I remember that show, though not the episode. How do you remember something like this?!

Great analysis! Some Americans - maybe because America as a whole - are so immature. On one level it's not drumpf, it's the culture that spawned him, that is the biggest problem.

Thank you!

A few months ago Room 222 was being shown on cable and I was thinking, man I remember this episode where this clown basically acted like you-know-who. I don’t have cable anymore and I tried to find this episode. It must be a damn conspiracy because of all the episodes available this ONE is not there! It’s a good one!

our class clown won the class presidency. The election was close, but he won. He remained a popular person with our classmates as an adult, until he died of a massive heart attack. His adult life was filled with problems, including alcoholism. Somehow, he always managed to pull things out and get back on track. At least he did that until his lifestyle caught up with him.

My husband, who was four years ahead of me, never liked the guy. My husband thought the guy was "twitchy."

I am still friends with the person who should have won.

Did I ever have a crush on her!

My first adolescent crush.
She was perfect.

Obviously not.

I wanted to be a history teacher because of that great show. I was the perfect age for it.

doesn't need to worry about being recognized.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427174/mediaviewer/rm1479120385

Never dreamed watching it as a kid that 50 friggin years later so many Americans, not least the President, would still be wanting to turn the page back on these opening credits either.

Really brings the memories back...

That's probably the only TV theme written in the time signature of 7/4.

Goldsmith was a great writer, up there with John Williams in my estimation.

Here he is at his most Stravinsky-esque, with a cue from Star Trek The Motion Picture.

“Fool on the Hill”. It all came back when I listened to it again.

Have you ever heard Sergio Mendes' take on "Fool"? My parents had most of the Brasil '66 albums when I was a wee tot, so this stuff always reminds me of them.

and raise you a Ray Sepulveda!

Thanks for posting.

When I grow up, I want to be the cowbell player in a salsa band.

One of my fave albums:

I played piano in a Salsa/Merengue band for many years. More dance oriented then Latin Jazz, but boy it was fun. Lots of memories from touring across Canada.

Here’s one of my favourite tunes from our repertoire, complete with dancers and band uniforms ...

was nothing more specific -- I don't recall any of the plots -- than the undercurrent of hope that ran through the series. I've noted over the decades that the opening credits and theme music still conjure that feeling when I see/hear them.

Walt Whitman HS to boot!

Karen Valentine was quite the cutie. She was 21 when the show started and will be 73 next Monday!

for an older girl she was nice to see!

I was six.

I was a precocious kid...

I'd already thrown over Ursula Andress.

Imagine how big a letdown it was to find out her voice was overdubbed by another woman...

In later years, I came to see Denise Nicholas as more stunning.

IIRC John Traviolta got his start in Kotter

The show played to all the most common stereotypes about teenagers, inner-city, etc

much less, crisp, quick, easy to understand messaging. Although I get your point. But we need a marketing department, stat! We have conceded messaging to the right/repubs for over three decades! I just don't get it!

George Lakoff said in his book "Moral Politics," that the dems believe people vote more on intellect than emotion. Tell voters where your platform page is and trust they will go read it, (and the opposing side's platform, too) and the voter will make an informed decision. The repubs know that millions of people vote on emotion. If you can sway them to your side, even with deceptive messaging, you can win. Frame the debate, capture the narrative, win the vote. We are 30+ years behind the 8-ball on messaging.

Lies about the Republican Party that millions of Americans believe without question:

Pro-life party
Party of God
Family values party
Fiscal conservatives
Party of personal responsibility

The emotion part is very important! I hope Joe can hit them with short, easy to understand points that make people feel secure with Democratic values. And the intellect point, yes, too much intellect freezes out a lot of voters. Thanks...

There's never anything left to show but the debt, when Republicans spend money.

We need a Lakoff-schooled marketing whiz team.

under Reagan. Why are the GOP always trying to divide Americans? The coastal blue states vs. The “real Americans” in the more rural states? It’s been going on for a long time now.

John Travolta's first tv part?

Similar TV show, set in a high school, about the same time - Room 222 was 1969-74, Kotter was 1974-78.

who is alive and kicking at age 93:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Constantine

One of my favorite films.

Thank you for writing this post.
Especially: "Democrats need to keep messaging crisp, quick, easy to understand, and focus on working class and perhaps struggling Americans."
And: "he Republican Party and their failings should be the focus and not just Trump. The overall fight must be against the modern Grand Old Party and their policies."

Now I say "Trump and his enablers" every chance I get.

Not that episode however.

via my cable-TV provider, Verizon. The channel is called "Aspire". Don't know if they're still showing Room 222, given I haven't been watching much TV these days. The channel also showed another old school program called Julia, which I believe was from the same era (late 60's, early 70's).

Brought back a whole lot of memories.

Both good shows!

I loved it! I’m going to find it right now and watch an episode while I have lunch.

The OP is referring to the season 2 episode, "The Laughing Majority". The funny guy guy is the same in both episodes.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1336878/

And the Mod Squad. Back when thinking and reason were important.

I wanted to be Karen Valentine...

Some nice analysis there and I fondly remember that show from my childhood. I think it airs in the early morning hours on a digital channel of a local broadcast station around here.

You've addressed one of my biggest concerns, the following that Trump has managed to put together, including people that are otherwise sane. How do you break through to that crowd? It's a question we need to be constantly thinking about. I think Trump won't be re-elected but that following will continue. Kaiser Wilhelm had a similar following and after WWI he was out of power but that same demographic is what later became the core of Nazi supporters.

and not a big heavy duty public analysis. Safety and security are most important, and when the trust is there for that, everything else can fall in line. We really needed these 4 years to cause real change. Now the job will be harder and take longer.

I was really young, but I do remember it. I loved it.

He was (and presumably still is) a good dude.

I remember him, hunky looking dude lol.

... alas my career as a big city school teacher was short-lived.

My wife and I were big city school science teachers when we married. When my wife was accepted to graduate school in another state I followed her.

Teaching was, by far, the most difficult job I've ever had, nothing like Room 222 or Welcome Back Kotter. It was in my head 24/7 and for every problem I solved there were multiple horrors I could not.