TERRY IS A PUNK ROCKER NOW

[defrog]

Some of you may be old enough to remember the television phenomenon that was the ABC After School Special. It was an infrequent anthology series targeted at junior high schoolers, and generally tackled teen-related issues like drinking, drugs, racism, alcoholic parents, divorce, death, teen pregnancy, insanity, suicide, etc.

To say nothing of the horrors of punk rock.



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The funny thing is that no one ever watched them. Well, they might have watched one, or enough of one to know that the rest of the episode was going to be preachy and/or boring. If my experience is anything to go by, that is. For all I know, they might actually be well done in retrospect. I doubt it, though – in the 70s and 80s, even shows aimed at adults were mostly superficial and tame, let alone shows aimed at teens. Especially when it came to punk.

Which is why I spent my after-school television time watching Gilligan’s Island, Addams Family, The Munsters and Speed Racer.

Result: I went from bright, loveable and talented to punker.

Oh snap!

BONUS MATERIAL: The Day My Kid Turned Punk is available on the Internets here, if you want to watch it (and if you can stand the buzzy sound quality).

Bad influence,

This is dF