April 23, 2007: Celebri-spiraling Out There in TV Land

The TV Land 2007 Awards were shown last night and I am still recovering from seeing:

• Kelly Ripa parody all my favorite TV show openings, such as "The Brady Bunch", "The Flying Nun," "That Girl," "Mary Tyler Moore" and "Laverne & Shirley" with Cindy Williams looking like Cindy Williams' mom. I am still jealous. How fun would it be to recreate those iconic openings?
• Jeff Conaway, the once hot star of Grease and Taxi, barely making it through a quick thank you at the podium when Taxi won the Medallion award. The years, and drugs, have not been kind to him.
• Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz, Jr., who looks older than his father ever did, honor their mom, Lucille Ball. It's so hard to see your teenage icons like Desi, Jr. get older and really show it. If I am troubled, I can only imagine how Maureen McCormick is handling it.
• Sissy and Jody from "Family Affair" acting as stage ushers during the broadcast. OK, Jody weighs 300 pounds if he weighs an ounce. Celebrity Fit Club, look no further than the TV Land awards for your next season.
• "The Brady Bunch" kids, who all made classy comments (even attention-needy Greg) and the timeless Carol Brady, Florence Henderson, who looks sexier now than she did in 1970.
• The casts of Hee Haw and Roots, both honored and juxtaposed at nearby tables. OK, someone has a sense of humor. Cicely Tyson, Levar Burton and Ben Vereen, meet Roy Clark, Barbie Benton and Misty Rowe.
  
• Lindsay Wagner accepting an award for being the Bionic Woman and then knocking over the podium.

The TV Land awards are like walking back in time for me and seeing friends from my formative years. I have so much vested in those people and shows. On this one night every year, I am reminded how so many of us do.