I asked my mom what kid’s show I should write about and she said, “What about Lamb Chop?” I honestly hadn’t thought of Lamb Chop since I was 4 years old. Lamb Chop’s Play Along was one of those shows that you remember fondly and then you watch it when you’re an adult and it’s slightly disturbing. Why did my mom think it was okay to let me watch a ventriloquist/puppeteer at such a young age? Those kinds of people are on the bottom rung of entertainment. Shari Lewis was no different.
I remember watching Lamb Chop’s Play Along in the early 90’s. There were a couple of characters including Lamb Chop herself and her two friends Hush Puppy and Charlie Horse. Their names are so cutesy and clever that it pains me. As a show with puppets goes, Shari would sit around and talk to her hand while 4 year olds like me had no other choice but to watch in amazement. I think I even had my own Lamb Chop doll, so I must have been really transfixed.
It’s hard to believe that Lamb Chop had been around way before she had her own show. She made appearances on Captain Kangaroo in 1956 and then became famous from the Shari Lewis Show. Why couldn’t Shari Lewis spell her name like a normal person? I’m going to assume that she took a plastic surgery break all throughout the 80’s because she didn’t have any projects going on during that time.
One of the most frightening things about Lamb Chop’s Play along was the larger than life Lamb Chop that would occasionally come out to dance with Shari. How confusing is that for kids? I thought Lamb Chop was small, but apparently she’s a giant now…?
Watching the show now, I realize that Charlie Horse is Jewish. That may or may not be because Shari Lewis is of Jewish descent and she’s unable to do more than 2 accents. Also, Charlie Horse is wearing clothes that would be appropriate for any 90’s child–a shirt, shorts, sneakers, even a backwards baseball hat. Why does a horse that talks like a Jewish old man need clothes like that? Lamb Chop kind of gets the shaft and doesn’t get any cool clothes. Hush Puppy gets a modest amount of clothing, but his accent sounds like he’s from Mississippi. You win some, you lose some, I guess.
When the show was over, all the puppets would gather and sing “The Song That Never Ends”. Shari would act like it annoyed her, but if it really annoyed her, wouldn’t she threaten them to never sing it again? Or just avoid Lamb Chop’s Play Along in general? Shari, you created these monsters, it’s up to you to put a stop to them.
In all seriousness though, Lamb Chop was super cute. There were other shows with puppets around, but I have to admit that Shari Lewis was a fine ventriloquist. You could barely see her lips moving. I don’t know why anyone would want that to be their life’s achievement, but whatever.
Kidz Showz 
I almost fell off my chair with, “Shari, you created these monsters, it’s up to you to put a stop to them.” I’m glad you cleared that up about Charley Horse and Hush Puppy – they are so confusing!
let’s just say that we owned the soundtrack to Lambchops’s Play Along. You loved Lamb Chop, as a wee child, especially that song that never ended. It’s right up a four-year old’s alley.
Haha so glad you enjoyed! Lol I could totally imagine my dumb self loving Lamp Chop as a child. I was so easy to please. Hah I wish I was still young and dumb. Oh wait, I’m still pretty dumb.
My younger sister loved this show. Lamb Chop always scared me a bit and it freaked me out she was named after what my family usually had for holiday dinner.
Am I the only one who always thought Shari Lewis and Jerry Lewis were the same person and always thought he was mishearing things? Probably.
I also love this is categorized as Shows with Puppets
I almost wrote a joke about Shari Lewis and Jerry Lewis but refrained. Great minds.
Hah I figured there would be more puppet shows. Otherwise it was going to be Annoying Adults.
Oh I have no problem with the puppet show category, I just think it’s a great genre. Like prop comedy.
OMG! There WAS a giant Lamb Chop who would come out and sing and dance! I had forgotten about that completely. My brother and I loved this show like crazy. One year for Christmas my grandmother gave us a tape of all the songs on the show, which is kind of funny when you think about it. I mean, it was a cassette tape of the voices of puppets.
So far, this blog is pretty perfect. I love how I have vivid memories of every show y’all have talked about so far. I watched more TV growing up than I thought.
Hah that’s something my grandma would’ve gotten me, for sure. Are all grandmas the same? The giant Lamp Chop was perhaps the scariest of all the Lamp Chops.
Ha you really need to guest post because you are one of our biggest (and only fans). You truly appreciate all kid’s shows the way they should be. I was pretty much raised on TV too. All the best kids were.
Ha! You know all you have to do is ask and I will so be on it. We TV kids need to stick together.
We do! You are free to guest post whenevs. Pick any kid’s show or movie. We haven’t jumped into movies yet…!
I remember I had an episode of this on my VHS tape that had The Little Mermaid on it.
But I didn’t particularly know what Lamb Chop was outside of that one episode. I think it had been taped for my cousin or something.
But I do remember there was this part where the kids were all trying to nap while Shari sang this creepy song and Lamb Chop was giant and went around playing hide and seek in the trees or some shit? It was really trippy.
I tended to fast forward to The Little Mermaid.
I do remember that damn song though. It never ended. Catchy bugger.
First of all, I loved the Little Mermaid. It was the first movie I ever went to in the theater. I could totally see myself skipping Lamb Chop to watch it. Lamb Chop was super creepy for sure. Especially giant Lamb Chop. The song that never ends was always a good one because you knew the show was going to end eventually…
Which is sort of ironic, if you think about it…
I loved The Little Mermaid too. She proved redheads were cool too. Not just blondes 😛
I had a dog named Sebastian that would watch it with me.
Awww so cute. I love dogs 😀
I approve and like you more. I am a dog aficionado.
My current love is like my child. My friends get annoyed sometimes. I tell them to stuff it.