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Family Guy's Funniest Pop Culture References, Vol. 2

The Pink Panther experiences the downside of corporate shilling.

   

Peter meets the "Dons" of pop culture.

 

The Game of Thrones walk of shame (Aretha Franklin style!)

   

Peter gets a little lost was traveling on the Great Space Coaster.

Now we know what happened to the other three Friends cast members.

   

It's true -- you never realized how disturbing the Lost in Space plots actually were.

   

Popeye is having health problems.

   

Peter falls in love with Kathy Ireland (sort of) and croons a Billy Ocean tune.

   

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Family Guy's Funniest Pop Culture References

MTV Refused to Grow Up... But Was It the Right Decision?

"I heard you on the wireless back in '52..."

In the first few moments of the MTV's launch 41 years ago today, we were greeted with those words courtesy of The Buggles and their prophetic "Video Killed the Radio Star", the very first video shown on MTV. Then, for the next ten years, we watched as the fledgling channel expertly polished, refined and improved its brand, content and image. Along the way, the 24-hour music channel became the single most significant television experience for Generation X, which at the time comprised the most important segment of America's youth. But by the early 90's MTV faced a difficult decision -- one that would completely redefine its identity and alter its pop culture legacy. Here's the story of how MTV came to that crossroads and the path it ultimately chose.

The truth is that MTV arrived with little fanfare back on that first day of August, 1981. It was a simpler time for Americans in terms of our ability to keep ourselves entertained without benefit of personal computers (coincidentally introduced by IBM just a few days later), Sony Playstations, or even VCRs. Indeed, as hard as it is to believe, this was a time when the majority of Americans were also limited to three network channels, a few local stations and PBS. Cable television changed all that. Originally intended for populations living in mountainous and remote locations, cable TV was, by the early 80’s, quickly spreading to both urban areas and their surrounding suburbs. Most Americans at the time had barely even heard of MTV. The channel was largely considered to be just another basic cable station with novelty programming that could best be described as "pop or rock music songs typically set to creative visuals or the artist's live performance."

It was tough going at first. Operating on a shoestring budget, with only five on-air personalities and a handful of production people and executives, MTV struggled its first two years but somehow still found its audience – high schoolers and college age young adults. What MTV offered back then is very similar to what Napster would provide a little less than two decades later, that is, a fresh new way to source and experience music. The record industry was floundering, coming off of some of their worst sales years ever. The glory days of the 70’s when everyone was eager to run out and buy the latest LPs by Peter Frampton, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Styx and Heart were over. Disco, and to a lesser extend AOR, were dying slow deaths. New musical genres (punk, new wave, rap) were emerging and what’s more, many of these new styles were, in one way or another, actively discouraging record sales. Early rap records, for example, were often recorded on tape and sold out of the trunks of cars in the artists' local neighborhoods. Many of the most popular punk artists were either British and/or their recordings were not as readily available as other artists. The time was just right for MTV to enter, establish some common ground, and offer an exciting new platform of content for a wide range of music listeners. Despite having little more than a hundred videos to begin with, the idea of “seeing the music” was so appealing to viewers that “Hey, did you see so and so’s new video?” soon became a common question on high school and college campuses. Clearly, it had a lot to do with the fact that at the time, outside of a concert venue, there was no opportunity to experience your favorite music artists visually. The ability to view your favorite performer singing their latest hit but also have it presented in a stimulating and creative way was one of the most innovative developments in music since the invention of phonograph. 

"Lying awake intent on tuning in on you..."

MTV’s popularity grew rapidly, thanks in part to the fact that the channel came about at virtually the same time as two other innovations in the music/recording industry – the Walkman and the compact disc. Sony debuted its portable personal cassette player in 1979 and by 1982 (MTV’s second year) had perfected its design and was on its way to selling over 100 million units. Just about the same time (1982) the compact disc was introduced and was soon recognized for offering superior sound quality and being the music format of the future. The CD and the Walkman led to tremendous growth in music sales throughout the decade (see chart below) and increased interest in popular music in general.

MTV can also take credit for another music industry trend of the 80’s. The channel can take sole responsibility for breaking a number of iconic British artists here in the states, the result being something akin to a second British Invasion. Out of necessity (rather than some visionary decision making) the first two years of MTV saw a flood of English artists receiving heavy rotation on the channel -- mainly because, initially, Brits were the main ones making music videos. Going back to the mid 70's, when artists like Queen and David Bowie experimented with the music video, English artists had always gravitated towards the medium. As a result, they were the ones ready when MTV came looking for content. Enduring artists like The Police, Eurythmics, Billy Idol and Duran Duran owe their careers to MTV, and one hit wonders and lesser artists like Naked Eyes ("Always Something There to Remind Me"), Spandau Ballet ("True") and Adam Ant ("Goody Two Shoes", "Strip") experienced their brief stints at the top courtesy of the channel.

Not to say that English artists were the only ones benefiting in those early days. American artists scrambled to take advantage of the new outlet MTV provided and early videos by Cindy Lauper, The Cars and The Go-Go's, among others were MTV staples. At the time, it was a great example of a symbiotic relationship: artists make videos that get played on MTV; more people watch the channel to see the video, thereby giving the single/album more exposure and increasing sales; and finally, more people watching MTV meant more advertising dollars for the network. Everybody was happy. 

Over the years, MTV got its legs, matured and perfected the art of shameless self-promotion. Segments like "MTV News", the “I want my MTV” promos, and the MTV Video Awards (introduced in 1984) combined with the cooperation of the major record labels in providing not only content, but also access to their artists, helped MTV put an indelible stamp on the 80’s. In the process, MTV both capitalized on and helped perpetuate all of the decade’s biggest music trends, including the Michael Jackson and New Kids on the Block phenomenons, the emergence of rap/hip-hop, and the popularity of “pop metal” bands like Bon Jovi, Whitesnake and Poison. 

All the while, MTV’s programming became more and more diverse -- yet always stayed true to it’s acronym: Music Television. New shows and specials began to appear: The Top 10 Video Countdown (1984), Club MTV (1987), a series of “rockumentaries”, Yo, MTV Raps (1988), The Grind and the groundbreaking MTV Unplugged (1989) evidenced the fact that it was still all about the music.

MTV hit its peak in the early 90’s – right around the time the original MTV-generation stopped watching regularly. It wasn’t that they were no longer interested, it was just that after college, and as they neared our mid-20's, they were cornered by careers and responsibility, Suddenly, checking out the new Guns N' Roses video wasn’t as important as getting up for work the next day. MTV brass likely took notice of a dip in ratings and tried to formulate a response to what was then, the first decline in viewing since the channel’s inception. 

The result was an excessive (and in many ways unwarranted) revamping of MTV’s programming. Back in the 80’s, MTV had begun supplementing its video programming with reruns of The Monkees, animated series like Speed Racer and the old Beatles and Jackson 5 cartoons, spring break coverage from Florida, and their first original regular series, the game show Remote Control. Then suddenly, as the nineties rolled in, more new shows began to appear (among them, House of Style, The State, and additional game shows like Singled Out) -- all of which had nothing to do with music.

MTV further pushed its programming envelope with the animated anthology Liquid Television, which launched Mike Judge's Beavis and Butthead and provided a showcase for other independent animated productions, including the cult classic, Æon Flux. Equally innovative and groundbreaking was MTV's 1992 documentary series The Real World, which doesn't get nearly enough credit for being the first reality show of its type since An American Family aired on PBS in the 70's.

Make no mistake, this was the beginning. Fair warning had been given:  MTV was in the process of casting aside Generation X -- the generation that had watched so religiously and made the network a success. MTV would soon belong to Gen Y (and not long after, Millenials.)

This clip from The Simpsons satirizes MTV's marketing approach toward programming. 

Many faithful MTV viewers tried their best to roll with the changes, figuring these new shows might provide an acceptable break from MTV's video dominant format, despite being wholly inappropriate for a channel called "Music Television". And while the aforementioned The Real World and a few other shows proved to be popular and lasting, many others, like Dead at 21, were poorly received and short-lived (no pun intended.)

Perhaps it was the distraction offered by home video and the new DVD format. Maybe it was the explosion of the internet and home gaming systems like the Sony Playstation (introduced in 1994.) It might have been the meddling corporate influence of Viacom -- the multi-billion dollar entertainment conglomerate that purchased MTV in 1985 -- or maybe MTV simply went as far as it could with its all-music format. Whatever the reason, as we entered the early 2000's, MTV made its choice to consciously and permanently change its identity. Music videos would need to give way (almost entirely) to alternative programming. 

More new shows appeared that had even less to do with music: Celebrity Death Match, Cribs, Undressed at Eight, The Blame Game, and Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County to name a few. Moreover, in efforts to emulate the success of network TV hits Survivor and Big Brother (which both aired on CBS, another Viacom property) reality TV like Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, The Osbournes and Punk'd would become cornerstones of a new MTV seeking to remake itself as a full-blown network, with original series, specials, game shows, the entire gamut. Music content would be limited and decidedly aimed at a twenty-and-under demographic, which meant an abundance of Britney, Christina, Mandy Moore, Jessica Simpson and boy bands NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. "Mature" artists -- Madonna, Prince, Hall & Oates, Janet Jackson and others -- who had built the network during the 80's were relegated to MTV's sister channels MTV2 and VH1. (Ironically, both of those channels would soon follow the same course as the original MTV, shifting their focus from music to mostly lifestyle and reality programming, reruns of acquired sitcoms, with only daily blocks of videos, typically shown very late night or early morning.) Total Request Live began its remarkable run around this time. One of MTV's few remaining music-oriented shows, TRL spotlighted pop and hip-hop videos (introduced by teenage "woo-girls" screaming shout-outs at the top of their lungs.) Before long the "new MTV" was fully formed and the remainder of its programming came to be dominated by inane "semi-reality" shows like Jackass, Road Rules, Pimp My Ride, Date My Mom, and Lovelines. By 2010, MTV ended the charade and officially dropped the words "music television" from its logo and channel description. "MTV" was now simply a name.

"If I was young it didn't stop you coming through..."

Abandoning music for reality programming... Forsaking older generations in pursuit of younger/teen audiences... Were these smart decisions? Financially speaking, the answer is almost, "Definitely yes." Business-wise, it's always smart to cater to the demographics from which the money is coming. It became clear that this was in fact the case as early as the mid-90's. That's when businesses of all types had begun marketing to kids. 

With the passing of the 1980's, young people -- who until that point had been barely tolerated (mostly seen and not heard) -- started to gain more and more influence over their parents, and in turn, those parents' dollars... 

How so?... Let's rewind.

Throughout the 90's, the U.S. economy was strong. Indeed, between 1993 and 2000, the United States exhibited the best economic performance of the past three decades. Unemployment was down; the stock market was up; and the personal saving rate was plummeting. In short, people had money, were willing to spend it, and (when it came to parents) their children were often the beneficiaries. 

Businesses of all types recognized an opportunity. Restaurants and hotels remade themselves as "kid friendly." The MGM Grand and other Las Vegas hotels spent millions on amusement parks and other family-oriented attractions. Suburban malls (traditionally the gathering place for high schoolers and pre-teens) added youth retailers like Hot Topic and Tilly's. Disney, after the massive success of their new animated features The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, continued to crank out their G-rated fare -- and then merchandised the hell out of it. 

So with pleasing the kids now a priority -- not just for their helicopter parents, but for all of society -- Viacom (like Disney) began tweaking the marketing strategies of its entertainment properties. MTV was first on the list and its programming was radically adjusted to appeal to an even younger demo than when the channel first launched. Such a change, execs figured, would attract their sought after youthful audience and the avalanche of advertisers looking to tap into that market.

"In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind, we've gone too far."

And so it was, and so it continues. Each generation (or half generation) of MTV viewers is now aggressively marketed to and indulged before they (and the content they love) get unceremoniously discarded. Right now, it's all about targeting Gen Z, whose constituents (almost poetically) are very often the sons and daughters of those teenagers who made MTV what it was back in 1981.

Difficult as it is to face and sad as it may be, it can be no other way. Though they once were close and had great affection for each other, in time Wendy Darling had to grow up... and Peter Pan remains forever young.

Shout Out to: Dian Parkinson

Now defunct Stuff magazine (the sister publication of Maxim) used to have a department called “Babes of Yore” which would remember female sex symbols of the past (e.g., Heather Locklear, Farrah Fawcett, Raquel Welch.) Stuff is no longer around but in that same spirit this particular entry in the “Shout Out to:” series recognizes babe of yore Dian Parkinson. 

Dian was one of the three models appearing on The Price is Right game show during its heyday in the 1970s and 80s. Beginning her career as a beauty pageant winner (Miss World USA 1971) Diane started on TPIR four years later and quickly became a favorite among male fans of the show. Recognizing Dian's seductive look and buxom figure, plus sex appeal that came right through the TV screen, TPIR producers made it a point to showcase (no pun intended) her assets on a regular basis. Male viewers would always tune in for the last ten minutes of the show hoping the showcases at the end would include a hot tub, trip to Hawaii, or some other prize that would feature Dian appearing in a bikini. Incredibly, Dian was able to keep her amazing figure well into her 40s. 

Regrettably, Dian never branched out to do movie roles, TV guest spots or anything other than TPIR. In 1991 however, Playboy, which had pursued her for years, finally convinced her to pose for their magazine. The result was one of the highest selling issues of all time and a curtain call second pictorial in the May1993 issue. A Playboy newsstand special and celebrity centerfold video followed, but again Dian never capitalized on her popularity and the boost the Playboy publicity gave her. She finally retired from TPIR at age 49 after filing a lawsuit against Bob Barker for sexual harassment. The suit was later dropped and Dian has since disappeared from public life. Still, she apparently remains in the memories of many others — so much so that there are several compilations of her TPIR swimsuit work all over YouTube.

Unbelievably, Dian turns 77 in November but for those who grew up in the 70s and 80s, she remains the ultimate sexy older woman and late morning game show treat.

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Shout Out to: The Sorels

Shout Out to: Lippy the Lion

Shout Out to: Found Item Clothing

Shout Out to: "The Payback"

Shout Out to: Force M.D.'s

Shout Out to: Dara Torres

Shout Out to: Sidney "Woim" Kibrick

What the Hell Happened to Maxim?

Signature Songs: The Bangles

Starting a new series today called "Signature Songs". In it, I'm going to be talking about the songs that are the best examples of the work of individual recording artists. For example, the signature song for Madonna would be "Like a Virgin". Why?... Because in addition to being a major hit, it includes many of the musical elements Madonna is best known for.

Making a determination like this requires a lot of generalization, because over the course of her  career, Madonna recorded songs in many different styles. For example, consider "Hung Up", which features an ABBA "Voulez-Vous" sample and is very "techno-ey"; "Take a Bow" is a sad ballad replete with violins and other classical instruments; and "Physical Attraction" is classic, "synth-ey" 80's dance-pop.

But the reason "Like a Virgin" is Madonna's signature song is because it's the best representation of  "classic" Madonna. In other words, if you were forced to time capsule, that is, choose one song to save for future generations to understand what type of artist Madonna was and what type of music she made, the best choice would be "Like a Virgin". This has less to do with how big a hit "Like a Virgin" was than it does the fact that "Like a Virgin" includes a large combination of ingredients from classic Madonna's musical style. "Like a Virgin", for example, includes a lot of synthesizers -- as did most of Madonna's early hits ("Everybody", "Borderline", "Lucky Star", "Angel", "Dress You Up", "Into the Groove".) Additionally, like many Madonna songs, "Like a Virgin" is danceable, and to top it off, it's also overtly sexual, both in title and lyrics -- and we know that Madonna certainly put her sexuality at the forefront of much of her music and her life.

Again, I'm generalizing somewhat and I understand that whether it's a solo act, a group or a band, an artist's music typically evolves over time. Almost invariably, they begin to explore different genres and musical styles, draw inspiration from new sources, collaborate with other artists, and otherwise begin to make music that's entirely (sometimes radically) different from what they're most well known for and/or created earlier in their careers.

Notice I said, "almost invariably." There are in fact some music artists who don't evolve very much and continue to churn out the same type of music. Their sound never (or barely) changes and they remain pretty much the same from the start of their careers to the finish.

Punk-oriented bands like The Ramones and Green Day come to mind. Certain "heartland" rockers like Springsteen and John Mellencamp also seem to be making pretty much the same type of music they did when they were first starting out. For example, recent Springsteen tunes like "Radio Nowhere" off 2007's Magic and "The Last Carnival" from 2009's Working On a Dream, would fit in perfectly next to cuts like "Badlands" and "Prove it All Night" from Bruce's 1978 album Darkness on the Edge of Town. (And judging by the two photos above, it looks like Bruce's wardrobe hasn't changed much either!)

The presumption is that heartland rock and punk rock are extremely well-defined sub-genres that are closely married to very specific attributes, attitudes and ideals. When the music an artist produces is so "rooted" this way, it's understandable how their output might only minimally change, even over a long haul.

Punk rock is also deeply rooted in very strong and specific ideals. It's stripped-down, fast-paced, angry, and anti-establishment. So as soon as a punk rocker begins making music that moves away from these core themes and attributes, that artist immediately loses their "punk identity" and starts to become something completely different. (They also run the risk of completely alienating their fan base and the core audience they worked so hard to gain.) This may help explain why the sound of bands like The Ramones and Social Distortion barely changed over their 20+ year careers.

Okay, that was quite a digression. I was talking about "signature songs" and the artist I'm going to begin with is the Bangles. Their signature song is "If She Knew What She Wants".

No, not "Manic Monday", the Bangles first major hit and their most enduring song. And not "Eternal Flame", the band's only #1 record. "If She Knew What She Wants" gets the nod because the Bangles were formed largely based on founding members Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson and Debbie Peterson's shared love of the Beatles, the Byrds, and sixties psychedelia. "If She Knew What She Wants" represents the perfect blend of these three influences. Not only does it borrow the "jangly" Rickenbacker guitars exemplified in the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" and the Byrds' "Turn! Turn! Turn! and "Mr. Tambourine Man", but it also adds a ton of terrific harmonies, reminiscent of not only the Beatles, but the Beach Boys and the Mamas and the Papas as well. Also, if you listen closely, you'll find "If She Knew What She Wants" is structurally similar to the Beatles' "Nowhere Man" (which also features Rickenbacker guitars by the way.)

I dug through the Pop Culture Fiend Archives and found this clip  of the Bangles performing "If She Knew What She Wants" on Late Nite with David Letterman (circa 1987, I believe.)

I've heard the group sing this song many times (including live) and this is arguably their best performance. From Susanna's distinct croon, to their clothes (check out Vicki's 60s-style go-go boots and hairdo) to their impromptu dance moves, this was the Bangles at their peak. The only question is, as an all-girl band that almost certainly had to go through a lot to be taken seriously, why are they not playing their own instruments?...

Oh well, in any case, enjoy!

"Shot Through the Heart and You're To Blame"... Remembering the Singles from Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet

Last week marked the 25th anniversary of the release of Bon Jovi's classic Slippery When Wet. The success of this album (eight weeks at number one) and its four hit singles "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Living On A Prayer", "Wanted Dead Or Alive", and "Never Say Goodbye" elevated Bon Jovi from "just another hair band" status to bona fide rock superstars. Here's a quick look back:

"You Give Love a Bad Name"

"You Give Love a Bad Name", the album's first single, was released in July of 1986 and began a steady climb to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100, ultimately reaching that peak position in November. The song's crunching guitar intro and catchy chorus help make it the ultimate "get psyched" song. But you don't have to believe me, just ask Barney from How I Met Your Mother.

"Living On a Prayer"

The second single, "Living On A Prayer", was also a top hit -- four weeks at #1 in 1987 . Today, LOAP is a karaoke and Guitar Hero favorite, and it also holds the impressive distinction of being ranked #1 on VH1's list of the the 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's.

"Wanted Dead or Alive"

"Wanted Dead or Alive", Slippery When Wet's third single, peaked at #7 in early 1987. A few years later, Emilio Estevez asked Jon Bon Jovi for permission to use the song for the movie Young Guns II. Jon declined but did write and record a brand new song for the film's soundtrack, "Blaze of Glory", which hit #1 in September of 1990.

"Never Say Goodbye"

"Never Say Goodbye", the final single off Slippery When Wet, was released in August 1987, nearly a year to the date after the album was originally released. Though not quite as successful as the first three singles, the song's nostalgic, sentimental lyrics hold extra meaning for the band's older fans.

Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Wel-come Baaaack

So in honor of the return of Pop Culture Fiend, here's the theme song from Welcome Back Kotter...



Now one interesting thing about this show, is that it was based in part on creator and star Gabe Kaplan's stand-up comedy routine where he recounts his high school years growing up in Brooklyn. The routine is featured on the EXTREMELY hard to find comedy album Holes and Mellow Rolls, for which the cover art originally looked like this...

After Welcome Back Kotter became a hit, however, the album was re-released with cover art that tied into the show...

In any case, it's a brilliantly funny LP, and in addition to his tales of the real-life "Sweathogs", Kaplan delivers hilarious bits on feminine hygiene, The Exorcist, and masturbating astronauts. 

WBK ran on ABC for a total of four seasons, at which point it completely fell apart largely due to the departure of star John Travolta. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that when TV Land honored the series this past April, Travolta (though he's the only cast member that's still relevant in Hollywood today) happily joined his fellow cast mates, minus Ron Palillo (Arnold Horshack) to accept the award. 

Of course, no discussion of WBK would be complete without a mention of rap artist Mase's use of the WBK theme song in his 2004 "comeback" song, "Welcome Back". This is probably the most interesting sample in the history of hip-hop since Jay Z copped the banjo licks from Green Acres for the intro to The Blueprint. (Okay, that didn't really happen but wouldn't it be cool if it did?) 


And finally, can someone please tell me why a classic show like this is not available on DVD? I mean, you can buy the first season, but that's it. Come on ABC, get on the ball -- we want more stuff like this...

Deja V All Over Again

Last night, ABC began its attempt to rope us in to watching its "new" series V, about aliens that come to earth, ostensibly on a mission of peace and benevolence. Oh, but not so fast there bub, it seems these "Visitors" are not what they appear to be. They're actually a sinister lizard-like race set on conquering our world and enslaving earth's population.

And if this all sounds familiar, it's because this new V is based on the original V miniseries (and the sequel series V:The Final Battle) that appeared on NBC in 1983 and 1984, respectively. Those original series were big hits back then and V was one of the most highly watched miniseries of all-time. But while it was certainly very enjoyable sci-fi close to thirty years ago, I personally have no interest in investing my valuable TV watching time in something I've already seen (even if it has been 25 years.) And though you may hear terms like "re-imagining" used to describe the new V, ABC isn't really going out of its way to convince us that the show will be fresh enough to keep us interested. Quite the opposite in fact. Judging from the clips and promos as well as last night's premiere episode, the new V looks like a pretty faithful and straightforward remake. Last night, for instance, we got the same setup -- alien ships hovering over earth's major cities and the introduction of the Visitors and their sexy female leader. And not only does it look like we're getting the same premise and plotlines, V's cast and crew are on record saying they will "take the most iconic moments [from the original V] and make sure they do service to them."

Clearly, this means we can expect re-do's of the dramatic reveal of the Visitors true reptilian identities, as well as the infamous "guineau pig-eating" and "lizard baby" scenes.



To be fair, the early reviews of the V pilot have been largely outstanding. "The first five minutes will hook you for the entire season," one TV critic claimed. (In reality, this is far from the case.) But how good or intriguing V the series is isn't as important as the decision to remake it in the first place. To my point, isn't there something disappointing about a major network recycling quarter century old material (even enlisting the same writer of that material, Kenneth Johnson) and then heavily promoting and presenting it as a television event we can't miss? This over-dependence on pre-existing material (sequels, movies based on toys and books, etc.) has led to a decline in the quality of Hollywood productions, and now, in many instances, cable channels like USA, AMC, HBO and Showtime have overtaken the big four TV networks in offering original, high quality programming.

Just for the record, V really is can't miss television... which is why I didn't miss it back in 1983 when it was fresh and something we could all be a lot more excited about.

Related Links:
2008 SyFy Radio interview with Jane Badler, star of the original V. In it, she talks about her time on the miniseries and gives her thoughts on a V's revival.

Remembering James Dean

Fifty four years ago -- September 30, 1955 -- James Dean died in a car accident. Dean was many things: a gifted artist and pioneering "method" actor, idol to a generation of America's youth, the personification of teen angst and rebellion, enduring hero of the 1950s...

Dean was a multifaceted, multi-talented, complex personality who could have become many more things. It was only through a specific combination of talent and ability, desire and focus, and hard work and happenstance that he became a timeless icon and one of the most famous figures in American pop culture.

Much has been written about him but here are ten things most don't know about James Dean:

• Dean grew up in Fairmount, Indiana, a small town that stakes claim to being the birthplace of both the hamburger and the ice cream cone, as well as the ancestral home of Wilbur and Orville Wright, inventors of the airplane.

• In addition to acting, Dean also had a knack for drawing and painting. He also wrote poetry. Frustrated by the limitations and close-mindedness of the small midwestern town he grew up in, he composed the following:

       My town likes industrial impotence
       My town's small, loves its diffidence
       My town thrives on dangerous bigotry
       My town's big in the sense of idolatry
       My town believes in God and his crew
       My town hates the Catholic and Jew
       My town's innocent, selfistic caper 
       My town's diligent, reads the newspaper
       My town's sweet, I was born bare

       My town is not what I am, I am here

• After moving to New York, Dean's first "big break" was in the 1952 Broadway show See the Jaguar, which opened and closed in only four days.





• While living in New York, Dean's struggling actor friends and contemporaries included the then equally unknown Martin Landau, Paul Newman, and Steve McQueen, all of whom Dean competed with at casting calls.

• Also while living in New York, Dean shared an apartment with his good friend Dizzy Sheridan, best known for her role as Jerry's mother on the sitcom Seinfeld.

• Dean had starring roles in only three films, each time portraying a character that (like him) had one syllable in both their first and last names -- "Cal Trask" in East of Eden, "Jim Stark" in Rebel Without a Cause and "Jett Rink" in Giant.

• In the early 50s, Dean dated and fell in love with Pier Angeli, an Italian actress he met on the set of East of Eden. Angeli eventually wound up marrying singer Vic Damone, and on the day of their wedding, a dismayed Dean sat outside the church on his motorcycle and gunned the engine as the bride and groom emerged. Years later, Angeli admitted that Dean was the only man she ever really loved.

• Dean had a premature "aged" look when he died. For the movie Giant, he had shaved his head to create a receding hairline look for his scenes as the older version of his character Jett Rink.

• Foreshadowing Dean's tragic death, in the original script for Rebel Without a Cause, when Jim Stark runs out of the house to show that he removed the bullets from Plato's gun, the police shoot and kill him.

• The cover art of the album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, purposely recreates the setting and pose of this famous photograph of Dean.

Finally, from the Pop Culture Fiend Archives, here's a 20/20 story from many years ago that does a nice job of recounting Dean's life and legacy.

Return to Melrose Place

After bringing back Beverly Hills 90210 last season (as just plain ole 90210) wasn't it just a matter of time before the CW took the next logical step and ressurrected Melrose Place? The original Melrose was a spin-off that ultimately became one of the most popular shows on television and even reached the level of “water cooler” show, right alongside its contemporaries Friends and Seinfeld.

So far, it looks like the new Melrose is getting mixed reviews. I watched it Tuesday and I have to say, it held my attention… but barely. Maybe we're being too crtical, too soon, but most of the characters, including Violet (Ashley Simpson), Riley (Jessica Lucas) and Auggie (Colin Egglesfield) aren’t terribly interesting and so far the show’s writers haven’t hinted at very many compelling storylines (with the exception of “who killed Sydney and why” -- but I’ll get to that in a minute.)

All in all, the premiere episode was very reminiscent of the original Melrose’s entire first season. If you recall, that season the plots and almost all the characters (particularly Courtney Thorne Smith as Allison and Andrew Shue as Billy) were downright boring. The show only took off after the characters of Sandy (Amy Locane) and Rhonda (Vanessa Williams) were jettisoned, Heather Locklear was brought in to play ad exec Amanda Woodward, and Thomas Calabro’s character (Michael) turned evil.

You’d think the new Melrose Place producers would’ve learned a lesson from this but it seems like they missed a golden opportunity to perhaps launch the new series with Locklear in a multi-episode arc (maybe as the owner of the apartment complex?) Perhaps Heather wasn’t available, or maybe she wanted too much money because instead, what we got was Laura Leighton returning as Sydney, who is now the apartment manager.

Seems like the producers had the right idea. Last season, bringing back cast members Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty from the original show attracted extra viewers to 90210 and helped expand its audience demographic. Similarly, the Melrose producers had Leighton and Calabro reprise their roles from the original Melrose... But then they blew it by killing off Sydney and barely giving Michael any screen time at all. 

But in fairness, it’s not all bad. We do like Stephanie Jacobsen as Lauren, med student by day, prostitute by night, and also Katie Cassidy as upwardly mobile Ella. But what this show really needs is a jump-start—something to pull in viewers of the original series, because let’s face it, there’s a ton of competing programming for the audience it's targeting. 

What made the original Melrose so entertaining was when the storylines came off the rails (remember the cliffhanger where crazy-ass Kimberly blew up the courtyard?) and Michael, Sydney, and Amanda were wreaking havoc on a weekly basis. But it seems like this new incarnation of Melrose has too many "Allisons" and "Billys" and not enough "Kimberlys" and "Michaels" (although I can see Ella becoming a scheming Amanda-esque type character.)

Original Melroser Josie Bissett will be back for at least one episode as Michael's ex-wife, and Daphne Zuniga returns as Jo at the end of the season. That's fine, but did anyone ever really care about them the first time around?

Come on -- get with it you guys! Inject some life into the show! Pick up the phone, make a deal with Heather Locklear and bring back Amanda as a regular. Then punch up Michael's role and commence with the over the top, crazy plot twists! Let's go! We wanna see stolen babies, catfights in the pool, dead bodies rising from the grave, and brides run over by speeding cars on their wedding day!

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Remembering John Hughes

The recent death of director John Hughes got me thinking about his significance and his tremendous contribution to the last two decades of 20th century American cinema.

Hughes' most significant film was certainly The Breakfast Club, which, like Rebel Without a Cause thirty years earlier, gave a voice to the contemporary American teenager and offered both a humorous and sobering exploration of their angst, issues, and culture. The Breakfast Club expertly walked the line between comedy and drama -- something very few films are able to do effectively.

The Breakfast Club also served as a launching pad for young stars Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, and Emilio Estevez, and though only mildly successful at the box office when it was released in February of 1985, the film nevertheless marked the start of Hughes' (and the rest of Hollywood's) heightened interest in producing teen movies -- ultimately resulting in a sort of "High Renaissance" of the genre. The Breakfast Club became even more iconic a year after its release when it gained wild popularity among teens after it began appearing on cable television. As a result, The Breakfast Club has forever secured a place in pop culture history as THE defining movie for Gen X-ers. (For more on these topics, be sure to read my three part series, The Evolution of the 80s Teen Movie: How Bob Clark, Gen X, and Home Video Changed the Landscape of American Cinema.)

Hughes of course also wrote and/or produced and directed several other terrific 80's teen coms (and dramedies) including Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Weird Science. The prolific director also gave us Uncle Buck; Planes, Trains and Automobiles; and the underrated She's Having a Baby. In the nineties, Hughes was the writer of the little-known gem Career Opportunities, Disney's 101 Dalmations remake, and the hugely successful Home Alone.

And of course prior to The Breakfast Club, Hughes' big break came as the writer of National Lampoon's Vacation, which earlier this year, celebrated its 26th anniversary. (Maxim magazine published an interesting article, an oral history of this film, in one of its recent issues.)

Hughes' deserves a large degree of respect and remembrance for The Breakfast Club by itself. Throw in all the films listed above, plus the Vacation and Home Alone sequels, and the fact that Hughes helped assemble movie soundtracks that included some of the most hip, eclectic and evocative music of the 80's (e.g., Yello's "Oh Yeah", Simple Minds' "Don't You Forget About Me") and it's no wonder that this filmmaker was, and will remain, one of our most beloved.

Watch the John Hughes tribute from the 2010 Oscars.

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Shout Out to: Lippy the Lion

One of the most overlooked characters on the Hanna-Barbera roster, Lippy the Lion was a cartoon short that served as one-third of The Hanna-Barbera New Cartoon Series that premiered in 1962. (The other two shorts comprising the show were Touche' Turtle, and the slightly better known Wally Gator.)

Lippy the Lion was significant because it was one of a handful of animated series that featured voice characterizations by arguably the two greatest cartoon voice actors of all time -- Daws Butler (Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Woody Woodpecker) as well as Mel Blanc (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and all the other Warner Brothers favorites.)

Lippy the Lion is also memorable for having perhaps the most comedically ironic sidekick ever -- Hardy Har Har, a laughing hyena suffering from depression. Now I don't know if he was ever clinically diagnosed, but I do remember Hardy being constantly dreary and pessimistic, and having this sort of general, neverending malaise. Perhaps they should have done one of those "very special" episodes of Lippy, where Hardy tries to kill himself, then finally agrees to see a shrink and gets a Zoloft prescription.

On a side note, Lippy the Lion was yet another one of those cartoon characters that never wore pants. Seems like animators love to have cartoon animals wearing clothing, as long as it's not pants. Think about it...


Lippy the Lion - Hat, no pants.

Donald Duck - Shirt, no pants.

Bugs Bunny - Classy white gloves... but no pants.

Quick Draw McGraw - Hat?... Check... Neckerchief?... Check... Gun holster?... Check... Pants?... Nope.

Top Cat has a much snazzier hat and vest than Lippy... but still no pants.

Huckleberry Hound has a hat and a tie (but no collar or shirt to go with the tie)... and no pants.

And Hardy Har Har somehow has a collar but no shirt... and of course, no pants.

What the hell?... Is there something inherently difficult about drawing pants?... Or did everyone just cut class the day they taught it in animation school?

Anyway, as I check YouTube, I see the old Lippy and Hardy intro. Glad to see that they've finally been given their due.



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Family Guy's Funniest Pop Culture References

One of the things that makes Family Guy so great are the hilarious references to other TV shows, classic movies, hit songs, TV commercials, toys, games and other pop culture phenomena.

Whether they're imagining Optimus Prime as a Jew, the dad from Eight is Enough as an abusive father, or Stewie rocking out to Scandal's "The Warrior" in his own iPod commercial, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane and his writing team consistently come up with the most creative parodies and send ups ever. That being said, here are some of Family Guy's funniest pop culture references.

Meg dates The Count from Sesame Street.

Darth Vader is a meter maid and is having a very bad day.

Peter stumbles upon a different type of Breakfast Club

Peter creates his own sitcom with an intro reminiscent of Laverne & Shirley, Family Ties, Three's Company, Bosom Buddies, and more.

Chris wanders into a-ha's "Take On Me" video.

Why ghosts choose Jennifer Love Hewitt to be their whisperer.

Peter joins The Electric Company.