Date: Fri, 3 Oct 1997 23:52:49 -0400 From: "Barry A. Popik" Subject: Television & Radio research; T.T.F.N. MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO Television and Radio are very important, but you won't see many OED or RHHDAS citations from their programs. Perhaps that will change, but right now, television and radio language research is very difficult. I went to the Museum of Televison & Radio today. I typed in "Stapp." Nothing came up. Maybe John Paul Stapp said "Murphy's Law" on a radio or televison program in the 1950s, and maybe he didn't. We may never know. Stapp made the New York Times, Time, Newsweek, Life, Collier's--every important national print publication. Does this mean he never did a single radio or television program? TV producers saw all those headlining stories of a guy defying death at speeds of 600 miles per hour and all said "it's not for us"?? "We don't have every tv and radio program," said someone connected with the Museum. No shit! Most of the "What's My Line?" and "I've Got a Secret" shows are not indexed, and many are missing. The "What's My Line?" shows were indexed by "Mystery Guest" only, but each half-hour show had two other guests (three guests each show). The "mystery guests" were mainly entertainment types, such as Jack Benny or Zsa Zsa Gabor. Stapp was not there as a "mystery guest." That doesn't mean he was never on the show as a regular guest. Surely, some scientists appeared on "What's My Line?"? These shows are in the Museum's archives and take a week to retrieve. I don't even know what shows to request. TV and Radio research really sucks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------- T.T.F.N. No, not "Ted Turner's Financial Network." "Ta-Ta For Now." I found this phrase in several computer books, but no book states T.T.F.N.'s origin. Usually I watched Barney or Thomas with my nephew (who has autism), but a few times this summer we watched "Winnie the Pooh." You people out there with kids, get out your WINNIE THE POOH AND TIGGER TOO! TIGGER: T.T.F.N.! Ta-Ta For Now!!