Couch Potatoes® - The society for the
prolonged viewing of television. The Couch Potatoes organization feels that
"in a country where there are more homes with televisions than with indoor
plumbing," it was time for television watchers to "come out of the closet and
lie down and be counted."
Their motto (emblazoned on official T-shirts worn while watching the tube) read:
"Sic Semper Potatum Reclinus." Their official emblem (circular in shape) depicts
a large spud reclining on a couch in front of a TV set. It was designed by
underground cartoonist and illustrator, Bob Armstrong, one of the nine Couch
Potato® elders.
The organization (now defunct) included both "Couch Potatoes®"
and "Tater Tots" (the younger members). The children were encouraged to watch as
much TV as possible stressing historical programming like DAVY CROCKETT, YANCY
DERRINGER and THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WYATT EARP.
Watching shows such as SESAME
STREET or THE ELECTRIC COMPANY was a violation of one of their ten commandments:
"Thou shalt not watch anything educational or British."
The group's unofficial
membership is calculated to be in the millions. To join, individuals needed to
state why they deserved to be a couch potato and list their five all-time
favorite television shows.
Their publications included Tubers Voice (written
during commercials); Dr. Spudd's Etiquette For The Couch Potato® (Pamphlet);
The
Official Couch Potato Handbook; and A Guide To Prolonged Viewing.
The game show
COUCH POTATOES/SYN/1989 hosted by Marc Summers teamed three players each to
compete for $5000 by answering TV trivia questions.
TRIVIA NOTE: In the late 1980's in
Massachusetts, another group came into existence called the Potato
Anti-Defamation League. It was formed in response to the negative association
with prolonged TV viewing.
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