Zoom Vacuum

There's only one reason we remember the 1970's version of the WGBH children's show ZOOM: we auditioned and they never called us back, the bastards.

Turns out that we didn't really miss out. These were the days of a truly non-commercial PBS.

Apparently, no cast member lasted more than two years, and parents had to sign an agreement barring their children from doing commercials for five years, and from appearing on television at all for three years after leaving ZOOM.

Well, we wanted to be a child star, but what did we know? At that age, we were actually envious of Janet Jackson.

Zoom Vacuum

There's only one reason we remember the 1970's version of the WGBH children's show ZOOM: we auditioned and they never called us back, the bastards.

Turns out that we didn't really miss out. These were the days of a truly non-commercial PBS.

Apparently, no cast member lasted more than two years, and parents had to sign an agreement barring their children from doing commercials for five years, and from appearing on television at all for three years after leaving ZOOM.

Well, we wanted to be a child star, but what did we know? At that age, we were actually envious of Janet Jackson.