# ID this flag in the opening credits of The Monkees? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2024, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442 "2024-04-18T03:02:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/1 "2024-04-18T03:02:49Z")
Obviously, this is one of the most important issues facing the world today. I was watching the [opening credits](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96A0uyFWQHs) to _The Monkees_ and there’s a brief clip of them wheeling a bed across a street (at the seven second mark). There’s a flag attached to the bed. It’s a red flag with two small white stars on it. Does anyone know what that flag signified? I tried googling it but I can’t find it. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/2 "2024-04-18T03:12:54Z")
US Army Major General? > **[Army Major General (2 Star ) - Army Officer Outdoor Flags](https://www.gettysburgflag.com/army-major-general-2-star-army-officer-outdoor-flags)** > > White applique (sewn) stars on an Army red background for outdoor use. > > Choose from various sizes > Durable All-Weather Nylon > Fully sewn applique > Single-reverse with four rows of reinforced stitching for durability > Canvas header and brass grommet... ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/3 "2024-04-18T03:24:35Z")
That does look like it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/4 "2024-04-18T14:12:44Z")
Now that that’s answered… As a kid, I was always disappointed that I never saw the episode that scene came from. Come to think of it, I still don’t think I’ve seen it. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/5 "2024-04-18T14:34:48Z")
It looks enough like the North Vietnam flag to give them some counter culture cred without pissing off the L7s. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/6 "2024-04-18T14:35:10Z")
Now I gotta ask. What was the gag in pushing a bed across a busy street with that flag on it? Loads of silliness, sure, but I remember the skits usually had ideas and running jokes. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/7 "2024-04-18T14:35:40Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > It looks enough like the North Vietnam flag to give them some counter culture cred without pissing off the L7s. Ok, this makes much sense. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/8 "2024-04-18T14:38:00Z")
I’ve heard of bed races, in which a team pushes a decorated bed down a street setup as a race course so I’d assume that’s what was being portrayed. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/9 "2024-04-18T14:40:52Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > What was the gag in pushing a bed across a busy street with that flag on it? I don’t think the scene was used in an episode. I suspect they shot a lot of outrageous stuff around Hollywood prior to the premiere just for the publicity. BTW, that bit was filmed at Gower & Sunset where it would be witnessed by a lot of teens (and potential viewers). ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/10 "2024-04-18T15:18:06Z")
Besides Micky, the only other person to ask would probably be Andrew Sandoval, Monkees fan extraordinaire and author of the 740-page _ **The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation** _. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2024, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-flag-in-the-opening-credits-of-the-monkees/1000442/11 "2024-04-18T15:36:43Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > > It looks enough like the North Vietnam flag to give them some counter culture cred without pissing off the L7s. > > Ok, this makes much sense. I didn’t want to clutter up the OP but this when I initially watched the clip, my first thought was that it was a North Vietnamese flag and that this would have caused an uproar back when the show aired. But I checked and saw that an actual North Vietnamese flag only had one star. I agree it’s likely they were going for the resemblance.