Podcast
GenX Stories
Hosted by Eve Simon, Chris Goumas, Lori Luna & Courtney Spikes · EN
GenX Stories is a podcast about how the so-called “Lost Generation” found itself at midlife. Join hosts Eve, Lori, Chris & Courtney every other Wednesday for a fun and frank discussion about what made us and what’s next. We all have a GenX story. What’s yours?
25episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
From Roswell to Rocky: GenX's Alien Obsession
2w ago00:47:10Tap to summarizeSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!Congratulations, you've found the one podcast episode that finally settles whether extraterrestrial life exists. Spoiler: we don't know either. Thanks to Lori, we're talking aliens this week - the pop culture kind, the Cold War paranoia kind, and the-cops-told-Eve's-mom-in '58-it-was-a-weather-balloon-but-it-was-definitely-not kind. From Close Encounters to Alien to ET to Project Hail Mary to things on the moon in Roman times, we have ALOT of thoughts. New episode. Stuff to hear. You know what to do.Episode linksAliens and UFOs still fascinate. ‘Project Hail Mary,’ ‘Disclosure Day’ are proofHow Steven Spielberg Pitched Project Hail Mary's Close Encounters Easter EggAlien.gov mystery grows after White House says 'Stay tuned'Neil Dregrasse Typson’s point of viewNASA and the Search for Extraterrestrial IntelligenceWhat Really Happened at Roswell?What is Area 51 and what goes on there?Why So Many Aliens in Pop Culture Look FamiliarHow pop culture has shaped our understanding of aliensThe most memorable pop culture aliens and extraterrestrialsThe 40+ Most Famous Alien Characters of All TimeConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our site
Transcribe →Ship Happens: all aboard the 80s Cruise
4w ago00:56:03Tap to summarizeSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!Ever wondered what happens when an entire cruise ship full of Gen Xers decide to relive the greatest decade? Wonder no more. In this week's episode, we're taking you aboard the 80s Cruise - where the fanny packs are unironic, the hair is big, and the hits just keep on coming. We're talking live concerts, old-school heartthrobs, neon everything, and a crowd that still knows every single word to every single song. Whether you're a die-hard cruise lover or someone who swore they'd never set foot on a ship, this episode may have you reconsidering your stance fast. Plus we have a kick ass guest sitting in with us who just came back from her second 80s cruise and is already signed up for her third (and planning for her 4th so she can offically “graduate”.)So is the 80’s cruise totally rad or totally bogus? Listen now and you can be the judge.Episode links80’s cruise official websiteBest Moments of the 2025 80’s cruise The 80s Cruise: Why A Music Theme Cruise is the Best Party at SeaVideos from the 80’s cruiseInstagram for #The80scruiseReada Kessler infoInstagramThreadsFacebookWTOP RadioWTOP ProfileTelling the traffic story with Reada KesslerConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our site
Transcribe →Burying more than our feelings: the time capsule episode
Apr 800:40:27Tap to summarizeSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!Before Google Drive, Gen X processed artifacts the way we handled most everything else: by burying it and hoping future people would care. Yup, you guessed it - this episode is all about time capsules — a concept so ironically Gen X it practically comes with a side of Twinkie and the sense of impending doom. From bicentennial school projects we definitely forgot about, to NASA flinging a gold record into deep space like 'here, aliens, have some Chuck Berry,' to Nickelodeon's pop culture treasure trove sitting somewhere underground until 2042, get comfy. We have a ton to talk about. Tune in like, NOW.Episode linksA Brief History of Time (Capsules)Time in a BoxBlasts from the Past: 7 Cool Historical Time Capsules30 Interesting And Cool Historical Time CapsulesTime capsules are more popular than ever, as Americans take history into their own handsHow to create a time capsuleAndy Warhol’s Time CapsulesFor America’s 250th Year, a Time Capsule to Stay Buried for 250 MoreHow engineers designed the America250 time capsule to last a quarter millenniaConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our site
Transcribe →Cover Wars: Is what's old really new again?
Mar 2500:40:11Tap to summarizeSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!From Lorde going full existential on Tears for Fears to Johnny Cash making Nine Inch Nails cry to Luke Combs taking us for a ride, it's time for some real GenX talk about cover songs. This week we're going deep on interpretations of the music we grew up on. and duuude. We have opinions. Beacause what do you mean the songs we love were ALREADY covers?Be a fly on the wall as the podcast gang debates what makes a cover work (or spectacularly fail), while trying to figure out if these songs are tributes, travesties or nostalgia with a new coat of paint.Episode linksAll songs referenced in this episodeDo Cover Bands Pay Royalties: Bringing the Truth to Light!QUIZ: Is This ‘80s Song An Original Or A Cover?Classic ’80s Songs You Didn’t Know Were CoversTracy Chapman & Luke Combs at the GrammysDolly Parton hearing Whitney Houstom singing “I will always love you”The Best '80s Music Covers You'll Play on RepeatTop 20 80s cover versions10 alternative artists who gave iconic '80s classics a modern updateThe Top 10 best metal covers of 80s pop songsOther PlaylistsIndie covers of 80’s songsBest 80’s coversConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our site
Transcribe →The Middle-Aged Dorm Is Real (And We're Into It)
Mar 1100:40:00Tap to summarizeSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!Forget everything you thought you knew about "aging communties." The Gen X Stories crew is talking the next step in housing (and it's not your parents' retirement home.) From rethought 55+ communities with actual cocktail bars, co-housing, walkable villages, and yes, converted malls, it turns out our options are way more interesting than a room in a “facility”.Lori, Courtney, Eve (and a guest she'worked with 30 years ago at AOL!) break down how Gen X is rewriting the rules of where we live next. Less isolation, more fun, and the best music. Obviously.Episode linksFive People in Their 60s, 70s, and 80s Share How They Plan to Age at HomeIs a 55+ Community Right for You?The Villages in FLSex in the village? Why do residents in The Villages put loofahs on their vehicles?Leisure World in MDOld Malls Are New Homes To Senior Living CommunitiesCo-living for women25 Senior Discounts You Probably Don't Know About, But ShouldConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our site
Transcribe →The Sex Talk We Never Got (Gen X Edition)
Feb 2500:41:10Tap to summarizeSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!The Gen X Stories podcast crew gets brutally honest about our sex ed through school classes, books & movies, the AIDS crisis, Dr Ruth and parents who never had “The Talk” with us. You may recognize the funny (and often uncomfortable) experiences that followed, including feeling like needing a federal clearance to buy condoms. PLUS we get into being open about it all with our own kids now. It’s awkward. It’s cathartic. It might make you text your therapist. But hey — at least we can finally talk about it. (although maybe not with our moms...)Episode linksWhy the Sex Talk with Kids Is a Myth (And What Works Better)History of Sex Education in the USHow AIDS Changed the History of Sex EducationThe History Behind Judy Blume’s Most Controversial Novel, ForeverWhen Dr. Ruth Doled Out ‘80s-Era Sex AdviceRisky Busness Movie Train Scene“Where Did I Come From?” book“What’s Happening to me?” book- Girls edition“What’s Happening to me?” book- Boys edition“This is so awkwzrd: modern puberty explained” bookConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a review
Transcribe →Did GenX keep our stuff?
Feb 1100:44:58Tap to summarizeSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!Old toys. Concert shirts. Boxes we haven’t opened in decades. In this episode, the podcast crew riffs on the chaos of the keepsakes we have (or wish we still did !) while trying to figure out what the topic is. It's funny. It's messy. And it's completely Gen X. If you've ever wanted your Walkman back, you gotta listen to this one.Episode links8 Rare Vintage Tech Products Worth Thousands That Might Be Hiding In Your AtticFor some toy sellers, packing shelves with nostalgia pays off14 Nostalgic 80s and 90s Toys That Are Shockingly Valuable TodayFind Your Next Great Read Right in Your Own NeighborhoodLove Is In the Details — The Madame Alexander Story14 of the Most Valuable LEGO Sets You Might Have at Home\Lincoln Logs historyConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our site
Transcribe →The Gen X Love Affair With ‘Stranger Things’
Jan 2800:45:54Tap to summarizeSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!In this episode of Gen X Stories, Eve and Courtney go full Stranger Things, unpacking the 80s DNA, the Stephen King–meets–E.T. references, and why this show hit Gen X right in the childhood. From killer needle drops to character arcs that grew up with us, they explore how the Duffer Brothers built a cross-generational phenomenon. BUT major spoilers ahead, so consider yourself warned.Episode links'Stranger Things' holds a mirror to the '80s – and todayDecoding Stranger Things 5’s Most Notable Pop-Culture Nods“Stranger Things” and the frustrations of Gen X’s ’80s nostalgia habit A Review of Stranger Things from a Genuine Gen X KidStranger Things 5: Let’s Unravel the Secrets of the Upside DownStranger Things Finally Explained How The Upside Down Works, And The Duffers Told Us How They Decided Who Would Figure It Out‘Stranger Things 5’ Finally Reveals the Truth About the Upside DownNPR: Meet the musical mind behind the nostalgically '80s sound of 'Stranger Things'Running Up That Hill: an ‘80s hit makes millions in royalties thanks to Stranger Things8 best musicl moments on ‘Stranger Things’Every Song in Every Season of Stranger ThingsJourney’s “Separate Ways” remix featured on ‘Stranger Things” season 4How Steve Perry Surprised ‘Stranger Things’ Remix ArtistsSpotify Official PlaylistHow ‘Stranger Things’ Scored Two Prince Songs for Season FinaleConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our site
Transcribe →The soundtrack of 1983
Dec 2401:13:40Tap to summarizeSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!Let’s go back to 1983, the year albums made us who we are. Thanks to a tip from our Facebook group, each GenX Stories host picked a favorite record from this legendary year and dove headfirst into its greatness. Nostalgia? Check. Hot takes? Double check. Accidental sing-alongs? We’ll neither confirm nor deny. The only thing left to do: press play and learn tidbits you never knew about the epic music that basically raised us.Episode links Best 1983 Albums: 67 Excellent RecordsThe Highest Rated Albums of 1983The story of 1983 in music‘Colour By Numbers’: How Culture Club Painted A Pop MasterpieceCulture Club: Get to know the band behind 'Karma Chameleon'Classic Album: The Police – SynchronicityWhy The Police’s 'Synchronicity' — Their Final, Fraught Masterpiece — Still Resonates After 40 YearsUnder the Volcano Movie‘Under the Volcano’ Review: Rockers Recall the Remote Island Where Luxurious ’80s Record-Making Had Its Last StandHow Debut Album ‘Murmur’ Spread The Word About R.E.M.5 Surprising Facts About R.E.M.’s “Murmur”The Murmur Trestle Classic Album: Madonna – MadonnaMadonna’s first hit ‘Holiday’ almost never happenedLucky Star VideoAbout the Lucky Star videoEve’s Madonna SketchEve’s Madonna Photo w/momMadonna’s Eponymous Debut Album ‘Madonna’ OUR ALBUMSLori: Colour By Numbers, Culture ClubCourtney: Synchronicity, The PoliceChris: Murmur, R.E.MEve: Madonna, MadonnaConnect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass
Transcribe →Joyriding Down Memory Lane
Dec 1000:48:33Tap to summarizeSend a FanMail to the GenX Stories gang via text message!Buckle up, kids (or don’t cuz we survived the ’80s without 'em). This week, the Gen X Stories crew cannonballs into a conversation sparked by a Facebook community member’s mysterious question (which we’re absolutely not telling you until you hit play, because marketing). Expect kick-ass personal stories ripped straight out of an ’80s movie montage and of course, the perfect soundtrack.Episode linksTopic from Season 6 , ep 12 - Ask us anythingFerris Bueller’s Day OffIf You Leave - OMDPool Hopping23 Smells That Instantly Transport Us Back to Childhood: Hawiian TropicPhil’s Beach in Wauconda and hereVisitors flock to Wauconda beach made famous by ‘Blues Brothers’ for first time in decadesApril 25 is the 'perfect date': Here's what to know about Miss Congeniality DayThe Bizarre Way Sammy Davis Jr. Lost His Left EyeHonda PreludePretty In Pink SoundtrackThe Long-Misinterpreted Meaning Behind “Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes12 Things Every Teen Did After School in the 1980s That Felt Like FreedomGen Z Is Choosing Not to DriveTeens aren’t getting their driver’s licenses – and the experts are completely wrong about whyStraight outta the delivery room, into a robotaxi“Three on the tree”Connect with usSubscribe to GenX Stories in your favorite podcast appBuy some kickass merchWrite us a reviewVisit our site
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