Hi Everybody, If anybody is interested, I am starting up a GenX Book Club. We will select one book a month (for the time being) that members of Generation X will enjoy. It may be an autobiography/biography of a Gen X celebrity, or books that take place from the 1970s through the 1990s, or books that members of Gen X grew up reading. All generations are welcome here because we’re cool like that. There will be discussions throughout the month on the page, and a Zoom meeting at the end of the month, which may be aired on the Return to the ’80s podcast. And I’ll do my best to get the author to join us. We will start the first book in October, and there are options to vote on which book will kick things off. Some come check it out if you’d like to join this totally rad book club!
There are a couple of places you can join. You can join the Facebook Group, or on the Bookclubs web page.

This month there is a vote to see which book should be the debut selection. Then we will start the book in October. Let me know if you have any questions or trouble signing up.

On this day in 1989, Paula Abdul hit #1 in the U.S. with her break through song, “Straight Up”. Before Paula was a singer, she was a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers and a dancer. Abdul was discovered by The Jacksons, after a few of the band members had watched her while attending a Los Angeles Lakers game. She was signed to do the choreography for the video to their single “Torture“. Then after working with Janet Jackson on videos for “Nasty,” “When I Think of You,” and “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” she became an in-demand choreographer. She went on to work with ZZ Top (“Velcro Fly“),  and Debbie Gibson (“Shake Your Love“), as well as the giant keyboard scene involving Tom Hanks’s character in Big (1988),   before starting her own career as a singer.

Although, “Straight Up” was Abdul’s breakthrough hit, it was the third single released from her debut album, Forever Your Girl. Her record company didn’t hear the hit potential in this song, so they released “Knocked Out” as her debut single since it was written and produced by Babyface and L.A. Reid. It peaked out at #41. Next was “(It’s Just) The Way That You Love Me,” which topped out at #88. When the San Francisco radio station KMEL started playing “Straight Up,” it forced the hand of her record company, which released it as her third single. After this song topped the charts, the next three releases, “Forever Your Girl,” “Cold Hearted” and “Opposites Attract” all went to the top, making Forever Your Girl one of the most successful debut albums in history. This would also be the best selling single of 1989.

The video was directed by David Fincher, who also directed Madonna’s “Vogue” and went on to direct the movies Seven, The Game and Fight Club. The music video won MTV Video Music Awards for Best Female Video, Best Dance, Best Choreography and Best Editing.

Question: Who won the MVP Award in Super Bowl XXI and began the tradition of saying the phrase “I’m going to Disney World!”?

Last Question: On Three’s Company, what was Larry’s last name?

Answer: Dallas (Larry Dallas was played by Richard Kline)

Great job J.V. (@JVfromOhio)!!!