Television
Ron Popeil, RIP
His obit at CNN.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 30, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, Inventions, Chindogu, Television, Advertising
Sesame Street Fever
The Wikipedia page
Posted By: Paul - Tue Jun 29, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Fads, Music, Television, Children, 1970s
Video Village
This is getting meta! A TV game show that uses people as living tokens on a board game set is later replicated as an actual board game. Wow, man!The Wikipedia page.
The entry at Board Game Geek.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Jun 28, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Games, Philosophy, Television, 1960s
Help…It’s the Hair Bear Bunch!
The Wikipedia page.According to author Christopher P. Lehman, Hanna-Barbera "dress[ed] the bears in counterculture apparel" in order to stay on track with the "mainstream" fashion in the United States.
Posted By: Paul - Sat May 22, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Animals, Anthropomorphism, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Television, Cartoons, 1970s
The Hudson Brothers: “Disco Queen”
Their Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Sat May 01, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Fads, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Music, Television, 1970s, Cacophony, Dissonance, White Noise and Other Sonic Assaults
Early Jim Henson Commercials
Full story here.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Mar 23, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Death, Puppets and Automatons, Television, Advertising, Coffee and other Legal Stimulants, 1950s, 1960s
The Cure
Posted By: Paul - Tue Feb 23, 2021 -
Comments (5)
Category: Music, Television, 1960s, Diseases, Love & Romance
Index of Boredom
In 1957, advertiser John P. Cunningham came up with the concept of an "Index of Boredom" in an attempt to quantify how bored TV viewers were while watching shows. His research team studied 160 viewers in New Brunswick, NJ, and concluded that the most boring show on TV was Milton Berle, while the least boring show was "I Remember Mama".But they also came across an unexpected finding: people would continue to watch TV shows even if they found them boring.
Deseret News - Oct 29, 1957
Posted By: Alex - Sun Jan 31, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Boredom, Television, Psychology, 1950s
Follies of the Madmen #498
This is a fine example of pushing a metaphor to the point of absurd surrealism.
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jan 29, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Business, Advertising, Miniature People in Ads, Television, Surrealism, 1950s
The Magic Land of Allakazam: Mark Wilson, RIP
The Wikipedia page.Alas, Mark Wilson is no more.
To Our Magical Friends...
Dad always said, “The best kind of legend to be is a Living Legend”. But sadly, as of Tuesday, January 19th at 4:40pm, Husband of Nani, Father of Mike & Greg, Legendary Magician, Author, Producer, and so much more… James Mark Wilson transitioned from our earthly existence to the ethereal.
Wishing to be with his family, he shared his love, bright outlook, and ambitions for the future, then he passed quietly, without pain, or a single complaint, comfortably at his home with Nani and his boys by his side.
Mark Wilson, the name by which he is best known, was born in Manhattan, New York on April 11th, 1929, in the loving arms of his mother Francis (Teta) Wilson and father James (Jimmy) Wilson. His parents raised him during the Great Depression and through WWII. By example, they taught him to preserver through difficult times and overcome obstacles with determination. His mother, Teta, often said, “Don’t worry honey, it will be alright.” Mark developed a “never give up” attitude, and learned that kindness, compassion, and love were the most important things in life.
He spent his over 91 years on Earth, sharing his passion for making people happy through the art of magic by blazing new paths to reach audiences around the world.
Mark’s trademark phrase, “Happy Magic” was his and Nani’s sign-off words for countless live and television performances… “Happy Magic” is how he signed autographs… and “Happy Magic” was his own unique friendly and approachable style of performing.
Mark’s creativity, originality, and leadership were based on respect and honor for others. Mark finished on “the right side of magic history” morally and ethically. With his loving wife Nani Darnell at his side, he achieved a longer list of “Historic Firsts” than many dream of in multiple lifetimes.
MAGIC Magazine named Mark Wilson, “One of the Ten Most Influential American Magicians of the 20th Century.”
Mark’s influence is still evident today, as he was so thankful to hear “Mark Wilson” and the Magic Land of Allakazam referenced in the newly released feature film, One Night in Miami.
Whether you know him from his TV appearances, his Live productions, the Mark Wilson Complete Course in Magic book, or one of his many in-person Magic University classes at the Magic Castle, or through one of his many other achievements… Mom and Mike and I are so proud that he brought “Happy Magic” into not only your life, but the lives of more people around the world than he could possibly meet.
"A lifetime of magic has taken Nani and me around the world and helped us make friends everywhere." - Mark Wilson
He is already dearly missed,
Greg Wilson, on behalf of the Wilson Family
[email protected]
Posted By: Paul - Sat Jan 23, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Magic and Illusions and Sleight of Hand, Television, 1960s
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |