Stoop Kidz!: A Hey Arnold! Podcast

Charlie Mackin (https://twitter.com/charliemander13) is “Really Back In” for another episode of Stoop Kidz!

We're about to make a statement that may SHOCK long-time listeners: as it turns out, Hey Arnold! is a good television show. We like it an awful lot. Therefore, most of these episodes are… enthusiastic, to say the least. Sometimes, we even joke about it: "is it fun listening to us gush week after week?" We say, "I wonder what it would be like if we DIDN'T like every episode?!"

Then Arnold betrayed Iggy, and Helga got a nanny.

First, join us as we discuss the infamous episode of Hey Arnold! almost (Harry notwithstanding) unanimously declared the worst in the series, "Arnold Betrays Iggy!" Then, special guest and tireless Helga Pataki defender Charlie Mackin (@Charliemander13) joins us in the second half to discuss "Helga's Nanny," power differentials, the relationships we have with the people we let down, and… post Cold War Eastern European economic anxiety?

In the process, we learn the answer to the question we often jokingly pose: when we don't like an episode, we still find plenty to jaw about. We just get… squirrely in the process.

Follow Charlie on Twitter at https://twitter.com/charliemander13

“Why Hey Arnold's Iggy Episode Is So Controversial” by Adrienne Tyler: https://screenrant.com/hey-arnold-show-iggy-episode-controversy-explained/

Wanna see more Hey Arnold! stuff? How about some fun, goofy posts? Follow us on https://twitter.com/stoopkidzpod and www.instagram.com/stoopkidzpod/ between episodes for more fun stuff from the Kidz! While you’re at it, rate us on Apple or Spotify and leave us a review if you love the show – not only does it help us grow, we read every single one!

All Stoop Kidz show art is created by our own Emily Csuy (https://www.instagram.com/emilycsuy/). Intro music: “Hey Arnold! Theme” by Jim Lang. Intermission music: “Groove Remote” by Jim Lang. Outro music: “Stompin’” by Jim Lang.

Helga’s in a race against time (and herself) in “Helga Blabs It All’ when, zooted on laughing gas from getting a filling, she confesses her love for Football Head on the answering machine at Sunset Arms! Then, in “Harold the Butcher,” Harold is forced to work at Mr. Green’s butcher shop for trying to steal from it – and unexpectedly discovers a new passion.

Wanna see more Hey Arnold! stuff? How about some fun, goofy posts? Follow us on https://twitter.com/stoopkidzpod and www.instagram.com/stoopkidzpod/ between episodes for more fun stuff from the Kidz! While you’re at it, rate us on Apple or Spotify and leave us a review if you love the show – not only does it help us grow, we read every single one!

All Stoop Kidz show art is created by our own Emily Csuy (https://www.instagram.com/emilycsuy/). Intro music: “Hey Arnold! Theme” by Jim Lang. Intermission music: “Groove Remote” by Jim Lang. Outro music: “Stompin’” by Jim Lang.

WARNING: the episode you are about to listen to was recorded in the absence of super producer Jason, and when the cat is away… the stoop kidz must play.

And, as if on cue, two episodes appeared that seem tailor-made to get us a little unhinged. First, we litigate Hey Arnold's take on "don't meet your heroes" (It's ok if you're Arnold) in a discussion on how Arnold so frequently manages to avoid didacticism despite its obvious moral bent and how this one falls short.

Then, we (poorly) try to conceal our infatuation with Lorenzo's hot mom seething antipathy for the rich in order to welcome - and bid a fond farewell - to Lorenzo, the only good rich kid.

We may also diverge into rather spirited conversations on topics such as anxiety (surprise), being the new kid, why visionary anime director Hayao Miyazaki probably wouldn't like us much, and George Miller's heartbreaking Academy Award nominated 1992 drama, LORENZO'S OIL.

Like we said, Jason wasn't here for this one.

Wanna see more Hey Arnold! stuff? How about some fun, goofy posts? Follow us on https://twitter.com/stoopkidzpod and www.instagram.com/stoopkidzpod/ between episodes for more fun stuff from the Kidz! While you’re at it, rate us on Apple or Spotify and leave us a review if you love the show – not only does it help us grow, we read every single one!

All Stoop Kidz show art is created by our own Emily Csuy (https://www.instagram.com/emilycsuy/). Intro music: “Hey Arnold! Theme” by Jim Lang. Intermission music: “Groove Remote” by Jim Lang. Outro music: “Stompin’” by Jim Lang.

“Yahoo Soda® – Just Drink It!™”

In “Stinky Goes Hollywood,” everyone’s favorite hillbilly discovers the dark side of fame when he finds out his big break as Yahoo Soda spokeskid came at the cost of his dignity. Despite it all, Stinky has no trouble staying true to himself, giving up a million-dollar TV contract to find the self-respect that’s worth much more.

“Olga Gets Engaged” starts out like a typical ‘Helga’s jealous’ setup: the too-perfect Doug LeSham asks for Olga’s hand in marriage, much to Helga’s jealousy and dismay. But that’s only the start, as the episode slowly reveals LeSham’s true intentions – and Helga’s protectiveness of her sister.

Wanna see more Hey Arnold! stuff? How about some fun, goofy posts? Follow us on https://twitter.com/stoopkidzpod and www.instagram.com/stoopkidzpod/ between episodes for more fun stuff from the Kidz! While you’re at it, rate us on Apple or Spotify and leave us a review if you love the show – not only does it help us grow, we read every single one!

All Stoop Kidz show art is created by our own Emily Csuy (https://www.instagram.com/emilycsuy/). Intro music: “Hey Arnold! Theme” by Jim Lang. Intermission music: “Groove Remote” by Jim Lang. Outro music: Stinky’s blues by Jim Lang from Episode 43A Stinky Goes Hollywood.

Thaddeus Gammelthorpe – also known as Curly, “a real bon vivant” – finally gets his turn as ball monitor on the playground at PS 118… but is unjustly denied his rightful title the day of his coronation! In retaliation, Curly stages a grand brouhaha in Principal Wartz’s office in “Curly Snaps,” occupying it with a horde of dodgeballs until Mr. Simmons gives in to Curly’s demands. It’s a really fun, referential episode that also inspired Harry’s choice of Twitter avatar!

Phoebe is a big fan of Ronnie Matthews, so naturally, she’s heartbroken to find out he doesn’t write, sing, or play his own songs in “Pre-Teen Scream”. Although it echoes a few other ‘meeting your heroes’ episodes of Hey Arnold! – like Mickey Kaline in “The Baseball” or The Abdicator in “Eugene Goes Bad” – but instead of focusing on exposing a phony, it focuses on what our interests, and who we choose to share them with, say about us.

Wanna see more Hey Arnold! stuff? How about some fun, goofy posts? Follow us on https://twitter.com/stoopkidzpod and www.instagram.com/stoopkidzpod/ between episodes for more fun stuff from the Kidz! While you’re at it, rate us on Apple or Spotify and leave us a review if you love the show – not only does it help us grow, we read every single one!

All Stoop Kidz show art is created by our own Emily Csuy (https://www.instagram.com/emilycsuy/). Intro music: “Hey Arnold! Theme” by Jim Lang. Intermission music: “Groove Remote” by Jim Lang. Outro music: “I Saw Your Face And Wow” by Ronnie Matthews.

WE’RE BACK with a rousing episode to kick off Season 3 of Hey Arnold! In “The Aptitude Test,” the kids of PS 118 get a glimpse into their possible career paths – and Harold and Helga are stunned at the results. The episode questions the true value of prescriptive standardized testing while pointing out the innate flaws of the American public schooling system – plus, we talk about what WE got on our aptitude tests in elementary school.

“Oskar Gets a Job” is a somewhat muddier episode. After finally exhausting the goodwill of his housemates, Mr. Kokoshka does what nobody thought he could do: he tries making his own money (with Arnold’s help, of course). Even though it’s a straightforward episode about the biggest loser in the boarding house trying to turn things around, we couldn’t help but notice its strangely anti-communist undertones.

Wanna see more Hey Arnold! stuff? How about some fun, goofy posts? Follow us on https://twitter.com/stoopkidzpod and www.instagram.com/stoopkidzpod/ between episodes for more fun stuff from the Kidz! While you’re at it, rate us on Apple or Spotify and leave us a review if you love the show – not only does it help us grow, we read every single one!

All Stoop Kidz show art is created by our own Emily Csuy (https://www.instagram.com/emilycsuy/). Intro music: “Hey Arnold! Theme” by Jim Lang. Intermission music: “Groove Remote” by Jim Lang. Outro music: “Stompin’” by Jim Lang.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT’S ALREADY SEASON 3??? Thank you so much for staying tuned (or tuning in for the first time!). Come on back to the stoop Thursday, February 10, to continue the discussion into Season 3 of Hey Arnold! with us.

In the meantime, keep an eye on our Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/stoopkidzpod/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/stoopkidzpod) for more fun Hey Arnold! stuff from us. If you like the show, leave us a review wherever you listen! It’s a big help in getting us heard by more people who love the show as much as we do.

See you kidz in February!

All Stoop Kidz show art is created by our own Emily Csuy (https://www.instagram.com/emilycsuy/). Music: “Stompin’” by Jim Lang.

Test your Hey Arnold! knowledge in this special episode! Trivia master Cody tests Emily, Harry, and Jason on all sorts of factoids covering the first couple seasons and more. Just a bit of extra fun before we start Season 3. Enjoy and good luck, bold kids!

Whether you're a part of the gang or this is your first time on the stoop, we'd really appreciate it if you could leave us a review! For even more of our takes on the adventures of PS118, follow us on https://twitter.com/stoopkidzpod and www.instagram.com/stoopkidzpod/.

All Stoop Kidz show art is created by our own Emily Csuy (https://www.instagram.com/emilycsuy/). Intro music: “Hey Arnold! Theme” by Jim Lang. Intermission music: “Groove Remote” by Jim Lang. Outro music: “Stompin’” by Jim Lang.

Thank you for listening to another season of Stoop Kidz! It’s a new year, and that means it’s time to clean out the (tastefully wallpapered) attic on Season 2.

Join us as we look back at the highs and lows that defined Hey Arnold!’s sophomore season: everything that complicated Arnold and Helga’s relationship, all the setups that showed us new sides of our favorite places and characters, and the stuff that just won’t leave our football-shaped heads.

Keep an eye on our podcast feed, Twitter, and Instagram this year for Season 3 and more from the Kidz! Whether you're a part of the gang or this is your first time on the stoop, we'd really appreciate it if you could leave us a review! For even more of our takes on the adventures of PS118, follow us on https://twitter.com/stoopkidzpod and www.instagram.com/stoopkidzpod/.

All Stoop Kidz show art is created by our own Emily Csuy (https://www.instagram.com/emilycsuy/). Intro music: “Hey Arnold! Theme” by Jim Lang. Intermission music: “Groove Remote” by Jim Lang. Outro music: “Stompin’” by Jim Lang.

Dan Nagan of Everything We Learned returns to help us close the last Hey Arnold! episode of season 2 with a SPOOKY bang!

Arnold, Gerald, and Helga launch plans to scare the pants off the adults on Halloween by staging separate fake alien invasions. But when their plans accidentally merge, the town runs away with the idea that they really ARE being invaded. It’s reminiscent of Orson Welles’ 1938 The War of the Worlds broadcast, SIGNS (2002), and more mass hysteria classics – but at the same time, it also feels uniquely Hey Arnold! because all your favorite characters get so much to do in this episode.

We also share our real-life pranks that went too far (Dan’s story is really wild), discuss the effect of mass media on the people in the Hey Arnold! universe, muse on the unifying nature of Halloween, and ponder whether or not PS 118 has a mascot. (The Figs???)

Find Dan and listen to his movie podcast, Everything We Learned, at the links below:

- https://twitter.com/adapperdanman/

- https://letterboxd.com/adapperdanman/

- Everything We Learned on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-we-learned/id1184071273

- If you play Final Fantasy XIV, find Dan on the Diabolo server as “Hulk Smashworth”

Whether you're a part of the gang or this is your first time on the stoop, we'd really appreciate it if you could leave us a review! For even more of our takes on the adventures of PS118, follow us on https://twitter.com/stoopkidzpod and www.instagram.com/stoopkidzpod/.

All Stoop Kidz show art is created by our own Emily Csuy (https://www.instagram.com/emilycsuy/). Intro music: “Hey Arnold! Theme” by Jim Lang. Intermission music: “Groove Remote” by Jim Lang. Outro music: Credits music from “Arnold’s Halloween” by Jim Lang.