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Jeopardy Clue: White bread hosting a teenage dance show |
Jeopardy Question: Who is Dick Clark? |
Well maybe that's a bit harsh.
After all, white bread is soothing, comforting, predictable, and often a vehicle
to some spicy, tasty ingredients.
So we love Dick Clark. But American Bandstand was so Philly, so remote.
1961, suddenly in L.A. we had our own dance gig, as close as a Hollywood Boulevard freeway offramp.
The Lloyd Thaxton Show aired on KCOP Channel 13. My mom admiringly remarked Lloyd reminded her of Bobby Darin and Andy Williams, but she was simply skimming the surface. To me, he was Soupy Sales, but with more rhythm and cool kid style.
So Lloyd was all of the above, but still an original, our original. He got out there and danced with us while hosting the show. He looked so suave and hung with Hollywood and rock stars, but was so humble he made himself the brunt of endlessly clever-to-corny jokes.What other emcee would sign off for the day saying, "Good-bye,
I'm Lloyd Thaxton,"
and then allow the audience to shout:
"So what?!"
To me, when I remember Lloyd, it's not just a laugh backwards towards a nostalgic footnote. The Lloyd Thaxton Show remains a precious touchstone of growing up in L.A.
So, Lloyd, thanks for bringing us so many great performers, all that good music, and giving us a chance to dance with you every weekday afternoon.
===Derrick Garbell ©2005
| The Lloyd Thaxton Show | from his site: About Lloyd | Stuff Happens his book |
| more Thaxton | ||
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