Carol Channing

Carol Channing has died. I remember her vaguely from various TV spots back in the 1970s. Maybe she did an episode of the Love Boat or appeared on The Muppet Show? I can't be too sure. What I am sure about, however, is her contribution to the 1973 album Free to Be You and Me. I still have my original scratched copy replete with bite marks on the sleeve from my cat, Vichon. The recording she made is ostensibly about the purpose of adversting and the bucking of gender roles. I can still hear her voice in my head as she says: 'Your mommy, hates housework, your daddy hates housework...' 

I suppose we might call this type of thing 'spoken word' nowadays. Regardless, it's a fun few minutes' worth of listening to Ms. Channing. I would encourage you to give it a listen. 

Carol was a graduate of Lowell High School in San Francisco. Lowell is one of the premier college prepatory schools here in town. Four of my family members attended. My cousin was the last to go, having graduated in '87. Carol Channing spoke at his commencement. My cousin described her speech as funny, engaging and a bit silly. For years he'd recite this bit to be read in Carol's voice: 'I graduated (Lowell) in 19---oh, well, I better not say!' It always got a laugh. Having recently read her obit, I now know that she had graduated in 
1938. 

Here's a write up in the Chronicle on Carol for having won a contest while still a student-- 



And, finally, here's a somewhat recent-looking photo of Carol visiting SF's Twin Peaks vista point---