When I was younger I was a TV fanatic long before TiVo, remote controls, cable and 350 stations. I couldn’t wait for the new issue of TV Guide to come out. I would read it cover to cover. Looking for all my favorites so as not to miss any of them. For a brief while I even collected the TV Guides thinking they would be worth something.
This passion for TV lasted for a long, long time. I still love my shows today but I’m no longer as obsessed as I was then. Back then it was my form of escape. My mom would always wonder how I did my homework with the TV on, the radio on and still get good grades. I guess you could say I’ve always been a multi-tasker.
Through the course of the year, I’ll share some of my favorite TV memories (I’ve shared my love of Get Smart all ready).
In 1977 I was only 11 years old. And a new show came on called SOAP. SOAP told the story of the rich Tates & the working class Campbells. It was a knock off of day time soaps with a major comedic take on it all. It had murder, sex, crazy families, all the things good soaps have. And I loved it.
What I loved most though was this was my time with my mom.
I have 3 younger siblings and as you can imagine, her time was taken up by all of us. But Tuesday nights were mine. Each week for the 4 years that show was on TV, my mom and I would sit together and watch this awesome show. Some would say that maybe this show wasn’t the most appropriate but my mom knew I was mature enough to realize the comedy of the whole thing.
We were so bummed when the show was cancelled. We still watched TV but it was never the same. Nothing touched us as a pair like this show did. Who knows why, but we both laughed so much and just loved this show.
The show went off the air in 1981. It is 30 years later and to this day we still have a little joke we do from the show.
Billy Crystal’s character was the smart one and his TV brother’s character (played by Ted Wass) was a little on the slower side. On one show, Billy’s character is leaving and says to his brother…“CHAO” ….and his brother replies… “GRUB!”…
OMG, we laughed our butts off. To this day it makes me laugh so hard.
Every once in awhile one of us will say to the other “CHAO” and the other will reply “GRUB!”….
I miss those Tuesday nights, but I still have the memories… I Love Ya Ma….
~~~till we laugh again~~~