Place to Be Nation POP Experience

On a special Christmas episode of Laugh-In Theater, Andy Atherton is joined by Tim Slomka & Shawn Kidd to do a live watch of the 1989 comedy, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. The guys discuss wood-panel station wagons; The Smell Club; relating to Clark Griswold; Christmas decorating methods; putting up Christmas lights; 80’s workout wear; mixed nuts; eggnog; beaver teeth; Christmas Eve traditions & eating squirrel. So remember, it’s Christmas and we’re all in misery.

This week It Was a Thing on TV gives you two very different shows that both have the same initials!
 
First, who knew racism could be so funny...?!  Carter Country somehow ran two seasons, despite a character who was an out-and-out racist.  Only one of us three could make it through an entire episode, and for good reason.  File this one under "doesn't age well."
 
Then, the last NBC daytime game show from 1993-94 was a good one, a true challenge.  Caesar's Challenge had Ahmad Rashad, gladiators, and a rotating cage of letters.  Also in this episode, the guys rattle off the name of everyone in Arizona in 1993 they can think of.
 
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CAESAR SAYS STOP!

Continuing on the latest series of Pop Goes The Couch, Andy Atherton, Scott Shifflett, Shawn Kidd & Tim Capel get together to review The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 6 “The Tragedy” in a spoiler-filled show. They discuss all of the major plot points and give their thoughts on where they may effect the overall story of the series.
Please don’t listen until after you’ve watched the episode.

On this very special episode of Piece of the Action, Matt welcomes Scott Shifflett, Ben Locke, and Shawn Kidd to the show for a live watch of the 1985 classic Rocky IV! Listen to Matt and the crew talk about Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Brigitte Nielson, boxing, a killer soundtrack, Russia, Adrian being annoying, Rocky Jr. being annoying, robots, James Brown, montages and so much more! Do you have the Eye of the Tiger? If you do, then join us for another episode of Piece of the Action!

On the ninth installment of the Pop Goes The Classics series looking at the Disney animated features, Mirandia Berthold, Steve Riddle & Andy Atherton look at 1951’s Alice In Wonderland. They discuss the many aspects of the films including: the film’s psychedelic feel; the zany cast of characters that inhabit Wonderland; Alice’s many changes in height; what they think was really in the tea at the Mad Tea Party; the craziness of the Queen of Hearts & the ridiculous trial at the end.
 

Yeah, Thanksgiving maybe over but here at It Was a Thing on TV we're going to provide you with all the leftovers.
 
First, Rankin-Bass' first holiday cartoon was this highly fictitious take on the traditional and now-highly outdated take on the first Thanksgiving, involving a mouse who saves everything with a printing press?!
 
Next, It's a tradition unlike any other here at It Was a Thing on TV.  Last year, we looked at the 1983 Thanksgiving Day parade.  This year, we jump to 1984, a time with Avril the Eccentric, creepy Cabbage Patch Kids, and a Fraggle with permanent sex face.
 
Finally, yes of course we're gonna talk about the 30th Anniversary of a WWE Icon ...... The Gobbledy Gooker! Listen as The Gobbledy Gooker and Mean Gene Okerlund try to excite a bored crowd in Hartford by dancing to Turkey in the Straw.
 
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WHOA!

Continuing on the latest series of Pop Goes The Couch, Andy Atherton, Scott Shifflett & Shawn Kidd get together to review The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 5 “The Jedi” in a spoiler-filled show. They discuss all of the major plot points and give their thoughts on where they may effect the overall story of the series.
Please don’t listen until after you’ve watched the episode.

In the sixth episode of Making Mt. Rushmore, panelists Shawn Kidd, Steve Bennett, Matt Souza & Ben Locke, discuss which Cover Songs deserve a place as on their respective lists. Is "A Little Help From My Friends" a no-brainer? What about "The Man Who Sold The World"? Will "I Will Always Love You" grab a spot? Does "You Really Got Me" deserve a place? After that, they discuss which Songs With Samples will be part of that grouping. Can you argue that "I’ll Be Missing You" shouldn’t get a spot? Will "Rapper’s Delight" be included? Is "Bitter Sweet Symphony" in the conversation? What about "U Can’t Touch This" & "Walk This Way"?

On the eighth installment of the Pop Goes The Classics series looking at the Disney animated features, Mirandia Berthold, Steve Riddle & Andy Atherton look at 1950’s Cinderella. They discuss the many aspects of the films including: Disney’s triumphant return to full-length features; Cinderella’s unbreakable spirit; the horrible quartet of Lady Tremaine, Drusilla, Anastaisa & Lucifer; the fun supporting characters, especially Gus; love at first sight & the many questions about the spell the Fairy Godmother casts.

This week on IWATOTV we talk about disco dancing and the takeout business scene in Philly.
 
First, it's another show from the late 70s which tried capitalizing on the disco craze.  Unfortunately, timing is everything.  Makin' It even had a Travolta, just not that one.  Also this installment, we return to full strength.
 
Then, we look at a special episode of Boy Meets World. A personal favorite of ours, what happens when you combine a Christmas episode with a naive teenager, then sprinkle in two of the goofiest mafiosos you'll ever meet?  You'll get a very special episode with one heck of a takeout business.
 
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Seriously folks the takeout business scene in Philly is almost as good as the deals you can get at Four Seasons Total Landscaping.

Continuing on the latest series of Pop Goes The Couch, Andy Atherton, Scott Shifflett & Shawn Kidd get together to review The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 4 “The Siege” in a spoiler-filled show. They discuss all of the major plot points and give their thoughts on where they may effect the overall story of the series.
Please don’t listen until after you’ve watched the episode.

On the last part of our 10 part series, Scott & Tek wrap up the original Star Trek Movie Universe with Nemesis! A Picard Clone? Really? And why dress up like waiters at a wedding? Sit back and listen as the guys break the movie down, and give their final rankings on which Star Trek film...is the best. So enjoy the last leg of the journey on Pop Goes the Classics!

On this special presentation of Pop Goes the Classics, Scott Criscuolo & Rob "Tek" Piontek recap the career of the Great Sean Connery. From his early years to James Bond to the up and down 70's to his renaissance in the 80's and beyond the guys discuss the high points of one of the greatest actors of all time. So get a martini, or a shotgun, or slide into a submarine and help pay tribute to the great Sean Connery on Pop Goes the Classics!

On the sixth episode of Blockbuster Rewind, co-hosts Eric Eells, Scott Shifflett, & Andy Atherton are joined by guest Matt Souza to discuss The Matrix Trilogy. They go through each of the films and talk about the dazzling special effects; the dystopian world the story takes place in; missed opportunities with some of the characters; lazy screenwriting; the disappointing decline of the movies not just in the box office, but creatively as well; whether or not they would take the red pill or the blue pill. As a bonus, they chat about the 1995 film, Johnny Mnemonic, a movie featuring a hacker dolphin (that’s not a misprint).

This week Greg and Chico bring you the Bayside gang, a weird creature who likes to party and ..... springs?!?!
 
First, ss chosen by our listeners on our Facebook page we present possibly the craziest subject on our podcast yet. Featured in the 10th season of Mystery Science Theater 3000, A Case of Spring Fever is a 1940 educational short subject about a man who has a problem with springs and wishes to never see another spring again. Don't say we didn't warn you about what happens next. NO SPRINGS! TEEHEEHEEHEEHEE!
 
Next, in honor of the upcoming reboot on Peacock, we look at the time the Bayside gang spent their summer vacation for a nice relaxing trip to Hawaii at Kelly's grandfather's hotel. Over the course of the trip they encounter Hawaiian natives, greedy hotel owners, shady lawyers and yes Mr. Belding. Also, Zack Morris being trash tries to hook up with a lady who works at the rival hotel. You won't believe what happens.
 
Finally, 1-900 numbers were a staple of television advertising back in the 1980's and 1990's. It seems you couldn't go one half-hour back in the day without seeing a commercial for a 1-900 number. Chico and Greg go through some of the best(?) of these ads for you in this episode.
 
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Two Dollars a Call.