And Then Bobby Punched Her in the Face

Last Thursday saw the return of the greatest show that has ever been on VH1, Behind the Music. There is nothing better than the rise and fall, and inevitable comeback of bands of yesteryear. The most recent episode featured New Edition, the originator of the modern day Boy Band. The star of the show was obviously Mr. Whitney Houston himself, Bobby Brown. At one point Bobby apologized for being high on many different things during the 1996 Home Again Tour, and apparently he still hadn’t come down since then. Then he challenged New Kids on the Block to, I think, a basketball game. When talking about his various jail terms, he simply had to say he has spent more time in his bathroom than the time they gave him. In other words, “Kids – just say no.”

After anything involving Bobby Brown, the most interesting aspect of the episode was how hard the members’ childhoods were. I knew that they live in the ghetto, but I was unaware that any of them were embroiled in the big civil rights movements of the time as some of the members were escorted to school by state troopers. This was really Eyes on the Prize type of stuff.

Inexplicably missing from the episode was Ronnie DeVoe. Did he possibly have something better to do? Granted in the New Edition pecking order, he’s most likely coming in 6th (out of 6). So maybe they did interview him, but didn’t have any good material from him. Or maybe they are holding him back for the Bell Biv DeVoe Behind the Music as the New Edition spin-off got very little of a mention. Hopefully that will be coming soon as Bell Biv DeVoe holds a special place in my heart as my very first concert on the Club MTV Tour along side Tony! Toni! Tone!, C+C Music Factory, and Rico Suave. As for other Behind the Music’s I’d like to see, at the top of the list would be Van Halen, or a least a David Lee Roth episode.