I Want My MTV!
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Welcome back, Rami. New month, new thing, baby. Truly, it's still us, but with a twist. Exactly. We're ever evolving every time. We really are. This month, I'm so excited for. I am too. The nostalgia, it's been showing up on my TikTok, so I know our phones are constantly listening to us. As they should be. Which also check us out on TikTok at Right Answers Mostly. Please do. You'll see some fun little get ready with me's, little voiceovers.

Exactly. We're trying our damn hardest, okay? We're trying to be like the makeup Gen Z TikTok girlies. I'd made one today and I literally was 30 minutes late to showing up because I was like, God.

It's hard not to get in your head and to feel insecure about it. Well, also, I really need – I have contour powder right now, and that is not it. Contour powder. Oh, so you want the Charlotte Tilbury – Yes, but also I've heard Tarte is great. Oh, well, hey, that Dubai trip sure made it seem like it was. Have you guys seen – if you're not on TikTok, you haven't, and God bless you. But Tarte took a bunch of influencers plus a guest, rode first class –

The first class thing to me is what I'm like, it's too much. There's – I mean, that – we talked with our friend Brittany and she said million. But I was thinking, I was like, wouldn't the flights alone be a million? And they're from like all over the world. Like what's the furthest place you can go to get to Dubai? Like it's probably – I'm like, don't make me think of a map. 14-hour flight? Crazy. And like even for fancy companies, they usually don't send –

You know, like they're all 23 years old and they're going. God, what a dream. What a life they're living. I think I'm just jealous. I'm definitely jealous. I think I'm trying to like rationalize. But maybe if we just start off with getting some Tarte products, then we can. We would love some Tarte products. We can go from there. But yeah, it's all about the, not the powder bronzer anymore. It's about the liquid. I figured that out.

Okay. Guys, let us know if you're contouring, if you're powdering. Let us know. If you're browing. We'll take any tips. We really will. How are you doing, Tess? I'm good. I felt like January went by really quickly, and I truly feel like old Hollywood month got me through a dark month. I know. January is always so, so tough. So tough. But it went by quickly. Yeah.

February is fun because we have our dear friend Alice's birthday. Yes, and Alice's birthday is actually on Galentine's Day this year. Yes, it is. Oh, and it's on Galentine's Day every year. Oh, yeah. I'm always like, Galentine's Day changes. Right? It's like Thanksgiving. It's like Hanukkah. Check out our Hanukkah episode with Alice. Exactly. It all goes full circle. No, I'm excited for Galentine's Day this year because we're cooking. Oh, yeah.

I just love – like as I get older, I love having people over and like making an actual meal for them, not just like here's – I guess I do make still a lot of pasta. I know, but pasta can never do you wrong. No, it's so true. Just like making it more fun, setting the table. I know, and I feel like I've become a more adventurous cooker because I have – like I mean honestly because of Caraway. Truly.

Totally sane. And because like it's nonstick, which is so important. When I'm making sauces, nonstick is essential because then it just burns. But you know what's crazy? Tell me. Is that nonstick for a lot of other products have chemicals in it.

Well, that's the thing about Caraway. I just feel so much better about what I am doing to my body. Like I think I've been aware recently of toxins and like Tupperware is a new thing where you really shouldn't have plastic Tupperware and microwave it. Well, they have food storage that is also non-toxic. Exactly. So I just feel like I'm putting good things into my body. I know exactly what it's doing. I don't have to be afraid of it. Like I'm just in this phase of life where like I just want good things in my home like Caraway. And it's stunning. Yeah.

And it is just gorgeous. And so easy to clean. Literally, when I put it in the sink and everything just falls off. There is nothing more gorgeous than seeing that food slide into the garbage disposal. Should be composting, but that's a whole other story. One step at a time, okay? One step at a time. Don't come for us, Caraway. We're trying. But...

Not only can you get yourself some Caraway, we have a discount code for you. We sure do. Visit Caraway.com slash mostly 10 to take advantage of this limited time offer for 10% off your next purchase. Mostly 10, Rammies. Go on Caraway. It's a great, beautiful site. You can just look at all the things that they have and it truly makes you want to get rid of everything in your kitchen and replace it.

And with that discount code, we'll help you out a little bit. And included are like storage stuff that comes with it. I don't know how to describe that better than it comes with storage. Yes. They make it really easy for you to organize it. Everything is lined up. It's clean. It's beautiful. We love Caraway. Caraway.com and use that code MOSTLY10. M-O-S-T-L-Y-10. Get on it, Rammies, and send us photos once you do. Please do. So yeah, I'm excited about Galentine's Day. Yes. Excited to cook something. What else?

Are you excited for the month of February, Claire? Oh, my friend...

coming to visit. We love our Ramy Emma. That's right. So she'll be here. She actually gets in on Galentine's Day. What do you guys have planned? What's going to be happening? Every time I open my June Shine, it just like spits me right in the face. It's ready for you. I'm ready for it. I know. Today we did some business things. Business things. We're on the IRS.com. Yeah. It's always a scary place to be. And you know our heart rate accelerates once we log on. Exactly. But to answer your question about what Emma and I will be doing, lots of walks.

Yeah, you guys love walking. I love a walk. It's my favorite thing to do, like walk and gossip and smoke a little joint. Everything just looks so much more beautiful. Were you into walking before it got trendy? Yeah.

I think so. Like, I'm trying to remember when I first was like, I love to walk. And I think it's been forever, but I'm like, am I tricking myself? No. Well, I know for sure in 2020, I was like, I, because when I was home visiting Morgan, Emma and I went on night walks, which usually is not safe to do, but there were, there were three of us and we were in a neighborhood. Yes. And I remember just being like, God, I love walking. I do too.

Because I think I used to walk only for the purpose of like going to do something. Like I'm going to walk to the Starbucks three blocks away and then walk back. And now I'm like, I just want to walk for an hour every day. Same. I mean, they call them hot girl walks now. Right. Which I'm like, everything's turning into like hot girls. Someone the other day was like, hot girls like pickles. I was like, what? I'm kind of like...

I'm sick of it. I know. Me too. I'm just like, what does that mean? Yes. And also, once you see how all these women look, it gets into a little bit of like, so are you just hot if you look this certain way? I know. It's getting a little slippery slope. I know. But then there is that part of me that someone's like, oh, yeah, hot girls like pickles. I'm like, I like pickles. Am I hot? Yeah, exactly. And they're like, down, girl. DM us and let us know if –

You think we're hot. Yeah, exactly. It's been a tough day. Oh my God. I also just realized my fly was on set. Just pushing for compliments. Always. Always.

But anyways, yeah, so I think that we're both good and we're both ready to start this new month. You know what else we're excited for is next trivia. Yes. Okay, so that is going to be a week from Thursday. Trivia will be February 16th at the Waterfront. 7 p.m. Bring your friends. We're doing a Sex and the City round. You know you know. We're doing a sports round. If you don't know, you don't know. We had to balance it out.

Tess was coming up with the questions and she did two and she's like, that's all I got. And one had to do with Real Housewives of Miami. Exactly. Check out our Patreon because we have a Real Housewives of Miami recap. We do, bebes. Yeah. Also, I think that you guys seem to have voted that you want more Housewife Bravo content on the Patreon. I'm sorry to call you out to my sweet mother, but she was the only one who voted no.

She's nothing if not consistent. And we understand that. Yeah. But we will sprinkle some in for the other, you know... Yeah, for the other Bravo... Bravo... Holics, I think that's what they call it. Bravo-holics. Yeah. Yep. We'll be there for you. But yes, we'll do a...

What other rounds are we doing at Trivia? A Ram round. We always do a Ram round at Trivia. And a 90s nostalgia, which is perfect for, honestly, this subject. Everything we're about to talk about today. I know. So what the hell is it? Okay. So this was actually on our first list when Tess and I got together and we're like, all right, if we're going to do this podcast, what should we talk about? And this subject was on there. Where the hell is that list? Okay.

I think it was in my journal. Yeah, in a journal that you had. And then maybe you'll do some readings. Oh, yes. Everyone's like, we don't want to hear that. No, I do. We didn't come here to cry. But, oh, well, we can unpack that later. That's true. But yeah, I just think the subject is fascinating. I didn't realize how revolutionary it was. What the hell is it? It's MTV. It's MTV.

You can't say childhood nostalgia and not talk about MTV. It shaped us all. It really did. So what are your thoughts on MTV, Tess? What's your experience, your relationship? My experience with MTV? Oh my God, guys. Well...

I think it's time to admit that I did have – I had a few experiences as a teen and preteen MTV reality star. I was literally just about – I was just thinking about one, but you have not been on MTV just once. You have been on MTV twice. I've been on MTV twice. The first time, my volleyball teacher in middle school was on Pimp My Rise. Your volleyball teacher?

She was this hot, like, if we were like 12 or 13 at the time, I think she was probably 19. Her name was Jennica, I want to say. She was like this beautiful woman. Yeah.

And she was like, guys, I'm getting my car pimped out tomorrow for MTV's Pimp My Ride. Would you guys want to be in a shot at the end of the episode of us going into volleyball practice? And then 10 of these teenage girls in the back just in the car doing a little dance, looking at the camera. What did her car start off with and what did it end up as? I don't remember. It was a cool car. It was a vintage car. And I just remember, I'll find the photo and we'll post it. They made it hot pink. Oh my gosh.

Oh my God. With white leather interior. And it was like, it was like such of the time, early 2000s, like hot pink and white. Oh yeah. And I remember they did something really cool to like the radio on the inside and like some spark, some little like bedazzled. Did they make it bounce? What's that called? Hydraulics? Is that what that's called? God, I truly don't remember. Wow. Well, okay. So that was number one. So that was one. And then we skipped to when I was 18 and, um, I,

I was featured on MTV's Teen Cribs. Guys, Tess was on Teen Cribs. You know, I've had a journey with it. Like, even three years ago, I'd be like, let's not talk about that. I know. It was crazy because I don't think I found out until three years ago. Didn't say that.

Yeah.

that made me seem like this little brat. I mean, like, I grew up in a lovely home. It was... My dad was a modern environmental architect, so they were trying to do something to show a house in the Bay Area that...

had like solar panels and salt water in the pool instead of chlorine and heated floors and no grass, gravel. So it was like at the time when people were getting into the environment, they were trying to like – The environment is so hot right now. Yeah, and I was not happy to say all the things like that they were trying to make me seem like this little like Bay Area girl that biked and like ate avocados and – Oh my God. Okay, well, hold on because I want you to tell more about that when we get into that story.

segment. Okay. But just know you will always be the coolest to me. I mean, we talked about this with our friend Macy and she was like, when you grow up not in like LA and you see...

MTV Cribs, you're like, that person is royalty. I mean, that is sweet. I didn't think it was cool for a very long time and now I think it's hilarious. Well, I think it's hilarious and amazing. I also just spilled my can everywhere. You're just so excited about Team Cribs. I am so excited about Team Cribs. But any other thoughts on MTV? Just that like pretty much newlyweds are bread and butter. It's what brought Tess and I like really sealed our relationship. We watched it driving in a car. Yes.

And you too. So I was driving. But still watching.

Just glancing. Don't come for us. Glancing over. Yeah, I mean. Yeah, just like iconic fun. I love reality TV, so just a lot of being young and looking up to people, I guess, on these shows. Are there any music videos that stand out to you by watching MTV? Wait, so is VH1 a part of MTV? VH1 was MTV's sister channel. So watching the music videos that premiered at like 9 on a Friday was everything to me.

Things that stand out. Mostly Jessica. Of course. With you. I'm going to leave it at that because that is to me like the countdown to that music video with her on the floor with all of those. All the clothes everywhere. But guys, if you watch Newlyweds, that's just how her house looked. Exactly. She was like, we didn't have to do anything.

They were like, make this place look a mess. And they walked in. They're like, done. Truly. Yeah, With You is a great music video. Except when she bites those yellow rubber gloves that she was just using to clean. I was like, Jessica, unsanitary. I also don't love when she's trying to golf and move her boobs. Always. But –

But everything else is perfection. Iconic. Iconic. One that really stands out to me is, do you remember the song with Eminem and the group D5? I think it's got, these chicks don't even know the name of my band. Yes. That music video really stands out to me. I remember watching, I remember my mom walking into the room when I was watching that and she was like, what is this? Turn this off. And you're just like that girl, that sister in Mean Girls who's like grinding. I was that little girl in Mean Girls. That reminds me of you every time.

Like watching stuff that's like way too old for me. Yeah, that was literally me. I feel like MTVs were my summers. Like that's what I would put on in the morning like when I woke up and there's just music videos on. But also all the reality TV. Laguna Beach. Check out our – is that our – Patreon. Patreon. We do early 2000s and we do the history of Laguna Beach. It's phenomenal. It's just like all my favorite things. I know. And then also Missy Elliott for me. Like her music videos were everything to me. And it –

Punked. And punked. As well. I was obsessed with seeing celebrities act like goddamn fools. It was the best. So let's get into MTV, shall we? Yes. Ideas of music television began before MTV. Do you know what they really started with? Can you guess the group? In the 60s? The Beach Boys. No. Beastie Boys. The Beatles. No.

I thought you had it there for a second. The Beastie Boys thing? Yeah, they're the 90s, I think. Beastie Boys, Beach Boys. And the Beatles. Okay, so the Beatles started. Yes, the Beatles. Remember their music, their films and all that stuff? Oh, yeah. Like A Hard Day's Night. Yeah. Later, the film director for that...

or for those Beatles music videos was awarded with basically inventing the music video. Wow. So they kind of started the music video.

And music videos back then were just promo for the artists. That's like all that they were used for. And they would kind of just have like a recording of them playing and they would play it in record stores and stuff like that. Yeah. In 1967, a Los Angeles company called Charlatan Productions began producing promotional films for rock groups with a unique approach where they would create stories from the song lyrics. Ooh.

Instead of just having performances, they were like, let's take the story and make it real. But they were like long form still? What do you mean long form? Like what they do, like kind of like a movie about? I think this is when they started doing like just for the song. Got it, got it. And by mid-1968, the Charlatan had already completed 40 films for 15 record companies for artists like Jimi Hendrix, The Animals, Aretha Franklin, The Who, and

So they're like the first big music video producers. So cool. Which I love music videos. Same. Being a music video director, that's like still a dream that I haven't realized yet. But I think that would be so fun. I mean, you've produced – like you've worked on a lot of music videos. There's no money in it. I'll tell you that. That is true. But it's still impressive. Like your resume with it is – I think it would really like people would be impressed. Shocked. Would they? No? Yeah. Okay. I'll take it. So, okay. MTV didn't create music televisions, but –

but no one did it like how MTV did it. So cut to New York in the late 70s. There's a 27-year-old guy named Rob Pittman, and he created the original format for MTV. He's like, let's play music videos for 24 hours a day nonstop on just one channel. That's how it used to be. Yes, it used to be literally just music videos for 24 hours. So...

He goes on to be the CEO of MTV. But his boss was Warner exec vice president John Lack. And he at the time was also looking. He's like, let's make music television a thing. So it's like the perfect timing for both of them. But they had a rush to get it going because record companies were starting to cut budgets for videos because they didn't feel like they were really doing anything for the artists. They're like, we're just wasting money at this point.

Which is kind of where we are today with music videos. I was going to say, I'm like, is it dying again? I know. Because now we're just – we don't have the patience for anything like long form. It's not 30 seconds. Exactly. And it's like there's so many other platforms that we can get artists out there that it's not just like a music video for their song. I would still watch music videos like – All day. All day. I mean, that's I feel like –

What the best thing to do after a night out, you come back home, you just put music videos on. We've done that so many times. So many times. You know what I'm thinking of is motivation. Normani, if you guys haven't watched Normani's music video for motivation. We put it on every time we're drinking. We just start screaming. Screaming. It's the hottest thing I've ever seen. It's so good. It's so good. Okay. So Rob Pittman said, and oh, I got so much of my information from a Los Angeles Times article that he wrote about creating MTV. Cool. Yeah.

And also our stepfather Wikipedia. Always. He's there when you need him. Truly. And we need him now. We do. So he said it was imperative that we get MTV on air in 1981 with enough time to prove that we could sell records before the companies completed their 1982 budget. So basically it's like we got to get this going so we can show this will be good for the record companies. Yeah. Because they're the ones making the videos. Yeah. Yeah.

So let's get it going. Okay. So the original name for MTV was TV One, meaning that they were number one and everything else was secondary. Okay. Unfortunately, that name was already taken. It's not very catchy. No, it's really not. So the best they could get was TVM, which would be television music. Okay. Okay.

And then TVM it was until late night. It said a late night free thinking sesh where one of the guys was like, don't you think MTV sounds a little better than TVM? We do. It sounds so much better. Were they smoking? Probably. I mean, it had to. Yeah, just like New York in the 80s. Uh-huh. So there was a lot of things going on, a lot of recreational activities. That is true. So it became MTV. Now the logo. Oh.

Originally, they thought MTV would have a logo like NBC, ABC, just like three big letters like we see. But they send out the logo to a bunch of different designers in New York and they're like, make this better.

And among those designers were three kids, which I'm sure they were like 19 or something, in a loft in downtown. Oh, my gosh, guys. I'm really worried. I'm not worried. I am worried. I'm working. I'm speaking. Hello. I am as well. I always go way too fast. It's so hard. That's just your little southern accent. That's nothing to be ashamed of. Well, my mind thinks faster than my mouth can speak. It's really hard what we do. It is hard. Okay, guys. But thank you for sticking with us. I know that. I'm not trying to attack you. So...

So these kids come back with the idea for a big M and then TV spray painted. And then they had paint like dripping off of the TV. They're like, we love it. Cut the paint drip.

And they paid for the logo. They paid $1,000 for that logo in the 80s, which today, the calculator is a little under $3,500, which it becomes one of the most well-known logos of all time. And they only had to pay $1,000 for it. Those poor kids. I know. Seriously.

They're like, oh, like, you know, like they probably thought it was like a task rabbit job of like, oh, someone's asking us to do this like stupid business thing. Exactly. And now, God, that sucks. Now look at them. Justice for those kids. We honor you today. We do. So how do you get the videos for MTV? Very few record execs really wanted or they didn't really like the idea of MTV. And Rob Pittman went around to all these record companies explaining what MTV could do for them. Mm-hmm.

They pointed out that radio wasn't playing new music, especially all that, quote, new wave music from England. And they promised that every other video would be a non-hit and would be something new. So it's like they could break their artist on MTV. Yeah. You know when you start a music video and you see the –

title, the artist, the record label. Yeah. So that was created by MTV. That was their idea. And the reason they did that is because many radio stations in the early 80s would deliberately not identify the music that they were playing and

So they'd literally just be like, here's another song. And the theory was that you would listen longer and attempt to try to figure out the name of the songs. That would drive me crazy. That's like, yeah, that's just so frustrating. It's so cruel. Like in the age now where we have Shazam and like we have the answers to everything, I don't even think we comprehend that. Shazam is such a crazy thing when you think about it. It is.

I don't have Shazam. You can just ask. You just hold down your phone and say, what song is it? I know. It's crazy. Well, Corey has Shazam and he's like shook every time. I think Siri just does it on your phone. Oh, you can? She knows everything. Goodbye, Shazam. Goodbye, Shazam. Oh, I was standing behind a woman. I was getting the window burger the other day and I was like, what's your name? And she said, Siri. And she was like a 40-year-old woman. I was like, that sucks. That does suck. Siri, Alexa's, and Karen's.

I know. It's tough times for you. Truly. And it always will be. And it always will be. So anyway. Justice for Siri. Yeah. Justice for Siri. So, okay. So they were like, we will go the extra step with introducing the record companies. And when we put it on the video, then the kids can call their local record stores and say, I know the exact record.

label artist and song please order this record to your store so i can come buy it for you oh that's cool it's so smart it is smart so then automatically record companies are like actually that's a great idea for us too exactly because that makes us more money now everyone wins everyone wins exactly and when they finally launched they had about 250 videos which is not enough to create a whole music network if you're going to be playing it for 24 hours a day

And Rob Pittman said,

Wow. So it's either going to work or it's not. Wow. Yeah. The other big question that they had, and I mean, this is one of the things that I love about music videos, is which music video worked best, the concept video or the concert footage video? Oh. What do you prefer, Tess? I always prefer a concept video. Same. The concept videos bore me a little bit. Same. Unless I was young. I mean, I'm trying to think like-

No, I think I always wanted the story, the theatrics. There's still video footage on Netflix and stuff, and I just can't get into it. Well, Taylor did her Reputation tour, and then Lizzo just came out on HBO with her, and I thought it was going to be a documentary. I got excited, and it's just her live concert. Oh, that's what it is? I thought it was a documentary too. No. Which I kind of was like, it's a little soon for a documentary, but hey, who am I to say? But yeah, I was disappointed when I thought it was just going to be the show. So I think always just make it fun.

I agree. But so they said, they were like, honestly, it doesn't matter which one. It just matters that people watch. Well, that is funny because do you remember the time? Like I remember Hilary Duff, this music video for Fly, I want to say, in 2004. Is that when she's on the roof? No, that's Why Not. Oh. Why Not?

Yeah, that's why I know. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But there was a time when a lot of pop artists would just incorporate like footage from their concerts into like a concept music video. And I remember like even as a teenager, I was like, this is so annoying. Just do one or the other. It feels like they're just trying to like fill time. No, I want to see the artist falling in love the way they're talking about it, you know? Same. I don't want to see them like behind – like we know that you're like a troubled artist and you're, you know, backstage. I totally agree. Yeah.

suffering i totally agree so they had everything that they needed and on saturday august 1st 1981 so mtv is the leo and doesn't that make sense it makes so much sense mtv especially august exactly in august leo yeah it's just like the summer heat oh it's so mtv so mtv was launched with the words ladies and gentlemen rock and roll

that was spoke by John Locke and it played over the footage of the first space shuttle launch countdown of Columbia, which took place earlier that year in the launch of Apollo 11. Apollo 11. Yes. So the words were followed with the original MTV theme song, which I will also enter right here. Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.

And it was playing over the American flag that changed to show the MTV's logo, which changed into different textures and design. So they did the moon man like very first thing. So why was the moon man? Because they did it to represent the next step in the new era. That is cool. It is so cool.

so cool. It is just really smart. I know, but they've always been ahead of the game and the youth culture and all that stuff. They wanted to have every hour begin with the words of Neil Armstrong, one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. It's too much. We don't need that every hour.

I know. Maybe once a day. Exhausting. But to cover themselves legally, they sent a letter to Neil Armstrong that basically said, hey, we're going to use your voice for this unless we hear back from you any different. So thank you so much. And his legal team immediately came back to them. And they're like, we will sue your ass if you ever use our client's voice. Yeah, that shocks me that they're like, you're good with this, right? OK, bye.

It's like, no. Well, remember, this guy's 27 when he's starting MTV. That's right. Hey, he's taking all of the... He's learning as he goes. Exactly. And aren't we all? But also, if I were Neil Armstrong, I think I would be like, sure, but...

I want a big chunk of change. No kidding. To say no. Well, now Neil Armstrong. Is Neil Armstrong still with us? That is a great question. Remember when I called him Louis Armstrong? In that one episode? Classic mistake. Classic mistake. I don't know. I don't know either. The dogs are going fucking crazy outside. The dogs love MTV? Okay. Who doesn't? What's not to love? Exactly. So the first music video on MTV was the Buggles' Video Killed the Radio Star episode.

Isn't that perfect? In my mind and...

I don't know if that's even the lyrics. All I just know is that video killed the radio star. And like, wow, what, like a premonition? Iconic. I know. Isn't it iconic? Eerie in a way. Isn't it? And the second video was Pat Benatar's You Better Run. Love Pat Benatar. Love her. She's Cherry Bomb, correct? No, that's Joan Jett. Oh my God, don't come for me. Guys, we always do this. I'm like, I love Pat Benatar. We are young.

Oh, right. Yes. 13 going on 30. Rock and roll. Rock and roll. Rock and roll. So initially, MTV was only available on households in parts of New Jersey.

That's where it only launched. Although I did find something. I think they did New Jersey and Tulsa. Why not New York if it started there? Great question. I have no idea. Maybe it was cheaper to get it on a New Jersey channel. Yeah, they're like, just go to the next town over. And then they'll call their New York friends maybe. Interesting. You know what's funny also is occasionally on MTV, the screen went black when employees at MTV –

um wouldn't insert the next vcr tape on time they're like guys have a little bit of a system i know seriously like how does someone be there at all time can you imagine you're like eating lunch you're like oh my god so crazy i know and then it would just be blocked for a second hold on i would suck to work the night shift and you're just putting in vcr tapes over and over again i didn't think that that's like how they did it yeah god i mean i just don't have the past worked

is shocking shocking and we've gone into it multiple times about maps and all of that it's just of just how people function day to day i don't know and we'll never know we'll never know um okay and mtv's target audience at this time also was 12 to 34 which i feel like 12 is kind of young

Especially for like what 12-year-old is really trying to watch like a Pat Benatar music video? I know. No kidding. I mean, although I was literally like eight when I was watching MTV. I think it was probably just so fascinating because it was such a new moment in culture. Exactly. So it was like, yeah, I want to watch these things. Exactly. But it actually research showed that the audience was more like 12 to 24. And that group watched for an average of 30 minutes to two hours a day. Oh, Jesus. I know. Two hours of music videos. Wow. Wow.

It is a lot, but I guess it's just so... You know these kids who are like smoking up a joint or lighting up a joint and just chilling. I mean, that was us on New Year's Eve pretty much. It was. We just wanted to come back and watch music videos. Exactly. Rob Pittman said, early on, we made a key decision that we would be the voice of young America. We would not grow old with our audience. We accepted the fact that the viewers would grow out of MTV and new viewers would grow into it.

That gives me the chills. I know, right? Me too. Because it's like, that's just such an acceptance of like, we're not trying to make this like a continuous moment. Exactly. And always like putting the trust in the youth, you know, and that they're like going to carry it on and they'll know what like the next best thing is. Wow. It really is like. It was all about the youth. The youth. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

And think about TRL's audience and stuff. Wow. We'll get to TRL. Oh, my God. I cannot wait. Can't wait. What's his face? Carson Daly. Yes. Is he problematic? I don't think so. No? Thank God. It's always a good question to ask about people these days. He's like a host of the Today Show these days. Oh, yeah. Mm-hmm.

What the hell? Oh, I'm so excited. I know. Can't wait. Okay. So now how do we get to other areas just besides Jersey? Have you heard the phrase, I want my MTV? No. Me either. No. Well, it was a little before our time. We're like really young. Yeah. We're like kind of Gen Z. Yeah, exactly. We're on the cusp.

Yeah. So in the – oh, so Rob Pittman said that cable operators, much to their surprise, were not falling all over themselves to carry MTV. As a matter of fact, quote, I'm not carrying that garbage on my cable system, end quote, was a line heard with some frequency. Oh. So these older cable guys were like, disgusting. No. True.

Trash, trash. Not for us. Not for us. Got it. Well, okay, so in the 1950s, there was this campaign for a cereal with the slogan, I want my Mapo. I guess it was a cereal. And it had a kid being like a real brat and be like, I want my Mapo. Okay. So the people at MTV, there's this guy, George Lewis, who was like, we should have rock stars like Mick Jagger, you know?

crying on a commercial and saying, I want my MTV. That's good. Yes. And so then they were like, people at MTV were like, we hate the crying, but we like the sentiment. So...

They would they launch a campaign which featured popular artists and celebrities, including Pat Benatar, David Bowie, the police, Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, like the list goes on and on. And they would interact with the MTV logo on air and they encourage viewers to call their paid television providers and request that MTV be added to their local channel lineups.

God, that's smart. Yes. So it worked like a charm to potential MTVites called their cable companies and said, I want my MTV. And Rob Pittman said at a cable convention shortly after the campaign began, he was approached by an old school cable operator. He was screaming at me that MTV was terrible. When I asked him why, he said, it destroyed our office. We can't get any work done. The phone keeps ringing with all these people who want us to hook up cable for them so they can get MTV. Yeah.

Wow. So it worked? It worked. I mean, if you were a kid and you saw Madonna being like, say I want my MTV. God, advertising is so powerful, isn't it? Isn't it? But it's also like...

So creative. I know. I think that is such a creative. And we'll post on our Instagram some of the commercials. They're so 80s. Oh, God. I know. It makes me nostalgic. I know. This is the theme of the month. It is. It is. Because I listen to this and I'm like, I just want to be back. We're like simpler times. We're all so influenced by like pop culture. I know. I mean, I guess we are today. We were just like talking about which makeup products to use because of 12-year-old. Yeah, I'm like past that point in my life.

I'm like, give me the Charlotte Tilbury wand. I'm so sure of myself and my decisions. Yeah, I know. We've always been like this, but we know. We know. Okay. So there was – obviously, this is all great, but there were some problems with MTV. And that would be that during MTV's first years, very few black artists were featured. Oh, yeah.

I'm not shocked. Yeah. So in select, it's the select few in MTV's rotation between 1981 and 1984 were Michael Jackson, Prince, Tina Turner, Donna Summer. But MTV refused other black artists videos such as Rick James' Super Freak because they said it did not fit their channel's carefully selected album oriented rock format at the time. So it was also a thing that MTV was like, we're a rock channel.

And so we're not really going to play a black artist. Cut to With You by Jessica Simpson eating like chicken wings. They're like, that is rock and roll. Watch Half and Time TV.

I was like, shut up. Yeah, exactly. Well, and obviously people were very not chill with that. Before 1983, Michael Jackson even struggled for MTV airtime, which is like crazy because he's always since his career started was one of the biggest artists of all time. Right. So to resolve the struggle and finally break the color barrier,

The president of CBS Records, Walter Yatsenokoff.

just came out of my mouth. That was gorgeous. Thank you. Thank you. Well, he made a huge statement and was basically like, if MTV doesn't play Michael's videos, then we're pulling all of our artists off of the platform and they can go fuck themselves, basically. Okay. Sometimes you have to threaten. Yeah. I added the go fuck yourself, but I'm sure that's what he meant. I'm sure that's what he said. Exactly. So they...

So MTV at the time, they finally started playing Michael Jackson's videos and they air Billie Jean.

After CBS said that, then they're like, actually, we are going to play Billie Jean, but it's not because you said that you were going to pull all of your other artists. A little stubborn. Yeah. And then CBS is like, yes, it is. They're like cute little cover up. Exactly. But according to the Austin Chronicle, Michael Jackson's video for the song Billie Jean was a video that broke the color barrier at MTV and allowed other black artists to have their music videos played. Oh, interesting.

Also, if you think about Michael Jackson's video of him dancing, and I think Billie Jean is the one where he does the moonwalk. Oh, is it? For the first time. I think that was the video where he did the moonwalk. I mean, writing says mostly, but I think it might be. You know, I never was really a Michael Jackson fan. I mean... But I think it's because...

maybe that's a generational thing of like I was young and then by the time they always had him I was like oh he's not not chill not chill um they always like when were you ever in jazz class growing up you like jazz um I did jazz dance class that's what I mean oh oh like a like child like your saxophone or

Maybe that was a thing. I just didn't partake in. Did you ever go to jazz? But yes, I was in jazz class. That's where always Michael Jackson was played, I feel. Totally. Yeah, I think I just was always like, I don't know. We were in jazz class in California, so. It was like Joni Mitchell in jazz. They're like, and go. Oh, man. Joni Mitchell. They're like, and go.

Exactly. God, jazz shoes are terrifying. Like the little black slip-on ones. Did you ever have jazz shoes? Yes. Sometimes they came in tan. I just always remember mine looked so much bigger than everyone else's. And they were like, whose shoes are those? I was like, why don't you go fuck yourself? Well, guess what? I still deal with that. I know you do. And it's not fair, Claire. It's not. And it's not right. Some people just have bigger feet than others. DM us if you are a size nine shoe and above. And above. Because we're here for you. And we are you. I am size 10. Same with my mom. Same

Same with my aunt. I didn't know Dippy was. Dippy's a size 10. Love that. I'm nine. Virgil, nine and a half. Oh, are you? Are they growing? Possibly. Maybe. You know what they say about big feet. I know. Don't I know it?

Just to go back to this. So sorry. Got lost in a moment. In the jazz moment. We always do. How could you not? David Bowie also questioned MTV's lack of black artists during an on-air interview with, sorry, VJ. We'll get to that whole VJ thing. Mark Goodman in 1983, he said, quote, I'm floored by the fact that there's so few black artists featured on MTV. Why is that? The only few black artists one does see are on

are on about 2.30 in the morning until 6 in the morning. Bowie continued, very few are featured prominently during the day. Oh, so they were doing that thing where they're like, of course we feature black artists, but it's like when everyone's fucking asleep. Exactly. And I love that David Bowie was doing an MTV interview and was like, called it out right then and there. And the VJ apparently got like super flustered. Wow. David Bowie's always been like an icon. He really has. We really should do a David Bowie episode. I was just saying,

thinking i know very little about him same and um i never have listened to his music that much but always have such an appreciation is he you guys are gonna kill kill me say it that's what we're here for is he um we could be heroes just for one i don't know he's um no is that elton john life on mars right right don't come for us

I also just finished with Mai Tai, so I was like, well. We are such music fans. I didn't know who Pat Benatar was. We just love music. We're music girlies. It is in our soul. It's more like alternative. Exactly. Okay, so the New York networks. This is also just like so of the times where companies didn't own their shit and tried to fight against it. The network director of music programming, Buzz Brindle, told an interviewer in 2006 that

Jessica Simpson. Jessica Simpson.

It all goes back to Jessica. This episode will be called MTV and Jessica Simpson. Please. MTV Senior Executive Vice President Les Garland complained decades later, the worst... This is tough, guys. Oh, God. The worst thing was that racism bullshit. There were hardly any videos being made by black artists. Record companies weren't funding them. They never got charged with racism.

It's like, honey, shut up. It's not a cute look. No, it's not. And then critics of that defense pointed out that record companies weren't funding videos for black artists because they knew they would have difficulty persuading MTV to play them. So it's like, you're the problem, MTV. This 27-year-old. Rob Pittman. Yeah. Yeah.

Like, what does he say about all of this? I actually didn't find... Or was he at this point just like check... Like, was he still... How was he involved still? In like the 80s and stuff, I'm sure he was like involved in getting videos. I mean, I think it's like the whole problem of everything that we see now. Yeah. It's like...

It's a systemic problem. And like lack of responsibility and always like, well, I said this and like, yeah. Exactly. And like what's convenient to you and what's in your world. But like that was in 2006 and I don't know when that last one was, but that defense would never fly now. The defense, it's just like it doesn't get you anywhere. No. Don't be defensive. It never does. Just own your shit. Truly. Own it.

Lisa Rinna. Thank you. Okay. So was it working? Was MTV working? By 1984, MTV was the highest rated basic cable network.

I can see it. So yeah, it was working. Yeah. It was just crazy that like, what did I say? When did it start? Like 1981? 1981 and three years later. 1981, it's in one state. And then by 1984, it's the highest rate of basic cable. So they were still playing nonstop music videos? How often would they stop for commercials? Yeah.

That's a good question. Like every, I'm trying to remember like even in the 90s. Well, here's the thing. It was also in 1984 when they went and they underwent a transition to emulate a full top 40 station. So then they stopped with the 24 hour thing. Got, okay. And then they made it more top 40. Got it. And this is when they introduced the video disc jockeys or, sorry, I'm so immature, VJs.

It's just a tough name. Pick something else that that's not going to be the abbreviation because it's unsettling. And it's spelled V-E-E-J-A-Y-S, VJs. Even more like vaginas. Exactly. Well, so they introduced videos and bantered about music news between clips.

So this is like they created the job of the VJ. I've got to stop. I've got to stop, but I can't stop. Say VJ again. VJ. So they auditioned about 1,000 potential VJs, and it was hard to...

They said it was hard because they said no one really knew what MTV was and no one knew what a VJ was. And so they're like, how do we describe this job position? Because people would come in that like thought there was people like they thought the job was like Johnny Carson, which is like that 50s variety show host. They were like all kind of like hokey and corny. And it's like, no, you're supposed to be like the cool kids who are like with these artists interviewing them. Then this was still in the 80s. This is in the 80s. Correct. Correct.

So MTV's five original VJs were Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, JJ Jackson, and Martha Quinn.

What was the racial diversity? I actually don't know. I didn't look these people up, but that's a great question. I'm guessing probably not great knowing their responses to everything.

right now? Exactly. And this is the 80s, so... Exactly. So that's a great question. But also with the VJs, they were basically like...

don't quit your day job because we don't really know how successful this is going to be. They're like, come on in. We're scared to hire you. But please, come work with us. I mean, hey. We've all been there. We've all been there. And let's see. Well, I know that one radio host that they wanted to have hire was like, this will never work. I'm sticking to radio. And it's like, oof, that's tough. That is tough. Because they became celebrities. I bet. I meant to ask –

Like my sister and cousin, I actually don't know if like Eva, my sister, would remember when VJs were around. But I think that they would being like, do you remember the VJs? Because this was like really before we started watching MTV. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like as much. The VJs weren't a thing. No, I don't remember that at all. Mm-mm.

Because it was like a VJ who was doing an interview with David Bowie and stuff. So they would record intros and outros before video broadcasts along with music news, interviews, concert dates, and promotions. They appeared to air like – so yeah, I guess MTV was still doing 24-7, but they were pre-taped interviews.

Thank God. So they wouldn't have to be there at 2 a.m. Yeah. Jesus. And then this is also where MTV starts incorporating more like social justice stuff, like PSAs and promotions of charitable causes. In 1985, MTV spearheaded a safe sex initiative in response to the AIDS epidemic when it perceives that many teens might be more receptive to the message there than from their parents. Its safe sex campaign continues today as, quote, it's your sex life.

And then, of course, you know, with MTV, we see Rock the Vote. Yeah. That was a big thing. I also saw something, and I don't want to say this exactly, but I thought I saw something that's like a statistic that, statistic, like 43% of MTV's content later showed like LGBTQ communities. Oh. And that was like really upfront. And we'll talk about this, but like with The Real World,

There was a gay man talking about his AIDS journey, I believe, on that in the 90s. Interesting. I mean, I always thought of MTV as being like a pioneer and revolutionary. And so that would make sense. Exactly. Listen.

Maybe they weren't great in some areas and they thrived in others. Hey, that's like most things in this country. Exactly. But I think that they did learn enough. Wow. I never even thought about that of like the Rock the Vote campaigns and that sort of stuff of like that –

from being like, we need to tell this to you because you don't want to listen to your parents about it, which is like kind of fascinating. And very responsible of them too. Totally. Because like, why are we happy? Why are we happy here? And like making it cool to like do the right thing. Exactly. And I love them for that. Well,

So then they get into some live events. In 1984, the channel produced the first MTV Video Music Award show or the VMAs. We love the VMAs. Iconic. We love the VMAs. Okay. So the first award show in 1984-

I mean, and also like the VMAs have always been scandalous. I mean, we could do a whole episode. Exactly. And we're going to talk about all the scandals. I can't wait. So it had its first scandal when there was a live performance by Madonna of Like a Virgin where she rolled around in a wedding dress and

I've seen this before. I've seen the footage. We'll have to definitely post a video of her. But I mean, she's rolling around singing like a virgin. I didn't know how controversial Madonna was. I didn't either. Because I was like, oh, Madonna, she's crazy. But she really pissed people off. So guys, we're thinking about a woman in music month.

Madonna definitely has to be in there. Have you seen that recent TikTok little side note of her being really mean to Kevin Costner? What? Who came to her show in like the 80s? No. He leaves and she goes, and she puts her finger...

like everywhere and i was like and people are like look she's a monster she's that mean girl that like we've always known i was like is madonna having a moment of like online bullying well you know she was making her like movie and that she was directing herself and then they pulled the plug on that right now i i don't think madonna seems well no what did she say in the 80s that was controversial about jesus who knows

I don't know. Well, let us know. Yeah. There was something with Jesus. Jesus always pops up in the conversation. All right, Rammies, who's tired? Who needs a break? Whether you're taking care of your kids, you know we love our Rammie moms, a senior loved one, or juggling both, God bless, we all need and deserve a break sometimes. Care.com can help give you that break by helping you find trusted caregivers in your neighborhood.

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Okay, so that was the first. Now let's talk about more VMA controversies. In 1992, there was a big feud between Kurt Cobain and Axl Rose. Backstage, Kurt Cobain's wife, Courtney Love, who also brought along their newborn daughter, Frances Bean, taunted Axl Rose, which made the Guns N' Roses frontman threaten to beat up Cobain if he didn't, quote, shut his bitch up.

Yikes. Yikes. So then Kurt told, I love this, Kurt Cobain then told Kourtney, Kourtney loved sarcastically, shut up, bitch. Oh, God. Kourtney performed with his band Nirvana. The group's drummer, Dave Grohl, kept saying, hi, Axl, into his mic.

I just love, like, this time I feel like it was a bunch of kids just, like, fucking around. And, like, there was less, I think, consequences and less at stake of then people trolling you, what they would say on Twitter, on Instagram. So you kind of do whatever and, like, yeah, it would probably be in, like,

A magazine? Exactly. But you didn't have to have like the pressure of the, you know, response. Exactly. The immediate response. I think that's so funny. That is so funny. In 1997, Fiona Apple won Best New Artist and gave a speech saying – do you know about this speech? No. It was like everywhere was saying, quote, what I want to say is –

Everybody out there that's watching, everybody that's watching this world, this world is bullshit. And you shouldn't model your life. And then I guess people were cheering because she goes, or booing. She goes, wait a second. You shouldn't model your life about what you think that we think is cool and what we're wearing and what we're saying and everything. Go with yourself. Go with yourself. Wow. A poetic moment. I know. So Fiona Apple now. Like, what the hell are you talking about? Like, everyone just like the slow clap looking around.

Exactly. Sure. I got it. Diana Ross and Lil' Kim. This is the year that Lil' Kim wore like the nipple pasty. Yes. Okay. So in 1999, while presenting the best hip hop video, Diana Ross unexpectedly just went over and like fondled, I guess is the best way to say, Lil' Kim's breasts.

This was a different time, wasn't it? It's so crazy. That happened today. It would just be wild. That person would be canceled forever. Also, it's like it's Diana Ross doing that. Like such an icon. It's so crazy. That is crazy. In 2007, or sorry, in 2000, Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Comerford was so pissed that the band lost to Limp Bizkit, he stormed the stage and scaled Display Tower.

The network cuts a commercial and then Tim was arrested and sentenced to a night in jail. Sweet. Oh, Jesus. It's not that big of a deal. I can't imagine being a producer for the VMAs. I'm like, God, it's like a zoo. I mean, you're just, you're winning that little moon, man. Like, it's cool, but it's not like, I don't know. All award shows when you think about it are like, it's so political. So political. But I love like back then, like the band Rhybrids and all that stuff. Yeah, that's true. And people were really rooting like,

they had like teams of like fans and yeah I love I love the energy um in 2001 Britney Spears performs with a live snake oh yeah um for Slave For You her outfit the belly button rings I miss a belly button ring

Honestly, sometimes I'm like, shit, right? Are we going to have a mental breakdown and get a belly button ring? It's only a matter of time. That is true. Alice has a belly button ring. I think it's so cute. It is cute. Apparently, if you ever get pregnant, a belly button ring is terrifying. Oh, well, I don't know if I'm going to have to worry about that. So maybe we just pierce it up. That is true. But I've also heard it's so painful. That outfit was just so hot. I know. I mean, talk about being a young girl and just looking at her and being like,

Is that the most beautiful? I remember when Britney Spears was coming onto the scene and well, on the playground, we would also take our shirts and then tuck them in like that and show our belly and be like, I'm Britney Spears. I can't. I did that once at a cafe. Yeah.

When I was like seven, I went up and I was with my dad and I rolled it up all the way. I know. Well, I remember – Got in big trouble. I remember seeing news stories about being like Britney Spears is like making girl sluts. That's not what they said. Well, Diane Sorter – Of course. Interviewed her and have you seen this? And she goes, what's with the lack of clothes? Yeah.

And Brittany's so uncomfortable and she's like, what? And she's like, the midriffs, the crop tops. What are you doing? And so like her stomach was a moment for like five years. People talked about her abs all the time. She's another first of her kinds that like got the worst treatment. A hundred percent. And we have not taken care of that woman. No, we have not. And it's on us. Like truly it is. It is. It is. It is.

I'll die in Sodor, though. Oh, my God. It's really tough. Jesus. Well, speaking of Britney Spears and controversies, in 2003, to open the show, Britney Spears, Madonna, and Christina Aguilera joined together for a rendition of Like a Virgin in Hollywood and sealed with a headline-making kiss between the women. All of them in...

The wedding gowns. Wasn't Christina's hair like black? I remember seeing – I think you can see it on the footage where it's like cheering. And then it's a moment of silence where people are like – Do you remember Justin Timberlake's reaction shot? He was pissed. He clenches his jaw and he just shakes his head like that knowing like game's on. Like that is his reaction of just like, okay, whatever.

I see what you're doing. It's crazy. I do not care for that man. I do not either one fucking bit. Not one bit. And I'm going to say it and I don't care. I'll say it right now. No. But guys, we're kind of all getting on the same page there, right? Didn't he cheat on Jessica Biel like three summers ago? That New Orleans clip. Yeah. Yeah.

Unshavered. Also, this man has never defended or stood by or said anything about his treatment of Britney, what he said to the press. Or Janet Jackson. The fact that he was so a part of that and has never said anything. This man doesn't take ownership. Nope. There's a lot of sexist undertones. And guess what? JC was a real talent of NSYNC, so...

We're bringing it there for childhood nostalgia. We are. We have to. Whatever. Come for us. We don't care. We don't care. We stand by it. Exactly. Okay. So in 2009, Kanye West crashed the stage when Taylor Swift won Best Female Video because he thought Beyonce had the best video of all time.

God, that was such a moment, wasn't it? And we've gotten so many songs from it. So many songs. All reputation, really. Seriously. An entire album. I mean, that was a tough one to watch. It was. I'll never forget it. You just felt so sad for her. I mean, it was a horrific thing to do. Absolutely. Impolite. And it's a horrific thing to do to Taylor. It's a horrific thing to do to Beyonce, who's standing there like, please don't make this about me right now. And it's just like...

It extends all the narratives of just pinning women against each other. And obviously that's a whole other conversation about like it is not kind. No. And it was so gross. At the end of the day, no one asked you. Literally no one. Yeah. It's like just a man coming up and being like, I know it's right because I'm a fucking genius. Yeah. And.

I can't even give Kanye more of like... No. And we don't need to. We don't need to. But what a moment. What a moment. And actually, Beyonce later, when she won Video of the Year, she asked Taylor to join her on stage for that moment. Oh, that is... See, that is just like a class act. Yes. Well, Beyonce is a class act. And a kind person. Yes, exactly. Beyonce and Jessica Simpson have like a friendship. What? Definitely.

There's like lots of videos because they're both Texas girls. Wait, wasn't there something that she came up to her backstage when like in open book, Jessica's memoir, where she was like, Beyonce was like, it's going to be okay. They have a kinship that I love. I adore that. I do too. In 2010, Lady Gaga wore the dress of Meek.

It's tough. It's tough. I can't even. In 2011, Beyonce announced she was pregnant with Blue Ivy during her performance. Remember, she's wearing the sequined blazer and she turns to the side and just rubs her belly. Isn't it crazy that you have to announce your pregnancy as a celebrity? It sure is. It is crazy. God, I wonder what Blue Ivy's like. Your parents are like some of the most powerful, richest people in the world. I mean, I'm always like probably not great because any kid with that sort of like, I don't know. I know. Sorry to bring it there, but like,

Northwest's TikTok is fascinating. It's fascinating. It's also really troubling. I know, but I watch every time. Same. But like any kids of celebrities that have that much power and popularity, I'm scared for them. I'm glad that they took the comments off for her TikTok. I know Kim's always like, I would never let her post anything. I'm like, Kim, you're posting everything. Like you're literally, don't even get, yeah. I know. I know. 2013, we had the famous twerking.

When Miley Cyrus and that freaking foam finger that changed the world. And she performed We Can't Stop in a duet of Blurred Lines with Robin Thicke. And she twerked. That's right. People. Well, she also took her foam finger and was like flossing herself. Her VJ. Right. Mm-hmm.

She was going through it. She was going through it. But also, we tried to put her in the box of Hannah Montana, and she was just trying to explore, and we all tried to put her in a box still. That's a good point. It was Disney's fault. It was Disney's fault, just as for Miley. But wow, that was tough time. And Miley is one of the most talented artists. Oh my god. Like, of our generation. I totally agree with you. Her voice is incredible. She has amazing stage presence. The way she can perform is unmatched. I'm always defending Miley. Even that time, I saw her in concert where...

Wait. Oh, I saw the whatever concert that was during Wrecking Ball. What was it called? Banger's Tour? Yes. I remember being like, is this the best concert I've ever seen? She will put on a show. I mean, it's in her blood. She puts on a show. Yeah. That's a whole other episode. Yeah, no kidding. Billy Ray. We've heard stories. Yeah. And we'll leave it there. Sign up for Patreon. Sign up for Patreon. Maybe we'll divulge. And maybe we won't. But hey, you'll pay us $7.99.

And lastly, speaking of Miley, in 2015, while accepting the award for best hip hop video for Anaconda, Nicki confronted Miley, who was hosting over negative comments she had made about the rapper in a New York Times interview. And then Nicki Minaj says to the pops, or she called Miley a bitch and asked her, what's good?

That's right. That's right. It took me a minute to get that out. I miss celebrities like fighting. I know. Like the feuds. Can we bring back some more like celebrity feuds? I'm going to say it. I'm with you. This is what we're here for. I love the like the Nirvana and like Axl Rose thing. I love the Nicki Minaj and the Miley. Nothing like super harmful, but let's just get in some like some little tiffs. I agree. Let's do it. Also, okay, so that was VMAs. They also started doing the spring break coverages.

Which was they would just go to Daytona Beach for a week in March and they would broadcast live eight hours per day. Guys, I'm manifesting and I'm saying I think we're going to throw a spring break party, 90s party in LA in March. Yes, we are. If you're here or if you're not here, I think you should fly. Fly out. It's going to be a good time. We're starting to plan it now. Yes, we can't wait. It's going to be themed. It's going to have...

Fun little stuff. It's going to be a good time. Okay, so TRL. In 1997, MTV introduced the new studios in Times Square, and in 1998, they premiered a live daily top 10 countdown show, Total Request Live. And they were

The original host was Carson Daly and the show included a live studio audience and was filmed in a windowed studio that allowed crowds to look in. You know, it was always really sad when like someone would be there and the audience, like you could just tell that there weren't a lot of people outside. Oh, that's so sad.

That's so tough. I don't even remember that, but of course that would happen. It would really depend on who was there. They had a shut down Times Square. I think it was for Britney. They had a shut down Times Square because there were so many people who came to see her. Times Square used to be such a crazy place. Also, I just found out that it's Times Square. Timed? Times. Times Square. Times Square because it's where the New York Times is.

What? I was truly like shooketh to my core. But there's so many, like there's that S for square, so I always, times square. Times square. Times square. Times square. Wow. Is that crazy? That is crazy. Never knew until like truly two months ago. Hey, are you hosting this episode? I need to tell you that what you said was wrong. No, my boyfriend who's from New York was like, I need to, you need to know this. Wow. Well, we all did. Did we? Did we? Did we?

That's where TRL is, which is like Times Square. It's like the equivalent to Hollywood Boulevard to me where it's like tough. And you don't want to go there if you live in that city. You don't want to go there for like lunch. No, no, no, no, no, no. For dinner? No. So the program played top 10 rock, pop, R&B, and hip hop music videos. And they featured live interviews with artists and celebrities. In 2003, Carson Daly left Hollywood.

But, okay, some just TRL moments real quick. In one 2000 episode, host Carson Daly was quickly reminded about how passionate fans could be. Thanks to a run-in with a Backstreet Boys fan named Tiffany. Oh, God. In what was supposed to be a lighthearted and fun Battle of the Boy Bands trivia segment. Oh. Trivia. Our people. Truly? Yeah.

Tiffany lost and then became pretty upset. Quote, Tiffany's about to punch me, Carson Daly said, adding, you look very pissed off. She replied saying she was going to kill her opponent and then told Carson Daly, I'm going to kill you too. Sounds like that one time we were at Dog People Trivia where things got contentious. People get so passionate about trivia. We know it brings out the best and worst. Yes. It's like, at what cost? At what cost? At what cost?

um okay so then I was like what videos have like were the um most trending on TRL do you know what the top video was could you guess what year is it the year that it came out I actually don't know but it's a boy band Backstreet Boys playing games Shape of My Heart oh okay that's the one that Sarah Foster is in

Oh my God, that's right. Sarah Foster is in this video. It spent 61 days on top, the most ever for a video on TRL. So Shape of My Heart by the Backstreet Boys. I'm just so much more of an NSYNC girl. You know, I just am not really that passionate about either boy band. I was obsessed with NSYNC. I know. I almost wish I was, but I wasn't allowed to listen to a lot of pop B music. So my music taste growing up was kind of weird. When I first heard about NSYNC, I thought...

I kept calling them Backstreet Boys. Right. And then when I realized who it was, I was like, fuck the Backstreet Boys. Oh, fuck the Backstreet Boys. No, I was like, people are passionate. I'm still passionate. Good. The music's not as good. Sorry. Who sings The Call?

I don't know. The one that's like, baby, I'm sorry. Oh, that's insane. Okay, okay. I do love that song. I will be here. Such a fucked up song. It's basically like, I'm about to cheat on you. Yeah, it's my battery is low. Sing it now. Yeah. Oh, my God. It's so good. Gotta go. So good. We do know. God, it is good. We do know. Oh, just like a little thing that also happened on TRL prior to their split in 2005.

Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson had an interview with Vanessa Milano. It is crazy footage. I can't believe it. She's like kind of – I feel like she's very attracted to him. So Jessica was jealous, but she knew. She knew to be jealous. Yeah, I'd be like, back off. Back off. My man. Should we bleep out Nick Lachey? No.

Like Danny does? Yes, exactly. It's so iconic. It's so good. Okay, so that's TRL. The series came to an end with the season finale Total Final Live, which aired November 16, 2008. It was a three-hour episode, and they had huge stars that came on, like P. Diddy, Beyonce, Hilary Duff. Hilary Duff? Hilary Duff.

Good Charlotte. All the crews stopped by. And as the credits rolled on the finale, the last video to hit number one was none other than Britney Spears' Hit Me Baby One More Time.

That was the final number one video for TRL. In 2008, too. I mean, what a video. What a video. Videos will never be the same. Never. Now, to bring us towards the end. From 1995 to 2000, MTV played 36.5% fewer music videos. Wow.

The MTV president at the time stated, clearly the novelty of just showing music videos has worn off. It's required us to reinvent ourselves to a contemporary audience. And a lot of this, they go from 2000, 2008, they saw just an average of just three hours of music videos per day, which is crazy when it used to be 24 hours. Yeah. But it's because of websites like YouTube and all of that stuff. Over the next decade, MTV would engage in a channel drift, creating

gradually expanding its programming outside of music videos with programming lightly or heavily related to music. MTV became known for its reality TV programming. Well, because at this point, they're like, there's YouTube, you can watch a music video anywhere, but you can't really produce a good reality show anywhere. And no one produced the reality shows like MTV. No. I think the real world is noted for being the first reality show ever. Yes, yes.

Okay, so in 1994, the real world San Francisco's Pedro Zamora battles HIV AIDS as one of the only openly gay men fighting the disease on mainstream television. Crazy. That is like such a brave thing to do. Yeah, that's amazing. And amazing that MTV is like, we are showing this journey. Totally. The Osbournes, a reality show based on the everyday life of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne and his family premiered in 2002. Wow.

Nick and Jessica. It's an American reality television series that aired on MTV. That is our favorite reality show ever. Of all time. Of all time. They're all on YouTube, guys. If you want to go watch, there's every single episode. Some beautiful soul has uploaded them. Thank God for you. Every day, Tess and I will send a TikTok of a clip from Newlyweds. It's just so good. It's the best.

Some honorable mentions. Jackass was – I loved Jackass. Well, you love – Johnny Knoxville. I just thought he was so hot. And I was just like, these boys scare me, but I like it. Yeah. Yeah. It was the intrigue. Pimp My Ride, which you were a part of. Yes. Thank you. Punk'd. I was also obsessed with Ashton Kutcher. So hot. The first episode was a Justin Timberlake and he cried. Yes. When he cries. Because it has to do with his mom. It's actually kind of like a – I mean, some of the pranks that they did were really not okay. Dark. Dark. Dark.

Laguna Beach, My Super Sweet 16, True Life, Made. Oh.

Cribs. Teen Cribs. Tess. Tess Shined. Yeah, hey. Look out for more content on that. You have to put it out. We did a sneak peek on TikTok, so go there and look at our part one. Can we do a Patreon of you telling your experience on MTV Cribs and walking us through that? Absolutely. And we'll post the full video, which I do have, to Patreon if you sign up. Join patreon.com slash right answers mostly for $7.99. Yes. We just need a few more and then I'll post the whole video. Exactly. Do you have any favorite reality shows from this time?

Or you weren't... Were you allowed to watch it? Newlyweds and Laguna Beach. But I wasn't allowed to watch those until 8th grade? 9th grade? I loved May too. I'm going to be made. It just...

If you don't know, Made was like when they would take a kid out of high school and they'd be like, I want to be made into a rock star. And then they would have like a pop star come and train them. What was the Carmen Electra Dave? Oh, that was a reality show. Yeah, was that on MTV? Or maybe that was on like – Maybe VH1. Yeah, maybe. But it was definitely on one of those. I remember being fascinated by them. I just wanted to see celebrities live in their normal lives. Yes. And that's like MTV really started that. And then they have like the trash ones like Next. Yeah.

Yeah, there were some where I was just not interested. Was Jersey Shore MTV? Yes, Jersey Shore was in 2009, which became a rating success. And that one really changed the network for them. It sure did. Also, a shout out for mine is 2007's A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila.

That's right. I never got into that, but people loved that. I was obsessed. So 2007, I was in seventh grade and I remember coming home with Lindsay Parker, shout out to you, and we would record it on DVR and we would watch after school. And it was, so Tila Tequila was a MySpace sensation. Oh my God.

And it was her journey to find a companion. And it was the subject of criticism due to Tequila's bisexuality. So she would have female and male, like, contestants. That's right. There were so many people that got famous from MySpace. Well. Which we'll talk about. Stick around. Stick around for perhaps next few weeks.

So yeah, 2007, like by that time, it was so much more. The Hills, all of that. And during his acceptance speech at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, Justin Timberlake implored MTV to play more damn videos. Justin, literally shut the fuck up. I didn't realize he would pop up so much in this episode. But he wants to pop up. That's true. And it does make sense for this time. Yeah.

Okay. So dropping the music. In February 2010, MTV would drop the music television branding. In 2017, it announced that TRL would be returning to the network, but only until 2019. And then it got canceled again. Well, they tried. They did. And now, pretty much, it's just frequent marathons of ridiculousness. But that's all coming back. Like, people want to see the old stuff now. And who owns...

Is it Paramount Plus that owns the rights to MTV? So Chris McCarthy was named president of MTV in 2016. And in 2021, McCarthy was named president and CEO of MTV Entertainment Group, which also oversees Comedy Central, Paramount Network, TV Land, CMT, and the Smithsonian Channel. That's right. And that's where MTV is now. They also had some scripted shows like Awkward, The American Version of Skins, Teen Wolf.

TV version of Scream. That's right. Yeah, that's in TV, guys. I feel so nostalgic. I feel so sad. I never want it to go away. I know. And sometimes I feel like it's slipping through our fingers. I know. Me too. Where it's like, and trends and pop culture does go in this cycle and these waves of like things obviously come back and fashion and like, but there will never be a time when access was so limited. And so that's why this whole month just makes me feel like

God damn. I know. We're too spoiled now. I know. We are. Claire, that was so fun. Thank you. That was an adventure. I hope you guys liked it. When we post this on our Instagram at WriteAnswersMostly, comment the music videos that meant the most to you. Yes. Just like with our Blockbuster episode, when you think MTV, what do you think? What's the first thing that comes to mind? Exactly. What's going to trip down memory lane?

laying your reality shows but god this month is going to be so fun we're so excited we're taking suggestions we are and we're going to go back back to the beginning you could say thank you for taking it there um we love you follow us on instagram at right answers mostly and on tiktok same thing please do go buy some caraway use mostly tan tan oh oh oh you're so southern am i being influenced pan pan pan and tan um we love you guys and we'll talk to you soon bye kids goodbye