I am a big fan of cheese. Over the years, I have tried many, and I can say that I don’t think I have met one I didn’t like. While I have enjoyed, what I would call “fancy cheeses,” these are not my go-to cheese. That honor belongs to the most controversial of cheeses, “American Cheese.” Some might roll their eyes at this, but this stuff is tasty, useful, and deserves more respect than it gets. So I thought I would take some to share some history and evolution of this much maligned product. When you think of American cheese, the image that often comes to mind is the individually wrapped sing ..read more

"Cloak & Dagger," a board game released by Ideal in 1984, occupies a unique space in the world of tabletop gaming. Inspired by the 1984 spy thriller film of the same name, the game attempts to bridge the gap between cinematic storytelling and interactive gameplay. With its intriguing premise, the game captured the imaginations of me and my friends, promising a thrilling experience in the world of espionage. The gameplay itself is a delicate balance of strategy and chance. From 2 to 4 participants, navigate the game board, each assuming the role of a spy embroiled in a web of missions, e ..read more

Columbo is an amazing TV show, and it had a great run. But if you could only watch 5 episodes of the show, which should you watch? Well, after watching and rewatching the show, I have come up with 5 perfect episodes of Columbo that everyone needs to see. At #5 is Season 4, Episode 4, “Troubled Waters” Original Airdate: February 9, 1975 Lieutenant Columbo, and the as-ever unseen Mrs. Columbo set sail on a cruise to Acapulco, a trip she won in a raffle. But the vacation becomes a bus-man's holiday when our favorite detective finds an unexpected passenger on board...murder. Hayden Danziger ..read more

Welcome to the newest episode of the Retroist Podcast. On today's show, I discuss the long-running detective drama series, Columbo. This episode was a long time coming and is one of my longer episodes. This show is a big deal. I begin the show talking about my own brush with Columbo himself, Peter Falk. It was an unexpected experience, but very positive. I am very happy to finally get to share it. Then I move on to the show itself. I discuss the evolution of the characters, the show’s release, reception, the people in front of and behind the camera, and much more. Columbo is special for a l ..read more

I had two passions when I was a kid: the characters of the Peanuts Universe and sugar in all its forms, whether it was candy, soda, or baked goods. If it could give you cavities, I was all in. For years, Peanuts were linked with the cakes from Dolly Madison, and commercials for them seemed to air more frequently towards the end of the year. So, from Halloween through the New Year, thanks to the influence of television, I constantly pestered my mother to buy me some of my favorite treats: Zingers. Zingers, now owned and sold by Hostess Brands under the Hostess Dolly Madison label, were origi ..read more

Prepare to journey back to the late '80s, a time when television was a realm of mysterious tales and eerie narratives, as we delve into the world of Monsters. It is a captivating horror anthology series that captured the imagination of a select few during its original run. It's a quiet October evening in the late '80s, and you find yourself flipping through channels on your trusty television set. Suddenly, you stumble upon a show that feels like a hidden treasure, a secret world of chilling stories and supernatural encounters. That show is Monsters. For many, it might have slipped under the ..read more

In the colorful kaleidoscopic of breakfast cereals, an unlikely brand emerged in the 1970s based on monsters, The Monster Cereals. In the late 1980s, a new creation would join this brand’s pantheon of spokesmonsters – Fruity Yummy Mummy. A colorful breath of fresh air from General Mills, Yummy Mummy brought yet another novel touch of the bizarre to the breakfast table. Reimagining the iconic horror figure, Imhotep, from Universal’s The Mummy, as a goofy fruit-slinging colorfully bandaged undead monster. While Fruity Yummy Mummy's reign was short-lived, its story is a fascinating chapter in ..read more

In the nineties, I worked at a video store in our local mall. One day, a new store opened there that changed my spending habits: a Kay Bee Toys Clearance Store. Everything in the store was heavily discounted, and if you frequented it, you could scoop up the best deals. I visited there almost every lunch break for about two years, and most of the time walked out with a deeply discounted toy or playset. The low prices meant I was free to try all sorts of unusual things. One toy that captured my attention was the Dr. Dreadful Food Lab. It was a "gross toy" where you took ingredient pouches and ..read more

Welcome to the latest episode of the Retroist Podcast! Today, we're stepping back in time to revisit a hidden gem from the ABC vault: the made-for-TV movie, "The Midnight Hour". I begin this episode by sharing my personal memories of stumbling upon this film and the delightful nostalgia that washed over me, especially when I rediscovered it during my days working at the video store. But let's dive into the heart of the matter: "The Midnight Hour." I will talk about the people behind the camera, exploring the creative minds that brought this spooky and funny film to life. But the magic of th ..read more

One night in 1983, I was watching MTV at a friend’s house when a new song premiered that captured our attention. It was an offbeat, new wave song, that featured men wearing trench coats and dog masks, they were, Dog Police. We were quite taken with the video and would try to watch it whenever it was on after that. While some strange music videos had made it to MTV, this one was on a higher level. So how did this odd song and video make it to television? To answer that question, we need to travel back a few years. In the vibrant musical landscape of the early 1980s, amidst the rhythmic heart ..read more