Great Moments in Pop Culture #1

This is the first in what should be many posts detailing memorable moments in pop culture. How does a moment make this list? It needs to conform to two rules:

1. It has to have happened in MY lifetime.
2. It had to be memorable and meaningful to ME.

These posts are in no way ordered. They're just moments I have happened to recall, and feel the need to talk about. Here's the first...

May 16, 1983 - Motown 25

What it's remembered for:
The Jacksons' reunion, Michael Jackson's moonwalk, and his announcement to the world that he is the baddest mofo in show business.

What it should be remembered for:
The Temptations v. The Four Tops battle of the bands.

The best part is at the 4:20 mark. Temptations lead singer Dennis Edwards tries to pull the 'diva' thing on Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs, who quickly turns the tables on Edwards by turning a well known Temptations lyric into a "no-he-didn't" prophecy.

Why it makes my list:
It's always a special moment when generation gaps are bridged. Although I always listened to Motown music because of my mother, I never had the connection that she obviously had. This was the music and the people that defined her childhood. She witnessed the art adapt and shift, and she saw the musicians age and die. To me, it had really only been the soundtrack to my early life. Just really good music that I liked. After sitting together and watching this television special, I now had my very own Motown moment. This would be an event I would remember for the rest of my life, something I could pass down to my kids, and it gave me the ability to say that I too grew-up on Motown. And because of Michael's big performance, other kids of different races and cultures shared that same experience. It's rare that you get to experience your parents' past, and this was our generation's opportunity to do that.