Wakadoo, muskrats, and Patti Smith

Kids are people, too. Could a television show in the 70s make you feel validated and important? This show thought so. Remember the theme song yet? I believe Wakadoo was the show's mascot dog.

I remember being desperately sick with a stomach virus and watching an episode on our black and white portable TV in which Maureen McGovern sang "The Morning After," and life seemed impossibly sad. Hey...I was sick, okay?

The show attracted some interesting and surprisingly big stars, including Kiss. And Patti Smith. Really. Nothing says "role model for kids" like barfing blood onstage and angry punk screaming. Oh, and Patti Smith sang "You Light Up my Life." Click here if you don't believe me. Patti turns corn syrup into wine on national TV. You absolutely must listen.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the musical coolness spectrum, here the show's house band, Special Delivery, joins Captain & Tenielle for a rousing rendition of one of the most fetid songs ever, "Muskrat Love." Note that Tenielle sings the song with sincerity and tenderness toward the twirling muskrats. Touching, really. If you can watch all of that clip, you have a stronger stomach than I do.

Scooby Doo rulz

Scooby Doo rules the Cartoon Universe. And you know, I'm not sure why Scooby Doo rules. He just does, and everybody thinks so. 

Saturday mornings were all about Scooby Doo and Cocoa Puffs and my footed PJs. We only had one TV in the house, and I can imagine my parents didn't like Saturday mornings much, what with us sugar-hyped kids up at 6 am and dorky cartoons on the TV.

The picture above is of one of my Favorite Things: the Scooby Doo ceramic thingy my mom made (made!) in ceramics class in 1975. (Ceramics were big in the 70s, but that's a whole 'nother post.)

Scooby Doo debuted in 1969 and still airs in syndication. For more details on Scooby's evolution, visit Scoobyaddicts.com.  Or just listen to the theme song.

Making Sunday mornings better: "Vision On"

Ameliorating the exquisite boredom of Sunday morning TV (which featured such snoozers as “The Eucharist” and “Gardening with Ed Hume”) was the surreal kid’s show, “Vision On.” Originally a BBC show geared to deaf children in the U.K., “Vision On” aired in Seattle on KOMO TV with added footage from KOMO. I couldn’t find any clips from KOMO’s version, so please post or message me if you can find any. Meanwhile, enjoy the grainy Brit TV clips and other details on the this great "Vision On" tribute site.

My kidbrain remembered the closing music, “Java” by Al Hirt, as the themesong. Now it’s in my head again.

Daddy dear, we're weird

How psychadelic was Sesame Street? Really, really psychadelic. And smart. Watch some of the old Sesame Street stuff today and it makes Barney and Creatures of His Ilk look tame. And lame.

I particularly like this clip. I was one of those annoying "why, daddy?" children. When my dad would tuck me into bed, I would have a dozen questions like the questions in the clip. Like how do they make pill bottles and why doesn't it rain when the sun is shining and why does everyone hate President Carter . . .click below for Sesame Street's version of these immortal questions.

Daddy Dear, Sesame Street