Embarrassment be damned! I was going on TV!

So... bright and early Saturday morning, I got up, washed, and carefully donned my crisp Boy Scout uniform with my sash containing all my hard-earned merit badges. I was resplendent!

My Dad dropped me off at the studios and said he'd pick me up in about two hours or so. Even my Dad couldn't bear being seen with me in that environment. Can't blame him.

So I trooped on in with my letter in-hand and was directed to a kind of holding area along with a bunch of 'little kids.' I stood at least a head taller than anyone else on the show, with the exception of Cousin Cupcake himself.

We were all led into the studio and I was amazed at the bright lights & the heat they generated. I could see where the cameras were and I intentionally -- as best I could -- positioned myself so that I could be picked up in the background. The studio area was a circus setting with a ring platform down in front. This was where Cousin Cupcake sat and where he spoke with the kids.

The only real part of the show that has a profound impact was when Cupcake invited me up front with him and we had a dialog about my merit badges and my neckerchief slide (a carved Indian head which I had hand-painted). I got my TV fame!

My siblings watched all this on TV at home. Later they told me they were rolling on the floor laughing because I looked so silly as a big boy among all those little kids. I could not have cared less. I was a TV star as far as I was concerned.

In retrospect, I probably set the record as the oldest kid to be on the show. I am still disappointed to this day that I only got to be on the Cousin Cupcake Show and not Big-Time Bozo's. It was a lot of fun, nevertheless."