The Big Joe Polka Show

It's Wednesday night, what are you going to do tonight?

For the blogmeister, it means I get to watch my newest guilty pleasure, the Big Joe Polka Show on RFD-TV, the channel home of cattle auctions, reruns of Porter Wagoner's show, Pop! Goes The Country and other fine rural-oriented programming.

I discovered this show a few weeks ago...and was hooked. It was either the bands on the show, the music or it's infectious theme song...

"Ho Ho Ho, it's time for Jolly Joe...."

As I write, it is permananently stuck in my head....listen to a snippet, I dare you.

But the program's biggest star itself is Big Joe Siedlik of Omaha, Nebraska....he also hosted a very popular polka radio show of the same name back in the day.

The show itself is a cross of American Bandstand, The Lawrence Welk Show and lots of polka music of all genres. It is usually filmed on location in places like Medina, MN; Branson, MO and New Braunfels, TX featuring different polka bands from the USA.

On this episode, the band roster has the Round Top Brass Band, the Czech Friends Band, Chmielewski Funtime Band, Vrazel's Polka Band and below is the Loehnig German Band.

Bust out the leiderhosen, and fight for your the right to party!

And what is also fun is watching the camera shots of the crowd waltzing and dancing.

Hey....is that President Abraham Lincoln dancing to the Orange Blossom Special?!

Who needs Dancing With The Stars, you can tell from this picture that these wild and crazy kids are outta control!

In my opinon, Big Joe's show can be corny, but it's also good clean family entertainment, and lots of fun. Our master of ceremonies describes polka music as "Happy Music for Happy People" and this show will put a smile on your face. In a way, he reminds me alot like Lawrence....a man who loves to entertain, put on a show and make us folks happy.

Also, you can check out Big Joe's webpage at Polka Catalog.com, his advertisements appear often during the broadcast and has quite a collection of CDs and tapes of polka bands you can purchase.

Until next time, to quote the big guy himself when he puts a kabash on his show, "Keep a smile on your face, a polka beat in your heart, God bless you all and ho-ho-ho away we go!"