Enjoy Stuff: A TechnoRetro Podcast

Clear the table and sort the bricks, we have LEGO! Enjoy Stuff looks at the history of our favorite building set for years! From the early days when the founding family first measured out the dimensions of the connecting parts to the wide variety of franchised sets we can get at LEGO stores around the world. And we test our knowledge of when their most memorable ideas debuted. 

L’eggo my LEGO! It’s a history of the famous building blocks on Enjoy Stuff. It’s founder, Ole Christiansen, founding the company way back in 1932, probably never predicted how widespread his ideas would become. Come with us in the Wayback machine as we say “Bricks for the memories”

News

Indiana Jones Toys have been revealed for the upcoming Dial of Destiny movie

Ted Lasso gets a season 3 premiere

Looks like TRON 3 may be a go 

Singer David Crosby passes little over a week ago 

Cobra Kai will end after 6 Seasons

Valentine's Day-Inspired Pop-Tarts Bites will return this year

Oscar Noms have been announced, Short Round and Data are both nominated for Everything, Everywhere, All At Once!

Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

Jay has been getting very Retro (Retro-squared?) by revisiting some Bob Hope movies from way back in 1941. Caught in the Draft and Nothing but the Truth were some fun films that remind you about a time gone by and how the past can be entertaining. Shua really committed himself when he decided to binge all of the extended versions of Peter Jackson’s six-movie-spanning Tolkien stories. Love ‘em or leave ‘em, it can be fun to immerse yourself in Middle Earth and remember what the message of all the films relay. 

Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout

The Matrix was a ground-breaking movie in so many ways. This week Jay looks at the story, effects, and influence of Keanu Reeve’s classic Alice in Digital-Wonderland story. Check it out on Sci-Fi Saturdays on Retrozap.com. Plus, now that SFS has reached 1999 it’s time to remember the hype, politics, and complexity of Star Wars-Episode I, The Phantom Menace, coming this Saturday. 

Enjoy Toys!

One of the most wide-spread successes of toys has got to be LEGO. But it didn’t start out like that. This week we look back to the humble beginnings when Ole Kirk Christiansen took his bankrupt carpentry business and made it into something that would change the industry.

It wasn’t an instant success though. There were many hardships, failed ideas, and more factory fires than most people could come back from. Luckily, his son Godtfred (like his father) was a persistent and determined creator. Once he was inspired by a set of building blocks he saw at a convention, they bought a plastic injection molding machine and the rest is history. 

Through some very clever innovations with the designs, LEGO began to see some success and spread across the globe. By the 1950s their basic sets were found in many toy boxes across the United States. 

The long history of the company lends itself well to our game “Just in the Brick of Time”. Jay will try to identify the decade some of the LEGO milestones took place. You can play along too!

Did you play with LEGO? What sets of the building system do you admire? Did you read all of these shownotes? First person that emails me with the subject line, “I’m a LEGO maniac” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to [email protected]

We can rebuild him. We have the technology. But it’ll cost a pretty penny. Six Million Dollars to be precise. That’s the premise behind the 1973 hit series featuring Colonel Steve Austin. This week Enjoy Stuff revisits The Six Million Dollar Man

Every boy wanted to be Steve Austin in the 70s. That’s because The Six Million Dollar Man was a big hit on TV. Let’s celebrate 50 years of the Bionic Man on Enjoy Stuff

News

Universal is going to be opening a permanent Horror-Themed experience in Las Vegas

In N Out Burger is coming to Tennessee

Mel Brooks has finally revealed a long-awaited sequel “History of the World part II”

To celebrate Schoolhouse Rock’s 50th Anniversary, ABC will feature an all-star singalong

Get ready for Dr. Pepper Peeps

Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

Shua and his wife watched the latest Tom Hanks film A Man Called Otto, which makes you think about life, aging, and making a difference. Jay has been rewatching Loki on Disney+ in preparation for the upcoming Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania movie. 

Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout

Six-String Samurai is a wild and crazy mixture of rock and post-apocalyptic movies. Sound like a strange combination? You’re not wrong. Check it out on Sci-Fi Saturdays on Retrozap.com. Plus, as Sci-Fi Saturdays approaches the end of the millennium, it’s time to rewatch an influential classic, The Matrix, coming this Saturday. 

Enjoy TV!

In the early 70s, our live-action sci-fi was limited. When ABC adapted Martin Caidin’s 1972 novel, Cyborg into a TV series, it didn’t take long for us to get hooked. Steve Austin is an astronaut who suffered life threatening injuries in a test flight. The government rebuilt him using new bionic technology. Both legs, his right arm, and an eye were all replaced with super-human abilities. From there he completed missions nobody else could.

Over the 5 seasons, he interacted with aliens, robots, BigFoot, and more! Plus, his childhood sweetheart, in a spinoff-creating coincidence, had a similar accident that gave her bionic body parts and her own series. 

Plus, there were toys that had action features boys had never dreamed of before. Power lift, bionic eye, and fashionable red track suit. The Six Million Dollar Man was the perfect set up for the imagination of the 70s kid.

Did you watch The Six Million Dollar Man? Did you make the sound when you ran? Did you read all of these shownotes? First person that emails me with the subject line, “We can rebuild him” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to [email protected]

For the record, we couldn't get enough music 40 years ago. This week Enjoy Stuff remembers how we consumed our music and what was popular in 1983. Jay and Shua spin you right round baby, right round on Enjoy Stuff!

Let’s look back at what music was popular in 1983 and how we listened, on a very musical episode of Enjoy Stuff 

News

Wednesday is renewed for a season 2 at Netflix

Some kids at an elementary school in Racine, Wisconsin are collecting cereal for a world record. You can donate tasty breakfast or money here: Amazon Wish List. 

Peter Gabriel is releasing his first new album in 21 years!

4/4/23 you too can enter the grid when TRON Lightcycle Run opens in Magic Kingdom

Ke Huy Quan wins a Golden Globe and reveals that his entertainment lawyer knows the Truffle Shuffle

Sad news as we lost a trio of legends. RIP Lisa Marie Presley, Jeff Beck, and Robbie Kneivel

Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

After watching season 1 of Willow on Disney+, Jay went back and remembered how fun Willow the movie was. A fantasy adventure with humor and a lot of heart. Shua has been immersed in a Star Trek soundtrack playlist on Spotify that includes music from just about every show, movie, and project you could think of. A nice variety of sci-fi tunes for your daily listen. 

Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout

In 1998 Aerosmith would close their eyes, just to hear you breathing. Creepy? Not when you realize it’s the soundtrack from the Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck disaster flick Armageddon. As hokey and over the top as this Michael Bay movie is, it’s still a lot of fun. Check it out on Sci-Fi Saturdays on Retrozap.com. Plus, stay tuned for a little known post-apocalyptic film called Six-String Samurai, coming this Saturday. 

Enjoy Music!

Music has been a determining factor of a culture since Ringo Starr discovered it as a Caveman. But in the 80s it seemed to take it to a whole other level. This week we take a look at where we got our music and what was popular. 

This week, 40 years ago, Men at Work had the number one spot with Down Under. And while Australia was all the rage at this time, it was just one of the many songs we would keep track of on the charts when we listened to Casey Kasem bring it to us each week on American Top 40. 

While listening to the radio was nice, we couldn’t pick the songs we wanted. So we headed into the record stores for our records and tapes. Enjoy Stuff will share the history and origins of some of our listening vessels on this week’s show. 

Plus, we remember some of the iconic stores that were enjoying their heyday in the malls and other venues across the country. It’s a musical episode for the scrapbook. Come join us as we Enjoy Music!

Where did you get your music in 1983? Did you listen on vinyl, cassette, American Top 40? Did you read all of these shownotes? First person that emails me with the subject line, “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to [email protected]

1983 may have ushered in a change to the arcade industry, but it sure gave us some legendary games. This week we look back on some of the most memorable games we remember as we head back to the arcade to Enjoy Stuff!

Grab a handful of tokens, (especially if you’re playing Dragon’s Lair) and come back with us to a 1983 arcade. We take a look at some of the most memorable and legendary games. 

News

The iconic Denver, Mexican restaurant Casa Bonita gets a reopening date!

Grab your driving gloves and racing helmet because General Mills is releasing a Hot Wheels Cereal!  

Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

Shua had a great time reading Steve Martin’s newest and illustrated book “Number One is Walking”. It contains some great anecdotes about Martin’s time in the movies and some fun cartoon strips illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist Harry Bliss. Jay spent New Year’s Eve watching the new Rian Johnson movie Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery with Daniel Craig and a slew of other great celebrities. It’s a fun mystery with some unexpected twists

Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout

In 1998 X-Files was a hit on TV. But could it translate onto the big screen? Jay looks at the hits and misses of this Chris Carter story on Sci-Fi Saturdays. Plus, stay tuned for his look at the 1998 Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck disaster movie coming this Saturday. 

Enjoy Video Games!

In 1983 the video game industry was riding a wave of success that began stronger than Piston Joe’s punches. That would soon change, but as kids we had no idea what was coming, we were just enjoying the creative games that came out that year. Vector-based legends like Star Wars and Star Trek, iconic sequels like Donkey Kong Jr., and innovative classics like Dragon’s Lair dominated the arcades. Jay and Shua look back at these and some other home system games that would soon close a successful chapter in digital history.

What were your favorite games of 1983? Do you think using a pencil on Track and Field is cheating? Did you read all of these shownotes? First person that emails me with the subject line, “Body Blow!” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to [email protected]

Did you find ways to Enjoy 2022? This week we look at some of our highlights from a year's worth of Enjoy Stuff and our own personal life. Plus, we look ahead to what we're expecting in this new year as we continue to Enjoy Stuff!

Come with us on the podcaster’s obligatory look back at the year! We discuss some of our highlights and of course, look at what’s coming up. It’s never been a better time to Enjoy Stuff!

News

Who wants a giant Fruit Loop? We all do, of course!

Like Jovial Jay, there’s a guy who loves the details in the background of movies. In this case, sports on TVs

A Ferrari used in Ferris Bueller’s Day off sells for more money than we spend on cereal every year!

And speaking of cereal, if you want 100 year old cereal, …you may have issues. But what about cereal celebrating 100 years of Disney?

Let’s stand behind Snoop Dogg and Master P as they are forced to change the name of Snoop Loopz because of “The Man”

Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

During Jay’s extensive road travels in his new RV, he was able to Kayak with Manatees! No, that’s not a new Discovery documentary series, he actually did it. How did the Manatees feel about him and his wife floating around? Listen in to find out. And when people find out what a bad electrician Shua is, they’re shocked. Luckily, he got a Radio Shack 65 in One Electronic Project Kit from his childhood. It’s been pretty cool reliving his younger, scientifically-experimental side to himself. 

Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout

To wrap up the year, Jay has watched and analyzed Lost in Space (1998) with Gary Oldman, William Hurt, Matt LeBlanc, and Mimi Rogers. Did it live up to the original series? And tune in this Saturday for a look back at the X-Files movie (1998).

Enjoy 2022 and beyond!

Our first show of the new year consists of a look back at last year! There were so many great things to Enjoy and we only scratched the surface. But what a fun surface to scratch! We are sharing some standout moments on Enjoy Stuff. Were any of these your favorites? Did we miss a big glaring one because we were too distracted by gigantic cereal and sea cows? I mean, this stuff can be overwhelming, you know? Just give us a holler and tell us what we should have mentioned. 

What did you Enjoy in 2022? What are you looking forward to in 2023? Should we start thinking about 2024? Did you read all of these shownotes? First person that emails me with the subject line, “What’s an Auld Lang Syne?” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to [email protected]

Now that Christmas is over, it's time to engage in Boxing Day! This week we look at what makes boxing movies so popular and inspirational. Jay and Shua come out swinging as we Enjoy Stuff!

From Rocky to Creed, boxing movies are popular, motivational, and award-winning. We look at some of our most memorable pugilistic stories and try to figure out why people like them. 

News

Bryce Dallas Howard will be heading up a reboot of Disney’s classic alien mystery Witch Mountain

Hey, look at that! They renewed Quantum Leap for season 2!

And the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses has been renewed for more holiday goodness next year. 

Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

The holidays are over, but they delivered a new Christmas tradition for Shua. The Apple TV movie Spirited with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds was an impressive, Broadway-style musical. He was very impressed with the story, songs, and performances of the cast. Jay sat down for a rewatch of the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building with his wife. Like the TechnoRetro Dads, she was intrigued by the entertaining and hilarious show. 

Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout

For the end of 2022, Jay wrapped up Sci-Fi Saturdays with Dark City (1998). A wild psychological trip of a vision of the future. Tune in this Saturday for a reboot of Lost in Space (1998) with Gary Oldman, William Hurt, Matt LeBlanc, and Mimi Rogers. 

Enjoy Movies!

December 26 is Boxing Day in many parts of the world. Though it started out as a way for rich people to pretend like they cared about their servants, it soon evolved into….well, another excuse to lure shoppers into stores with sales galore. While it never really evolved into anything significant in the United States, it gave us the perfect excuse to Enjoy some boxing movies. 

Probably the first thing you think of when someone stops you on the street and says, “Hey buddy, what movie do you think of when I say boxing?” is “Get away from me you freak! Why are you asking random strangers about boxing movies?!?!” But then you’re going to think of Sylvester Stallone’s 1976 movie Rocky. 

It was an inspirational tale of an underdog boxer in Philadelphia who got a once in a lifetime chance to prove himself. And that’s what boxing movies do for us. They help us understand that hard work and perseverance can change your life, even if you don’t get the knockout. Rocky inspired a series of sequels, many of which are just as iconic or more! Whether he’s fighting Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago, we can cheer for this guy who we’ve come to know through good storytelling. 

Learning about characters is really the key to a good boxing movie. Winning the boxing match isn’t the real goal for our hero, it’s overcoming the hardships of their lives. The Champ (1979) starred Jon Voight as a boxer who was trying to keep his young son, played by Ricky Schroder. 

Robert DeNiro’s Raging Bull (1980) told the real life story of Jake LaMotta whose violence and temper made him a good fighter, but destroyed his life out of the ring. 

Sometimes the story could be fun. In 1979, Tim Conway starred with Don Knotts as a fighter who gets roped in by the mob to participate in a series of fixed fights. And The Main Event (1979) with Ryan O’Neal and Barbara Streisand was a romantic comedy about a boxer and a woman who tries to get him back into the ring. It was promoted as “A Glove Story”. 

The list goes on and on. Boxing movies don’t show any signs of going away and they even often earn high praises and awards in Hollywood. 

Are you inspired by boxing movies? Do you drink a lot of eggs first thing in the morning? First person that emails me with the subject line, “Yo Adrian!” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to [email protected]

Get in the holiday spirit with Jay and Shua on a special, festive, (and multiversal) musical episode of Enjoy Stuff. 

Jay and Shua are taking a cross country road trip in Jay’s new RV (Rocket Vehicle?) When they break down, the mysterious Agamotto button begins transporting them to different multiverses with some interesting Christmas music. Will they make it to the families before Christmas? It’s time to Enjoy some Christmas music to get in the spirit of the holidays on the 2022 Enjoy (Stocking) Stuff(-er).

Songs Featured

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Billy May

I Don't Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime is Here) - Old 97s

Carolina Christmas - Squirrel Nut Zippers

A Rootin' Tootin' Santa Claus - Tennessee Ernie Ford

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - August Burns Red

Santa Drives a Hot Rod -The Brian Setzer Orchestra

Feliz Navidad (8-Bit Version) - 8 Bit Universe

Banjo-Kazooie - Freezeey Peak

I T’ant Wait Til Quithmuth Day - Mel Blanc

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Foghorn Leghorn

All I Want For Christmas Is More, More, More - Daffy Duck

Santa Claus is back in town - Elvis

Ding Dong, Ding Dong - George Harrison

Ho Ho Ho Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas - Elton John

Little Drummer Boy - Christopher Lee

Spidey Bells (from A VERY SPIDEY CHRISTMAS) - Chris Pine

The Avengers Sing Christmas Carols

Joker sings Jingle Bells

The Hulk Explains Christmas

The Avengers Theme / Christmas mashup - L'orchestra Cinematique

Yuletide Ride - Blackball Bandits

Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Ventures

California Christmas - Switchfoot

I'm spending Hanukkah in Santa Monica - Tom Lehrer

Are you ready for Christmas - Neil Patrick Harris

Muppets - We need a little Christmas

Chewbacca - Silent Night

Here it is Christmastime Kevin Bacon

Christmas all over again - Tom Petty

Bonus:  Father Christmas - The Kinks

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our Earbuds! Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to [email protected]

Every word of this podcast is wrong. Five years ago, a Star Wars movie premiered that may have divided fandom more than any that has come before or since. This week we revisit The Last Jedi and discuss what we liked, didn't, and how you can Enjoy Stuff!

Are you a fan of The Last Jedi? Do you pretend it doesn’t exist? Or are you able to still be a fan, no matter what your opinion? This week we look at the divisive movie and break down the pros and cons….and have fun while doing it!

News

RIP to some beloved educators and entertainers. Sesame Street’s Bob McGrath and talented actress Kirstie Alley have passed away

William Gibson’s novel Neuromancer is coming as a series to Apple TV+

The Goonies house has sold for $1.5 Million to a real collector!

Indiana Jones gets a name (Dial of Destiny) and a trailer

Make sure you check out our TeePublic store to get ready for the holidays and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

Shua thinks they made some good decisions on how to construct the new Disney+ Willow series. The warmth, humor, and slightly-lighter than you’d expect a fantasy is what he is looking for. Jay thought that the Leonardo DaVinci exhibit at the Biltmore Mansion in North Carolina was a very cool experience. Immerse yourself in the geniusness of the legendary artist. 

Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout

Starship Troopers (1997) was a fun romp through a future where humanity is fighting for their lives against giant bugs that are the scourge of the galaxy! (Would you like to know more?) There are new locations for the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on MCU Location Scout.

Enjoy Movies!

In 2017 our Christmas present was another new Star Wars movie. Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi presented a very different idea of how a Star Wars story could be told. It’s themes of failure as mentors, shades of gray, and hope are great messages in stories. The effects and designs were stunning. And the future of the galaxy was given a path. 

Yet, the movie was not necessarily well-received (insert understatement here). Fans were torn as they moved to both sides of the spectrum further than ever before. Some didn’t like the humor. Some didn’t like the performances. And some really didn’t like how our original heroes were treated. 

Jay and Shua break down a lot of these discussion topics and expose themselves by sharing their opinion about the film. 

Are you able to Enjoy The Last Jedi? Has it changed your perspective of fandom? First person that emails me with the subject line, “Reach out” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to [email protected]

You want Action? We've got Action! This year's holiday tournament pits some of the most popular action figures against each other in an effort to take top spot in the toy catalogue circle-fest! The Earbuds voted. Now Jovial Jay and Shua break down the toy battle of the century on Enjoy Stuff!

This year’s bracket tournament promises to be full of action as we see which toys may have been the most anticipated holiday gifts of Earbud’s past. 

News

The 2022 National Toy Hall of Fame inductee is…..

Make sure you check out our TeePublic store to get ready for the holidays and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

Jay just got a book he’s been wanting for a while. The ​​Star Trek Genesis Trilogy Anniversary Special is a collection of some great Star Trek past. Check it out from Titan! Shua really enjoyed Wednesday on Netflix, starring Jenna Ortega as the brooding Addams daughter. A fun series that brings the classic feel of the Addams Family to the modern streaming age. 

Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout

Starship Troopers (1997) was a fun romp through a future where humanity is fighting for their lives against giant bugs that are the scourge of the galaxy! (Would you like to know more?) There are new locations for the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on MCU Location Scout.

Enjoy Toys!

It is here! The action battle of the Action Figures! Tune in to find out the finalists and then stay with us as we look back to the JCPenny wishbook from 1980. 

Did your favorite Action Figure make the cut? What did you circle in the toy catalogues? First person that emails me with the subject line, “Dear Santa…” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to [email protected]

Jovial Jay and Shua look back on the often forgotten and surprisingly entertaining 1980 musical Xanadu. Plus, we look back at what it was like during the holidays in a 1980 mall on Enjoy Stuff!

Grab the hand of your muse and roll with us back to the year 1980 to revisit the Olivia Newton John musical Xanadu. And then head out of the theater into the mall to see what it was like during the holidays as we kicked off a new decade. 

News

In further real estate news:  'Goonies' house for sale for $1.6M in Astoria 

Harrison Ford seems to be very proud of the new Indiana Jones movie. We just go some cool images from the upcoming adventure

Could we be seeing a remake of Escape From New York? But more importantly, should we?

A New Trailer for “Stay Tooned” - a documentary on how cartoons influenced us

Make sure you check out our TeePublic store to get ready for the holidays and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

Shua was pleasantly surprised by the new sequel to a holiday classic. A Christmas Story Christmas debuted on HBO Max and instead of just being a goofy rehash of the original, it was very touching and emotional. Jay checked out the Brad Pitt summer action movie Bullet Train and he agreed it was a crazy, and speedy, ride. 

Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout

This week Jay shared his thoughts about the beautiful and thought provoking 1997 Jodie Foster film Contact. Stay tuned for the upcoming look at Gattaca to see what a slightly frightening future could look like. There are new locations for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on MCU Location Scout.

Enjoy Movies!

1980 marked the beginning of a new decade full of promising prosperity. The movie Xanadu was a peppy sendoff to the era of roller disco, with a surprisingly amazing soundtrack. Join us as we look back at this often forgotten musical that will get your skates back out on that rink!

Do you remember shopping at the mall in 1980? We look back at what it was like to visit the malls we grew up with in the early heyday of those shiny, new shopping centers. Join us for a trip down memory lane, located just past Orange Julius and across from the Hickory Farms store. 

Have you ever experienced Xanadu? What do you remember about malls in the 80s? First person that emails me with the subject line, “Olivia Newton John is my muse” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to [email protected]