Free Nights And Weekends

Send us Fan Mail This week on Free Nights and Weekends, we step back inside the cathedral of 80s childhood: Toys “R” Us. If you grew up in that era, this wasn’t just a store — it was the place where your pulse spiked, your hopes soared, and your parents quietly questioned every decision that led them into that building. Those sliding glass doors opened like the gates of Oz, releasing that unmistak...

Send us Fan Mail This week on *Free Nights and Weekends*, Scott is joined by longtime friend and veteran musician Rick Toops — and the two dive headfirst into one of the wildest pop-culture stories of the late ’80s: the rise, fall, and unexpected comeback of Milli Vanilli. Yep. You read that right. Fab Morvan — one half of the most infamous duo in pop history — is nominated for a Grammy. Again. An...

Send us Fan Mail This week on the Free Nights and Weekends Podcast , Scott dives straight into the retail mayhem of a true Gen-X Black Friday — back when parents fought strangers for Cabbage Patch Kids, Atari games were stacked like sandbags, and leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches were the fuel that powered America’s bravest shoppers. From 1983’s infamous Cabbage Patch riots to bargain-bin At...

Send us Fan Mail Scott takes a solo dive into 1980s photography: Fotomat drive-up kiosks, disposable cameras, one-hour photo labs, and the unforgettable feeling of opening a yellow envelope filled with freshly developed prints. From mystery film rolls to the family photo album era, this episode explores what we lost when photos stopped taking time — and why those imperfect old snapshots still matt...

Send us Fan Mail Michael Knight is back on the highway—whether we asked for it or not.  In this week’s episode of Free Nights and Weekends , Scott and Adam dust off the Trans Am, fire up the red scanner light, and dive head-first into all things Knight Rider . We break down the original 1980s phenomenon, the cultural impact of KITT (television’s sassiest AI long before Alexa got snippy),  and the...

Send us Fan Mail Did you have a ridiculous drivers ed experience in high school? I can't imagine it tops this.  Hang on as some voices from the past come together to retell how we all survived the craziest drivers ed story I've ever heard of. And I was right there! Show Sponsor Don't Just Let Memories Live On FNAW Digitize them with The Digitize Center  Angry that you don't hav...

Send us Fan Mail This week we welcome the guys from Fried Okla to unwrap Halloween.  — when every parent swore there were razor blades in apples, LSD in Smarties.   Scott revisits trick-or-treating in suburban Oklahoma — the haunted houses, the good candy, and the one neighbor who gave out full-size bars and nightmares. Then Marc storms in and adds a dash of New England for contrast, and together...

Send us Fan Mail Fire up the flux capacitor, because Back to the Future just turned 40—and we’re feeling old.  Scott and Marc hop in the time machine to revisit 1985, when Michael J. Fox ruled the screen, Pepsi Free was a thing, and where’s our hoverboards? From the guitar-shredding Enchantment Under the Sea dance to Doc Brown’s wild-eyed inventions. Ronald Reagan?! Who’s the Sec of the Treasury?...

Send us Fan Mail MTV didn’t just play music videos—it invented pop culture. From “Video Killed the Radio Star” to “The Real World,” we look back at the rise and inevitable collapse of MTV as YouTube and reality TV took over. In this episode of Free Nights and Weekends, Marc Boucher joins as we revisit the VJs, the early days, and the moment the music died—again. *Update: a quick Google search tell...

Send us Fan Mail Remember the Yugo — that infamous box of bolts from the 1980s Eastern Bloc? Turns out, it’s back. In this episode, Scott and Chase Cammack take a joyride through the history, the hype, and the horror stories of the world’s most mocked automobile. From Cold War car factories to Craigslist comeback attempts, we explore how the Yugo went from punchline to cult classic. It’s nostalgia...

Send us Fan Mail Napster is in the news again. We didn't even know there was still a Napster!  This week, Scott welcomes Rick Toops to the mic. They discuss how Napster revolutionized music sharing and just what even is a Napster. Or was. Listen to Rick Toops here Show Sponsor Don't Just Let Memories Live On FNAW Digitize them with The Digitize Center  Angry that you don't have the...

Send us Fan Mail The beloved neighborhood electronic store, RadioShack is back! Well, it was back briefly. But not really. In this episode, Marc joins Scott for a discussion about this once ubiquitous American brand.  Show Sponsor Don't Just Let Memories Live On FNAW Digitize them with The Digitize Center  Angry that you don't have the latest Free Nights and Weekends Podcast gear? Fix th...

Send us Fan Mail Step right up! Free Nights and Weekends takes a deep-fried dive into the Oklahoma State Fair — where childhood smelled like funnel cakes, diesel fumes, and bad decisions. Scott is joined by Garth and Ken from Fried Okla to swap stories about sketchy carnies, dunk tank jerks, and the glory of winning a live iguana you absolutely didn’t need. It’s a nostalgic, laugh-out-loud ride th...

Send us Fan Mail In Florida (of course), Chuck E. Cheese was marched out in handcuffs — tokens spilling, kids crying, parents googling “refund policy.” But before the mugshots, there was the magic. We rewind to the 80s, when Chuck E. Cheese was the cathedral of childhood chaos: bad pizza, skee-ball economies, and animatronic bands that haunted your dreams. And we discuss it with our own Florida ma...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, Scott and his guest, Adam Fuller dive into the nostalgia surrounding car audio systems, from the 1980s.  Back in the 80s, car audio was more than music—it was an identity. Some kids turned their hatchbacks into rolling boom boxes with amps, equalizers, and enough bass to rattle windows three blocks over. Meanwhile, others (like me) were just hoping the FM dia...

Send us Fan Mail Special guest, Johnny Beane stops in to discuss the pending Sotheby's auction of the first Kramer EVH striped guitar.    Show Sponsor Don't Just Let Memories Live On FNAW Digitize them with The Digitize Center  Angry that you don't have the latest Free Nights and Weekends Podcast gear? Fix that here!  Support the show Free Nights and Weekends on Facebook Our Website...

Send us Fan Mail Remember the movie that freaked out a generation? We thought we did too. This week, Scott and Marc revisit The Amityville Horror. While it’s not a technically “great” movie, it’s not technically scary or entertaining either. What a mess.  Editor note : Too many zeros were remembered on the price of the house. It sold for $80k. Oops.  Special thanks to Dan Adams at EXP Realty This...

Send us Fan Mail Finally Summer Vacation in then 80's! A time for endless bike rides, melting popsicles and wait a minute... School?  Yep! Instead of sleeping in and playing Atari, some of us got sent to VBS.  A week of sticky craft glue, questionable Kool-Aid and songs that never ended.  We've suckered, uh, welcome back childhood friend and Arizona pastor, Chad Goucher to help us untang...

Send us Fan Mail The Wright brothers had wings. Neil Armstrong had NASA. Lawn Chair Larry had a $110 Sears lawn chair, forty-five helium balloons, and the courage of a man who didn’t understand gravity. In this episode, Free Nights and Weekends salutes Larry Walters — the DIY aviator who soared into California airspace armed with Coca-Cola, sandwiches, beer, and zero formal training. Scott and Mar...

Send us Fan Mail See he was a bird and he was big, get it? In this the 24th episode extravaganza, we dig through the tucked away memories of Sesame Street.  Show Sponsor Don't Just Let Memories Live On FNAW Digitize them with The Digitize Center  Angry that you don't have the latest Free Nights and Weekends Podcast gear? Fix that here!  Support the show Free Nights and Weekends on Facebo...

Send us Fan Mail This week Scott and guest host Marc Boucher discuss memorable commercials of the 1980s. Mustard handoffs, Creepy talking bears and deception run amok.  And “ancient Chinese secret” my arse!  It was Calgon!  We all knew it.  Show Sponsor Don't Just Let Memories Live On FNAW Digitize them with The Digitize Center  Angry that you don't have the latest Free Nights and Weeken...

Send us Fan Mail Scott and Marc relive the terror, confusion, and late-night panic attacks it triggered in American suburbia. From duck-and-cover drills to existential dread before recess, we unpack how one film reshaped the childhood of GenXers everywhere. Watch the movie here! Show Sponsor Don't Just Let Memories Live On FNAW Digitize them with The Digitize Center  Angry that you don't...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we explore the life and legacy of Evil Knievel, the iconic stuntman who captivated audiences with his daring jumps and larger-than-life persona. We talk about childhood memories of Knievel, discuss the impact of his stunts on pop culture, and delve into the controversies that surrounded his life. We also consider the evolution of extreme sports and how Knievel&apo...

Send us Fan Mail Scott welcomes back parodical co-host Jed as they reminisce about their childhood experiences with sick days, school closures, and the lengths some went to in order to stay home from school. Stories about the weather in Oklahoma, the thrill of waiting for school closures on TV, and the challenges of faking illness to avoid school. The conversation also touches on the television sh...

Send us Fan Mail Finally Summer Vacation in then 80's! A time for endless bike rides, melting popsicles and wait a minute... School?  Yep! Instead of sleeping in and playing Atari, some of us got sent to VBS.  A week of sticky craft glue, questionable Kool-Aid and songs that never ended.  We've suckered, uh, welcome back childhood friend and Arizona pastor, Chad Goucher to help us untang...