Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast

Donkey Kong almost starred Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Bluto. Learn the shocking origin story behind Nintendo's 1981 breakthrough hit: the near-fatal lawsuit, how Mario and Donkey Kong got their names, and why their lawyer became immortalized in gaming history. This is the untold story of the arcade classic that launched a gaming empire and defined 1981 as the golden year of video games.

Why was 1981 the greatest year in arcade gaming history? Before Jason and Dee dive into Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Frogger, and Defender, discover the revolutionary games that paved the way. From Pong's simplicity to Space Invaders' invasion and the "Puck Man" controversy, this prequel episode explores the arcade legends that changed gaming forever. Grab your quarters—the high score challenge starts here!

The debate comes to a head. In Episode 2 of 2, Jason and Dee of the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast finish their head-to-head breakdown of the iconic 1985 films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire. This time, the focus shifts to the cast of St. Elmo’s Fire and the lasting legacy of its ensemble as full-fledged Brat Pack icons. For fun, Dee takes a sharper angle by calling out each character’s fatal flaw, while Jason counters with an alternate, more generous interpretation — finding the redeeming qualities hiding beneath the self-absorption, ambition, and chaos. With the character debate settled, the guys zoom out and deliver their final verdict, answering the big question they’ve been circling all along: which of these two 1985 classics truly stands the test of time? Is it the intimate honesty of detention, or the messy post-college reality of adulthood? Nostalgia, analysis, and judgment collide as Jason and Dee crown a winner and close the book on one of the great 80s movie matchups.

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Two defining films. One generation. And a debate that still hasn’t cooled down. In Episode 1 of 2, Jason and Dee of the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast kick off a head-to-head breakdown of the iconic 1985 films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire. The guys start at the beginning, exploring how each movie came together, the very different creative paths that led to their production, and the directors who shaped what would become two cornerstones of 80s cinema. Along the way, they touch on Andrew McCarthy’s documentary Brats, using it as a lens to examine how these films helped define — and complicate — the Brat Pack legacy. To close out the episode, Jason and Dee zero in on The Breakfast Club, breaking down the cast one actor at a time, discussing what each performer brought to their role, and revealing which alternate actors were seriously considered before those now-legendary casting decisions were finalized. It’s context, history, and pure 80s nostalgia — with the real showdown just getting started.

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/surelypodcast

Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@surelypodcast

Check out our new merch store: https://surely-you-cant-be-serious-merch.myshopify.com/

The madness continues. In Part 2 of their deep dive into the now-infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, Jason and Dee of Surely You Can’t Be Serious are once again joined by the guys from the 30something Movie Podcast to finish what they started. Having already crossed the point of no return, the crew pushes through the remaining skits, songs, and baffling story choices that somehow made it onto television. More celebrity appearances surface, the variety-show chaos escalates, and the line between endurance test and pop-culture archaeology completely disappears. In this episode, the guys not only break down what’s left of the special, but also wrestle with its legacy — how it became a whispered legend, a bootleg curiosity, and a rite of passage for Star Wars fans brave enough to seek it out. Was there anything worth saving? Or is its greatest contribution simply proving that even the biggest franchise in the world can spectacularly miss the mark? Strap in as the group reaches the end of the Wookiee-filled road and lives to tell the tale — barely.