OCT. 19, 1951 – JAN. 22, 2026

A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE BY JOHN CAFIERO

John Cafiero & “Uncle Floyd” Vivino.

On Thursday, January 22, the world lost “Uncle Floyd” Vivino. Floyd was a multi-talented master of music and comedy—a self-made man who could seemingly do it all, independently. In the mid-1970s through the 1980s, Floyd’s legendary self-produced NJ-based TV show, “The Uncle Floyd Show,” developed a huge cult following. Word of mouth spread quickly here on the East Coast (just like rumors of spider-eggs in Bubble Yum) and eventually reached the nation. The show, which ran into the late 1990s, was unlike anything else and hard to characterize. It was often called a kiddie show for adults. Floyd once described it as (and I’m paraphrasing) if the Little Rascals had grown up and put on a TV show. Floyd had the unique ability to transplant his vaudevillian roots and influences into a contemporary setting, one fully unique to his brand and persona.

It was wild, improvisational, live, one-take television driven by raw energy, creativity, and ingenuity at its finest. Anything from a Halloween candy dispenser you’d find in your local store to a simple paper cup could be transformed into a memorable character. Respectively, “Bones Boy” and “Cuppy” were found objects turned puppets, imbued with richly insane personalities of their own, who, among others, became staples on the show. It was a well-orchestrated free-for-all, with a dynamic cast of crazies, each with a unique persona, look, and skill set to complement each other. Uncle Floyd was the ringmaster, accompanied by his childlike, precocious, wise-cracking puppet sidekick Oogie.

After stumbling on the show like a signal from another world on UHF channel 68, I became a daily viewer in grammar school through high school. Kids from all kinds of cliques tuned in, too. Everyone dug the show. While home spun on the surface, the show had such a broad reach and appeal (and to the right audience) that countless, now-legendary, bands and celebs recognized its cool factor and wanted to appear on it. That included the Misfits, the Ramones, the Smithereens, Squeeze, The Boomtown Rats, members of the Monkees, Monty Python, and even Cyndi Lauper’s TV debut—to name just a few.

All who experienced it felt the gravitational pull to Floyd and his show. Rock ‘n’ roll royalty John Lennon and David Bowie were among the early fans who would tune in daily. Bowie would reveal that Lennon had turned him on to the show. In later years, Bowie would write and record a haunting song in memory of the Uncle Floyd Show called “Slip Away” —name-checking Uncle Floyd and Oogie in the lyrics. In one of many other nods to surface over the years, the Uncle Floyd Show is playing on the TV in the home of the deranged mama’s boys in the controversial 1980 splatter classic “Mother’s Day”.

Uncle Floyd Show shrine from the collection of John Cafiero.

The show’s popularity led to flurry of T-shirts, pins, bumper stickers, sold out live club dates, a series of independently produced and released 45 RPM singles by Floyd and the cast, a major label full-length “Uncle Floyd Show Album”, and even TV commercials—one memorably being the jingle Floyd’s penned and performed for the NJ based amusement park Wild West City. The show’s popularity was so immense that NBC TV picked it up and slotted it immediately after Saturday Night Live. But in a shortsighted decision, NBC tried to control the show’s chaos rather than letting it be what drew them in to begin with. The relationship didn’t last long, and the Uncle Floyd Show eventually returned to cable TV.

Floyd would go on to co-star in feature films with Robin Williams in the 1980s and with Dudley Moore in the 1990s, and later host a variety of amazingly eclectic and entertaining radio shows, live streams, podcasts, and more from the 2000s up to the time of his passing.

I’d have the good fortune of getting to know Floyd and working with him on numerous occasions in my adulthood. Among them, I’d cast Floyd in a small but memorable role in my feature film directorial debut (“Big Money Hustlas”). Years later, Floyd would tell me with surprise how often people would stop him and recognize him from, of all things, that small role. My wife, Suzanne, grew up on the Uncle Floyd Show, too, and in Issue 3 of Vol 2 of the Sweetie Candy Vigilante comic book, she writes, which I produce, you’ll find two cops named in homage to Floyd and his longtime friend, collaborator, and Uncle Floyd Show cast member Scott Gordon.

Floyd, Oogie & John at the recording session for “Shaving Cream” in Union City, NJ.

When producing Floyd’s “punk” cover version of the novelty classic “Shaving Cream” for “Dr. Demento Covered in Punk,” I proudly managed to persuade Floyd to bring Oogie out of retirement for the first time in decades to sing with him on the track. Oogie remained out of retirement from that point onward. He’d make regular appearances on Floyd’s weekly radio show on 89.1 FM WFDU —at times, unexpectedly making references to me personally, live on-air, which was always a thrill. Some projects we’d planned will sadly never be, but others will see completion and release in the not-too-distant future.

In the studio recording “Shaving Cream” for Dr. Demento Covered in Punk.

I don’t think Floyd left this world fully realizing just how influential he was on so many people, including scores of those in the entertainment industry who would later make their own mark on pop culture. The outpouring of love for Floyd and his work that has followed his passing has been really gratifying to see and is just a small testament to his impact and accomplishments.

Art by Evan Dorkin & Sarah Dyer. Art Direction John Cafiero. © 2018 Demented Punk

Over the past decade-plus, my wife and I would go to see Floyd perform whenever we got the chance, and for a time, it became an annual ritual to start the new year with one of Floyd’s local live performances. Although, like the rest of the world, I first came to know him as TV’s Uncle Floyd, in many ways over the years, Floyd became akin to family. There are lots of great memories to look back on, and the Uncle Floyd Show shrine in my office, along with Oogie himself, keeps those memories with me daily.

My condolences to Floyd’s family, friends, and all who loved him.

RIP Uncle Floyd, you will be missed, but certainly not forgotten.

Dr. Demento unleashes “Get Demented,” a wild new single that revives the spirit of classic novelty music with Dr. Seuss-inspired style and a wink of pure comic genius.

The legendary Dr. Demento is back to stir up a new wave of madness with his all-new single “Get Demented.” The world’s most beloved purveyor of mad music and crazy comedy takes the mic himself, leading this wild new original track backed by nerd-rock outfit the Amoeba People. Written especially for Dr. Demento, the song carries forward the tradition of classic novelty music while bringing in sharp, modern themes that fit perfectly in today’s unpredictable times.

Visually, the single is just as outrageous as the song itself. The stunning Dr. Seuss-inspired cover art comes from Joe Simko, the celebrated artist behind Topps’ Garbage Pail Kids and Wacky Packages, with concept and art direction by John Cafiero of Osaka Popstar and Demented Punk. The result blends two unmistakable pop-culture icons, Dr. Seuss and Dr. Demento, into one unforgettable image that captures the gleeful absurdity of the moment.

Fans can stream or download “Get Demented” now on all major digital platforms and grab the equally eye-popping “Get Demented” T-shirt featuring Simko’s artwork at the official Demented Punk Online Store. A limited-edition 12-inch vinyl with a special B-side is also on the horizon from Demented Punk. Stay tuned for more news on that coming soon.

For more than fifty years, Dr. Demento has been the authority on musical mischief, championing novelty hits and discovering new voices in the art of the absurd. His long-running syndicated radio show, still available to stream exclusively at DrDemento.com, created an entire genre of comedy music and launched the career of “Weird Al” Yankovic. His influence has earned him honors in the Comedy Music Hall of Fame, the National Radio Hall of Fame, and even a cameo on The Simpsons.

With “Get Demented,” Dr. Demento proves he’s still leading the charge for weirdness in all its forms. It’s a reminder that laughter, satire, and a good hook never go out of style.

Check out the “Shit Happens” Animated Promo Video (above) starring the voice talents of actor/musician Bill Mumy as album mascot “Joe Solid!” The animated spot, Produced and Directed by longtime Misfits & Ramones collaborator John Cafiero (of Osaka Popstar), brings to life the front, back and interior album artwork by underground comix artist Stephen Blickenstaff, best known for creating the cover art to the Cramps classic 1984 album “Bad Music for Bad People.”

Get ready to… Spin some ‘Real Good’ SH!T

All-New material from Art Barnes of World Famous Comedy Music duo Barnes & Barnes, creators of “Fish Heads” the #1 Most Requested song in history on the Dr. Demento Show!

& Barnes “Shit Happens” featuring: “Hip as a Bip,” “Guppy Stomp,” “Butter” and LOTS MORE GOOD SHIT!

Available on Vinyl, CD and Digitally in stores and online now!

ORDER NOW @ DEMENTED PUNK ON CD OR AUTOGRAPHED ONLINE EXCLUSIVE VARIANT VINYL!

The Demented Punk Online Exclusive Edition is pressed on Brown Vinyl with Yellow Splatter, Limited to 150 pcs worldwide, and personally autographed by Bill Mumy aka Art Barnes!

Also available everywhere on Ltd Ed Brown Vinyl or CD in Gatefold packaging.

All vinyl editions include MP3 Download card and all formats feature front, back & interior artwork by Stephen Blickenstaff with art direction by Demented Punk’s John Cafiero.

Look for more cool shit like T-Shirts, Pins and get the Exclusive Vinyl or CD bundled with ‘em to save a few bucks!

ORDER NOW AT: STORE.DEMENTEDPUNK.COM

Track List:

1.) Hip as a Bip
2.) Take Me To My Mommy
3.) Toomp
4.) Guppy Stomp
5.) I Miss You Like a Kidney Stone
6.) Ehh Whatever
7.) Orphanage Porridge
8.) Voody Pooty Booty Pie
9.) Let’s Grease Up and Wrestle
10.) Butter
11.) Did She Get It
12.) Shit Happens
13.) A Piece of Pie

Dedicated with love to the memory of Robert “Artie Barnes” Haimer (1954 – 2023).

Yeah!

Written, Produced & Directed by John Cafiero (Osaka Popstar), the new animated music video for the single “Lost & Found” from the band’s latest release “Ear Candy” (out now on Misfits Records in association with Demented Punk), stars actor/comedian/musician Fred Armisen (of Portlandia, Documentary Now, SNL), along with Osaka Popstar (all in animated form), and features cameos by the Osaka Popstar Devil Dogs, the Kawaii Black Metal trio, Sweetie Candy Vigilante, and includes nods to Saturday morning breakfast cereals, the Partridge Family, The Archies, the Monkees and more! Click above or below to watch now.

Ear Candy debuts all-new material and ‘sweet’ new recordings by Osaka Popstar wrapped in a candy-coated punk-rock package sure to induce a sugar rush!!

Limited Edition Candy Swirl “bite” Vinyl (as seen in the cover art), includes download card with MP3s and exclusive variant “Sweetie Candy Vigilante” 32-page digital comic book.

CD in deluxe gatefold packaging with free 2-sided poster and download card with exclusive variant Sweetie Candy Vigilante 32-page digital comic book.

Fronted (and produced) by longtime Misfits and Ramones collaborator John Cafiero on vocals, with Dean Rispler (formerly of NY performance art-rock band The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black) switching off on guitar and bass duties, with Jon Wurster (of Superchunk, Bob Mould & The Mountain Goats) on Drums. Includes guest appearance by indie rocker Colleen Green on backing vocals for two tracks, gorgeous front cover art by Josh Howard (Dead @ 17 comics), wicked back cover art by Jeff Zornow (Godzilla comics), kawaii black metal interior art by Nemons (Gary Hall), download card w/ MP3s + an exclusive variant full-color 32 page “Sweetie Candy Vigilante” digital comic book unavailable anywhere else!

In addition to being one of the coolest and most unique looking vinyl records you’re ever to find, Ear Candy is cut at 45RPM for maximum sound quality.

ORDER NOW on Vinyl or CD plus look for the new Ear Candy & Kawaii Black Metal Tees and pins too!

Also available wherever digital music is offered.

Get EXCLUSIVE variants and FREE Osaka Popstar Saturday Morning cereal Candy when you order the RED Swirl “Bite” Variant Vinyl or Deluxe CD bundles in the Demented Punk Online Store NOW!

All-new Expanded Edition of the anime-punk-rock mash-up debut album by Osaka Popstar!

Available for the first time on vinyl, “Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk” has been fully remastered and pressed on limited edition 180-gram vinyl with enhanced front and back cover artwork, newly added bonus tracks, 20-page book with expanded art, essays, liner notes, and more. LP comes housed in Deluxe gatefold spot UV packaging with MP3 download card. Also available on CD in Deluxe spot UV Digipak w/ 20-PG Book.

Check out the new animated spot starring Osaka Popstar’s ‘Crunchy Crossbones’ mascot voiced by Roger L. Jackson (best known as the voice of Mojo Jojo in “The Powerpuff Girls” & Ghostface from the “Scream” horror film franchise). Click Here to watch and confirm for yourself that Osaka Popstar Sounds Crunchy Even in Milk!

LTD ED ‘ANIME SPEED-LINE SPLATTER’ 180 GRAM COLORED VINYL EDITION
LTD ED BLUE 180 GRAM COLORED VINYL EDITION
CLASSIC BLACK 180 GRAM VINYL EDITION

Fronted and produced by longtime Misfits and Ramones collaborator John Cafiero, “Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk” features a backing band of super luminary original punk rock super heroes, including Jerry Only (The Misfits), Marky Ramone (The Ramones), Dez Cadena (Black Flag), and Ivan Julian (Richard Hell & the Voidoids), plus a special guest appearance by indie music icon Daniel Johnston. They rip through a roller coaster of high-speed hooks and catchy choruses, recalling the very best of New York City punk rock.

If classic NY punk, anime, cult movies, comic books and toys formed a band on a sugar rush it would sound like Osaka Popstar.

“The Best ‘Punk’ Album in 25 Years. Osaka Popstar is a high concept project that bashes through generational barriers. They combine roots-punk style music a la the Buzzcocks, the Undertones, the Ramones, and the Misfits, and then incorporate this into Japanese Saturday morning cartoon imagery. It’s sort of like the Archies on steroids, or the Fountains Of Wayne on amphetamines. Osaka Popstar have perfected a near-miraculous combination of fun and catharsis that leaves you breathless, exhausted, and completely satisfied.” – American Hit Network

“You should be warned… The verses are catchier than many a groups’ choruses, and the choruses are like three-chord crack. And similarly irresistible.” – Classic Rock Magazine

“The existence of the Osaka Popstar’s debut is further proof that God loves the Ramones. The album is a phenomenal ode to power pop and deeply infectious pop punk. Inspired heavily by Japanese Animation (check out the album art work and the two music videos)… it should be standard issue for every punk popper wannabe even dreaming about starting a band.” – AMP (American Music Press-Monthly)

TRACK LISTING

1.) Wicked World
2.) Astro Boy
3.) Sailor Moon
4.) Man of Constant Sorrow
5.) Insects
6.) I Live Off You
7.) Xmas Intro (That Almost Wasn’t)
8.) The Christmas that Almost Wasn’t
9.) Love Comes in Spurts
10.) Blank Generation
11.) Monsters
12.) Where’s the Cap’n? (Extra Crunchy Mix)
13.) Shaolin Monkeys

Bonus Tracks:

14.) Super Hero
15.) Beat on the Brat (Studio Version)

ORDER NOW IN THE OSAKA POPSTAR ONLINE STORE

Get the new Vinyl or CD in one of our online Exclusive Expanded Edition Bundles to score some ‘crunchy’ new Osaka Popstar Merch along with it, save money, and score a FREE MYSTERY TEE too!

For a limited time, all Osaka Popstar Expanded Edition Bundle orders will include a Free Bonus Mystery T-shirt featuring a classic Osaka Popstar design!

This special 12-inch split maxi-single features GRAMMY award winner “Weird Al” Yankovic teamed with NYC’s Osaka Popstar paying homage to the founding fathers of punk rock, The Ramones!

Pressed on black vinyl in an edition of 3,000 for indie shops through RSD Black Friday, it’s now available in an ONLINE EXCLUSIVE RED VINYL VARIANT limited to 400 pcs wordlwide while supplies last! The 12-inch features cover art by Topps Garbage Pail Kids artist Neil Camera and includes a 2-sided full color inner sleeve with live photos, artwork and liner notes, plus MP3 download card.

Hailed by Rolling Stone as “a blistering, accordion-tinged cover,” “Beat on the Brat” features “Weird Al” on lead vocals and accordion, backed by Osaka Popstar, (John Cafiero on backing vocals, Dean Rispler on guitar, Sal Maida (Sparks) on bass, and Dennis Diken (The Smithereens) on drums). Originally appearing on the #1 charting punk-comedy crossover album “Dr. Demento Covered in Punk,” the aforementioned studio version, (Produced by longtime Misfits and Ramones collaborator John Cafiero), is accompanied by two exclusive, previously unavailable LIVE bonus tracks (“Beat on the Brat” and “I Wanna Be Sedated”) performed by “Weird Al” and his band on the “Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour!”

“Weird Al”, a pop culture icon, who also happens to be the most requested artist in the history of the Dr. Demento Show, stated of the recording, “How could I not contribute to this project. I love punk music, and Dr. Demento changed my entire life in an extraordinary way. I selected “Beat on the Brat” by the Ramones, because I truly believe it’s the most upbeat, danceable song about child abuse ever written.”

The flip side features an all-new studio version of the title track by Osaka Popstar (from the new Expanded Edition of the critically acclaimed “Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk” album), plus 3 additional Ramones covers by Osaka Popstar recorded LIVE in concert—with special guest appearances by members of the Misfits, Ramones & Black Flag—never before released on vinyl!

The black vinyl pressing debuted at participating indie stores on Friday November 26, exclusively from Demented Punk Records for RSD Black Friday 2021.

T-Shirts and pins featuring the “Weird Al” GPK-inspired ‘Brat Beater’ artwork are available from Demented Punk.

Side 1: “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC

1.) “Beat on the Brat” (from the album “Dr. Demento Covered in Punk”)
2.) “Beat on the Brat” – LIVE (First Time EVER on Vinyl)
3.) “I Wanna Be Sedated” – LIVE (First Time EVER on Vinyl)

Side 2: OSAKA POPSTAR

1.) “Beat on the Brat” (from the forthcoming expanded edition of “Osaka Popstar & the American Legends of Punk”)
2.) “Beat on the Brat” – LIVE (First Time EVER on Vinyl)
3.) “Blitzkrieg Bop” – LIVE (First Time EVER on Vinyl)
4.) “The KKK Took My Baby Away” – LIVE (First Time EVER on Vinyl)

All-new material by comedy-music icons Barnes & Barnes! The demented duo behind the classic novelty hit ”Fish Heads” (the #1 most requested song of all-time on the ‘Dr. Demento Show’), present a new listening experience in ‘Outsider Music for Insiders’.

ORDER NOW ON CD OR AUTOGRAPHED ONLINE EXCLUSIVE VARIANT VINYL!

2-disc Ltd Ed colored vinyl LP w/ ‘groovy’ art etching in gorgeous gatefold packaging (featuring surrealist paintings by artist Mike Bell, based on concepts and art direction by Demented Punk’s John Cafiero), lyric sheet insert, and MP3 download card. Running Time: 50 minutes.

Demented Punk Online Exclusive Edition – Limited to 150 pcs worldwide – autographed by Art & Artie Barnes!

Disc 1: ‘Psychedelic Pancake’ colored vinyl with neon multi-color (purple, green and orange) syrup splatter

Disc 2: ‘Jaws of the Panther colored vinyl with ‘groovy’ art etching on Side 4

Also Available on CD in Gatefold packaging with FREE POSTER included!

“This definitely ain’t “Fish Heads”! Pancake Dream finds the brothers Barnes at their most hypnotic and avant-garde, creating lyrics and soundscapes that will forever plague my dreams and haunt my every waking moment. Yeah!” — “Weird Al” Yankovic

“In 1978 Barnes & Barnes released “Fish Heads,” the most requested song in the 51-year history of the Dr. Demento Show. In 2021, Barnes & Barnes bring us “Pancake Dream,” born of a darker, more mature comic vision, and thrilling in its musical brilliance.” — Dr. Demento

Look for the Maple Syrup Splatter Vinyl Edition in stores and online worldwide everywhere else.

GET THE EXCLUSIVE “PANCAKE DREAM” BONUS DVD – NOT SOLD IN STORES
FREE W/ PURCHASE OF A “PANCAKE DREAM” BUNDLE @ DEMENTED PUNK.

The exclusive “Pancake Dream” Bonus DVD (limited to 300 copies) features over 50 minutes of content, hidden easter egg clips and a total of 13 music videos—each made by Art & Artie Barnes personally! Collectively is it a bizarre video concept album, or a mini art film…? You decide.

You won’t find the “Pancake Dream” Bonus DVD available for sale, (or available at all), anywhere else! It’s exclusive to our appetizing and highly limited “Pancake Dream” bundles which include the new full-length album on your choice of CD or exclusive autographed variant vinyl, the option of a set of 3 enamel pins or an embroidered Pancake Dream ball cap, plus 3/4 sleeve Raglan T-shirt featuring the incredible album cover artwork.

Order the ‘Short Stack’ CD Bundle or the ‘Tall Stack’ Autographed Vinyl Bundle or score the entire collection (while you can) in the ‘Grand Slam’ Ultimate Pancake Dream Bundle. All 3 include the exclusive BONUS DVD plus a nifty Demented Punk logo sticker too!

Be afraid… Pancake Dream is here!

ORDER NOW AT STORE.DEMENTEDPUNK.COM

Click below to watch a promo spot for “Pancake Dream” now.

Produced by longtime Misfits and Ramones collaborator John Cafiero (Osaka Popstar), and originally appearing on the #1 billboard charting album “Dr. Demento Covered In Punk,” Weird Al Yankovic’s “Beat On The Brat” was hailed by Rolling Stone as “a blistering, accordion-tinged cover.”

“Weird Al”, a pop culture icon, who also happens to be the most requested artist in the history of the Dr. Demento Show, stated of the recording, “How could I not contribute to this project. I love punk music, and Dr. Demento changed my entire life in an extraordinary way. I selected “Beat on the Brat” by the Ramones, because I truly believe it’s the most upbeat, danceable song about child abuse ever written.”

Performed by: “Weird Al” Yankovic on vocals and accordion, with Osaka Popstar (John Cafiero on backing vocals, Dean Rispler on guitar, Sal Maida on bass, and Dennis Diken on drums), this 3” black vinyl record, pressed in an edition limited to 1,500 units worldwide, is made to play on the RSD3 mini-turntable (as well as the RSD 2020 clear variant). Comes with a collector’s poster and sleeve featuring Weird Al ‘Brat Beater’ artwork by Garbage Pail Kids artist Neil Camera.

Available at participating indie stores on Sat July 17, exclusively from Demented Punk Records for RSD 2021! Contact your local record store to let them know it’s on your wish list and ask them to order! For a list of participating stores near you, visit RecordStoreDay.com

Also look for “Weird Al” T-Shirts and pins featuring the GPK-inspired ‘Brat Beater’ artwork at the Demented Punk Online Store.