Dateline: Events/Headlines - Week of February 15, 1988 In News, Pop Culture, Tech, Celebrity, Entertainment & Fascinating Facts
In The News
Anthony M. Kennedy takes his place as the 104th Supreme Court justice in U.S. history. “Justice Kennedy has shown a consistence and a courageous dedication to preserving ours as a government lf laws, and that’s why I nominated him,” said President Reagan.
Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev issues a strong defense of his plans to overhaul the nation’s political system and he said a major Communist party conference in June will be asked to endorse those plans.
Vice President George Bush and rival Michael Dukakis score victories in the New Hampshire primary.
Campaigning – The Bush-Dole feud could complicate the task of reuniting the GOP for the fall campaign.
Lt. Col William Higgins – A U.S. Marine officer serving with a United Nations truce observer force is abducted in southern Lebanon.
Jimmy Swaggart Says Goodbye
Another blow to TV evangelism - Jimmy Swaggart, under church investigation reportedly for adultery, tearfully confesses that he had sinned and will leave the pulpit for an indefinite period. Little known - It was Swaggart who urged the Springfield, MO-based denomination to investigate charges of sexual immorality by fellow Assemblies of God minister Jim Bakker, the founder-president of the PTL (Praise the Lord) television ministry and resort park in Fort Mill, SC.
Medical/AIDs news update – February 15, 1988
AIDS update – Currently, heterosexuals account for only 4% of current acquired immune deficiency syndrome cases. Also, the head of the President’s IDS commission says he will push for more money to help the Food and Drug Administration review growing numbers of experimental AIDS drugs.
Sports news – February 15, 1988
Winter Olympics – the U.S. gets its first gold medal – as Brian Boitano gets one in Men’s figure skating. The Soviet Union’s Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov score gold medals.
Radio news – February 15, 1988
That was quick! They joined WQHT New York for mornings on January 11 – but now, they’re out. Walton and Johnson just aren’t cutting it as a morning show. In fact, they just don’t plain fit. They’ll be heading back to Louisiana for sure. Hot 103 will be looking for a new morning show.
More WQHT-FM – With MTV’s “Club MTV” a sort of copycat is being produced at WOR-TV called “ID” “It’s Dance” and WQHT-FM is providing the mixes.
The country’s oldest radio company – NBC is calling it quits and is putting its remaining radio stations up for sale. To be sure, NBC had already reached an agreement to sell WMAQ Chicago to Group W, so everyone was waiting to see if other stations such as WNBC and WYNY New York would get sold. The answer is yes.
Casey Kasem may be leaving “American Top 40” since he and syndicator ABC can not come to terms. And, Westwood One is in the game and is making him an offer.
Howard Stern going PPV – Howard Stern – mornings on WXRK and WYSP will host “Howard Stern’s Underwear & Negligee Party” on Feb 27. The program will be available for $19.5 to cable subscribers with pay-per-view access in the New York and Philadelphia metro areas. Says Stern: “It’s designed for my fans, but I think it will also bring in a new audience – people who will se the TV commercial promoting it and say, ‘Hey, I’ve heard of that guy; I’m going to check him out.’”
Scheduled segments include “Lesbian Dial A Date” : A short film titled “Gay Untouchables” ; A segment on Jessica Hahn’s newly remodeled body and a spoof in which such comedians as Emo Phillips, Judy Tenuta and Richard Belzer will rate stern sidekick Jackie the Jokeman.
More Howard Stern – Sting called into the show impromptu, saying he listened most mornings and the two bantered.
Television news – February 15, 1988
“Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak is close to reaching an agreement to host his own late night talk show on CBS-TV.
Longtime CBS news anchor Douglas Edwards, is retiring April 1. Edwards was the first to ever anchor a nightly network newscast – back in 1948.
Mary Hart meets with Michael Jackson this week on “Entertainment Tonight.” Also, she wants to break into being an entertainer herself.
Tuesday night television listings/TV guide – week of February 15, 1988
CBS – 48 Hours, Jake and the Fatman, Cagney and Lacey
NBC – Matlock, Hunter, Tonight Show
ABC – XV Olympic Winter Games from Calgary, Nightline
PBS – Nova, Frontline
HBO – Jackie Mason on Broadway
Showtime – Julian Lennon, A Dynamite Evening With Jimmy Walker and Friends.
On Cagney and Lacey – The girls return to the police academy for a refresher course in modern interrogation procedures
On Tonight Show – Jonathan Winters and Paul Geriner join Johnny.
Music news – February 15, 1988
The Disney Channel debuts a new music dance show – “Videopolis.” The regular host is Randy Hamilton of the show “Kids Are People Too.” Featured on the premiere this week – Chico DeBarge, the Jets, Miami Sound Machine and actress Tina Yothers of “Family Ties.”
16-year-old Tiffany becomes the first female artist in the rock era to reach No. 1 with her first two singles. She did it with “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Could’ve Been.”
Rap Music – once the province of independent labels, is breaking into the majors. A lot has to do with the multi-platinum sales achieved by the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J through Def Jam/Columbia. And MCA signed Eric B. & Rakim for their reactivated Uni label. The result their – “Paid in Full” album just went gold.
Hot Rock Album Music Cuts – February 15, 1988
Be Still My Beating Heart – Sting
Heaven Knows – Robert Plant
You Talk Too Much – George Thorogood
Angel – Aerosmith
Check it out – John Cougar Mellencamp
Magic Touch – Mike Oldfield
Get It On – Kingdom Come
Just Like Paradise – David Lee Roth
Heart Turns to Stone – Foreigner
Save Your Love – Great White
Top Pop Hit Music Singles In Britain – February 15, 1988
I Think We’re Alone Now – Tiffany
Tell It To My Heart – Taylor Dayne
I Should Be So Lucky – Kylie Minogue
When Will I Be Famous? – Bros
Candle In The Wind (Live) – Elton John
The Jack That House Built – Jack “N” Chill
Shake Your Love – Debbie Gibson
Say It Again – Jermaine Stewart
O Lamour – Dollar
Top pop hit music singles(top-40) – February 15, 1988
Seasons Change – Expose
Father Figure – George Michael
Could’ve Been – Tiffany
What Have I Done To Deserve This? – Pet Shop Boys/Dusty Springfield
She’s Like The Wind – Patrick Swayze/Wendy Fraser
Hungary Eyes – Eric Carmen
Say You Will – Foreigner
I Want To Be Your Man – Roger
Don’t Shed A Tear – Paul Carrack
Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley
Need You Tonight – INXS
I Get Weak – Belinda Carlisle
Can’t stay Sway From You – Gloria Estefan And The Miami Sound Machine
Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac
Just Like Paradise – David Lee Roth
Pump Up The Volume – M/A/R/R/S
Hazy Shade of Winter – Bangles
I Found Someone – Cher
Push It – Salt-N-Pepa
Endless Summer Nights – Richard Marx
Top Music Albums – February 15, 1988
Dirty Dancing – Soundtrack
Faith – George Michael
Bad – Michael Jackson
Tiffany – Tiffany
The Lonesome Jubilee – John Cougar Mellencamp
Cloud Nine – George Harrison
Out of the Blue – Debbie Gibson
Kick – INXS
Skyscraper – David Lee Roth
Whitesnake – Whitesnake
Whitney – Whitney Houston
Tunnel of Love – Bruce Springsteen
Nothing Like The Sun – Sting
Inside Information – Foreigner
Permanent Vacation – Aerosmith
A Momentary Lapse of Reason – Pink Floyd
The Joshua Tree – U2
Heaven On Earth – Berlinda Carlisle
Back for the Attack – Kokken
Top Country Hit Music Singles – February 15, 1988
Face to Face – Alabama
Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star – Merle Haggard
I Won’t Take Less Than Your Love – Tanya Tucker/Paul Overstreet/Paul Davis
Oh What A Love – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
That’s My Job – Conway Twitty
Do You Believe Me Now – Vern Gosdin
I’m Gonna Miss You Girl – Michael Martin Murphey
Tell Me True – Juice Newton
This Missin’ You Heart of Mine – Sawyer Brown
Too Gone Too Long – Randy Travis
Tennessee Flat Top Box – Rosanne Cash
Top movies – February 15, 1988
Good Morning Vietnam
Shoot to Kill
Action Jackson
Three Men and a Baby
Moonstruck
The Serpent and the Rainbow
Satisfaction
Empire of the Sun
Fatal Attraction