Let's Do the Time Warp Again: MTV Turns 20

[Anthonynotes]

Dunno where Capt. Caps is, but I'm sure he's aware (as everyone else breathing by now, no thanks to advertising) that MTV, the channel that plays more, um, *anything* these days besides music, turns 20 today (having made its debut back in that far-flung year of 1981).

As my own take on this, I shall provide a summary of my life experiences with MTV...so, come, journey back with me on this journey into the depths of the past...um, because I'm really bored...and it takes my mind off paying my rent:
[Drifting back through the mists of time, with cheesy calendar pages flying past indicating the years being passed, until we come across a calendar marked "1981"]

Before August 1, 1981: No MTV...got our kicks watching "Solid Gold"/listening to LP's (disco's dying days and all :-)

1981: MTV starts up. However, while our family (in its sole cutting-edge moment) had cable TV *since* the early 80's (we watched a lot of TV...), with a few exceptions (father being laid off in the early-80's recession, etc.), I don't recall seeing MTV's debut. Of course, being all of six years old, I wouldn't have cared I guess (plus, too busy watching the "Superfriends")...

1983/84: Michael Jackson makes his splash on MTV. Vaguely recall people being thrilled by seeing actual African-Americans *on* said channel (since MTV wasn't overly diverse in its early years). Recall being entertained by Jackson lighting up those squares in that "billie Jean" video. Also see music videos cashed in on by other stations (TBS' "Night Tracks", the Chipmunks trying to make up their own "videos" with clips from an episode with a then-popular pop song that they didn't pay a lick of royalties for being sun by Alvin, Simon & Theodore...).

c. 1986: VH-1 debuts, as MTV's "older sibling". Recall my parents watching its early days (and said channel only playing part of the day, with the rest of the time devoted to a Chicago Spanish-speaking station)

Mid to late 1980's: BET begins playing videos, which my mother becomes an avid viewer of.

c. 1990: MTV debuts its first game show, which I thought was very cheesy ("Remote Control")....little suspecting that it was the first signs of the end of MTV being mostly music-oriented.

Early 1990's: BET's "Rap City" debuts. Kid brother is thrilled, but the parents aren't. Mom specifically is more entertained by VH-1's "Big 80's" series of 80's-era videos (along with Sis).

1992: Tune into part of MTV's "Rock the Vote" special, despite being a year too young to vote in the presidential election. Was more bewildered/impressed by Bill Clinton playing the sax on "Arsenio" than said special...

1994: Sister (who's more hip than I am) tells me about a show called "Beavis and Butt-Head", which I watch for the first time. Found it sort of amusing (reminding me at the time of "Bill and Ted")...

Mid-1990's: See part of "The Real World" (the San Francisco portion, with Pedro). Dismiss show based on its lack of, well, realism. Never suspect it'd help spawn the "reality craze". Actually get to meet one of Pedro's friends (Pedro being the guy with AIDS from the San Fran. "Real World") at a speech given on campus (was in charge of a charity in his name, IIRC).

c. 1997: "Daria" debuts, and I find it the most entertaining thing on MTV in quite awhile.

Late 1990's: With off-and-on cable receiving, and a disinterest in MTV in general, ignore the channel (esp. when "Daria" kept getting moved around). Note how little music it plays, and how oriented towards teenagers it is (with the boy bands/Britney Spears/etc.).

Today: See "late 1990's", with not even wanting to *see* what "Jack*****" is like. Realize that at my present age, I'm outside the desired target demographic of MTV's teens-25 range, but within VH-1's target of 25-forty- or fifty-something (while I noted that everyone on the "Real World" is younger than I am)


Hence, we're back to the present...what lies in store for MTV? Will it continue to provide anything *but* music programming? Will it play "Real World" as a series from now until I'm an old man?! Will current music ever rise from the depths of the likes of NSync and Britney Spears?!? Will I ever get cable?!? We'll see....

-B.
This was....lenthy. *And* pointless.

[Calhoun07]

I take it you don't get MTV2, the real MTV music channel?

Going back to Pre MTV....did you ever watch Friday Night Videos on NBC? Man, that show was must see TV back in the days before MTV.

[don Jaime]

Somebody watches BET?! WOW! I was unaware they ran anything but I Spy Returns 24/7.

You ever read Judd Winick's Pedro and Me, about Pedro Zamora's life? One of the better written graphic novels.

[The Mad Hatter]

Ah, I wish I had M2. Not only do they play videos--all the time--but they play all sorts of videos, not just the new ones. The one time I saw it, I saw a great mix of old stuff from the 80s and 90s along with the latest navel-baring chick with questionable talent. Great stuff! Too bad almost nobody can get it.

One more thing I'd like to add about MTV's history... in 1994 they gave us the Maxx, which was one hell of an animated series. One of the best of the 90s, I'd say. Wish it would come out on DVD...

[Anthonynotes]

Re: BET: well, they apparently used to play music videos a bit more heavily, before they started airing movies for some reason...

>>I take it you don't get MTV2, the real MTV music channel?
I don't have cable, and even when I did, the cable company here doesn't carry MTV-2/M2 (or whatever they're calling themselves nowadays....). But I have seen glimpses of it before elsewhere, and note that it's a marked improvement over MTV's 375-hour "Real World vs. Road Rules XVII" marathons, that third-rate-and-bizarre soap opera thing "Undressed", dance shows with people with chiseled physiques that'd probably require *too* much work for me to obtain (despite trying to do exercise/weightlifting), and that stupid "Loveline" (or whatever it is) call-in-advice thing...

>>Going back to Pre MTV....did you ever watch Friday Night Videos on NBC? Man, that show was must see TV back in the days before MTV.

Well, before MTV debuted is probably *too* far back for me, but I recall seeing this show occasionally in the late 80's/90's (before they switched to that stupid "comedy routine hour with Bobcat Goldthwait" program they're running now...guess rerunning SCTV for Friday night (on top of Mon-Thurs after Conan) wasn't an option...).

-B.
Tune in next time for: "Brainatra of Two MTV's", or "Crisis On MTV/Crisis On MTV-2"!

[Nftnat]

...and the first video on that midnight 20 years ago was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles. Never heard of them? A techno duo, Trevor Horn & Geoff Downes, soon to join Yes for *snap* that long in 1980 when Anderson & Wakeman left (again, in Wakeman's case), only to leave for Art of Noise & Asia (with Steve Howe) respectively; when the group disbanded temporarily, the other 2 members forming Cinema, which became the Yes of the '80's. Anyway, MTV thought that video couldn't possibly have been more appropriate to kick off the first music video channel, & I don't think they'll get any argument from anyone, ever (especially Christopher Cross).

Oh, & as I heard on the radio this morning, it started @ midnight Eastern Time, which meant 11 Central Time, 10 Mountain, 9 Pacific; which means the rest of the country got MTV before the East Coast, so take that, you East Coasters. His words, not mine.

While we're here testifying, I might as well add mine in addition to all these useless facts. In 1981, I knew nothing about MTV. I was 8 years old @ the time. The only music I knew was church music, & the only television was PBS & cartoons. Wait, there was Hee Haw. And Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters. And we watched the D*sn*y stuff on CBS Saturday evenings. And the Waltons. And Little House. (can you tell I was sheltered?) Anyway, as time passed I saw those commercials with Michael Jackson's "Beat It" (& those strange-looking guys shouting or singing off-key "I want my MTV!"), which I'd hear in the gym in 5th grade while waiting for classes to start. On October 17 1985 MTV finally came to Texarkana on channel 25; unfortunately for us --- or fortunately depending on your pov --- the tv in our house was still only getting 2 to 13. It wasn't until March 22 1987 that we took advantage of a deal from Dimension cable & got a cable box which allowed us to get up to the limit @ the time of to channel 36. In accordance with the offer the channel listings were put in the blender as they would be every now & again & MTV came in on channel 24. Since then it's gone from there to 19 to 55 to its current residence on 63, but who knows when that'll change. Those first few years I'd stay up @ night or sneak a peek during the day, seeing such as Billy Ocean's "Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car", Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up", Rod Stewart's "Downtown Train" & "Motown Sound", or my personal favorite, Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire". But as the '80's turned to the '90's, & I discovered southern gospel & new country, my interest in pop / rock music started to wane. And the increasing reliance on sex & profanity didn't help either. This past decade or so the only thing on there I've really made it a habit to watch was Celebrity Deathmatch, & I haven't seen that in a while. As to the shows, I never did like B&B, the extent of my interest in Real World stemmed from that tournament on CDM; it was the brackets that got me interested. Well, for what it's worth, happy china / platinum anniversary, MTV. Some of what I've seen I've liked.

A couple personal things to close. Brainatra, I'd imagine the Captain's on 80sxchange, where I need to return soon, & where it's safe to assume they're having many a conversation on this very subject.

And don jaime, I Spy reruns air on Familynet now.

And off-topic even for here, am I the only one who finds it strange that Diego means James & Jaime means David? The first I can understand. Diego could've come from Yakov (Yakko?), which comes from Jacob, which is Hebrew for James, or is James Greek for Jacob? But Jaime for David, can anyone explain that? Cy'all.

[don Jaime]

Uh, "Jaime" doesn't mean "David." It means "James." "James" derives from the Greek version of "Jacob." "Diego" comes from "Santiago," (Saint James, for Spain, it's going to be the one buried in Campostella), which is a contraction of "Sant' Iago," from "Iaccomo," back to "Jacob." "Yakov" I believe also comes via "Iaccomo."

I'll head this off now - "Jack" doesn't come from the French "Jacques," like some people think. Old French "Jan" (John) had an old dimunitive "Jankin" that lost the Ns and became "Jack."

[Danielle]

Waitaminute...I think you lost me.

I've never heard of the name Iaccomo. Yaakov (variable spelling) is Hebrew for Jacob, which is also a Hebrew name, which is extremely confusing. :confused: