Podcast
The Nostalgia Test Podcast
Hosted by Dan Dissinger & Manny Coelho · EN
Put your pop-culture past to the ultimate test--THE NOSTALGIA TEST! with 🎙longtime friends Dan, Manny, & Billy 🙋♂️🤦♂️🙆♂️
25episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
193.🎬Nostalgia 101 w/ Actor Alisa Reyes: From Child Star, to Producer, Musician, & the Voice of LaCienega Boulevardez on The Proud Family
2w ago01:08:52Tap to summarizeDan, Manny, & Billy welcome Actor, Producer, and Musician Alisa Reyes to discuss how she went from being on Nickelodeon’s All That, to evolving into a high-powered multi-hyphenate talent, and being the voice of LaCienega Boulevardez on the award-winning show The Proud Family. “It is all about uplifting humanity during Mother Earth's ascension right now, and we just gotta ride this wave gracefully, and we all gotta just stay connected and keep uplifting the vibration of humanity [...] that's why we all do what we do.” -Alisa Reyes This is a special episode of Nostalgia 101, because Alisa Reyes has been part of so many of the pop-culture moments in all our lives, so it was an honor to have her on the podcast to talk about her time on All That, Teen NBC’s One World, what it’s like to keep evolving and transitioning so successfully in such an ever-changing industry, and her recent time on the award-winning show The Proud Family. We also got to hear about some of the fun things she’s been able to do, like being on Celebrity Family Feud with Soleil Moon Frye, Keke Palmer, Paula Jai Parker, and Kyla Pratt, to face Salt-N-Pepa and Kid 'n Play, producing documentaries like The Orange Years and Butterfly in the Sky, being on Reading Rainbow, and what it was like to be on one of the most unhinged soap operas ever, Passions. The guys also got to ask some fun Nostalgia Test Podcast pop-culture questions, and Alisa reveals that she watched a very random sitcom that floored Dan because he’s never heard anyone, ANYONE, say they watched this show. Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, and topics for our next Nostalgia Test! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Alisa Reyes is a born and raised New Yorker who is Irish, Italian and Dominican and now resides in California. She is known for her role on Nickelodeon's "All That" as a series regular season (1-3) & season 11 where she played herself and multiple roles. Alisa is also a series regular on the Emmy & NAACP Award Winning Disney Plus cartoon "The Proud Family: Louder & Prouder" with new episodes airing now. Alisa plays the bossy, but oh so lovable "La Cienega Boulevardez". You can also check out Alisa as "Lacienega" on Disney's "Broken Karaoke" & "Theme Song Take Over". She has also starred in NBC's "One World" as the Cuban-born entrepreneur of the group. Peter Engel created the TNBC show. Alisa received the coveted Hollywood Young Star Award for her role of Marci Blake in "One World". Thinking you may recognize her from some other show? Well check out her credits on "Without A Trace" (CBS), "Strong Medicine" (LIFETIME), "NYPD Blue" (ABC), "ER" (NBC), as well as the controversial Trina on "Boston Public" (FOX) and "Six Feet Under" (HBO) and on the Emmy nominated PBS series "The American Family", portraying the younger Vangie. The list is endless, with lots more to come. Alisa was also on NBCs "Passions", where she joined the cast as the beautiful and exotic singer Sydney Valentine causing nothing but heartache for the lovelorn super couple Chad and Whitney, but also making her mark as a strong recording artist. She also was a recurring on CBS's "The Bold & the Beautiful" as the sassy Ginger. Check out Alisa's latest film "Sisters" written and directed by Jahmar Hill. She plays the role of Elise in this crime/thriller airing currently on BET and BET Plus. You can also see Alisa star in "Break Even" which is out now. The film is written by CJ Walley and directed by Shane Stanley. This will be Alisa's 4th project with Shane Stanley. Alisa plays Rosie in the film. "Break Even" is an action, adventure, love story you will not want to miss. Alisa also starred in films such as "Daze", "The Biz" and "FreezerBurn"to name a few. Along with other films such as "A Trip to the Dark Side" and "My Trip Back to the Dark Side" directed by Shane Stanely. Alisa is also in a film called "Heavenly Deposit" which is supported by The Dove Foundation as the role of Jenny. You can also make it a movie night and watch her movie "Players" she stars in with Freddie Rodriguez. Along with her latest documentary that she is producing alongside Scott Barber and Bill Parks starring as herself called "The Orange Years" about 80s & 90s Nickelodeon nostalgia which is out on Hulu and most platforms. You can also see Alisa in a documentary called "Butterfly in the Sky" which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and is now streaming on Netflix Alisa's latest music single " Back & Forth" featuring and produced by Linnie King Twigg and mixed & mastered by DJ EVIL DEE, along with her single "Sexy Hot" are now available on all media platforms through TuneCore, iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify and more. Alisa prior to her solo music career was in a girls group called "3G's" signed with Hollywood Records. The group had a song on "The Princess Diaries Soundtrack" called "Second Chance". Follow Alisa on socials at @alisareyes Website: AlisaReyes.Com Approximate Rundown 00:00 Back to School Intro 01:54 Meet Elisa Reyes 03:00 New York Roots 04:13 Elisa’s Career Snapshot 05:50 All That Origins 08:39 Auditions and Set School 10:46 Mom’s Support System 13:13 Parenting and Balance 16:03 From All That to One World 20:28 Big Roles and Industry Legends 22:17 Winning An Award for One World 24:22 Voice Acting and Self Tapes 31:17 Proud Family Reboot and Relevance 34:37 Celebrity Family Feud Stories 36:43 Blossom Hats Influence 38:47 Soap Opera Wildness 42:29 Reading Rainbow Memories 47:16 Nickelodeon Nostalgia Shift 49:02 Phones Algorithms Parenting 51:55 Social Media Cringe Culture 55:07 Cartoon Universe Picks 57:46 90s Fashion Comeback 59:38 TGIF Favorites Trauma TV 01:03:06 Kids Shows Vibes Wrap 01:05:10 Plugs Farewell Outro Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
Transcribe →192.💥Chuck Norris Double Feature: The Delta Force (1986) & Sidekicks (1992) w/ Steve Herrera
3w ago01:40:48Tap to summarizeWarning! Dan didn't do a soundcheck because he's dumb, so his mic sounds like it's episode 1 Dan & Manny welcome back longtime friend & Nostalgia Test Podcast all-star Steve Herrera to put The Delta Force (1986) & Sidekicks (1992) to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST! “I feel like we were fed a pack of fucking lies as kids.” -Manny Coelho In honor of Chuck Norris’ life, the boys decided to do a double feature of his movies and, oh boy, not so sure if this was a good idea. The Delta Force & Sidekicks are examples of two very different parts of Chuck Norris’ career, the mass-explosions-fighting-stereotyped-bad-guys one-liners-guns-guns-roundhouse-kick film and the “comedy”-making-fun-of-marginalized-groups-stereotyped-characters-weird-sexual-undertones-one-liners-what-is-the-plot movies. Sure, Dan & Manny could have done a really good movie of Chuck Norris’ like Lone Wolf McQuade, but is that even good? Dan, Manny, & Steve try to figure out what these two movies are actually about, they wrestle with the fact that our collective nostalgia for the 80s and 90s is possibly clouding the social judgement of what’s actually good from our childhoods, and Dan lays down the law about the Nostalgia content creator community. They also take down gym teachers, tell a funny story of actual quicksand at their high school in Mineola, and try to deal with the high amount of racism that these two movies seem to be able to pack in for some reason. Also, what they hell is The Delta Force even about? Is Sidekicks a mass hallucination, Joe Piscopo (that's all that needs to be said), and why is the dad character in Sidekicks one of the most useless characters in cinema history. The guys give major props to the late great Jonathan Brandis for acting his ass off and they name the true sidekick of Sidekicks. So, grab a plate of scrambled eggs a la The Delta Force, prepare for some intense hallucinations, breathe deeply, and set some bricks on fire because this might be the episode that destroys the guys’ will Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, & episode idea for The Wheel of Nostalgia! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Chuck Norris Double Feature 01:04 Steve Herrera Returns 04:15 Why This Episode Exists 08:02 Martial Arts Movie Tangents 10:11 Starting With Sidekicks 10:23 Brandis and Cast Breakdown 12:16 Plot Summary and Stats 13:03 Karate Kid Comparison 13:47 Ninjas and 90s Trends 14:17 Dreams Hallucinations and Asthma 17:59 No Plot No Payoff 20:09 Racism and Piscopo Rants 22:40 Random Scenes and Bikers 26:46 Gym Teachers Then vs Now 28:21 Training Montage and Tournament Logic 29:20 Stunt Doubles and Ending Twist 31:49 Nineties Parenting Logic 32:27 Wheelchair Kid Mystery 33:16 Dream Theory Spiral 34:20 Chuck Norris Cameo 34:35 Announcers Roast Session 36:28 Piscopo Cartoon Villain 38:05 Weird Sidekick Love Arc 40:30 Tournament Brick Chaos 42:48 Bizarre Production Trivia 44:32 Nostalgia Test Verdicts 50:32 Switching to Delta Force 50:48 Cannon Films Breakdown 53:20 Delta Force Plot Madness 54:45 Racist Stereotypes Talk 57:34 Sweatiest Plane Hijack 01:03:07 Rocket Bike WTF 01:04:30 Motorcycle Missile Reveal 01:05:50 Sharing the Clip Chaos 01:06:20 Extras Steal the Show 01:07:42 Missing Subtitles Confusion 01:09:57 Cotton Field and Plot Holes 01:14:21 Mannequin Death Effects 01:17:34 Reporters and Training Plane 01:20:23 Ratings and Real Story 01:23:49 Behind the Scenes Trivia 01:25:45 Listener Reactions and Memories 01:27:23 Chuck Norris Jokes 01:31:31 Does It Pass the Test 01:38:19 Wrap Up and Plugs Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
Transcribe →191. Bio-Dome (1996) w/ Meghan Nolan
4w ago01:27:37Tap to summarizeDan, Manny, & Billy welcome back Nostalgia Test Podcast all-star Meghan Nolan to put the 1996 Pauly Shore Stephen Baldwin “comedy” Bio-Dome to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST! “Dude, could you think of a worse person to get high with than Pauly Shore? Like, there is literally no one that I would rather less get high with than Pauly Shore. 'Cause I would be like, "Dude, shut the fuck up. Shut the fuck up." Could you imagine that, dude?” -Billy D’Elia Dear Nostalgia Testers, this is the episode that almost broke the podcast. The guys decided to put their fate in The Wheel of Pauly Shore and was given the task of putting Bio-Dome to the test, and boy was it a huge... well. This movie defines the major issues with the 90s and why Manny talks about 80s cheese vs 90s trash. This movie seems like it was written by AI but was instead written by three people. That’s right?! It took three people to write these lines that Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin literally fart out for 90 minutes. This movie sets the bar lower than low for men and is an insult to any and all men. The so-called jokes use sexual assault as a punchline, there’s a Nazi salute that happens as all these morons go into the bio-dome, homophobia, and more badly developed body humor and horror than a David Cronenberg film. Dan, Manny, Billy, and Meghan go through some deep self-reflection starting with shame, shame that they all saw this movie, some more than 5 times, denial that they thought it was ever good, anger that this movie was even made, and acceptance that this is why they do this podcast. Dan creates a Bio-Dome “Would You Rather” game, and let’s just say someone would rather wear a diaper for a week than watch Bio-Dome. So, take something really strong to calm yourself down, gather all your Pauly Shore movies and adoration, light a huge dumpster fire, and join The Nostalgia Test Podcast as we attempt to erase this part of the 90s from existence. Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, & episode idea for The Wheel of Nostalgia! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Welcome Back Meghan Nolan 01:11 Brain Rot Title Sequence 02:16 First Time Watching Bio-Dome 05:08 Mall Theater Memories 07:16 Forced Into Bio-Dome 09:45 How Was This Made 11:38 Pauly Shore Career Context 13:22 Writers and Director Breakdown 15:22 No One to Root For 19:12 Gross-Out Humor and Bad Acting 26:43 Problematic Jokes and Garbage World 27:43 What Even Is the Bio-Dome 29:51 Breaking Into Bio-Dome 31:07 Kids React to the Chaos 32:24 Problematic Jokes and Nazis 32:44 Carrot Scene Confusion 34:44 Sudden Fame Makes No Sense 36:26 Cameos and Bad One Liners 37:20 Sensors and Alarm Logic 38:36 Real Bio-Dome Documentary 41:06 Yogurt Lines and Sexism 43:20 Baldwin Overacting Rant 46:20 Flashbacks and Dog Shaving 47:03 Whip-Its and SPAM Meltdown 50:50 Goofy Movie Nostalgia Detour 54:25 The Key Escape Plot Hole 56:40 Party Trash the Dome 58:54 Terrible Band Mystery 59:08 Bug Room Chaos 01:00:39 Cameos And Characters 01:01:42 Ending Makes No Sense 01:02:51 Would You Rather Gauntlet 01:12:51 Raw Eggs And Swing Life 01:16:23 Final Verdict Pop Culture Mistake 01:24:55 Wrap Up And Earth Day Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
Transcribe →190.🤘Metallica's Legacy Era: Death Magnetic, Hardwired...to Self-Destruct, & 72 Seasons
May 1202:12:55Tap to summarizeDan & Billy welcome back longtime friend & Nostalgia Test Podcast Allstar Jeremy Madson for the final episode of the Metallica Eras journey, The Legacy Era: Death Magnetic, Hardwired...to Self-Destruct, & 72 Seasons and put them to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST! “That's an interesting comparison, Metallica to The Beatles [...] The Beatles, depending on how you count them, were only around for, like, six or eight years, right? And they were hyper prolific. They put out all their shit, and that was basically Metallica from however you wanna measure it, from, from Kill 'Em All up to Black or even through Justice, right? They cranked out just, like, absolute pinnacle, God-level material. But instead of, you know, tearing each other down and going off and doing their own thing, they just decided to stick around.” -Jeremy Madson Dan, Billy, & Jeremy talk about the most recent albums of Metallica’s long and confusing career, Death Magnetic (2008), Hardwired... to Self-Destruct (2016), and 72 Seasons (2023). They try to figure out why Metallica made these albums, if they should’ve stopped after Death Magnetic, Metallica’s consistent cover art fails since Load, and why does Metallica insist on recording songs longer than 3.5 minutes at this point. Is Death Magnetics’ mixing really a problem, especially after Saint Anger or is it just some bulls**t to complain about? Their conversation inevitably returns to the influence of Lars on the band’s trajectory after the death of Cliff Burton and how the band might have imploded anyway if Cliff didn’t die. At the end of the episode, and this is an epic one so hang on and hangout, the guys give their individual rankings of all the studio albums from worst to best (minus LuLu, Garage Inc, & the live albums) and Jeremy creates an aggregate scoring of all 11 albums. We hope you enjoy this final episode. Grab your concert T’s, your closets Metal friends, push yourself through the pit, and let’s scream our heads off together. Come chill! Listen to the other Metallica Eras Episodes: 136:🤘Metallica’s Thrash Era w/ Longtime Friends Billy D'Elia & Jeremy Madson 142. 🤘Metallica's MTV Era: The Black Album, Load, & Reload 172. 🤘Metallica's Saint Anger & Some Kind of Monster Documentary Era: How Metallica Almost Died Listen to the episode that started it all: 128. 🤘Metallica's the Black Album w/ Longtime Friends Billy D'Elia & Jeremy Madson Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, & episode idea for The Wheel of Nostalgia! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Pre Show Setup 00:23 Planning The Format 01:50 Ranking Metallica Albums 02:55 Zoom Tech and Sweater Talk 04:21 Legacy Era Intro 05:55 Skipping Lulu 06:51 Release Timeline Shift 09:38 Metallica As Corporation 11:28 Death Magnetic Relief 13:13 Rick Rubin and Album Length 16:45 Bob Rock Debate 19:34 Death Magnetic Track Takes 26:24 Unforgiven Three Debate 31:07 Production Loudness War 33:13 Producer Pop Quiz 33:48 Fidelman and Death Magnetic 34:24 Death Magnetic Nostalgia Test 35:53 Unforgiven III S&M2 Gem 36:30 Hardwired Facts and Setup 37:48 Double Album Debate 38:42 Cover Art Roast Session 40:27 Hardwired Track Highlights 45:13 Filler Songs and Titles 46:48 Every Song Gets a Video 50:52 Kirk Riffs Lost and Aging Band 52:52 Hardwired Nostalgia Verdicts 56:12 72 Seasons Stats and Awards 57:50 72 Seasons Cover and Anxiety 59:23 Song Titles and Vocal Critique 01:01:57 Lux Aeterna and NWOBHM 01:03:27 Riffs Tease Then Stop 01:05:08 Justice Tone Fan Remix 01:06:36 Why Make New Albums 01:09:34 Mustaine Stays in Metallica 01:10:45 Fixing Metallica Song Lengths 01:12:21 Cliff Bob Rock and Decline 01:13:44 Bands That Still Deliver 01:15:34 Radiohead as a Counterexample 01:16:19 Jason Rob and Lars Control 01:18:36 Do We Need New Albums 01:23:26 72 Seasons Live vs Studio 01:27:43 Meh Verdict and Listener Qs 01:31:47 Kirk Hammett Respect Debate 01:38:42 Ranking the Discography Begins 01:41:22 Reload Roasted 01:42:27 Ranking Number Nine 01:43:58 Hardwired Cover Jokes 01:46:59 Sevens and Sixes 01:48:42 Death Magnetic Cutoff 01:55:05 Black Album Line 01:59:09 Kill Em All at Four 02:01:07 Top Three Debate 02:05:41 Justice vs Puppets 02:11:03 Aggregate Scores Revealed 02:14:49 Series Wrap Up Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
Transcribe →189.🤘Ranking The Top 5 Rock Bands Of All Time
May 501:13:11Tap to summarizeDan, Manny, & Billy rank the stereotypical top 5 Rock bands of all time and put them to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST! “We're numb to everything, including like extreme things that are bad, and also great things [...] You see something great and you're just like, oh, whatever, you know? And it's like, there's pure artists going on and you don't even give a fuck because you're just scrolling to the next thing and that sucks in a way.” -Manny Coelho The Nostalgia Test boys challenge their musical fortitude by trying to rank from best to worst The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Queen. They dig deep to explain each one of their takes, which no doubt are going to make a lot of people angry, share some of the funniest memories of listening to Pink Floyd’s Ummagumma, and how that particular album served as a “test” to see if people could hang. One thing they can all agree on is their placement of The Rolling Stones and hold on to your butts (as Samuel L. Jackson’s ill-fated Jurassic Park character famously said) because they truly don’t care what anyone thinks about their opinions. So, grab your headphones, get comfortable on some inflatable furniture, turn on the black light, and get ready to be transported by the largest wave of nostalgia in the podcast universe. Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, & episode idea for The Wheel of Nostalgia! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Sugar Crash Intro 01:28 Group Chat Chaos 03:07 Ranking Rules Setup 03:20 Number Five Rolling Stones 04:43 Stones Controversy Talk 07:29 Number Four Picks 11:03 Beatles Debate Deep Dive 13:40 Number Three Led Zeppelin 20:00 Rock Genre Tangent 24:02 Number Two Queen Praise 28:50 Pink Floyd at Two 31:26 Number One Queen Stories 36:59 Freddie Mercury Mythos 37:54 Content Overload Numbness 38:39 Phone Free Concerts 40:08 Dance Fear Meme Culture 42:42 Studio 54 Then Now 45:12 Pink Floyd Takes Top Spot 47:58 Deep Cut Floyd Albums 49:05 Umma Gumma Trip Stories 54:17 Friends Rankings Rundown 58:53 Honorable Mentions Debates 01:01:49 Modern Bands Live Shows 01:09:06 Wrap Up and Next Episodes Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
Transcribe →188. 🤔 Nostalgic Reflections: The Cranberries' "Dreams"
Apr 2800:18:10Tap to summarizeDan shares a Nostalgic Reflection on The Cranberries’ 1993 hit “Dreams.” “Dreams is like a signal and electric shock, awakening the mind, body, and spirit so that we're prepared to receive a new energy that's going to shatter the mundanity of our lives.” -Dan Dissinger Dan starts a new series on The Nostalgia Test Podcast called “Nostalgic Reflections.” These will be solo episodes about very personal connections, curiosities, and thoughts about the hosts’ pop culture pasts. On the first Nostalgic Reflection Dan reads an essay about the song “Dreams” by The Cranberries and the transcendent power of lead singer/lyricist Dolores O’Riordan’s voice. He talks about the timeless energy of the music, how it’s soundtrack magic, and when he specifically loves to listen to this song. He also gets philosophical about dreams and how they remind us all to embrace the unknown. You can read Dan’s essay here on Substack. Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, & episode idea for The Wheel of Nostalgia! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Welcome to Nostalgic Reflections 00:39 From TikToks to Longform 01:43 Why Dreams Transcends Nostalgia 04:17 Lyrics and Rock Bottom Shift 05:36 Dolores Voice and Timelessness 06:32 6 AM Bus Listening Ritual 07:55 How the Song Unfolds 10:03 Dreams as a Film Opening 12:03 Being Open to Premonitions 13:40 Host Reflection and Thanks 15:18 More Episodes and Call to Action 16:15 Final Tribute and Goodbye Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
Transcribe →187.🎵 50s & 60s Oldies Playlist
Apr 2201:02:26Tap to summarizeDan, Manny, & Billy put 8 oldies from the 50s & 60s to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST! “The fact that [“The Twist”] goes on for more than a minute boggles my mind because at weddings usually it's in a mix of oldies. Right? [...] So imagine twisting over the whole length of this song.” -Manny Coelho This is a fun look back at the oldies from the 50s and 60s that filled the streets of the boys’ black parties (also, are block parties only a NY thing?), weddings, family BBQs, and their homes. It’s music that was playing daily on 101.1 FM on Long Island. The songs that Dan, Manny, and Billy put rank and put to the test are, Bobby Darin’s “Splish Splash,” Little Richard’s “Rip It Up,” The Four Tops’ “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” Aretha Franklin’s “Think,” The Supremes’ “Baby Love,” The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby,” Sinatra’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” and Chubby Checker’s “The Twist.” They also talk about some honorable mentions, their favorite cocktails, mob movies and the music that made them so memorable, and more block party talk. This is an episode that opens a whole new part of The Nostalgia Test Podcast because these are songs that were popular way before any of the hosts were born, so can these be nostalgic? Is nostalgia period specific for the individual? This episode answers these questions with a lot of reflections on family and those free concerts in the part that if you were from Long Island your parents dragged you to during the summer. Sometimes there were fireworks, sometimes there were drunken adults dancing the lindy with each other, and most times there was a collection of Igloo coolers being carried with folding chairs and blankets. See, these songs create a time capsule of both the moment they were released and the moments of childhood for kids from the 80s and 90s. So, grab your most comfortable folding chairs, a chill group of friends, set up in the street out front on your block, crack a few domestic beers, and wait to be called in when it’s too late. This is a good one. Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, & episode idea for The Wheel of Nostalgia! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Oldies Episode Kickoff 00:16 Sweatin Headband Debate 00:47 Podcast Intro and Setup 01:27 Why 50s 60s Oldies 05:43 Songs List Breakdown 10:38 Ranking Rules Begin 10:43 Number Eight Picks 14:19 Twist Wedding Memories 17:02 Number Seven and Block Parties 23:25 Number Six Sinatra Talk 27:06 Cocktails and Martini Tangent 29:50 Number Five Starts Baby Love 30:10 Baby Love Debate 32:34 Top Four Begins 32:47 Rip It Up Reactions 37:08 Little Richard Lyrics Lore 40:07 Top Three Rankings 42:42 Four Tops at Number Two 48:30 Aretha and Ronettes Number One 52:36 Honorable Mentions 55:36 Mob Movie Music Tangent 58:46 Wrap Up and Block Parties Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
Transcribe →186. 📰 Nostalgia Test News! The Oncoming Onslaught of Reboots, Remakes, Legacy Sequels, & William Shatner's Metal Album
Apr 1401:05:30Tap to summarizeDan, Manny, & Billy give their honest opinions on the slew of reboot, remake, and legacy sequel slop and rumors, and they put it all to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST! “I feel like as a society, we just went back in time anyway, and [...] should we be happy about it? Like there's so many things that are happening that are like from our era, like, Brittany Spears got arrested for DUI [we’re] back at war with the Middle East. I mean, like, we're in the nineties. Even the government wanted to be nostalgic. I think what I'm going to say, I wanna blame us for this.” -Manny Coelho If you’ve been a longtime listener to the pod then you know the boys’ opinion on reboots, and they really don’t veer away from their absolute hatred and confusion of the reboot craze and legacy sequels that aren’t Top Gun 2: Maverick. They react to the news of reboots for Starship Troopers and Faces of Death, and then Billy gives a brief and honest breakdown of the 2025 reboot of Youngbloods. They comes the endless legacy sequel rumors and news. They question the logic for a Demolition Man 2, Face/Off 2, Heat 2, Riddick 4, Toy Story 5, another Conan the Barbarian, Predator w/ Schwarzenegger, and why not do a legacy sequel for one of the most unhinged 80s action movies ever made Commando. Days of Thunder legacy sequel anyone? This one causes the guys to pause and think about what Tom Cruise would be able to do in this film, what’s the big stunt, and Dan has a suggestion for Mr. Cruise. Then the guys try to figure out how William Shatner got so famous being so mediocre, Dan gives an energetic F-you monologue to Gene Simmons and then graces everyone with his rendition of the Different World theme song because, that’s right, they’re producing a sequel series! Why not, right. And while we’re at it, let’s make a confusing to figure out when it would start Man on Fire Series. If Hollywood is listening (or is interested at all) Billy is ready to help write and produce the Ghost Rider movie we all deserved. So, grab your nerdiest friends to debate this bucket of reboot vomit, make a pitcher of Long Island Iced Teas (oh, it’s that sort of episode), and rage with The Nostalgia Test Podcast! Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, & episode idea for The Wheel of Nostalgia! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Dan & Billy Remember Snot 01:17 Nostalgia Test Returns 03:37 Kids These Days’ Music 04:25 Arnold Sequel Rumors 06:43 Commando vs Conan Debate 09:59 Days of Thunder Sequel 15:04 Franchise Kings Talk 18:11 Starship Troopers Reboot 21:34 Ghost Rider Redemption 23:05 Face/Off 2 Why 25:02 Demolition Man 2 Talk 29:08 Heat 2 Casting News 31:09 Long Movies Need Breaks 32:01 Heat Two Backlash 32:57 Jackass and Social Media 35:56 Youngblood Reboot Debate 38:33 Scary Movie Returns 40:44 Faces of Death Remake 43:38 Riddick Four and Fast 48:25 Shatner Goes Metal 50:23 Different World Sequel 52:02 Man on Fire Series 54:25 Rock Hall Gatekeeping 55:55 Toy Story Five Tablet 01:03:06 Wrap Up and Goodbye Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
Transcribe →185. Twinkies Anniversary Episode
Apr 700:37:08Tap to summarizeDan, Manny, & Billy celebrate the anniversary of the Twinkie by putting this classic snack to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST! “The literal first ingredient is sugar, even before flour.” -Billy D’Elia The food episodes are back with a vengeance as the boys test their childhood and stomachs with the Twinkie. So many god memories, so many tangents, and let’s not forget Billy’s kickass hat, “IMMIGRANTS MAKE AMERICA GREAT!” Because the f***in do! The guys talk about the possibly poisonous ingredients, what it was like top track Twinkles down, how Hostess was taken over by the Mexican company Bimbo, and the history of Twinkies being filled with banana cream pre-WWII. Then they eat them, and, well, you’ll have to listen to see the reactions because it’s the greatest reactions to food in the podcast’s history. They guys also talk about their childhood memories of Entenmann's cakes and chocolate chip cookies, the Ghostbusters Twinkie reference, and they read the results of the online poll. Oh, and wait for a sort of “secret track” to get Dan. Manny, & Billy’s off the mic reactions. So, grab a tall glass of strawberry milk, stare into the abyss of despair that is 2026, and get ready to go on a gastric nostalgia test journey like no other. Special shoutout to Beleafer CBD for getting Dan through this episode. Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, & episode idea for The Wheel of Nostalgia! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Cold Open Chaos 00:17 Twinkie Myth Setup 00:52 Podcast Intro Twinkie Test 01:23 Text Thread vs Podcast 02:07 Vaping Sponsor Tangent 02:35 Why Food Hits Different Now 03:21 Twinkie Obsession Memories 04:04 Ingredients and Dye Rant 05:10 Hunting for Twinkies 08:06 Captain Crunch Mouth Cuts 08:47 Regional Snacks and Mann's 11:09 Entenmann's Cookie Debate 12:24 Ghostbusters Pop Culture 13:32 Twinkie Origin Story Stats 16:43 Bankruptcy and Iconic Junk Food 17:34 Hostess Snack Cake Roll Call 18:07 Snack Cake Throwbacks 18:46 Unwrapping Road Trip Classics 19:18 Shrinkflation And Smell Test 20:02 Recipe Change Reveal 21:16 First Bite Reality Check 23:00 Nutrition Label Shock 24:08 Rant And Better Alternatives 31:03 Instagram Poll Results 34:00 Final Verdict And Aftermath Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
Transcribe →184.🧛Vampire's Kiss (1988) w/ Meghan Nolan
Mar 3101:14:00Tap to summarizeDan & Billy invite Nostalgia Test Podcast all-star Meghan Nolan to put the 1988 Nicolas Cage black “comedy” Vampire’s Kiss to the ultimate test—THE NOSTALGIA TEST! “This is a steaming pile of sh*t. I hate everything about it. It is not nostalgic for me. You cannot be nostalgic, I'm gonna say it again, about a movie that's about him raping somebody [...] It's not a comedy. It's a film that doesn't even know what it is. It doesn't make me nostalgic about the 80s. It doesn't make me nostalgic about bats. It doesn't make me nostalgic about anything. This is a hard fail. I never wanna see this film again. I'm sad that I watched it.” -Meghan Nolan There’s not really much else to say. Dan & Billy’s guest, Meghan, sums it up pretty well. This “movie” (if you can call it a movie) is an abysmal piece of chaos that should’ve tanked Nicolas Cage’s career, but because of his status as a Coppola in Hollywood he was absolutely fine and was able to continue to run amok forever. In fact, one of the main points in this episode is how it took almost 16 years for Jennifer Beals’ career to recover from Vampire’s Kiss. Sure, she was in the Denzel Washington movie Devil in a Blue Dress in 1995, but her comeback wasn’t until her role in The L-Word in 2004. Yet, Cage was in a string of insane failures and chaotic bullsh*t since 1988, and he continues to have this momentous acting career, even after 1997's Con Air. Another movie that should’ve killed his career. But I digress. This episode has everything a classic Nostalgia Test episode has, tangents, regrets, jokes, and all the insane laughter about Nic Cages need to have warm yoghurt poured on his toes so her can be “aroused” in a sex scene with Jennifer Beals. Again, this man was allowed to have a career after this! Also, justice for Alva, the poor secretary played by María Conchita Alonso who has to endure being verbally, emotionally, physically, and sexually abused by Peter Loew (Nic Cage) in this abomination of a film. So, grab your fake plastic vampire teeth, reschedule your appointment with your inappropriate therapist, and brace yourself for one of the most insane breakdowns for a movie so bad that the podcast consensus is they’d rather watch Happy Gilmore 2. Email us (thenostalgiatest@gmail.com) your thoughts, opinions, & episode idea for The Wheel of Nostalgia! Suggest A Test & Be Our Guest! We're always looking for a fun new topic for The Nostalgia Test. Hit the link above, tell us what you'd like to see tested, and be our guest for that episode! Approximate Rundown 00:00 Cold Open Chaos 00:38 Show Intro and Guests 02:43 First Impressions and Memes 03:34 Trailer vs Reality 04:31 Plot Setup and Alva Abuse 05:43 Noir Opening and No Plot 07:15 Bat Scene and Weird Sex 09:28 Accent Rant and Acting Choices 12:07 Office Contract and Harassment 13:52 Therapist and Vampire Teeth 15:57 Club Meet and Pasties Theory 25:47 Nick Cage Trivia Hot Yogurt 28:16 Career Context and No One Said No 31:49 Alva Home Life and Escalation 36:28 Time to Lean Quote 37:38 Bag Soup Confusion 38:48 Blanks and Assault Scene 39:30 Not a Dark Comedy 41:09 Cage Acting Trivia 42:19 Mimes and Street Filming 44:18 Roaches Pigeons Coffin 45:38 Club Murder Breakdown 49:31 Nepotism and Careers 54:02 All in His Head Theory 56:09 Therapy Session Madness 57:35 Reviews and Poll Results 01:02:06 Nostalgia Test Verdicts 01:11:01 Final Wrap and Next Picks Book The Nostalgia Test Podcast Bring The Nostalgia Test Podcast's high energy fun and comedy on your podcast, to host your themed parties & special events! The Nostalgia Test Podcast will create an unforgettable Nostalgic experience for any occasion because we are the party! We bring it 100% of the time! Email us at thenostalgiatest@gmail.com or fill out the form at this link. LET'S GET NOSTALGIC! Keep up with all things The Nostalgia Test Podcast on Instagram | Substack | Discord | TikTok | Bluesky | YouTube | Facebook The intro and outro music ('Neon Attack 80s') is by Emanmusic. The Lithology Brewing ad music ("Red, White, Black, & Blue") is by PEG and the Rejected
Transcribe →