Hasbro took a cue from the success of Star Wars and brought back G.I. Joe to toy aisles with hours of entertainment on television.
JediShua and shazbazzar invite RetroZap’s leader, Joe Tavano, to talk about one of the most significant toys for boys in the ‘80s — G.I. Joe.
After you titillate your taste buds with a Cuppa Joe or some bubble-gum with a Bazooka Joe comic this morning, treat your ear buds with memories of G.I. Joe with Retro Joe Tavano on TechnoRetro Dads as shazbazzar and JediShua dig into the toys and cartoons of the ‘80s that made fighting Cobra fashionable. (After listening to this episode, you might want to check out more G.I. Joe Day discussion with shazbazzar and JediShua here.)
In the NEWS
- Ghostbusters III teaser trailer
Saturday Mornings
Weekday Afternoons: G.I. Joe
It’s been a while since the Daddio of RetroZap.com has been on TechnoRetro Dads, but SuperFriend Retro Joe Tavano joins shazbazzar and JediShua at the perfect time as we approach G.I. Joe Day this Friday, February 1st! Although Saturday mornings were not typically the time these weekday afternoon cartoons aired, memories of Duke, Flint, Scarlet, Lady Jaye, Mutt, Roadblock, and Snake Eyes are full of fun times, cool music, informative PSAs, rockets, blue lasers, red lasers, and loads of patriotism (check out Retro Joe’s article here). Hasbro’s marketing machine churned out a winner with this half-hour show featuring toys that were on shelves and pegs in stores across the nation when G.I. Joe made an epic return after some serious plastic surgery to reduce his size, making him more attractive to consumers in the 1980s.
Toys in the Attic: G.I. Joe
Since the cartoon was invented as a launching platform for Hasbro’s redesigned G.I. Joe line, it only makes sense that shazbazzar, JediShua, and Retro Joe head up to the attic to see if their G.I. Joe figures have survived the test of time or if their internal organs have dried up due to age and they’ve fallen to pieces. We talk about the toys we had, the toys we played with, and the toys we wanted. From the Cobra H.I.S.S. to the Killer W.H.A.L.E. to the Defiant, we’re spanning a range of several years of prime G.I. Joe collecting.
Vinyl Scratchback
Forty years ago, Chic returned to the number one spot on Billboard’s charts for a third time with their song “Le Freak”. The first song to top the charts three times, this disco ditty is an earworm almost everyone will remember.
Thanks for tuning in to TechnoRetro Dads, EarBuds! Be sure to check out episodes you may have missed on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, or at TechnoRetroDads.libsyn.com. Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes, share us and with us on social media, get TechnoRetro merch at TeePublic, and join discussions on Discord about toys, cereal, games, movies and/or shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s by giving the ‘Dads your feedback via voice mail at (209) 878-7323 or sending us your mp3dback via electronic-M to podcast@TechnoRetroDads.com.
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Join shazbazzar and JediShua each week for a look back at the ’70s and ’80s as they share the fun and also fandom of their youth with their families, friends, and EarBuds. Topics include TV, film, music, toys, and games of the ’70s and ’80s like Atari, Ninetendo, and arcade games as well as franchises which have continued into the 21st Century, like Star Wars, TRON, and G.I. Joe. TechnoRetro Dads creates new stories as old legends are passed down from one generation to the next.
If you’re a TechnoRetro Dad, the child of one, or just appreciate the ’70s and ’80s, then this podcast is definitely for you!