On The Media

I can barely describe how grateful I am that even while our country is at war on two fronts, the economy has slid into recession, gas prices and oil profits are at all-time highs, and we are locked in one of the most dramatic Presidential elections of our time, that your program and so many others at NPR have taken the time to explain the fascinating history of the Smurfs. Oh the things those Smurfs--and indeed any formulaic children's program designed to develop kids' consumer impulses--can tell us about navigating this tricky world. Were it not for you--and indeed the breathless coverage of several NPR programs--I might have missed the 50th anniversary of what might have been called a cultural touchstone had anyone, in fact, cared.

Sorry Heather Hendershot, The Smurfs was not the first animated network series inspired by a toy.

The cartoon Hot Wheels Originally aired September 6, 1969 - September 4, 1971 on ABC and was based on the Hot Wheels cars of sponsor Mattel Toys.

Mattel and producer Ken Snyder had earlier teamed up on The Funny Company series. Because of it's close connection with Mattel's Hot Wheels line of toy cars, the Federal Communications Commission demanded that the opening to the Hot Wheels cartoon, along with any references in the cartoon to the Hot Wheels title and any mention of the makes of cars, all be counted as commercial time. The FCC was, in effect, ruling that the whole cartoon show was a commercial for the Hot Wheels toy cars and not an entertainment program. This led ABC to cancel the popular series after only two years on the air. The FCC ruling remained in effect until 1983, when a new lineup in the FCC ended the restrictions. (from http://www.toontracker.com/hotwheels/hotwheels.htm)

This was hilarious. Papa Smurf? I was thinking Karl Marx before I heard it, but the communist slogan "to each according. . ."? I lost it. Thanks, OTM, for keeping me smiling.

Scott:

Not another overly serious elitist snob who thinks that everything on public radio should be as overly serious as they are. In case you didn't notice, the rest of the "OTM" program dealt with legitimate issues and wanted to do a change-of-pace to end the program. What is wrong with that?

I bet you also have a problem with Ira Glass, Garrison Kellior, "Car Talk," Michael Feldman, "Wait, Wait...", Faith Salie and Harry Shearer too, while you think that the amateur night "Alternative Radio" is great radio--oh, yeah, sticking a mike on a lectern while a biovating radical is speaking--that's creative radio--NOT!

Just what is you elitist snobs have against comedy and why should everything on public radio be so God damn serious? How about getting that stick out of your rear end and start enjoying life every so often?