We went into one of those "50s themed diners that plays music from pretty much any decade BUT the 50s because the staff is so young they think music recorded in the 70s is the same thing" the other day. You know what I mean, right? The ones with jukeboxes at every table where you sit there pumping dimes into it and never hear your song because no one has bothered to post a sign or tell you that they aren't actually hooked up to play? That kind.
(Digression: I hadn't thought of this in years but in my home town during the Happy Days heyday and its aftermath, there was a 50s-themed restaurant in every corner of the city. One of them was named Eddie's and was actually owned by Ken Osmond... that Ken Osmond. Sadly, Ken's business venture, also known as "cashing in," opened at the tail end of the Sit on It craze and they didn't do very well. Eventually they were forced to sell out. But I'm sure he was super polite to all the bankers when he showed up to declare bankruptcy. /digression)
Anyway.... at this particular restaurant there's a big screen in the waiting area which they use to play classic music videos on a loop while you wait for your table. While we were standing there, The Dormouse started jumping up and down, pointing and panting, and announced to the entire restaurant (because she was born without the ability to modulate the volume of her voice and therefore lacks the ability to speak to just the three people who are standing next to her),
"LOOK MOMMA, IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT-SIZED MICHAEL JACKSONS!"
We, along with all the other restaurant patrons, looked up to find this video playing. And then everyone got a good laugh.
I must say I'm pretty proud that The Dormouse recognized Michael Jackson at all from before his plastic surgery/troubled legal history days - even before Thriller (which I would have been content with her knowing). But I might have to make a little more of an effort to step up her pop music history education. I'm just sayin'.
(Digression: I hadn't thought of this in years but in my home town during the Happy Days heyday and its aftermath, there was a 50s-themed restaurant in every corner of the city. One of them was named Eddie's and was actually owned by Ken Osmond... that Ken Osmond. Sadly, Ken's business venture, also known as "cashing in," opened at the tail end of the Sit on It craze and they didn't do very well. Eventually they were forced to sell out. But I'm sure he was super polite to all the bankers when he showed up to declare bankruptcy. /digression)
Anyway.... at this particular restaurant there's a big screen in the waiting area which they use to play classic music videos on a loop while you wait for your table. While we were standing there, The Dormouse started jumping up and down, pointing and panting, and announced to the entire restaurant (because she was born without the ability to modulate the volume of her voice and therefore lacks the ability to speak to just the three people who are standing next to her),
"LOOK MOMMA, IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT-SIZED MICHAEL JACKSONS!"
We, along with all the other restaurant patrons, looked up to find this video playing. And then everyone got a good laugh.
I must say I'm pretty proud that The Dormouse recognized Michael Jackson at all from before his plastic surgery/troubled legal history days - even before Thriller (which I would have been content with her knowing). But I might have to make a little more of an effort to step up her pop music history education. I'm just sayin'.
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January 4, 2011 at 9:02 AM
I know what you mean. A little while ago we took the kids to a Johnny Rockets and tried to explain to them what a jukebox was and how one worked. It didn't help that, even after trying almost every single table, I couldn't get a single one of them to work.
January 4, 2011 at 10:26 AM
Remember when Dean Jensen opened up the ice cream sodajerk place at Hunt and University and called it Fonzies? It lasted about 20 minutes. Was a cute idea though.
January 5, 2011 at 7:46 PM
I can't tell which one is Michael, though I do think I see Arnold from Different Strokes.
Big story in Nowhere, KS, growing up was when our town got a 2nd McDonalds. (To this day they only have two.) We would drive across town (four minutes) because it was a 50s theme and therefore amazing.