GenX Journeys: 1980s Now & GenX Always — A Conversation with Will Padilla

This week on GenX Journeys, I'm joined by the multi-talented and endlessly creative Will Padilla — host of the hit podcast 1980s Now, composer, writer, actor, and author of Totally Bogus But True: Tales of the 1980s. If you grew up loving breakdancing battles, MTV, Knight Rider, The A-Team, Beastie Boys, or the neon-soaked energy of the 80s… this conversation will feel like coming home. But this episode isn't just nostalgia. It's creative reinvention, GenX resilience, and the reminder that it's never too late to return to the passions you thought you left behind. ✨ In This Episode We Dive Into: 🔥 Will's journey from the theater world of NYC to rediscovering his creative voice decades later 🔥 How podcasting became his gateway back into storytelling and the arts 🔥 Why the 1980s still captivate us — and how the decade continues to influence pop culture today 🔥 Landing interviews with icons like Nina Blackwood, Diane Franklin, and Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) 🔥 Writing his book of bizarre-but-true 80s stories — and the massive leap into publishing 🔥 The parallels between writing a book and running a marathon 🔥 The GenX creative comeback: why so many of us are returning to the passions we buried long ago 🔥 Breakdancing battles, Beastie Boys fandom, and chasing down DMC as a dream guest 🔥 Our lightning round: favorite 80s music, celebrity crushes, and the shows that shaped us This conversation is packed with heart, humor, creativity, and classic GenX spirit — the drive to reinvent, rediscover, and keep moving forward, one step at a time. 📚 Will's Book Totally Bogus But True: Tales of the 1980s Available on Bookshop.org and Amazon. 🎧 Listen to Will's Podcast 1980s Now — a smart, funny, nostalgia-driven deep dive into the pop culture that shaped us and continues shaping the world today. YouTube All Audio Platforms   Website https://1980snow.com/   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/1980snow   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/1980snowpod   TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@1980snow   🎧 Listen & Subscribe to GenX Journeys ✅ Apple Podcasts ✅ Spotify ✅ iHeartRadio ✅ Podbean ✅ PlayerFM 🌎 Connect with Me 📩 Email: [email protected] 📺 YouTube: @GenXJourneys 📷 Instagram: @GenXJourneys 🐦 Twitter/X: @Returntothe80s 📘 Facebook: GenX Journeys 🎥 TikTok: @GenXJourneys 💡 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review or share it with a fellow GenXer—let's keep this community growing! 🎤 Until next time—embrace the past, own the present, and build an epic future!