Father Of T.V. Dinners Dies! Mourning Starts In 30 Minutes (15 For Microwaves)

The most important man in the world, Gerry Thomas,the inventor of the T.V. dinner in the 1950's has died. Without him, unmarried men throughout the world would have starved nearly to death, probably ending their lives face down in a chicken bucket.

Thomas gave us good, economical and tasty meals that required no preparation (except in the old days you had to take off the tin foil over the dessert. Perhaps that was a law in one state, like not removing furniture tags, and he just incorporated it into the whole line). You shoved them into the oven for half an hour, and then you had a glorious meal of chicken or beef along with a nice vegetable and dessert. You then placed it on another wonderful invention, the T.V. tray, and paradise reigned while you ate your meal, alone, in front of your television, as the world passed you by (outside my window. I lived near a travel agency).

T.V. dinners were only a short term deal for men, however. Once they found that certain woman, she would turn out wonderful home cooked meals for a few years. And then it was back to the T.V. dinners. But at least she ate them with you.

By the 1980's the dinners became more sophisticated, being microwavable and including a better variety of meats and sides. By the time 1980 came along, single men home from work could pop a Swanson Dinner in the machine and have a complete deluxe meal less than 15 minutes later.

And then we would pull out our trays, set up in the living room, and watch T.V. and eat alone. But cable made our lives worth living by then, what with wresting from Atlanta and such.

So long, T.V. dinner man. Your kind shall not pass this way again. But we shall be sure to remember the smell.

Joe