May 7: The Fresh Prince dad episode, Whoomp! There It Is
Plus a van down by the river, Ricky Martin, the NBA draft lottery conspiracy, Cotton Eye Joe, and more
The Retro by 11 Points
Modern perspectives on ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia
May 7, 2021 • Issue 46
This week in nostalgic history
May 7th
28 years ago, on May 7th, 1993 - Tag Team’s single Whoomp! (There It Is) was released.
Tag Team’s single Whoomp! (There It Is) came out of the gates on this day in 1993 and was instantly called derivative. That’s because about six weeks prior, a group called 95 South out of Miami released a single called Whoot, There It Is. Whoot was more of an early ‘90s hardcore booty rap song (think 2 Live Crew) and Whoomp leaned more toward early ‘90s dance party rap (think C&C Music Factory) — but that’s essentially splitting a hair. These were two dance rap songs with all-but-identical titles that dropped less than two months apart.
To this day, the forces behind both songs maintain the entire situation was pure coincidence; a case of parallel innovation akin to how two different comics called Dennis the Menace came out simultaneously in the 1950s or Deep Impact/Armageddon in 1998. (Et. al.; as I once wrote about with 11 pairs of very similiar movies that were released at the same time.)
Time has been kinder to Whoomp than Whoot; Whoomp, after all, had a softer edge making it more radio- and bar mitzvah-friendly in the mid ‘90s. Whoomp reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100; Whoot peaked at 11. Today, when people recall the songs, it seems they’re always referencing Whoomp, not Whoot.
And in December of last year, Whoomp had a surprising but significant revitalization thanks to a viral GEICO commercial built entirely around the song, and featuring the aged but clearly thrilled duo of Tag Team.
Also on May 7th: Shelly Long made her final appearance as a regular on Cheers (1987)… the series finale aired of the Facts of Life (1988)… Terence Trent D’Arby’s single Wishing Well hit number one (1988)… Michael Jordan hit “The Shot” against the Cleveland Cavaliers (1989)… the series finale aired of Alien Nation (1990)… EMF’s album Schubert Dip was released (1991)… Sir Mix-a-Lot’s single Baby Got Back was released (1992)… the 27th amendment was ratified, banning Congress from giving itself a raise (1992)… Dave hit theaters (1993)… the Denver Nuggets upset the Seattle Supersonics in the NBA Playoffs (1994)… Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream was recovered three months after it was stolen in Norway (1994)… Reggie Miller scored eight points in the final seconds of the 4th quarter to defeat the New York Knicks (1995)… Apple’s eMate 300 went on sale (1997)… The Fifth Element hit theaters (1997)… the infamous Puerto Rican Day episode of Seinfeld aired (1998)… Steve Perry left Journey (1998)… Daimler-Benz bought Chrysler (1998)… the Jenny Jones Show was found liable after one guest killed another after the show (1999)… The Mummy hit theaters (1999)
May 8th
28 years ago, on May 8th, 1993 - Chris Farley’s character Matt Foley debuted on Saturday Night Live.
Chris Farley worked quite a bit of magic on Saturday Night Live, but arguably his best showcase character was the one that debuted on this day in 1993. The sketch featured Chris Farley as a disheveled, abrasive contradiction of a motivational speaker, legs spread, belly out for maximum comedic effect, weird posture, crazy arm movements, and lots of yelling and erratic voice modulation.
In the sketch, David Spade literally begins laughing the second Chris Farley appears on screen and has trouble stopping. The episode’s host, Christina Applegate, doesn’t fare much better. Farley’s opening salvo contains the catchphrase “I live in a van down by the river” that would become a lasting piece of the pop culture lexicon to this day. The entire sketch is a Farley tour de force, one of the purest examples of his talent, as he runs wild for about five electric minutes before exiting the scene.
The sketch has been called one of the greatest in SNL history so, of course, SNL ran it into the ground. Matt Foley would appear in four episodes the following season, two more the next season, and then one more time when Farley hosted the show in 1997. None of those is remembered as fondly as this original, however, which remains one of the iconic moments in Farley’s tragically truncated career.
Also on May 8th: Vangelis’s single Chariots of Fire hit number one (1982)… the Soviet Union announced they were boycotting the ‘84 Olympics in Los Angeles (1984)… Joanie and Chachi were married on Happy Days (1984)… Wilson Philips’ debut album was released (1990)… Haddaway’s single What Is Love was released (1993)… Deep Impact hit theaters (1998)… Ricky Martin’s single Livin’ La Vida Loca hit number one (1999)… Allen Iverson gave his “Practice?!” interview (2002)
May 9th
27 years ago, on May 9th, 1994 - The famous “dad” episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air aired.
It was the Very Special Episode heard round the world: The character of Will on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was reunited with his deadbeat and absentee father, who ultimately lets Will down again, leading to a famous embrace between Will and Uncle Phil where Will cries, “How come he don’t want me, man.”
The scene has been quoted aplenty in the years since, but upon rewatching, I was surprised to see just how good and affecting the acting is by Will Smith and James Avery.
In fact — it’s quite possible Will Smith’s acting was too good. At this point in his career, four seasons into the show, Smith wasn’t really considered a capital A Actor; a TV sitcom actor and ultra charismatic personality, sure, but not an actor. So when Smith nailed this scene, people naturally assumed it could only be because the pain he was portraying was real. And for many years, the widely-accepted story was Will Smith’s real-life father had abandoned him, thus driving this plot line and informing the performance.
It was only in an interview with Essence magazine many years later that Smith clarified: No, this episode wasn’t based on his dad. His dad was there with him every step of the way and was “tough but not tyrannical … he’s a steady and positive figure in my life.”
Also on May 9th: Friday the 13th hit theaters (1980)… the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers played the longest game ever, lasting 25 innings (1984)… Phil Collins’ single Sussudio was released (1985)… Short Circuit hit theaters (1986)… Tom Cruise and Mimi Rogers were married (1987)… Dan Quayle messed up the “A mind is a terrible thing to waste” slogan (1989)… Sinead O’Connor refused to perform on Saturday Night Live when Andrew Dice Clay was named host (1990)… the series finale aired of the Golden Girls (1992)… Bob Saget hosted his final episode of America’s Funniest Home Videos (1997)
May 10th
25 years ago, on May 10th, 1996 - Twister hit theaters.
We loved our disaster movies in the ‘90s, and Twister was one of the tentpoles. It was the distilled essence of a ‘90s disaster movie: Not trying to do anything particularly interesting or unique, just giving you stock characters facing down some cool special effects amidst a by-the-numbers plot. And we ate it up. We ate them all up.
Twister was a box office dominating success; to this day, even as we’re now more than a decade into the Nothin’ But Blockbusters era, it remains the 76th highest grossing movie of all-time in the U.S. It was the first movie ever released on DVD. It got its own ride at Universal Studios Florida (although that ride was closed in 2015 and replaced with a ride called… I kid you not… Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon).
And, naturally, a Twister reboot is currently in the works. Yes, it will probably follow the more modern movie formula, not the ‘90s formula: more character development, an effort to “say something” with the plot, the entire thing filmed in front of green screens. And, sadly, we know Bill Paxton (and Philip Seymour Hoffman) won’t be in the reboot. But we know people will watch it. There’s just something we collectively love about watching people run from a natural disaster.
Also on May 10th: The series finale aired of Laverne & Shirley (1983)… the Go-Go’s broke up (1985)… Pet Shop Boys’ single West End girls hit number one (1986)… Tommy Lee and Heather Locklear were married (1986)… New Kids on the Block’s single Step by Step was released (1990)… UB40’s single I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You was released (1993)… Nelson Mandela was sworn in as president of South Africa (1994)… Aaliyah’s debut single Back & Forth was released (1994)… Crystal Waters’ single 100% Pure Love was released (1994)… Duncan Sheik’s one hit, Barely Breathing, peaked at number 16 (1997)… the XFL folded after one season (2001)
May 11th
22 years ago, on May 11th, 1999 - Ricky Martin’s self-titled album was released.
I remember the rise of Ricky Martin in that it felt like there was no rise of Ricky Martin. One day I’d never heard of him, the next day he was a mega star and everyone just kinda acted like that had always been the case.
Of course, he had been around before his debut (English language) album, released on this day in 1999. He was part of the boy band Menudo and then a Spanish-language sensation before he took on the English-speaking audience.
His breakthrough moment wasn’t the release of the album but rather a performance at the Grammys a few months earlier. (Those were the Grammys where Lauryn Hill won every award.) Martin performed two high-energy Spanish/English songs and came off like a giant star (his “whoa who is that” looks certainly played a role) — which, as I said, was a status level everyone happily granted him.
Following the success of his first English album, he’d release another the following year, then go back and forth between Spanish and English. Today, he’s mostly back in the Spanish-language world and is cited as one of its most influential artists of all time. For a pop star whose snap-of-the-fingers rise felt like the brilliant calculation of a lot of people in the music industry all pulling in one strategic direction, there’s a lot of authenticity in Martin’s career choices.
Also on May 11th: Dr. J had his signature NBA highlight, a flying baseline layup (1980)… Cats first premiered on stage, in London (1981)… the Natural hit theaters (1984)… Madonna’s single Crazy for You hit number one (1985)… the series finale aired of Dynasty (1989)… Monie Love’s one hit, It’s a Shame, peaked at number 26 (1991)… Roxette’s single Joyride hit number one (1991)… Onyx’s single Slam was released (1993)… the series finale aired of Captain Planet (1996)… Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in chess, the first time a computer defeated a world champion (1997)… Road Trip hit theaters (2000)
May 12th
36 years ago, on May 12th, 1985 - The New York Knicks won the first NBA Draft Lottery in dubious fashion.
There are plenty of NBA conspiracy theories that seem really solid. Michael Jordan’s secret suspension for gambling. The league rigging a playoff game to save the Lakers’ championship hopes in 2002. And, perhaps, the granddaddy of all NBA conspiracy theories: The 1985 Draft Lottery.
The NBA was growing in popularity in 1985, but not all was well. Notorious (to say the least) San Diego Clippers owner Donald Sterling publicly admitted his team was tanking to try to get high draft picks. New NBA commissioner David Stern knew he had to try to put a stop to that practice so the NBA installed the draft lottery. In this first iteration, the bottom seven teams in the league would all have an equal shot at the top draft pick. It was the first effort in any league to stomp out tanking. At least in theory. In practice, we’ve seen it didn’t quite work because tanking is still going strong to this day.
An added wrinkle in 1985 was who the top pick in the NBA Draft would be. Patrick Ewing at Georgetown was the greatest college player in two generations and many thought he was destined to be, quite possibly, the biggest star the NBA had seen since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Even bigger than its current two hottest stars in Magic and Larry.
The NBA has always put its big market teams in the spotlight (and continues to do so to this day), and no team was in a bigger market than the New York Knicks — who just so happened to be coming off their worst season in two decades and found themselves in this inaugural draft lottery. They had a 14 percent shot at the first pick. Could the NBA take that risk?
As the lottery commenced, David Stern pulled an envelope from a large drum. The team in that envelope would receive the first pick. The envelopes were placed in the drum by a representative from an accounting firm called Ernst & Whinney that also, people later learned, represented the owners of the Knicks. (It was before Ernst & Whinney merged with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young if I know my business history, and I do.)
Was New York’s envelope frozen so Stern could find it by touch? Was it intentionally bent or creased for that same reason — possibly even by the auditor as he placed it in the drum? Did Stern use slight of hand? Did he use some other technique to fix the results? The conspiracy theories would fly almost immediately when Stern opened the envelope to reveal the Knicks had, in fact, won the first draft pick and would get the ultra-bankable star in Patrick Ewing. And those theories continue to fly to this day.
There’s never been proof. The league continues to deny anything nefarious happened. And yes, modern times have shown us the dark side of the conspiracy theory mentality. But man… this one sure feels like it’s just too convenient to have happened purely by chance.
Also on May 12th: Billy Joel’s single It’s Still Rock & Roll was released (1980)… the USFL was formed (1982)… Lionel Richie’s single Hello hit number one (1984)… the series finale aired of Max Headroom (1988)… Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was released for NES (1989)… the last graffiti-covered NYC subway car was retired (1989)… the series finale aired of the Wonder Years (1993)… the series finale aired of In Living Color (1994)… Pulp Fiction premiered at the Cannes Film Festival (1994)… Elton John’s single Can You Feel the Love Tonight? was released (1994)… Crimson Tide hit theaters (1995)…
May 13th
26 years ago, on May 13th, 1995 - The Rednex’s one hit, Cotton Eye Joe, peaked at number 25.
I hope this doesn’t ruin Cotton Eye Joe for you a quarter century later — or make you throw away your Jock Jams CD in protest — but the Rednex were not authentic rednecks. Or “rednex” if you want to spell it in their extreme manner.
And now it’s time to answer the questions: Where did they come from? Where did they go?
Like so many successful pop groups, the Rednex were actually a collection of Swedish singers. The one cosplaying as Mary Joe was actually named Annika Ljungberg. Bobby Sue was really Kent Olander. It goes on and on like that all the way down the line.
The Rednex were created by a group of Swedish producers who came up with the idea to turn American country music into European discotech tracks. They created several songs in that style (the Rednex debut album has the fantastic name Sex & Violins), but none had the international success of Cotton Eye Joe.
Cotton Eye Joe was a reimagining of a traditional country folk song called Cottin-Eyed Joe, which dated back to the 1880s. It may even predate that, as evidence points to the song’s origin coming from slaves in the South before the Civil War. The title may have referred to a mysterious stranger or the name of a dance — or possibly even syphilis.
The origins aren’t definitively known, but the influence of this random Swedish pop group on the song certainly are. The Rednex version was a radio hit in the U.S. and the song has endured as a popular pick for stadium dance cams and comedic movie scenes.
Meanwhile, the Rednex are, shockingly, still an active group all these years later. They never had another major hit in the U.S., and they’ve only put out three studio albums in their 27-year career, but they remain something of a force in Sweden — where they’ve had five top 10 hits this century, including a number one hit called Football Is Our Religion in 2008.
Also on May 13th: Breakout was released for Atari (1976)… Pope John Paul II was shot (1981)… Bon Jovi’s single I’ll Be There for You hit number one (1989)… the season finale of the first season of The Simpsons aired (1990)… the series finale aired of Knots Landing (1993)… The Crow hit theaters (1994)… Scottie Pippen pouted while Toni Kukoc hit a game winning shot for the Chicago Bulls (1994)… Johnny Carson made his final TV appearance, on Letetrman (1994)… Martin Page’s one hit, In the House of Stone and Light, peaked at number 14 (1995)… No Mercy’s single Where Do You Go was released (1996)… Oasis’s single Champagne Supernova was released (1996)…
Everything old is new again
A look at the reboots, revivals, throwbacks, retro insights, and nostalgia in the news.
The Spice Girls are working on a sequel to the movie Spice World.
A Night Court sequel with John Larroquette and Melissa Rauch (from Big Bang Theory) will film a pilot for NBC.
Jaleel White says he was “not welcomed to the cast” of Family Matters.
The first trailer just came out for Paramount+’s “reimagining” of Rugrats. The show comes out on the 27th of this month.
Six strands of Kurt Cobain’s hair just went up for auction.
Peacock’s second season of the new Saved by the Bell is planning a special tribute to Dustin Diamond.
It turns out Nintendo has a longstanding clause in its contracts with partners that bans them from working with the Yakuza.
In a very timely lawsuit, Nirvana just got sued for using a piece of artwork on merchandise dating back as far as 1989.
Throwbacks and recommendations
Rolling Stone decided to take on the casual task of ranking the 100 best sitcoms of all time. I can’t argue with number one, but number two seems a bit high for my liking.
Also, in anticipation of Elon Musk crashing, burning, and doge-ing, Rolling Stone ranked the 20 worst Saturday Night Live hosts of all time, many of which are from the time frame of this newsletter.
I’m really not sure this warranted the “oral history” treatment, but Vox dug into the history of the Dawson crying GIF from Dawson’s Creek.
Check out the 50 most streamed one-hit wonders on Spotify.
And finally, here’s an 11-minute documentary on JNCO jeans.
Thanks for reading!
-Sam