Today we’re saving the 1979 sleeper hit, “A Little Romance,” the quiet little movie that captured tweenage hearts, gave millions of kids their first crush on a newcomer named Diane Lane, and made us all want to ride in a gondola under the Bridge of Sighs in Venice … at sunset … and have an innocent kiss with our first crush. How did we miss this movie? Did you? Listen as we give every second of it our long overdue accolades and discuss why media that illustrates the innocence of first love matte...
Jul 14, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 16Ep. 223
Join us for one of our favorite conversations as we revisit the generation-defining year of 1976. In our all new introduction, we discuss Bicentennial fashion (red, white and blue Sears Tuffskins, anyone?) and all the fun patriotic collectibles. Lots of laughs. Our country’s Bicentennial hit differently for us GenX kids. For us it was all about pet rocks, Dorothy Hamill, Nadia’s Theme, “I’m Just A Bill,” The Bionic Woman, Charlie’s Angels, Afternoon Delight, and Holly Hobbie. So grab a bomb pop ...
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Season 16Ep. 232
Billy, Joey, & Delta Dawn go to the Copacabana: Story Songs of the 1970s: Join us today for the preservation of songs about car crashes, train accidents, shipwrecks, deadbeat dads, jail time, basic heartbreak and lots and lots of murder -- in an episode dedicated to the story songs of the 1970s. From Joey and Billy to Daddy and the sheriff, not to mention a hundred yellow ribbons and the Harper Valley PTA, people have been telling stories with songs for centuries; but the 1970s took that tra...
Jun 30, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Season 16Ep. 231
Linger with us as we sing our hearts out to the songs that turned out to be not just beloved but also universal. Whether it was Girl Scout camp, Boy Scout camp, Bluebirds or Brownies, Camp Fire Girls, Bible camp, theater camp or Jewish day camp (whew!) we all seemed to be singing from the same mimeographed songbook around the campfire. We sang about ants, bears, bunnies, hot dogs, Fords, country roads, barges (why???) and we all wished we had a hammer so we could hammer in the morning. After mor...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 16Ep. 230
Today we're saving that very special chapter of small-screen history — the shows you wished you could binge-watch but couldn't binge-watch because that wasn't possible — the TV miniseries. Whether it was the epic battles of Shōgun , the sweeping drama and historical significance of Roots , the misguided and controversial romance of The Thorn Birds , or the deliciously trashy and captivating stories of the romance novel adaptations (hello, Lace ), these limited-run sagas were cultural touchstones...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 14Ep. 229
Forget organized sports leagues and structured activities. Today's episode celebrates the original "unplugged" generation: Gen X! We're taking a deep dive into the impromptu, self-governed world of neighborhood games that defined our childhoods. From the chalk artistry of Hopscotch to the frantic dashes of Kick The Can, these weren't just games; they were life lessons in strategy, teamwork, and knowing when to run for cover. We'll share the top 10 neighborhood games according to our society memb...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 16Ep. 228
Today we’ll be saving the precious messages inscribed into our school yearbooks that no one ever imagined would be read aloud PUBLICLY 40 years later. But that's exactly what we did -- welcome to Gen X Yearbook Reader’s Theater! (Sorry, Debbie). There may not be anything that signals the end of the school year more than the distribution of yearbooks. And the signing frenzy that follows..And so – we all spent significant time with the yearbooks that documented our academic experience in the Gen X...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Season 16Ep. 226
Get ready to kick off Season 16 as we flash back to the glorious chaos of Field Day! We're diving headfirst into the GenX end-of-year tradition that either filled you with the thrill of victory (and a coveted ribbon!) or the dread of impending physical exertion. We'll reminisce about the agony and the ecstasy of the tug-of-war (remember that glorious rope burn?), the awkward coordination of the three-legged race, and the surprisingly stressful egg-on-a-spoon relay. Join us as we learn why some o...
May 26, 2025•1 hr•Season 16Ep. 226
Tune in today as the topics of our Season 16 episodes are REVEALED! Consider this your TV Guide preview issue for the new season of The Pop Culture Preservation Society, full of pithy promos, clever hooks, and even a Season 16 theme song. Before the big reveal, Carolyn warms up the crowd with a walk through an actual TV Guide Preview Issue from 1979 (does anyone else remember Out of the Blue starring Olivia Barash? Or is it just Kristin?). The 1979 fall line-up was full of new shows and big chan...
May 19, 2025•45 min•Season 13Ep. 225
After a new opening conversation where we give a tribute to an non-M-named icon of our era, Linda Lavin, we are thrilled and honored to be talking to the trailblazing woman who wrote for some of the most iconic shows of the 70s and 80s, Susan Silver. Join us as Susan, the first female writer for The Mary Tyler Moore Show who opened the door for over 20 female writers after her, regales us with her start in the business, shares some juicy behind-the-scenes nuggets about the MTM episodes she wrote...
May 12, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 15Ep. 244
Today we’re saving our GenX prom, that "Night To Remember,” the one we wanted to have just "One More Night" to experience "Always and Forever” — the dresses, the themes, the music, and all of OUR memories … and YOURS! Who drank so much water that day to be able to fit into her dress that she had to pee all night? Whose prom was basically a mini-wedding ceremony? Who had a serious wardrobe malfunction in the car? And which of our listeners just threw her strapless bra in the trash when it kept sl...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Season 15Ep. 223
Which Sesame Street skits have been living in your head for the past 50 or so years? Rubber Duckie? Mahna Mahna? Ladybug Picnic? Grover screaming “FAAAAAR?” There are SO many classic, memorable skits we’ll never be able to get out of our brains — and we’re not complaining! Join us for an encore of one of our HAPPIEST episodes as we count down YOUR Top 10 (or 14) favorites! Which shockingly appears low on the list? Which was the #1 most memorable? And which one prompted a debate about Ernie’s nip...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr•Season 15Ep. 222
We're back with an encore presentation of our tribute to Sesame Street with the added bonus of a surprisingly serious conversation inspired by a New York Times article about the demise of creative jobs for Gen Xers. If you went into a creative field as a young adult in the 90s, you have likely seen a tsunami of change in your industry, sometimes to the point of extinction. Once again, Gen Xers have to adapt and change and persevere with little to no help. Hashtag late stage latchkeyism. And perh...
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Season 14Ep. 221
Come with me, take my hand, and we'll ruuuuuuunnnnnn..... to Amherst, Massachusets for a gathering of PCPS listeners at the first-ever Free to Be You and Me museum exhibit and singalong at the Eric Carle Museum of Picturebook Art. It was .... how shall we say... EPIC? People have feelings about what could be the most important album for anyone born between the years 1965 and 1980. There was crying. Lots of it. PCPS listeners met each other and formed friendships, we held hands and sang our heart...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Season 15Ep. 220
The movie adaptation of Judy Blume's Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret came out two years ago this month and it's just starting to hit streaming services -- so we're bringing you an encore presentation of our episode reviewing/gushing over the movie. In addition to that, our new opening conversation includes an invitation to come see us IN PERSON for a book club discussion about Margaret at Anderson's Bookshop in Downers Grove , IL. Margaret is like Gen X core curriculum and if this goes wel...
Apr 07, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 15Ep. 219
Free To Be ... You and Me was our generation's manifesto, played in every household and every classroom across the nation until we all knew that it was all right to cry, and mommies are people, and Atalanta didn't have to get married if she didn't want to. Join us for a deep dive on the album's origin story and take our hands, come along as we r-u-u-u-u-u-n-n-n-n with our own thoughts and feelings about our favorite songs and stories. Which lyrics made Kristin cry real tears ON THE AIR? And, 50 ...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Season 15Ep. 216
No better way to prep for our upcoming visit to the Eric Carle Museum for Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts than to revisit one of our favorite episodes, "Where The Wild Books Are." Join us for an all new opening conversation where we share what we're most excited to see at the museum as well as our dismay over some Eric Carle books that have been banned. Snuggle up close as we share our memories of our favorite children’s picture books! We’ll discuss the magic of these books, share our...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 15Ep. 217
Today we’re chatting about a handful of our most Hūsker Dū-inducing social media posts that have gotten the most attention from all of you. What was it about those little SeaWees mermaids that made you like and share by the 1000s? Or what about the brother boy detectives that made us all way more interested in solving crime? Why does Shakey’s Pizza give so many of you ALL THE FEELS? And let’s not forget the love for that granola-loving, craft-making, beady-eyed family with the last name Sunshine...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 15Ep. 216
Travel with us to Gilley’s in Houston, Texas for a great debate about Urban Cowboy . Is it the Texan Saturday Night Fever ? Do we even like Bud? What about Sissy? Why is the mechanical bull the lead player? And despite our differing opinions, how great is that soundtrack?!? (On that we all agree!) And bonus! We’re welcoming one of our favorite voices to the conversation: Amy Lively, high school history teacher, Urban Cowboy fan and host of the podcast we often use as research, “For The Record: T...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr 22 min•Season 15Ep. 215
Settle in as we each take a deep dive into a Very Special Episode that is also Very Memorable for a variety of reasons. Who can’t forget when Barbara’s friend OD’d on “One Day at A Time?” Who is now fairly certain that her distaste for Leif Garrett began when his character pressured Buddy to have sex on “Family?” And who will never forget Alex P. Keaton’s 30-minute therapy session after he lost his friend in a car accident on “Family Ties?” Listen now to find out! Follow the Pop Culture Preserva...
Mar 03, 2025•51 min•Season 15Ep. 214
The 1970s and 1980s provided us with copious amounts of well-intentioned wisdom about the most sensitive and traumatic social issues of the day — drug and alcohol addiction, eating disorders, rape, pedophilia, suicide, child abuse and more — and packaged them into very memorable “Very Special Episodes.” These heavy-handed moral lessons were often hard to watch … yet were incredibly valuable and effective. Today we’re describing some of the more shocking of these episodes from shows including All...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr•Season 15Ep. 213
James at 15 was an oh-so-70s groundbreaking coming-of-age dramedy before dramedy was a thing and served quite literally as the inspiration for 1998's Dawson's Creek. James at 15 was full of bell-bottoms, shearling jackets, groovy slang, boys who play flute, righteous dudes, fierce feminists and 'first times' -- and it attracted teen viewers like moths to a flame. And yet somehow it only lasted one season. The show's extreme relatability paired with its very earnest take on controversial teen top...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 15Ep. 212
Celebrate Valentine’s Day week with us, the handsome and smooth Chuck Woolery, and a few awkward and repulsive contestants on the TRUE reality dating show we all loved, “Love Connection.” Back in 2 and 2? Nope, we’re sticking around for an hour reminiscing about the fabulous 80s hair, the giant ‘staches, the smarmy guys, a couple of the most awkward dates, and the handsome host that represented all of us with his hilarious (and spot-on) reactions to all of the above. Grab your whip (trust us, ju...
Feb 10, 2025•59 min•Season 15Ep. 211
Last week we gave you a front-row seat to the 1982 Grammys, and this week we’re giving you an inside look at who we each were in 1981 and the songs from that year that meant the most to us … and why. Who thought “Too Much Time on My Hands” was the key to her popularity? Who was a hopeless romantic lip-synching “Endless Love” to a mystery “man” when she was only 12? And for which of us did “The Best of Times” sadly mean the opposite? Listen now to find out the stories behind our favorite 1981 son...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 15Ep. 210
Join us for this two-part episode dedicated to the songs of 1981, a year in our music history that marked one particular change that would shift everything for years to come (ahem MTV). In this first installment, we take a deep dive into the 24th annual Grammy Awards; every Grammys broadcast is like a fully contained time capsule of the year in music -- who presented, who performed, who was nominated, and who was NOT nominated (hello? where my Go Go's at? And Olivia Newton-John for Pete's sake? ...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 15Ep. 209
Friends don’t let friends miss this episode! Today we’re taking a hard look at the PSAs from our childhoods that warned (scared) us of all the dangers known to man. Putting out your campfire? Check. Not being a litterbug? Check. Not chugging the poison under the kitchen sink? Check. Making you feel guilty if your friends drive after drinking? Check check and CHECK. And not only are we remembering them, we’re RANKING them based on YOUR responses. We’re also solving that decades-long debate on “Sm...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 15Ep. 208
In the late 70s through the 80s, three soaps dominated primetime television: Dallas , Knots Landing , and Dynasty . These primetime dramas enraptured audiences and dominated the ratings with their opulent lifestyles, deliciously scandalous affairs, cliffhanger endings, and most notably, gargantuan shoulder pads. And today we’re diving into the glamour and scandal of each of these over-the-top shows, reminding you why you loved to love them … and maybe even hate them. Even if you didn’t watch any...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr•Season 15Ep. 207
Today we’re celebrating those old-school network TV promos that aired for the new TV seasons (think choreographed dance productions, lots of quick cuts of your favorite television stars, and catchy jingles) as well as giving you a teaser of the fun conversations we are having over the next couple of months in Season 15. BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! Carolyn surprised Kristin and Michelle with a custom Season 15 PCPS JINGLE! Now all we need is a hot-air balloon. Check out all the network promos NBC... ...
Jan 06, 2025•58 min•Season 15Ep. 206
Happy New Year! 🎊🥂 We're dropping a BRAND NEW EPISODE today wrapping up our 2024 ... and, as usual, going waaay off topic (honestly, we are often each other's therapists 😜)! What was our favorite PCPS moment? Which host became a new mother in 2024?!? And where can YOU meet up with us in 2025?? Enter The Brady Brunch Sweepstakes here Follow the Pop Culture Preservation Society on Instagram , Facebook an TikTok Support the PCPS by becoming a patron on Patreon . Check all the extra perks you get...
Dec 30, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 13Ep. 205
In last year's episode about Dance Fever, we came across an artifact that deserved much closer inspection -- and that was The Dance Fever Christmas Special. It was so craptacular that we promised our listeners that we'd give this gem its own episode come holiday time. AND THAT TIME IS NOW!!! (cue angels singing to a disco beat!). Much of our research involved Googling "worst Christmas special ever;" and guess what? Dance Fever had some stiff competition! Just picture Mr. T, Webster, C3PO and Dav...
Dec 23, 2024•59 min•Season 14Ep. 204
