Video: MTV’s “Lost Weekend With Van Halen”

August 30, 2010 61 Comments

Probably not fully aware of what they’ve done, MTV had presented it’s first reality television show when they aired the “Lost Weekend With Van Halen” special back in 1984.

When MTV announced it’s “Lost Weened With Van Halen” contest, the network received over a million postcard entries for a chance to spend three days with the band during their 1984 tour. The lottery couldn’t have found a more perfect average Joe than twenty-year-old Kurt Jefferis, a department store loading dock employee from Phoenixville, Pennsyvania.

Kurt’s catch was the American boyhood dream, 1984-style. A couple days spent tasting the life of Van Halen! Kurt’s hometown newspaper ran the headline, “Would You Let Your Son Spend a Weekend with These guys?” His mother quipped she wished her son had won a lost weekend with Perry Como instead.

The following footage is everything that MTV aired, and even some footage that never aired:

Filed Under: Van Halen

swingin sinner

talk about the top of the world what could be better?
Peedah

one word…LUCKY!!!!
Big Mark

Allways were and allways will be the best good time rock band on the planet……….ever!
Sammy Van Roth

I love this site! They dig up the best stuff when the band gives us no other reason to come here.
Hokey Pokey

WOW – I wish VH would let some total schlub nerb toolbag hang out with them now… so we could actually find out what the hell is going on!!!
Phil McAverty

Unreal…the envy of every Van Halen fan!

I would have loved just to have gone to a concert. Van Halen did not play in Australia until 98.
Sean V

Of anybody to win, I cant believe it was this dork, I wonder what ever became of him, would be cool to get an interview with him all these years later….
Shyboy

Am i still feeling the effects from this weekend, or did i really see a couple of midgets with karate outfits on?
Scott

No one’s really sure what became of Waldo after graduation.
Travis

that was from a time when MTV still existed and was cool, now — well , not so much.
http://Www.jointfilms.com Steve

Didn’t The Inside have an interview with him in an issue?
Phil

Awesome post, I remember this contest and being pissed that I was too young to win. “Do you know how to sing Happy Trails? No? Well, it’s never held us back”. Part 3 was a bit creepy, everyone just standing around staring back at the camera. Who put this up on youtube? That guy? Oh, lest we forget footage of Martha Quinn from back in the day, the ultimate 80′s spinner. Yeah, I said it. Good times, great post VHND.
http://www.vhnd.com Pat G.

That guy is still flying high after all these years. Who knows what he saw after all the cameras went away?? Some juicy stuff, I’ll bet.
anythingleftinthatbottle

I dig the ‘Girl gone bad’, and was that the singer of that band ‘Autograph’ in that back stage footage?
halenguy51

I like how Alex blows off the dude in part 3 hahaha…Plus is that the D-bag singer from the Tubes just standing there looking lost?
Roth-A-Holic

I been jealous of this dorky kid for over 25 years! I remember seeing the commercials for the contest at my friend’s place who was the first house on my block to get the “new” MTV on cable.

This dude has to have some great stories that weren’t captured on camera. Snorting lines of coke off strippers’ asses with Dave, trashing hotel rooms, chugging Jack Daniels with Mike, etc. He should give an interview with VHND and spill all the raunchy details about that wild weekend with the Mighty VH.

BTW, does anyone else notice a lot of girls at the Detroit show? I always perceived Roth-era VH as mainly appealing to teenage boys and presumed their concerts would be 99% male, but I see a lot of chicks when the camera pans to the crowd. Oh fuck, that ole crazy horndog Dave had plenty of babes to pick from in every city.

Finally, didn’t Dave and Martha Quinn become sort of an item at one time? They always seemed to be flirting during interviews, and I think Dave even kissed her on camera during an MTV New Years bash for 1985. Anyone confirm?
anythingleftinthatbottle

I like the way Dave drags him off the stage after the ‘Ain’t talkin bout love’ ancore (Maybe misspelled since some of you pin heads love to point that out) anyway, drags him off so not to get more applause than them. I don’t blame em, cause they, judging by the dripping sweat, worked a hell a lot harder for it. WOW, Little did we all know that while this footage was being shot, and THE MIGHTY VAN HALEN (next to Michael Jackson) was busy ruling the earth with RAWCK; around the bend was that moment in time was coming. The moment that is marked by before and after. Kinda like B.C. and A.D. That was Van Halen with ‘The Diamond One’ and Van Halen without ‘ The Diamond One’. It just never did sell with me how Dave would introduce Steve Via and the others in his new band like they’d been together forever. And Sammy was acting like there were no egos in this band and it’s like we’ve been together all along.(Kinda like he’s doin now with Chicken Wing, sorry foot) I just wasn’t buyin. You spend all that time getting to know them in your youth and buying ‘The band of merry men’ routine and then they are cutting each others throats like a bad Jerry Springer episode. I’m kinda not buying this new VH like I was. I guess I’m a little older and through puberty and the feelings not the same, but I look forward (hopefully) to the new stuff. Just gonna miss Mr. Anthony.
Michael

RAY RAMONO ON VID 4 ABOUT 1 MINUTE IN?!?!!!
Michael

Like that they were jamming to Genesis back stage!
http://www.craigparkeradams.com CPA

ah yes , a real rock concert…
EvH5150

Hey Scott, that was funny about the Waldo comment. Lol. I remember this when I was younger and being pissed that some nerdy ass kid won it. Man, that is when Mtv was actually cool. Now it’s a pile of shit that doesnt even care about music. What was up with that backstage area? It looked like a New Wave convention! I liked how Alex came in & did that trick with his cigarette then he says, “if I rub it, it turns into a suitcase.”
RA 8 1 2

Lucky Bastard!

Typical VH, the audio part when they were on stage and it sounded like it came from the sound Board, of course, you can only hear dave, ed and al. No mike, just like the records…LOL.

I also like at the party, they are playing “Home By The Sea” by Genesis. That works for background music at a Van Halen show im sure….
Topjimmy

Such an awesome video, wish I was alive for that tour!! Yeah couldn’t have picked a more dorky guy than the winner haha. Love that guys shirt that said “My two best friends are Jack Daniels and Michael Anthony”.
Panama Red

Man, the VHND turns me into a slacker. I HAD to watch all 5 parts in succession even though I should be doing other things, but I just had too watch ‘em. If there’s no time in the day for a little rock and roll (or a lot) like Van Halen then what’s the point, right?

I remember a little bit of the article about “The Lost Weekend” from “The Inside” magazine (Van Halen’s now-defunct Official magazine) back in the day. I remember that dude who won said they kept him so blitzed the entire time to the point he was getting sick. They kept handing him Heineken after Heineken demanding he drink them. I remember something like Dave or Alex or someone in the band would give him a Heineken and say – When I come back in the room that better be gone. At one point I think Dave made one of his little dudes in the VH security gis w/ the blackbelts keep giving him beers, Kurt Jefferis was about to get sick and he looked at the little security dude like “I can’t, man” and the little dude looked at him in pity and walked out of the room like – If you pour the beer out, I didn’t see anything. ha ha.
I used to love getting those issues in the mail, good times.

@ Phil- I heard Dave say that too, funny.
What a great time in VH history. Thanks VHND for posting this. I wish Van Halen would have another contest like this. I guess it wouldn’t be the same, but it would still be cool as hell.

Cool shirt at 2:04 in pt. 4.
My Two Best Friends
Jack Daniels
&
Michael Anthony
steve k

I remember the early years of Mtv when unchained,so this is love,and hear about it later were in the rotation.Mtv wasn’t that bad in the day they actually played music videos and not foolish reality shows.I also remember staying up late when I was a kid to see the jump world premier video those were the days.I know things change with time but The 80′s were a cool time.
redarrow5150

I was at this concert main floor 11 rows directly (and I mean directly squared up with Ed’s mic) same side as Eddie. I’ve been scanning to see if I can see myself. This was back on April 5th 1984 and paid a whopping $13.50 for the ticket.
redarrow5150

Yes that was the Autograph in the video shoot. Even Valerie Bertnelli shows up at the very end in which they are filming backstage.
mickey j

AVH cracks me up when he blows people off. Like the guy in video 3 around 3:45 who starts talking about God knows what. Alex waits a second then takes his attention to flipping his cigarette while the guy is in mid-sentence… Then some hot 80′s chick tries to grab his attention around 4:35 then he completely blows her off and the look of disappointment on her face at 4:43 is priceless…. Sorry babe there’s only so much AVH to go around. CLASSIC!!
ben

Long Live The Mighty Van Halen !
Atomic Pete

That was awesome!

@mickey j
Yeah I liked that too. I love the look the one chick
gave the other one that interrupted.
Great to have a peak into their crazy world.

Now back to work on my time machine.
phillster

Anybody see the “SNL” where “Dana Carvy”does”DIAMONDDAVE” jumping on top of a contest winner(Jon Lovitz) holding up a sign that says”HELP ME”?-
F`n Hilarious!
DAVID LEE ROTH QUOTES:
“These 2 new songs on the “Best Of” for example,
Should come with a kit,-including a Bong,Thesaurus,
and a Driver`s side airbag”.
“The hood-ornament on your car is for telling you
where you`re going,
The rear-view mirror is for showing you how good you look
while you`re getting there”.
Long live VHND
Sweet Reverend

Now it’s up to the VHND to find out what happened to this guy. Where is he now?
Robert

I was once the Grand Prize Winner for a long weekend trip sponsored by The Weather Channel (don’t ask!). Five of my friends and I flew from California to Cocoa Beach, Florida. This was way back summer 1989.

The Weather Channel woman who was in charge of the trip was the same woman who was in charge of the MTV Lost Weekend a few years earlier. She had some pretty wild stories about that weekend.

She said that Dave and Al were off the hook crazy, Micheal looked out for the contest winner (i.e., made sure he slept on his stomach), and Ed was somewhat reserved (relatively speaking). She said that the contest winner was plastered drunk for most of the weekend. And she said that they shot a lot of fottage, but that most of it wasn’t suitable for television.
http://vanhalennewsdesk D. C.

I was at that show with 3 of my best friends, we were in the
mess of drunks right in front of dave’s little center stage.
we got seperated in the fight to get up front but we all remember that night like it was yesterday, ever the bad company song ” rock& roll fantasy” that came on with the house lights. nothing like the old days at Cobe Arena. those shows I will never forget
Craig

Security seemed to be getting pretty rough with the fans in the front row, shoving them back by their throats and putting their arms up to block their view for no reason.
Hey Man, That Suit Is You!

I sent hundreds of post cards to win that! I would have given my left nut to spend a weekend with VH. Even now, it’s available if I could spend time in 1984 with the band. I miss those times….
atomicpunk

So in Part 3 around 1 minute 16 seconds….is that Sammy Hagar??? Think 5150 album hairstyle. I was 13 when this was shot. I had had tickets to see them in March 1984 at the Hartford Civic Center. About 20 inches of snow fell that day…and sorry to say..I couldn’t go. Unfortunately, never got to see the Mighty VH with all 4 original (and true) members of VH. 1st time I saw them was on the 5150 tour at the New Haven Coloseum…I make a cameo between “There’s Only One Way to Rock” and “Summer Nights” of the Live Without A Net video……ah the memories
Dan

I don’t remember… did the Hot for Teacher video come out after this? If so, it seems like they got the actor to look like this guy Kurt. Wonder if he noticed the similarity?
Dan

I mean Waldo… Kurt looks like Waldo.
Bocephus

And now we know why they were truly the best.
Roth-A-Holic

I know they’ll never have a “Lost Weekend” contest again, but do you think VH will offer a special “meet-and-greet” VIP package for the 2011 tour?

It will probably cost a fortune, but I think I’d go for it if I could meet the band. At this point, we have to be realistic and presume that VH doesnt have many tours left in them, and Dave could split again if the old tensions rear their ugly heads. I would regret it the rest of my life if I never get a chance to meet Dave and Eddie since they’re my biggest heroes.

I know bands like Aerosmith offer these meet-n-greet packages through their official fan club, but VH doesn’t have an official fan club. What are the chances they will do it for the 2011 tour?
vnhalen8

I can relate! I got hammered on Heine’s with Al, Mike and ED back stage during the 5150 tour…they were completed nutz…especially AL.

But this kid got the kings treatment. I’d kill for the experience of a WEEKEND with VH.
Evh5150

I just want to say that this is one of the best VH sites there is. I always enjoy everyone’s opinion. U guys r funny as shit! It’s good 2 c that I am not the only person who thinks that VH(no matter what era) is one of the great American bands ever. Usually people make fun of me or the band saying they r has beens or whatever. But all I have 2 do is come on this site & know that I’m not the only one u lives & breathes for the Noise Boys! All of u kick ass! Van Halen(especially Eddie) has been my favorite band since Moses wore short pants. I really hope VH come 2 Maine again. I only saw them back in ’95 on the Balance tour. I also wonder what happened 2 that contest winner?
Tater Salad

A couple weeks ago I was just wondering if I could find this on you tube…VHND found it for me though, I guess! Thanks VHND!
F’n Rockstar

Part III…Alex likes cocaine… alot of it.
anythingleftinthatbottle

Roth a aholic, I am usually with you on every thing, but I don’t think I would want to meet them cause they would turn out to be human. Especially now days. A little more excentric!

On a side note: I saw the last show they ever did with Dave in, I think, July of 1984. The same weekend Michael Jackson was in town and Eddie went over to, I guess, Tx stadium and jammed ‘Beat it’ live with him. Oddly enough, I saw their 1st show with Sammy in shreveport La a year and 1/2 later or so. I was 14 and after the july 84 show my buddy and I walked across downtown Dallas after finding out where they were staying and got to the shereton hotel and missed Eddie and Valerie and Dave by 5 friggen minutes. Anyway, just a funny story.
halenguy51

VHND needs to find this dude and interview him!!!!!!!!
J5150C

First time there are no haters here! Cool!!

I saw them in ’84 also and they were just, hands down, sick!

I was 19 when this took place. I sent like 3 or 4 post cards and when I found out there were 1 million, I said “yeah right, I have a better chance of winning the lottery”!

OUT!!
Atomic Pete

I Just noticed in part 3 around :33 in,
Eddie sneaks by grabs something and then trys to sneak out without being filmed. Hmmmm?
Ed

TOTALLY AMAZING !!!!! DLR RULES !