2023: The Year So Far

Now that we've hit mid-January, we here at Infomaniac want to know - how's your new year going?

Ballet or Basketball?

 Peter Harris is a basketball star with a secret ... and he's afraid to tell anyone!

Click pic to enlarge. "A Special Gift." 1979 American after-school TV special.

Peter's a top basketball player - and secretly a brilliant ballet dancer! The only problem is his father and friends think ballet is for "sissies." Can Peter stand up to the pressure once his secret is revealed?

Stuff on Top of TVs

Recently, Normadesmond published a photo (click here) of her family's living room during the holiday season in 1959, back in the days of yore. Atop their Zenith television set was a clock, a vase of flowers, and a menorah - with room to spare.

If you're une femme d'un certain âge, you'll recall that all television sets of that era were the size of tanks. The wide, flat surfaces on top simply begged for knick-knacks and tchotchkes.

Let's time-travel to see how other folks made use of their TV tops.

The household below managed to fit their Christmas tree atop their telly! ...

One of the most common "objet d'art" in mid-century North American homes was the ceramic panther; usually in black or green. The panther might take the form of a lamp (with glowing eyes), a planter, or a simple standalone figurine, as seen below  ...

 

Panthers weren't the only animal-themed ornaments at that time. Pink flamingoes were ubiquitous ...

This lady will take no bull from you, aside from the one she's placed atop her telly ...

 

Like Norma's family, this woman has chosen a clock, with the addition of some framed photographs ...

This household's gone full-on with pink flamingoes and a clock! ...

 

This couple chose a clock too, as well as a big-ass floral arrangement to complement their tabletop big-ass floral arrangement ...

Speaking of floral arrangements, it appears that flowers atop the TV still held sway in the 1970s ...

Here we see the trifecta of animal ornaments (deer), a framed photograph, and a plant ...

For those not old enough to remember, the device on the far right of the TV top is an antenna, used to improve the TV's picture reception. They were known as "rabbit ears" because of the long, pointy bits that stuck up from the base.

We here at Infomaniac leave you with this parting shot. We are unsure what is atop this lady's television set but we hope it puts you in the mood ...

To 2023!