Tom Lehrer was an American songwriter and satirist whose songs have been making audiences laugh for decades. His dark humor and sharp wit made people think about some heavy issues of the day, from war to politics. Let's learn about Tom Lehrer on Enjoy Stuff - A TechnoRetro Podcast

If you listened to the Dr. Demento show in the 80’s, you probably heard some of the comedy stylings of Tom Lehrer. His clever song parodies paved the way for greats such as Weird Al Yankovic. Jay and Shua take a look at his work and why we love it. 

News

-Frogger Game Show Trailer Released by Peacock

-Get ready to get down to 3 tunes inspired by Lucky’s magical charms. 

-Starbucks PSL Makes Its Earliest Return Ever

-Charlie Watts: Rolling Stones drummer dies at 80

What we’re Enjoying

Shua checked out the dark, thought provoking, Arthurian legend The Green Knight. If you dig thinking about the movies you watch and tons of symbolism you might want to check it out. Jay just finished Andy Weir’s “Project Hail Mary” book. Another fun one that he has been enjoying.  

Enjoy Music

Tom Lehrer has an educational background in math, but he is best known for his songs he performed in the 50’s and 60’s. It was a time in history that our culture really needed some humor to help us understand and cope with some pretty nasty stuff happening in the world. 

Even the threat of World War III wasn’t off limits to Lehrer’s wit. Plus, he accessed the deepest, darkest, depths of his imagination by writing about some truly disturbing topics like Poisoning Pigeons in the Park. He once said, "If, after hearing my songs, just one human being is inspired to say something nasty to a friend, or perhaps to strike a loved one, it will all have been worth the while."

He even wrote songs that helped educate a generation of Electric Company viewers. We learned important rules like Silent-e, L-Y, and O-U (The Hound Song). Let’s check out Tom Lehrer. 

Have you ever heard a Tom Lehrer song? Did we inspire you to check him out? Let us know in the Discord channel or send us an email to podcast@enjoystuff.com

I, for one, bow down to our robot overlords. Robots have been all around us for many years. Why do we have such an obsession for these audacious automata? Jay and Shua look at robots in movies, TV, and life in general on Enjoy Stuff.

Bang your head with some heavy metal! Robots have become a regular part of our life. We look at the history of robots and how they have programmed their way into our pop culture. This week on Enjoy Stuff, it’s The Life Robotic with 5T3V3-Z1550U.

News

-The purchase of Casa Bonita by Matt Stone and Trey Parker is official

-Mexico will soon be able to enjoy Krispy Kreme Donut Cereal

-Dress up for breakfast with some Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles Cereal makeup

What we’re Enjoying

Jay and Shua are both tremendously enjoying the Apple+ series Ted Lasso with Jason Sudekis. It has heart and humor with some great messages thrown in. 

Enjoy Life

Where did robots come from? How long have they been around? It may surprise you to find out that the first automated machine dates back to 1737. Though ‘Digesting Duck’ may have been a far cry from Boston Dynamic’s Spot robot, it was still the humble beginnings of centuries of mechanized men. 

Once we got our first glimpse of a non-biological creature doing its thing, we couldn’t get enough. Soon they were beeping their way into books, movies, toys, and everyday life. We use them to entertain, to do jobs that are too dangerous for humans, and for companionship. (I love you, Roomba!)

To head off the imminent threat of a Cylon takeover, Isaac Asimov created three laws that should keep them in their place. But writers have been challenging that concept in many stories ever since. 

But what makes a robot a robot? Could it be classified as an android or a cyborg? 

What kinds of robots do you have a magnetic attraction to? Johnny 5? Wall-E? Or do you have more dark tastes and would like to snuggle up with the Terminator? Did you play with robot toys growing up? Or did you wait until we had real robots of today, like the Mars Curiosity Rover?

We would love to hear your thoughts on those plastic pals that are fun to be with. Let us know in the Discord channel or send us an email to podcast@enjoystuff.com

Goodbye summer! As the toasty months wind down, we remember some of the movies that made us remember why those vacations were so tiring. Jay and Josh revisit Summer vacation and camp movies as they Enjoy Stuff!

In summer, anything is popsicle! Do you remember family vacations? How about summer camp? There are a ton of movies where we can watch people’s summer hardships from afar and laugh!

News

-The Monster Cereals are getting fruit snacks this year too!

-The legendary Idris Elba is playing Knuckles in the Sonic 2 movie

-Funko makes some classic board games and retro cereal Pop! figures.

-Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Symphonic Suite Gets First Repressing Since 1980

-Get yourself a retro R2-D2 Tamagotchi

What we’re Enjoying

Josh opens his latest Etsy purchase on the air; a TRON video game header sign. He can’t wait to get it framed. Jay has been watching the hysterical Monsters at Work on Disney+. Great stuff to check out. 

Enjoy Movies

Summer vacations are supposed to be about getting a break from the stress of everyday life, but not in movies. The more stress these characters come under the better. 

We start with the classic 60’s Jimmy Stewart movie Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation. This movie seemed to be the inspiration for future summer movies like Summer Rental and One Crazy Summer.  But who can take a road trip without thinking of Chevy Chase taking his family on a crazy road trip in National Lampoon’s Vacation. There are a ton of classics.

But some kids spent their summer at camp, and the movies didn’t leave them out. 1979’s Meatballs started off the wacky setting for campers and inspired more to come. Sometimes they missed the mark like 1980’s GORP. But a lot of them generated some hearty laughs for a variety of ages. From Camp Nowhere to Wet Hot American Summer, you can find some great Summer Camp memories at the movies. 

What summer movies do you remember? Let us know in the Discord channel or send us an email to podcast@enjoystuff.com

It's good to be the king. At least when that king is legendary director, comedian Mel Brooks. For more than 70 years, Brooks has given us memorable comedy to make us laugh and think. Jay and Josh look back on his films on Enjoy Stuff: A TechnoRetro podcast

If you’re blue and you don’t know where to go to, why don’t you go where...movies make you laugh! Mel Brooks has written, directed, and starred in some of the greatest comedies of all time.

News

-The Russo Brothers are developing a live action Battle of the Planets

-There is another ‘Kelvin’ timeline Star Trek movie coming...someday

-Would you eat Flamin’ Hot Cheetos ice cream?

-The creators of South Park want to buy and restore a classic Mexican restaurant in Denver, called Casa Bonita

-Stay tuned to Disney+ for a Lego Star Wars Halloween special called Terrifying Tales

What we’re Enjoying

Jay has really been enjoying his new books with a collection of comic book artist Alex Ross’s Marvel work, plus the Making of Back to the Future. Shua liked looking behind the scenes of some of the Disney parks most iconic rides featured on Behind the Attraction on Disney+.

Enjoy Movies

When Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner first performed the 2000 year old man sketch on Sid Caesar’s ‘Your Show of Shows’ they probably didn’t realize that it was the start of some comedy that would likely be around for 2000 years. Brooks’s success led him to begin writing and directing movies like The Producers and The Twelve Chairs. But just a few years later, he created two of the best comedies of all time, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.

Are his movies sometimes crude? Absolutely! Are they ridiculing all different types of people? Of course! But they also have important messages about racism, greed, and understanding. From the slapstick humor (and lack of dialogue) that should never have been made in the 70’s called Silent Movie to the completely offensive History of the World Part 1, Brooks has hooked us with our secret desire for naughtiness and taught us a valuable lesson along the way. 

Even if you aren’t a fan of his later work, such as Spaceballs or Robin Hood: Men in Tights, you can still respect the creativity and success this icon has shared with us. 

Are you a fan of Mel Brooks movies? Would you like to check them out for the first time? Let us know in the Discord channel or send us an email to podcast@enjoystuff.com

Enjoy Food

Having a Brooks-athon? You’ll need snacks!  Will you pick beans or Ovaltine? We give you a list of treats that would appeal to any character in a Mel Brooks movie! Well…..some of them anyway.