popular thinking

I watched some of the old 1981 MTV videos this morning on VH1 Classic -- they're airing the first-day footage (except for commercials and most VJ stuff, when they sub in current ads and segments with a VH1 Classic VJ). Of course, they didn't have a lot to choose from in the beginning. Saw the same David Bowie video twice in a couple of hours. A few selections from The Who, Split Enz, REO Speedwagon, Lee Ritenour and other artists who already had music videos in the can. I think it would've been even odder, yet more amusing and entertaining, to include the original VJ and '81 commercials. But then again, MTV itself wasn't making too much of its 25th birthday and anniversary today. Aug. 1, 1981. Video Killed The Radio Star.

In today's Herald, I offered five reasons why MTV might not be so keen on remembering its past: Jesse Camp, the pre Punk'd show that got them sued, the two "fire" incidents from Beavis and Butt-Head and Jackass, Milli Vanilli, and 2ge+her.

But here are more infamous moments in MTV history:
- It took two years for a black artist to get airplay on MTV, and that black artist was Michael Jackson.
- The network made a big deal out of having Guns N Roses as its big surprise finale at the 2002 VMAs, only the big surprises were that Axl had a new band, that Axl was out of shape, and that he couldn't make it through two songs.
- Woodstock 99
- MTV Films first major motion picture, Joe's Apartment?
- The sham of a mockery of a sham that was the Michael Jackson-Lisa Marie Presley kiss.
- Carson Daly. Have you seen his late-night talker recently? No? Good. Don't bother.
- Deciding that the first season of The Real World was a little too real and real meant boring, producers mixed things up in future seasons and began coming up with their own ideas, jobs, mini-dramas and obstacle courses for their participants, and all of "reality" TV followed suit.
- 2004, Vote or Die. How'd that work out?
- I Want A Famous Face.
- MTV produced the "Nipplegate" halftime show at the Super Bowl in 2004, hyping up the big shocker beforehand then denying all knowledge afterward.
- Similarly, beating a hasty retreat in the face of Madonna's videos for "Justify My Love" and "Erotica"
- Jerry Springer at Spring Break
- Pauly Shore at Spring Break, or anywhere else? Why would we want "the weasel," again?
- The soap opera "Undressed." (They decided years later to go with real people in fake soap operas with Laguna Beach, with much better luck)
- Cutting out the Madonna kiss with Xtina, just to get a shot of Justin Timberlake reacting to the first Madonna kiss with Britney. You know the Xtina kiss had more potential, but you'll never know for sure.
- Changing Club MTV to The Grind with Real World original Eric.
- Resurrecting the careers of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, which in turn gave everyone else the idea to let MTV film their lives.
- Speaking of which, Til Death Do Us Part, Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro?
Are we at 25 yet?
Should we really keep going, anyhow? I didn't think so.