How Jimmy Carter imagined America on a popular game show

Jimmy Carter, who turned 100 today, was governor of Georgia in 1973, but he was still governor at the national level Jimmy who?

As he prepared for a long-term presidential run in 1976, he and his advisers laid the groundwork that year, which included developing a national profile through non-traditional means, i.e. a game show.

What is my line? On the air for nearly 25 years, it was one of producer Goodson Todman's most popular panel game shows, in which a celebrity panel tried to guess a guest's profession. Typical programs were highlighted by a celebrity “mystery guest” where the jury had to wear a blindfold to avoid being immediately recognized.

But when Carter's office called the show and suggested him as a guest, the casting director agreed to the condition that he appear as “Mr.

“That was fine with Mr. Carter’s good ol’ boys, so we booked him for the December 13, 1973 recording session,” Fates wrote. “Few people knew it at the time, but James Earl Carter was already elated after the Democratic nomination.”

In other words, Carter was so unknown that the show was convinced the judges would have no idea who he was when he first took the stage.

You were right. In the episode – which is available on YouTube – Carter appeared in close-up with a wide grin and the sign “JIMMY CARTER GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA” was displayed on the screen for viewers. He took his seat and host Larry Blyden told the jury: “All I can tell you about X is that he provides a service.”

Panelist Arlene Francis began by asking, “Is it a ministry that has to do with women?”

“Yeah, it definitely is,” Carter said to laughter from the audience.

“He looks like the singer Don Cherry with hair,” said panelist Soupy Sales.

He then asked if Carter's job had “anything to do with the world of fashion.”

“No,” Carter replied.

Panelist Dana Valery commented that Carter's performance “has a very spiritual aspect to it.”

“Does he recruit nuns?”

Carter laughed.

Finally, after seven rounds of questions, the panel narrowed Carter's job to a government job.

“Are you a public servant? Are you governor?” asked Gene Shalit.

“Yes,” Carter said brightly, although Shalit still couldn’t quite place the condition.

When the game ended, Blyden gave Carter a chance to explain his accomplishments as governor, which included streamlining state government and serving as chairman of the Democratic Party's campaign committee.

Decades before the state became a production hub, Carter also spoke of a “good program for recruiting motion pictures to Georgia,” citing the state's good weather and the fact that “we've never had a movie that had the budget or the schedule.” exceeded.” .” liberation was the first big film, and The longest yard had recently completed production. In the coming years Smokey and the Bandit would also film in the state and help usher in a Southern pop culture legacy of the Carter era.

As Jonathan Alter noted in his biography His very bestCarter did other stunts to increase his notoriety, including “high kicking in a chorus with the Rockettes.”

A year later, in December 1974, Carter became the first Democratic candidate to announce his candidacy for president.

Carter certainly wasn't the first presidential candidate to draw attention to pop culture, but as he launched his campaign he forged close connections with artists like Gregg Allman, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan. As shown in the documentation Jimmy Carter: Rock 'n' Roll PresidentThey helped raise his profile as Carter surprised much of the D.C. political establishment by winning the Democratic nomination.