# Alright G-d, We understand Johnny Cash, but... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 12, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220 "2003-09-12T16:11:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/61 "2003-09-13T18:31:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SpoilerVirgin \* > \*\*For those of us who want another chance to see John Ritter in his many memorable T.V. roles, including the Waltons’ Reverend Forwick (the role that made him one of my favorites) [TVLand](http://www.tvland.com/obits/ritter/) will be airing tribute episodes all day Sunday. Watch for his surprise appearance on _The Mary Tyler Moore Show_ in the episode in which Ted and Georgette get married. > > Also, Nick at Nite will be showing tribute episodes of _Three’s Company_ on Monday night. \*\* I’m pretty sure all these episodes would have been on TVLand anyway as part of them celebrating the Emmy Awards. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Babbington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Mr.Babbington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Babbington)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/62 "2003-09-13T18:33:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DocCathode \* > \*\* And the Buffy episode. John’s character starts out as this great guy. All of the scooby gang think he’d be a really cool dad. Then Buffy and the viewers see the mask slip. John convingly portrays the kind of anger and evil that makes a person beat their family. \*\* That’s cause he was playing a robot. He got nominated for an Emmy, IIRC for that guest appearance on Buffy. I don’t remember if he won or not, though. I could watch him fall down for days. It’s a real bummer he died. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/63 "2003-09-14T00:00:22Z")
Hey–I’m still upset over Celia Cruz. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/64 "2003-09-14T18:34:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DocCathode \* > \*\ ***Ratty** > > Thank you. I should have thought of Ebay. However, I do my best to avoid the place. After discovering that collections of glass eyes were sold almost every week, I realized that Ebay could easily end up taking all my time and money. \*\* Holy shit! You _weren’t_ [kidding!](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2557358460&category=1210) You bastard! Why the hell didn’t you tell me about those! I could have had so much fun with them and my (now ex-)roommate! Anyone else think that it’s odd that a _major_ country music star dies on the same day that the _son_ of another major country music star dies? (John Ritter was Tex Ritter’s son.) ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/65 "2003-09-14T20:41:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skopo \* > \*\*And don’t forget Leni Riefenstahl–though I expect very few tears were shed for her passing. > > How’s this for injustice: John Ritter dies at 54, while a Nazi\* like Riefenstahl makes it to 101. > > What’s up with that?? > \*\* Easy - He Who Cannot Be Spelled **didn’t want her company** , and delayed writing her off until it started looking a bit overdone 😉 He keeps doing it with the most obnoxious (to my mind) of the Orthodox Rabbis in Israel, as well. They tend to die reeeaaalllly old. Back to the main hijack on this thread - “God” is the term actually used for “Elohim” - which it is more acceptable to spell out. It’s “Lord” (Adonai) which observant Jews don’t spell out - in fact “Adonai” is really a place-holder for the spelling YHWH (or Jehovah) - which is never **pronounced** nor spelled - and this has carried over into not spelling YHWH outside of sacred texts, then some Jews won’t spell YH at the end of a word (which had become a kind of shorthand for YHWH until then…). Now some Jews won’t even spell GOD (Elohim) in Hebrew, pefering to spell it ELO **K** IM, presumably because the HY sequence in Elohim bugs them… 😕 it takes all kinds… [/sarcasm][/humor] And, of course, condolences to the family, friends and admirers of all these people of note who have recently passed away. May they rest in peace. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/66 "2003-09-14T23:59:55Z")
[python] (Michael Palin is about to be stoned to death for ivoking the name of the Lord): “I’m making things worse for myself? How can I make it WORSE??? (dancing, kicking sand) JEHOVA, JEHOVA, JEHOVA!” [/python] So long, Johnny. So long, John. Miss 'em both. Wow. Two threads in one. Dead celebs, meet G-d. G-d, meet dead celebs. I heard that G-d and Johnny Cash said that I don’t REALLY have to pay income tax, since the law is technically illegal… ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/67 "2003-09-15T14:34:16Z")
John Ritter played the role of Reverend Matthew Fordwick on The Waltons. I can’t find any information about him appearing on Little House. Neither [imdb.com](http://imdb.com) nor [tvtome.com](http://tvtome.com) mention appearances on Little House. I loved him on The Waltons, even though he was sometimes kind of a jerk. He was fun on Three’s Company, wonderful in Sling Blade, and he seemed like a really sweet guy. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/68 "2003-09-15T15:42:59Z")
Well I watched some of the TVLand tribute, and was really impressed by John’s range. In an episode of _Starsky and Hutch_, he played a nervous, innocent hostage. In a _Hawaii 5-0_, he played a compulsive gambler, blackmailer, and private pilot. In his first appearance as Reverend Fordwick on _The Waltons_, he was all fire and brimstone (at one point he asks one of the kids what he thinks of his sermon, and the answer is “It was scary.”) One real surprise was an episode of _Rhoda_ in which he plays a sleazy two-timing bank manager. And there’s just a little hint of Jack Tripper in his role as a bumbling minister performing his first marriage ceremony while dressed in tennis whites on _The Mary Tyler Moore Show_. I think Jack Tripper was such a compelling character that he overshadowed the rest of John’s talent. I’m just glad that the work of film and T.V. actors lives on forever. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2003, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/69 "2003-09-16T00:36:35Z")
I’m still not over \*\*Raoul Julia’s \*\* demise. Waaaah. ---
**Author:** ![Peace\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9adbd/32.png) [@Peace\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peace_Lady)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/70 "2003-09-19T13:56:11Z")
Hi, There was once a type of mini-series on Little House, which was 2 or 3 episodes on the same topic. The Ingall’s family left Walnut Grove in search of Gold (I guess in California). Anyhow, when they got there, John Ritter, as a preacher, met them and said “Ah, now we have enough children for sunday school”. It was a very small part, and when the Ingall’s moved back to Walnut Grove, he was never on the show again. Thanks, Peace Lady ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/71 "2003-09-19T15:12:44Z")
John Ritter had the best role in Stephen King’s “IT”. And he played it well. Hooperman: After recieving some notice or documentation that really screwed him over, He accepts it with a distant smile & walks away. Fade to next scene, where he has the document posted on the target hook at a police range and is angrily drilling holes through it (tell me you’ve never gotten some letter/report/notice that you haven’t wanted to do That to.) Buffy: RoboDad was perfect and flawless…as was Ritter’s portrayal. Rivals Kathy Baker’s ‘Misery’ performance…and it was just a TV show. Problem Child Movies: You have to have kids to ‘get’ these movies…but they’re still worth seeing. Stay Tuned: One of the funniest movies of that summer, he parodies successfully almost all of the famous 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s TV shows, including Three’sCompany. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/72 "2003-09-19T22:07:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by quietman1920 \* > \*\*Stay Tuned: One of the funniest movies of that summer, he parodies successfully almost all of the famous 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s TV shows, including Three’sCompany. \*\* In the film’s cowboy sequence Ritter opens a pair of saloon doors, knocking one off the hinges. He sheepishly looks around to see if anybody noticed. He tries to put the door back. Finally, he delicately lays the door against the wall and tries to look like he wasn’t involved. None of which was in the script. The door wasn’t supposed to break. When it did, Ritter just went with it. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/73 "2020-05-08T11:55:23Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > In the film’s cowboy sequence Ritter opens a pair of saloon doors, knocking one off the hinges. He sheepishly looks around to see if anybody noticed. He tries to put the door back. Finally, he delicately lays the door against the wall and tries to look like he wasn’t involved. > > None of which was in the script. The door wasn’t supposed to break. When it did, Ritter just went with it. Sorry for resurrecting this old thread, but I’m curious about where you got your information about this scene being a goof. Your post is the only place I’ve heard this story and a cursory web search didn’t turn up any further sources. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/74 "2020-05-08T12:22:16Z")
He was great as a sociopathic hippy in Hawaii 5-0. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/75 "2020-05-08T12:58:36Z")
Best thing about the underrated classic _Bad Santa_. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/76 "2020-05-08T14:11:44Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Sorry for resurrecting this old thread, but I’m curious about where you got your information about this scene being a goof. Your post is the only place I’ve heard this story and a cursory web search didn’t turn up any further sources. If memory serves, it was part of an interview shown on HBO. The interview was shown as a teaser for Stay Tuned. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/77 "2020-05-08T14:42:39Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > If memory serves, it was part of an interview shown on HBO. The interview was shown as a teaser for Stay Tuned. Wow, that would have been a long time ago! Thanks for answering my question. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/78 "2020-05-08T18:50:19Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Sorry for resurrecting this old thread, but I’m curious about where you got your information about this scene being a goof. Your post is the only place I’ve heard this story and a cursory web search didn’t turn up any further sources. My first job out of college was at a dinner theatre, an popular local entertainment venue. The audience was usually couples or families who choose a buffet dinner and show for their “special night out”. The actors were usually union performers imported from NYC and the quality of the work was decent, if not great. But serious theatre this was not. We did musicals and romantic comedies. When they produced the comedies, they usually worked in what we called a “planned break-up”. Something would happen, like the saloon door coming off it’s hinges - that was clearly a mistake. The one I remember most clearly was there was a scene where the actor picked up a bra off the floor and tossed it. The prop bra had a small rubber ball built into one of the cups and it bounced off stage into the audience. Apparently happened once accidentally during rehearsal and the producers liked it, so they rigged up that prop bra. And the actor practiced the throw so it worked every time without being an obvious trick. The audience LOVED this stuff - they always thought they’d witnessed a unique error and it gave them something to talk about. They did similar things in other shows but that’s the one I remember most. And the concept didn’t originate with us - it’s a cheap trick but audiences love it. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/79 "2020-05-08T21:15:20Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > When they produced the comedies, they usually worked in what we called a “planned break-up”. Something would happen, like the saloon door coming off it’s hinges - that was clearly a mistake. Some actors get such a rise from the audience out of flubbing their lines and breaking character that I have to wonder if it’s all part of the act. [Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson were absolutely hilarious when they broke character during their touring live shows, often dragging it out for ten minutes at a time.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_X_7TrcHGM) I’d love to know whether incidents like the one I just linked were genuine accidents fortunately caught on film, or something they deliberately incorporated into the stage play (maybe with a bit of ad-libbing to keep things fresh) for every performance. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220/80 "2020-05-10T22:47:42Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > I’d love to know whether incidents like the one I just linked were genuine accidents fortunately caught on film, or something they deliberately incorporated into the stage play (maybe with a bit of ad-libbing to keep things fresh) for every performance. In the world of theater I’m familiar with - high school, college, and small-town community theater - they’re legitimate screwups which some youthful wiseacre manages to salvage with a perfectly timed comment. ETA: I forgot I was in the Pit, so let me amend my remarks by saying, “Goddamn comedians, trying to take one of the charming parts of amateur theater and making a shtick out of it.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alright-g-d-we-understand-johnny-cash-but/201220.md?page=5)