(all the other parts here!)
Seinfeld, “Jerry & Elaine finally make whoopee!” (1991)
I don’t think the narrator knew that Elaine and Jerry used to date.
Nike “I Love L.A.” with Randy Newman for the 1984 Summer Olympics.
I have the version of this that is shown during the closing ceremonies, and at the end, Porky Pig’s voice says “that’s all folks!”
I used to think that this song was totally dopey, the first time I heard it was back in the late 90s when Comedy Central would show the early to mid 1980s episodes of Saturday Night Live. However, this past December, I bought tapes from the 1984 Olympics off eBay, commercials intact, and I grew to love the stupid song. This commercial has mad cameos in it. The female runner at the end is Mary Decker who fell (was she tripped by Zola Budd?) in her only race at the games.
Washington Post:
It’s all here, wrapped around Randy Newman’s song of the same name. In 60 seconds you see all the L.A. reference points: the hugely lettered Hollywood sign on the Hollywood hills; palm trees; shades; surfers; skateboarders; girls in bikinis; bikers; low-riders; joggers; sandpipers on the beach; wackos on the streets.
You see Newman, dressed in one of those absurd Hawaiian shirts, riding into town in a candy-apple red ‘55 Buick: “Rollin’ down the Imperial Highway/With a big nasty redhead at my side/Santa Ana winds blowin’ hot from the north/And we was born to ride.” As Newman drives on he passes billboards of Alberto Salazar and the Lakers’ Michael Cooper. Then you see live shots of Mary Decker running past Mann’s Chinese Theatre; Moses Malone shooting baskets with kids in Watts; some L.A. Raiders in a convertible outside the L.A. Coliseum; Carl Lewis long-jumping on Santa Monica beach; Pedro Guerrero in downtown L.A.; John McEnroe doing his incomparable pout behind his Mercedes on Melrose Avenue as an L.A. cop gives him a ticket: “Everybody’s very happy/Cause the sun is shining all the time/Looks like another perfect day.”
All together now: “I love L.A. (We love it)” 1
Extra Creamy Cool Whip with Julie Kavner (the voice of Marge Simpson)
I think this was during the Tracy Ullman years, pre Simpsons becoming a series? Isn’t it weird to see and hear her voicing someone who isn’t a Bouvier?
Syndicated Cheers, “Coach & Woody Week” (1993)
Why. Why did there need to be a Coach & Woody week of episodes. Why Frère Jacques? Why is Bela Karolyi singing it?
Bart Simpson video games (1991)
Bic Banana Pens at Taco Bell (1981)
I’m going to use the old Ed Helms Daily Show quote again, “MMM! Mud and Corn, goes together like….wood and soup!”
Anthony Michael Hall for Softique Tissues (1982?)
Baby Anthony Michael Hall is trying to hit on his teacher with tissues. Love it. He’s hot for teacher.
WMMS (Cleveland radio station, 1994)
This commercial has two “’water they doing?!?!” moments. One is above, where it looks like a girl is about to go down on a guy. The second is this butt tattoo with the station logo on it:
and all set to the soundtrack to sixth grade.
Regina with Pig Pen (1992)
My boy Pig Pen goes NUTS when a random stranger steam cleans over his tricycle tracks and his self portrait made in dirt on a white carpet.
My So Called Life on MTV (1995)
I used to watch My So Called Life almost every.day on MTV near the end of sixth grade. It was the first time I was able to see it because ABC was always changing the time on it, I think.
Dinty Moore with “Charles & Diana” (1982)
Oscar Mayer “Hello Deli!” (1986)
Is that Mr. Katimski from My So Called Life? Those sleepy eyes and curly hair.
Probably my favorite moment from the show is Katimski’s first day on the ob, and he calls Rickie, “Enrique”:
Katimsky: Since this our first class together, I thought that I would start
with one of my favorite sonnets by – William Shakespeare. So – who
would like to read this aloud? Oh, gee whiz, it’s going to take me a
while to learn all these names. Where is – Enrique Vasquez?
Guy : Oooh, Enrique!
Rickie : Si, mi nombre es Enrique, and I want to leeve een Amereeca.Rickie : I’m transferring out.
Rayanne : No, don’t. Then we won’t be in the same English class.
Rickie : So, you never even *go* to English.
Rayanne : Well, in case I ever do. Anyway, isn’t Enrique like legally
your name?
Rickie : I don’t care! And he acts like he’s this really nice guy,
when *obviously* he’s not. And he takes these unbelievably long
pauses, like – okay, this is him. [starts doing an imitation of
Katimsky] My name is – Mr. – ah – Katimsky and here’s a sonnet by
William – ah, Shakespeare who is almost as boring as I, Mr. – ah
[notices Katimsky watching him]. Oh, no.
Facebook | Etsy | Retail History Blog | Twitter | snapchat (thelastvcr) |YouTube Playlist | Random Post | digital tip jar | Instagram @ thelastvcr
1. Kornheiser, Tony, “Those TV Fitness Ads Are Mostly Junk Food,” Washington Post, July 3, 1984. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1984/07/03/those-tv-fitness-ads-are-mostly-junk-food/46d66f40-b6d1-4cac-9a50-9faa7559908f/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.0ff1b93f09c3
saleintothe90s 