PGN: I understand that you were raised in a pretty typical home in the ’50s. We spoke to one of the book’s authors, Arlene Sullivan. When the show first aired, some feared it would corrupt the morals of minors and lead to social decline, but that didn’t stop “Bandstand” from becoming must-see afternoon TV. First-class stamps were 3 cents and polio was still a concern. The average monthly rent was $90 and the average cost of a new car was under $3,000. Strom Thurmond set the longest filibuster on record to try to keep the civil-rights bill from being passed. The book does a good job of setting the stage of what it was like in August 1957, when “Bandstand” made its debut. What many won’t know is that the show had a definite queer bent even before the word was reclaimed. I’m sure most of you are familiar with the opening song, and our older readers will remember Dick Clark and the cast of regular dancers while millennials will at least know the host’s name from the New Year’s Eve celebration that still bears his name. “Bandstand Diaries: The Philadelphia Years” is a fun book filled with stories, facts and figures about the groundbreaking show. Throughout October, PGN is celebrating LGBT History Month, so I thought I’d shed a little light on some history that’s recently come to light.
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