Mon, Jul 06, 2009

Caliente

A few of the key figures and events that helped define a decade
By Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.22.2004
● Television
Mr. T - The mohawked, gold-chained, gruff tough guy battered Sly Stallone in "Rocky III" and donned a gun for the action TV series "The A-Team."
Ted Danson - His "Cheers" was a place where everybody knew your name.
Bill Cosby - Coz was the dad of the decade in "The Cosby Show." His pudding commercials also were iconic.
Don Johnson - As stubble-faced "Miami Vice" detective James "Sonny" Crockett, he proved that men could look pretty (oops! handsome) in pastels.
● Music
Boy George - The androgynous icon and his band, Culture Club, sang "Karma Chameleon" and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me."
Michael Jackson - Jacko hit his peak of popularity with "Thriller" and "Billie Jean." He truly was the King of Pop.
Madonna - The sex icon lives on, but Madonna came up in the '80s with hits such as "Material Girl" and "Like a Virgin."
The Boss - New Jersey's favorite son, Bruce Springsteen, gave the blue-collar crowd voice in "Born in the U.S.A." He also wrote and sang one of the sexiest songs ever: "I'm on Fire."
Go-Go's - They had the beat, and they're touring this summer, too, but won't make it to Arizona.
"We Are the World" - Benefit song and record with über stars such as Harry Belafonte, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Bette Midler, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Paul Simon and Tina Turner - and Cyndi Lauper and Kenny Logins, too - had everyone joining hands and singing. Come on, you remember the words: " We are the world, we are the children/ We are the ones who make a brighter day."
● Movies
"Raging Bull" - The 1980 Martin Scorsese look at prizefighter Jake La Motta is seen by many film historians as the last truly great film.
"E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" - In this 1982 movie, Steven Spielberg's saucer-eyed alien is found by a 10-year-old boy who helps E.T. "phone home."
"Back to the Future" - Michael J. Fox took to his time-traveling DeLorean for this 1985 flick, the first of a trilogy.
The Brat Pack - Eight actors (Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy) formed the unofficial group. Films connected with the Brat Pack include "The Breakfast Club," "Pretty In Pink" and "St. Elmo's Fire."
Harrison Ford - As whip-wielding archaeologist Indiana Jones or as "Star Wars" galaxy-gallivanting Han Solo, Ford was courageously cool.
● Trends
New Coke - It was gross. We demanded the "old" Coke, and our wish was granted.
Rubik's Cube - We're still convinced the darn thing was impossible to solve.
● Sports Teams
NFL - San Francisco 49ers. Montana to Rice, baby. The Chicago Bears were also big, with the Fridge and the Super Bowl Shuffle.
NBA - Los Angeles Lakers. Magic Johnson and Showtime ruled the court.
● Catchphrases
"Greed is good."
"I want my MTV."
"Where's the beef?"
"Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!"
"Just say no."