Coming Attractions: Porky Pig, rapper (2021)

 The late country singer Mel Tillis shed his stutter when he sang. Movie legend Jimmy Stewart was a stutterer off camera. President Joe Biden has the same issue, but speaks perfectly after rehearsing his speeches, I would have to guess.

And that brings us to Porky Pig, making his debut as a rapper in "Space Jam: A New Legacy", which opens Friday in theatres & HBO Max. Eric Bauza takes on the porcine icon, who's been challenged by the film's villain (Don Cheadle):

Bob Bergen, who'd been doing Porky since the 90's, is only voicing Tweety in the movie.

You Know The Voices: Jim Backus & Ted Cassidy (1968)

 From season 4 of Daniel Boone:

Israel (Darby Hinton) meets up with a retired pirate (Jim Backus), who's on the run from an old rival. Ted Cassidy and Sid Haig (in one of his earliest roles, with hair, no less) also guest star.

Since he wasn't scheduled to appear in his normal role as Cincinnatus, we must assume Dallas McKennon was the voice of the crow, but was not credited.

Haig is known to Saturday morning fans from his stint on Jason of Star Command (1978-80), but to my knowledge had no cartoon credits.

Remembering Paul Orndorff (1949-2021)

 "Mr. Wonderful" has gone to the squared circle in the sky.

It has come across the wires that Paul Orndorff, or, "Mr. Wonderful", as he was known during the latter part of the 80's and through the 90's, has passed away after a bout with dementia, this after he had beaten cancer nearly a decade earlier.

Orndorff was a college football star at the University of Tampa, and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 1973. However, the Saints, and, later, the Kansas City Chiefs, released Orndorff when he failed physical examinations. He would play in the short-lived World Football League in 1975 before turning to wrestling.

Orndorff won several regional titles before signing with the then-World Wrestling Federation at the end of 1983. He never won a title there, and the closest he came was in a title feud with then-champion Hulk Hogan four years later. He would win 2 tag titles in WCW in the mid-90's, and also held the TV title.

Untreated injuries to his neck & arm ultimately led to Orndorff retiring for good in 2000.

From 1986, during his first babyface run in the WWF, Orndorff teams with Tito Santana vs. Randy Savage and Bob Orton, Jr..

Orndorff was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, and the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame four years later. WWE will have a tribute graphic for Orndorff later tonight.

Rest in peace.

Game Time: Click (1997)

 You can thank the late Merv Griffin for introducing America to Ryan Seacrest.

Today, Seacrest is one of the busiest people in show business, between a daily talk show with Kelly Ripa, Anerican Top 40, & American Idol, making him a radio & television fixture. Of course, you have to start somewhere, and in 1997, Seacrest made his debut hosting a game show for teens that was one of Merv Griffin's last creations, Click, which ran for 2 seasons in syndication.

How Nickelodeon missed out on this show, I don't know. The pacing of the game is much faster than the average Nick game, such that you'd be forgiven if you're dizzy by the first commercial break. You'd also be forgiven if you mistook Seacrest for J. D. Roth, who was not only a game show host, but a producer, as well, by this point. Ryan was in his early 20's when Click premiered in the fall of '97.

Here's a sample episode.

You can say musical director Steve Lindsey was a legacy hire. His father, big band conductor Mort Lindsey, was Merv's musical director for a number of years, and also had the same gig for Judy Garland's 1963 variety show.

Rating: A-.

Saturday Morning's Greatest Hits: Summer Madness (1974)

 Kool & The Gang are best known for hits like "Jungle Boogie", "Hollywood Swinging", "Ladies Night", and "Joanna". However, in 1974, they also served up a jazzy, synth-fueled instrumental number on Soul Train. Here's "Summer Madness".

Like, this is the first I've heard it, and it swings.

Coming Attractions: Marvel brings its alternate realities to television

 45 years ago, Marvel embarked on a modest, ah, experiment.

The publisher began exploring the idea of how some of its history might've changed due to a moment in time going differently. The original What If? comics lasted into the 80's, and was then cancelled. It was brought back in the 90's, and had a healthy run as a monthly series. The concept's been revisited in smaller doses in recent times.

Next month, Marvel dips back into the animation pool with What if?, a 10 episode series that holds true to its concept, but the scope's been expanded to include the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the company's alternate world where their heroes and some villains were turned into zombies.

Tony, Emmy, & Golden Globe winner Jeffrey Wright voices the Watcher, who serves as the series host, just as he did in the books back in the original run. MCU regulars Mark Ruffalo, Sebastian Stan, Michael B. Jordan, and Hayley Atwell will reprise their roles (i.e. Hulk, Killmonger), while Chadwick Boseman, in his final performances, will not only reprise as the Black Panther, but takes over the role of Star Lord from Chris Pratt ("Guardians of The Galaxy").

Following is the trailer:

I've read some of those old books. All I can say is, prepare to have your world rocked.

iCarly is back, but some idiots aren't happy

 Last month, iCarly became the latest Nickelodeon series to be revived, but unlike, say for example, Are You Afraid of The Dark, it wasn't that long ago that the series had its first run.

However, one key cast member from the original series isn't back, and some fans aren't having it, unleashing vitriol on a new cast member for no other reason than needing to vent, but going about it the wrong way.

Jeannette McCurdy, who played Samantha "Sam" Puckett, best friend and sidekick to teen talk show host Carly Shay (Miranda Cosgrove), has retired from show business, and, for the new series, currently streaming on Paramount+, a new character was created, Harper, played by Laci Mosley.

Photo courtesy of Yahoo!

Seems a bunch of racist, low information trolls decided to vent on Mosley, using the predictable slurs, among other things, but they don't understand that none of this is Mosley's fault. All these idiots want is to have the same exact show, continued from the point where it ended a few years ago, and sometimes, that isn't possible.

McCurdy's not the only one missing, of course. Series creator & executive producer Dan Schneider (ex-Head of The Class) left Nickelodeon under a cloud of controversy due to allegations of sexual harassment a while back, and has zero to do with the revival or the casting thereof.

The trolls can't be bothered to pick up a newspaper or do online searches. Otherwise, they'd be a bit better informed. Then again, their parents probably are fans of America's most famous troll, Tucker Carlson...!

If you don't like the casting, fine, don't watch the show, and shut up. That's all I have to say about it.

We'll review the original iCarly soon.