August 1, 1971
The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour debuts.
The
popular variety show, featuring music, comedy routines and sarcastic banter
between vertically challenged Sonny and his statuesque wife, Cher.
Sonny
and Cher had been singing and performing comedy in nightclubs for more than a
decade. They released several hit records in the 1960s, most notably "I
Got You, Babe," before launching their show. The series rated well and
showcased future comedy stars, including Teri Garr and Steve Martin.
Despite
the show's popularity, the couple suffered marital problems and announced in
the spring of 1974 that they were divorcing and would cancel the show. After
divorcing in 1975, both Sonny and Cher tried and failed to launch solo
comedy-variety shows. They revived their show together briefly in 1976 and
1977. Cher went on to a successful film career, winning the Best Actress Oscar
for Moonstruck (1987). Bono later became a politician, serving as mayor
of Palm Springs and a U.S. congressman.
August 1, 1981
MTV launches. MTV:
Music Television goes on the air for the first time ever, with the words
(spoken by one of MTV’s creators, John Lack): “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and
roll.” The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” was the first music video to
air on the new cable television channel, which initially was available only to
households in parts of New Jersey.
MTV went on to revolutionize the music
industry and become an influential source of pop culture and entertainment in
the United States and other parts of the world, including Europe, Asia and
Latin America, which all have MTV-branded channels.
In MTV’s early days, its programming consisted of basic music videos that
were introduced by VJs (video jockeys) and provided for free by record
companies. As the record industry recognized MTV’s value as a promotional
vehicle, money was invested in making creative, cutting-edge videos. Some
directors, including Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Three Kings) and
Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), worked on music
videos before segueing into feature films. In the 1980s, MTV was instrumental
in promoting the careers of performers such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince
and Duran Duran, whose videos played in heavy rotation.
By the late 1980s, MTV started airing non-video programming, geared toward
teenagers and young adults. Its popular reality series The Real World
launched in 1992 and was followed by such highly rated shows as The
Osbournes, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, Laguna Beach, My Super Sweet 16 and
The Hills. MTV also debuted animated series including Beavis and
Butthead and Celebrity Deathmatch, as well as documentaries, news,
game shows and public service campaigns on topics ranging from voting rights to
safe sex. MTV developed a reputation for pushing cultural boundaries and taste;
the airing of Madonna’s 1989 “Like a Prayer” video is just one famous example.
In 1984, the channel launched the MTV Music Video Awards, which were followed
in 1992 by the MTV Movie Awards. Today, MTV’s music-video programming is
largely confined to one show, Total Request Live.
August 1, 1971
The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour debuts.
The popular variety show, featuring music, comedy routines and sarcastic banter between vertically challenged Sonny and his statuesque wife, Cher.Sonny
and Cher had been singing and performing comedy in nightclubs for more than a
decade. They released several hit records in the 1960s, most notably "I
Got You, Babe," before launching their show. The series rated well and
showcased future comedy stars, including Teri Garr and Steve Martin.
Despite
the show's popularity, the couple suffered marital problems and announced in
the spring of 1974 that they were divorcing and would cancel the show. After
divorcing in 1975, both Sonny and Cher tried and failed to launch solo
comedy-variety shows. They revived their show together briefly in 1976 and
1977. Cher went on to a successful film career, winning the Best Actress Oscar
for Moonstruck (1987). Bono later became a politician, serving as mayor
of Palm Springs and a U.S. congressman.
August 1, 1981
MTV launches. MTV: Music Television goes on the air for the first time ever, with the words (spoken by one of MTV’s creators, John Lack): “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.” The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” was the first music video to air on the new cable television channel, which initially was available only to households in parts of New Jersey.
MTV went on to revolutionize the music industry and become an influential source of pop culture and entertainment in the United States and other parts of the world, including Europe, Asia and Latin America, which all have MTV-branded channels.In MTV’s early days, its programming consisted of basic music videos that
were introduced by VJs (video jockeys) and provided for free by record
companies. As the record industry recognized MTV’s value as a promotional
vehicle, money was invested in making creative, cutting-edge videos. Some
directors, including Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Three Kings) and
Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), worked on music
videos before segueing into feature films. In the 1980s, MTV was instrumental
in promoting the careers of performers such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince
and Duran Duran, whose videos played in heavy rotation.
By the late 1980s, MTV started airing non-video programming, geared toward teenagers and young adults. Its popular reality series The Real World launched in 1992 and was followed by such highly rated shows as The Osbournes, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, Laguna Beach, My Super Sweet 16 and The Hills. MTV also debuted animated series including Beavis and Butthead and Celebrity Deathmatch, as well as documentaries, news, game shows and public service campaigns on topics ranging from voting rights to safe sex. MTV developed a reputation for pushing cultural boundaries and taste; the airing of Madonna’s 1989 “Like a Prayer” video is just one famous example. In 1984, the channel launched the MTV Music Video Awards, which were followed in 1992 by the MTV Movie Awards. Today, MTV’s music-video programming is largely confined to one show, Total Request Live.
