Sep 22 2012

A formative influence

Categories:

Humor, Personal

by PZ Myers

My Seattle homies of a certain generation will recognize the importance of this guy in building our character.

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53 comments

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1

grumpyoldfart

22 September 2012 at 1:38 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Makes no sense to me. I guess you had to be there.
2

Trebuchet

22 September 2012 at 1:59 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I didn’t grow up here and I’d have to say I’m more of a Stan Boreson fan, but I’m still saddened by J.P.’s passing.
3

Menyambal --- Sambal's Little Helper

22 September 2012 at 3:01 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I got to Seattle just before his show ended, so only saw a few bits. But dang, Seattle has some talented and creative people.
4

Larry

22 September 2012 at 3:11 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Can’t sleep. Clown will eat me.
Can’t sleep. Clown will eat me.
5

davidsteinmuller

22 September 2012 at 4:09 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

The loss of local TV isgoing to haunt us in the future. I can’t imagine Cleveland without Ghoulardi.
6

MG Myers

22 September 2012 at 5:20 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

That video brings back memories of watching JP Patches on television in the morning before elementary school. JP brought lots of smiles and laughter to his “Patches Pals” throughout the Seattle area. He had a way to make people laugh and forget their troubles.
7

feralboy12

22 September 2012 at 5:23 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Those of us a bit further south had a much more dignified influence in our formative years: Ramblin’ Rod Anders. Every day after school, Ramblin’ Rod would cruise in on his cardboard facade of a boat, wave, and show us really freakin’ good cartoons. No funny suit, just a guy who loved kids.
Yep, Ramblin’ Rod. Much cooler than this clown.
.
.
.
.
Sorry, but he is a clown.
8

chigau (違わない)

22 September 2012 at 5:42 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Razzle Dazzle
Howard the Turtle
“Knuckle full of nickles.”
*sigh*
The Forest Rangers!!!
9

Rodney Nelson

22 September 2012 at 7:03 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I remember Salty Brine on WPRI Channel 12, Providence, RI. “Goodbye and brush your teeth.”
10

Hairhead, whose head is entirely filled with Too Much Stuff

22 September 2012 at 7:22 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

What the hell, chigau, are you a Canuck? I haven’t met anyone yet who remembers Howard the Turtle, Razzle Dazzle, and Michelle Finney, and Alan Hamel (who went on to marry Suzanne Somers).
11

rwgate

22 September 2012 at 7:29 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

As kids growing up in West Seattle in the 50′s, we used to listen to Stan Boreson. Can’t say I remember J.P. Patches, but I do remember the Howdy Doody show. Another favorite was Yogi Yogerssen, who sang a lot of (to us) off color songs, especially during the Christmas season. Probably too early for PZ, but you can still find his performances on YouTube.
12

chigau (違わない)

22 September 2012 at 7:35 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Hairhead
Chez Hélène!
Maggie Muggins!
The Friendly Giant!
I Am Canadian!
13

viajera

22 September 2012 at 7:40 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Those of us a bit further south had a much more dignified influence in our formative years: Ramblin’ Rod Anders.

Ramblin’ Rod! ::PDX native fistbump::

I was on that show once when I was a kid. True Fact. Ramblin’ Rod was the best!
14

janeymack

22 September 2012 at 8:24 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Native Oregonian here (though not from Portland). Ramblin’ Rod! My favorite show. Very envious, viajera, that you got to be on the show. I think davidsteinmuller at #5 is right. We have lost a lot of regional flavor with the loss of local tv. The homogenization of America continues!
15

ulgaa

22 September 2012 at 8:38 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Saturday mornings in Kansas with Major Astro. Who died not to long ago sadly.
16

Hairhead, whose head is entirely filled with Too Much Stuff

22 September 2012 at 10:09 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

So, chigau, from whence do you hail? I hight from Lotusland itself, Vancouver (and before that, Calgary, home of snow in July and -30 to deliver papers in).
17

chigau (違わない)

22 September 2012 at 10:21 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Hairhead
Medicine Hat born
Calgary for University
Medicine Hat for work for a while
Edmonton for almost 30 years.
alternating between shoveling snow for six months and
t-shirts in February
(while shoveling snow)
18

JoeBuddha

22 September 2012 at 10:22 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Never a registered Patches Pal, but never missed an episode either. Trying to watch it as an adult is horribly cringe-worthy, but he was a big part of my childhood. He seemed to have even more fun putting on his show than we did watching it; many was the time that he and his co-hosts would crack each-other up for totally incomprehensible (to my grade-school self) reasons. So sad when he died. :(
19

Oenotrian

22 September 2012 at 10:27 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I remember Ramblin’ Rod. He was on until 1997, which I didn’t realize until looking for videos just now.
20

Rev. BigDumbChimp

22 September 2012 at 10:30 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Mr. Greenjeans
21

FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker)

22 September 2012 at 10:35 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

“Look waaaaay up, and I’ll call Rusty.”
22

Ing:Intellectual Terrorist "Starting Tonight, People will Whine"

22 September 2012 at 10:38 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

As far as the kiddie shows go, it’s good…no Candle Cove though
23

Rev. BigDumbChimp

22 September 2012 at 10:43 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Sigmund and the sea monsters
24

bovarchist

22 September 2012 at 10:57 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Your generation grew up with JP Patches; mine grew up with Bill Nye the Science Guy. You lose.
25

chigau (違わない)

22 September 2012 at 11:21 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

bovarchist
No.
You are missing the point.
We had locally produced shows by people who were in it for the love of the medium.
We also had devoted local participation from children, parents, schools, TV stations, etc.
You have a commercial franchise.
(I ♥ Bill Nye.)
(it wasn’t a contest, nobody lost)
26

bovarchist

22 September 2012 at 11:31 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Chigau

For a guy who loves Bill Nye, you don’t know much about where he came from. Just sayin’.
27

baryogenesis

22 September 2012 at 11:40 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Soupy Sales. Before he went national. Lunchtime zanies in the 50′s. One of the originals . Esp. for getting a pie in the face.
28

chigau (違わない)

22 September 2012 at 11:40 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

bovarchist
OK.
You win.
Bless your heart.
(guy?)
29

canadianchick

22 September 2012 at 11:46 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

hey – some of us remember BOTH JP Patches from our childhoods AND watching Bill Nye on KING5′s “Almost Live” from our mis-spent teen and early adult years…

so there!

:)
30

Rip Steakface

23 September 2012 at 12:00 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I suppose I was born too late to understand this, despite being a western Washington native. A shame.
31

chigau (違わない)

23 September 2012 at 12:13 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Rip Steakface
Probably true.
There is always youtube.
32

McC2lhu saw what you did there.

23 September 2012 at 2:45 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Being Canadian and having cable from Spokane, I think I’ve seen everything. I get the Mr. Green Jeans reference, “Look waaaaay up, and I’ll call Rusty”, Casey and Finnegan, “Won’t you be my neighbor?”, “HEYYYY YOU GUYSSSSSSSS!”…and of course, the local Buckshot Show. The only one I rarely find any reference to, even UTube vids are scarce, is the Uncle Bobby Show. I sometimes wonder about a couple shows that I can remember that no one else does. Did our cable package include programming from alternate Earths? The added rabbit ears with tinfoil and the giant wood cabinet TV makes the programming sources suspect.
33

Kristjan Wager

23 September 2012 at 2:48 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Must say that the video didn’t appeal to me, and I don’t think it would have appealed to me even when I was a kid. But of course, you never know.

Speaking of childrens’ TV, here is a interesting article about Danish childrens’ TV: Farting Puppets: The Terrific, Bizarre World of Danish Kids’ TV. Most (all?) parents I know, love the TV channel described in the article.
34

DLC

23 September 2012 at 5:36 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Hmm.. Local tv personalities.
I think just about every town had theirs.
I wonder if there’s an index of them somewhere.
I remember some I’ve seen who were like that slightly weird but funny uncle who shows up for Thanksgiving.
35

john

23 September 2012 at 7:03 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Dr. Paul Bearer “What what,” St. Pete Fl. Folks!!!!
36

PZ Myers

23 September 2012 at 7:30 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Bill Nye the Seattle Guy, you mean?
37

FossilFishy (Νεοπτόλεμος's spellchecker)

23 September 2012 at 7:51 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Hmm.. Local tv personalities.
I think just about every town had theirs.

I sold porn (pre-Internet) on a number of occasions to a locally famous weatherman. I’m pretty sure he came back because I pretended to not recognise him. /pointless anecdote
38

JoeBuddha

23 September 2012 at 8:09 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Always loved Bill Nye, and was very sad when Almost Live went off the air.
39

fullyladenswallow

23 September 2012 at 10:47 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

@37:
That’s really funny. It’s sorta like catching your old man takin’ a sip of Southern Comfort behind the barn…not sure whether to pretend that you didn’t see it or make it plain that you now had gained some leverage.

Of all the shows that seemed to hold my attention most, was the late ’50′s airing of “Mr. Wizard” (Don Herbert)- sort of the “Bill Nye” of his day.
40

Air

23 September 2012 at 11:18 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

San Francisco – Mayor Art “I’ll be seeing you sub-se-quent-ly!”

My earliest (my only?) triumph of the mind occurred on his show – you had to pick a key to win the contents of a treasure chest. I noticed that one key had a little spot of red paint on it. 8 year old mind turns over, picks that key and wins!
41

beadknitter

23 September 2012 at 11:34 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

J.P. Patches!! I loved him when I was a kid. He was funny. I even had a JP Patches doll.
42

TriffidPruner

23 September 2012 at 11:55 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Another vote for Stan Boreson — who OMG has no wikipedia entry! — but at least the Clubhouse theme song is on the tubes. Zero Dockus…
43

sciencemc

23 September 2012 at 12:32 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

OK, you people who are dismissing JP Patches as a mere clown have no idea what you’re talking about. To be fair, unless you are already familiar with him, there’s no way you could understand from this video. You see, I HATE clowns. With a passion. But J.P. was only a clown in the most superficial way. He was funny. He never used a stupid voice or talked down to us. The show was full of silly devices, but they always had a certain wit to them. The intricate plots by Boris S. Wart (2nd meanest man in the world) to take over the city dump and the show. Losing most of his guests in the bottomless pit outside the door after they left. Calling kids out on the ICU2 TV set.

One fine day in the 70s, I was outside on the porch when a cop car pulled into my driveway, and out gets J.P. with Officer Friendly. They decided to film a PSA about traffic safety at my house because of the blind driveway. What a great day. I even got to see J.P. punch Esmerelda in the face right in front of me.

We all have our childhood favorites, but don’t write off J.P. as just another clown, because you are so very wrong if you do. He’s beloved in our community because he was much, much more.
44

Hairhead, whose head is entirely filled with Too Much Stuff

23 September 2012 at 12:33 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Chigau, ah yes, the chinooks.

Nothing like getting up at 4am to deliver morning papers at -15F, and returning home hatless (or toqueless) and in shirtsleeves with the temp now 20F. That’s the whipsaw-climate effect very common on the prairies (and something which, due to global warming, I think we’re going to experience a lot more of).
45

andycooper

23 September 2012 at 1:34 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Tiswas!!!
46

Krasnaya Koshka

23 September 2012 at 4:15 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Wallace and Ladmo!

I grew up in Arizona.

Back me up, please, Ogvorbis!

It is a deep shame all these childhood memories die but why are they all men?

In Arizona we also had Villa Alegre.
47

chigau (違わない)

23 September 2012 at 5:57 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Wow.
http://forestrangers.bravehost.com/
They’re sooo ooooold!
48

Hairhead, whose head is entirely filled with Too Much Stuff

23 September 2012 at 7:35 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I looooooved the Forest Rangers. No parents! No bullies! Fun in the outdoors! AAaahhh!

Shit, I’m 55 now, and they were older than me when I was watching the show.

I don’t care, I’m going to youtube and play the theme song again and feel eight years old!
49

chigau (違わない)

23 September 2012 at 8:05 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I’m going to youtube and play the theme song again

Oh. Bugger.
I did that and now I’m all nostalgic and really sad :(
50

janeymack

23 September 2012 at 10:20 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I guess I had the best of both worlds. Grew up in Oregon watching Ramblin’ Rod, then moved to Seattle as an adult and had the joy of watching Almost Live! I still haven’t gotten over the cancellation of Almost Live, either–heard a rumor not too long ago that it might be coming back but haven’t heard any more about it.
51

kevinalexander

23 September 2012 at 10:48 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Bob Homme, who was the Friendly Giant refused to do personal appearances even though he could get some extra cash.

He explained that the kids thought he was 50 ft tall and he didn’t want to disappoint them.

Then there was the time that the tech at the CBC miked Rusty. Persistence of childhood illusion carries over into your professional life.
52

gussnarp

24 September 2012 at 8:59 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Homies? Did you really say homies?
53

NitricAcid

24 September 2012 at 2:36 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

We had Mr. Dressup, the Friendly Giant, and Uncle Bobby. I have DVDs of the former to show my kids, but I’m not showing them Uncle Bobby (have a happy day, even if it isn’t your birthday).

“Bimbo, Bimbo, he’s a happy clown you know….”