Video Killed The Radio Star

Today is the 25th Anniversary of the launching of MTV.

As part of the "MTV Generation" this seems to be a bit of
a milestone as MTV is supposed to be part of our formulative
years and "defined" who we are. Ok...that seems kind of lame
to me, but at the time, MTV was pretty important stuff to your
average teenager. However, I wasn't able to see the first video
shown: Video Killed the Radio Star, by the Buggles. My parents
weren't able to get cable at their house. As a result, I watched
videos on lame shows like "Friday Night Videos" and on really
bad local Chicago UHF channels after school. It would be almost
a year before I was able to get my MTV fix.



My Mom and Dad had just picked me up from Hoosier Boys State.
Hoosier Boys State (HBS) is "a week-long event which provides hands-on
experience in the operation of American government and education
in political party organization. It was a fun week, spending time
with about 500 other kids my age in a quasi-government setting
sponsored by the American Legion. Originally, I was a little nervous
to go since I had never really been away from home by myself before,
but I had a good time nonetheless and it eventually made it easier to
go off to college the next year. Oh...it was also the first and only time
I've ever been tear gassed...but that's a different story for a different
time.

Anyway, after my folks picked me up from HBS, we were on vacation
and spent the first night at the Columbus, Indiana Holiday Inn.
Who cares, you say? Well...at this hotel they had cable...and
cable meant....MTV!!!!!! Mom and Dad went out to dinner and
what did I do instead. Stayed in the room and watched my MTV!
"I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts was my
very first MTV video. Mountains may fall, seas may boil, but I
will always remember my first MTV video.



The next day, we left...no more MTV for a long long time and
headed toward Knoxville Tennessee for the 1982 World's Fair.
Not being able to stay anywhere near Knoxville, we stayed in
Corbin, Kentucky...Home of Cumberland Falls and the first
Kentucky Fried Chicken in the World...tourist attractions in
their own right. However, our goal was the World's Fair. It
was hot, humid and crowded, but we had a good time seeing
all of the exhibits from far away places such as China and
Saudi Arabia. My dad reminded me just a few months ago that
I first saw the Chinese terra cotta soldiers at the World's Fair.
I had forgotten all about that. Since then, I've seen them in
Denver and hope to see them someday in China. They had
that blank stair on their faces like they could look straight
ahead forever. Kind of like that stare I had while finally
watching MTV!