The Truth In This Art: Stories That Matter

Back by Bodacious Demand. Let's Watch It Again is back!

Rob Lee and Isaiah Winters revisit the 1991 childhood classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze for its 35th anniversary.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) drops the turtles back into a messy, fun, 90s adventure: reconnecting with April and Splinter, fighting Tokka and Rahzar, and chasing the mysterious ooze that created them.  It’s loud, goofy, full of practical effects, puppetry, and pure kid‑movie energy.

In this episode, Rob and Isaiah mix straight-up nostalgia with clear-eyed takes. No fluff — just the moments we loved, the parts that aged weirdly, and why this movie still matters to us.

Topics include:
  • Pizza Propaganda
  • Why the sequel went full kid-friendly and how that shapes the film
  • Tokka, Rahzar, and Keno: what works and what doesn’t
  • Vanilla Ice’s “Go Ninja Go Ninja Go” set piece and the Super Shredder finale
  • Practical effects, puppetry, and 90s slime — what still lands
  • Isaiah's NYC Rat Story
  • VHS memories, the 35th anniversary screening vibe (Georgetown), and where it fit in 1991 pop culture
  • Rob and Isaiah’s favorite scenes and quick takes
Wanna listen to Rob make another funny? Check out the review of the original 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles review — give it a listen and relive the nostalgia. Cowabunga.

The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). 

Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:
  • Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
  • Edited by Daniel Alexis
  • Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor
Photos:
  • Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
  • Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.
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Creators and Guests

Host
Rob Lee
The Truth In This Art is an interview series featuring artists, entrepreneurs and tastemakers in & around Baltimore.
Guest
Isaiah Winters
Documentary photographer and conceptual artist based in Brooklyn, New York City

What is The Truth In This Art: Stories That Matter?

The Truth In This Art with Rob Lee is an arts and culture interview podcast connecting arts, culture, and community. Sharing stories that matter through in-depth conversations with artists and creatives — photographers, filmmakers, designers, musicians, chefs, writers, and more. Guests share studio routines, community roots, career insights, and the ideas and choices that shape their projects. New episodes, show notes, and transcripts available here.