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Partially an oral history of obscure TV shows, partially an oral version of MST3K, and partially a thorough episode guide, It Was a Thing on TV is an anthology podcast about obscure, forgotten, and odd TV shows, commercials, televised events, and almost anyone and anything else that was on television. For the most part, the subjects we cover are from the United States and Canada. We’re just three guys with a love for television. New episodes are generally every Monday and Thursday, sometimes more often.
Episodes
7 days ago
7 days ago
In the newest "Best of" we go back to one of our early episodes from January of 2020.
What do you get when you have the king of the wacky Game Show produce a spoof of beauty contests? You get Rip Taylor, barrels of confetti, and a $1.98. Take a journey back as we look at "The $1.98 Beauty Show".
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
Episode 466–Guess What
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
In honor of the 80th birthday of Canadian TV personality and host of former entry To Tell the Truth from 1980 (episode 139), we present another show hosted by Robin Ward, one which looked incredibly dated, plus had a miniscule budget. Guess what the answer is and you might take home hundreds of dollars Canadian on Guess What!
Thursday Apr 04, 2024
Episode 464--How Ken Jennings Almost Didn't Happen
Thursday Apr 04, 2024
Thursday Apr 04, 2024
In honor of the 60th anniversary of Jeopardy! this past Saturday, we talk about how one of the greatest players in the show's history almost didn't happen. A somewhat lenient response and a rule change allowed Ken Jennings to become the show's all-time wins leader and eventually the host of the show.
Monday Jan 29, 2024
Episode 449--The Cheap Show
Monday Jan 29, 2024
Monday Jan 29, 2024
In an era where game shows were goofy, outrageous, and random, this game show was the goofiest, most outrageous, and the most random. The Cheap Show was ridiculous, messy, and...well...cheap. Sorry for the short episode. There isn't much multimedia out there, nor is there much information about it.
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
It Was a Thing on TV Outtakes: Tom Poston’s Coma
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
Today is the 40th Anniversary of Tom Poston's mini-coma at the Super Match on The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour. In honor of this moment we present an outtake between episodes of a taping in 2020 as Mike gives some play-by-play of this legendary moment.
This outtake was heard in Episode 100 but this is the first time we are presenting this by itself.
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
Episode 434--The New Liar’s Club
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
One of our current favorite shows from the past is The New Liar's Club, a reboot of the popular game from the late 1970s. The game's the same but the caliber of celebrities was very much Canadian because, as Greg would say, John Barbour's son did all the casting for the show. Maybe all the money was spent getting a Rolls Royce in the show's open...
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Episode 419--Child’s Play
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Monday Oct 16, 2023
We're two short weeks from the pinnacle of the spooky season, so we're pulling out Halloween-themed shows. First, while not spooky in any way, Child's Play shares its name with a well-known horror movie franchise from later in the 80s. Besides being Bill Cullen's last show with Mark Goodson, it may be better known for being replaced by the game which typified the 80s, Press Your Luck.
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Episode 410--That (Awful) Quiz Show
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
On this installment, Greg and Mike talk about an obscure show which ran very briefly in the early 1980s, hosted by a pair of brothers whose biggest claim to fame was being the shortest pair of twins in the world. The pair made some appearances on movies and TV, including a segment on Real People, which was apparently enough to give them this (awful) hosting gig.
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Episode 394--The Great American Telephone Trivia Game
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Art Fleming, legendary Jeopardy! emcee, made a very brief return to television in the early 90s with The Great American Telephone Trivia Game. Is it an infomercial? Is it a game show? ¿Por qué no los dos? Is it a bunch of hooey? You bet it is, and it cost just $1.95 per minute!
Listener discretion is advised due to language.
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
Episode 388--Cleverdicks
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
National Sex Day week rolls on with a British quizzer for the smartest of the smart, where you can earn the title of Cleverdick. It's not fetch happening; we explain that term in the beginning.