Plots / Story Lines - General Topics The Roots of Shep's Tales

Flick Lives

Everyone knows that Shep had a friend named Flick - you know - the kid who stuck his tongue to the pole in "A Christmas Story" Shep always liked to do something that involved his listeners. In the 50's he had 'millings', hurled invectives, and even got a book published because of fan involvement. He even created a phrase by which all his "Night People" could identify themselves to each other - "Excelsior! You Fathead!" In the later part of the sixties he would often tell everyone to go out and write "Flick Lives" on the blackboard in school or on a subway sign. Soon it began turning up all over and just recently turned up on the ABC news ticker at Times Square during the 2001 New Year's celebration. Here is a typical excerpt from one of his shows - thanks to Gene Bergmann for the transcript: December 11, 1967: "Hey listen. I'm going to give you - all you kid-types out there - you have an assignment. If you want to cause a little problem out there. I want every one of you kids - underground-type kids - you're living in a whole great fantastic collection of Yahoos who listen - to a man - listen every night to Cousin Brucie. I'll tell you what you want to do. Just put, wherever you can, in the school john or on the bulletin board, just one single line - just say, "Flick lives!" That's all. Say nothing. "Flick lives." Just let it hang there. On those Clairol signs on the subway, you know, where it says, "Only her hairdresser knows," you just write under there, in simple, stark language, "Flick lives."