Christmas Memory: My Favorite '80s Toys!

What’s up, dudes? It’s the comic strip about a typical family, and they made a special about it! Scott Leopold from Holly Jolly X'masu, Matt Wheeler from Resurrection Metal Radio, and I talk For Better or For Worse “The Bestest Present!”Willy Patterson takes her son Michael and daughter Lizzie Christmas shopping at Philpott’s. Unfortunately, during the experience, Lizzie loses her favorite stuffed bunny. Seeing his daughter distraught, John goes back and searches high and low for it. He can’t find it, though the night watchman does.Consequently, Michael asks if he can put an ad in the paper to see if anyone has found it. The night watchman reads the ad and mails the bunny back to the Pattersons on Christmas Eve. Lizzie is so ecstatic, she invites the watchman Mr. Lederhaus over for Christmas dinner. Michael had promised a reward, so he offers his meager savings. Mr. Lederhaus feels grateful just to be with people on Christmas.A snowman? Check. A homemade bunny? Uh huh. A moldy orange? Only if it’s offered to a friend! So grab your bunny and go shopping to this episode on For Better or For Worse “The Bestest Present!”Holly Jolly X'masuFB: @HollyJollyXmasuTwitter: @HollyJollyXmasuIG: @hollyjollyxmasuGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? ‘Tis the season to be shopping! Hopefully you found the toys for which you were looking. We definitely wouldn’t want a Jingle All the Way situation.On Monday, December 12, 1983, Carol Ann Campbell, staff writer for the York Daily Record, published an article. In “The Quest for a Very Dashing Hulk of Plastic,” she interviews several retail store owners. They enumerate the problem of low orders and large sales booms. Poor sales the previous two holiday seasons resulted in manufacturer overproduction and post-Christmas toy surpluses. Consequently, parents are scouring their communities and nearby cities to find the one gift their children each want. From He-Man to My Little Pony, from Cabbage Patch Kids to Knight Rider, toys are selling out faster than stores can stock them. Some parents, however, are turning toward perennial board game favorites like Battleship. Kiddie Town? Check. K&K Toys? Got it. Toys ‘R’ Us? Only in my memories… So grab your keys and drive all over town to this episode on ”The Quest for a Very Dashing Hulk of Plastic!”Give us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? It was the show that taught us how the 1% lived! Bob Baker from Festive Foreign Film Fans and William Bruce West from Remember That Show? and West Week Ever join me to talk Dynasty “That Holiday Spirit!”Blake and Crystal visit their premie in the NICU and see that their prize horse up for sale. Meanwhile, Alexis and Dex fly to London for their wedding, along with Amanda. Things are awkward due to Dex and Amanda’s intimate encounter. Jeff is pining over Fallon and refuses to engage in a treasure hunt.During all this, Daniel Reece offers Blake the prize horse (his ulterior motive still hidden). Claudia reveals her infidelity to Steven who takes it poorly. Also, Dominique lays claim to the Carrington bloodline despite Blake’s refusal to believe. Subsequently, at the Christmas party, she storms out as Blake shares that he is Amanda’s father. Alexis barges in and demands Amanda back.Poofy dresses? Check. Melodrama? Of course! Slaps? Only one?!?! So grab your tux, listen to the carolers, and live like the Carringtons with this episode on Dynasty “That Holiday Spirit!”Festive Foreign Film FansFB: @ForeignFestiveFilmFansTwitter: @FestiveFilmFans Give us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? Is it BAB-ar or BaBAR? Michael May from After Lunch, Crestwood House, and Hellbent for Letterbox and I try to figure it out. Yes, we’re talking about “Babar and Father Christmas!”Arthur, Pom, Flora, and Alexander, the royal elephant children, are playing with their monkey pal, Zephir. Soon he tells them that in man’s world, Father Christmas delivers presents to good boys and girls on Christmas Eve! After their amazement subsides, they write Father Christmas a wish list letter, but are disappointed when they don't get a reply. Ultimately, this leads to Babar's realization that the Elephants' Country needs to be included in Santa's regular route.The King goes to heroic lengths to make his children's' wishes come true. First, he goes to the city and befriends an artist’s model. From there, he meets a geography professor with a map to Santa’s workshop. Babar makes the trek up north, and he and Father Christmas become fast friends. Father Christmas even gets to take a much needed rest in the tropical climate of Babar's country. He also gifts Babar a magical flying suit to distribute presents on Christmas Eve.Saxophone-playing Rhino antagonists? Check. Barbarian Babar? In a joke. Elves who’ve never seen a flamingo? Only if they look like gnomes! So grab your crown, hop on a train to the city, and check your maps to this episode on “Babar and Father Christmas!”After LunchGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? Motown! The sound defined the ‘60s, the acts brought joy to everyone. Ken Kessler from Sounds of Christmas and I dive into the wonderfully odd “Motown Merry Christmas!” From the Temptations to Smokey Robinson, this one celebrates Christmas the Motown way…with several non-Motown acts?!Hosted by Miami Vice’s Philip Michael Thomas, the special begins with a version of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The Temptations then sell it hard with a rendition of “White Christmas” à la The Drifters. After the Pointer Sisters nail “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” Santa Redd Foxx and elf Marsha Warfield provide some comedy. Following that, Ronnie Spector and Darlene Love sing a Christmas medley with awkward transitions between each song. They kill it so hard, though! Great stuff!Desiree Coleman, Smokey Robinson, and Natalie Cole wow the audience with soulful carols. Of course, the Temptations sing “Silent Night.” There’s more comedy bits with Foxx and Warfield, then Run DMC and Stephanie Mills get turns to provide holiday music. Carrie McDowell, Ronnie, Darlene, and the whole crew sing us out!Tubbs? Check. Roz? Of course. Fred Sanford? Only if he can be Santa! So spin your records, put on your tux, and jive to this episode on “Motown Merry Christmas!”Sounds of ChristmasFB: @SOCMusicTwitter: @SOCMusicIG: @socmusicGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? A couple of the Wreatling Bros—Joe Martinez from Now Watch This and Alamo City Santa Jeremy Phelps—are here to talk Prime Time Wrestling! Yes, it’s ‘80s New Year’s Wrestling with Bobby the Brain and Gorilla Monsoon!It’s a recap show on Jan 2, 1989, as Bobby and Gorilla discuss great moments of 1988 wrestling. First up, Jimmy Powers took on Dangerous Danny Davis and lost, though Davis cheated. They proceed to talk the Summer Slam as the Intercontinental tile changed hands. Of course, the duo had to mention broke the record of title ownership with 30 seconds. He beat Hulk Hogan and gave the belt to Ted Dibiasi, which was illegal.Subsequently they discuss new faces in the WWF: Mr. Perfect, Red Rooster, Bushwhackers, Big Boss Man. And no episode is complete without a plug for the upcoming Royal Rumble. Back to the matches, the Rockers fought Iron Mike Sharpe and Jose Estrada and won. On Thanksgiving, Demolition battled the Powers of Pain. Harley Race abdicated and gave Haku his crown. Surprisingly, Hulk and Macho Man formed the Mega Powers. Finally, Bad News Brown went up against Bret The Hitman Hart, but the match ended in a draw.Hacksaw Jim Duggan and the Hart Foundation? Check. Royal Rumble plugs? Every few minutes. Gorilla teasing Brain about cheap champagne? Especially after arguing about New Year’s favors! So grab your brown paper bag, put on a New Year’s hat, and call out this episode on 80s New Year’s Wrestling!”Now Watch ThisFB: @nowwatchthispodIG: @now_watch_this_podAlamo City Santa                                                    IG: @alamocitysanta Etsy: North Pole General StoreFB: @northpolegeneralstore                                                                                              IG: @northpole_generalstoreGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? It's a re-release of a minisode full of ‘80s nostalgia. In this case I’m talking all my favorite toys, most of which I got for Christmas! My top 6 toylines (later 7) are included, plus a bunch of secondary and tertiary lines that filled up my toy chest! There are so many I left off, but I still wanted to dig into as many as I could. So grab your favorite playset, pick out your very best figures, and battle to this episode!Figure RealmGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? Remember the Mickey Mouse Club? What about its late ‘80s revival? Mike Westfall of Advent Calendar House and Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas are with me to talk “The All New Mickey Mouse Club Christmas Special!”In this 33rd episode of the 4th season, recurring character Wendy Wallow starts a new job. She’s an elf at Mousey’s Department Store, and she’s wildly inept, constantly upsetting customers. Santa arrives and comforts her, though even he can’t get her a permanent job.Subsequently, The Party sings “Sugar is Sweet” with panache at a ski resort. Of course, Captain Bringdown invades the Mouse Mail segment and bums everyone out. After Bill Nye the Science Guy takes some Mousketeers to the North Pole to talk about glaciers, Lurleen makes hot mulled cola. She also makes some crafts for the Christmas tree. A ‘90s pop beat Christmas medley rounds out the episode.Attack of the Space Dreidels? Check. Miracle Kinda Near 34th Street? Got it. Wearable halos? Umm… So grab your sandpaper gingerbread men and hike through Alaska to this episode on “The All New Mickey Mouse Club Christmas Special!”Advent Calendar HouseFB: @adventcalendarhouseTwitter: @adventcalhouseIG: @adventcalendarhouseCan’t Wait for Christmas FB: @CantWaitForChristmasPodIG: @cantwaitforchristmaspodTwitter: @ChristmasPodGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What's up, dudes? Time to kick it old school! We were visited by the Ghost of Christmas Rad to take us back to our very first episode! We relive the magic of my first ever episode where I’m joined by my two brothers, David and Danny to talk 1986/7's Time Life Treasury of Christmas. Crooners? Yup. Strings and brass? Definitely. Synths? To the max! So grab a hold of the Miami Vice-style jacket of the Ghost of Christmas Rad, jump in his Knight Industries Time Traveling Two Thousand (K.I.T.T.T.T.) Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and drive to the past blasting this episode!Give us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? Alamo City Santa Jeremy Phelps joins me to dive into the 1986 made-for-tv movie “Christmas Eve!” Starring Loretta Young and Rachel’s dad from “Friends,” this melodrama has charm! Although Amanda Kingsley is now extremely wealthy, she remembers her hardscrabble upbringing. She now spends her time trying to help the less fortunate around her. Conversely, her business-minded son, Andrew, has never wanted for anything, and has become hardhearted. Upon receiving bad medical news, Amanda engages down-at-heel private investigator Morris Huffner to track down Andrew's three estranged children. She desperately longs for one final family Christmas.Huffner tracks down the youngest first. He is now a country singer, and vaguely knows the whereabouts of his sister. Of course, Huffner uses the lead to track down the young lady, and seemingly falls for her. Finally, Huffner finds the oldest son, who had dodged the draft by fleeing to Canada. They all come together and force a change of heart on Andrew.A philanthropic protagonist? Check. A miserly antagonist? Got it. An Alfred Pennyworth-like butler? Definitely! So grab your notebook and track down this episode on “Christmas Eve!”Alamo City Santa                                                                   IG: @alamocitysanta Etsy: North Pole General StoreFB: @northpolegeneralstore                                                                                              IG: @northpole_generalstoreGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!