Smile.......

Another summer memory sliding your way. One of my favorite things about the summer months was not going to bed early. And the best night of all to stay up late was Sunday, probably because that was always the evening during the school year that the bedtime hour was really super-enforced. You know. You have to rest up for the long week ahead. Like social studies is so taxing??? Nevertheless, when school was in, anything past Sunday 10PM was out. Except in July and August.

CBS had two shows on late Sundays that became exclusive summer viewing. One was "What's My Line?" at 1030PM and I will most definitely expound on that glory at another juncture. But, at 10PM, you had Allen Funt and his "Candid Camera." It's a format that would still work today if some idiot wanted to try it. As a matter of fact, I hear that a version of it is the # 1 TV show in Egypt. So, now, when you wonder how terrorists know all about hidden camera serveillance, you can blame it on Allen Funt.

I used to love all the stunts they pulled on this show. The simpler, the better. Take a look at this clip from the original show. It's a snapshot of human nature that no writer could script.

The funny thing is that I almost got on the show myself. Yep, Candid Camera came to Mount Vernon, New York. We used to have a drive-up Carvel Ice Cream stand down the block. At some point, they must have lost the Carvel franchise and it became some sort of faux custard stand called "La Creme." Yeah, that's a name that has become a household brand. Well, none of the folks in the nabe were fooled, so we bought our cones elsewhere. But, one day, my mom must have had a hankering for something there, because she dragged me to the counter. Or perhaps "La Creme" had branched out and was now selling cigarettes. Anyway, when we got to the window, we found some woman dressed as a waitress and pretending to be a robot.

On the counter, we found a button that they asked you to press for service. You could easily tell the robot was alive. I am not sure what the point of the stunt was. My mom ruined it pretty early on anyway.

Mom: "So what is this? Candid Camera?"

The robot immediately cracked a smile and then a real clerk came in to get our order. I guess that, if you truly want to be on Candid Camera, you shouldn't blow their cover immediately.

Heck, I didn't even get a chance to smile.

Dinner last night: chicken stiry fry at Cafe Montana in Santa Monica prior to an Aero Theater showing of Disney's "Swiss Family Robinson."