If only every generation could be cool as ice
When I heard that between 8,000 to 10,000 fans packed the Anderson Erickson stage to see the Vanilla Ice and Tone Loc concert during the Iowa State Fair, I knew immediately that a new era of idolizing forgotten cultural icons was upon us.
For those of you who don’t know, Vanilla Ice and Tone Loc were rappers from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s who had such hits as “Ice Ice Baby” and “Funky Cold Medina.”
As a fan of pop culture and celebrity entertainment, I have noticed a trend that emerges with every new decade.
This trend is the resurgence in popularity of music, movie and television stars from 20 years before.
Before you raise an eyebrow, hear me out because I have plenty of evidence that supports my theory. Many of my examples date back to even before I was born.
I’ll start with the decade of the 1970s. If you’re my parents age or older, or grew up watching Nick at Night or TV Land on cable, you’ll remember the television phenomenon known as “Happy Days.”
It was a show that was made in the ‘70s, and revolved around Richie Cunningham, his family and friends in the ‘50s.
Who can forget Richie, Ralph Malph, Potsie, Joanie, Chachi and Fonzie? The catchphrase “Eeeeeh” has never sounded so cool.
It’s also important to remember the inspiration for the show “Happy Days” was the movie “American Graffiti.” This is the movie where Harrison Ford got his start.
It’s possible to say that the popularity of such shows was because of a longing to return to the idyllic nostalgia of the ‘50s, but there are too many other examples to counter this.
My generation’s “Happy Days” could be considered the television show “That ‘70s Show,” which first aired in 1998.
Once the millennium hit and a few years went by, all of sudden it was popular to be all about the ‘80s.
The ‘80s became nostalgic with the hit song “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne. Then, there was the VH1 television series that began with “I Love the ‘80s.”
It also became cool again to rock out to Bret Michaels and Flavor Flav since both music icons went on over-the-top dating shows.
I can only guess why it takes the span of two decades to make things cool again.
One idea is that enough time has gone by with people wanting to gloss over the hardships of a certain decade and remembering the good times that were had in it.
The trend to popularize old cultural icons might stem from the desire to remember the good old days with fondness, and not dwell on the political and environmental crises that always plague every decade.
My mom also had the idea that by the time people reach their late 30s and 40s, they are ready to embrace their youth with fondness. My mom said its common for people in their 20s to cringe at the fads that were relevant in their teen years.
I guess 20 years is just the right time to turn things around. Remember the backlash in the mid-’90s with Vanilla Ice? That kind of hatred can’t be turned around overnight.
Well, it may have taken some time, but Rob Van Winkle, a.k.a. Vanilla Ice, is a dope rapper once again.
