June 5, 2006

Johnny Whitakermania

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.....JOHNNY WHITAKER!!

As a way to mainly publicize their 1973 programs, Sid and Marty Krofft threw together The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl. Making an appearance during the awkward and tacky proceedings were The Brady Kids, looking as white as white can be, Jack Wild, and Johnny Whitaker. It would appear that the poor kid was being groomed to become a pop star, and he was clearly not up to the challenge. For one thing, adolescence is a knockin' at his door, as well as vocal cords. The Krofft show Sigmund and the Sea Monsters came out in '73, Whitaker sang the theme song, and he performed it at the Hollywood Bowl fiasco.

Eat your heart out, Leif Garrett.

Here it is. Prepare to cringe.

ctmilo's (who apparently is forced to watch this every time it comes on TV) comments at the IMDb page are spot on:

"...The whole thing looks like it was basically planned and choreographed in the span of that afternoon...Obviously, the producers of this just thought they could assemble all the pre-pubescent heart throbs of that zeitgeist, throw 'em on stage and make a quick buck. Whittaker looked very nervous and unsure of himself.

Also, when the camera pans across the audience at one point, before cutting to a commercial break, you can see Robert Reed (Mr. Brady) in the audience drinking a beer or something..."



My peers looked thrilled! Just look at us, already desensitized by television and rock and roll music. Actually, in their defense, it's all extremely lame.

They single-handedly warped the minds of an entire generation.

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