CNN.com - Dick Clark hospitalized for stroke - Dec 8, 2004
Dang. I feel almost like I know Dick Clark personally.
I used to rush home from school in the afternoons back in the '50s to see American Bandstand, and it hacked me that I often had to miss about the first fifteen minutes or so. I remember some of the girls who danced on the show, including Justine, who seemed to be everyone's favorite, but I preferred Pat Molittieri. But I digress. The guy who held the show together was Dick Clark, introducing the records, the spotlight dances, and the singers who came on the pantomime their hits. Not to mention revealing the Top Ten and doing the "rate a record" segment. Speaking of which, the only one of those I really remember is the one when they rated "The Chipmunk Song." The kids hated it, but Dick predicted they'd all be dancing to it by Christmas.
I watched Bandstand in the summers when I was in college, and I watched it for years after that. I eventually lost interest, but I always perked up when Dick Clark was mentioned, even if I didn't watch any of his shows. Judy was a big fan of Password when he was the MC of that one, so I saw him regularly in those days.
I have no idea what kind of person he is, and I don't care. He was a major part of my growing up, and he's been around ever since. I wish him well.
1 comment:
As I recall, I used to watch both American Bandstand and The Mickey Mouse Club after school. I was too young to lust after the girls on AB but not too young to notice that every record rater would say "It has a good beat and I can dance to it." I preferred the Saturday night show when the kids sat in the theater seats and the acts lip-synched on stage. It was especially funny when a record would skip or end suddenly, leaving the poor teen idol standing there with his mouth open. I'm sure you know that The Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis, was the only AB guest to perform live.
My sister and her friends used to make chanins from Beechnut Spearmint Gum wrappers, too. I suppose AB's biggest claim to fame is that it was the first place where all teens everywher could hang out and hear the latest payola-induced hits.
Well, enough rambling. The good news is that Dick Clark isn't too bad off from the stroke and I'm sure we'll see his eternal teenaged face again.
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