Ruined Childhoods

Dan and Jon are in Illinois and have zero interest in visiting Chicago. For them, it's all about Aurora, home of Wayne and Garth. This is a long one, so buckle up and send in your thoughts to [email protected]!

Next episode: Hoosiers (1986) • Indiana

See what native tribes reside or resided in what is now known as Illinois

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Dan and Jon have made it to The Aloha State to gab about the 1961film that introduced the world to Elvis singing I Can't Help Falling in Love. Dan and Jon talk about their own experiences in Hawaii, representation of indigenous Pacific Islanders, and conflicting feelings about the King of Rock and Roll.

Hey, Viktor! trailer

Next episode: Wayne's World (1992) • Illinois

See what native tribes reside or resided in what is now known as Idaho

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Dan and Jon have made it to The Aloha State to gab about the 1961film that introduced the world to Elvis singing I Can't Help Falling in Love. Dan and Jon talk about their own experiences in Hawaii, representation of indigenous Pacific Islanders, and conflicting feelings about the King of Rock and Roll.

Next episode: Smoke Signals (1998) • Idaho

See what native tribes reside or resided in what is now known as Hawaii

Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods

Dan and Jon have made it to Georgia, but need to quickly zip over to Texarkana, Texas and back with a truckload of Coors beer! On this episode, the Smokey and the Bandit series is celebrated and reimagined with fresh casts and plots.

Next episode: Blue Hawaii (1961)• Hawaii

See what native tribes reside or resided in what is now known as Georgia

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Dan and Jon travel down to Florida, specifically South Beach, to witness the meeting of a drag queen, her club owning partner, an ultra-conservative senator, and his opportunistic wife. It's only taken 211 episodes, but Ruined Childhoods is finally covering The Birdcage, celebrating how it stood out from its predecessors and theorizing how it could have a continuing legacy.

Next episode: Smokey and the Bandit (1977) • Georgia

See what native tribes reside or resided in what is now known as Florida

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Dan and Jon have their made their way to Delaware to enjoy the sights, sounds, and styles of Empire Records. And guess what - it's REX MANNING DAY! The guys celebrate the cult film and it's actual legacy and the legacies that could be if they had a chance to revive the film.

Next episode: The Birdcage (1996) • Florida

See what native tribes reside or resided in what is now known as Delaware

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Dan and Jon travel to Mystic, Connecticut to sample the perfect blend of comedy and drama with a dash of romance. This is the movie that introduced us to Matt Damon and truly put Julia Roberts on the map. And for many, it was a sigh of relief that the actor who played Gomer Pyle in Full Metal Jacket turned out alright.

This episode also features a special interview with Dan and Jon's brother Scott of Scott's Pizza Tours and Slice Out Hunger!

Next episode: Empire Records (1995) • Delaware

See what native tribes reside or resided in what is now known as Connecticut

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This stop on the Ruined Childhoods road trip across America is the 1995 crime drama, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead. Dan and Jon talk about how it stacks up in the midst of the era's Tarantino madness.

Next episode: Mystic Pizza (1988) • Connecticut

See what native tribes reside or resided in what is now known as Colorado

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Dan and Jon have made it to California to experience the 2002 cult classic, Orange County. Aside from realizing that this film had more depth than previously considered, Dan and Jon also imagine how they would revisit this film over 20 years later.

Next episode: Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995) • Colorado

See what native tribes reside or resided in what is now known as Caifornia

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On their journey through America, Dan and Jon have stopped along the Mississippi River in Southern Arkansas for the 2012 Jeff Nichols drama, Mud. Ideas are tossed around about how to keep the story of Ellis, Neckbone, and the whole gang alive - PLUS, Dan and Jon play the Matthew McConaughey Name Game!

Next episode: Orange County (2002) • California

See what native tribes reside or resided in what is now known as Arkansas

Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods