller) battles alien invaders from Planet 10 with his crew of oddballs and one-liners. Joined by special guest Bob Mersereau, we try to make sense of the chaos, the cool, and the cult legacy of this sci-fi fever dream. Is it pure gold, or just pure weird?
Hosts: Olen Vanderleeden & Mathew Stockton
Special Guest: Bob Merserau
Cast: Nicole
Hosts: Olen Vanderleeden & Mathew Stockton
Special Guest: Bob Merserau
Cast: Nicole
Creators and Guests
Host
Mathew Stockton
Mathew Stockton is co-host of Too Old or Pure Gold and the voice behind the acclaimed true crime podcast Dark Poutine. Known for his dry wit, sharp cultural takes, and unapologetic disdain for both Tom Cruise and David Hasselhoff, Mathew brings a grounded, no-nonsense edge to the show. Check Mathew out on Dark Poutine and follow his dog Steve at Steve_couldnt_leave
Host
Olen Vanderleeden
A Gen X creative whose career spans cannabis, clean tech, and media, but his real passion is stuck in a time warp somewhere between a VHS rental and a training montage. As the creator, producer, and co-host of Too Old or Pure Gold, Olen channels his lifelong love of 80s cinema, especially the high-kicking, synth-scored, gloriously weird corners of it, into a podcast that celebrates, critiques, and reexamines the movies that shaped a generation.
Guest
Bob Mersereau
Bob was a long time reporter for CBC Radio and Television, and is the author of several celebrated books on Canadian music, including The Top 100 Canadian Albums and The History of Canadian Rock ’n’ Roll. He's appeared on major CBC programs like Morningside and Sounds Like Canada, sharing his passion and expertise in music and culture.
Guest
Pieter Vanderleeden
At 93, Pieter is the tireless heart of Pieter’s Plot Corner, watching and studying every film we cover, then delivering a brilliant and succinct plot summary for listeners who may not have seen (or survived) the movie in question. He missed a lot of these films in the '80s, but he’s catching up now, and loving (almost) every minute. Equally dedicated to the good and the awful, Pieter is an essential part of the podcast family and a fan favorite in his own right.
