The animation was from Jim Simon's Wantu Studio. Simon was one of the first black animators to break out into his own studio. The show focused on multi-cultural, multi-racial issues geared toward teaching children about the wider scope of the world and it's inhabitants.
But, what most people seem to remember about the show is that is had a very strong undercurrent (ok, so it was not really even an undercurrent, but full-blown trippy) of psychedelic themes, colors, and images. The opening segment had distorted animation of diverse people singing and playing in a band. There was a dancing spoon and a bowl.
Undisputedly the most disturbing sequence was a story involving creepy puppet children who fashioned a spaceship from a metal trashcan and brooms and vacuum cleaners. For some reason I remember them as marionettes, though they weren't. Or, at least, this is my memory of the show. The segment was called "Outerscope II".
There were various Real People, What Would You Do and Know Yourself segments. An array of different cultures, creeds, and generations were presented in the light of tolerance and inclusion - the understanding that we are all different and that we should learn to embrace those differences. The timing of this program was right for the issues of the day. Those of you who are insistent upon being politically correct may be interested to hear the different terms that were used to refer to the different races and cultures in the late 70's and early 80s. Terminology has changed.
As obscure as the program is, it also boasts some pretty impressive talent. Bette Midler, for example, was the voice of Woody the Spoon who introduced (and sometimes narrated) the cooking segments. James Earl Jones earned a voice credit on at least one episode.
Please, join in a discussion on Vegetable Soup. Share your thoughts and feelings with others who remember the experience. Please visit us on the new, improved forums: http://veggiesoup.suddenlaunch3.com/
If anyone has memories about the program Vegetable Soup that they would like to share, please contact me at angie@disorganized-mayhem.com. Any additional information would be much appreciated. Especially helpful would be any related images or taped episodes of the program.