Now That's Embarrassing: The 80s
Encyclopedia
Now That's Embarrassing: The 80s is another in the long line of Friday night list shows broadcast at 9pm on Five. The show follows on from other shows in the 'strand' such as The Most Shameful TV Moments Ever (which featured Triangle, Naked Jungle and Carnal Knowledge).
True to its name, Now That's Embarrassing: The 80s features the most embarrassing or 'cheesy
' aspects from 1980s culture including the Minipops
(at number 12), MC Miker G & DJ Sven
, Australian soap operas, the Sinclair C5
and Kajagoogoo
amongst its targets.
As with other shows of this type - such as Channel 4
's rival strand of the 2000s: the 100 Greatest
shows - this strand features a rundown of popular clips with a number of vox pops from cultural historians and celebrities from the era in question.
True to its name, Now That's Embarrassing: The 80s features the most embarrassing or 'cheesy
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
' aspects from 1980s culture including the Minipops
Minipops
Minipops was a television series broadcast in 1983 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. Focused primarily for younger viewers, it consisted of music performances on a brightly coloured set, featuring preteen children singing then-contemporary pop music hits as well as older classics...
(at number 12), MC Miker G & DJ Sven
MC Miker G & DJ Sven
MC Miker G & Deejay Sven were a hip hop duo from the Netherlands. The duo consisted of Lucien Witteveen and Sven van Veen...
, Australian soap operas, the Sinclair C5
Sinclair C5
The Sinclair Research C5 is a battery electric vehicle invented by Sir Clive Sinclair and launched by Sinclair Research in the United Kingdom on 10 January 1985. The vehicle is a battery-assisted tricycle steered by a handlebar beneath the driver's knees. Powered operation is possible making it...
and Kajagoogoo
Kajagoogoo
Kajagoogoo are a British pop band, best known for their hit single, "Too Shy", which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 5 on the U.S...
amongst its targets.
As with other shows of this type - such as Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's rival strand of the 2000s: the 100 Greatest
100 Greatest/100 Worst
100 Greatest is a long-running TV strand on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom that has been broadcasting since 1999. The "list show" programmes are generally public polls, and reflect the votes of visitors to the Channel 4 website. However, the results of some of the polls are determined by experts...
shows - this strand features a rundown of popular clips with a number of vox pops from cultural historians and celebrities from the era in question.
Trivia
The Top 40 items were:- 1. Failure of Michael FishMichael FishMichael Fish MBE is a semi-retired British weather forecaster, best known for his BBC Weather television presentations, although he was actually employed by the Met Office....
to predict the Great Storm of 1987Great Storm of 1987The Great Storm of 1987 occurred on the night of 15/16 October 1987, when an unusually strong weather system caused winds to hit much of southern England and northern France... - 2. Shellsuits
- 3. EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
stars launching singing careers - includes Anyone Can Fall in LoveAnyone Can Fall in Love"Anyone Can Fall in Love" is a song, released in 1986, by EastEnders actress Anita Dobson, who played the character of Angie Watts. The song was released as a single, reaching #4 in the UK Singles Chart....
by Anita DobsonAnita DobsonAnita Dobson is an English television actress and singer. She gained her highest profile while playing Angie Watts in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
, Something Outa NothingSomething Outa Nothing"Something Outa Nothing" is a song written by Simon May, Stewart James and Bradley James, for the BBC soap opera EastEnders. It featured in an EastEnders storyline in 1986 and was recorded by actors Letitia Dean and Paul J. Medford...
by Letitia DeanLetitia DeanLetitia Dean is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Sharon Watts in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, who was one of the serial's original characters. Dean was part of the original cast in 1985 and remained in the series until 1995...
& Paul J. MedfordPaul J. MedfordPaul J. Medford is a British actor and performer of Barbadian descent. He is best known for playing the role of Kelvin Carpenter in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from the show's inception in 1985 to 1987...
, Every Loser WinsEvery Loser Wins"Every Loser Wins" is a song written by Simon May for the BBC television soap opera EastEnders. It was performed by Nick Berry.Written and produced by Simon May, Stewart James and Bradley James the song was heavily featured in the BBC soap opera EastEnders throughout the summer of 1986, sung by...
by Nick BerryNick BerryNicholas "Nick" Berry is a British television actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Simon Wicks in the British soap opera EastEnders from 1985 to 1990 and as PC Nick Rowan in the British drama television series Heartbeat from 1992 to 1998.-Career:Berry started acting at the age of... - 4. Mark ThatcherMark ThatcherSir Mark Thatcher, 2nd Baronet is the son of Sir Denis Thatcher and Baroness Thatcher, the former British Prime Minister, and twin brother of Carol Thatcher...
going missing during the 1982 Paris–Dakar Rally - 5. It's a Royal KnockoutIt's a Royal KnockoutThe Grand Knockout Tournament was a one-off charity event which was shown on British television on 19 June 1987...
- 6. The post-modelling career of Samantha FoxSamantha FoxSamantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
- includes her music career and presenting the 1989 Brit Awards with Mick FleetwoodMick FleetwoodMichael John Kells "Mick" Fleetwood is a British musician and actor best known for his role as the drummer and namesake of the blues/rock and roll band Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of John McVie, was the inspiration for the name of the originally Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac... - 7. The KrankiesThe KrankiesThe Krankies are a Scottish comedy duo that enjoyed success as a cabaret act in the 1970s and on television in the 1980s, featuring in their own television shows and releasing their own music single. They entered semi-retirement in 1992, but they have regularly appeared in pantomime since.The duo...
- 8. Novelty Songs - includes Shaddap You FaceShaddap You Face"Shaddap You Face" is an Australian novelty song written and performed by Joe Dolce in 1980. It has set a number of sales and longevity records. The song was full of broad Italian humour and included a recognizable chorus.-Sales and chart positions:It went to Number 1 on the Australian pop charts...
, The Birdie Song, AgadooAgadoo"Agadoo" is a novelty song recorded by the band Black Lace in 1984. "Agadoo" peaked at number 2 in the UK Singles Chart, and spent 30 weeks in the top 75. It went on to become the eighth best-selling single of 1984 in the UK....
, There's No One Quite Like Grandma, Orville's SongOrville the DuckOrville the Duck is the puppet of ventriloquist Keith Harris and was named after Orville Wright . Orville is a green duckling who wears nothing but a nappy with a large safety pin on the front... - 9. Timmy MallettTimmy MallettTimmy Mallett is a TV presenter and broadcaster in the UK. He achieved cult status on BBC Radio Oxford and Manchester's Piccadilly Radio and later on TV-am...
/ WacadayWacadayWacaday was a children's television series in the UK that ran in TV-am's school-holidays slot from 1985 until 1992, in an 8:50-9:25 a.m. slot, and was hosted by Timmy Mallett.... - 10. James Harries (child antiques expert who appeared on WoganWoganWogan was a chat show on British television, hosted by Terry Wogan. It followed the format of a series broadcast in 1980 entitled What's On Wogan?, which failed to gather viewers. The Wogan show was initially broadcast on Tuesday evenings on BBC1 in 1981 and from 1982 to 1984, it moved into the...
) - 11. 1980s mobile phone handsetsHistory of mobile phonesThe history of mobile phones charts the development of devices which connect wirelessly to the public switched telephone network. The transmission of speech by radio has a long and varied history going back to Reginald Fessenden's invention and shore-to-ship demonstration of radio telephony,...
- 12. MinipopsMinipopsMinipops was a television series broadcast in 1983 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. Focused primarily for younger viewers, it consisted of music performances on a brightly coloured set, featuring preteen children singing then-contemporary pop music hits as well as older classics...
- 13. Prince Charles saying "Whatever in love means" during interview following his engagement to Lady Diana Spencer
- 14. Sinclair C5Sinclair C5The Sinclair Research C5 is a battery electric vehicle invented by Sir Clive Sinclair and launched by Sinclair Research in the United Kingdom on 10 January 1985. The vehicle is a battery-assisted tricycle steered by a handlebar beneath the driver's knees. Powered operation is possible making it...
- 15. Men wearing make up - includes LimahlLimahlChristopher Hamill better known by his stage name Limahl is an English pop singer. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the 1980s pop group Kajagoogoo, before embarking on a briefly successful solo career, which reached its peak with the 1984 hit "The NeverEnding Story", taken from the film of...
from KajagoogooKajagoogooKajagoogoo are a British pop band, best known for their hit single, "Too Shy", which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 5 on the U.S...
, Duran DuranDuran DuranDuran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
, Philip OakeyPhilip OakeyPhilip Oakey is an English composer, singer, songwriter and producer.He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English synthpop band The Human League. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers...
from The Human LeagueThe Human LeagueThe Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
, Boy GeorgeBoy GeorgeBoy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
, Steve StrangeSteve StrangeSteve Strange , is a Welsh pop singer, best known as the lead singer and frontman of the 1980s pop group Visage...
from VisageVisageVisage are a British New Wave rock band. Formed in 1978, the band became closely linked to the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement of the early 1980s, and are best known for their 1980 hit "Fade to Grey".-New Wave years :... - 16. RappingRappingRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
- includes George MichaelGeorge MichaelGeorge Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
, Roland RatRoland RatRoland Rat is a British television puppet character. He was created, operated and voiced by David Claridge, who had previously been behind the Mooncat puppet in the Children's ITV television programme Get Up and Go! David worked for Jim Henson, then the second series of The Young Ones...
, MC Miker G & DJ SvenMC Miker G & DJ SvenMC Miker G & Deejay Sven were a hip hop duo from the Netherlands. The duo consisted of Lucien Witteveen and Sven van Veen...
, Anfield RapAnfield RapThe "Anfield Rap" was a song released by members of Liverpool F.C. before the 1988 FA Cup Final against Wimbledon FC. The song reached #3 in the UK singles chart. The song was co-written by Liverpool's midfielder Craig Johnston and rapper Derek B-Style:... - 17. Lycra fashions / Leg warmers
- 18. Yuppies
- 19. Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
- 20. Nouvelle cuisineNouvelle CuisineNouvelle cuisine is an approach to cooking and food presentation used in French cuisine. By contrast with cuisine classique, an older form of French haute cuisine, nouvelle cuisine is characterized by lighter, more delicate dishes and an increased emphasis on presentation.-History:The term...
- 21. US Soap Opera plotlines - includes Who shot J.R.?Who shot J.R.?Who shot J. R.? is an advertising catchphrase that American network CBS created in 1980 to promote the television series Dallas.In the final scene of the 1979–1980 season, the character J. R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, was shot by a hidden assailant. The episode, titled "A House Divided", was...
from DallasDallas (TV series)Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
, DynastyDynasty (TV series)Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
, Alien abduction finale from The ColbysThe ColbysThe Colbys is an American prime time soap opera, which originally aired on ABC from November 20, 1985 to March 26, 1987. The Aaron Spelling-produced series was a spin-off of Dynasty, which had been the highest rated series for the 1984-1985 U.S. television season... - 22. Big hairBig hairthumb|[[Dolly Parton]] in 1983.Big hair is a term that can refer to hairstyles that emphasize large volume or largely styled hair, especially when those styles make the hair occupy a large amount of space above and around the head...
- includes Pat SharpPat SharpPat Sharp is a British radio and television presenter and disc jockey. In the UK, he is known mainly for his work on the children's television programme Fun House, his former mullet and his radio shows as well as his support of Arsenal...
's mulletMullet (haircut)The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back. . The mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well-known until the early 1980s...
/ Mike ScoreMike ScoreMike Score is the keyboardist, guitarist, and lead singer for the New Wave band, A Flock of Seagulls.-Career:...
from A Flock of SeagullsA Flock of SeagullsA Flock of Seagulls are an English New Wave band originally formed by brothers Michael "Mike" Score and Alister "Ali" James Score , with Frank Maudsley , Michael Kuby , H.J...
/ LimahlLimahlChristopher Hamill better known by his stage name Limahl is an English pop singer. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the 1980s pop group Kajagoogoo, before embarking on a briefly successful solo career, which reached its peak with the 1984 hit "The NeverEnding Story", taken from the film of...
from KajagoogooKajagoogooKajagoogoo are a British pop band, best known for their hit single, "Too Shy", which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 5 on the U.S... - 23. Break Dancing - includes clip of Prince Charles attempting to break dance.
- 24. BrosBrosBros were a British band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, consisting of twin brothers Matt Goss and Luke Goss along with Craig Logan...
fans "Brosettes" - 25. Shoulder padsShoulder pads (fashion)Shoulder pads are a type of fabric-covered padding used in men's and women's clothing to give the wearer the illusion of having broader and less sloping shoulders....
- 26. Five StarFive StarFive Star are a British pop / R&B group, formed in 1983. Comprising siblings Stedman, Lorraine, Denise, Doris and Delroy Pearson, they were known for their flamboyant image, matching costumes and heavily choreographed dance routines...
- 27. Australian Soap Operas - NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
, The Young DoctorsThe Young DoctorsThe Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
, A Country PracticeA Country PracticeA Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
, Prisoner Cell Block H, Sons and DaughtersSons and Daughters (Australian TV series)Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
, Return to EdenReturn to EdenReturn to Eden is an Australian television drama series starring Rebecca Gilling, James Reyne, Wendy Hughes and James Smillie. It began as a three-part mini-series, shown on Network Ten in 1983. Gilling and Smillie would reprise their roles for a 22-part weekly series screened in 1986.-Mini-series... - 28. Breakfast TV exercise presenters - Diana MoranDiana MoranDiana Moran is a British model, fitness expert and journalist.In the 1960s and 1970s, Moran was a successful print and catwalk model. She also appeared as a TV announcer and newsreader for HTV West.-Career:...
"The Green Goddess" and Lizzie WebbLizzie WebbLizzie Webb, often known as "Mad Lizzie", presented daily exercise routines on British morning television channel TV-am. She was introduced onto the channel's flagship show Good Morning Britain in response to the popularity of exercise teacher Diana Moran on the rival BBC One show Breakfast Time... - 29. Ricky GervaisRicky GervaisRicky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
' musical career - 30. Home computers
- 31. BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJs - includes Mike ReadMike ReadMichael David Kenneth Read is an English radio disc jockey, writer, journalist and television presenter.-Early life:...
, Peter PowellPeter Powell (disc jockey)Peter Powell is a former disc jockey, popular on BBC Radio 1 in the late 1970s and 1980s, who has a second career in talent management.-Early career:...
, David JensenDavid JensenDavid "Kid" Jensen , is a Danish Canadian-born, British radio DJ.-Early career:Born in a Danish family residing Victoria, British Columbia, Jensen began his career in his home country at the age of sixteen playing jazz and classical music. He then joined Radio Luxembourg at the age of eighteen in...
, Simon BatesSimon BatesSimon Bates is a UK disc jockey and radio presenter. Between 1976 and 1993 he worked at BBC Radio 1, presenting the station's weekday mid-morning show for most of this period. He later became a regular presenter on Classic FM...
, Gary DaviesGary DaviesGary Davies is a British broadcaster. During the 1980s and 1990s he was a BBC Radio 1 disc jockey and also a regular presenter of Top of the Pops.-Early career:... - 32. The Miami ViceMiami ViceMiami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
look - 33. Mr. TMr. TMr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
- 34. Puppets - includes Keith Harris with OrvilleOrville the DuckOrville the Duck is the puppet of ventriloquist Keith Harris and was named after Orville Wright . Orville is a green duckling who wears nothing but a nappy with a large safety pin on the front...
/ CuddlesCuddles the MonkeyCuddles the Monkey was one half of Keith Harris's puppet act, the sidekick and nemesis of Orville the Duck. The monkey was orange, with a blue face. He wore a white shirt collar and blue tie, and his catchphrase was "I hate that duck."- External links :*...
, Roger De CourceyRoger De CourceyRoger De Courcey is a British ventriloquist best known for performing with Nookie Bear. He was the winner of the 1976 New Faces televised talent competition grand final....
with Nookie Bear, Bob CarolgeesBob CarolgeesBob Carolgees is a comedy entertainer who appeared on the Saturday morning TV series Tiswas and then later in its adult versions O.T.T. and Saturday Stayback. He is best-known for appearing with a puppet named Spit the Dog.-Career:In the early 1970s Carolgees ran a DJ and modelling school at 11A...
with Spit the Dog, Roland RatRoland RatRoland Rat is a British television puppet character. He was created, operated and voiced by David Claridge, who had previously been behind the Mooncat puppet in the Children's ITV television programme Get Up and Go! David worked for Jim Henson, then the second series of The Young Ones... - 35. Stock Aitken WatermanStock Aitken WatermanStock Aitken Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, were a UK songwriting and record producing trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman. They had great success during the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s...
- 36. David HasselhoffDavid HasselhoffDavid Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
's musical career - includes his appearance at celebrations following the Fall of the Berlin Wall - 37. Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's marriage to Renate BlauelRenate BlauelRenate Ruth Margot John is a German music engineer.-Career:Already a sound engineer, she had engineered albums including Hysteria for the Human League and Croatia Records. She met Elton John whilst she was working as a recording engineer on his 1983 album Too Low for Zero in Sydney, Australia... - 38. Torvill and DeanTorvill and DeanTorvill and Dean are British ice dancers and former British-, European-, Olympic- and World champions...
/ Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards / Ski wear - 39. Bucks FizzBucks Fizz (band)Bucks Fizz are an English pop group who achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and...
- 40. The snoodSnood (headgear)A snood is historically a type of European female headgear, or in modern times a tubular neck scarf. In the most common form the headgear resembles a close-fitting hood worn over the back of the head...