Thursdeighties: The Greatest Decade Podcast

In Episode 23 of Thursdeighties, we'll slip the surly bonds of Earth and visit the once and future history of cosmic exploration with Andrew Chaikin.For more than 45 years, Andrew's work as a space historian, award-winning science journalist, author, artist, and educator, has produced some of the most enduring contributions to the public understanding of space exploration - past, present, and future. Writer-director and explorer James Cameron has called him “our best historian of the space age.”No argument here! He is the author of A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts, often regarded as the definitive narrative of the Apollo program. First published in 1994 - after eight years writing and researching, and over 150 hours of personal interviews with 23 of the 24 lunar astronauts - this acclaimed work was the main basis for Tom Hanks’ 12-part HBO miniseries, From the Earth to the Moon (which won the Emmy for best miniseries in 1998).Beyond that flagship work, he has written numerous other books (including another personal favorite: A Passion for Mars); contributed to several major publications (e.g. Scientific American, Smithsonian) on space, astronomy, and planetary science topics; served as executive editor for space and science at Space.com from 1999 to 2001; and continues to be a respected voice in space policy and consulting, advising NASA and contributing commentary on mission design, risk, and management lessons from Apollo.All of that, and a hell of a nice guy besides. Fantastic conversation, give it a listen!Sponsored by Anthology for Books and Drive-by-Do-Gooders.

In Episode 22 of Thursdeighties, we'll dive into the world of toys, collectibles, and pop culture with Barry Eldridge, Creative Director at Factory Entertainment!If you grew up in the 80s, chances are the toys you loved still hold a special place in your heart...well, Barry has made a career out of channeling that nostalgia into beautiful, well-crafted high-end prop replicas, action figures, and other imaginative collectibles. He will share stories about the creative process behind designing pieces that strike the perfect balance between authenticity and fun, and why the cultural touchstones of the 1980s continue to inspire new generations of fans and makers alike.From the thrill of unboxing your favorite childhood toy to the craftsmanship that goes into recreating it decades later, this episode is all about why play still matters...and how the 80s left a mark on pop culture that’s as enduring as the toys themselves.Sponsored by Anthology for Books and Drive-by-Do-Gooders.

Episode 21 of Thursdeighties will finally help answer that age old question - WHERE'S THE BEEF?In this episode, we sit down with advertising and marketing pioneer Joe McCambley, a creative force behind some of the industry’s most transformative campaigns - and a hell of a good guy. Joe built his career in advertising during the "greed is good" days of the 80s, yet still managed to hold onto his soul. From co-founding one of the first digital ad agencies to launching breakthrough work for global brands, Joe has spent his career at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and consumer connection. We explore his journey, how the advertising industry of the 80s evolved into the digital age, and his perspective on what it takes to innovate in an ever-changing media landscape.Sponsored by Anthology for Books and Drive-by-Do-Gooders.

Episode 20 of Thursdeighties takes us to another dimension - we’re stepping into the shadowy corridors of imagination to celebrate one of television’s greatest storytellers, Rod Serling! Best known as the creator and host of The Twilight Zone, Serling’s work reshaped not just science fiction, but the very possibilities of television as a medium for social commentary. In this episode, we take a deep dive into his life, his groundbreaking writing, and the enduring influence of his vision—exploring why, even a century after his birth, Rod Serling’s voice still resonates with such eerie clarity today.Joining us on this journey into the unknown - award-winning writer Joseph Dougherty, as well as author and president of the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation, Nicholas Parisi. The foundation hosts an annual celebration of the life and work of Rod Serling - SerlingFest, which will be held in Rod's hometown of Binghamton, New York from September 19 - September 21st, 2025. Joe and Nick will both be there, as well as several other amazing guests. Get your tickets now at https://rodserling.com/serlingfest-2025-tickets-on-sale-now/!Sponsored by Anthology for Books and Drive-by-Do-Gooders.

Episode 18 of the Thursdeighties podcast features a conversation with world-renowned artist and designer with a diverse portfolio of work (check him out at https://www.johnbell.studio/).For nearly 40 years, John has contributed his design talent and skill to many of the most noteworthy films of our time - Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Back to the Future II & III, Rogue One, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, among many others.  With a love of design in all things, John has established a reputation as a leading designer in film, video games, advertising and product design. His boundless imagination continues to fuel his creative expression both professionally and personally.Sponsored by Anthology for Books (www.anthology4books.com) and Drive-by-Do-Gooders (www.drivebydogooders.org)!

Episode 17 of the Thursdeighties podcast features a conversation with stuntman legend Dick Warlock.Warlock is known for playing Michael Myers in Halloween II. He also played the android assassin in Halloween III: Season of the Witch and he was Kurt Russell's personal stunt double for over 25 years, also collaborating with such directors as Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter. Dick was active as a stuntman from 1960 until 2002.Sponsored by Anthology for Books (www.anthology4books.com) and Drive-by-Do-Gooders (www.drivebydogooders.org)!#100DaysTillHalloween #DickWarlock #MichaelMyers #HalloweenII #TheShape #SlasherIcon #HorrorLegend #HalloweenFranchise #BehindTheMask #SpookySeason

Episode 16 of the Thursdeighties podcast features part 2 of my conversation with Emmy-award winning actor and social activist David Clennon.David created one of my favorite television antagonists of all time - Miles Drentell in the series “Thirtysomething" (1987-1991). However, David’s career began as a background actor in the 1973 classic, “The Way We Were”, and over the past 50+ years he has worked with legendary directors Hal Ashby, Costa Gavras, Ivan Reitman, John Carpenter, David Fincher, Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz (Marshall was a previous guest on Thursdeighties). He won an Emmy in 1993 for his role as Peter Brewer on the groundbreaking HBO series, “Dream On”.Sponsored by Anthology for Books (www.anthology4books.com) and Drive-by-Do-Gooders (www.drivebydogooders.org)!

Episode 15 of the Thursdeighties podcast features Emmy-award winning actor and social activist David Clennon.David created one of my favorite television antagonists of all time - Miles Drentell in the series “Thirtysomething" (1987-1991). However, David’s career began as a background actor in the 1973 classic, “The Way We Were”, and over the past 50+ years he has worked with legendary directors Hal Ashby, Costa Gavras, Ivan Reitman, John Carpenter, David Fincher, Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz (Marshall was a previous guest on Thursdeighties). He won an Emmy in 1993 for his role as Peter Brewer on the groundbreaking HBO series, “Dream On”.Listen to part 1 of our conversation - part 2 is coming in a couple of weeks.Sponsored by Anthology for Books (www.anthology4books.com) and Drive-by-Do-Gooders (www.drivebydogooders.org)!