Switched to Billboard Top Hits 1988 while I worked on writing, and then as I had lunch and got ready for work. I would have been 9 years old when these songs were on the chart. These were peak years, as these songs helped me dream when my body was changing and my family unraveling in ways I wasn't ready for. Songs like "Shattered Dreams" by Johnny Hates Jazz, "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car" by Billy Ocean, the driving "Seasons Change" by Expose, and "Wild Wild West" by Escape Club provided me with dreams at a time when it seemed like my entire world was falling out from under me.
For once, I headed out to work at the right time and got there with time to spare. No trouble here, other than the evening manager can be a bit demanding. She was telling me to gather carts, even when I was trying to get on break. Sent out one of the cashiers to do it. I don't know why I was the only bagger on this afternoon anyway. Usually, baggers overlap on Sundays. There wasn't enough cashiers, either. We had long lines all day, even when it wasn't that busy. At least some of the managers were willing to help with the bathrooms, even as I gathered carts and trash. And it was hot and humid again, too, probably in the lower-mid 90's.
Went straight home after work. Jumped in the shower, grabbed dinner, and spent the rest of the night watching today's Match Game marathon. Tonight, we highlighted the milestones and memories from the later years of the original CBS 1973-1979. Of course, this included the infamous School Riot, where Debralee Scott and Richard Dawson argued that their answer of "Finishing School" matched a contestant's "School" answer. Richard was still in a pretty decent mood at this point, even doing a eulogy for Polly Holliday's microphone when it dropped and died. He only protested slightly during the first week with Eva Gabor when it was announced that Match Game would be moving to mornings, before The Price Is Right.
That would prove to be its undoing. The show was wildly popular in afternoons, when kids and people coming home from work could enjoy its cocktail party vibe. It proved to be a mismatch with Price, despite Bob Barker being a semi-regular. Moms watching soaps were far less interested in cocktail parties than kids. Moving it back to afternoons was too little, too late. Redoing the set in mid-1978 and bringing in the Star Wheel that doubled money and would choose who the contestant played with on the Head-to-Head was supposed to jazz up the proceedings. It just further upset Richard Dawson, who had previously been everyone's favorite choice for the Head-to-Head. He finally left the show about three weeks later and hadn't really been playing much before that.
The show finally lurched to a conclusion in 1979. It didn't even get a send-off on CBS. In fact, the last week wouldn't run anywhere but New York until GSN picked it up in the 2000's. Gene and Brett and Charles came into 1979 with hope, but by the end of the year, they'd be in syndication. At least Gene got to give Bill Daily his jacket for his wedding. (And considering Bill would be seen wearing it during the syndicated series, he must have kept it well after that.)
At any rate, check out some of the wild and crazy happenings during the later years of the CBS run!
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