# Huge successes then, completely forgotten now **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 5, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315 "2010-08-05T19:32:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/201 "2010-08-16T13:42:33Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > National Lampoon was supposedly one of the top magazines in the country, by subscription. For that matter, what about TV Guide magazine? I think the circulation was once over 20 million, it made billions for the Annenbergs (who gave away a fortune for arts and education) and then was sold to News America in 1988 for $3 billion (at which point I think it was obvious that the magazine was doomed by the increasing number of channels). It’s still around, and Wikipedia says the circulation is 2.4 million (which is probably still among the biggest in America) but it’s nowhere nearly as important as it once was. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/202 "2010-08-16T15:12:45Z")
Anyone else remember “After Dark” screen savers (flying toasters, etc)? THE hot product for a couple of years. Then…poof. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/203 "2010-08-16T15:17:17Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Anyone else remember “After Dark” screen savers (flying toasters, etc)? THE hot product for a couple of years. Then…poof. Yep, monitors started getting power-saving features that turned them off and saved electricity when they were not in use for a while, so you couldn’t see the screen saver anyway. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/204 "2010-08-16T15:18:15Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Is John (Cougar) Mellencamp still on anybody’s radar screens? I don’t even know if the dude is still with us on the mortal plane . . . I saw him last week. He was opening for Dylan. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/205 "2010-08-16T15:19:15Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > > [@StusBlues](#): > > > > On our second date, my now-girlfriend (who had been very reticent up to that point) pointedly asked me: “Do you like Johnny Carson”? When I responded in the affirmative, she went into an adoring spiel about her favorite Carson moments. > > > > She’s 24. > > > > Carson lives. > > I’m curious though, how did she know anything about him? From watching while she was a kid? YouTube? Buying DVDs or something? DVDs, then YouTube. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/206 "2010-08-16T16:17:12Z")
Some other forgotten pop phenom: **The Dick Cavett Show, the Mike Douglas Show & the Phil Donahue Show** - Nowadays, people tend to think Oprah invented the daytime gabfest show, and that the shows were always hosted by sassy diva women. [Simon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_%28game%29)! In fifth grade, one kid in my class had a Simon and brought it to school to show everybody. EVERYBODY, even the teachers, hovered around his desk the entire day. Class was even held up for 20 minutes while the teacher & that kid played with it. **Tie-dyes**. A 60s craze that came back & was arguably even more popular in the 80s than it was in its’ “60s heyday.” I can’t remember the last time I saw one. **Reggae & Ska music**. They were all the rage in the early 80s, in my youth. You’d never know that now from any 80s nostalgia movies or specials. Never even gets mentioned as being part of pop culture. One of those VH1 specials about the 80s even makes a passing mention of the English Beat and refers to them as a New Wave band! ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/207 "2010-08-16T16:49:54Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > **Tie-dyes**. A 60s craze that came back & was arguably even more popular in the 80s than it was in its’ “60s heyday.” I can’t remember the last time I saw one. You can’t remember the last time you saw a tie-dye shirt? Do you never leave the house and don’t watch any TV. They’re by no means popular any more, but I can’t say as if I’ve ever gone a whole week without seeing at least one. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/208 "2010-08-16T17:14:47Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > > [@Koxinga](#): > > > > Is John (Cougar) Mellencamp still on anybody’s radar screens? I don’t even know if the dude is still with us on the mortal plane . . . > > Yes, in fact he’s got a new album coming out in a few weeks. He may not sell like he did, but he’s now a critical darling and still puts up decent numbers. He’s also currently touring with Bob Dylan. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/209 "2010-08-16T17:53:14Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > AOL. It’s still a huge company but they have many diversified interests now; when most Internet users were still dial up and pay per minute the “You’ve Got Mail” was probably the most heard electronic voice in existence, but now, it’s almost nostaligic when you hear it. (And those ‘over’ fees- damn!) > Compuserve also- huge in the late 90s. I bought one of my computers with a $400 rebate check from them for agreeing to a 3 year service contract. Now it’s rare that you see a compuserve email address even. I wonder if my Prodigy email still works. I used to use it when not on the BBSs (and for sysops, WWIV was rad) ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/210 "2010-08-17T00:24:57Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > [@Superhal](#): > > > > National Lampoon was supposedly one of the top magazines in the country, by subscription. > > For that matter, what about TV Guide magazine? I think the circulation was once over 20 million, it made billions for the Annenbergs (who gave away a fortune for arts and education) and then was sold to News America in 1988 for $3 billion (at which point I think it was obvious that the magazine was doomed by the increasing number of channels). It’s still around, and Wikipedia says the circulation is 2.4 million (which is probably still among the biggest in America) but it’s nowhere nearly as important as it once was. Yep, I think TV Guide is still the top magazine in the US. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/211 "2010-08-17T00:39:50Z")
I can’t figure out how to read the channel guide pages in the TV guide, I only glance at Matt Roush’s column and Cheers and Jeers while waiting in the checkout line. Tie-dye is still around, every mall has a shop full of new age crap, Indian imports, and tie dyed things. If you have a daughter in Brownies or Scouts, I guarantee you, she will someday ask for one of dad’s white tee shirts because they’re going to tie-dye them. Here’s one: fondue pots, with a little sterno flame to melt the cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/212 "2010-08-17T00:59:06Z")
From the computer gaming world (all of these at one time or another had the best selling games, and each new release would set some sort of new record): Richard Garriot and Origin Systems, although somehow Ultima Online is still around ID Software (apparently they’re still around, but not producing best-sellers anymore) Sir-Tech software (Most well known for the Wizardry series) Ken and Roberta Williams, Sierra On-Line (closed 2008) Infocom stopped in 2002 ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/213 "2010-08-17T01:48:42Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Here’s one: fondue pots, with a little sterno flame to melt the cheese. They never went out of fashion at Swiss and Austrian restaurants, but they’re enjoying a renaissance here at the moment at private dinner parties. I’ve encountered fondue on the menu at three dinners so far this winter. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/214 "2010-08-17T01:59:38Z")
How about BMX? It used to be massive, but are any kids still into that? Faces of Death videos - a very popular cult underground following but probably irrevelant now. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/215 "2010-08-17T02:13:11Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > How about BMX? It used to be massive, but are any kids still into that? Oh yes, it’s huge. A BMX bicycle now set up for tricks is worth like $1k. I remember buying a Mongoose for $20 used. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/216 "2010-08-17T09:09:01Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > ID Software (apparently they’re still around, but not producing best-sellers anymore) id Software is still one of the biggest PC developers in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/217 "2010-08-17T10:19:02Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > Some other forgotten pop phenom: > > **The Dick Cavett Show, the Mike Douglas Show & the Phil Donahue Show** - Nowadays, people tend to think Oprah invented the daytime gabfest show, and that the shows were always hosted by sassy diva women. > > [Simon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_%28game%29)! In fifth grade, one kid in my class had a Simon and brought it to school to show everybody. EVERYBODY, even the teachers, hovered around his desk the entire day. Class was even held up for 20 minutes while the teacher & that kid played with it. > > **Tie-dyes**. A 60s craze that came back & was arguably even more popular in the 80s than it was in its’ “60s heyday.” I can’t remember the last time I saw one. > > **Reggae & Ska music**. They were all the rage in the early 80s, in my youth. You’d never know that now from any 80s nostalgia movies or specials. Never even gets mentioned as being part of pop culture. One of those VH1 specials about the 80s even makes a passing mention of the English Beat and refers to them as a New Wave band! The one I remember before those guys was Virginia Graham. So there was at least one sassy woman before Oprah. > **[Virginia Graham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Graham)** > > Virginia Graham, born Virginia Komiss, (July 4, 1912 – December 22, 1998) was an American daytime television talk show host from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. On television, Graham hosted the syndicated programs Food for Thought (1953–1957), Girl Talk (1963–1969) and The Virginia Graham Show (1970–1972). She was also a guest on many other programs. > Graham was born and raised in Chicago. Her father, an immigrant from Germany, became a successful businessman who owned the Komiss department-store... Lots of bands from that era got labeled as New Wave because it was a catch-all phrase for anything new and a little different from AOR. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/218 "2010-08-17T10:49:12Z")
Long time since I’ve heard anyone make any kind of reference at all to the [Dinah Shore](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinah!) show. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/219 "2010-08-17T14:40:24Z")
I remember the Virginia Graham show! Used to watch it with my grandmother. I remember Malvina Reynolds singing “Little Boxes” - and Gypsy Rose Lee, as guests. Older talk shows - Joe Franklin and David Susskind. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315/220 "2010-08-18T01:41:14Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > > [@Superhal](#): > > > > ID Software (apparently they’re still around, but not producing best-sellers anymore) > > id Software is still one of the biggest PC developers in the world. From wiki entry: On June 24, 2009, it was announced that id Software had been acquired by ZeniMax Media. The deal would eventually affect publishing deals id Software had before the acquisition, namely Rage, which was being published through Electronic Arts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/huge-successes-then-completely-forgotten-now/549315.md?page=12)