The Joy of Big Comfy Couch
Diana Campos
In an effort to revisit the kind and joyous memories of my past during trying times, I suddenly looked up from my screen and was met with the small eyes of my sweet Molly doll sitting right across from me. Almost as if the giant personality she had in the show was about to jump out and surprise me. Looking into her sweet, tiny face made me want to revisit the wonderful joy that is the show The Big Comfy Couch on PBS. A show that catered to childhood programming was surrounded by clowns, including the wonderful Loonette and Molly, our favorite clown, and her dolly, and all her clown neighbors in Clowntown. Always getting us ready to “get ready to clown around” and have us travel down the dream-like nostalgia we once knew.
Graphic by Kiera Davidson
This show never failed to make me feel comfortable as I grew up; I mean, it’s right in the name. Through the magic of television, I felt the comfort, the charisma, and the joyousness through the energy the show sprinkled onto me. From the catchy intro tune to Loonette’s clock stretch and the big couch, the infectious joy made it impossible not to smile and feel connected to the show's warmth.
The theme intro is lodged inside my brain, every lyric still vivid and ready to recite. The energetic tune clears the way for what’s to come in each episode. The playful page-flipping transitions, revealing the characters with a nod to reading and literature, make the intro visually captivating and instantly recognizable, adding to its charm.
When the clock-stretching segment began, I would plop down on the floor like Loonette and copy every move she made as she basically transformed herself into the hands of a clock. It was engaging as a little girl, and it still engages me now every time I just want some comforting in the background or maybe get myself to stand up and join Loonette in her daily stretches.
I can still picture myself wishing my family’s couch was just like Loonette’s, stashing treasures between the cushions and putting on grand reveals for an audience only I could see. I longed for those mischievous dust bunnies to spring to life beneath that oversized, cozy couch, just like Loonette’s. For kids brimming with curiosity and wild ideas, the couch’s delightful weirdness made the whole show unforgettable.
Growing up, clowns were always weird, strange, and a bit scary to me, but I also had an immense fondness for the child-like whimsy of Loonette the Clown. There’s a certain type of magical effect she had on many young viewers; you just felt that spark. The show was all about exploring emotions and humanity in ways children, as I once was, could interpret and replicate after its timeslot ended that weekday. Who knew a clown would be able to show me and many others what it is to be human on this planet?
The charm of the show is never-ending, from humble beginnings to residing permanently in the hearts of many. So let’s go ahead and just grab a blanket every once in a while, grab that sweet Molly doll, and plop ourselves right onto that big comfy couch and just have a good time, whether you’re younger or older.
