Pop Culture Christmas Classics

Listen NOW to the Pop Culture Christmas Classics episode in our archives!

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Original air date: Monday, December 08, 2014

Although we enjoy the variety of holidays celebrated at this time of year, we’re going to focus on Christmas tales that are retooled and retold repeatedly, and those we find once that stick with us. Whether conveyed by song, on film, or by other means, they become part of the lexicon we use to express the meaning of Christmas. Join Stacy and Malayna in reviewing some of their favorites, and compile your own list of classics to share with those you love!

Below are Malayna’s pre-show notes, but listen to hear how the conversation REALLY went! 

Santa or Jesus — it’s the same story! (Kinda)  Read the article that grew from this episode on Unity.org!

 

FromTor.com: http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/12/bizarre-holiday-specials – by Bridget McGovern

Scrooged (1988): By the time Murray and the rest of the cast (including Karen Allen, Carol Kane, Bobcat Goldthwait, David Johansen and Robert Mitchum) start singing along to “Put A Little Love In Your Heart,” I defy you not to get a little teary (in a good way!) — (Saw it with Carlton!)

Christmas At Pee-Wee’s Playhouse (1988): In which Grace Jones arrives in a giant box and performs the only rendition of “The Little Drummer Boy” I’ll ever truly love. Plus, Pee-Wee teaches Little Richard how to ice skate, Charo performs “Feliz Navidad” with robot accompaniment, and Zsa Zsa Gabor appears as “Princess Zsa Zsa” and SO MUCH MORE. A hyper-affectionate throwback to the campy holiday TV extravaganzas of the 60s and 70s, Pee-Wee’s Christmas special is a total bizarre, sparkly delight with a heart of gold (and you can actually watch the whole thing here, thanks to the magic of YouTube! Just try not to read the comments. Ever.)

A Muppet Family Christmas (1987): [John Denver, Scooter, and the Muppets sing “The Peace Carol” for the television special John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together. It also appeared on the soundtrack album.]

The Year Without A Santa Claus (1974):

Community: The show has had two fantastic Christmas-themed episodes to date; the first, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas,

TV Specials:

FROM http://entertainment.time.com/2013/12/12/10-greatest-christmas-tv-specials-from-your-childhood/

• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) “This Rankin/Bass special has it all, from Burl Ives as the snowman narrator , to the Island of Misfit Toys, to Hermey, the elf who longs to be a dentist — and who saves the day by performing a dental extraction on the Abominable Snow Monster.”
• Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) – The first-ever Peanuts special – pathetic little tree! Actually quotes from the Bible, reminds people the holiday is about the birth of Christ and is against commercialism.
• Grinch who stole Xmas – 1966 – great song! “animated by the great Chuck Jones (the Warner Bros. animator behind some of the most celebrated Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck shorts) and narrated by Boris Karloff (who also does the creepy honors as the title character). Includes the priceless ditty “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” sung by Thurl Ravenscroft (a.k.a. the voice of Tony the Tiger).”
• Frosty the Snowman (1969) – Jimmy Durante (drawn complete with schnozz) narrates and sings the title song.
• Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970) – Fred Astaire and toy-hating Burgermeister Meisterburger
• Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) – Snow Miser and Heat Miser, Rankin/Bass Clayamation
• Jack Frost (1979) –Claymation
• Jack Frost 1998 – Michael Keaton – reincarnated dad as snowman

• Skip to 2012 with Rise of the Guardians — Generation after generation, immortal Guardians like Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman) and the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher) protect the world’s children from darkness and despair. However, an evil boogeyman named Pitch Black (Jude Law) schemes to overthrow the Guardians by obliterating children’s belief in them. It falls to a winter sprite named Jack Frost (Chris Pine) to thwart Pitch’s plans and save the Guardians from destruction.

Spiritual Geeks Gift Guide

Listen now or anytime from our archives at Unity Online Radio or download from iTunes!

Original air date: Monday, December 01, 2014

Or should we say, The Spiritual POP CULTURE Geeks Gift Guide?

The gift-giving season is upon us, so Stacy and Malayna have decided to make it both fun AND spiritual for us all. They’ll talk about their favorite websites for pop culture gifts, to make it both comfortable and joyful to shop. (Get it? Comfort and joy!) Then they’ll look at how these gifts can support the spiritual aspect of your friendships and family ties. Of course, they’ll use examples from the holiday films and TV episodes that impacted them most. The best gifts are meaningful, heartfelt expressions of understanding. But they can be fun too!

Community : Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas (Image borrowed from SassyIrishLassie.com!)

Stacy mentioned: Equinox gifts –  http://www.equinoxgifts.com/, Retro Planet – http://www.retroplanet.com/ and Etsy.com!  Plus a lot of ideas that are easy to make and loving to give.

Malayna’s Notes:

Spiritual Gifts represented in TV & Movies:

• Community –  Claymation Christmas special “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” (from Season 2)- gifts = wholeness, friendship, support
• Rudolph Claymation classic –  gifts = compassion for differently abled “misfits” or anyone who doesn’t fit in, belief
• Santa Clause #1 – gifts: Mystery Date game, weenie whistle, Listening to heart’s desire, Belief
• Scrooged – grew up on TV specials – gifts = freedom from fear, connection, understanding, compassion
• It’s a wonderful Life – gifts = perspective
• Love Actually! Gifts = Love, actually…

Favorite Sites!

~Clockwork Couture – https://clockworkcouture.com/ – Cruelty-free fashion for timeless adventurers – We bring quality neo-victoriana back into your life with unique offerings from this world and the next. – Clockwork Couture is the fashion house that sits on the edge of time. Traveling through eras and continents, we bring back styles and infuse it with our well- traveled influences. We do custom millinery, corsetry, gowns, and jewelry. * aviator goggles / sleep mask * Tardis themed gifts & photo op * Pirate hat * corsets * lingerie (Can’t tell you, it’s a Victorian Secret)

~Alyce Santoro –http://www.alycesantoro.com/ – Third Eye Sunglasses, Sonic Fabrics

~Mental Floss – where knowledge junkies shop- http://store.mentalfloss.com – also a magazine! – from history buffs to bookworms to math geeks! – *Book Lovers * Space Cadets * I’ve gotten tees, back issues, books * Shakespeare’s Star Wars * My patronus is a bookworm tee * geeks guide to dating

~Archie McPhee – http://mcphee.com/shop/ – geeks & nerds * zombies & monsters * pirates* religion sections – dashboard Jesus & monk, Last Supper After Dinner Mints, Santa Dreidel, Hannukah stocking and candy canes… Emergency Self-Esteem Kit with affirmations, Moses action figures!

Mo Moses? No Problem!

This mob of six Moseses is Moses to the Max! You get six 5-1/4″ tall, hard vinyl Moses Action Figures with removable stone tablets for delivering the Ten Commandments and a shepherd’s staff for delivering the ten plagues. That means you get a total of 60 commandments! Just think how specific you can get. (Thou shalt not reboot a movie series less than ten years after the final movie of the previous series. Thou shalt not post vague things on Facebook just to get a reaction.) When six Moseses tell you to let their people go, you better listen!

~Think Geek – http://www.thinkgeek.com/gifts/ – Since 1999, ThinkGeek has been on a mission to create a world where everyone can embrace their inner geek and connect with one another. What started as a place for clever t-shirts and unusual gifts is now the best way to find wondrous goods that express all your passions – much of which you won’t find anywhere else on Earth (or any other planet).

TV, Movies & Books, Gaming, Other = Unicorns, Steampunk, Superheroes…Firefly,

~Tee Fury – http://www.teefury.com/ – Megan Lara – art nouveau firefly, community, Disney, Hunger Games… Karen Hallion – no crying, leia, labyrinth, Dr Who + Disney *

Ugly Sweaters Collection – Leg Lamp from Christmas Story, Gremlins, Die Hard, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Guardians of the Galaxy

~Signals – http://www.signals.com/ – Downton Abbey goodies!

~Unemployed Philosopher’s Guild: http://www.philosophersguild.com/ – Beatles, Monty Python, Classic Hollywood puppets like Marilyn Monroe, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Chaplin, Evlis, Andy Warhol and Harry Houdini

Monthly Goodie Deliveries

–Lootcrate.com – for gamers: collectibles, gadgets, candy and gear! Between $11 – 13/mo!

http://www.techlicious.com/guide/10-great-gift-box-subscriptions/

http://www.buzzfeed.com/adamellis/subscription-boxes-for-everyone-you-know

For organic and eco-friendly products, wine lovers, natural foodies, bark box for dog owners, college kids, new parents, kits for kids, little passports, Japanese snacks, socks, gluten free, sample-sized beauty prod $10 – Ipsy full size (men too– Birchbox), bicyclists, Try the World – Curated Products From a New Global City Each Month – $45 – the first Paris-themed box includes tea, hot cocoa powder, chestnut cream, and artisanal salt. Following cities will be Tokyo, then Rio de Janeiro. Hammock pack – Products to Make You Feel Like You’re On Vacation –

Kristi’s Whimsical Forest – http://www.ebay.com/usr/kristiswhimsicalforest – Felix Felicis, Vervain, Twilight Key and Feather,

British Media From Across the Pond

Click to listen Now! 

 

Original air date: Monday, July 14, 2014

Episode Description:

We at Pop Conscious are Anglophiles. As much as we are proud to be Americans, we also admire England, its people, and its culture.  Join us as we share our love of the British invasions into our pop culture awareness in music, comedy, film, television, and wherever we can find it. Pip, Pip, Cheerio!

Moral of the story:  We can declare our independence, and still celebrate our shared history.

We also learned that it’s hard to talk.  Listen and find out!

SHOW NOTES (from Malayna):

~ My dad was in the British Royal Navy, and lived in England for a short time before coming to the US
~ I went to London for the first time when I was 7 years old
Early pop culture influences:
•    Mary Poppins – Julie Andrews – (Practically perfect in every way), Bedknobs & Broomsticks, Alice in Wonderland

•    Shakespeare in 5th grade – Midsummer Night’s Dream – I was stage manager. The same year, My Fair Lady was the musical, I played Mrs. Higgins, Henry Higgin’s mum. On the school bus, there was a kid who used to lead us in Beatles sing-alongs on the way home.
•    Monty Python & Fawlty Towers – 1985
•    My bro loved The Who, my dad took him to see them live in 1982.

RESEARCH
•    The British Invasion the 1960s influx of British music groups like The Beatles, The Dave Clark Five, Herman’s Hermits, The Kinks,  The Rolling Stones, and The Who
(paraphrased from Wikipedia)

•   “Second British Invasion” The 80’s New Wave –In 1981, MTV ushered in new wave’s most successful era in the United States. British artists had learned how to use the music video early on — (especially Duran Duran’s musical travelogues of exotic locales like Sri Lanka & The Maldives).  New wave artists from the UK included Culture Club, Duran Duran and ABC, and The Thomson Twins.  (paraphrased from Wikipedia)
...Queen, George Michael, Elton John,
•    Do They Know It’s Christmas by Bob Geldof 1984, Live Aid 1985
•    Far Pavilions – 1984 – Amy Irving & Ben Cross  (Story of forbidden love in 1800’s Indi