Steve Lackmeyer is a reporter and columnist for The Oklahoman. He’s the author of three books and he’s part of the inspiration behind Retro Metro OKC. I’ve been following his stories for 20 years, and I’d basically run barefoot across a blistering urban heat island for him.
A fellow Gen Xer, Steve has comrade-in-arms status since he long ago escaped OKC’s brain drain. I swear, I think half of all Gen X college grads blew out of here in the 80s and 90s. After my Savannah Smiles cookie/movie post, he spontaneously penned the following bit of hilarity and gave me permission to give it a permanent home. Enjoy, Gen Xers, preferably with a pizza kit and Pop Rocks and some Jolt Cola to wash it all down.
You Know You’re Generation X If…
When you hit the video store or search Pay-Per-View listings for the movie Savanah Smiles. And you celebrate when a fellow Gen Xer and friend independently writes a blog post in tribute of the movie.
You mention “Grizzly Adams” and immediately correct yourself and explain you meant “Mountain Family Robinson” (expect a bewildered response if the other person in this conversation is NOT a member of Generation X).
One of the most exciting moments of your career was getting to interview Joe Camp, creator of the Benji movies.
You forever regret not having had the chance to interview George Kennedy.
You fondly remember seeing “The Bad News Bears” and “Car Wash” as a 10-year-old kid but would never let your own 10-year-old watch the very same movies.
You thought grandma was the coolest character in “My Bodyguard.”
You briefly considered learning to speak Italian after watching “Breaking Away.”
You briefly considered a career as a truckdriver – but quickly dropped the idea after learning from Dad that you wouldn’t get to drive around with a monkey named “Bear” and you were prohibited from asking people to refer to you by your new nickname, “B.J.”You cried when you learned “Chico” died. You cried more when you saw “the man” try to continue on without “Chico.”
You spent ages 7 through 16 dreaming of owning Jim Rockford’s car, only to experience ultimate disappointment in realizing you could only afford a used Chevy Chevette when the time came to buy that first car.
You can still sing, start to finish, knowing all the words, to “Pure Imagination” from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” and “Toot Sweets” from “Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang.”
You know you’re Generation X if … it drives you crazy that you rarely if ever see these movies and shows available on DVD, on PPV or on television.
I don’t remember Foxes!! I always remember how scandalous it was for Jodie Foster to be in Taxi Driver and Brooke Shields to star in Pretty Baby. My mother was aghast.
Let’s not forget “Little Darlings” and “Foxes.” Both also movies that taught me ‘growin’ up stuff’ but which I’d not want my kids to see too young!
I like the idea of protecting my kids from inappropriate content (like the whole world isn’t inappropriate, ha!), but that phrase, “family friendly,” make me wince and shift in my chair. I wonder why. Probably b/c I’m suspicious, distrusting Xer. =)
Me, too. And, total weirdness. Found a copy of Bad News Bear with Mathau at Super Target. Had to buy it. My parents wouldn’t let me watch it as a kid.
Guess I am full on Gen X!
I kind of straddle the generations, barely Gen X, just shy of Gen Y, but just like The Bad News Bears (our dad is a dead ringer for Walter Matheau by the way) I love showing my kids movies from my childhood, Goonies, Ghostbusters… before every movie with kids or some really imaginative stuff going down had to be so family-friendly. So I let them listen to Bill Murray curse, or watch Corey Feldman make lewd gestures. But Bad News Bears! Ha. That one may have to stay in the vault for a little while longer. Love the post.