Pop Culture Retrospective
by Amy Lewis
Join me as we board a time machine and travel back to the retro pop culture of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s! On each episode, I take a deep dive into the backstory behind topics such as music, tv shows, movies, technology, regrettable fashions, and events from this unique period of time. This show is inspired by and dedicated to the memory of my older sister, Rebecca who I lost tragically in 2019. I want to learn the back story, the story behind the story, the hidden secrets, and fun facts of all of the things that she was into. This show is my love letter to my big sister. Anyone who is interested in learning more about the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s will want to tune in! Follow me on social media! Twitter: @popcultureretro Instagram: @popcultureretrospective Website: www.popcultureretrospective.com Email: [email protected]
Episodes
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#121: A nostalgic conversation with cast members of MMC & The Party!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! In this week's episode, I had the distinct honor of speaking with Chase, DeeDee, Albert, and Damon, all original cast members of the All-New Mickey Mouse Club, which debuted in 1989. Along with their fellow castmate Tiffani, they formed the pop group 'The...
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#120: The History of Your Favorite School Supply Brands Vol. 2
Send us Fan Mail Hello and thank you for tuning in to the show! In this episode, we will take a deep dive into another edition of your favorite school supply brands, from Elmer's Glue to Eastpak, and more! This is a continuation of an episode I released in 2023 on the same topic, but with a...
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#119 - Hot Takes and Unpopular Opinions on 90s Pop Culture with Chris Morgan
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, I am joined by 3rd-time guest, author and pop culture expert, Mr. Chris Morgan. In this episode, we discuss our top 5 "hot takes" on 90s pop culture. We did not share our lists until we recorded the episode, and I think you will find…
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#118 - 25 Questions about retro video games, friendship, showbiz pizza, & more, with Dan Loosen, co-founder of the Midwest Gaming Classic!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On this episode of the podcast, I am joined by Dan Loosen, the co-founder of the Midwest Gaming Classic. The MGC is an annual event where tens of thousands of passionate game and gaming lovers join together for a meaningful trade show of sorts focused on...
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#117 - The Evolution of Dennis the Menace: A Detailed Exploration of His Numerous Incarnations.
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, we are discussing an infamous comic strip character who had a profound impact on my life, and that would be Dennis the Menace! Join me as we look back to his first appearance in newspapers in 1951, and all of the incarnations we've...
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#116: A discussion on Calvin & Hobbes, featuring my guest spot on the His & Hers Gen X podcast!
Send us Fan Mail Hello, and thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, I am bringing you with me to my conversation with Chad & Cristina of the His and Hers Gen X podcast. We chatted about Calvin & Hobbes, discussing the popularity of the comic, the unique artist and writer behind it, and so…
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#115 - TMI Toys of Yesteryear
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show, we are taking a look back at some questionable toys, primarily from the 1980s and 1990s, with a special addition from the 1950s. All of them have one bizarre characteristic in common - they all wet themselves. I was equal parts fascinated...
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#114 - A conversation with John Abendshein, author of: “Home But Alone No More.”
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! In today's episode, I am joined by John Abendshein, author of "Home But Alone No More: A Memoir From the Owner of the House That Made Movie History." John lived in the famous "Home Alone" house before, during, and after the filming of the holiday classic....
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#113 - Our Top 10 Favorite TV Commercial Jingles from the '80s and '90s!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, I am joined once again by Jason Lady, a talented author, certified Gen X'er, and nostalgia nerd much like myself! In this episode, we take a look at our top 10 favorite tv commercial jingles, which we remember fondly from our…
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#112 - ‘80s and ’90s music videos featuring warehouses & scaffolding.
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, we are taking a look back at some infamous music videos from the 1980s and 1990s that feature warehouses and scaffolding as the setting. I realize this episode is a bit niche, but I think you will appreciate the focus on some memorable...
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#111 - Shel Silverstein
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! Welcome back! After a summer hiatus due to my crazy schedule, we are back! On today's show, we will be talking about Shel Silverstein, the beloved author, songwriter, playwright, and frequent visitor to the Playboy Mansion (I'm not kidding!). You will…
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#110 - The Anniversary Show Celebrating 5 years of Retro Pop Culture Memories
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show we are taking a look back at 5 YEARS of pop culture memories. I launched this podcast on May 24, 2020 and I cannot believe that 5 years has just flown by! We will take a look back at funny moments from the show, popular episodes, listener...
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#109 - A Conversation about 1995 with Author Zachary Downing
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show, I am joined by author Zachary Downing, whose new book, "Manhattan to Montauk," is available now! In this latest work, Zach tells the story of a young man who has just graduated from college and is trying to navigate his early adult life,...
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Episode #108 - Drastic Hair Changes of Celebrities of the 80s and 90s
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode I am joined by Jason Lady, a professional in the field of Human Resources, a published author, a lover of all things '80s, and a frequent guest on the podcast! In this episode, we are talking about the drastic hair changes that many...
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#107 - Retro Tech: Overhead Projectors, Microfiche & Word Processors!
Send us Fan Mail Thanks for tuning in! In today's episode, we are taking a deep dive into the fascinating world of Retro Technology, specifically examining the overhead projector, microfiche, and word processor! You will learn how these technologies came out, what they were used for, and why they...
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#106: An in-depth discussion with John Kinsner, creator and producer of "Labyrinth in Concert."
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show, I am joined by with John Kinsner, the founder of Black Ink Presents, an intriguing company that creates unforgettable experiences for its clients. His latest project involves reviving a cult classic movie. "Labyrinth," which was released…
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#105: A Conversation with John Lacy and Rachel Bailit about the realities of being a child star and their new movie.
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show I am joined by Rachel Bailit and John Lacy, both experienced actors and teachers in the field of entertainment. In this episode we take a look at the dark side of being a child actor and how the challenges faced by young Hollywood inspired…
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#104 - 25 Questions about '90s Television Shows with Pop Culture Author, Chris Morgan
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, Chris Morgan joins us once again to take a another deep dive into television shows of the 1990s, but this time our approach is completely different! I had the chance to pick Chris's brain for a bit about 90s TV shows by asking him a...
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#103 - A Discussion on the year 1999 and Trash Pop Culture with Ross Benes
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, I am joined by Journalist, Author, and Market Analyst, Ross Benes! Ross has written extensively on the subjects of sex, culture, and the entertainment industry. In this episode, we take a look at the year 1999 and the "Trash Culture"...
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#102: Disco Mickey Mouse & Totally Minnie
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show, we are taking a deep dive into Disneyland Records (now Walt Disney Records) and two of their classic children's albums, Disco Mickey Mouse and Totally Minnie. My sister and I LOVED both of these albums and listened to them constantly as...
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#101: Our 80s Holiday Wish Lists with Jason Lady!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show we are taking a deep dive into some relics of the past, in particular the 80s toys, electronics, and more that Jason Lady and I would love to have! Join us as we discuss our top 10 wish list items from the 1980s! You can find Jason, here:...
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#100 - Novelty Crap & Gag Gifts from the '90s and early 2000s
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On this episode we are taking a look back at some of the most popular novelty items and gifts from the 90s and early 2000s. From Big Mouth Billy Bass to Anne Geddes, there is so much to cover on episode #100. Enjoy! Links mentioned on this episode: 80s…
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#99 - Tina Turner: her life, career, and impact
Send us Fan Mail Thanks for tuning in! It's been a minute since I released an episode, but I am so excited to be back! It's crazy how much I missed talking about nostalgia and my sister :) In this episode, we are taking a look back on the life and career of none other than Tina Turner, one of the...
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#98 - Finding healing through pop culture and the music of Tori Amos w/special guest, Dr. Adrienne Trier-Bieniek
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On this episode, I am joined by Dr. Adrienne Trier-Bieniek, who is a professor, author, and pop culture podcast host! She has thoroughly researched and studied the impact of pop culture on society. We talked a lot about singer-songwriter Tori Amos and her...
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#97 - '80s & '90s Pop Culture Trivia w/Brieanna Wilkoff and Jason Lady!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On this episode, I am joined once again by Brieanna Wilkoff and Jason Lady as the two authors face off in a friendly game of '80s and '90s Trivia! Both of them have been so encouraging and supportive of the show. Enjoy! At the end of this episode, I...
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#96 - A History of Fans & Fandom with author and fandom expert, Holly Swinyard!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, I am joined by Holly Swinyard, an expert on all things Fans and Fandom! Who knew that fandom and fan clubs/conventions date back hundreds of years? Who knew it was because of dedicated fans that Sherlock Holmes got more books and Star...
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#95 - Our Top 10 One Hit Wonders of the 1980s with Jason Lady!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show, I am once again joined by honorary co-host, Jason Lady! In this episode we take a deep dive into the one-hit wonders of the '80s and as always we had a fun, yet informative conversation. I mentioned that one of the songs on my list was...
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#94 - '90s Con Recap (2024)
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! In this episode, we are taking an inside look at this year's '90s Con held at the Hartford Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Last year I attended this event for the first time so I was excited to go back this year with some experience under my...
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#93 - Revisiting classic National Crime Prevention Council PSAs with McGruff the Crime Dog & Paul DelPonte, NCPC Executive Director!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On this episode I am joined by the one, the only, McGruff the Crime Dog! That's right, children of the '80s and '90s, rejoice! McGruff is joined by Paul DelPonte who is the Executive Direction of the National Crime Prevention Council otherwise known as…
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#92 - Interview with TV and movie writer, director, and author, Stan Zimmerman!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show, I am joined by the incredibly talented Stan Zimmerman! He has written for many beloved television shows including "The Golden Girls," "Roseanne," and "Gilmore Girls." He has also written for some hilarious movies including both "Brady...
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#91 - Tracy Chapman: the incredible story of a gifted musician before (and after) her iconic duet with Luke Combs
Send us Fan Mail Please note a correction: Tracy Chapman's debut album was released in 1988, not 1987. Also, the track list for this album may have been edited in when I referenced the Crossroad's album. Late-night editing is not without consequences! I fixed these issues and re-uploaded the...
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#90 - Revisiting '90s TV shows with pop culture author Chris Morgan!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, I am joined by pop-culture author, Chris Morgan! Chris has written quite extensively on the subject of pop culture in magazines, and several of his books! He has written about Mystery Science Theatre, Nickelodeon and in his latest book...
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#89 - Faux Wood Memories from the '80s with Jason Lady!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On this episode, I am joined once again by author, '80s lover, and my friend, Jason Lady! We decided to discuss a very niche topic - faux wood, which was popular in households, cars, and electronics in the '70s and '80s. You will learn some of the…
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#88 - A Brief History of the Camcorder
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode we will be taking a look back at the history of the camcorder. From the early days of film reels to Betamax cameras to VHS camcorders, we will touch on the technology that made home video recording not only possible, but popular! On…
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#87 - The Top Selling Holiday Toys of the 1990s, spanning 1990-1999!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show, we are taking a trip back to the 1990s where we will be looking at all of the top-selling holiday toys for each year from 1990-1999! It's a fascinating look back at a time when people would do WHATEVER it took to get a popular toy! I...
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#86 - Our Top 10 Favorite Food & Beverage Mascots from the 80s and 90s with three-peat guest, Jason Lady!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you so much for tuning in! On today's show, I am joined once again by Jason Lady, a talented and creative author as well as an 80's Pop Culture lover, just like me! On this episode, we are taking a deep dive into one of Jason's favorite aspects of retro pop culture - the...
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#85: Interview with Author and 80's Lover, Brieanna Wilkoff!
Send us Fan Mail Thanks for tuning in! On today's episode, I get the chance to sit down with author Brieanna Wilkoff, whose debut novel is entitled "I'll Be There for You." It is a beautiful book that follows the journey of a young woman who is facing a significant loss in her life and is also...
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#84 - The History of America Online (AOL).
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode we are taking a trip back to the 80s/90s to learn about the history of America Online (later AOL). America Online was the brainchild of Steve Case, a man who knew that this internet "stuff" was going to get big and he wanted to build...
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#83 - Our favorite soundtracks from 80's movies with (return) special guest, Jason R. Lady!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, I am joined by author and certified Gen X'er, Jason R. Lady! We got a chance to share our favorite soundtracks from 80's movies with each other, which includes a top 10 list and some honorable mentions. This was such a fun episode to...
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#82 - Interview with author and pop-culture fanatic, Jason R. Lady!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you so much for tuning in to the show! On today's episode I am joined by an incredibly talented author and a Gen X'er who loves the 1980s as much as I do, Jason R. Lady! Jason has written several books set during the character's middle school years, all under the "Magic…
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#81 - Our first cars: A listener episode!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode we are taking a look back at our first cars, specifically my listener and follower's cars. A few weeks ago I asked my followers on both Twitter and Instagram to share what their first car was. I got a ton of responses so I wanted to...
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#80 - 90's Pop Culture Trivia w/Amy from the Grounded in Maine Podcast!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you so much for tuning in! On today's episode, I am joined by the one and only Amy Fagan from the Grounded in Maine Podcast! I had the pleasure of chatting and quizzing her on all-things 90s Pop Culture. It was awesome to finally connect "on air." You can find Amy's podcast...
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#79 - The history of your favorite school supply brands from the 80s and 90s!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show, we will be taking a look back at some of the most well-known and beloved school supply brands from the 80s and 90s including Mead, Lisa Frank, Five Star, Trapper Keeper, and JanSport. You will learn about the early days of the companies,...
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#78 - Interview with artist, entrepreneur, and dad, Asher Laub!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's show, I am joined by an extremely talented musician, Mr. Asher Laub! Asher started playing violin when he was just 2 years old and his passion and gift for music has led to an impressive career playing the electric violin! On this episode we...
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#77 - Interview with Author, Professor, and Media Expert Saul Austerlitz!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! I am so happy to share this episode with the wonderful listeners of the show! On this episode, I welcome author, professor, and media expert Saul Austerlitz! Saul is the author of several excellent titles including: Another Fine Mess: A History of…
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#76 - The History of Department Store & Shopping Mall Photography Studios
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! On today's episode, we are going to take a look at the history of department store and shopping mall photography studios! We will be talking about Olan Mills, CPI Corp, and Glamour Shots! If you grew up during the 70s or 80s, and even the 90s, there is a...
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#75 - Classic Nickelodeon Games & Sports Shows from the '80s and '90s with Dan from the Generation S Podcast!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! I am joined by Dan from the Generation S Podcast on today's show, a fabulous show that revisits the 90s and early 2000s! If you love my show, you will love his show as well! In today's episode, we deeply dive into the fantastic games and sports shows from...
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#74: Our Top 10 Favorite Movies from the 80s and 90s with John from the Serious and Silliness Podcast!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you so much for tuning in! On today's show, I get the chance to chat with John Livia from the Serious and Silliness Podcast! He is a Gen X'er who was kind enough to join me for a lengthy discussion about our favorite movies from the 80s and 90s and memories from having an...
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#73 - 5 MORE of the Forgotten, Obscure and Short-Lived Cartoons of the 1980s!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! In today's episode, we are continuing to look back at some of the forgotten cartoons of yesteryear, specifically from the 1980s. We will examine some shows you may have forgotten including Shirt Tales, Snorks, Pound Puppies the Wuzzles, and Kissyfur!…
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#72 : 5 of the Forgotten, Obscure, and Short-Lived Cartoons of the 1980s and 1990s!
Send us Fan Mail Thank you for tuning in! In today's episode, we will look back at some of the most bizarre and long-lost cartoon series of the 1980s and 1990s including Heathcliff, The Popples, Denver the Last Dinosaur, Wish Kid, and Camp Candy! You'll learn a bit about the backstory of some of...
About this show
Join me as we board a time machine and travel back to the retro pop culture of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s! On each episode, I take a deep dive into the backstory behind topics such as music, tv shows, movies, technology, regrettable fashions, and events from this unique period of time. This show is inspired by and dedicated to the memory of my older sister, Rebecca who I lost tragically in 2019. I want to learn the back story, the story behind the story, the hidden secrets, and fun facts of all of the things that she was into. This show is my love letter to my big sister. Anyone who is interested in learning more about the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s will want to tune in! Follow me on social media! Twitter: @popcultureretro Instagram: @popcultureretrospective Website: www.popcultureretrospective.com Email: [email protected]
Hosted by
Amy Lewis