The Pop Culture Diary

Arcades buzzed, robots and bears talked, computers were making their way into classrooms, and a lot of parents were in panic mode. In 1984, technology and toys didn’t just entertain us, they tested us! Were we the players… or were we we already being played?



Sources:

• https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Diaclone 
• https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Microman 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He-Man_and_the_Masters_of_the_Universe 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Joe:_A_Real_American_Hero 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_riots 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_Kids 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Care_Bears 
• https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/624675/how-care-bears-conquered-1980s 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Shortcake 
• https://strawberryshortcake.fandom.com/wiki/Kenner_Strawberry_Shortcake_Dolls 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Little_Pony 
• https://apnews.com/article/e8dcad7e652f89e02badaa55f763f6f1 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Brite 
• https://toybook.com/rainbow-brite-celebrates-40-years-of-magic 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivial_Pursuit 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictionary 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluedo 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrabble 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_Land 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game_of_Life 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_2600 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game) 
• https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/28/arts/atari-video-game-burial-exhumed.html 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-Man 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon%27s_Lair 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_Madness 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famicom 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Entertainment_System 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_II_series 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey_Kong 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Mario_Bros 
• https://www.wired.com/2007/01/jan-22-1984-dawn-of-the-mac 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Walkman 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHS 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betamax 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corp._of_America_v._Universal_City_Studios,_Inc 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speak_%26_Spell 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigtrak 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camcorder 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_home_system 
• https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/24/apple-macintosh-ad-super-bowl-1984-21st-century 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_riots
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Product_Safety_Commission 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satanic_panic 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easy-Bake_Oven 
• https://www.history.com 
• https://www.britannica.com 
• https://www.rollingstone.com 
• https://www.apnews.com 
• https://www.mentalfloss.com 

Social Media:

• Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary

Contact:

• [email protected]

Oh, 1984… when Madonna scandalized the VMAs, Vanessa Williams lost her crown, Lionel Richie’s love life made as many headlines as his hits, and much more. Fame was messy, loud, wild, sometimes tragic, and definitely impossible to ignore. Let’s get into some of the biggest scandals of the year!


Sources:

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/07/24/vanessa-williams-resigns-as-miss-america/
• https://people.com/vanessa-williams-on-losing-her-crown-and-redemption-1984-interview/
• https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/09/vanessa-williams-miss-america-scandal
• https://time.com/4039256/miss-america-scandal-1984
• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1984-04-02-mn-13672-story.html
• https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26832352
• https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/marvin-gaye-death-remembering-40-years-later-1234694786/
• https://www.biography.com/musicians/marvin-gaye
• https://loudersound.com/features/the-car-crash-that-killed-hanoi-rocks-razzle-vince-neil-never-apologised
• https://www.oxygen.com/martinis-murder/motley-crue-singer-vince-neil-killed-friend-razzle-dingley-car-crash
• https://ultimateclassicrock.com/vince-neil-car-crash/
• https://radiox.co.uk/news/music/who-nicholas-razzle-dingley-vince-neil-jail-time
• https://www.mtv.com/news/1984-vmas-madonna-like-a-virgin-performance
• https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/madonna-vma-1984-performance-controversy-125884
• https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/madonna-vma-history-most-shocking-performances-6228917/
• https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20140827-why-madonnas-1984-vma-still-matters
• https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30715947
• https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/05/how-the-bbc-ban-made-relax-a-no1-hit
• https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/frankie-goes-to-hollywood-relax-ban-controversy-1984-1974056
• https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/frankie-goes-to-hollywood-relax-ban-story-1227745
• https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/06/The-FBI-and-the-Teamsters-union-were-silent-Wednesday/1594455342400/
• https://www.gao.gov/assets/hrd-87-25br.pdf
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Presser
• https://reason.com/1989/05/01/cleaning-up-the-teamsters1
• https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/janet-jackson-control-early-career-1234669659/
• https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/janet-jackson-before-control-7892341/
• https://people.com/music/janet-jackson-on-rumors-rebellion-reinvention/
• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-05-05-ca-6405-story.html
• https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/richard-gere-gerbil/
• https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/did-sylvester-stallone-start-the-richard-gere-gerbil-rumour/
• https://www.villagevoice.com/richard-gere-finally-addresses-gerbil-rumor-and-changes-it/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerbilling
• https://people.com/music/lionel-richie-divorce-and-affair-scandal/
• https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lionel-richie-private-life-scandal-1984-114368/
• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-21-ca-9806-story.html
• https://www.biography.com/musicians/lionel-richie

Social Media:

• Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary

Contact:

• [email protected]

Welcome to part one of 1984! Let’s go through everything from the politics of fear and the excitement of the movie theaters packed with Ghostbusters, The Terminator, Indiana Jones, and more. On TV, The Cosby Show marked its spot in sitcom history and Miami Vice made crime look cool. Flip open the diary, grab your popcorn, and relive the news, movies, and television shows of 1984 with me!

Sources:

• https://www.onthisday.com/date/1984
• https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/october-11
• https://www.britannica.com/on-this-day/year/1984
• https://www.nytimes.com/section/todayspaper
• https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speeches/statement-action-senate-fiscal-year-1982-budget-resolution
• https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/1984/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_in_film
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1984_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States
• https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?year=1984&title_type=feature&sort=boxoffice_gross_us,desc
• https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-movies-of-1984/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_in_American_television
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984%E2%80%9385_United_States_network_television_schedule
• https://www.imdb.com/list/ls061374559/
• https://classictvguide.com/tvseason.php?year=1984
• https://www.tvguide.com/
• https://www.animationmagazine.net/
• https://www.retrojunk.com/

Social Media:

• Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary

Contact:

• [email protected]

Imagine a year where shoppers brawled over dolls, a pop icon moonwalked into history, and the very first mobile phone cost nearly $4,000. That was 1983. But beneath the shoulder pads that were still going strong, there were scandals that rocked Hollywood and technology that quietly started to change what our future would look like.


Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_in_the_United_States
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Beirut_barracks_bombings
• https://www.nasa.gov/history/sally-ride-first-american-woman-in-space
• https://www.chron.com/culture/article/atari-et-game-landfill-texas-new-mexico-21032868.php
• https://archaeology.org/issues/july-august-2014/digs-discoveries/new-mexico-atari-dump-site-excavation
• https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/landfill-smithsonian-collections-et-extra-terrestrial-atari-2600-game
• https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/403754
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_video_game_burial
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983
• https://www.si.edu/spotlight/sally-ride
• https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/sally-ride-first-us-woman-space-and-more
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Air_Lines_Flight_007
• https://www.nasa.gov/history/40-years-ago-sts-7-and-the-flight-of-sally-ride
• https://www.history.com/a-year-in-history/1983
• https://www.geekwire.com/2014/atari-cartridges-dug
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DynaTAC
• https://www.mobilephonemuseum.com/phone-detail/dynatac-8000x
• https://andymcnally.medium.com/ataris-infamous-1983-video-game-burial-the-truth-behind-the-urban-legend-1d8a771e7d0b
• https://plaidstallions.com/reboot/1983-consumers-distributing-toy-catalogue-motu-gi-joe-star-wars/
• https://dinosaurdracula.com/blog/xmas-toys-1983/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1983
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_200_number-one_albums_of_1983

Social Media:

• Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary

Contact:

• [email protected]

1982 was a year dripping with drama. From Princess Diana giving birth under the world’s watchful eye to Hollywood couples burning hot in the tabloids, gossip was everywhere…and we were eating it up. Music, movies, fashion, and scandals collided in a year that defined the glossy side of the ‘80s.

Sources:

• https://www.history.com/a-year-in-history/1982 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_in_the_United_States 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1982 
• https://www.classicpopmag.com/features/1982-music 
• https://www.wired.com/2012/12/dec-26-1982-times-top-man-the-personal-computer 
• https://www.historic-newspapers.com/blogs/article/1982-timeline 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_in_American_television 
• https://slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/05/01/best-albums-of-1982 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(album) 

Social Media:

• Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary

Contact:

• [email protected]

In 1981, the world was restless. Style was bold, music was fierce, and scandal followed the stars like a shadow. Behind every hit song and fashion trend was drama, obsession, and the hunger for more. From the charts to the tabloids and the runway to the living room TV, this year left its mark… Loud, messy, and impossible to forget.

Sources:

• https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short-history/hostageend 
• https://bestsellingalbums.org/year-end/Billboard_Top_Albums_1981 
• https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/reagan-inaugurated-40th-president 
• https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/march-30/president-reagan-shot 
• https://www.oyez.org/justices/sandra_day_oconnor 
• https://www.nasa.gov/mission/sts-1 
• https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/anwar-sadat-assassinated 
• https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/1981 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistaken_Identity_(Kim_Carnes_album) 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1981 
• https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2015/today-in-media-history-iran-releases-american-hostages-in-1981 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-rated_television_programs_by_season 
• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/study-measuring-earths-vital-signs-warns-climate-tipping-points-180978320 
• https://www.vogue.com/article/princess-diana-wedding-dress-photos-history 
• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/strange-history-he-man-and-masters-universe-180956874 
• https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pac-man-released 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_200_number-one_albums_of_1981 

Social Media:

• Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary

Contact:

• [email protected]

Welcome to the very first entry of The Pop Culture Diary! 1980 was a year that simply refused to be boring. A President was elected, volcanoes erupted, and one of the world’s most beloved musicians was taken too soon. Meanwhile, fashion decided bigger was better, shoulder pads were mandatory, and neon was basically a personality trait. Rubik’s Cubes frustrated a generation, Walkmans made us nod to songs no one else could hear, and The Empire Strikes Back proved that sequels could actually be pretty freakin’ awesome. The gossip columns were overflowing, the box office was booming, and yes, the world was as chaotic as it sounds. Open up the diary and join me for headlines, hijinks, and highlights that set the tone for the wild decade ahead. Spoiler alert: it’s messy, dramatic, and oddly fun!

Sources:

• https://www.capture.com/blogs/insights/what-was-popular-in-the-80s
• https://www.womanandhome.com/fashion/80s-fashion-trends 
• https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-records/worldwide/all-movies/cumulative/released-in-1980 
• https://www.csmonitor.com/1980/1229/122956.html 
• https://www.reddit.com/r/trivia/comments/1b27osn/the_80s 
• https://www.womanandhome.com/fashion/80s-fashion-trends 
• https://www.history.com/articles/1980s-tech-gadgets-obsolete 
• https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/inventions-of-the-1980-s-in-computer-history 
• https://pop-culture.us/1980-annual-history-facts 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_the_13th_(1980_film) 

Social Media:

• Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary

Contact:

• [email protected]

Welcome to The Pop Culture Diary where we will talk trends, gossip, and throwbacks!
This podcast will be broken up into many seasons to cover all the pop culture moments that had us hooked: the neon fashions, blockbuster movies, chart-topping hits, celebrity scandals, and the toys we couldn’t live without. From 1980 to 2020, if it made us laugh, cry, or gossip… it’s in the diary!
So get ready to flip back the pages, and relive the fads, the drama, and the moments that shaped a generation.

Season 1 begins on September 26th!

Social Media:

• Twitter / X: https://x.com/popcultdiarypod
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepopculturediarypodcast
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepopculturediary

Contact:

• [email protected]