Max Burkholder's Spark Is Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker’s Airplane!

Ted star Max Burkholder might have been born in the '90s, but the 1980 cult classic Airplane! still resonated with him like few other comedies before or since. On this episode of The Spark Parade, Burkholder gushes about the silly world of Airplane!, a style of comedy that grabbed him and never let go.

The actor admits that, upon first viewing, the performances in the film were so subtle he didn't realize it was a comedy. He's since grown to adore its blend of deadpan humor, slapstick, and surrealism, and it's proven to be a major influence for his work on Ted, a show from another one of his creative heroes, Seth MacFarlane.

Sleater-Kinney Spark Is Patti Smith's Horses

When Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker discovered Patti Smith's legendary debut album Horses, an artistic earthquake occurred in both of their lives. They were blown away by Smith's fearless, challenging lyrics and melodies and Robert Mapplethorpe's stunning portrait on the album's cover. Horses has remained a constant source of inspiration in Sleater-Kinney's decades long career, as the band has travelled the globe playing iconic venues infused with the spirit of Smith's music and that of her contemporaries.

Be sure to check out Sleater-Kinney's new album  Little Rope, a record that was completed in the aftermath of a deadly car accident involving Brownstein’s mother and stepfather in late 2022, which is releasing 1/19 here!

Peppermint's Spark Is Janet Jackson's Janet

As a lifelong Janet Jackson stan, actress, singer, and drag superstar Peppermint loves Janet's entire back catalog. But her self-titled fifth album has a special place in Peppermint's heart. It represents a major leap forward in Janet's style and sound, as well as her public advocacy for the queer community. And, Peppermint has been so inspired by Janet's choreography that she's recreated two of her videos!

Learn more about Peppermint here and be sure to check her out in Peacock's The Traitors, a competition show, hosted by Alan Cumming, where contestants play the ultimate murder mystery game to win a prize of up to $250,000.

Sam Song Li's Spark is Damien Chazelle's Whiplash

Actor and content creator Sam Song Li (The Brothers Son, Never Have I ever, and Better Call Saul) was bowled over when he first saw Damien Chazelle's frenetic music school nightmare Whiplash. Li was even compelled to seek out acting classes that mirrored the film's hard-edged approach to artistic practice - albeit a less extreme version. In look back, he still sees the value of brutal honesty in furthering artists' careers, but he also sees the drawbacks and limitations of relentless negative feedback.

Learn more about Sam Song Li here and be sure to check him out in Netflix's The Brothers Son starring alongside Michelle Yeoh and Justin Chien.

Jesse Boykins III's Spark Is the Fifth Element

Singer, songwriter and producer Jesse Boykins III was introduced to The Fifth Element by his college roommate (who happened to be Jonah Hill!). He was hooked on the film's style and storytelling from the first frame and has continually revisited it as a source of creative inspiration throughout his career. Jean Paul Gaultier's costume design combined with Luc Besson's unique storytelling to create a distinctive sci-fi landscape, one that showed Boykins the power of combining masculine and feminine energies in his artistry.

Trinity The Tuck's Spark Is Death Becomes Her

Drag Race superstar Trinity The Tuck loves the bonkers campness of queer classic Death Becomes Her for lots of reasons. The deliciously over-the-top performances by Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, the iconic fashion, and the ridiculous story have had her hooked since the first time she saw it. She watches it multiple times a year and it's influence has even seeped into her drag.

Dessa's Spark Is A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius

Rapper, singer, and writer Dessa first came across Dave Eggers' memoir A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genious as a college student and was immediately drawn to its wild, vibrant prose. Eggers' frankness and honesty had a huge influence on Dessa's own writing. Her live performances have also been inspired by his unusual, subversive book readings.

Amanda Seales' Spark Is The Cosby Show

Comedian and actor Amanda Seales loved The Cosby Show as a child and it had a profound effect on the development of her own comedy. It taught her to bring a personal slant to her stand-up. It's also incredibly important to her because it was a huge step forward for Black representation across all media and was one of the most successful sitcoms of all time.

Of course, the legacy of the show has been severely tarnished by disgraceful revelations about its namesake. Seales and host Adam Unze address the elephant in the room and whether it’s possible to separate art from artist. At the same time, they acknowledge that The Cosby Show was more than just one individual, and its influence on young Black people in the the ’80s like Seales was very real.

The Polyphonic Spree's Spark Is Il Forte (The Strong) By Ennio Morricone

As a young man, The Polyphonic Spree's Tim DeLaughter found a strong connection with a small piece of Ennio Morricone's score to The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. Il Forte (The Strong) is an instrumental piece that has moved and inspired DeLaughter in a way that no other music has. It acted as entrance music for The Polyphonic Spree concerts and provided an emotional foundation for much of his own writing.

Cold War Kids Spark Is From The Sky Down

Cold War Kids' Nathan Willett and Matt Maust are obsessed with all things U2, so it's no surprise that they love Davis Guggenheim's documentary about the making of one of the band's biggest albums, Achtung Baby. Seeing U2's creative process and the intraband turmoil that ensued at the height of their fame gave Willett and Maust a different perspective on their own careers and musical methodology.

Phoebe Robinson's Spark Is Sex And The City

Comedian, actress, and author Phoebe Robinson first saw Sex In The City as a college freshman and has binge-watched the whole series annually ever since. She loves the camaraderie between the four leads, the sex positivity, and the nuanced take on romantic relationships. She is not, however, a fan of the SATC big screen outings or the poorly received sequel series And Just Like That...

Angie McMahon's Spark Is Fantastic Fungi

Singer-songwriter Angie McMahon watched the mycelium-centered documentary Fantastic Fungi during the height of COVID and it radically changed how she sees the world. It brought the interconnectedness of the natural world into sharp focus for McMahon and that concept served as a major inspiration for her new album Light, Dark, Light Again.

Slayyyter's Spark Is Blue Velvet

The first time she saw David Lynch's neo noir classic Blue Velvet, singer and songwriter Slayyyter was immediately drawn to its distinctive visual style. The saturated colors and dramatic lighting acted as a mood board for her new album S********R. She was particularly captivated by Isabella Rossellini's lounge singer character Dorothy and incorporated elements of her story into the album's songwriting process.

Shamir's Spark Is The "Sideways" EP by Charlotte Sometimes

Shamir had Charlotte Sometimes' Sideways EP on repeat throughout high school and it's never come out of heavy rotation. The simple honesty of her lyrics and her strong melodies gave him hope that he could find success as a performer someday. He loved that it wasn't a groundbreaking project, but rather a solid example of the kind of songwriting and production that felt familiar to him.

Until The Ribbon Breaks' Spark Is Run The Jewels 2

Until The Ribbon Breaks' Pete Lawrie Winfield has a very close relationship with Run The Jewels' seminal second album Run The Jewels 2. The production, the rhymes, the features, and every element of it have impacted him personally and professionally. And he had a front-row seat to the creation of that masterpiece and it changed the course of his life and career.

Margaret Cho's Spark is Velvet Goldmine

Comedian, actor, activist and icon Margaret Cho has loved Todd Haynes' work since his first film Superstar, but his glam rock pseudo-biopic Velvet Goldmine has always been her favorite of his films. She loves the way it centers queerness through the lens of some of her favorite artists, namely David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Lou Reed. She loves the music, the costumes, and art direction, but is particularly enamored of the fearless performances by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale, and Toni Collette.

Oh Land's Spark is Edward Scissorhands

From the moment her older sister introduced her to Edward Scissorhands, singer/songwriter Oh Land felt a kinship with the lead character, as well as his love interest, Kim. As a pre-adolescent trying to make sense of the world, she felt connected both to the isolation and awkwardness channeled through Edward and the romance and whimsy that shone out of Kim. Danny Elfman's score also left an indelible imprint on her young mind and has been a constant source of inspiration in the development of her own work.

Where It All Began: Kylie Cantrall's Spark is CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story

With a music producer father and a dancer/choreographer mother, Kylie Cantrall grew up with a front-row seat in the entertainment industry. As a result, music biopics struck a particular chord with her. None moreso than VH1's megahit CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story. Cantrall loved the eerily accurate performances and music video recreations, but the incorporation of TLC's phenomenal back catalog was the clincher. She was so hooked on the movie that she watched it dozens of times and still considers it to be one of her all-time favorites.

Wise Beyond Her Years: The Aces' Cristal Ramirez's Spark Is Paramore's Riot!

The Aces' front woman Cristal Ramirez's was obsessed with Paramore's Riot! from the moment it was first played for her. The energy and lyrics both blew her pre-teen mind, but it was Hayley Williams who really caught her attention. A flame-haired teenager who lead a successful rock band in a male-dominated industry, Williams provided endless inspiration for Ramirez as her own musical aspirations took flight. As a dedicated Paramore fan, she's always seen the band as a beacon of light and a force for good in the world.

Teenage Dreams: Kenzie's Spark Is 10 Things I Hate About You

Singer and actor Kenzie was home-schooled, so she didn't have a typical high school experience. As a result, teen movies really struck a chord with her and 10 Things I Hate About You was at the top of the list. She loved the characters, the love story, and all of the stereotypical late 90's high school drama. The movie has brought her massive amounts of joy and she rewatches it whenever she gets a chance.