It Happened One Year

1984 Episode 28 - The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

Recorded on the day Joe Biden decided to drop out of the presidential race, Sarah & Joe take a pretty unhinged tact in attempting to discuss the cult classic film pitting Buckaroo Banzai and the Hong Kong Cavaliers against Dr. Emilio Lizardo aka John Whorfin and his gang of aliens! Kamala Harris's chances as the potential first female president, the greatness of Ellen Barkin, Donald Bigbooté, rankings of all significant northeast Pennsylvania figures, the future Joe Biden Presidential Library, lamenting the Buckaroo Banzai sequel that never was, Perfect Tommy, Liz Cheney, the Syracuse University history department, and much more fills this wild evening's show. Listen as a pizza is made live on tape!

Biden's Gaffes and Trump's Survival at the End of the World

Originally intended as the wrap-up to Episode 27's discussion of 1984 and Joe Biden's floundering campaign, this follow-up recording went completely off the rails with the hours-old assassination attempt on candidate Donald Trump, and so - in order to not overwhelm the creaky narrative of that show - here is the rest of Sarah & Joe's conversation from that day. Enjoy?

1984 Episode 27 - George Orwell's 1984, Book & Movie!

It's true, the classic novel was published in 1949, but it's quite obviously relevant to this season, and to the modern day, and thus - It Happened One Year is going all-in on George Orwell's 1984! Sarah & Joe discuss the history of the novel and their reactions from recent reads. Then, the greatest marketing tie-in of all time - Michael Radford's 1984 starring John Hurt and Richard Burton, filmed during the timeframe of the novel's setting, and released in that title year! Suck it, 2012 (2009) and Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)! Finally, some little discussion of our current verging-of-dystopia here in America - the impending (possible) Biden v. Trump rematch. 

(This all leads directly into the bonus episode, also available right now!)

1984 Episode 26 - Hey Chicago, What Do You Say? The Cubs are Gonna Win Today

Just in time for the All-Star Game, baseball is back on the show! Prior to 2016, the one Chicago Cubs team that lived in local memory as the best chance to break the World Series drought was the squad from 1984, and It Happened One Year is there! Sarah & Joe recount the basics of the '84 team's run to the NLCS, how No Lights at Wrigley played a part in the overall discourse, the progression of the franchise from that point until the eventual first championship in 108 years, and their personal connections with the team. Along the way, much discussion is had about the current ownership group, and why that has so negatively affected their interactions with the north side team. 

1984 Episode 25 - This is Jeopardy!

Back-to-back game show episodes?! Well, sort of! Recorded an absurdly long time ago, Sarah & Joe go into all things Jeopardy - from the original Art Fleming show straight through to this year's wild three-rounded Celebrity Jeopardy, with all the Ken Jennings and Becky Lynch trivia along the way! What is the eerie fate that befell both longtime show hosts? How does Pluto offering a Jeopardy channel affect the IHOY hosts' lives? What other programs did Alex Trebek helm before (and during) his record setting run reading the answers? Also - as this show was recorded on a significant commemorative holiday for the hosts - Sarah & Joe take a weird trip down memory lane, with many references to people and places you've never heard of. Enjoy!

Big Bucks, No Whammies

Serial get-rich-quick fanatic Michael Larson was almost out of schemes to earn the elusive buck. Bills piling up, kids needing school clothes, ice cream truck season ending - obstacles were plentiful. So when he filled the living room with a dozen television sets to allow the universe to deliver his next great idea for success, the family was understandably skeptical. But the events that followed would go down in television history, as Larson hopped a bus to Los Angeles and tackled the newest game show sensation - Press Your Luck...

It Happened One Year presents its fourth fully scripted, full cast episode, covering the incredible story of Larson and family, the nail-biting recording session for the famed contest, and its manic aftermath. Come along and commemorate the fortieth anniversary of this historic event, in vintage IHOY style!

Written by Nick Perfetto

Directed by Joe Cetta

Cast

Teresa Harrington - Alex Ferrer

Michael Larson - Nick Perfetto

Bill Carruthers - David Munchak

Bobbi Richmond - Lana Cooper

Marge Brockman - Sarah

Agent Davis - Becky Schmidt

Agent Richie - Joe

Jim - Dave Gardon

Judy - Clare Kalemba

Peter Tomarken - Brett Benge

Darlene - Lauren Morgan

Paul - Jon Deiner

Howard E. Cheetum - John Kozempel

Pam - Kristen Gaydos

Phil - Kevin Donlin

Nancy - Sara Stefanski

Adrienne - Sarah Dichkewich

Ed Jenkins - Duke Tumbleweed

Janie Lester - Eileen Linnabery

Jennifer - Abigail Perfetto

Julie - Susie Cetta

Eugene - Danielle Harris

Additional Voices - Brack Reed, Jerron

DJ Frankie Wango - Scott Fata

1984 Episode 23 - Baby the Parrot and Sandy the Lobster

1984 wasn't just the Presidential election and the Olympics and bustin' ghosts - there were also amazing tales of crimefighting parrots and the raffle for a century-old lobster, where nothing turns out the way you'd expect! This landmark It Happened One Year episode sees Sarah & Joe finally tackle the existence of God, while batting around some of the greatest animal stories in podcast history. And afterward - stick around for a preview of the new scripted episode - Big Bucks, No Whammies - coming June 8th!

1984 Episode 22 - Ghostbusters: The Franchise That Won't Die

What is left to say about Ghostbusters that hasn't already been said? Sarah & Joe take a swing at it in this spooky It Happened One Year entry! They cover their personal relationships with the property in the 1980s, the reemergence of the franchise in the past decade, and how it compares to other film series where the first film was a big commercial and critical success, and then just coasted forever after. Along the way they're talking casting in the original film, the different versions of that script, how the 2016 reboot could've worked better, what other '80s films benefited from its huge success, and much more! Then - stick around to the end for a preview of the new scripted episode - Big Bucks, No Whammies - coming June 8th!

Coming Soon - Big Bucks, No Whammies!

Michael Larson was an out-of-work ice cream truck driver, struggling to make ends meet for his young family (and multiple ex-wives) in Lebanon, Ohio. His penchant for get-rich-quick schemes caused few to take him seriously, and so when he announced he was going on a game show, no one thought much of it. But his subsequent run on CBS's Press Your Luck in 1984 would go down in television history. It Happened One Year presents its fourth fully scripted audio dramedy, this time written by great friend of the show Nick Perfetto, and featuring dozens of performers from the Mighty IHOY Players! Listen to the trailer now, and tune back in for the whole shebang on June 8th!

1984 Episode 21 - Sisters are Doing It For the First Time!

Strap in, folks! It Happened One Year commemorates recording on International Women's Day with tales of exploration, politics, murder, and music, with some truly unhinged interludes along the way! Listen as Sarah & Joe wander off into the pointlessness of space walks! Gasp at Sarah's suggested names for this episode, and whether this sets feminism back decades in the doing! Marvel at the hosts' high school superlatives! Experience possibly the greatest song ever written about one's own grandfather being poisoned!