The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

🎄It’s 1983, and the Worst Kids in the World are taking over the church Nativity play, smoking in the ladies’ room, and helping themselves to the sacramental grape juice. 

🎙 Scott Leopold from Holly Jolly X’masu and Bob Baker from Festive Foreign Film Fans join us as we meet the Herdmans in a classic Christmas story turned TV movie starring Loretta Swit from “M*A*S*H” and a young Fairuza Balk in her on-screen debut. 

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💬 Topics & Tangents: 

Today’s TV Tropes: It’s the Best Whatever, Ever and Title Drop. 

Author Barbara Robinson wrote 2 sequels: “The Best School Year Ever” (1994) and “The Best Halloween Ever” (2004). 

Fairuza Balk (Beth) in “The Waterboy.” 

Loretta Swit (Grace) interview: “Meanest kids in town make the best pageant,” AP via The Free Lance-Star, 1983. 

Jason Michas (Leroy) as Johnny Arcade in “The Power Team” animated segment from Season 1 of “Video Power.” 

Antony Holland (Reverend Hopkins) as Dr. Light — er, “Wright” — in “Captain N: The Game Master.” 

Ocean Hellman (Alice) in “Danger Bay,” which keeps coming up this season. 

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📼 Commercial: 

Duracell “No Longer Under the Christmas Tree” Commercial (1983) 

Festive Foreign Film Fans. 

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“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” © 1983 Comworld Productions. 

Theme song by Bronwen’s Ghost. 
Full show notes and social links at adventcalendar.house. 

#s11 #1980s #nativity