The Flopcast

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_212.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:54pm EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_211.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:03am EDT

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.)

Direct download: Flopcast_210.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:59am EDT

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...

Direct download: Flopcast_209.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:22pm EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_208.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_207.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:02am EDT

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.)

Direct download: Flopcast_206.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:01pm EDT

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.)

Direct download: Flopcast_205.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:05am EDT

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.

Direct download: Flopcast_204.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55am EDT

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?)

Direct download: Flopcast_203.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:32pm EDT