Patron Saint: Dr. Johnny Fever
Here's a lite note for a Friday evening -- how to make robbymac a very happy camper. It's simply, really. Just discover, as I did earlier today, that they're FINALLY going to release the funniest television sitcom ever made on DVD: WKRP In Cincinnati.
One of the disc jockeys, Dr. Johnny Fever, was somewhat of an inspiration/alter ego for me. I once enrolled in a Radio, Television & Journalism major at college, and I think (in retrospect) that the good Doctor might have had a hand in that.
But even beyond what is one of funniest scenes for a pilot episode, I see Dr. Fever as an interesting metaphor for dreamers who have gotten burnt, and how a bit of encouragement goes a long way to rekindle Johnny's subversive influence. Cool thought for us over-40 types who occasionally relate to Johnny's protest: "I think you should find somebody else -- about fifteen years younger."
We now return to our regularly scheduled weekend diversions.
One of the disc jockeys, Dr. Johnny Fever, was somewhat of an inspiration/alter ego for me. I once enrolled in a Radio, Television & Journalism major at college, and I think (in retrospect) that the good Doctor might have had a hand in that.
 | Click on the picture to see a brief YouTube clip from the pilot episode of WKRP, and perhaps you'll see why Johnny Fever caught my imagination. Aside from the requisite tinted shades that everyone was wearing back in the day. |
| There's no metaphoric meaning to this clip, but it's got what is arguably WKRP's single most-quoted punch-line: "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." |  |
posted by Robbymac at
9:27 PM
10 Comments:
lol! i had forgotten about the turkeys.
I just have to hear Chi Chi Rodriguez name and I think of the Les Nessman pronunciation. My all time favourite show. And, believe it or not, I majored in Radio @ Ryerson (but ended up in TV - go figure). You should hear my FM voice.
Cindy, the turkeys were one of the classics, but there were many more!
Bill, I went to college for Radio, but (re)discovered that I liked writing via the Journalism part of the course. I never finished it because God interrupted the whole thing by calling me to being a youth pastor.
I don't regret being a pastor, but sometimes I wish I'd finished the RTJ program first, so I'd have a marketable skill to fall back on. It's made the non-pastoring years (now longer than the pastoring years) much more difficult.
I also liked the TV part a lot, mostly I was the guy with the headphones in front of the control room board, keeping track of stoned camera-persons (DANGIT -- Camera Two, stop focusing on the HALOGENS!!!).
Good times!
Oh man I loved that show! I even dj'ed a bit... and got in trouble for the music I choose... it was not in the play list... and had a really bad innuendo in it!
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Blessings,
iggy
Wow Robby,
I love WKRP. My favorite part was Less' imaginary office.
Neil
Remember the bomb scare episode(s)? "It was the phone cops, man, they were in on it!"
It wasn't turkeys, but classic nonetheless. Nothing beats the turkeys... never has, never will.
'nuff said.
Okay, maybe one more thing... Bailey, hands down!
Oooh, that's good news, Rob! Best comedy ever.
Yup, Bailey....
Dana
Definitely Bailey. No question. No contest.
i remember this show. for some reason most of the characters were annoying, but Johnny Fever was great and the main reason I sat through it. I remember wishing that he had more scenes. There was never enough Johnny...
Ahhh yes the Turkeys.
And Les Nesman and is 'office'.
I want to do that someday.
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