I learned it by watching YOU!

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Drugs are bad. We all know that, and so someone has to find a way to convince the next generation that messing about with smack and crack can seriously ruin your life. The Partnership for a Drug - Free America knows just how to get down with the yoof, and identify with kids so they can understand the message. Such as showing this 1980s classic on nationwide TV.

Every teenager knows how this one goes, don't they? You're rocking out with your comically clunky headphones and radio set, when in comes '80s Father, complete with lurid tie and carpet brush moustache. He's found your little party stash, and you are BUSTED! Never mind the question of how a teenage boy got hold of that amount of drugs. I suspect this kid is moonlighting as the dealer for his entire class at school, but that hasn't occurred to Drugbuster Dad. He demands answers, which our young hero doesn't have (well, could you have told someone why you used drugs at that age?) and finally gets one:

"Who taught you how to do this stuff?"
"YOU, all right! I learned it by watching you!"

There's no answer to that one, is there? It's a mighty irresponsible parent who says "Come over here, Johnny, and I'll show you how to roll a spliff!" More likely he learned from an older kid at school, but we can see that dad's nerves are rattled at being called out on his own drug use. Parents who use drugs have children who use drugs, or who smoke or shoplift or light their farts in the middle of the supermarket. Insert other illegal, dangerous or morally dubious activity here.

As silly as this one is, it's become a treasured part of US TV history, and been parodied on every show from Scrubs to Robot Chicken. And the message is still a good one. Don't show off to your kids about how "hip" and "groovy" you are because you once smoked a joint when you were a student, and for goodness' sake don't use drugs in front of young children. Having grown up with a friend whose "bohemian" parents treated the house like an opium den, I can assure you it isn't pretty.