As we've mentioned already, MTV is celebrating its 25th Anniversary today, and everyone of a certain age remembers what it was like when the music network debuted. I was just about to start my junior year in high school, and I remember the day it premiered very well. Here are my favorite MTV memories (mostly from the first 15-18 years, since I haven't really watched it in the past 5-7 years).
1. Live Aid. I was working a double shift at a pizza place in July of '85, but we had a large screen television in the dining room and we had this on all day. It was a pretty amazing day actually. Giant charity concerts are a regular thing now, but back then, getting dozens and dozens of top pop stars to play on one day on two continents, that was something special.
2. Seasons two and three of The Real World. Yes, there was a time when reality TV was fresh and exciting, when The Real World wasn't the punch line of a joke. These two seasons were the best. Season two was Los Angeles, with Dominic the alcohol-loving writer, Aaron the blond surfer boy conservative, Jon the 18 year old country singer, Tami, Irene, and the Beths? And season three? Who could forget Pedro and Puck and Judd?
3. The Jon Stewart Show. Stewart's talk show way before The Daily Show. When MTV joined the corporate parent of Paramount and Viacom, the show was syndicated. It didn't last long, but it was an enjoyable late night show. I hope Stewart get's Conan's spot in 2009.
4. 120 Minutes. This was the show that had all the artists you couldn't see the other 22 hours of the day. I mean, where else could you see Robyn Hitchcock on MTV?
5. Animation. There was also a time that MTV not only showed music, but their non-music programming was rather fun too. They had some great cartoons and edgy animation: Daria, Celebrity Deathmatch, Liquid Television, and others. Some really innovative, fun stuff.
Wow, thinking about these shows again brings back a lot of memories. I'm too old for MTV now, so I can't really say "I Want My MTV" anymore, but I sure do miss it. (Side note: I usually like Hank Steuver's writing, but this column is a little odd.)
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Have any questions for Vik Sahay of Chuck? Ask them here!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-01-2006 @ 3:11PM
elf said...
I was never much of an MTV watcher, with one notable exception: Remote Control. Young Adam Sandler, young Colin Quinn, young Denis Leary, hot chick and intermittently funny host plus a good solid game structure.
But Bob, I don't think Jon Stewart is interested in Conan's slot. He's too big for 12:30. I think he'll wait for David Letterman to retire then take over CBS at 11:30. I'd almost bet that Dave will schedule his retirement to occur right before Leno's, just to steal Jay's thunder.
Reply
8-01-2006 @ 3:30PM
Destin said...
Wow, your last three would definitely be on my list as well. I remember happening upon the first episode of the Jon Stewart show (with, I believe, VJ Duff as the guest), and thinking the dude was hilarious. That's an opinion I definitely haven't changed. I wonder whatever happened to his sidekick Howard?
I also loved Liquid Television. You saw great, funny, disturbing, underground animation that was both unlike anything you could see anywhere else, and perfectly in line with MTV's philosophy at the time.
And I stayed up every Sunday night for 120 Minutes. I mean, what if it turned out They Might Be Giants were the guest hosts again, or there was a new Cure or Pixies or (yes!) Robyn Hitchcock video? I couldn't miss that!
So instead of your first two, since I never liked the Real World and I was a little young for Live Aid (and Woodstock 94 didn't cut it), I'll put in:
Kurt Loder. Surely too old to be on the network, so uncool he was totally cool. He was the guy who told me Kurt Cobain died, and he reported it with the same network-worthy gravitas as when he interviewed Madonna or reported that Marky Mark was leaving the Funky Bunch behind. I would've believed anything the man said.
And my #1... The State! A great, rapid-fire, absurdist sketch comedy show, more in the vein of Mr. Show and Monty Python than SNL. Spawned more catchphrases than any popular video, and even the recurring characters were hilarious every time. Of course, most of the cast is still working on movies like Wet Hot American Summer and shows like Reno 911 and Stella (RIP), but I'm still waiting with bated breath for the State DVD release that's been inching past rumor and towards reality for about six years.
Reply
8-01-2006 @ 3:46PM
Misty said...
My favorite memory of MTV is way back from the early Eighties...when it played MUSIC videos. You could turn it on, and no matter what time of day or night, you'd see videos.
*sigh* Those were the days.
Reply
8-01-2006 @ 3:53PM
homerj312 said...
1. The State
2. Sifl and Olie
Two of my favorite television shows ever. Amazing how far MTV has fallen. I feel dirty if I even stop on it while I'm flipping through channels now.
Reply
8-01-2006 @ 3:54PM
nightguy said...
1. MTV's animation included "Daria, Celebrity Deathmatch, Liquid Television, and others"?!? "Others" like... Beavis and Butthead, you mean!
2. As for memories, how about the premiere of "Thriller" in 83? That was an EVENT. People planned parties around it.
Misty's got it on the nose, though. My friends and I call the early '80s "The Time When MTV Didn't Suck."
Reply
8-01-2006 @ 5:36PM
Joe Taylor Jr. said...
Running reruns of "The Young Ones" on Sunday nights affected my sense of humor at an all too impressionable age.
Reply
8-01-2006 @ 7:28PM
Scott Crocker said...
I am in total agreement with point #2! I had tired of the crude nature of The Real World by the time the Hawaii season with Tek and Ruthie rolled around, but I thought the early seasons were very good television, with the 2nd and 3rd seasons also being my favorites. They dealt with a broad number of real-life issues with people that would be hard to forget.
Reply
8-01-2006 @ 10:24PM
sdm said...
I would add MTV's coverage of the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. They also had a pretty good "biography" show (I forget the name) back in the day. You know, when MTV was about music?!?!?!
Reply
8-02-2006 @ 7:09AM
Rob M said...
My wife and I watched big chunks of the first day. Did I block out a lot of these videos or did MTV not show them much after their first year (we got cable in 82)? Cliff Richard and Leo Sayer on MTV???? :)
Reply
8-02-2006 @ 8:34AM
Michael said...
It was always a kick to see just what NEW music MTV would feature back in the day. My fave weekly show was The Cutting Edge featuring Peter Zaremba from The Fleshtones as the host. Being sponsored by IRS Records, this weekly show would truly bring ground breaking artists to its audience each week. I've still got many of those shows on videotape (in freaking BETA no less) and there is no way MTV could possibly capture the zeitgeist of that era again.
It is truly a tragedy that it takes no less than FOUR music TV channels to cobble together even a day's worth of decent music video programming. MTV, MTV2, VH1 and VH1 Classic each were supposed to fill their own unique niche. To the old timers, each of those channels represented a unique brand at one time or another. Now, they are all interchangeable and equally poor at providing any sort of value to today's music audience. Endless repeats of cheaply packaged and produced product that is now only filler between commercial breaks is all they are good for. It is a damning commentary that the commercials are more slickly produced than the shows they are placed in. What else would one expect from the people who brought us all the prefab tween boy/girl bands of the '90s? If I wanted to see Showgirls/Rocky Horror/etc, I would watch HBO, not MTV. At least on HBO, I would see the whole movie in its unsanitized, commercial free badness. Gasp your last breath, Music Television. Your spirit left you ages ago.
Reply
8-02-2006 @ 12:19PM
tr said...
Michael, i can't believe you what you posted, because i was going to say the SAME THING! IRS's The Cutting Edge was one of my favorite shows on MTV, i don't think anyone else remembered that. i also use to tape that show...that and 120 minutes. and perhaps The Young Ones on sunday nights. other than that, i preferred when MTV didn't have "shows", and just had videos. it was nice to see random videos, no knowing what was coming up next. you would be exposed to all sorts of music.
Reply
8-02-2006 @ 9:41PM
tpp said...
Beavis and Butthead! Geez! How could you have missed that???
Anyway, my favorite MTV moments are the music videos that are now gone. 24 hours of (reruns of BAD) reality shows kinda gets old real soon. MTV used to have great music programming back in the day...Headbanger's Ball and Yo! MTV Raps come to mind. Great shows for heavy metal and hip hop fans. They completely kicked ass over any competing shows.
Reply