Friday, April 27, 2018

My 5 Favorite Extinct Gum Flavors

What kid doesn't love to chew bubble gum? It's delicious, chewy and you can play with it. I loved chewing gum when I was a kid and I can remember a lot of crazy types of gum that came out in the 80s and 90s. At that time a bunch of gimmicks were thrown at us to try and sell the sugary, chewy gobs of flavor. Everything from gum shaped like CDs to gum that would change the color of your mouth. I miss those days. Here are my favorite flavors of gum from the good ole days that you can't find on the shelves anymore.

1. Dr. Pepper Gum
Yes, you can still find Dr. Pepper gum on the shelves today, but it is completely different than what we had back in the 80s. The version we got tasted like Dr. Pepper on the outside, but when you began the chewing process BAM!!! you were hit with a juicy explosion of flavor! I have seen a few other versions of this "Soda Gum" online that include 7Up and Cherry 7Up flavors, but for me the Dr. Pepper variety was the best of the bunch!

2. FLEER Gatorgum
I loved Gatorgum! In my research I was surprised to read that it was available up until the early 2000s! The two flavors I remember were Lemon/Lime & Orange. Now check out this crazy Gatorgum ad and try not to be amazed by the special effects!
FANTASTIC wasn't it? When you put a piece of Gatorgum in your mouth it was like eating a chewy stick of Gatorade. The flavor was actually pretty close to the sports drink, but I don't really think it quenched my thirst very much. The closest thing to Gatorgum today is Quench Gum. If you miss Gatorgum, I say you give it a try. 

3. The Real Ghostbusters: Slimer Bubble Gum
I remember buying this squeeze gum in a tube at the registers of KB Toys. They always had great things at the front check out and this gum is a fine example. Myself and my brother each got one and we treated it like gold, only squishing small amounts of the gum like substance out at a time to make it last! The consistency was very gooey & grainy and the taste was super sugary, but it had Slimer on it, so by kid logic it tasted AMAZING!

4. Bubblicious Lebron's Lightning Lemonade
In 2005 Bubblicious' Lightning Lemonade flavor was revived, this time with the endorsement of NBA superstar Lebron James.
I remember chewing this flavor before it was discontinued in 2000, but something tasted a bit different this time around. Ah ha! Now it included raspberry flavoring!!! I actually enjoyed this improvement on the original. It added a bit of sweetness to the sour of the lemonade flavoring. I used to buy packs of this stuff at the Dollar Tree all the time, but like most good things it was not destined to last forever. Who knows, maybe they'll re-re-introduce this flavor in a few more years?

5. Bubble Yum: Checker Mint
This gum had everything going for it when it debuted around 1986! It looked cool with it's red & white checker pattern, the flavor was a nice blend of sweet and mint, the packaging stood out on the check out line shelves and there was this kick-ass commercial that aired every Saturday morning during our cartoon binges!
I hope you enjoyed this look back at old gum? What was your favorite flavor to chew back in the day? Let us know in the comments below!

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Throwback Jam of the Week: 4/26/18

It's that time of the week again here at 20 Years Before 2000...It's time for the THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK! These are the jams currently on my trusty Creative ZEN MP3 player and they encompass everything from Motown R&B classics to hip-hop and rap from the 90s! I would like to share them with you in the hopes that they can get you on your feet and bring back some sweet nostalgic memories! So throw on your Levis jeans, cut your hair in the fresh Baldie style and slip on your Tims as we take you back! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK...
Artist: Michael Jackson
Song: Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Album: Off The Wall (Released 1979)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: 1
Bonus Fun Fact: This track won Michael Jackson his first solo Grammy Award!

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Comic Book Pick: 4/25/18

This week the comic book I am most excited to read is...
THANOS ANNUAL #1
Thanos is likely the most evil being in the universe...and if anyone would know, it's the all new Cosmic Ghost Rider. Let the Spirit of Vengeance be your guide on a tour through the worst of the worst, as he reveals the most heinous deeds ever perpetrated by the Mad Titan...or by anyone else!
(W) Donny Cates, Kieron Gillen, Al Ewing, Ryan North, Christopher Hastings, Katie Cook (A) Katie Cook, Frazer Irving, Andre Araujo, Will Robson, Flaviano (A/CA) Geoff Shaw
SRP $4.99
Synopsis provided by PreviewsWorld.com

Friday, April 20, 2018

Retro Reading Corner: TMNT ABC's for a Better Planet

Since this Sunday is Earth Day, I figured that I would bust out this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles book from 1991 and give you guys a few pointers on how to help make the Earth a better place.
This book is chock full of great tips and ideas from the greenest guys I know on how to be a responsible inhabitant of our planet. Below are some of my favorites. Enjoy!
F is for Fast Food
I is for Ivory
L is for Litter
P is for Pesticides
R is for Remember to Recycle Rubbish
Hopefully these lessons will help you have an eventful Earth Day this year. Now get out there, plant a tree, enjoy the nice weather and always remember the lesson Ya Kid K taught us to be green and keep it clean!

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Throwback Jam of the Week: 4/19/18

It's that time of the week again here at 20 Years Before 2000...It's time for the THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK! These are the jams currently on my trusty Creative ZEN MP3 player and they encompass everything from Motown R&B classics to hip-hop and rap from the 90s! I would like to share them with you in the hopes that they can get you on your feet and bring back some sweet nostalgic memories! So throw on your Levis jeans, cut your hair in the fresh Baldie style and slip on your Tims as we take you back! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 THROWBACK JAM OF THE WEEK...
Artist: Montell Jordan
Song: This is How We Do It
Album: This is How We Do It (Released 1995)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: 1
Bonus Fun Fact: This track was #1 for seven weeks and sold over 1 million copies!

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Comic Book Pick: 4/18/18

This week the comic book I am most excited to read is...
ACTION COMICS #1000
Celebrate 1000 issues of Action Comics with an all-star lineup of top talent as they pay tribute to the comic that started it all! From today's explosive action to a previously unpublished tale illustrated by the legendary Curt Swan to the Man of Tomorrow's future-this very special, oversized issue presents the best of the best in Superman stories! 
(W) Dan Jurgens, Peter J. Tomasi, Marv Wolfman, Geoff Johns, Richard Donner, Scott Snyder, Tom King, Louise Simonson, Paul Dini, Brad Meltzer, Brian Michael Bendis (A) Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, Patrick Gleason, Curt Swan, Butch Guice, Kurt Schaffenberger, Olivier Coipel, Rafael Albuquerque, Clay Mann, Jerry Ordway, Jos? Luis Garc?a-L?pez, Kevin Nowlan, John Cassaday (A/CA) Jim Lee, Scott Williams
SRP: $7.99
Synopsis provided by PreviewsWorld.com

Friday, April 13, 2018

10 Things I just found out about "The Sandlot"

One of my favorite movies of all-time, The Sandlot is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this month! I discovered this movie when I was around 10 years old and any kid that has ever played sandlot baseball with their buddies can appreciate it's greatness. I remember those endless summer days of playing baseball, walking around town with your friends without a care in the world. This movie still gives me those feelings every time I watch it. I must have watched this movie over 100 times as a kid and have now watched it with my own children and after all these years I have discovered a few fun facts about The Sandlot that I never knew. Let's grab our gloves, open some baseball cards and check out some things you might not have known about the classic film The Sandlot:

1. The older and younger Benny are played by brothers Pablo and Mike Vitar!

2. The chewing tobacco in the fair scene was made of jerky and licorice.

3. The vomit from the same scene was made of split pea soup, baked beans, oatmeal and water.

4. The Vincent Drug Store location was also used in the films Halloween 4 and 5!

5. The original title was "Boys of Summer" but was changed due to a possible lawsuit by author Roger Kahn.

6. Before the CPR scene actor Chauncey Leopardi aka Squints was told by director David Mickey  Evans to "Keep your tongue in your mouth, understand?"

7. There have been 2 Sandlot sequels. The Sandlot 2 (2005) and The Sandlot: Heading Home (2007)

8. The story for The Sandlot took place in the San Fernando Valley during the Summer of 1962.

9. The film holds a 56% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

10. Made 32 million at the box office and more than doubled that total in video sales becoming a cult classic!
There you have it! I hope everyone learned a little something about this fantastic movie. Now grab your copy of The Sandlot and watch in amazement as Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez gets his crew out of the biggest pickle of all-time! Oh and always remember as Babe Ruth once said, "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die!"

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Throwback Jam of the Week: 4/12/18

It's that time of the week again here at 20 Years Before 2000...It's time for the Throwback Jam of the Week! These are the jams currently on my trusty Creative ZEN MP3 player and they encompass everything from Motown R&B classics to hip-hop & rap from the 80s & 90s! I would like to share them with you in the hopes that they get you off your feet and bring back some sweet nostalgic memories! So throw on your Pelle Pelle Jeans, get your hair cut in the fresh Baldie style and slip on your Tims as we take you back! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 Throwback Jam of the week...
Artist: ONYX
Song: React
Album: Shut 'Em Down (Released 1998)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: 45
Bonus Fun Fact: This track features 50 Cent in his first official appearance in a song!

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Comic Book Pick: 4/11/18

This week the comic book I am most excited to read is...
DOMINO #1
BAD LUCK AND TROUBLE Part 1
Impossible curves. Impossible shots. Impossible targets. Marvel's #1 soldier of fortune is back in an explosive new ongoing series! The product of a failed super-soldier program, Neena Thurman always made her own luck as the sharpshooting mercenary known as Domino... but what happens when her own powers betray her? The hunter becomes the hunted as every mercenary in the game smells blood in the water! Plus: A pair of beloved Marvel characters return!
(W) Gail Simone (A) David Baldeon (CA) Greg Land, D'Armata, Frank
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis provided by PreviewsWorld.com

Friday, April 6, 2018

Comic Book Ads: Secret Wars II Edition

It's not a secret that one of the best reasons to buy most cheap, bargain bin comics from the 80s and 90s is for the retro ads lurking inside. Recently I purchased this copy of the Secret Wars II mini-series for a buck at the Dollar Tree. Yeah, it was a little beat up and probably not even worth the dollar I spent, but the ads inside were nostalgic gold! Let's see what's between the pages...
Reese's Pieces
I have a vague recollection of this Reese's ad campaign which was obviously of a knockoff E.T. alien who was crazy about the Peanut Butter filled candy. I love the artwork, the weird face on the character and the made up dialogue translated from this blue weirdos native language. I could totally see myself hanging out with this guy!

Olympic Sales
How many of us out there stared at these ads and circled all the prizes we wanted to earn? I know I did. How cool would it have been to receive that Casio Chrono-Alarm Watch, Magnavox 5' TV AM/FM Radio or Go-Bots Convertible Model? Answer: Very Cool! Unfortunately you had to sell items from the Olympic catalog to earn these prizes and I don't know 1 kid that actually did that. It's nice to dream though!

Bonkers Robot Watch
This is an AMAZING ad! It has everything! A cool product, delicious candy and a badass robot getting bonked on the shoulder by a ripe, red strawberry! I wanted one of these so bad! I filled out the form, collected the wrappers, but unfortunately did not have a checking account to pay the $3.95! DAMMIT! There were so many cool mail away offers in the 80s and 90s and my parents would never fork over the check book to get them. I did eventually get a VOLTRON watch similar to this one and that was pretty cool. BTW What ever happened to Bonkers? Why can't they bring those back?

Oreo Maze!
I've said it before and I'll say it 'til the day I die, I love comic book ads with activities built in! Nabisco was the best at this. From mazes to word scrambles to make your own flip books, they had the market cornered on these marvels of marketing. These were always a pleasant surprise. It was like you paid for the comic, but got a cool game inside it for FREE! 

That's it for this edition of retro comic book ads. I now leave you with the best panel from the entire Secret Wars II mini-series. Thank you and goodnight!

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Throwback Jam of the Week: 4/5/18

It's that time of the week again here at 20 Years Before 2000...It's time for the Throwback Jam of the Week! These are the jams currently on my trusty Creative ZEN MP3 player and they encompass everything from Motown R&B classics to hip-hop & rap from the 80s & 90s! I would like to share them with you in the hopes that they get you off your feet and bring back some sweet nostalgic memories! So throw on your Calvin Klein underwear, get your hair cut in the fresh Baldie style and slip on your Zips kicks as we take you back! Without further ado, here is the 20 Years Before 2000 Throwback Jam of the week...
Artist: Marky Mark And The Funky Bunch
Song: You Gotta Believe
Album: You Gotta Believe (Released 1992)
Peak Billboard Hot 100 Position: 45
Bonus Fun Fact: After this album did not perform well Marky Mark went on to record two more albums with Reggae artist Prince Ital Joe!

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Comic Book Pick: 4/4/18

This week the comic book I am most excited to read is...
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #1
SONIC'S RACING INTO A NEW ADVENTURE! After defeating the evil Dr. Eggman's latest plot, Sonic is racing around the world to shut down the robotic Badnik forces that are still attacking villages. But it's a big job for one person-even Sonic the Hedgehog! Fortunately, he'll have some help from his best friend: Tails!  
(W) Ian Flynn (A) Tracy Yardley (CA) Tyson Hesse
SRP: $3.99
Synopsis provided by PreviewsWorld.com