Home Alone watchalong (w/ CJ Bélanger)

What's up, dudes? You never knew Santa had a donkey? Well, Jeff Loftin from Lost Christmas and Alamo City Santa Jeremy Phelps did. In fact, they’re here with me to talk all about the Rankin Bass special “Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey!”Nestor was born with abnormally long ears. His owner mistreated him, and the other animals teased him. One night when Roman soldiers came to the stable to buy donkeys, they dismiss Nestor and take all the other donkeys for free. Enraged, Olaf casts Nestor out into the frigid cold. Nestor's mother finds him and shields from the harsh weather with her own body, freezing to death in the process.The next day, Nestor meets a cherub named Tilly, who says that they need to travel to Bethlehem. When they reach the outskirts of the town, Tilly returns to Heaven, instructing Nestor to wait. When Mary and Joseph are expecting Jesus, they take Nestor because of his "gentle eyes", but are caught in a sandstorm. In the midst of the storm, Nestor hears Tilly's voice, but recognizes it as his mother's. She tells him to follow the voices of the angels. Nestor guides Mary and Joseph through the storm, while wrapping Mary in his ears to keep her warm. They arrive in Bethlehem, where Nestor finds the stable where Mary gives birth to Jesus. Nestor heads back home where he is hailed as hero by Olaf and the other animals. Santa? Check. The Holy Family? Yep. Spieltoe? Never thought Santa had a pack mule! So grab your Nativity scene and add a donkey to this episode on “Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey!”Lost Christmas PodcastFB: @LostChristmasPodcastTwitter: @LostChristmasP1IG: @lostchristmaspodcastAlamo 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? Advent is here, and it’s time to prepare for Christmas! Fr. Thom Crowe from ‘Tis the Podcast is here with me to discuss the differences between Catholic and Orthodox Advent liturgies!How long is each one? Which one omits parts of the Ordinary? Are they both strict fasts? We get into all of it! There are striking similarities and glaring differences. The sanctoral and temporal cycles overlap, and function as a weak analogy of the hydrostatic union.The West has more structural variation and variable parts parts, but the East has the stricter fast. We delve into the Mass/Divine Liturgy and the Office/Hours. After that, we tackle popular Advent devotions from both traditions. St. Nicholas definitely gets some play!Gloria in excelsis? Nope. Te Deum? Uh uh. Benedicamus Domino? Definitely! So grab your folded chasuble, switch it out for a broad stole, and chant along to this episode on Catholic and Orthodox Advent liturgies!'Tis the PodcastFB: @tisthepodcastBlueSky: @tisthepodcast.bsky.socialIG: @tisthepodcastFB Group: Tis the Podcast GroupGive 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 the A-Team: four Vietnam vets, framed for a crime they didn't commit who help the innocent while on the run from the military. I’ve got Laramy Wells from Moving Panels and Joe Fulton the Christmas Aficionado with me to talk all about the Thanksgiving episode “Family Reunion!”On Thanksgiving, General Stockwell orders the A-Team to reunite a wanted criminal, A.J. Bancroft, with his daughter Ellen within 24 hours. In return, Bancroft will provide evidence that could bring down half the crooked politicians in Washington. Bancroft, who is terminally ill, has not seen his daughter in twenty years. However, Ellen knows all about his misdeeds from reading the papers. The old man has another reason to hire the A-Team specifically: he tells Murdock that Templeton Peck was born Richard Bancroft, his son. Bancroft’s former associates in crime don’t want their involvement to go public, so they send goons after Bancroft and his daughter. Can the A-Team intercept them and reunite the estranged family? Of course! That’s why they’re the A-Team! Unfortunately, not before Bancroft dies and misses the chance to tell Face that he’s his dad as well. Family, right?!Explosions? Check. Tricking out the van? Got it. Family drama and character study? Definitely more than usual for this show! So grab your journal full of secrets, explode some fire extinguishers, and race into this Thanksgiving episode of the A-Team! Moving PanelsFB : @MovingPanels Twitter: @MovingPanels IG: @movingpanels Christmas AficionadoGive 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 the 40th anniversary of Santa Claus: The Movie! Pax Holley from Cult Film Club, Crestwood House, and I Read Movies is with me to talk all about the novelization!  Santa Claus: The Movie was released in 1985, and it chronicled the origin of the Jill old elf himself. Eventually, it transitions into anDudley Moore vehicle as his elf character Patch takes center stage. Patch feels unappreciated and sets out into the world to prove himself. The novelization fills some plot points the movie left out due to time constraints. For example, the elves used to deliver the gifts themselves, but stopped as it grew harder. Also, in preparation for the big flight, they built a simulator for Santa. The novelization even explains why Santa has to go down chimneys due to modern man’s lack of trust in one another. Oh, and Patch returns to the Pole and shares Santa’s assistant duties with Puffy.Sleigh flight simulator? Check. Confirmation of Cornelia’s adoption? For sure. Kids writing letters to Santa apologizing for their lack of faith? Definitely! So grab your stardust, eat some magic candy canes, and fly into this episode on the novelization of Santa Claus: The Movie!Cult Film ClubFB: @CultFilmClub Twitter: @CFCPod IG: @cultfilmclub Hellbent for LetterboxGive 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? There’s nothing like a Christmas jazz house song to kick off a party. I’ve got Steve Beech of Uplifting House Sessions with me to dive into the opening track of Winter Warnerland! Yes, we’re talking Jeff Lorber “God Rest the House!”Jeff Lorber is an American keyboardist and composer specializing in jazz and fusion. After attending the Berklee College of Music, he played with Michael Brecker and John Scofield. Eventually he started Jeff Lorber Fusion and released his first album in 1977. He frequently played on Rhodes, Minimoog, and Prophet 5 keyboards. He subsequently went solo and had several singles on Billboard Dance charts.As the Winter Warnerland liner notes state:“He's the guy who first brought you Karen White with their smash hit, The Facts of Love. Kenny G, his former sax player and right now is one of the hottest session cats out there. You can hear his magic touch on current hits from U2, Pebbles, New Edition, Giant Steps, New Shoes, The California Raisins, Sheena Easton and Jeffrey Osborne. Those are just the ones he's played on this month. And you know he's saving up the good stuff for his next WB LP due sometime in 89. Even though he's a busy guy, he managed to crank out a hot house mix version of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen for us. Turn it up!”Driving bass line? Check. Syncopated version of the melody? Got it. Minor pentatonics, blues scale embellishments, and occasional chromatic triplets? Definitely! So grab your Yamaha GS-1, and jam out to this episode on Jeff Lorber “God Rest the House!”Uplifting House SessionsYouTube: @UpliftinghouseSessionsIG: @upliftinghousesessionsGive 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? Joe Martinez from Now Watch This and Sean Sotka from the Christmas Podcasts Podcast are with me to talk Airwolf “Half-Pint!” Yes, it’s all about Hawke, Santini, and Archangel, but most importantly The Lady!Archangel tells Stringfellow Hawke they have credible intel on Saint John’s son Le Van. String checks it out, and meets the boy’s foster father McBride. McBride actually knew Saint John in ‘Nam, working on covert special ops assignments together. He confirms Saint John’s death.As String and Le Van bond, McBride and an enlisted drug dealer plot to smuggle drugs into the country via Saint John’s casket. Of course, Archangel suspects tomfoolery, but Hawke is glad to finally have answers. Eventually, String and Santini investigate the casket and find drugs inside. Hawke buries it to lure the villains out, and uses Airwolf to capture them.Drug smuggling plot? Yep. Airwolf shenanigans? A few. Child gambling and martial arts? Definitely! So grab your sunglasses, hop in The Lady, and fly around to this episode on Airwolf “Half-Pint!”Christmas Podcasts PodcastFB: @christmaspods IG: @christmaspods Twitter: @ChristmasPods Now Watch ThisFB: @nowwatchthispodIG: @now_watch_this_podGive 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? I've got Anthony Caruso from ‘Tis the Podcast and Jeremy Phelps the Alamo City Santa with me to dig into Charles Schulz’s Peanuts. That’s right! It’s the classic “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving!” Will he ever kick the football?Charlie Brown gets a phone call from Peppermint Patty, who invites herself, Marcie and Franklin  to  Chuck's house for dinner. As it turns out, he is not having dinner and can’t  cook anything. Consequently, Linus suggests that they prepare a meal for their friends before they go to grandma’s, and recruits Snoopy and Woodstock to help. The gang then prepare a feast of toast, popcorn, pretzel sticks, jelly beans, and sundaes.After the guests arrive, Linus leads the group in prayer  before Snoopy serves the meal. Peppermint Patty, who expected turkey and other traditional Thanksgiving food, angrily yells at Charlie Brown, who leaves the table dejected. Marcie berates her and apologize to Chuck for her. Realizing that he and Sally are late for the Brown family dinner, Charlie Brown explains the situation over the phone to his grandmother, who invites all his friends to come along for dinner.Pilgrim dog? Check. Clueless imposing friend? Yep. Cannibalistic bird? Only Woodstock! So grab your popcorn, make some toast, and  enjoy Thanksgiving with your friends to this episode on “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving!”‘Tis the PodcastFB: @tisthepodTwitter: @tisthepodIG: @tisthepodcastAlamo 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? We had a blast covering the last movie, so we’re doing another live commentary! It’s the 35th anniversary of Home Alone, so we’re celebrating! Yes, Home Alone is 35 years old today! CJ Bélanger from Rose Suchak Ladder and I have a blast with this watch along! Rose Suchak LadderIG: @rosesuchakladderpodGive 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? Mike Westfall of Advent Calendar House and Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas are with me to talk all about the genius that is Al Yankovic! Even Caleb Cote from Insert Reference Here pops in to dive into Weird Al “Christmas at Ground Zero!”The song is a throwback to the Phil Spector “wall of sound” era, full of bari sax and keyboard layers. Of course, in Al fashion, he copies the style to perfection. Harmonically, it’s a simple I-vi-ii-V chord progression reminiscent of the 1960s.Lyrically, the song is awash in Cold War nuclear disaster tropes. Yankovic's label, Scotti Brothers Records, insisted that he record a Christmas album. However, after Yankovic presented the song to his label, they relented, because it was "a little different from what they were expecting." After the song was written and recorded, Yankovic wanted to release the song as a commercial single, but Scotti Bros. refused. Eventually, Scotti Bros. released the song as a promotional single and then commercially.Sleigh bells ringing? Check. Trimming the tree? Uh huh. Atom bombs dropping? Only if it creates new mutants! So load your gun and suck and cover to this episode on Weird Al “Christmas at Ground Zero!” Advent Calendar HouseFB: @adventcalendarhouseTwitter: @adventcalhouseIG: @adventcalendarhouseCan’t Wait for Christmas FB: @CantWaitForChristmasPodIG: @cantwaitforchristmaspodTwitter: @ChristmasPodInsert Reference Here                                       Bsky: @forgetfulfrasierGive 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 looking in your stocking and finding a cool coloring book of your favorite characters? Charlie Ague from Closer to Christmas and Ague Designs and Alamo City Santa Jeremy Phelps  are here with me to break them down! Luckily, there’s a great website Retro Reprintswith hundreds of coloring and activity books to help with our quest. We look through several books by Random House and Golden published in the ‘80s. For example, the Snorks, or as some remember them, underwater Smurfs, engage in holiday activities throughout each page of their book. The Shirt Tales frolic and play amid the yuletide festivities in their own book as well. Spider-Man and the Muppets join the fun in their respective books.As we dig into each book, we examine which pages are easiest to color. We also look at the level of detail poured into the Muppet Babies book, and occasionally how certain pages are boring. Some pages are devoid of characters and feature would-be Christmas presents. Yay!Wuzzles? Check. Ewoks? Got ‘em. Twinkles the elf? Twinkles the elf?!?! So grab your box of 64 crayons, sharpen your colored pencils, and doodle along to this episode on ‘80s Christmas coloring books!Closer to ChristmasTwitter: @closertoxmasIG: @closertoxmasAgue DesignsIG: @aguedesignsAlamo City SantaIG: @alamocitysanta Etsy: North Pole General StoreFB: @northpolegeneralstore                                                                                              IG: @northpole_generalstoreRetro ReprintsGive 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!