Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-16
YHY do "Amos n Andy"
appeal to children?

4AOuSdnQS OF young
SterS in all sections of
the country are following the
broadcasts Of this popular radio
team. This has been established
by the fan mail. But why?
Even Amos and Andy them
selves cannot answer the uues-
ton. Frankly they admitted this
during an interview on their re-
cent whirlwind visit to Washing
ton to entertain the White House
Correspondents Association.
II am told" said Charles Cor
rell, who before the microphone is
the big talking Andy, that near
ly as many children listen to our
programs as adults. I think our
fan mail will bear that out. I
am told, too, that Use requested
and 'Sho' are used many times a
day in the homes where there are
children.
I am lost for an explanation.
however. Nearly every bit of our
dialogue is over the heads of the
youngsters. I mean, of course, the
tiny tots between and 8 years
old. What interest would they
have in a love affair between
Amos and Ruby Taylor or Andy
and Madam Queen? Or the op-
erations of the Fresh Air Taxicab
Co. of America, Incorpulated? Or
the intricate problems involved in
the preparation of an income tax
return?
Dialect May Be Cause.
There must be some other rea-
son, but I haven't been able to
find out. Our dialect might fas-
cinate them, but it seems to me
that children would soon tire of
that, hearing it as they do night
after night"
Because of the widespread in
terest of the children, Correll said,
every precaution Is taken to keep
their dialogue free of the riSque
or impurities of any character.
"You have never heard any,
thing questionable in our broad
castS?" he asked. Neither have
you heard either Amos or I, the
KingfiSh or any of the other char
acterS refer to smoking or drink
ing. And you never will as long
as there Is one child listening"
Aside from being puzzled over
the reason for their large child
following, "AmoS m Andy" also
revealed that, regardless of the
station from which they broad
cast, the opening announcement
of Bill Hay and the signature mu-
sic always come from Chicago
Most of their broadcasting also is
done before the National Broad
casting Co.'S microphone in Chi
cago, but the trips they take away
from home, such as their recent
visit to Washington, make it nee
eSsary for them to appear before
the closest N. B. C.. microphone
In Washington, of course, the
WRC microphone served as the
outlet for their broadcast.
RADIO advertisers have often
heard the admonition, They'll
tune you out if you talk toe
much"
Maybe they will and maybe
they won't. But whether they do
or not is unimportant, since it is
known that few listeners will put
forth the mental effort necessary
to absorb a detailed business So
licitation on the sponsors product
or service. The number who will
make such an effort is about the
same as may be expected to read
a similar discourse set in 8-point
type on a full magazine page. At
least. this is the opinion of STAN
ley w. Barnett, manager of VIDAL,
In Baltimore, who for number of
years has made study of the
psychological side Of the Spon-
sored program.
Listener in Lazy Mood.
"The average listener approach
eS his radio entertainment in a
lazy frame of mind says Mr..
Barnett. "He doesn't object to
the advertising in the least. pro-
vided it is interesting and comes
to him easily and without mental
exertion.
"Try to think of another form
of diversion that can be enjoyed
with such an utter lack of eXer-
ton. Golf. motoring, the theater,
movies, reading. bridge, or even a
game of solitaire-all call for the
expenditure of effort. physical and
mental. but the radio derives its
principal appeal from the COM