A piece of fruit on prime time?

November 16, 2009 10:33 AM

Fruit on TV? I remember someone saying something to the effect of, "If we put a piece of fruit on television every night, it will become a national icon". Who said that? And I think that someone actually did it (SNL?), did THAT happen?
posted by slactoid to media & arts (8 comments total)

I believe it was Dana Carvey?
posted by any major dude at 10:40 AM on November 16, 2009

Jon Stewart: "Look, I was never thought of as good-looking until I had a television show. In America, being on television automatically makes you beautiful. You could put a cantaloupe on television in America and someone would want to f--- it."
posted by steef at 10:49 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

I know Stewart said that phrase about the cantaloupe but I don't believe that is the quote stactoid is referring to. I vividly remember Carvey on some talk show referring to the vapidness of fame that if there was a 24 hour channel dedicated to showing nothing but a picture of a cantaloupe all day then when they brought it out in public people would be elbowing each other saying "hey look, it's the cantaloupe from tv". The only corroborating reference I can find through Google is this. As far as I remember, no one ever tried it with a real vegetable but I'm sure when people see Glenn Beck in person they have the same reaction.
posted by any major dude at 11:06 AM on November 16, 2009

I remember this bit... it was Dana Carvey and the Grapefruit Channel. Here's a comic based on it.
posted by kimdog at 11:08 AM on November 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

It seems like Dana Carvey is the originator. Here's an article from Feb 2001 attributing the allegory to him.

2006 reference
2005 reference
posted by now i'm piste at 11:27 AM on November 16, 2009

ahhh grapefruit, that's why it wasn't coming up...
posted by any major dude at 11:39 AM on November 16, 2009

Ah, I was pretty sure it was a citrus! Thanks. I want to say it predated Carvey, but if nothing new comes to light, I think you've got it :)
posted by slactoid at 11:41 AM on November 16, 2009

1986 was the beginning of the California Raisins.

So, this joke was reality before it was a joke?
posted by SantosLHalper at 11:53 AM on November 16, 2009 [1 favorite]