MTV Turned 30 on August 1st

[HappyGilmore]

So, after watching some old programming and video specials they've aired in the past week or so celebrating their 30 years of existence, thought it'd be interesting to see what everyone's favorite MTV moments were.  Whether it was VJ's, game shows, reality programming, or just any and all favorite videos showcased on the network over the years. 

Popularly, this was the first video broadcast:
"Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiJ9AnNz47Y" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiJ9AnNz47Y</a>

Some of my other early favorites:
"I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUjIA3Rt7gk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUjIA3Rt7gk</a>

"Ricky" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZlLQLFq_H4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZlLQLFq_H4</a>

"Thriller" by Michael Jackson
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA</a>

[FatFreddysCat]

I was 11 years old when MTV first went on the air and at that time, it was just about the the coolest damn thing since sliced bread. I was in sixth grade and I was just starting to become interested in "popular" music, so who could ask for a better primer than an all day, all night music TV station? Not to mention my parents, of course, hated it and thought it was a "stupid idea" so that just made it even cooler. 

The first time I sat down to watch MTV sometime in the fall of '81, I saw Judas Priest's "Headin' Out to the Highway" and the Ramones' "Do You Remember Rock N Roll Radio?" videos, and well, that was it. I was hooked. Both bands remain favorites to this very day.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoDbAd4fYBA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoDbAd4fYBA</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJizV-d3sEQ" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJizV-d3sEQ</a>

Other early faves: I had a MASSIVE crush on Pat Benatar. (Actually, I still do.)
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR2nNMGubtQ" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR2nNMGubtQ</a>

I also dug Kim Wilde's "Kids In America"
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hWZqllm3mQ" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hWZqllm3mQ</a>

(I could go on and on but then this post would have 80 zillion videos in it... )

So for most of my junior high and high school career I watched MTV religiously. For a long time I was the only one in my group of friends who had cable TV so I'd always have a bunch of my friends hanging around my living room  with me, staring goggle eyed at MTV waiting for a Motley Crue or Twisted Sister video.  Of course "Headbanger's Ball" was a weekly highlight, and I also loved their game show, "Remote Control." (remember Kari Wurher? Gawd, she was hot!)

By the time I graduated from college in 1992, though, metal and hard rock (my preferred genres) were "out" and they were playing less and less stuff I was interested in so eventually I left it behind. I haven't watched the channel with any kind of regularity since '94 or so, and from what I understand it's gotten even worse since then!!

Kinda sad to think that out of 30 years of MTV's existence, the last 20 of them have been all but unwatchable. At one time it was a very cool, radical little station, now it's just another mindless corporate-shilling demonspawn.

[HappyGilmore]

MTV UnPlugged did give us some great episodes.  Notably this one with Alice in Chains
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujFOMKOXJCY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujFOMKOXJCY</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeapWgVYqRk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeapWgVYqRk</a>

It also gave us:
Remote Control
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhY6hsbvnAk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhY6hsbvnAk</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF71zKf_W_M" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF71zKf_W_M</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWA1M5tzl7o" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWA1M5tzl7o</a>

A game show with a very YOUNG Adam Sandler

[FatFreddysCat]

MTV UnPlugged did give us some great episodes.  Notably this one with Alice in Chains

Yeah, that was good stuff. The Nirvana episode was excellent as well. My favorite Unplugged episode was KISS, but then I'm a fanboy for them anyway... 

It also gave us:
Remote Control
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhY6hsbvnAk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhY6hsbvnAk</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF71zKf_W_M" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF71zKf_W_M</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWA1M5tzl7o" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWA1M5tzl7o</a>

A game show with a very YOUNG Adam Sandler

A young Denis Leary also made numerous appearances on "Remote Control."

Loved, loved, LOVED this show. If there was ever a game show I was BORN to be on, this was it. I could've cleaned up. 

When I was in college, my Communications class took a field trip to MTV studios to sit in the audience during a "Remote Control" taping. I was stoked because not only was it my favorite show, but I figured I'd finally get to see my crush, Kari Wuhrer, live and in person. I daydreamed of being picked out of the audience to be a contestant, they'd strap me to the "Wheel of Death" after which I'd win the grand prize. Then Kari's and my eyes would meet, beautiful music would play, I'd carry her out of the studio in my arms ala the end of "An Officer and A Gentleman" and we'd live happily ever after...

No such luck. Imagine my dismay when we got to the studio and I found out they were taping shows for the following season, and that Kari had -- GASP! -- moved on and left the show. I was crushed! They'd replaced her with some blonde surfer lookin' chick, who was nice eye candy, but it just wasn't the same.

No luck in getting to be a contestant either. I asked how I could get on the show and was told "Well, we do talent searches at colleges, maybe we'll come to your school." I sez "Screw that, I go to a tiny private college that no one's ever heard of, you're never gonna come to our campus, I'm here NOW, put me on dammit!"

It was still a fun experience watching them tape the shows (I got a high five from Colin Quinn) and a few months later, I turned on the show and saw myself in the audience proudly rockin' my Sepultura BENEATH THE REMAINS tour shirt. 

[Circus Circus]

I can't believe they even have the audacity to actually call it MTV anymore.

[FatFreddysCat]

I can't believe they even have the audacity to actually call it MTV anymore.

My brother and I have been saying "Remember when there used to be 'M' on MTV?" for years. 

[HappyGilmore]

"Shake Your Love' by Debbie Gibson.  I was five and in LOVE.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldE800eFJps" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldE800eFJps</a>

Weird Al was all over MTV:
"Like a Surgeon", parody of Madonna
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=notKtAgfwDA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=notKtAgfwDA</a> 

"Fat", parody of "Bad" by Michael Jackson
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2mU6USTBRE" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2mU6USTBRE</a>

"This is The Life", from the Johnny Dangerously soundtrack.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1n5XqwUkYw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1n5XqwUkYw</a>

MTV, at it's peak, was great.  They showed 'real' artists, but would put on wrestling events and showcase guys like Weird Al.

[bob]

MTV didn't age well :(

I miss the glory days with TRL with Carson Daily and Daria

[Flick James]

Yep, I remember the coming of MTV, and the original VJ's. Yes, I had small crushes on the VJ ladies, Nina Blackwood and Martha Quinn.

Years later, my band was playing a gig at some outdoor festival in Orange County, CA, circa 1994. I met Nina Blackwood and she introduced my band. My band's name was Maximum R.O.A.C.H. (an implied acronym that was never revealed), and I remember she made some very lame attempt at a joke about the name in her intro. I don't even remember the joke. All I remember is that she looked like hell in 1994. I don't know if she had gone down some road of drugs and destitution, but she looked like it. It kind of destroyed my adolescent memory of her.

[HappyGilmore]

MTV also gave us:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lne0GqP6QD8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lne0GqP6QD8</a>

MTV didn't age well :(

I miss the glory days with TRL with Carson Daily and Daria

Daria was great.  I liked TRL as well.

TRL helped launch this guy:
Kid Rock- "Bawitdaba"
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZlWBCtevjI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZlWBCtevjI</a>

I love Kid Rock.

[bob]

it also gave us Celebrity Death Match, I loved it

[MrMari]

There was a time during the late 80's thru the mid 90's where MTV was almost all I watched.

Yo MTV Raps was a huge reason for that as back then I was a massive hip-hop fan.

Remote Control was a fun game and it gave us Kari Wuhrer!

China Kanter was a cute VJ.

120 Minutes was great.

Beavis & Butthead

and a crapload of cheesy shtick that any adolescent would watch for the babes: CLUB MTV, Cindy Crawfords House of Style etc. etc.

oh yeah DAISY FUENTES! lol

[HappyGilmore]

Totally Pauly
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHlOy5sQxc0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHlOy5sQxc0</a>
Pauly Shore.  Remember me?

[bob]

I used to always watch their MTV on Spring Break tours

[WingedSerpent]

I was a HUGE fan of Liquid televison. It was a show case of animation that ran the gammut of experimental, traditional, early CG!, live action/hybrid, stop motion.  It's probably best known for being the show where Aeon Flux, and Beavis and Butthead made their premeire.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rffwn07ZnHU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rffwn07ZnHU</a>

The there was The State. It had the guys who would eventuallly go one to Reno 911-but it was still their funniest work here.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfM3jAuiDwA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfM3jAuiDwA</a>