Posts Tagged ‘Buttons’


Where has the time gone? I just realized that it has been over twelve years since I threw a troop tee shirt on a puppet I own and created Buttons, the radical Boy Scout. It honestly does not seem that long ago.

On April 17, 2006, I posted a video on YouTube featuring Buttons reciting the Scout Law. Little did I know at the time that he would actually get a small following on the Melrose Scouting Productions channel and my podcast. For the next few years I created more videos featuring the puppet. There were nineteen videos of Buttons by the time I ended creating them.

The videos began very simply with Buttons reciting the Scout Law, Oath, or Outdoor Code. They were getting more elaborate toward the end of the run. There was a video of him exercising. There were videos of Buttons interviewing people involved in Scouting. There were a few videos of him explaining when you know you have been in Scouting too long. There were even videos of Buttons and other puppets telling jokes.

I still Buttons out occasionally to take a few pictures of him in different situations. Last summer I had him on the local disc golf course since Buttons has always stated on the Around The Scouting Campfire podcast that he likes disc golf. I recently posted a few of those pictures in the disc golf subheading on Reddit and surprisingly got a mixed reaction from people. Some people thought it was good fun. Others thought he was wierd. A few did not like him at all.

A couple of the Boy Scouts of Troop 68 think I should create some new videos with Buttons this summer. They even offered to help make the short films. Maybe if we can come up with a few good ideas it just might happen.

Do you think we should create some new videos featuring Buttons, the radical Boy Scout? Leave a comment and let me know. In the meantime, have fun watching the very first video featuring the radical puppet.

Most Boy Scouts realize very quickly when they start camping with a troop, that if they want a campfire in the evening they better prepare the firewood during the day. If the Scout does not find and cut the wood needed early on his campfire will be a very small and short lived one. The darkness comes sooner and becomes thicker.  (Dum, dum, dum)

Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, is not one who shuns his duties on a troop outing. He loves to sit around an evening campfire as much as the next guy does. He knows that when it is his turn to prepare the campfire he needs to take the time to gather the fuel, and then cut it into pieces so that it is ready to be used. He knows how to use the tools in a safe area, and to use them without any other Scouts in harm’s way.

ButtonsDisplay1It has been awhile since Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, has shown up for anything. He has been laying low and taking it easy. Even his Facebook page and Twitter accounts were not seeing much action. But this month, things changed a bit and he was active once again. He has been busy assisting with display for the local School Night To Join Scouting, or as the councils in the state of Minnesota called it, Rocket Into Scouting! Here are a few pictures of Buttons hard at work putting that display together. He was also in attendance during the evening with his display, greeting the boys into the grand world of Cub Scouting.

 

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Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, has unofficially been the mascot of the Melrose Scout Productions podcast and the Around The Scouting Campfire podcast. He has even made guest appearances on the MISS Show and Akela’s Adventure. This puppet has his own Twitter and Facebook accounts. It has been awhile since he has been in a podcast, and he has not been very active online lately. I guess he has been busy doing other things.

Last month, the Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 went to Camp Stearns for a weekend. Although Buttons did not attend he did come up during a discussion during one of the meals. I was quite surprised when one of the Scouts admitted he did not like Buttons very much and found him to be freaky. When this Scout’s father wanted him to stand next to Buttons for a photo during the scoutmaster retirement party in February the Scout refused, until he father TOLD him to stand next to the radical one.

When I asked the Scout why he did not like Buttons he compared it to how some people find clowns to be scary. It reminded me of a comment made by the caretaker of the American Legion as we decorated for the retirement party. This grown woman also found the puppet to be a little unnerving and told me to be sure to take it home after the ceremony. She did not want to walk into the meeting hall the following day and scare herself if she found Buttons standing off to one side of the room.

The only time I have ever noticed anyone afraid of Buttons is when he has been around young children. Sometimes the little ones come running up to him, but others times they stay close to their parents and are shy around the radical one. It has been rare to find a Boy Scout or adult who wants to avoid him.

How do you feel about Buttons, the radical Boy Scout? What does your Cub Scout or Boy Scout think of him? Leave a comment and let us know.

Melrose Scout Productions PodcastButtons, the radical Boy Scout, introduces the Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 as they sing Christmas songs during a couple of December courts of honor (from 2003 and 2007). Join the Scouts as they sing a couple of Christmas favorites: Jingle Bells and Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer. (And stick around until the very end for an outtake of Buttons’ intro.)

Everyone at the Melrose Scout Productions Podcast and Melrose Boy Scout Troop 68 wish you and yours a safe and very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! See you in 2011!

Fa la la la la, la la la la!

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or watch it at MSPP channel at PTC Media.

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Now, this would be a job Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, would have loved to have. Interviewing Mike Rowe, the Eagle Scout who stars on the television show Dirty Jobs. Scouting magazine’s blog, the Cracker barrel, recently posted about a video in which two young Boy Scouts interviewed the tv star. The boys did a great job, even though Mike seemed to be doing his best to make them laugh. After watching it, I began to wonder how the interview would have turned out if Buttons had been the one to conduct the interview. I can see it now…

Buttons – “So dude, what brings you to the Jamboree?”
Mike – “Well that depends. What’s your name?”
Buttons – “Like, I am Buttons, the radical Boy Scout.”
Mike – “See Buttons, I don’t have conversations with people who don’t introduce themselves first.”
Buttons – “What dude? Like, you don’t know who I am? I am the most awesome Boy Scout here at the Jamboree. I thought a celebrity of your stature would know that.”

…and the interview would probably go downhill from there.

Here is the actual video:

The Eagle Scout theme continues with Around The Scouting Campfire #15. The show begins with Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, looking through the Troop 68 photo albums. This leads to Scoutmaster Steve explaining his methods of creating a slideshow to be shown at an Eagle Scout’s court of honor. Michael, an Boy Scout from Troop 68, shares his thoughts and a story or two about how he became an Eagle Scout. Buttons shares some facts about Eagle Scouts, along with a few jokes. Then it is time for a scoutmaster conference about a Scout being cheerful.

Steve and Buttons thank PTC Media (http://www.ptcmedia.net) for allowing this program to be a part of the family of Scouting related podcasts. We also thank the Boy Scout Store (http://boyscoutstore.com) for sponsoring this show. Be sure to take a moment to check out their website. Finally, we would like to thank you, our listeners, for downloading Around The Scouting Campfire.

Send us your emails. We would love to hear from you. You can contact Buttons at buttonst68@yahoo.com. You may contact Scoutmaster Steve at stevejb68@yahoo.com. Please rate the show and/or leave a comment at the iTunes store or at PTC Media forums.
You can also follow the hosts at Twitter at twitter.com/stevejb68 or twitter.com/buttonst68
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Download episode #15 by clicking HERE.
Subscribe to the RSS Feed – http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MelroseScoutingAudioPodcast
This podcast is found on iTunes at
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=307979159.
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Show notes:
Eagle Scout Slideshows – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/blog/?p=278
Speech of Eagle Scout Michael S. – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/blog/?p=365

Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, return in episode twelve of the Around The Scouting Campfire podcast. Listen in as the guys talk about how the Scouting program was discovered by William D. Boyce during a trip to London in the early 1900’s. There are quotes from Lord Baden-Powell. The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 perform the radio skit. Buttons reads the last letter to Scouts from Lord Baden-Powell. There is even a short story from an early National Jamboree.

Steve and Buttons thank PTC Media ( http://www.ptcmedia.net ) for allowing this program to be a part of their family of Scouting related podcasts. We would also like to thank the Boy Scout Store ( http://boyscoutstore.com ) for sponsoring this show. be sure to check out their website.
Finally, we would like to thank you, the listeners, for downloading Around The Scouting Campfire and sending us your emails. You can contact Buttons at buttonst68@yahoo.com. You may contact Scoutmaster Steve at stevejb68@yahoo.com. Please rate the show and/or leave a comment at the iTunes store or at PTC Media forums.
Download episode by clicking HERE.
RSS Feed – http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MelroseScoutingAudioPodcast
This podcast is found on iTunes at
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=307979159
and is a member of the family of Scouting themed podcasts at PTC Media found at http://www.ptcmedia.net/
Show notes:

The story of how Scouting came to America is from the 1943 edition of the Boy Scout handbook.
The Radio Skit can be seen at Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast #70 – http://feeds2.feedburner.com/melrosescoutingproductions
Buttons’ reading of the last letter to Scouts from Lord Baden-Powell can be seen at Melrose Scouting Productions #50.