The
Man of POP
David Mansour knows Pop Culture since he has been collecting items for
over 20 years. His collection contains over 6,000 different
toys, 1,500 dolls, 200 Bobble heads, 500 board games, 1,500 45's, 200
Lunchboxes..and for the last 10 years Mansour has been writing his encyclopedia
book "From ABBA to ZOOM" (Andrews McMeel Universal)
which contains over 3,001 entries in the 564-page book!
What will you find
inside?????? Definitions of some great pop culture with funny
and complete descriptions.
Do you know what EGGO is?
(page 139)
Who is a SMURFETTE? (page 447)
Who sang "Johnny,
are you Queer?" (page 249)
What does "Toss
Cookies" slang mean? (page 441)
Inside From ABBA to
ZOOM will answer all those and 1,000 of other of questions. Here
are some excerpts
from the book.......
Baby Boomer
References:
• American Bandstand — “Television's first rock’n’roll program, hosted by the charismatic and clean-cut Dick Clark . . . captured what was hip and happenin' when it came to the teenage world of dance and music . . . There were the bleachers full of beaming teens waiting for their fave pop star to come onstage, lip-synch his/her latest hit, and then be interviewed by Clark. Roving camera shots captured these trendy-dressed teens dancing to popular tunes (many home viewers learned how to dance by imitating the Bandstand regulars).”
• Bell-Bottoms — “A style of pants, mega-fashionable in the late-60s and throughout the 1970s, that got its name from its unique bell shape . . . Two
general rules for wearing bell-bottoms: the wider the bell the cooler the wearer and length long enough so your shoes wouldn't show . . . extras that made them totally awesome: frayed bottoms from dragging the ground, metal studs sewn down the seams, and patches with slogans and symbols stitched over well worn holes (the smiley face or peace sign were faves).”
• Dick and Jane — “A series of children's readers, Fun With Dick and Jane,
widely used in American grammar schools from the 1930s to the 1970s. Using a simplistic style — centering around the playful antics of Dick, younger sister Jane, baby sister Sally, family dog Spot, and family cat Fluff — these primers taught youngsters one new vocabulary word per page.”
• Disco — “Spinning mirror balls. Flashing strobe lights. Thumping music beat . . . Studio 54 . . . 'Stayin' Alive' . . . 'Dancing Queen.” John Travolta. Bee Gees. Donna Summer. Village People. K.C. & The Sunshine Band . . . Saturday Night Fever . . . Hot pants. Platform heels. Designer jeans. Sequins. Spandex. Lycra. Gold lame. White polyester.”
Fashion
References:
• Members Only Jackets — “We all had one. These were the trendy
must-have fashion outerwear of the early-80s . . . the expensive windbreaker-like jacket was characterized by shiny parachute-like material that came colored in gawdawful shades of black, blue, burgundy, grey, and tan. It's trademark however was the useless straps-with-snaps on each shoulder and around the neck, plus a Members Only label on the left-hand chest pocket. Aimed at the active young man, the jacket became uncool due to association with aging older men trying to hold on to their youth and slimy drug dealers who wore the sleeves hiked up to the elbows. Wearing one of the countless imitation brands was even
uncooler.”
• Gap — “Named after 'generation gap,' The Gap started life in San Francisco in 1969 as a single shop, specializing in Levi's blue jeans for
hippies of both sexes . . . Critics claim The Gap dresses everyone in a
uniform of conformity (“Gapification”): generic khakis, blue jeans (they replaced Levi's with their own Gap brand), black pocket Ts, polo shirts, etc. The Gap Girls on NBC's Saturday Night Live spoofed the store's employees as vapid, low-intelligent sales clerks who fold jeans ('Didja cinch that?').”
Celebrity references:
• Olsen Twins — “Who would've ever thought Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the funny-looking twins (o.k. they're adorable) who took turns playing Michelle on TV's Full House (1987-95), would grow up to be a billion dollar industry? . . . On June 13, 2004, the countdown ended for eager over-aged males everywhere when the girls, now hot babes, turned eighteen.”
• Richard Gere — “This spiritually-inclined actor's brooding good looks and perfectly muscled body made him one of the top male sex symbols of the 1980s . . . plagued by a persistent and rather nasty urban legend that has something to do with gerbils and his butt.”
• Pamela Anderson — “The bleached blonde hair! The augmented breasts! The tanning salon skin! The “#1 Sex Goddess” of the 1990s was Barbie Doll incarnate (all plastic and fake, if ya know what I mean). Some of Pamela’s career highlights include being a Playboy centerfold, playing ever-buoyant lifeguard C.J. Parker on Baywatch, and marrying over-tattooed Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee.”
