My Dad writes about TV and His Life:

First came Hootenanny – then came Shindig – and a scant 4 months later there was Hullabaloo

For those of you too young to know – this was sorta the early version of MTV with Go go dancers, folksingers, comedians and top Rock groups like Beatles, the Who and Sonny and Cher – this was lip-sink heaven.

 Why do I know this information – It’s because I am TV -so to speak – I am the original TV generation.

TV was going national around the time I was exiting the birth canal – I have been watching TV for over 60 years.

 The aforementioned programs were started in the early 60’s – that was already my second decade of TV watching.

 TV has changed over the years and so have I  – as a 4yr old in 1952 (still in diapers – my mother swore she was sending me to Kindergarten in them  – by the way my mom’s still around I think she’s hanging in till I am in Depends – just so she can say it serves you right! – but I digress) 

 I received my early education from likes of Miss Frances of Ding Dong School, Captains Penny and Kangaroo and of course it was always Howdy Dowdy time – with Buffalo Bob and Clarabelle the Clown –

 As the decade moved on I was further educated by the cast of characters from Frostbite Falls, Minnesota – none other than Rocky and his friends –  Bullwinkle – Boris  – Natasha and of course the wonderful Fractured Fairy tales the most adult –  kids show on TV.

 Years later watching reruns – I kept saying “How did I miss that?

 As the 50s progressed – so did I – I am now a 10 then 11 yr old about to become a teenager –

I went from enjoying the Mickey Mouse Club an its iconic songs like Miska muska mousekateer – mouse cartoon time now is here!   

TO Annette Funicello – the look –her hair – THAT CHEST – why had I never noticed that before? –

Now it seemed it was the only thing I was watching – new viewing habits – neat!

But were there others – My God they were all over –

 77 Sunset Strip/ Surfside 6/Hawaiian Eye –Even Gunsmoke had Miss Kitty – How lucky to be a teenager

But there was more for the teenage male mind – Westerns – in the late 50s and 60s westerns occupied at least half of the top 20 programs wow what fun!

And another cool thing – no more going to the corner drugstore to test tubes – TV a new and better product.

 But now its college time – off to college I go – well to be honest several (another story for another time) –

this was the mid to late 60s – this was fun times Beatniks leaving hippies coming  – No Bra Era –

Still liked the chest –

 

The Smothers Brothers what irreverent fun – that is until the censors booted them off TV

We all ended up having the last Laugh or should I say LAUGH-IN

From “Here comes the Judge” to” Very Interesting but Schpid” to “you bet your Bippy” and the wonderful “sock it to me” –

 irreverence at its best – a true mirror to a changing society.

 Of all the quirky characters my personal favorites were – Arte Johnson and Ruth Buzzi as, Tyrone the dirty old man and the spinster Gladys –

as Tyrone sits next Glayds on a park bench they utter the famous lines

He Says: Do you believe in the hereafter?

Gladys: Of course I do!

 Good. Then you know what I’m here after!

 Of course she beats him up with her purse – as always – and on moves the craziness –

So many characters – so many stars – so late 60s

 As I move into my  3^rd  and 4^th decades  –  I am a couple then a husband   with  two TVs  – the one in the bedroom is much more fun –

I get to share it with my wife – who also happens to have a great chest –

did you think I’d change?

 

Now with a family back to kids TV only now only its –  Sesame Street and the Electric Company .

And this generation Kid’s Show with the adult mind –

The Muppet Show.- Statler and Waldorf – personal favorites.

 Having a Family – there were family shows of all stripes – the 50’s and 60s gave Lucy, Dick Van Dyke and Father knows best – the 70s/80s gave us liberated households – Mary Tyler Moore ( allowed us to laugh at a funeral – alas poor Chuckles), Maude, Rhoda, Happy Days (who knew a Jewish kid made such a great greaser) and of course

the GAME  changer  – All in the Family – whose lead Character – Archie Bunker became synonymous with the silliness of bigotry – and taught us all lessons – thank you Norman Lear.

 But I was hooked the best written, smartest show ever produced for TV – MASH – Its last show was watched by more people that any series show ever – causing a brown out in NY (too many flushing toilets when it ended – that’s rust not what you’re thinking).

MASH was one of a kind show that gave us an understanding of the best acronym ever!

SNAFU – Situation Normal all fucked Up!

 Westerns were replaced by Cops, Lawyers, Detectives, doctors and who shot JR.

And there were still gorgeous women – but now many were younger that me – this has me worried!

 As I move through time I want mention the enduring genre of late night TV I watched a lot of it! – the model  created by the genius Steve Allen and his cast of crazies and his willingness to do most anything from talking to people on the street to swimming in Jello to even having lunch with me (buts that’s another story).  He set a very high bar – but Jack Paar was up to the task and was a great interviewer of some very strange personalities and he was followed by the king Johnny Carson – for 30 yrs he could do it all.

As Ed McMahon said to Karnac –  the ans is Sis Boom Baa – the Ques  – what is the sound – exploding sheep make.

Unfortunately Carson was the end of genius on NBC – he was replaced by Ambien better known as the over the counter drug – LENO

 The last 20 years have flown by there have been many great shows  – Must see TV – CSIs – Law and Order of every variety – But TV continues to mirror my life –

 Mad about you – nailed a couples relationship–

Jamie – Takes twist tie off the bagel package – takes her bagel – reseals the package –

Paul enters rips open package takes a bagel and walks away.

 And my personal favorite

Jamie goes through a detailed explanation of plans with Paul – 10 minutes later Paul asks what’s the plans for today? –

Exasperated she says I just told you – he say yes but this time I am listening.

 Seinfeld created more catch phrases than most shows From Yadda, yadda, yadda. To no soup for you –

to “they are real and they’re spectacular” my recurring theme

And now a grandfather I watch a new generation of kids shows like Dinosaur train – the programs of Nickelodeon and nick Jr 

and the familiar Sesame Street –

and according to my daughter there is even one for the stoners “Yo Gabba Gabba” – that’s pretty cool dude!

 But after 60 years of watching there has been progress –

Lucy and Ricky were never shown in bed – Rob and Laurie on Dick Van Dyke slept in twin beds, 

Ray and Debra on Everybody Loves Raymond were shown in their bed together

and Today –

Mitchell and Cameron on Modern Family – get to share a bed!

That’s Real progress – hopefully this does mirror acceptance in our society.

And by the way Grandfather or not Gloria on Modern Family – what a look – what a chest!