Ménage Á Pop

"Dancing In The Dark." "Born In The USA." Any of the one's where he counts. It hard NOT to know a Bruce Springsteen song and yet that's exactly how Joe Slepski (the JOE ON JOE podcast) spent his 1980s. So today he explains how he finally found the Boss and how it wasn't through the albums you would normally expect. For full show notes a visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

As the theme song explained, it was “GI Joe against Cobra the enemy, fighting to save the day.” But action figure war is still action figure Hell which is why Joe Slepski sought out the more mature storylines of Marvel's comic adaptation. It became the basis of his own podcast, JOE ON JOE, so let's hear him discuss this ground-breaking take on a popular childhood toy-line.For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Sure, we know its not a bird and yes we know its not a plane but do we even care anymore that it's Superman? Super heroes may be more popular than ever but fewer and fewer cosplayers are donning Kryptonian tights. Well podcaster Joe Slepski (JOE ON JOE) thinks the world still needs a Superman and today he'll discuss Ka-El's relevance with a fair amount of reverence for the Christopher Reeve version as first portrayed in the 1978's SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE. For Full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Did you get goosebumps from scary stories told in the dark? You know, swapped sleepover tales of jilted ghosts, ghastly ghouls and various things under the bed? Or did your childhood horror haunt at a slightly diffrent pace? On today's episode, comic creator Meredith Moriarty shares the slow burn terror she found in the childhood classic , The House With A Clock In It's Walls by John Bellair.Listener's Note: Today's episode opens with a slightly longer monologue than normal. And while its contents are relevant to the world, if you are looking to get right to the main discussion, you can skip ahead to the 00:07:42 mark. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

To Tim, video games have always been side scrolling plumbers chasing big mushrooms and bouncing stars. But a lot has changed since that issue of Nintendo Power and not just in the uncanny valley of graphics and game play. Eisner nominated Meredith Moriarty (THIRD SHIFT SOCIETY) present's the modern gamer's guise by unveiling the existential terrors she found while playing the 21st Century classic SILENT HILL 2. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

As a life-long comics fan, Tim is thrilled to welcome Meredith Moriarty, creator of the webcomic THIRD SHIFT SOCIETY. The only thing making him nervous is how little he actually knows about webcomics. Fortunately Meredith is up for a discussion resulting in this insider's conversation on the unique nature of an updated medium.Quick note: today's episode was uploaded prior to the amazing declaration of Kamala Harris's victory. So, if Tim sounds a little uncertain in the outro, that's why.For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Still waiting out the election count? Still anticipating the burning of democracy? Or did you come here for 20 minutes of escapism on the entertainment of your youth? If its that last one, then welcome comedian Candace Kregg as she recounts her childhood obsession with the Shelly Long film Troop Beverly Hills. But wasn't Shelly Long, like, thirty-something in that? Find out what a kid could find in watching the VHS exploits of a 1980s adult.For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Just so you know, this episode, its interview and even these show notes were composed before yesterday's election. So, if the country is actually burning in effigy right now, that's why this show is still talking about the Martin Short film Clifford. Turns out it was a childhood favorite of comedian Candace Kregg and, today, she's exploring how she still finds it relevant in a world widely ignorant toward its actual existence (actual world condition pending).For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

You know that movie everyone watches to make fun of, the one that's so bad it's good? Well, did you know it also played a crucial role in someone else's formative years? Not as a camp classic but as an actual chart toward maturity. Comedian Candace Kregg talks all the ways you've never talked about the 1996 cult classic, Showgirls.For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Kevin Smokler and Christopher Boone have spent the week talking about the documentary that they made. But what about the documentary that they are in? VINYL NATION is an intimate look at record collecting and, since they're both fans, they can't avoid impacting the narrative. It's the anatomy of a scene that cracks the fourth wall as they prod the intention between art and its artist. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

We all know that archetype of the elite record snob. And we could even swap out the word "record" for "comic book," "film" or pretty much any pop culture affliction. But is there actually truth to that exaggerated cliché? Filmmakers Kevin Smokler and Christopher Boone relate quite the opposite as they continue their discussion of their record fan documentary VINYL NATION. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

With their rare releases, glorious gatefolds and sound that "just sounds better," records are a go-to metaphor for pop culture collecting. But the actual collectors are not as simple to pin down. In VINYL NATION, Christopher Boone and Kevin Smokler get people talking on their varied connections with this very medium. And, all week, they are here to discuss what inspired the documentary as well as what they found in making it. Its a three part, three way podcast spectacular (who's show notes might have benefitted from a little re-writing). For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Normally you'd be hearing “Hey everyone every, my name is Tim Blevins” followed by “MENAGE A POP,” “20TH CENTURY POP!” or some other podcast with the word “pop” in it. But there's been a glitch. Not in the Matrix but in the production of the show. So here's that name Tim Blevins telling everyone ever an explanation on what the eff happened, where the eff the shows are and when the eff they are coming back (full disclosure, its in the title of the episode). MENAGE A POP RETURNS MONDAY, OCTOBER 26th & 20TH CENTURY POP! RETURNS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29th!(that's two exclamation points). This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Friday night sleepovers almost always included a sugar high sing-along to 80s anthem "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." But its punk performer was far more than just some pajama game participant. She was a fashion icon, equal rights crusader and daily presence in the walkman of Bonita Guitierrz (THE WEREWOLF WHISPERER). Now thirty years and a digital revolution later, she is still She-Bopping along to every track as she relates the endearing appeal of Cyndi Lauper's SHE'S SO UNUSUAL. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com.. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Do you fear vampires at the bus stop? Zombies in the Market Basket? Gorgons and hell hounds along your commute? We've long attributed these creatures to fantasy but how recently has that fantasy aligned with modern life? Readers call it Urban Fantasy and its also the aisle you'll find Bonita Gutierrez's books. And today, that author of THE WEREWOLF WHISPER dares to tread where she first encountered this genre through two of her favorite writers, KIM HARRISON & JIM BUTCHER. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

For many of us, practicing martial arts meant cardboard throwing stars, swung about whiffle bats and loosing a tooth to a wayward Ked.  Somehow fantasy author Bonita Gutierrez (THE WEREWOLF WHISPERER) managed a different understanding which lead to it becoming an important  practice in her day to day life.  But before she could fully utilize it, she had to first encounter it.  And that introduction came through a Saturday afternoon broadcast of the 1978 Hong Kong cult classic, FIVE DEADLY VENOMS.

Who got you in High school? Nobody, right? Well, nobody except that one song, particular novel and primetime television series. Whoever wrote those didn't go to your school but somehow tapped into exactly how it felt. For podcaster Giulie Speziani (ILLITERATE AGENTS) that common angst came in the form of a voice over by Claire Danes. The character was Angela Chase and what she was relating was all 19 episodes of MY SO-CALLED LIFE. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Halloween is a pumpkin patch of memorable tv programming. But each special can't carve out the same level of childhood affection. Therefore, Giulie Speziani (ILLITERATE AGENTS) is knocking cautiously, knowing all the tricks of nostalgia but hoping this one is still a treat to recall. Anything can happen on Halloween AND during her discussion of the 1986 live-action kid's film, THE WORST WITCH.For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Transitioning into the '90s meant transitioning into new music. And while most of us were growling into Grunge, podcaster Giulie Speziani (ILLITERATE AGENTS) followed a more etherial light into that decade's dawn. It was a single, particular song that ignited a new mindset and today she's spending a little extra time with the Cranberries first single, "Linger." For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

While Saturday morning had some great cartoons, Sunday had all the best comic strips. Garfield. The Far Side. Calvin And Hobbes. But buried somewhere beneath those panels was a far more secret history of sequential art. One that our intrepid Rick Brooks sought to uncover. And this six year old's archeological dig managed to unearth a vital artifact in the form of the vastly over-sized archive, The Smithsonian Collection Of Newspaper Comics. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Rick Brooks wanted to bring home the excitement of Wrestle-mania, possibly as an adult podcaster and definitely as a child in the 1980s. The costumes. The hairstyles. Some of the actual moves. It was more spectacle than one TV could hold. Thankfully there were fanzines and today, his shares the spin rack importance of reading each and every article in each and every issue of PRO WRESTLING MAGAZINE. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

We all had our favorite afternoon tv show. And maybe an ad for our favorite toy. But did any of us really look forward to all the other commercial interruptions? Rick Brooks (BATTLE OF THE NETWORK SHOWS) did, specifically a station ID for New York's own Channel 11. Decades later it would be the first thing he ever searched on YouTube and today he discuses why the WPIX Henry Tillman Promotional Campaign will resonate long after the complete demise of broadcast television. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

We all had a favorite Disney movie or cartoon that connected with us as a kid. But that interaction would never have happened if not for the artist behind the art. And while the opening logo does cite Walt Disney, the actual minds behind it are far more diverse than a cigarette toking mustache. And today podcaster Heidi Bennett (VIBRANT VISIONARIES) uncovers one of those individuals in the form of Disney animator and designer, Mary Blair. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Its hard to be a punk rocker when your dad already has a stellar record collection. But for podcaster Heidi Bennett (VIBRANT VISIONARIES) it wasn't just about rebellion. She was sincerely drawn to the thrift store mindset and DIY aesthetics of this early 80s music scene. And no safety pin pierced as deep as the 1980 debut album LOS ANGELES by the band X. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Ménage Á Pop exists to explore our intimate relationships with pop culture. So when fellow podcaster Heidi Bennett (VIBRANT VISIONARIES) brought up John Waters, Tim expected a life-altering ode to cult cinema. And while it definitely had its impact, her story reveals a different type of temperament in regards to nostalgia. So kitsch it into high gear as they share some deep thoughts on 1972's PINK FLAMINGOS. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

TOP GUN hit 1986 with all the “rah-rah” fixings of a testosterone festival. And while this chem-trail of bravado buzzed his home, it wasn't some need for speed the rattled Jason Dugre's bones. Rather, it was an entanglement in the mortal coil of a far more humane moment. Spoiler warning, things don't turn out too well for that guy on ER as we focus on a wise-cracking, volley-balling best bud fighter pilot named Goose. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

What childhood cassette collection didn't include caroling Muppets, sing-songing Smurfs, and blood vomiting demons in platform boots? To some, the hard rock antics of KISS were the demonstrative height of late 70s depravity. But to a particular 5 year old, they were the cartoon-infused origin of his own theatrics. So join actor Jason Dugre as he Rock and Rolls all night (or at least to a manageable hour) with a Spaceman, a Cat and… another…Spaceman… maybe (?) For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In the early '80s people owned pens, phones hung on the wall and the only place to stare at a computer screen was the video arcade. It was a mysterious technology so, to gain a glimpse of its inner-workings, we turned to the electronic spectacle of Disney's TRON. Well.. at least TWO of us did. And they are both on the show today as Tim welcomes actor Jason Dugre (GILMORE GIRLS) to relate how the film design blew his mind while simultaneously not really explaining computers in the least. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

We've all got a story arc. A progression of episodic encounters that transpire on a week to week basis. But unlike the shows that analogue is based on, we don't have the benefits of a writing staff or supporting cast working toward a satisfying finale. So it makes sense that we loose ourselves in the broadcast transmissions of characters who do. And for singer Gretchen Bostrom, that relatable point of view was the four seasons and two hairstyles of Keri Russel in Felicity. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

There was a time when you couldn't just watch Critters 2 on the bus. You'd have to venture out, peruse public shelves and, if you were able to find it, complete your viewing in a pre-designated allotment of time. Following that, you'd have to rewind the entire thing you just watched or risk additional charges to your local rental account. Such was the effort of getting a movie in the 20th century and singer Gretchen Bostrom LOVED it. So laminate that membership card and hope Xanadu is out as she takes you up and down the aisles of VIDEO STORES IN THE 1980s. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Prince in a bath tub. Cindy Lauper's orange hair. The comic book that guy from A-Ha was trapped in. These are what the songs of the 1980s looked like. But wait, "looked like?" We're talking about music... right? Sure and we can't do that without talking about Music television. MTV. The beacon of neon and spandex that broadcast its signal directly into the mind's eye of a young Gretchen Bostrom. And today she shares how that ground-breaking network broke ground on her signing career. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Bob and Tim are friends. Just like Frog and Toad. But the anthropomorphic animal Bob chose to discuss is actually Bloom County's mascot, Opus the Penguin. And that conversation could have been about comic strips, or the Regan era or even Bob's career in cartooning. But instead, this look at a flightless water fowl revealed something deeper about Bob that Tim had been unaware of for the duration of their friendship. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Of all his childhood fantasies, Bob still dreams of a talk show. To which you might be thinking "isn't this a talk show?" Or maybe "do people still watch talk shows?" Or even "what's with all the telepathy?" Well, to get out of your head and into his, here is podcaster Bob Canning recounting what he learned over so many late nights with David Letterman. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

You might know Bob Canning as the debut guest of this podcast or as the cohost of 20TH CENTURY POP! But did you know that, in the 1990s, he was also Tim's roommate? Together they indulged in escapades worthy of a sitcom audience. But were these just juvenile attempts to mimic TV's FRIENDS? Or did Matthew Perry straight up steal one of their acts? Consider that vest cosplay as Bob shares some character traits with one sixth of that ensemble, Chanandler Bong. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Tim wraps up a week of talking to himself by talking about how he learned to talk during movies. And while that poorly constructed sentence makes him seem like the unwanted guest for an Ice Pirates screening, he begs to differ. Or, rather, riffs to differ as he shares the fellowship value of MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

1980s spin racks divided pretty evenly between Marvel and DC. But to push past this display and toward the back of the comic shop, one could uncover more independent endeavors. Sure, they were still comic books. But their cover and characters seemed... different. Dangerous. And it was in this Wild West of uncensored concepts that Tim Blevins formed an impenetrable fascination with the indie-artistry of CEREBUS issue 91. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

So this podcast streams as part of the NOT A HOLOGRAM network.  And while that name elicits neon imagery from the 1980s, it is intended as more than nostalgia.  Show host Tim Blevins founded this network in homage to one of the most impactive influences from his childhood.  Something that enveloped toys, cartoons and music while simultaneously introducing concepts of identity, gender and artistic pursuits. So today, in lieu of a guest, Tim is infecting your smartphone with the outrageous contagion of JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS.   For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

As a kid, there was no better viewing than a show about super heroes. Their high flying capes. Their breathtaking exploits. Their frightening encounters with demonic forces of madness. Well.. not so sure about that last one and yet somehow it managed to find its way into an unexpected airing of THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO. And today, paranormal researcher Chris Balzano recounts his experience of actual terror in watching that infamous episode “The Beast In Black.” For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

So at age 13, maybe you wore a bandanna. Perhaps you played guitar. Possibly your falsetto voice rocked. That really wasn't the case for 8th grader Chris Balzano but thanks to the basic cable package of a neighboring friend, two thirds of that would soon change. So hear how his view of pop music was forever decimated due to a chance viewing of GUNS N ROSES: LIVE AT THE RITZ. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In the earlier days of the internet, my friend found some footage that horrified me. A trio of 20-somethings went missing in the woods leaving only a backpack of video tapes behind. These tapes documented the days up to their disappearance replete with supernatural overtones and uneasy imagery. But the biggest reveal was yet to come as, eventually, my friend uncovered the horrifying truth. It was all made up. And somehow he neglected to tell me. That friend was paranormal researcher Chris Balzano, and today he reveals his reasoning behind maintaining the digital verite of 1999's THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

June 23rd 1989 was emblazoned across every billboard, magazine and marquee of its time. It was the date when auteur Tim Burton would finally unleash his gothic opera to the world. There would be expressionist visuals, art deco sets and a vehicle that got a standing ovation even though we already owned the poster. All of this was heralded by an inescapable symbol, gold in its background and grim in it's bat-shape. So then how did super-fan Brian Stampnitsky find himself strangely disappointed by the summertime blockbuster release of BATMAN. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Sitcoms gave us the characters that we wanted to be like. As cool as Mike on Growing Pains. As free as Blossom on Blosson. As whatever Wesley was on Mr. Belvedere. But turn that dial just one number to the right and you might encounter an ensemble that, while hilariously entertaining, were more morose than you aimed to be. This was the introduction to adulthood that tv writer Brian Stampnitsky (STILL STAR-CROSSED) gained from reruns of his pre-teen's favorite existential dilemma, TAXI. For full shoe notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

We all plastered our dorms rooms with posters of Pearl Jam and print-ads for PJ Harvey. But with these snapshots to portray us, we also chose to neglect a rather pertinent artist. Someone we came of age humming along with but turned against that Freshman year Thankfully TV writer Brian Stampnitsy (STILL- STAR-CROSSED) is here to right that sleight with a little proper-in-length praise for Billy Joel and his a-cappella single, "The Longest Time." For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Before there was STAR WARS there was … well … THE HIDDEN FORTRESS. But, before THAT, there was FLASH GORDON a comic strip about ray guns, spaceships and all sorts of alien worlds. And while modern audiences know Flash as the operatic refrain of a semi-subtle Queen track, there's actually an entire album that bears his name. So, if you're pure of heart, here's the holy grail that served as the formative soundtrack to Brent Simons's younger self. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Prior to Bronson Pinchott's filmography, MEGO was one of the biggest toy companies in the world. Best known for their cross-continuity of super hero dolls, they also ventured into the realm of Sci-Fi spectacle with THE MICRONAUTS. Comprised of numerous figures, vehicles and accessories, the francise soon expanded into a comic book set in the microscopic middle of the mighty Marvel Universe. So peer into the fine print and see how these denizens of inner-space impacted Brent Simon's outer world. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

As kids, we accessed horror from our TV set. Therefore, what could be more frightening than the network broadcast of POLTERGEIST, a film about actual horrors from a TV set? Well, if you were screenwriter Brent Simons (MEGAMIND) your night terrors weren't stemming from that paranormal plot-line. No, you were already up thanks to the scare tactics of its pre-release, promotional blitz. So, seeing how you're here, here's what scared Brent BEFORE seeing 1982's "GERMAN FOR NOISY GHOST." For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

In the 80s we all had an R2D2 light switch, a Boba Fett tooth brush or an Admiral Ackbar tackle box. We were fanatical about Star Wars and would surround ourselves with pretty much anything Lucasfilm slapped that logo onto. Of course, there were always some elusive ones... affordable at release but still, somehow, missed out on. Well today, Mike Cowgill talks about just such an item with his childhood copy of The Wookie Storybook (hopefully translated to something just a little less guttural). For Full Show Notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

As kids we slung vinyl boxes to transport our tapes from home to the beach and back again. Truthfully they were just cardboard with a handle but somehow that translated into the cinematic intrigue of an attaché case. For a young Mike Cowgill they were also the necessary McGuffin to unlock a full world of pop influence. So flip that cassette and fast forward a bit so we can discuss Lionel Richie's “Tonight Will Be Alright.” For FULL SHOW NOTES visit www.nahpods.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

As kids, the best way to judge a comic was by its cover. These one-sheet spectacles with absolutely no sense of context were our introductions to Spider-man, She-Hulk and (maybe) Top Dog. But, as we aged into die-hard collectors, we began to expect a little more cohesion from issue to issue. So today Tim talks with podcaster Mike Cowgill (BATTLE OF THE NETWORK SHOWS) on whether this uncovered continuity actually broke that initial awe for comics. Its a pretty fan specific conversation as Mike shares the lasting impact of watching Cyclops exit the cover of UNCANNY X-MEN ISSUE #138. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

We all know with great power comes great responsibility. But the actual burden of those word should weigh someone down like ... well ... fallen debris from a battle with Dock Ok. Yet, while none of us are as amazing spectacular or even web of as this friendly neighborhood Spider-Man , we still somehow find a way to relate. So let's raid the comic book boxes of Jarf Harden and hear what he has to say about this particular issue. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Jarf is a fan of Kelly Kapoor. But he'd never want to be friends with someone who acted like her. So perhaps its because Mind Kaling took that role and transformed it into a memorable character that he finds her so endearing. But then is that still the character or a behind-the-scenes anecdote? See what Jarf thinks as he shares the contents of Kelly Kapoor's Office Directory. That … and Tim goes off topic ... sort of. For full show notes visit www.nahpods.com. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.