The first slide in the opening sequence for Gay Morning America. Photo Credit: Collection #49, Gay Morning America, The LGBT Community Center National History Archive,

For many of us, the television acronym GMA means either Good Morning Australia or Good Morning America. But from 1983-1985 there was another meaning – Gay Morning America.

Gay Morning America was a weekly TV show that ran on public-access cable network in New York City. The first two seasons ran from 7.30-8.30 am on Friday mornings, presumably so that viewers could watch it before heading off to work. The third and final season aired on Saturday mornings and ran for only half an hour at the later time of 11.30 am to noon.

The programme was established by Johnny Pool, who owned the Waverly Waverly piano bar in Greenwich Village, and George Sardi, Johnny Savoy and Lynn Lavner, who performed there. Funding appears to have come from advertising for local venues as well as the Village Apothecary, a pharmacy that specialised in treatments for HIV/AIDS.

Lord Byron (“you can call me By”) Falk, who presented the fitness sessions. Photo Credit: Collection #49 Gay Morning America, The LGBT Community Center National History Archive.

A range of presenters covered a broad range of issues of interest to the local queer community. These included cocktail recipes, theatre reviews, interviews, ‘Girl Talk’ with Lynn Lavner and an exercise segment presented by the intriguingly named Lord Byron Falk. Presentation style was certainly very relaxed; for example, presenters who forgot or fluffed their lines were subjected to a variety of good-natured off-camera comments.

Needless to say, there were a number of items about HIV/AIDS, not least because this was so early in the AIDS crisis. And New York was also a major epicentre for the disease; something that was, sadly, reflected in the deaths of a number of the GMA team including Johnny Savoy and Lord Byron Falk.

George Sardi, one of the founders and presenters of Gay Morning America. Photo Credit: Collection #49, Gay Morning America, LGBT Community Centre National History Archive.

Fortunately their memory lives on in a collection of episodes that are available online at New York’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center National History Archive. Season One is missing, as is most of Season Three, but most of Season Two is available, along with a special on the 1985 Ms Fire Island Pageant (worth watching for Miss Pegasus alone!). Of those episodes that are available, a detailed content and running order is also very helpfully provided.