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Totally Rad Christmas!
Totally Rad Christmas!
Author: Gerry D
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© 2025 Totally Rad Christmas!
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It's a show about the raddest time of year in the baddest decade ever! That's right! We talk all things Christmas in the '80s to the max! Toys, movies, specials, music, books, games, comics, decorations, food, fashion, and fads--if it was gnarly during Christmas in the '80s, we got it covered!
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What’s up, dudes? It’s Christmas Eve! Yes, today begins Christmastide. To celebrate, I’ve got Thom Crowe from ‘Tis the Podcast and Art Kilmer from A Cozy Christmas with to talk about the Octavo Kalendas Ianuarii. The Proclamation of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ is a traditional chant that summarizes salvation history. Originally a part of the office of Prime, the chant was effectively abolished with the reform of Vatican II. That all changed in 1980 when Pope John Paul II re-introduc...
What’s up, dudes? It’s the comic strip about a typical family, and they made a special about it! Scott Leopold from Holly Jolly X'masu, Matt Wheeler from Resurrection Metal Radio, and I talk For Better or For Worse “The Bestest Present!” Willy Patterson takes her son Michael and daughter Lizzie Christmas shopping at Philpott’s. Unfortunately, during the experience, Lizzie loses her favorite stuffed bunny. Seeing his daughter distraught, John goes back and searches high and low for it. He can’...
What’s up, dudes? ‘Tis the season to be shopping! Hopefully you found the toys for which you were looking. We definitely wouldn’t want a Jingle All the Way situation. On Monday, December 12, 1983, Carol Ann Campbell, staff writer for the York Daily Record, published an article. In “The Quest for a Very Dashing Hulk of Plastic,” she interviews several retail store owners. They enumerate the problem of low orders and large sales booms. Poor sales the previous two holiday seasons resulted in man...
What’s up, dudes? It was the show that taught us how the 1% lived! Bob Baker from Festive Foreign Film Fans and William Bruce West from Remember That Show? and West Week Ever join me to talk Dynasty “That Holiday Spirit!” Blake and Crystal visit their premie in the NICU and see that their prize horse up for sale. Meanwhile, Alexis and Dex fly to London for their wedding, along with Amanda. Things are awkward due to Dex and Amanda’s intimate encounter. Jeff is pining over Fallon and refuses to...
What’s up, dudes? Is it BAB-ar or BaBAR? Michael May from After Lunch, Crestwood House, and Hellbent for Letterbox and I try to figure it out. Yes, we’re talking about “Babar and Father Christmas!” Arthur, Pom, Flora, and Alexander, the royal elephant children, are playing with their monkey pal, Zephir. Soon he tells them that in man’s world, Father Christmas delivers presents to good boys and girls on Christmas Eve! After their amazement subsides, they write Father Christmas a wish list lett...
What’s up, dudes? Motown! The sound defined the ‘60s, the acts brought joy to everyone. Ken Kessler from Sounds of Christmas and I dive into the wonderfully odd “Motown Merry Christmas!” From the Temptations to Smokey Robinson, this one celebrates Christmas the Motown way…with several non-Motown acts?! Hosted by Miami Vice’s Philip Michael Thomas, the special begins with a version of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The Temptations then sell it hard with a rendition of “White Christmas” à ...
What’s up, dudes? A couple of the Wreatling Bros—Joe Martinez from Now Watch This and Alamo City Santa Jeremy Phelps—are here to talk Prime Time Wrestling! Yes, it’s ‘80s New Year’s Wrestling with Bobby the Brain and Gorilla Monsoon! It’s a recap show on Jan 2, 1989, as Bobby and Gorilla discuss great moments of 1988 wrestling. First up, Jimmy Powers took on Dangerous Danny Davis and lost, though Davis cheated. They proceed to talk the Summer Slam as the Intercontinental tile changed hands. O...
What’s up, dudes? It's a re-release of a minisode full of ‘80s nostalgia. In this case I’m talking all my favorite toys, most of which I got for Christmas! My top 6 toylines (later 7) are included, plus a bunch of secondary and tertiary lines that filled up my toy chest! There are so many I left off, but I still wanted to dig into as many as I could. So grab your favorite playset, pick out your very best figures, and battle to this episode! Figure Realm Give us a buzz! Send a text, dudes! Ch...
What’s up, dudes? Remember the Mickey Mouse Club? What about its late ‘80s revival? Mike Westfall of Advent Calendar House and Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas are with me to talk “The All New Mickey Mouse Club Christmas Special!” In this 33rd episode of the 4th season, recurring character Wendy Wallow starts a new job. She’s an elf at Mousey’s Department Store, and she’s wildly inept, constantly upsetting customers. Santa arrives and comforts her, though even he can’t get her a permane...
What’s up, dudes? Alamo City Santa Jeremy Phelps joins me to dive into the 1986 made-for-tv movie “Christmas Eve!” Starring Loretta Young and Rachel’s dad from “Friends,” this melodrama has charm! Although Amanda Kingsley is now extremely wealthy, she remembers her hardscrabble upbringing. She now spends her time trying to help the less fortunate around her. Conversely, her business-minded son, Andrew, has never wanted for anything, and has become hardhearted. Upon receiving bad medical...
What’s up, dudes? Back in the ‘80s, we all wanted Clair Huxtable to be our mom. Theo was our brother, Denise our cool older sister. In memory of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Jeff Loftin from Lost Christmas and Joe Martinez from Now Watch This are with me to talk The Cosby Show “Father’s Day!” In this 13th episode of the 1st season, Cliff laments the goofy gifts his children have bought him over the years. As he confronts his children wearing the strange items they’ve gifted him, he begs them to put ...
What’s up? Alex P. Keaton is back, and he learns—or re-learns—all about Christmas spirit! I’ve got Jeff Fox from Name That Christmas Special with me to talk Family Ties “Miracle in Columbus!” Alex’s heart grows three sizes! In this sixth season seventeenth episode, Skippy gets Alex to fill in for him as a mall Santa. The capitalistic Santa Alex meets a little girl named Michelle who wants nothing more than for her father to be home for Christmas. Of course, this bums Alex out to the max. Subs...
What’s up, dudes? It’s the greatest store ever to an ‘80s kid! Yes, it’s Toys “R” Us, the category killer! Today we’re talking the Toys “R” Us Christmas Dream Book 1985! Toys “R” Us goes all the way back to 1948, when Charles Lazarus opened a little Washington, D.C. shop called Children’s Bargain Town, selling baby furniture. Eventually he pivoted from cribs and strollers to playthings. In 1957, Lazarus opened the first store under the Toys “R” Us name, built like a supermarket for toys—long ...
What’s up, dudes? We had a blast covering the last few movies, so we’re continuing our live commentary series! This time it’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and it’s awesome! Anthony Caruso from ‘Tis the Podcast, CJ Bélanger from Rose Suchak Ladder, and I have a blast with this watch along! 'Tis the Podcast FB: @tisthepodcast Twitter: @tisthepod IG: @tisthepodcast FB Group: Tis the Podcast Group Rose Suchak Ladder IG: @rosesuchakladderpod Give us a buzz! Send a text, dudes! Chec...
What's up, dudes? You never knew Santa had a donkey? Well, Jeff Loftin from Lost Christmas and Alamo City Santa Jeremy Phelps did. In fact, they’re here with me to talk all about the Rankin Bass special “Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey!” Nestor was born with abnormally long ears. His owner mistreated him, and the other animals teased him. One night when Roman soldiers came to the stable to buy donkeys, they dismiss Nestor and take all the other donkeys for free. Enraged, Olaf casts Nes...
What's up, dudes? Advent is here, and it’s time to prepare for Christmas! Fr. Thom Crowe from ‘Tis the Podcast is here with me to discuss the differences between Catholic and Orthodox Advent liturgies! How long is each one? Which one omits parts of the Ordinary? Are they both strict fasts? We get into all of it! There are striking similarities and glaring differences. The sanctoral and temporal cycles overlap, and function as a weak analogy of the hydrostatic union. The West has more structur...
What’s up, dudes? It’s the 40th anniversary of Santa Claus: The Movie! Pax Holley from Cult Film Club, Crestwood House, and I Read Movies is with me to talk all about the novelization! Santa Claus: The Movie was released in 1985, and it chronicled the origin of the Jill old elf himself. Eventually, it transitions into anDudley Moore vehicle as his elf character Patch takes center stage. Patch feels unappreciated and sets out into the world to prove himself. The novelization fills...
What’s up, dudes? There’s nothing like a Christmas jazz house song to kick off a party. I’ve got Steve Beech of Uplifting House Sessions with me to dive into the opening track of Winter Warnerland! Yes, we’re talking Jeff Lorber “God Rest the House!” Jeff Lorber is an American keyboardist and composer specializing in jazz and fusion. After attending the Berklee College of Music, he played with Michael Brecker and John Scofield. Eventually he started Jeff Lorber Fusion and released his first a...
What’s up, dudes? Joe Martinez from Now Watch This and Sean Sotka from the Christmas Podcasts Podcast are with me to talk Airwolf “Half-Pint!” Yes, it’s all about Hawke, Santini, and Archangel, but most importantly The Lady! Archangel tells Stringfellow Hawke they have credible intel on Saint John’s son Le Van. String checks it out, and meets the boy’s foster father McBride. McBride actually knew Saint John in ‘Nam, working on covert special ops assignments together. He confirms Saint John’s ...
What’s up, dudes? I've got Anthony Caruso from ‘Tis the Podcast and Jeremy Phelps the Alamo City Santa with me to dig into Charles Schulz’s Peanuts. That’s right! It’s the classic “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving!” Will he ever kick the football? Charlie Brown gets a phone call from Peppermint Patty, who invites herself, Marcie and Franklin to Chuck's house for dinner. As it turns out, he is not having dinner and can’t cook anything. Consequently, Linus suggests that they prepa...























