Demo, The Happiness Club TV Show Doin' it right

thumbnail of Demo, The Happiness Club TV Show Doin' it right
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Program
Demo, The Happiness Club TV Show Doin' it right
Producing Organization
Happiness Club
Chicago Production Center
WTTW (Television station : Chicago, Ill.)
Spirit of Play
Contributing Organization
The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia (Athens, Georgia)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip-526-9p2w37mv29
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Description
Program Description
"The Happiness Club, Doin' It Right is a television show written and performed by a dynamic multi-cultural group of 50 kids who use their talents to tell other kids through music, 'It's ok to be good.' They range in age from 6 to 19 and are from the suburbs of Chicago as well as from the inner city; from the Gold Coast to the Ghetto. The Happiness Club kids write original songs that say 'no' to gangs, drugs and violence and 'yes,' to racial harmony, self esteem and staying in school; performed hip-hop style in a combination of MTV meets Fame. Created by Gigi Faraci Harris, The Happiness Club is a not-for-profit organization with a mission; kids must reach kids to really make an impact. This TV program covers several issues, but the basic theme deals with gangs. It is based on the real experience of Johnny, A Happiness Club dancer, who lives on the west side. He lost three friends in one year because of gangs. His best friend died in his arms after being shot in gang crossfire. Being in The Happiness Club helped Johnny channel his anger into positive experience. Many THC kids have worse problems their audiences, but they can use and learn writing and performing talents to help themselves, and at the same time connect with kids out there who are wrestling with the same issues. The Happiness Club message is clear: 'Kids Make Values Cool.' They do this with their television program, an interactive website, a highly successful and growing educational outreach program to supplement character building programs in and after school in Illinois and soon in Dallas. The Happiness Club also does 60 live performances a year, and has performed for such notables as the President, The First Lady, Colin Powell, The Duchess of York and Tiger Woods. Their performance was even 'cool' enough to open for Mariah Carey and Boyz to Men last summer in Chicago. They've traveled to Washington, D.C., Disney World and have even been invited to Europe and Japan. The mission is to motivate kids to make a difference when they hear such songs as 'Believe in Yourself,' 'It Starts With Me,' and 'Children for the Future.' The values they spread in their hip-hop performances are common worldwide."--1998 Peabody Awards entry form.
Broadcast Date
1998
Asset type
Program
Media type
Moving Image
Duration
00:09:31.704
Credits
Producing Organization: Happiness Club
Producing Organization: Chicago Production Center
Producing Organization: WTTW (Television station : Chicago, Ill.)
Producing Organization: Spirit of Play
AAPB Contributor Holdings
The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia
Identifier: cpb-aacip-16547fe3274 (Filename)
Format: VHS
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Citations
Chicago: “Demo, The Happiness Club TV Show Doin' it right,” 1998, The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed May 13, 2025, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-9p2w37mv29.
MLA: “Demo, The Happiness Club TV Show Doin' it right.” 1998. The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. May 13, 2025. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-9p2w37mv29>.
APA: Demo, The Happiness Club TV Show Doin' it right. Boston, MA: The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-526-9p2w37mv29