After taking yet another a year off, and for no reason other than I need to write more than a week’s worth of this blog because I’m going to Chicago for Mel’s birthday (which is today, Happy Birthday my love), we once again bring you a collection of Christmas-themed short films that are, shall we say, “less traditional” than those you might normally watch to get into the holiday spirit. Against all common sense this has become a new bi-annual tradition! Some of these you may have seen before here in PopCult, while some are new to our readers. All of them, are pretty messed up, in their own ways. These are our olive branch to those of us who have more of a “Bah, Humbug” attitude toward the holiday on this Christmas season.

Our opening video this year is a heartwarming cartoon about ways to die at Christmas…

Returning from 2020, it’s a music video by The Dollyrots, conveniently called “Messed Up Christmas,” and it was written using contest entries from their fans that asked “What messed up thing do you want for Christmas?”

We continue with a short film from 2017 called “Sleigh,” starring Matt Berry and Nigel Planer…

Next up we bring you a parody of the 30th Anniversary of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” by the comedy crew of 22 Minutes…

Finally we bring you Ken Russell’s heartwarming holiday classic, “A Kitten For Hitler”…

In the spirit of the holiday season, I say, “There, that oughtta hold the little buggers.”

This week we travel back to July, 2012 for a show that featured music from Mother Nang, recorded at Haddad Riverfront Park, and two numbers from the Charleston Light Opera Guild production of Legally Blonde.  This episode was called “Fighting English Shirt,” named after my T-shirt, which was a mash-up of The Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and the logo for Notre Dame’s sportsball team.

Host segments were shot at the Charleston Civic Center, which just goes to show you what might happen if you leave your podium just sitting around.

The CLOG production of Legally Blonde starred Micah Atkinson as Elle Woods, along with a large talented cast that included Matthew Bryant, Allison Plants, Michael D. Gore, Cameron Vance, Toni Pilato, and Rudi Raynes-Kidder along with many others. The RFC cameras were allowed in for the first dress rehearsal, and we witnessed a show that is coming together quickly was a lot of fun. We brought you two numbers from Legally Blonde” in ths episode, “Serious” and “What You Want.”

This episode of the show also features the song “Buying The Farm” by Mother Nang, recorded in the summer of 2011 at Haddad Riverfront Park. Mother Nang is a legendary band on the Charleston Scene, and the various members are all still active, musically, whether together or apart.

We also have animation this week, but I’m still not allowed to talk about it.

The original production notes can be found HERE.

The PopCulteer
December 5, 2025

It took the entire month of November plus nearly an extra week, but we have finally arrived at The Master List of every single thing I recommended in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide. We are running The Master List a week later than I planned, but that makes up for last year when I ran it a week early

For the most part, I stick with  last year’s format changes to The Gift Guide. Like last year I did two posts a day, only on weekdays, with some containing multiple items. All of them have some kind of pop culture angle, and I hope all of them help to inspire somebody’s gift giving. This year our readership has exceeded any previous year’s PopCult Gift Guide by a ridiculous amount, even with fewer entries.  For that, I thank you folks for sharing the links and spreading the word.

One change I made this year was that I tried to shine the spotlight on more small retailers. In a “best laid plans” drawback, I did not get to write the planned “Small Business Saturday” post that I had planned for last Friday. The passing of Lee Harrah knocked me off my game and I just couldn’t crank that out.

For the most part, like last year, I didn’t have to wake up early and crank out that day’s Gift Guide entries except for a couple of times.

Because of the nature of how I did the gift guide this year, some of the links will take you to the post that includes the items listed, but you may have to scroll down a bit to find the exact item you’re looking for.  Like I did last year, I will incorporate the Turkey Day gag gifts into the regular list.

With that said, let’s dive into the Master List…

TOYS

Bullseye’s Highway Hauler Truck Set

Jenga: Godzilla Edition

Super7 Godzilla Figures

DEVO Booji Boy Action Figure

Gargon: King of the Terrons

Zuru Mini Brands Fill The Fridge

The White Stipes Action Figures

Lionel Santa Fe Flyer Battery Operated Train Set

LEGO Luxo Jr. 

Peanuts action figures from Super7

LEGO Keith Haring Dancing Figures

Scalextric Speed Supreme Race Set

Corgi Beatles Die Cast Vehicles

John Waters Action figure

Lenny Bruce Action Figure

Corgi Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Die Cast Replica

SpongeBob’s Flying Dutchman’s Ship Playset

Wicked The Wizard Doll

Mini Verse Real Brands

Hot Wheels

BOOKS

Godzilla: The Official Cookbook

Jay Ward’s Animated Cereal Capers

Amtrak’s History Through It’s Equipment

Dip My Brain In Joy: Neil Innes

Aurora Plastic Model Catalogs Volumes 1 &2

The Art of George Wilson

TCM Pre-Code Essentials

The Essential Peanuts

The Complete Peanuts

TCM Rewinding The 80s

Hirschfeld’s Sondheim

Matching Minds With Sondheim

100 Ways To Eat Cock

Beyond the Mark: Ashes of The Hero

Broadway Nation

It Seemed Like A Bad Idea At The Time/ Bruce Vilanch

DC compact Editions

MUSIC

The Bonzo Dog Band: Still Barking boxset

Power To The People: John & Yoko In NYC boxset

WINGS

Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison

Ringo Starr Vinyl LP Reissues

The Who: Who Are You Deluxe boxset

BEAT “Neon Heat Disease Live In L.A.”

LOCAL AND INDEPENDENT MUSIC VIA RFC

Stranger Things WSQK Collection LP

The Beatles Anthology

Boop! The Musical Original Cast Recording

RETAILERS

Kin Ship Goods

Volume Bookshop & Studio

Eclectic Goods Market

Kentucky 4 Kentucky Fun Mall

Transit Tees

Cotswold Collectibles

EVERYTHING ELSE

Godzilla The Showa Era Films Boxset

The Classic Svengoolie T Shirt

JAWS Lunchbox and Thermos

The Peanuts Collection at Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum

Opera Corn

Uranus Liquors T Shirt

Kellogg’s Demogorgon Crunch

Lights of Broadway Show Cards

And with that we wrap up The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide and also give you this week’s PopCulteer.  It is truly a relief to have this behind me. Even though your humble blogger is in Chicago for a few more days, once I’m back I will  hit the ground running with special holiday photo essays and video, and the return of STUFF TO DO.  You can expect all that and fresh content every day!

For the final entry in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide we bring you five stocking stuffer ideas. These are gifts that cost ten bucks or less.

With the Gift Guide extended by a week, the loss of a close friend and a pending train trip, we really came down to the wire, but I think it’s a pretty damned good batch of pop culture gift ideas at a variety of price points.

I’d say many of my readers agree, and you seem to have brought some new friends along. Readership of PopCult in November was up almost 500% from the previous month, and compared to last year’s Gift Guide, we have more than three times as many unique views.

Tomorrow you will find The Master List in The PopCulteer, and then the blog will be on autopilot for a few days.

Let’s get to stuffing those stockings…

Kellogg’s Stranger Things Demogorgon Crunch Cereal

Under five bucks at most grocers

Okay, you got a Stranger Things fan who has a stocking big enough to fit a box of cereal?  This is the gift for you to give them.

It’s a cereal based on the hit Netflix series, which just began its final season, and I will be posting a detailed review of the cereal sometime after I get back from Chicago.

Aparently people like it when I write about candy cereals.

From what I hear, this is basically Maple-flavored Eggo Waffle cereal, with added marshmallows that are supposed to look like stuff from the show.

I guess it stays crunchy, even in the Upside Down.

We found it at Walmart.

DC Compact Editions

by DC comics

Available at many booksellers and comic book shops for $9.99 or less.

DC compact Editions are exactly what the title implies, compact-sized (smaller than a regular comic book, dimension-wise) but thick collections of some of DC’s best-selling comics. Some of these are over 300 pages and many of them are primo stuff.  I mean, there are xamples of of some of the finest comic books ever published in this line.

Some, I don’t care for, but there’s a great variety. These have been coming out since last year, and they’re a terrific bargain, especially for people who have eyes better equipped for reading smaller print.

You can find some all-time classics like Darwyn Cooke’s The New Frontier, Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s V For Vendetta (the great comic book, not the lousy movie), Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ Kingdom Come and Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All Star Superman.

There are nearly forty titles from which to choose, and you can tailor your pick to the person on your shopping list.

It’s a great way to introduce a new comics reader to some of the all-time great DC classics.

MGA Mini Verse Real Brands

Under ten bucks at most retailers who carry toys

I have written extensively about Zuru Toys’ Mini Brands in the past, but now their main competitor has really upped the game and come out with their own line of brand-name miniatures that have a level of detail that’s mind-blowing.

I’m talking about a miniature box of ice cream bars that can be opened, with individual ice cream bars inside, which are each individually wrapped. It’s both crazed and brilliant!

Seriously these minis can be opened and you can pour out tiny (not edible) peanuts, crackers and potato chips.

Here’s what they say about them…

New minis have entered the Miniverse! Collect all your favorite foods from all your favorite brands!

Scoop out Breyers® “Ice Cream” from the tub, unwrap your mini Pop-Tart®, and scrape out Smucker’s® Strawberry Jam straight out the jar! Each mini has hyper realistic features!

50+ Minis: There are 50+ minis to collect in this series!

Collect across iconic brands such as Babybel®, HORMEL® SPAM®, PLANTERS®, Pringles®, Hostess®, and more!

These are selling like crazy, but if you have a fan of minatures on your shopping list, this is the best stocking fodder you can find.

Hot Wheels

Around a dollar (or just a bit more post-tarrifs), sold almost everywhere.

Everybody loves Hot Wheels. They’ve been around almost sixty years, and multiple generations have grown up collecting them without ever growing out of collecting them.

And they are cheap. Even costing under a dollar-thirty, the level of clever design and imagination behind these cars are incredible.

Artists use them for inspiration. Kids roll them all over the place.  Men and Women pick them up just because they look cool and cost a buck or so.

And you can fill a stocking with them, and unless your giftee is a soulless toy-hating monster, their face will light up with happiness.

And seriously, some of these are really, really cool.

Lights of Broadway Show Cards

Five dollars per pack

Available from Lights of Broadway (or at two cool stores in NYC).

Our final pick this year in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is a returning favorite.

I first told you about Lights of Broadway Show Cards several years ago in The PopCult Gift Guide, and I even wrote about them for Non Sport Update, but we’re going to remind you of that gift idea today because they have just released a new series of cards and they have several exciting projects on tap, plus there is no better stocking stuffer for the fan of the theatre on your shopping list than these little gems.

The Lights of Broadway Show Cards feature the artwork of Broadway’s reigning caricaturist, Squiggs, and present the stars, theaters and shows of The Great White Way in trading card form. This is the absolutely perfect gift for the theatre fanatic on your holiday shopping list.

The Lights of Broadway Show Cards celebrate Broadway theatre. The stories and the storytellers, the art and the artisans, those who make it all possible and the community embracing it. Shows, actors, directors, writers, designers, and all else in the spotlight or behind the scenes who keep the theatrical world spinning.

Over at The Lights of Broadway website, you’ll find special deals where you can get packs of their latest edition, with dozens of new faces showing up in the series for the first time. You’ll also find deals on binders and starter kits (which include an illustrated binder and several packs of cards).

Single packs are only five dollars, and you can be a little more generious and get your giftee multiple packs. They’ll fit in a stocking, trust me.

And with your stockings full stocked, we bid our goodbyes to The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide. Come back tomorrow for The Master List.

 

It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time: The Worst TV Shows in History and Other Things I Wrote
by Bruce Vilanch
Chicago Review Press
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0914091929
$28.99 (heavily discounted at Amazon)

The first entry on this last day of The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is a last-minute addition, swiped from Mark Evanier’s blog. It’s a book by famed comedy writer, Bruce Vilanch, about his involvement in some of the absolutely mind-boggling worst things that ever happened on television.

It Seemed Like A Bad Idea At The Time is the perfect gift for anybody who loves cheesy TV and also likes to laugh their ass off.

Let’s have the publisher explain…

Bruce Vilanch is known as a go-to comedy writer for award shows, sitcoms, and over-the-top variety specials, but he has also been responsible for quite a few of the most legendary disasters ever made.

Some of his work lives in infamy—The Star Wars Holiday Special, The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, Rob Lowe dancing with Snow White at the Oscars, and The Brady Bunch Variety Hour. How did these ever seem like a good idea?

Well, everyone has screwed up a few times, or had their work screwed up by others. It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time is a lifetime reflection of what Vilanch has experienced, learned, and forgotten in decades of working in show business, specifically the south forty acres known as comedy. It involves very famous people and people who were not very famous but should have been.

It explains to the people in the audience who say to themselves, once they have gotten their jaw off the floor, “’How did this ever get made?”

I have to admit, I haven’t read this yet. I’ve ordered it (it’s way cheap at Amazon as I write this), but you can probably order it from any bookseller. It’s perfect for anyone who ever looked at awful television and asked, “How the hell did that get made?”

Broadway Nation
How Immigrant, Jewish, Queer, and Black Artists invented the Broadway Musical
by David Armstrong (Author)
Methuen Drama
ISBN 9781350428317
$34.95

Today’s second entry in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is an in-depth book that reveals the powerful impact of marginalized groups on the evolution of the Broadway Musical.

This is an enlightening book for fans of musical theatre, as well as for people interested in LGBTQ history, the immigrant experience and early Show Business.

Let’s go to the publisher’s blurb…

At the turn of the 20th century, immigrants, Jews, Queers, and African Americans faced exclusion from mainstream American society, with limited employment opportunities. They found their calling in the emerging field of “Show Business”, particularly the burgeoning Broadway Musical. Their pioneering spirit not only seized this opportunity but also continued to shape and dominate the Broadway Musical for over a century, creating an art form that has deeply influenced American culture.

Throughout its history, the Broadway Musical has subtly and at times boldly championed human rights and liberal values, reflecting its creators’ and performers’ diverse backgrounds. Unlike previous works on musical theatre history, this book weaves these diverse threads into a comprehensive narrative, repositioning Black, Queer, and Women artists at the heart of the story, acknowledging their long-standing contributions often overlooked.

Broadway Nation is a valuable resource for both students and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of this beloved American art form. Readers will gain profound insights into the history and transformation of the Broadway Musical over a span of more than a century. Additionally, the book celebrates the remarkable artistry and craftsmanship of key figures, from George M. Cohan to Lin Manuel-Miranda, who have left an indelible mark on this extraordinary cultural phenomenon.

This book works both as an entertaining and informative exploration of the history of musical theatre, and also as a textbook-level overview of how marginalized entertainers helped drag mainstream audiences into a place where they couldn’t help but become more accepting. I’m hoping to provide a more in-depth review in the new year.

You should be able to order Broadway Nation from any bookseller by using the ISBN code, or you can purchase it directly from the publisher.

Wicked Jeff Goldblum
Wicked: For Good the Wizard Fashion Doll
by Mattel
Exclusive to Walmart
$24.97

Okay, today’s first entry in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is a no-brainer for any fan of Wicked and Wicked For Good, however, it’s also a great gift idea for any fan of Jeff Goldblum, or for kitbashers or customizers who want a relatively inexpensive base to turn him into a figure from one of his many other film roles.

Let me dip into Mattel’s PR…

Inspired by Universal Pictures’ Wicked: For Good, his Royal Ozness, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz summons you most ceremony-ishly to relive the magic of the film again and again with a doll of Oz’s most mysterious figurehead. Dressed in a removable look with true-to-movie details and cane, this sentimental man can strike amazafying poses with flexibility at the torso, elbows, wrist and knees.

Journey into the beautiful Land of Oz with Universal Pictures’ Wicked: For Good the Wizard fashion doll

Inspired by the film, the Wizard doll wears a removable look with true-to-movie details and cane

Recreate the magic of Wicked: For Good again and again by playing or displaying His Royal Ozness with the flexibility of the doll’s torso, elbows, wrist and knees

Everyone can unlock the magic within and collect their favorite Wicked: For Good characters!

Kids ages 4 years and older can play out thrillfying stories from the Wicked movies

It’s an impressive doll, with decent articulation, a great headsculpt and very ornate tailoring on the clothes.

Of you can strip him, remove the moustache, paint his hair and slap on some spare GI Joe Khakis so he can fight dinosaurs. You probably already know what your gift recipient will do.

Available only at Walmart for just under twenty-five bucks.

SpongeBob Squarepants Movie: The Search for Squarepants – The Flying Dutchman’s Ship Playset
by Funrise
$29.99
Available where toys are sold, or at Amazon

Our second entry today in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is the perfect gift for the SpongeBob Squarepants fanatic on your holiday shopping list. I know I have one.

Based on the new movie, The Search For Squarepants (coming to theaters December 19) we have a really cool playset, complete with figures and special features.

I will defer to the product hype:

EPIC MOVIE ADVENTURE SHIP – Massive Flying Dutchman’s ship with authentic “Search for SquarePants” styling featuring hidden wheels that create realistic rocking motion as you sail across any surface – bringing the high seas adventure home

6 EXCLUSIVE MOVIE FIGURES INCLUDED – Complete crew featuring SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, the translucent Flying Dutchman, and 2 deep-sea creatures – all styled exactly as they appear in the movie for storytelling adventures

SPECTACULAR GLOWING FLYING DUTCHMAN – Translucent Flying Dutchman figure lights up with an eerie ghostly glow when placed in the crow’s nest, creating spine-tingling atmosphere that brings the legendary ghost pirate to life

ACTION-PACKED HIDDEN FEATURES – Discover secret trap doors, retractable plank, shooting cannon, hidden door reveals, and ghostly activated steering wheel – over 8 interactive elements for endless exploration and surprise

ROCK & ROLL SAILING ACTION – Hidden wheels beneath the ship create up-and-down rocking motion when pushed forward, simulating real ocean waves and making every adventure feel like you’re truly sailing the seven seas

This is a pretty freaking cool playset, even if you aren’t married to one of the most devout SpongeBob fans on the planet. While it should be turning up at all retailers who carry toys in the next week or so, it can be found now at Amazon, if it isn’t sold out already.

One of the drawbacks of assembling a great pop culture gift guide each year is that sometimes you sacrifice the element of surprise to get a really cool gift suggestion.

Beyond The Mark: Ashes of the Hero
by Kevin Gallant
Staten House
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8895875438
$14.99 at Amazon

Today’s first entry in The 2025 PopCult Gift Guide is for a book that has been highly recommended to me by several people, but is one that I haven’t been able to set aside enough time to read yet. So I’m flying a little blind here in recommending a book that will likely be a terrific gift for the fan of dark fantasy and high adventure on your holiday shopping list.

Let me share the publisher’s synopsis…

Flynn, a once-revered hero of his homeland, awakens after five years of forced slumber only to find himself branded as the infamous “Marked Wraith,” a fugitive accused of crimes he doesn’t remember committing. The world he left behind has changed dramatically, filled with new alliances, forbidden magic, and treacherous enemies who want him dead. Alone and hunted, Flynn must uncover the truth behind his lost years, confront those who betrayed him, and find a way to clear his name.

His path crosses with Orion, a mysterious mage looking for her next big score. Reluctantly drawn together, Flynn and Orion must learn to trust one another while facing both their inner demons and the physical dangers lurking in a world filled with deceit and hidden agendas. From blood-soaked battlefields to enigmatic manors harboring dark secrets, the duo must harness forbidden powers to stand a chance against Victor, the ruthless council leader whose ambitions threaten everything Flynn once stood for.

Filled with heart-pounding action, morally complex characters, and a dash of dark humor, Beyond The Mark is a tale of redemption, betrayal, and the fight for freedom in a world where loyalty is fleeting, and the truth can be as deadly as the lies.

Will Flynn reclaim his lost honor, or will the darkness within consume him? Find out in Beyond The Mark, a gripping debut that’s sure to leave you breathless!

Beyond The Mark: Ashes of the Hero is available from Amazon, and it’s a thick volume of top-notch adventure fantasy that is great for the fiction reader on your shopping list.

Today’s new Radio Free Charleston was not an episode of the show I enjoyed putting together. If you’ve been reading PopCult for the last few days, you know that Lee Harrah died on Thanksgiving night.

When one of your best friends dies, and said friend was not only a fixture of the local music scene, but also a trusted partner in radio and video hijinks, you pretty much have to do a tribute show.

I am interrupting the planned “Best of 2025” series of RFC shows to dedicate this show to Lee. This is Lee’s episode of Radio Free Charleston  that you can hear today on The AIR.  To listen to The AIR, you simply have to point your cursor over and tune in at the website, or you could just stay here, and  listen to the cool embedded player found elsewhere on this page.  

You can hear Radio Free Charleston Tuesdays at 10 AM and 10 PM, with boatloads of replays throughout the week.

This episode is a mix of Lee’s music with three bands, Stone Ka Tet, The Ghosts of Now and HARRAH, combined with some of his favorite artists, and three episodes of the show we did together, Word Association with Lee and Rudy. I hope that the many people who knew Lee will enjoy spending just a litle more time with him, and those who didn’t can get just a hint of what he was like.

There was nobody like Lee Harrah.

Also, throughout the week, you can hear, in the RFC Daily timeslot at 5 PM Eastern time Tuesday through Friday, instead of RFC, you will hear a mix of Harrah’s Hard & Heavy and Word Association with Lee & Rudy. These were the shows Lee did for The AIR back in 2016 and 2017, before life got in the way.  Sunday at 9 AM, and runing until 8 PM, you can hear a marathon of Lee’s shows, along with his episode of Six Degrees of Separation.

We don’t have links this week, but here’s the playlist…

RFC V5 250

The Ghosts of Now “Deathburn”
HARRAH “Nothing Me”
The Ramones “Rock n Roll High School”
Creedence Clearwater Revival “Green River”
Iron Maiden “Can I Play With Madness”
Type O Negative “Love You To Death”
Stone Ka Tet “Adam’s Song”
Word Association “The Hulk”
HARRAH “Blood Moon”
The Ghosts of Now “Alaska Looks Like Arizona”
Lemmy & Friends “Back In The U.S.S.R.”
Tina Turner “Get Back”
The Beatles “Now And Then”
Stone Ka Tet “River Low”
Word Association “George Romero”
HARRAH “Pay The Piper”
Stone Ka Tet “Patton’s Blues”
Ozzy Osbourne “Crazy Train”
Iron Maiden “Hallowed Be Thy Name”
Word Association “Great Albums”

You can hear this episode of Radio Free Charleston Tuesday at 10 AM and 10 PM on The AIR, with replays Wednesday at 9 AM,  Thursday at 2 PM, Friday at 9 AM, Saturday at Noon and Midnight, Sunday at 8 PM and  Monday at 11 AM, exclusively on The AIR. We bring you a marathon all night long Saturday night/Sunday morning.

I’m also going to  embed a low-fi, mono version of this show right in this post, right here so you can listen on demand.

 

After RFC, stick around for encores of last week’s episodes of  MIRRORBALL at 1 PM and Curtain Call at 2 PM.

At 3 PM  The Swing Shift is an encore of two recent episodes.

 You can hear The Swing Shift Tuesday at 3 PM, with replays Wednesday at 8 AM, Thursday at 9 AM,  Friday at 10 AM and 8 PM and Saturday afternoon, only on The AIR . You can also hear all-night marathons, seven hours each, starting at Midnight Thursdays and Sundays.