Brady Bunch's Alice, Ann B. Davis, Dead at 88

Image from Wikipedia

You know, we've got to get used to this you guys. The remaining living stars of our childhood favorite TV shows are all getting up there. Ann B. Davis, Alice of The Brady Bunch was always seemingly a "woman of a certain age," but sort of an indeterminate one. The reality is, she was in her early 40s when the original show was on the air, just eight years older than star Florence Henderson (who is 80 herself). 

Davis apparently lived on a religious commune of some sort, though I don't recall ever hearing anything judgmental or self-righteous being attributed to her. She never married, not even Sam the butcher. But she always seemed--in any appearance Brady-related or otherwise--to be cheerful and warm. RIP, Ann.

[Excerpt]

Emmy-Winning BRADY BUNCH Actress Ann B. Davis Dies @ 88

Ann B. Davis, famous internationally for the role of lovable maid Alice on The Brady Bunch, died today following a fall in her bathroom. She never regained consciousness after the accident. She was 88. . .
 

Read more at: Boy Culture

 

The Bundy Bunch ( A Rocky Mountain Mike Song Parody)

I'm gonna step right up and say, I don't get the Bundy cattle dispute with the BLM here in Nevada, 85 miles northeast of Las Vegas. I know that the BLM claims Bundy owes $1 million in grazing fees, and that Bundy doesn't want to pay it. I know that Bundy claims the land isn't the federal government's, but I have heard no claim that Bundy owns it himself, only that his family has ranched it since the 1870s. Somehow, this became the teabagger cause of the decade, and I don't get it. Let's see if Rocky Mountain Mike can help. . .
 

Blast from the Past: Foodstuffs (and Food-like Stuff) of the 70s and 80s!

We, as a country, are fat. Big and fat. I myself am finding myself 10 pounds heavier that what used to be my "fat weight." Ugh. How did this happen? Well, of course, the food manufacturers have been combining products (Taco Bell and Velveeta salad dressing?), creating multiple versions of products (3-D Doritos?), and just doing everything they can to make us want to eat their products. Some of them sound insanely good (Bischoff cookie spread?), and others just end up at Big Lots because they sound weird. But few of them will help you stay thin.

Still, it's not like Madison Avenue just thought up marketing. Since the 50s and 60s, food companies have been making all kinds of processed foods and food-like edible products. And by the 70s and 80s, they were firmly in the pop culture consciousness. So why weren't we all fat then? Something to ponder. And while you do, here are some of the items you might have had in your fridge, freezer or pantry back in the 70s and 80s. Most are still around today, but their image was molded (pressed and extruded) there!

1. Chef Boy-Ar-Dee Beefaroni/Beef-O-getti (1970)
2. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (1986) - with William "Refrigerator" Perry
 

3. Swanson Hungry Man Dinners (1973) - with Jeff Conaway
4. Banquet Pre-cooked Fried Chicken (1976)
 

5. Franco-American Spaghetti-Os (1973)
6. Roast 'n Boast Oven Cooking Bag Seasoning Mix (1972) - with Eve Arden. This product was a little known cousin to #7.
 

7. Shake 'n Bake (early 1980s) - with Ann B. Davis of The Brady Bunch
8. Pillsbury "Fun-fetti" Cake Mix and Icing (early 80s) - with the Pillsbury Dough Boy
 

And now, I'm hungry. Oh well, have a great week everyone. Happy Monday!

Celebrate Fake Jan Day, January 2!

Image from source, Wikipedia

OK, this is just goofy fun, but a very well made little video. If you grew up on The Brady Bunch, you might be aware--then again, maybe not--that Eve Plumb who played Jan Brady, opted out of The Brady Bunch Hour. That variety show abomination aired a few years after the original was cancelled, and was basically Donny & Marie with Bradys instead of Osmonds.

It was so bad, that it is quite simply amazing it ever got on the air in the first place. So, good on you, Ms. Plumb. Of course, if "Fake Jan" gets her own day on January 2, what about "Fake Cindy" and "Fake Marcia?" After all, Susan Olsen opted out of A Very Brady Christmas, and Maureen McCormack avoided the Eight is Enough-like The Bradys. None of the Brady boys was too proud to appear in those travesties. So, who says blondes are dumb?



Found at: Kenneth in the (212)

Separated at Birth: Seth MacFarlane and Christopher Knight

This is just a frivolous post to point out something I noticed (likely others have too). I was reading about Seth MacFarlane, the creator/writer/voice of Family Guy, American Dad! and the upcoming Cleveland Show. I found it most interesting that he was booked on American Flight 11 on September 11, 2001, but missed the flight both due to bad information and a hangover.

While his cartoons have their critics, I'm a fan of both, and think it's amazing how close we came to barely knowing who he is. McFarlane seems to take it in stride, and it is true that we all come close to death many times in our lives (probably more often than we know). This is just one of those times that was huge.

Anyway, that all has absolutely nothing to do with Christopher Knight of The Brady Bunch. It's just a little window into how my brain works. Knight has turned a kid's sitcom from the 70s into a life-long career, with nearly all of his fame based on that one silly show. Or rather, one silly show, countless spinoffs and reality show tie-ins. But Knight, like McFarlane seems pretty affable too, and doesn't seem to take himself very seriously (and he was terrific on Celebrity Circus!). While I know they don't look exactly alike, they do look more alike than the various girls who stood in for the Brady sisters in all those various spinoffs!

Other Separated at Birth Posts:

Sarah Palin Looks Like?
Featured Blog: Totally Looks Like (Cindy McCain and Borg Queen from Star Trek) Cindy McCain Plagiarizes Recipes? (Cindy McCain and Jane Badler, Diana of V)
Separated at Birth: John McCain & Lon Chaney, Sr.
Horrible Monster or Presidential Candidate? (Fred Thompson and Movie Monsters)
Separated at Birth: Obscure Celebrity Edition
Sean Hannity & Lou Costello Separated at Birth

Ten Commandments on a Sesame Seed Bun

Photo from source, WorldNetDaily.com

I'm not at all surprised by this story. I am agnostic, but I am fairly well versed in religion--particularly Christianity. I usually clean up in the Jeopardy! religion questions, even in double-jeopardy. But, if pressed, I'm positive that I couldn't name all of the ten commandments. Could you?

On the other hand, what's on a Big Mac? Without even looking it up, "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun!" The Brady Bunch family members? Carol, Mike, Bobby, Peter, Greg, Marcia, Jan and Cindy. And let's not forget Alice the maid, and Tiger the dog.

But as an agnostic, the full list of the ten commandments is of little importance. I am aware that only a few of them have anything to do with morality. Most are just God on an ego-trip: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me!" Kinda makes you think that God is acknowledging the actual existence of other gods, doesn't it?

But, Christians allege that these are the fundamental building blocks of a moral life. Following the ten commandments isn't a suggestion, it's Christian law. Makes you wonder why more Christians aren't up on what the laws are then, doesn't it?

UPDATE: I just took the test, and got 90%. It's multiple choice, which helps. If you'd like to test your knowledge, click this link, and scroll to the bottom of the page: http://www.epicstoriesofthebible.com/challenge.php

[Excerpt]

Americans know Big Macs better than Ten Commandments

NEW YORK, (Reuters Life!) - How many of The Ten Commandments can you name? Put to the test, Americans recalled the seven ingredients of a McDonald's Big Mac hamburger and members of TV's "The Brady Bunch" more easily than the Bible's Ten Commandments.

A survey by Kelton Research found 80 percent of 1,000 respondents could name the burger's primary ingredient -- two all-beef patties -- but less than six in 10 knew the commandment "thou shalt not kill."

Read the rest at: Reuters.com

Or, if you like your news from the far right: WorldNetDaily.com