Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

[G-Fafif]

A wrap on the 2021 scene appears http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2022/01/04/the-2021-oscars-cap-awards/here. Thanks to all who pointed the way to moments classic and contemporary the screening committee might have otherwise missed.

[stevejrogers]

Was down a vintage Tonight Show rabbit hole over the weekend, and found this.



[media=youtube]TW0_npkgG_M[/media]



It's late in the clip, but Johnny brings up the future Met Phil Linz' harmonica incident. He manages to bring up a win streak the Mets were on as the MFYs were on a losing run, and takes a dig on how things took a turn since CBS bought the franchise. Oh boy Johnny, that was quite Carnsinio of you to predict the Horace Clarke years like that!

[Willets Point]

Allegedly, the https://www.tasteatlas.com/woo-wooWoo Woo cocktail was invented by a bartender in Bayside who liked to celebrate the Mets scoring by giving out this drink to patrons.

[G-Fafif]

The Simpsons' softball episode “Homer at the Bat” is turning thirty, a good opportunity for then-Dodger but eternal Met Darryl Strawberry to reflect on his participation among Mr. Burns's beloved ringers.

Strawberry has some of the best lines — not to mention the biggest part — among the major-league guest stars. His first scene, his introduction to Homer, was once voted by The Toronto Star as the “greatest conversation of all-time involving the word ‘yes.'” Homer: You're Darryl Strawberry. Strawberry: Yes. Homer: You play right field. Strawberry: Yes. Homer: I play right field, too. Strawberry: So? Homer: Well, are you better than me? Strawberry: Well, I never met you … but … yes. Most scouts would agree that Strawberry had a slight edge over Homer. He was the National League rookie of the year with the New York Mets in 1983, led the league in home runs and slugging in 1988 and was among the youngest players ever to 200 career home runs. By the time he visited “The Simpsons” for his voiceover, Strawberry was en route to his eighth consecutive All-Star Game, his first as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. As if Strawberry's talent wasn't enough to crack the lineup for the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, he also emerged as the Babe Ruth of butt-kissers — the Sultan of Smooch. Whenever he was around Mr. Burns, Strawberry was such a sycophant that he made Mr. Smithers look like a rebel. In the best gag — the crying — Strawberry says nothing at all. He trots out to his right field spot and gets ready to play defense. But Bart and Lisa, annoyed that Strawberry has taken their father's spot, began to taunt him with the classic sing-song chant of Daaaar-ryl, Daaaar-ryl. The joke concludes with a sorrowful Strawberry lifting a left hand to wipe away the tear. Because the scene was added without Strawberry knowing, Jean jokes on the commentary that it was “by far the most unfair thing we've ever done to a guest star.” No hard feelings, Strawberry said: “It amazes me how big that show still is, and it's such an honor to be a part of.”

The (paywalled) article in The Athletic collects reminiscences from each of the major leaguers who visited Springfield. The quotes, the author explains, go back a dozen or more years, but that's repeats for ya.



https://theathletic.com/3136278/2022/02/19/homer-at-the-bat-turns-30-a-collection-of-memories-from-all-nine-all-stars-in-the-simpsons-classic/https://theathletic.com/3136278/2022/02/19/homer-at-the-bat-turns-30-a-collection-of-memories-from-all-nine-all-stars-in-the-simpsons-classic/

[batmagadanleadoff]

Bill Clinton's first term roughly corresponds with peak Simpsons. Back then, I watched The Simpsons religiously and sincerely believed that it might've been the best TV show ever. This was, of course, just before the cable TV show trend that gave us The Sopranos, Mad Men and several others series that would revolutionize TV shows. But by 1998 or 1999, I had given up entirely on The Simpsons., which became a shell of its former self, thanks to a stunningly rapid defection of top creative talent. I haven't watched a single episode since. But that baseball themed episode was peak Simpsons.

[batmagadanleadoff]

The Simpsons' softball episode “Homer at the Bat” is turning thirty, a good opportunity for then-Dodger but eternal Met Darryl Strawberry to reflect on his participation among Mr. Burns's beloved ringers. Strawberry has some of the best lines — not to mention the biggest part — among the major-league guest stars. His first scene, his introduction to Homer, was once voted by The Toronto Star as the “greatest conversation of all-time involving the word ‘yes.'” Homer: You're Darryl Strawberry. Strawberry: Yes. Homer: You play right field. Strawberry: Yes. Homer: I play right field, too. Strawberry: So? Homer: Well, are you better than me? Strawberry: Well, I never met you … but … yes. Most scouts would agree that Strawberry had a slight edge over Homer. He was the National League rookie of the year with the New York Mets in 1983, led the league in home runs and slugging in 1988 and was among the youngest players ever to 200 career home runs. By the time he visited “The Simpsons” for his voiceover, Strawberry was en route to his eighth consecutive All-Star Game, his first as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. As if Strawberry's talent wasn't enough to crack the lineup for the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, he also emerged as the Babe Ruth of butt-kissers — the Sultan of Smooch. Whenever he was around Mr. Burns, Strawberry was such a sycophant that he made Mr. Smithers look like a rebel. In the best gag — the crying — Strawberry says nothing at all. He trots out to his right field spot and gets ready to play defense. But Bart and Lisa, annoyed that Strawberry has taken their father's spot, began to taunt him with the classic sing-song chant of Daaaar-ryl, Daaaar-ryl. The joke concludes with a sorrowful Strawberry lifting a left hand to wipe away the tear. Because the scene was added without Strawberry knowing, Jean jokes on the commentary that it was “by far the most unfair thing we've ever done to a guest star.” No hard feelings, Strawberry said: “It amazes me how big that show still is, and it's such an honor to be a part of.” The (paywalled) article in The Athletic collects reminiscences from each of the major leaguers who visited Springfield. The quotes, the author explains, go back a dozen or more years, but that's repeats for ya. https://theathletic.com/3136278/2022/02/19/homer-at-the-bat-turns-30-a-collection-of-memories-from-all-nine-all-stars-in-the-simpsons-classic/https://theathletic.com/3136278/2022/02/19/homer-at-the-bat-turns-30-a-collection-of-memories-from-all-nine-all-stars-in-the-simpsons-classic/

WAPO also marks the 30th anniversary of Homer at the Bat:



‘Homer at the Bat' at 30: The landmark ‘Simpsons' episode that pushed the show's boundaries

Wade Boggs, Steve Sax and others recall how the series handled a squad of celebrities for the first time



Excerpt:

“Homer at the Bat,” which featured the voices of nine active major leaguers and made its debut Feb. 20, 1992, was more than a quirky one-off in celebrity stunt casting. The 17th episode of Season 3 emboldened the minds behind “The Simpsons” to push the boundaries of what an animated half-hour series could do and show. And from a ratings standpoint, it was a bellwether for the surging show: “Homer at the Bat” marked the first time that a new “Simpsons” episode beat an original episode of “The Cosby Show,” long an NBC juggernaut; on that prime-time Thursday night, “Simpsons” softball also topped CBS's Winter Olympics coverage from Albertville, France. “It was a huge deal” for the then-upstart Fox network, says “Simpsons” executive producer and showrunner Al Jean. “That was a changing of the guard in television.” Soon the show was asking itself, “What can't we do?” recalls David Silverman, who had recently been named the show's supervising director. Celebrities wanted to guest-star on “our little cartoon show.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/02/19/homer-at-the-bat-simpsons-baseball/https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/02/19/homer-at-the-bat-simpsons-baseball/

[Edgy MD]

Pretty funny that the show portrayed Ken Griffey as something analogous to a juicer, when he outclassed his generation of Hall of Famers by (apparently) not juicing and fading away in the second half of his career like a man is supposed to.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Three major leaguers who turned down an invite to appear on that show were Barry Bonds, Ryne Sandberg and Nolan Ryan.

[Edgy MD]

Nothing against Mike Scioscia, but even back then I wasn't under the impression that he was their first choice.



That he was undone by his conscientious work ethic was kind of perfect for such a borderline All Star.

[TransMonk]

The new Netflix series Inventing Anna has a defense lawyer who is a Mets fan. In episode 8, while counseling a client he says:



Whatever you do, don't mention the Mets. The judge is an old school Dodger fan, thinks they're only in LA temporarily and they're coming back to Brooklyn any day now and the Mets are usurpers. Got me?



https://i.imgur.com/O1qe75V.png>



In episode 9, he is wearing a Mets tshirt while he practices his arguments in his underwear.



https://i.imgur.com/onSJcQ1.png>



Overall, the series is worth watching even without the few Mets references.

[Benjamin Grimm]

By the time of the 2035 season the Mets will have been playing in New York for longer than the Dodgers did.

[Willets Point]

Only if you include the Dodgers' first 14 seasons when Brooklyn was not yet part of New York City.

[Edgy MD]

And the Dodgers were the Robins or the Superbas or somesuch.

[stevejrogers]

Some chryon writer at WPIX news had Mookie Wilson on the mind!

Pop Culture Pros Group | I don’t remember a guy named Jet Fuel Prices...

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM

---

I don’t remember a guy named Jet Fuel Prices Spike playing for the Mets. A long time too.

Pop Culture Pros Group | I don’t remember a guy named Jet Fuel Prices...

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM

---

I don’t remember a guy named Jet Fuel Prices Spike playing for the Mets. A long time too.

[G-Fafif]

Mookie was presented with the Thurman Munson Award last night.

[MFS62]

In case you're wondering what that scream was that you heard this morning, It was from me.

I was in my car listening to WFAN and wanting to hear any news about the MLB labor situation.

Going to break, I heard "Coming up with Tiki and Tierney (whoever the fu*k they are) will be Yankee Great Darryl Strawberry".



And they are hosting a sports radio call-in show in New York City?

How far the station has fallen.

sigh

Later

[G-Fafif]

I heard "Coming up with Tiki and Tierney (whoever the fu*k they are) will be Yankee Great Darryl Strawberry".

File this under Unpopular Culture.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) with a somewhat grudging tribute to the NY Mets:



[media=youtube]VIX-dR2L0rQ[/media]



And check out Schiff's necktie.

[Edgy MD]

In the 1982 SCTV sketch "I Was a Teenaged Communist," the cover for the subversive anti-American Communist cell that recruits Eddie Davis is a Duke Snider fan club.



[media=youtube]Rjz4cKlkHGI[/media]

[bmfc1]

There was a Mets dig in the unfunny cold-open of last night's SNL as "Mayor Adams" said that he was going to have a parade for capturing the Subway Shooter, "just like we'll do when the Yankees win the World Series or the Mets finish the season."

[Edgy MD]

Yeek, that's some weak sauce.

[Edgy MD]

Bloated for McNeil. Let's see if the two-out magic is still working.

[Edgy MD]

Pop-up blues.

[G-Fafif]

[Edgy MD]

In the July 2, 1978 episode of The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, Red Buttons, roasting Frank Sinatra in a shlocky-but-spirited routine, laments all the great Italians through history who, in his words, "never got a dinner."



"Firstbaseman Joe Torre," he bemoans, "who was too chicken to play catcher, because, he said, 'Who wants to be known as Chicken Catcher Torre?' ... [never got a dinner]."



It's a lot funnier if you were there, and, like, really plastered. Jump ahead to 3:30 below to witness this national tribute to the then-Mets manager.



[media=youtube]gbOUGPnDoo8[/media]

[Benjamin Grimm]

Jeez, I remember that one from when it happened! I actually thought of that line a week or so ago when I had chicken cacciatore for dinner!

[Edgy MD]

I remember The San Diego Chicken chasing Torre out of the dugout and around the park before finally nabbing him in centerfield, followed by the scoreboard reading, "Chicken Catch-a-Torre!"



Red Buttons was an influencer!

[G-Fafif]

“I had tickets to see the Mets, who George loved, to play the Dodgers, who he hated.”

—Jerry Hamza, manager of George Carlin, regarding the game of May 4, 1982 at Dodger Stadium, where Carlin experienced symptoms of what turned out to be a heart attack, from part two of the documentary George Carlin's American Dream, which premiered on HBO, May 21, 2022, and was directed by Mets fan Judd Apatow.



Game footage that illustrates the segment, if one is inclined to look closely, isn't from the night of May 4, 1982, despite it being implied that it is. We see Bob Bailor sliding into second base, which only happened once at Dodger Stadium when he was a Met, on May 17, 1981 — a day game, as opposed to the night game when Carlin experienced his episode. Also, the Dodgers are wearing their Los Angeles centennial patches in the blend of day game and night game clips used, and those were worn in 1981.



Later in the documentary, a stagehand wearing a Mets cap is seen setting up in advance of Carlin taping his 1992 HBO special Jammin' in New York at Madison Square Garden's Paramount Theatre.

[G-Fafif]

The Mets, in the form of a digitized version of this oil painting…



http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/wp-content/uploads/A7F812FE-825F-4F7A-B386-D997D49317E5.jpeg>



…are headed for the Moon. Details http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2022/05/27/moonstruck/here.

Edited May 27, 2022 by Guest

[Edgy MD]

Has anybody come up with a definitive list of Mets who've appeared on Saturday Night Live.



A quick brainstorm gave me Yogi Berra, David Cone, Cliff Floyd, Steve Henderson, Todd Hundley, Gregg Jefferies, Ed Kranepool, Graeme Lloyd, Tom Seaver, Gerald Williams, Todd Zeile. Most of those, sadly, dd not appear during their Mets careers.



Willie Randolph and Jermaine Allensworth have been portrayed. Garret Morris portrayed fictional longtime Cub and shorter-time Mets Chico Escuela.



I'm sure I'm missing several. Has Mike Piazza really never gotten this gig? Glavine?