You know it is funny what humidity does to you. It can be uncomfortable, pervasive, and profusive. Even more striking, literally, is hail. I was caught in the hailstorm yesterday as I made my way home. As I walked from the bus to the place my family is living, and I was being pelted, I thought about many things; not the least of which was the death of Sherwood Schwartz, whom some of you may know as the creator of two great television shows of yesteryear, Gilligan's Island and the Brady Bunch. He was also known for his work with the Red Skeleton Hour and some other lesser known works.
I was struck yesterday as I listened to the radio by some hosts saying how when "The Brady Bunch Movie" came out in 1995, the script contained the children cussing. Schwartz, apparently so outraged at this, said that if this was filmed he would personally campaign against the movie. Decency... its a dying art, apparently. Even though the movie was a parody of his TV show, they changed it to honor him.
How is it a guy whose whole career was partially built upon this TV show could stand against that movie because of a few swear words? Standards. Its funny what we, as human beings, are willing to compromise on to get our name out, to get our 15 minutes of fame. Yet this man was willing to reject the movie based on his own TV show because it undermined what he had worked so hard to portray in the show - namely family life.
Today, what can we find on TV that compares to the Brady Bunch? Let alone the glory and comedic genius of Gilligan's Island. Think about, if you have seen either show: every character is still memorable in each of their own way. Both were ensemble casts that were brilliant, though, as I understand it, in their day they was not really all that popular - but enduring, nonetheless.
Not that I want to personally canonize Mr Schwartz or anything. But I do think that we could use more of his wit and creativity in show business today, especially a show where the only people who slept together were the married couple... and they had separate beds! AND on top of everything else... he had Mr. Magoo as Thurston Howell III!
But I digress, humidity... the thing about humidity and Gilligan's Island is that they both require perseverance. You ever notice that on Gilligan's Island they never give up trying to get off the Island? Even after they were rescued a few times in the reunion movies, they kept trying to get back off! Its kinda the same thing with humidity... you have to keep pushing through because it eventually rains.... and sometimes you get pelted with hail.
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