A Feel Good Moment and My 15 Minutes of Fame

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Here was a man who made lots of people happy, and thousands of us had our little moment of fame on Ary Linkletter's House Party in the middle of the day, Monday through Friday.

Right, "us". 

I got to represent the 79th street school at one of Art's show when I was in third grade. I was chosen because I told such thrilling stories in Show and Tell time. Actually, I got to where I could take a dull trip from LA to San Fernando Valley and make it into are terrifying tale of danger and thrills. The stories were true, but with many improvements, you understand. 

Well, that was the day of John Dewey's "progressive education," and kids were encouraged to be creative. If you did nothing by finger painting all day, why that was just fine. Who needs spealling and arithmetac anyway?

So, off I went in a big long black limo to CBS. 

They showed us all around the studio, we met some famous Amos I cannot remember, they took us to a fancy restaurant to get way more food than I could eat, and then put us on stage for the show. I cannot remember the questions I answered. All I knew is that the nice people who herded us all around all day didn't bother to let us go to the bathroom.

By the time I was in the limo on my way home, I was in serious trouble. We got back to the school, and it had already closed for the day. My Mom met me, and we tried to walk home. It didn't work. I pooped my pants on 79th Street and was miserable. 

Mom stopped at the home of a lady from the church, and she thought I was a big hero. The radio show was live in those days, so all the ladies from the church were listening. A hero with poopy pants. Mom got me cleaned up, and we went on home.

All the kids always got presents from the show, and I got a stack of Golden Books and a cardboard horse I could hang around my neck. Big whup! I had heard the show many times before, and sometimes they got roller skates or a model airplane with an engine. 

Well, Sunday I was a celebrity at the Mennonite church house I tell you. All the ladies were goggle eyed over their new radio star. But, it didn't last, although the third grade teacher was so proud of me that she let me tell even taller tales in Show and Tell without checking to see if they were true.

Bill Cosby did a show on Art Linkletter's life, and it is priceless.
Enjoy.
Cosby went to a lot of trouble to give Art a great surprise.



Google Art Linkletter House Party and watch a bunch of kids being interviewed. It's great fun.
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