Fresh off the success of the Harlem Globetrotters cartoon and recording contract with Don Kirschner, CBS tried again with the world famous basketball team, this time with the real-life Globetrotters, including Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal in a variety show aimed at children. Since the show was aimed at kids, it included social messages throughout each episode. One episode I remember featured the Globetrotters singing and included a message in good behavior with the line "Fighting and hitting are not for you." But the Globetrotters were not alone in this valiant attempt at a variety show. There was also young Rodney Allen Rippy and Avery Schreiber as Mr. Evil. Guest stars also appeared on the show, including Arte Johnson and Esther Rolle.

The only basketball reference on the show was a recurring sketch called the "One Minute Beneficial Basketball Clinic", which was always cut off because their minute was up.

To me, the Globetrotters were better suited to the comedy antics on the basketball court, where they still endure, though with new personnel to this day. The Popcorn Machine only lasted one season on Saturday morning before being rerun on Sunday mornings. So long.

The basketball subgenre features the sport of basketball, the lives of players, coaches, and the impact of basketball on their personal journeys. Basketball stories capture the excitement of the sport, the challenges faced by athletes, and the camaraderie among teammates.

Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes in White Men Can't Jump (1992)

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The sport genre features the world of sports, capturing the excitement, competition, and personal journeys of athletes, coaches, and teams. The stories cover a wide range of sports and activities, each with its own unique characteristics and themes.

Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in Moneyball (2011)

Saturday morning variety show hosted by legendary basketball team The Harlem Globetrotters.

The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine (1974)

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"The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine" 1974

Geese Ausbie, Nate Brown, Marques Haynes, Theodis Lee, Meadowlark Lemon, Bobby Joe Mason, and Curley Neal in The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine (1974)

The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine

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