Best Pamela Ribon Podcasts (2025)

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July 1991 Pop Culture: Chapterhouse, Jamie Walters & Summer Recommendations 26:55

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1d ago26:55

26:55

It's summer, and everyone at Sassy is already too hot to work. Christina admits that What Now is kind of a flop -- she's even a month late mentioning Ian Svenonius's birthday! (It's June 1, in case you also want to mark your calendar for the most important event of the year.) One To Watch Jamie Walters, we can now agree, burned bright in his moment…

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July 1991 Teen Life: Hamburger U, Girls' Self-Esteem & Things You Can Measure In Pints 49:31

15d ago49:31

49:31

The editors use an antique slur (sadly surging back to popularity) to describe a contributor's mentally handicapped sister, but let's not focus on that when the piece -- especially the photos it's built around -- is thoughtful and sensitive. Then, we can move on to why and how to dump a guy; no, taking you to the library isn't one of the reasons, t…

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June 1991 Fashion Etc.: Bikinis, Bandana Prints & The Face Shade 2000 54:38

29d ago54:38

54:38

Just in case you haven't already picked out every bathing suit you're going to need for the summer of 1991, Sassy's bringing you one more fashion story on bikinis. Hope you like the way Bronwyn models them because there's very little variation in her poses! The issue also covers vaguely pan-Latin American looks, some kind of fairy tale beauty story…

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June 1991 Pop Culture: River, Noni & Munchkin Cats 33:47

1M ago33:47

33:47

Is "rotted" cooler slang than "rotten"? How "monotone" can Beat Happening's lead vocalist actually be? How does Christina rate the relative cuteness of Aleka's Attic, River Phoenix's band? Has the time come for a Toy Soldiers remake? Is it acceptable to call Winona Ryder "Noni"? These are but a few of the questions we answer in the June 1991 Pop Cu…

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June 1991 Teen Life: Chilling Out, Quitting Church & Going To Antarctica 43:20

2M ago43:20

43:20

Well, there's no way around it: the very first feature is about Black activism, written by a white author (Kim) who gets no help from her editor on how not to sound tone-deaf as she describes being judged by the color of her skin or feeling unwelcome in Black spaces. So let's quickly dispense with it and move on to the rest. Karen finds three coupl…

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May 1991 Slumber Party: Bores, The Doors & Body Horrors 38:18

2M ago38:18

38:18

Sassy's May 1991 quiz dares you to determine whether you're a big fat bore...but it could be that this is a more stressful prospect for a teenager than for a middle-aged person who's come to terms with liking TV and Cheetos. After comparing our own results, we move on to some of your latest calls on topics like how a recent vest makeover project wo…

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May 1991 Fashion Etc.: Outside, Blue & Tutti-Frutti On Your Face 52:20

3M ago52:20

52:20

School's about to end for summer, and Sassy is ready. It's got plaids for the bocce court. It's got swimsuits for...swimming. It's got tips for changing your hair color with a beverage........again. And it's got tons of historic inspiration if you want to make a BIG change to your look. It's also faking the news a little bit and of COURSE Neill is …

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May 1991 Pop Culture: John Leguizamo, Balthazar Getty & The Whistle That Only Dogs Hear 30:33

3M ago30:33

30:33

Pam is on assignment, but Dave and Tara are bravely carrying on without her. What Now brings us such items as the first news blurb Tara probably ever saw about the Texas mom who came up with a murder-for-hire scheme to advance her 13-year-old daughter's cheerleading career to the 1,000,000th update on reigning Sassiest Boy In America Ian Svenonius …

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May 1991 Teen Life: AIDS, Invisibility & Galactorrhea 46:07

4M ago46:07

46:07

It's May 1991, and Sassy knows exactly what your mom wants most for Mother's Day: you following her around the house quoting statistics about how bad school sucks in this country! When she tells you to give it a rest, you can learn about Kim Frey, a young woman living with HIV, or why you should consider making friends with boys. (It's not because …

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April 1991 Slumber Party: Landlines, Rompers & Wild Yam Cream 31:34

5M ago31:34

31:34

With Pam out handling a family emergency (everything's okay now!), Dave and Tara bravely handle the Slumber Party on their own. After sharing their results from the "Are You Parent-Tolerant?" quiz, it's on to your calls: one serious one about Pam's massage story, then a lot of silly ones about: other places spooge has unexpectedly appeared; what to…

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April 1991 Fashion Etc.: Tights, Sun-In & Bloomers, Again?! 54:40

5M ago54:40

54:40

It's spring...but summer is just around the corner. Start dressing for summer in holiday-ready gingham and all white eyelet everything! We get a moment-by-moment report on the process of shooting a Sassy cover, starting with the model's birth. (No: seriously.) The staff is trying tights, ruining a scarf, moving offices, and so much more. Pull up yo…

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April 1991 Pop Culture: Susanna Hoffs, A Baby In A Basket (?) & Musicians Perving On Underage Girls 30:37

5M ago30:37

30:37

Whose voice is described in this month's Listen Up as "vomity"? It's sure not Sting because Catherine CANNOT be objective about him. It's also not Debbie Gibson protégé Chris Cuevas, though we do have a lot of opinions about the little photo of him we get in What Now. We also discuss whether L.A. Story is still worth seeing and whether it includes …

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April 1991 Teen Life: Sneezes, Horses & A Saggy Old Mom 56:11

6M ago56:11

56:11

The April 1991 issue lulls you into a false sense of complacency by burying its biggest bummer feature in the middle of the island, but then there it is: "They're Shooting Horses." DAMN, KAREN! (Spoiler: this is a problem the U.S. government still hasn't solved -- hope you were sitting down to read this.) Around it, we get Christina's embedded repo…

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March 1991 Slumber Party: Technology, Cuticles & Calls About Calls 45:14

6M ago45:14

45:14

Are you a techno head? In 1991, that meant "Do you know how a computer works?" but also possibly "Can you drive stick?" This quiz is trouble and we've got objections. We've got NO objections to your latest calls about The Grateful Dead, looking like Ben Seaver, The Bridge On The River Kwai, and (of course) cuticles. March on in and listen! QUICK LI…

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March 1991 Fashion Etc.: Prom, Rompers & Cuticles 1:08:55

7M ago1:08:55

1:08:55

It's March, and that means it's time to start morbidly obsessing on prom, up to and including having a dress rehearsal five days out. All the frippery that fills the special pull-out prom insert feels very un-Sassy, so we hope sponsor Tampax at least paid a truckload of money for both that and a half-reassuring, half-fear mongering insert about per…

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March 1991 Pop Culture: Hair, Gossip & The Replacements 39:11

7M ago39:11

39:11

Pam came to the taping with less than one hour to spare before she had to leave to see a movie, so we had NO time to waste getting through this episode's many pop culture topics. Perry Farrell cutting a bathroom line! How much of The Godfather Part III we've seen and/or is worth seeing! Neill's latest crappy review! Who The Replacements are and als…

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March 1991 Teen Life: Men, Bread & Trains 50:08

8M ago50:08

50:08

Sassy launched with the March 1988 issue and here we are in 1991, watching our friend turn 3! And if we were reading the issue in order, this would probably be a cool, fun party, but since we're starting with the Teen Life topics...the first feature is about a rape on campus at the University of Rhode Island that, spoiler, did not have a happy endi…

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February 1991 Slumber Party: Highlights, Woody's & Dinks 42:44

8M ago42:44

42:44

The February 1991 quiz -- How Good Are You In A Pinch? -- has us all doing a little introspection and a lot of complaining about the "d" options that aren't available. (As for Pam's husband Jason's score...well, listen and find out.) Then we're playing some of your latest calls on such topics as at-home highlight kits, turning into the Target lady …

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February 1991 Fashion Etc.: Flowers, Hearts & The Candyman 57:34

9M ago57:34

57:34

Pam is still out on assignment, so it's just Dave and Tara this week to talk about all the style contained in the February 1991 issue. Dress in florals, or straight out of a mall store! Dye your hair, for a while or forever! Annoy everyone you know by going overboard with a heart motif! DON'T buy the sketchy products advertised at the back of the i…

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February 1991 Pop Culture: Spam, Zines & The Worst Way To Learn A Dance 42:47

9M ago42:47

42:47

Our very special guest Daniel Blau Rogge is back for another episode that really runs the gamut: from Evan Dando to Roky Erickson; from Edward Scissorhands to Hannibal Lecter; to a punk skateboarder who couldn't return a damn phone call; and to a dance lesson conveyed through printed words and still photographs, which is how we had to learn things …

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February 1991 Teen Life: Hunting, Warfare & Print Design That Gives You A Migraine 1:06:44

10M ago1:06:44

1:06:44

Pam is out on assignment, so we lined up a wonderful substitute third chair who was, in fact, also a teenager in the 90s: Daniel Blau Rogge! This turns out to be a surprisingly male-skewing collection of articles: Catherine tries hunting, Kim reports on girls who gave their guys aesthetic or personality makeovers, and Christina tries to understand …

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January 1991 Slumber Party: Waste, Self-Esteem & The Dox Ox 49:45

10M ago49:45

49:45

We skipped a Slumber Party for the December 1990 issue, so this time we've got two quizzes to take. How wasteful are we, and how high is our self-esteem? Find out who landed in the happy middle, and who ended up in the freak extremes. Then we move on to playing your calls on topics ranging from who got scammed by the How To Get The Guy You Want sys…

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January 1991 Fashion Etc.: Pastels, Jean Jackets & Apple Cider Vinegar 1:21:35

11M ago1:21:35

1:21:35

To kick off the new year, Sassy wants you to wear pastels, catalog fashions, jean jackets, white t-shirts, and an alice band you made yourself. It also wants you to shave your legs, fix your skin, and buy the right bra. If you're in L.A.? You're doing everything right. As for the Etc., we've got a sneaky claim about mono (but whose?), a whole new c…

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January 1991 Pop Culture: Hats, Mermaids & Johnsons 40:16

11M ago40:16

40:16

How many offspring can cockroaches produce? Why should you keep sending postcards? Why were weird hats having a moment in 1991? Believe it or not, these are all questions that get explored in our January 1991 POP CULTURE episode -- but we do cover more expected topics -- shocking omissions from Karen's reviews of Mermaids and Listen Without Prejudi…

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Special: Three Types Of Cookies 1:09:37

12M ago1:09:37

1:09:37

The tale of "Eat Through Austin," the domestic follow-up vacation to Dave, Pam and Tara's trip to the Big Island of Hawai'i as told on the old podcast Overwhelming Positivity. We'll back next time with more actual Listen To Sassy stuff. QUICK LINKS 🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our website 🖼️ Check out this episode's V…

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Special: Tandoori Lady 1:49:08

1y ago1:49:08

1:49:08

Back in 2009 Tara, Pam and Dave went to the Big Island of Hawai'i. It was a time. We recorded an episode of the Overwhelming Positivity podcast while we were there. A lot happened. QUICK LINKS 🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our website 🖼️ Check out this episode's Visual Aids ☎️ Call The Hotline! Leave your questions, co…

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January 1991 Teen Life: Depression, Douching & The New Sassiest Girls In America 42:54

1y ago42:54

42:54

It's a new year in the Sassy timeline, and you know what that means: time to crown a new Sassiest Girl In America! The latest crop of hopefuls descend on New York (thanks to Clairol and L.A. Gear), and apparently don't slow down for photos because other than the winner on the cover, all you get are silver dollar-sized, super-processed photos of the…

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December 1990 Fashion Etc.: Denim, Body Image & The World's First Bath Puffs 41:34

1y ago41:34

41:34

Some of the readers in charge of fashion freak it, like stylist Daisy von Furth's fun and quirky denim looks. Others, like Shelly Franklin, went to a Gap and grabbed the first seven garments she saw. The two co-exist uneasily over 12 pages in the December 1990 issue's one and only fashion feature. (Which stylist did you prefer? Tell us at 720-SASSY…

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December 1990 Pop Culture: Judas Priest, Darkman & Gnards 39:22

1y ago39:22

39:22

Our second episode on Sassy's first reader-produced issue covers its pop culture topics. Whose mom surprisingly liked Das Damen? Is "gnard" going to catch on as a slang term? And is Nathan Limbaugh...okay? There's also movie reviews, a One To Watch who may or may not be, a profile of Faith No More's Mike Patton, and a bushel AND a peck of a Mystic,…

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December 1990 Teen Life: Protests, Fruit & Cocaine 48:59

1y ago48:59

48:59

The staff at Sassy had impeccable instincts for building its community -- and in the days when doing so required going to the post office to put actual paper goods in the actual mail, too -- and there's no better proof of their success than its first-ever reader-produced issue. The proof that some 80+ real readers made the issue happen is that...yo…

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November 1990 Slumber Party: Spacing Out, Chasing Boys & Counting Tampons 54:17

1y ago54:17

54:17

How spacy are we? According to Sassy's November 1990 quiz, the answer is "possibly a lot spacier than some of us would care to admit" or "just about as spacy as we thought." Then, because we spaced on our last combined Slumber Party episode, we go back in time to take the September quiz and Rate [Our] Boy-Obsessiveness. (If you predicted that Pam's…

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November 1990 Fashion Etc.: Hair School, A Witch & Brown Squats 45:11

1y ago45:11

45:11

The weather's getting chillier, and the fashion (etc.) of the November 1990 knows it. Hence a whole story about brown coats, and a spread to help you source all the goth-y looks your black heart desires. Mary brings us a report on her time auditing classes at the Vidal Sassoon Academy and actually getting to cut real (mannequin) hair. Jane tells a …

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November 1990 Pop Culture: Deee-Lite, Kim Gordon & Dinky Bossetti 39:45

1+ y ago39:45

39:45

Did Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry approach their "Well, Did You Evah?" cover for Red Hot + Blue with the appropriate level of professionalism? Which downtown shopping and dining spots Christina visited with Sonic Youth still exist today? Was Shawn Wayans One To Watch? What does "gerbiling" really mean? And how did Winona Ryder EVER agree to play a char…

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November 1990 Teen Life: Dates, Vegetarians & Sleep 1:18:38

1+ y ago1:18:38

1:18:38

Let's all open up a new issue together! Yes, the first feature is a dispiriting profile of Bill, who only recently left foster care to reunite with his family. But there's also dating, sleeping, a primer on becoming a vegetarian, and a truly classic fiction story. What He Said is all about your potty mouth; Body Talk is telling you about a new-fang…

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October 1990 Slumber Party: Sisters, Paint & Driver's Ed 1:05:28

1+ y ago1:05:28

1:05:28

After skipping the September 1990 Slumber Party, we're resuming with our results from the October 1990 quiz -- What Kind Of Sister Are You? -- then launching into a bumper crop of your latest voicemails. Why are driver's ed films so horrifying? Can you still get Mad magazine? What's lymph? We figure out SOME of this in this all-new episode! QUICK L…

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October 1990 Fashion Etc.: Twin Peaks, Muscles & Be Fri Necklaces 1:12:05

1+ y ago1:12:05

1:12:05

This month's fashion stories run the gamut more than most issues. Do you want to dress like everyone on Twin Peaks? It's 1990 -- of course you do, and so does everyone else! Do you want to wear velvet? Mmmm, depends if you like everyone to see sweat stains on your catsuit. This month we're also learning why we should exercise with weights, how gard…

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October 1990 Pop Culture: Christian Slater, Whit Stillman & Woofs 43:56

1+ y ago43:56

43:56

Who has tattoos? What snack does Iggy Pop most resemble? How seriously do we need to take Perry Farrell's 1990 First Amendment statement? What's wrong with Whit Stillman? Is there a minimum age for album reviewers? What's "Balt"?! We answer all these questions and so many more in the October 1990 Pop Culture episode! QUICK LINKS 🗒 Full episode note…

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October 1990 Teen Life: Driving Lessons, Alcoholism & Croutons 59:28

1+ y ago59:28

59:28

More so than usual, the Teen Life topics of the October 1990 issue are here to help you figure out your life. What might a wise older person tell you about trying to get your driver's license? What jobs are so weird you might actually want to do them? How do you heal from a parent's substance use issues? Then there's Amy, who writes an It Happened …

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September 1990 Fashion Etc.: Shoes, Lubriderm & Even More Dutch Boy 49:47

1+ y ago49:47

49:47

Shop like a model; dress like an elf!By Tara Ariano, Pamela Ribon and David T. Cole

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September 1990 Pop Culture: Movie Sequels, James Marshall & The Hothouse Flowers 42:36

1+ y ago42:36

42:36

There's a lot of pop culture in the September 1990 issue that will need revision sooner or later. Like: a report on the cancellation of 21 Jump Street, just weeks before its revival in syndication. And: making James Marshall One To Watch off the strength of one season of Twin Peaks, before he went off the grid. Or: an extensive feature on The Hotho…

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September 1990 Teen Life: Tricking Boys, Puppy Mills & Painting 37:18

1+ y ago37:18

37:18

The first thing you need to know about this episode is that there was an issue with one of the tracks. It doesn't matter who did what: the result is that Dave had to use a backup to the backup, which means this is going to be a more rough-and-ready version of the podcast than you're used to. We're sorry about that, but hey: it'll be all the more en…

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August 1990 Slumber Party: MTV, Extra Balls & East Side Mario’s 31:50

1+ y ago31:50

31:50

The two of us who grew up without MTV do our best on the August 1990 quiz, Rate Your MTV-ness! (That "best" is...bad.) Then it's on to your latest calls! What bedding treasures are you finding online? Who's out here defending Madonna's I'm Breathless? Which chain restaurants reign supreme? We thrill to the journeys you're taking us on in the August…

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August 1990 Fashion Etc.: Boats, Socks & Diets 49:08

1+ y ago49:08

49:08

It's nearly time to go back to school, and Sassy has your wardrobe inspiration. Retro nerd? Cute jock? Merchant marine? It's all possible if you run with Sassy's latest tips. There's also advice on doing your hair and makeup like you didn't try, making perfectly good underwear borderline unwearable, and ads, ads, ads. (Yes, Filippo-Totti is back, T…

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August 1990 Pop Culture: Michael Rank, Michael Rank & Michael Rank 47:10

1+ y ago47:10

47:10

Considering that Pam has not seen a single one of the five movies reviewed in the August 1990 Watch It, we find an awful lot to say about them. But that's not all! There's also dolphins, Butt-head, Goo, spack, Barbie, garbage, Sondheim, Michael Rank, Michael Rank, and Michael Rank -- and it's all stuck together with God's glue. If that's not Enuff?…

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August 1990 Teen Life: Eastern Europe, Wet Pastrami & Mr. Sperm 55:41

2y ago55:41

55:41

Time for a new issue! Catherine kicks things off with a dark reporting trip to several locations that were, until quite recently, in the Soviet Union. Kim shares the results from a poll of guys' and girls' views, though what we mostly remember is what we thought they looked like in their underwear. Karen walks you through each day of your month as …

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July 1990 Slumber Party: Horse Parking, Cher Impressions & A Mall Security Guard With A Secret 56:27

2y ago56:27

56:27

Skipping the June 1990 Slumber Party means we're doubling up on the quizzes this time, which is just as well since they're both about half as compelling as usual. Rate Your Sassy Staff IQ? Rate Your Prejudices? Is...everyone okay? Fortunately, everyone who's left us messages since the last time we heard from you is doing great: we're delighted to h…

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July 1990 Fashion Etc.: Dickies, Curlers & Miss Personality Plus 53:19

2y ago53:19

53:19

The July 1990 issue has a lot of ideas about your look. Some are good, like the spread of 40s-inspired swimsuits. Some are weird, like the Making It suggestion that you cut off the collar and cuffs of a buttondown shirt and just tuck them, loose, into a pullover sweater, hoping for the best. Some are simply Not Done anymore, like getting white girl…

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July 1990 Pop Culture: Bart Simpson, Scott Garrison & Dozens Of Recommendations 36:32

2y ago36:32

36:32

For its July 1990 issue, Sassy COULD just give you five reviews each in Listen Up and Watch It, as usual. But no: they've gone above and beyond to save you from boredom by creating a special pop culture supplement you can tear out and take straight to the video store, record store, bookstore, and library to load up on all the movies, albums, and bo…

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July 1990 Teen Life: Road Trips, Boyfriend Fights & Inverted Nipples 37:54

2y ago37:54

37:54

We're diving into a new issue and...finding horror, unfortunately. Catherine interviews a girl whose high school boyfriend murdered her parents. Help offers painful-sounding advice to a letter writer looking to turn out her inverted nipples. AND Kim, Karen, and Mike are staying in low-end hotels?! Okay, that last one was a joke; their road trip sou…

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June 1990 Fashion Etc.: Water, Sun & How To Ruin A Swimsuit 39:35

2y ago39:35

39:35

Summer is officially here, and that means learning how to stay beautiful in the water, and not use too much, but also splash your face 20 times when you wash it. It means spending time in the sun, and boiling a whole lettuce head to use the juice to soothe your skin if you burn it. It also means taking a perfectly good one-piece swimsuit, cutting i…