August 28, 2023 is a date that will live in infamy. It’s National Power Rangers Day, where we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the premiere of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. This year’s celebration is somewhat bittersweet, however, as the future of the franchise is uncertain. Meanwhile, my youngest daughter, Charley, starts Kindergarten and I have to embrace the fact that my baby has to grow up. As some of you know, last month I celebrated my 20th year of blogging, and while it was something of a look back, it was also about finding a direction in which to point for the future. All these years, I’ve been honored to be a guest on several podcasts, in my never-ending quest for “community”, but I was content to just pop in, run my mouth, and go back to incurring the wrath of Hollywood D-listers over on Twitter (RIP). There were times I considered starting a podcast (“C’mon, man! Everybody’s doin’ it!”), but it just didn’t feel like the right place, nor the right time. Well, that hesitation ends today!
Awhile back, my pal Adam messaged me about a thought that came to him one recent night, about a podcast where he & I would discuss old, forgotten TV. It wasn’t just an offhand remark, but rather something he seemed serious – and enthusiastic – about. And when Adam is enthusiastic, then WATCH OUT! If you’ve listened to any of his other podcasts, the man is a MACHINE, bringing passion and energy to everything he tackles. His Wizards: The Podcast Guide to Comics has taken the comic & retro fandom by storm, as he covers each issue of the fabled magazine with a careful eye for detail. Nothing he does is half-assed, so the mere fact that he wanted to do something with me, well, I was flattered! I had to think about it, though.
Over the years, I’ve been asked “When are you gonna start a podcast?”, but I had several reasons for shying away. First off, I didn’t want to do it alone. There just seemed to be something sad about someone in a tiny room, ranting into a microphone. The world has enough of that. If I was going to do it, what would I have to offer the hobby? What have I got fo’ yo’ ears?! As I sort of twiddled my thumbs, other shows came and went, where there would be aspects where I’d think “I would have done that!”, but they’d beaten me to it. No need of being a copycat.
Then, there was the matter of audience. I write a used-to-be-weekly pop culture post that I pretty much annoy people into reading. It is not considered “Required Reading” by many folks. So, if I’m doing that, which takes little effort to both create and be received, then why would I put so much more work into creating a podcast, to the same audience and same reception? The math wasn’t mathing.
Next, I didn’t have the technical skill to put together a worthwhile podcast. I mean, yeah, Anchor was right there, but it always felt like the Blogger of Podcasts: it’s a simple, free “plug & play” interface for you to get the podcasting bug out of your system, but it never really seemed geared toward anyone who wanted to take podcasting seriously. How committed was I? I mean, if I wanted to do it, I wanted to do it RIGHT. Not start something that was going to just peter out after a few months.
When Adam approached me, though, his idea checked off so many boxes: We’d be doing it together, as a duo, so we’d each have the other to work off of; Everybody already knows Adam – and The Retro Network, who would be graciously hosting this endeavor. If anything, I’m the unknown here, as I don’t podcast with consistency, but rather unreliably, like a deadbeat dad coming around on payday. Still, I think my being an unknown quantity is to our advantage. You see, in all the years of podcast guesting, I’ve always been asked on for a specific topic. There wasn’t a whole lot of free-form stuff going on, so I think I’ve cultivated this “Bad Boy of Pop Culture” reputation that isn’t accurate. A lot of folks enact a character when they’re online and I’m not one of them, but I do think you only get to see one side of me. So, maybe I’ll be able to come off more well-rounded. At the end of the day, though, it will be a regular appointment to hang out with my friend, and you’re coming along for the ride, as we’ll be revisiting some of your favorite “I remember watching that at my grandma’s house” programming.
I love TV. I was raised by television. I’ve seen a LOT of shows, and I’ve got a LOT of thoughts! So, I’m excited to get a chance to not only discuss these shows with a likeminded individual, but also to share them with folks who are just discovering their existence. This is gonna be a lot of fun, and I’m not one to look forward to things! So, grab your favorite snacks, get comfortable on the couch, and take a load off as we take you back to some shows you haven’t thought of in years! Our first episode – where we tackle 90s animated comedy The Critic – drops today, on The Retro Network feed, and can be found wherever you get your podcasts!
