Podcast Tuesday: "Cyndiana Jones and the Temple of Goldblum"

Cyndi Lauper and Jeff Goldblum in Vibes.

Thanks to MTV, the music video became the format of choice in the 1980s. Rock stars were accustomed to recording albums, releasing singles, and performing concerts, but they were now expected to star in little four-minute movies as well. Some of them proved exceptionally good at it, and it's only natural that a few would try their luck at making full-length motion pictures. And so, photogenic MTV superstars like Madonna and Prince embarked upon movie careers with wildly mixed results. Occasional hits like Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) and Purple Rain (1984) were inevitably followed by flops like Shanghai Surprise (1986) and Under the Cherry Moon (1986).

New York-born songstress Cyndi Lauper was a little late to the party when she made her motion picture debut in the quirky supernatural comedy Vibes (1988) opposite Jeff Goldblum. It arrived in theaters a year after Madonna had suffered her second major flop with Who's That Girl (1987). If the American economy could not support Madonna's movie career, what chance did Cyndi have? Not much, as it turned out. Vibes bombed hard during a busy movie summer dominated by Cocktail (1988) and Die Hard (1988), and Cyndi Lauper mostly went back to singing with only occasional movie and TV roles.

Was this fair? As luck would have it, Vibes was written by two Happy Days veterans, Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. That makes it a fitting topic for the latest installment of These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast. Join us this week as we weigh in on both the film and Cyndi Lauper's viability as a movie star.

Podcast Tuesday: "Horny Idiot Island"

Dan Aykroyd (left) and Rosie O'Donnell in Exit to Eden.

What made him do it?

It's one of the great mysteries of movie history. Why did Garry Marshall, the genial Brooklyn writer-producer-director behind such decidedly mainstream fare as Happy Days (1974-1984) and Pretty Woman (1990), think he was the man to bring Anne Rice's kinky BDSM novel Exit to Eden (1985) to the screen? And why did he enlist Happy Days showrunner Bob Brunner to cowrite the screenplay? More importantly, what are Dan Aykroyd, Rosie O'Donnell, Dana Delany, and Iman doing in this thing? So many questions. So few answers.

Nevertheless, in the latest installment of These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast, we talk about the megabomb Exit to Eden (1994), certainly one of the most unusual films of its year (or any year). We analyze the plot (what little of it there is), critique the actors, compare the film to the novel, and speculate about what it all means. This episode, I can tell you, was quite an ordeal to research, record, and produce. It would be rude of you to skip it, and I know you're not a rude person. So click that play button. You wouldn't want me to spank you on your tushy, would you?

Incidentally, this episode marks something of a technical milestone, as it's the first one completely written, recorded, and edited on my new laptop. I think my previous one, purchased from a Best Buy in 2015, has seen its final days. Goodbye, trusted friend. You were enjoyed.

Podcast Tuesday: "You Can Officially Forget the Alamo"

Erin Moran and Michael Dudikoff on Happy Days.

This week on These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast, it was our distinct pleasure to review the Season 7 episode "Joanie's Dilemma." This episode is a rarity, in that it focuses on Joanie Cunningham (Erin Moran) but doesn't even mention her stalker-turned-boyfriend-turned-husband Chachi Arcola (Scott Baio). For the rest of the series, Joanie's fate will be tied to Chachi's, but for this one episode, she's on her own.

In fact, Joanie's independence is the focus of this story. Her latest boyfriend, an amiable dope named Jason (future American Ninja star Michael Dudikoff), has given her his class ring. With that ring comes the expectation that Joanie will accompany Jason to an unlit, secluded section of Inspiration Point known as the Alamo. Why is it called the Alamo? Because it's so much fun to "remember" all the necking (and possibly more) you did there.

Should Joanie go to the Alamo with Jason? Should she not? Joanie's friends have their opinions on the matter, as do her brother Richie (Ron Howard) and her parents (Tom Bosley and Marion Ross). But ultimately, the decision is up to Joanie herself. "Joanie's Dilemma" was written by an actual woman, April Kelly, and it shows in the final result. 

But does my cohost agree with me? Find out by listening to the latest episode of These Days Are Ours.