Pop Culture Preservation Society

Touring the country for the first time in almost fifty years, 1970s teen idol Shaun Cassidy sits down with us to talk about his past and his present; his life, his career(s), his family, his music and the fans who fill the theaters every show to get up close and personal with their first crush. He’s full of wise words and encouragement culled from a lifetime of stories — from the 45s he collected as a child and Elton John dropping by the house to myths about aging and one’s contributions to the world. We always feel like better people after talking to Shaun Cassidy.Check out Shaun Cassidy's tour schedule hereFind Shaun's First Crush wines hereCheck out the Stars of the Golden Age podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In today’s episode we’ll be saving all the residents of Walnut Grove by testing our knowledge of all things Prairie. Because that show was on for nine years – that’s the entirety of our childhoods. We grew up with those people. And we all wanted Pa to be our dad and we wanted Ma to be our mom and we wanted to wear little caps on our heads when we went to bed. And so today we’re testing the LHOP IQ of the PCPS. We’ll be quizzed about prairie facts but also about behind-the-scenes scoop; backstories and secrets we never knew when we were watching the show. Let’s see how we do, shall we? Are we worthy of being full time residents of Walnut Grove? Or are we just passing through town like Willis from Different Strokes in the episode about racism? Wish us luck!Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we’ll be saving the 70s version of mixtapes with a tribute to the most beloved KTEL record of all time: No, it’s not Full Tilt. It’s not Hot Nights and City Lights . It’s not even 24 Great Truck Drivin’ Songs. It’s Music Express.KTEL records were compilation albums full of the hit songs of that very moment – and how did we know about them? Because they were advertised incessantly on TV. And they helped create a lexicon of words and phrases that may be best known by Gen Xers: “20 original hits! 20 original stars!” “As seen on TV!” And, most importantly, “But Wait! There’s more!” Packed with twenty current hits from the radio, each KTEL album was like a precursor to the homemade mixtapes that became staples of 80s culture. SO WHAT WAS THE MOST POPULAR KTEL ALBUM?If we only knew! But if we can judge by the internet, and how often people talk about it, that would be MUSIC EXPRESS, the 1975 album featuring The Captain and Tennille, Elton John, Barry Manilow, Disco Tex and the Sex-o-lettes – “and many more!!!!” Join us as we walk through this album song by song, sharing the vibes and fun facts like only your pop culture preservationists can.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Be our guests at the GRAND OPENING of our GenX Museum’s first exhibit, “Scratch-n-Sniff: Smells Like GenX,” where we lead you and your nose through rooms and places of your youth, and tickle your olfactory glands with fragrant things like Noxema, Sweet Honesty, mimeographed worksheets, and Bain de Soleil. Sure, you’ll be surrounded in a cloud of cigarette smoke and the tour may take up most of your day, but we’re confident you’ll enjoy your visit. WARNING — there WILL be (slightly graphic) talk (amidst hysterical laughter) of powdering your privates. So.Much.Powder. Please proceed with (very relatable) caution.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we’re celebrating what we've learned after five years of creating episodes and social media posts, and meeting our listeners, and reading your comments and messages. That's an education that could not be replicated by many people. And even though we have always claimed to be experts in the pop culture of our Gen X youth, after this five-year intensive educational experience, we can really and truly claim that we know how our generation felt about what they were watching, reading, listening to and playing with when they were children in the 70s and 80s. We are the experts in YOU.And on November 7, 2025, to celebrate the five year anniversary of the PCPS, we went to the Jason Show -- the daily pop culture talk show viewed by people all around the nation -- and said, we have a list. We call it The Top 10 Gen X Moments of All Time as determined by US after five years of asking questions, and researching episodes, and polling our listeners and followers, -- these are the top ten moments weve found our people really like to talk about. Can you guess what sits in the number one spot? And, big disclaimer, this is highly subjective and we reserve the right to change our minds tomorrow! Don't be surprised if you see Top 10 Gen X Moments Part Deux next season! Please enjoy and don't be crabby if you disagree with our vastly unscientific findings (see DISCLAIMER: PART DEUX above).Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

It’s a sneak peek into our 18th (!!) season, and we’ve got all your pop-culture bases covered. One of the top 5 movie soundtracks of the 80s? Check. Damp mimeographed worksheets, pencil shavings, and a permeation of cigarette smoke? Got it. Spandex leotards, leg warmers, tiny shorts, and the onset of the aerobics craze? Done. A second, thoughtful and in-depth conversation with your first crush? Comin’ in HOT. But wait, there’s more! Listen now for all the GenX pop culture nuggets we’re serving up … starting next week!Check out the Stars of the Golden Age podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join us as we discuss and pick apart a New York Times article by John McWhorter highlighting the top ten old TV shows he's sharing with his tween daughters. And thank God for him because if we don't share these old shows with younger people they will literally DISAPPEAR from the knowledge base of people younger than 30 years old. It turns out there's plenty to be learned about comedy styles, social norms, gender politics and more when we sit down to watch a silly sitcom from the 1950s with our kids. Who knew there was so much to talk about?! Not us, that's for sure. Whether it's Lucy and her (very short-lived) job at the candy factory or Sammy Davis Jr kissing Archie Bunker on the cheek, all of it gives us a peek into the world in which these shows were filmed.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today we’re talking about the iconic Chicago Art Museum scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and how the choice of the song — an instrumental version of The Smith’s Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want — is perhaps what made it so impactful. Fan of Ferris? We think you’ll get a lot out of this conversation, and, like us, come to a new and deeper understanding of not only this memorable scene, but of the character of Cameron as well.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Today’s episode is an encore of episode 220, “The PCPS Sings Along with Free to Be…You and Me (and Marlo)." We’re re-releasing this special episode at a moment when its message feels more necessary than ever.In the wake of recent events in Minneapolis — a city deeply connected to the heart of PCPS — we’re returning to Free To Be… You and Me, the landmark project created by Marlo Thomas and friends that shaped how so many Gen X kids learned about empathy, fairness, individuality, and what it means to live in community with one another.This episode isn’t just about nostalgia or sing-alongs (though there are plenty of those). It’s about revisiting the values we were raised on — values reinforced by Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Schoolhouse Rock, and other touchstones that taught us to see the humanity in everyone. At a time when fear and division feel loud, these lessons remind us that kindness, understanding, and connection are not naïve ideas — they are essential ones.We’re sharing this episode again as an invitation: to remember, to reflect, and to carry these messages forward. Our Weekly Reader newsletter will also include ways you can help, show support, and stand in solidarity with those affected in our community.The music and the messages of "Free to Be… You and Me" weren’t just songs from our childhood. They are an affirmation of what it means to be human — together.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join us as we chat about the 1979 movie, The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (starring Jane Seymour) and how “America’s Sweethearts” grabbed hold of (two of) us long before their reality show and Netflix series. Which one of us was infatuated with them? Who not only despises the DCC but considered them their mortal enemy? And which host do we discover not only tried out but MADE an NHL dance team?!? Listen now!Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Your pop preservationists turn into cultural analysts as they discuss new findings about how young people listen to music today -- and what that could mean for their future nostalgia. You all know how much we treasure our music memories (and we know you do, too -- that's why you're here!) and it gives us heart palpitations to think that future generations might miss out on that????? If the music industry continues down its current path, music nostalgia as we know it is indeed in danger. But all is not lost! If we all understand the value of what those someday-grown-ups will lose, we can all contribute to its salvation. The question is HOW? Share your thoughts with us after listening!Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Inspired by one of our most downloaded episodes of all time called A Day in the Life, today's episode invites you into the childhood homes of Carolyn, Kristin and Michelle as they celebrate Christmas with their families on one specific year. One of us questions the existence of Santa while another shops for her first boyfriend with her babysitting money (which cologne do you think she bought?). Getting dressed up to go shopping, stirring the cheese dip, dancing to Swedish folk songs, experiencing snow for the first time, listening to Johnny Mathis, all of this and more creates a varied and nostalgic picture of Christmas past -- and maybe it will sound familiar to you? Our Christmas memories are powerful reminders to slow down and enjoy the moment; even if your children are full grown and wish for nothing more than money for the holidays, all we have to do is light a candle, listen to a favorite album, go for a wintry walk and enjoy each other's company to keep making those memories.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

We’re revisiting our old holiday episodes in case you’ve missed some of them or are new to the podcast and need some fun things to listen to while you nog your egg or wrap presents … or just need something to do while you hide from your family. Col. Sanders and Chewbacca singing carols? We’ve got an episode for that. Deney Terrio, a sexy Santa (a.k.a. Nellie Olesen), and tinsel-fied unitards? We’ve got an episode for that. Listen to find out why Carolyn thinks she was a Christmas B*tch in one of our very first episodes, the gift she gave her dad that makes her cry happy tears today, and the Christmas album she never knew she needed until last year.Listen to our holiday episodes "Oh, Come all Ye, Chistmas Specials" "A Scooter for Jimmy, A Dolly for Michelle" "Christmas Rewind"The Pink Bunny Suit Conundrum: Gifts Gone WrongThe Most 70s of Christmas AlbumsTV Guide Holiday Special RoundupHolly Jolly Holiday Christmas Special CountdownMr. T, Deney Terrio and the Land of Misfit ToysShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Grab your Jordan almonds and take your seats on the shag carpet aisle, because today the PCPS is turning on the Zenith and throwing rice at some of our listener’s favorite GenX TV weddings of the ’70s and ’80s!In this episode, we’re reliving the matrimonial moments that glued us to our living room floors. Remember “The Brady Brides” or when Nellie and Percival tied the knot? Find out just how thrilled Carolyn gets learning that other PCPS listeners remember when Merle “the Pearl” married Susan Bradford on “Eight is Enough.”Join us as we toss bouquets, dodge bullets (thanks, Dynasty), and revisit some of the most memorable GenX wedding episodes. It’s time to say “I do” to another trip down Memory Lane!Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome to our 5th Anniversary party! Today's episode was recorded LIVE in front of a studio audience at Big Hill Books in Minneapolis to celebrate what Kristin thought would be a six-week project -- but instead blew up into FIVE YEARS of weekly podcast episodes celebrating the pop culture nuggets of the classic Gen X childhood. We'll reminisce about that cringeworthy first episode -- when we thought hysterical truisms would just drop from our mouths with no preparation whatsoever (hint: they did NOT) -- and celebrate how far we've come. We'll share comments with our listeners' favorite episodes, favorite podcast moments, and their feelings about being a part of this Gen X community over the last five years. And we'll share with you the top five most downloaded episodes of all time (is your favorite on that list?). It's like one of those reminiscing episodes when the cast of Happy Days sits in Mr and Mrs C's living room and recounts all their great sitcom moments while montages of past scenes play in between their witty banter. Welcome to our 70s sitcom moment! And thank you for listening and supporting us for the last five years. We couldn't do it without you.Shop Amanda McGee's nostalgic art here. Remember to include the discount code "PCPS" at checkout for your COMPLIMENTARY mini-print.Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the PCPS's MTV Book Club -- where we drink wine and analyze plots, characters and literary devices used in our favorite music videos from the MTV era. Music videos were a brand new art form in the early 80s so there were no classics to emulate, no standardized techniques, and definitely no criticism deeper than WICKED or TOTALLY TUBULAR. Though we may not have noticed at the time, a lot of those early videos were head scratchers; why is the drum kit on a pile of trash? What's that bear doing? And why are they wearing trench coats? Whether they were random thoughts strung together or well-plotted storylines, sometimes it felt like the inmates were running the asylum. Join us as we walk through our beloved mini-music-movies scene by scene and ask "huh?"Shop Amanda McGee's nostalgic art here. Remember to include the discount code "PCPS" at checkout for your COMPLIMENTARY mini-print.Purchase the GenX Journal from Spotgirl Design hereShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This weekend, Carolyn, Kristin and Michelle celebrated five years of The Pop Culture Preservation Society with an action-packed weekend that ended with a Shaun Cassidy concert. When it comes to the PCPS, it seems like all things either start or end with Shaun Cassidy. Fresh off of airplanes and exhausted from extroverting for days, we sat down in front of our mics to share the details with you while they're still fresh; the TV appearance, the live episode recording, meeting listeners in the wild, and the cherry on top ... sharing Shaun Cassidy's latest concert performance with a group of local listeners. Unscripted, unedited, and unprepared, we present you with our thoughts and feelings about our anniversary celebration as they come to us.Shop Amanda McGee's nostalgic art here. Remember to include the discount code "PCPS" at checkout for your COMPLIMENTARY mini-print.Purchase the GenX Journal from Spotgirl Design hereShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

They were only 30 seconds long, but somehow they’ve lived in our brains for 40 years. In this episode, we dive into the unforgettable (and occasionally regrettable) commercial jingles of our GenX childhood. From “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” to “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz,” we’re unpacking the tunes that made us sing, shop, and sometimes cry.Find out which jingle makes Carolyn very anxious (spoiler: it involves a meat product), and which one got Kristin in trouble back in the day. Join us as we hum, cringe, and celebrate the musical marketing magic of the 70s and 80s—where every brand had a beat, and every beat sold something.Purchase the GenX Journal from Spotgirl Design hereShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

1975 was a HUGE year for pop culture, and today having a BIG 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY for many of the things we watched, played with, read, listened to, and went to the movies to see in that banner year. Wonder Woman, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, Starsky & Hutch, Captain & Tennille, Glen Campbell, JAWS, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Ramona The Brave, Tuck Everlasting, Whack-A-Mole, the Egg McMuffin, Big Red Gum — and SO MUCH MORE! It’s a 50th birthday party like no other, right here at the PCPS!Purchase the Spotgirl Design GenX Journal hereCheck out all the goodies from Spotgirl Design hereShop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Grab your plastic pumpkin bucket and come along with us as we visit our Halloweens of the past. From our own costume memories (why were we all dressed as hobos and gypsies in the 1970s??) plus some of YOURS (snips of wig hair Elmer’s Glued to the face, and mohair Princess Leia buns FTW) to sticking our hands in bowls of peeled grapes and cold spaghetti, GenX Halloween was just better, wasn’t it?Shop our link at bookshop.org to support independent bookstores and the PCPS.Subscribe to our YouTube channel hereFollow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram, Facebook an TikTokSupport the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon. Check all the extra perks you get here.Help the PCPS keep on truckin' by making a one-time donation hereSubscribe to the PCPS email newsletter, "The Weekly Reader" hereSend us an email at hello@poppreservationists.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands