Everything 80s

From an experiment in the 1970s to a global phenomenon, the story of Nickelodeon is one that includes Walter Cronkite, satellites, and some simple hand puppets.
But it was in the 1980s when the kids-only network really took off. With a new leader and a new direction, Nickelodeon would soon reach more homes than ever, all because of a low-budget sketch comedy show from Canada. A show that would make every kid know what follows the phrase, "I don't know..."
But in the 80s, things behind the scenes at Nickelodeon were still rocky. It would take an entire rebrand and a specific kids' game show that would turn the network's fortunes and make it the dominant force in cable television. 

-- The Book: Becoming Nickelodeon: How the First Network for Kids Went From Green Vegetables to Green Slime in the 1980s by Jason McFiggins
Available on Amazon in Kindle or paperback

In part one, we looked at the origins of stand-up comedy and its evolution through the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Then, as we head into the 1980s, some big things happen.
A strike, mainstream exposure, and the rise of comedy clubs everywhere took the industry from smoky clubs to a major part of mainstream entertainment.
Today, we look at several of the breakout comedians -- including a few controversial ones -- who not only defined the 1980s but also became some of the biggest stars in the history of entertainment. Then, we look at how the stand-up comedians of the 80s became the go-to choices by the networks to star in some of the most popular sitcoms and talk shows of all time.
The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

From small, smoky nightclubs to prime time TV and Hollywood, stand-up comedy has gone through many iterations over more than a century. But it was in the 1980s when a true comedy boom took place.
In part one of this two-part episode, we look back at the origins of stand-up comedy, going back to the days of Vaudeville, and then into the 50s and 60s when people like Jackie Gleason and Lucille Ball began to entertain millions. 
Then, through the 60s and into the 70s, comedians like Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, and Richard Pryor took stand-up to the next level. But then, heading into the 80s, everything changes; the opening of some famous clubs, a comedy strike, and some of the most famous names of our time are about to take stand-up comedy to levels never seen before. 


Subscribe to the Everything 80s Podcast so you don't miss out on Part two, where we look at some of those specific comedians that helped shape the 80s, the rise of sitcoms based around stand-ups, and how the comedy explosion spread throughout North America

Pac-Man was a solution to a major problem. That problem? The video game industry mainly attracted teenage males; no one else was really setting foot in arcades. Game designer Toru Iwatani believed he had created the right idea to change all that.
Not only did he change the world of video games, but his creation ended up creating an absolute pop culture phenomenon. Pac-Man was such a hit when it first hit arcades in late 1980 that it turned the entire entertainment industry on its head. 
The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com

Before he was Hulk Hogan, he was Terry Gene Bollea. And before Hulkamania ran wild in the 1980s, he was carefully crafting the character that would not only change the world of professional wrestling but also break through into mainstream pop culture.
His later years would not be without their controversy, but in the 80s, he was like a real-life superhero for a new generation of kids. Today, we look back on Hulk Hogan in the 1980s; from bodyslamming Andre the Giant to the Rock n' Wrestling Connection and even prime time TV -- he managed to touch all areas of entertainment.  
Support the show and get bonus audio content: Patreon.com/80s