It’s the most wonderful time of the year, for fangirls (and boys) like our host KellieAnn Halvorsen, as the countdown to FanX Salt Lake Comic & Pop Culture Convention is hitting the 20s! In only a month, fans, nerds, geeks, cosplayers, artists, authors, and creatives of all sorts will descend on the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City for a three-day event like no other in Utah — not to mention big-name celebrities like David Tennant, William Shatner, and Marisa Tomei.

On this episode of KSL’s Fan Effect podcast, FanX Founder Dan Farr previews the 2025 event, talking all about what to expect this year, a sneak peek into show highlights and guests, and tips on how to get your con on. And joining as our guest co-host is fellow FanX fan and moderator Heather Kelly from KSL Newsradio.

The brains behind Fan Effect are connoisseurs of categories surpassing nerdy, with a goal to publish a weekly "What to Watch on the Weekend" minisodes taken from KSL-TV's Friday segment, and two deep-dives a month on shows, creative works, artists, local events, and other fandom topics.

Based in the beautiful beehive state, Fan Effect celebrates Utah's unique fan culture as it has been declared The Nerdiest State in America by TIME, and is hosted by KSL Movie Show's Andy Farnsworth and KSL Podcasts' KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Fan Effect is sponsored by Megaplex Theatres, Utah's premier movie entertainment company.

Andy Farnsworth joins KSL-TV to help audiences decipher #WhatToWatch for the weekend of August 22, 2025. The highest-grossing animated film of all time, "Ne Zha II," comes to local theaters from China and is dubbed into English for the first time. It's epic and looks great, but patience is required. If you want to see beautiful people roughing it, "Eden" from director Ron Howard may be more your thing. Of local interest, "The Streak" is a must-watch for sports fans as this new documentary in theaters explores the 1987 Salt Lake Trappers and their historic 29-game winning streak 38 years ago. And finally, a young adult romance movie on streaming for Gen Z called "The Map That Leads To You" is a gorgeously shot movie about star-crossed lovers on Amazon Prime Video.

The brains behind Fan Effect are connoisseurs of categories surpassing nerdy, with a goal to publish a weekly "What to Watch on the Weekend" minisode taken from KSL-TV's Friday segment, and two deep-dives a month on shows, creative works, artists, local events, and other fandom topics.

Based in the beautiful beehive state, Fan Effect celebrates Utah's unique fan culture as it has been declared The Nerdiest State in America by TIME, and is hosted by KSL Movie Show's Andy Farnsworth and KSL Podcasts' KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Listen regularly on your favorite platform, at kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSLNewsRadio App. Join the conversation on Facebook @FanEffectShow, or Instagram @FanEffectShow.

Fan Effect is sponsored by Megaplex Theatres, Utah's premier movie entertainment company.

Andy Farnsworth joins KSL-TV to help audiences decipher #WhatToWatch for the weekend of August 15, 2025. Today’s episode is brought to you by the number 2! Starting with the movie hitting theaters, "Nobody 2” brings Bob Odenkirk's assassin and his family to the vacation spot he went to as a kid, and comedic (but savage) violence ensues. Next, "Highest 2 Lowest" teams up Spike Lee and Denzel Washington in an action drama that has a music mogul dealing with a ransom request. Netflix’s "Night Always Comes" makes you glad you're not having the same kind of night that Vanessa Kirby is.

For parents of younger viewers and those looking to relive some nostalgia, "Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical" is a must-watch. It follows Charlie Brown and company as they try to save their summer camp from closing down, now available on AppleTV+.

The brains behind Fan Effect are connoisseurs of categories surpassing nerdy, with a goal to publish a weekly "What to Watch on the Weekend" minisode taken from KSL-TV's Friday segment, and two deep-dives a month on shows, creative works, artists, local events, and other fandom topics.

Based in the beautiful beehive state, Fan Effect celebrates Utah's unique fan culture as it has been declared The Nerdiest State in America by TIME, and is hosted by KSL Movie Show's Andy Farnsworth and KSL Podcasts' KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Listen regularly on your favorite platform, at kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSLNewsRadio App. Join the conversation on Facebook @FanEffectShow, or Instagram @FanEffectShow.

Fan Effect is sponsored by Megaplex Theatres, Utah's premier movie entertainment company.