By Phil McMillan
Think about what we saw in the 60's and 70's on TV and at the movies. We grew up with Johnny Carson and watched him before we went to bed. Millions of women in this country slept with Johnny every night. Boomer audiences responded to the irreverent humor of the time by becoming weekly watchers of "Laugh In" and "Saturday Night Live." Members of both shows became instant stars and many went on to movie careers. People made time every week to watch this new humor. It became part of our lives.
None of this was surprising, of course, because we were living in the 60's when practically everything one could think of was tried. Remember Dan Aykroyd and the "Bass-o-matic?" How about the weekly "Flying Fickle Finger of Fate" award on "Laugh In?" Then came the weekly sitcoms lead by "All in the Family." Is there anyone that didn't watch Archie and Meathead? Boomers still watch re-runs of the "Mary Tyler Moore Show" and the "Dick Van Dyke Show." We laughed at "MASH" and "Carol Burnett."
We went to the movies and saw "Animal House." Who will ever forget the words of that famous orator John Belushi when he said disgustedly "Seven years of college down the drain!" Hey, what's a little food fight among friends?
The defining moment of great TV for us Boomers? That's easy. "The Charlie Brown (Peanuts) Christmas Special (1965)" wins hands down. If you didn't laugh your butt off watching Snoopy in that special, then you don't know comedy, Kemosabe! I'm 61 years old and I still watch that special every Christmas holiday season. You should too.
We Baby Boomers learned to laugh at so many things when we were young. Don't stop now. Watch re-runs and movies from our youth and laugh all over again. It really was the best of times.
Phil McMillan is a writer who maintains a daily blog entitled "Baby Boomer Baloney." He provides daily humor videos for his readers as well as music videos from the 60's through the 80's along with his own personal comments.
Phil McMillan
http://www.babyboomerbaloney.com
ptmcmillan@gmail.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_McMillan
http://EzineArticles.com/?Baby-Boomers-and-Laughter---It-Was-the-Best-of-Times&id=4230833
For some more Boomer enjoyment, listen each week to the broadcast radio program Boomer Nation! with Boomer lifestyle experts, and the national guest who, after sharing wonderful words of wisdom, takes the Boomer Trivia Quiz!
ReplyDeleteBoomer Nation airs on WGUL 860 AM in the Tampa Bay area, and nationally streamed online: www.860wgul.com.
It's all Boomer, all the time!