The Flopcast

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.)

Direct download: Flopcast_199.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:03am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_198.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:08am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_197.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:44am EDT

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.)

Direct download: Flopcast_196.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:53am EDT

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