Well, it’s finally time for The Purple Stuff Podcast’s annual review of an old Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! And we’ve picked a truly stellar example. Let’s head back to 1984!

Yes, it’s the 58th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which aired live on November 22nd, 1984. This year marks that parade’s 40th anniversary, so it was only fitting that we’d spend an hour going completely berserk about it.

This is the oldest parade we’ve covered on the show, and it was a reminder of how much looser the event used to be. They run a tight ship nowadays, but back then, things could get a little wonky – but usually in a good way!

Join me and Jay from Sludge Central as we marvel at everything and everyone from Scooby-Doo to the Care Bears to evil space alien lizard people. Even John Ratzenberger makes the cut!

Click here to listen to this month’s show!

….which you can also find on Apple, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to podcasts.

It’s honestly one of the most jam-packed Macy’s Parades I’ve seen. Even with this jumbo-sized episode, we barely scratched the surface! If you want to see the whole thing, it’s on YouTube in all of its grainy 480p glory. (Well, maybe more like 360p, but it’ll get the job done.)

PS: For those who subscribe to our Patreon, we’re going to be dropping a special bonus episode where we gush about a bunch of the TV commercials that aired during this broadcast. Look for it tomorrow!

Thanks so much to everyone who listens to the show, and especially to those who share it around! This is our seventh annual Macy’s Parade review, and it’s one of our favorite podcast traditions. Here’s to many more! Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone!

Posted by Matt on 11/25/24
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Dino Drac’s November Funpack is here, and actually, if you’re a subscriber, you might already have it! All subscriber boxes have been shipped, because this month’s box is time-sensitive and I wanted to make sure they all got there before the parade!

As is tradition, the November Funpack is all about the holidays. If you’re not a subscriber and you still want this box, I have a *very* limited number of spares that I can offer on an individual basis. They’re $25, and that includes shipping to anywhere in the United States. Jump to the bottom to order, or keep reading to learn about everything in this month’s box! Read More…

Posted by Matt on 11/19/24
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Welcome to Dino Drac’s Mausoleum of Madness! Here you’ll find daily drops of creepy collectibles from my personal collection, all never previously seen on the site. Everything from eerie ephemera to terrifying toys. There are some major gems waiting to be featured here! Feature now complete for the season!

#44: Hi-C / Slimer Store Display! (1988)

I’ve saved the best for last. This is a Hi-C / Real Ghostbusters store display, and while your mind might jump to Ecto Cooler, this standee actually predates that drink! (Hi-C and The Real Ghostbusters, which were both under the Coke/Columbia umbrella, had been doing team-ups as early as 1987.)

Featuring Slimer, it stands 3.5 feet tall, and it’s in the running for the most gorgeous thing I own. And no, it wasn’t cheap. I pretty much never invest this much into any single item, but I had to have this thing. Look at it!

It’s sturdier than many similar standees, and it had to be, because this was intended to stay on display for a full calendar year. See, the displays were shipped with a volley of “holiday hats” for Slimer to wear, covering everything from Thanksgiving to the Super Bowl to Independence Day. Mine came with all of the hats, so if you follow me on my socials, this won’t be the last time you see Giant Cardboard Slimer.

The details are phenomenal, and considering its age, the standee is in fantastic condition. As a well-documented klutz, I’m now living in permanent fear of the straw on Slimer’s juice box.

#43: Pizza Hut Monsters Box! (1992)

Back in 1992, Pizza Hut embraced the dark side with a pretty gigantic Universal Monsters promotion, offering everything from souped-up collector’s cups to neat hologram cards. The classic monsters enjoyed a retail renaissance throughout the ‘90s, and this was one of the fun side effects.

The best part of the promo, though, were the swank boxes Pizza Hut designed for their personal pan pizzas. Available with every kid’s meal, the boxes featured the whole creepy crew, right down to that extra-dramatic off-model Dracula. (That particular Drac was used on everything back then, to skirt any licensing issues with the Lugosi estate.)

#42: Toys “R” Us Circular! (1989)

Arriving with the Sunday paper in October of ‘89, this TRU circular betrays its age with a Batman costume, a Real Ghostbusters makeup kit, and that long-obsolete Starburst logo. It’s a treasure!

This was near the end of Toys “R” Us’s run as a true Halloween supercenter. When I was a kid, they’d have costumes from the floor to the ceiling, with every accessory and decoration you could want. They steered clear of the truly ghastly masks, but by and large, it was a one-stop shop.

Back then, dedicated Halloween stores were still rare to see, and driving to a “real” costume shop probably wasn’t high on your parents’ wishlist. It really came down to Toys “R” Us, Kmart, or your local pharmacy. So why not pick the one that also had fifteen aisles of action figures and video games? Read More…

Posted by Matt on 10/17/24
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