Go fish

June 18 is Go Fishing Day.

Fishing is the act of catching fish. Wikipedia notes that “The term fishing may be applied to catching other aquatic animals such as mollusks, cephalopods, crustaceans, and echinoderms.”

You can also fish for compliments. Like if I were to hint that I want you to comment that Michael’s TV Tray is a fantastic blog. I mean, I don’t know if you actually think that… maybe you don’t like Michael’s TV Tray. You probably don’t, right?

Remember the opening credits to The Andy Griffith Show, where Andy and Opie go fishing, and there’s all that annoying whistling? Well, the song has words — and they’re all about fishing, and fishing holes, and fishing poles. Here is Andy Griffith himself, singing the lyrics.

Andy Griffith, “Fishin’ Hole”

Related articles

Today on the tray: Laughing giants and singing vegetables

June 17 is National Eat Your Vegetables Day.

“Are veggie haters born, or made?” asks WebMD. “The answer seems to be both. Some of us have negative veggie experiences from our childhood that come back to haunt us as adults. Maybe you were forced to eat vegetables, or had to plow through a stack of green beans to get to dessert. Maybe you were served overcooked, mushy vegetables. Or perhaps some time in your life, you were on a fad where all you could eat were certain vegetables.” Read more in WebMD’s “15 Tips for Veggie Haters.”

You might not like vegetables, but who doesn’t like the Jolly Green Giant, with his hearty laugh and his giant green half-naked muscular body? Below, the Giant wins first-ribbon prizes at the Valley Fair for his golden corn niblets and green beans.

Vintage Green Giant commercial (1960s)

Oh, you want your vegetables to be fresh, not canned, you say? Well, fine. How about these singing vegetables at Albertson’s? “We’re fresh! Exciting!” is their musical claim. (Strawberries get in on the act too.) I always wonder about anthropomorphized food that begs you to eat it. It seems suspicious to me.

Albertson’s singing fruit and vegetables commercial

Related articles

Today on the tray: A finger of Fudge

June 16 is National Fudge Day.

Cadbury fudge barThere is fudge, and then there is Fudge, the chocolate bar manufactured by Cadbury. I never saw this commercial in the United States, but apparently people in the UK know that “a finger of fudge is just enough.” Is it really? Someone needs to tell them that British chocolate rationing ended in 1953. Anyway, Wikipedia says the catchy jingle is based on the English folk song “The Lincolnshire Poacher.”

Cadbury commercial, “A finger of Fudge is just enough” (1974)

Did you know that the history of fudge in the United States is tied to women’s higher education and three of the Seven Sisters colleges? According to The Nibble.com, “One of the first documentations of fudge is in a letter written by Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, then a student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She wrote that a schoolmate’s cousin made fudge in Baltimore in 1886 and sold it for 40 cents a pound. She obtained the recipe, and in 1888, made 30 pounds of it for the Vassar Senior Auction. Word of the confection spread to other women’s colleges. Wellesley and Smith developed their own versions of this ‘original’ fudge recipe.”

three sisters fudge

Three Sisters Fudge in Blue Ridge, Ga., isn’t named for Vassar, Smith, and Wellesley — it’s named for sisters Kristian, Karlie, and Katelyn.

Related articles

Today on the tray: Lobster

June 15 is National Lobster Day.

kid in lobster costume

Lobsters are hideous creatures.

According to the holiday site Punchbowl,  ”In the 1800s, lobsters were incredibly plentiful and New Englanders could simply walk down the beach and capture them during low tide. Many servants lived off of lobster during this time period. In fact, one Massachusetts community had to pass a law that limited how often you could serve lobster to your servants…Today, lobster is considered a luxurious delicacy all over the world. In the state of Maine alone, lobster fishing is a $1 billion industry.”

You can do many things with lobsters. You can boil them, bake them, steam them, or grill them. You can dress your kid like one.

Or, like Homer Simpson, you could adopt a runt lobster from a restaurant, take it home and raise it as a pet, all the while fattening it up for the inevitable day when… Well, I won’t spoil it for you. Watch the tender story of Homer and Pinchy below:

Homer and Pinchy, from The Simpsons, “Lisa Gets an ‘A’” (Nov. 22, 1998)

Related articles

Born on this date: Jim Nabors

Jim Nabors turns 83 today, June 12.

Nabors is well known for his role as Gomer Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., and from his many variety show appearances in the 1960s and ’70s. He is also a talented singer and has recorded numerous albums and singles.

In January of this year, Nabors married his partner of 38 years, Stan Cadwallader, in Seattle, after same-sex marriage became legal in Washington state.

Below, Nabors as Gomer Pyle sings “500 Miles” (a song that I know from a Peter, Paul, and Mary album). His lovely singing voice comes as quite a surprise if you are only familiar with his speaking voice in character as Gomer.

Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle sings “500 Miles” on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

Today on the tray: Falafel

June 12 is National Falafel Day.

FalafelDay.com says, “Falafel is a delicious dish with a rich history. We want this day to bring together countries around the world, particularly Israel with its neighbors. People should put aside politics when eating this dish and enjoy, after all that’s what life is about.”

Falafel is wonderful. So why does this commercial for Orbit gum characterize it as something obnoxious that takes cellphone calls on the elevator and sings bad Starship songs?

Orbit gum commercial

Today on the tray: Peanut butter cookies

June 12 is National Peanut Butter Cookie Day.

According to the holiday site Punchbowl, peanut butter cookies became an American favorite in the early 1900s: “In 1916, George Washington Carver began promoting the peanut and its many uses. As part of the campaign, he published three peanut butter cookie recipes in a research bulletin entitled, ‘How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption.’”

A popular variation is the peanut butter sandwich cookie. That seems to be the favorite of the colorful character in this 1970s Nutter Butter commercial. That’s why he dresses up like one and hangs around the playground, singing cookie riddles to the kids, hoping one of them will give him a peanut butter sandwich cookie.

So “have another Nutter Butter peanut butter sandwich cookie!” And tell your kids not to talk to crazy people at the playground.

Nabisco Nutter Butter cookie commercial, 1970s

Today on the tray: We call it maize

June 11 is National Corn on the Cob Day. 

“You call it corn. We called it maize. We knew all about the goodness of maize — corn — before America was America.”  With these words, a somber-voiced Native American woman reminds us who was here first — before Europeans came and took over the continent and spread diseases that wiped out much of the indigenous population. 

So buy Mazola margarine, which “gets goodness from maize.” After all, she’s known about corn a lot longer than you have, and knows the right word for it too.

Mazola “We called it maize” commercial (1976)

Related articles

Today on the tray: German chocolate cake

June 11 is National German Chocolate Cake Day.

What do German chocolate cake and Hogan’s Heroes have in common? You probably think the answer is Germany, right?

WRONG!

What the two have in common is that I don’t like either one. Why would you spoil a perfectly good chocolate cake by putting coconut on it? I can’t stand the texture of those little coconut shavings.

German chocolate cake is not from Germany. It’s named for an American, Sam German, who developed a baking chocolate in 1852 for Baker’s Chocolate Company. The cake recipe isn’t his; that distinction goes to Dallas homemaker Mrs. George Clay, who submitted it to the Dallas Morning Star. Her original recipe called for German’s chocolate.

As for Hogan’s Heroes, maybe it’s because I’m Jewish, but I found the whole World War II Germany setting off-putting. I prefer my war sitcoms to take place in Korea, thank you very much.  I never watched more than a minute of it. The rat-a-tat-tat and opening notes of the Hogan’s Heroes opening theme always signaled to me that it was time to change the channel.

Hogan’s Heroes opening and closing credits (1965-71)

Related articles

Born on this date: Adrienne Barbeau

Adrienne Barbeau turns 68 today, June 11.

The actress has performed on Broadway (she was the original Rizzo in Grease), on television, and in films. Barbeau’s best known TV role was on the sitcom Maude, playing Maude’s daughter Carol, a divorcee with a young son. (Bea Arthur, of course, played Maude.) Carol and her son lived with Maude and Walter, Maude’s husband.

Barbeau also made appearances on lots of 1970s shows such as Love Boat and Fantasy Island. And people may remember her for her starring role inthe 1980 horror film, The Fog, directed by her husband, John Carpenter.

While conducting web research for this post, I found that much ado has been made about Barbeau’s breasts. A lot of people really like them.

Below, in a first-season Maude episode, Carol dates an older man who was previously involved with Maude. Esther Rolle appears as Florida, the character who would later be spun off onto Good Times.

Maude, “Like Mother, Like Daughter” (Oct. 3, 1972)

Today on the tray: Iced tea and Ol' Blue Eyes

June 10 is Iced Tea Day.

“Iced tea is an iconic summer beverage and one of the most refreshing elixirs known to man. There is something magical about the combination of brewed tea, mint leaves, and fresh lemon slices served over ice,” says the holiday site Punchbowl. Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s a perfectly fine drink.

In 1996, the J. Walter Thompson ad agency used a claymation version of Frank Sinatra to advertise Lipton’s Brisk iced tea beverage. “That’s Brisk, baby,” declares clay-Sinatra after chugging a can. The commercial (embedded below) was voiced not by Ol’ Blue Eyes, but by Joe Piscopo. It was part of series of celebrity ads using stop-motion animation.

Lipton Brisk iced tea commercial (1996)

The Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership issued a press release describing how super-amazing the commercial is: “‘Who implies leadership more than the Chairman of the Board?’ says J.J. Jordan, Executive Vice President, Creative Director, Thompson, New York. ‘Sinatra has always been beyond cool … and always will be. This spot is not only a funny short story — it’s different than anything on the tube.’”

I think they missed an opportunity for a Frank jingle. How about “I did it my way and drank Brisk,” “Strangers in the night exchanging glasses (of Brisk iced tea),” or “Don’t go and spoil it all by serving something stupid — serve her Brisk tea”?

The stop-motion animation “That’s Brisk, baby” campaign was revived in 2010 with stars like Eminem and Ozzy Osbourne.

Related articles

Today on the tray: Strawberry rhubarb pie

June 9, is National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day.

Q: What is rhubarb?

A: Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is a species of plant in the family Polygonaceae.They are herbaceous perennials growing from short, thick rhizomes. They have large leaves that are somewhat triangular, with long fleshy petioles. They have small flowers grouped in large compound leafy greenish-white to rose-red inflorescences. (Wikipedia)

If you didn’t know that, don’t feel bad. Neither did the dumb, sort-of-hot guy in this Lee Jeans commercial from 1989. The slogan was “Lee jeans. For dumb guys who don’t know what rhubarb is.” Actually it was “Lee jeans. The brand that fits.” But my slogan is better.

Lee jeans commercial, “What’s a rhubarb?” (1989)

Related articles

D'oh! It's National Donut Day

June 7  is National Donut Day. Gee, it sure doesn’t seem like it’s been a whole year since the last one. That’s because it hasn’t been. Donuts are so delicious, there are two National Donut Days. (The other is November 5.)

One of the very few ways in which California is inferior to the East Coast, in my opinion, is that there are no Dunkin’ Donuts. (The other is the lack of good bagels). Dunkin’ Donuts announced it will open stores in Southern California in 2015, but that doesn’t help us folks in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In the 1980s and 1990s, a popular series of Dunkin’ Donuts commercials featured Fred the Baker, who rose early in the morning, bleary-eyed, muttering “Time to make the donuts…” Fred, played by Michael Vale, has his own Wikipedia page.

Below, Fred the Baker goes undercover in drag to check out the competition at the local supermarket bakery. The bakery workers seem stunned as he approaches them in his wig and large flowered dress and tries clumsily to mask his mustache with his finger. One of them even drops something, she is so shocked. Let me just say that in San Francisco, no one would bat an eye at this.

Dunkin’ Donuts commercial (1980s)

Related articles

Today on the tray: Pork chops and apple sauce

Today, June 6, is National Apple Sauce Cake Day.

Well, I can’t really think of anything to say about apple sauce cake.  

But I can think of something to say about apple sauce and pork chops. Or pork chops and apple sauce. Any fan of The Brady Bunch knows this reference. It’s from the episode in which Peter becomes convinced that he has no personality. (He’s right.) If middle-girl Jan could have all those angst episodes, why not middle-boy Peter?

Peter decides to take on a new personality, and settles on Humphrey Bogart’s. After all, what boy in 1971 didn’t want to model himself on a 1940s film star? So he practices curling his top lip under and talking like Bogie.

Then into the kitchen he goes, where Mrs. Brady and Alice are both cooking. Nice of Mrs. Brady to help when Alice is getting paid to do it. Peter asks what’s for dinner. They’re having Thai food. No, just kidding. They’re having pork chops and apple sauce. Peter repeats this in a Bogart imitation, “Pork chopsh and apple shauce. That’s shwell.” The phrase “pork chopsh and apple shauce” gets repeated five times in this scene, which is why most people remember it. According to numerous sources, the average person needs to hear new information three times before he or she retains it. What does this imply about what the Brady Bunch producers thought of their audience?

Anyway, here’s the clip. Keep watching it until you can remember “pork chopsh and apple shauce” and say it like Bogart.

Clip from The Brady Bunch, “The Personality Kid” (Oct. 22, 1971)

Welcome to Aunt Mabel's Mush House

All right, there is no such place as Aunt Mabel’s Mush House. But there is a Facebook page.

fried mush restaurant

Here’s the story of Aunt Mabel’s Mush House: When I was a kid in New Jersey and our family would go out for dinner, we could never agree on which restaurant to go to. It drove my sister crazy. One time, my mother got the idea that we should cast secret ballots. She read them aloud: “We have one for Jade Fountain… another for Jade Fountain… one for Red Chimney… and one for… Aunt Mabel’s Mush House?” My sister the wiseguy had made it up.

So Aunt Mabel’s Mush House is fictitious, but mush is certainly real. It’s some sort of cornmeal glop. I have never tried it — maybe because my only knowledge of mush is from an episode of The Little Rascals in which the gang is forced to eat mush and spoiled milk at boarding school. You can read more about the plot here and see a clip below.

From Our Gang/The Little Rascals, “Mush and Milk” (May 27, 1933)

You adventurous cooks out there might be inspired to make your own mush after reading this. Well, here’s a helpful video demonstrating how to make fried mush with sausage.

Fried mush with sausage

Top