Retrogasm

Growing Pains

2007-02-13T03:00:00.001-08:00

So Growing Pains has made it's way back on to televison during the late nights on Nick At Nite. Growing Pains was a great show during the 80s and I'm glad it was brought back, I haven't checked ABC Family in awhile but I know that was the last place I saw it. It was a bit cheesy looking back on it but what 80s TV show wasn't and it's before Kirk Cameron gave his life up to "be with God". It's 6am and it is currently on NIK2 on Direct TV. I liked alot of the shows when he was older and dating the family babysitter... she was hot... Was her name Shelley? His friend Boner was always good for a bit of slapstick. Overall a memoral 80s show and one people should watch if not just for nostalgia value.

Intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIcXDo82S_Y
Cast: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088527/fullcredits

The new Transformer movie coming...

2007-02-11T23:37:00.000-08:00

I'm really hoping this movie does not disappoint. Children of the 80s are waiting with bated breath for the classic favorite cartoon turner live action/cgi movie to hit theaters. Now Ive seen pictures of what Megatron is supposed to look like and I'm left with a dry taste in my mouth the whole premise for the series was that these were robots who could transform into anything and i grew up with the vehicle transformers and Megatron looks nothing like any of the robots he appeared to be in any of the series.

I think I'm letting this name take over me because I've never sat and thought about cartoons and things like this so deeply or with much thought and looked at people that did as being socially deprived. But here I sit a popular social butterfly talking about this movie like I'm supposed to be some hardcore buff.

The Megatron i saw looked like a reject model from a Terminator movie more than a Decepticon. If anyone has any info on this post a comment.

Captain OG Readmore

2007-02-11T21:57:00.000-08:00

ABC's Weekend Specials was the shit back in the day. O.G. Readmore was an awesome character who would do cool PSAs and promos on books and Reading along with hosting this noon time special that did adaptations of popular childrens novels, it was the CBS equiant to CBS Storybreak note the same alotted time slots for both shows. They ended the 80s early 90s Saturday Morning cartoon blocks. I remember in the early days catching the then live action puppet version of O.G. Readmore introducing the upcoming episode and giving a small synopsis of the book featured; just as Bob Keeshan did on the original CBS Storybreak before Malcolm Jamal Warner took his place. Captain O.G. Readmore's puppet was replaced as the show continued in seasons with an animated version of the feline captain. Although both shows were fantasti in their own right Captain O.G. Readmore brought more emotion and charisma to the books he presented, whereas Keeshan was a bit more serious. The old episodes with the puppet often featured live guests such as Vincent Price & Harry Blackstone. I really do suggest checking both out if you can find them. I know Storybreak was released in a video set.

Check Out this site for sound bites: http://www.mkbmemorial.com/FWHp/fwhp_OGR.html

Bozo The Clown

2007-02-11T21:41:00.000-08:00

I remember seeing this show vaguely during my early childhod years, the opening and closing is what i remember most, that and the game show format it seemed to have. I've searched and searched for the elusive show seeing if i could find a clip and yet nothing. I live in Maine so I don't even know if the version I watched was the original, a rerun from the early days or what. I know that I didn't see it last running in my area much after the mid 80s. Bozo you are missed.

The Glory that is KIDS INCORPORATED

2007-02-11T12:41:00.000-08:00

Wow what to say about such a great program, I was born in 80, I watched this whenever I got the chance. I viewed it while it was on NBC and if im not mistaken i think it was on CBS for a minute... Maybe not. When it moved to Disney strictly I didn't get to see it as much but whever a free preview was on, I was glued to the television screen. I always had a thing for Marika when I used to watch the show. Looking back I don't know what I was thinking, I mean shes cute but nothing like I remember. I guess things are different in the 80s. If it werent for the horrible fashion and the horrible hair style she may have looked better. Its weird looking back at Stacie Ferguson and seeing her now trying to be Hip Hop with Black Eyed Peas. I love Hip Hop but I dunno I think she tries a bit too hard. She went from doing pop to being hip hop "diva". And to look back at Rahsaan Patterson he still has a great voice to this day, if you havent heard his R&B/Soul music... LOOK IT UP! Ryan Lambert wow... I'm still not sure what to make of his band. This show covered so many wonderful 80s hits, from Madonna to The PlimSouls to The Cure. The show lasted 9 seasons although I have to say the 90s seasons couldn't touch the 80s. The talent wasn't even as great and the way they went and fucked up the intro in 93 is just sacrilege. Don't mess with a good thing it only leads to terrible out comings. I wish shows like this still existed. KIDS INC alongside the new Mickey Mouse Club were awesome Disney shows. I'm just thankful for Youtube and KidsIncorporated.us for giving me a glimpse into something that molded my childhood.

USA Cartoon Express

2007-02-11T12:21:00.000-08:00

USA Cartoon Express was a classic line up of a lot of Hanna Barbara programming, Magilla Gorilla, Pac Man, Monchichi's , Smurfs, Snorks, Shirt Tails and many other great programs, it's signature bullet train was probably the most memorable part of the block. That train was the symbol of this block of nostalgia. On Cartoon Express you could see classic animation like Dyno Mutt and Wacky Races. It ran from 1982 to 1998 but died way before that. Once Cartoon Network was established it took much of the chunk of the animation with it. The line up was revamped but would never hold a candle to the original. I want people that aren't in the know to see what child programs were like in the before the 90s.

Intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNrtq1LB9ek

Look here to get an indepth description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Cartoon_Express

TV ain't the same.

2007-02-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

What the fuck happened to our Saturday Morning cartoons? Rant with me here, I admit within the past year or two a few stations like CW, NBC & FOX have tried with some success in my opinion to bring back a quality Saturday morning but it is in no way what I grew up on. What the hell happened to America? We're all about buying out the under dog, cutting corners and importing crap nowadays. Now I have nothing against Japan some of my favorite cartoons from the 80s were anime, although I didn't realize it until later. Nowadays you cant turn to a station without some Americanized Anime. What happened to our quality Disney cartoons? Toon Disney has taken effort to bring back some 80s Disney classics, Winnie The Pooh, DuckTales, Chip N Dale, TaleSpin, GroofTroop and such. Cartoon Network used to run quality 80s programming but now replaced shows with crappy animated cartoons that are either imported from Japan or look like a 5 year old drew them. Toon Disney put in place this Jetix crap and it takes up like 10 hours of broadcasting, I give Disney respect for buying Dungeons & Dragons and airing it but do we really need a "Power Rangers Generations" ?? or a Pucca? What the heck is up with The Replacements? How fucking shallow is this show? Don't like something call a company and have it replaced? wtf. Wheres my CBS Storybreak? Wheres my Muppet Babies... My Chipmunks? My Galaxy Rangers? My "Time For Timer" and School House Rocks?

I give Cartoon Network respect for making Boomerang a channel that for the most part shows 24 hours of hanna barbara and other various toons from the 80s and earlier. Why did Noggin go from showing vintage educational programming to showing Nick Jr. shows? wtf is Nick Jr. for?

Why does ABC show repeats of Disney shows on Saturday morning instead of original programming? I want to know why? But I guess I'll keep asking myself...

Great Space Coaster

2007-02-11T10:20:00.000-08:00

Up until last month, I recollected commercials featuring these puppets and a vclown interacting with Tiger Cubs the program sponsored by the Cub Scouts for 1st graders and I had a few dreams about this show and forever the title of this mysterious show eluded me. All I remember was this clown travelling in this space craft picking up children and then i found Retrojunk.com and my dream finally became a reality. Great Space Coaster was a chunk of my childhood that holds vague but fond memories, I remember getting up in the morning and watching Great Space Coaster and Kids Incorporated before they went strictly to Disney. I found out that theres actually a website dedicated to this awesome program and that Kevin Clash, the person behind Elmo was also involved in this show. I used to recall watch Knock Knock and Goriddle Gorilla telling what now seem like the lamest jokes but for a child back then were funny. It is a shame that tv of this caliber is no longer run.

The Intro

Knock Knock and Goriddle Gorilla

looking back on Goriddle he isnt what i would call a friendly looking puppet. Infact he is quite ugly.