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Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

G-Fafif Jan 04 2022 01:33 PM

A wrap on the 2021 scene appears here. Thanks to all who pointed the way to moments classic and contemporary the screening committee might have otherwise missed.

stevejrogers Jan 10 2022 08:28 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Was down a vintage Tonight Show rabbit hole over the weekend, and found this. [YOUTUBE]TW0_npkgG_M[/YOUTUBE] 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 Jan 10 2022 03:15 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Allegedly, the Woo 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 Feb 19 2022 10:39 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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/

batmagadanleadoff Feb 19 2022 12:07 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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 Feb 21 2022 03:47 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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/ 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/

Edgy MD Feb 21 2022 04:02 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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 Feb 21 2022 04:13 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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

Edgy MD Feb 21 2022 08:51 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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 Feb 23 2022 08:12 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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 Feb 23 2022 08:17 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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

Willets Point Feb 23 2022 12:41 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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

Edgy MD Feb 23 2022 02:46 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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

stevejrogers Mar 08 2022 07:49 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Some chryon writer at WPIX news had Mookie Wilson on the mind! [url] https://www.facebook.com/groups/popculturepros/permalink/711979393296421/

G-Fafif Mar 08 2022 11:49 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Mookie was presented with the Thurman Munson Award last night.

MFS62 Mar 09 2022 02:32 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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 Mar 09 2022 05:02 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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 Mar 20 2022 03:51 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) with a somewhat grudging tribute to the NY Mets: [YOUTUBE]VIX-dR2L0rQ[/YOUTUBE] And check out Schiff's necktie.

Edgy MD Apr 16 2022 09:42 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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. [YOUTUBE]Rjz4cKlkHGI[/YOUTUBE]

bmfc1 Apr 17 2022 08:02 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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 Apr 17 2022 11:49 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Yeek, that's some weak sauce.

Edgy MD Apr 17 2022 12:23 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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

Edgy MD Apr 17 2022 12:24 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Pop-up blues.

G-Fafif May 02 2022 07:37 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

[tweet]https://twitter.com/stephenathome/status/1521301624488181760[/tweet]

Edgy MD May 19 2022 01:43 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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. [YOUTUBE]gbOUGPnDoo8[/YOUTUBE]

Benjamin Grimm May 19 2022 02:00 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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 May 19 2022 02:43 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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 May 27 2022 08:30 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

“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 May 27 2022 01:24 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022 Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Jun 10 2022 01:53 PM

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 here.

Edgy MD May 31 2022 09:32 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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?

seawolf17 Jun 01 2022 06:59 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

[YOUTUBE]s9yTu9H_5YA[/YOUTUBE]

Edgy MD Jun 01 2022 07:47 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

I thought I had Darling in there. He actually appeared twice.

G-Fafif Jun 10 2022 01:54 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

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 here. Unlikely followup to this story here. http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/wp-content/uploads/B6A04409-372D-44FB-A0FE-2BF0999597E3.jpeg>

G-Fafif Dec 13 2022 05:50 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

It's the 25th anniversary of the night in 1997 that Todd Hundley led a parade of major leaguers out of Chris Kattan's closet on Saturday Night Live, and the Ringer tells the sketch's oral history, featuring remembrances from Todd Zeile, Gregg Jefferies and Cliff Floyd. Jefferies: During rehearsals it was easy, but then all of a sudden that red light comes on and it's like, holy cow, it's legit. In New York we would do commercials, so I was lucky with that. But that was the first time I did anything like that. When I first got to New York, I think I was 19, they wanted me to host Saturday Night Live. And I said, there's no way. I turned that down. I was terrified with that. Floyd: I think maybe I took a drama class, just to pass some class in high school, but nothing to the extent of reading a card and actually having a camera on you and trying to act out and remember one part: “Hey, you got any food? Where's the food?” Whatever I said. It felt like the script was a page long where there was only four words, and I was sweating my ass off trying to remember when to do it and how to do it. I was just saying to myself, “If I can't memorize this, I mean, good luck.” https://www.theringer.com/tv/2022/12/13/23506851/saturday-night-live-baseball-dreams-come-true-sketch-oral-history

Edgy MD Dec 13 2022 11:17 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Was this past mission the one that launched you to the Moon?

G-Fafif Dec 13 2022 11:57 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Edgy MD wrote: Was this past mission the one that launched you to the Moon? Next year.

Edgy MD Dec 13 2022 12:10 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Awesome. Just awesome. I enjoyed that oral history of the Hundley sketch, but that ain't goin' to the moon.

G-Fafif Dec 21 2022 10:38 PM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

[tweet]https://twitter.com/gqmagazine/status/1605550390950465536[/tweet] Half of this is worthwhile.

metirish Dec 29 2022 05:58 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1608301991700094978[/TWEET] Is there a Mets loving big shot thread anymore?

Fman99 Dec 29 2022 06:06 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Chris Christie should hire someone to dress him. He looks like 10 pounds of sausage stuffed into a five pound casing.

G-Fafif Dec 29 2022 06:48 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Is there a Mets loving big shot thread anymore? Here ya go: http://phpbb3.ultimatemets.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31078&p=113746&hilit=Met+lovin'#p113746

metirish Dec 29 2022 07:04 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Thanks , Greg .... George Santos used to play CF for the Mets

G-Fafif Dec 29 2022 07:24 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

=metirish post_id=115709 time=1672322671 user_id=72] Thanks , Greg .... George Santos used to play CF for the Mets

Listed on some ballots as Omir Santos.

stevejrogers Dec 29 2022 07:46 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Is there a Mets loving big shot thread anymore? Here ya go: http://phpbb3.ultimatemets.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31078&p=113746&hilit=Met+lovin'#p113746 Considering George's issues (I'm not sullying the name of President Matthew Santos), I'd wager that was just bandwagoning to curry favor with a bloated GOP “outsider that acts like an insider.”

Lefty Specialist Dec 30 2022 09:07 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Considering George's issues, I'd bet he's actually a die-hard Yankee fan. Or has no concept of baseball whatsoever.

Frayed Knot Dec 30 2022 10:33 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Similar to Hillary's conveniently-discovered-when-she-was-running-for-NYS-Senate NYY fandom.

G-Fafif Jan 07 2023 07:42 AM Re: Mets in the Popular Culture 2022

Putting a wrap on Mets Pop Culture sightings and such for 2022 via the eleventh annual Oscar's Cap Awards, presented by Faith and Fear in Flushing, the blog that likes to watch TV and take copious notes. Thanks to anybody here who inadvertently contributed.