Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast

Welcome to episode 200, Slackers! Perhaps you were expecting bells, whistles, pomp, circumstance? Well, not quite. Reaching this milestone has left me asking: what's next?  What is the future of this show? Or, is there even a future for the show? Probably not as it is today, but there will be something coming down the road.  For those of you who keep listening each week - THANK YOU! Stay tuned...

It's a snow day, Slackers! This episode is all about some of the wildest weather moments the U.S. has seen from 1965 right up to now. The standout blizzards, hurricanes, and tornado outbreaks that have hit hard, shut down cities, reshaped coastlines, and left people talking about them for decades. These storms actually changed lives and showed just how powerful nature can get, especially in places...

Movies can suck. But movies that suck, are often the best! The Golden Raspebery Awards, aka, "The Razzies" started in the 1980s. This was the perfect time for Hollywood to get called out for its most excessive, over-the-top, and sometimes disastrous output, complete with a smirk and a deliberately tacky trophy made from a spray-painted golf ball. The deliberate anti-Oscars began as a sarcastic liv...

Nanu nanu, Slackers! This week is all about classic sci-fi and fantasy TV shows from the 1970s and 1980s. There was prime-time epics with space fleets on the run, bionic agents taking down threats, aliens settling into family life, talking cars outsmarting crooks, lizard-like invaders, starship crews solving cosmic problems, mysterious islands granting wishes with a catch, and anthology stories fu...

It's 2026, Slackers! This episode kicks off with the usual New Year's Eve roundup - flipping between Dick Clark's countdown and the Nashville show, while my daughter belts out every word to today's country hits but shrugs off Dwight Yoakam like he's ancient history. My oldest came home early from Boston's First Night, which is basically a senior-citizen version of Times Square. We toasted anyway w...

Happy (Almost) New Year, Slackers! This episode is still about looking back, but much more recent events! 2025 was a year of extremes, surprises, and seismic shifts across the globe and in culture.  Political headlines dominated with a high-profile return to the White House, sweeping policy changes, ongoing international conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, fragile ceasefires, and Gen Z-fuele...

Merry Christmas, Slackers! It’s hard to believe, but this year marks the 35th anniversary of Home Alone , a film that remains one of the most fun (and durable) Christmas flicks. It is made that much more interesting with Macauley Culkin back on a press junket for this season of Fallout, along with the just completed Home Alone tour. We also lost several influential figures from film, television, a...

We've made into the New York Times, Slackers! In this week’s episode, I start by giving some love to our own John Cena, who wrestled his retirement match this past Saturday. He’s not the only one, since over the past few years, it seems like most of the Attitude/ Ruthless Agression era stars from our generation have hung up their boots for good. Next, I debut a new segment called "Weird News Weekl...

Great Scott, Slackers! Travel back to 1985, the absolute sweet spot of Gen X goodness. Holy cow, 1985 was pretty freaking good when it comes to TV, movies, and music! Television: Who ruled Thursday nights? Which new shows instantly became appointment viewing, and which now-iconic series launched that year? Box Office: The highest-grossing films of 1985 delivered time-traveling DeLoreans, Saturday...

Time to lift your Bic lighters up over your heads, Slackers! By 1981 the radio belonged to a handful of bands we still hear almost every day. Most people remember the massive ballads, the ones that cleared the floor at middle school dances or showed up in every movie montage. Because those songs were so huge, the bands got stamped as “soft rock” or “corporate” and that label has stuck for forty ye...

What is up, Hellfire Club, I mean, Slackers? This week is all about Thanksgiving and Stranger Things 5. I’m giving thanks (even though some days it’s been tough to find my gratitude) and laying out my final predictions for the season. More specifically, who’s who in the ST dead pool. The Duffer Brothers keep saying they channeled the spirit of series finales that actually left us satisfied. And Re...

Was it all just a dream, Slackers?! This week I’m revisiting the series finales from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s that truly stuck the landing. Picture the night MASH aired its 90+ minute finale, when over a hundred million people tuned in, Bob Newhart delivering the single greatest punchline in sitcom history, and the entire Cheers gang finally walking out of that bar (the finale which I attended liv...

Hi Ho, Slackers! Has there really been a shift in how TV dads are portrayed? Maybe so. This week I’m looking back at the dads who embodied the values of their era. Jim Anderson and Ward Cleaver weren’t comic relief. They were steady, thoughtful men who held real jobs, owned their mistakes, and guided their families with quiet authority. No cartoonish antics, just solid leadership. In the ’60s and...

What is up, Slackers?! After teasing it a couple of weeks ago, here we are with another “Whatever Wednesday”! So, what’s on the menu for this episode? Me complaining about stuff again, a belated shout-out to the late, great Ace Frehley, some new TV series I’ve been watching, a few more horror movie reviews, and giving some love to another great Gen X podcast. Got any topics you’d like to hear cove...

Happy Halloween, Slackers! True to form this season, I've been deep in a horror marathon. While the bulk are fresh 2025 releases, I caught up on a handful I missed from the last few years. From elevated dread to relentless slashers and wildly unhinged horror-comedy, there's a flavor for every fright fan. I've kept this as spoiler-free as possible—perfect if you're lining these up for your Hallowee...

Hey, Slackers! This episode was meant to be a laid-back "Whatever Wednesday," but it turned into something deeper as I felt the need to share what's been weighing on me. Recovering from surgery has been tougher than expected, and I open up about the challenges I've faced. Like many of us, especially in Gen X, we tend to push through pain, illness, or struggles with a "grit your teeth and move on"...

Get your popcorn ready, Slackers! We all know the legendary names—Spielberg, Scorsese, Raimi—directors who kicked off in the 1970s and kept crafting cinematic masterpieces for decades. But what about the filmmakers who delivered massive hits yet couldn’t sustain the magic? For one reason or another—whether it was a lack of the right scripts, budgets, or staying power—their box office glory faded....

Hey Slackers, we're taking a fun detour this episode! Longtime listeners know I was a die-hard hair band and metal fan back in the '80s, which, let's be honest, made me a bit of a genre snob. Looking back, I realize I missed out on a ton of incredible music from that decade. Inspired by my son’s request for a fresh playlist, I decided to step outside my usual rock, metal, punk, and emo comfort zon...

More 80s goodness on deck, Slackers! The 1980s were a springboard for musicians who left chart-topping bands to chase solo stardom, often outshining their former groups with blockbuster success. This episode explores artists who turned band fame into iconic solo careers, surpassing their groups’ album sales with hits that defined the decade. Going solo was a bold move. Some swapped gritty rock for...

Hit it, Slackers! On this week’s episode, I’m debunking the myth that the best guitarists always deliver the greatest solos. Sure, virtuosos like Eddie Van Halen shred with jaw-dropping skill, but do their weedly-weedly-dee solos always elevate the song? Not necessarily! Sometimes, simpler is better—think melodic, tasteful, and hummable solos that truly serve the music. Is Eddie Van Halen a better...

Hey, Slackers. This isn't the type of podcast I typically enjoy recording, but the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk compelled me to address this topic. I generally avoid discussing religion or politics on the show - it's not my focus - but Generation X has lived through some profoundly challenging events due to our place in history.  First, I'll explore recent data on Gen X's political positio...

Let's eat, Slackers! This episode is simple: Candy & Restaurants. That's it. That's the topic. I rediscovered one of my all time favorite candy bars, the mighty 5th Avenue and that led us here. I also came across a closed restaurant storefront and started thinking back to the places that 6 year old me would have thought were "fancy" dining. You know, like Sizzler or Ponderosa. Ever have a Pond...

Sticks and stones, Slackers! This week is all about words and phrases that have fallen out of favor, driven by shifting societal norms often labeled as oversensitive, while highlighting the pushback from those who defiantly reuse or revive these terms. First we'll explore phrases deemed insensitive - particularly around disability, gender, and sexuality - examining how the drive to sanitize langua...

Grab a pack of Red Apples and head on over to Jack Rabbit Slims, Slackers! This week's episode is dedicated to the violent, stylish, and unforgettable world of Quentin Tarantino's films. After a solid month of rewatching every single one of his movies, from the gritty heist-gone-wrong caper of Reservoir Dogs to the Hollywood glow of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, I’m ready to lay out my personal t...

TV time, Slackers! This episode covers my favorite TV shows that I've watched over the last 12 months, all shaped by Generation X creators. Ted Lasso, Succession, Severance , and Shrinking stand out with their mix of humor, heart, and sharp insight. Jason Sudeikis and Bill Lawrence bring warmth to Ted Lasso , while Jesse Armstrong’s Succession nails generational power dynamics. Ben Stiller’s Sever...