Occasionally when the Green Bay/Minnesota football game went to commercials I flipped to CBS and caught a few glimpses of their 75th anniversary special. During one of these times Andy Griffith and Jim Nabors appeared to make an introduction of some film clips from TAGS and GP, apparently as a demonstration of CBS television in the 60's. However, these clips from their shows were right in there with the much more surreal shows like The Beverly Hillbillies, Gilligan's Island and Green Acres. Many of us have read that Andy was very upset with CBS when they "dropped the axe" in 1971 on their 'rural' shows, including Mayberry RFD, and he thoroughly despised their putting the Mayberry shows into the same class as the Henning country comedies. This appearance seems to suggest that he perhaps does agree now that country bumpkin shows and surreal situations are all the same.

In my channel-flipping, did I presume too much from a brief appearance, or is this the message some other TAGS fans get? My idea has been that there is quite a difference the Mayberry shows, with small town humor and wisdom, and the Beverly Hillbillies/Green Acres hayseed farces, even though they are funny.

Actually, I know for a FACT that Andy Griffith DOES NOT like his show compared to "The Beverly Hillbillies". Honestly, I was not a fan of "Mayberry R. F. D." Who wants to watch a series starring that annoying Ken Berry and that simpleton George Lindsey. "Griffith" was canceled in 1968, three years before CBS canceled all the series "with a tree" in them.

Why do you think Griffith came back to do a reunion special? Can you say a big fat paycheck?