Episode 208

The Paunch Stevenson Show episode 208

Welcoming back NJ author Caseen Gaines, writer of Inside Pee-wee’s Playhouse: The Untold, Unauthorized, and Unpredictable Story of a Pop Phenomenon! and soon to be new book A Christmas Story: The Making of a Holiday Classic!

Please support Caseen’s new Kickstarter Project before December 26th to help him fund upcoming promotional events!

In this episode:

  • the success of Caseen’s book Inside Pee-Wee’s Playhouse,
  • working with publisher ECW Press,
  • book promotion,
  • scary Tim Burton movies,
  • when and why do movies and TV shows fade out of pop culture?,
  • re-runs and constant TV franchise reboots,
  • Bronies,
  • Caseen’s upcoming book A Christmas Story: The Making of a Holiday Classic,
  • the Christmas Story House near Cleveland, Ohio,
  • Caseen’s book release coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the film,
  • his $20,000 Kickstarter to help promote the book,
  • his Kickstarter rewards including Christmas cards designed by Ian Petrella,
  • Caseen appearing on the TV Guide Network,
  • the still tight-knit cast,
  • the first sequel My Summer Story (1994) starring Charles Grodin,
  • the second sequel Christmas Story 2 (2012) starring Daniel Stern,
  • Jean Shepherd’s original A Christmas Story book,
  • the enduring legacy of A Christmas Story,
  • and the full length version of the 1970 Night Before Christmas Read-Along Classic.

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6 Replies to “Episode 208”

  1. cassen is such an engaging guest that i couldn’t help but be swept along; even if the subject is something i know little about. i’ve never seen ‘a christmas story’ and don’t know if it has ever been shown over here. i have heard other american podcasts talk of it and i sense it is a seasonal staple. i guess i know what dvd to ask for christmas. so glad to hear “MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL… AND TO AAALL… A GOOOD NIIIGHT!!”

  2. David, it’s on Blu-Ray too I believe. By the way, the reason I played the entire (somewhat mangled) Night Before Christmas thing at the end is that the narrator sounded a lot like Jean Shepherd. He wrote A Christmas Story and narrated that and My Summer Story as adult Ralphie.

  3. David, glad you enjoyed our interview. I hope Caseen reaches his Kickstarter goal.

    I ended up watching a new Lifetime Christmas movie called Finding Mrs. Claus, starring Mira Sorvino and Will Sasso. I’ll review it the next time Greg and I record. Nothing will top that old Read-Along Classic tape though. :)

    And Frank Nora of The Overnightscape is a long-time Jean Shepherd fan.

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