Specifically, it was this appearance on ABC's answer to SNL called Fridays, which of course, aired on Fridays, that did it. A bit lame, as a show, but it was my introduction to Michael Richards. And they had great musical guests. The Clash, The Jam, Talking Heads, Pretenders, Tom Petty, just a few that I manage to remember.
Don't know what i did that night, but I'm sure I was at least somewhat drunk, but for some reason, caught this show on TV. Back in those days, not everyone had a tv in their room, let alone on their phone, hell, this was pre-cellphone. So I had to wander downstairs to the basement of my cinderblock dorm to the TV room, a little cinderblock cell that could probably barely hold 10 people.
And had my little mind blown. Adrian Belew is hysterical. And a helluva guitar player. And Fripp even smiled. A weird, creepy smile, but a smile, nonetheless.