Please Take A Moment To Vote In the "What 80s Movie Should Malcolm Watch Next?" Poll... Thank You

Because the recent poll where I asked readers to vote for the movie they thought I should watch next received such a positive response, I thought I'd do a sequel... with a twist. This time I've selected five movies from the 1980s that I'm interested in seeing, but haven't. The movie with the most votes is the one I will watch next. Once I watch it, I'll post a review. Feel free to post in the comments section why you feel that I should watch the movie that you chose.

Before you say "I can't believe you haven't seen (fill in the blank)", stop and consider that unless you're a movie critic, there probably are holes in your film watching experience too. :-)

Final Results of the Direct TV Ad Poll

Here are the final results of the poll in which I asked if the new Direct TV Ad with Chris Farley and David Spade is in poor taste:

Yes- 41%
I'm sitting on the fence- 32%
No- 25%

I wonder if the controversy will cause Direct TV to be reluctant to take the "dead celeb" route for future spots. Thanks to everyone who participated in the poll.

Below is a clip of The Young Turks giving their take on the controversy:

The Retro Mix Playlist For 11/6/09

7 pm hour

Don't Lose My Number- Phil Collins
Where Was You At- War
Express- B.T. Express
Cut the Cake- AWB
Thank U- Alanis Morissette
Love Is Alive- Gary Wright
Hourglass- Squeeze

Now & Then segment's feat. artist: Queen Latifah
What's the Plan (from her 2009 CD Persona)
Ladies First (released in 1989)

Shambala- Three Dog Night
Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through- Jim Steinman
Here We Go- C & C Music Factory
Election Day- Arcadia

8 pm hour

Lithium- Nirvana
Hell Is For Children- Pat Benatar
Be My Lady- Jefferson Starship
Ventura Highway- America
Beautiful Life- Ace of Base
Rollin' with Kid & Play- Kid & Play
The Night Chicago Died- Paper Lace

The Greatest Miss of the Week:
Perfect View- The Graces (single did not chart)

Disarm- Smashing Pumpkins
Mothership Connection- Parliament
Modern Love- David Bowie
Johnny Can't Read- Don Henley
Goodbye To You- Scandal
Happy- The Rolling Stones
Just Like Paradise- David Lee Roth

The Retro Mix Video of the Week: Johnny Can't Read by Don Henley

Don Henley - Johnny Can't Read
Uploaded by jpdc11. - Explore more music videos.

Pop Culture Trivia #77

If you are a Pop Culture Trivia virgin about to be touched for the very first time, please read all the rules before taking the quiz:

* Along with the Internet, the use of books, magazines, notes, data stored on a computer, etc. to help you come up with the answers is not allowed.

* Please read the questions carefully. For example, if you mistakenly give a performer's name instead of the movie/TV show, the answer will be marked as incorrect.

* If you give a final answer along the lines of "If it isn't Richard Pryor, it's Eddie Murphy", it will be marked as incorrect.

* Unless I ask for the correct spelling of an answer, you won't lose points for any misspellings as long as it can be reasonably pronounced the same as the correct spelling. Example: If the answer is Tila Tequila and you spell it as "Tela Tequila", you get the points. However, if you were to spell it as "Tia Tequila", your answer will be marked as incorrect.

* It's best to provide the full name/title of an answer if you know it. However, for movies, albums, etc. that are often referred to by a shortened name/abbreviation, that shortened name/abbreviation is acceptable (unless I specifically ask for the complete name/title). For example:

P.T.I. is acceptable for the ESPN program Pardon the Interruption

Oprah is acceptable for either Oprah Winfrey herself or The Oprah Winfrey Show

* Billboard-related questions will always refer to the U.S. charts.

* If you are the only player to get a particular question correct, you earn 10 bonus points

* Please do not post your answers in the comments section. Instead, send them to ultfan@gmail.com no later than Friday at 11:59 PM EST.

* To make it easier for me to add up your score, please cut and paste the game into the body of an email and type your answers after each question. The answers (along with the names of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers) will be posted on Saturday.


Note: As you regular players know, I can be downright evil with some of my questions; twirling my moustache with one hand while typing with the other. However, I am not without mercy. When I feel a quiz may turn out to be particularly tough, I've been known to make all the multiple choice answers "C". I'm not saying I did in this case, but I wanted to put it out there.

Have fun, good luck, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!

1. Only a minor hit when originally released in 1954, what golden oldie went on to sell over 25 million copies and has been featured in such films as The Blackboard Jungle, American Graffiti, and Superman? 2 pts

2. "What can Brown do for you?" is the advertising slogan for what company, which was started in 1907 by two teenagers after one of them borrowed $100 from a friend? 2 pts

3. Premiering on August 17, 1997, what VH-1 music documentary series' debut episode charted the rise and fall of Milli Vanilli? 2 pts

4. The November 26, 1981 marriage of actress Cicely Tyson and legendary jazz trumpeter Miles Davis took place at the home of which one of the following? 8 pts

a. Stevie Wonder
b. Ella Fitzgerald
c. Bill Cosby
d. Julius Erving

5. The photo below contains the top portion of what sportswear brand's logo? 2 pts










6. Born in London on March 14, 1933, two-time Academy Award winner Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, Jr. is better known by what stage name? 6 pts

7. What are the titles of the 4 feature films that starred Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder? 3 pts each

8. The Britcom Days Like These was based on what U.S. series? 6 pts

a. Happy Days
b. Everybody Loves Raymond
c. That 70s Show
d. Full House

9. The screen cap below is from what movie? 5 pts


















and now, it's ass-busting time!

10. During the 1990s, who were the top 5 recording acts on the Billboard Dance/Disco Club Play chart? 3 pts each

Note: If you can put the acts order from 1-5, you get 10 bonus pts. This means that if you are the only player to name all five acts and can put them in the right order, you earn 20 bonus points!

The ass-busting will cease... for now!

11. Name's the same: Below are 5 sets of descriptions of a fictional TV character and a real person from the world of entertainment that share the same name, but otherwise are unrelated. You have to give the name they both share. Each is worth 2 pts

Example: Name of the character played by Sonya Eddy in two episodes of Seinfeld-Actress who appeared in Risky Business= Rebecca DeMornay

a. The U.S. Marshal of Dodge City, KS- Actor who was an “Outsider”, “The Flamingo Kid” and a “Drugstore Cowboy”

b. Single, blue-collar mom portrayed by Brett Butler from 1993-1998-Retired from acting to become "Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco"

c. Was assisted by a bumbling deputy named Barney- Played guitar with Duran Duran and The Power Station

d. Superhuman former U.S. astronaut who worked for the O.S.I.-"Stone Cold" retired pro wrestler

e. A member of "The Heights"- Pop culture icon who appeared in the 25th highest grossing film in the U.S. for 2004

12. In the hit 1989 romantic comedy, when did Harry (Billy Crystal) first meet Sally (Meg Ryan)? 6 pts

a. on a blind date
b. when they drive together to New York
c. during a Univ. of Chicago Maroons pep rally
d. at a James Taylor concert

13. The screen cap below is from what music video? 6 pts















14. Formed in 1995, what Grammy-nominated Canadian rock group derived its name from the amount of change band member Mike Kroeger would give customers when he worked at Starbucks? 3 pts

15. What do the following actresses have in common? 15 pts

Note: They are the only actresses who share this common bond

Answers To Pop Culture Trivia #76

This week saw yet another tight race to the podium. Two points separated 1st and 2nd place; the 4th place finisher missed making the podium by just one point! Here are the top 3 finishers for the week:

3rd place: BeckEye- 69 pts
2nd place: Rich- 81 pts
1st place: Pjazzy- 83 pts

Congrats to the top 3 and thanks to everyone who played!

Here are the answers:

1. "My homework was not stolen by a one-armed man", "I saw nothing unusual in the teacher's lounge" and "I am not a 32 year old woman" were some of the chalkboard messages featured during the opening credits of what program, named by Time magazine as the best TV series of the 20th century? 2 pts

The Simpsons

2. In 1977, Tom Brokaw introduced Maria Shriver to what Austrian bodybuilder/actor at a charity tennis tournament being held at her mother's home? 2 pts

Arnold Schwarzenegger (I was impressed that nearly everyone spelled Ahnuld's last name correct)

3. Jay Pritchett, his daughter Claire Dunphy, his son Mitchell Pritchett and their respective households are the focus of what ABC sitcom/mockumentary, which critics have compared to both The Office and Arrested Development? 3 pts

Modern Family (If you haven't watched this yet, check it out!)

4. From 1963 to 1981, actor Mark Harmon (NCIS) was the brother-in-law of what singer/musician? 6 pts

a. Roy Orbison
b. Neil Sedaka
c. Paul Anka
d. Rick Nelson

5. The screen cap below is from what movie? 5 pts














The 1990 movie House Party- Play (Christopher Martin) and Bilal (Martin Lawrence) are looking down at Kid (Christopher Reid) after he got his ass kicked in the school cafeteria.

6. The following lyrics are from what song? 5 pts

You seem so far away though you are standing near
You made me feel alive, but something died I fear
I really tried to make it out
I wish I understood
What happened to our love, it used to be so good

S.O.S. by ABBA... while perusing the answers, I thought you might enjoy some Swedish pop from Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid:

Abba - S.O.S
Uploaded by joebassin. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

7. What are the first names of the 3 sons of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning? 3 pts each

Cooper, Peyton, and Eli- As many of you know, Peyton and Eli are both Super Bowl-winning NFL quarterbacks. Their older brother Cooper was an All-State high school wide receiver. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with a spinal condition after graduation which put an end to his football career. Normally out of the spotlight, Cooper is part owner of an energy firm that sells oil and gas stocks.

8. In the 1996 fantasy-adventure film Dragonheart, which one of the following actors provided the voice of Draco, the last of the dragons? 6 pts

a. Sean Connery
b. James Earl Jones
c. Peter O' Toole
d. Anthony Hopkins

9. The screen cap below is from what music video? 8 pts














Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana

Nirvana - Heart Shaped Box
Uploaded by UniversalMusicGroup. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

10. What were the five most successful soundtracks of the 1980s on the Billboard Pop Album chart? 3 pts each

1. Purple Rain- Prince & the Revolution
2. Dirty Dancing- Various artists
3. Miami Vice- Various artists (note: I didn't specify that the soundtracks were from movies)
4. Footloose- Various artists
5. Rattle and Hum- U2

No one came up with #3 or #5 on the list. This was one of my patented "ass busting" questions. I doubt if even Casey "Shaggy" Kasem could have come up with all 5 of these. After seeing the answers given by players for this question, I was reminded that the 1980s was a golden age of the soundtrack. Some of the soundtracks named that surprisingly didn't make the top 5 included: Top Gun, Flashdance, The Big Chill, Beverly Hills Cop, and Fame.

11. Below are five fictional "shows within shows" that existed on actual TV series. You have to list the name of the actual show.

For example, TGS with Tracy Jordan= 30 Rock. Each of these are worth 2 pts

a. The Larry Sanders Show- The Larry Sanders Show (yes, they were both the same)
b. FYI- Murphy Brown
c. So Random!- Sonny with a Chance
d. The Alan Brady Show- The Dick Van Dyke Show
e. Tool Time- Home Improvement

Rich was the only player to ace this section.

12. In the 2002 episode of The Parkers titled "It's Gary Coleman", what did Kim Parker mistakenly think was the famous catchphrase of Gary's character on Diff'rent Strokes? 6 pts

a. Dy-no-mite!
b. Kiss my grits
c. Up your nose with a rubber hose
d. Homey don't play that

13. The car below was featured in several music videos by what trio, nicknamed "That little ol' band from Texas"? 5 pts










ZZ Top

14. Born on May 10, 1967, rapper/songwriter Marvin Young is better known by what nickname? 3 pts

Young MC

15. The photo below features the cast of what TV series? 15 pts
















Lincoln Heights- This hour-long drama premiered in 2007 on the ABC Family Channel and is currently in its 4th season.

Pjazzy was the only player to get this one correct.

Old School Friday: Songs That Inspire

When I saw what the OSF theme was this week, the 1991 jam by Sounds of Blackness (Optimistic) immediately came to mind. I can't help but get uplifted whenever I hear this song.

If you'd like to take part, here are the rules:

1. Anyone can participate; any music genre;
2. Old School is defined as music created before 1999;
3. No offensive words allowed, please use edited radio version;
4. Post no more than 2 videos of your favorite old school song to take us back down memory lane;
5. Add your name to the meme list so that others can check you out;
6. Have fun and don’t forget to leave comments for other participants!

Please Take A Moment To Vote In the Direct TV Ad Poll... Thank You

As you many of you know, Direct TV has made a series of commercials in which characters from popular movies and TV series break the fourth wall to promote the service's picture quality and HD availability. The latest spot features David Spade as Richard Hayden (his character in Tommy Boy) in new scenes shot specifically for the commercial and the late Chris Farley in footage from the movie.

When I first saw the spot, I was taken aback at seeing Spade tout the virtues of Direct TV in the midst of Farley's "fat guy in a little coat" scene from Tommy Boy. Although the use of dead celebrities in ads doesn't always bother me, I feel this spot delves into poor taste territory. I just find it a bit creepy to see the present-day Spade interacting with his deceased co-star.

Although I'm not outraged, I wonder what the rationale was (besides the obvious) for Direct TV doing the spot and for Spade agreeing to appear in it.

I'm really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this topic.

Putney Swope Airs On TCM

As part of its cult movie showcase "TCM Underground", Turner Classic Movies is airing the 1969 satire Putney Swope late Friday/early Saturday (Nov. 6th/Nov. 7th) at 2:30 am EST. Directed by Robert Downey, Sr. (yes, Iron Man's dad), the film details what happens when Swope (the only black man on the executive board at an advertising firm) is accidentally put in charge after the chairman of the board dies. Once at the helm, Swope (played by Arnold Johnson) makes some drastic changes which cause the firm to be not only successful, but the target of the U.S. government.

Because I've heard so much about Putney Swope, I've been wanting to see it for awhile. Along with Arnold Johnson, the cast also includes Antonio Fargas ("Huggy Bear" of Starsky & Hutch), Allan Arbus (Dr. Sidney Freedman on M*A*S*H), and Shelley Plimpton (mother of actress Martha).

To watch a clip of Putney Swope, you can click here.

Jack and the Jerk To Host the 82nd Academy Awards!

My disappointment over Hugh Jackman not returning has just subsided... it's been announced that Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin will be co-hosting the 82nd annual Academy Awards ceremony! Although Alec is a first-timer, this will be Steve's 3rd time presiding over the awards show (he hosted it previously in 2001 and 2003). Even if the nominees list turns out to be a snoozer, I'm confident that the Steve/Alec combo will make for a memorable evening. I'm already counting down to March 7, 2010!

How do you feel about Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin co-hosting the Oscars in 2010?

CTFD: Teens Face Charges For Rapping At McDonald's Drive-Thru

Last week, four Utah teens were ordered to face charges of disorderly conduct after performing a rap from a popular You Tube video at McDonald's. The four students from Lone Peak High in American Fork, UT performed the rap, which begins with the line "I need a double cheeseburger and hold the lettuce...," twice, causing employees to ask them to either order or leave as they were holding up the line. According to one of the accused, there wasn't anyone in line at the time.

The four left without ordering, but were tracked down by police at a volleyball game and issued with citations. The McDonald's employees claimed that the teens used vulgar language and that employees felt threatened by their behaviour. The accused deny acting in a threatening manner, and claim that only one vulgar word was used. The parents of the accused plan to contest the charges.

Didn't these teens realize they were in Utah?! There is NO rapping in Osmond country! Now, if they wanted to sing their order to the tune of either One Bad Apple or Down by the Lazy River, they would have been OK. Seriously, don't the cops in UT have anything better to do?

The clip below is from The Young Turks where they breakdown this story: