The last episode of TOTP is to be aired on Sunday. Some say it's the death of an institution. I say...well actually, I'm really not that bothered. I don't remember TOTP being a defining part of my youth. Yes it was around and yes we watched it sometimes. My Dad's in the music business so he regularly had bands on there, but despite that, it was never 'destination television' as a wanky TV exec. would call it these days.
Ten other things I never did as a kid.
1. I never wanted a 'Chopper' or a 'Grifter' - I was perfectly happy with my yellow 'Raleigh Whateveritwascalled'. For one, it was lighter and you could do miles better jumps on it and two, who's going to nick a 'Raleigh Whateveritwascalled', it didn't even have a proper name for God's sake.
2. I never wanted a Scalextric - nope Aurora for me. Same concept, but the cars were smaller, faster and they stayed on the track at full speed for more than 3 seconds.
3. I never had a pair of Farahs - well they were shit weren't they.
4. I never watched Tiswas - My hatred of Chris Tarrant started at age 6 and anyway when Noel tidy beard was on the other side there was no competition. However...
5. I never fancied swapping anything on Swap Shop - even as a child it always struck me that the kids that got on the phone were pressured in to swapping for something that was vastly inferior to what they had on offer.
6. I never had an action man - In retrospect this may have been my pacifist mother's influence, but I can't ever remember wanting one either. Maybe she violently banged it out of me in a fit of uncharacteristic pique.
7. I never wanted a Waddle/Hoddle perm - despite them being all the rage, everyone always secretly knew that the perm at the back, was rubbish. I did however go on to have a mohawk like Jimbob out of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine (see above). I'll post a picture of me one day.
8. I never wanted a puffball skirt - nuff said.
9. I never watched a single episode of the 6 million dollar man - I have no idea why, completely passed me by.
10. I never really wanted to play football - I wanted to play that sport that Dad swore at on the telly, throughout the late 70s. It sounded exciting and made you cross. I was certainly excitable and a little prone to getting cross. It looked like much more fun and involved far more mud. Dad took me to the rugby club as soon as I was old enough, aged 7.
6 comments:
Lol. A kindred spirit. Apart from the puffball skirt. I was fascinated by them. Just so silly but I could never resist a girl who was wearing one. I had a very similar haircut to jimbob's for a while - wasn;t so long and straggly and the mohican bit was on one side. Looked a tit.
The counter thing is good but a little creppy. It says someone else is on at the moment andd it;s like being in a dark room and not knowing who the other person is. Do I know them ? Will I bump into them ? If it;s a girl should I cop a quick feel and then blame the lack of lighting ?
Good blog ,Six. I do mourn the passing of TOTP, as I was in my early teens in the 1960's. After the drearyness of the 50's, watching the Stones on TOTP was just SO exciting, especially as it annoyed my parents !
The '60's were just so wonderful, the Fashions, the music, the teen culture, everything.
Just wish I'd been allowed to get away with more.
The only thing I never really had were barbies. I had a doll phase which lasted about 2 weeks. And I never had playmobile, I was a lego kid. I don't remember jim'll fix it or the a team. I never had a proper tamagotchi, I had a fake £3 one from the corner shop. I kind of missed out on all those fads for a number of reasons. I was more interested in climbing trees and playing hide and seek with the neighbourhood posse. And unlike all the other girls in my class, I never wanted to be a nurse, I wanted to be a doctor or a baker.
Ahhh the classic quandry, doctor vs. baker.
Yeah I went for the middle ground instead: social sciences
lol! I think I had a 'Raleigh Whateveritwascalled' aswell. I did have a Waddle/Hoddle perm though. I thought it was well cool.
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