Michael Palan
Expertise
Food History, Fountain Drinks, Anything Fried
- Michael ate his way through every kind of potato chip that Utz sells and not only lived to tell about it, but he ranked them all for The Daily Meal.
- As one who believes that sharing is caring, Michael is a Level 8 contributor to Google Maps: as a Master Photographer and Expert Reviewer of restaurants and points of general and specific interests.
- He once won a White Castle eating contest, and another time celebrated Valentine's Day at that fine dining establishment (that relationship didn't last).
Experience
Michael was born weighing 10 pounds and thus has been a lover of eating since birth. His amazing cook of a mother always indulged him, making many traditional favorites like noodle kugel and squash soufflé, but also enjoyed dining out at greasy spoon establishments with a bit of history. While he was a former Sandwich Artist at Subway, he chose to channel his talents into the arts of film, video, photography, and writing. For the past 25 years, he has worked on Academy Award winning films, Emmy Award winning television shows, had photographs published by New York Magazine, and has written for Decider, Looper, Explore and The Daily Meal. He also is an unofficial brand ambassador for Popeyes Fried Chicken.
Education
Michael has a bachelor's degree in Telecommunications from Indiana University Bloomington.
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Stories By Michael Palan
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Even if you haven't seen the films they are about, "Room 237," "Hearts of Darkness, "Best Worst Movie" and others are some of the best documentaries ever.
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They thrilled us, made us laugh, and fans will forever remember Harold Ramis, Ivan Reitman, Mkchael K. Williams and other stars of the "Ghostbusters" franchise.
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People don't play around when it comes to boardgames. Roll the dice on this ranking of the best, and see if Monopoly, Chess, Stratego or Connect Four wins.
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Sitcom Charles in Charge entertained audiences in the '80s, but never earned a contemporary reboot. What happened to the cast of Charles in Charge?
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Here's what happened to Chris Burke, Bill Smitrovich, Patti LuPone, Chad Lowe and other stars from the 1989 series.
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A beloved classic, "Paper Moon" starred Ryan O'Neal, daughter Tatum, and legends like Madeline Kahn and John Hillerman. We revisit the Peter Bogdanovich film.
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From Norman Lear to people who've worked with Laurel and Hardy and Orson Welles, these are notable entertainers turning 100 in the year 2022.
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Lethal Weapon and Die Hard shared many of the same cast and crew members. Here are the actors that made both movies possible.
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You might remember "Can't Buy Me Love" or "Yesterday," but have you seen "Norwegian Wood" or "Two of Us"? Here are some great movies inspired by the Beatles.
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In the '90s, hit albums celebrating "Pulp Fiction," "Singles," "The Commitments," "The Bodyguards" and other films became the soundtracks to our lives.
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A Very Brady Christmas turned out to be one of the best TV reunions and delightful Christmas movies of the '80s. Here are the best and worst things about it.
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1996 feels like yesterday, but the films released that year are actually celebrating their 25th anniversary. Here are some of the best!
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Did you play the "Purple Rain," "Say Anything" and "Footloose" soundtrack cassettes in your car tape deck until they broke? We give love to the '80s classics.
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Here are the best movies turning 50 this year.
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Now 50 years old, George Lucas broke into Hollywood with "THX 1138." Here's what happened to Robert Duvall, Sid Haig and other stars after the cameras rolled.
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Did you know "Flight of the Navigator" was one of the first Disney movies with a curse word? Or how Sarah Jessica Parker feels about the film? We investigate.
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If you want to sing out, sing out ... in appreciation of actors like Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon, Tom Skerritt and more who gave life to Hal Ashby's "Harold & Maude."
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"Dirty Harry" was a culture-defining hit when it got lucky 50 years ago. Here's what Clint Eastwood, John Vernon, Mae Mercer and other notable actors did next.
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Spare some cutter and grab a glass of milk, as we look back on Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" and see what the cast did after making the classic film.
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The "Saved By the Bell" reboot on Peacock has old characters, fun jokes - and new series stars worth watching, like Mitchell Hoog, Josie Totah and Ariela Barer.
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Heather, Josh and the other stars of the "Blair Witch" films didn't really die. Some have even launched Hollywood careers, which we examine.
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From "Black Swan" to "A Clockwork Orange," "Blue Velvet" to "Goldfinger," it feels like every color in the rainbow has received its own classic film.
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If you want to make a mark on your debut film, use a number in your title. If your film has got the goods, the numbered title certainly can't hurt.
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Many actors pass down their love of the craft to their kids. Some pass down their looks, too: These actors look just like their famous parents!
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From Christina Applegate to David Duchovny, we look in on the careers of the star players in the 1991 cult classic "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead."
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Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Natalie Wood, the Marx Brothers and more – we explore their real names, their Hollywood monikers, and why they made the change.
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From Memorial Day through Labor Day, each summer in the 1990s seemed to outdo the previous one. Let's look back at the biggest summer movies of the 1990s.