On this day (September 10th), 1935, Popeye was aired on NBC radio.  By that time, polls showed his popularity had surpassed that of Mickey Mouse – by a small margin, but a margin all the same. 

I don’t know about you, but that funny-looking-fellow holds a special place in my heart.  My brother and I watched him on television.  My grampa would scrunch his face and chortle like him, to make us laugh – which it always did, without fail.  And my brother couldn’t quite pronounced his name, so it came out Peye-peye.  To this day, when I’m eating spinach, I say, “Mmmm … I’m gonna be strong!  Like Peye-peye the sailor-man!”  Can’t be helped. 

It just goes to show, a character doesn’t have to beautiful or profound to touch lives.

So here’s to popeye-

For making us laugh …

inspiring us eat our veggies …

giving us memories …

thank you!