Steve Spears, creator and co-host of Stuck in the '80s, joins Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni to celebrate 20 years of 80s podcasting—and to discuss his new book, Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade. From early podcasting chaos to unforgettable celebrity interviews and the community built along the way, this episode is a nostalgic deep dive into the decade that still connects us.
Steve joins us to talk about his brand-new book:
Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade
The book pulls together stories, reflections, behind-the-scenes moments, and lessons learned from more than two decades of interviewing the artists, actors, and cultural figures who shaped Generation X.
In this episode, we discuss:
How Stuck in the '80s began as a newspaper assignment in the early days of podcasting
What it was like recording episodes with handheld mics at a cafeteria table
The nerves (and occasional nausea!) before interviewing legends
Interview "misfires" and what they taught Steve about preparation and connection
Why the best interviews happen when you drop the script and just have a conversation
How writing the book changed Steve's perspective on 20 years of work
The powerful sense of community built around shared 80s memories
The wild fun of The 80s Cruise, theme nights, and Steve's legendary trivia sessions
Why nostalgia isn't about being "stuck" — it's about shared identity and connection
Steve's book is available through major retailers, and fans of the podcast will love the added context, behind-the-scenes reflections, and personal stories that didn't always make it into the original episodes.
🌎 Website: SIT80s.com
Book: Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade
🔹 Get her book anywhere books are sold, including Kindle Unlimited and onceinalifetimenovel.com
🔹 Visit her at suzannemattaboni.com
🔹 Follow Suzanne:
🌎 Website: GenXJourneys.net
📩 Email: paul@genxjourneys.net
📺 YouTube: @GenXJourneys
📷 Instagram: @GenXJourneys
🐦 Twitter/X: @Returntothe80s
📘 Facebook: GenX Journeys
🎥 TikTok: @GenXJourneys
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