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Monday, December 14, 2020

8 From the 80s - Catchphrases


Each installment Mike will look back to the decade of decadence and provide a list of eight things – from movies to music to memorable moments and everything in-between.  Keep in mind, this isn’t a TOP 8 list and any numerical notations are included to merely designate one item from another. Because, frankly, how can rate one thing over another when it came from a decade as totally tubular as the 80s?

Catchphrases That Everyone Repeated
No real introduction is needed for this opening installment - we’ve all quoted lines from movies, TV and even commercials before.  Keep in mind that we’re talking about sayings, or catchphrases and not just slang or lingo.  


8. "And Now you Know, And Knowing Is Half The Battle"
In an effort to skate around newly enacted laws aimed at cartoons that were accused of being nothing more than 30 minute advertisements for toys, G.I. Joe ended each episode with a PSA in which one or more of the Joes would impart a lesson upon a civilian, ending it with this phrase.



7. "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?"
Gary Coleman was one of the smallest “big” stars of the 80s, next to ALF and The Smurfs. On the TV show Different Strokes, on which he starred, Coleman’s character would incredulously utter this phrase at his brother Willis whenever Willis said something that went against his line of thinking.



6. "By the power of Grayskull – I have the power!"
This phrase was shouted by Prince Adam whenever he needed to turn into his alter-ego, He-Man.  He also could have shouted “I have no pants!” and gotten the same result.



5. "Help! I've fallen, and I can't get up!"
This one struck in the late 80s when LifeCall, a company that made medical alert necklaces, aired a commercial in which a “Mrs. Fletcher” activated her alert and feebly called this one out.  Rest assured, help was sent immediately.



4. "I pity the fool!"
Made popular by Mr. T.  Many attribute this to his time as B.A. Baracus on The A-Team, however it was his character, Clubber Lang, who uttered the phrase in Rocky III.  We pity the fool who makes this common mistake!



3. "Where's the Beef?!?"
In an effort to gain market share from McDonald’s and Burger King, fast food chain Wendy’s had a commercial in which an old lady looks at a burger from an unnamed restaurant and upon looking inside its “very big bun”, would ask where the beef was.



2. "I love it when a plan comes together!"
This one WAS from the A-Team and was delivered by Hannibal when, despite the plan in question actually almost NOT coming together, would indeed come together.  He’d deliver it with sincerity, paying no mind to the fact that it almost hit the fan. Then he’d light his cigar. Because Hannibal was a badass. 



1. "You Look Mahvelous!"
When Billy Crystal was on Saturday Night Live, one of the recurring characters he played was a smarmy talk show host who would dish this one-liner of praise out on his guests.  It was so popular (and, by this point, overused, that Crystal recorded a song in character. If you’ve never heard it, consider yourself lucky). Just missing the cut was the character’s other line, “It’s better to look good than to feel good.”




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