Forgotten '80s album classics: Queen's 'The Game'

Somebody explain why nobody talks about Queen's 1980 album The Game anymore? The 10 songs on it practically define the end of the '70s and start of the '80s in so many ways.

I can't imagine rollerskating as a teen without Another One Bites The Dust, but this song -- Play The Game -- is my official SIT80s earworm of the weekend. (Because trust me, you don't want track No. 2 off the album -- Dragon Attack -- as your earworm. Click the link. But you have been warned.)

The Game is up next as the Stuck in the '80s podcast honors the classic albums of the '80s. But first we want your opinion: What are the best tracks? Worst tracks? Underrated tunes? Where does this album stand among '80s albums? How many of you owned it when it first came out?

Tell us your Queen stories! You know it will make you feel better. And rest in peace, Freddie Mercury. We got your back.

The key to Stuck in the '80s' success? Bologna

Here at Stuck in the '80s, we get all sorts of interesting things in the mail from fans. Boxes stuffed with Funyuns bags, a vintage Soviet Union soccer jersey, E.T. soap and even squid-flavored snacks from Korea. It’s a strange world.

But last week, everyone was equally dumbfounded by an empty package of Oscar Mayer bologna . . . until we looked closer at the writing on it.

“To Stuck in the ’80s . . . Best show ever! Glad Wos is back. The threesome rocks. Stuck in the ’80s yay!”

Ah-ha! It’s about our latest show featuring the fab three of Spearsy, Sean Daly and Cathy Wos, when we covered the “horrible hits” of 1984.

Remember the ongoing storyline about bologna? An e-mail that was read during the show proudly proclaimed that bologna — something Daly uttered briefly more than a year ago — was now a favorite catchphrase for at least one hard-core fan of the podcast.

Listen to the full podcast here if you need a refresher course. Meanwhile, the cost of sending an empty package of bologna from just down the road in Gulfport to downtown St. Petersburg? A cool $1.22.

Ghostbusters car for sale on eBay

For sale: 1959 Cadillac with 100,000 miles. Previous owners: Dr. Peter Venkman, Dr. Raymond Stantz, Dr. Egon Spengler. Features include new tires, room for three unlicensed nuclear accelerators, customized logo on the side ... oh, and room to store up to a dozen ectoplasmic entities.

Yes, the real Ghostbusters car is for sale on eBay today. So far, the top bid is $40,000, but that doesn't appear to meet the owner's set reserved price. The vehicle appears to be in a car museum in Ohio. Click here to see the item on eBay, but hurry -- the auction ends today.

Three epic words: Rick Springfield Cruise

You love the '80s. You love cruises. You love Dr. Noah Drake. This is your lucky day. Behold the 2009 Rick Springfield Cruise, starring Rick Springfield, Richard Marx and MTV veejay Mark Goodman.

Doug Davidson (The Young and the Restless) and Brandon Barash (General Hospital) are also on the VIP guest list, but you want to hear more about Springfield, right?

The four-night cruise -- Nov. 12-16-- is on the Carnival Destiny out of Miami. There's just one stop: Cozumel, Mexico. The rest of the time, it's just you, Rick and the rolling waves.

You want the price, I know ... but wait! There's more!

According to the official Rick Springfield Cruise website -- that's a job I need -- the trip includes:

• Full concerts and more intimate unplugged shows by both Springfield and Marx.
• Q&A sessions with Springfield, Davidson and Barash. (What? No Q&A with Goodman and Marx? Seriously, I have questions for them!)
• Photo and autograph opportunities with Springfield.
• Free towel-animal demonstration by Stuck in the '80s blogger Steve Spears.

(That last item isn't confirmed. I'm still waiting for the contract to arrive in the mail.)

I'm sure more is planned, but they want to keep us guessing. Don't count on Richard Marx serving you Baked Alaska on the final dinner of the cruise though. However, if Mark Goodman wants to show me how to deshell my lobster tail, I won't object.

Okay, so the cost now. Assuming some cabins are still available, the cost is $899 to $1,799 per person based on double occupancy (2 people per cabin), depending on where your cabin is on the ship. Plus, there's an additional port charge of $219 per person. So you better really, REALLY love Rick Springfield. Or towel animals.

By the way, there's an online promotion to get free tickets to the cruise. Click here to enter.

Monday mood-adjuster: Literal video of Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'

This "literal version" of Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart has been on the Web for a while now, but it's Monday morning and we all need a reason for a laugh:

Okay, back to your drudgery.

Lamar from 'Revenge of the Nerds' isn't gay?

"Lamar Latrelle" from Revenge of the Nerds might be one of the most underrated roles of the '80s. In fact, that entire movie probably has more iconic characters than any other 10 movies from the '80s combined: Wormser, Lamar, Booger, Ogre, Poindexter, Takashi, the list goes on.

Lucky for us that Heeb Magazine caught up with actor Larry B. Scott, who played Lamar, for a recent interview. It's one of the best '80s interviews we've read in ages. In it you'll learn:

• That Scott himself isn't gay. "I can’t tell you how many times gay guys have come up to me and said: ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you. You’ve held our flag up so high!’ But that was just my job as an actor."
• Scott is recognized as Lamar up to 20 times a day. (Don't forget he was also in Space Camp, Iron Eagle and Karate Kid. Yep, I believe he was the only black member of Cobra-Kai.)
• And no, he didn't hold onto that javelin he used during the Greek Competition. Sadly, it's probably in a landfill somewhere.

Heeb Magazine also did interviews with Ogre and Wormser that are worth reading.

Brooke Shields is back! Just as we predicted

Just hours after Stuck in the '80s predicted a big career boost for her after Michael Jackson's memorial service, Brooke Shields is making good on our prognostication.

Shields just inked a deal for her first movie in 10 YEARS. Yes, it's been a decade since her last mainstream screen appearance (1999's Black and White.)

Our beloved star of Blue Lagoon and Endless Love will co-star in a Furry Vengeance, The Hollywood Reporter says. The live-action family comedy will also star Brendan Fraser, Dick Van Dyke, Ken Jeong and Samantha Bee, THR says.

Mock if you must all the celebrity posing at Tuesday's memorial service at the Staples Center, but Shields had tears a-flowing during her brief time at the podium. It was the first real human moment of the day -- maybe the only depending on what you make of Paris Jackson's speech at the end -- and it was bound to remind us all of what we've been missing for 10 years.

TOP 5 BROOKE SHIELDS LINES FROM BLUE LAGOON:

5. "I've seen you playing with it, and I'll tell your father ... IF he ever gets here."

4. "When it stops hurting, we'll do it."

3. "It doesn't scare them off unless I can spear them! "

2. "You're the best at everything, Richard! Now get off!"

1. "You're always staring at my buppies."

[Getty Images]

Behold the actual homes from 'Better Off Dead'

Our Stuck in the '80s paparazzi is back on the prowl, this time shooting photos of the houses from 1985's Better Off Dead. Brad Williams, our SoCal correspondent, files this report:

I'm starting to feel a bit like a stalker. Nobody was around at the "Ricky Smith" house (right, at 1633 Virginia Avenue in Glendale, Calif.), but it looked like the owner had just gotten home at the "Lane Meyer" home (above, right across the street at 1636 Virginia Avenue in Glendale).

The interior of the garage is visible in the shot - I don't know if they used the house itself or just the exteriors in Better Off Dead, but if they did, that's where Lane Meyer first attempted to off himself in the movie.

I snapped a couple pictures from the middle of the street and headed back to my car before the owner emerged to question me.

The trees in the front of the house have been added since the film was shot, and a pull-through driveway cuts across where Lane's Camaro sat in an "auto cocoon," but the house is otherwise recognizable. No homemade space shuttles burst from the roof in the brief time I was there.

The "Smith" house looks just as I remember it from the film, with the big trees in the front and the small porch/stoop where Monique sat and laughed at Ricky's picture, although the lawn was a little ragged.

Enjoy!
-- Brad

Finally, a worthy 'Sid and Nancy' tribute

Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen? The two stars of the upcoming movie (500) Days of Summer recreate a classic scene from the 1986 movie Sid & Nancy for a new video series.

It's called Cinemash, and it's brought to us from the clever-minded Mean Magazine. You can see the full clip right here. Next week, Cheech and Chong reportedly recreate the animated movie Tron, according to the always-hip Pop Candy blog.

By the way, my Stuck in the '80s co-host Sean Daly says (500) Days of Summer is really the "Steve Spears Story," if you look at the more tragic recent events in my personal life. See why by watching the movie trailer at his blog.

Our favorite '80s cover band prepares Cuban invasion

If '80s music doesn't finally drag Cuba into democracy and the 21st century, nothing will.

That's why Rubix Cubed, the '80s cover band based in Tampa, is headed to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base next week. Well, that and they're the final musical guest booked the entertain the troops by Stuck in the '80s guest host "Jeff in Cuba," who is finally leaving the Navy and heading for greener pastures in Germany in a few weeks. (Click here to listen to our Red Scare podcast, featuring Jeff.)

Read the full story about Rubix Cubed's trip here. We expect reviews and news when you get home.

If Gitmo isn't in your travel plans, head to Skipper's Smokehouse in Tampa on July 24. Rubix Cubed performs a benefit show for Faces of Courage at 7 p.m. Admission is a $10 donation.