Flushed Away From Memory
While the entertainer that came to be known solely as “Gallagher” made his name smashing watermelons, he was actually a fully developed comedic powerhouse, until he wasn’t. Gallagher’s signature bit overshadowed much of his other work, which was, in reality, about 95% of what he did on stage. On this episode we breakdown how a silly melon smashing jester became the target of harsh criticism who was washed away in the changing tide of the times.
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Fabio is a manly man! His luscious long hair and Italian accent made him a sex symbol of the 90s. But what did Fabio even do? Handsome as he was, there was something very silly and funny about Fabio’s appearance. He was the winking joke for the “bored housewife” who dreamed on a shirtless man on the beach to take her away from suburban life. His benign ubiquity and iconic look made him something of a walking meme.
If he looked like the model on the cover of trashy grocery store romance novels, that’s because he was that guy! Fabio even started writing his own sultry pulp fiction. Eventually Fabio transitioned into acting, music and advertising, most famously for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. His tale is truly an American success story, and if we could learn anything from Fabio, it is how to laugh at ourselves, especially if you are super hot.
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This episode’s guest is Violet Sky. Violet is what we call an “era influencer,” someone who lives their live as though they were in a different decade and gives the public a look into their life via social media. Not only is she a 1980’s historian and revivalist, she is also an amazingly talented artist whose music we cannot get enough of.
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This is a deep cut dump for sure. The Barbarian Brothers were the body building identical twins whose string of late 80s and early 90s b-movies launched them into dump stardom. We know many of you might not have heard of these guys, but sometimes we gotta just dump for us! We also announce the launch of our new webstore!
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This week we go back to 1990 to discuss one of the most bizarre trials in music history. After an attempted double suicide by two young friends, metal legends Judas Priest were put on trial for alleged subliminal messages in their music that were believed to have caused the tragedy. The trial was as ridiculous as the claim.
This trial was part of an ongoing cultural movement to censor musicians in the 80s (PMRC, 2 Live Crew, NWA, Satanic Panic). The heavy publicity of this trial introduced many to the practice of backmasking; listening to music played in reverse to attempt to find hidden messages.
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Dominos revolutionized the pizza delivery game with their promise, “Pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less or your meal is free.” Unfortunately this led to some deranged attempts to either exploit the rule for some free ‘za. We also discuss the Noid, a Dominos mascot famously attached to the 30 minutes or less campaign.
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While her name might not ring a bell to the current generation, in 1987 “Baby Jessica” was known throughout the world. The then 18-month-old Baby Jessica fell into and became stuck inside of a well. What followed was one of the most captivating live television events of all time.
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This week Ryan is joined by Bret Berg of the Museum of Home Video to discuss the unfortunate life and legacy of Anita Bryant. Bryant made a name for herself as a wholesome pageant gal turned singer and eventually orange juice spokeswoman, however, that would all be stripped away from her after she decided to turn heel and attempt to stop the gay civil rights movement. Anita Bryant could very well be the first cancelled celebrity as we know them today.
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Prince is one of the most famous and successful musicians of all time. In a storied, highlight laden career, one of the strangest moments for Prince came in 1993. The megastar officially changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol. The motivation was to create a loophole around a massive $100 million contract with Warner Brothers. Eventually, the symbol and confusion lead to a more manageable name; The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. The jokes and pop culture references cast a great shadow during his career in the mid 90s
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LA Gear was an active wear brand started in the 1980’s that focused mostly on sneakers. What started as a women’s accessory company quickly became one of the most recognizable brands of its time. But how did a company that at one point was said to be the best performing company listed on the stock market become all but forgotten? In this episode we will break down what happened to LA Gear, run into Michael Jackson, and prove that brand visibility doesn’t always equal success.
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