Today, Chuck and Josh go down a 90s rabbit hole with another in their classic toy series. This time, they tackle the odd sensation that was POGs.
AI Summary
# Stuff You Should Know: Pogs
This episode dives into the wild story of Pogs, the circular cardboard discs that became an absolute phenomenon among kids in the early 1990s before burning out just as quickly. Josh and Chuck trace Pogs back through their surprisingly deep history—from a Japanese game called Menko that arrived with Japanese immigrants in Hawaii, to milk bottle caps from a Hawaiian dairy, to a savvy California businessman named Alan Rapinski who saw dollar signs and turned them into a legitimate fad. The guys explain how the simple game worked, why schools ended up banning them due to all the fighting over valuable pieces, and how the Pogs market became so saturated so fast that the whole thing imploded in just a couple of years.
Beavis and Butt-Head
1993
★ 7.1
"Bewhys and Butthead Pog. Yeah, there was probably Bewhys and Butthead Pog. — Discussing various branded Pogs that existed, including ones featuring the cartoon characters."
— Chuck
Jurassic Park
1993
2h 7m
★ 8.0
"Jurassic Park had a set of hologram ones that were pretty cool. Yeah, those were cool. — Mentioning hologram Pogs made for the Jurassic Park movie."
— Chuck
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Re-Ignition
2023
"Mighty Morphin Power Rangers were another big one. Oh, of course. I'm sure those, yeah, that was a big deal at the time. — Discussing branded Pogs featuring the popular 90s TV show characters."
— Chuck
Pulp Fiction
1994
2h 34m
★ 8.5
"There's a set of pulp fiction ones that are pretty cool. Really? Yes, there are. — Discussing branded Pogs created for movies released during the Pog era."
— Chuck
"And this also crosses over with the Simpsons because very famously Millhouse traded Bart's soul away for a set of Pogs in one episode. — Referencing a specific Simpsons episode where a character trades Bart's soul for Pogs."
— Josh
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