Good Morning, Captain Kangaroo

As shazbazzar and JediShua start Spring Break, they conclude the fourth season of TechnoRetro Dads.  For those who have joined the ‘Dads since they first wandered with Willow until their most recent Joust at the arcade and for those who have tuned in somewhere along the way, pour a bowl of your favorite cereal, slather on some sunscreen (or Starscreen, as Shua likes to call it), and sit back in your beach chair for 77 minutes on this Good Morning and watch the Captain sail his ship out to sea.

 

In the NEWS…

Two icons of the past, Chuck Berry and Chuck Barris, both passed away within a week of each other.  From the earliest days of Rock ’n’ Roll, Chuck Berry added his unforgettable talent to the rolls of rockers.  Talent was on the menu for Chuck Barris, but on an entirely different level, of course.  The creator and host of the ‘70s version of the popular Got Talent franchise, Barris put together comedy greatness with The Gong Show where celebrity judges look for talent in the seemingly least likely places. PLUS: Star Wars and the Power of Costume is leaving Denver for Cincinnati in May.  It’s time to buy your tickets to this exhibit (for either city) right now!  

 

We Love Our Cereal…

Honey Nut Cheerios is lacking a mascot but gets a special addition inside their boxes.  We’re all wondering whether this prize has different versions for different regions of the country or if “one size fits most.”  It’s likely to bee the source of some controversy and possibly more problems than it hopes to correct if it’s the latter.  Finally, it’s time to put the other Girl Scouts cereal to the test with Sheldon’s original Cereal Connoisseur Rating System (using Oneida cereal teaspoon).  Find out what the ‘Dads think about thin mints in a chilled bowl of milk (thanks for the idea, Steve Glosson).

 

TechnoRetro Arcade

What do you call a pyramid of cubes with color-changing tops, dropping orbs, coiled snakes, Esheresque enemies, diagonal moves, and an obscenity- uttering orange alien hero who has a tube nose/mouth combination?  In 1982, we discovered Q*bert to the consternation of many arcade aficionados.  The unique style of play captured the attention of kids everywhere as quarters poured into coin slots for the satisfying sounds of Gottlieb’s most famous addition to video game lore.  Whether you played Q*bert as a kid or you got into the game later in life, this classic calls for more than a passing glance.

 

Good Morning, Captain!

Captain Kangaroo entertained a couple of generations of kids from the mid-fifties to the mid-eighties, and the ‘Dads were certainly in the mix.  With ping-pong balls to green jeans, Captain Kangaroo was part of a balanced breakfast before kids made their way to school.  

 

History Lesson

Richard Kimball was delivered by a doctor on March 27, 1948 — years before he was convicted of killing his own wife.  Taylor wonders about the difference in ape life and human life.  A Betazoid from Betazed takes her first breath.  A journalist from TMNT starts a video record that will become significant later in life.  Many fools are born on the first, while Billy Madison continues his pursuit of a minimal education.

 

Feedback

Andy Lindeman sends an electronic-M filled with rules and cards for a homemade version of Uno.  His first version was written years ago on a Commodore 64.  This guy is totally #TechnoRetro! 

 

Check out TechnoRetro Dads each week for more unexpected memories from the ‘70s and ‘80s.  Continue the heyday of pop culture and relive the things that made us who we are today — even those who were too young to remember those times.  Be sure to let us know what you’re thinking on social media, or give us your feedback by calling our voice mail line at [phone] or sending us a message or mp3 via electronic-M to [e-mail].  Don’t forget to rate and review TechnoRetro Dads on iTunes and Stitcher.

 

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