How did Americans tolerate such a comical portrayal of the US military - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 07-13-2020, 04:47 AM

...during the height of the Vietnam War? I would assume that Americans liked it because the show was on the air for five seasons (1964–1969), and produced 150 episodes. It managed to remain in the top ten for its entire run. The show came to an end because Jim Nabors wanted to do a musical-variety show instead. He went on to star in The Jim Nabors Hour which ran from 1969–1971.

If I have my facts straight, Vietnam was not mentioned once. There were no references to any war anywhere. Gomer was simply a fish out of water, and Sergeant Carter was perpetually frustrated with him. It probably wouldn't have for good comedy anyway. There was certainly nothing funny about the Vietnam War.

Coffeecup · 12-22-2020, 07:24 PM

Looking back on the show after 55 years I never thought to think, yes Vietnam war was going on. Then there was the tv series Mash. My mom was army nurse and she never watch Mash. She couldn't see the situation as funny.

MrMattyMatt · 05-30-2021, 10:53 AM

Good point. It was probably mentioned already in a different thread but Jim Neighbors had said in an interview that he couldn't stand watching the opening scenes because they had used real marines to film it and most of them never came back from Vietnam.

OH Nuts! · 05-30-2021, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

You had huge numbers of people who had been in the military and found things to laugh about while they were in there. People used to watch things just for the enjoyment of it.

Very true-even though I was no great fan of the show—Gomer was waaaay too goofy fir my taste. Now Jim Nabors singing is another story.

Babalu · 05-31-2021, 08:22 AM

MASH was way more anti-military and anti-American than Gomer Pyle.

PracTz · 06-02-2021, 12:35 PM

Oddly enough, the show NEVER mentioned Vietnam- not even that episode in which he got mixed up with those hippies who painted their half of the platoon bus in psychodelic colors!

biffbronson · 06-02-2021, 01:14 PM

Two words: Avocado Dip

Gomer Pyle was a pure-of-heart character, and while he got himself into tricky situations of his own making, he was always trying to do good. With a few exceptions, the undesirable or villainous types of the series were non-military. It's true that Carter mistreats Gomer in several ways, even going as far as to put vodka in his watermelon, but we see time and again that Pyle never loses respect for him. I don't think viewers lost respect for the Marines either.

There had been humor during previous wars as well, such as the Sad Sack. No one was trying to purport that war is funny. But the military personnel benefited from humorous material for their enjoyment, and also things like pin-ups and comforts from home.

SarahBellum · 06-02-2021, 02:05 PM

There was also McHale's Navy and Hogan's Heroes at that time. Most people had a sense of humor back then and didn't take everything so seriously like they do now.

Duster76 · 06-08-2021, 03:26 PM

As shocking as it is to say this, Vietnam was not the biggest issue that was glossed over. The biggest issue was, what was Gomer doing in the United States Marine Corps of the mid 1960's in the first place. He was much too old to be a new recruit, in fact he would have had to have dealt with the draft years earlier. In the logic of the original series Gomer was younger than Andy and Barney, but not that much younger.

Hazel Anyday · 06-08-2021, 07:53 PM

Believe it or not, people didn't used to live every moment of their lives just hoping to be offended, just so they can then feign outrage. People at one time were decent, hard working and didn't have the time or luxury of being offended every 5 minutes over nothing. They were too busy working not hanging out in their basements. People used to have good values and were able to laugh at themselves and others without resorting to calling each other vile names if you happened to disagree. They lived by the creed I still do today, that is, if you're offended, GET OVER IT. I don't care.

GentlemanJim · 06-08-2021, 08:15 PM

I think that a big part of it was that the show started only 25 years after "the BIG one", so you had livingrooms all across America filled with men who felt like they had rescued democracy from the jaws of tyranny. And the show afforded the opportunity to reminisce about the lighter side of duty to god and country.

Also, Vietnam had not yet become the disgrace it ultimately became, so the stigma was not there yet.

wdc2998 · 07-14-2021, 09:03 PM

Fictional universe, not the one we live in. Maybe they didn't have a Vietnam War or it occurred in an earlier or later decade than it did in our universe. Same reason the civil rights movement was never mentioned in Mayberry.

Coffeecup · 03-19-2022, 04:52 PM

As for the age of Gomer, was it ever mentioned on the Andy Griffith show? In reality Jim was 34 in 1964. I believe he was born in 1930. But as characters he could have been mid to late 20's and in the Andy Griffith show, maybe Gomer was a bit tired of being a gas attendant and wanted something new.

Sterling Holobyte · 03-22-2022, 08:39 PM

It was an escape. Nothing more, nothing less. Just a funny, good-natured show with good people in it. It didn't degrade the military and get into the more serious aspects of military life like MASH did.

Yong Fang · 05-25-2022, 07:52 AM

I wanted to make a new thread concerning this but not know how to phrase it….

Wouldn’t someone like Gomer Pyle sort of be drummed out of the Marines not because he did try hard and was physically fit (he was and he was) but the issue was Pyle’s personality, I couldn’t ever remotely envision Gomer being in battle. Gomer didn’t have that mindset at all. But there were obviously nice, kind, gentle, friends to all guys who were drafted and put into this situation.

Gomer in Vietnam could have been a bit like Forrest Gump, maybe having a best friend and then being out on patrols and whatever, but the guys got shot at, could Gomer react to that?

If someone like in Forrest Gump (the white Black Panther guy) slap and beat his girlfriend (Gomer’s girl being Elizabeth McRae), could Gomer be able to righteously angerily jump an attacker and take care of business like Forrest. Problem is that Gomer Pyle was too good for this World and that doesn’t work well in the military.

What I would have loved seeing was Gomer because of his singing abilities be in the USO and entertaining troops and even visiting hospitals of wounded G.I.s. I am sure even Bob Hope would have done an episode since the USO was his cause. Carol Burnett could have guest starred as someone in his USO unit. Don Knotts was in the USO as a troupe called “Stars and Gripes”. I think the problem was my ideas would have been met with “dead ears”, which became the somewhat boring and not real show of Pyle staying a Private (E-1) for five years in the same camp with the same Sargent. That’s not remotely how the military works even in mostly “peacetime”. People including upper officers move from one post to another frequently. The Gomer Pyle show would have been more interesting if Gomer did the same thing (and kept Frank Sutton as a Gunny of the USO unit who arranged performances and had talents of his own.

Then by the time of the movie Return to Mayberry, Gomer is rich from being a famous singer. He is back in Mayberry in a big house with LouAnn Poovie as his wife and they have a daughter who is beautiful but just like Gomer. The Darlings became famous also and live down the road in their mansion. That would have been more fun.

07-13-2020, 04:47 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,428	How did Americans tolerate such a comical portrayal of the US military ...during the height of the Vietnam War? I would assume that Americans liked it because the show was on the air for five seasons (1964–1969), and produced 150 episodes. It managed to remain in the top ten for its entire run. The show came to an end because Jim Nabors wanted to do a musical-variety show instead. He went on to star in The Jim Nabors Hour which ran from 1969–1971. If I have my facts straight, Vietnam was not mentioned once. There were no references to any war anywhere. Gomer was simply a fish out of water, and Sergeant Carter was perpetually frustrated with him. It probably wouldn't have for good comedy anyway. There was certainly nothing funny about the Vietnam War.

05-31-2021, 08:22 AM	#5
Babalu Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 22, 2014 Posts: 4,779	MASH was way more anti-military and anti-American than Gomer Pyle.
	__________________ . I just nailed Mrs. Trumbull

06-08-2021, 07:53 PM	#10
Hazel Anyday Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 12, 2002 Posts: 2,131	Those Were The Days Believe it or not, people didn't used to live every moment of their lives just hoping to be offended, just so they can then feign outrage. People at one time were decent, hard working and didn't have the time or luxury of being offended every 5 minutes over nothing. They were too busy working not hanging out in their basements. People used to have good values and were able to laugh at themselves and others without resorting to calling each other vile names if you happened to disagree. They lived by the creed I still do today, that is, if you're offended, GET OVER IT. I don't care.
	__________________ Haaazeelll!!

06-08-2021, 08:15 PM	#11
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	I think that a big part of it was that the show started only 25 years after "the BIG one", so you had livingrooms all across America filled with men who felt like they had rescued democracy from the jaws of tyranny. And the show afforded the opportunity to reminisce about the lighter side of duty to god and country. Also, Vietnam had not yet become the disgrace it ultimately became, so the stigma was not there yet.
	__________________ On my word as a gentleman!

03-22-2022, 08:39 PM	#14
Sterling Holobyte Harper House Senior Member Join Date: Nov 07, 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,896	It was an escape. Nothing more, nothing less. Just a funny, good-natured show with good people in it. It didn't degrade the military and get into the more serious aspects of military life like MASH did.
	__________________ "Let it go. Forget about it. Try smiling." -Michael Harris WPIV studio producer/shoe salesman/grocery store employee/Ex-sanitarium patient/Stephanie's boyfriend-then husband --------------------------------------------------- My 2nd First Blog:http://saturdaymorningfunnies.wordpress.com/

12-22-2020, 07:24 PM	#2
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,176	Looking back on the show after 55 years I never thought to think, yes Vietnam war was going on. Then there was the tv series Mash. My mom was army nurse and she never watch Mash. She couldn't see the situation as funny.

05-30-2021, 10:53 AM	#3
MrMattyMatt Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 21, 2020 Location: Florida Posts: 34	Good point. It was probably mentioned already in a different thread but Jim Neighbors had said in an interview that he couldn't stand watching the opening scenes because they had used real marines to film it and most of them never came back from Vietnam.

06-02-2021, 12:35 PM	#6
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Oddly enough, the show NEVER mentioned Vietnam- not even that episode in which he got mixed up with those hippies who painted their half of the platoon bus in psychodelic colors!

06-02-2021, 01:14 PM	#7
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,266	Two words: Avocado Dip Gomer Pyle was a pure-of-heart character, and while he got himself into tricky situations of his own making, he was always trying to do good. With a few exceptions, the undesirable or villainous types of the series were non-military. It's true that Carter mistreats Gomer in several ways, even going as far as to put vodka in his watermelon, but we see time and again that Pyle never loses respect for him. I don't think viewers lost respect for the Marines either. There had been humor during previous wars as well, such as the Sad Sack. No one was trying to purport that war is funny. But the military personnel benefited from humorous material for their enjoyment, and also things like pin-ups and comforts from home.

06-02-2021, 02:05 PM	#8
SarahBellum Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2007 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 3,873	There was also McHale's Navy and Hogan's Heroes at that time. Most people had a sense of humor back then and didn't take everything so seriously like they do now.

06-08-2021, 03:26 PM	#9
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,639	As shocking as it is to say this, Vietnam was not the biggest issue that was glossed over. The biggest issue was, what was Gomer doing in the United States Marine Corps of the mid 1960's in the first place. He was much too old to be a new recruit, in fact he would have had to have dealt with the draft years earlier. In the logic of the original series Gomer was younger than Andy and Barney, but not that much younger.

07-14-2021, 09:03 PM	#12
wdc2998 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2005 Posts: 33	Fictional universe, not the one we live in. Maybe they didn't have a Vietnam War or it occurred in an earlier or later decade than it did in our universe. Same reason the civil rights movement was never mentioned in Mayberry.

03-19-2022, 04:52 PM	#13
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,176	As for the age of Gomer, was it ever mentioned on the Andy Griffith show? In reality Jim was 34 in 1964. I believe he was born in 1930. But as characters he could have been mid to late 20's and in the Andy Griffith show, maybe Gomer was a bit tired of being a gas attendant and wanted something new.

05-25-2022, 07:52 AM	#15
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,072	I wanted to make a new thread concerning this but not know how to phrase it…. Wouldn’t someone like Gomer Pyle sort of be drummed out of the Marines not because he did try hard and was physically fit (he was and he was) but the issue was Pyle’s personality, I couldn’t ever remotely envision Gomer being in battle. Gomer didn’t have that mindset at all. But there were obviously nice, kind, gentle, friends to all guys who were drafted and put into this situation. Gomer in Vietnam could have been a bit like Forrest Gump, maybe having a best friend and then being out on patrols and whatever, but the guys got shot at, could Gomer react to that? If someone like in Forrest Gump (the white Black Panther guy) slap and beat his girlfriend (Gomer’s girl being Elizabeth McRae), could Gomer be able to righteously angerily jump an attacker and take care of business like Forrest. Problem is that Gomer Pyle was too good for this World and that doesn’t work well in the military. What I would have loved seeing was Gomer because of his singing abilities be in the USO and entertaining troops and even visiting hospitals of wounded G.I.s. I am sure even Bob Hope would have done an episode since the USO was his cause. Carol Burnett could have guest starred as someone in his USO unit. Don Knotts was in the USO as a troupe called “Stars and Gripes”. I think the problem was my ideas would have been met with “dead ears”, which became the somewhat boring and not real show of Pyle staying a Private (E-1) for five years in the same camp with the same Sargent. That’s not remotely how the military works even in mostly “peacetime”. People including upper officers move from one post to another frequently. The Gomer Pyle show would have been more interesting if Gomer did the same thing (and kept Frank Sutton as a Gunny of the USO unit who arranged performances and had talents of his own. Then by the time of the movie Return to Mayberry, Gomer is rich from being a famous singer. He is back in Mayberry in a big house with LouAnn Poovie as his wife and they have a daughter who is beautiful but just like Gomer. The Darlings became famous also and live down the road in their mansion. That would have been more fun.