Comments for Pop Culture References

Comment on The Murphy Brown Pilot Was So Good That It Resolved Its Central Tension in One Episode by Xander

Xander — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 14:17:58 +0000

Bergen was always a really great performer. I was recently watching her episode of the Muppet Show with my daughter, and she even manages to get some dramatic flourishes into some of her performances there.

Comment on What’s the Most Explicit Unofficial Callback by an Actor for a Commercial? by Alex Widen

Alex Widen — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:25:00 +0000

ALF was featured in a series of commercials for Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort commercial/business (that includes wireless internet). They featured him living in a new home with a millennial named Eric. His last name is never given, but since that was the name of Willie Tanner’s second newborn son near the end of the ALF sitom in 1990, it’s heavily implied that it’s the same Eric grown up, and the commercials are canonical to ALF. At least more so than the TV movie was in 1996 (which few saw, yet resolved the cliffhanger from the sitcom, albeit messily).

Now, this is an odd example because ALF, both as a sitcom and franchise, is still owned lock, stock, and barrel by Alien Productions. Pretty much anyone who wants to rerun ALF or his cartoon spinoffs or even make erasers or arrange for cameos (i.e. YOUNG SHELDON) has to deal with his original creators/owners/puppeteers/voice. But it is the first thing I could think of since the commercials are spiritually intended to be an extension of the sitcom’s continuity without being blunt about it. Likely because the last name, “Tanner,” is the same as another famous sitcom family, FULL HOUSE.

Comment on Were the Little House on the Prairie Sets Destroyed So That No One Else Could Use Them? by CMart

CMart — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 22:23:33 +0000

But the real question is: When the buildings were blown up, who did the job? Did the crew do it, or were we actually witnessing the cast members blowing up their buildings when we were watching them?

Comment on What Was The Oddest Post-Oscar Cash-in Job? by Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 10:07:54 +0000

In reply to Alex Widen.

Yeah, Berry in Catwoman is a good answer!

Comment on What Was The Oddest Post-Oscar Cash-in Job? by Alex Widen

Alex Widen — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:18:03 +0000

How about Halle Berry? It took about 2-3 years after her Oscar win for 2001’s “MONSTER’S BALL,” but “CATWOMAN” was so bad that it earned her a Razzie — which she accepted in person (where she admitted WB “[made her] do this god awful piece of **** movie”).

I don’t know what her salary was for “CATWOMAN,” but I doubt it was for scale. At least I hope not.

Comment on Who is the Best TV Character Who You Surprisingly Didn’t Miss After They Left a TV Series? by Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 01:06:46 +0000

In reply to Riccardo N.

Good call, Riccardo.

Comment on Did Playboy Cancel a Nude Spread for Phyllis Diller Because it Was “Too Sexy”? by Xander

Xander — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:40:12 +0000

Sometimes your copy/paste errors are more amusing that others, Mr. Cronin:

“Today, we reveal a bizarre story about how Phyllis Diller was too sexy for a comedic Playboy nude spread to work.

MAGAZINE LEGEND: Lassie frequently saved Timmy after the boy fell down a well.”

Comment on Who is the Best TV Character Who You Surprisingly Didn’t Miss After They Left a TV Series? by Riccardo N

Riccardo N — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 21:49:12 +0000

I know it only partially applies, but I think that Dana Muldaur in Star Trek TNG is a good example. Dr. Pulaski is a remarkable character and she is just a wonderful actor, but then, when she’s gone (to be never, ever, mentioned again in none of the hundreds of Star Trek instances of the following 35 years and more) the series goes on better and better and you just don’t miss her, whether you like Dr. Crusher or not.

Comment on How Did Billie Eilish Win a Grammy in 2026 for a 2024 Song? by Xander

Xander — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:42:58 +0000

“Taylor Swift, amazingly enough, has NEVER won Song of the Year”

I’m always amazed that Swift has managed to maintain a career and win any Grammys.

Comment on Perfect Strangers’ Rebeca Arthur Speaks Out Against Bronson Pinchot by Xander

Xander — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:44:02 +0000

Sam. BUDDY. It doesn’t matter if they were TALENTED or NOT. It MATTERS that they are human beings and worthy of some RESPECT. If they were MISTREATED, that’s not OK.