The Flopcast

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_313.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_312.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:08am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_311.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_310.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:46am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_309.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:43am EDT

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.)

Direct download: Flopcast_308.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:57pm EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_307.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:45am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_306.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:40am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_305.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:44pm EDT

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).

Direct download: Flopcast_304.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:17am EDT