Wow. Just… wow. I know, I know, “It Was A Different Time,” but holy donkeyballs, I can’t begin to comprehend the mindset that decided… “You know what would be fun? Let’s do THIS:”
Reverend Kiyoshi Tanimoto survived the bombing of Hiroshima and came to the US in 1955 to help other survivors get some plastic surgery. He appeared on “This Is Your Life,” which did some *really* questionable things. In describing the bombing they throw in some sound effects; the good Reverence looks like he’s about to jump directly out of his skin when the air raid siren fires up. And then they bring out Captain Robert Lewis, co-pilot of the Enola Gay, to shake his hand (at about 16:22; he was reportedly dunk and it shows).
Dude.
DUDE.
The middle of the 1950’s was a very different time for television, of course. There was a determination to be as chipper and upbeat as possible, something that no longer really exists. There was also a widespread understanding that the United States was in the right in nuking Japan (which, of course, it was, but it’s not a *good* thing, just a “least bad” thing), and in general seemed pretty happy about it… a happiness that is pretty damn cringe-worthy when put up against a feller who himself got nuked. A feller who, pretty clearly, didn’t really understand just what the frak he was doing on that show, and what the show was. They seemed to spring the whole thing on him.