Milton Berle, Native Advertising Pioneer - 65 Years Ago

[DonRocks]

Beginning in 1948, Texaco Star Theater was the most popular show on TV. This was the year that changed the lives of America, the war-weary public having gotten settled from WWII, and having longed for something to rally around. That "something" was TV, and of course, someone had to be the most popular person associated with this brand new medium: our parents' and grandparents' version of the internet.

Our mass-media Native Advertising Pioneer was none other than the beloved, trusted, Uncle Miltie himself: Milton Berle - "Mister Television." Enjoy this hour-long mix of emcee-presented Vaudeville-style acts co-mingled with Texaco advertisements.

Sadly, not only did blackface live on in the late 1940s, but an Al Jolson imitator dressed up in blackface, not to imitate a gentleman of color, but to imitate Al Jolson himself in blackface. This is extremely offensive, and it's hard to believe that it happened, but it did, and we all know it wasn't an isolated incident. Furthermore, if you pause the video at 1:35, you'll notice there isn't a single person of color in the audience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d4Anaxp3Zc