The Flopcast

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_222.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:18am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_221.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:45am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_220.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:35am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_219.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:48am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_218.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:52am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_217.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_216.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:53am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_215.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:35am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_214.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:23am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_213_mp3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:26am EDT