I was googling Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) because of some reason, and came across this thread, where I took a trip down PBS memory lane and learned a lot...
Posted by jodiesattva@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 47 comments
Mostly that I love The Frugal Gourmet with Craig Wollam.
https://www.reddit.com?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=1
I'd heard about the child molestation scandal and was like, "fuck, but I remember some of his recipes from when I was 9 years old." Those were my formative food years.
On a more xennial note, I feel like we were the last generation to grow up with many of us not having cable. So, I think we, as a group, grew up with a lot more PBS than the youngsters.
The late 70s-80s were a golden age of public television. We had local stations making shows like "The Letter People," my local STL station. And we had pre-Elmo "Sesame Street." Don't get me wrong, Elmo was cute, but 1) not Grover cute, and 2) the first overexposed Muppet.
Ok, high bedtime musing over.
EastCoastDizzle@reddit
This post just unlocked so many memories. Yan Can Cook anyone?!
Top-Wolverine-8684@reddit
I got a Cameo from Yan for my sister's 40th birthday. He somehow managed to get her son's name wrong, but I couldn't bring myself to email a complaint or request that he re-record it because Yan seems to sweet and I would feel terrible!
EastCoastDizzle@reddit
That’s so amazing 😁 And yeah I agree he always seemed like a sweet man maybe that’s why I always liked the show. I can’t see myself filing a complaint against him either.
littlemarika@reddit
I was thinking don’t you mean “Wok with Yan”?? But no there were two 80’s Chinese cooking shows hosted by different guys named Yan apparently. Wok with Yan was out of Canada and we watched a lot of CBC (in UP of Michigan. Mr Dressup anyone?)
Lorena_in_SD@reddit
So can you! Watched this with my grandfather all the time. Yan was one of the few Asian people on TV back then...
brainvheart143@reddit
Ong yes. Loved that one too.
grummanae@reddit
Yup then there was Steven Raichlen ... started my love of grilling
Introduced to him in my late 20s with a scene of him elbows deep in a chicken between meat and skin my wife said good lord what is he doing to that chicken
batastronaut@reddit
Top-Wolverine-8684@reddit
My obsession with Today's Special bordered on disturbing. Jeff was my first love. My mom recorded a bunch of episodes on VHS for me, and I watched them hundreds of times. I can probably still sing the entire two-part A Night at the Opera episode word for word. When they ran an episode where they threw Jeff a birthday party, I marked it on my calendar because I thought it was his real birthday, and then had a complete mental breakdown (like, Santa Clause isn't real trauma) when they ran the episode on a different day a few months later. 😂
batastronaut@reddit
Ahaha this is so cute! I had a bit of a crush on Jeff too 🫣
SilverStL@reddit
My daughter loved this show.
Funny - my husband and I saw traveling Broadway version of The Producers. The guy who played Jeff on the show had a supporting role in it.
Top-Wolverine-8684@reddit
He played the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera for years in Canada, and he's in the Jesus Christ Superstar movie from the 70's.
Ok_Box_8844@reddit
You guys are forgetting the important one: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rAmGsM4Dids
I make sure my 6 and 3 year olds know this.
jayfornight@reddit
That was one show I watched the entire opening for and never saw a single minute of the actual episode. I tro was creepy but comforting at the same time kind of.
Ok_Box_8844@reddit
Yeah. This show taught me to manage expectations. Three year old me loves the intro, then it was some British thing with miserable looking actors and a sepia colored world.
Formal_Ground6513@reddit
This is so true!
Formal_Ground6513@reddit
That intro scared me for some reason as a kid! All the way up until my teen years, when I started wondering about the art work. My boyfriend at the time bought me a book full of Edward Goreys art! I still have it and proudly display it.
Ok_Box_8844@reddit
This and my mom got me TS Eliot 's book of practical cats also illustrated by Gorey. I son know why, but I feel compelled to make sure my kids have both.
VinceAmonte@reddit
Dragnet!
brainvheart143@reddit
The Electric Company! Mathnet was the best part. I still remember the Maltese Falcon one… I think it was a bird made of ice and it melted or something
downadarkallie@reddit
Loved Mathnet! Small correction- it was at the end of Square One.
brainvheart143@reddit
YES thank you I was trying to remember the name. That was my favorite for sure. Not the other one.
downadarkallie@reddit
An ‘80 baby too! The Electric Company was a little older- it’s what my husband grew up with (born in ‘72) and Square One was too late for him. We were both definitely raised with Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers, though.
Stardustquarks@reddit
Pretty good, but the anal chef was better
frecklemimus79@reddit
The only exposure I had to cable was that Channel One tvs had access to Nickelodeon and a few other channels after hours. I was a four-channel kid, otherwise. Watched a lot of weird syndicated tv and upsetting PBS because nothing else was on.
Formal_Ground6513@reddit
If it makes you feel any better, my parents got cable in 81-82. My older brother and his girlfriend would stay indoors with that and the Atari.... Lol
I still watched heaps of PBS by choice. If you had a satellite you had a thousand channels. A good majority of those were international. Pickings were still pretty slim until the late 80s! Most of the time, cable did offer more choice by then but, for adults. Kids, not so much. I'm glad I was exposed to so much music on MTV though!
frecklemimus79@reddit
Amen to MTv. RIP.
Watched a nature doc with kiddo not long ago, and when the wolves made the kill and lunched it up, kiddo was horrified that I didn’t turn it off. Took me a moment to realize, oh yeah, educational brutality isn’t something kids are exposed to anymore…for better or for worse, I guess. I’ll wait a bit before telling him about my country childhood:/
Also, the Atari was great. Loved me some Zaxxon.
brainvheart143@reddit
So many happy memories of watching that with my parents
wvdude@reddit
There's a docuseries now about his diddling
referencefox@reddit
There’s a documentary about him that just came out https://ibidyoupeace.com/dashboard
TAckhouse1@reddit
I'm half way through and finding it very interesting (obviously a sad story) but a worthwhile watch. I wish it was on a streaming service, but worth supporting the creator.
jodiesattva@reddit (OP)
Yeah I plan to watch it tomorrow.
cleric3648@reddit
My pre-school was Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street.
redditydothis@reddit
My mornings were Mr. Wizard, Ghostbusters, and half an episode of TMNT before I had to get on my BMX and ride to school. After school my friends and I would sometimes go to 7/11 and buy candy and then ride to “the jumps” or “devils ditch.” It was a glorious time to be a kid.
Puzzleheaded_Race_90@reddit
There was an episode of mr wizard where he was explaining an arch and he was telling the kid about the keystone as he was putting it in and the kid just says "keystone." My brother and i, to this day, will just randomly day to each other.. keystone. And tmnt ftw
jodiesattva@reddit (OP)
I still remember the episodes where he cooked a hot dog with an electrical outlet, and one where he sliced a banana without peeling it first. I actually did the banana trick to great success and was so proud of myself!
Puzzleheaded_Race_90@reddit
With a >!piece of thread,!< i remember doing that, too!
funkympc@reddit
I did the banana trick in high school. It made a girl laugh. Teenage hormones ensued. Thanks Mr. Wizard.
Appropriate-Neck-585@reddit
My Mom and Grandma loved watching the Frugal Gourmet...terrible how things turned out.
bendybiznatch@reddit
I have a pbs membership and watch a lot of pbs on yt just because I don’t have to sign in.
Wonder if we’re a big chunk of their memberships.
JoshKottlovski@reddit
Old school PBS was the best! I remember Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Joy of Painting, and when they started airing a few British sitcoms like Are You Being Served, The Vicar of Dibley, Keeping Up Appearances, Reading Rainbow and Louisiana Cooking with Justin Wilson... Ah those were happy days indeed.
Reasonable-Wave8093@reddit
also, we had the full muppets!
Vorpal_Bunny19@reddit
You’ll be very pleased to know that the PBS Kids app has The Monster At the End of This Game and it’s very much what you’d expect.
Reasonable-Wave8093@reddit
💙👏
jodiesattva@reddit (OP)
The Muppet Show AND Muppet Babies!!!
Far-Bumblebee-7216@reddit
I spent so much time watching PBS- personal favorites were Voyage of the Mimi, 3-2-1 Contact and Reading Rainbow.
jodiesattva@reddit (OP)
Oh yeah, 3-2-1 Contact and Reading Rainbow were staples for me. Also, The Joy of Painting and Lilias, Yoga, and You (I was a weird kid... honestly still am).