OK, it’s a bit of a confusing thread title, so here’s a little background:
In this thread, Sampiro mentions You are There!, a 1950’s-style death ray – no, sorry, a 1950’s television program dramatizing famous historical events. I can even hear the stentorian “YOU ARE THERE” in my head . . . except that I never actually saw the show. I am familiar with it only through a Looney Tunes cartoon. The same goes for This is Your Life, another TV series that I know of mainly from another Looney Tunes cartoon.
My familiarity with Howdy Doody is similar: I know several things about it, but mainly from a Mad Magazine parody (iHowdy Dooit!). Mad also provided my only view of The French Connection, which I have never seen.
Am I the only one like this? Any others of you out there?
RR
Davey and Goliath, the christian claymation series about a boy and his dog. I’ve seen it spoofed on the Simpson’s, Family guy, Morel Orel and in commercials (Mountain Dew?) but never seen the actual show.
Indeed its kind of weird that so many shows/commercials geared toward audiences in their teens and twenties used it, when most of that audience would’ve missed seeing the actual shorts.
Also, I finally saw Casablanca for the first time a few years ago, and it was a surreal experience, as I was familiar with almost every scene from having seen them each parodied so many times, despite having never watched the actual movie. Like having a weird sort of deja-vu
So much 70s and 80s pop culture. Lots of the Simpsons, lots of Family Guy. Some Futurama as well, but I often had to hit Wikipedia while watching Family Guy to figure out what the heck was being referenced.
Many years ago, I saw Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein. I thought it was funny, of course, but then I saw the original Frankenstein and that’s when the light really went on.
I read the Mad parody of Joe many years before I saw the movie, and would never otherwise have heard of it, let alone rented it. (And I just now realized, from the Wiki link, that it was Susan Sarandon’s film debut!)
Then go out and get Son of Frankenstein and really blow your mind. Young Frankenstein is a much more direct send-up of the seciond sequel, right down to Lionel Atill as the one-armed Police Chief. The Dart Game is even in the original!
Most people’s first exposure to opera is through Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. I have seen Wagner’s “Ring” cycle, but I have not yet seen “The Barber of Seville”.
I was familiar with parodies of “We don’t need no stinking badges” long before I saw Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
And speaking of Young Frankenstein, I was in college before my parents explained to me what was funny about the dialogue between Dr. F and the shoeshine boy at the train station. It’s only a couple of months ago that I finally heard “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” in its entirety.
It’s kinda sad that I study physics and astronomy and have never watched Star Trek. Everything I know about Star Trek comes from references and parodies. It’s amazing how much one can gleam about the Star Trek universe just from pop culture.
Let me tell you how it would go. The overture begins, and you will not, repeat NOT be able to avoid humming along with Bugs Bunny’s words.
How about a nice close shave, teach your whiskers to behave,
Lots of lather, lots of soap, please hold still, don’t be a dope,
Now we’re ready for the scraping – there’s no use to try escaping
Yell and scream and rant and rave – it’s no use, you need a shave! (ow! ohh! ouch! aggh!)
There! You’re nice and clean!
Although your face –
looks like it might have gone through a ma - chine…