Old People Watch Kid’s Shows Too

Mooselicker Says: Welcome to the very first post not written by the two dopes who have written everything thus far. This post is brought to us by Brother Jon. Without further introduction, continue reading.

I’m trying to decide whether or not I’ve always been a fuddy-duddy. That’s right; I’ve just used the term “Fuddy-Duddy“, and guess who the first person to ever call me that was? My own mother. How’s that for a burn to the bum. It’s no slice of fried gold, I can tell you that much. Anyway, I think she knew that I was always “mature” for my age. I didn’t really spend that much time watching cartoons that I can think of. Don’t get me wrong, I watched them. It’s just that none of them really stuck with me all that much over the years.

It seems that I always preferred to watch stand-up, variety shows, or something of those sorts, instead of “kid’s shows”. That may be where my sense of humor came from. Unlike the creators of this blog, I actually grew up through much of the 80’s. Trust me; I’m reminded of this often. Both of them were born in October, during the year 1987. I have often commented on their post, and have received an answer a few times that kind of reads like this;

I don’t know much about that, I’m only 25.

I don’t really remember that, I was born in 1987.

Oh my heck, I’m so old! The bad thing is, I’ve always actually felt this way. I watched a YouTube video of 80’s and 90’s cartoon intro songs the other day. I felt a bit old, and a little disappointed. I could not, for the life of me, remember 75% of those shows. Were they that bad? Or, did I just not care about them? I’m thinking it’s probably a mixture of both. There is one show that caught my attention though. It is NOT the one I plan on writing about, but I still feel the need to mention how awesome this theme song is. (And yes, I will actually get to the point….after a minute.) Do you all remember the Gummi Bears? EPIC. More collegiate A Capella groups have covered this song than any other Disney theme song. (I just made this up, but it sounds good.) Gummi Bears. Bouncing here and there and everywhere. High adventure that’s beyond compare, they are the Gummi Bears.

(They don’t look as tasty in real life)

This show was produced on Disney, which was a channel I didn’t watch all that often. I scoped it out for movies and those dreamy Pre-N’Sync guys on the Mickey Mouse Club but that’s about it. (I hate the fact that I feel the need to say that this was a JOKE.) Like Lily, if I wasn’t checking out Comedy Central (Which was The Comedy Channel back then) or whatever channel the old Tonight Show/Carol Burnett/Dean Martin Roast were on I was tuned to channel 24. If you’re from my home town you know exactly what I’m talking about. That, of course, is Nickelodeon. The shows I preferred back then were the Live Action ones like Salute Your Shorts, Hey Dude, Clarissa Explains It All, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Mr. Wizard’s World, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and a very special TV show from Canada.

(You remember that dancing tattoo Pete had? No, the other Pete.)

You Can’t Do That on Television originated on a Canadian TV station in a town, somewhere between Alaska and Maine, or Minnesota and the North Pole, depending on how you want to look at it.  It first appeared locally in 1979. The show that I came to know and, well love like remember, first aired on Nickelodeon on January 1, 1982. That would make the American aired version of this show three weeks older than me. If this show was still around it would be getting super frosty around the temples and extra grey in the goatee. Just saying.

I honestly don’t remember much about this show, but here goes anyway. After some research I’ve jogged my memory. This was a variety/skit show of sorts that employed mostly kids, with adults usually taking on the roles of the less fortunate. The host was always an adult also. I can remember each show having a skit that took place at a burger joint. The kids sitting around would always goad each other into eating the food, none of them wanting too. The proprietor would comment about the burgers being made with rodents or poison. Another weekly skit was one with a firing squad. They would always have a couple kids strung up, with the firing squad off camera. The kids would, most of the time, cause the Captain to call for “Fire” whilst being in front of the kids, himself getting shot.

Fun fact, Alanis Morissette was a cast member of this show in 1986. Isn’t that ironic? Yeah, not really. I think the main knowledge that can be laid down is that the green slime that Nickelodeon is known for originated from this show. If a member of the show mentioned slime, the color of slime, pies, or the phrase “I don’t know” they got slimed. I’ve read somewhere that kids that got slimed were paid more than the others. I’m not sure if I like that idea. You’re going to reward someone for being dull? Come on. I wonder if Alanis ever got slimed. If not she ought to know what that feels like, don’t you think?

(Looks like a good time for sliming to me)

Mooselicker Says: Thank you Brother Jon for putting together this marvellous piece and completely getting the vibe this blog has. I would also like to point out that you seemed to put more effort into this through your links alone. Show-off.