Saturday Night

Thirty-something years ago when I was in the early throes of adolescence I thought “Blankety Blanks” was about the best thing there could be. It was entertaining, it was witty, it had a lovely collegiate feel about it, and it was slightly smutty. For me, there was nothing better than sitting down to watch “Blankety Blanks”, first on TVO (as it was called then) from Brisbane, and then later on our local television station, NRTV (though I have a sneaky suspicion we were still calling it 11-8 then).

Thirty years later and I’m still watching “Blankety Blanks”, though now, of course, it’s in repeat on Foxtel. Tonight’s contestants were a woman who had just married eight months earlier and who was on the show to win some money together for a house deposit, and a bloke who managed Kentucky Fried Chicken in King’s Cross. Yes, we still called it “Kentucky Fried Chicken” then before the word “fried” was banned from their vocabulary. I wonder whatever happened to the people who were contestants on “Blankety Blanks”?

And what about some of the panelists? Mark Holden has recently qualified with a law degree and is now a barrister. Joy Chambers married Reg Grundy and moved to The Bahamas. Johnny Pace is still trading on his career as host of “The Celebrity Game”. And of course, a few of them are dead. On tonight’s show Barry Creighton was also going on about going to “City Gym”. How DIDN’T we know? :)

Yup. That’s how I’m spending my Saturday night, watching “Blankety Blanks”. Glamorous, eh? After a reasonably busy day at work, I’m back at home in my tracky-dacks and watching 1970s game shows. Is this the life I dreamed of? :)

Seriously though, it’s interesting to reflect on how life can change. Fifteen years ago when I first moved to Sydney, a Saturday night would inevitably involve going out to a restaurant, and then hitting a club with some mates. Ten years ago when I was firmly in “relationship mode”, a Saturday night might have involved a dinner party, a night at the theatre, and then maybe a quick drink before heading home. Five years ago, I was back in the fifteen years ago stage, albeit on a more sedate, mature level. And now, in 2010, my Saturday night has come to watching “Blankety Blanks” and chatting to people on Twitter.

I’m not complaining about my lot by any means. I have a great life. Interesting, though, how life changes. Nonetheless, I still love “Blankety Blanks”.

PS. Discovered today that Matthew Mitcham wears glasses.