The University of Dayton's National Alumni Association has added 13 of Erma Bombeck's "Good Morning America" segments to its popular online Erma Bombeck Online Museum (www.ErmaMuseum.org).
DAYTON, OH (PRWEB) February 19, 2004 -- The University of Dayton's National Alumni Association has added 13 of Erma Bombeck's "Good Morning America" segments to its popular online Erma Bombeck Online Museum (www.ErmaMuseum.org).
Erma Bombeck would have celebrated her 77th birthday on Feb. 21, but the gift of her humor lives on because of an online museum created by the University of Dayton with the Bombeck family. Bombeck graduated from UD in 1949. Her syndicated column was carried by 700 newspapers prior to her death of kidney disease in 1996.
"Each year on Erma's birthday we add items to the Erma Bombeck Online Museum," said Tim Bete, humor columnist (www.TimBete.com) and museum curator. "It's our way of honoring Erma and giving her millions of fans something to help remember her. This year we've added 13 of Erma's Good Morning America segments." The museum can be found at www.ErmaMuseum.org.
Bombeck entertained Good Morning America (GMA) viewers from 1975 to 1986 with three-minute bits of her zany twist on life. Eventually, she produced longer interviews with celebrities, including Zsa Zsa Gabor (whom she interviewed in Zsa Zsa's king-size bed) and comedienne Phyllis Diller. Bombeck was one of the original members of the GMA cast, which included David Hartman, Rona Barrett, Jonathan Winters and Geraldo Rivera.
The 13 video clips in the online museum feature Erma discussing picky eaters, trying her hand at the slippery sport of curling and explaining why people think they are younger than they actually are. Erma also tests some of the most innovative -- and strange -- chairs on the market and laments the revenge of the Thanksgiving turkey. In one of her most popular segments, Bombeck describes what she would do differently if she had her life to live over. The newspaper column, on which the TV segment was based, was recently turned into the book "Eat less cottage cheese and more ice cream" (2003, Andrews McMeel Publishing).
After 11 years of simultaneously appearing on GMA, writing newspaper columns and best-selling books, producing and writing a television sitcom and raising her children, Bombeck decided to leave GMA. Twice each week, for more than a decade, she helped millions of viewers start their day.
The Erma Bombeck online museum was launched in Feb. 2002. The museum includes audio and video clips of Erma's family and friends, such as Phil Donahue, Bil Keane, Mike Peters and Liz Carpenter. The museum also contains rare columns and photos, Erma's biography and seven complete episodes of the "Maggie" sitcom Erma wrote and executive produced.
Erma Bombeck graduated from the University of Dayton in 1949 with a degree in English and never forgot that she got her start as a writer at UD. She credited the University of Dayton with preparing her for life and work, for making her believe she could write. The University of Dayton holds the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop (www.HumorWriters.org) every other year to teach and encourage humor and human interest writers. The next workshop will be March 25-27, 2004.
"Erma's impact and legacy is as strong as ever," said Bete. "And, the new additions to the online museum make it an even better place to take a break, remember Erma and laugh."
To watch the online GMA segment, visit http://www.ErmaMuseum.org.
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