Place to Be Nation POP Experience

On the inaugural episode of Piece of the Action, host Matt Souza welcomes guest Jennifer Smith to watch the 1999 classic The Matrix. Listen as Matt and Jenny talk about Keanu Reeves, the color green, jacking in, red pills, blue pills, soul patches, Morpheus monologues, and so much more on the debut edition of Piece of the Action! 

In the twenty-third episode of Laugh-In Theater, host Andy Atherton is joined by Peter Winson (Greetings From Allentown) to do a live watch of the 1985 action-adventure comedy, The Goonies. The guys discuss the best fonts; Canadian tuxedos; Oregon Foreclosure Law; units of measurement; poor counterfeiting; booby traps; Mama Fratelli’s motherly love; ice cream flavors; The Spielberg-verse; Jake Fratelli’s hazard pay; Andy’s best of seven series with the bone piano; water slide rules; the best places to hide jewels on your person & International Maritime Salvage Laws.  So remember, Goonies never say die!
 

This week on It Was A Thing on TV, Mike, Chico and Greg are going to the ...... high court.
 
First, we present you with submission #420.  The High Court with Doug Benson was like any other court show with a marijuana twist.  Blink and you missed it because it went up in smoke fast.
 
Next, we return to our ongoing series on unsold pilots. Infiltrator is a sci-fi show not unlike previous installment Automan.  A pre-Quantum Leap Scott Bakula is merged with a probe to become Infiltrator. Oh boy.
 
Finally, we look at the NBC entry from 1990, Where's Rodney?, where Rodney Dangerfield plays a confused teenager's confidant.  You can see this pilot with commercials at https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6kk335.
 
Remember to follow us on Instagram and Twitter over @ItWasAThingOnTV. If you would like to contact us for future show suggestions e-mail us over at contact@itwasathingontv.com

In part 1 of this special 5-part Pop Goes the Classics series, Scott Criscuolo begins discussing the legacy that is the James Bond Franchise. Along with a guest making his Place to Be Nation debut, they discuss the beginnings of the franchise, from Ian Fleming & the books to the creation of a movie franchise and the first (and some say best) actor to play the role. So sit back, have a martini and enjoy the first chapter of a journey with MI6's top agent...Bond....James Bond!
Follow Scott on Twitter: @ptbpodfather

In a "special isolation edition" episode of Laugh-In Theater, host Andy Atherton is joined by Shawn Kidd & Logan Crosland to do a live watch of the 2005 comedy, Just Friends. The guys discuss friend zones; high school pricks; rough breakups; crazy pop singers; the crime of putting fish in the microwave;  bad timing for relationships; The Subway Diet; awkward hugs; atomic wedgies; hot dental hygienists; cat fights; blowing your shot & Jersey players. So remember, forgiveness is more than saying sorry.

In the twenty-second episode of Laugh-In Theater, host Andy Atherton is joined by J. Arsenio D'Amato (Extreme Three Way Dance) to do a live watch of the 1978 comedy, National Lampoon’s Animal House. The guys discuss peeing outside; playing music on your throat; college pranks; cool professors; Twisted Sister; getting high for the first time; nasty bowling shoes; food fights; Shout!; unhooking bras; Points Of Parliamentary Procedure; road trips; low G.P.As, losing your marbles, flat bacon & John Belushi’s eyebrows.  So, repeat after me, “I…state your name.”

Animated TV Sidekicks, Living Puppets and Wrestling Police Officers! Oh My!
 
On this week's triad of episode on "It Was A Thing on TV" the gang tackles a variety of subjects.
 
First, what happens when you mix Alex Trebek and a crudely animated sidekick?  You get the unaired pilot Malcolm, a show done for NBC in 1983. 
 
Second, we look at a world where puppets and humans coexist on Greg the Bunny. We take a look at this weird short lived FOX TV show from around 2002.
 
Finally, combine wrestling with a cop show and what do you get?  You get a show which almost made ABC's lineup in the early 90s, Tag Team.  You can watch the episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Gf3gXvZ-k and follow along with this installment.  We even included commentary about the commercials.
 
Remember to follow us on Twitter and Instagram over @ItWasAThingOnTV and contact us via e-mail for any topic suggestions and feedback over at contact@itwasathingontv.com

On the third installment of the Pop Goes The Classics series looking at the Disney animated features, Andy Atherton & Mirandia Berthold look at 1940’s Fantasia. They discuss the many aspects of the film including the different animation styles; the pluses and minuses of each of the seven parts; how the animators visualize the music; the characters that are clear inspirations for later movies; the legacy of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice; the adult themes of some of the pieces; the scenes a bit too scary for younger kids and whether or not it holds up today.

In a "special isolation edition" episode of Laugh-In Theater, host Andy Atherton is joined by Shawn Kidd to do a live watch of the 1984 comedy, Police Academy. The guys discuss the talents of Larvel Jones; Punky Brewster’s dad; Gutenberg; Swagger Sticks; the ne’er-do-wells of 80’s comedies; Tackleberry; stripping by the campfire; fake accents; podiums; doing the "walk of shame”; the problem solver Mahoney & old TVs . So, if we make you sick, it’s okay. We make everyone sick.
 

In the twenty-first episode of Laugh-In Theater, host Andy Atherton is joined by Ray Carsillo (Geeks Who Like Sports) to do a live watch of the 1988 comedy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The guys discuss sexy cartoon characters; quality mime work; Bob Hoskins incredible performance; toon logic; extreme method acting; the scenes too traumatic for little kids; horrible L.A. drivers; audio animatronic stand-ins; traffic in Los Angeles & laughing to death.  So, remember to take your hand out of the cuff only when it’s funny, make sure you shake the weasels and is that a rabbit in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

Break out your 28.8K Modems because Mike, Chico and Greg have a new trio of subjects to tackle with on It Was A Thing on TV.
 
(Please note, the first subject was originally an April Fools Day joke.  98% of what you hear in that episode is fake.)
First, while "searching" for material on a previous episode, we "stumbled" upon information about a very brief BBC comedy from 1980 capitalizing off of the popularity of Doctor Who and The $1.98 Beauty Show.  Combine the two and you get a series in which nothing outside of blurbs of the episodes exists, Rip Taylor in Time.
Next, Pricing games on The Price is Right can be hit or miss.  You can have winners like Plinko, Rat Race, and Master Key.  You can also have misses like the dozen games we will cover in this installment.
Finally, Remember 1997, when the Internet was exciting, new, and informational?  We do, as do the Jamison family.  The Jamison kids share all the cool things you can do on the VHS cassette Kids Guide to the Internet.
Remember to email us at contact@itwasathingontv.com and follow us on Instagram and Twitter over @ItWasAThingOnTV.

In the latest episode of The Great Debate, host Andy Atherton is joined by Scott Criscuolo, Shawn Kidd & Lee Elias. The gang discusses and debates a variety of sports topics including: when and how the four major sports leagues will come back after the Coronavirus Pandemic; what some of their favorite “other” sports are to watch on TV; what the upcoming NFL season will be like after a wild offseason; some their favorite performances by athletes in TV and movies & what are their favorite parts about going to live sporting events . As well as pop culture topics such as: which actor has been the best on-screen Spider-Man; Ryan Reynolds vs. Chris Hemsworth; music artists they’ve tried to get into but can’t; TV series they like to binge whether it be for the first time or a rewatch; older movies that should be re-made or updated, which classics are untouchable & what are some of their dream collectibles. And as always, the show closes with a fun rapid fire round that runs the gamut.

This Week's Triad of Episodes of It Was A Thing on TV is gonna have your oowing and aahing BROTHER!
 
First, The Dana Carvey Show had future superstars among its supporting cast and a who's who of comedy writers but why did it fail so quickly, besides the absurd show airing immediately after a very special episode of Home Improvement?  We look at why this show was truly too funny to fail. 
 
Next, We look at ads Hulk Hogan has done over the years, from the conventional to the bizarre. Just remember to eat your Hulkroos at Pastamanaia before listening BROTHER!
 
Finally, Comedy Central's TV Funhouse was from some of the minds associated with The Dana Carvey Show. It looked like a kid's show, but it was definitely not for the kids.
 
Remember to email us at contact@itwasathingontv.com and follow us on Instagram and Twitter over @ItWasAThingOnTV

In the twentieth episode of Laugh-In Theater, host Andy Atherton is joined by Jordan Duncan (Body Press Your Luck) to do a live watch of the 1985 comedy, Tommy Boy. The guys discuss Cedar Point amusement park; rugby; father/son relationships; Bo Derek; cow tipping; physical comedy; road trips through the Midwest; singing along to the radio in the car; skinny dipping in motel pools after hours; guarantees on boxes; fat guys in little coats; theme restaurants; Chicago accents & bee stings.  So, remember brothers don’t shake, brothers gotta hug!
 

In a "special isolation edition" episode of Laugh-In Theater, host Andy Atherton is joined by Mirandia Berthold & Ben Locke to do a live watch of the 1991 comedy, The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell Of Fear. The gang discuss lobster meat; botox; fake bush; talking body parts; legendary moustaches; bad German accents; old cops & fake confessions. So, remember the truth hurts, but not as much as landing on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts!