What the HELL Were You Thinking?

Episode 394: Bomb In the Bathroom Window (Part 2 of Operation Desert Storm)

This week Host Dave Bledsoe sets his crosshairs on a valuable asset, meaning he found a bar where they haven’t heard of him. (Yet) On the show this week we come back with Part Two of Operation Desert, the shooty part! Don’t worry we would never glorify violence, in fact we find it entirely disturbing. (Except on television, that is cool.)

Along the way we learn why Dave doesn't watch horror movies. (He’s a big fraidy cat!) Then we dive right into everything that happened once the bombs started dropping. (Bernie Shaw hid under a table!) We then discuss the feared Iraqi SCUD missile. (You can just call it Al!) And of course, who could forget the famous Patriot Missile! (We suppose the Iraqis would like to.) We talk ground combat from the ill fated Khafji Offensive all the way to the Highway of Death! (They had such descriptive names in this war!) Finally, we talk about homecoming, parades and how short a time the discounts at Denny’s lasted. (Dave is bitter he didn’t get one!) We spent some time how quickly everyone got over liking George HW Bush, and went right back to thinking he was useless. Finally, we talk about consequences and how karma is a real bitch.

Our Sponsor this week is Nate’s Night Vision, shining a light on savings! We open the show with footage of the luckiest man in Iraq and close with Stephen R. Archambault talking about alternative entries.  

Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense

The Show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHell_Podcast

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The Show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ

www.whatthehellpodcast.com

Give us your money on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast

The Show Line: 347 687 9601

Closing Music: https://youtu.be/G6tRQsfueoc

We are a proud member of the Seltzer Kings Podcast Network! http://seltzerkings.com/

Citations Needed:

The Epic Little Battle of Khafji

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/0298khafji/

Wikipedia: Highway of Death

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Death

DESERT STORM PARTY DRAWS HEROES LAKE TO HAVE LARGEST PARADE EVER

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1991-05-14-9105140399-story.html

"It appeared Washington was under attack": Inside the 1991 Washington military parade

https://youtu.be/PDv0ZG0AFDw

Uncited Additional Reading:  

https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/02/the-mother-of-all-battles-20-years-later/71804/

https://timeline.com/photos-gulf-war-cnn-effect-press-manipulation-66680a20cf42

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/desert_storm-timeline.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_coverage_of_the_Gulf_War

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Hussein_(missile)

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Show Notes Episode 393: A Feel Good War! Part 1 of Operation Desert Storm

On the show this week Host Dave Bledsoe demands to drink for free on the anniversary of Operation Desert Storm and gets beat up in the VFW Hall. (Again) On the show this week we talk about the time America got its mojo back by going to war in Iraq! (That isn’t very specific, we mean the FIRST time!)

Along the way we learn that Dave turned down a lucrative career in the fast food drive through for a wasted decade in the military. (He was never Taco John’s material) Then we dive right into the backstory that would lead America to the first war in the Persian Gulf.  (George HW Bush=WIMP!) Then we examine the “reasons” for the war and how we arm twisted the world into going along with us.  (I mean you can’t trust Dick Cheney, who CAN you trust?)  We time out for a tangent to explain a fight between Dave and his dad before we tell you why everyone was so on-board with this whole war thing in 1990!  (Wolf Blitzer’s beard was dead sexy!)  Finally, we look at the most important part of Desert Storm, the marketing!

Our Sponsor this week is Second Hand Boom, our guns aren’t new but we reckon they will do.  We open with Poppy Bush explaining why we have to start killing brown people and close with Moxy Furious who has a little song about the Gulf War for us!

Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense

The Show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHell_Podcast

The Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthehellpodcast/

The Show on Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ

www.whatthehellpodcast.com

Give us your money on Patreon  https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast

The Show Line: 347 687 9601

Closing Music: https://youtu.be/DktM16tVAD4

We are a proud member of the Seltzer Kings Podcast Network! http://seltzerkings.com/

Citations Needed:

Two-thirds of military teens want to follow in their parents’ footsteps. But these kids ‘are not okay,’ survey finds

https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/2021/10/07/two-thirds-of-military-teens-want-to-follow-in-their-parents-footsteps-but-these-kids-are-not-okay-survey-finds/

Bush Battles the 'Wimp Factor'

https://www.newsweek.com/bush-battles-wimp-factor-207008

A First-Lens Analysis George H.W.  Bush: Chief Diplomat

https://wwnorton.com/college/polisci/lenses/demo/print/dm_cs_pg_bush2.htm

A Brief History of Everything That Happened Because of George H.W. Bush’s Insecurity

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/george-h-w-bush-wimp-766076/

Manuel Noriega's Favorite Playlist

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7ssB--7GJVy9mgGTxBXhJD50gkR25qkB

Iraqi Author: Saddam Planned to Invade Saudi After Kuwait

https://apnews.com/article/43a1ca8f080fe18ce186d6d0f0fee6a0

Wikipedia: The Gulf War

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War#Diplomatic_means

War Policy, Public Support, and the Media by WILLIAM M. DARLEY

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA485899.pdf

TRADING CARDS OF WAR GAINING POPULARITY

https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1991/rt9103/910302/03020367.htm

20367.htm

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Show Notes Episode 392: Your Parent’s Old Polaroids

This week Host Dave Bledsoe finds some horrifying Polaroids in a shoebox in his parent’s garage. (They were for his 5th birthday party, my GOD he was a fat little kid!) On the show this week talk about how the Apple of the 1970’s revolutionized photography and changed  how we all took pictures: Polaroid.

Along the way we discover why Dave is the schlubby dresser he is today. (His parents didn’t waste money buying him fashionable clothes, because he was a fat little kid.) Then we dive right into a history of photography that nobody asked for and nobody wants, but is relevant to the topic. Then we move right along to the Polaroid camera and the role it played in pop culture in the 1970’s.  (Very easy to use while very coked up!) We talk about how it changed not only how we took photos, but WHY we took photos. (Even Boomers wanted homemade porn!) Then we see how technology changed everything, from the way art was created to how our Mamaws documented our birthday parties.  Finally, we talk about what happened to Polaroid and why even today and still shake the damn photos even though we never needed to.(Insert Outkast song here.)

Our Sponsor this week is Analog Sanitzers, we find those old photos and videos of you, so your kids won’t have to.  We open the show with James Garner getting smacked down by Mariette Hartley and close with Mixed Up Everything who would like you to take a selfie with them.

Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense

The Show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHell_Podcast

The Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthehellpodcast/

The Show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ

www.whatthehellpodcast.com

Give us your money on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast

The Show Line: 347 687 9601

Closing Music: https://youtu.be/lVd5UvnUmMw

We are a proud member of the Seltzer Kings Podcast Network! http://seltzerkings.com/

Citations Needed:

Polaroid: How a square-shaped nostalgia symbol paved the way for social media

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/how-polaroid-changed-photography/index.html

Andy Warhol’s Polaroids of Pop Culture Icons

https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/10098/andy-warhols-polaroids-of-pop-culture-icons

Polaroid Queen and 80s icon Maripol on capturing NYC’s downtown movement

https://hero-magazine.com/article/181652/maripol-interview-polaroid-new-york-underground-80s-andy-warhol

The 5 Real Reasons Polaroid Failed

https://history-computer.com/the-x-real-reasons-polaroid-failed/

Why Brands fail: How Polaroid lost grip of the market as a industry leader

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-brands-fail-how-polaroid-lost-grip-market-industry-temitope-ajayi

Uncited Additional Reading:  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_H._Land

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polaroid_Corporation#:~:text=The%20company%20was%20founded%20in,was%20%243%20billion%20in%201991.\

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1986/01/09/kodak-to-end-its-instant-camera-line/801f5963-d731-4e19-ad58-12c2f35cb15c/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-polaroid-pioneered-the-instant-photography-revolution

https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts/polaroid-instantly-changed-photography-and-its-legacy-lives-on-1.369318

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/10/back-to-the-future-what-makes-polaroids-cool/263117/

https://mymodernmet.com/history-of-polaroid/

https://garage.vice.com/en_us/article/wj48y4/andy-warhols-polaroids-are-his-most-influential-works

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Show Notes Episode 391: Did She F**k That Duck

This week Host Dave Bledsoe kicks off the New Year by showing up at a New Year’s Eve costume party wearing a fedora and pants claiming to be Howard the Duck. (He left after everyone just pointed and laughed at his tighty whities.) On the show this week, we talk about the second worst movie George Lucas ever produced after Phantom Menace: Howard the Duck.

Along the way we learn how Dave basically thought Archie and Veronica were porn when he was growing up. (Honestly, we can see tossing one off to Veronica!) Then we dive right into the backstory of a misanthropic statement on existentialism that became one of the worst movies ever made. (By taking out the misanthropy and existentialism mostly.) We trace the lineage of Howard from his creation as a one off joke in a Marvel horror comic to his rise as a solo series and his brief run for President in 1976. (Howard would have handled the Iranian hostage situation quite differently!) Then we explain how this fairly cult comic book character came to the big screen via the auspices of one of the most influential directors and producers of the 20th Century: Cecil B DeMille. (We’re kidding it was George Lucas) Then we simply explain what went wrong to bring us the movie that was Howard the Duck. (Everything)

Our Sponsor this week is the Anthropomorphic Waterfowl Association of America who ask is not a duck man both a duck AND man, both deserving of respect? We open with the Howard trailer and close with Cherry Bomb singing the praises of Howard! 

Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense

The Show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHell_Podcast

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The Show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ

www.whatthehellpodcast.com

Give us your money on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast

The Show Line: 347 687 9601

Closing Music: https://youtu.be/fTeiBSiEA8M

We are a proud member of the Seltzer Kings Podcast Network! http://seltzerkings.com/

Citations Needed:

All Quacked Up: Steve Gerber, Marvel Comics, and Howard the Duck

https://web.archive.org/web/20140529143308/http://www.hoodedutilitarian.com/2014/05/all-quacked-up-steve-gerber-marvel-comics-and-howard-the-duck/

11 Far Out Facts About Howard the Duck

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/78156/11-far-out-facts-about-howard-duck?a_aid=45648

‘Howard The Duck’: The Oral History

https://decider.com/2016/03/11/howard-the-duck-the-oral-history/?_ga=1.192178989.608980329.1302539496

Wikipedia Howard the Duck Movie

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_the_Duck_(film)#Box_office

Uncited Additional Reading:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/67473/brief-introduction-howard-duck

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_the_Duck

https://collider.com/howard-the-duck-influence-marvel-lucasfilm-pixar/

https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Howard_the_Duck

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/howard_the_duck/reviews?type=top_critics

https://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/01/movies/screen-from-george-lucas-howard-the-duck.html

https://www.flavorwire.com/473030/so-bad-its-good-howard-the-duck-the-marvel-movie-wed-all-like-to-forget

https://web.archive.org/web/20100729163458/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/foom/126874125950897.htm

https://www.slashfilm.com/800962/how-george-lucas-howard-the-duck-led-to-toy-story/

https://decider.com/2016/03/11/howard-the-duck-the-oral-history/?_ga=1.192178989.608980329.1302539496

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Show Notes Episode 390: A Boxing Day Miracle

This week Host Dave Bledsoe and Producer Gavin St James switch places in a traditional celebration of Boxing Day! (This is an outright lie because that is not how Boxing Day works and Dave only thinks that because of a MASH episode he saw as a kid) On the show this week, it is our annual year in review where we talk about all the stupid shit that happened in 2022!  

Our Sponsor this week is The Year 2023, who wants you to keep your expectations in check. We open with a New Year’s montage from Ghostbuster 2 and close with Odi Acoustic singing about Boxing Day!

Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense

The Show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHell_Podcast

The Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthehellpodcast/

The Show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ

www.whatthehellpodcast.com

Give us your money on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast

The Show Line: 347 687 9601

Closing Music: https://youtu.be/i7LXPdrzc88

We are a proud member of the Seltzer Kings Podcast Network! http://seltzerkings.com/

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Show Notes Episode 389: Don’t Throw ME In that Cabbage Patch

This week, Host Dave Bledsoe staggers into the Cabbage Patch looking for a little action only to get kicked out of the community garden for not wearing pants. (Again) On the show this week, we head down to the toy store to beat the shit out of a mother of four who grabbed the last Cabbage Patch Doll before us. (She had it coming!)

Along the way we learn that Dave’s parents loved him enough to buy him guns, but not enough to buy him bullets. (Smart thinking there) From there we dive right into the story of a 21 year old art student who blatantly rips off a middle aged doll maker to create the biggest shit show toy craze of the 1980s! (Capitalism at work folks!) Then we discover how Cabbage Patch Dolls are actually conceived, and find it…disturbing. (THIS IS A KID’S TOY?!?!) We follow along as a 70’s toy company makes it rich on fat, ugly babies only to lose it all on a laughably bad home computer system! (Those were the times.)

Our returning Sponsor this week is Gavvie the Lovable Producer Plush doll, with a life-like smell! We open the show with parental riots and close with a song as treacly as the dolls that inspired it. 

Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense

The Show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHell_Podcast

The Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthehellpodcast/

The Show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ

www.whatthehellpodcast.com

Give us your money on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast

The Show Line: 347 687 9601

Closing Music: https://youtu.be/PoOHeZpUSYc

We are a proud member of the Seltzer Kings Podcast Network! http://seltzerkings.com/

Citations Needed:

Who Invented The Cabbage Patch Kids?

https://thevibrantcrafter.com/who-invented-cabbage-patch-kids/

The Strange Cabbage Patch Craze

https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,921419,00.html

The strange story of the Cabbage Patch Kid Riots of 1983

https://abc13.com/cabbage-patch-dolls-crazy-riot-the-vault/5713681/

The weird, rabid history of the Cabbage Patch craze

https://timeline.com/cabbage-patch-craze-867ce8d076c

Uncited Additional Reading:

https://groovyhistory.com/cabbage-patch-kids/2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_Kids

https://surface.syr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1257&context=sumagazine

https://web.archive.org/web/20080218053854/http://www.cabbagepatchkids.com/pages/History_folklore/Milestones/milestones.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/the-cabbage-patch-kids-twisted-history-117266351832.html

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a32201/cabbage-patch-dolls-history/

https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/what-happened-to-cabbage-patch-kids

https://abc13.com/cabbage-patch-dolls-crazy-riot-the-vault/5713681/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleco

https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,967387,00.html

https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,955377-1,00.html

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Show Notes Episode 388: As Seen on TV

This week Host Dave Bledsoe is making a one time special offer for the low, low price of him not paying this bar tab if you just act now! (The bartender didn’t take him up on it.) On the show this week we take a look back at the origins of every late night bad decision in your life that did not involve a fellow bar patron with one eye and prison tattoo on their forehead, the infomercial. 

Along the way we discover how Dave blocks commercials all the while making you listen to them so he can get paid. (Fucking hypocrite!) Then we dive right into the history of late night television and why you can only see cheesy products and washed up celebrities after 1 AM. (They need jobs too!) Then we explain why infomercials are so cheap and ubiquitous. (Do we play a bunch of them, you bet we do!) Then we tell you the tale of the man who almost (well he wasn’t even close) became President using the power of infomercials. (He actually just made Bill Clinton President.)

Our Sponsor this week is the Beer Bladder, why pay outrageous prices for beer when you can squeeze it right out of your Beer Bladder. We open the show with a little practical advice and close with some cheesy corporate soft rock commercial music.  

Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense

The Show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHell_Podcast

The Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthehellpodcast/

The Show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ

www.whatthehellpodcast.com

Give us your money on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast

The Show Line: 347 687 9601

Closing Music: https://youtu.be/9fn2kUnyCr4

We are a proud member of the Seltzer Kings Podcast Network! http://seltzerkings.com/

Citations Needed:

About Kevin Harrington

https://kevinharrington.tv/

Wikipedia Informercials

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infomercial

TV Infomercials Draw Mixed Reactions

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/04/nyregion/tv-infomercials-draw-mixed-reactions.html?pagewanted=2

Remind Me, Why Was It That We Ever Watched Infomercials?

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/02/style/infomercials-television-prozac.html

Selling Salvation?

https://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3164858&page=1

Uncited Additional Reading:  

https://www.bustle.com/p/16-things-you-wanted-from-infomercials-in-the-90s-7994328

https://www.yesteryearretro.com/2022/05/15-totally-awesome-90s-infomercial.html

https://www.ranker.com/list/worst-infomercials-from-the-1990s/melissa-sartore

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/19-infomercial-toys-90s-werent-164602771.html

https://cafemom.com/news/198143-13_fly_infomercial_products_from’

https://www.cnbc.com/2014/05/02/meet-the-members-of-the-infomercial-hall-of-fame.html

https://www.thedailybeast.com/12-favorite-infomercial-pitchmen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infomercial

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-11-24-ca-1245-story.html

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/infomercial.asp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Perot

https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/27/nyregion/the-1992-campaign-the-media-perot-s-30-minute-tv-ads-defy-the-experts-again.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/22/business/media/22adco.html

https://www.fastcompany.com/1794515/greatest-infomercial-parodies-all-time

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Episode 387: Dumb Dave Was So Dumb (How Dumb Was He?)

This week Host Dave Bledsoe is violently ejected from a pub trivia night for answering every question with “Who is Charles Nelson Reilly?”. (Again) On the show this week we talk about the raunchiest drinking party that ever pretended to be a game show in history, the Match Game.

Along the way we learn that Dave doesn’t clearly remember much of anything. (Particularly when it is time to cut staff paychecks) Then we dive right into the origin stories of game shows and one game show specifically. (It is the Match Game, come we just told you that!) From its origins as a vanilla quiz panel to the heyday of the dirtiest show on TV!  

Our Sponsor this week is That One Team at Pub Trivia, who want you to know they are IN THIS TO WIN THIS! We open with Match Game 74 and close with it as well!  

Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense

The Show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheHell_Podcast

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The Show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ

www.whatthehellpodcast.com

Give us your money on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast

The Show Line: 347 687 9601

Closing Music: The Match Game theme

We are a proud member of the Seltzer Kings Podcast Network! http://seltzerkings.com/

Citations Needed:

The Secret(s) to Being a Successful Game Show Host

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/secrets-being-a-successful-game-show-host-977908/

Match Game Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_Game

11 Fun Facts About Match Game

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/82089/11-fun-facts-about-match-game

The Real Match Game Story-Behind The Blank: November 26, 2006

https://archive.org/details/the-real-match-game-story-behind-the-blank-november-26-2006 

Uncited Additional Reading: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/25/arts/television/25blan.html

https://ask.metafilter.com/270781/Are-there-any-salacious-history-books-of-1970s-gameshows

https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/match-game

https://www.primetimer.com/watch/the-match-game-premiered-on-nbc-58-years-ago-today-and-became-a-new-years-eve-tradition

https://nostalgiacentral.com/television/tv-by-decade/tv-shows-1960s/the-match-game/

https://markgoodson.fandom.com/wiki/Match_Game

https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/heres-what-happened-to-match-game-host-gene-rayburn/

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