Marcia Wallace dies

Marcia Wallace dies, voice of 'Simpsons' Krabappel

FUN WITH AMERICAN GOTHIC

It has been rare in the world of art for a painting to become some famous that it spawns parodies. DaVinci's Mona Lisa and Munch's The Scream have been parodied, but the one that seems to lend itself to parodies is Grant Wood's American Gothic. Maybe it is the subject matter of the farmer and his spinster daughter (Not his wife as many believe) that people find funny, which was what Wood wanted in the first place. This brings to mind the old question of "Can You Parody a Parody?" I wonder if possibly American Gothic is the most parodied and referenced painting in history.

I began thinking about this thanks to Pam at Go Retro. She posted this ad for Nabisco, on her Facebook sight, that featured an American Gothic couple. So, I decided to do a little research into this. If found some more than I needed, but two of my favorites are available for use. The Music Man number "Iowa Stubborn" and The Rocky Horror Picture Show number "Dammit Janet" feature chorus members dressed as the American Gothic duo. Unfortunately, these are unavailable on You Tube. However, You Tube does have the 60s commercials for General Mills Country Corn Flakes, both in black and white and color, as well as the opening to Green Acres. Also check out his great skit from Saturday Night Live about the painting of American Gothic.

Not long after American Gothic was first presented to the public, photographer Gordon Parks created this photo version. Here are a few others:

An 80s slasher movie staring two Hollywood legends.

This a ad for Viagra. Click to enlarge (Pardon the pun) for the full effect.

The Simple Life ad reminded me of something. On the original Desdinova blog, I made jokes about how I was going to marry Paris Hilton. Apparently this would upset a former radio personality, here in Springfield, that was one of my favorite targets.  According to a person, who worked in the same building, he especially got upset when I said that he should go to jail instead of Paris Hilton. Rumor has it he cried. Really? A grown man cried over THAT! Mwu-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Like I said, I only touch the surface of this subject. If you Google "American Gothic parodies," you find whole blog dedicated to the subject.  

TV MOMS

I made one of these post last year at Fathers Day and I just a bought went insane trying to load the photos in a certain order. Thing were not quite as bad with the post of advertising characters, but I became frustrated several time. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers reading this.

THE 50s:

MOLLY GOLDBERG

MAMA HANSON

 

HARRIET NELSON

MARGARET ANDERSON (She was also Mr. Spock's mom)

KATHY WILLIAMS

JUNE CLEAVER (She also speaks jive)

 THE 60s:

DOROTHY BAXTER

WILMA FLINTSTONE

JANE (His Wife) JETSON

REBEKAH BOONE

MORTICIA ADDAMS

LILY MUNSTER

SAMANTHA STEVENS

MAUREEN ROBINSON

JULIA BAKER

THE 70s:

CAROL BRADY

SHIRLEY PARTRIDGE

MARION CUNNINGHAM

FLORIDA EVANS

ANN ROMANO

THE 80s:

ELYSE KEATON

CLAIR HUXTABLE

MARSHA OWENS

MAGGIE SEAVER

ROSEANNE CONNER

KATE TANNER (She is the one on the right)

ELIZABETH LUBBOCK

MARGE SIMPSON

PEG BUNDY

THE 90s:

JILL TAYLOR

ANNIE CAMDEN

LOIS GRIFFIN

KITTY FOREMAN

NOTE: I'm sure I left out someone. If it is your favorite, I'm sorry.

SPRINGFIELD MO IS STILL STUPID ENOUGH TO HATE THE SIMPSONS

I have had some people tell me that they missed the strongly opinionated style of my old blog. They really miss my criticisms of the hypocrisy that is rampant in Springfield, Missouri and the surrounding area. On the old blog, I christened it Ozarks correctness (kind of an opposite of political correctness). Last week, I discovered that somethings never change in the Ozarks. A national story and a local TV newsman's picks for his favorite cartoon characters of all time produced an abundance of stupidity from Ozarkers that I can't believe still exist. Over twenty years after The Simpsons debuted on TV, Ozarkers still hate them with a neo-fascist passion. They brag that they don't watch The Simpsons nor do they let their children watch the Simpsons. Yes, this is what we brag about here in the Ozarks. While Mayor Christine Lundberg of Springfield, Oregon was overjoyed to find out that Matt Groening named The Simpsons hometown after her city, the crabby, hateful scum here in the Ozarks were celebrating that that we were not the namesake.

This has been going on since The Simpsons debuted in 1990. In Springfield, MO and southwest Missouri, anyone who said they liked The Simpsons or wore a Bart Simpson t-shirt was considered to be on the same level as Saddam Hussein. Ozarkers wanted The Simpsons toys and clothes banned from stores, they wanted them banned from schools and they wanted The Simpsons banned from television. I recently went back and looked at the old Springfield News Leaders from that time. There were only a few letters in support of The Simpsons. I wanted to print off one, from a Simpsons fan, that mentions the fact that many of the critics of The Simpsons were upset about Bart being proud of being an underachiever. As I read this letter (Which is very intelligent and well-written-the writer should have his own blog), I was struck by how much it was describing what has become common place after the No Child Left Behind Act. If you don't believe that the emphasis on achievement test is out of hand, read this story from KYTV news. I also find it ironic that the people who were upset about Bart being "disrespectful" to his teacher are the same ones who enjoy it when the talk radio vermin attack public school teachers.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

I wish I could have copied more of the top letter. The writer thinks the whole controversy is stupid and has some great things to say.

Personally, I think Springfield and the Ozarks need to get over themselves and lighten up. If I was in charge of this country, I would have people who don't like The Simpsons executed and DFS remove children from the parents who forbid their children to watch The Simpsons.I think it would make this world a better place.

Of course, that is why I'm considered the Super-Villain of the Ozarks!!! Mwu-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!