GOOD SHOWS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 5, 14 March 1947, Page 7

GOOD SHOWS

RADIO IN AMERICA PAEROA GIRL’S OPINION “There are so many good radio shows that I hardly know where to begin. Of course they are all so filled with commercial advertising that they just about drive me crazy,” writes Mrs Natalie Bayer, of Gosport, Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.A., to her parents, Mr and Mrs R. Buckrell, of Wood Street, Paeroa, in a letter describing the many and varied radio programmes staged ■in America. The letter reads as under:—

“At 9 a.m. there’s a show called ‘The Breakfast Club,’ which is on for an hour. They have songs and jokes. Of course at all the shows there is an audience, usually of over 500 people.

Breakfast in Hollywood

“Then at 11 a.m. there’s a show called ‘Breakfast in Hollywood.’ The M.C. is Tom Breneman and he owns a big restaurant in Hollywood, and the show is broadcast from there. The people have to pay 1.50 dollars to see the show, but they are given breakfast afterwards. Tom Breneman is a man of about 50 and every

morning he calls on the oldest woman in the audience and gives her an orchid and a kiss. Towards the end of the show, he awards a wishing ring and usually if the person makes an unselfish wish he gives her a pair of nylons or a slip, and a packet of Ivory Flakes to wash it in. Of course his show is sponsored by Ivory Flakes. “There’s ah evening show called ‘The Society of Amateur Chip.’ In this programme the stage is laid out like a kitchen and contestants are called on to the stage." They are asked questions like ‘how many pieces of corn are there on a cob eight inches in length,’ and are given ten seconds to answer. Of course nobody ever gets the right answer to any of the questions and so they are punished by having' to do some job in the kitchen. One night they made a man shell a pound of peas and then put them all back into the pods again and sew the pods up. Forevery pod he sewed up he was given a dollar. I guess it sounds crazy, but it is a lot of fun. The other night they had four people on the stage and gave 25 dollars to the one who could get the most meat out of a crayfish in fifteen seconds. Queen For a Day “There’s an afternoon programme called ‘Queen For a Day.’ Four ladies are chosen from the audience and the rest of the people are asked to vote for the one they like the best. The winner has an ermine cape put around her, and a crown on her head, and for 24 hours she can have anything she wants, all supplied, of course, by the sponsor of the propramme. In addition the winner is usually given a refrigerator and a washing machine and a full wardrobe of clothes by one of the leading makes. Usually the winner is taken and introduced to her favourite movie star.

“Then there’s another afternoon show called ‘Bride and Groom,’ and on this show a couple are actually married by the minister of their choice in a private chapel, behind the place where the show is held. A famous Hollywood florist supplies the bride’s bouquet. After the wedding, the sponsor of the programme pays for a week’s honeymoon, and the couple go on their honeymoon in a specially chartered plane. In addition they are given a radio, washing machine, refrigerator, electrolux, and all kinds of things for their home.

Many Quiz Shows

“I’d like to- know how the people manage to get on these programmes. It’s wonderful how the sponsors give so much away. “There are all kinds of quiz shows on the air but I think one called ‘Break the Bank’ is the best. Last Friday a man won over five thousand dollars just by answering questions correctly.

“As well as these shows, and I’ve only mentioned a few, there are of course the Bob Hope show, the Bing Crosby one, Burns and Allen, Frank Morgan, Frank Sinatra, etc. All these people have their own shows. Then big bands like Harry James and Guy Lombardo have their own programmes.

“Nearly every night there are several mystery shows to listen to. So you can see what an improvement these shows are to the ones on New Zealand stations. They are nearly all flesh and blood shows, instead of just recordings.”