Karen Flieger, Author at The Retro Network : Page 4 of 5

Showbiz Pizza vs. Garfield and The California Raisins

In December of 1987, CBS promoted the premieres of two brand new Christmas specials back to back. Usually, a tried and true classic would air before a new special, so we figured these must be

Mail Order Memories

Karen Flieger

One of my favorite scenes in A Christmas Story is when Ralphie finally receives his mail order “Little Orphan Annie” decoder pin. Later that night, he listens to his favorite radio show and transcribes the

6 Tech Toys From the ’80s

Karen Flieger

These days we have our Nintendo Switches, Playstations, X Boxes, smartphones, and tablets. (I’m actually typing this article on my Christmas present from last year.) Back in the ’80s, in addition to gaming consoles, there

A Tribute to Big Bird

Karen Flieger

Late in 2019, just a few weeks after Sesame Street celebrated their 50th anniversary, they lost an original cast member: Carroll Spinney. Spinney operated and performed as two of the show’s most iconic characters, Oscar

Reply to a Ethan Embry (Randall) Fan Letter

Karen Flieger

In November of 1991, I went to see a movie called All I Want for Christmas. The stars of the movie, Ethan Randall and Thora Birch who play siblings Ethan and Hallie O’Fallon. Ethan and

My Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Karen Flieger

Thanksgiving is definitely the best holiday for food. The turkey is the traditional protein and there are several dishes that are considered staples. These are some of the sides my family has enjoyed sharing with

Fisher-Price: My Ten Favorite Toys

Karen Flieger

On the rare occasion I watch television commercials these days, one of my favorite ad campaigns are the commercials for Fisher-Price toys featuring John Goodman, “Let’s Be Kids.” It gives me the happy cries every

Skate Night Memories at Sparkles

Karen Flieger

When my brother and I were in elementary school, the PTA had a partnership with our local roller rink, Sparkles. Skate Night was usually held on either the last or second to last Thursday of

Clowning Around: My Favorite Pop Culture Clowns

Karen Flieger

I was thinking about something that would be scary for Halloween. I’m not usually into really gory horror movies, but I’m starting to ease into them. One thing that I know a lot of people

Cable Television in the 1980’s

Karen Flieger

Most of my earliest memories of watching television are associated with my family’s move to Georgia in February 1983. I remember

Sweet (and Savory) Home Chicago: Foods I Miss from the Chicago Area

Karen Flieger

Sometimes, when I listen to the food-themed episodes of The Retro Network Podcast, food items come to mind that are just out of reach for regional reasons and make me a little homesick for the

I Want My (Network) TV! – Music Video Premieres in Prime Time

Karen Flieger

This past Wednesday, while I was listening to The Retro Network’s WIZARDS podcast, something in the “Wave Rider” segment tickled my eardrums with recognition. It also reminded me of a big trend that occurred primarily

Saved By The Bell Memories and Zack to the Future

Karen Flieger

I remember watching Saved By the Bell during its original run on Saturday mornings and later in their syndication repeats. I liked Zack/Mark-Paul Gosselaar but my favorite of the male characters was actually A.C. Slater,

A Look Back at the World of Care Bears!

Karen Flieger

A few years after American Greetings had a big success with Strawberry Shortcake and her friends, their artists got back to work creating more iconic cartoon characters. The Care Bears came in a variety of

Girl Meets (Game) Boy

Karen Flieger

Here’s my secret shame as an ’80s kid and ’90s teen: I have never owned a game console. I was too young for the Atari 2600 and my dad wouldn’t let us have a Nintendo or

Fun With Food and Kitchen Toys

Karen Flieger

After watching Jason unbox some “Wacky Packages” recently, I thought it might be fun to explore some of my favorite food and kitchen toys. Sadly, I don’t have many memories of playing with some of