If you’re going to make it in show business you need to have a good name. You also may want to use a different name to allow yourself a little anonymity when you want to get away from it all. You also may need a new name to help bolster the image your trying to portray. Let’s face it, John Wayne would never have commanded the respect in those Westerns if he went by his real name, Marian Morrison. Here’s a list of some famous people and their not so famous real names.
Demi Moore – Demetria Guynes (named her kids Rumer Glenn, Scout Larue, Tallulah Belle)
Tom Cruise – Thomas Cruise Mapother IV
Shania Twain – Eileen Twain (married a guy named Mutt Lange)
Bono – Paul Hewson
Prince – Prince Rogers Nelsen
Eddie Money – Eddie Mahoney
Winona Ryder – Winona Laura Horowitz
Meg Ryan – Margaret Hyra
Seal – Sealhenry Samuel
Meatloaf – Marvin Lee Adair
Martin Sheen – Ramonón Estevez
Joan Rivers – Joan Sandra Molinsky
Jackie Chan – Chan Kong Sung (means Born in Hong Kong)
One of the first games to suck the quarters out of my pocket at an alarming rate was the classic Asteroids game. It was one of the first games that let you continue where you left off which usually meant you’d be dead alot quicker the further up the levels you went.
Here now for your entertainment and gaming pleasure is the original classic Asteroids. Use the mouse to press START, the arrow keys to move around and SPACE bar to shoot. Keep the quarters in your pocket.
This post could have actually had another title since it serves as a small history of women’s panties as well. I love dual purpose posts – two messages in the same amount of time.
Seeing the trend portrayed in the image, all I can say is I look forward to the future (nudge nudge, wink wink).
I’ve been in a alternative kind of mood lately. Now when I say alternative, I mean late ’80s and early ’90s as opposed to what alternative came to mean in the late ’90s and beyond. I got a fever and the only cure is more cowbell…… okay, this song doesn’t have cowbells but it has some very cool percussion and inspiration from Indian Bhagra style music. The production on this track is simply sublime.
If you’ve never heard of Siouxsie and the Banshees then your in for a treat. If you have heard of them then you’ll probably send me a list of better songs they’ve done and maybe you’d be right however this song has a great vibe to it which is perfect for chasing the mid-morning blahs as you toil away waiting for the noon hour lunch break. Enjoy!
No other fast food mascot comes to mind quicker or is more recognizable than Ronald McDonald. Other than Santa Claus, no other character is more recognized around the world than the hamburger loving spokesman for the McDonalds Corporation.
Ronald McDonald was actually an altered version of Bozo the Clown created by an ad executive and a clown from the Ringling Brothers Circus. One of the early actors to portray Ronald was a part time Bozo performer and NBC Today Show weatherman, Willard Scott. Not only did he give the clown a name, Ronald, he also took a stab at creating the look of Ronald by creating a costume out of a paper cup for a nose and a cardboard tray as a hat. Pathetic? Yes….. yes it was.
Bozo the Clown (R.I.P)
Willard and his recycled Costume
However, although crude, he was responsible for giving the character a personality and help promote the local franchises. Willard was dumped in 1966 when the corporation took Ronald national citing the reason for dumping Willard as he was “too fat”for the roll and didn’t give the proper corporate image. Ironic isn’t it? McDonalds wasn’t really synonymous with health food at the time (or now) so I’m sure Willard had a chuckle over that one.
Renaissance Ronald
The company went back to Ringling Brothers where one of their clowns worked to give Ronald his new look including the now famous white-face, put him in a canary-yellow jumpsuit which he found on a mannequin in a women’s clothing store, plus a fire-engine red wig. The new Ronald was introduced to the world on November
25 1966, at the Chicago Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Ronald circa 1971
Ronald circa 1985
By 1971, Ronald had his own kingdom, McDonaldland, and was joined by more odd-ball, burger-headed characters such as Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Sheriff Big Mac and Grimace, a purple milkshake that could talk.
Ronald McDonald has always followed a strict set of secret guidelines that govern how the fast-food icon looks, talks, moves and where and what he can do. To date there have been about nine actors to officially play Ronald on television with many more trained by the company to ensure consistency in mannerisms during local promotions.
Rejected Ronald Update
In 1998, McDonald’s ad agency, Leo Burnett, hired LA stylists to refashion Ronald’s hair again and spent months studying whether to increase the width of the red stripes on his socks. If only they spent that time working on their pizza and McLean Supreme sandwiches, I think we’d have been better off!
If your looking for a prototypical ’80s sounding song with a prototypical looking ’80s video to go with it then you need not look any further than Peter Godwin’s “Images of Heaven”.
Peter was part of the band called Metro in the late ’70s and went solo in the early ’80s producing his most memorable track, “Images in Heaven” in 1982. His other hit that got some Alternative radio play was “Baby’s in the Mountain” but in my opinion Images was a much stronger song. Enjoy!
Jennifer Grey was riding high in the ‘80s with a few hit movies under her belt including Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and the huge hit with Patrick Swayze, Dirty Dancing. She was fast tracking as a Hollywood “A” lister when she suddenly was struck with the urge to be prettier. A quick trip to a plastic surgeon gave her the nose of her dreams however there was a slight problem – nobody recognized her anymore and the roles dried up almost instantly.
Who’s that girl?
Nobody puts Baby in a corner but nobody was giving her any roles either. She did a few minor things after the surgery and even had an appearance on Friends but her career was pretty much done. Vanity Kills.
Imprison and Beat Up a Male Prostitute
Boy George was the lead singer of one of the bands that really put a mark on the ‘80s. Whether you liked them or not, Culture Club really created a stir not only with the quirky pop sounds they produced but Boy George’s style and controversial image. The band broke up largely due to a falling out between George and another band member who were lovers and so begun a life of drug addiction and trouble with the law.
In retrospect, maybe the makeup was a good thing.
The most recent incident was in December 2008 when he was convicted of falsely imprisoning and beating a male prostitute which unfortunately for Georgie Boy is still very much illegal. Though he served his time, his career as a DJ (which was quite successful) and any talk of a Culture Club reunion are pretty much done.
Get Caught Having Sex in a Men’s Room
George Michael was the lead singer of Wham! and one of the most wanted men of woman everywhere back in the ‘80s. Even after Wham! broke up, he was still producing amazing music as a solo artist and still charting very well in many countries.
He’s gay !?! Wow – how did I miss that?
Though questions of his sexuality always hovered around him, he kept up his heterosexual image for fear of the effect it would have on his mother. Mommy must have flipped in 1998 when George was arrested in Beverly Hills for “engaging in a lewd act” with an undercover cop in a park bathroom in what had to be one of the biggest WTF moments I can ever remember. I could care less which way George swings, but when you’ve got the kind of money and contacts George has, is it necessary (and safe!?!?) to troll a public park bathroom for a Gayfrontation? Just sayin’…… Although he’s put out some stuff since the incident and is touring again, he hasn’t had a #1 hit in the UK since 1996 and none in the U.S. since 1991.
Act Like a Pervert in a Movie Theatre
When you think about masturbating in a movie theatre (hopefully you don’t think of that too often) one name comes to mind, Pee-Wee Herman. Comedian Paul Reubens, who created the character, found fame with a stage act that led to an HBO special and eventually a few movies. He also had a top rated, Emmy award winning kid’s program that was truly unique and a breath of fresh air compared to the other Saturday morning programming.
Pee-Wee doing a Kanye West impression. Spooky!
It all came to a shrieking halt when he was arrested in 1991 for doing a solo act of the lewd kind in a Florida theatre. Again, see my comment regarding George Michael – use some of that Pee-Wee cash and get a room already. Although he used the incident as a way to get away from the Pee-Wee character he never enjoyed the same level of success again. This is probably why he’s shopping the idea of another Pee-Wee film and a possible Pee-Wee stage show in Vegas.
Marry a Loser and Get Hooked on Crack
Whitney Houston was by far the leading diva on the pop scene in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Top selling albums, Grammy awards, smash movie rolls, she had it all. She then made a decision that would ultimately change her life forever. She married ex- New Edition member Bobby Brown. Although it was her prerogative to do so (see what I did there?), Bobby led her into a life of drugs and pretty much killed her career.
Ummmm….Drugs are bad. Mmmkay?
To make matters worse, she and Bobbi did a reality show together that really showed how ugly the relationship was and what a fall from grace Whitney had. Such a shame.
Get Really, Really, Really Fat
I’m not one to mock anyone who has a weight problem however in Kirstie Alley’s case, I’m willing to make an exception. I’ve said it before, if you’re a successful actor, you have plenty of time and money to ensure that you stay in reasonable shape and usually have an army of people around you that can cater to your every need while you focus on staying in shape and aging gracefully. Kirstie missed the memo.After a few successful films, she landed the part of Rebecca Howe on Cheers and then went on to do another fairly good sitcom and then paused to eat Bon Bons. She’s been doing that ever since.
She not only called Jenny but ate her as well.
She hooked up with Jenny Craig as their spokesperson and it lasted a pretty long while until someone at Jenny Craig noticed she wasn’t really losing any weight which isn’t a good thing considering that was what Jenny’s products are supposed to help you do.
There was a time when smoking wasn’t the social taboo it is today. Smoking was something people did on planes, in doctor’s waiting rooms, in theatres, in their cars and pretty much everywhere else until we came to the shocking realization that smoking is actually bad for you ! Who knew !?!? You’d think that sucking carcinogenic smoke directly into your lungs would actually be beneficial and something to be encouraged. Well at least that’s what they thought in the ’60s and ’70s as witnessed in the following classic cigarette ads.
MarlboroThis ad is wrong on so many levels. Using an innocent baby to sell cigarettes is one thing but to try and make you feel guilty that you don’t have the best of everything like this kid’s dad since you don’t smoke Marlboros is really a shot below the smoke filled lungs. At least it’s never too late to experience the “Miracle of Marlboro” and never feel over-smoked (as opposed to under smoked I guess).
Chesterfield This ad featuring former President Ronald Reagan, really only proves one of two things. Either Ronnie only associated with people who smoked or he was the worst Christmas shopper in history. Although, it’s nice to finally see a cigarette that doesn’t leave an unpleasant after-taste. Now instead of popping a Tic Tac or Menthos before an interview, have a quick smoke to freshen your breath. Chesterfield Cigarettes – the New Fresh Maker !
Camel
You really can’t go wrong with Camel cigarettes when you realize that more doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette brand. What an awesome endorsement. Obviously it’s the cigarette brand a doctor would recommend if he finds you’re not getting enough tar.
Winston
This commercial aired back in 1960 when Winston cigarettes sponsored the first season of The Flintstones on ABC. Back then the show was geared towards an adult audience much in the same way that Family Guy is geared towards an adult audience. Trying to air an ad like this today would certainly prompt a few lawsuits and a few thousand complaints. Although I gotta say Wilma looked pretty sexy with that cigarette.
It’s always cool to see what celebrities looked like when they were younger and what they look like now for a couple of reasons. Not only does it “humanize” them in terms of making them look more like everyday people you come across in daily life, but you see that often times they were very average looking in their younger years but are now quite attractive.
It’s kind of inspiring and makes you think that one day, you too may be better looking and more attractive as well. Especially if you invest thousands of dollars in plastic surgery, workout for the better part of the day, have a personal trainer, a personal dietician, and personal assistants that can take care of things for you while you workout – like take your kids to soccer practice.
Angelina Jolie
Looking like a little cutie in 1988 – no sign that she’d grow up to be the homewrecker that she is although since she bagged Brad Pitt, somehow she gets a pass from scorn. Hmmmmmm.
Brad Pitt
Just as good looking today as he did in 1987. Funny how when Billy Bob Thorten split with his wife to be with Angelina Jolie he was labelled a pig and a scoundrel. Mr. Pitt does it and all the woman high five each other. Double standard? Just sayin’…….
Halle Barry
I think Halle Berry looked great in 1986 and then every year after. Though she’s been known to wear a gold belt from time to time, she hasn’t worn a leotard with USA printed on it for a while.
One word – “The Hoff”
Considering the macho roles he’s had plus the fact he played the part of a life guard for a while, you’d think back in 1980 he would have spent a little more time at the gym trying to bulk up a bit with some muscle rather than all that time blowdrying his hair.
Janet Jackson
Miss Jackson if you’re nasty. Cute as a button in 1984 and sexy as hell today. Anyone remember her on Good Times ?
Pierce Bronson
Clearly a Burt Reynolds fan in 1981, the future James Bond seemed to get more suave and good looking as he aged. Clearly couldn’t afford a stylist in early ’80s .
On a recent post, we discussed some live action kid’s shows that may have been ill conceived, badly produced or just plain sucked and likely got someone fired (or promoted -go figure). For every live action show produced in the ’70s and ’80s there were dozens of animated ones that tried to compete for a time slot in the lucrative Saturday morning cartoon market. Here’s a look at some that were produced based on the popularity of certain trends or other shows that basically sucked.
Gilligan’s Planet
Based on one of the all time Retro TV classics, Gilligan’s Island, the ill conceived animated version had our ship wrecked crew flying through the cosmos dealing with all sorts of aliens and nutty situations.
So to recap, seven castaways can’t get off a desert island, only have a radio with an awesome set of batteries, need an exercise bike made out of bamboo to wash their clothes but somehow can build a rocket and careen through hyper space on space adventures. Alrightie then.
Pole Position
Though named after the popular video game, the show really had nothing to do with the cartoon. Although it looked a lot like another car based cartoon that was pretty popular, Speed Racer, this one actually had a plot with a couple of crime fighting kids who also happened to be stunt drivers that were involved with a secret government operation. Happens all the time. What a stunt team has to do with a pole position on a racing grid, I’ll never know. It only lasted one season.
Frogger
In 1983, Frogger the animated series made it’s debut with our amphibious hero playing the role of a journalist – yup, a journalist. I suppose that answers the question as to why he was trying to get across the river – obviously there was a helluva story that needed to be written that was worth the risk of being eaten or crushed. You may have guessed that it only lasted a single season.
Q*Bert
Completing the trilogy of video game based cartoons is Q*Bert. He’d strut around the cube shaped town in a varsity jacket with a “‘Q” patch (obviously) and along with his friends, constantly deal with the school bullies and their evil ways. This of course makes you think, what was he actually studying? What kind of future does a testicle shaped blob have? Again, one season. Starting to see a trend here.
The Snorks
So what do you do when a popular kid’s show is owning Saturday morning ratings? You try to duplicate the formula (or ripoff) and come up with something to rival it. So first come The Smurfs and then come The Snorks. So named for the snorkel appendage sticking out of their heads. Snorks were a race of tiny sea creatures that lived pretty much like you and me. They lived in houses, went to d drive-in movies, drive cars etc. all while under the sea. Kind of like an early Sponge Bob. Only in this case they were constantly solving problems and trying to undo some of the dastardly plots of the mayor’s son who was always up to no good. This actually lasted four seasons thanks to the introduction of new bad guys to content with on a regular basis.
Rubik the Amazing Cube
Invented in 1974, the Rubik’s Cube is still a popular puzzle thanks to the introduction to a new generation. Jumping on the popularity of the Rubik’s Cube craze in the ’80s, “Rubik The Amazing Cube” animated series made its debut in 1983. Why they chose to give the cube an alien head, I’ll never know. Really hard to believe they managed to come up with a full season of plots for a show about an animated cube shaped puzzle. Shockingly, it lasted only the single season.
Really hard to believe they managed to come up with a full season of plots for a show about an animated cube shaped puzzle. Shockingly, it lasted only the single season.