The 1990 Sears Great American Wish Book! - Leftover Pizza Podcast #53

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Santa Claus will be on his way shortly, so we’d better get our Christmas lists together quick! Join Derek & Grimey as they look through the 1990 Sears Great American Wish Book and circle their most wanted items, all while trying to stick to a strict $300 budget.

As a bonus, if you’re digital hoarders like us, you can download a copy of the file for yourself below and pop it on your iPod. Thanks for listening!

1996 McMemories Merry McNugget Christmas Collection

For those of us who came of age in the 80s and 90s, McDonald's nostalgia often leads us straight to their Halloween offerings - those iconic costumed McNuggets, plastic pails and bags, and special coupons that became the stuff of legend. These seasonal promotions didn't just market to a generation; they helped define our childhood memories.

But while Halloween at McDonald's holds a special place in our collective consciousness, there's another holiday promotion that might have slipped past your childhood radar. Not because it wasn't remarkable, but because it wasn't exactly Happy Meal material. In 1996, McDonald's unveiled what could be considered their crowning achievement in holiday collectibles: the  McMemories Merry McNugget Christmas collection. Unlike their plastic counterparts, these porcelain Christmas McNuggets were substantial pieces - highly detailed sophisticated decorations that required mail-order purchase and adult supervision. These weren't kids' meal toys; they were weighty, premium collectibles that could genuinely test the strength of your Christmas trees branches.

The collection is a testament to McDonald's creative ambition, comprising (I believe) 24 ornaments initially released in sets of four, followed by a single special 1997 release of 9 display pieces. Each porcelain McNugget tells its own holiday story - from bundled-up ice skaters and busy elves to determined hockey players and adventurous sled riders. The crown jewel of the collection might be the 1997 display set, featuring Santa himself with his full complement of eight reindeer, all reimagined as festive McNuggets. As a collector, I've managed to track down most of these cherished pieces, though eight still elude me at reasonable prices. In the photos, you will find a group picture of what I believe is the completed set of 24 ornaments. 

Adding to their collectible appeal, each set came with thoughtful packaging that elevated them above typical fast-food merchandise. Every piece was authenticated with a hand-penned certificate, and in a delightfully meta touch, McDonald's packaged each set of four ornaments in their own specially designed McNugget box. It's this attention to detail that transforms these pieces from mere decorations into coveted collectors' items.

These Merry McNuggets represent more than just holiday decorations - they're a perfect slice in time, when McDonald's wasn't afraid to dream big and transform their most iconic menu items into something truly special. I hope these images of Merry McNuggets satisfied your Yuletide hunger and rekindled a bit of that special holiday spirit. Thanks for reading!

The Town Santa Forgot - Leftover Pizza Video

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What do you get when you combine the kid from Pet Semetary, America's grandpa Dick Van Dyke, and Hanna Barbera animation? You get an underrated, early 90s Christmas special that makes Grimey & Derek get misty-eyed! Join the boys on this very festive episode of Leftover Pizza Video as they try to identify entirely too many cartoon toys.

As a bonus, if you’re digital hoarders like us, you can download a copy of the file for yourself below and pop it on your iPod. Thanks for listening!

Songs to Save Christmas! - Leftover Pizza Podcast #52

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It's Christmas time once again, and the fate of the holiday lies in the hands of Grimey & Derek! Santa's elves aren't feeling the holiday spirit this year, so Santa's tasked the boys with creating a playlist to hopefully, miraculously motivate his little minions to get their work done. You'd all just better hope it works!

As a bonus, if you’re digital hoarders like us, you can download a copy of the file for yourself below and pop it on your iPod. Thanks for listening!

THE BEST HOLIDAY JUNK FOOD 2024!

Welcome to this year's festival of festive face-stuffing! Pull up a chair as I systematically sacrifice my blood sugar levels to bring you reviews of the season's most intriguing holiday treats. Consider this my gift to you – a thoroughly researched (and thoroughly digested) guide to what's worth the calories and what deserves coal in its stocking. Also, make sure to check back regularly for updates of limited edition holiday snacks that marketing departments have convinced themselves we need.

REESE'S SUGAR COOKIE BIG CUP

Here’s the thing, I love a new take on a classic. Unfortunately for the Reese’s Sugar Cookie Big Cup, ambition has exceeded execution. Reese's attempted to cram the delicate essence of a sugar cookie into their already perfect peanut butter cup. The result? Imagine inviting a ballet dancer to perform at a heavy metal concert – the subtle notes never stood a chance. What we got instead is essentially a Reese's cup that hit the gym and ghosted its sugar cookie personality. It's still chocolate and peanut butter, just... more of it with a bit of a texture variation. Thanks for playing, sugar cookie flavor. We hardly knew ye. 3/10

TWIZZLERS MERRY BERRY PUNCH

Someone at Twizzlers HQ said, "What if we made licorice that looks like we mugged a Christmas tree?" And thus, these festive green twigs were born. The flavor is supposedly blueberry and blue raspberry, but as a certified '90s kid who practically mainlined blue raspberry everything, I can tell you the blue raspberry is super muted. What I’m getting instead is a surprisingly decent blueberry pie filling vibe that somehow got lost on its way to an actual pie. Props for the color though. 6/10

TOASTY HOLIDAY PEANUT M&MS

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. These aren't just M&Ms; they're M&Ms that went to finishing school and came back with a monocle. The packaging is saying "department store Christmas display circa 1952," and I'm here for it. The peanuts taste like they just came from a fancy toasting spa retreat, and the chocolate seems to have gotten the memo about being part of something special. Every bite feels like you should be wearing a smoking jacket and discussing the stock market. It's so sophisticated, I've started calling my cat "Sir Whiskers" and speaking with a vaguely British accent. 10/10

PILLSBURY GRINCH COOKIES

Somewhere in Whoville, someone's getting fired. These cookies, which were meant to capture the essence of everyone's favorite green Christmas killjoy, instead look like what you'd get if an alien tried to recreate cat paw prints based on a blurry photograph. I assumed after baking, the promises of the Grinch's head and his growing heart would present themselves but, again, what you’re left with looks more like evidence from an extraterrestrial veterinary clinic. Taste-wise, it's the same sugar cookie that gets a costume change for every holiday – ghost shape for Halloween, shamrock for St. Patrick's, and now... space toe beans for Christmas. How the Grinch Stole Cookie Originality. 6/10

PLANTERS TOASTED MARSHMALLOW HOT CHOCOLATE CASHEWS

Now this is what happens when snack development goes right! These cashews went to a fancy college and came back with a sophistication that makes regular nuts feel inadequate. The flavor profile is like a s'more got a PhD – toasty, cocoa-rich, with just enough marshmallow to remind you of camp, but not enough to remind you of that time you tried to eat six jumbo marshmallows at once. The crunch factor is reminiscent of grape nuts, but unlike grape nuts, these won't make you question your life choices. An elegant 8/10

7UP SHIRLEY TEMPLE SODA

After a quest worthy of Lord of the Rings (minus the ring, plus several disappointed trips to Walmart), I finally found this elusive beverage! The color is what I imagine fairy champagne looks like – a delicate pink that makes you feel fancy even when drinking it in your pajamas. The taste is like 7UP went to charm school – light, sophisticated, with just enough cherry and pomegranate to make it interesting. Bonus points for keeping it caffeine-free, because some of us prefer our heart palpitations to come from holiday stress, not our beverages. 9.5/10

CINNAMON SWIRL LINDT LINDOR TRUFFLE

Oh, Lindt. Lindt, Lindt, Lindt. I drove 73 miles (1 hour and 27 minutes of my life I'll never get back) for what I thought would be the Rolls-Royce of cinnamon roll experiences. Instead, I got what tastes like white chocolate that once heard someone whisper the word "cinnamon" from across a crowded room. These truffles are sweeter than a Disney movie marathon, and about as true to cinnamon rolls as I am to my New Year's resolutions. The only silver lining is that they're so far away from my house, I couldn't get more even if I wanted to. Which I don't. Because of the overwhelming sweetness and lack of cinnamon bun essence, I can’t go higher than a 1/10

TROLLI ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN

Imagine if the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man had tiny, sparkly backup dancers… that’s these guys. Now, a tale of three flavors, ranked in order of how likely they are to make you believe in yeti:

1. Mango passion fruit: The king of the mountain

2. Blue raspberry guava: A solid second, like a yeti's smaller, cooler cousin

3. Strawberry lime: Tastes like someone mixed fruit punch with what I imagine Mr. Clean's cologne would taste like. But here's the thing – I'm the type of person who finds the smell of cleaning products oddly appetizing, so this is actually a compliment.

Overall, I’m giving these a 7.5/10. I get weird when we mix fruit flavors with Christmas when they feel better placed in the warmer months.

The Hoboken Chicken Emergency - Leftover Pizza Video

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If you're looking to watch something appropriately festive this Thanksgiving, you might as well join Grimey & Derek in viewing the 1984...uh...classic, The Hoboken Chicken Emergency! This one has it all; a 266 pound chicken running through New Jersey, Ralphie from A Christmas Story, and even social commentary about taxes & workers rights! Oh boy!

As a bonus, if you’re digital hoarders like us, you can download a copy of the file for yourself below and pop it on your iPod. Thanks for listening!

5 YEARS OF CHRISTMAS CRUNCH!

Here I am, drunk on eggnog and delirious from a loss of sleep scanning miles worth of Wish Book pages and wrestling my tree while marathoning Muppet Family Christmas - we’re jumping into the holiday season here at Leftover Pizza!

To kick off the festivities, let’s start with this collection of cereal boxes I’ve been harboring over the years - 5 boxes of Christmas Crunch Cereal from the 90s! The Cap'n, bless his militarily questionable heart, has been spreading holiday cheer since the late 80s and they are some of THE MOST festive cereal offerings of all time.

1994

Prior to 94, Christmas Crunch played it safe with festive Crunch Berries. This was the first time the Cap’n broke away from his spherical red and green cereal pieces and instead offered a mix of 6 different shapes which would carry on as the standard for the cereal. The lineup included stars, stockings, pine trees, trains, a voodoo doll and what looks like maybe a bicycle or a reindeer with a bad hair day.

While the cereal is great, this box doesn’t piss around. Looking like it’s straight out of an animated Christmas special, Quaker covered every inch of cardboard real estate! From the snow covered hill and trees to the deer with tinsel and Christmas lights in their antlers - someone at Quaker clearly had too much coffee and access to too many crayons, and I'm here for it. Also note the sticker in the bottom left corner. From what I understand, the sticker was later added later to show the boxes contained the regular Cap’n Crunch cereal pieces in addition to the new green and red shapes which wasn’t evident on the box alone.

1995

After 94, things take a wild turn. Ever looked at your bowl of sugar-coated cereal and thought, "This isn't diabetes inducing enough"? Enter the Holiday frosting packet with sprinkles, because apparently regular Christmas Crunch wasn't sending enough kids to the dentist. All in the name of Christmas. Hallelujah!

This will be a reoccurring theme but again, no wasted space in sight on this box which happens to be an ombré blue to darker blue color with oversized silver snow flakes like the ones you use to cut out in elementary school. The blue was a bold choice but I’d say it paid off.

1996

96 Christmas Crunch retired the frosting packet and kept it simple with the 6 fun Christmas shapes from the past couple years only this time in a much fancier take on the box design.

Resembling a present complete with gift wrapping, a bow and a tag - this design oozed sophistication! While there is some negative space, they make up for it with beveled gold foil font which really adds a serious amount of class. Christmas Crunch went from a kids cereal to a pinky out kind of cereal.

1997

We’re back to our jolly green box with red text. A very festive candy cane adorned tree hangs out in the background. Cap’n dropped 3 of the six fun shapes keeping the star, the tree and the stocking which barely matters because KOOSH BALLS!

With the form attached to the box and 2 UPC’s, they give you the choice of either a Kooshling, which is simply an anthropomorphic Koosh Ball, OR you could get a CUSTOM Koosh Ball! When I think peak 90’s, I think of the days when I had at least 2 Koosh Balls attached to my backpack at all times.

1998

It’s wild how different Cap’n looks when you take away the bold black outlines from his illustration. He looks less like a naval officer and more like Patrick Star cosplaying Santa after a rough night. But, I digress. Sometimes it’s about what’s on the inside that counts and inside weird Cap’n Patrick Santa cereal is a very interesting gimmick: Jingle. Bell. ROCKS!

Jingle Bell Rocks were little “magical” pebbles packed with food coloring which would change regular cereal milk into a festive red pool. I’m not exactly sure what these pebbles are made of but, judging by the look on all the kids faces on the back of the box, they come with one hell of an addiction.

LINGERING THOUGHTS/CONCLUSION

1. How many times are you going to watch Muppet Family Christmas? Yes.

2. That’s not even an answer to the question. Oh. 

3. Will you eat the old cereal. I don’t know… will you actually watch it?

After staring at these boxes for hours, I'm pretty sure Cap'n Crunch doesn't actually have a naval license. Don't tell the authorities. That’s all I have for now. Until next time - thanks for reading!

Terrible Christmas Specials! (TMNT & Power Rangers) - Leftover Pizza Bites

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The holiday season is almost here and after watching these Christmas specials, we wish it wasn't! Join us as we torture ourselves by watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Power Rangers straight to VHS specials.

As a bonus, if you’re digital hoarders like us, you can download a copy of the file for yourself below and pop it on your iPod. Thanks for listening!

Grimey & Derek's 2024 Halloween Recap - Leftover Pizza Bites

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Now  Halloween has come and gone, join Grimey & Derek as they conduct a post-mortem on the 2024 Halloween season! From movies and junk food, to haunts and more, we're covering everything notable about our holidays this year.

As a bonus, if you’re digital hoarders like us, you can download a copy of the file for yourself below and pop it on your iPod. Thanks for listening!

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN TRICK-OR-TREAT BAGS PT. 2

We’re back with 5 more spooky trick or treat bags! If you missed part one, feel free to click here and catch up. If you’re ready for more, continue onward!

SNUGGLE BEAR 1986

First up, we have Snuggle Bear, the fabric softener mascot who apparently moonlights as a pumpkin patch creeper. At first glance, it's adorable. At second glance, it's a portal to your deepest, darkest fears.

Let's break down this fever dream, shall we?

1. The sky: A weird dull blue, because nothing says "spooky night" like a sky that can't commit to actually being night.

2. The background: Black and white - very “Twilight Zone” of them. 

3. Snuggle's eyes: Dead and grey - probably seen some shit. 

4. The pumpkins: Orange from bottom to stem with grey leaves. Wtf?

Congratulations, Snuggle Bear! You've transformed from cuddly mascot to the harbinger of a dystopian hellscape.

PEPSICO FRITO-LAY UNIVERSAL MONSTERS 1993

The unholy alliance of junk food and classic movie monsters. There’s nothing quite like the thought of Dracula double-fisting Pepsi while the Mummy goes to town on some Doritos. I love that Wolfman here, clearly embarrassed by this corporate sellout, has opted for a Hawaiian shirt. The real MVP. 

The bag is dated “91” but I’m almost positive this was from the 93 promo judging by the similar 3D art style on the boxes of that year. Side note: The Creature from the Black Lagoon was apparently too good for this party. Probably off doing indie films or something.

ORVILLE REDENBACHER 1982

If you caught the first batch of bags from part 1, you’ll remember I mentioned having 2 different Orville Halloween bags. So, here’s the other - this time with a lot more aliens!

I’ve been low key obsessed with the idea of including aliens in Halloween lore. They’re insanely underrepresented for the season but a house decked out like an alien invasion for Halloween is nothing to scoff at. Leave it to old man Redenbacher to include our extraterrestrial buddies in the festivities. Also, where can I purchase fist sized popcorn like he’s handing out?

MCDONALDS CANADA “MCBOO” 1990

Before McBoo made his way to pail form (unintended pun), he haunted many McDonalds items including Halloween certificates and trick-or-treat bags. For example, well… this bag right here. 

Making its way all the way from Canada, you’ll notice the Canadian leaf under the golden arches. While I do own a bunch of bags from the US, for some reason, the Canadian bags, unlike the US counterparts, also include a scene of the McDonald land gang on the back. In this case, we see them happily trick-or-treating with the Fry Kids. 

Notice how they’re all trick-or-treating as themselves? Such creativity. Much wow. Ronald McDonald: "I'm going as a terrifying clown who peddles unhealthy food to children!" Everyone else: "So... yourself?"

SCRUFF MCGRUFFS SAFETY BAG

I had almost forgotten about Scruff McGruff but when I tell you I was quoting his line “Scruff…. McGruff…. Chicago Illinois…. 60652!” almost the moment I remembered, you best believe it. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since. Send help. 

Yes, the condition suggests it's been through several wars but I have my reasons for showcasing here. This one was found among the great items left behind by the previous owners in the house I now live in. This was given away here in my town, Saint Mary’s PA from the local Jaycees. What's a Jaycees, you ask? Well, after extensive research, aside from learning that it’s short for “Junior Chamber of Commerce” I can confidently say... I have no idea. But I’m still jazzed the bag came from my town.

LINGERING THOUGHTS/CONCLUSION

1. Why don't the McDonald's characters dress up for Halloween? That comes much later in Happy Meal form.

2. What did the Snuggle Bear see? Things that would change you.

3. Is “Jaycee” really short for “Junior Chamber of Commerce?” Barely.

Thanks for reading! There may be one more part to come soon! Until then, keep it spooky!

Drac's Halloween Bash 2024! - Leftover Pizza Podcast #51

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Zoinks! The boys are back again hosting the 117th annual Halloween Bash at Castle Dracula and this time some very special guests find their way into the party! Join us for a night of jams, laughs and plenty of Scooby Snacks.

Join us every Friday this October for Friday Night Frights, where each week we’ll be releasing a brand new spooky show!

As a bonus, if you’re digital hoarders like us, you can download a copy of the file for yourself below and pop it on your iPod. Thanks for listening!

SHAKIN’ MUTANTS FROM 1994!

Long time no vlog, eh? Even if this is the only video I do for the season, I figured this would be a fun one to break into it. From 1994, Shakin’ Mutants were wannabe Boglin toys pretending to be decorations that absolutely stole my heart - obviously I’m excited if I’m breaking out the video format.

Like I said, it’s been a long while since I’ve done a video like this. I wasn’t good at it before, I may be even less good at it now - so if the volume level and quality sucks or you’re just flat out not entertained, I went into this fully willing to take all the steam.

I may and or may not do other short videos like this in the near future depending on what I get time for. I set myself up for like 30 ideas and ended on realistically being able to maybe do 2 of them for the season. Time will tell. 

Anyways, enjoy. If you hate it so do I.

Unmarked VHS Tape (It's Beetleborgs) - Leftover Pizza Video

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It's Halloween night at Leftover Pizza Video which can only mean one thing; Derek & Grimey are working the midnight shift! To pass the time, they've found a mysterious, unmarked VHS tape. Will the contents bring about their untimely demise, or is it just an old Fox Kids broadcast taped off of 90s TV?

Join us every Friday this October for Friday Night Frights, where each week we’ll be releasing a brand new spooky show!

As a bonus, if you’re digital hoarders like us, you can download a copy of the file for yourself below and pop it on your iPod. Thanks for listening!

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN ADS

I’ve revised this intro at least 20 times by now and it dawned on me - who needs a clever intro when you’re about talk about illustrious vintage Halloween advertisements carefully plucked from magazines and newspapers? Not me. Not anyone. I found some pretty fun ones - I’m confident they’ll make up for the lack of a charismatic introductory paragraph.

CREST PUMPKIN 1983

Ah, the age old tale of dentist vs Halloween. We’ve all heard the shtick in one form or another whether it be dentists outright hating Halloween or a dentist in some random neighborhood handing out tooth brushes to trick-or-treaters. Even this ad starts off expressing dentists dismay over the holiday. 

The narrative always confused me. Maybe I’m just a glass half full kinda guy but wouldn’t a dentist be thrilled for a time of year when cavities are most prevalent? I’d sooner believe Halloween was designed to keep the drill bits turning and fluoride flowing. 

Regardless, Crest has made a nice simple scene here with a jolly jacko grinning from ear to ear to advertise their Advanced Formula with Flouristat to ensure those Halloween treats don’t come back to haunt your kids teeth. It's a win-win: kids get candy, dentists get business, and Crest gets to be the hero.

BUBBLE YUM

"Show us your bubble!" Bubble Yum proclaimed in 1988, apparently oblivious to how that phrase might tickle our modern funny bones. But, I digress - the ad features a couple of costumed kiddos channeling their inner monsters in pursuit of the era's hottest tech treasures. In simpler terms - LITTLE MONSTERS BLOWING BUBBLEGUM FOR VCRs!

As someone born just a year shy of this bubblegum bonanza, I can only imagine the frenzy. Even my 5-year-old self in '94 would have been chomping at the bit (or gum) for a shot at some sweet, sweet VCR action.

FRANK N’ STUFF

Most of you already know the glory that is Frank N’ Stuff Hotdogs by now - a whacky monster fronted line of hotdogs stuffed with chili or cheese from Hormel. Perhaps it’s news to some that there was at one point a $10k instant winner giveaway promo in 1987.

Here's the kicker: you could win by buying their delightfully stuffed dogs OR by simply sending a letter. That's right, Hormel was basically throwing money at people faster than Frankenstein's monster runs from angry villagers.

Speaking of the big green guy, I love that the ad features him illegally printing cash through some convoluted hotdog recycling scheme.

MARSHMALLOW KRISPIES CEREAL

Before they decided to melt the two together for a cereal of their own in the 90s, we were given Marshmallow Krispies cereal in the early 80s. If you were lucky enough, you would’ve come across this advertisement with a coupon for a whopping 15 cents off your next purchase of the cereal. Inflation, am I right?

I always get a kick out of these recipes for the holiday season. Why eat regular Rice Krispie treats when you can channel your inner Martha Stewart, sculpt a pumpkin, slap on more icing than a birthday cake and eat yourself to diabetic shock?

While I do love the sight of the jack-o’-lanterns which sorta resemble smaller bootleg versions of Dumpy the Pumpkin - there’s something about the ominous glow of the orange text against the shadowy background that feels so unmistakably Halloween.

SPUDS MACKENZIE BUD LIGHT

Universal loves themselves a giveaway opportunity. Whether it’s coupled with root beer or real beer - they wanted to give a select few either money or a trip to their amusement parks on many occasions. Which brings me to Bud Light. 

While a ton of the Halloween ads from Bud Light were fronted by beautiful busty goth women, a few were fronted by our pal, Spuds MacKenzie - a bull terrier mascot who took the late 80s by storm. 

Things I’ve learned about Spuds since writing this article.

1. Spuds is a female

2. Spuds was hated by moms who thought Bud Light was trying to feed their kids beer

3. Spuds was so popular that Bud Light retired her in 89 because the company felt she overshadowed the brand

4. Spuds is amazing in all forms but never better than while she’s pretending to be Dracula

PEANUTS GALLERY GOT MILK

Since 1993, we’ve seen all walks of pop culture featured in the “Got Milk” campaign but it wasn’t until 2011 that the Peanuts gang traded their usual antics for milk mustaches and honored chocolate milk as the official brew of All Hallows’ Eve.

I love the idea that regular milk simply isn’t Halloween-y enough and you should exclusively be drinking chocolate during the haunting season.

Thanks for reading!

HALLOWEEN HIGHLIGHTS 2024!

Welcome to Leftover Pizzas 2024 Halloween Highlights! Check back frequently from now up until the big day for bite-sized entries and updates of spooky findings!

10/31 - A Halloween Reflection - GRIMEY

Dear fellow haunters,

I’m posting this a day in advance fully knowing how tight time will be during Halloween proper. First and foremost, HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Second, I owe you all an apology for my unexpected vanishing act as the season drew to a close. Between the chaos of daily life and putting together the final podcast episodes of the season, time has slipped through my fingers like autumn leaves in the wind. But before the witching hour ends, I wanted to share a glimpse of this year's haunt with you.

This season, I found myself channeling my inner Pumpkin Rot, embracing nature's raw materials—sticks and rope replacing the usual clean-cut lumber and conspicuous zip ties. The scarecrow trio received their annual makeover, with one requiring complete repositioning, fresh shrink wrap, and multiple layers of paint and dry brushing. To those master craftsmen out there creating these nightmarish figures from paper mache: I bow before your artistry. This year's iteration of my three silent sentinels has finally reached a point where I can look upon them with genuine pride. While I'd planned to keep things minimal with just the scarecrows amid the corn stalks, my girlfriend's insistence on balancing the yard with our trusty graveyard proved to be hauntingly right.

An unexpected emergency brought our old friend Jonely Bonely from his usual perch in my car to the display proper. When one of his plastic legs decided to give out, necessity became the mother of invention. Stripped of his lower half, he was transformed into a ground breaker, complete with spray foam accents. What should have been a quick build stretched into a week-long endeavor between podcast duties and website maintenance, but somehow we pulled it off.

The annual pumpkin-carving ritual played out as it always does—I prep a small army of gourds, my girlfriend contributes a face or two before retiring, and I'm left alone with my thoughts and the remaining pumpkins in the quiet hours of night. Truth be told, it's become my favorite Halloween tradition. Just me, a mountain of pumpkin innards, and the endless loop of Monster Mash and Thriller creating the perfect soundtrack to this solitary celebration. The timing dance is always delicate—carving late enough to preserve their glory for the big night, but not so early that they collapse into orange puddles after a fortnight of decay.

Like a spectral visitation, the Halloween season always appears and vanishes in what feels like a heartbeat, despite being the longest and biggest celebrated holiday in this nostalgia circle. As I write this, tomorrow's forecast already hints at turkey dinners, Grandma Arbuckle's split-second cranberry sauce, and the first whispers of Christmas carols.

So here we are, standing in the twilight of another Halloween season. The jack-o'-lanterns' grins will soon fade, and the carefully crafted displays will return to their slumber in attics and basements across the world. But there's something beautiful in it’s ending—knowing that these fleeting moments of magic we create together will live on in memories and photographs, waiting to inspire next year's haunts. For now, savor these final precious hours: indulge in that candy, wear your mask with pride, get one more Great Pumpkin watch in and let your jack-o'-lanterns burn bright against the gathering darkness. After all, the best haunts are the ones that leave you wanting just one more night.

Happy Halloween, everyone. Until next year's shadows call us home.

10/15 (Almost) Halfway There - DEREK

Hello, pleasantries, reciprocating the pleasantries, a remark about how time is flying by. Okay, we’re up to speed!

So, just like last year I’ve been making an effort to get out and see some local yard haunts. Unlike last year, I’ve been making a real effort to document the outings so I can share my favorite displays with all of you. A big theme I’m seeing across the city is skeletons in wacky situations. Like…lots of them. But I’m not complaining! They’re classic, and it’s fun to see how creative people are getting with something seemingly so mundane. My favorite of the bunch is certainly the pirate house (partially pictured above) - it feels like we’ve got the Pirates of the Caribbean ride here at home!

What would Halloween be without a Whopper dressed in a colorful bun? Sad. It’d be really sad.

This Addams Family meal came out of nowhere, if I’m being perfectly honest. I don’t really even know how they managed to settle on this iteration of the Addams Family - we aren’t expecting a third animated movie any time soon and it’s been three years since the last one released. I figure they probably went after the Wednesday Netflix show license, got shot down by Jenna Ortega and then scrambled to save the promo because they had already ordered 2 million purple buns.

Either way, I’m glad we got it if only for Gomez’s churro fries. These things are absolutely incredible and I’m upset that I won’t be able to order them on a regular basis. That’s probably the best for my health, however.

Terrifier 3 certainly was a Terrifier movie. Yep. I really don’t know what to say about this one, other than I watched it and it was probably the best out of the series so far. Still not really my jam, but I suppose I should parrot everyone else on the internet in conceding that it’s a win for both the horror genre and indie filmmakers. Kudos are in order.

But like next time, can we get a tight 90 minutes? In no world do I need Art & co. to occupy the screen for an Avengers length of time. Hell, I don’t even need the Avengers to occupy an Avengers length of time.

Lastly, I picked up this special little Svengoolie 45th anniversary comic! If you guessed that I haven’t sat down to read it yet, you’d be right! Man, I really need to go and get another adderall prescription. Ya boy’s attention span is basically non-existent!

10/2 Catching Up - DEREK

Holy crap, it’s October! That sure happened quick, didn’t it? Its weird, man…I thought I hadn’t been doing enough spooky shit and then I looked back at my phone’s camera roll. I guess there’s more catching up than I thought. Let’s get into it.

When I last wrote you all, it was a few days before the official start of Autumn - a time of year my middle-school friends and I jokingly refer to as CKY season. If you’re out of the loop, CKY has an album called Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild, and we all consider it to be a perfect Falloween album. So needless to say, we took the joke more seriously than ever this year!

To ring in the new season, we listened to the album in full, watched CKY2K, drank some pumpkin ciders and sat by the fire. Have to say, this was a lovely new tradition that I’m already looking forward to repeating next year!

Next up, let’s talk groceries. A mundane topic for some, but for all of us at Halloween it might as well be our super bowl. I was lucky enough to find the new Hostess FrankenCakes (before Grimey even, which never happens. Was that a pig that just flew past my window?)

I’ve heard some complaints about these not pushing the Frankenstein theme far enough, but at the end of the day I really don’t care. The green icing is lovely and I will always welcome a vanilla counterpart to the classic chocolate ScaryCake. I also had a stroke of genuis (in my opinion) - you ever have one of those horrible days at work, and just need something to take the edge off when you walk through the door at home? Well…

Did I already refer to myself as a genius? I did? Well how about just one more time then.

Speaking of groceries: here’s a weird orange colored, vanilla flavored milk that I found but did not buy.

I’m still having trouble wrapping my mind around everything about this one. While technically festive, the color is just truly off-putting. I can’t imagine pouring a glass of this and trying to get my brain to register that what I’m about to drink isn’t orange juice. Also, the name…Boo Struck? It’s not even a pun! Idk Hood, points for trying I guess but this one just seems off to me.

Next up, I made a bit more progress on my yard haunt. All the tombstones are in place, and we even have lights!

The bit I’m most proud of this year is something that I can’t believe I’ve never thought of before: using craft pumpkins to hide the light fixtures at the front of the yard. Simple and effective, the lights are 100% hidden when looking dead on, and still disguised fairly well from either side. Still haven’t decided if I’ll carve designs into them, but I’m leaning towards doing it. All that’s left now is adding in all my static figures, which will happen closer to Halloween itself in an effort to keep them out of the elements as long as I can.

Speaking of yards, I visited my first of many! This one featured quite a few of those giant Home Depot skeletons, except these ones were all gussied up.

Not pictured are the giant Beetlejuice & Lydia off to the right of Deadpool, Wolverine and Hagrid (?). Side note: I know, I need to get better about taking more pictures!

I got out to the movies as well and ended up checking out The Substance by myself on a slow Sunday afternoon.

Holy shit. Movie of the year. No, the decade! Wow. This is one that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since I walked out of that theater, and it’s been nearly two weeks! I heard a couple guys behind me cackling like mad throughout the last half hour of the run time, so when it was over I met their eyes and said “holy shit, right??” to which one of them replied “I was way too high for that.” I felt that, and I was sober!

Lastly we got out to check out Oddfest - a mini oddities show/convention/gathering. There sure was a lot of taxidermy! I have to admit, my favorite part of the whole experience was the wood paneling…just look at it!

Okay, I think we’re all caught up. I’d love to keep writing, but I’ve got lots of podcasts to prep for. Talk soon!

9/19 Meet the Press - DEREK

In the words of legendary news anchor Ron Burgundy, I’m kind of a big deal.

Or at least that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself. Since starting DemBoys all those years ago, a major goal of mine has been to be viewed as “legitimate” (whatever that means). I guess being granted my very first press pass counts! I really tried to play it cool all weekend as a guest at Silver Scream Con III, but if I’m being honest, I felt like a kid at Christmas.

It’s been a few years since a major horror convention came to my town, the last being Rock & Shock in 2019, aka the horror convention of my youth. I must say, Silver Scream managed to capture all those same warm & fuzzy pre-Halloween memories from my middle school years, and I was flabbergasted at the huge crowd it drew in all weekend. Horror is so back!

Gosh I mean, where do I even start? There was SO much to do and see. I suppose I’ll start here at the panels which were plentiful (thirteen by my count) but I’ll keep things brief and mention my three favorites. First up on Friday night, in between meeting & greeting our many peers I found some time to pop into the Friday the 13th panel featuring series’ creator Sean S. Cunningham, Warrington Gillette (Part 2 Jason) and Derek Mears (2009 F13 reboot Jason).

Jumping ahead to Saturday I got a chance to check out back to back panels; first up, a 25th Idle Hands panel featuring Devon Sawa and Elden Henson:

As well as a Halloween panel featuring Nick Castle (Michael in the OG), PJ Soles, John Michael Graham and James Jude Courtney (Michael in the Blumhouse trilogy, not pictured). While all three of these panels were interesting and informative, I have to say that the person who truly blew me away was James Jude Courtney. It’s safe to say that I’m not the biggest fan of the last three movies, but hearing how he approached the role with such reverence absolutely gave me a newfound appreciation for his take on the character, if nothing else. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard someone who’s had so much respect for a character they’ve played. Give this guy a podcast, stat!

Finally, I caught up with some really great folks on the show floor. I’m sure I’ll go into a bit more detail later on in the season, but for now I suggest that you check out these people if you’re at all into horror: Weirdo Wonderland, JR’s Spooky Shack, John Campopiano, Braindead Customs, Theater of Creeps and Modern Wickcraft.

There were so many other vendors in attendance with some of the coolest shit I’ve ever seen! Get a load of these life-sized figures from Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery Monster Museum:

And I know it’s a little early, but check out this Grinch created by Creatures of the Night:

I wish I had been a little bit better about taking photos, but if I’m being honest, that’s always a struggle for me. I get so caught up in the moment, it’s not until things are over that I realize I should’ve been better about documentation. Darn my ADD-Riddled brain! Oh well, there’s always next year…

That’ll do it for this check in, and now I’m off to watch my new (to me) Bone Chillers tape!

9/17 It’s Been Quiet - GRIMEY

Holy shit, we're already halfway through September? Time's slipping through my fingers like it always does. I’ve only made one measly entry so far this month - pathetic. But don't think for a second I've been slacking. Between the avalanche of content headed for the site and the endless podcast editing hellscape, I've barely had time to breathe, let alone chronicle my descent into madness.

But in those precious moments when I'm not chained to my desk? Oh, you better believe I've been up to no good. At the moment, I’m just doing a few minor enhancements to what I already have going on yearly. My scarecrows didn’t feel as natural as I’d like them to so I robbed a forest of its finest debris. Here’s a little sneak peak of what I have going on. What was originally clean cut 2 x 4’s are now branches from trees tied together all eerily. The skeletons and jack-o’-lanterns themselves will be repainted. I’m borrowing inspiration heavily from Pumpkinrot as I have done often the last few years. If you have no clue who that is, make sure to check them out. He’s a PA native and all round awesome artist of all things creepy.

Anyways, that’s it for now. I’ll be sure to have a few more entries soon. Back to it!

9/9 Beetlejuice, A Book Fair & Yard Haunting - DEREK

Guys…I think I may have just had the strongest Halloween kick-off weekend of my life. Seriously. On Friday night, I started off strong with a showing of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice on the biggest screen I could find near me. I adored it, and I think that I can say as of this writing, it’s my new favorite ‘legacy sequel’, beating out 2021’s Candyman by a sliver. It’s everything a sequel should be, in my opinion - moving the story along naturally, building upon, and even strengthening the original material at times. Consider me a big fan, and I know it’ll make it’s way into my regular seasonal viewing for years to come. Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of the poster at the theater, so you can have this photo of the original movie on 4K and my empty Black & White Kit-Kat wrapper (specifically saved for this movie) instead.

On Saturday I took a drive out to the Spooktastic Book Fair in Framingham, Mass!

Like most of you reading, the Scholastic Book Fair was an integral part of my childhood. Some of my best elementary school memories involved anxiously waiting for my class to be called down to those mobile bookshelves so I could buy a couple of Goosebumps books and some novelty erasers that never actually worked. So when I found out there was going to be a Halloween & horror themed book fair that anyone could attend, you bet your ass I marked it down on my calendar!

There was a truly overwhelming amount of authors, vendors and books! I walked away with some really great finds including a personalized copy of Playground by Aron Beauregard, some new beans to support my coffee addiction from Doomed Coffee (can coffee get any fresher than that, btw?) and a sick new print from Taft Street Studios to hang above my java station. Overall I was really impressed with the event and I will absolutely be attending again next year.

Finally, we arrive at Sunday. Normally the idea of manual labor makes me shudder, but when it comes to putting up Halloween decorations I miraculously find the strength of a thousand men. Admittedly, it’s been a few year’s since I’ve been able to go all out with my yard haunt but that changes this season.

I figured if we got an early start this year, I’d have plenty of time to get things just right and then still have enough time to admire my work once everything is set in place. This journal also helps to keep me motivated, because now I have to keep updating all of you with progress shots for the next two months!

I’ll leave you all with this photo of my parent’s dog Molly enjoying a chew on one of the branches from our evil tree. It’ll be her first season experiencing our graveyard, so more updates to come when she inevitably gets confused by all the tombstones in her yard.

9/4 My Grandmother - DEREK

I’ve been debating for a few days now whether I wanted to make such a somber post in a thread that’s all about the celebration of our favorite holiday. After much consideration, I think it’s a fitting place to remember my grandmother, Nanny. A little over a week ago, after a short period of declining health, my family lost our last matriarch. It’s a weird feeling being without grandparents, especially being lucky having had them into the beginning of my thirties. Not many folks get the chance to know their elders for such a long time!

While going through photos of Nanny last week, my Dad stumbled across this picture of her in the late 1990s:

As you can see, she’s sitting on our living room couch, completely swathed in my Universal Monsters plushies. What a good sport.

Throughout my childhood, all of my grandparents played a hand in showing me support for my love of Halloween. My Mother’s Father helped me build a “cemetery fence” & tombstones for my first home haunt (that are still in use) and my grandmother (Mom’s Mom) bought me my first costume for home haunting (a Leatherface ensemble, complete with chainsaw). My other grandfather (Dad’s Dad) helped me set up my Halloween decorations until he physically couldn’t anymore. Then there was Nanny, who opened her home (& front yard) and cooked us dinner on countless Halloween nights before sending me out into the cold to scare off all her trick or treaters. I remember her telling me every year, with a great big grin on her face, that for weeks after Halloween she’d have neighbors remarking how well we’d scared their grandkids.

A scene from one of my first yard haunts at Nanny's house in 2007.

So, as I let my last grandparent go, I look back not in sadness but in appreciation for all the support they showed me. It would’ve been easy for any one of them to discourage my little obsession with monsters, but instead they all helped in their own way to see to it that I was supported, and more importantly, loved because of it. Without their encouragement, there’s a very real chance that I would not be doing what Grimey and I do today.

Thanks Nanny.

9/3 Return of the Living Frostys! - GRIMEY

Procured a few Boo Books from Wendy’s today! While the masses are in a tizzy over the recently announced promo toys (myself included, of course), I've been busy investigating the truly pressing matters: this year's Boo Books design.

I'm pleased to report that this batch of Boo Books is marginally less disappointing than last year's DC comics debacle. Progress, I suppose. The "Frosty Frights" collection includes such luminaries as Frosty Bite, Franken Frosty, Brrr Beast, Cold Spell, and Coolie Ghoulie!

In a completely rational and well-adjusted decision, I've declared these miniature monstrosities my new family. My second and third cousins have been notified of their replacement via a tersely worded email.

9/3 - STARTING THE SEASON OFF WITH A BANG! - DEREK

I don’t want to say I got a late start to the season this year as Grimey and I have been in Halloween mode for the better part of two months now, BUT the first weekend in September is when I finally kicked things into high gear! For starters, yesterday morning I made the impromptu decision to get out and see Coraline on the big screen for it’s 15th anniversary. While I’ve seen the movie many times before, it was my first time getting to see it in 3D. I have to say, that added dimension made a huge difference in how you experience the film. I know it sounds corny, but the whole experience was so much more immersive with that added depth. If you’re able, you should check it out before it’s gone again!

When I returned home from the theater, this little hell spawn was waiting for me on my porch…

I had completely forgotten that I pre-ordered this evil talking Krusty doll many months ago, so it was a total surprise when I opened up that box and saw his menacing little face staring back at me. Talk about starting off the Halloween season on the right foot!

Later on, I decided it was only right to make my first (of many) apple based desserts of the season.

I decided on an apple tart, my first time trying out what is essentially a topless pie. I liked it! And I have to give credit to the ridiculous amount of Jacques Pepin videos that I’ve been watching. If you’ve never indulged yourself, you must.

I also finished a big personal project of mine that I’ve been working on quietly all Summer. It’s really only relevant to people in Central Massachusetts, but I figured I’d document it here anyways because you never know who might be reading! Click here to check out my Central Mass Halloween Guide.

To cap this first entry off, Grimey asked us all in the Facebook group what we would create if we had the ability to make a new Monster cereal. I thought about it hard (for about 5 minutes) and then proceeded to use an entire lunch break at work creating this:

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you…the CRUNCHBACK.

The truth is I put way more effort into this than I needed to, but at the same time, my little hunchback deserved every ounce of love I poured into his creation. I finally know the joys of parenthood, and I have his glorious purple humped-back to thank. Why purple, you may ask? Well truthfully, that was one of the only colors left after taking all the other monsters into account! But I truly wouldn’t change a thing, my little boy is perfect the way he is, oversized eye and all.

That’s it for my first entry, catch you all real soon. I have lots on my calendar this year that I’ll need to document!

8/28 - The Triumphant Return of Ghoul-Aid! - GRIMEY

Ghoul-Aid's back from the dead! After two years haunting our dreams with empty store shelves during the Halloween season, this revamped design (which was leaked 2 years ago) has finally arrived!

8/23 New Episode Alert! - GRIMEY

Kid Friendly Horror Pt. 2!

Derek & Grimey have joined forces to talk about eight more childhood horrors! Ranging from horror toys (Attack of the Killer Tomatoes) & shows (Tales from the Cryptkeeper) specifically marketed to kids, to things that Shouldn’t have been scary, but were (Ernie & Bert exploring a pyramid); there’s a little bit of something for everyone! So curl up with your emotional support blanket and join us on this terrifying journey through our irrational fears and favorite spooky memories. Click here for Spotify and here for Apple Podcast.

8/21 - The Juice is Loose! - GRIMEY

Just a quick update today. Louie (Haunted Hangover Podcast) invited me to try the new Beetlejuice Fanta for your viewing pleasure!

8/14 - IT’S SHOWTIME!!! - GRIMEY

Walmart came through with the goods. The star of the show! BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE HAUNTED APPLE FANTA! It's green, it's probably terrible for me - but I’ll tell you, there are very few things in Walmart that have the potential to make me this ridiculously excited. I can’t imagine being born any other era than now. Usually, Sheetz is my go-to for the first spooky sodas of the season, but renovations have shuttered my local spot until October (ugh). Fingers crossed Walmart keeps the Halloween spirit flowing with Voodew 2024 in September!

Next, a fucking mountain of Monster Cereal! (The retro vibes are alive and kicking!) Carmella's back, baby and, this time, in a retro-style box looking like a snack. As you all know from last year, Carmella had me head over heels. I scooped Carmella and the Frightful Friends box to hold me over for now. The more I look at the "Frightful Friends" thing, the more I'm my thoughts shift from “weird” to "yeah, okay, that's kinda cool."

8/8 - Attic Archaeology - GRIMEY

Happened upon an absolute treasure trove of Halloween goodies in the attic which we’ve never explored since we moved in about 7 years ago. Enjoy this little sneak peak of the goods before I get the ambition to finish the bigger article.

8/4 - Junk Food Jackpot - GRIMEY

Hit the Halloween snack motherlode! Scored Reese's Werewolf Tracks, Ghost Toast KitKats, Beetlejuice^2 Fudge Stripes, Spooky Nerds Clusters, Pumpkin Pie M&Ms, and... Halloween Tic Tacs? (Because nothing says "spooky" like fresh breath.) Though my pantry is screaming, the hunt continues!

8/3 - First Spirit Trip 2024 - GRIMEY

Abandoned all adulting to sprint to Spirit Halloween's soft opening. Mostly déjà vu (a ton of expected repeats), but two newbies caught my eye: a Halloween II VHS pumpkin light and a Tales from the Crypt bust. I see a lot of people oozing about these online. They’re cool, but not "empty my wallet" cool.

The Pizza Show! - Leftover Pizza Podcast #50

LISTEN HERE

It only took us three years but we’re finally tackling PIZZA for our 50th show! In typical Leftover Pizza fashion, you can expect mentions of classic pop culture pizza from toys to commercials, cartoons and more! We’d like to thank all of you listeners for sticking by us for so long, here’s to another 50 episodes!

Join us every Friday this October for Friday Night Frights, where each week we’ll be releasing a brand new spooky show!

As a bonus, if you’re digital hoarders like us, you can download a copy of the file for yourself below and pop it on your iPod. Thanks for listening!

RARE HALLOWEEN MCNUGGET BUDDIES!

McDonald's and Halloween - a pairing as iconic as Big Macs and post-meal regret. We've all gushed over their festive pails - the Holy Grail of trick-or-treat receptacles, praised their spooky bags as if they're couture fashion, and analyzed their costumed McNuggets with the fervor of art critics dissecting a Renaissance masterpiece. It’s safe to say each of those Halloween offerings from the golden arches has its own metaphorical plaque in the fast-food hall of fame. Yet, there is one set that remains mostly unheard of.

Just when you thought you'd seen every McNugget, from Count McNugula to Ronald McDonald's long-lost goth cousin, there's a set that's been lurking in the shadows since 1998. While the rest of the world was doing the Macarena, Australia was busy hoarding a secret treasure - the elusive McNugget Ghouls! These guys are so rare, most people have a better chance of spotting Jaws in their bathtub than owning the four specimens in this lineup.

The fearsome foursome includes McGhost (the shy type who's always transparent about his feelings), McFrankie (assembled from leftover parts of other menu items), McWolf (who howls at the golden arches instead of the moon), and McDrac (who sucks the flavor out of your fries instead of your blood). The names may not be as clever as their US counterparts, but what they lack in birth names, they make up for with their ominous, spooky glowing skin. It's like they've been marinated in nuclear waste - a real testament to McDonald's commitment to "all-natural" ingredients.

While we did get a ghost, Frankenstein, and a Dracula variant here in the States, these Aussie aberrations are completely different sculpts. Then there's the addition of McWolf, a red/orange-haired lupine McNugget who absolutely needed to be carrying two dog bones to get the point of his costume across.

It feels good to have finally completed the Halloween McNugget sets - a quest that's been years in the making and has cost me way more than a few Big Mac meals. I've heard rumors of these legendary glow in the dark Halloween McNuggets for ages and only assumed them to be urban legends, like the mythical McPizza or the fabled always-working ice cream machine. But I finally took the plunge and snagged a few on eBay, proving that with enough determination, even the most elusive McNuggets can be caught.

LINGERING THOUGHTS

1. How does McDrac like his coffee? Weird question…. but De-coffin-ated.

2. How many Happy Meals could I have bought instead of these toys? I plead the 5th.
   

3. Why doesn’t the ice cream machine ever work? I don’t know… I only go there for Halloween stuff.

Thanks for reading!

THE LEFTOVER PIZZA 2024 HALLOWEEN SCARE PACKAGE

UPDATE: BOXES ARE SOLD OUT!!! HIT THE LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR THE WAX MELT BUNDLES WHILE SUPPLIES LASTS!!! Attention mortal souls! The 2024 Leftover Pizza Halloween Scare Package is available now! We have a lot of heavy hitting items in this one so if you want one, act fast - these are extremely limited and ready to ship! Once they’re gone they are gone for good!

Starting things off with this years wax melt - YARD HAUNT HANGS. Dare to melt the essence of All Hallows Eve? Transport yourself to a chilly October evening, crunch through fallen leaves and cedar boughs with an earthy whisper of patchouli rising from forgotten graves. Wisps of smoked oud curl around you like ghostly fingers, while the enigmatic essence of autumn glow dances just out of sight. Ancient spices waft from a witch's cauldron, mingling with the sweet temptation of freshly baked pumpkin treats. From the wax blend to the labels, every element is crafted by yours truly. 

Moving on, each box will contain 2 goodie bags. The first bag will be packed with a small bunch of candy. Then in the other you will find: 

• 2 packs of card by Fleer - one featuring Casper and the other featuring Real Monsters!

• 1 Leftover Pizza Podcast button

• 1 Leftover Pizza Bat sticker

• 1 complete Boo! Book

Also included, each box will contain one of four random Ghostbusters key chains with the chance of Slimer, Muncher, Stay Puft or a Terror Dog! This was a fun little last minute find. Though they are relatively new, I couldn’t pass them up!

Ok guys, I told yas there were some heavy hitters in this one - I meant it! Starting off with a light fun one - each box will contain ALL THREE of these super swank Bud Light Halloween masks along with a pop up table top ad! These things are super cool - hardly wearable but look great in a a frame!

Next up, you’ll each get 2 (1 of each design*) Orville Redenbacher Trick-or-Treat bags! If you’ve been following along, I wrote a little about both of these bags in the Halloween bag series and they are hands down among some of the best bags the 80s had to offer. I made sure to grab the best in the bunch for yous. Keep in mind, these things are super old and not competely perfect.

Then, yous will all receive one sealed Monster in my Pocket blind bag from 1992! I managed to grab these hella early in June and I’ve been so stoked for the reveal this entire time! Each blind bag comes with a mini figure and a character card. 

Finally, ending on perhaps the biggest get - each box will contain 1 sealed Simpsons Spooky Light Up from this lineup in 2001! As with all the contents, as they are boxed and picked at random, I have no control over which character you will get but rest assured - if you haven’t seen these before  each one is an absolute banger!

That is the 2024 Halloween Scare Package! UPDATE: BOXES ARE SOLD OUT! Thanks to everyone who grabbed one! If you’d like to buy the wax melt bundle for $15 shipped (which will come with the two Orville trick-or-treat bags, a pack of Ahh! Real Monsters cards, a pin and a sticker) hit the paypal button bellow while supplies lasts!

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Thanks for purchasing! Here I am modeling the Frankenstein Bud Light mask.

Halloween in 1992! - Friday Night Frights

LISTEN HERE

Buckle up, where we’re going, they don’t have any roads! Remember all the great stuff that was out for Halloween ‘92? Ecto Cooler, McDonald’s Halloween Pails, Monster Face from Hasboro? Well Grimey & Derek just found a way to travel back in time to experience it all with fresh eyes, and you get to tag along! Join us for this first installment of Friday Night Frights, where every Friday this October we’ll be releasing a brand new spooky show!

As a bonus, if you’re digital hoarders like us, you can download a copy of the file for yourself below and pop it on your iPod. Thanks for listening!

TMNT WITH A DASH OF MONSTERS

NOT MY PHOTO - CARRY ON

Happy October! We’re in the thick of it now! And, since we’re in the season, it feels like the perfect time to mention Turtles…. If you noticed the photo above (again, not mine) you already know we’re about to ponder the unlikely intersection of Halloween and TMNT and the series of action figures that perfectly embodies this odd pairing.

The year was 1993. Bill Clinton had just taken office, the Dallas Cowboys triumphed over Buffalo in the Super Bowl, and I, at the tender age of four, was about to encounter something that would leave an indelible mark on my young psyche: my beloved sewer-dwelling reptiles masquerading as classic movie monsters. I didn’t know shit about the Universal Monsters but it didn’t stop me from wanting to own yet another iteration of my favorite characters - a perfect-for-Halloween set at that.

For those born in later years, the concept of horror-themed TMNT figures marketed to children might seem bizarre. But trust me, in the context of the early '90s, it made a strange kind of sense. TMNT was at the height of its popularity, while Universal Monsters were experiencing a resurgence, appearing on everything from postage stamps to Pizza Hut and Pepsi promotions. A collaboration between these franchises seemed almost inevitable.

The initial wave included Leonardo as the Wolfman, Donatello as Dracula, Michelangelo as Frankenstein's Monster, and Raphael as the Mummy. True to form, Playmates Toys equipped each figure with a unique character biography and a close up weapons list on the packaging. I've taken the liberty of photographing these for posterity. They're worth a read, if only to appreciate the beautiful absurdity of concepts like "bolt-handled nunchucks" and Donatello's newfound "thirst for the blood of foolish Foot villagers." If all that wasn’t enough, these dudes GLOW IN THE DARK!

The line must have found some success because a second set was released the following year. The 1994 batch featured Invisible Man Michelangelo, Creature from the Black Lagoon Leonardo, The Mutant Raphael (a somewhat redundant concept), and April as the Bride of Frankenstein. I'll admit to feeling a twinge of disappointment that Donatello was excluded from this round, but the novelty of seeing April with that iconic white-streaked beehive somewhat makes up for it.

In recent years, we've seen similar monster-hero hybrids from Nickelodeon's 2012 series and the ongoing NECA line both bringing a fun vibe to the table in their own way. But let's be real - how can you beat the originals? You can’t.

So here's to you, Monster Turtles. You taught us that it's okay to be both hero and monster, that creativity knows no limits, and that sometimes, the best ideas are born from the craziest collisions of pop culture.