Pop Trash Podcast

We predict more cultural comebacks that will define 2025, from retro TV revivals to nostalgic tunes, with a few surprise sweet treats. 

Chestnuts aren't the only thing getting roasted this holiday season! Mike and Eric discuss the best and worst of Christmas kitsch.

It's a cornucopia of nostalgia! Pass the canned cranberry and gobble up this episode where we discover that Thanksgiving might be the kitschiest holiday on the calendar.

So much of kitschy pop culture in the 1970s to the 90s had one major audience in common: moms. Get in the minivan, we're taking a ride through a potpourri of mom-influenced nostalgia!

It's spooky season, so we're giving out handfuls of fun sized Halloween kitsch.

Why do people collect tchotchkes? From Franklin Mint to McDonald's glasses, we take some of the kitschiest collectibles off the shelf to give them a closer look.

Catch a preview of our upcoming season five, and take a deep dive into a shallow pool! Each episode, we'll try to scratch more than just the surface sentimentality that makes this kind of nostalgia so powerful. Join us for some kitschy conversations on a range of pop topics we know you'll love to remember. Collect them all!

A grab bag discussion of last-minute, unexpected topics finishes off our fourth season. 

It's summer blockbuster time, so we're discussing three pop stars who tried to get in on the action with unexpected movie roles. Find out whether Tina Tuner, Vanessa Williams, and Rihanna made a big splash at the box office or had their battleship sunk.

Unexpected actors who warble their way through a movie musical? We've got 'em here! Eric and Mike discuss the charm of Burt Reynolds in "At Long Last Love," Jodie Foster's lip syncing in "Bugsy Malone," and Lauren Bacall's Broadway comeback in "The Fan" ...plus a few other unexpected songbirds! This episode has more flavor than your last cup of High Point coffee!

Come and knock on our door... we've got a new episode waiting for you that covers unexpected performances from John Ritter, Suzanne Somers, Don Knotts, and the lovable cast of Three's Company.

On the occasion of Faye Dunaway's 83rd birthday, we celebrate several of her unexpected performances through the 70s, 80s, and 90s—including Eyes of Laura Mars, Supergirl, A Wicked Lady, and The Temp.

Hosts Mike and Eric conjure their best guesses for what's to come in 2024 in our annual New Year's predictions episode.

Move over Rudolph, and make some room at your holiday table for Pee Wee Herman, Solid Gold Dancers, and even a murderous toymaker played by Mickey Rooney! Pass the fruitcake, we're serving up some Christmas treats from pop culture's past.

We're re-examining and redeeming the genre of films lovingly (and somewhat controversially) called "Hagsploitation" or "Psycho Biddy" films, including 1964's Strait-Jacket (with Joan Crawford) and 1969's What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? (starring Geraldine Page and Ruth Gordon). Mike and Eric also discuss the qualities these movies have in common with another shocking flick, 1965's Who Killed Teddy Bear? (with Sal Mineo).

You never quite expect being locked in combat with ants, bees, and bats! We discuss what it takes to prevail against creepy vermin in the disaster horror movies Empire of the Ants (1977), The Swarm (1978), and Bats (1999).

Hollywood's obsession with possession was never stronger than the years following The Exorcist. This episode looks at some of the unexpected performances by a few beloved 1970s stars who did battle with demons and spirits: Telly Savalas and Elke Sommer in Lisa and the Devil, Marsha Mason and Anthony Hopkins in Audrey Rose, and James Brolin in The Car.

In our fourth season, we'll be exploring surprising performances — from silver screen legends getting out of their comfort zones by trying out unfamiliar genres to Hollywood's leading ladies reinventing their careers with cult classic characters. These left turns and detours from beloved icons exiting their expected lanes helped steer them right into pop culture history.

In the last episode of our third season, we're discussing two big TV movies that shaped 20th century pop culture: 1983's "The Day After" and 1971's "Duel."

Are the kids alright? Primetime TV movies from the 70s through the 90s gave teens and their parents plenty to worry about. We're revisiting three dramas from the genre that have now become cult classics.

Faster than a speeding bullet... able to leap Nielsen ratings in a single bound! This episode, we're talking superhero TV movies from the 1970s and 1980s. Hear about film pilots for Wonder Woman and Spider-Man, along with the return of the Incredible Hulk!

What goes into bringing back a beloved TV show for more adventures and another chance at ratings gold? We discuss how Gilligan's Island, The Love Boat, ALF, and others tried to recapture the original magic with made-for-TV movie reunions.

What do Vanna White, Joan Rivers, and Paula Abdul have in common? They're all surprising stars of made for TV movies! Mike and Eric discuss a few small screen flicks that gave some well-known non-actors a chance to flex their acting muscles. 

We're comparing the small-screen life stories of three superstars who left us early: Elvis, Jayne Mansfield, and Grace Kelly (as portrayed by Kurt Russell, Loni Anderson, and Cheryl Ladd). Revisit how TV movie biopics delivered big ratings for networks in the 70s - 90s, long before they were Oscar-baiting theatrical events.

It's our second annual attempt at predicting what will resurface in pop culture nostalgia! As we head into a new year, look back at what psychic friends Eric and Mike got right or wrong about 2022 and then peer into the future to see what's to come.

Get an extra helping of ham as special guest Ben Pickard joins us for an episode full of holiday cheer! Three wise men bearing vintage holiday TV offerings discuss The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and A Mom for Christmas. Plus, test your retro smarts with a bonus trivia game that stretches the limits of our Loretta Swit knowledge.

What do Burt Reynolds, Penny Marshall, Reba McEntire, and Bruce Boxleitner have in common? They all know the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat that comes with acting in competitive sports films. This episode, we're talking sports themed made-for-TV movies from the 70s - 90s!

There's no denying made-for-TV movies built around the "dangerous woman" genre are a huge part of TV history. We revisit A Woman Scorned, Mother Knows Best, and Face of Evil to relish in the camp performances by three actresses playing unhinged characters.

Scandalous news and made-for-TV movies are a match made in nostalgia heaven. Hosts Mike and Eric talk about a pair of 1990s movies based on true stories that gripped the nation. We follow America's growing fascination with the tabloid gossip of the time which probably paved the way for bizarre reality shows in the years that followed.

Most people probably expect "drama" when they think about the TV movie genre, but some made-for-TV comedies indeed do exist. Judith Light singing in a bowling alley? David Hasselhoff pretending to be gay? Carol Burnett stuck in suburban hell? Get your funny bones ready for our season 3 opening episode all about TV movies making room for laughs on the network's schedule.

Get a sneak peek of season 3! Tune in for a TV Movie bonanza, as we look at the legacy of network made-for-television events and the impact they had on 20th century pop culture. Join us all season while we dig up some lesser-known movie gems from the depths of TV entertainment history. 

This “Top of the Flops” season finale revisits infamous final episodes of popular TV shows that missed the mark with audiences. Hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones discuss several ways a beloved series can turn a swan song into a swan dive. Along the way, we make the case for what happened that botched the last episodes of “Seinfeld” and “Quantum Leap.”

When every critic gives a negative review to a film, it gets a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But do all certified zeroes actually deserve their bad reputation? Hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones are here to squash a few movie flop myths. We're discussing "Jaws: The Revenge" and "Killing Me Softly" to see if we can squeeze out a little more juice from these crushed tomatoes.

Should pirate movies walk the plank? Many have sunk to the bottom of the box office, so we have to ask: is there still buried treasure to be found in this genre or are these types of adventures destined to be exiled to a cutthroat island? Join your hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones as we look at some high profile pirate movie flops and uncover why the pirate movie has been largely cursed for decades. 

They say imitation can be the sincerest form of flattery. But sometimes imitation can be the fastest road to a flop. Join hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones as they look at “copycat” sitcoms created in the wake of blockbuster hits like “Friends” and “The Cosby Show,” that were supposed to be the next big hit, but ended up in the TV graveyard.

Some box office failures refuse to remain relegated to bad movie status. What does it take to bring a once-panned film back from the brink and cement it in pop culture history as a cult classic? Hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones discuss some flops that rebounded years later thanks to devoted fans.

What happened in the 1990s that derailed the cartoon express? Saturday morning cartoons had been an American institution for generations of kids from the 60s through the 80s. Hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones discuss the end of an era and pour out a bowl of sugary cereal in memory of NBC's last cartoon lineup. As we remember our favorite gone-too-soon cartoons, we'll also revisit a surprising cartoon failure that was redeemed as a big hit decades later in syndication and forever changed how we view the future.

Pop culture history is full of product launches that fell flat with consumers. We revisit some food and drink casualties—including what took the fizz out of the Cola Wars and some specialty pizzas that didn't exactly deliver hot out of the oven.    So drink up and grab that extra slice as your Pop Trash Podcast hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones take a bite out of two of the biggest food and beverage flops. 

We're kicking off season two by going on a diva trip! This episode, we're discussing some early career falters for Madonna, Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez as they tried to make the jump to the silver screen.  Hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones touch on the films Who's That Girl?, Glitter, and Gigli to find out why pop music royalty status alone might not be enough to save a movie from bombing. How could these music superstars send albums flying up the charts and at the same time send even their own devoted fans running away from theaters? You probably know these films are considered box office trash, but do they stack up differently decades later? Are there some redeeming qualities to these three flicks that may make you want to flip their definition from a flop?

Join hosts Eric and Mike for new episodes exploring the stories behind some of the most notorious failures in pop history. Here's a quick preview of season two, dropping soon: "Top of the Flops."

It's the new year! There's no better time to make some bold (but maybe not so beautiful) predictions about what pop culture treasures from the past might have a rebirth in 2022.  From beloved TV and movie icons who might return to the screen to classic game shows perhaps ripe for a rematch, hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones peer into crystal balls to foresee what nuggets of nostalgia may see new moments of relevance in 2022. 

Grab your wash tub bass as we head to Frogtown Hollow in the 1970s and visit an impoverished otter family who find hope amidst hardship in the charming Jim Henson Christmas special “Emmett Otter's Jug-Band Christmas.”  Your pop culture Christmas elves, Eric Grigs and Mike Jones, make the case for this TV special as the perfect cure for your holiday anxieties and also explore the technical genius behind the puppetry which helped to usher in the decades of Muppet cinema that would follow. Some say our world is getting too small, we say with kindness and some singing otters, there's room for us all in this latest episode of the Pop Trash Podcast's series “We Wish You a Campy Christmas.” 

We're making a list and checking it twice… a list of four favorite Christmas sitcom episodes! Revel in the seasonal delights of classic TV from the 70s through the 90s. These special holiday shows were comedy juggernauts, skilled at pulling in a sleigh full of laughs. Your Pop Trash Podcast hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones hop in our time machine and travel between 1977 and 1995 to discuss warm memories and obscure trivia from the very special Christmas episodes of sitcom giants Alice, Alf, Night Court, and NewsRadio. 

Here's the story… of a lovely reunion with one of the most beloved families in all of TV history! Our first episode revisits the 1988 holiday TV movie hit “A Very Brady Christmas.” There's no better way to celebrate the spirit of the season than mixing some “Ho Ho Ho” with “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!” The Brady gang's mostly all back (sorry, Cindy!) as the original cast of The Brady Bunch returns 14 years after the show ended to spend Christmas together. What are the Brady kids like as adults? How are Carol and Mike handling being empty nesters? And most importantly, did Alice really find her choice cut of meat in Sam the Butcher?  Join hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones as they count down the best moments of “A Very Brady Christmas,” discussing why this Brady reunion is a true Christmas miracle.