Collectible Corner: Sam the Olympic Eagle

I no longer have the plush Sam the Olympic Eagle I had in 1984, but just this summer I found this at an antiques mall and added the mascot to my collection. It's a cool little statue in decent shape, and looking at the guy brings me joy:

Collectible Corner: This gift was GENIUS

I received way more for my birthday than I deserved this year, including a stack of awesomeness from my podcast co-conspirator, but the one thing I want to share today is this surprise gift from my wonderful wife Laurie:

Yes, that's right, it's an autographed picture from Season 10 Genius Award winner John Schuck! 

How fortunate I am to be motivated daily by the sight of autographed pics of not one, but two Geniuses. Schuck joins, of course the Original Genius, the man for whom the Robert Pine Genius Batty is named...Robert Pine (There was a pretty big clue embedded in there even if you didn't know the answer right away, but you can hear a story about me getting that pic here). This upcoming season of BOTNS is sure to be better than ever with this kind of inspiration!

Collectible Corner: Hightower in animated form in toy form!

 I picked up this little number for a few bucks last week even though I don't remember ever watching Police Academy: The Animated Series.

If I have an opportunity to add Bubba Smith (AKA Hightower) to my toy collection, I am seizing it.

I do know that this series from which the toy comes should not be confused with the Police Academy movie series nor with Police Academy: The Series, a live-action Nineties syndicated sitcom.

If you are interested in checking out the show, it will be part of the weekday lineup when MeTV Toons launches June 25, airing each morning at 6:30 Eastern.

Collectible Corner: A wonderful mix of beautiful and generic

I recently acquired this great-looking Battlestar Galactica toy. The toy itself is simple but effective, but, oh, what a card! 

I'd show you the card back, but there is nothing on it! They spent the money on that glorious front. I love the stylized "BattlestaR."

It's funny because back in the day, I cared little about the packaging after I got the toy. I would have torn this up and ditched it, then ran around the house zooming this cruiser through the sky. Now, of course, the cruiser is cool enough, but I got it for the packaging.

I will admit that once again I am tempted to open a vintage toy, if only to try that "free rolling." Don't sell short that "non toxic paint," either. It's good to know I could take this off the card and put it in my mouth with no ill effects!

Collectible Corner: Welcome (not back) to my collection!

Laurie and I attended a cool vintage toy show recently, and it seemed to be a huge success. I love seeing shows with low admission fees in contrast to the comic book shows that charge high ticket prices just to get in and buy stuff. This event was a success to me if only because I bought this beautiful item from 1976:

Now my question is: Dare I open this? This is in original shrinkwrapped form and in great shape. It almost seems like a shame to remove that and break up the packaging.

On the other hand, the box will still be in great shape, and Mr. Kotter will still look spectacular, even if I do open it up and check out the paper dolls inside.

For now, I am going to enjoy the box as is, but who knows if I will resist the urge to try out some different outfits on Mr. Kotter!

Collectible Corner: Starsky and Hutch and the Gran Torino!

I got this little number, a 2002 Corgi release, on a recent excursion and loved it as soon as I saw it. Lucky for me, I could get it at a reasonable price.

I will admit, though, in the moment, my standard for "reasonable price" was changed a bit knowing that we were doing a Starsky episode this season! Here is the back:

I like that you get the car but also a little tableau of the lads and Bay City. The little cardboard "standee" of Dave and Ken is a bit cheesy, but it adds to the charm as far as I am concerned. As I have said on the show, I am not a car guy, but this particular cop series is in many ways a car show, and this little vehicle is now one of my favorite podcast-related toys.

Collectibles Corner: The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff

In honor of the recent passing of former World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight champ Iron Sheik, I want to share this picture of two action figures from my collection:

I got the Sheik loose last year, and his tag team partner Nikolai Volkoff (also deceased) is a recent find. Laurie got this one for me. It was packaged and beat up but still less than many similar loose figures go for these days (probably because the box was so dinged). The Shiek and Volkoff were the big heel tag team when I first started watching the WWF, so iconic (and, well, cartoony)  that they earned spots on the Hulk Hogan's Rock and Wrestling cartoon on CBS.

These are both good figures, but the headgear really makes them, huh? Both now reside on my Eighties shelf of decade-related memorabilia and toys.

Oh, Magoo, you've done it again!

Earlier this year, I acquired this gem at a used toy store:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; I loved it, but my wonderful wife Laurie beheld it as "ugly." I think she may have felt physical revulsion at the old doll, but I loved it and had to get it. Laurie, to her credit, did not object to me bringing it into our household.

And now that same wonderful Wife of the Show has surprised me with another Quincy Magoo just in time for the festive holiday season:

Yes, it's Santa Magoo! What better way to get pumped up for one of the great all-time Christmas specials, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Special, than with this little guy! Now I have not one, but two Magoos. I can stand them side by side and pretend my vision is as blurry as his! 

I will admit this new Magoo is a little brighter, a little more robust, a little more less weird than the previous one, but I am not going to dis Original Magoo. he will remain Magoo Prime throughout the year, with Santa Magoo stepping in to help out this time of year.

Let's all celebrate with some razzleberry dressing!

Collectibles Corner: 8-Track Mac

This is a recent gift from my wonderful wife Laurie:

Yes, it's an original 8-Track cassette tape of BOTNS favorite (recently featured in our Bob Hope episode) Mac Davis!

Collectibles Corner: The Case of the Beaten-up Book

In honor of last week's Mason episode, I share some photos of a book that was in the family for years (apparently my aunt claimed ownership if one of the inside pages is any indication!) and is now here at Stately Brooks Manor. I give you...THE CASE OF THE CURIOUS BRIDE!

Collectible Corner: NBC--You don't have to "be there", but check us out!

Today I have another pin that isn't as spectacular as the Let's All Be There one but still pretty cool and a nice collectible of my network of choice (mostly) in the 1980s:

Gotta love the color in that one and of course the NBC attitude! Don't you feel "Proud as a Peacock" gazing at this pin? Does it make you want to go out and greenlight a "Supertrain" or a "Pink Lady and Jeff"?

Collectibles Corner: Adama looking good in Funko form

My wonderful wife and Friend of the Show Laurie surprised me a few weeks ago with this awesome Funko Pop: A delightful rendition of Lorne Greene as Commander Adama from the original Battlestar Galactica.

Look at the world-weariness in Adama's eyes. It's obvious that this man has spent YAHRENS leading multitudes in a high-stakes, high-stress environment.

And, no, despite Mike asking, it does not come with detachable hair. It does have a cool cape!

Laurie told me that Adama and Apollo were the ones easier to find at decent prices, whereas Starbuck and Cylon were much pricier. That's the thing with these Funkos--if you don't get 'em while they are out initially, you might not get 'em at all unless you want to pay outrageous prices.

It just so happens that Adama is the single BSG Funko I would pick if I had to pick just one--and it seems like maybe I did! Thanks, Laurie!

Collectible Corner: BE THERE!

In the debut Collectible Corner post, here's a memento I recently acquired, one that had me singing as soon as I saw it:

Let's do this!

B-O-T-N-S, let's all be there!

Nah, doesn't work.

Mike and Rick, let's all be there!

Better but not quite.

Rick and Mike, let's all be there.

Hmm...I like that one...

Battle of the Network Shows, let's all--no, that does not work at all.

Hey, Mike, I think we need to change the show title!