Monday, November 29, 2010

It's a Little Less Funny Today

In 1982, after each episode of "Police Squad" aired, I'd get on the phone and call my grandmother, "Bamba," to discuss it, relive it, and laugh about it even more.  At this point, I don't even remember all of the gags on the show but I'm not sure that it matters.  (They've been recycled time and again through all of the "Naked Gun" films, anyway.) I do remember the two of us in hysterics about the shootout between some miscellaneous hood and Frank Drebin, each taking cover behind trashcans no more than two feet apart. That scene really killed us; I mean it just brought us down, made us laugh until we cried.

So, I guess I owe those memories to a short-lived television show starring Leslie Nielsen.  The measly six episode run allowed a 9-year-old kid to get on the phone with his grams and to just laugh it up, to be fans, to be lovers of slapstick, goofy comedy.

Thanks, Mr. Nielsen. Rest in peace.

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