Sunday, July 23, 2017

Flopcast 272: Happy Shark Week, Sally

We're gonna need a bigger podcast, because we're celebrating Shark Week with a ridiculous shark-themed Top 4 ½ List! We have shark cartoons, shark TV shows, shark songs, shark candy, and perhaps even a real live shark. We also look at episode 6 of High Feather, in which our goofy summer campers get lost in the woods, end up at a scary farm, and meet a bunch of cows and chickens (but alas, no sharks). So has the Flopcast finally jumped the shark? If next week's show is hosted by Ted McGinley, you'll have your answer.

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Flopcast 271: CONvergence 2017 - Smuckering the Bed

We're back from Minnesota with a full report on CONvergence, an annual gathering of awesome crazy people who are really into convention badge ribbons. (We may have given out more Flopcast ribbons this year than ever before! It's the boldest fashion accessory of the season.) Our report features: Convention panels (on podcasting, Flash Gordon, Jack Kirby, Legends of Tomorrow, and the Star Wars Holiday Special), performances (from Beth Kinderman and the Player Characters, Karl Brown, Joseph Scrimshaw, and the Nerdlesque dancers), birds and snakes (from the Raptor Center and the Herpetological Society), life on Mars (hello, Robolar), an amazing Bea Arthur costume, and a field trip to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden to visit a giant blue chicken. Meanwhile, Kornflake survived a dark and stormy night at Fenway Park, where she partied like it's 1991 with Paula Abdul, Boyz II Men, and her beloved New Kids on the Block. Also: We reach the halfway point in our High Feather series review with episode 5, featuring more summer camp ceramic mug-making action than you can possibly handle. And it's World Emoji Day. But instead of sending little smiley faces to your stupid friends, just send a turxt.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Flopcast 270: Battle of the Network Skinks

Our excruciating all-summer-long review of High Feather continues! In episode 4, the kids publish the camp newspaper (using incredible technology like mimeograph machines and typewriters), and we learn a goofy apple-picking song too. (How did this show not sweep the Emmy Awards?) It's also National Gummy Worm Day, which makes us ponder the existence of gummy skinks (because creepy lizards just make everything better). And we review the list of celebrity contestants on the new Battle of the Network Stars, a revival of the classic (and ridiculous) Howard Cosell-hosted show from the 70s and 80s. The new show promises to be ridiculous too, but the players include Greg Brady, Danny Partridge, Daisy Duke, the Incredible Hulk, Isaac the Bartender, Electra Woman, and a couple of Facts of Life girls. So yeah, they have our attention, even if this is seriously cutting into our High Feather time. Next week: We'll be back from CONvergence! Hopefully!

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Flopcast 269: Where's Tito?

Kornflake tells us about Boom Box Parade Day (probably the biggest American holiday celebrated on July 4th), so stock up on D batteries and take to the streets. Meanwhile, Kevin and Kornflake's recent activities include a trip to Vermont (featuring frogs, whistlepigs, and cheap CDs), a trip to New Hampshire (featuring wine, painting, and the music of Eddie Rabbitt), and live shows from Joan Osborne, Rifftrax, and The Great Molasses Flood. Then it's time to review High Feather episode 3, in which we learn that you can eat all the Hostess Cupcakes you want, as long as you're the Six Million Dollar Man. (These High Feather health tips just keep getting weirder.) Also: You can find Kevin on a couple of other podcasts this week: The Batcave Podcast (for a tribute to Adam West) and Earth Station One (for an ESO book club discussion of Watchmen). Now we're off to Minnesota, and we're bringing turkey ribbons. See you at CONvergence.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Flopcast 268: Space Grime

Meteor Day is this week, and it's a painful reminder that we can never remember which ones are meteors, which are meteorites, and which are meteoroids. (There must be a better way. Let's just call them all meat-balls.) Meanwhile our summer-long review of High Feather (a forgotten TV series about summer camp) continues with a look at episode 2, featuring ceramic snakes, pickleball, Cookie Crisp, a carrot cake song, and a disturbing ritual known as "Frenching the bed." We also look ahead at one of our favorite conventions: CONvergence is July 6-9 in Bloomington, Minnesota! Kevin will be appearing on several panels there, on subjects including comic books, podcasting, the Flash Gordon movie, and yes, the Star Wars Holiday Special. (We're celebrating Life Day in July this year. Deal with it.) And in our "What's in the Bag?" segment, we reveal the fabulous prizes we'll be handing out at CONvergence, FlopFest, and beyond. (Here's a hint: They're sort of stupid.)

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Flopcast 267: Delicious and Miserable

Flopcast listeners follow up on last week's turtle list with some favorite turtles of their own (yikes, we missed some good ones); Kornflake attends a Jim's Big Ego house concert along with her close personal friend Mr. Peanut; we loved the new Wonder Woman movie, even though the invisible plane was missing (or was it?); and it's Hike With a Geek Day, but we're encouraging geeks everywhere to stay inside and watch High Feather. Yes, we're starting our summer-long review of High Feather, an obscure 1980 educational TV series about kids at summer camp. You probably missed it, but this is your big chance, because the Mayor of Chickentown has set up a High Feather playlist on our new Flopcast YouTube channel! Now you have no need to leave the house all summer long. You're welcome.

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Flopcast 266: Turtle Power All the Way Down

It's mostly turtle talk this week, kids — join us for a Top 4 ½ List of our favorite turtles! The list includes a ninja turtle or two, of course, as well as some slightly lesser known turtles from animation, comic books, music, movies, literature, and perhaps even the real world. (Oh, they're out there. And they're coming right at you. Very slowly.) Also: Since we've hit another episode number that ends in 66, we must again recommend the movie Life on the V: The Story of V66! (For 80s music nerds like us, this is required viewing.) Plus: It's National Eat Your Vegetables Day, which somehow inspired us to start a High Feather viewing club! Watch High Feather episode 1 this week, and we'll discuss it next week. (If you don't remember High Feather, that's okay. No one remembers High Feather. Watch it anyway.) Meanwhile, if we missed your favorite turtle, let us know! Or just tell a turtle; it will get the message to us. Very slowly.

Sunday, June 4, 2017

Flopcast 265: Chickens of the Galaxy

It's a mostly music-themed little show this week, with quick concert reports on Ben Folds (with the Boston Pops), Petty Morals, Go Betty Go, and The Dollyrots. We also recommend the new album from comedy band Power Salad, fail to attend an a capella festival (which is probably for the best), and create the perfect soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy 3 (you're welcome, Hollywood). Plus: In honor of Toy Industry Association Day, we recall our favorite toy stores of the past. (If anyone wants to time travel back to 1977 and pick up some Mego Teen Titans dolls at Child World, we'll gladly pay retail. Don't forget Aqualad.)