Category: 1980

Where Did “Jump the Shark” Come From… and Why Did It Stick So Well?

You mean you want me to jump over a shark? “Ayyyy!” – FONZIE The funny thing about famous phrases is this: they usually don’t sound important when they’re born. Nobody stands up and says, “Gentlemen, we are about to create a cultural landmark.” No, it usually happens by accident—often because somebody did something just strange enough to make people stop and say, well… that can’t be good. And that’s exactly how “jump the shark” came into the world. Back in 1977, Happy Days was riding high. It was one of the most popular shows on television. People loved the … Continue readingWhere Did “Jump the Shark” Come From… and Why Did It Stick So Well?

Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll

The Three Miamis When I was a kid in high school, living in Miami and going to one of the more affluent public schools, there were three types of kids — the rich ones from Coconut Grove and Key Biscayne, the poor ones also from Coconut Grove, and the somewhat middle-class ones in between. It was the late ’70s, early ’80s — sun, swagger, and a city already running on something stronger than orange juice. I was in that in-between middle class. My parents worked for a living, and I worked at Burger King in the Grove. I had … Continue readingSex, Drugs and Rock and Roll

The Man Who Built Thunder

Don Aronow wasn’t born with salt in his veins — he poured it in himself. He came from Brooklyn, made a pile of money in construction up north, then did what a lot of men with more money than peace of mind do: he came to Florida. Back then, Miami was still pretending to be civilized. But beneath the tans and the cocktails, it was already sweating ambition, cocaine, and danger. Don liked fast things — cars, boats, women, deals — anything that made the world blur around the edges. He built his own kingdom on a stretch of … Continue readingThe Man Who Built Thunder