The Basement Yard Episode #531: "Growing Up In The 90s"

Date: December 1, 2025
Hosts: Joe Santagato & Frank Alvarez
Guest: Prisco
Theme: Nostalgia, humor and memories about growing up in the 90s—covering childhood toys, school days, iconic moments, and a behind-the-scenes look at their Madison Square Garden show experience.

Overview

In this episode of The Basement Yard, Joe and Frank, joined by frequent collaborator Prisco, dive deep into the formative experiences of growing up in the 1990s. From funny recreations about classic cigarette scenes in movies, to reminiscing about school (and its sometimes harsh teachers), the trio blends their characteristic humor with personal stories—including a heartfelt discussion about recently performing at Madison Square Garden. The episode balances comedy with genuine emotion, tapping into the deep relatability of shared generational experiences, especially those unique to the '90s.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Coolness" of Old-School Smoking & Movie Tropes (00:39–09:44)

• The hosts mock the aesthetic of people in movies who dramatically smoke cigarettes or pipes before dangerous situations.
  • Joe fantasizes about role-playing a movie-style standoff, imagining what it would be like to have a pre-demise smoke.
  • They go off on a tangent about classic pipes, corn cob pipes, and the old stereotype of sophisticated or villainous smokers.
  • Frank: “If I smoked cigarettes, which I haven't and I won't, I'd want one of those metal tins.” (01:32)
  • Joe: “No, or I would smoke it out of a pipe like an old bitch.” (01:58)
• The bit peaks in a mock crime scenario with Joe and Frank improvising dialogue as if one were about to murder the other.

2. School D.A.R.E. Programs, Anti-Smoking Ads, and Growing Up Afraid (09:44–12:29)

• They recall graphic anti-smoking campaigns, D.A.R.E. programs, and dramatic classroom demonstrations with straws to simulate emphysema.
• The hosts reminisce about classmates with medical devices related to smoking or genetic disorders.
• Frank: Describes Sorority philanthropy related to cystic fibrosis and the "breathe through a straw" empathy exercise.

3. Madison Square Garden Show: Jitters, Reflection & Exhaustion (12:36–30:48)

• The trio opens up about their recent live show at Madison Square Garden.
  • Frank: “Thank you for everyone that came and, and has watched and shared and posted and blah, blah, blah. Reality is, we were able to do that because of every single person.” (13:35)
  • They recount the nerves, adrenaline, and awe at the sheer scale of the venue. Both talk about moments of anxiety and even near-tears before and after the event.
  • Joe reveals he almost vomited from anxiety before going on stage (15:36).
  • The experience at the after-party—feeling like a wedding reception, having to greet everyone, and being too drained to party hard.
  • The hosts reflect on the emotional aftermath: feeling numb, then unexpectedly moved to tears by fan-made social posts the next day.
  • Joe: “After the show was over, like, I... just sat on the couch and I just like, couldn't talk. And it was just me and Ahmed at one point... I was just sitting there and it was such a weird feeling.” (29:07)

4. 90s Childhood Memories: Fast Food, Books, and Toys (34:38–69:09)

• Frank describes rewarding himself post-tour with an epic fast food binge that included Burger King and Taco Bell (24:04).
  • “Of fast food burger joints, number one is Burger King. Of Taco Bell's, Taco Bell's number one.” (26:09)
• Goosebumps, Captain Underpants, and Scholastic Fairs:
  • Nostalgic talk about feeling the ribbed covers, smelling “book diarrhea,” and trading at book fairs (51:53–55:56).
  • Joe: “Do you think that Goosebumps would be successful if their books weren't ribbed for her pleasure?” (55:28)
• School Supply Throwbacks:
  • Nostalgic enthusiasm for book socks, reading logs (often forged), and memories of their mothers’ perfect penmanship.
  • “You want people to have better handwriting, hit them with a yard.” (60:26)

5. School Days—Teachers, Lunchrooms, and Chalk Dust (69:09–82:44)

• Hilarious accounts of the intimidating cafeteria staff, mean but memorable teachers, and the near-prison conditions of old school buildings, complete with cages and iron handrails.
  • “She dead ass was like the mitochondria of that school—the powerhouse of the cell, baby.” (72:17)
• Cleaning chalk erasers in a “hotbox” of dust—a special, generationally unrepeatable experience.
  • “We were six years old, hot boxing school, miners school, chalk!” (77:02)
• Discussion veers into whether or not chalkboards are bad for you (“They were just basically waterboarding us with chalk fumes”—82:11) and comparing the grittiness of chalk versus the sterility of whiteboards.

6. 90s Toys Showdown: How Many Does Gen Z Recognize? (65:20–69:09)

• The hosts quiz Prisco (born 1997) on iconic toys: Kid Pix, Moon Shoes, Skip-it, Sock'em Boppers, Hit Clips, Furby, and more.
  • Amusing confusion between Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots and Sock ‘Em Boppers leads to, “The difference between sock em boppers and Rock Em Sock Ems...” (66:27)
• Delight in reliving commercials and jingles for now-defunct toy brands. Wild reactions to product names (“Kid Pix is crazy, dude.”—45:49)

7. Generational Gaps & Absurd Nostalgia (Throughout)

• Understanding differences in school, childhood, and toy culture between the late 90s, 2000s, and today.
• Poking fun at each other's reference points, gaps in knowledge, and collective memory (“Am I crazy for thinking that's a horrible example?”—36:29).
• Bittersweet reflection on the impact of teachers, both formative and traumatic, and how schooling shaped everything from handwriting to life lessons.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Frank: “If I smoked cigarettes, which I haven't and I won't, I'd want one of those metal tins.” (01:32)
• Joe: “Nothing better than smoking... when you know you're about to be shot in the head—pull out a cigarette and talk some shit.” (04:41)
• Frank: “Of fast food burger joints, number one is Burger King. Of Taco Bell's, Taco Bell's number one.” (26:09)
• Joe (on MSG): “After the show was over... I just sat on the couch and I just like, couldn't talk... it's never like this after a show. Usually it's like, alright, cool, that was nice... we were just all dead silent.” (29:07)
• Discussion on Goosebumps books:
  Frank: “Do you think that Goosebumps would be successful if their books weren't ribbed for her pleasure?” (55:28)
• On forging reading logs:
  Frank: “You know what my approach was for the reading logs? I would have my grandmother who...” Joe: “As long as you forge from the beginning, you can't go wrong.” (59:50–60:06)
• On old school smells:
  Joe: “I feel like back in the day, I would walk into a library and I'd be like, yo, it smells like diarrhea. But, like, good, good.” (56:01)
• On stern teachers:
  Frank: “Whatever happened to women of a certain era that could scream with bass?” (71:03)
• On cleaning erasers:
  Joe: “There was a machine. It was louder than the German teachers... you would clean it in there. The entire room is covered in chalk.” (77:44)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:39 – Start of main episode and Sherpa season banter
• 01:41 – Discussion of classic smoking aesthetics and metal tins
• 04:43 – Role-playing a movie standoff and “coolness” of on-screen smoking
• 09:44 – Graphic cigarette warnings, anti-smoking campaigns, and D.A.R.E. memories
• 12:36 – MSG recap: nerves, build-up, and the emotional aftermath
• 15:36 – Joe confides about almost throwing up before showtime
• 24:04 – Frank’s post-tour fast food feast; Burger King vs. Taco Bell
• 34:38 – Personal, emotional impact of performing at iconic venues
• 51:53 – Goosebumps books, Scholastic Book Fairs, and classic school supplies
• 60:00 – Penmanship, reading logs, and old-school discipline
• 69:09 – School cafeteria memories, lunchroom chaos, and “asylum” conditions
• 77:02 – Cleaning erasers as “hotboxing school chalk”; unique school rituals
• 82:44 – Debate over dusty chalkboards vs. whiteboards, the “grit” of school days
• 84:11 – Joking about appealing to boomer demographics (“teachers should beat kids!”)
• 85:03 – Show wrap-up and social media plugs

Tone and Character

• Humorous, irreverent, and occasionally dark: The episode is filled with playful banter, mock arguments, and exaggerated storytelling.
• Nostalgic and reflective: Humor is balanced with genuine appreciation and emotion, especially regarding their Madison Square Garden milestone.
• Relatable and self-deprecating: The hosts poke fun at themselves, each other, and their shared generation, making it welcoming for any listener with 90s roots.
• Conversational and loosely structured: Tangents abound, mimicking the organic way friends would actually reminisce about their past.

For New Listeners

This episode is a quintessential Basement Yard experience—equal parts ridiculous, nostalgic, and surprisingly heartfelt. It’ll resonate whether you grew up in the 90s or just love hearing grown men crack each other up about pop culture, school traditions, and growing into adulthood. There are bits of genuine insight, especially when the hosts discuss the scale and emotional weight of performing at Madison Square Garden, but the real draw is in the barrage of punchlines and sharp observations about the quirks of their shared childhoods.

Skip the ads; dive into a masterclass on 90s sentimental chaos!