Someone from another board explained the "subtle topical humor" on this show

[TVFactFan]

A guy from another TV board who came along during the time that MTM aired on CBS explained why the show was topical but in a subtle way

He said that MTM was a parody of what newscasts were like back at that time. For example how Ted would botch the names of Vietnamese cities, the guy said newscasters back then were doing the same thing. Also Gordy being the token black who was a weatherman was also another inside joke for that time because most newscasts with a black guy was the sportscaster not the weatherguy. So when Gordy says...."why does everyone think I'm the sportscaster?"


So now I understand things a little more after the guy brought that to my attention

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

A guy from another TV board who came along during the time that MTM aired on CBS explained why the show was topical but in a subtle way

He said that MTM was a parody of what newscasts were like back at that time. For example how Ted would botch the names of Vietnamese cities, the guy said newscasters back then were doing the same thing. Also Gordy being the token black who was a weatherman was also another inside joke for that time because most newscasts with a black guy was the sportscaster not the weatherguy. So when Gordy says...."why does everyone think I'm the sportscaster?"


So now I understand things a little more after the guy brought that to my attention

Shame on me too because I also thought Gordy was the sports guy. lol

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Shame on me too because I also thought Gordy was the sports guy. lol

He also said that back then on newscasts the black guy always had to be a little bit dumber than everyone else so that's why Gordy was portrayed as so much more intelligent than Ted

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

He also said that back then on newscasts the black guy always had to be a little bit dumber than everyone else so that's why Gordy was portrayed as so much more intelligent than Ted

hUH? I don't get that part?

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

hUH? I don't get that part?

He said based on the newscasts at that time, the token black guy was always a little dumber than the rest of the cast. So on MTM they purposely made Gordy more intelligent than Ted.

He also said they made references to Al Roker between 1974 and 76 who was a a weatherman in Syracuse at the time

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

He said based on the newscasts at that time, the token black guy was always a little dumber than the rest of the cast. So on MTM they purposely made Gordy more intelligent than Ted.

He also said they made references to Al Roker between 1974 and 76 who was a a weatherman in Syracuse at the time

I don't know if all that is necessarily true. It does SOUND fascinating though. lol

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

I don't know if all that is necessarily true. It does SOUND fascinating though. lol

Well me and you were not around in 1970 so the only way we would know is from old newscasts clips-lol