Couch potatoes (1976)

AAllan at AOL.COM AAllan at AOL.COM
Thu Jul 4 16:33:48 UTC 2002


The origin of "couch potato" is explained in detail in a book to be published
in October by Houghton Mifflin:
"Predicting New Words: The Secrets of Their Success" by Allan Metcalf. Here
is a pertinent excerpt:

  . . . Here's how it chanced to happen, according to an illustrated history
by two of the perpetrators themselves, "Elders" Jack Mingo and Robert
Armstrong, in The Official Couch Potato Handbook (1983). The saga began in
the 1960s with nine Southern Californians who got together on Thursday nights
to watch Lost in Space. Calling themselves the "Lost in Space Club," they
soon began meeting to watch other television shows as well. "One of them,"
the story continues, "known only as 'The Hallidonian,' soon made the
discovery that any day, any time was all right for prolonged, indiscriminate
TV viewing."
  Then, supposedly on July 15, 1976, another of the nine "Elders," Tom
Iacino, uttered the term couch potato in making a phone call to The
Hallidonian. The illustrated history depicts the moment: "Hi, Annie Jo--Can I
speak to the 'couch potato'?" asks Iacino's telephone voice, to which Annie
Jo responds "The wha?" while across the room the Hallidonian relaxes on his
couch, watching The Flintstones. . .



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