In this episode, we boldly plunge into that most terrifying of depths: the critical reception of Ernest. Will Ernest remain an ad forever? Will he ruin Christmas instead of saving it? Is there any redemption for our hero? Join Erin and David as they track the cultural response to Ernest throughout his rollercoaster of an era.

In this episode:

• Pre-order the IOBE documentary!
• Going viral in the ‘80s - The phenomenon of Ad Ernest
  • Ernest coverage on the CBS Evening News Dec 06, 1985
  • Ernest coverage on the CBS Evening News July 25, 1984
• May 1987 article: The Importance of Being Ernest
• What A Feeling! - Archived vintage movie reviews
• Ernest’s transition from commercials to cinema
• Ernest in the pop culture consciousness
  • Ernest Goes to Camp on Parker Lewis Can’t Lose
• The adverse effects of over-exposure
• Once an ad character, always an ad character?
• 1989 Chicago Tribune story about the cancellation of Hey Vern, It’s Ernest
• The many southern characters Ernest can be compared to
• Customer reviews for sugar free gummy bears
• The peculiar rejection of Ernest’s sentimentality
• From hype aversion to nostalgia

But wait, there’s more! In this extra, we’re doubling our offer with additional “Ernest merchandise” discussion—our wish list items, fan-made merch, a rare Ernesto obscurity, and more of that KnoWhutImean News that you’re so jealously fond of. Call now, KnoWhutImean?

In this extra:

• We’re back and in a whole new world!
• David is directing a documentary: The Importance of Being Ernest
  • Stay updated on the film by signing up at beingernestfilm.com
• What counts as merch?
• Ernest P. Worrell: the original Influencer
• Stuff we wish existed
  • David’s LEGO Dimensions Ernest fan art
• Josh Minetree proposes a “Hey Vern, It’s Ernest” line of toys
• Unofficial Ernest merchandise:
  • The Ernest P. Worrell Preservation Society’s t-shirts, featuring unmade Ernest movies
  • Fright Rags “Ernest Scared Stupid” shirt
  • Trantor the Troll aka “Booger Lips” paintable resin figure
  • Ernest paintable resin figure
  • KnowhutIZine by Rick V and Dakota Floyd
    • KnowhutIzine at itsmerickv.storenvy.com/
    • KnowhutIzine and Auntie Nelda Shirt at the sodaprintsatl Etsy store
  • Allenolantern makes Ernest magnets and stickers
  • The Ernest Watch Party hosted by Aaron Cohen and Mo Edwards: a place to watch Ernest while chatting with fellow fans, and Ernest prizes
• Commissioned Ernest fan art:
  • Ernest Perler bead art
  • “Jim Varney is Ernest” by Neil Fraser Graphics
• “Juice Demon” and the naming workarounds for unofficial merch
• Boglins on Kickstarter
• The long-coveted “Talk Stupid to Me” Ernest answering machine messages cassette!
• Even more miraculously unearthed KnoWhutImean? News!
• The ever-expanding Ernest P. World

Be the first one on your block to own "Ernest and Merchandising!" Featuring Erin and David discovering Ernest T-shirts, dishware, cassette tapes, toys, paper goods, and hazardous materials! Buy me, Vern!

In this episode:

• A deep dive into the merchandising of our beloved American icon
• Life-giving souvenirs like:
  • BIG FUN cup!
  • Taco cup!
  • Far-Go Herbicide Cup!
  • Ernest Piggy Bank!
  • “Ernest Goes to Camp” Read-Along Cassette!
  • “Talk Stupid to Me” Answering Machine Cassette!
  • Face Ringer Tees!
  • Mello Yello shirt!
  • Scary Convenient Shirt!
  • Ernest DOLL Shirt?
  • Convenient Hat!
  • Fan Club Merch!
  • Best Fan Club Shirt!
  • Long-Sleeved Fan Club Shirt!
  • Mask!
  • Scary Mask!
  • Ernest Doll!
  • Ernest Gumball Dispenser - with Unboxing!
  • Toxic Chemicals!
• How do you market an Ernest?
• Ernest P. Worrell: A misunderstood man and franchise

In this extra, our minds grow richer with the Ernest movie pitches of gentle listeners, Ernest's cinema successors continue his peculiar legacy of optimism, we receive a mind-blowing free gift, and much more!

In this extra:

• Dora and the Lost City of Gold (CERTIFIED FRESH)
• RocketMan = Ernest Spaced Out?
  • The suspiciously-named Fred Z. Randall
• LOADS of Ernest movie pitches from those that love him
  • We’re talking Muppets
  • We’re talking time travel
  • We’re talking murder mansions
• GHOSTS in Ernest Scared Stupid?
• Artist Kevin Hinkle sends us AN AMAZING GIFT
  • The medallion in all its glory!
  • The Art of Kevin Hinkle
  • mrhinkledraws on IG
• Little old ladies who love Ernest
• Also more!

We've pored over every Ernest film they ever made—but what about the ones they didn't? Erin, David, and Dan unearth a treasure trove of unmade Ernest pitches, buried deep in an ocean of untapped potential. And the race is on!

In this episode:

• Know the Artist: Interview with Coke Sams (web archive link)
• Lair of Lost Films blog: Unproduced Ernest Films
• Ernest the Pirate = Pirates of the Plain (trailer)
• Ernest/Dr. Otto and the Song of Tarantula Women
• Ernest in Paradise
• Ernest and the Bold Crusader
• Ernest Spaced Out
  • Rocketman
• Ernest and the Curse of the Voodoo King
• Ernest and the Water Baby
  • Drawings of the Water Baby by John Cherry (from his book “Keeper of the Clown”)
• All the what-might-have-beens
• Pitching our dream Ernest genre movies
• Additional sources:
  • Jim Varney interview by Donald Porter (1987)
  • “Ernest’s Transition from TV to Film” in EW (1990)
  • “Ernest Spaced Out” in LA Times clipping (1989)
  • Unmade Ernest movies in The Tennessean clipping (1989)
  • “Hey Vern! Jim Varney’s For Real!” (1990)

In this "Analogues" extra, Erin and David pick up a few more Ernest Analogues while discussing life, death, dignity, and legacy.

In this extra:

• Even more Ernest Podcasts!
  • Hey Vern, It’s a Podcast!
  • The Importance of Seeing Ernest
  • Ernest Roulette
• John Cena, Jackie Chan and Charlie Chaplin
• Steve Irwin is still great
• Steve Irwin commercials
  • Pentax
  • Toyota
  • ESPN
  • Quarantine
• Weird Al in UHF and Beakman?
• Gremlins 2, and other Ernest-y films
• Freaked - 90′s hell?
• Columbo Goes to College
• Carl Winslow - Vern AND Ernest?
• Article: To Jim Varney, Ernest P. Worrell contains a bit of every man
• Article: Hey, Vern! Jim Varney’s For Real
• Goofy! (And Sport Goofy)
• Héctor from Coco
• The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
• Death, dignity, and legacy

In Part 2 of Ernest Analogues, our parade of Ernest's spiritual relatives careens through the 1990s, and crashes into the modern day in an explosion of Mr. Beans, Urkels, Madeas, and many more Worrell correlates.

In this episode:

• In case you missed Part 1.
• Wallace and Gromit
• Bulk and Skull
  • Power Play: Rangers Go Shakespearean (article)
• Larry the Cable Guy
• Mr. Bean
  • Rowan Atkinson Talks About Mr. Bean
  • Mr. Bean: The Animated Series
• Steve Urkel
  • Family Matters Reunion
  • Family Matters Compilation - Shh, Not While I’m Pouring
  • Family Matters Compilation - “I don’t have to take this. I’m going home.”
  • Family Matters Compilation - Waldo: “No Prob Bob.”
  • Family Matters Compilation - The Window Breaks
• Geico Cavemen: Is basing a series on a commercial a bad idea?
• Madea and Ernest
• Doctor Who
• Steve Irwin - the nonfictional analogue?
• The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

No one compares to Ernest! And yet, we spent so much time comparing Ernest's cultural counterparts that we need 2 episodes to do it. From the dawn of moving pictures to the 80s, part 1 stirs up a pot of Chaplin, Pee-wee, Bill and Ted, and loads more.

In this episode:

• What is an Ernest Analogue?
• Can’t we stop talking about Ernest? (No)
• Charlie Chaplin’s timeless “the Tramp”
• Daffy Duck and Duck Amuck
• Ernest T. Bass - coincidence?!
• Jim Varney almost played Stan Laurel in The New Adventures of Laurel and Hardy
• Rocky Balboa
• James Bond
• Inspector Clouseau
• Columbo, the Ernest who figured it out
• Jim Henson, Muppets, and advertising
• Joe Isuzu
• Time to Make the Donuts- Fred the Dunkin’ Donuts Guy
• Randy Savage is THE CREAM OF THE CROP
• John Cena and the Cena Family ads
• PeeWee Herman!
• Bill and Ted, most excellent analogues
• Doc Brown, the Ernest Scared Stupid Ernest of Hill Valley
• Too many characters