Episode Summary
On this episode, we're talking about a show that was extremely pivotal to Hip Hop becoming mainstream. This show brought Black culture into living rooms all across North America on a nightly basis, at a time when pretty much no one else was doing it, and it was done in a way that wasn't sugar coated or watered down. The Arsenio Hall Show was the first late night show that was truly for us.
Transcript
Miguel: This is They Reminisce Over You. I'm Miguel.
Christina: And I'm Christina. We wanted to take a minute to make a small request of all our listeners. If you're listening to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Goodpods or Podchaser, leave us a five star rating. You can also leave a review as well on Apple, Goodpods and Podchaser. Ratings, and reviews will help us with discoverability. And we want to get this out to as many like-minded folks as we can.
Miguel: We wanna get on the first page of these podcast apps.
Christina: And to move up on the charts as well. So help us get the word out.
Miguel: Make sure to follow and interact with us on social media. We're @troypodcast on the 'gram and the bird. Also check out our website, troypodcast.com. It's where we post links to a lot of the things that we mention in the show, as well as transcripts and themed playlists that supplement our episodes and more.
Christina: Thank you again for your support. You ready to get into the show?
Miguel: Let's do it.
[theme music plays]
Christina: Welcome back to They Reminisce Over You. I'm Christina.
Miguel: And I'm Miguel. On this episode we are talking about something that was pivotal to both of our lives and probably yours as well. It premiered on January 3rd, 1989. On Stage 29 at Paramount Studios on Melrose Avenue in the heart of Hollywood, California. In these United States of America. On this planet we call Earth. It's the Arseniooooooooo Hall Show.
Christina: Woof woof woof! Aww, my dog pound's terrible.
Miguel: Yeah, you weren't woof-ing too hard.
Christina: I wasn't.
Miguel: But we are talking about Arsenio Hall, specifically his television show that ran in late '80s, early '90s. The Arsenio Hall Show was a place where... let's just say it, Black people could go be seen on television in a late night sense. Unlike a lot of other shows that they had to go on and be all buttoned up and stuffy, and that's even if they got a chance to be on it.
Christina: Mm-hmm.
Miguel: So that's what we're gonna talk about this week. You ready?
Christina: All right.
Miguel: All right. So how familiar were you with Arsenio prior to The Arsenio Hall Show?
Christina: I don't think I knew him.
Miguel: Okay.
Christina: Because if this show started in '89, like, I don't think I really watched him much until closer to his later years.
Miguel: Right.
Christina: 'Cause I don't think I was staying up that late.
Miguel: At 10.
Christina: At 10, so...
Miguel: I didn't know much about him either, but he was kind of like, the guy in the thing.
Christina: Yeah.
Miguel: Like, I've seen that dude before.
Christina: Mm-hmm.
Miguel: And this is about to be a real old nigga comment right here. He was the in-house comedian on a show called Solid Gold.
Christina: Oh, I know Solid Gold.
Miguel: You know Solid Gold. So he was on Solid Gold and he would come on and do like a two, three minute set.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: During the show.
Christina: I know Solid Gold but I don't know Solid Gold.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: I know what it is.
Miguel: So that's where I first saw him.
Christina: Okay.
Miguel: And then, you know, he's just doing like, standup sets on the late night shows and whatnot. So, that's the only thing I really knew about him prior to him having his own show. I didn't realize that the way he got the show was being a fill-in for Joan Rivers, on her show.
Christina: Right. I just found out about that today.
Miguel: So, maybe other people don't know that as well. So, I'm gonna give a quick backstory on The Joan Rivers Show. So, Joan gets a show on Fox. Doing her own thing over there, she's beefing with the Fox execs. They're like, all right you can go. So she lasted about a year.
Christina: Mm-hmm.
Miguel: And they canceled the show. It had I think maybe 20 weeks left, so they were rotating different hosts in every week. Arsenio was one of those people. His week hit, they were like, hey there's 13 weeks left. We just want you to do the rest of it.[1] He's like, all right cool. That works for me. I got a movie coming up I need to be over here doing anyway. The show became a hit and basically Paramount was like—
Christina: We got something here.
Miguel: We got something here. So he's doing the film, Coming to America for Paramount and they're like—
Christina: A little film.
Miguel: A little, small film. And they're like, hey, when you're done with this, you want to continue doing this shit over here? And he's like, yeah, I'll do it. And The Arsenio Hall Show was born. Which started, like I said January 3rd, 1989.
Late '80s, early '90s is when hip hop is starting to blow up. So, White people are getting a little bit of a peek into what's happening into the world of the Negroes.
Christina: [laughs]
Miguel: And that was really due to Yo! MTV Raps and The Arsenio Hall Show. Because his crowds were always mixed. Even though it's skewed heavily Black.
Christina: Yeah. Normally when you go to tapings you don't know who's gonna be on right?
Miguel: No.
Christina: Or do you...'cause sometimes—
Miguel: No...sometimes you would, depending on the show. Sometimes you would sometimes you wouldn't.
Christina: Because sometimes the audience would change depending on—I saw some differences based on his guests.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: In some of the videos.
Miguel: But he was able to get like, a-list stars on the show because of his previous run with Joan's show.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: His first guest was Brooke Shields...and Luther Vandross, so—
Christina: Okay. That was some big names at the time.
Miguel: Yeah, so that's what he came out the gate with. And it was a place for young Black people to be seen and heard basically. Like we mentioned in our previous episode, Jodeci was on a lot.
Christina: Many times.
Miguel: So the urban youth of the early '90s. Their home was The Arsenio Hall Show.
Christina: Yeah, I also read that he was the first person to put Snoop on tv and...
Miguel: Mariah Carey.
Christina: I bought a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey because Snoop was wearing it, and I was like, I want that.
[both laugh]
Miguel: I remember that episode.
Christina: And yeah, I don't care for hockey, but that jersey.
Miguel: Yeah. Nobody—nobody was caring about hockey at that time. We were just trying to be fashionable cause the rappers had it.
Christina: I was like, I want it. And I got it.
[both laugh]
Miguel: Yeah. But immediately the show blew up. It got to the point where they were being parodied[2] on SNL. And you know you've made it when they parody you on SNL.
Christina: Yeah.
Miguel: There was a sketch called The Carsenio Hall Show.
Christina: Okay.
Miguel: And basically Dana Carvey was playing Johnny Carson, who was trying to keep up with Arsenio. So he started acting like Arsenio and changed the name of his show to The Carsenio Hall Show. So he had a flat to—a white flat top and a baggy red suit. He got his finger extended.
Christina: [laughs] Yes. Arsenio and those long ass fingers.
Miguel: So he was "woof, woof, woof."
Christina: I'm gonna have to look that up.
Miguel: It was pretty funny. It went on a little too long, but it was funny.
Christina: Okay.
Miguel: Keenan Ivory Wayans did him on In Living Color as well.[3] So he crossed over. He was a star.
Christina: On both sides.
Miguel: Yes.
Christina: In the two Americas.
Miguel: Yes.
Christina: And some Canadians.
Miguel: And you say two Americas, but that's basically where the two Americas came together was on The Arsenio Hall Show.
Christina: True. 'Cause you know what? I remember Arsenio's show being very Black. But—
Miguel: There were a lot of White people.
Christina: Yeah. When I was looking up just random clips, I was like, there's a lot of White people on here.
Miguel: There were.
Christina: Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell came on together.
Miguel: But you notice, they were cool White people.
Christina: Drew Barrymore.
Miguel: Yes. Drew Barrymore.
Christina: Madonna, of course.
Miguel: Madonna. It was the White people that we liked.
Christina: Well, there was an episode—one of the Jodeci episodes, the guest was one of the ladies from Designing Women.
Miguel: Okay.
Christina: And a comedian that I don't know but you might know. I was like, okay, I wonder if they know who Jodeci is. Let me grab the comedian's name...Will Durst.
Miguel: I don't. I know Fred Durst.
Christina: No, not Fred Durst.
Miguel: No relation.
Christina: I think this was the first time Jodeci was on so they were performing with the band, the house band.
Miguel: Ah, I remember that.
Christina: And then they ended up performing "Stay." 'Cause the clip that I saw they just cut out all the interviews.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: But they left like, the, the intro in where they're like, "Dixie Carter from Designing Women. Will Durst..." And I'm like, who?
Miguel: Yeah, I don't know Will Durst.
Christina: He was described as a political comedian—
Miguel: Okay.
Christina: By Arsenio. He's...older, bald, White man. But I thought it was funny that some of the songs that they performed while they were in the band, of course they did their own songs, "Come and Talk to Me," "Forever My Lady." But they did "Whip Appeal" and I know you hate Babyface songs.
Miguel: I don't hate them.
Christina: You do not—
Miguel: I just have an extreme dislike.
Christina: You do not like Babyface songs. I was like, hmm, I should play this for you and see if you like the Jodeci version of "Whip Appeal." And they...
Miguel: I'm going to have to look into this.
Christina: Also did Stevie Wonder, of course, "You Will Know" and "I Like."
Miguel: Yeah, I'm gonna have to look into this "Whip Appeal."
Christina: Because I was like, oh, Babyface!
Miguel: I'm not buying it.
Christina: And usually when you think of Jodeci, you don't think of Babyface.
Miguel: Not at all.
Christina: I think you should look it up.
Miguel: I think I will.
Christina: I have the link and I will send it to you[4].
Miguel: I think I will.
Christina: Are you enjoying this podcast?
Miguel: Hell yeah.
Christina: If you are as much as he is, there's a couple things that you can do. You can feel free to drop some coins into our collection plate at ko-fi.com/troypodcast . And that's "ko-fi" K O dash F I .com. Link is also in the show notes. We're self-funded, so any support would be appreciated. And if you don't have any extra coins to spare, just leave us a 5 star rating or review. Like JLo's love, it won't cost you a thing.
Miguel: You just sitting at home on the couch anyhow.
Christina: Alright, thanks.
Miguel: Back to the show.
Miguel: So what did you like about The Arsenio Hall Show?
Christina: Well—
Miguel: What drew you to it?
Christina: Because this was also the time, as you know, I've said so many times. But, this show also came out when I was coming into my own in terms of forming my own musical tastes. And just growing up in Canada like, we didn't have a lot of access to these shows and channels that you had. We didn't have BET at the time yet and we didn't have like The Box and just a lot of stuff where you would find music and entertainment and stuff. So, Arsenio gave me like, one more outlet.
Miguel: Right.
Christina: To...to see and discover, you know, more of the music and entertainment and stuff that I was getting into. Because he had multiple interviews with Tupac. He had multiple interviews with Jodeci. This is where I was introduced to Margaret Cho.
Miguel: Right.
Christina: And even just like, random artists like, Lil' Vicious.
Miguel: Lil' Vicious.
Christina: Where are you gonna see Lil' Vicious?
Miguel: Wow.
Christina: Wu-Tang. I can't even remember. Like, Eddie Murphy was on there every other week it seems.
Miguel: Yeah, that was an event whenever Eddie was gonna be on.
Christina: Yeah, just a lot of—all this stuff that I wanted to see at least I could see it on a somewhat regular basis. Back in those days you would watch these music awards shows like American Music Awards or Billboard and you'd have to watch this two hour show just for like, maybe LL might perform.
Miguel: Right.
Christina: But at least you can count on this. Even though I don't remember, but apparently there were still a lot of White celebrities on here.
Miguel: There were.
Christina: But I don't even remember it that way.
Miguel: Yeah, the numbers were skewed leaning towards us rather than the Whites.
Christina: So, yeah it was just one more way for me to kind of, build my budding interests.
Miguel: Yeah. Yeah, if you weren't watching BET or Yo! MTV Raps once a week, this is where you were getting your entertainment content from.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: At least from an urban perspective and from a young perspective as well. You weren't getting your older actors. Like, Lou Gossett Jr. might be on the Johnny Carson show but that's because he's been acting for 40 years. But you'll have Lou Gossett on the Johnny Carson show and he'll come on Arsenio and you get two completely interviews.
Christina: Right. Yeah, that's the thing too cause I mean all of the celebrities like, the interview I watched with Drew Barrymore, Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell, like everyone was just really like, chill, basically.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell were basically like two 15 year olds[5]. They just kept ribbing each other throughout the entire interview. He makes his interviews feel like you're just sitting around chatting.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: Like, even though he's still asking questions, it's still an interview, the guests seem more relaxed.
Miguel: Because you're not going on talking to somebody that's your father's age. Like, you're talking to a peer.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: You go on the Johnny Carson show and he's in his sixties. What do you have in common with him if you are Kurt Russell? Other than being White and famous.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: Like you're significantly younger. You're gonna go on promote your movie and get out. Whereas you and Arsenio are in the same age group.
Christina: And I think also because Arsenio did have relationships with a lot of his guests, like, friendships or he at least kind of knew them...
Miguel: Right.
Christina: That also helped with the rapport cause it's like, no, like, I've been to his house.
Miguel: Yeah. Well, when he was doing The Joan Rivers Show and he's talking to Eric Dickerson, that's what he was talking about. Being at his house, cause he's talking about Eric's dogs and he's like, "You've got some mean ass dogs, man. And I was scared when I was at your house." Like, you don't hear that coming from other people. Like, you think Johnny Carson gonna say that? "Hey, Eric Dickerson, I was scared of your dogs when I was at your house." No, he's not.
Christina: And then if he said that, it just would sound wrong.
Miguel: Yeah. You, you lying. You were not at his house. Coming from Arsenio, it's believable.
Christina: And I think the other interesting thing is, is like, he was very aware of the intersection of where he was.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: Because there was some explanatory commas for, you know, when you're in "mixed" company.
Miguel: Right.
Christina:You don't wanna leave anybody out. Like, when Will Smith was on they immediately went until these like, yo mama jokes. And talked about the last time he was on and they were doing that too.
Miguel: Right.
Christina: They're like, "How's your mom?" and then started again. Then they kind of stopped to explain "the dozens" and your mama jokes And Will was like, "You know, people were probably thinking I thought he was nice."
Miguel: Right.
Christina: "Why is he talking about his mom like this?" So, they took a little pause to explain that it's just jokes.
Miguel: We are not serious.
Christina: And so, he's definitely aware of that. And also, on the flip side then you have an interview with Tupac talking about working with Janet[6] and he was saying that everyone was like, "Yeah they were asking me about smelling that punani." I'm like—
Miguel: Oh God.
Christina: Oh that's not a word that you would expect to hear on any other late night show.
Miguel: Not at all.
Christina: Or uttered after 1994.
Miguel: Which is when he said it.
Christina: [laughs]
Yeah. And then he ended up performing "I Get Around." You got these dudes playing dice in the background. Um, you're gonna get that on Arsenio.
Miguel: Yeah. Yeah, just the format of the show itself was different.
Christina: Yeah.
Miguel: Like you mentioned earlier, The Dog Pound was the area where there were maybe, 35 to 40 people sitting behind the band and they were part of the show. Like, they're the ones who were leading the "woof, woof, woof, woof." And every night he would give them like a different name, "And this is the Dog Pound, these are the people who..."[7] The one I saw he said "These are the people who love and respect me."[8] And every time he would turn his back they would start giving him the finger and then he would turn around and they would smile and clap for him again. He turns his back and they're giving him the finger again.
Christina: Oh man.
Miguel: So every night The Dog Pound was a different group. "These are the people who are witness protection program" and their faces are all pixelated for the entire episode.
Christina: Yeah.
Miguel: So you had that. His band, The Posse.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: They're playing all the R&B hits rather than some random—what is it called? Ballroom music.
Christina: Yeah. Not this waltz music.
Miguel: Yeah. So, they were coming in playing jams.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: He'd go over there and give ol' boy—the touching the finger. So, it was a lot different than anything that was on TV at the time.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: And it was targeted towards young people as opposed to baby boomers.
Christina: Yeah, I think even though he tried to skew towards Black, I think he did make an effort to not leave anybody out. But also was like, I'm not catering to you, though.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: You're welcome to be here—
Miguel: But it's not made for you.
Christina: Yeah. 'Cause I saw—the video I sent you that there was some gay rights organization that tried to protest him. But normally, you know, in general, that's not necessarily a bad thing. But, they seemed to be like, more skewing White than gay.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: Because they're like, "How come you never have gay people on your your show?" And he's like, "Well, first of all, I might have but they just don't talk about it cause it's none of your business. And also I have. I've had so and so and so and so. Just cause you don't know who they are doesn't mean I don't have them."
Miguel: Right.
Christina: And then they were like, "How come you don't have this person and that person?" He's like, "I don't even know who that is." He's like, "It's my show. When this person does something I'm interested in, I'll have them on the show."
Miguel: Yeah. He was not taking anything from them at that point.
Christina: But I was like, oh, oh, all right. And then after the commercial break he kind of tried to put his late night host back on.
Miguel: Yeah. He apologized like three times before they went to commercial.
Christina: Yeah. But then when the first guest came out he was still talking about because the—
Miguel: "Oh you thought I was gonna run from this?[9]" Nah.
Christina: He's like, we gonna talk about it.
Miguel:And then went out into the crowd.
Christina: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Miguel: You definitely weren't getting that on any other show.
Christina: Definitely not. But there was one of the interviews with Tupac, he was saying how rappers had issues with him. And Arsenio was like, "I don't know why, I'm the one putting them on the show, unlike other people." And then Tupac was like, "Yeah I know." He's like, "I get it." And he's like, "When I was first coming out I was like, Arsenio should put me on the show." He's like, "I didn't understand the business back then."
Miguel: Right.
Christina: "I figured, you know, if I'm out, then he should support me." And he's like, "I didn't realize that you had to like, kind of work up to it a little bit.[10]"
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: So, I think you know when you're the first to do something, there's gonna be a lot of expectations about you should do more, or you should do less of this and more of that.
Miguel: Right.
Christina: But I think he did a good job of balancing that, but still making the show that he wanted to make.
Miguel: Yeah. Well like I said he was the first place that a lot of people made their television debuts.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: Mariah Carey , that was the first place she was ever on television. So, he was the place to go[11].
Christina: Especially if you were of the, uh, tanner skin tone.
Miguel: Yes.
Christina: Well, I mean, I'm gonna bring this back to Margaret Cho[12]. I think she was one of the first Asian women I saw on TV that wasn't an extra or something stereotypical. I don't know.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: I just remember seeing—it made an impact on me.
Miguel: Right.
Christina: And she was like, a comedian and she was just like, loud and like, I don't know. She would make fun of her Korean mom and I was like, I've seen anything like this before. Because like, when I was watching TV, I would just gravitate towards what felt the closest to me or whatever.
Miguel: Right.
Christina: So it was nice to see like, an actual Asian person.
[music break]
Miguel: So, with that said, what are your favorite moments from the show?
Christina: I think the obvious choice would be, given my several mentions and our last episode. But the Jodeci—well, one Jodeci performance in particular.
Miguel: Okay.
Christina: 'Cause they've been on several times. But the one where they came on with Mary (J. Blige) as well. So, Mary and K-Ci performed "I Don't Wanna Do Anything.[13]" And then they performed "Lately." And then Stevie Wonder makes this surprise appearance. I don't know if it was surprise to them, but it was set up as a surprise to the audience at least. Cause halfway through "Lately," Stevie comes out.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: And then they have a jam session together at the end. Like, Mary, Jodeci and Stevie. And this was the first time I heard "You Will Know," 'cause I wasn't really listening to Stevie like that. I knew who he was. But yeah, that was the first time I heard that song. And so you have like, my favorite R&B singer or my favorite female singer with my favorite male group in one spot at a time where I was just discovering them too.
Miguel: Right.
Christina: That's the thing I remember the most.
Miguel: For me it's a couple of 'em. So, the first one is Eazy-E just being on the set wearing a robe.[14] Like, he's wearing a robe and a Compton hat. Talking about the beef between Ruthless and Death Row.
Another one is obviously with old Slick Willie, Bill Clinton playing the saxophone[15] when he was running for president. He sat in with the band all night. But there was so many to choose from. But the one that I'm going with as my favorite moment is from the last episode with all of the rappers coming out to—
Christina: Yes.
Miguel: Do this big cipher.[16]
Christina: That was my number two.
Miguel: So, I'm gonna go with that one as my favorite moment and probably everybody's favorite moment who were watching the show regularly at the time.
Christina: I have a note about that actually. So, I listed all the people who were there for those who might be curious. It was Yo-Yo, MC Lyte Naughty by Nature, Tribe Called Quest, Fu-Schnickens, CL Smooth. I couldn't see who was the DJ. I thought I saw....Pete Rock?[17]
Miguel: I couldn't tell and I don't remember.
Christina: It was very blurry.
Miguel: It wasn't a good copy.
Christina: 'Cause I was like, CL Smooth is there but...
Miguel: Yeah, I don't remember who the DJ was.
Christina: Guru, Das EFX, Wu-Tang, KRS-One and Mad Lion and ODB ending the performance by chanting "The Black man is God!" over and over again.
[both laugh]
Miguel: Yeah that I'm going with that one as my favorite performance because he went out with a bang.
Christina: He sure did.
Miguel: It—It's just funny that it only had like, a five year run. And yet we have The Tonight Show that's been on for 50 years[18] or whatever.
Miguel: Even though we've gotten younger hosts over the past few years with Jay Leno who ended up being old cause he was on it for so long and then Conan O'Brien taking over. So they've gotten younger hosts, but it still wasn't this. And even now with Jimmy Fallon.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: That's probably as close as we're gonna get, with The Roots being part of his show. But it's still not The Arsenio Hall Show.
Christina: It isn't. The closest I would say, which is now I'm sad to say, but Desus & Mero.
Miguel: Yeah, but they really didn't have like, musical performances.
Christina: They didn't have music and stuff, but in terms of just having a late night show that was skewed towards us. You know, get in where you fit in. But we know their primary audience.
Miguel: Yeah, I just wish that this could have had that kind of run that The Late Show or The Tonight Show has had. He did come back a couple years ago, but it was too late because there's other places where you can get this content now.
Christina: Yeah, I don't think I—
Miguel: I think if it had just continued then he probably could still be doing it.
Christina: I don't even think I saw any of the new stuff. The second run was 2013?
Miguel: Yeah, I watched a couple of them.
Christina: I don't remember if I've seen any of it.
Miguel: It was cool. It was pretty much the same show but, like I said, we're getting that content from everywhere now. So, I think it would've been better if that show was allowed to continue.
Christina: So I don't know why it ended. I did, when I was—
Miguel: Ratings.
Christina: Ratings. I saw, I don't know an article from somewhere, that there was an "ill advised" 60 minute interview with Louis Farrakhan and said—
Miguel: That didn't help.
Christina: Subsequent ratings drop. I don't know if that was the cause, or...
Miguel: It didn't help.
Christina: Okay. But then like what would make people just not wanna watch it anymore?
Miguel: Well, if you are watching the show and you're kind of on the fence like, yeah I like this Negro stuff. And then Louis Farrakhan shows up talking about kill the White devil. He didn't say kill the White devil but Louis Farrakhan was doing Louis Farrakhan things and saying things that made people uncomfortable. So, it's like, I'm not going back to that. This ain't what I'm here for. You turned your back on me Arsenio! I thought you were one of the good ones! It was that kind of situation.
Christina: It wasn't ODB saying "The Black man is God!"
Miguel: Well, it was already canceled by then.
Christina: Oh yeah that's true. They can say whatever they want. That was the last episode.
Miguel: That was the last show but I think it should have lasted a few more years at least.
Christina: I don't really remember. I just remember it was on and then it wasn't.
Miguel: Yeah. And I wasn't happy about it because it was a while before we got anything else afterwards. And we still don't have anything now.
Christina: Yeah. Like, what would compare to that? Like I said, the closest thing I can think of is Desus & Mero but they didn't do music.
Miguel: Yeah, they didn't do that. And like I said, the content that we wanted then, get on Twitter today. Like, somebody's music video is being tweeted. Somebody performing somewhere.
Christina: Yeah.
Miguel: Like, you have Freddie Gibbs performing on Jimmy Fallon. So... we can get it anywhere now.
Christina: Yeah, I mean Kendrick Lamar was just on SNL.
Miguel: He was just on SNL two days ago.
Christina: I mean, we still don't have the kind of show that would give newer artists a try.
Miguel: Yeah.
Christina: Like you're not gonna see a Lil' Vicious type.
Miguel: Lil' Vicious. Oh God.
Christina: I just remember seeing this tiny little boy just dancing and singing. I was like, you singing about freak something?
Miguel: He sure was.
Christina: Okay, little boy.
Miguel: Lil' Vicious. The fact that Lil' Vicious has been brought up twice now, that tells me we're getting close to wrapping this up.
Christina: [laughs] Oh I did wanna mention one more thing that was in the favorite moments. Michael Jackson just casually appearing[19].
Miguel: Right. To give an award. And just like one of the YouTube comments said, "only Michael Jackson could show up to give an award and leave with one."
Christina: Yeah. But why were they presenting—It was like a MTV Awards one for King of Comedy to Eddie Murphy and then one for like, best video or something to Michael Jackson. But why were they doing that on Arsenio's show if it's an MTV award?
Miguel: Well, the way he explained it and I kind of remember this is, I think that's probably 1990 or so, and they were taking votes on the best this and best that and they gave the award on that show because they didn't come to the actual show.
Christina: Oh okay.
Miguel: So Michael wasn't there, Eddie wasn't there. So being a parent company of MTV, they were like, hey give it to 'em when they're on your show.
Christina: That's funny.
Miguel: Can we make this happen?
Christina: They couldn't be bothered to go to the MTV Awards but it'll just show up at Arsenio's show.
Miguel: That's what it was. Like, we can do this for Arsenio. Like, I don't come outta my house for just anybody.
Christina:Right.
Miguel: So, with that said, you have anything else you wanted to add about the Arsenio Haaaaall Show?
Christina: So I guess my closing thoughts for this is, that it really was an era.
Miguel: It was.
Christina: It was simultaneously mainstream because you had Julia Roberts in Pretty Women doing the "Woof, woof, woof—"
Miguel: Right.
Christina: At a polo match. But it felt like it was for us.
Miguel: Yeah. And if you weren't there, it won't make any sense to you. Especially today. Like, you try and describe that to a 22 year old, they're not gonna get it.
Christina: Yeah, cause they'd just be like, so what? They had some rappers on the show. Big deal. Right?
Miguel: Yeah. Exactly.
Christina: So what? Eddie Murphy came on.
Miguel: You had to be there for it.
Christina: Yeah.
Miguel: You had to be alive at a time when this didn't exist.
Christina: Right.
Miguel: And then it did. And everything was different after that. Well yeah, that's all I got.
Christina: Same.
Miguel: If you've got nothing else. I've got nothing else. And we can end this here.
Christina: I'll just go to YouTube and re-watch some stuff.
Miguel: Sounds good.
Christina: Okay.
Miguel: See you next week.
Christina: Bye.
Miguel: Bye.