Monday, August 11, 2008

:::sigh:::

Ok...so I think you all know by now I was a total dork most of my life.

Actually...I still am, but when you are an adult you turn the term "dork" into: eclectic, eccentric, "has experienced life" or "well...she grew up when that was popular" excuse!

My taste in music has..."developed" over time and it isn't as bad as it was...but I have to admit that I like most music that most people "my age and generation" don't really like.

When I was a teenager...TV was my companion. I loved variety shows: Sonny and Cher, Donnie and Marie, Flip Wilson, The Smothers Brothers, and of course the queen: Carol Burnette.

But there was one that not too many people remember: The Shields and Yarnell Show

Anyone remember that one?

Anyone?

Anyone at all?

Didn't think so.

If you don't remember them...let me tell you about THE best talent that ever graced the television screen!

Shields and Yarnell were Mimes.

Yes...you read correctly...Mimes.

And they had their own show...so you KNOW they weren't just your ordinary mimes...they were "special" mimes!

Robert...(and I can call him Robert because I met him in person doncha know) actually studied with Marcel Marceau! The most famous mime of all time!!!

Lorene was a dancer and they met...fell in love...mimed together and had a show!

One of the routines that made them famous was this robot routine...it was pure genius!

Here is a taste just so you can get an idea of what they did:





Brilliant right?

Well...I thought so.

So much that I practiced the robot in my room all the time, and actually became quite good at it.

I had dreams of running away and joining Bob and Lorene on the road.

Here I am in my white face....damn I went through a lot of grease paint and eyeliner back then.


:::sigh:::

Unfortunately, their show was cancelled and I kind of got over my "mime" phase.

My dream of stardom...crashed on the rocks of low ratings.

The crowning glory of my teen-dom was meeting Shields and Yarnell in person! My Dad used to do a lot of PR work for the casino's in Atlantic City and got comp tickets to their show...and I got to meet them...shake their hands...TALK TO THEM...and...

yes...

I got their autograph!

I am soooooo totally cool I can't even stand it!

This post is dedicated to my brother and author of Monkeytooth...because he shared my love of Shields and Yarnell and was always secretly jealous that I had their autograph and he didn't!


8 comments:

Vic Hubbard said...

Shazza,
You are not the lone eclectic. I watched every episode of these two.
I thought the bits were extremely funny..sometimes sad..as are mimes.

Vic Hubbard said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shazza said...

Vic - you are my new bestest friend!!!

dive said...

Whoa, Nellie!
Shazza, I am so totally in awe!
And you got mimes to talk!?!
This is such a great fun post.

Vic Hubbard said...

Yea Shazza, if I ever get over to the other side of the country, we can go eat at a steak and mime house:D

Tom said...

Oh, the memories that flood in. Now that my secret jealosity has been "outed" I have nothing left to do but retreat to my room, warm up the old BSR record player, and crank up a stirring version "Grand Illusion" by Styx. Until five seconds later when Father pounds on the wall and yells "Turn it down." Would he have preferred "Muskrat Love"?

neetzy said...

Wow! I never heard of them. I remember seeing the poster but I didn't have a clue who they were. He kinda reminds me of Michael Jackson during the Thriller period (when he was hot)

Scout said...

TV was my companion, too, and I DO remember Shields and Yarnell. I had forgotten about them, though, until you mentioned them. Those were the days.