S03.E18: 12 Tapes for a Penny

[Stinger97]

Adam sets up a scheme to get as many tapes as possible from a mail-order music club; Barry tries to get the approval of Lainey's father.

[alexa]

I just love this show.... so good at combining the heartwarming with the funny stuff.....  The tape club story was fitting, and I liked how they wove it in with Bev's apology to Erica.

Edited March 17, 2016 by alexa

[HyeChaps]

Not enough Pops, especially since he could give his perspective about getting along with his daughter's boyfriend.

[stillhere1900]

Nitpick:  Would the *Columbia Record Music Club* keep sending the $.99 deal to the same address over and over again? 

[doublek61]

The Columbia House deal used to be in the paper pretty much every Sunday. I don't remember getting it in the mail specifically, but I remember going thru the ad each week and "picking out" my music.  

 

I actually joined for a period of time (legitimately), fulfilled my requirement, and then quit.  The bigger issue was that they would send you a packet every few weeks with the announcement of what the selection of the month was.  If you didn't send back the card and either decline or select another tape, you would automatically get the selection of the month.   If I remember correctly, you had to buy 8 tapes in 2 years or something, so it really wasn't a big deal.  And when you factored in the almost free tapes, it was a pretty cheap way to accumulate a stash of music.

 

The thing I found interesting was that, as a pre-teen, once I joined and got my 12 tapes, I would have struggled to find 12 more that I wanted.  So that part didn't ring true to me - but maybe my music taste wasn't diverse enough.

[readster]

The Columbia House deal used to be in the paper pretty much every Sunday. I don't remember getting it in the mail specifically, but I remember going thru the ad each week and "picking out" my music.  

 

I actually joined for a period of time (legitimately), fulfilled my requirement, and then quit.  The bigger issue was that they would send you a packet every few weeks with the announcement of what the selection of the month was.  If you didn't send back the card and either decline or select another tape, you would automatically get the selection of the month.   If I remember correctly, you had to buy 8 tapes in 2 years or something, so it really wasn't a big deal.  And when you factored in the almost free tapes, it was a pretty cheap way to accumulate a stash of music.

 

The thing I found interesting was that, as a pre-teen, once I joined and got my 12 tapes, I would have struggled to find 12 more that I wanted.  So that part didn't ring true to me - but maybe my music taste wasn't diverse enough.

Yeah, I had the problem when it went to CD in the 90s and I didn't put down my canceling so I got it and still had to pay. We finally got it sorted and just paid an extra $37 and I was good. I have to admit it was nice because I really got a lot of current bands and sound tracks I loved during the time, but really you get caught up and I remember seeing it so much I went: "Oh just stop." If you are starting or are into the bands they offer the first few months, you are in good shape. After that is when it becomes a problem.

[vmcd88]

Great episode.  Oh how I remember the 12 tapes for a penny.  I begged my mom but she never would let me order.  She was a wise woman.

[tennisgurl]

This show always just lets me leave feeling happy. Just a perfect combination of sweet and funny.

[Traveller519]

"There's also something scaly, and it's not afraid of humans."

[Mabinogia]

I used to love the little stamp book that came with the Columbia offer. I was never able to "join" but as I kid I would love to pick out my 12 tapes for fun.

 

I love the nostalgia of this show. Makes my childhood seem more interesting. haha

 

I teared up a bit with the whole Erica Bev stuff. I felt the same way Erica did, that no matter what I did I would be blamed for things and accused of things so what was the point in trying to be good. So that story got to me. And I LOVED the apology. Great song and very well used.

[biakbiak]

Nitpick:  Would the *Columbia Record Music Club* keep sending the $.99 deal to the same address over and over again?

A friend did this more than 10 different times to his address. Also, it appears that it is something that Adam Goldberg did given that they reused at least one of his aliases.

[Shermie]

I think it would be pretty easy to find more tapes you wanted after getting the original 12 - bands came out with new stuff, and new bands and artists are along all the time. I mean, anyone with a normal album collection from way back had two or more milk crates full.

As for the show? I hate Bev. She's a horrible mother and a passive-aggressive bitch. Nothing funny there at all, and a waste of a good actress.

[juliet73]

This show brings back so many memories. I was a legit member of Columbia House and I also shopped at Contempo. Were lunchables a thing in the 80's? I thought they were more late 90's, early 00's.

[biakbiak]

Lunchables we're definitely a thing in the late 80s. My grandmother was living us at the time and she kept trying to give me a homemade lunch and I would be an ass and insist on lunchables.

[Accidental Martyr]

As for the show? I hate Bev. She's a horrible mother and a passive-aggressive bitch. Nothing funny there at all, and a waste of a good actress.

Lots of the time I find her behavior more disturbing than funny.

[WescottF1]

I worked in a CD-only music shop from 1990 to 1993.  One of my co-workers did the same scam with Columbia House - he sub-divided his parents' house into apartments and signed up for 3 or 4 memberships under various pseudonyms.  

 

We bought/sold used CDs so if the store already had a disc in the used bin for sale, the boss didn't have an issue with us paying the customer for the second copy out of pocket and keeping it for ourselves.  Easy way to amass a good collection for $2-5 per disc.

[dcalley]

Barry was playing Operation. The real Barry became a doctor.