Gen X...............You good?

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Death comes for us all, but when it claims the icons of our youth, something different happens. This week delivered a triple blow to Gen X as Malcolm Jamal Warner (Theo Huxtable), Ozzy Osbourne, and Hulk Hogan reportedly passed away within days of each other. From wrestling action figures clutched in small hands to teenage crushes on The Cosby Show to MTV reality television, these figures spanned the entire Gen X experience. Between recording sessions for the podcast's next full episode, I felt compelled to check in. How are you processing these losses? For me, Hulk Hogan hit hardest – from childhood toys to his heel turn with the NWO to "The Hogans" reality show, he remained a constant presence across different life stages. I even bought his daughter's song! Ozzy became family through "The Osbournes," while Malcolm Jamal Warner represented that perfect college boyfriend I was certain awaited me in adulthood. As an older person wisely noted, when childhood heroes die, it can feel like our childhood itself is slipping away. But perhaps there's another perspective. We're fortunate to live in an era where technology lets us revisit these cultural touchpoints instantly. Despite the scandals and complications that may now shadow some of these figures, there's value in acknowledging how they shaped us. Take a moment today to reconnect with what these icons meant during their prime – not just as an exercise in nostalgia, but as recognition of your own journey through time. And stay tuned for our next full episode (despite some early audio hiccups) – it's going to be a good one.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
hey, soap queens, I thought I'd jump on really quick
, just send out a little bit oflove.
Gen x y'all.
Okay.
Lord, what a week.
I'm squeezing this in betweenthe next episode, which I
promise is going to be a lot offun.
I also want to give you alittle bit of a warning.

(00:21):
I had some technical issues forprobably the first 20 minutes
or so.
It it's not horrible, but it'salso not great.
I kind of sound like I'm in atin can, but I promise it clears
up later on.
I wanted to check on y'all.
I heard about Theo Huxtable,aka Malcolm Jamal Warner, who I
literally thought I was going tomarry as a little kid.

(00:42):
Then I saw Ozzy Osbourne died.
Then, oh my God, just got thenews about Hulk Damn Hogan.
Y'all are y'all okay.
That's a lot all at once.
I think it spanned the entiregamut of Gen X, from late 60s
right up to the 80s.
I'm so sorry guys.

(01:04):
Man, just wanted to send you alittle love.
Now I'm going to tell you whatHulk Hogan hit me the worst.
I remember him as a toy when Iwas a very small child.
I remember him switching to NWOor whatever he was in when he
went bad, when he flipped Iforget what they call it when he
started dying the beard.
He was one of the reality TVshows.

(01:24):
I watched the Hogans.
I loved it.
I totally bought his daughter'ssong, Just just wow.
I can't believe it.
Can't believe it.
I'm going to be honest, didn'treally know a lot about Ozzy
before the Osbournes, but Iloved that show, Fell in love
with him, Really enjoyed it, man.
Love with him, Really enjoyedit, man.

(01:50):
And then Malcolm Jamal Warner.
I just knew, like I knew, likeI knew I was going to grow up
and marry him.
I was going to grow up, go tocollege and meet somebody like
Theo Huxtable, Somebody funny,somebody lighthearted, somebody
so cute.
I am devastated.
I heard someone say an olderperson, surprise, surprise, say

(02:12):
that as they got older and someof their childhood heroes and
some of the stars started topass away, she said it's almost
like my childhood died.
I certainly hope you guys don'tthink that way and I think
we're blessed to live in a timewhere you can turn on your TV or
flip out your phone and pull upold videos and kind of just

(02:32):
enjoy those moments.
So I just want to encourage youguys to do that today.
I know because of all therecent scandals.
Geez, it makes it hard to enjoythose things.
But if you can just go back, goback for a few minutes, go back
and just enjoy it.
I thought I'd just pop on, giveyou a warning about the next
episode and check in on y'all.
Damn, that's a lot within thespan of seven days.

(02:57):
All right, y'all.
Enjoy this next episode.