Greetings humans, I am the Watcher, a cosmic being whose sole purpose is to observe the events of the universe without ever interfering. In addition to the events of your reality, fate Has sown the fabrics of other realities, places where events did not occur as you are familiar with them. We will gaze onto one such reality this day, as we ponder the question”¦ What If Television Didn’t Exist?! In the 1920’s American Charles Jenkins and Scottish John Baird use research about cathode rays and the transmission of those rays create the first television, and with it a new medium of entertainment. Or so it is in your world. In this reality evil Germans, fed up with reparations their nation is forced to pay, create the ultimate weapon: An electromagnetic pulse bomb, which they set in the heart of Kentucky, since no one would expect villainy to occur there. The bomb renders Jenkin’s prototype television useless. The stress of losing his greatest invention causes such grief in Jenkins that he dies of an immediate heart attack. Saddened that his snuggle buddy is gone, Baird also dies of a heart attack. Their notes are regarded as gibberish and burned.
With the help of the ingenious Einstein, America is able to remedy the effects of the electromagnetic pulse bomb. Einstein expects to get a hearty sum for his diligent work, but alas, he is treated harshly by nationalist Americans.
As in your timeline, Hitler rises to power and creates a Nazi empire. But in this reality, he is allied with an embittered Einstein to lead his team of Nazi scientists. With the superior technology of the Nazi’s, the American’s barely survive the war, and it last far longer, ending in 1954, under the McCarthy Presidency. If not for the anger they felt after the Kentucky Incident of the early 20’s, the Americans would have surely lost. McCarthy took over in 1940, when he was able to convince the country that a cripple was not strong enough to run the country. The ammendment that restricts a president to two terms is never passed.
With the planet wiped out and destroyed, they decided to go to a wondrous, uninhabited planet known as”¦. Earth!!! Wait, that’s the Twilight Zone.
Here, President McCarthy has turned America into a fascist nation. In 1960, due to immense sickness, McCarthy asks his vice president, Richard M. Nixon to be the Republican candidate for the presidency. The democrats foolishly choose John F. Kennedy to oppose him. When the debates are broadcast on radio, Kennedy’s jarring New England dialect is deemed unintelligible by many listeners, whereas Nixon is seen as bold, confident, even suave.
Nixon gains supreme control of all radio and newsreel production facilities to further propagate his image and policies. Nixon pushes images of an evil Vietnam and beautifies the Civil Right’s movement so that the public is oblivious to how bad things really are across the country.
Four guys in Liverpool who we’re famous in your reality are poor street musicians in this one. One of them still marries a filthy Asian wacko and gets shot in the street. Some things were just meant to be.
Children are far better off in this reality, both physically and mentally, matching Nietzche’s model for the ubermensch. Sports only exists on the regional level, and the national pastime is reading.
Nixon begins the Vietnam War in 1967 much to the chagrin of the repressed liberals, who fail to find a formidable candidate who can beat Nixon.
Nixon never gets impeached, as he is presented as a kind and gentle leader who loves the country. He does pass away in 1978, after eating some poisoned lobster. His vice president, Ronald Reagan immediately takes over. Since films are never challenged by other forms of visual media, the image of Reagan is also that of a benevolent folk hero.
There is far less alcohol consumption on this world since people actually go out and do things and as such, the writer you have come to known as Michael Lawrence who normally fills this slot I am currently writing is, was never born. His parents ended up going separate ways and marrying people they actually like.
In 1988, Reagan is taken out of office, by the young strapping politician, Ted Danson, who along with his running mate Ed Asner, and Secretary of State David Hasselhoff form an executive triumvirate that wows the nation. These men, who were all radio stars bring about a prosperous time unlike that ever seen.
And the Danson/Asner administration rules over the country well into this day.
There were more details I could have discussed considering this reality, but my duties are numerous and take eons to accomplish. Your earthling friend Michael Lawrence shall be back next week. Farewell humans, and keep watching the skis.
