A Podcast for Film Buffs and Gearheads
If you’ve watched live-action TV shows and movies within the last 40 years, there’s a card-counting chance you’ve seen Corey Eubanks. He’s a man with a mile-long IMDb page showing credited and uncredited work as a writer, actor, producer, director, and, most famously, a stuntman. But recently, he’s added a new title to his list, podcaster. Stunt Stories by Corey Eubanks is a car podcast for cinephiles and gearheads. It’s available on his YouTube channel, and each episode involves Mr. Eubanks telling tales from his extensive and ongoing career as a Hollywood stuntman.
A-list actors may get the best lines, but stunt performances usually have the best stories. Corey Eubanks’ podcast takes listeners down memory lane and straight off a pipe ramp as he recalls the life of a stuntman and all that it entails. To give you a proper context of stuntman Corey Eubanks’ influence on pop media, here are a few titles he has worked on over the decades:
Better Call Saul
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)
Horrible Bosses (2011)
Pineapple Express (2008)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
Starsky & Hutch (2004)
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Memento (2000)
Me, Myself & Irene (2000)
Mars Attacks! (1996)
Midnight Run (1988)
Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
Cobra (1986)
The Dukes of Hazzard TV Series (1979-1985)
The list does not include stunt driving in every Transformers movie and more than a handful of Fast and Furious movies, including 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Tokyo Drift (2006), and Fast Five (2011). While researching Corey Eubanks for a future article, it quickly dawned on me that I’ve unknowingly been a fan of his work my entire life.
So, naturally, when I discovered his Stunt Stories podcast, I binged it like the latest streamable Disney-produced show.
Stories About Your Favorite TV and Movie Cars Told by the Man Who Drove Them
Some of the must-hear episodes of Stunt Stories by Corey Eubanks involve him simply talking about his early days as a fresh-faced 18-year-old stuntman on the set of The Dukes of Hazzard. For example, in the episode “Stealing the General Lee,” he admits to trespassing and joyriding a 1969 Dodge Charger stunt car under a moonlit night with a buddy. It’s an entertaining story that will leave you comparing it to your less-than-legal youthful adventures.
His days as a stuntman on The Dukes of Hazzard continue in the episode “Picking on the Rookie,” which involves pranks that make college fraternity hazing seem like whoopie cushions.
The episode “Stunt Doubling Sly on Cobra” is precisely what the title suggests. Corey Eubanks did all the stunts for Sylvester Stallone on the 1986 action film Cobra. He got to drive the custom 1950 Mercury coupe. Another episode I recommend is “The feature film STARSKY & HUTCH,” where he doubled for Ben Stiller in the 2004 film Starsky & Hutch and drove the Ford Gran Torino striped tomato.
In fact, you’ll get the insight story behind the famous J-turn crash blooper shown in the end credits. A mistake he did not realize was going to be included in the film until he saw it at the premiere – much to his disappointment.
Besides learning how various stunts are prepped and coordinated you also get some insight on how stunt cars are uniquely modified to do certain stunts. Mr. Eubanks was one of the first stunt drivers to use nitrous oxide on the set of The Dukes of Hazzard.
In this case, the nitro button was fitted to the Dodge Charger’s foot operated high beam light switch. As a result, Mr. Eubanks had his right foot on the gas and the other on nitrous, which is the equivalent of double fisting Jager bombs before jumping off the roof into a pool.
In addition, a lot of episodes involve interviews with other stunt performers and professionals in his life. That alone provides a source of filmmaking insight that you don’t get on Inside the Actors Studio, talk shows, or the most exclusive collector DVD commentary.
But, more importantly, it gives a voice to the often unnoticed. People can name award-winning actors like Jeopardy champions, but most would struggle to name one stunt performer that isn’t Evel Knievel. This is a shame because while we revere certain actors for their line delivery, many iconic movies and TV shows would be unwatchable without stunt performers.
Listen for Yourself
The ending of every year often means travel. Driving and flying to gather or escape from with friends and family over the holiday season.
So, if you find yourself slumped in an uncomfortable chair at an airport terminal, elbow deep into a bag of Cheetos during a long distance drive, or simply yearning for a car podcast that isn’t rich guys complaining about the latest McLaren. I highly recommend the podcast Stunt Stories by Corey Eubanks.
Its a great audio show for the film buff who loves learning the ins and outs of video production. The gearhead who grew up watching an orange Dodge Charger fly through the air on TV. Or someone who appreciates the art and skill involved in filming cars.
This is one podcast that you should be listening to.
Jesus Behind the Wheel 