1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: I'm Dave Holmes, and there's a pop culture mystery that 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: I have not been able to get out of my 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:10,319 Speaker 1: head for decades. It's the summer of nineteen ninety one. 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: If you're a young person, which I was, you're glued 5 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,439 Speaker 1: to MTV or VH one or BET. These are cable 6 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: channels that play music videos. It's a little bit like YouTube, 7 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: except everyone was watching the same thing at the same time. Also, 8 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: if you were like, oh, I have an idea of 9 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: what I want to watch next, you couldn't. You kind 10 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: of just watched what they played. But they all played 11 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: a new music video that summer. It was the first 12 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: music video for the vocal group Boys to Men. It 13 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: was called Motown Philly. There's a lot going on in 14 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: the music video for Motown Philly. Throughout it there's a 15 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: photographer and a short black skirt taking pictures of the 16 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: groups in what a big photo album tells us is 17 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: the East Coast Family. The East Coast Family is a 18 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: collection of pop acts put together by Michael Bivins, a 19 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: guy who was already famous from himself being in the 20 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: pop acts New Edition and Bell biv Devoue. So we 21 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: see Boys to Men obviously it's their video. We see 22 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 1: another bad creation, a young group of actual children who 23 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,960 Speaker 1: had two top ten singles. We see Bell BIV devou 24 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: themselves boys to men. ABC BBD, just like the lyrics 25 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: of Motown Philly say, but it's what happens two minutes 26 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: and thirty eight seconds into the Motown Philly video that 27 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: I cannot shake. Five young guys in five white button 28 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: down shirts, each with his own necktie, stand in a 29 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: loose semi circle around Michael Biffins. Their name glows above 30 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: their heads. Sudden Impact, Sudden Impact are all looking at 31 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: the camera, and after a second, just as we're getting 32 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: our bearings in unison, the point at the camera. They 33 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: point at you as if to say, here we are. 34 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: We're Sudden Impact. Any questions. It's bold, it's aggressive, it's 35 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: the promise of something new. It's an introduction to a 36 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: young group who you know are gonna be huge. I 37 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,079 Speaker 1: myself could not wait to see what Sudden Impact was 38 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: gonna do next. What Sudden Impact did next was disappear. 39 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: And it's not an exaggeration to say I have wondered 40 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: about Sudden Impact ever since. 41 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 2: What happened? 42 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: Did they get in trouble with the Philadelphia Mob. Was 43 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: it a plane crash? Did they all fight over the 44 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: same woman? Did they ever record anything at all? And 45 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: if so, where is it now? 46 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:54,239 Speaker 2: A lot of time has. 47 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: Passed and I am not a young man anymore, and 48 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: everyone younger than me who is listening to this is 49 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: how having the same thought right now, Dave google it. 50 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: This was nineteen ninety one. There was no Internet. If 51 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: you were a young pop culture obsessive with questions and theories, 52 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: you had nowhere to put them. There was no twenty 53 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:19,359 Speaker 1: four hour entertainment news cycle. E News wouldn't even premiere 54 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:23,359 Speaker 1: until later that summer. What we had was one syndicated 55 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: entertainment news show, Entertainment Tonight. And there was no way 56 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,359 Speaker 1: they were going to do a story on the whereabouts 57 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: of a boy band who were in someone else's video 58 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: for two seconds and pointed at you. They had bigger 59 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: fish to fry. Julia Roberts called off her engagement to 60 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: keep her sevil in five days before their wedding that summer. 61 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: I mean priorities. All we know about Sudden Impact is 62 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: what didn't happen. I want to know what did. So 63 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to find out. I'm going to find them. 64 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: I'm going to track those guys down, one by one, 65 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: necktie by. I'm going to get the story of Sudden Impact, 66 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: and I'm going to try to solve the most elusive, 67 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: most bewildering. 68 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 2: Question of all. 69 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:16,919 Speaker 1: Why can't I stop thinking about them? This is Waiting 70 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: for Impact, a Dave Holmes passion project. The story of 71 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: Sudden Impacts doesn't just begin in nineteen ninety one. In 72 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: many ways, the story of Sudden Impact is about nineteen 73 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: ninety one. And I realize it's risky to tell a 74 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: story about nineteen ninety one in a podcast. Some of 75 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,359 Speaker 1: you may not remember nineteen ninety one. Some of you 76 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: may not have even been born yet. If you need 77 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: a mental picture of nineteen ninety one, you really can 78 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: just close your eyes and imagine any episode of Saved 79 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: by the Bell. Saved by the Bell was not a documentary, 80 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: but it wasn't not one either. The pastel color palette, 81 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: the baggy T shirts tucked into high waisted jeans, the 82 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: enormous cell phones, those are actually extremely true to American 83 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: life and real life kids, just like the ones at 84 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 1: Bayside High listened to Top forty radio even if you 85 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: didn't like what Top forty radio was playing. You knew 86 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: what Top forty radio was playing because it was playing 87 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: everywhere your friend's car, the mall McDonald's. The early nineties 88 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: is the last time in history we were all watching 89 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: and listening to the same things. If you're under thirty 90 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety one, you might not consider yourself a 91 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: Paul Abdual fan, but you know the words to at 92 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: least three of her songs, just through OUs Moses. You 93 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: might not love Guns N' Roses, but you can talk 94 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: in detail about their video for November Rain. Whether you 95 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: sought out the information or not, you have been briefed 96 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 1: on the particulars of the Humpty Dance. Even the alternative 97 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 1: was the same, small handful of bands, the replacements, the Cure, 98 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: Jane's addiction. You either embraced the mainstream or you went 99 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: for the alternative. 100 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 2: I did both. 101 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: And in nineteen ninety one, there's tension on the pop charts, 102 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 1: a push and a pull. Wilson Phillips has had their 103 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: first number one single, hold On, and their second release 104 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,479 Speaker 1: Me in May of that year. Kathy Dennis goes to 105 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 1: number two with Touch Me, and the The Vinyls go to 106 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 1: number four with I Touch Myself. Rod Stewart gets a 107 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: top five single. For God's sake, the music of your 108 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,720 Speaker 1: local top forty radio station would play was all over 109 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: the map, teen pop into hair metal, into adult contemporary. 110 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: Say what you will about Queen's Reich and Amy Grant 111 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: being right next to each other on the pop charts, 112 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: but that is not sustainable. Things are formless and chaotic 113 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,119 Speaker 1: in the way they always are just before something big 114 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:01,039 Speaker 1: is about to happen, and it was reasonable to think 115 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: that such an impact could have been that next big thing. 116 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: The alternative was about to become the mainstream. We'll get 117 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: into that in a later episode. Now, today someone can 118 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: have one hundred million followers on TikTok and a big 119 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: influencer business and I have never seen their face in 120 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: my life. My nieces can be obsessed with a musician 121 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: whose name I have never heard. But in nineteen ninety one, 122 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: if you were famous, you were fame us. What was 123 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 1: big was huge. The movies that summer were Terminator two 124 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: and Robinhood Prince of Thieves Blockbusters. Twenty million people watched 125 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: Roseanne every week. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were the 126 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: hot newlyweds. In nineteen ninety one and Katie Holmes was twelve. 127 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: The mainstream was massive. Today we call it the monoculture, 128 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 1: but back then it was just the culture. The same 129 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: handful of artists and songs were blasted at you by 130 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: Top forty radio, the same couple dozen stars on every 131 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: magazine cover, and at the center of it all was MTV. 132 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: You may know MTV now as a network that plays 133 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: skateboard wipe out videos and Pitch Perfect two, but in 134 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: the eighties and nineties, it was a network that played 135 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: music videos all day long. That was it, and that 136 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: was enough. MTV was what you turned on to see 137 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: what was happening in the world. It was a clubhouse 138 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: that you couldn't really get into, but you turned it 139 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: on anyway just to feel like you were there. Fresh 140 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 1: faced young adults like Duff and Kevin Seal would be 141 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:37,479 Speaker 1: your tour guides, Bill Bellamy and John Cencio and Idallas 142 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: VJs icons, your friends who haven't met you yet, the 143 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: people you wanted to be, Okay, the people I wanted 144 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: to be. MTV was the one stop shop for youth 145 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: culture at a time when there was such a thing 146 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 1: as youth culture, and it had cachet. When an artist 147 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 1: got added to the rotation, that meant something, that was 148 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: a seal of approval. It's onto these chaotic pop charts 149 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: and onto this influential MTV playlist at the end of 150 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 1: April nineteen ninety one that Boys to Men and therefore 151 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: sud An Impact arrive and I'm ready. 152 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 2: Here's a little background on Boys to Men. 153 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,439 Speaker 1: They're a vocal quartet kind of a nineties update of 154 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: a doo wop group. They all met at the Philadelphia 155 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: High School for Creative and Performing Arts and started performing 156 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 1: together as unique attraction until one night at a school event, 157 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: they sang a song by Michael bivens old group, the 158 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: popular boy band New Edition, a song called Boys to Men, 159 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,439 Speaker 1: and they decided that was the right name, and on. 160 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 2: A Philadelphia tour stop for Bell. 161 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: Biv Devo Michael bivens new group, the guys of Boys 162 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: to Men score one backstage pass and it back and 163 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: forth so all four of them can get back there. 164 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: They find Bivens and they sing him an a cappella 165 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: version of New Editions Can You Stand the Rain. Michael 166 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: Bivens gives them his number and they call and call 167 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: and call and call. They beg him to manage them. 168 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: Michael Bivens has clout He's had a lifetime in the 169 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 1: music industry. 170 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:06,960 Speaker 2: He's been in. 171 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: Two groups to win multi platinum, and now he wants 172 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 1: to move into the record mogul stage of his career 173 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:16,680 Speaker 1: become a starmaker like Motown's Barry Gordie had been. Michael 174 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 1: Bivens is twenty two years old. Motown has given him 175 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: a three artist development deal. Boys to Men wear him 176 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,079 Speaker 1: down and become his first signing, and the lyrics of 177 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: their debut single Motown Philly pretty much tell the story 178 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: about how they made it big, which is weird because 179 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 1: again it's their debut single. They haven't made it big yet. 180 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 1: They're like, hello, let us introduce ourselves. We are Boys 181 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: to Men and we're very big stars. Boys to Men 182 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 1: sing the names of the group's Bivens has taken under 183 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:49,200 Speaker 1: his wing themselves, the second group Bivens signed, another bad creation, 184 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: Those Children I was telling you about, and the group 185 00:10:52,240 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: whose success made it all possible, Bell biv Devouls Family. 186 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: Michael Bivens is so confident his acts are going to 187 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: succeed that he's basically taken the debut single from the 188 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: group that would become his most successful by a mile, 189 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:14,719 Speaker 1: and turned it into a promo for his own development 190 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 1: deal that is bold. The Motown Philly video is eye catching, 191 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: and only partially because Boys to Men are in pastels. 192 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 1: Pull it up, watch it now, I'll wait. It's good, 193 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 1: right as you saw. It's staged as a reunion for 194 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: the East Coast family. And here again it's strange that 195 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 1: it's a reunion because we're meeting most of these people 196 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 1: for the first time. But we didn't overthink it. A 197 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: photographer takes pictures of the artists and the lyrics with 198 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: one of those old timey cameras where you have to 199 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,839 Speaker 1: put a cape over yourself and hold up a giant flashbulb, 200 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 1: which feels very steampunk for nineteen ninety one. But there's 201 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: Boys to Men, there's ABC, there's BBD, and then near 202 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: the end Sudden Impact, who are not mentioned in the 203 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: lyrics and whose appearance is not explained in any way. 204 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: It's just Hi, We're sudd An Impact. How are you? 205 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 1: I mean I sat up and took notice. Nobody else 206 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,839 Speaker 1: around me really did. And what didn't exist in nineteen 207 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: ninety one, what not even screech not even the nerds 208 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,680 Speaker 1: could invent for you was the Internet. In my college 209 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: at the time. If you wanted to use a computer, 210 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 1: you went to the computer lab, where there were like 211 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,680 Speaker 1: eight of them. If you knew how, you could send 212 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 1: short text messages to one of the other computers in 213 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: that room, messages like I'm three feet away from you 214 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,439 Speaker 1: or why are we doing this? And even that didn't 215 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 1: happen until nineteen ninety three. There was nowhere to go 216 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 1: if you had questions about Sudden Impact, questions like Who's 217 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 1: Sudden Impact? Or is anyone else seeing this? If you 218 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: were obsessed from the second you saw them, as I was, 219 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: you did two things. One you kept it to yourself 220 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: and two you waited for Sudden Impact to show up 221 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: on MTV. Sudden Impact never did show up on MTV 222 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: a few years later, though I did, and like Sudden Impact, 223 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 1: my debut was in a thing. A lot of people 224 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: saw a thing that didn't go the way that I 225 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: was planning, for those who don't know me or who 226 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:19,319 Speaker 1: had better things to do at that time in history. 227 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety eight, MTV had an open call for 228 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: VJs that on air. Master of Ceremonies Job Duff and 229 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 1: Kevin Seeal had the VJ position. Was my dream gig, 230 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: a huge, high profile TV job. I hate that I'm 231 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: saying this, but kind of a high profile early version 232 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: of an influencer. And in nineteen ninety eight, MTV just 233 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: opened the application process up to the public, so if 234 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: you didn't have experience or an agent or good common sense, 235 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: you could just stand in line and take your swing. 236 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: I stood in line and took my swing, and I 237 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 1: made it to the top ten, and then the top 238 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: five viewers got to vote on who they wanted to 239 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 1: get the gig buy telephone because again no real internet 240 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 1: ever MCV one of the ejay contests, and. 241 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 2: They voted in droves four. 242 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: Not me. Now, this is a moment that people remind 243 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: me about a lot, like a lot lot. Not every day, 244 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: not anymore, but easily once a week, particularly if they're 245 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: trying to insult me on Twitter and they don't have 246 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: much of an imagination. And I have to be honest here, 247 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 1: I don't love talking about it. Does anyone love talking 248 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: about a time they lost in public? I mean, get this, 249 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 1: I skipped a college friend's wedding to be there for 250 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: the finals, and I remember the groom, wishing me luck 251 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: and telling me they'd turn on the last few minutes 252 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: in the bar of the wedding venue and watch, And 253 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: I think they did. A whole bunch of my friends 254 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: stood and watched me lose informal wear. 255 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 2: Yikes. I've never talked about that with any of them. 256 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: By the way, I kind of lost touch with most 257 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 1: of them, so I wouldn't have to talk about that. 258 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 2: But in that moment, I remember thinking two things. 259 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: If I got this close, I needed to put my 260 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: back into getting some kind of job at MTV, otherwise 261 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: I would regret it for the rest of my life. 262 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: And two, this moment is going to be the first 263 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 1: line in my obituary, So I put my back into it. 264 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: I stayed in touch with the people I met there. 265 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: I set up some meetings and made some pitches and 266 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: generally behaved like someone much more confident than I am. 267 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: And one thing led to another, and they finally gave 268 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 1: me a job. 269 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 2: And we're gonna check in with Dave. 270 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 3: Who's outside? 271 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 2: How you doing there, ladies? 272 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: Hello, Hope you're all nice and cozy in there. It's 273 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: so hot out here, can't even tell you. 274 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 2: But we got a ton of adorning fans, one of 275 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 2: whom is right here. 276 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: Yes, that is Britney Spears. She was co hosting TRL 277 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: that day with Melissa Jonhard. And if you have a podcast, 278 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: you have to mention Britney Spears in it. That's a 279 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: new law. Anyway, I did not get a job. I 280 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: got the job my dream life, a position at the 281 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: epicenter of the pop culture universe, a golden ticket to 282 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: the Banka Factory. I was there for four and a 283 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: half years. It was everything I hoped it would be. Honestly, 284 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: it was more. It's led me to where I am now. 285 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: I still get to do what I love, and I 286 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: truly believe that if I keep working hard, keep challenging myself, 287 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: keep hustling, someday that want to be a VJ moment 288 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: will be the second line in my obituary. I worked 289 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: in TV for a few more years, and then I 290 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: started writing more, and eventually that became my focus. And 291 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: now I'm an editor at large for Esquire, the magazine 292 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: I grew up reading. I love my life. I'm not rich, 293 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: I'm not famous, but I've gotten what I wanted. And 294 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: then I wake up and I turn on the television 295 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: and there's my old colleague Carson Daily hosting one of 296 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 1: his two big network TV shows. Ryan Seacrest has two speeds. 297 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: He's either on live television or he's asleep. And if 298 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 1: by the time this show drops, he's sold his Apple 299 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: Watch sleep tracker data to Netflix as a competition reality show, 300 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: none of us will be surprised. I'm doing what I love. 301 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 1: The nineteen ninety one version of me would lose his 302 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: mind if he saw how I got to spend my days. 303 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: That big swing that I took back then showing up 304 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: and standing in line to audition at MTV bought me 305 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 1: a career I'm proud of. But in terms of money 306 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 1: or fame, I'm definitely the sudden impact in someone else's story. 307 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:24,199 Speaker 1: I don't love talking about losing on national television, but 308 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:26,960 Speaker 1: it did lead to something good, and I've always wondered 309 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: whether the same is true for sudden impact. I don't 310 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:31,919 Speaker 1: know whether they want to talk about getting a huge 311 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,680 Speaker 1: boost at the beginning of their career and then vanishing. 312 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,440 Speaker 1: They didn't become stars, They didn't even release a single 313 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 1: as far as I know, But does that mean they 314 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:45,360 Speaker 1: didn't make it? Sudden impact never happened, but something did, 315 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 1: and just because we don't know what it is, just 316 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: because it didn't unfold in a way that we could see, 317 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: doesn't mean it wasn't good. 318 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 2: Maybe it was actually better. 319 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 1: However, you get it, and at whatever level you get it, 320 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 1: fame does a weird thing to you. I eventually got 321 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: that MTV job in nineteen ninety eight, right when it 322 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: really solidified its place as the epicenter of the monoculture 323 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 1: for maybe the last time. In nineteen ninety eight, MTV 324 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: had that huge studio overlooking Times Square with those massive 325 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: floorid to ceiling windows. 326 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 2: We called it the Fishbowl. 327 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 1: Kids would stand in the middle of Broadway and just 328 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:36,880 Speaker 1: scream up at those windows. It didn't matter who was there, 329 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 1: whether it was Backstreet Boys or the Q card guy. 330 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: If you were there, you were somewhere exciting, and the 331 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 1: kids had no choice but to scream at you. I 332 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,400 Speaker 1: used to love going up to that window and waving 333 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: and hearing the screams. I knew those screams were not 334 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,160 Speaker 1: for me, not really, but it was a nice reminder 335 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: that I used to be out there and now I'm 336 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,119 Speaker 1: up here. It was a moment to be grateful. The 337 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:02,520 Speaker 1: day MTV called me up and gave me a job. 338 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 1: Might have been the happiest day of my life up 339 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: until that point. Who am I kidding? It was by far. 340 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 1: I remember telling my parents this in these words. I 341 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 1: don't care about getting rich. I don't care how famous 342 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,120 Speaker 1: this job makes me. All I know is now I'll 343 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:18,719 Speaker 1: get to talk about the things I'm obsessed with and 344 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,160 Speaker 1: make things I know how to make. And I want 345 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:23,239 Speaker 1: this job to allow me to keep doing that for 346 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,199 Speaker 1: the rest of my life. I want this to be 347 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,439 Speaker 1: the start of a career I'm in love with. I 348 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 1: thought about the future. I thought about the fact that 349 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: once it was all over, maybe i'd have a high 350 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 1: enough profile to write a book or two. I thought 351 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: I might transition into production and express myself that way. 352 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,199 Speaker 1: I thought about the new ways I would get to 353 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 1: use my talents now that I was in a place 354 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: where remembering things like sudden impact was considered a talent. 355 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: I thought about all the new stuff i'd get to 356 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: learn how to do. And I did, and I loved 357 00:19:55,760 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: it there, and loving it was enough at first. But 358 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: something happens when you're in the epicenter of the monoculture 359 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: at a very hot time, when you're surrounded by the 360 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:08,679 Speaker 1: rich and the famous. Whether you notice it or not, 361 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: you start wanting to be rich and famous. You don't 362 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: even notice it. It's not a decision. It's not a 363 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 1: switch that you flip. You just see how some people 364 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 1: are living and you think, sure, I'm happy, but that's success. 365 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: You see your peers in magazines and on talk shows, 366 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: and you start wanting to get in magazines and on 367 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,440 Speaker 1: talk shows. You start to think, if people can't see 368 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: me all over the place, am I really successful? When 369 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 1: you get what you want, you just start wanting more. 370 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 1: You go up to that window over Broadway and you 371 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: wave at the kids standing out there, and they scream 372 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: at you because you're inside, and your first thought isn't 373 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: how lucky you are to be up there. Your first 374 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:50,920 Speaker 1: thought is did they scream louder yesterday? You forget that 375 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:52,879 Speaker 1: all you wanted in the beginning was just to be 376 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: a part of it. You forget that it all started 377 00:20:56,240 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: because you were a fan. Being a fan can be 378 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: an isolating experience, especially before there's an Internet where you 379 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 1: can find other fans. I was in college in nineteen 380 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:13,639 Speaker 1: ninety one at a place where very practical people were learning, 381 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 1: very practical things that would make them very effective in 382 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: their very practical careers. I was obsessing over things like 383 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 1: sudden Impact and feeling. 384 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 2: Like a real weirdo about it. 385 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: What's great about making a life out of your obsessions 386 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 1: is that eventually you meet other weirdos. What percentage of 387 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 1: the population do you think consists of people like us? 388 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 3: Very very very few? And if it wasn't for the Internet, 389 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 3: it would seem like nobody and I do worry that 390 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 3: we're a dying breed. It feels like a very Generation 391 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 3: X thing. 392 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: This is my friend Scott Kimple. Scott and I met 393 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: just after I moved to LA We were doing shows 394 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: at an improv comedy theater that, like a lot of 395 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: improv comedy theaters, doesn't exist anymore. Scott is one of 396 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: the funniest people I know, which is very strange because 397 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 1: he's also the chief content officer for the Walking Dead 398 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:10,679 Speaker 1: universe of TV shows and movies and video games. 399 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 2: He's a big deal. 400 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: He's also the only other person I know who paid 401 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 1: attention to the sudden Impact moment. 402 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 3: That's the other thing that got me is Michael Bivins 403 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 3: is saying here it is, you're going to love this, 404 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:29,119 Speaker 3: this is my universe, this is my record label. Enjoy, 405 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 3: thank you, our pardon me. You're welcome. 406 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: I'm not only giving you the story of Boyce to 407 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: Men in a video. I am actually telling it to 408 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,399 Speaker 1: you in the middle of a song that's going to 409 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: get played on the radio for decades to come. 410 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 3: Yeah, which again his storytelling us a narration. You know, 411 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 3: he talks about how he met them. The song itself 412 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 3: is like they're going back to their schools, saying how 413 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:57,719 Speaker 3: they were dreaming of it. It's join us in our success. Yeah, 414 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:00,640 Speaker 3: and I believe both of us said yes. 415 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:01,440 Speaker 2: I don't know. 416 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:04,880 Speaker 3: I mean, why why did I never stop thinking about it? 417 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 1: Scott and I bonded over a few things when we 418 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: first met, a shared love of those digital trivia games 419 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,359 Speaker 1: used to be able to play in bars, the movies 420 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:17,680 Speaker 1: of Wit Stillman, You Don't Know, Jack, and somehow Sudden Impact. 421 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: Scott's passion is storytelling, so it makes sense that he 422 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 1: would connect to a moment like this. To a storyteller 423 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:27,720 Speaker 1: like him, the Sudden Impact moment feels like a cliffhanger 424 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: to a pop culture nerd like me. It's a detail 425 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 1: to obsess over, but the point is we both remember 426 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 1: the point I seem to remember in the early days 427 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: of our friendship, the iconic sudden impact point being a greeting. 428 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 2: Yeah. 429 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:50,439 Speaker 3: I think we held on to that for a little while. Yeah, 430 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:55,679 Speaker 3: which I will say in revisiting it, we put a 431 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 3: bit more flourish than they did. 432 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: I mean, he's not wrong. The guys do look a 433 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: little nervous, and who could blame them. It's a big moment. 434 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 1: It's a moment freighted with promise. Plus they're dressy, like 435 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:10,159 Speaker 1: they're on their way to church. Some people can't relax 436 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: in a time anyway. Scott and I are friends now, 437 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 1: but we were on very different tracks back in nineteen 438 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: ninety one. I was studying self loathing in college, which 439 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,639 Speaker 1: we will address at some point. Scott was studying film 440 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,439 Speaker 1: at USC. We both had huge dreams, but unlike me, 441 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: Scott had a plan. 442 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 3: At eleven years old, I said, Okay, this is what 443 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 3: I'm going to do. I am going to become I'm 444 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:38,400 Speaker 3: going to work to become an intern at DC Comics. 445 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:42,360 Speaker 3: Then I'll become an assistant editor. It's incredibly pragmatic. Then 446 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 3: hopefully I'll become an editor, and then after that, hopefully 447 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 3: I will be writing a couple of comics. Then, because 448 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 3: I'm at home as a freelancer writing comics, maybe I 449 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,159 Speaker 3: can start working towards TV and film. And that was 450 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 3: my plan from eleven years old. 451 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 2: Things didn't work out that way. 452 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 1: By the time Scott was out of college, the comics 453 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: industry was actually briefly in decline. So he started working 454 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: in TV, first as a production assistant, then as a writer, 455 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: then is the person in charge of the biggest show 456 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: in the world. Scott's one of my closest friends. But 457 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,920 Speaker 1: sometimes even with good friends, there are things you don't know, 458 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 1: areas you don't address until you're recording a podcast about 459 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 1: sudden impact, like the fact that for all he's accomplished, 460 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: he's still not giving up on that eleven year old. 461 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 3: I still aspire to have a monthly comic and it's 462 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 3: still something I'm aspiring working towards. And it's cool to 463 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 3: have that goal. And there's a comic that I have 464 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 3: that I co creative with Robert Kirkwin that we do, 465 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,919 Speaker 3: but you know, Robert's the anchorman on that. Yeah, and 466 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 3: I've done some comics along the way, but yeah, I 467 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 3: still have a goal in that area. And I still 468 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 3: owe that eleven year old some. 469 00:25:59,520 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 2: Achievement. 470 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:05,399 Speaker 1: So you're determined to come full circle to the original. 471 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 3: Dream, Yeah, yeah, I mean literally. I might be seventy, 472 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 3: I might be eighty, but I'm yeah, absolutely, And maybe 473 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:17,400 Speaker 3: I also feel that I'm not trying hard to bring 474 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 3: it full circle here. I swear to God I'm not. 475 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 3: But I don't like the idea of endings. I don't 476 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 3: like the idea that there are endings. And yes, do 477 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:34,439 Speaker 3: I hope that a Sudden Impact album comes out? 478 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 2: Yes? 479 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 3: And am I still holding onto that hope, which is 480 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 3: a kin to the hope that I had back in 481 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:43,159 Speaker 3: ninety one, like, oh, I can't wait to see this. 482 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:46,679 Speaker 3: I still have that because I don't like thinking that 483 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:50,199 Speaker 3: it's over for anybody. I don't like the idea of 484 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 3: whatever happened to I don't know if that's like a 485 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 3: cock eyed optimism or something, but I know with myself 486 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 3: it takes me a while to get to certain things, 487 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 3: but I do get to them right, And I guess 488 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 3: I put that on other people too. 489 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: I have no idea why I never stopped thinking about 490 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: such an impact, but Scott has a theory about why 491 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 1: it's still on his mind. 492 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 3: In retrospect, I realized that it also it hit me 493 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 3: in the sweet spot of my pop culture loves being 494 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 3: someone who you know, loved comics, loves comics, and you know, 495 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 3: this was before Marvel was making movies and stuff, and 496 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 3: shared universes were basically in comic books. 497 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 2: But this is a shared universe. 498 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:38,479 Speaker 3: This is ABC, this is Boys to Men, this is BBD, 499 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 3: this is some Impact And there's something to that that 500 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,880 Speaker 3: was that that these there's a connection to to Marvel 501 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:50,639 Speaker 3: and DC of these these groups of heroes, and Michael 502 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 3: Bibvens is sort of laying down that there is a 503 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:57,880 Speaker 3: narrative here. They're there to succeed. You know, they are like, hey, 504 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 3: we want to I mean, I will say boys. Command 505 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:02,160 Speaker 3: is like, hey, we're doing it just for you. We 506 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:07,159 Speaker 3: were dreaming about this. But there's an aspect to shared 507 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 3: universes that I think also just hit me right where, 508 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 3: you know my heart pumps. 509 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 1: Now, if that sudden Impact moment had happened in twenty 510 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:20,119 Speaker 1: twenty one, there would be five thousand memes immediately. Someone 511 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: would replace all their faces with the Real Housewives of 512 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 1: New York or something. There would be online quizzes which 513 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: Sudden Impact, are you BuzzFeed would run a story like 514 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: the Internet just noticed that the second Sudden Impact guy 515 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:34,439 Speaker 1: from the left is not looking at the camera and 516 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: we are literally shook. In twenty twenty one, you can't disappear. 517 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 1: Sudden Impact doesn't bring up much on Google. There's a 518 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: Canadian thrash band by that name, probably not the same guys. 519 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: There's a nineteen eighty three Clint Eastwood Dirty Harry movie 520 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 1: called Sudden Impact. That's the one that gave us go 521 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: ahead and make my day. But the group from the Motown, 522 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: Philly video is nowhere to be found, not even a 523 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 1: GeoCities fan site. 524 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 2: Nothing. 525 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: In fact, it is the nothing that makes me want 526 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: to find them that much more. Information about Sudden Impact 527 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: is the last hard to find thing in a world 528 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: where there is no longer any such thing as scarcity. 529 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 2: I can't have it, so I must have it. 530 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 1: It's Scott who sends me a second video from Michael 531 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: Bivens East Coast Family. This one is from nineteen ninety two. 532 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 1: It's called one four All for one, and it's got 533 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:33,479 Speaker 1: boys to Men, another bad creation and a whole slew 534 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: of new faces, including five white guys called white guys, whytgize. 535 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,360 Speaker 1: Now these guys look a little like sudden impact, which 536 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 1: I feel like might be a clue of some kind. 537 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 1: But then I go on the internet and I search 538 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 1: for information on white guys and there's not a whole 539 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 1: lot of that either. But it's not until the second 540 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,200 Speaker 1: or third time through the one four all four one 541 00:29:57,320 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 1: video for both of us separately that we realize something. 542 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 1: We recognize someone a young singer in a vest and 543 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 1: a tie, in a warm smile. She goes by the 544 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: single name Yvette. Wait a minute, is that go. 545 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:17,000 Speaker 2: And look for yourself. 546 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:22,840 Speaker 1: It's Yvette Nicole Brown twenty twenty one Emmy nominee a 547 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:27,880 Speaker 1: Vette Nicole Brown. Now Vette is a Walking Dead super fan. 548 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: She hosted The Talking Dead for a little while. She 549 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:35,920 Speaker 1: and Scott are friends. People we know somebody in the 550 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: East Coast family. 551 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 2: We have an inn. 552 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 1: Scott. It's not only Evet Nicole Brown. But she sounds great, like. 553 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 3: She sounds great, has that smile, Yeah, does the not 554 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:56,360 Speaker 3: only her primary vocal, but some backing vocals with some flourish, 555 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 3: And it just blowsed my mind. She was there, and 556 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 3: I know she's at this point like just out of Cleveland. 557 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 3: So I even want to know, like, how does that happen? 558 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 3: Is there a Philadelphia base? She must still have been 559 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 3: living in Cleveland. 560 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,000 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess parts of Ohio are Eastern time zone, 561 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: So I mean I guess in that way, she could 562 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: be part of the East Coast family. 563 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:19,560 Speaker 2: Oh my god. 564 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 3: She knows some of the answers, she has some of 565 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 3: the stories, and she's someone I literally can call whenever. 566 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, so Scott that ask, oh would you? 567 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 2: Oh yeah great? 568 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 1: If anybody in our orbit has a connection to Sudden Impact, 569 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 1: it's event. And if she does, we can track them 570 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 1: down one by one. We can get closure on this thing. 571 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 1: We can find out what happened. We can maybe even 572 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 1: get them back together. But this is not just about 573 00:31:56,680 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: Sudden Impact. It's about why I can't stop thinking about 574 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:01,080 Speaker 1: Sudden Impact. 575 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:02,160 Speaker 2: It's about why. 576 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 1: Their story arc is a thing that I am still 577 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 1: curious about. So while I'm looking for them and looking 578 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:10,840 Speaker 1: back at this moment in pop culture history, I'm going 579 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 1: to track down some other fascinating faces and names of 580 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 1: the early nineties. People I know personally and people I watched, 581 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 1: People who made an impact and then changed direction, people 582 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:24,520 Speaker 1: who thought their lives were going way one way and 583 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:27,760 Speaker 1: ended up going way another, and maybe that was way better. 584 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 1: This is a podcast about the nineties and about what 585 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 1: we left there. It's about big swings that didn't pan 586 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: out and unexpected good things that did. This is Waiting 587 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 1: for Impact, a Dave Holmes passion project. This has been 588 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 1: an Exactly Right production written by me Dave Holmes, produced 589 00:32:55,840 --> 00:33:00,160 Speaker 1: by Hannah Kyle Crichton, recorded, mixed and sound designed by 590 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:05,840 Speaker 1: Andrew Eapen. Additional engineering and assembly by Analise Nelson. Music 591 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 1: by Ben Wise, artwork by Garrett Ross. Executive produced by 592 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:15,800 Speaker 1: Karen Kilgareff, Georgia hard Stark and Danielle Kramer. Follow the 593 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:20,040 Speaker 1: show on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at exactly right and 594 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: follow me at Dave Holmes. For more information, go to 595 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:28,160 Speaker 1: Exactlyrightmedia dot com. Binge the show add free on stitch 596 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 1: your premium for a free month. 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