Special Guest Stars – Hugging and Learning : The Podcast

Ep 102: It Was A Disaster (“The Paul Lynde Halloween Special”)

Posted on October 31, 2021October 31, 2021 by Chelsea

Like a mummy, or a vampire, or a ghost, or any number of monsters that rise from the dead at Halloween — WE’RE BACK!!! It’s Chelsea and Andy’s favorite time of year, and we couldn’t resist getting together for an impromptu surprise episode, specially for those of you who forgot to unsubscribe. Join us as we deep-dive into the cursed nonsense that is The Paul Lynde Halloween Special variety show. We’ve got witches, we’ve got truckers, we’ve got disco, we’ve got special guest appearances from everybody from Betty White to KISS. It’s bananapants and we wish it had never happened, but it did. Join us, please, so you can help us prevent this haunting event from ever happening again.

Ep 099: Emotional Rollycoaster: Part 2 (“Desperate Lives”)

Posted on November 4, 2020November 7, 2020 by Chelsea

“Welcome to Hamilton High, where all the students major in drugs!” H&L is back with a real classic of the “Just Say No” genre. We’ve got an earnest protagonist, we’ve got grade-A freakouts, we’ve got future Oscar winners judo-kicking out of second-story windows. Will CARING SO MUCH triumph over indifference, drugs, and swimming? Or will yet another suburban teen succumb to his poorly-defined life pressures and terrible taste in friends? Join us to find out!

Ep 098: Emotional Rollycoaster: Part 1 (“Desperate Lives”)

Posted on October 31, 2020October 31, 2020 by Chelsea

“Welcome to Hamilton High, where all the students major in drugs!” H&L is back with a real classic of the “Just Say No” genre. We’ve got an earnest protagonist, we’ve got grade-A freakouts, we’ve got future Oscar winners judo-kicking out of second-story windows. Will CARING SO MUCH triumph over indifference, drugs, and swimming? Or will yet another suburban teen succumb to his poorly-defined life pressures and terrible taste in friends? Join us to find out!

Ep 093: Golden Wonka (“The Golden Girls” S2E24)

Posted on July 22, 2020July 28, 2020 by Chelsea

What could be better than an episode of THE GOLDEN GIRLS in These Troubling Times™? How about an episode TGG that’s also THE WIRE, a rom/com, and a George Clooney vehicle all at once?! This week, we explore the twists and turns of a singular episode of sitcom television, and also launch our GoFundMe campaign to raise the $3MIL we need to purchase the Golden Girls house, which has just come on the LA real estate market. We’re doing important work over here. Join us.

Ep 085: No. Problem!! (“ALF” S1E04)

Posted on May 20, 2020May 23, 2020 by Chelsea

We hate to break it to you, but if your childhood recollections of Gordon Shumway include character traits like “loveable,” “caring,” or “friendly,” you might want to rewatch ALF. Preferably with a good snack or a stiff drink close at hand. Join your hosts, Ronald Reagan (not really), Harry Shearer (yes really) and a very callus and unfeeling extraterrestrial as we debate nuclear disarmament and the addition of a second phone line as equally-weighted issues in the life of the Tanner family.

Ep 080: Kids, Emancipated (“Kids, Incorporated” S6E15)

Posted on April 15, 2020April 18, 2020 by Chelsea

It’s a world of song, dance, wonder, and a conspicuous absence of parents and child labor laws. It’s the world of KIDS, INC! But there is trouble in paradise — tiny new kid Robin is facing bullying by some local toughs. What can the other kids do to help? Why is Billy Blanks here? Who wrote this weird song we can’t find anywhere on the internet? All these questions, and many more, will be given their due.

Ep 077: Fully Buggin’ (“Saved by the Bell” S4E01)

Posted on March 4, 2020March 6, 2020 by Chelsea

Very Special Guest Vella Lovell joins us this week to dive deep into the most shocking travesty of the 90s: the breakup of Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski. We get into it: Is Zack a possessive creep? Who’s responsible for HR at the The Max? How does live singing in a TV show work? And what’s the thing about Jeff? Spoiler: the questions are myriad and the answers are few.

Ep 074: Boob-Hinge (“Blossom” S1E05)

Posted on February 12, 2020February 14, 2020 by Chelsea

Did you even know that boobs have hinges? Or that cotton “gin” is short for cotton “engine”? Or that one is supposed to wear turtlenecks to Make Out Parties, no matter how insane the final outfit result may be? For a half-hour sitcom, BLOSSOM is very heavy on the learning this week. Join us for an exceptionally educational episode, and don’t worry if you’ve never been to a Make Out Party. Andy hasn’t either.

Ep 068: That’s Kickin’ It! (“The KNOTB Animated Christmas Special”)

Posted on December 25, 2019December 28, 2019 by Chelsea

This holiday special has it all: a megafamous boy band, bad Boston accents, insane transitions, a ghost kid, live concert footage, and an almost-impossible-to-comprehend narrative style. It’s KNOTB: The Edge of Reason. Join Chelsea, Andrew, Miles, Miles’s personal friend Joey McIntyre, and the rest of the Bean Town Posse for a cool ride through the Yuletide.

Ep 066: Stoney Baloney (“Roseanne” S6E04)

Posted on December 11, 2019December 13, 2019 by Chelsea

When Roseanne finds the alleged pot stash of her daughter’s-live-in-boyfriend-except-her-daughter-moved-out, Chelsea and Andrew have more questions than just “what is this relationship even?” Do we inevitably turn into our parents, or were we never as cool as we remember being? How potented IS 20-year-old toilet pot? Join us for an exploration of all these topics, and a whole lot of Laurie Metcalf fangirling.