101: “Would You Please Check My Head For Signs of Spoiling?” – Return To Oz

Can you imagine living in a world where millions of people are glued to their screens 24/7, watching the life of an ordinary person unfold while being bombarded with advertisements that are disguised as part of the entertainment? Of course you can! It’s 2024, and we’re already there. But back in 1998, the premise of THE TRUMAN SHOW was still a pretty radical idea, giving moviegoers a glimpse of the future shortly before the reality TV boom of the 2000s and long before the rise of social media. Audiences who thought they were in for a summer comedy starring Jim Carrey found themselves instead confronted with deep philosophical questions about freedom versus choice, artifice versus authenticity, surveillance versus privacy, and other heady topics – unaware that they were witnessing the rise of the world’s first influencer. The film stars Jim Carrey as likable everyman Truman Burbank, who’s lived his entire life unaware that every move he makes is broadcast to adoring fans across the globe. His mom, his wife, his best friend, and everybody else in town are in on it. The Truman Show gave Carrey newfound credibility as a dramatic actor and showcases peerless supporting performances from Laura Linney as Truman’s increasingly unhinged wife and Ed Harris as the God-like “creator” behind this massive production. There’s no question that Peter Weir’s fable-like film was ahead of its time in numerous ways, which only lends itself to an even richer conversation than was possible back in the late 90s. But how does this unusual blend of comedy, drama, and satirical science fiction hold up as entertainment now that there are millions of Truman Burbanks among us? Is the movie held back by dated technology and a plot that hinges on 1990s broadcast television, or is it time to hail The Truman Show as a timeless masterpiece? Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Following the breakout success of the Backstreet Boys in the mid-to-late 90s, a wave of warbling wannabes took to the airwaves, all vying for coveted poster space on the walls of teenagers across the globe. For many 90s kids, the latter half of the decade is best remembered as a hunky blur of chiseled abs, soulful harmonies, and frosted tips. But only one band had what it took to be a true rival to the Backstreet Boys. That is, of course, *NSYNC, another Orlando-bred quintet whose origin story is strikingly similar to BSB’s. That other major boy band’s breakout in the U.S. took place in 1998, when “I Want You Back” announced the arrival of five new dreamboats for impressionable young girls to obsess over. (Or hate with fiery vengeance, if they were BSB 4 LYFE.) In this episode, the When We Were Young podcast revisits Lance, Chris, J.C., Joey, and Justin and tries to classify the type of thing they do. We also discuss our favorite and least favorite members of the group (prepare for surprises!), and debate whether their music still gets us high, or if we’re prepared to say “Bye Bye Bye” to *NSYNC’s entire catalog. Did we drive ourselves crazy overdosing on bubblegum pop for this two-parter on the top gentleman crooners of the late 90s? You bet. But God must have spent a little more time on this episode of the podcast, because after chatting about every *NSYNC single, we still find time to reminisce about boy band also-rans like 98 Degrees and 5ive.  *NSYNC die-hards, proceed with caution. We can’t guarantee this discussion won’t tear up your heart! Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Are they original? Not a bit. Are they the only one? Certainly not. Are they sexual? Well, that’s up for debate! The When We Were Young podcast dives into all these questions and more as we discuss the Backstreet Boys, pioneers in the bubblegum pop craze that was larger than life in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  Boy bands were all the rage around the turn of the millennium, starting with the international success of everybody’s favorite musical act named after an Orlando flea market. (Okay, maybe they are the only one.)  The Boys broke out big time with “I’ll Never Break Your Heart,” the first of many heart-related tracks that would soon hit the charts. Over the next few years, Nick, Brian, Kevin, Howie, and A.J. rocked our bodies, showed us the meaning of being lonely, and announced their return before most of us had even heard of them. They also fought to dominate the charts against a wave of other crooning gentlemen seeking to capitalize on their formula for teenage infatuation, including *NSYNC, 98 Degrees, and LFO. But all fads fade with time, so how do these massive hits sound to our 2024 ears? Are the Boys still our fire? Or is sharp-tongued criticism all we have to give? Yes, it’s finally time for Chris, Becky, and Seth to take on BSB. So if you want it that way, we’ve got it that way! (If you want it some other way, we can’t help you.) Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

New Year, new you? Who better to turn to for inspiration than a good-looking, well-educated, wealthy New York City investment banker with a razor sharp wit and killer taste in music?  Patrick Bateman has a flawless skin care routine, does one thousand crunches per day, stays up to date on the latest in fashion and food, can share insightful music criticism at the drop of a hat, and always returns his videotapes on time. Aside from his need to engage in homicidal bloodlust on a massive scale, he’s practically perfect! At least, that’s what too many viewers of 2000’s AMERICAN PSYCHO seem to think, based on the way Christian Bale’s suave psychopath has been memed and emulated across the internet. Fresh off our last episode, which examined the problematic worship of Scarface’s Tony Montana, we’re scrutinizing an even more deranged cinematic role model. Patrick Bateman first stirred up controversy in the publishing world as the narrator of Bret Easton Ellis’ 1991 novel, then caused an uproar all over again in Mary Harron’s satirical film adaptation, even as it proved Bale had the chops to be a leading man. Does American Psycho really glorify violence and celebrate misogyny, racism, and homophobia the same way the Bateman character does? Or has this subversive send-up of 1980s materialism just been misunderstood by certain audiences (like, say, TikTok influencers)? This podcast makes for ideal listening during intricate skin care routines, insane workouts, and even while waiting for a table at the hottest restaurant in town! (For audio accompaniment to murders and executions, we recommend Huey Lewis and the News.) Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Bright lights, joyful music, expensive baubles, and white powder everywhere! Could it be Christmastime again? Or is it perhaps a sweltering, sweaty drug war in Miami, circa 1983? Actually, it’s both, as When We Were Young celebrates the holidays the only way we know how – with narcotics, chainsaws, and expletives galore, all courtesy of Brian De Palma’s ultraviolent crime classic SCARFACE. Americans have a long history of looking up to men who aren’t the best role models. That explains why Tony Montano, the Cuban crime lord unforgettably embodied by Al Pacino, became an unlikely role model for millions of moviegoers who turned the controversial gangster flick into a stone cold classic over the four decades that followed its release. Some viewers find inspiration in Tony Montana’s upwardly mobile immigrant story, while others find the film’s execution of the American dream to be even more crass than the capitalist excess it’s critiquing. And then there are those who just really like the F-word and machine guns! To celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary, Chris, Becky, and Seth sample from Scarface’s many extremes, exploring everything from the incestuous implications of its sibling relationship to the over-the-top carnage of its finale – all set to a throbbing disco soundtrack, of course. Do we still consider Scarface to be a lil’ fren’ to cinema? Or is Tony Montana a bad guy we prefer to say “goodnight” to indefinitely? Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Death comes to us all – unless you’re Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. These two actresses have found the secret to living forever: being immortalized in one of the most beloved horror comedies of cult cinema, DEATH BECOMES HER (1992). Robert Zemeckis broke new ground with the movie’s mind-bending Oscar-winning (and neck-twisting) special effects, and the film was a hit at the box office despite critics not being too impressed by the literal death-defying antics of these two frenemies. Has time been kind to Mad(eline) and Hel(en) in the last 30 years? Or is “Death Becomes Her” just a rotting corpse covered in spray paint? Join us as we revisit the past and share our own insecurities about aging. Bottom’s up! Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Put on your yarmulke, it’s time to celebrate ADAM SANDLER! In the third and final installment of our series Saturday Night Leavers – Celluloid Man-Children Of 90s Cinema, we revisit Adam Sandler’s most memorable Saturday Night Live sketches, from Canteen Boy to Opera Man. Then we dive into his big-screen adventures in BILLY MADISON, HAPPY GILMORE, and THE WEDDING SINGER, where Sandler plays men who range from romantic losers to (arguably) lovable idiots with anger issues. Adam Sandler has perfected the art of buffoonery in his decades-long, billion-dollar-earning career, but does his first chapter as a leading man still bring the laughs? Or are we all now dumber for having listened to it? One last question: Do you have any more gum? Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Saturday Night Live is not just a TV comedy institution but also an incubator for some of the brightest comedy stars of the silver screen. In our three-part miniseries Saturday Night Leavers – Celluloid Man-Children Of 90s Cinema, we are surveying the careers of three men who left the show in 1995, and who took their SNL fame to new heights by becoming movie stars. In Part Two of the miniseries we discuss Chris Farley, one of the hottest stars to ever burst out into national fame from Saturday Night Live. Farley took his unforgettable comedic persona and superstardom to the cinema immediately after SNL fired him in 1995, but his career was tragically cut short by his death in 1997 at the age of 33. We begin by discussing our own childhood needs for attention and approval from strangers, and then we investigate Chris Farley’s upbringing as a hell-raising but sensitive and devoutly Catholic boy in Wisconsin, his meteoric rise in improv comedy, and our own favorite moments of Farley’s career in SNL and beyond. Then we revisit Chris Farley’s two best known film roles: co-starring with SNL alum David Spade in 1995’s hit brake pad sales comedy TOMMY BOY, and in 1996’s less-than-hit political(?) comedy BLACK SHEEP. How do these movies hold up now? Whether or not you knew him as a “heartbreaker” or “not hygienic,” and whether or not he ever really lived in a van down by the river, Chris Farley was an inescapable staple in American homes throughout the 1990s. And quotes from his sketch and movie characters were on the tongues of countless grade-school youth, including at least one host of this podcast. Do… do you remember that? It was awesome! Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Here’s a bonus mini-sode where we discuss Mike Myers’ SO I MARRIED AN AXE MURDERER (1993) as well as our own childhood pop cultural touchstones. Join us for the rest of Mike Myers’ epic journey from schwing! to swinger in Part One (Episode 124) of our Saturday Night Leavers – Celluloid Man-Children Of 90s Cinema mini-series! Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Many of the big screen’s most successful comedians got their start on the small screen, and no TV series has launched more comedy all-stars than Saturday Night Live. In 1995, the long-running weekend staple experienced a major shakeup with the exit of many of its most popular cast members, including Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, and Mike Myers – all of whom followed up their successful stints on SNL with feature comedies. In the first of three episodes focusing on the film careers of these SNL funnymen, we set our sights on Mike Myers, who kicked off the sketch-to-film trend of the 90s by bringing Saturday Night Live’s Wayne Campbell from public access television in Aurora, Illinois to nation-wide box office smash in 1991’s WAYNE’S WORLD. The irreverent comedy co-stars SNL’s Dana Carvey as sidekick Garth and boasts more catchphrases than you could count in a lifetime, but do these wacky slackers have what it takes to party on into the 21st century, or… NOT? Next up, we thaw out 1997’s AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY, the outrageous spy spoof starring Myers as a time-hopping 60s swinger who must fight off both his outmoded sexual politics and his maniacal hairless doppelganger, Dr. Evil. The Austin Powers franchise cemented Myers’ status as a major box office drawn and 90s comedy legend, and spawned even more inescapable catchphrases, but is it still groovy, shagadelic, and totally switched on? Or does it make us want to say, “No, baby?” And in case that isn’t enough to get you all verklempt, our discussion also touches on some of Myers’ beloved SNL characters who didn’t make the transition to the big screen, including Simon, Dieter, and Linda Richman, as well as the Wayne’s World and Austin Powers sequels. Join us on Mike Myers’ epic journey from schwing! to swinger in Part One of our Saturday Night Leavers – Celluloid Man-Children Of 90s Cinema miniseries! Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung