Oddity Archive
The Warped Afterlives of Metropolis & Phantom of the Opera (Silent Movie Day 2022)
Just how close are we to seeing what moviegoers saw in the 1920’s? In these two cases, as it turns out, not very.
On the night of Sunday, November 22nd, 1987, a mysterious figure in a Max Headroom mask hijacked two Chicago TV stations. Spoiler alert: The perpetrat... Read More
An informal (not to mention, loose) history of Civil Defense Broadcasting in the U.S.
Remember when TV stations used to go off the air late at night? Anyone?
Interested in seeing a clown so laid-back, he forgets he's on camera? Now about a Hawaiian teen idol with a pen fetish? Maybe an American Bandstand ri... Read More
The Archive's most infamous episode--for some reason.
Meet the artists that made the likes of Joan Baez and Pete Seeger fear for their careers.
VHS or Beta? Laserdisc or CED? What the hell is a CED anyway? These burning questions (amongst others) answered in this episode!
Join Ben as he launches his own 1-900 number. What could possibly go wrong?
...because cassettes are for poseurs.
Some of the most grody tunes we’ve ever covered fer sure, fer sure.
Let us take an all-night flight to remember why USA once was “America’s Favorite Cable Network”…
Whatdaya do when you’ve had your fill of analog media? Start hittin’ the ones and zeros…
Benny-boy celebrates the first annual Silent Movie Day by…talking at great length about the silents. Nobody ever accused him of being sharp…
As of this posting, we’re right on the edge of the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the DVD. Guess it’s finally ripe for Archivedom…
“Benny & The Bot”…coming this fall to KLAK…whether Ben likes it or not. NOTE: Just consider this a 20-minute art film.
Benny the Script Doctor makes a housecall regarding some bad sitcoms.
…or, the OA’s (slightly-belated) 10th Anniversary Special.
The Archive finally presents some 100%-pure, down-home musical manure!
This episode is dedicated to those that say we don’t do TV stuff anymore. Maybe we shouldn’t…
Slim Whitman? Blech. Boxcar Willie? Poseur. Only the original TV album guru will do.
Just how close are we to seeing what moviegoers saw in the 1920’s? In these two cases, as it turns out, not very.
We’re all goin’ on a…(quiet, mellow) Autumn Holiday…
Watch horror films, keep Archiveland strong, keep Benny-boy (in)sane.
It’s a friend! It’s a companion! It’s a lifestyle! It’s…supremely annoying…
Quite possibly the ultimate “headphone” episode of OA…for realsies this time.
The Archive finds itself caught in a celluloid jam…
Time to fill up on bratwurst and get down to that fonky, fonky, meut-sick!
Public Domain stuff, VHS, weird music, surrealist humor--your Oddity Archive® bingo card should be 80% full from this one episode alone!
Everybody loves a trilogy…and here’s the last piece of it.
Even the comedy gods (and goddesses) have their off days…
You’ve heard of turkey coma, right? This one’ll give you Archive coma.
“Fun” Project. “Fun” Time.* *According to the uber-cheap DIY FM transmitter I bought.
Record Ripoffs gets back to its roots…man.
Let’s get real! Surreal, that is… (er, sur-reel?)
When this episode was first released, it was an (actual) off-air copy. Thing is, a lot of detail was lost in the microbroadcast. As such, here’s wha... Read More
A 8-course feast of Vertical Helical Schlock for your Thanksgiving!
Four stereotypically inedible fruitcakes…and one semi-digestible one for your holiday.
Let’s celebrate comedy on cable TV…with only the barest minimum of humor.
It’s new! It’s today! It’s now! It’s…recycled.
Consider this a “soft-launch” of Season 14 of OA. I’m finally off the sidelines and…things are as dusty as ever.
KLAK has had to take on a few advertisers*. Tough times, ya know… *Yes, YouTube, this is a joke. This is NOT a sponsored video.
The OA equivalent of popcorn, pretzel sticks and jellybeans as a Thanksgiving feast…
The Archive serves up some true Christmas Hams…with a side of Duck A La Wronge.
…because three hours a night of late 80’s primetime TV lameness just wasn’t enough!
Well, it’s Oscar season. Let’s pretend current Hollywood doesn’t exist.
Another round of classic local TV bliss delivered in easy-to-digest 30-second bites…
Because nothing says "Happy 200th, America" like crappy "collectibles", Up With People and bizarre Government films.
Featuring such great (non-)hits from the likes of Hairy Nielsen, BAAB, William Turkey and many, many more! Order today!!!
Seeing as the Archive somehow managed to hit the 30 episode mark, it seemed like a good time to throw a nice, little (tax-deductible) party. Plus, Be... Read More
Covert broadcasts...and how to decode them (your results may vary).
Or, as Ben likes to call it, the Max Headroom Incident's annoying, less creative little brother.
And Ben thought it would just be another cool toy for his collection. How naive...
Another existential crisis in Archive-land? Get your head out of your ass, Benny boy! NOTE: If viewing this episode on a Pioneer VP-1000 unit (Seria... Read More
We've only just begun...to hurt.
Copying this video may cause your computer to randomly burst into flames. The Archive assumes no liability.
Is there really such a thing as too much LaserKaraoke? Let's find out with this special double (if not triple) length episode!
For all the time we've spent with this format, a full look at it (and its offshoots) seemed only natural.
WARNING: This episode is coated in a new, ultra high-tech substance that may cause colorful sparks to emit from your computer. Also,
The most headache-inducing Archive episode to date. Guaranteed.
The Archive is back on YouTube! But, not without (desperately) seeking out some alternatives in the meantime.
Today's burning question: Is it pronounced "stare-eo" or "steer-eo"?
Naughty words WITHOUT Oddity Archive® – 22 Naughty words WITH Oddity Archive® – 21
The 3rd annual Archive LaserKaraoke Party is on (sort of)!
Breaker for a short-short. This is the Oddity Archive. What's yer handle, good buddy?
Oddity Archive®: Also available for birthday parties, weddings and bar mitzvahs.
Recently, we came into a small jackpot of Pickwick albums. Given this label's long-standing history with the Archive, it only seemed appropriate to d... Read More
Oddity Archive: Now in high-pile carpetvision!
A little success, a little failure, a little intrigue, a little frustration. In other words, your standard between-season break for Ben.
…dragging the Record Ripoff concept kicking and screaming out of the 70’s. What the hell was I thinking?!?
Have your credit cards handy because we're about to launch our own Home-Shopping-type channel! What could possibly go wrong?
Crank it up and sing along! The madness will naturally follow.
Oddity Archive: Your home for absurd, costly and borderline-useless “broadcast” experiments since 2015!
…because I haven’t REALLY opened myself up to mass criticism for a long time now.
12 inches of Archivian goodness!
What’cha doin’ on your rump? Hopefully, you’re watching this episode!
A King-sized episode for a King-sized anniversary. Of course, we can't play any actual Elvis, so let's look at some of the cash-ins based around the... Read More
A cooking show—Archive style.
I was burning incense on not-quite vinyl (while listening to Playtapes) before you were. Take that, hipsters.
This offer will expire without notice! Order now!
A double (if not triple) dose of failure. You know you love it.
Archive HQ Version 2.0. Was it worth it?
By (inexplicably) popular demand, the Rock N’ Roll equivalent to “American Movie” rolls on.
Attempting to realize a viewer’s vision of an old-school, drive-in theater—at home.
We haven't had a good roast in awhile, have we?
More 8 frames-per-second at 1,800 revolutions-per-minute goodness from the darkest pits of the Archive!
Well, I kinda killed the Archive’s old LaserKaraoke machine…and I’d been threatening to upgrade the main Laserdisc player. Upgrade time!
Ben gets far more than he bargained for…and it was hardly a bargain.
A special limited addition—because we don’t think this’ll sell too well.
Oddity Archive®: On the cutting edge of amateur, home recording (as of 1965).
A banquet of oversaturated and generation-lossy goodness from the Archive! Fill-in-the-blankwave fans will love it.
…and the jackpot goes up to 178…episodes, that is!
Our seventh annual marathon of soft rock and mullets…lots and lots of mullets.
…or, Ben enters the Loss Prevention Protection Program.
Another batch of (no more than) 7.5ips goodness…straight from the hea-a-a-arrt.
Well, my (working) Summer Vacation turned into a (working) Summer Staycation…
Featuring some of the genuine leg ends of Rock N’ Roll!
A film made especially for the occasion by Swedish documentarian Hans Krullitzer.
Either the all-time most beautiful or most psychedelic episode of the Archive…we’re not sure.
Just when you thought the Archive couldn’t possibly get any more tacky…
Looking at a trio of (slightly misguided) discs touting Pioneer Laserdiscs and Home Theater gear…
Life has gotten so tangled lately. As such, let’s roll things back to the absolute (commercial) basics of Halloween…
