Like a lot of kids growing up in the 1960's and 70's, there were only 3 televison stations, and, unlike many parents now, back then, what your mom and dad said about TV watching--went. You had to watch what they wanted to watch...that's not to say that we kids didn't get to watch our favorite programs, as well. We did...but there were some things that we had to watch that, the six o'clock news aside...well, weren't really kid-friendly.
Take for instance, the Lawerence Welk Show...even today, some 35 or 40 years later, I still bear the scars of watching that programme. I mean, it's a proven fact accordian music can permanantly damage a 10 year old's brain! Blimey! Ok, maybe I just made that one up. Oh, yeah, and those stinking Lemon Sisters or Orange Girls or whatever they were---bleh, they were so sanitized, they made the Osmands look more like Ozzy.
And then there was Hee-Haw. Okay, do I have to say anything more? The name rather speaks for itself, because only a jackarse would find that programme funny. Well, okay, I admit, I did have a thing for Minne Pearl's hat. And if you ever tell anyone I said that, I'm going to have to kill you.
And how about Mutial of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. Remember that old fart with the 'tache, and the weird way he talked? Sort of posh American naselly...strange. And what was with him and that chmip? Don't ask, don't tell, ey? Gah--I love animals, but as a wildlife program went, that one was a real snoozer.
Speaking of snoozers, there was the Wide Wide World of Sports every Saturday...the highlight of which was every week during the opening credits, getting to watch that guy on skis break is backsides, while the announcer needlessly told us of the "agony of deafeat." I'm flat-footed, I know all about the agony of da feet.
And how about those old-time soap operas. "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of Our Lives..." Yeah, how 'bout a shot glass so I don't have to suffer through 50 minutes of this crap?
Bless our parents for making us see what suffering truly is.
MINNIE PEARL
casseopia
When I was 5, I went to morning kindergarten. I was home in the afternoon and I would lay down for my nap as mum was watching "The Edge of Night" it was a soapie on another channel. I remember one of the girls had a name of "Raven". I think Raven was the town hussy.