C.S.

What about The Hogan Family?

Getting shown on cable all the time is only one piece of the puzzle. Who talks with reverence, respect, or fond remembrance of Crocodile Dundee? Almost no one. Meanwhile, Breakfast Club is adored. Hogan, to a certain generation of casual fans, is also seen as "the man." No one holds Dundee in the same high esteem as Hogan and Ringwald/Brat Pack/John Hughes.

Not a chance. Not even in the '80s. But especially not now. Like I said with Ringwald, Paul Hogan had a couple of cups of coffee in the limelight. Hulk Hogan has had several straight decades. Still, Ringwald at least endures... Who gives a crap about Crocodile Dundee today? Not even the people who grew up with it.

Which is funny of you to say because she's actually been on a TV series for four seasons now - The Secret Life of the American Teenager. I don't think she's the star-star, but from what I understand, she has a fairly important role. (As the mother, I believe?) But TV has changed. Wrestling has changed. The world has changed. There were a lot less options in the '80s when Hogan ruled the roost. I think it's safe to say that more people know Hogan than Ringwald, just because of how distinctive he is, like you said, but also because he's had a much longer shelf life. Ringwald was big for a short period of time in the '80s and is experiencing a comeback now (if you can call it that), with very little in-between that garnered any major public recognition. Hogan, meanwhile, was on or near the top for 2-3 decades straight. More people had more chances to know him, even if Ringwald's '80s output is as "immortal" as Hogan's character. Still, the general public probably doesn't respect him the same way they might respect Ringwald. (I'm not saying Ringwald is Meryl Streep necessarily, but I'm willing to wager that people generally feel more affection and admiration for Ringwald than Hogan.) The problem with your data is that it relies solely on 1980s box office numbers. Even in the '80s, movies had a shelf life outside of theaters. Cable and VHS rentals made so many of them big past their theatrical run, including the John Hughes movies. The Princess Bride is another good example of that. That has since continued with DVD, Blu-Ray, Netflix, etc. Are you seriously going to tell me with a straight face that Witness, Out of Africa, and Cocoon are more enduring and beloved than the John Hughes films with Ringwald, or even the ones without her like Ferris? Crocodile Dundee was a major hit at the time, but it hasn't had the same staying power. It was a huge fad, almost like Hulk Hogan. But I don't think anyone outside of the '80s really knows or cares about Paul Hogan (the Croc actor).

Can't believe Larry Zbyszko and Williams & Gordy were mentioned. Larry was fun in The Enforcers, The Dangerous Alliance, and during his feud as a babyface against Regal. That match had me cheering Larry and booing Regal, even though I wasn't a Larry fan and always liked Regal. I've only seen the Williams & Gordy team in WCW, but I found them awesome to watch...very intense, in a way we rarely saw from that era (in America). Even the Triple H suggestion is a bit mind-boggling, though I can understand the sentiment, because he has been shoved down everyone's throats. I almost suggested Sting and Lex Luger. Against the right opponent, yes, they shined. But in normal, every day situations, I found them bland, bland, bland. Of all the things Sting especially is overrated for, charisma and personality top the list. Having spiky hair and facepaint does not equal personality. But to be fair, while they weren't as good as their spots, they were just good enough. So, I can't honestly suggest them. Maybe Marcus Alexander "Buff" Bagwell? Decent heel personality near the end, but I can't think of one truly great match he's had. Even then, I don't know... "Buff" was still a fun midcard gimmick. The problem is, no major league wrestler is boring in every aspect. They all have at least one thing going for them, even if that one thing is overshadowed by a million other deficits.

If you mean just putting Hansen in that spot for a big summer wrestling feud, yeah, it would have been cool. However, if you mean Hansen replacing Lister's character in the movie itself, no way. Lister is no Oscar winner, but he had the look that worked for posters and the screen presence needed to appear credible in the movie itself. I can't see Hansen being effective in the way that role called for. As I'm sure you already know, Hansen was in the movie too. Compare him to Zeus. Apples and oranges. Zeus looked better on screen. In the ring, different story, obviously.

So glad to see: 1991-11-19 The Enforcers (Arn Anderson & Larry Zbysko) vs Dustin Rhodes & Ricky Steamboat (WCW Tag Team Titles) (Clash Of The Champions 17) I had just gotten into wrestling a few months before that. The WWF first, then WCW. Seeing Steamboat jump from the WWF to WCW felt a big deal to me at the time. It really made WCW look semi-competitive. And it helps that this was probably the first truly great match I had seen at that point, being a young fan only a few months in.

I can see Tom being way out of the price range and having to settle for Ted McGinley. I actually prefer this to Cruise. McGinley would perfectly capture the fake, plastic, game show vibe of "Easy E."