Christmas came, just the same

We are smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, given Christmas is a mere week away! Why not join The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour in celebrating that How the Grinch Stole Christmas! written by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel was published as a book by Random House in December of 1957. The book criticizes the commercialization of Christmas and the holiday season.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! the CBS animated special based on the book of the same title by Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss), directed by legendary cartoon director Chuck Jones, premiered on this date. The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour would like you to join us in watching this fun holiday special, so push away from pile of gifts you are wrapping, if you can, get comfortable and enjoy the show.



The special is notably the first prime-time animated television special based on a Dr. Seuss book, it features narration by Boris Karloff (who also voiced the title character) and music written by Albert Hague.



Here's a brief interview with Chuck Jones involvement with the special -



Boris Karloff was picked to voice the Grinch after Chuck Jones heard a recording of him reading Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book stories (which Jones was a fan of).



Here's a 'making of' documentary of the special, hosted by the late Phil Hartman -



and finally some very rare original commercials from the original broadcast -



Much like the Coca Cola sponsor plugs from A Charlie Brown Christmas, the original broadcast of How The Grinch Stole Christmas was sponsored by the Foundation for Full Service Banks and featured plugs for them at the beginning and end of the special. These have since been edited out of subsequent airings and are quite difficult to find, however they recently resurfaced in 2021.



So, welcome, Christmas, bring your cheer. Cheer to all Whos far and near. Christmas Day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp. Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart, and hand in hand.


While the Grinch is now a beloved holiday classic, it is a strange little tale. This got us thinking about how strange some Christmas songs really are - so our second feature of the day is Odd Christmas songs:

Merry Something To You  Devo -



“Believe what you want to,” sings Gerald Casale, “nothing’s really true.” That's the Christmas spirit.


Santa Claus The Original Hippie   Homer & Jethro -



Patent leather boots? Check. Psychedelic clothes? Check. Granny glasses? Check. Pot belly? Yep, the “thinking man’s hillbillies,” as Knoxville, Tennessee’s Henry “Homer” Haynes and Kenneth “Jethro” Burns were known, nailed Santa’s underground origin on this laid-back track.


Christmas At The Airport  Nick Lowe -



Set during a nightmare layover, Nick Lowe combats the frozen hellscape and creeping ennui with music-hall humor and a little jangly guitar.


Flappie   Todd Rundgren -



Please note that no rabbits were eaten during the recording of this song.


I Wanna Goat For Christmas  The Wilder Brothers -



I have no idea why this kid wants a goat. And I'm pretty sure I don't want to know.

Demand Euphoria!