David Murphy - Totally the 80's

M.A.S.K. Toys and the Vehicles Kids Swore Were the Best

You didn't just play with M.A.S.K. toys, you sprang them open. A red car became a flying assault machine. A semi truck turned into a mobile command center. A boat…

Pop Culture Discontinued Treats Favorite Foods Food Retro Recipes Trends

Jell-O 1-2-3, the Dessert That Felt Like Science

Some desserts disappeared because they tasted good. Jell-O 1-2-3 stayed in people's heads because it looked like a trick. You beat one powder mix with cold milk, slid it into…

Keebler Tato skins vintage 80s potato chips featuring a new barbecue flavor

Pop Culture Discontinued Treats Favorite Foods Food Trends

Keebler Tato Skins and the Chips That Tasted Like Dinner

Some chips were built for burgers. Keebler Tato Skins were built to taste like you swiped the whole appetizer tray before dinner even started. That was the hook, and what…

Pop Culture Toys and Games

Micro Machines and the Tiny Cars Kids Took Everywhere

There was a moment when a whole fleet could fit in your palm, and that felt like magic. Micro Machines were tiny enough to lose in the couch, yet big…

Pop Culture Fads Fashion Toys and Games Trends

Slap Bracelets and the School Ban Panic

You could hear them before you saw them, that fast little snap in the middle of homeroom. Slap bracelets were cheap, bright, weirdly satisfying, and almost impossible for kids to…

Pop Culture Fads Toys and Games Trends

Scratch and Sniff Stickers, the School Prize Kids Saved

One scratch, and the whole desk smelled like grape soda, strawberry candy, or a cartoon pizza party at 10 a.m. If you grew up in the age of reward charts…

Pop Culture Arcade Classics Toys and Games Video Games

Sega Genesis and the 16-Bit Leap Kids Wanted

You didn't need a spec sheet to know the Sega Genesis felt like a real step up. One look at the screen, one blast of that crunchy music, one quick…

Pop Culture Discontinued Treats Favorite Foods Food Saturday Morning Cartoons Toys and Games Trends

Fruit Stripe Gum and the Tattoo Wrapper Kids Loved

Some candies were good. Fruit Stripe Gum, the zebra gum with the striped packs, was a whole scene. You remember the pack first, don't you? The wild stripes, Yipes the…

Pop Culture Discontinued Treats Favorite Foods Food Trends

Nerds Cereal, the Candy-Coated Breakfast Kids Begged For

If you were a kid in the 1980s, the cereal aisle could feel like a toy store with milk. Bright boxes shouted at you. Mascots grinned at you. Sugar pretty…

Pop Culture Discontinued Treats Favorite Foods Food

Carnation Breakfast Bars and the Quick Breakfast Kids Really Ate

There was a special kind of school morning chaos in the 70s and 80s: one shoe on, a backpack half-zipped, the TV still on in the other room, and somebody…