The Ruse with Writer and Director Stevan Mena

I guarantee you that she has casted some of your favorite actors on some of your favorite shows. Sherry has been doing this for a long time and her resume is extensive. I had Sherry on last year at the festival and hope she will be back, maybe we can do a regular podcast episode. She has casted everything from The Righteous Gemstones to The Four Seasons to Breaking Bad to Lie To Me. Sherry, if you read this, I would love to be cast as something minor in the next Roughhouse tv show 😂😂😂, I will gladly be a dead body or whatever, but again just a minor role, I am no actor, ha. The Margaret Atwood Cocktail (cbc.ca):Ingredients 1 1/2 oz light rum1/2 oz maraschino liqueur1 oz pomegranate juice1 oz lime juice 1 oz apple juiceSnapdragon for garnishDirectionsAdd all ingredients n a shaker and shake with ice.Pour into a Collins glass filled with ice.Garnish with a snapdragon.Sherry Thomas Drinking Game:Drink when…you watched a show she casted.As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.

I don’t get sent documentaries very often, but recently I was sent two, one was JessZilla and it is releasing Friday, June 27th, so be sure to check it out. JessZilla is about Jesselyn Silva, a 15-year-old national boxing champion whose Olympic dreams are cut short when she gets a cancer diagnosis. It will be available on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube Movies, and Vimeo.I usually post drinking rules because it’s part of the podcast, and while I do discuss them in the interview with Emily and Ben, I am choosing not to post them on here in the show notes. I don’t feel like it’s a film you will want to drink during, due to the nature of the documentary and that Jesselyn did pass away on August 13, 2024. Honor Jesselyn in the best way you see fit, you can donate to the childhood cancer fund in here name (https://curechildhoodcancer.org/about-cure/named-funds/jesszilla-fund/), watch and share the movie with others, or however you’d like to.When I finished this documentary I emailed the PR guy I had been in contact with back and said, “That was such an incredible and inspiring documentary. I hope that many people will watch this when it’s released.” So please be sure to check it out, it is sad, but I think everyone will be glad they watched it.Spicy Passion Fruit Margarita (butternutbakeryblog.com):I picked this drink because of the purple flower used for garnish, since purple was her favorite color, and due to the fact that Jesselyn was passionate about her family and boxing, not to mention that Ben said it needed to be something that gave a punch. Ingredients 2 jalapeño slices (about 1/8” thick)3/4 oz fresh lime juice1/4 oz agave nectar1 1/2 oz blanco tequila (or mezcal if you want a smokey flavor), for a mocktail version use a zero proof option or a citrus seltzer1/2 oz orange liqueur, or use orange juice for the mocktail version2 oz passion fruit pureeTajin for the rimDirectionsAdd the jalapeño slices, lime juice, and agave to a shaker. Muddle the jalapeños to release more flavor.Add the remaining ingredients along with ice and shake for about 30 seconds.Use lime wedge to line the rim of a cocktail glass. Then place the glass upside down in some tajin to coat the rim. Fill with ice.Strain the cocktail into the glass and garnish with a purple hibiscus or another purple flower of your choosing. Enjoy.As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.

I bought a trivia game from Go! Games, a company based in Austin. I was at the mall and it was $5 and I grabbed it. It's always nice to have multiple trivia games for the podcast and just for fun. See how many you get right. I will be using this game again in the future, I barely scratched the surface of the questions.🍿🎬 “Plot Twist” – A Trivia Night Cocktail🥃 Ingredients:1 oz Vodka (neutral, keeps you guessing)0.75 oz Chambord (dark berry, mysterious like a cliffhanger)0.5 oz fresh lemon juice (a little twist, literally)0.25 oz vanilla syrup (sweet like sitcom nostalgia)Topped with ginger beer (for the fizzy finale)Garnish: Gummy question mark or a twist of lemon🧪 Directions:Shake vodka, Chambord, lemon juice, and vanilla syrup with ice.Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice.Top with ginger beer.Garnish with a lemon twist in the shape of a question mark or a mini drink stirrer with a trivia quote tag.Drinking Game:Drink when…you get the question wrong.Danielle gets the question wrong.As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.

UnREAL premiered 10 years ago and is having a panel at the ATX Television Festival this year, so I thought what better way to celebrate than to cover the pilot episode. You can stream the show on Netflix.Reality shows are often full of drama, but in the case of dating show `Everlasting', there may be more drama behind the scenes than there is in front of the camera. Executive producer Quinn commands her staff to get dramatic and outrageous footage for the show, which forces young producer Rachel to manipulate the relationships among the contestants to get the show's final cut to match Quinn's vision of it. As show star Adam searches for his perfect mate, the show's staff members deal with their own romantic predicaments on the set. Rachel's ex-boyfriend is one of the show's cameramen, and his current fiancee, Lizzie, is the makeup artist.“The Final Rose” - An UnREAL Cocktail:🍸 Ingredients:1.5 oz Gin (London Dry or a floral-forward variety)0.5 oz Aperol (for that rose-pink TV glow + underlying bitterness)0.5 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur (smooth, manipulative sweetness)0.75 oz fresh lemon juice0.25 oz rose syrup* (romantic and fake — just like the show)1 dash Peychaud’s bitters (for color + depth)Garnish: Dehydrated rose petal or a “bloody” sugar rimRose syrup: Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, and 1 tsp rose water in a saucepan. Heat until dissolved, then cool.🧪 Instructions:Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.Shake well, imagining Quinn whispering in your ear.Strain into a chilled coupe glass.Garnish with a single dried rose petal or a pink sugar rim splashed with red food coloring to look like a lipstick smear… or blood.Drinking Game (earnspendlive.com):Take a sip every time:You’re more than 75% sure that whatever is going on could REALLY happen on The Bachelor/Bachelorette……and you catch yourself looking around for Chris Harrison.There’s a kiss.Tabloids stir up drama.Chet is the literal worst.Someone says something racist.Rachel has an attack of conscience.Take a shot if/when:Adam comes back for Season 2.Two if Adam and Rachel get together.Rachel actually quits “Everlasting”There’s yet another awkwardly voyeuristic sex scene.Two if it’s The Suitor screwing someone he’s not supposed to (Adam flashbacks, anyone?).Rachel/Quinn does something terrible but says it’s feminist.Finish your drink when:The producers cross the line.Quinn and Rachel have one of their rare, real friendship moments.FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!You catch yourself admiring one of our two favorite antiheros, Quinn and Rachel because they are kind of the worst.You swear you’ll never watch reality TV again (even though we both know you don’t mean it).As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.

This has always been a film I have enjoyed with a great cast and a great story to keep you intrigued. I would also recommend the tv show if you get a chance to watch it, too bad it only lasted one season. This is such a great thriller from the 90s, so rent it or buy a copy online. Policewoman Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) is in hot pursuit of a serial murderer whose calling card is a small shard of bone extracted from each of his victims. Unable to decipher the cryptic clues the killer leaves behind at the scene of the crime, Amelia calls upon quadriplegic forensic criminology expert Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) to help. With Amelia acting as Rhyme's able-bodied go-between, the pair piece together disparate clues, hoping they will learn who the next victim is.The Bone Collector:🥃 Ingredients:1.5 oz Rye whiskey (or bourbon, for a smoother edge)0.75 oz Amaro (Averna or Cynar for depth and herbal complexity)0.5 oz Cherry Heering (adds a dark, blood-red sweetness)0.25 oz Activated charcoal simple syrup* (gives a black, bone-chilling hue)2 dashes chocolate bittersGarnish: Luxardo cherry speared through a miniature bone (can be a novelty cocktail pick or a plastic prop)*Charcoal Simple Syrup (optional): Mix 1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup sugar + 1 capsule of activated charcoal (food-grade). Stir until dissolved.🧪 Directions:Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.Stir for 20–30 seconds until well chilled.Strain into a chilled coupe or over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.Garnish with the bone-picked cherry.Drinking Game:🥂 Take 1 Sip When:Someone says "evidence" or "forensics"Lincoln Rhyme gives a command from bedA new clue is foundA body is discoveredAmelia looks visibly disturbed but continues anywayThere's a close-up of a gruesome detailLincoln uses his voice-controlled computer🥃 Take 2 Sips When:Someone questions Amelia's involvementA creepy location is explored aloneThe killer's plan becomes clearerSomeone touches something without glovesA crime scene is revisited🧠 Finish Your Drink When:The killer is revealedThe final trap is sprungLincoln has a philosophical moment about death or choiceAmelia fully embraces the role of detective🧴 Bonus Rules:"The Clue Rule": If someone correctly predicts the next clue, they may choose another player to drink."The Bone Rule": If anyone says "Bone Collector," everyone must toast and take a sip.As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.

I love getting screeners to watch and I recently got a screener for The Ruse, it is written and directed by Stevan Mena. This film was wonderful! Such a gripping thriller that kept you waiting for more. It will be released in theaters on May 16th, this Friday! Go check it out when you can. I had the pleasure of chatting with Stevan Mena over zoom and got to ask him a few questions about the film. Stevan recommended a Captain Morgan and Coke for the drink, but I also used ChatGPT to create a fun themed cocktail for you to make.If you are curious, The Ruse is about an in-home caregiver who fears for her life after being assigned to a mysterious elderly patient in a remote seaside home. Go to https://therusemovie.com/ to find a theatre near you.🥃 The Ruse: A Cocktail of DeceptionA mysterious, layered libation that reveals its secrets sip by sip.Ingredients1 oz black vodka (for a dark, enigmatic base)1 oz elderflower liqueur (introducing a floral, deceptive sweetness)½ oz fresh lemon juice (adding a sharp twist)½ oz activated charcoal simple syrup* (deepening the intrigue)Top with dry tonic water (to effervesce the mystery)Garnish: edible flower or a sprig of rosemary (a nod to hidden depths)DirectionsIn a shaker filled with ice, combine black vodka, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and charcoal syrup.Shake vigorously until well-chilled.Strain into a chilled coupe glass.Gently top with dry tonic water to create a shimmering layer.Garnish with an edible flower or rosemary sprig.*Activated Charcoal Simple Syrup: Dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1 cup water over low heat. Once dissolved, stir in 1 teaspoon of activated charcoal powder. Cool before use.The Ruse Drinking Game:Take 1 sip when…Olivia (Veronica Cartwright) looks concerned.someone says something suspicious.the house creaks or makes a noise.Take 2 sips when…a character tells a lie.there's an unanswered question.Finish your drink when…a major twist is revealed.Olivia’s past in mentioned.when the killer is revealed.An optional bonus rule: Each player writes down who they think the real “ruse” involves before the halfway mark. Anyone who guesses right at the end gets to assign two extra drinks to others.As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.

I hadn't seen this movie in a very long time and I forgot a lot about it, which means I am sure you have as well, that or you have never seen the film. If you are wondering, Beverly Hills Ninja is about a young American boy that washes ashore near a village populated by skilled Japanese warriors, they raise the child as one of them and instruct him in the ways of ninjitsu. Unfortunately, he grows up to be the overweight and inept but very enthusiastic Haru (Chris Farley), who remains intent on becoming a real ninja. Haru's first assignment -- protecting a beautiful woman from California -- doesn't go smoothly, since he's both uncoordinated and completely unaccustomed to Western culture.Beverly Hills Iced Tea (diffordsguide.com):Ingredients3⁄4 oz Hayman's London Dry Gin3⁄4 oz Ketel One Vodka1 oz Cointreau triple sec liqueur1⁄2 oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)1⁄2 oz Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)Top up with Brut champagne/sparkling wineDirectionsShake first five ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass. Top with champagne and gently stir. Garnish with lime zest twistDrinking Game (finishyourdrinks.com):Drink when...Haru's shoes go missing.someone enters the ninja zone.a character dies.Haru breaks something.brand name products and prominently in the scene.someone says "great white ninja".As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.

If you are not watching Doctor Odyssey, you need to start now. It is one of those shows that is so cheesy that it's good. It's a guilty pleasure show for sure and I love it. I wanted to choose this episode because it features special guest stars Kelsea Ballerini and Margo Martindale as mother and daughter. I wasn't prepared for what this podcast episode turned out to be. Just so you know, Doctor Odyssey is about Max, who is the new on-board doctor for a luxury cruise ship where the small but mighty medical team navigate unique medical crises and each other, miles from shore. It stars Joshua Jackson, Phillipa Son, Sean Teale, Don Johnson and features so many guest stars, like the modern day Love Boat. Check it out on Hulu or on ABC.The Midnight Scalpel (I asked ChatGPT):Ingredients2 oz Dark Rum (bold and brooding, like the doc himself)0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice (for a sharp, clinical edge)0.5 oz Ginger Syrup (zingy and exotic, just like the locales)1 dash of Angostura Bitters (adds complexity like a backstory)Splash of Activated Charcoal (for that inky, moody drama)Top with Club SodaGarnish: Thin cucumber ribbon & a metal cocktail pick (like a surgical tool)DirectionsShake rum, lime juice, ginger syrup, bitters, and charcoal with ice.Strain into a highball or Collins glass over fresh ice.Top with club soda for fizz and tension.Garnish with the cucumber ribbon and silver pick - because it's Dr. Max Bankman and he doesn't do basic.For a mocktail version called Code Black, replace the rum with black iced tea like Earl Grey or Lapsang and remove the bitters.Doctor Odyssey Drinking Game:Drink when...they are in the infirmary.you see a guest star.you see gold medical instruments.someone says "We're losing them!" or "I need ___ccs now!"their watch goes off.something super cheesy happens.sexual tension between any of the main characters.they have to resuscitate someone. the medical staff tries something new and risky to save a life.Take a shot when...someone goes overboard.you see a country superstar as a guest star.for a cliffhanger.As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.

If you haven't been watching High Potential on ABC or Hulu, you need to start right now. It is such a great show and stars Kaitlin Olson, who is phenomenal and such a kind and funny woman, yes I have met her briefly one time, hopefully I will meet her again and get her on the podcast.In case you are wanting to know what the show is about, it's about Morgan, a single mom with three kids and an exceptional mind, helps solve an unsolvable crime when she rearranges some evidence during her shift as a cleaner for the police department. When they discover she has a knack for putting things in order because of her high intellectual potential, she is brought on as a consultant to work with a by-the-book seasoned detective, Karadec. Together they form an unusual and unstoppable team. All episodes are streaming on Hulu and Disney+.The Clue Juice:Ingredients1.5 oz Bourbon (for boldness and grit)0.5 oz Coffee Liqueur (because she’s probably running on caffeine)0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice (zesty and sharp)0.5 oz Honey Syrup (sweetness for the kids)2 dashes Aromatic Bitters (for depth and sass)Garnish: Lemon twist + a mini magnifying glass pick (for fun)Optional: a splash of cola or soda for a bubbly, chaotic twistAdd bourbon, coffee liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup, and bitters to a shaker with ice.Shake like you're trying to shake a clue out of someone.Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.Top with a splash of cola if you want to lean into that unpredictable flair.Garnish with a lemon twist and a cheeky nod to sleuthing—a magnifying glass pick or tiny notebook if you’re feeling extra.High Potential Drinking Game:Drink when...Morgan’s brain analyzes something.Morgan is in a short skirt and “has legs for days”.Elliot’s brain analyzes something.Ava says something snarky.you see Ludo (Taran Killam).Morgan is at a crime scene.there is some flirting going on between Morgan and Det. Karadec.there is car trouble.As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.

This is just a very short bonus episode, it was part of an assignment for a class I am taking. This is the full interview I did, for class I had to do a video and edit it down to under 3 minutes. Enjoy this quick interview with Sam about being an influencer on TikTok and Instagram. Side note, I met her and her boyfriend James almost two years ago randomly in Austin while I was there for the ATX TV Festival and they were there for one of her comedy shows. I will be seeing her perform in Dallas in just a few weeks. If you don't know who she is, look her up, you will thoroughly enjoy her videos. They are both very kind people and actually have their own podcast called Weird and Proud, which is great content, so go check it out.Party In Your Mouth Shot (from Spirits Cocktails):Ingredients:1/2 oz Midori Melon Liqueur (green layer)1/2 oz Orange Juice or Pineapple Juice (yellow layer)1/2 oz Grenadine (pink layer)Optional: Colored sugar or pop rocks for rimmingIce (optional for mixing)Directions:Rim the shot glasses by moistening the rim of your shot glasses with a bit of lime juice or simple syrup. Then dip the rims into colored sugar or pop rocks for a fun, festive touch.Layer the shot, start by pouring grenadine into the shot glass as the base. Grenadine is heavy, so it will naturally sink to the bottom. Next gently pour orange juice or pineapple juice over the back of a spoon to create the second (yellow) layer. And finally, layer Midori Melon Liqueur on top, using the same spoon technique to avoid mixing with the juice.Serve Immediately.Encourage your guests to drink it all in one go for the full "party in your mouth" experience!Drinking Game:Just take the shot at the end of the interview, but try to make your mouth as wide as you can to see how big your gape can be.Or...make 5 shots for the five questions.As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.