High Waists and Hot Pants

Yes, I've been watching Magnum, P.I.

Stephen Cannell, along with theme show composer Mike Post teamed up to create some of my most memorable 70's and 80's t.v. watching. Since I love music, the theme songs were also important  and I remember ALL of them.  If they had words, I remember those too. He was still cranking out the hit shows well into the 90's. Cannell created a string of feel-good detective shows that were funny, a little bit suspenseful and completely "beefcakey".  Hey, don't take my word for it, let your eyes do the work:

 James Garner as Rockford.  In his prime, I don't know if any man was better looking.  An amazing cross between Cary Grant and Jethro Bodean.

I may be the only person who remembers Tony Musante as Dave Toma.  Whoo Baby!  I'll spare us all the "after" pictures.  It would be too cruel.

 Tom in his high-waisted jeans.  I had his poster before anyone in the dorm.  He was a rich, handsome cowboy hawking "Chaz" cologne.  My son's name is Chaz.  He has no idea he was named after Tom Selleck.

Hey---the theme song guy can rock the hot pants too!  (Hmmm....Tom does it better.)  Not just any man could do this--he had to have the right legs.  We women know this.  Men do not.  It's a good thing this style didn't last long because it was painful to watch men who did not look like Tom try the trend. 

I'm really grateful for this one.

Riptide.  Formula: Nerdy Geek, Super Beefy Dude, Good-Looking Reasonable Tough Guy.

 Mario Van Peebles played "Sonny Spoon".  Am I the only one who remembers this adorable guy?

If I need to tell you, you're a lost cause.

This was a little grittier. Ken Wahl as "Wiseguy".  Fun fact for ya:  He went to my high school!  Yes, while I was there.  No, I didn't know him, but my brother did.

This represents about a quarter of the shows he created.  Well, that I know of.  My only interest is in the ones featuring a good-looking male lead.  There are more!  Simon and Simon, Hardcastle and McCormick...the guy was a genius I tell you, a genius!
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Change of subject: At what point does a certain number of anything become a collection?  What's the difference between a collection and an obsession?  For instance, I like vintage alarm clocks.  My dad always had one of these travel clocks, one with an illuminated dial.  It absorbed the light during the day, then the numbers and hands would glow at night.  I bought one, folded into a leather case and I was happy.  Then I bought another one, along with the early 90's Tazmanian Devil.  I actually keep that one by my bed.  Taz bites down on the top of the clock when the alarm goes off.  Fun!  Then I bought a few more...I'm thinking that I am now collecting vintage alarm clocks, since I have no plans to sell them.  This isn't a collection that could ever really be complete.  Not like having all the quarters from the 50 states, or every James Taylor album, which I do. (Not the quarters, the JT.)

This could get out of control, because the possible additions are nearly limitless.  I do have a threshold, however, so my collection will only get so big.

Magnum had one like this.  I don't.  Guess what that means?  Like how I merged those two random subjects here?  Haha...I'm done.  One day I'll explain that Fall of the Roman Empire table up there.  

Heat lead by five with two minutes left.  I will officially start paying attention now.