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Generation In-Between: A Xennial Podcast
Xennial co-hosts Dani and Katie talk about their analog childhoods, digital adulthoods and everything in between. If you love 1980's and 1990's pop culture content, this is the podcast for you!
Generation In-Between: A Xennial Podcast
A Christmas Story: A Xennial Holiday Classic
Did childhood movie-watching scare you away from shooting your eye out or sticking your tongue to a flagpole in freezing conditions?
Do you still hope to unwrap that ONE sought-after gift from the Christmas when you were nine?
If you can quote all the classic lines from the film A Christmas Story, you might be a Xennial. And we are too.
In this episode, Katie shares her research on the unlikely Christmas classic, including its famous cast and writer.
This episode was made possible by the following sources:
A Christmas Story (1983) via IMBD
How A Christmas Story became an American classic via Vanity Fair
Peter Billingsley via Wikipedia
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Have you ever been triple dog, dared to do something really stupid and then decided, eh, what the heck? Have you ever requested a weapon for Christmas, only to be told that you'll shoot your eye out by the adults in your life? If you've ever looked at a fishnet-clad leg and thought, hey, that reminds me of Christmas, you might be a Xennial, a Christmas story fan, and we are too. Hi, I'm Katie, hi, and I'm Dani. Shouldn't that have been? You might be a Xeniel and you might be a Christmas story fan. Yeah, I was reading again. Hello, if it's your first episode, I just read what's there, which, by the way, I wrote, and she wrote it. You might be a Xeniel. A Christmas story, christmas story. I was like that's odd. She's also a professional writer, so I am. Anyway, we're tired. Uh, hello again. I am danny. That's katie. Hello and welcome to generation.
Speaker 1:In between, we are a zennial podcast where we remember, revisit and sometimes we relearn all kinds of things from our 80s childhoods and our 90s teen and young adulthoods. And hey, whether you're a fan of leg lamps, triple dog, dares or just looking for some holiday cheer, today's episode is for you and we are themed out. We are, we are. Maybe we should talk about that for a second. I just looked at the video. We're like wait, what are we wearing? Since we're on Zoom, we can see ourselves. I know it's not Zoom, it's a different platform, correct, carlos, don't come for us.
Speaker 1:He asked me yesterday hey, did y'all use my camera yet? And I was like, no, we haven't figured it out. And he's like, do you need me to come set it up for you guys? I was like, maybe, maybe, but we do like this platform we've been using. It's not too bad. It's not too bad, but a camera could be good too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but anyway, listeners, if you're just listening to us, I have on a sequin Santa hat that is very long. It looks like a sleeping cat, it does. I love it. It's like it's reminding me of like Scrooge and his bed cap, but also it's sequins Santa. I love it, it's very fun. I also have on one of many Christmas story shirts that I have, which we'll get into later why I don't have my other ones available at the moment, cause it's funny, but we'll talk about later. And Katie has on some antlers your face, though just now I haven't properly. They're really cute, they're brown sequins, and she has on a really funny shirt. That.
Speaker 1:What does it say? It says most likely to start a podcast with Santa, which is hilarious. Yes, most likely. I did the trend where, like you, buy a shirt for everyone in your family, that's the most likely. So, technically, this is my husband's, which my husband and Santa on a podcast. I would listen to that. Oh, damn, me too. That would be amazing.
Speaker 1:Also, santa, you want to come on this podcast. Also, santa, any podcast you're on, I'll listen to. Also, I'll interview you and I will not just read the script. I will make sure all the words are in sequence when I talk to you. Or I'll be really, or I'll be in sequence. Oh, but I'll be in sequence, don't get me wrong. It's a little Danny with her little hat over there, I know.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, so we are Christmas out and on this episode we're going to talk about a Christmas story, the movie, yes, but we are also going to talk about the musical. So that is a separate episode. So, um, if that's the one you're looking for, that that's okay. Stay for this one and then hop on that one. We're going to talk about that separately because Dani and I just finished performing in that musical here locally at the Hedger Center in Melbourne, florida, and so when we get to that part, we're going to talk a little more about our own experiences. Does that sound good to you, dani? Yeah, so that means, dani, shut up and don't say anything about it until we get to part two. I mean it'll be hard not to to be like, oh yeah, no, we need to save it, I'm going to hold it. Okay, I have plenty to say about the movie because it was like a touchstone in my Christmas life Perfect, so this is non-performer version Cool, cool, okay. Cool, um, cool, okay. So, danny, for those who may not know, including some of our younger listeners, can you give us the official summary of a christmas story? Oh, where'd you get the official summary from? Uh, where did I go from? I think I got it from imdb. Okay, yeah, I'm, I love theirs, they're fun sometimes. Okay, let's see what it says. Here we go, everybody. Um.
Speaker 1:Set in the 1940s in holman, indiana, adjacent to lake michigan, a christ Christmas Story follows the nostalgic and humorous adventures of nine-year-old Ralphie Parker as he dreams of receiving a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Narrated by an adult Ralphie, the film chronicles his childhood experiences leading up to Christmas Day, ralphie's quest to convince his parents, teacher and even Santa Claus that the BB gun is a perfect gift is met with the repeated warning you'll shoot your eye out. Okay, I had to do it. Sorry, you had to. Along the way, the film showcases a series of memorable moments, including a triple dog dare that leaves a friend's tongue stuck to a frozen flagpole, the arrival of a garish leg lamp and a chaotic Christmas dinner. Through a blend of humor, family dynamics and relatable childhood moments, a Christmas story captures the essence of holiday anticipation and nostalgia, making it a beloved holiday classic.
Speaker 1:Yes, awesome, and that was why I wanted you to read it for the you'll shoot your eye outline Yay, and I did it. I was like I'm going to give her like 17 other lines around it, but like yes, yeah, so that was awesome, we'll get there because I have to talk about that. You understood the assignment. So the first thing I want to, like you said you have a lot of childhood memories or just in general life memories around this film and we'll interweave that as we're talking today. But just like on a basic level I've talked to you about this before and I think we've said it on the show that where I grew up, michigan City, indiana, is right near where the author, gene Shepard grew up also. So when they're talking about the cold Lake Michigan winters and all the snow they have to trudge through and the blizzard at the beginning of December, like that's all very relatable, I don't.
Speaker 1:So I realized when cause I remember when I was revisiting this before auditions for the show and just kind of re-researching the show for my own knowledge, I was like you know, it's weird, when I was growing up no one really made a big deal out of that. Wait, isn't there the Christmas story house? It's in Ohio, oh, in Ohio. Okay, I thought it was actually in the town. We'll get to that, um, so it's set there. But like it was filmed not there, oh, so that's part of it. So it wasn't actually filmed in Indiana, okay, um.
Speaker 1:But also it really didn't reach like the cult, classic, iconic status that it has today. It didn't start to get there till the late nineties. I would say before that it was kind of popular for like VHS and stuff like that, but it wasn't played on TV until then. Okay, cause I was going to say like I mean, I remember all me and all my friends watching it, like now. It was a flop in the box office which we'll talk about. Yeah, cause I've seen interviews with um Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie, about that, um, and it came out in 83, right, what you're going to say.
Speaker 1:So I mean we probably got the VHS tape a few years after, like, cause I mean I grew up with I remember growing up with the green, you know who is it that makes fun of me for saying VCR tape Sarah, okay, well, I just said VHS tape Sarah, without an H. Just make sure we know which Sarah we're yelling at. I know, I know, but anyway, I'm not saying nobody watched it. But it wasn't on TBS 24 hours till the late nineties, yeah, it. But like it wasn't on tbs 24 hours till the late 90s, yeah, okay. And so I think like it wasn't as big a deal as it is today until I was like basically out of high school, and then it was like oh, yeah, that's. And again, my family, that's right, my family did not watch this movie, so that was part of it too, like ever. I watched it on tbs on a marathon, I think, when I was like 20 for the first time, which is weird because it's like set where I'm, I think when I was like 20 for the first time which is weird, cause it's like set where I'm from Well, how surprised I was.
Speaker 1:So surprised I mean this is not about the musical, but I was surprised when we were doing the show how many audience members cause we, we would go out and I asked them are you a fan of the movie? And they'd be like no, no, I've never seen it. Yeah, there's still a lot of people that I'm like what? Like I just implored about people like I don't know. I guess it's one of those things like you don't know, because you think, because you did it everybody, it was just something everybody else did. Yeah, do you know what I mean? Yeah, and I mean it is a. It is kind of a strange. It's a little bit of a weird movie and I think you come in in the middle of it too, which sometimes happens when it's on a tv marathon. You're kind of like what is this hell right? You kind of have to be like in the mood for it or have already seen it, so you know, like what's happening. But, um, cool, okay, so let's get into the history of the film. I'm excited, so this, um, as you mentioned, it's in 1983 and it's based on the semi autobiographical stories of a humorist and radio host named Jean Shepard.
Speaker 1:Yes, it was a 1966 book, right, so it was a while, and the name of his book was in God, we trust all others pay cash, and so he had. He was a radio guy for about four decades and he ended up at a pretty big radio station in new york city, w-o-r, and so w-o-r is that howard stern? No, no, that one's not w-n-b-c. That's what it was. Sorry, that's what his is. I feel like w-o-r isn't enough letters. I know, I don't know, that's weird. Maybe I don't know anyway.
Speaker 1:So he, um, he, his thing was kind of like telling humorous stories on the radio and people would listen to his stories live. It's not like now where, like, you can listen to a podcast. You would have to listen to him when he was on the air. But he built up a pretty big following. Um, he had a great voice, a really great voice, really like. You know, some people like okay, president obama also has a good storyteller voice. I feel like Jane Shepard's voice is just perfection for storytelling.
Speaker 1:Yes, absolutely, and it made him very popular, and so his stories were first improvised on that radio program in the fifties, sixties and early seventies. They were improvised, yes, meaning he made them up on the spot. I think he had, like, from what I've read, outline right Like he knew what he was going to talk about. Then he just told them live. That's impressive. That's so impressive. Ben could do that Ben. It's funny because I looked at literal pictures of Gene Shepard like while I was doing this research and I still think of Ben when I think of him. Ben is the guy who played the narrator in our production. We'll talk more about him on the next one, yeah, but yeah, this next one I think you would find really interesting.
Speaker 1:He was friends with children's book author and did you know he was a playboy cartoonist, shel Silverstein? Oh, I did. I didn't know that. I did know that, yeah, but he was friends with Jean Shepard, okay, and so Shel, and then Shepard's second wife, lois Nettleton, encouraged him to start writing stories down and that's what ended up being that book. So it was kind of like the stories he was just off the cuff or you know, a little bit of planning, telling on the air. They were like you actually need to like write these down and publish these. So that's what happened with that. Oh, I love that. And the book became a bestseller and it was so popular he performed a town hall in new york city, at carnegie hall, in a sold-out performance. Wow, yes, um. So then the screenplay itself, which we'll get to like, how that all even happened. It was written by shepherd along with the movie's director, bob clark.
Speaker 1:By now shepherd was married a third time. Well, well, hey, okay. So this was his third wife, lee Brown. He's busy. He ended up with four wives when I looked at it in the end. But fine, whatever, shepard, what I learned about him and I think this is the case with a lot of creative and comic people especially is he really dealt with a lot of inner demons, mostly self-doubt, and we'll get in that even after the movie, like was doing well he, they said like in later years, before he retired from radio, his stories were getting just kind of like, like it was just him self-depreciating himself and they didn't have the same spunk they used to. So it's kind of like on his head was his own worst enemy, which might explain the number of marriages and that sort of thing. And don't we know how that is yeah, we do, we do so, kind of got in his own way, which you know, relatable, all right. So the backstory on the actual movie being made.
Speaker 1:Then Bob Clark, the movie's director and co-writer. He was in miami, driving to pick up a date, and he heard shepherd on the radio telling the story of flick, yes, flick, yes, flick. A boy who was triple dog dared into putting his tongue on a metal pole in the dead of winter, instantly freezing it to the pole. And clark had never heard a story told quite like that and he was so enthralled he was 45 minutes to his date because he just kept driving around to listen to the rest of it. Oh, I used to do that in the days of when I would listen to npr before you could stream it. Yeah, I would want to finish. Yeah, before podcast and before you can't hit pause, right, yeah. And so when he heard it, he resolved I'm gonna do a movie of this man's work. Oh, that's cool, like this guy's awesome. That story was great, I'm gonna do this movie, and it was. It was another 12 years before it, like, was released. Commitment dreams take a long time they do for real.
Speaker 1:So, as you mentioned, the movie was not an instant success. It was okay at the box office. It wasn't a complete flop. They did make their money back. It was probably just like. You know how they come out with like christmas movies every year and they do, right. What's that one that's out right now with the rock in it? Oh, red Red One, or something. I don't know. It looks so dumb. Yeah, red something. It was in the theater for like two weeks and now it is on a prime. So that just shows you how well it did and it probably made its money back, right.
Speaker 1:So that's probably what happened, um, and then it was like it went to a video and then it sort of just kind of went to the wayside, like some people had it, like their family apparently had it, and then it was the late 90s really that it started to gain this like cult status, thanks in part to repeated airings on tnt that started in. Those didn't start till 97, really. Yeah, I swear to god, I just maybe because we had the vcr tape and there I go, done, I love it, love it. Just keep saying I just thought it was on, but anyway, yeah, um, and now it's continued to be a staple of holiday programming, with a 24 hour marathon airing on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. But now it's on TBS, which both of those are Turner broadcasting stations.
Speaker 1:They basically got bought the rights to it, it to a bunch of things around the mid 90s, stuff like that and then just kept kept playing it, and of course, you can stream it now and then. That's that like fragmentation we're always talking about, except it costs money. It costs money until December because we were trying to find it. We just wanted to watch it, like maybe it was Thanksgiving, no, it was before Thanksgiving. We just wanted to watch, like the OG movie because we have it on DVD, but we don't have anything to watch DVDs on anymore. We don't have like a DVD player, right. So I was like, well, let's just, surely we can stream it. And Cooper is like everywhere it costs money. And I was like what? And we have all the things, we've got HBO, we have Netflix, we have whatever, yeah, same, it wasn't on any of them. And we steal my stepdad's Paramount anyway, it's not anyone, you had to pay for it. So I did Cause I was like, well, whatever, wouldn't you know? As soon as black Friday rolled around, day after Thanksgiving, which is the start of Christmas season. Retail-wise, it became available to stream, probably because it's on HBO, and HBO, oh my gosh, okay, if you want to watch it outside the Christmas season. You got to wait. You got to wait or buy it or find your DVD player or VCR tape player, one or the other.
Speaker 1:So I thought this was a really interesting quote from Roger Ebert, the famous movie critic, when it first came out. When he reviewed the film he said my guess is, either nobody will go to see it or millions of people will go to see it Like hello, there's no rain. It might rain, but it might not rain. Like't know, I see what he's saying. He's like it's either going to be a complete flop or huge success, but like yeah, and not like what we just said, where you're just kind of mid, yeah, yeah, which almost, you know he was kind of sort of right. He was, I guess, because not it took, people saw it, but then in the end now millions have um. So this was really interesting and it made sense to me kind of growing up in this period too, right, where this became famous late, you know more cult classic, but it's it is hard to imagine now like a season where this isn't playing somewhere or references to it. You know christmas story stuff everywhere. But even in the early 80s the christmas season was really ruled by older films and old stories and cartoons and classics. Yeah, so, charles dickens, a christmas carol the 1951 version was really really popular.
Speaker 1:1942's um musical holiday inn and 54's white christmas. I can't stand those, know you do. The only song I like in that song, and that one, is Sisters. I do love Sisters, that's it. Tell your girls to sing that. I don't even get me started Every time it's on. I'm like one, two of y'all need to do this. Hello, there's you guys, four of you. If my sister could sing, I would make her do it with me. Just do what um, bing Crosby, um and Danny Kaye did. They just lip sync when they were in their blue with feathers. So you could lip sync to, so you could sing, and Tara could mouth it. That'd be awesome, actually, oh, my God, my voice coming out of Tara. Huh, lariat, that'd be great. We lariat, that'd be great. We might have to do that next year. She's here for christmas or thanksgiving, okay, um. And then also, of course, the 1946 frank tapra drama. It's a wonderful life, guys.
Speaker 1:I have so many emotions around that movie and we're not going there today. But not today. Good ones and bad ones, but bad ones, yeah. And then a miracle on 40s. Oh my god, I said that back on third street. I'm like 42nd street, let's go miracle on 34th street also. Oh my God, I said that backwards, I'm like 42nd Street, let's go Miracle on 34th Street also. So those were kind of like and, like you said, like the cartoons, like the Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the peanut stuff, like all of that was really all there was. So when A Christmas Story came along, it was sort of it's not any of those things, no, it's funny, and it's funny and heartwarming at the same time. The other ones are more serious. Yeah, exactly, and it's about Christmas, but it's more about, like, the family dynamic and there wasn't a lot of that otherwise. So let's talk about the cast. But I also included a little bit more on Gene Shepard and the director when I was looking this up.
Speaker 1:Okay, so we'll start with the movie's director, bob clark. Okay, so this is funny. He was actually most known for like raunchy films, shut up and slasher films really. Yes, interesting fact, directed 1982's porky's. Oh snap, have you seen porky's. I've seen parts of it. All right, that is one we are watching for, nostalgic or problematic, because that whole fucking thing is a problem.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, that was Bob Clark Get out of here and he helped write that one. And then Black Christmas, which is an iconic slasher. That was from the 70s, oh, and then he did a bunch of other slashers before and after that. That's so crazy. So he just kind of went on a limb. Yeah, well, he's the one that was driving around and heard the story. So, yeah, I guess he just like, liked the story. Hey, I mean, and I think there's raunchy parts of a christmas story more so, I mean the lamp. For god's sake, you don't think raunchy? I mean you haven't seen porkies? Katie, listen if, if you think Christmas story is raunchy, I cannot, cannot wait.
Speaker 1:Everybody out there who's seen Porky's is dying laughing right now. They're like uh, I mean the lamp is like. Which, by the way? Yeah, did I tell you, my parents sent us a lamp and it is huge Really. It is like. So it's like the size of a grown ass person's leg. It's huge and it's heavy.
Speaker 1:And I was like where am I putting this? Where'd you put it? Where is it? Tell me it's in the front window. We don't have a front window. Oh yeah, you don't, and like that's the thing, like my house guys, I don't know where to put this fucking thing. It's hilarious. But like, maybe ask somebody hello before you send them a giant ass leg.
Speaker 1:And I'm sure it was expensive. Well, it was a major reward, danny. I'll tell you how expensive they are. It's later in my notes. Well, listen, I looked them up. The one we had in the show is smaller than the one they sent. You will not believe this. I'm gonna send you a picture of me standing next to it. You're gonna be like what the hell? So what we did was we put it upstairs.
Speaker 1:We have, like this open loft that is like a combination room. You've seen it? Yeah, choice. If y'all listen to the show for a long time, you've heard my husband talk about his game room. Slash workout area, slash office. Yes, slash all the things. So we have a Christmas tree up there next to our weight rack.
Speaker 1:I moved the weight rack over and put a table for this. Oh, my God it's. It looks awful. It's so bad I may just donate it to the hangar. I don't know, I mean, if it's bigger than the one they used in the show, they'd probably use it again, like whenever they do.
Speaker 1:I should say you may have this if you cast me again. It's a conditional gift, just kidding. In a decade I will. I do this show. I know, I'm just kidding. Um, I love it, but I think you need for our socials, you'll need a picture. Oh, I've got a standing by it. I got to stand by it Cause y'all got to see that's true, we need to know by scale, we need to know how big this thing is. So they do cost between like 250 and $350. Yeah, depending on this and that was the difference in the price was the size of the different sizes. I'm going to measure it, measure it, do it. You're going to die. I'm sorry, that was okay, that's okay. No, what? Now? We know we need to see your lamb, okay. So Porky's that guy.
Speaker 1:Anyway, bob Clark. So he did die in 2007 in a car accident which really stinks. Um, but he had said in an interview that he was in a restaurant in New Hampshire once and he overheard a family at a nearby table speaking what sounded like dialogue from a Christmas story, and it turned out it was the maitre d' explained that it was a ritual every Christmas Eve for this family to come to the restaurant, sit around a table and recite dialogue from every scene. It was me and my sister. It was were you in new hampshire? No christmas eve? And so this is a quote from bob clark.
Speaker 1:That's when it began to sink in. This low budget fluke of a movie had become a quintessential christmas tradition. I love it. Isn't that amazing? I love it, okay.
Speaker 1:So let me now go then, of course, to Ralphie. Yes, he's on my shirt, he's on your shirt. I want to just like preface by saying, like we'll talk about he was already kind of a child actor at this time Totally, seemingly normal guy who was a child actor and is a normal adult now and has made it through life relatively unscathed, married, has two kids, still still acting, still doing behind the scenes stuff, like seems to have, I know, navigated life well, which did not happen. We don't see for all of them. And hey, if y'all want, he's in a wayfair commercial this year with kelly clarkson with the leg lamp. It's so funny. It's so funny. I love her too. Also, he's may, may and elf, yes.
Speaker 1:So he's made a lot of cameos in lots of movies, but, um, particularly christmas ones. Okay, so he was 12 at the time, right? So ralphie's supposed to be nine, but he was 12. That's fine, that's how old cooper was, yeah, well, he's still nine and a half. There he is. Yeah, he was a little wee one as well. He's a little little guy, or he was.
Speaker 1:So Bob Clark actually auditioned 8,000 kids, but listen to this Billingsley was the first person he auditioned. So imagine auditioning one I know, I think it's this one and obviously Bob Clark didn't personally look at 8,000 kids. I'm sure he had a casting team, but still, and then to just be like, no, let's just go with the first guy. Well, because you've probably think, I mean, I don't know, I you cast things, I don't. I am on the other side of it, but I'm sure Tell me if I'm wrong here when you're casting, if you see somebody who's perfect early on, you probably just want to make sure, right, yeah, I mean, you wouldn't just cast the first person that came through the door? Right, would you look at 8 000 other people? Probably not, but who knows? I mean, I'm sure it could be like two, just like talent agencies were sending over 100 at a time and that counted.
Speaker 1:But so he, billingsley, was already a very successful child actor in commercials, especially he new york, he's so cute, so cute. Um, in the 1970s, especially so, he appeared as messy marvin yeah, I remember seeing that and he sold hot dogs with new york yankees manager billy martin. Like a a different commercial. He promoted video games with kareem abdul-jabbar what so? He was like known, right, okay. And so that was part of the reason bob clark shied away from him because he thought he was perfect. But he was like it's kind of obvious, like this kid's a good actor and you know, if you're trying to come up, I don't know that he was like trying for iconic status, but if you're like this could be iconic but this kid's in like 700 other commercials, like yeah, how I want him to be, like known for this, for ralphie, right, right. So that was kind of probably part of what held him back.
Speaker 1:But in a vanity fair interview with gail billingsley, which is peter's mother, she said the audition actors in california and of other countries, and then they came back to their first choice and then, well, yeah, it's like British Ralphie, no, it'd be cute. Oh fudge, oh fudge, mine wasn't even British. I don't know. It was just a weird, so quick little aside.
Speaker 1:All four of my daughters and I are just sometimes weird to each other and we don't even explain it, so part of you know we'll like sing stuff or whatever. So I didn't know. But my son was like just around the corner today like brushing his teeth or brushing his hair, and my daughter, amelia, came to the kitchen. She's like hello, mother, it is time for a bagel. And I was like oh yes, you should get the fancy bagels. She's from the bathroom.
Speaker 1:He's like what the hell? And I was like what's wrong? And he goes what are you guys doing? And we're like we what we don't know Like, and we were like we just do that. Sometimes he's like okay, like he wasn't mad, but he was just like are you guys okay? Nice in the morning. Yeah, I mean he said what the hell from the bathroom. People at my house don't even talk in the morning like it's bad or they'll be like I'll be like hurry up, let's go. Like it's not good vibes in the morning. It depends on the morning. This morning was okay, except then I was trying to get ready and that again threw a mess into everything. But that's another story.
Speaker 1:Okay, so they auditioned all these other actors and then later bob clark said to gail peter's mom he walked in and he had us from the beginning and he was just 12, but his expressive and you know if you've seen the movie his expressive face, relatable performance, makes him an enduring character. And, as I mentioned, he's been on a lot of different projects in front of the camera and behind it um, projects like Iron man and the Breakup, where he was a producer, oh, with Vince Vaughn. And um, yeah, so I a producer, oh, with Vince Vaughn. Yeah, so I have a little bit more on Vince Vaughn later. I'm going to save it for my fun facts. But there's a Peter Billingsley-Vince Vaughn connection Fun facts. Did they date? No, oh, it's not that fun. Okay, that would be really fun. Sorry, sorry, vince Vaughn's not gay, gay and I don't know, I don't know. Peter billingsley, he's married to a woman, but yeah, I don't know, okay. Okay, here we go.
Speaker 1:Darren mcgavin played the old man ah, yes, ralphie's gruff but lovable father, and he was also already pretty recognizable, but mostly for tv roles, and then he had some other supporting roles in films. So he has kind of an interesting backstory. When I looked him up, he was abandoned by his parents when he was a teen, I don't know like. So that probably was like an emotional like and like had to kind of be on his own and make it. So he already had this like rough backstory. That made him maybe, maybe more believable as the dad trying to provide a good life for his family. So get this.
Speaker 1:Jack nicholson was actually considered for the role, right, what? Yes, get out of here with that nonsense. Isn't that crazy? What in the world? And he was, you know like already pretty famous at that time. I mean he's funny, but not like that, like he's not. I mean they probably just figured he could be like bros and whatever. But but how he? They didn't cast him. Um.
Speaker 1:And so later, uh, bob clark, the director, did say thank god they didn't cast jack, yeah, because darryl mcgavin is the old man, is for real, yeah. And so another little thing I found just because I thought this was fun, because I care about these sorts of things apparently mcgavin the old man was really good with the kids on set. Really, yeah, he was like he like enjoyed being around the kids and like gave him advice and was just like kind of jovial around them. I love that. And Billingsley, who was a child actor, said that that that was not the case normally. Back at that time, um, he said he always felt condescended to and that a lot of people didn't like child actors which you're like, but mcgowan wasn't one of them. Well, good for him, enjoyed performing with young performers and he died in 2006 and he was 83. Oh yeah, okay.
Speaker 1:And then, of course, we have to talk about Ralphie's mother. So she was played by Melinda Dillon and she was actually really well known by at this time. She was cast for Christmas Story on the basis of her role as the mom in Steven Spielberg's blockbuster Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I forgot that she was in that, yes, and so she had begun her career as a coat check girl at second city, which is the improv theater in chicago. That's awesome. And then, you know, she went from tail is oldest time, of course coat check girl to performer, um, and then, at 23, she played the mousy wife honey in the original broadway production of Edward Albee's drama who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Okay, have you ever seen that show? I have not. It's really good. It's a really good drama. I've not seen it. She actually got nominated for a Tony for it, hey, girl, which is 23. She was also nominated twice for Academy Awards Okay, once was the Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and then again in a movie called Absence of Malice, and she played opposite Paul Newman. So she's awesome. And then she went on to continue to have a long film career after that Died in 2023 at the age of 83. They both died at 83. 83.
Speaker 1:But then I was like, doing the math, I was like he was way older than her. I mean, you can tell when you watch it. I remember she was 44, which is how old I am when she filmed the movie, but he was in his sixties. Yeah, I mean, he looks it. Yeah, it's kind of weird. Yeah, well, so anyway. But we're supposed to be like, oh, there's a back a long time ago. That's maybe what people look like, I don't know but also like they're super old and they had young kids, and that wasn't very common back then. Yeah, I always thought that was weird because, like my parents were a little bit older, like my mom had me at 32, which in 1980 people didn't have kids. Later, often, like now now, people have kids in their forties and fifties and you know, um, but back then it was not common in the forties Shoot yeah, absolutely, anyway, anyway, okay.
Speaker 1:So then we have ian petrella, who played randy ralphie's little brother. Let's go, um, there was. There's not a whole lot on him. He. He seems to have also had a great life since then. He's done a lot of work behind the scenes and he is a puppeteer, oh, but I couldn't find for what. So I was like, was he on a Jim Henson show? I couldn't find anything obvious. I'm sure it's out there somewhere and at this recording he's 50. He's only 50. He's 50. He's 50. I can't wait till we are so we can do that. I'm going to do it every day. I'm going to wake up and go. I'm 50 and I like to kick and punch. All right, yes, you're going to do it every day, okay.
Speaker 1:So Gene Shepard, who we've talked about a little bit already, he died in 1999 at the age of 78. And it was like just two years after those marathons really started. And it was like just two years after those marathons really started. So he really didn't get to see the real success of the film over time and really the cultural staple it became, of course it. It wasn't a flop, it wasn't that he wasn't successful, but he didn't see what it kind of has since then spiraled into.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which you know makes you think about what I love to talk about all the time legacy. And just like you just don't know those seeds you're planting, I mean, yes, you could look at it and go, oh, it's like a movie, like whatever, but like, think of all the families that watch it together We'll talk about this on the next episode too but like that, come together as a family to come see it live. And you know, like all the people it's touched and all the different stories people have. So, and you know, like all the people it's touched and all the different stories people have. So, good on you, jean Shepard, I know. Okay. So here come the fun facts. So the iconic leg lamp was custom made for the movie.
Speaker 1:I don't know why I put a question mark For the movie. Actually it was Nope, should be exclamation point, or a period or a nothing. So there were three created. None of them survived production. Well, right, because the mom broke them. Yeah, so, but don't worry, allegedly allegedly it's never confirmed. It could have just fallen on its own when she was watering plants. You never know we're left to. Why I do. You know why I don't? You probably noticed on stage, but that's why I would always mess with the flowers, cause in the movie she's watering plants when it breaks. Ah smart, I love that, I know. Look at me, look at you, I love it.
Speaker 1:A little character study, a little character study, um, and then I just put the price for what I'd already mentioned $250 to $350. If you actually want like a decent size one that you can turn on and plug in, you want a Gigantor. That's in my window, yes, full size lady leg, oh my gosh. And I mean of course it was like ornaments. I have earrings someone gave me. Like you can get the like lamp on any sort of light. We have a nightlight as well, a nightlight. That's cute. Kohl's has a nightlight. I like that a lot. So you don't have to spend all that on the lamp if you want something. Just that has to do with the lamp.
Speaker 1:Okay, so here's an interesting one. The infamous tongue actually touched the pole. There was a hidden vacuum tube inside that just kind of like pulled him. So it's like the old bank, uh, cylinder things. Exactly remember an elf when buddy sticks his face in it like the mailroom. So it's like that. That's hilarious. I would be so nervous about my tongue. Yeah, just like that. Exactly, is that? Is that what you would say if they they're like we're doing it? You'd be like, yeah, okay, let me ask you this. I don't know.
Speaker 1:Katie has a whole list of facts. I don't know if you came up with this. Is it true that, hey, he was in adult films, flick uh-huh. I didn't see that. We're gonna have to look that up. I'm looking up right now. These are the facts I want to know. It'd be like from from my studio's ip address not sure it's adults. I'm fairly sure I know one of the kids, um in this movie, did make a career in adult films, but I, I don't know who it was. Could be him, could be Um, okay. So then we sort of touched on this.
Speaker 1:The house used for the exterior was in Cleveland Ohio, and it has since been turned into a Christmas story museum. Yeah, I have friends who've been there, and I just thought it was in in um Indiana. Yeah, no, it is in Cleveland Ohio. That's so fun. You can spend the night, though. You can spend the night. I know that'd be cool, right, trip, guys, I need to. I feel like if you go off season it can't be that expensive, but if you're trying to go during the christmas season it's probably really expensive.
Speaker 1:Scotty's x-rated. So it is Scott Schwartz. Sorry, guys, I uh what. Tell me what is going to happen. You guys, my algorithm has the weirdest crap that pops up because of our podcast research. Yeah, scott Schwartz, hold on 1996. I want to make sure it's the right Scott Schwartz, because I'm sure there's other. Yeah, that's him. Yeah, In case anybody wants to know, it's called Scotty's X-Rated Adventure.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to read you the plot summary. Okay, because it's an adult film, but anyway, that's what flipped in. I missed that in my research. That was before, I guess. Apparently that was before 24 Hours of Christmas Story. So he wasn't getting enough royalties yet. So maybe after that started he could nix that. Yes, maybe that. Or he just made so much money off that adult film that he's just all good to go. I mean, maybe, Maybe, I don't know how lucrative that was for him. Yes, maybe we need a part three. Maybe we do. We need to revisit. All right, so back to G-rated. So back to Cleveland, ohio, very G-rated.
Speaker 1:Most of the cast stayed at a hotel called Stouffer's during the three-month shoot and the at a hotel called Stouffer's during their three-month shoot, and the city of Cleveland kept its Christmas decorations up for the whole duration to help out the small-budget movie. I love that, isn't that sweet? So Shepard, gene Shepard does make a cameo appearance in the movie. He's the stern older man who scolds Ralphie for breaking into the long line to see Santa at Higby's. Okay, that's him. I didn't know that. Very, very cool. Oh, you're gonna love. I put this one on here for you.
Speaker 1:No, no, the bumpus hounds who you know spoiler alert break in and eat the family's turkey and are always barking. They, um, weren't trained animals. What they were untrained shelter dogs, making their chaotic behavior all the more real. Is that legal? I mean, probably not. Maybe back then, so they just like, ran to the shelter and they're like come on, give me five dogs, I guess. Hopefully someone kept them after that, or at least kept them through christmas.
Speaker 1:Oh my god. Well, I, like you, don't want to be in the shelter on Christmas, I know, but I'm so sad after. Oh, no, I don't mean, it's not. Dogs don't melt to Christmas, that's true, okay, so like, at least they're not alone on Christmas, because they would be so sad. I mean, I'm sad at the idea, I know. I mean honestly I don't like dogs, but that would be sad to just borrow them and then bring them back, because you know our cat, that's what happened to him.
Speaker 1:He was born in the shelter, he was adopted and then somebody brought him back a few months later. Luigi, yeah, no, that's his origin story. He's so. That's why he has anxiety, I swear to God. That's why, because I think his his formative. Like eight months of his life. He didn't know what the hell was happening. He was like born and then adopted and then brought back Him and his sister.
Speaker 1:One of our biggest regrets as pet owners is his. One of his siblings was there with him, just one, and we didn't adopt her too, cause Cooper was a toddler at the time and like we were moving all the time and we wish we would have, I wish you would have too, I know, but we couldn't. Hopefully someone else came in and just, was she orange too? No, no, I don't remember, because orange tabbies, um, don't. Usually they're not born in litters, they're like just kind of like one in the litter or something like that. But anyway, interesting, random thought. But that does make me sad.
Speaker 1:Even though I't like dogs, I don't want them to be alone on Christmas or anytime, or anytime. Yes, okay, yeah, um, I have the. I guess I put the pole thing on here twice cause I had more on it. I'm just going to skip it. Oh, but it did say this is a funny line. It was quite a hit with the boys. They all turned sticking their tongue on the air hole girl, okay, all right. Their tongue on the air hole girl, okay, all right. Okay, we're just gonna keep going. I mean, okay, the funny part about that is like your, it was quite a hit with the boys.
Speaker 1:And then that one kid ended up in an adult film. I know y'all it all kind of you can't make this shit up, you can't make it up. And they and schwartz did say scotch, for two played flick, said that they did scatter for lunch once and just left it there, like when they're helpless. As the morning bell rings, it warned g hardy's full. They probably did that to be funny. They probably didn't. I'm sure they came back and saved him, okay. So listen to this. This is great.
Speaker 1:Billingsley, peter billingsley, ralphie still has the rhinestone cowboy suit and the pink bunny suit in his possession, stored in a vault. I love that. So much, isn't that great. I mean, that is some like I'm so glad he kept it because you know when you're in a moment, you don't know what's going to be iconic, right, yeah, it could have just either been trashed or like put in like a studio wardrobe somewhere and just hidden forever. Um, I think that's really cool, I love that.
Speaker 1:So john favreau, um director, producer, also good friends with vince fawn, yeah, um, says that a christmas story was one of the main inspirations for his movie elf. Love that. And billingsley, as you mentioned, has small role in that. Yes, one of the head of may may, the head elf, he's the one that tells buddy Buddy that he's not making enough toys. You're right, I know my Christmas movies guys, I know, and I loved blowing people's mind and telling them that that was Ralphie, because I don't know why I know that Because, again, random shit, I know, and Cooper must have forgotten that I had told him that three times in his life.
Speaker 1:He's like did you know that Peter Billingsley is an alpha? I'm like, yeah, he's may may and he was like you didn't know that. I'm like, I literally told you that when you were teeny tiny, when you were six months old super, come on, don't you remember? Anyway? So Favreau said that was like a big fan of gene shepherd. He knew gene shepherd's voice from the radio because his dad used to listen to his monologues and he would hear it in the car. Um, and he a quote from him was I think that the combination of the narration, the movie's classic look and, of course, billingsley wonderful open face and his performance, really drew you into the movie, made you feel connected emotionally, agreed, so I think that's pretty cool.
Speaker 1:Um, I guess I didn't put it in here, but the Vince Vaughn direct connection is that they met on a movie sometime in the late eighties and became really good friends and are good friends to this day. That's great. Yeah, so they're just like buddies. I love that. I love that too. I love, I love unexpected connections. Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1:So you know how to look up controversy surrounding the film. I'm sure that's so spoiler alert. There's not that much. It's well, I mean, it's stuff that's pretty obvious. Yeah, there's not. There's nothing like nothing bad happened with the children that we're aware of. Um, there's no like drama within the cast that we're aware of, nothing like that um, but the main controversy, um the criticism that the films received over the years, especially now, is the family dynamic.
Speaker 1:You know, critics say that the movie glorifies bullying, insensitive behavior. Then some people don't like Ralphie's obsession with a dangerous BB gun, normalizing bullying, and then, of course, like the dad's emotionally abusive, toxic behavior. So I agree. So my mom, my mom hated that. My sister and I love this movie for all those reasons mentioned. Yeah, especially the gun part.
Speaker 1:We I grew up in a non gun owning house, which always surprises people because I grew up in South Louisiana, um, and, but both my parents were very against um firearms. In fact my dad was even a conscientious objector to the Vietnam war, which is funny because my mom was military brat, um, and then I married somebody in the military. So, huh, that's weird, but anyway. So she hated, she hated the gun like a whole gun and plus my mom's an ER nurse, yeah, so, like the danger is a BB gun Like she's probably seen, actual, you can shoot your eye out guys. You literally can shoot your eye out with a BB gun and hurt animals Exactly with a BB gun and hurt animals, exactly, absolutely. And for, like children, to have that is is even worse.
Speaker 1:But on the flip side, a product of the time I mean it was the forties it was common. I mean I, that doesn't make it okay. We talk about this all the time on this podcast. Um, it doesn't excuse it, but it it is. Reality, is reality. And you know, I always thought the dad was such an ass like he doesn't really have a troy and I talked about this a lot. He doesn't have a whole lot of redemption, not really. It's like, oh, he bought him the gun, wow, right, big deal. And he bought them the gun without talking to his wife about it, who was so against it in the first place. Yeah, yeah, that's problematic.
Speaker 1:And again, when you're watching it, whether it's the musical or the film, yes, you can say to yourself, well, that's how it was then, but but it still is kind of perpetuating. Yeah, this sort of patriarchal structure like um and we can get into this when we talk about the musical too but like where mom's constantly cleaning up after everyone. She's in a house full of um male presenting individuals and she's always the one cooking and cleaning up and picking up the wrapping paper and again you can say, but that's that, maybe it's his story, cause that's how it was, but you're still watching it in the current day, right, and it's cringy. Yeah, it can be cringy and you really and we'll talk about this again you have to remove yourself from the cringe and just say this is a period piece. And here we go. Yeah, absolutely, and we'll talk about that more when we get into the acting components.
Speaker 1:But but those are the main criticisms, right, and I think those are warranted and I think I get it for people who don't like the movie for all those reasons, like I used to like roll my eyes at my mom for not liking the movie, but now I understand, I still love the movie. It's like, even though they have all this problem and I am very against, we're an anti-gun household, which is hilarious because my husband was in the military and did like gun training and all the things. But personally, we do not own guns and we won't. Um, partly I don't like them because when I was in fourth grade, a classmate of mine him and his brother got into their parents and he died. What, yeah? So like, yeah, they got in, they wasn't locked up and the brother accidentally shot him and he died. So, anyway, the point of that is, even though I am anti-gun and anti-patriarchy, I still love the movie and I think part of the reason I love it is because Peter Billingsley is perfect. He is like perfect and Randy is perfect. Yep, he is like perfect and randy perfect.
Speaker 1:The kids in the movie make it for me they do. And even the bully like. I don't think it glorifies bullying, because I mean the kid eventually gets his ass kicked, which is not, again, not okay. Neither thing is okay. But I know what you mean. Karma comes back, correct? Which is, which is the whole point of it is that, yeah, you put shittiness out there. Shittiness is going to come back to you, correct? So it's not saying it's cool to be a bully, it's saying it's not right. It was never.
Speaker 1:Like he wasn't so cool and he even looked odd like the kid they cast, you know, like on purpose. Yeah, he wasn't meant to be like a james dean looking character that you're like, oh, he's so cool. You're like, oh, I don't like that person, which is how you're supposed to feel, right? I'm sure that the actor himself is very lovely, but sure for the point of the character. Um, one other criticism I saw that I didn't even put down because I was like I don't know about that is that it glorifies commercialism. Because he's so upset I'm so obsessed with this gift and I'm kind of like america capitalism.
Speaker 1:I'm like every kid wants something for christmas or hanukkah or whatever. Whatever their birthday they're, they go into the store and want something. You know, we live in a capitalistic society, guys, yeah, and I just, I was just like, and I think I think that specific criticism was stemming from like, oh, but you should focus on like, whether it's religious or just family or whatever. And it's like, yeah, but like you're, he's supposed to be a nine-year-old kid. Nine, yeah, come on, you know, yeah, so that is it. That's all I have. Wow, that was a lot. I told you it was a lot, but like could have been. You know, you can go down as many rabbit holes as you want.
Speaker 1:Adult films. I totally missed my algorithms. You let me down. To be fair, I knew that from something else. I don't know why. I know that I I have not seen. Maybe it was a preview on a different VCR tape that you have. I have not seen that adult film.
Speaker 1:I just remember like watching you know those like uh, behind the music things, oh yeah, I swear there was one on on like christmas story, like years back on mtv. That was like random crap and that was one of the things. Okay, yeah, that adds up um, or maybe the guides in an interview, I don't know. You know how they would like do those kind of like commentaries and then remember it because it's like a memorable thing. Remember that show, um, dinner, dinner in a movie they would do on tbs or tnt. Loved that show, right, yes, I wanted to like be a host on that. I know so bad. I'm wondering if it was on something like that, like a late night. I bet it was like, by the way, here's some facts. And then even, yeah, the dinner in the movie they had like the host. But then while you were watching it, things would pop up Like yeah, yeah, okay, question, so you didn't watch this as a kid?
Speaker 1:You about your kids? I don't think they've seen it. Even though you were just in the show, I didn't really watch it. I don't know like I was excited to be in the show girl. They came to see the show and they haven't seen the movie. Yeah, what? And they loved the show, lucky, yeah, yeah, they loved it. They were like, oh, it's so great, I mean, it's so funny. My husband's never seen it. The musical was his first one. Same kind of thing, he said it was just always because he worked in radio for years and it was just always on like somewhere. So he was like, oh my God, not this movie again. So he never watched it this Christmas season.
Speaker 1:Yes, you have less than a week to go. Less than a week. Y'all need to watch it. Yes, okay, she looks reluctant in my eyes. Right, I, I will. I will watch it with them. Yeah, I will watch it with at least half you guys. My husband, you can't force my husband might be like that's fine, truly, I'm not watching it, but everyone else, probably tegan, will watch anything with me. Okay, if I have snacks, my, my other kids would too. I'm gonna say three, at least three of the seven of you guys. Okay, so me and two and two more. Yeah, do I count, though, cause I've already seen it. So it has to be no, cause I want you to watch it with them, cause it's different when you watch it with. Very true, very true. So that's your goal.
Speaker 1:We'll talk about it in the new year. Well, and Tegan, my littlest, hasn't seen home alone what are you doing? But that's kind of on purpose because she gets scared of stuff like that. But I think this year she's ready, like part of me for years has wanted her to see it, because she is Kevin, like if she was left behind she would figure life out. Well, she's not as mischievous as Kevin, no, but she's like she would just be like running the house and like buying groceries and like figuring life out. But the other part, like where like burglars are coming into your house, I was just like oof, like she's prone to like nightmares and stuff. So I was like I don't know it might be too much, but I she just turned 10 in november.
Speaker 1:So I think maybe we'll just do like a string of movies like this movie this night, this movie this night, or do a marathon day or something day after christmas or something that might be fun. You could always have a palate cleanser between. And do muppet christmas, carol, because that's always a good. I love muppet christmas. I've already watched it twice this season, guys. I love it so much it is, and my whole family has seen that one numerous times. That's another one that me and my sister just I, I saw that one in the theater, mm--hmm, that one's so good. The OG one with the bell song. With the bell song, that's so sad. The love is gone, I know, I can't believe it's not in there anymore. Well, that's another story. No, it is on Disney+. On Disney+, good, Yep, that's where we'll watch it. Okay, because I love that song.
Speaker 1:All right, where we talk about a Christmas story the musical, even if you've never seen it, if you're a Christmas story fan, and that's how you found this one, listen to the musical one too, because we might tell you some things you didn't know. And look through our other 80 plus episodes and find some more. You like Dawson's Creek? We got that. Oh, you know what I was going to say in 2025, we need to start season two, I think. So I think we need to.
Speaker 1:I kind of miss it. I miss it too. You know why I miss it? Cause I've been watching Dr Odyssey. Oh, girl, I haven't started it yet. Oh, katie, I'm scared because I know you don't even have to pay attention to anything else. Pull me in, I know, and then I'm going to be stuck watching Dr Odyssey for a weekend, but you're off work for a few days. Next week I am, but now I have to watch Christmas Story. Oh well, that's an hour and a half, you're fine, okay, dr Odyssey, it is All right.
Speaker 1:Well then, maybe we can review that alongside Dawson's Creek. No, because there's nothing to it. The storyline is kind of shit. It's just yes, men, women you're, they're on a boat, scenic, yes, it's just like good to watch. And don johnson still fabulous. I know I'm not attractive, but he's still fabulous anyway, all right. So, um, listen to our other episodes, find us on patreon and become a patron for eight dollars a month, or review us wherever you're listening right now. Give us a five-star review that helps other people find us. Or share us on social media. And until next time, don't shoot your eye out. Don't shoot your eye out.
