Hate political conventions? Andy Rooney did, too

1980: Rooney follows the money

In 1980, the Democratic National Convention was held in New York City -- a metropolis known for being one of the most expensive in the world, especially when it comes to hotel accommodations. While rates in the 80s may seem inexpensive when compared to what they are today, Andy Rooney was surprised by how much delegates were paying to stay in the Big Apple.

The Connecticut delegation was shelling out between $100 and $500 per room per night at the Regency on Park Avenue, one of New York's most expensive hotels. The delegation from Vermont stayed in one of the cheapest hotels, the Abbey Victoria, where the going rate for a room was between $82 and $145 per night. But those figures were still too steep for Andy, who in his 1980 commentary said, "I'm still not used to paying more than $18 for a hotel room."

And he wasn't happy about the reading material that's still uniform through all kinds of hotels, either -- like energy conservation notices and service quizzes. "They charge you $94 for a room, and then they want you to tell them how to run the hotel," Andy said. "Won't be long before they're going to be asking you to make your own bed."