Nov. 6: Waterboy, Magic Johnson, Berlin Wall
Nov. 6: Waterboy, Magic Johnson, Berlin Wall
Also Stefan Urquelle, Mario boxes, Top Gun, and more
The Retro by 11 Points
Modern perspectives on ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia
November 6th, 2020 • Issue 20
This week in nostalgic history
November 6th
22 years ago, on November 6th, 1998 - The Waterboy hit theaters.
The Waterboy was the final movie in Adam Sandler’s man-child trilogy (following 1995’s Billy Madison and 1996’s Happy Gilmore). But while Billy Madison was immature and Happy Gilmore was out of control, Sandler chose to play Bobby Boucher the Waterboy with something else going on — he was either “a bit slow” as Homer Simpson would say, or his development was stunted by a lifetime of emotional abuse from his mother. That character choice made the bullying against him hit harder — and also, playing into a long-standing stereotype about the strength possessed by developmentally disabled people, made the character literally hit harder as a football player.
It’s possible in crossing that line with the character, Sandler had to wrap up this run of films. His next vehicle was Big Daddy, where his man-child was actually a low key genius; a real pendulum swing the other way. In fact, when he retreated back to his roots for Little Nicky the following year, it would be one of his worst performing movies ever and kick off a real career re-examination.
Of course, Adam Sandler’s career turned out more than fine; now he’s making a billion dollars cranking out 100 movies a year for Netflix and occasionally even moonlighting as in shouty Oscar bait.
Also on November 6th: Whitney Houston’s album I’m Your Baby Tonight was released (1990)… the Fan Man flew into the Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe boxing match (1993)… the Cleveland Browns announced they were relocating (1995)
November 7th
29 years ago, on November 7th, 1991 - Magic Johnson announced he was HIV positive and retiring immediately from the NBA.
Though it’s not a 1:1 comparison, on March 12th of this year, I was rocketed back to this day in 1991 when Magic Johnson announced he was HIV positive. March 12th, 2020 was the day Tom Hanks announced he had COVID-19 (and, to bring it back to the NBA, the league shut down its season within the same hour).
The Tom Hanks moment took me back to Magic Johnson because, although I was still pretty young at the time and couldn’t come close to fully comprehending the nuances, I knew the HIV diagnosis was a big deal. I knew it was a seismic shift — literally ending the career of one of the top players in basketball overnight. And, at the time, we also collectively believed it was a death sentence. Over these past three decades, thanks to medical advances that were unfathomable science fiction in 1991, Magic Johnson’s diagnosis was not a death sentence. He’s still alive today, doesn’t show any signs of slowing down, and his stint as the “famous face of the AIDS epidemic” has more or less ended. In fact, everyone’s fine making fun of him and his legendary banal tweets — there are no kid gloves used on a terminally sick man here.
Tom Hanks, as we all know now, beat COVID-19 (and has even moved on to the phase of being willing to satirize how he contracted it, if a recent movie cameo I won’t spoil is any indication). The day in March when he revealed his diagnosis, we weren’t sure. People are as uncertain now of COVID as they were of HIV/AIDS when Magic was diagnosed. Again, while these viruses are not perfectly analogous, and it’s reductive if not insulting for me to flippantly treat HIV like a thing of the past, I’m hopeful we make it through our current situation like society made it through the downright frightening peak of the AIDS epidemic era.
Also on November 7th: Silk Stalkings premiered on USA (1991)… the infamous Lisa’s Pony episode of The Simpsons aired (1991)… the Tony Rich Project’s single Nobody Knows and Whitney Houston’s single Exhale (Shoop Shoop) was released (1995)… Starship Troopers hit theaters (1997)… Destiny’s Child’s single Say My Name was released (1999)
November 8th
32 years ago, on November 8th, 1988 - George H.W. Bush was elected president of the United States.
The 1988 U.S. Presidential election is the first one I remember. I have a strong memory of drawing donkeys and elephants in a fourth grade class in an election-related assignment. I remember watching some of the debates with my parents. I remember people thinking Dan Quayle was a moron (and lo, how many moron politicians would we see rise to prominence in the three decades — making Dan Quayle look like Ken Jennings and not just because of their physical resemblance).
I didn’t realize at the time how rare it was for an incumbent vice president to be elected president — it’s only happened two times (since the 12th Amendment), with Martin Van Buren in 1836 and then George H.W. Bush. People really liked Ronald Reagan that much, huh?
Also on November 8th: Chris Isaak’s single Wicked Game was released (1990)… the Dancin’ Homer episode of The Simpsons aired (1990)… Ransom hit theaters (1996)
November 9th
31 years ago, on November 9th, 1989 - The Berlin Wall came down.
Here’s another moment that happened in my childhood that I could tell was a big deal — but I couldn’t fully understand just how big of a deal it was. Like most people reading this newsletter, I was born during the Cold War — and it ended before I really knew what it meant. My benchmarks were the arrival of Tetris in America and, well, this moment.
The fall of the Berlin Wall was a major milestone in the waning days of the Cold War — a milestone I think I “get” now, but perhaps still don’t fully grasp as much as someone a bit older.
Also on November 9th: Larry Bird and Dr. J got into a mid-game fight (1984)… Jan Hammer’s Miami Vice theme hit number one (1985)… A Nightmare on Elm Street hit theaters (1984)… Dances with Wolves hit theaters (1990)… Madonna’s album The Immaculate Collection was released (1990)… Queen Latifah’s single UNITY was released (1993)… Evander Holyfield defeated Mike Tyson (1996)
November 10th
25 years ago, on November 10th, 1995 - Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls hit theaters.
I’ve previously written in this newsletter about Ace Ventura, and what a seminal movie it was for my high school friends and me in 1994. Suffice to say we were salivating for Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls the moment it hit theaters. Unfortunately, it fell victim to a classic case of ‘90s sequel-itis. Too much fan service. Too weak of a mystery (the mystery in Ace Ventura was *remarkably* well crafted, the modern understanding of transphobia aside). So many diminishing returns on the Ace Ventura character.
At the beginning of this email, I talked about Adam Sandler’s man-child trilogy. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, despite being a commercial success, wasn’t anyone’s vision of an artistic success — clearly including Jim Carrey. Because he probably could’ve made a third if he’d wanted to and created his own early movie career trilogy like Sandler did. He didn’t want to.
Also on November 10th: Sesame Street premiered (1969)… Microsoft formally announced Windows (1983)… the famous He-Man episode The Problem with Power aired (1984)… the series finales of Charles in Charge and Pee-Wee’s Playhouse both aired (1990)… the single Rebirth of Slick by Digable Planets was released (1992)
November 11th
33 years ago, on November 11th, 1987 - The series finale of Transformers aired.
By all accounts, the making of the original Transformers was a mess. The team making the show received only two directives: sell toys and pump out episodes. As a result, there was little to no canon — the writers just pounded out scripts as fast as possible based around the toys Hasbro wanted to make and didn’t have time for little annoyances like a show bible or continuity.
But much like He-Man, this was another toy-driven nonsense cartoon that somehow managed to embed itself in the soul of a generation of kids. Ultimately, the show had what was a standard shelf life for a cartoon in the ‘80s (right around 100 episodes) — but even after this meek cancellation in 1987, the legacy endured. There have now been multiple spin-off series and, of course, the money-printing live-action film franchise.
Also on November 11th: The series finale of Transformers aired (1987)… Child’s Play and Iron Eagle II both hit theaters (1988)… Shaquille O’Neal played in his first NBA game (1992)… Interview with the Vampire and The Santa Clause both hit theaters (1994)… the Spartan cheerleaders debuted on Saturday Night Live (1995)
November 12th
24 years ago, on November 12th, 1996 - The first Ultimate Fighting Championship event was held.
I have no real nostalgia for UFC. Like most people, I had no idea it existed in 1993. I’m not a fan now. But there’s no denying what an unexpectedly seminal day this was in the evolution of pro sports in the U.S. It’s exceedingly hard for a new sports league (let alone a new sport) to break through in this market. The sports people watch en masse today are, by and large, the same sports they watched 30 years ago. 50 years ago, even. The biggest exception (and it’s hard to think of anything even close) is the decline of boxing that paralleled the rise of mixed martial arts.
It all started this day in 1993, with a pay-per-view event that did surprisingly well and even featured two names I’ve heard of: Ken Shamrock (because of WWF) and Royce Gracie (because his name is on something like a million gyms and martial arts studios).
UFC would continue along in quasi-underground fashion until the early 2000s, when a new group (including Dana White) bought the league and took it mainstream.
Also on November 12th: The Jetsons series finale aired (1987)… Jewel’s debut single You Were Meant for Me was released (1996)… Dogma hit theaters (1999)
Everything old is new again
A look at the reboots, revivals, throwbacks, retro insights, and nostalgia in the news.
Jaleel White says when Family Matters introduced Steve Urkel’s suave alter ego Stefan Urquelle, it helped out his love life IRL.
Some Amazon orders will be shipped in a special Super Mario Bros. box. Whether or not you get one is totally random, but if you do, keep it in good shape and sell it to a sucker on eBay.
The U.S. Navy’s real-life TOPGUN school fines people $5 if they quote Top Gun.
The cast of Family Ties is reuniting on Tuesday to raise money for people in the arts who are now out of work.
Joshua Jackson spotted someone wearing his jersey from The Mighty Ducks while walking down the street.
One of the writers of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is angling to do a sequel set in “that universe.”
The CW has released a teaser for its Walker, Texas Ranger reboot.
Throwbacks and recommendations
Vice did an oral history of the game changing Simpsons episode “Marge vs. the Monorail”.
A list ranking the best Christmas movies of all time feature many from the ‘80s and ‘90s — and also movies that are questionably Christmas movies like Die Hard, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Lethal Weapon, and Gremlins.
A ranking of all 32 pieces of “future tech” in Back to the Future: Part II from best to worst.
Here’s a list of “10 underrated bands you don’t remember defining the ‘90s” — although it all feels awfully mainstream to me.
Thanks for reading!
-Sam