Way Back Wednesday: “Hey! I’m on the Radio!”
Posted by Nicci | Posted in Electronics, Kitchen Products, Way Back Wednesday | Posted on 11-08-2010
Tags: 6 Star Knives, As Seen On TV, Infomercials, Ron Popeil, Ronco, Way Back Wednesday
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Today’s Way Back Wednesday goes way, way back--all the way to 1979. Ron Popeil, the founder of Ronco, has been bringing his as seen on tv products to the airwaves for forty years. With classic infomercial products such as 6 Star Knives and the Pocket Fisherman, Ronco has become a staple in as seen on tv inventions.
One of the early Ronco products was Mr. Microphone, and its infomercial has to be my favorite yet. Some of the Way Back Wednesday videos are pretty funny, but this one actually made my sides hurt. Mr. Microphone was a wireless mic designed to broadcast your voice over any FM radio, and guaranteed to liven up any party. Just watch:
You can see that this karaoke predecessor was perfect for all kinds of people:
- Kids
- Professional Entertainers
- Drunken Party-Goers
- Crazy Dancing Transistor Radio Guys
- Pervy Cat-Calling Potential Kidnappers
- Amateur Roller Derby Teams, including Roller Skating Grandmas!
And at only $14.88, Mr. Microphone was a bargain! For only a little more than $5 extra, you could order Mr. Microphone II, which also included a radio, batteries, and an 8-foot connecting cord. I’m sure Mr. Microphone was stuffing all the stockings in December 1979.
On our Way Back Wednesday posts, we’ve looked at a lot of different seen-on-tv products, and we’ve seen the evolution of the television infomercial. The Mr. Microphone commercial reminds us of a kinder, gentler time, when someone could jive through the park, singing aloud through his transistor radio without being institutionalized, and a man could yell out the car window at innocent bystanders without fear of being added to the national sex offender registry. Ah, those were the days.
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