Without intending to, Deacon Greg has brought into rather sharp focus -and for better or worse- how Catholics “work” on television these days, and what the past was like.
First he gives us this rather charming video from the old television show, “What’s My Line.” As a tail-end boomer, I remember this only vaguely.
What a little timecapsule; what a foreign, quaint and different era! Hosted by the efficient and often droll John Charles Daly, What’s My Line? boasted a panel including publishers, writers, distinguished actors, journalists, and politicians, and they played a game similar to “20 questions.” It was innocent, unironic and excessively polite. The content was not geared to children, but children could watch the show and comprehend it as well as their parents, all the while gaining helpful social cues about how grown-up people interact with each other, in a grown-up world. The panel of sophisticates seen there may or may not have agreed much with Bishop Fulton Sheen -or other guests- but being grown-ups, they understood that decent people could hold opposing viewpoints and still be decent people. If Kitty Carlisle discovered she was questioning a ditch digger, she would regard him as respectfully, and charmingly, as she would a president.
Some might call that phoniness. Others might say that the epitome of class is treating people well in every circumstance:
Class knows that good manners are nothing more than a series of small, inconsequential sacrifices. . . . Class can “walk with kings and keep it’s virtue and talk with crowds and keep the common touch.” Everyone is comfortable with the person who has class because that person is comfortable with himself.
I wonder what the What’s My Line panel would think of the shrillness of The View, or the smarminess of most current talk shows. I’d guess they would be appalled by the vulgarity and discourtesy they found there.
It goes without saying that the inclusion of a Catholic bishop on to almost any game show would not happen, today, for many reasons. And the bishop would be unlikely to find such a gleeful reception, too, for many other reasons -some of their own making. That the bishop would be subjected to gratuitous derision, or made cheap sport of by at least one “brilliant” perpetual adolescent, there is no doubt.
But I was touched and a little amused to watch Sheen, in his perfect Catholic-school penmanship begin his signature with JMJ. That’s one of those odd things Catholics used to do – put a cross, or the initials of Jesus, Mary and Joseph at the top of anything they were about to write. It was a small act, but one packed with meaning. It said, in essence, “Let my communication be worthy of Your Holy Names.”
On retreat about ten years ago, an aged nun gave me a schedule for our meetings. At the top of the page: JMJ. At the bottom, below her signature, a cross. The whole note was wrapped in prayerful intention. I still have it. Sometimes I remember to put a cross at the top of my page, but I just sent out 50 Christmas cards, and didn’t remember to do it, even once. It is a habit I would like to cultivate.
My son Buster watches old movies, and sometimes he’ll send me a clip like the one above, and he’ll write something like this -which is from an old email- “I was born in the wrong era. I want to have lived back then, when there were manners, and men and women had expectations from each other, and people dressed up a little to travel, or to conduct business, and no adult would dream of wearing the same clothes as his 8 year old son.”
Buster wants the era of It Happened One Night and The Philadelphia Story. That sounds romantic on its surface -and like him I do tire of seeing men in their 40′s dressed like perpetual boys, down to the jeans and baseball caps- but there is no going back. There is never a going back. Not in travel, not in politics, not in life. Do-overs only exist on video tape.
It is a shame, though, that our more “open” world is in some ways so very closed-minded. The tide of secularism has made it unthinkable that a Catholic bishop -or for that matter, any religious figure- would be invited to participate in such a show as What’s My Line?; outside of news programs, you won’t see a Catholic bishop on television, except on “Catholic” TV.
Which brings us to Catholics and television in the 21st Century. Deacon Greg, some may know, is the News Director for the Diocese of Brooklyn’s really excellent NET-TV (New Evangelization Television), and we see him here in this terrific video, along with others (including a nun who used to work the cameras in her habit) as they look back, and look ahead, on their first year anniversary.
Congrats to Deacon Greg, Chris Quinn and all the gang at NET-TV! I had fun doing In the Arena last spring, and it is heartening to see Catholic television that manages dogma with dynamism, energy, professionalism and humor. May other Diocesan broadcasts catch your wave!
UPDATE: Someday I hope to meet Bishop Sheen’s 21st Century version
What do you think of SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel, in this regard?
[I have done a few interviews on Sirius radio shows, but honestly, I don't have sirius and so I couldn't offer an opinion. In general, I dislike satellite radio because it further cuts us off from the rest of the world: we only hear what we want to hear, and no commercials, no annoying news...lovely...but it makes us that much less patient and tolerant when we DO encounter something that is not just to our liking. My husband and I once rented a car with sirius and by the third day I was hating it. I realized it made us a little too insulated. -admin]
I’m with you, as far as yearning for a return to civility and maturity, but you lose me at tiring over adult men in jeans.
I wear my best clothes to church, and I dressed up for jury duty yesterday, but for everyday life, I want to wear clothing that is as comfortable as possible.
I may be wearing jeans and a nice black tee shirt, or sweats for that matter, but I’ll never fail with a “please” or a “thank you”, as circumstances dictate.
That shouldn’t tire anyone.
[I'm by no means a snazzy dresser - except for church I am generally in rags, myself- but I understand my son's point -it's one that George Will made recently, too, I think, that for some the dressing down is a rebellion lacking a cause. -admin]
With all due respect to Deacon Greg, I’ve already seen this clip (a number of times) because it was featured in another blog a few months ago.
Just a few years ago I was an adjunct teacher at a prominent Catholic university and had students turn in tests to me with JMJ or BVM written on the top. How nice now to have a context for that practice. I always assumed it was a little written prayer to do well on the test. =)
One of my Grandmothers favorite saying’s was: Manners never killed anyone!
You know I think its because the normal folks of this World feels the Darkness falling upon them. The tyranny being built worldwide. Down in our bones people know its time to pay up for the moral impudence. The rulers of this World fear the Dawn.
This translates into fear, panic, imaginations run amok. Evil in human & other forms, as usual is taking advantage of the Chaos.
Gerry…
It may be that the blog where you saw the clip was my own
I’ve posted it before.
But hey, thanks, A., for the shout-out! We NETers are humbled and grateful, and bursting with pride to have you as a fan.
Blessings,
G
“I was born in the wrong era. I want to have lived back then, when there were manners, and men and women had expectations from each other, and people dressed up a little to travel, or to conduct business…”
Perhaps this explains the popularity of “steampunk,” which began as a genre of fiction based upon the premise of a Jules Verne or H.G. Wells-like “future” world in which Victorian dress and manners still prevail, the internal combustion engine was never invented, and all technology is still steam powered. (Think “Wild Wild West” or “Back to the Future III”)
Steampunk aficionados — much like Trekkies, Civil War reenactors, and Medieval/Renaissance fair fans before them — have their own conventions and websites devoted to creating Victorian-style outfits and gadgets that combine beauty and utility — for example, computer hard drives with elaborate wood and brass cases!
I suspect that this desire for a more orderly, civil, and beautiful world explains the appeal of steampunk among the younger generation, even though it is something the middle aged and older can enjoy to some extent as well.
[The Steampunkers are very interesting -admin]
“It is a shame, though, that our more “open” world is in some ways so very closed-minded. The tide of secularism has made it unthinkable that a Catholic bishop -or for that matter, any religious figure- would be invited to participate in such a show as What’s My Line?; outside of news programs, you won’t see a Catholic bishop on television, except on “Catholic” TV.”
I was happy to hear a priest interviewed who appeared on Iron Chef. He apparently won the cook off. He spoke of the many people on the filming crew that pulled him aside to speak to him privately with spiritual questions. When they were waiting for the announcement of the winner, he unconsciously took out his rosary. This was met with widespread fascination, and a positive response. Good exposure for the Body of Christ:)
Wish Deacon had stayed on his old blog site. Really hate the new one.
I think we are now living in the TV program the twilight zone. We watch as fools think that somehow everyone has the right to healthcare and with no real reform to lower costs, that it will not bankrupt the country. What part of Medicare going broke do people not understand? Does anyone believe that there is $500 billion in fraud and waste? Does anyone believe that the money will be saved? I suspect that it will be the same folks that believe that we can have global ice age and then with the same people doing the work come up with global warming and that the changes they recomend will work correctly to save the planet.
I think that all the global warmers should start living pristine lives using only the purest of green technologies for the next 15 years and we can then see how things are going. I think all those who want to provide free care to those without should check off a box on the federal return that automatically takes an addition amount each week from their pay to go to those in need. I think anyone that does not pay taxes should not have say when it comes to voting for new benefits and that all new benefits need to be approved by national voting and that if it fails, it cannot come up on the ballot again for 10 years. I do not think that the fed should have the ability to mandate anything to the states unless 3/4th of the states approve it first. I actually believe the federal government is violating the constitution with new mandates for healthcare and that to do so they should have to pass an amendment to the constitituion. When was the last time the federal government passed an amendment to the constitution?
While secular TV has gotten much more crass, when reality TV has replaced “The Show of Shows;” I have gotten to where I watch sports, Fox News and EWTN. The various History channels. I’m happy.
Sarah
And recall that Bishop Sheen, at the time, was a major-league Television Personality! He probably had a following a bit less than Liberace or Groucho but was still very popular.
I recall the “angel” that erased his blackboard very well!
Yes, the world has certainly changed.
I always put AMDG (ad majorem Dei gloriam) at the top of my papers all through school. I wonder what my students would think if I put that slide at the beginning of all my powerpoint lectures? I’m pretty sure I’d offend someone.
I loved this clip! I couldn’t help but notice the polite formality of everyone. They were all Miss or Mr. I kind of miss that. I always try to be very polite to everyone especially during this time of year. I worked retail for 6 years and was appalled at the sheer rudeness of some of the customers. When I was the only person in the store, I once had to answer the phone, show someone where a book was and then race back to the counter to wait on the woman who was there. She threw her book and her money at me. I just said, “thank you very much ma’am”, although I wanted to be rude right back at her. But I wouldn’t lower myself to her level.
As for priests on TV, check out Father Andrew Trapp. He’s on Fox TV’s Poker Stars game and won $100,000 playing Texas Hold ‘Em. He wears his collar and carries a rosary. He’s going on to the million dollar game later.
I don’t think Kitty Carlisle was on What’s My Line. Didn’t she used to appear instead on To Tell the Truth? Or were you just making a general comparison? One of the women on What’s My Line? was Dorothy Kilgallen. The other escapes me at the moment.
WOW — What’s My Line and To Tell the Truth were big favorites of mine once upon a time…along with Rocky & Bullwinkle. When they updated the format to get all with it in the late 60s, everything changed, and not for the better. About 10 years ago, the Soap Opera Network (maybe they call it Soap) had a B&W line-up on Sunay nights that was just fantastic: all game shows from the late 50s/early 60s. We made sure to watch and mourned when it went away.
Some people DO dress up, although their numbers are tiny. At our church, for example, almost none of the women under 60 wear pants. I never could bear to wear a hat but I have a couple and will wear them sometimes. My husband is pretty much always in a 3 piece suit, and he is ALWAYS complemented on his attire and envied by the other men for his hats.
Thanks for the note on “Steampunkers.” I saw a few at Dickens on the Strand this year and wondered what that was all about. They did make me think of Jules Verne. Several other persons in their 20s were dressed as if from Sweeney Todd.
[The steampunkers make me think of Verne, also -admin]
I think your comment on †JMJ† was right on. I added it to our Christmas letter, which I think I’ll be printing and mailing with cards (from the Knights of Columbus) within the week.
I miss manners, too. I’m trying to instill them in my girls, but it’s an uphill battle, even as homeschoolers. There are so few manners out there, and I’m afraid that I get caught up sometimes and forget, too. *sigh*
God bless you, and have a blessed Advent!
I think going back to some of the little Catholic things–JMJ, AMDG, etc–can actually turn out to be big things. They can make people ask questions, and they act as slow growing seeds in peoples’ minds.
My priest has a particular aversion to the CE and BCE dating system. So every single letter that leaves our church goes out with the date followed by a bold AD. I am the treasurer of the parish, and every check goes out dated the same way. Because I do it at church, i automatically do it on my own checks.
I cannot tell you the number of times I have had a conversation about this at the grocery store with the checkers. They ask, I answer: “It’s just a little reminder to myself of whose year this is!” They smile. Some of them have said, “Thanks for reminding ME.”
Little things add up. Saying grace in restaurants, even if people stare. Crossing oneself when passing a church or a cemetary. (And I cross myself and pray when I hear sirens or see ambulances and police cars en route to some crisis–for the people they are helping and for their own safety.)
It’s time to stand up and be seen as Catholic, I think. It was hard for me at first–I’m not very public. But now it is a daily event.
Mama T, that is a neat idea for checks! We say grace in public, cross ourselves at sirens (even when at the mostly-Baptist homeschool sporting events), genuflect/cross ourselves passing a church… It was uncomfortable for me at first, too, but it’s all second nature now.
One of my other favorite things to do has been making Rosaries for Our Lady’s Rosary Makers at the homeschool sports practices. I’ve been out of that habit lately, but I’ll pick up again when basketball starts up. The littler kids like to help me, and I get to explain to them that the Catholic Church uses the Rosary to help teach about Jesus’ life through the mysteries of the Rosary, and how we think about the Bible stories while we pray. It’s very simplistic as an explanation, but typically we’re talking kids under 6 anyway. They’re just excited about stringing beads, you know?
TNP,
The other woman who appeared with Dorothy on WML was Arlene Francis.
You are correct that Kitty Carlisle was a regular on one of the other great Goodson-Todman shows, To Tell the Truth. However, she did appear as a panelist on WML at least twice, the first time being on the first show following the death of Dorothy Kilgallen, when John Daly referred to her as a member of the Goodson-Todman “family.”
Also, at the end of Bishop Sheen’s appearance on WML, notice how Dorothy genuflects and kisses his ring. She may have had problems in her personal life, but still observed the public pious gestures that seem so lost nowadays.
Was it a coincidence that you put up the Fulton Sheen post on the anniversary of his death?
JMJD was on the top of my school papers
Jesus, Mary, Joseph and Dominic; we were taught by the Adrian Dominican sisters.
The people on the panel on What’s My Line, at least that show was David Niven(he was guest), Bennet Cerf, Dorthy Kilgallen and Arlene Francis.
When I was a kid we had to dress up to go downtown, Mom wore heels, nylons, dress, gloves,dress, coat and hat. I had to wear a dress with white anklets and paten leather shoes.. hated to dress up!
I dont’ even own a dress, I wear slacks and fancy blouses for Church. I have ‘sensible’ shoes, no heels in my closet (2 pairs of Church shoes).
I wear jeans and sweats and people will just have to deal with my casual dress every day of the week.
Not only the anniversary of his death, but a day when masses over the world celebrated Mass with his Cause for Canonization as the intention. My parish priest kindly added my Archbishop to his intentions that day.
He’s “my” archbishop because he helped convert me a couple of years ago after 25 years of atheism.
I loved the ring kiss and curtsy at the very end of the clip! If you want to do a ‘gut check’ on your Bishop, see how readily he allows you to kiss his ring. Fortunately for this diocese, our very young Bishop has no problem with this pious custom.
[I myself don't do it. I might kiss a Pope's ring (as if I'd ever meet a pope!) but not a bishops. Just not something I was raised with; it wouldn't occur to me -admin]
I was thinking of this post this morning. It was colder than whiz-bang this morning in East Tenn-uh-see and I wore my tweed sport coat over a turtle-neck instead of my leather bomber jacket. However I DID wear my jeans and tennis shoes for comfort.
I noticed a change in how people reacted to me. Apparently, there are only two classes of men who dress thusly: filthy stinkin’ bums and the filthy stinkin’ rich. (I’m not in either category but what the hey!) My tennies were clean so folks just assumed I was one of the latter! Lots of “yes, sir” and “no, sir.”
Anyway, that clip brought back a lot of memories. WML and TTT were both required viewing in out house when I was but a little shaver.
I have been told that I am related to Bishop Sheen through my paternal grandmother, though I am not sure exactly to what degree; I think he may have been a second or third cousin of hers. Her mother (my great grandmother) grew up in the same small town (El Paso, Ill.) where Bishop Sheen was born.
There are still quite a few people in central Illinois who can make the same claim, however, since Bishop Sheen had several brothers and lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
Still, the added family connection makes him a favorite intercessor of mine, particularly for people whom I would like to see return to the Catholic faith.
Tell Buster not to fear…there are others like him in his age group. My College Girl is just like that, too, and she has often voiced the same concern that she was born in the wrong era.
At 40, I’m too young to remember “What’s My Line” or to have seen Bishop Sheen in his first run (but when I happen to catch the re-runs on EWTN, I am always disarmed and pleased).
What a delightful clip. I can’t think of any better word for it. I laughed with joy when Bishop Sheen first responded in French – I presume, an attempt to disguise his distinctive voice. Yes, it is very civilized and polite and yet I found it diverting and amusing and ask myself, “Why don’t we have things like this on the television now?”
Ricki: When Mystery Guests were well-recognized celebrities, they would disguise their voices in lots of clever ways. I recently saw one with someone like Orson Welles disguising his voice as a girl. It was standard operating procedure and the panel expected it.
I heartily agree: this sense of innocent amusement is sadly lacking from the tube nowadays. Would that we had some Steve Allens, etc. today.
Astonishing. My husband walked by as I scrolled and caught sight of the familiar face of the lady panelist on the What’s My Line clip. “oh, do you remember this?” I called. Even though he’s 8 years older, we were young again, taken back instantly, mesmerized by this time marker from the past. We watched the entire clip. Later I came back to read your commentary, and found myself to be in agreement with almost every point because we had just finished talking over the show and the time it reflected, with nearly all the very same observations you expressed. Nothing I can easily recall has been as evocative of the life we once knew than that clip. What a profoundly different world our children and grandchildren live in.
You are right. Even though “What’s My Line” wasn’t geared to children, they could get into it. When I was growing up, I liked What’s My Line. In its early years, it came on passed my bedtime on Sunday nights. I watched it when there was a Monday school holiday. By the time I reached my teen years I was able to stay up later and enjoyed watching the program. TV was so different back then as it relates to the good and the bad.
I sort of agree with Kensington on the dressing, even though I do not dress down going to Sunday Morning worship services (at least by today’s standards). I come from the time when females did not were pants of any nature to church. I do where dress pants outfits now, but that is as dressed down as it gets.