The Jeffersons-The Little Things We Loved

Last week’s passing of Sherman Hemsley – the actor whobrilliantly played the old bigoted yet lovable curmudgeon “George Jefferson” onCBS’s hit sitcom “The Jeffersons” (1975-1985)-has left quite a hole in my retrotv loving heart.  Although The Jeffersonsaired its last show almost thirty years ago, it made such a mark on pop culturethat it is still amongst the most beloved in television history. Like anygreat show, there are a multitude of factors that make it classictelevision-the cast of colorful characters, funny one liners, its infectioustheme song (see my post “Death of the Theme Song"). And no doubt Hemsley’sportrayal of George Jefferson was one very important contribution to the showssuccess. But what had me tuning in every week as a child- and now spending hoursscrambling Youtube for episodes-are the little things.

The original cast of CBSs "The Jeffersons"

The Doorbell- That familiar melody was theaudience’s cue that whoever was behind that door was someone guaranteed to sayor do something to get under George’s hair line. Which brings us to...

George’s hair line- George Jefferson had one of the mostrecognizable receding hair lines ever. His kinky salt and pepper ‘fro puffs werecupped around a shiny bald patch that seemed to pulsate whenever he was onthe verge of flipping his lid, which was often.

Wizzie’s voice- You can’t have some high pitched, lilly soft voice to go face to face with a loudmouth like George. Louise Jefferson’s raspyintonations of “Oh George!", mixed with a tinge of Harlem twang was just what he needed to be brought down to size.

The original Lionel-How Lionel ended up taller thanboth of his short parents is a genetic mystery. But how Jenny fell in love withhim is not-he was socially conscious, handsome, and his ‘fro was tight.  Little known Black TV history fact: MikeEvans, the actor who played Lionel, went on to co-create another beloved retro television gem, “Good Times”.

Mother Jefferson- the quintessential monster in law. Hersnobby insults and contrary objections to anything poor Wizzie said created classic conflict. And she was sogosh darn cute with her silver wig, ostentatious accessories, and convenient amnesia of Harlem ‘hood life.

Bentley’s turtleneck-Bentley was the Jefferson’s Britishneighbor who always needed to borrow something or another. He was, however, wellstocked with turtlenecks, as it was very rare was it to see him not rocking oneunderneath his sports coat. 

The best line of the series- There were gangloadsof memorable lines throughout the entire eleven years that The Jeffersons ran. But perhaps the best, most poignant and era defining line delivered on theshow was by Florence, the Jefferson's wise cracking maid. On the very first episode,Florence, having just been hired by George, and upon realizing that Helen was alsoan Upper Eastside penthouse dweller, innocently asked, “How come we overcame andnobody told me?”

"The Jeffersons" premiere episode

This line set the tone for this show, a maverick amongst black television sitcoms at the time. It was one of the first television sitcoms to feature African-Americans in leading roles since "Amos n Andy" in the 1950s, as well as the first to feature an interracial couple. The Jeffersons was also the first to portray a materially successful African-American family, and eventually became the longest running show with a predominately African-American cast in television history.

References


Dean, P. D. (n.d.). The Jeffersons. Retrieved from http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=jeffersonst

Southern, N. S. (n.d.). Mike evans, biography. Retrieved from http://www.aoltv.com/celebs/mike-evans/1958518/biography

Old Familiar Faces Part 2-That Type of Girl

As promised, this week’s post examines television character clichés. I mentioned that I would focus on one that I like to call The Man Hungry Floosie-you know the voluptuous chick who oozes sensuality, always seeming to have more than enough willing courters, yet can never just snag the right one?? Usually she’s privy to the sexiest costumes, most perfect hair, the best one liners, and highest cleavage. She saunters in and out of scenes. She rarely works. She speaks through a perpetual pout, and most likely serves as the bane of some prudish female main character’s existence.  And when done well, the hot tamale can even garner the actress who plays her an Emmy. Case in point: Jackee Harry from the 80s NBC sitcom “227”.  

For five seasons on NBC, Ms. Harry expertly played “Sandra”, the Coke bottle figured tenant of Building 227, with a nasally voice and sultry pout. She sashayed around the building causing a stir and getting on the last nerves of her neighbor Mary, played by Marla Gibbs. She received an Emmy for this role in 1987, becoming the first African American woman to take home the gold for Outstanding Supporting Actress.  

 

’87 was apparently a good year for vamps, as the late great Rue McClanahan won an Emmy that same night for Outstanding Lead Actress in the NBC hit “Golden Girls”.  She played the southern sex-pot “Blanche”, who proved that just because a lady is post menopausal doesn’t mean she has to stop gettin’ busy. And that she did.

I remember watching these jazzy jezebels when their shows were at their peaks. As a socially awkward 7^th grader, they were most definitely intriguing to watch, seeming to get anything they wanted from a man with just a come hither gaze and six inch stilettos (let’s not forget shoulder pads…this was the 80s). The characters fit well in the dynamics of their fake television societies because they were such obvious caricatures. The ladies were not presented as necessarily role models, but as the woman to love and hate. Most of all they were hilarious, thanks to talented writing and delivery.

Fast forward 25 years later, socially awkward 7^th grade girls have another version of that same clichéd woman, but through the reality television format. Yikes.

 The Man-Hungry Floosie seems to have melded into a 21^st century character cliché that, according to Jennifer Pozner, author and founder of “Women in Media & News”, is nothing more than “…gold diggers, bimbos and bitches.” 

Reality T.V. a Threat to Women

This leads me to ponder on the heaviness of these particular character clichés and what it says about the roles of women through out television history. Laughing along with the T.V. audience as Blanche and Sandra purred sexy one-liners has a much different effect than watching the train wreck of Real Housewives or Basketball Wives. Or does it??

Tell me what you think. And check in next week as I continue my reflections on T.V. character cliches.

Stay tuned!

Old Familiar Faces Part 3-In Search of the Gooch

Lakisha Prestone. The name sends chills down my spine, legs,upper arms, chin, ankles, rib cage, neck, and all the other body parts she was known to bruise when someone dared to challenge her. This menace to 3^rdgrade society pounded the school-yard like a jheri curled Gestapo, kicking butt and taking lunch money. And she didn’t just bully innocent kids who were her age yet half her size. Lakisha,  a.k.a. “Grizzly”, was known to punk out a few yellow belly teachers. That’s pretty much how she financed her college education. By the way, it’s Dr. Grizzly now.

According to Maria Lamia, Ph.D's article in Psychology Today, Why Bullies Are on Top,  bullies can come in all shapes, sizes, and psychological dimensions. 

But in the world of classic television, this character cliché is much easier to nab. Just look for the one with ratty clothes, bad hair, a snarly voice, and some physical inferiority. The Bully shows up in practically every show featuring kids or happy people. Their penchant for impeding on everyone’s happiness is the fact that they live a hardknock life.  They are prone to manipulative tactics for setting  their victims up for failure in order to publicly humiliate them. It's like how "Lucy" from the Peanuts never failed to dupe Charlie Brown, with the old Football trick.

Dr. Lamia states in her article that real life bullies are "notorious for misusing power".  She no doubt studied the antics of "Louie DePalma" from NBCs Emmy Award winning sitcom "Taxi". The quintessential bully, Louie was a pint sized, power hungry terror whose greatest joy was making life miserable for his subordinates. 

Danny DeVito as "Louie" in "Taxi"circa 1978

Napoleon complex, much?

SomeT.V. bullies are so horrific that you never even have to see them…you just feel their ominous presence. For eight seasons of  NBCs “DifferentStrokes”, “The Gooch” terrorized poor Arnold, played by the late Gary Coleman, without ever once showing up on the show. 

"Different Strokes" circa 1979

The Gooch is on the prowl...

What makes this character type so prevalent in the television formula is its relationship to the main character, the "hero"of the story. Every hero has to have something to overcome, and what better way to demonstrate this by having him taunted every few episodes by a mean, fear-sniffing psychopath? Occasionally, we witness The Bully get his comeuppance by the hands of his latest victim, usually portrayed in another classic t.v. character cliche, The Underdog.

We'll take a look at The Underdog and its variants, The Dingbat or The Dork in my next post.

Stay tuned!

  

Old Familiar Faces~T.V. Character Cliches

Nosey neighbors who never leave; maintenance men who never fix anything; snarky housekeepers who never work; and waitresses who never get the order right...Geez! How did anything get done in classic T.V. land? Every era of television has offered its share of cliches like the above mentioned character types. This generation of shows is no exception. There's the Intriguing Mental Challenge character. Asperger's Syndrome is getting a lot of network love in shows like "Parenthood" and "Bones". Then there is the Black Know It All Sidekick, which has practically become a television staple ("True Blood", "Glee"). And let's not forget the Gay/Goofy Incompetent Assistant With a Heart of Gold, perfectly epitomized and impeccably dressed as Kenneth from "30 Rock".

Jack McBreyer as "Kenneth Parcell" on NBCs "30 Rock"

He's goofy, organized, and light on his feet!
 

The use of character cliches stems from a common tactic in television writing to present flawed characters with idiosyncrasies that are relatable and familiar. I mean, there's a gay Black personal assistant with Asperger's Syndrome in every family, right?

Well, relatable or not, the T.V. sitcom would be remiss without that element added to its formula. The intent is to keep us viewers coming back each week, and I say it works. One of the main reasons I tuned in to the 70s hit "One Day At A Time" was to see if Schnieder the maintenance man would ever fix any thing (he didn't). I watched the '90s classic "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" to see if Geoffrey the Butler would ever stop complaining (not at all). Apparently, viewers like me want to wait in futile hope for those wacky people to rise above their foilbles, and perhaps inspire us to come to terms with our own (no chance).

Joseph Marcell as Geoffrey from "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air"

Good help is hard to find in T.V. land.

Whatever the reason, character cliches are here to stay, and even entire television genres offer cliches with cliches! Cop-Show Cliche

I'm going to stick to characters types right now, though. For the next few posts, I will take a look at some that have stood the test of time. First up: the Man Hungry Floosie. She's always fun.

Stay tuned!

A Toast to the Brits Part Two-Masterpiece Theater

My latest obsession comes courtesy of PBS’s “Masterpiece”-formally known as “Masterpiece Theater”- and due in part to SCAD’s very welcomed guest, author Carol Wallace. Over 20 years ago, Ms. Wallace wrote the book “ToMarry an English Lord”, which later inspired Julian Fellows to create  “Downton Abbey”, “Masterpiece’s” most recent installment in their forty year roster of British drama series.

Downton Abbey Inspired by 20 year old novel.

 My relationship with “Masterpiece”-I’ll add the “Theater”for old times sake- began in the ‘80s, during wearily hot childhood summers in South Georgia, where, at my grandmother’s house, the only channel with reception was PBS. So my summer television playlist consisted of “Sesame Street” in the mornings and evenings with Alistair Cook,“Masterpiece Theater’s” dignified host, and perhaps one of the most badly imitated personalities in television.

“Masterpiece Theater” is the longest running drama series in television history, beginning in 1971 with dramas like “The First Churchills”, about the life of the first Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. The series has been awarded a slew of both Emmy and Peabody Awards practically every year since its debut. Admittedly, as a sevenyear old, the only thing intriguing to me about these shows were the exquisite clothes and haughty accents. And, according to my grandma, the more I tuned in, the better my table manners became. I eventually developed an appreciation for the subtle pacing and intense build up of drama that these shows presented, and now regard "Downton Abbey"as a classic in the making.

Many people associate the series more with its original theme song than with any of the shows. The infectiously majestic music, which was written for the court of Louis XV, King of France circa 1729, has that uncanny ability to stay embedded in one's head once you hear it. So let's hear it...

Oh and I just gotta give you this...Cookie Monster does it so well. Cheerio!

Never Too Cool for Jodie Foster- After School Special Alumni

 In my previous musings about "ABC After School Specials", I may have forgotten to mention that the teen morality series was truly special in that it won a number of Emmy Awards during its 14 year run. In that time, the show was the catalyst for a number of up and comings that up and became huge stars. I showed Helen Hunt on PCP in one post. Another top notch "After School" alumni is Academy Award winning actress Jodie Foster. She actually starred in a couple of episodes. My fave was "Rookie of the Year", where she plays a kick ass little slugger who completely pisses her brother off because she plays ball better than him.  It was a nice little feminist, girl power plug for the times.

"Rookie of Year"circa 1973

Is there nothing Jodie Foster can't do?

Then there's Rob Lowe, who's career evolved from chiseled faced teenage heartthrob to almost iconic  80s-90s film star, appearing in cult classics such as "St. Elmo's Fire" and "Wayne's World". Currently, he can be seen on the very funny "Parks and Recreation"comedy series. But before the glamorous life, Lowe was a regular ASS alumni. In "Schoolboy Father", Rob plays a teenager who is about to be a Dad, but is sore when he founds out his girl friend (played by the tragic but lovely Dana Plato of "Different Strokes" fame) wants to give the baby away.

There are many more notable alumni whose careers started with Afterschool Specials, and even more already seasoned actors that lent their talents to the series. We'll take a look at a few more in a later post, just stay tuned!

A Toast to the Brits Part Three-The Benny Hill Show

Seems like I'm on a roll with showing retro love to British television, so why stop now?

In my recent musings on British television, I have come to realize just how much of an impact Brits have had on my television taste level.  Two of the shows on my top ten all time faves-"Sanford and Son" and "All in the Family"- are Britcom remakes, which I mentioned in a previous post. Both shows-although re-mixed for American audiences-offered the same unique sense of comedic timing, interwoven with clever dialog and well formatted plots as their British predecessors. I tend to gravitate towards shows, particularly from British television, that have these same elements, because they seem to exemplify the art of compelling storytelling.

Oh, who am I kidding-I really just like to listen to how they talk. For some reason, everything sounds somewhat more dignified when done in a British accent, even crude humor. Case in point- "The Benny Hill Show". 

"The Benny Hill Show", starred Benny Hill, and was a British sketch comedy that was best known for smutty humor. It ran from 1969 until 1989. The comedy offered on this show ran the gamut, from slapstick, to Hill's celebrity impersonations, parodies of American movies, or extravagant musical routines. The show was often criticized for its sexism, by showing skits with women in scantily clad outfits acting as bimbos, or husbands beating their wives. It was definitely not noted for being the least bit political or correct.

"The Benny Hill Show" was my father's guilty pleasure. It was broadcasted on PBS very late at night, and I remember, sneaking up at night and peeking behind his lazy boy chair to secretly watch along with him. I also remember being slightly worried by the fact that I actually understood some of the adult themed jokes and double entendres. And so was Dad when he caught me one night, unable to hold in my laughter. 

Benny Hill in "The Benny Hill Show" circa late 60s.

"Birds and Bees Poem"

One of the hallmarks of the show was the way some of the skits were shown in time lapse, meaning it was filmed at a way to make time appear as if it were moving faster than normal. These time lapsed routines included mime and parodies, reminiscent of Charlie Chaplin, who was reportedly a fan of the show. Go figure.

Father Knows Best

For me, trying to figure out the best thing to get my Dad for Father’s Day was always an interesting ordeal- a fun introspection into his simple yet complex personality. My siblings and I tortured ourselves every June, trying to find the perfect gift even though he always told us exactly what he wanted-nothing. Of course, that was just not enough for us.

What do you get the guy that wants nothing?? His hobbies were supporting our family Monday through Saturday, and resting in his La-Z Boy Chair on Sunday. He had the fashion sense of Charlie Brown, as his closet was filled with the same Guyabera styled shirts which he wore every single day. He was definitely not Mr. Fix It, so tools were out of the question.  My mother would skim through those Sears Father’s Day sales papers with futile longing, knowing that electric drills and Hemi powered lawn mowers just didn’t do it for Al. He was not a techie, still using a dot matrix printer for his insurance business well into the 21^st century.

One year, not to long before he passed, Dad finally told me exactly what he wanted for Father's Day: to know that his wife, kids, and grandkids were all doing okay. And to get some rest. And dinner.

Funny thing is that it has been four years since Dad passed, and I still find myself searching for pointless gifts to show him just how much I love and miss him. I do finally get the picture though. There's nothing in any store or Sears sales paper that could possibly amount to the gift his life gave me and my siblings. He was a father who cared and loved us enough to simply be there for us.

So I hope he is lounging in his La-Z-Boy chair in the sky, knowing that, although we've had a difficult time without his loving simplicity, his wife, kids, and grandkids are all doing okay. Rest in peace, Dad.

Al and the Fam

And this is for all the Dad's and their eclectic collection of pointless Father's Day gifts. Happy Father's Day!

Bill Cosby as "Heathcliff Huxtable", one of TV's best all around Dads.

A Toast to the Brits-American Versions of British Shows

In the process of looking for examples of television character cliches, I became entirely engrossed in one of my favorite shows ever, "Sanford and Son". The comedy ran from 1972 to 1977, starring the late comedian Redd Foxx, as "Fred Sanford". Fred was an old curmudgeon who lived amongst junk with his uptight son Lamont, played by Desmond Wilson. Ted Turner was obviously a fan as well because it ran in syndication heaven on his TBS network for years.

All this time I thought this hit show was completely original. But recently, I found out that, lo and behold, "Sanford and Son" was remake of a British sitcom, "Steptoe and Son". And what was it about? An old lovable curmudgeon who lived amongst junk with his uptight son. 

"Sanford and Son"circa '77, and "Steptoe and Son" circa '62

American television history owes a lot to those damn Yankees. American versions of British shows have been so much of a staple in programming that it's become practically a television cliche in itself- The American Version of a British Series Cliche.  Even now, we have made hit copycat versions out of British imports like "The Office" and most recently, Showtime's "Shameless"-the original British version being nominated for the very distinctive BAFTA(British Academy of Film and Television Awards). 

The '70s seemed to have had a British invasion of sorts with three hit shows being British copies, eventually becoming classics in retro television. Admittedly, it kinda hurt when I learned that an American classic "All in the Family", was the copy version of a British hit. The pain subsided, however, when I experienced the British show has the same successful elements that makes the American version a classic.

"All in the Family" circa 1972, and British classic "Til Death Do Us Part" circa 1965

Bigotry knows no boundaries...

"Man About the House", is another British classic from the 70s, repackaged for American audiences with the wildly successful "Three's Company" that ran from 1977 to 1984.  

"Man About the House" pilot,  1977... 

...and its American cousin "Three's Company" circa 1980.

Three's Company

It's pretty telling that we tend to look towards the Brits to inspire our creativity. And that our versions are pretty watered down to accommodate our American sensibilities. But at least we have good taste.

There are other worthy Brit shows with American versions. Maybe next post, we'll take a trip across the waters to explore.

Cheerio!

Democracy in Action-An Interview with Director Jerreth Merz

I want to take a break from retro lovin’ to share with you an interview that I had the privilege of conducting with a filmmaker, Jerreth Merz. Merz recently filmed “An African Election”, a touching documentary that follows the trials and tribulations of the 2008 Elections in Ghana, from the campaigns to the polling process, to the final decision. It is a must see for any American who may take for granted our everyday comforts, especially when watching the candidates promise to deliver very basic needs  for their people-like clean water or adequate shelter.

 Trailer for "An African Election" by Jerreth Merz

As a Television Production major I am interested in learning first hand about any aspect of production. I was first exposed to Jerreth Merz after viewing his very inspirational TED Talks presentation, so imagine how excited I was when I was selected to bombard him with my many questions, which he was ever so gracious to answer.

Here are a few:

Q : First of all thanks for giving us the privilege of speaking with you. I’m a television production student and one of the first questions I would like for you to do is to give us some insight on your career path. How did you get started in filmmaking?

Merz: My beginning, let’s see… my beginning was a coincidence. I wanted to go into medicine and become a doctor, but I for some reason decided that I wanted to stall a little, after high school. But while I was contemplating- not knowing what I really going to do,-heard about an acting school in Switzerland. I actually enrolled there and I got in. So I started acting, and that was the beginning. At some point I decided that that was the path for me, that was the way I wanted to express myself. Then I discovered directing, so I was doing theater… then moved into television acting and film acting and moved into the documentary-“An African Election”whole documentary process. So it was coincidence but I have come to find out that it wasn’t a coincidence. It was meant to be.

Q. Could you tell us about the pre production process you had to go through to make a documentary where you are filming it as it happens?

One of the key factors of course was financing-how do you get the money together to support your idea, because it’s crucial. (Factors like) what kind of cameras will you be using, what kind of sound equipment are you going to be using, what kind of people do you want to hire? What’s the post-production process going to look like? Are we going to take this digital format and transfer it onto film? So

the whole pre production process was the idea of  trying to figuring out what exactly you are going to do. Once we had that established we could start.

Q. One thing that I really did like about the movie is that you really did get a sense of the emotional chords…the tension building, the happiness, at some points the anger. How did easy or difficult for you to go about capturing that?

A. Well the story was linear-it was the elections from beginning to end. And filming in Ghana was such a treat because people were so excited. I think if I had been filming the elections in the U.S. , or say Switzerland, people would not have been so excited. But there it was a party on the street, people were dancing, people were screaming, so when you see that you’re like, “Oh my goodness, this is a gift.” So you have to capture it and we did…

Q. What’s next for Jerreth Merz?

A. Well, “An African Election” is the first of a trilogy. We intend on filming the upcoming election this year as the second installment…you know their elections come at the same time as U.S. elections, just a month afterwards. We want to possibly touch on women’s role in the political process.

Q. That sounds fantastic. I wish you well. Again, thanks so much for joining us at SCAD today. It was a pleasure!

A. Same here…and good luck in your endeavors.

Never Too Cool for Scott Baio~ABCs Afterschool Specials Part 2

Gotta love the 80s...shoulder pads, Atari, & Scott Baio.

Scott Baio on the cover of his ill advised pop album

 So I had a huge crush on Scott Baio, but not just for his dashing good looks. At  five years old, I considered Mr. Baio an exemplary thespian. He was the only reason I watched "Happy Days", and I may have been the only one in the nation who watched its spin off, "Jonie Loves Chachi". I credit his performance in "Stoned", an ABC Afterschool Special about the hazards of smoking pot, with keeping a few American kids drug free, but possibly making most of them actually want to get high.

Cheech and Chachi

Scott Baio in "Stoned" An ABC Afterschool Special

"Stoned" was true to the ASS formula (no pun intended): geeky kid with potential (played by Baio) has no friends and feels lame, hooks up with cool loser dude who smokes pot, starts getting high, wins friends and influences people to think he's a loser too, then does something stupid, all thanks to the ganja. 

Hey kids, don't smoke and boat!

Baio's career as a troubled teen had a pretty good run with "After School Specials". He starred in another memorable morality episode in "The Boy Who Drank Too Much".  He played- you guessed it-the boy who drank too much.

Stay tuned for more retro love in my coming post! 

Never Too Cool for Afterschool-ABCs Afterschool Special

When I was a teen, I ran with a pretty motely crew. I was the anomaly of the group, as I never really did anything wild or rebellious. My role was to provide the conscience, the voice of reason, and the place to crash when someone's parents caught them in some dubious act. I remember one late night, a friend lay sobbing on my bed about her positive pregnancy test. I gave her a brief  keep-your- head-up–girl-speech, to which she responded “Wow T, you’re sooooo Afterschool Special”.  

“ABC’s Afterschool Special” ran from 1972 to 1997. It was an anthology series that aired in the 4 PM timeslot, intended to reach the youth viewing population after school. Each episode was a drama that tackled tough topics relevant to teenage life such as sex, drugs, divorce, sex, drugs, alcoholism, sex, drugs, crushing on your teacher, sex, drugs, illiteracy, sex, drugs…you get the picture.

ABCs Afterschool Special

Say No to drugs... and plaid shirts

The goal for these morality shows was to show teens in situations like being pregnant, or addicted to drugs and demonstrating the consequences of their choices. Sometimes the teens were faced with ordeals such as the loss of a parent, or bullying.

As for me and my crew, we almost considered these shows more like lightweight soap operas, amused by the melodrama and hilariously intense background music, yet disappointed at how watered down the the story lines were compared to what was happening in our neighborhood. Episodes like "The Late Great Me," about a girl who started drinking to impress her boyfriend, was more so a reprieve from the   real life drama of, say, finding out your dad is back smoking crack.

Nevertheless, ABCs Afterschool Specials did a lot to show teen viewers that the issues affecting them were important enough to tackle, and corny music or not, succeeded in leaving an impact on our culture.

Next post, I will explore some of the memorable (and forgetful) "Afterschool" eps.

Stay tuned!

Saturday School- ABCs Schoolhouse Rocks

So I'm riding shotgun in my friend's SUV when he decides to pull out his iPhone and use both hands to text, while driving with his knees. Pretty certain that this is illegal, I calmly share with him that there  happens to be a law in Georgia against texting and driving, and quite possibly knee steering.  He pointedly-and erroneously- informs me that there is no law, it's simply just a bill. And then the analog memories started to flood my mind...

"I'm Just a Bill"

ABCs "Schoolhouse Rocks" circa 1975

I am convinced that the current state of our educational system will greatly improve if we just return "Schoolhouse Rock" to the television airwaves. From 1973 to 1985, ABC ran this series of animated shorts in between Saturday morning cartoons (another television relic). The "Schoolhouse"shorts were typically about three minutes long and did a super job of tricking kids into learning something worthwhile on the weekend. Deceptively delightful, the episodes showed lively musical numbers on subjects like mathematics, grammar, science, civics, and economy.

"Schoolhouse Rock" was created by David McCall, an ingenious dad who noticed that his grade school son could remember all the lyrics to popular rock songs, but multiplication tables? Not so much. Well I don't know how much it helped his son pass the third grade, but I can tell you these shows definitely had a Pavlovian effect on me. I was exposed to Schoolhouse since birth, and by the time I could identify the number three I automatically knew it was the magic number.

Bob Dourough, a jazz singer and composer, was the genius behind many of the memorable melodies on "Schoolhouse Rocks" such as "Conjunction, Junction",  "Electricity, Electricity", and "Three is the Magic Number". The musical numbers ranged from folksy to bluesy, from soulful to classic rock, and had memorable melodies, which was obviously the purpose.

No more, no less...

"Three is the Magic Number" by Bob Dourough

The thing that I love the most about Schoolhouse Rocks is that it's so quentessentially 70s. The illustrators drew characters that reflected our diverse American population and the "everybody's beautiful" sentiment of that time. Coming off the turbulence of the 60s, it was refreshing for kids to see little red haired, freckled white kids happily playing with little black kids with afros, all learning their times tables and how to unpack their adjectives.

"Unpack Your Adjectives"

Schoolhouse Rocks circa 1973

I vote for "Schoolhouse Rock" in every school-that should be a law.

Stay tuned for more analog love!

And Many More...Happy B-day to Fox Television and Carol Burnett

Somehow, I’ve been suckered into helping with the plans for my 20 year high school reunion.  So I’ve been spending the past few weeks summoning spirits of the 90s. You know-squeezing into my Nirvana concert tee, going to indy coffee houses, trying to find something that will play a CD, and watching “Fox Television’s 25^thAnniversary” last Sunday.

Fox Television Celebrates 25 Years

Ahhh…those were the good ole’days of T.V.  I remember spending Sunday nights with my eyes glued to the tube to absorb one of the funniest, most groundbreaking sketch comedy shows in television history, Fox’s “In Living Color”.  Back when Jennifer Lopez was just a dancing “Fly Girl”, “In Living Color” was the brainchild of brothers Damon and KennanWayans. The show ran from 1990 to 1994 and was a huge hit for Fox, launching J-lo’s illustrious career, but also that of many others like Jamie Foxx and Jim Carrey. The skits were absolutely as politically incorrect as a show could get on network television.  Even watching some of the skits now,  I find myself slightly cringing as I guffaw. But that was the appeal of this show. Audiences could always count on this brilliant cast to push the envelope to make them feel so uncomfortable that they just had to laugh. 

FOX's "In Living Color" circa 1992

Nothin' says "1990s" like Tommy Davidson and Hammer pants...

Happy 25^th Fox Network.

And while I am giving out birthday love, it’s only appropriate for me to give a shout out to the Godmother of sketch comedy, the wonderful Ms. Carol Burnett.  She turned 79 years young this week, on April 26.

Carol Burnett was responsible for blessing American television with the “Carol Burnett Show", a sketch and variety comedy that is often regarded as one of the best shows in television history. Impeccable comedic timing, intelligent writing, and fantastic talent is what made this show garner 25 Emmy awards during its run from 1967 to 1978 on CBS. "The Carol Burdett Show" was known to feature an impressive roster of legendary gueststars, such as Lucille Ball, Ella Fitzgerald, Merv Griffin, Rita Hayworth, The Jackson Five… omigod, the list goes on and on!  One of the most hilarious skits is the parody of  the movie “Gone With the Wind”. This skit has become so iconic that the Smithsonian displays the curtain dress that Carol’s version of “Scarlett O’Hara” wore.  

Carol Burnett's Smithsonian Dress

My personal favorites are the “Miss Wiggins” skits,where Carol plays a woman who was possibly the worst secretary ever. Check it out... 

Carol's take on The Dumb Blonde cliche reminds me that I'm supposed to be doing a theme here. Well, as television history has provided us with a smorgasbord of them, I will definitely continue my musings on character cliches sooner than later.

Stay tuned!

The Real American Idol-Dick Clark 1929-2012

We interrupt our regularly scheduled post to bring you this important retro television update:

Dick Clark, an American Television icon, passed April 18, 2012 at 82 years old.

 For those who were raised on Ryan Seacrest, let me enlighten you. Richard Wagstaff Clark was a pioneer in 20^th century American television, having produced and hosted one of the most popular, most groundbreaking, most influential variety programs in television history-“American Bandstand”. 

American Bandstand was a musical performance show that premiered nationally in the late 1950s, during a time when broadcast television was budding and many radio programs were transferring into television formats. It ran successfully until the late eighties, when it became overshadowed by the popularity of music based channels such as MTV.  As the Museum of Broadcast Television states in their article, "American Bandstand" made a huge cultural and social impact on Americans.

Dick Clark, circa 1956

With the impeccably dressed, All-American Dick Clark at the helm, the show brought rock and pop entertainment into the living rooms of Americans. Clark’s clean cut image, along with the faces of his bubbly teen dancers, served as ambassadors to rock and roll, which was still considered scandalous at that time. The show was one of the first to recognize the increasing spending power of teenagers, using their interests as a marketing tool to generate advertising dollars. You could say that Clark and his shows were the precursors to the current reality television format in that it showed actual teenagers singing and dancing along to current music with an authentic vibe that was not staged or contrived, just wholesome and young.

Dick Clark went on to produce many other programs that are now icons in pop television culture, specifically in variety television "The American Music Awards", "10,000 Pyramid", "Bloopers and Practical Jokes", and, of course, "Dick Clark’s New Years Rockin’ Eve". In this interview posted by emmylegends.org, Clark gives us insight how the show that became an American New Year's Eve tradition began. The Genesis of New Years Rockin' Eve

What I admire most about Dick Clark was his originality and confidence in packaging his programming to appeal to all people. When "American Bandstand" was still new, and as the civil rights movement was slowly brimming, he insisted that the show should feature African-American musicians since much of the music they played was by Black artists. Everyone watched "American Bandstand" to catch the latest artists and dance moves. Everyone watches the "American Music Awards" to cheer for their favorite musician, and everyone’s New Year’s Eve rocked thanks to the “world’s oldest teenager”.

So in memory of Mr. Dick Clark, a real American idol and the Godfather of reality television, I present to you a clip of him interviewing another American idol and the Godfather of soul, James Brown. This is an epic interview that shows Dick Clark at his best- fun and hip, yet authoritative and always composed. Check out his swag in the two-piece suit and tie, and ever present microphone.  Oh, and the mutual man love they give each other is pretty touching too.

Rest in Peace, Dick.

The Death of the T.V. Theme Song Part 2-The Resurrection?

     In lamenting the demise of the all important television theme song, I decided to continue looking for examples of modern television shows that actually have one, a rarity in this digital age. My last post offered the intro for a viable theme song with that of CBS's "Big Bang Theory".  Here are two that cut the mustard, leaving me in joyful hopes that we just may be witnessing a theme song resurrection. Hooray!

      "The Luck You Got",  is a song from the Detroit based rock band "High Strung" off their album "Moxie Bravo". It moonlights as a fitting intro for Showtime's dramatic comedy "Shameless". "Shameless" chronicles the lives of six Chicagoan kids that basically hold down their household and lives as their slacker parents more or less abandon them. William Macy plays the unlovable, but loved, drunk who slithers in and out of these kids'  lives wrecking havoc.  It ain't "The Cosby Show".

Theme show from Showtime's "Shameless".

Shamelessly funny show with an awesome intro.

  "The New Girl" on NBC, stars  the ever quirky Zooey Deschanel, who is not only the reason I love, love, love, this show, but the reason I love, love, love this theme song. She wrote it, which gives the song her personal appeal, a factor that aids in making the show and the song "adorkable".

     Maggie Furlong, an entertainment writer for Huffingtonpost.com, seems to share this sentiment. In her recent article, she pays homage to the show and the personal effect of theme songs by asking the cast to muse over there "personal theme song", a question that garnered some pretty funny responses.

"New Girl Cast Talks Personal Theme Songs"

      This article touches on a very important aspect of the classic television theme song- the personal effect. Great intros in the past have not only set the tone for the show, but they totally add to the soundtrack of one's own dramatic comedy called "Life".  As a young adult, stepping in the door of my first really nice place away Mom and Dad,  the first thing I did was dance around an empty room singing "Well, we movin' on up!" This intro to the classic sitcom "The Jeffersons" has been the go to song for generations of lotto hitters, bingo winners, and anyone who finally gets the piece of the pie. Check it out.

What's your personal theme song? Let me know!

And stay tuned for more analog love.

Death of the T.V. Theme Song

     Is anyone on Earth as sick of Beyoncé’s recent mega hit "Love on Top" as I am? Don’t get me wrong, I loved it the first thousand times Pandora shoved the song down my ear drums, but now I’m just plain sick of it.  I have to admit, however, that given the song’s catchy melody and lyrics, it actually has the makings of a fantastic television theme song. 

     I can see it now-a sassy talkin', arm crossin', hand-on-hip walkin’ Beyoncé opens the door of her Upper East Side Penthouse. Enter grumpy hubby (Jay Z as Mr. Beyoncé!), smart aleck kid (Willow Smith as Baby Beyoncé!), and the nosy, but lovable, neighbor (Kelly Rowland as Not Beyoncé!). The title rolls (The Beyoncé Show starring...Beyoncé!), she belts out “you’re the only one I neeeeeeeeed!”, and the song ends on a strategically timed upbeat.

     Now, I am no expert on the composition of television theme songs, but as student of Television Production and most importantly a lover of all things in the world of retro television, I have viewed countless television wonders of the 20^th century, and thus been happily exposed to some memorable intro tunes. I think I have watched enough shows to say that the true television intro theme has become somewhat of a dying art. Take  “Grey’s Anatomy” or “The Closer”. These two current hits only offer songs that are reduced to mere slivers of sound, allowing just enough time to show the title. Some, like “How I Met Your Mother”, completely avoid the use of an intro.

     Perhaps our new television viewing generation is too smart and too busy to be bogged down with lengthy intros, but some of us old fogies need guidance! Just by the theme songs of some classic hits like “Green Acres” or “Gilligan’s Isle”, I could decide if I wanted to know more about a city girl who gets allergic smelling hay, or if I could even bear listening to a tale of a fateful trip that started on a tropic port aboard a tiny ship.

"Green Acres" circa 1966

 "Dahling I love you but gimme Park Avenue..."

 
 "Gilligan's Isle" theme Song, circa 1964
Back story, plot development, and character description in 60 seconds.
Now that's a theme song, kiddo.

       I say the ball started rolling on this anti-intro song trend in the late eighties thanks to “Murphy Brown”, an outstanding American comedy that had no standard opening theme song for the entire decade it aired. From 1988 until the end of the series, the show used a different song- mostly Motown hits- to lead in each new episode, which must have been a licensing nightmare. The campaign was perpetuated with “Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs”, a jazzy little ditty that was thrown at the ending of the ‘90s TV gem "Frasier", and sung by its star Kelsey Grammer. And although the tune was indeed infectious, it had nothing to do with the show. 

The non-theme song theme song for "Frasier", circa 1993

        There are some current shows that do a respectable- dare I say, great- job of including an appropriate theme song. The theme for CBS’s “Big Bang Theory” comes to my mind, and actually never seems to leave once it enters. Barenaked Ladies’ contribution to television includes what I believe are standard rudiments of a great television theme song: 1. It’s an actual song. 2. It’s catchy. 3. It captures the essence of the show. 4. It is in the BEGINNING of the episode!!  

The lovably dorky theme song from CBS's "Big Bang Theory"

   Hopefully, the song stays around long enough to be considered a classic along with the amazingly funny sitcom it accompanies. And in case you have not been exposed to enough retro television to understand what I mean by "classic",  I will be more than happy to school you.
   
      Stay tuned!