Newhouse School Professor Robert Thompson was recently featured on “NBC Nightly News” for his lecture series that utilizes classic television to bridge generational gaps and encourage conversation. The segment, produced by NBC’s Brian Cheung, a University alumnus, highlights Thompson’s “Tuesdays with Bleier.”
For 18 years, this weekly event has gathered students, faculty, and staff to watch and discuss unedited television broadcasts from the past. Programs such as “Howdy Doody,” “The Flying Nun,” and “The Brady Bunch,” along with early YouTube clips, are explored. These discussions focus on how television has influenced American culture while promoting intergenerational dialogue through shared media experiences.
NBC’s coverage highlighted the emotional and educational effects of the class. One student described how a clip from “Howdy Doody” helped him connect with his grandmother in late-stage dementia. Another student noted that the class provided new ways to relate to her parents through pop culture references, while another brought his parents to one of Thompson’s discussions.
Thompson told NBC, “If you want to understand the country we live in, you have to understand its presidencies, the wars it’s fought, its political parties. But you also have to understand its lawn ornaments, its love songs, and its sitcoms.”
“Tuesdays at Bleier” take place in Thompson’s office in Newhouse 3 every Tuesday at noon and are open to all.
