Monthly Archives: August 2010

The .tv Internet Extension… Pop. Culture. History.

August 13, 2010

From Brien S – Mr. Pop – Internet address extension .tv was supposed to a boom for TV stations and networks, but, I haven’t seen it as much as I once did.

Mr. Pop History – For the TV industry – .tv just didn’t take off. The industry seemed excited back in 2000 when, the the tiny Pacific island nation of Tuvalu cut a deal with a Net firm just so the world could use its .tv country code.

Tuvalu was paid $1 million a quarter in a deal with Idealab. In fact, that deal still exists, but I’m not sure if Idealab profited.

As far as the TV industry? There’s just no doubt, .com rules. KNBC-TV/Los Angeles use to use .tv, but it went away several years ago and replaced with a .com address.

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Question About Top-10 Lists… Pop. Culture. History.

August 11, 2010

From Judy Z – Today, it’s a top-10 list world. There’s a top-10 list for almost every subject, especially in entertainment. Letterman’s top-10 seemed to start it all, but how far does it really go back?

Mr. Pop History – Not a new idea at all. The Letterman folks borrowed from a 1949 idea from FBI leader J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI’s top-10 list. But, even Hoover got the idea from a reporter!

That’s right – Back in 1949, a reporter published the FBI’s 10 most notorious criminals and it received such wide attention – Hoover took notice and soon began the infamous top-10 most wanted FBI list!

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Question About Popeye And… Popeye TV Cartoons – Almost 50 Years Old. Pop. Culture. History.

August 9, 2010

From Alison W – Mr. Pop – confused about the old “Popeye” cartoons. Antagonist Bluto/Brutus – which one is it??

Mr. Pop History – This is such a great question. Bluto – Popeye’s chief antagonist, first came to us with the early Max Fleicher cartoons while Brutus – a character looking and sounding much like Bluto, debuted with the newer 1960 made-for-TV Popeye cartoons.

Here’s a note celebrating the upcoming 50th anniversary of those newer Popeye cartoons:

In September of 2010 the TV Popeye cartoon series celebrates its 50th anniversary.
The cartoons began production in 1960 and the majority of the 220 films debuted on the small screen in Sept/Oct.

These were the color cartoons produced by Al Brodax. Brodax also produced The Beatles cartoon series and Yellow Submarine. The films also introduced Brutus (who celebrates his 50th anniversary this year). They were a huge success and aired well into the mid 1990’s.
Best Regards,
Fred G.
Popeye author/historian
Watertown MA

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First Rock Concert On The Internet. Pop. Culture. History.

August 4, 2010

From Ted Y – What was the first rock concert featured on the Internet and when?

Mr. Pop History – It was the Seattle band: Sky Cries Mary, then the Rolling Stones displayed a Dallas concert over the Internet. Both were in November of 1994, but the Seattle band was first.

A release at the time said you needed a high-end workstation that runs a special program capable if displaying live video from the Internet.

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John Travolta Question… Pop. Culture. History.

August 1, 2010

From Meg M. John Travolta appeared on the cover of the Rolling Stone wearing only a G-string. When?

Mr. Pop History – Back in 1983 is when John Travolta posed for Rolling Stone. He was promoting the movie “Staying Alive” which was a bomb at the box office.

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