The Born Loser by Art and Chip Sansom for October 20, 2024

Amazing how older TVs would take up more space compared to flat screens.

Remember the Curtis Mathis tvs? They had a record player, 8 track tape player and all. I wish I still had one.

Mom watched wrestling. “Change the channel”, “get away from that set”, “change the channel”, “don’t touch that dial”…

And a penguin.

I cannot imagine changing the channel on a flat screen, you have to find buttons on the bottom, left or right. Hopefully the input is correct and then find the channel up/down button, one at a time. Buy a new remote! I am sure others do it on a daily basis but they are tougher than I am

and his ears had tinfoil on them. and he went to bed at midnight. and we had to click through all 13 channels although only 3 of them ever had a picture on them. and even with only 3 to chooses from our parents had to get a little book each week to figure out what shows were going to be on. the little book cost $0.10 a week……..

If I were Uncle Ted I would change the batteries first.

Reminds me of when we used to wrap a small piece of tinfoil around the twin-lead from theantenna and slide it up and down a few inches until the picture cleared up. Sort of like adjusting theswr on the thing. When it was at the best place we just squeezed the foil until it stayed put.

…last I knew, you couldn’t even manually change channels on the newer TVs. You’d have to buy a new remote. Or a new TV outright!

I always liked sitting on the floor to watch TV because it was a tight squeeze on the couch. So I would be the one to change the channels. We had the rabbit ears antenna but the picture was usually ok unless some neighbor started mowing his grass or using some other electrical tool, then the screen went all flippy. I don’t miss those days!

Fond memories of being on the roof adjusting the antenna for my dad to get the Browns game on a Toledo Chanel because the local station had a black out. The neighbors thought we were nuts.

We had a very old house in the 50s and when the refrigerator turned on the TV picture narrowed for a couple of seconds.

We sure did have rabbits on our TV. Bugs Bunny, Ricochet Rabbit, The Trix Rabbit, and Nesquik Bunny.

Hop like a bunny and change the channel!

I was that person, waiting for the tube set to warm up, no rabbit ears at first, but a non adjustable roof antenna. Channel 2 only came in clear when it rained.

1990 or so I had a small CRT and used my hair dryer to warm it up so it would turn on!

And don’t forget the occasional horizontal adjustment sometimes needed; fortunately the vertical adjustments were even rarer, by my recollection.

But there were only three channels then so you didn’t need to change very often.

Those first remotes were a single lever that only changed the channel forward. They didn’t do anything else

use the camera on your phone to check the batteries

I used to think the same thing as a kid.

I served similar functions in our home growing up whether it was going out to adjust the big aerial outside, or changing channels.

could be a good side gig for Wilberforce…

Ah – the good old days. Having to adjust the horizontal and vertical holds, planes flying overheard could make your picture start jumping. Black and white – color came later and then only to Prime time for years. And of course they were huge and usually in some type of cabinet. My uncle was a tv repairman and travelled all over the region. If we could wait, we usually got the repair free – if it was just a tube that had blown.

thank goodness I’ve never had to deal with thee antenna. But I still had to change the channel. My father said that’s what kids are for, getting stuff done for them while they sit. :J

Seems to be a theme to some of our comics today. “Daddy’s Home” had TV remote joke today as well! Also, this “theme” opened the nostalgia flood gates!

Different terms for different times. However, the rabbit ears term did put a smile on my face…..

Uncle Ted has Wilberforce just a little confused…..

Uncle Ted should first ask Wilberforce to fetch some fresh batteries. So who knows – can one even change channels on modern televisions without the remote? Rabbit ears, 3 channels, test patterns after midnight, actual knobs that required one to get up to change the channel, adjust the volume, etc. However did we survive! But thanks for Uncle Ted on Sunday Chip. Nice peaceful way to start my day and get ready for church.

Hey Chip – reading Agnes today got me wondering. Are we sure Agnes’s bio parents aren’t Brutus and Gladys? She is definitely a Born Loser!

…And then stand there, holding the Rabbit Ears, for better reception… ☺

I’m not sure I could change the channel on my TV without a remote.

The sound was better.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, glad it’s just a memory.

Uncle Ted could just say “yes” and be amused by her next hundred questions.

We had a wire coat hanger covered with aluminum foil on our TV!

Same arc as on today’s “Daddy’s Home”

I’m having trouble getting comments to load so let me just say it’s unlikely anyone in this day and age can change channels without a remote.

My flat screen for my small home is only 40 inches, the speakers were not up to par for me so I bought a soundbar for it – what a difference and the Bass is full considering I do not have a sub woofer.

And yet … those really were the good ol’ days. ❤️

I remember the TV antennas on top of roofs in the 60’s and the rabbit ears to to fine tune.