Hello Kitty is 35

This is as full of awesome as it gets.

Who knew that an 80’s icon would survive this long? Now Hello Kitty is ironic. Depth of flavor.

Let’s examine some other 80’s icons, and find out whether they slipped quietly into ex-iconic obscurity, or became ironic-iconic. Shall we?

Boy George. Jumped the shark. Sorry, Boy. Now you’re old and creepy.

Breakfast Club. Timeless. Does it help that director John Hughes has died? Do we feel older now? Will you recognize me? Call my name or walk on by?

The A-Team. Oh, come on. You can hum the theme song, can’t you? It doesn’t get more retro-cool than that, especially considering I avoided this show like the plague when it was running. Some things just become a part of you by osmosis.

Madonna. Does something smell like shark in here? Shark with a lot of excellent plastic surgery? And a faux English accent?

Optimus Prime. Wow. Did you see that? You just sat up straighter. A little taller. That’s the effect of Optimus Prime. Even now. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message so that our past will always be remembered. For in those memories we live on. (Nah, I never watched this either.)

David Lee Roth. Ol’ Diamond Dave was jumping over sharks before there were sharks. Instant kitsch! He’ll be cool again in about 10 years, when we’re sure he’d break a leg or pull a groin muscle. Right now he’s in that in between stage, where you can’t help but just … look … away.

Spuds McKenzie. I can’t even comment. The memories are just too painful.