Month: December 2020

LINKIN 4 HR

In the late 90s, a new genre of music rose from the ashes of grunge. Labeled nu-metal, it was different from anything anyone had heard – it had loud, aggressive guitars, funky/jazzy beats and samples, electronic backgrounds, and hip hop vocals that evoked similar angst to punk and grunge. To the chagrin of many metal purists, it was often lumped within their diverse genre – but we know the MTV-fueled fanbase went wider than that. And thus – the basis of our nostalgia as we close out a year that felt oddly reminiscent of that chaotic, “I don’t know what to call it” energy.

This week, I’m joined by Eric and his lifelong best friend Josh to discuss what we remember, love, and maybe are ready to forget about this controversial genre. So slip on that Adidas tracksuit and let’s get rollin’.

Music video referenced in the episode: Mudvayne, “Dig, 1997 (youtube.com/watch?v=YIqbdnaPcT8)

Sources

• 28 Nu Metal Era Bands You Probably Forgot All About, NME, September 2013 – https://www.nme.com/photos/28-nu-metal-era-bands-you-probably-forgot-all-about-1425509
• The 21 Greatest Nu-Metal Albums of All Time – Ranked, by Kerrang.com, June 2020
• https://www.kerrang.com/features/the-21-greatest-nu-metal-albums-of-all-time-definitively-ranked/

Arnold Schwarzenegger: to some he was governor, to many he was the Terminator, and to us he was Howard – 90s suburban workaholic dad chasing down the elusive Turbo Man action figure for his son on Christmas Eve.

This week, Eric, Sam (travel vlogger and veteran TTTH guest from the McDonald’s Happy Meal Toy episode!) and I take you ba

ck to 1996 when Jingle All the Way first hit theaters and Tickle-Me-Elmo was the real-life Christmas toy craze. So spike your eggnog and get cozy as Team Turbo Man saves the day with a much-deserved gift of 90s holiday season nostalgia (accessories sold separately, batteries not included).

Follow Sam at @simpsonthego on Instagram – and don’t forget to like and subscribe to her Youtube channel at youtube.com/simpsonthego!

Sources

Rita Wilson says ‘Jingle All the Way’ haunts her because her character was ‘just a little too stupid’”, Insider, December 2020: https://www.insider.com/rita-wilson-jingle-all-the-way-2020-12

19 Wild Behind-the-Scenes Christmas Movie Facts Most People Don’t Know, December 2020: https://www.buzzfeed.com/spenceralthouse/cool-christmas-movie-facts

The Best Funny Christmas Movies & Holiday Comedies to Make Your Season Bright, December 2020: https://collider.com/best-funny-christmas-movies-holiday-comedies-to-watch/

20 Wild Details Behind the Making of Jingle All the Way, Screenrant, December 2018: https://screenrant.com/jingle-all-the-way-movie-behind-scenes-trivia-christmas/

Chant it with us: “JER-RY! JER-RY! JER-RY!”

Tabloid talk shows were one of the most quintessential 90s transmissions to travel the airwaves. During the talk show decade, thousands of people from all walks of life claimed their time in the spotlight and aired their dirty laundry on TV for millions to see. From paternity reveals to chair-throwing to “my parents think I’m a freak but I look cool” goths, these shows were nothing short of spectacular.

Join me and my dear friend and fellow podcaster Derric as we explore the shows that defined our stay-home-sick-from-school days: Montel, Ricki, Rosie, Sally, Jenny, Maury, and of course – Jerry. And don’t forget that one time that Maury compared his “you are not the father” shows to Shakespeare. Really.

“A paternity [reveal] show has the classic Shakespearean themes. There is love. There is lust. There is betrayal. There is conflict.” – Maury Povich

Follow Derric and his NEW podcast, the 3AM Mystery Club, at @derricdalton and @3amclubpod!

CW/TW: Very brief mentions of discrimination and violence toward LGBTQI+.

Sources

• “10 Daytime Talk Shows We Always Watched When We Stayed Home from School”, throwbacks.com, May 2018 https://www.throwbacks.com/daytime-talk-shows/
• “Whatever happened to these 90s talk show hosts” – NickiSwift.com, https://www.nickiswift.com/36891/whatever-happened-90s-talk-show-hosts/
• “Let’s Remember when Jenny Jones and Ricki Lake Fueled Panic Over Goths and Punks” – Jezebel, July 20 2020 https://themuse.jezebel.com/lets-remember-when-jenny-jones-and-ricki-lake-fueled-pa-1844543427
• “Being Gay Was Never the Hardest Part: Rosie O’Donnell on her show, her past, and her passion for Barbara Streisand” – March 2019, Buzzfeed News https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/raminsetoodeh/rosie-odonnell-show-daytime-tv-ladies-who-punch-the-view
• “What Does Maury Povich Think About His Show, Maury” TheThings.com, July 2020
• https://www.thethings.com/what-does-maury-povich-think-about-his-show-maury/
• “Is Maury Real or Fake?” The Cinemaholic, July 2020 https://www.thecinemaholic.com/is-maury-real-or-fake/
• “How the Jerry Springer Show splashed around in humanity’s worst excesses,” The Guardian.com, April 2020 https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/apr/06/jump-the-shark-the-jerry-springer-show
• “Jerry Springer Used to Give Guests Lists of 21 Possible Surprises,” TheThings.com, Jany 2020 https://www.thethings.com/jerry-springer-used-to-give-guests-lists-of-21-possible-surprises/
• “12 Wild Facts about The Jerry Springer Show”, Mentalfloss.com, June 2018
• https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/92307/12-wild-facts-about-jerry-springer-show

Pirates! Outer space! Wild West! Castles! McDonalds Drive-Thrus! The 90s is often considered the Lego heyday by enthusiasts, collectors, and 90s kids themselves and the nostalgia for them has never been more acute. Considering millennials who grew up playing with Legos are now the most clinically burnt-out generation in history, these tiny blocks and plastic figurines are somehow even more comforting today – and the Lego Group knows that. But don’t worry, they’re here to help.

In this episode, travel vlogger Nick and I recount what it was like to grow up playing with Legos in the 90s – the notable collections, Legoland, how it fostered strategic thinking, where all those tiny blocks from our past have ended up, and the surprising corporate consciousness of the Lego Group itself. So get ready to join us as we shrink down to figurine size to travel to Lego Castle and explore the lego-cy of this beloved 90s toy.

Follow Nick at @simpsonthego on Instagram and his YouTube channel at youtube.com/simpsonthego!

Sources

• 6 Classic Lego Sets that Every 90s Kid Wanted – Throwbacks.com, January 2018 https://www.throwbacks.com/6-classic-lego-sets-90s/
• Imagining the Future in Bricks: The Designs of Lego Space (Part 20 the 90s) from 2017 blog post from Ancient Worlds https://ancworlds.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/imagining-the-future-in-bricks-the-designs-of-lego-space-part-2-the-90s/
• Lego set its sights on a growing market: stressed-out adults, Washington Post, 2020 https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/01/16/legos-toys-for-stressed-adults/

Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy.

Those were the brilliant words of Ms. Frizzle, the eccentric, enthusiastic, bewitching 4th grade teacher who graced our TV sets and led her students on adventures that combined a TON OF REAL SCIENCE with all the fun of being a kid in the 90s.

This week, Eric and I are discussing the Magic School Bus – its book-to-TV background, notable episodes and themes, the legacy, and we even go in depth about Ms. Frizzle herself. So grab some chocolate milk and settle in with us as we travel in time all the way back to 1994 to learn about the field trips we wish we had with a teacher we all admired.

The Magic School Bus Made the World Safe for Weird Teachers, Slate.com, July 2020 https://slate.com/culture/2020/07/magic-school-bus-ms-frizzle-joanna-cole-weird-teachers.html