Jack LaLanne

Jack LaLanne's recent passing, at age 96, has generated a lot of media attention. It was even enthusiastically noted on Fox's New York City affiliate's morning show. I read a couple of MSM obits on LaLanne and they successfully managed to blend the facts of LaLanne's life with his legend.

However, for me, Jack LaLanne was a morning television personality. I first saw LaLanne's TV show when I moved to New York. I was eleven years old at the time; the show was black and white. He was the first morning TV star for me that wasn't a cartoon character or belonged to "The Little Rascals" ensemble. LaLanne wore goofy leotards, spoke with an enthusiasm that seemed like Liberace on speed, and advocated doing exercises unseen elsewhere. He also had Happy, his white dog, which I vividly remember. To this day, it's the rare television performer who has a canine inhabiting a set.

It was a different time, when daytime TV wasn't swamped with stupid "morning shows," stock market shouters, or breathless news broadcasts. It was, in retrospect, an innocent time when a man and his dog could get viewers out of their chairs and exercise.