26 08, 2023

A Notorious Trading Card Revealed More Of C3PO Than Star Wars Fans Were Ever Supposed To See (Cruel Weird Awful 13)

By |2023-09-03T21:52:14-04:00August 26, 2023|Categories: Cruel Weird Awful, Podcasts|Tags: , , |

It's our season finale, so we have our most horrific story yet: the time a scandalous Star Wars trading card helped C3PO live up to the nickname "Goldenrod" in the worst way.

25 05, 2022

The Original Death Star Model Ended Up As A Garbage Can (Cool Weird Awesome 779)

By |2022-05-25T08:43:33-04:00May 25, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

It's the day in 1977 that Star Wars first showed in movie theaters. Props and costumes from the Star Wars movies have shown up in museums, and a few have had stranger afterlives, including an original model of the Death Star.

17 11, 2021

The Star Wars Holiday Special Brought Extra Weirdness To The Galaxy (Cool Weird Awesome 658)

By |2021-11-17T07:56:17-05:00November 17, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

Today in 1978, George Lucas's least favorite part of the Star Wars universe, "The Star Wars Holiday Special," aired on TV. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but it's the only one that has a Jefferson Starship video, a Bea Arthur-owned cantina and opening dialogue that's entirely in Wookiee. Plus: today in 1968, NBC cuts away from the final minutes of a nail-biter football game because it was time to show the movie "Heidi." 

25 05, 2021

Why A Stormtrooper Walked Helmet-First Into A Door In The Original “Star Wars” (Cool Weird Awesome 543)

By |2021-05-25T09:15:11-04:00May 25, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

Today in 1977, "Star Wars" premiered in movie theaters, and became a movie, pop culture and merchandising phenomenon. But how is it that, in one scene, an Imperial Stormtrooper walks helmet-first into an overhead door? Plus: in Kent, Ohio, there's a restaurant with a large-scale replica of an X-wing fighter out front. If you visit, stay on target! 

16 03, 2021

Happy Birthday To Closed Captioned Television (Cool Weird Awesome 497)

By |2021-03-16T09:27:08-04:00March 16, 2021|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |

Today in 1980, the big U.S. TV networks began regularly using closed caption technology to serve Deaf viewers as well as hearing ones. That alone was a game-changer, but closed captioning has proven useful in some other big ways as well. Plus: in Russia, fans of a certain TV show set in a galaxy far, far away have built a replica of a certain ship that's home to a certain adorable baby puppet.

20 12, 2019

25 Days of Holiday Songs: “What Can You Get A Wookiee For Christmas (When He Already Owns A Comb)” from the “Star Wars” Christmas Album

By |2019-12-20T09:40:59-05:00December 20, 2019|Categories: Blog|Tags: , , , |

Today is a big day for Star Wars fans, so today's holiday song is from the Star Wars Christmas album. You know that there is a Star Wars Christmas album, right?

20 12, 2019

Winnipeg, The Slurpee Capital Of Canada (Cool Weird Awesome 197)

By |2022-08-08T21:37:18-04:00December 20, 2019|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |

As we get ready for the official start of winter, it's worth noting that some of us deal with this time of year in unusual ways. Like the people of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who spend their cold, cold winters drinking Slurpees. Plus: on this Star Wars premiere day, a visit to a German observatory painted to look like R2-D2.

6 12, 2019

Without The Washington Post We Wouldn’t Have Teddy Bears (Cool Weird Awesome 187)

By |2021-03-25T09:56:11-04:00December 6, 2019|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , |

Today in 1877 the Washington Post published its first edition. It brought us landmark coverage of Watergate, and John Philip Sousa named a march for it. But the Post's biggest achievement is helping to create the teddy bear. Plus: this weekend in Ashland, Nebraska, Santa Goes To Space!

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