Shows
Like Whatever Gen-XHearts of Glass, Malls and Memories, A Chat with Pat GreenWhat happens when three mall misfits find each other amid the neon glow and synthesizer soundtracks of 1988? That's the question at the heart of our conversation with author Pat Green, whose novel "Hearts of Glass: Living in the Real World" captures both the nostalgia and the complicated reality of growing up Gen X.Pat reveals how the book originated from a series of blog posts about influential women in Gen X culture, evolving into a story of found family and survival. Through his characters—Ford, a traumatized former child model; Cassie, a punk-rock fan escaping an abusive re...2025-07-251h 31Like Whatever Gen-XWe'll Be Right Back, After These MessagesRemember the eerie Parkey butter dish whispering "butter" to lonely homemakers? The Kool-Aid Man violently crashing through walls? Or that problematic Calgon "Ancient Chinese Secret" commercial that has lived rent-free in our brains for decades? These aren't just random memories—they're powerful marketing campaigns that embedded themselves permanently in the collective Gen X consciousness.In this nostalgia-packed episode, we explore the surprising staying power of commercial jingles and TV ads from our youth. From McDonald's impossibly catchy menu songs to the Life cereal kid who supposedly died mixing Pop Rocks and Coke (spoiler: he didn't!), these marketing mo...2025-07-181h 13Like Whatever Gen-XWe're Gonna Need A Bigger PodcastTwo lifelong movie fans peel back the layers of cinematic history to reveal the chaotic, problem-plagued production that unexpectedly created one of the most influential films of all time. What began as a seemingly straightforward adaptation of Peter Benchley's novel about a man-eating shark became a masterclass in filmmaking innovation when everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.The mechanical shark—famously nicknamed "Bruce" after Spielberg's lawyer—refused to cooperate, sinking, malfunctioning, and looking decidedly unrealistic when it did appear. But this seemingly catastrophic failure forced the young director to reimagine his approach, relying instead on sugg...2025-07-111h 10Like Whatever Gen-XNow That's What I Call HeartacheHeartbreak never sounded so good. Join us as we journey through the defining breakup anthems of the 80s and 90s that still make us feel all the feelings decades later.We're unpacking the surprising truth behind The Police's "Every Breath You Take" (hint: it's definitely not a love song), the cinematic power of OMD's "If You Leave" from Pretty in Pink, and the vocal masterpiece that is Whitney Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You." Each track comes with stories – both from music history and our own personal connections that might just trigger your own musical me...2025-07-041h 01Like Whatever Gen-XBite Club; Lend Me Your EarBoxing history changed forever on June 28, 1997, when Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear during their heavyweight championship rematch. That shocking moment serves as the centerpiece of this deep dive into one of sports' most fascinating rivalries.We journey through Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield's remarkable career path - from his humble beginnings as a boxing-obsessed 7-year-old in Atlanta to becoming the only four-time heavyweight champion in boxing history. His disciplined approach and resilience carried him from Olympic bronze to multiple world titles across two weight classes.Contrasting Holyfield's story, Mike Tyson emerged from Brooklyn's toughest...2025-06-271h 07Like Whatever Gen-XThe Nutty TelethonRemember those late nights when you'd stumble into the living room and find your mom watching Jerry Lewis on TV, his bow tie undone, sweat beading on his forehead as he urged America to donate just a little more? For Gen X kids, the annual Labor Day Telethon wasn't just a charity event—it was a cultural phenomenon that marked summer's end with celebrity appearances, tearful stories, and that magical tote board clicking toward another million dollars.In this nostalgic deep dive, we explore how the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon evolved from its 1966 beginnings to become a 24-h...2025-06-2052 minLike Whatever Gen-XSounds Gay, We're InThe long, hard-fought road to LGBTQ+ equality stretches back centuries, but few generations have witnessed the seismic shifts that Gen X has. From criminalizing same-sex relationships to nationwide marriage equality, our generation watched society's attitudes transform dramatically during our lifetime.Many argue that gayness is some new "trend," but the facts tell a different story. With over 1,500 animal species exhibiting same-sex behavior in nature, from penguin pair-bonding to elephant male-to-male relationships, the evidence is overwhelming - this is natural and has always existed. Ancient human civilizations openly celebrated same-sex relationships, with early forms of same-sex marriage ceremonies...2025-06-131h 21Like Whatever Gen-XHot Lips And HeartbreakSend us an emailSupport the show#genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1 2025-06-061h 07Like Whatever Gen-XIf You Chill It, They Will ComeSummer blockbusters wouldn't exist without air conditioning. That's right—before Willis Carrier installed the first theater cooling system in 1925, studios avoided summer releases entirely, considering the season a financial dead zone. Fast forward to 1975, when a mechanical shark and a young director named Spielberg changed everything.In this nostalgia-packed episode, we trace the surprising evolution of the summer blockbuster from its unexpected origins (the term "blockbuster" actually comes from WWII bombs that could level entire city blocks) to its golden age. Jaws broke the mold as the first film to earn $100 million at the box office, followed by...2025-05-301h 06Like Whatever Gen-XRed Rum And CokeGrab your axes and prepare to journey into the Overlook Hotel as we celebrate the 45th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick's divisive masterpiece, "The Shining." What makes this psychological horror film continue to haunt viewers nearly half a century later? Why did Stephen King despise what Kubrick did to his novel? And what happened to the little boy who played Danny?We explore the film's troubled production history, including Shelley Duvall's traumatic experience under Kubrick's demanding direction and Jack Nicholson's decision to stop memorizing constantly changing scripts. The artistic battle between King and Kubrick reveals fundamental differences in...2025-05-231h 22Like Whatever Gen-XHarry Vs The VolcanoThe catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, stands as one of nature's most dramatic displays of power – and one of humanity's most compelling stories of warning signs ignored.From the moment the first earthquakes rumbled beneath the symmetrical peak in March 1980, scientists knew something unprecedented was brewing. Over two months, they tracked hundreds of tremors, witnessed the mountain's north face bulge outward at an alarming rate, and desperately tried to convince residents to evacuate the danger zone. Most listened. A few didn't.Among the holdouts was Harry R. Truman, an 83-year-old lodge owner wh...2025-05-161h 15Like Whatever Gen-XVietnam, Not Just Your Parents WarThe shadow of Vietnam falls across Generation X in ways many of us have never fully recognized. Though most weren't born until the conflict's final years, the war's aftermath shaped our childhood experiences through our parents' unspoken traumas, societal divisions, and cultural responses.In this raw, sometimes darkly humorous episode, we navigate the complex timeline of Vietnam from 1954 to 1975, piecing together how decisions made by Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon escalated American involvement despite mounting evidence the war couldn't be won. We explore how 18-year-olds fresh from high school graduation found themselves in combat within days, and how...2025-05-091h 27Like Whatever Gen-XLiving The Dragon's DreamStep into the passenger seat of "Dragon's Dream," a 1971 GMC C10 van with shag carpet floors, fur-lined walls, and a mythical dragon painted boldly on its side. This isn't a modern #VanLife Instagram post—it's Heather's actual childhood, cruising the East Coast highways with her parents and dog as part of the "Midnight Riders" van club in the 1970s.Before tiny house mobile luxury was a trend, there was the raw, authentic van movement of the 70s—a true counterculture response to conventional living. As we explore Heather's extraordinary upbringing, we uncover a world where CB radios conn...2025-05-021h 29