Podcast Tuesday: "Yabba Dabba Scooby Doo"

Scott Baio and Danny Wells on Happy Days.

Something was definitely brewing on the set of Happy Days in 1982. Ron Howard was long gone and Henry Winkler had aged out of being a teen idol, but Scott Baio could elicit screams from the studio audience just by walking onto the set. When Scott joined the ABC sitcom in 1977, he was just a scrawny adolescent best known for playing the title character in Bugsy Malone (1976). Five years later, though, he was prime Tiger Beat material—an object of desire for the Clearasil set.

The producers attempted to capitalize on Baio's popularity by turning his character, Chachi, into a bona fide rock and roll singer, the kind who could make teenage audiences squeal with joy. The problem was, Scott couldn't really sing all that well. His voice was thin and scratchy, like he was just getting over a bad cold. Luckily, during his (frequent) musical numbers, he was paired with Erin Moran, who was a much more able vocalist. Still in all, though, it was difficult to take Baio seriously as a rock musician. And, true to form, his pop music career never really materialized beyond Happy Days. He put out one vanity LP in 1982, complete with an album cover that blatantly ripped off Michael Jackson's Thriller, but Baio never made a dent in the Top 40.

This week on These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast, we're reviewing an episode called "Chachi's Future" in which Baio's character decides he wants to pursue music as a career. Naturally, his prospective father-in-law, Howard (Tom Bosley), is less than thrilled. Chachi even begins to doubt himself and considers becoming a janitorial supplies salesman instead. But this is Happy Days, so I think you know where the story is going.

What did we think of "Chachi's Future"? You can easily find out by listening to our latest episode, conveniently located below.

Podcast Tuesday: "We're in Our Flip Era"

Billy Warlock and Ted McGinley on Happy Days.

TV sitcoms rarely age gracefully. Even if the writers don't run out of ideas (and they all but certainly will), the actors will inevitably age. This is especially a problem on shows with young characters. It's never a good sign for a long-running show when the producers bring in a new kid character because the previous ones in the cast have gotten too old. It's called Cousin Oliver syndrome, and it has infected many long-running family sitcoms from All in the Family to Married... with Children.

The initial focus of Happy Days (1974-84) was on teenagers in high school. In other words,  it was a show about young people for young people. The producers did their damnedest to keep Richie (Ron Howard), Ralph (Don Most), and Potsie (Anson Williams) in high school for as long as possible, but these characters finally graduated from Jefferson High alongside "night school valedictorian" Fonzie (Henry Winkler) at the end of Season 4 in 1977. Then, at the beginning of Season 5 just a few months later, Happy Days added a new adolescent character: Fonzie's smart-alecky cousin Chachi (Scott Baio). Controversial as this character was—with some viewers outright hating him and others adoring him—he nevertheless became a love interest for Joanie (Erin Moran) and allowed the show to focus on high school stories for a few more years.

But by Season 9, (1981-82) even Joanie and Chachi were starting to age out of their adolescent years, so the desperate producers added yet another teen character: Flip Phillips (Society star Billy Warlock), brother of Jefferson High basketball coach Roger (Ted McGinley). I think this was a breaking point for some viewers. Roger was already an auxiliary character, and now the auxiliary was getting his own auxiliary! It was a bridge too far. In particular, I remember my father complaining about Flip and calling him "Flop," but I don't remember if he stopped watching the show altogether at that point.

This week on These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast, we review Season 9's "Hello, Flip," the episode that introduced Flip to a skeptical America. Did we all judge Flip too harshly in 1982? Was Billy Warlock the Scrappy-Doo of Happy Days? Or had Scott Baio already taken that title several years earlier? Find out the answers to all these questions by listening to our latest podcast!

Podcast Tuesday: "Chachi Threatens a Small Child"

Erin Moran and Scott Baio on Happy Days.

For seven of its eleven seasons, Happy Days featured a character named Chachi Arcola. This character, introduced as the cousin of Arthur Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler), was played by an actor named Scott Baio. Many people have strong negative feelings associated with Chachi Arcola, and many more have strong negative feelings associated with Scott Baio. Mr. Baio is very politically outspoken on a number of issues and has been accused of sexual misconduct by coworkers. Chachi is just kind of an annoying little twerp with a dumb catchphrase. ("Wa wa wa!")

The question is, do we equate Chachi Arcola and Scott Baio? I have been cohosting a Happy Days podcast for over three years, and in that time, I have said little to nothing about Mr. Baio's life and career after the show ended in 1984. My cohost has been more outspoken on this topic. I choose to ignore it. Not that I condone Mr. Baio's actions, far from it, but I try to focus on the fact that we are talking about a fictional character played by an actor who was in his teens and early 20s at the time. When I comment on the Chachi Arcola character, I try to focus on Scott Baio's acting and the types of scenes and situations the writers invent for him. Here, too, there is room for criticism, but is of an aesthetic nature rather than political or moral.

This week on These Days Are Ours: A Happy Days Podcast, we are reviewing the Season 7 episode "Fools Rush In," which casts a spotlight on the relationship between Joanie Cunningham (Erin Moran) and Chachi. In fact, it's about their first real date and the trepidation they both feel. As I reviewed this episode, I tried to concentrate on the inner reality of Happy Days, i.e. the fictional universe these characters inhabit. My cohost was more concerned with the outer reality of Happy Days, i.e. the real lives of the actors who appeared on the show.

Whose viewpoint ultimately wins out? Find out when you listen to the latest installment of These Days Are Ours!