The one with the info nuggets ...
Before the channel became yet another destination for reality TV, VH1 was all about music videos. In the mid-’90s, one of their music-focused shows became part of my middle school morning ritual.
Freshly toasted Pop-Tart in hand, I’d tune in to see what was airing on Pop-Up Video, VH1’s highest-rated program at the time. Maybe it would be Alanis singing “Ironic” — a term which, according to the bubbles on screen, she used incorrectly. I might even come across a fun fact, like learning what a “Scaramouche” was in the show’s take on “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
But did you know ...
1. Tasty little nuggets
The bubbles that appear on screen during Pop-Up Video actually have an official name: info nuggets.
Each nugget contains interesting tidbits and trivia, most of which are related to the artist, the song, and the making of the music video. A few random facts and pop culture references are also in the mix to keep viewers on their toes. And don’t forget about that iconic, bubble-like “bloop” sound each time a new nugget appeared — so satisfying!
2. A ‘90s diva inspired the show.
Co-creators Tad Low and Woody Thompson wanted to pierce the “untouchable” celebrity bubble to reveal what music artists are really like. As Low stated in an interview with UPROXX, “The real starter fluid was a growing mountain of behind-the-scenes horrors experienced firsthand by a close friend who was Mariah Carey’s stylist in the ‘90s.”
Pre-social media, that kind of information wasn’t widely available. This made their revelations about the making of a music video all the more interesting, especially when it involved juicy facts about the artists themselves.
3. I'd like to thank all the little people.
In keeping with their tell-all approach, writers for the show went straight to the source. Instead of talking to music artists and directors who would surely deliver PR-approved responses, they called up limo drivers, caterers, stylists, make-up artists, and other members of the crew.
When he got in touch with the dog trainer for NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” video, for example, head writer Alan Cross discovered that they had to stuff hot dogs in Justin Timberlake’s pants to get the dog to follow him. Another head writer, Paul Leo, once called up Jewel’s grandfather in Alaska just to find out if she used an outhouse when growing up on his homestead. (She did, and Leo got in trouble when Jewel’s team learned about his call.)
4. Don’t mess with the Piano Man.
The show’s info nuggets maintained a snarky, irreverent tone — which made for some awkward moments with the artists. Billy Joel had his 1984 “Keeping the Faith” video pulled from the Pop-Up Video lineup for suggesting that wife Christie Brinkley wasn’t being faithful to the Piano Man. It probably didn’t help that the nuggets also made fun of his dancing skills and the shoes he wore in the video.
While the writers didn’t really care about upsetting celebrities, VH1 kept a list of litigious artists posted in their offices so they’d know whose videos were off limits. In addition to Joel, the list featured stars like Don Henley, Barbra Streisand, and Neil Young.
5. You get a pop! You get a pop! Everybody gets a pop!
Pop-Up Video was such a hit that it started branching out beyond VH1 to other programs — including the highest-rated daytime talk show in America. In 1998, co-creators Thompson and Low appeared as guests on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Because they had appeared on the show before, they decided to “pop” a scene from their previous interview. Oddly, many of the info nuggets focused on Oprah’s false eyelashes.
6. Pop-Up Video meets game night
The trivia-style factoids from the show inspired the creation of a Pop-Up Video board game in 1999 (think Trivial Pursuit, but with only the entertainment category). Based on the roll of a die, players would have to sing a line from a song or answer a question about an artist or music video. Question cards were inserted into a small TV-shaped viewer called the "Truth Console" to reveal the answers.
7. They’re baaaaaack ...
Pop-Up Video may have helped kick off the reboot era of TV. After debuting in 1996, it ran for six seasons. But fans wanted more, and in 2011, VH1 ordered new episodes of the show.
With internet use now mainstream, writers for the revived series had to work extra hard to track down unique facts that couldn’t be easily found on the web. Pop-Up Video was renewed for another season in 2012 before being laid to rest for good (RIP).
8. Gym, tan, and nuggets
Amid the show’s return to the airwaves, MTV decided to give us the crossover that nobody asked for. At the end of the fifth season of Jersey Shore, the channel aired five of the most talked-about episodes from season one — complete with the Pop-Up Video treatment. Info nuggets with insider details about the episodes and the show’s stars, including Snookie, J-Woww, and The Situation, popped up on screen along with viewer poll results and user-generated comments.
9. Co-creator Tad Low pulled a Kanye.
Taylor Swift wasn’t the first one to get interrupted during an awards show acceptance speech. Pop-Up Video co-creator Tad Low pulled a similar stunt at the TV Guide Awards in 2000.
Although Pop-Up Video had been nominated for “Favorite Music Show,” he found out before the ceremony that Total Request Live would be crowned the winner. When the award was announced, Low rushed up on stage before TRL host Carson Daly could get there. According to Low, “I accepted his award, and announced to the nation what a true travesty his show was before being hauled off by security.”
The incident contributed to a growing rift with fellow Pop-Up Video creator Woody Thompson, who struggled to deal with Low’s wildcard antics.
10. Greased Lightnin’ almost got popped!
During the show’s initial run, the creators of Pop-Up Video were in talks with Paramount about a possible movie crossover event. The film studio considered doing a theatrical release of Grease with the addition of the show’s now-iconic info nuggets. It never panned out, so we’re all left to wonder what kinds of fun factoids about the hand jive might have been revealed.
Miss the old days when VH1 actually aired music videos? Forward this to a fellow music lover, then pop a few info nuggets just for fun.
Editorial: Ashley
Illustration: Nick