The Retro
by 11 Points
Modern perspectives on ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia
January 21st, 2022 • Issue 83
This week in nostalgic history
January 21st
41 years ago, on January 21st, 1981 - The DeLorean DMC-12 went into production.
For a car company that lasted seven years, produced one model, and only manufactured 9,000 units, DeLorean is disproportionately famous. That’s (of course) almost entirely due to the car’s role in Back to the Future. However, the reason the DeLorean DMC-12 got the call as the car of the future was, well, it was designed from day one to look like the car of the future.
While the DeLoreans weren’t great — “underpowered” and “overpriced” (the price was the equivalent of roughly $70,000 in today’s dollars) were reviews which came up a lot — the look was pure cinematic science fiction.
So the DeLorean still has lots of cachet today as around two-thirds still remain in operation. And the future has continued to slowly catch up with what the DeLorean was envisioning, most notably its gull wing doors.
Also on January 21st: Bon Jovi’s debut album as released (1984)… Yes’ single Owner of a Lonely Heart hit number one (1984)… President Reagan’s second inauguration was the coldest history; his first had been the warmest in history (1985)… Phil Collins’s single Two Hearts hit number one (1989)… John McEnroe was ejected from the Australian Open for throwing his racket (1990)… MTV Unplugged premiered (1990)… Lorena Bobbitt was found not guilty by reason of insanity (1994)… Down to You and The Boondock Saints both hit theaters (2000)
January 22nd
28 years ago, on January 22nd, 1994 - Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting’s single All for Love hit number one.
I appreciate how on the nose it was for three singers to team up to make the signature song for the soundtrack to 1993’s Three Musketeers movie.
They really could’ve used a D’Artagnan though. You’re telling me Phil Collins or Eric Clapton isn’t taking that phone call?
Anyway, this is one of those ‘90s soundtrack songs that clearly outperformed the movie from which it came. All for Love hit number one on this day in 1994, two weeks after The Three Musketeers movie’s middling run in theaters wrapped up. This song also hit number one in 12 other countries and qualified for Billboard’s Top 100 of the decade at the end of the ‘90s. The Three Musketeers did not make quite the same impact.
Also on January 22nd: The L.A. Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins to win the Super Bowl (1984)… Apple’s famous “1984” commercial aired during the Super Bowl (1984)… Pennsylvania politician R. Budd Dwyer committed suicide on live TV (1987)… the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals to win the Super Bowl (1989)… Culture Beat’s one hit, Mr. Vain, peaked at number 17 (1994)… Bret Hart and Lex Luger both fell from the ring and were declared co-winners of the WWF Royal Rumble (1994)… the Unabomber plead guilty (1998)… Chappelle’s Show premiered on Comedy Central (2003)
January 23rd
39 years ago, on January 23rd, 1983 - The A-Team premiered on NBC.
The A-Team was a perfect ‘70s TV series… only it came out in 1983.
As a result, it was caught up in changing tides of television viewership, which cut its run and its popularity short.
The A-Team was popular out of the gate and even became a top five show in its second season — but the momentum wouldn’t last.
The A-Team was campy in the wrong way; it was a violent show where none of the violence did any damage (there was no blood or death). The characters were cartoony in a way that lost its shelf life fast, yes, even for Mr. T. And as ‘80s TV eventually cotarized around family shows and less campy dramas, The A-Team crashed in popularity.
Still, it’s a standout show that remains a bona fide cult hit today. While there was a reboot movie (that did alright), it’s surprising there hasn’t been a reboot TV series. Especially because, in the Fast and Furious era, campy action is once again in style.
Also on January 23rd: Hulk Hogan defeated the Iron Sheik to win his first WWF Championship (1984)… ThunderCats premiered in syndication (1985)… the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted its first members (1986)… Michael Jackson’s single The Way You Make Me Feel hit number one (1988)… Salvador Dali passed away at age 84 (1989)… the Smashing Pumpkins single 1979 was released (1996)… Moesha premiered on UPN (1996)… the first version of the Java programming language was released (1996)… Spice World hit theaters (1998)… TLC’s single No Scrubs was released (1999)… Eagle Eye Cherry’s one hit, Save Tonight, peaked at number five (1999)
January 24th
31 years ago, on January 24th, 1991 - Boyz II Men’s debut single, Motownphilly, was released.
My favorite aspect of Motownphilly as an “allow me to introduce myself” debut single is how it so succinctly sums up the story of Boyz II Men.
The lyrics to the chorus are the group’s mission statement. Bringing Motown and Philly back to national prominence (check). Doing a little east coast swing as their musical style (check). Not to hard and not to soft as their approach (check).
And then, when Michael Bivins of Bell Biv DeVoe jumps in for his rap verse, he sums up the story of the group’s rise in an economical one line: “One day back in Philly, four guys wanted to sing. They came up to me.”
That’s literally the story. This group of friends were trying to make it as a singing group, saw Michael Bivins backstage at a local radio concert, went up to him, and the rest is history. Perhaps that story isn’t worthy of a documentary, but there’s art in its brevity.
Also on January 24th: The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl (1982)… two days after the Super Bowl commercial, the first Apple Macintosh went on sale (1984)… Billy Vera and the Beaters’ single At This Moment hit number one (1987)… the WWF held its first Royal Rumble, won by Hacksaw Jim Duggan (1988)… serial killer Ted Bundy was executed by electric chair in Florida (1989)… the O.J. Simpson trial began (1995)… the FDA approved the fat substitute olestra in spite of the potential for “anal leakage” (1996)
January 25th
23 years ago, on January 25th, 1999 - The Tom Green Show premiered on MTV.
Tom Green was essentially a YouTube star before there were YouTube stars (or, you know, before there was YouTube). He started off by making his TV show on public access in Canada, it eventually was picked up by a Canadian comedy network, then made its way to MTV on this day in 1999.
At every stop I’d assume the reaction by executives was, “I’m not sure I get this, I’m not sure why or if this is funny, but young people seem to be responding to it so let’s pretend we get it too and roll with it.”
And like many, if not virtually all, independent guerrilla talents today, Tom Green seemed to struggle once big money was at stake and higher-ups could now meddle in his creative process.
While the show wound up running for 29 episodes at MTV across three seasons (one of which was significantly altered by his cancer diagnosis), Green never seemed fully comfortable playing within the system. Ultimately, he found refuge back in the independence of the internet with his own show in 2006.
Also on January 25th: Paul McCartney was released from jail in Japan after being held nine days on drug charges (1980)… 52 American hostages arrived back in the U.S. after 444 days in Iran (1981)… the Oakland Raiders defeated the Philadelphia Eagles to win the Super Bowl (1981)… the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl (1987)… Color Me Badd’s single All 4 Love hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 (1992)… R. Kelly’s single Bump n Grind was released (1994)… Adina Howard’s single Freak Like Me was released (1995)… the Denver Broncos defeated the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl (1998)… David Beckham and Posh Spice got engaged (1998)… the first-ever hand transplant in the U.S. was performed (1999)… the Blair Witch Project premiered at the Sundance Film Festival (1999)
January 26th
24 years ago, on January 26th, 1998 - Bill Clinton said “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”
Was it a lie or a master class in semantics? This was the day in 1998 when Bill Clinton said the most famous quote of his presidency: “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”
The veracity comes down to the undefined term “sexual relations.” Because while Clinton would eventually admit he had an “improper physical relationship” with Monica Lewinsky, they never had actual sexual intercourse.
The semantic game continues to be universally popular to this day for politicians (and other public figures) as they issue denials to scandals. From passive voice usage to “if you were offended” apologies, the tradition of unsatisfying, non-committal, sort-of-truth-sort-of-lies marches on unabated.
And unlike in 1998, with today’s insanity of the 24-hour news cycle and social media whack-a-mole, public figures generally have a far easier time getting by on those half-apologies than anyone did a quarter century ago.
Also on January 26th: The Dukes of Hazzard premiered on CBS (1979)… the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl (1986)… Phantom of the Opera opened on Broadway (1988)… Surface’s one hit, The First Time, hit number one (1991)… the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl (1992)… The Critic premiered on ABC (1994)… My So Called Life aired its series finale (1995)… the Green Bay Packers defeated the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl (1997)… Edwin McCain’s single I’ll Be was released (1998)… The Wedding Planner hit theaters (2001)
January 27th
24 years ago, on January 27th, 1998 - Will Smith’s single Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It was released.
For many years I liked the quote “Living that life some consider a myth.” I thought it sounded very cool and clearly was a line from a Biggie song like Juicy.
It was not. It was a line from Gettin’ Jiggy with It.
Which led me to real dilemma: Do I continue to occasionally using this cool catchphrase or drop it now that I realized the rapper behind it was on the near polar opposite of the coolness scale, ahead of only maybe the rappin’ granny. Maybe.
Years later, living a normcore suburban parental life none would consider a myth, I decided I would keep the quote and use it if the opportunity ever came up again. So, um, keep an eye out for that?
Also on January 27th: Michael Jackson’s hair caught on fire on the day that was the exact midpoint of his life (1984)… Cyndi Lauper’s single Time After Time was released (1984)…Whitney Houston famously sang the National Anthem and the New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl (1991)… Andre the Giant passed away (1993)… the Golf Channel debuted (1995)… The Verve Pipe’s single The Freshmen was released (1997)… Shania Twain’s single You’re Still the One was released (1998)
Everything old is new again
A look at the reboots, revivals, throwbacks, retro insights, and nostalgia in the news.
Daniel Radcliffe will star in a Weird Al biopic, which will air for free on the Roku Channel. Weird Al issued this statement: “When my last movie, UHF, came out in 1989, I made a solemn vow to my fans that I would release a major motion picture every 33 years, like clockwork. I’m very happy to say we’re on schedule. And I am absolutely thrilled that Daniel Radcliffe will be portraying me in the film. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the role future generations will remember him for.”
A sequel to A Christmas Story is in the works. And Peter Billingsly, who starred in the first one as Ralphie, is going to star and produce.
Tim Allen is producing and starring in a Santa Clause limited series for Disney+.
A sequel to 1995’s Heat is coming… as a novel. Michael Mann wrote the novel Heat 2, which will come out August 9th.
Nintendo has added the popular Nintendo 64 game Banjo-Kazooie to its Nintendo Switch Online service.
Well this is so disappointing. Right Said Fred shared a link to a white supremacist livestream last weekend. Right Said Fred have been outspoken anti-vaxxers during the pandemic; they eventually apologized for posting the link and said they were just trying to “share information they feel isn’t covered by the mainstream media.”
A DAO purchased a copy of a rare book about the making of Dune at auction with plans to turn it into NFTs… they didn’t realize the purchase did not give them those rights.
Throwbacks and recommendations
The reboot of Fraggle Rock is now out on Apple TV+.
Here’s a two-hour compilation of Seinfeld bloopers from all nine seasons.
Thanks for reading!
-Sam