The Monkees’ Hidden Legacy: How One Member Shaped MTV and His Mom Invented Liquid Paper!

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Being born in the ’80s, I spent countless hours watching MTV, which is where I first encountered the TV series of The Monkees. Later, due to MTV airing full episodes as part of their programming, The Monkey’s quirky ’60s show experienced a resurgence and found new life among younger audiences. As a result, members like Peter Tork, Davey Jones, Mickey Dolenz, and Michael Nesmith became famous once again. In fact, the success of the show led to its reboot for Generation X.

It wasn’t until much later in time that I discovered Michael Nesmith’s significant role in the establishment of the all-video cable channel, which is essentially attributable to him. Additionally, his mother was a pioneer in inventing one of the 20th century’s essential office supplies, a fact I learned before MTV came into existence.

The Birth Of Music Videos At The Dawn Of Cable TV

Music videos as we know them today can essentially be traced back to the 1960s, when pioneering bands like The Beatles started creating short videos for some of their songs. Initially, these videos were primarily used for promotional purposes or in conjunction with bigger projects. Although there had been some “music videos” as early as the 1930s, which played briefly in movie theaters, it was Mike Nesmith who essentially established what we now recognize as a full-fledged music video.

1976 saw the debut of a music video for Nesmith’s latest single, titled “Rio.” This experience sparked an idea in the ex-Monkee to develop a TV program that exclusively played music videos. There had been a few instances of such programs abroad, and shows like England’s Top Of The Pops had been interspersing videos with live performances for quite some time. He then turned this concept into the show known as PopClips.

PopClips, Nickelodeon, And MTV

Nesmith marketed the show to various channels, eventually finding a home on the emerging children’s television network, Nickelodeon. The half-hour weekly program quickly gained popularity, and its owner, Warner Cable, recognized an opportunity for cross-department collaboration. They brainstormed the concept of MTV as a means to publicize the music from their record label. Soon enough, this idea was set in motion.

1981 saw Nesmith departing from the show as it transitioned to a full-time network, yet he remained proud of his contributions that sparked MTV’s inception. Known as the video channel, MTV officially debuted in August of ’81, with “Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles being its inaugural video. Since then, it has become legendary for fostering numerous careers and maintaining a reputation as the epitome of cool on cable television for years.

But Wait, His Mom Really Invented Liquid Paper?

The Nesmith family not only played a significant role in redefining American pop culture through MTV, but also left an indelible mark on office culture. Back in 1956, Mike Nesmith’s mother, Bette, invented one of the essential office tools from the mid-century, the versatile Liquid Paper.

As an enthusiast, I found myself in the role of a secretary, tirelessly seeking a solution for those pesky typos that marred documents produced by my trusty typewriter. With a dash of creativity, my homemade blender, and a pinch of resourcefulness, I concocted a liquid elixir capable of concealing errors, hardening, and enabling fresh ink to be layered on top. And voila! Liquid Paper was birthed from my kitchen laboratory.

It’s quite a one-two punch from the family, don’t you think?

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2025-05-26 22:07