1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Hi, How are you doing? Oh great, how are you 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: doing good? Thanks for having me. Oh, I love that 3 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: you're here. I'm so glad that I ran into you 4 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: on the street that day. I believe in stuff like 5 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: that sometimes. I'm in the studio today with my friend, actor, 6 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: comedian and musician Fred Armison. He's here for a Mobituari's 7 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: first a sequel episode. Earlier in the season, I told 8 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: you the story of television's rural purge of the early 9 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 1: nineteen seventies. That's when CBS, in search of a younger, 10 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: more cosmopolitan audience, decided to cancel en mass the rural 11 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,599 Speaker 1: themed shows that had come to define it. Green Acres, 12 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: Petticoat Junction, the Beverly Hillbillings, all of them bought the farm. 13 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: These Ladida city folks don't want our kind around. As 14 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: one actor put it, at the time, CBS canceled everything 15 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: with a tree in it. Well, it turns out the 16 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: purge spread beyond CBS. Good Night Over at eight. The 17 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: chief victim was the Lawrence Welk Show, hosted by the 18 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: heavily accented bandleader and accordion player Lawrence Welk. Thank your 19 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: Boyfriend Girl, A real dured number. Welk was anything but hip, 20 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: and his variety show catered to the more senior set 21 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 1: who longed for the music and dancing of yesteryear. So 22 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: this evening, our show is dedicated to our best friends, 23 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: the senior citizens of the nation, and we starred with 24 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: the song that should bring back a few memories one 25 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: and two. But Fred Armison helped make Welk a household 26 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: name for a whole new generation when he impersonated the 27 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: Impressario on Saturday Night Live Now to take us out 28 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: as a sister rack from the finger Legs making their 29 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,239 Speaker 1: wonderful Lawrence Welk Show debut. So I knew he would 30 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: be the perfect polka partner. Thank You, Thank You. The 31 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: real Welk and his orchestra served up a soothing stream 32 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: of bubbly champagne music starting in the nineteen fifties, and 33 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: although he had built up a fiercely loyal fan base, 34 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: ABC canceled Welk in nineteen seventy one. But just like 35 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: the variety show he hall over at CBS, which survived 36 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: in syndication, the music didn't die. You see. After the purge, 37 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: Welk and his musical family lived on, but They'll never 38 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: takeaway champagne music that pus Lawrence Welk up his car. 39 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: Could it be seen as something a little bit like 40 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: and I'm not trying to make a shocking comparison, it's 41 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: a little bit of like what the Grateful Dead did 42 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: in that like just keep going, just keep going. This 43 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: is definitely the first Lawrence Well Grateful Dead comparison ever. 44 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: But I think, but I totally hear what you're saying. 45 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,519 Speaker 1: Fred and I will spend this episode talking all things Welk. 46 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: There will be laughs, polka, and some pretty crazy tangents. 47 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: Jacqueline Smith stayed on the show the entire time. Charlie's 48 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: Angels not Lawrence Walk because why not? From CBS Sunday 49 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: Morning and Simon and Schuster, I'm Mo Rocca and this 50 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: is mobituaries. This mobit Lawrence Welk. May seventeenth, nineteen ninety two, 51 00:03:53,560 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: Death of a Square. I remember my family watching, or 52 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: my parents watching, but not in a way that was 53 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: like we must watch Lawrence Welk. It was like in 54 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: the room, in the living room, it was just on 55 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: atmosphere on Yeah. Fred Armison and I each grew up 56 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: watching Lawrence Welk in the nineteen seventies. It wasn't exactly 57 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: a choice. In my case, my grandmother had it on 58 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 1: when we went over to her apartment to visit on Sundays, 59 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 1: and it's it's not like love or dislike or anything. 60 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: It's just I mean, this is a positive thing. It's 61 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: like a sort of wallpaper, huh, colorful and relaxing. To 62 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: get us in the mood for today's conversation, we traveled 63 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: down memory lane by sampling some of Welk's greatest hits. 64 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: There were the big orchestral numbers like this Stephen Foster Medley. 65 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: Oh this is great, isn't this? Wouldn't this just bring 66 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 1: your pulse right now? Let me let me fill your 67 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: glass right now. Oh it's slowing, it's already slowing. I'm 68 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:21,599 Speaker 1: so the world has just faded away. Indeed, the show 69 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 1: had an almost sedative effect, not just the music, but 70 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 1: also the look. Bubbles rolled over the opening credits, revealing 71 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: a polyester and chiffon fantasia of powder blues, peaches, and 72 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,359 Speaker 1: cream tones. As the singers and dancers glided in and 73 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: out of numbers. Chandeliers hung over a dance floor that 74 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: filled with couples who seemed to emerge from out of nowhere. 75 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: It felt like a wedding reception happening on another planet. 76 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 1: Now it's my great pleasure through his four young ladies 77 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: that have grown so very very popular on our two shows, 78 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:08,600 Speaker 1: The Wonderful Wonderful Lennin Sisters, Mister Wealth called his company 79 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: of singers and musicians his musical family. The Lenin Sisters, 80 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 1: who literally grew up on the show, became big stars 81 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: with their almost hypnotizing harmonies. Fucking SENI, wow, it's too 82 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: so perfect. It's really nice, isn't it. It's so lush. Yeah, 83 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: it's funny that there. I'm guessing there was effects in 84 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 1: a rock and roll people who thought it was uncool, 85 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: but it's there's so many similarities, Like I think that 86 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,159 Speaker 1: I think the Beach Boys probably aren't that much different 87 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 1: than this, right, It's like pet sounds for grandparents. Yeah, 88 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 1: it's very soothing. The Lenin's Sisters almost certainly inspired the 89 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 1: sister act led by Kristen Wigg in Saturday Night send 90 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: up of the Welk Show Sisters Do As Sisters Show, 91 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: We're All Together, Sisters, you were telling me about um 92 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: when on Saturday Night Live, When do they say, we 93 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: wanted to sketch about Lawrence walk The fun thing about 94 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: S and L is that they don't really prepare you 95 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: for these things. It's really you know, we have this 96 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: night of writing and then you show up at the 97 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: table and right before you sit down, someone says, hey, 98 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: we have you as David Lee Roth. WHOA okay. So 99 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: you kind of quickly look up and that's kind of fun. 100 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: You're like, I think you know, they cast you because 101 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: they think you might be able to look like that person. 102 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: But it's kind of fun to do some quick research 103 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: and go like what was he like, or maybe to 104 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: go by your memories. So the Lawrence Welks sketch is 105 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: um for you know, it's built around Kristin Wiggs character, 106 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: which is great. That's the framework around it. Denice was 107 00:07:55,360 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: the name of character water fun like Chase sing Cars, 108 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: and so the writer James Anderson clearly had many memories 109 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: of Lawrence Welk, Like he wrote in a way that 110 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: obviously all the way from the Finger Lakes he just knew. 111 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: He just knew it's the show so well that he's 112 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: a little he might be like, can I tell you 113 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: something about James Anderson? Please? Do. It is so great. 114 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: I toured in the musical Grease with him through Southeast Asia? 115 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 1: What before he was a writer on SNL When I 116 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:44,439 Speaker 1: was twenty four years old and I think he was 117 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: a couple of years older. We both forecast in a 118 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: non union production of the musical Grease that went through 119 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 1: Southeast Asia, and I remember hearing afterwards how he had 120 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:57,680 Speaker 1: become a writer on SNL when I was so happy 121 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: for him. Did you know that he wrote the laurens? Oh? Yeah, 122 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: he and Kristen did thank you, thank you wonderful? Was 123 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 1: her forehead really big? Or was I looking through a 124 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: couple of others, sony, So they came to you then? Oh? Anyway, 125 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 1: so you're Lawrence welk And I already knew enough. I mean, 126 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: you know, I was familiar enough that I was like, 127 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: of course, Lawrence Welkum, But then I didn't know enough 128 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 1: about him. I knew he had this accent, and because 129 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 1: I wanted to get that right, he learned to speaking 130 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: which when he was twenty one. Yes, he's speaking German 131 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:35,479 Speaker 1: until then and from a German community, a Roman Catholic 132 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 1: German community in the Dakotas, educated by German speaking nuns. Yeah, incredible. 133 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: Now I want you to listen to Welk speaking on 134 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: his show. We're happy to dedicate this show to the 135 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: most loyal members of our television audience, the mothers of 136 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: the nation. And now here Fred's take. Now, before we 137 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: continue with our Mother's Day show, I'd like to say 138 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: something to my mother, mother, thank you. Did you notice 139 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: I can say the thh and mother, But when I 140 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: tried to say thank you, I say thank you that's 141 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: where And so how did you go about doing the accent? 142 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: I mean, it really was just imitation from you know, 143 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: hearing him and watching him, and there's something in the 144 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: d's and something in the tongue in here, and he 145 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: was very official. This is an announcement, this is something 146 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: I am speaking. It's almost like he it's not casual, 147 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: it's not like, hey, you know, it was very officially 148 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: I am bringing. And then the d's were sort of 149 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: in the middle of his mouth as opposed to d 150 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: is where where I heard it. I'm not saying by 151 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: the way that I perfected or I got it perfectly right, 152 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:51,959 Speaker 1: but that's just strong. Great. But you know, you make 153 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: a good point that the only thing that wasn't smooth 154 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 1: about the Lawrence walk Show was the way he spoke, 155 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 1: but even that was added to it, to the appeals, yes, 156 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: and to the whole vision of it. Told me, what 157 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: inspired you to become a musician? Well, O, my family, 158 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: I believe my brothers and sisters played into sang and 159 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: my folks my dad played the accordion and my mother sang. 160 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: So we had a lot of music either. Lawrence Welcome 161 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,199 Speaker 1: may have had a strong accent, but make no mistake, 162 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: he was all American. He was born on March eleventh, 163 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: nineteen oh three, in Strasbourg, North Dakota, the sixth of 164 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:40,839 Speaker 1: eight children. His parents were German immigrants who would come 165 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 1: to America by way of the Ukraine. His family was 166 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: living in a in a sawd house. Yes, an upside 167 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 1: down wagon or something with sawd over it right, It's 168 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: just what I read. Yeah, it's like I'm sure. At 169 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: that moment, he was like, you know what I'm gonna do. 170 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: I'm gonna study music and some big band stuff. I'm 171 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: gonna get singers. I'm going to um have my own 172 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: TV show. And everyone was like what is TV. He's like, 173 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 1: don't worry about it. It's gonna be televised everywhere, and 174 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take over the airwaves. If life were only 175 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: that easy. In reality, the young Welk had to make 176 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: a bargain with his parents just to own his first accordion. 177 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 1: His father sold a cow to purchase the instrument. In return, 178 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 1: Lawrence worked on the farm through his twenty first birthday 179 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 1: and handed over any money he made from playing local gigs. 180 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: Feels very German. Yeah, like here the terms of our deal. Yeah, 181 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:51,359 Speaker 1: and Alice de gelt fondine Musik is for the family. Okay, 182 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: couldn't no Dan exactly? Do you think that the deal 183 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 1: he made with his father motivated him even more in 184 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: a way? Definitely right? And what I think it's great 185 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: of his father also to say, Okay, you want to 186 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 1: do this, but let's make it serious. You're not just 187 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: gonna be jamming in the garage of our sawd house 188 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:16,559 Speaker 1: with this with your buddies, like you got to be serious. 189 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: After he paid his debt, Welk left home Accordion in 190 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:24,559 Speaker 1: tow to pursue his musical dreams. Soon enough, he was 191 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 1: leaving a ten piece band called the Hotsi Tatsi Boys. 192 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: That name is about as racy as he ever got 193 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 1: and steadily gained a name across the Upper Midwest. Along 194 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: the way, he married his wife, Fern. They'd stay married 195 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: for sixty one years and they had three children. Now. 196 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 1: The label Champagne Music supposedly came out of a gig 197 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh, where fans said that dancing to Welk's music 198 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: was like sipping champagne. Incidentally, Welk did not drink. When 199 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: TV arrived, Welk moved to Los Angeles and landed his 200 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: own show in nineteen fifty one on local station KATLA. 201 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: By nineteen fifty five, he was offered a national audience 202 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: of over thirty million on Saturday Night on ABC, and 203 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: here bood thank you, thank you, my good friend, and 204 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 1: a pleasant hello. Lawrence Welk shared the secret to his 205 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 1: success with Edward R. Murrow on CBS's Person to Person. 206 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: I think we had the formula of playing simple harmony, 207 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: of good harmony along with the melody, the type of 208 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: music that's the American audience, slige, and it's been most wonderful. 209 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: I think it must have taken some real I guess 210 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 1: he's courage the right word, but it is kind of 211 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: risky to say this is it. It's just pleasant. There's 212 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: nothing deeper than that. Is there anything that you can 213 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: compare it to today? The experience of watching that kind 214 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: of pleasant programming, I think any sort of reality TV 215 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: that has to do with um, either real estate or 216 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: fixing up a house or something where the uh, that 217 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: sort of relaxing feeling, like you know, the end of 218 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 1: a real estate show or or sort of makeover shows. 219 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: You know where it's going. But it's interesting also pickase 220 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 1: in sort of turbulent times, people watch HGTV even more 221 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 1: than usual because it's it's kind of it's you go 222 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: to another place with it, yes, and it's I don't 223 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 1: know if it's an escape as much as it's just 224 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,360 Speaker 1: sort of I mean this in a positive way, sort 225 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:41,440 Speaker 1: of numbing, just sort of like a little maybe like 226 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: a little light drink. I want um a cocktail and 227 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: a polka. Wealth wasn't edgy, He wasn't surprising. He was 228 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: aggressively uncool, the subject of parody even back in the 229 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: fifties for his stilted delivery and musical taste. On his 230 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty seven comedy album, satirist Stan Freeberg poked fun 231 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: at Welcome It's the machine. I'm please turn off the 232 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 1: babble machine. Then please turn off the babbo. Thank you. 233 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: I'm a sister, but well pushing fifty. When he first 234 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: got on TV, wasn't trying to please the urban sophisticate, 235 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 1: nor was he all that interested in playgating network suits 236 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: who wanted him to add more comedy and high profile 237 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 1: guest stars. They didn't like Welk's accent. They also wanted 238 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: him to eliminate what they saw is the quirky regionalism 239 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: of his show Friend and Welcoming draw off County fair Show. 240 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: There were whole episodes built around songs of the South. 241 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:03,040 Speaker 1: There was a salute to Canada extravaganza, and an entire 242 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: special dedicated to his home state, and mister Welk almost 243 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: always made sure to point out where his performers hailed from, 244 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: and I will bring you up a very canded young 245 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: man from South Dakota. Here's the gentleman from Fargo, North Dakota. 246 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: Little Alice from Dela Bablida of Tersa cited from Madisonville. 247 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:37,880 Speaker 1: Kim Clucky own Kim n Wealth largely ignored the network 248 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: notes and wanted to voted fan base. He knocked one 249 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:46,400 Speaker 1: of the most popular comedians of the nineteen fifties, Sid Caesar, 250 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:49,679 Speaker 1: off of his Saturday night throne, which made for this 251 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: great headline. Lawrence Welk may be known as the man 252 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: who killed Caesar. Did that show get canceled? Yes, Caesar 253 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: got canceled. Yeah I didn't. They just moved the move 254 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: to another time sline. I don't know who knows. It's 255 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: you know networks. Let's get them on the phone. On 256 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 1: top of that, the Welk Orchestra's recording of the German 257 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 1: pop song Calcutta went to number one when Welk was 258 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 1: fifty seven, making him the oldest person at the time 259 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: to top the charts. Wow, do you remember that song? 260 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: I don't remember that. And then he was also an inventor. 261 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: He patented an accordion shaped ash tray. Oh that's very cool. 262 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 1: I want some of these. Let's I mean, I'm not 263 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: a smoker, but let's have some of these around. Does 264 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: it close? He should have designed it so that it 265 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:44,399 Speaker 1: closes to you know, I hold the same thing, fold 266 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 1: him yea, and actually do something with the ashes, yes, 267 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: create a diamond. Oh definitely. Well, I don't know if 268 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 1: you knew that Lawrence Folk was the first recipient of 269 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:59,640 Speaker 1: the Theodore Roosevelt rough Rider Award in nineteen sixty one, 270 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 1: which is awarded to North Dakotan's to distinguish North Dakotans 271 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 1: really and other recipients. Other famous North Dakotan's Peggy Lee, Oh, 272 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:13,640 Speaker 1: I didn't know that. Who turns one hundred in twenty twenty? Who? 273 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: She's dead? But she would have been a hundred years old. 274 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: Angie Dickinson is from North Dakota. I love Angie. Yeah, 275 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,120 Speaker 1: she's great. Whiz Khalifa is from North Dakota. Away. Yeah. 276 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:28,639 Speaker 1: They have to have a little hall of famers and 277 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 1: they do, okay great. If I had to choose between 278 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,360 Speaker 1: the Dakotas, I would choose North Dakota. But I don't 279 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 1: think you'll ever have to choose. We don't have to choose. 280 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: Cheryl Latt is from South Dakota. I don't have a 281 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: list of other famous South Dakota. But how did you 282 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 1: know about Sarah Latte? I just I was a big 283 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,400 Speaker 1: Charlie's Angels fan. Once upon a time, there were three 284 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:52,640 Speaker 1: little girls who went to the police Academy. You were, yeah, 285 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:56,880 Speaker 1: the original three Chary latt is a close like she's 286 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: class I mean she's she plays Bill Murray of sn 287 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 1: That's actually a great that would be a great SAP 288 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: analogy question. Bill Murray is too snl as blank is 289 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: Charlie's Angels and you fill in Cheryl last She's in 290 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: there early enough, she's she came in season two and 291 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: she played fair Faucet's sister, Jill Monroe's sister. Oh wow, right, 292 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 1: is um Is Bodley still alive? No, David Doyle's dead 293 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: And anyway, enough Charlie's Angels for now, at least back 294 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:34,479 Speaker 1: to Welk who show remained a safe, unchanging space for loyal, 295 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:37,919 Speaker 1: mostly older viewers, and in case anyone needed to be 296 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 1: reminded of the audience demographic, the show was sponsored by 297 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: the vitamin supplement Cheratoll, America's number one tonic, Jeratol hipup 298 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: and say vitamin plus iron tonic that helped you feel 299 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: stronger fast. They would have these the shots of the 300 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 1: audience dancing, usually older people and not glamorous. That had 301 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 1: to be intentional. I mean it's really smart too, because 302 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,399 Speaker 1: the audience probably looked like the rest of the audience 303 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:17,920 Speaker 1: at home. The studio audience was also overwhelmingly white, as 304 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,159 Speaker 1: was the makeup of the Musical Family and TV in 305 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: general in the nineteen sixties. Yet the show did break 306 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: barriers when tap dancing phenom Arthur Duncan became the first 307 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:32,879 Speaker 1: African American regular on any TV variety series when he 308 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 1: joined the show in nineteen sixty four. The King of Taps, 309 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 1: Arthur Duncan Uron and Arthur Duncan has repeatedly said Lawrence 310 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 1: had his rules, he knew what he wanted, and that's 311 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:49,959 Speaker 1: what made the show working. I'm guessing the Lawrence Well 312 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,120 Speaker 1: Show would fall apart otherwise, you know, people showing off 313 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: and stuff. Most of the stars on the show really 314 00:21:55,880 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 1: only existed within the Welk universe. There was Myron Florin 315 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: on the Accordion, Champagne, Lady Norma Zimmer pianist, Joe Anne Castle, 316 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: dancers Bobby and Sissy, married singers Guy and Ralna. What 317 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:13,880 Speaker 1: I always found sort of interesting as a kid watching 318 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: it was that the people on it you would never 319 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 1: see on other shows, and you never saw I never did. 320 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 1: I know it happened occasionally, but I never saw very 321 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 1: famous people from outside the show on the show, So 322 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 1: it was a parallel universe. It was its own world. 323 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:36,120 Speaker 1: I never thought about that. But there were no guest stars. 324 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: There weren't like I guess a very famous appearance was 325 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 1: made by Jack Benny because he really liked Jack Benny. 326 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: But otherwise it was almost hermetically sealed. Yeah. Now before 327 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 1: we get further into that, you're going to have to 328 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: pardon the segue. Okay, so we should put on the 329 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 1: other headphones, right, headphones. While waiting to hear a musical clip, 330 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: Fred and I took a slight detour. I think the 331 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:03,880 Speaker 1: thing is I never understood the lack of affection for 332 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 1: Shelly Hacks Charlie's Angel. She was the fourth one, and 333 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 1: I thought she was fine. She was Tiffany Welch from Boston, 334 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: so they were trying to do like a sophisticated Angel. 335 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: I've support it fully, so I guess I just feel 336 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: like the flack that Shelly Hack got for not being 337 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 1: a great actress like it worked for. And also whatever 338 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 1: generation signed on to Charlie's Angels, for them, that is 339 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 1: their Charlie's Angel, So one could say she was the 340 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 1: Adam Sandler of You know, that's sort of like people, 341 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 1: how could you have Adam Sandler on what happens to 342 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 1: the original cast, And there's a generation saying no, he's 343 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: this is our angel. One thing's for sure. None of 344 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: the Angels would have graced the Welk stage. One of 345 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: the early Welk performers, Alice Lawn, was reportedly let go 346 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: for showing too much leg Welk's show was the ultimate 347 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:02,640 Speaker 1: encounter countercultural programming. The orchestra did cover popular songs, they 348 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: were welcified, though one particular adaptation may not have been 349 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: such a hit with the older crowd. One Toke over 350 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:24,439 Speaker 1: the line sweet Jesus one token, oh boy, the line wow, 351 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: how did it happen? Apparently he liked that the lyrics 352 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 1: included sweet Jesus, and so he didn't realize what the 353 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:36,640 Speaker 1: song did. Someone must have explained it to him, right, 354 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:44,879 Speaker 1: I don't know, I've been changing. Is you complain to see? 355 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: I mean, what did they think? Toke was? I mean, 356 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: it doesn't mean anything else. Maybe he thought it was 357 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:56,359 Speaker 1: a token. I mean, the music does work for the show. 358 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: But Lawrence Welk was no fool. He was well aware 359 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: of what youth culture thought of him. In one memorable 360 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 1: episode from nineteen sixty nine, an old hippie in sunglasses 361 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 1: and a sheepskin vest ambled out on stage and silenced 362 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: the orchestra. Is that him? Hold time, You'll see Okay, 363 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 1: now listen to what he says. Don't you cats know 364 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 1: this polka jazz is strictly from Squaresville. Usually the charm 365 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 1: of the show is they don't care about the outside world, 366 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 1: which is what I love about it, right, and they're 367 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: they're kind of all of a sudden we see the 368 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,720 Speaker 1: outside world. Even hearing the word hippies, I thought, I 369 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:42,120 Speaker 1: don't want to. I was enjoying not even thinking about them. 370 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: I hope you're going to like my fabulous rapping. Welk 371 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 1: appeared as himself with Vivian Vance and Lucille Ball on 372 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: an episode of Here's Lucy, a spinoff of I Love Lucy, 373 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 1: and made fun of his own accent. Oh, I know 374 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: he'll be wonderful one. That is the worst imitation of Lawrence. 375 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,200 Speaker 1: He's very aware of the audience. Oh, he's a good sport, 376 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: you know. I think of Lawrence Welk in sort of isolation, 377 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,360 Speaker 1: his own world. Then you see him with a titan 378 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:28,680 Speaker 1: with Lucy and she's playing someone who's sort of overwhelmed 379 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: by the celebrity of Lawrence Welk. It just shows you 380 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:34,160 Speaker 1: what a big deal he was. And also he's clearly 381 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: enjoying himself, which is really nice. I mean, if you're 382 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: being parodied, you're in good shape. I mean, clearly it's 383 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 1: enough of a gamble that people will get the reference. 384 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 1: So that's already a sign that things are going really well. 385 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: Parodied multiple times and then into the two thousands with SNL, 386 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: I mean, that's really says a lot about the show. 387 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: What do you think he would have thought of the parody? 388 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:00,360 Speaker 1: I think I'm going to, just as a gay say 389 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 1: that maybe he wouldn't have been psyched it. I think 390 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 1: you would have said, I don't understand it. The Lennon sisters, Yeah, 391 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 1: say they loved it, the SNL parody. They've seen it. Yeah, yeah, 392 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 1: they the Lennon sisters have seen it. Yeah, Oh my god. 393 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,640 Speaker 1: But it's another group of women that sends us back 394 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 1: on a tangent. Jacqueline Smith stayed on the show the 395 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:27,120 Speaker 1: entire time. Charlie's Angels, not Lawrence walk and who can 396 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:32,200 Speaker 1: we compare her to? Oh, I'm trying to think who's 397 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: the longest running cast. She's like Tim Meadows, somebody who 398 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: was like Daryl Hammond. H yeah, yeah, what about So 399 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 1: Kate Jackson didn't stay the whole time? No, Kay Jackson 400 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 1: didn't get along with Cheryl Ladd and the whole you 401 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: know what, the whole Cramer versus Kramer thing, right, I 402 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,480 Speaker 1: don't know that Meryl Streep, you know, ended up winning 403 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:56,120 Speaker 1: an oscar for Cramer Versus Kramer. Kay Jackson had been 404 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 1: offered that role and Aaron's spelling wouldn't let her out 405 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 1: of the cor Oh and that's I know, I know, 406 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:08,359 Speaker 1: it's a terrible I know it. I still to this day, 407 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:12,120 Speaker 1: thank how frustrated she must feel about that. Oh that's rough. 408 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 1: That's a rough one. But not as rough as what 409 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 1: happened to Welk in nineteen seventy one. That spring ABC 410 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: canceled his show. His audience was deemed too old and 411 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 1: too rural. But Lawrence Welk wasn't going to go quietly. 412 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: These lyrics are wild. Listening We're going through the music revolution. 413 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 1: Fred Ormison and I are listening to the Lawrence Welk 414 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 1: cast seeing about the cancelation of their show in nineteen 415 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 1: seventy one the same year as the Rural Purge over 416 00:28:55,400 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 1: at CBS. Is there some anger in this? They've been 417 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 1: booted from the network, so there is some fight in there. 418 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 1: There was some I'm sure that was when the anchor 419 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: came from. Yeah, if it sounds like that song Roy 420 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:20,760 Speaker 1: Clark sang about he Haws cancelation in our Rural Purge episode, 421 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: there's a reason for it. It's actually the same song, 422 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 1: and the title is quite a mouthful. It's called the 423 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 1: Lawrence Welk Heehaw counter Revolution Polka, and it feels to me, 424 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 1: it feels kind of contemporary. This tension, yeah, between what's 425 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: perceived in the middle of the country and then the 426 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: people who are controlling what airs nationally. And Lawrence Welk 427 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: and Hehaw are kind of the two survivors. They go 428 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: into syndication, and Lawrence Welke after nineteen seventy one, just 429 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 1: he's at this point, he's almost seventy nineteen seventy one. 430 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: He was born in nineteen o three. Wow, would you welcome, 431 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 1: very charming, gentleman, mister Lawrence welcome. Johnny Carson asked Welk 432 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 1: about his cancelation on The Tonight Show in nineteen seventy four. 433 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: You were with seventeen years with ABC, and then did 434 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: you leave or did they say, hey, you're not going 435 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 1: to be on the network anymore. No, we didn't leave, 436 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 1: were requested to requested to leave. I've been through that. 437 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 1: Everybody hands was had television show. How did you take it? 438 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: Wasn't it? It was personal? A very difficult thing. But 439 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 1: Welk's sponsors stuck by him, as did his audience. After 440 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:37,959 Speaker 1: getting the acts from ABC, his audience actually grew. How 441 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:40,160 Speaker 1: many people would you reach every week? With that? I 442 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 1: would have made an estimate. I would say we reach 443 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 1: approximately around thirty million people. And so he assembles a 444 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:51,280 Speaker 1: station group larger than ABC had had for him. So 445 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:53,959 Speaker 1: continues getting tens of millions of viewers. Then, and we'll 446 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:56,360 Speaker 1: stay on until nineteen eighty one or nineteen eighty two. 447 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 1: We were seeing this stuff between nineteen seventy one in 448 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty two, which was the Lawrence Welk sort of 449 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: I'm not going to be kept down. I Am not 450 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 1: going to go down to the rural perge. I mean, 451 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:13,239 Speaker 1: it's amazing he he benefited from that move. I feel like, 452 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 1: could it be seen as something a little bit like 453 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:19,479 Speaker 1: and I'm not trying to make a shocking comparison. It's 454 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,400 Speaker 1: a little bit of like what the Grateful Dead did. 455 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 1: They made so much money as a sort of live 456 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: act that there's a sort of like we're just going 457 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 1: to do our thing, just keep going, just keep going. 458 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: This is definitely the first Lawrence Welk Grateful Dead comparison ever. 459 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:35,880 Speaker 1: But I think, but I totally hear what you're saying. 460 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 1: Lawrence Welk not only made a fortune in television, he 461 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: managed to create a real estate empire that included a 462 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:50,959 Speaker 1: set of resorts. When he died on May seventeenth, nineteen 463 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:55,040 Speaker 1: ninety two, he was reportedly the second richest entertainer in 464 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:59,200 Speaker 1: the country after Bob Hope, and his musical variety series 465 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: was at that point point the longest running in history. 466 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 1: But that's not why I admire him. Lawrence Welk knew 467 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:11,360 Speaker 1: who he was, and he knew his audience, as he 468 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 1: put it, very nice people. He played for theirs was 469 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:18,959 Speaker 1: an almost sacred bond. He wasn't going to let network 470 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 1: executives interfere with that, and when they did, he went 471 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: his own way. That kind of rebel spirit is something 472 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 1: we usually associate with young people, but it was lived 473 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:33,360 Speaker 1: out by a man in his late sixties. Lawrence Welk 474 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 1: was a square yes and a badass to this day. 475 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 1: His show can be seen in reruns on nearly three 476 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:46,440 Speaker 1: hundred public television stations, and it's still the highest rated 477 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 1: syndicated series on public TV. Not bad for a kid 478 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:54,479 Speaker 1: from North Dakota who grew up in a sowd house. 479 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: Now from all of har Musica family, good health and 480 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:14,960 Speaker 1: good night. Next time on Mobituaries, we take the show 481 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:21,040 Speaker 1: on the road. Seth Paul Prudome is not all together now, 482 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 1: Oh my god, I just got a whole audience to say, 483 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: Don Deloise and Unison, I certainly hope you enjoyed this Mobituary. 484 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 1: May I ask you to please rate and review our podcast. 485 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:37,720 Speaker 1: You can also follow Mobituaries on Facebook and Instagram, and 486 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 1: you can follow me on Twitter at Morocca. You can 487 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 1: subscribe to Mobituaries wherever you get your podcasts. This episode 488 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:49,840 Speaker 1: of Mobituaries was produced by Megan Marcus, Sam Egan and 489 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:54,480 Speaker 1: me Morocca. It was edited by Sam Egan and engineered 490 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 1: by Nathan Miller. Indispensable support from Lucy Kirk Genius Daneski 491 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 1: out there to Robina, Harry Wood, Richard Wore, and everyone 492 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:08,440 Speaker 1: at CBS News Radio Special thanks to Susie Down and 493 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:11,480 Speaker 1: of course to my friend the great Fred Armisson, who 494 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:15,600 Speaker 1: can currently be seen in LUSAT Spookies on HBO. Our 495 00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 1: theme music is written by Daniel Hart and is always 496 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:23,400 Speaker 1: undying thanks to Rand Morrison and John carp without whom 497 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:39,800 Speaker 1: Mobituaries couldn't live. That sound again, Charlie is your therapist 498 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 1: there again? Oh yes, and still hard at work showing 499 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 1: me the upper body development exercises. What about the lower body, Charlie, Well, 500 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: actually there doesn't seem to be a problem in that area, 501 00:34:55,400 --> 00:35:00,120 Speaker 1: Isn't that great? Charlie's always trying to improve himself. At 502 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:15,759 Speaker 1: least I can do. Bye Angels by Hi, It's mo. 503 00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 1: If you're enjoying Mobituaries the podcast, may I invite you 504 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:24,120 Speaker 1: to check out Mobituaries the book. It's chock full of 505 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:28,280 Speaker 1: stories not in the podcast. Celebrities who put their butts 506 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:31,160 Speaker 1: on the line, sports teams that threw in the towel 507 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:37,239 Speaker 1: for good, forgotten fashions, defunct diagnoses, presidential candidacies that cratered, 508 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:42,080 Speaker 1: whole countries that went caput, and dragons Yes, dragons you see. 509 00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 1: People used to believe the dragons will reel until just 510 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:48,440 Speaker 1: get the book. You can order Mobituaries the book from 511 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:52,239 Speaker 1: any online bookseller, or stop by your local bookstore and 512 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 1: look for me when I come to your city. Tour 513 00:35:54,760 --> 00:36:01,719 Speaker 1: information and lots more at mobituaries dot com fo