Death Alert

Ever since I woke my wife up one morning to tell her that John Ritter and Johnny Cash had died I've been forced to insert some sort of disclaimer into any announcement to her that will include news of death.  We've decided on a rather obvious phrase--"Death Alert"--that I slip in just before I tell her.  This has to be done whether it's in person, over the phone, or an instant message.  It gives her time to prepare for the news or to tell me to keep it to myself.  Well, last night, I walked into the kitchen and gave her the warning.  "Death alert."  She was on the phone with her good friend Lucina Hernandez Contraria Rodriguez Jane DeSoto Palafox, who is also a member of the "death alert" squad. 

"Oh no, who is it?" she asked, interrupting the latest gossip about some celebrity not wearing underwear.

"Joe Barbera.  He died.  He was 90something."

"Who?" I could tell that this wasn't going to be moment-of-silent inducing news.

"Joe Barbera of Hanna-Barbera."

Silence.

"Scooby Doo.  The Flintstones.  Tom & friggin' Jerry?"

"Oh, that news doesn't really do much for me." 

I couldn't believe it.  How can a man that created such a cast of characters, icons of our culture perhaps more well known than the vast majority of the dramatis personae of all of Shakespeare for whole generations of American kids and adults be a shrug of the shoulders when his death is announced?  Maybe it's just me.  Maybe it's the fact that my elementary schoolday afternoons were filled with homework and Tom & Jerry, my Saturday mornings with Scooby-Doo and the Laff Olympics.  Sure, it wasn't a tragic, sudden death, a drug overdose or a car wreck.  He was 95 and lived a full and productive life.  But will he get the sort of send off that Bob Hope or Carson got after their full lives ended?  Not even close.  I'm not sure CNN interrupted its coverage of the missing hikers to even acknowledge his passing.

But I'll stop what I'm doing for at least a moment to tip my hat to his creativity and celebrate the fact that he gave me countless hours of entertainment, helped fill those in-between years after Sesame Street stopped being my it show but before Starsky & Hutch took over as my television obsession. With that said, I'll dim the Syntax of Things' lights for just a moment and give you a little taste of genius.  Rest in peace, Mr. Barbera.

Comments

[tom l]

I love the "Death Alert" idea - gotta start using that. I was a little more touched by the death yesterday of Chris Hayward, one of the writers of Rocky and Bullwinkle. Although I had never heard his name before, unlike Barbera, he probably brought even more joy into my life, with stuff like this - `When the plot requires Bullwinkle to survive a week in the Abominable Manor in England, he says, "Shucks, I've been livin' in an abominable manner all my life!"`

[TJ]

You did not just name-check the Laff Olympics. You hear that sound? That's nostalgia washing over me.

Also, your YouTube selection is well done--iconic. The dog hits the cat, the cat hits the mouse. That's it, exactly.

[Robin]

My first thought upon hearing that he died was that he was the last of my childhood icons. They are all gone now I believe: Seuss, Henson, Hanna, Chuck Jones, Schultz. But at least the cartoons still live.

[Jeff]

Hey Robin...nice to see you around these parts again. Yep, they're all pushing up cartoon daisies. And then you have to throw in Capt Kangaroo and Mister Rogers.

TJ, Cap'n Caaa--aaaa--ve-maaaan! I loved that damn show.

Tom, I'm with you. I hadn't heard about Hayward. Good time to try out "death alert" and see how it works. I failed to mention that I also have to use "death alert" when I tell my wife that I spotted some amazing road kill on my way to work, something I'll have to do this afternoon as I did see one very interesting dead animal not far from the office.

[tom l]

well. gee, now i have to check back to see if you're going to let us know what that very interesting dead animal was! :}

[Varg]

Every now and then, just for fun, say, "death alert: there's a perished possum out on the road" or "death alert: Angelina Jolie died" or "Death Alert: God is dead."