Ah - interesting walk down memory lane! And interesting to see how much regionalism played a much bigger role in Canada in the 1980s.
For example, Ontario had Dr. Who on TVO in the 70s, so I saw it from a young age. I'm pretty sure my first exposure to Monty Python was via PBS way back when (though it wasn't love until me and a bunch of other 12-year-olds rented "Holy Grail" on -- get this -- laser disc), but Benny Hill was floating around some of the channels. And I discovered HHGTTG via the BBC mini-series, also broadcast on TVO. But with all of these different rivulets all amounting to the same thing, kind of points to the insidiousness you were talking about, no? lol
One other observation: we took the kids to the east coast many years ago and drove through the States as part of the trip including northern Maine. Every little town we passed through had a gas station, a wreckers, and a Mexican restaurant. Poutine was literally being served half an hour away, but the favourite there came from 3,000 miles further southwest... Kind of a mirror to your argument I guess - it's a wonder culture can float and plant so far away like a dandelion seed. lol
Ah - interesting walk down memory lane! And interesting to see how much regionalism played a much bigger role in Canada in the 1980s.
For example, Ontario had Dr. Who on TVO in the 70s, so I saw it from a young age. I'm pretty sure my first exposure to Monty Python was via PBS way back when (though it wasn't love until me and a bunch of other 12-year-olds rented "Holy Grail" on -- get this -- laser disc), but Benny Hill was floating around some of the channels. And I discovered HHGTTG via the BBC mini-series, also broadcast on TVO. But with all of these different rivulets all amounting to the same thing, kind of points to the insidiousness you were talking about, no? lol
One other observation: we took the kids to the east coast many years ago and drove through the States as part of the trip including northern Maine. Every little town we passed through had a gas station, a wreckers, and a Mexican restaurant. Poutine was literally being served half an hour away, but the favourite there came from 3,000 miles further southwest... Kind of a mirror to your argument I guess - it's a wonder culture can float and plant so far away like a dandelion seed. lol
Anyway, great post Mark.
~Graham
There you go, corroboration from Upper Canada!