Kelly Jo McDonnell and Jason Anderson. Photos: Cy Dodson, Triumph Pictures
Podcasters remember iconic 1984 movie during a live podcast.
John Bender, Andrew Clark, Brian Johnson, Allison Reynolds and Claire Standish served detention, and many of us had a big screen view of their teenage angst on that sequestered Saturday in the Shermer High School library. For a fair amount of Generation Xers, The Breakfast Club was a seminal movie, and podcasters Kelly Jo McDonnell and Jason Anderson are marking the March 24 detention day with a live podcast of Latchkey Logic from the BLVD Kitchen & Bar in Minnetonka.
“Generation X does not have a national holiday, so why not March 24 because on that date back in 1984 is when The Breakfast Club kids were in detention?” Minnetonka’s McDonnell says.
The duo launched the weekly podcast in April 2024 as a natural outgrowth of McDonnell and Anderson’s interest in all things Generation X. It’s recorded at Triumph Pictures Studios in Minnetonka with topics including fashion, malls, music, prom season and so much more. The podcast is also a natural fit for McDonnell, who for about 30 years has worked as producer and writer for Ron Schara Productions (Minnesota Bound on KARE 11). Her work has also appeared on FanDuel, NBC, The Discovery Channel, The History Channel and other networks, and she’s a six-time Emmy award-winner.
“At my day job, I produce podcasts (Minnesota Bound for Talk North), but it took my buddy [Anderson] to mention to me that we should host our own [podcast]. We are always gabbing about Gen X music and fashion, so why not make it official and fun?” McDonnell says. “As luck would have it, my hubby, Cy Dodson, had just bought some podcast broadcast equipment and wanted to test it out. We were the guinea pig podcast for him.” The duo recorded the debut episode, Gen Xtroverts, on the fly. “It was as raw and authentic as you can get but with first class production, so go figure,” she says.
Guests are welcome on the podcast. One of their favorite guests is former Minnetonka resident and author Mia Mulrennan, who is researching a book on Generation X. The author’s first book is Passed Over and Pissed Off. “It’s fascinating to hear research explaining why we are the way we are,” McDonnell says.
For some, recording podcasts can be challenging, since there’s no immediate feedback and reaction from an audience. McDonnell doesn’t find it to be an issue. “I work in TV, so I’m used to no immediate reaction. At least, I don’t see it real time,” she says. “We see plenty of reactions on social media though. [Anderson] and I love to see people commenting through Spotify and Apple podcasts. That’s when it hits home—Hey, people are listening!”
Latchkey Logic can be found wherever podcasts are offered.
What: Live taping of Latchkey Logic
When: 5 p.m. March 24
Where: The BLVD Kitchen & Bar, 11544 Wayzata Blvd., Minnetonka; 763.398.3200; blvdkitchen.com
What Else: Entry tickets are $5 and will include free beer, snacks and more.
