NEW PODCAST WITH GUEST HOST

This is a trial run for a new format for the Desdinova Super Villain of the Ozarks podcast. I've turned the hosting duties over to some friends, Jeff & Jamie. They ad libbed a stream of consciousness podcast at the last minute. They will be working out the bugs for next time. Right now give a quick listen (less than 20 minutes) as they discuss cartoonist Syd Hoff, fast food restaurants Mr. Swiss and Del Rancho, the Ripley's Believe It or Not TV shows, the Playskool McDonalds playset, Andy Warhol illustrations in a children's book and a mention of the resent blog post about Laredo. Enjoy!

GEORGE LINDSEY'S STEAKHOUSE & DOG N SUDS AD FROM 1971

For a #THROWBACKTHURSDAY. An ad for George Lindsey's Steakhouse and Dog N Suds in the Springfield Daily News. Oddly enough, the George Lindsey's Steakhouse is still in business in Springfield, MO, only it is just called George's Restaurant now.

WHY IS IT NO LONGER OK TO BE OK?

I don't like to do the whole "why-can't-things-be-like-they-used-to-be" shtick, because when dig deep most of the stuff people are longing for is still with us or a collective fantasy memory spread by talk radio show host, televangelist or bad Facebook memes. However, when I speak of something that has changed for the worst, I tend to pick something that really needs to be addressed that nobody else is even talking about. When did we turn being "OK" or "okay" into a bad thing?

When I was growing up "OK" or "okay" meant good or great. Chevrolet dealers used the term OK for its used lots (the sign is pictured above) and a popular self-help book was entitled "I'm OK, You're OK." This old laxative commercial from the 60s used "OK" as something positive.

At some point, within the past few years, "OK/okay" has become a dirty word with the service industry. Servers in restaurants, tellers in banks and salespeople in grocery and department stores seem to be offended if  when they ask "How are you doing?" you answer "OK/okay." They want to force you to upgrade your mood or condition. This seems to happen more with large national chains. The worst offender is Chilis. I love the food and the service - except when they scold you for saying the food or my life at the moment is "Just okay?!?!"  I'm sorry, when I say "OK/okay," it means "great," "terrific" or "wonderful." It is not an insult. Target is also bad about doing this.

The stupidity of this was driven home to me a few nights ago. I went to Hy-Vee to buy my groceries. As I was walking in, a Hy-Vee employee was walking out to the parking lot.

"How are you tonight, sir?" he said.

"OK," I answered, because I was feeling good and content with life at that moment.

"JUST OK?!?!" he snapped.

What did this little dweeb want me to say? "OMG! I AM MARVELOUS! I AM IN ECSTASY! I AM ABOUT TO PEE MY PANTS IN EXCITEMENT BECAUSE I'M GOING IN TO HY-VEE TO BUY STUFF TO EAT!!!" or would he want me to say, "To tell you the truth, my life is Hell. My wife left me, I have terminal cancer and I was just fired from my job. Thanks for wanting me to fake joy." Since this is a pet peeve of mine, I snapped back, "Yes, just okay!"

Later, I'm in the check-out line when this employee walks up with a grey-haired lady and two cucumbers (or two zucchini, not really sure) and says to the guy checking me out, "We are going to have to give these to that lady for the lower price because blah, blah, blah. Now I have to go back out to clean up that mess in the parking lot because blah, blah, blah."

I pay and take my grocery bags to my car. The guy walks past me on his way back into the store and he says to me, "I hope your life improves before you come back to our store." WTF?!?! Apparently, my typical easy-going nonchalant attitude upset Grumpy Gus, who was about to have a meltdown over a messy parking lot and the price of produce, so he was going to punish me for not being happier than he was. If he was in such a fowl mood, would he want me to come in to Hy-Vee dancing and singing like the guy in the pink suit at the end of Groove Tube?

In the 70s, the trend in customer service was to say "Have a nice day." It became so associated with that decade that Rhino records in the 90s released a compilation of kitschy singles from the 70s entitled "Have a Nice Day." As time wore on, a common complaint became that when a supermarket checker, fast-food worker or bank teller said to a customer, "Have a nice day" they may not know the circumstances of the customer's life at that moment: such as saying the phrase to a person who just lost a spouse. That could defiantly be said for saying "Just OK?!?!" to a customer. It is kind of like the employee is secretly saying, "I don't care if your child has leukemia or you had to file for bankruptcy, the corporate office demands that I force you to be overly happy! So help me, Pharrell Williams!" At least, "have a nice day" sounded pleasant. Asking "just OK?!?!" has a rude arrogance to it.

Think of it this way, you are happy when a doctor or EMT says you or a loved one is "OK/okay," so why should a business expect a customer to be more than "OK/okay."

Of course, my opinions are why I am considered the Super Villain of the Ozarks!!! Mwu-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 

PLASTIC SIGN LOGO MOLDS - FAST FOOD AND BEVERAGES

When I was in elementary school, my father answered an ad in the Lebanon newspaper from a Springfield based company for a small business opportunity that was supposed to provide "total financial independence." For the most part it was a cam and many people lost their shirt. However, while we never became rich, my father still in this business to a degree and continues to make supplemental income on the side. This was a plastic sign business. If you are in a business, school, church or office in Lebanon, Missouri, you have probably seen one of the engraved plastic signs made by my father and mother.

They also made magnetic plastic signs that were used on company and business vehicles, as well as store decoration. There were rubber molds which went on the vacuum form machine that were of clip art and various corporate logos. There was also a catalog, from a company called Art/Craft that you could order more molds from as you needed them. I plan to post some scans from the catalog old logos, clip art and some "humorous" signs. I included the car and truck rental signs because they were part of the page with the fast food and beverages logos. It is interesting to see which companies are still with us, which are gone and which one changed their logos.    

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I should point out that when this was made the Big Boy was also the mascot of Shoney's too.

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I understood the Taco Bell chihuahua, but the Taco Bell dinosaur is a stretch. I believe I'm in love with the Sandy's logo. Sandy's was bought out by Hardees in the 70s. Hardees should bring Sandy back for a commercial. She could say to a redneck guy, "Do you want to peak under my kilt or a Monster Burger?" and the dumb redneck will say "I want the burger." It is just an idea.

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Let me just say the clip art for Chinese restaurants is very politically incorrect.

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One thing that you will notice looking at these pages is Art/Craft's forte seemed to be cavemen. How many of you remember Budman?

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Not sure why any one thought a guy sitting on ice would entice anyone to buy ice. Nothing ruins the taste of a cold beverage like some guy's butt germs. Also scrubbing the floor with ice isn't a good idea either, but, hey, it was the 70s.

Der Wienerschnitzel commercial with Dracula

I'm not sure the exact year on this ad, but it is probably from around the same time Der Wienerschitzel had locations here in Springfield, Mo (Early 70s?). Notice the picture of Der Wienerschitzel's building shown at the end of the commercial. When Der Wienerschitzel closed, those buildings became cashew chicken restaurants.

I wish some someone would find a good copy of that commercial. They always look fuzzy.