Retro Friday: Los Angeles, Summer 1984

As the Beijing Summer Games officially kick off today, a look back — 24 years ago! — to the 1984 Summer Olympics’ opening ceremony in Los Angeles. Admit it — when you saw that guy take off in a jet pack at the Coliseum to kick off the opening ceremony 24 years ago, you thought for sure that jet packs would be a reality by the year 2000. Oh well.

Meanwhile, it’s great to hear the voices of two great, late broadcasting legends in this clip: Peter Jennings and Jim McKay.

Retro Friday: Stephanie Edwards and "Monty Python"

Before “Good Morning America,” there was “A.M. America,” ABC’s short-lived morning show hosted by Bill Beutel and Stephanie Edwards. In this 1975 clip, Beutel is out, but the cast of “Monty Python” joins Edwards to co-host on the set. If that’s not surreal enough for you (and trust me, it’s surreal), the mayhem is contrasted by a somber Peter Jennings, who anchors the morning show’s newscast — and reports the impending collapse of Saigon.

Retro Friday: Stephanie Edwards and "Monty Python"

Before “Good Morning America,” there was “A.M. America,” ABC’s short-lived morning show hosted by Bill Beutel and Stephanie Edwards. In this 1975 clip, Beutel is out, but the cast of “Monty Python” joins Edwards to co-host on the set. If that’s not surreal enough for you (and trust me, it’s surreal), the mayhem is contrasted by a somber Peter Jennings, who anchors the morning show’s newscast — and reports the impending collapse of Saigon.