And then I wrote...

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that the single cell cartoon called “Pluggers” in the daily paper is a favorite of mine because I can relate to the same things the elderly man in the cartoon favors.

Some examples:

There was a list in USA Today of 25 television series shows, asking which viewers wanted to keep on the air. I saw one of them once. Otherwise, none at all.

Some news shows were upset by the apparently obscene comment by a late night television “host,” whatever that means. His name is Colbert. I have never seen his show and would not have been able to pick him out of the police lineup, where it would seem he belongs. And I got to thinking, who are the other “hosts” on network shows which show late at night? I had to check the TV magazine to find their names. Fallon was one. Don’t know what he looks like, either. And there’s a Kimmel. Same thing. But apparently there are late shows later than the late shows. One host, Meyers, I saw as a guest on a daytime show, so might recognize him. And a Gordon? No idea.

Is it just age? Maybe, to a degree. But 1 never watched Leno either, although his jaw is famous enough that I would recognize him. I think he also hosted an antique auto show which I might have seen during the daytime once. I did watch Johnny Carson a few times, but have seen more of him in re-runs on Antenna TV recently. I might have recognized Dave Letterman although I was not a viewer.

All of which got me to thinking, who are the people who watch network television in those late hours before midnight? Do they have jobs which require them to report for work early next morning? Are they unemployed? Self-employed? When do they sleep?

While looking for something else, I found a pencil put out by Waukon High School in 1950. How things have changed. Basketball games were played against Lansing, Iowa City (?), West Union, Waterville, Sumner, Fayette, Maynard, Postville, Elgin and Elkader.

Consolidations have eaten up all but Postville on that slate.

Father Mark tried a joke in front of a large First Communion class Sunday. It was a groaner that drew weak and belated recognition from the crowd. He told it well enough, but it was the wrong crowd. He said the toy lamb he was carrying was named Inky... because he was always coming out of his pen. I wondered what percentage of the mostly young attendees had ever used, or ever even seen, an ink pen! Ball points took over, and now texting, and many never “write” if they can avoid it.

It’s a new world.

I mentioned here a few weeks ago names of the foreign players on the women’s professional golf tour. Sunday, as I was reading and half listening to televised golf, I heard a reference to a player on the men’s tour that caused me to pay attention. I swear the announcer said about the golfer “soon you’ll know.” When his name came up on screen I understood... Seung-Yul Noh.