Sunday, March 26, 2023

Flopcast 568: I've Been a Dirty Dog

As suggested/threatened last week, we're doing a Top 4 ½ List of 1980s dogs. (Kornflake is obsessed with dogs, Kevin is obsessed with the 80s... this had to happen.) Including: Several cartoon dogs, a Muppet dog, a WWF wrestling dog, a rock star dog, a certain beer-chugging dog who did NOT know when to say when, and much more. Yes, we've gone to the dogs, but for our show, that's probably an upgrade. Also: Happy Birthday to Footloose/Lost Boys mom Dianne Wiest, an update on KangaROOS, and Kornflake's Pinky and the Brain mystery socks.

Sunday, March 19, 2023

Flopcast 567: I Know Where You Stuff Things

It's about time for another Dynamite magazine review, but to mix things up, we're looking at a different (but eerily similar) magazine called Winner. A single issue of Winner was sold through school book clubs in 1982, and it's essentially a sports-themed version of Dynamite. Our discussion includes: John McEnroe's hair; Chris Evert on SNL; KangaROOS, the sneakers with pockets; how Kevin learned to juggle Spam; Larry Bird vs Dr. J vs Mike Brady; an ice skating lesson from Linda Fratianne; the longest baseball game in history (yes, it happened in Rhode Island); a wedding on rollerskates; the shockingly high cost of a keyboard for your Intellivision; and why sad kids have the best posters. Also: It's National Puppy Day, so you might as well send all your dogs to go live with Kornflake.

Sunday, March 12, 2023

Flopcast 566: You Know I Love Falco

It's another Flopcast tribute to V66, Boston's music video TV channel of the mid-80s! (We do this every one hundred episodes. It's all we have.) This time we thought we'd look at Billboard's Top 66 songs of 1986, an amazing list of absolutely classic 80s pop. (Flopcast favorite Billy Ocean made the list twice, and no, that's not nearly enough Billy Ocean.) And Kornflake has even pared the Top 66 list down to her own weird Top 4 ½ List, including freestyle stars The Jets and Lisa Lisa, a Rocky sequel song from Survivor (but not that one), one hit wonder Sly Fox (remember them?), and more. (And do Kevin and Kornflake agree on the list's worst song, which somehow landed way up at number 12? Oh yes.) For more V66 fun, as always we recommend the wonderful documentary Life on the V. Also: Happy Birthday to Michael Caine, who coincidentally starred in approximately every 80s movie.

Sunday, March 5, 2023

Flopcast 565: Books in Space

The Flopcast Book Club is finally back in session, and we're discussing Bill Mumy's new memoir Danger, Will Robinson: The Full Mumy. Best known for Lost in Space and The Twilight Zone, Bill was one of the busiest child actors of the 1960s, and has stayed busy with television, film, and music projects ever since. We cover Bill's Disney movies co-starring seals and raccoons; his experiences on The Munsters and Bewitched; his adventures with Shaun Cassidy, Rick Springfield, and "Weird Al" Yankovic; his comic book band Seduction of the Innocent; his new supergroup Action Skulls; and most importantly, his Pez collection. And don't forget Bill's other band Barnes & Barnes, whose classic novelty song "Fish Heads" somehow led to a year's supply of iced coffee for Kornflake. (RIP Robert Haimer, the other half of Barnes & Barnes, and thanks for the decades of weird music. Yeah.) So stay out of the cornfield and check out the book. We recommend reading it while a big goofy robot screams at you.

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Flopcast 564: Rock Down to Yogurt Avenue

It's a rather random 1980s-themed show, as a coin toss leads to our celebrating the birthday of 80s one hit (or maybe two hit) wonder Eddy Grant. Then we flip to a random page in our Ranking the 80s book and discuss a song about (possibly inappropriate) touching. (Yes, we know we just described every song.) Finally we break out a book that just arrived here at the studio: Single Season Sitcoms of the 1980s: A Complete Guide! And we land on a 1989 sitcom that only lasted four episodes, but Kornflake watched them all, even though the show was horrible. These days we're watching Australian spelling bees and Diff'rent Strokes reruns. Our entertainment options have improved, but our taste has not.

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Flopcast 563: The Weird Al Game Part 2 - Lobby Waffle King

After a quick break for a couple of less weird episodes, it's time to wrap up The Weird Al Game, in which Kevin and Kornflake try to guess each other's favorite "Weird Al" Yankovic songs. (Hey, who comes up with better games than us? Please don't answer that.) This time we're covering Al's records from 1993 through 2014, so get ready for a cavalcade of giant TVs, phony calls, word crimes, Canadian idiots, and wonder hamsters. Feel free to play along and let us know your favorites! In the end, a winner shall be declared. But Don Pardo would probably say we're all complete losers.

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Flopcast 562: The Scarves Hide the Years

Kornflake has the week off, but we have a special guest in Chickentown to fill in: It's our big podcasting bossman, ESO Network Director Mike Faber! And we're talking music again. Mike has been to more concerts than Kevin and Kornflake combined, and has prepared a Top 4 ½ List of his favorite concerts ever! Some of Mike's picks, while impressive, will not shock you. (REM in 1983! Springsteen in 1984!) However (here comes the clickbait), you'll never guess some of the others. (Mike was at Woodstock, and that did not make the list! Country Joe and the Fish are most displeased.) Along the way, our discussion also includes The Cars, ELO, They Might Be Giants, Lenny Kravitz, Dr. Demento, Johnny Hates Jazz, and much more. Enjoy! (Hey, the podcast is free, but to simulate the concert experience, maybe we should attach some unreasonable Ticketmaster-style service fees...)

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Flopcast 561: Did Somebody Say Xenon?

We're taking a break from our Weird Al game, because it's time to review this year's list of nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Kate Bush is back on the list, perhaps due to her Stranger Things-fueled resurgence. A couple of Kornflake's favorites are newly eligible nominees: Missy Elliott and the White Stripes. Since Dolly kicked in the door last year, another country legend is in the running this year: Willie Nelson. And a couple of our 80s pop heroes, Cyndi Lauper and George Michael, have finally been nominated. We break it all down for you, despite being furious about the continued snubbing of Right Said Fred. Also, for you science nerds: Kornflake has a trivia question about the periodic table of elements, and is searching the night sky for a mysterious green comet. We assume it was sent from the planet Oa by the Guardians of the Universe.

Sunday, January 29, 2023

Flopcast 560: The Weird Al Game Part 1 - No Mercy

We've had "Weird Al" Yankovic on our minds lately, probably because Kevin just participated in an American Sci-Fi Classics panel all about Al. (Check it out! We have a YouTube link just for you.) So we just invented The Weird Al Game, in which Kevin and Kornflake try to guess each other's favorite Weird Al songs. This week we're covering Al's first seven albums. Does Kornflake want a new duck? Will Kevin visit the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota? Join us as we dare to be stupid. (Admittedly, that's business as usual around here...) Also: Kornflake is celebrating Ice Cream For Breakfast Day, because apparently she loves rocky road.

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Flopcast 559: Arisia 2023 - Let Them Eat Ants

We are back from Arisia, Boston's annual convention of science fiction, fantasy, and general geekery. So here's our full report, including Kevin's comic book panels (on comic book memoirs and the history of Image Comics), the Mayor of Chickentown's Age and Fandom panel, and our pal Kevin Cafferty's Year in TV and Year in Star Wars panels! Also: The Post Meridian Radio Players with another fine genderswap Star Trek show! (We are big fans of Captain Jane T. Kirk.) The Geeky Belly Dance Show! The Masquerade! Our favorite costumes! (Our favorite costumes involved lobsters and anteaters, of course.) And Kevin runs around Boston like a maniac, finds the new MLK "Embrace" sculpture, and helps out the tourists at Cheers. Plus: Stargirl talk on Earth Station One, and National Whatever Day, because nothing is going to break Kornflake's stride.

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Flopcast 558: Stay Put, Mr. Chicken Man

This weekend we are at Arisia, one of our favorite local fantasy and science fiction conventions. If you drop everything and run screaming towards Boston RIGHT NOW, you may be able to catch Kevin moderating a panel about Image Comics. (Bring your mint condition CGC-slabbed Walking Dead #1. We'll sign it and ruin it.) And yes, we have goofy badge ribbons for you. Watch for our full report on Arisia next week. But meanwhile this week: A "Chickens in the News" story about man vs. chicken vs. garage, devil tales (and Drake's Devil Dogs) on the Earth Station One podcast, and Happy Birthday to Ronnie Milsap, who made some early 80s country pop songs that we actually liked.

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Flopcast 557: Memorial Show Part 2 - Remember My Name

Let's wrap up our annual two-part memorial show, because we just can't take it anymore. This week's list includes: a couple of animation legends (Jules Bass and Paul Coker Jr.), a couple more 80s comedy stars (Judy Tenuta and Gallagher), beloved television actors (Nichelle Nichols and Tony Dow), beloved singers (Olivia Newton John and Irene Cara), another Goodfellas star, another Sesame Street star, another Gorgeous Lady of Wrestling, the voice of Batman, the creator of The Monkees, the evil guy from TRON, a Pointer sister, and many more. As usual, we recommend that you have a strong beverage standing by. Just be sure to cover it when the watermelons start flying.

Sunday, January 1, 2023

Flopcast 556: Memorial Show Part 1 - No Time-Traveling Dead People

Our annual two-part memorial show begins here, as we recall the pop culture legends we lost in the first half of 2022. Including: actors (Sidney Poitier, Sally Kellerman, William Hurt, Ray Liotta), musicians (Ronnie Spector, Meat Loaf, Vangelis), comedians (Bob Saget, Louie Anderson, Gilbert Gottfried), artists (Neal Adams, George Pérez), a Gorgeous Lady of Wrestling, the moms from Seinfeld, the guy who made "Convoy," and many more. So join us, and bring a beverage. (Maybe garnish it with an orange slice. For Gilbert.)