The Flopcast

It's been 100 weeks since Flopcast episode 66, which was dedicated to V66 (Boston's own UHF music video channel back in the mid-80s). So for episode 166, we're doing it again, just in time to celebrate the DVD release of Life on the V, a documentary all about V66! This week, we recall our favorite music video stars from 30 years ago, including The Cars, The Bangles, A-ha, and Weird Al (who once appeared on V66 with a rubber pig). We recall Hurricane Gloria, which tore through New England in the fall of 1985, was covered on V66, and inspired young Kornflake to dream of being a 6-year-old meteorologist for a music video channel. We recall the shockingly goofy music video produced by V66 for the New England Patriots' 1986 Superbowl appearance. (Seriously, you MUST see this thing. It's just awful, and we love it.) And we recall the day the music (or at least the 'Til Tuesday music videos) died, when V66 suddenly turned into a stupid home shopping channel. But wait, there's more! We're also joined by Life on the V director Eric Green for an exclusive Flopcast interview! Also: Embrace Your Geekness Day is this week, and the facts of life are all about us.

Kornflake dreams of a Flopcast road trip to Wayne, Nebraska... possibly because they have a GIANT ANNUAL CHICKEN FESTIVAL!!! Meanwhile Kevin has been creeping around the rock clubs of Boston again, and reports on recent shows by Telelectrix (they have a keyboard fort), Party Bois (they like to drink, they like to party), Petty Morals (aka Go Bang), CJ Ramone (who brought along an Aquabat or two), Shonen Knife (they sing about cats and capybaras, so we love them), and (get ready to freak out) Men Without Hats. (We can pretend it's 1983 if we want to.) Kevin also dropped by Northeast Comic Con, and found pirates, rubber chickens, gargoyles, Adam West, our favorite TV Guidance Counselor, and a whole bunch of Shriners. Also: Kornflake reviews the new Pixar movie Inside Out, which may or may not be a shameless ripoff of Karate Kid Part 3.

Kevin and Kornflake have one more item of business to discuss from FuMPFeST, as Kevin reveals that in the middle of this funny music convention, he sneaked off to a whole other convention! This was Mego Meet, a show dedicated to the Mego superhero dolls (sorry, action figures) of the 1970s. Found at Mego Meet: Kid Flash's boots, Tiny Titans creator Art Baltazar, an Ark II Halloween costume, and (according to a rumor started by some goofy podcast) Taylor Swift. The toy talk continues as we flip through a fun book called Rack Toys, which features page after page of bizarre cheapo toys from the 70s and 80s. (The Land of the Lost pinball game looks awesome, but we're baffled by the Love Boat Barber Shop set.) Then we look ahead to CONvergence, a big crazy convention happening Fourth of July weekend in Bloomington, Minnesota. Kevin will be there, mostly talking about Fangface. Meanwhile, Kornflake just wants you to enjoy a bowl of angry ice cream.

Kevin and Kornflake are back in Chickentown, but can't stop screaming about FuMPFeST! This week we review our whole crazy weekend at this funny music convention in Wheeling, Illinois (a town Kornflake would visit just to have breakfast). Highlights include: Kornflake's water breaking (what?), an Inspector Gadget chorus, Kenny Rogers-themed water aerobics, a Pod of Destiny field trip to see the Neo-Futurists, The Logan Awards, a shocking allegation from The Boobles, Dumb Parody Ideas, Dementia Smackdown Wrestling, Doornail spilling stuff, and the ancient art of "padlockigami." Plus, of course, performances by Insane Ian, Bad Teenage Moustache, TV's Kyle and Lindzilla, Tim Cavanagh, Drew Jacobs, the great Luke Ski, Steve Goodie, Carla Ulbrich, The Arrogant Worms, Smashy Claw, Matt Griffo, Todd Chappelle, Devo Spice, Carrie Dahlby, Power Salad, Rhiannon's Lark, and more! Also: Apparently we have to wear sparkly fairy wings this week. One of us is not happy about this.

Kevin and Kornflake are back in Wheeling, Illinois for the second annual FuMPFeST comedy music convention! And we're joined by our regular giggling, coffee-spilling correspondent, Doornail! Also on the show this week: Alyssa (of Rhiannon's Lark), DJ Particle, and FuMPFeST performers Todd Chappelle and Carla Ulbrich! Plus cameos by Tim (aka Poohbear) and Blasted Bill! Topics of discussion include: Doornail and Alyssa's college days (breakfast was a rare event; being stared at creepily was not), Mad Mike's wine, Seamonkey's beer, dating Amish women, saying hello in Klingon, wearing a Snuggie at an Arrogant Worms concert, and an insane phone call with Insane Ian. (Plus lots of immature giggling about boobs, because we're so classy.) Note: This episode was recorded in the hallway just outside the main FuMPFeST concert room, so expect a little background noise here and there. And if you think there wasn't a maniac in a Spider-Man costume lurking around through the whole show... you are quite mistaken.

Kevin and Kornflake discuss a new documentary featuring Big Bird, a new Kickstarter campaign for The Perhapanauts (get a voicemail message from a chupacabra!), new music from Dar Williams and Anaria, and old music from John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. Also: Freezepop, Duran Duran, Petty Morals, the Somerville Ukulele Club, the Swedish Chef, Kornflake's all-time favorite edition of "Chickens in the News," and yet another trip into the Pudding Pages. Next week: FuMPFest! Things just might get silly.

Most scientists agree that Kevin is tragically obsessed with the classic 1984 movie Footloose. Kornflake, however, had never actually seen it! Thus our mission was clear -- we had to watch Footloose, and then try to make sense of it all. So this week, we discuss the Footloose cast (which was completely upstaged by Lori Singer's red boots), the soundtrack (yikes, so many Top 40 hits, including one from a guy who may have been from Krypton), the dancing (let's hear it for the adorable "Kevin Bacon teaches Chris Penn to dance" montage), and of course, the chicken race. (No actual chickens were harmed in the chicken race -- just Bonnie Tyler's crazy singing voice, and a couple of tractors.) We also have some perfectly reasonable ideas for new versions of Footloose involving squirrels, Klingons, and Rowan Atkinson. And the Mayor of Chickentown drops by and considers passing some Lithgow-style anti-chicken-dancing legislation. So kick off your Sunday shoes (do you really need a pair for each day of the week, Imelda?) and enjoy. And remember that somewhere, Kenny Loggins' beard is judging you.

We have quite a mixed bag (but not a "What's in the Bag?") of silly topics this week. You'll learn why Kornflake is totally obsessed with Highlander, how to look insane when you see the new Avengers movie, how to stare creepily at folk singers through a window, and how to be a loser at a freak show. Also discussed: The Nerdist's Chris Hardwick and Matt Mira; the weird old diners of Lowell, Massachusetts; Free Comic Book Day; a festive Freezepop show; the horrors of face-painting booths; one of your two dads, Paul Reiser; steampunk hula-hooping; Rifftrax Live; and our new favorite cartoon, Mighty Magiswords. We also just invented the hammock sidecar, so get ready to be very relaxed and very hospitalized.

It's the end of an era in late night TV, as David Letterman wraps up 33 years of stupid pets and guys under the seats. So this week, we're looking back on how we discovered Dave in the 80s, how he influenced Kevin's goofy band, and how he inspired Kornflake to hide inside a couch. And we share the silly tale of how Kevin actually ended up on Dave's show way back in 1991. (We may even have a rare audio clip from that appearance. You have been warned.) Also: Kornflake reviews the nominees in this year's Logan Awards for excellence in comedy music; Rowdy Roddy Piper takes a stand against bullies (yikes, the irony); and for National Whatever Day, we're celebrating a birthday during which many fools shall be pitied.

Kevin and Kornflake are frightened and confused by creepy leprechauns; The Sponge Awareness Foundation is crushed by falling drunk people at a They Might Be Giants concert; Jay Leno is mesmerized by our Leave It to Beaver t-shirt; we prepare to pitch a gritty crime drama to HBO (it's about a chicken detective, and shut up); Kornflake has a trampoline update; and we celebrate the third anniversary of The Flopcast by observing that no one in North Dakota has ever listened to our goofy little show. But that's okay, North Dakota. We understand, and we salute you.