The Father’s Day holiday is 100 years old today. It was inspired by Sonora Smart Dodd, in honor of her father, William Smart of Spokane, WA. When his wife died in childbirth, he raised Sonora and her five younger brothers by himself. He must have done a great job—as Sonora began a drive to recognize fathers the same way mothers were. Good for her!
On Friday I listened to The Story with Dick Gordon on NPR. He talked to a man named Bernd Wollschlaeger who, as he grew up in Germany, was told his father was a WWII war hero. As he got older, he questioned his father’s role as a Major in Hitler’s Army. The hatred of Jews and the atrocities his father participated in without remorse caused a huge disconnect for Bernd. He said he was seeking values his family couldn’t provide—and he left home/was thrown out as a young man—never to return.
Bernd felt deep shame for his father’s actions. It caused him to learn about the Jewish people, travel to Israel, and eventually a conversion to the Jewish faith and marrying a Jewish woman. His father banned Bernd from attending his funeral (as he was dying from cancer). Bernd’s story about a tortured father-son relationship is fascinating. You can hear it at www.thestory.org (OR click on the second podcast link at the bottom of this blog).
Zach Gilford (Matt) and Kyle Chandler (Coach Taylor) in a scene from Friday Night Lights, one of the best shows on TV.
Another tortured father-son but fictionalized story is on Friday Night Lights—one of the BEST TV shows ever and most under-appreciated. (I don’t get how badly NBC has botched the handling of that superb show.)
The story line is about Matt, a high school star quarterback and his absent, distant father who is stationed in Iraq. Matt has the proverbial love-hate relationship (probably more on the hate side) with his dad. He is raised by his sweet Granny—and occasionally gets fatherly support from his girlfriend’s dad, Coach Taylor.
SPOILER ALERT: The episode called “The Son” deals with Matt’s reaction after he receives news of his father’s death overseas. It is quality TV—NOT an oxymoron. Zach Gilford (Matt) gives an incredibly emotional performance. (There is an online campaign to garner Zach an Emmy nomination for this episode. He is most deserving. As are other actors, writers, and the show as a whole. Emmy people: Are you listening? Doubt it.)
Friday Night Lights tackles the role/actions/issues of fathers in many characters, such as:
Riggins’ runaway dad;
Lyla’s cheating dad, Buddy;
Becky’s irresponsible selfish Dad, Bull;
Landrys’ devoted dad;
Smash who has no dad;
J.D. McCoy’s overbearing controlling dad;
and the wonderful dad of Julie and Gracie: Eric Taylor.
Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton star as Eric and Tami Taylor, the heart and soul of Friday Night Lights.
All of these characters are so real. This television series is hands down the most authentic show on TV about American families—especially in the marriage of Eric and Tami Taylor. (Emmys for Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton—please!)
You can watch “The Son” here:
http://www.nbc.com/friday-night-lights/
This morning I called my Dad to wish him a Happy Father’s Dad. I asked him if he remembered when I (as a four-year-old) lied to my babysitter about not having to take a nap. He said he didn’t remember, but that his reaction of not being particularly angry was because the babysitter probably wanted me to take a nap so didn’t have to do any work watching me! (See my blog dated 6/18/10).
I also asked him if he still had the Pebble Beach golf hat autographed by Rush Limbaugh that I got for him (blog dated 6/15/10). He said he has never worn it because he didn’t want to get it dirty. But he decided he would wear it today—because today is the last round of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach—and he is going to my sister’s house for a Father’s Day dinner. I told him NOT to wear a sloppy sweatshirt as no one would notice the hat if he did. Sometimes a daughter knows best.
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