Flashback: November 1998

The musical Cats. Whether you’re a fan or not, you can’t escape the massive reach of this pop culture phenomenon…

Sounds Familiar

“All questions find answers if you wait long enough.” – Brother Cadfael (Derek Jacobi), CADFAEL on  MYSTERY!

Wednesday Trivia Question

What is the name of Zoe’s pet rock on SESAME STREET?

SESAME STREET has, in its 50+ years on air, entered the pop culture consciousness many times. In the early years, it was when characters or creatives would appear on other shows. Nowadays, it’s when a segment goes viral. A few years back, a bit from around 2004 did just that, emerging as a meme. It centered on a feud between Elmo and Zoe’s pet rock. Zoe, for the uninitiated, was introduced in 1993 and presents as an orange three-year-old with a big imagination. Her pet rock came along in 1999 and made quite an impression, considering Zoe’s insistence that her pet rock was much more than – well, just a rock. This all came to a bit of head when Elmo lost his cool after Zoe told him the cookie he wanted was going to the rock. Thus, the viral sensation was born. You may have seen it or heard it mentioned (I know I’ve referenced it at least once).

So what’s the name of the rock many consider Elmo’s nemesis? What is the name of Zoe’s pet rock on SESAME STREET?

Deep Dive: PBS Kids Logos

In my years with public television, I’ve seen so many logos, bumpers, IDs and assorted interstitial material that I’ve probably forgotten more than I remember. Since most of those old on-air spots have been lost to history, all we have now are our memories and the largess of those who managed to hang on to such media. That’s why I’m fascinated with people who post this broadcasting ephemera. As such, here’s a collection of PBS Kids logos from the past 25 years or so. Maybe you remember a few. [Aside: I have to marvel at the folks whose job it is come up with these creative material. Are they accepting resumes, I wonder.]

Monday Montage

What’s happening, what’s on and what’s interesting this week …

Celebrate 20 years of an Irish music sensation with a new concert filmed at the Helix in Dublin. Tune in for CELTIC WOMAN 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT – Wednesday night at 8 on PBS NC.

Keeley Hawes (The Durrells In Corfu) will return to the stage for the first time in 10 years. Hawes will appear in the world premiere of Lucy Kirkwood’s new romantic drama The Human Body alongside Jack Davenport (Breathless).

Can a group of puppies be trained to improve their owners’ lives? Find out on PUPPY SCHOOL – Thursday at 7pm on the Explorer Channel.

Hey, It’s Photo Friday!

Saw this little fellow on a shelf in our storage area. Sure looks like he’d be more at home perched atop a pirate’s shoulders. And maybe he was. I’m not sure where he came from exactly but my guess is he may have been a prop in the Rogue History series we produced for PBS Origins. Regardless, a fitting photo for the Friday after Thanksgiving.

This Day In Broadcast History

On this date in 1963, as the world grappled with the assassination of an American president, the BBC launched a new science fiction series called DOCTOR WHO. It became the longest-running sci fi series in the world and has been since seen by millions of Whovians around the planet.

Today, DOCTOR WHO celebrates its 60th anniversary. But 40 years ago, we celebrated with THE FIVE DOCTORS – a 20th anniversary special that ran on PBS stations mere hours after it debuted across the pond. That’s a feat easily accomplished today with digital broadcasting but back then it was more labor intensive and could have easily gone awry if a station missed a recording.

So hats off to sixty years of adventures in time and space!

Sounds Familiar

“She loved him very much, and the price of great love is great misery when one of you die.” – Robert Crawley, Earl Of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), referring to Mary and Matthew, DOWNTON ABBEY

Wednesday Trivia Question

Who narrated the AMERICAN EXPERIENCE documentary on John F. Kennedy?

60 years ago, American president John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. In the decades since, there have been numerous books, articles, movie and TV shows honoring the man and exploring his life and legacy. One such program was the two-part AMERICAN EXPERIENCE presentation JFK.

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: JFK premiered ten years ago to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s death. Here’s the write-up from the AMEX website:

“Forever enshrined in myth by an assassin’s bullet, Kennedy’s presidency long defied objective appraisal. Recent assessments have revealed an administration long on promise and vigor, and somewhat lacking in tangible accomplishment. His proposals for a tax cut and civil rights legislation, however, promised significant gains in the months before his assassination. While maturation, as evidenced in the handling of the Cuban missile crisis, was apparent, the potential legacy of the New Frontier will forever be left to speculation.“

In its time, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE documentaries have been narrated by a host of talented actors and familiar voices, including Linda Hunt, Scott Glen, Kathy Bates, Laura Linney, Jimmy Smits and David Ogden Stiers. The narrator of the JFK presentation is an American actor (although he was born in Canada, as one of his parents was a career diplomat). He’s been seen on stage and screen since the 1980s and would have been three-years-old when Kennedy was killed. He’s been nominated for Emmy Awards, SAG Awards, a Golden Globe and a Tony. Obviously, he’s had a long an celebrated career.

So who was it? What actor narrated the 2013 AMERICAN EXPERIENCE documentary on John F. Kennedy?

My Top Five: Birds

It’s Thanksgiving week so I thought I’d ponder the birds of public broadcasting. There may be some pretty obvious ones from which to choose but I tend to gravitate towards the deeper cuts, so to speak. So here you go – MY TOP FIVE PUBLIC BROADCASTING BIRDS. Not the best or whatever superlative you fancy – simply MY personal Top Five.

5) X THE OWL – Voiced by Mister Rogers himself, X the Owl was one of the denizens of the Neighborhood of Make Believe. X lived in the old oak tree next to Henrietta Pussycat and was always eager and cheerful. 

4) THE “IT’S THE PLUMBER” PARROT – One of my favorite animated bits from the original The Electric Company featured an earnest plumber and a precocious parrot. “Who is it?” “It’s the plumber. I’ve come to fix the sink.”