Dinosaur Dracula’s GLOOM BOX is here!
Got another surprise drop for you today! It’s Dinosaur Dracula’s GLOOM BOX, a package stuffed with creepy collectibles from the ‘80s and ‘90s that are sure to make your October feel more like October.
Dino Drac’s GLOOM BOX will run you $31 – one dollar for every day in October – and that INCLUDES SHIPPING to anywhere in the United States. (I can only ship to the U.S. – sorry!)
Included are five frightful items that nobody in their right mind would try to live without. Please note that the GLOOM BOX has nothing to do with my monthly Funpacks. This is a separate thing, and the October Funpack is coming later.
Supplies are limited! Zip to the bottom to order, or keep reading to learn more about what’s inside! Read More…
The Mausoleum of Madness, Part II!
Welcome to Dinosaur Dracula’s MAUSOLEUM OF MADNESS, PART II! Every day through Halloween, check back for another vintage creepy collectible – everything from deep cut toys to ancient store displays to at least one totally insane costume. Probably ten cereal boxes, too.
I won’t be plugging this on social media much, so you’ll have to remember to visit on your own. Maybe stick an orange Post-It on the fridge. (Yes, it must be orange.)
PS, if you missed last year’s Mausoleum of Madness, it’s over here.
#41: Frank ‘n Stuff Coupon! (1984)
It isn’t easy being a collector of Hormel Frank ‘n Stuff memorabilia. Charmed as I am by those monster-themed hot dogs from the ‘80s, there just isn’t much out there!
That’s why I was so tickled to find this old coupon. The actual product shot is smaller than my pinkie nail, but in a dead market, I’ll take whatever I can. You could write “FRANK ‘N STUFF” on a Post-It, and I’d probably buy it.
Filled with chili or cheese, the frankfurters are mostly remembered for being blazingly, dangerously hot. Seems Hormel did not fully consider the idea that the dawgs might act as beefy kilns, spiking the temp of the hidden filling to something approaching lava.
Still, even those left with permanent Frank ‘n Stuff scars concede that they were delicious, and I’ll never not love the concept of Frankenstein-influenced processed meat.
#40: Pepsi/Casper Retail Standee! (1995)
I’m writing this on October 1st, so I thought I’d kick off the month with a big one – literally. One of the largest items in the entire Mausoleum, this gigantic Pepsi retail standee celebrated the brand’s partnership with the 1995 film, Casper.
I was told it stands seven feet tall. I haven’t measured, but unless I’ve shrunk, I’d put it closer to eight feet. It’s less Kevin Nash, more Giant Gonzales. It’s also freakin’ beautiful, with art that deftly blends two of my favorite things – ghosts, and the old Pepsi logo.
Despite spending too much money for this, I’ve actually never seen the film. I probably should, given that I like Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci, and have historically had no problems with Casper. Is there any Pepsi product placement in the film? Because that would get me over the hump.
Those following the Purple Stuff Podcast on Patreon might recall this cardboard monstrosity from our September bonus show, where we searched eBay for weird Halloween junk from 1995. Yeah, I was the one who bought this. It was expensive, but I had to. Look at it!
#39: Halloween Wowee Whistle! (1970s)
The Halloween Wowee Whistle was a seasonal smash before any of you were born. Originally made by Glenn Confections, I’ve found evidence that these paraffin wax whistles — essentially Wax Fangs in a more musical shape – were sold as early as the 1940s. (Other sources date them back to the ‘20s!)
While they seemed to pass hands through several companies over the years, the gimmick remained the same. This was a working whistle made from tasty, chewable wax that was sometimes marketed as “bubble gum,” even though you couldn’t blow bubbles with it, and could only chew it in the vein that one might chew the casing on Babybel cheese.
The popularity of Halloween Wowee Whistles rose and dipped many times. The ‘70s was one of their peak eras, but they were still very much a thing in the ‘80s, and even lasted through most of the ‘90s. It’s an interesting Halloween artifact in that people of wildly different ages could all have similar nostalgia for it. Your grandparents, your parents, hell, even you. Read More…
1992 Broadcast of Texas Chainsaw Part 2!
The latest episode of The Purple Stuff Podcast is here, and baby, we’re takin’ ya to Texas. It’s an episode that felt right for the Halloween season, and I’m not just saying that because it references a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial where Fred the Baker played Dr. Frankenstein.
In October of 1992, a FOX affiliate out of Boston implausibly decided to run The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 – a grisly, unrated movie loaded with blood and mayhem – right there on broadcast television, in prime time. What chutzpah!!
Join me and Jay from Sludge Central for an hourlong examination of this ancient television event. We’ll tell you about the film (which we love), how this FOX affiliate handled airing such a gnarly movie, and we’ll even get into some of the commercials that played during the broadcast. (Including some that were Halloween-themed!)
If you’ve seen the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre but never the sequel, boy, it’s a WAY different movie. Loud and over-the-top as a rule. It must be seen to be believed, but playing this episode is the next best thing.
Click here to listen to this month’s show!
…which you can also find on Apple, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to podcasts.
As a reminder, The Purple Stuff Podcast is also on Patreon, where we drop an exclusive bonus show every month. When you join, you instantly gain access to our entire back catalog, which goes back years. There are over 80 exclusive episodes waiting for you over there!
Oh, and here’s a little video we put together showing the film’s awesomely ominous television intro, plus all of the commercials we discuss on the show.
Enjoy! The Purple Stuff Podcast isn’t done Halloweening, so when you’re through listening to this, it won’t be long before we’re attacking you with chainsaws again. Stay tuned, stay vigilant.
Dino Drac’s Sinister September Funpack is here!
Okay GHOULS, Dino Drac’s Sinister September Funpack is here, and it’s loaded with Halloween cheer. This is the second of three all-eerie Funpacks for 2025, filled with things no creature of the night should even try to live without.
If you’re a subscriber, your Funpack is already on the way. (They were shipped between Saturday and Tuesday.)
While subscriptions are currently closed, I have a few extras that I can offer on an individual basis. As always, the cost is $25, and that includes shipping to anywhere in the States. Zip to the bottom to see if there are any left, and sorry if there aren’t, because the September Funpacks always go quick!
And now, in the immortal words of that guy from UHF, let’s see what’s in the box! Read More…