Live from Chickentown, we sip nasty black coffee and talk about silly & geeky things. Frequent subjects include: Saturday morning cartoons, music, comic books, TV and movies of the 1970s and 1980s, and, uh, chickens. (We like chickens.) Also lots of convention talk, as we regularly attend Dragon Con and other nerdy gatherings. We're frightened and confused. Join us!
Flopcast 754: Fairuzapalooza Part 1 - Lack of TootieJust to be ridiculous, we're creeping into Halloween season with a look at two different movies about witches starring Fairuza Balk. And we're calling it... Fairuzapalooza. Up first is the odd 1986 cable TV movie The Worst Witch, with young Fairuza at a school for witches, also starring Tim Curry, Diana Rigg, and our beloved Mrs. Garrett from The Facts of Life, Charlotte Rae. Then a decade later, Fairuza was a teen witch (along with Robin Tunney, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True) in The Craft. (The soundtrack has Letters to Cleo covering a song by The Cars, and nothing else matters.) Helping us sort out all this Fairuzifying witchery is returning Flopcast guest Kevin Cafferty (The Best Stuff in the World, Gleaming the Tube)! And we're not done! Next week we'll just keep on Fairuzing. And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/43343079
Flopcast 753: Chicken HandsWe're reviewing another old Dynamite magazine, compliments of our pal Chris from Sci-Fi Explosion! This is a 1977 issue, and the cover features ill-fated sitcom couple Pinky Tuscadero and Fonzie. (Yes, we're talking about Happy Days again. Yes, we have a problem.) Also in this issue: A superhero named Jive Turkey! Skateboarding! She-Monsters! Disgusting pancakes! Jodie Foster! Magic Wanda! The DC Comics Hotline! And lots more mid-70s weirdness for the kids. So forget your school book club and enjoy Dynamite magazine in its final perfect form: the audio podcast. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/43243488
Flopcast 752: Dragon Con Review Part 4 - Even By Manimal StandardsAt last, it's the end of our Dragon Con coverage, just in time for us to start working on our zombie steampunk Mrs. Roper costumes for next year. Our look back at the last two days of the convention includes: Panels about witchcraft in fiction, comedy in science fiction, Superman meeting Spider-Man, and Justice League Unlimited! A dramatic reading of a Manimal script! More fun with Electra Woman and Dyna Girl! The magic of Banachek! Billy Ocean in space, drunk Ewoks, the Tooncinator, and more video weirdness from Sci-Fi Explosion! A Roll-a-Panel of movies from 2001! And a What's in the Bag segment featuring everything we dragged back from Atlanta! (Including a 50-year-old treasure from the legendary World of Sid and Marty Krofft theme park!) Okay, that was Dragon Con. Time for a nap, which should last about four months. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/43162238
Flopcast 751: Dragon Con Review Part 3 - Just the Right Level of DerangementSaturday was our longest, busiest, silliest day at Dragon Con, the massive convention of pop culture nerdiness that takes over Atlanta every Labor Day weekend. Including: Saturday morning cartoons! Our Krofft Supershow 50th Anniversary celebration! Our Pee Wee's Playhouse 40th Anniversary celebration! An actual Bugaloo! Electra Woman and Dyna Girl versus the Empress of Evil! The Battle of the Fictional Bands! Fandom Feud! Our Saturday Night Live table read, with Johnny Canal, Matt Foley, Lampreys, Deep Thoughts, and more! The Music Video Book Club! And perhaps some late night Eurovision Karaoke! Next week: The end of it all! Hopefully. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/43045218
Flopcast 750: Dragon Con Review Part 2: Bribe Them With Cheez-ItsOur Dragon Con 2026 coverage continues, as we cover every goofy thing we did on Friday at our favorite annual gathering of weirdos. Including: The Geek Girls Run! An American Sci-Fi Classics Track Tournament of Villains! American Sci-Fi/Fantasy Media Track panels on Pluribus, Lanterns, and Supergirl! The cast of Land of the Lost! A meeting with Tron! The Dragon Con Hustle! And a late night parade of Yip-Yips! So that was Friday, we still have a long way to go, and it's just gonna get weirder. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42960558
Flopcast 749: Dragon Con Review Part 1: Ceremonies, Scissors, and PantsAfter another long weekend among 75,000 other nerds in miserably hot and humid Atlanta, our Dragon Con 2026 review begins now! (Warning: This might be a four-parter. There's a lot of ridiculousness to cover.) Including: A weird new way to get to the airport! The nightmarish badge pickup line! The Skeptics Guide to the Universe crew! A surprise reality TV star! The Tim Curry tribute panel! Dancing at the 8-Bit Ball! Not dancing at the 120 Minutes Dance Party! Trogdor the giant inflatable dragon! A Depeche Mode video brought to life! Lots more goofy stuff! And we're just getting started! And we're already exhausted! Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42888950
Flopcast 748: Maid of SteelIt might be Dragon Con weekend, but it's still summertime, and you know what that means around here. It's time for our annual robot-themed Top 4 1/2 List! And it's a weird one. In honor of this year's new Supergirl movie, we're counting down robots on the covers of Supergirl comic books. (What?) Along the way, we'll meet a robot man named Robotman, a four-armed robot bank robber, a robot who climbs skyscrapers King Kong-style, and perhaps even a juvenile delinquent robot from space. Will Supergirl wear a different costume in every comic we look at? ALMOST. Are we completely out of ideas for robot lists? APPARENTLY. But if you have any complaints, you can write to Supergirl's comic book letter column, which in the early 70s was called "Super Fe-Mail." And that should be the first thing you complain about. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42642060
Flopcast 747: Dragon Con Preview Part 2 - A Panel of WeirdosWith Dragon Con just days away, let's look at our official schedules, because Kevin and the Mayor will be busy with panels, presentations, and miscellaneous silly things. Including: Panels on Pee Wee's Playhouse, Supergirl, Pluribus, Lanterns, and more! A tournament of villains! The Geek Girls Run! Fandom Feud! A celebration of Sid and Marty Krofft! Script readings from Saturday Night Live and Manimal! Roll-a-Panel! And yikes, even more. Hope to see you there. Avoid the rush and start feeling completely exhausted right now. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42608170
Flopcast 746: Dragon Con Preview Part 1 - Fuzzy Dragon MathHey, it's almost time for Dragon Con! Nerds, geeks, and weirdos from around the globe shall descend upon Atlanta for a long weekend of mirth, merriment, antics, hijinks, and perhaps even a shenanigan or two. And this week our Dragon Con coverage begins with a preview of what you can expect to find there. Including: Stars from Land of the Lost, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Smallville, and The Jeffersons! (We might just be dreaming about that last one.) The 120 Minutes dance party! The Sc-Fi Explosion video show! Very long lines! Bunny costumes! Puppets! Teeth! (Teeth? Really? Yes. Teeth.) And lots more miscellaneous nerdity. We even address the question of whether or not this is Dragon Con's 40th anniversary. (It's not. There, that was easy.) Next week: We'll reveal exactly what we're doing at Dragon Con. (Mostly silly things. Okay, that was easy too.) Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42524785
Flopcast 745: TV Reunion Movies Part 2 - Gilligan's RobotsOur American Sci-Fi Classics buddy Joe Crowe is still here, and we're still exploring the odd world of made-for-TV reunion movies. In this week's batch of ratings-grabbing silliness: The Duke boys go to Hollywood, the Facts of Life girls get back together (except for Jo!), a Gabor sister (still not sure which one) returns to Green Acres, the Eight is Enough dad has multiple 50th birthdays, somebody wants to murder Dobie Gillis... and yeah, the Harlem Globetrotters face a team of evil robots on Gilligan's Island. (This was easily the greatest thing that ever happened.) And yikes, we still have a bunch of TV reunion movies to get through, but that'll have to wait. Dragon Con coverage starts next week. You've been warned. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42450140
Flopcast 744: TV Reunion Movies Part 1 - Crisis on Brady EarthsBack in the day, when your favorite goofy TV show was cancelled, it was not necessarily the end. Years (or even decades) later, it just might be resurrected in the odd format of the made-for-TV reunion movie. Thus we returned to Mayberry to catch up with Andy and Opie, we reconnected with Gomez and Morticia in the disco era, we attended the double wedding of Jan and Marcia... and we even learned the final fate of ALF. And because this is such a rich complex subject, we have a special guest to help sort it all out: Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Track co-director Joe Crowe! And we're just getting started! Part 2 is next week. But join us this week, as we also try to answer the eternal question of which one was Cagney and which one was Lacey. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42368065
Flopcast 743: F.L.O.P. in the U.S.A.We have one more summer concert report for you, because thanks to an old friend, Kevin and the Mayor had VIP tickets to see John Mellencamp! (Are you like us? Do you still miss the "Cougar" part?) So today we're breaking down the whole show for you. Including: Pre-concert South Shore bar pizza with a kissing waitress! The Mellencamp VIP tent, featuring Mellencamp memorabilia, a Mellencamp video game, Mellencamp Jenga, and a non-Mellencamp medical emergency! Seats that were shockingly close to the stage! A backup singer we recognized from Billy Joel's band! The entire hit-packed set list! (If you're wondering which songs John played, the answer is yes.) And post-show fun with a drunk in the parking lot! You'll feel like you were there, and you'll feel like sucking on a chili dog outside the Tastee Freez. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42289610
Flopcast 742: Because We're BeautifulOur friend Judy is here again, and we're looking back at the supermodels of the 1980s! They popped up in movies and music videos, they sold jeans and shampoo, they married rock stars, and we just couldn't get enough of them. So to pay tribute to Cindy, Christie, Paulina, and the rest, Judy has prepared what might be our sexiest Top 4 1/2 List ever. (That's if we don't count our list of cartoon robots. Obviously.) Also: If you're gonna be in Massachusetts in September, and feel like running through the woods for a long time, you can join Judy at the Race for the Refuge! Meanwhile, slip into your Calvins and enjoy this episode. And watch for us in the upcoming all-podcasters edition of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42215990
Flopcast 741: A Menacing SortWe have another summer concert report, because "Weird Al" Yankovic's Bigger and Weirder Tour returned to New England! Also: Retro 80s games at the Free Play Bar Arcade in downtown Providence! The Logan Awards for Excellence in Comedy Music! The return of Chickens in the News, in which we learn about a farm where you can gamble on chicken races! (Correction: This farm is in Boulder, Montana, not Boulder, Colorado! Sorry!) And a long-awaited conversation about the 80s cult film Streets of Fire! Hopefully you can stand this much excitement! Okay, nap time. And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42142840
Flopcast 740: Happy Days Spinoffs Part 2 - A Future ChickWe're still looking at Happy Days spinoffs, because that's what the kids are excited about these days. There was Joanie Loves Chachi, of course, in which the two worst singers in the world dream of making it big. But does anyone else remember Out of the Blue, a sitcom about a guardian angel named Random? No, just us? Whatever. Then there were the Saturday morning cartoon spinoffs: Fonz and the Happy Days Gang (in which our heroes travel through time in a flying saucer), Laverne and Shirley in the Army (with their sergeant, an actual pig voiced by Horshack), and Mork and Mindy (but they're in high school and drive an egg car). We even touch on a few proposed spinoffs that never happened, starring Ralph and Potsie, those pesky Tuscadero girls... and the mysterious Kat Mandu. You know, a lot of this stuff is on YouTube... so proceed with your day accordingly. And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/42032585
Flopcast 739: Pour Some Tequila On MeFrom the middle of a horrifying Chickentown heatwave, we present a Top 4 1/2 List of summer songs of the 80s! (Yes, this is ground we've covered before. If you thought we were ever going to stop yammering about Belinda Carlisle, you really don't know us.) And for more 80s summer music action, we also have a Sammy Hagar concert report! Sammy's show featured plenty of Van Halen classics, Joe Satriani on guitar, Rick Springfield topless, and free booze for everybody in the front row. Plus: A weird conversation about Weird Al on The Best Stuff in the World podcast! Enjoy, and stay cool. We recommend a fifty gallon drum of iced coffee. And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/41965300
Flopcast 738: Happy Days Spinoffs Part 1 - Mork and PepsiAs promised/threatened, we're looking at all the TV series that can be considered spinoffs of Happy Days. And yikes, there are so many that we're splitting them into two episodes. So this week, we're covering: Laverne and Shirley! (Remember when Laverne, Shirley, and everyone they knew all moved from Milwaukee to Los Angeles together?) Mork and Mindy! (Remember when Mork gave birth to a weird old man?) And Blansky's Beauties/Who's Watching the Kids! (What?) And yeah, we're just getting started. If you can't stand the excitement, just have Fonzie whack your phone and stop the podcast. #happydays #spinoffs #laverneandshirley #blanskysbeauties #whoswatchingthekids #morkandmindy #esonetwork #eso #geektalk #geekpodcast #geek #nerdtalk #nerd #nerdpodcast #podcast #flopcast Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/41854920
Flopcast 737: Ease On Down to ChickentownOur series of Wizard of Oz adaptation reviews brings us to 1978's The Wiz, an ambitious reimagining with an all-star all-Black cast led by the great Diana Ross. Also featuring: Richard Pryor, Lena Horne, Nipsey Russell, Mabel King, graffiti Munchkins, crow monsters, poppy girls, and way more long slow musical numbers than anyone really wanted. (Seriously, they could have cut the running time in half with no complaints.) Can Emerald City survive the disco era? Perhaps. Just barely. #wizardofoz #thewiz #dianaross #esonetwork #eso #geektalk #geekpodcast #geek #nerdtalk #nerd #nerdpodcast #podcast #flopcast Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/41715810
Flopcast 736: Devo Was RightFlopcast episode 736! It's another quick fill-in show as we await the return of the Mayor! Including: Kevin's recent guest appearance on Monkeeing Around to discuss a weird obscure Micky Dolenz movie! The new book Raised on Radio, an oral history of the arena rock bands of the 70s and 80s! (Worried that you don't know quite enough about REO Speedwagon? Well, here you go.) And we just saw Devo live in concert, and we need them now more than ever. So slip into a yellow jumpsuit, stick an energy dome on your head, and join us, you spuds. #raisedonradio #devo #monkees #monkeeingaround #esonetwork #eso #geektalk #geekpodcast #geek #nerdtalk #nerd #nerdpodcast #podcast #flopcast Kevin on Monkeeing Around in and formats! And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/41640135
Flopcast 735: Monkeeing Around in 1986Sixty years ago, The Monkees debuted as a TV show about a band, quickly grew into a real band, were wildly successful for just a few years, then faded away. Forty years ago, reruns on MTV inspired a new generation of Monkeemania, and so Micky, Davy, and Peter hit the road for the big 1986 Monkees reunion tour. Kevin saw them on that tour, and our guest this week did too! We're joined by Elaine, co-host of the fine podcast Monkeeing Around, which you'll find right here on the ESO Network. And our conversation includes: A breakdown of the whole Monkees set list (including their 80s hit "That Was Then, This Is Now"), the opening bands (a 60s nostalgia lineup of Herman's Hermits, Gary Puckett, and the Grass Roots), attending the show on a broken foot, getting lost in the parking lot, Micky's 80s synth drums, Davy's 80s mullet... and through it all, the nonstop screaming girls. Join us as we take the last train back to 1986, when the silly TV band from the 60s suddenly had the hottest tour of the summer. Alas, Mike Nesmith wasn't there, but we were. #monkees #monkeeingaround #mickydolenz #davyjones #petertork #hermanshermits #garypuckett #grassroots #esonetwork #eso #geektalk #geekpodcast #geek #nerdtalk #nerd #nerdpodcast #podcast #flopcast And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/41562275
Flopcast 734: Monkey MuscleIn the early 80s, video games were so popular that they inspired a weird pack of Saturday morning cartoons. The Pac-Man cartoon was first, and was soon followed by Saturday Supercade, Dragon's Lair, and Pole Position. Saturday Supercade featured short segments based on several games: Donkey Kong (both original and Junior), Frogger, Kangaroo, Pitfall, Q*Bert, and Space Ace. And this week we're joined by Eclectic Lee, a longtime friend of the Flopcast, for a Top 4 1/2 List of characters from these goofy shows. Along the way, we'll discuss the voice actors, the games themselves, and the mystery of Quickclaw, Pitfall Harry's eyepatch-wearing pet lion. Maybe Frogger can help us, since according to his cartoon, he isn't just a frog who gets squished by trucks. He's also an investigative journalist. (Did we mention that these shows are weird?) And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/41482735
Flopcast 733: Angry Green ElephantsOur ongoing series of Wizard of Oz adaptation reviews reaches Journey Back to Oz, an animated movie that Filmation started producing in 1962. However, they ran out of money, and the movie sat around unfinished for a full decade, until Filmation had some cash rolling in from their cheapo Saturday morning cartoons. Was Journey Back to Oz worth the wait? Yeah, sort of. It boasts an all-star cast led by Liza Minnelli as Dorothy, the role her mom played in the classic 1939 movie. Also in the cast: Margaret Hamilton (the Wicked Witch back in 1939, now playing Aunt Em), Ethel Merman, Danny Thomas, Mickey Rooney, Larry Storch, Mel Blanc, Milton Berle... and Paul Lynde. (Yikes, with Paul on board, they could have skipped the movie and just played a round of Hollywood Squares.) And yes, Journey Back to Oz also features a talking signpost, a wooden horse, Jack Pumpkinhead, evil trees, gay trees, and plenty of chickens. Watch it just once, and inside your brain, the angry green elephants will never stop screaming. Plus: Kevin is on another American Sci-Fi Classics online panel all about Supergirl, just in time for the new movie! (But we still love the old movie.) And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/41408260
Flopcast 732: Happy Days Are Weird AgainInspired by last week's Happy Days cast reunion event (which we attended as part of our court-ordered community service), we're finally taking a deep dive into this classic goofy sitcom of the 70s and 80s. Including: How Happy Days and American Graffiti sort of created each other! The Happy Days pilot episode of Love, American Style! Tom Bosley on Wait Till Your Father Gets Home! The mystery of Chuck Cunningham! The dreaded arrival of Ted McGinley! Those wacky Tuscadero sisters, Pinky and Leather! A visit from The Amazing Randi! Potsie sings "Pump Your Blood"! Ralph Malph vs. Captain America! Fonzie vs. Karate Tom Hanks! Fonzie dates a nun! Joanie dates Steve Trevor! Marcia Brady dates Kaptain Kool! And some other stuff that's too ridiculous to mention! And yikes, we're not even done yet. A follow-up episode (exploring all those Happy Days spin-off shows) is coming soon. Meanwhile, to hear this episode, just walk up to any jukebox and give it a good whack. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/41321510
Flopcast 731: Holding Out for a Tractor FightWe actually left the studio a few times this week, so this show is just a quick recap of our various silly activities. Including: Beloved folk singer-songwriter Dar Williams live in concert! The Footloose musical live from New Hampshire! Losing at trivia to Britney Spears's lower back tattoo! And a live Happy Days cast reunion with Henry Winkler, Anson Williams, and Donny Most! This is The Flopcast's big chance to jump the shark, and we shall not disappoint. And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/41237430
Flopcast 729: Rusty and DandyA few months before the debut of their classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer cartoon, Rankin/Bass produced their very first prime time animated TV special. And it was very, very different. So this week we're looking at yet another Wizard of Oz adaptation: 1964's Return to Oz. The animation was simple, but a little of that classic Rankin/Bass weirdness was already present. Including: Munchkins who look like turnips, a mayor with a top hat, some of the same voice actors from Rudolph, flying crocodiles to complement the flying monkeys, and a chicken. It's goofy fun and it's waiting for you on YouTube right now. Also: How to cross the street during the Boston Marathon. (It's complicated.) Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/41016935
Flopcast 728: Turkeys Walk the EarthIt's another extra-quick show because we're extra-sleepy. But we do cover: Running with turkeys! Old comic books starring Superman and Supergirl! A new comic book starring a decapitated chicken! Celebrating Record Store Day with German disco Christmas music! And celebrating the 40th anniversary of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns with the American Sci-Fi Classics Track! Next week we'll have more going on, assuming we're done relaxing. And our regular links... Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/40928140
Flopcast 727: Hard Knock FlopWe've been poking through our stack of old Dynamite magazines again, and we fished out a good one. This issue is from 1982, and the cover features Aileen Quinn, star of Annie. Inside we learn that Annie auditions were held in Boston! We should have slipped into a curly red wig and tried out. Also: Weird sherbet recipes! The Mayor at the Baseball Hall of Fame! The Dynamite Duo at summer camp! A futuristic flying monkey known as the Flunkey! How to eat a taco! The secret history of the popsicle! Darth Vader's birthday! Facts of Life underwear! Styx vs. Air Supply! An angry Star Trek fan! Dynamite Bummers! And lots more early 80s silliness. Dynamite was the best. It hasn't been published since the early 90s, but we're still trying to renew our subscription. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/40815955
Flopcast 726: Television of 1976 - Lousy With DetectivesSay, what was on TV fifty years ago this week? Let's check our local listings and find out. Okay, the answer is: Lots of sitcoms, lots of variety shows, and about 6,000 detective shows. But as we go through the week, we'll also find: Weird cartoons about Noah's Ark and the Easter Bunny! Carl Reiner as an angel who grants wishes! Joanie loves Potsie! Gerald Ford loves truckers! A pilot about pilots! Helen Hunt is shipwrecked! Tony Orlando meets the cast of Hee Haw! Gilbert Gottfried meets Bea Arthur! Bob Newhart meets the Winter Warlock! And much more Bicentennial television weirdness! If your all-time favorite shows are Jigsaw John, The Blue Knight, and Bronk, this was your week. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/40735195
Flopcast 725: School of FlopIn yet another Flopcast Top 4 1/2 List, we're counting down our favorite movies about bands. And since we've ruled out documentaries and biopics, that leaves movies about fictional bands. Some of our picks are obvious, as Jake and Elwood get the band back together, some wacky Irish kids bring soul to Dublin, and Eddie, you know, cruises. But one or two lesser known films also make the list. (Did anyone besides us see Still Crazy? Come on, get on that.) If this isn't enough fictional band action for you, go see our friends at Dragon Con's American Sci-Fi Classics Track, where this subject is an ongoing obsession. Meanwhile, enjoy, and remember: This podcast goes to eleven, but then immediately sinks back down to about a three. Email: [email protected]/episode/index/show/flopcast/id/40654150