I'm Thankful For: YouTube Uploaders & Wikipedia Writers

Are you ever shocked by how much you know about a television series? Like, it's actually embarrassing?  This is how I feel about Saved By The Bell.  I know, I know.  We all watched our fair share of SBTB.  Even my mom can recall random factoids via walking through the den while my brother and I sat glued to the television set eating our after-school-snacks. "Oh yeah, Jessie Spano! Wasn't she the liberal environmentalist who was into women's lib and dated that AC Slater? Didn't she have an issue with caffeine pills?" Yeah mom, that's Jessica Spano alright.  

A few years ago I was having a massive Saved By The Bell conversation with a friend of mine.  No, I'm not friends with Chuck Klosterman, but his essay entitled "Being Zack Morris: An analysis of Saved by the Bell and how "important things are inevitably cliché" is brilliant. Especially his thoughts concerning "The Tori Paradox."  

Anyway, my friend and I were really getting into some Saved By The Bell minutia and I said, "what about when Kelly does that cheer to thank Bayside for buying the cheerleaders new uniforms and Slater spazzes out."   

My friend had no idea what I was talking about so I quickly turned to YouTube.  Check it out, and keep your eyes on Slater.  

What is he doing?  And here's my next question: where was the director?  Someone should have been like, "Mario, Mario- remember, you're a jock. You would never do that. Yeah, yeah you enjoy baking and yes, I remember the ridiculous episode when you cried over losing your pet chameleon Artie, but this is Tiffany-Amber's scene.  And you're ruining it."  

As a fellow YouTube viewer noticed, check out that creepy guy in the doorway checking Kelly out like nobody's business.  Something tells me that dude was never allowed on set again.  

Alright, so here's another great thing about YouTube.  The variety of videos blows my mind.  While writing this post I found this little gem which as the description puts it "looks at the infamous Zack and Kelly breakup when Kelly leaves Zack for Jeff. This video spans from their time in high school until their time in college. We see the angst that lies in Zack and Kelly's relationship as they try to hold on to their friendship."  

This video is intense.  First of all- Dido.  Second of all, the scenes that this person chose were kinda perfect.  My thoughts rapidly fired as I became engrossed in this melodramatic tribute. 

"Oh that bastard Jeff! Why did he have to ruin everything? I forgot that Zack's locker was filled with pictures of Kelly which were actually Tiger Beat posters.  Those Max uniforms were kinda revealing.  The Attic Episode! Kelly's sophisticated bun!  Aww, Kelly clutching her teddy bear.  I forgot that her dad lost his job and she couldn't afford the prom.  Oh man we're taking this to The College Years? And we're going there in slow-mo? Alright.  Oh man, Professor Lasky- I can't believe you.  You taught ethics for goodness sake."

I also love how this video inspired someone to comment:  "Zack was always there for Kelly no matter how slutty she decided to be."  Hahaha.  What!?  But also . . . true?  

So this brings me to the Wikipedia section of this post.  I don't know who writes these exhaustive articles on shows like Saved By The Bell or Punky Brewster or The A-Team, but I love these people.  I thought I knew everything about Saved By The Bell but check out the Wikipedia article.  

-Zack's relationship with his father was distant?  I guess . . .

-Kelly was introduced as an outsider to the show's core clique? Really?

-Mr. Belding was a Vietnam War hero? No way!

Here's something that I love to do: next time you're at the dentist or riding on a bus or something- think of a show that's completely ridiculous and then read the Wikipedia article for that show on your phone.  I guarantee you that if you are at all familiar with the show you will find that the struggle between sounding scholarly and summarizing an insane plot line makes for a humorous read.  

Try this one on for size sometime.