PODCAST

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast

Jason Ek

Welcome to Stuck in the Middle - the podcast about the music, movies, and culture of Generation X.

society & culture music history

All Episodes

66:30

Christmas Flicks From A Gen X Childhood

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/12/13

Jingle, jingle, jingle, Slackers!'Tis the season of giving, for the gathering of family & friends, and the hopes of a new year. It’s also time to be super nostalgic for Christmases past & the joy that it once brought to these cold, black Gen X hearts! There was no better way to get ready for the visit of jolly old St. Nick than the TV movies and specials that would be shown all throughout the month of December. Of course, these were the days of the Big 3 networks and having to check the TV

62:38

Can James Gunn Save Superman?

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/12/06

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman, Slackers!Superman is undoubtedly an iconic figure. Often dubbed the first superhero, he is a character that is often considered hokey, even outdated. In response to this, many comics and tv/film writers have attempted to redefine The Man of Steel for a modern audience, with mixed results.With the demise of the DC Extended Universe - aka THE SNYDERVERSE - a new team is at the helm. And the question I have is, "Can James Gunn save Superman”?Although I am

73:39

You Can't Make That Today

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/11/29

Are you easily offended, Slackers?If so, we probably can’t be friends! Have you ever heard someone say, “well, you can’t do that nowadays”? I see this sentiment all the time on social media, usually in regards to some tv show or movie from the 70’s, 80’s, or 90’s. But is this how Gen X feels about things?I have always maintained that Gen X is the least easily offended generation. Our gallows humor & general contempt for being told that we can’t or shouldn’t do something seems to extend into our

45:34

Thanksgiving Buffet

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/11/22

Happy Turkey Day, Slackers!This episode is a little bit of a mish mosh - kind of like a Thanksgiving buffet! Mostly about the movies - or should I say lack of movies - dedicated to the MAJOR holiday between Halloween & Christmas!Sure there are the tried and true classics - Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Home for the Holidays. There odd one offs like Pieces of April, and then a ton of movies that are only "kinda/sorta" Thanksgiving movies.My question is why is this

36:15

Best Actresses Of Our Generation

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/11/15

Ready for part two, Slackers?Last week was about the guys - this week I try to determine who is the greatest film actress of Generation X. While we all have our own opinions, the most commonly uses metric for greatness in film is the Academy Award, aka the Oscar. Using only Academy Award nominations in the two key categories - Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress - we should be able to determine objectively who the greatest is - if you consider the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

59:17

Best Actors Of Our Generation

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/11/08

Who’s the best, Slackers?In the first of a two part series, I try to determine who is the greatest film actor of Generation X. While we all have our own opinions, the most commonly used metric for greatness in film is the Academy Award, aka the Oscar. Using only Academy Award nominations in the two key categories - Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor - we should be able to determine objectively who the greatest is - if you consider the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences objective that

58:49

New England Is Scary

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/11/01

Happy All Saints' Day, Slackers!Being from New England, I think it is somewhat ingrained in us that there are things that do go bump in the night.There are many areas throughout the region that are known to have horrors both man made and of the (allegedly) supernatural variety. The Borden family comes to mind.After watching a few of the Conjuring movies, I was reminded of other events in New England, as well as New York state - with Amityville being an almost mythically scary place in my childhood

57:40

Serial Killers - 70's Edition

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/10/25

The season of macabre topics continues, Slackers.The 1970's through the 1990's was considered the "golden age of serial killers". Many point to the Manson Family murders as the end of the "make love, not war" attitude of the 60's, but this was also the tipping point for American youth culture.During this time, dozens of psychopaths, many on the West coast of the US, seemed to have been unleashed on an unsuspecting populace. The most frequent targets? Young people between the ages of 12 -

53:51

Horror Movie Villains

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/10/18

What's your favorite scary movie, Slackers?It's been said that "you either die a hero, or you live long enought to see yourself become the villain". But can the reverse be true as well?Anyone who has seen enough slasher flicks knows that the main character is almost always the villain - think Jason Voorhees or Freddy Krueger - and without them, there really is no franchise. I remember the first time seeing a Friday the 13th in theaters, and the crowd was fully behind Jason, waiting in anticipation

37:28

Halloween - Urban Legends

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/10/12

Boo! It's Halloween season once again, Slackers!Remember being a kid and being terrified that maybe someone had packed razor blades in your candy? This time of year is the perfect time to talk about all the crazy urban legends of our youth.From Mikey of Life cereal fame, to tales of folks suddenly missing a kidney, this week celebrates the ridiculousness of urban legends.

39:28

Actors With Radio Hits

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/10/04

Rock on, Slackers!Although nowadays every Disney Channel star gets at least one hit single, in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, actors getting hit records wasn't nearly as common. When this type of thing did happen, it often came from the most unexpected performers.From David Soul (Hutch of Starksy & Hutch fame) and his #1 soft rock hit "Don't Give Up On Us", to Jamie Walter's #1 ballad "How Do You Talk To An Angel", a number of tv and film stars hit the charts in big way.Soap opera hearthrobs Jack Wagner

60:20

Stand-Up Comics of Gen X

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/09/27

Are you ready to be offended, Slackers?Maybe it's just me, but I find that Gen X has a fairly dark sense of humor - and I'm not sure that we are very easily offended. There is no other art form that can push the limits of good taste than stand-up comedy, and boy do we have some of the greats.With absolute legends like Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, and Dave Chappelle being firmly Gen X, the gallows humor that has come to define our generation has become the blueprint for the newer comics of today

46:48

TIME's Person of the Year - 80's Edition

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/09/20

Does anyone read magazines anymore? Magazines used to be a pretty big deal, and even though print is nearly dead in this digital world, TIME magazine continues to survive. Most notably it's annual "Person of the Year" issue.This week we take a look at the "Person" - sometimes multiple people, sometimes "things" - of each year of the 80's. From Ronald Reagan to Mikhail Gorbachev, the Cold War was a major factor in determining the winners of each year.Technology, climate change, Nobel Peace prize

45:59

Catchphrases of the 70s & 80s

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/09/13

Where's the beef, Slackers?!Have you fallen and now you can't get up? You know what would help? No, not a LifeAlert...Clap on, clap off, the Clapper!That's right, this episode is all about catchphrases - from ads, tv shows, movies - anywhere really. As long as they are from the 70s & 80s, that is.Some of these catchphrases are still an everyday part of the lexicon, demonstrating the power of repetition and marketing in shaping culture. I bet there are some that your kids know or have used but

54:40

Billboard Hot 100 of 1981

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/09/06

Back to basics, Slackers!This week is all about the Billboard Hot 100 for 1981. The top song of the year was once described as "haunting", with the rest of the list comprised of country superstars, R&B legends, a posthumous release from a former Beatle, and a fair amount of "yacht rockers".Sheena Easton had what was probably her best year on the charts, while Smokey Robinson was still charting hits nearly 30 years into his already legendary career. And Sting...well, let's just say he had some

54:05

Top Rated TV Shows of the 70s & 80s

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/08/30

It will rot your brain, Slackers, but who doesn't love some goold old fashioned network TV?Remember every fall when they would announce the new tv season? It was always exciting to have the new episodes of our favorite shows, but what shows really ruled the airwaves for the season,Not unlike professional sports, each TV season was actually a competition between networks, each vying for ratings dominance. I know that in the late 70s and early 80s, ABC was the dominant network, with shows like Happy

51:54

High School Flicks

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/08/23

Greetings & Salutations, Slackers!Fall is in the air, and that means it is almost time for the kids to go back to school! With that in mind, this episode is all about the high school based flicks of Gen X.From Fast Times to Clueless, so many great movies have been set against the backdrop of high school. All of the angst, snark, naiveté, and optimism of youth are all competing inside of the teenage mind. And let’s be honest, high school is ultimately where some people peak, and others have yet

44:50

B.B.F.O.B.

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/08/16

Acronyms! Who doesn't love acronyms?!So, what does BBFOB stand for? Bands Born From Other Bands!Perhaps one of the more famous examples is in 1980, with the untimely passing of Ian Curtis - the remaining members of Joy Division were determined to carry on. But rather than just continuing on as Joy Division, they relaunched as New Order and went on to international stardom.Other times, bands break up for lesser reasons: lack of mainstream success, interpersonal conflicts, drug abuse, or the most

45:15

Yacht Rock

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/08/09

Do you like piña coladas, Slackers? It's time for the sweet sounds of soft rock, also known as Yacht Rock.Starting in the 1970s, groups like Seals & Crofts, Captain & Tennille, and even Chicago, were creating music that was mellow, smooth - even sensual - but was also filled with meloncholy and heartache.While never my favorite "genre" there are some real gems from this time period, with strong musicianship and melodies throughout. Although the qualifiers may be arbitrary - Hall & Oates

58:11

Dead Brands

Stuck In The Middle - A Gen X Podcast ·

2023/08/02

Hey! Slacker! Are those Bugle Boy jeans you're wearing?There are so many brands from our childhood that have simply ceased to exist. Sometimes due to marketing failures, sometimes competition, but often due to an unwillingess to adapt and accept change. Worse yet, there are companies like Blockbuster who scoffed at an offer to invest in some little company called Netflix! Remember Excite? I bet you don't. They had a ridiculously low dollar investment opportunity for a stake in Google - less than a

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