Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Elvis Has Been Gone For 29 Years…Or Has He?

Today, August 16 marks the anniversaries of the passing of two American legends. The term legend tends to be over used a lot these days. However, legend is really appropriate to describe the passing on August 16th of Elvis Presley and Babe Ruth.

Elvis passed away in his bathroom on this day in 1977 (out of my respect for the King, I’ll save any obvious jokes). He was found by his live in girlfriend and his color was presumably flush. Ok, couldn’t resist just one bathroom joke. His death was said to have been due to complications from all of the prescription drugs he was taking. Although he continued to tour in the last few years of his life, his health went down the toilet (sorry) and his weight fluctuated more than William Shatner’s.

Babe Ruth passed away on this day in 1948. He had suffered for a few years with throat cancer before finally succumbing to it. Babe was not only the icon of American baseball, but an icon of America. The records he set have been reached or broken by a select few and some of those select few did so amid accusations that they were juiced more than Otis, Mayberry’s town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show. His passing was such a significant event that his body lay in state at Yankee Stadium before his funeral.

It’s fitting that both men died on the same date. They were both symbols of America and helped redefine their respective fields. Both men had a huge capacity for life and exemplified good living for their generations. Babe Ruth ate hot dogs at a rate that would make this year’s hot dog eating champ green with envy (not green with sickness) and Elvis downed fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches (I found the recipe and they are actually pretty good). Babe Ruth would hit called home run shots for sick children and Elvis gave Cadillacs as gifts. Not bad ways to make friends if you ask me.

Of course, there are still those blue wigged folks that think Elvis never really passed away. One thing is for sure though, whether he is on an Island with Marilyn Monroe, Jimmy Hoffa and John Kennedy or buried on (or under) the grounds of Graceland, Elvis is approaching the age where one day we will be able to say that without a doubt Elvis has left the building for the last time.


**In happier news, my idea to abandon Monday and replace it with Funday continues to generate support. Odat1283 at Odat's Mumblings wrote this story in support of the new Calendarian Party’s idea to put Funday on the map.

Now how many signatures do we need to have our political party represented on the ballot? 5, I hope…

6 comments:

Odat said...

Great men, great post....amen..
and i'm so sorry about the following but i just have to share it...saw it today:

ELVIS VERSUS GODZILLA -- SEPARATED AT BIRTH?

Could Godzilla, the King of Monsters and Elvis, The King,
be one and the same? You be the judge.

Nickname
Godzilla: King of Monsters
Elvis: King of Rock

Year Career Started
Godzilla: 1954
Elvis: 1954

Species
Godzilla: Giant lizard
Elvis: Giant lounge lizard

Social Order
Godzilla: Hangs with freaks
Elvis: Had Michael Jackson for son-in-law

Famous Bug Battles
Godzilla: Fought giant caterpillar Mothra
Elvis: Outlasted the Beatles

Vocal Quirks
Godzilla: Terrible dubbing of his movies
Elvis: Never could lip-synch

Eating Habits
Godzilla: Would eat anything
Elvis: Would eat anything fried

Attire
Godzilla: Played by fat man in rubber suit
Elvis: Was fat man in polyester suit

Alien Encounters
Godzilla: Travelled past Jupiter for Godzilla vs. Monster Zero
Elvis: Was believed to be aboard alien spacecraft on
Independence Day

Crusades
Godzilla: Fought pollution in Godzilla vs. Smog Monster
Elvis: Absorbed all forms of pollution into his own body

Farewell
Godzilla: Has eaten the building
Elvis: Has eaten everything in the building

Odat said...

and yes i think we have enuf signatures to get you on the ballet.....I'll be printing up some new "signs" at a later date......

Peace

Unknown said...

I done think that Elvis has been cloned. I saw 63 of him at the mall just last month. They was everywhere. I think the aliens (from space not them mexican fellers) done kidnapped his ass and they is makin a bunch of him to take over the world.

(sorry this was a flashback to that conspiracy thoery comment on your last post, but I just had to do it)

Later Yall.

Sara's Varolo Village said...

"He was found by his live in girlfriend and his color was presumably flush."
LOL, I'm all shook up.

There was a commercial years ago where someone was selling proof that Elvis was alive. One question that begged answering was, "Why did Elvis have a waxy appearance in the coffin when buried?" Yuck.

Thanks for the laugh!
Sara

Michael C said...

Odat, The Godzilla/Elvis thing is so close it's scary. Classic comparisons! I'll repeat that several times around the office tomorrow.

Mellon, why is it every aging white american male ends up looking like Kenny Rogers or Elvis? Why aren't there more Regis Philbins?

Owl,
A waxy appearance on Elvis? it gives me a great idea for a candy bar or sucker. Oh nevermind, thinking about it makes me "flush"

Thanks for your comments! They are always appreciated!

Unknown said...

ELVIS? KENNY ROGERS? OH MY GAWD REGIS FILBIN????

Is that what I have to look forward to?

Crap. That did not put a very good mental image into my mind.

Ewwwwww.

I think I would just like to age into just being another old fart.

I had not thought of that.

Funny tho.

Later Yall.......