TheArnoldFans

"Put that cookie down" and pick up your TV remote to watch “Schooled" Wednesday the 11th! In an homage to 1990s holiday movie Jingle All The Way, Adam F. Goldberg, executive producer of the ABC-TV hit comedy Schooled features that eternal search for the ultimate holiday gift in this week’s episode, airing on Wednesday, December 11 at 8:30 p.m. In this week’s episode of Schooled, CB (Brett Dier) seeks to obtain a Beanie Baby to win the affection of Lainey Lewis (AJ Michalka). During his search he runs into Coach Mellor (Bryan Callen) who scores the Turbo Man toy from the Jingle All the Way movie.

TheArnoldFans spoke with Adam F. Goldberg, creator of The Goldbergs and Schooled about his love for the 1996 holiday film and its iconic action hero, TurboMan!

TheArnoldFans: How big of a fan are you of Schwarzenegger’s Jingle All the Way and why are you giving this film a tribute on Schooled?

Adam F. Goldberg: "I was 20 when Jingle All the Way was released a film student at NYU. As fate would have it, there was a test screening on 3rd Ave. so I got to see an early version which always made the movie ten times better. I’ve been a lifelong Arnold fan, especially when it came to his comedies like Twins and Kindergarten Cop. Jingle All the Way was cute, but certainly fell short for me at the time. My main issue with the film was Turbo Man itself. I’m a lifelong action figure collector and love the concept — but wanted it to be about a REAL toy. I found Turbo Man to be bland and silly looking. It just took me out of the movie. But then the weirdest thing happened. 20 years later I now find Turbo Man an iconic nostalgic toy because it reminds me of my early college days. I LOVE the fact they invented their own toy and find the figure itself having pure 90s charm."

TheArnoldFans: My new tradition is for me to dress as TurboMan and to hand out free toys with Schwarzenegger every Christmas to inner city families who can’t always afford to buy present. So as you can tell, I too am a very big Jingle All the Way / TurboMan fan. Why do you suppose Jingle All the Way has become such a cult classic these days?

Goldberg: "I love you dressed as Turbo Man. I think Jingle All the Way has become a cult classic because it’s one of those crazy 90s movies that feels like a weird fever dream. The stunts defy physics, everyone is acting in a different kind of movie and Arnold is let loose to just have fun. It’s a also a movie aimed specifically for kids — so those in their 30s look at it like a seminal holiday movie seen over and over in their childhood so it gets baked into their DNA."

TheArnoldFans: How did you bring in so many Jingle All the Way props onto the set of Schooled? How many TurboMan dolls did you already own and did you have to buy additional ones online to fill the shelves on set?

Goldberg: I’ve grown such a love for Turbo Man and have been quietly buying props and figures off of eBay. Our amazing prop master Jem Elsner got the rest. My favorite is my screen used Booster and Dementor. Oh man I wish they made these toys for real! If memory serves, I signed up on kickstarter to buy a Turbo Man replica that someone was making a few years ago… but they ran into legal problems. We need the line to continue! Or at least a cartoon!"

We strongly agree with Adam. The world needs more TurboMan merchandise, cartoons and live-action performances! Maybe we can convince Adam F. Goldberg to write a Jingle All the Way Broadway play!

“The fact that Turbo Man was panned makes it now a collector’s item,” added Goldberg. “I’m actually one of the biggest Turbo Man collectors in the country, I even own screen used props that I was able to feature on the episode.”

Created by Adam F. Goldberg and Marc Firek, the series is from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century FOX Television, ABC Studios and FOX 21 Television Studios. Adam F. Goldberg and Doug Robinson are executive producers.

“For 90s fanatics like me, Jingle All The Way has become regarded as a cult Christmas movie,” said Goldberg. “It has so many elements that makes it feel like a 90’s time machine - Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, endless Home Alone slapstick jokes that defy physics and of course a 90s superhero named Turbo Man.”