Easy Like Sunday Morning

It isn’t a Sunday morning without CBS News Sunday Morning. Focusing on art and culture, Sunday Morning is the finer things club of the television landscape, and I have been watching my entire life. Reading the headlines may lead to the conclusion that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. The cure? Sunday Morning. Wynton Marsalis’ opening trumpet is a call for humanity, reminding us of what we all have in common.

Sunday Morning feels different than any other television show. Today alone the stories ranged from a profile of Julianne Moore to the technology of hearing aids to the Alvin Ailey dance company to the lure of mermaid lore. Truly something for everyone. And the stories are given room to breathe, lasting more than just a couple of minutes. With its’ eye often turned to the arts, it is probably no wonder that I am attached to the show.  Authors, musicians, dancers, actors, visual artists and architects all get their due on Sunday Morning. The best in their field share their motivation, their process, their struggles and their triumphs.

And then, of course, there is the humor. In my formative years, Bill Geist’s forays into the lesser known, slightly eccentric, hobbies and events around the country were the highlight of the show. I vividly recall a story about individuals who collect toasters. Toasters. Who knew antique toasters were so fascinating? Now it is often a story from Mo Rocca or commentary from Jim Gaffigan or Nancy Giles that strikes the funny bone. Recognizing the importance of humor in everyday life is not to be underestimated. 

Each episode of Sunday Morning ends with a Moment in Nature. No voiceover, no music, just the natural sounds of the environment. It may be mountain goats, fish in a stream, a coral reef or cacti in the desert. The simplicity of the segment and the beauty of the natural world being highlighted combine to provide a brief respite from reality.

Certain pieces of pop culture frame your childhood memories. For me, this includes starting my Sundays with Sunday Morning and finishing them with Wishbone after swim practice. With Entertainment Weekly announcing a transition to a monthly publication I am crossing my fingers that Sunday Morning remains sacred. "Friday Night" just doesn’t have the same ring to it.