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Original poster

To wonder why they keep pushing Wham in the Media.

57 replies

dottypotter · 13/07/2023 21:40

Wham.

2 years ago a book by Andrew Ridgely. Now a Netfix documentary and multiple appearances on Chat Shows.

I'm sure any Wham fan knows the history of how they met etc and those who aren't fans don't care.

There are loads of bands etc who met at school and formed friendships, nothing new really?
Why the obsession with Wham?

Does everyone love Wham?
What can they come up with next. Its in the past now?

OP posts:
FrivolousTreeDuck · 14/07/2023 06:26

Because there's money in it. The answer to most 'why' questions in relation to decisions made by businesses is that what they are doing will make or save them money.

Antoninus · 14/07/2023 06:29

Because they were amazing 😻

Aprilx · 14/07/2023 06:31

It was my era, I was a young teenager during their years. I didn’t mind them but I definitely wasn’t a big fan. The documentary, which I watched at the weekend, was very interesting. I don’t have a problem with interesting programs.

RebelR · 14/07/2023 06:34

Wham were huge for the generation in their 50s now (who have some money!). Huge. It's also a really interesting and heart wrenching story and quite different to the way it was portrayed at the time. They sold 30 million records in 4 years. It's a story worth telling.

Motnight · 14/07/2023 06:35

I am hoping for a Wham! Bank Holiday next year Op😎

Mapletreelane · 14/07/2023 06:37

Because millions of people globally are interested? My mum, me and my daughter all huge George Michael /wham fans so that is three generations.

Turn it off OP if you're not interested.

They were a big deal.

LadyOfTheCanyon · 14/07/2023 06:39

I absolutely loathed Wham! as a teenager. I was a very joyless Goth.

However, as an adult I can say with my hand on my heart that they wrote some of the best pop songs ever written. I really enjoyed the documentary- was very interesting.

LooseInTheCity · 14/07/2023 06:43

Money is the obvious answer, but all TV is about making entertainment for money, so I’m not sure that’s the only motivation.

It’s an interesting, joyous story. And George went on to be a global superstar, who is much missed by his fans and is always going to draw interest.

Personally, I loved the documentary. They were such sweet boys and the music was so nostalgic. I was a massive Wham fan as a kid, and lifelong George fan, so it was wonderful to watch.

LakeTiticaca · 14/07/2023 06:45

Because the late great George Michael, on of the most talented artists of a generation, would have turned 60 this year.
Nobody is forced to watch any programmes or listen to his music

GodessOfThunder · 14/07/2023 07:07

dottypotter · 13/07/2023 21:40

Wham.

2 years ago a book by Andrew Ridgely. Now a Netfix documentary and multiple appearances on Chat Shows.

I'm sure any Wham fan knows the history of how they met etc and those who aren't fans don't care.

There are loads of bands etc who met at school and formed friendships, nothing new really?
Why the obsession with Wham?

Does everyone love Wham?
What can they come up with next. Its in the past now?

err….because this is how the music/pop culture/media industries work.

have you heard of a beat combo called the Beatles? they’ve not only done pop records, but films and even toy wigs!

PuppyMcPupFace · 14/07/2023 07:43

I really enjoyed the documentary for the nostalgia but it didn't mention AR's life after the split....didn't he get into a few scrapes?

MrWhippersnapper · 14/07/2023 07:47

If you don’t like it then off you go go
(see what I did there !)

KeepingMySpreadsheetUpToDate · 14/07/2023 07:50

aahhh @dottypotter chill. fun and sunshine, there's enough for everyone. #chooselove

LookItsMeAgain · 14/07/2023 08:52

I never knew that George wrote Last Christmas in an afternoon and it was going to be their 4th number 1 (except for "Do they know it's Christmas" being released and keeping it off the top spot in 1984). I'm delighted that it finally got to #1 position but boy did it take it's time getting there!

The scrapbooks were news to me too.

I loved Wham! and think that their music gives so many people (and many people who weren't around in the 1980's) so much joy. It's pretty inoffensive music so leave it be

Greyandrare123 · 14/07/2023 09:19

I liked them
I saw a tic toc where a security man told George 'you aint George Michael. Id recognise him a mile off. I need to see ID mate'

George just started laughing yet just said OK to the man
He then told his driver and told him it was like the time in Bham where a club secruity guy after being told Im George Michael said 'i dont care if you are Fing Frank Sinatra, you aint coming in mate'

He seemed to respect people and his humour showed. Im happy to be seeing them again

beguilingeyes · 14/07/2023 10:10

The scrapbooks were great. What a lovely mum.
I watched the doc the other day. it made me very nostalgic for the 80s and very sad for George.
I'd forgotten that he sang Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me at Live Aid (and I was there!). Elton is such a generous artist.

xsquared · 14/07/2023 10:32

Because they were fantastic. See what I did there?

There's a whole generation who don't know about Wham! So why not?

I think OP secretly works for Netflix to promote the documentary. They haven't been back. 😁

RufustheSpecuIatingreindeer · 14/07/2023 10:45

Personally, I'm glad they made that documentary, it was a very touching tribute to both of them

it was, and although as a child of the 80’s i knew about wham I wasn’t particularly a fan as such

although i was at one of their early concerts where they stuck shuttlecocks down their shorts and batted it in to the audience (my friend was a big fan), i had just finished telling dh about it when the clip started 😀

I’m pleased that Andrew got more recognition, I certainly didn’t know about the part he played

CountFoscoHasMiceInHisPocket · 14/07/2023 10:47

Greyandrare123 · 14/07/2023 09:19

I liked them
I saw a tic toc where a security man told George 'you aint George Michael. Id recognise him a mile off. I need to see ID mate'

George just started laughing yet just said OK to the man
He then told his driver and told him it was like the time in Bham where a club secruity guy after being told Im George Michael said 'i dont care if you are Fing Frank Sinatra, you aint coming in mate'

He seemed to respect people and his humour showed. Im happy to be seeing them again

I was never a massive Wham or George Michael fan but liked him as a man. He has such a good sense of humour, well able to laugh at himself, which is a quality so often absent in megastars.

And then after he died all the stories of the kindnesses he'd done for so many people came out.

Just seemed like a lovely guy.

LlynTegid · 14/07/2023 10:50

Nostalgia sells. Both of them were talented. Worth remembering how difficult it was for a young gay man as George was in the 80s, compared with what a gay man or indeed lesbian will face today.

Superdupes · 14/07/2023 11:02

I vote for more Wham! documentaries.

Florenz · 14/07/2023 12:06

Is Andrew Ridgeley still married to the woman from Bananarama?

VictoriaVenkman · 14/07/2023 12:12

I was and am a big Wham / George Michael fan but there were things in that documentary I didn't know and footage I hadn't seen. I think a lot of people will be interested and watch.

Their music has stood the test of time, they are fun and look great. Also it is nice to let Andrew have a bit of the limelight. As Simon Napier-Bell said, Wham was Andrew and Andrew, the fake one and the real one.

VictoriaVenkman · 14/07/2023 12:16

Florenz · 14/07/2023 12:06

Is Andrew Ridgeley still married to the woman from Bananarama?

No

LaMaG · 14/07/2023 12:25

I saw it last night and thought it was one of the most positive uplifting things I've seen in a long time. Maybe they didn't tell the full story but the genuine friendship and support that came across and their adoring families particularly ARs was so lovely. It didn't have the usual 'dark side' angle. Best thing they ever did was break up early before things fell apart. I've always loved GM but have huge respect for AR now too. Their songs were so joyful and it seems it wasn't fake or marketed that way, but came from talent and friendship.