Original Air Date
- Aug. 14, 2025
Part 1 Begins
Super Show ID 1: Superhero Smash (0:10)
- You’re listening to Superhero Smash on WIUP FM 90.1
- Featuring “The Best in Superhero Music and Comic Book Lore”
- I’m your host, Dr. Gian Pagnucci, a.k.a. The New Professor X
Heroic Audio Episode Theme: Secret Identities (2:00)
- Ever since Clark Kent first changed into his Superman costume, superheroes have been worrying about their secret identities
- In fact, the first recorded moment of Clark Kent changing in a phone booth was in the 1941 Max Fleisher animated Superman series, specifically “The Mechanical Monsters”
- “When Did Clark Kent First Change into Superman in a Phone Booth?” by Brian Cronin (July 9, 2024, CBR)
- See also “Superman and the Phone Booth” by Steve Younis (The Superman Homepage)
- Since then, keeping secret identities secret has become a major task for superheroes
- The in’s and out’s of secret identities is just part of today’s episode with my Superhero Smash Super Guest Star, Dr. David Henningsen
- I’ll tell you more about Dave and get into the interview, but first let’s kick things off with a great song about having a secret identity
Hero Opening Song (3:27)
- “Secret Identity” by Kirby Krackle
Super Show ID 2: Superhero Smash (0:20)
- Superhero Smash is aired exclusively on WIUP FM 90.1
- Broadcasting from the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania
- Superhero Smash focuses on current superhero movies and popular culture events
- I also will be talking about comic book history and heroism
- And you can rest assured that no matter how much super cool stuff I talk about during each episode, you don’t have to worry because Superhero Smash is a NO SPOILERS show!
- Contact me, the New Professor X, via email: SuperheroSmash3000@gmail.com
- I love to hear from the Legion of Superhero Smash Fans!
- And best of all, Superhero Smash and WIUP FM 90.1 feature all kinds of great music you won’t hear anywhere else!
Superhero Smash Guest Star: Dr. David Henningsen (2:00)
- When last we heard from Dr. Henningsen, he was fighting crime in…
- Superhero Smash Back Issue Bin (Season II): Audio Issue #31: Superteam Leaders and Superhero Smash Special Guest Star Dr. David Henningsen (8/15/24)
- That action packed episode featured Dr. Henningsen talking about how best to lead a team of superheroes!
- That action packed episode featured Dr. Henningsen talking about how best to lead a team of superheroes!
- Ok, I don’t really know if Dr. Henningsen has a secret identity as a super powered crime fighter
- But if he is a superhero, then his secret identity is as a Professor in the Department of Communication at Northern Illinois University
- Dr. Henningsen is also a member of the Legion of Superhero Smash fans!
- I always like to kickoff the show with a superhero theme song, so I asked Dr. Henningsen what his favorite theme song was, and this was his answer…
Heroic Instrumental Theme Music (1:03)
- “The Amazing Spider-Man” TV theme song
- From Sci-Fi’s Greatest Hits Vol. 4: Defenders of Justice
- One of the all time great superhero albums and one of my most prized possesions
- It’s chock full of great superhero theme songs!
Superhero Smash Guest Star: Dr. David Henningsen Interview Part 1 (3:38)
- Now let’s get into the interview
- Communication Privacy Management Theory (Developed by Sandra Petronio)
Super Song 1 (4:31)
- “Superman’s Song” by Crash Test Dummies
Part 1 Ends (@17 minutes)
Part 2 Begins (@17 minutes)
Super Show ID 3: Superhero Smash (0:30)
- Listen to Superhero Smash on WIUP FM 90.1
- Featuring “The Best Superhero Music and Comic Book Lore” in the DC Cinematic Universe, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and our U-niverse too!
- Check out pagnucci.org and click the big Superhero Smash button
- Or email the New Professor X using the address SuperheroSmash3000@gmail.com
- I love to hear from the Legion of Superhero Smash Fans
- If you are enjoying today’s show, you can catch more Superhero Smash on Thursday mornings at 11:00 a.m. all summer long on WIUP FM 90.1
Superhero Smash Super Guest Star: Dr. David Henningsen Interview Part 2 (4:00)
- Now let’s get back to the interview
- Boundary Permeability
Super Song 2 (1:02)
- “My Secret Identity” by Coded Channel
- Ultraman’s theme song
Fantastic Until It Wasn’t (2:00)
- I got out to see The Fantastic Four: First Steps this past weekend
- It is really is fantastic!
- But, unfortunately, the theater couldn’t get the film to display right on the screen despite the workers valiant efforts
- My guess is that it was probably an evil plot by the Fantastic Four’s enemy Doctor Doom!
- So about halfway through, they had to stop the movie and give everyone a voucher
- Super disappointing, but there was nothing else they could do
- But I figured I should play the Fantastic Four theme song again to help thwart Doctor Doom’s evil plan
Super Song 3 (2:28)
- “Fantastic Four to Be Reckoned With” movie theme song by Michael Giacchino
Superhero Smash Guest Star: Dr. David Henningsen Interview Part 3 (4:30)
- What happens when you share your secrets?
- You need to negotiate privacy boundaries
- People become “share holders” who follow your rules or “confidants” who may or may not follow your rules
Super Song 4 (4:53)
- “Ode to a Superhero (Parody of ‘Piano Man’ by Billy Joel)” by “Weird Al” Yankovic
Part 1 Ends (@35 minutes)
Part 2 Begins (@35 minutes)
Super Show ID 3: Superhero Smash (0:30)
- Listen to Superhero Smash on WIUP FM 90.1
- Featuring “The Best Superhero Music and Comic Book Lore” in the DC Cinematic Universe, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and our U-niverse too!
- Check out pagnucci.org and click the big Superhero Smash button
- Or email the New Professor X using the address SuperheroSmash3000@gmail.com
- I love to hear from the Legion of Superhero Smash Fans
- If you are enjoying today’s show, you can catch more Superhero Smash on Thursday mornings at 11:00 a.m. all summer long on WIUP FM 90.1
A Few Flash Facts (3:00)
- Dave mentioned Cisco Ramon from the CW series The Flash
- Cisco provided technical help to the Flash and was his good friend
- Cisco was played by Carlos Valdes
- He also loved red licorice, just like me!
- Dave also mentioned Flash’s true love is Iris West
- Irish was played by Candice Patton on the CW The Flash series
- And of course I met Flash actor Grant Gustin, who said Superhero Smash “sounds cool”
- And even though a few listeners say I play this song too much, Dr. Henningsen and I agree that this next song is the greatest Flash song ever!
- That’s right, the CW show The Flash actually did an episode that was a musical
- Which of course I talked about in…
- Superhero Smash Back Issue Bin (Season I): Audio Issue #7: The Flash (06/20/23)
- It was called “Duet” (Season 3, Episode 17) and in the episode, the Flash and Supergirl get transported into an alternate reality where they must sing and dance to escape from the evil Music Meister
Super Song 5 (2:15)
- “Super Friend” by Melissa Benoist and Grant Gustin who stared as Supergirl and the Flash respectively
- Gustin had previously been a star on the musical TV series Glee where he played a character named Sebastian Smythe
Superhero Smash Super Shoutout to Keith Shetter (2:00)
- Since I’m talking a lot about friends, I want to give a Superhero Smash Super Shoutout to Keith Shetter
- Keith is a good friend of Dr. Henningsen’s and he is listening to today’s episode of Superhero Smash
- Amazingly enough, Keith is a graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and he worked at WIUP FM 90.1
- Keith had his own show which I believe was called “There It is – Winner Winner Burgers for Dinner”
- He graduated from IUP in 1989 and when he was a senior, he served as an AM news guy for WIUP FM 90.1 under the leadership of IUP Professor B. Gail Wilson
- And he also hosted a Jazz Fusion show on WIUP FM 90.1
- And since Keith likes jazz and Dave and I mentioned Tony Stark revealing his identity by saying, “I am Iron Man,” I thought that was a great reason to play this next jazz song that was featured in Iron Man
- Tony Stark loves jazz too!
Super Song 5 (1:05)
- “Iron Man (2008 Version)” by John O’Brien and Rick Boston
Part 3 Ends (@43 minutes)
Part 4 Begins (@43 minutes)
Super Show ID 3: Superhero Smash (0:30)
- Keith lives in Lancaster, PA, now, but he still listens to WIUP FM 90.1!
- Y0u can stream the station anywhere you go too!!
- So you can keep listening to Superhero Smash
- Featuring “The Best Superhero Music and Comic Book Lore” in the DCU, the MCU, and our U too!
- Check out pagnucci.org and click the big Superhero Smash button
- Or email the New Professor X using the address SuperheroSmash3000@gmail.com
- I love to hear from the Legion of Superhero Smash Fans
Superhero Smash Guest Star: Dr. David Henningsen Interview Part 4 (4:45)
- Boundary Turbulence (the rocky waters of relationships and revealing privacy)
Super Song 4 (3:16)
- “Secret Superhero” by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Thanks to Dr. David Henningsen for a Super Interview (2:00)
- Hope you enjoyed that great song and my interview with Dr. David Henningsen
- I’ll have to see if I can bring Dave back next summer
- But sadly, this summer’s season of Superhero Smash is almost over
- I know fans, it makes me sad too!
- But, there’s still one more episode to go
Super Show ID 6: Superhero Smash To Be Continued Next Issue! (2:00)
- Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel: The Back-to-School Super Special
- If you are enjoying today’s show, you can catch more Superhero Smash on Thursday mornings at 11:00 a.m. all summer long on WIUP FM 90.1
- Listen to Superhero Smash on WIUP FM 90.1
- Featuring “The Best Superhero Music and Comic Book Lore” in the DCU, the MCU, and our U too!
- Check out pagnucci.org and click the big Superhero Smash button
- Or email the New Professor X using the address SuperheroSmash3000@gmail.com
- I love to hear from the Legion of Superhero Smash Fans
- Since I’m talking about Aquaman and swimming, I want to give a Superhero Smash Super Shout-out to Jordan
- I love to hear from the Legion of Superhero Smash Fans
- And remember, while Superhero Smash is about the adventures of amazing individuals,
- “You don’t need superpowers to be a hero. The only thing it takes to be a hero is the courage to do what’s right when someone needs your help.”–Gian Pagnucci
Superhero Smash Super Shoutout to Madie Ober (2:00)
- Before I finish today’s episode, I want to give one more Superhero Smash Super Shoutout to Madie Ober and my son Cormac’s fiancee
- This past weekend, she was at the Altoona Curve Friday night game for Supervillain Night
- The Curve were giving away these super cool, limited edition Harley Quinn bobbleheads
- Unfortunately, I got there late and they were all out of them
- Curses!
- But thankfully, Maddie was kind enough to give me her Harely Quinn, I think mostly because she was afraid I was going to start crying out of disappointment, which I just might have!
- I want to thank Maddie again for that wonderful gift which is now proudly sitting on display in my house
- I’ll also mention that Maddie is a math teacher, so I know she won’t want to miss next week’s Back-to-School Super Special
- And, while this show has been all about secret identities, we didn’t talk about the identities of supervillains
- But this song can help you consider that side of things
- Plus it’s a great reason to encourage you to watch the absolutely fantastic HBO series Harely Quinn
- I should warn you, though, that the show is not for kids, and while the next song is a clean version, because it is about a supervillain, it is a little more dangerous
- So parents, you can cover your kids’ ears, but the rest of you are going to love this song…
Heroic End Credits Song (3:15)
- “Harely Quinn” by Anna Murphy
Part 4 Ends (@60 minutes)