Sun, 13 December 2020
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. And our regular links... Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 6 December 2020
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. And our regular links... Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 29 November 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 22 November 2020
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. The Flopcast on Facebook! Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 15 November 2020
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.) Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 8 November 2020
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! And our regular links... Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 1 November 2020
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 And our regular links... Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 25 October 2020
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. Earth Station One Podcast with Victoria Price! Strange Animals Podcast: The Dover Demon! DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track: Serial Killers vs. Cereal Mascots! And our regular links... Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 18 October 2020
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! And our regular links... Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 11 October 2020
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! And our regular links... Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 4 October 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 27 September 2020
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! Richie Rich Meets 2 Smart Robots! American Sci-Fi Classics Track's Hostess Fruit Pie Theater! And our regular links... Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 20 September 2020
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! Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 13 September 2020
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... Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 6 September 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation! |
Sun, 30 August 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 23 August 2020
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.) |
Sun, 16 August 2020
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. Jessica Mercy's symphonic metal band, Anaria! Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 9 August 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation! Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon episode 126, with the Mayor of Chickentown! |
Sun, 2 August 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 26 July 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation! |
Sun, 19 July 2020
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. 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: 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! |
Sun, 12 July 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 5 July 2020
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). Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 28 June 2020
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. 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: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy!
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Sun, 21 June 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 14 June 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts |
Sun, 7 June 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts Email: info@flopcast.net Geeks Without God Episode 413 - In Memory of George Floyd Dropkick Murphys at Fenway Park |
Sun, 31 May 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Our music is by The Sponge Awareness Foundation! Kevin on Earth Station One for comic book trivia! |
Sun, 24 May 2020
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. Please rate and review The Flopcast on Apple Podcasts! Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 17 May 2020
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. |
Sun, 10 May 2020
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. Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 3 May 2020
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 And our regular Flopcast links... Email: info@flopcast.net |
Sun, 26 April 2020
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. |
Sun, 19 April 2020
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. |
Sun, 12 April 2020
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. |
Sun, 5 April 2020
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. |
Sun, 29 March 2020
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.) |
Sun, 22 March 2020
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. |
Sun, 15 March 2020
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. |
Sun, 8 March 2020
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. |
Sun, 1 March 2020
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. |
Sun, 23 February 2020
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. |
Sun, 16 February 2020
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. |
Sun, 9 February 2020
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. |
Sun, 2 February 2020
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. |
Sun, 26 January 2020
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. |
Sun, 19 January 2020
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. |
Sun, 12 January 2020
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. |
Sun, 5 January 2020
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. |
Sun, 29 December 2019
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. |
Sun, 22 December 2019
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. |
Sun, 15 December 2019
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. |
Sun, 8 December 2019
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. |
Sun, 1 December 2019
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.) |
Sun, 24 November 2019
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. |
Sun, 17 November 2019
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. |
Sun, 10 November 2019
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. |
Sun, 3 November 2019
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. |
Sun, 27 October 2019
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. |
Sun, 20 October 2019
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. |
Sun, 13 October 2019
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... |
Sun, 6 October 2019
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. |
Sun, 29 September 2019
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. |
Sun, 22 September 2019
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? |
Sun, 15 September 2019
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.) |
Sun, 8 September 2019
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. |
Sun, 1 September 2019
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. |
Sun, 25 August 2019
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. |
Sun, 18 August 2019
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. |
Sun, 11 August 2019
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. |
Sun, 4 August 2019
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. |
Sun, 28 July 2019
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. |
Sun, 21 July 2019
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. |
Sun, 14 July 2019
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. |
Sun, 7 July 2019
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. |
Sun, 30 June 2019
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... |
Sun, 23 June 2019
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... |
Sun, 16 June 2019
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.) |
Sun, 9 June 2019
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.) |
Sun, 2 June 2019
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... |
Sun, 26 May 2019
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. |
Sun, 19 May 2019
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. |
Sun, 12 May 2019
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. |
Sun, 5 May 2019
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. |
Sun, 28 April 2019
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. |
Sun, 21 April 2019
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. |
Sun, 14 April 2019
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. |
Sun, 7 April 2019
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. |
Sun, 31 March 2019
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. |
Sun, 24 March 2019
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. |
Sun, 17 March 2019
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. |
Sun, 10 March 2019
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. |
Sun, 3 March 2019
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. |
Sun, 24 February 2019
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. |
Sun, 17 February 2019
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. |
Sun, 10 February 2019
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. |
Sun, 3 February 2019
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. |
Sun, 27 January 2019
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. |
Sun, 20 January 2019
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.) |
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