Like Whatever

What's In The Box Santa?

• Heather Jolley and Nicole Barr • Episode 60

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What if the toy aisle was actually a story engine? We crack open the sticker book of Gen X memory to uncover the real origins, marketing magic, and cultural chaos behind the 80s toys that defined a generation. From the sweet scent of Strawberry Shortcake to the riot-fueled rise of Cabbage Patch Kids, we follow the trail of how small design choices—fragrance, adoption papers, vinyl heads—became sparks for national obsession.

We dive into He-Man and She-Ra, the power duo that turned mini-comics and after-school TV into a moral universe where courage and friendship sat next to Castle Grayskull. Then we shift gears into Transformers, born from Japanese engineering and remixed by Marvel into Autobots, Decepticons, and a mythic home called Cybertron. Tech specs, decoder strips, and character backstories transformed plastic into personality. If you ever argued Optimus versus Starscream, this one hits home.

Not all icons roared; some clicked. The Rubik’s Cube started as a teaching tool and evolved into a global phenomenon and a speedcubing sport where algorithms and muscle memory meet. We also explore the sensory side of nostalgia—fidgets, stims, the snap of the snake puzzle—and how tasting color might actually be a thing. Strawberry Shortcake’s greeting card roots and Teddy Ruxpin’s animatronic storytelling widen the lens on how toys tapped smell, voice, and motion to make memories stick. We end by asking what screens have done to imagination and why tangible play still matters.

If Gen X toys taught you loyalty, logic, or the thrill of solving something with your hands, you’ll feel seen. Tap play, relive the mayhem, and then tell us your favorite 80s toy. Subscribe, share with a friend who traded Garbage Pail Kids, and leave a review so more nostalgics can find us. Autobots, roll out.

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SPEAKER_05:

Whatever, whatever, sharing, or score weather. We'll take you back like whatever.

SPEAKER_02:

Welcome to Like Whatever, a podcast for, by, and about Gen X. I'm Nicole, and this is my BFFF Heather.

SPEAKER_00:

Hello. So it's cold today. It was cold yesterday.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yesterday was brutal.

SPEAKER_02:

Really? Because they said it was colder out today. Was it as windy? Okay. There was no wind today.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Yesterday that wind was just blowing straight through me. Ugh.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, man. It's cold. Yeah. Um. And let's see what else. Oh, I start I be I did I I don't think last week. Yes, I had. I had started dashing. Yes. Yes. Yes. I really enjoy it. It's it's pretty addictive. It is. I'm always like, I'll work till like five. And then at five, I'm like, I'm still ready to go. And then it's also kind of therapeutic because I don't have to think. Yep. And I'm kind of going through some little stuff right now. Um so it's nice to have the distraction. And I get a little extra cash in my pocket.

SPEAKER_01:

So And that's how I feel about it. Because you can make you, I mean, you can make whatever you want to make, um, how depending on how hard you want to work. Right. But it's way better than having to work in a restaurant. Right. Yeah. Or an actual job, because then you get to pick when you want to do it when you want to be done.

SPEAKER_02:

Exactly. Exactly. So as I usually do with things, I'll do it until it's not fun anymore. And then I'll move on from it. But for right now, I'm I'm loving it. It's it's pretty fun. Yeah. It's super easy. Yeah. I had a couple of hiccups my first couple days, but then I got it all worked out. Yeah. So did you watch anything good this week?

SPEAKER_01:

I watched what did I call it, say it was Love and Death? Mm-hmm. Man, that's craziness.

SPEAKER_02:

It was a crazy, like everybody in that did such great acting. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

It was just, yeah. She's nuts. She's nuts. Okay, here's my thing about spoiler alert. It's the Candy Montgomery, I think is her name. Sorry, anyway, it's true crime. I know. Weird. Yeah, it's my thing. I think it's most of our thing. Yeah. Um so I don't think she should have gotten away with that. I think she I think she pran I I don't know that it was pre-planned, but it was not self-defense. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. I think that movie was also skewed a little bit to the only side that was living. Yeah. Anyway, that's what we watched. Yeah, it was good. And some Christmas garbage that I absolutely fucking hate, but I have to tolerate it because the murder shows come on. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And our Eagles just I I don't even have words for what happened yesterday. It was heartbreaking.

SPEAKER_02:

You know, it's been since like 1978 that a quarterback fumbled the ball on twice on one play. It's like that literally never happens.

SPEAKER_01:

I just I don't know. I'm not gonna talk about football because it hurt my feelings, and my feelings are still hurt about it. Yep, yep, yep. But we both stayed up late for it, so we're both tired today. And cold being outside in the cold just zaps every piece of anything out of me. Oh yeah. But we're gonna we're gonna amp it up. I don't know how, but we're gonna do it. Okay. I brought um a few surprises for you.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh um, I was going through I was going through some things this weekend and I found this, first of all. Oh sticker size. It's a sticker book. It is, and apparently there's 208 stickers in this book because I mean no retentive. And this 208 book. Now 428. This must have been. And the 208 book. This this is the 208 book. 169 of them are cats I have here.

SPEAKER_01:

I see that cats are written all over it.

SPEAKER_02:

That is apparently something that has my name up here in case I lost it. I know who to return it to. And you still sign your name that way. I do. I do. Yep. So yes, some more a lot of cats. Sparkly cats. Some some some cats. Cats with think bubbles above them. Heathcliff. Um more cats. More cats. I think these ones are fuzzy. Yeah, these ones are fuzzy ones. Remember fuzzy stickers? Um, I'm gonna get to something really cool though, after all the cats. Okay. More cats. And more cats. A lot of cats.

SPEAKER_00:

I didn't even know they made this many cat stickers. Oh, yeah. I found them all. More cats. Look at that swatch though.

SPEAKER_01:

Look at this. Don't talk about this yet.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay. Are they stickers? Yeah, they're OG. Oh, they're stickers, huh? Yeah. Yep.

SPEAKER_02:

That was I was really excited for that.

SPEAKER_01:

I'll tell you about that in a little bit.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay. And then we'll talk about it. Yeah. More cats. More cats. Some swans. Swans switched it up. Different than cats. Switched it up.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, those are the stinky ones. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00:

I wonder if they still smell. No. I didn't think so.

SPEAKER_01:

Definitely not. If they did, like you should probably worry about your safety.

SPEAKER_00:

Couple Christmas ones.

SPEAKER_01:

More cats. Oh, there's penguins. Penguins and ducks. Hey, did you know that you can have breakfast with penguins over in Baltimore? At the Baltimore Zoo. That would be fun.$75 to have breakfast with penguins. I want to have expensive and that. Well, no, it's your entrance to the zoo. It's breakfast. And it's penguins. Oh, and you get a plush.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh.

SPEAKER_01:

I know. I decided that that was worth it. 100%. We're gonna have to make it. I would love to. There were certain dates, so I'll look them up again. Okay. We'll have to. Okay. Yeah. I don't know how we're gonna get there because neither one of us can drive over that bridge. I'll have to drive around. It goes a long way. I wish they had a ferry that people like us could take. I don't know if they still oh, there's a great video. So it's the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, if y'all don't know. And if you're not from here, I get it. But you should Google it because it is a well-known that people are petrified to drive over this bridge. It's terrifying. Yes.

SPEAKER_02:

The sides are like a foot high. Like if you have to swerve to miss anybody, you're just going over the side. And people go off the side often. Yes.

SPEAKER_01:

Especially tractor trailers. No, if you it's not the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel, which is equally as scary, but it's the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Yes. Um it is they have had shows about it, how it's just and they used to have a service where you could call and pay somebody to drive you over, which to me is worth whatever price we have to pay for. It really is. Um it's it's a terrifying bridge. And the problem is that's the way to DC and Baltimore. Baltimore. So kind of stuck. Add like three hours to your kind of stuck on this side of the bridge. And then the so the big issue is is if it's a nice clear day, it's fine if you get in the middle lane. And then definitely middle lane. Yeah, you can pretend like it's not really happening. But if it's even slightly breezy, which this time of year it is always breezy, it is uh terrifying. Yeah, yep. There was a TikTok I was watching the other day about a poor lady on it, and she's crying like hysterically. And there's a cop had pulled her over and was like, Well, you know, I and he knows when as soon as he walks up to the car, not on the bridge. Before she got, she hadn't even gotten to it.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01:

And he's he, I guess she was on the side of the road. I don't yeah, yeah. And the cop is like, so and he comes up and he knows what's going on because I'm sure she's not the first time. So he's like, I'm gonna be right behind you. I'm gonna put my my lights on and we'll go over. And she's like, I I'm trying to FaceTime my kids so that they can help me get over it. He was like, I'm gonna be right here. And I'm just thinking, just you just drive her over. Right. And get one of your little buddies to drive you back. Yeah, it's just all it's anyway. Yeah. So penguin, there's a big obstacle between us and the penguins.

SPEAKER_02:

Very big, very big. Again, we need to start making money for that private jet so we can just fly over to helicopter, yeah. Oh, helicopter would be. Right out of ocean city. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Or Georgetown. Yeah. Literally. A cruise ship. I don't know. I'll take anything. I just don't want to drive a chauffeur, especially because that bridge in Baltimore just crumpled into a thousand pieces, like not that long ago. So it's really tall. Yes.

SPEAKER_01:

The sides are not solid.

SPEAKER_02:

No, they're not very high. I mean, I exaggerate with a foot, but they might be three feet.

SPEAKER_01:

They're like a guardrail. Yeah. And they're open like a guardrail. Yeah. Except coming back, the one coming back is a much better bridge. It is. It's not as tall. The sides are closed in, and it is only two lanes, but you can't see over the side. Right. It's a much better. And then, so it's three lanes, except sometimes they have two lanes going one way and the one lane coming the other way, which is horrible. Horrible. So you're up on top of this ginormous bridge, and traffic is coming down, and there's no like separating them from you. Mm-hmm. And everyone drives stupid fast. And then because they don't want to get the hell off it. And then just for funsies, they put a curve in the end.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So true. All right. How was your week?

SPEAKER_00:

What did you do?

SPEAKER_02:

Um I put my tree up. Oh, yes. I saw the picture. I did. I saw the photo. Yep, yep. I put my tree up, I cleaned. Um DoorDashed. Yeah. Watched some football. Yeah. It was great.

SPEAKER_01:

Best week of my life. Good times. Yeah. Well, I'm gonna try and pick up. We're gonna pick it up. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We got a really fun topic today. Yay. Um as we know, uh I hate Christmas, but it is the Christmas series season. So I decided to fuck around and find out about some of our favorite toys. Yay. See, and I also figured this is a as a as a topic we could do literally a million times since there's we really could so many toys.

SPEAKER_02:

I don't know how you picked.

SPEAKER_01:

Well the the first one you'll see. Okay, and it will also tune into your stickers perfecties. Perfect. All right, so um cabbage patch kids. Of course, you know, Black Friday. Yep, yep. Um, did you have one?

SPEAKER_02:

No. I no, no one ever bought me one.

SPEAKER_01:

I had two. Of course you did. Well, here's why. I won one in Wildwood. Oh, okay. And then after the whole thing died out, my grandparents got me, I had a redhead. The brown haired, brown eyes one I got. I won, and then I had a redhead.

SPEAKER_02:

I had a friend who had one because I was just obsessed with the adoption papers. Yeah. And with the signature on the butt. Yeah.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Um, so if you don't remember a cabbage patch kid, what kind of brain injury did you sustain? Uh, these soft body dolls, each accompanied by an adoption certificate, became a global sensation, generating billions in sales and sparking one of the most infamous toy crazes in history. Um, I feel like it was like the first frenzy frenzy over toys. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02:

I think Tickle Mialmo was another probably the next biggest one. Or Furby's. I think to Furby's coverage. Furby's Monchy Cheese.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, Monchy Cheese. I didn't do Monchy Cheese. I should have. My sister did. My sister loved Monchy Cheese, too. Yeah. They're the same age, though. Makes sense. Um, the true roots of cabbage patch kids trace back to Kentucky artist Martha Nelson Thomas, who began crafting her hand-stitched doll babies in the early 70s. Each doll was unique, sold at craft fairs, and came with its own birth certificate and adoption papers. Here's the thing very controversial, the cabbage patch kid.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, as I was just sitting here thinking that that's pretty genius for just a little grandma somewhere. Well.

SPEAKER_01:

All right, I'm ready. In 1976, Georgia art student Xavier Roberts encountered Thomas's dolls. He initially Oh, okay. So he was selling her, he ended up he took the idea and started selling her dolls for her. Initially he sold them in a gift shop, but after a pricing dispute, Thomas stopped supplying him. Roberts then began making his own version called Little People, adding his signature to each doll's butt and tweaking the design just enough to secure copyright protection. Well, now I don't like the signature on the butt. Here's the funny part. So I went to Cabbage Patchkids.com. Mm-hmm. The history. Mm-hmm. Does not mention anything about her. Then there was a website, uh 29 29 I pretty 29 secrets. 29 secrets, and there is there she was.

SPEAKER_02:

And I was gonna say, I've I never heard that origin story of them, but I also never really knew where they came. I just thought a toy maker made them. Nope. Wow.

SPEAKER_01:

Um so he leaned into theatrical marketing in 1978. Yeah, in 1978, he opened Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia, a whimsical showroom styled as a hospital where dolls could be adopted. Employees dressed as nurses and doctors and customers were invited to witness the birth of the dolls. He soon realized Thomas, the lady, soon realized Roberts had appropriated her idea, but by then his dolls were gaining traction. So in by 82, demand outpaced Robert's handmade production. He licensed the dolls to Coleco. There's a name from the I know, right? Which introduced mass produced versions with vinyl heads. Each doll was unique thanks to randomized features like hair color, dimples, and skin tone. Coleco often also crafted a fantastical origin story. Roberts, as a boy, discovered magical bunny bees who pollinated cabbages, giving birth to the dolls. This myth this mythology, combined with clever marketing, set the stage for a cultural explosion, which I didn't actually know the story.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I know. I guess I wonder if our parents knew that. Probably not. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I think everybody just wanted the fucking doll. Yeah. I know that well, I wanted it. And my grandparents were still alive at the time. And I don't know why, but we were up there visiting them or whatever. They had us. And my poor grandfather and grandmother. It's I my grandparents died when I was 10. Went literally New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. I remember being in the car. I remember going to every store in the tri-state area. We probably even went to Maryland. Like elked in the whole elk, yeah. Could not get one, but they were hell bent on it. And then I ended up going to Wildwood and winning one after I was told not to. So you've always been good at contests. I've always been good at gambling.

SPEAKER_00:

That's what it was.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. It was like one of those wheels like they have in Atlantic City. But instead of money wheel, they had like prizes. Yeah. One of them was a Cap Trad Kid. Wow. And that's my dad. They had given me money and I put it, I tried to win it and didn't. And then my dad was like, here's one more dollar. Don't go putting it on that because you're not gonna win. Blah blah blah. And then I won, and he was like, Well, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. And that's when my gambling love began. I think he said that's gambling. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, that's where you were started. Mine started with nickel slots on the seaside. Always New Jersey.

SPEAKER_01:

It just comes down to New Jersey being the problem. Yeah, yeah. Uh the dolls debuted. Here's also the dolls debuted at$35 to$45, which in 19 in in today's money is$125. Wow.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. I do remember they were very expensive.

SPEAKER_01:

I did too, but I don't think they were like that. Um they be quickly became the must-have toy of Christmas of 83. Demand was so overwhelming that stores couldn't keep up, leading to riots and chaos across North America. Parents camped outside stores, fought in aisles, and paid inflated resale prices. News footage captured scenes of shoving, trampling, and even injuries all in pursuit of a doll.

SPEAKER_02:

There are a lot of black and white photos of Black Friday shoppers killing each other over those things. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

By the year's end, Coleco had shipped 3.2 million dollars dolls, and in 1984, sales skyrocketed to 20 million. Branded merchandise from Lex lunchboxes to betting pushed revenues to a staggering$2 billion in 1984. So while Roberts basked in fame and fortune, Thomas, the lady, pursued legal action. Good. I was hoping you would say that. Claiming he had stolen her concept. The case dragged on until 1985 when it was settled out of court. Though details remain confidential, Thomas reportedly said the settlement ensured her children could attend college. I'm sure she. Roberts later fought another battle against Topps, whose garbage pail kids, trading cards, parried his dolls. That case also ended in settlement. That brings us to the discussion back to the sticker book.

SPEAKER_02:

Yep, that was the surprise in my sticker book. I have some OGAF garbage pail kids. So we got Rob the slob. He's down here. Fat little bald kid. Sitting in mud. Um Baskin Robin, a melted ice cream cone. Oh, here's Catwoman. Kitty litter. He's not a pretty kitty. Cheeky Charles has got nothing but cheeks. That looks like my daughter when she was born. It kinda does. You're not wrong. Spittin Spencer.

SPEAKER_01:

Smelly Shelley. Oh no. Sally smelly Sally. Mad Max. Joe Blow. They're amazing. They were I loved I love the Garbage Bell Kids.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I did too. What a great idea. Leaky Lindsay with snot all over.

SPEAKER_01:

That one I distinctly remember.

SPEAKER_02:

The snot ones were always the grossest. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I forget the much of the Heather one was. I want to say it's like horrible Heather or heinous Heather or hallucinating Heather. Unhappy Heather.

SPEAKER_02:

Chronically depressed Heather.

SPEAKER_01:

So Coleco went bankrupt in 1988, and rights to the dolls passed through Hasbro, Mattel, and others. Though the craze cooled by the late 90s, more than 95 million dollars had been sold worldwide. I didn't know the craze went on that long. So well, I remember then they had the premies. Oh yeah. That had a pacifier. And then they had like dogs. They had some that looked like pets. I remember having one of those. Um I think I have an em I have some fun facts, but I'll let me look. Because the thing I remember and what I wanted why I wanted it was for the smell. So you didn't have one. The smell was added to give them more of a real baby feel and has remained with the dolls as a way to elicit a response of nostalgia in adults and make the dolls more realistic for kids. While some find the smell overwhelming, it is also sold in candles and perfumes, providing that this marketing gimmick has been effective. Proving that just it also made it easy to spot an off-brand toy being sold under the cabbage pack kid's name as a bogus doll because it lacked the smell. So they smelled like baby powder. But apparently, and I didn't put it in here because I don't know what happened there. Um it was from the fabric. Whatever the fabric is smells that way. Oh. Yeah. It has so weird. It has a distinct baby powder. I always thought they just added baby powder to it, but apparently not. It was like the actual um thing.

SPEAKER_02:

I remember once a couple Halloween ago, we had um everybody dressed up for Halloween in my office, and one of the girls dressed as a cabbage patch kid, and she made a big cabbage patch box with the window in it out of cardboard. She did an excellent job. It was a really cool costume.

SPEAKER_01:

Um, the lady Thomas passed away in 2013, remembered fondly by fans who brought her original doll babies to her funeral. Roberts, meanwhile, remains in Georgia, attending Babyland General Hospital, where new dolls are still born. Today, over 130 million cabbage patch kids have been adopted, uh, proving that this quirky blend of art, marketing, and myth left an indelible mark on pop culture. And it's really fucking creepy now because if you go to their website, you can watch them be born in the cabbage patch.

SPEAKER_02:

Um, no thanks. Yeah, it's a little weird. Yeah, yeah. It sounded weird the first time you said it. It's weird.

SPEAKER_01:

Uh so that's cabbage patch kids. Nice. And I'm telling you, and and they had the diap, they had like all the diapers and the accoutrement. Yeah. And the shoes, the shoes were like a weird plastic hoof kind of situation. I remember. Um, so we can't, you know, leave out the boys because I feel like some of you maybe did have cabbage patch kids. But there were boy ones. Yep, there were. Uh, in the early 80s, the toy industry was undergoing a transformation. Star Wars had proven that action figures tied to a larger narrative could dominate the market, and Mattel was eager to create its own fantasy-driven franchise. Out of this ambition emerged He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, a property that would blend sword and sorcery with science fiction, capture the imagination of millions of children, and leave an enduring mark on pop culture.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, my sister was a huge He-Man fan. She had both uh um Castle Gray Skull and the other one.

SPEAKER_00:

Castle?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I only remember the Castle Grey Squall by the power of there was a big tan castle for He-Man and then a big like dark gray castle for Skeletor. I only like Skeletor for obvious reasons. Right. And she pretty much had every action figure, and they were the coolest ones. Like they would have accessories, they would have like fuzzy on them, they would have they were cats, there were just their arms would pop off or their heads would spin around, or you know, they everyone did something cool. And we lived in a bi-level house, so that we had one of those basements that's halfway above ground, uh-huh. And the steps that go down, you hit a landing and go back down. And my sister would set that whole thing up. It was impressive.

SPEAKER_01:

My sister did that with Barbies.

SPEAKER_02:

I did that with Barbies.

SPEAKER_01:

She had a whole like the bookshelf would be like different. She made her own Barbie dream house, basically. And then her her BFF um is an artist. And so she would make like the tables and they played Barbie, like they were into it. She had made like little rugs and like I used to make my own Barbie clothes.

SPEAKER_00:

I can't sew for shit.

SPEAKER_01:

So the origins of the origins of He-Man can be traced to Mattel designer Mark Taylor, who envisioned a muscular hero inspired by pulp fantasy and prehistoric imagery. His sketches evolved into the character of He-Man, a barbarian-like figure who would become the centerpiece of a new toy line. In 82, Mattel released the first wave of Masters of the Universe figures, including He-Man, Skeletor, Tila, Man at Arms, and others. Each figure came packaged with a mini comic that provided backstory, establishing the world of Eternia, Castle Gray Skull, and the eternal battle between good and evil. The franchise truly exploded in 1983. It seems like everything exploded in 1983. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

It's a good time to be alive.

SPEAKER_01:

I feel like it was a lot of cocaine. Exploding. When Filmation produced He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, an animated series designed to promote the toys. The show introduced Prince Adam, He-Man's alter ego, who transformed into the mighty hero by declaring the now iconic phrase I have by the power of Gray Skull. I have the power. And I have to hold my sword up. Um, the cartoon ran for two seasons and 130 episodes, pioneering the model of cartoons as extended toy commercials. Yet it also distinguished itself by ending each episode with a moral lesson, reinforcing values of courage, honesty, and friendship. The success of He-Man led to rapid expansion. In 85, Mattel and Filmation launched She-Ra, Princess of Power, a spin-off centered on He-Man's sister, Adora. This broadened the franchise appeal, offering young girls their own heroic figure while maintaining ties to the larger masters of the universe mythology. That same year, the Secret of the Sword film introduced She-Ra to audiences, cementing her place in the canon. By the mid-80s, He-Man was a cultural juggernaut. The toys were among the best-selling lines in the world, and the franchise extended into lunchboxes, clothing, board games, and even a Christmas special. In 1987, Hollywood attempted to bring He-Man to the big screen with Masters of the Universe, starring Dolph Lundgren. Though the film was a commercial failure, it later gained cult status among fans who appreciated its campy charm. I was gonna say, I imagine that with Dolph Lundgren, it became a little silly. Yeah. The franchise faced challenges in the late 80s as toy sales declined and children's interests children's interests shifted. Mattel attempted to revive the brand with the new adventures of He-Man in the night in 1990, which transported the hero into a futuristic space setting. You know, this is not the first time that we have seen that they tried to send things to space. I mean, I guess we still keep trying to do it. True. You're not wrong. Um, while innovative, it failed to compare capture the same magic. A more successful revival came in 2002 when Cartoon Network aired a rebooted series with updated animation and deeper storytelling.

SPEAKER_02:

It rebooted because in 2002 the kids who grew up playing with it had kids. Yes. So genius timing. Yep.

SPEAKER_01:

Most recently, Netflix released Masters of the Universe Revelation in 2021. I guess or not most recently. A continuation of the original storyline alongside a CGI robot aimed at younger audience. A reboot, not robot. I don't remember that. I don't either. Despite ups and downs, He-Man's legacy indoors, the franchise pra pioneered the synergy between toys and television, influencing later giants like Transformers and G.I. Joe. Its blend of fantasy and science fiction created a unique aesthetic, while its moral lesson gave it a sense of purpose beyond mere entertainment. He-Man was more than a toy, it was a symbol of empowerment, imagination, and the eternal battle between good and evil. I love it. Evil. I like Skeletor. Yeah. And I think my sister did have the She-Ra doll. I remember she had big boobs. Mm-hmm. Which is what female figures had big boobs last night. Wow. I guess that's why I'm not a hero. Um, my next one. The story of Transformers toys begins not in the United States, but in Japan. Okay, so I have a it's not a secret. I love me some Transformers. And I'm gonna tell you all this. Don't judge, don't at me. I fucking love the Transformers movies. Me too. I don't want to think about things when I'm watching a movie. No, I don't want to be sad. I don't I have a sad enough existence in reality. I want my movies to be beyond mind-numbingly entertaining. Yes, yes. That is the epitome of the transformers.

SPEAKER_02:

It really is, and I think what makes it work so well is they gave the each of the Transformers such great personalities. Yes. Like they are very entertaining. Yes.

SPEAKER_01:

I like the first two. After that, I think we went to the room.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, the first one's definitely my favorite. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

The second one, I like the second one only because there is this one scene, and I will skip to it every time, and I get it. It's all CGI. I understand that because cars don't actually turn into robots. But there's a scene where Bumblebee and him are driving down a highway, and they almost hit something, and Bumblebee transforms and tosses him in the air, and then they're all still moving, and then he transforms around him back into the car. That's my favorite fucking scene. That's come on.

SPEAKER_02:

It's so badass.

SPEAKER_01:

I mean, come on. Yeah, yeah. Now my cousin had um the Optimus Prime with the uh trailer that you can put all the other ones in. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I did that.

SPEAKER_02:

No, I think I knew somebody that had that, like maybe a friend of mine's brother or some little brother. I'm still so jealous of that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

That's fucking awesome. In the early 80s, the Japanese company Takara developed two toy lines, Dioclone and MicroChange, that featured robots capable of transforming into vehicles, machines, and everyday objects. These toys were innovative, combining mechanical engineering with imaginative play. When American toy giant Hasbro discovered them, they saw an opportunity to rebrand and expand the concept for Western audience. In 1984, Hasbro introduced Transformers to the U.S. market, forever changing the landscape of children's toys. What set them apart was not just their ability to change form, but the narrative that accompanied them. Hasbro partnered with Marvel Comics to create a mythology that gave each toy a name, personality, and allegiance. The heroic Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, stood against the villainous Decepticons commanded by Megatron. And I can just want to tell you that as much as I love the Optimus Prime, the me the um Decepticons were always better looking because they were all black. Yeah. But yeah. True. Too much color for you. I mean, I like Bumblebee. Of course. Um the backstory transformed the toys from mere playthings into characters within a larger universe. Uh, they weren't just playing with cars or robots, they were participating in an epic battle for the fate of Cybertron. The first wave of toys included iconic figures such as Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Soundwave, and Starscream. Each game came packaged with tech specs that detailed their abilities decoded with a red plastic strip. This added layer of interactivity made the toys feel more alive, as if each figure carried its own dossier. The toys were also tied directly to the animated series The Transformers from 84 to 87, which reinforced their personalities and adventures. This synergy between toy and media created a feedback loop. The cartoon sold the toys, and the toys kept the children invested in the cartoon. As the line expanded, Hasbro introduced new gimmicks to keep the brand fresh. This is where it goes off the rails. Okay. Dynobots transformed into prehistoric creatures. Well, the constructions combined into the massive Devastator and Triple Changers offered two alternate forums instead of one, so they would like to fit together. Yeah, which was that's fine, but like just come on with the dinosaurs. They're already from outer space, I guess, so you can't send them to space because then you have to do the next best thing, which is dinosaurs. The movie introduced new characters like Hot Rod and Galvatron, ensuring that the toy line continued to evolve alongside the narrative. By the mid-80s, Transformers had become one of the most successful toy lines in the world. The 90s brought reinvention, sales had declined, and Hasbro needed to revitalize the brand. In 96, Beast Wars Transformers debuted, reimagining the robots as animals rather than vehicles. The toys featured advanced articulation, allowing for more dynamic play, and the accompanying CGI series introduced deeper character arcs. No, this era proved that Transformers could adopt to change changing tastes and technologies, keeping the brand relevant for a new generation. The 2000s saw further experimentation with lines like Armada, Energon, and Cybertron, introducing mini cons and inter interconnected storylines. In 2007, Michael Bay's live action Transformers film reignited global interest driving massive toy sales. I imagine it was all Gen Xers buying those toys. Trying to make their kids play with them. The design became became more complex, reflecting the film's realistic aesthetic. At the same time, Hart Hasbro launched collector focus lines such as Masterpiece, which offered highly detailed figures faithful to the original cartoon designs and generations which updated classic cartoon classic characters with modern engineering. Today, Transformer toys continue to thrive, balancing nostalgia with innovation. Collectors seek out vintage figures while children discover new iterations through reboots and streaming series. The toys have sold hundreds of millions of units worldwide, generating billions in revenue. More importantly, they have become cultural artifacts embodying the tagline that has defined them since then since 1984 more than meets the eye. And now we're gonna take a moment to go back back in time to April of I don't remember when 1984. 1984.

SPEAKER_06:

Because I repeat your life, we're lucky a teenage pike.

SPEAKER_02:

So today we are at Saturday, April 7th, 1984.

SPEAKER_01:

We can't have a substitute today, so that's good news.

SPEAKER_02:

Right. Yeah to Saturday.

SPEAKER_01:

I don't know how much more substitute.

SPEAKER_02:

I know that mystery is just too deep. Um, all right, so today, when we woke up, we had to clean the house. Because it's Saturday. And take care of stuff. Yep, stuff. Because we had to go to New Jersey because Aunt Gladys was getting married. She was marrying Brad. They had a very little audience, and the reception was fun. I had champagne like everyone else. Oh it was fun. And I spelled champagne S-H A-M-P-A-I-N. I spelled it phonetically.

SPEAKER_01:

Who let you have champagne? Or you think it was sparkling apple cider or something?

SPEAKER_02:

Who knows? Maybe I snuck it. If my dad was there, he would have given it to me. Um we got to put money in the jukebox and listen to music, and we watched Uncle Brad, Uncle Donald, and two other guys. I don't know what we watched them doing. But maybe dance.

SPEAKER_00:

Maybe.

SPEAKER_02:

Um they all had dinner and cake and Aunt Gladys and Uncle Brad. See, it I love how in the beginning Aunt Gladys is marrying Brad, and then after the ceremony, he's Uncle Brad. Like I real quick made that made that change. Um let's see, dinner and cake, and Aunt Gladys and Uncle Brad had matches with their names on it.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, that was a big thing in the 80s. Matchbooks.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh, yeah. Then we came home and went to bed. We got home at 12 30 a.m. OM. For real. Gee. So that's action-packed, Pee-wee. Uh yeah. So that's this day on Saturday, April 7th, 1984, in Nicole's diary.

SPEAKER_01:

That's so awesome.

SPEAKER_02:

Champagne, champagna. I know. Dancing. Right? A wedding. Yeah. Somebody went from just a single name to an uncle name. Yeah. It's crazy. It's crazy out there. Yeah, yeah. It was a wild time. It's even crazier as we drove all the way to Jersey. Went to the wedding. Why didn't you just stay there? Yeah, who knows?

SPEAKER_01:

I did I yeah, I don't know. Who am I? I mean, I would do that now. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Especially because you were back by 12 30. Yeah. It's not even that late.

SPEAKER_02:

No. But they live like in Broadway. That's like three, three and a half hours from now. Oh. Yeah, it was a ride. Wasn't South Jersey or anything. Yeah.

unknown:

All right.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. Um.

unknown:

Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

The Rubik's Cube is more than a puzzle. It's a cultural icon that has fascinated generations. Its story begins in 1974 when Hungarian architect and professor now Rubik. Yep. Sought a way to help his students understand three-dimensional movement. After months, everything starts with a fucking science lesson. After months of experimentation with wooden blocks, paper, and elastic bands, he created a prototype of what he called the Hungarian equivalent of magic cube. At first, Rubik himself struggled to solve it, realizing that the puzzle's challenge lay in the staggering number of possible combinations. Over 43 quintillion. Damn. Yeah. He patented the cube in 1975, and by 1977, small batches were sold in Hungary. The toy's popularity spread quickly, but Hungary's restrictive export policies limited its reach. That changed in 1979 when businessman Tybor Lasky, no Laxie, and toy promoter Tom Kramer helped secure international licensing. In 1980, the puzzle was rebranded as the Rubik's Cube and released worldwide by Ideal Toy Group. Within months, it became a sensation, winning Germany's Game of the Year Award and appearing on magazine covers such as Scientific American. By the mid-80s, the Cube had sold tens of millions of units, cementing its place as the decade's defining puzzle craze. The cube's appeal extended beyond casual play. Mathematicians admired its connection to group theory and symmetry, while educators used it to teach problem-solving skills. Books and guides on solving the cube became bestsellers, offering step-by-step algorithms. The craze even inspired art, music, and film references, embedding the cube into pop culture.

SPEAKER_02:

I want to say I got a Rubik's Cube book to try to figure it out. Because I I I was pretty good at getting one side. And I think a few times I got two sides.

SPEAKER_01:

I solved one because I took it apart and put it back together. That's not solving it. It is. It's not. It's it's it is. No. Let me tell you why. No. It goes back to Star Trek. Because the only pass person that ever passed the Kobayashi Maru was Captain Kirk because he cheated. Because the test was unwinnable. Okay. Because that's the way it was meant. It was meant to test your ability to lead in times of trouble. Right. Right. So he cheated and that's how he won.

SPEAKER_02:

And you think that's the same thing as taking a Rubik's cube apart? Okay. That is exactly the same way.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, then that's what we're going with. As taking because the cubes popped off. I guess. Very easily. Yes.

SPEAKER_02:

I was never into cheating. I was very in old 10 of when I played board games.

SPEAKER_01:

Like that's the only one I cheated at. Probably, I don't know. Um the mainstream popularity waned by the late 80s. The cube never disappeared, though. In the 90s and 2000s, the Rubik's Cube experienced a revival. The rise of the internet allowed enthusiasts to share solving methods and a new sport, speed cubing. Competitions organized by the World Cube Association founded in 2003. Those people are nuts. They probably would frown upon my cheating and taking it apart. They it's crazy how fast they move that thing. Yes. It drew thousands of participants worldwide. Records fell rapidly with solves dropping from minutes to mere seconds. In 2023, Max Park set a world record with a solve of 3.13 seconds, showcasing the cubes enduring challenge. Okay, I've never seen any of this. But how is it even how? I mean, I get it, they're moving fast, but Okay. How's your brain figure that's right?

SPEAKER_02:

Exactly. Yeah. It's funny because it really is still popular because on the days that I work from home I get to watch um Let's Make a Deal. Uh-huh. I love that show. And this guy came up, and you always have to say something interesting about yourself. Uh-huh. And he said he could solve a Rubik's Cube with one hand. So Wayne Brady was like, Do we have a Rubik's Cube? And they were like, Yeah. So they brought it out of the back for him. And of course it's TV and they can't give him time, but he did in one hand. He got to like four sides.

SPEAKER_01:

Wow.

SPEAKER_02:

But you know, they only had like 10 seconds to tie. So they were like, okay, we believe you, but oh my god, that was crazy.

SPEAKER_01:

Like three point that's three one hand. Yeah. One Mississippi, two, Mississippi, three Mississippi. Done. That's it. Done. Yeah. Crazy. I I couldn't do it without cheating. I feel though, I feel like probably if you're very good at math, I feel like there's a lot of math involved.

SPEAKER_02:

And that would be another reason why I just geometry type math. Because I'm very good at math and I'm terrible at geometry.

SPEAKER_01:

So I feel like it's a math equation. That's why I popped it apart and just put it back together. Because you were never gonna get it. I was never.

SPEAKER_03:

Nope.

SPEAKER_01:

I don't even pretend like I could do math. I know a lot of people feel bad about it. I do not. I do not care that I can. Ever since we have been friends, I have just hand her money. I'm like, I don't know. She could have been ripping me off all these years with no idea. Yep. Um the Rubik's Cube began as a teaching tool, but evolved into a global phenomenon. Its blend of simplicity and complexity has ensured its longevity, making it just not just a puzzle, but a touchstone that continues to inspire problem solvings around the world. Um, I also had the snake, which you could not pop off.

SPEAKER_02:

I love the snake, and I didn't tell you about my recent snake story. No, all right. So yeah, we had the big fat ones and they were so much fun. Oh my god. Remember making the scorpion? And I only made a ball.

unknown:

Oh, jeez.

SPEAKER_02:

But but I was sitting in a um work thing one day, and a lot of people I I work in the industry of people with like disabilities and things, so fidget type things are common in people that not only I work with, but colleagues. So anyway, we're sitting in this thing, and I look over, and the lady sitting next to me, who's a friend of mine, she's got um the small little snake. It was probably about eight inches long and skinny, and she's under the table playing with it. I was like, oh my god, where did you get that? And she's like, Oh, I love these things. Like she broke had broken like three of them because she just plays with them so much. Always twist. I was like, oh my god, that was my favorite toy. So the next time I saw her, she gave me one. Oh, I know. Right now it's a cat toy because every time I set it somewhere, the cats put it on the floor and kick it, but they're not hurting it. But but yeah, it's green and white.

SPEAKER_01:

Mine was black and white, black and cream.

SPEAKER_02:

Mine was um purple and green. Oh. Mm-hmm. Yep.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm sure they had other like versions, but I only remember the snake and the the cube.

SPEAKER_02:

I feel like there were other things. I just can't think of what they were.

SPEAKER_01:

I think what I remember most about it, A, is because it popped apart so easily, and you could rearrange it. But the noise that it made click the the hand like the creak of it. Um, we were watching TV the other night, my one of my murder shows. And um he looked at me and said, I just took a test for you, and I think you're autistic. And I went, Oh, you you fucking think? I didn't need that test to tell you that. I know for a fact. What gave it away? The fact that I don't eat anything purple because it tastes purple. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Speaking, because this this actually does tie in. The story of Strawberry Shortcake is like she smelled so good. It's a quintessential. She smells like red. Okay.

SPEAKER_02:

There's something. I recently watched a show, and I'm gonna have to look into this. It was a show where somebody, some girl, what was it? She kidnapped somebody's kid. She became a nanny, kidnapped the kid because she swore it was her kid, because she gave it up for adoption. And one of the ways they figured out that it was her kid was that he tasted things in color, and so did she, and it's extremely rare. Oh. And um it's hereditary. Does that mean my mom or dad does? I bet it's my dad. Probably. I bet a hundred percent it's my dad. And I bet brown is his favorite color of chocolate. I don't know. I'll get you more information on that. I'll have to get away.

SPEAKER_01:

Now that I think about it, like because when I was thinking about this on my way here, because I I was thinking about strawberry shortcake and how good she smelled. And I was also thinking about telling you about the autism thing. I don't eat purple because it tastes like purple. Purple things taste like purple. And I thought everybody knew what purple tasted like. Um obviously orange tastes orange, but but red has always tasted strawberry. Like it's okay. Red is like strawberry, no matter what this red thing is. Well, I mean, I guess I shouldn't say no matter what, but to me, if you held up the color red, I would think strawberry automatically. That it tastes, if I had to lick it, it would taste like strawberry, not cherry, but strawberry. Obviously, orange tastes like orange. Um purple is purple. Green is always lime. Yeah. You don't eat anything green. No, I don't eat anything green because it all tastes like lime. And I don't like lime. Guacamole doesn't, and I eat that. It's a weird green though. It is. And now that you say that, I mean brown does taste like chocolate. No.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I'll get you more info on that. We'll we'll discuss this further later.

SPEAKER_01:

I don't know what blue would taste like because I don't typically eat anything blue either.

SPEAKER_02:

You don't need anything blue.

SPEAKER_01:

No. You don't do like blue raspberry slushies or I mean if we're gonna be perfectly honest, I pretty much stick to like red and white. Yeah. Brown, brown, brown, red, and white.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I don't yeah. I don't know. I but now that you say that, it's funny because I I think I do taste color. Yeah. I'm so excited. I'm definitely gonna look into this. Especially if it's rare.

SPEAKER_03:

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01:

I I honestly, it's like when I found out that people don't have an automatic like store, like they don't have that running in their head all the time. I was like blown away by that. Because I was like, what is it just empty in there? Like you not hear anything all day? Like, what happens? You just hear the hum of the fan or yeah, what yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

When I I I still don't believe that people don't have running thoughts all the time. Okay. Internal dialogue. I I I literally never don't have internal ideas.

SPEAKER_01:

I need to meet someone because I need to know like what is happening. I mean, do you just Is there just nothing? Yeah. You just hear the sounds around you? Exactly. Because like I very rarely hear the sounds around me because my I'm so busy in my head.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, I can't tell you how many times I'm watching a show or a movie, and 30 seconds later I have to rewind it because my internal voice was talking over the TV and I didn't know what they said.

unknown:

I know.

SPEAKER_02:

I was watching the TV, I just had no idea what had happened.

SPEAKER_01:

That's just crazy. Uh-huh. I I also have like a fidget issue because like when I was looking at the test that he took for me, um, I do have stims, which I didn't realize that I did, but I obviously do. Like especially I get I I bounce my leg all the time.

SPEAKER_02:

I do that all the time. That's my anxiety.

SPEAKER_01:

That's my anxiety. Yeah. Yeah. But I also do it when I'm in pain. I re I I feel like it helps me, like because I have tooth issues and stuff. And when I bounce my leg, it feels better.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I typically don't know I'm bouncing my leg, and then all of a sudden I'll be like, oh, I'm bouncing my leg.

SPEAKER_01:

I've always known that I've hummed. Like that. My gr I know my great-grandmother did. Oh. Yeah. She did. And I catch myself humming a lot. Yeah, I do. Especially when water is running. I know. And every time I say these things out loud, I'm like, oh my God. Okay.

SPEAKER_02:

You need to write a a psych department, see if they want to do a study.

SPEAKER_01:

You'll do it for like 200 bucks. Let's figure out what's wrong with me. And yeah, okay. Strawberry shortcake. Mm-hmm. Um, her origin dates back to the early 70s when American Greetings, one of the largest greeting card companies in the United States, sought to expand its juvenile card line. Artist Barbie Sargent first sketched a character known as Strawberry Girl for a Valentine's card around 1972 to 1973. The design featured a young girl in a bonnet decorated with strawberries holding a daisy. The motif proved popular, and American greetings realized the potential for expansion.

SPEAKER_02:

I did not know that strawberry shortcake started as a greeting card.

SPEAKER_01:

No, I thought it was the other way around. Yeah. I knew they had greeting cards.

SPEAKER_02:

They had everything, strawberry shortcake.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm pretty sure. I know, or was that that I know one of us had uh strawberry shortcake pajamas. I want to say it was my sister. Had strawberry, like it was a nightgown. Like whatever happened with the do they still sell that shit?

SPEAKER_02:

Like nightgowns, like I think they figured out that those things like went up in flames instantly. Because it was solid polyester.

SPEAKER_01:

You remember those nightgowns?

SPEAKER_02:

Oh my god, that's all I wore.

SPEAKER_01:

My sister and I also had, and it was Annie. I do remember, it was like the little orphan Annie. She had the nightgown and I had the pajama set. So I had pants that were like um joggers now, I guess is what they the kids call them these days. And it was striped like a baseball uniform.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

I used to love feetie pajamas too. I loved feetie pajamas too. Until I got older and then my feet got too hot. Yeah. Because I'm about to put my socks on, take my socks off, kind of girl, depending on what my parents are.

SPEAKER_01:

I don't like my feet sweating. Mm-mm. And we had a wood stove. Yeah. So it was like Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

And I'd rather my feet be cold than be sweating. And me too. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Although not today. No. I was uncomfortable today. Um and yesterday. I mean sitting around the house. Yeah. I was uncomfortable. I ended up yesterday because I had been so fucking cold all day. I ended up with under a blanket with the dog, and uh, we don't have a heated blanket, but we have a heating uh a heating pad for my back, and I had to put that in my lap because it was so cold.

SPEAKER_04:

So yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

That's how I heat things. Um by the late 70s, illustrator Muriel Ferha Fahering. Muriel Muriel redefined the character's look, adding her signature strawberry hat and whimsical details. She also designed a supporting cast of friends and pets, each with fruit or dessert name inspired names, such as blueberry muffin, huckleberry pie, and apple dumpling. These designs were developed by those characters from Cleveland, American Greetings, licensed division, which specialized in turning card characters into broader franchises. In 1980, toy company Kenner Products licensed strawberry shortcake and released the first line of dolls. Each doll was scented to match her name. Obviously, strawberry shortcake smelled like of strawberries, lemon meringue of lemons, and so on. The sensory gimmick made the dolls stand out in a crowd, crowded toy market. The dolls were accompanied by animated television specials beginning in 1980 with the world of strawberry shortcake, voiced by Russ Rucy Taylor. Strawberry Shortcake became a household name, and her world of strawberry land captured the imagination of children across North America. I think we had the lemon meringue one and the blueberry one and strawberry shortcake.

SPEAKER_02:

I don't think I had them, but my friends did. I didn't get the good toys.

SPEAKER_00:

You got Dollar Street, Dollar Tree stuff. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I went to private school, so my parents had to give us the real stuff. Otherwise, we got made fun of. In the 80s. The 80s were the franchise's heyday. Strawberry shortcake, dolls, clothing, lunch boxes, and posters filled store shelves, while animated specials aired regularly. By the mid-decade, she was a staple in many children's toy collections, rivaling other popular lines like Care Bears and My Little Pony. The franchise emphasized themes of friendship, kindness, and creativity, aligning with the values parents wanted for their children. However, by the late 80s, the craze began to fade. Kenner discontinued the dolls, and Strawberry Shortcake slipped into nostalgia. Yet she never disappeared entirely. In the 90s and 2000s, the brand was revived with updated doll lines and new animated series, including Strawberry Shortcake Barry Biddy Adventures. Ownership eventually passed to Wild Brain, a Canadian children's entertainment company, which continues to produce new content and merchandise. Today, Strawberry Shortcake remains an icon. She represents the toy and cartoon culture of the 80s, and um I think. That if you find one, I think they still stink. I think they still smell. I think I found one somewhere and it still smelled. So I don't know what the hell they made it out of that stink, but um I am I know we talked about this on our episode about stickers when we were talking about stickers, but I really think that is why we look so young because we smelled all of this preservative, this weird shit. The stretch and stiff stickers, the strawberry shortcake, the pens. I mean, how many of those pens did you shove up your nose?

SPEAKER_02:

We were just sniffing regular markers. They didn't even have to smell like anything.

SPEAKER_01:

How we do all have sinus issues as a reality. I think that's what made us all look new. It gave us superpowers. It made us preserved. It preserved us from the inside out.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, it's like my theory about like old rock stars. Like the drugs and alcohol clearly preserved you because anybody else would have died.

unknown:

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

In the mid-1980s, the toy industry was transformed. Oh, wait. Okay, so we're done talking about stuff. Oh, okay. I didn't put in big enough space in between there.

unknown:

Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

This one I did not have, but my sister had. And it was creepy. In the mid-80s, the toy industry was transformed by the arrival of Teddy Ruxpin. A plush bear-like creature that could talk, blink, and tell stories. Marketed as the world's first animated talking toy, Teddy Ruxpin was the brainchild of Ken Forcy, a former Disney imagineer who had worked on animatronics for theme parks. That makes a lot of sense. That's exactly what he looked like.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

He envisioned a toy that could combine storytelling with interactive technology, bringing a new level of engagement to children's playtime. Teddy Ruck's bin debuted in September of 85, produced by the company Worlds of Wonder. The toy contained a cassette player in its back with tape specially designed to carry both audio and control signals. The left track played the story, while the right track sent data to motors and that animated Teddy's mouth and eyes. This innovation allowed Teddy to read stories aloud, creating the illusion of a lifelike companion. Children could collect different story cassettes, expanding Teddy's adventures in the magical land of Grundo. The toy was an immediate success. By late 85 and 86, Teddy Ruxpin was among the best-selling toys in the United States, retailing for about$70. That's$190 in today's money. More than 8 million units were produced during its peak years. Teddy was even named the official spokesbear for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, underscoring its cultural impact. The popularity of Teddy Ruxpin led to spin-offs. In 86, an animated television series, The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin, aired, expanding the character's universe and introducing sidekicks like Grubby, an octoped companion toy that could talk with Teddy when connected by a cable. The synergy between toy and cartoon mirrored the marketing strategies of other 80s franchises like He-Man and Transformers. However, the success was short-lived. Worlds of Wonder went bankrupt in 1988, and the rights to Teddy Ruxman passed through several companies, including Hasbro from 91 to 96. Yes, Entertainment from 98 and 99, Backpack Toys, 2005-2010, and Wicked Cool Toys 2017 to 2019. Each revival updated the technology, replacing cassettes with digital cartridges or modern electronics, but none matched the frenzy of the original launch.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I never really wanted a Teddy UX bin. They always did kind of creep me out. The commercials were kind of creepy. I knew somebody that had one once because I remember the cassette tape and watching them and stuff, but even just watching the commercial for it, I was like, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

My sister had one, and I think that it didn't last very long because I think we all got freaked out by it. It was uh yeah, yeah. But then you know, he made pave the way for later interactive toys like the Furbies. I did have a Furby.

SPEAKER_00:

Do do do. I loved the Furbies. I did not have a Furby. Did your kids have Fur? Did your kids have Furbies? I'm sure they did. I think they did. Yeah. They were yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

My sister had a Furby because they interacted, but they had to look at each other and yeah. And they would speak to each other.

SPEAKER_02:

And you could starve them to death.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. That was the creepy part to me. It was like Sims. Mm-hmm. Although I just saw that there's a new Sims out for your phone. I know. I was like, don't, don't even you used to be a Sims addict. I know.

SPEAKER_00:

I said don't don't do it.

SPEAKER_02:

I tried Sims, but I just couldn't ever get into it.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh man, I don't I think I have one that turned into a vampire because I had the Halloween one. I don't know. I can't. I don't have that kind of time. I do, but I don't. Um, so I just had a couple of fun facts. Okay. Then I kind of gave up on the fun facts. I only have two about the Rubik's Cube. Okay. Um, the Rubik's Cube had an astonishing 43 quintillion possible configurations. This vast number illustrates the complexity of the puzzle challenges. Despite the seemingly unsurmountable number of combinations, mathematicians and computer scientists have developed algorithms that can solve the cube from any position, often in 20 moves or fewer. A concept known as God's number. The Rubik's Cube has made its way to the International Space Station, where astronauts have used it for entertainment and stress relief during long missions. The cube's compact size and engaging nature makes it an ideal pastime and the confined environment of space. And you know, it really I mean it will keep you entertained for hours. Right. It's it for me anyway, because I couldn't just put it down. Like you just have to keep going back to it and be like, I know I can fucking solve this stupid action.

SPEAKER_02:

Exactly. How do I get the screen from this side over here to this corner over here? Exactly. Like I have the whole thing cleared or done except that one little corner.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I don't know. I feel like they would make a good stem. Mm-hmm. Now. Mm-hmm. That's all I had.

unknown:

Okay.

SPEAKER_02:

That's it. I love it. That was super fun. Thanks. Yeah. I loved hearing getting the origin stories because you hear a lot about toys, but it's just the regular stuff.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Do you remember when you had yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, I didn't know the strawberry shortcake came from a greeting card or that uh cabbage patch kids was stolen from some poor little lady in the Midwest just trying to make a small business for herself.

SPEAKER_01:

It's funny too, because when you go on the cabbage patch, because that's where I went first. I went to Cabbage Patch History on the Cabbage Patch Kids website, and it did not mention that lady at all. And then I went and there was like an article like well, the dark history of Cabbage Patch, and I was like, Oh hell yeah. That sounds amazing.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Very cool, thank you. I had all of them. Do you know what else I had? And I don't know if you remember it, because like nobody, literally nobody else on that I have ever met has ever remembered stompers. They were little cars, then they had a battery in them, so they drove themselves, but they were like um, they were like monster trucks, and their wheels were this foam and they were really big. And I have not been able to find them anywhere. I have Googled. I don't know if I just made this shit up in my head.

unknown:

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02:

I think one of my favorites too, which again, one I didn't have, but a friend of mine did, was fashion plates.

SPEAKER_01:

My sister had those. My sister had the off brand.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh. Yeah. I could have played for days with fashion plates. It was the best. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And of course play-doh.

SPEAKER_01:

I still sometimes buy silly putty. I never played with silly putty. Oh, I did. I still sometimes buy um play-doh just to smell it. Mm-hmm. Yeah. It smells so good.

SPEAKER_00:

Don't eat it. It tastes gross. It does. It's salty.

SPEAKER_01:

It is. It's very, very salty. That's what I heard. So I figured when, you know, time to time we can throw some toys in there. Cause like, again, there's play-doh and there's like all kinds of. But I was just thinking about the stuff that like crit maybe shit that I wanted, and I didn't. Heather's Christmas list.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, it was all stuff I wanted, but at least one of my friends had it, so I got to experience it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

We had. I don't know where in the hell they got their money from.

SPEAKER_02:

When you're a parent and you want to make the magic of Christmas for your kid, you pull that money out of your ass. I mean, you find it somewhere.

SPEAKER_01:

That's what I've always wondered.

SPEAKER_02:

I was always broke too, but I always made sure they had just these huge piles.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, because one year we got I got an Apple IIC, which was like Yeah. Stupid expensive. And it was the only thing I asked for. And I remember it was it wasn't under the tree. Because it was a ginormous box. And so when we opened all the presents, I was like, oh.

SPEAKER_02:

Just I didn't get my computer. Thanks for nothing.

SPEAKER_01:

And then my dad was like, why don't you go get um the trash bags? And I was like, I don't want to get the trash bags. And he was like, but I told you to go get the trash bags. So when I went into the closet, there it was. No. Yeah. So yeah. That's sweet. I figured we could just think about toys.

SPEAKER_02:

Mm-hmm. It is the time of year. It is. Um, so yeah. I saw this toy today that bothered me. So it was on like one of those things where they're trying to sell you deals for the holidays on like a morning show or something. And um it was this thing where while you're reading to your kid at night, it will project the story up on the ceiling for them while you read. And I'm like, the whole point of reading is you use your imagination, use Yes, and you focus on the book, and maybe you pick up a word or two as you're getting read to, and things like that. And that's just more technology to me. Like, why there's nothing wrong with just reading a book.

SPEAKER_01:

So I wonder what the study is on kids, don't use their imaginations anymore, I would imagine, because everything's like right. I mean, literally, if you think of something, you can put it into chat GBT, and there it is. Um so I wonder what that's gonna do long term, not using your like I wonder what what evolves out of that, not using your imagination. Yeah, it's so sad. Like imagination's the best. I we had to, I mean, on on the other side of it, I probably use my imagination too much, daydream a lot, but we didn't have van in the van, we didn't have windows in the back. So you missed unless you saw it out the front window, you didn't see it. So we would draw pictures and then tape them, tape them to the wall in the van that was like a window and what would be outside of the window, which is really sad now that I say it out loud. No, it's cool. But yeah, that's what we would do. We drew like cars and like a landscape and like what we thought we would see. Yep.

SPEAKER_00:

It's weird.

SPEAKER_02:

Okay.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Now kids look at their iPads while they're in the car and don't even look at what's going by outside.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and when they're playing with toys, are they even actually playing with toys or are they just Did they even want toys? Yeah. Are they just going on the road? I think that would be boring at this point. Yeah.

unknown:

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01:

I mean Barbie still sells. Yeah. But is she just selling because she's got, you know, this Barbie and that bar like Harry Potter Barbie or President Barbie or Yeah, I don't know. Oh, also the cabbage patch. I remember this one too. I meant to write it down. So the cat one of the cabbage patch kids I had later, I got it from my birthday. I would get money for my birthday every year. My birthday is the end of September. And around here, that was literally back in the 80s, that was the end of the season. Like that was when springfest was, and after that, there was nothing. There was no winter festival lights. Now they've really done a nice job around here of boosting the off-season. Um, but back then, boom, end of September, that was that. There's literally nobody around. So for my birthday, um, we would go wherever we wanted to do dinner, except that was a lie because they never went to the place I wanted to go for dinner. Donald. Exactly. My mother would say no, which is unfair. Um anyway, there was a toy store down on the boardwalk. So I picked a restaurant down there, and I remember and I saw a picture of it when I was doing this. It was a cabbage patch kid in an astronaut uniform.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01:

I know, and now I really, really wish I still had it, and I wonder if it's in this house somewhere. I bet it is. Because she keeps literally everything. And it can't, unless I took it and then tossed it, which is a distinct possibility. But yeah, it was like the whole.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

It's pretty badass. When I saw it on there, I was like, oh my god, I had that one. And I remember buying it for my birthday. I had birthday money, and I was like, I and it was like super expensive. I don't know where it is now. Wish I still had it because I bet it's worth a lot of fucking money. Uh-huh. Oh, thanks for listening, everybody. Yes, thank you. Um, you can find us on all the socials. Yep. At Like Whatever Pod. You can visit our fancy dancey website. Mm-hmm. Likewhateverpod.com. Um, we are killing it over on YouTube for whatever reason. Yeah, for some reason. We don't even have video up. I don't know. Yeah, I don't know. Just wait till we do. Yeah, we have a it's we're we're killing it over there. Um, so thank you, YouTube listeners. Yes. Um check us out on the YouTube. Mm-hmm. Find us on the socials. Blah blah blah. Like, share, rate, review. Please. Got rid of my script. Like, share, rate review. And you can send us an email about what Transformer was your favorite to like whatever pod at gmail.com. You can also send us a message on our website, likewhateverpod.com. Or don't like whatever. Whatever. Bye. Autobots roll out.

Contributor

Heather Jolley

Host
Contributor

Nicole Barr

Host