The RIAA Has A Long History Of Reaching Out To The Kids

Brian Raftery | April 6, 2007 10:28 am

Last night’s 30 Rock referenced a blast from our anti-piracy past: The 1978 episode of What’s Happening!! in which Raj and the gang are busted for bootlegging a Doobie Brothers concert. As you might remember, the highlight of this truly very special episode is when Rerun drops his recording device in the front row, causing the Doobies to stop the music, and prompting a guilt-inducing lecture from Michael McDonald. It’s a still-timely look at the music industry’s ham-handed attempts to teach the kids about musical responsibility, and it features a line that deserves to be adapted for a new RIAA slogan: “We’re Putting You In Jail, And All Because Of A Fat Kid Eating Popcorn.”

What’s Happening! ~ Doobie Bros (2 of 2) [YouTube]