AT40 commemorated on VH-1 Special

[TomBest]

This week VH-1 is running "I love the 70s - Part II". In the show devoted to 1970, there is a segment about AT40. Typical of these shows, they have their snarky commentators discussing it. There are a few digs at LDDs, but most are complementary toward Casey and there is some nice footage of him behind the mike.

[spt72]

I may watch that one, but you pegged the reason why I HATE watchign those things. For those of us who may actually LOVE the 70s or 80s and remember them fondly, I hate the sort of "see how funny my dry straight-faced humor is" stuff that Mo Rocca snd (I cant forget the other moron's name) do.

Thats why Im still having issues with some fo the flashback stuff (tv and radio). I was a child of the 80s (ages 8 to 18 in the 80s) and truly love the decade. When I discuss it with someone who says something like.... "Oh god, I love to listen to cheesy 80s msuic in my car really loud.. thats great!" I think they are saying that as a sort off positive toward 80s music, but the "cheesy" thing really destroys their comment.

I understand it isnt hip to actually genuinely LIKE 80s music without bashing it somewhere in the comment (i.e. MTV's Tabitha Soren once said something like "I went to this wedding and my feriends and I had a blast dancing to really bad 80s music all night."), but Ill be honest, I hate that. When I listen to somethng like "I'll Be Over You" by Toto or "Sweet Freedom" by Michael McDonald, I genuinely like the songs. Do I need Mo Rocca to bash everything I like on a show called "I LOVE the 80s?!?!?" Um, no. Then I realized that the show isnt REALLY for people who DID love the 80s. Its for the age 13-25 set who thinks the nostalgia is "cheezy-chic."

Im sure some of you 70s guys feel the same.

Sorry to go off on a tangent here. Tom brought up a good point though.

Shawn

[TomBest]

Funny thing about Mo Rocca and company that (at least for the 70s) many of them probably weren't even born in years that some of these shows are recalling. In the case of AT40 (which began in 1970 and still continues) or the Brady Bunch (through reruns ad naseum) they have genuine memories. Yet recall a fad, and old show or news event many look like they are seeing for the first time. Therefore the show lacks any "I was there" or "I remember when it first came out" type memories and therefore they are easy to mock.

[spt72]

True... and on a more positive side, this is why I generally liek the 80s stations on Sirius and XM. There may be a few snotty comments here and there (by Alan Hunter on Sirius, etc.), but in general the tone is "Werent the 70s great?" or "Werent the 80s great?" XM often discusses what the artists are doing now (i.e. in th studio, on the road, etc) and treats them like real artists... not jokes like VH1. Its ironic... VH1 built their channel on these artists ion the 80s and they continuously mock them today.

[Deleted]

The "I Love the..." shows aggravate me for the same reasons already mentioned. I get so tired of the sarcastic comments about stuff, they sit piously and say how stupid people were back in those days for liking a lot of the stuff they talk about, but they themselves probably did too. The other things I hate is nearly EVERYTHING comes back to something drug related or sexual in some form or another.

[Karstens]

That’s a good one…have someone comment on a year in which they weren’t even alive. For me, it’s like asking what was it like when JFK died or hearing the Beatles first hit in 1964. I have no idea…I would probably use humor to make-up for my lack of knowledge.

I caught a little on 1972 & 1973 tonight and what gets me is they are playing music from 1975 & 1978. If they worked a little harder on this project, maybe just maybe match the music with the year being featured.

[BrettVW]

It is starting again this afternoon (Wednesday 7/12) at 4PM Eastern Time. I hope to be able to catch the segment on Casey.

[TomBest]

Well, actually Mo Rocca and Hal Sparks were born before 1970...in late 1969! I guess they are qualified. But Michael Ian Black? 1971!

Having been born in late 1959, I will now expect to be contacted for "I love the 60s: 1960 & 1961" and give my opinion on Elvis returning from the Army and the Bay of Pigs. But first, let me queue up " We did Start The Fire" for a history refresher.

[Deleted]

Did anyone else notice they played a recorded segment from "Casey's Top 40?" Thats the show he introduced in one of the audio segments, also when they showed the signature ending "Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars," you could see the partial westwood one logo on the wall or mic. Not that the video being from then is all that big a deal, but good grief, if you are going to talk about American Top 40, at least use audio from THAT show!

But, if they had audio of CT40, that must mean at least some originals still exist.

[BrettVW]

I definately noticed the intro used from CT40. I also noticed at one point they used a clip that went "and there ya have 'em, the 40 biggest hits on the pop chart" which sounded very Premiere-era AT40.

As for the show itself, I thought it was an over-produced pile of drivel that showcases stereotypes and had grade-B celebs acting downright rude at various points.

However, the segment on Casey was very well done. Sure, the LDD's were poked fun at - but there was not one negative mention of Casey or the show, and when they made the comment about Ryan taking over AT40, everyone agreed that no one was Casey and no one else could do what he does.

The only thing I would have added at the end of that segment would have been something along the lines of "while Casey Kasem no longer hosts 'American Top 40', he still hosts other countdown programs heard on Adult and Hot Adult Contemporary radio stations called 'American Top 20' and 'American Top 10' "

[Deleted]

I wouldnt have added that at all. It wasnt a promo for the show, it was a recap of 1970.

The Gremlin segment was awesome too.

[spt72]

I was just thinking I wouldnt have added that either. But my reasoning was mainly that 95% of the people watching it wouldnt know the difference between "AC" and "Hot AC," so why say both? Most people think radio station formats are either "rock" or "country." Im a big radio fan and have been for years and up until last year I thought it was "Top 40," "AC," and Country. When did they start splitting AC into AC and HOT AC? And whats with the CHR? When did that begin? So, anyway, thatd be my reasoning for just leaving it as it is.

[Scott Lakefield]

paul said:

I wouldnt have added that at all. It wasnt a promo for the show, it was a recap of 1970.

The Gremlin segment was awesome too.

I disagree...if they're going to mention Ryan as the new host of AT40, then they should mention Casey's current shows. Ryan's hosting of AT40 was a 2004 event, not a 1970 event.

[at40petebattistini]

I saw the VH1 program too. I don't usually watch VH1 but after getting advance notice of the 1970 program via this message board, I couldn't resist the possibility of seeing video of Casey at the microphone. There were a few highlights and low points.

Unfortunately, the overall point of the program is to entertain and not inform. It wasn't a documentary and so credibility is rightfully questioned. As pointed out here, there were many non-1970 references including the CT40 clip (from 1990?) and comments about Long Distance Dedications which of course originated in 1978. And Three Dog Night had a hit in 1971 with "Joy To The World," not 1970. The sexual innuendo by wanna-be-famous actors about Three Dog Night's "Mama Told Me" was, at the very least, a disappointment. I can only imagine what they would've said if given opportunity to comment on The Pipkins' "Gimme Dat Ding."

While there was adequate video/audio/discussion for Jimi Hendrix, what about Janis Joplin? She also died in 1970. Richard Nixon was president in 1970 and I don't believe he was mentioned -- even though he opposed Vietnam protests including the May 1970 Kent State shootings. That event was memorialized in 1970 in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's "Ohio" but, again, overlooked.

What else happened in 1970? How about the break-up of The Beatles? And any credible program spotlighting life in 1970 could've used the audio of The Temptations' "Ball of Confusion" as background to illustrate an unstable society that year. And not too many remember that 1970 was the last year that cigarettes were allowed to be advertised on TV and radio. Perhaps the previously mentioned was covered in the program's Part 1.

Regarding Casey's video, I enjoyed the all-too-brief clips of him in the studio and on Tom Snyder's program. I'd like to see a program dedicated completely to Casey Kasem -- let's see more of that video, including the complete Tom Snyder interview. And video from his acting days. And how about a little Shaggy tossed in too?!!

But, after seeing this show, I doubt that the producers at VH1 have the know-how to produce a credible program without making it a mockery.

[TomBest]

Actually I'm thrilled that AT40/Casey were featured on this show. There must be a fan among the shows producers/writers to a) think of including him and b) properly pinpoint the year. True, LDDs were not a part of the show until 1978, but as we pointed out, the "youthful" commentators probably remember more the era of the LDD more than the early years.

The whole CT40 reference will probably be overlooked by 98% of the viewers. As you may recall media stories during the Casey to Ryan changeover all made it seem as if the show and Casey were continuous since 1970. Shadoe, CT40 were not mentioned.

But that perception goes back a ways. Even on a CT40 show I relistened to lately, Casey mentions beginning his "21st year countdown down the hits. This was 1990!

One other thing. A vinyl AT40 record was seen during the segment. Not only do we might have a fan working the show, it might also be a collector!