( The Family Feud Shirt )

“I grew up in Darmstadt, a mid-size town in Germany. My parent’s house was located in the vicinity of some large US army barracks, which meant that we were one of the few lucky households being able to receive American Forces Network. It was the days before cable & satellite TV, so choices were rather limited and I made it my mission to suck in anything new and unknown.”

Very quickly one of my favourites was a slightly cheesy but to me very fascinating quiz show called ‘Family Feud’. The concept was simple but catchy: two families competing against each other, trying to guess the most popular answers to survey questions given to 100 people. It became my daily habit after school to make myself comfortable on our living room carpet, mostly equipped with a snack and a drink, and watch the show. It enlarged my English vocabulary and I got a little peak into America, a to me unknown country that back then seemed very exciting and desirable.

Years later, when I travelled the US as a student, I found to my great delight at one of my thrift store visits this bright yellow ‘Family Feud’ T-shirt in the $1 bin. Ever since, it has accompanied me to the different places in the world that I have lived and worked in. Wearing it always brings back some (bitter)sweet memories of those important and formative years in Germany, between a protected childhood and adolescence.

I usually don’t get many comments on the shirt, as I believe most people neither ever heard of the show, nor share my fascination for (American) pop-culture. But once in a while, I earn myself a knowing smile and a nod accompanied by “Aaah, Family Feud!”.

( Dirk )
( China )