When We Were Young podcast

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We hope you like the color pink, because that’s all you’re getting in this episode! In the second part of our Toys of Summer series, we look back at the most popular toys from our youth that were targeted at little girls – the gentle equines of MY LITTLE PONY, the disturbing, dead-eyed CABBAGE PATCH KIDS, the complicated backstory of JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS, and of course the ubiquitous BARBIE, who first appeared on shelves wearing a black-and-white-striped bathing suit and has since become synonymous with the color pink. 

Mattel has sold billions of Barbie dolls in the last 60 years despite often being the target of controversy; the doll has been a best friend and role model to the little girls who play with her while also contributing to their low self-image. Is there still a place for Barbie today? The inevitable box-office success of Barbie’s first live-action big-screen adaptation might make you say Yes, but when it comes to the dolls, are we as willing to let the next generation of women spend their days imagining themselves as a buxom blonde bombshell?

Join Becky, Chris, and Seth as they explore the gender politics of playing with Barbies, try to make sense of the absurd backstories of Jem and the Holograms and the Cabbage Patch Kids, and compare the stark differences between marketing to boys and girls. 

Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to wwwyshow@gmail.com. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show!

Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:59:43 — 112.0MB)

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In this “Boys’ Toys” episode of our two-part TOYS OF SUMMER podcast, we revisit icons ranging from Zack the Lego Maniac to Sergeant Slaughter in remembrance of the toys we played with in the 80s and 90s that were marketed primarily to boys.

As it turns out, some of our favorite cartoons from childhood were more than meets the eye – they were advertisements in disguise, created explicitly to get us to buy plastic playthings! The toy-to-TV-show trend kicked off with Hasbro’s relaunch of its G.I. JOE action figures in 1982, rebranded as the “Real American Hero” in a corresponding animated series. It was soon followed by action figure juggernauts HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE and THE TRANSFORMERS. Using bulging muscles, explosive hardware, and cartoon violence to appeal to young boys, these series often wrapped up with a wholesome life lesson to balance out the mayhem (before cutting to a commercial break encouraging us to buy the latest bazooka-toting action figures).

Along the way, we touch on other toys marketed mainly to boys during this era, including Hot Wheels, Nerf, Tonka Trucks, and Super Soaker – and of course, share thoughts on 1986’s TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE and how the death of Optimus Prime traumatized a whole generation of youngsters.

With the fabulous secrets of our favorite toy brands revealed to us, do any of these products still have the power? Or do companies like Hasbro and Mattel just look like Decepticons to us now? With movies like BARBIE and TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS in theaters this summer, it’s the perfect time to reconsider the lessons we learned from toy-branded cartoons and commercials in the 80s and 90s. Because now we know that the cartoons we loved as kids were a total sham — and knowing is half the battle!

(This episode may contain a choking hazard for children under 3. Becky, Chris, and Seth sold separately.)

Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to wwwyshow@gmail.com. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show!

Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:52:35 — 108.0MB)

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After thoroughly raiding the lost ark in their previous outing, Chris, Becky, and Seth found themselves on shockingly shaky ground with Indiana Jones superfans. Can the three opinionated podcasters escape the wrath of Indy’s admirers this time around?

When We Were Young excavates the further adventures of cinema’s favorite tomb-raiding hunk, digging into Steven Spielberg’s wildly different sequels. First up is 1984’s INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, which saw Harrison Ford joined by Kate Capshaw and Ke Huy Quan for a disturbing descent into human sacrifice and child slavery. Stuffed with gross-out gags and ultra-macabre special effects, the film outraged parents and alienated critics, but still managed to rake in plenty of that sweet summer movie money and become a staple in many VHS collections. (Thanks in large part to a McDonald’s promotion!)

And finally, we delve into 1989’s INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, which hewed closer to the adventuresome tone of the 1981 original, with daddy issues added to the mix as Sean Connery came aboard to play Indy’s cranky but lovable father. It was, of course, another gigantic hit, capping off the original film trilogy while paving the way for a TV series, video games, and a super popular Disneyland ride that would hold us over until Dr. Jones’ first return to the big screen nearly two decades later. 

Will When We Were Young rip fans’ still-beating hearts from their chests and crush them with criticism once again? Or will we permit these sequels to sip from the Holy Grail and live on for all eternity?

Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to wwwyshow@gmail.com. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show!

Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:23:26 — 79.4MB)

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Why did it have to be podcasters? After seven years of fan requests, When We Were Young is finally getting around to the beloved Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr. franchise – better known to moviegoers by his canine-inspired nickname, Indiana Jones. With Harrison Ford stepping back into the role after a long hiatus for this summer’s INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY, it’s the perfect time to look back at the film that started it all. 

Blockbuster groundbreakers George Lucas, who created the character, and Steven Spielberg, who helmed all three films in the original trilogy, joined forces in 1981 for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, a film that defied low expectations to become one of the most treasured movies of the 80s. The summer smash was hailed as a masterpiece upon its release, raking in cash at the box office for almost an entire year and earning a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars.  

How does everybody’s favorite archaeologist hold up as an action hero four decades after his first foray onto movie screens? Does unearthing this action-adventure classic still reward audiences with bountiful riches and wondrous delights, or just a bunch of booby traps? Grab your bullwhip and fedora, watch out for massive balls, and join us for an episode that’s bound to dig up some controversial opinions!

Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to wwwyshow@gmail.com. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show!

Help us defray the costs of creating this show, which include recording remotely, purchasing movies/shows/music to review, delivery food to eat our feelings, and producing & editing in-house at the MFP Studio in Los Angeles, California by donating to our Patreon account at patreon.com/WhenWeWereYoung

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:25 — 42.0MB)

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The Karate Kid features one of the most beloved movie mentors of all time in Mr. Miyagi, who teaches young Daniel valuable lessons about patience (taking time to breathe), efficiency (putting the whole body’s strength into a single punch), and achievement (if you can catch a fly with chopsticks, you can accomplish pretty much anything).

In this special interview episode, When We Were Young talks to author and keynote speaker Chris Clews about more life lessons that can be found in ‘80s pop culture, whether in films with iconic movie mentors like The Karate Kid and Dead Poets Society, or those with much more questionable role models like The Lost Boys and Road House.

In his new book Raised on the ‘80s, Chris Clews identifies 30+ life lessons from the music and movies that defined pop culture’s most excellent and totally awesome decade, including Trading Places, Cocktail, The Breakfast Club, Die Hard, and the music of Prince. We talked to Chris about his favorite bits of wisdom from our favorite ’80s films, as well as his experience growing up in the ‘80s, why Patrick Swayze is the ultimate ‘80s icon, and the best way to reboot an ‘80s blockbuster while staying true to the original.

Follow When We Were Young on Twitter and Instagram at @WWWYshow, on Facebook at Facebook.com/WWWYShow and email episode suggestions to wwwyshow@gmail.com. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts) so more folks check out the show! And after you check out this interview episode with Chris Clews, check out his new book Raised in the ‘80s here: https://chrisclews.com/books