What's happening, gheorghies!!
A few of young among the gheorgherati were old enough to watch "What's Happening!!" in its original incarnation. Rob, the Daves, Danimal, the KQs, and Shlara, most likely. Others caught it via syndication. You know, as a rerun.
Rerun! Fred Berry was the actor who played Freddy "Rerun" Stubbs for each of the three seasons that "What's Happening!!" ran. The ubiquitous red beret and suspenders he donned added to his portly frame and mischievous activity. He'd bellow, "What's happenin, Raj?" to his buddy Roger upon entering the scene, while, Dwayne would arrive with a "Hey HEY hey" that leave people onscreen and off hi-fiving. A fun watch that still amuses -- especially the quick barbs from Raj's sister Dee. Yacht Rock enthusiasts love the Doobies episode.
Fred Berry also played Rerun in the redux "What's Happening Now!!" from the mid-1980s. But didn't do a whole lot else. Easy to see how he fell into typecasting hell.
Fred Berry
Meanwhile, another blast from the past was on the radio the other day. If I said to you, "Aw, Mickey, you're so fine," I trust that you all would know how to finish it.
Toni Basil! Her lone pop hit (I do not consider this piece of early 80's cheese shiz to be a hit, despite it charting), "Mickey" was actually a cover. A British glam-pop group named Racey released a song called "Kitty" in 1979. Toni and friends renamed it and added the cheerleader chant with which I opened this paragraph -- then put out a video with a whole cheerleader theme. Apparently the cheer uniform she wears is hers from back at Las Vegas High school, Class of '61. (She's 36 there.)
Toni Basil, some of you may know, had made an appearance much earlier in her career as one of Wyatt and Billy's Mardi Gras party pals. One who sheds all her clothes. When in Rome...
Toni Basil
Meanwhile, in another part of the galaxy, we were recently discussing fine films unavailable for streaming these days. One old classic that can't be watched via any streaming platform at the moment takes us back to 1984, one of those apex years in music history. This film captured a pop culture nugget from the era and feature-filmed the hell out of it -- not once, but twice! In the second film they boogied so hard, it was like a booga-loo. A rather electric one at that.
Breakin'! This cult classic featured an array of break and other kinds of dancers, but its main male character was Ozone. With Turbo and Kelly, he took the art to new levels on the streets of Venice Beach. Ozone was played by Adolfo Quiñones, a dancer who went professionally by Shabba Doo. He danced in Chaka Khan's "I Feel for You" (with Turbo), and he choreographed and danced in Lionel Richie's video for "All Night Long (also with Turbo)."
Supposedly, Quiñones appeared in the film Tango & Cash. but I have not yet confirmed that with the Teej.
Adolfo Quiñones / Shabba Doo
Welp, there you go. Three people with nothing in common.
Oh, wait.
Except...
Ah, yes. From 1973 until 1976, each of these people -- Fred Berry, Toni Basil, and Shabba Doo, were in a dance group called The Lockers!
The Lockers
Check it out! They called themselves that because another founding Locker, Don "Campbellock" Campbell, developed the art of locking. You know, like popping and locking?! Like the founding principles of breakdancing?!
The Lockers began as a collection of "Soul Train" dancers. They did their thing in the early 70's with some serious acrobatics, fluidity, and yep, locking. Major crowd-pleasers. This one from '76 is the best but it won't embed, so watch another below.
When Don Cornelius wouldn't pay them to stay on the show, they decided to do did their things on TV programs. Fred Berry went by "Mr. Penguin" for obvious reasons, and Toni Basil was the only female, the only Caucasian. They played on Carson, the Carol Burnett Show, and yes, even What's Happening!!
They even were featured on the 3rd-ever episode of SNL: Watch here.
And then came the commercials! If you watch just one, watch this Schlitz Malt Liquor ad. So good.
Apparently Mykelti Williamson (Bubba Blue from Forrest Gump) was an alternate member of The Lockers back then.
Most of them are gone now. Fred Berry passed first, in 2003. Greg "Campbellock Jr" Pope in 2010, Don "Campbellock" Campbell and Adolfo "Shabba Doo" Quiñones in 2020. Bill "Slim the Robot" Williams and Leo "Fluky Luke" Williamson are still around, as is Toni Basil, who's 81 now.
But once upon a time, they were somethin'. The Lockers.
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33 comments:
Now that's a blog post. FOGTB FD was a master of the Rerun dance and former FOGTB TR knew all the words to Bubblin' Brown Sugar. What's Happening!! was great and I had no idea you could connect it to Toni Basil and Bubba Blue. Shirley Hemphill deserves a similar six-degrees-of-separation treatment.
give. the people. what. they. want.
thank you for learning me somethin new today rob. yes, what's happenin was on the rotation but cannot recall the lockers. quite a tie-in there.
reporting live from jax beach - wdnml.
What a tale!
Rerun came to my elementary school sometime in the first half of the 80s. I don't really recall the reason for the assembly, but he dressed as if he was on set, rakish beret and all.
Thank you, rob?? wtf, danny?
Okay, fine. We're all used to him doing the heavy liftin here.
it's true whit, i don't recall the lockers.
if the question was re my whereabouts at the moment, all is fine. there are actually a couple of kite surfers out there right now. we are going to be spared, largely, or so it seems at the moment with uncle milty taking a slight turn to the south over night.
I’m assuming Rerun came for the Cheesy Western
Perhaps. It was probably around one dollar in those days.
glad to do it, danny. stay dry.
This is bullshtein
The ridiculousness of this post, I would think, would make one automatically figure it came from my stupid brain and not rob’s. But anyway, I’ll stop.
stolen vhalor!
A far more serious comment… After six weeks in insurance management training in Providence, RI, my daughter has learned where her first real job will be. My baby is going to live in Phoenix.
I’ve never been to Arizona, I know little to nothing about Phoenix, except that it’s hot and dry, But she is super excited and the opportunity is a good one. So… I’ll be needing recommendations across-the-board for that town from any of you who have spent time there!
I’ve got some oceanfront property there. and you and scottsdale is a match made in heaven. if heaven is a place where bartenders make a ton of tips.
Wait, does this mean that Rob now needs to finish Gheorghemas 2023?
it's perma-gheorghemas now, timmy
A fine potshot from someone who’s been responsible for fewer posts than children this year, Marls
God that Schlitz ad is money. Must admit, I've been known to "pop n lock" a bit after a few malt liquors...
We're headed to Nashville this wknd for a wedding. All the wedding folks staying on Broadway, bunch over from Ireland. Should be an interesting mix!
I see the guv of va is sounding the alarm about non citizens voting. Anecdotally, the afghani grocer/restaurant owner who was in my shop this morning told me he was voting for trump.
did you ask him how much he's looking forward to a free one-way trip to kabul, courtesy of the u.s. government?
I told him there was only one person his chosen candidate really cared about, and it's not the afghani grocer. I didn't pry too much, but I'm not sure this guy is a registered voter. He hasn't been here long.
the teej just informed me that today is the 11th anniversary of the bobby vee butt pat incident: https://gheorghe77.blogspot.com/2013/10/of-butt-pats-and-circuses.html
'twas a good night
LFGM. We haven’t said this here in a while.
People, it’s a long road ahead, but hell yes
Great post here Whit
Shared a nice GTB text thread with Marls and Whit about the Mets- and then 80s Cardinals-Mets rivalry tonight. This is a great place.
Good morning Gheorgies. I, surprisingly, still have power. Big win over here. Hope Dan is doing ok.
Glad to hear it, Mark. Still waiting to hear how badly Sarasota was bludgeoned. Mom's in PA, but some of her Sarasota neighbors were staying behind for it.
and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARK!!
good to hear mark, and happy birthday. very very thankfully, milton brought his weak shit this way. pretty much a nothing burger around us. and though areas of fl can't state the same, i believe the overall damage was considerably less than what the weather'ites were predicting. of course, one of my storm tracking buddies sent me a pic this morning of the next one.....which has some potential of hitting fl east coast in 7 days.
and congrats to you mets fans...have been watching and rooting with you, so, you're welcome.
carpe mark!
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