Pop Culture Yearbook

This week we take a look at the cult comedy Friday , the movie that gave us Craig, Smokey, Deebo, “Bye Felicia,” and one very memorable day in South Central Los Angeles. Brad and Giff break down the movie from their very different perspectives—one longtime fan and one first-time viewer. We talk about the cast, F. Gary Gray’s direction, the connections to movies like Boyz n the Hood , House Party ,...

Pack your bags, grab some contraband snacks, and whatever you do, don’t let Tony Perkis take over! In this episode, we revisit the 1995 comedy Heavyweights , a movie that may not have been a huge hit when it was released but has developed a loyal following over the years. Brad and Giff are joined by Alicia Morelli, a lifelong fan of the movie, to talk about why Heavyweights has remained such a mem...

It’s time to open the Pop Culture Yearbook to 1995! Brad and Giff are joined by Dave and Rob from Totally 80s and 90s Recall to revisit a year that was a major turning point in all of their lives. For each of the guys, 1995 meant something different — from high school and college to joining the Air Force, discovering new independence, meeting future spouses, starting careers, and figuring out what...

1985 was a very good year to be Michael J. Fox. In this episode, we take a double dose of Michael J. Fox and revisit two very different movies from his unforgettable 1985: Back to the Future and Teen Wolf . Both are coming-of-age stories about young guys trying to figure out who they are—and both feature Fox at the center of the action—but that's about where the similarities end. We dig into the s...

1985 was packed with huge songs, and in this episode of Pop Culture Yearbook , we take a trip through the year’s biggest hits with a series of artist spotlights. From Bryan Adams to Prince and Howard Jones to John Parr, we revisit the songs that made 1985 such an unforgettable year in music. Then we turn the spotlight to John Mellencamp and his 1985 classic Scarecrow . We talk about Mellencamp’s e...

It’s time to head back to 1985 and one of the most gloriously ridiculous murder mysteries ever made: Clue ! Brad, Giff, and special guest Pete revisit the cult comedy that has only grown more beloved over the years — and Pete may be its biggest fan. We talk about our memories of first seeing Clue , why the movie didn’t exactly set the box office on fire in 1985, and how it eventually found its aud...

We are teaming up with the Children of the 80s Podcast to revisit 1985, share our memories, and draft the best music, movies, and TV shows from one of the most iconic years of the decade. Take a nostalgic trip back to the year with our friends Jim and Lindsay. We start by sharing our personal memories of 1985 before getting into the main event: drafting the biggest and best music, movies, and TV s...

It's happening! After close to three years, we're finally talking about maybe our collective favorite movie ever: 1980's Caddyshack ! No movie has been more quoted, more watched, and more important to bringing us together with our friends than Caddyshack . In this episode, we talk all about what makes it great in our opinion. One of the reasons Caddyshack is so wonderful is the performance of Bill...

If there is one thing we love at PCY more than nostalgia, it might be trivia. The arrival of Trivial Pursuit in the 80s took the board game world by storm. At least that's how we remembered it. We talk about our first memories of the game (Spiro Agnew) and even pit Brad against Giff in a quick trivia match.  After the exciting mano a mano, we finish the episode by drafting our favorite board games...

What happens when two Gen X parents sit down with one of their Gen Z daughters to talk about Olivia Rodrigo? You get two generations, three perspectives, and plenty of opinions. In this episode, Giff, Brad, and Brad's daughter Isla dive into Olivia Rodrigo’s y ou seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, talking about the songs, the sound, the lyrics, and what makes Olivia such a massive star with a...

Dave is back! When our sometime host Dave heard we were doing 1980, he requested we discuss one of his favorite movies, Flash Gordon . None of the rest of us had seen this movie, and it is quite an experience. While it may not be the best movie ever made, it definitely has found its way into pop culture still today, thanks in no small part to the movie Ted. It also doesn't hurt that the music was...

Surprise! Instead of cramming so much into one episode, we splitting it up and giving you a special episode. In this one, we remember 1980 and draft all the best movies, TV shows, and music from the year. This is a fun look back you don't want to miss! Support our show and join our Patreon ! If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on the iTunes/Apple Podcasts app or wherever you listen. O...

We were 4 years old in 1980, so when we started this show we figured that would be as far back as we'd go. But now that we're actually focusing on the year 1980, we are making an exception. And you can ALWAYS make an exception for Steve Martin. The Jerk was released in December of 1979. But it was such a great and important movie (especially for Brad) that we're including it now. It'd a great way...

What happens when three pop culture podcasts collide? A lot of laughs, plenty of friendly trash talk, and a serious test of music knowledge! This week, Giff joins Jim from the  Children of the '80s podcast to square off against Mike and Brian from The 70s vs. the 80s podcast in an epic Name That Tune and Pop Culture Trivia Challenge comparing hits from 1977 to 1987. The competition is fierce as ea...

In Part 2 of this special two-part collaboration with the Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast, we revisit another defining album of 1991: Achtung Baby by U2.Together, we go track by track through the album that reinvented U2 and changed the trajectory of the band. From the emotional power of "One" to iconic tracks like "Mysterious Ways" and "The Fly," we break down what made this album such a bold...

In Part 1 of this special two-part collaboration with the Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast, we revisit one of the defining albums of 1991: Out of Time by R.E.M..Together, we go track by track through the album that launched R.E.M. from alternative rock favorites to worldwide stars. From the massive success of "Losing My Religion" to all the standout tracks on side B, we break down what made thi...

We’re heading to the Satellite of Love to revisit Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie —the cult classic that brought the beloved TV series to the big screen. With our guest Brian Rappe, we discuss what made MST3K such a unique pop culture phenomenon, why the movie still holds up for longtime fans, and how its rapid-fire humor helped redefine comedy for an entire generation of weird movie lover...

In 1993, the Smashing Pumpkins released Siamese Dream —an album packed with massive guitar tones, vulnerable lyrics, and some of alternative rock's most enduring songs. This week we revisit the 1993 classic and discuss what makes tracks like “Cherub Rock,” “Today,” “Disarm,” and “Mayonaise” continue to resonate decades later. We also complete our rankings of the 90s albums we've been discussing al...

This week we're turning the clock back to 1992 to revisit Core , the breakout debut album from Stone Temple Pilots. From "Plush" and "Creep" to "Sex Type Thing" and "Wicked Garden," we discuss the album's biggest songs, its place in the grunge era, and whether it deserves more credit as one of the defining rock records of the decade. Along the way, we dig into the history of the band, the criticis...

This week on Pop Culture Yearbook, we dive deep into Dirt , the landmark 1992 album from Alice in Chains that helped define the darker, heavier side of the Seattle grunge explosion. Dave from Totally 80s and 90s Recall join us to break down classic tracks like “Would?,” “Rooster,” “Them Bones,” and “Down in a Hole,” while discussing Layne Staley’s haunting vocals, Jerry Cantrell’s riffs, and why t...

Dive into Nevermind by Nirvana as we revisit the album’s songs, production, cultural impact, and lasting influence on rock music. We talk about the rise of grunge in the early ’90s, the success of “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and why Nevermind remains one of the defining albums of its era. Then it’s draft time as we pick the greatest album covers of all time. From iconic classics with instantly reco...

This week on Pop Culture Yearbook, we dive into Ten — the groundbreaking debut that helped launch the Seattle grunge explosion and turned Pearl Jam into rock legends. From “Alive” and “Even Flow” to “Jeremy” and “Black,” we break down why Ten still hits more than 30 years later and how it stacks up against the greatest debut albums ever released. Then it’s draft time as we build our ultimate lists...

This week on Pop Culture Yearbook, we’re diving into two wildly different comedies with surprisingly similar energy: Despicable Me and MacGruber . One gave us Minions, supervillains, and family heart; the other gave us explosions, chaos, and one of the most hilariously overconfident action heroes ever put on screen. We break down what makes both movies cult favorites, revisit the unforgettable quo...

This week, we’re diving into the sitcom classic Modern Family —the show that redefined what a “normal” family looks like on TV. From the Dunphys to the Pritchetts to the Tucker-Pritchett crew, we revisit why this mockumentary-style comedy became a cultural staple. We spotlight two standout episodes: the chaotic romance of season one's “My Funky Valentine” and the fan-favorite “Halloween” from seas...

We’re heading back to 2010 for a comedy double feature, breaking down The Other Guys and S he’s Out of My League . One’s a chaotic, over-the-top buddy cop comedy… the other’s an underrated rom-com that somehow makes “out of your league” feel relatable. We highlight the best scenes and quotes, memorable characters, and other fun categories showing these two movies indeed have a lot in common.  Then...