profile pic ian.jpg

Welcome to Kicking the Seat!

Ian Simmons launched Kicking the Seat in 2009, one week after seeing Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia. His wife proposed blogging as a healthier outlet for his anger than red-faced, twenty-minute tirades (Ian is no longer allowed to drive home from the movies).

The Kicking the Seat Podcast followed three years later and, despite its “undiscovered gem” status, Ian thoroughly enjoys hosting film critic discussions, creating themed shows, and interviewing such luminaries as Gaspar NoéRachel BrosnahanAmy Seimetz, and Richard Dreyfuss.

Ian is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. He also has a family, a day job, and conflicted feelings about referring to himself in the third person.

Ep311: Late Screening: Son of Borat (Part 1)

Today, The Kicking the Seat Podcast and ColeTries.com are back with another installment of "Late Screening"! This time, Cole turns the tables on Ian, introducing him to Comedy Central's bizarre docu-series, Nathan for You. The show finds host Nathan Fielder proposing outrageous marketing schemes to struggling small businesses and, along the way, providing savage critiques of everything from celebrity worship to capitalism to reality television.

In Part 1 of this very special edition, Ian reviews his "homework" with Cole, discussing the seven-and-a-half Nathan for You episodes he watched ahead of the feature-length Season Four finale, Finding Frances (which will be the centerpiece of Part 2). The guys talk about "cringe-worthy" entertainment; some of the episodes' left-field intricacies; and Fielder as the custodian of Sacha Baron Cohen's comedic legacy.

Also, Ian reminds listeners of this Friday's Chicago Critics Film Festival, and talks about another bit of catching up he did over the weekend.

Episode 311 is an art installation!

You can keep up with the latest seat-kicking goodness by following, liking, rating, and subscribing to us on TwitterFacebookInstagramiTunes, and Stitcher!

Ep312: A Tale of Two Movies

Ep310: 50 Million Reasons