In 1989, a children’s show featuring singing puppets managed something no politician had. It slipped quietly across the Iron Curtain. For the first time, “Fraggle Rock” appeared on television in the USSR, bringing Jim Henson’s underground world of Fraggles, Doozers, and Gorgs into Soviet living rooms. The story began years earlier. By the early 1980s, Henson was already famous for “The Muppet Show” and “Sesame Street,” but he wanted to create something bigger than ratings. He dreamed of a show that carried a message of peace and wasn’t bound by national borders or languages. Puppets, he believed, were the perfect characters for that type of program. The result was “Fraggle Rock,” a hopeful experiment in connection. The Fraggles didn’t reach Russia overnight. During the Cold War, few American programs managed to cross the Iron Curtain. But in 1982, Henson’s fantasy film “The Dark Crystal” became a surprise hit at the Moscow Film Festival. There were sold-out screenings and crowds lined up outside theaters. That success opened a door. As the Soviet Union began to change under Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms, Soviet television grew more open to ideas from outside countries. On Jan. 8, 1989, Soviet audiences saw their first episode of “Fraggle Rock.” The response was overwhelming. Ratings were unprecedented, and later that year, the entire first season began airing, dubbed with a Russian narrator. It arrived months before the Berlin Wall fell. For Henson, who died the following spring, the Fraggles’ appearance on Soviet airwaves was one of his last great accomplishments. After Henson’s passing, his dream lived on. A few years later, Russia produced its own version of “Sesame Street.” For a time, children on both sides of the world grew up watching the same small creatures solve problems with laughter. Maybe that was the peace Henson hoped for all along. Fraggle Rock’s Cold War Breakthrough Puppets Behind the Iron Curtain
MARGIE’S KITCHEN FUNERAL SOUP
by Darlene Parman
A few weeks ago, my dear friend, Jackie Hall, reminded me of this recipe when we were discussing the good food we enjoyed growing up in Texas. We remember when someone passed away, everyone at church prepared food for the deceased’s family. No one bought pre-prepared food from the store. Oh No! Everything was made from scratch! I have shared Funeral Potatoes with you in the past, but this is called Funeral Soup. It is made with ingredients you have in your pantry, is easy to prepare, and feeds a crowd! On a side note, you might remember the famous Cowboys Restaurant from the ‘80s in Oklahoma City. It was notorious for cowboys, oilmen, and country dancing. It was owned by Jackie and Bob Hall. Jackie and I used to plan lunch menus for the restaurant during our power walks. She wanted hearty food, totally different from the steak and mountain oysters they served at night. In fact, she used many of the recipes I have shared with you in this newsletter. Good ol’ fashioned home cookin’ like our mothers used to make. In fact, my mom and dad (Margie, whom this article is named after, and Harold) loved going to Cowboys when they visited from Texas.
Ingredients
• 1 lb ground beef, browned and drained • 1 can Rotel tomatoes • 1 can diced tomatoes • 1 can tomato juice (8 oz) • 1 can corn, drained, or equal amount of frozen corn • 1 can pinto beans, undrained
• 1 can red kidney beans, undrained • 1 can black beans, undrained • 1 package taco seasoning • 1 package Ranch seasoning • 1 onion, chopped and sautéed (optional)
Directions 1. Place everything in a large pot. Bring to a boil and cook on low for 20 minutes. I think it is best made the day before to blend the flavors. Serve with corn bread and enjoy! If you want us to share a recipe in Margie’s Kitchen, please email it to Info@ParmanLaw.com. We’ll feature it in our newsletter or on our website!
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