What’s up, dudes? I’m running up that hill with Mike and Rusty from Snow in Southtown to talk about Kate: Kate Bush Christmas Special and her song “December Will Be Magic Again!” Released in 1979, it proves that the singer, only 21 at the time, was already a tour de force. A year later she released the Christmas song as a single.

The special is a mix of live performances and choreographed dance to prerecorded music. The live portion was recorded BBC Pebble Mills Studios in front of an audience. The music for the dance was done at EMI Studios in London. After a rotoscoped animated introduction, Kate launches into renditions off “Violin,” Gymnopédie No. 1 by Satie, and “Symphony in Blue.” “Them Heavy People” follows with Kate garbed in sequins. Immediately a trio sings Peter Gabriel’s in, and he serenades the audience with “Here Comes the Flood.” Kate performs “Ran Tan Waltz” then premieres “December Will Be Magic Again” on solo piano. Next comes “The Wedding List” about a vengeful bride and the duet “Another Day” with Peter Gabriel about a failed marriage. Finally, Kate enthralls us with “Egypt,” “The Man with a Child in His Eyes,” and “Don’t Push Your Foot on the Heart Brake.” Does she hop in a garbage can and come out dressed like Sandy from the end of “Grease?” Why, yes. Yes she does.

Stevie Nicks-like flowing black outfit? Yep. Fake beard and “Fiddler on the Roof” getup? Uh huh.  Kate doing interpretative dance superimposed over her playing piano? Definitely! So grab your violin and head to Egypt to this episode about Kate Bush!

Snow in Southtown

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 What’s up, dudes? It’s the 250th episode! So, we’ll open up Rad Santa’s Mail Fanny Pack and answer some listener questions! Then special guest Danny Davila and I dive into the Christmas-adjacent movie “Funny Farm!” Starring Chevy Chase and Madolyn Smith, it’s a squirrel out of water story! Er…fish out of water!

Andy and Elizabeth Farmer leave the big city to live in the quaint little town of Red Bud. Andy has aspirations to be a novelist. Misadventures ensue! First, their movers get lost and arrive late. Then the Farmers discover a dead body in their garden. Snakes, runaway dogs, and angry fishing buddies soon after threaten their idyllic dream. Elizabeth writes and publishes a children’s book giving Andy feelings of resentment and failure. Friction between the couple inevitably ensues. When Andy, in a moment of desperation, submits Elizabeth’s manuscript as his own to his publisher, she leaves him. The couple bribe the town to help them sell their house at Christmas time. However, Andy and Elizabeth fall in love with the town and each other when they see how beautiful and friendly the town can actually be.

Ducks? Yep. Kitchen payphones? Got ’em. Lamb fries? Only if a record can be broken! So grab your yellow dog, climb into your runaway mail truck, and listen to this episode on “Funny Farm!”

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! That’s right! It’s the 4th Annual Totally Rad Christmas Awards! This year I’m joined by ‘Tis the Podcast elves Anthony and Thom, Ashley Dunbar from The Magic of the Season, Mike Westfall from Advent Calendar House, Robert Nicholas from Behind the Bells, and CJ Belanger from Christmas Sessions!! After the Academy refined the nomination and voting process last year, the star-studded evening went off without a hitch…sort of!  Who did you vote for? Did they win? Find out to the max in the 3rd Annual Raddies!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? It was 1989, and the Griswolds had an amazing and quirky holiday staycation adventure with fantastic music woven throughout! Kevin Williams from ‘Tis the Soundtrack joins me to discuss the fabulous song selection and Badalamenti’s orchestral score to “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation!”

A supposed 10th Anniversary Edition soundtrack CD was released by Warner Brothers in print-on-demand kiosks for their Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park. Apparently, only seven thousand of the twenty thousand allotment were sold, and so the rest were shipped back to Warner Brothers. A company acquired the lot in a bulk sale, and decided to sell them online. Or did they? Spoilers: the entire story was a hoax to help sell bootleg copies of the album. One piece of music—a Christmas Medley—allegedly by Badalamenti is actually by John Williams from the “Home Alone 2” score!

The score to the movie was indeed composed by Angelo Badalamenti, known for his eerie, synth-heavy, atmospheric work with director David Lynch. Badalamenti wrote an unobtrusive orchestral hit peppered with comedic polkas and uptempo motif-laden piano trios. The glockenspiel Advent calendar theme is ethereal, while the orchestra weaves traditional carols through search section seamlessly.

The needle drops are timed to perfection with hits by the Moonglows, Bing Crosby, and Gene Autry. Mavis Staples flawlessly sings the gospel-tinged pop titular song “Christmas Vacation.” It’s a shame there hasn’t been an official release!

Animated intro music? Check. Sweet string melodies? Got ‘em. Tuba lead over a guy in a bathrobe? Definitely! So grab your Discman, put on your headphones, and listen to this episode on the music of “Christmas Vacation!”

‘Tis the Soundtrack
YouTube: @TisTheSoundtrack
IG:  @tisthesoundtrack

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What’s up, dudes? Well, it seems that Little #1, Little #2, and Little #3 hijacked my recording studio and held their own episode all about the 1976 Rankin Bass Easter special “The First Easter Rabbit!” It’s an adaptation of the children’s book “The Velveteen Rabbit,” and it’s wild!

A young girl named Glinda gets a stuffed bunny for Christmas which she names Stuffy. She loves it unconditionally, but when she contracts scarlet fever, it has to be burned. Stuffy is approached by a magical sprite named Calliope, who transforms him into a real rabbit. She mandates that he become the first Easter Bunny.

Stuffy meets Santa Claus and moves into Easter Valley, an area of the North Pole perpetually existing in Spring. Unfortunately, an ice wizard (perhaps a former servant of Winterbolt?) named Zero steals the Golden Easter Lily, causing the valley to freeze and snow. Santa rescues Stuffy and helps him deliver his Easter goods to Glinda’s hometown. He also forces Zero to return the Lily. All’s well that ends well.

A fairy that knows substitutiary locomotion? Check. A Savage Land type headquarters? Got it. A remorseful sentient snowball? For sure! So grab your Easter eggs, put on your bonnet, and take Santa’s sleigh to this episode!

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What’s up, dudes? It’s a St. Patrick’s Day Christmas when Shawn Robare from Cult Film Club, Crestwood House, and Plastic Rocket Pop and I talk the 1981 Rankin Bass special “The Leprechaun’s Christmas Gold!” Written by Romeo Muller, it was originally conceived as a St. Patrick’s Day special, but was retooled and released in December instead. Oh, and the word Christmas is just thrown into random sentences.

One hundred years ago, two leprechaun clans existed. Their gold, unfortunately, attracted the banshee Old Mag the Hag, who used her shapeshifting abilities to cause a rift between the clans. Blarney Kilakilarney, leader of the gold-mining faction, asks Patrick, Lord of the Leprechauns for help. Subsequently, he tricks Mag into turning to tears, and Blarney plants a pine cone atop her puddle. The pine cone, taken from a tree planted by St. Patrick himself, grows into a beautiful tree. Meanwhile, present day sailor Dinty Doyle chops down the tree to use for Christmas. The oblivious boy accidentally releases the banshee, who immediately resumes her quest for gold. Consequently, Blarney gives the gold to Dinty, who is almost instantly tricked by the banshee into giving it to her. Luckily, she doesn’t reach it by Christmas morning and turns to tears! Weird, right?!

Powerful leprechaun wizard lord? Check. Weather controlling shape shifting banshee? Got it. Brightly colored clogs made by the O’Clogjiggers? Yes, but only if they can be distributed amongst the Irish people! So grab your gold, dig up your Christmas tree, and sail into this episode on “The Leprechaun’s Christmas Gold!”

Cult Film Club
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Twitter: @CFCPod
IG: @cultfilmclub

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The Leprechaun’s Christmas Gold (w/ Shawn Robare)

What’s up, dudes? There are a lot of classic Christmas commercials! They’ve shaped our perception of the Christmas season since we were little. Vinnie Brezinsky from Huey and Bax and Nicholas Pepin of Pop Culture Roulette join me live to watch some lesser known ‘80s Christmas commercials!

Cool Spot rides a toy fire truck in a 1988 7Up commercial. Young versions of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lea Thompson, and Elizabeth Shue regale us with carols in a 1982 Burger King commercial. Oh yeah, McDonald’s sued Burger King because of it as well. Meanwhile, Joey is making homemade garland with a needle and thread and Kix cereal. He’s snacking too!

Artists send holiday wishes to “Blue Christmas” by Elvis in an MTV commercial. The Dillard patriarch cradles his granddaughter in a cozy Christmas scene. Then a choir sings, “Hello, Taco Bell!” in their best Handel impression. A Radio Shack announcer describes an inordinate amount of radio variations and Woolworth shows children playing with toys.

Santa sleds on a Norelco razor top while a woman looks through her Hallmark cards and blushes at the one ‘the hunk’ sent her. A grandpa helps his grandson fall asleep via phone and AT&T’s great service. The Muppets unexpectedly show up with Polaroids as well. Finally an ‘80s robot shills for Toys R Us, Tom Bosley talks tools for Sears, and Pizza Hut reminds us how amazing their pan pizzas are!

Catchy jingles? Check. Cheesy, saccharine messages? Of course. Muppet shenanigans? Definitely! So grab your razor, head to Burger King and enjoy this episode on lesser known ‘80s Christmas commercials!

Pop Culture Roulette
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Twitter: @popcultroulette
IG: @popcultroulette

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 What’s up, dudes?  Mike Westfall from Advent Calendar House and I take a trip to Emily Bear’s house to visit the Muppets! That’s right! We’re talking the 1987 special “A Muppet Family Christmas”! We get into obscure cameos, Sam Eagle’s one-liners, and more!

Kermit and the gang travel to Fozzie’s mom’s house to surprise her for Christmas. Little do they know that Emily Bear has planned a vacation and has rented her house to Doc and Sprocket as an air BnB. The sheer volume has Doc building bunk beds to accommodate the crowds. Fozzie builds the perfect comedic partner snowman, and the Swedish Chef invites a turkey to stay with them in the hopes of cooking him for dinner. After watching a Muppet Babies home video, Gonzo almost gets into a fight with the lecherous turkey. The Sesame Street crew wassails into the farmhouse, and Kermit and Robin pass it on with the Fraggles. When Piggy is caught in a snowstorm, Doc rides to her rescue! Then the annual carol sing ensues!

A “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” play? Check. An Electric Mayhem performance? Got it. A two-headed monster Santa? Yes, but only if the other monsters pull the sleigh! So grab some shredded wheat and cranberry sauce and sing along to this episode all about “A Muppet Family Christmas!”

Advent Calendar House
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IG: @adventcalendarhouse

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What’s up, dudes? It’s the Hallmark Ornament Premiere, so I’ve got the Christmas Cousins, Chad and Seth, here to talk the 1987 Hallmark Dreambook—all 24 pages of it! That’s right! We get into baubles and finials and cameos! Oh my! We talk our personal collections and which ones from 1987 we own! Spoilers: I have the entire Norman Rockwell cameo set from 80-89! Or do I? Guess you’ll have to listen to find out! Paddington Bear, Snoopy, and even the Grinch make appearances, too! So bust out your tree and ornaments, put on the Time Life Treasury of Christmas, and travel back to 1987 with this episode!

Christmas Cousins
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Twitter: @XmasCousinsPod
IG: @christmascousinspod

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!