My very first stalker

Okay boys and girls, gather round for another exciting episode of Father Knows Best? Today’s episode gets a little creepy as I answer a question from Tara, a possible stalker. 

I recently began following you and this may have already been asked/answered but I’m a busy lady and I don’t always have time to read the archives so stop judging me. Where did you come up with Chandler’s name? And if you say “Friends” I may have to leave my husband & children behind so I can come stalk you. I may have a sickness. 

-Tara

P.S. The sickness is in reference to my obsession with the show not with blog-strangers that I would potentially stalk. Hmmmmm. I think that “explanation” may have made it worse. I’m going to stop talking now.

Okay, I just checked and all my doors are securely locked. So now I can tell you that yes, Chandler’s name was at least partially inspired by “Friends”. Ashley suggested the name originally as a possible girl’s name. She remembered liking the name when she first read it in the book “Prince of Tides” (can you believe they made a book out of that movie?). Even though she was just 10 years old at that time, she made a plan to someday name her child Chandler. Kind of creepy how even her plans she made 19 years ago come true. 

Anyway, as soon as she mentioned the name Chandler I thought it was a great idea. I liked it because of “Friends,” but I really had to down play that as my reasoning because I could tell she didn’t want people to think we named our son after a character from a sitcom (albeit one of the best sitcoms ever). 

That being said Tara, I think we need to discuss your deeper issues here. I myself was once obsessed with “Friends.” To this day every time I move a couch I yell, “Pivot!”, I often sing the hit song “Smelly Cat”, and the phrase “We were on a break!” still resonates in my head. So I can’t blame your for your immense affection for such an iconic show. 

I just don’t think stalking me, simply because I named my son Chandler, which was partially inspired by “Friends”, is the proper way to express your feelings. Perhaps you could take a different approach. Maybe you could knit life-size dolls that resemble the entire “Friends” cast. Or maybe you could kidnap the cast and force them to re-enact your favorite episodes in your basement where you have replicated their set.

Whatever you choose, go big or go home. Stalking me just doesn’t seem hardcore enough. 

PS. Did I mention that Chandler is his short name? His full name is Chanandler Bong…Ms. Chanandler Bong.

My childhood Classic TV Box Set

This installment of “Father Knows Best?”  is going to be a fun one. An anonymous submission poses the following question:

Father of Chandler….on your last post you brought up media….question…what shows would you try and get on dvd of your childhood for your son to someday see in case they aren’t aired on regular tv…..for example…I want my daughter to watch My two dads and Tailspin…no where to be found…this is sad to me.

Oh my goodness. Where do I start? Well first of all thank you for your question and I must say your two choices are top notch. Tailspin was such a great cartoon. Man I loved the pizazz with which Baloo lived his life. He made me want to fly cartoon planes.

And My Two Dads. Paul Reiser and some guy no one ever cared about. It’s funny to think back to that show. Why did I like it so much? I could in no way at all relate to that show when I was a kid. I wasn’t a Dad. I wasn’t a teenage girl. Oh wait…maybe I had the hots for the teenage girl. Man, my standards were low when I was in elementary school.

Probably the number 1 show that I’d like my son to watch is Family Ties. That show was a monumental influence on me as a child. Not only did I learn a lot of essential life lessons from the Keatons, it was Michael J. Fox’s portrayal of Alex P. that made me want to get into comedy. That’s just a nice way of saying Alex P. Keaton taught me to be a smart ass to my parents.

Another major part of my childhood was The Cosby Show. I still quote that show on a regular basis. In fact it was just about 4 and a half months ago that I was reciting the classic line, “Push it out, push it out. Waaaayyyyy out!”

Two even older shows that I loved and hope (but doubt) my child will learn to respect were the Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Dick Van Dyke made me want to be a comedy writer so I could sit around with a bunch of comedians coming up with funny lines all day long. And Mary Tyler Moore just had some of the best writing on TV ever.

Obviously there’s Seinfeld, but I think that will still be running re-runs by the time Chandler has his first child. And of course, Friends.

Those are the classics from my childhood. I didn’t even breach the cartoon section. Gummi Bears anyone?

Thanks for the question. Keep them coming, people.