Who decides what becomes a classic? When something is created, did the person making it know they were developing something that would live forever?
Recently "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" was on ABC. I watched it as I do every year. The story is very simple. While all his friends are getting dressed up to go out on Halloween, one little boy decides to sit in the pumpkin patch and wait for the Great Pumpkin. (Halloween's version of Santa) Even though I have seen it several times and know what is going to happen, I still enjoy it year after year. Why? Because it is a "classic". It is a holiday show that has been around for many years and everybody of all ages has probably seen at one time or another. Most probably more than once.
"The Wizard of Oz" is a movie that was made over 70 years ago, yet it is still as popular today as it was then. "It's A Wonderful Life" is a movie that was filmed in the 1940's but continues to air every Christmas over 60 years later. "Monopoly" is probably the most well know board game ever made. It has become so popular over the years, now you can get theme monopoly games, where the boards are designed to be a popular movie, or sports team. They even make the Monopoly game now where you can play with debit cards, instead of the paper money in the original game. Even places have become classic must see attractions. When tourist visit Nashville, most stop by the "Grand Ole Opry" while "The Statue of Liberty" is a major tourist stop in New York. The list goes on and on. What about cars, stamps, music, even candy. Each one of those things have been around for longer than any of us can remember. But not all types can be "classic" like "Elvis" and "The Beatles" for music, or "M&Ms" and "Jelly Beans" for candy.
Recently over dinner, the topic of conversation turned to t.v., which if you know me probably isn't a big surprise. We started discussing different shows and how t.v. has changed over the years. One person asked the question, "What one t.v. show could you watch over and over and never grow tired"? After a lot of discussion the group decision was "Roseanne". Everybody may not agree, but at dinner that night we decided it was one show that you could watch and regardless if you had already seen the episode or not, you were guaranteed to laugh at least once. Personally Roseanne is one of my favorite t.v. shows. I have seen each episode more than once and still enjoy them as if I was watching it for the first time. I guess that makes it a "classic".
While everybody will probably not always agree 100% on what is a classic or not, most can agree that things like, "The Andy Griffith Show" & "I Love Lucy" will be around for many years to come.
Who knows, maybe something one of us creates, or invents will one day be a classic...
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Isn't a classic what the folks at Wendy's make? or is that McDonalds? Where have I ordered a classic without cheese? Hmmmm Keep writing !
ReplyDeleteMe, again, Kirk. I've truly been thinking about what really does make something a classic and not as in the hamburger. What's going on culturally that makes something a classic? I think movies, songs, shows and products that become classics tap into an unexpressed energy in the human collective unconscious, a part of the vast sum of all of us that doesn't get expressed. So of course, Roseanne became a classic in a way, because she was expressing what so many women of the time felt they couldn't without being labeled very negatively. Then poor John Goodman represented what many men feel but don't actually talk about .... how they can't get things right so often and how they screw up. The two kids (werent' there two?) were just the opposite of the squeaky clean wholesome Brady Bunch types....weren't they kind of sloppy, dorky or strange...like most of us ??? So those are my thoughts for now as to what makes a classic. Thank you for making me think.
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