When the federal government deregulated much of broadcasting, the commercial limits went out the window, giving birth to the infomercial. I don't watch many, but I have to admit there were a few that were entertaining. A personal favorite was a British guy painting walls with pads rather than brushes and rollers.
The other night, I stumbled across a Glen Campbell infomercial on one of the Public TV station digital sub channels, and it entertained the socks off me.
For you younger folks, Glen Campbell was a country/pop singer in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. There was a string of hits and some pretty good stuff. I was a fan. He had a CBS variety shows for a few years, beginning in 1969.
As I told a coworker, it was an oasis of wholesomeness in a tumultuous time. Vietnam was going strong. Violence in the cities after the MLK and RFK assassinations. Watergate was just beginning. The country was changing, and not in a good way.
For that one hour a week, on Sunday nights, Glen Campbell sang and laughed his way through the evening, with a strong supporting cast. Watching that infomercial took me back to simply being a kid-- when your biggest worries were elementary school homework assignments, finding a lost Wiffle ball in the back yard, and getting your Frisbee out of the neighbor's tree.
No, I didn't purchase the DVD's, but it was tempting. You can buy the music. Unfortunately, there's no way to buy back your youth.
