Pop Culture Preservation Society

In this PCPS Light, we’re talking about something we can’t stop noticing: analog is having a moment, and Gen X saw it coming.From writing by hand to creative hobbies to simply slowing down, we explore why so many people (including our kids) are craving a break from constant screens. Is it nostalgia? Maybe. But it also feels like something deeper. It's like our brains and bodies asking for a different pace.This episode is part cultural observation, part personal reflection, and full of the usual tangents. If you’ve been feeling a little digitally overwhelmed, consider this your gentle nudge to pick something up… that isn’t your phone.Gabrielle Blair's Substack "The Analog Revival Has Arrived"The Tiny Pricks ProjectCrafting a Better World by Diana WymarGeezer MagazineSubscribe to our favorite magazine and get 83% off just by being a PCPS listener. Click here for a year of Remind Magazine for only $12.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join us for a contemplative discussion on Andrew McCarthy’s newest book, “Who Needs Friends,” but stay for the part where Michelle tells the story of meeting Andrew and what she said that prompted him to adorably chuckle and say, “Oh, Michelle ...” which caused her 1986 self to melt."Who Needs Friends" by Andrew McCarthySubscribe to our favorite magazine and get 83% off just by being a PCPS listener. Click here for a year of Remind Magazine for only $12.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Episode PageAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

HBO'S hit medical drama, The Pitt, has a soft spot for Generation X. And it's not just that it looks like the reincarnation of Gen X favorite, ER. Or that it stars ER's Gen X hero, Noah Wyle. There's also an exploration of generational differences in the workplace and medical issues unique to Gen Xers. And there are so many Gen X pop culture references, we actually had to make a list! We feel like the creators of The Pitt are purposefully acknowledging the existence of Gen X at a time when our generation gets routinely overlooked or mistakenly lumped in with Boomers. There's just no way this is an accident. It's as if they're extending a hand to those Gen Xers who showed up every Thursday night for ER and saying "We see you."Subscribe to our favorite magazine and get 83% off just by being a PCPS listener. Click here for a year of Remind Magazine for only $12.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Here’s the story … of a lovely lady … who has written a very lovely book! Join us as we chat with Eve Plumb — the REAL Jan Brady — about the stories she shares in her delightful new book, “Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond.” We’re talking about her life and many acting roles pre-Brady Bunch, what little Eve thought of the Brady Bunch (and what her favorite episodes were), and yes, how teenage Eve broke free of the “Jan Brady” mold when the show was over, not just by becoming a teenage prostitute (on SCREEN, people!) but by finally being able to discover her true self.Purchase "Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond" hereSubscribe to our favorite magazine and get 83% off just by being a PCPS listener. Click here for a year of Remind Magazine for only $12.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Dust off your leg warmers and pull out the VCR, this week, PCPS is sweating it out Gen X–style. We’re diving headfirst into the neon-soaked world of 80s fitness, where high-cut leotards, terry cloth headbands, and very enthusiastic instructors ruled our living rooms.From the unstoppable energy of Jane Fonda to the joyful, glittery motivation of Richard Simmons, we revisit the VHS workouts that somehow turned our family rooms into aerobic studios. Along the way, we’re breaking down the iconic fashion (spandex, anyone?), the pulse-pounding music, and the movies that turned aerobics into a full-blown cultural moment.Join us as we laugh, reminisce, and maybe even get a little winded remembering a time when “feel the burn” was a lifestyle—and sweating to the oldies was basically a personality trait.Watch "Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter"Subscribe to our favorite magazine and get 83% off just by being a PCPS listener. Click here for a year of Remind Magazine for only $12.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In the continuation of Episode 263, we’re chatting more about Helen Reddy’s songs, fame, and her lasting impact. Which song did little Michelle always think was about her and her mama? In which memorable movie about an invisible dragon did Helen Reddy appear and sing an equally memorable song? And we’ll debate the age-old question: Did Angie Baby kill someone or just keep him as a sex slave? (We're not afraid to tackle the hard stuff here at the Pop Culture Preservation Society!)Watch Helen Reddy biopic "I Am Woman"Great podcast episode from Amy Lively's podcast For the Record: The 70s "The Softer Side of 70s Rock"Subscribe to our favorite magazine and get 83% off just by being a PCPS listener. Click here for a year of Remind Magazine for only $12.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In 1972, a single song shifted the cultural landscape forever. This week, we’re diving into the life and career of Helen Reddy, the "Queen of 70s Pop" who became the reluctant — yet resolute — voice of the second-wave feminist movement and gave us all a powerful anthem to shout-sing out loud for decades. We’re taking you through the fun details of some of Helen’s greatest hits (and our favorites) and we have so much to say (and sing!) that we couldn’t contain it in just one episode!Watch Helen Reddy biopic "I Am Woman"Great podcast episode from Amy Lively's podcast For the Record: The 70s "The Softer Side of 70s Rock"Helen Reddy and Carol Burnett skitSubscribe to our favorite magazine and get 83% off just by being a PCPS listener. Click here for a year of Remind Magazine for only $12.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Quick: make a list of your movie theater memories. Family outings, fun with friends, first dates and iconic movies that went on to make history are all part of our Gen X history. Could you make a similar list for movies you've streamed at home? Hmmmm. Probably not. In today's episode, we discuss a New York Times opinion piece in which the CEO of Sony Pictures argues for rescuing the movie theater experience and lays out a plan for doing so. Not surprisingly, your pop culture preservationists have no shortage of movie theater memories to share -- Star Wars, Kramer vs. Kramer, The Breakfast Club, She's Having a Baby, Ghost, the Herbie movies and more -- and it becomes very clear that we've suffered a huge loss in the era of streaming. But the good news is that Gen Z might be feeling this loss, too, and they could be the ones to push the culture back to the theater. Even if you haven't been to the movie theater since the pre-pandemic era, today's discussion might have you buying tickets again.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Kick off your Sunday shoes and dive deep with us into the soundtrack that made all us GenXers cut loose, (want to) dance in the sheets, and give the boy a hand. The iconic Footloose soundtrack is jammed packed with hit after hit, and every single one of them was written for the movie. We’re going track by track discussing the importance of every single song to its corresponding scene. Why don’t we like Ariel? Which Olympic gymnast has a family connection to the movie? And which one of us had never seen Footloose until a few weeks ago (and is lucky she’s still a card-carrying member of the PCPS)?Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In today’s episode we’ll be saving all the residents of Walnut Grove by testing our knowledge of all things Prairie. Because that show was on for nine years – that’s the entirety of our childhoods. We grew up with those people. And we all wanted Pa to be our dad and we wanted Ma to be our mom and we wanted to wear little caps on our heads when we went to bed. And so today we’re testing the LHOP IQ of the PCPS. We’ll be quizzed about prairie facts but also about behind-the-scenes scoop; backstories and secrets we never knew when we were watching the show. Let’s see how we do, shall we? Are we worthy of being full time residents of Walnut Grove? Or are we just passing through town like Willis from Different Strokes in the episode about racism? Wish us luck!Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we’ll be saving the 70s version of mixtapes with a tribute to the most beloved KTEL record of all time: No, it’s not Full Tilt. It’s not Hot Nights and City Lights . It’s not even 24 Great Truck Drivin’ Songs. It’s Music Express.KTEL records were compilation albums full of the hit songs of that very moment – and how did we know about them? Because they were advertised incessantly on TV. And they helped create a lexicon of words and phrases that may be best known by Gen Xers: “20 original hits! 20 original stars!” “As seen on TV!” And, most importantly, “But Wait! There’s more!” Packed with twenty current hits from the radio, each KTEL album was like a precursor to the homemade mixtapes that became staples of 80s culture. SO WHAT WAS THE MOST POPULAR KTEL ALBUM?If we only knew! But if we can judge by the internet, and how often people talk about it, that would be MUSIC EXPRESS, the 1975 album featuring The Captain and Tennille, Elton John, Barry Manilow, Disco Tex and the Sex-o-lettes – “and many more!!!!” Join us as we walk through this album song by song, sharing the vibes and fun facts like only your pop culture preservationists can.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Be our guests at the GRAND OPENING of our GenX Museum’s first exhibit, “Scratch-n-Sniff: Smells Like GenX,” where we lead you and your nose through rooms and places of your youth, and tickle your olfactory glands with fragrant things like Noxema, Sweet Honesty, mimeographed worksheets, and Bain de Soleil. Sure, you’ll be surrounded in a cloud of cigarette smoke and the tour may take up most of your day, but we’re confident you’ll enjoy your visit. WARNING — there WILL be (slightly graphic) talk (amidst hysterical laughter) of powdering your privates. So.Much.Powder. Please proceed with (very relatable) caution.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we’re celebrating what we've learned after five years of creating episodes and social media posts, and meeting our listeners, and reading your comments and messages. That's an education that could not be replicated by many people. And even though we have always claimed to be experts in the pop culture of our Gen X youth, after this five-year intensive educational experience, we can really and truly claim that we know how our generation felt about what they were watching, reading, listening to and playing with when they were children in the 70s and 80s. We are the experts in YOU.And on November 7, 2025, to celebrate the five year anniversary of the PCPS, we went to the Jason Show -- the daily pop culture talk show viewed by people all around the nation -- and said, we have a list. We call it The Top 10 Gen X Moments of All Time as determined by US after five years of asking questions, and researching episodes, and polling our listeners and followers, -- these are the top ten moments weve found our people really like to talk about. Can you guess what sits in the number one spot? And, big disclaimer, this is highly subjective and we reserve the right to change our minds tomorrow! Don't be surprised if you see Top 10 Gen X Moments Part Deux next season! Please enjoy and don't be crabby if you disagree with our vastly unscientific findings (see DISCLAIMER: PART DEUX above).Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Touring the country for the first time in almost fifty years, 1970s teen idol Shaun Cassidy sits down with us to talk about his past and his present; his life, his career(s), his family, his music and the fans who fill the theaters every show to get up close and personal with their first crush. He’s full of wise words and encouragement culled from a lifetime of stories — from the 45s he collected as a child and Elton John dropping by the house to myths about aging and one’s contributions to the world. We always feel like better people after talking to Shaun Cassidy.Check out Shaun Cassidy's tour schedule hereFind Shaun's First Crush wines hereCheck out the Stars of the Golden Age podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

It’s a sneak peek into our 18th (!!) season, and we’ve got all your pop-culture bases covered. One of the top 5 movie soundtracks of the 80s? Check. Damp mimeographed worksheets, pencil shavings, and a permeation of cigarette smoke? Got it. Spandex leotards, leg warmers, tiny shorts, and the onset of the aerobics craze? Done. A second, thoughtful and in-depth conversation with your first crush? Comin’ in HOT. But wait, there’s more! Listen now for all the GenX pop culture nuggets we’re serving up … starting next week!Check out the Stars of the Golden Age podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join us as we discuss and pick apart a New York Times article by John McWhorter highlighting the top ten old TV shows he's sharing with his tween daughters. And thank God for him because if we don't share these old shows with younger people they will literally DISAPPEAR from the knowledge base of people younger than 30 years old. It turns out there's plenty to be learned about comedy styles, social norms, gender politics and more when we sit down to watch a silly sitcom from the 1950s with our kids. Who knew there was so much to talk about?! Not us, that's for sure. Whether it's Lucy and her (very short-lived) job at the candy factory or Sammy Davis Jr kissing Archie Bunker on the cheek, all of it gives us a peek into the world in which these shows were filmed.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we’re talking about the iconic Chicago Art Museum scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and how the choice of the song — an instrumental version of The Smith’s Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want — is perhaps what made it so impactful. Fan of Ferris? We think you’ll get a lot out of this conversation, and, like us, come to a new and deeper understanding of not only this memorable scene, but of the character of Cameron as well.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today’s episode is an encore of episode 220, “The PCPS Sings Along with Free to Be…You and Me (and Marlo)." We’re re-releasing this special episode at a moment when its message feels more necessary than ever.In the wake of recent events in Minneapolis — a city deeply connected to the heart of PCPS — we’re returning to Free To Be… You and Me, the landmark project created by Marlo Thomas and friends that shaped how so many Gen X kids learned about empathy, fairness, individuality, and what it means to live in community with one another.This episode isn’t just about nostalgia or sing-alongs (though there are plenty of those). It’s about revisiting the values we were raised on — values reinforced by Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Schoolhouse Rock, and other touchstones that taught us to see the humanity in everyone. At a time when fear and division feel loud, these lessons remind us that kindness, understanding, and connection are not naïve ideas — they are essential ones.We’re sharing this episode again as an invitation: to remember, to reflect, and to carry these messages forward. Our Weekly Reader newsletter will also include ways you can help, show support, and stand in solidarity with those affected in our community.The music and the messages of "Free to Be… You and Me" weren’t just songs from our childhood. They are an affirmation of what it means to be human — together.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join us as we chat about the 1979 movie, The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (starring Jane Seymour) and how “America’s Sweethearts” grabbed hold of (two of) us long before their reality show and Netflix series. Which one of us was infatuated with them? Who not only despises the DCC but considered them their mortal enemy? And which host do we discover not only tried out but MADE an NHL dance team?!? Listen now!Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Your pop preservationists turn into cultural analysts as they discuss new findings about how young people listen to music today -- and what that could mean for their future nostalgia. You all know how much we treasure our music memories (and we know you do, too -- that's why you're here!) and it gives us heart palpitations to think that future generations might miss out on that????? If the music industry continues down its current path, music nostalgia as we know it is indeed in danger. But all is not lost! If we all understand the value of what those someday-grown-ups will lose, we can all contribute to its salvation. The question is HOW? Share your thoughts with us after listening!Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Inspired by one of our most downloaded episodes of all time called A Day in the Life, today's episode invites you into the childhood homes of Carolyn, Kristin and Michelle as they celebrate Christmas with their families on one specific year. One of us questions the existence of Santa while another shops for her first boyfriend with her babysitting money (which cologne do you think she bought?). Getting dressed up to go shopping, stirring the cheese dip, dancing to Swedish folk songs, experiencing snow for the first time, listening to Johnny Mathis, all of this and more creates a varied and nostalgic picture of Christmas past -- and maybe it will sound familiar to you? Our Christmas memories are powerful reminders to slow down and enjoy the moment; even if your children are full grown and wish for nothing more than money for the holidays, all we have to do is light a candle, listen to a favorite album, go for a wintry walk and enjoy each other's company to keep making those memories.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

We’re revisiting our old holiday episodes in case you’ve missed some of them or are new to the podcast and need some fun things to listen to while you nog your egg or wrap presents … or just need something to do while you hide from your family. Col. Sanders and Chewbacca singing carols? We’ve got an episode for that. Deney Terrio, a sexy Santa (a.k.a. Nellie Olesen), and tinsel-fied unitards? We’ve got an episode for that. Listen to find out why Carolyn thinks she was a Christmas B*tch in one of our very first episodes, the gift she gave her dad that makes her cry happy tears today, and the Christmas album she never knew she needed until last year.Listen to our holiday episodes "Oh, Come all Ye, Chistmas Specials" "A Scooter for Jimmy, A Dolly for Michelle" "Christmas Rewind"The Pink Bunny Suit Conundrum: Gifts Gone WrongThe Most 70s of Christmas AlbumsTV Guide Holiday Special RoundupHolly Jolly Holiday Christmas Special CountdownMr. T, Deney Terrio and the Land of Misfit ToysShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Grab your Jordan almonds and take your seats on the shag carpet aisle, because today the PCPS is turning on the Zenith and throwing rice at some of our listener’s favorite GenX TV weddings of the ’70s and ’80s!In this episode, we’re reliving the matrimonial moments that glued us to our living room floors. Remember “The Brady Brides” or when Nellie and Percival tied the knot? Find out just how thrilled Carolyn gets learning that other PCPS listeners remember when Merle “the Pearl” married Susan Bradford on “Eight is Enough.”Join us as we toss bouquets, dodge bullets (thanks, Dynasty), and revisit some of the most memorable GenX wedding episodes. It’s time to say “I do” to another trip down Memory Lane!Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome to our 5th Anniversary party! Today's episode was recorded LIVE in front of a studio audience at Big Hill Books in Minneapolis to celebrate what Kristin thought would be a six-week project -- but instead blew up into FIVE YEARS of weekly podcast episodes celebrating the pop culture nuggets of the classic Gen X childhood. We'll reminisce about that cringeworthy first episode -- when we thought hysterical truisms would just drop from our mouths with no preparation whatsoever (hint: they did NOT) -- and celebrate how far we've come. We'll share comments with our listeners' favorite episodes, favorite podcast moments, and their feelings about being a part of this Gen X community over the last five years. And we'll share with you the top five most downloaded episodes of all time (is your favorite on that list?). It's like one of those reminiscing episodes when the cast of Happy Days sits in Mr and Mrs C's living room and recounts all their great sitcom moments while montages of past scenes play in between their witty banter. Welcome to our 70s sitcom moment! And thank you for listening and supporting us for the last five years. We couldn't do it without you.Shop Amanda McGee's nostalgic art here. Remember to include the discount code "PCPS" at checkout for your COMPLIMENTARY mini-print.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the PCPS's MTV Book Club -- where we drink wine and analyze plots, characters and literary devices used in our favorite music videos from the MTV era. Music videos were a brand new art form in the early 80s so there were no classics to emulate, no standardized techniques, and definitely no criticism deeper than WICKED or TOTALLY TUBULAR. Though we may not have noticed at the time, a lot of those early videos were head scratchers; why is the drum kit on a pile of trash? What's that bear doing? And why are they wearing trench coats? Whether they were random thoughts strung together or well-plotted storylines, sometimes it felt like the inmates were running the asylum. Join us as we walk through our beloved mini-music-movies scene by scene and ask "huh?"Shop Amanda McGee's nostalgic art here. Remember to include the discount code "PCPS" at checkout for your COMPLIMENTARY mini-print.Purchase the GenX Journal from Spotgirl Design hereShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This weekend, Carolyn, Kristin and Michelle celebrated five years of The Pop Culture Preservation Society with an action-packed weekend that ended with a Shaun Cassidy concert. When it comes to the PCPS, it seems like all things either start or end with Shaun Cassidy. Fresh off of airplanes and exhausted from extroverting for days, we sat down in front of our mics to share the details with you while they're still fresh; the TV appearance, the live episode recording, meeting listeners in the wild, and the cherry on top ... sharing Shaun Cassidy's latest concert performance with a group of local listeners. Unscripted, unedited, and unprepared, we present you with our thoughts and feelings about our anniversary celebration as they come to us.Shop Amanda McGee's nostalgic art here. Remember to include the discount code "PCPS" at checkout for your COMPLIMENTARY mini-print.Purchase the GenX Journal from Spotgirl Design hereShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

They were only 30 seconds long, but somehow they’ve lived in our brains for 40 years. In this episode, we dive into the unforgettable (and occasionally regrettable) commercial jingles of our GenX childhood. From “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” to “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz,” we’re unpacking the tunes that made us sing, shop, and sometimes cry.Find out which jingle makes Carolyn very anxious (spoiler: it involves a meat product), and which one got Kristin in trouble back in the day. Join us as we hum, cringe, and celebrate the musical marketing magic of the 70s and 80s—where every brand had a beat, and every beat sold something.Purchase the GenX Journal from Spotgirl Design hereShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

1975 was a HUGE year for pop culture, and today having a BIG 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY for many of the things we watched, played with, read, listened to, and went to the movies to see in that banner year. Wonder Woman, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, Starsky & Hutch, Captain & Tennille, Glen Campbell, JAWS, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Ramona The Brave, Tuck Everlasting, Whack-A-Mole, the Egg McMuffin, Big Red Gum — and SO MUCH MORE! It’s a 50th birthday party like no other, right here at the PCPS!Purchase the Spotgirl Design GenX Journal hereCheck out all the goodies from Spotgirl Design hereShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Grab your plastic pumpkin bucket and come along with us as we visit our Halloweens of the past. From our own costume memories (why were we all dressed as hobos and gypsies in the 1970s??) plus some of YOURS (snips of wig hair Elmer’s Glued to the face, and mohair Princess Leia buns FTW) to sticking our hands in bowls of peeled grapes and cold spaghetti, GenX Halloween was just better, wasn’t it?Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we'll be saving the book that just won't quit, the 1970's classic that keeps coming back in every new generation, with new covers, new editions, and multiple movie adaptations. Lois Duncan's I Know What You Did Last Summer is one of the first books written for teens about teens and it ruled The Scholastic Bookfair all through the 70s, 80s and 90s. It hooked readers (and future movie-goers) with an enticing premise about four friends who accidentally kill a young boy on his bike and try to keep it secret. But what happens when that classic story from the 1970’s is updated for 21st century readers? Ummm…we might have some opinions.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

After last week's discussion of our twentysomething obsession with Thirtysomething, we sit down with one of the show's most memorable stars. Mel Harris played the inimitable Hope Steadman from 1987 to 1991 and created a character who stirred up feelings of domestic bliss and feminist angst in equal measure; for Gen X women, Hope Steadman was a lovely blueprint mixed with a cautionary tale and we watched her every move when designing our own lives. Mel Harris played that role in tandem with her own Thirtysomething life, bringing an authenticity that spoke keenly to millions of viewers. Join us as she reminisces about her relationships with her cast mates, her most memorable episodes, the responses from viewers like us while also giving us a little intel on the possibility of a Thirtysomething SEQUEL in the works!Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Many of us GenXers may have only been twentysomething, but we couldn’t get enough of thirtysomething! Join us as we share our BIG feelings about the show that made us all want to be part of that group of friends who were like big brothers and sisters to us, teaching us how to navigate an adult life we might not have been ready for, but sure had our eyes on. What was it about this show that wasn’t even about our generation but spoke SO loudly to it?!? We’ll try to figure it out! Plus, find out which host thinks she’s an Ellyn, who’s pre-husband was in advertising so was basically Michael, and which host thought she and her college boyfriend (now husband) looked so much like a younger-version of Hope and Michael she had pictures of them next to each other on her bulletin board. MAKE SURE TO LISTEN TO THE END OF THE EPISODE to find out a HUGE surprise re: next week’s episode!Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Saturday Night Fever is an emblem of the 1970s. The white suit, the finger in the air, the lighted dance floor, and the sound of The Bee Gees swallowed every corner of our culture and will forever define that moment in time. The book FEVER: The Complete History of Saturday Night Fever by Margo Donahue examines every aspect of the making of this cultural juggernaut and gives us SO much to talk about -- from the transformation of its young star and the Deney Terrio controversy to the conflicting feelings we Gen Xers felt when we grew up and watched it with our adult eyes. We hash it all out for you with this new book at our fingertips; who needs the internet when you've got FEVER?Purchase FEVER: The Complete History of Saturday Night Fever hereShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In our final can of PCPS Light before S17 starts next week (!!) we're giving you our latest recs by letting you know what we've been reading, watching, and listening to. Come for the recs, stay for Carolyn's song.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Do you know who wrote the theme song to “The Waltons?” Or where Ann Romano was moving her family in “One Day at a Time?” Find out if Carolyn and Kristin do as Michelle tests their pop-culture knowledge with quizzes from our favorite throwback magazine and website, REMIND. (Shouting the correct answers at your listening device encouraged. Shouting at Carolyn and Kristin not.)Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

EPISODE 241 A full- calorie PCPS Light where we ditch the timer to talk real life: the tragedy at Annunciation (in Kristin’s backyard), Carolyn’s HUGE life news and exciting new chapter, and a magician Michelle met in Aspen who was friends with John Denver. (Magician + friends with John Denver = Michelle's head exploding.) Join us as we go from tears to laughter … because isn’t that what real life is full of?To help support victims of the Annunciation tragedy, you can donate here.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join us for a light and refreshing shakedown of everything on our minds this week. Kristin found not just Darth Vader but also Amish ladies in the Wisconsin Dells. But she couldn't remember how to get off the pommel horse (pro tip: ask Kurt Thomas). And somehow that led to a personal and enthusiastic conversation about the new no-make-up Pamela Anderson on the red carpet. Perhaps she was a role model all along? We know -- it doesn't make any sense. But when you listen, we promise you'll be nodding your head right along with us!For information on sponsoring episodes of the Pop Culture Preservation Society with targeted ads, please reach out to us at [email protected] our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join us for another refreshingly light episode celebrating (quickly) the new documentary about the shark movie that created the word ‘blockbuster.’ Jaws@50 gave us all the behind-the-scenes info we love; Steven Spielberg’s lasting trauma post-filming, the Martha’s Vineyard locals who got to star in one of the biggest movies of all time, and that damn mechanical shark (tears out hair)! There are so many stories to share and they will all lead you to a repeat viewing of this now-classic movie of summer.For information on sponsoring episodes of the Pop Culture Preservation Society with targeted ads, please reach out to us at [email protected] our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome to the first can … er, episode … of our six-pack of PCPS Light episodes: all NEW light and refreshing conversations we’re bringing you while we work on Season 17 (can you taste the hint of lemon?)! Today’s short & sweet episode covers some of our recent viral-ish social media posts (with some impassioned reader’s theatre readings of some of our favorite comments from YOU), plus Monica Lewinsky? Yes, Monica Lewinsky. Listen now for our first UNresearched, UNscripted, and UNapologetic half-hour episode!For information on sponsoring episodes of the Pop Culture Preservation Society with targeted ads, please reach out to us at [email protected] our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today’s episode is like a dream come true. The CHiPs Roller Disco episodes (yes, episodeS — it was so glorious it needed TWO parts!) serves as a hedonistic time capsule of what we wanted our lives to look like in the late 70s … and if you lived in southern California, it probably did. From Leif Garrett as an exhausted pop star (so, so tired) to former pro-football stars on wheels to the cornucopia of A, B, and D-listers rolling (and walking) down a Soul Train line at the rink, we’re (over)excitedly covering the highlights that make these episodes of CHiPs so delightfully 70s. Join us — and John and Ponch, of course — as we roll through all the glory!For information on sponsoring episodes of the Pop Culture Preservation Society with targeted ads, please reach out to us at [email protected] our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join us for the CONCLUSION of last week's episode.Today’s episode is a little bit different; normally we’re talking about all the things we had as children. Our records, our books, the TV shows we loved to watch (possibly while our parents were still at work or making dinner or smoking Virginia Slims while they watered the lawn). But the things our parents liked were also a big part of our growing up – and that includes all the Broadway shows from the 60s and the 70s that dominated the charts and broke box office records and filled our living rooms with soaring anthems, heartbreaking ballads, exciting dance numbers, and the occasional reference to t*ts and a$$ (but it was okay! Because it’s BROADWAY!). We didn’t all live in New York City and we didn’t all go see Broadway shows - but still our parents knew and loved the latest Broadway crazes enough to spend their hard-earned money on the soundtracks that came from them. And as a result, these are often the songs we know every word to – because we sang them, loudly, possibly in the backyard while fantasizing about playing Annie on stage. Join us for a surprisingly personal conversation about the music that belonged not just to us – but to our whole families.For information on sponsoring episodes of the Pop Culture Preservation Society with targeted ads, please reach out to us at [email protected] our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today’s episode is a little bit different; normally we’re talking about all the things we had as children. Our records, our books, the TV shows we loved to watch (possibly while our parents were still at work or making dinner or smoking Virginia Slims while they watered the lawn). But the things our parents liked were also a big part of our growing up – and that includes all the Broadway shows from the 60s and the 70s that dominated the charts and broke box office records and filled our living rooms with soaring anthems, heartbreaking ballads, exciting dance numbers, and the occasional reference to t*ts and a$$ (but it was okay! Because it’s BROADWAY!).We didn’t all live in New York City and we didn’t all go see Broadway shows - but still our parents knew and loved the latest Broadway crazes enough to spend their hard-earned money on the soundtracks that came from them.And as a result, these are often the songs we know every word to – because we sang them, loudly, possibly in the backyard while fantasizing about playing Annie on stage.Join us for a surprisingly personal conversation about the music that belonged not just to us – but to our whole families.For information on sponsoring episodes of the Pop Culture Preservation Society with targeted ads, please reach out to us at [email protected] our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

On the eve of the release her second novel, The Scott Fenwick Diaries, we’re talking with someone we know who knows a LOT about the importance of all types of crushing as well being incredibly insightful about all THE FEELINGS that come along with them, our very own Kristin Nilsen! (Seriously, she was (and still is) all of us at age 12!) The Scott Fenwick Diaries is more than just a middle-grade novel about a first crush, it’s ALL OF OUR first crushes. (Who knew we were all feeling the same insecurities?!?) Join us as we chat about the incredible relatability of the book, talk about Kristin’s writing process with this second novel, share our favorite parts and our own first crush stories, and so much more!For more info on Kristin's Book Launch Party. Click here then scroll down and click on Kristin’s event.For information on sponsoring episodes of the Pop Culture Preservation Society with targeted ads, please reach out to us at [email protected] our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we’re saving the 1979 sleeper hit, “A Little Romance,” the quiet little movie that captured tweenage hearts, gave millions of kids their first crush on a newcomer named Diane Lane, and made us all want to ride in a gondola under the Bridge of Sighs in Venice … at sunset … and have an innocent kiss with our first crush. How did we miss this movie? Did you? Listen as we give every second of it our long overdue accolades and discuss why media that illustrates the innocence of first love matters.For more info on Kristin's Book Launch Party. Click here then scroll down and click on Kristin’s event.For information on sponsoring episodes of the Pop Culture Preservation Society with targeted ads, please reach out to us at [email protected] our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join us for one of our favorite conversations as we revisit the generation-defining year of 1976. In our all new introduction, we discuss Bicentennial fashion (red, white and blue Sears Tuffskins, anyone?) and all the fun patriotic collectibles. Lots of laughs.Our country’s Bicentennial hit differently for us GenX kids. For us it was all about pet rocks, Dorothy Hamill, Nadia’s Theme, “I’m Just A Bill,” The Bionic Woman, Charlie’s Angels, Afternoon Delight, and Holly Hobbie. So grab a bomb pop and join the girls as they revisit many of the pop-culture events that made 1976 so much more than just the nation’s 200th birthday!Join us as we chat about all the things that made 1976 so memorable like…1976 OlympicsAfternoon DelightNadia ComaneciNadia’s ThemeSchoolhouse Rock - America RocksCaptain & TenilleCB radiosMuskrat LoveCheck out Amy Lively’s podcast For The Record: The 70sWatch the Starland Vocal Band sing the real lyrics to Afternoon Delight hereFor information on sponsoring episodes of the Pop Culture Preservation Society with targeted ads, please reach out to us at [email protected] our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Billy, Joey, & Delta Dawn go to the Copacabana: Story Songs of the 1970s: Join us today for the preservation of songs about car crashes, train accidents, shipwrecks, deadbeat dads, jail time, basic heartbreak and lots and lots of murder -- in an episode dedicated to the story songs of the 1970s. From Joey and Billy to Daddy and the sheriff, not to mention a hundred yellow ribbons and the Harper Valley PTA, people have been telling stories with songs for centuries; but the 1970s took that tradition and turned it into top 40 gold. Tune in to find out which of these songs grabbed us by the ears and stomped on our hearts in every which way. And we dare you not to sing.For information on sponsoring episodes of the Pop Culture Preservation Society with targeted ads, please reach out to us at [email protected] our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Linger with us as we sing our hearts out to the songs that turned out to be not just beloved but also universal. Whether it was Girl Scout camp, Boy Scout camp, Bluebirds or Brownies, Camp Fire Girls, Bible camp, theater camp or Jewish day camp (whew!) we all seemed to be singing from the same mimeographed songbook around the campfire. We sang about ants, bears, bunnies, hot dogs, Fords, country roads, barges (why???) and we all wished we had a hammer so we could hammer in the morning. After morning has broken, of course. Sing along with us today and see how many lyrics magically trip off the tongue after lying dormant in your brain for forty-five years.Found a Peanut: Deconstructing a Universal American Tragedy by Linda BoroffShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] lessAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we're saving that very special chapter of small-screen history — the shows you wished you could binge-watch but couldn't binge-watch because that wasn't possible — the TV miniseries. Whether it was the epic battles of Shōgun, the sweeping drama and historical significance of Roots, the misguided and controversial romance of The Thorn Birds, or the deliciously trashy and captivating stories of the romance novel adaptations (hello, Lace), these limited-run sagas were cultural touchstones. Will we mention Richard Chamberlin’s bare bottom? Listen to find out!Get your discounted Remind Magazine subscription hereShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Forget organized sports leagues and structured activities. Today's episode celebrates the original "unplugged" generation: Gen X! We're taking a deep dive into the impromptu, self-governed world of neighborhood games that defined our childhoods. From the chalk artistry of Hopscotch to the frantic dashes of Kick The Can, these weren't just games; they were life lessons in strategy, teamwork, and knowing when to run for cover. We'll share the top 10 neighborhood games according to our society members along with hilarious and sometimes cringe-worthy memories of getting dizzy with Swinging Statues (or Statue Maker as Kristin calls it) and the sheer force required to break (or be broken by) a Red Rover chain. Get ready to laugh, wince, and remember a time when the biggest challenge was getting home before dark.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we’ll be saving the precious messages inscribed into our school yearbooks that no one ever imagined would be read aloud PUBLICLY 40 years later. But that's exactly what we did -- welcome to Gen X Yearbook Reader’s Theater! (Sorry, Debbie). There may not be anything that signals the end of the school year more than the distribution of yearbooks. And the signing frenzy that follows..And so – we all spent significant time with the yearbooks that documented our academic experience in the Gen X era. We read every scribbled message from every single person – friends, enemies and complete strangers alike – and we’ve come away with something bigger than we thought. It's a time capsule of not just fashion (neon), hairstyles (big) and culture (everyone's an icon) -- it's also a time capsule of who we were and how people saw us at a particular moment in time. And reading those messages now, with your adult eyes, might just change your whole perspective on high school. Join us for a hilarious, heartbreaking but also humbling performance of yearbook inscriptions recalling government tests, a D in Humanities, mock trial club, CPR fumbles, fetal pigs and, of course, lots and lots of crushes (just ask Carolyn aka 'Mrs. Crosier').Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at [email protected] Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands