Thursday, August 25, 2016

Five Guilty Pleasures... Edo Is Correct!






Martinex1: Last month, in the responses for my post of Five Guilty Pleasures, longtime and frequent BAB commenter Edo Bosnar mentioned that there was really nothing to be guilty about in my offerings and that in fact most were quite enjoyable and honorable forms of entertainment.   Well chum, I am here to say, "You are correct!"   I was previously looking at the topic as an exploration of hidden gems and smaller works.    But in this post for August,  I am digging a little deeper and sharing some of the sheer nonsense for which I cannot deny having a fondness.   I hope you all find this a bit more cringe inducing but entertaining nonetheless.


As always, we will take a look at five out of the six categories:  Comics, Movies, Television, Literature, Music and/or Food, and identify the associated guilty pleasures.   So without further ado...


COMICS:  Cap Wolf!   Mark Gruenwald had a great run as the writer on Captain America that spanned about a decade.  His best known contributions to the series may have been stories like "The Bloodstone Hunt" and the addition of Diamondback as a supporting character and love interest for Cap.   However, I have to say I prefer the outlandish Cap Wolf arc (issues #402 - #408) in which Captain America transformed into a werewolf.   It had all of the markings of a B-Movie,  an anything goes approach, or a last ditch effort to break a writer's block.   It was just silly... but I liked every minute of it.   Only here could we see a crazed creature with the nobility of Steve Rogers, still wielding a shield, learning to speak, fighting other lupine Marvel creations, and finally battling the villainous cosmic Star-Wolf.   It has all the shortcomings of early 90's art, but it is a classic in my eyes.   I am willing to bet you won't see this story on the silver screen, but even I was shocked when I saw the action figure. 



TELEVISION:  Battle of the Network Stars!  In November of 1976, American television reached a new apex with the premiere of the pseudo-sports competition between various series' stars representing the ABC, CBS, and NBC networks.    I recently stumbled upon some reruns and was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of this 20th century strange extravaganza.    The show hosted stars like Scott Baio, Richard Hatch, Toni Tennille, Catherine Bach, Lou Ferrigno, Leif Garrett, Greg Evigan, Willie Aames, Erin Gray, David Letterman, William Shatner, Sarah Purcell, Howard Hesseman, Larry Wilcox and countless other actors fighting it out in rubber raft races, games of "Simon Says", tug-of-war, and obstacle courses... what could be better?   Some would say...the dunk tank!   I honestly cannot believe this show ever aired and I doubt it would be possible today.    Between corporate liability and less campy sensibilities, I don't think we will ever see anything like it again.   This belongs in a time capsule and on every DVR!





MOVIES:  Airport '77!  In past posts, I highlighted works from Martin Scorsese and Alfred Hitchcock. One of these things is not like the others!   As the series of four Airport movies stretched across the decade of the 1970s, they continued to get more and more outrageous as disaster movies peaked.    But this one captivated ten-year-old me, and I still cannot turn away whenever it airs.   A luxury airliner full of priceless art and aging Hollywood celebrities finds itself crashed and submerged in the Bermuda Triangle.   There is so much wrong with this film - from Jack Lemmon cast as the heroic pilot to the horrible song the pianist sings to his lone adoring fan.   But it is also so perfect, with Lee Grant chewing the scenery as a scornful and neglected wife and the blundered escape with a bursting pressurized hatch.   It also inexplicably has a scene where one of the hijackers dons a complex costume with a wig, fake mustache, and cheek implants only to have him meet one of his fellow hijackers which runs no risk at all.   Plan a double-feature of Airport '77 and Airport '79: The Concorde if you enjoy disaster movies and movies that are disasters.  



LITERATURE: The Weekly World News!  Okay, "literature" may be a stretch, but it does have words in it.    This supermarket tabloid mainstay offers some of the most creative headlines and stories you will ever see.    A college roommate introduced me to this paper decades ago and it always entertained during late night breaks.  Just thinking about it makes me chuckle.    The samples here speak for themselves.


FOOD:  Bomb Pops!  As a young kid, I would see these advertised on the side of ice cream trucks, but I never had enough to buy one as they were high-end treats that exceeded my pittance of an allowance.   When I finally got my hands on one years later from the penny-store freezer, I was treated to the sugary sensation of Cherry, Lemon, and Blue Raspberry!    Each flavor mingles slightly with the next creating a wonderful taste sensation.   I don't buy them anymore because I am pretty sure I would eat the whole box before my children could get to them.   Who thought of blue raspberry anyway?  He or she should be on the Mount Rushmore of flavorists!


So that is it for this month; we will cover "Music" next time around.    Enjoy the last days of Summer break, and stay guilty my friends!











24 comments:

Edo Bosnar said...

Well, Martinex, you've certainly met my challenge (also: holy cow! My name's in the title of a post! I've hit the big time!). I can say that all of those choices are probably things you should honestly feel guilty about liking.
Those Airport movies: I've only seen two or three of them, on TV, but I don't remember many of the specifics (although I think one of them featured a guy being lowered by cable into the airliner through a hole in the fuselage so he could land it safely). I think the best thing I can say about them is that they inspired the Airplane movies, which I unapologetically love.

Battle of the Network Stars: what a bizarre phenomenon that was. As a kid, I watched a number of these, and never thought for a moment that there was anything odd about watching a bunch of TV celebrities, mainly actors, hold a fake Olympics, complete with long-time ABC sportscaster Howard Cosell hosting and with many of the participants taking it all quite seriously. When I think about it now, it just seems so surreal and completely bonkers. Also, I just checked the Wikipedia entry on these - I had no idea they were churning them out until the mid-1980s (I think the last one I watched was probably in 1980). In fact, the last one was made in 1988! Weird...

And I actually can't think of any more of my own guilty pleasures, as I think I covered most of them in the preceding posts.

Redartz said...

Martinex- thanks for bringing a smile to my face this morning; a very fun, amusing post!

"Cap Wolf" is new to me, but it sounds quite amusing. One can imagine taking it a step further: turning the Avengers into some version of the "Legion of Monsters". Say, Tony Stark as Frankenstein's Iron Monster. The Vision as a cybernetic vampire: Vorbius? The mind reels...

"Battle of the Network Stars" brought back some forgotten memories. That show actually would seem quite at home today, among the plethora of (much less intellectual) reality shows on tv.

Like Edo, I've seen a few of the "Airport" films. That was one of my "guilty pleasures": watching disaster movies. "Earthquake", "Towering Inferno", I watched 'em all...

As for tabloids: must admit I've never opened one in my life. Of course, their eternal presence at supermarket checkouts always provokes a few chuckles...

"Bomb Pops" were big in our neighborhood, thanks to those Ice Cream Trucks you mentioned. I tended to go for the Fudge Bars, though.

Kudos, Martinex, for having the courage to face up to your truly guilty pleasures! You give the rest of us an example to follow. One of these days I may addiction to Smarties candies...

Edo Bosnar said...

By the way, not to derail this thread, but "Battle of the Network Stars" reminded me of its less-popular sister show, "Circus of the Stars." Anyone remember that? I recall watching only one of those, sometime in the early '80s - and about the only thing I remember is that guy from Bosom Buddies who wasn't Tom Hanks (...looking it up, ...just a sec, Peter Scolari) juggling handkerchiefs or scarves or something like that. Even so, the Olympics with TV stars competing still seems much weirder than a circus with them.

Anonymous said...

Truly, you are a man of rare taste and discernment, Martinex.
Not so sure that modern sensibilities are any less camp though - you just need the added perspective of time. Give it a few decades, and Modern Age Babies will be musing over the guilty pleasures of Marvel zombies and cringing at Kanye v Taylor.

-sean

david_b said...

I spoke to Richard Hatch 2 months ago about 'Battle of the Network Stars', he really loved doing it. ABC wanted to make him the captain one year, but he turned it down.. I asked him about the obstacle course he ran against Gary Burghoff (MASH), he was quite a runner Richard recalled. I vividly recall the bouts between Bob Conrad and Gabe Kaplan as competing team captains, tooo funny.

As for other guilty pleasures..? A glass of Coke with ice is one, and it's hard for me to refuse a plate of Oreos and milk.

As others mentioned, I'm sure I'll think of more as we get more comments.

Graham said...

I remember the Battle of The Network Stars well. Back then, ABC had a Sunday afternoon series called Superstars (I think), where athletes from different sports did a decathlon-like series of events for points. It was a lot of fun to watch. I think the celebrity event was a spin-off of that. There were some pretty memorable highlights that I recall. Lots of slo-mo running and jumping since this was the "jiggle" era, so teen-age boys tuned in regularly...yep, me too. Lynda Carter in one of the swimming competitions was quite a water cooler discussion the next day at school, I remember....but my favorite was the Robert Conrad/Gabe Kaplan footrace, which can be seen even today on YouTube. Truly a fine moment for nerds everywhere. :)



Doug said...

Lots of love for the Battle of the Network Stars, and Circus of the Stars. And the Superstars, too! Thanks for that mention, Graham.

My grandmother was a regular buyer of tabloid "newspapers". And I think she believed some of that stuff, too...

I knew of Bomb Pops, but my guilty pleasure was Dreamsicles, that delicious combination of vanilla ice cream wrapped in an orange popsicle. Wow...

Loved the disaster films of the 70s. I recall the first two Airports, and of course the Poseidon Adventure, the Towering Inferno, and Earthquake. What peril! And to our favorite stars!

Here's a guilty pleasure on the TV side of things: Love, American Style. Any watchers back in the Bronze Age?

Doug

Garett said...

I loved Battle of the Network Stars! I was inspired to make my own obstacle courses around my home as a kid, and test my speed. Robin Williams and Billy Crystal on that show come to mind. I have a memory of Crystal diving under a net on a course, and being surprised at his speed. Some of those shows are up on youtube--very fun.

Literature: I just read "Marcia Brady" Maureen McCormick's autobiography, Here's The Story. Drug abuse, missed opportunities, various relationships--she lets it all hang out. While not written with the literary quality of Andre Agassi's book, Open, which I read right after, McCormick's book is fascinating and a page turner.

I picked up the first season of Emergency! I'm guessing it'll be somewhat mild now compared to today's tv shows, but I'm looking forward to checking it out again.

Gameshows! My girlfriend and I recently started watching them again. Price is Right with Drew Carey, the new $100 000 Pyramid, and the new Match Game hosted by Alec Baldwin. Breezy fun, and quite flirty/sexual in the case of Match Game.

Edo Bosnar said...

Doug, re: Love, American Style. I recall watching the syndicated reruns later in the '70s and '80s occasionally. Some of the individual episodes are quite funny, and I distinctly recall one that starred a very young, very early in his career Harrison Ford.
Also, Dreamsicles, mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Loved 'em. In fact, I pretty much went for any frozen sweet treat on a stick. On any given day back when I was a kid, I could eat a whole box of popsicles (probably still could - as per Martinex's observation about Bomb Pops, which were also awesome by the way).

Garett, interesting that you mentioned McCormick's autobiography. Back in 1992, on my way to Europe, there was a flight delay so my scheduled one and half hour layover at JFK turned into about 5-6 hours - I ended up in one of the airport bookstores and happened upon a copy of Barry William's Growing Up Brady. I guess you could count that as a guilty pleasure, because found it absolutely fascinating and couldn't put it down - I pretty much read the entire book, except for the episode guide, either learning against the shelf or sitting on floor - talk about Byrne-stealing! I'm surprised none of the clerks chased me out. Anyway, a few years ago I came upon a battered copy of that very same book in the gift box of a public library - here in Zagreb of all places. Very surreal. Of course, I snatched it right up and am just waiting for some lazy afternoon when I have nothing better to do so I can give it another read...

Redartz said...

Doug- loved "Love, American Style "! I was glued to the set on Friday nights, for Brady Bunch, Partridge Family, Room 222, Odd Couple and Love Am. Style. Then, local news and "Sammy Terry", our local late-night monster movie host. What a lineup...

Garrett- "Emergency" was a favorite, and actually holds up pretty well (especially the second and later seasons). We have the first two, and have been watching all the later seasons on Netflix (currently up to season 4). One oddity is seeing the medical personnel working without gloves. Oh, those innocent 70's...

And on game shows- you'really quite right on the "Match Game", it'seems pretty racy. Of course, it pushed the envelope pretty far back in the 70'same, too!

Which brings to mind another guilty pleasure: the "Gong Show", Man, I loved that. Chuck Barris was a madman, and was hilarious.

Redartz said...

Sorry about the occasional typo above. Lousy autocorrect. Must learn to edit on this tablet...

Doug said...

Charles Nelson Reilly and Richard Dawson...

Hollywood Squares?

Doug

Anonymous said...

I used to love Emergency when I was a kid, although I don't remember much about it now. I remember one episode where a guy fell out of a ferris wheel and was caught in the "spokes" and another one where Roy (I think) goes through someone's backyard to get into the house and a big german shepherd knocks him into the swimming pool! Ah, good times...

Mike Wilson

Martinex1 said...

Thanks for commenting everybody. And I add a resounding "Yes" to Emergency, Hollywood Squares, The Gong Show, and Dreamsickes.

Regarding Battle of the Network Stars, when watching it again recently I was taken aback by how aggressively competitive the folks on this show were. They were really into it and seemed to have something to prove. The captains, though semi-joking in their interchanges, we're not always acting. Very funny.

My favorite Emergency was when some kid got his finger stuck in a gumball machine; growing up I loved that episode and thought it would be so cool to live in a firehouse. How about CHiPs? Yeah, that reminds me that Eric Estrada was in Airport '75. If I remember correctly he is the navigator who gets sucked out the window.

pfgavigan said...

Hiya,

Luchador films, or Mexican Wrestler Movies for the uninitiated.

Got into them after seeing a very loving salute to them in the Angel tv series.

Masked men in garish outfits fighting evil, gee . . . how do you suppose I got into that?

Seeya,

pfgavigan

Anonymous said...

Movies: the Matt Helm series, starring Dean Martin.

TV: Irwin Allen sci-fi (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost In Space, Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants), professional wrestling, Wild Wild West, and, of course, Batman '66. I don't remember watching Love American Style when it was first-run, but I seem to remember it was rerun on daytime TV weekdays a few years later, and I sometimes watched it during summer vacation from middle school.

Comics: Mort Weisenger-edited Silver Age Superman Family titles, including the Legion in Adventure Comics and the Supergirl strip in Action Comics.

david_b said...

"Hey pfgavigan, do you like movies about Gladiators..?" (in my worst Peter Graves impression..)

Ahh, Lynda Carter on the diving board. THOSE were the days.

Love American Style..? I generally enjoyed that AND the entire Friday night schedule as Redartz reminded us.. those final seasons of the Brady's.

LAS had some excellent episodes, some dogs. Remember the 'Happy Days' pilot being shown on one of the finale episodes (with Harold Gould as Ritchie's dad..). Very odd, yet somehow a 'passing of the torch'.

Anonymous said...

Wow Martinex! I had a college roommate who had a thing for bomb pops AND the Weekly World News. We would often head to the local grocery for a late night bomb pop run. While we were waiting in the checkout line he liked to read the WWW headlines at the top of his lungs as if it was the most ground-breaking journalism he'd ever seen.

"SPACE ALIENS LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC!? WHO KNEW???" Haha

Tom

Martinex1 said...

Tom, is that you???!!! Long time buddy!!!!!

(Just kiddin' ----- but it's good to know there is a "geek" subculture with blue lips expounding the joys of things like "FAT CAT OWNS 23 OLD LADIES" or "HILLARY NAMES BIGFOOT AS RUNNING MATE" ). Good clean American fun with a patriotic Popsicle on the side!

Cheers!

Garett said...

Good story about Barry Williams' Brady book, Edo. I was thinking about reading that one next.

Good to know that Emergency holds up, Redartz. If the first season isn't so great I'll try season 2 and on. And fun episode memories, Mike and Martinex!

William Preston said...

Boy, a lot of us remember that Kaplan/Conrad race. I was a big fan of Conrad from Wild Wild West days, but it was fun to see him get beaten by an actual cross-country runner. (My father coached high school track and cross-country, and I was on the team.)

Is that Shatner in that picture? His hairpiece is doing (wait for it) yeoman's work!

I worked for a diocesan newspaper for two years, and a coworker would often buy the World Weekly News to inspire us in our writing. We kept an image of the devil rising out of a crack in the earth over the editorial desks.

Edo Bosnar said...

You know, I just now finally took a closer look at those tabloid covers. I'm willing to bet that the secret of bigfoot's diet is that he simply got a haircut.

Ace Hamilton said...

Any discussion of Battle of the Network Stars isn't quite complete without mentioning SCTV's brilliant take on it, Battle of the PBS stars. See Mister Rogers take on Julia Child in boxing. You can find it on Youtube.

Martinex1 said...

Ha! Yes Ace, I forgot about that SCTV skit. Hilarious. Great call.

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