Enjoy Stuff: A TechnoRetro Podcast

Hey, Hey, all you Monkees!  

It’s hard to believe, but The Monkees have been in our collective consciousness for fifty years!  Way, way back in 1966, a nifty comedy featuring four Ben Frank types trying to make their way in a world overpopulated by bands of all shapes, sizes, sounds, and silly names.  And even though TechnoRetro Dads shazbazzar and JediShua weren’t around when the show premiered in color on NBC, they remember The Monkees from their youth through records, reruns, and their very first rock concert (not The Monkees’ first concert, obviously, the ‘Dads’ first concert).

This week on TechnoRetro Dads, SuperFriend Richard Woloski (Skywalking through Neverland, Talking Apes TV) lends his expert opinions on the “Pre-Fab Four” for 77 minutes of going bananas with good times, trivia, and tunes as they gush in their fandom for the four musical primates as they celebrate the ingenuity of inventing a band for a TV show and ending up essentially launching a musical career that has spanned six decades with fans of all ages. 

But it’s not all talk.  JediShua and Richard get their chance to prove their expertise as shazbazzar quizzes them Jeopardy-style with Monkee-centric categories like “THAT GIRL”; “COLORS”; “EVERY ‘DAY’ IS GETTING BRIGHTER”; “LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION”; “STATUS SYMBOL LAND”; and “THEY’RE ANIMALS!” Find out who is the big winner in this less-than-impressive imitation of the game show where you ask the questions.  

What was your experience with The Monkees?  Did you have a favorite song or memorable episode?  Let us know by tweeting us @TechnoRetroDadds or sending us an electronic-M to [email protected]. PLUS: Don’t forget to chime in on our February Cereal Challenge by eating “SMORZ” cereal and reviewing it in our poll on Facebook.  We’ll be talking all about the chocolatey, marshmallowy, graham-cracker cereal next week on TechnoRetro Dads.   

Have a Pleasant Valley Monday with 77 minutes of fun with TechnoRetro Dads as you wake up and take on the day. We guarantee your smiles will be brighter and your Head will be filled with songs from a long time ago that are as good today as they were in the late ‘60s! Share and spread the love!

Greetings, Programs!  

Hopefully you remembered to find a Valentine over the weekend, but today we change gears just a bit to cut loose with some Presidents to the tunes of Kenny Loggins with Footloose.  JediShua and shazbazzar take a TechnoRetro look at the dance movie that made Kevin Bacon in 1984.  While the ‘80s music and feel of the film are undeniably dated, the generation-gap, small town versus big city story is as real today as it was 32 years ago.  So kick off your Sunday shoes this Monday morning and turn up the fun with TechnoRetro Dads.

As always, though, there’s much more to this episode as the ‘Dads reveal upcoming releases: a new Monkees album, Armada makes its paperback debut, and more movie dates change — specifically, Ready Player One and The Flash.  Also in the NEWS, Voltron returns with a new series on NetFlix, and shazbazzar and JediShua make an appearance on Rebel Force Radio.

Kellogg’s makes an appearance in CEREAL NEWS with recipe ideas, specifically a tropical concoction we renamed “Krispies Colada”.  Don’t hesitate to send us your cereal recipes via electronic-M to [email protected].    

In celebration of the end of football season, the ‘Dads pull out some bubble gum machine helmets from the ATTIC and reminisce about some favorite (and not-so-favorite) helmets they had.  One question lingers, though: Will these helmets fit 12” figures from the ‘70s and ‘80s?  

It’s a blend of new and old as the kids get a day off from school on this Presidents’ Day.  So sit back for a rousing round of “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” with TechnoRetro Dads.

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With a brilliant victory over Cam Newton’s Panthers, Denver’s Broncos claim another SuperBowl championship for Peyton Manning and football lovers need to find another object for their affection.  No need to worry, EarBuds!  TechnoRetro Dads is here this week with some advice to ensure a lovely Valentine’s Day for you and your significant other in plenty of time for you to be a romantic love hero as February’s holiday approaches.  Feel like staying in next Sunday night?  We’ve got a few ‘80s romance movie suggestions for you to cuddle up with your cutie on the couch and watch together while snacking on some Valentine’s Day Chex Mix.

And for those who may be feeling a little lonely this February 14th, if you find yourself always nagging, bragging, complaining about things, take a good look at Kathleen Turner — now there’s one hekuva girl!  JediShua and shazbazzar take another look at 1984’s Robert Zemeckis film Romancing the Stone with Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito, and the always handsome and hilarious El Guapo.  If you’ve seen it before, it maintains all the charm and humor that you remember.  If you’ve never seen it — it’s well-worthy of a Valentine’s Day viewing.

IN CEREAL NEWS, General Mills gets real with an actual rabbit to support TRIX cereals.  Cinnabun wins Big G’s search for a live mascot to roll-out their growing line of naturally-colored cereals — not all of which are shades of brown!  PLUS: the latest craze in alcoholic beverages use used cereal milk as a mixer.     

Romance abounds in that galaxy far, far away with three couples in The Force Awakens discussion.  Discover the answers to these perplexing questions: Which of these couples have the best chance to find love?  Which couple will go down in history as icons of romance? And just when you thought you knew everything about Star Wars, TechnoRetro Dads uncover the in-universe origins of the Ewoks.  

This is an episode you can’t afford to miss — unless you want to be in the dog house next Monday morning.

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Greetings, Programs!  

When Barbie was topping the toy charts, Hasbro decided to try out a “boy’s version” of the doll and G.I. Joe was born.  For over fifty years, G.I. Joe has occupied store shelves and toy boxes throughout the United States.  In the ‘70s, Joe evidently studied martial arts and earned his Kung-Fu Grip.  Once Kenner’s Star Wars line captured the market, Joe underwent major plastic surgery, shrinking him down to less than one third his size and giving him many more points of articulation.  Since then, G.I. Joe has demanded attention from kids and collectors with hundreds of figures, numerous vehicles, and not a small number of playsets.

But that’s not all!  G.I. Joe became A Real American Hero in 1983 with Sunbow’s five-part mini-series featuring the toys in animated form.  With another hit mini-series in 1984, G.I. Joe escalated to television stardom as fifty-five new episodes of the show released in 1985.  Since then, G.I. Joe has put his name on several iterations of animated television programming as well as a couple of live-action Hollywood features.  

IN THE NEWS, General Mills offers Star Wars fans a chance to attend Star Wars Celebration in London, any new Labyrinth movies will continue the story, not retell it, and new DeLoreans will soon be in production.  

JediShua and shazbazzar review Wheaties, a cereal that’s nearly a century old (the cereal itself, not the actual flakes they consumed over the past month).  Did Wheaties make them more athletic?  Will their faces grace future orange boxes on shelves in the cereal aisle in your local grocery store?  Discover the answers to other questions in the TechnoRetro Dads Cereal Challenge this week.

So pour yourself a bowl of Wheaties, get your toys down out of the attic, and turn on some classic G.I. Joe cartoons and celebrate G.I. Joe Day with shazbazzar and JediShua as your work week (and February) kick off!

Greetings, Programs!  

Whether you want to bewitch the mind or ensnare the senses, bottle fame, brew glory, or even put a stopper in death, there’s only one potion master that will do: Severus Snape.  We remember some of our favorite roles of Alan Rickman, from Hans Gruber in Die Hard to the Sheriff of Nottingham, to his portrayal of an actor portraying an alien crew member of a very Trekkish television show, Alan Rickman delighted audiences for decades with his precision command of every aspect of himself on screen.

IN THE NEWS, J.J. Abram’s vision of WestWorld has been delayed, Darkwing Duck does not get a movie voiced and animated by Jim Cummings, but it looks like he will get a comic book.  Concept designer and animator of such visually mesmerizing projects as TRON: Uprising, Aeon Flux, Gorillaz, and The Beatles: RockBand, Robert Valley, provides fans with an opportunity to help him realize the transfer of a graphic novel to film through a Kickstarter for Pear Cider and Cigarettes. 

The bulk of this week’s show, however, is the discussion and debate about Rey’s heritage, spurred by a post by Joe Tavano at RetroZap.com. As Maz Kanata put it, “Who’s the girl?”  JediShua, shazbazzar, and Joey-Wan Kenobi put forward their best (and worst) thoughts for consideration, with reasons supporting or derailing some of the most common and most outlandish theories about Rey’s parents that they’ve heard.  Although the next saga installment of Star Wars has been pushed back to December 2018, these three throw out enough speculations (with or without evidence) to keep fans talking for 23 months.  PLUS: new questions arise, like “Is Kylo Ren a Star Wars version of TRON’s CLU?” and the identity and origin of Snoke.  There are many things about Star Wars we don’t know since this sequel trilogy started over a month ago, and speculation is a blast!

So sit down with your bowl of Wheaties, plug in your ear buds, EarBuds, and tune in for 77 minutes of family, friends, and fandom this Monday morning as you get ready to start another work week.

Share and enjoy!

Greetings, Programs!  

Whether you’re off to the rodeo in the middle of winter or you’re watching a preschool neighborhood Mardi Gras parade, there’s always time to share some favorite memories with your EarBuds.  Join shazbazzar and JediShua as they take a mind trip to 1986 with memories of the Jim Henson/George Lucas collaboration, Labyrinth.  With the recent passing of David Bowie, it only seemed appropriate to talk about some of the more influential aspects of his work on the lives of the ‘Dads, and both agree that his portrayal of the Goblin King Jareth will always remain in the forefront of their minds.

But there’s more!  Cereal sales are down in the NEWS.  Is it because of increased droughts?  Is too much grain going into our gas tanks taking its toll on the breakfast food industry?  Or are the ‘Dads to blame because EarBuds are living vicariously through them and not consuming as much sugary-sweet, brightly colored cereals as they did before the CEREAL segment began?  But never fear, General Mills hasn’t been in business for a century and a half because it can’t endure an economic downturn from time-to-time. 

TechnoRetro Dads discover a new way to organize some of your favorite movies by watching them in alphabetical order.  Because, because, because, because, because JediShua finds Of Oz the Wizard online, he follows the Yellow Brick Road to Arst Arsw, enduring hours of oddly edited versions of the films according to alphabetically arranged dialogue.  Really, who thinks up these things?!

In the meantime, if you’re not already a member of Audible, you can get your 30-day free trial and a free download of an audio book of your choice through this #TechnoRetro link: AudibleTrial.com/TRDads.  We suggest lazy reading the novelization of Star Wars: The Force Awakens as you continue to feel the awakening of the Dark Side and the Light.

So get up, put 2 Euros in the LEGO Cheerios cereal vending machine, and tune in to 77 minutes of delicious TechnoRetro crunchiness — it’s part of your balanced breakfast every Monday morning.

Share and enjoy!

Greetings, Programs!  

Have you ever tried to have a discussion about a single topic with a friend and he keeps interrupting the flow of the conversation with movie quotes, song lyrics, or side-bars about odd words or names?  Did you find it frustrating?  Were you wondering if this only happens to you?  You’re not alone.  All the evidence you need is wrapped up in 77 silly minutes of this week’s technology-centric TechnoRetro Dads.  JediShua and shazbazzar prove their attention span stinks nearly as much as sulfur (soon-to-be known to all mankind as shazbazzarium) as their deficiency is paraded with pride for all the world to hear in this podcast filled with problematic prognostications and spurious speculations. 

But that’s not all!  Their disorderly conduct continues throughout the NEWS about Star Wars in concert, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, in-universe books from the wide world of Ghostbusters, and newly discovered invented elements synthesized by chemists dedicated to completing each and every level of the Periodic Table of Elements.

And if that’s not enough to satisfy your appetite this Monday morning, sit down with Nephew Joe for a mixed bowl of cereal as JediShua hosts Sunday Cereal Bar Brunch for his extended family.  Listen in as the two of them (and others) make their plans for RetroFuture cereal restaurant that charges by the bowl instead of by the pound.  (POUND?  Just how much cereal does it take to fill Shua’s belly?!)

PLUS: shazbazzar unearths an eleventy-five year-old article by civil engineer John Elfreth Watkins, Jr. published in the December 1900 issue of Ladies’ Home Journal.  The imaginative mind of yesteryear proves to be rather accurate in his predictions of the technology that would be familiar over the next century.  From wireless telephone networks spanning the globe to pre-packaged cooked meals delivered to the (evidently kitchenless) homes of our century, the pre-tech visionary had a firm grasp on the direction technology would take in the post-industrial age.

The questions that will plague EarBuds’ after tuning in this week are not limited to:

So listen in and listen again to this technically silly technological episode of TechnoRetro Dads and make your Monday a fun day.

Greetings, Programs!  

Did the movie live up to the hype?  Did the hype affect your first screening?  your second?  How important is it to see Star Wars on opening night?  Of course we’re talking about The Force Awakens in this first episode of 2016.  Both shazbazzar and JediShua see the most highly anticipated movie in ten years with friends, family, and first-timers time and again in 2D, 3D, and 3D IMAX and they begin their conversation with initial comments after a few times seeing a truly J.J. Abrams Star Wars movie.  SPOILER ALERT!  If, for some strange reason, you have not yet seen the newest addition to the galaxy far, far away, BEWARE!  This episode of TechnoRetro Dads contains spoilers, speculations, and surprises that may make your first viewing of The Force Awakens better or worse (depending on who you ask).

Might as well let you know now: Finn’s last name is Calrissian, Rey’s last name is Kenobi, and Kylo’s real name is Ben.  Or maybe not.  It’s a new movie.  We can’t reveal such things in a podcast blurb!  It would be a travesty.

But the new year brings more than expected!  After the “last call” at ShotGlassDigital.com, TechnoRetro Dads have found a new home at RetroZap.com with long-time SuperFriend Joey Tavano alongside other great podcasts like Brews and Blasters, The Collectors Hutt, Skywalking through Neverland, The Trade Federation, We Know Nothing, The Deucecast Movie Show, and more…

IN THE NEWS: Is Star Trek: Axanar getting the ax?  Independence Day makes a resurgence with Resurgence.  PLUS, X-Men, video games, Batman, Superman, Captain America, Star Trek, and Jungle Book trailers hit theaters before The Force Awakens.

TOYS IN THE ATTIC:  Christmas 2015 had some real hits, including a pie-in-the-face from 1964.

Wake up in a new year with 77 minutes of retrotastic technolove this Monday morning!  So pour yourself a bowl of Wheaties (since you’re still set on keeping those New Year’s resolutions), hop on the treadmill, and walk across the TechnoRetro bridge from the past to the future as the old joins the new at a very appropriate time of year.

Greetings, Programs!  

’Tis the season of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and of course the ‘Dads seen it…once or twice.  But as soon as shazbazzar and JediShua hit the mall for a few final moments of holiday shopping, they’re drawn in again and get in line for J.J. Abrams’ vision of Star Wars.  Bumping into several SuperFriends along the way and hearing some classic Christmas MUZAK is all part of the in-line experience this Monday morning.

Reminisce about Christmases past with writer/producer Michael Price, cinematographer/cereal connoisseur Sheldon Norton, artist/designer Kevin Liell, author Michael Witwer, concept artist Paul Bateman, and trivia champion Jorbex.

With Star Wars in the air, it’s only fitting to hear some updated tunes from Christmas in the Stars from Pony1Kenobi, Tony Thaxton with Chris Farren,  and Jordan D. White.  PLUS: Animaniacs, KITT from Knight Rider, Chris Hardwick, National Lampoon, and even SPIKE TV join in with tidings appropriate for the season.  Add in some classics from The Beatles, The Drifters, Ray Charles, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Ginny Simms as well as some newer tunes from John Anaelio, Justin Cole, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and High Adventure and you have a mix that will take the “BAH” out of anyone’s HUMBUG this week.

Merry Christmas, EarBuds!

LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales

Greetings, Programs!  

In the months leading up to Star Wars: The Force Awakens (are we allowed to call it Episode 7?), books, comics, toys, and television specials have added to the hype of the trailers, pics, and TV spots teasing us from every continent and country around the world.  This week, SuperFriend Michael Price, writer/producer of the LEGO Star Wars specials, joins shazbazzar and JediShua to talk about this expansive and inventive series that took us on a journey with C-3PO and R2-D2 (the LEGO versions, of course) through the saga up to this point.  Mike answers questions about the LEGO specials, but leaves us wanting more — as always.  Will we see more LEGO Star Wars specials that deal with the new movies and characters in that galaxy far, far away?

JediShua makes good on his promise to review several Christmas breakfast foods as he munches on Pop Tarts and slurps up bowls of cereals.

PLUS: The ‘Dads climb into the attics of our minds to recall toys of the past that would bring smiles to their faces this Christmas.

Enjoy (nearly) 77 minutes of TechnoRetro good times this morning on TechnoRetro Dads!