Like Whatever

Pop the tape, hear that whirr, and step back into the glow of a Friday night video run. We unpack the magic of VHS-era rituals—debating picks under fluorescent lights, scanning cover art for clues, trusting the clerk’s scribbled staff picks—and then follow the trail that turned neighborhood browsing into a streaming scroll. From VCRs and the Betamax vs VHS showdown to rapid rewinders, tape splicing, and late fees, we map how home v...

A year goes by fast when you build a ritual around friendship. We clink mimosas, raid the bagel plate, and trace the thread that brought us here: a weekly hour that forces life to slow down long enough to talk, laugh, and actually catch up. From a pink Hello Kitty diary found in a move to the choice to delete hundreds of photos, we explore what memory means to Gen X now—what we keep, what we toss, and why patience felt different wh...

A pop lyric can flip your mood, a true-crime twist can spark outrage, and a simple comic strip can outlive its creator by generations. We dive headfirst into that messy middle where culture meets memory: one of us swooning over Taylor’s newest hooks and audacious lines, the other craving the ache of her sadder eras; both of us stuck on the question that won’t let go—what happens when a show like Monster: Ed Gein chooses drama over ...

What if one date could hold a lifetime of cultural whiplash? We start with birthday football bliss, a raw story about losing a friend’s elderly dog, and that awkward post-count tension at work—then spiral into the pop culture rabbit hole October 3rd always seems to crack open. From kids’ TV confessions (Reading Rainbow without LeVar, Teletubbies dread, SpongeBob joy) to a Springsteen biopic sighting and a halftime-show debate, we m...

Slip into your fishnet stockings and get ready to do the Time Warp! We're celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the boundary-pushing cult classic that transformed from theatrical flop to cultural phenomenon through the power of midnight screenings and passionate fandom.

From the creative genius of Richard O'Brien (who played Riff Raff and wrote the original stage show) to Tim Curry&ap...

Glass ceilings were made to be shattered, and throughout history, extraordinary women have been doing just that. From the tennis courts to outer space, from courtrooms to football fields, these trailblazers weren't just the first—they fundamentally changed what was possible for all women who followed.

Join us as we dive into the fascinating stories of female pioneers whose achievements opened doors and minds. We explo...

Remember those Disney fairytales you grew up with? Turns out they were heavily sanitized versions of much darker, often horrific stories that would give most adults nightmares—let alone children.

We're diving deep into the true origins of beloved classics like Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and The Little Mermaid, revealing the disturbing elements Disney conveniently left out. From cannibalism and self-mutil...

988 Lifeline - If you need emotional support, reach out to the national mental health hotline: 988.

The Trevor Project - Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ+ Young People

Remember when television dance shows weren't just entertainment but cultural institutions that shaped how we dressed, danced, and understood America? From American Bandstand's wholesome beginnings to Soul Train's revolutionary celebration of Black culture, t...

Remember when the most exciting moment of your week was spotting the new issue of Tiger Beat on the newsstand? When you'd carefully pry open the staples to extract that Johnny Depp poster without damaging his perfect face? Nicole and Heather take us back to those glorious days when print magazines ruled our Gen X world.

This episode reveals the surprising history behind the publications that shaped our youth. Did you ...

Step into the weird and wonderful world of Gen X nostalgia as Nicole and Heather take you on a journey that begins at the Philadelphia Oddities and Curiosities Expo and transforms into a heartfelt exploration of the school supplies that shaped our youth.

The adventure kicks off with Heather in her element among taxidermy, preserved specimens, and macabre collectibles, while Nicole good-naturedly tags along. Between the mic...

On the 65th anniversary of "Green Eggs and Ham," we unpack the complicated legacy of Dr. Seuss with both nostalgia and critical awareness. Did you know this beloved classic was written on a $50 bet using only 50 unique words? Or that Dr. Seuss invented the term "nerd"? 

Our conversation explores why six Dr. Seuss books were removed from publication in 2021, sparking passionate debate about how we should...

From Julia Child's kitchen to Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen, cooking shows have transformed dramatically over the decades. What started as humble instructional programming has evolved into a multi-billion dollar entertainment empire that has fundamentally changed how we think about, talk about, and consume food.

In this episode, we trace the fascinating evolution of food television from its educational publ...

From Arnold Schwarzenegger's remarkable journey to the loss of beloved Gen X icons, this episode takes you through a nostalgic rollercoaster ride that perfectly captures our generation's unique perspective.

Arnold's story is nothing short of extraordinary. Born in Austria to an alcoholic father who favored his brother, young Arnold turned to bodybuilding as an escape. When his parents discovered his walls co...

What happens when three mall misfits find each other amid the neon glow and synthesizer soundtracks of 1988? That's the question at the heart of our conversation with author Pat Green, whose novel "Hearts of Glass: Living in the Real World" captures both the nostalgia and the complicated reality of growing up Gen X.

Pat reveals how the book originated from a series of blog posts about influential women in Ge...

Remember the eerie Parkey butter dish whispering "butter" to lonely homemakers? The Kool-Aid Man violently crashing through walls? Or that problematic Calgon "Ancient Chinese Secret" commercial that has lived rent-free in our brains for decades? These aren't just random memories—they're powerful marketing campaigns that embedded themselves permanently in the collective Gen X consciousness.

In ...

Two lifelong movie fans peel back the layers of cinematic history to reveal the chaotic, problem-plagued production that unexpectedly created one of the most influential films of all time. What began as a seemingly straightforward adaptation of Peter Benchley's novel about a man-eating shark became a masterclass in filmmaking innovation when everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

The mechanical shark—famously n...

Heartbreak never sounded so good. Join us as we journey through the defining breakup anthems of the 80s and 90s that still make us feel all the feelings decades later.

We're unpacking the surprising truth behind The Police's "Every Breath You Take" (hint: it's definitely not a love song), the cinematic power of OMD's "If You Leave" from Pretty in Pink, and the vocal masterpiece that ...

Boxing history changed forever on June 28, 1997, when Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear during their heavyweight championship rematch. That shocking moment serves as the centerpiece of this deep dive into one of sports' most fascinating rivalries.

We journey through Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield's remarkable career path - from his humble beginnings as a boxing-obsessed 7-year-old in Atlant...