The Jack Benny Program: Jack Goes Christmas Shopping

<p><i><strong>CONTENT WARNING:</strong> This podcast discusses a 1960 episode of “The Jack Benny Program” in which a character shoots himself offscreen.</i></p><p>On this beautifully wrapped and unwrapped and rewrapped episode of the official podcast for 40-year-olds whose parents associate cigarette commercials with Christmas, we’re second-, third-, and fourth-guessing ourselves way back to 1960 to go Christmas Shopping with “The Jack Benny Program,” the last televised version of a longtime radio favorite.</p><hr /><h4>On This Episode:</h4><ol><li><strong>Mike Westfall</strong> (<a href="https://twitter.com/fallwestmike">@fallwestmike</a>), surprisingly brittle for an unbreakable, crystal $12 watch.</li><li><strong>Guy Hutchinson</strong> (<a href="https://twitter.com/GuyHutchinson">@GuyHutchinson</a>), wrapped in beautiful paper and tinsel at least 4 times before we started recording, <a href="http://guyhutchinson.com">author</a>, public speaker, and host of the <a href="http://www.drunkondisney.com">Drunk On Disney Podcast</a>.</li></ol><hr /><h4>Topics and Tangents:</h4><ol><li><a href="https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/jack-benny-program-christmas-shopping">The Television Academy Foundation’s page on Jack Benny’s “Christmas Shopping” show</a>, including a video interview with show writer George Balzer.</li><li>The earliest “Christmas Shopping” variant I could find, <a href="https://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com/comedy/jack-benny-program/christmas-shopping-1937-12-12">from 1937</a>.</li><li>Eddie “Rochester” Anderson and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_%22Rochester%22_Anderson#Progression_of_race_relations">progression of race relations</a>, and also a quick tangent on his becoming the first African-American to enter a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnt_Cork">racehorse in the Kentucky Derby</a>.</li><li>Finally I get to talk about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Blanc">Mel Blanc</a>, the real star of this show.</li><li>Adjusting the $1.98 and $40 wal