Like Whatever

Heather Jolley and Nicole Barr
  • 5.0 (6)
  • COMEDY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Join Heather and Nicole as we discuss all things Gen-X with personal nostalgia, current events, and an advocacy for the rights of all humans.  From music to movies to television and so much more, revisit the generational trauma we all experienced as we talk about it all. Take a break from today and travel back to the long hot summer days of the 80s and 90s.  Come on slackers, fuck around and find out with us!

  1. 3D AGO

    Sleigh Bells Or Hells Bells

    What happens when one of us is pure Christmas sparkle and the other wants to lock the door, draw the shades, and marathon movies on December 25? The sparks actually make the season make sense. We trace how a postcard-perfect Gen X holiday can coexist with a childhood shaped by hostile relatives, passive-aggressive gifts, and the relief of escape. That honesty opens the door to an unvarnished tour of our favorite winter myths, foods, and rituals—where joy and discomfort sit side by side. We unpack how the American Santa took shape—from Dutch Sinterklaas to Thomas Nast to the Coca-Cola red suit—and why that icon feels so embedded in U.S. Christmas culture. Then we pivot to Krampus, the horned counterpart who reminds us winter once embraced fear and discipline as part of survival. From Alpine folktales and church plays to today’s Krampus runs and horror films, his comeback hits a Gen X nerve: pushing back against commercial gloss with a wink and a growl. On the home front, we talk real trees versus fake, ornaments, and the logistics people rarely admit: sap, needles, and who actually takes the tree down. We explore the Great Depression roots of milk-and-cookies for Santa, the colonial evolution of eggnog, turkey’s American lineage, why goose disappointed us, and how pumpkin pie straddles Thanksgiving and Christmas with a spice debate that never ends. Pop culture threads it all together—Little Golden Books, Rudolph, and Frosty—reminding us why holiday stories endure even when adult life complicates them. If you love Christmas, you’ll find fresh history and cozy nostalgia. If you side-eye it, you’ll hear solidarity, folklore with teeth, and permission to design a holiday that fits your life now. Subscribe, share with the friend who decorates on December 1, and leave a review telling us: are you Team Santa or Team Krampus? Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 7m

  2. DEC 19

    As You Wish, Rob Reiner

    The week felt heavy, so we reached for the stories and rituals that hold us together. We start with a quick programming note for the holidays, then slide into the things that actually lift our moods: football catharsis, Krampus Fest dreams, and the strange power of a Taylor Swift doc to make us laugh, cry, and clap in the living room. From there, we sink into a heartfelt tribute to Rob Reiner and the films that quietly built our Gen X DNA. Stand By Me becomes a north star for friendship, fear, and the first time we faced mortality—and maybe a train. When Harry Met Sally reminds us that timing is a character, not a backdrop, and that friendship can shoulder love until we’re ready to say it out loud. The Princess Bride is our endlessly quotable compass, proof that wit, honor, and true love can outmaneuver cruelty. And Misery? It’s the darker mirror that shows how obsession and control twist affection into a cage, and why survival is sometimes just the next smart move. We keep it real and messy: a 1984 diary entry about sleeping late, playing outside, and stopping for White Castle sliders; stadium stories with snow, tailgates, and the long drive home with the heat on high; a Mandela effect rabbit hole that proves collective memory is a weird place; and a few confessions about holiday movies we love, hate, or tolerate. Through it all, Rob Reiner’s range—from romance to terror—feels like life itself: some days deserve a perfect kiss, some days require a bluff against a bully, and some days call for friends who bring pizza and hit play. If seasonal depression is pressing in, don’t go it alone. Invite someone over, share a film that raised you, and let the room get warmer by degrees. If this resonated, subscribe, rate, and share the show with a friend who quotes The Princess Bride on command. Your reviews help more Gen Xers—and anyone who loves great stories—find us. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 15m

  3. DEC 12

    What's In The Box Santa?

    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. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 16m
  4. Game Over

    DEC 5

    Game Over

    The glow of a cabinet screen. The clack of a trackball. The thrum of a Skee-Ball lane in the back of a noisy boardwalk hall. We go all-in on arcade culture—where it started, why it exploded, and how those simple, perfect loops still hook us decades later. We trace the timeline from penny arcades and pinball to Atari’s first experiments, then the breakout hits that defined a generation: Space Invaders, Asteroids, Pac-Man, Centipede, Donkey Kong, and Dragon’s Lair. You’ll hear how Skee-Ball went from a stubborn invention to an Atlantic City sensation, why Pac-Man rewrote the rules on who played, and how Donna Bailey’s Centipede used a trackball and sound design to create a new kind of flow. We share the boardwalk stories, mall memories, and the little anxiety spikes that came with those accelerating beeps and bossy timers. Then we pivot to the competitive heartbeat that kept arcades alive into the 90s: Street Fighter II’s six-button mastery, rivalries, and the rise of head-to-head skill. We spotlight Eugene Jarvis—Defender, Robotron 2084, and Cruis’n—and the design choices that made arcades feel fast, fair, and endlessly replayable. Finally, we unpack the decline: consoles, online play, and the fall of malls. But there’s a comeback story too—barcades, family entertainment centers, and retro cabinets that thrive on nostalgia, tactile controls, and social play. If you love game history, boardwalk lore, or just the pure joy of a clean Skee-Ball arc, this one’s for you. Hit play, share your high score cabinet, and tell us: which game still gets your quarters? Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help more Gen X and retro gaming fans find the show. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 18m
  5. Scales Of Mass Destruction

    NOV 28

    Scales Of Mass Destruction

    Sun, pelicans, and a stubborn thermostat set the scene for a Florida catch‑up that quickly shifts into big news and even bigger monsters. We start with family stories, beach walks on Sanibel, and the joy of tiny airports that save you from giant-hub headaches. Then we share a win we’ve been chasing for months: our new website is live, and the merch shelf is stocked with hats, tees, hoodies, and water bottles you’ve been asking for. From there, we stomp straight into Godzilla—why this towering icon still matters and how a rubber suit birthed one of cinema’s richest metaphors. We trace the journey from Gojira’s 1954 origins and nuclear trauma to Showa-era heroics, Heisei’s darker continuity, Millennium’s reboots, and Shin Godzilla’s razor-edged satire of bureaucracy and disaster response. Along the way, we unpack themes of environmental warning, technological hubris, and cultural resilience, plus the West’s spin via the MonsterVerse. If you’ve ever wondered why the roar still chills, we break down the sound design magic, the suitmation grit, and the fun facts you’ll want for trivia night. Whether you’re the MST3K quipster, the kaiju completist, or kaiju-curious, we’ve got starter picks across eras and tips on where to stream them this weekend. It’s nostalgia with teeth: a look at how monsters mirror our messes, and why we keep rebuilding the skyline anyway. Hit play, then tell us your favorite Godzilla era and villain—we’re reading every take. If you’re feeling it, subscribe, rate, and share with a friend who needs a holiday watchlist. And yes, grab the merch and peek at our new home online at likewhateverpod.com. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    52 min

  6. NOV 21

    Ode To The East Wing

    A Monday mailbox note sets the fuse, but the story grows fast: two best friends unpack modern impatience, real-world logistics, and why a noon delivery isn’t a crisis. That everyday friction becomes a gateway to bigger questions—how we normalize danger, how schools script safety, and how mentors step into the gaps. The mood swings from rant to reflection and lands in a textured tour of the White House East Wing, a place that has quietly housed public access, a family theater, and a hidden wartime bunker. We trace the East Wing from Jefferson’s colonnades to Theodore Roosevelt’s democratic redesign and FDR’s expansion, spotlighting how it evolved into a genuine center of First Lady power. This is where restoration projects were run, literacy and mental health initiatives took shape, and media strategy matured alongside a growing public spotlight. Ceremony and symbolism matter, the hosts argue, not as window dressing but as a lever for cultural change—especially when the West Wing holds the policy pen. Between a chaotic blood donation tale and a 1984 diary flashback, the conversation keeps its footing in lived experience. We talk about language and harm, call Monica Lewinsky what she was—a victim of power imbalance—and demand accountability on trafficking without partisan blinders. The final stretch examines the East Wing’s demolition for a new ballroom, preservation scans, and what is lost when process and transparency trail the bulldozers. It’s personal, funny, informed, and unafraid to draw lines where they count. If this mix of history, honesty, and Gen X resilience speaks to you, tap follow, share with a friend who loves a good deep-dive, and leave a quick review so more curious folks can find us. What part of the East Wing story surprised you most? Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    59 min

  7. NOV 14

    Girls Just Want To Be In The Hall

    The wind is howling, the coffee’s hot, and we’re already arguing about why a low‑scoring NFL slugfest is the most beautiful kind of football. Defense and field position feel like chess to us, not a lull—so we dig into the joy of a stress‑free Sunday when your team isn’t playing, the magic of watching RedZone without stakes, and the weird way a city’s first championship changes your heart forever. Couch vs. stadium? We weigh the Rocky‑anthem goosebumps against frozen toes, 1 a.m. traffic, and the undeniable pull of a warm blanket. Then we turn hard into complexity: Aileen Wuornos and the tangle of trauma, survival, and escalation. We explore nature vs. nurture without a textbook, using real family dynamics to show how time and circumstance can tilt two lives raised by the same parents. Curiosity leads, not certainty. It’s messy, human, and more honest than the headlines. Our core beat lands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—Cleveland’s glass pyramid of culture wars and goosebumps. We unpack what the Hall honors, why its voting feels opaque, and how its name “rock and roll” both limits and liberates. The highlight reel is full of women who refused the background: Aretha cracks the door, Stevie enters twice, Tina rises, Carol writes the decades, Joan Jett turns grit into gospel, Madonna paints with controversy, and Cindy Lauper stands beneath a rainbow singing True Colors like a mission statement. We trade who‑inducted‑whom stories—Angela Bassett for Tina, Alicia Keys for Whitney, Big Boi for Kate Bush—because lineage matters and influence is a web, not a straight line. Nostalgia sweetens the edges: Back to the Future on the couch, an A‑Team snack, and a 1984 diary entry with recess, band, and a carefully guarded shoebox. Real life pops in too—YMCA pre‑diabetes programs, holiday parcel madness at the post office, auroras you only catch on camera, and a fox scream that sounds like an alien alarm. It’s a full Gen X mixtape: weather, football, true crime nuance, and the Rock Hall’s overdue flowers for women who changed music. If this ride made you nod, laugh, or argue with your speakers, tap follow, share the episode with a friend, and leave a quick review. Tell us the one artist you’d induct tomorrow—we’re ready to fight for your pick. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 8m
  8. Is There A Doctor In The House

    NOV 7

    Is There A Doctor In The House

    A dark true-crime binge and a stack of holiday catalogs aren’t the setup you’d expect for a joy-soaked tour through novelty music history, but that’s exactly where we go. We start with the emotional whiplash of the week—Gacy’s psychology, DNA breakthroughs, and why missing kids get dismissed—then pivot to therapy, Florence + The Machine’s pagan-tinged lyrics, and the everyday grind of USPS life. From porch-light PSAs to why tipping your mail carrier matters, the real world sneaks into the headphones before we flip on the neon and dive into Dr. Demento. We grew up with the Funny Five blaring from bedroom radios, a tape recorder at the ready. Here’s the origin story: Barry Hansen, record collector turned musicologist, builds a syndicated cult show that revives novelty music and accidentally launches a legend. Weird Al Yankovic’s My Bologna climbs the request charts, and a career is born. Along the way we unpack the craft that hides inside the chaos: Fish Heads going from absurdist earworm to SNL and MTV staple, They’re Coming to Take Me Away bending tape speeds and sirens into a manic spell, and Yoda navigating permissions from George Lucas and Ray Davies to become a live-show anthem. Even the classics keep surprising us—Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh turns real camp letters and a ballet melody into a generational in-joke; The Lumberjack Song proves Python brilliance can be written in 15 minutes; and Chuck Berry’s only U.S. number one is the gloriously scandalous My Ding-A-Ling. What emerges is a love letter to the weird songs that taught a generation how to laugh, how to question the rules, and how to turn lowbrow into lasting culture. If you remember Walkmans, mixtapes, and Sunday-night radio, this one will hit the nostalgia switch. If you’re new to Dr. Demento, you’ll leave with a playlist and a grin you can’t shake. Enjoy the ride, then tell us: which novelty track belongs at number one on your Funny Five? Subscribe, share with a friend who still knows all the words, and leave a quick review so more Gen X ears can find us. Send us an email Support the show #genx #80s #90s https://youtube.com/@likewhateverpod?si=ChGIAEDqb7H2AN0J https://www.tiktok.com/@likewhateverpod?_t=ZT-8v3hQFb73Wg&_r=1

    1h 24m
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About

Join Heather and Nicole as we discuss all things Gen-X with personal nostalgia, current events, and an advocacy for the rights of all humans.  From music to movies to television and so much more, revisit the generational trauma we all experienced as we talk about it all. Take a break from today and travel back to the long hot summer days of the 80s and 90s.  Come on slackers, fuck around and find out with us!

Information

  • Creator
    Heather Jolley and Nicole Barr
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    65
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Like Whatever
  • Show Website
    Like Whatever