What do you get when you combine Nerf with the Garbage Pail Kids? You get Madballs, one of the most memorable toys of the 1980s.

Madballs came out during a time when a big segment of the toy industry followed the motto, "If it's gross or smells, it sells." Madballs continued with that formula of gross-out humor and quickly made a dent in the toy market (and on heads...)

Today we look back on the creation, launch, and remarkable success of Madballs, along with the controversy that resulted in them getting banned in some schools.

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

When does performance art go too far? How long do you suspend disbelief before you start asking yourself whether what you are seeing is actually real? Or is that the whole point...

When it comes to performance art, there may be no better performer ever than Andy Kaufman. And in the 1980s, he took his unique brand of comedy to a wider audience than ever before.

Most people knew him from Taxi, but an even wider audience would know him from two shocking network television moments--one that even happened on live TV... Let's go back and witness the chaos created by Andy Kaufman in the 80s.

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

1987 was a good one. So was 1989. But summertime at the movies may not get much better than the magical summer of 1984.

Today, we travel back exactly 40 years to one of the defining summers of the entire 1980s. The summer of '84 gave us blockbuster after blockbuster and fully cemented the summer movie season as one of the most important of the year.

A huge sequel, a coming-of-age classic, a new horror favorite, and a supernatural comedy are just some of the era-defining films that came out. It's the summer that gave us some of the most beloved movies of not just the 80s--but ever. And there's one day in particular that may be the most significant of the decade when it comes to two all-time 1980s classics...

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

After the phenomenal success of Sesame Street and then The Muppet Show, it seemed as if things couldn't get much better. But as the 1980s began, Jim Henson was just getting started...

Two groundbreaking films, new Muppet movies, and one of the most beloved children's series of all time--these are just some of the amazing creations by Jim Henson in the 80s. But it goes even deeper: countless TV specials, a Sesame Street movie, a cherished cartoon show, and even a few holiday favorites.

For Henson, the 1980s were a decade of prolific creation, and we were the lucky ones who got to experience his unique form of magic.

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

As the NES and Sega Master System were dominating the 1980s video game market, something interesting was happening in Japan. Something ahead of its time. Something revolutionary...

The dream of a 16-bit system felt like it was years and years away, but, in 1987--it happened. It took a few more years, but the system that began as the PC Engine in Japan eventually hit North America. But now, it had a new look and a new name: the TurboGrafx-16.

This is a look back on the system that ushered in the fourth generation of video gaming, changed how video games looked and sounded, and had a huge influence on the future of gaming.

Bonus 1980s audio content: Patreon.com/80s

When it first aired in September 1986, no one was quite sure what to think of it--especially critics and parents. It was loud, bold, colorful, and crazy...and kids loved it.

This is the story of one of the most remarkable kids' shows ever made. A show that provided an educational component, but they also promised you the nuttiest establishment you've ever seen. All you had to do was spend the day with Pee-Wee and you'll see what they mean...

It was wacky, it was nutty, golly, it was even cuckoo, because when you landed there, you landed in a place where anything can happen...This is the history of Pee-Wee's Playhouse.

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

As we enter the mid-80s, the Edmonton Oilers are on top of the hockey world. And on the best team was also the best player in the world: Wayne Gretzky.

But while all this was going on, something remarkable had also been happening in the hockey world, and in the most unlikely place. You may not know the name Tony Hand, but in 1986, both he and the Oilers eventually crossed paths--and the results were nothing short of extraordinary.

This is a story that's about more than sports; it's about how greatness can come from anywhere...

Bonus audio content: Patreon.com/80s

They couldn't all be hits... During a decade that gave us so many beloved classics, there were other great movies that just flew under the radar.

Whether it was too much competition, inadequate marketing, or bad timing, there are plenty of 1980s movies that could have been big hits, but just weren't.

Today we look back at ten of those movies. Movies that had everything going for them; big-time directors, huge stars, exciting stories, and cutting-edge special effects. But because of a variety of issues, they just didn't reach the heights of other classics from the 80s.

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

We're three years into a new decade and the 80s as we know it is starting to take shape. From the movies to TV shows, and music to video games, things are changing quickly--and pop culture would never be the same.

Welcome to Rewind and an all-new version of my review of 1983. We look back on all the big pop culture moments along with sports and the tech that made up a remarkable year.

And speaking of tech, 1983 brings us two critical innovations. Innovations that would have a bigger impact on our lives today than anyone could have ever imagined...

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

Armed with a pocket full of change, you walk through those sliding doors and are greeted by a wonderland of amazing options as far as the eye can see. The biggest issue you face is what do you choose; candy, chocolate, chips, or a drink?

This is a look back on the best snacks and junk food from the 80s, a decade that gave us some of the greatest products of all time. Products that are still with us to this day. But then, there are also some less fortunate favorites that didn't last long and went to that big convenience store in the sky...

Top Gun movie review: Patreon.com/80s