1987 Minnesota
December 12, 2008 6:12 PM Subscribe
The events in the movie Fargo didn't really happen in Minnesota in 1987 like the opening text says. But besides the Twins winning the World Series, what did? Well for one, Robbinsdale Cooper's senior class took some rather awful 80's hair pictures, almost deliberately bad.
Also, The Winter Warrior was dedicated, commemorating the largest mass execution (images in pdf) in U.S. history. Some of the year was basically just normal and calming. But radio station WLOL was rising fast in the ratings thanks to the controversial "Incredible Prize Catalog Sweepstakes" (images in pdf) they held that involved a Benz and a Porche that nobody won. Yep, 1987 Minnesota - possibly the best thing since sliced bread. No really - cold spreadable butter.
Also, The Winter Warrior was dedicated, commemorating the largest mass execution (images in pdf) in U.S. history. Some of the year was basically just normal and calming. But radio station WLOL was rising fast in the ratings thanks to the controversial "Incredible Prize Catalog Sweepstakes" (images in pdf) they held that involved a Benz and a Porche that nobody won. Yep, 1987 Minnesota - possibly the best thing since sliced bread. No really - cold spreadable butter.
I heard people in Minnesota will shoot anyone that mentions the movie Fargo. Twice if they do it in fake Minnesota accent.
posted by qvantamon at 6:33 PM on December 12, 2008
posted by qvantamon at 6:33 PM on December 12, 2008
I think this gal is lookin' California, though obviously feeling Minnesota.
posted by Tube at 6:33 PM on December 12, 2008
posted by Tube at 6:33 PM on December 12, 2008
Did anyone, anyone think that hair looked good?
I remember the tail end of it as a kid growing up in Maine in the early '90s, which was kind of behind the times anyway. Some of my parent's male friends had perms, and one even went so far as to wear eyeliner.
And the horrible hair still hasn't completely died out. Until around 2002, girls were still doing what my mom called the 'IGA bangs' (after the IGA cashiers) which must have taken at least half an hour of curling and hairspray every day.
Even now, there's women in their forties with hair like this, who probably got the haircut back in '85 and haven't changed their look since.
The '80s were a bad idea. Hell, the '90s were, too.
posted by dunkadunc at 6:44 PM on December 12, 2008
I remember the tail end of it as a kid growing up in Maine in the early '90s, which was kind of behind the times anyway. Some of my parent's male friends had perms, and one even went so far as to wear eyeliner.
And the horrible hair still hasn't completely died out. Until around 2002, girls were still doing what my mom called the 'IGA bangs' (after the IGA cashiers) which must have taken at least half an hour of curling and hairspray every day.
Even now, there's women in their forties with hair like this, who probably got the haircut back in '85 and haven't changed their look since.
The '80s were a bad idea. Hell, the '90s were, too.
posted by dunkadunc at 6:44 PM on December 12, 2008
The "largest mass execution" link actually deserves its own FPP. What history there.
posted by peppito at 6:46 PM on December 12, 2008
posted by peppito at 6:46 PM on December 12, 2008
Oh god, MN yearbooks from nearby where I went to high school. I really hope I don't see my old yearbook photos online, ever...I just feel sorry for these people.
posted by voltairemodern at 6:56 PM on December 12, 2008
posted by voltairemodern at 6:56 PM on December 12, 2008
In northern North Dakota, around Grand Forks, where I grew up.
An ex-girlfriend and her family were driving home from Grand Forks one night and came across the shoot for the night chase scene. They thought they'd stumbled across the scene of a bad accident but, instead, had stumbled across the scene of a bad make believe accident.
posted by nathan_teske at 6:59 PM on December 12, 2008
An ex-girlfriend and her family were driving home from Grand Forks one night and came across the shoot for the night chase scene. They thought they'd stumbled across the scene of a bad accident but, instead, had stumbled across the scene of a bad make believe accident.
posted by nathan_teske at 6:59 PM on December 12, 2008
I recently caught an episode of History Detectives that talked about the mass execution and the history surrounding it. Fascinating. I drive through Mankato about once a month and I had no idea what had happened there.
I remember Minnesota 1987. I was six. My whole family was elated for the Twins and we had Homer Hankies scattered all over the house. For some reason I can remember that later my nine-year-old self would fondly remember 1987 as the best year of my then short life. I wish I could remember why.
I like that "normal and calming" link.
posted by bristolcat at 7:00 PM on December 12, 2008
I remember Minnesota 1987. I was six. My whole family was elated for the Twins and we had Homer Hankies scattered all over the house. For some reason I can remember that later my nine-year-old self would fondly remember 1987 as the best year of my then short life. I wish I could remember why.
I like that "normal and calming" link.
posted by bristolcat at 7:00 PM on December 12, 2008
The '80s were a bad idea. Hell, the '90s were, too.
So was the first decade in 2000, but we won't fully realize it until its over.
posted by cazoo at 7:01 PM on December 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
So was the first decade in 2000, but we won't fully realize it until its over.
posted by cazoo at 7:01 PM on December 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
Hair? Joan Cusack in Working Girl is definitive, and still seen in Manhattan.
I've never touched hair like that. though. Is it soft or crinkley?
posted by hexatron at 7:07 PM on December 12, 2008
I've never touched hair like that. though. Is it soft or crinkley?
posted by hexatron at 7:07 PM on December 12, 2008
Crinkly. Definitely.
posted by limeonaire at 7:27 PM on December 12, 2008
posted by limeonaire at 7:27 PM on December 12, 2008
I heard people in Minnesota will shoot anyone that mentions the movie Fargo. Twice if they do it in fake Minnesota accent.
That's because in Minneapolis our accent isn't nearly that thick. It gets worse the closer you get to Brainerd though.
posted by graventy at 8:05 PM on December 12, 2008
That's because in Minneapolis our accent isn't nearly that thick. It gets worse the closer you get to Brainerd though.
posted by graventy at 8:05 PM on December 12, 2008
Holy crap, check out the beginning of that WLOL link for a young Paul Magers.
posted by Demogorgon at 8:08 PM on December 12, 2008
posted by Demogorgon at 8:08 PM on December 12, 2008
There are very people people in Grand Forks with accents that thick, but they do exist. It was an exaggeration, but not a horrible one.
My parents aren't from there so I don't have much of it, except when I say "about". I can fake it convincingly after a few beers though.
posted by flaterik at 8:10 PM on December 12, 2008
My parents aren't from there so I don't have much of it, except when I say "about". I can fake it convincingly after a few beers though.
posted by flaterik at 8:10 PM on December 12, 2008
What did the Minnesotan say to the Pillsbury Doughboy?
Nice tan.
posted by jonmc at 8:30 PM on December 12, 2008
Nice tan.
posted by jonmc at 8:30 PM on December 12, 2008
Do not write WLOL on the [almost] front of my Metafilter, please.1
posted by qvantamon at 8:31 PM on December 12, 2008
posted by qvantamon at 8:31 PM on December 12, 2008
Robbinsdale Cooper's senior class took some rather awful 80's hair pictures, almost deliberately bad.
I wish people had their shit together that almost these thirty years gone it could have been decided "Let's everyone troll the future with funny hair. See what they'll believe."
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 9:52 PM on December 12, 2008
I wish people had their shit together that almost these thirty years gone it could have been decided "Let's everyone troll the future with funny hair. See what they'll believe."
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 9:52 PM on December 12, 2008
This was delicious. Now I'll have to scan some choice hair from my my Fridley year book.
posted by Dok Millennium at 10:53 PM on December 12, 2008
posted by Dok Millennium at 10:53 PM on December 12, 2008
The '80s were a bad idea. Hell, the '90s were, too.
So was the first decade in 2000, but we won't fully realize it until its over.
I fully realize it every time someone shows me their tattoos.
posted by bchase at 11:06 PM on December 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
So was the first decade in 2000, but we won't fully realize it until its over.
I fully realize it every time someone shows me their tattoos.
posted by bchase at 11:06 PM on December 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
I heard people in Minnesota will shoot anyone that mentions the movie Fargo. Twice if they do it in fake Minnesota accent.
Yah, you betcha.
*ducks*
posted by amyms at 12:01 AM on December 13, 2008
Yah, you betcha.
*ducks*
posted by amyms at 12:01 AM on December 13, 2008
The '80s were a bad idea. Hell, the '90s were, too.
I see '80s hair all the time here in Pittsburgh. Women with giant teased hair and men with mullets and gold chains.
posted by octothorpe at 6:51 AM on December 13, 2008
I see '80s hair all the time here in Pittsburgh. Women with giant teased hair and men with mullets and gold chains.
posted by octothorpe at 6:51 AM on December 13, 2008
I fully realize it every time someone shows me their tattoos.
I've had a lot of friends ask me what I thought about their upcoming ink plans, and they always thought I was full of it when I said it was a bad idea- you know, getting the cast of Alice in Wonderland on their back, a giant forearm skeleton, or the HIM logo, the Misfits logo, or a giant fish on their stomach.
Now I know all these cute girls with these horrible huge tattoos that they can't get rid of- and already some of them are regretting it. I would be a jerk to say 'I told you so', but it makes me wish other people would take my advice more seriously.
And don't even get me started on gauged ears. Everyone's going to be going around with droopy/torn Goofy ears just because they thought it would be a cool look back when they were twenty.
posted by dunkadunc at 7:27 AM on December 13, 2008
I've had a lot of friends ask me what I thought about their upcoming ink plans, and they always thought I was full of it when I said it was a bad idea- you know, getting the cast of Alice in Wonderland on their back, a giant forearm skeleton, or the HIM logo, the Misfits logo, or a giant fish on their stomach.
Now I know all these cute girls with these horrible huge tattoos that they can't get rid of- and already some of them are regretting it. I would be a jerk to say 'I told you so', but it makes me wish other people would take my advice more seriously.
And don't even get me started on gauged ears. Everyone's going to be going around with droopy/torn Goofy ears just because they thought it would be a cool look back when they were twenty.
posted by dunkadunc at 7:27 AM on December 13, 2008
plinth: "The bigger the hair, the closer to God."
I see what you did there, plinth. Nice Eaglesmith quote, but he's a Canuck, not a squarehead.
posted by notsnot at 7:51 AM on December 13, 2008
I see what you did there, plinth. Nice Eaglesmith quote, but he's a Canuck, not a squarehead.
posted by notsnot at 7:51 AM on December 13, 2008
Yah, you betcha.
I think it's fairly obvious after the last election that the accent is more of an Alaskan thing than a Minnesotan thing.
posted by graventy at 8:24 AM on December 13, 2008
I think it's fairly obvious after the last election that the accent is more of an Alaskan thing than a Minnesotan thing.
posted by graventy at 8:24 AM on December 13, 2008
Something's wrong - where's Steve Zahn? He should have been Cooper '87. I'm assuming this woman is not a relative, though.
posted by bonecrusher at 9:13 AM on December 13, 2008
posted by bonecrusher at 9:13 AM on December 13, 2008
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In northern North Dakota, around Grand Forks, where I grew up.
I was once told that I went into my favorite coffee shop minutes after Steve Buscemi left. I was already a fan of his, and this made me very sad.
In retrospect, the person who told me that might not have been entirely truthful but I believed it up until just now.
posted by flaterik at 6:20 PM on December 12, 2008 [1 favorite]