The "You know what?" thread

[D'Snowth]

I see all this stuff about celebrities and companies and such canceling business plans they made in North Carolina and Mississippi because of these anti-gay laws and such . . . and apparently, now my state is trying to pass its own anti-gay law now too. It reminds me back when everybody here made a big deal about Chick-fil-a's CEO's stance on homosexuality to the point that JHC severed ties with them, but you know what? When I go to Chick-fil-a, I don't go to discuss religion, or sexuality, or even politics, I just go to eat their food. So, I mean, if TN decides to pass its own anti-gay law, I don't plan on moving out of the state because of it.

 

[Drtooth]

It really should be stressed that the Chik-fil-A thing wasn't so much that the guy who owned it was uber-Christian so much as he donated to anti-gay charities. I hate how that's lost in the shuffle, but at least he was caught and vowed never to waste money at hate groups posing as religious organizations.

I like the wording of "anti-gay" bills instead of "religious freedom" bills. We all must understand freedom is a paradox and a loaded concept. Is the freedom to persecute others, thus stripping away their freedom really freedom? These sorts of bills are far right conservatism pandering to a group that likes to play victim for victimizing others. It's why I can no longer stand the term "Politically correct" since it just conjures up images of old, bitter people whining about how they can't say the N word to a black guy's face anymore and spinning the logic the way only a narcissist would. A few nasty companies owned by nasty people who are so weak in their own faith that two guys they'll never know, meet, or acknowledge the existence somehow cheapen it. You shouldn't be restricted for employment, and while I sadly have to agree that businesses can refuse the right to serve those they don't want to, they're certainly not free from those who will tear them apart on Yelp. If they're so head up their butts about deeply held believes (which somehow is thin as a thread) to refuse money, they have only themselves to blame for not making rent or a profit.

These bills are a stupid idea, even as pandering pap. I have a problem with certain religious freedoms, not so much for arch conservative Christians so much as a...certain one founded by a subpar Sci-Fi writer, let's keep it at that.

 

[D'Snowth]

I knew I wasn't crazy, I knew I didn't dream this thing . . . BD&A really did make a Black Yoshi!

I saw this thing before: in Toys-R-Us . . . I actually picked it up and held it in my hand . . . why did I put it back? Why didn't I get this thing?

Ironically though, if the Black one was so rare, how come I actually found one in my town, but the original set with the Green, Red, Yellow, and Blue was so hard to find? I mean, it was years afterward that I managed to nab a Green, Red, and Yellow on eBay, but I was never able to get Blue (which was my favorite): I was either always outbid by someone else, or it was offered at an insane price, or it was a Paypal-only auction.

 

[MuppetSpot]

Do you still have the Yoshi beanies?

 

[D'Snowth]

Indeed I does.

Actually, I do also have the Super Mario Bros. Wii Light Blue plushie that I got as a gift a few years ago.

 

[Drtooth]

Ironically though, if the Black one was so rare, how come I actually found one in my town, but the original set with the Green, Red, Yellow, and Blue was so hard to find? I mean, it was years afterward that I managed to nab a Green, Red, and Yellow on eBay, but I was never able to get Blue (which was my favorite): I was either always outbid by someone else, or it was offered at an insane price, or it was a Paypal-only auction.

Things that are rare sometimes find their way into these types of deals. Once got an Emperor's New Groove European Happy Meal toy because a comic book store didn't know this and apparently threw it in the dirty and broken old toys for 50 cents pile. It was the squirrel, though. Probably why they didn't do the usual behind the case for 3 bucks deal with it.

Anyway, here's a really You Know What find.

Apparently, the French version of the Groovie Goolies released 2 albums, and they sing French language rewrites of popular songs from the time.

Yep. That's a cover of Long Train Running with the lyrics changed to be about how they love their music.

 

[FraggleFrick]

I saw this thing before: in Toys-R-Us . . . I actually picked it up and held it in my hand . . . why did I put it back? Why didn't I get this thing?

Ironically though, if the Black one was so rare, how come I actually found one in my town, but the original set with the Green, Red, Yellow, and Blue was so hard to find? I mean, it was years afterward that I managed to nab a Green, Red, and Yellow on eBay, but I was never able to get Blue (which was my favorite): I was either always outbid by someone else, or it was offered at an insane price, or it was a Paypal-only auction.[/QUOTE]
Check Amazon. They have MUCH better quality Yoshi plushies in EVERY color!

 

[fuzzygobo]

It's something how so many stand-up comics, who could be incredibly raunchy sometimes, find new careers doing voiceovers for Disney after their stand-up days are over.

Eddie Murphy, Cheech and Chong, Denis Leary, Tim Allen, Buddy Hackett (back in the 70's he was as blue as you could get), Robin Williams, and if "Madagascar" was Disney, add Chris Rock.
One glorious exception was George Carlin. After "Cars", he still kept cussing up a storm til the day he keeled over.

One could only imagine what Disney would've (or could've) done with Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, or Lenny Bruce. Although Bruce did have his underground short, " Thank You Masked Man".

 

[D'Snowth]

Richard Pryor had his own Saturday Morning show in the 80s, produced by Sid & Marty Krofft, of all people.

PRYOR'S PLACE, which ran for only one season (and 16 episodes), was essentially SST set in LA instead of NYC, and featured a laugh track.Seriously, it took place on an inner city street where humans and puppets coexisted, and whereas SST had Oscar living in his trashcan, PRYOR'S PLACE had a rat couple that lived in the sewer under the street. Richard Pryor himself book-ended each episode with a life lesson, while the story of the episode was fictionalized and fantastic anecdote from his childhood . . . despite taking place in the present (80s) day, for whatever reason. Oh yeah, and Pryor placed various different residents of the street.

Redd Foxx, on the other hand, seemed to have trouble getting TV work that wasn't Fred Sanford -- even he said that in an interview shortly after SANFORD AND SON ended, when he was asked if he'd ever do anything on TV again, and said that people only seem to be interested in working with him if it's Fred. I know among the various different S&S spin-offs they did, one did have Fred . . . it was essentially S&S, just without Lamont, and a fat white guy as Fred's new partner instead; but then again, Demond Wilson was retiring from acting and going into ministry. I know in the early 80s, he did a black version of THE ODD COUPLE, where he played Oscar, but it did poorly because it literally recycled - word for word - old scripts from the 70s series.

 

[Drtooth]

It's something how so many stand-up comics, who could be incredibly raunchy sometimes, find new careers doing voiceovers for Disney after their stand-up days are over.

I think Robin Williams still did stand up. It's more of a money thing than a street cred thing. When you become a huge star, it would cost a crapton of money for a club to book them, and that's not as appealing as movie offers pouring in. That's not to say they don't occasionally, especially when they do one of those "get back to your roots" things.

Of course, Carlin did kid's stuff way before Cars. Let's not forget he was Mr. Conductor on Shining Time Station (and I'm conflicted as to who I like better, him or Ringo). And if it counts, the first season of the Bill and Ted Excellent Adventures cartoon, but that's only because they brought the three main cast members back. Before DIC came in and used Canadian voice talents.

But what gets me is when they do nothing but family comedies after they do a couple animated movies. Eddie Murphy did some career destroying garbage after he was Donkey. Robin Williams pretty much did bad family films and "inspirational" type flicks for years. Which is a shame since those films were the ones that turned everyone against him. Then again, a lot of cartoon voice actors star out as stand up comedians with adult content as well. Certainly Tom Kenny and Carlos Alazraqi. And frankly, it's nigh impossible to find a cartoon voiced in the US where Tom didn't at least guest star.