GenX Journeys: Stuck in the '80s with Steve Spears

GenX Journeys: Stuck in the '80s with Steve Spears

February 27, 2026 · 1h 11m

About this episode

Steve Spears joins Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni to discuss his new book and celebrate 20 years of 80s podcasting.

Steve Spears, creator and co-host of Stuck in the '80s , joins Paul Stroessner and Suzanne Mattaboni to celebrate 20 years of 80s podcasting—and to discuss his new book, Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade . From early podcasting chaos to unforgettable celebrity interviews and the community built along the way, this episode is a nostalgic deep dive into the decade that still connects us. Steve joins us to talk about his brand-new book: Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade The book pulls together stories, reflections, behind-the-scenes moments, and lessons learned from more than two decades of interviewing the artists, actors, and cultural figures who shaped Generation X. In this episode, we discuss: How Stuck in the '80s began as a newspaper assignment in the early days of podcasting What it was like recording episodes with handheld mics at a cafeteria table The nerves (and occasional nausea!) before interviewing legends Interview "misfires" and what they taught Steve about preparation and connection Why the best interviews happen when you drop the script and just have a…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Stroessner

Guest: Steve Spears

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Stuck in the '80s

Books & works: Stuck in the '80s: 20 Years of Conversations with Pop Culture Icons Who Defined the Decade

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