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What’s up, dudes? Remember the Brit-pop group XTC? Well, in 1983 they released a Christmas single under the pseudonym The Three Wise Men in order to test out a new producer, David Lord. Ken Kessler from Sounds of Christmas joins me to talk all about “Thanks for Christmas” and its B-side “Countdown to Christmas Party Time!”

The single had a few in jokes in the liner notes too! The writing is credited to Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, the traditional Western names for the Magi. Credit was given to producer The Good Lord as well.

Pseudonyms? Check. Modulations? A bunch. Adding a B-side just so the album doesn’t warp? Definitely! So head to your local record store, pop on some headphones, and listen to this episode all about XTC “Thanks for Christmas!”

Sounds of Christmas
FB: @SOCMusic
Twitter: @SOCMusic
IG: @socmusic

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Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Ken Kessler
Title:

XTC “Thanks for Christmas” (w/ Ken Kessler)

What’s up, dudes? I’ve got Robert Nicholas from Behind the Bells with me to talk all about the anthology special “Bugs Bunny’s Looney Christmas Tales!” Released in ‘79, right on the cusp of the ‘80s, it’s got 3 newly animated shorts held together by a loose framing device! Oh, and it’s quite fun and spectacular too!

The meta aspect of the special begins as Bugs Bunny, rehearsing his carolers, tells the tale of A Christmas Carol. Yosemite Sam is the miserly Scrooge who fires Porky Pig’s Cratchitt. Bugs, mischievous as ever, takes it upon himself to play the Ghost of Christmas. Sneakily, he haunts Sam by banging drums, pouring snow in his hot bath, and threatening to take him to see the “other” guy in the red suit.

As Bugs and gang sit for Christmas dinner, they congratulate each other on their acting performances of the Dickensian characters. Meanwhile, Wile E. Coyote eyes the turkey and immediately wishes he had roast roadrunner. The chase begins! Time and again the coyote is stymied by Acme products. His snow machine wallops him repeatedly, his sled dogs try to eat him, and his rocking horse leaves him.

Returning to the choir, Bugs leaves to read his nephew  A Visit from St. Nicholas. Unbeknownst to the rabbits, the Tasmanian Devil escapes his confinements and accidentally hijacks Santa’s sleigh team. Trying to avoid being eaten, Bugs tricks Taz into eating an inflatable raft, levitating him away.

Taz in a Santa suit? Check. Stuttering characters trying to sing? Yup. Wile E. Coyote constantly getting crushed by snow? Definitely! So grab your acme rocket skis, bang your drums really loudly, and trick your way into this episode about “Bugs Bunny’s Looney Christmas Tales!”

Behind the Bells
FB: @BehindtheBells
IG: @behind_the_bells_podcast

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Robert Nicholas
Title: Bugs Bunny’s Looney Christmas Tales (w/ Robert Nicholas)

What’s up, dudes? Tim Williams from the 80’s Flick Flashback and Joe Wade from Christmas Creeps join me to track down the Christmas in this Sylvester Stallone action movie from 1986!

Marion Cobretti is the lead cop on the Zombie Squad, known for his steely demeanor and lethal efficiency. After thwarting a hostage situation in the Christmas aisle of a supermarket, he suspects the Night Slasher killer is more than he seems. His theory is confirmed when Ingrid Knudsen witnesses a killing spree by several members of this social Darwinian organization. Now trying to protect her, Cobra moves her to a safe house to evade the killers. Unfortunately, a mole in the police force tips off the Night Slasher gang and a battle ensues! The mole and the gang leader are dispatched in spectacular fashion, and the day is saved!

Sunglasses? Check. Mid-movie photo shoot? Uh huh. Eating pizza with scissors?! Only Stallone could pull that off! So grab your gun, watch an entire Toys ‘R Us commercial, and never take off your sunglasses with this episode all about Cobra!

80’s Flick Flashback
FB: @80’s Flick Flashback podcast
Twitter: @80_podcast
IG: @80sflickflashback

Christmas Creeps
FB: @christmascreeps
Twitter: @ChristmasCreeps
IG: @christmascreeps

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Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Tim Williams, Joseph Wade
Title: Cobra (w/ Tim Williams and Joe Wade)

What’s up, dudes? I got the band of podcasters  back together to share our wishlists of ‘80s musicians we wish had recorded Christmas songs! Duane from Tinsel Tunes, Ken from Sounds of Christmas, Scott from Holly Jolly X’masu, and Vinnie from Huey and Bax join me to delve into this fascinating look at missed opportunity! We cover all our bases! Metal? Check. Pop? Got it! Bands only ever heard on ‘80s movie soundtracks? Definitely! Oh, and of course we have equally long honorable mention lists! So grab your synthesizer, put on a ton of hairspray, and jam out to this episode to the max on our Top 5 ‘80s Christmas Artist Wishlist!

Tinsel Tunes
Sounds of Christmas
Holly Jolly X’masu
Huey and Bax

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Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Various Artists
Title: Top 5 ‘80s Artists We Wish Had Recorded Christmas Songs (w/ Various Artists)

What’s up, dudes? Vinnie Brezinsky and I gab about some cool and fun Halfmas and Christmas in July activities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area! I asked Vinnie to be a special TRC correspondent, and he delivered in spades! He visited Martin House, Harvest Hall, Good Things for All Seasons, Campo Verde, Decorator’s Warehouse, and Rocket Fizz! I got to check out the Charlie Brown Christmas exhibit at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History! Enjoy our adventures!

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Vinnie Brezinsky
Title: Christmas Summer Activities in DFW (w/ Vinnie Brezinsky)

What’s up, dudes? Ashley Dunbar from the Magic of the Season and Charlyn Lewis from Take a Chic Peek and And This Christmas Will Be join me to gab about the greatest doll around! Yep, it’s all about Barbie! There’s so much to discuss that we even have a special guest appearance by Kim Cooper from Planning for Christmas!

In the 1981 Kid Stuff album Christmas, spend a joyous Christmas with Barbie and Ken. It’s a modern musical retelling of The Nutcracker Suite. In Barbie’s dream she is transformed into a beautiful doll under the Christmas Tree. When the toys come alive, Barbie and Ken are swept away in an adventure to the stars. They travel to Hoth…no, Arcticana, where they are trapped by the Snow Queen. Spoilers: they escape! You’ll love the songs, excitement and holiday fun of Christmas with Barbie! The talking story book A Barbie Christmas Party sees Barbie and Ken overcome the odds to host a holiday party! It’s a fantastic, if not frantic, tale with caroling, gift giving, and planning the perfect shindig!

Holiday Barbie? Check. Barbie Christmas records? Uh huh.. A Toy Story-esque nightmare with an inexplicable ice planet? Of course! So grab your holiday gown, hop in your pink convertible, and drive to your dream house with this episode all about Barbie!

The Magic of the Season
IG: @themagicoftheseasonpodcast

Take a Chic Peek
FB: @takeachicpeek
Twitter: @TakeAChicPeek
IG: @takeachicpeek

Planning for Christmas
FB: @planningforchristmaspodcast
IG: @planningforchristmaspodcast

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Ashley Dunbar, Charlyn Lewis, Kim Cooper
Title:

Barbie (w/ Ashley, Charlyn & Kim)

What’s up, dudes? I’m here with some tubular and totally magical guests ever to be interviewed! That’s right! It’s the Ghost of Christmas Rad and the Ginger Rad Man from Earth-80S in the multiverse, where it’s always the ’80s! They told me all about their battle with Winterbolt and how they saved their world! They even gave me the lowdown on some of their bodacious friends like Rudolph the Rad-Nosed Reindeer, Frost DMC, Grinch N’ Roses, Yukon the Barbarian, Cool Miser, Heat Magnum P.I. and more! I even learned about some of Santa’s elves like David Hasselelf, Jingle Jackson, Michael Jangle Fox, Jolly Ringwald, and Hermey MacCleod! So grab your Hawaiian shirt, grab a fruity cocktail, and swing in your hammock to this Christmas in July episode all about Earth-80S!

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Ghost of Christmas Rad, Ginger Rad Man
Title: A Conversation with the Ghost of Christmas Rad and the Ginger Rad Man for Christmas in July

What’s up, dudes? Remember “Today’s Special?” The mannequin comes to life and is friends with a rhyming mouse? Well, Ashley Dunbar from the Magic of the Season and CJ Bélanger from Christmas Sessions join me to talk all about this mashup of “Mannequin” and Sesame Street! We get into all of the craziness of the 2 part Christmas special!

In Christmas: Part 1, Jodie, Sam, and Muffy are leaving Jeff alone on Christmas Eve to spend the holiday with their families. Meanwhile, Santa gives a couple of elves leave to make mischief. As Jeff prepares to decorate the tree, his friends appear to spend Christmas with him. Aw, you guys! They don’t want him to be alone! Oh, and Sam gets thrown into a drunk tank until the elves bail him out. Christmas: Part 2, sees the mischievous elves steal and hide all the gang’s presents! They search and search, until Jodie finds the book her friends bought her. It’s a cocaine-fueled story about Jack Frost, though we didn’t know at the time. They all find their presents, including Jeff, whose gift was a real tree on the roof of the building. Then they all see Santa fly by!

Singing while trimming the tree? Check. Santa sighting? Yup. A mouse sculpture carved out of cheese? Of course! So grab your magic hat, open your present, and look through your brand new telescope at this episode all about “Today’s Special!”

The Magic of the Season
IG: @themagicoftheseasonpodcast

Christmas Sessions
FB: @ChristmasSessionsPodcast
Twitter: @xmassessionspod
IG: @christmassessionspod

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Ashley Dunbar, CJ Bélanger
Title:

Today’s Special (w/ Ashley and CJ)

What’s up, dudes? It’s the Hallmark Ornament Premiere, so I’ve got one of the Hallmark Dream Guys here to talk the 1986 Hallmark Dreambook—all 16 pages of it! Anthony Caruso of ‘Tis the Podcast joins me to talk  finials and Shirt Tales and cameos! Oh my! We talk our personal collections and which ones from 1986 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! So bust out your tree and ornaments, put on the Time Life Treasury of Christmas, and travel back to 1986 with this episode!

‘Tis the Podcast
FB: @tisthepodcast
IG: @tisthepodcast
Twitter: @tisthepod

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Hallmark Dream Guys
Title: Hallmark Dreambook 1986 (w/ Hallmark Dream Guys)

What’s up, dudes? It’s the 200th episode, so I’ve got All-Star and Raddie winner Anthony Caruso from ‘Tis the Podcast with me to play a special Christmas music game! We’ve remade the 2nd cassette of the Time Life Treasury of Christmas using only versions of songs from the ‘80s! That’s right! Goodbye, Bing Crosby! Hello, Dolly and Kenny! Beat it, Perry Como! I’m chillin’ with the Eurythmics! So grab a cup of hot chocolate, start putting your decorations up, and crank the volume up to 11 with this episode!

‘Tis the Podcast
FB: @tisthepodcast
Twitter: @tisthepod
IG: @tisthepodcast
FB Group: Tis the Podcast Group

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Anthony Caruso
Title: Remaking a Christmas Playlist with Only ‘80s Versions pt2 (w/ Anthony Caruso)

What’s up, dudes? I’ve got Charlie Ague of Closer to Christmas and Anthony Caruso from ‘Tis the Podcast here with me to talk all about the original orange tabby Heathcliff! Move over, Garfield! Here’s the street version!

In “North Pole Cat,” the mailman tells Heathcliff that Santa is returning their letters. Intrigued, the rough and tough cat grabs Spike and heads to the North Pole to investigate! Meanwhile, a disgruntled blue elf named Tuck gets fired, becomes even angrier with life, and tries to murder the animal duo. After saving the elf from a polar bear, Heathcliff and Spike reach Santa and alert him of the situation. Of course, all’s well that ends well. In “Christmas Memories,” the Cadillac Cats celebrate Leroy’s birthday and reminisce about their formation on Christmas Eve many years ago. There’s a Kidd Video reference and a wacky dress up scam.

Dogs versus cats? Check. Snow? Uh huh. A Malekith the Accursed-style dark elf trying to kill Heathcliff? Indubitably! So grab your red nose, hop in your caddy, and sled to the North Pole with this episode!

‘Tis the Podcast
FB: @tisthepodcast
Twitter: @tisthepod
IG: @tisthepodcast

Closer to Christmas
Twitter: @closertoxmas
IG: @closertoxmas

Ague Designs
IG: @aguedesigns

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Charlie Ague, Anthony Caruso
Title: Heathcliff (w/ Charlie and Anthony)

What’s up, dudes? Remember when Rocky Balboa ended the Cold War on Christmas Day? Ashley Dunbar from the Magic of the Season, CJ Bélanger from Christmas Sessions, and Anthony Caruso from ‘Tis the Podcast remember, and they join me to talk about “Rocky IV!” Eye of the Tiger returns with a cadre of dope tunes to help Rocky avenge his fallen comrade!

Boxing champion Rocky Balboa is living his best life. He’s got a huge house, a nice car, beautiful family, and an ‘80s robot. When his friend former champ Apollo Creed is killed in the ring with Russian warrior Ivan Drago, Rocky is devastated. Unable to find peace. Rocky then decides to fight Drago himself. He has a ton of training montages and builds up his endurance and stamina to fight the beast. It all culminates in Rocky ending the Cold War with boxing on Christmas Day! Cut to his son watching the fight by a gorgeous Christmas tree.

‘80s synth jams? Check. Snow? Yep. Dolph Lundgren actually hurting Sly and Carl? Definitely! So grab your boxing gloves, train in the Russian wilderness, and box with this episode all about “Rocky IV!”

The Magic of the Season
IG: @themagicoftheseasonpodcast

Christmas Sessions
FB: @ChristmasSessionsPodcast
Twitter: @xmassessionspod
IG: @christmassessionspod

‘Tis the Podcast
FB: @tisthepodcast
Twitter: @tisthepod
IG: @tisthepodcast

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / CJ Bélanger, Anthony Caruso, Ashley Dunbar
Title: Rocky IV (w/ CJ, Ashley, and Anthony)

What’s up, dudes? The Ghost of Christmas Rad is here to haunt us with another early episode! This time it’s all about G.I. Joe! Christmas Clatter host Todd Killian was the guest on my second full length episode! Enjoy!

Christmas Clatter
FB: @christmasclatter
IG: @christmasclatter
Twitter: @XmasClatter

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Todd Killian
Title: Ghost of Christmas Rad: G.I. Joe (w/ Todd Killian)

What’s up, dudes? It’s the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, so that means we’re halfway to Christmas! Here are a few of my friends and I playing a random game. Enjoy!

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Whose Line Friends
Title: Halfway to Christmas Shenanigans (w/ Friends)

What’s up, dudes? I’ve got Robert Nicholas from Behind the Bells and and Santa Ambassador Matt Spaulding from  North Pole Radio with me to talk all about the hodgepodge—smorgasbord, if you like—1982 Christmas special “A Disney Christmas Gift!” The special was made to distract from the fact that Disney had to delay the release of “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.”

The special is a compilation of Disney animated shorts, feature films, and live footage from Disneyland which is used to tie it all together. The intro and outro sequences are scored to the song “On Christmas Morning“, and display Christmas at Disneyland.  The special was nominated for a 1984 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour).

Mickey in a Santa suit? Check. Classic animated shorts? Yup. Scenes from Disney movies that have little or nothing to do with Christmas? Definitely! So grab your shadow, pull the sword out of the stone, and fly into this episode about “A Disney Christmas Gift!”

Behind the Bells
FB: @BehindtheBells
IG: @behind_the_bells_podcast

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Matt Spaulding, Robert NIcholas
Title: A Disney Christmas Gift (w/ Robert and Matt)

What’s up, dudes? It’s an episode so big I had to have 2 sets of guests! Yes, it’s the space cop BraveStarr! I’ve got 3 new members joining my BraveStarr club: AA and CM Chuck from Just Another Friday Night, and Jeff Loftin from Lost Christmas! Everyone wanted to talk a BraveStarr Christmas and “Tex’s Terrible Night!”

In this 1987 Filmation version of “A Christmas Carol,” Marshall BraveStarr and his deputy 30-30 leave Fort Kerium unattended at Christmas. When Stampede and Tex-Hex plan to exploit the lawmen’s absence with an attack, Shaman takes action Charles Dickens-style!

Shaman magically transports Tex-Hex from his bed to the past! Tex is forced to relive leaving his love Ursula, double crossing McBride,  (almost?) dying in a crash, and being reconstituted as a sorcerous bandit.

Shaman then shows Tex the present. Evidently Ursula and her new beau are heading to Fort Kerium for Christmas! The future, in typical Dickensian fashion, is bleak and continues without Tex leading his gang. Yes, the grizzled outlaw sees and embraces his own tombstone!

Tex rediscovers a bit of his humanity as he sabotages his master’s plan to attack on Christmas Day. The town is saved, as is his long lost love!

This one’s got it all! Well, except all the ghosts… Rotoscoping? Check. Fewer animation frames per second? Yup. Stereotypical cowboy junk? Definitely! So grab your blaster, hop on your quasi-anthropomorphic steed, and ride into this episode all about a BraveStarr Christmas and  “Tex’s Terrible Night!”

Just Another Friday Night
YouTube: @JAFNpodcast
FB: @JAFNpodcast
Twitter: @JAFNpodcast
IG: @jafnpodcast

Lost Christmas Podcast
FB: @LostChristmasPodcast
Twitter: @LostChristmasP1
IG: @lostchristmaspodcast

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / AA, CM Chuck, Jeff Loftin
Title: BraveStarr “Tex’s Terrible Night” pt1 (w/ AA and CM Chuck) and pt2 (w/ Jeff Loftin)

What’s up, dudes? It makes sense that a Christian music record label would release a version of the Christmas Story, right? Yup. Sparrow Records, founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records, did exactly that! In 1987, Sparrow released a promotional album to radio stations containing several of their biggest artists narrating the Nativity story. The B-side contained some Christmas IDs of these stars wishing us all a Merry Christmas.

The Christmas Story narration is done in this order: Michael Card is up first, followed by Scott Wesley Brown, Margaret Becker, Steve Camp, and Richard Souther. Michael Card then takes it up again, this time followed by Steven Curtis Chapman, Geoff Moore, Rick Florian of White Heart, Deniece Williams, and Steve Green.

The musical selections were taken from Steve Green’s album Joy To The World! The Scripture reading was taken from The New International Version translation.

Steven Curtis Chapman? Check. The guys from White Heart? Yup. Deniece Williams?!? Well, let’s hear it for the voice! So grab your donkey, knock on all the doors to the town’s inns, and remember what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown, as the Sparrow artists narrate the Christmas Story!

 

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D
Title: The Christmas Story as told by Sparrow Artists

What’s up, dudes? Once again,  I’ve got Christmas Clatter host Todd Killian here to discuss the back door Christmas in May “Newhart” episode ‘The Prodigal Daryl!’ Either the writer really loved Christmas or there was a Christmas episode they hadn’t used and really wanted to!

Joanna decides to take Christmas card pictures early since she and Dick always miss the opportunity during the season. They deck the hall—or inn, rather—with a Christmas tree, garland, wreaths, etc. Their patrons even  get involved and even help trim the tree!

Meanwhile Larry, his brother Daryl, and his other brother Daryl win $30K in a jingle writing contest! When his brother Daryl takes his share of the money and blows it on wanton decadence, Larry asks Dick to help him track him down and bring him back.  As the Loudons are about to take their Christmas card photo, the brother Daryl returns to his family! It’s a Christmas in May miracle!

Yes, this one’s got it all! Popcorn jingle? Check. Beautiful live tree? Yep. Daryl in a track suit? Definitely! So grab $10K, party with Dave Coulier, and take a Christmas card pic with this episode!

Christmas Clatter
FB: @christmasclatter
IG: @christmasclatter
Twitter: @XmasClatter

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

Listen to this episode of Totally Rad Christmas
Author: Gerry D / Todd Killian
Title:

Newhart “The Prodigal Daryl” (w/ Todd Killian)