Funny Read On The Early MTV Days And Contests

[Bwana]

Sex, cocaine and Van Halen — inside MTV’s wild ‘80s contests

In 1984, MTV gave contest winner Kurt Jefferis a chance to party all weekend with his heroes: the notoriously depraved band Van Halen.

The then-fledgling music-video channel flew Jefferis and a pal from Phoenixville, Pa., to Detroit, where they met up with the band at Cobo Hall. First things first, Jefferis told The Post, “a guy handed me a bottle of Jack Daniels.

I took a sip and asked for more.” After being passed a joint, “I took a couple hits and a couple more swigs of Jack Daniels.”

During the show, Jefferis got smashed in the face with cake and showered in champagne by the band members, then he went backstage where there was a feast of lobster, filet mignon and cocaine.

“I did a couple lines. Then David [Lee Roth, the singer] said, ‘I think Kurt needs Tammy,’ ” Jefferis recalled.

The groupie “took off her clothes and started dancing naked. The two of us wound up together in the shower.”

After that, things got fuzzy. Unbeknownst to MTV, Jefferis had suffered brain trauma a couple of years earlier, as a result of falling 13 feet over a stairwell, and was not equipped to handle Van Halen-level partying.

“I blacked out, and the next thing I remember is waking up in a hotel room bed,” said Jefferis, now 54. Tammy was long gone and “my head was killing me.”

But he still had another day of partying with the band. So Alex Van Halen told him to shotgun a 16-ounce beer. A hungover Jefferis declined, but the drummer wasn’t taking no for an answer: “Alex said, ‘Kurt you are not leaving this spot until you drink it.’ ”

By the time Jefferis got home, he was sleep-deprived, in pain and happy to be back at his job as a stock boy at Gimbels.

His wild time is captured in a new documentary short, “Lost Weekend,” premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival Saturday. (The movie “I Want My MTV,” about the channel’s early days, is also part of the fest.) It’s a look at a time you can never imagine happening now, when the break-the-rules channel let viewers in on the fun by gifting them cars, VIP treatment at concerts and even their idols’ homes. The contests sometimes ended up in sex, chaos or with winners owing thousands of dollars.

More MTV early days stories here: https://pagesix.com/2019/04/20/sex-cocaine-and-van-halen-inside-mtvs-wild-80s-contests/

[Easy 6]

I will definitely be seeing this documentary, sounds awesome... who wouldn’t wanna party with Van Halen?

[Kman34]

I will definitely be seeing this documentary, sounds awesome... who wouldn’t wanna party with Van Halen?

Yes.. but I want details / pics of Tammy.....

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Man, those were the DAYS!

[Bwana]

Man, those were the DAYS!

Young Jefferis had no idea what he was getting into. LMAO
MTV was great when it first came out, but it mutated into something unwatchable several years ago. Some of the MTV contest stories in the link are golden, talk about flying by the seat of their pants.

[ptlyon]

I DON'T FEEL TARDY

[PunkinDrublic]

I will definitely be seeing this documentary, sounds awesome... who wouldn’t wanna party with Van Halen?

I love documentaries but I wish Netflix would make a movie about it. They’re on a roll after the Motley Crue movie.

[RedRaider56]

Young Jefferis had no idea what he was getting into. LMAO
MTV was great when it first came out, but it mutated into something unwatchable several years ago. Some of the MTV contest stories in the link are golden, talk about flying by the seat of their pants.

Yes, MTV was greatness in its early years. Man, who wasn't jealous of the lives being led by MTV VJs.
Sounds like a great documentary to tune into

[ChiTown]

I love documentaries but I wish Netflix would make a movie about it. They’re on a roll after the Motley Crue movie.

The Dirt was awesome because you know the stories were all true. The acting was awful, but I got over that pretty quick.

[stevieray]

If I got to party with Van Halen back in the day, I probably would've died.

[SAUTO]

If I got to party with Van Halen back in the day, I probably would've died.

Oh i'm sure you could've hung back then. Fuck I think I could still but I'd probably feel it for a month

[ChiTown]

If I got to party with Van Halen back in the day, I probably would've died.

Same - In 1984, I would have been in the best shape of my life and willing to wreck myself in Booze, Drugs and Women:D

[Skyy God]

Yes.. but I want details / pics of Tammy.....

Hot-ish, skanky, and had crabs.

[alpha_omega]

...MTV was great when it first came out, but it mutated into something unwatchable several years decades ago.....

FYP

[PunkinDrublic]

Young Jefferis had no idea what he was getting into. LMAO
MTV was great when it first came out, but it mutated into something unwatchable several years ago. Some of the MTV contest stories in the link are golden, talk about flying by the seat of their pants.

I miss music videos. One of the most underrated joys of childhood was watching music videos for hours at a time.

[Bwana]

FYP

Hard to dispute that.

[Bwana]

I miss music videos. One of the most underrated joys of childhood was watching music videos for hours at a time.

Indeed, that article brought back a lot of memories.

[ChiTown]

Indeed, that article brought back a lot of memories.

Member when MTV actually was all about Music Videos? Fucking reality TV killed all that...........

[TinyEvel]

We couldn’t afford cable. But my friend Andy Gattuso had MTV. We used to walk to school together. Sometimes I’d get to his house and he wasn’t ready yet, so I’d wait in the living room where they had MTV on. I started showing up earlier and earlier, so I could watch MTV before school. It ended when I arrived to a dark house and his dad answers the door in his underwear “you gotta stop coming here so early, kid, have some common sense.”
Lol

[KCUnited]

I remember that Batmobile giveaway. I also remember Daisy Fuentes, Kari Wuhrer, and Julie Brown (non-Downtown) :fap:

[SAUTO]

We couldn’t afford cable. But my friend Andy Gattuso had MTV. We used to walk to school together. Sometimes I’d get to his house and he wasn’t ready yet, so I’d wait in the living room where they had MTV on. I started showing up earlier and earlier, so I could watch MTV before school. It ended when I arrived to a dark house and his dad answers the door in his underwear “you gotta stop coming here so early, kid, have some common sense.”
Lol

ROFL

[siberian khatru]

The Police in Montreal story is great:

The plan was for Foti and VJ Martha Quinn to take a limo to Philadelphia and fly to the gig with the winners. Adding to the excitement, they were going on the network’s signature airplane. (According to MTV’s Sykes, it was actually a leased Learjet with the network logo taped to its side and removed before take-off for fear “that it would get sucked into the engine.”)

But “the driver got lost and we wound up in Delaware,” said Foti. “Martha and I got to the plane three hours late. The concession stands [at the concert] were closed, and we were starving. The winner quickly shook hands with the Police before we went to our seats — way up in the stadium. The winner was screwed from beginning to end and he started arguing with his wife in front of everyone. She said, ‘Go f–k yourself.’ He said, ‘If I could, I would not have married you.’

[siberian khatru]

I was 15 years old when MTV debuted. Those who weren't around then can't fully appreciate what a massive cultural force it was.

[ChiTown]

I was 15 years old when MTV debuted. Those who weren't around then can't fully appreciate what a massive cultural force it was.

Yep, we are aptly dubbed the MTV Generation

[Nzoner]

The intro I'll never forget

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[eDave]

Pfft. This is every Saturday night over here.

[Titty Meat]

Same - In 1984, I would have been in the best shape of my life and willing to wreck myself in Booze, Drugs and Women:D

I wasnt even born yet

[Bwana]

Member when MTV actually was all about Music Videos? ****ing reality TV killed all that...........

Oh I hear you on that. I got busy with life and didn't tune in for years. One day I did, expecting it to be the same. I was like, what in the hell is this crap?

I spent a couple of years in Radio doing both on-air and sales, crazy business. There was always some promotion that was going wrong, so I can really relate to those stories.

I swear, it was mandatory for every radio station manager on earth to come up with a promotion concept and never think about the details of the promotion until it was too late. ROFL

I can't count the number of times the promotion would be an hour away and the station manger would be in a compete panic, because he forgotten two dozen important details.

It turns out WKRP In Cincinnati wasn't that far from the truth.

[ptlyon]

Oh I hear you on that. I got busy with life and didn't tune in for years. One day I did, expecting it to be the same. I was like, what in the hell is this crap?

I spent a couple of years in Radio doing both on-air and sales, crazy business. There was always some promotion that was going wrong, so I can really relate to those stories.

I swear, it was mandatory for every radio station manager on earth to come up with a promotion concept and never think about the details of the promotion until it was too late. ROFL

I can't count the number of times the promotion would be an hour away and the station manger would be in a compete panic, because he forgotten two dozen important details.

It turns out WKRP In Cincinnati wasn't that far from the truth.

Was going to ask if you ever dropped turkeys out of a helicopter ROFL

[Bwana]

Was going to ask if you ever dropped turkeys out of a helicopter ROFL


Best episode ever.


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[Deberg_1990]

Cool story.

I do remember some those crazy giveaways. I’m sure most who won were young and dumb and never stopped to realize the taxes and other implications.

I remember when MTV ran the contest promos, the advisory wording would always scroll by at lightening speed. LOL

[InChiefsHeaven]

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I didn't have cable either so I like to spend the night at a friends place on Friday nights just to catch Headbangers Ball...the only time us metal heads got to see actual METAL on MTV.

[ChiTown]

I wasnt even born yet

Well, I'm 52 years old, so I would have been 17/18 years old back then. Good times.....

[Titty Meat]

Well, I'm 52 years old, so I would have been 17/18 years old back then. Good times.....

You werent afraid of the AIDS?

[Bowser]

I bet Nina Blackwood threw it around to all of those 80s rock bands. She was pretty hot back then, as was Martha Quinn. Martha is still pretty attractive these days, too.

[Bowser]

You werent afraid of the AIDS?

Everyone was aware and afraid of it, but nobody cared when you got right down to it.

[jjjayb]

I was about 12 when MTV debuted. We were all glued to the TV watching MTV after school until my dad got stationed in Panama. They didn't have MTV in panama at the time. We used to have to rent betamax tapes of MTV. Good times.

[Rain Man]

I read an article once about a contest titled, "What would you do to party with Motley Crue"? I don't know if it was MTV or not. It was an essay contest, and the article discussed in broad terms how severely messed up some of the entries were. I vaguely remember references to placing one's own mother in bondage for Motley Crue to use how they saw fit, and then some vague references to doing things with razor blades and ice cubes that the article wouldn't even specify.

[ptlyon]

I was about 12 when MTV debuted. We were all glued to the TV watching MTV after school until my dad got stationed in Panama. They didn't have MTV in panama at the time. We used to have to rent betamax tapes of MTV. Good times.

Ironically Van Halen probably changed that.

[Titty Meat]

Beavis & Butthead, Singled out, Yo! MTV Raps, Headbangers Ball. That was the GOAT ERA

[alpha_omega]

...They didn't have MTV in panama at the time.....

Ironically Van Halen probably changed that.

Ha, I was thinking the same thing. That video was on 24/7.

[big nasty kcnut]

Shit i would of carried my own booze if i partied with van halen. They be like brad drink this booze and i would say nope brought my own.

[Easy 6]

Yes.. but I want details / pics of Tammy.....

She was the hottest piece of ass that kid ever got, you can bet on that much

I love documentaries but I wish Netflix would make a movie about it. They’re on a roll after the Motley Crue movie.

True, the early days of MTV would make a helluva movie

Reading that piece makes me miss the old days, all they do now is make shitty reality shows

[Fishpicker]

heheh

Panama... all I rememebr of that is Eddie jumpin' around on thunderdome bungie cords and doin the whoah dude face while getting hit with a handheld blow dryer. twasn't nothin' but ham & cheese

[Easy 6]

heheh

Panama... all I rememebr of that is Eddie jumpin' around on thunderdome bungie cords and doin the whoah dude face while getting hit with a handheld blow dryer. twasn't nothin' but GLORIOUS ham & cheese pan fried in some of the most electric boogie blues riffs of all time

Fixed it

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

My friend almost won the Motley Cruise. They picked the post card right next to his though. He was bummed. LMAO

Can you imagine being on that ship as a teenager though? You'd have Doc McGee or Doug Thaler trying to hide smack and all of the other crazy shit those guys were in to at the time. "Come along Timmy, you don't want to know about that". LMAO

[Titty Meat]

This thread inspired me to buy Aeon Flux and The Head DVDs

[rabblerouser]

Young Jefferis had no idea what he was getting into. LMAO
MTV was great when it first came out, but it mutated into something unwatchable several years ago. Some of the MTV contest stories in the link are golden, talk about flying by the seat of their pants.

They don't even play music on MTV anymore.

It's really very sad. Kids get their videos by watching Cash Me Ousside Girl doing "Gucci Flip Flops" on the youtubes...this is how they're dumbing down America?

[rabblerouser]

You werent afraid of the AIDS?

Nah, in the early 80s, AIDS was for the gays and the people doing the arm heroin.

[stevieray]

I was about 12 when MTV debuted. We were all glued to the TV watching MTV after school until my dad got stationed in Panama. They didn't have MTV in panama at the time. We used to have to rent betamax tapes of MTV. Good times.



did someone say Panama?<iframe width="520" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w-NshzYK9y0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[crashcourse]

did someone say Panama?<iframe width="520" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w-NshzYK9y0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

true AFRTS only had one station but the Panamanians did have mtv. I was in panama 84-86 and we watched mtv all the time
in fact living in panama at that time was like winning one of those contests. Panamanian women were drop dead gorgeous--lines of coke and 10 dollar hookers were plentiful

lot of soldiers down there got into a lot of trouble