# "The Next Big Things" that weren't **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 2, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890 "2010-08-02T14:09:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/81 "2010-08-05T04:38:07Z")
I have a friend who is the archetypal “Early Adopter of the Next Big Thing that won’t be”. Yep, Betamax. And bought albums on Reel-To-Reel Tapes. Then Laser Discs. And most recently invested heavily in replacing those Laser Discs with… HD DVDs. $500 for the player, almost as much to replace his best 'Discs with high-end Criterion HD DVDs. Now that he’s replaced those with Blu-Ray, you just know there’s new technology right around the corner. And if there are two competing “Hi-Def 360º 4D Holographic Films Streaming from The Cloud” brands, he’ll pick the wrong one. Actually, if you noticed, he’ll pick the one that’s technically superior, while the rest of the world ignores it for the cheaper, good enough version. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/82 "2010-08-05T05:57:52Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Is it just me or was Geovanni Ribisi supposed to be the next big “IT” star for a year or two there back in the early 2000’s, until finally dropping off the radar completely a few years ago? > > He was everywhere for a bit and then, nothing… His two most recent movies were _Public Enemies_ and _Avatar_ and according to IMDB he’s got six more movies in post-production so I don’t think he’s disappeared. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/83 "2010-08-05T06:12:33Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > > [@Sigmagirl](#): > > > > The joint autobiography by Leiber & Stoller described their certainty that they had found the greatest new group of all time: Stealer’s Wheel. Remember _Back in the Middle with You_? > > [nitpick from someone who had the single, and who just saw Reservoir Dogs a couple of weeks ago][“Stuck In The Middle With You”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URmlMI0I2GQ) > [/nitpick from someone who had the single, and who just saw Reservoir Dogs a couple of weeks ago] FWIW, the lead singer of Stealers Wheel (no apostrophe I believe) was Gerry Rafferty, who had a monster hit in 1978 with [_Baker Street_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkS169P_Eeo). ---
**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 5, 2010, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/84 "2010-08-05T08:20:14Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > > > Is it just me or was Geovanni Ribisi supposed to be the next big “IT” star for a year or two there back in the early 2000’s, until finally dropping off the radar completely a few years ago? > > > > He was everywhere for a bit and then, nothing… > > His two most recent movies were _Public Enemies_ and _Avatar_ and according to IMDB he’s got six more movies in post-production so I don’t think he’s disappeared. But he’s strictly a character actor. I think he was hyped as a leading man. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/85 "2010-08-05T09:41:56Z")
Ok most of you won’t have ever heard of this guy but I distinctly remember the very short period in the 80s when he was touted as “The most Beautiful Man in the World” way back , with a big poster campaign, as Sheffield’s answer to Boy George - (Real name Trevor Jones) I present to you: “HOWCHER”: > **[Vinyl Tap - Rare Vinyl Records](https://www.vinyltap.co.uk)** > > We are a UK based online mail order record shop. We specialise in rare, deleted and promo items. We have an extensive stock of 7 ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/86 "2010-08-05T10:05:04Z")
John Travolta has been the “next big thing” like what, 3 times? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/87 "2010-08-05T12:24:34Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > > [@Sigmagirl](#): > > > > The joint autobiography by Leiber & Stoller described their certainty that they had found the greatest new group of all time: Stealer’s Wheel. Remember _Back in the Middle with You_? > > [nitpick from someone who had the single, and who just saw Reservoir Dogs a couple of weeks ago][“Stuck In The Middle With You”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URmlMI0I2GQ) > [/nitpick from someone who had the single, and who just saw Reservoir Dogs a couple of weeks ago] Yep, sorry. I should either work or post. Hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/88 "2010-08-05T15:15:03Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > To be fair, The Knack deserve credit for having one huge hit (“My Sharona”) that delivered the mortal blow to disco. They also did “Good Girls Don’t” which has become a staple for cheesy strippers everywhere. In fact, i don’t think I have heard the song anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/89 "2010-08-05T16:00:07Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > John Travolta has been the “next big thing” like what, 3 times? Travolta WAS a big thing for a few years in the late 1970s and mid-1990s. I remember when the movie \*One Fine Day \*flopped in 1996, it’s star, Geoge Clooney, said that the studio shouldn’t have launched it opposite the megahit _Michael_, becuase there was no way he could compete with a huge star like Travolta. ---
**Author:** ![Gregg64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9f8e36/32.png) [@Gregg64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gregg64)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/90 "2010-08-05T16:56:48Z")
Y’all beat me to both my choices, Badfinger and the Segway. But I’m in the car business and one I remember is the Pontiac Aztek. After it became pretty clear it was a flop I remember one review starting “Pontiac Aztek owners love them. Both of them” GM planned on selling 60,000 a year and the retail sales for the first 6 months was 800 odd units. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/91 "2010-08-05T17:00:14Z")
Sure, you can talk about your “next Beatles,” but the **Black Crowes** were supposed to the the “next Rolling Stones.” ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/92 "2010-08-05T17:24:33Z")
Way before the Segway , here in the UK in the mid 80s we had the [Sinclair C5](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair_C5) ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/93 "2010-08-05T21:21:31Z")
> [@digs](#): > > … > No, _the music/person/invention **you** thought was “The Next Big Thing”_. > … > I could mention mine, but… maybe later. It’s embarrassing… I told everyone how HUGE the XFL was going to be. McMahon was gonna make football crazy to the EXTREME!!! You got one more embarrassing than that? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/94 "2010-08-05T21:24:09Z")
> [@smoke](#): > > > [@digs](#): > > > > … > > No, _the music/person/invention **you** thought was “The Next Big Thing”_. > > … > > I could mention mine, but… maybe later. It’s embarrassing… > > I told everyone how HUGE the XFL was going to be. McMahon was gonna make football crazy to the EXTREME!!! Shyly raises hand. ---
**Author:** ![kingbighair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kingbighair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingbighair)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/95 "2010-08-05T22:04:36Z")
After 9/11, many thought Rudy Giuliani was a shoe-in for the presidency. He went from front runner to out of the race in no time flat. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/96 "2010-08-05T22:32:42Z")
Fall 2006: _Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip_ was going to be another grand success for Aaron Sorkin, coming off the magical run of _The West Wing_. _30 Rock_? Come on, SNL alums never amount to much… ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890/97 "2010-08-05T22:44:07Z")
The Chevy Chase Show. Heir apparent to the Late Night scene after Carson retired, on FOX, to go head-to-head with Letterman’s move to CBS. And nobody had even heard of Conan, which aired a few days later IIRC. It was supposed to be a huge hit…and was terrible, and was cancelled after five weeks. Worst of all was at the time everybody still loved Chevy Chase, but he was very very bad. Nervous, unfunny…ugh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-next-big-things-that-werent/548890.md?page=4)