Episode 45- Gilligan’s Island

So, sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip that lead this week’s guest to taking on the mantle of President of the Gilligan’s Island Fan Club and custodian of the legendary Sherwood Schwartz show’s history and memory.

Regardless of whether you’re old enough to remember the three seasons of the show when they originally aired or if you caught it in re-runs every time you had the flu growing up years later, it’s hard not to have a special place in your heart for those seven castaways and their many madcap adventures, guests and foiled escape attempts. There was just something about it. To this day, one of the greatest pop culture dilemmas remains the age-old question of Ginger or Maryann? And of course, the ultimate perplexing question of how did the Professor manage to make such amazing contraptions out of nothing more than coconuts yet he could never seem to make a raft that would float them out of there.

We dive into all this and more as we travel down television’s memory lane.

So, what does it take to be the President of the Gilligan’s Island Fan Club? Is there a set of by-laws? Do you have to wear a Gilligan-style bucket hat at all times? We get to the bottom of all this including how “Gilligan” or Louis (as he’s known in his daily life) got the gig. Interestingly, Oprah had a little something to do with it.

Louis shared a ton of fun facts about the show that lesser-fans may not know, including the bait and switch Ginger’s real-life agent pulled on her to get her to take the show. We even dive into that ultimate earworm of a theme song, its multiple iterations and the completely different Calypso-style theme that accompanied the pilot. If you haven’t heard it, now’s your chance.

Louis is one of seven castaways who currently run and maintain the Gilligan’s Island fan page. The page is full of great info perfect for wowing any competition at your next trivia night. His knowledge and love for the show was clear through our conversation and he was more than happy to share his stories and knowledge with us.

He reminded us of some classic episodes and his favorite guest star. No, it wasn’t Wrongway Feldman. He also told us about the plans for the never completed fourth season and where they planned to take the show. All we can say is Jumping the Shark has nothing on the insane twists that would have happened had it actually become a reality. We have to admit we kind of wish it existed so we could see the madness unfold.

We learned a lot about where each of the real castaways went after the show ended and how the show sat with each of them in the years that followed. We also dove in to try to figure out what it is about this show that makes it so beloved for so many decades beyond when it aired. Is it the wholesomeness of the era? The wacky plotlines? The unlikely friendships? Maybe it’s all of the above.

One thing is for sure you’re sure to be ready to take a three-hour tour of binge-watching old episodes after you listen to our interview. For more scoop or to join the fan club visit: www.gilligansisle.com