It’s the fifth chapter in a podcast miniseries that looks at the fall of the Iron Curtain and the popular culture of the Cold War. To start us off, I look at what happened in Eastern Europe from September to November 1990 with a special focus on the roles that corporate America and pop music played in the end of the Cold War. Then, the discussion turns to sports; specifically, the Olympics with a spotlight on the controversial 1972 men’s basketball final, The Miracle on Ice, and the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
You can listen here:
Apple Podcasts: Pop Culture Affidavit
Pop Culture Affidavit podcast page
And here are a couple of extras for you …
Billy Joel’s song, “Leningrad”
“Wind of Change” by The Scorpions
“Nothing’s Gonna Stop You Now” by Loverboy
“Olympic Fanfare and Theme” by John Williams
The final minute of the “Miracle on Ice” with Al Michaels’ famous call.
The 1980 Gold Medal Hockey Game (U.S. vs. Finland)
An Olympic-themed M&Ms commercial from 1984.
A McDonald’s “If The U.S. Wins, You Win!” 1984 Olympics Ad.
The Simpsons parodies the McDonald’s promotion.
Bud Light’s “Heartland” Ad.
Ronald Reagan’s 1984 “Morning in America” Campaign Ad.
“Power” (Power Sports/Weightlifting Theme) by Bill Conti.
Finally, I mentioned the dissertation “LA and the 1984 Olympic Games: Cultural Commodification, Corporate Sponsorship, and the Cold War.” by Joshua Lieser at UC Riverside (now at Oxnard College). It’s a fascinating piece that is worth diving into if the topics I discussed in this episode interest you. You can find it here: “LA and the 1984 Olympic Games: Cultural Commodification, Corporate Sponsorship, and the Cold War.”
Pop Culture Affidavit 