Alex & Ruud Go To Hollywood
As most members of the alt.tv.mwc newsgroup should already
know, our European friends Alex De Rouck and Ruud van Rosmalen recently traveled
to America in order to become a part of that special group of people
known throughout the world as the "Married ... with Children" studio
audience. Few people have done as much as Alex to keep our newsgroup fun
and entertaining, and it was he who made it possible for those of us in
the English speaking part of the world to finally view the infamous
"Lost Episode".
So it was with a mixture of sincerity and jealousy that we all wished
them well on their journey, and eagerly awaited their postings upon their
return to Europe. Some of us even had the distinct privilege of meeting these
two gentlemen in person during their travels across the western United States,
and I think that I can also speak for Jeff and Carolyn when I say that the
pleasure was certainly all ours.
But little did they know that the wheels of fate were already spinning out
of control, and that the plans they had carefully crafted over the previous
four months were about to be sidetracked in a way they had never imagined.
Maybe it was the "Bundy Curse" (as our hero Al Bundy has often
encountered), or maybe it was just another case of Hollywood Heartbreak,
but whatever the cause, the taping was not to be seen by these two
intercontinental travelers. As luck would have it, the taping for this
particular episode was to be done on a closed set, with no outsiders
allowed.
"Not even a quick glimpse of the set?" Alex asked the security
guard, but he was too busy watching out for Joe Piscopo to have time to
help them. So our two European friends left the studio with not so much
as a commemorative T-Shirt, only memories of what might have been.
And yet, somehow, Alex & Ruud took all this in stride. They returned to
the newsgroup with postings of how much they enjoyed their travels across
America, and how nice it was to finally get to meet their cyber-friends
in person. "Oh yes, by the way, we didn't get to attend the taping.
But we had a good time anyway."
In a world filled with whiners and complainers, their acceptance of their
fate comes as a refreshing example of how we should all deal with life,
by appreciating the good things that we experience and learning to accept
the rest.
Now you, too, can share in the excitement that Alex and Ruud felt as they
set out across the amber waves of grain, in search of spacious skies,
fruited plains, and purple mountain majesties.
And now, "On with the Shoe"
