The Contemporary Nomad is where five authors talk with you, dear reader, about the important subjects of the day. Whatever we decide they might be. Read more 
S T E I N H A U E R
Back when I could write my age with a single digit (i.e. back in the seventies) the kids in my neighborhood came in two types. One was devoted to Sesame Street, while the other was an Electric Company aficionado. I was solidly in the latter camp, but as with my devotion to Beta videotapes, it proved a losing battle. Because of budgeting issues, the Children’s Television Workshop ended its run in 1977, and I had to get along with that oversized bird, the green thing that lived in a trash can, and that daring cub reporter, Kermit.
Don’t get me wrong–Sesame Street was and is great. Even as I waited for The Electric Company‘s opening shout from Rita Moreno (“Hey you guys!”), I’d be content to hang with the Sesame gang. But there was something really special about TEC, really cool. Groovy. Outta sight. These were the years when one of my other favorite shows was Good Times and I proudly wore a denim hat with a flipped-up brim that said in large letters: DY-NO-MITE!
I bring all this up because, searching for interesting viewing for my daughter, I ran into a great big corduroy wall of nostalgia by viewing this piece from The Electric Company. Morgan Freeman (which explains my knee-jerk love of the guy once I got older) as Easy Reader. He was my man. If this doesn’t convince a six-year-old that reading is cool, nothing will. Enjoy.
September 16th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
My daughter (4yo) loves Electric Company! She watches it online (http://pbskids.org/electriccompany/) and always remembers to turn on the TV when it is on.
Thanks for the video. I will show it to her.
September 16th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Thanks for the link, I hadn’t seen any of the new series, partly because I was afraid I’d get all fuddy duddy and hate it. But it looks pretty cool. It keeps with the social satire aspect of the original. Nice!
September 17th, 2009 at 3:15 am
OMG Olen you really do like to go into the past. Nice to know that all those hours in front of the tube didn’t destroy your mind. What fond memories and I had forgotten that Morgan was Easy Reader. Maybe that is why I’ve always had a crush on him. Even now, he is still a cool cat.
September 18th, 2009 at 12:08 am
You know my memory is generally lousy–I can’t remember what I did yesterday–which is why I got so excited coming across this and getting a clear image of that time.
I also remember having a bit of a crush on Lee Chamberlin, playing across from Morgan in this video. With that gap in her teeth and a ‘fro that beautiful, who wouldn’t?
September 18th, 2009 at 3:10 am
“Top to bottom, left to right, that readin’ stuff is outta sight!”
Hilarious! And Lee Chamberlin is a total fox.