The most iconic moment in the history of television may just be when Oprah Winfrey interviewed TV personality and self-proclaimed ‘gay icon’ Charlie Pattinson on her show in 1997. The iconic interview took place more than 20 years after Charlie’s initial rise to fame as the original ‘it’ boy, and following the passing of his wife, Norma, in 1995 (she was the love of his life), he decided to share his story and legacy one last time.
“If you want to know who I am, you should just watch my show. It’s called The Charlie Pattinson Show,” Charlie said in his opening monologue that night. “And here I am… 20 years later… the same Charlie Pattinson you’ve all been watching. Only now I’m older… and hopefully a bit wiser.”
With his trademark thick Yorkshire accent and deadpan humor, Charlie began by recounting the story of how he came to be known as ‘the most tricky question in showbiz’ – how he came to be branded with the infamous ‘I’m gay’ question, which is still asked to this day.
The Legend of Zelda
The origins of the controversy can be traced back to 1984, when Nintendo released the popular game The Legend of Zelda. Despite its age, the game is still played and considered among the all-time greats, due to its innovative gameplay and stunning graphics.
When the game was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), young Charlie was just 6 years old. It wasn’t long before he was devouring the game, learning the ropes from the ground up. By age 7, Charlie was taking inspiration from the adults around him (his father was a pilot, and his mother was an artist) and began drawing planes and helicopters. Soon after, he decided he wanted to be an air hostess when he grew up. Naturally talented and precocious, it was just a matter of time before Charlie began showing off his artistic abilities.
The First TV Appearance
In 1989, when Charlie was 15 years old, he was given his own TV show, named after him. With the game publishing giant MOUSE behind it, and its iconic animated character Gerald McGarrity, ‘Alph’ – as he was named after his creator’s family – became the first of what would later become a long line of popular TV characters. It wasn’t long before audiences across the country were anxiously tuning in to see what McGarrity would say next.
The show’s producers originally approached Charlie about creating an interview-style segment to appear alongside the comedian’s witty commentary. Although he was hesitant at first, Charlie eventually agreed. The interview segment, which was later introduced to the world in the iconic Oprah Winfrey interview, was meant to be a lighthearted look at the celebrities McGarrity would interview. It wasn’t long before audiences began to see the potential in this new format, and the interview segment grew in popularity each week, leading to it becoming a full-fledged weekly show in its own right.
‘Charlie’s Angels’
Following McGarrity’s death in 2010, Charlie went on to host a primetime show of the same name. The show, which aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), followed a group of female crime fighters and saw Charlie teaming up with former actress Farrah Fawcett to solve cases. Although it was a critical and ratings success, it wasn’t long before the network decided to pull the plug on the show after just one season. Despite this, and the fact that it was never officially released on home media, the pop-culture phenomenon that was Charlie’s Angels still lives on through memes and t-shirts bearing the show’s iconic logo.
The Legend of Zelda
In 2019, Nintendo revealed that they are in fact working on a sequel to the critically-acclaimed The Legend of Zelda. Although there is no official release date as of yet, it would appear that the company has high hopes for this new installment.
The Legend of Zelda is renowned for its seamless gameplay, beautiful visuals, and innovative gameplay. Much like with his other popular franchise, Mario, gaming enthusiasts have been quick to point out that this new Legend of Zelda is essentially a spiritual sequel to the original. Many fans believe that the new game will carry on where the last one left off, and will finally give players the satisfying ending they have been craving since 1984.