The Holiday Specials We Love

By Heal SquadTV & Film

The Holiday Specials We Love episodes

September 05 PLS Simulcast The Rise & Fall of the Variety Show
Hey HSWL FANS!
On this Holiday Specials We Love, we are simulcasting a Pot Luck Saturday with Al Capone, Ed Sullivan, fake Jan Brady, a Lawrence Welk crush, and the days when apparently everybody got their own television variety show.
We talk the rise of the variety show — Milton Berle becoming Mr. Television, six-year-old Rose Marie getting a gold ring from Al Capone, Ed Sullivan, and the legendary performers who somehow all found their way onto his stage.
We talk The Carol Burnett Show, Tim Conway breaking Harvey Korman, Laugh-In, Sonny & Cher, Donny & Marie, Captain & Tennille, and The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
Vicki Lawrence. The Hudson Brothers. Pink Lady. One-season wonders. Stars who knew when it was time to walk away — and stars who maybe didn't. Plus, a few Kev on the Scene Classics that prove some forgotten television probably deserves to stay forgotten.
And we ask the big question: How did the variety show go from ruling television to almost completely disappearing?
As always, please give us a 5-star review on Apple.
Text us your favorite variety show, forgotten TV memory, or Kev on the Scene Classic at 351-251-2511
Talk Shawtly

50 min
August 08 PLS Simulcast: Hobby Stores of Yesterday and Today

Hey HSWL FANS!
On this Holiday Specials We Love, we are simulcasting a Pot Luck Saturday filled with hobby stores, forgotten toys, classic television, homemade Batman costumes, and a strong case for bringing back balloons and refreshments.
We talk Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and the hobby and craft stores we grew up wandering through. Model trains. Slot cars. Shrinky Dinks. Play-Doh. Paint-by-numbers that somehow never got finished. The stuff that kept us entertained long before screens took over.
We talk homemade Adam West Batman costumes, Silver Spoons, Mr. Rogers, department stores we miss, and the toys we couldn't wait to get. Why introducing kids to some of the classics might be the best way to make sure they don't disappear.
And then there are the balloons. The danish. The refreshment table. Why did we stop doing this? Maybe showing up with a little something—and making things feel a little more fun—is one tradition worth bringing back.
As always, please give us a 5-star review on Apple.
Text us your favorite hobby store, forgotten toy, or refreshment-table memory at 351 251 2511
Talk Shawtly
1 hr 2 min
August 02 Annual Back to School Trip Part 2
Hey HSWL FANS!
On this Holiday Specials We Love, we are simulcasting a Sunday Set Up
filled with back-to-school memories, changing times, and a look at how
learning has evolved from encyclopedias to artificial intelligence.
We talk back-to-school traditions, Sears catalogs, libraries,
microfiche machines, hobby stores, and why there was something magical about shopping for school supplies... especially when it actually happened just before school started.
We talk how technology has changed the way we learn, why AI may
reshape education, and whether schools should be teaching us how to
think rather than simply what to memorize.
We get into Poor Dad, Rich Dad, integrity, building something of your own, and why helping others succeed will always take you farther than trying to get ahead at someone else's expense.
We talk where we've been, where we're headed, and
the kind of people we want to become along the way.
As always, please give us a 5-star review on Apple.
Text us your favorite back-to-school memories at 351 251 2511
Talk Shawtly
43 min
August 01 Annual Back to School Trip Part 1
Hey HSWL FANS!
On this Holiday Specials We Love, we are simulcasting a Pot Luck Saturday
celebrating one of the greatest traditions of childhood—the annual
back-to-school shopping trip.
We talk Trapper Keepers, metal lunchboxes, thermoses, composition
books, erasable pens, electric pencil sharpeners, school uniforms, layaway, and
the rich kids who somehow always had the newest school supplies. We
remember the all-important first-day "premiere" outfit and why
shopping for school felt almost as exciting as Christmas.
We also talk Sears, Bradley's, Caldor, Woolworth, Marshall's, lunchbox
collectors, forgotten TV icons, and why the school supply aisle was one of the
happiest places a kid could be.
We talk the Halloween Season and ponder whether the 1970s and '80s
really were the golden age of back-to-school shopping.
As always, please give us a 5-star review on Apple.
Text us your favorite back-to-school memories at 351 251 2511
Talk Shawtly
55 min
June 26 The Game Show Trivia Network- Potluck Satur
Hey HSWL FANS!
On this Holiday Specials We Love, we are simulcasting a Pot Luck Saturday
all about game shows, old Hollywood, and the television moments that somehow
became part of our childhood DNA.
We talk The Match Game, Family Feud, Hollywood Squares, The Gong Show,
Let's Make a Deal, Press Your Luck, and Gene Rayburn's legendary
microphone. Hosts, celebrities, unforgettable contestants, and why there was
something magical about gathering around the TV to find out what was behind
curtain number two.
We also talk old Hollywood, stars who seemed to have everything but often
weren't happy, entertainers who struggled when the spotlight moved on, and the
fascinating idea of "unaided awareness"—those rare
personalities that everyone somehow knows.
And somewhere along the way, we may have accidentally created The Game
Show Trivia Network.
As always, please give us a 5-star review on Apple.
Text us your favorite game show memories at 351 251 2511.
Talk Shawtly
35 min
April 03 Easter Sunday SetUp Simulcast
Hey HSWL FANS!
On this Holiday Specials We Love, we are simulcasting a Heal Squad Sunday
Setup — Easter nostalgia, childhood memory, cultural debates, and a
surprisingly deep dive into forgiveness (with a quick stop at Liberace’s
ceiling… but we digress).
We talk Easter growing up. The outfits. The patent leather shoes. The
“don’t get dirty.” The long, quiet afternoon where nothing is open, nothing is
on TV, and you’re just… stuck.
Kev delivers the take:
Catholics get Christmas. Greeks get Easter.
We break down the differences. Baskets vs. candles. Bunnies vs. midnight
services. Candy vs. lamb, music, and full-on celebration. What each version
gets right — and what maybe doesn’t quite hit.
We also get into the bigger question. What do you do when someone you
know — or respect — turns out to have done something bad? Forgiveness.
Boundaries. Case by case. Real talk.
Then… Liberace. The house. The ceiling. The ego. The music. Because we
digress AGAIN!
We wrap with Easter traditions today — sunrise services, egg hunts,
family dinners, and keeping a little fun in the mix no matter what stage of
life you’re in.
Big shout-out to super fan George for starting our social media pages back
up!
Please give us a follow on Facebook: The Holiday Specials We Love
And Instagram: The Holiday Specials we Love
Also- HUGE SHOUTOUT to Holden Rose Brewer for our AMAZING new outro music
that he composed specially for us! Check him out at: https://www.holdenbrewerproductions.com/
As always, please give us a 5-star review on Apple.
Text us your thoughts at 351 251 2511
Talk Shawtly

1 hr 21 min
March 20 Heal Squad RGF Simulcast- Kev Talks St. Paddy's Day
Hey HSWL FANS! A little Bonus Kev time as we simulcast a little RGF St. Paddy's Day Edition! Kev takes us from holiday energy and Boston traditions into one of his wildest Kev-on-the-Scene stories yet....
He talks nostalgia (parades, opening day, people coming back to life) and then he goes deep on the Caribbean Festival in Boston, no spoilers here- you must tune in!!!. Underneath the insanity is something real: how people in power can treat others like they don’t matter, why trusting your instincts can save you, and how staying calm under pressure can make all the difference when things go sideways.
As always, text your thoughts to 351-251-2511,
and don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.
We'll Talk Shawtly!

42 min
February 27 Ribbon Candy and Revenge Oscars: An RGF Simulcast
Hey The Holiday Specials We Love fans, we are simulcasting a little RGF from the Heal Squad —
We go deep into Mary Poppins lore — Walt waiting for Julie Andrews, the
Oscar revenge arc, and why sometimes patience (and instinct) beats studio
executives. We detour through Chuck Barris buying a bar out of spite, the slow demise of the newspaper comics page, we talk reality TV ethics sparked by America's Next Top Model.
We talk snowstorms, Netflix deep dives, kid influencers, and the fine line
between tough love and cultural time travel. Then — as always — we land whereit matters most: candy.
Bazooka vs. Double Bubble. Wintergreen supremacy. Canada Mints making a comeback. Jordan almonds as decorative betrayal. And a butterscotch sundae so transcendent it nearly required a moment of silence.
Cherry Red Boy, the ribbon candy conversation continues.
As always, text your thoughts (Bazooka or Double Bubble?) to 351-251-2511,
and don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.
We'll Talk Shawtly!
1 hr 11 min
February 20 Rich Candy Poor Candy an RGF Simulcast
On this episode of The Holiday Specials We Love, we simulcast
a little RGF from the Heal Squad!
We go deep into the great chocolate divide: Hershey vs. Toblerone, plain bar
vs. triangular prestige, and why sometimes the snap of a classic Hershey square still wins. We talk frozen York Peppermint Patties, Andes Mints as the rare “free chocolate” victory, and the movie theater trifecta — Snow Caps,
Raisinets, Goobers — with a strong defense of sweet-and-salty as a time-honored cinematic tradition.
We dip into Bomb Pops and ice cream truck economics, and the sudden cultural rise of pistachio chocolate. We digress to talk, ski ball, and ice cream
novelties.
We talk about energy vampires online and the art of not taking the bait. We
reflect on acting class, unexpected encouragement, and what it feels like to
try something new without knowing where it leads. And we touch on that
late-winter stretch — the in-between season — when you’re waiting for spring, Opening Day, and the next wave of holiday momentum.
As always, text your thoughts (Hershey or Toblerone?) to 351-251-2511, and
don’t forget to leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.
Talk Shawtly!
1 hr 11 min
February 14 Potluck Saturday Valentines Day Simulcast
Hey HSWL FANS! Happy Valentine’s Potluck!
It wouldn't be potluck with out our fave-Hot Buttered Popcorn dancers and
why they should be the next Super Bowl halftime show.
We go deep into all things Valentine's Day!
We talk Roman festival chaos to St. Valentine legends to the greeting-card
takeover (shoutout Esther Howland), plus standardized lace, ribbons, and UGH! Cupid….Love and light to the Cupid community.
We talk Cadbury vs. Hershey (aka the chocolate Hatfields
and McCoys), candy hearts, Spree vs Sweethearts, and the brutal truth about damage to your tooth enamel if you are over-served.
And yes, we digress to discuss: doilies. What are they? Why
do they exist? Why are they always dusty? If you’re under 80, we have questions.
We talk elementary school Valentine trauma, carnations in high school, and
we all agree: Valentine’s Day is basically the Day of Dread.
As always, please give us a 5-star review on Apple.
Text us your thoughts at 351-251-2511.
We’ll Talk Shawtly
29 min

About The Holiday Specials We Love

From the publisher's feed

Welcome back, fellow Holiday fanatics, escapists, and nostalgics! It's Season 4 of the newly rebranded The Holiday Specials We Love Podcast! Join us on a walk down memory lane as the HSWL hosts break…