Week of May 15, 1983

Israel and Lebanon formally end the state of war between them with the signing

of an agreement - the first step toward the withdrawal of Israeli occupation

troops from Lebanon.

The Senate passes a historic immigration reform bill that would allow millions of

illegal aliens in the U.S. to become permanent legal residents while imposing

future criminal sanctions on employers who hire illegal aliens.

The Senate confirms William D. Ruckelshous to head the Environmental

Protection Agency.

Two dead - Robert O Wickes, a fired teacher’s aide who blamed students for

“messing up my career,” shoots two, holds students hostage for 9 ½ hours before

killing himself. Wickes invaded East Junior High on Long Island and terrorized

the English class. Police believe Wickes was trying to get revenge after being

fired from his job in May for getting into an altercation with Louis Borgos, the 15-

year-old student he wounded. The principal of the school was also shot, but died.

Passing - Temple Fielding (69) - whose

budge travel books guided millions of

Americans through Europe… of a heart attack.

Passing - Mary Iacocca, wife of Chrysler Corp.

Chairman Lee Iacocca. She was 52… after an

apparent heart attack and insulin reaction.

Sports - The USFL awards an expansion

franchise to San Diego. USFL wants a goal of a

16-team league.

Art Schlichter, the Baltimore Colts reserve

quarterback who admitted that he ran up

$389,000 in gambling debuts, is suspended

indefinitely by commissioner Pete Roselle for

betting on NFL games and other sports events.

Columbia Pictures announces the formation of the

Pryor Co., a $40-million, five-year production deal

between Richard Pryor and Columbia.

Week of May 15, 1983

The FCC, peppered with complaints about the

popular New York service - “Dial-a-Porn,” insists

that under the law, it can take no action and has

referred the matter to the Justice Department.

“Dial-a-Porn” gets about 500,000 callers a day

from across the nation with sexually explicit

recorded messages. The service is the brainchild

of a skin magazine called “High Society.” The magazine, an adult-oriented

publication, won the right to lease the number from the New York telephone Co.

in a lottery for 21 “dial-it” channels earlier this year. These channels offer service

ranging from weather and sorts messages to dial-a-prayer. “Dial-A-Porn” features

57-second tapes, featuring voices of centerfold models. The service runs 24-

hours a day and the tapes are changed 3X a day. The service is now making

about $25,000 a day, of which the magazine gets $10,000.

These new services - and probably more to come, are a result of telephone de-

regulation.

Playing in Las Vegas -

Sammy Davis Jr. - Aladdin

Dean Martin - MGM Grand

Don Rickles - Sahara

Joan Rivers, Smother Brothers, Jim Stafford - Riviera

Television news - Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment announces new

financing plans for its MTV music channel and Nickelodeon, a children’s program

service. MTV, which now derives all its revenues from advertising, will begin

charging local cable TV operators a fee to receive its programming. Nickelodeon,

which already charges a fee, will begin to run advertisements. MTV can be seen

by 12 million subscribers and Nickelodeon with slightly less, have yet to make a

profit. Cost per sub will be between 10 and 15 cents.

Singer Maureen McGovern is the singer behind those ABC-TV promos - “That

Special Feeling.”

SCTV Network finds a new home. Dropped

by NBC, it will be part of HBO. The new

show will feature four members of the

commercial TV cast - Marty Short, Eugene

Levy, Andrea Martin and Joe Flaherty. HBO

hopes John Candy will appear occasionally.

Week of May 15, 1983

Three other members of the original network TV cast - Rick Moranis, Dave

Thomas and Catherine O’Hara are gone. That was one of the reasons NBC

dropped the show. The other was its cost - at $400,000 per episode.

“Fantasy Island” hires a replacement for Tattoo (Herve

Villechaize). He’s 6-foot-2 British-born actor Christopher

Hewett. Apparently, Tattoo couldn’t come to terms on a new

contract.

Monday night television -

CBS - It’s An Adventure Charlie Brown, MASH, One Day At A

Time, Cagney & Lacey

NBC - Love Sidney, Motown 25, Tonight Show

ABC - Movie-Death On The Nile

PBS - Frontline, Life on The Mississippi

It’s An Adventure - Charlie Brown - Charlie Brown follows the advice of his

pediatrician and heads for two weeks at summer camp.

Life on the Mississippi - Story of the boy Sam Clemons.

Week of May 15, 1983

Music news - IRS Subsidiary label

“Faulty Products” is being phased out.

The label is home to The Dead

Kennedys, TSOL and the Bangles. The

latter are going to Columbia Records.

The Waitresses lose their lead vocalist -

Patti Donahue, who’s going solo.

Marvin Gaye on a comeback… with his

new album “Midnight Love” on his new

label - Columbia. He’s in the midst of a

sold-out tour. CBS bought out Gaye’s

contract with Motown. Gaye’s last album

for Motown - “In Our Lifetime” sold

poorly and he suffered through a highly publicized divorce and he went into self-

exile in Europe. But now Gaye is back and in demand. Ironically, he’s not

featured in Motown’s special anniversary TV show this week.

Michael McDonald marries singer Amy Holland.

The Band, minus guitarist Robbie Robertson, will reunite in Toronto July 4.

“Rock and Roll Confidential” makes its debut. The pop newsletter is headed by

Dave Marsh - rock historian, critic and writer. Among its first edition - “Is

compact disc technology a sly new way for the record industry to combat home

taping?” Also about MTV racism - Why did MTV eventually play Michael Jackson

videos but they’re still not playing anything by Rick James?

Stevie Ray Vaughan , the young Texas guitarist who plays on

David Bowie’s latest album, has decided not to accompany

Bowie on his world tour. Bowie asked Vaughan to sign a

contract which the guitarist deemed unacceptable.

Radio news - Album rock stations say that MTV has had a

positive influence to their playlists.

Rick Lippincott resigns as program director of WLS AM-FM. WLS-AM is still

Chicago’s #1 rock station with a 4.8 in the latest ratings.

Week of May 15, 1983

Anniversary - The King Biscuit Flower Hour marks 10 years on the air… CBS

RadioRadio marks its first year.

New format - All Beatles is being tried by KYST (AM 920) just outside of

Houston, TX.

Joe Piscopo of Saturday Night Live, will debut is own syndicated comedy radio

show called “Joe Piscopo At Large” beginning July 4. The two-minute daily show

will feature Piscopo impersonating the likes of Frank Sinatra, Andy Rooney and

Ted Koppel. He’ll also interview rock musicians such as Mick Jagger.

Top hits -

Let’s Dance - David Bowie

Overkill - Men At Work

Flashdance… What A Feeling - Irene

Cara

Solitaire - Laura Branigan

Little Red Corvette - Prince

She Blinded Me With Science -

Thomas Dolby

My Love - Lionel Richie

Time - Culture Club

Jeopardy - Greg Kihn Band

Photograph - Def Leppard

Der Kommissar - After the Fire

Rio - Duran Duran

I Wont’ Hold You Back - Toto

Straight From The Heart - Bryan Adams

Come On Eileen - Dex’s Midnight Runners

Affair of the Heart - Rick Springfield

Top Country -

You Take Me For Granted - Merle Haggard

Foolin’ - Johnny Rodriquez

Lucille (You Won’t Do Your Daddy’s Will) - Waylon Jennings

I’m Movin’ On - Emylou Harris

You Can’t Run From Love - Eddie Rabbitt

Our Love Is On The Faultline - Crystal Gayle

The Ride - David Allan Coe

You’re Out Doing What I’m Here Doing Without - Gene Watson

Whatever Happened to Old Fashioned Love - B.J. Thomas

Week of May 15, 1983

Top hits in Britain -

True - Spandau Ballet

Keep Felling Fascination -

Human League

Pale Shelter - Tears for Fears

Temptation - Heaven 17

Words - F.R. David

Candy Girl - New Edition

Let’s Dance - David Bowie

Our Lips Are Sealed - Fun Boy

Three

Can’t Get Used To Losing You -

Beat

Beat It - Michael Jackson

Top albums -

Thriller - Michael Jackson

Flashdance - Soundtrack

Pyromania - Def Leppard

Let’s Dance - David Bowie

H2O - Hall & Oates

Frontiers - Journey

Lionel Ritchie

Rio - Duran Duran

1999 - Prince

The Final Cut - Pink Floyd

Business as Usual - Men At Work

Jarreau - Jarreau

War - U2

‘The Golden Age of Wireless -

Thomas Dolby

Eliminator - ZZ Top

The Distance - Bob Segar And the

Silver Bullet Band

The Closer You Get - Alabama