September 20th, 2005

Ah, those crazy 1970's.  When women were girls and men were studs... unless of course you were transsexual or something and then there was a crazy grey area. Anyhow... that's besides the point. In a sea of ego and sexuality there was one man who stood above the rest during the later part of the decade. That man was Erik Estrada. Standing five feet and ten inches, with a slight Puerto Rican accent and the brightest teeth this side of the Osmonds, Erik Estrada was a man amongst men. Didn't matter if he was bustin' goons as Officer Frank Poncherello on the hit TV show CHiP's or breaking hearts on the disco floor of Club 54 there was no doubt that Erik Estrada was a force to stand back in awe of. Today we might laugh and chuckle at the goofy has been that was Erik Estrada but let's revisit the glory days of Erik at his greatest. Come friends as Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict brings to you:

THE ERIK ESTRADA CELEBRATION!!!!

Yes, I know what you're thinking: "Erik Estrada celebration? Isn't that kind of gay?" Well dear friends, I don't feel I need to defend my masculinity to any of you.  There is just something about Erik Estrada that all of us men can admire. There's something about him which makes you just want to take him out for a beer and some pub grub at the local brewery and to use the line "I know Erik Estrada," to try to impress women. 

And girls? I don't care what your type is, you've gotta admit that if you were growing up in the late 1970's (and perhaps if you actually were growing up in the 1970's) that Erik was the kinda guy for you. That charm. That charisma. That honesty. Those big frikkin' white teeth!  What man doesn't want to be Erik Estrada?  What woman doesn't want him to be with him?  So let's grab some tacos and a bit of tequila and get our motorbikes all revved up and enjoy these vintage video clips of Erik in action. Let's get this Erik Estrada Celebration in full swing!

Move over Kool and the Gang!  Erik invites us to the party!  Let's see Erik in song as he dances up a storm and tells us all to "Celebrate and Have a Good Time"!

See Erik Estrada as THE BARCELONA MAN!  OUR MAN... IN JEANS!!!!!  This one is frikkin' rich!  For those keeping track of such things, the girl with the long straight hair is 70's child star Kim "Witch Mountain" Richards all grown up!

Watch Erik have all his wildest dreams come true!  Warning: there may be a little more Erik in this clip than you really want to see

What do you get when mix a half-naked Erik Estrada with a roast chicken?  EXCITEMENT!  THAT'S WHAT YOU GET!

Watch Erik getting his groove on on the dancefloor.  It doesn't get more 70's than this!  Move over John Travolta!

Erik getting his mojo going! Go get her, stud!

Erik Estrada, from his film debut, getting jiggy with God!  Erik and Jesus - a winning combination!

Erik Estrada... demon fighter!  Erik can take on anything!!!!!

Erik the way we like to remember him!  With Larry Wilcox on the California Highways!  Ponch and Jon busting heads and breaking hearts on the back of their bikes.

And so ends our Erik Estrada Celebration.  I hope you enjoyed yourselves.