It was a dark but not so stormy night on the streets of Tokyo the night before Halloween. The Shibuya area is world famous for its wild celebration of the holiday, with equally cutesy and scary cosplayers roaming the streets the entire week. Meanwhile, Burger King is trying hard to appeal in the Japanese marketplace. With a new “Ghost Whopper” on the way, it seemed only natural to tie it all together and open the world’s only haunted Burger King. Of course, we were live on the scene to check it out.

Located right off one of the world’s busiest intersections, sits an everyday non-haunted BK. The whole shop was closed down and transformed specifically for one week only. When I first heard of the promotion, I assumed it was a pop-up shop (very trendy in Tokyo). No, it was their flagship store! And apparently the only place in Japan to get the Ghost Whopper.

Upon approach, a police man was standing outside with a megaphone. I honestly couldn’t tell if he was a real cop or an actor dressed as a cop warning people of zombie invasions inside. The storefront was wrapped in caution tape and cosplayers were at the ready to take photos.

Inside, the spooky decor picked up a notch. The menus had all been changed to feature only haunted hamburgers, fries, and nuggets (there was an industry wide nugget PR crisis in Japan a few years ago, so fast food places are always trying to upsell them). Between overgrown vines and overstuffed trash bins are posters that read “No Whopper After Life”. Wow, there’s so many ways to interpret that. There’s a common phrase trendy Japan shops use that I think this is a spoof on: No [insert product type here] No Life. For example, No Bubble Tea No Life. No Music No Life. No Whopper After Life.

So, how was the ghost infected burger itself? The bun was white, which I thought meant it would be a special flavor. No, it just tasted like regular ol’ BK. Also, I basically eat hamburgers like a picky 5 year old, so I scraped off most of the toppings. It’s generally not cool to customize food orders in Japanese culture. Plus, my language skills aren’t up to par for the challenge anyway.

I probably would’ve been disappointed to go to any regular Burger King for a Ghost Whopper. But the special trip to a themed fast food restaurant was worth the experience. Here’s hoping for a re-branding of the special bun as some sort of winter themed snow burger in a couple months!

The documentary, which was backed on Kickstarter last year (and you can read more about it in our interview with Weird Paul here), has its world premiere at the Harris Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA on June 23, 2018.

Weird Paul proves himself to be relatable in ways you may not expect. His artist’s struggle is shown in the modern day, functioning world from working a job to pursue your passion (yes, your job doesn’t need to be your passion, how liberating!) to simply making one nostalgic for their own home videos. One of the big themes in this film is sacrifice. At one point, a key player in the film hopes the documentary will help convey the lifestyle artists choose to get their work out to the world. There are a few touching scenes where Paul has to choose between following his passion and daily distraction. Faced with these challenges again and again, it seems that the biggest regret in the name of sacrifice he has is a period where he was trying to be someone he’s not. Spoken like a true artist.

Weird Paul’s diligence and perseverance in filling thousands of VHS tapes full of his life has captured some amazing things. A short section features Weird Paul telling the audience it’s his birthday, year after year, as we see him age in the short clips. Nowadays it might be more common to see parents doing this for their kids on Facebook, but in the 80s? Not a chance.

It was also interesting to see the behind-the-scenes of Weird Paul’s YouTube videos, the work and preparation behind each one.

Before video, Weird Paul would record onto audio tapes. I’m sure we’ve all done this as kids, pretending to have your own radio show, writing and performing your own parody songs and skits, but Weird Paul stuck with all of this, creating a prolific and incomparable body of work. He also meticulously archived all of his work throughout his entire life. Shelves in the house line the wall, filled with 30 year old VHS tapes. When he refers to himself as “the original vlogger”, he means it and has the proof to back up the claim!

“The hardest part of post-production is that we had over 900 home videos submitted to us by Paul, and that wasn’t even half of his entire collection! It was tedious work going through them (the videos weren’t all labeled) and identifying those moments that would best be able to tell his story. This was a constant journey that happened over about 14 months, as we would travel to Pittsburgh to continue shooting new material while editing back in L.A. at the same time,” Will Work for Views’ Producer Adam Brewer recalled.

What did his parents think of all this? Don’t worry, the documentary sits down with his family for some more inside information from their perspective. As Weird Paul’s mom says, “You only get one shot in your lifetime, might as well do something you enjoy doing”.

Despite the intentionally Lo-Fi nature of Weird Paul’s work, directors Joseph Litzinger and Eric Michael Schrader deliver a documentary that displays top-notch film making technique. When starting our preview screening, we were expecting an entire movie shot on VHS. Instead, the directors chose to film their portions in high definition. This was more than a technical decision, it turned out to actually create a solid boundary between what content was from Weird Paul directly and what was new in telling his story. The editing really shines as the story of three decades of video content comes together seamlessly to succinctly tell a well structured view into the subject matter. Will Work For Views could have easily been for a small audience of dedicated hardcore lo-fi fans, but Litzinger and Schrader instead created a movie that is accessible to everyone. That’s the secret to the movie magic of this feature. A hundred years from now, people will be studying the birth of social media and this film will live on as a historical piece that bridges the gap between early VHS home video and our YouTube driven world of today.

Weird Paul has and continues to face challenges in his life and career. Choosing to follow one’s passion and bliss in the face of societal demands can be a challenge. Spending time doing chores and up-keeping a house is all time spent away from creating and producing content. The documentary showcases Weird Paul’s struggle with this dilemma.

While Weird, Paul is incredibly relatable and down-to-earth. He replies to comments online, interacts with his fans at shows, makes himself accessible, and doesn’t take anything for granted. The movie always does a great job depicting the other side of YouTube comments, with a few clips of Weird Paul reading some mean comments posted on his videos. Not only are the comments unnecessary, they are a distraction in what could be the creation of more art – something a lot of YouTubers must face. Weird Paul is just a guy a doing what he loves, why does anyone need to post negative reactions to his hair cut? The irony is, of course, that there’s more truth in Weird Paul’s off beat songs than any foul mouthed YouTube comment thrown his way.

At his core, Weird Paul wants to entertain and make a difference in people’s lives, no matter how small. As silly as some of Weird Paul’s videos and songs are, he’s there as a distraction, as a way to improve the audience’s life little by little. By the end of the movie, as an audience member, you’ll find yourself co-celebrating in Weird Paul’s successes. There’s build-up to a full fledged rock performance of his hit “Peanut Butter Recall” and the payoff does not disappoint. Not only does the song bring down the house and score points with a new crowd, but the journey is made all worthwhile by Weird Paul’s positive takeaways from the experience.

So far, there has only been one family and friends-style screening of Will Work for Views, but the film is already winning people over. “What we can say is that people’s reactions to the movie, even those that didn’t know who Paul was, suddenly became instant Weird Paul fans. They were engaging just like he would have wanted. The overall response was, ‘Wow, he’s been doing this longer than anyone, and we can’t imagine how he feels waiting for the overnight success that other YouTubers have seen over the years.’ They all really admired the passion that he had in holding on to everything and using YouTube as a platform to repackage and show his work to an audience that didn’t exist in the 80s,” said Brewer.

This also means that Weird Paul himself has not yet watched the documentary.

“We thought it would be really cool to get his honest reaction during the upcoming world premiere in Pittsburgh, especially since many of his fans will be in attendance for the Q&A panel that we’re having following the screening,” Brewer explained.

Overall, Will Work for Views is a wonderful tribute to one weird dude and the weird dudes that live in all of us. The world needs to see this film. And buy some more Weird Paul records like we did immediately after watching the film. Seriously, we can’t stop singing some of those songs out loud at random.

Right now there are no other screening scheduled, but the crew is looking at other theatrical screening possibilities in select cities. If you’re not in Pittsburgh, have no fear—Brewer expects that Will Work for Views will be available through home streaming services later this year.

Be sure to check out Weird Paul on YouTube and subscribe so you don’t miss any of his hilarious music videos, nostalgic vlogs, or entertaining reviews!

If you’d like to see more from Interesting Human Media, visit their website here. Interesting Human Media is currently in post-production for their second feature, Zulu Summer, the story of a small-town radio DJ in Butte, Montana that receives a mysterious e-mail from an African prince and forges an international alliance that brings their two communities together.

Be sure to check out the world premiere of Will Work for Views: The Lo-Fi Life of Weird Paul on June 23 if you happen to be in the Pittsburgh, PA area and stay tuned for more information on the documentary!

Special thanks to AJ of The Classic Red Green Page who asked us how Lee’s Game Boy modding from our Scary Books and Stuff podcast episode back in October went and requested it as a podcast topic. We’re nothing if not punctual. Or the opposite.

In this episode of the Pop Rewind Podcast, Linz and Lee venture down the path of retro handheld gaming and Lee goes on a Back to the Future Rant (TM).

Listen on SoundCloud:

Heck, it’s even on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Did my first Gameboy mod this weekend with success! White bivert backlight with custom case and buttons. Super Mario Land has never been better. #gameboy #dmg #mario

A post shared by Pop Rewind (@poprewind) on Oct 15, 2017 at 11:34am PDT

Lee’s Taco Bell color scheme Game Boy!

Recommendations:

Linz has really been into Teen Titans Go! She also recommends playing “Weird Al” Dungeons & Dragons.

Lee is all about the Nintendo Switch Game “Late Shift”, which apparently has nothing to do with the Letterman vs. Leno Late Night wars. Who knew!

POLL!:

Is Linz the only person that still plays Pokemon Go? Hit us up on Twitter at @PopRewindOnline and let us know! #TeamLee if you’re like Lee and don’t play anymore, or #TeamLinz if you gotta catch ’em all!

We’re proud to partner once again with RetroDaze for their Annual Article Writing Contest! We’ll be judging entries once again and we can’t wait to read what you all come up with!

Be sure to head on over to RetroDaze to read all about the rules and how to enter.

Articles should be at least 600 words in length and must focus on the theme “Vacations and Road Trips of our Youth”. There are no year restrictions, but articles should focus on the author’s youth (nothing beyond high school). Also note, vacations or road trips can be from any time of the year, not necessarily Summer.

ONE winner will receive an Amazon Digital Gift Card valued at $300, so get writing!

Entries must be submitted by 11:59 a.m. (EST) June 17, 2018. Enter as many articles as you like. There is no limit. Articles must be all new, original works that have not been previously submitted or published elsewhere.

Good luck to all who enter! We’re excited to read all about your vacations and road trips from your youth!

Join us in this Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Podcast where we talk about meeting “Weird Al” Yankovic together on his current tour. What amazing thing did Weird Al say to us that made meeting him the best moment of our lives?! Stay tuned to find out! We also chat about our origin story and how we spent our Friday nights growing up (hint: it is, of course, Weird Al-related).

Heck, it’s even on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!

Mentioned in This Episode:

POLL!:

What song is on your dream setlist for this Weird Al tour? Hit us up on Twitter at @PopRewindOnline with #TeamLee for “Good Enough For Now” (but really, “I’ll Repair for You”) or #TeamLinz for “Dog Eat Dog” (but really, “Frank’s 2000″ TV”).

You guys, it’s a weird one. Buckle up while Linz tries to explain this: we’re talking about TV shows that we watched that NO ONE else did. Just stuff that either didn’t appeal to our peers so they never gave it a chance (giving us no one to discuss these works of art with) or television shows on at odd hours that only social outcasts such as ourselves could truly appreciate. Join us on a journey of terrible and also really good TV. Most of all, be sure to tell us if you’ve seen any of these shows and what you thought of them. AND!!! If you have any obscure television show suggestions for us, let us know.

Heck, it’s even on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher!

Mentioned in this Episode:

Linz’s List:

Forever Knight / Nick Knight

Nick Knight, the made-for-TV-movie-pilot for Forever Knight. Read more about it here!

But since we’re talking about TV shows, here’s some Forever Knight:

Dog House

Dog House is just as bad as you imagine it to be.

Of course, the Billy Madison cameo:

Let The Blood Run Free

The Australian soap opera parody that took place in a hospital is so worth watching. Binge this, for real.

Genesis StoryTime

While no video footage of Genesis StoryTime has been found, you can read this riveting article Linz wrote about it a few years back.

Boogie’s Diner

The only bit of Boogie’s Diner we can find is this clip from what might be a fetish YouTube channel dubbed in a language that is not English.

That’s really creepy…

So instead, here’s a video of James Marsden doing an A++ impression of Garth Brooks. We await your Chris Gaines follow-up impression, Marsden.

Lee’s List:

Frank Leaves for the Orient

Lee Leaves for Japan, oops, we mean, Frank Leaves for the Orient, was a weird Comedy Central Show. Did you see it? Lee would like to speak with you.

The New Monkees

We’re still looking for a copy of “Clone of My Own”, because of course we are. Hit us up if you have one!

Viper

This television show was not protected by Viper because its ass got canned.

Clarissa Now

Treat yourself and binge the whole episode of Clarissa Now!

Flash Forward

If you only know Jewel Staite from Firefly, do yourself a favor and check out Flash Forward! Just maybe don’t mention it to Jewel.

Science Court

It’s probably too late for any of us to learn science, but if you have some kids, introduce them to Science Court to learn them some booksmarts.

Most Importantly: Check It Out!

Hello shoppers and welcome to Cobb’s! If you like Don Adams, you’ll love Check It Out. If you’re curious why Lee and Linz are friends, please refer yourself to Viker, aka Gordon Clapp.

Recommendations:

Linz has been reading, and loving, the book Retro TV Lover Presents All the Single Girls, a book by Jeanine Furino!: All The Single Girls. You can check her out on Twitter at @RetroTV_Nerd!

Lee’s obsession with Gameboy Camera FUNtography is next level.

POLL!

Are you guys hoarders? What do you do with your stuff? Be sure to hit us up on Twitter at @PopRewindOnline with #TeamLinz if you don’t want Linz to open her amiibo
or #TeamLee (plz no) if you want Linz to open her amiibo!

Burger King runs low on Pokemon toys, The Tuscaloosa News, November 13, 1999.

Noted in the article: “A week’s supply disappeared at some locations in a few days, resulting in long lines of disappointed parents, children and collectors, some of whom tried to buy hundreds of the items at a time, Burger King officials said.”

1.) Disappointment and Burger King go hand-in-hand, why is this article reporting it like news?

2.) Scalpers. Man.

Tomorrow’s treasures, The Spokesman Review, January 3, 2000

“When Cub Scout Pack No. 345 decided to bury a time capsule in December, each Scout had the chance to put in something he considered special from the past year. The objects included Pokemon cards, sports cards, homemade Christmas ornaments and Evan Miller’s toy car.”

Aim high.

Burger King apologizes for Pokemon shortage, The Ledger, November 23, 1999

These are trying times we live in.

“The toys and trading cards created a stampede at some Burger King restaurants. Some restaurants ran out of toys and cards immediately.”

Don’t worry, they still have plenty of burgers.

Burger King recalling Pokemon toys’ containers, The Free Lance-Star, December 28, 1999

Ok, this one is a little sad, so I’ll lay off the “Burger King is terrible” jokes. A 13 month old suffocated on the container for one of the Pokemon toys. Sorry little guy/gal.

Let’s lighten this back up, shall we.

Shorter school year would have benefits, The Student Gazette, May 19, 2000

This is a great little opinion piece from Jessica in fourth grade. I mean, if they made work like this, I’d show up more often.

“The teachers would make the kids be quieter and more cooperative with the bus driver. When we have rollerskating parties, I would like them to be five hours long and they would give out free things such as candy or Pokemon cards.”

Hell yeah Jessica, sign me up for this!

Health Briefs: Pokemon may be cancer trigger, Star-News, January 21, 2005

Um. What?!

“An international team of scientists believes it has found cancer’s master switch with the discover of a gene they dubbed ‘Pokemon’.”

…but can you not?

Phony Pokemon: Trading cards latest target of counterfeiters, The Times/Beaver Newspapers Inc., Pennsylvania, December 15, 1999

“So far this year, Pokemon fakers have been arrested in at least four states. Customs officials have seized more than $20 million worth of counterfeit Pokemon goods in the last six months– about half of that trading cards.”

What are you in for?
I killed a man.
I robbed six banks

…

OH U BADASS.

The Pokemon mania won’t last, Gainesville Sun, November 22, 1999

“However, like the wildly popular baseball cards that were red hot 10 years ago, this junk will also fade as a fad and you’ll be using them to light your fireplaces next winter. Pokemon is another sad example of the “dumbing down” of America”.

Sorry, I had to edit this article to make it a bit more accurate:

That is all.

When you’re done with our #80sValentines, be sure to head over to Rediscover the 80s for their half!

If you need more options for your very own 80s Valentine, be sure to check out last year’s

10 Even More ’80s-Themed Valentines We’d Like to Receive, 2016’s 10 More ’80s-Themed Valentines We’d Like to Receive and 2015’s 10 80s-Themed Valentines We’d Like to Receive.

Be sure to head over to our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (as well as Rediscover the 80s’ Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) for more exclusive #80sValentines!

Airline Amy

Perhaps more of a flight attendant love going unrequited, but what lady out there can resist Al’s new mission: “Gotta get you in an upright locked position”.

Polka Your Eyes Out

Nothing says I love you like a polka medley. Or at least this one. Al gets a little more risque with the inclusion of Warrant’s “Cherry Pie”, Digital Underground’s “Humpty Dance”, Divinyl’s “I Touch Myself”, and Bell Biv Devoe’s “Do Me Baby”. Things are heatin’ up in this polka!

You Make Me

Love makes us do crazy things. While we’ve never wanted to to the limbo or watch the Gong Show, we sure could go for a Slurpee at the mall.

Such A Groovy Guy

Undeniably, Weird Al is the grooviest guy out there, even beating Corey Hart to wearing sunglasses at night by six months. And if Linz loves anyone else more than she loves George Jetson and Rick Moranis, it’s Corey Hart (who is still not in NKOTB, LEE).

Good Enough for Now

For the partner in your life that’s… okay. You know, you’ve got this Valentine’s Day together, you might as well make the best of this by serenading them with this song and ordering some Pizza Hut.

Melanie

Sometimes gals appreciate the guy making the first move… as long as that first move isn’t stalking or tattooing. But for those of you that are into that, here you go!

Wanna B Ur Lovr

Set the mood for a sexy night in with unending pick-up lines. This smooth song will for sure let your Valentine know how much you like them in the most annoying way possible.

If That Isn’t Love

Perhaps your partner isn’t someone new you’re looking to woo, perhaps you’re in an established relationship. “If That Isn’t Love” is a reminder to all those couples out there. These lines really resonate: “Every time I see you trying to lift some really heavy thing / You can always count on me to help by saying something encouraging”.

Whatever You Like

We get it, you’re in love and want to give that other person the world. But uh, you know, within reason. Let them know you’ll give them whatever they like… assuming there’s a coupon for it.

Alimony

Things not working out so well with your significant other? Here’s a reminder song about all the problems that can arise from divorce. Maybe you’re better off.

My Baby’s In Love With Eddie Vedder

If you suspect your loved one might leave you for an early 90s rock singer, you might want to reference this song for the warning signs.

Confessions Part III

The best way to connect on a deeper level is to come clean and admit your mistakes. Even if that includes killing a goldfish and just replacing it with another one.

Isle Thing

There’s nothing better than meeting the person of your dreams who also likes Gilligan’s Island. This song describes the perfect date for any Nick at Nite fan.

She Never Told Me She Was A Mime

It only took us 20 years to get the joke for this song, which demonstrates the importance of being up front with your loved one.

Since You’ve Been Gone

Sometimes it takes a little distance in a relationship to appreciate just how bad you have it.

It’s been a bit quiet here at Pop Rewind the last couple months, but we’re changing that soon! We’ve had yet another fun year reminiscing in the weird nostalgia you’ve come to know us for and we’ve had even more fun interacting with you guys. We drank beverages long believed to be dead, interviewed Weird Paul, Lee rode the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, we put out more podcasts, hung out with the Why Are You Listening to This? Podcast guys, served as judges for Retro Daze, collaborated with Rediscover the 80s, and so much more!

Just look at our Best Nine on Instagram. That pretty much sums us up:

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. And probably other places. But those are the main ones.

January

Pop Rewind Podcast: Childhood Birthdays

In An Alternate Universe, Back to the Future Isn’t Lee’s Favorite Movie: It’s Linz’s Favorite Movie. Are you still with us here? It’s because Corey Hart was offered an opportunity to audition for the role of Marty McFly. WAIT WHAT. Yeah, exactly.

February

Rockin’ Songs for the One You Love. Ah, love. Your music is a snore, but Lee found some truly great hits to help you profess your feelings.

10 Even More ’80s-Themed Valentines We’d Like to Receive. Of course we had to collaborate with our pal at Rediscover the 80s on our annual 80s Valentines feature! Check out our #80sValentines!

March

Pop Rewind Podcast: Event Horizon Deep Thoughts. Lee knows exactly how to pull Linz down a rabbit hole with him: find a tie to lost media. Here, we talk way too much about a film that people actually watched in 1997.

Super Mario Maker: E.T. For Atari Style? Hey, remember when we all played Mario Maker? We miss those times. Making themed levels with music became our forte.

Beyond Ecto Cooler: Hi-C Teamed Up with NKOTB?! Yeah, yeah, we know. Hi-C = Ecto Cooler. But it also equaled the New Kids on the Block in this shameless advertisement/comic book from Harvey Comics.

“Weird Al” Yankovic: Mediocre Rarities? It’s no secret that we’re huge Weird Al fans around here. When the track list from his “rare” CD that was released as part of his giant box set surfaced, we were both underwhelmed. We came up with a much better list, no shade.

April

Beyond Sonic 3: Did Michael Jackson Write the Music for ANOTHER Sega Genesis Video Game? Our annual April Fools article fooled no one, but doing more video work was fun for us. And it’s a pretty ridiculous and fun video, if we do say so.

May

Weird Paul: Working for Views and Recalling Peanut Butter. We were psyched to interview the great Weird Paul! Definitely check this out!

Pop Rewind Podcast: Tech to Wow Our 90s Selves

June

Cereal Origin Stories Hollywood Style. This is one of those collab articles we take pride in but that no one cares about.

Clearly Canadian Returns! Read the harrowing tale of Linz spending way too much money pre-ordering fizzy sugar water years in advance… just to have Lee find it in stores a good year before her order showed up.

July

Make Your Own Orbitz: The Drink with BALLS. Linz did the unthinkable: recreated Orbitz. Sort of. Update on the aftermath: the dyed chia seeds used for the floating balls really did a number on her strainer. We were getting pink pasta for a while.

Pop Rewind Podcast: Riding the Wienermobile. Acting on his obsession of the day, Lee emailed the Wienermobile people and was offered a ride. This is the true story of the adventures of ChiLee and Lil’ Lindsey Linkz.

RetroDaze Fifth Annual Article Writing Contest. We were happy once again to serve as judges for RetroDaze. Congratulations to Wes Allen on his winning article Russell – The Black-Eyed Simpson and to runner-up Radical with Oh Pooter! All the entries were amazing and we were excited to read them all!

Pop Shoppe Memories, because we love our resurrected beverages.

August

Pop Rewind Podcast: Zombie Beverages. The last couple years have seen the return of many beverages long believed to be dead.

Top Picks from the 2017 Button Draft. Rich and Josh from the Why Are You Listening to This? Podcast visited Linz as part of their 2017 tour. Thrifting took place, of course, and the three of them left with a ton of 80s buttons (with some great McDonald’s ones).

September

Pop Rewind Podcast: Sonic Mania Mania. Oh yeah, we were geeked about Sonic Mania and we’re still geeked about it. What a fantastic game.

October

We celebrated October with Halloween week:

Rick Springfield is a Vampire. We did the research and stand by our findings.

E.T. Cookies that Poop Reese’s Pieces (because E.T. is technically a Halloween movie… so… there).

Pop Rewind Podcast: Scary Books and Stuff, where we discuss Goosebumps and Fear Street, including a Weird Al-R.L. Stine connection.

Our Favorite and Weirdest Instances of Vampires in Pop Culture