Sometimes, America cranks out a true individual. And even more rarely, that person gets recognized for what he or she is, earning the embrace of the Powers That Be. And even more rarely than that, those Powers That Be are in television.
A hundred years ago today, America cranked out Juila Child. A half-century ago, a public television station in Boston realized who -- and what -- had walked into its studios.
Before the centenary of Julia's birth slips away from us here, let's enjoy the second-ever episode of The French Chef, which originally aired Feb. 11, 1963.
If you hadn't noticed, there was a hell of a fierce debate going on about federal funding of public broadcasting. In 1971.
Why, we could have the specter of taxpayers funding a fourth network! Both on television and on the radio. We hear they're very liberal. Not friendly at all to conservative values.
And what about localism?
Tsk, tsk. There's something very un-American about this whole pointy-headed enterprise, I tell you.
The state of office coffee drinking, circa 1983, immortalized by University Television at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The weekly TV show was called Cityscape; the music was by Citydog.
The Soviet national anthem, as broadcast in 1984 on state television.
Here we see a vision of a mighty empire and a proud people. Here we listen to a soaring hymn to the glories of the dictatorship of the proletariat.
In little more than seven years -- on Dec. 26, 1991 -- the Soviet Union ceased to be.
OUR AMERICAN national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," as broadcast in 1984 at the close of another broadcast day for Buffalo, N.Y.'s public television station.
Here we see a vision of a mighty empire and a proud people. Here we listen to a soaring hymn to the glories of "the land of the free and the home of the brave."
In little more than. . . .
Sic transit gloria mundi. Thus passes the glory of the world.
Strawberry Square, produced by what in the 1980s was the Nebraska ETV Network, may be the explanation for any strange behavior exhibited by people from the ages of 36 to, perhaps, a decade younger.
This 1981 episode of the instructional program, aimed at early elementary students, is . . . is . . . is . . . aw, hell, it was the '80s, people! I don't know what to make of it, and you don't either.
It may or may not make more sense if you're wearing an Izod polo shirt. Pink. Maybe pastel green.
A hundred years ago today, America cranked out Juila Child. A half-century ago, a public television station in Boston realized who -- and what -- had walked into its studios.
