Pop Culture Preservation Society

Letterwriting is the topic that took the PCPS by storm! When we asked you for your thoughts and stories about the letters you wrote and received growing up, we got more responses than any other topic to date. This certainly validates our assertion that letterwriting was vital to the Gen X experience. Before email and texting there was only one way to keep in touch with our important people that didn't involve long-distance charges (which your dad said was "highway robbery!") -- we put pen to paper and poured our hearts out in ways we would never do via text. Grandparents, pen pals, camp friends, and boyfriends/girlfriends, our relationships to all of them were nurtured and deepened by the handwritten word. Join us for our stories, your stories, and lots of hilarious readings of pubescent yearning and shenanigans.Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook and TikTokSupport the PCPS on Patreon. Become a patron and get lots of extra perks here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation on Paypal.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Variety shows were as much a part of 1970s television as reality shows were a part of the early 21st century, and today we're saving two of the most iconic — The Carol Burnett Show and Sonny & Cher, plus one very short-lived YET STILL ICONIC show for us GenXers, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour (which may or may not have been created in a drug-induced fever dream). Listen for lots of fun facts about these unforgettable shows that were such cultural touchstones for us 70skids, as well as memories of many of the skits, songs, and silliness that still bring us such joy today. “And The Beat (most definitely) Goes On …”Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook and TIkTok.Support the PCPS on Patreon. Become a patron and check out the fun extras you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Today we're saving many of the things from our youth that our own kids' generations will never understand … like what the heck a phone book is (not to mention how to use it). From smoking sections on airplanes (why bother??) to having to WAIT for your favorite song to play (the agony!) to the migraines the microfiche machine triggered (and which the memory still does), we're breaking down some of the staples of our childhoods that continue to puzzle the most recent generations. But really, how did we survive without computers to do all our work for us? And here's a head-scratcher: was it better?Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.Become a supporter of the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you'll receive here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

In today's episode, we'll be saving the competition show responsible for the rash of broken arms suffered in basements, backyards and TV rooms while trying the latest trick seen on the disco-era dance show … DANCE FEVER. This was the pop culture nugget that gave us Deney Terrio, a name no Gen Xer will ever forget. But it wasn't just the spandex and dance moves that kept us glued to the TV -- it was also the parade of celebrity judges, awkwardly pretending like they knew anything at all about disco and/or dancing. If you were good enough for Love Boat, you were good enough for Dance Fever! Which judge focused his scoring on the contestant's legs? Which one tried to do the bump with Motion -- but missed? Who/what is Motion anyway (and what famous athlete are they married to???)? And which judge literally barked their score for the audience? Listen today and find out!Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook and TikTokBecome a supporter of the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation on PayPal.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Welcome to our second tribute to Dynamite Magazine, the star-studded, joke-filled People Magazine knock-off for kids that we ordered through our Scholastic book orders. Dynamite was the news source most trusted by Gen X children and, in this episode, we'll perform dramatic readings of the important scoop Dynamite fed to us; do you know why Willie Aames spells his name with two A's? We do! And so will you after listening to this important episode! Stay informed! Tune in today!Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook and TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the perks you get here.Help us keep on truckin' with a one-time donation on Paypal.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here

Join us for the latest installment of our ongoing series called AM Radio Gold, celebrating the songs we heard when AM radio was king. In this episode, we'll be focusing on the radio hits from the year 1979-- which gave us some of the most memorable music in history. But this episode is not a history lesson. It's personal. And the three of us will share the songs WE waited for on the radio. We'll tell you who we were, where we were, and what these songs meant to us. Which song is the soundtrack to a birthday party gone wrong? Which song makes Michelle think of Rumpelstiltskin? And which song -- or songs. Many, many songs actually -- did we listen to alone in our rooms while feeling sorry for ourselves? If you're wondering if there will be singing, the answer is yes. Sorry not sorry.Check out the awesome AM Gold: 1979 playlist we curated. Listen hereFollow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook and TikTokFor more PCPS fun and extra perks, support the PCPS on Patreon.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation on Paypal.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Hello listeners! Today is Christmas Day and the PCPS is taking the week off to rest and recharge -- and so today's episode is an encore of “The Most Seventiest of 70s Christmas Albums.” But before the episode begins, we're dropping in a little gift to you; in November, Kristin appeared onstage in a production called Listen to Your Mother, an annual event featuring local writers and their essays about motherhood where she told a hilarious story about the Christmas she became a Guitar Hero. Trust us, she'll have you rolling (and digging in your basement for your old plastic guitar and drum kits). Enjoy!

Grab a pen and start circling (mentally) as we take you through a stack of old December TV Guides from the 70s and early 80s. Each of us is choosing which shows we'd have been watching … and not watching … which leads to some pretty strong memories and feelings! Which Krofft stars made a surprising appearance with Oral Roberts (and Mrs. Oral Roberts)? Who can make a Christmas song sound sultry? Which holiday specials do all three of us agree are the worst? And why does Carolyn want to retire to Colonial Williamsburg?? It's a fun, silly, nostalgic trip through the pages of the Guide we all read like novels, complete with actual clips from the commercials that have lived in our heads for decades (Norelco razor, anyone?)!

We're kicking off Season 11 by celebrating that motley group of messy-haired kids who wore the coveted striped shirts and ran amuck in a big, open, Boston studio singing silly songs off-key, playing silly games, performing silly skits, and speaking in a silly language that SOME of us (cough… Kristin …) can still speak in today. Zoom taught us more than how to fold a cootie-catcher or blow cheerios across the floor with a straw, it was a show that provided us with lessons that we weren't getting in our classrooms and a show that made us feel seen and included … not to mention taught us all that zip code that has lived in our brains for decades — sing it with us — OOOO…21…34!

This week is an encore presentation of our deep dive into the music of the rock and roll era's most celebrated brother/sister duo, The Carpenters, whose music became a staple of the 1970s wedding. This is the launching pad for a brand new intro conversation about the latest wedding dance Kristin attended and what role OUR music now plays on the Gen Z dance floor (hint: it's not our party anymore). And then it's back to the Carpenters for our encore content where we'll gush about our favorite Carpenters songs and what made them oh so personal. Which song connects Carolyn to her father? Which song made Kristin cry post-partum hormonal tears in the middle of the night? Plus, how did the songs get that signature sound? Sometimes when you know the stories, the songs get even better.

It's our “podcastiversary” and we're celebrating by bringing you an encore of our 100th episode retrospective, where we reminisce about where (and how) we started and how far we've come! We're also bringing you an ALL NEW opening conversation where we chat about all that's happened in the past 48 episodes (spoiler-alert: it's a LOT!). Grab a glass of Asti Spumante and join us in toasting to all the incredible moments of the past three years!

Join the PCPS as they celebrate their favorite thing about Thanksgiving -- TV! Today's encore of episode 92, “Turkeys on TV,” takes a deep dive into three of our favorite Thanksgiving TV episodes as well as a peek into our 1970s classroom festivities. (Which one of us puked up Thanksgiving dinner lunch in the library?)We're also giving you a brand new intro conversation where we all agree on WHO we are most thankful for (do you have a mirror handy??) as well as paying tribute to Matthew Perry and all the wonderful memories he left us with. Thankful for our friends, indeed.

Have you ever stopped to acknowledge the profound impact of your childhood friendships, even the most casual and fleeting ones, on your adult identity? This week's episode is a re-share of Kristin's interview with Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship; a discussion that shows how nostalgia for our childhoods is helpful when discovering who we are today. Carolyn and Michelle help introduce the episode with their own discoveries, too -- friends who mirrored their complicated family situations, friends who showed them what wealth really looks like -- we all have people from our pasts who helped us learn about ourselves. Here's what Dear Nina has to say about this episode: Walk down memory lane with Kristin Nilsen, a middle-grade fiction writer and co-host of The Pop Culture Preservation Society Podcast, as we scrutinize our early social interactions and their lasting influence. We acknowledge the importance of these friendships, even those that were temporary, and appreciate the roles they played in shaping us. We also take a quick nostalgic dive into the central friendship themes in our favorite childhood books from Charlotte's Web to The Secret Garden to The Babysitter's Club series and the Sweet Valley High series. Special shoutout to Braeside Elementary School and the many classmates who made my childhood so special." Many thanks to Dear Nina for the opportunity, the conversation, and for the friendship!

Once again the PCPS is holding a college-level course on an iconic movie from our youth: this time it's the 1987 feel-good, forbidden-love, hip-swivelin' classic Dirty Dancing. But as you'll hear in this episode, Dirty Dancing was so much more than a “dance movie.” In true PCPS fashion we're dissecting everything from the ironic chemistry of the co-stars to the very serious, critical issues the movie explores like classism and the controversial abortion storyline. We're also celebrating the soundtrack and giving love to all those indelible songs that take you right back to Kellermans! Lace up those Capezios and join us for this in-depth discussion of Dirty Dancing!

In today's episode we'll be saving an obscure episode of The Waltons called the Changeling in which the littlest sister, Elizabeth, is haunted by a Poltergeist --YEARS before the movie Poltergeist hit theaters. No one in the entire world seems to remember this oh-so-70s episode except Kristin who hasn't stopped thinking about it since 1978 -- and that includes not just Carolyn and Michelle but also Kami Cotler, the actress who played Elizabeth Walton in the episode! So we made Kami rewatch the episode and join us on the podcast for a conversation about this very un-Waltons-style episode of the Waltons that forever linked puberty and poltergeists in Kristin's pre-pubescent mind. Kami spills the tea on all the ghosty shenanigans (hint: watch Bewitched for tips) and how it felt to go through puberty on Waltons Mountain with millions of viewers tuning in each week. We think you'll love Kami as much as you loved Elizabeth -- and The Waltons might be your newest Halloween ritual! You're welcome!

In today's episode, we'll be celebrating the discovery that our childhood memories might be just what the doctor ordered, in a discussion of how nostalgia has helped so many of our listeners through difficult times. When we started this podcast several years ago, our goal was not a serious one. First and foremost, we wanted to entertain. And we wanted to do that by bringing funny, unexpected references to things that people once held dear -- like romper stompers, and Dr. Shrinker and the 64 box of Crayola crayons with the sharpener in the back. But then something surprising happened -- almost immediately we started getting emails and DMs from people who shared with us that they had found us at a very important time. It might have been illness or heartbreak or job insecurity. And often, because we are of a certain age, it was that last kid leaving the nest or grieving the loss of a parent. And somehow these discussions of Schoolhouse Rock and Battle of the Network Stars gave us the superhuman strength to carry on. We'll delve into the science behind this phenomenon with Jennifer Cramer-Miller, author of the book Incurable Optimist: Living With Illness and Chronic Hope and give you all a peek into our Pop Culture Therapy Toolboxes -- aka the music, tv shows and other pop culture remedies we turn to when we need to soothe our ragged souls.Visit Jennifer Cramer-Miller's websiteFollow Jennifer on Instagram and FacebookPurchase Incurable Optimist: Living With Illness and Chronic Hope on Amazon or Bookshop.org

In today's episode, we'll be turning the record over and saving the rest of the album that everyone got for Christmas in 1978; known officially as Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture. In the second installment of this two-part episode, we'll discuss every song from sides 2, 3 and 4; from the hot rod anthem full of dirty words and the legendary mocking of Sandy for her purity (Ay fungool! I'm Sandra Dee…) to Rizzo's lament on the evils of slut-shaming. Make sure you're wearing a bra, because we might be doing the hand jive.

In today's episode, we'll be saving the album everyone got for Christmas in 1978; one of the best-selling soundtrack albums of all time: known officially as Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture. Grease was everywhere in 1978 -- not just in theaters but also on the radio and in our homes, most notably in our bedrooms and rec rooms where we acted out each song like seasoned Julliard performers. In the first installment of this two-part episode, we'll discuss the origin story of Grease and how it gave birth to one of the most successful soundtracks of all time. We'll also put the needle down on all the songs from Side 1 of this double album set; from the apocalyptic disco-tinged title song to the legendary moment when Olivia Newton-John sings to John Travolta's reflection in that kiddie pool. Don't even try not to sing along.

The controversial 1973 commercial for the memory game Hüsker Dü inspired this episode in which we pepper each other with questions that all start with the phrase "Do you remember ....?" It's a rapid-fire round-up of random things that intrigue us but don't warrant an entire episode. We're talking about Rerun and doobies (or Doobies) and Mouseketeers and Gnip Gnop and our deep-seated fear that touching a Ford Pinto would blow up the world. That's just a small taste of the topics that popped up on in this conversation that could only happen amongst Gen Xers.

We've said it before and we'll say it again, our generation's TV shows had THE BEST THEME SONGS. And they've all been living in our heads — rent free — for the past 30-odd decades! Join us as we count down the Top 10 (or 16) TV theme songs from the 80s shows we loved as determined by YOUR votes (and ours, obviously). Will your favorite take the top spot? Will it even make the list? Listen (and sing) NOW to find out.

There is very little in life that elicits the same ecstasy we felt at our grade school book fairs. Even our Christmas morning memories pale in comparison to the day our schools became bookstores. Whether you walked down the hall to the makeshift store with your teacher OR ordered your books by circling pictures on a newsprint order form, shockingly few of us are ambivalent about that experience. In this episode, we'll share your memories of the bookfair along with a long list of the books, magazines, posters and tchotchkes that brought us to the brink of euphoria (Guinness, anyone?).

Today we'll be saving the book with the lime green cover that said all the things we couldn't say out loud: Judy Blume's 1971 coming-of-age classic for the boys, “Then Again, Maybe I Won't.” Even after 52 years in print, this book still ranks the highest in its utter forthrightness, daring to acknowledge that boys struggled with their unruly body parts and unsettling thoughts. Join us for a book club discussion in which the word "hard" comes up over and over and over and over again.

We all have songs that we attribute to memorable moments in our lives — some memorable for good reasons … and some for not-so-good reasons. Regardless, the song and the memory have stuck with us on a cellular level for decades. Join us today as we each share three songs that “made us” from that time in our lives when pretty much everything made an impact on our lives ... Junior High. Which songs did we each choose? Whose song reminds her of the truly clever and original phrase she uttered to her crush? Who had to try out for cheerleader in front of her entire high school? And who will never, EVER, get the clarinet part of her song out of her head? Listen now to find out the stories behind the songs!Support the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here

We're kicking of SEASON 10 by catching you up on all we've been up to since you last heard from us AND playing a heated game of 80s music trivia, where Kristin and Michelle go head-to-toe (#LisaLisaAndTheCultJam). Which movie soundtrack produced the most radio hits? Who did Duran Duran open for in 1982? And can you sing the second line to “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go?” Listen NOW to play along, to see who will wear the 80s music crown … and to find out who will have to do the Moonwalk.Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads and YouTube.Support the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the goodies you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Remember when Mork was on Happy Days? Or when Charlie's Angels sailed on the Love Boat? Today the PCPS will be on its own criss-cross adventure with the hit podcast Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship.Listeners send us questions about our friendship almost as often as we get Gen X pop culture questions. It's clear that people want this to be real -- as if three women holding each other with care is a help to them in their daily lives. And what people are most surprised to hear is that our friendship didn't begin until we were in our 50s.This was of particular interest to our friend, Nina Badzin, the host of Dear Nina. Nina answers friendship questions from anonymous listeners -- and making new friends later in life is a recurring theme. So she graciously invited us to be guests on Dear Nina to talk about making friends after 50. As usual, we had a lot to say!It may have started with Little House and Love Boat, but the truth is that meaningful friendships can be made at any time in our lives; you just have to be looking in the right places for the right things. Join us for a conversation highlighting our friendship story AND how we think you can replicate that in your own lives.Check out Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.Support the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you get here.Help us keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Today we're replaying an episode full of all the hilarious misheard lyrics we've been singing wrong for decades: “Hold me closer, Tony Danza,” My fart is weak,” Wrapped up like a douche” … and so many more! Join us for a BRAND NEW opening conversation and then stick around as we laugh and sing to all our society members' contributions and play a rousing game of “Name That Misheard Lyric!"

Today we're replaying one of our most enlightening conversations: Are each of us a "Mary" or a "Rhoda?" Join us for an all NEW opening convo rehashing this great debate, and then listen in (or listen again!) as we discuss what qualities make each unique and relive some of our very favorite moments from this truly dynamic duo!Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads and YouTubeSupport the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Buckle up those seatbelts (but don't really because we didn't use them) and let's hit the road, GenX style! Journey with us as we take an encore trip through all our collective road trip memories from the 1970s and 80s — the car ride, the games, the stops, the souvenirs, the pools, the food, and so much more. We're sharing YOUR stories as well as ours! It's a fun ride you don't want to miss with a BRAND NEW opening conversation!

Join us for an ENCORE of our fun episode all about the fan letters and fan clubs of our GenX youth … with a BRAND NEW opening conversation with a fan letter to Captain & Tennille you have to hear! If you were a member of a fan club or ever wrote a letter to your celebrity idol, this episode will bring back all the feels! Join us for a conversation all about those cool clubs (and all the perks you got for $5!), the thrill of writing that letter, and a few fantastical stories from our society members that you won't believe. And then we'll tell you about one well-known celebrity who found his happily ever after … with the girl who wrote him a fan letter in the 70s. It's an unbelievable story and an episode that will take you right back to when we used pen and paper to tell our idols how much we loved them!Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Threads and YouTube.Support the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the perks you get here.Help us keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

President of Jim Henson Television (and fellow GenX pop-culture freak) Halle Stanford is here and we have MUCH to discuss! We're talking Muppets (of course), Sesame Street, Little House on The Prairie (you'll never believe how far Halle took her obsession), Karen Carpenter (and her ghost), and Halle's animated series Harriet The Spy, which is now in its second season on Apple TV. What was it about this 1964 classic that has grabbed hold of multiple generations? And how have Halle and Henson Studios made sure Harriet's legacy remains true? Whether you loved Grover, Gonzo, or the thrill of spying on your neighbors, you'll love this fun and spirited conversation!Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Threads, TikTok and YouTubeBecome a supporter of the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the extras you get here.Help us keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, The Weekly Reader, here.

Sit down with us as we chat with Crushologist, podcast host, and author Kristin Nilsen to talk all things crushes and her incredibly heartfelt, real, and hilarious book, Worldwide Crush. Who was your first celebrity crush? Davy Jones? Shaun Cassidy? Rick Springfield? Rob Lowe? Justin Bieber? Whoever it was it was important … and it was real. Join us for a very special BOOK CLUB discussion with Kristin as we talk all about these crushes and how they were so meaningful in your life then … and now.Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Threads and YouTubeBecome a supporter of the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation hereSign up for the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here

today's episode will be out of the ordinary -- and that's because it was not planned, it was not researched, and it was not recorded in our home studios with high tech microphones and sound proofing. But it felt urgent and so we dropped our need for perfection and opened our laptops to record in hotel rooms and far-flung places to bring you the most immediate reaction we could to a most amazing PCPS field trip to New York City, home of Studio 54, The Sweathogs and -- as you'll hear -- some very loyal listeners and friends of the Pop Culture Preservation Society. In this recap, we'll also bring you with us to Shaun Cassidy's new stage performance; did we get some IRL face time with our favorite former Hardy Boy? You'll just have to listen to find out. So please excuse the embarrassing sound quality as we invite you to go with us on this pop culture journey to paradise. Enjoy.Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeBecome a supporter of the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the goodies you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' and make a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Calling all Duranies! Today we're bringing you a fun, informative, full-of-admiration-and-borderline-obsessive discussion of our generation's FAB FIVE by two devotees of Duran Duran, PCPS's own host Michelle and Twin Cities' top DJ Jake Rudh. Join them as they dish on why they loved (and still love) Duran Duran, how you can't spell Duran Duran without the letters M T V, what their favorite albums, videos, radio songs and deep cuts are, what genuine talents and nice guys they are (oh yes, Jake has met them more than once), and so much more! PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME NOW that you'll be listening!Listen to Jake Rudh's Transmission show hereListen to Jake Rudh on Twitch hereFollow Jake Rudh on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramFollow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.Support the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Join Kristin, Carolyn and Michelle as they create their own old-school KTEL album full of Sunshine Pop, the happy/sad musical genre of the late 60s and early 70s that is chasing Yacht Rock as a retrospectively-named genre that's quickly gaining a cult following. These are the songs you know but didn't know you know. You know? The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Monkees, The Archies, The Fifth Dimension, The Partridge Family (but wait — there's more!). We are obsessed and Carolyn has proclaimed this new KTEL album (ahem playlist) her new favorite running playlist. Tune in and let us know if you get hooked, too.Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeSupport the PCPS on Patreon. Become a PCPS patron and get lots of extra perks. Check them out here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

It's the Brady Bunch episodes that gave us a lifelong onomatopoeia: Doodle-oodle-oo!! Honestly, can you talk about these episode without doing it at least five times? We know we can't! From the groovy outfits and that bad (or good?) luck Tiki to a forgiven kidnapper and a tarantula who possibly gets more airtime than any of them, we are diving in DEEP. Join US for all the good, bizarre, hilarious, and unforgettable moments as we join the Bradys on their iconic trip to Hawaii!Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeBecome a supporter of the PCPS on Patreon. Check out the extra perks patrons get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader” here.

What is there to even say? WE INTERVIEWED SHAUN CASSIDY! Now get back up off the floor and listen up because you won't want to miss a word of this conversation with our first crush. He was generous with his time and his confessions so grab some snacks and settle in for -- in true 1970s parlance -- a very special episode. He drops nuggets about playing softball with Alice Cooper, clubbing with David Bowie, and riding trikes with little Ronnie Howard before revealing his true feelings about all those twelve-year-olds screaming at his concerts. But Shaun Cassidy's life today is just as compelling; with a flourishing writing career and a new stage show that allows him to connect with his fans for the first time in over forty years, we were never going to run out of questions and it was VERY hard to say goodbye. And to you, dear listeners ... we say a hardy YOU'RE WELCOME!

They didn't break her, but they almost broke us. Our Pretty In Pink discussion goes to places we never expected as we dissect these three characters and their relationships with our beloved Andie, as well as many other parts of this unforgettable movie. Listen as we sing Duckie's praises (to the tune of “Try A Little Tenderness” obviously), debate who is the bigger jerk, Steff or Blane, and give the movie an entirely new and HUGELY improved ending. Which one of us had never seen this movie before this episode and is firmly Team Steff? Which of us can quote the entire movie by heart? And which of us thinks Duckie is the sexiest of them all? If you're a Pretty In Pink fan, you do not want to miss this enlightened — and perhaps controversial — discussion!Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.Support the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Sign up for the PCPS email newsletter, The Weekly Reader, here.

From Bope to Jarlena: Your Top 10 Soap Opera Supercouples: Our discussion of soap operas continues in a countdown of your most beloved soap opera Supercouples. Our adolescent selves invested so hard in these thwarted lovers, it was practically a sport. Their popularity grew to almost mythical status and probably ignited the wedding industry as we know it. Which couple is regarded as the soap opera world's FIRST Supercouple? Which, strangely, is not the same as the one for whom the term "supercouple" was coined. Nor is it the same as the couple our listeners and followers crowned the #1 supercouple of all (Gen X) time! Did you favorite make the list? Listen in to find out. Hmmm... tune in to find out.Follow PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeSupport PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all of the extras you get here.Help us keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, The Weekly Reader, here.

These are the days as the world of all my children turns (at the hospital). In other words, we'll be talking about our favorite soap opera moments this week in what turned out to be one of the most absurd discussions we've ever had on The Pop Culture Preservation Society. Once again, we Gen Xers were the beneficiaries of a cultural phenomenon that we may never see again; daytime dramas ruled the airwaves in the 70s and 80s and provided us with storylines that were so far fetched, so ludicrous, it's a wonder the actors didn't crack themselves up mid-scene. Join us as we share our society members' favorite soap moments from childhood, high school and college. From the weddings and love affairs, creative killings and multitudes of amnesia, to cloning the villain and waking up in the Wild, Wild West , you've simply got to hear it to believe it.Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Today we're saving our GenX prom, that "Night To Remember,” the one we wanted to have just "One More Night" to experience "Always and Forever” — the dresses, the themes, the music, and all of OUR memories … and YOURS! Who drank so much water that day to be able to fit into her dress that she had to pee all night? Whose prom was basically a mini-wedding ceremony? Who had a serious wardrobe malfunction in the car? And which of our listeners just threw her strapless bra in the trash when it kept slipping down as she danced? Listen now for all these stories and so many more!Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the extra goodies you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

The reviews are in and the Margaret movie is a smash hit! Especially if you call yourself a Gen Xer. After a special pre screening of the long-awaited film adaptation of Judy Blume's coming-of-age classic, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, the PCPS lets you in on their post-movie discussion and (thank God!) it did not disappoint (one more time: thank God!). We've been waiting for this moment since the Carter administration so our expectations were obnoxiously high. There was only one complaint but it didn't come from us; who was it from? And what does it have to do with babka? And in celebration of Margaret's debut on the big screen, our followers share some of their best, worst, weirdest and most humiliating #margaretmoments, those times in our lives when we felt just like Margaret. If you're sick of whispering the word "period," this episode is for you.Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.Support the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by donating some gas money here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, The Weekly Reader, here

Today we're sharing a fun episode from our favorite sister-podcast, "The Untitled GenX Podcast.” Last year PCPS host Michelle joined Lori to talk about one of her favorite topics, Duran Duran ... and even more specifically, the brilliance of the 1982 Rio album (which they pick apart, track list and videos). Can Michelle turn Lori into a Duranie? First, she'll need to tell her that Duran Duran does not consist of two guys named Duran and Duran. And PCPS Duranies, don't worry! We'll be doing an episode devoted to the allure of Duran Duran in our next season ... coming soon!Check out The Untitled GenX Podcast hereFollow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeBecome a supporter of the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' with a one-time donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here

In anticipation of the upcoming “Are You There God, It's Me Margaret”movie, join us for an encore episode of one of our first episodes, one we were the most excited to have a conversation about when we began this podcast: Judy Blume books! Judy Blume books weren't just great stories, they tackled real and deep issues like developmental struggles, family dynamics, racial issues, death, and bullying (to name just a few), and still are just as relevant today. You HAVE to listen as Kristin shares why she thought boys got periods, and all three of us share our top three Judy Blume books. Did your favorite make our lists?Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeBecome a PCPS supporter on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS fill our gas tanks and keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter “The Weekly Reader” here

Who were the ORIGINAL MTV Veejays? Who was the actress originally cast as Carol Brady? Which very popular 80s sitcom took place in Columbus, Ohio? Will these questions (and so many more) stump Carolyn and Kristin? Find out in this battle of past PCPS episode trivia (hosted by Michelle)! Play along with them to find out if YOU know more about our episodes than they do

In today's episode, we'll be saving the one constant in everybody's life from ages 5 to 18 – that daily meal taken at long tables in basement cafeterias and converted gyms: The School Lunch. Not Michelle Obama's school lunch or the farm-to-table locally-sourced fully compostable school lunch of the new millennium ... more like the grease-filled pepperoni cups on your rectangle pizza school lunch that was the jewel of Gen X schools across the nation. Joining our conversation is the host of Funny People Making Food, Erica Wides. Erica's short, pithy cooking demos on Instagram have made her everybody's favorite chef; and it turns out she knows a thing or two about how our Gen X school lunches came to be. What was our society's most popular school lunch pick? Was it the same as yours? And please God I hope you never dropped your lunch tray!Follow Erica Wides on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTubeSubscribe to Erica's newsletter hereFollow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” hereBecome a supporter of the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.

You're invited to Kristin's hotel room in Yorba Linda, CA (but really) for our immediate — and first — conversation following our Teen Dream dinner with Kristy McNichol, Jimmy McNichol, Christopher Atkins, Greg Evigan, Wesley Eure, and Kathy Coleman! It's an excited jumble of moments and stories from the night when our brains were still foggy and reeling. And then stick around for another round a week later, when even MORE stories come out. Who does Kristy tell us really won that hotly debated obstacle course race in Battle Of The Network Stars? Which celebs did Michelle introduce to each other? Who walked out arm in arm with Kristin? And whose digits does Carolyn now have IN HER PHONE? It's an after dinner dish that's waaaay better than dessert!Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeBecome a PCPS supporter on Patreon. Check out all the perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter “Weekly Reader” here

Which Sesame Street skits have been living in your head for the past 50 or so years? Rubber Duckie? Mahna Mahna? Ladybug Picnic? Grover screaming “FAAAAAR?” There are SO many classic, memorable skits we'll never be able to get out of our brains — and we're not complaining! Join us as we count down YOUR Top 10 (or 14) favorites! Which shockingly appears low on the list? Which was the #1 most memorable? And which one prompted a debate about Ernie's nipples? Listen now to find out!Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by becoming a supporter on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you get here.Want to pitch in for gas money and support the PCPS? Make a one-time donation here.Subscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

EPISODE 110 — The Sunny Days of Sesame Street How do you get to Sesame Street? With us! Join us as we celebrate and honor the sunny days of Sesame Street — OUR Sesame Street — the OG!! We're remembering those first years and all the things that have been living RENT FREE in our heads for decades: All the humans we loved (including TWO Gordons!) … the muppets … the kids … and the songs. And NEXT WEEK we'll be ranking the top 10 sketches as determined by our listeners. It's a two-week Sesame Street-palozza love-fest that will sweep all your clouds away!Follow PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a donation here.Sign up for the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here.

Join us for Part 2 of our deep-dive into "Fame." We're taking you year by emotional year through all the highs, lows, fears, tears, pain and — ultimately — gain. It's a heartfelt conversation that is a true tribute to the movie that's gonna live FOREVER ... FAME!Follow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTubeSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the extra perks you'll get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by donating a little gas money here.Sign up for the PCPS email newsletter, The Weekly Reader, here.

FAME description for you: Join us for part one of a two part episode devoted to the movie beloved by every theater nerd band geek and future solid gold dancer in the halls of your junior high school - the 1980 musical drama that made Irene Cara a household name, Fame (

GenXers know him best wearing nothing but a loincloth in The Blue Lagoon, and now Christopher Atkins is baring all for US! Join us for this fun, flirty, and very eye-opening conversation that our 12-year-old selves are still reeling from. From how he was discovered to that curly hair (not his original style, btw) to his relationship (then and now) with Brooke Shields to stuffing his Speedos (or not) to why The Blue Lagoon is so much more than a movie about floating naked body parts, we cover it all. And, of course, we play a game!Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check out all the fun perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by donating hereSign up for the PCPS email newsletter, “The Weekly Reader” here