Where can a kid be a kid? Chuck E. Cheeses!

Life was rough growing up in the 80s. Homework, chores, and annoying siblings. We had so much crap to put up with it wasn’t funny. What could we do to just let our hair down? Sure we could play Atari or Nintendo, but you’d always have a parent yelling, “Go outside and get some sun! It’s too nice outside!” What a drag. And when you went out, you could ride bike or run around, but you really couldn’t “Let Your Hair Down.” I just want a place where we could be kids, you know? Then, on TV one Saturday Morning, as I was stuffing my face with my second bowl of Count Chocula cereal, what came upon my TV? The answer to all my problems! Chuck E. Cheeses!

I proceeded to beg my parents to take me there. I would pout, cry, wine, and be as annoying as I could, just thinking that my parents would take me there just to shut me up! No deal. But thankfully I had a best friend who got whatever he wanted. What did he want? His birthday party hosted at Chuck E. Cheeses! Oh what fun, oh what joy!

What is everything I dreamed of? Oh god no. The pizza was awful. So awful that I can remember it over 20 years later. A friend of mine, ex’s kid had a party there that I went to and I refused to eat the pizza off that memory. But that’s not why we went. No! We went for the games! They had video games, Skee-Ball games, and other ticket winning games. That is why we went! There were other things there, but I could care less about them. Video games were, are, and will always be my weakness and that is all I cared about.

After that experience, I wanted to go back. No for the food but for the video games. A year later, I found a wonderful video game hangout that was a five minute bike ride from my house. At that point, Chuck E. Cheeses became old business. But the commercial below brought back these cool memories, and that is the purpose of this site. Excuse me, my daughter just saw this and now I got to calm her down. She now wants to go to Chuck’s house. I guess that’s ok, as long as she doesn’t want their pizza.

Superheroes wear Underoos!

Growing up, I loved my Superheroes. I was obsessed with The Hulk! I loved to watch The Incredible Hulk with Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby. I loved that show so much that one day I got into my dad’s green paint and painted my hands green. When my dad came home from work in his orange Datsun 240Z, I can still remember the terror in his eyes as he stepped out of his car and I bellowed, “Dad, I’m the HULK!” We can laugh about it now, but back then, that car was my Dad’s baby. But one of the other things about The Hulk I remember growing up, are the Underoos!

I had a pair of The Hulk one’s and Spiderman ones. In the summer, I’d wear them as pajamas. And my demeanor would very depending on which one I wore. The Hulk ones and I would be banging around and stomping and the such. Spiderman ones and I would be jumping from chair to couch to whatever else while trying to avoid my mom and a spanking. It’s amazing, these memories were dormant until I saw the commercial below.

This commercial is from the late 70s, and I don’t remember ever seeing it, but seeing the outfits brought back memories. Like I already said, I had The Hulk and Spiderman, and I believe my sisters had Wonder Woman. There is nothing really special about this commercial. It’s boring by today’s standards, but as a kid idolizing many Superheroes, these Underoos made me believe that I was one, if only for a little.

Anyone else out there have these? Which one’s did you have?