That Guy on TV - John Graham's Blog, Resume, and Hootenanny
That Guy on TV - John Graham's Blog, Resume, and Hootenanny

Made in Orlando – Lethal Weapon 3

OK, most of 1992’s “Lethal Weapon 3” was made in and around Los Angeles, but the building that goes boom at the beginning is the old City Hall in Downtown Orlando. Here’s Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, and their stunt doubles running out of “International Control Systems Inc.” You can even see a WFTV 9 live truck on the left side of the screen, but the mast is down, so it couldn’t have been going “live.”

Today, that area isn’t far from what most people call the giant asparagus statue, although it’s officially the Tower of Light.

And here’s the moment, captured forever on the backglass of the Lethal Weapon 3 pinball machine.

1990s, Orlando
January 8, 2021 | 12:38 pm

0 Days Until Christmas

Wrapping up (get it?) my series of posts about Christmas music with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member and Grammy-winner Darlene Love. Love is one of producer Phil Spector’s discoveries and featured on 1963’s “A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector” album. That record still sounds great, but we now know that Spector is a monster and a literal murderer. I’d rather think of happier things on Christmas, so let’s focus on Love. From her official YouTube channel, here’s an animated video for “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”

In 1986, Love first appeared on “Late Night with David Letterman” to sing her signature holiday tune. Between Letterman’s NBC show and “Late Show with David Letterman” on CBS, Darlene Love performed “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” 28 times. (The scaled-down tradition continues on “The View.”) Here’s a Leterman supercut through the years.

“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” has since been covered by both Mariah Carey and Cher, who is rumored to be a back-up singer on the original. Another rumor is that Love helped out U2 with their version by singing back-up herself.

1980s, 1990s, Music
December 25, 2020 | 2:05 pm

5 Days Until Christmas

Today’s Christmas song is not exactly undiscovered or forgotten, but doesn’t get nearly the plays it should this time of year. “Christmas All Over Again” from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers is the lead track from 1992’s “A Very Special Christmas 2.” What I like about the song is that it embraces the season, but is also kinda casual about the whole thing.

This is just audio, but we’ll get to video in a bit.

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1990s, Music
December 20, 2020 | 4:47 pm

26 Days Until Christmas

Time to talk about another Christmas song, one a day until December 25. “Christmas Must Be Tonight” by The Band is so much better than you’d expect from a song stuck at the end of side one on their 1977 odds-and-ends album, “Islands.” This was their last album for Capitol Records, scraped-together leftovers so the soundtrack for “The Last Waltz” could come out on Warner Brothers.

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1970s, 1990s, Music
November 29, 2020 | 12:40 pm

1994 in 3:30

The Hood Internet specializes in mash-up remixes and has been boiling down “The Year in Music” as YouTube videos, starting with 1979. That’s the latest up above, 1994 condensed to three and a half minutes. Sure, you remember Notorious B.I.G, but MC 900 Ft. Jesus too?

I’d guess your favorite remix will depend on when you graduated high school or found those 4-5 CDs that got you through your early 20s. I guess that’s why I’m partial to 1986.

I’ll confess though that the remixes get smoother as more hip-hop enters the pop charts and there’s more digital production.

1980s, 1990s, Music
October 29, 2020 | 12:09 pm
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About John

John Graham is That Guy on TV – an Emmy-winning producer/writer/host and owner of Mosquito County Productions, based in Orlando, FL.

Over the years, John has produced YouTube videos with millions of views, worked with Muppets and Princesses, won two regional Emmys for travel reporting, interviewed celebs from Ariana Grande to Hillbilly Jim, and done thousands of live news broadcasts. (You know it’s me writing this, right?)

Get ahold of me at John@thatguyontv.com

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