GenX Journeys: Stuck in the '80s with Steve Spears

Steve Spears, creator and co-host of Stuck in the '80s, joins Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni to celebrate 20 years of 80s podcasting—and to discuss his new book, Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade. From early podcasting chaos to unforgettable celebrity interviews and the community built along the way, this episode is a nostalgic deep dive into the decade that still connects us.   Steve joins us to talk about his brand-new book: Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade The book pulls together stories, reflections, behind-the-scenes moments, and lessons learned from more than two decades of interviewing the artists, actors, and cultural figures who shaped Generation X. In this episode, we discuss: How Stuck in the '80s began as a newspaper assignment in the early days of podcasting What it was like recording episodes with handheld mics at a cafeteria table The nerves (and occasional nausea!) before interviewing legends Interview "misfires" and what they taught Steve about preparation and connection Why the best interviews happen when you drop the script and just have a conversation How writing the book changed Steve's perspective on 20 years of work The powerful sense of community built around shared 80s memories The wild fun of The 80s Cruise, theme nights, and Steve's legendary trivia sessions Why nostalgia isn't about being "stuck" — it's about shared identity and connection Steve's book is available through major retailers, and fans of the podcast will love the added context, behind-the-scenes reflections, and personal stories that didn't always make it into the original episodes. Connect with Steve Spears 🌎 Website: SIT80s.com Stuck in the '80s Podcast can be found on all podcast apps Order Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined a Decade on Amazon Book: Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade Connect with Suzanne Mattaboni 🔹 Get her book anywhere books are sold, including Kindle Unlimited and onceinalifetimenovel.com 🔹 Visit her at suzannemattaboni.com 🔹 Follow Suzanne: 📷 Instagram: @suzannemattaboni80s 🐦 X: @suzmattaboni 📘 Facebook: Suzanne Mattaboni Connect with GenX Journeys 🌎 Website: GenXJourneys.net 📩 Email: [email protected] 📺 YouTube: @GenXJourneys 📷 Instagram: @GenXJourneys 🐦 Twitter/X: @Returntothe80s 📘 Facebook: GenX Journeys 🎥 TikTok: @GenXJourneys 🎧 Subscribe to the GenX Journeys Podcast on: ✅ Apple Podcasts ✅ Spotify ✅ iHeartRadio ✅ Podbean ✅ PlayerFM