The Rantcor Pit Live #52 - Happy Birthday George Lucas!

The big catch up of posting live show archives continues with this episode which streamed live on Sunday, May 15, 2016. 

The Rantcor Pit Live follow's its second birthday celebration with yet another birthday celebration!

With George Lucas' birthday in such close proximity to the original live streaming air date of this episode, Cole Houston and Eddie Medina felt it was only fitting that they throw a little party for the inspiration of this show and much of their own lives.

Don your party hats, grab some cake and ice cream, and enjoy Your Favorite Star Wars Guys as they celebrate the life and career of their favorite Star Wars guy!  

The Rantcor Pit Live #51 - Always Two (Years) There Are

The ongoing catch-up phase of TRPL continues.  This episode originally streamed live on Watch On Air Live on Sunday, May 1, 2016.

Happy Anniversary, Rantcor Pit Live!

Cole "JediCole" Houston and Eddie Medina were equally surprised and grateful to have come to the realization that the live version of the show had been a part of Deep Ellum on Air for two full years!

Two years and three studio locations later (and on the cusp of moving into their fourth), Your Favorite Star Wars Guys, joined by "The Talk Lord of the Sith", reminisce on the origins of the live show.  From the unlikely beginnings after being invited to join Deep Ellum on Air a few months into the recorded show to many a Sunday talking up Star Wars, there was plenty to share.

Enjoy the memories...

The Rantcor Pit Live #50 - Among the Stars

The catching up phase is now in full swing.  Big changes are afoot for The JediCole Universe so it was high time to get the episodes of The Rantcor Pit Live from the archive published on this site!  Look for #51 on Wednesday and #52 on Saturday this week!

This episode originally aired live on Sunday, May 1, 2016.

Who doesn't love meeting the actors and actresses who brought that "Galaxy Far, Far Away" to life?  Hosts Cole Houston and Eddie Medina have enjoyed their own brushes with Star Wars greatness and they are not alone!

Cartoonist, martial artist, and podcaster Bobby Blakey joins them in the studio for a discussion of close encounters of the Star Wars kind.  

The Rantcor Pit Live #49 - Beep-Boop and the All-Con Cavaliers

This overdue posting of the live show continues!  This show originally streamed live on Sunday, March 20, 2016.  Look for more episodes coming soon as the JCU finally catches up with its alter ego over at Watch On Air Live!

JediCole has vanished!

Actually he was just busily running talk shows, game shows, and panels at All-Con 2016 the Sunday that this episode went out live from On Air Live!  So Eddie Medina brought in a special guest host, Tim Kennedy of VaderCast!  It was Tim who facilitated Cole's entree into podcasting so it was only fitting that he return to the show.  

Joining them in the studio were LubbockCon director DeNae Griffith, along with her capable convention insider Chris Cortez.  Eddie and his guests talk about All-Con, LubbockCon, and more!

The Rantcor Pit Live #48 - Draw or Draw Not...There Is No Try

And so it begins!  At last!   The long overdue catching up period for The Rantcor Pit Live starts here and will end in the coming days as the episodes of the show that have been carefully archived by Eddie are published on the JCU site, one or two per day, until they are finally back on their bi-weekly schedule. - JediCole

Welcome to an "artful" episode of The Rantcor Pit Live that was the first show to stream from the temporary new studio location in Dallas.

Hosts Cole "JediCole" Houston and Eddie Medina - along with the the Talk Lord of the Sith, Zach Schrotter - discuss Star Wars fan art and artists.  

Joined on this outing by DFW artist and Rantcor semi-regular Thomas Branch and fellow DFW artist Jeremy Megert.

The Rantcor Pit Live #47 - Lose Credits: A Theory of Everything Star Wars

This edition of the Rantcor Pit Live is several weeks old.  I have fallen behind in getting the archives posted to the JCU and have finally begun the process of posting each episode here.  Initially there will be no flavor copy or art, but that will be populated soon.  Please bear with me as I scramble to get all of the JCU features back on schedule.  -  JediCole

The Rantcor Pit Live #46 - Where's Phasma?

This episode originally streamed live from the One-Eyed Joe Studios and Deep Ellum on Air via watchonairlive.com on Sunday, January 17, 2016.

Welcome yet again to The Rantcor Pit Live.  This week Cole Houston and Eddie Medina get all Finn on Captain Phasma!

Actually, they don't threaten to blast her shiny helmet off her head, but rather explore the phenomenon that was this highly marketed and grossly underutilized character from The Force Awakens.  The sheer volume of Phasma merchandise that was on the market in the weeks before the films release, coupled with her high profile design, led many a fan to perceive her as a major player on screen. The reality was that this simply was not going to be the case.

Star Wars fans and creators of the Facebook group Everything Captain Phasma, Pete and Joanna Jones, join your hosts in the studio to talk about the mysterious First Order commander, her rather minimal screen presence, and the tonnage of toys and collectibles based on her.  All of this with a hopeful look toward the future and the promise of even more Phasma in our future!

The Rantcor Pit Live #45 - See 3PO, R2 Too

This episode of The Rantcor Pit Live, the first of the new year, originally streamed live on Sunday, January 3, 2016 via Deep Ellum on Air from the One Eyed Joe Studios in Dallas, Texas.

Welcome back to "the Pit"!  It is a new year and a big one for Star Wars fans!  The Force Awakens is still dominating the box office, toys and collectibles galore continue to appear, and late in the year we get yet another Star Wars film!

Cole "JediCole" Houston and Eddie Medina kick off 2016 with a look at those intrepid droids R2-D2 and C-3PO.  Not since Bert and Ernie have a constantly squabbling platonic couple so captured the imagination of the public.  What better characters to profile as the Rantcor Pit draws closer to its second anniversary?

This week your hosts are joined by none other than Cole's own mother, Bonnie Roberds!  Yes, mom was in town for the holidays and took in some studio time before her return trip.  Often credited with encouraging her son to take good care of his Star Wars toys, she was an ideal choice for a guest on The Rantcor Pit Live, a show that has seen a lot of the families of both hosts join in the fun. 

So take the path less rocky and enjoy a conversation about two of the most famous robots in the history of automita.  And be sure to tune in to On Air Live on Sunday, January 18 (12 PM to 1 PM Central) for the next exciting episode streaming live with your favorite Star Wars guys!

Rantcor Pit 2016-01-03 by DeepEllumOnAir

The Rantcor Pit Live #44 - The Rantcor Pit Awakens

Originally aired live December 20, 2015.

SPOILER ALERT!  SPOILER ALERT!   SPOILER ALERT!

Fresh off of their initial screenings of The Force Awakens, Cole "JediCole" Houston and Eddie Medina begin their spoiler-rich discussions of the latest chapter in the Star Wars saga. 

Unable to contain themselves, your hosts spoke freely of pretty much anything and everything about the movie, so if you have not yet had an opportunity to see this film, you may want to wait to watch this episode another day.  Personal thoughts and observations are shared, there is a special announcement from Supreme Commander Snoke, and pre-release myths and theories are post-release busted!

Initially intended as a discussion between Cole and Eddie, the Rantcorps really jumped on this one and for the first time in the history of the live show, the phone was ringing off the hook!  Expect further commentary and insight from various callers, plus Eddie gets a Christmas surprise!


the rantcor pit 2015-12-20 by DeepEllumOnAir

The Rantcor Pit Live #43 - Star Wars Generations

The Rantcor Pit Live was originally aired on Sunday, December 6, 2015.

As the release of "The Force Awakens" was still approaching, Cole Houston and Eddie Medina explore the generations that have enjoyed Star Wars over the course of nearly four decades.

From those who stood in line in the 70s and 80s for the original trilogy to those who discovered the Saga on VHS tapes to the Special Edition generation, the prequel trilogy generation and beyond, there are so many jumping off points for Star Wars fans of every age.  To examine this your hosts are joined by father and son Skip and Dean Howard.

At the youthful age of eight, Dean brings an amazing perspective to "the Star Wars".  With insights, stories, and jokes, the live show's youngest guest ever really held his own.  Everyone had a blast talking up their favorite LucasFilm offerings and anticipate the arrival of the latest chapter in the Saga!



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The Rantcor Pit Live #42 - A Star War on Christmas

Welcome to the second annual Star Wars Christmas Wish List episode of The Rantcor Pit Live!  On this episode (which went live on Sunday, November 15, 2015) Cole Houston and Eddie Medina help you with your holiday wish-list for the Star Wars fan in your life.

Even more so than last year, 2015 will be chock full of choices, so narrowing the field to a few to cover in one hour was more challenging.  A total of ten top choices are covered on the show, so if you missed it on Sunday, here is your chance to catch up on some top choices from your hosts.

May the Force be with you with the great gift ideas you will find here...


The Rantcor Pit Live 11-15-15 by DeepEllumOnAir

And for the Eddi-fication of my clueless co-host, an animated classic...

The Rantcor Pit Live #41 – It’s In the Cards

Welcome to the latest (archived) episode of The Rantcor Pit Live!  This episode aired live on Deep Ellum on Air on Sunday, November 1, 2015.

Since 1977 the Topps trading card company has been an important part of licensed Star Wars collectibles.  With the arrival of the first wax packs of cards (with bubble gum no less), fans young and old could amass a variety of rare images from the film in trading card form.

Cole Houston and Eddie Medina share their own experiences as collectors of Topps cards from Star Wars through Return of the Jedi and beyond.  They are joined in this endeavor by the VegaBomber, PJ Dunn.  Some of the more unique cards, stickers, and innovations (including one of a kind sketch cards) are presented and discussed.  The latest Topps series, Journey to the Force Awakens, is also revealed and reviewed! 

While Topps was not the only player in the trading card game, they were the oldest and most prolific licensee to produce wave after wave of trading cards based on the Saga.  Other trading card releases, and even POGs become part of this show that is all about the enduring nature of the trading card, especially those that give fans a piece of the movie series they love.  All of that and a whole lot of "Fun With Star Wars"!

Join a trio of cards as they talk about trading cards today...

The Rantcor Pit Live 11-01-15 by DeepEllumOnAir

The Rantcor Pit Live #40 - Galactic Games II

Let the Games...BEGIN!

Welcome to a special episode of The Rantcor Pit Live as originally aired on Sunday, October 18, 2015.  Eddie Medina was off the show to appear in the Artist Alley at the Dallas Comic Con Fan Days, so Cole took the opportunity to bring back the game show that Eddie created in his absence last July.  

With a series of challenging questions in a variety of categories, contestants Catherine "Mrs. JediCole" Houston, Jason McLean, Hunter Duesing, and Matt Rox tested there Star Wars mettle.  From character recognition to behind the scenes knowledge, few were the questions that went unanswered.  The new feature, Fun With Star Wars, also returned.

So without further ado, The JediCole Universe, in association with Deep Ellum on Air and One-Eyed Joe Media presents the second Galactic Games!


The Rantcor Pit 2015-10-18 by DeepEllumOnAir

The Rantcor Pit Live #39 - A Death Star is Born

This episode of the live show originally aired on Sunday, October 4, 2015 live from Dallas, TX.

Your favorite Star Wars guys are back again live from Deep Ellum on Air!  How do they follow up an entire episode on the subject of Hammerhead?  Why with an episode about the Death Star of course!  Don't see the connection?  Well, there is not one, actually.

None the less, Cole "JediCole" Houston and Eddie Medina proudly spend their hour on the live show talking about one of the most iconic space stations in science fiction history.  It is certainly among the most recognizable aspects of the Star Wars universe.  So if there was just one weapon worth talking about for a whole show, it would have to be the Empire's "technological terror"!

So be sure to watch the show and hear what your hosts have to say on the subject of what is obviously no moon and explore some possible explanations as to why we really needed another Death Star after somebody broke the perfectly good one we started with!  All that and the first installment of "Fun With Star Wars", leading up to an upcoming episode of the audio show, and some insights on making your own "rare" collectible non-Death Star variant toy! 

It turns out that it was a pencil sharpener, not a bank!

The Rantcor Pit LIVE 2015-10-04 by DeepEllumOnAir

Don't forget to send us your vintage Death Star selfies!

The Rantcor Pit Live #38 - Hammer Time!

This episode of The Rantcor Pit Live originally aired live on Deep Ellum on Air on Sunday, September 20, 2015.

When it comes to Star Wars characters, being at the forefront or having a tonnage of screen time are not necessarily prerequisites to becoming  a fan favorite.  Boba Fett made quite the splash with limited time on the big screen and even more limited dialogue after all!  Of course his introduction via the otherwise cringe-worthy Holiday Special did help boost the bounty hunter’s mystique.  Then there are the breakaway background characters.  One of the most unusual, eye-catching, and indeed popular began life in fandom simply as “Hammerhead”.

Momaw Nadon (aka Hammerhead) becomes the focus of a special edition of The Rantcor Pit Live as hosts Cole Houston and Eddie Medina pay tribute to the Ithorian visitor to Mos Eisley.  For JediCole the topic is especially close to his heart as he showcases his love of the curious alien through the medium of his ever-growing collection of Hammerhead memorabilia.  Eddie is not far behind in considering Momaw as easily his second favorite behind Greedo.  Even their guest, Catherine “Mrs. JediCole” Houston had some personal observations to share.

So is it possible to fill an entire hour of a Star Wars podcast with a single Cantina alien as the subject matter?  Of course it is!  Especially when it is everyone’s favorite Ithorian.  A character so popular in fact that he has enjoyed multiple incarnations as an action figure, two collectible mini-busts, and a variety of other cool collectibles.  Plus the discussion is not limited to this single representative of the Ithorian race!  Roron Corobb, the Jedi of this species, as well as other notable representatives outside of film and television wind up in the mix.  When it comes to Star Wars alien popularity, you “can’t touch this!”

The Rantcor Pit Live #37 - Force Friday, Force Fizzle

Where did Cole get those wonderful toys?!

Welcome to a brand new edition of The Rantcor Pit Live!  This episode aired a mere two days after "Force Friday", the opening salvo of the merchandising onslaught for Episode VII toys, apparel, games, housewares, decor, fabrics, and more.  Did we mention toys?

Hosts Cole "JediCole" Houston and Eddie Medina are joined in the studio of Deep Ellum on Air by none other than returning guest Vegabomer!  This intrepid trio share their experience with the Force Friday release as well as those reported by others online.  A massive "midnight madness" release was promised by Toys R Us, Target, and Wal-Mart and generated tremendous excitement among fans and collectors.

But did the massive three-pronged extravaganza deliver or just become the latest Force Fail?  From the first stop on the journey of The Rantcor Pit's hosts to the brilliant approach taken by the Disney Store in Dallas for their 6 AM Friday launch, the big event had its ups and downs.  For many, more downs than ups.

While only part of the greater tale of Force Friday is told (check out the Sunday, September 13th edition of the prerecorded show for more), there was certainly plenty to discuss on the subject of the massive volume of collectibles dropped into the retail market in one fell swoop!

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The Rantcor Pit Live #36 - Force Fails II (and the fate of TRPL #35)

Welcome to the latest edition of The Rantcor Pit Live.  This episode aired on Sunday, August 23, 2015 on Deep Ellum on Air.  Two weeks earlier Eddie Medina and Cole Houston were joined in the studio by DFW area artist and recent regular on JediGoddess Presents, Thomas Branch for the thirty-fifth episode of the show, "Creature Features - Episode II".  Unfortunately due to hard drive issues this episode, which aired live on August 9, 2015, was lost forever.  If you did not happen to watch that episode when it aired, we are saddened to say that you have missed that one completely.  There simply is not archive to share here.  Steps have been taken to prevent this loss of a show in the future.

Eddie Medina flies "Solo" this episode as JediCole was out of the studio for the week.  Joining Eddie this time is none other than Don't Tell My Wife I'm a Cult Leader co-creator Matt Rox. 

Just what is Matt looking at here?  Find out on the show.

A return to the "Force Fails" became the order of the day!  Matt was the perfect choice for the topic and the nuttiness ensued.  What do two local Dallas artists consider to be the failures of Star Wars? 

From concepts in the actual films to licensed products to just oddball things Star Wars, many were the fails!  Find out about alien hands, space racism, odd office supplies, and something no child should ever have seen in the 70s!  Even the Jedi Holocron gets in on the fun in a big way.  The fails just keep on comin' and The Rantcor Pit Live brings them to you!

The Rantcor Pit LIVE 08-23-15 by DeepEllumOnAir

The Rantcor Pit Live #34 - The Force of July: Creature Features

At long last the final episode of "The Force of July" has made it to the JCU site!  This episode originally aired live on Sunday, July 26, 2015.

As the month-long series drew to a close, Cole Houston and Eddie Medina were joined in the Deep Ellum on Air Studio by G33K3 producer Randy "Hoody" Alexander and they mysterious Stephen .

The creatures of Star Wars was the topic at hand and the discussion got pretty lively.  Pop-culture references flew about like so many Mynoks and an observation was made about an Episode 7 critter that appeared in the San Diego Comic Con reel.

If you are keen on the monsters, creatures, and wildlife of that galaxy far, far away, then you have come to the right place!  Your hosts and their guest set out to explore wretched hives of scum and villainy as well as your various spaceports, swamps, meadows, and miscellaneous habitats.  From sentient aliens like Greedo and Oola to beasties like the Taun Taun and even the Rancor itself, creatures are the feature of this episode!



The Rantcor Pit 2015-07-26 by DeepEllumOnAir

The Rantcor Pit Live #33 - The Force of July: Tales of The Rantcor Pit

This episode originally aired live on Deep Ellum on Air on Sunday, July 19, 2015.  Due to a technical delay it is finally archived here a week later.

The Force of July continues on The Rantcor Pit Live with a third big week of guests and Star Wars fun! 

This week hosts Cole Houston and Eddie Medina were joined by fellow podcaster Jeff McGee of Bantha Banter (among other shows) and Lubbock Con's own DeNae Griffith!  The conversation turned to personal Star Wars stories this outing.  From initial encounters with the Saga to collecting, to passing the fandom torch to a new generation!

Discover what had Disney up in arms that week, what it took to get some Dixie Cups, and how important it is to share Star Wars with the kids.  These and other stories will be shared as Tales of the Rantcor Pit unfolds! 



The Rantcor Pit Live 7-19-15 by DeepEllumOnAir

And somebody thought THIS was bad!