The PopCulteer
February 1, 2019

It’s been a bit of a trying week here in PopCult land. Yours truly has been learning how much fun Myasthenia Gravis can be in sub-zero cold weather, while the freelance work keeps on coming in.

Some weeks the PopCulteer brings you a long, well-thought-out and insightful essay. Some weeks we bring you a cool photo essay. Some weeks we don’t quite know what we’re going to write about, and when we get to the end of the week we have to scramble.

Guess what kind of week this is.

Still, soomebody’s got to turn the crank and make the blog sausage, so it might as well be me. We’re going random this week, including the graphic at right, which is a fantastic pizza from Eataly, in Chicago.

Here we go with short, random items:

Wild Speculation Updates

Last week I wrote a column filled with wild speculation about the future of a few things here in Charleston. Since then, I have come across a little additional info.

First of all, the idea of a Hilton Garden Inn being built on the site of the former Sears at The Charleston Town Center is less wild speculation, and more old news. There was a big announcement made many months ago. My speculative addition to that was the idea that the same develper would buy Macy’s and the mall, and combine them into a huge hotel/shopping complex. Sorry for any confusion.

Second, while it’s almost certain that Toys R Us will attempt to re-enter the retail marketplace this year, it is unlikely that the Charleston location will be part of a reborn chain of stores. There comes word that a restaurant, likely a Dave & Busters, is what’s moving into the old Toys R Us building, and further peeking through the windows shows stacks and stacks of what look like restaurant tables.

MEGO Mini Update

We have a photo of the second-edition “Face of The Screaming Werewolf” figure in the package now. Below that, you will see a close-up of the vastly improved Elvis Presley face sculpt, which no longer looks like Jesco White. The only other news is that several figures are leaking out early at some Target stores, and occasionally online at Target. They aren’t supposed to be out until March.

 

 

 

The Monkey And The Mummy

Friday evening you can join our friends from Cleveland, The Mummy and The Monkey for a very special edition of their hosted horror show. This week Janet Decay and Grimm Gorri are hosting Revenge Of The Spacemen. Never before broadcast or hosted, this Award winning indie film was made in Medina Ohio.

It’s being shown on The Mummy and The Monkey before it comes out on Blu-ray Feb. 12th Through Troma Entertainment. Starring an awesome cast with lots of fun humor, plus a special Interview with creator Jay Summers.

Best of all, it’s free, and you can WATCH ANYWHERE FROM ANY SMART DEVICE

They’ll only be allowed to have it in their archives for a few days after the live stream, then you’ll have to buy the DVD to see this fun flick.

 

From The Mailbag

We don’t really have an email link for PopCult, but we’re pretty easy to find on Facebook and Twitter, and occasionally we hear from our readers.

Recently, I had one reader ask, “I think one of the local television reporters has Down’s Syndrome. Is there any polite way to ask?”

The answer is, no. What the hell are you thinking? That is not something that you go up and ask someone, or even speculate about in public. If there is a person in that position with Down’s Syndrome, the station would publicize it to high heaven as a “feel good” story and a great way to show inclusiveness. If the person in question does not have that particular syndrome, then nothing good can come from asking.

This is why I don’t have an email link on the blog.

Local Notes

Two cool things happening in the area this weekend:

 

 

Radio Free Charleston International

As I mentioned earlier this week, the Haversham Recording Institute programs are taking the week off to deal with various aiments, so Sydney’s Big Electric Cat will be a replay of a wonderful, don’t-miss episode Friday at 3 PM. However, I do have a bright, shiny new edition of Radio Free Charleston International today at 1 PM.

You can listen at The AIR website, or on this cool embedded player…

This week the show is almost all new, with new tracks from Joe Jackson, Steve Hackett, The English Beat, The Struts and more. We also have a song from TC & I, the new group featuring former XTC singer/songwriter Colin Moulding, along with his former band’s former drummer, Terry Chambers.

Here’s the playlist:

RFC International 062

Joe Jackson “Fool”
TC&I “Scatter Me”
Lebowski “Midnight Syndrome”
Dead Bones Bunny “My Name Is Dead Bones Bunny”
The Dandy Warhols “Forever”
Steve Hacket “Underground Railroad”
The English Beat “Be There For You”
A Perfect Circle “Hourglass”
Kate Bush “You Want Alchemy”
Weezer “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”
The Struts “People”
The Beatles “Happiness Is A Warm Gun”
The Monkey Swingers “She’s So Fat She Looks Chinese”
First of October “Rollerbladin'”
Cassettes Won’t Listen “Let’s Go To Bed”
Peter Hamill “Milked”
The Church “Before The Deluge”
Matt Berry “Night Terrors”
ATF “Starflight”
Elvis Costello “Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter”
Martin Barre “And The Band Played On”
Fish “Man With A Stick”
Roine Stolt and His Flower Kings “Next To A Hurricane”

Two notes about this week’s show. The opening track may not be safe for work, so don’t crank it up real loud. Also, the “Mystery Bonus Track” that closes the show must remain a mystery, but fans of Husker Du should consider sticking around for it.

And that is it for this week’s PopCulteer. Be sure to check back for all our regular features and fresh content every day.