5 Award Shows You Forgot About

 

MTV's Video Music Awards (VMA's) was held last night from the UBS arena in upstate New York. I'm sure most people like myself had no idea the VMA's were coming on, let alone that it was still a thing. You know since MTV doesn't play music at all these days.

Once upon a time award shows were must see TV live in the moment. That's not the case anymore as most have lost they're luster. The VMA's got me thinking about award shows that are no longer around, created during the excess eras of the 90's and 2000's. 

For every BET Awards, Grammy's, Academy Awards, and American Music Awards still kicking. There are quite a few you simply forgot about, so here's 5.

5. VH1 Big In Awards

This one I almost guarantee no one remembers, because I sure as hell didn't remember. And it appears the internet doesn't remember it as well, as information on it is hard to find.

Essentially it was an award show held in December each year, celebrating and honoring big things that occurred in pop culture that year. A cool concept when you think about it. It's lost to time though as the earliest I can find the Awards existed was 2002, and experienced some breaks through the years having its last show in 2015 (which I don't recall at all.)

4. Scream Awards

The Scream Awards was a Spike TV (now the Paramount network) production back it was a network catered to men. Kicking off in 2006, the awards show honored everything in horror, sci-fi, comic books and fantasy. Genres that were deemed "overlooked".

The last ceremony held was in 2011 as many of those genres became accepted and more popular, with the general population. In addition to Spike TV moving in other directions with programming.

3. TV Guide Awards

At one time TV Guide was a hugeeee deal. People relied on the printed magazines to keep them in the loop with what is coming on. As technology advanced that reliance moved to the TV Guide channel, the scrolling looping schedule of programming by the hour. And then it was a big accomplishment for a celebrity to make the cover of the TV Guide magazine.

The TV Guide Awards were originally held in the fifties and sixties before being discontinued. It was revived in 1999 and lasted until February 2001. Right around the time digital cable was becoming available and people didn't see much need in the TV Guide function or brand.

2. Blockbuster Entertainment Awards

Back when Blockbuster ruled the rental world they further added to their dominace by making an Awards ceremony. The idea was to use the branding to promote stores and highlight big budget films and celebrities. The ones that probably would never be nominated for Academy Awards, Golden Globes, or SAG Awards.

It also appeared hip and cool, filling that niche of appealing to young adults and teenagers. The first Awards ceremony kicked off in 1995 and ended in 2001. Another relic of how strong the Blockbuster brand was at one time, and of a bygone era.

1. TV Land Awards

The TV Land Awards were one awards ceremony I really never watched the whole event. However, I liked the concept in that it followed the original mission of the TV Land channel. Honoring the sitcoms of yesteryear while acknowledging the present and future.

As such award categories were meant to honor the past with like "groundbreaking shows" or "groundbreaking rules", "pioneer", "innovator", "Fan Favorite" etc. There were a few categories that carried over year after year. For the most part the categories changed, and in an acknowledgment to the present there was a "future classic" category for modern shows popular at the time. 

This award show was different from the rest and kicked off in 2003 and ended in 2015. One award ceremony I'm actually sad it had to end.

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Hollywood Needs To Adjust Release Schedule

 I celebrated another year around the sun the end of last month. One issue I have every year is exactly what to do on my birthday? Unlike folks born in warmer months, my options are really limited if I'm not going on vacation. Then I looked into social events like axe throwing, wreck rooms, and bowling but looking at the cost compared to time spent participating in one of these activities. I didn't find it worth it, so I looked at old faithful the movie theaters.

The only thing playing that I kind of had a passing interest in was the Mean Girls remake. Now, of course inventory is low on movie releases due to the respective 148 writers strike and 118 day actors strike last year. However, it got me thinking about movies released in January.

Typically January is usually a dumping ground of movies that studios aren't really sure what to do with. If a movie was released in December of the previous year to generate some Oscar buzz. The studios ride that out while releasing throw away films.

In recent years though studios have started to release bigger films on MLK weekend. Bad Boys For Life became the highest grossing movie released in January when it debuted in 2020.

The Blockbuster movie season is from late April to mid August.  I think it's time Hollywood starts thinking outside the box and release a "blockbuster" film or two during January. For one with covid and then the writers and actors strike, movie theaters have been taking a hell of a one-two punch in recent years. They need more quality films that bring audiences to the theaters and not just in the condensed months towards the middle and end of the year.

Second, to be honest a lot of blockbuster films haven't really been blockbustering. For example Fast X and The Flash are blockbuster films released last summer that were disappointing. Did they really need to be released when they did? Or could they have been released earlier in the year when people are content starved and negative word of mouth may not have played a part and hit them so hard.

Lastly, with the advancement of streaming and audience perception that going to the theaters is no longer required. Studios and theaters need to combat that perception year round and emphasize there is nothing like seeing a movie in theaters for the first time.

The best way to do that? Give people reasons to see movies in theaters all year long. For the right film people will turn out, for instance when Black Panther debuted in February of 2018.

 Now, I can understand hesitation from theaters to sink alot of money into releasing a movie in January with weather concerns. One ssnowstorm or harsh cold streak on the east coast and Midwest would derail the box office take for those films.

But we're in a new time that requires new ways of doing things. There are a lot of jobs dependent on those industries and they need to be creative with how they survive. And with so much reaching for consumers wallets and attention, switching things up and experimenting is always a good idea in my book.

For someone like myself who enjoys the movie going experience, I wouldn't mind making a birthday celebration out of seeing a new must see release every year. Here's to hoping Hollywood takes heed.

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Friday Night In The 90's What A Time

If you've read any of my blogs you can probably tell that I am a very nostalgic person. As a 80's baby I love late 80's to early 2000's content. And although I can acknowledge that times have changed and I thoroughly enjoy most of the technological advancements we have in today's world. I still think about all the good times and thing's I experienced as a kid in the 90's, that today's kid's will never experience.

One of them being Friday night's in the 90's. A instagram reel my buddy shared with me about Blockbuster recently sparked a conversation about how good we had it back then. Besides not having any real care in the world, Friday night's in the 90's were just special. 

First up was a choice of what's for takeout? Pizza, McDonald's, Sub shop...now as an adult with a family I completely get the urge to order takeout on Friday after a long work week. 

Once that was decided it was time to go to Blockbuster. Browsing through the blue and yellow aisles was just magical, renting a old favorite you have all weekend to watch it. Renting a brand new released film you had no time to waste on. I think I remember Blockbusters policy was you had to return it the next day. Same rule applied for video games.

Once you made your selection, we may grab a bag of microwave popcorn or movie theater packaged candy to make it a whole experience. Check out, pick up the food and head home. Once at home it was time to turn on ABC network at 8:00 pm and watch the legendary block of sitcoms TGIF. Featuring some of our favorites over the years, Perfect Strangers, Boy Meets World, Full House, Family Matters, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Dinosaurs, and many more.

Once the block ended at 10:00 pm, it was time to watch the rented Blockbuster movie, or play the video game. And somehow magically, we could stay up as late as possible to watch it and be ok the next day. Everything, was 10x more fun if you had cousins or the kid next door spending the night.

You really had to be there, but it is just an experience wrapped in the time capsule of greatness that we'll never get back. It's amazing that something so simple has held such a important place in a generation of folks hearts all these years later.

 A testament to how amazing it was.

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