Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Question of the day

Posted in:

Illinois

Tired of Baby Boomers’ stories of the “good ol’ days,” of Millennials’ tiny attention spans or the fatuous complaints of Zoomers?

You must be part of the “forgotten” Generation X, and the Illinois State Museum wants to hear from you.

The museum’s Springfield facility will open an exhibition entitled “Growing Up X” in October, dedicated to those born generally from 1965 to 1980, described by the museum as “the last generation to have had an analog childhood.”

“We think it’s time Gen X got some love,” said Illinois State Museum Curator of History Erika Holst.

The museum’s survey is here.

* The Question: Your recommendations for the Illinois State Museum’s Gen X exhibition?

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 2:39 pm

Comments

Analog childhood? Haven’t they heard of Pac Man? If I still had my Atari 2600 and Stretch Armstrong I’d lend those. Since it’s IL there would have to be a Smashing Pumpkins exhibit.

Comment by Independent Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 2:46 pm
I recommend exhibits on “The Golden Era of Saturday Morning Cartoons” and “The Mall - Center of Suburban Social Life.”

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 2:50 pm
I guess my serious suggestion would be the idea of the BBS, it was a way to “get more” with your computer and 300 baud modem. Early computers in general as well.

But generically as a Gen Xr I would say I am not sure our youth needs an exhibit.

I would put a TV running MTV… Good as an example as anything I guess.

Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 2:51 pm
A retrospective on daytime television when there were only 4-5 channels available. THere was a common set of shows that most GenXers will remember, some more fondly than others.

I remember being home from school watching shows like the Courtship of Eddie’s Father, Green Acres, Hogan’s Heros and pretty much most of the shows you can only get on WCIU these days.

Throw in the Brady Bunch, Partridge Family, MASH, All in the Family, Sanford & Son, the Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, and on and on. Because we had so few options, and television’s huge impact on our generation, they could come up with something cool.

My two cents anyway.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 2:53 pm
Ron Burgundy gets it.

And One Man with the MTV, I am seriously impressed, that is a good one.

How about some Ray Rayner paraphernalia? And an Oregon Trail game floppy disc.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 2:55 pm
You let yourself in with a key under the planter.

Comment by Electric Mayhem Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 2:58 pm
Running footage of Lollapalooza 1 at Tinley Park’s World Music Theater.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:01 pm
“What Life was Like When You Could Only Get About 3 or 4 Channels on your TV.” (Mainly Downstate Only).

With a side exhibit: “How Quincy-area Residents Attempted to Get ABC.”

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:02 pm
As a Gen X’er, my instinct is to not care, but if I have to I’ll suggest just maybe roll in the TV or computer cart, and leave me alone so I can put on my Walkman, blast some Van Halen, and head to the mall to hang out.

Comment by fs Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:04 pm
To what generation does Forest Gump belong?

Gen E

I’ll see myself out.

Comment by thechampaignlife Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:05 pm
A lot of mirrors so that the generation who endlessly talks about how forgotten they are can look at the thing they appreciate the most: themselves

Comment by hmmmm Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:05 pm
==“What Life was Like When You Could Only Get About 3 or 4 Channels on your TV.” (Mainly Downstate Only).

With a side exhibit: “How Quincy-area Residents Attempted to Get ABC.”==

And another side exhibit: “Living in a TV Goldmine: What it was Like to Get Multiple Markets’ TV Stations at your House.” (e.g., Peoria-QCs; Chicago-Rockford, Peoria-Springfield, Springfield-St. Louis, etc.).

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:06 pm
A “How to tight roll your acid washed jeans” exhibit, with the accompanying display: “Mullet care of the 80s”.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:07 pm
= the idea of the BBS =

The modems of the day were manufactured by a company with strong Illinois roots. Motorolla founded in Illinois 1928.

Expanding to your suggestion, modems would be a good exhibit item. Perhaps even a display on a loop of the sounds that were made when dialing in. Or maybe an interactive display with different buttons to hear the different sounds, from 300 all the way up to 56k.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:07 pm
“What Sesame Street was Like Before Elmo.” (Hint: IMO Elmo was the Jump the Shark moment on Sesame Street).

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:07 pm
What ever happened to Ed Rooney ? Our Lips are Sealed.

Comment by Ferris Bueler Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:08 pm
“When Channel 20 News was Actually Top-Notch.” Featuring special tribute to Don Hickman and other Channel 20 greats over the years. Before Sinclair flushed it down the toilet.

(This exhibit may also be applicable to most other TV news stations statewide, not just Sinclair ones).

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:11 pm
To memorialize the toys that taught a generation of girls to be dissatisfied with their appearance: Growing up Skipper — You turned her arm and she “matured” (grew breasts), turn it the other way and they went away and a Barbie-like doll with both blonde and brunette hair. You turned her hair on top of her head to choose which color she would be. I don’t remember what she was called.

Comment by DownStateSally Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:16 pm
Hey Michelle Flaherty I was there too! Remember the Ice T/Perry Farrell duet of the old Sly tune (who’s title is inappropriate for this forum)? Sticks with me to this day.

Ah my analog childhood….

-All the sugar sweetened cereal I could eat (fortified with vitamins!)
-Bozo/Ray Rayner/Garfield Goose
-Playing softball at the corner (over the neighbor’s fence was an out since it delayed the game)
-Flooding the backyard in the winter to make an icepond
-Finally getting a giant color console TV that had UHF
-Schwinn Sting Rays, Varsitys, and Continentals
-learning BASIC programming on an Apple IIe in high school

Good times.

Comment by Lefty Lefty Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:17 pm
= further on the modem idea ==
Have an interactive exhibit where guests can type their questions about Generation X onto a computer, connect the modem, then wait just 5 minutes for the answer to magically appear.

Comment by Ben Tre Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:20 pm
I’d just put up a plaque that reads:
we hated boomers before hating boomers was cool

Comment by Lurker Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:21 pm
An Apple IIE, with “Oregon Trail” playing. Also, “Choose Your Own Adventure” books.

Also, anything that doesn’t involve Ron DeSantis.

Comment by Zoomer Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:21 pm
Aquanet hair spray; Designer jeans: Chic, Gloria Vanderbilt; Love’s Baby Soft perfume; parachute pants; tiny pink perm rods

Comment by DownStateSally Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:22 pm
I just don’t want anything sold, bought, or processed in the exhibit.

Comment by Montrose Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:25 pm
The complete John Hughes film collection…

… on VHS/Beta

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:27 pm
Playing outside until the streetlights came on.

Comment by SAP Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:30 pm
The thing is, in pure Gen X fashion…

… they probably don’t care either way what’s in the exhibit.

If indifferent can be packaged, that’s Gen X… most of the time in every best way that indifference is seen.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:35 pm
@DownStateSally: Wow…you took be back to the good ol’ days mentioning parachute pants. (I had them in several colorways.) Also, the young ladies I had a crush on always wore Jordache(sp?) jeans. Remember that brand?

Comment by Yiddishcowboy Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:36 pm
==-Finally getting a giant color console TV that had UHF==

Unless you lived in Peoria, Rockford or Springfield, which had UHF TV since 1953.

Then again, for Peoria I’ve heard stories of some families in the rural areas immediately northwest of Peoria (even still within Peoria County) that decided to pass on buying one of the old UHF converters and wait until replacing their TV in the 60s to get UHF and Peoria stations. Some of my family members among them. Meaning only Quad Cities VHF TV well into the 60s (or even early 70s) within a half-hour or less of Peoria.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:36 pm
Maybe something on the 1985 original edition of Farm Aid

Comment by Near enough to Champaign Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:36 pm
Some things that spring to mind:
-A rotary telephone
-A 5-speed manual transmission car
-A Sinclair ZX81 Computer–it arrived in the mail disassembled and for $50 more you could get a module to plug into the back that added a whopping 16K of additional memory; software programs came on a cassette tape and the “play” button on the cassette player had to be pressed at *precisely* the same time as the “enter” button on the computer touch-pad keyboard for the program to load and run. Fun times.

Comment by workingfromhome Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:37 pm
Golden Girls exhibit (in honor of Betty White).

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:37 pm
The Ultimate Expression of Love: Crafting the Mix Tape

Be Kind, Rewind: Date Night at the Blockbuster

In-Demand but not On-Demand: Waiting Hours for MTV to Play Your Favorite Video

“I Hope the Russians Love Their Children Too”: Constantly Anticipating Nuclear War

Corded Football Phone: Great Invention or Greatest Invention ?

Columbia Record Club: Failed Economics Models and Fake Identities

From Pitying the Fool to Amateur Suburban Landscape Architect: the (d)evolution of Mr. T

The Opposite of Social Distancing: Hands Across America

Comment by Scott Cross for President Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:43 pm
= I guess my serious suggestion would be the idea of the BBS, it was a way to “get more” with your computer and 300 baud modem. Early computers in general as well. =

I had the good fortune to live in Decatur, where one of the “top 20″ BBS (as listed in the Hayes modem software) was based. I could use CAMS for just the cost of a local call. My login to CAMS was also my first computer password. Of course our phone line was tied up the whole time I was online, which could be a while because even text-only posts moved slowly at 300 baud.

Comment by cover Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:43 pm
=Maybe something on the 1985 original edition of Farm Aid=

I was there. The first appearance of Van Hagar (minus those other two guys) and at the other end of the spectrum, good artists - Queen, Cash, CDB, Dylan, Haggard, Jennings, George Jones, BB King, Tom Petty, Neil Young and of course, Willie. Plus many, many others

What would you pay for that lineup today?

Notes: Oneman’s MTV suggestion - we were the only youth who got to see actual music videos on it (banned punctuation)

47th nailed most of the TV shows. But I would always sink to reading a book before watching The Courtship of Eddie’s Father

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:44 pm
The responses are soooo proving my point on one of my pet peeves. I was born in ‘62 and have way more in common w/Gen X than Boomers.

Comment by levivotedforjudy Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:46 pm
Tired of Baby Boomers’ stories of the “good ol’ days,” of Millennials’ tiny attention spans or the fatuous complaints of Zoomers?

You must be part of the “forgotten” Generation X, and the Illinois State Museum wants to hear from you.

Meh.

Whatever.

– MrJM

Comment by MisterJayEm Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:48 pm
The Apple IIe that we bought for our sons in 1984. One son now works for Cisco (with a Masters in Computer Science) and the other son is a CAD Technician for an national engineering firm.

Comment by Retired SURS Employee Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:50 pm
===47th nailed most of the TV shows.===

I omitted Gilligan’s Island, so I missed plenty. I loved that episode when the Professor finally figured out a way to get them off the island, but Gilligan messed it up. That was my favorite.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:50 pm
A Rich Miller wax statue with an old fashioned in one hand, and a notepad in the other.

Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:51 pm
===Maybe something on the 1985 original edition of Farm Aid===

The one where the Vjay doing color commentary kept saying “we are hearing that Bruce Springsteen’s lighting equipment has arrived!” trying to keep the rumor alive that he was going to do a surprise appearance. He didn’t.

I like the idea of an audio exhibit “The Sounds of Growing up Gen X.” Modem dialing up, the National Anthem followed by white noise (when stations shut down for the overnight), the sound of a PacMan game and maybe Space Invaders, rotary phone dialing (maybe with it being answered by the time and temp recording, if Illinois had that; I didn’t grow up here)…there have to be more that I’m not thinking of.

Comment by Leslie K Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:51 pm
who? what?

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:54 pm
Ray Rayner’s double-billed baseball hat. He’d flip from one side to the other for the Cubs and Sox reports. A classic.

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 3:55 pm
Walkman, CD’s and cassettes, VCR, VHS tapes, big home video recorder, big cell phone, early cable box (with only one or a few channels), floppy disk, etc.

For sports, the 1990’s Bulls.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:01 pm
===modems would be a good exhibit item===

Better than an exhibit, how about an interactive terminal where they place a landline handset on an acoustically coupled modem and send messages to another terminal across the room.

===Bozo===

Another great Illinois export

Comment by thechampaignlife Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:05 pm
Meathead.

Comment by Medvale School for the Gifted Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:08 pm
It should be hosted by Jan Brady, as we’re the Jan Brady of generations.
The TV exhibit should include a pair of pliers to turn the channel once the knob breaks off. It should also include a kid holding onto a foil-wrapped antenna, contorting their body until they get a clear picture.
A food exhibit would include rectangular cafeteria pizza (the day everyone bought lunch) as well as Spaghetti-Os, the preferred rations for latchkey kids.
No wonder we thrived during lockdown.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:09 pm
=I omitted Gilligan’s Island, so I missed plenty. I loved that episode when the Professor finally figured out a way to get them off the island, but Gilligan messed it up. That was my favorite.=

I was born toward the end of the Gen X, well after most of those shows were off the air, but funny thing is that they’re the shows kids my age grew up on as well, because it’s what was in syndication at the time, playing over and over on the local independent (at the time) station right when school let out.

Comment by phenom_Anon Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:09 pm
Video cassette wars with Beta vs. VHS and a VCR with a wired remote.

Comment by Captain Who Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:12 pm
“Come On Down: What Sick Days from School were like in the 80s.”

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:14 pm
==Meathead.==

Don’t forget Meat Loaf.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:14 pm
==I was born toward the end of the Gen X, well after most of those shows were off the air,==

There were Gilligan’s Island reunion movies ca. 1978-1981, including one (Rescue from Gilligan’s Island in ‘78) when they “almost” came close to finally escaping the island after 14 years. Also “The Harlem Globetrotters visit Gilligan’s Island.”

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:16 pm
Harry Carey’s glasses and his rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame. “

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:17 pm
==“Come On Down: What Sick Days from School were like in the 80s.”==

Janice, Dian, Holly - classic lineup

Comment by Dave Dahl Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:21 pm
===pair of pliers to turn the channel once the knob breaks off===

I’m having flashbacks lol

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:22 pm
Max Headroom MTV videos

Comment by FormerParatrooper Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:24 pm
“George Ryan Before He got Crooked.”

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:26 pm
Have a vcr exhibit people can actually touch and use (John Hughes films of course), and a retro computer or two, video game or two (born in 67 and I distinctly remember a video arcade in the mall when I was a kid).

A reminder that we were also the last generation that did not grow up with school shootings being frequent. This despite not having modern mental healthcare.

I grew up in central IL and what I most remember is spending a lot of time outside and watching sports on TV. But also mall walking with Pop and popping into that arcade. I get the feeling that experience was maybe a little different than that for suburban kids.

Comment by cermak_rd Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:27 pm
==Harry Carey’s glasses and his rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame. “==

With videos of various Take Me Out to the Ballgame renditions, and the opportunity for visitors to guess the number of beers Harry likely consumed that day.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:27 pm
==guess the number of beers Harry likely consumed that day.==

By the middle of the 7th that is.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:28 pm
Saturday Night Live with John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray, Kane Curtain and Father Guido Sarducci. Samurai Delicatessen and Cheeburger cheeburger Pepsi no Coke

Comment by Captain Who Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:29 pm
The Art of Language with Lee Elia.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:32 pm
A display on top antidepressant and antipsychotic medications, contrasting their side effects and effectiveness with the much better meds available today. While the 70s was the best decade ever, these are indeed the good old days.

Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:33 pm
A mannequin with big hair and shoulder pads..

Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:34 pm
Summer Sounds of the 70’s exhibit playing Larry Lujak & Snotnose Little Tommy’s Animal stories on a loop, broken up with John “Records” Landecker “Boogie Check” outtakes. Giant WLS poster in the background with commemorative Plastic Fantastic cards for the kids.

Comment by Dysfunction Junction Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:51 pm
“Control Data Institute” and DeVry commercials on a constant loop to remind us of staying home sick & watching the Price is Right and Love, American Style reruns

Comment by Paddyrolllngstone Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 4:52 pm
==“When Channel 20 News was Actually Top-Notch.” ==

Along those lines: “When it took At Least Several Hours During the Week and All Day on Sunday to read the Entire State Journal-Register.”

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 5:22 pm
Costumes from some of the tv shows would be cool. Gilligan, the Brady’s, Wonder Woman, Jim Rockford, the Love Boat…

Comment by Quizzical Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 5:23 pm
How about a copy of the very first Capitol Fax in a glass exhibit case?

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 5:24 pm
A cautionary tale: Pop Rocks, Coca Cola, and Mikey from the Life Cereal commercials.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 5:27 pm
A basic, discount, 19″ color TV resting atop a wider, elegantly crafted, dark wooden cabinet that housed the no-longer-functional old color TV.

Comment by Shark Sandwich Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 5:33 pm
Copies of Dad’s beige leisure suits, Sansabelt pants, and Members Only jackets

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 5:59 pm
An inventory of disco albums that were blown up by Steve Dahl that fateful night at old Comiskey. With audio clips of some of the tracks on those ill-fated racks of wax.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 6:16 pm
Virtual exhibit:

“Growing Up with Mary: Classic Good’s Furniture TV Commercials from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.”

Good’s Furniture in Kewanee. Their commercials have been a staple of Quad Cities and Peoria TV stations since about the late 70s (which was about the time Mary started appearing in the ads). They’ve also aired on Rockford stations for years, and even on Channel 20 here in Springfield.

Did Good’s ads ever air on Chicago stations, including in the old days of WGN Superstation (as well as when channel 32 was also a superstation too)?

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 6:18 pm
Great. Now I have the ear worm of South Park’s ‘member berries

Comment by Cornerfield Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 6:31 pm
How to edit your config.sys and autoexec.bat files to get your new computer game to run.

Comment by Cornerfield Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 6:35 pm
I might have missed it, but I didn’t see the ” Jonny Quest” cartoon mentioned.

Comment by Cornerfield Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 6:36 pm
Howard Cosell announcing John Lennon’s death in New York on Monday Night Football

Comment by John-on-the-spot Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 7:46 pm
IBM clone turbo XT computer with 8088 processor, 20MG hard drive, 360KB 5.25″ floppy disc, yellow monochrome monitor, 1200 baud modem, dot matrix printer. Software: Lotus 1 2 3, Wordstar, dBASE, MS-DOS. Programming languages: Fortran, COBOL, Basic, C.

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 8:05 pm
==Jim Rockford==

Don’t forget Mr. Belvidere too.

Plus interviews with people who actually once thought that the Rockford Files took place in Rockford, and that Mr. Belvidere was set in Belvidere.

I never thought that but I actually still to this day think of James Garner when I think of Rockford, and the actor who played Mr. Belvidere (Christopher Hewitt) in the 80s sitcom when I think of Belvidere.

Also a special exhibit for “Family Matters” the house from which used to sit on 1516 West Wrightwood before sadly torn down a few years ago. Including Urkel memorabilia.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 8:27 pm
“When 13 was ABC in Rockford, and 17 was ABC in Decatur and NBC in Rockford: A History of Central and Northern Illinois TV from the 70s to August 1995.”

When the ABC-NBC switch happened in Rockford (August 1995), followed almost exactly 10 years later by the Big Switch in Central Illinois (WAND 17 from ABC to NBC, and the infamous WICS 20 from NBC to ABC topped by years of Sinclair mismanagement).

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 8:30 pm
==It should be hosted by Jan Brady, as we’re the Jan Brady of generations.==

With the famous line “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia” playing ad nauseum in the background throughout the exhibit hall.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Wednesday, Jan 12, 22 @ 8:49 pm
Need a “Godfather” dedicated room. Just play I and II in an endless loop. Also a replica of old Comiskey Park scoreboard with half the floor being astroturf—remember the field in 1973–and uniforms that have shorts.

Comment by Galway Bay Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 5:40 am
Re: Good’s Furniture no, those commercials never aired in Chicagoland. Never saw them until I moved to Springfield in the 90s.

Comment by Dysfunction Junction Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 6:03 am
==Re: Good’s Furniture no, those commercials never aired in Chicagoland. Never saw them until I moved to Springfield in the 90s.=

That may or may not be surprising. Surprising considering the close proximity of parts of the Chicago market to Kewanee (especially LaSalle and DeKalb Counties–but those areas also get QC, Peoria and/or Rockford TV where Good’s ads have been a staple for years).

There also used to be a much lesser-known “Good’s Furniture” in Forsyth, but with a different logo. And IIRC they only aired ads on WAND-17. That store closed a few years ago. As opposed to the Kewanee Good’s airing ads on Channel 20 and maybe Channel 3.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 9:01 am
==That may or may not be surprising. ==

Not surprising as it would mean shelling out even more ad $$$, especially if they wanted to get on WGN in the old days. Hence probably their focus on the northern half of downstate.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 9:03 am
==An inventory of disco albums that were blown up by Steve Dahl that fateful night at old Comiskey. ==

Oral history interview: “Tony LaRussa Remembers Disco Demolition Night.”

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:08 am
Let’s not forget a “Films of John Hughes” exhibit to rep the North Shore…

Comment by Goodson Oddman Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 6:10 pm