VLVL2 (2) Notes and commentary, p17

[Paul Nightingale]

(17.3-4) "... had he been that close to death ...?"

Zoyd's own kissoff story.

(17.7) "a Joey Chitwood-type thrill show"

"Were you one of those kids who, after watching an Evel Knievel jump
before his retirement in 1981, stuck a few Catfish Hunter or Vida Blue
cards in the spokes of your Stingray and tried to soar off a piece of
plywood tilted against a milkbox? Guess you didn't have the right stuff
then, because that's how Evel got started, too, after checking out the
Joey Chitwood Circus of Thrills auto daredevil show in Montana.
   "'I used to go and watch them when they'd come to Butte,' Evel
recalls. 'I was a young kid and I remember seeing a guy jump a
motorcycle through a hoop of fire. He just made a little jump. His name
was Cliff Major, he was the stunt rider with Joey Chitwood. And I used
to watch him do that, then I'd go home and take the fenders off my
bicycle, and put the cards in the spokes-pin 'em with a clothespin so
it'd make a noise like a motorcycle. And I used to ride around and do
little stunts on my bike...jump ramps, and I was doing then what the BMX
riders are doing now.'"

More on Evel Knievel at:
http://www.popsmear.com/popculture/features/17/evel.html

But I don't know if Joey Chitwood himself was a performer ...

"Back in my Chevy, the radio on, Ringo and the fab four were winding
down.  I sped at the limits of prudence for city streets-limits I'd
learned at family picnics, Labor Days and Memorial Days, when dad would
bring junker trade-ins from his car lot to Nana and Gump's farm and
drive them over ramps; teaching me in the process, practicing for his
annual guest appearances in the Joey Chitwood Thrill Drivers shows at
the Butler County Fair.  Mr. Chitwood had offered dad an opportunity to
tour as a featured attraction with the show in Europe, but mom nixed the
idea."

Continues at: http://ww4.choice.net/~davy/shewsay%20excpt.htm

(17.17-18) "... trying for something between neighbourhood scold and
soap-opera Chief of Psychiatric."

More roles adopted by Prairie in this chapter.

(17.24-25) "... even somethin' looked like a pruning hook?"

An alternative role for the hook, which previously signified "idiot
peacenik stuff".

(17.25-26) "What business, summer-camp renovation?"

A reference to Friday the 13th: the film begins with the reopening of
the camp in which Jason died years previously.

(17.22-23) "... Moondoggie ... in Gidget [1959] ..."

A film series that became a TV series in the mid-60s, revived in the
mid-80s. Moondoggie was played by James Darren. Warning: the first of
the links below gives you the theme tune. Johnny Copeland it ain't, but
don't shoot the messenger.

http://www.celebhost.net/jamesdarren/gidget.html
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-1202/

The sites give this reader the impression that the programme represented
the kind of traditional family values promoted by the New Right, which
would account for the 1980s revival.