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TAG: 90s tv
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songspeak
Everybody Wants Something
Over the past few days, my wife has been re-watching her all-time favorite TV show on DVD, thanks to Netflix. Degrassi High. I watched the series with her once years ago (I had bought it for her on VHS tapes in the dark ages before DVD’s were all the rage), and it’s really something else. Let’s start with the opening theme:
You have to admire any TV show that has the gall to open the show with a gratuitous shot of a jeans-clad teenager’s asscrack. You don’t see that very often. As I watched some of it with her, I’m reminded of all the old (horrible) characters (some of which appear as adults in the next generation series). However, I had forgotten about the 3 dorky main characters (Joey, Snake, and Wheels) and their band, The Zits. And their terrible song. Which I’ve had stuck in my head for the past couple days:
What a sweet, sweet tune. And after watching the video, it reminds me of Matt’s high school band, Gemini (or was it Detour? Or Poppo Smiley?). This video seems totally like something they would have done back then. Only instead of Everybody Wants Something, it would be Future Shock.Tags: 80s tv, 90s tv, degrassi high, detour, DVD, everybody wants something, gemini, joey, netflix, next generation, poppo smiley, snake, the zits, wheels
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songspeak
Austin To:Day says I just whipped your ass!
Today is March 16th, or, as it’s more commonly written, 3/16. And Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass. At least that’s the phrase that Stone Cold Steve Austin immortalized at the 1996 King of the Ring pay-per-view on June 23rd in Milwaukee, WI. He had just defeated Jake “The Snake” Roberts and won the King of the Ring tournament. Jake had made a return after dealing with alcohol problems and finding religion. After beating him, Stone Cold cut the promo of his career and basically mocked Jake Roberts, his alcoholism, and his beliefs. It was this promo that launched his career into becoming arguably the biggest WWE superstar of all time. The reason I bring this up? Well, a few years ago on March 16th, our good friend Bill sent an email to myself and few of our other friends that would watch wrestling together regularly on Monday nights years ago that simply said, “Today 3:16 says I just whooped your ass”. Of course, I corrected it to the appropriate “whipped”, and we had a good day of random mass emailing and replying. In the years since, it’s a tradition that either Bill or I try to uphold. It’s a decent excuse to touch base with people we haven’t seen in awhile.Gotta love the announcers…”now that’s not necessary”. And this speech is always transcribed as “Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass”, but if you listen to it, I feel like he clearly says “whipped”. Besides, I just think “whipped” sounds more badass.
Tags: 90s tv, austin 3:16, jake "the snake" roberts, king of the ring, milwaukee, pay per view, stone cold steve austin, wisconsin, wrestling, wwe
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songspeak
Sloppy Joe, Slop Sloppy Joe
On the nights my wife works, it’s up to me to make dinner for myself and Quinn. One of my go-to meals, mainly because it’s easy to prepare and doesn’t take much time, is Hamburger Helper. There are enough varieties that having it once a week doesn’t really get too old, and it’s just easier than cooking a big complicated meal for two after working all day (this sounds like a commercial). Anywho, a few weeks ago the one that I was making was a Sloppy Joe flavor. When I told Quinn that’s what we were having, I started singing all loud and crazy, “Sloppy Joe, slop Sloppy Joe!” from Adam Sandler’s Lunchlady Land. She looked at me like I was crazy, but I assured her it was a song. I’m not sure she quite believed me, so I put that very song on one of the CD mixes we made for the big Lancaster trip a couple weeks ago. When it got to that part, she said, “I didn’t think it was a real song, dad!”. She now requests the song on occasion and laughs at how silly it is (even though she’s only in preschool, doesn’t know what a lunchlady is, and has never been subject to public school lunches). When I hear the song, I think of the old Saturday Night Live when Adam Sandler performs it as Chris Farley dances around, playing the part of the lunchlady. And since there seems to be a trend of Chris Farley posts here lately, I figured why not post the video. It’s really poor quality, but I’m surprised I was able to find it at all. I had completely forgotten that Kevin Nealon played the part of Sloppy Joe. And how inappropriate it is that they have Ellen Cleghorne playing the chocolate pudding.
lunch lady land
TheGreatOne | MySpace VideoI’m making dinner tonight for Quinn and myself, and looking in the cupboard, noticed that we again have Sloppy Joe Hamburger Helper in stock. Maybe I’ll songspeak it again tonight if I make it, and perhaps Quinn will join me. Thanks to Sloppy Joe, slop Sloppy Joe.
Tags: 00s music, 90s music, 90s tv, adam sandler, chris farley, ellen cleghorne, hamburger helper, kevin nealon, lancaster, lunchlady land, mix CD, saturday night live, sloppy joe
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songspeak
MST3K, Joe Estevez, and paper
I used to love Mystery Science Theater 3000 back in the day. It’s been off the air for years, but oddly enough, it’s come up for me twice this week.The first time was on Monday, when I was playing poker at the VFW. For some godforsaken reason, they had Two and a Half Men on the TV (and man that show is awful). I wasn’t paying attention, but apparently Emilio Estevez had a cameo, and there was talk of him and Charlie Sheen being brothers. An epic discussion then broke out at our table about them having different last names and Martin Sheen being there dad. One of the guys didn’t realize they were brothers because they have different last names, and I said that I thought Estevez was their real last name and Sheen was the stage name. I then asked if anyone ever watched MST3K,
and oddly enough, most of the younger guys were fans. I asked if any of them watched it in the later years when it was on the SciFi channel, because in one of the later episodes, they watched a movie called Soultaker 
Joe Estevez, Martin Sheen’s brother. That was one of my favorite MST3K episodes. I think they may have watched another movie with Joe Estevez in it at some point, which isn’t surprising, given his lengthy film resume according to IMDB. I get the impression that most of them are stinkers, if Soultaker is any indication.Anywho, there was also a theatrical MST3K movie in which Mike Nelson and the robots watched This Island Earth. Matt and I rented it once years ago (on VHS, before DVD’s and Netflix), and there was one little part that we still reference to this day. I’m reminded of it, because it was on HBO Family last night and I watched part of it. The hunky scientist lead character receives this thing from outer space, and there’s a book in it.
His little nerdy assistant wearing glasses was looking at it with him, and as the hunky dude is turning the pages, he says, “This isn’t paper, this is some sort of metal” and Tom Servo, imitating the nerdy guy, says, “No, it’s paper” after he touches the pages. It’s a lot funnier if you’re watching it, believe me.Well, that’s my moviespeak story. Matt and I still crack out the “it’s paper” nerdy voice every now and then. Why, I don’t know. Stop badgering me!
Tags: 00s tv, 80s tv, 90s tv, charlie sheen, crow, DVD, emilio estevez, HBO family, IMDB, joe estevex, martin sheen, mike nelson, mst3k, mystery science theater 3000, netflix, poker, SciFi channel, soultaker, this island earth, tom servo, two and a half men, vfw, VHS
4 comments
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songspeak
The Later Host’s Black
Does anybody remember the late night NBC talk show Later?
It used be on after Late Night with David Letterman when he was on NBC, in the days before Last Call with Carson Daly. Bob Costas was the first host. Then Greg Kinnear took over after his Talk Soup gig. Then he decided a film career would be more lucrative than a show that airs at 1:30am that hardly anyone watches. The show then kind of had a revolving door of hosts, mostly stand-up comedians.
Matt and I were discussing how, since Arsenio Hall, there were no current black hosts of late night talk shows.
Matt then sang “The Later host’s black” to the tune of Queensryche’s “The Lady Wore Black”. I don’t remember who it was at the time, but in doing a little research, I’ve come to the conclusion that it was probably Cynthia Garrett.This is one of my favorite songspeaks of all time. It caused us to include this song on one of the very first Songspeak’s Greatest Hits mixtapes.
Poltically correct? Maybe not.
Awesome original songspeak? Absolutely.
Bob Costas would be proud.
Tags: 90s tv, bob costas, carson daly, cynthia garrett, dave letterman, greg kinnear, last call, last call with carson daly, late night with david letterman, later on nbc, mixtapes, nbc, queensryche, songspeak's greatest hits, stand-up comedians, talk soup, the lady wore black
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songspeak
After 15 years, ER finally flatlines
Last night, NBC aired the series finale of ER. The past few years, ER has slipped a few slots in my list of favorite shows, but it has always remained in the top 5.I was a sophomore at WPI when the show first premiered, 10pm on Thursday nights (where it remained for its entire run). It truly was a great show in the beginning, and we would religiously watch every episode. In fact, I think I’ve seen every episode since it premiered. My friends and I at WPI never missed it. And then after I graduated in 1997, it was usually viewed with the other Must See TV Thursday night shows in Matt’s parents’ house basement in his room in a large group. When I got my own place, I still watched it, and then when Jo and I got married in 2000, it was one of our “never miss” shows during the week. When I couldn’t watch it, I’d always tape it on my VCR (remember those?). I was 18 when ER premiered, and I’m 33 now. It honestly blows my mind that I’ve been watching it every Thursday night for almost half my life.
It went through many changes over the years, as did its viewers (I graduated college, moved out of my dad’s place, got a job, got married, and had a kid during its run). Cast members came and went. And while the quality did suffer a few years ago, it was still one of the better dramas on television, and actually bounced back the past couple seasons. It was weird watching it last night. It didn’t feel like the end. I don’t think it will sink in until next season, when there’s just no new ER.So many memorable moments in the series. Here are a few that come to mind for me:
- Doug Ross saves a drowning child
- Mark Greene gets brutally beaten in the men’s room (we never did find out who did it)
- They shoot an episode LIVE. Twice! (Once for east coast, once for west)
- Romano gets his arm chopped off by a helicopter tailblade
- Mark Greene gets a brain tumor and dies
- Luka beats a mugger to death
- Carter gives Benton and appendectomy
- Sam shoots and kills her ex while her son is asleep in the car
- Romano is killed when a helicopter crashes. On top of him.
- Carter develops a drug addition, is confronted by everyone, and is dragged off to rehab
- Dr. Dave storms out of the ER and calls Kerry Weaver a “nazi dyke”
- Pratt is in an ambulance that explodes, and dies from complications when the other docs try to save him
- Ray is hit by a truck while drunk, listening to a voicemail from Neela, and loses his legs
- Mark Greene runs into complications trying to deliver a baby, and loses the mother(Feel free to comment with your own memories of the show, on the off chance you’ve made it this far)
The most memorable moment for me, by far, is the stabbing of Carter by a psychotic patient (played by David Krumholtz). The scene still gives me chills, even after 9 years:
The song playing is Battleflag by Lo-Fidelity All Stars, and will forever be known to us as the “Carter getting stabbed song”. I’ll never hear this song again without thinking of Carter falling to the floor and seeing Lucy Knight’s bloody body lying there.
In addition to Battleflag, ER has had its fair share of songspeak moments. Lest we forget singing “Carol Hathaway” to the tune of Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones? And a favorite line that Matt and I still break out to this very day occurred when Carol Hathaway gave Doug Ross a very special present. She finally gave him another chance, and they were becoming serious. She thought it was time he had his own drawer to put his stuff in at her place. He opened it and said, “It’s a drawer” in a way only George Clooney could. Something about the delivery made us snicker, and we still bring it up.
The final episode was good. It featured the return of John Carter, Susan Lewis, Kerry Weaver, Peter Benton, and Elizabeth Corday. We got to see Benton’s deaf son Reese all grown up, and Rachel Greene (Mark Greene’s daughter) returned for an internship at County General. It was weird seeing them all, but it felt right for the show to end that way.
Anyway, I think that’s probably enough of me babbling. Congratulations, ER…it was a good run. I really am going to miss you.
Tags: 00s tv, 10pm, 90s tv, Abby Lockhart, Alex Kingston, Angela Bassett, Anthony Edwards, Archie Morris, Battleflag, Carol Hathaway, carter gets stabbed, Catherine Banfield, county general, Dave Malucci, David Krumholz, Doug Ross, Elizabeth Corday, ER, Erik Palladino, Eriq La Salle, George Clooney, gimme shelter, Goran Visnjic, Greg Pratt, Hallee Hirsh, it's a drawer, John Carter, John Stamos, julianna margulies, Kellie Martin, Kerry Weaver, Laura Innes, Linda Cardellini, Lo-Fidelity All Stars, Lucy Knight, Luka Kovac, Mark Greene, Matt's basement, Maura Tierney, Mekhi Phifer, must see TV, nazi dyke, nbc, Neela Rasgotra, Noah Wyle, Parminder Nagra, Paul McCrane, Paul Sobricki, Peter Benton, Rachel Greene, Ray Barnett, Reese, rolling stones, Romano, Samatha Taggart, Scott Grimes, series finale, Shane West, Sherry Stringfield, Susan Lewis, Thursday, Tony Gates, VCR, wpi
3 comments
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misheard lyrics
Set an open course full of urgency
About ten years ago, South Park brought the song Come Sail Away by Styx to the forefront with Cartman’s apparent problem of not being able to hear the beginning of the song without finishing it.
For years, Matt and I would bring this up and/or sing it randomly. Then one day I noticed Matt sang the second line of the song as, “set an open course full of urgency”. I had to correct him and let him know the actual lyric is “set an open course for the virgin sea”. Though, if you aren’t really paying attention, I can easily see why Matt would get it wrong.
Here is the clip that started it all:
Tags: 00s tv, 70s music, 90s tv, cartman, come sail away, eric cartman, i'm sailing away, set an open course for the virgin sea, set an open course full of urgency, south park, styx
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songspeak
Leave it all to iCarly and Drake & Josh to find a way
Being the parent of a three year old has opened my eyes to so many television shows and forms of entertainment that I may have otherwise missed.
It’s such a shame that the Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana gets all the attention as THE popular kids’ show these days, because, well, have you ever watched it? It’s awful…the “acting”, the ridiculous storylines, and the painfully scripted and unfunny “comedy”. Ugh.
Nickelodeon is where it’s at for awesome kid comedy. Two of Quinn’s (and our) favorite shows are iCarly and Drake & Josh. Drake & Josh isn’t actually on anymore, but we always watch reruns (usually sandwiched between episodes of Spongebob Squarepants), and iCarly’s new season just started. While the acting on these shows isn’t top notch, it’s much more natural than the overexaggerated tripe on Hannah Montana, and the actors and characters are much more likeable. And these shows are FUNNY! I’ll even go on record to say that they’re better than Saved by the Bell, a show of a very similar genre from my generation.
iCarly stars Miranda Cosgrove (she got her start as the band’s manager in School of Rock with Jack Black) as a teenager who lives with her older brother and runs a mega-popular webshow with her friends. iCarly.com actually exists as a real website, and is basically a companion to the show, which is pretty clever.
Drake & Josh stars Josh Peck (now a fairly accomplished actor after his role in the critically praised The Wackness) and Drake Bell as best friends who become step-brothers when their parents get married. They have wacky misadventures, usually involving their younger sister (again, played by Miranda Cosgrove).
Because these are so popular at home, I included the theme songs on a mix CD I made for our recent trip to Lancaster, PA. For the first two hours of the trip home, Quinn asked to first hear the Drake & Josh theme, followed by the iCarly theme, repeatedly. And we love them so much, we gladly obliged.
Here is the video for the iCarly theme Leave it All to Me, as performed by Miranda Cosgrove:
And the video for the Drake & Josh theme Found a Way, as performed by Drake Bell:
Tags: 00s movies, 00s tv, 80s tv, 90s tv, disney channel, drake & josh, drake & josh theme song, drake bell, found a way, hannah montana, iCarly, iCarly theme song, jack black, josh peck, kid's music, kid's shows, lancaster, leave it all to me, miley cyrus, miranda cosgrove, mix CD, nickelodeon, school of rock, spongebob squarepants, the wackness
2 comments
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songspeak
The Spirit of Freaks and Geeks
Watching Forgetting Sarah Marshall this past weekend and How I Met Your Mother on Monday got me to thinking about Jason Segal’s start on Freaks and Geeks, and some of the more classic moments from that show. Awhile back, Matt posted about Nick serenading Lindsey with the Styx classic Lady.
Well, one of my favorite Nick moments from Freaks and Geeks is when he’s drumming along with Spirit of the Radio by Rush. One would think he’s doing an awesome job, until his dad comes down the stairs and you get the perspective of the outside observer.
This scene is so great because not only is it an awesome song, but who hasn’t been singing along to the car radio, or doing karaoke, and thinking they sound awesome, when, in reality, they’re awful?
(Lostaholics note: John Locke’s dad makes a cameo in this clip!)
Tangential anecdote: Jo and I once shared a flight to Australia with Jason Segal (thankfully, it didn’t crash on a mysterious island). We noticed him waiting in the Auckland, New Zealand airport on our layover along with the rest of the passengers from our plane. Which is funny because the night before we had watched Can’t Hardly Wait in the hotel room, and he has a small cameo in that. And now, thanks to Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I’ve seen his penis.
Tags: 00s movies, 80s music, 90s movies, 90s tv, anthony cooper, auckland, australia, can't hardly wait, flight, forgetting sarah marshall, freaks and geeks, how i met your mother, jason segal, jason segal's penis, john locke, john locke's dad, karaoke, kevin tighe, lady, lady of the morning, lindsey, lost, lostaholics, new zealand, nick, rush, singing along to the car radio, spirit of the radio, styx, terry o'quinn
1 comment
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songspeak
Believe it or not, George isn’t at home
I'm walking on air!
This is one of my favorite songspeaks from Seinfeld. It’s George Costanza singing the outgoing message on his answering machine to the tune of the theme song to The Greatest American Hero by Joey Scarbury.
The Greatest American Hero was a short-lived show that ran for 3 seasons from 1981 to 1983 on ABC starring William Katt. I remember watching it (and liking it!) when I was kid, though I was only about 7 at the time. Everyone knows the theme song, so the reference on Seinfeld (which aired on NBC….hmmmmm) wasn’t really lost on anyone.
Matt and I liked this clip so much, we included the Seinfeld soundclip, followed by the actual song by Joey Scarbury, on volume 13 of the original Songspeak’s Greatest Hits.
Tags: 80s tv, 90s tv, ABC, answering machine, believe it or not george isn't at home, believe it or not i'm walking on air, george costanza, george costanza's answering machine, george's answering machine, greatest american hero, jason alexander, joey scarbury, nbc, seinfeld, william katt
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