The Flopcast: Recent Episodes
Kevin & Kornflake
Live from Chickentown, Kevin and Kornflake sip nasty black coffee and talk about silly & geeky things. Frequent subjects include: Saturday morning cartoons, Dr. Demento-style funny music, TV and movies of the 1970s and 1980s, comic books, classic video games, and, uh, chickens. (We like chickens.) Also lots of convention talk, as we regularly attend DragonCon, MarsCon, and many other nerdy gatherings. We're frightened and confused. Join us!
Back in the day, when your favorite goofy TV show was cancelled, it was not necessarily the end. Years (or even decades) later, it just might be resurrected in the odd format of the made-for-TV reunion movie. Thus we returned to Mayberry to catch up with Andy and Opie, we reconnected with Gomez and Morticia in the disco era, we attended the double wedding of Jan and Marcia... and we even learned the final fate of ALF. And because this is such a rich complex subject, we have a special guest to help sort it all out: Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track co-director Joe Crowe! And we're just getting started! Part 2 is next week. But join us this week, as we also try to answer the eternal question of which one was Cagney and which one was Lacey.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
We have one more summer concert report for you, because thanks to an old friend, Kevin and the Mayor had VIP tickets to see John Mellencamp! (Are you like us? Do you still miss the "Cougar" part?) So today we're breaking down the whole show for you. Including: Pre-concert South Shore bar pizza with a kissing waitress! The Mellencamp VIP tent, featuring Mellencamp memorabilia, a Mellencamp video game, Mellencamp Jenga, and a non-Mellencamp medical emergency! Seats that were shockingly close to the stage! A backup singer we recognized from Billy Joel's band! The entire hit-packed set list! (If you're wondering which songs John played, the answer is yes.) And post-show fun with a drunk in the parking lot! You'll feel like you were there, and you'll feel like sucking on a chili dog outside the Tastee Freez.
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This week's promo: EnterpriseSplaining!
Our friend Judy is here again, and we're looking back at the supermodels of the 1980s! They popped up in movies and music videos, they sold jeans and shampoo, they married rock stars, and we just couldn't get enough of them. So to pay tribute to Cindy, Christie, Paulina, and the rest, Judy has prepared what might be our sexiest Top 4 1/2 List ever. (That's if we don't count our list of cartoon robots. Obviously.) Also: If you're gonna be in Massachusetts in September, and feel like running through the woods for a long time, you can join Judy at the Race for the Refuge! Meanwhile, slip into your Calvins and enjoy this episode. And watch for us in the upcoming all-podcasters edition of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
Race for the Refuge!
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This week's promo: BatChums!
We have another summer concert report, because "Weird Al" Yankovic's Bigger and Weirder Tour returned to New England! Also: Retro 80s games at the Free Play Bar Arcade in downtown Providence! The Logan Awards for Excellence in Comedy Music! The return of Chickens in the News, in which we learn about a farm where you can gamble on chicken races! (Correction: This farm is in Boulder, Montana, not Boulder, Colorado! Sorry!) And a long-awaited conversation about the 80s cult film Streets of Fire! Hopefully you can stand this much excitement! Okay, nap time.
Nominations are open through July 25th for the Logan Awards!
Chicken races!
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
We're still looking at Happy Days spinoffs, because that's what the kids are excited about these days. There was Joanie Loves Chachi, of course, in which the two worst singers in the world dream of making it big. But does anyone else remember Out of the Blue, a sitcom about a guardian angel named Random? No, just us? Whatever. Then there were the Saturday morning cartoon spinoffs: Fonz and the Happy Days Gang (in which our heroes travel through time in a flying saucer), Laverne and Shirley in the Army (with their sergeant, an actual pig voiced by Horshack), and Mork and Mindy (but they're in high school and drive an egg car). We even touch on a few proposed spinoffs that never happened, starring Ralph and Potsie, those pesky Tuscadero girls... and the mysterious Kat Mandu. You know, a lot of this stuff is on YouTube... so proceed with your day accordingly.
The Mayor on The Doctor's Beard podcast!
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This week's promo: Tales From Hollywoodland!
From the middle of a horrifying Chickentown heatwave, we present a Top 4 1/2 List of summer songs of the 80s! (Yes, this is ground we've covered before. If you thought we were ever going to stop yammering about Belinda Carlisle, you really don't know us.) And for more 80s summer music action, we also have a Sammy Hagar concert report! Sammy's show featured plenty of Van Halen classics, Joe Satriani on guitar, Rick Springfield topless, and free booze for everybody in the front row. Plus: A weird conversation about Weird Al on The Best Stuff in the World podcast! Enjoy, and stay cool. We recommend a fifty gallon drum of iced coffee.
Kevin, Kevin, and Dana talking Weird Al on The Best Stuff in the World!
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
As promised/threatened, we're looking at all the TV series that can be considered spinoffs of Happy Days. And yikes, there are so many that we're splitting them into two episodes. So this week, we're covering: Laverne and Shirley! (Remember when Laverne, Shirley, and everyone they knew all moved from Milwaukee to Los Angeles together?) Mork and Mindy! (Remember when Mork gave birth to a weird old man?) And Blansky's Beauties/Who's Watching the Kids! (What?) And yeah, we're just getting started. If you can't stand the excitement, just have Fonzie whack your phone and stop the podcast.
#happydays #spinoffs #laverneandshirley #blanskysbeauties #whoswatchingthekids #morkandmindy #esonetwork #eso #geektalk #geekpodcast #geek #nerdtalk #nerd #nerdpodcast #podcast #flopcast
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This week's promo: Dragon Con Report!
Our series of Wizard of Oz adaptation reviews brings us to 1978's The Wiz, an ambitious reimagining with an all-star all-Black cast led by the great Diana Ross. Also featuring: Richard Pryor, Lena Horne, Nipsey Russell, Mabel King, graffiti Munchkins, crow monsters, poppy girls, and way more long slow musical numbers than anyone really wanted. (Seriously, they could have cut the running time in half with no complaints.) Can Emerald City survive the disco era? Perhaps. Just barely.
#wizardofoz #thewiz #dianaross #esonetwork #eso #geektalk #geekpodcast #geek #nerdtalk #nerd #nerdpodcast #podcast #flopcast
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
Flopcast episode 736! It's another quick fill-in show as we await the return of the Mayor! Including: Kevin's recent guest appearance on Monkeeing Around to discuss a weird obscure Micky Dolenz movie! The new book Raised on Radio, an oral history of the arena rock bands of the 70s and 80s! (Worried that you don't know quite enough about REO Speedwagon? Well, here you go.) And we just saw Devo live in concert, and we need them now more than ever. So slip into a yellow jumpsuit, stick an energy dome on your head, and join us, you spuds.
#raisedonradio #devo #monkees #monkeeingaround #esonetwork #eso #geektalk #geekpodcast #geek #nerdtalk #nerd #nerdpodcast #podcast #flopcast
Kevin on Monkeeing Around in audio and video formats!
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This week's promo: Legends of the DCU!
Sixty years ago, The Monkees debuted as a TV show about a band, quickly grew into a real band, were wildly successful for just a few years, then faded away. Forty years ago, reruns on MTV inspired a new generation of Monkeemania, and so Micky, Davy, and Peter hit the road for the big 1986 Monkees reunion tour. Kevin saw them on that tour, and our guest this week did too! We're joined by Elaine, co-host of the fine podcast Monkeeing Around, which you'll find right here on the ESO Network. And our conversation includes: A breakdown of the whole Monkees set list (including their 80s hit "That Was Then, This Is Now"), the opening bands (a 60s nostalgia lineup of Herman's Hermits, Gary Puckett, and the Grass Roots), attending the show on a broken foot, getting lost in the parking lot, Micky's 80s synth drums, Davy's 80s mullet... and through it all, the nonstop screaming girls. Join us as we take the last train back to 1986, when the silly TV band from the 60s suddenly had the hottest tour of the summer. Alas, Mike Nesmith wasn't there, but we were.
#monkees #monkeeingaround #mickydolenz #davyjones #petertork #hermanshermits #garypuckett #grassroots #esonetwork #eso #geektalk #geekpodcast #geek #nerdtalk #nerd #nerdpodcast #podcast #flopcast
Check out Elaine's Monkees podcast, Monkeeing Around!
Elaine & Matt Watch TV!
Poor quality video of The Monkees in Rhode Island in 1986!
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This week's promo: Have Coffee, Will Travel!
In the early 80s, video games were so popular that they inspired a weird pack of Saturday morning cartoons. The Pac-Man cartoon was first, and was soon followed by Saturday Supercade, Dragon's Lair, and Pole Position. Saturday Supercade featured short segments based on several games: Donkey Kong (both original and Junior), Frogger, Kangaroo, Pitfall, Q*Bert, and Space Ace. And this week we're joined by Eclectic Lee, a longtime friend of the Flopcast, for a Top 4 1/2 List of characters from these goofy shows. Along the way, we'll discuss the voice actors, the games themselves, and the mystery of Quickclaw, Pitfall Harry's eyepatch-wearing pet lion. Maybe Frogger can help us, since according to his cartoon, he isn't just a frog who gets squished by trucks. He's also an investigative journalist. (Did we mention that these shows are weird?)
Eclectic Lee on Bluesky!
Eclectic Lee's Pac-Man Fever blog!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Boo!
Our ongoing series of Wizard of Oz adaptation reviews reaches Journey Back to Oz, an animated movie that Filmation started producing in 1962. However, they ran out of money, and the movie sat around unfinished for a full decade, until Filmation had some cash rolling in from their cheapo Saturday morning cartoons. Was Journey Back to Oz worth the wait? Yeah, sort of. It boasts an all-star cast led by Liza Minnelli as Dorothy, the role her mom played in the classic 1939 movie. Also in the cast: Margaret Hamilton (the Wicked Witch back in 1939, now playing Aunt Em), Ethel Merman, Danny Thomas, Mickey Rooney, Larry Storch, Mel Blanc, Milton Berle... and Paul Lynde. (Yikes, with Paul on board, they could have skipped the movie and just played a round of Hollywood Squares.) And yes, Journey Back to Oz also features a talking signpost, a wooden horse, Jack Pumpkinhead, evil trees, gay trees, and plenty of chickens. Watch it just once, and inside your brain, the angry green elephants will never stop screaming. Plus: Kevin is on another American Sci-Fi Classics online panel all about Supergirl, just in time for the new movie! (But we still love the old movie.)
The Amercian Sci-Fi Classics Supergirl panel!
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
Inspired by last week's Happy Days cast reunion event (which we attended as part of our court-ordered community service), we're finally taking a deep dive into this classic goofy sitcom of the 70s and 80s. Including: How Happy Days and American Graffiti sort of created each other! The Happy Days pilot episode of Love, American Style! Tom Bosley on Wait Till Your Father Gets Home! The mystery of Chuck Cunningham! The dreaded arrival of Ted McGinley! Those wacky Tuscadero sisters, Pinky and Leather! A visit from The Amazing Randi! Potsie sings "Pump Your Blood"! Ralph Malph vs. Captain America! Fonzie vs. Karate Tom Hanks! Fonzie dates a nun! Joanie dates Steve Trevor! Marcia Brady dates Kaptain Kool! And some other stuff that's too ridiculous to mention! And yikes, we're not even done yet. A follow-up episode (exploring all those Happy Days spin-off shows) is coming soon. Meanwhile, to hear this episode, just walk up to any jukebox and give it a good whack.
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This week's promo: Luke Ski's Animation & Stuff Podcast!
We actually left the studio a few times this week, so this show is just a quick recap of our various silly activities. Including: Beloved folk singer-songwriter Dar Williams live in concert! The Footloose musical live from New Hampshire! Losing at trivia to Britney Spears's lower back tattoo! And a live Happy Days cast reunion with Henry Winkler, Anson Williams, and Donny Most! This is The Flopcast's big chance to jump the shark, and we shall not disappoint.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
The Flopcast Book Club is back in session as we discuss Even the Good Girls Will Cry, the new memoir from Melissa Auf der Maur. Melissa was just a young photography student in Montreal when she was recruited to play bass in Courtney Love's band Hole, and suddenly found herself in the eye of the 90s alt-rock storm. And yikes, she has stories. We'll learn about life on the road with Hole (yeah, it was as crazy as you think), Lollapalooza bus trips with Sinéad O'Connor, haunted houses on fire in New Orleans, tea with Ozzy Osbourne, leaving Hole and joining Smashing Pumpkins, going solo, and finally walking away from it all. And we even recall the time we met Melissa a few years back, which shockingly is not covered in the book. (Gotta leave something for the sequel, right?) Also: Kevin joins Joe and Gary for another online American Sci-Fi Classics panel! And this time we're discussing the world of Sid and Marty Krofft! Slip into a Sleestak costume and join us.
American Sci-Fi Classics Sid and Marty Krofft video!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
A few months before the debut of their classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer cartoon, Rankin/Bass produced their very first prime time animated TV special. And it was very, very different. So this week we're looking at yet another Wizard of Oz adaptation: 1964's Return to Oz. The animation was simple, but a little of that classic Rankin/Bass weirdness was already present. Including: Munchkins who look like turnips, a mayor with a top hat, some of the same voice actors from Rudolph, flying crocodiles to complement the flying monkeys, and a chicken. It's goofy fun and it's waiting for you on YouTube right now. Also: How to cross the street during the Boston Marathon. (It's complicated.)
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
It's another extra-quick show because we're extra-sleepy. But we do cover: Running with turkeys! Old comic books starring Superman and Supergirl! A new comic book starring a decapitated chicken! Celebrating Record Store Day with German disco Christmas music! And celebrating the 40th anniversary of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns with the American Sci-Fi Classics Track! Next week we'll have more going on, assuming we're done relaxing.
The American Sci-Fi Classics Dark Knight video!
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This week's promo: EnterpriseSplaining!
We've been poking through our stack of old Dynamite magazines again, and we fished out a good one. This issue is from 1982, and the cover features Aileen Quinn, star of Annie. Inside we learn that Annie auditions were held in Boston! We should have slipped into a curly red wig and tried out. Also: Weird sherbet recipes! The Mayor at the Baseball Hall of Fame! The Dynamite Duo at summer camp! A futuristic flying monkey known as the Flunkey! How to eat a taco! The secret history of the popsicle! Darth Vader's birthday! Facts of Life underwear! Styx vs. Air Supply! An angry Star Trek fan! Dynamite Bummers! And lots more early 80s silliness. Dynamite was the best. It hasn't been published since the early 90s, but we're still trying to renew our subscription.
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This week's promo: BatChums!
Say, what was on TV fifty years ago this week? Let's check our local listings and find out. Okay, the answer is: Lots of sitcoms, lots of variety shows, and about 6,000 detective shows. But as we go through the week, we'll also find: Weird cartoons about Noah's Ark and the Easter Bunny! Carl Reiner as an angel who grants wishes! Joanie loves Potsie! Gerald Ford loves truckers! A pilot about pilots! Helen Hunt is shipwrecked! Tony Orlando meets the cast of Hee Haw! Gilbert Gottfried meets Bea Arthur! Bob Newhart meets the Winter Warlock! And much more Bicentennial television weirdness! If your all-time favorite shows are Jigsaw John, The Blue Knight, and Bronk, this was your week.
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
In yet another Flopcast Top 4 1/2 List, we're counting down our favorite movies about bands. And since we've ruled out documentaries and biopics, that leaves movies about fictional bands. Some of our picks are obvious, as Jake and Elwood get the band back together, some wacky Irish kids bring soul to Dublin, and Eddie, you know, cruises. But one or two lesser known films also make the list. (Did anyone besides us see Still Crazy? Come on, get on that.) If this isn't enough fictional band action for you, go see our friends at Dragon Con's American Sci-Fi Classics Track, where this subject is an ongoing obsession. Meanwhile, enjoy, and remember: This podcast goes to eleven, but then immediately sinks back down to about a three.
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This week's promo: Tales From Hollywoodland!
A few weeks ago, we reviewed the 1925 silent black and white version of The Wizard of Oz, and it was... not great. So this week, we're watching the 1939 version, which has sound and color (you know, mostly), and is arguably the superior film. And we're here to talk about it. Our discussion includes: Professional show chickens, crullers, how people are still suckered by psychics, Dorothy's red hair, professional show crows, Martin Short as a picket fence, the Tin Man's Boston accent, "Existential Blues" by Tom "T-Bone" Stankus, a scarecrow with a gun, fake owls, and Huey Lewis. If this is all too much for you, just click your heels 251 times and download a different podcast.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
While poking through a box of old magazines at Rubber Chicken Comics, we found something called Superstars of Soul. It's an odd little educational workbook from 1986, and it taught vocabulary and reading comprehension to the kids while they learned about their favorite soul acts. So we're flipping through the whole book today, and our conversation includes: Chaka Khan on The Love Boat! Prince punching a guy! Coffee for the Pointer Sisters! Jeffrey Osborne meets the Big Blue Bug! Hall meets Oates in a freight elevator! And lots more. (Is this just our excuse to talk about Irene Cara for two episodes in a row? Perhaps...) Also: Kevin is talking Scooby Doo on A Podcask of Amontillado, and we're celebrating Pi Day with an irrational pie.
A Podcask of Amontillado - the Scooby Doo episode!
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
In the wake of last week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame episode, Kevin and the Mayor check out documentaries about two of the nominees: Luther Vandross and Jeff Buckley. (Kevin also stumbled upon a 1985 movie starring Tatum O'Neal and Irene Cara that we suspect has never been seen by anyone else ever.) And we brave the mean streets of Allston, Massachusetts (featuring poorly shoveled sidewalks and drunk college kids) to see a couple of wonderful bands: Foxy Shazam (those glam rock maniacs responsible for the Peacemaker opening theme song) and Descartes a Kant (a Mexican quartet with Devo-style costumes and a super-cool retro-futuristic concept album). Plus: The Mayor is a guest on a couple of other podcasts (The Doctor's Beard and The 42cast) to discuss Doctor Who, Witchblade, and perhaps other nerd stuff.
The Mayor on The 42cast!
The Mayor on The Doctor's Beard!
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This week's promo: Legends of the DCU!
The new list of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees was just released, and as usual we spend a whole episode kicking it around. And once again we're joined by writer, publisher, and podcaster (BatChums, Dragon Con Report, Earth Station Who) Michael Gordon! Join us as we recall seeing INXS live, wonder if this will finally be Mariah's year, and try to figure out what a "sussudio" is. Of course, Air Supply still has not been nominated. And that's why we're furious.
Find all of Mike's projects here!
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This week's promo: Dragon Con Report!
Back in the 70s and 80s, the television broadcast of The Wizard of Oz was a hugely anticipated annual event. The kids had their Wizard of Oz dolls from Mego, and their Wizard of Oz comic book from Marvel and DC, just to get them through the long year between viewings. But that was the classic movie from 1939. Have you ever seen the 1925 version? Kevin and the Mayor just did, so we're here to file our report for you. This is a bizarre little silent slapstick comedy, and it features a Buster Keaton-type Scarecrow, a Dorothy played by a lady actually named Dorothy, Oliver Hardy (pre-Laurel) as the Tin Man, an unhealthy dose of blatant racism, and a vomiting duck. It's not great, but it is a curiosity. And since it's silent, you don't have to worry about the duck breaking into "Over the Rainbow."
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This week's promo: Have Coffee, Will Travel!
The Mayor is back in Chickentown with a full report on her trip to Los Angeles for Gallifrey One, the long-running annual Doctor Who convention! Including: The 1986 Doctor Who USA Tour! The Mayor's panel about the Doctor's companions! A quick bonus visit to the Comic-Con Museum in San Diego! A special appearance by Flash Gordon! And the return of a long lost Flopcast segment, What's in the Bag! And now with this California adventure out of the way, we can get back to enjoying the soul-crushing miserable winter.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
It's been over a year, but we're finally returning to The Super Dictionary, that bizarre book from the 70s that taught vocabulary to the children using DC Comics superheroes. This time we're learning (sort of) about words starting with H, I, and J. But because this book is so weird, we're really learning that Batgirl is fascinated by geese, whales love Wonder Woman's shoes, Atom rides hummingbirds, Supergirl irons her cape, Catwoman's house is filthy, and Comet the Super Horse hates chickens. Yikes, we've learned so much, and we're not even halfway through The Super Dictionary. But we're trying to pace ourselves, lest our heads explode with too much very important information. (Is Aquaman secretly a kangaroo? We'll find out soon, when we get to the K section.)
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
This week's other promo: the MarsCon Comedy Music Track!
Were you listening to the radio half a century ago? And was it ridiculous? We're looking at a list of the Top 100 songs of 1976, and it sure seems that way. But it's a fun mix of classic rock, disco, easy listening, disco, novelty songs, and a little more disco. There's even a TV theme song on the list, and it just might involve a Sweathog or two. If you remember when the Bay City Rollers ruled the charts, this will take you back. Slip into your Starland Vocal Band concert t-shirt and enjoy.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
This week's promo: Luke Ski's Animation & Stuff Podcast!
This is a short one, because here in Chickentown, we're all a bit under the weather. (And the weather is not good. A massive snowstorm approaches, and we may be trapped in the studio until June. Please send coffee.) But we do have a quick concert report on The Monkee Men, an excellent Monkees tribute band we learned about from our friends at the Monkeeing Around podcast. This leads to a discussion of tribute bands in general, and we also announce the formation of Toy Soldiers, our new Martika tribute band. But that might be the medication talking.
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
With the Mayor away on special assignment, it's a quick solo show with Kevin just yammering about comic books from 1976. Our collection of goofy 50-year-old comics includes: An evil space cowboy riding Superman, Harvey Pekar on the streets of Cleveland, the Joker and his pet hyena, Alfred E. Neuman as George Washington, Ronald McDonald in the Olympics, super heroes battling super gorillas, Andy Panda's tricky pal Charlie Chicken, and much more. Half a century ago, comic books cost thirty cents. But this podcast is free. All we ask is that you waste your time giggling about Aquaman with us.
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This week's promo: EnterpriseSplaining!
Here's the second half of our memorial show, celebrating those we lost in 2025 from the world of pop culture and beyond. And yes, this week's list includes both actresses who played Flo, the sassy waitress at Mel's Diner, in the movie and TV versions of Alice. We also cover the mom from Lost in Space, the receptionist at WKRP, the sarcastic little sister on What's Happening!!, a Phantom Zone villain, a Spinal Tap keyboardist, a ghost-busting gorilla, a Cricket, a Turtle, a Spaceman, heavy metal's Prince of Darkness, and Buck Rogers. Plus many more. So get a beverage, get comfortable, and get a few Tom Lehrer songs stuck in your head.
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This week's promo: BatChums!
We do this every year - time to look back and remember the people we lost in 2025 from the world of pop culture and beyond. This week's list includes favorites from music (Roberta Flack, Brian Wilson, Sly Stone), television (Ruth Buzzi, Loretta Swit, George Wendt), movies (Gene Hackman, David Lynch, Val Kilmer), comics (Peter David, Jules Feiffer, Jim Shooter), and many more. And we're not done, so come back for Part 2 next week. As always, bring plenty of beverages.
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
For our final show of 2025, we're just relaxing and reflecting on another year of this, the most popular podcast in the world (if you don't count every other podcast). So we're looking back at Flopcast subjects, segments, and guests, as well as concerts, conventions, and whatever other weird junk kept up occupied all year. We also reveal our New Year's Resolution. It will shock you.
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This week's promo: Dragon Con Report!
It's our annual holiday spectacular! And once again we're talking about old Christmas cartoons, because that's all we care about. But this time, we're looking at a couple of cartoons we've never discussed on the show before, and they're both based on classic comic strips. (They're also both on YouTube, if you want to play along.) From 1979, A Family Circus Christmas features a ghost Santa, a candy cane farm in the clouds, a busty mom, and plenty of crazy jazz flute. And from 1982, Ziggy's Gift features the scrawny tree from Charlie Brown Christmas, the Irish cop from Frosty the Snowman, a creepy gray guy, and a million screaming turkeys. Both are magnificent. Also: A glitter bomb Christmas card from Panda! A Manos: The Hands of Fate Christmas card from Jacob! A lost Ziggy pencil sharpener! A lost TV show described as "Mission Impossible meets The Love Boat"! And the Mighty Morphin Figgy Pudding Pages! So please throw up the sash, turn with a jerk, and enjoy.
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This week's promo: Tales From Hollywoodland!
It's the stupid holidays, so 'tis the season for a Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite holiday dogs! Of course our list includes dogs from Christmas cartoons (compliments of Charlie Brown, the Grinch, the Simpsons, and more), as well as Christmas books and even a goofy Christmas song. If we missed your favorite holiday dog, let us know! Or just keep it to yourself! That works too. Also: An evening with the stars of Stand By Me (they brought along plenty of cherry flavored Pez), and a holiday show with a Carpenters tribute band in Woonsocket, Rhode Island! It's all just so festive that we can't stand it.
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This week's promo: Have Coffee, Will Travel!
Every year, dozens of ridiculous identical holiday movies are unleashed by Hallmark, Lifetime, Netflix, and the like. (They're so cookie-cutter that many of them literally involve cutting cookies.) And every year, we try to fix them by making them weirder. So we've selected a few new Christmas movies, and we're discussing their plots (featuring time travel, glassblowing, and pickleball) and casts (featuring, as always, Lacey Chabert). Then we're randomly inserting some strange new element (a camel with wings, perhaps) into each movie so it meets our strict weirdness standards. There, we just saved Christmas. Pass the figgy pudding.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Boo!
Before we plunge into weeks of holiday silliness, here's something different for you! Five years ago, our friend Amanda decided to run at least one mile in each of the 351 towns and cities that make up Massachusetts. A month ago, she finished. And she's here to tell us all about the whole project. Including: Covered bridges, waterfalls, murder roads, World War II bunkers, Jaws filming sites, an alleged UFO encounter site, Myles Standish's legs, a chicken with a backpack, sweaty women on a bus, and much more. It all wrapped up in the geographic center of the state with dozens of friends, special Running Massachusetts t-shirts, and beer. But even if you weren't there, you can still help Amanda support Voices Against Violence; we'll have a link for you. Next week we'll be back to our usual festive shenanigans. Please bring eight gallons of egg nog.
Amanda's Worcester Magazine story about her running project!
To donate to Voices Against Violence, click here! (When asked which program you're supporting, write "VAV" or "Voices Against Violence" in the open field.)
The Mayor is talking Doctor Who on The 42cast!
Kevin is talking Mad Magazing on The Best Stuff in the World!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
As we creep into the holidays, once again we're looking back at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades of the past. (Debbie Gibson is scheduled to perform at this year's parade, so you should all be road-tripping to Manhattan RIGHT NOW.) We start with the 2015 parade (featuring that top-hatted honey-roasted freak, Mr. Peanut), then keep jumping back ten years at a time, all the way to the premiere of the Underdog balloon in 1965. (Underdog has been watching us from above ever since, and he is most displeased.) Along the way, we'll meet some of our favorite pop culture stars (even Alice from The Brady Bunch shows up), and we'll pay our respects to the giant balloon characters that were torn apart by trees and lamp posts. (Now we know why Kermit the Frog and Pink Panther hate Thanksgiving.) So fix yourself a festive plate of popcorn, jelly beans, pretzels, and toast, and enjoy.
The Mayor on The Doctor's Beard podcast!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
When our favorite 1980s soft rock band comes to the town where we spent the 1980s, you know we'll be there. And so Kevin has a report from the sold out Air Supply concert at the Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket, Rhode Island! (We were front row center. Close enough to catch an official Air Supply guitar pick? You bet.) Also: The Mayor of Chickentown joins the Early Birds Club! Kevin accidentally runs a half marathon! And Finnish nannies sing Badfinger! Next week we'll have some holiday stuff. This week we're just being goofy.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
We're back with our full report on the city of Seattle, which turned out to be way over on the other side of the continent. (Probably should have packed a bag or something...) How many weird and silly activities could we squish into just a few days out west? Let's find out. Including: Retro-futuristic fun at the Space Needle! A robot on the monorail! Angry otters at the aquarium! A massive collection of nerd stuff at the Museum of Pop Culture! Giant trolls! A visit to Archie McPhee's Rubber Chicken Museum! A visit to filming locations from Twin Peaks and Northern Exposure! A fortune-telling psychic chicken! And yikes, even more. Why, we'll even teach you the proper way to pronounce "Seattle," if you believe everything from The Brady Bunch. And we do.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
It's been about a year since we killed a whole episode flipping through an issue of Dynamite, that classic magazine for kids of the 70s and 80s, so let's do it. We have an issue from 1976 (compliments of Chris from Sci Fi Explosion!) and on the cover are America's favorite toothy Mormons, Donny and Marie Osmond! Also in this issue: Fashion tips direct from Medford, Massachusetts; an Elton John pinball machine; a remarkable new gadget called the Betamax; the adventures of the Dynamite Duo and their new superhero pal, Jive Turkey; Magic Wanda in her painter's pants; a visit to Marvel Comics to learn about Spider-Man; weird nicknames for Ron Howard; how to start your own sky-writing business; how to cook ping pong balls; a sad trombone player; Dynamite Bummers; and much more. It's fantastic. So when your teacher hands out this month's school book club order form... you know what to do.
The Mayor on The Doctor's Beard podcast!
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This week's promo: EnterpriseSplaining!
For our Halloween episode, we're revisiting a favorite subject: the cheapo department store Halloween costumes produced for decades by the Ben Cooper company. Kids loved slipping into their uncomfortable plastic masks and weird vinyl smocks for an evening of begging the neighbors for Twix bars. We look at superhero costumes (including some odd ones like Web Woman), Krofft costumes (you could be a Sleestak, a Bugaloo, or even Dr. Shrinker), and lots more, including the infamous Fonzie "He-e-y!" costume. Also: The classic Universal monster movies! A brilliant new monster t-shirt from cartoonist Kerry Callen! And the new Muppet-style versions of Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and Count Chocula! So have a festive Halloween, kids. We recommend shivering in a pumpkin patch all night until your angry sister drags you inside.
Jason Young's Oldtimes Digest books!
The 1980 Ben Cooper catalog on plaidstallions.com!
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This week's promo: Luke Ski's Animation & Stuff Podcast!
We're back from a quick visit to Albany, New York, where Kevin ran a half marathon (finishing in 309th place, probably not qualifying for the Olympics) and learned the shocking truth about Alice from The Brady Bunch. Now here in Chickentown, we're looking at an odd 1959 comic book called Weather-Bird. It stars a chicken and a goat, and the whole thing is a promotional gimmick to sell children's shoes. We love it. And we were reminded of some other weird comic book shoe ads. Several 1970s ads star a shoe-themed superhero called the AAU Shuperstar. One of his enemies is called Missile-Toe. And we can't stop thinking about them. We might have a problem.
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This week's promo: BatChums!
It's no secret that we're rather obsessed with the 80s around here, so this week we're chatting with author Debby Meltzer Quick. Debby's first novel (the first of several!) is May I Have Your Attention Please, a mid-80s high school romance set in Eastboro, Massachusetts. Kevin and Debby discuss the novel itself, how much pop culture nostalgia to include in a story, how to draw from one's own life without getting too autobiographical, and much more. Including: 80s movies both well-remembered (The Breakfast Club) and largely forgotten (Give My Regards to Broad Street); going to the Worcester Centrum to see Van Halen, Ratt, and U2 (but alas, not Journey); getting up early for Underdog cartoons; working at the cookie shop at the mall; the weirdness of Orange Julius; early video game systems; bad coffee; new Coke; and the dining room carpet Debby has not been allowed to walk on for forty years and counting. We really enjoyed this conversation, and you will too. And if you can find Eastboro, Massachusetts on a map, please let us know.
Debby's website!
Debby on Amazon!
The Mayor of Chickentown discussing Travelers on The 42cast!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
We didn't make any big plans for our big 700th episode, because that would have required effort, which is frowned upon around here. Instead we have a hastily assembled pile of random stuff, just for you. Including: Our ongoing cluelessness about Buc-ee's! An update on our favorite Bugaloo from Dragon Con! The 700th biggest song of the 1980s (according to our Ranking the 80s book)! The 700th biggest movie of all time (according to some list we found)! The upcoming Jukebox Thrillers anthology of 80s music-inspired short stories! And a Chickens in the News segment about Nike the rescued rooster! Hope you enjoy it. Hey, give us another 700 episodes, and maybe we'll start to get our act together.
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
Our Dragon Con review finally concludes, just in time for us to get ready for next year's Dragon Con. We're looking at the last two days of the convention, including: Muppet talk with Muppet performers/designers Bill Barretta, Kevin Clash, Bonnie Erickson, and Dave Goelz! Actual trick-or-treating in the American Sci-Fi Classics Track room at Halloween Con! The science of Severance (it seems like a good idea)! Our British New Wave panel (with nary a Duran in sight, alas)! Our Hollywood Hits the Arcade panel (during which Joy Sticks was finally recognized as a cinematic masterpiece)! The Agatha All Along panel! Another wonderful Sci-Fi Explosion presentation, featuring Sico the Robot and drunk Ewoks! Another Roll-a-Panel, featuring the spectacular failure of our Ghost singalong! The Peacemaker panel! And our annual Dragon Con costume review, with Jaws costumes, Devo costumes, Caddyshack costumes, a Labyrinth Firey, a Bugaloo (!!!), and a whole lot of chickens. It was magnificent. See you next year, weird people!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
Our coverage of Dragon Con (Atlanta's massive Labor Day weekend nerd convention) continues! Thrill to every single weird thing we did on Friday and Saturday! Including: The Geek Girls Run! The Muppet Mayhem tournament! The return of the Music Video Book Club (during which Carly Simon hooked up with Sico the Robot)! Fantastic Four cartoons with Chris from Sci-Fi Explosion! The return of Classic Sci-Fi Court (during which Kevin defended a lost Justice League TV pilot)! ESO's Misfits of Science Fiction TV 1985 presentation (basically an excuse to make Courteney Cox badge ribbons)! The Mayor's Severance panel! Remy's Jaws panel! Kevin's Creature Commandos panel! Dave's Batman Forever panel! Even more panels with the casts of The Magicians, Arrow, and the Muppets! A late night show by nerd-funk band Raspberry Pie! And, of course, much more. And we're still not done! But next week we'll wrap up the whole silly weekend. Hopefully.
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This week's promo: Dragon Con Report!
Here we go with the first of three (yikes, let's hope it's just three) episodes reviewing everything we did at Dragon Con, the ultimate gathering of geeks over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta. Including: A visit to the Center for Puppetry Arts, where we found members of Emmet Otter's Jug Band and the Riverbottom Nightmare Band! Turtles and Muscovy ducks at Piedmont Park! All our weird friends from the American Sci-Fi Classics Track! Our guided tour for new Dragon Con attendees, during which we were secretly recorded for nefarious purposes! Dangerous fake Oreos! Classic arcade games and Geek Singalongs with Kate from Strange Animals Podcast! And some Molly Ringwald-style antics at the 80s Prom and the 120 Minutes dance party! Okay, that sounds exhausting enough, and we're just getting started. Come back next week as the silliness continues...
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This week's promo: Tales From Hollywoodland!
It's the shocking conclusion of our second Saturday Night Live character FlopFight tournament, and Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track co-director Joe Crowe is still here providing expert commentary. Our competitors may include a pair of insecure bodybuilders, a simple caveman, a lady with a less-than-positive attitude, and perhaps even the devil himself. It all leads to a showdown with last week's winner, and we shall determine the ultimate SNL character champion. (Spoiler: It's not Massive Head Wound Harry. Probably should have been.)
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This week's promo: Have Coffee, Will Travel!
A few months back, to celebrate Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary, we did a whole FlopFight tournament of SNL characters. But since so many classic characters didn't get to play, we thought we'd just do it again. And since this is Dragon Con weekend, we thought we'd bring in a special guest: Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track co-director Joe Crowe! Joe will help us sort through this new field of goofy competitors, which just might include a visit to Fernando's Hideaway, a terrifying ride with a driving cat, and the man known only as... Johnny Canal. So join us and learn which SNL weirdo is advancing to next week's final round. Meanwhile if your doorbell rings, go ahead and answer it. It's probably just a candygram.
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
We're just days away from Dragon Con, Atlanta's massive annual gathering of the geeks! And the full schedule of all eight zillion Dragon Con events has been released. So this week, after a quick guest update (Simon Pegg is in! Tom Wilson is out!), we're looking at our individual schedules, so you'll know how to find us or (more likely) avoid us. Including: The Dragon Con walking tours; the Geek Girls Run; the Sci-Fi Music Video Book Club; Classic Sci-Fi Court; a tournament of Muppets; panels about Severance, Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, new wave music, video game movies; and more! We'll even have weird badge ribbons for you. So hop on a midnight train to Georgia and get ready to party like you're the biggest nerd in the world. Who knows, perhaps you are...
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This week's promo: Earth Station Boo!
Our Dragon Con coverage officially begins, and it might never end! Dragon Con is our favorite nerd event of the year, it's almost here, and this week we're looking through the guest list. Among those tentatively scheduled to appear are stars from Back to the Future, Daredevil, Buck Rogers, Star Trek, The Magicians... and even some actual Muppet performers. Also appearing will be many fine writers, artists, musicians, scientists, and humble podcasters, including a bunch of maniacs from right here on the ESO Network. Also: The 120 Minutes dance party! The return of Sci-Fi Explosion! The debut of HalloweenCon! And our weird idea for a gym teacher panel! Next week: More thrilling Dragon Con preview action! You might want to get to Atlanta and start standing in lines right now.
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
With a free week before we start like eight months of nonstop Dragon Con coverage, Kevin and the Mayor are trying something new: We're recording the show from outside Chickentown Studios, in the great and filthy outdoors. Hopefully this will provide a more festive summertime atmosphere, until the mosquitoes and bats and angry villagers show up. So with nothing better to do until a search party arrives, we offer a couple of new movie reviews (Superman and Fantastic Four), recommend a TV show or two, and plug Kevin's recent guest appearance on the EnterpriseSplaining podcast. And that's it! Next week, we'll have our first Dragon Con preview show. And we'll probably be back inside. It's scary out here.
Kevin was a guest on EnterpriseSplaining episode 46!
And episode 47!
And our regular links...
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Email: info@flopcast.net
Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
If you've just been waiting all summer long for The Flopcast's annual robot-themed Top 4 1/2 List... well, first, what's wrong with you? Go to the beach or something. But also... here it is! Our theme this year is "recycled robots." Sometimes a robot would be designed for some movie or TV show, and then later repurposed for some other movie or TV show. Forbidden Planet's Robby the Robot is the prime example. Robby had a decades-long career popping up in one project after another. A few oddball robots even started making appearances in the real world, so you could meet them at nightclubs or shopping malls. We'll look at a few of these jobbing journeyman robots (four and a half of them, to be exact), and we have a special guest to show us the way. Our old pal Chris Cummins, host of Sci-Fi Explosion and expert on all manner of bizarro pop culture, is back! Chris knows a thing or two about weird robots. And now you will too.
Sci-Fi Explosion on Twitch!
Ex Astris Scientia, our source for recycled Star Trek robots!
And our regular links...
The Flopcast website!
The ESO Network!
The Flopcast on Facebook!
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
We're packing all our summer concert reports into one big show! First it's Aimee Mann in New Hampshire with her regular opener (and no stranger to the nerd world) Jonathan Coulton. (As longtime Aimee fans, we're still a little grumpy about missing the recent 'Til Tuesday reunion show...) Then we have two shows from the same exhausting weekend! First up is "Weird Al" Yankovic, who brought his Bigger and Weirder Tour (with weird opening act Puddles Pity Party) to a giant casino in Connecticut. Then the very next night, there was REO Speedwagon (sort of) and Styx, with opener Don Felder of the Eagles, at Great Woods back here in Massachusetts. (Mr. Roboto, we've missed you.) It was a fine bunch of super-fun nostalgic shows (including some random meetups with old friends of the Flopcast), and now we're ready to flop over and relax until Dragon Con. But do you still have any summer concerts coming up? If you're planning to Wang Chung tonight, do please let us know.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
After ten long silly weeks, we've arrived at the end of our 1980s-themed episodes. And 1989 was a huge year at the movies, so we thought we'd play one more round of our Movie Recasting Movie Character Movie Game. That means we're pulling characters from randomly-selected 1989 movies, and then inserting them into other movies. This usually results in much weirder movies. (Speaking of weird, a certain comedy musician starred in a 1989 movie...) Who gets to play this time? Batman? Indiana Jones? A Ghostbuster? A Heather or two? Harry and/or Sally? So many possibilities. And to help us sort it all out, please welcome returning Flopcast guest Blasted Bill! 1989 was a big year for Bill, and not just because he is constantly mistaken for Young Einstein.
Blasted Bill's NEW TikTok account!
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This week's promo: EnterpriseSplaining!
We're using our 1988 episode to finally wrap up our Backs of Life series, in which we review every backdoor pilot episode of classic 80s sitcom The Facts of Life. And this final two-part backdoor pilot from April 1988 is actually the end of the whole show! (Farewell, Tootie...) We start with a fleeting glimpse of the regular cast (which by this point also includes Australian moppet Pippa), but soon we're solidly in backdoor pilot territory. Eastland, the girls' old school, is in danger of closing, so Blair buys the place, and welcomes boys to enroll as well as girls. Then we see a whole new crop of young Eastland students, including some future stars: Juliette Lewis, Mayim Bialik, and Seth Green! Did this backdoor pilot lead to another beloved long-running series? Of course not. But does it end with the girls meeting a giant chicken? Well, kids, sometimes the world really seems to be living up to our dreams.
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
1987 was a transitional year in comic books. DC successfully relaunched Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Justice League in their new post-Crisis universe. Marvel started a new universe too, which they called, uh, "New Universe." Also at Marvel, Spider-Man got married, an event so big that an actual wedding ceremony was held at a baseball stadium. Meanwhile, Alan Moore wrapped up his brilliant run on Swamp Thing, American Splendor's Harvey Pekar appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, Max Headroom made the cover of Mad Magazine... and Peter Porker the Spectacular Spider-Ham met the nefarious Dr. Chickenstein. And hey, our pal Kevin Cafferty (from Gleaming the Tube and The Best Stuff in the World) is here to help us figure it all out! Because it's been 38 years, and comic book nerds like us are still waiting for the next issue of Sonic Disruptors...
Gleaming the Tube!
The Best Stuff in the World!
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This week's promo: Luke Ski's Animation & Stuff Podcast!
Returning to the Flopcast after a full decade away, it's our old pal (and comedy musician, podcaster, animator, storyboard artist, and voice actor) the great Luke Ski! Luke came up with the subject for this week's Top 4 1/2 List, and it's a long one: The Top 4 1/2 Songs Made For A Movie Where The Title Of The Song Is Also The Title Of The Movie And The Lyrics Of The Chorus Of The Song! Got that? And since this is our 1986 episode, all of Kevin's movies and songs are from 1986. Luke's choices are also mostly from the mid-80s, which seemed to be the peak of this very important cinematic trend that no one else has ever noticed. It's a wild list which just might involve aliens, nerds, and a certain duck. Enjoy! And watch for episode 5 of the new Luke Ski's Animation & Stuff Podcast, also out this week! Kevin is Luke's guest over there, and we do another Top 4 1/2 List that's even weirder than this one.
Find links to ALL of Luke's stuff right here!
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This week's promo: BatChums!
It's the 40th anniversary of Live Aid, and we have a guy who was there. Our friend Rich Wilhelm takes us on a deep dive through his long day at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia for the biggest charity concert in history. Including: General admission tickets at the shocking price of thirty-five dollars! Rich's mom carefully recording the whole show on VHS! The unknown kid who talked his way into opening the concert! Philadelphia hometown heroes like Hall & Oates, Patti LaBelle, and The Hooters! The globe-trotting antics of Phil Collins (and Cher)! Led Zeppelin reunited! Our favorite loverboy, Billy Ocean! Tina's wardrobe malfunction (with a little help from Mick)! And the surprise Lionel Richie finale! Plus Madonna, the Cars, REO Speedwagon, Rick Springfield, Tom Petty, Run-D.M.C., Duran Duran, and pretty much everyone else! Hey, if you're gonna be trapped in an overcrowded stadium for sixteen hours on a hot summer day, you could do worse. These days, you can find Rich writing about music for PopMatters.com. But on July 13, 1985, Rich was at Live Aid. And the line to be super-jealous of Rich starts right here.
Find Rich at PopMatters!
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
The Mayor finally gets a week off, because we have a special guest. Judy is one of Kevin's running buddies, and she teaches us all about ultramarathon running! (Have you ever run 100 miles in a day? Judy has. Don't you feel completely exhausted just reading that?) Then for some 1980s talk (which does happen occasionally around here), we explore the world of 80s fashion. Hopefully you still have your leg warmers and giant shoulder pads ready to go. And finally, since this is our 1984 episode, Judy shares her Top 4 1/2 List of favorite movies from that magical year. Is Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo at the top of her list? Probably not, but let's find out together...
Follow Judy's running adventures on Intragram!
The Best Stuff in the World covers Raiders of the Lost Ark!
Gleaming the Tube covers Record City!
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
Flopcast episode 683! As our 1980s-themed episodes roll along, we return to the weird movie game we played a few weeks ago. But this time we're looking at the movies of 1983. So we're yanking characters from randomly-selected movies, shoving them into different movies, and seeing what happens. Our participants are characters from Return of the Jedi, National Lampoon's Vacation, Superman III, Flashdance, and many more. Including... D. C. Cab. So yeah, that means Mr. T might get involved. And he already pities all of us.
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This week's promo: Dragon Con Report!
It's another 80s-themed episode, and we're up to 1982. And to keep this one short and silly, we're just looking at the albums we bought from that year. It's a mix of goofy mainstream pop (Hall & Oates, Air Supply, REO Speedwagon), some slightly cooler stuff (Elvis Costello, Devo, Midnight Oil), and one very special record from Buckner and Garcia. Because this was the year we all had Pac-Man Fever. And some of us never fully recovered.
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This week's promo: Tales From Hollywoodland!
It's a simple plan this week: We're just looking at what was on television in late May of 1981. Including: A bizarre Happy Days musical, a horrifying Waltons episode, Mork in a bubble, skydiving Hulk, something called "Women Who Rate a 10," Bo Duke with amnesia, Daisy Duke on Enos, Batman on Fantasy Island, a Muppet on a medical drama, a dead parrot at Mel's Diner, and way too many variety shows (from Bob Hope, Steve Allen, Robert Klein, the Gatlin Brothers, and the Mandrell Sisters). It all sounds wonderful, doesn't it? You should probably cancel Netflix and invest in a time machine.
The Mayor of Chickentown on The Doctor's Beard podcast!
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This week's promo: Have Coffee, Will Travel!
As we kick off ten weeks of 80s-themed episodes, we're returning to a goofy little game we invented a couple of years ago. The idea is to pluck characters from randomly selected movies from the year 1980, insert them into other movies, and discuss the ramifications. Potential movies include Flash Gordon, Caddyshack, Popeye, Xanadu, The Empire Strikes Back, and many more. So grab a hideously overpriced tub of popcorn and get comfortable. In all likelihood, this is gonna get weird.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
It's the 13th anniversary of the Flopcast! We started this nonsense way back in 2012 (as court-ordered community service, but let's not get into that), and here we are today, as dizzy and confused as ever. And to celebrate, we're doing... not much of anything. Kevin and the Mayor just wander through a few quick little subjects, including: Running a half marathon in Maine; running a 5K in the rain; a visit to the Watch City Steampunk Festival, ruled by our friend Queen Jessica Mercy; the return of our favorite metal band, Anaria; an important ornithological discovery right here at the studio; the Columbo-style antics of Natasha Lyonne on Poker Face; and a pile of new "facsimile" comic books, which allow us to enjoy the first Aquaman story without spending eight zillion dollars. Now it's on to yet another year of Flopcasting. We promise to continue accomplishing nothing.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Boo!
It's the conclusion of our FlopFight tournament of Saturday Night Live characters! We have miscellaneous freaks and weirdos competing from 50 years of SNL history. Will it be Wayne and Garth vs. Hans and Franz? Canteen Boy vs. Gap Girls? So many possibilities. But only one shall survive, and they shall look marvelous.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
Let's celebrate 50 years of Saturday Night Live with a big silly tournament of SNL characters. Church Lady vs. Target Lady? Festrunk Brothers vs. Sweeney Sisters? Gilly vs. Gumby? So many weird possibilities, but only one shall survive and advance to next week's final round. Anything can happen, it will be ridiculous and stupid, and we promise not to provide you with any deep thoughts.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
We're looking back at the comic book scene of forty years ago, and we've brought in a special guest to help: ESO Network Director (and longtime comic book fan) Mike Faber. The big story of 1985 was Crisis on Infinite Earths, but we cover much more, including: The New Teen Titans, Justice League Detroit, the trial of the Flash, Elvira's House of Mystery, Secret Wars II, Heroes for Hope, the silliness of Ambush Bug, the genius of Alan Moore (Swamp Thing, Miracleman), and the independent stuff too (Love and Rockets, Cerebus, DNAgents, Jon Sable Freelance, and those crazy Ninja Turtles). This podcast should be bagged, boarded, graded, slabbed, and thrown on eBay with a Buy It Now price of zero dollars.
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
Just a few quick subjects this week: We recommend the improv comedy of Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation's Jean-Ralphio!), we look at some Saturday Night Live-related comic books (including when Spider-Man met Belushi), and we take it to the streets. Not because we're Doobie Brothers, but because we're angry.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
If you grew up in or around the bizarro state of Rhode Island, you might remember the Warwick Musical Theatre. For decades, this tent-style venue (with a rotating circular stage in the middle) hosted concerts, comedy, musicals, and even wrestling. (Guess how many times Liberace performed there. No, you're low. Guess again.) And back in the 80s, this is where some of us first saw Weird Al, the Monkees, and oh yeah, Air Supply. So let's take a look at the whole wild history of the Warwick tent, which alas, has been gone for about a quarter century. (These days a giant hardware store is there, in case you need 8,000 hammers.) But in our hearts, Laura Branigan and Billy Ocean are playing there RIGHT NOW.
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This week's promo: EnterpriseSplaining!
Continuing our look back at 1975 (which was just about fifty years ago, according to most historians), let's see what was on television. Specifically we're looking at the prime time schedule for March 30, 1975, which just happened to be Easter night. So the three networks offered a mix of special programming (The Ten Commandments, The Wizard of Oz, and a horrifying holiday Waltons rerun) and typical mid-70s action shows (Six Million Dollar Man, McCloud). Watch closely for special guest stars like John Ritter (pre-Jack Tripper) and Gavan O'Herlihy (post-Chuck Cunningham). Was it the greatest night in television history? Absolutely not. But it was 1975, and it was all we had.
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
It's a simple enough show this week, kids. We're just looking at a bunch of movies from half a century ago. 1975 was a game-changing year in film. Early 70s trends like blaxploitation and dystopian sci-fi were about to be swept aside, as a certain giant Spielbergian shark ushered in the blockbuster era. But meanwhile, the year still offered some genuine classics (Dog Day Afternoon, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), some cult classics (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Rocky Horror Picture Show), some Disney for the kids (Apple Dumpling Gang, Escape to Witch Mountain), giant spiders, crazy mamas, blazing stewardesses, switchblade sisters, and plenty of Pam Grier. So pop in a Glen Campbell 8-track and cruise over to your local ugly 1970s movie theater. And grab a big box of Raisinets, even though they're lousy.
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This week's promo: BatChums!
As the title suggests, we have illnesses, we have injuries, and we have a quick little listener feedback episode. Including: Blip magazine, Pac-Man high scores, Activision patches, Dig Dug songs, Donkey Kong comics, Mardi Gras chickens, Sewer Sam, An Hour With Bob, Positronic Hypersonic, Sci Fi Journal, Luke Ski's Animation & Stuff Podcast, the Yummy Awards, and pizza pies for Pi Day. Enjoy, as we deal with our various aforementioned ailments. We're podcasting through the pain, just for you.
Positronic Hypersonic!
Sci Fi Journal!
Luke Ski's Animation & Stuff Podcast!
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
We're just diving into the bizarre world of Rhode Island cable access television of the 80s and 90s. And our special returning guest is Kevin Cafferty! Kevin was there, and remembers it all. If you were anywhere near the Ocean State back in the day, you never knew what you'd find on local cable TV, but you knew it would freak you out. Including: awkward talk shows, befuddling children's shows, ultra-low-budget sketch comedy, backyard wrestling, high school dances, karaoke direct from Woonsocket, the intense legal drama of Providence traffic court, the Star Trek fan show we loved more than Star Trek, the Kiss fan show that was parodied on Family Guy... and the legend of Daphne's Madhouse. Why would you ever look at mainstream TV again? On cable access, your own neighbors were making the weirdest shows in the world.
Kevin's podcasts: Gleaming the Tube and The Best Stuff in the World!
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
We always enjoy perusing the annual list of nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, because it makes everybody angry. And this year we have a special guest: Michael Gordon, host of the Dragon Con Report, Earth Station Who, and BatChums podcasts! (Clearly Mike isn't podcasting enough. So glad we could help with that.) The nominees include 70s rock (Bad Company), 80s pop (our girl Cyndi!), 90s grunge (Soundgarden), and lots more, including some long overdue legends (Joe Cocker, Mariah Carey) and some oddball surprises. (Phish? Really?) And we somehow get through the whole list without complaining about the Rock Hall's continued snubbing of Air Supply. But we have not forgotten.
Follow Michael on Substack!
And follow Michelle on Substack!
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This week's promo: Dragon Con Report!
In 1983, Marvel Comics launched a magazine about video games. This was not a comic book; it was a magazine. (Okay, it was a tiny comic book-sized magazine. Happy now?) It lasted just seven issues, utterly failing to make a blip, even though it was in fact called Blip. So today we're flipping through the first issue of Blip, trying to make sense of it all. On the cover is actor Matthew Laborteaux (Little House on the Prairie, Whiz Kids), looking very upset that we interrupted his game of Tron. Inside we learn the favorite video games of more Hollywood stars, assuming you define "star" as "someone who appeared on The Facts of Life once or twice." We also learn about Missile Command, Centipede, Dig Dug, Pitfall, and Bubble Yum. (That last one might just be an advertisement.) Sure, there were much bigger, much better video game magazines around in the early 80s. But only one was Stan Lee-approved. So stick with Blip, true believers.
Recently we braved the lawless wilderness of New Hampshire to see a show called "Piano Men and Women," celebrating the music of Billy Joel, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, and more. (We were there because our old pal Mike is the guitarist in this show. Mike has come a LONG way since Sponge Awareness...) So now we're throwing all those classic pop stars into a silly FlopFight tournament of randomly selected competitions. Join us as we debate the merits of, say, Freddie Mercury and Barry Manilow in a snow-shoveling contest. Why, there's even a surprise wild card player who has no business in this FlopFight, but just might win the whole thing. Kids, prepare for some thrilling and ridiculous tournament action. The stakes could not be lower.
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This week's promo: Have Coffee, Will Travel!
Longtime Flopcast listeners (those poor souls) know that every 100 episodes, we celebrate V66, Boston's own music video TV channel of the mid-80s. This time, however, we have a special guest: Eric Green, director of the V66 documentary, Life on the V! And because this is episode 666, we're looking at the heavy metal and hard rock bands and videos of the V66 era. It was a time when catchy melodies and goofy visuals helped acts like Quiet Riot and Twisted Sister score huge Top 40 hits. The Kiss guys lost the makeup, Van Halen switched from Dave to Sammy, Aerosmith made their (rap-assisted) comeback, Mötley Crüe freaked everybody out, and Bon Jovi opened the floodgates for a cacophony of hair metal. Meanwhile on the local scene, V66 promoted a video filmed at a Boston-area high school by an unknown hard rock band called Extreme. And as the New England Patriots prepared for Super Bowl 1986, V66 was there with a couple of low budget quickie music videos, including the goofy metal tune "Skin the Bears." (Spoiler: The Patriots absolutely did not skin the Bears.) Also: Kevin finds V66 VJ David O'Leary at a Taylor Dayne show! Eric traces the history of Nirvana in Boston! Tom Bergeron gets in touch with the kids on Rap Around! And if you're in the Boston area, you can join us for a special screening of Life on the V at the Somerville Theatre on February 27th! Kids, it's the 40th anniversary of V66. You deserve a night out, surrounded by Junior Mint-chomping 80s nerds who know how to neutron dance.
Life on the V!
Green's Party!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
It's time for another Top 4 1/2 List, and it's a dumb one! The subject is "Ace." We're just listing characters (from cartoons, movies, TV, etc.) named Ace. And we probably missed your favorite Ace, so let us know! (Unless your favorite is Ace the Bat-Hound. We assure you, we did not forget Ace the Bat-Hound.)
The MarsCon 2025 Comedy Music Track and Fund Raiser Album!
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
Normally we save our "Too Many Comics" reviews for the ESO Network's Patreon supporters. But this one is for everybody, as Kevin and the Mayor flip through the oldest comic book we have here at the studio. And oh yes, it features a chicken. Published by Quality Comics way back in 1946, it's Egbert #4. In the lead story, Egbert the chicken and his fox buddy The Count enter a pie-eating contest. Try to contain your excitement. And because comic books were much larger back in the Golden Age, we also have stories with Nero Owl, Rollo Raccoon, Picklefoot Pig, the Bunny Boys, Beany Bear, and more. (All this for a dime!) Plus: Weird ads for Pepsi, cap guns, and electric football games. Now according to an online price guide, our Egbert comic is virtually worthless. (And you'll find out why!) But come on, it's a chicken comic from 80 years ago, and you can't put a price on this kind of silliness.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
This week's other promo: MarsCon 2025!
As we enter the horrifying year of 2025, we thought we'd roll back half a century and look at the music of 1975. We're perusing Billboard's Top 100 song list for the year, and as you'd expect, it's a weird list. The hippie acts were winding down, disco was ramping up, easy listening schlock was at its zenith, and everybody -- literally everybody -- was kung fu fighting. It was probably also not a bad year to avoid Chevy vans, and that's all right with us. Anyway, break out your Linda Ronstadt 8-tracks, slip into your Captain and Tennille costumes, and enjoy.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Boo!
If your New Year's Resolution was to strengthen your vocabulary with the help of some DC Comics superheroes, we've got you covered. Yes, we're turning back to The Super Dictionary, that bizarre book of words and definitions for the kids of 1978. Our latest batch of Super Dictionary entries features: Supergirl catching flies, Wonder Woman staggering about in a fog, Black Canary vs. a giant owl, Krypto the Super Dog gobbling like a turkey, Penguin being creepy and weird, and Atom's tiny handkerchief. We also learn a bit too much about Comet the Super Horse, and we review the most notorious entry in the whole book. Yes, it's time to discuss Luthor and his forty stolen cakes. Also: Chickens in the News! Want to stay at a massive rooster-shaped hotel in the Philippines? Yeah, we thought so.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
We're wrapping up our annual two-part memorial show, covering people we lost in the second half of 2024 from TV (Linda Lavin, John Amos, Bob Newhart), movies (Teri Garr, Shelley Duvall, James Earl Jones), music (Quincy Jones, John Mayall, Kris Kristofferson), and more. (Richard Simmons, Dr. Ruth, Famous Amos, the "You've got mail!" guy... our list has a lot of range.) The egg nog is flowing freely here at Chickentown Studios. Select a huge festive beverage for yourself and join us.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
In Part 1 of our two-part memorial show, we look back on people from pop culture (and beyond) who died in the first half of 2024. It's a long list, so it's a long show. Including: People from movies (Cindy Morgan, Carl Weathers, Louis Gossett Jr., Dabney Coleman, Donald Sutherland), comedy (Richard Lewis, Joe Flaherty, Martin Mull), television (Joyce Randolph, Kevin Brophy, David Soul), music (Melanie, Mojo Nixon, Eric Carmen), comic books (José Delbo, Ramona Fradon, Trina Robbins), and many more. (The inventor of Pop-Tarts? But of course.) Next week: Memorial Show Part 2. Meanwhile this week, we also reveal our New Year's Resolution, which you will never guess.
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
Welcome to the Flopcast holiday variety spectacular, in which we sip egg nog and nothing happens. But we do pack quite a few festive subjects into this quick little show, including: Weird 1970s Christmas cartoons! (The Fourth King is an obscure one we'd never seen before. And our favorite, A Cosmic Christmas, is now available from RiffTrax!) A Joan Osborne concert! The Air Supply Christmas album! The Figgy Pudding Pages! Drive-in movie theaters! Weird singing bird decorations! And the opening of a glitter bomb Christmas card, ensuring that Chickentown Studios will be nice and sparkly all year. Okay, get out there and be merry or bright (but not both). It's time for our big holiday nap.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
Spinning out of last week's review of The Year Without a Santa Claus, this week we're looking at another classic Rankin/Bass Christmas cartoon that debuted fifty years ago: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas! It's set in the bizarre little town of Junctionville, where humans and mice coexist in a way we can't quite figure out. There we meet a humble clockmaker, a nerdy mouse, a clueless wacky mayor, an egomaniacal vindictive Santa, and a selfish materialistic populace dreaming of a huge Christmas payday, if only their giant musical clock doesn't explode. It's magnificent. We also discuss the whole voice cast, including Jennifer Grey's father, Amanda Plummer's mother, one of the Bad News Bears, Franken Berry, Twinkie the Kid, and (according to Wikipedia) an "owl-faced, portly character actor." So knock back an egg nog or six, let up a little on the wonder why, and give this podcast a try.
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
The Mayor of Chickentown is here to help us celebrate the 50th anniversary of a Rankin/Bass animated classic, The Year Without a Santa Claus. It's best remembered for Snow Miser and Heat Miser, of course, but we're here to break down the whole thing. We discuss the goofy plot, the goofier characters, the actors behind those characters, the book that inspired the cartoon, the live action remake, the animated sequel, and more. And while everyone knows that Heat and Snow Miser's mother is Mother Nature, we're going to reveal who their fathers are. (This holiday season, we're trying to be more like a trashy daytime talk show, and we could use your support.)
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This week's promo: EnterpriseSplaining!
It's the holiday season, which means it's the holiday movie season, which means it's time for us to get to work. Because if you tune your TV to the Hallmark channel (or Lifetime, or Netflix, or anywhere else), you'll be assaulted by dozens of ridiculous new romantic holiday movies. A parade of big city girls will be returning to their quaint home towns to save their families' struggling mistletoe factories, and perhaps fall in love with some flannel-shirted dudes along the way. (And somehow, almost every movie stars Lacey Chabert.) So here on the Flopcast, we try to fix these movies by adding some weird random element. Can Christmas be saved by, for example, a gorilla suit? We sure think so.
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This week's promo: BatChums!
As usual, we ring in the stupid holidays with a Letters to Cleo concert report, because our favorite 90s Boston band always comes home for Thanksgiving. (Letters to Cleo once performed on Parks and Recreation, and weirdly, just down the street from the concert, we spotted an actual citizen of Pawnee, Indiana. It was either Jerry, Garry, Larry, or Barry.) Then, as we approach the 100th anniversary of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Kevin and the Mayor look back at some of the odd performances and big freaky balloons in parades past. (The 1974 and 1984 parades included future Flopcast guests! Weird...) Anyway, have a festive holiday, and don't worry about inviting Patty, Marcie, and Franklin. They'll just show up.
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
Even as we stagger toward a horrifying future, The Flopcast is here with more silly things for you, because we're gonna get through this together. And this week we're celebrating Danny DeVito's 80th birthday (just as we celebrated his 70th birthday about a decade ago), we have a Chickens in the News story about an actual robot chicken... and then we just turn the whole show over to the robots. If you're on the correct side of history, please join us as we resist, persist, take care of each other, and keep going.
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This week's promo: Dragon Con Report!
Need a break from, you know, everything? We're just hiding behind a giant stack of Dynamite magazines, and you're welcome to join us. We've pulled out a Dynamite issue from 1980 with the hosts of That's Incredible on the cover. (Cathy Lee Crosby looks lovely, while Fran Tarkenton and John Davidson are missing some teeth... our copy may have been defaced decades ago by some kid with a Bic pen.) Inside we can read about New Hampshire's Old Man of the Mountain, Gary Coleman's chihuahua, a Billy Joel album that never happened, a vampire maze, Dynamite Bummers, the Dynamite Duo... and an electronic chicken game. We don't know why they kept making magazines after 1980, when it was done to perfection.
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
We looked at the TV shows of 1974 (fifty years ago!) a few months back with the Mayor, but now it's Kornflake's turn. Our list again includes some of the usual suspects like Rhoda and The Rockford Files... but ultimately we can all agree that the most important show of that year was Hong Kong Phooey. We also take a quick look at some bands that debuted in 1974; some are still favorites of ours (Blondie! Squeeze!), while we're learning about others for the first time, despite some very intriguing band names. Also: We wish a Happy Birthday to Bonnie Raitt, and we welcome two new podcasts to the ESO Network: Have Coffee Will Travel and BatChums! (One of these shows features two guys discussing Batman, but we can't remember which.)
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This week's promo: Tales From Hollywoodland!
It's the terrifying conclusion of our Halloween FlopFight! Leaping into the tournament this week are characters from Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, Bewitched, Happy Days (what?), and more. Each matchup is drawn randomly, and the exact competitions are randomized too. (So for example, it could be Count Chocula against Jack Skellington, but in a pie-eating contest. Stuff like that.) So anything goes, and special guest Blasted Bill is back to keep things nice and silly. We're also wishing a Happy Birthday to 90s singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins, who has something in common with one of our FlopFighters: a mysterious middle initial. Because a certain Tom Hanks SNL character is also competing. Any questions?
Blasted Bill on TikTok!
The Mayor talking Doctor Who on The Best Stuff in the World podcast!
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This week's promo: Have Coffee, Will Travel!
Halloween superfan Blasted Bill joins us for a Halloween FlopFight! We're randomly throwing Halloween characters (from horror movies, cartoon specials, cereal boxes, and beyond) into another ridiculous tournament. Why, the very first match has the Great Pumpkin battling Yummy Mummy! Who will win? That depends on the exact nature of the competition, which is also chosen at random. So anything could happen, and this week's winner shall advance to next week's final round. So grab a ringside seat, grab some fun-size Twix bars, and enjoy.
Blasted Bill on TikTok!
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This week's promo: BatChums!
As our Halloween festivities continue, we take a quick look at the horror movies parodied in Mad Magazine in the 1980s. Including: The Shining, Poltergeist, Psycho II, a couple of Alien movies, and Gremlins (with Alfred E. Neuman as Gizmo on the cover). Speaking of Mad and Alfred, we just visited the Norman Rockwell Museum for an amazing exhibit called "What, Me Worry? The Art & Humor of Mad Magazine." And it closes in two weeks, so GO RIGHT NOW. Also: It's World Singing Day. And we are not the world.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
It's Halloween season, which means it's Monster Cereal season! And while we rarely eat the stuff anymore, we do welcome the return of Count Chocula, Franken Berry, Boo Berry, and the new girl, zombie DJ Carmella Creeper. (Sorry, Fruit Brute and Yummy Mummy fans. Those weirdos aren't around this year.) The big news is that the monsters have pets now! Meet the Frightful Friends: Benny the Bat, Igor the Spider, Scratch the Snake, and Meow Berry. (What, no chicken?! Send your letters of complaint to General Mills...) Several Flopcast listeners have even provided photos of this year's cereal boxes, saving us a trip to the grocery store, where we'd just blow all our podcasting profits on Doritos. Also: Happy Birthday to Scott Bakula! He's probably out there Quantum-leaping and Enterprise-splaining right now.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
With Dragon Con finally out of the way, we can have some real fun! Let's read the dictionary! Specifically we're diving back into The Super Dictionary, a bizarre 1978 book for kids that mixed learning and DC Comics superheroes, and left everyone thoroughly confused. After perusing a few more entries, we have some questions, such as: Is Batgirl a pirate? (Or a mechanic, or a bikini model?) Is Supergirl terrified of mice? And why are Batman and Robin climbing a giant baby? We're equally confused by the villains, as we see Joker planning a dinner party and Catwoman, yes, dusting the tiger. (Not a euphemism.) So join us for a super-weird vocabulary lesson. We promise you will learn nothing.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
Let's wrap up our look back at Dragon Con 2024, before we have to creep back to Atlanta for Dragon Con 2025! The final two days of our favorite nerdfest included: Sci-Fi Court! (The Mayor defended Beastmaster, and Kevin defended Wonder Woman. But not the Wonder Woman you're thinking of.) A couple of rounds of Roll-A-Panel, in which a giant d20 determined which movies were discussed! (Don't worry, we did not miss Sheena: Queen of the Jungle.) Celebrity Q&A panels with Giancarlo Esposito, Ming Na Wen, Manny Jacinto, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Mike Colter! Script readings of Three's Company and Out of This World, featuring kazoos, a surprise message from space, and a million Helens Roper! The new Dragon Tales book! Retro arcade games! Barbies! Teeth! And yes, screaming bikini chicken ladies. It was magnificent. See you next year, weirdos.
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
The Mayor of Chickentown joins Kevin and Kornflake as our look back at Dragon Con 2024 continues! This time we're covering Friday and Saturday, when the convention was so crowded that we could not have squished one more nerd into Atlanta. Our coverage includes: The Geek Girls Run! The ESO Network's Freaks and Geeks 25th Anniversary panel! More panels on punk rock sci-fi, Office Space, Aquaman, cicadas, and apes! Monty Python's John Cleese! Flute-playing astronaut Cady Coleman! A super-weird (as usual) round of Sci-Fi Explosion! And perhaps a naughty Star Trek puppet show too! It was all quite exhausting, and yikes, we still had two days to go. Stock up on mead and cheese (that's our Dragon Con health plan) and enjoy...
Running Geek Girl on YouTube!
Felt Nerdy!
Sci-Fi Explosion!
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
Here we go with the first of three (yikes, hopefully no more than three) Dragon Con review episodes! This week Kevin and Kornflake go over everything that happened Wednesday and Thursday, as our giant Atlanta nerd festival was just getting started. Including: A meeting of the geeks at Logan Airport in Boston! The Dragon Con debut of our pal Blasted Bill! Our third annual meeting with the Muscovy ducks of Piedmont Park! The Dragon Con Newbie Walking Tour! A disgusting beverage! The Council of Kevins! The Sci-Fi Music Video Book Club! The 120 Minutes dance party! And lots more shenanigans and silliness with the greatest collection of nerds and weirdos ever assembled. And this is only the beginning...
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This week's promos: The 42cast and Monster Attack!
It's Dragon Con weekend, but we didn't forget about a weird Flopcast summer tradition: our annual robot-themed Top 4 1/2 List! And we have a special guest to deliver the list: our old pal (and original Sponge Awareness Foundation member) Jim, finally making his Flopcast debut! Jim has a list of surprise robots from movies and TV; that is, robots that we didn't know were robots until the big reveal. Call them androids, call them simuloids, call them replicants, Cylons, fembots, whatever you like. But they're robots in disguise, and they're out there. By the way, the Chickaphant, an alien chicken/elephant hybrid, is also out there somewhere. Please don't leave the house.
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
Dragon Con is just days away, which means tens of thousands of nerds shall soon descend upon the unsuspecting city of Atlanta. (Actually, Atlanta knows we're coming. They're jacking up the price of giant rum drinks at this very moment...) Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown will be busy with panels, presentations, and various bizarre Dragon Con events, so this week we're sharing our schedule with you. Including: Panels on Aquaman, Batman, What If...?, and Freaks and Geeks! The Sci-Fi Music Video Book Club! The return of Sci-Fi Court! A couple of Roll-A-Panels! A not-at-all-silly script reading of a Three's Company episode! The Geek Girls Run! Apes! (So many apes...) And lots more weird stuff, of course. Find us there! We'll have shiny badge ribbons for you. And we'll file our full Dragon Con report here in a couple of weeks, assuming we're not trampled by an inflatable T-rex mob.
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
Dragon Con, our favorite gigantic nerdfest of the year, is just a couple of weeks away, and we're already exhausted. Today we're looking at Dragon Con's guest list of TV and movie stars, writers, artists, musicians, scientists, podcasters, puppeteers, and miscellaneous weirdos. Including: A trio of Lord of the Rings hobbits, a Monty Python guy, a Robot Chicken guy, a bunch of Fraggles, a bunch of Star Trek actors (including a certain bearded Commander whose birthday we're celebrating), a flute-playing astronaut, Canadian teen pop star Robin Sparkles, and more. We're also thrilled to announce the release of Dragon Tales, a collection of stories and essays all about Dragon Con. (There's even a contribution from Kevin, and believe it or not, it's completely ridiculous.) This is a super-fun book, and all the proceeds go to charity, so we hope you'll pop over to Amazon and order a copy right now. Next week: The dragon talk continues, and it just keeps getting weirder.
Dragon Tales - now available!
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This week's promo: Dragon Con Report!
Kornflake returns to wrap up the summer song project we started last week! This time we're covering the 1990s, and selecting the songs we most associate with each summer. So we'll probably cover some Mariah, some Paula, and perhaps a Barenaked Lady or two. Along the way, our 90s memories include Kornflake on the radio requesting a Seal song, and Kevin in a church basement insisting that life is not a highway. Kids, it was a weird decade full of weird summers. We're entering the Smash Mouth era. Cover yourselves.
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This week's promo: Tales From Hollywoodland!
As the Hit Parade podcast recently taught us, each year Billboard declares an official "Song of the Summer" based on chart performance. We're taking a more subjective approach, and choosing which songs we most associate with each summer of the 1980s. Of course you'll find some Go-Go's and some Kenny Loggins on our list (come on, it's us), but perhaps we'll surprise you with a choice or two. And which songs would you pick? What reminds you of the summer of 1984, as you biked through the heat to the arcade in search of Donkey Kong Junior? (Is it Huey Lewis? It's probably Huey Lewis.) Let us know! And prepare for next week, when we'll take on the summer songs of the 1990s. It'll be intense.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
For the first time in four years, Kevin and Kornflake are together at Chickentown Studios! (Kevin brought the coffee, and Kornflake brought the doughnuts, so come on, it's a party.) Kornflake is passing through Chickentown on her summer vacation, so we have a quick vacation road trip quiz! Do we learn anything? Not really. Except that you probably don't want to stay in a yurt. Also: We wish a Happy Birthday to everyone named Greta, and we play a bird-themed round of What's in the Bag! Next week, we'll be recording from separate locations as usual. Our lawyers insisted.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
Our five-part New Wave Game was just preparation for this week. Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown have a full report on the latest (and longest) retro 80s new wave concert to come to town. The eight (EIGHT!) acts were: The Plimsouls, Tommy Tutone, Bow Wow Wow, Wang Chung, Men Without Hats, Modern English, Thompson Twins, and Thomas Dolby! So we melted with you, we wanted candy, we were blinded with science, we got Jenny's phone number, and we may have even Wang Chunged. But let's keep that our little secret.
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
Based on the advice of our lawyers, your Flopcast hosts rarely meet up in person these days. But it did just happen, because we both showed up at an odd little event called the Hops and Humorous Arts (or HAHA) Festival. This was an evening of short comedy films, and one of the filmmakers was an old friend from the world of funny music: Tom Rockwell, aka Devo Spice! So we got to hang out with Tom, see a bunch of weird little movies, drink a bunch of weird little beverages, and try (but mostly fail) to play some classic arcade games. Also this week: We wish a Happy Birthday to rock legend Dion, and play a quick round of our silly Ranking the 80s game.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
Time to wrap up our New Wave Game and see if anyone survives! We're down to the final three volumes of the CD series Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the 80s, and either Kevin or Kornflake could still win. (But come on, our money is on Kornflake...) And we've reached the mid-80s, when there was no shortage of new wave hits in the Top 40. So we're talking about acts like Wang Chung, Thompson Twins, Katrina and the Waves, Animotion, Tears for Fears, Bananarama, and Men at Work. It seemed like nothing was off limits on the pop charts. A musical about chess? Sure. Vietnam-era news clips set to a dance beat? Absolutely. The Dream Academy had a hit that sounded like nothing else. Arcadia had a hit that sounded exactly like Duran Duran, and with good reason. There's even a trio of New England-area new wave bands represented here. (We all know 'Til Tuesday, but do you remember Miracle Legion? How about Rubber Rodeo?) So enjoy one last round of new wave madness, and then we can relax. Just like Frankie said.
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
We start with a quick report from a local nerd convention, where Kevin met up with some heroes of 1970s kids TV: Our old friends Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman from Land of the Lost, our new friends Doug and Emmy Jo from The New Zoo Revue... and the legendary Sid Krofft. (We're still sort of freaking out about that last one...) Then Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown look at the prime time TV shows that debuted half a century ago, in the year 1974. It's a short list (there were just three networks, kids), but it includes some long-running classics like Happy Days, Good Times, Little House on the Prairie, and Rockford Files. It also includes some short-lived shows that few remember, even if their casts included future stars like Jodie Foster, Penny Marshall, and Mark Hamill. And if you're looking for a show about Swedish immigrants in 1850s Minnesota starring Kurt Russell, the android from Logan's Run, and Bobby Brady's brother... we've got you covered there too.
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This week's promo: Epsilon Three!
On the longest day of the year, we made the shortest show of the year. Including: Kornflake likes when Aubrey Plaza is weird, Kevin apologizes to a turkey, a rooster named Earl works at an auto shop, and we launch our new Flopcast "Too Many Comics" bonus episodes for ESO Network Patreon supporters. There, that was quick. Time for the longest nap of the year.
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
The struggle continues, as we're still trying to guess each other's favorite songs from the Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the 80s CD series. By 1983, the radio was bursting with new wave weirdos who never would have dented the Top 40 in the pre-MTV era. But suddenly acts like Madness, Nena, and Taco (TACO!) were scoring huge oddball hits. Culture Club was peaking, while Tears For Fears was just getting started. Spandau Ballet delivered a new romantic classic. Big Country turned their guitars into bagpipes. And even a young Tracey Ullman tossed off a gorgeous throwback pop single. Meanwhile some truly goofy (but still super-fun) acts kept a safe distance from mainstream success. (Casey Kasem never had to introduce "Earthquake Song" by Little Girls.) Let's sort it all out and try to score a few more points in this penultimate edition of our silly New Wave Game. Also: A visit to the ukulele festival with the Unlikely Strummers, the Somerville Ukulele Club, and a thousand more ukulele-wielding humans; Lindsay Wagner's bionic birthday; Kevin's parentheses; Kornflake's "eep" words; and Joe's (possibly successful) attempt to swoop in and win the whole game.
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
Another quick fill-in show? You bet! We're flipping through three old comic books that the Mayor of Chickentown actually owned as a little kid, decades before her rise to poultry-themed political bigwig. Up first is The Wizard of Oz, a giant-sized movie adaptation that was actually the first collaboration between Marvel and DC! (Only a flying monkey could bring these rival publishers together.) We also have an issue of Spidey Super Stories, which was published in conjunction with Spider-Man's segments on The Electic Company. And we even have a Casper the Friendly Ghost comic with a creepy Eddie Munster-type demon child on the cover. Plus: Spider-Man goes to the mall! Richie Rich dies! Morgan Freeman as Easy Reader! Irene Cara and Short Circus! Wendy and Spooky! Sad Sack selling Hostess Cupcakes! And more comic book ads for Grit, onion gum, Witchiepoo masks, and The Bad News Bears! Is this whole episode a sneaky backdoor pilot for a Flopcast spinoff show? Perhaps...
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
Kevin just watched a horrible movie and can't wait to tell the Mayor all about it! So kids, welcome to 1978's Record City. It's purportedly a comedy, but yikes, not a single joke lands. But at least the setting is fun, since the whole thing takes place at a late 70s California record store, and they have the Blondie and Jim Croce posters to prove it. The movie is also notable for its ensemble cast of familiar faces from Flopcast favorites like Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Brady Bunch, Batman, Lost Saucer, and even Pink Lady and Jeff. Get ready for some wacky (and problematic and cringeworthy) record store hijinks that completely fail to entertain. Meanwhile, just outside Record City, there's a big talent show hosted by a certain Disco Duck-singing DJ, and starring a certain Sledge-O-Matic-wielding comedian. Do we recommend that you watch Record City? Absolutely not. Does Record City somehow feature just one single arm from a gorilla suit? Oh yes, it sure does.
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This week's promo: Dragon Con Report!
Our first two installments of the New Wave Game ended in ties, because we were both quite clueless. This week we move even deeper into the Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the 80s CD series, as we attempt to guess each other's favorite songs on each volume. Among the weirder, more obscure stuff (any other fans of "I Eat Cannibals"?), we find plenty of new wave classics from Duran Duran, Thomas Dolby, The Tubes, The Fixx, Scandal, Dexy's Midnight Runners, and lots more. Can we possibly resist an oddity called "Chicken Outlaw"? Do we just wish we were in Tijuana eating barbecued iguana? Hop on the escalator of life with us to find out.
The Best Stuff in the World podcast - Infocom text adventure games!
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This week's promo: Tales From Hollywoodland!
We're not quite sure why, but the subject of our latest Top 4 1/2 List is... Norway! So here's some of our favorite Norwegian stuff, as approved by the gods of Asgard. We have a silly Viking or two, an icy Justice League member, an 80s synthpop band (that was once trapped in a comic book), and lots more. In fact, Kornflake is revealed to be a superfan of Norwegian comedy, and would like you to know that Ylvis is everywhere.
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This week's promo: Epsilon Three!
Super-quick show this week, as we say Happy Birthday to masked and bucket-headed guitarist Buckethead, unveil our new Flopcast promo (which Kornflake both conceived and despises), and turn to the Pudding Pages to learn about the weird 1990s soda called Surge. (Fun fact: They still love Surge in Norway, where it goes by a slightly different name. Make your summer travel plans accordingly.)
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
We're back for another round of our New Wave Game! The rules are simple, because the game is stupid. We're listening to the next three volumes in the Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the 80s CD series, and trying to guess each other's favorite songs. Volumes 4-6 include Flopcast favorites like the Go-Go's, Men at Work, Duran Duran, and Devo. There are also memorable one-or-two hit wonders like Soft Cell, A Flock of Seagulls, the Waitresses, and Bow Wow Wow. And then there are the acts who never really scored a hit, but still made an impression. (Yikes, Jim Carroll knew a lot of people who died...) In New Wave Game Part 1, we both failed miserably. Surely we'll do better this time, if we can only clear our brains of Toni Basil screeching about Mickey.
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2024 inductees have been announced, but instead of discussing them like normal humans, we're throwing them into a FlopFight tournament. Our competitors include Mary J. Blige, Foreigner, Frampton, and Ozzy. Our competitions involve cappuccino, penguins, and Smurfs. Anything can happen, and it will probably be ridiculous. Also: Happy Birthday to a Jersey boy who was inducted into the Rock Hall decades ago. Plus: Kevin (and Kevin!) are talking Watchmen on the Best Stuff in the World podcast. Hurm.
Watchmen - The Best Stuff In The World podcast!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
Inspired by a recent viewing of Saturday Night Fever, Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown flip through some comic books from the late 70s, when DC and Marvel tried to cash in on the disco craze. While Dazzler would become Marvel's disco queen of the 80s, first Spider-Man crawled around the dance floor battling the Hypno-Hustler! Then Batman and Flash enjoyed some Bee Gees tunes at the Disco of Death! Even Superman caught disco fever, and Clark Kent's bizarre dance moves must not be missed. Did Peter Parker and Bruce Wayne wear identical white John Travolta suits? Let's find out. We also enjoy a few classic comic book ads for Sea Monkeys, Fruit Stripe gum, Spalding basketballs, Kryptonite rocks, the Micronauts Battle Cruiser, and (of course) Twinkies. And now we just want to see a disco-dancing Twinkie the Kid. We have a problem.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
Kornflake is back, just in time for a new game! A new WAVE game, specifically! Thirty years ago, Rhino Records released a fifteen volume series of CDs called Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the 80s. We're looking at the first three of these fantastic compilation albums, and attempting to guess each other's favorite songs. There are some genuine classics (from The Buggles, The Knack, Blondie, Devo, and Squeeze), some bizarro oddities (like "Warm Leatherette" and "Too Young to Date"), a Tim Curry dance number, a surprise Monkees cover, and lots more super-fun but long-forgotten obscurities. (Any other fans of Martha & The Muffins out there?) Who shall emerge victorious from this deep dive into the craziest music of the early 80s? Squish into your old Ultravox t-shirt and join us.
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
Let's wrap up our review of The Krofft Supershow, a super-silly Saturday morning TV show from mad geniuses Sid and Marty Krofft. The second season brought us two weird new segments: Magic Mongo (in which a goofy genie crashes a bikini beach party) and Bigfoot and Wildboy (in which a Sasquatch and a kid with no pants battle aliens and Peter Brady). The show was still hosted by wacky rock band Kaptain Kool and the Kongs, and we also review their appearances on American Bandstand, Donny and Marie, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, and a Saturday Morning preview special with the Bay City Rollers. Of course our favorite Kaptain Kool and the Kongs member is Superchick, played by Debra Clinger, and we conclude our look at Debra's career beyond the Krofft world. Debra appeared on classic 70s/80s TV series like Barnaby Jones, The Hardy Boys, The Love Boat, and Hart to Hart. She starred in her own short-lived series The American Girls, alongside a future Three's Company star. She starred in the silly cult classic movie Midnight Madness, alongside a very young Michael J. Fox. And she even worked on a couple of our beloved Rankin/Bass Christmas specials. Also: 70s Hollywood power couple Lee and Farrah! Yogi Bear in space! Teen runaways and women in prison! The secret of the Dorse! A love connection on the set of Airwolf! Superchick meets the Snow Miser! Superchick meets Colonel Sanders! Krofft Supershow comic books! And the upcoming Super Megafest convention in Massachusetts, with some very special Krofft guests. So join us for more fun Krofft talk here on the Flopcast, where anything goes down, where most of what appears isn't true.
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
With Kornflake away on special assignment, Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown are free to obsess over The Krofft Supershow, a wild 1970s Saturday morning TV anthology series from Sid and Marty Krofft. Specifically we're looking at the career of musician and actress Debra Clinger, who played Superchick in The Krofft Supershow's house band, Kaptain Kool and the Kongs. Pre-Superchick, Debra and her sisters formed the Clingers, one of the very first all-girl rock bands! She was also in the Rock Flowers, a music group created to tie in with a line of Mattel fashion dolls! So it was quite a path to becoming a Kong, and along the way our conversation covers the Osmonds, the Smothers Brothers, Dick Clark, Casey Kasem, Hanna Barbera's Catanooga Cats, and much more. We also run through the Krofft Supershow first season segments: Wonderbug, Dr. Shrinker, Lost Saucer, and (our favorite) Electra Woman and Dyna Girl. And we look at the other members of Kaptain Kool and the Kongs too. (One member became a sitcom star, one was in Three Dog Night, and one performed at Woodstock!) And we're only halfway through this Superchick deep dive; part two is coming soon. So take a trip with us today, and we will lead you through a land of dreams. Weird Krofft dreams.
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
We're diving back into the pages of Dynamite magazine, so we can pretend it's still 1979. (Give it a try. Set the mood with a Gloria Gaynor record.) This randomly selected issue has Erik Estrada on the cover, and inside we learn that the CHiPs star had a problem with chips. Also inside: How to ruin your lunch with weird Dynamite recipes, a bizarre sneak peek at Mrs. Doubtfire, Tony Danza back in the boxing ring, Kiss notebooks vs. Bambi notebooks, Dynamite vs. one of Charlie's Angels, the Dynamite Duo vs. themselves, a decapitated teddy bear, and much more. All we're missing is our free Bee Gees poster, which some kid must have ripped out of the magazine 45 years ago. It's a tragedy.
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
Short show this week! We're sleepy. But during a quick visit to Northeast Comic Con, we find old friends, fancy nerd dice, and members of The Go-Go's, The Cars, and the cast of Growing Pains. We also recommend Enterprisesplaining, a silly new Star Trek podcast that doesn't care if you've ever seen Star Trek. Also: Happy Birthday to Matthew Modine. (Were you more disturbed by Matthew in Full Metal Jacket, Stranger Things, or Private School? Let us know.)
The Cursed Dice Company!
Enterprisesplaining!
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This week's promo: Dragon Con Report!
It's the second half of our look at every television series that debuted in the year 1999. And once again, we remember just a few of them, and only saw a couple. (Kornflake was a fan of Judging Amy, while for Kevin, this was the year of Freaks and Geeks.) But the list also includes dozens of obscure short-lived sitcoms, cartoons, talk shows, game shows, and at least one insane cannibalistic Canadian woman in the Amazon jungle. (Maybe it was just her way of preparing for Y2K.) Do you remember any of these shows? Are you still secretly hoping for a reboot of Get Real, Cold Feet, or Oh, Grow Up? Let us know. We'll make some calls.
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This week's promo: Tales From Hollywoodland!
We're diving into television of the year 1999... which is quite recent by Flopcast standards, but yikes, it was a quarter century ago. We have a giant list of every TV show that debuted that year, and this week we only get halfway through the list. Several long-running cartoons started in 1999, including Family Guy, Futurama, and SpongeBob. But there were also cartoons we don't remember at all, starring ants, hippos, mutant babies, and more. We also don't remember a ton of 1999 sitcoms, dramas, game shows, and something with a lemur puppet. Look, we seem to be pretty clueless about almost everything that happened that year. (Aren't you glad we're here to be your guides?) Let's get through this together. Stay tuned for Part 2, when we'll get into all the 1999 fall season premieres. Meanwhile we can't help thinking that if we'd paid more attention back then, The Chimp Channel would still be on the air today.
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This week's promo: The Soul Forge Podcast!
Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown are celebrating the career of comic book artist Ramona Fradon, who died this week at the age of 97. Ramona was one of the only women drawing comics way back in the early 60s, when she was the premier Aquaman artist for DC Comics, and co-created Aquaman's teen sidekick, Aqualad. Later in the 60s, she also co-created one of DC's oddest heroes, Metamorpho the Element Man. Ramona's 70s comics work included Freedom Fighters (with Doll Man, who wishes you'd stop giggling about his name), Plastic Man (Ramona's art was even seen on the Plastic Man cartoon series), and Super Friends (with your favorite space monkey, Gleek). She then jumped from comic books to comic strips with an impressive fifteen year run on Brenda Starr. And even in recent years, Ramona kept busy with convention appearances and commissions. So we spend the show flipping through a pile of old comics and admiring Ramona's art, but we're occasionally distracted by the ads for Hostess Fruit Pies, Mego action figures, Big Jim's P.A.C.K., ugly Barbie doll knock-offs, and Crazy Crabs. (Yes, back in the day, you could buy actual live crabs through mail order comic book ads. But what we really wanted was Aquaman's octopus pal, Topo...)
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This week's promo: Epsilon Three!
It's time for our annual review of the nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... which means we could start screaming "What about the Monkees?!" at any time. But there are some worthy and long overdue performers up for induction, such as Cher, Mariah, and (finally!) Kool & the Gang. Join us as we go through the whole list for you. (Spoiler: Still no Tiffany. COME ON.) And yeah, if you think Kornflake didn't somehow work a flying cow into the conversation... you don't really know us.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
After a three year break, we're getting back to The Backs of Life! (As requested by absolutely no one! You're welcome!) Back in 2021, we started reviewing all the "backdoor pilot" episodes of classic 80s sitcom The Facts of Life. Now as we finally revive this very important project, we've brought in a special guest reviewer: friend of the Flopcast, Sci-Fi Explosion mastermind, and certified Factologist Chris Cummins! Kevin, Kornflake, and Chris are looking at the 1988 backdoor pilot episode "Big Apple Blues," in which Natalie moves to New York City to share an apartment with a pack of weirdos, including a pre-21 Jump Street Richard Grieco and a pre-SNL David Spade! Can Natalie make her dreams come true in the big city? Is a margarine spokesperson named King Toast somehow involved? And will it all lead to a successful long-running spinoff series? (Answers: Yes, yes, and absolutely not.) Meanwhile back in Peekskill with our regular cast, Blair has garage sale fever, Pippa might be a robot, and we get a brief but delightful glimpse of Tootie's old roller skates. It's magnificent. Kids, we still have one more Backs of Life episode to go, and we'll try to get to it before 2027.
Watch Sci-Fi Explosion on Twitch!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
It's another goofy random little show this week, including: Kornflake finds an Oompa Loompa at the Chocolate Expo; Kevin finds a rock star at the disco; the secret language of chickens is revealed; we're less than excited about Popcorn Day; and it's almost time to revive our Facts of Life review project, the Backs of Life. Just as Tootie prophesized.
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This week's promos: Modern Musicology! The MarsCon 2024 Comedy Music Track!
It's a surprisingly disco-themed episode, because Kevin, Kornflake, the Mayor of Chickentown, and Ed from Sponge Awareness Foundation all met in the middle of New Hampshire for a spectacular ABBA tribute show. We were there because our old pal (and occasional SAF guitarist) Mike was onstage in the band, delivering killer guitar solos like you never heard back in the disco era. We followed the show with a visit to the Red Arrow Diner, where we hadn't been since Kornflake's notorious tooth incident a decade ago. (Longtime Flopcast listeners remember what happened... oh yes, Mr. T was involved...) Also: A meeting with supercool vocalist Militia Vox, weird answering machine messages with Doornail, Plastic Man vs. the Disco Mummy, and Chickens in the News with the great Luke Ski! So slip into something sparkly and enjoy. You can dance, you can jive, having the podcast of your life.
Dancing Queens is at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, NH through February 11!
Luke Ski's new song "Chicken!" is available at The FuMP!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
Ready for more vocabulary lessons with the Justice League of America? We're diving back into The Super Dictionary, a 1978 book that attempted to mix learning with superheroes, and succeeded in being completely bizarre. This time we'll look at entries involving: walrus baseball with Aquaman, cleaning an invisible jet with Wonder Woman, nap time with the Man of Steel, people crashing when they try to fly like Hawkgirl, the Batmobile crashing because Robin can't drive, Supergirl weirdly watching kids sleep, Luthor weirdly watching people comb their hair, a stranger in the basement, naked aliens... and multiple entries about Green Lantern's curious obsession with ducks. Study hard, kids, and maybe we'll make you an honorary Wonder Twin. Also: Happy Birthday to Lost in Space's Will Robinson, Bill Mumy! Light a candle on a fish head for Bill.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
National Whatever Day involves dancing like a cuckoo; our 2024 health and fitness plan is mostly lo mein-based; the Sid and Marty Krofft Saturday morning shows of the 1970s are now streaming (great news for Bay City Rollers fans like us); we somehow connect the Krofft shows to The Love Boat, the Snow Miser, and Chewbacca's creepy dad Itchy; and we finally share our New Year's Resolutions. Spoiler: They're a little stupid.
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
Kornflake returns to join Kevin and The Mayor of Chickentown as we finish our look back at those we lost in 2023. Our coverage of the second half of the year includes: sitcom favorites (Chrissy from Three's Company, Bull from Night Court, Kraus from Benson, Chandler from Friends), cartoon favorites (the voices behind Harley Quinn, Solomon Grundy, and some School House Rock classics), musicians (members of The Eagles, Kool and the Gang, The Pogues, and The Association, as well as Tony Bennett and of course, Sinéad), a Smothers brother (who was also The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas), television's original Lois Lane, Lost in Space's original Major Don West, and many more. Then there are a couple of all-time Flopcast favorites who made unforgettable impacts on Saturday morning TV and beyond: Marty Krofft and Paul Reubens. And could the memorial show somehow include some relevant Chickens in the News? Well, sure. It's been a weird year. And it's a long show, because come on.
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
Time to look back on those we lost (from pop culture and beyond) in 2023. This week we're covering the first half of the year, and our list includes people from movies (Raquel Welch, Treat Williams, Alan Arkin), television (Adam Rich, Cindy Williams, Richard Belzer), music (Burt Bacharach, Harry Belafonte, Tina Turner), comics (Al Jaffee, Lee Moder, John Romita Sr.), wrestling (Leaping Lanny Poffo, Superstar Billy Graham, The Iron Sheik), and many more. Kornflake has the week off, but the Mayor of Chickentown is here providing expert commentary. And next week, we'll all be here to wrap up the whole stupid year. Bring very strong beverages.
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
It's a typical holiday episode, in that we're discussing Julia Child, Pop Rocks, and Newsies. But there are some vaguely holiday-themed subjects too, including Kornflake's newfound candy cane addiction, Kevin's recent guest appearance on Gleaming the Tube (discussing old Christmas specials!), and a round or two of the Figgy Pudding Pages. We're keeping it super-short this week and passing the savings on to you. Go do something festive.
Gleaming the Tube - Our Favorite Holiday Specials!
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
Special guest Blasted Bill joins us for a Very Flopcast Christmas! And we're putting Bill to work on an extra festive Top 4 1/2 List of... Santas! Bill and Kornflake share their favorite Santas from movies, television, ski slopes, bar crawls, and maybe even Canada. (Let's hope at least one of them picked a Santa from a Rankin/Bass cartoon, or Kevin will freak out like the Burgermeister.) Also: Bill is Composite Santa! Kornflake is Lucy Van Pelt! And Kevin is just dizzy and confused as usual! So grab a penguin, name it Topper for no good reason, put one podcast in front of the other, and enjoy. Heavily spiked egg nog, while not mandatory, is highly recommended.
Blasted Bill on TikTok!
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This week's promo: Tales From Hollywoodland!
Every year dozens of ridiculous identical made-for-TV holiday movies are forced upon the people. And every year we try to fix these movies by making them weirder. We've selected a few of this year's new releases (from the usual suspects like Hallmark and Lifetime), most of which star Lacey Chabert as a big city lawyer who finds true love after returning to her quaint home town to save her great-aunt's figgy pudding farm. And we're punching up their plots by randomly inserting new elements like Martians, misfit toys, and basketball-playing robots. Don't settle for the same old TV holiday fare. The Flopcast is here to save Christmas. You're welcome.
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This week's promo: The Soul Forge Podcast!
Break time is over, and the FlopFight resumes! Ed (from the Sponge Awareness Foundation) is back to help us wrap up our tournament of game show hosts (and associated game show weirdos). The players are drawn at random, and the competitions are drawn at random, so anything could happen. Will Bob Barker face Richard Dawson in a Spam-juggling competition? Drew Carey vs. Paul Lynde at Electronic Battleship? Perhaps! Only one game show legend can Showcase Showdown their way to victory, while everyone else is stuck with a copy of the FlopFight home game. And although he already competed in Part 1, we just can't stop talking about Wink Martindale. Some of us are still running from that Tic Tac Dough dragon...
Find Ed at the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum!
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This week's promo: Earth Station One!
Our game show-themed FlopFight concludes next week, but first, let's take a quick intermission! Go hit the lobby and grab some unreasonably priced Junior Mints! And for your entertainment while we're waiting for the carnage to resume, this week we have: Cider Monday (a holiday for bizarre apple people); Kornflake's latest (and most ridiculous) lobster trap tree visit; Letters to Cleo and Gigolo Aunts live in Boston (because apparently it's 1993); the East Cambridge Chicken Run (one mile, hundreds of chicken suits); and the WKRP in Cincinnati turkey drop, as weirdly presented by the American Sci-Fi Classics Track.
Oh, Hello Boston radio!
The American Sci-Fi Classics Turkey Drop!
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This week's promo: Epsilon Three!
Kornflake is back! And Ed, the other half of the Sponge Awareness Foundation, is back too! Because Ed thought we should have a game show-themed FlopFight, and it's not like we had anything better to do! So here we go with another ridiculous tournament, and this time the players are the hosts of classic game shows like Jeopardy and Tic Tac Dough, as well as related game show characters. (Could a Press Your Luck Whammy get to play? Could a Muppet be involved? Can anyone stop Regis?) And because it's a FlopFight, each round involves weird randomly selected competitions like running a marathon or boxing a kangaroo, so anything could happen. (Sure, Vanna White can turn letters, but would she make a good chicken farmer?) This week's winner advances to the final round, unless they get gonged by the Unknown Comic or something. So gather at your backyard Thanksgiving table for pretzels and popcorn and jelly beans and toast, and enjoy our latest FlopFight! It's like a Monty Hall Problem for your soul.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
It's the quick fill-in episode to end all quick fill-in episodes! With Kornflake still unavailable (busy at a lobster-and-British-comedy convention, we assume), there's nobody left in the studio except Kevin and a few stray rubber chickens. So we just have a bunch of podcast recommendations for you, because somebody out there must have more going on than us. There are the other fine shows of the ESO Network, of course, including two new ones: 3 Fries Short (all about Stargate) and Tales From Hollywoodland (with special guest STEVE GUTTENBERG)! Beyond ESO, we also recommend: A Podcask of Amontillado, Bizarre Albums, Built to Go, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, Mallwalkin', The Dana Gould Hour, TV Guidance Counselor, Decoder Ring, Dreamland, The Funny Music Podcast, Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast, Gleaming the Tube, Hit Parade, The Hustle, Luke and Carrie's Bad Rapport, The Real Brady Bros, The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, Strange Animals Podcast, and Who Cares About the Rock Hall. We could go on, but that should get you through the week. And if you'd rather rip out those earbuds and read something instead, we're also enjoying the new book Galloping Around the Cosmos. It's a collection of essays about growing up with Star Trek, and several of the authors are friends of the Flopcast. It makes us want to break out our old Mego Enterprise playset. Next week: We'll either get back to our usual silly business, or we'll turn the whole show over to the chickens.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
For our big milestone 600th episode, we're doing... well, not much of anything. It's just Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown goofing around while we await the triumphant return of Kornflake. Topics include: A correction from last week's show about mall sticker girls! (Oh yes, we heard from the mall sticker girls... they were most displeased...) Weird stuff you could order from the ads in Action Comics issue 600! (Would anyone like a Flexagon? Or perhaps a Roomerang?) How to turn invisible for five dollars! The 600th most popular song of the 1980s! (Is it by Hall and Oates? OF COURSE IT IS.) The 600th biggest movie of all time, when adjusted for inflation! (Hint: It's from the 80s, and it did not involve Eddie Murphy or Billy Ocean, but we drag them into the discussion anyway.) So grab 600 cups of coffee and enjoy. We promise this is the 600th most important podcast you'll hear this week.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
Let's go to the mall! But one specific mall that isn't there anymore! (Well, it's sort of still there, but not really.) We're joined by Gleaming the Tube's Kevin Cafferty to look back on the Lincoln Mall in Lincoln, Rhode Island (frighteningly close to Woonsocket). It wasn't the biggest mall, it wasn't the best mall, but it was our mall. And our Lincoln Mall memories include: Waldenbooks, our primary source of X-Men comics, Bloom County collections, and Tolkien; sketchy sausage samples at Hickory Farms; failed attempts to meet girls at the movies; the freaky pet store; the inexplicable organ store; the restaurant no one went to (Roast House); the restaurant everyone went to, because there were two of them in the same mall (Papa Gino's); the neverending weirdness of Spencer Gifts; and the glory of the Dream Machine video arcade. Also: Andre the Giant eating spaghetti! The sticker girl phenomenon! Our first comic book shop experiences! Our first dishwashing experiences! Record store employees with attitudes! Randy the Talking Reindeer! The Challenge of the Checkers Champion! A mall visit from Spider-Man! A ring of car stereo thieves! Rhode Island's own John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band! And yikes, so much more... Even if you never visited the Lincoln Mall, we know there's a mall or two in your past, so you can relate. In a way, we're all still lost among the overflowing bins of cheap junk at Kay Bee Toys.
Kevin's podcast about movies with skateboarding, Gleaming the Tube!
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
It's Halloween season, so we have another terrifying Flopcast for you, starting with some follow-up from last week's Monster Cereals Taste Test. We received a LOT of feedback (from BOTH of our listeners) on Carmella Creeper, since we were wondering if Carmella is indeed the first female cereal mascot. (This somehow leads to our learning way too much about Wheaties. Sorry.) We also just discovered a new monster cereal spin-off product: Monster Mash Spooky Berry Fruit Snacks! All your favorite cereal monsters (even Frute Brute and Yummy Mummy) are represented in chewy candy form, but we might be too frightened to taste-test them during the podcast. Also: Kevin just got back from Vermont, so we break out our handy Vermont Monster Guide and learn all about the Pigman. Plus: It's TV Talk Show Host Day. The Pigman doesn't have his own show yet, but we can dream.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
Longtime listeners may vaguely recall our legendary Monster Cereals Taste Test, which happened ten years ago this month! And now it's time to do it again, because there's a new monster cereal in town. Frankenberry, Count Chocula, and Boo Berry have been joined by Carmella Creeper! Carmella is a zombie, a DJ, and a girl! (Finally!) And apparently she is Frankenberry's long lost cousin! (Weird!) So we're taste-testing the new caramel apple-flavored Carmella Creeper cereal, as well as the freaky Monster Mash combo cereal, and a bonus wild card non-monster Halloween cereal too. We're chomping on everything, so you don't have to. But we still miss Frute Brute.
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
Hang onto your milk money, because we're celebrating National School Lunch Week with a Kornflake Cafeteria Quiz. (Would she eat a Tater Tot? We're still not sure...) Then it's time to dive into another issue of Dynamite, the magazine for weird kids of the 70s and 80s. And we're looking at a Dynamite from 1978 that was provided by our pal Chris from Sci-Fi Explosion! Alfred E. Neuman is on the cover, because the lead story is about the 25th anniversary of MAD magazine. (And yes, someone baked a nightmare-inducing Alfred E. Neuman birthday cake.) Also in this issue: The Dynamite Duo (you know, legendary superheroes Dawnstar and Nightglider), bizarre ways to ruin your bicycle, International Pickle Week, the zombie kites of Nantucket, Count Morbida's puzzle pages, Magic Wanda's awful magic tricks, advice for witches, Dynamite Bummers, and a horse. Enjoy.
Watch Sci-Fi Explosion on Twitch!
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
With our Dragon Con coverage finally out of the way (more or less), it's time to focus on what really matters: National Microwave Oven Day. Get ready to party, kids. We also have concert reviews on a couple of music legends: Bruce Springsteen (who never made a music video with dancing turkeys) and Peter Gabriel (who totally did). Plus: Yetis, ALF lunch boxes, and Chickens in the News! Did ancient chicken ancestors lay eggs or not? Let's find out. And then let's see if Peter can work this into his next video.
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This week's promo: Con Guy!
Okay, let's wrap up our coverage of Dragon Con 2023! (Because come on, if this recap goes on much longer, we'll have to include Dragon Con 2024...) Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown (reporting from Maine in the middle of a hurricane) are here to run through every crazy thing that happened over the last two days of the convention. Including: Bionic fun with Lindsay Wagner and Lee Majors, the Battle of the Mad Scientists, the Battle of the Fictional Bands, Christmas Con (with Robot Santa and horrifying holiday Spam), an ALF script reading (with Chris from Sci-Fi Explosion as ALF!), a Wonder Woman script reading (with Kevin as Steve Trevor, the Mayor as Etta Candy, and Joe in a gorilla suit!), panels on Stargirl and Titans with the American Sci-Fi and Fantasy Media Track, more hot Manimal talk with the American Sci-Fi Classics Track, and the upcoming Dragon Con-themed benefit book Dragon Tales! (Kevin wrote a chapter for this book. And it's quite silly, believe it or not.) Plus: Our favorite costumes, including a bizarre giant rubber chicken, a Weird Al group with tiny accordions, an eerily accurate Wilford Brimley, our friend Martha as Booster Gold, a million Mrs. Ropers, and a billion Barbies. We are officially exhausted. See you next year, nerds.
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
Our Dragon Con recap continues, and this time we're just covering Saturday. While everyone else in Atlanta was out on the street for the big Dragon Con parade, Kevin was hiding in the American Sci-Fi Classics Track room for the ESO Network's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Super Friends. (Were any Wonder Twin powers activated? Perhaps...) The Mayor of Chickentown (our resident Barbie expert) was busy too with an American Sci-Fi/Fantasy Media Track panel about the Barbie movie! (There were approximately 63,000 Barbies at Dragon Con this year, and they were approximately everywhere.) Also: Kevins vs. Michaels, hobbits in the Con Suite, charity screenings of Krull (with the lights on) and Pee Wee's Big Adventure (with the lights off), and Kevin and the Mayor onstage together at Dragon Con for the very first time! (Also, speaking of Mr. Herman, we even ran into our favorite Pee Wee cosplayer, the amazing Remy Dee.) And yikes, there are still two more days of Dragon Con left to cover! This has to end at some point. Next week, hopefully.
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
We have apparently survived Dragon Con 2023, and it's gonna take THREE episodes to review everything that happened at our favorite annual gathering of 70,000 nerds and/or geeks. This week we're just covering Wednesday through Friday, including: The amazing costumes of Brandon the Shapeshifter, the muscovy ducks of Piedmont Park, the Dragon Con Newbie Walking Tours, Kate from Strange Animals Podcast, Chris from Sci-Fi Explosion, Kevin from Gleaming the Tube, a tribute to MTV 120 Minutes, the Geek Girls Run, the legendary Marty Krofft (and HR Pufnstuf!), a Twilight Zone "Eye of the Beholder" deep dive with the American Sci Fi Classics Track, weird music video fun with the Jonzun Crew, and much more. We'll try to make you feel as dizzy and confused as if you were really there. Plus: Wherever we go, whatever we do, we will be right here waiting for Kornflake's National Whatever Day. Next week: Dragon Con review continues. And it's a safe bet that things will just keep getting weirder.
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This week's promo: The Soul Forge Podcast!
It's Dragon Con week! Alas, Kornflake cannot join us at Dragon Con, but let's just pretend that she can! Kevin has prepared a hypothetical weekend of silly events for Kornflake, based on the actual Dragon Con schedule. Including: robot battles, coloring books and coffee, burlesque, the old Krofft theme park, a tea party for puppets, and more. Plus: It's National Star Trek Day! (Hey, maybe we can just beam Kornflake to Atlanta.) Next week: Our actual review of Dragon Con. Assuming there are any survivors.
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This week's promo: Earth Station One!
It's time for Dragon Con, so round up all your local weirdos and stick them on a bus to Atlanta! Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown will be there, and we're sharing our whole schedule with you. Come see the Mayor talk about Rocky Horror, Schmigadoon, and Barbie! (Did you know our Mayor is a Barbie expert? There's a lot going on here. It's not just chickens.) Meanwhile Kevin's nonstop schedule of silliness (with the American Sci-Fi Classics track and the American Sci-Fi and Fantasy Media track) includes panels and presentations on The Super Friends, The Twilight Zone, Krull, Titans, Stargirl, Wonder Woman, fictional bands, weird music videos, and much more. (Join us Friday morning for the Geek Girls Run! Don't you want to stomp around in the Atlanta heat? What's wrong with you?) We also take a quick look at the Dragon Con guest list, and we're most excited that the legendary Marty Krofft will be there! You know we'll be looking for Marty. We have 8,000 questions about Lidsville alone.
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This week's promo: DragonCon Report!
As we frantically prepare for Dragon Con 2023, we're wrapping up our 10-episode look back at the 1980s with a visit to Dragon Con 1989! We weren't actually there (probably too busy watching Batman for the nineteenth time), but we did scrape up some information about the third ever installment of Atlanta's legendary nerdfest. It was held on a different weekend back then (in October instead of Labor Day), at a different location (the Omni Hotel at CNN Center, dangerously close to the former location of The World of Sid and Marty Krofft), and with far fewer humans in attendance. (There were 2400 people at Dragon Con 1989. This year there will be 2400 people at Dragon Con just waiting for an elevator.) But there were still some impressive guests from literature, horror, and gaming. We even found a list of movies and videos that were shown in 1989. (Star Trek: The Next Generation bloopers! Kornflake could have taken a very weird Brent Break.) So it might be too late to attend the 1989 version, but Dragon Con is coming around again very soon. See you there. Also: Kornflake's final pair of 1980s TV commercials! If you think computers don't care about chewing gum, get ready for a shock.
Links:
Our final 80s commercials: Teach your computer how to chew gum!
Then teach Leno how to chomp on Doritos!
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This week's promo: Epsilon Three!
The vacationing Kornflake is flopped on a hammock somewhere, but the Mayor of Chickentown is here to celebrate the year 1988. After a quick look at some of the year's least popular movies (Kevin and the Mayor each saw just one of them), we turn to music. Specifically we're looking at the 1988 concert schedule at Great Woods, a beloved outdoor venue that dominated southern New England's summer concert landscape back in the day. The 1988 lineup at Great Woods featured classic rock (here comes Jethro Tull with that crazy flute), hair metal (Def Leppard, Europe, and a blindingly white combo show with Whitesnake and Great White), new wave (we should not have missed Depeche Mode with OMD), and Top 40 (George Michael, Huey Lewis, and more). Guns 'n' Roses opened for Aerosmith. Roy Orbison opened for the Beach Boys. Santana and Herbie Hancock were part of something called "Jazz Explosion," which sounds absolutely terrifying. And Kevin went to Great Woods for the very first time that summer, to see an Australian band that found massive success in the 80s. (And we don't mean Air Supply, or Men at Work, or Midnight Oil. Keep guessing.) Also: Last week we forgot to mention a certain giant robot from 1987. We apologize to giant robots everywhere.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
Go away, soft weak humans! It's time for our annual robot-themed Top 4 1/2 List! And it's also time for our 1987-themed show! So once again we've turned to our pal Chris from Sci-Fi Explosion, because we knew Chris could come up with a magnificent list of 1987 robots. And yikes, he sure did. We have some all-time favorites (a certain Star Trek android debuted that year), some lesser known oddities (yes yes yes, robot french fries), and a poignant tribute to a fallen hero whose faithful robot always knew the secret word. Plus: Greg Hawkes and Eddie Japan are keeping the music of The Cars alive, Kornflake is hunting for bargains, Kevin and Chris are preparing silly things for DragonCon, and Tom Bosley is battling demon plastic wrap.
You need Sci Fi Explosion and Chris has it!
You need plastic wrap and Bosley has it!
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
Welcome back to 1986! (We need you for Hands Across America. Please go stand in the middle of Iowa for nine hours.) Kornflake has a goofy 1986 commercial in which the voice of God screams at you about drain cleaners. Then Kevin has a concert report on one of our favorite singers, who made her solo debut in 1986: Belinda Carlisle! You know we'll see Belinda whenever we can, because go go go go go. Also: Happy Birthday to the original Eddie Munster, Butch Patrick! He went from being a wolf boy to battling Charles Nelson Reilly in Lidsville, the magical world of living hats. Come on, Butch had range.
Only Crystal Drano can save us!
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
As we cross the halfway point in our ten-part exploration of the 1980s, we're randomly recasting the movies of 1985, and hopefully making them weirder. We might extract Chevy Chase from Fletch, for example, and drop him into the Kelly LeBrock role in Weird Science. That would free up Kelly to star in Rambo: First Blood Part II, Stallone can replace Cher as the mom in Mask, and so on. Chances of this being a huge disaster: excellent. If you've ever wondered why we don't run Hollywood, this episode may provide some answers. Also: We're watching unsettling 1985 Pizza Hut commercials, and Kornflake is a secret Rush fan.
Rita and Martin getting weird about pizza...
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
Our ten-episode trip through the 1980s continues, and we're looking at some very short-lived sitcoms from 1984. Including: The Duck Factory (starring Jim Carrey and Dippy Duck), Dreams (with John Stamos, Jami Gertz, and breakdancing), E/R (not the medical drama with George Clooney, but the medical sitcom with George Clooney), It's Your Move (with Jason Bateman and the Dregs of Humanity), and a bunch more. The world has moved on from these goofy little shows, but we're staying right here. Plus: Hefty trash bags vs. wimpy trash bags, and Happy Birthday to WandaVision actress Kathryn Hahn. It's been Kathryn's birthday all along.
Hefty or Wimpy? You decide.
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
This week we're back in 1983! Kornflake shares a goofy 1983 commercial for Dial soap, while Kevin takes an absurdly quick look at the pop music of 1983. It was the year new wave conquered the Top 40, and we approved. (For more complete coverage of 1983 music, we refer you to recent episodes of White Rocket Entertainment and Modern Musicology. While the Flopcast covers Kajagoogoo, they take care of everything else.) We also stopped by Northeast Comic Con (aka Music Con) and saw members of the Monkees (Micky), the Runaways (Cherie), the Ramones (Richie), and the Stompers (Sal)! A Monkees cover band called Zilch was there too, as well as old friend of The Flopcast (and, as Flash Gordon, savior of the universe) Sam J. Jones! Plus: A concert report on Elvis Costello and the Imposters (along with Charlie Sexton) and Nick Lowe (along with his Mexican wrestling-masked backup band Los Straitjackets). And best of all, Happy Birthday to America's 1980s sweetheart, Phoebe Cates! Celebrate by watching Private School. It's not Phoebe's best movie, but it is Phoebe's 1983 movie.
A bunch of 1983 commercials! (Dial soap ad is at 6:50)
White Rocket Entertainment: Music of 1983!
Modern Musicology: Music of 1983 Part 1 and Part 2!
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
It's 1982 (in our hearts, at least), so we're looking at the Mad magazines of 1982. (Historians agree that for a truly accurate account of the past, you should just read Mad. Plus you get to do the Fold-In.) That year Mad's TV and movie parodies included Raiders of the Lost Ark, Archie Bunker's Place, Family Feud, For Your Eyes Only, The Greatest American Hero, The Fall Guy, MAS*H, The Facts of Life, and Rocky III! (Want to see Alfred E. Neuman as Mr. T? Done!) Mad also covered video games (their Man of the Year may have been a Pac-Man) and did some silly stuff with lobsters too, just for Kornflake. And speaking of Kornflake, her pick for 1982 is a Corn Flakes commercial! Also: It's Freezepop Day. So listen to some synthpop and chomp on a weird frozen thing.
Mickey Rooney loves Corn Flakes!
Australian twins love Corn Flakes!
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
Continuing our ten week celebration of the 1980s, we have some silly artifacts to examine from 1981. First Kornflake brings us a couple of Dr Pepper commercials featuring David Naughton (from "Makin' It"), Mickey Rooney (from "One of the Boys"), and the classic two-person horse costume (from our dreams). Kevin's 1981 pick is a Superman comic book produced by Radio Shack to introduce the children to the wonders of the TRS-80 computer. (We're convinced. Here at Chickentown Studios, we're ditching our Commodore VIC-20 and upgrading to a TRS-80.) Also: A surprise concert from Boston 90s alt-rock heroes Kay Hanley and Juliana Hatfield; Eclectic Lee lists a few more TV and movie maids, concluding five weeks of nonstop Flopcast maid and butler action; Kevin is on Earth Station DCU talking about Shazam; and Happy Birthday to Men at Work's Colin Hay! Time to blow out all the candles on your vegemite sandwich.
Mickey Rooney whistling about Dr Pepper!
Sugar Free Dr Pepper: Back of Horse-approved!
Shazam! On Earth Station DCU!
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
Episode 580 means we're kicking off another ten weeks of episodes dedicated to each year of the 1980s. (So yes, everybody will be forced to Wang Chung this summer.) We're starting with 1980, and we're looking at some of our favorite albums from that year. There's some new wave (Devo, The Buggles, The Cars), some Top 40 (Air Supply, Billy Joel, REO Speedwagon), some crucial soundtracks (Flash Gordon, Xanadu), and more. Then Kornflake shares a pair of silly 1980 commercials. (Were early 80s waitresses and bowlers completely obsessed with mouthwash? Let's find out.) Plus: A listener-submitted follow-up list of TV and movie butlers (this will end someday, we assure you), and Happy Birthday to Cyndi Lauper. If Goonies are good enough for Cyndi, they're good enough for us.
Mouthwash-obsessed bowlers of 1980!
Mouthwash-obsessed waitresses of 1980!
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This week's promo: The Soul Forge Podcast!
We start with a little follow-up from our recent Maids v. Butlers FlopFight. It's the "honorable mention" list of maids and butlers we couldn't fit in the tournament, including characters from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Hazel, I Married Dora, and more. (Rest assured, we did not forget about We Got It Made. If only we could...) Then Kevin has a concert report, because beloved 80s pop princess Debbie Gibson came to town! Debbie put on a wonderful show including an Abba medley, a pajama party, a small dog, and perhaps even a wardrobe malfunction. Also: Kornflake has a Debbie hat, Kevin found a bin chicken (or something), and Happy Birthday to comedy writer/producer Greg Daniels. (If all he ever gave us was Chris Elliott's Get a Life, we'd still be eternally grateful.) Thanks for listening, kids. You just can't shake our love.
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This week's promo: Earth Station One!
Let's wrap up the weird tournament we started last week: Our latest FlopFight, featuring maids and butlers from sitcoms, cartoons, and beyond. We have TV characters from the 60s like Lurch (The Addams Family), Mr. French (Family Affair), and Rosie the Robot (The Jetsons). From the 80s we have Mr. Belvedere (from, you know, Mr. Belvedere), Nell (Gimme a Break), and even more maids from Diff'rent Strokes. And once again our special guest judge is Joe Crowe, Co-Director of the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track! Along the way, Kornflake celebrates Moonshine Day! Kevin has a squouse infestation! (A what?) Joe brings us Tales of the Nedra Volz Appreciation Society! We accidentally create a (perhaps inappropriate) new member of the Legion of Substitute Heroes! And one of us provides a pretty remarkable impression of Leon Redbone! So yeah, it gets a little silly. But only one maid or butler will survive. To make it more interesting, put some money down on your favorite. If you're Richie Rich, either your super-strong butler Cadbury or your robot maid Irona can fetch your wallet.
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This week's promo: Con Guy!
We grew up in a world where seemingly every sitcom included a maid or a butler. Even middle class TV households somehow afforded live-in servants. And this week all those maids and butlers shall do battle in a good old fashioned FlopFight! What would happen if Benson (from Soap) and Florence (from The Jeffersons) were stranded on an island? How about hula-dancing Alice (The Brady Bunch) versus Batusi-dancing Alfred (Batman)? Anything could happen, and this week's winner will advance to the final round next week. And it's gonna get weird, so our special guest judge is a weirdness expert: Co-Director of the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track, Joe Crowe! So let's get ready to FlopFight. It might get a little messy, but a parade of Diff'rent Strokes maids should come along to mop up.
Find Joe at DragonCon's American Sci-Fi Classics Track!
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This week's promo: DragonCon Report!
Another quick and silly Flopcast, including: Way too much Scotch tape trivia from Kornflake; this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees (and how they ranked in the 80s); Dolly Parton's new star-studded rock album (hey, where's Tiffany?); Bernie Taupin vs. REO Speedwagon; the Love Boat musical; and a "Chickens in the News" story from Mexico, where there are chickens in the trees and on the subway.
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This week's promo: Epsilon Three!
It's a quick Sunday brunch edition of The Flopcast! Except we forgot to have brunch! Anyway, Kevin has tales from the cold and rainy Margarita Half Marathon (with margaritas and shiny blankets), and the hot and grueling Providence Marathon (with Mickey Mouse hands and Jeff Goldblum heads). We also have some comic book recommendations: the new Shazam and Peacemaker series from DC Comics, and the new Jim & Celeste collection from friend of The Flopcast Jon Sloan. (Shazam and Peacemaker do not have forewords by Kornflake, but Jim & Celeste absolutely does!) Also: Happy Birthday to one of our favorite Go-Go's, Jane Wiedlin! Because go go go go go.
The Dojahng, home of the comics of Jon Sloan!
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
For just the second time in three horrifying years, Kevin and Kornflake are together in the same place for the Flopcast! And that place is... a hotel room in New Hampshire! (This is Kornflake's home state, and that explains A LOT.) To celebrate, we're learning some weird New Hampshire facts involving UFOs, old libraries, state songs, and a shopping mall where Kornflake may have gone to college. We also go through a list of famous people from New Hampshire, including three SNL cast members and someone who witnessed Kevin's terrible old Spam-juggling act. Finally Kornflake breaks out some giant weird New Hampshire cookies, and there is much chomping. This was all part of her plan to help Kevin carb up for a half marathon the following day. (Update: Kornflake promised miserable steady rain for the whole race, and she was CORRECT.)
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
It's another concert report, as we leave the house and creep down to Rhode Island to see Flopcast favorite Joan Osborne! And since Joan's big hit album (and that song - you know the one) came out way back in 1995, we're looking at the other albums we bought that year. There were lots of 1995 records from the women of the Boston rock scene (Juliana Hatfield, Mary Lou Lord, Belly, Letters to Cleo), as well as plenty more Lilith-friendly artists (Jewel, Ani DiFranco, Aimee Mann). We also recall the debut of Ben Folds Five, a weird covers album from Elvis Costello, and a band only Kornflake remembers. Plus: The Top Ten movies of 1995, a 90s edition of The Pudding Pages, and Happy Birthday to the guy who co-wrote all those Alanis songs. (Isn't this podcast ironic? No, it is not.)
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This week's promo: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
We're just sipping Green Day coffee and yipping through a few miscellaneous subjects. Including: A reunion of Slipnutz (one of the greatest bands ever to specialize in slipping on nuts); Disney animator Ron Clements (we're looking forward to his version of DC's goofy robot team the Metal Men); a concert report on the last Monkee standing, Micky Dolenz; a look at the debut albums of 1967 (including the big three: Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and Mr. Spock); and a Chickens in the News story from Woonsocket, Rhode Island involving DoorDash, Mr. Hibachi, and a frazzled hen who just wanted to cross the road.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
1978's The Super Dictionary attempted to teach kids vocabulary using DC Comics superheroes. We don't know if it succeeded as a learning tool, but it sure succeeded in being super weird. (If you've ever seen that silly image of Lex Luthor stealing forty cakes, it comes from this very book.) This week we're examining a few Super Dictionary entries, which involve Wonder Woman sneezing, a banana for Aquaman, Robin chasing "the bad women" on bicycles, Superman trapped in a "soapy water ball," Supergirl as a centipede, Hawkgirl dancing on the ceiling like Lionel, and much more. We had to stop at "chicken," because we just couldn't take it anymore, but perhaps we'll revisit this bizarro book someday. Meanwhile, Happy Birthday to Conan O'Brien, whose podcast is way more popular than ours. Possibly because he doesn't just read from a dictionary.
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
We haven't reviewed a weird school book club magazine from the 80s since... oh wait, it was three weeks ago. Thanks for your patience. This time we're looking at a 1984 issue of Maniac, a short-lived Dynamite-type magazine aimed at a slightly older audience, with an added twist of Mad-style humor. This issue includes: Maniac holiday stickers; caricatures of Brooke Shields, Boy George, Mr. T, and Splash-style Daryl Hannah; a bizarre Maniac Top 40 list (spoiler: rubber chickens are at number 27); horse brains and rooster eggs; a disturbing variety of pen pal options; chances to win a signed Judy Blume book, a Betamax VCR, or a ZZ Top key chain; a shocking interview with Kate and Allie star Ari Meyers; dreamy posters of Billy Idol, David Lee Roth, and Duran Duran; the Dynamite "Bummers" page (sorry, that's the Maniac "Give Me a Break!" page); and yes, chocolate-covered birds. Okay, we officially love Maniac. The cover promises "laughs and more laughs." Our podcast does not.
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
A quick springtime mixed bag of weirdness: April has arrived, and Kornflake is celebrating with a sugary holiday of her own making, Maple Fools Day. Speaking of sugar, National Whatever Day finds us wishing a Happy Birthday to the writer of The Archies' greatest hit. Our impromptu Funko Pop game is so shocking that you won't believe your cold dead black vinyl eyes. Kevin races through Salem, Massachusetts for twenty miles in seach of giant black cats and Elizabeth Montgomery statues. And we randomly discover a short-lived 80s sitcom with a cast including the guy from Family Affair, the guy from Northern Exposure, and Magic Johnson. What does it all mean? Hey, we were hoping you could tell us.
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This week's promo: Thunder Talk!
As suggested/threatened last week, we're doing a Top 4 1/2 List of 1980s dogs. (Kornflake is obsessed with dogs, Kevin is obsessed with the 80s... this had to happen.) Including: Several cartoon dogs, a Muppet dog, a WWF wrestling dog, a rock star dog, a certain beer-chugging dog who did NOT know when to say when, and much more. Yes, we've gone to the dogs, but for our show, that's probably an upgrade. Also: Happy Birthday to Footloose/Lost Boys mom Dianne Wiest, an update on KangaROOS, and Kornflake's Pinky and the Brain mystery socks.
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
It's about time for another Dynamite magazine review, but to mix things up, we're looking at a different (but eerily similar) magazine called Winner. A single issue of Winner was sold through school book clubs in 1982, and it's essentially a sports-themed version of Dynamite. Our discussion includes: John McEnroe's hair; Chris Evert on SNL; KangaROOS, the sneakers with pockets; how Kevin learned to juggle Spam; Larry Bird vs Dr. J vs Mike Brady; an ice skating lesson from Linda Fratianne; the longest baseball game in history (yes, it happened in Rhode Island); a wedding on rollerskates; the shockingly high cost of a keyboard for your Intellivision; and why sad kids have the best posters. Also: It's National Puppy Day, so you might as well send all your dogs to go live with Kornflake.
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This week's promos: Earth Station DCU! Monkeeing Around!
It's another Flopcast tribute to V66, Boston's music video TV channel of the mid-80s! (We do this every one hundred episodes. It's all we have.) This time we thought we'd look at Billboard's Top 66 songs of 1986, an amazing list of absolutely classic 80s pop. (Flopcast favorite Billy Ocean made the list twice, and no, that's not nearly enough Billy Ocean.) And Kornflake has even pared the Top 66 list down to her own weird Top 4 1/2 List, including freestyle stars The Jets and Lisa Lisa, a Rocky sequel song from Survivor (but not that one), one hit wonder Sly Fox (remember them?), and more. (And do Kevin and Kornflake agree on the list's worst song, which somehow landed way up at number 12? Oh yes.) For more V66 fun, as always we recommend the wonderful documentary Life on the V. Also: Happy Birthday to Michael Caine, who coincidentally starred in approximately every 80s movie.
Life on the V: The Story of V66!
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
The Flopcast Book Club is finally back in session, and we're discussing Bill Mumy's new memoir Danger, Will Robinson: The Full Mumy. Best known for Lost in Space and The Twilight Zone, Bill was one of the busiest child actors of the 1960s, and has stayed busy with television, film, and music projects ever since. We cover Bill's Disney movies co-starring seals and raccoons; his experiences on The Munsters and Bewitched; his adventures with Shaun Cassidy, Rick Springfield, and "Weird Al" Yankovic; his comic book band Seduction of the Innocent; his new supergroup Action Skulls; and most importantly, his Pez collection. And don't forget Bill's other band Barnes & Barnes, whose classic novelty song "Fish Heads" somehow led to a year's supply of iced coffee for Kornflake. (RIP Robert Haimer, the other half of Barnes & Barnes, and thanks for the decades of weird music. Yeah.) So stay out of the cornfield and check out the book. We recommend reading it while a big goofy robot screams at you.
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This week's promo: The Best Saturdays of Our Lives!
It's a rather random 1980s-themed show, as a coin toss leads to our celebrating the birthday of 80s one hit (or maybe two hit) wonder Eddy Grant. Then we flip to a random page in our Ranking the 80s book and discuss a song about (possibly inappropriate) touching. (Yes, we know we just described every song.) Finally we break out a book that just arrived here at the studio: Single Season Sitcoms of the 1980s: A Complete Guide! And we land on a 1989 sitcom that only lasted four episodes, but Kornflake watched them all, even though the show was horrible. These days we're watching Australian spelling bees and Diff'rent Strokes reruns. Our entertainment options have improved, but our taste has not.
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This week's promo: The Soul Forge Podcast!
After a quick break for a couple of less weird episodes, it's time to wrap up The Weird Al Game, in which Kevin and Kornflake try to guess each other's favorite "Weird Al" Yankovic songs. (Hey, who comes up with better games than us? Please don't answer that.) This time we're covering Al's records from 1993 through 2014, so get ready for a cavalcade of giant TVs, phony calls, word crimes, Canadian idiots, and wonder hamsters. Feel free to play along and let us know your favorites! In the end, a winner shall be declared. But Don Pardo would probably say we're all complete losers.
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This week's promo: Metal Geeks!
Kornflake has the week off, but we have a special guest in Chickentown to fill in: It's our big podcasting bossman, ESO Network Director Mike Faber! And we're talking music again. Mike has been to more concerts than Kevin and Kornflake combined, and has prepared a Top 4 1/2 List of his favorite concerts ever! Some of Mike's picks, while impressive, will not shock you. (REM in 1983! Springsteen in 1984!) However (here comes the clickbait), you'll never guess some of the others. (Mike was at Woodstock, and that did not make the list! Country Joe and the Fish are most displeased.) Along the way, our discussion also includes The Cars, ELO, They Might Be Giants, Lenny Kravitz, Dr. Demento, Johnny Hates Jazz, and much more. Enjoy! (Hey, the podcast is free, but to simulate the concert experience, maybe we should attach some unreasonable Ticketmaster-style service fees...)
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This week's promo: Earth Station One!
We're taking a break from our Weird Al game, because it's time to review this year's list of nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Kate Bush is back on the list, perhaps due to her Stranger Things-fueled resurgence. A couple of Kornflake's favorites are newly eligible nominees: Missy Elliott and the White Stripes. Since Dolly kicked in the door last year, another country legend is in the running this year: Willie Nelson. And a couple of our 80s pop heroes, Cyndi Lauper and George Michael, have finally been nominated. We break it all down for you, despite being furious about the continued snubbing of Right Said Fred. Also, for you science nerds: Kornflake has a trivia question about the periodic table of elements, and is searching the night sky for a mysterious green comet. We assume it was sent from the planet Oa by the Guardians of the Universe.
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This week's promo: Con Guy!
We've had "Weird Al" Yankovic on our minds lately, probably because Kevin just participated in an American Sci-Fi Classics panel all about Al. (Check it out! We have a YouTube link just for you.) So we just invented The Weird Al Game, in which Kevin and Kornflake try to guess each other's favorite Weird Al songs. This week we're covering Al's first seven albums. Does Kornflake want a new duck? Will Kevin visit the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota? Join us as we dare to be stupid. (Admittedly, that's business as usual around here...) Also: Kornflake is celebrating Ice Cream For Breakfast Day, because apparently she loves rocky road.
The American Sci-Fi Classics Track online panel all about Weird Al!
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This week's promo: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
We are back from Arisia, Boston's annual convention of science fiction, fantasy, and general geekery. So here's our full report, including Kevin's comic book panels (on comic book memoirs and the history of Image Comics), the Mayor of Chickentown's Age and Fandom panel, and our pal Kevin Cafferty's Year in TV and Year in Star Wars panels! Also: The Post Meridian Radio Players with another fine genderswap Star Trek show! (We are big fans of Captain Jane T. Kirk.) The Geeky Belly Dance Show! The Masquerade! Our favorite costumes! (Our favorite costumes involved lobsters and anteaters, of course.) And Kevin runs around Boston like a maniac, finds the new MLK "Embrace" sculpture, and helps out the tourists at Cheers. Plus: Stargirl talk on Earth Station One, and National Whatever Day, because nothing is going to break Kornflake's stride.
Earth Station One episode 668 - A Look Back at Stargirl!
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This weekend we are at Arisia, one of our favorite local fantasy and science fiction conventions. If you drop everything and run screaming towards Boston RIGHT NOW, you may be able to catch Kevin moderating a panel about Image Comics. (Bring your mint condition CGC-slabbed Walking Dead #1. We'll sign it and ruin it.) And yes, we have goofy badge ribbons for you. Watch for our full report on Arisia next week. But meanwhile this week: A "Chickens in the News" story about man vs. chicken vs. garage, devil tales (and Drake's Devil Dogs) on the Earth Station One podcast, and Happy Birthday to Ronnie Milsap, who made some early 80s country pop songs that we actually liked.
If it's not too late, find us at Arisia!
Earth Station One episode 666 - Our Favorite Devil Tales!
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This week's promo: Modern Musicology!
Let's wrap up our annual two-part memorial show, because we just can't take it anymore. This week's list includes: a couple of animation legends (Jules Bass and Paul Coker Jr.), a couple more 80s comedy stars (Judy Tenuta and Gallagher), beloved television actors (Nichelle Nichols and Tony Dow), beloved singers (Olivia Newton John and Irene Cara), another Goodfellas star, another Sesame Street star, another Gorgeous Lady of Wrestling, the voice of Batman, the creator of The Monkees, the evil guy from Tron, a Pointer sister, and many more. As usual, we recommend that you have a strong beverage standing by. Just be sure to cover it when the watermelons start flying.
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This week's promo: Thunder Talk!
Our annual two-part memorial show begins here, as we recall the pop culture legends we lost in the first half of 2022. Including: actors (Sidney Poitier, Sally Kellerman, William Hurt, Ray Liotta), musicians (Ronnie Spector, Meat Loaf, Vangelis), comedians (Bob Saget, Louie Anderson, Gilbert Gottfried), artists (Neal Adams, George Pérez), a Gorgeous Lady of Wrestling, the moms from Seinfeld, the guy who made "Convoy," and many more. So join us, and bring a beverage. (Maybe garnish it with an orange slice. For Gilbert.)
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This week's promo: Epsilon Three!
Last show of the year! So it's a quick one, as we look back on another goofy year of Flopcasting, including our 2022 Flopcast guests (all four of them), our strict cupcake and lobster roll diet program, and our ongoing obsession with Canadian PSAs. Plus: Happy Birthday to Ted Danson! Part 2 of our holiday podcast crossover with But First, Let's Talk Nerdy! (Warning: May contain Sponge Awareness music.) One last Electra Woman and Dyna Girl review on The Batcave Podcast! (Yes, it's the bizarre Markie Post pilot.) And A Very Pac-Man Christmas with the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track! (Also A Very Manimal Christmas and A Very Turbo Teen Christmas. Someone probably should have stopped us.) And finally... our New Year's Resolutions. Sort of. See you in 2023, nerds.
The second half of our holiday crossover with But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
Our final Electra Woman review on The Batcave Podcast!
Christmas Comes to Pac-Land: The American Sci-Fi Classics table read!
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Lots of weird holiday mirth and/or merriment this week! First we celebrate National Hard Candy Day with a True Tale of Ribbon Candy. Then Kornflake's annual pilgrimage to the Trap Tree yields startling results. Kornflake also has a new favorite holiday special, and of course the star of Footloose is involved. We also flip through Holly Jolly, a wonderful book of pop culture Christmas history, and learn that the first store Santa appeared in 1890 in nearby Brockton, Massachusetts. (We assume he was as cranky and unpleasant as the rest of us locals.) Then it's time for The Figgy Pudding Pages, and Kornflake has a True Tale of Holiday Air Hockey Injuries. And for our main event, we welcome back Martha and Brittany, the hosts of our sister podcast But First, Let's Talk Nerdy! Reporting live from Las Vegas, they tell us about Christmas at Disneyland, miserable Christmas decoration vandals, and their recent discovery of a Hallmark Christmas movie that actually wasn't bad. Then it's time for a silly little game, as Martha and Brittany take our Christmas Cartoon Quote Quiz! We assume you've been studying all those classic Rankin/Bass shows, so you can play along too! Grab an egg nog, feel free to spike it until you're properly nogified, and enjoy. This week's show is so festive that you'll feel like Jack Frost is nipping at you inappropriately.
Find the second half of our holiday crossover on Episode 79 of But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
It's no secret that we're obsessed with holiday cartoons, and this week we're diving into Frosty the Snowman and its sequels. Everyone knows the 1969 Rankin/Bass original, in which Frosty and Karen hitch a train to the North Pole so Frosty can melt away while Karen freezes to death. Then there's Frosty's Winter Wonderland from 1976, with Jack Frost serving as Best Man at a bizarre snow-person wedding. 1979 saw the ultimate Rankin/Bass crossover event: Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July. (Worlds will live, worlds will die, Ethel Merman will sing, and the RBU will never be the same.) Things get even weirder in 1992 with Frosty Returns. John Goodman is the voice of Frosty, SNL's Lorne Michaels is the producer, music is by Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh, and director Bill Melendez makes the whole thing look like a Charlie Brown special. Finally we have 2005's The Legend of Frosty the Snowman, which brings it all back to the original cartoon with a cameo from long-suffering magician Professor Hinkle. And if you've been waiting for a Frosty cartoon narrated by Burt Reynolds, this is it. (Also this week: Kevin Geeks Out About Christmas. Seriously.) So slip into your favorite magic hat and we'll all go belly-whopping together. Happy Birthday.
Kevin Geeks Out!
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
For our holiday shopping, we're traveling back to 1981 and looking through an advertisement flyer from Child World, a toy store chain that just happened to have a Woonsocket, Rhode Island location. Kevin and Kornflake have selected 4 1/2 gifts for each other, but we used very different shopping strategies. Kornflake thoughtfully chose classic video games, Star Wars toys, and super hero action figures. Meanwhile Kevin was just looking for strange stuff, so we have a freaky doll with hair that really grows, a forgotten (but possibly awesome) game called Baboon Ball, a forgotten (but possibly terrifying) playset called the Clown House, and more. Cover yourselves; things are about to get weird under the tree.
The 1981 Child World flyer, compliments of Plaid Stallions!
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This week's promo: Earth Station One!
As is tradition around here, we're taking a bunch of those Hallmark-style made-for-TV holiday movies, and we're fixing them. Over 150 goofy new holiday movies are debuting this year, and they're all the same: random big city career women are returning to their hometowns to save their grandfathers' stuggling figgy pudding shops while also falling in love with flannel-shirted dudes who run kitten orphanages. Our plan is to randomly insert some weird new element to each movie, thus creating an instant holiday classic. Can these movies be redeemed by adding stuff like roller disco, giant starfish, or actors from Happy Days? We think you know the answer. Hang on, kids, we're gonna save Christmas.
Earth Station One's Geek Holiday Gift Guide!
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This week's promo: Drinking With Authors!
We're creeping into the holiday season with a concert report, because Boston rock heroes Letters to Cleo are back for their annual homecoming shows. This year they brought along super-cool Brooklyn-based band Thick to open the show, and Cleo frontwoman Kay Hanley is clearly a fan. Throw in a surprise Cleo horn section, and a festive time was had by all. We're also looking ahead at the goofiness of the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. This year's balloons include the Pillsbury Doughboy, Baby Yoda, and (thanks to recent exposure here on The Flopcast, we assume) Smokey Bear. There's also a giant acorn balloon, because why not. And if you've been secretly hoping for a bread-themed parade float, with hundreds of giant foam bread slices rising into the sky, this is your year. Also: On The Batcave Podcast, Kevin and John finally wrap up their review of the 1970s Saturday morning series Electra Woman and Dyna Girl! So there, you finally have something to be thankful for.
More Electra Woman talk on The Batcave Podcast!
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This week's promo: The Best Saturdays of Our Lives!
Inspired by our recent discussion of synthpop band A-ha and their massive hit "Take On Me," we're making a list of other 1980s songs with iconic keyboard parts. Plenty more synthy new wave acts are on the list (such as Eurythmics, Soft Cell, and Men Without Hats), but several rock bands better known for their guitars actually provided some of the decade's most memorable keyboards. (One obvious example: Van Halen and "Jump.") Check out our list and let us know what we missed. (It would be appropriate for this to be our FINAL COUNTDOWN, but you know we'll keep making more goofy lists around here...) Also: We're frightened by Hug a Runner Day, a delightful "What's in the Bag?" package arrives at the studio, and a "Chickens in the News" item gives us just one more reason to stay out of Florida.
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This week's promo: Con Guy!
Join us as we flip through another old issue of your favorite magazine from the school book club, Dynamite! This one is from way back in 1976, and the cover just might feature an arm wrestling competition between the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman. We have so many questions. Inside the magazine we'll find Robolar's cousins, the truth about mummies (and baboon mummies), disco with KC and the Sunshine Band, a freaked out turkey, gymnast Nadia Comaneci, piles of disgusting hamburgers, a Donny Osmond lookalike, a card trick from Magic Wanda, and lots more Dynamite weirdness. Also: The Hillbilly Bears; a Fruit Brute review; a surprise Top 4 1/2 List; and Happy Birthday to Peter Brady himself, Christopher Knight. You know it's time to change.
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
It's a good old fashioned Flopcast Top 4 1/2 List, and the subject is bears. We have bears from TV (remember Grizzly Adams and his pal Ben?), cartoons (you know the Care Bears, but what about the Wuzzles?), songs (in case you were wondering how Lyle Lovett feels about bears), breakfast cereal (Sugar Bear really wanted to fatten up the children), and more. This is the goofiest bunch of bears you've seen since the Super Bowl Shuffle. And some very important bears are missing from our list, so let us know your favorites! (Send them over to the studio with a pic-a-nic basket.) Also: Happy Birthday to A-ha keyboardist Magne Furuholmen. Kornflake even tries to pronounce his name, because it's no better to be safe than sorry.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
It's a good old fashioned Flopcast Top 4 1/2 List, and the subject is bears. We have bears from TV (remember Grizzly Adams and his pal Ben?), cartoons (you know the Care Bears, but what about the Wuzzles?), songs (in case you were wondering how Lyle Lovett feels about bears), breakfast cereal (Sugar Bear really wanted to fatten up the children), and more. This is the goofiest bunch of bears you've seen since the Super Bowl Shuffle. And some very important bears are missing from our list, so let us know your favorites! (Send them over to the studio with a pic-a-nic basket.) Also: Happy Birthday to A-ha keyboardist Magne Furuholmen. Kornflake even tries to pronounce his name, because it's no better to be safe than sorry.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
More goofy Halloween fun this week, as we flip through the book An Old School Halloween and learn about the costumes of Ben Cooper Inc. This was the company that sold those quick simple Halloween costumes (a cheap plastic mask and vinyl smock) at discount department stores for decades. We discuss the odd history of Ben Cooper's Spider-Man costume, why Yoda was blue, how Fonzie's catchphrase was bungled, why Scooby Doo looked like Scrappy Doo, and the awesomeness of the Sleestak costume. Also: Another new Halloween book called Full Moon, written by friends of Kornflake; scary 1970s Halloween stories from Power Records; Matt's Count Chocula review; a concert report on folk rock musician (and camping enthusiast) Brett Dennen; the spooky return of our sister podcast But First, Let's Talk Nerdy; and Happy Birthday to Annie Potts, star of every Ghostbusters movie. Now have a creepy yet festive week, and hand over the Reese's.
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This week's promo: Modern Musicality!
Our pal Blasted Bill returns to the Flopcast for some Halloween talk! Bill shares his memories of Halloweens past as well as the 8,000 Halloween events he has planned for this year. (That certainly beats our big Halloween plan to do nothing...) Including: Superman, Ghostbuster, and red crayon costumes; hay rides vs. straw rides; trick-or-treating aboard the beer tractor; a defense of Necco wafers; scary cousins in the cemetery; Hocus Pocus drinking games; building your own coffin; freaking out your Uber driver; butter beer vs. Zima; Scooby Doo-costumed bar crawls; a peanut butter pumpkin possum; and lots more seasonal silliness. Plus: Matt concludes his Boo Berry review, Bill is on TikTok, Kevin is on The Batcave Podcast (talking Electra Woman and Dyna Girl) and Gleaming the Tube (talking The Commitments), and Kornflake might be a Yip Yip.
Blasted Bill on TikTok!
Our latest Electra Woman review on The Batcave Podcast!
Reviewing The Commitments on Gleaming the Tube!
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This week's promo: Thunder Talk!
Welcome to a very special Flopcast, because for the first time in almost three years, Kevin and Kornflake are together in person! We're not on Zoom! It's a weird outdoor recording session on a chilly October night up north at Chickentown Outpost! But we have coffee, so it's just like old times. Including: National Decorate a Cake Day (which we celebrate by devouring a couple of boozy cupcakes), another monster cereal review from Matt (this time it's Boo Berry part 1 - more next week), the official presentation of all the Flopcast badge ribbons Kornflake has missed since 2020 (so much Potsie Panic), a concert report on Letters to Cleo frontwoman Kay Hanley (strangely including thousands of Lizzo fans), Kevin's big plan to lose a half marathon, Kornflake's remarkable quest for the perfect lobster roll, and our visit to a giant outer space-themed light show (we were just looking for Robolar from Mars). Okay, that was about enough human interaction for now, so next week, it's back to Zoom...
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
It's a weird mix of topics for this quick little show, including: Kornflake mini-golfing in a hockey uniform; fun with standing desks (we've cleared the studio of silly old-fashioned chairs); International Teachers Day (just an excuse to celebrate Welcome Back, Kotter); the new season of Cobra Kai (and Kornflake's controversial Swank theories); ESO Network updates (300 episodes of Earth Station DCU! Monkeeing Around, a fun new Monkees podcast! And a Modern Musicology interview with an actual member of The Go-Go's!); a bizarre Chickens in the News story from a Florida garage; and a shockingly enthusiastic review of Frankenberry. Next week: Something special is happening here on The Flopcast. Not Go-Go's-level special, but something...
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This week's promo: Epsilon Three!
Let's wrap up our review of our long wacky weekend in Atlanta for DragonCon! Including: More Sci-Fi Explosion (with Fonzie, Spider-Woman, and maybe even Robolar from Mars); more Flash Gordon panels with Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson; the return of the Manimal Panimal; the cast of Doom Patrol; the George Pérez memorial panel; the 10th anniversary of the ESO Network; more late night fun with Good Enough Cosplay, Deena the "Last DragonCon" lady, and the falafel truck; the science of multiverses; a very Needless Things Christmas (with a mechanical Santa and a peppermint pig); a charity screening of Legends of the Superheroes (in which the audience must pay to escape from the American Sci-Fi Classics Track room); and a whole bunch of muscovy ducks. It was weirder than the New Zoo Revue, and we loved it. See you next year, nerds.
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This week's promo: Metal Geeks!
Let's wrap up our review of our long wacky weekend in Atlanta for DragonCon! Including: More Sci-Fi Explosion (with Fonzie, Spider-Woman, and maybe even Robolar from Mars); more Flash Gordon panels with Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson; the return of the Manimal Panimal; the cast of Doom Patrol; the George Pérez memorial panel; the 10th anniversary of the ESO Network; more late night fun with Good Enough Cosplay, Deena the "Last DragonCon" lady, and the falafel truck; the science of multiverses; a very Needless Things Christmas (with a mechanical Santa and a peppermint pig); a charity screening of Legends of the Superheroes (in which the audience must pay to escape from the American Sci-Fi Classics Track room); and a whole bunch of muscovy ducks. It was weirder than the New Zoo Revue, and we loved it. See you next year, nerds.
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This week's promo: Metal Geeks!
We survived DragonCon 2022, more or less, so it's time to review the first half of that wacky weekend! Including: Kevin's Flash Gordon panel with Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson; Kevin's other panels on Cowboy Bebop, Lost in Space, and Upload; The Mayor's Severance panel (and Severance costume!); Kornflake's Elton John panel; Sci-Fi Explosion fun with Billy Ocean; the Geek Girls Run; an Aquaman-style visit to the Georgia Aquarium; late night pizza pie with Kate from Strange Animals Podcast; late night fun with Good Enough Cosplay; a late night movie with Dr. Strange and the American Sci-Fi Classics Track; and how to avoid obnoxious parking lot DJs. Next week: The rest of DragonCon. It just kept getting weirder.
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
We survived DragonCon 2022, more or less, so it's time to review the first half of that wacky weekend! Including: Kevin's Flash Gordon panel with Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson; Kevin's other panels on Cowboy Bebop, Lost in Space, and Upload; The Mayor's Severance panel (and Severance costume!); Kornflake's Elton John panel; Sci-Fi Explosion fun with Billy Ocean; the Geek Girls Run; an Aquaman-style visit to the Georgia Aquarium; late night pizza pie with Kate from Strange Animals Podcast; late night fun with Good Enough Cosplay; a late night movie with Dr. Strange and the American Sci-Fi Classics Track; and how to avoid obnoxious parking lot DJs. Next week: The rest of DragonCon. It just kept getting weirder.
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This week's promo: Monkeeing Around!
We're back from DragonCon, but not quite ready for our DragonCon review show. (Hey, we were surrounded by Yip-Yips for several days. Readjusting to reality is a process.) Meanwhile, we have this special episode previously available only to ESO Network Patreon members. And the subject is appropriate, considering our favorite guests at DragonCon this year. For you see... Kornflake had a deep dark secret. She had never seen the 1980 sci-fi classic Flash Gordon. So tonight, Kornflake joins Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown (who have each seen the movie about six thousand times) to right this terrible wrong. Armed with coffee and pizza pie, we all watch Flash Gordon together, and discuss. Along the way we cover: The amazing sets and costumes, the less-than-amazing special effects, the killer Queen soundtrack, the football fight, our encounters with stars Sam Jones and Melody Anderson, the rest of the wonderful cast (Brian Blessed! Max von Sydow! Topol!), other versions of the story (don't miss the Filmation cartoon), and just why we've been so obsessed with it all for forty years. (A certain talking teddy bear seems to be a fan too.) Whether you're a longtime Flash Gordon fan or a new one (like Kornflake), please enjoy our silly little show, and check out the movie too. It will save every one of us.
A bunch more extra Flopcast episodes (as well as Earth Station DCU Classics, ESO Board Silly, and lots more) can be found at the ESO Network Patreon!
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
We're back from DragonCon, but not quite ready for our DragonCon review show. (Hey, we were surrounded by Yip-Yips for several days. Readjusting to reality is a process.) Meanwhile, we have this special episode previously available only to ESO Network Patreon members. And the subject is appropriate, considering our favorite guests at DragonCon this year. For you see... Kornflake had a deep dark secret. She had never seen the 1980 sci-fi classic Flash Gordon. So tonight, Kornflake joins Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown (who have each seen the movie about six thousand times) to right this terrible wrong. Armed with coffee and pizza pie, we all watch Flash Gordon together, and discuss. Along the way we cover: The amazing sets and costumes, the less-than-amazing special effects, the killer Queen soundtrack, the football fight, our encounters with stars Sam Jones and Melody Anderson, the rest of the wonderful cast (Brian Blessed! Max von Sydow! Topol!), other versions of the story (don't miss the Filmation cartoon), and just why we've been so obsessed with it all for forty years. (A certain talking teddy bear seems to be a fan too.) Whether you're a longtime Flash Gordon fan or a new one (like Kornflake), please enjoy our silly little show, and check out the movie too. It will save every one of us.
A bunch more extra Flopcast episodes (as well as Earth Station DCU Classics, ESO Board Silly, and lots more) can be found at the ESO Network Patreon!
And our regular links...
The Flopcast website!
The ESO Network!
The Flopcast on Facebook!
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The Flopcast on Twitter!
Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts!
Email: info@flopcast.net
Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: The 42cast!
It's DragonCon weekend! So while we're flopping around our favorite convention, please enjoy the return of Movies With the Mayor! This time Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown are watching and discussing the 1987 made-for-TV movie The Spirit! It's based on Will Eisner's classic Golden Age comic book character, and it stars Sam J. Jones (Flash Gordon!) and Nana Visitor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!)... and since Sam is a guest at DragonCon this year, we just had to check it out. Is there a secret headquarters in a cemetery, a femme fatale in a hot tub, a kid selling stolen Whitney Houston records, and a finale involving topless Flash Gordon and a giant cake? Come on, what do you think? It's magnificent. Kornflake is here too with National Whatever Day, celebrating a certain 80s Heather who starred in The Fall Guy and Zapped! Next week: Our DragonCon review. If we survive.
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This week's promo: The Soul Forge Podcast!
With DragonCon just days away, here is your guide to finding Team Flopcast at the convention! Kevin will be absurdly busy as usual (that's how we like it), appearing on panels and presentations about old stuff (1978's Dr. Strange, 1979's Legends of the Superheroes), new stuff (the sci-fi comedy series Upload, and the reboots of Cowboy Bebop and Lost in Space), podcasting, and more. Kevin also has the honor of hosting Flash Gordon stars Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson for a series of Q&A panels all weekend! (We're so excited that we might start screaming like in the Queen theme song.) Meanwhile The Mayor of Chickentown has a panel on the compelling (and disturbing) new series Severance, and... could Kornflake be participating in DragonCon this year too? Oh my. So find us in Atlanta! We have new badge ribbons for you, and they're completely ridiculous, of course. Also: Happy Birthday to Deborah Van Valkenburgh! Deborah starred in The Warriors, Streets of Fire, AND Too Close For Comfort, which probably makes her the most important human who has ever existed.
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This week's promos:
Blurred Nerds!
Earth Station DCU!
Laverne & Shirley actress Cindy Williams turns 75 this week, which inspired Kornflake to surprise Kevin with a Laverne & Shirley pop quiz! (This is why the kids love The Flopcast.) Can Kevin identify quotes from various characters, despite not having seen the show in literally decades? And is there a bonus round dedicated to our favorite weirdos, Lenny and Squiggy? Let's find out, as we revisit those wacky 1950s Milwaukee girls at the Shotz brewery and the Pizzabowl, before they pack up and move to Hollywood along with everyone they ever met. Also: Kornflake rides the Boston Harbor booze bike. She's gonna make our dreams come true, for me and you.
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This week's promo: The Best Saturdays of Our Lives!
We're getting ready for DragonCon, the biggest craziest nerdfest of the year! It's so big that it's divided into dozens of separate programming tracks, and we're going through the whole track list. Including: Kevin's favorites (American Sci-Fi Classics! American Sci-Fi and Fantasy Media!), Kornflake's favorites (Brit Track! Kids Track!), and everyone's favorites (PUPPETRY!). We also take a quick peek at the guest list, which just happens to include the saviors of the universe, Flash Gordon's Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson! Also: Kornflake has crab whiskey, Kevin has stolen pizza, and Steve Carell has space chickens. More DragonCon talk is coming soon. Get ready, nerds.
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This week's promo: Earth Station One!
It's a super-short super-silly summer show! Kevin is exhausted and weirdly terrified of movie trailers; Kornflake is baking and flopping on a hammock; it's Book Lovers Day, and our friends are writing too many really good books; we're preparing for DragonCon with School House Rock and Electra Woman face masks; and our Ranking the '80s random song game finally lands on a song that we like. So get on the yacht and let's go.
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This week's promo: Con Guy!
Over the years, there have been more comic book series based on TV shows than you'd think. Back in the 60s, if your newsstand was sold out of Batman comics, you could still read My Favorite Martian or Petticoat Junction comics, you lucky kid. This week we're diving into the weird world of television-based comics, using the new book American TV Comic Books as our guide. And yes, we made a dumb game out of it. Kornflake is guessing which TV shows were also comic books (The Flying Nun? Welcome Back, Kotter? Laverne and Shirley?), and her competition is the random flip of a shiny Rhode Island state quarter. Listen as these grizzled warriors face off on a battlefield of sitcom reruns and obscure old funnybooks. Only one shall survive. And our money is on the money.
Kornflake is talking Barenaked Ladies on Earth Station One!
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This week's promo: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
Taylor Dayne is still telling it to our hearts; Maya Rudolph is a Rental; West Virginia is overrun by surfing chickens; and thanks to the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track, Mork and Mindy are now soldiers of fortune. It's a short show, but it's a goofy show. Enjoy.
We last discussed Taylor Dayne three years ago in episode 361!
Shelly the surfing chicken!
What If Gilligan Met Gomez? Classic TV Mash-Ups!
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
It's the middle of stupid summer, so here in Chickentown, it's time for more hot robot talk. But we've turned our annual robot-themed Top 4 1/2 List over to a special guest: it's Chris, creator of the wonderful show Sci-Fi Explosion! (Having someone else make the robot list just means more nap time for us. Why didn't we think of this years ago?) Chris has assembled a crazy fun list of favorite pop culture robots, including robots from Buck Rogers (but not the one you're thinking of), Logan's Run (a robot that collects frozen naked people, just like in your dreams), Canadian PSAs (a favorite topic of ours, of course), and more. And if you think Chris got out of here without discussing the sci-fi triumph that is the Billy Ocean "Loverboy" video, you don't really know us at all. Also: Happy Birthday to Don Henley. If you've never experienced a weird robot list before, this is the end of the innocence.
Our special guest is Chris of Sci-Fi Explosion!
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This week's promos:
The Monster Scifi Show!
Cosmic Pizza!
We're talking about the goofy MTV game show Remote Control, because recently we got to play it! Not the MTV version, but the (also goofy) home game version! We played Remote Control live online with our pals at the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track, and you can watch the whole crazy thing on YouTube. Meanwhile we're looking back at the original show, live from Ken Ober's basement, with Marisol, Kari, pre-SNL Colin Quinn, pre-SNL Adam Sandler, and even an occasional appearance by Weird Al. Brush up on your Brady Physics and join us. Also: More Electra Woman and Dyna Girl talk on The Batcave Podcast, and a National Whatever Day/Trapped in the House combo game that's beyond human comprehension.
Kevin and Kornflake playing Remote Control with the American Sci-Fi Classics Track!
Our latest Electra Woman review on The Batcave Podcast!
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
One more concert report, this time on a fine evening of synthpop and rock from Freezepop, Carissa Johnson, The Daylilies, and Telelectrix! (We were lurking in the corner, hiding behind a Sleestak mask, but we were there.) And the rest of the episode is also quite musical, including: Happy Birthday to Joan Osborne, Kornflake's weird recipes for Bananarama (and Shakespears Sister) pancakes, another losing round of our Ranking the '80s game, and our exciting new business venture. (We're gonna sell John Denver-themed car air fresheners. Don't tell anyone. We thought of it first.)
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This week's promo: Modern Musicality!
It's another concert report, because legendary Australian band Midnight Oil came to Boston. Find out if their beds are still burning, if frontman Peter Garrett is still very tall and very bald, and why we expected to be crushed by an anvil during the show. Also: Happy Birthday to Blues Brother/Conehead/vodka enthusiast Dan Aykroyd, Grape Ape talk with Kornflake and the American Sci-Fi Classics Track, and how to tell if Ally Sheedy is really in Boston. Meanwhile, this is Midnight Oil's final tour, and we'll miss them... but we'll always have Air Supply.
Funshine Saturday - Saturday Morning Cartoons of 1976!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
We have a special concert report this week, because the pioneering German electropop band Kraftwerk came to Boston! Kevin was there, wearing official Kraftwerk 3-D glasses, because this was not a normal show. We also recall the time Kornflake saw a very different German act in Boston many years ago. (We wish we could say it wasn't Lou Bega, but it was TOTALLY LOU BEGA.) Also: We check out that new Ally Sheedy show Single Drunk Female, National Whatever Day is all about Brian Wilson (he's a Beach Boy, not a Barenaked Lady), and a round of Pudding Pages about large TV families leads to some disturbing Smurf talk.
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This week's promo: DragonCon Report!
We just noticed that 1997 was a quarter century ago, so we thought we'd celebrate with a FlopFight tournament of 1997 pop songs. (It's not quite an official FlopFight; we've relaxed the rules a bit, because we're sleepy.) The competing songs are a mix of pure pop (Spice Girls, Hanson), alt-rock (Cranberries, Third Eye Blind), Lilith ladies (Sheryl Crow, Paula Cole), and crazy goofy weird stuff (get ready for some "Barbie Girl"). Kevin is randomly drawing the contestants, and Kornflake is picking the winners. This won't end well, but neither did the 90s. Also: In honor of a certain Brat Packer's birthday, we're comparing Sheedy notes.
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This week's promo: Blurred Nerds!
Inspired by our friend Jon Sloan's comic book series Jim & Celeste, we have a Top 4 1/2 List of movies to watch while stranded on an island. The catch is that the movies must be from 1975-1985. Which should be fine, because that's when all the good stuff happened. But we still manage to make some terrible choices. (How many blaxsploitation, vansploitation, car wash, and Gary Coleman movies would you pack for a three hour tour? Probably not as many as us. Although speaking of Gilligan's Island, two of our picks do star Jim Backus. Oops.) Also: We wish a Happy Birthday to a Jedi, and we're sleepy. As usual.
Cartoonist Jon Sloan brings you webcomics The Do-Jahng and Jim & Celeste!
The Earth Station One podcast: All About Streming!
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This week's promo: Epsilon Three!
While Kevin relaxes in the background making sarcastic comments, Kornflake presents a Top 4 1/2 List of weird superheroes! Including: a rejected Legionnaire (even goofier than Chlorophyll Kid), a Perhapanaut, a Mystery Man, an Aquabat, and more. Along the way Kevin chimes in with Captains Carrot and Marvel (Split!), as well as Turnipman (a hero so obscure he was invented by us). Not weird enough for you? Well, it's also Global Running Day, and Kornflake is running through the ocean. Aquaman is not amused.
Kevin and John are back discussing Electra Woman and Dyna Girl on the Batcave Podcast!
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
Kevin and Kornflake have concert reports from two different "Weird Al" Yankovic concerts! (That's right, we actually left the house. Still a rare event these days...) This is Weird Al's Ridiculously Self-Indulgent Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, with a constantly changing set list of obscure album tracks, so we saw two very different shows. Included in our reports: The remarkable Emo Phillips opens the show by making fun of a Flopcast guest; Weird Al has his own brand of coffee (and so does Green Day); Kornflake has her own row of seats, plus the best parking space in New Hampshire; Kevin once bought a velvet Elvis painting; drummer Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz impersonates Amanda Palmer; and Weird Al covers Little Richard and The Doobie Brothers, just like in your dreams. Also this week: Happy Birthday to a soap opera star who also appeared in Weird Al's movie UHF, Kornflake teaches water aerobics to a dog, and Kevin stops toasting marshmallows and breaks into a stranger's house instead. It's Decade Two of The Flopcast. Get comfortable. This will take about ten years.
The Cannell Pannell! Celebrating the career of TV producer Stephen J. Cannell with the American Sci-Fi Classics Track!
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This week's promos:
The Soul Forge Podcast!
The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
It's our big silly tenth anniversary show! Yes, we have released a Flopcast episode every week for TEN YEARS. (Also, yes, we're sleepy, and yes, we're completely out of ideas. But here we are.) And we're celebrating with a special tenth anniversary FlopFight! Kornflake provided the contestants, and it's a bizarre randomized assortment of characters from sitcoms, movies, cartoons, and more. The competitions are equally ridiculous, involving jug bands, ant farms, and an Etch A Sketch. The results will shock you! Unless you've been listening all these years. Then it's pretty much what you'd expect.
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This week's promo: Earth Station One!
After a too-long break from the show, the Mayor of Chickentown is back as our special guest co-host! (It's more court-ordered community service, we assume.) We start with a look at the recently-announced 2022 inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (We're happy about Lionel, Dolly, Pat Benatar, and all those Durans. On the other hand, still no 38 Special, but we can dream...) Then Kevin reports on this year's Watch City Steampunk Festival, where amongst all the geared and goggled humans, we found old friends Jessica, Sergio, and Panda! (Jessica gave a stunning performance as festival queen, she and Sergio are working on new music with their metal band Anaria, and Panda is actually Draculina in the comic books now. Our friends are pretty ridiculously amazing.) Kevin also picked up some weird old paperback books, including Mad books by Al Jaffee and novels based on Leave It to Beaver and The Brady Bunch. (Just try to keep us away from a Brady book. We'd read one about Fake Jan alone.) Also: A surprise caller on the Flopcast Hotline! (You'll probably recognize the voice.) Next week: Our tenth anniverary episode. Do not get excited.
A correction from this episode: Kevin gave the wrong name for that excellent comic book shop in Waltham, Massachusetts! It is actually The Outer Limits! Sorry about that!
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This week's promo: The Best Saturdays of Our Lives!
Kevin is being watched by enemy birds; Green Day coffee is on the way; Hit Parade celebrates five years of podcasting (with a quote from the Mayor of Chickentown!); The Flopcast celebrates ten years of podcasting in a couple of weeks (but we don't know what we're doing); we lightning-round through a bunch of TV talk (about Atypical, Picard, Derry Girls, Stranger Things, Girls5eva, Russian Doll, Umbrella Academy, Bridgerton, Is It Cake?, Vegetable Soup, The Monkees, This Is Us, Taskmaster, and especially Diff'rent Strokes); and things get weirdly musical when Kornflake breaks out... the Orba.
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This week's promo: Con Guy!
One again we've let the Chickentown Studios Supercomputer randomly determine our discussion topics, which means we're talking about "Talking Out of Turn" (an obscure 1980s single from a classic rock band), Action Jackson (the 1988 movie sadly not based on the Mego action figure line), The Young Rebels (a 1970s Revolutionary War-era TV series with Louis Gossett Jr.), and The Young Riders (a 1980s western TV series totally not inspired by Young Guns). Also: Classic rock keyboardist Chuck Leavell has a birthday, and Kornflake rides the prog rock school bus.
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
It's a Chickens in the News follow-up report! We're revisiting the rogue hen that tried to break into the Pentagon a few weeks back, but now we have the official incident report to examine. (Has the Freedom of Information Act ever been put to better use?) And we've unearthed some startling new details, which may or may not involve a parking lot salad bar. Also: Kornflake is reading about a lost dog, Kevin is reading about Dazed and Confused, Ricardo Montalbán is reading to the children, comic book creators are stealing Kornflake's dreams, and there's a surprising connection between rare insect species and the stars of Baywatch. Just a typical Saturday morning here in Chickentown.
The 42cast - Bill and Ted Panel with the Mayor!
Earth Station One - more comic book trivia, and Fred Hembeck!
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
Special guest Blasted Bill is still here, and our favorite vehicles from 1980s pop culture are still doing battle in our latest FlopFight tournament. Some major players were knocked out last week (farewell, A-Team van) as Airwolf flew straight into the finals. Can anything stop that high-tech TV helicopter? The train from Silver Spoons and the station wagon from Nation Lampoon's Vacation are sure gonna try. Surprise upsets and random moments of silliness are guaranteed. Also: Happy Birthday to legendary voice actor Billy West! If the Red M&M were a 1980s vehicle, Billy would easily win the FlopFight.
See Blasted Bill at Penguicon in Southfield, Michigan, April 22-24!
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
Our old pal Blasted Bill returns, and Bill is here for a FlopFight! The subject is 1980s vehicles, so your favorite cars, trucks, vans, and bikes from 80s movies and TV shall do battle. (Mr. T has the van. And if Jan Michael Vincent brings the helicopter, Hasselhoff will supply the talking car.) And it's a FlopFight, so the battles will be weird. (Which vehicle would make the superior birdwatcher? Let's discuss.) Also: Happy Birthday to Billy Dee Williams! Time to party on Cloud City.
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This week's promo: Modern Musicality!
It's just more random silliness, just for you. We imagine a world in which Kornflake is in control (it'll be all Howard Jones concerts, all the time), and Kevin recalls racing a turkey through the mean streets of Chickentown (the turkey won, of course). Then our supercomputer forces us to discuss Capitol Critters (the short-lived cartoon series with Doogie Howser as a field mouse in Washington DC), Arcade (a Tron-like movie starring Q from Star Trek and Ralphie from A Christmas Story - how did we miss this?), and another mystery pop song from the 1980s. Can you guess the song before Kornflake? Probably.
The DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track's "Novelization Readings" panel, including Tron!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
Another quick random show, including: Happy Birthday to Matthew Broderick (star of Ladyhawke) and Elton John (star of the "Nikita" music video); Kevin has a pile of 80s movie promo buttons ("Free Johnny Dangerously!"); Gloria Estefan is a cat; Madonna is not a mermaid; the American Sci-Fi Classics Track hosts another Battle of the Fictional Bands (former champion Dr. Teeth was excused this time); they're rolling D&D dice on But First, Let's Talk Nerdy; and of course, we're celebrating Pi Day. With pie.
Battle of the Fictional Bands 2022!
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy - the Dungeons & Dragons edition!
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This week's promo: Thunder Talk!
Time for a hugely important correction: Last week we got a couple of obscure Julian Lennon videos mixed up. (The "we" means Kevin. Kornflake was innocent this time...) But it's an excuse to revisit the wonderfully ridiculous "Stick Around" video, featuring cameos by stars from Square Pegs, Family Ties, The Karate Kid, and Saturday Night Live. Then we look at the week that "Stick Around" peaked on the pop chart in May 1986. Julian only reached number 32, while Flopcast favorites like The Outfield, OMD, Whitney, and Janet had top ten hits. If you managed to look away from MTV that Saturday night, your options included Gimme a Break, The Facts of Life... and the 1986 Miss Hollywood beauty pageant. (We checked - the whole thing is on YouTube, and it's hosted by Alan Thicke. You know what to do.) Meanwhile the Brat Pack continued to dominate the big screen, with Ally Sheedy starring in two of the top four movies. (Johnny 5? Yeah, he's still alive.) So pop in a Pet Shop Boys cassette and flop back 36 years with us. Also: World Frog Day is this week. Celebrate by hopping into traffic.
Julian Lennon's goofy fun "Stick Around" video (watch for Jami, Joe, and Michael)...
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This week's promo: DragonCon Report!
This week we let the Chickentown Studios supercomputer randomly determine our discussion topics. (Does this mean we're completely out of ideas? Oh, that happened six or seven years ago...) The result is an even weirder show than usual. Including: The 40th anniversary of Pac-Man Fever; songwriter Carole Bayer Sager's tribute to Mac and Me; Julian Lennon music videos (Correction: Kevin confused "Say You're Wrong" with "Stick Around"); how Wayne and Garth inspired Kornflake to pierce her ears; a 1980s sitcom Kornflake does not remember but hates anyway; Michael J. Fox's stunt double; Sheena's sugar walls; and oh yeah, a mystery date with a bowling chicken. Clearly our little experiment was a huge success, and humans should not be in charge of podcasts anymore.
Eclectic Lee brings you 52 Weeks of Pac-Man Fever! (Also on Twitter!)
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This week's promos:
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
Blurred Nerds!
It's a Tuesday spectacular! This episode was recorded on Tuesday, 2/22/22, so we're looking at the 2nd, 22nd, 222nd, and 2222nd biggest 1980s pop songs, according to the amazing book Ranking the '80s. You'd better believe Billy Ocean is involved, and he's gonna get out of our dreams and into our podcast. Also: A chicken tried to break into the Pentagon; Insane Ian is on HBO; Kevin is on Pop Culture Cosmos (discussing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), Earth Station One (discussing comic book trivia), ESO Board Silly (discussing the Olympics), and Earth Station DCU Classics (discussing Beppo the Super Monkey); and Happy Birthday to Jennifer Warnes, queen of the 80s pop duets. Yes, we swear it's the truth, and we owe it all to Jennifer.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Talk on Pop Culture Cosmos!
Comic book trivia on Earth Station One!
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This week's promos:
Earth Station One!
MarsCon 2022!
Another weird mix of stuff from our latest Saturday morning recording session (for which we keep forgetting the Cocoa Puffs): For National Whatever Day we're celebrating a forgotten 1920s silent movie (and also guys named Mike); a box of wine was shipped to the studio from Washington state (or possibly Mars); Kornflake witnesses the miraculous birth of a shrimp; a miraculous newborn shrimp receives an inappropriate name; we zip through a lightning round of TV talk (covering Derry Girls, Bridgerton, The Book of Boba Fett, Peacemaker, Pen15, and Norwegian game shows); and Kornflake is back on Twitter for an online concert by Jim's Big Ego. Now enjoy, while we spend the rest of our Saturday flopping around doing nothing.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
Just a weird mix of stuff this time: Kornflake learns that a former New England Patriots quarterback (no, not that one) is now in the wine business, and takes appropriate action; a giant Asian sea eagle has been hanging around Massachusetts, and we're trying to lure it to Chickentown Studios for an interview; Kornflake recommends a new webcomic about high school kids in the 80s (of course); and our friends at Rubber Chicken Comics brought an amazing 1974 anti-smoking PSA to our attention, and suddenly it's all we care about. (It's connected to Happy Days AND The Brady Bunch, so, you know...)
Here it is, the bizarre 1974 PSA "Let's Call It Quits"...
Kornflake's favorite new webcomic is Jim & Celeste!
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This week's promos:
Epsilon Three!
The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
It's a quick but fun show this week, as we review this year's nominees for induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Now if it were up to us, the list would include The Monkees, Weird Al, Men Without Hats, Martika, and The New Monkees. (There's a reason no one trusts us with anything.) But the actual list isn't bad! Some of our favorites from the 80s have been nominated again (come on, Pat Benatar and Devo). Dionne Warwick is back on the list too, because that's what psychic friends are for. Dolly Parton is a surprise first time nominee, and we certainly approve. (Why, we pour ourselves a cup of ambition here every week.) But we're probably most excited about Lionel Richie. Get off the floor, get on the ceiling, and let's do this. Hello. It's Lionel we're looking for.
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This week's promo: Monster Attack!
We love Canada, and we love goofy public service announcements, so Kornflake has rounded up a bunch of Canadian PSAs to watch and discuss. And while nothing can replace Schoolhouse Rock and Robolar from Mars in our hearts, these videos (mostly from the 80s, of course) are pretty fantastic. They include: anti-smoking cartoon aliens, puppet geese in hot air balloons, puppet mice with a giant mousetrap, Canadian pop stars and hockey players, a freaky bear from space, a mystery in the woods, a beheaded kid (don't worry, he's fine), a depressed television, an angry furnace, an amputated robot (also fine), and an astonishing "Drugs, Drugs, Drugs" conga line. Links to all these weird and wonderful PSAs are in the show notes, so we can all play along together. We might even learn a valuable lesson or two. But probably not.
Here you go, all the Canadian PSAs discussed in the show...
Canadian geese in hot air balloons...
Aliens who hate cigarettes...
Be nice, clear your ice...
Crazed anti-smoking bear with a rock band...
Particip-Action...
TV that doesn't want you to watch TV...
Canadian pop star Luba wants you to break free...
Drugs, Drugs, Drugs conga line...
Puppet mice and giant mousetrap...
Something will happen to you in the woods. We just don't know what...
Boating safety - just pretend you're on the water...
Beware the freaky singing furnace in your basement...
Puppets shouldn't put things in their puppet mouths...
Kid who loses his head...
1970s appliances are very angry about hot water...
And the return of Astar, the frequently amputated robot...
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This week's promos:
Thunder Talk!
NerdBliss!
Our first Top 4 1/2 List of the year was perhaps inspired by how crazy cold it's been here in Chickentown. The topic is... ice. We have some ice-themed 80s music (remember Australian band Icehouse?), some Karate Kid ice-breaking action, several ice-powered superheroes (from Marvel, DC, and even Pixar), and a bunch more icy oddities. So stay inside and enjoy. Have some coffee. But not iced coffee, unless you're as weird as Kornflake.
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This week's promos:
The Soul Forge Podcast!
Earth Station DCU!
Way too cold to leave the house, so today we're just flipping through another old issue of Dynamite, that classic magazine for kids of the 70s and 80s. (You could get Dynamite through the school book club or by subscription, so either your teacher or your mailman would know you're a huge nerd.) This issue is from 1981, and features an exclusive interview with Rick Springfield! (Rick is on the cover AND on a giant fold-out poster. Somebody's bedroom wall just got a lot dreamier.) Also inside: a Dark Crystal sneak preview, Brooke Shields and her Calvins, useless video game tips (your Gorf score is not likely to improve), the DynaMates pen pal service (surely a disaster in the making), more Dynamite Bummers (as lame as ever), a horse raffle (?), and a horrifying recipe for a rolled-up white bread pizza abomination. There, we read the whole thing for you, probably saving you 75 cents. Go buy a Twinkie or something.
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This week's promos:
Cosmic Pizza!
Metal Geeks!
Let's wrap up our annual two-part memorial show by getting through a long list of everyone we lost in the second half of 2021. From television, we have stars from The Andy Griffith Show, Night Court, Quantum Leap, Newhart... and a couple more (!) from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. From the world of music, we have members of ZZ Top and Kool & The Gang, rapper Biz Markie, a Rolling Stone, an Everly Brother... and yeah, a Monkee. And on and on it goes... there's the founder of Hands Across America... the voices behind Charlie in the Box and Billina the talking chicken... the writer of "I'm Just a Bill"... the Big Ragoo from Laverne and Shirley... the forgotten older brother from Happy Days... the World Wrestling Federation's Mr. Wonderful... and many more, including a certain beloved goddess from Saturday morning TV. Once again we recommend listening with a beverage close at hand. Kevin is sticking with coffee, while Kornflake has switched to the hard stuff. Because that's what Betty White would have wanted.
Links:
Speaking of Betty White, one of Kornflake's favorite animal rescue organizations is Almost Home Rescue - throw them a few bucks!
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This week's promo:
The Best Saturdays of Our Lives!
As usual we're kicking off the new year by looking back on everyone we lost in the old year. This week's show covers the first half of 2021, with many of our favorites from the world of pop culture and beyond. Including: The voice of Hermey the Elf, the designer of our all-time favorite Muppets (Yipyipyipyipyip), two of the stars of Midnight Run, two Saturday morning TV genies (Jambi and Weenie), a Supreme, a Bay City Roller, one of the greatest songwriters in rock history, the man inside Twiki the Buck Rogers robot... and Herb from WKRP. And of course, hitting especially close to home here at The Flopcast, we have a couple of stars from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, although we knew them better from later projects: Gavin MacLeod (The Love Boat's Captain Stubing) and Cloris Leachman (The Facts of Life, School House Rock, and everything else). Next week we'll wrap this up with Part 2. But for now, grab a beverage and join us. (Kevin has coffee and Kornflake has tea, but something a bit stronger would be appropriate too...)
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This week's promos:
Earth Station Trek!
Pop Culture Cosmos!
It's our final show of 2021! So we're just relaxing and looking back on another ridiculous year of Flopcasting. (Yikes, we spent a lot of time obsessing over The Facts of Life. And we're not quite done.) But we also have a couple of special guests, because this is our second annual holiday crossover with Brittany and Martha of But First, Let's Talk Nerdy! Kevin is on their show this week (BFLTN episode 64) discussing favorite Christmas songs. (Spoiler: It gets silly.) Meanwhile Brittany and Martha are here on The Flopcast talking about Christmas in Las Vegas, Mariah vs. Wham, Hermey vs. Yukon, White Elephants vs. Yankee Swaps, and what to do with all the wrapping paper. (Spoiler: Also silly.) Then we wrap up the show with another annual tradition, as Kevin and Kornflake reveal their New Year's Resolutions. Okay, see you in 2022. Bring coffee.
The other half of our holiday crossover event: Kevin joins Brittany and Martha on But First, Let's Talk Nerdy episode 64!
The American Sci-Fi Classics Track "Rankin v. Bass" Sci-Fighters tournament with Kevin, Kevin, Gary, and Joe!
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This week's promos:
NerdBliss!
The Monster Scifi Show!
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
Every year we're bombarded with dozens more ridiculous (and nearly identical) Christmas movies from Hallmark, Lifetime, Netflix, etc. It's a never-ending parade of big city ladies back in their quaint little home towns for the holidays, dealing with awkward high school reunions, struggling family businesses, lame Christmas pageants, secret cookie recipes, the occasional prince or princess, country music stars, miscellaneous Brady Bunch cast members, and handsome dudes in flannel who work at the local tinsel factory or whatever. Just can't take it anymore? Worry not. The Flopcast is here to save Christmas. We're taking these Christmas movies and randomly inserting classic Saturday morning cartoon characters to make them better. Or at least weirder. (Do we care about a Christmas movie starring Brooke Shields? Not really. But what if we added Captain Caveman? Ah, now we're in business...) So grab your remote and a giant cup of boozified egg nog, and let's get to work. Also: Kornflake recommends new holiday cartoons from Aardman Animations, while Kevin is still watching the old stuff. In fact, this week Kevin joins our friends at the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track for a Rankin/Bass character tournament that gets a little silly. (Will a Miser Brother end up in a duet with David Bowie? Hey, miracles happen most every day.)
The American Sci-Fi Classics Track "Rankin v. Bass" Sci-Fighters tournament with Kevin, Kevin, Gary, and Joe!
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This week's promos:
Blurred Nerds!
The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
Let's wrap up our look at the Saturday morning TV landscape of 1971! ABC's lineup was probably the strongest of the three networks, but it's still quite weird. There were classics like Road Runner and Jonny Quest, alongside oddities like Filmation's Jerry Lewis cartoon, the Rankin/Bass animated version of the Jackson 5, and more psychedelic Krofft craziness with the living hats of Lidsville. Hanna Barbera recycled its Scooby Doo "traveling teen" format with Funky Phantom, starring a ghost who sounded just like Snagglepuss. We're very curious about Curiosity Shop, of which little video evidence survives. But all we really need are live action secret agent apes... and we'll always have Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp.
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
To celebrate (just barely) our 500th episode, we decided to shove every single Flopcast segment into one extra-goofy show! Including: Chickens in the News (with more giant chicken topiary drama), our dumbest Top 4 1/2 List ever, National Whatever Day with one of the kids from Fame, a boozy edition of the Figgy Pudding Pages, a mini-FlopFight (starring Dionne Warwick and friends), an extra-festive round of Trapped in the House, a silly game hiding in a bag, the return of Capes or Apes, comic book trivia on Earth Station One, ElectraWoman and DynaGirl on The Batcave Podcast, a concert report starring Niki Luparelli and the Harvard Square Turkey, a convention report from Northeast Comic Con (with the stars of Lost in Space, Meatballs, and TV Guidance Counselor), a Facts of Life report that (shockingly) does not involve a backdoor pilot, and how The Sponge Awareness Foundation plans to rake in the big bucks for the holidays. It's a fast-paced, action-packed show in which you will learn absolutely nothing. But hey, thanks to everyone who has spent some or (yikes) all of the last 500 episodes being weird with us! Will we do another 500? Oh, yes. According to our parole officer, we sort of have to.
Comic book trivia with Kevin and the Council of Michaels on Earth Station One!
More ElectraWoman and DynaGirl talk on the Batcave Podcast with Kevin and John!
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This week's promos:
Monster Attack!
Epsilon Three!
Our examination of Saturday morning TV from fifty years ago continues with the NBC schedule, and it's one of the weirdest lineups we've found so far. Among familiar old favorites like Woody Woodpecker, Pink Panther, and Deputy Dawg, we encounter psychedelic Krofft reruns, a two-headed llama, a comeback from Mr. Wizard, an odd live action import from Australia, and not one but TWO rock bands of hippie insects. Pour yourself a giant bowl of Lucky Charms and join us. Also: Kornflake loves socks but never wears them, Letters to Cleo is back in Boston, Max Weinberg is taking requests, Kornflake used to set things on fire, Kevin used to work with a muskrat, and one of us enjoyed some pre-show martinis.
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This week's promos:
NerdBliss!
Thunder Talk!
We started our ridiculous Brat Pack tournament last week, and now it's time to settle things once and for all, like Swayze in Road House. A couple more Breakfast Club members enter the competition this time, along with the stars of 80s classics like Pretty in Pink, The Outsiders, Dirty Dancing, Red Dawn, and more. And because it's a FlopFight, we've added some weird twists involving Devo, Kenny Rogers, and Cap'n Crunch. If you've always dreamed of a world in which Demi Moore does battle with Anthony Michael Hall, then here you go. It's gonna get silly. And yes, DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track co-director Gary Mitchel is our special guest once again! And nobody puts Gary in the corner.
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The Mayor of Chickentown is on Earth Station Who episode 283!
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This week's promo: Metal Geeks!
Back in the 80s, whether you were hanging around St. Elmo's Bar or stuck in Saturday detention with the Breakfast Club, you could not avoid the Brat Pack. Those crazy kids were running wild in Hollywood, breaking hearts, listening to Simple Minds, and starring in every single John Hughes movie. And today we're throwing them all in a FlopFight tournament to determine the ultimate Brat Pack champion. Rob Lowe is an early favorite... Ally Sheedy could get some help from her Short Circuit robot buddy... but can anyone defeat Teen Queen Molly? We'll figure this out. In fact, we have a special guest expert on board: DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track co-director Gary Mitchel! And the silliness continues next week in Brat Pack FlopFight Part 2. So stay gold, and don't you forget about us.
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This week's promos:
Cosmic Pizza!
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
We're way overdue for another look at an old Saturday morning TV schedule, so let's see what the kids watched on CBS half a century ago while chomping on their Count Chocula. The CBS 1971 Saturday morning lineup included classics like Bugs Bunny (of course), Scooby Doo (the original version), and The Flintstones (reformatted to feature Pebbles and Bamm Bamm, and their modern stone age rock band). The Harlem Globetrotters had their own goofy cartoon, and were still a decade away from battling robots on Gilligan's Island. There were THREE separate cartoons based on Archie characters! (One had an odd connection to Dick Tracy, while another featured the singing voice of a future Charlie's Angel star.) Meanwhile, Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch! starred a freaky cartoon bear wearing a belt but no pants. And there's even a weird Hair Bear/Brady Bunch connection. So we are officially delighted. (We might even have a 50-year-old lunch box from one of these shows here at Chickentown Studios...) Plus: Our second concert review of the whole stupid year, because the farewell Monkees tour may be coming to your town! Also: Happy Birthday to Lou Ferrigno. We do actually like him when he's angry.
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This week's promo: The Soul Forge Podcast!
It's one of our dumbest ideas ever: This is episode 495, so we're discussing Interstate 495, the Massachusetts highway we've spent our whole lives driving up and down like idiots. 495 starts near Rhode Island (look out!) and ends near New Hampshire (oh no!). In between are lots of weird Massachusetts towns, which bring back lots of weird Massachusetts memories. So today's silly road trip includes: fake Pilgrims, the Thermometer Man, nerds at a football stadium, the early days of The Sponge Awareness Foundation, Kevin's 1990s open mic night (hope you like Jewel covers), Rubber Chicken Comics, midnight Snapple, the quest for clam cakes, apple orchards with free booze, the upcoming Northeast Comic Con (yikes, A.L. from Meatballs will be there), Kornflake's school days, mysterious pineapple glop on the beach, and zorbing. Also: Happy Birthday to The Karate Kid himself, Ralph Macchio. If he doesn't actually start to age sometime soon, we're gonna have to sweep the other leg.
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This week's promos:
The Best Saturdays of Our Lives!
Earth Station DCU!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
It's Halloween, but why not ignore the creepy neighbor kids and just enjoy our silly little show? (That sack of Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins you've been eyeballing all week? ALL YOURS.) Including: A festive round of "What's in the Bag," compliments of our friend Blasted Bill; Halloween Chickens in the News with Elvira, Mistress of the Dark; more Halloween Chickens in the News involving the secret history of candy corn; and Happy Birthday to the star of many seasonally appropriate movies, Winona Ryder. She was absolutely terrifying in Mermaids.
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This week's promos:
Double Edged Double Bill!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
We just can't stop reviewing "backdoor pilot" episodes of The Facts of Life, so here we go again. This time Blair and Jo are graduating from Eastland, and perhaps this could have led to a spinoff series set at nearby Langley College. It didn't, of course, but it's still a fun two-part episode. We meet several new girls: Alexandra could have been a new Blair-type character at Eastland, while the graduating Emily, Bonnie, and Lisa could have joined a new cast at Langley. (For Lisa, life is a series of shoe problems. She could have become the most psychologically troubled sitcom character since Jan Brady.) We also have Mrs. Garrett juggling dozens of Jello molds and hundreds of pineapples, Roy the creepy bread delivery boy, a bizarre flashback sequence, Tootie seemingly in charge of the whole graduation ceremony, and the trouble with tassels. Also: We wish a Happy Birthday to Mork & Mindy's Pam Dawber, Kevin is on Gleaming the Tube and Earth Station One, and Kornflake is hiding under a giant pile of blankets.
Kevin, Kevin, and Mike talking Wonder Woman on Gleaming the Tube!
Kevin, Mike, and Mike talking Monkees on Earth Station One!
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This week's promos:
Ring of Thunder!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Just a silly mix of subjects this week, including: The new Monster Mash cereal (we might not eat it, but we still love it), Kornflake's concert report on Lindsey Stirling (she plays the violin while hanging upside down blindfolded; what more do you want?), Daryl Hall's birthday, Clint Eastwood's chicken movie, a correction from last week (sorry, Woonsocket), and the plan for next week. (Hint: Blair and Tootie are involved.)
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This week's promos:
Earth Station One!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Our friend Kevin Cafferty is back for a Top 4 1/2 List dedicated to our favorite weird city: Woonsocket, Rhode Island! Both Kevin and Kevin (lot of Kevins on the show this week) spent way too much time in Woonsocket back in the 80s, and remember it all too well. Our conversation includes: Fine Woonsocket dining (weiners and coffee milk, fish and chips, egg rolls and jazz), movies at the Stadium Theatre and Cinemas 1-2-3 (and 4), thrift shopping at the flea market and Joe's Moldy Oldies, Pac-Man at Pizza Hut, Donkey Kong Junior at Social Donut, crazy Rhode Island cable TV shows, the majesty of Autumnfest, and lots more northern Rhode Island weirdness. (When you've had enough, you can slip right over the border to Massachusetts. It's pretty weird there too.)
Check out Kevin Cafferty's podcasts:
Gleaming the Tube!
Let's Get Chatty About David and Maddie!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promos:
Thunder Talk!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
The subject of today's Top 4 1/2 List is, uh, whistling. We're still not sure why. But it's a fun list, including a classic TV theme song, a Bangles song, a bizarre Boston clown, a Muppet, a Guardian of the Galaxy, and lots more whistling weirdness. (We somehow missed the Frosty the Snowman traffic cop who swallows his whistle. Oops.) And we assure you, this show contains no actual whistling, so you may proceed with confidence. Your dog won't freak out. Also: National Drink Beer Day is this week! So go ahead and wet your whistle. Or your whistlepig. Your choice.
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This week's promos:
NerdBliss!
Pop Culture Cosmos!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Our ten-part celebration of the 80s concludes, just as the 80s did, with 1989. Top 40 radio was ruled by Milli Vanilli, the New Kids, and hair metal. It was a problem. But at least we had telepathic Australian dolphins, thanks to Kornflake's favorite short-lived TV show, Dolphin Cove. Kornflake also has a list of celebrities who showed up for 1989's Circus of the Stars. (Was the cast of Growing Pains mauled by a tiger? Hey, we can dream...) And we're celebrating the 50th birthday of Alfonso Ribeiro, star of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Silver Spoons, and goofy breakdancing ads. Also: Chickens in the News brings us all the way to a New Zealand preschool, where the safety of the children has been entrusted to a clueless hen. We approve.
Kevin's defense of Legends of the Superheroes in Classic Sci-Fi Court!
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This week's promos:
The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown are back from Atlanta with a full report on DragonCon, where they joined all the masked and vaccinated nerds for a long silly Labor Day weekend. They had a busy schedule of panels, presentations, and events, and our discussion includes: The Suicide Squad, Smallville, Doctor Who, Pennyworth, DragonCon mead, Saturday Morning Live Roll-a-Panel, Classic Sci-Fi Court, burrito detectors, Fargo, John Scalzi, Louis Gossett Jr., Howard the Duck ribbons, The Geek Girls Run, A Discovery of Witches, The Justice Society of America, the Battle of the Fictional Bands, pizza pie with Kate from Strange Animals Podcast, Kevin's Digital Media panel mishap, and a million Loki variants everywhere you look. But the highlight for us was spending time onstage and offstage with Land of the Lost's original Will and Holly, Wesley Eure and Kathleen Coleman. (And an actual Sleestak too!) Hopefully the world will be less horrifying in time for DragonCon 2022, but meanwhile the geeks figured out how to make it work. Also this week: Happy Birthday to Amy Poehler, and the only part of 1988 that Kornflake remembers is Kylie Minogue.
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This week's promos:
Earth Station Trek!
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Our ten-part celebration of the 80s brings us back to 1987 this week. For most of us, 1987 means Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise... and that's all. But the year had even more to offer, if you poke around enough. So first we take a quick look at the Billboard chart from this week in 1987, and find more questions than answers: Did Diane Warren write every hit song in the 1980s, or just most of them? Who had better hair, Richard Marx or the guy from Europe? And can most of society's ills be blamed on Starship? Then we examine the TV shows that debuted in 1987, and it's quite a list. Some long-running shows got started, such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, Full House, and Married... with Children. (The entire Fox Network started this year, actually, including those crude early Simpsons shorts...) Then there's the short-lived weird stuff: Max Headroom, My Two Dads, Beauty and the Beast, The Charmings, Out of This World (this is the one with the alien girl, not the robot girl), Roomies (Burt Young and Corey Haim, together at last), The Highwayman (Flash Gordon as a futuristic trucker), She's the Sheriff (Suzanne Somers as... you know), and lots more. Next week we'll be back from Atlanta to report on every crazy thing that happened at DragonCon. Meanwhile, enjoy 1987. Say hi to Debbie and Tiffany for us.
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This week's promos:
Blurred Nerds!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
DragonCon, our very favorite annual gathering of the geeks, was a virtual-only event last year. But this year we're creeping back down to Atlanta and doing it for real! It'll be (mostly) business as usual: five days of nonstop panels, concerts, gaming, costumes, and all manner of nerdy fun. Celebrity guests include actors from Doctor Who, Star Trek, Smallville, Batwoman, Pinky and the Brain, Superman and Lois, and (our favorite) Land of the Lost. Safety protocols are in place, so if you're masked, vaccinated, and know how to play well with others, come on down. Kevin will be busy again this year with lots of silly panels and presentations, and we run through his whole schedule. (Warning: Since this episode was recorded, that schedule has already changed. Check our social media posts for the corrected version.) And we have new Flopcast badge ribbons for you too! (Also on this week's episode: Television of 1986, the Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon, and Barry Gibb's beard.) See you at DragonCon! Beware of Sleestak. And, you know, everything else.
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This week's promos:
The Monster Scifi Show!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Our ten-episode salute to the 80s creeps along with a quick look at the pop chart from this week in 1985! Dire Straits were computer-animated movers, Phil Collins was an Ocasek-style housefly, Wham met a weird kid in China, and Casey Kasem was very angry about the Pointer Sisters. Then we flip through a summer 1985 issue of Mad magazine, featuring a movie parody (Witness), a TV parody (Kate & Allie), a song parody (We Are the World), hippies vs. yuppies, Beta vs. VHS, Don Martin vs. the Boston Celtics, and lots of cartoon naked people. Also this week: For the first time in a million years, we sneaked out of our underground Chickentown bunker for some actual live music! We were double-masked and socially distant, but we attended the long-delayed album release show from our favorite synthpop band, Freezepop! (Also performing were impressive local metal band Worshipper and our glam rock heroes Sidewalk Driver!) Plus: Stifler's mom's birthday, more Suicide Squad talk with Earth Station DCU, and the Flopcast couch-to-5K-to-intense-pain training program.
More Suicide Squad talk on Earth Station DCU!
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This week's promos:
The 42cast!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Welcome to our TENTH annual summer robot Top 4 1/2 List! (It's an odd tradition, but it's all we have.) This year's theme is... 80s robots. Of course, lots of notable 80s robots have appeared on previous lists, so they're not included this time (sorry, Johnny 5) to make room for some all-new, all-weird entries. We have robots from 80s cartoons, 80s television, 80s movies, 80s commercials, and even a bizarre 80s PSA from Canada. In the 1980s, robots were completely ridiculous, and we loved them, so let's count them down. Also: The music and movies of 1984, Earth Station One's review of The Suicide Squad, and nerds on a roller coaster.
Earth Station One reviews The Suicide Squad!
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This week's promos:
Metal Geeks!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
We're celebrating 1983, which the history books already call "the year of Mr. Roboto, and not much else." But we did notice that a bunch of actors who played comic book characters (Spider-Man, Thor, Superman, Lois, Luthor, Wonder Woman, and more) were born that year. And we run through some our favorite 1983 movies (DC Cab, The Outsiders, Wargames), 1983 comics books (Batman and the Outsiders, Omega Men, Alpha Flight), and 1983 music (new wave, new wave, and new wave). Also: The Kiss guys take the makeup off, the Teen Titans replace Robin with the Protector, Kornflake rides a party bus to Hooters, and we have questions about the anatomy of the Kool-Aid Man.
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This week's promos:
The Soul Forge Podcast!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
We're up to 1982 in our series of 80s-themed episodes, and it's time to review another Facts of Life backdoor pilot! This one looks eerily similar to a previous backdoor pilot, as the boys of Stone Academy get another shot at a spinoff series! But this time instead of a school dance, the plot involves a school boxing tournament. (Back in 1982, viewers probably thought they were watching Rocky III.) And the cast has been expanded to include a pretty nurse, a scary kid named Mongo (probably working for Ming the Merciless), a cameo by (then unknown) Crispin Glover, and 80s supernerd Eddie Deezen! (You know Eddie from Grease, Wargames, and a billion other things. He out-nerds us all.) Did it all work? Of course not. But it's magnificent. Also: 80s trivia with the ESO Network Board of Directors, and Happy Birthday to Tootie's real life mom. Next week: 1983. Of course.
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This week's promos:
Earth Station DCU!
Doctor Geek's (NEW!) vaccination PSA!
FumpFest!
Our ten-part series about the 1980s continues with a look at all the TV shows that debuted in 1981! Prime time soaps were on the rise (Dynasty, Falcon Crest), the Six Million Dollar Man became the Fall Guy, and Hill Street Blues premiered alongside 600 other (instantly forgotten) detective shows. We had a Brady Bunch spin-off (with Marcia, Jan, and their goofy husbands), a Jeffersons spin-off (Florence gets her own show... for a month), and an almost-but-not-quite Little House on the Prairie spin-off (the even-weirder-in-retrospect Father Murphy). Only one long-running sitcom started in 1981, and it was... Gimme a Break! (Congratulations to Ms. Carter and Mr. Sweet.) Love, Sidney and Private Benjamin lasted a couple of years, which isn't bad compared to the stuff only Kevin remembers, like Best of the West and Open All Night. Then there were some truly obscure short-lived oddities starring Gabe Kaplan, Sam Jones, and the Smothers Brothers. It was a weird year, but that's how we like it. And we give special attention to our favorite 1981 series, The Greatest American Hero. Kornflake saw the extra-long pilot episode for the first time just this week. Believe it or not.
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This week's promos:
Cosmic Pizza!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
We're kicking off ten weeks of 80s-themed shows... because when do we ever get to talk about the 80s around here? And this week we're looking at the year 1980. It was the year that brought us Flash Gordon, Caddyshack, Pac-Man, the Rubik's Cube, and a cheater in the Boston Marathon. (Some of us also cheated at the Rubik's Cube...) We also review the Billboard pop chart for this week in 1980, and find Billy Joel's first number one song, a couple of Xanadu favorites from Olivia and ELO, country rock from Eddie Rabbitt, early new wave from Gary Numan, and just a massive heap of yacht rock. (So... much... Ambrosia.) Also this week: Taskmaster is a Black Widow villain AND Kornflake's favorite game show; Baby Yoda is a Chia Pet; and Happy Birthday to our favorite Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter. All the world is waiting for you.
More Flopcast 1980 talk! Kevin and the Mayor covered new 1980 TV shows in Flopcast 408 and 409!
And Kevin and Kornflake reviewed 1980 Saturday morning TV in Flopcast 417, 419, and 421!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promos:
The Best Saturdays of Our Lives!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
With the long-delayed release of Black Widow this week, many humans finally returned to actual movie theaters, where the $14 boxes of Raisinets had been waiting patiently since last year. Meanwhile Kevin and Kornflake are flopping back to 35 years ago, when the only Marvel movie in theaters was... Howard the Duck. We run through a big crazy list of movies from 1986, including some all-time favorites (Stand by Me, Karate Kid Part II), science fiction classics (Aliens, Star Trek IV), fantasy classics (Big Trouble in Little China, Labyrinth), and random oddities (Maximum Overdrive, My Chauffeur). The Brat Pack was out of control, Molly was pretty in pink, Kevin Bacon was a bike messenger, Jeff Goldblum was a fly, Johnny 5 was alive, Rodney went back to school, Ferris did not, Peggy Sue got married, and Audrey II just wanted to be fed. Yikes. In 1986, the only time we left the theater was when the government forced us to participate in Hands Across America. Also this week: Kornflake brings you... the Weird Eyeball Game. Talk to your favorite optician before playing.
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promos:
Double Edged Double Bill!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Just some miscellaneous silly talk this week, including: Kickball with Kornflake; cursing your enemies with R2D2 ceramics; TV talk (we recommend Girls5eva, Rutherford Falls, We Are Lady Parts, and This Way Up); punk rock with The Linda Lindas; crazy screaming peacocks; fun with a giant book of 80s pop chart stats; fun with Wallace and Gromit on Earth Station One; Happy Birthday to the kid from One Day at a Time and Jennifer Slept Here; and after an entire year (!), as demanded by absolutely no one... the return of Chickens in the News.
Kornflake talking Wallace and Gromit on Earth Station One!
And our regular links...
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promos:
Nerdbliss!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Kevin and Kornflake are enjoying the new comic book-based Netflix show Sweet Tooth (we like hybrids), and we have an entire "sweet"-themed Top 4 1/2 List just for you. Our list includes cheap Halloween candy (of course), as well as a Sweet sitcom star, a cartoon dog, 90s music, a giant Muppet, and lots more silly sweet stuff. Your dentist will hate this episode. (Except for the part about Air Supply, based on the music they play in their waiting room.) Also: We have a major correction from last week (sorry, Family Ties star Michael Gross), we've seen a combined total of two Mel Brooks movies (are you impressed?), and we've been hanging around the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track again.
Flopcast Train Talk with Ed! Part 1 and Part 2
American Sci-Fi Classics panels:
Joe's Birthday Potluck!
From Darth Vader to Darkseid: Sci-Fi Dads!
And our regular links...
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promos:
Ring of Thunder!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
For the first time in a billion years, we have actual live human guests at Chickentown Studios! (Remember talking to people not on Zoom? Yeah, it's weird.) Brittany and Martha are here, from our sister podcast But First, Let's Talk Nerdy! We're celebrating their first year of podcasting by recalling some of the silliest moments in But First, Let's Talk Nerdy history. Including: The Coast Guard vs. the Sea Police, Archie vs. Gumby, eating your twin, fake movie blood recipes, squished pennies, Luna the Dragon, Rudolph bleeps, disturbing kangaroo videos, the man in your ceiling, and an impromptu Britney Spears parody about an evil wrinkly purple guy. So crack open a hard seltzer (we sure did) and hop aboard this train to Memory City (what?) before our favorite nerdy girls head back to Vegas. (Hey, Kevin is a guest on their show this week too! And before you ask: Yes, of course we talk about sentient pants.) Also: Kornflake is here with National Whatever Day, and she has some startling Family Ties trivia. Sha la la la.
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy Episode 55 - Kevin joins Brittany and Martha for a cryptid-themed show!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promos:
Earth Station One!
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Yes, we're still examining every "backdoor pilot" episode of The Facts of Life, and we've arrived at "Jo's Cousin," which features, you know, Jo's cousin. She's 14-year-old aspiring mechanic Terry, played by the star of Kornflake's beloved Anne of Green Gables! We also meet Terry's angry father (you know him from Soap and Battlestar Galactica), her goofy brothers (including the star of Meatballs Part II), and their creepy friend (from the creepy classic Hardbodies). Armed with a Laura Ingalls dress and makeup advice from Blair, Terry arrives at her birthday dinner, everybody freaks out, and hilarity sort of ensues. Did this episode launch a successful spin-off series? Of course not. But do we love it anyway? You bet. Also discussed along the way: Jo vs. Amtrak, short-lived Italian family sitcoms (Mama Malone, The Tortellis, The Fanelli Boys), Birdie the Early Bird, mailing your children, and the horrors of early 80s frozen pizza.
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This week's promo: Blurred Nerds!
This week's other promo: Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
We'd been meaning to do a roller-skating-themed show for years, and it's finally here, in convenient Top 4 1/2 List format! We're listing our favorite roller-skating scenes and characters from movies and TV of the last half century. Plenty of skating humans, of course, but also some goofy Hanna Barbera skating birds, and one big weird wildebeest who is absolutely a zoo animal on wheels. And if you think there's a chance we forgot to include a certain Facts of Life girl, this must be your very first Flopcast. Welcome. Time to lace up those stupid skates, hit your favorite rink, and wander in circles all night like it's 1983. Birthday girl Bonnie Tyler will supply an appropriate soundtrack, and Dazzler (the roller-disco queen of Marvel Comics) has a mutant-powered light show just for you.
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This week's promo: Con Guy!
This week's other promo: Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
As a follow-up to our recent look at the Boston music scene of the 80s, let's move on to the 90s! And let's also move slightly south, to Rhode Island! (State motto: We're tiny, but we're also quite odd.) Another special guest is here too: filmmaker (It's a Bash!), podcaster (Gleaming the Tube), and longtime friend of the Flopcast Kevin Cafferty! Kevin and Kevin (this is gonna get confusing) both spent the 90s lurking around the filthy rock clubs of Providence, and recall long crazy nights at places like The Living Room, The Strand, Club Babyhead, and Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel. We saw a million local punk bands, spent time with several soon-to-be-famous performers (Green Day, Joan Osborne, Elliott Smith), and attended some ridiculously 1990s concerts (Spice Girls, No Doubt, Better Than Ezra). Meanwhile Kornflake was a couple of states away, figuring out how to sneak into Barenaked Ladies shows. Also: Late nights at Haven Brothers Diner (serving non-sober Rhode Islanders since 1893); Kevin Cafferty in a John Cafferty music video; Weird Al all alone on a Rhode Island roller coaster; and the mysterious connection between Rob Liefeld, The Aquabats, and Kenny G.
It's a Bash! is the documentary about Providence punk band Neutral Nation - produced by Kevin Cafferty and directed by David Bettencourt!
Gleaming the Tube is Kevin and Mike's podcast about skateboarding in movies!
There is indeed a movie about Providence's legendary Haven Brothers Diner!
"Small Town Girl" by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band - with Kevin Cafferty cameo!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: Pop Culture Cosmos!
This week's other promo: Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
If you were a 70s/80s kid who wanted to know what was really going on, you ordered Dynamite magazine through your school book club. Today we're flipping through the December 1979 issue of Dynamite, with Steve Martin on the cover. And hey, Steve's first (and come on, best) movie The Jerk premiered that same month! Which 70s celebrity did Steve enjoy playing horseshoes with? The answer will shock you. Also in this issue of Dynamite: world record grape-catching; disgusting popcorn beverages; Hollywood gossip about Superman, Miss Piggy, Kiss, and Erik Estrada; disco vs. rock; how to levitate with Magic Wanda; an especially lame batch of Dynamite Bummers; and lots more late 70s silliness. Also: The ESO Network's Doctor Geek has a new vaccination PSA, Kevin AND Kornflake are talking science fiction dogs with the American Sci-Fi Classics Track, rare video from the Sid and Marty Krofft theme park has resurfaced, Baby Yoda is a Chia Pet, and Happy Birthday to Paul Bettany (aka Vision in a turkey suit).
Kevin and Kornflake together at last on a Classics Track panel, to discuss DOGS IN SCIENCE FICTION!
The long lost Krofft theme park documentary!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
This week's other promo: Doctor Geek's vaccination PSA!
Happy Anniversary to us! (If you can hear Barney Rubble singing, our work is done.) We've been Flopcasting for nine long silly years, and we're celebrating with a special guest: Earth Station One co-host (and Tiki Zombie writer/publisher) Mike Gordon! Mike is from Massachusetts just like us, so we discuss growing up around the Boston music scene. Including: Boston radio (the Top 40 of Kiss 108 vs. The Rock of Boston, WBCN); our early concert experiences (were Kevin and Mike at the same concert way back in 1987, and was a giant robot there too?); the 70s Boston bands that conquered the world (Aerosmith, J. Geils, The Cars, and you know, Boston); the 80s music video era (experienced pre-cable through Friday Night Videos, obscure UHF shows, and our beloved V-66); the alt-rock scene of the 90s, when the women took over (Juliana Hatfield, Letters to Cleo, Belly); and our Boston favorites these days (such as Freezepop, Sidewalk Driver, and Carissa Johnson). Also: New stuff in the ESO Network TeePublic store from our sister podcast But First, Let's Talk Nerdy, and Kornflake reminds us that it's a very good idea to drink with chickens.
Find Mike Gordon on Earth Station One, Earth Station Who, and The DragonCon Report!
Tiki Zombie and more from Mike at New Legend Productions!
The ESO TeePublic store!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: DragonCon Report!
Our ongoing analysis of every "backdoor pilot" episode of The Facts of Life continues, and we're creeping back to March 1982. "Pac-Man Fever" was on the radio, Porky's ruled the box office, and our Facts of Life girls met the boys at Stone Academy. The plan was to launch a spinoff series set at this military school. That didn't happen, of course, despite a strong cast of young actors from 70s/80s classics like The Bad News Bears, Silver Spoons, James at 16, Soap, Jennifer Slept Here, and Kornflake's beloved Combat Academy. Will one of the boys sneak out of the big dance with Blair and squish into Mrs. Garrett's tiny VW Bug? And then will absolutely nothing happen? Let's find out. Also: Happy Birthday to Facts of Life stars Mackenzie Astin (Andy) AND Kim Fields (Tootie)! (By the way, Tootie's giant fancy dress from this episode deserved its own backdoor pilot.)
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
Time for some bike talk, because spring is here, and we've taken to the mean streets of Chickentown on our shiny new bikes, like Kevin Bacon in Quicksilver and Nicole Kidman in BMX Bandits. We're not quite as accessorized as Pee Wee Herman, but hopefully we'll find some goofy license plates in our next box of Honey Comb cereal. Also: Our first vaccination appointments somehow involved turkeys and kangaroos; National Cartoonists Day has us pondering the weirdness of Heathcliff; the ESO Network Board of Directors is bored silly about The Love Boat (you're welcome!); and Happy Anniversary to our sister podcast But First, Let's Talk Nerdy, where they've been furious about the Marvel Cinematic Universe for an entire year.
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy anniversary rant episodes 50-M and 50-B!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: Thunder Talk!
Time to wrap up our latest exciting and stupid FlopFight tournament! Only one member of the Love Boat cast shall survive! Your classic Love Boat crew is here, of course, including Isaac the bartender, Julie the cruise director, and Gopher the... whatever it is that Gopher does. A few lesser known characters get to play too, including stars from Happy Days, Spenser: For Hire, and, uh, Blame It on Rio. And because it's a FlopFight, things get a little weird, and the competition also involves superheroes, variety shows, robots, and kangaroos. Once again we're joined by your ship's DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track Director, Joe Crowe! Hey, maybe Joe will favor us with another impression of Tattoo from Fantasy Island! It's the Love Boat, kids, and all your crazy piña colada-fueled dreams are coming true.
DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track on Facebook and YouTube!
Joe Crowe on Twitter!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: Pop Culture Cosmos!
Come aboard, we're expecting you for a Love Boat edition of our ridiculous tournament, the FlopFight! And we're joined by a special guest who knows a thing or two about ridiculous tournaments: DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track Director Joe Crowe! With Joe on board, we'll figure out which Pacific Princess crew member will survive to celebrate on the Aloha deck with a 1970s cocktail from Isaac's bar. Captain Stubing is an easy favorite, of course -- a respected commander, despite the silly white shorts. But perhaps the Captain's daughter Vicki can sneak in with a surprise victory. And let's not forget... the Charo factor. Anything goes in a FlopFight, so Gopher only knows what's gonna happen. This week's winner advances to the final round next week. Set a course for adventure and join us. Just don't let any weird celebrity guests into your cabin.
DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track on Facebook and YouTube!
Joe Crowe on Twitter!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
It's another "66" episode, which always reminds us of V66, Boston's late great 1980s music video channel. (You've all seen the documentary Life on the V, right? RIGHT?) This time we decided to party like it's 1985 and watch a bunch of music videos from the V66 era. If you want to jump on YouTube and watch along with us, VJ Kornflake's playlist is: "Obsession" by Animotion, "Invincible" by Pat Benatar, "Live is Life" by Opus (???), "Dancing on the Ceiling" by Lionel Richie, "Goonies R Good Enough" by Cyndi Lauper, and "A View to a Kill" by Duran Duran. Or just relax and enjoy our idiotic commentary. V66 didn't last long; it was soon replaced by the Home Shopping Network, because Bostonians desperately needed cubic zirconia. But we'll keep staring at these goofy videos forever, even if Rowdy Roddy Piper only appears in some of them. Also this week: Comic book trivia with Earth Station One, a DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track panel about rabbits (?), and Happy Birthday to 80s naughty girl Samantha Fox.
The V66 documentary, Life on the V!
Eric's latest short documentary, Video Visions!
Kevin is back on Earth Station One for comic book trivia!
The American Sci-Fi Classics Track bunny panel!
VJ Kornflake's 1985 music video playlist:
"Obsession" by Animotion
"Invincible" by Pat Benatar
"Live is Life" by Opus
"Dancing on the Ceiling" by Lionel Richie
"Goonies R Good Enough" by Cyndi Lauper
"A View to a Kill" by Duran Duran
And our regular links...
The Flopcast website!
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Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts!
Email: info@flopcast.net
Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: Double Edged Double Bill!
This week's other promo: Timestreams!
For no good reason, the name "Johnny" is the subject of our latest Top 4 1/2 List. (Has it been a slow week around here? What do you think?) We have characters named Johnny from movies, TV, songs, and even more goofy DC comic books. There might even be a robot on the list, since Ally Sheedy assures us that Johnny 5 is very much alive. Plus: Dueling Johnny songs from Chuck Berry and Men at Work, dueling Johnny songs from El DeBarge and "Weird Al" Yankovic, Greg Brady vs. Johnny Bravo, Charlie the Tuna vs. Mr. Peanut (?), and more. Did we miss your favorite Johnny? Let us know! The best way to reach us is by canal. Just ask Johnny Canal.
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This week's promo: The Best Saturdays of Our Lives!
Our examination of every "backdoor pilot" episode of The Facts of Life continues... because we know what the people want. "Brian and Sylvia" was an odd 1981 attempt at a Facts of Life spinoff series. The premise: Tootie's Aunt Sylvia is a Buffalo TV news anchor, and Brian is her husband, a hockey coach played by pre-MacGyver Richard Dean Anderson. So if you're looking for early 80s mixed-marriage jokes that have not aged particularly well, this sitcom delivers the goods. Our conversation somehow also includes Willona from Good Times, the short-lived Sanford and Son spinoff Grady, a weird Thanksgiving at Plimoth Plantation, suffering through Godspell in junior high, and Tootie's aunt as a space princess on Jason of Star Command. Also: Kornflake is on Earth Station One (to discuss The Commitments), Kevin is on The DragonCon Report (to discuss, you know, DragonCon), and it's World Backup Day. So back up.
Kornflake on Earth Station One!
The DragonCon Report!
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Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation!
This week's promo: Earth Station Trek!
Quick show this week (because we're exhausted), including: Kornflake at virtual MarsCon; Kornflake and Kevin in a silly new music video (from Power Salad and the great Luke Ski); baseball, blues, and spider movies with William Shatner; old TV talk (Facts of Life, Leave It to Beaver); new TV talk (WandaVision, Ted Lasso, Taskmaster); and for the first time in eight years, Kevin was right about something.
MarsCon Comedy Music Track: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!
"Red Beans and Rice" video by Power Salad and Luke Ski (with a cameo by your goofy Flopcast hosts)!
And our regular links...
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This week's promo: The Soul Forge Podcast!
For more than 80 years, DC Comics has brought us legends like Wonder Woman and Batman... as well as sillier characters like Kite Man and Bat Mite. There's a long rich history of goofy characters at DC, and we love them all. So that's the subject of our latest Top 4 1/2 List: goofy DC characters. And we invited an expert to play along: Drew, co-host of the Earth Station DCU podcast! Our goofy list includes some Bat-villains, of course, as well as a crime-fighting chimpanzee, a teen president, a hippie mannequin, dogs in space, cab drivers in space, and more. This could have been a Top 400 List, because we didn't even get around to Matter Eater Lad, Mr. Tawky Tawny, Quisp, Bird-Boy, Mer-Boy, and all the residents of the Bizarro World. In fact, this episode just might go on forever... unless you can trick us into saying "Kltpzyxm."
Drew and Cletus talk DC Comics every week on Earth Station DCU!
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This week's promo: Metal Geeks!
This week's other promo: ESO Network Patreon!
Twenty years ago, Kevin and Kornflake first visited the great state of Michigan for the comedy music convention Dementia 2001! (Kevin's band The Sponge Awareness Foundation performed, then quickly returned to their rightful place in total obscurity.) And our guest this week is the organizer of Dementia 2001, our old friend Blasted Bill! We're talking weird Michigan trivia with Bill, and the conversation includes the invention of breakfast cereal (all thanks to Cornelius the Corn Flakes rooster), fun with soda (or "pop," as the locals call it), Yoopers vs. Trolls, a post office that floats, painted turtles, angry dentists, Freaks and Geeks, Dave Coulier, and lots more Upper Midwest silliness. Blasted Bill is largely responsible for The Flopcast even existing (though he's understandably reluctant to admit it), so we're happy he could join us and help Michiganify the show. (Here's one more fun fact just for you: Michigan is not actually the most mitten-shaped state. That honor goes to Wyoming. Assuming you have freakish rectangle-hands. And we think you do.)
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This week's promo: We Be Geeks!
This week's other promo: MarsCon!
"The Backs of Life" is our stupid new project for the stupid new year! The plan is to examine each "backdoor pilot" episode of The Facts of Life in excruciating detail. (You know backdoor pilots. It's when an episode of an existing TV show is used to introduce a potential new spin-off show. This happened on The Facts of Life... a lot.) But we're starting with a 1979 episode of Diff'rent Strokes (season 1, episode 24, "The Girls School"), because The Facts of Life itself started there as a backdoor pilot. Thrill to Mrs. Garrett making the move from housekeeper (for a rich dude) to housemother (for a bunch of crazy girls). We meet some future Facts of Life regulars (Blair with a cigarette! Tootie on rollerskates! MOLLY RINGWALD!), some girls we'd never see again (Jennifer? Laura?), and a headmaster played by the cranky guy from The Bob Newhart Show. We also get generic disco music, a frog named Leon, Dana Plato as a ballerina (sort of), Gary Coleman in a donkey costume, and another mysterious Fake Brady Girl connection. Also: More TV talk with ESO Board Silly, more Rock and Roll Hall of Fame talk with Pop Culture Cosmos, Happy 100th Episode to The 42cast, and Happy Birthday to a Cobra Kai sensei.
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This week's promo: Cosmic Pizza!
This week's other promo: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
Inspired by the discovery of some ancient Sponge Awareness Foundation music, we're flashing back to the very early 90s - specifically, this week in February 1990. Top 40 radio was dominated by pop/R&B ladies like Janet Jackson, Expose, and (along with our hero MC Skat Kat) Paula Abdul. At the movies, your options ranged all the way from Clive Barker horror to a Disney mermaid. And a weird week of television included a Love Boat reunion movie (with Rowdy Roddy Piper!), a very special Saturday Night Live (Wayne and Garth meet Aerosmith!), episode six of The Simpsons (introducing Bleeding Gums Murphy!), and a bizarre Brady Bunch revival (with Martha Quinn and Fake Marcia!). Our beloved 1980s were just a few weeks behind us, but there was no turning back. Before long, we'd settle into a steady diet of Crystal Pepsi and Zima, and hope for the best. Also: We unveil a Flopcast project that starts next week and includes a homework assignment for you. (Most homework assignments do not involve goofy old sitcoms, but this one totally does.)
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This week's promo: Nerdbliss!
Longtime Flopcast listeners (those poor souls) know that every year we examine the new list of nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, even though it's stupid. But this year's list is surprisingly strong and diverse, and includes some Flopcast favorites. (Our beloved Go-Go's are way overdue for induction. And as society collapses right on schedule, we must acknowledge Devo. They warned us.) And hey, Tina Turner had better make the final cut, or we'll see you in the Thunderdome. Also: William Katt has a greatest American birthday, the Mayor of Chickentown returns to Oz, and the retro video game-style Flopcast t-shirt is suddenly a thing that exists.
The American Sci-Fi Classics Return to Oz panel, with the Mayor of Chickentown!
The ESO Network TeePublic store has a new Flopcast t-shirt!
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This week's promo: Earth Station One!
This week's other promo: MarsCon!
Let's wrap up our Facts of Life FlopFight, the tournament that somehow captures all the excitement of a girls' school and/or a gourmet food shop. Our combatants include the classic four Facts of Life girls (Blair, Jo, Natalie, Tootie), the lesser known Facts of Life girls (if you can possibly consider Molly Ringwald "lesser known"), and even a couple of Facts of Life guys (one of whom may have become a huge movie star). Only one shall survive; for the rest, the world never seems to be living up to their dreams. And because it's a FlopFight, this tournament involves chicken suits, submarines, candlepin bowling, ducks, and other perfectly normal competitions. Also: Happy Birthday to a Canadian pop star, Kornflake makes her DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track panel debut, and we say farewell to the legendary Cloris Leachman.
The American Sci-Fi Classics Track panel on The Last Unicorn and 70s Animated Fantasy, featuring Kornflake!
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
Our latest FlopFight brings us to Peekskill, New York, home of (in '80s sitcom land, at least) Eastland School for Girls, Langley College, Edna's Edibles, and Over Our Heads. Yes, this is a Facts of Life FlopFight. We're taking the good, taking the bad, and putting the Facts of Life cast through a series of bizarre competitions in a silly tournament of our own design. Will Blair come out on top, thanks to another one of her brilliant ideas? Will Tootie roller-skate her way to victory? Let's find out. Also: Happy Birthday to the star of Kornflake's favorite goofy made-for-TV movie! Kevin is on Earth Station One to discuss the Justice Society of America! Kornflake and Jacob's album (appropriately titled I Don't Know What You're Talking About!) is now on Bandcamp! And their songs can also be heard on Manic Mondays and the MarsCon Comedy Music Track fundraiser album! Next week: Our competition continues, as suddenly we're finding out that this FlopFight is all about you.
Kevin is back on Earth Station One to discuss the Justice Society of America!
Hear a Kornflake and Jacob song on Manic Mondays episode 710!
Kornflake and Jacob's album is now available on Bandcamp!
And more Kornflake and Jacob (LIVE!) tracks are on the new MarsCon Comedy Music Track Fundraiser album!
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This week's promo: Rusted Robot!
Let's flip through another old issue of Dynamite, the magazine all the cool kids of the 70s and 80s faithfully ordered through the school book club. (Ah, the book club... the reason your teacher had to spend half the day counting nickels...) And for no particular reason, we're looking at a 1980 issue with a cover story about Benji ("Hollywood's Top Dog"). At this time Benji was starring in a Chevy Chase movie, but would soon conquer Saturday morning TV with the bizarre dog-robot-alien series Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince. Also in this issue: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, The Fonz, Erik Estrada, Cheap Trick, Dynamite Bummers, and the true (?) story of a sea monster vs. a chicken. Plus: "What's in the Bag" makes our Kenny Rogers dreams come true, Kornflake almost fronts a cover band for a certain 80s superstar, Kevin meets a sleepy hot dog vendor, and the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track gives us another excuse to scream about The Cat from Outer Space.
Links:
Another weird American Sci-Fi Classics panel: Cats in Science Fiction!
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This week's promo: Earth Station Who!
Okay, let's wrap up our 2020 memorial list, with everyone we lost in the second half of the longest year in history. (As with last week's show, strong beverages are strongly recommended.) Including (and this isn't the whole list): Our skeptic hero (James "The Amazing" Randi), professional old dude Wilford Brimley, the creators of Scooby Doo (Joe Ruby and Ken Spears), the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), a Mythbuster (Grant Imahara), a Bond girl (Diana Rigg), an actual Bond (Sean Connery), a bunch of classic musicians (from Fleetwood Mac, Kool and the Gang, Van Halen, The Outfield, and Midnight Oil), a couple of classic Star Wars actors (David Prowse and Jeremy Bulloch), a Gilligan's Island castaway (Dawn Wells), and... Squiggy. Plus: Kevin pesters an NBA legend and juggles Spam for Regis Philbin, Kornflake may have thrown a camcorder in a washing machine, and we recall the margarine wars of the 1970s. Because it's not nice to fool Mother Nature.
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This week's promo: Con Guy!
Have a strong beverage standing by, because it's that time again. The Mayor of Chickentown joins Kevin and Kornflake as we recall everyone we lost in 2020, from the world of pop culture and beyond. This is a long list, including members of Monty Python, Rush, and the Pointer Sisters; the actors behind Leave It to Beaver's Eddie Haskell, Flash Gordon's Ming the Merciless, and Wonder Woman's Steve Trevor; the legendary Little Richard; and the funniest guy in the history of everything, Fred Willard. And don't worry, we didn't forget the voice of Cindy Bear, the singer of The Jeffersons theme song, the puppeteer of the Caddyshack gopher, and the president of the Hair Club for Men. And this show only covers the first half of the year. By the time we're done next week, you'll have a big gray beard, just like the late, great Kenny Rogers.
Kevin will be a panelist at (virtual) Arisia, January 15-18!
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This week's promo: Ring of Thunder!
Just in time for Cobra Kai season 3, Kevin and Kornflake take a quick spoiler-free look at seasons 1 and 2! Of course we're longtime Karate Kid fans, so we're waxing on and off about Billy Zabka (not just an 80s bully anymore), Ralph Macchio (who somehow hasn't aged since the first movie), the All Valley Tournament, Golf N' Stuff, Bananarama pancakes (it's a cruel, cruel breakfast), the Facts of Life/Karate Kid connection, and why we're naming a Boston subway station after Hilary Swank. And when you're caught up on all this Cobra Kai/Miyagi-Do action, we recommend a few more shows (about Tasmanian real estate agents, Irish schoolgirls, and crazy kids from Brockton, Massachusetts). Also, we watched a certain new movie on Christmas day, and we have a question about Wonder Woman and Waldenbooks.
From Donkeys to Otters: Christmas Gets Weird (American Sci-Fi Classics panel)
Earth Station DCU Episode 220: Wonder Woman 1984
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This week's promo: The 42cast!
It's our final show of 2020, so let's look back at the BEST YEAR EVER. Okay, maybe it wasn't... but we still managed to keep our goofy show flopping along by Zoom every week. (Of course we miss having Kornflake live in Chickentown Studios... but on the other hand, we're saving a fortune on coffee...) As the stupid year wraps up, we reflect on our convention appearances (all from the beginning of the year, wonder why), our podcast guests (huh, our most frequent - and most bleeped - guests were a couple of nerdy girls), and all our silly Flopcast segments (National Whatever Day, Chickens in the News, The Top 4 1/2 List, What's in the Bag, The Pudding Pages, FlopFight, Capes or Apes, and of course, new for 2020... Trapped in the House). And since it's become a beloved Flopcast tradition, we also reveal our New Year's Resolutions! (Kornflake came up with a good one. Kevin's will shock you.) So hang in there and keep being festive, kids. See you in 2021. Prepare to giggle.
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This week's promo: Thunder Talk!
Like an unwanted box of ribbon candy from your great-aunt, here's an assortment of holiday (and non-holiday) weirdness, just for you. Flopcast superfan Arturo has another amazing "What's in the Bag" for us (and yes, chickens are involved); Flopcast superfan Lee reminds us to celebrate the career of wrestling's biggest baldest bad guy, King Kong Bundy; original Kiss drummer Peter Criss turns 75 this week (so sorry, Beth, he'll probably be out late again); the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track recommends funny holiday songs (including singing dogs, Christmas chickens, a new one from Whitney Avalon, a classic from Niki Luparelli, and maybe a little Sponge Awareness Foundation); and our epic holiday podcast crossover event concludes with But First, Let's Talk Nerdy episode 34, as Kevin joins Martha and Brittany to scream about Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. Razzleberry dressing not included.
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy episode 34 - a Flopcast crossover event!
American Sci-Fi Classics Funny Holiday Songs panel!
Whitney Avalon's (explicit!) new Christmas song, "WTF 2020?!"
A special Christmas wish (also explicit!) from Niki Luparelli!
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This week's promo: Pop Culture Cosmos!
Break out the nog and join us for an epic podcast crossover event! Brittany and Martha (of But First, Let's Talk Nerdy) are here for the holidays, with a Flopcast Top 4 1/2 List of Christmas cartoon characters! It's a super-fun, super-festive list, including a snowman (but not the one you're thinking of), a snow monster (yes, that one), our favorite Sombertown schoolteacher, assorted rabbits and ducks, and a couple of misfits. Also: More Hallmark movie talk, Limahl's birthday, Bobby Brady's hair, reindeer bleeps, and the Figgy Pudding Pages. And this is just part one! Tune into episode 34 of But First, Let's Talk Nerdy (available later this week) for the shocking conclusion. Is this the greatest holiday crossover since Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July? Only King Moonracer knows the truth.
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
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This week's promo: The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon!
As our holiday festivities continue, we're scrolling through a list of Hallmark Christmas movies... and fixing them. Is there any way to redeem these crazy generic holiday romantic comedies, all featuring big city career women returning to their hometowns to find true love and the meaning of Christmas? Yeah, we've got you covered, as we script-doctor these turkeys and randomly add Snow Misers, Sharknadoes, angry chickens, a certain fruit-obsessed Martian, and lots more perfectly reasonable improvements. So it's safe to turn on your TV again this month. We just saved Christmas.
Grant's Advent Calendar!
Strange Animals Podcast!
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This week's promo: Double Edged Double Bill!
It's been a few months since we played that horrifying game we invented for 2020, Trapped in the House. But as we creep into the holiday season, it's time for a few rounds of Trapped in the House: Holiday Edition! We have some tough choices to make, as our homes are about to be invaded by lords a-leaping, maids a-milking, sarcastic candy, singing dogs, obnoxious Rankin Bass characters, and yes, zombies. Let's see what happens. We'll be home for Christmas. You will too. Lock the door.
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This week's promo: The Best Saturdays of Our Lives!
It's our Thanksgiving spectacular! But not really! We're just looking up weird facts about the stuff served at Charlie Brown's infamous backyard Thanksgiving dinner. (Remember, Thanksgiving step one: Have your dog battle an evil demon lawn chair.) So we learn about ancient disgusting toast recipes, popcorn archaeology, Easter pretzel hunts, and the jellybean battlefields of the American Civil War. This is very useful trivia to scream at your uncle over Zoom on Thursday. Also: Bowling alley jukeboxes, the Underdog balloon, and Thanksgiving fun with ESO Board Silly and the American Sci-Fi Classics Track. So enjoy, and be festive. But stay home. And if you're cooking a tofu turkey, just save us a tofu drumstick and the tofu neck.
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This week's promo: ESO Network Patreon!
Let's wrap up our review of 1990 Saturday morning TV with a look at the bizarre lineup on NBC. We had a couple of cartoonified SCTV stars taking care of weird kids (John Candy in Camp Candy and Rick Moranis in Gravedale High), Captain N: The Game Master (with a shameless parade of Nintendo characters), movie parodies from the Chipmunks, awkward cartoon dancing from Kid 'n Play... and the beginning of the end for Saturday morning cartoons with Saved By the Bell and The Guys Next Door. (Don't remember The Guys Next Door? It was a Monkees-style sitcom about a New Kids-style boy band. And as a civilization, we have collectively decided to pretend it never happened.)
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This week's promo: Metal Geeks!
We're so amused by all those fours in this week's episode number that we turned it into a Top 4 1/2 List. So the subject is... four! Our favorite fours. (Yeah, we know. We're out of ideas.) Some of our picks are obvious - gotta go with the Fantastic Four, even if it leads to the endless debate of Human Torch vs. HERBIE the robot. And there's a four-themed cartoon, thanks to School House Rock. But as usual, the list gets weird quickly, with various "four" stuff from TV, music, games, and more. We assure you, before we're done, Frankie Valli will be shrieking in your head. Also: Obscure children's shows (you know we love Vegetable Soup), The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the Whoopi Goldberg/High Feather connection, and a road trip to Woonsocket, North Dakota that hopefully will never happen. So grab four cups of coffee and join us. This show is pretty sneaky, sis.
American Sci-Fi Classics panel: Rocky Horror Picture Show!
American Sci-Fi Classics panel: Obscure Children's Shows!
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This week's promo: Mighty Marvel Geeks!
Just a random heap of goofy topics this week, so let's go. We have zombie coffee vs. robot coffee, Amazing Randi follow-up, freaky Halloween costumes, the Aquabats, the Creature from the Black Lagoon (and several other lagoons), Markie Post (and several other Markies), ElectraWoman, Wonder Woman, Pudding Pages, Power Records, Batman finds a Picasso, Fred Flintstone goes on a diet, Lynda Carter spins for democracy, and Kornflake walks through a giant pumpkin.
Skepchick podcast on James Randi
Kooky Spooks!
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This week's promo: ESO Network Patreon!
We lost a hero this week, so this show is our memorial tribute to James Randi. As a magician, The Amazing Randi performed around the world, toured with Alice Cooper, and taught Fonzie an escape trick on Happy Days. (By the way, Happy 75th Birthday to Henry Winkler!) But Randi was even better known as a skeptic and an investigator of claims of the paranormal and supernatural. His work debunked countless psychics, faith healers, and alternative medicine snake oil peddlers. He taught us to think critically, demand evidence, and follow the science. In addition to discussing his remarkable life, we also share some personal memories of our time with Randi, and we replay our quick Flopcast interview from way back at DragonCon 2012. (Randi loved DragonCon. He was a geek like us.) So join us as we celebrate a little guy with a big beard and a bigger heart, a self-proclaimed cheat and charlatan, an honest liar. Then let's get back to work.
The Amazing James Randi!
Earth Station One Podcast with Victoria Price!
Strange Animals Podcast: The Dover Demon!
DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track: Serial Killers vs. Cereal Mascots!
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This week's promo: We Be Geeks!
It's another cartoon-themed episode, as we continue our look at the Saturday morning TV landscape of 1990. This time we've tuned into CBS and found some long-running favorites (Muppet Babies, Garfield and Friends, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pee Wee's Playhouse) and a couple of short-lived oddities (Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures, and yes, Dink the Little Dinosaur.) Our discussion includes Barbara Billingsley, Lorenzo Music, a couple of cartoon chickens (Camilla and Sheldon), and a tooth-brushing turtle. Also: John Lithgow sings, George Carlin is pumped up like Hans and Franz, and the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track has serial killers battling cereal mascots. The Trix Rabbit shall have its final revenge, and we're all doomed.
DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track: Serial Killers vs. Cereal Mascots!
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This week's promo: The Soul Forge Podcast!
It's about time for a vaguely Halloween-themed show... so this week we're just talking about Frankenstein. Mary Shelley's novel introduced our favorite monster to the world way back in 1818 (which was also the last time we left the house). And 153 years later, the Frankenstein monster reached its final perfect form as a hideous pink breakfast cereal mascot. But there have been lots more versions along the way, in movies (with Sting and Flashdance!) (oh, and Boris Karloff), cartoons (Frankenstein Jr.! Drak Pack!), and even Saturday Night Live (with a little help from Tonto and Tarzan). And in television, besides our pal Herman Munster, there's also a 1979 Frankenstein sitcom that no one else remembers, nor should they. Coincidentally, our friends at DragonCon's American Sci-Fi Classics Track also released a Frankenstein show this week! Tune in and check it out. For better reception, adjust those weird bolts sticking out of your neck.
The American Sci-Fi Classics Track's Frankenstein panel!
Only if you dare: 1979's Struck By Lightning!
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This week's promo: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
A few months back, we examined the Saturday morning cartoon schedules of each major TV network from the year 1980. Now we're jumping ahead by a decade for three more cartoon-themed episodes, starting with ABC's Saturday morning schedule from the ridiculous year of 1990. How ridiculous was it? Well... there was a New Kids on the Block cartoon. Television probably should have just ended right there, for the sake of the children. But moving on, the rest of the ABC lineup was pretty strong overall. There were some fresh revivals of classic cartoon properties (like Scooby Doo and Winnie the Pooh), as well as animated versions of recent supernatural comedy films (Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice). Even the Wizard of Oz gang reunited for a faithful new cartoon series... and you know we're always on the side of the flying monkeys. So join us. Let's figure out what happened. Do not bring your MC Hammer cassette.
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This week's promo: Earth Station One!
Inspired by the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track's "Hostess Fruit Pie Theater" (don't ask), we're looking at those bizarre Hostess comic book ads of the 70s and 80s. It was a time when every Marvel and DC superhero (as well as all the Archie characters, Looney Tunes characters, Casper, Richie Rich, and even Sad Sack) were completely obsessed with Hostess products. Aquaman could stop a bank robbery with a fruit pie. So we're counting down our favorite goofy Hostess ads in another Flopcast Top 4 1/2 List! We also play a quick round of Trapped in the House featuring the classic Hostess characters. (Do you really want Twinkie the Kid stomping around your home? Think carefully...) Also: Children should definitely climb inside strange delivery trucks, Geordi La Forge wants you to fish yogurt lids out of the trash, and Kornflake has lobster wine, because of course she does.
Links:
Mike's Amazing World of Comics has an amazing collection of Hostess ads!
Our Top 4 1/2 Hostess ads:
Spider-Man vs. The Human Computer!
The Road Runner in Paul Revere's Run!
Josie in Getting Noticed!
Richie Rich Meets 2 Smart Robots!
Mera Meets the Manta Men!
American Sci-Fi Classics Track's Hostess Fruit Pie Theater!
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
Just a quick simple show this week, as we recombobulate post-DragonCon. (Yeah, we're even sleepier than usual.) Including: Online movie riffing with The Mads, remembering Tower Records, Fake Jan, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Ricky Schroder in a tuxedo, Kornflake on a trampoline, and Happy Birthday to one giant supertwin.
Links:
MST3K's Trace and Frank, The Mads!
The Tower Records documentary, All Things Must Pass!
RetroFan magazine!
Fake Jan!
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This week's promo: Rusted Robot!
We seem to have survived the first (and yikes, hopefully the last) online "virtual" version of DragonCon! This year, instead of descending upon downtown Atlanta, we all stayed home, got on the stupid internet, and made it happen. Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown (as well as lots more ESO Network personnel) were quite busy with DragonCon panels and meetups throughout Labor Day weekend, and this year Kornflake was able to join us too! Time to look back and figure out what in the world happened. Including: Panels on Lost in Space, Titans, 12 Monkeys, and more; fun with green screens; costuming at home; a Twilight Zone tournament; The Shadow meets Taylor Dayne; the virtual Hilton bar; the virtual Geek Girls Run; making pie (the boozy kind) way up in Massachusetts; a surprise Roll-a-Panel (featuring The Last Dragon); naughty novelizations; and freaking out over Fonzie cartoons. It was magnificent. Special thanks to everyone at DragonCon's American Sci-Fi Classics Track and American SF-Fantasy Media Track! You are our people. See you next year, nerds, one weird way or another...
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DragonCon goes virtual!
This week's promo: Ring of Thunder!
It's DragonCon weekend, and while the convention is virtual this year, we're not gonna miss hanging out with Martha and Brittany from the podcast But First, Let's Talk Nerdy! And the Mayor of Chickentown is here too! It's a party, so get ready for some silly DragonCon talk, including: The Marriott vs. the Hyatt, a friendly dog crashing our Zoom call, our traditional Sam Adams Octoberfest, plastic mermaids, cereal box costumes, Agents of SHIELD costumes, packing costumes for DragonCon, having a giant head, the DragonCon Geek Girls Run, making Kevin jealous with mimosas and waffles, Booster Gold, Scooby Doo, and Katy Perry conspiracy theories. It all gets a little crazy, but that's DragonCon. Hopefully we can do it all for real in Atlanta next year. But for now, join us right here. No membership badge required.
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DragonCon goes virtual!
Brittany and Martha's show, But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
This week's promo: The 42cast!
We're just a few days away from DragonCon! Normally we'd be flying to Atlanta right about now, with our Sleestak costumes carefully stuffed in our carry-on bags. But DragonCon is happening online this year, so just stay home and tune in. (But do still dress like a Sleestak. Always.) And we have more special DragonCon guests here on the Flopcast this week! Christine and Darryl are veteran DragonCon attendees, often spotted around the convention in their eerily accurate Doctor Crusher and Captain Picard costumes. So we're talking Star Trek (and DragonCon's Trek Track), our adventures as DragonCon Newbie Walking Tour guides, rolling giant dice with the American Sci-Fi Classics Track, and being trapped in Rhode Island for DragonCon weekend. (Rhode Island is at least as weird as DragonCon, so that helps.) Kevin and the Mayor (and lots more ESO Network personnel) will be appearing on several virtual DragonCon panels - watch our social media pages for our complete schedule, coming very soon. Meanwhile, be like Kornflake, stock up on scary beverages, and prepare for online geekery. This is happening.
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DragonCon goes virtual!
This week's promo: Pop Culture Cosmos!
As virtual DragonCon approaches, we're virtually catching up with some of our favorite DragonCon people. And our guest this week is another old friend, coming to you all the way from Tennessee: Strange Animals Podcast host Kate Shaw! Kevin and Kate met through the small press publishing scene of the 90s, before they traded in their photocopiers and staplers for microphones and digital recorders. Now they meet up at DragonCon every year (except, you know, this year), and their DragonCon memories include steampunk owl-catcher costumes, birdwatching in the rain, and trying to give away a banana. Kate is working with DragonCon's Digital Media track again this year, and we'll share her virtual panel schedule soon, assuming we're not all devoured by giant ice worms. Also this week: DragonCon beverages, the DragonCon parade, Mary Tyler Moore costume groups, and Bigfoot. (Warning: As the convention gets closer, this show gets weirder.)
In a normal year, right now we'd be preparing to go to Atlanta for DragonCon, our favorite annual gathering of the geeks. But, as you may have noticed, this is not a normal year. We're still going to DragonCon, but it'll be an online virtual convention - just fire up your Commodore 64 and tune in! (You're old school. We like that.) And since we won't get to hang out with our DragonCon friends in person, we're bringing them here to the Flopcast, starting this week with Jessica Mercy! Jessica is a singer (with her band Anaria), a costume designer and model (with Good Enough Cosplay), and a longtime DragonCon attendee. And she's back on the Flopcast (after seven years!) to discuss her history with the convention, her experience as a DragonCon guest and performer, and her upcoming projects. Jessica is one of the most talented people we know (and yikes, that's saying something), and she's keeping busy, even in our weird new world. Also: The return of the Swedish Chef (and his new turkey friend), memories of DragonCon 1996 (only some of which involve GWAR), and the day the coffee died in Chickentown.
DragonCon goes virtual!
Jessica Mercy's symphonic metal band, Anaria!
Good Enough Cosplay!
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This week's promo: Cigar Nerds!
Never mind the humans, it's time for our ninth (!) annual robot-themed Top 4 1/2 List. And because this is not a normal summer, we're combining the robot list with our new quarantine era segment, Trapped in the House. Kevin is supplying the weird robot options, and Kornflake must choose which robots are stomping on over to her place and moving in. Are these robots angry, crazy, and super annoying? But of course. Also: 1980s computers, Partners in Crime with Loni and Lynda, virtual DragonCon, and a very exciting bird feeder update.
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DragonCon goes virtual!
Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon episode 126, with the Mayor of Chickentown!
This week's promo: Double Edged Double Bill!
It's our Billy Joel episode! Which we've been meaning to do for years! (Sorry about the delay. We've been really busy and/or sleepy.) We start by celebrating the 40th (!) anniversary of the Glass Houses album, and determine if it's really still rock and roll to us. Then Kornflake presents a Top 4 1/2 List of her favorite Billy Joel songs. (It's a slightly randomized list, based on coin tosses, so you can play along at home and guess if Kornflake prefers uptown girls or innocent men.) So grab a bottle of red and a bottle of white. (And a bottle of Ramblin' Root Beer. Don't ask us why.) We'll supply the hot funk, cool punk, old junk, big shots, angry young piano men, and heart attackackackackackacks. We just may be the lunatics you're looking for. But probably not.
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This week's promo: The Best Saturdays of Our Lives!
Because we're idiots, last summer we forced ourselves to watch all the Meatballs sequels. (There were three, which felt like three hundred.) So this week, continuing the theme of disappointing follow-ups to classic Bill Murray movies, we finally watched all the Caddyshack sequels. (There was just one, which somehow also felt like three hundred.) Caddyshack II got a few things right: A script by Harold Ramis (which was unfortunately rewritten into oblivion), another killer theme song from Kenny Loggins ("Nobody's Fool" is arguably superior to "I'm Alright"), the return of Chevy Chase (still advising everyone to be the ball), and the return of our beloved gopher (now sounding suspiciously like Frank Welker). But then there were some problems, with Dan Aykroyd, Jackie Mason, and Robert Stack as vastly inferior substitutes for Bill, Rodney, and Ted. On the other hand, there was a weird connection to Steve Martin's The Jerk, a weird connection to Robolar from Mars, and a Bushwood Country Club snob played by a future member of Wilson Phillips. So that's something. (Oh, we also sneaked in a Kim Richards double feature this week, with the classic Escape to Witch Mountain and the non-classic Tuff Turf.) In summary: We like watching stupid things, so here we are. Back at the shack.
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This week's promo: ESO Network Patreon!
Robolar from Mars!
A mysterious package arrived at the studio, and now we're the proud (?) owners of a Teen Beat 1981 Calendar magazine. You can read it like a magazine (and learn all about Gary Coleman) or hang it on the wall like a calendar (and spend an entire month staring at John Schneider). We flip through the whole thing, hoping at least one month would feature a chimpanzee, and we are not disappointed. (KISS fans, however, were disappointed by the departure of Peter Criss... but at least he's Teen Beat's Miss December.) So join us back in 1981, which was way less horrifying than 2020. Also: A Texas chicken makes the perfect escape, Kevin is talking about Archie, Kornflake is talking about Oliver & Company, Martha and Brittany are in the Geek Seat, and birthday girl Edie McClurg was a Snork.
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This week's promo: Metal Geeks!
Rewatching the Magic: A Disney Fan Podcast, with special guest Kornflake!
American Sci-Fi Classics Quarantine Panel #14: To Riverdale and Back Again - Everything's Archie!
The ESO Bored Silly podcast is available through ESO's Patreon!
But First, Let's Talk Nerdy's Martha and Brittany in the Geek Seat on Earth Station One!
It's the conclusion of our latest silly tournament, as we randomly draw more Lilith Fair performers to compete in more stupid events. (For example, would Sheryl Crow or Jewel be a better Lyft driver? We have the definitive answer.) Last week, your Lilith queen Sarah McLachlan was knocked out of contention, so it's anybody's game at this point. Kevin loves Joan Osborne, Kornflake loves the Indigo Girls, but can anyone stop Dar Williams? Meanwhile, a bizarre dark horse contender emerges... So hop aboard for another crazy FlopFight. A change would do you good.
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This week's promo: Dr. Geek's Laboratory!
The 2020s have been, uh, less than delightful so far. So let's go back to the 1990s, and back to the Lilith Fair, for another ridiculous FlopFight tournament! We're randomly drawing the names of Lilith Fair performers, and debating how they would fare in various stupid competitions. It's stuff like, could Suzanne Vega defeat Fiona Apple in a staring contest? Would Tracy Chapman be a better breakdancer than Bonnie Raitt? These are the important questions, people. And this is just part one. For more crazy Lilith action, join us next week, when our final FlopFight champion shall arrive in the arms of the angel, far away from here. Also this week: A drive-in stand up comedy show, a Beck song lyrics quiz, and an inflatable chicken (for indoor use only).
The Beck Song Generator
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This week's promo: The Soul Forge Podcast!
Longtime friends of the Flopcast Brittany and Martha are back this week, as we officially announce that their podcast But First, Let's Talk Nerdy is now part of the ESO Network! We catch up on life in Las Vegas during the pandemic (Kevin escaped just in time), some of their recent nerdy show topics (like Sailor Moon, Cowboy Bebop, Riverdale, and James Bond), and the art of podcasting while tipsy (they need a sponsorship deal with White Claw). Be sure to check out But First, Let's Talk Nerdy, and welcome Brittany and Martha to our weird little ESO family! Also: We recommend online shows from Speak Up and Niki Luparelli, we still love Atari 2600 Asteroids, we remember comic book writer Denny O'Neil, and we're seriously considering watching Caddyshack II. Please, somebody stop us.
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But First, Let's Talk Nerdy
Good Enough Cosplay
Speak Up Storytelling
Niki Luparelli
This week's promo: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
Last week Kevin listed his ten favorite albums from the 1980s, year by ridiculous year. So this week it's Kornflake's turn, with an album list from the 1990s! (You may not remember the 90s very well. You were so goofed up on Crystal Pepsi back then.) It's a fun mix of alt-rock, pop, boy bands, and maybe even a little rap and hair metal. (But alas, no Spacehog...) Also: Happy Birthday to a classic TV mom (from Lassie AND Lost in Space), Kornflake is drinking something that isn't coffee, Kevin keeps running into Herbie the Love Bug, and Rhode Island wants outdoor strip clubs. Kids, the world isn't getting less weird anytime soon.
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This week's promo: Earth Station One!
By request, Kevin lists a favorite album for each year of the 1980s, and Kornflake provides expert (?) commentary along the way. (Several Australian acts made the list. Not just Air Supply.) Also: We're dancing on the ceiling with clay heads in honor of Lionel Richie's birthday, Kevin finally leaves the house (wearing a chicken mask) for the reopening of Rubber Chicken Comics, we're back in Classic Sci-Fi Court, and Kornflake has weird coffee and a lobster avalanche. It was not a normal week. We don't have those anymore.
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This week's promo: Earth Station DCU!
This is a short one, kids, because this seemed like a week for the Flopcast to mostly shut up. The plan is to get back to our usual silliness next time. Meanwhile, pay attention. Be careful. Get to work.
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Geeks Without God Episode 413 - In Memory of George Floyd
Dropkick Murphys at Fenway Park
Built To Go! A Vanlife Podcast
Earth Station One: Random Tales of Hope
It's our third and final show covering Saturday morning TV from four decades ago, and we've arrived at NBC. The network offered an odd cartoon lineup in 1980, consisting almost entirely of reruns! Even Godzilla and his tricky pal Godzooky were in reruns at this point, along with Hong Kong Phooey, Daffy Duck, Jonny Quest, and more. Hanna Barbera's only new series was The Flintstone Comedy Show, a crazy revamp co-starring Captain Caveman, The Shmoo, and monster family The Frankenstones! Meanwhile Filmation supplied reruns of Batman (and Bat-Mite!) along with some long-forgotten heroes (Superstretch and Microwoman, anyone?) that eventually landed the studio in court for copyright infringement. But that didn't matter to the kids in 1980; we just chomped our Lucky Charms and watched it all... Also this week: Just in time for National Nail Polish Day, Kornflake has a nail polish quiz that somehow involves Woonsocket, Rhode Island. And skinks. Of course.
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Kevin on Earth Station One for comic book trivia!
The Mayor on Earth Station One talking Westworld!
This week's promo: Rusted Robot!
Chickentown is still locked down, for the safety of humans and poultry alike. But as we learn in this week's Chickens in the News segment, citizens of Louisiana are dealing with a crazed non-social distancing chicken, and we love it. Also: Creepy mannequins are enjoying some fine dining; we wish a Happy Birthday to Todd "Watcha Talkin Bout Willis" Bridges; Kevin is running around disguised as Cloris Leachman; and thanks to another round of Trapped in the House (our dumb new game), Kornflake's house may soon be full of dead Snorks.
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This week's promo: Nerdbliss!
We're continuing our look at the Saturday morning cartoon landscape forty years ago, but we're changing the channel to see what was happening on CBS. (Sorry, no remote control, kids. Gotta get off the couch and turn the stupid knob.) CBS ran a bunch of Filmation shows that year, including some odd remakes of older properties (Mighty Mouse, Heckle and Jeckle, Tom and Jerry) and surprisingly strong versions of a couple of action/adventure legends (Tarzan and the Lone Ranger). Hanna Barbera supplied a new (and strangely violence-free) Popeye series, as well as one of our very favorite monster cartoons... Drak Pack! And of course, Bugs Bunny and Road Runner ruled the morning for ninety whole minutes. So get yourself some Frankenberry and join us. If you keep the TV going deep into the afternoon, you might even spot Kornflake's grandfather on Candlepin Bowling. So, you know, on with the show, this is it.
It's the Flopcast 8th Anniversary Spectacular! (And yes, we're lying about the "spectacular" part.) Including: Some fascinating Flopcast stats (now we're lying about the "fascinating" part), a baffling look back at some of our weirder episode titles ("Hillbilly Burrito"... why?), an update from Flopcast Superfan Bob, and a Star Wars-themed National Whatever Day (but we don't mean May the 4th). And now... we move forward. The plan is to keep making more of these goofy shows, because we literally have nothing else to do anymore.
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Grab a bowl of Cookie Crisp; you're gonna need it. The plan is to discuss every Saturday morning cartoon from way back in 1980, even if it takes three episodes (one for each network). We're starting with ABC, whose Saturday morning lineup included Super Friends (with evil robot space monkey Gleek), Fonz and the Happy Days Gang (with Cupcake and her flying saucer time machine), Richie Rich and Scooby Doo (and alas, Scrappy too), Thundarr the Barbarian (whose post-apocalyptic world seems all too familiar these days), Heathcliff and Dingbat (it's a vampire dog - deal with it), Plastic Man (and his ridiculous son, Baby Plas), and more. How many cartoon dogs can be voiced by one man on one network? Only Frank Welker knows the truth. Also: We wish a Happy Birthday to our favorite Hot Cop, Will Arnett; Kornflake attempts online trivia; Maryellen has a creepy doll; Brittany and Martha launch their new podcast But First, Let's Talk Nerdy; and Kevin goes to Classic Sci-Fi Court to defend Molly Ringwald in space.
Links:
Kevin, Joe, and Gary in Classic Sci-Fi Court
Plaything: A quarantine-themed horror short from our friend Maryellen
Brittany and Martha's new podcast: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy
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It's another week in Chickentown Lockdown... so Kevin and Kornflake are playing weird secret online games with their weird secret online friends, Niki Luparelli is entertaining the world from her kitchen, Jay Leno is distracted by Kevin's t-shirt, and a trip into the Pudding Pages leads to yet another Flopcast discussion of Dynamite magazine. This is a quick one, because we're very busy not doing anything.
We're back for another round of the dumb game we invented last week, Trapped in the House. (This is the most timely we've ever been on the Flopcast... by about thirty years.) Kornflake is in charge this time, forcing Kevin to choose his quarantine roommates from a bizarre list of terrifying options. The list includes a werewolf, a robot, a Brady, an alien or two, some cartoon sharks, and more. Feel free to play along. Choose wisely. Or not. Whatever. Also: Valerie Bertinelli is having one birthday at a time, and the turkeys are taking over.
This week we're starting with even more TV talk, as Kornflake is reunited with her long lost Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Meanwhile Kevin recounts what is probably, hopefully, the most bizarre episode of The Love Boat ever. And you'd better believe Janet Jackson and a robot duplicate of Isaac the bartender were involved, just like in your dreams. All part of the fun of being trapped in the house. And speaking of being trapped in the house, we're also playing a new game we just invented, and it's called... Trapped in the House. It's stupid. You'll love it. Plus: Happy Birthday to Jon Cryer! He's Duckie, he's Lex Luthor, and of course, he's Lex Luthor's goofy nephew Lenny. This is important.
In these weird scary times, we're keeping the Flopcast short, simple, and (hopefully) silly, as we review our latest trapped-in-the-house activities. Kornflake has been checking out music from Vance Gilbert, Jim Infantino, They Might Be Giants, and Carbon Leaf... and she also invented a goofy potato game. Meanwhile Kevin just started watching The Mandalorian and rewatching Ozark, when he's not distracted by old wrestling videos. (Was the appearance of the "Where's the Beef?" lady at Wrestlemania 2 the greatest moment in sports history? You know the truth.) Also, because in another timeline this is baseball season, we take a quick look at The Bad News Bears - not the movie, but the short-lived, long-forgotten TV series. It's been missing from your life for forty years, it's available on DVD for your social distancing entertainment needs, and it has all the Corey Feldman Little League action you can possibly handle.
We're still in social distancing mode here in Chickentown, of course, as we cross one cancelled event after another off the stupid calendar. (Specifically, Pee Wee Herman and Diane Birch are keeping their distance from us this week.) But that means more TV talk (Lost in Space, Shrill, Picard, Taskmaster, and the upcoming cartoon Solar Opposites) and even more online concerts (Taylor Dayne is telling it to our hearts, straight from her living room). Also, National Handmade Day is this week, and is NOT cancelled, so Kornflake is gonna macrame like it's 1979. And in our Chickens in the News segment, we discuss new fossil evidence of a giant prehistoric chicken that dressed like Lynda Carter and killed all the dinosaurs. (Disclaimer: We just kind of skimmed the article.)
Remember what the world was like two weeks ago? Yeah, things have changed. But that's when Kevin took a quick trip to Las Vegas to visit our dear friends Brittany and Martha of Good Enough Cosplay! So they're on the show this week, discussing murderers and ice cream bears, strippers and showers, turkeys and taxes, Black Widow and Hawkeye... and their upcoming podcast: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy. Kevin and Brittany also ran a 5K race in the Vegas desert, and the results will shock you. (Yes, rubber reptiles and tiny trash bins were involved.) Also: Online concerts, Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live, where to find the new Kornflake & Jacob album, a Kornflake Book Club update, and Happy Birthday to Martin Short. Why not celebrate by dressing like Ed Grimley? It's not like you're leaving the house.
Kornflake has returned from Minnesota with a full report on MarsCon, home of our beloved Dementia Track of comedy music performances! And this was the busiest MarsCon ever for Kornflake! In addition to her regular Dementia Water Aerobics classes (keeping nerds in shape and exhausted since 2013), she (along with Jacob Haller and Doornail) was scheduled for her own comedy music concert! And... Kornflake and Jacob released a whole new album of original silly songs too! Also on the MarsCon Dementia schedule: Mikey Mason, Devo Spice, Marc With a C, Michael William Hunter, the great Luke Ski, Lauren Mayer, TV's Kyle and Linzilla, Brett Glass, Karl Brown, and Beth Kinderman and the Player Characters! Plus: Dementia Smackdown Wrestling, fun with the AED, emergency pool repairs, the Space Oddity Music Club and Brew Pub, and the dangers of partying with Klingons. Also: National Awkward Moments Day, a Kornflake Book Club update, listener feedback from our 1980 TV episodes, and Happy 99th (!) Birthday to the Mad cartoonist with a snappy answer for every stupid question, Al Jaffee. Be safe and be silly, kids.
Kevin and the Mayor conclude their look back at the TV shows that debuted in 1980! It was the year of Tom Selleck in Hawaii and Tom Hanks in drag. Deputy Enos left Hazzard County for Los Angeles. The biggest stars in country music shared a stage with the Krofft puppets. Future stars like Martin Short and Linda Hamilton popped up in shows nobody remembers. (Our apologies to all you diehard fans of I'm A Big Girl Now and Secrets of Midland Heights...) We also had Ted Knight, Ann Jillian, Shaun Cassidy... and a short-lived reality show that introduced the world to a certain Mr. T. Want more? Okay, how about... the Solid Gold dancers! You're working on your time machine right now, aren't you? See you forty years ago.
While Kornflake is off entertaining the nerds of Minnesota at MarsCon, Kevin and the Mayor discuss obscure TV shows from forty years ago. (We're quite timely around here.) Specifically we're looking at shows that debuted in the year 1980. And it's a weird list. Weirder than you think. Including: Spinoffs of 70s hits that flopped in the 80s (Flo, Sanford, Beyond Westworld, Galactica 1980), a pair of long-running PBS shows (3-2-1 Contact and Mystery!), a don't-try-this-at-home reality TV classic (That's Incredible!), a late night SNL-inspired sketch comedy series (Fridays), a few painful reminders that variety shows were just about dead (The Tim Conway Show, The Big Show, and the notorious Pink Lady and Jeff), and a few short-lived oddities that nobody remembers. (Goodtime Girls, anyone? Me and Maxx? No?) And we're only halfway home; we'll get through the rest of the list next week. So come on back to 1980 with us, vote for Carter, and enjoy.
Time to finish what we started (and instantly regretted) last week: A ridiculous Flopcast tournament of 1980s pop stars, as we celebrate the 35th anniversary of USA for Africa and "We Are the World." We're still picking the players and the events at random, so anything could happen. Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon in a pie-eating contest? Perhaps. Smokey Robinson and the Pointer Sisters playing Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots? Why not? In the end, only one USA for Africa member can survive, and this shall be the greatest honor of their career, except for literally everything else they've ever done. That's the plan. There comes a time, when we heed a certain call. A call to obsess over goofy 80s stuff. Just you and me.
Remember when we made all the Rankin/Bass holiday cartoon characters compete in a bizarre tournament of our own design? Wasn't that fun? And stupid? Well, grab a beverage and place your bets, because we're trying that again. This time we're celebrating the 35th anniversary of USA for Africa and "We Are the World," by making the greatest pop stars of the 1980s do battle in a series of silly competitions. Once again we're choosing each player, and each ridiculous event, at random, so nobody knows what's gonna happen. Will Billy Joel and Diana Ross compete at lawn darts? Maybe. Who's better at Ms. Pac-Man, Bruce Springsteen or Kenny Rogers? We'll figure it all out, and this week's winner will advance to the final round next week. Check your ego at the door and join us. We are the ones who make a brighter day, unless we're napping. Which is most of the time.
A couple of important and/or ridiculous updates in this quick little show... starting with a MarsCon update from Kornflake! (Get ready, geeks of Minnesota. In less than a month, Kornflake is bringing you a new album, a concert performance, and Dementia Water Aerobics...) Then we have a follow-up Chickens in the News report, with more details on the giant chicken topiary under construction in Fitzgerald, Georgia! (This is really happening, kids. There's even a live chicken-cam to prove it.) And we recommend a couple of podcasts: the latest episode of Hit Parade is all about Weird Al and novelty music, while the latest episode of The DragonCon Report is all about, you know, DragonCon. All this plus jello shots with Doornail. You win.
It's Oscar season, and we don't care about the Oscars, but it's an excuse for the Mayor of Chickentown to drop by and talk about the movies. However, we're not really looking at the movies themselves; instead we're discussing the experience of going to movie theaters. (It's something we don't do much these days, unless Black Widow or Chewbacca is involved.) Including: cheap second-run theaters of the 1970s; a mysterious asphalt hill next to a goofy theater in Woonsocket, Rhode Island; how to ruin Dragonslayer; clam cakes at the drive-in; obscure Barbapapa-shaped candy; the lost theaters of Boston; weird double features; being all alone in a movie theater; walking out of a movie (we only did it once); how the Mayor got sick of popcorn; how Kevin got sick of fortune cookies; sneaking snacks, humans, and a complete Thanksgiving dinner into the movies; celebrity sightings at the movies (mostly horror writers and cooking show hosts); the weirdness of applauding at the end of a movie; our very first R-rated movies (alas, Phoebe Cates was not involved); and plenty more. Also: Groundhogs, woodchucks, and whistlepigs: we love them all, and their big day is this week. Plus: An amazing night of live music with Lifestyle, Cliff Notez... and two of our favorite bands, Party Bois and Sidewalk Driver, merged into one magic combo supergroup, Party Driver. Our faces were officially rocked.
Live from the horrifyingly cold mid-January Boston waterfront, it's our annual report on our favorite local science fiction/fantasy convention, Arisia! Kevin was locked in for all four days of Arisia, moderating discussion panels, meeting the awesome costumed people, and just observing all the glorious geekery. Meanwhile Kornflake almost couldn't make it, but still managed to arrive for a surprise appearance and catch the last few hours of the convention. So let's break it all down for you. Experienced and/or discussed along the way: Freaks and Geeks, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Stranger Things, George Pérez, Stan Lee, The Wonder Twins, Heathcliff comics, the music of Limahl, Tom Selleck's birthday, the movies of 1999, science fiction and fantasy in rock music, trains in space, the march of the pool people, the perils of Powerpoint, gender-swapped Star Trek with the Post-Meridian Radio Players, ElectraWoman and DynaGirl, and of course, lots more. So please enjoy our little recap. It'll be like you were there with us. Hey, maybe you were there, and we just didn't recognize you in your chicken lady costume.
Okay, let's wrap up our tribute to the pop culture legends we lost in 2019. (We've been drinking so many shots in their memory that we're almost out of coffee. And that frightens us.) Part 2 includes more movie stars (Peter Fonda, Sid Haig, Danny Aiello), sitcom stars (Valerie Harper, Bill Macy, Philip McKeon), rock stars (Eddie Money, Ric Ocasek, Ginger Baker), and, uh, Star Trek stars (DC Fontana, Aron Eisenberg, René Auberjonois). There are even a couple of beloved performers from bizarre 1970s variety TV (which did not get more bizarre than The Brady Bunch Hour and The Star Wars Holiday Special). And from children's TV we have Russi Taylor (the voice of Minnie Mouse), Jack Sheldon (the voice of Conjunction Junction)... and Big Bird himself, Caroll Spinney. So hang on, kids, and we'll get through the whole list together. And hey, if you need cheering up, Squirrel Appreciation Day is this week too. You know what to do.
You know we do this every year... yes, it's the first of our two-part look back at all the pop culture legends we lost in 2019. And yeah, a couple of our favorite Peters (Tork and Mayhew) are on this year's list, along with stars from TV (Tim Conway, Katherine Helmond, Luke Perry), movies (Albert Finney, Rutger Hauer, Doris Day), music (James Ingram, Leon Redbone, Dr. John), wrestling (KING KONG BUNDY), and beyond. (Remember, Grumpy Cat is always watching, and is thoroughly displeased.) So crank up a weird Captain and Tennille record, grab your beverage of choice (we're going with coffee, believe it or not), and join us for just one more round, friends. Happy Life Day, Chewie.
Yes yes yes, it's our 400th episode! To celebrate, we're drinking lots of black coffee. (Hey, it worked for the first 399 shows.) We're also reviewing how we spent the stupid holidays, including a couple of festive movies (Knives Out and the new Star Wars, which needed more Bea Arthur), a couple of festive concerts (Dar Williams and Freezepop), and a very Robolar Christmas card. We also have a few classic Flopcast segments: What's in the Bag?, Chickens in the News... and the long-awaited (?) return of Capes or Apes. Also discussed along the way: British comedian James Acaster, a very important Tony Danza movie, a tiny drunk chicken, and the futuristic world of 2020 (according to Superman comics from 1980). And as promised... a MAJOR CONVENTION ANNOUNCEMENT from Kornflake! See, we finally have something to say. It only took 400 weeks.
As we creep up on the end of 2019, Kevin and Kornflake relax and look back on the whole stupid year. We review our Flopcast segments (Capes or Apes!) and guests (Train Talk with Ed!), as well as concerts (Taylor Dayne! TAYLOR DAYNE!), conventions (hey, Arisia returns next month!), and lots more. Plus: National Whatever Day, a new novel from Matthew Dicks, the return of the Kornflake Book Club, a very Tootie Christmas movie, a very Boston lobster heist, and our very exciting New Year's Resolutions. And now we must prepare for Flopcast episode 400. By napping, mostly.
Last week was Part 1 of our bizarre Rankin/Bass tournament, in which characters like Rudolph, Snow Miser, and Burgermeister Meisterburger competed in events like breakdancing and air hockey. The results were surprising, to say the least. This week, eight more Rankin/Bass characters are randomly drawn to do battle in equally ridiculous events. Will Santa Claus and Heat Miser have to play Hungry Hungry Hippos? Could Frosty the Snowman defeat Charlie in the Box in a yodeling competition? Friends, these are the important questions. In the end, last week's winner and this week's winner meet for a final confrontation that you will not believe, and we all learn the true meaning of the holidays. Which is to obsess over goofy old cartoons, apparently.
Kevin and Kornflake are taking their obsession with classic Rankin/Bass Christmas cartoons to a ridiculous new level, tournament-style. We're randomly fishing names of Rankin Bass characters out of reindeer-shaped coffee mugs, and determining who would win in various silly events. Who would make a better Lyft driver, Santa or Frosty? What if Heat Miser and Charlie-in-the-Box were in a rap battle? Stuff like that. And believe it or not, things get a little weird. The competition is fierce and festive, and this week's winner advances to the final round next week. And in true clickbait fashion, this week's winner will shock you. Enjoy the show... or we're sending Hermey for your teeth.
Kevin and Kornflake review their Thanksgiving weekends, which involved multiple dinners (Hobbit-style!), a movie trivia game (where the answer is always Footloose), a Sharpie car, concerts from Gustafer Yellowgold and Niki Luparelli, turkey-themed wardrobes, and turkey-themed wardrobe malfunctions. Plus: Happy Birthday to Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers, a ridiculous New Zealand edition of Chickens in the News, and A Very Nancy Drew Christmas. It's a quick show, because the winter has already crushed us.
It's a special show to ring in the goofy holidays, featuring our interview with official Rankin/Bass historian Rick Goldschmidt! You know Rankin/Bass. It's the legendary animation studio that produced all those classic holiday shows, starting with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1964. Lots more wonderful cartoons followed, including Santa Claus is Comin' To Town (which gave us Burgermeister Meisterburger), The Year Without a Santa Claus (which gave us the Heat Miser and Snow Miser), 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (that's the one with the mice and the clocks), and yes, Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey. Beyond the holiday specials, Rankin/Bass was also responsible for Mad Monster Party, The Hobbit, The Last Unicorn, ThunderCats, and so much more. Rick's first book, The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass, is an invaluable resource for nerds like us, and his latest book celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Frosty the Snowman. Here on the Flopcast, Rick discusses the amazing talents behind the scenes at Rankin/Bass, many of whom he knew and worked with, including: character designers (and Mad magazine artists) Jack Davis and Paul Coker, Jr.; voice actors Paul Soles (Hermey the elf!), Bradley Bolke (Jangle the elf!), and Larry Storch (come on, LARRY STORCH!); composer Maury Laws; writer Romeo Muller; and the guys who started it all, Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass. Also discussed: Rick's experience as a guest this year at DragonCon, his picks for a couple of lesser-known Rankin/Bass projects we should all see, and his appearance on the TV show Collector's Call with Lisa Welchel! (That's right, Blair from The Facts of Life. You know we needed details.) Also this week: A holiday concert (and a new holiday EP) from Boston alt-rock legends Letters to Cleo, Speedy Ortiz, Grant's Advent Calendar, and Marisa Tomei. (Frosty would have a special message for Marisa: Happy Birthday.)
It's a surprise Flopcast recording live from the middle of Super Megafest! (Kornflake wasn't even supposed to be there, so we were all just shocked and delighted.) We discuss our whole silly day at the convention, wandering around eyeballing the celebrity guests, including Spider-Man's Nicholas Hammond, 3rd Rock's French Stewart, MASH's Loretta Swit, The Munsters' Butch Patrick, wrestlers Tony Atlas and Ted DiBiase, practically everybody from The Warriors, all three Dukes of Hazzard cousins (Bo, Luke, AND Daisy)... and Kornflake's 80s sitcom hero, Tony Danza. (After Kornflake's historic meeting with Tony, we may have figured out who the boss really was.) Plus: Rubber Chicken Comics, Muppets, Legos, bootleg DVDs, a photo op with HR Pufnstuf and Sigmund the Sea Monster, and a surprise cameo by one of our favorite local costumers. You should have been there. It was just ridiculous.
We're a few weeks late, thanks to all those weird train-themed shows, but it's finally time for our annual review of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees! The short version: We're happy to see Pat Benatar and Whitney Houston on the list, but in our hearts, we just want everybody to Wang Chung tonight. Come on, Hall of Fame. WANG CHUNG. Also: Kornflake hits the road with attack chickens and attack lobsters, Kevin almost survives SoulCycle, and Happy Birthday to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Tina Turner. We don't need another hero. We have Tina.
Okay, let's take a break from all that controversial train talk! It's finally time to catch up on some non-train stuff, including: Kornflake's Halloween (featuring a Yip-Yip costume, a giant boot, a Stan Lee pumpkin, and a jug band), Kevin's Halloween (featuring a classy chicken costume, weird movies in Vermont, Swamp Thing artist Stephen Bissette, and a turkey), Calista Flockhart's birthday (one of us knows Calista from Ally McBeal, and one of us knows her from Supergirl -- you figure it out), and the long-awaited return of Chickens in the News! A giant chicken-shaped structure is being built in the middle of Georgia. And yeah, that probably means... FLOPCAST ROAD TRIP. Get in the van.
This week we're joined again by Ed, longtime friend of The Flopcast, Sponge Awareness Foundation keyboardist, and train expert from the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum! So yeah, that means more nerdy train talk! Learn the shocking truth behind the trains in pop culture classics like Stand By Me, Polar Express, Dumbo, School House Rock, and lots more. Does anyone know what happened to the train from Silver Spoons? (The shocking answer: No.) Can you ride a Boston train today that Next Karate Kid star Hilary Swank climbed on top of 25 years ago? (The shocking answer: Yes.) And which classic rock stars are also huge train geeks? (The shocking answer: Just about all of them, apparently.) All this plus plenty of immature giggling about "hump yards"! (It's a train thing.) So, you know, all aboard. You don't have to slip into a fancy train conductor uniform like Ed did... but it would be nice.
This week Kevin and Kornflake are joined by special guest Ed, from The Sponge Awareness Foundation! But Ed is not just the other half of Kevin's old comedy band. Ed is also a train expert, and today we're talking trains. HEY, WAIT, COME BACK. This is The Flopcast, so specifically we're talking about trains from old movies, TV shows, and cartoons! Anyone else remember the short-lived 1979 show Supertrain? (It was Love Boat on a train, essentially. We miss it terribly.) Can you name the movies that had Jack Lemmon and Jon Cryer racing through Boston's South Station, just like Kevin and Ed did when being chased by screaming Sponge Awareness fans? Want even more details about that train scene in our favorite obscure summer camp show, High Feather? Ed has tracked down some fascinating facts about all this and much more. It's scary and fun. (Mostly scary. Happy Halloween.) Also: A Super Megafest preview and World Numbat Day, both of which we somehow make all about trains. Why, we might even keep the train talk going next week. You've been warned.
It's another Flopcast Halloween show, and we're counting down our favorite ghosts in a terrifying Top 4 1/2 List! We have ghosts from cartoons (where Shaggy screamed "ghost" with like eleven syllables), comics books (learn which ghost Kornflake wants to cosplay), sitcoms (we just saw the most beautiful ghost in the world), music, video games, and of course... breakfast cereal. (Not every cereal mascot sounds like Peter Lorre... but they should.) Also: Our 10-part 80s music series concludes with the Top Ten songs this week in 1989, including Kornflake's beloved New Kids, a dance music act Kornflake can't believe Kevin saw live, a seed of love, and some naughty elevator music. Plus: Happy Birthday to Weird Al! And what is Al's mysterious connection to a shady outfit known as the Classy Chickens? Listen and find out... if you dare.
It's sort of a Halloween-themed show, but not really! Including: A concert report on super-cool garage pop band Bleached! (Their album Don't You Think You've Had Enough? might be our favorite record of the year...) Another concert report on a Beatles tribute supergroup, with Todd Rundgren, Christopher Cross, Badfinger's Joey Molland, Chicago's Jason Scheff, and Micky Dolenz! (Micky sang "Rocky Raccoon," and no one else is allowed to sing "Rocky Raccoon" anymore.) Kornflake hits the road again, does not find the Swan Boats, but does find coffee approved by the Godfather of Punk! We wish a Happy Birthday to one third of Wilson Phillips! A Halloween edition of the Pudding Pages leads to a discussion of something truly terrifying, the McRib! But nothing is more terrifying than the Top Ten songs this week in 1988! Seriously, it was 31 years ago, and we still wake up screaming...
It's time to flip through another issue of the magazine we all bought through our school book club long ago, Dynamite! And this 1981 issue is an amazing one, because the cover features a hero of ours, and someone you've heard on The Flopcast: James "The Amazing" Randi! Did Randi teach any Dynamite kids to avoid being scammed by faith healers and psychics? Let's hope so. Let's also hope the kids kept reading, because this magazine also includes cat cartoons (Heathcliff, Garfield, and those odd B. Kliban cats), the Facts of Life girls, a Disney World tenth anniversary contest, Count Morbida's puzzle pages, how to buy a Speak & Spell, how to write to Donny Osmond, a couple of weird posters, and of course, Dynamite Bummers. This is a fantastic magazine; we recommend that you travel four decades back in time and renew your subscription. Also: The Top Ten songs this week in 1987 (look out, here comes the hair metal), and Happy Birthday to one of our three favorite Van Halen frontmen.
With our DragonCon coverage out of the way (finally!), it's time to catch up on every other silly thing we've done lately. Kornflake reports on Napkin Poetry with Jim's Big Ego, gum jingles with Marc With a C, Pac-Man Battle Royale at Funspot, and giant bugs at Gillette Stadium. Meanwhile Kevin attended a rare Boston performance by George Hrab (who covered a Wham song!) and spotted an Archie Bunker's Place cast member at Granite State Comicon (alas, no Wham songs there). Also: The Top Ten songs this week in 1986, and (to get caught up) the Top Ten songs last week in 1985. Huey Lewis and Tina Turner are on both lists, and they're happy to be stuck with you beyond the Thunderdome. Plus: Barry Williams has a birthday this week, and we want to build a giant Greg Brady robot. But you probably could have guessed that.
From the American Sci-Fi Classics Track at DragonCon 2019 (just a few weeks ago - we're still sleepy), here's a fun panel called "Cousin Oliver Was Framed: Classic Sci-Fi Sidekicks"! Joining Kevin on the panel are The Fortress of Baileytude's Michael Bailey, novelist and Cop Rock enthusiast Michael Williams, and Classics Track co-director Gary Mitchel! And yeah, we're talking kid sidekicks, as well as our beloved Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch, and all those other kids desperately added to long-running sitcoms. (Sorry, Sam from Diff'rent Strokes, but you were a problem.) Our discussion includes: Robin, Wonder Girl, and the rest of the Teen Titans; Indy's Temple of Doom sidekick Short Round; a defense of Wesley Crusher; Twiki the robot sidekick; Marvin and Wendy vs. the Wonder Twins; the weirdness of the Mr. T cartoon; Goonies, Monster Squad, Stand By Me, and the kid adventure genre; a rare sci-fi turn from Molly Ringwald; the horrors of Scrappy Doo; and lots more. Oh, you should have been there. Those who survived the panel received Flopcast Cousin Oliver badge ribbons, as well as a strange desire to wear a bright red and yellow costume and stand next to Batman when the bullets start flying. What could go wrong?
This week we cover the second half of our favorite and most exhausting event of the year, DragonCon! (If you noticed a shortage of geeks in your area over Labor Day weekend... they were all in Atlanta. And they were all ahead of us in the line at Starbucks.) Including: The Geek Girls Run; Classic Sci-Fi Court (good luck, 1984 Supergirl movie); stars from Doctor Who, Cobra Kai, V, and The Magicians; puppeteer Allan Trautman (from Dinosaurs and yikes, The Letter People!); Tai Chi with Silver Spoons star Erin Gray; our panels on Krypton, Doom Patrol, Pennyworth, Russian Doll, Kidd Video (!), and podcasting for authors; RetroBlasting with 1980s ninjas; a pie-fueled ESO Network gathering; the 30th anniversary of Weird Al's movie UHF; and lots more convention silliness. (Did we find people in costume as the Miser Brothers, the Price is Right yodeling guy, and Toonces the Driving Cat? Yes, yes, and yes.) Also: Ed Begley Jr.'s birthday, and the Top Ten songs this week in 1984. (Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" was at number four... and the future attendees of DragonCon were listening.)
It was five weird days with 85,000 weird humans... we have so much to cover from DragonCon that we're splitting it into two episodes! This week's review includes: The DragonCon Newbie Walking Tours; the ESO Network Meet and Greet; Doctor Who's David Tennant; legendary comic book artist George Pérez; Rankin/Bass animation expert Rick Goldschmidt; the Sci-Fi Explosion show (featuring Billy Ocean, believe it or not); the DragonCon parade; the cast of Gotham; unpopular opinions with MST3K's Bill Corbett; our Sci-Fi Legends memorial panel; a Batman-themed Roll-a-Panel; Kevin's other panels on Arrow, Titans, Gotham, the Planet of the Apes cartoon, and Cousin Oliver (!); the Mayor's panel on Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure; robot rock band Cybertronic Spree; late nights with Crusher, Picard, and Good Enough Cosplay; the DragonCon premiere of the documentary Troublemaker (starring our friend Dave); and yes, lots more. And that's just the first half! More DragonCon silliness next week, if we ever stop napping.
Our ten-part 80s celebration continues with a quick look at the Top Ten songs this week in 1982! It's an odd list, with a couple of veteran 60s acts (Paul McCartney and Crosby, Stills, and Nash), a couple of soft rock classics (from Chicago and our true love, Air Supply), and a rather awful song in the top spot. (It wants to reach out and grab you, creepily.) The 80s music talk continues with Kevin's concert report from the Lost 80s Live tour, featuring a fun assortment of one-and-two-hit wonders from our favorite decade: Boys Don't Cry, Real Life, The Motels, When in Rome, The Vapors, and A Flock of Seagulls! (The frontwoman of The Motels is Martha Davis, and we have a shocking revelation about her hat, which just leads to more questions.) Plus: Kornflake on a pirate ship! Also: It's International Enthusiasm Week... but who cares.
We're taking a break from our frantic DragonCon preparations to look at the Top Ten songs this week in 1981! The Pointer Sisters wanted a slow hand, the Greatest American Hero was walking on air, there was no getting over Ronnie Milsap, and there was no avoiding a pair of classic duets (one from Stevie and Tom, one from Diana and Lionel). Meanwhile Kornflake grabs a box of doughnuts and hits the road again for a concert from TV's Kyle, Linzilla, Devo Spice, and OK Glass! While wandering around New York, she also finds Donny Osmond and a weird chicken, so we're calling this a successful trip. And we're celebrating Radio Commercials Day! Kornflake loved radio commercials (and could even be heard in a few!), while Kevin just suffered through them, waiting for more Juice Newton.
We're just days away from that massive annual gathering of the geeks, DragonCon! Why not spend Labor Day weekend in Atlanta with 80,000 of your closest and weirdest friends? In this, our DragonCon preview show, we run through the convention's various programming tracks, and yikes, there are a bunch: Animation, Comics, Costuming, Horror, Puppetry, Science, Skeptics, Video Gaming, and dozens more. You Will Not Be Bored. Hundreds of guests will be there too, including stars from The Karate Kid, Shazam, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Doctor Who, Gotham, iZombie, Star Wars, Star Trek, and everything else. (But who cares -- they had us at Karate Kid.) Meanwhile Kevin and the Mayor will be participating in various panels and presentations, and we share our (tentative) schedules here. (If you think we're not going to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Weird Al's movie UHF, you don't know DragonCon's American Sci-Fi Classics track. There will be spatulas.) Lots more ESO Network personnel will be on hand as well; find us at the Thursday night ESO Network Meet and Greet! Get a weird Flopcast badge ribbon! (Your friends will FREAK OUT.) Also this week: We're celebrating the 50th birthday of Kornflake's second favorite star of Friends, and we're counting down the Top Ten songs from this week in 1980. How timely of us. See you in Atlanta.
All dumb things must come to an end, and you don't get much dumber than watching all the sequels to the summer camp comedy classic, Meatballs! But our goofy summer project ends now, as we chomp on pizza pie and somehow get through 1992's Meatballs 4: To the Rescue! Still no Bill Murray, of course, but a new hero emerges (on water skis) to put a bullet in the Meatballs franchise: Corey Feldman. Yes, he's a Goonie, he's a Frog brother, and now he's at Camp Lakeside teaching us to play Strip Charades. But just in time to ruin everything, here comes our villain, and yikes, she's a Superman II Phantom Zone villain! The evil owner of the rival camp is Ursa herself, Sarah Douglas! Great to see Corey and Sarah, but how's the movie? Join us as we sort it all out, and rank all four Meatballs films. Meanwhile you'll hear thunder crashing in the background, because Mother Nature is displeased by our movie night selection, and you know, she has a point. Also: Happy Birthday to noted late night talk show host Magic Johnson. We remember.
For no good reason, every summer we present a Top 4 1/2 List of robots! So it's time for our eighth annual robot list, and the theme this year is... tiny robots. We have tiny robots from movies, television, music, toys, comic books, and even the real world, where someday soon you could be injected with millions of nanobots and forced to do their bidding. And that day... will be a great day. We're also celebrating actor Sam Elliott's birthday, because we strongly suspect that his mustache is actually a tiny robot. And along the way we somehow get distracted by a Grizzly Adams poster, which is the exact opposite of a tiny robot, but you know, these things happen.
It's summer concert report time, because our white and nerdy hero "Weird Al" Yankovic just came through New England with his "Strings Attached" tour, featuring an entire symphony orchestra! Kornflake and Doornail scored VIP tickets to the New Hampshire show, where they ventured backstage and met Weird Al himself (plus a bunch of Stormtroopers). Weird Al's Boston show was next, at an outdoor venue on a nasty hot day, but we all dared to be stupid and showed up anyway. (Hey, it was the 30th anniversary of Al's movie UHF; our plan was to beat the heat by drinking from the fire hose.) Anyway, if you've always felt that Weird Al shows suffered from a lack of oboe players... do not miss this tour. Also: We're freaked out by giant crazy sea birds, and we're celebrating Hilary Swank's birthday, because she will always be our next karate kid.
The longest summer in history continues, thanks to our ill-conceived project of watching all the horrifying sequels to that classic summer camp comedy, Meatballs. Tonight we're suffering through Meatballs III: Summer Job, which is even worse than Meatballs II, and is not even set at a summer camp. But it does offer an early starring role for Patrick Dempsey, replacing Chris Makepeace from the original movie as Rudy (and rendering the character creepy and unlikable). Meanwhile Sally Kellerman is way too good for this movie, but there she is, in a role so bizarre we'd rather not even discuss it. (But we do.) A few other Meatballs III actors are recognizable as well, from The Muppet Movie, WarGames, the 90s X-Men cartoon, and being married to Gene Simmons. And one quick scene brings to mind a certain Martian we're sort of obsessed with around here. Throw in the River Rats (a gang of creeps on jet skis), an angry bull attacking everyone, and a soundtrack featuring Loverboy, and it's hard to imagine how it all went wrong. But yikes, it sure did. Join us and we'll get through it together. And if you feel like you need something to ease the pain, we're celebrating National Refreshments Day too! We recommend iced coffee. Always.
Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown have just returned from CONvergence, a wonderful science fiction/fantasy convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. So we're reviewing our whole crazy Fourth of July weekend in the upper midwest, including: Kevin's panels on Aquaman, Riverdale, and DC comic books, TV shows, and movies; the Mayor's panels on She-Ra, Doctor Who, The Magicians, and choosing your own adventure; CONvergence guest of honor, writer, and internet sensation Chuck Tingle; concerts from The Doubleclicks, Beth Kinderman and the Player Characters, Karl Brown, The Dregs, and The Gernsback Continuum; comedy and role-playing games with Joseph Scrimshaw; the amazing Nerdlesque dancers; The University of Minnesota Raptor Center's giant birds; lots of amazing cosplay (including Admiral Pepper's Lonely Death Star Band, a chicken group, and our own Mayor's Eleven/Eleven costume); field trips away from the convention for cider, Chinese food, the Mary Tyler Moore statue, and of course, the giant blue chicken; and yeah, even more. 'Twas a festive convention in a terrific new location, and we threw our new Flopcast badge ribbons at everyone we met. Also: We're celebrating the birthday of America's gremlin-loving sweetheart, Phoebe Cates. Slip into a red bikini, or not, and join us.
We're still recovering from last week's movie night (Summer camp aliens! Run for your lives!), so it's a simple show this week, catching up on our recent silly activities. Including: Kornflake on the road in search of adventure and/or relaxation; the music of Carbon Leaf; a live album release show by The Great Molasses Flood; another Moth storytelling show with Matthew Dicks; the Mayor onstage at Old School Game Show; Kevin running around an island for no good reason; and random encounters in Boston with AT-ATs, the Pride parade, and exploding rabbits. Also: It's National Dive Bar Day. So go somewhere that's sketchy, shady, and creepy (you really want all three), and belly up.
Last summer, we devoted a Flopcast episode to Meatballs, the Bill Murray summer camp classic. This summer, we're going to suffer through the horrifying Meatballs sequels. (It's a court-ordered punishment, presumably. Don't jaywalk in Chickentown, kids.) So for this episode, with Kornflake kicking and screaming in protest, we get started by watching and discussing Meatballs Part II. The year was 1984. Bill Murray was off busting ghosts, and wisely avoided this turkey, but the cast is still bursting with familiar faces. In addition to Soap's Richard Mulligan and Night Court's John Larroquette, we have the girl from Escape to Witch Mountain, the older brother from The Wonder Years, the robot from Buck Rogers, and Pee Wee Herman! With that lineup, you ask, how could they go wrong? Oh, they found a way. And yes, it involved a creepy E.T.-style alien who goes to summer camp. Yikes. So hang on, grab some pizza pie, and we'll get through this together. Meanwhile, we're already not looking forward to Meatballs III...
Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown are preparing for a silly, geeky Fourth of July weekend at CONvergence! It's one of our favorite conventions, it's in Minneapolis, and there is a giant blue chicken sculpture nearby. Perfect. Guests at this year's CONvergence include writers Peter David and Chuck Tingle, comedian Joseph Scrimshaw, and nerd music duo The Doubleclicks! We're also looking forward to a special CD release performance by our friends Beth Kinderman and the Player Characters! And we run through our CONvergence panel schedule: You'll find the Mayor on panels about Doctor Who, She-Ra, The Magicians, and choose-your-own-adventure books! Meanwhile Kevin's panels will cover Aquaman, Riverdale, and a variety of DC stuff (comic books, movies, and TV). Plus: We reveal our new Flopcast badge ribbons! You know the drill: Find us at CONvergence and get a ribbon. (Warning: They just might be slightly Brady-themed...) Also: We recall chasing ice cream trucks for weird frozen items, because Kornflake is celebrating National Bomb Pop Day again...
Here at last is our God's Comics concert review! Every ten years, Kevin gets together with friends Sean and Adam to form God's Comics, a cover band that only plays Elvis Costello, Men at Work, and The Monkees. In the wake of our legendary 1999 and 2009 shows, our adoring fans demanded a third show, which happened just last month at The Hearing Room in Lowell, Massachusetts. 'Twas a festive evening of old friends, classic pop songs, and one rubber chicken. (Oh, and Kornflake almost stole a couch.) We also have a special conversation recorded right after the God's Comics show, with one of those old friends, Sarah! This talk (during which much Earth fruit is consumed, Robolar-style) covers a bunch of silly topics... but we keep circling back to Silver Spoons. (You know how we feel about goofy 80s sitcoms, and you should have seen this coming.)
It's no secret that Kevin and Kornflake are longtime fans of Brooklyn's ambassadors of love, They Might Be Giants. (Their matching Doctor Worm tattoos sort of gave it away.) And since John Linnell (you know, the keyboard/accordion half of the band) has a birthday this week, we're sharing a few TMBG memories, and flipping through a giant (well, it might be giant) stack of TMBG albums. Including: Kevin and Kornflake on the radio, Doornail and Kornflake on a bus, Kornflake providing a shirt for John Flansburgh (you know, the guitar half of the band) at a TMBG show, a drunk idiot crashing onto Kevin at another TMBG show, and much more. So to borrow a title from a TMBG record: join us. Let's see if we can get this whole Istanbul/Constantinople business figured out. Plus: Another Kornflake on the Road segment, in which we enter the nasty world of pantomime. (Or perhaps it's just "panto." We're still confused.)
Here's an extra-special, extra-weird show we've been meaning to unleash for a few weeks. It's the adventures of Kornflake and Doornail at MarsCon 2019! Yeah, we already discussed MarsCon (the Minnesota science fiction convention which also hosts our beloved Dementia Track of comedy music) back in Flopcast episode 358. But now you'll get the whole story, from both Kornflake and our perpetually giggling Flopcast correspondent, Doornail! You'll hear even more about all our Dementia Track friends (Insane Ian, Cutesylvania, TV's Kyle and Linzilla, Power Salad, the great Luke Ski, Devo Spice, Jeff Whitmire, Michael Hunter, Carrie Dahlby, the Library Bards, and more), plus the Logan Awards, Dementia Smackdown wrestling, Kornflake's Dementia Water Aerobics, the Space Oddity Music Club and Brew Pub, late night fake mustache karaoke, Boob Tree, and mini-golf at the Mall of America. Can Kornflake and Doornail recall their entire wacky MarsCon weekend before they get kicked out of a bookstore café? Let's find out. Ladies, commence giggling...
It's an extra-goofy show, because we're recording from separate remote locations, AND our recording equipment keeps malfunctioning! But we're here anyway, just for you. And this random catch-up sort of show features: Joe Cool vs. Mr. Cool; Star Wars burlesque; stand-up comedy with Dana Gould, Bobcat Goldthwait, and friends; Queen Jessica Mercy at the Watch City Steampunk Festival; our ESO Network boss visiting New England to check up on us; a rare solo show from Letters to Cleo frontwoman (and our favorite singer) Kay Hanley; the Speak Up storytelling podcast live in Connecticut; burritos and benefits in Rhode Island; Kornflake's rain-soaked 5K walk; and Kevin and Brittany (of Good Enough Cosplay) reporting live from their weird 5K run. (But was it really 5K?) Enjoy, as we all collapse in exhaustion.
We're just days away from the third ever performance of Kevin's weird cover band, God's Comics! So this week we have a special interview with our God's Comics co-conspirator, Sean Fullerton! Kevin and Sean recall their mid-90s glory days at the late great Grind coffeehouse, and how their love of Men at Work, Elvis Costello, and The Monkees led to this silly cover band project. Join us at The Hearing Room in Lowell, Massachusetts on Saturday, May 25th, 2019! It'll be festive and ridiculous. And speaking of May 25th, that's also National Wine Day, which means Korkflake has filled the studio with odd little boxes of wine! Needless to say, an impromptu Flopcast taste test breaks out, and there are no survivors.
It's our goofy anniversary show, as Kevin and Kornflake celebrate seven years of The Flopcast! Yes, we've released a Flopcast every single week since May 2012, because clearly there is something wrong with us. Join us as we run through some fascinating Flopcast stats! (Have we done more Top 4 1/2 Lists or Chickens in the News? Stuff this very important information into your brain.) We also look at the top ten countries, and the top ten US states, for Flopcast downloads. (They're still ignoring us in North Dakota, probably because of our controversial statements about their founder, Jeremiah Bismarck.) Also: It's Stephen Colbert's birthday (and we still miss the Dana Carvey Show), we try to escape from an escape room (with no help from Rupert Holmes), and we're preparing for our God's Comics reunion concert. We hope to see you there. It's May 25th in Lowell, Massachusetts, and it'll be almost as ridiculous as listening to this show for seven years.
Kevin and the Mayor road trip down to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for an evening of science and silliness with George Hrab and the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe. (We assumed Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey would meet us in Bethlehem... but we had a lot of growing up to do.) Meanwhile Kornflake checks out an online concert by our favorite sci-fi pop band, the future of the future, The Fantastic Plastics. And we're trying to figure out if Kornflake was ever married to Billy Joel. We may be right, and she may be crazy.
Time for another Top 4 1/2 List, and the subject this week is... wonder. (Why yes, we are out of ideas, how could you tell?) Our list of favorite wonder stuff includes some obvious picks like Wonder Woman and Stevie Wonder... but things get weirder as we explore puppet dune buggies, songs we hate, robot bears, robot girls, and Space Monkey Gleek's tricky pals. It's a wonderful list, as the ghost of Jimmy Stewart would say, if he weren't busy haunting an abandoned textile mill in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Also: National Superhero Day, fun with old calculators, and some hot Tick talk.
After slacking off through the miserable winter, we attempt to catch up with TWO Kornflake on the Road segments. First Kornflake visits a beachside coffee shop and returns with a bag of mysterious prizes. Then Kornflake joins Kevin and the Mayor at a crowded Boston bar for a surprise show by our favorite synthpop band, Freezepop! (Spotted in the Freezepop crowd: talkative strangers, science fiction convention costumers, and geese.) Next in a round of Capes or Apes, we meet some adventurous Irish chimpanzees. And we're celebrating English Muffin Day. Yeah, we're out of control.
While Kornflake's away, Kevin and the Mayor discuss a recent stand-up comedy show from Saturday Night Live veterans Jon Lovitz (Tonto!), Tim Meadows (The Ladies Man!), and Chris Kattan (Mango!). 'Twas a fun show, especially the opening set by a friend of the Flopcast, TV Guidance Counselor's Ken Reid. And we were inspired to recall all the times we've previously encountered SNL cast members. Including: A long ago stand-up set from Dana Carvey, a powerful one-woman show from Julia Sweeney, and a goofy evening with Adam Sandler (plus a surprise appearance by Rob Schneider). There have been about 150 SNL cast members, and our personal SNL life list stands at just sixteen, so there is much work to be done. (The search for Melanie Hutsell begins tomorrow...) Meanwhile, Kevin also attended a new show called The Buy Me Boston Video Loft, a fascinating evening of rare Boston-area video clips from decades past. A 1970s kids show, a 1980s high school rap video, a punk rock fashion show, a cable access dance show... it was all just magnificent. There's also a Buy Me Boston book, filled with amazing old newspaper ads. And as you may have noticed, we sort of enjoy weird old stuff.
Two more concert reports this week: First 80s pop star Taylor Dayne came to town, and we told it to her heart, proved our love, and didn't rush her. We also read her new autobiography, so we're bursting with fun Taylor facts, only some of which involve shady Russian nightclubs and wolves. Next KISS brought their big goofy rock show to Boston, and we were there, hoping to see Fake Gene Simmons riding the subway, which we did. Also: A freak grocery store incident leads to a frank discussion of The Difference Between Kevin and Kornflake. But more importantly, Draw a Bird Day is this week. Please have your hand turkeys and your foot chickens ready to go.
Here's our big silly report from Northeast Comic Con in exotic Boxborough, Massachusetts! Featuring: Rubber Chicken Comics, Lost in Space's Mark Goddard, weird comedy from Mark Gallagher, kaiju rock from Gwello, chicken songs from The Fools, and Cesar Romero rumors from Gilbert Gottfried! Then it's time for another round of Capes or Apes, in which we flip through an old Spider Woman comic book and check out the ads for Cracker Jack, Atari, and Blip magazine. We're also celebrating the birthday of our favorite Russian doll, Natasha Lyonne, and exposing her secret connection to Wooly Willy. And we have a big announcement about a rare (as in once a decade) live show from Kevin's band! (No, not that band. The other one.) Save the date (May 25th), hitchhike to Massachusetts, and join us. Bring Bubble Yum.
Just a couple of quick items this week: A Monkees concert report and a Captain Marvel movie report. Reaching our beloved Monkees (Mike and Micky) involved a long perilous ferry ride to Long Island; 'twas about an hour at sea, and we'll never be the same. Getting to the movie was simpler, but we're still waiting to see the real Captain Marvel on the big screen. No, not Shazam. We mean the 1960s alien robot whose head and limbs pop off. Look it up, and get on that, Hollywood. Also discussed: Davey and Goliath, Russian Doll, Richard Marx, REO Speedwagon, Alan Arkin, and NerdBliss. All packed into one silly half hour show, because we value your time, if not ours.
Kornflake braved the subzero temperatures of winter in Minnesota, and now she's back with her annual report from MarsCon! It's the science fiction convention that also has a whole track of comedy music, and this year's performers included old and new Flopcast friends like Insane Ian, Cutesylvania, TV's Kyle and Linzilla, Power Salad, the great Luke Ski, Devo Spice, Jeff Whitmire, Michael Hunter, Carrie Dahlby, the Library Bards, and more! Plus: Airport security adventures, vermin at the Mall of America, Dementia Smackdown wrestling, the Logan Awards, scary Klingon drinks, scary Ikea breakfasts, a million mustaches, and of course, Kornflake's Dementia Water Aerobics. In the Upper Midwest, they fight the cold with silliness, and it works.
Here we go, kids! Time to flip though another goofy old issue of Dynamite magazine! (It's a Flopcast tradition, especially when we have to wait until next week for Kornflake's MarsCon report.) This is a 1978 Dynamite, and the cover story is, "The Bee Gees vs. The Beatles: Who's the Greatest?" Our answer is The Bay City Rollers, which is why no one asked us. Also featured in this issue: Tatum O'Neal makes a horse movie; another lame trick from Magic Wanda; amazing new ways to watch TV (cable, video tape recorders, and something called Qube); Dynamite Bummers; and some Bic pen scribbles that make us question the puzzle-solving ability of our magazine's previous owner. Plus: Find Flopcast personnel on recent episodes of The Batcave Podcast, The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon, and Earth Station One... and Happy Birthday to Erik Estrada. Or nada. Your choice.
We've been threatening to do a whole show about creepy songs for quite a while... and here we are. The history of pop music is just lousy with inappropriate songs, and this week we're counting down our favorites (?) in a very creepy Top 4 1/2 List. Why, even Springsteen strayed into creepy territory in the mid-80s when he asked, "Hey little girl, is your daddy home?" And of course, back in the 60s, there was Gary Puckett, who scored one creepy hit after another (mostly about young girls, such as the subtly titled "Young Girl"). Even our beloved Monkees are not so innocent. So hop in your creepy Chevy van, and join us as we achieve maximum creeptitude. We're sorry.
In our first official installment of Kornflake On the Road, Kornflake checks out Chris's Comics in Seabrook, New Hampshire, and we recall the first comic book shops we ever visited. (We recommend Starship Excalibur in Providence, Rhode Island, assuming you can get yourself back to 1984.) Our comic book talk also includes some old favorites (Blue Devil, Swamp Thing, Y: The Last Man) and a new one (Cover, by Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack). Plus: Kornflake prepares for MarsCon! Capes or Apes! Weird new jobs for everyone from Beverly Hills 90210! And we celebrate National Retro Day by suspecting that everything is secretly controlled by 80s pop band The Jets. It would explain a lot, you know.
It's a short show, because Kornflake called in sick, and the rest of us should have. But Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown are still here, all miserable and confused, for a quick goofy conversation. Subjects include: The big Doctor Who convention, Gallifrey One! (Hey, isn't the Mayor supposed to be there right now? Oops.) The Bugs Bunny Film Festival! The Old School Game Show! Quiz-o-Tron! ESO Riffs! Spooky Dudes! And more! But not much more! Okay, time to collapse.
It's miserably cold here in Chickentown, and we just can't take it anymore, but we still managed to prepare a goofy little show for you. Including: Kevin reviews The Van, a dreadful 1977 movie with Danny DeVito (and a weird Brady Bunch connection)! Kornflake has questions about yacht rock! (Don't we all?) Jennifer Aniston has a birthday! We preview two more upcoming conventions: Gallifrey One and MarsCon! Plus Kornflake goes snow tubing, Kevin donates blood, and we invent a disgusting new Olympic competition.
Once again we braved the horrifying winter weather to cover Arisia, Boston's long-running (30 years!) science fiction and fantasy convention. We were there for you. (We were also there because we're huge geeks.) This year's report features: A weird new hotel! Why Kornflake couldn't be there! Kevin's panels (about comic books, 1980s nostalgia, Pulp Fiction, GLOW, and the Star Wars Holiday Special)! Other panels (about Clerks, Sesame Street, Batman, and the Great Molasses Flood)! Performances we wanted to see, but missed, including Jim's Big Ego and Minusworld! Performances we actually saw, including Dr. Horrible and harpist Sara Henya! Cosplay figure drawing! How to play the theremin! Matches Malone! Robolar from Mars! And even more! 'Twas a lovely weekend, and we hope to return next year, assuming we've thawed by then. Also: Seth Green's birthday, the dangers of Powerpoint, the soft rock of Bread, the truth about Mr. Belvedere, and the Fantasy Island riots of 1983.
Just a big weird mix of stuff this week, including: Patton Oswalt's birthday, the Big Chicken in Atlanta, storytelling at The Moth, the 100th anniversary of Boston's Great Molasses Flood (as observed by our friends The Great Molasses Flood), another round of Capes or Apes (featuring some intense gorilla talk), another round of The Pudding Pages (featuring a weird trend from the 90s), and some previously unknown trivia involving Kornflake and a boy band. Next week: Our full report from Arisia. Yes, it will involve Wookiees.
This week we wrap up our tribute to all the pop culture stars we lost in 2018. (And just in time, since our 2019 list is already growing...) From the music world, we say goodbye to a Cranberry, a Bay City Roller, way too many drummers, the guy who wrote the Wonder Woman TV theme song, and the Queen of Soul. From animation and kids TV, we recall some of the folks behind SpongeBob, Sesame Street, Far Out Space Nuts, the California Raisins, and Schoolhouse Rock. Our list of writers and directors includes people who worked on Star Wars, The Princess Bride, Mazes and Monsters, Howard the Duck, and yes, Cop Rock. Then we have our beloved 1980s wrestlers, including members of the Hart Foundation and the British Bulldogs, our favorite Soviet bad guy, and one of the original Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. Plus we remember stars from radio, comedy, science, and lots more. (If you thought we'd forget the host of Commander USA's Groovie Movies, you must be new around here.) So grab a coffee and join us. Next week we'll get back to Flopcast business as usual. (That is, giggling about stupid stuff.)
As we start a weird new year, it's time to look back at all the pop culture legends we lost in 2018. Now last year's memorial show turned into our longest episode ever; we were so dizzy and confused that we almost forgot to stop. So this year we're splitting our list into two episodes (but they're still rather long, and we're still rather dizzy). Our first category is actors, including Charlotte Rae (Mrs. Garrett!), Penny Marshall (Laverne!), David Ogden Stiers (Major Winchester! And the Martian Manhunter!), Ken Berry (the guy in The Cat From Outer Space!), and yeah, our Lois Lane, Margot Kidder. This week we also cover comic books and strips, including the creators of Beetle Bailey, Ghost Rider, Judge Dredd... and of course, Steve and Stan, the guys who gave us Spider-Man. (We forgot to say it during the show, so let's throw an "Excelsior!" in right here.) Next week we'll keep going, with stars from music, cartoons, wrestling, and more. Join us, and as always, bring very strong beverages.
A goofy new year means goofy New Year's Resolutions for your Flopcast hosts! Kornflake intends to hit the road and explore strange new places, possibly in a talking dune buggy. Meanwhile Kevin's plans might be more vague, but they're no less weird. Stick around for a ridiculous 2019; we'll get through this together. We're also celebrating National Milk Day. Coffee milk, maple milk, bizarre and disgusting school cafeteria milk... all are welcome. And we launch a whole new Flopcast segment! With a name that regular listeners will recognize! And this week that segment involves both Aquaman and Jabberjaw... so it's all downhill from here.
For our final show of 2018, we're just relaxing in the studio, enjoying our crazy black coffee, and looking back at a long strange year of Flopcasting. This year we covered a bunch of conventions (while dressed like Cloris Leachman, of course), even more concerts (yes, we saw Christopher Cross, because we're so cool), several Top 4 1/2 Lists (sometimes involving giant robots, as all lists should), and even a few old issues of Dynamite magazine (especially when they put Shaun Cassidy on the cover). Also: Kornflake's movie project, one more National Whatever Day, the 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, our Fish Heads bet, the new Earth Station One: Tales of the Station anthology, a beverage mishap, and our weird new plan involving frog suits. This should have been a sitcom-style clip show, with harp music transitions, as we recall past episodes while trapped in a walk-in freezer. But it's not. Yikes, that would have taken a lot of effort to produce... and we are us. See you in the goofy new year.
It's a quick holiday music-themed show to get you through Christmas week, featuring a Top 4 1/2 List of Kornflake's favorite Christmas cover songs! (Kevin didn't bother making a list, but he did check Kornflake's list. Twice.) You'll know some of these acts (Hall and Oates make the list with their goofy holiday classic), while others may be new to you (such as Rogue Lobster, a band seemingly created just for us). The dogs singing "Jingle Bells" somehow didn't make the cut, but otherwise Kornflake has your holiday playlist ready to go; tune out your family and enjoy. Also: New holiday music from The Monkees, Barnes and Barnes, and The Dollyrots; the creepiness of mistletoe; pepper pot soup at Valley Forge; why we love Taylor Dayne, Lynne Thigpen, and Christmas chickens; and Kornflake's attempt at Whamageddon. Stay festive, kids, and maybe next week we'll wrap up the whole stupid year.
The Mayor of Chickentown joins us for one of our favorite subjects/obsessions: animated holiday specials. Seriously, we spend a stupid amount of time thinking about them all year. So this week we present a Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite supporting characters from holiday cartoons! (Not just cartoons, actually; Muppets count too.) Join us as we pit Miser Brother against Miser Brother, ponder the sleeping arrangements in Whoville, explore which versions of Jack Frost are part of the Rankin Bass shared universe, revisit our weird theories about Hermey the Elf, defend the eating habits of the Bumble, celebrate the musical genius of the Riverbottom Nightmare Band, engage in a bizarre bit of holiday matchmaking (perhaps involving a Wookiee), and much more. So even if you're a creepy winter warlock, put one creepy foot in front of the other and join us. Bring your own nog.
It's our final Flopcast movie night of the year, and Kornflake is finally suffering through the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special! (Kevin has seen it already, of course, but is doomed to repeat it again and again...) If you've experienced it too (either forty years ago on TV, or more recently on bootleg DVD), you know what's coming. Long scenes of nothing but Wookiees growling at each other! Art Carney lying to Stormtroopers! Harvey Korman as a robot, a cantina drunk, and a four-armed alien Julia Child! A Wookiee grandpa watching naughty videos! (Yikes, that part is disturbing.) A song from Jefferson Starship, because why not! The Nelvana cartoon that introduces Boba Fett! Princess Leia singing! R2D2 smoking! Harrison Ford somehow agreeing to participate! And of course, the supreme awesomeness of Bea Arthur! The whole thing is just bizarre and wrong, and we love it. Our DVD also has the original 1978 commercials, a surprising number of which are for underwear. Other commercial breaks feature the Reggie Jackson candy bar, a backward robot, cheap wine endorsed by the guy from Land of the Lost, and a weird news report about the Blizzard of '78. Hey, it's Life Day. You know what to do. Growl at your loved ones incoherently.
Gather around the Flopcast lobster trap tree, kids, because it's time for another Top 4 1/2 List! (Sorry that we've been neglecting this beloved segment since our summer robot list...) And the subject is "Geek Blind Spots," as we list all the hugely popular geeky stuff about which we are completely clueless. Warning: The Doctor Who and Harry Potter fans (that is, approximately everyone) are about to be very disappointed in us. Also, along the way, we just might share some wildly inaccurate information about Huey Lewis, Little House on the Prairie, potato chips, the Spice Girls, the Grinch, naked Twister, Gopher from The Love Boat, and what they're really doing in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. It's a longer show than usual, but considering the subject, that's completely understandable.
Kevin and Kornflake ring in the holidays with our favorite 90s Boston band, Letters to Cleo! (You may recall their hit song "Here and Now," or their appearances in 10 Things I Hate About You and Parks and Recreation, or singer Kay Hanley's vocals for Josie and the Pussycats... or if you don't know them, look them up. You're welcome.) We were in the front row for Letters to Cleo's holiday homecoming shows (both of them!), and have a full report, including: Dangerously close guitar solos! Surprise guests! Opening band American Hi-Fi! Kay Hanley approving of Kevin's shirt! No one approving of Kornflake's weird coffee! (Not even Kornflake!) It was a festive time, and you should all join us next year. Bring ear plugs. Also: Thanksgiving Spam-juggling, running with lobsters and dogs, mason jars of moonshine, and a Flopcast holiday tradition... The Figgy Pudding Pages.
It's movie night in Chickentown once again, because Kornflake waited a quarter of a century to see one of Kevin's all-time favorites, 1993's The Nightmare Before Christmas. So while chomping on some festive pizza pie, we watch this festive stop motion-animated classic from Tim Burton and Henry Selick, and discuss. Mentioned along the way: The cluelessness of everyone in Halloween Town, the awesomeness of Behemoth ("Bunny!"), the amazing cast (by the way, we got one of the voice credits wrong, because we are us), the allure of the turkey tree, the crowing of the skeleton rooster, Kornflake's favorite character (probably the same as Edie Brickell's), Kevin's search for Nightmare toys back in the 90s, live shadowcast and burlesque versions of the story, and our dream of remaking the whole thing using the Brady Bunch cast. (Maureen McCormick is playing Lock, Shock, AND Barrel, because Marcia Marcia Marcia.) Also: Kevin Nealon turns 65! We're hiring Tonto, Tarzan, and Frankenstein to attempt a round of "Happy Birthday."
It's mid-November, but we're still discussing our Halloween activities. (The Flopcast is as timely as ever.) Including: Halloween parties, a Halloween concert, a Halloween wedding, underwater pumpkin carving, the worst candy, road trips through Connecticut and Vermont, jug bands, sea lions, a chicken-themed cidery, a pug-themed restaurant, a creepy bird mask, and Lili Taylor. Also: Kornflake finds a chicken-suited friend of the Flopcast at the Extra Life gaming event, and Kevin tries to survive Yacht Rock Night. (Next year we're dressing as Michael McDonald for Halloween. Please send beards.)
Grumpy old music fans, rejoice! It's time for our annual review of the nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! This is a fun list, including one of Kevin's all-time favorites (Devo, at last), and one of Kornflake's all-time least favorites (sorry, Stevie Nicks). Hey, maybe this will be the year the Bay City Rollers finally get inducted, despite not even being nominated. We can dream. And speaking of beloved Scottish pop stars, Kevin finally saw Sheena Easton live in concert, and has a full report, for your ears only. (Good luck getting "Morning Train" out of your head for the next several months. You're welcome!) Also: A weird Kevin the Turkey update, a turkey-themed What's in the Bag, and an obscure aquatic DC Comics hero that Kornflake should totally cosplay.
Kevin reports from one of our favorite local geek conventions (now back in its beloved original location), Super Megafest! Including: The stars of Lost in Space and Leave it to Beaver, 80s movie buttons from Rubber Chicken Comics (Free Johnny Dangerously!), Jonathan Winters trash bags (?), and a whole lot of Britneys, compliments of Good Enough Cosplay. And of course, there was the solo acoustic concert by TV's Will Robinson, Bill Mumy... which means we have the results of our Fish Heads bet! Did Bill perform "Fish Heads," as Kornflake predicted, thus dooming the Flopcast to a winter of iced coffee? All shall be revealed. Also this week: Halloween stuff (but not much), hockey masks, Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live in Boston (hi, Grant!), a High Feather video from Blasted Bill (or should we say Broccoli Bill?), the Extra Life charity gaming event (find Kornflake and Mousey there!), and Kevin's latest appearance on Pop Culture Cosmos to complain about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Next week: More complaining about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, right here on the Flopcast.
It's National TV Talk Show Host Day, which makes us realize we don't really watch TV talk shows anymore. Let's move on. Next we have a long-delayed edition of Chickens in the News, in which an Australian chicken helps to build a sidewalk. Hey, maybe someday the guys from Air Supply will stroll down this chicken sidewalk; Australia is magical. And Kevin reports from the world of competitive running, which somehow involves bibs, mysterious coffee cakes, and chinchillas with attitudes. Next week: The results of our Fish Heads bet. Yum.
This week we conclude our look back at last month's concert by After These Messages, a weird new band (Kevin is the lead singer, sort of) that only plays TV theme songs, and may never play again. (You're welcome!) The second half of the concert included plenty of classic sitcom themes (such as Happy Days, Three's Company, Silver Spoons, and WKRP), another ridiculous duet (Family Ties), a Billy Joel cover (thanks to Tom Hanks in a dress), a Schoolhouse Rock medley, an eerily accurate Peter Brady impression, and a song that no one could possibly remember (unless they're a Flopcast listener). It was a magic night. There were no survivors. Also: We celebrate National Grouch Day, we receive a surprise turxt, and we agree upon the stakes of our Fish Heads bet. The Vegas oddsmakers must be freaking out.
That show we'd been plugging for months finally happened, and the town of Haverhill, Massachusetts will never be the same. Kevin (your Flopcast co-host) was joined by Ed (his tricky partner from The Sponge Awareness Foundation), Mike (from Vortex, Tricycle, and more), and Carl (from Duck Duck, The Shods, and even more). Together, for one night only in late September, they formed a supergroup (well, a group) known as After These Messages. And they subjected The Lasting Room in Haverhill to a silly evening of TV theme songs, performed live, along with trivia, prizes, and a killer Edith Bunker impression. Kornflake was there too, lost in the crowd of screaming superfans (well, fans) (well, humans). So this week, we run through the set list from the first half of the show and discuss. Some of our band's live versions were pretty faithful to the TV versions (The Jeffersons, Perfect Strangers, Diff'rent Strokes), while others were a bit longer, with extra verses never used on TV (Golden Girls, Growing Pains, Facts of Life). In fact, a few of these songs have unknown verses that range from weird to downright problematic (Cheers, All in the Family, Mary Tyler Moore). We also tackle the eternal Gilligan's Island theme song question: "And the rest" or "The Professor and Mary Ann"? Plus: Happy Birthday to Chevy Chase (a Griswold, an Amigo, and a golfer among gophers). Next week: The rest of the After These Messages set list. It was a long night.
This week we celebrate Elisabeth Shue's birthday, and consider dressing up like a shower to take her to a Halloween dance; Kornflake reports on her August movie (we're a little late), When Harry Met Sally; there's a new Mystery Science Theater 3000 comic book, just as the Mads (TV's Frank and Dr. Forrester) visit Boston; Kevin has concert reports on synthpop legend Gary Numan (yeah, the "Cars" guy) as well as the Bust Out Boston Music Festival with Stars Like Ours, Petty Morals, and VQnC; we enjoy a delightfully chicken-themed "What's in the Bag" segment; and we look forward to Super Megafest, October 13-14 in Framingham, Massachusetts, with stars from Lost in Space and Leave it to Beaver. (Suddenly we want to see a death match between Dr. Smith and Eddie Haskell...)
It's Flopcast movie night! All year long, Kornflake has been catching up on movies she should have seen long ago. So this week we watch and discuss one of Kevin's favorite movies from back in 1991, The Commitments. (Because if you want to experience genuine soul music... you go to Ireland.) We talk about the cast (hey, there's Star Trek's Chief Miles O'Brien!), the music (could Joey the Lips really play that trumpet?), trying and failing to rent the movie at Blockbuster, scary twins, Kornflake's collection of Corrs albums (on cassette!), and the time Kevin saw the Commitments live in concert. (Which actual cast members were in the touring version of the band? You'd be surprised...) Also, listen in horror as Kornflake is attacked by a vole or a pocketbook or both. (Note: This episode was recorded way back in March, during St. Patrick's Day weekend, appropriately. We've had it on reserve since then, waiting for just the right time to share it with you. That time is now. Enjoy. Now where did you hide our Lucky Charms?)
It's our end-of-summer spectacular! (Disclaimer: May not actually be spectacular, but it's all we have...) Kornflake visits a zoo and amusement park, spends quality time with capybaras (they're giant rodents!) and weird birds (they're weird and they're birds!), appreciates elephants, gets kicked out of bounce houses, and has strong opinions about fried dough, salt water taffy, and a mysterious scary item known as "beach pizza." Meanwhile, pre-DragonCon (but we're just getting around to discussing it), Kevin and the Mayor road-trip all the way to Philadelphia for an amazing concert by Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra. (Just how obsessed with Xanadu are we? You have no idea.) While there, we are gifted with a beautiful Flash Gordon notebook from Rich's Really Cool Notebooks, and we're pretty sure it will save every one of us.
Kevin spent a long crazy Labor Day weekend in Atlanta for DragonCon, and shares a full report on our favorite convention with Kornflake and the Mayor of Chickentown! Highlights include: A Sesame Street reunion (with Luis, Bob, Gordon, and Big Bird); panels with stars from Mystery Science Theater 3000, Smallville, and all the DC Arrowverse shows; music from Tom Kenny and The Hi-Seas, and The Doubleclicks; The Newbie Walking Tours (because we like to be exhausted on day 1); the Geek Girls Run (because we still weren't quite exhausted enough); the ESO Network Meet and Greet (which may have involved pie); the science of The Last Jedi (should you barbecue your Porgs?); the Council of Michaels; late night fun with Wicked Geeky; the debut of the new book Earth Station One: Tales of the Station Volume 3 (with a weird new story by Kevin!); and a magic moment in the American Sci-Fi Classics Track room featuring the music of Bonnie Tyler. We also cover all of Kevin's panels, on subjects like Arrow, Krypton, Gotham, Flash, Classic Sci-Fi Legends, Roll-a-Panel, The Incredible Hulk, Classic Sci-Fi Court (aka The Revenge of Howard the Duck), The Cat from Outer Space (!), and Schoolhouse Rock. Now the rumor is that for the Schoolhouse Rock panel, and for the first time ever, Kevin finally wore a costume at DragonCon! But that probably isn't true. And if it is true, the costume probably wasn't weird and stupid. You shouldn't even bother searching for photographic evidence. Move along. Move along.
We're busy at DragonCon this week, but the podcast must go on! So we prepared this silly little show in advance, just for you. And what could be sillier than flipping through another old issue of Dynamite magazine? We selected an issue from 40 years ago based on the cover alone: It's Shaun Cassidy and Chewbacca, together at last. (Fun fact: Chewbacca came very close to co-starring with Shaun on The Hardy Boys, but then Parker Stevenson just nailed the audition by not being a Wookiee.) Inside the magazine we find not just articles about Star Wars and Shaun, but also Count Morbida's puzzle pages (hey, the Count has a delightful new girlfriend, Horribella), a card trick from the all-powerful Magic Wanda, Dynamite Bummers, and more. There's even a report on a jelly bean taste test, if you can stand that kind of excitement. We sure can. In fact, we were inspired to try another Flopcast taste test of our own, with a weird new bag of lobster-flavored potato chips. Now Kornflake loves lobsters... but will she love lobster chips? Listen to us chomp, and learn the shocking truth.
As usual, Kevin will be in Atlanta over Labor Day weekend for DragonCon, surrounded by 80,000 other very weird humans. This giant convention has an amazing guest list again this year, including cast members from Sesame Street, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Star Trek, Black Lightning, Stranger Things, and lots more. Musical guests include Flopcast favorites The Doubleclicks, Mikey Mason, Tom Smith, and Rhiannon's Lark. And you'll find many of our favorite writers, artists, costumers, scientists, skeptics, and podcasters, including plenty of ESO Network personnel! We break it all down for you this week, plus we run through Kevin's schedule of panels and events, on subjects like School House Rock, Lost in Space, Gotham, Arrow, and of course, The Cat from Outer Space. (If you thought DragonCon's American Sci-Fi Classics Track would overlook the 40th anniversary of the most important movie in history, you haven't been paying attention.) Please note: A few event times and locations have already changed since we recorded this show. Check the official schedule, and watch for updates from us. If you can find us, you'll get a goofy Flopcast badge ribbon! (We know that's all you really care about.) See you in Atlanta. Be sure to wear a bow tie, a chicken suit, or (ideally) both.
We have yet another retro concert report, as Kevin and the Mayor enjoyed an evening of Chicago-style (and Karate Kid-style) soft rock with Peter Cetera. (We did it all for the glory of being stuck in the mid-80s.) We also attended a screening of the new Mr. Rogers documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor?, with a special guest: Mr. McFeely himself, David Newell! This inspired a silly little exercise for this week's show, as we attempt to cast a hypothetical Neighborhood of Make-Believe movie. (Do we want Wil Wheaton to play Prince Tuesday? OF COURSE WE DO.) Also: Happy Birthday to Kenny Rogers. As always, we consider ourselves honorary cowards of the county.
Our summer retro concert reviews continue as Dennis DeYoung (the voice of Styx) visits historic Lexington, Massachusetts to rock our faces and our Mr. Roboto Kilroy masks. Meanwhile, Kornflake catches up on her 2018 movie project with Steve Martin's L.A. Story, National Whatever Day almost goes into reruns, and the new list of inductees in the Podcasters Hall of Fame includes a couple of very familiar names. (Are we on the list? What do you think? Keep in mind that chickens are still not allowed to vote.)
You know what summer means here in Chickentown. Yes, it's time for our seventh (!) annual robot-themed Top 4 1/2 List. And this year's subject is... GIANT ROBOTS. We have giant robots from 1960s cartoons, 1970s television, 1980s concert tours, and more. (A certain Iron Giant may even appear on the list more than once.) Of course the greatest giant robots are from Japan... and while we skip over many of the classic Japanese robots, we do include one of the weirder examples. Look, we love robots. And when the robots rise up and conquer the puny humans (probably in about three weeks), we hope they recall our annual tribute fondly. Especially the giant robots. Also: National Bowling Day, AT-AT walkers invading Boston, Alannah Myles vs. Alana Davis, and Kornflake's movie plans for the year 2032. We will all be giant robots by then, of course.
Not sure if this has ever come up on the show before, but we're sort of obsessed with 1980s music. (Please don't tell anybody.) So your Flopcast hosts just had to check out the Retro Futura concert tour, featuring ABC, Modern English, Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Go's, Tony Lewis of the Outfield, and Limahl of Kajagoogoo. It was magnificent, and it was all part of our big plan to remain trapped in the past. We also have a second concert report from that same weekend, as we witnessed the long-awaited return of Freezepop (our favorite synthpop band, of course), along with Party Bois (also crazy local favorites of ours). Plus: Rubber chickens on the soccer field, The Mayor of Chickentown talking Doctor Who on The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon, and a chocolate chip controversy. Next week: Robots.
Okay, here at last is our full report from CONvergence! (It's a science fiction convention that's so festive, we creep all the way to Minnesota to be there every year.) Featuring: Star Trek's Marina Sirtis! MST3K's Mary Jo Pehl! Music from Feng Shui Ninjas, The Faithful Sidekicks, and legendary synthpop band Information Society! Stand-up comedy from Joseph Scrimshaw! Powerpoint Karaoke! Burlesque! (Correction: NERDlesque!) The Mos Icee Cantina room party! Pee Wee Herman and Clerks room parties! Big screaming birds from the Raptor Center! People in weird costumes! Kevin's panels on Stranger Things, Gotham, and Swamp Thing! Our bizarre new Flopcast badge ribbons (starring our favorite Martian)! And more! We're exhausted. See you next year.
Kornflake reports on FlopFest, her annual summer celebration featuring hammocks, sunburns, cover bands on trucks, and not enough vodka. She also reviews Solo: A Star Wars Story (quick version: not enough Tawny Kitaen) and visits a well-chlorinated, sea bird-infested water park. Then Kevin has concert reports on U2 (and their secret keyboardist), Jonathan Coulton (still singing about IKEA, as he should), and Aimee Mann (who treated the 80s nerds in the crowd to a 'Til Tuesday classic). Kevin also just saw Caddyshack on the big screen, so we share a little trivia from the new book Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story. (For example: The highest paid cast member was the gopher.) And we're celebrating World Snake Day. Come slither with us.
Kevin is far from Chickentown this week, hiding in Minnesota with all the cool kids at CONvergence. So we have something special instead of our regular Flopcast programming. We're flashing back to DragonCon 2017... and we're going to court. Specifically, this is Classic Sci-Fi Court, compliments of the DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track. Kevin was part of an elite dream team of delusional defense attorneys tasked with defending notoriously bad movies before a judge, jury, and roomful of giggling onlookers. And his movie was... the 1986 George Lucas turkey (well, almost)... Howard the Duck. (We do enjoy a weird challenge around here.) Up next was Fortress of Baileytude podcaster Michael Bailey to defend Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (all hail Nuclear Man!), followed by longtime Classics Track Irregular Geena Phillips with Batman Forever. (Actual quote from Geena's opening statement: "I can't defend the nipples.") You'll also hear grizzled court reporter Philip Schweier, gruff but lovable bailiff Michael Falkner, and of course, ruling over us all... Judge Joe Crowe. Were there any survivors? Let's find out. Cover yourselves, because the duck feathers are about to fly...
It's a bizarre mix of silly items this week... First we celebrate Kevin Bacon's birthday with a round or two of the Kevin Bacon game. (This game would be much easier if Kevin and Mr. T would finally star in the buddy cop movie of our dreams...) Next in our Pudding Pages segment, Kornflake fondly recalls riding in the "way back" of the family station wagon. (In a way, she's still back there...) We also have a Chickens in the News segment, which somehow involves both traffic safety and alligator wrestling. And Kevin reports on Classic Con, where he found goofy cheap old comic books (our favorite kind) featuring The Mighty Heroes, chickens, and naked people. Finally, a reminder for Minnesota people: Find us this week at CONvergence! We'll have weird Flopcast ribbons, just for you.
Watch out, fair citizens of the Upper Midwest! Kevin is creeping back to Bloomington, Minnesota for CONvergence, an amazing science fiction convention happening July 5th-8th! This year's guests include Marina Sirtis (one of our favorite Star Trek counselors), Mary Jo Pehl (one of our favorite MST3K Mads)... and a classic 80s synthpop band: Minnesota's own Information Society! (And in case you're wondering: Yes, we are officially freaking out about Information Society.) Kevin will be appearing on panels throughout the weekend, discussing Swamp Thing, Stranger Things, Gotham, and more. And we will be debuting our new Flopcast badge ribbons at CONvergence too! So come to a panel, get a weird ribbon, and be the envy of your weird friends. Also: Our dream of Krofft-themed mini-golf, a new book and podcast about storytelling from Matthew Dicks, and Kornflake's tragic obsession with parchment paper.
Are you ready for the summer? Not us... we are not exactly "outdoorsy" around here. But we do know how to hide inside with iced coffee, pizza pie, and a classic summer movie. So this week we're watching Meatballs, the beloved 1979 summer camp comedy starring Chris Makepeace (you know Chris from Mazes and Monsters) and Bill Murray (you know Bill from Ghostbusters II). Kornflake has never seen Meatballs before, so it's time for her to learn about Wudy the Wabbit, the Mystery Meat Contest, the disco hit "Makin' It," the weird sequels, and the North Star CIT sing-along (which has been trapped in our brains for decades). The conversation also drifts over to Caddyshack (and the wonderful new book about Caddyshack)... because it just had to. Plus: Despite a general avoidance of nature, Kevin went to Vermont and found two turtles, one turkey, and one folk singer (that would be Dar Williams). And we're celebrating the Day of the Gong, just as Chuck Barris would have wanted. So join us! Or don't! Because as the movie taught us... it just doesn't matter.
Not much happening here in Chickentown, and it's been a few weeks, so once again we're turning to our big crazy stack of Dynamite magazines. This time we're looking at a 1982 issue of Dynamite with a smiling Lisa Whelchel (you know her as Blair, your favorite Facts of Life rich girl) on the cover. And inside we find a shocking tell-all Lisa Whelchel interview! (Warning: The most shocking revelation is that she likes Rick Springfield.) Then thanks to a Dynamite quiz, we learn that we're awful at identifying product mascots, even when they're naked. (We did recognize those ne'er-do-wells Snap, Crackle, and Pop, who were fully clothed, thankfully.) This issue also contains a bizarre UFO story, Chewbacca's birthday, puzzle pages with Count Morbida (the freaky pink vampire), Dynamite Bummers (of course), and a pretty lame poster. Hey, 1982 was the year of Fast Times, Tron, and Pac-Man Fever (none of which are discussed in this show). 'Twas a magical time, and now you can relive it as two goofy podcasters flip through a children's magazine and giggle incessantly. You're welcome.
Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown are back from a weird little trip to Ohio! (It's the Buckeye State, you know, named after Popeye's mortal enemy, Buckeye.) They visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (where they totally failed to get Air Supply inducted), Ratsy's Store (where they found chicken socks, Dynamite magazines, and Ratsy), and the 16-Bit Bar Arcade (where you can play Burgertime all night long). Meanwhile back in Chickentown, Kornflake prepares to bust some ghosts and/or dust on Ghostbusters Day, and in honor of the new Solo movie, we have a "What's in the Bag?" segment featuring some classic Star Wars memorabilia. (And no, it's not Bea Arthur's costume from the holiday special. But someday...)
It's a quick but action-packed show this week. First, National Whatever Day somehow involves singing telegrams, kites, and a dentist. Then in Chickens in the News, Payo the Rooster terrorizes a Miami neighborhood, and we approve. Plus: the weird tale of a missing Amazon package, a Strange Brew review (we're about 35 years behind on our movies), and very small doughnuts. Because very small doughnuts are good for you.
After a long cruel winter here in Chickentown, we finally celebrate the return of our beloved iced coffee, with our beloved coffee cubes. (This is what Kornflake waits for all year.) And while we could (and sometimes do) just talk about coffee all night, there are a few other (far less significant) items to discuss this week. We have a pair of concert reports, as Kornflake attends a Star Wars-themed Jim's Big Ego show (it was May the Fourth, you see), while Kevin and the Mayor wander up to Maine to see Canadian power pop band Sloan (it was May the Fifth, aka Cinco de Pie-o). Also: Kevin spent a long weird day enduring physical challenges, solving puzzles, forming alliances, searching for immunity idols, and stabbing everyone in the back. Listen and learn his final fate as a contestant on... Survivor: Birthday Island. (Just don't tell Jeff Probst.) Plus: Free Comic Book Day, Disco Nightwing, FuMPFeST, Classic Con, a weird game in honor of Drew Carey, and a new bonus Flopcast episode for ESO Network Patreon supporters. Now excuse us; we must return to our cubes.
This week we have three concert reports from three different states: First we creep up to Portland, Maine in search of lobsters and They Might Be Giants. Then we find two of our favorite beverages and/or bands, cider and Petty Morals, in spooky Salem, Massachusetts. And finally, in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, we are the warriors, thanks to Patty Smyth and Scandal. Also: The quickest Avengers: Infinity War review you'll ever hear, the return of The Pod of Destiny, and Straw Hat Day (which is way more dangerous than you think). And hey, this is the sixth anniversary of The Flopcast! But we're not really celebrating, and we're passing the savings on to you.
This is what happens when Kornflake chooses the subject for our Top 4 1/2 List: In honor of Cinco de Mayo (or our superior version, Cinco de Pie-o), the subject is... five. Yes, we're counting down "five" things... four and a half of them. The list includes music (Ben Folds Five was an easy pick), cartoons, comic book villains, Ally Sheedy's favorite robot, and a couple of really weird ones. (But we still missed some important "fives" -- please don't tell Tito Jackson.) This show is like a great big "high five" to the whole stupid internet, but we don't actually have to touch anybody. Also: It's World Migratory Bird Day, and we have a secret bird video. Or do we? We've already said too much.
Grab a bowl of Frankenberry, because we're flashing back to Arisia (our favorite local science fiction convention), where Kevin moderated a panel called "Cereal and Cartoons: Saturday Mornings Revisited"! Joining Kevin on the panel were filmmaker Kevin Cafferty, Andy Hicks (of the Coal Hill A/V Club podcast), and Karen (of the Foxes in the Hen House podcast)! Among the topics discussed: The Superfriends, Pee Wee's Playhouse, ALF, Captain Bob, Weird Al, Josie and the Pussycats, The Brady Kids, School House Rock, Time for Timer, Gilligan's Planet, Mr. T, Thundarr the Barbarian, Turbo Teen, Kidd Video, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, Garfield and Friends, Galaxy High, Hanna Barbera, Filmation, Sid and Marty Krofft, the Friday night preview specials, the Saturday morning TV comic book ads, the continuity errors of Tom and Jerry, the horrors of candlepin bowling, and the eternal curse of Scrappy Doo. And folks, that is not a complete list. Not even close. Listen carefully, and you'll hear Kornflake and the Mayor of Chickentown in the audience too. (Warning: One of them may have been wearing a rubber chicken costume.) This was a crazy fun time, and this is why you all need to hitchhike to Boston and join us at Arisia next year. And that's one to grow on.
It's a quick show this week, but we still knock out three classic Flopcast segments for you, right before our big nap. In Chickens in the News, a rubber chicken museum is coming to Seattle (compliments of the mad geniuses at Archie McPhee), and yeah, we're sort of freaking out. Then in our Pudding Pages segment, we remember Liquid Paper, because why use autocorrect when you can clumsily paint over your mistakes and make a huge mess instead? And for National Whatever Day, we're wishing a happy birthday to Kate Pierson of The B-52s. We are pretty big fans of both rock and lobsters, so why not.
The stupid snow is melting, and we're starting to leave the house again, so we have a trio of concert reports for you this week. First, just ahead of their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, Bon Jovi came to Boston to see and/or rock a million faces, including ours. (But we're even bigger fans of the opening band: our local power pop heroes, Sidewalk Driver.) Next was Juliana Hatfield, celebrating the release of her remarkable new album of Olivia Newton-John covers. (Just imagine... "Physical" and "Xanadu" performed live by a Boston alt-rock legend... it was magic. And yes, she also played "Magic.") And finally, we witnessed a surprisingly awesome show from perhaps the soft-rockiest dude in the history of soft rock... Christopher Cross. (We found him at a frighteningly smoke-filled casino in Connecticut, which is indeed located about halfway between the moon and New York City.) Also: Happy Birthday to Rick Moranis. From the Great White North to Gravedale High to Bedrock, he is our Keymaster.
Join us as we flop back 42 years and flip through a 1976 issue of Dynamite! This classic magazine for kids was a staple of school book clubs from the mid-70s through the early 90s, and we recently acquired a big stupid stack of them. For this week's show, we selected an issue of Dynamite with Fonzie on the cover, because of course we did. Inside we found a Henry Winkler interview (obviously), as well as an article about skateboarding, a weird (and probably fake) advice column, instructions for a magic trick that won't work, instructions for a gymnastics move that will kill you, an address to send a birthday card to Horshack, a celebrity look-alike contest ("Who do you look like? Cher? Edith Bunker?"), Count Morbida (a goofy pink vampire) and his puzzle pages, and of course, Dynamite Bummers. If you missed 1976 the first time (or just forgot most of it), this is your big chance to celebrate the Bicentennial, vote for Carter, and party at the moon tower. Meanwhile here in the modern world, we're celebrating National Grilled Cheese Day... but that just leads to bizarre school cafeteria memories from long ago. Okay, distant past, you win.
It's the long-awaited return of a classic Flopcast segment, the Top 4 1/2 List! And it's an extra-stupid one, because the subject is simply... Peter. Yeah, we're listing our favorite Peters from music (yikes, lots of musicians are named Peter), sitcoms (don't play ball in the house, Peter), cartoons (including a seasonally appropriate Rankin Bass special), and peanut butter brands (hint: not Skippy). Plus: We're celebrating National Read a Road Map Day (why not), and the Mayor of Chickentown joins us with a report from (Re)Generation Who, a Doctor Who convention in Baltimore, Maryland. (Was everyone at the convention named Peter? Let's say yes.)
While Kornflake was away at MarsCon, Kevin was busy with silly things too. One of our comedy music heroes, "Weird Al" Yankovic, brought his "Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour" to Boston for two shows in the same day... and Kevin showed up for both of them. This long weird day also included stand-up from Emo Philips, a round of Weird Al Jeopardy, a backstage meet and greet, and a special late night show from Al's longtime band members Jim West and Steve Jay. (Live Hawaiian guitar music, at a Harvard Square folk club, at midnight, on a Sunday? Sure, we'll be there.) Plus: A stormy night in Rhode Island with The Mads (Mystery Science Theater 3000's Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu), a Stevie Nicks tribute concert and burlesque show from Niki Luparelli, and National Make Up Your Own Holiday Day. So go ahead and make up your own holiday. It can't possibly be as stupid as ours.
Despite a delightful series of weather-related delays and flight cancellations, Kornflake has returned from Minnesota with a full report on MarsCon! It's one of our very favorite conventions, thanks to its Dementia Track of comedy music concerts, under the direction of our pal the great Luke Ski. Performers this year included Luke, Donita Smith, Marc with a C, StarF and Mattari 2600, brentalfloss, Power Salad, Devo Spice, Insane Ian, TV's Kyle and Lindzilla, the Library Bards, the Faithful Sidekicks, Beth Kinderman, Karl Brown, and Carrie Dahlby! Plus: Dementia Smackdown Wrestling, Geek Bellydancing, Boob Tree (it's a game), Use Your Words (also a game), and of course... Kornflake's Dementia Water Aerobics! Hop in the pool, kids; we like to leave our fellow geeks soaking wet and exhausted.
It's another movie-themed show, because Kornflake finally saw the latest Star Wars movie, just in time for actor John Boyega's birthday. (You know John. He plays Finn, the Stormtrooper with a heart of gold.) We also discuss Kornflake's January movie (for each month of 2018, she is watching a classic movie she should have seen years ago), Labyrinth! (Come on, it's Bowie and Muppets. Can't go wrong.) Then following a super-quick review of Black Panther, the rest of the show is all about Molly. We're gonna need 34 more candles, because our favorite Brat Packer, Molly Ringwald, just turned 50! So we're looking back at Molly's career, from Facts of Life (first season only, alas) through the John Hughes years and beyond, up to her present role as Archie's mom on Riverdale. And because Kevin just saw it, we spend way too much time on 1983's Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone. It has Molly, and Ernie Hudson, and space chickens, so we love it. There's some TV talk as well, about One Day at a Time and Red Oaks, because we also enjoy creepy 1980s mustache dudes. Don't judge us. Anyway, Happy Birthday, Molly! Next week: MarsCon.
The Mayor of Chickentown returns with a full report from the big Los Angeles Doctor Who convention, Gallifrey One! Featuring: Doctor Who actors, writers, producers, podcasters, and puppeteers! Also featuring: Panels (the Mayor participated in several), costumers (including Yip-Yips, arguably not part of official Doctor Who canon), the Master (Doctor Who AND Lee Van Cleef versions), and our beloved Los Angeles Chicken Boy statue. Also: What's in the Bag, the ESO Network on Patreon, and National Retro Video Game Day (because if your game is more recent than ColecoVision, we're not interested).
This week we open our long-neglected Flopcast Mailbag and find a Top 4 1/2 List of video games featuring chickens! It's a nice bizarre list, and the games are mostly new to us (since we stopped paying attention to anything after the 80s). But we were inspired to break out our old Atari 2600 and fire up a classic chicken game! So if you've always dreamed of listening to us play Freeway by Activision here on the Flopcast... this is your big day. Also: We're celebrating National Mulled Wine Day... with black coffee. Stay safe, kids. Don't drink and Atari.
Join us as Kornflake prepares for MarsCon (March 2-4 in Bloomington, Minnesota)! Many friends of the Flopcast from the comedy music scene will be there too! The MarsCon Dementia Track will feature performances by the great Luke Ski, Power Salad, Insane Ian, Devo Spice, TV's Kyle and Lindzilla, the Library Bards, Marc With a C, brentalfloss (your Music Guest of Honor), and many more. And be sure to get up early and get in the pool, because yes, our own Kornflake is bringing Dementia Water Aerobics back to MarsCon. Let's see if there are any survivors this time. Also this week: Pangolins, the Pudding Pages, and perhaps a skink.
It's World Hippo Day, and we're always up for a high-stakes round of Hungry Hungry Hippos... but we're still terrified by Henrietta from the New Zoo Revue. Meanwhile in this week's Chickens in the News, a weird bird known as the Bin Chicken emerges as a contender for Australia's Bird of the Year. (We assume Olivia Newton-John masterminded this whole operation.) And we also have a "What's in the Bag?" segment featuring a fine new item from our very own ESO Network! (Hint: It's time to reinstate the Flopcast Book Club.) And Los Angeles-area Doctor Who fans, beware! Our own Mayor of Chickentown will see you this week at Gallifrey One.
Join us as we celebrate 300 episodes of The Flopcast! Yes, it's been 300 long weeks of giggling about stupid things for your amusement. (And yes, this has all been part of our court-ordered community service. Yikes, that judge was merciless.) So this week Kornflake has 300 other podcasts to recommend (don't worry, she moves quickly), while Kevin flips through a stack of comic books to see how Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and other heroes celebrated their 300th issues. (The short answer: With ads for Hostess Fruit Pies, Clark Bars, and Bubble Yum.) Plus: The classic version of National Whatever Day returns (just in time for World Nutella Day!); we review the top ten countries, and the top ten US states, for Flopcast listeners (alas, they're still ignoring us in North Dakota); we have a late addition to last week's memorial show list (sorry, Sister Sledge fans); and we plug our recent appearances on Earth Station One and Earth Station DCU. Okay, time to make 300 more shows. But first... Nutella.
Once again, it's time for our annual memorial show, so we're looking back on everyone we lost in 2017, from the world of pop culture and beyond. (And once again, it's our longest Flopcast ever! We just can't help it.) Our list includes familiar old favorites from TV, movies, and music (such as Adam West, June Foray, Mary Tyler Moore, Tom Petty, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Don Rickles, David Cassidy, and Rose Marie), as well as directors, voice actors, comic book creators, game show hosts, wrestlers, and maybe a guy who could play three trumpets while hopping on a pogo stick. (Yeah, it's a long list.) In 2017, we lost Gomer Pyle, Joanie from Happy Days, Oscar Goldman from The Six Million Dollar Man, Morty from Meatballs ("Hi, Mickey!"), and Benson from, uh, Benson. But we'll get through this together. We'll settle things here, in our forum. That's what Judge Wapner would have wanted.
Kevin, Kornflake, and the Mayor of Chickentown have a full report on our weekend at "New England's largest and most diverse science fiction and fantasy convention," Arisia! Including: Kevin's panels on Riverdale and Saturday morning TV (yes, Robbie Rist was mentioned, more than once), keytar-based synthrock (and a Taylor Dayne cover!) from Minusworld, a gender-swapped Star Trek show from the Post-Meridian Radio Players, a Princess Bride shadowcast from the Teseracte Players, Geek Belly Dancing, stand-up comedy (from Wes Hazard, Srilatha Rajamani, Anthony Scibelli, Emily Ruskowski, and Nick Chambers), more panels (on Wonder Woman, A Wrinkle in Time, Hitchhiker's Guide, the movies of 1982, the year in science... and a panel about panels), Guest of Honor Mikki Kendall, Yukon Cornelius, the Mayor's new chicken suit, Kornflake singing in the swimming pool, and a wardrobe malfunction. Good job, nerds of Boston. We're exhausted.
We're creeping around a convention in Boston right now (find us at Arisia!), but we saved something special for this week's show, from a whole different convention! It's a panel from the American Sci-Fi Classics track at DragonCon 2017! Join Kevin along with Scott Viguié, Anthony Taylor, and Andrew Gaska, as they discuss... Sci-Fi TV 1977! Our science fiction options were limited back in the disco era, before a certain little movie came along and Hollywood was conquered by space ships and robots. But things were interesting in 1977, and this panel covers TV shows ranging from the classic and beloved to the obscure and problematic. Including: Space 1999, Fantasy Island, The Man From Atlantis, Logan's Run, The Amazing Spider-Man, Space Academy, Quark, Lucan (does ANYBODY remember Lucan?), and lots more. Don't you wish you could leap back 41 years and watch them all over again, on a tiny TV with poor reception and no remote? Yeah, us too...
We're in the middle of our 1990s-themed shows, so it's finally time to play the 90s Movie Game! (You may recall that we invented this goofy game last year. Check out Flopcast episodes 258 and 261 for the 80s and 70s versions.) The wacky premise is: For each year of the 1990s, we try to guess each other's favorite movie, points are awarded, and dreams of victory are crushed. For the 90s version, you can expect lots of Disney and Pixar, lots of Tim Burton, lots of Robin Williams, and lots of Kevin Smith. Maybe some Bradys and Ninja Turtles too. Will Kornflake be victorious yet again, or will Kevin's miserable losing streak finally come to an end? Let's find out. Meanwhile, if you're in the Boston area, you're probably buried in snow and ice like Arnold's victims from a certain 90s Bat-movie (that is NOT one of our favorites). But if you can possibly escape, join us January 12-15 at our first convention of the year, Arisia! But stay warm. Stay in your Yip-Yip costume.
Why, it's New Year's Eve, so Kevin and Kornflake grab some coffee (that most festive of beverages) and look back at 2017. 'Twas a horrifying year overall (did you notice?), but we got through it together, and managed to have some fun here on our goofy little show. Our convention schedule was busy this year; highlights included our meeting with Judy Tenuta, our defense of Howard the Duck, and our final shocking confrontation with Greg Brady. We also brought you dozens of concert reports on the most exciting new artists of today, including Richard Marx, Men Without Hats, and Air Supply. (We define "today" as "at least 30 years ago.") And of course, 2017 also brought us a new Earth Station One book (have you read Kevin's weird chicken story yet?), a wonderful old Love Boat script, our ten-part review of High Feather (you're welcome!)... and the return of Robolar from Mars. But now it's time to look forward, as we also reveal our ridiculous New Year's Resolutions, and announce our schedule for Boston's favorite science fiction convention, Arisia! Join us there, get a Flopcast badge ribbon, and please bring more coffee.
It's a quick show this holiday week, so you'll have plenty of time to dedicate to avoiding your family. But in the spirit of the season, we play a round of Figgy Pudding Pages, and discuss if kids prefer cool electronic games or weird hair appliances for Christmas. Also: A Flopcast correspondent reports live from Florida with a very festive Chickens in the News update. Plus: More 90s fun with MTV's The Real World, Elvis Costello, and Crash Test Dummies. Now it's time to pop in that DVD of Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey and relax. Pass the nog, please.
Our goofy holiday festivities continue with a special visit from the Mayor of Chickentown! And the Mayor is here to present a Top 4 1/2 List of Mayors! Specifically, all those wacky mayors from our favorite holiday cartoons! You may recall the mayor from 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (who freaked out over Mr. Trundle's broken clock) and the mayor from The Year Without a Santa Claus (who had to deal with those pesky Miser Brothers). But we cover some lesser known mayors too... including an evil mayor voiced by Charles Nelson Reilly! Yes, that really happened, and it was wonderful. Also: Tracy Bonham, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, the ESO Book Club, a Christmas Crustacean edition of What's in the Bag, and yes, evil gorillas. It's everything you need for a perfect holiday season. Enjoy.
This week we take a quick look back at some favorite cartoons, and one very memorable sax solo, from 1992. Also: Kevin returns to Oberon for a Nightmare Before Christmas concert and burlesque show with Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys, and Kevin and the Mayor sneak down to Connecticut for another Speak Up storytelling show. And because we were in Connecticut, we have a major update on our recent Turkeys in the News segment! Join us as the story of Kevin the Turkey reaches its shocking conclusion. We also get Kornflake's final podcast recommendation of the year, and since we're in the middle of the stupid holidays, we recommend Grant's Advent Calendar too! Next week: More holiday silliness, probably. Meanwhile, watch out for turkeys.
It's a holiday spectacular, sort of, but not really! First, Kornflake's 1991 edition of National Whatever Day celebrates the debut of Ren and Stimpy, a show considered quite outrageous in its time. How innocent we were. Kornflake has also made her annual pilgrimage to the lobster trap Christmas tree up in Maine (a weird crustacean-themed holiday tradition, but why not). Meanwhile, Kevin ran around Boston like a maniac all week, and has concert reports on Letters to Cleo, Blake Babies, Squeeze, and Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers (with Lipstick Criminals). In other words, we're exhausted. But we still manage to play a round of Figgy Pudding Pages and come up with a wacky new holiday money-making scheme. (Listen to the show for details, but in short: If everyone knocks their Christmas trees over, we'll be filthy rich.)
Our 1980s-themed shows have ended (but for how long?), and yikes, here come the 1990s. We'll get through this ten-episode descent into madness together, starting this week with a look at the year 1990. Yes, MC Hammer (and his giant pants) ruled the pop charts... but weirder acts like They Might Be Giants and Ed's Redeeming Qualities were around too, and that's what we liked. Meanwhile back here in 2017, Kornflake has a couple of concert reports. She traveled down to Rhode Island (land of coffee milk and lobby waffles) to see Eddie From Ohio, and up to New Hampshire (land of mountains and angry people) to see Janet Jackson! (You may remember Janet from Diff'rent Strokes, but did you know she is also a rather successful recording artist?) And Kornflake also has her podcast recommendation for November. Does it somehow involve Jon Cryer? Oh, you bet it does.
In the final installment of our latest ten-part look at the 1980s, we recall the debut of the Energizer Bunny, and review how frightening Top 40 radio had become by 1989. (We'd rather listen to that stupid rabbit pound its little drum than suffer through any more Milli Vanilli.) We also have some listener feedback from last week's orangutan-themed Top 4 1/2 List, including a special message from the great Luke Ski! Then we move on to Thanksgiving topics, because Peppermint Patty just invited herself over and made us do it. In a special Turkeys in the News segment, we meet Wethersfield, Connecticut's most beloved citizen, Kevin the Turkey. (Is Connecticut also home to a Kornflake the Turkey? The search is on.) Also: One of our favorite podcasts, Foxes in the Hen House, is hosting a fun Thanksgiving weekend charity event, and they could use your help. Meanwhile, we'll be at the annual Black Friday David Bowie tribute concert with Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers and Lipstick Criminals! So don't just fill up on popcorn, jelly beans, and toast, and then nap all weekend. (Although that does sound like a good plan too... okay, your call.)
Kornflake is off this week (or is she???), but the Mayor of Chickentown is here to discuss the movies and music of 1988. (At the movies, it was a big year for Uma Thurman, Winona Ryder, and Dennis Farina's mustache. Meanwhile on the radio, the Escape Club warned us that we were heading for the 90s, and we were in trouble.) Then we celebrate the discovery of a new orangutan species with a quick Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite orangutans! Go ahead and sing a round of "Rock Me Doctor Zaius" as we recall some fine apes from movies, cartoons, and one bizarre sitcom. (Anyone else remember Mr. Smith?) Also: Our Halloween antics (and goofy costumes) in Salem and beyond, Kevin's recent guest appearances on Pop Culture Cosmos, listener feedback, and more. Next week: Less ape talk, more Kornflake. (Unless Kornflake wants to talk about apes. Then we'll have both.)
Our ridiculous ten-episode trip through the 80s continues with a quick look at 1987! For astronomy fans, a supernova was visible in the sky; meanwhile back on Earth, we were dancing to Pet Shop Boys and Swing Out Sister. (The supernova, apparently not a fan of 80s pop, was unimpressed, and just kept on supernoving.) Also: Kevin has a surprise reunion with a couple of old friends and performers from his old open mic night (remember how we all spent the mid-90s in coffee shops?), Sean and Adam Fullerton. And we review the recent Super Megafest convention, where we found stars from LA Law, Battlestar Galactica, and The Flash, as well as our very favorite Bionic people, and the voice of Hermey the Elf. Who caused us to freak out the most? Oh yeah. It was Hermey.
It's our goofy Halloween show, but we're also celebrating the year 1986! Oprah Winfrey's talk show debuted (but who cares), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted its first class (which totally should have included Air Supply), and Madonna invited you to make her "True Blue" music video. (Did you do it? She's probably still waiting.) Meanwhile this week, one friend of ours is participating in a 25-hour charity gaming event, while another friend is opening a new comic book store! (Our friends are crazy and that's how we like them.) And Kornflake has a 90s music-themed show for her monthly podcast recommendation. But it's Halloween, so we're also talking about lobster costumes, weird dentist pumpkins, the 1978 Halloween movie... and yes, problematic candy from the problematic candy nun. It's a subject that dates back to the very first episode of the Flopcast... but we're finally back with an update, as well as another ridiculous Flopcast Halloween taste test. Special thanks to Power Salad for providing this week's coffee, which we desperately needed to wash down all that weird (but delicious) nun candy.
This week we're celebrating 1985 by looking at the top ten songs from 32 years ago (including Tears For Fears, A-ha, and most importantly, "Oh Sheila" by Ready for the World) as well as a book that would eventually become a Tom Hanks movie (and we don't mean Mazes and Monsters). Then Kornflake reports on the Topsfield Fair, where she found an iconic disco act, a swimming pig, and an old friend of the Flopcast. And we get more information about that amazing autographed Love Boat script we received last week, straight from the source: Ed, from the Sponge Awareness Foundation! Also: Some follow-up on our list of robot animals from several weeks ago. (We missed some very important robot animals. Sorry, Bubo.)
Stay angry, Monkees fans! It's time for our annual review of the nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! And despite a complete lack of Air Supply, it's not a bad list this year. Find out which acts we're hoping will get in (come on, Cars) and which acts we're not so excited about (sorry, Kate Bush). But we are so excited about the Pointer Sisters. They're not on the list, but they did have a Top 10 song this week back in 1984 -- and since we're celebrating 1984, we review that list too. We also compare 1984 minivans to 1970s creepy vans. Then we end the show with a 1984-themed "What's in the Bag" segment... which turns into one of the most shocking and wonderful moments in the history of the Flopcast. Is Gopher from The Love Boat somehow involved? (Here's a hint: Yes.)
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate 1983 with a fast car (maybe even faster than KITT) and the top ten songs from 34 years ago this week. (It's a weird mix of new wave, country, rockabilly, hat-free men, and Jim Steinman... so much Jim Steinman...) Also: At Granite State Comicon, we found old friends, artists, costumers, Spice Girls, Beavis, Daria, and drag-hens. (Drag-hens are dragon/chicken hybrids, and they're amazing.) Meanwhile it's almost time for another favorite convention, Super Megafest! It's October 21-22 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and the guest list includes the Bionic Man AND Bionic Woman, stars from Battlestar Galactica and The Flash, comedians, wrestlers... and Paul Soles, who was HERMEY THE ELF in the 1964 Rudolph cartoon! Be there. Plus: At the beginning of the summer, we tried to pick the winning teams for the new Battle of the Network Stars. Now it's time to check the results. Did our strategy of betting on Greg Brady, Daisy Duke, Potsie, Blair, and Tootie pay off? (Here's a hint: No.)
It's a post-DragonCon catch-up show, with concert reports on the Bacon Brothers (we now have zero degrees of separation from the star of Footloose), They Might Be Giants (we celebrated with a whole day of old friends, shuttle buses, and watermelon), and Micky Dolenz (touring without Tork this year, but still delivering all your Monkees favorites). We also have a quick correction from last week's show, and it involves the Hardy Boys and the Partridge Family, as all corrections should. Plus: For National Whatever Day, we're looking back at 1982, including the opening of EPCOT Center (you know you want to ride through a giant golf ball) and the top ten songs from 35 years ago this week (we keep forgettin' how Michael McDonald sounds exactly like Michael McDonald).
Here we go, kids: The Mayor of Chickentown joins Kevin and Kornflake to review our long weird weekend in Atlanta for DragonCon! Featuring: Panels on Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Westworld, Legion, Riverdale, Fantasy Island (!), Detective Chimp (?), and more; The Star Wars Holiday Special (original and puppet show versions); Doctor Who's Matt Smith; the casts of Mystery Science Theater 3000, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and Birds of Prey; Howard the Duck's big day in court; Fake Adam Savage; RetroBlasting; Wicked Geeky; Yoda; pie; Captains Kangaroo and Crunch; Mighty Magiswords; and the debut of the new book Earth Station One: Tales of the Station Volume 2! (Warning: This book contains a goofy story by Kevin which may or may not feature a space chicken.) We also started DragonCon with some very rainy birdwatching, and ended DragonCon with an amazing Greater Atlanta Chicken Tour. We like to keep things strangely bird-themed. Also: We learn Kornflake's September podcast pick, and we celebrate 1981 with soft rock and Brady Brides. Now we'd better start preparing for DragonCon 2018. See you there, eighty thousand crazy people!
We're still in DragonCon recovery mode around here, but this week we have something special from DragonCon to share with you! "Wonder Woman, at Last!" was Kevin's first panel of the weekend, for the American Science Fiction and Fantasy Media Track. Kevin was joined by panelists Jeni Green, Cammien Ray, Jenna Johnson, and Tyra Burton to discuss the Wonder Woman movie, which we all thought was just, you know, wonderful. (Let's throw a quick SPOILER WARNING right about here. If you haven't seen Wonder Woman yet, you may not want to hear this panel yet. Go see the movie first. You deserve it.) Discussion topics include the movie's cast, the World War 1 setting, the costumes (Functional attire for women in a superhero movie? This is madness!), the brilliance of director Patty Jenkins, the reactions on social media (good and bad), our favorite movie moments, and how in the world to pronounce "Gal Gadot." With a great lineup of panelists and an enthusiastic audience (standing room only!), this was a fine kickoff to DragonCon 2017, and we're thrilled to bring it to you. (If you don't believe us, hit us with your lasso of truth.) Meanwhile back in Chickentown: Since this is episode 280, we're starting a series of ten episodes celebrating each year of the 1980s! (Yes, we've done this before. We're quite predictable.) For the year 1980, Kevin has selected a Saturday morning cartoon about monsters. (See? Predictable.) Kornflake's pick, however, is from the world of sports! (Hey! Unpredictable! First time for everything...)
Kornflake is looking forward to Locate An Old Friend Day; Kevin is not. But we certainly agree on the awesomeness of the concert we attended recently, at which Kornflake was touched (literally) by Air Supply. This changes everything. We're also thrilled to announce the release of the ESO Network's new book, Earth Station One: Tales of the Station Volume 2! Kevin may have contributed a story to this book, and that story just might involve a chicken. You know you need this. We also look ahead at the upcoming Granite State Comicon, where we hope to locate a few old friends and not lose any more teeth. Next week: Our DragonCon review begins...
It's a little later than usual (sorry, we've been very busy with very stupid things), but here is our sixth annual Flopcast Summer Robot Top 4 1/2 List! Hey, summertime is robot time around here. (We don't remember why... it just is.) And the subject for this year's list is... robot animals! We're listing our favorite robot dogs, robot cats, robot lobsters, and more. (But alas, no robot capybaras. Would some evil robot genius please get to work on that?) And these robots come from TV, music, cartoons, toys, coloring books, and secret government projects. (We may have said too much already.) So while we're still creeping around DragonCon (just in time for Wonderful Weirdos Day), enjoy this goofy little robot show! And feel free to dance, because our robot penguin is set on AUTO-PARTY.
It's that time again! Time to panic! Join us as we frantically prepare for the craziest convention on the geek calendar... DragonCon. It promises to be another long, weird, wonderful Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, so let's get ready! The DragonCon guest list includes favorites from TV (Doctor Who's Matt Smith! MST3K's Trace, Frank, and Bill! Almost everybody from Star Trek: The Next Generation! Shatner! A Birds of Prey cast reunion! And more!), movies (Karl Urban! Michael Rooker! Chewbacca! JOHN CUSACK! And more!), music (Paul and Storm! Mikey Mason! Shelley Segal! Tom Smith! And yes, more!), and comics (Stan Lee! Plus a bunch more, but come on, STAN LEE!). Plus scientists, skeptics, writers, wrestlers, puppeteers, podcasters, and 6,000 Harley Quinns! We also run through Kevin's (tentative!) DragonCon schedule, which includes the DragonCon Walking Tour, the ESO Network Meet and Greet, Classic Sci-Fi Court, the Challenge of the Super-Nerds, and panels on Wonder Woman, Riverdale, Fantasy Island (really!), and much more. We're already exhausted. Also this week: We celebrate the Chicken Boy statue of Los Angeles, and Kornflake prepares for They Might Be Giants to invade Massachusetts! And in other podcasting news: Earth Station DCU looks at Batman: Year Three, The Pod of Destiny returns, and Luke and Carrie's Bad Rapport invents the Chicken Game. Okay, find us at DragonCon! Get a Flopcast badge ribbon! And then get out of our way!
While preparing for this week's solar eclipse (with special glasses and coffee milk), Kevin and Kornflake catch up on their latest goofy summer activities, including: The Aquabats and CJ Ramone together in Boston; Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers under the stars at a science museum; Micky Dolenz and Billy West at the Boston SouthCoast Comic Con; Elvis Costello and the Imposters in Providence, Rhode Island; a visit to Alice's Restaurant in Stockbridge, Massachusetts; Petty Morals and Elettrodomestico (with Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's!) in Plymouth; and the Retro Futura tour, featuring a heap of classic 80s performers (Katrina, Paul Young, Modern English, English Beat, Men Without Hats, and Howard Jones). Then it's the shocking conclusion of our ten-part High Feather series review! In this week's "Food Follies" episode, our summer campers are singing, dancing, and hiding behind giant vegetables... and perhaps it's for the best that this is the end. Also: The return of Robolar! It's been decades since we last saw our favorite Boston-accented, Earth fruit-chomping Martian from that classic PSA, but now thanks to some friends of the Flopcast, Robolar is back. This is crazy. We're also celebrating the 87th birthday of Sean Connery (you remember him from such films as DragonHeart and Zardoz), and we wrap up this extra-long show with some Chickens in the News, as a giant angry chicken balloon arrives in Washington to join the resistance. Next week, at last: Our DragonCon preview. Get ready.
As we creep ever closer to DragonCon, we're celebrating National Badge Ribbon Day. (And yes, we'll have our ridiculous Flopcast badge ribbons at DragonCon, available for the very reasonable price of one human soul.) We also take another trip into the Pudding Pages, and learn of a shocking pudding-themed incident in Kornflake's past. And then, of course, we look at High Feather episode 9, featuring chocolate-covered tennis players, jelly sandwiches, and a little dog named Scruffy. Just one more High Feather episode to go, kids! Then we can all get on with our lives.
Another goofy little summer show this week: We're celebrating Duran Duran Appreciation Day (despite being kicked out of the Union of the Snake years ago); Kornflake recommends My So Called Podcast (it's 90s-themed!); we play a long overdue round of The Pudding Pages (also 90s-themed, possibly Newsies-themed); we look at High Feather episode 8, in which the kids go to the county fair with a Micky Dolenz look-alike ne'er-do-well; and we learn that Kornflake once spent a week at Yogi Bear camp, where presumably the main activity is picnic basket theft, and the dress code is hats, ties, and collars only.
It's a summertime catch up episode, before we completely shift into frantic get-ready-for-DragonCon mode! Discussed this week: Spider-Man Homecoming (they made another Kornflake-friendly superhero movie!), a Pink Floyd tribute show from Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers (called "The Blonde Side of the Moon," of course), TV Guidance Counselor live at Philly Podfest (you know we're always up for a crazy road trip), an online concert by Marc With a C (including an obscure Monkees cover, which we always appreciate), the Everyday Ethics podcast (Kornflake's podcast pick for July), and the dangers of singing in rounds (just don't risk it, kids). Also: Episode 7 of High Feather! Yes, we're still doing this. Sorry.
We're gonna need a bigger podcast, because we're celebrating Shark Week with a ridiculous shark-themed Top 4 1/2 List! We have shark cartoons, shark TV shows, shark songs, shark candy, and perhaps even a real live shark. We also look at episode 6 of High Feather, in which our goofy summer campers get lost in the woods, end up at a scary farm, and meet a bunch of cows and chickens (but alas, no sharks). So has the Flopcast finally jumped the shark? If next week's show is hosted by Ted McGinley, you'll have your answer.
We're back from Minnesota with a full report on CONvergence, an annual gathering of awesome crazy people who are really into convention badge ribbons. (We may have given out more Flopcast ribbons this year than ever before! It's the boldest fashion accessory of the season.) Our report features: Convention panels (on podcasting, Flash Gordon, Jack Kirby, Legends of Tomorrow, and the Star Wars Holiday Special), performances (from Beth Kinderman and the Player Characters, Karl Brown, Joseph Scrimshaw, and the Nerdlesque dancers), birds and snakes (from the Raptor Center and the Herpetological Society), life on Mars (hello, Robolar), an amazing Bea Arthur costume, and a field trip to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden to visit a giant blue chicken. Meanwhile, Kornflake survived a dark and stormy night at Fenway Park, where she partied like it's 1991 with Paula Abdul, Boyz II Men, and her beloved New Kids on the Block. Also: We reach the halfway point in our High Feather series review with episode 5, featuring more summer camp ceramic mug-making action than you can possibly handle. And it's World Emoji Day. But instead of sending little smiley faces to your stupid friends, just send a turxt.
Our excruciating all-summer-long review of High Feather continues! In High Feather episode 4, the kids publish the camp newspaper (using incredible technology like mimeograph machines and typewriters), and we learn a goofy apple-picking song too. (How did this show not sweep the Emmy Awards?) It's also National Gummy Worm Day, which makes us ponder the existence of gummy skinks (because creepy lizards just make everything better). And we review the list of celebrity contestants on the new Battle of the Network Stars, a revival of the classic (and ridiculous) Howard Cosell-hosted show from the 70s and 80s. The new show promises to be ridiculous too, but the players include Greg Brady, Danny Partridge, Daisy Duke, the Incredible Hulk, Isaac the Bartender, Electra Woman, and a couple of Facts of Life girls. So yeah, they have our attention, even if this is seriously cutting into our High Feather time. Next week: We'll be back from CONvergence! Hopefully!
Kornflake tells us about Boom Box Parade Day (probably the biggest American holiday celebrated on July 4th), so stock up on D batteries and take to the streets. Meanwhile, Kevin and Kornflake's recent activities include a trip to Vermont (featuring frogs, whistlepigs, and cheap CDs), a trip to New Hampshire (featuring wine, painting, and the music of Eddie Rabbitt), and live shows from Joan Osborne, Rifftrax, and The Great Molasses Flood. Then it's time to review High Feather episode 3, in which we learn that you can eat all the Hostess Cupcakes you want, as long as you're the Six Million Dollar Man. (These High Feather health tips just keep getting weirder.) Also: You can find Kevin on a couple of other podcasts this week: The Batcave Podcast (for a tribute to Adam West) and Earth Station One (for an ESO book club discussion of Watchmen). Now we're off to Minnesota, and we're bringing turkey ribbons. See you at CONvergence.
Meteor Day is this week, and it's a painful reminder that we can never remember which ones are meteors, which are meteorites, and which are meteoroids. (There must be a better way. Let's just call them all meat-balls.) Meanwhile our summer-long review of High Feather (a forgotten TV series about summer camp) continues with a look at episode 2, featuring ceramic snakes, pickleball, Cookie Crisp, a carrot cake song, and a disturbing ritual known as "Frenching the bed." We also look ahead at one of our favorite conventions: CONvergence is July 6-9 in Bloomington, Minnesota! Kevin will be appearing on several panels there, on subjects including comic books, podcasting, the Flash Gordon movie, and yes, the Star Wars Holiday Special. (We're celebrating Life Day in July this year. Deal with it.) And in our "What's in the Bag?" segment, we reveal the fabulous prizes we'll be handing out at CONvergence, FlopFest, and beyond. (Here's a hint: They're sort of stupid.)
Flopcast listeners follow up on last week's turtle list with some favorite turtles of their own (yikes, we missed some good ones); Kornflake attends a Jim's Big Ego house concert along with her close personal friend Mr. Peanut; we loved the new Wonder Woman movie, even though the invisible plane was missing (or was it?); and it's Hike With a Geek Day, but we're encouraging geeks everywhere to stay inside and watch High Feather. Yes, we're starting our summer-long review of High Feather, an obscure 1980 educational TV series about kids at summer camp. You probably missed it, but this is your big chance, because the Mayor of Chickentown has set up a High Feather playlist on our new Flopcast YouTube channel! Now you have no need to leave the house all summer long. You're welcome.
It's mostly turtle talk this week, kids -- join us for a Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite turtles! The list includes a ninja turtle or two, of course, as well as some slightly lesser known turtles from animation, comic books, music, movies, literature, and perhaps even the real world. (Oh, they're out there. And they're coming right at you. Very slowly.) Also: Since we've hit another episode number that ends in 66, we must again recommend the movie Life on the V: The Story of V66! (For 80s music nerds like us, this is required viewing.) Plus: It's National Eat Your Vegetables Day, which somehow inspired us to start a High Feather viewing club! Watch High Feather episode 1 this week, and we'll discuss it next week. (If you don't remember High Feather, that's okay. No one remembers High Feather. Watch it anyway.) Meanwhile, if we missed your favorite turtle, let us know! Or just tell a turtle; it will get the message to us. Very slowly.
It's a mostly music-themed little show this week, with quick concert reports on Ben Folds (with the Boston Pops), Petty Morals, Go Betty Go, and The Dollyrots. We also recommend the new album from comedy band Power Salad, fail to attend an a capella festival (which is probably for the best), and create the perfect soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy 3 (you're welcome, Hollywood). Plus: In honor of Toy Industry Association Day, we recall our favorite toy stores of the past. (If anyone wants to time travel back to 1977 and pick up some Mego Teen Titans dolls at Child World, we'll gladly pay retail. Don't forget Aqualad.)
We have an unusual show this week, and needless to say, it involves Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Years ago, we rescued a weird old book from a Woonsocket library book sale. It's called "My Private Life: A Personal Record For the Teen Years"... and this copy was actually filled in, by an actual teen, way back in 1966. Now don't worry; despite the title, there's nothing really private in it. But it does offer a fun glimpse at the life of a junior high student we'll call Joyce (not her real name) half a century ago. (The short version: Joyce was into horses, bell bottoms, horses, Batman, the Dave Clark Five, and horses.) Also: Kornflake recommends Pod Casserole (another fine show right here on the ESO Network), and the people of Fruita, Colorado are celebrating Miracle Mike the Headless Chicken. (If only Mike had kept a diary too...)
Kornflake celebrates National Title Track Day with another goofy Flopcast game, in which we must identify album title tracks. (It would have been so much easier if we only used Air Supply songs.) Then Kevin reports on Boston's Women in Comedy Festival, with shows featuring our own Niki Luparelli, comedy music duo Abbaria, Second City's Kirsten Rasmussen, SNL's Sasheer Zamata, and more. We also discuss recent Boston-area concerts by Aimee Mann and Jonathan Coulton, Catie Curtis... and Midnight Oil. (Yikes, we need Midnight Oil now more than ever. As you may have noticed, our beds are still burning.) Plus: One of our favorite "What's in the Bag" segments ever, because the bag itself is awesome, its contents involve strange animals and a classic 80s cartoon, and now we have the power.
Yes, our goofy little podcast is five years old this week, so we're celebrating, as expected, with coffee and more coffee. But we're also looking back at all our amazing guests (yikes, for a show that doesn't have a lot of guests, we've had a lot of guests) and beloved Flopcast segments. (We run through just about every subject ever covered in our Top 4 1/2 List, Pudding Pages, Chickens in the News, and What's in the Bag segments. It's a long, weird list. Get comfortable.) So hey, thanks for listening! We assure you, the next five years will be just as stupid.
Kornflake is out sick this week, so the Mayor of Chickentown is filling in as special guest host. And with nothing better to do, we decided to play another stupid game. Yes, this is the 1970s version of that 1980s movie game we invented just a few weeks back. And yikes, the 70s and the 80s were two very different decades in film. (The 70s were much creepier, and suffered from a severe lack of Molly Ringwald.) So join us as Kevin and the Mayor try to guess each other's favorite movies from each year of the 1970s. There were some obvious picks from Lucas and Spielberg, as well as musicals, cartoons, disaster movies, obscure horror movies about frogs, and anything with Jackie Earle Haley. Will the 70s game make Kevin as crazy and frustrated as the 80s game? Let's hope so. And worry not; Kornflake shall return next week, as we celebrate five ridiculous years of the Flopcast. (If you listen carefully, you'll even hear Kornflake on this week's show, because Kornflake cannot be stopped.)
You asked for more Flopcast Top 4 1/2 Lists, and as long as you don't mind the topics getting stupider, we shall deliver. This week, for example, we're counting down our favorite Eds and/or Eddies. (Hey, you were warned.) Get ready for a bunch of Eds and Eddies from sitcoms, movies, Top 40 radio, and more. (Warning: Both Ed Grimley and Eddie Munster somehow didn't make the list, and we're not happy about it either. Some tough choices had to be made, but hopefully we'll all come out a little stronger on the other side.) Also: Free Comic Book Day, a secret chicken project, and carrots. (Warning: Do not leave the carrots unattended around Eddie Rabbitt.)
We're sleepy and confused as usual, but we're back with a quick silly report from Super Megafest! It's one of our favorite local conventions, and we ran into many of our favorite local nerds. We also ran into WKRP in Cincinnati's Loni Anderson, Flash Gordon's Sam Jones... and yes, Greg Brady himself, the one and only Barry Williams. (To prepare emotionally for this moment, we've been listening to Barry's amazing album "The Return of Johnny Bravo" all week. The suit still fits.) Also: Why we didn't run the Boston Marathon, the new season of Mystery Science Theater 3000, a "What's in the Bag" segment featuring Canadian dinosaurs, and how to celebrate New Kids on the Block Day. But never mind all that. We finally met a Brady. It truly is a sunshine day.
Ready for a stupid game? Kevin and Kornflake have each compiled a list of their favorite movies for each year of the 1980s (which, according to scientists, is the only decade that really matters). Now it's time to learn which of your Flopcast hosts knows more about the other, as we attempt to guess each other's choices, year by awesome year. And this is a high-stakes competition: the winner gets more coffee. (Yeah, we were both going to have more coffee anyway... but it's still an amazing prize. We like coffee.) And it's a fun list; you can expect lots of Disney, lots of Brat Pack... and a shocking amount of Corey Feldman. And hey, send us your own list of 80s favorites! We probably missed some good ones, especially if they didn't have any Coreys. Also: An actor who appeared in many of the biggest movies of the 80s is turning 80 this week! (Over the years, he worked with the Monkees, he fought with Batman, and he was a werewolf. But he'll never be a Corey.)
This week the Mayor of Chickentown joins Kornflake for a Top 4 1/2 List of pop culture catchphrases! (Kevin could not be bothered to prepare a list. Hey, someone has to sip coffee and make sarcastic comments. That's important too.) So we cover a bunch of the goofy catchphrases (from sitcoms, cartoons, and more) that have been trapped in our poor brains for the last few decades. Maybe they're fun, or maybe they're super-annoying, but they're here, and we just have to deal with them. (And yes, Mr. T is represented. We could have stayed on Mr. T for the whole list...) So enjoy the show, and remember to scream "It's Turkey Time!" at everyone you see, all the time, from now on. We're sort of trying to start a new catchphrase.
Thanks to an annoying springtime snowstorm, Kornflake cannot get to Chickentown Studios! So we're on Skype for this week's show... which means Kevin gets all the coffee. But we do have a couple of goofy concert reports, because Kornflake won Dar Williams tickets from a college radio station, while Kevin attended a benefit show with Belly, Nada Surf, Juliana Hatfield, Evan Dando, and more. (Sometimes you just have to party like it's 1995.) And because we tend to get everything wrong, we have a bunch of corrections from recent Flopcast episodes, on very important subjects like Donkey Kong, Flash Gordon, and skinks. Also: April 4th is World Rat Day! Now when it comes to rodents, the capybara will always be our favorite. But sure, let the rats have their big day. Especially if Patton Oswalt agrees to do all their voices.
Here in miserable freezing Massachusetts, a knitting club is making tiny sweaters for chickens. (Yes, this is our kind of news item.) But this week we're also celebrating funny women (for She's Funny That Way Day), discussing Planters Cheez Balls (because they're tasty and weird and really good for you), and looking forward to the upcoming Super Megafest convention (April 7-9 in Marlborough, Massachusetts -- hopefully the weather will be more chicken-friendly by then). Super Megafest's guests include stars from Smallville, I Dream of Jeannie, WKRP in Cincinnati, Star Trek, The Outsiders... and a certain sitcom legend who has us absolutely terrified. Also: For some reason, we can't stop talking about Mr. Peanut. Maybe it's the monocle.
Kornflake is back from Minnesota with a full report on MarsCon, which featured performances by: Carrie Dahlby, the great Luke Ski, Mikey Mason, Devo Spice, Marc with a C, Power Salad, Insane Ian, the Library Bards, and Guest of Honor Judy Tenuta! Plus: Dementia Smackdown Wrestling, Kyle and Luke Talk About Toons, the Space Oddity Music Club and Brew Pub, Klingons, karaoke, and a chicken! And yes, Kornflake found a way to terrify the hotel staff while preparing for her Dementia Water Aerobics class. We also play a round of What's in the Bag, celebrate Swedish waffles, and get Kevin's report from Northeast Comic Con, featuring Adam West and Burt Ward in the middle of an abandoned department store. So it was a busy week. Next week we're staying home.
Although they're not Air Supply, we're still excited about the upcoming reunion tour by another great Australian band, Midnight Oil. (Hey, Air Supply and Midnight Oil should tour together! And Men at Work too! We'll bring the Vegemite sandwiches.) However, acquiring Midnight Oil tickets has been tricky. (Who knew there would be this much demand to see a giant screaming bald dude from down under? We thought it was just us.) Anyway, this week we're recalling how we used to get concert tickets back in the pre-internet era. Remember calling the box office a billion times (and getting nothing but busy signals)? Trying to win radio contests? (Be the 92nd caller next time we play Wang Chung!) Lining up at dawn outside a record store with hundreds of annoying crazy people? What fun... These days, of course, we're all just online, clicking little boxes, desperately trying to convince Ticketmaster that we're not robots. (As far as they know...) Also: Kornflake's March podcast recommendation is Manic Mondays, hosted by our pal Devo Spice! And it's International Ask a Question Day! (We're thankful for the "international" part, because most of our questions involve Vegemite.)
The Mayor of Chickentown returns with a report from the Los Angeles Doctor Who convention known as Gallifrey One, where she found the original K9 robot dog (and yeah, some robot mummies), but did not find the great Luke Ski (or pants). Meanwhile Kevin breaks his vow never to leave the house again, first to butcher a Men at Work song at karaoke, and then to play Tron at a crazy little movie theater hidden deep inside an ancient mill. But when we're done with Tron, Kornflake suggests we play Mario Brothers, because Mario Day is this week! (Time to hang that Mario Lopez poster in your locker again...) Also: Our friends at the Foxes in the Hen House podcast just released their annual romantic fan fiction episode. It's hilarious, and we just might have suggested one of the ridiculous characters involved...
We know you've all been wondering what we would do for our big milestone episode 251 celebration... and the answer is... not much! But this is still a fun little show with several classic Flopcast segments: National Whatever Day (which involves flowers and strippers, as all days should), What's in the Bag (it's something festive and delicious and 251-themed), and Chickens in the News (lock up your giant concrete hens; those chicken statue thieves have struck again). We also flip through a big stack of 251 comic books (trust us, it's a weird collection), and run through a list of sitcoms with at least 251 episodes. (The Simpsons is way out in front with over 600 episodes, while another old favorite, The Jeffersons, just barely makes the cut. But when it comes to wacky neighbors, we'll still take Mr. Bentley over Flanders.) So thanks for joining us, stick around for our next 251 episodes, and we'll see you at the big 502 celebration...
Kevin returns to his old stomping grounds of Woonsocket, Rhode Island for a frighteningly close encounter with 1980s pop icon (and our personal hair hero) Richard Marx. (Yes, he was right there waiting, and yes, we should've known better... yikes, these Richard Marx references are becoming something of a hazard... 'twas a great concert nevertheless.) Not knowing when to quit, Kevin then makes a second visit to Rhode Island, this time to see The Mads (that is, Mystery Science Theater 3000's Frank and Trace, who brought along a goofy old movie, believe it or not). And along the way, we just might run into a member of our favorite synthpop band, and discover the Golden Chicken award. Meanwhile, Kornflake has her latest podcast recommendation (featuring science, and grit, and barking people), and teaches us about Single Tasking Day. (Single tasking is way more effective than multi-tasking -- especially if, like us, you lack the wisdom of a wombat.)
In honor of Champion Crab Races Day, we recall weird pet hermit crabs, weird comic book ads for Crazy Crabs, and weird late night calls for crab rangoon. And to keep a weird animal theme running through the whole show, we also have a lobster-inspired round of "What's in the Bag," and Kornflake reports on her visit to Zoo Creatures in Plaistow, New Hampshire. Stop by and make friends with the goats, eels, snakes, skinks, a turkey, and yes, a kookaburra. (A little touch of Australia in the Granite State; Air Supply would be so proud.)
It's time to review our long crazy day at the Boston Women's March! (The ride into the city was crazy enough; all 175,000 marchers squished into the same subway car, or so it seemed...) Lots more friends of the Flopcast were out that day too, both in Boston and throughout the world... but the only familiar face we found in the crowd was Keytar Bear. (A bear playing a keytar does tend to stand out...) And in an effort to be completely exhausted, we also attended the ACLU benefit after-party, with awesome performances by Stars Like Ours, Carissa Johnson, and Petty Morals. (Did the whole night end with an appropriate George Michael cover? But of course.) Plus: Listener feedback from last week's Top 4 1/2 List of doctors! (Yikes, we missed some big ones.) And Kornflake reminds us to celebrate Plimsoll Line Day, because these may not be good times, but you still have to keep your head above water. (See, no matter how bad things get, we'll just keep making sitcom references...)
After a brief but vital discussion about hula dancing in the winter (we highly recommend a weather-resistant adhesive for your coconut bikini), Kevin and Kornflake present a Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite doctors. Plenty of Muppets are on the list (you'd be surprised how many puppets and cartoon characters are licensed medical professionals), as well as doctors from Star Trek, The Krofft Supershow, Lost in Space, and even some doctor songs. (Apparently Doctor Worm is NOT a real doctor. But he's still on the list, and his drumming is getting better.) But if we missed your favorite doctor (because yikes, there are a bunch of them), let us know! We look forward to all those cards and letters from angry Whovians...
Kevin is back from Arisia (Boston's big science fiction convention, held in the middle of winter, to eliminate the weak), with a full report including cosplayers, birdwatchers, bad science, a parade of wet singing people, and some Foxes in the Hen House. Meanwhile Kornflake is preparing for MarsCon (also a science fiction convention, but in Minnesota, where they must think our Boston winters are just adorable). And this year, MarsCon's Dementia Track (a whole weekend of comedy music concerts) will feature as Guest of Honor... Judy Tenuta! Prepare to surrender to the Love Goddess. We also recommend a couple of MarsCon-related fundraisers, and we suspect that Kornflake's MarsCon Dementia Water Aerobics class will be ruined by Neil Diamond. As Judy says, it could happen.
It's time for our annual memorial show, as we look back on those we lost in 2016, and knock back shots of coffee and/or water (you know, the hard stuff) in their honor. We remember the big ones, of course, like David Bowie, George Michael, and Prince (not to mention a certain Princess). But yikes, there were so many more, including old TV favorites like Grizzly Adams, Mrs. Brady, Henry from Punky Brewster, Mr. Carlin from The Bob Newhart Show, and yeah, Schneider from One Day at a Time. (If you want to walk around today wearing a tool belt and a weird little mustache, we'll understand.) We also cover people from music, comics, animation, wrestling, science... and we had to include a whole Star Wars category. Will even Kevin, Kornflake, and The Mayor of Chickentown survive this, the longest episode in Flopcast history? Let's find out. Then we'll go forward. Because that's what Abe Vigoda would have wanted.
Just in time to be too late for the holidays, we open the Flopcast mailbag for a "What's in the Bag?" segment, and find a couple of mysterious envelopes mailed with Rankin Bass Rudolph stamps! Then as we prepare for next weekend's Arisia science fiction convention, we have even more events coming up the following weekend. On Saturday January 21st, there will be Women's March events happening all over the place -- look for us at the Boston version. And hey, Boston people, stick around for the after-party, featuring one of our favorite local rock bands, Petty Morals. (So much for our big plan to spend January hiding in a pillow fort...) Also: We celebrate Dave Grohl's birthday by actually drumming with an actual drumstick once used by an actual rock star. (But not Dave Grohl. You know we never get things quite right around here.)
It's our first show of 2017, so once again it's time to reveal our New Year's Resolutions. (Kornflake's will interest you podcast fans, while Kevin's is just stupid. Some things never change.) And we have some rare Flopcast sports talk, because Kevin and Brittany went to see the Patriots (that's our local football team, you nerds), and encountered rain, free cookies, and rain. We also look ahead to Arisia (Boston's big science fiction convention, January 13-16), where you can sing in a swimming pool, learn how to be a cyborg, learn about bird-watching, and see Kevin on a panel about comic book art. (Hopefully that will all happen in the same room at the same time.) And just in time for the horrifying new year, we're celebrating I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore Day, and you should too. Dee Snider will be so proud.
If you want to spend the holidays hiding from your family and listening to goofy podcasts, we have you covered (for 23 minutes, at least). First we celebrate No Interruption Day, and you can too, whether you're catching up on work or bellying up to the bar. (Let nothing interrupt that egg nog. You deserve it.) Then we secretly replace our regular Pudding Pages segment with a more festive version, the Figgy Pudding Pages, and recall nature shows from back in the 80s. (Come on, who wouldn't want to go on a safari with Boy George?) And we sneak in a little "Chickens in the News" too, as our friend Kitty reminds us that two chicken heads are way better than one. After that, you're on your own. (But if you haven't suffered through the Star Wars Holiday Special in a while, that's always an option. Just one more round with Bea Arthur, friend.)
Your Flopcast hosts have not been spotted together at many conventions in 2016, but it happened at Northeast Comic Con! (Just barely -- Kornflake was feeling under the weather, but still managed to arrive fashionably late. 'Twas a holiday miracle.) Wandering around the convention, we ran into a bunch of friends (including Tiki Zombie's Mike Gordon, TV Guidance Counselor's Ken Reid, and the Rubber Chicken Comics guys), a bunch of great costumes (including a "Stranger Things" costume that was just brilliant), and a bunch of people in Devo energy domes, because yikes, two members of Devo were there! (We love Devo... and as you may have noticed recently, they were right about "De-Evolution" after all. So show some respect, you spuds.) We also stayed for the Saturday night concert, with performers including Tsunami of Sound (with special guest Billy West!), The Lights Out (Kornflake's new favorite rock band), and The Fantastic Plastics (a Devo-inspired sci-fi pop duo with a theremin... so yeah, we sort of fell in love with them). We also have some recent podcasts to plug, from our friends at Earth Station One, Pop Culture Cosmos, and Grant's Advent Calendar. And thanks to National Whatever Day, we're thinking about "9 to 5." (Not the song, not the movie, but the sitcom. We try to make everything about 80s sitcoms. Hey, remember when Devo appeared on "Square Pegs"? We sure do.)
Just in time for the stupid holidays, it's the long-awaited (by two or three people, maybe) return of the Flopcast Top 4 1/2 List! And in a desperate attempt to be festive, we're counting down our favorite holiday villains! If you've watched as many holiday cartoons as we have, you know there's a never-ending supply of creepy characters who want to stop Christmas, arrest Santa, turn Frosty into a puddle, kidnap Baby New Year, tell big fat lies to Cindy Lou Who, and of course, get rid of all the toys. (Raggedy Ann even faced a holiday villain obsessed with sealing up all the toys in "gloopstik" -- remember?) So if you're as cuddly as a cactus and as charming as an eel, we just might be celebrating you this week. (We're also celebrating World Monkey Day. We're multitasking. We're despicable and we make ourselves plain sickable. Don't judge us.)
A trio of festive concert reports this week: Kornflake journeyed to a casino in the middle of Rhode Island and finally saw The Monkees (parking was tricky, but the view of Peter Tork was outstanding); meanwhile, Kevin and the Mayor were in Boston for the long-awaited return of Letters to Cleo (for the record, Kay Hanley remains our favorite singer in the universe); and once again we dodged flying undergarments at Niki Luparelli's annual David Bowie tribute concert and burlesque show. We also celebrate the 100th birthday of Mr. Peanut (the secret of eternal youth -- wear a top hat, a monocle, and nothing else), and remind everyone to appreciate ninjas. Especially coffee ninjas.
Great Hera, it's another 75th anniversary show, and this is a big one: we're celebrating Wonder Woman. We'll look back at Princess Diana's curious 1941 comic book roots, her bizarre 1960s TV pilot (YouTube it right now -- your head will explode), her goofy animated adventures with the Super Friends, the TV movie that got it wrong (with a pre-That's Incredible Cathy Lee Crosby and a pre-Fantasy Island Ricardo Montalban), and the TV series that got it right (when we all fell in love with Lynda Carter). And along the way, we'll point out several connections between Wonder Woman, The Brady Bunch, and The Facts of Life. (Hey, it's The Flopcast. You knew the risks.) So fire up your invisible airplane and join us. (If you bring along a magic lasso too, you'll see that we are quite sincere.)
It's Thanksgiving week, and we're celebrating with cranberries, espresso, and Robbie Rist (you know, just like the Pilgrims). We also catch up on silly events of the last few weeks, including a weird trip to Rockport for a Joan Osborne concert, our friend Mous E's 25-hour charity gaming marathon (including Operation!), and Kevin's attempt at an even dumber Halloween costume than last year's debacle. (They said it couldn't be done. Challenge accepted.) And we're looking forward to next week's David Bowie tribute concert from Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers (with burlesque from the Lipstick Criminals), and next month's Northeast Comic Con (featuring Dean Cain, Billy West, members of Devo, TV Guidance Counselor's Ken Reid, The Lights Out, and perhaps even a Tiki Zombie). So hey, Happy Thanksgiving, true believers. We'll never be as festive as a giant Underdog balloon, but we're trying.
Okay, it's been a tough week, and we're even more frightened and confused than usual. But we have pizza (watch out for those creepy anchovies), we have root beer (and its tricky pal, Moxie), and we have a bootleg DVD of the ridiculous 1986 made-for-TV movie Combat Academy. (The cast is just amazing... if you think George Clooney never worked with George Jefferson, Cliff Clavin, Klinger from MASH, Doc from The Love Boat, and Bull from Night Court, we have evidence to the contrary...) So this week, we're just chomping on pie and learning why Kornflake is so obsessed with this goofy little movie. Next week: We keep going.
Cover yourselves -- it's time for our annual whining and complaining about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! However, this year we're thrilled to announce that the nominees are The Monkees, The Go-Go's, Devo, Lionel Richie, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and Air Supply! So this will be... oh wait, sorry... give us a minute to snap back into reality. But hey, even the real list has some fine nominees, like Electric Light Orchestra (yikes, it's about time) and Kraftwerk (we do love scary synthy robot bands). And the long-awaited nomination of Journey means that arena rock is finally on the table! (Someday, REO Speedwagon, someday...) Join us as we look at each nominee, and learn which acts are Flopcast-approved (truly the highest honor in pop music). Also: It's Sally Field's birthday, and we have some weird ideas about how to reboot The Flying Nun.
Since two geeky conventions happened the same weekend, we divided and conquered. Kornflake wandered up to New Hampshire for Granite Game Summit, where she enjoyed a new game called Junk Art (but don't forget the classics, kids; we're still endlessly amused by Hungry Hungry Hippos). Meanwhile Kevin was at Super Megafest, along with the guys from Rubber Chicken Comics, the ladies of Wicked Geeky, Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers, "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart, Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid), David Mazouz (Gotham), Richard Dean Anderson and Richard Grieco (best known for their Facts of Life backdoor pilots), Aileen Quinn (from the 1982 Annie movie, and her fun new band The Leapin' Lizards), and yes, Meat Loaf. Also: Our friends Kyle and Lindsay made a VERY quick trip to Massachusetts (because they were kidnapped by Kornflake) for water aerobics, brunch, and butterflies. (You're all watching Kyle's new cartoon series Mighty Magiswords, right? RIGHT?) And it's National Cookie Monster Day, which is good enough for us.
This week we're rolling (Del Amitri-style) back twenty years to recall the music of 1996. (You can blame Dar Williams; we just saw her in concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of her classic Mortal City album...) 'Twas an odd time in music... while the post-grunge pop charts were dominated by the likes of Celine Dion and those Macarena dudes, some interesting new acts were breaking through too. Some of them stuck around for a while (Alanis Morissette, Blues Traveler, No Doubt), while others had just a hit single and a weird band name (Spacehog, Dog's Eye View... and yikes, Deep Blue Something). The Barenaked Ladies broke into their old apartment, Dishwalla counted blue cars, and Tracy Bonham just kept screaming at her mother. Joan Osborne had some questions about God... but World Pasta Day is this week, and we're more curious about the Flying Spaghetti Monster. So relax at your favorite coffee shop (that's certainly where we spent most of 1996) and enjoy the show. We hope you find it even better than Ezra.
If you're a fan of Wonder Woman and/or potatoes, we have more podcast recommendations; rapper Eminem has a birthday this week (can you guess which one of us is a fan?); in the long-awaited return of "Chickens in the News," we find a chicken crossing the road in Scotland (probably searching for the Bay City Rollers); and we preview next weekend's Super Megafest convention, featuring comedy from our pals Niki Luparelli and Ken Reid, as well as stars from Good Times, Gotham, The Karate Kid, The Outsiders, Annie, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and a forgotten backdoor pilot episode of The Facts of Life. (We still believe that "Tootie's Aunt and MacGyver" could've been a big hit...)
This week we rediscover Big John Little John (a lost classic of 1970s Saturday morning TV, starring Robbie Rist!); during weird trips to the dentist, Kevin gets a flu shot and Kornflake gets a flop wreath (both will protect us through the winter); our new stack of comic books includes Josie and the Pussycats (alas, they're not in outer space... yet), The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror (featuring Homer as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man), and Wonder Woman: The True Amazon (by Jill Thompson, who once gave us cupcakes); Would I Lie to You (Kornflake's favorite British game show) is back, with some familiar guest stars; and we end with a "What's in the Bag" segment, compliments of an old friend of the Flopcast who knows what we like. (That'd be chickens and robots, of course.)
It's election season (had you noticed?), and the Mayor of Chickentown buys our votes with magical coffee-themed gifts; in case you're somehow not sick of our voices yet, we list our recent guest appearances on other podcasts (talking about DragonCon, Watchmen, iZombie, and more); Siri teaches us all about crayfish (for one thing, they're not made of crayons -- thanks for nothing, Ms. Russo's eighth grade biology class!); Mighty Magiswords, that crazy awesome cartoon created by our pal Kyle, is now a series on Cartoon Network (we haven't been this excited since Fangface); and it's National Kale Day... but we're just going to stick with our coffee.
It's our annual DragonCon review show, in which Kornflake patiently tolerates Kevin's endless yammering about our very favorite gathering of nerds and/or geeks in hot and sticky downtown Atlanta, Georgia! Featuring: All our crazy awesome friends from the ESO Network, the American Sci-Fi and Fantasy Media Track, the American Sci-Fi Classics Track, and Wicked Geeky; a field trip to the Center for Puppetry Arts (to visit all the Muppets, plus Kornflake's old friend Up-Up from Romper Room); the Cult of the Marriott Carpet; Kevin explaining "filk" on DragonCon TV; panels on Little Shop of Horrors, Watchmen, Gotham, Wonder Woman (with George Pérez!), and mullets; music from Here Come the Mummies, Kirby Krackle, Paul and Storm, Molly Lewis, The Doubleclicks, and Jonathan Coulton; the stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (Frank, Trace, and Bill!); the stars of Flash Gordon and/or Manimal (Sam Jones and Melody Anderson!); the one true star of Caddyshack (that'd be the dancing gopher, of course); a mysterious Polaroid fairy; an unexpected banana; and giant space chickens. Yikes, that was not a normal weekend. Also: We're celebrating National Good Neighbor Day (with a little help from Davey and Goliath), and we're drinking Hi-C Ecto Cooler from a plastic tiki cup. Because if nothing else, DragonCon taught us to be classy.
Kornflake is back from Chicago, where she was surrounded by some of our favorite silly people at FumpFest, a whole crazy convention of comedy music! Her adventures included Dementia Water Aerobics, field trips away from the convention for weird theater and weird French toast, receiving more lobster-themed gifts, and smashing up a rental car like she was in Hazzard County. There were also plenty of hilarious performers, of course, including Devo Spice, Carrie Dahlby, Seamonkey, Worm Quartet, The Gothsicles, Rob Paravonian, Tim Cavanagh, Tom Smith, Dino-Mike, Megathruster, 2D6, and FumpFest Guests of Honor Paul and Storm! Kornflake even brought us a special Flopcast interview with The Library Bards, Bonnie and Xander! (And listen carefully for cameos from Jaykitty, Insane Ian, and the great Luke Ski!) We also have a "What's in the Bag" segment (featuring a mysterious liquid Kornflake acquired in Chicago), and we're celebrating National Elephant Day. So come on -- this is the most Fumpfestive podcast you'll hear all day.
It's our convention recovery show! (Because we knew that after FumpFest and DragonCon, we'd need an extra week readjusting to reality...) So this week we're celebrating Scooby Doo (and his tricky pals Scrappy Doo, Scooby Dum, and Davy Jones), we're trying on turkey masks (this is why everyone turns to the Flopcast for fall fashion advice), and we're still obsessed with Shazam and Isis (because we like our Saturday morning TV low budget and forty years old). Next week our convention reports begin. Unless we decide to keep on relaxing. These turkey masks are shockingly comfortable.
Lords of light! Just in time for DragonCon 2016, we're flashing back to DragonCon 2015 for a panel about Thundarr the Barbarian! Yes, Kevin and a bunch more sleep-deprived maniacs from the American Sci-Fi Classics Track look back at our favorite post-apocalyptic Saturday morning cartoon hero. In Thundarr's world, the horses had beaks, the rats had stylish scarves, and nobody -- certainly not Ookla the Mok -- wore pants. It was glorious. Our conversation drifts to other Saturday morning science fiction favorites too: Space Ghost, Herculoids, Jason of Star Command, Gilligan's Planet... yikes, now all you need is a big bowl of Cookie Crisp (like we had at the panel -- yes, Joe brought cereal). Plus: Back in Chickentown, Kevin and Kornflake watch a very special Thundarr episode in which Thundarr goes to Boston! (A crumbling post-apocalyptic version of Boston, that is... but in a way, it's frighteningly accurate.) Thundarr's Boston episode is called "City of Evil." Write your own punchline; we're still sleepy.
We're just days away from DragonCon, which means nerds and geeks from around the world shall soon descend upon hot and sticky Atlanta, Georgia. (Annoying reminder #1: Despite what everyone is saying, this is NOT the 30th "anniversary" of DragonCon. This is the 30th DragonCon. It started in 1987, if you want to do the math...) This year's guest list includes Sam Jones (Flash Gordon!), Melody Anderson (Flash Gordon AND Manimal!), William Shatner (TJ Hooker!), Erin Gray (Silver Spoons!), Judge Reinhold (every single movie from the 80s!), and more stars from Mystery Science Theater 3000, Firefly, iZombie, and all those superhero TV shows we could only dream of as kids. (The guy who plays Vibe will be there. VIBE. Time to practice our breakdancing...) Musical performers include Paul and Storm, Jonathan Coulton, Molly Lewis, The Doubleclicks, Mikey Mason, Kirby Krackle, and yes, Here Come the Mummies. We also have a few tips on surviving the convention as usual. (Annoying reminder #2: Vitamin C supplements, and all those products that claim to boost your immune system, will NOT help prevent con crud. Save your money. Or spend it on rum, which at least works as advertised.) And we run through Kevin's DragonCon schedule -- you can find him conducting tours for new attendees, meeting and/or greeting at the ESO Network Meet & Greet, and appearing on panels about Wonder Woman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Watchmen, Gotham, and more. See you there! As the old saying goes, we'll have more fun than a whale shark.
Breaking news: The Olympic golf course has been overrun by capybaras (our favorite giant rodents), and it's pretty much the greatest thing in sports history. Meanwhile, Kornflake and Doornail celebrate Thanksgiving, on the beach, in August. (Peppermint Patty was aghast... but at least the menu didn't consist of popcorn and toast.) And Kevin's summer of goofy retro concerts reaches its finale with three shows in a week: Rick Springfield (who introduced the word "moot" to pop music), The Go-Go's (on their farewell tour -- be sure to catch them before they stop-stop), and Belly (Boston's mid-90s alt-pop heroes, back after a quick 20 year break). Now before we make our final preparations for FumpFest and DragonCon, we just have to launch our new fashion line for golfing rodents. (Yes, Kenny Loggins will perform "I'm Alright" at the runway show.)
Time to get back in the pool, kids -- Kornflake is bringing her Dementia Water Aerobics class to FumpFest 2016! It's a whole weekend of comedy music, featuring a bunch of our favorite silly humans. (The lineup includes Paul and Storm, Carrie Dahlby, Devo Spice, Dino-Mike, Rob Paravonian, Seamonkey, Tim Cavanagh, Worm Quartet, and more!) Chicago will never be the same. Also: We catch up with our old pal (and Adventure Time artist) Andy Ristaino, we find cats (actual live cats) in a museum, and we murder a beach ball at a Joan Jett concert. It's been a busy and ridiculous week.
It's become a beloved summer tradition here in Chickentown... yes, it's our fifth annual robot list. No special theme this time -- we're just listing whatever robots happen to be on our inferior human minds. We cover robot cartoons, robot songs, robot art, and perhaps an actual real world robot or two. (And hey, how did we take this long to mention Pee Wee Herman's robot?) And we open the Flopcast Mailbag for a correction from last week's show about Journey. (Relax, Journey is still awesome. We did get that part right.) Also: Zucchini.
We're back from a long day of 1980s-style silliness in the middle of Kornflake's home state of New Hampshire. Our first stop was Funspot, a giant amazing arcade packed with dozens of classic video and pinball games from decades ago. Alas, there was no Swimmer or Donkey Kong Junior. But there was plenty of Frogger, Dig Dug, Tron, Gorf, Donkey Kong (as seen in the movie The King of Kong), Crazy Kong (a weird alternate version of Donkey Kong), and just about everything else. Get yourself a billion tokens and spend the day. Our next stop was... a Journey concert. Because Journey is awesome. Just admit it to yourself and move on. And we have a friendly reminder that FuMPFest (our favorite funny music convention) is almost here (August 26-28 in Chicago), and Kornflake will be there with Dementia Water Aerobics! Get your tickets and room reservations now, kids! Also: It's Kevin Smith's birthday, and we're encouraging everyone to celebrate by shutting up, just like Silent Bob.
This week we've secretly replaced our regular coffee with Hi-C Ecto Cooler, because it's time to check out the new Ghostbusters movie! Kevin recalls his favorite cover version of the Ghostbusters theme, by that legendary band, the Happy Hamsters. Meanwhile, thanks to our friends at the Kyle and Luke Talk About Toons podcast, Kornflake has become an actual Ghostbuster, and is already busting ghost lobsters. We also get hit by mysterious articles of clothing during Strip Zeppelin, a burlesque show featuring Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers, the Lipstick Criminals, and an elf. And we recommend new music from Richie Ramone (the third Ramones drummer, between Marky and, uh, Marky) and Moon Hooch (because we just can't get enough crazy saxophones). Plus: If you'd like to learn how to talk to a rabid weasel in an elevator, we just might have you covered.
Kornflake reports on the second annual FlopFest celebration, which mostly involves flopping in a hammock in the middle of New Hampshire. This year's FlopFest also featured tall monsters, small manservants, Isaac the Bartender, an Internet-famous dog, and waffles. Next year's FlopFest will feature a giant Silver Spoons-themed parade float shaped like Ricky Schroder's head (if there's any chance of Kevin showing up, that is). Kornflake also has a concert report, because those crazy Indigo Girls came around again. And we open the Flopcast mailbag and learn that someone really wants to sell coffee to Kevin's old band, the Sponge Awareness Foundation. (Throw in a Silver Spoons coffee mug, and we just might have a deal...) Also: If you prefer fractions to decimals, relax and celebrate Casual Pi Day! No need to pack up that FlopFest hammock just yet.
We're back from a long weekend of science and silliness at CONvergence in Bloomington, Minnesota! Our convention report includes: A meteorite from Mars (Robolar would be so proud), special guest birds from the Raptor Center, comedy from Joseph Scrimshaw, music from Beth Kinderman and the Player Characters, Science for the People with Desiree Schell, a sneak preview of Vermin (with lab rat puppets!), the Supergirl and iZombie panels (no mansplaining, but plenty of gummy brains), a live version of "Would I Lie to You?" (Kornflake's favorite game show!), happy little trees, robot chickens, Ladro the Squirrel, and a final round of Buzzed Aldrins in the Skepchick Space Lounge. Also: It's Town Crier Day! You were going to run around screaming anyway, and now you have an excuse.
It's miserably hot here in Chickentown, and local scientists (who are totally not just rubber chickens in lab coats) say that summer is to blame. They're probably right; we can't blame EVERYTHING on the cancellation of Knight Rider. (But you must admit, it's been a rough thirty years.) So this week we're presenting a Top 4 1/2 List of summer songs! Be warned that these are not necessarily our favorites; they happened to get stuck in our heads many summers ago, and they just won't go away. But we still cover some fun stuff, and along the way, we even figure out which 80s pop stars were actually robots. And hey, Huey Lewis (relax, probably not a robot) has a birthday this week! Celebrate by hitting the beach, playing your favorite summer songs, and burying your backup band members up to their necks in the sand.
Kevin and Kornflake are back from Northeast Comic Con, where they found Muppet choirs, Rubber Chicken Comics, the Lost in Space chariot, and some of our favorite costumers (including Cosplay Dad, RW Martin as Indiana Jones, and Brandon the Shapeshifter as Thundarr the Barbarian). And the convention's Saturday night concert featured Tsunami of Sound, The Lights Out, Draco and the Malfoys, Loose Salute, Sam Mulligan, a Walton (Jon Walmsley), a Blackheart (Ricky Byrd), and yes, a Monkee (Micky Dolenz)! 'Twas a long show; we're still sleepy. Also from Northeast Comic Con, we have a Flopcast interview with the original Captain America (from way back in 1979), Reb Brown! (Did we mostly ask about Reb's appearance on The Facts of Life? What do you think?) Plus: The Mayor of Chickentown makes her Earth Station One podcast debut, we unveil our new Flopcast convention badge ribbons, and Kornflake is still obsessed with popsicles.
Kevin and Kornflake want you to celebrate National Selfie Day, especially if you're a macaque; we creep down to the rock clubs of Providence, Rhode Island in search of Mongoose Molly; we have a new movie review, all thanks to a power outage; and we look ahead at CONvergence (4th of July weekend in Bloomington, Minnesota), featuring meteorites, owls, Martians, Joseph Scrimshaw, the Skepchick Space Lab, and Kevin's big chance to mansplain Supergirl. Also, yes, Kornflake and Doornail invented a new fun beverage. The secret ingredients are vodka and vodka.
Kevin and Kornflake are talking music again this week, following a concert by 80s legends Cyndi Lauper and Boy George. It's been over thirty years since Cyndi conquered the world of pop music, with a little help from The Hooters, The Goonies, and Rowdy Roddy Piper. These days she takes an occasional detour into country music, but she still just wants to have fun, and most importantly, her hair is as big and crazy as ever. Meanwhile, Boy George is armed with a huge amazing backup band, and still delivers all the Culture Club hits you never admitted you loved so much. Friends, it's time to give "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" another chance. It's also time for some "Chickens in the News" from the other side of the world: New Zealand, once thought to be solely populated by sheep and hobbits, is actually being terrorized by drunk roosters. Really. And Nature Photography Day is this week too, so go creep around outside and try to get a picture of a karma chameleon.
The Mayor of Chickentown joins Kevin and Kornflake for a very special Flopcast celebrating fifty years of The Monkees! We discuss our earliest memories of the TV show (from reruns on a Boston UHF station in the 70s), recall our earliest Monkees album purchases (horribly scratched vinyl from yard sales, also in the 70s), and look at each individual Monkee. Peter had the serious folk music background and the super-silly TV persona; Micky was the former child star (with a baby elephant!), destined to be the lead singer and drummer by default; Mike had Nashville-style musical aspirations and a hat; and Davy had stars in his eyes, plus a date with Marcia Brady. We also recall seeing The Monkees in concert on their various reunion tours over the last thirty years, including this year's 50th anniversary tour. (You'd better get ready -- they may be coming to your town.) And then there's the remarkable new Monkees album Good Times! (Do not miss the "She Makes Me Laugh" video, featuring 1960s Monkees comic book art!) We're also looking forward to Northeast Comic Con (June 18-19), featuring stars from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Affair, Captain America (1979 version), and more! Plus nerd comedy with Mark Gallagher, music from The Lights Out, and hey, MICKY DOLENZ! (Want to meet a Monkee? Be there!) And although we've never seen The Monkees' freaky 1968 movie Head at a drive-in, we're still celebrating Drive-In Movie Day, and you should too. Don't forget to visit the snack bar, and try the clam cakes.
Kids, this week we're talking about snakes. (Blame our tricky pal Matt, who suggested another weird Top 4 1/2 List...) Whether you're totally creeped out by snakes (a touch of ophidiophobia, perhaps), or you like them creeping all over you (Jake "The Snake" Roberts could help with that), you cannot deny that snakes are everywhere. (Samuel Jackson might not be happy about it, but these days he's so busy with the Avengers... and hey, the Avengers have snake troubles of their own, thanks to the Serpent Society...) So we're listing our favorite snakes, from goofy old horror movies, sitcoms, cartoons, and maybe even Paula Abdul songs. Slither on over and join us! Bring macaroons.
As summertime approaches here in Chickentown, Kevin and Kornflake are back on the iced coffee, featuring our beloved coffee cubes! (Coffee cubes are like Time for Timer's "Sunshine on a Stick," but without the toothpicks, and you use coffee instead of orange juice. We'll send you the recipe.) This week Kevin has a couple of concert reports, as Ben Folds and yMusic rock Boston (with a bass clarinet!), and Freezepop returns to Harvard Square (with a bunch of keytars, of course). And by the way, there are just a few days left in Freezepop's Kickstarter campaign! Send them your human money, and you might even get a Fluff sandwich in return. Also: Kornflake cannot avoid the Red Arrow Diner (which is not a problem), we celebrate National Grape Popsicle Day, and we peek inside the old Flopcast mailbag. As one might assume, it's filled with lobsters and skinks.
Another superhero anniversary is upon us, as Green Arrow turns 75 this year! So we're looking back at the long crazy history of our favorite comic book archer (sorry, Hawkeye). We recall how Green Arrow totally ripped off Batman (Arrow Car, Arrow Cave, kid sidekick...), his Justice League induction (because Superman and Wonder Woman would be helpless without a bow & arrow dude), his one true love (Black Canary, of course), his 1970s Mego doll (good luck not losing that tiny bow), and most importantly, his weird little goatee. Green Arrow made just one TV appearance during his first sixty years; apparently he was just an adequate friend, because the Super Friends never invited him back. But in recent years, he has popped up in multiple cartoons, as well as Smallville, and of course, his current hit TV series Arrow. (They dropped the "Green" for the show's title, probably to get an earlier listing in the phone book.) But Green Arrow isn't the only comic book subject in this week's show, as we also look at Long Distance, a romantic comedy (in graphic novel format) by Thom Zahler. And in honor of National Piercing Day, we recall how a quarter century ago, we were all freaked out by Jane Child. Plus: Kevin and Kornflake reveal their own archery experience (or lack thereof), and design their own trick arrows. (You know you want a rubber chicken arrow.)
In honor of National Night Shift Workers Day, we're completely exhausted! But we still manage to creep up to Lowell to see Gunpowder Gelatine and Aerochix (covering the music of Queen and Aerosmith, respectively); we return to the Triiibe exhibit at the Fitchburg Art Museum, and do not get trapped in the basement (trust us, it can happen); a visit to Maine features one turkey, one whistle pig, and a billion lobsters; and a trip into the Pudding Pages reminds us of Funny Face drink mix, which was at once delightful and horrifying. Hey, as of this week, we've been Flopcasting for four years! We have almost paid our debt to society...
Last week Harvard University was invaded by Stormtroopers (and at least one Wookiee), possibly because Carrie Fisher was there receiving the Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism. We were there too, to cheer for our Princess, although our view was somewhat obstructed by a giant bird. (This was not a problem. We like giant birds.) And speaking of birds, did a chicken recently visit the White House, in the name of science? Find out in another ridiculous "Chickens in the News" segment. Also: National Two Different Colored Shoes Day is this week! But Kornflake, Doornail, and Tom Hanks started celebrating decades ago.
Can Kornflake see all the costumes, collectibles, and celebrity guests at Super Megafest in just ninety minutes, and not be late for karaoke? Let's find out. We did indeed find plenty of crazy characters there, including our friends from Rubber Chicken Comics and Wicked Geeky, costumer R. W. Martin (as Doc from The Love Boat!), and our old pal Mr. T. We also ran into stars like Lee Meriwether (Catwoman!), Michael Beck (The Warriors! And Xanadu!), and William Zabka (Cobra Kai!). And we even attended a Q&A session with Burt Reynolds, because we still have a lot to learn about early 80s mustaches. Also: Steve Martin and Martin Short (two amigos, approximately) come to Boston, Kornflake is the Chico DeBarge of poetry, and lobsters are the new cows.
We received a long list of suggestions for this week's Top 4 1/2 List... and we picked the very dumbest one. So please enjoy our list of guys named Bill. (Yes, despite "Bill" being such an exotic name, we were able to think of a few.) Our Bill list includes songs, movies, cartoons, excellent adventures, science guys, and a bunch of bizarre characters from radio and TV. (Note: In accordance with international Bill list protocol, guys named "Billy" were not eligible. Otherwise we would have just listed Billy Ocean 4 1/2 times.)
Kornflake's 2016 convention tour continues, and this week she shares her adventures at Anime Boston! Getting there was an adventure in itself, but eventually she found a subway mermaid to lead the way. At the convention, Kornflake encountered Teen Titans, the Bear Hug Squad, anime crustaceans, Chickenhead, our old pal Keytar Bear, and many more strange and wonderful characters. Meanwhile, your other Flopcast host may or may not have been creepily lurking just outside the convention. (It was all part of our plan.) Also: a quick look ahead at DragonCon, an important turxting update, and National Dolphin Day. (You know Flipper is still out there somewhere. And Flipper is angry.)
While every other podcast is busy reviewing Batman v Superman, we know what the people really want. They want Kornflake's brutally honest review of the new Full House sequel series, Fuller House. (We've been preparing for this moment for years, by staring at the same photo of Dave Coulier every day.) Kornflake also recommends Zootopia, which offers more political intrigue than any cartoon since Captain Caveman. And we look ahead to next week's Super Megafest convention, where you can meet Burt Reynolds, Chewbacca, Hercules, Eddie Munster, a Beatle, a Badfinger, and The Warriors! (One of those Warriors also starred in the old Ted Knight sitcom Too Close For Comfort, which is very, very important to us.) We hope to see you there -- remember, as Huey Lewis said, it's hip to be a square root, or something.
A sleepy Mayor of Chickentown joins Kevin and Kornflake for a round of "What's in the Bag?" featuring Batman and lobsters (our two favorite things); in perhaps our all-time stupidest National Whatever Day, we learn about Chinese gooseberries, and how Kornflake really feels about produce managers; Kevin wanders around Vermont and experiences the bizarre tradition of "sugar on snow" (it's weirder than you think -- pickles are involved); and we check out a crazy CBGB-themed concert and burlesque show, featuring a Blondie tribute by Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers, a Ramones tribute by Warthog, and a Talking Heads tribute by Byrne's Big Suit. (We'd been trying to figure out what was lacking in Kornflake's life. The answer was punk rock and strippers. But isn't that always the answer?)
Get ready to party, kids -- it's National Button Week. (Which one of your Flopcast co-hosts had New Kids on the Block buttons, and which had Men at Work and Air Supply buttons? The world may never know...) Then during our Pudding Pages segment, Siri is horribly offended when we ask a simple question about Roseanne. (The robots are getting angry, people. The revolution has begun.) We also have some Chickens in the News, because a bunch of Canadian kids have started a Chicken Club at their school. (Those lucky Canadians... at Kevin's old school, we certainly didn't have any chickens. All we had was carbon paper.) And we wrap up this goofy little show with a super-quick review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens! (Have any other podcasts covered this movie yet? No, we're probably first, as usual.)
Thanks to the highly lucrative world of podcasting, Kevin and Kornflake are pretty much their own bosses these days. But before they got filthy rich giggling about chickens every week, they too had to answer to a bunch of crazy hotheaded bosses. So in this week's Top 4 1/2 List, we're counting down our favorite bosses from our favorite TV shows and cartoons! Thanks to Hanna Barbera, we know all about gravel quarry bosses way in the past, and sprocket factory bosses way in the future. We recall sitcom bosses from The Office, Parks and Recreation, and a little place in Phoenix called Mel's Diner. And of course, there's a certain boss we can't forget from back in Hazzard County. So if you, like Tony Danza, can't figure out who's the boss, just relax and listen. We'll sort it all out for you. Also: National Awkward Moment Day is this week. Remember to tell your boss that you'll need some time off to celebrate.
Oops! Kevin, Kornflake, and the Mayor of Chickentown are trapped in a walk-in freezer! (Kornflake didn't know the door locked automatically!) But while waiting to be rescued by a wacky neighbor, they recall favorite moments from past Flopcast episodes through a series of annoying old clips. Okay, not really. For our 200th show, we're just relaxing in the studio as usual, because alas, this isn't quite a 1980s sitcom. (But we're working on it.) In honor of National Cereal Day, Kevin shares a really stupid idea he once had for a really stupid new cereal. Then the Mayor discusses her recent trip to California for the annual Doctor Who convention known as Gallifrey One. She encountered many colorful characters out west, including the great Luke Ski, TV's Kyle, Lindzilla, Ken Reid, Greg Proops, Laura Kightlinger, Phil Plait, Joseph Scrimshaw, and ESO Director Mike Faber! Meanwhile Kornflake tells us all about her visit to New England's largest game convention, TotalCon. She even has a Flopcast interview with the creators of a new robot-themed card game, PBL Robots! Finally we review some Flopcast stats after 200 ridiculous weeks of podcasting, and reveal why we're dispatching Flopcast listeners, one by one, to North Dakota. (Watch your inbox. You might be next.)
This week we're talking with novelist (The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs), storyteller (The Moth), and podcaster (Boy vs. Girl) Matthew Dicks! Matthew and Kevin grew up in the same tiny town, rode the same stupid school bus, and were the only non-girl flute players in the school band. We recall a time when kids (and crazy unleashed dogs) ran free, and we'd ride our bikes down to Main Street in search of comic books, Donkey Kong, and John Candy on VHS. Our old school was torn down years ago, but our memories of weird little lunches and angry little gym teachers will never die. Also: We're not trying to make "Turkeys in the News" a regular Flopcast segment, but when the police are called to rescue a New Jersey mailman from a bunch of crazy turkeys, what choice do we have? And speaking of New Jersey, Kornflake reminds us to wish a Happy Birthday to Bon Jovi. (We could also wish a Sad Death Night to "Jon Bovi" -- the Bon Jovi opposite band.)
Because we tend to get everything wrong, we have some corrections from a previous Flopcast, mostly involving astronauts and Monkees; a recent benefit show by Dar Williams and Catie Curtis turned wonderfully Schoolhouse Rock-ish; the Fitchburg Art Museum has an amazing new exhibit by our friends from Triiibe (but alas, no plastic lawn flamingos); we visit the Comedy Studio in Harvard Square for a bizarre night featuring Niki Luparelli, Mark Gallagher, Nathan Burke, Skip Daniels, magic, improv, kazoos, and a dumbwaiter; National Whatever Day celebrates our favorite cartoon snowman/Mormon, Josh Gad; and we're going on strike. A podcast strike. But probably just until next week's show.
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate 75 years of the King of Atlantis, the guy in the scaly orange shirt (perhaps not the fanciest of superhero costumes), Aquaman! Yes, Aquaman has been talking to the fish since 1941, he's a founding member of the Justice League of America, and he's your favorite Super Friend. So let's show some respect. We also look at Aquaman's whole crazy Aqua-family: his flipper-footed wife Mera, his teen sidekick Aqualad, and Aqualad's "deep-six chick" (yeah, that's what they called her) Aqua-Girl. And then we have Aquaman's greatest villain (and coolest member of the Legion of Doom) Black Manta, his pesky little "water sprite" Quisp (sort of an underwater Great Gazoo), and his giant octopus buddy, Topo (who is also a fine musician, because why not). We cover Aquaman's 1960s Filmation cartoons, his 1970s Mego action figure, his live action debut on Smallville, and his truly outrageous appearances in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. And of course, a dark scary Game of Thrones-style Aquaman is coming soon to a theater near you! But we suspect that the lighter, sillier version of Aquaman will always be our favorite. And we have freshly-baked Aqua-cookies to prove it.
Kevin and Kornflake check out the new MarsCon Dementia Track fundraiser album, and you should too. (Warning: Contains goofy songs by The Sponge Awareness Foundation, and lobster songs by Kornflake!) Also: Astronaut Cady Coleman has a space flute, we have mixed feelings about a new ninth planet that isn't Pluto, Kornflake has big plans to play Connect Four and Hungry Hungry Hippos at TotalCon, the Mayor of Chickentown has seized control of our Twitter account, and Kevin was back on the Earth Station One podcast to talk about The Monkees. (Speaking of which, we have a correction from this week's Flopcast! Melanie Mitchell's book is actually called Monkee Magic: a Book about a TV Show about a Band. Get it through Amazon! We sure did. Because we just can't get enough Tork talk.)
Kevin and Kornflake are full of excuses this week, because somebody decided "excuses" should be the subject of this week's Top 4 1/2 List. (We won't name any names, except for the name "Kornflake.") Some of our favorite excuses come from Steve Martin, Marcia Brady, the Blues Brothers, the Kids in the Hall, and of course, Juan Epstein. And these days, with the right excuse, you can even bring a turkey on an airplane! (Several listeners brought this wonderful story to our attention. It turns out that Mr. Carlson was right, and turkeys CAN fly.) Also: It's National Carrot Cake Day, and Kornflake learns about her new favorite superhero, Flaming Carrot, just in time.
After a three year absence, Kevin and Kornflake went creeping back to Arisia! (A science fiction convention on the Boston waterfront in mid-January... this is how we eliminate the weaker nerds from the pack.) Kornflake was there on Saturday, and enjoyed a game of Munchkin, a Princess Bride shadowcast show with the Teseracte Players, a workshop about shiny things, and a large angry chicken. Kevin didn't show up until Sunday, and just sort of wandered around not doing much of anything. (The winner is Kornflake!) Also: National Kazoo Day is this week, so our usual advice applies -- don't leave the house.
We have a quick show for you this week, because we're sleepy, and Kornflake keeps spilling the coffee. In our "Chickens in the News" segment: It has been suggested that in order to sustain the human population, we should shrink everyone down to the size of chickens. (We can't decide if this is a good idea or a GREAT idea. Either way, it's another step toward a world ruled by chickens.) Then in our "Pudding Pages" segment, we look at the Six Million Dollar Man action figures of the 1970s. And coincidentally, those action figures were just about as tall as chickens! So after you step through our shrink ray (on loan from Brainiac and the Legion of Doom), stop by our wardrobe department. You can dress like a chicken-sized Bionic Man, Bionic Woman, or maybe even a Fembot. And remember, Winnie the Pooh Day is this week. So pants are optional.
It's time for a Flopcast-style look back at those we lost in 2015. The Mayor of Chickentown joins Kevin and Kornflake as we recall some of our favorite recently-departed actors, musicians, writers, artists... and maybe even the guy who invented plastic pink flamingos. Including: Stars from The Dukes of Hazzard, Happy Days, The Partridge Family, Eight Is Enough, The Beverly Hillbillies, and yes, Archie Bunker's Place; the voices behind Space Ghost, Pac-Man, Mr. Slate, and the Chiquita Banana; the singers of "Stand By Me", "Unforgettable", and "The Thrill Is Gone"; the creators of Wolverine, Zatanna, Marmaduke, and Barbapapa; and many more. (Did we mention the flamingo guy?) Hey, 2015 was the year we lost Mr. Spock, Jimmy Olsen, and Batgirl -- so feel free to cry if you want to, Lesley Gore-style. But then feel free to enjoy yourself with a Stan Freberg record, a Christopher Lee Dracula movie, or just a giant cup of coffee. (Kornflake really needed coffee this week.)
We're kicking off the new year with one more convention report from the old year! Northeast Comic Con featured the stars of A Christmas Story; a round of Press Your Luck (No Whammies!) with Big Bucks Entertainment; legendary comic book artist George Pérez; TV Guidance Counselor with Ken Reid, Claudia Wells, John Wesley Shipp, and Andrew WK; and the 50th anniversary of Lost in Space. Speaking of which, we have a special Flopcast interview with one of the stars of Lost in Space, Marta Kristen! Marta discusses not only her time aboard the Jupiter 2 as Judy Robinson, but also her role as Lorelei the mermaid in Beach Blanket Bingo, her critically acclaimed theatrical work, and her current projects. (Listen carefully for a cameo from Marta's Lost in Space co-star Mark Goddard! And you might even hear the Robot in the background, screaming about danger, as usual.) Also: Soupy Sales would have been 90 this week. Why not celebrate by hitting yourself in the face with a pie?
It's our final Flopcast of 2015! Almost time to flop over and relax! We celebrate with the return of Kornflake's regular National Whatever Day segment, in which we learn why paper snowflakes can be disgusting. (You're welcome!) Then Kevin reports on last month's Super Megafest convention, featuring Nichelle Nichols, Peter Tork and Bobby Hart, the Dukes of Hazzard, and the Miser Brothers. (Apparently Heat Miser finally outwitted Snow Miser, because we certainly had a green Christmas here in Chickentown.) And of course, we reveal our (really stupid) New Year's Resolutions. Meanwhile, Kornflake is spending the final days of 2015 frantically hopping on a trampoline, thanks to her OLD Year's Resolution. She is dedicated. And dizzy.
Happy Holidays from The Flopcast, where we hide our toys inside rubber chickens, so the Burgermeister won't find them. This week Ed joins us again, to talk about yet another pre-Sponge Awareness Foundation project: his goofy 1989 college band, Wet Paint! We look back on this short-lived band's eclectic lineup, their repertoire of dance/pop cover songs (awful), their one original song (even worse), their big night playing at the Suitcase Dance (there were no survivors), and the time they ruined a beach party (but it was New Hampshire, so who cares). And Kornflake reminds us that 1989 was also the year of the Super Soaker! (Did you know it was originally called the Turkey Launcher? Please don't fact-check us. Just spread the word.) Also: How to find tacky Christmas lights (our dog just won the big lights and display contest, by the way); a "What's in the Bag" surprise from Ed (hint: it's not a piece of the Berlin Wall); the new Earth Station One book (get it!); and the Christmas music of Air Supply, Smashy Claw, Zamfir, and a bunch of very festive chickens.
This week we're joined by a special surprise guest (it was certainly a surprise to Kornflake): Ed, of The Sponge Awareness Foundation! (That's Kevin's old comedy band, which you probably knew already, because we're super-famous.) And we're talking about 1988, which was the year Ed put together his high school rock band, Vortex. (Yikes, those guys covered a lot of Bon Jovi.) Ed takes us through the history of Vortex, including their crazy gigs (a mix of children's dances and creepy all-ages rock clubs), their self-produced cassette album (Kevin found a copy years later at a flea market), the "Playgound Closed" sign they stole from Burger King (the perfect crime), and the explosions (yes, the explosions). And speaking of the rock scene of 1988, Kornflake tells us about a controversial omission from that year's Grammy Awards. (But we manage to fix everything retroactively, through the magic of Debbie and Tiffany.) Also: Everyone is now turxting instead of texting (good job, everyone), our Turkey Stark business cards are even dumber than we thought, and Kevin and Christine report from the happiest place on Earth: an Air Supply concert.
Kevin and Kornflake's ill-conceived trip back through the 80s brings us to 1987! It was the year Debbie Gibson taught us to shake our love -- a practice which is illegal in most states these days. Kornflake reminds us of the 1987 debut of the San Francisco-based sitcom Full House, as well as the time that city's famed Golden Gate Bridge nearly collapsed under the weight of a million hippies. (Historians still debate which was the greater disaster.) Kevin's 1987 pick is the goofy Jon Cryer movie Hiding Out, which was set in the Boston area and a little creepy, just like us. And if you think we got through 1987 without sneaking into a Pretty Poison concert, you really don't know us anymore. Also: A festive time was had at Freezepop's recent EP release show, also featuring Madaila, The Lights Out, and Math the Band. (But no one shook their love, thankfully.)
This week our excruciating ten-part look at the 80s brings us to 1986! 'Twas the year we danced on the ceiling, had fun tonight, and were rocked by Amadeus (which explains the headache we've had for the last thirty years). Kornflake tells us about the 1986 reopening of the Statue of Liberty, which had spent much of the 80s surrounded by scaffolding, while construction workers added giant shoulder pads and one massive sequin glove. Meanwhile Kevin recalls the high school sitcom Head of the Class, in which a bunch of genius kids learned simple life lessons from Doctor Johnny Fever. Also: Kevin and the Mayor are back from their goofy Caribbean cruise, during which they tried (and failed) to avoid people, reggae, piano bars, napkin folding demonstrations, and pretty much anything that wasn't a howler monkey.
We're halfway through our court-ordered ten-episode celebration of the 80s, which means it's time to talk about 1985. Kornflake has a song by Passion Pit (not from 1985, but still thematically appropriate... well played, Kornflake). Meanwhile Kevin selects the classic Pat Benatar-meets-Supergirl film The Legend of Billie Jean, because fair's fair. Then we move on to some holiday talk -- Kevin's Halloween costume was the stupidest thing anyone has ever seen, and we have the Turkey Stark business cards to prove it. We also thought Thanksgiving week would be the perfect time to tell the world about "turxting" -- a bold new breakthrough in turkey-themed communications technology. (You might even hear us send and receive turxt messages from some friends of the Flopcast during the show! Try to contain your excitement.) And we look forward to our final convention of the year, the Northeast Comic Con! (If Judy Robinson from Lost in Space will be there, then we'll be there. This is how we plan our lives.) Hey, if you found this week's show to be a little weird, please let us know. Send us a turxt.
For our 1984-themed episode, Kevin and Kornflake each have a weird TV memory to share. Kornflake recalls DTV, which was Disney Channel's take on MTV-style music videos. (But where was Billy Ocean? A certain cartoon rodent owes us an apology.) Meanwhile Kevin is still obsessed with The Master, a short-lived TV series about a ninja, his dopey apprentice, and their pet hamster. It was ridiculous and we loved it. And in our "Chickens in the News" segment: Well, there's a chicken on Twitter. For real. This is best thing to come out of Australia since Air Supply (and coming from us, that really means something).
This week we're creeping back to 1983, the year Top 40 radio was totally conquered by goofy new wave. We were blinded with science, rocked down to Electric Avenue, safety danced if we wanted to, and watched 99 red balloons go by. In fact, Kevin's pick for our 1983 discussion is Nena, the young German lady who taught us about those red balloons (or luftballons, if you prefer). Meanwhile, Kornflake reminds us that 1983 was also the year of the Chicken McNugget! (Mayor McCheese knew his days were numbered when those little creeps blew into town.) We also look ahead to the Super Megafest convention (November 21-22), where you can meet MacGyver, Big Bird, a Bad News Bear, a Monkee, and all three Dukes of Hazzard cousins! (We're not counting Coy and Vance. Sorry, guys.) And we sneak in a quick review of the new Supergirl TV series, and learn that Kevin would not make a good Supergirl. Alas, another dream has died...
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate the year 1982 by discussing a couple of lost Saturday morning cartoons ("Meatballs and Spaghetti" and "Pandamonium") and an early computer virus ("Elk Cloner"). Scientists are trying to determine which of these 1982 creations has done the most damage over the years. Then we review the recently announced nominees for induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year: Chic, Deep Purple, Nine Inch Nails, NWA, The Smiths, The Spinners, Yes, The Cars, Cheap Trick, Chicago, Janet Jackson, The JB's, Chaka Khan, Los Lobos, and Steve Miller. Warning: This list contains one of Kevin's all-time favorite artists, as well as one he thinks is the worst thing that ever happened. (The Hall of Fame has a lot of range, apparently.) By the way, we're still angry about The Monkees getting snubbed every year. Also, Tiffany.
With our neighboring red planet in the news lately (we can't wait to try that delicious new Martian water), Kevin and Kornflake are counting down their Top 4 1/2 favorite Martians (and miscellaneous Mars-type stuff). We cover Martian cartoon characters, music, movies, candy bars, and lots more. (You know, Matt Damon isn't the first Martian from Boston. It's time for you to meet Robolar.) Also: This week's 1981 edition of National Whatever Day includes Gary Coleman movies, a royal wedding, and yet another Weird Tale of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. And speaking of the Ocean State, we also preview the upcoming Rhode Island Comic Con, where you'll find Tiki Zombies, Wicked Geeky cookies, and HENRY WINKLER! (Yikes, the Fonz in Rhode Island... this can only end with a Marvin the Martian-approved Earth-shattering kaboom.)
This week our usual National Whatever Day segment is replaced by a weird tribute to 1980! (Next week we'll tackle 1981. And because we're so obsessed with the 80s, we'll keep this going for ten weeks, or until we're shut down by the government.) 1980 was the year of Pink Lady and Jeff (a variety show so bizarre that it could only come from those far out space nuts, Sid and Marty Krofft) and the year of the Post-It note. (Kevin and Kornflake disagree on whether or not you should lick Post-It notes. So just follow your heart.) Also: We have feedback on last week's backwards show (uh, sorry about that); Kornflake appears in Dino-Mike's new music video (it's kind of silly, believe it or not); and we review Puglet, a recent production of Hamlet with an all-pug cast. Yes, modern theater has gone to the dogs, and we approve.
It's a quick show this week, but we still manage to cover all the pressing issues of the day, including bumblebee costumes (Kornflake wants hers back), World Octopus Day (Doctor Octopus is celebrating by creeping everyone out), and the 25th First Annual Ig Nobel Prizes! This year's Ig Nobels, which celebrate the sillier side of science, recognize studies in how to unboil an egg, how to fight bribery with bribery, and how to make chickens walk like dinosaurs. (Yes, we did indeed cover that last one here on The Flopcast several months ago. We try to stay ahead of the curve on chicken stories.) Now if you'll pardon us, we really do need to go track down some Frankenberry.
As summer turns to fall, Kornflake bids a fond farewell to iced coffee, and we consider packing up and moving the whole show to Turkeytown. Also: We recommend several podcasts recorded during (or looking back at) DragonCon, from our friends at Earth Station One, The Adam and JP Show, Needless Things, and Arrow Squad; Kornflake is bursting with Chubby Checker trivia; The Doubleclicks, Molly Lewis, and Joseph Scrimshaw wrap up their Nerd Night Out tour and teach us about snakes, dinosaurs, and chickens; and Kevin's trip to Vermont Comic Con features Clerks, a Vulcan mermaid, that Monster Squad board game, and (once again) chickens. It's been a weird week. Hold us.
Last week Kevin wouldn't shut up about DragonCon, so this week we're catching up with Kornflake! As usual she has been busy with silly adventures of her own, including an impromptu trip to Chicago for our friend Sara's birthday! And to double down on the silliness, Doornail came along too! Join us as Kornflake learns about root beer waffles, gypsy jazz, the Mud Show, why Lewis and Clark were the Hall and Oates of the nineteenth century, why you should always dress like Tootie at a Renaissance fair, and yes, how to bellydance like Groot. Also: It's time to trade in your stupid gas-guzzling car for a sleek fuel-efficient trampoline. That's the Chicago way.
We're safely back in Chickentown after a crazy weekend in Atlanta (with 70,000 of our favorite geeks) for DragonCon! Our convention report includes: the stars of Arrow, Flash, Kids in the Hall, and Mystery Science Theater 3000; the music of Rasputina, Paul and Storm, Mike Phirman, Molly Lewis, The Doubleclicks, Carter Parton Rogers, Mikey Mason, and Here Come The Mummies; the Sci-Fi Drive-In Heckle-Along; the Amazing James Randi; lots more ESO Network podcasters; and American Sci-Fi Classics track panels on important topics like Thundarr the Barbarian, Otherworld, Battlefield Earth, and mullets. We also review our favorite costumes, including Yip-Yips, Super Friends, Hall and Oates (!), our friends from Wicked Geeky, and of course, Carl. Also: Make A Hat Day is this week, and it's way more dangerous than you think.
Kevin has abandoned Chickentown to join the crazy people at DragonCon! Assuming he isn't captured by Sleestaks, we'll have a full report in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, here's a special panel we recorded on the Fourth of July at CONvergence in Bloomington, Minnesota! Kevin is joined by our new best friends Jennifer, Mark, and Anna, and we discuss one of our very favorite subjects: Saturday morning cartoons! Included in the discussion: Scooby Doo, Gilligan's Planet, Jabberjaw, Fangface, Strawberry Shortcake, New Kids on the Block, Danger Mouse, Beetlejuice, The Harlem Globetrotters, Mighty Mouse, Jem, Captain Caveman, Speed Racer, Gargoyles, PSAs, Magic School Bus vs. Mission: Magic!, Filmation's Ghostbusters vs. The Real Ghostbusters, the problem with Super Friends (what?), and much, much more. And if you stick around for the panel's shocking conclusion, you just might hear the Mayor of Chickentown (along with the whole audience) join us for a School House Rock singalong! (Be kind when you unpack your adjectives.) Also: Kornflake learned her multiplication tables not with School House Rock, but with Hershey's chocolate bars. You're not surprised, are you?
This week we're celebrating 75 years of the fastest man alive, The Flash! In the comic books, Flash was a founding member of the Justice League and the Justice Society, as well as a pivotal figure in the history of the DC Comics universe. On the other hand, he has been known to hang around with goofballs like Mopee (Flash's version of the Great Gazoo, sort of) and The Three Dimwits (whose resemblance to The Three Stooges was completely coincidental, we assure you). We also look back at the Flash on TV, including the Filmation cartoons, the Super Friends, and a couple of bizarre live action appearances in the late 1970s. (Alas, Dan Aykroyd has only played Flash once. So far...) And of course, there have also been two live action Flash TV series: the short-lived but fondly-recalled 1990 version, and the surprisingly excellent current version. Both shows, by the way, have guest-starred Mark Hamill as the Trickster. And as Kornflake learns in our totally unfair Flash Villain Quiz, Trickster was certainly not Flash's goofiest villain. Not even close. Also this week: Did Mr. Peanut ever work for the phone company? We think he did, but we're about as reliable as The Three Dimwits.
We're less than two weeks from our favorite geek event of the whole stupid year: DragonCon. So before we begin the long, treacherous journey from Chickentown to Atlanta (we got a great deal on a MTV LeRun skate-bike), here's our DragonCon preview show! This year's guest list includes some of our favorite actors (from Arrow, Flash, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, and of course, Silver Spoons), comedy and music performers (including Paul and Storm, Molly Lewis, The Doubleclicks, and Mikey Mason), puppeteers (Carol "Big Bird" Spinney!), skeptics (The Amazing Randi returns!), and even a couple of guys from Monty Python and The Kids in the Hall! All our friends from the ESO Network will be there too, appearing on panels, podcasting, and ordering way too many buckets of rum at the Hyatt bar. (Speaking of panels, Kevin runs through his whole crazy panel schedule too. Yes, of course we're doing a panel about Thundarr the Barbarian. Did you really have to ask?) Also this week: Kornflake is back from Otis, Massachusetts (where dogs hate to swim, and everyone might be naked); Kevin is back from WeddingCon (where dogs wear Star Trek uniforms) and Connecticut ComiCONN (where we found ANOTHER Disco Boba Fett!); Kyle and Luke talk about Homestar Runner; and Pluto (arguably our favorite dwarf planet) is full of jive turkeys.
Summertime is robot time (as all good citizens know here in Chickentown), and so it's time for our fourth annual robot-themed Top 4 1/2 List! This year, in a desperate attempt to keep things interesting, we're looking specifically at EVIL robots. Evil robots from movies, TV, and video games... evil robot cars... evil robot lobsters (yeah, Kornflake found one)... and of course, an evil robot with a pet monkey and no pants. Hey, humans won't be completely obsolete for another month or two, so you have plenty of time to enjoy this list. Still not convinced? Then here's some evil robot-style click-bait for you: This week we reveal which of the following is NOT an evil robot: Belinda Carlisle, Gloria Estefan, or Enya. The answer will not shock you.
It's another Flopcast convention report, this time from Boston Comic Con! (Official convention motto: "Let's see how many Harley Quinns we can squish into one building!" It sounds better in the original Latin.) There were comic books aplenty, of course, including at least one amoeba-themed mini-comic. (Say goodbye to the X-Men; amoeba comics are the wave of the future.) There were amazing costumes everywhere -- and one of those Harley Quinns even had a rubber chicken. (This is important to us.) And there were celebrities lurking about too, including Gotham's Robin Lord Taylor, 30 Rock's Judah Friedlander, Agent Carter's Hayley Atwell, and the Mistress of the Dark herself, ELVIRA! (We're still sort of freaking out about Elvira.) And in non-convention news: Kornflake has another hammock-themed adventure and checks out the new Minions movie, Kevin nearly gets run over by the roller-disco stars of Xanadu, we celebrate National Lazy Day (or not, whatever), and we remember Rowdy Roddy Piper. Also, yeah, there was a weird juggling incident.
We have an extra-short, extra-goofy show this week, because Kool and the Gang were right: it's TOO HOT. (Of course, Kool and the Gang were always right. So bring your good times and your laughter too, or suffer the consequences.) In honor of National Watermelon Day, we recall the good old days when the government forced everyone to rent Gallagher tapes and pretend to like them. (For a while in the mid-1980s, this was a largely a Gallagher-based economy.) Despite the horrifying heat, we also fire up our supercomputer for a round of "The Pudding Pages," and end up discussing Jolt Cola and other weird soda from the past. (Kornflake still misses OK Soda, mainly because she was addicted to their toll-free hotline.) And finally, our "Chickens in the News" segment takes us to the jungles of Indonesia, where some mad genius built a giant chicken church! But we don't need to visit, because our studio is already hotter than an Indonesian chicken church (as the old saying goes). And so we trust in the wisdom of Kool: Gotta run for shelter, gotta run for shade.
Kevin and Kornflake are back in Chickentown after a goofy road trip to Vermont, where they found bugs, mud, and other constant reminders that they should never leave the house. But hey, in addition to all that pesky nature, there was a "Weird Al" Yankovic concert! Well played, Vermont. We also note the closing of T. T. the Bear's Place, a legendary club that was the heart of Boston's rock scene for decades. TT's was the site of countless shows by some of our favorite performers (including Ed's Redeeming Qualities, Mojo Nixon, The Shods, Mary Lou Lord, Freezepop, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and yes, the Christmas Chickens), and we'll miss it. (These days, not enough rock clubs are named after pet hamsters, and it's killing the music industry.) Also: We look ahead to Boston Comic Con, learn that mustard belongs in a museum, and suspect that Kevin might be a zombie.
Kevin, Kornflake, and The Mayor have abandoned Chickentown to record this week's show from a secret undisclosed location! But we'll be back in our regular studio next week (the chickens are getting restless), and all will be revealed. This week, however, we're looking back at the 4th of July weekend (which took place in early July, according to scientists). Kevin and The Mayor journeyed west to Minnesota for CONvergence, where they encountered a giant walking milkshake, Disco Boba Fett, bellydancers, Trek Bunnies, rat puppets, Feng Shui Ninjas, School House Rock singalongs, and Buzzed Aldrins in the Skepchick party room. Meanwhile, Kornflake and Doornail headed north to New Hampshire, where they started their own weird new convention called FlopFest. And if you suspect that FlopFest largely consists of flopping in hammocks, giggling, napping, and looking for Vodka... yeah, that just about covers it! Also: It's National Drive-Thru Day, so talk to the clown and keep moving.
It's been 100 weeks since Flopcast episode 66, which was dedicated to V66 (Boston's own UHF music video channel back in the mid-80s). So for episode 166, we're doing it again, just in time to celebrate the DVD release of Life on the V, a documentary all about V66! This week, we recall our favorite music video stars from 30 years ago, including The Cars, The Bangles, A-ha, and Weird Al (who once appeared on V66 with a rubber pig). We recall Hurricane Gloria, which tore through New England in the fall of 1985, was covered on V66, and inspired young Kornflake to dream of being a 6-year-old meteorologist for a music video channel. We recall the shockingly goofy music video produced by V66 for the New England Patriots' 1986 Superbowl appearance. (Seriously, you MUST see this thing. It's just awful, and we love it.) And we recall the day the music (or at least the 'Til Tuesday music videos) died, when V66 suddenly turned into a stupid home shopping channel. But wait, there's more! We're also joined by Life on the V director Eric Green for an exclusive Flopcast interview! Also: Embrace Your Geekness Day is this week, and the facts of life are all about us.
Kornflake dreams of a Flopcast road trip to Wayne, Nebraska... possibly because they have a GIANT ANNUAL CHICKEN FESTIVAL!!! Meanwhile Kevin has been creeping around the rock clubs of Boston again, and reports on recent shows by Telelectrix (they have a keyboard fort), Party Bois (they like to drink, they like to party), Petty Morals (aka Go Bang), CJ Ramone (who brought along an Aquabat or two), Shonen Knife (they sing about cats and capybaras, so we love them), and (get ready to freak out) Men Without Hats. (We can pretend it's 1983 if we want to.) Kevin also dropped by Northeast Comic Con, and found pirates, rubber chickens, gargoyles, Adam West, our favorite TV Guidance Counselor, and a whole bunch of Shriners. Also: Kornflake reviews the new Pixar movie Inside Out, which may or may not be a shameless ripoff of Karate Kid Part 3.
Kevin and Kornflake have one more item of business to discuss from FuMPFeST, as Kevin reveals that in the middle of this funny music convention, he sneaked off to a whole other convention! This was Mego Meet, a show dedicated to the Mego superhero dolls (sorry, action figures) of the 1970s. Found at Mego Meet: Kid Flash's boots, Tiny Titans creator Art Baltazar, an Ark II Halloween costume, and (according to a rumor started by some goofy podcast) Taylor Swift. The toy talk continues as we flip through a fun book called Rack Toys, which features page after page of bizarre cheapo toys from the 70s and 80s. (The Land of the Lost pinball game looks awesome, but we're baffled by the Love Boat Barber Shop set.) Then we look ahead to CONvergence, a big crazy convention happening Fourth of July weekend in Bloomington, Minnesota. Kevin will be there, mostly talking about Fangface. Meanwhile, Kornflake just wants you to enjoy a bowl of angry ice cream.
Kevin and Kornflake are back in Chickentown, but can't stop screaming about FuMPFeST! This week we review our whole crazy weekend at this funny music convention in Wheeling, Illinois (a town Kornflake would visit just to have breakfast). Highlights include: Kornflake's water breaking (what?), an Inspector Gadget chorus, Kenny Rogers-themed water aerobics, a Pod of Destiny field trip to see the Neo-Futurists, The Logan Awards, a shocking allegation from The Boobles, Dumb Parody Ideas, Dementia Smackdown Wrestling, Doornail spilling stuff, and the ancient art of "padlockigami." Plus, of course, performances by Insane Ian, Bad Teenage Moustache, TV's Kyle and Lindzilla, Tim Cavanagh, Drew Jacobs, the great Luke Ski, Steve Goodie, Carla Ulbrich, The Arrogant Worms, Smashy Claw, Matt Griffo, Todd Chappelle, Devo Spice, Carrie Dahlby, Power Salad, Rhiannon's Lark, and more! Also: Apparently we have to wear sparkly fairy wings this week. One of us is not happy about this.
Kevin and Kornflake are back in Wheeling, Illinois for the second annual FuMPFeST comedy music convention! And we're joined by our regular giggling, coffee-spilling correspondent, Doornail! Also on the show this week: Alyssa (of Rhiannon's Lark), DJ Particle, and FuMPFeST performers Todd Chappelle and Carla Ulbrich! Plus cameos by Tim (aka Poohbear) and Blasted Bill! Topics of discussion include: Doornail and Alyssa's college days (breakfast was a rare event; being stared at creepily was not), Mad Mike's wine, Seamonkey's beer, dating Amish women, saying hello in Klingon, wearing a Snuggie at an Arrogant Worms concert, and an insane phone call with Insane Ian. (Plus lots of immature giggling about boobs, because we're so classy.) Note: This episode was recorded in the hallway just outside the main FuMPFeST concert room, so expect a little background noise here and there. And if you think there wasn't a maniac in a Spider-Man costume lurking around through the whole show... you are quite mistaken.
Kevin and Kornflake discuss a new documentary featuring Big Bird, a new Kickstarter campaign for The Perhapanauts (get a voicemail message from a chupacabra!), new music from Dar Williams and Anaria, and old music from John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. Also: Freezepop, Duran Duran, Petty Morals, the Somerville Ukulele Club, the Swedish Chef, Kornflake's all-time favorite edition of "Chickens in the News," and yet another trip into the Pudding Pages. Next week: FuMPFest! Things just might get silly.
Most scientists agree that Kevin is tragically obsessed with the classic 1984 movie Footloose. Kornflake, however, had never actually seen it! Thus our mission was clear -- we had to watch Footloose, and then try to make sense of it all. So this week, we discuss the Footloose cast (which was completely upstaged by Lori Singer's red boots), the soundtrack (yikes, so many Top 40 hits, including one from a guy who may have been from Krypton), the dancing (let's hear it for the adorable "Kevin Bacon teaches Chris Penn to dance" montage), and of course, the chicken race. (No actual chickens were harmed in the chicken race -- just Bonnie Tyler's crazy singing voice, and a couple of tractors.) We also have some perfectly reasonable ideas for new versions of Footloose involving squirrels, Klingons, and Rowan Atkinson. And the Mayor of Chickentown drops by and considers passing some Lithgow-style anti-chicken-dancing legislation. So kick off your Sunday shoes (do you really need a pair for each day of the week, Imelda?) and enjoy. And remember that somewhere, Kenny Loggins' beard is judging you.
We have quite a mixed bag (but not a "What's in the Bag?") of silly topics this week. You'll learn why Kornflake is totally obsessed with Highlander, how to look insane when you see the new Avengers movie, how to stare creepily at folk singers through a window, and how to be a loser at a freak show. Also discussed: The Nerdist's Chris Hardwick and Matt Mira; the weird old diners of Lowell, Massachusetts; Free Comic Book Day; a festive Freezepop show; the horrors of face-painting booths; one of your two dads, Paul Reiser; steampunk hula-hooping; Rifftrax Live; and our new favorite cartoon, Mighty Magiswords. We also just invented the hammock sidecar, so get ready to be very relaxed and very hospitalized.
It's the end of an era in late night TV, as David Letterman wraps up 33 years of stupid pets and guys under the seats. So this week, we're looking back on how we discovered Dave in the 80s, how he influenced Kevin's goofy band, and how he inspired Kornflake to hide inside a couch. And we share the silly tale of how Kevin actually ended up on Dave's show way back in 1991. (We may even have a rare audio clip from that appearance. You have been warned.) Also: Kornflake reviews the nominees in this year's Logan Awards for excellence in comedy music; Rowdy Roddy Piper takes a stand against bullies (yikes, the irony); and for National Whatever Day, we're celebrating a birthday during which many fools shall be pitied.
Kevin and Kornflake are frightened and confused by creepy leprechauns; The Sponge Awareness Foundation is crushed by falling drunk people at a They Might Be Giants concert; Jay Leno is mesmerized by our Leave It to Beaver t-shirt; we prepare to pitch a gritty crime drama to HBO (it's about a chicken detective, and shut up); Kornflake has a trampoline update; and we celebrate the third anniversary of The Flopcast by observing that no one in North Dakota has ever listened to our goofy little show. But that's okay, North Dakota. We understand, and we salute you.
Another convention report, from the new spring edition of Super Megafest! Featuring pirates, Ghostbusters, Bigfoot hunters, Mr. T, Wicked Geeky costumers, a Niki Luparelli concert, a CHiPs reunion, Supergirl's Helen Slater, Soap's Katherine Helmond, Star Trek's Jonathan Frakes, a kilt-free Rowdy Roddy Piper, and an alligator on the loose! Plus: A quick detour into Harvard Square for a live edition of TV Guidance Counselor with Ken Reid, Eugene Mirman (from Bob's Burgers), and Jon Glaser (from the Slipnutz)! Also: Bird Day is this week. Happy Bird Day to you.
It's been too long since we presented a good old fashioned ridiculous Flopcast Top 4 1/2 List... and so this week, we bring you a Betty list. (Hey, we take that "ridiculous" part pretty seriously.) We're listing our favorite Betty cartoon characters (from the Stone Age and beyond), our favorite (and least favorite) Betty songs, our favorite Golden Girl (of course), and many more. Whether you're looking for a 1950s pin-up model or a big box of cake mix, you could probably use a Betty, and here they are. (But if we missed your favorite Betty, please let us know. This is very, very important.) Also: This week's National Whatever Day reveals a shocking secret about one of the stars of The Big Bang Theory! (Not really, but we're trying to trick everyone into listening.)
Our report from the South Coast Toy and Comic Show includes: silly cat comics; a very tempting Monster Squad board game; the stars of Buck Rogers, Clerks, and The Last Dragon; and our dream of unleashing the New England Brethren of Pirates on Fish Island. Also: comedian Marc Maron (whose podcast is arguably even more popular than this one), DNA Day (celebrate by running up and down a spiral staircase), and another "Chickens in the News" story (which is eerily similar to our last "Chickens in the News" story). As the old saying goes, this show is more fun than pouring hot coffee on a snowbank.
According to the Elders, it's time to celebrate 75 years of Captain Marvel! Yes, young Billy Batson has been screaming "Shazam!" and fighting crime (and Superman's lawyers) as Captain Marvel since 1940. This week we'll look at the comic books, the movie serials, the cartoons, and of course, the live action Saturday morning TV series from Filmation (from which we learned that driving around in a Winnebago looking for troubled teens is not NECESSARILY creepy). Along the way we'll meet Mary Marvel (Billy's surprise twin sister!), Captain Marvel Junior (who was a huge influence on Elvis Presley, believe it or not), a talking tiger, an evil worm, and maybe even Hoppy the Marvel Bunny. We'll learn about the weird 1960s version of Captain Marvel, who could separate his head and limbs from his torso. (Then again, everyone could probably do that, at least once.) We'll learn how to stop your city from being buried in strawberry Jell-O. (Folks, it's not a question of if it will happen, but when.) And we'll learn why we should get totally liquored up for the Shazam movie. (Just don't tell those pesky Elders.) Also: National Whatever Day, Super Megafest, and the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival. That should keep you busy until the evil Dr. Sivana destroys us all.
Kevin and Kornflake are finally back in Chickentown, just in time for Jackie Chan Day. (We're celebrating by doing our own stunt work throughout the entire podcast.) This week: An 80s-themed concert report, featuring Katrina (without the Waves) and Howard Jones (with a keytar); reviews of comics we found at the Rhode Island Independent Publishing Expo (featuring birthday clowns, giant sandwiches, and city chickens); Kornflake's new job (inspired by Janet from Three's Company, of course); and a "Chickens in the News" story from Athens, Georgia, where a giant metal rooster is on the loose.
Still live from Minnesota, it's the shocking conclusion of our MarsCon coverage! We thought we'd end the convention by stuffing a bunch of crazy people into a hotel room. We did it for science. Joining us were: Blasted Bill, Ed, Bob, Tony Goldmark, Break Man Z, Mr. Tuesday, Angela, Jared, the great Luke Ski, and Carrie Dahlby! Discussion topics include: Dementia Track concerts by Luke, TV's Kyle and Lindzilla, Power Salad, Tony, and Rob Paravonian; Kornflake's shiny new lobster songs; The Sponge Awareness Foundation's tired old School House Rock medley; Blasted Bill's Stay Puft Marshmallow Man costume; bellydancing vs. wrestling; and how Bon Jovi wants to be the air for you. Then it's time for THREE rounds of "What's in the Bag," featuring: weird items requested by Kornflake from the Pod of Destiny, a weird TV dinner from Bob, and weird cookies from Break Man Z for our annual MarsCon taste test. (Perhaps the weirdest thing is that, by Flopcast standards, this was a pretty normal weekend in Minnesota.)
Live from Minnesota, our MarsCon coverage continues! First Kevin and Kornflake are joined by Ed, the other half of The Sponge Awareness Foundation! (We get Ed's first impressions of the insanity that is MarsCon, and we learn the final fate of the tuba from the previous night's SAF concert.) Next we meet a couple of actual Klingons, from the long-running Klingon group that hosts the most notorious party at MarsCon every year! Finally we spend some time with MarsCon Dementia Guest of Honor Rob Paravonian! Rob talks about the New York comedy scene, his love of The Monkees and Family Ties, and working with the legendary George Carlin. And hang on -- we'll have more from MarsCon next week! (Warning: It just gets weirder.)
Kevin and Kornflake have always secretly dreamed of being Match Game host Gene Rayburn. (Don't pretend you haven't too, you weirdo.) And so for our live version of The Flopcast at MarsCon last week, we decided to play "The Flop Game"! We don't have Charles Nelson Reilly, but we do have a celebrity panel of some of our favorite comedy musicians: the great Luke Ski, Tony Goldmark, Devo Spice, ShoEboX of Worm Quartet, TV's Kyle, Lindsay (aka Lindzilla), DJ Particle, and Rob Paravonian! We have prizes ranging in quality from "pretty good" to "incredibly stupid"! And of course, for players, we have the craziest people in Minnesota -- the MarsCon attendees. (Warning: Weird chanting and random singalongs break out frequently.) We assure you, a silly time was had by all... and you can take that to the BLANK.
Kevin and Kornflake are far from Chickentown Studios this week, because it's time for MarsCon! So instead of a regular show, here's something special we've been saving for you. A few months back, while Kornflake was out of town (or so we thought), Kevin and the great Luke Ski spent an hour or so listing their Top 4 1/2 live action characters of the 1980s! Not just any old fictional characters from TV or movies -- we're talking about the larger-than-life cartoonish characters who walked among us in the real world. (So Beetlejuice, for example, would not qualify, but Pee Wee Herman would.) That was our wacky premise, and what fun we had. (If we missed your favorite 80s character, please let us know!) And hey, Kornflake is here too, with a National Whatever Day for Friday the 13th! (It isn't scary, but it is, of course, kind of weird.)
The Mayor of Chickentown reports on the Gallifrey One convention (where she met a Doctor Who-themed Muppet) and Rebecca Watson's Quiz-o-Tron (where Mike Phirman had to count his chickens); during an impromptu Top 4 1/2 List of frozen foods, we vaguely recall Hot Bites, Otter Pops, and horrifying school lunches; Howard Jones is coming, and we're walking on sunshine, Katrina-style; and we reveal some of the shiny new items we're bringing to MarsCon next week. (If you've always dreamed of owning a "You Love The Flopcast" badge ribbon... this is your big chance.)
Next week, assuming we're not grounded by a horrifying blizzard (place your bets now), Kevin and Kornflake shall return to Bloomington, Minnesota for MarsCon! In addition to seeing some of our favorite funny musicians, we'll be hosting a game show-style live version of the Flopcast, and Kornflake will be back in the pool for Dementia Water Aerobics! Kevin's goofy band The Sponge Awareness Foundation is performing too, and this week we reveal the new SAF merchandise we're producing just for MarsCon! (This could become a rare collector's item!!!) (But probably not!!!) Also: Although we miss his giant crazy 80s hair, no one is to blame for our love of Howard Jones.
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate National Drink Wine Day by popping open a bottle of Rex Goliath Pinot Noir... and the Mayor of Chickentown crashes into the studio like Kool-Aid Man to join us. A coincidence? Perhaps. Anyway, a wine-fueled round of "The Pudding Pages" leads to some 80s sitcom talk, featuring Love Sidney, The New Leave It To Beaver, and Jennifer Slept Here. (Alas, only one of these shows starred Ann Jillian as a ghost.) And in a follow-up to a previous "Chickens in the News" segment, we reveal our plans to trick everyone into reading the new book Why Did the Chicken Cross the World? Also: We're still getting ready for MarsCon... but sometimes you just have to stop and watch The Karate Kid, Part III.
There comes a time for Kevin and Kornflake to devote the whole stupid show to the 30th anniversary of "We Are the World" by USA for Africa! We're shameless 80s geeks, our Lionel Richie mugs are loaded with nasty black coffee, and we don't care how long this takes. We discuss each "We Are the World" soloist (and learn which one Kornflake was planning to marry), as well as each member of the chorus (even Dan Aykroyd, whose presence still puzzles us). We also note some artists who should have been there, but weren't. (Alas, without Irene Cara, there was no D.C. Cab representation...) And we list our favorite "We Are the World"-inspired parodies, including songs from the Ramones, the FuMP, and Saturday Night Live (where Michael Bolton sang for the chickens). Discussed along the way: 70s Stevie Wonder vs. 80s Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan vs. Buckwheat, Cyndi Lauper's giant 80s earrings, Lindsey Buckingham's giant 80s hair, Billy Ocean's weird island, and Dionne Warwick's creepy psychic friends. Also: Clean Your Computer Day is this week. But since we're sort of trapped in 1985, just clean your Commodore 64.
Chickentown is completely buried in snow, but Kevin and Kornflake tunneled and/or tauntauned their way into the studio, just for you. This week Kevin reports on a Niki Luparelli show (Niki can sing like Marilyn, play the ukulele, hula hoop, and remove your tattoo, possibly all at once) and "Pulp Friction" (a Tarantino-themed burlesque show, believe it or not). Meanwhile Kornflake spent more time bouncing at the trampoline park, and provides snappy answers to Kevin's stupid questions about the weird world of trampolining. Also: We enjoy an art-themed edition of our long-neglected "What's in the Bag?" segment; Weird Al's world tour is coming soon, and it's mandatory; we plug a couple of MarsCon-related fundraiser projects; and we're looking for a creepy ukulele guy. (And admit it, you are too.)
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate Puzzle Day by dressing like the Riddler (or not); a recent production of the Mayor's favorite musical features hula hoops, chicken people, and the sister of the guy who starred in Automan; thanks to the Pudding Pages, we're talking about Jim Carrey (Kornflake likes The Truman Show, while Kevin prefers The Duck Factory); we're so excited about the new book "Why Did the Chicken Cross the World?" that we're starting several book clubs; and yikes, it's time to get ready for MarsCon. (We'll have lots more MarsCon talk over the next few weeks, kids. Because, as Eve Plumb would say, MarsCon MarsCon MarsCon.)
In a "very special episode" (as they say in annoying network promos), Kevin, Kornflake, and the Mayor look back on those we lost in 2014 (including folks from movies, TV, radio, and comics -- our usual favorite subjects). But instead of getting all miserable (which is more like our plan for 2015), we keep things light and fun, because that's how the Professor from Gilligan's Island would have wanted it. Discussed along the way: Saturday Night Live, The Electric Company, Mad magazine, The Partridge Family, the Ramones, Diff'rent Strokes, Rankin Bass cartoons, The Brady Bunch, Car Talk, Starcade, Ghostbusters, Devo, Welcome Back Kotter, American Top 40, WWF wrestling, and of course, Manimal. Also: Kornflake has her first trampoline update of 2015, and we're celebrating Dwight K. Schrute Day, which we just made up.
This week, in a very special post-holiday Flopcast: We celebrate Appreciate a Dragon Day (and have a correction about the Tic Tac Dough dragon); Kornflake and Doornail's Christmas trip to Florida is all too similar to the Rifftrax classic "Santa Claus and the Ice Cream Bunny"; Kevin knows where the Pointer Sisters go for coffee (aren't you impressed?); Christmas dinner at the Red Arrow Diner is weird and bacon-filled; the final Rankin Bass Christmas cartoon (2001's Santa Baby) features a chicken and a lobster (it's a Flopcast miracle); and thanks to Moon Hooch, Kornflake rings in the new year with topless saxophone players. This is a super-quick episode, but you can hear even more of your Flopcast hosts this week on Earth Station One! Episode 248 is ESO's 2014 geek year in review show... and Kornflake is in the Geek Seat.
The rumors are true! The government is secretly controlled by zombie chickens from space! Also, the Flopcast is now part of the Earth Station One Network! That's right, we've completely sold out! We've even adopted a stodgy corporate attitude! But otherwise it's business as usual around here, and that means a new Top 4 1/2 List for the new year. In fact, the theme of this week's list is "new" -- as in new music, new conventions, New Teen Titans, the New Zoo Revue, and maybe even (cover yourselves) the New Kids On The Block. (Kornflake just never got over Donnie Wahlberg.) So get ready for another goofy year of Flopcasting, as we join our ESO Network friends and conquer the universe. (Except for the parts already conquered by zombie chickens -- we like what they're doing.)
It's our final Flopcast of 2014, so we're extra goofy and exhausted! This week: National Buffet Day reminds us of yet another creepy tale of Woonsocket; Gunpowder Gelatine has Queen cover songs (but no Flash Gordon); Aquanutz has hair metal cover songs (and a duck); Molly Ringwald has sushi; Kevin So throws it all away, Phil Collins-style; we're strangely obsessed with the dragon on Tic Tac Dough; and of course, we reveal our New Year's resolutions. (Believe it or not, they're sort of ridiculous.)
Our goofy holiday celebrations continue here in Chickentown! (We already have plenty of grievances; now we just need a Festivus pole.) Kornflake is celebrating with Legos and a giant tree-shaped pile of lobster traps; Kevin checks out some discount bin holiday albums from Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, REO Speedwagon (!), and a disgruntled reindeer; in a shocking "Chickens in the News" segment, we learn how the Postal Service can help you have a chicken-themed holiday (is there any other kind?); and the Pudding Pages teach us exactly what to stuff in everyone's stockings, assuming we want to ruin everything, Burgermeister-style.
We're celebrating the holidays in Chickentown by drinking coffee and making podcasts! (It's pretty festive around here all year, actually.) Kevin reports on recent shows by Garfunkel and Oates (but not DJ Jazzy Jeff), and Aimee Mann (whose Christmas show guests included Jonathan Coulton and an actual Bangle); Kornflake reports on weird holiday lawn decorations (yes, turkeys are involved) and her own upcoming holiday concert plans (yes, saxophones are involved); in a holiday-themed edition of "Chickens in the News," we learn about the Big Chicken Chorus (and why we have to go to Georgia RIGHT NOW); and we're watching all the Rankin Bass Christmas specials in order this year (yes, even Nestor). Also, if there's time, we're going to turn into otters and start a jug band.
Kornflake's renovation plans involve an Atari 2600 and a hammock; it's National "Blossom" Day, but we're more interested in "My Two Dads" and "Gimme a Break"; we compare weddings and science fiction conventions (because sometimes it's hard to tell the difference); Kornflake attends an a capella concert that includes a lollipop thief and a rumble; cartoonist Whit Taylor teaches us how to mess with ice cream shop employees; and being total 80s geeks, we're ridiculously excited about "Here Comes the Reign Again," a compilation album of new wave cover songs. Look, maybe you've moved on, but some of us never got over Duran Duran.
Kornflake makes her triumphant return to Chickentown, just in time to teach us about unfrozen cavemen! (Was our favorite Facts of Life girl Mindy Cohn ever frozen in ice? Perhaps not, but it's a rumor we just sort of started.) Then Kevin reports on our final convention of the year, Super Megafest! Including: Hula hooping with Niki Luparelli, Barbapapa talk with Ken Reid, legendary comic book artist Ramona Fradon (Aquaman! Metamorpho! SUPER FRIENDS!), Ninja Turtle history with Kevin Eastman, quality Monkee time with Micky Dolenz, a Bionic reunion (with Lindsay Wagner and Lee Majors!), a Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion (with Deanna Troi, Tasha Yar, and Howling Mad Murdock!), a surprise detour to see Louis CK, a surprise hug from Debbie Gibson, and (of course) a Stormtrooper mermaid.
We kick off the holidays with an extra-weird show, because Kornflake was too busy to join us in the studio! But worry not -- the Mayor of Chickentown stepped in as emergency guest co-host, and we figured out how to get Kornflake on the show anyway! (Sort of.) This week: Kevin and the Mayor discuss the recent TV Guidance Counselor live show with Emmanuel Lewis (now available in convenient podcast format!), we recall the DragonCon panel in which Kevin and a bunch of other nerds talked about all the goofy Marvel Comics TV and movie projects of the 70s and 80s (also now available as a podcast!), and we present a very timely Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite turkeys! That's right -- turkeys. Angry turkeys, cartoon turkeys, hand turkeys, and maybe even a jive turkey or two. So join us for some stupid turkey talk, while we send up the Lobster Signal and try to find Kornflake.
Kornflake attends yet another Lindsay and TV's Kyle wedding (those crazy kids just can't stop getting married) and gets stuck on a lobster sign (of course); Kevin reports on shows by comedian Jim Gaffigan (yes, the Hot Pockets guy) and Irish rock band Black 47 (yes, their sax player was in Dexy's Midnight Runners, and yes, this is very important); we celebrate Danny DeVito's 70th birthday (and argue that his greatest achievement was starring in that Billy Ocean video); this week's "Chickens in the News" segment takes us all the way to the Supreme Court; and there's no need to tell Kornflake which 80s pop star will be at next week's Super Megafest convention. Somehow, she just knows.
Rhode Island Comic Con was a huge crazy fun event once again... as long as you could get inside, and stay inside. (Alas, there were some major crowd control "hiccups"...) Kevin somehow managed to do both, and shares a full convention report with Kornflake and the Mayor of Chickentown! Featuring: The stars of Clerks and Chasing Amy (they aren't even supposed to be here today!); a Raiders of the Lost Ark reunion panel; Captain Picard on a mechanical bull; Amy the Mermaid meeting her truly outrageous hero; hundreds of crazy awesome costumers (yes, there was even a BOB ROSS costume!); and Flopcast interviews with Panda Valentine (who had free cookies for everyone visiting the Wicked Geeky booth), the Humanists of Rhode Island (who are completely obsessed with George Takei), and The Great Space Coaster's Jim Martin AND Gary Gnu! (That's right -- puppet interview. You're welcome.) Also: Sadie Hawkins Day is this week, and Kornflake has a net.
Kornflake is running from the law as her ribbon-twirling habit spirals out of control; we're paranoid and suspicious about National Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day (it's run by a big eastern syndicate, you know); and Kevin and the Mayor are back from San Diego, where they found capybaras, Chuck Jones art, Comicon (albeit three months late), secret weird artichoke drinks, and the bitter realization that it's a big mistake to not live in San Diego. (Oops.)
Break out your lousy miniature Almond Joy bars -- it's Halloween in Chickentown again! But this year, instead of discussing more traditional Halloween monsters (like Count Chocula), we're talking about Bigfoot! These days Kornflake is a huge fan of Bigfoot from the Perhapanauts comic book series. Meanwhile Kevin recalls Bigfoot's glory days of the mid-70s, when he was hanging around with Isis, the Six Million Dollar Man, and Wildboy. And of course, some folks believe that Bigfoot is stomping around somewhere out there in the real world! But while that would completely rule, as skeptics we must note that there is an equal amount of evidence that "The Cat From Outer Space" is real too.
A totally exhausted Kornflake is back from California, where she attended the wedding of our awesome friends, TV's Kyle and Lindsay! It was pretty much a typical wedding... except for a parade of comedy music performances, bellydancing raccoons, a video game-themed flute solo, a celebrity Ring Bear, a trip to Goofy's Kitchen, a Boob Tree bachelor party (which sounds naughty, but isn't), a song by the bride's mom (which doesn't sound naughty, but is), and a comedian at the airport who wants to show you his banana (still not sure about this one). This is why we usually don't let Kornflake leave Chickentown unsupervised...
Kevin and Kornflake talk about "Kyle and Luke Talk About Toons," as well as the end of Saturday morning cartoons on network TV (but to us, of course, they'll never really go away -- and that's one to grow on); Kevin reports on MICE (the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo), at which he found comic books featuring Andre the Giant, high school life, brain parts, private parts, turkeys, and a wicked chicken queen; and Marian Call teaches us how to chomp like a shark. Also: International Skeptics Day might be this week, but we still love Bigfoot.
This week, in an effort to make the Top 4 1/2 List even stupider, we're listing our favorite mouths. So yes, get ready for a parade of mouth-themed cartoon characters, superheroes, wrestlers, commercials, and 90s rock bands. Hey, if we missed your favorite mouth, please let us know! (Before you ask: We didn't list Eddie Murphy's 1989 Top 40 hit "Put Your Mouth On Me," but only because it's horrible.) Also: While discussing this week's National Whatever Day, we finally figure out why one of us is mad as a hatter. And through it all, we gently prepare Kornflake for our upcoming switch from iced coffee back to the hot stuff. (Because come on, it's October.) Highly caffeinated therapists are standing by.
In honor of Name Your Car Day, Kornflake reveals her car's name, which was totally inspired by Kenny Rogers; everyone freaks out over the recent Facts of Life cast reunion and upcoming DVD set (Edna's Edibles, here we come); Kevin drops by the Funny Music Podcast to discuss "Orko, Slimer, Wicket, and Snarf" (Luke Ski's new tribute to your favorite 80s cartoon characters); and this week's "Chickens in the News" segment is so adorable, it could have been a Love Boat episode. (If only the Love Boat were a rock in New Hampshire, and Captain Stubing were a chicken...)
As we enter the fall, Kevin asks Kornflake about her various silly late summer activities. This was probably a huge mistake. The discussion includes: VHS tapes of punctuation-based humor, good books and bad dates, bringing lobsters to the car wash (for science!), thinking about Mr. T (it's what we do), and another Hula Hoop update (introducing the terrifying concept of "crust-hooping"). Meanwhile, Kevin's late summer schedule was no less ridiculous, which is why this week's concert reports feature Air Supply, 38 Special, and Night Ranger. (Sorry -- we keep forgetting this isn't 1983.)
Kevin and the Mayor are back in Chickentown with a full report on the craziest convention of the year: DragonCon! Featuring: Land of the Lost's Will, Holly, Chaka, and a Sleestak; Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey; the Karate Kid and Ponyboy Curtis; Match Game in the 25th Century; Mystery Science Theater 3000's Joel, Trace, Frank, and a photobombing Tom Servo; concerts by Molly Lewis, Mikey Mason, and Anaria; way more chicken-themed costumes than you'd expect; and yes, a Weird Al Dalek. 'Twas a long, strange weekend -- hopefully we'll readjust to reality (and catch up on our sleep) just in time for DragonCon 2015. Meanwhile, Kornflake prepares for National Play-Doh Day, which suddenly seems quite reasonable and mature.
We're still in DragonCon recovery mode this week, so instead of a "normal" show, here's something special we've been saving for you. Last summer at CONvergence in Bloomington, Minnesota, Kevin was on a panel about one of our favorite subjects: Saturday morning cartoons! Yikes, what fun -- it's a roomful of crazy people screaming about all their favorite shows, including Super Friends, Adventure Time, Thundarr, Mighty Mouse, Kidd Video, Land of the Lost, Underdog, and a few that we'd never even heard of. (Apparently we really need to check out The Mysterious Cities of Gold...) You'll also hear a couple of Flopcast friends who happened to be in the front row. But that's not all! Kornflake also has this week's National Whatever Day, as well as her latest brush with the law (and without a shirt) story. Oh sure, NOW we have your attention...
Here's a weird little show we prepared for you just before Kevin ran screaming from Chickentown for DragonCon. This week: Kornflake lives every day like it's Be Late For Something Day; a trip into the Pudding Pages has us talking about air hockey (which we love, even if we're no Kelly Leak); and our "Chickens in the News" segment inspires us to study the effects of Lionel Richie on rubber chickens. It's the most scientific thing we've ever done on the Flopcast, and yikes, we've set the bar low.
Once again it's time to wander down to Atlanta for the greatest and geekiest gathering of the year: DragonCon. In this preview episode, we discuss our favorite upcoming DragonCon events (don't miss the Atlanta Star Party on DragonCon Eve!), performers (Anaria! Molly Lewis! Mikey Mason!), and celebrity guests (Picard! Cliff Clavin! A Land of the Lost cast reunion! And THE KARATE KID!!!). Kevin will also be appearing on some panels at DragonCon, to discuss some very important topics (like Green Arrow, and the Heat Miser). Meanwhile, Kornflake will be freaking out over International Bacon Day...
If Kevin and Kornflake sound exhausted, you can blame Boston Comic Con, which was huge and crazy and perhaps a bit overcrowded and WOULD ALL YOU MANIACS JUST GET OUT OF OUR WAY?!? Thank you. Wandering the convention, we encountered Space Chickens, Tiki Zombies, Press Your Luck Whammies, Amy the Mermaid, Jewel Staite's finger, Sergio Aragones' mustache, and 50,000 people in Doctor Who costumes. And you'll hear a couple of quick interviews with a new friend (Nashville's Superman, Allen Shervelle) and an old friend (Adventure Time artist Andy Ristaino, who has a great "Weird Al" Yankovic story). Also: National Radio Day is this week -- so you had better do as you are told.
Kevin and Kornflake are completely unprepared for Presidential Joke Day; Kornflake's annual report from the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival includes potato songs, mystery hammocks, bacon grenades, and trouble with the law; Kevin's latest concert report features Freezepop, Br1ght Pr1mate, and keytar shrapnel (which is not a band, but a thing that happened); and Marvel's new Guardians of the Galaxy movie has us dreaming of space capybaras.
As requested by absolutely no one, it's time for our third annual robot-themed Top 4 1/2 List! This year the subject is robot songs -- songs about robots, and yes, songs BY robots. (Since robots are superior to humans in every way, their music tends to be way better than ours.) The list includes lots of synthpop, lots of Styx, and (because Kornflake is involved) lots of sock puppets. Also: Our Boston Comic Con preview, and a heated debate over whether or not one should wiggle.
Kevin and Kornflake take a break from their seemingly nonstop convention and concert schedule, and enjoy a miserably hot summer day in Chickentown, where the iced coffee is their only friend. This week's topics include: giant rodents; angry pies; the Rifftrax Live version of Sharknado (featuring our hero, Robbie Rist); Kevin's all-time favorite summer movies (featuring our other heroes, Cindy Morgan and Chris Makepeace); a mysterious gift from a random elevator guy (also featuring Chris Makepeace); Kornflake's cooking class experience (featuring scary doppelgangers); and how to accidentally get married, sitcom-style. Enjoy! (This is a short one, kids. Our coffee cubes were melting.)
This week we're joined by the Mayor of Chickentown to discuss our weekend at CONvergence in Bloomington, Minnesota! A few thousand of our fellow geeks (including our friends from Skepchick and Mad Art Lab) gathered there for four days of science and silliness. Kevin appeared on a few nerdy comic book-themed panels, while the Mayor participated in a Doctor Who improv game show (which also included author Paul Cornell and comedian Joseph Scrimshaw, so you know, no pressure). We also found mermaids in the hotel pool, ran into a Starfleet-uniformed Sleestak, learned way too much about Rebecca Watson's cats, and discovered that yes, the floor is lava. Meanwhile back in Chickentown: Kornflake is celebrating Hammock Day (which involves a lot of frantic, intense relaxing), and our latest concert report will have you dancing on the ceiling with your favorite clay head. Hello.
Kevin and Kornflake are finally back in Chickentown, gulping down iced coffee and looking back at last month's awesome funny music convention, FumpFest. Topics include: Kevin's weird pre-FumpFest activities (involving gangsters, Gorf, and a triple dog dare), Kornflake's breakfast with Doctor Demento (do NOT try the fish heads at the buffet), the Logan Awards for Excellence in Comedy Music ('twas a clean sweep for the Bay City Rollers, at least in our dreams), more Dementia Smackdown Wrestling and last-minute Dementia Water Aerobics, Italian food prepared by a Kryptonian monkey, and a big glass of Smogberry Stout. You'll also hear the first ever "Bad Flopport of Destiny" triple-podcast, our exclusive interview with ShoEboX of the comedy synth punk band Worm Quartet (also featuring Doornail, the great Luke Ski, and Chris of Power Salad), and Kornflake's FumpFest-themed Top 4 1/2 List. Also: The recommended dress for this week's National Whatever Day is very, very casual.
Kornflake has a touch of FumpFest con crud, and Kevin is leaving for yet another convention (that'd be CONvergence in Minnesota)... which means you're not getting a regular Flopcast this week. But worry not, true believers -- here's something special we've been saving for you. Last year at DragonCon, Kevin was on a panel called the Super Vehicle Showdown -- an imaginary tournament of classic movie and TV vehicles (such as KITT, the Batmobile, and the General Lee). Also on the panel: Michael Gordon, Van Allen Plexico, Gary Mitchel, and Joe Crowe (plus a roomful of crazy people). This was already one of the silliest panels ever... and then it devolved, Dr. Zaius-style, into something way sillier. Stick around for... Monkeys vs. Minions. And Kornflake fans -- you WILL hear Kornflake this week too, despite our doctor's recommendations. (Our doctor is a rubber chicken, and we usually just ignore it.)
Despite the pleas of terrified citizens everywhere, it finally happened: The Flopcast LIVE! June 22, in Wheeling, Illinois, Kevin and Kornflake were onstage at FumpFest, a convention dedicated to funny music (and also, apparently, goofy podcasts). In front of a captive audience (oh yes, we locked the doors), we presented National Whatever Day (which may have involved eating an escalator), Chickens in the News (a special Chicago-themed edition), and What's in the Bag (really just an excuse to throw stuff at people). Joining us onstage were special guests Chris of Power Salad, the great Luke Ski, and of course, Doornail. (Guess which one of our special guests giggled nonstop and fell on the floor?) Then stay tuned for a post-show bonus clip: our friend Dan Hart, also live onstage at FumpFest, performing during Dr. Demento's Festival of Dementia! Now excuse us; we have to go backstage to meet and greet a bunch of stupid radio contest winners.
By the time you're reading this, Kevin and Kornflake will be in Chicago for FumpFest! But here's the last show we recorded before surrendering the studio to a big angry yak, so it could do its own podcast, which is called "Yak Talk." But we digress. This week on The Flopcast: For National Catfish Day, Kornflake teaches us something weird about catfish; then in our "Chickens in the News" segment, we learn something weird about chickens (but less weird than the catfish thing). We also look forward to CONvergence, which is happening 4th of July weekend in Minneapolis! Kevin will be on panels discussing important stuff like Batman comics; the Skepchicks will teach us about science, bugs, and licking things; and if that doesn't sound geeky enough, we might even run into Counselor Deanna Troi.
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate National Splurge Day by arming dogs and chickens with credit cards and setting them loose in the mall; the Kids in the Hall are back, and they're still crushing your head; because we're paranoid and insane, we argue against recycling your 3-D glasses at the movies; we review this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and present our annual rant about who should have been inducted (What about Martika? And Charo? And Kaptain Kool and the Kongs?); and we end the show with a very mysterious trip into the Pudding Pages.
Kevin and Kornflake prepare to run screaming out of Chickentown, because it's almost time for FumpFest! This is a comedy music convention, so we'll be hanging out with all our demented friends (such as Insane Ian, Power Salad, Dan Hart, Carrie Dahlby, Luke Ski, Devo Spice, Worm Quartet...), plus a bunch of silly performers we'll be meeting for the first time. (Hopefully our beards of bees will make a positive first impression.) FumpFest also has the Logan Awards (for excellence in comedy music), live onstage podcasts (including The Flopcast!), Dementia Smackdown Wrestling (time for Kornflake to defend her title), and... DOCTOR DEMENTO! So yikes, kids, get yourselves to Wheeling, Illinois, June 20-22, for FumpFest! Bring a duck, perhaps.
Kevin has a startling Sleestak correction; Kornflake has a startling book about lobsters; we report on concerts featuring The Monkees, Freezepop, and The Somerville Ukulele Club; our tales of getting lost in Chinatown include junior high kids loaded with fireworks, and the search for a lifetime supply of fortune cookies; and our "Chickens in the News" segment has us staring right into those creepy chicken eyes. Also: We're using Skype this week, which has Kornflake (and her dog!) dancing on the ceiling through the whole show.
Here's an odd little show for you -- Kornflake suggested a Top 4 1/2 List of hairdos! Of course this means a trip back to the 70s and 80s (not exactly unfamiliar territory for The Flopcast), when hair was big and/or crazy, and threatened to destroy us all. We'll look at New wave singers, cartoon bears, Mr. T (but of course)... and the horrifying hair history of the Brady family. We also turn to Siri for some answers, and learn that some robots just can't take a compliment.
It's a music-themed episode this week, as Kevin and Kornflake discuss recent shows by Jim's Big Ego (featuring an onstage appearance by Kornflake), The Aquabats (featuring a member of The Cars, and a giant chicken), and a special benefit concert for Keytar Bear (featuring a brass band, a didgeridoo, Freezepop, and a bear playing a keytar). Then we present an interview with Rhode Island-based singer/songwriter Jacob Haller! Topics include robots, kittens, weird dreams about Cher, and an exploding whale. Also: National Waitstaff Day is this week. So leave a big tip, even if you didn't order the exploding whale.
Happy 75th Birthday to Batman! This week Kevin and Kornflake look back at the Caped Crusader's first 75 years, including: Bat-Mite (Batman's Great Gazoo-style imp), Batwoman (who fought crime using jewelry and makeup, because, you know, she was a girl), and Ace the Bat-Hound (a dog with a mask)! And don't forget Cesar Romero's mustache! Or the time Batman met Weird Al! Also: We introduce a new superhero of our own (lobster-themed, of course), and we celebrate Sea Monkey Day (because we like fooling children). This show is such a Bat-tacular (as Kornflake calls it) that you'll want to display a giant penny in your living room.
Kornflake learns that she has some National Whatever Day competition; we review the final nominees for this year's Logan Awards for Excellence in Comedy Music (to be presented at FumpFest!); we meet a mysterious lobster named Carmen; Kevin attends the premiere of Life on the V, the new documentary about Boston's mid-80s music video channel, V66; and speaking of music videos, your Flopcast hosts pop up in a silly new video, which may or may not feature a dancing cartoon corned beef and cabbage.
In this week's Flopcast (it's a short show, because we're sleepy): National Whatever Day has us celebrating lumpy things; a new Pudding Pages book leads to a discussion of perhaps the most horrifying trend of the mid-80s; our "Chickens in the News" segment somehow combines three of our favorite items (chickens, hula hoops, and comic books); and we plug some upcoming silly shows and events. (Hey, speaking of comic books -- May 3rd is Free Comic Book Day. You know what to do.)
Kevin has some very important Facts of Life and Robbie Rist updates; Kornflake goes kayaking and meets a scary angry goose; for National Whatever Day, we're looking for weird science fiction stories on the stupid Internet; and inspired by the new Captain America movie, we present a Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite captains! Yikes, there are so many fine captains out there -- on the Enterprise, the Pacific Princess, and (because it's a Flopcast list) a bunch of 70s and 80s Saturday morning shows. Actually there might be too many captains out there, since we don't even get around to mentioning Captain Lou Albano, or Kaptain Kool, or Captain Carrot! And those are three of our favorite humans and/or super-powered rabbits from a parallel universe.
This week's National Whatever Day reminds Kevin of yet another story from junior high school (and this might be the dumbest one yet); Kornflake makes a startling discovery about the Facts of Life cast (which is the only kind of discovery that interests us); our latest concert reports feature Eddie From Ohio, Diane Birch, and a crazy coincidence; they said it couldn't be done, but we come up with several reasons to visit Hudson, Wisconsin; and our "Chickens in the News" segment stars a giant angry chicken-themed dinosaur from sixty-six million years ago. By the way, now we desperately want a giant angry chicken-themed dinosaur, to set loose here in Chickentown. We're pretty sure that would solve (or at least distract us from) all our problems.
Kevin and Kornflake can't quite figure out how to celebrate the 100th episode of The Flopcast! (Yeah, perhaps we could have worked on this in advance... but those Super Friends DVDs weren't going to watch themselves, you know.) But worry not; we manage to have a festive time anyway. First the Mayor of Chickentown stops by for a special 100th episode "What's in the Bag" presentation! Then we look at some nice boring Flopcast statistics! (Which country has the most Flopcast downloads? Hint: It's not Mongolia.) Still desperate for ideas, we examine the 100th issues of some comic book series, and the 100th episodes of some goofy old TV shows. (Weird trivia: What did the 100th episodes of The Brady Bunch and Alice have in common? And don't just say they were both awesome; that's too obvious.) Also: National Whatever Day! And a special 100th episode edition of The Pudding Pages, as suggested by our pal WildCard! (We sort of forgot to credit WildCard during the show...) Hey, maybe this was a super-special 100th episode after all. Remember, kids -- don't ever do any advance planning. Just go watch a cartoon or something.
Here comes one final ridiculous MarsCon episode! In two ridiculous parts! First it's Sunday morning, the last day of MarsCon, as Kevin, Kornflake, and Doornail have breakfast with special guest Chris Mezzolesta, of comedy band Power Salad! As Doornail rips open 700 packets of sugar (for one cup of coffee), Chris shares the story of how he first met Doctor Demento, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and Benny Bell, all in one crazy night over thirty years ago. Next we jump to our post-MarsCon Monday morning breakfast, and review the whole silly weekend with another special guest, the great Luke Ski! Also listen for some quick but weird visits from ShoEboX of Worm Quartet, Angela, Jayekitty, and Ruth the Awesome Bringer of Surprise Pancakes. Next week, we'll be back in Chickentown, and yikes, it'll be time for our 100th episode! We should probably make coffee or something, to celebrate.
We're still at MarsCon, and we're still teaming up with other silly podcasts! This week it's time to "Flop About Toons," as Kevin and Kornflake are joined by TV's Kyle and the great Luke Ski, hosts of the cartoon-themed podcast "Kyle and Luke Talk About Toons"! Along for the ride is another crazy cast of MarsCon characters, including Doornail, Lindsay, Blasted Bill, Brother Osric, Wacky Ben, and Break Man Z! And we do indeed talk about cartoons, including our favorite cartoon monsters (Spoiler Alert: the correct answer is Fangface), video game-inspired cartoons (Pac-Man! Saturday Supercade!), failed Simpsons-inspired cartoons (Fish Police! Capitol Critters!), and much more. Then we switch gears as Break Man Z hosts our second annual Flopcast MarsCon taste test! This time we sample a bunch of weird cookies, and it's a huge success, as reactions range from "horrified" to "slightly less horrified."
The Pod of Destiny's Blasted Bill joins Kevin and Kornflake for another "Flop of Destiny" recording session, live from MarsCon in Bloomington, Minnesota! And we're joined by a crazy lineup of comedy musicians, Dementia Radio DJs, and miscellaneous wandering weirdos, including: Doornail, Wacky Ben, TV's Kyle, Lindsay, Insane Ian, ShoEboX of Worm Quartet, Mikey Mason, Madman Ken, Beth Kinderman, Angela, Wild Card, Bob, Jayekitty, and a woman dressed as a giant drop of blood! We tackle all the pressing issues of the day, such as: Dementia Smackdown Wrestling, Dementia Water Aerobics, Kevin's new all-time favorite convention costume, Kornflake freaking out over meeting Doctor Demento, and how to frighten old ladies at TGI Fridays. Plus: Lindsay provides a super-violent edition of "What's in the Bag"! Hang on, kids -- if you want to hear a dozen people screaming at the same time and having way more fun than you, we've got you covered this week.
Kevin and Kornflake are far from Chickentown this weekend, because it's finally time for MarsCon! But worry not; right before we ran screaming from the studio, we recorded this special episode... all about 1980s WWF wrestling! It's the only era of wrestling we care about -- the era of crazy characters like the Junk Yard Dog, Hillbilly Jim, the Iron Sheik, Jimmy Superfly Snuka... and those are some of the guys we didn't even get around to mentioning. Kornflake provides a Top 4 1/2 List of her favorite wrestlers, including one guy who also appeared in our list of giants! (Now who could that be?) And along the way we uncover what may be the greatest photo in the history of everything. (Does it involve Mr. T and a rubber chicken, and they're both wearing kilts? Maybe...) Also: We learn about butterflies. Space Butterflies, specifically. (This show has a lot of range.)
Kevin and Kornflake are just days away from flying to balmy tropical Minnesota for the silliest weekend of the year at MarsCon! But first this week: Wilson Phillips wants you to be happy; Kornflake has a scary hula hoop update and a scarier lobster update; the Pudding Pages teach us about a board game made exclusively for giggling girls of the 1990s; the Mayor of Chickentown's trip to California for a Doctor Who convention includes a visit to the coroner's office and a brush with a rock star; and we discover a new podcast that's even more obsessed with goofy old TV shows than we are. Really.
It's been several months since we picked a really stupid, random topic for a Top 4 1/2 List. So we're making it up to you this week with perhaps our stupidest list ever: Top 4 1/2 Boxes. That's right... boxes. But worry not; we still managed to fill this list with superheroes, funny songs, and weird junk from the 80s, as usual. This will be even more fun than your class trip to the Springfield Box Factory. Also: We celebrate International Polar Bear Day, and visit the World of Coca-Cola, because why not. Now pour yourself a big box of coffee and enjoy...
As Saturday Night Live's Stefon might say, this podcast has everything: Hula hoops, handcuffs, Harvey the Wonder Pony, your Flopcast hosts in a hot tub time machine, and yes, dino-chickens. Also: A bizarre challenge is issued to The Pod of Destiny. If only we were making at least some of this up... but it's all horribly, shockingly real. Enjoy.
Kevin and Kornflake's first convention appearance of 2014 is just a month away -- yes, we're going back to MarsCon! (Could there be a better time of year to visit Minnesota? Wait, don't answer that.) MarsCon is traditionally the silliest weekend of the whole stupid year, thanks to the Dementia track of comedy music performances. This year's lineup includes guest of honor Henry Phillips, as well as Luke Ski, Power Salad, Worm Quartet, and many more returning MarsCon favorites. (And we should probably mention that Doctor Demento himself will be there too! We're so excited, we're giggling like lobsters.) MarsCon shall also feature Dementia Water Aerobics (with our own Kornflake), podcasting, costuming, crazy room parties... and just to keep things interesting, the whole place will be crawling with hunters and taxidermists, apparently. (So you might want to reconsider that moose costume...) See you there, true believers! Also: National Organ Donor Day is this week. Hand 'em over.
A special morning edition of the Flopcast! (It's so early that we can't even figure out how coffee works.) This week: Kevin and Kornflake ignore Groundhog Day and instead discuss their favorite human meteorologists (most of whom resemble Brady Bunch cast members); Kevin's long silly week includes coffee jello with Penn Jillette, and Weird Al-themed burlesque dancers; Kornflake plays mini-golf with glow-in-the-dark diseased people; the Pudding Pages teach us about the safe way for 90s kids to beat each other up; and since it's almost time for MarsCon, we plug some MarsCon-related fundraising projects. (And hey, look -- the MarsCon 2014 Dementia Track Fund Raiser album includes a song by Kornflake and Doornail! Weird...)
Kevin and Kornflake have escaped the 80s, for the second time! So now it's back to Flopcast business as usual, assuming "business as usual" means talking about corn chips and Xena Warrior Princess. "Chickens in the News" also returns this week, as we examine the latest in poultry fashion. (Hard to believe so many chickens are still walking around naked.) Also: Another hula hoop update from Kornflake, and a visit from the Mayor! So grab a big angry bag of Fritos (turn it into "Frito Pie" if you dare) and enjoy...
At last we've arrived at the end of our ten-part look back at the most awesome decade ever! Now admittedly, 1989 was not our favorite part of the 80s... but come on, it had its moments. Top 40 radio had pretty much surrendered to rap, hair metal, and Milli Vanilli... but Elvis Costello somehow sneaked in there too. On TV we met a quantum-leaping doctor named Sam Beckett, and a 16-year-old doctor named Doogie Howser. (The leaping guy was more believable.) And although nobody noticed, the Karate Kid scored a third movie and a Saturday morning cartoon. (This is important, people!) Also at the movies, we had Batman (Mr. Mom version), Indiana Jones (River Phoenix version), Weird Al's UHF (Wheel! Of! Fish!), and one or two more that didn't star Rick Moranis. We cover it all this week -- and along the way, Kevin shares some goofy 1989 stories involving both Edie Brickell and Penn & Teller. And don't worry -- we're not doing ten more shows like this for the 90s! (We spent the 90s mostly napping.)
Almost done, kids! The penultimate chapter in our ongoing 80s coverage brings us to 1988 (which most scientists agree was the peak year for Jon Lovitz's Michael Dukakis impression). At the movies we met Beetlejuice and Roger Rabbit, and tried to deny the very existence of a Caddyshack sequel. TV got weirder with the debut of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (and weirder still with a Saturday morning Ed Grimley cartoon). And on the radio, it was the beginning of the end for 80s pop, as Michael Bolton led us on a long, cruel march toward the 90s. (Meanwhile, young Kornflake was hanging tough with the New Kids on the Block, believe it or not.) So get out of our dreams, get into our podcast, and we'll get through 1988 together.
Kevin and Kornflake wrap up the holidays with a New Year's resolution update, a visit with TV's Kyle, one more trip to see the lobster trap tree, and one more holiday gift. (Yes, it's a Lionel Richie-themed gift. You know us all too well.) Then we creep back into the 80s yet again, and this week we're looking at 1987! It was the year of Debbie Gibson and Tiffany, Data and Picard, Lost Boys and a Princess Bride. We met the Simpsons (who never went away) and the New Monkees (who did, immediately). And it was the year we let Tom Hanks attempt a Dragnet-themed rap song. To quote the philosopher Marx (Richard Marx, that is), we should've known better.
This week we're looking at 1986 -- a year that was so bright, we had to wear shades. (At least that's what Timbuk 3 told us, and we've learned to trust their judgment.) 'Twas the year Crocodile Dundee came to America, Mr. Miyagi went back to Okinawa, and Rodney Dangerfield went back to school. (And so did C. Thomas Howell, in a super-inappropriate way.) Meanwhile, we thought we'd save the world by lining up and holding hands with millions of creepy strangers. (What could go wrong?) But at least the radio was still bursting with wonderful 80s pop -- and so Kevin and Kornflake share a Top 4 1/2 List of the songs of 1986! Prepare to dance on the ceiling, walk like an Egyptian, or just Wang Chung tonight. Also: We announce our New Year's resolutions. And they're sort of ridiculous.
You know how this works: It's episode 85, so Kevin and Kornflake have set Doc Brown's DeLorean for 1985! It was the year of USA For Africa and Live Aid... and more importantly, Mr. T at Wrestlemania. The Brat Pack was stuck in Saturday detention, Pee Wee's bike was stolen, and the Goonies were good enough. Yikes, what a year -- the only thing missing was a basketball-playing werewolf. (Oh, wait!) And of course, we have some holiday fun too, thanks to Kornflake's scary singing Santa hat, a lobster trap Christmas tree, National Egg Nog Day, and a special holiday edition of Chickens in the News.
Yes, we're in the middle of the holidays, but more importantly, we're in the middle of the 1980s. This week our ongoing 80s coverage brings us to 1984 -- the year of Footloose, The Karate Kid, Ghostbusters, and Footloose. (Footloose is very important, people.) But our focus is Saturday morning, as we present a Top 4 1/2 List of 1984 Saturday morning TV shows. Expect plenty of Muppet Babies and Super Friends, a trip to the Flipside with Kidd Video, and of course, Mr. T. Also: Check your batteries, because it's time for National Flashlight Day. And that's one to grow on.
We're up to 1983 in our ten-part look back at the 1980s, and we have something special for you crazy kids. Back at DragonCon, Kevin participated in a panel called "1983 Geek-a-Mania in TV and Movies" -- and this week, we're sharing that panel with you! (Seemed like a better option than doing a whole new show, which would have involved time, and effort, and other such unpleasantries...) Kevin is joined by an all-star lineup of authors, bloggers, and podcasters: Van Plexico, Michael Gordon, Jessa Phillips, and Keith DeCandido! (And despite Kevin's best efforts, this panel isn't JUST about the 1983 Mr. T movie D. C. Cab.) And worry not, faithful Flopcasters: Kornflake is here too, revealing her very favorite song of the 1980s (and if you weren't listening to Boston-area radio in 1983, you probably missed it).
This week we're looking back at 1982! Time Magazine said the "Man of the Year" was a computer -- and it was, thanks to Tron. 1982 was also the year we learned about Stupid Pet Tricks, vegemite sandwiches, and, uh, the Weather Channel. Most importantly, we learned how to "Do the Donkey Kong" -- but we never did. Also: Kevin and Kornflake are back from Super Megafest, where we met Balki, Chicken Joe, pirate mermaids, and Darth Santa.
Kevin and Kornflake look back on 1981, the year that brought us MTV, Indiana Jones, and a seemingly endless supply of goofy soft rock. Our Top 4 1/2 List of songs from 1981 is indeed dominated by the likes of Christopher Cross, REO Speedwagon, and yes, of course, Air Supply. And you'll learn which hit song of 1981 was later covered by Sponge Awareness Foundation, but with alternate chicken-themed lyrics. Also: National Parfait Day and Frank Black Friday are this week. You should celebrate. 1981 Kool and the Gang would want you to celebrate.
Hang on, kids -- starting this week, we're taking a TEN-episode trip back to the 80s! (Yeah, it's a radical departure from our usual topics...) Up first, of course, is 1980 -- the year that kicked off the 1980s, according to most scientists. Come along for our Top 4 1/2 List of movies from 1980, as we do battle with Ming the Merciless, Ursa, and a bunch of gopher puppets. Also: World Hello Day (featuring Robbie Rist), a bizarre audio edition of What's in the Bag, and the (mercifully brief) return of The Sponge Awareness Foundation.
The Mayor of Chickentown joins Kevin and Kornflake to discuss the upcoming holiday movie season -- we're looking for anything with hobbits, thunder gods, or time-traveling turkeys. (But mostly time-traveling turkeys.) Also: We reveal the existence of a secret (and possibly evil) Button Society, we start a crazy new rumor about Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson, and we learn which celebrity guest at the Super Megafest convention is going to make Kornflake freak out. (Oh, we also learn that Kornflake hates Velcro, but deep in your heart, you already knew that.)
Kevin and Kornflake get ready for Marooned Without a Compass Day (we'll need a volleyball, a hidden immunity idol, and Mary Ann); Kornflake gets silly on The Pod of Destiny, stares at the clouds in Vermont, and prepares for Early Doornail Thanksgiving; the Pudding Pages teach us about scary 90s fashion (was there any other kind?); and we end with some "Chickens in the News" from a Moscow airport, where poultry-themed smuggling has become a big problem. Maybe they shouldn't have put Yakov Smirnoff in charge of security.
It's Halloween in Chickentown once again, and we're celebrating with a "monster cereals" taste test! That's right, we're sampling Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo Berry, as well as (available for the first time in decades!) Fruit Brute and Yummy Mummy. Is this stuff delicious, or disgusting, or (ideally) both? Let's find out together. Along the way we'll enjoy some classic monster cereal commercials, and (with a little help from Siri) make a startling discovery about Boo Berry. Hey, if you've always secretly dreamed of just listening to people eat cereal... well, this is the show for you. (Also, you have a problem.)
Kevin and Kornflake wrap up their School House Rock 40th anniversary celebration with some help from you, the Flopcast listeners! Our Top 4 1/2 List of America Rock cartoons is based on YOUR votes! How appropriately democratic. And you can probably guess which beloved School House Rock character is sitting on both Capitol Hill AND the top of our list. Also: Kornflake sees Weird Al, just in time for National Bologna Day; The Nerdist's Chris Hardwick asks the eternal question, "Who's Kornflake?"; and you get to decide whose singing is rougher: Cloris Leachman (with her infamous 80s School House Rock intro song) or Kevin (with The Sponge Awareness Foundation's infamous School House Rock medley). It's a close call.
Kevin and Kornflake are in Manchester, New Hampshire for the Granite State Comicon! Come along as we encounter Perhapanauts artist Craig Rousseau, Tiny Titans artist Art Baltazar, the Boston Ninja Turtle, Amy the Mermaid, classic arcade games from Funspot, Ghost Kitties and Action Cats, Snorks, a Snowpocalypse, and yes, our very favorite Mr. T cosplayer. And hang on, because this one gets weird, in a mid-convention dental emergency kind of way. That's right, Kornflake found a way to make her first comic book show extra-special. Pass the Novocaine and enjoy.
More School House Rock 40th anniversary fun this week, as Kevin knocks out a Top 4 1/2 List of Science Rock cartoons! (Get ready for a shock, but we're huge fans of Interplanet Janet around here.) As a bonus, this leads to yet another bizarre tale from junior high school in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. (We'll never run out of these stories. It was a weird, weird place.) Also: Kornflake and Scott Baio prepare to scream.
Kornflake learns that no revenge is sweeter than a birthday cake in the face; Vodka Day is this week, which means we'd better keep an eye on our friend Vodka (we, uh, know a girl named Vodka); George Takei boldly chicken-dances where no chicken has danced before; and we end with a round of "What's in the Bag," compliments of Luke and Sara, who mailed us a mysterious (and yes, chicken-themed) package. (This episode turned out to be even more chicken-themed than we'd intended. Hope you're okay with that.)
Our celebration of the 40th anniversary of School House Rock continues, as the Mayor of Chickentown presents a Top 4 1/2 List of Multiplication Rock! Featuring weird zoo animals, twelve-toed aliens, a hero named Zero, and even more 1970s educational silliness. This is why we're all total math geniuses today. Also: The boozy truth about Johnny Appleseed; video evidence of Kornflake's latest zorbing adventure; a "What's in the Bag" segment with shocking implications for our "Pudding Pages" segment; and an actual round of speed dating, right in the middle of the show! (Super-creepy speed dating, that is. Just the way you like it.)
Kevin is back from Atlanta with a full report on DragonCon, featuring 50,000 nerds and/or geeks, the Bionic Man and Woman, High Feather cosplayers, booze-serving robots, Canadian teen pop star Robin Sparkles, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Shatner, a steampunk owl catcher, Hulk cologne, and yes, Charles Nelson Reilly. Kind of a strange weekend, in retrospect. We also get in some music talk, and recommend George Hrab, Sufjan Stevens, and 80s-style arena rock. (Admit it, you love REO Speedwagon.) And Kornflake reminds us to remind her about Talk Like a Pirate Day. But we won't.
Kevin and Kornflake kick off the fall season by returning not to school, but to School House Rock! We're celebrating the 40th anniversary of these classic cartoons, starting with a Top 4 1/2 List of Grammar Rock. Of course that means a train ride through Conjunction Junction, a very crowded bus ride with Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla... and we might even unpack an adjective or two. Join us! Also: Defy Superstition Day is this week, so throw a black cat under a ladder or something.
Worry not, true believers -- before Kevin sneaked off to DragonCon, we recorded this quick little episode of miscellaneous silliness, just for you. This week: Shocking the world, Kevin returns to Woonsocket, Rhode Island for an actual high school reunion; Kornflake is covered in mosquito bites, talking like the kids of Degrassi, and dreaming of zorbing again; we discuss the mysterious connection between skyscrapers and giant turkeys; our Pudding Pages segment takes us deep into the disco era; and we end with some Chickens in the News, all the way from Indonesia, where the chickens are, yes, mystical. And they might even make you a sandwich.
It's our second annual DragonCon preview show, as we prepare for the upcoming mega-gathering of the geeks in downtown Atlanta. Enjoy some hints and tips about how to survive the craziest four days on the nerd calendar. We also discuss some of the guests (Lee Majors and Lindsay Wagner!), concerts (Paul and Storm!), and events (Rebecca Watson's Quiz-O-Tron 2000!) we're looking forward to, and run through Kevin's panel schedule. (If you miss the "Sid and Marty Krofft: Wildboys and Dynagirls" panel, we'll banish you to Lidsville.) Also: Kornflake checks out the Ryan Montbleau Band (and insists they don't just cover Nu Shooz songs), and teaches us all about National Trail Mix Day. Really.
Kornflake reports on this year's Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, a weekend of music, mud, Moxy Fruvous, and tie-dyed unmentionables. Meanwhile Kevin attends Boston Comic Con, serves as a lifeline in a zombie-themed round of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and brings back an exclusive Flopcast interview with Amy the Steampunk Mermaid! (And stick around at the end of the show to hear the guy we totally failed to locate at Boston Comic Con: Nashville's Superman, Allen Shervelle.) Also: Spumoni.
Episode 66 means we're talking about V66, Boston's own MTV-style music video channel back in the mid-80s. (V66 wasn't around for long, but some of us never got over it.) Also: Kornflake joins the Snuggie Cult; we celebrate Thrift Shop Day and Siblingfest; and in our Chickens in the News segment, we look at some mysterious new statues in Annapolis, Maryland. Remember, kids -- it's August. You NEED a Snuggie.
Because we're just so dangerously obsessed with the 1980s, this week's Top 4 1/2 List features cover versions of 80s songs! (Needless to say, Cyndi Lauper is well represented.) Also: Gummy lobsters (a delicious choking hazard), Kornflake's Barenaked Ladies & Ben Folds Five concert report (we're starting a rumor that she parked her car onstage during the show), and National X-Files Day (which we just invented, and which we should've called National Yip-Yip Day).
Pathetically, Kevin and Kornflake enter a state of panic when a power outage leaves Chickentown Studios in total darkness, right in the middle of the show! No lights, no air conditioning (we were already panicking about the heat wave), and, most horrifyingly... no more iced coffee. We're doomed! Also: Kornflake visits a mysterious lobster-themed town called Otis, the Chicken Limo cruises the mean streets of Indianapolis, and the Pudding Pages go to the dogs. Reminder: No power in Chickentown. To hear next week's show, be sure to pick up some cups and a very long string.
In the summertime, when the weather is high, we've got robots, we've got robots on our minds. Yes, it's our second annual robot-themed Top 4 1/2 List! This time we're counting down our favorite live action robots from movies and TV. MST3K robot puppets, Star Wars droids, Star Trek androids, scary Fembots, perhaps even a Pimpbot... and we haven't even mentioned the really weird ones. Show a little enthusiasm for our list, and maybe the robots will take pity on you after they take over. Also: Kornflake and Doornail celebrate the 4th of July in the remote wilds of New Hampshire, and make a boozy new friend.
We're back with a full report from CONvergence, the Bloomington, Minnesota convention that's even crazier than MarsCon! Pour youself a Buzzed Aldrin (the signature drink of the Skepchick party room) and enjoy, as Kevin, the Mayor of Chickentown, the great Luke Ski, and Sara Trice review all the silliness of CONvergence, just for you. (Unfortunately, aside from our Saturday Morning Cartoon and Doctor Who-themed panels, an epic Luke Ski concert, a live comet-making demonstration, a mechanical steampunk bird, the Rifftrax guys playing "PowerPoint Karaoke," a Darkwing Duck burlesque dance, an Aquabat/Penguin hybrid, and a Skepchick giving birth to a squid monster, there's not much of interest to report.) Also: Back in Chickentown, we receive a box of dangerous science from the College of Curiosity, and Kornflake totally puts the "whatever" into this week's National Whatever Day.
We've said this before, but yikes, this is a bizarre episode, even by Flopcast standards. Let's see... in this week's Pudding Pages segment, Kevin and Kornflake learn all about weird 1970s lipstick. Really. Then our Chickens in the News segment takes us to the thriving metropolis of Chicken, Alaska (and if you like bluegrass festivals, chicken suits, and being in the middle of nowhere, this is your kind of town). Finally Kornflake brings us a rather silly interview from LukeSkiCon with comedy musician Insane Ian! Will Kornflake and Ian get thrown out of an arcade in the middle of the interview? Let's hope so; that'd be funny.
Kornflake returns from Chicago with a full report on LukeSkiCon, which featured comedy music performances, a field trip to the Galloping Ghost Arcade, a Top 4 1/2 List recorded especially for The Flopcast, and more demented water aerobics. Also: I Forgot Day is this week (or maybe it was last week, whatever); we learn of the existence of lobster coffee; and we look forward to CONvergence, where we'll be joining the Skepchicks, the Rifftrax guys, and yes, once again, the great Luke Ski. Yikes, this is our LukeSkiest show ever. We have a problem.
Time to sneak snacks into the cinema, as the Mayor of Chickentown joins Kevin and Kornflake to discuss the new geek-friendly summer movies. (Star Trek! Iron Man! And for no good reason, Back to School and Fantasy Island!) We also celebrate National Chocolate Pudding Day with an ill-conceived arts and crafts project, this week's "Chickens in the News" is a lesson in how to annoy your annoying neighbors, and the Aquabats meet a mutant chicken. Okay, the podcast is starting -- please turn off your cell phones and your babies.
Kevin and Kornflake attend a Jim's Big Ego concert (which magically turns into a Chickens in the News singalong); our "What's in the Bag?" segment is once again very, very lobster-themed; this week's Pudding Pages segment is all about record players (and those Peter Pan book-and-record sets, which sort of ruled); and just in time for World Sauntering Day, Kornflake attempts a karaoke performance of "Break My Stride," but it all goes horribly wrong.
Happy 75th Birthday to Superman! Kevin and Kornflake celebrate with a Flopcast-style tribute to the Man of Steel, focusing on important stuff like goofy Super Friends cartoons, 1970s Mego dolls (sorry, action figures), comic book ads for glow-in-the-dark Kryptonite, and Beppo the Super Monkey (proud member of the Legion of Super Pets). Enjoy some classic (and some long forgotten) TV commercials and PSAs along the way. (If you stockpiled a few cases of Superman Peanut Butter back in the 80s, make yourself a sandwich.) Also: Kornflake is excited about the new Barenaked Ladies album and tour, and we prepare for National Flip Flop Day. (Hey, you know who can't wear flip flops? Superman's mermaid girlfriend Lori Lemaris, that's who. Maybe life in Atlantis isn't quite as awesome as you thought.)
Kevin and Kornflake attempt to celebrate National Running Day without actually moving; at the Southcoast Toy and Comic Show, we find the Karate Kid-themed puzzle book of our dreams; we highly recommend having a monkey in a Hawaiian shirt at your next wedding; and by request, we present a Top 4 1/2 List of arcade video games. Everyone thought we were wasting our time back in the 80s, pumping quarter after quarter into Burgertime machines. But it was all just painstaking research for this week's show. You're welcome.
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate Sunscreen Day with our usual advice to slather on plenty of the stuff, or better yet, don't leave the house at all; Kornflake's recent illness just gave her more time to do what she does best -- search the Internet for silly British game shows and web comics; while we're puzzled by all the wrestlers in her videos, Cyndi Lauper continues to completely rule; a new Kickstarter-funded album of covers of 70s/80s soft rock reminds us that we'll never really escape from the Pina Colada Song (but we're okay with that); and this week's "Chickens in the News" segment may leave you with nightmares of chicken/frog hybrid creatures. Enjoy!
Kevin and Kornflake recount their long perilous road trip to the Speak Up storytelling event in Hartford; along the way, they visit a couple of shops celebrating Free Comic Book Day, discover a place called Chicken City, and endure massive amounts of Tiffany music. Also this week: Geek Pride Day (prepare to take over the world, kids), Bacon Night at the library (which was a huge artery-clogging success), the Breeders reunion tour (which has us nostalgic for 90s music, for a change), the Watch City Festival (featuring our favorite steampunk mermaid), and the Pudding Pages with Dapper Dan. Tune in and help us figure out if we ever really escaped the mean streets of Connecticut.
Kevin and Kornflake are joined by the Mayor of Chickentown as we look back on a whole silly year of Flopcasting! (If only this were a 1980s sitcom-style flashback clip show...) For our anniversary show, we also have an anniversary-themed Top 4 1/2 List, featuring robots, kazoos, and Mad Libs. (Your three favorite things. Admit it.) Now it's on to Flopcast Year Two, in which we'll stray too far from our original concept, and use too many super-villain guest stars all at the same time. Sorry.
Kornflake looks forward to No Sock Day, despite the dire implications for puppets everywhere; there is indeed bacon at the library (apparently the books are not enough of a draw anymore); our Chickens in the News segment takes us to Florida's Chicken Church (which is actually the least weird thing in Florida); and this week's Pudding Pages segment is truly outrageous. Now excuse us as we prepare for next week's Flopcast anniversary celebration. Hey, maybe the library will lend us a cheese ball.
Everyone keeps telling Kornflake she is getting older, but we don't believe it; Kevin reports on concerts by symphonic metal band Anaria and former Monkee Mike Nesmith (hey, they should tour together); because April 30th is Hairstylist Appreciation Day, Kornflake is honoring her high school librarian; Kevin has a weird story about the time he met folk legend Richie Havens; and instead of attending the postponed Boston Comic Con, we wander down to Bellingham, Massachusetts and talk to Jay and Joe of Rubber Chicken Comics, Panda Valentine of Wicked Geeky, and Hellion author Jim Savard. (How many unnecessary references to Air Supply can Kevin crowbar into these conversations? Let's see...)
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate Tell a Story Day, while acknowledging that their own stories tend to be quite lame; our latest Chickens in the News segment is immediately followed by our first (and hopefully last) Ferrets in the News segment; at a recent They Might Be Giants concert, Kornflake falls in love with the saxophone-based opening band, and Kevin recalls the last TMBG show he attended, where he acted like a huge creep; and speaking of saxophones, we present a Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite 1980s saxophone solos! (How many Billy Ocean songs made the list? Way more than you'd think.)
Kornflake's "What's in the Bag?" segment delays our coffee consumption by almost a minute, which is a big problem; we're frightened by National Cheese Ball Day; we celebrate the career of comic book artist Carmine Infantino, who brought us Flash, Elongated Man, and (most importantly) Detective Chimp; Kornflake samples some mysterious homebrewed Harry Potter-themed beer; The Flopcast meets The FlappCast; and Kevin reports on his recent trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. And if you think we can talk about blue-footed boobies without a nice classy burst of immature giggling, you don't really know us anymore, do you?
Welcome to springtime in Chickentown, true believers! Kornflake is doing some spring cleaning; Kevin is not. Meanwhile, for this week's National Whatever Day, our plans to "walk on the wild side" involve parachutes, gorilla suits, and prepositions. (This will not end well.) Finally we present a Top 4 1/2 List that's all about TEETH! But as usual, it's actually a list of weird cartoons, puppets, and They Might Be Giants songs. Because we are us.
This week Kevin and Kornflake tackle the tough questions. Is Level 42 better than Black 47? (No, they both rule.) Was Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings just a ripoff of Harold and the Purple Crayon? (See previous answer.) Kool-Aid Man: thirst-quenching hero or out-of-control destructive freak? (Again, BOTH!) And how many times will our Chickens in the News segment take us back to Woonsocket, Rhode Island? (Just twice so far. But we're monitoring the Northern Rhode Island poultry situation very, very closely.)
Having survived their bizarre trip to Minnesota for MarsCon, Kevin and Kornflake are safely back in Chickentown. (And thanks to their shiny new court-ordered ankle monitors, they'll never leave again!) This week: Kornflake has a Flopcast-themed nightmare and a turkey-themed tale of terror, National Whatever Day involves (get ready for a shock) lobsters, and we're not quite done with our coverage of MarsCon! Yes, we have three crazy interview clips for you, with three of our favorite MarsCon performers: Power Salad, TV's Kyle, and Flat 29! Has Chris from Power Salad ever dunked a chicken (which is totally not a euphemism)? Can we get TV's Kyle to agree (grudgingly) that the greatest cartoon of all time is Jabberjaw? Are Flat 29's Dan and Charlie planning to force their bandmate Rich to undergo horrific cosmetic surgery? Listen and learn! (Or just keep reading right now. The answer to every question is yes.)
We're still in Minnesota for the silliest science fiction convention of all (thanks to the Dementia track of comedy music), MarsCon! Late Sunday night, as things are winding down, a Dementia supergroup gathers to look back on the whole crazy weekend, just for the Flopcast. Joining Kevin and Kornflake are the great Luke Ski (of Luke and Carrie's Bad Rapport), Sara Trice, Power Salad's Chris Mezzolesta, Kobi Lacroix, Break Man Z, and Blasted Bill Putt! Luke even joins Kornflake for a Top 4 1/2 List of their favorite MarsCon moments. And we wrap up with TWO rounds of "What's in the Bag?", featuring scary potato chips and non-scary Pez dispensers.
A show this weird could only happen at MarsCon, the Minnesota science fiction convention where all our crazy friends from the comedy music scene gather each year. On Day 1, Kevin and Kornflake are joined by the breakout star of this episode, Delia (aka Doornail). Delia has pointy elf ears, is quite dangerous around beverages and furniture, and never stops giggling. So you'll love her. Then on Day 2, we're joined by Blasted Bill Putt, as The Flopcast and The Pod of Destiny merge into one big silly superpodcast: The Flop of Destiny. We discuss the Logan Award winners, Kornflake's much-anticipated water aerobics class, why Kevin should not go anywhere near the hotel pool, and Bill's elevator entrapment (apparently something of a MarsCon tradition). Also: the thrilling conclusion of the Amoeba Lederhosen Challenge! And hey, if you promise to keep on giggling just like Delia, we'll have even more MarsCon for you next week...
Here's a goofy little episode we recorded just before leaving for MarsCon! Kornflake rides a bus and turns into a cartoon fish; for National Whatever Day, we're being nasty and we're panicking; this week's Pudding Pages segment involves shrinking things and enlarging things; The Mayor of Chickentown returns from California with a Doctor Who convention report (and, more importantly, booze); and we end with yet another Chickens in the News segment about weird potato chips.
After taking care of a little business here in Chickentown (like celebrating Public Sleeping Day and discussing weird perfume from the 70s), Kevin and Kornflake are, yes, packing for MarsCon, a silly science fiction convention happening in Minnesota next weekend. So today we're checking out the convention schedule (Mad Science! Claudia Christian! And hey, Water Aerobics with Kornflake!) and looking forward to seeing some of our favorite funny musicians (Flat 29! Luke Ski! TV's Kyle!)... yikes, this should be fun. If we're not back in Chickentown the following week, please send a search party to Minnesota. (Beth Kinderman's Space Oddity Brew Pub room party would be a logical place to start searching.)
Kornflake has two different National Whatever Days for us this week -- and Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day is the less ridiculous one; Kevin introduces a very exciting new segment called "The Pudding Pages," for which we're going to need a 217-sided die; and our latest Top 4 1/2 List is particularly goofy, even by Flopcast standards: we're listing Wilsons. Characters, songs, Cajun chefs, chinchillas -- anything named Wilson just might make the list. Okay, maybe not chinchillas. But trust us -- a chinchilla is involved.
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate Darwin Day with a piping hot bowl of Primordial Soup; as MarsCon preparations continue, we learn why you don't want to sit next to Kornflake on a plane; and because we're still dangerously obsessed with goofy old sitcoms, we present a Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite wacky neighbors. Come on, you haven't had this much fun since 1978, when your brother took you to a Lenny and the Squigtones concert.
Kornflake presents a ridiculous new segment called National Whatever Day; we confirm that there WILL be Water Aerobics in the Martian Gravity Pit at MarsCon this year; Kevin stays out way too late thanks to Adam Carolla and Niki Luparelli; we have an Amoeba Lederhosen Challenge update; a new book about the band Heart leads to a discussion of 70s music versus 80s music, as well as our thoughts on this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees (too much Randy Newman, not enough Martika); and we end with a Chickens in the News story from Atlanta, where 26,000 pounds of chicken wings are on the loose and ready to party.
Kevin and Kornflake report live from Arisia, a big crazy science fiction convention held in Boston each January. Some highlights: Kevin interviews comedy/nerdcore artist Devo Spice (mostly about old Atari games); a live performance of The Nightmare Before Christmas features a giant chicken; we revive "Make Carl Angry," a beloved segment from Kornflake's old radio show; "Footloose in Space" will be the greatest movie ever; we encounter a Harley Quinn belly dancer, a Dr. Horrible tattoo, and a guy in a crab suit; and the ladies of Wicked Geeky explain what a "bodice-gasm" is. Yikes, what a fun show -- even if Boston in January is so cold that you wish you'd brought along a dead tauntaun.
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For episode 37, we just had to talk about Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and all the movies of Kevin Smith. Come on, you know why. Also: Kevin cannot escape from Jennifer Grey's dog, Kornflake is frantically listening to every funny song released last year, Ms. Pac-Man and The Hobbit are a dangerous combination, and everyone on the Internet alerts us about this week's "Chickens in the News." (Note: By "everyone," we mean three people. We round up.)
Kornflake is named as a juror in this year's Logan Awards for excellence in comedy music (so if the big winner is a kazoo-playing lobster, you know what happened); Kevin recommends a Queen cover band, and even admits to buying Queen albums on 8-track; we wander all the way to Connecticut to check out "The Clowns," a new rock opera, because why not; and, as requested by no one, we count down our Top 4 1/2 favorite angry things. If this episode were any angrier, it would live in a van down by the river.
Kevin and Kornflake have been issued a bizarre challenge by the Pod of Destiny, and without giving it nearly enough thought, we accept. Also: We vow to keep the “o” in “Amoeba”; our latest “Chickens in the News” segment features weird Chinese potato chips; our latest “What’s in the Bag?” segment features perhaps the most wonderful Flopcast item ever; we prepare for some upcoming geeky conventions; and we reveal our New Year’s resolutions, all of which directly impact the future of the Flopcast. Stick with us for 2013, kids -- it’ll be silly and awesome. Mostly silly.
Armed with their new Christmas gifts (a Big Bang Theory shirt and an inflatable beard of bees), Kevin and Kornflake are ready to make bold fashion statements in the new year. Also discussed: Archie McPhee, V66, the Boston Band Crush Holiday Spectacular (with Freezepop, of course), the very disappointing Mayan apocalypse, and the best way to spend New Year's Eve. (That would be staying home and doing nothing. Try it!) The show ends with another electrifying round of "What's in the Bag?", and that's it for Flopcast 2012. Next year we'll try to lighten things up and stop taking ourselves so seriously.
A couple of weeks back, the Mayor of Chickentown joined Kevin and Kornflake to count down the Top 4 1/2 Christmas specials produced by Rankin/Bass. This week the Mayor returns, and we're counting down the Top 4 1/2 Christmas specials NOT produced by Rankin/Bass! The usual suspects are here -- including the Grinch, Charlie Brown, and miscellaneous Muppets -- but we cover quite a few lesser known shows too. (Does anyone besides Kevin remember "A Cosmic Christmas"?) We're also joined once again by a weird annoying singing bird, because why not. And through it all, we enjoy big hot mugs of Joe Chickenhead's Angry Glogg -- a beverage guaranteed to keep you nice and crazy through the whole stupid holiday season.
Kornflake keeps getting touched by strangers, only some of whom look exactly like Dave Grohl; our holiday party stories involve giving bad directions to our dates and lying to magicians; Kevin recommends Christmas music from Air Supply (not chicken-themed) and Steve Foster (very, very chicken-themed); Steven Wright is a national treasure; Grant's Advent Calendar is back in business; and our friend Rich has a brilliant idea for a holiday special called, yes, "Murray Christmas."
As you may suspect, we're dangerously obsessed with the classic animated holiday specials produced by Rankin/Bass. Starting with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1964, Rankin/Bass cranked out one amazing cartoon after another right through the mid-80s. This week the Mayor of Chickentown joins Kevin and Kornflake for a very festive Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite Rankin/Bass holiday shows. We discuss Rudolph and Frosty, Santa and Mrs. Claus, the Heat Miser and Snow Miser, Yukon Cornelius and Hermey, and all their weird little pals. Hey, are these wholesome heartwarming shows for the whole family? Or, if you spend a few decades over-analyzing them (as perhaps we have) do any dark and disturbing themes emerge? Happily, the answer to both questions is an enthusiastic yes, and we all win.
Our Chickentown studio halls have been decked, and there is now a festive Flying Spaghetti Monster creepily staring down from the top of our tree; Kornflake rescues a dog named after one of the kids from Fame; Kevin reports on his road trip to Buffalo, in which he encountered Monkees, squouses, and even a Skepchick; we mourn the death of Hostess, but at least it's an excuse to share more weird junior high stories; and we wrap up with a heartwarming holiday edition of Chickens in the News. This show is really the audio equivalent of figgy pudding, in more ways than we'd care to explain.
Kornflake attends a Wazzumhog party (not sure of the spelling on that - and AutoCorrect did NOT help); Kevin and a bunch of other comic book geeks invade the Norman Rockwell Museum for an Alex Ross exhibition; Kornflake prepares for Bad Movie Night, which hopefully will feature Mindy Cohn; we are freaked out by Pinchy the Split Lobster; and we present a Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite giants. (Why didn't Paul Bunyan make the list? Maybe because in reality, he stood just five feet tall. It's true. Check Snopes.)
The Mayor of Chickentown presides over another electrifying round of "What's in the Bag?"; Kevin reports from the Rhode Island Comic Con, where he meets costumed characters, horror hosts, giant snakes, and Holly from Land of the Lost; Kornflake meets an oddly chatty toll booth attendant, and plans a proper Thanksgiving dinner featuring toast and jelly beans; Kevin has one more story about juggling Spam on TV (this time it was on the streets of New York, on Thanksgiving Day, with Jennifer Grey); and in our most awesome "Chickens in the News" segment ever, a brave little rubber chicken is heading for outer space. So it's a pretty festive Thanksgiving show. We're like the giant Underdog balloon of podcasts.
It's episode 27, and that means Kevin and Kornflake are talking about "Weird Al" Yankovic! (If you're a Weird Al fan, you know why.) We discuss Al's songs, videos, and concerts, as well as his movie, his Saturday morning TV series, and yes, his mustache. Also, a tree fell on Kornflake's house! Some blame the hurricane. We blame Harvey the Wonder Hamster.
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate six months of Flopcasting by wandering from one silly topic to the next... but they keep coming back to Kenny Rogers. Also: Kornflake wins a contest at the Red Arrow Diner, recalls her college radio days, looks for lobsters on Twitter, stockpiles an emergency supply of bacon, and tries to explain "Numberwang" (which is impossible). Meanwhile Kevin meets one of his comedy heroes (it's Chris Elliott, and shut up), and attends a James Bond-themed concert by Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers. Then we end the show with some Chickens in the News! Now it's time to prepare for the Flopcast's next six months. Friends, we have a lot more unimportant work to do.
Yes, it's Halloween in Chickentown! (But stay away, stupid trick-or-treaters! More Lemonheads for us.) Kevin tells the story of the bizarre Halloween when he carved pumpkins and juggled Spam on TV; Kornflake's past Halloween costumes include Yip Yip aliens, cows with weird piercings, and a pile of leaves; we discuss our favorite Halloween-type movies (like Mad Monster Party and Poultrygeist) and shows (like Monster Squad and, uh, The Facts of Life); and Kornflake ends the show with an eerily inaccurate Chewbacca impression. Listen closely, kids - some actual unexplained sounds and voices pop up throughout this episode! But it's still about as scary as a Frankenberry commercial.
Kevin and Kornflake have slightly different opinions of "Gangnam Style" (you're shocked, aren't you?); Kevin recommends the novel "Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend" by his old neighbor, Matthew Dicks; we try to figure out which of Kornflake's friends are indeed imaginary; we recommend The Radio Adventures of Doctor Floyd and Rifftrax Live; and thanks to a suggestion from Blasted Bill Putt, we present a Top 4 1/2 List of talking birds. (Why did it take 24 episodes for us to do a bird-themed list? According to Mr. Owl, the world may never know.)
Fueled by Ninja Coffee, Kevin and Kornflake discuss their recent trips to Maine (where Kornflake's dog was not impressed by the foliage) and Vermont (where Kevin still can't find any lake monsters); Kornflake is quite befuddled by the sitcoms of Bob Newhart; we welcome the return of Ben Folds Five, especially since it involves robots and puppets; and our "Chickens in the News" segment features a chicken named Lucky. Not to be confused with our "Lobsters in the News" segment, which features a lobster named Lucky. Oh, how we wish we were making this up.
Kevin and Kornflake ponder the comedic value of lobsters (sure, they might be funny, but not on the level of, say, chickens); we look back at 1980s cable TV, which mostly involved watching Toto's "Africa" video, again and again; our "Chickens in the News" segment takes us all the way to the White House; and, as requested by absolutely no one, we present a Top 4 1/2 List of our favorite green cartoon characters. (We're, uh, sort of making this up as we go along.)
Kornflake is back from a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed party, where she ate weird pizza, played weird card games, and climbed on weird people; Kevin is back from Jury Duty, where, it turns out, full Judge Dredd uniforms are frowned upon; and by request, we present a Top 4 1/2 List of awful snack foods. Oh, we also unveil a startling new version of our Flopcast theme music, and we get attacked by a helicopter. But don't worry. Despite this being such an action-packed show, nothing really happens.
Our DragonCon coverage concludes (finally!) on a high note: an exclusive Flopcast interview with the Amazing One himself, James Randi! This leads to Kevin and Kornflake discussing Randi's career and the skeptic movement in general. (Dowsing! Psychic surgery! Psychic spoon-bending! Some of these things might not really work!) Then we switch gears and kick around some ridiculous new job ideas for Kornflake (involving ATMs and airport security, believe it or not). Finally we abandon the safety of our Chickentown studio and report live from a Dar Williams concert in Somerville, Massachusetts -- where the Irish pubs play country music, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed parties go all night.
Kevin braves the mean streets of Connecticut to see a George Hrab show and a million Pez dispensers; our DragonCon recap continues with an interview with mentalist Mark Edward, author of Psychic Blues; Kornflake climbs inside a human hamster ball; the start of the school year brings memories of lunch boxes and exploding bridges; Kornflake recommends crazy British mustaches and sock puppets; and we close with yet another bizarre Chickens in the News segment. You know, in some cultures, this would almost be considered a weird show.
Kevin and the Mayor of Chickentown are back from Atlanta, with a full DragonCon report to share with Kornflake and with you! This extra-long episode (sorry) starts with some nice calm day-by-day reports of encountering folks like The Amazing Randi, Alice Cooper, Levar Burton, Nichelle Nichols, Adam West and Burt Ward, and yes, Freezepop. But then the show descends into chaos, as we head right into the middle of the DragonCon late night party scene and encounter some, uh, colorful characters. Hang on, kids; this one gets a little weird...
Warning! This is NOT your typical Flopcast episode! It's a lot shorter, and (they said it couldn't be done) a lot stupider.
We're actually taking a little break this Labor Day weekend. We're sleepy. You know, it's hard work giggling into a microphone, week after miserable week...
But we didn't want to leave you lost and confused all week, totally Flop-free. And so... the Flopathon. Enjoy.
The Flopathon was filmed in front of a live studio audience. (Well, not really. But I always wanted to say that. Just like Tom Bosley...)
Pack up your finest Spock ears and beam yourself to Atlanta -- it's our DragonCon preview episode! Kevin and Kornflake get ready for our favorite annual gathering of geeks -- featuring costumers, gamers, steampunks, skeptics, puppets, robots, mad scientists, mutants, and misfits of all sorts. And then for this week's Top 4 1/2 List, we count down our favorite mermaids! (Yeah, we're trying to pick up more listeners in Atlantis -- a market totally ignored by most podcasts...)
Kornflake goes to a wild keg party hosted by a one month old baby; Kevin is obsessed with Fame reruns and character actor Dick Miller; the Mayor of Chickentown joins us for a very scientific root beer taste test (which somehow involves the Brady Bunch); and we look forward to some upcoming geek-friendly live shows -- be there, even if you have to crash through the ceiling, Judd Nelson-style. The Flopcast -- we're NOT gonna learn how to fly! (Manage your expectations, silly Fame kids.)
Kevin takes a highway to the danger zone (assuming your definition of "danger zone" is a Kenny Loggins concert), Kornflake visits the crazy dancing non-showering people at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, our latest "Chickens in the News" story takes us to Arkansas (a hotbed of chicken-themed crime, we assume), and we count down our Top 4 1/2 favorite goofy old commercials. So how many licks does it take to get to the center of this podcast? Please keep the answer, and your suspiciously moist iPod, to yourself.
A super-short episode, because we're sleepy! This week: Thanks to her trusty expired sunblock, Kornflake is now a healthy Kool-Aid Man shade of red; Kevin's trip to North Carolina and Kornflake's trip to Maine both involve weird ducks; and we sneak in a little Spider-Man movie talk too. Warning: The show ends with some genuine Morgan Freeman narration, as if a bunch of penguins were breaking out of Shawshank.
Kevin and Kornflake exchange weird summer job stories -- Kornflake worked at a mysterious warehouse which may or may not have contained little suits for turkeys, while Kevin drew edible Legos on TV; our latest Chicken in the News resides in a town all too familiar to us; and we count down our Top 4 1/2 favorite mustaches. (Yikes, Magnum PI didn't even make the list! You know where to send your complaints.)
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate Independence Day by avoiding fireworks and people (especially people); the San Diego Comic-Con is discussed (but not in detail, since we didn't go -- remember, we're avoiding people); it's almost time for Kornflake's beach vacation, during which a 102-year-old woman must do her bidding; and there is much silly TV talk, including a look back at the greatest TV crossover ever. (Uh, that'd be when Boss Hogg visited Mel's Diner. We're a little disappointed that you had to ask.)
Kevin and Kornflake celebrate the Flopcast's 10th episode, and (perhaps wrongly) assume this is now the longest-running podcast ever; Kornflake's vacation plans keep getting weirder; despite being total nerds, we look at the world of sports for our latest "Chickens in the News" segment; and we count down the Top 4 1/2 funny songs of the last ten years. If there is a lesson to be learned from today's show, it's that you probably shouldn't set trampolines on fire. (The more you know...)
For reasons we do not completely understand, Kornflake is wearing a roll of caution tape; we discuss angry crane operators and Muppet Theory; and the Mayor of Chickentown joins us to talk about summer movies, some of which apparently do not star Kevin Bacon. Which is sort of a big problem.
We're back in the basement, still hiding from the crazy heat wave. This week Kevin can't remember all the Ramones drummers; Kornflake has one more Rock and Roll Hall of Fame suggestion; a 'Chickens in the News' segment takes us to the mean streets of Black Jack, Missouri; on Kornflake's new dating show, your dog chooses your date; and because the people demanded it, we count down the Top 4 1/2 cartoon robots.
Desperate to escape the miserable heat, Kevin & Kornflake record the Flopcast from a secret subterranean bunker! Kornflake's commute involves sprinklers and weird abandoned phone booths; we offer a correction about Sir Todd Bridges; despite the advice of medical professionals, Kevin won't shut up about goofy old sitcoms; and we review this year's Logan Awards for comedy music (and whine about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame). But worry not; through it all, we somehow never stop making fun of Richard Marx.
Connecticut is a hotbed of chicken-themed crime, cucumber lemonade is a bad idea, Kevin and Kornflake declare war on Venus, our new Flopcast business cards create the illusion of professionalism, and we present a Top 4 1/2 List of Pleasant Surprises (only some of which involve black coffee and turkeys). And as usual, somewhere in there, we tell a big fat lie about Todd Bridges.
The Flopcast welcomes its first special guest, as the Mayor of Chickentown joins Kevin and Kornflake for a round of "What's in the Bag?" We also compare goofy prom stories, and debate whether dogs or rubber chickens make better pets. Strap yourselves in, kids; today's show flies by faster than Bulletman the Human Bullet.
Kornflake's dog joins meetup.com, Kevin is frightened by "Laughter Yoga," Bonnie Tyler leads the Bully Parade, karaoke is usually a big mistake, and we present a Top 4 1/2 List that's way stupider than the last one.
Mr. Bubble meets Mr. Mister, we acknowledge past mistakes, Kornflake has a Prank War update, Kevin infiltrates the Nerdist podcast, skunks love Kenny Loggins, we love Weird Al... and the episode ends with a murder! Somebody call Quincy -- this podcast needs a tiny chalk outline.
Kornflake's ridiculous new super-hero identity is revealed, Kevin visits the Boston Comic Con (featuring Mad Magazine artists, and Boston's own version of Mr. T), we sing the praises of a couple of nerd-friendly local bands, and we count down the Top 4 1/2 Supporting Characters in 1980s Cartoons. Hard to believe we get paid the big bucks to do this...
It's our first official episode! Kevin and Kornflake are strangely fascinated by their coffee mugs, Kornflake attends an Australia-themed wedding (but not really), the Prank Wars begin, Kevin goes to MarsCon and plays Boob Tree, we recall weird candy from the 80s, and the contents of a Mystery Bag are revealed. It's just another day in Chickentown.
It's the Flopcast secret sneak preview episode! Don't tell anyone! Kevin & Kornflake ramble for a few minutes about novelty license plates from Honey Combs cereal boxes, the cultural phenomenon that is The Fall Guy, and not having any friends. (Hey, if that's all you talked about, how many friends would YOU have?) You're welcome, Internet! Time for a beverage!