Menudo!

The first time I ever heard of Menudo, I was about 12 or 13 years old.  I had a teacher from Cuba who taught Spanish and basic French.  She would bring in Menudo albums in order to help us learn Spanish.

This was a spot that aired on Saturday mornings during cartoons...

Menudo dances and probably lip syncs on a popular 80s era sitcom...

Menudo even guest starred on an old episode of Silver Spoons... the very show that helped put Rick Schroeder on the map.

I never really got into Menudo, though they were very popular when I was growing up.  I only knew about them because they were on TV shows I watched and they would come on Saturday morning cartoons... or my teacher would play their music, which even when I was 12 or 13 years old, I thought was kind of silly.  

Their robotic, syncopated dance moves were the stuff of legends...  They kind of reminded me of aerobics.

This is some pretty wacky stuff.  Check out Ricky Martin.  He was so young!

I have often heard that Menudo was the ultimate boy band in that as they got older, they were kicked out of the group and replaced with younger members.  There have been several incarnations of Menudo.  I think they were at the height of their popularity in the 80s, though.

An old Menudo on ABC spot...

I guess they were kind of cute.  Watching them makes me feel like an old lady, though.  I also don't think these guys were the greatest singers.  They weren't the greatest dancers, either.

More Menudo on ABC...

They even sailed on The Love Boat!

And they went to the mall, too!

Ah, the 80s... definitely room in the Dungeon of the Past for Menudo.  Someone on YouTube says that Menudo was like the One Direction for the 80s generation.  I think I can agree!