You need a podcast on rollerskates!

Welcome to the summer, 80s friends. It's time for a little sun, outdoor frivolity and sunsets at the beach. Or in the case of Stuck in the 80s co-host Sean Daly and myself, a lot of staying indoors in the air-conditioning, swilling 40-ounce beverages and making Gretzky's head bleed on Sega Genesis.

But if you'd like to summon the spirit of the season, look no further than the latest podcast: the Stuck in the 80s salute to summer! Click here to listen or click here to get all our shows for free via iTunes.

In this week's show, you'll hear our top 5 lists of summer movies and summer songs. Sean will explain his totally irrational and probably actionable hatred of "Summer School" star Mark Harmon. And finally, you'll want to dive into a pool afterward to drown your sorrow after hearing stories from two fans who had summers even sorrier than your's truly.

In the meantime, give a wave to Wonder Mutt, open up another cold one and pass the joystick.

Why Peter Gallagher is my hero

Ah yes, "Summer Lovers." The 1982 flick starred Mr. Gallagher as ... I believe he's listed as "Luckiest Man on Earth" in the credits after basically spending a summer in the Greek isles having sex with Daryl Hannah and Valérie Quennessen.

While I work feverishly on editing our "Summer in the 80s" podcast, please enjoy the cheese-tastic trailer of one of my favorite summer movies.

"Why do they call you 'Lassie'?"

In all the celebration and media blitz over the new "Sex and the City" flick, fans tend to forget that Kim Cattrall, everyone's favorite sex-crazed cougar, got her start in the 80s in movies like Mannequin, Police Academy and Turk 182.

And also a little 1982 gem called "Porky's."

I know I carry the banner for the 80s nation, but I'll confess I didn't really think the movie was all that funny. Except for that one glorious scene with Cattrall in the boy's locker room. Turn down the volume on your computer first, then click here to relive the horny teenage magic.

Could Peter Gabriel replace Phil Collins?

The remaining members of the legendary prog-pop act Genesis made it all but official in an interview a few months ago with the Telegraph newspaper of London: Without Phil Collins, who recently said he's out of the music biz for good, the band is pretty much in retirement mode.

"After the final show in Los Angeles, I just wanted to tell these guys, 'Thank you, and I love you.' It felt like an emotional closure," Collins told the Telegraph. "I don't think we'll do any more."

Keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist Mike Rutherford both admit they're never really comfortable being live performers on stage and would prefer to focus their free time on other passions. In Banks' case, he's an avid gardener while Rutherford prefers polo. (Collins says his young children and model railroading hobby will keep him busy.)

Funny thing is, there's one former member of Genesis still out there who might be interested in a brief reunion: Former lead singer Peter Gabriel.

According to the Telegraph, the band has long pondered the idea of taking to the road to perform "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" -- their seminal 1974 album and the last record to feature Gabriel, who continues to make his solo music career a full-time pursuit.

Stay tuned. According to Rutherford, "It's still out there as an idea. Visually, you could do so much with it."

[AP photo]

"Don't get saucy with me, Bernaise!"

Harvey Korman, who dazzled comedy fans for decades with his dead-on straight man roles, passed away Thursday in Los Angeles at age 81.

According to the Associated Press, Korman had been suffering complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm several months ago.

Though probably best known for his work on the "Carol Burnett Show" in the 70s and his role as "Hedley Lamarr" in 1974's "Blazing Saddles," Korman had a score of roles on television and film in the 80s, including parts in "Herbie Goes Bananas," "Trail of the Pink Panther," "Mama's Family" and "The Love Boat."

But to the hardcore movie 80s fans, he'll always be the "Count de Monet" in Mel Brooks' "History of the World Part 1." Click here to see his classic scene with Andréas Voutsinas.

Still not falling for the banana in the tailpipe

Tell the fans that Mr. Achmed Foley ... Achnell? ... Achwell? ... that Mr. Axel Foley is coming back to movie screens soon.

Yes, it's now confirmed that Eddie Murphy has agreed to return for a fourth installment of the "Beverly Hills Cop" series. Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour") is the top pick to direct the latest episode, according to the Reuters news service. The flick would begin filming next year for a summer 2010 release by Paramount.

It's hard to ignore the Indiana Jones parallels here. Both Harrison Ford and Murphy have suffered through a string of box office disappointments before agreeing to breathe live back into 20-year-old signature roles. And while Ford's "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" has done well in ticket sales, many critics and movie-goers are less than impressed.

Now consider neither "Beverly Hills Cop" sequel was as good as the two "Indiana Jones" follow-ups, and you really start to fear for what we might see in 2010. Good luck, Axel. You'll need all you can get ... along with an obligatory list.

TOP 5 LINES FROM BEVERLY HILLS COP:

5. "Tell Victor that Ramon -- the fella he met about a week ago? -- tell him that Ramon went to the clinic today, and I found out that I have, um, herpes simplex 10."

4. "Is this the gentleman who ruined the buffet at the Harrow club this morning?"

3. "Disturbing the peace? I got thrown out of a window! What's the f---ing charge for getting pushed out of a moving car, huh? Jaywalking?"

2. "Before I go, I just want you two to know something, alright? The supercop story ... was working."

1. " 'You're not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe?' It should be more natural, brother. It should flow out, like this -- 'Look, man, I ain't fallin' for no banana in my tailpipe!' See, that's more natural for us."

Elfman's 55? Why, he's only a lad!

Everyone's favorite eclectic 80s new-wave band leader turned Hollywood movie score composer has a birthday today. But I don't want to imagine what flavor cake a guy like Danny Elfman would request for his big day. Can anyone say "rutabaga?"

I'd expect nothing less strange for the man behind tunes like "Grey Matter," "Insects" and "No Spill Blood."

The former Oingo Boingo front-man turns 55 years old today. And while the California-bred band has been in retirement since their final Halloween show in 1995, Elfman continues to compose movie scores at a phenomenal pace. What began as a side-job with 1980's "Forbidden Zone" has continued with dozens of additional themes including the catchy tunes to "Batman,"  "Beetlejuice" and "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure."

And don't expect Elfman to resurrect Oingo Boingo anytime soon. The long years of touring have left him with substantial hearing problems, thanks to a bad case of tinnitus.

"The last five or six years I was in the band, my instincts were telling me I was doing myself a lot of harm - and I was right," Elfman told the Orange County Register in 2005.

To that end, he won't jump back in if the band decides to reunite one day: "I'm happy to see that music live on, and it really doesn't bother me - as long as I'm not asked to participate. To me, it's the past, and the past should stay the past."

Not a chance, Danny. Here at the Stuck in the 80s, the past never dies. Click here to listen to our Oingo Boingo podcast from 2006.

Journey live! ... on the Ellen DeGeneres show

Anyone catch Journey and new lead singer Arnel Pineda performing live on the "Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Wednesday? Here's a clip:

Pretty amazing voice, Arnel. I've heard from those who caught the performance on TV that the band played one of their new songs after "Separate Ways." If anyone can find the clip, send me a link. Otherwise, here's a snippet of one of the new songs from the upcoming CD "Revelations." It's set for release on June 3.

A poll on Ellen's official website -- www.ellentv.com -- asks fans if they like Journey's new frontman. With more than 7,000 votes, 94 percent of respondents said yes.

Jesse's got nothing on Rick Springfield

Everyone's favorite Aussie- turned-teen- popstar-turned- soapstar-then popstar again is coming back to Tampa Bay this weekend.

Rick Springfield is playing Taste of Pinellas at St. Petersburg's Vinoy Park on Friday, May 30. The show is free and begins at 8:30. (Two other bands - Motel Funk and The Greg Billings Band - perform sets beforehand.) Eddie Money also performs on Sunday at 5:30.

Normally I'd feel a little insecure for the shameless gushing I'm about to exhibit, but here goes: If you're even a casual fans of '80s music and can name a Springfield song or two, do NOT miss this show. I've seen Springfield twice now at Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall, and he puts on what is easily the best live show of any '80s act I've seen. (Click here to listen to our podcast interview with Rick prior to his 2006 show.)

Aside from his trademark tune "Jesse's Girl," fans can expect hit after hit from our man from "General Hospital." And trust me, Rick's got more hits than you think. How do I know? Try this playlist on for size. Just don't blame me if you can't get "Love Somebody" out of your head the rest of the week.

Of simple and similar minds again

(If they really were simple-minded, they'd have come up with this idea years ago ...)

Pay no attention to the New Kids on the Block reunion. They'll soon be revealed for the weak soup they always were.

Instead, focus on this bit of bright news: The original members of Simple Minds have announced they'll reunite for the first time in 27 years and head off to the studio in June to record new material. Brian McGee, Derek Forbes, Mick McNeil, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill made the announcement this week on the band's official website.

The reunion is described as a "nice experiment" by Kerr and Burchill, with the goal being to release at least two new tracks later this year. Good timing, considering the band's 30-year anniversary is around the corner.

"Of course I am excited with the prospect of working with the original line - up once more. I had always believed that the day would come when we would get the opportunity to do so," Kerr said. "We have a lot to live up to, but we intend to have some fun attempting to do just that."

The heat is (dum, dum, dum, dum) on

Now that Memorial Day is officially behind us, pop-jokester Sean Daly and I are preparing to head out on an epic summer road trip ... 80s-style.

But first, a little business. This week we'll record our special "Stuck in the 80s Tribute to Summer Lovin' " podcast. You can expect the usual frivolity and trouser humor, but also some blazing smart observations on the best summer movies and songs.

But in order to crank the heat up for the podcast, what we really need is YOUR STORIES. Drop us an e-mail or a comment with your favorite summer stories from the 80s. The saucier, the better. No bonus this time around for use of Funyuns. We'll read the best ones on this week's podcast.

In the meantime, enjoy the photo above of your's truly during that one great summer I spent in the Greek Isles with two sexually adventurous women.

Princess Bride - the game? Inconceivable!

Nothing like waiting 20 years to turn a classic '80s movie into a computer game. But that is exactly the case with the 1987 flick "The Princess Bride."

Worldwide Biggies is set to release an animated game based on the movie on June 11. The game will play on home computers, including both PC and Mac platforms. It's being sold online for now at princessbridegame.com.

According to media reports, actors Robin Wright Penn ("Buttercup"), Mandy Patinkin ("Montoya") and Wallace Shawn ("Vizzini") lend their voices to the game. Sorry, I guess that means no Cary Elwes as "The Dread Pirate Roberts."

TOP 5 VIDEOGAME-FRIENDLY LINES FROM PRINCESS BRIDE:

5. "I just want you to feel you're doing well. I hate for people to die embarrassed."

4. "You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you."

3. "You be careful. People in masks cannot be trusted."

2. "The battle of wits has begun. It ends when you decide and we both drink, and find out who is right ... and who is dead."

1. "Have fun stormin' da castle."

Sydney Pollack dies at age 73

Sydney Pollack co-starred with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in "Eyes Wide Shut." [AP photo]

Sydney Pollack, the film director whose hits covered the 70s and 80s, died Monday of cancer at age 73, according to the New York Times.

His work was honored with several Academy Award nominations, including the 1985 film "Out of Africa" (for which he won for best director) as well as a nomination for "Tootsie" in 1982. He also directed 1981's "Absence of Malice."

Pollack also produced a slew of hit movies in the 80s including "The Fabulous Baker Boys" in 1989.

Still, it was his pre-80s work that probably deserves the most attention. "Three Days of the Condor" and "They Shoot Horses, Don't They" both garnered critical acclaim.

But perhaps he'll always be best known for "Tootsie," the flick that turned Dustin Hoffman into a cross-dressing sensation and gave Pollack a chance to stretch his acting chops. Pollack directed the movie, but also had a small but memorable role in it as Hoffman's agent. (Click here to watch the clip.)

His final screen appearance was in "Made of Honor" -- the romantic comedy that's still playing in theaters -- in which Pollack plays the dad of Patrick Dempsey.

Pollack's survivors include daughters Rachel and Rebecca and his wife Claire Griswold, a former acting student of his, according to the New York Times.

[Getty Images]

20 best summer movies of the 80s

It's Memorial Day, so let the summer officially begin. And what better way to start than rewatching a few of the truly great summer flicks of the 80s.

How did we compile the list? Mainly through reader contributions and by surveying my vast collection of DVDs.  (Yes, I own 11 of the movies below.) The criteria: The release date of the movie isn't important -- only that the "summer" play a significant role in the plot. Some real classics -- "Caddyshack," for example -- aren't high on the list because while they revolve around the summer, it's not a big enough plot point.

And in an unprecedented move, I've grandfathered in one 70s flick. Look below to see which movie won that unusual exemption.

TOP 20 SUMMER MOVIES OF THE 80s:

20. WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S (1989): Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman. "How do you like that? The guy gets laid more times dead than I do alive."

19. MYSTIC PIZZA (1988): Annabeth Gish, Julia Roberts. "Daddy banging the babysitter is a really old story, Kat; it happens all the time."

18. BLAME IT ON RIO (1984): Michael Caine, Michelle Johnson. "You only live once, but it does help if you get to be young twice."

17. SPACE CAMP (1986): Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson. "Max and Jinx... Friends... For-e-ver."

16. BEACHES (1988): Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey. "But enough about me, let's talk about you... what do YOU think of me?"

15. SECRET ADMIRER (1985): C. Thomas Howell, Kelly Preston. "Jesus! You are one gutsy virgin!"

14. KARATE KID 2 (1986): Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita. "You insult my honor again, I'll kill you."

13. THE GREAT OUTDOORS (1988): Dan Aykroyd, John Candy. "Why do Chet's kids look at him like he's Zeus and my kids look at me like I'm a rack of lawn tools at Sears?"

12. CADDYSHACK (1980): Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield. "You're probably high already and you don't even know it."

11. DIRTY DANCING (1987): Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze. "Oh, come on, ladies. God wouldn't have given you maracas if He didn't want you to shake 'em."

10. LOVERBOY (1989): Patrick Dempsey, Kate Jackson. "I had a Letter to Penthouse staring me right in the face, and I let it go."

9. SHAG: THE MOVIE (1989): Phoebe Cates, Annabeth Gish. "Well, don't play hard to get. You might miss something."

8. SAY ANYTHING (1989): John Cusack, Ione Skye. "The rain on my car is a baptism, the new me, Ice Man, Power Lloyd, my assault on the world begins now."

7. ONE CRAZY SUMMER (1986): John Cusack, Demi Moore. "Hey, Hoops, you ever notice how people die in alphabetical order?"

6. SUMMER RENTAL (1985): Karen Austin, John Candy. "Come on thru. I'm Joe Public, welcome to my beach."

5. SUMMER LOVERS (1982): Peter Gallagher, Daryl Hannah. "Making love to you is like riding a horse."

4. THE FLAMINGO KID (1984): Matt Dillon, Hector Elizondo. "Gin, Phil."

3. MEATBALLS (1979): Bill Murray, Chris Makepeace. "The winner of tonight's mystery meat contest is Jeffrey Corbin who guessed 'some kind of beef.' "

2. SUMMER SCHOOL (1987): Mark Harmon, Kirstie Alley. "We have to see Annamaria in a bikini. It's very important."

1. VACATION (1983): Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo. "Sorry folks, park's closed. Moose out front shoulda told ya."

How'd we do? What movies are missing? What movies are overrated?

Live chat: Starting over again in the '80s

Hey gang, our weekly Sunday night chat is officially open for business.

Now that we're finished with the One-Hit Wonders of the 80s, I'm forced to think of a new year-by-year list for our podcast to tackle. So that's this week's topic: What other subjects make for a good year-by-year list?

Could it be "Top Album of the Year?" Biggest scandal of the year? Maybe something totally off the wall?

Also, feel to fire away with comments on this week's podcast or any other topic you want.

What I Am? Nauseous now, thank you

It's official now: We've completed our last show about one-hit wonders of the 1980s. The final installment -- one-hit wonders of 1989 -- is now online. Click here to listen. Or click here to get all our shows for free on iTunes.

To be honest, before last week, I can honestly say I hadn't heard of nearly any artist featured in this week's show. But wait til you hear the tunes -- the memories do come flooding back. Especially for co-host Sean Daly, who has a story about Edie Brickell's "What I Am" that will frankly turn your stomach. (And ruined my lunch plans for today as well.)

THE WEEKLY CHAT? Next question on the agenda ... will we have our weekly online chat tonight? I haven't heard how many people would be up for it. Would Monday night be a better time? Let me know. I'm flexible. Jabba has no social life.

Commies hate Indiana Jones!

The new Indiana Jones flick may be the cinematic equivalent of a bowl of cold borscht, but it has one distinct 80s feel to it: The communists HATE it.

According to the Reuters news service, Russian Communist Party members have condemned "The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" as "crude, anti-Soviet propaganda that distorts history and called for it to be banned from Russian screens."

Oh yeah, it's the Cold War all over again. I guess that fact that the lovely Cate Blanchett plays the evil KGB agent doesn't ease the pain for the Red Menace.

"What galls is how together with America we defeated Hitler, and how we sympathized when Bin Laden hit them," said Viktor Perov, a Communist Party member in Russia. "But they go ahead and scare kids with Communists. These people have no shame."

For the record, Viktor, ever since 1984's "Red Dawn," nobody is really afraid of Communists. Not when it turns out they can be single-handedly whipped by the likes of Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze.

"Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett (are) second-rate actors, serving as the running dogs of the CIA," said Andrei Gindos, another party member. "We need to deprive these people of the right of entering the country."

Times like this, you wonder if the Russkies remember the far more slanderous movies of the 80s.

TOP FIVE RED-BASHING MOVIES OF THE 80s:

5. SPIES LIKE US (1985): "Jesus, where did you learn your Russian, JCPenney?"

4. FIREFOX (1982): "You will not, of course, make it to wherever you are going. Goodbye, Mr. Gant!"

3. WHITE NIGHTS (1985): "What you call yourself is of no concern to us. Here, you're just a criminal."

2. RED DAWN (1984): "Boys! Avenge me! Avenge me!"

1. ROCKY IV (1985): "If he dies, he dies."

Here comes Robyn Hitchcock

I love it when a plan comes together: A week after writing about Robyn Hitchcock for the first time on Stuck in the 80s, the "Man with the Lightbulb Head" has announced a short slate of dates in the U.S. this summer.

Hitchcock's tour begins July 9 in Northampton, Mass., and rolls through New York and Pennsylvania the rest of the month, according to Pollstar.com. Will the tour grow to other cities in the U.S.? When it comes to predicting Hitchcock's next move, your guess is as good as mine.

But here's a nugget of good news for everyone: A new Robyn Hitchcock box set is on its way. "Luminous Groove" will feature his mid-80s work with The Egyptians, including the albums "Fegmania!" and "Element of Light." Two additional discs of previously unreleased studio and live material will round it, according to CMJ.com.

And get this: "Luminous Groove" also will be made available  as an eight-LP vinyl set. Time to scan garage sales for that beloved turntable, people!

Her name is Nicole and she dances on the sand

I'm not sure Simon Le Bon and his mates had Brazilian body wash in mind when they sang "Rio" back in the early '80s, but here it is.

Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls has recorded a throughly modernized pop version of the Duran Duran tune to promote Caress Brazilian Exotic Oil Infused Body Wash. (Or as I call it, "soap.") Click here to hear the song and watch the commercial.

(And click here to watch all my good memories of 80s music slowly slip away and die in horrible, twisted fashion with every new goof-ball commercial.)

A couple of Sharp Dressed Men

American Idol Season 7 winner David Cook seems pretty happy to be playing "Sharp Dressed Man" with ZZ Top during Wednesday night's finale. (Despite his '90s posturing, we always knew he was a child of the '80s all along.)

ZZ Top wasn't the only '80s act in the house. Bryan Adams and George Michael both brought down the house when they showed up on stage during medleys of their 80s hits.

(Plus, my final American Idol '80s connection of the year: Admit it ... Cook clinched this competition when he belted out his rendition of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" earlier this season.)

Catching up with The Cure

They've been around 30 years, sure, but you expect a respected 80s act like The Cure to earn praise beyond "healthy" and "dependable" for a live performance.

The band, in the middle of a four-month world tour, hit Chicago over the weekend. But the Sun-Times reviewer was thrifty (cranky even?) with the compliments.

"... Followers were thrilled to fill the Allstate Arena in Rosemont on Saturday, but to the wider world this was a non-event. That's because ... rock fans still prefer our pop stars mysterious and ephemeral. In contrast, years of grinding out albums and circling the globe has made the Cure seem workmanlike."

Click here to read the full review, but it will leave you shaking your head. The Cure plays Tampa's St. Pete Times Forum on June 11. Click here to see the full list of remaining tour stops.

[2004 Times photo]

A little mood music for you

We're still paring down the songs for our 1989 One-Hit Wonder Finale, but here's a compilation video to get you inspired in the meantime:

One-hit wonders of '89? Kill me now

Let's face it: By the year 1989, all the truly great music was long-gone, and we were all staring the 90s straight in the face. That's right, a decade of choreographed stage shows, nonsensical lyrics and musicians who couldn't find an interesting beat if you gave them a $10 bill, some Pabst Blue Ribbon and a funnel.

So it's with great trepidation and all-out fear and loathing that Stuck in the 80s is going to cover the one-hit wonders of 1989 in this week's show. You can expect me to be spitting up bile, cursing the sky and screaming into pillow as I cry myself to sleep for a week after we're done recording.

In the meantime, look over some of the songs that music websites have deemed as one-hit wonders of that year, and let me know what you like and what songs are missing.

Mrs. Loni Flick? Nope, that won't work

Call her "Jennifer Marlowe" or "Pembrook Feeney." Once you could even call her Mrs. Burt Reynolds. Just don't call her Loni Flick!

Loni Anderson, 62, married '60s folk singer Bob Flick on Saturday. Anderson first met Flick back in 1960 when his band -- The Brothers Four -- was king of the pop charts with the song "Greenfields," the Associated Press reports. And yes, the former "WKRP In Cincinnati" star is keeping her own last name.

Need another '80s angle? OK, but you won't like it. At the ceremony, according to the AP, Loni's granddaughters "wore the same diamond hearts the actress wore in the 1983 movie 'Stroker Ace.' " Even Burt cringes when anyone mentions that "flick."

[AP photo]

Annoying Indy quotes? Choose wisely

Among fans of the '80s, there's nothing more celebrated than the ability to quote our favorite movies in any social setting without hesitation.

But nothing brings as much personal satisfaction as badgering co-workers and bosses with these same trivial nuggets. So it gives me great glee to introduce today's guide to better office politics...

HOW TO ANNOY YOUR COWORKERS WITH INDIANA JONES QUOTES:

WHEN YOU STEAL THE LAST DONUT: "Again we see there is nothing you can possess which I cannot take away."

WHEN ANSWERING A CELL PHONE DURING A MEETING: "It's a transmitter, a radio for speaking to God."

TO CAP OFF THAT THREE-BEER LUNCH: "Ah, dessert! Chilled monkey brains."

WHEN THE INTERN BUNGLES AN ASSIGNMENT: "You lost today, kid. But that doesn't mean you have to like it."

WHEN ACCIDENTALLY STUMBLING INTO A MANAGERS-ONLY MEETING: "Nazis. I hate these guys."

TACO-DAY AT THE COMPANY CAFETERIA: "My son, we're pilgrims in an unholy land."

A CO-WORKER RATS YOU OUT TO THE HR DEPARTMENT: "I knew you would sell your mother for an Etruscan vase. But I didn't know you would sell out your country and your soul... to the slime of humanity."

WHEN HANDED THAT PINK SLIP: "And this is how we say goodbye in Germany .... (slap!)"

Bratislava hates the 80s!

It sounded like a dream show -- Kim Wilde, Howard Jones and Kajagoogoo. The three acts were all set to appear in "80s Idols" -- a mega-show scheduled for ... Bratislava?

The May 23 show has been canceled because the promoter dropped the ball on his end of the deal, according to the always-informative Remember The Eighties website.

Hey, if Bratislava can't swing enough interest, send those three acts to the U.S. for the summer. They can join up with the Regeneration Tour and turn it into 80s festival weekend.

TICKETS ON SALE: Speaking of the Regeneration Tour, tickets for the Aug. 2 Las Vegas stop went on sale on Saturday. If you're planning on hooking up with me and the other Stuck in the 80s fans traveling to Vegas for that weekend, drop me an e-mail.

Indiana Jones ... and space aliens?

Don't call me a sour-puss, call me a soothsayer. Here's more bad news about the new "Indiana Jones" flick.

Former St. Pete Times television critic and frequent Stuck in the 80s guest-host Chase Squires caught a special screening of "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" on Sunday, and he was dumbfounded on how simply dreadful it was.

"Oh, sweet Jeebus. This movie made NO sense and burned through millions in pointless special effects, interesting no one," Chase writes in his "Dirty Thoughts" blog. "The dialogue is silly, the premise involves space aliens (seriously, space aliens). ... Not to mention the fist fights (about 72 percent of the movie is fist fights), and Harrison Ford looks positively annoyed."

In this week's Stuck in the 80s podcast, I said it could be the flop of the summer. And that's before I even knew about the space aliens. Come on, Spielberg. You haven't exactly been living up to your reputation lately. "War of the Worlds" ... "The Terminal" ... "Artificial Intelligence: AI" ... yeeesh!

But wrecking the holy trilogy of Indiana Jones? (And no Nazi's?) At least people can no longer say "Temple of Doom" is the worst movie of the series. (Was that your goal, Steven?)

"Dude, it is an abomination," Chase wrote me in an e-mail late last night. "Warn the peeps. It is so unbelievably awful."

Your picks: Best summer movies

During last night's live chat, we covered a number of topics: our latest podcast, the TV theme song rankings, the new Indiana Jones flick, etc.

But special thanks to everyone who helped with suggestions on their favorite 80s movies about the summer. Sure, there's the obvious pick -- 1987's "Summer School" with Mark Harmon -- but we uncovered dozens more. I'm planning on unveiling the official ranking on Memorial Day.

In the meantime, a quickie list to get you in the spirit of the season.

TOP 5 LINES FROM SUMMER SCHOOL:

5. "This menstruation thing? It's a scam! Women are so lucky."

4. "Can I call my folks and tell them I won't be coming home... ever?"

3. "You want me to lie? ... Okay."

2. "So, you're all alone and you like young girls."

1. "(Screams)... Tension-breaker. Had to be done."

Indiana Jones sequel ... your worst nightmare

The Internet reviews of the new Indiana Jones movie -- "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" -- are confirming what many of us feared all along: Extending the life of a trilogy that began and ended in the '80s was a very bad idea.

One review posted on Aintitcool.com called it "the Indiana movie that you were dreading."

Some more criticisms from the reviewer known only as ShogunMaster:

• Harrison Ford "has a few lines that work and a million that don't. He just never shows signs of worry or distress."
• Karen Allen ("Marion Ravenwood") "was actually really great when she was first introduced. ... But after that five minutes, she was sporting a big muggy smile as they continued on their adventure and she was never scared, worried, or nervous, even with the stupid moments that she tries to help."
• This episode's villain, Cate Blanchett, "wasn't overly horrible, but her characters' abilities of psychic prowess were never successfully used and she whenever she caught Indy she was never really intimidating or bad."

Just when you think ShogunMaster is just being cranky, he wraps it up with a telling comparison to the Star Wars prequels: "For those of you that feel that the new Star Wars movies robbed your childhood, expect some molestations from Uncles' George and Steven." Ouch. That's worse than taking a lash of Indy's bull whip across your Holy Grail.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: Our podcast tribute to "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Temple of Doom" and "The Last Crusade" is now online. Click here to listen. Or click here to download all our shows for free via iTunes.

[AP photo]

Sex, Food, Death ... and Robyn Hitchcock

English singer/songwriter Robyn Hitchcock is not stuck in the 80s, though his work with his band The Egyptians during those heady years is worthy of praise decades later.

Rather, Hitchcock's career now spans more than 30 years, from the early days of 1976 with The Soft Boys to his current projects involving long-time friends Nick Lowe, John Paul Jones, Peter Buck and others.

Finally, there's a DVD out there that shines a brighter spotlight on the dark but mischievous Hitchcock and his music. "Sex, Food, Death ... and Insects" debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007 and has now found its way to home disc.

The documentary follows Hitchcock recording a new album at his London home, followed by performances in New Jersey and Seattle. Click here to see a trailer. And click here to see an interview with Hitchcock from the Sundance Channel.

[Photo from www.robynhitchcock.com]

Indiana Jones podcast? ... "You go first"

That's right, gang. Sean Daly and I are sitting down this afternoon to record our tribute to the Indiana Jones trilogy. And we're bringing back the big gun: Times film critic Steve Persall will join us again this week.

I can't wait to see how Sean manages to work a story about Molly Sherman into this podcast. (No jokes about "pythons" please.) However, everyone's favorite TV spaz has vowed to give us something special this week: A list of top 10 quotes from "Raiders of the Lost Ark" -- as performed by Sean himself!

The best part is that you and I can help decide which lines Sean will perform. So drop me a comment with your suggestions. Feel free to load up the list with "Marion Ravenwood" lines. After all, Sean and Karen Allen have legs that are nearly indistinguishable.

Guess who's coming to Tampa Bay...

This summer's biggest 80s show -- The Regeneration Tour -- has announced it will play Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall on Aug. 30.

And yes, that's the same tour that a handful of Stuck in the 80s fans -- myself included -- are flying across the country to see on Aug. 2 in Las Vegas. (Surely there are other things to do in that town, right? Aside from getting "Ione Skye" tattooed across my chest.)

The lineup for the Clearwater show is slightly different than other stops on the tour. The Human League, Belinda Carlisle and Dead or Alive won't be on this leg. Instead, Missing Persons, the Romantics and A Flock of Seagulls will join ABC and Naked Eye. Personally, I think the lineup is just as good for the local show.

You know that what means: I'll definitely be up for watching that show again later that month. So anyone up for coming down to Tampa Bay that weekend, give me a holler.

Tom Waits goes paperless for tour

Tom Waits is hitting the road for a tour of the Southern United States this summer -- "where they still love a man who wears red pants and they make him feel welcome," he says online -- but that's not the most interesting curiosity of this news.

Waits is going to be the first artist to use Ticketmaster's new paperless ticket system. Instead of being issued a ticket via mail or will-call, concert goers will need to bring the credit card they used to buy their seats along with a government-issued ID card (a driver's license will do). An attendant will swipe the card and provide a receipt.

The new system is intended to cut down on scalpers.

Tickets for the Waits tour go on sale Friday, May 16. The tour begins June 17 in Phoenix and winds up July 5 in Atlanta. There's one Florida date on the tour -- July 1 in Jacksonville. (Tom, trust me, in Jacksonville, a man who wears red pants is not only unwelcome -- but he's taking his own life into his hands.)

[AP photo]

Mogul throwdown: Zemeckis vs. Lucas

Two big names in '80s film-making share a birthday today: George Lucas, 64, and Robert Zemeckis, 57. (Nevermind the guy in the middle of the photo. He's probably just some anonymous fan getting his photo taken with his heroes.)

Though perhaps their signature work was outside our decade -- Lucas' "Star Wars" began in 1977 and Zemeckis' scored with "Forrest Gump" in 1994 -- they each left big footprints in the '80s ... along with a couple of trips and stumbles.

So which Hollywood god should be giving the other one noogies today? Which mogul reigns supreme? Here we go...

HIGHLIGHT FLICKS
LUCAS: George didn't direct much in the 80s, but his writing and producing skills helped crank out hits like the "Indiana Jones" trilogy, "Labyrinth" and even the unlikely "Body Heat."
ZEMECKIS: Robert has the "Back to the Future" trilogy to hang his hat on, though he'd probably rather forget Parts 2 and 3. (I know the rest of us have.)

LOWLIGHT FLICKS
LUCAS: All I have to say here is "Howard the Duck" and Michael Jackson's "Captain EO." 
ZEMECKIS: I'm going to catch grief for this, but I can't stand 1988's "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" OK, then let's talk about the el-bombo "1941" -- released in December 1979, so it was still stinking up screens briefly into the 80s.

FORGOTTEN FLICKS
LUCAS: The would-be Val Kilmer star vehicle "Willow" was written by Lucas. Though I doubt he takes credit for the line, "You are so beautiful! Your eyes! Your whiskers! I have to kiss you!"
ZEMECKIS: Let's start with the guilty pleasure of 1980's "Used Cars." And remember, he also directed "Romancing the Stone," back when Kathleen Turner could still act. (I'm kidding. ... She could never act.)

WHO WINS?
Tough call. George has the "Star Wars" legacy and the upcoming revival of Indiana Jones (stay tuned for this week's podcast!). But maybe we should be thankful that Zemeckis doesn't have a "Back to the Future" prequel for us to kick around. ("Back to the Future 6: Revenge of the Biff")

You tell us! Which one wins this battle?

[Getty Images]

25 greatest TV theme songs of the 80s

The tunes defined our generation -- at least from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. every weeknight during our formative years.

Today, they serve as 30-second bursts of memories of the good old days, when the most drama we had was whether to feather our hair or krimp it. Or perhaps deciding which color corduroy pants to wear with our brand-new REO Speedwagon concert tees. (You never go wrong with navy blue!)

Welcome to the official Stuck in the 80s list of the 25 best TV theme songs from our favorite decade. We considered your input along with the expert advice of Times media critic Eric Deggans to fine-tune the final rankings.

Don't forget to listen to this week's podcast, which unveils our rationale for the top 10 TV theme songs. Click here to listen. Or click here to get all our shows for free via iTunes.

In the meantime, get in full couch-potato mode and set the remote control aside for this list.

TOP 25 TV THEME SONGS OF THE 80s:

25. Star Trek: The Next Generation [watch]

24. Taxi [watch]

23. Facts of Life [