Hugging And Learning

Like a mummy, or a vampire, or a ghost, or any number of monsters that rise from the dead at Halloween — WE'RE BACK!!! It's Chelsea and Andy's favorite time of year, and we couldn't resist getting together for an impromptu surprise episode, specially for those of you who forgot to unsubscribe. Join us as we deep-dive into the cursed nonsense that is The Paul Lynde Halloween Special variety show. We've got witches, we've got truckers, we've got disco, we've got special guest appearances from everybody from Betty White to KISS. It's bananapants and we wish it had never happened, but it did. Join us, please, so you can help us prevent this haunting event from ever happening again. Show: THE PAUL LYNDE HALLOWEEN SPECIAL (ABC) Air Date: October 29, 1976 Special Guest Stars: Margaret Hamilton, Billie Hayes, Billy Barty, Tim Conway, Roz “Pinky Tuscaderoh” Kelly, Betty White, Florence Henderson, KISS, Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond Find it: on Amazon Prime Video ($3.99 to rent) Snacks: Brach's Harvest Corn Hershey's Vampire Kisses Anela Cookies Aloinka Cookies Skillet S'mores (recipe) Further Reading: The groovy, goofy Paul Lynde Halloween Special could only have existed in the 1970s | MeTV.com The Paul Lynde Halloween Special | Wikipedia Wrong on every level': Woman's review of Brach's Turkey Dinner Candy Corn goes viral | Today.com Disco Demolition Night | You're Wrong About (Podcast) Bing Crosby & David Bowie – “The Little Drummer Boy (Peace On Earth)”

We’ve come to the end of the rainbow, friends and colleagues. It’s been a fantastic 101-episode-long ride, and we’re so happy that you came along. Before we ride off into the sunset (jk, it’s a pandemic, we never leave our apartments), we’d like to wrassle one last VSE with you — part two of the accurséd BICYCLE MAN. It’s got all the icky feelings and inappropriate jokes of part one, with 200% more police detectives. Come along. Show: DIFF’RENT STROKES \ “The Bicycle Man,” Season 5, Episode 16 Air Date: February 5, 1983 Find it: Hulu or Amazon Prime Video with the Starz add-on Snack: Maple Walnut Shortbread from Archer Farms Further Reading: A “very special” Diff’rent Strokes that’s terrifying for all the wrong reasons | The AV Club Child Sexual Abuse: 6 Stages of Grooming | Oprah.com Preventing Sexual Abuse At Summer Camp: Five Tips for Parents

The time has finally come. In this most cursed year of this darkest timeline, we must re-watch and re-evaluate one of the most cursed VSEs of all time. The one that started it all — which is apt, because after 100 episodes, we have nearly come to the end of the Hugging & Learning rainbow. Join Chelsea, Andrew, and Miles for the penultimate episode of our podcast, as we evaluate what, if anything, we have to learn from this bone-chilling tv artifact today. Show: DIFF’RENT STROKES \ “ep name,” Season #, Episode # Air Date: February 5, 1983 Find it: Hulu or Amazon Prime Video with the Starz add-on Snack: Camel Balls gum (Thanks, Josh!) Further Reading: A “very special” Diff’rent Strokes that’s terrifying for all the wrong reasons | The AV Club Child Sexual Abuse: 6 Stages of Grooming | Oprah.com Preventing Sexual Abuse At Summer Camp: Five Tips for Parents

“Welcome to Hamilton High, where all the students major in drugs!” H&L is back with a real classic of the “Just Say No” genre. We’ve got an earnest protagonist, we’ve got grade-A freakouts, we’ve got future Oscar winners judo-kicking out of second-story windows. Will CARING SO MUCH triumph over indifference, drugs, and swimming? Or will yet another suburban teen succumb to his poorly-defined life pressures and terrible taste in friends? Join us to find out! Show: DESPERATE LIVES \ CBS TV Movie Air Date: March 3, 1982 Special Guest Stars: Future Oscar Winner Helen Hunt Dr. Joyce Brothers Rick Springfield Find it: parts of it are on YouTube Snack: Brach’s Candy Corn Pumpkins Trader Joe’s PB&J Snack Duo Further Reading: Effects and Dangers of PCP Use DESPERATE LIVES: Say No To Drugs, Say Yes to Overblown Message Movies | Schlockmania

“Welcome to Hamilton High, where all the students major in drugs!” H&L is back with a real classic of the “Just Say No” genre. We’ve got an earnest protagonist, we’ve got grade-A freakouts, we’ve got future Oscar winners judo-kicking out of second-story windows. Will CARING SO MUCH triumph over indifference, drugs, and swimming? Or will yet another suburban teen succumb to his poorly-defined life pressures and terrible taste in friends? Join us to find out! Show: DESPERATE LIVES \ CBS TV Movie Air Date: March 3, 1982 Special Guest Stars: Future Oscar Winner Helen Hunt Dr. Joyce Brothers Rick Springfield Find it: parts of it are on YouTube Snack: Brach’s Candy Corn Pumpkins Trader Joe’s PB&J Snack Duo Further Reading: Effects and Dangers of PCP Use DESPERATE LIVES: Say No To Drugs, Say Yes to Overblown Message Movies | Schlockmania

Won’t someone please hug Terry? The boy moves like a ghost through his own life; in the words of his own sister, “he’s just kinda there.” When Terry goes punk, it’s not so much a rebellion as an inevitability. But, wait! What does this mean for Mom’s big anti-punker conference?! Is this actually an afterschool special FOR MOMS?? Join Chelsea, Andrew, long-suffering Terry, some of The Weirz, and the psychiatrist from Space Jam as we try to decipher what, if anything, we can learn from an afterschool special about the waning days of punk. Show: ABC Afterschool Specials \ “The Day My Kid Went Punk,” Season 16, Episode 3 Air Date: October 23, 1987 Find it: on YouTube Snack: Whittaker’s Chocolate Bar (Thanks, Josh!) Further Reading: “Afterschool Specials” | You’re Wrong About Podcast ABC Afterschool Special | Wikipedia

What’s the only thing more fun that a lighthearted came of Clue with friends? Only a high-stakes reality TV version of the game that strangers take way too seriously! Come with us on a journey back to 2013, when ABC turned a half-built mansion into CSI: Beverly Hills, at almost unfathomable cost and with mediocre results. The game… is murder! But somehow, as always, it all comes back to Melora Hardin. Show: WHODUNNIT? \ “High Voltage,” Season 1, Episode 1 Air Date: June 23, 2013 Find it: on ABC.com Snack: Jampler! (jam sampler) from Trade Street Jam Co. Further Reading: Whodunnit? | Wikipedia Rue Manor | Reddit Viewers feared contestants actually died on ABC’s ‘Whodunnit?’ 8 Surprising Facts About ABC’s “Whodunnit” Whodunnit: all your questions answered | Reality Blurred

It’s a little wild and a little strange that this is our first HEY DUDE episode. And it’s a doozy of a debut — this is the LOST episode of the beloved Nickelodeon show. “Lost,” you say? Imagine if Sam Shepard wrote most of an episode of this light teen comedy, and you’ll soon figure out why. Join us for a deep dive into the fraught interpersonal relationships of the adult children of alcoholics, and also stinky feet jokes. Show: HEY DUDE \ “Melody’s Brother” Season 3, Episode 11 Air Date: June 15, 1990 Find it: Good luck finding this episode! The rest of the series is on Amazon Prime Video. Snack: Zach and Zoe Sweet Bee Farm Wildflower Honey with Ginger Root Further Reading: Melody’s Brother | Hey Dude Reviewed Hey Dude: Melody’s Brother (My White Whale) | The Very Special Blog

Have you ever heard of Gospel Bill? If not, let’s close that #blessed chapter of your life. Join Andrew, Chelsea, and the rest of the Dry Gulch Gang as we attempt to keep the devil out of our thoughts from way down deep inside God’s pouch. Confused? Don’t worry. We are, too. Show: THE GOSPEL BILL SHOW \ “Control Your Thoughts,” Season 1, Episode 21 Air Date: sometime around 1982? Find it: on YouTube Snack: Oh Mazing Granola Snack Further Reading: The Gospel Bill Show | Wikipedia

What could be better than an episode of THE GOLDEN GIRLS in These Troubling Times™? How about an episode TGG that’s also THE WIRE, a rom/com, and a George Clooney vehicle all at once?! This week, we explore the twists and turns of a singular episode of sitcom television, and also launch our GoFundMe campaign to raise the $3MIL we need to purchase the Golden Girls house, which has just come on the LA real estate market. We’re doing important work over here. Join us. Show: THE GOLDEN GIRLS \ “To Catch a Neighbor,” Season 2, Episode 24 Air Date: May 2, 1987 Special Guest Star: young George Clooney Find it: on Hulu Snack: Sweet Dames Artisan Confections Macaroons Further Reading: Meet Sweet Dames Founder Genelle Drayton | BET The ‘Golden Girls’ House Is Up for Sale (and It’s in L.A.) | LA Magazine The “Golden Girls” House Is for Sale and Its Actual Interiors Are Not What We Expected | House Beautiful 18 Famous Faces Once on The Golden Girls | Bustle

The first time you do anything is complex — the first time you have sex, the first time you learn your boyfriend’s real name, the first time you’re low-key slut-shamed by the boarding school friends you are too old to still be living with in your 20s. Will Natalie navigate the choppy waters of this new life phase with grace and strength? Will Jo voice a value judgement on her friend’s decisions? Will the origins of this random Australian child ever be made known to us? Tune in to find out! Show: THE FACTS OF LIFE \ “The First Time,” Season 9, Episode 16 Air Date: February 6, 1988 Find it: good luck! Snack: Caramel Coconut Oreos Further Reading: 15 Facts About the Facts of Life | Mental Floss Lisa Whelchel Explains the Controversial ‘Facts of Life’ Virginity Episode | Yahoo

Y’all… did you know the Netflix SHE-RA reboot is like, really really awesome?! This week, we’re back on Etheria for a way more nuanced plot and character discussion than we’ve ever had about this world. It’s almost like this show isn’t a half-hour commercial for toys! Join Chelsea, Andrew, Adora, and the other Princesses of Power (one of whom is Friend of the Pod Vella Lovell) as we do some actual learning in this time of virtual hugging. Show: SHE-RA AND THE PRINCESSES OF POWER \ “No Princess Left Behind,” Season 1, Episode 9 Air Date: November 13, 2018 Find it: on Netflix Snack: Chewy Cookie Butter and Crunchy Birthday Cake Cookies from Partake Further Reading: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power | Wikipedia Inside the Groundbreaking Queer Reboot of ‘She-Ra’ | Rolling Stone

Figuring out if most VSEs of DIFF’RENT STROKES did more harm or more good, requires a degree in advanced mathematics. This one is no exception. Did we learn something about street buskers with epilepsy? Sure. But at what societal cost? All this and more will be pondered at length. Show: DIFF’RENT STROKES \ “A Special Friend” Season 7, Episode 24 Air Date: May 4, 1985 Find it: good luck! Snack: Butter Rum LifeSavers Health Discovery Super Food Nutrient Crackers Further Reading: Myths About Epilepsy | Epilepsy-Ohio.org Epilepsy Myths | Epilepsy Society

Ah, THE OFFICE. So lovable. So quotable. So still finding its footing in this episode (but that’s a great thing!). Come along with three perennial OFFICE re-watchers as we join the ultimate fan of hugging and foe of learning — Michael Scott — and the rest of our heart’s coworkers on Diversity Training Day. Buckle up. Show: THE OFFICE \ “Diversity Day,” Season 1, Episode 2 Air Date: March 29, 2005 Special Guest Star: Larry Wilmore Find it: on Netflix Snack: Trader Joe’s Almond Croissants Further Reading: Diversity Day (The Office) | Wikipedia The Office (Classic): Pilot/“Diversity Day” | The AV Club Broccoli Rabe (Andy’s way) Broccoli Rabe (Chelsea’s way) DIY Ninja Mask VS MarMar!

Welcome to Bonanza City, where a group of 40 children will be allowed to form their own society — as long as it adheres exactly to the parameters the producers have laid out for them. In the early days of reality TV, it was quite literally the Wild Welcome to Bonanza City, where a group of 40 children will be allowed to form their own society — as long as it adheres exactly to the parameters laid out by the producers. In the early days of reality TV, it was quite literally the Wild West, and no one knows that better than the parents who signed waivers that absolved CBS of responsibility should their children literally die. Strap in, because this is gonna be a MEGASODE. It’s sinister as hell here in Kid Nation, and we all have a lot to learn. Show: KID NATION \ “I’m Trying to Be a Leader Here” Season 1, Episode 1 Air Date: Sept 19, 2007 Find it: on YouTube Snack: S’Mores Chewy Chips Ahoy from Nabisco Double ‘D’ Sugar Free Marshmallows Further Reading: Kid Nation | Wikipedia 8 Reasons CBS’ ‘Kid Nation’ Was More Traumatizing For Children Than ‘The Hunger Games’ A CBS Reality Show Draws a Claim of Possible Child Abuse | NY Times Sophia Wise on Kid Nation | YouTube

If you were going to spend an hour this week listening to Hugging and Learning, we’d like to encourage you to listen/subscribe to one of the following comedy/pop culture podcasts instead: Still Processing Minority Korner Why Won’t You Date Me? The Nod So Here’s What Happened Introverted Black Girl FruitLoops: Serial Killers of Color 2 Dope Queens Code Switch The Read Be well. Raise hell. Black Lives Matter.

It’s 1991, PSA and VSEs are all the rage, but one show dares to be different: EERIE, INDIANA — TWIN PEAKS for TWEENS. If you remember this show (which ran for a single season and was a nearly-perfect ratings bomb), you probably remember it fondly. Join Chelsea, Andrew, and Very Special Guest Allie Fireel as we plumb the depths of this smart, layered show to arrive at a unanimous conclusion: NBC was not ready. Show: EERIE, INDIANA \ “Just Say No Fun,” Season 1, Episode 6 Air Date: October 27, 1991 Very Special Guest: Allie Fireel (Artistic Director of Louisville Fringe Fest) Find it: on Amazon Prime Video (free) Snack: Outshine Mango Fruit Bars Trader Joe’s Springle Jangle Further Reading: Eerie, Indiana | Wikipedia B.F. Skinner | Wikipedia Eerie, Indiana Was a Few Dimensions Ahead of Its Time | The AV Club

We hate to break it to you, but if your childhood recollections of Gordon Shumway include character traits like “loveable,” “caring,” or “friendly,” you might want to rewatch ALF. Preferably with a good snack or a stiff drink close at hand. Join your hosts, Ronald Reagan (not really), Harry Shearer (yes really) and a very callus and unfeeling extraterrestrial as we debate nuclear disarmament and the addition of a second phone line as equally-weighted issues in the life of the Tanner family. Show: ALF \ “Pennsylvania 6-5000,” Season 1, Episode 4 Air Date: October 13, 1986 Special Guest Star: Harry Shearer (in voice actor capacity) Find it: on Amazon Prime Video (free with ads) Snack: Kellogg’s Chocolate Cupcake Pop-Tarts Further Reading: How Did Alf Work? | Mental Floss 25 Fun Facts about ALF | Mental Floss Nuclear Warfare | Wikipedia

Can mythical anthropomorphic bears have sensitive, consent-filled filled relationships with the visually impaired?  Don’t get your hopes up. Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, Tummi Gummi, Duke Igthorn, and (Ka)Trina the shepherdess on an adventure where we learn a lot about self-sufficiency and nothing at all about sensitivity. Show: GUMMI BEARS \ “What You See is Me,” Season 1, Episode 11a Air Date: December 7, 1985 Find it: on Disney+ Snack: Lolli and Pop’s Gourmet Gummy Bears Further Reading: Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears | Wikipedia 9 Furry Facts About Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears | Mental Floss Brain ‘rewires’ itself to enhance other senses in blind people | Science Daily Myths and Facts about Blindness | National Federation of the Blind

This episode has it all: accidental wife-punching, a small drug overdose, thirty-five glorious seconds of verbal gymnastics, the Mary Tyler More Physical Comedy Spetacular — and that’s BEFORE we get to the special message about prescription drug abuse! They don’t make ’em like this anymore, folks. Come on in (and look out for that ottoman)! Show: The Dick Van Dyke Show \ “Pink Pills and Purple Parents,” Season 4, Episode 10 Air Date: November 25, 1964 Find it: on Hulu Snack: Kellogg’s Peeps Marshmallow Cereal Lay’s Baked Chips Cheddar & Sour Cream Further Reading: 6 Little-Known Facts About The Dick Van Dyke Show | Mental Floss 16 reasons not to use someone else’s prescription medicine | Everyday Health

Would you like to be on drugs right now, but you’ve run out, and your dealer won’t come within six feet of you? We have the solution: THUNDERCATS. Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, and all fourteen citizens of Third Earth as we test the drug tolerance of cat/human hybrids (very low) and our own ability to drag a moral kicking and screaming out of a cartoon (top-notch). Show: THUNDERCATS \ “The Garden of Delights,” Season 1, Episode 9 Air Date: September 19, 1985 Find it: on Amazon Prime Video ($1.99) Snack: Hello Panda Chocolate Cookies Further Reading: Thundercats | Wikipedia Mumm-Ra | Wikipedia

The hypocrisy really stacks up like a layer cake in this meta anti-anti-drug-PSA episode of SAVED BY THE BELL. Let us break it all down for you: the unsubstantiated rumors, the real-life relationships, the bizarre writing choices, and that head-scratcher of an ending. After we delve into this, you’ll be saying, “Thanks, Guy.” And you’ll really mean it. Show: SAVED BY THE BELL \ “No Hope With Dope,” Season 3, Episode 21 Air Date: November 30, 1991 Find it: on HULU Snack: La Croix HI-Biscus! Sparkling Water Further Reading: 7 Bits of Behind-the-Scenes Dirt That Have to Be in Lifetime’s Saved by the Bell Movie | Vulture Just Say No | Wikipedia From Cringeworthy to Scary: a History of Anti-Drug PSAs | Marketplace The Time Zack Narcs on a Friendly Movie Star | Zack Morris is Trash

It’s a world of song, dance, wonder, and a conspicuous absence of parents and child labor laws. It’s the world of KIDS, INC! But there is trouble in paradise — tiny new kid Robin is facing bullying by some local toughs. What can the other kids do to help? Why is Billy Blanks here? Who wrote this weird song we can’t find anywhere on the internet? All these questions, and many more, will be given their due. Show: KIDS, INCORPORATED \ “Karate Kids,” Season 6, Episode 15 Air Date: 1989 Special Guest Star: Billy Blanks Find it: on YouTube Snack: Diet Dr. Pepper & Cream Soda Money on Honey Dark Chocolate with French Sea Salt Caramels Further Reading: Billy Blanks | Wikipedia Top Strategies for Handling a Bully | Psychology Today Peter Gabriel – Don’t Give Up (ft. Kate Bush) | YouTube

It’s the end times, and all bets are off! Welcome to Season 4 of Hugging & Learning — the gas leak season. We’re kicking off this free-for-all with a discussion of a show near and dear to our hearts, and a premise that just hits a little different these days. Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, Leslie Knope, Anne Perkins, and the disease-ridden citizens of Pawnee as we discuss things that now ring nostalgic (gathering in large groups) and horrifying (kissing a person with the flu). Show: PARKS AND RECREATION \ “Flu Season,” Season 3, Episode 2 Air Date: January 27, 2011 Find it: on Netflix and Hulu Snack: Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Snackable Dough Further Reading: Why did the flu kill 80,000 Americans last year? | The Conversation COVID-19 Resources | The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention

Julia Sugarbaker takes on her most formidable opponent yet: the U.S. Constitution! Is pornography protected under free speech? Is it obscenity, or capitalism, or both? And what does TROOP BEVERLY HILLS have to do with any of this? Join your hosts, the women of Sugarbaker and Associates, Anthony, and a very aggrieved newsman in our Season 3 finale to find out! Show: DESIGNING WOMEN \ “Julia Drives Over the First Amendment,” Season 3, Episode 22 Air Date: May 22, 1989 Find it: on Hulu Snack: Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets Further Reading: Joe Coulombe, Who Founded Trader Joe’s, Dies at 89 | New York Times Miller v. California | Wikipedia Pornography has deeply troubling effects on young people, but there are ways we can minimise the harm | The Conversation How to be an ethical porn consumer in nine easy steps | Independent 7 Things the First Amendment Doesn’t Protect

Very Special Guest Vella Lovell joins us this week to dive deep into the most shocking travesty of the 90s: the breakup of Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski. We get into it: Is Zack a possessive creep? Who’s responsible for HR at the The Max? How does live singing in a TV show work? And what’s the thing about Jeff? Spoiler: the questions are myriad and the answers are few. Show: SAVED BY THE BELL \ “The Last Dance” Season 4, Episode 1 Air Date: September 14, 1991 Special Guest Star: Baby Scott Wolf Find it: on Hulu Snack: Goldfish Veggie: Sweet Carrot Mexican Jalepeño M&Ms Further Reading: Vella Singing “The Moment is Me” on CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND Every Episode of Saved by the Bell, Ranked From Worst to Best | Vulture In an Ideal Crazy Ex Follow-up, Rachel Bloom Is Working on a Nanny Musical With Fran Drescher Kids Learn to Rhyme with Mystery Monster in MarMar Land! Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! | YouTube

It’s a race against time, as this episodes tries to identify, diagnose, and provide study solutions to a character with a learning disorder, while making sure we get full B and C plots about uppity preschool teachers and nerds in love. Does it sound like too much for one episode? You wish! This is the 90s — nothing is impossible! Join us for perhaps our first episode of Hugging and Learning that’s actually about LEARNING! Show: STEP BY STEP \ “Back to School,” Season 4, Episode 18 Air Date: March 3, 1995 Find it: on Hulu Snack: Muji Strawberry Marshmallows Jazz Apples Further Reading: Step by Step (TV series) | Wikipedia Dyslexia | The Mayo Clinic How Dyslexia Works | Stuff You Should Know Podcast Dyslexia FAQ | University of Michigan

Many of the very special episodes we’ve watched thus far have been misguided, off-putting, and tone-deaf — but never has one outright assaulted us before today! Back in 1982, child stars were just disposable puppets and consent was a foreign concept. Give this a listen if you dare, but be forewarned: you’ll become an accessory to this mess as well. Show: DIFF’RENT STROKES \ “A Case of Overexposure,” Season 5, Episode 8 Air Date: November 20, 1982 Find it: on Hulu +Starz or Amazon Prime +Starz Snack: Brami Italian Snacking Beans Further Reading: Citizen’s Guide to US Federal Law on Child Pornography Child Pornography | Justice.gov Diff’Rent Strokes | Wikipedia

Did you even know that boobs have hinges? Or that cotton “gin” is short for cotton “engine”? Or that one is supposed to wear turtlenecks to Make Out Parties, no matter how insane the final outfit result may be? For a half-hour sitcom, BLOSSOM is very heavy on the learning this week. Join us for an exceptionally educational episode, and don’t worry if you’ve never been to a Make Out Party. Andy hasn’t either. Show: BLOSSOM \ “Sex, Lies, and Teenagers,” Season 1, Episode 5 Air Date: Feb 4, 1991 Special Guest Stars: Phil Donahue, Tobey Maguire, Johnny Galecki Find it: on Amazon Prime Video ($1.99) Snack: Russell Stover Sugar Free Strawberry Flavored Crème Further Reading: ‘Big Bang Theory’ Stars Mayim Bialik and Johnny Galecki Recreate Their ‘Blossom’ Kiss | YouTube Why Sex Is Like Pizza And 4 Other Ways To Have ‘The Talk’ With Your Daughter | Fatherly

Is it possible to love video games TOO MUCH? This is question we ask ourselves daily, and now we’ll attempt to answer it with the help of a bunch of sitcom writers who seem never to have played one. Join Chelsea, Andy, Miles, Willis, Arnold, and the rest of the Space Suckers as we plumb the depths of arcade-based addiction and platitude-based parenting. Show: DIFF’RENT STROKES \ “Shootout at the OK Arcade,” Season 5, Episode 1 Air Date: October 2, 1982 Find it: Hulu +Starz or Amazon Prime +Starz Snack: Russell Stover Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Medallions Pop-Tarts Pretzel Cinnamon Sugar (so sad they dragged JVN into this) Further Reading: Video Game Addiction | WebMD The Greatest Gaming Tournaments in the World Ep. 47: Rachel Weil on Femicom and the Value of Preserving Classic ‘Girl’ Video Games | Adam Ruins Everything Podcast

In this episode we meet Jarvan! He throws flash balls, he apparates and disapparates, he can change his appearance at will — but are all these powers any match for the mopey low-self esteem of a scantily-clad blond? That’s right, we’re back on this bullshit. Let’s see if Mattel handles this thorny issue any better than Hasbro did last week. Spoiler alert: even on Eternia, you can be not good enough to be good for nothing. Show: He-Man and The Masters of the Universe \ “A Friend in Need,” Season 1, Episode 10 Air Date: October 17, 1983 Special Guest Star: n/a Find it: on Hulu +Starz Snack: Lay’s Poppables BBQ Further Reading: Episode Trivia Entry on IMDB Eternia | Wiki Grayscull Stairway to Heaven’s backwards ode to the Occult | YouTube

What’s it like to be a foster kid in the 80s? How do teenagers deal with sudden traumatic loss? Are older redheaded men preying on impressionable teen girls? None of these questions will be answered in this episode, which instead tackles the real scourge of teen girldom — low self-esteem. Want to see something truly outrageous? Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, Jem, The Holograms, A Salty Social Worker, but sadly NOT Rio or the Misfits, as we travel down the quickest drug spiral known to medical science, with the wettest blanket known to television. Show: Jem (And the Holograms) \ “Alone Again,” Season 2, Episode 13 Air Date: October 20, 1987 Find it: yeah… good luck… try YouTube Snack: Quaker Sour Cream and Onion Rice Crisps Further Reading: Alone Again | Jem.Fandom.com An Unfortunate Episode – Jem “Alone Again” The Paley Center Is Saying Goodbye Its Physical Space in Beverly Hills | LA Magazine Jem and the Holograms: Light-Up Synergy Earrings and Illustrated Book | Amazon

Remember the “Squash It” campaign to end teen violence? Remember Chicago’s infamous Vanderbilt High School? Remember how much Andy hates magic? No? Well, you’re about to! Join us as we journey with the Winslow family through the world’s smallest, most dangerous parking lot. Show: FAMILY MATTERS \ “The Gun,” Season 5, Episode 16 Air Date: February 10, 1995 Special Guest Star: Freddy Prinze, Jr. Find it: on Hulu Snack: Kind Whole Fruit Bars Further Reading: 20 Years After the Shooting on the Playground by Mary Hollis Inboden | NY Times LA Gun Buyback program Newtown Prompts Gun Buybacks, But Do They Work? | NPR The Squash It Campaign

Teen drinking in sitcoms has drastic effects. It turns Corey cool, Shawn violent, and somehow… Angela pays the price? Between “absolutely no effect” and “Mad-Men-level functionality” lies the truth about teens and alcohol. Will we reach it in this episode? Join us and find out! Show: BOY MEETS WORLD \ “If You Can’t Be With the One You Love…” Season 5, Episode 18 Air Date: March 6, 1998 Find it: on Disney+ Snack: Murray’s Sugar Free Vanilla Wafers Further Reading: Is 18 the new 15? Today’s teens drink and date less than in the 70s, study says | AJC SAMHSA’s National Helpline

This holiday special has it all: a megafamous boy band, bad Boston accents, insane transitions, a ghost kid, live concert footage, and an almost-impossible-to-comprehend narrative style. It’s KNOTB: The Edge of Reason. Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, Miles’s personal friend Joey McIntyre, and the rest of the Bean Town Posse for a cool ride through the Yuletide. Show: The New Kids on the Block Animated Christmas Special Air Date: December 14, 1990 Special Guest Star: All the New Kids! (kinda) Find it: at the Paley Center or on YouTube Snack: Trader Joe’s Ginger Snowballs Further Reading: “New Kids on the Block” Christmas Special | IMDB New Kids on the Block | Wikipedia New Kids on the Block drop ’80s Baby’ video with behind-the-scenes look at The Mixtape Tour | Entertainment Weekly

‘Tis the season to be re-watching our favorite holiday movies. You know, the ones we remember so fondly from childhood about Santa and his pet immortal lioness, his abduction by fairies, his tangles Gandalf, etc. No? Not ringing a (jingle) bell? Join Chelsea and Andrew as we make our merry way through the last (and best!) of the Rankin/Bass stop-motion animation Christmas specials. Show: “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus” Rankin/Bass Animagic Christmas Special Air Date: December 17,1985 Find it: on AMC Snack: Oreo Cookie Holiday House Further Reading: The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause | Wikipedia

When Roseanne finds the alleged pot stash of her daughter’s-live-in-boyfriend-except-her-daughter-moved-out, Chelsea and Andrew have more questions than just “what is this relationship even?” Do we inevitably turn into our parents, or were we never as cool as we remember being? Just how potent is 20-year-old toilet pot? Join us for an exploration of all these topics, and a whole lot of Laurie Metcalf fangirling. Show: SHOW NAME \ “ep name,” Season #, Episode # Air Date: October 5, 1993 Special Guest Star: Paul Feig Find it: on Amazon Prime Video (included) Snack: Milk Chocolate Caramel Crunch Medallions from Trader Joe’s Further Reading: Roseanne | Wikipedia On a “very special” Roseanne, The Most Lethal Substance is Nostalgia | The AV Club ‘Roseanne’: Catch up on the saga of Darlene and David before Johnny Galecki’s return | USA Today Dissect Podcast

What happens if you join a cult, and then find out that it’s a scam? Do you turn the con artists into the authorities? Expose them as frauds? Try to get compensation for all their past victims? HEY HEY HEY — NO! You enact some sitcom justice with the help of a Broadway Star and a lot of what we sure hope isn’t pesticide. Join us as we probe the dark corners of a nature-based cult and the giant curves of a 70s bald cap. Show: WHAT’S HAPPENING!! \ “Rerun Sees the Light,” Season 2, Episode 18 Air Date: February 11, 1978 Find it: on Sony Crackle Snack: Hershey’s Hot Cocoa Kisses Further Reading: 31 Things You Might Not Know About What’s Happening!! | Mental Floss Warning Signs | Cult Education Institute Rerun on the Gong Show

Must-See TV? We’ll be the judges of that. The Thanksgiving episodes of FRIENDS are legendary, and this is one of the most memorable of them all. But… does it have anything to teach us today? Besides the fact that we never deserved Phoebe Buffay? Put on your turkey-eating pants and let’s dive into this smorgasbord together. *clap*clap*clap*clap* Show: FRIENDS \ “The One With the Rumor,” Season 8, Episode 9 Air Date: November 22, 2001 Special Guest Star: Brad Pitt Find it: on Netflix Snack: Trader Joe’s Apple Cranberry Tart Further Reading: A Definitive Ranking of Friends Thanksgiving Episodes | Vulture Intersex 101 | InterAct Advocates Native American Heritage Month

Feeling a little too cocky in 1970s Chicago? There’s nothing like an STI scare and a lecture on sexual health from Jay Leno to put you in your place. Join Chelsea, Andy, and the cast of GOOD TIMES as we confront the stigma around STI testing and treatment, in as much detail as Standards & Practices will allow. Show: GOOD TIMES \ “JJ In Trouble” Season 3, Episode 21 Air Date: February 3, 1976 Special Guest Star: Jay Leno Find it: on Starz, or Hulu + Starz Snack: Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cups Further Reading: Minors’ Consent Laws for HIV and STD Services | CDC Why the STD Epidemic in America Is About to Get A Lot Worse | The Daily Beast 10 Things You Might Not Know About Good Times | Mental Floss The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics

What are the Seaver kids up to this week? Why, a good old-fashioned 80s cocaine party! Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, Mike, Boner, and Michael Caine (in spirit) as we dive into what to do when you’re at a party and your dad’s much-younger fiancé dangles a vial of blow in your face. Show: GROWING PAINS \ “Thank God It’s Friday,” Season 2 Episode 15 Air Date: February 10, 1987 Find it: on Amazon Prime Video Snack: Jelly Belly Holiday Favorites Further Reading: From Cringeworthy to Scary: A History of Anti-Drug PSAs | Marketplace Just Say No | Wikipedia

Well this is a first — Chelsea and Andrew unwittingly watched two different episodes of Hannah Montana! Both of them are about Type 1 Diabetes. Join us on a sugar-fueled adventure through a world of secrets, soul patches, and Disney-Trained Child Actors (TM), where felonies are punchlines, twenty-somethings are tweens, and everyone has an extensive wig collection. Show: HANNAH MONTANA \ “No Sugar, Sugar,” Season 2, Episode 30 (originally) Air Date: November 2, 2008 (originally) Find it: on Amazon Prime Video Snack: Kinder Joy Egg Further Reading: The Truth About the ‘Hannah Montana’ Diabetes Episode | Parade No Sugar, Sugar | Hannah Montana Wiki What “The Baby-Sitters Club” Taught Me About My Disease T1 International | #Insulin4All

The Brady Bunch are in the (sanitized, Euro-American) Thanksgiving spirit! Join Chelsea and Andrew as they wade through a swamp of insensitivity, problematic nomenclature, revisionist history, and groovy slang to get to the heart of the Thanksgiving holiday itself: sight gags. Ad-libbing abounds on this trip down memory lane to an older, less-inclusive time. Happy Native American Heritage Month! *facepalm* Show: THE BRADY BUNCH \ "The Un-Underground Movie," Season 2, Episode 04 Air Date:  October 16, 1970 Find it: on Hulu or CBS All Access Snack: 365 Organic Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bark Further Reading: Mayflower History Samoset Biography Thanksgiving for Native Americans: Four Voices on a Complicated Holiday | NY Times

How scary is TOO scary for children? It’s a question seemingly no one on the set of this infamous episode ever asked. Join Andrew, Chelsea, Miles, Mr. Pieces, Punky, Brandon (for your Emmy consideration) and the rest of the gang as we literally and figuratively fight our way out of a demon-haunted cave in definitely somewhere close to Chicago and not the coast of California. Show: Punky Brewster \ “The Perils of Punky, Parts 1&2,” Season 2, Episodes 6 & 7 Air Date: October 20, 1985 Find it: on Amazon Prime Video ($1.99 for each episode) Snacks: Homemade: Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie Mix Spooky: world’s worst trick-or-treat bags (religious tract, almonds, pennies, toothbrush) Sweet: Oreos Mystery Flavor 2019 Further Reading: Inside ‘The Perils of Punky,’ the ‘Punky Brewster’ Episode That Scarred You For Life | Yahoo! Entertainment How Punky Brewster Traumatized a Nation We Tried Every Single Oreo Flavor On Shelves. Here’s What Came Out On Top. | Delish.com **************** Don’t forget about Click-Or Treat! Leave us an iTunes review or post about us on social media, to get a H&L sticker or coaster, and be entered to win our Very Special Prize package! Click here for all the deets!

Like an angst-seeking missile, Angela Chase has gone from trailing after living phantom Jordan Catalano to actual phantom Nicky Driscoll in this Halloweeniest of episodes. We promise this is not a backdoor pilot for Chelsea’s spinoff MSCL podcast. Probably. Show: MY SO-CALLED LIFE \ “Halloween,” Season 1, Episode 9 Air Date: October 27, 1994 Find it: on Amazon Prime Video ($0.99 to buy episode) Snacks: Handmade: donuts from Blue Star Donuts Spooky: Brach’s Classic Candy Corn, M&Ms White Chocolate Candy Corn, Kraft Jet-Puffed Candy Corn Mallows Sweet: M&Ms Creepy Cocoa Crisp Further Reading: My So-Called Life: “Halloween” | The AV Club What I Learned From Re-Watching My-So Called Life as an Adult | The Atlantic ************************ Don’t forget about Click-Or Treat! Leave us an iTunes review or post about us on social media, to get a H&L sticker or coaster, and be entered to win our Very Special Prize package! Click here for all the deets!

Doogie Howser may be the youngest practicing surgeon in greater Los Angeles, but when the 1992 LA riots come rolling through his ER, he engages his black patients and colleagues with the moralizing and head-patting of a much older man. Will he learn to confront his white privilege in the face of a city on fire? Or just misquote MLK and call it a day? There are a lot of sides to this story, and we’re gonna try to cover them ALL in one short episode (just like the writers on this sitcom did). Show: Doogie Howser, M.D. \ “There’s a Riot Going On,” Season 4, Episode 1 Air Date: Sept 23, 1992 Find it: on Hulu Snack: Mr. Clint’s Tutti Fruitti Popcorn (thanks, Levi!) Further Reading: Los Angeles Riots Fast Facts | CNN How The L.A. Riots Got Written Into TV Plots In Fall 1992 | LAist Television’s New Theme: L.A. Riots | LA TIMES (1992) MLK: A riot is the language of the unheard What Martin Luther King Jr Really Thought About Riots Replaying the LA Riots | The Washington Post

Landfills are overflowing, the ice caps are melting, and the oceans are dying. What’s a 90s kid to do? The bare minimum, as it turns out. Join Chelsea and Andrew as we head back to Camp Ananwanna for litter, lectures, and one truly lame Environmental Party. Show: Salute Your Shorts \ “ZZ Saves the Planet,” Season 1, Episode 13 Air Date: July 1, 1991 Find it: some episodes on Amazon Prime Video (but not this one) Snack: Nestle’s Coffee Crisp Candy Bar Further Reading: ‘Salute Your Shorts’ Turns 25: Where Are They Now? ’90s kids were asked to do ‘simple things’ to save the Earth. Gen Z is thinking bigger. School strike for climate – save the world by changing the rules | Greta Thunberg | TEDxStockholm

The title of this episode is a bit misleading, because Tootie actually finds FOUR BONGS over the course of 24 minutes. What is going on here? And who will take these wayward children firmly in hand? You can bet it won’t be Mrs. Garrett, so come along with us and Oscar-Winner Helen Hunt to plumb the depths of Eastland School — hotbed of crime. Show: THE FACTS OF LIFE \ “Dope,” Season 1, Episode 13 Air Date: June 11, 1980 Special Guest Star: Helen Hunt Find it: at the Paley Center Snack: Trader Joe’s Milk Chocolate & Honey Toffee Pecans Further Reading: Pot smoking may leave mark on teen brains | CNN

Welcome back for Season 3! It’s time to confront the convicted rapist elephant in the room — Bill Cosby. Can we still watch THE COSBY SHOW and feel okay with ourselves? We’ve been avoiding it for two seasons, but it’s time to face this dracula head-on. Join Andrew, Chelsea, Miles, and Sammy Davis Jr. as we grapple with whether or not it’s ever possible to separate the artist from the art, and what happens when a VSE raises more questions about illiteracy than it answers. Show: THE COSBY SHOW \ “No Way, Baby” Season 5, Episode 16 Air Date: February 16, 1989 Special Guest Star: Sammy Davis, Jr. Find it: on Amazon Prime Video Snack: Jaquet Belgian Waffle Further Reading: I Re-Watched ‘The Cosby Show’ And It Was Brutal | HuffPost Black Voices How to Think About Bill Cosby and ‘The Cosby Show’ | The NY Times The National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline ‘I’m No Longer Afraid’: 35 Women Tell Their Stories About Being Assaulted by Bill Cosby, and the Culture That Wouldn’t Listen | The Cut

Do you miss us?? Andrew, Chelsea, and Miles are here for a Season 2 recap and Q&A to tide you over until Season 3 drops! We’re ranking the eps (both awesome and awful), reminiscing about the guests, and answering your listener questions. Plus, we look ahead to ponder the deepest issue of this program — how do we up our snack game for Season 3? Snack: Vosges Peanut Butter BonBons (sent by Jeff Noble — thanks!)

Here it is: the granddaddy of them all. If you remember only one VSE from the 90s, it’s probably this one. WE’RE SO EXCITED because tonight we’re gonna make it happen — with the help of our Very Special Guest, writer and culture vulture Brian Otaño. Join us for our Season 2 Finale as we talk all things Hot Sundae, Camp, Valley of the Dolls, The Max, Speed, and Zack Morris being the worst friend/band manager on the planet. Show: SAVED BY THE BELL \ “Jessie’s Song,” Season 2, Episode 9 Air Date: November 30, 1990 Very Special Guest: Brian Otaño Find it: on Hulu Snack: Oreo/Baskin Robbins Mint Chocolate Chip Oreos (Limited Edition) Further Reading: Jessie Spano Originally Took Speed, Not Caffeine Pills, on Saved by the Bell | Vulture The Time Zack Morris Got Jessie Hooked On Caffeine Pills | Zack Morris is Trash ‘The Word Is Camp’: What to Know About the Inspiration for This Year’s Met Gala, as Explained in 1964 | Time Hot Sundae SBTB music video