Hey all you Bucketeers!

It was great to find a forum for people who think a certain long-ago
kids Sat' morning T.V. show should NEVER be forgotten.

I have long since given up trying to relay to people my experience
of TISWAS so it is great to finally tell my story to people who are
interested.

Having read various postings, one of the main topics appears to be
how to get on the show, I know of 3 possibles:

#1 Staff,
A good friend of mine was regularly in the audience, "NOT FAIR!" you
cry, I agree but, his Aunt was Pamela Vesey (Cath Brownlow) from
ATV's 'Crossroads Motel' Soap Opera, Fair enough I suppose.

#2 Letter,
Do you remember the days when the cast held up a large card written
in magic marker & addressed to 'ATV land'? If you wanted to enter a
contest, profess your love for a cast member or get on the show it
was 'postcards only please', Hey...was the postcode B1 2JP?

#3 Divine intervention,
I got my invite from Chris himself who was with Peter Tomlinson
doing a poster signing and promo for series 2 at 'Bingly hall'
Birmingham. The hall burned down in 1983 but it stood where the
I.C.C is now.
Before the days of the N.E.C Bingly hall hosted large exhibitions
such as the 'Home Show' which is where my story begins...

I don't recall what day or even month that it happened (I was six)
but on arrival at the hall There was a sign saying "Meet the cast of
Tiswas" I didn't know much at the time but what I did know was
"THIS IS WHAT I WANT!".

After pestering my parents relentlessly they finally caved and my
reluctant Dad and I joined the line-up. After what seemed like an
eternity to me(& probably my Dad) we finally reached the Tiswas
booth. There they were, the Icons of my Sat' morning T.V. Peter
Tomlinson was frantic but Chris Tarrant seemed very amiable. I
remember thinking how shockingly blond hair was.

He asked me my name & passed me my signed poster (I wish I still had
that) and then unthinkable happened. I don't know to this day
whatever possessed me but I Lent forward and shouted "Chris I have a
joke for you"!
I felt my Dads grip tighten but then to the envy of all the other
kids, Chris said 'Sure!', nothing at my tender age could have
prepared me for what happened next. To the envy of all the other
kids Chris grabbed me under the arms and hoisted me into the Tiswas
booth, crouched down and asked me to tell him the joke!

"WHY CAN'T YOU PLAY CARDS IN THE JUNGLE? BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY
CHEATAHS!"

I remember stammering through the whole thing and then he laughed
and to my amazement asked my Dad for our details as he wanted me on
Tiswas to tell the joke!

As you can imagine I was beside myself (I should have been, it was
an awful joke!), I think I told everyone on the way out of the hall,
to my Dad's Cortina, at school and now YOU!

I hope you enjoyed reading this, writing it has brought back many
happy memories.

I appeared on the show Jan 10, 1976 as "Joker of the Week".
Are there any other 'Jokers' out there?