Randy Hamilton was picked to take over as host. Episodes with Hamilton were taped from January until September 1979. In an event Randy Hamilton termed "an unusual coincidence", Hamilton was chosen as the new host of Kids Are People Too in 1981, after Michael Young quit. Hamilton was selected based on clips of his time as the Bananaz host, provided to ABC by producer Burt Dubrow. At the time of the program's debut, the preschool-oriented Pinwheel was the flagship property of QUBE's C-3 channel. When the C-3 channel was expanded and renamed Nickelodeon in 1979, Bananaz was broadcast on Nickelodeon as part of an initiative to create programming for all child age groups. Bananaz was integral to the formation of Nickelodeon, described by The Times as part of the channel's "nucleus" in 1980. Lew Anderson, portrayer of Clarabell the Clown on Howdy Doody from 1954 to 1960, appeared in character as Clarabell on a 1978 episode. He broke a 25-year tradition by removing his face paint for teenagers in the audience who had watched Howdy Doody reruns as children. After the episode aired, Anderson stated that he "wouldn't have done it" if the audience had been young children as opposed to teenagers. Awards and nominations In 1980, Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment and program creator Burt Dubrow received an "Excellence in Entertainment" award from the National Cable & Telecommunications Association for America Goes Bananaz. Later the same year, the series received the ACE Award for "Best Entertainment Program." References 1980s American television talk shows 1977 American television series debuts 1980 American television series endings English-language television shows 1970s Nickelodeon original programming 1980s Nickelodeon original programming Television shows filmed in Ohio