I don't mean to be disrespectful, but are any of you getting as saturated by and tired of Michael Jackson "news" as I am? Yes, Michael was a wonderful little kid who grew into a wonderful young man who could sing and dance really well. Then he got really weird and stopped singing and dancing except in court. And then, for the most part, I suspect none of us really wanted to hear about how much odder he'd gotten over the last few years or his financial problems or his upcoming comeback/farewell concerts in England. And then he died as he'd lived--in some weird, mysterious, and odd manner. Yes, I'd like to hear what they find out about THAT once all the tests come back, but the rest? Nope. I was kind of getting tired of it about 10 or 11 days ago.
The other thing? The death of Michael Jackson has really overshadowed the deaths of several other notable cultural icons. I mentioned Billy Mays a couple times already. And poor Farrah had the misfortune to die earlier on the same day as Michael, so her passing got our attention for what? About ten minutes? And now? With all the funeral/memorial hoopla, did you even hear?
"Oscar G. Mayer, retired chairman of the Wisconsin-based meat processing company that bears his name, has died at the age of 95." This, by the way, was the third Oscar Mayer, and since there wasn't any mention in the article of a fourth Oscar Mayer carrying on the name, I think this may be the end of the wiener dynasty! So sad!
Who among us will ever forget the Wienermobile?
And how many children experienced the utter joy and excitement of seeing a hotdog driving down the street? And if you didn't, didn't you always wish you could?
I remember when I was in fourth grade, there was a period of time that lasted, oh, maybe three or four months, when I ate nothing for lunch but Oscar Mayer hot dogs. With catsup.
Do you remember the Oscar Mayer Wiener jingle?
"Oh I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener
That is what I'd truly like to be-e-e
'Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener
Everyone would be in love with me"
That is what I'd truly like to be-e-e
'Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener
Everyone would be in love with me"
And what about THIS little ditty?
"My bologna has a first name, it's O-S-C-A-R
My bologna has a second name, it's M-A-Y-E-R
Oh, I love to eat it everyday,
And if you ask me why I'll say. . .
'Cuz Oscar Mayer has a way. . .
With B-O-L-O-G-N-A."
My bologna has a second name, it's M-A-Y-E-R
Oh, I love to eat it everyday,
And if you ask me why I'll say. . .
'Cuz Oscar Mayer has a way. . .
With B-O-L-O-G-N-A."
How many of us learned to spell bologna, thanks to Oscar Mayer? Oscar fed our brains as well as our bodies!
Now, if you were to ask me to sing two Michael Jackson songs, could I do it? Nope! (And I can't moon walk either!) But go ahead and ask me to sing two Oscar Mayer songs, and I'll deliver! So who do you think has had a deeper impact on my life, Michael Jackson or Oscar Mayer? Goodbye Mr. Mayer. Thank you for everything--we'll miss you!
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30 comments:
Kim, I couldn't have said that better myself!!!! Great job with your thoughts and putting them in print.
I agree: It's ridiculous, but the world seemed to have stopped on the day MJ died. The President is in Russia and Paling resigned, but you can find next to nothing about it. We're going to wake up from the whole MJ thing to find out that have the country has seceded and the other half now belongs to Canada. Ridiculous.
Well done, again Kim! Oh, I remember the OM Mobile. I remembe when I was 6 or 7, we went down to the Drive Thru Dairy to get milk or bread for mom, and Mr. Pimental proudly annouced to my brother and I that the OM Mobile was going to be there the next week. Needless to say we were so excited, we ran home to share this good news with mom and forgot the milk and bread. Yes, we went to see it, I have a picture of us in the door of it somewhere, and I still have my weiner whistle. Thank you for reliving a very exciting memory for me! See ya soon.
Pam
I was just thinking, too, of all the doxies that are named Oscar. LOL. Years ago when I was court reporting, I heard a lot of laughter behind me one day. It turns out I was singing out loud the song as I typed out the word "bologna."
AMEN!!! Being a Wisconsinite, Oscar Mayer is special. Thanks for the dittys.
Several years ago my DH worked in Madison, WI as a shuttle driver for a hotel. One of my favorite stories of his from this job is when he drove the job candidates coming in for some internship program that involved driving the weinermobile. He said that the whole time he was driving them in the van they kept singing the two songs, because they knew they'd be asked to sing them in the interview!
Amen, sister!! Amen.
I agree with you 100%. How many newsworthy things happened that we didn't even hear about because the news was saturated with MJ stuff? I'm sorry the guy died, but come on people!
I love your writing, thank you for giving me a daily smile and laugh.
i remember my mother putting me on the phone and making me sing the OM hot dog ditty for some prize she was trying to win from a radio station ... it was not one of the brighter moments of my childhood and i started eating only Armour hot dogs after that (yeah, i know the words to THAT song, too)... and i've been avoiding the tv because i just can't look at Michael Jackson's face without wanting to hurl hot diggety dogs ... that cute little kid who had me singing "ooo ooo baby" became too creepy for words ... i can't even imagine the demons he must have been fighting.
Great post and I so agree!
Kim,
We saw the Hot Dog driving south on I 35 just last week. We got so excited and started laughing. That was in Gardner, KS Marylin Tucker
Well said. So many other important things are happening in the world and it seems the only thing that matters is MJ. Problem is, until they determine the real cause of death, we will continue to be bombarded with MJ news. As they say, any publicity is good publicity.
Ok, I am taking you up on singing the two Oscar Mayer ditties. BP&HH tomorrow or Friday, your choice. Oh and Dianne you sang it too, why don't you pop over at the same time and harmonize with Kim? Growing up in the old country we never heard of or saw the OM Mobile, Perhaps it was not born yet back then...
PS my new web site is:
http://web.me.com/knot_yembroiderylady
Hugs
Me again -
You are so quick and sharp you have my new url in your side bar. Sorry I did not realize that when I wrote my first comment. Thank you.
PS I will invite Pam, when you sing, because she has a OM whistle and will be able to accompany you and Dianne.
Oh Kim, you said exactly what I have been thinking. I was sad for the first day or 2, but come on, he was just human like the rest of us. Enough already. You know that now you have stuck those songs in my head for the day, don't you? I actually learned to spell bologna from that song as well. LOL Thanks for a great post as usual. Winona
I'm with you!!! Absolutely fed up with the MJ coverage. I know I am the only person in the world that doesn't like his music and I thought he was mad. I do feel sorry for his kids though!
Hear, hear Kim. Excellent well thought out statements which I wholey agree. (ok, the little red line stayed under all the ways I could think to spell whole - y so I'm sticking with the one written above!)
Thanks for the info on Mr. Mayer. I don't think I ever saw the wiener mobile. Ah, well. I feel deprived! Bonnie in the Poconos where it continues to give us rain ... I'm looking forward to a sunny day -- some day!
Thank you for saying what we all have been thinking about MJ's death.
I'm sad for the kids, but enough is enough.
And I didn't even know about Oscar's passing.I ate bologna sandwiches 4 days a week, when in grade school [meatless Friday!], and can't eat bologna anymore but I ate a ham sandwich in his honor today. I doubt they will televise his memorial on every freeking channel!
Bless you Oscar, rest in peace.
Bless you, Kim, for speaking up!
It's a bad time to be a celebrity -- so many have died recently, and the only one we hear about is MJ. Besides the ones you mentioned, there was Robert McNamera, Gale Storm (of My Little Margie), Karl Maulden and that murdered football player. I hadn't heard about Oscar Mayer yet. Sheesh.
Thankyou for your post. You said it very eloquently. I too am tired of it. There are more important issues at hand. As an observer from Canada can I say I am very happy that the president was in Russia cause if he had been at home he might have had to make a decision whether to go to the service or not go, and you can bet he would have been criticized for whichever decision was made---he has so many other important things to do and seems to be doing them very well. Even as a child growing up in Ireland I remember the Bologna ditty---MJs songs--not so much----love you blog.
marilynmckinnon@hotmail.com---in Canada
oh that is all so true, and the coolest thing was seeing the weinermobile driving along in the middle of nowhere in Wisconsin on summer! toooo cool!
I agree with you and everyone else on this one, Kim. The whole week around MJ's death was like a spectacular train wreck - all the news stations "had" to cover it, and everbody "had" to watch. I hadn't heard about Mr Mayer's passing, either. I saw the weinermobile once when I was a kid - thought it would be such a cool car to drive!
Well said, Kim! And now, of course, as if we didn't have enough cash flow problems, we had to spend $1.4 million in security for the whole MJ show. Crazy stuff.
Michael jackson was a worldwide star and he changed the world of popmusic forever. He also MADE the whole scene of videoclips and therefor it's inevitable that his sudden death has this impact all over the globe. I'm not talking about all the wrong choices he made, just about his music. I'm not a MJ fan (although I have the "thriller" album:) but I DO remember the fun I had, dancing on his music.
OMGosh!! I absolutely laughed out loud and yelled "ME TOO"!!!
I've had to just turn off my TV because every time I think it's safe to get back on..... still more!!!
Enough already!!
Love the wienermobile. I have seen it in person several times. Have you everl seen Elsie the Cow? She is mounted on a truck too -- almost as cool. It seems that many of these brand icons have disappeared. If it weren't for Mr Peanut and the Pillsbury Doughboy where would we be. Even poor Betty Crocker has to keep getting makeovers.
(I apologize in advance for this.)My son told me that Farrah got to heaven and asked God to protect the little children. And 'poof' MJ died.
I agree. I like MJ and his music and I figured when all the people who are now capitalizing on his death were making jokes about him, that he was pronounced not quilty so maybe he was innocent. I'm speaking of late night comedians and news talk show hosts. Now everyone is jumping on the bandwagon to milk every minute of airtime and dollar out of his death. I feel like it has been way out of proportion compared to the other deaths and events that have already been mentioned. I feel sorry that after he went to such lengths to protect his children that now they are out there for the world to see in their time of crisis.
Your post brought back some good childhood memories, I loved my glimpses of the weinerwagon and like you I know the Oscar Mayer songs by heart.
I loved those jingles! But, of all the celebrities who passed away recently, Farrah had a huge impact on me. I had her hair style for years!
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