The manic-depressive WAGA of the ’80s
20 May
Hey guys, remember how much it sucked to be a yuppie in Atlanta? In 1987, office jobs were not as cool as they were in other cities. That’s why the only thing anyone had to look forward to was making out with their dog to The Jeffersons on channel 5 at 5:30 every weekday.
But WAIT A MINUTE! Just a year before that, Atlanta was a euphoric carnival of good news, colorful bunches of balloons, new skyscrapers, horse-drawn carriages, cheerleaders in saddle shoes, news reporters pulling puppies out of trucks, and Ken Cook’s mustache. What went wrong between ’86 and ’87?
Also check out these WAGA promos for Magnum, which feature a Zack Morris phone, ninjas driving a red sports car, and some extraordinary kid acting – one kid actually says, “You know, Mom says if we watch too many cartoons, we’ll turn into a cartoonhead.” You’ll never guess what turns them back…
Tags: channel 5, good news atlanta, magnum, the jeffersons, waga
I have the sudden urge to watch Designing Women reruns.
I actually grew up with “Cartoon-head #2″. He is still one of my best friends. After this ad and some JC Penny cataloges, his star sort of faded.
I wonder if we ever crossed paths at a taping of at GPTV pledge drive.
GPTV pledge drives are taped? NO WAY!!!
What about all those folks in the background answering phones?!?
That “good times, good news” WAGA promo is nuts. The crane shot and the actors in Woodruff Park cost the station a ton of cash. TV stations were made of money back then….