The It Was a Thing on TV Podcast Network

The holiday tradition at the podcast now starts its trek going back in time, starting with the 1982 edition of The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  How does it compare to what we have seen from later in the 80s and why are so many kids expressing their emotions?

It's an It Was a Thing on TV tradition like no other.  Every year since 2019, we have looked at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in chronological order, starting with the 1983 parade.  We're up to the 1987 parade.  What characters will star in this parade?  What products will advertisers shove down our throats?  And did Charlie Brown ever get a growth spurt!

Today, May 9th, marks 40 years since David Letterman dedicated an entire day to an assistant sound engineer on his show.  We go back and relive that day with a beer, a BLT, and another beer.

Originally recorded back in Thanksgiving of 2021, it's the final edition of our Director's Cuts that we released over at the Place to be Nation POP Experience with over 20 minutes of new material not in the original cut.

We bring you this special Director's Cut of the 1985 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which features Mike ranting about Your Numbers Up being preempted, a Cabbage Patch Kids commercial with Estelle Harris and a poster involving former New York Jets QB Ken O'Brien?

OH NEAT!

What started in 1985 as a popular Christmas toy tradition at a midwest department store, Santabear became so popular that two years later, CBS gave him his own primetime special on Christmas Eve 1987.

Santabear must help the residents of the South Pole discover the magic of Christmas while facing off with Santa's former helper Bullybear. With the help of a lady bear named Missy, Santabear goes on a high flying adventure to save Christmas for everyone before Bullybear can destroy all the presents.

Seriously, who hires a bear that calls himself Bullybear?

Discussed back in Episode 16, Greg and Chico give The Star Wars Holiday Special it's due by revisiting it in a special live show.

We cover everything from Itchy's holographic boner to Art Carney to Jefferson Starship to the Boba Fett cartoon. We even cover that Flying High commercial where Pam had that great layover with Bobby Sherman!

May the Force be with you and Happy Life Day!

Video to follow along (sync to 0:48 and pause before Greg gives the five second countdown) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8MrPe6i5YU

It's the holiday season brother! In the latest Live Show, Greg and Chico watch the 1996 movie "Santa With Muscles" where the Hulkster plays an insane health food pitchman who gets amensia and now thinks he's Santa Claus! The Hulkster then has to save an Orphanage from a germophobic Ed Begley Jr.!

It's up to the Hulkster to save Garrett Morris, Robin Curtis and young Mila Kunis from the Zodiac killer brother!

For our second Thanksgiving episode this year, we watch this NBC special hosted by comedian Alan King from 1980. Alan along with Dick Van Patten, McLean Stevenson and Angie Dickinson try to help us answer the question that's on our minds this season "what have we got to be thankful for?"

It's an It Was a Thing annual tradition!  For the 4th straight year, we're celebrating Thanksgiving by watching balloons down Broadway, Pat Sajak & Stepfanie Kramer calling the action from Herald Square, and guests including Phyllis Diller and the Lawrence Brothers.

Superman!  What happened to you this year?

Amateur video from the 1986 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (Thomas Kerwick on YouTube) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEaZGcj0-Ec

For Halloween, we present this It Was a Thing on TV "special presentation." Greg and Chico take a look at the Marvel Studios Disney+ special "Werewolf by Night."

Ted suggests that you give this a listen.