Mickey Yarber, aka The Retro Rambler

Camp Candy: The 90s Cartoon That Felt Like Summer Vacation

Camp Candy was a summer sleepover camp owned and operated by John Candy. Like most camps, it offered activities like boating, swimming, and fishing; but unlike most camps, this one had a variety of crazy

Lawn Darts: The Most Dangerous Toy of All Time

Mickey Yarber

Starting in the 1970s, people began to cast a suspicious eye on the safety standards used in making toys. Parents and lawmakers began voicing their concerns and this led to new legal standards for what

Why Cop Rock Was One of the Biggest Flops in TV History

Mickey Yarber

Cop Rock swung for the fences with a bold mix of police drama and full‑blown musical numbers—an ambitious experiment that famously flopped. Still, its wild creativity makes it one of TV’s most unforgettable early‑’90s curiosities.

From Santa Anna to Chiclets: The Wild History of Adams Gum

Mickey Yarber

It’s hard to fathom childhood without chewing gum. Nostalgia just seeps out of the stuff. Whether you recall the comic tales of Bazooka Joe, the stick of stale pink stuff in a pack of baseball

New Coke: The Soda That Tried to Rewrite the ’80s

Mickey Yarber

Perhaps one of the darkest days in soft drink history occurred on April 23, 1985, when a true American icon was altered beyond all recognition. Yes, this is the day that Coca-cola announced to the

The Crispy Crusted History of Totino’s Pizza

Mickey Yarber

When Rose and Jim Totino opened their first pizzeria in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1951, they probably never imagined that they’d be serving up 300 million Totino’s Party Pizzas each year. As the legend goes, Rose

The Magically Delicious History of Lucky Charms Cereal

Mickey Yarber

Lucky Charms cereal has been a favorite of kids everywhere since it first hit store shelves in 1964. But even though the brand is almost sixty years old, most people don’t know much about it

When Candy Went Big League: Remembering the Reggie! Bar

Mickey Yarber

During the 1977 world series, Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in game six, accomplishing something that had only been done previously by Babe Ruth. The feat earned him the title of “Mr. October” –

A Tribute to Nerds Cereal

Mickey Yarber

You know me and food. We have a love/hate relationship. I love it when it’s around, but I hate it when it’s gone. Just like Nerds cereal. Loved it from the moment I saw it…and

Food

Country Music Stars Who Failed in the Food Business

Mickey Yarber

Having what it takes to become a star in the world of country music doesn’t necessarily mean you have what it takes to succeed in the food and restaurant world. Here are the tales of

Do You Remember Sizzler Restaurant?

Mickey Yarber

There are plenty of steak and shrimp lovers out there, but it’s not an indulgence they can always afford at most restaurants. For those on a budget, Sizzler steakhouses have long offered a cost-effective alternative,

A Look Back at 1992

Mickey Yarber

1992 was a remarkable year for pop culture and political change. Let’s take a look back and all of the things that made the year memorable. Important Dates in 1992 On January 7, AT&T introduced

10 Discontinued Fast Food Items We Still Want Back

Mickey Yarber

Fast food is as American as McDonald’s fried Apple Pies. The fast-food business constantly innovating, finding ways to turn chicken fingers into Chicken Fries and Chicken Rings. Yet for every smashing success like the McRib,

Captain Planet: The Animated Battle for a Cleaner, Greener World

Mickey Yarber

Striking a blow for ecology, fighting “polluting perpetrators” wherever they were found, Captain Planet and the Planeteers brought the environmental movement to the cartoon world. The series came from an original idea by media mogul Ted Turner,

Unforgettable Fashion: Buster Brown Shoes

Mickey Yarber

“I’m Buster Brown, and I live in a shoe. That’s my dog, Tige, and he lives there, too. Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy!” Charlie and Snoopy, Our Gang and Pete, Buster and Tige…No childhood relationship

Unforgettable Fashion: Jelly Shoes

Mickey Yarber

In everything from digital watches to computers, the 80’s were filled with the hope of all the wonders science could concoct. Jelly shoes ranked high on the mad-scientist laboratory list, joining the ranks of rubber

Unforgettable Fashion: Airwalk Shoes

Mickey Yarber

Better than catching air, street-cred Airwalk sneakers made thrashing up the scene sweeter than ever when kickers hit the board, and the board hit the streets. The skate shoes made for the rebellious set and