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You are here: Home / And Now For Something Completely Different

And Now For Something Completely Different

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My friend and former girlfriend for years just moved and was unpacking stuff she hadn’t seen in years, and passes along this gem:

throwbackthursdayscoobie

That’s me in the middle as Fred, a mutual friend on the left as Daphne, and my ex as Velma, rocking the Scoobie Do for Halloween. If my memory is correct, this was for Halloween in Athens, Ohio, circa 1993-94. I honestly have no idea why I was pursing my lips like that, but that medallion, scarf, and halfway button silk shirt is something, isn’t it?

Good times.

Reader Interactions

103Comments

  1. 1.

    trollhattan

    Now that’s commitment to the look! Thanks for today’s first and so far only laugh.

  3. 3.

    scav

    Ok, now I have to pull away from the internet and sit somewhere dark and quiet for a bit.

    (thanks for the final straw. needed to happen — but can I pull it off?)

  7. 7.

    eclare

    Is Scooby Doo making a return? My cousin, her husband, and two kids dressed up as the gang last Halloween. I have no idea what is popular with kids these days.

  9. 9.

    Emma

    @eclare: It sorta never went away. There have been several animated series in the cartoon channels, although the quality of the drawing was dismal compared to the original. Then the movies.

    (added) My favorite part of the first movie was that they pasted that little brat Scrappy.

  15. 15.

    Villago Delenda Est

    The women are just fine, but that guy in the middle merits a trigger warning.

  17. 17.

    FlyingToaster

    @eclare: It cycles around every 10-12 years. There’s a current series — Be Cool — that my 8-year-old watches on Cartoon Network, and she watched the one before it — Mystery Incorporated — on Cartoon and Boomerang. When she sees the really old ones, she asks me if they are one of “mine” :)

  20. 20.

    Mnemosyne

    I succumbed to my inner Velma back in college, though I should have stuck with her haircut and not the even shorter one that made me look like a 12-year-old boy. When you’re a short, round brunette who wears glasses, it’s pretty much impossible not to look like Velma.

    ETA: Note that, like most short, round brunettes, Velma figured out early on that she could rock a miniskirt.

  23. 23.

    LAO

    @Mnemosyne: So there I am quietly drinking a diet coke at my desk, when I read your comment. You “owe” a new keyboard.

    Anyone know how to get soda out of a keyboard? Sadly, not asking for a friend.

  26. 26.

    Technocrat

    @LAO:

    Anyone know how to get soda out of a keyboard?

    In my experience, much of the cost of a keyboard is in the “moisture detection and shutoff” circuitry. I’m nervous eating a moist brownie near my keyboard.

  27. 27.

    Punchy

    IF IT WASN’T FOR YOU MEDDLING BLOG COMMENTERS, JOHN WOULDA GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT AND MARRIED THAT WOMAN!

  29. 29.

    Dork

    @Punchy: Not often do you see “John” and “woman” in the same comment at BJ, absent a post about hookers. Seriously, can we start a gofundme to get him an inexpensive girlfriend?

  31. 31.

    StringOnAStick

    My husband was the Old Man from Scoobie Do for his team at last year’s office Halloween contest. He’s not a costume wearer and has taken a liking to cardigans, so it wasn’t much of a stretch. Fortunately his coworkers know how to deal with him on this sort of thing and what his comfort level is.

    From countrywide tragedies to local: my boss’s son broke his neck diving last weekend in Mexico and was in surgery for 10 hours yesterday after being medevac’d home; no clues yet on the degree of paralysis or the duration. And my BIL’s lymphoma has company in the form of spots in one part of his lungs according to the X-ray; probably not a promising development in his one in a million cancer. This year is sucking, hard.

  41. 41.

    Immanentize

    @piratedan: “Extremely smart, daring, fearless, glasses-wearing, non-smoker who prefers (as mentioned above) short skirts….”

    Just about perfect

  42. 42.

    Immanentize

    I took a staycation day today — I thought I would get all this stuff done before tomorrow’s trip to Chi-town. But all this has kept me a little distracted. But I thank you all for your insights and kindness and humor today. Really, thanks. It cooled my outrage.

    I am going to get off for a while and toil in the soil.

  43. 43.

    Woodrowfan

    OU was (in)famous for its Halloween Party. I attended once and it was fun (I dressed as the 4th Doctor) I was a grad student, and we often hunkered down or left town for the weekend to let the undergrads and out-of-towners (ahem) have the streets for a night to party.

  44. 44.

    Woodrowfan

    @piratedan: @Immanentize: that’s not say that she wan’t smokin’ in her own way, I consider it a Mary Ann vs Ginger question myself :-)

    Mary Ann!!!! She was not only pretty and nice she could COOK! and Ginger was so high-maintenance.

  45. 45.

    Origuy

    A musician friend of mine is traveling to Cuba with the Oakland Youth Symphony.

    The students are set to play three concerts in Cuba, in three different cities and they’ll get a coaching session in Afro-Cuban music.

    My friend isn’t in the symphony; she plays in an all-woman mariachi band and occasionally in Irish sesiuns. Thanks, Obama!

  49. 49.

    Mnemosyne

    @LAO:

    Sorry! This is why I use a plastic cover on my keyboards. You should be able to rinse it off with bottled water (NOT distilled water) and let it dry upside-down for a week.

    I found this out after my late great cat Boris tried and failed to jump into my lap while I had a mouthful of cereal and an open laptop. Now *that* was a mess!

  52. 52.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    Thanks, Cole, for this post and the gentle reminder one.

    I want to be Notorious RBG for Halloween this year. So please someone find me an event for that.

  53. 53.

    hovercraft

    Boris Johnson how come you never told us that you run this blog.
    So this was you’re secret plan all along fuck up the UK and then run off to hide in West Virginia. Brilliant.

  54. 54.

    sigaba

    I’ve decided to only worry about this today

    During an interview posted Thursday, John Cho revealed his character Sulu is gay in the upcoming film Star Trek Beyond. While Cho praised the casual approach taken by the Star Trek Beyond team in showing Sulu’s sexuality, original Sulu actor George Takei wasn’t happy about the news. The openly gay actor, who originated the role in Gene Roddenberry’s TV series, called the Sulu revelation “unfortunate” and argued for the franchise to develop a new LGBTQ character for the screen. […]

    “He’s right, it is unfortunate; it’s unfortunate that the screen version of the most inclusive, tolerant universe in science-fiction hasn’t featured an LGBT character until now. We could have introduced a new gay character but he or she would have been primarily defined by their sexuality, seen as the ‘gay character,’ rather than simply for who they are and isn’t that tokenism?”

    Pegg continued, “[Beyond director] Justin Lin, [screenwriter] Doug Jung and I loved the idea of it being someone we already knew because the audience have a pre-existing opinion of that character as a human being, unaffected by any prejudice. Their sexual orientation is just one of many personal aspects, not the defining characteristic. Also, the audience would infer that there has been an LGBT presence in the Trek Universe from the beginning (at least in the Kelvin timeline), that a gay hero isn’t something new or strange. It’s also important to note that at no point do we suggest that our Sulu was ever closeted, why would he need to be? It’s just hasn’t come up before.”

    Designating Sulu as gay in an alternate timeline is the essence of tokenism.

  55. 55.

    Mark k

    I’ll try to catch the next open thread closer to the start of discussions, but I just wanna ask, are we all okay with the police using a Bomb on a disposal robot to bomb the shooter “suspect” to death?

    I mean, if you see him shooting someone dead, and we know police can kill for far less serious matters, cough traffic stops, I get the reasoning…. but…. something about police departments even having their own bombs and explosives, and choosing to just blow up a guy instead of catching, cornering, waiting out, dogs, mace, etc seems like… like the entire enormity of the situation made us blind to the fact that the police will sometimes just bomb a suspect?

    does this seem like something that should be allowed to happen??

    I don’t mean killing him, he’s probably better off being bombed instead of the police catching him alive for that, but I mean USING BOMBS to end a standoff??

  61. 61.

    Paul in KY

    @Mark k: In this particular situation, from what I’ve read about it, I am OK with the police doing that (as best way to stop any more police from being shot).

  62. 62.

    hovercraft

    @Mark k:
    This debate was raging on the “Gentle Reminder” thread downstairs, it’s slowly dying but still on-going.

  63. 63.

    raven

    @Mark k:”The MARCbot is not just notable for its small size; it was the first ground robot to draw blood in Iraq. One unit of US soldiers jury-rigged their MARCbots to carry Claymore anti-personnel mines. If they thought an insurgent was hiding in an alley, they would send a MARCbot down first, and if they found someone waiting in ambush, take him out with the Claymore. Of course, each insurgent killed in this fashion meant $5,000 worth of blown-up robot parts, but so far the army has not billed the soldiers.”

  64. 64.

    Miss Bianca

    @redshirt: what?? REALLY?? Kasey Kasem?? That is my Fun Fact to Know and Tell for today!

    Of course, whenever I think of Kasey Kasem, I also think of U2 and Negativeland. But now I’ll also think about Shaggy!

  65. 65.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Paul in KY: Yeah, but this is the retcon Star Trek. I mean, in this one, Uhura is Spock’s girlfriend. They blew up Vulcan.

  69. 69.

    Mnemosyne

    @sigaba:

    I haven’t made up my mind yet. It unfortunately seems a little lazy — why not at least make Checkov gay instead? The character played by the openly gay actor has to be gay, too?

    Heck, why not make Scotty gay? Simon Pegg could stretch as an actor, too.

  70. 70.

    gvg

    @Mark k: No I don’t care about how. What they do is more important. The question should be was it appropriate to kill him? And that depends on if he was still able to hurt people and weather there was some way to take him alive without too much risk to themselves. worrying about robot or drones versus plain old gun is just misdirected technaphobia.
    Earlier this morning what I read was that he had broken off talking with the police and was shooting again. He had claimed many bombs were placed too. Now what I read might not be correct. reports can be false or mistaken and police have been known to ah slant their story to make themselves seem better. However if what I read is correct, robot bomb is fine with me.
    What we need to get better at is oversight of the police. Not just washing our hands and saying if police did it it must be ok etc. So, when I have more verified facts, then i will think again. And what this police department did today might be ok or not but the next time it will need checking for those facts. Like I said, what they did, not the tool.

    Scooby doo is on something like it’s 7th series. My kid loved the mystery incorperated series best and had a 6th birthday party 2 years ago themed on Scooby. he owns most of the shows on dvd, has the figures in 2 sizes, a mystery machine and a haunted house. He identifies with shaggy and wants shaggy to be with daphne. I loved the original show. Apparently so did others because there are at least 2 vans in our smallish city painted like the mystery machine.

  72. 72.

    Paul in KY

    @Villago Delenda Est: Saw that Uhura was dating Mr. Spock in that one. Guess I hadn’t seen that Vulcan was blown up. Maybe that was the disturbance I felt in the force after I stopped watching that movie…

  73. 73.

    gvg

    @Miss Bianca: Kasey Kasem continued to be the voice of Shaggy up until about 2 years before he died through multiple series and including the movies. He turned vegetarian at some point and held out till the series writers drew Shaggy vegetarian. Apparently quit for awhile over Burger King commercials.

  74. 74.

    redshirt

    Has anyone seen the Mike Tyson cartoon on the Cartoon Network? It’s really funny.

    It’s a dirty Scooby Doo with Mike Tyson as the lead, a ghost, a talking pigeon, and Tyson’s adopted Asian daughter. They solve mysteries. It’s ridiculous.

  77. 77.

    ET

    So glad I am heading to Europe for two weeks. Between sweltering DC Summers and the news I can use a break.

  79. 79.

    Brachiator

    @Paul in KY:

    George said he has always envisioned the character Mr. Sulu as being heterosexual.

    Makes sense. There are scenes in some episodes that support this. I think that Duly in the novels has a daughter who is also Star Fleet. This does not prevent him from being gay, but it is still a new direction.

    Ultimately, I guess it’s a victory for representation, if that rocks your boat. Looking back, I think I identified with Sulu, because he was young and brash, and starting out his career in Star Fleet. Neither his race nor sexual orientation meant anything.

    That Uhura and Spock are an item is more of an issue. But it’s a retcon reboot, so what can one say?

    I’m mildly interested in the upcoming Trek movie, even though the early trailers put me off big time.

  80. 80.

    Keith P.

    Shorter John Cole: “I am worse than Hitler. I am Fred…from Scooby-Doo.”

  81. 81.

    rikyrah

    FX makes me mad. They never really got behind this show.

    If not for the miracle of the DVR, I wouldn’t have even known this show is back on.

    Tyrant!!

  82. 82.

    redshirt

    @Brachiator: I’ll go see it because I have too, but I’m sure I’ll be mildly disappointed. No one dares make any real Trek anymore. It’s all explosions and genre cliches.

  84. 84.

    debbie

    @LAO:

    If it’s a desktop keyboard, disconnect and get in the grooves with a barely damp sponge. Let dry. I wait 48 hours out of an abundance of caution.

  85. 85.

    Mnemosyne

    Ugh. I had to have a bit of a discussion with one of my workmates who thought I was downplaying the shitastic events of the last few days. But we had a good talk and at least now she knows that I’m as pissed off about Alton Sterling and Philandro Castile as she is and wasn’t trying to downplay it. Talking is good, and she’s going to send me a link to the “Thoughts and Prayers” video game.

  88. 88.

    Matt McIrvin

    @Miss Bianca: Casey Kasem also did Robin on “Super Friends” (sometimes opposite Adam West as Batman). It’s pretty obvious if you listen for it.

  90. 90.

    sigaba

    @Brachiator: “That Uhura and Spock are an item is more of an issue. But it’s a retcon reboot, so what can one say?”

    We can only say what everyone has been saying- the reboot is explicitly Star Trek for people who hate Star Trek, made by a filmmaker who, his undeniable talent notwithstanding, openly admits he doesn’t really get Star Trek.

  91. 91.

    MoxieM

    I’m surprised nobody has mentioned the rural myth that Velma represented Smith College, Daphne was Mount Holyoke College, Fred was Amherst College, Shaggy was Hampshire College, and Scooby was UMass Amherst….notwithstanding the creators assure us it’s not true, it sure works! T-shirts can be had for your fav school/character.

  95. 95.

    My Truth Hurts

    Wow John, you mean there was actually a time in your life when you knew how to have fun?

  97. 97.

    redshirt

    It’s amazing how conspicuous cigarettes look like now in pictures, and I bet when this pic was taken they were barely even seen.

  100. 100.

    Matt McIrvin

    @sigaba: Uhura/Spock didn’t bother me, but the portrayal of Kirk did. Not to take anything away from Chris Pine, who looked the part and played it to the hilt, but they actually wrote James T. Kirk as more irritating than Shatner’s version, as if they were basing the character on sketch-comedy parodies of Kirk rather than the guy from the actual TV show. He was almost Zapp Brannigan.

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