The Pop Culture Diary

7. 1984 (Part III): Joystick Dreams and Toy Store Nightmares

Arcades buzzed, robots and bears talked, computers were making their way into classrooms, and a lot of parents were in panic mode. In 1984, technology and toys didn’t just entertain us, they tested us! Were we the players… or were we we already being played? Sources: * https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Diaclone [https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Diaclone]  * https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Microman [https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Microman]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He-Man_and_the_Masters_of_the_Universe [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He-Man_and_the_Masters_of_the_Universe]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Joe:_A_Real_American_Hero [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Joe:_A_Real_American_Hero]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_riots [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_riots]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_Kids [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_Kids]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Care_Bears [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Care_Bears]  * https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/624675/how-care-bears-conquered-1980s [https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/624675/how-care-bears-conquered-1980s]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Shortcake [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Shortcake]  * https://strawberryshortcake.fandom.com/wiki/Kenner_Strawberry_Shortcake_Dolls [https://strawberryshortcake.fandom.com/wiki/Kenner_Strawberry_Shortcake_Dolls]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Little_Pony [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Little_Pony]  * https://apnews.com/article/e8dcad7e652f89e02badaa55f763f6f1 [https://apnews.com/article/e8dcad7e652f89e02badaa55f763f6f1]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Brite [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Brite]  * https://toybook.com/rainbow-brite-celebrates-40-years-of-magic [https://toybook.com/rainbow-brite-celebrates-40-years-of-magic]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivial_Pursuit [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivial_Pursuit]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictionary [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictionary]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluedo [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluedo]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrabble [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrabble]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_Land [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_Land]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game_of_Life [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game_of_Life]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_2600 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_2600]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game)]  * https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/28/arts/atari-video-game-burial-exhumed.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/28/arts/atari-video-game-burial-exhumed.html]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-Man [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-Man]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon%27s_Lair [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon%27s_Lair]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_Madness [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_Madness]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famicom [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famicom]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Entertainment_System [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Entertainment_System]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_II_series [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_II_series]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey_Kong [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey_Kong]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Mario_Bros [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Mario_Bros]  * https://www.wired.com/2007/01/jan-22-1984-dawn-of-the-mac [https://www.wired.com/2007/01/jan-22-1984-dawn-of-the-mac]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Walkman [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Walkman]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHS [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHS]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betamax [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betamax]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corp._of_America_v._Universal_City_Studios,_Inc [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corp._of_America_v._Universal_City_Studios,_Inc]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speak_%26_Spell [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speak_%26_Spell]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigtrak [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigtrak]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camcorder [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camcorder]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_home_system [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_home_system]  * https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/24/apple-macintosh-ad-super-bowl-1984-21st-century [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/24/apple-macintosh-ad-super-bowl-1984-21st-century]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_riots [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_riots] * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Product_Safety_Commission [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Product_Safety_Commission]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanic_panic [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanic_panic]  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easy-Bake_Oven [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easy-Bake_Oven]  * https://www.history.com [https://www.history.com]  * https://www.britannica.com [https://www.britannica.com]  * https://www.rollingstone.com [https://www.rollingstone.com]  * https://www.apnews.com [https://www.apnews.com]  * https://www.mentalfloss.com [https://www.mentalfloss.com]  Social Media: * Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod * Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast * Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary Contact: * ThePopCultureDiary@gmail.com

6. 1984 (Part II): Nude Photos, Tragedies, and Tabloids - Hollywood’s Wild Scandals

Oh, 1984… when Madonna scandalized the VMAs, Vanessa Williams lost her crown, Lionel Richie’s love life made as many headlines as his hits, and much more. Fame was messy, loud, wild, sometimes tragic, and definitely impossible to ignore. Let’s get into some of the biggest scandals of the year! Sources: * https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/07/24/vanessa-williams-resigns-as-miss-america/ [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/07/24/vanessa-williams-resigns-as-miss-america/] * https://people.com/vanessa-williams-on-losing-her-crown-and-redemption-1984-interview/ [https://people.com/vanessa-williams-on-losing-her-crown-and-redemption-1984-interview/] * https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/09/vanessa-williams-miss-america-scandal [https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/09/vanessa-williams-miss-america-scandal] * https://time.com/4039256/miss-america-scandal-1984 [https://time.com/4039256/miss-america-scandal-1984] * https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1984-04-02-mn-13672-story.html [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1984-04-02-mn-13672-story.html] * https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26832352 [https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26832352] * https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/marvin-gaye-death-remembering-40-years-later-1234694786/ [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/marvin-gaye-death-remembering-40-years-later-1234694786/] * https://www.biography.com/musicians/marvin-gaye [https://www.biography.com/musicians/marvin-gaye] * https://loudersound.com/features/the-car-crash-that-killed-hanoi-rocks-razzle-vince-neil-never-apologised [https://loudersound.com/features/the-car-crash-that-killed-hanoi-rocks-razzle-vince-neil-never-apologised] * https://www.oxygen.com/martinis-murder/motley-crue-singer-vince-neil-killed-friend-razzle-dingley-car-crash [https://www.oxygen.com/martinis-murder/motley-crue-singer-vince-neil-killed-friend-razzle-dingley-car-crash?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * https://ultimateclassicrock.com/vince-neil-car-crash/ [https://ultimateclassicrock.com/vince-neil-car-crash/] * https://radiox.co.uk/news/music/who-nicholas-razzle-dingley-vince-neil-jail-time [https://radiox.co.uk/news/music/who-nicholas-razzle-dingley-vince-neil-jail-time] * https://www.mtv.com/news/1984-vmas-madonna-like-a-virgin-performance [https://www.mtv.com/news/1984-vmas-madonna-like-a-virgin-performance] * https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/madonna-vma-1984-performance-controversy-125884 [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/madonna-vma-1984-performance-controversy-125884] * https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/madonna-vma-history-most-shocking-performances-6228917/ [https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/madonna-vma-history-most-shocking-performances-6228917/] * https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20140827-why-madonnas-1984-vma-still-matters [https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20140827-why-madonnas-1984-vma-still-matters] * https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30715947 [https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30715947] * https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/05/how-the-bbc-ban-made-relax-a-no1-hit [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/05/how-the-bbc-ban-made-relax-a-no1-hit] * https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/frankie-goes-to-hollywood-relax-ban-controversy-1984-1974056 [https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/frankie-goes-to-hollywood-relax-ban-controversy-1984-1974056] * https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/frankie-goes-to-hollywood-relax-ban-story-1227745 [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/frankie-goes-to-hollywood-relax-ban-story-1227745] * https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/06/The-FBI-and-the-Teamsters-union-were-silent-Wednesday/1594455342400/ [https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/06/The-FBI-and-the-Teamsters-union-were-silent-Wednesday/1594455342400/] * https://www.gao.gov/assets/hrd-87-25br.pdf [https://www.gao.gov/assets/hrd-87-25br.pdf] * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Presser [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Presser] * https://reason.com/1989/05/01/cleaning-up-the-teamsters1 [https://reason.com/1989/05/01/cleaning-up-the-teamsters1] * https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/janet-jackson-control-early-career-1234669659/ [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/janet-jackson-control-early-career-1234669659/] * https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/janet-jackson-before-control-7892341/ [https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/janet-jackson-before-control-7892341/] * https://people.com/music/janet-jackson-on-rumors-rebellion-reinvention/ [https://people.com/music/janet-jackson-on-rumors-rebellion-reinvention/] * https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-05-05-ca-6405-story.html [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-05-05-ca-6405-story.html] * https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/richard-gere-gerbil/ [https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/richard-gere-gerbil/] * https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/did-sylvester-stallone-start-the-richard-gere-gerbil-rumour/ [https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/did-sylvester-stallone-start-the-richard-gere-gerbil-rumour/] * https://www.villagevoice.com/richard-gere-finally-addresses-gerbil-rumor-and-changes-it/ [https://www.villagevoice.com/richard-gere-finally-addresses-gerbil-rumor-and-changes-it/] * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerbilling [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerbilling] * https://people.com/music/lionel-richie-divorce-and-affair-scandal/ [https://people.com/music/lionel-richie-divorce-and-affair-scandal/] * https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lionel-richie-private-life-scandal-1984-114368/ [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lionel-richie-private-life-scandal-1984-114368/] * https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-21-ca-9806-story.html [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-21-ca-9806-story.html] * https://www.biography.com/musicians/lionel-richie [https://www.biography.com/musicians/lionel-richie] Social Media: * Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod * Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast * Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary Contact: * ThePopCultureDiary@gmail.com

5. 1984 (Part I): When Ghostbusters Ruled, Miami Vice Debuted, and Orwell Felt Too Real

Welcome to part one of 1984! Let’s go through everything from the politics of fear and the excitement of the movie theaters packed with Ghostbusters, The Terminator, Indiana Jones, and more. On TV, The Cosby Show marked its spot in sitcom history and Miami Vice made crime look cool. Flip open the diary, grab your popcorn, and relive the news, movies, and television shows of 1984 with me! Sources:https://www.onthisday.com/date/1984 * https://www.onthisday.com/date/1984 [https://www.onthisday.com/date/1984] * https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/october-11 [https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/october-11] * https://www.britannica.com/on-this-day/year/1984 [https://www.britannica.com/on-this-day/year/1984] * https://www.nytimes.com/section/todayspaper [https://www.nytimes.com/section/todayspaper] * https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speeches/statement-action-senate-fiscal-year-1982-budget-resolution [https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speeches/statement-action-senate-fiscal-year-1982-budget-resolution] * https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/1984/ [https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/1984/] * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_in_film [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_in_film] * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1984_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1984_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States] * https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?year=1984&title_type=feature&sort=boxoffice_gross_us,desc [https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?year=1984&title_type=feature&sort=boxoffice_gross_us,desc] * https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-movies-of-1984/ [https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-movies-of-1984/] * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_in_American_television [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_in_American_television] * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984%E2%80%9385_United_States_network_television_schedule [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984%E2%80%9385_United_States_network_television_schedule] * https://www.imdb.com/list/ls061374559/ [https://www.imdb.com/list/ls061374559/] * https://classictvguide.com/tvseason.php?year=1984 [https://classictvguide.com/tvseason.php?year=1984] * https://www.tvguide.com/ [https://www.tvguide.com/] * https://www.animationmagazine.net/ [https://www.animationmagazine.net/] * https://www.retrojunk.com/ [https://www.retrojunk.com/]https://www.onthisday.com/date/1984 Social Media: * Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod * Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast * Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary Contact: * ThePopCultureDiary@gmail.com

4. 1983: Cabbage Patch Riots, MTV Rules, and Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk

Imagine a year where shoppers brawled over dolls, a pop icon moonwalked into history, and the very first mobile phone cost nearly $4,000. That was 1983. But beneath the shoulder pads that were still going strong, there were scandals that rocked Hollywood and technology that quietly started to change what our future would look like. Sources: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_in_the_United_States * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Beirut_barracks_bombings * https://www.nasa.gov/history/sally-ride-first-american-woman-in-space * https://www.chron.com/culture/article/atari-et-game-landfill-texas-new-mexico-21032868.php * https://archaeology.org/issues/july-august-2014/digs-discoveries/new-mexico-atari-dump-site-excavation * https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/landfill-smithsonian-collections-et-extra-terrestrial-atari-2600-game * https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/403754 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game) * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_video_game_burial * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983 * https://www.si.edu/spotlight/sally-ride * https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/sally-ride-first-us-woman-space-and-more * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Air_Lines_Flight_007 * https://www.nasa.gov/history/40-years-ago-sts-7-and-the-flight-of-sally-ride * https://www.history.com/a-year-in-history/1983 * https://www.geekwire.com/2014/atari-cartridges-dug * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DynaTAC * https://www.mobilephonemuseum.com/phone-detail/dynatac-8000x * https://andymcnally.medium.com/ataris-infamous-1983-video-game-burial-the-truth-behind-the-urban-legend-1d8a771e7d0b * https://plaidstallions.com/reboot/1983-consumers-distributing-toy-catalogue-motu-gi-joe-star-wars/ * https://dinosaurdracula.com/blog/xmas-toys-1983/ * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1983 * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_200_number-one_albums_of_1983 Social Media: * Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod * Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast * Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary Contact: * ThePopCultureDiary@gmail.com

3. 1982: E.T. Phones Home, Jackson Breaks Records, and Gossip Never Sleeps

1982 was a year dripping with drama. From Princess Diana giving birth under the world’s watchful eye to Hollywood couples burning hot in the tabloids, gossip was everywhere…and we were eating it up. Music, movies, fashion, and scandals collided in a year that defined the glossy side of the ‘80s. Sources: * https://www.history.com/a-year-in-history/1982  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_in_the_United_States  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1982  * https://www.classicpopmag.com/features/1982-music  * https://www.wired.com/2012/12/dec-26-1982-times-top-man-the-personal-computer  * https://www.historic-newspapers.com/blogs/article/1982-timeline  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_in_American_television  * https://slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/05/01/best-albums-of-1982  * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(album)  Social Media: * Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod * Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast * Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary Contact: * ThePopCultureDiary@gmail.com