AS A CHILD in the Pittsburgh '60s, the only thing better than a snow day from school was appearing on Ricki and Copper. The show aired each weekday morning on Channel 4 but was videotaped at the studio several days before so the children could see themselves on TV--and also, no doubt, so the producers could edit out any kid who cried for Mommy.

I was a 5-year-old in kindergarten when I made my starring appearance. That was the average age of a Ricki and Copper kid. The show took place on a woodland set constructed inside a Channel 4 studio. Each episode featured half a dozen children or so; one by one, each child would appear on camera with Ricki and her golden retriever, Copper (who died during the run of the show and was replaced by the younger Copper Penny, although I wonder if the kids would have know the difference).

You would sit on a log, tell Ricki your name and where you lived, answer a few questions about your hobbies and interests, then sing a little song and tell a little joke. Ricki, of course, would always "give up" on your joke, and Mr. Boom Man, a boom microphone with a hat and mustache, would rumble laughter when you told Ricki the punch line. Then you would go sit around a picnic table to wait. When all the kids had finished, Ricki would sing "Happy Birthday" using everyone's name in the song.

Then we'd eat cake.