Star Trek Turns 50!

I have a pop-culture question for you, and I don't want the title of this post to necessarily affect your answer in any way. Go ahead and name a TV show that is at least 50 years old that you think still has some cultural resonance today. For example, "I Love Lucy" is a good example of what I mean; is there anyone over the age of 12 who doesn't recognize the four leads from that show, and who laughs whenever the show comes on?

Similarly, is there anyone in the United States who would not be able to recognize the classic Starfleet uniform, the USS Enterprise, or maybe even Mr. Spock?

I don't think so.

Michael Jackson's 58th Birthday

Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958. If he was still alive, he would turn 58 years old today.

Of course, he died in 2009, a victim of either incompetent doctors or his own hypochondria or some mixture of both. I am not a student of his life by any means; all I know is that he left behind three children and an amazing body of work.

To romanticize his life, it's almost as if it was fated that he would "die young," as, really, he "lived young." He signed with Motown when he was ten years old. By the time he was 12 he had four Number One hits. By the time he was 24, he had the largest selling album of all time.

MB9: Man-Bat #2

Man-Bat #2 (March 1976)

cover: Jim Aparo (signed)

title: "Fugitive From Blind Justice!"

writer: Martin Pasko

penciller: Pablo Marcos

inker: Ricardo Villamonte

editor: Gerry Conway 

60 Years Ago: Elvis Crowned King of Rock & Roll

Sixty years ago this week, Elvis Presley began a historical string of 16 weeks at Number One, staying at the top of the US music charts longer than anyone ever had before. He had his third, fourth, and fifth Number One singles, all in a row.

By doing this he was unequivocally crowned The King of Rock And Roll.

TV Guide: The Avengers (May 4, 1968)

Continuing the story from the past two weeks, when I found this issue of TV Guide for sale at an antique mall I knew I would love it. It was wrapped in plastic, but I knew that at the very least the cover story would be about one of the featured Mission: Impossible stars.

When I took it out of its plastic wrap, I was pleasantly surprised to find an article about rising star Vicki Lawrence, from The Carol Burnett Show. Then after I had read *that* article, I stumbled upon THIS headline:

Wait, what? The Avengers, too!?! Well...sort of.

TV Guide: Carol Burnett Show (May 4,1968)

Continuing the story from last week, when I found this issue of TV Guide for sale at an antique mall, even though it was wrapped in plastic I just knew that I would love it for the promised Mission: Impossible article inside.

What I did not know was that besides the other three "featured" articles as listed on the cover, this issue also featured an un-heralded interview slash profile of rising new star Vicki Lawrence, from The Carol Burnett Show!

Major bonus points!!

TV Guide: Mission Impossible (May 4, 1968)

My wife loves to go antique shopping. I usually go with her, only because while she is looking for Fire King kitchenware, I am looking for forgotten (or heretofore unknown) popular culture treasures.

One of the great things I have happened upon are old issues of TV Guide. Besides the weekly TV show listings (which are a fun time-capsule in and of themselves), every issue features profiles or interviews with television celebrities.

My heart jumped into my throat when I saw the above issue. I think I bought it for three or four bucks? I don't remember, but it was certainly worth every penny!