America Goes Bananaz

''America Goes Bananaz'' is a teenager-oriented variety show presented by Michael Young and Randy Hamilton. It premiered locally on QUBE's C-1 channel in 1977, with the title ''Columbus Goes Bananaz''. The series was renamed ''America Goes Bananaz'' in preparation for a move to then-upcoming youth-oriented national network Nickelodeon; all episodes aired from January 19, 1979, onward used this title.

Early episodes of the show were broadcast live from the Westland Mall in Columbus, Ohio. Some episodes incorporated the QUBE system's interactivity, having viewers decide which events they would like to see. The series' interactive element was discontinued as the show went national, and episodes were taped in advance from 1979 until the show ended. Notable guest stars included Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Jones, Todd Rundgren, the Sanford-Townsend Band, Andy Kaufman, and Bob Zmuda.

Format

The format of ''America Goes Bananaz'' was modeled after the structure of ''The Mike Douglas Show'', which producer Burt Dubrow worked on. The concept was adjusted for a slightly younger audience, and the program was billed as having been "designed for the American adolescent." Recurring segments on ''America Goes Bananaz'' included a karate feature hosted by Jay T. Will, audience polls, and advice columns allowing viewers to send the host requests for guidance. Hip hop music sessions focusing on mature subjects, such as drugs and birth control, were also regularly shown in an effort to interest and educate a teenage target audience. Guest speaker John Steinberg, a "consumer gadfly" notifying viewers of negative purchases like "record album rip-offs," often appeared.

History

According to an interview with ''Philadelphia Daily News'', original host Michael Young first learned of ''Columbus Goes Bananaz'' while in his lawyer's office in 1977. He had reportedly just discovered that he was being sued for a play he had co-produced with Herschel Bernardi. Over the telephone, Young's agent informed him that Warner-Amex was holding auditions for a talk show host. Due to his lack of offers at the time, Young decided to try out for the job. Among others auditioning to be the show's host was Tony Dow, whose well-known role as Wally Cleaver on '' Leave It to Beaver'' initially made Young believe that Dow would be chosen. According to Young, Dow ultimately stated that Young deserved the role.

Michael Young was selected and hosted the show for two years, until he moved to ABC's ''Kids Are People Too'' in 1979. After Young's departure, actor Randy Hamilton was picked to take over as host. Episodes with Hamilton were taped from January until September 1979. In an event Randy Hamilton termed "an unusual coincidence", Hamilton was chosen as the new host of ''Kids Are People Too'' in 1981, after Michael Young quit. Hamilton was selected based on clips of his time as the ''Bananaz'' host, provided to ABC by producer Burt Dubrow.

At the time of the program's debut, the preschool-oriented '' Pinwheel'' was the flagship property of QUBE's C-3 channel. When the C-3 channel was expanded and renamed Nickelodeon in 1979, ''Bananaz'' was broadcast on Nickelodeon as part of an initiative to create programming for all child age groups. ''Bananaz'' was integral to the formation of Nickelodeon, described by ''The Times'' as part of the channel's "nucleus" in 1980.

Lew Anderson, portrayer of Clarabell the Clown on ''Howdy Doody'' from 1954 to 1960, appeared in character as Clarabell on a 1978 episode. He broke a 25-year tradition by removing his face paint for teenagers in the audience who had watched ''Howdy Doody'' reruns as children. After the episode aired, Anderson stated that he "wouldn't have done it" if the audience had been young children as opposed to teenagers.

Awards and nominations

In 1980, Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment and program creator Burt Dubrow received an "Excellence in Entertainment" award from the National Cable & Telecommunications Association for ''America Goes Bananaz''. Later the same year, the series received the ACE Award for "Best Entertainment Program."

References

{{Former Nickelodeon original series

1980s American television talk shows
1977 American television series debuts
1980 American television series endings
English-language television shows
1970s Nickelodeon original programming
1980s Nickelodeon original programming
Television shows filmed in Ohio