Monday, December 27, 2010

Bob Newhart – Our Pop Culture Mascot of 2010

Pop Culture Passionistas/Archive of American Television

We feel very blessed by all of the amazing pop culture moments that we experienced in 2010. For two girls who love entertainment as much as we do, it really couldn’t have been a better first year for Pop Culture Passionistas. We met a lot of incredible people even if only for a few minutes. And with that said, as we look back at how the year unfolded one person stands out as our PCP Mascot of 2010. That man is Bob Newhart.

When we were kids we loved The Bob Newhart Show. Even thought it seemed so grown up, without anyone our age to identify with (except maybe Howard Borden), we really dug the psychiatrist series. His dry wit was not lost on us.

As we started to do work with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' the Archive of American Television last winter, one of the first interviews we were asked to cut was Bob’s. Oddly enough a random photo of Bob even sits on a shelf in the edit bay we we work in at the Academy, smiling down at us as we snip away (digitally, of course). And with each clip we pulled we realized that, not only was Newhart a brilliant comedian, he was a heck of a nice guy, too. A rare fete in Hollywood.

We were thrilled in April when we were asked to film interviews on the red carpet at Bob’s 50th Anniversary in showbiz. Finally standing face-to-face with the man. And as his friends Tim Conway, Bob Daily and Don Rickles joked about their buddy Bob, it became apparent that we weren’t the only ones happy to be in his presence that night.

Bob may not be getting the press that Betty White got in 2010. Associated Press didn’t name him Entertainer of the Year like they did her. And Time chose Mark Zuckerburg to grace their cover. But if we had to pick one guy that stood as our symbol that all things are possible with hard work, love of family, a good work ethic and a little bit of humor, it would be Bob.

So thanks, Bob. We look forward to seeing you on NCIS next year and to all the jokes you’ve got left in you for many years to come.

1 comment:

  1. On a related Bob/Betty note:

    http://bloggingboutbob.blogspot.com/2010/12/where-was-bettymania-when-it-could-have.html

    ReplyDelete