Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to another fun-filled Blerd Radio podcast. In this episode, Big Money is joined by co-hosts Michael Parr, Mike Duquette and Zack Stiegler, and a very special guest: The Popblerd Time Machine.

We are hopping in and heading back to 1984, a year that signified a seismic shift in popular culture. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the topics discussed:

-The 1984 presidential election: the first time there was a viable black candidate, and the first female vice-presidential candidate (but don’t blame her for Sarah Palin.)

-The Summer Olympics, boycotted by the Russians, but definitely not boycotted by Lionel Richie. A discussion of this event serves as a memory jogger for some events that Parr had successfully blocked from his psyche.

–Michael Jackson’s 1984, which was awesome (Grammy Awards) and not awesome (hair catching on fire.)

-The breakthrough of a younger grain of female superstar in the forms of Cyndi Lauper and Madonna. The former starlet is widely credited with helping bring the WWF to dominance, while the latter’s videos revolutionized the art form…well, maybe except for “Borderline.”

-Was Tina Turner (whose comeback was a major story in 1984) history’s first GILF?

-There is a somewhat lengthy (but respectful?) discussion about the pre-teen discovery of breasts (thanks to Vanessa Williams’ Penthouse spread, Apollonia’s purification in the waters of Lake Minnetonka, and Daryl Hannah in Splash)

-1984 was a watershed year in film, spawning classics including the still-relevant This Is Spinal Tap and the not-as-funny-as-you-may-think (according to Parr) Beverly Hills Cop.

-The film adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984, which was one of Richard Burton’s final film roles (and boasted a soundtrack performed by Eurythmics.)

-The bizarre deaths of Andy Kaufman and Marvin Gaye.

–Stevie Wonder jumps the shark with “I Just Called To Say I Love You,” which was a lowlight in a year full of negligible movie songs.

-The panel is asks which of the following four songs they’d choose if they were held at gunpoint and forced to listen to one of 1984’s worst-“I Just Called To Say…”, “Footloose”, “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” or “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.”

-Of course, there’s one Adele Dazeem joke.

-We almost omit one unforgettable item-The Cosby Show debuted in 1984, revitalizing the sitcom and giving us Lisa Bonet and Phylicia Rashad.

-We discuss the dawn of “college rock.”

-Finally, we each pick our top 3 singles from the year, but not before Duquette regales us with the story of going to see Ashford & Simpson in concert.

Listen in the player below, direct download the podcast here, or hit us up on iTunes!

Also, check out this Spotify playlist (curated by the panel) with some of 1984’s best songs!

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