Going Platinum: Skinnamarink and The Elephant Show | Sharon, Lois and Bram... and Randi

Going Platinum: Skinnamarink and The Elephant Show | Sharon, Lois and Bram... and Randi

Author: 134 West | Susan Lambert Hatem & Sharon Johnson February 26, 2025 Duration: 1:08:30
What's your favorite childhood show? If you grew up in Canada or watched Nickelodeon in the 80s, you know and loved The Elephant Show & Skinnamarink TV -- and if you didn't, you’re about to find out all about it! Susan and Sharon welcome Sharon Hampson, one of the creators of The Elephant Show and Skinnmarink TV. 

As part of the musical trio “Sharon, Lois & Bram” -- featuring Sharon Hampson, Lois Lilienstein, and Bram Morrison -- Sharon rose to fame on these two ground-breaking, award -winning children’s shows. Also joining us is Sharon’s daughter Randi -- who is now her mom’s manager and singing partner! 

THE CONVERSATION
  • WATCHING KIDS TV:  Susan LOVED Schoolhouse Rock -- but HATED Mr. Snuffleupagus! Kevin loved the Big Comfy Couch!  Sharon loved Fraggle Rock, but Kids Inc? Not so much…
  • In the 80s, kids TV animation became all about selling toys because THE TOYS WERE THE STARS OF THE SHOWS! Like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
  • Once the Skinnamarink song gets in your head -- it will never leave!! 
  • For Sharon, Lois & Bram, music has always been a part of their lives -- each one of them learning to sing and play musical instruments from childhood.
  • Sharon Hampson quit high school to sing folk music in coffee houses -- much to her parent’s horror!
  • After 50 years of performing, Sharon says: “Children are just the same. They get up, they sing, they dance…They’re 100% ready to go!”
  • MEMORY UNLOCKED! When Sharon meets grown up fans: “They start to cry, and I tell them, ‘Don’t be embarrassed. You’re having tears because you’re having happy childhood memories! It’s a good thing!’”
  • After the show's Candian production ended, The Elephant Show got picked up in the US by Nickelodeon in1987, and their popularity exploded! “It really changed our career. We played incredible places, huge audiences. We went from playing high school gyms to playing stadiums.” 
  • “Sharon, Lois & Bram” have shared the stage with everyone from The Beach Boys, Randy Travis and James Taylor!
So, join Susan and Sharon -- and Sharon and Randi -- as they talk Toronto, vinyl love, Andrea Martin, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, Raffi, The Nylons, Chuck Mangione -- and genderless elephants!

AUDIO-OGRAPHY
Catch up on all-things “Sharon, Lois & Bram” at SharonLoisandBram.com
Follow them on Instagram at Instagram.com/sharonloisbram
Watch them on TikTok.
Catch The Elephant Show on YouTube.
Watch and sing-a-long to the loving and joyful "Talk About Peace" on YouTube. 

VITAL READING
Get Handbook for A Post-Roe America by Robin Marty at Bookshop.org.
Check out Men In Dark Times by Hannah Ahrendt at Bookshop.org.
Read Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson at 

Remember those iconic women from television who defined an era? 80s TV Ladies revisits the groundbreaking, often delightfully campy, female-driven series that filled our living rooms with big hair and even bigger personalities. Hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson, under the 134 West banner, aren't just offering nostalgic recaps. They dig into the fascinating stories behind how shows like "Murder, She Wrote," "Kate & Allie," or "Designing Women" were actually made, examining the creative forces and network battles that brought them to air. Each episode explores how the politics and social climate of the 1980s shaped these narratives, and conversely, how the characters and stories themselves pushed cultural conversations forward, often in a complex dance of progress and tradition. This podcast celebrates the legacy of these programs while honestly assessing their place in history through that "two-steps forward, one-step-back" lens. It's a deep, engaging listen for anyone who loves television history, cultural analysis, and the powerful, complicated women who made the decade's TV so memorable. The show's quality is underscored by its recognition as a 4-time Podcast Awards winner and a Webby nominee for Best Indie Podcast. Tune in for thoughtful, well-researched discussions that go far beyond the opening credits.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

80s TV Ladies
Podcast Episodes
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Duration: 59:49
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Duration: 1:06:22
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