A missed opportunity for a great joke
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Home Alone
!!!deleted!!! (22250229) — 10 years ago(April 01, 2016 07:37 AM)
When Kevin checks out at the grocery store, the cashier tells him "$19.83." I always thought this would've been a golden moment for Kevin to reply something alone the lines of, "Great year" and then perhaps, briefly, to go on about something significant in politics or sports from that year, much to the bewilderment of the cashier.
The joke being, obviously, Kevin should have little to no recollection of 1983.
Anyone else feel this way? I think about it every single time I see that part.
The calls are coming from inside the house. -
EightiesKid — 9 years ago(April 04, 2016 01:07 PM)
That was only 7 years ago at the time (like saying "20.09" now). It could've worked, but the chick didn't seem too bright herself, lol.
I was born in late 82, and while I obviously don't have any memory of '83 I grew up on loads of music and movies that came out that year so if I was in a similar situation as a kid I could've fudged it enough to sound legit.
Kevin was smart af (especially for an 8 year old) and I actually could see him being able to talk his way out of it. -
!!!deleted!!! (22250229) — 9 years ago(April 04, 2016 07:57 PM)
I was born in early '83 so currently we're the same age and in 1990 even if someone had asked me about something culturally relevant from, say, 1988 there's no way I would've been able to answer that.
Maybe I could have said something like, "Hey, I think that's when I saw The Land Before Time" or "Yup, eatin' my Fruity Pebbles watchin' Thundercats" but not, "Yeah, that's when President Bush took office." (although, I
was
distinctly aware at that time who our president was, that much I remember, I seriously doubt I knew Reagan was our former president.)
The calls are coming from inside the house. -
EightiesKid — 9 years ago(April 11, 2016 02:41 PM)
Yeah, politics and news are a different story of course. You'd probably have to be close to a teen to notice that. I didn't start paying attention to news until circa 1994. I don't remember Reagan at all, and only a smidgen aware about the Persian Gulf War in early '91.
I was a geek as a kid and noticed when songs/movies came out though I guess. Like when music videos played on VH1, they would put the year in the video ID tags. -
NobodymournstheWicked — 9 years ago(April 11, 2016 06:50 PM)
I would say anybody born in the 80's would not have much if any memories of Ronald Regean as president, and even if say your born in 1985 or later, so say if you were born in 1985 depend in your birthday you would have or would be turning 4 years old when he left office. And how much (if at all) do you even remember at 4 years old?
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EightiesKid — 9 years ago(April 15, 2016 02:11 AM)
Agree on that; I think as kids what we notice is pretty much confined to stuff we care about (and most kids won't know or understand politics, so that makes sense). I was only even somewhat aware of Clinton getting elected when I'd just turned 10, and yet I have an amazing memory back to 3 or 4 when it comes to details about my old neighborhoods or stuff like songs I'd heard. It's interesting to compare that juxtaposition really.
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!!!deleted!!! (22250229) — 9 years ago(May 14, 2016 03:26 PM)
Sort of touching upon what you were saying, I always had a good ear for things. I remember in '94 hearing the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams" on the radio and knowing instantly it was much older than the more current stuff being played. It became my favorite song for a short while. Even as a kid in high school I had a passion for the music of my childhood, like a lot of new wave for instance, and I remember telling a girl who sat at our table in art class I liked '80s music and you'd think I just told her I worshipped the devil, judging by her expression. The '80s was NOT cool in the '90s.
The calls are coming from inside the house. -
Blizzard_Beasts — 9 years ago(June 22, 2016 09:01 AM)
That's not a funny joke. That's something unfunny people say because they aren't funny. I used to work in retail years ago as a cashier and I got my fair share of "comedians" who would say "great year!" when the total was "17.43" or "18.66" or "19.29"
it happened so often that it's just not funny. They all thought they were so brilliant. -
!!!deleted!!! (22250229) — 9 years ago(June 29, 2016 03:40 PM)
Yes, when I worked retail people said it to me a lot too. Mostly older men.
The "joke" inherently isn't funny. The funny part, to me, is because Kevin should have no recollection of 1983, but leads on that he does anyway. If Kevin's dad or mom or Uncle Frank said it, no, of course it wouldn't be funny.
God giveth and the DMV taketh away! -
captainamerica-5 — 9 years ago(December 13, 2016 05:18 AM)
Yea, that's like when an item won't scan and the customer says " That means it's free, right?". That is soooooooo annoying!
Same thing when shopping with my wife ANY time there is no price tag on an item, she says "hmm, must be free". Oh my God, I swear I don't know how many times I've heard that same line, but it's NOT FUNNY! -
NobodymournstheWicked — 9 years ago(June 22, 2016 06:54 PM)
He would be too young to remember 1983, even since he is supposed to be 8 years old in this movie or 10 in the second movie. But it would have been interesting if he referenced the remake of Scarface coming out, and it would be interesting to see how she would react. Sports wise for championships the Baltimore Orioles won the World Series, Philadelphia 76ers won the NBA finals, The New York Islanders won the NHL Stanley Cup, and the Washington Redskins won the Super Bowl. Politics I don't know much that would have happened for him to reference. But could you imagine would have bene if his total came up $19.92 or $20.15