My wife’s best friend turns 50 today. That makes her my “best friend-in-law.” On September 25, 1976, Gerald Ford was still president, but not for long. A few days earlier, the first presidential debate between Ford and Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter ended with a 27-minute audio blackout where both candidates stood around awkwardly. It was far more dignified than the past three Donald Trump-tainted presidential debates.
I don’t know exactly what time on this day my friend was born. It’s either not something that comes up in conversation or I’m a bad friend. However, September 25, 1976 was a Saturday, and there would have actually been new TV programming that night, not just reruns, bad TV movies, or NASCAR. Perhaps some of this is what my friend’s family watched while waiting for her arrival.
The third season of The Jeffersons premiered on this day in 1976. In “George and the President,” George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) competed against his dry-cleaning rival who was running a promotional campaign based on the bicentennial celebration. George’s counter campaign involved dressing up as Thomas Jefferson and claiming he’s a descendent of the former president and Sally Hemings. This was a controversial position at the time, although new DNA evidence further supports the reality that Jefferson fathered children with the enslaved woman who was in no position to say “no.”
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Also premiering that night was ABC’s Holmes & Yoyo. Det. Alexander Holmes (Richard Shull) is a klutzy cop who keeps injuring his partners. Instead of firing him, the department pairs him with Gregory "Yoyo" Yoyonovich (John Schuck), who’s actually an android. Hijinks ensue, but not for long. The series ran only 13 episodes, which these days is a successful run on Netflix.
Richard Shull lived in my neighborhood when I moved to New York in the mid-1990s, and I’d sometimes run into him at the post office or the drug store. He was a charming man.
Mr. T and Tina continued ABC’s winning streak that night. A spin-off of Welcome Back Kotter, it’s not a detective series starring Mr. T you’re thinking of and Tina Turner. No, Pat Morita plays Taro Takahashi, a widowed Japanese inventor whose creations include underpants with a built-in transistor radio and the “flash in the can,” a coin-operated restroom sunlamp. Tina (Susan Blanchard) is the scatterbrained American he hires to look after his kids instead of someone competent. The show lasted five episodes.
The second season of Starsky & Hutch debuted with Lynda Carter in supporting role. She had just started her immortal run as Wonder Woman.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s farewell season began, followed by The Bob Newhart Show, and The Carol Burnett Show with host Jim Nabors. Yeah, this was all on Saturday night. Most people didn’t have VCRs. They weren’t time-shifting. They were in front of the TV. They were happy to see Jim Nabors.
The Jeffersons creator Norman Lear hosted that evening’s Saturday Night Live. Lorne Michaels should have considered Sherman Hemsley or better yet Carol Burnett, who the show consistently snubbed. Jane Curtin filled in for an injured Chevy Chase as Weekend Update anchor.
The fall equinox was Tuesday, so there’s no more holding on to summer. If you haven’t already, you should take advantage of my 40 percent off fall sale for paid subscriptions. That’s just $30 a year. Thanks to all who have upgraded to paid subscriber status recently.
This week, I shared my 2022 interview with activist and original Yippie Judy Gumbo, who passed away this month. She was more than a legend. She was also a wonderful person whose commitment to a better world never faded.
Celebrating Judy Gumbo, The Original Yippie Girl
I was saddened to learn last week that legendary activist Judy Gumbo had passed away. This year continues to devastate us. I was fortunate enough to have interviewed Judy when her memoir, Yippie Girl, came out in 2022 and in her honor, I am posting that interview in full.
Good news, everyone! Mitch McConnell is still technically alive, with heavy emphasis on the “technically.”
Lauren Boebert is accused of something you can easily imagine her doing.
I wrote about how 1990s politics influenced the compelling villains on Batman: The Animated Series.
That’s it for this week. See you on Monday.
There is *no way possible* 1976 was 50 years ago! How could it be, since I was sentient and walking upright then and I'm only 29 now?!?!?!? 😅
And all that glorious television was as free as the air.