Billie Rae Bates's Blog, page 6

An almost-forgotten appearance on the "Fave Five From Fans" podcast

This author came across it almost accidentally, the YouTube version of a podcast recorded nearly a couple years ago. But this one was a fun one to do, discussing the villains of the 1966 "Batman" TV series with fellow fan Jamie Ray. Jamie had done the "Pop Ninja" Halloween episode with me, Patrick and Lisa in 2021, and that's when he invited me to do his own podcast, since I was wearing the Yvonne Craig Batgirl costume at the time and was clearly quite the fan. 

So was Joan Collins channeling a very early Alexis Colby as she slithered around the "Batman" set as the Siren? You can decide -- it comes up for discussion here, along with a lot of discussion of Julie Newmar's portrayal of Catwoman. Thanks, Jamie, for posting this!

Terrific non-TV Toys: Tuesday Taylor, Super Model walking version, Ideal, 1978

If you're a kid of the 1970s and you've ever heard the names Tuesday Taylor and Tiffany Taylor -- and especially if you've heard them used interchangeably -- you might be a tad confused. Who was Tiffany? Who was Tuesday? Were they related? Cousins or something? Sisters??? 

This author has to admit to some confusion around these brand names from Ideal, because I remembered they were both fashion dolls much like Barbie, and I remembered my mom bought me one of them when I was a kid, and I remembered there were other styles of that same doll out there that had a hair-color-changing trick they did with the turn of the top of the skull (yes, believe it), but I was unclear, after all these years, which was which. I started to think my version of the doll, which doesn't change hair color and which has a trick of her own -- walking -- was perhaps the Tiffany Taylor, then that would make the hair-color-changing version Tuesday, right? Or was it the other way around? 

Turns out, neither one of those scenarios is correct. We'll solve the mystery, as well as take a nice up-close look at this beautiful 1978 doll from my childhood, in the latest episode of the Terrific non-TV Toys series ...

See the other episodes in the Terrific non-TV Toys series.

A view from Marysville Hot Wheels Weekend

Special thanks to our roving reporter Jason for these shots from this past weekend's car show in Marysville, Michigan, the Marysville Hot Wheels Weekend. Special guests were Catherine ("Daisy Duke") Bach of "The Dukes of Hazzard" along with Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox of "CHiPs." BRBTV enjoyed that show a few years back and wish we could have made it this time! Jason certainly found a kindred spirit in this fellow "Dukes" fan, Tim, and his fab General Lee.

Photos courtesy of Jason; please do not copy without permission.

Sasquatch arrives ... just because it's fun and it's Friday

TGIF! How about a little Bigfoot to brighten your day? This is somewhere in Michigan, shot a few months ago this year.

Just Beneath the Surface takes on "Twilight Zone" episode "The Obsolete Man"

Our friend Brian and his friend Bruce have done it again -- after some time away, they've posted another discussion of a wonderful classic "Twilight Zone" episode as part of their "Just Beneath the Surface" web series. This is one of the Burgess Meredith episodes, and in this one he's living his life in a way that does not suit the powers that be (government). He is planned to be liquidated. This story has remarkable parallels to the world we live in right now, particularly in the area of cancel culture. Don't cancel these guys -- just listen in!

Terrific TV Toys: "Dukes of Hazzard" Cooter's tow truck 1:18, Greenlight, 2021

All those good folks rolling through the dusty backroads of Hazzard County need a tow once in a while, now don't they? And when they need a tow, they call ole Crazy Cooter. And even when they just need a few gallons of Hoggoco gasoline, they stop by Cooter's Garage. This nicely detailed toy car in 1:18 scale celebrates both those ideas. You've got the tow truck seen so often on "The Dukes of Hazzard," as well as a gas pump. So cool. 

https://youtu.be/rIQ5dzD2dEc?si=Vg9kp1-tJa760ydY 

(Who knows why YouTube's embed code feature hasn't been working the past couple days????)

This set was sold at Cooter's Place, and that's where our friend Jason -- BRBTV roving reporter -- snagged it. He walks us through this out-of-the-box experience. If you bought one of these limited-edition beauties and prefer to keep it all locked up, step vicariously with us for this unboxing.

See what else is on the Terrific TV Toys playlist.

New interview is up, and the word is out on the next "Rapture Chronicles" episode

This author is so thankful to be a part of "The Rapture Chronicles" web series and ministry, and now Season 3 is just around the corner. The title of the first episode of this new season was just released, and you can get a feel for what it's about with the brand-new poster below. Director and producer Dray Hill is doing interviews with cast and crew, and my turn was just posted on YouTube, as well. Please like, share and support this wonderful effort that is reaching people for Christ! Check out the GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/18f0da74 

A look at Cooter's 25th anniversary celebration

BRBTV was not able to make it to Luray, Virginia, this past weekend for the 25th anniversary celebration of Cooter's Place -- 25 big years since the opening of the first store by Ben ("Cooter Davenport") Jones of "The Dukes of Hazzard" and his wife, Alma. But our friend Brian was there, and he offers these great photos from the event. As you can see, there were plenty of replicas of the show's cars in attendance -- not only the General Lee (and at least one screen-used!) but also Sheriff Rosco's car, Sheriff Little's car, Cooter's tow truck, Daisy's Road Runner, and even a 00 Mustang. So cool. And is that Flash's cousin??? Many thanks, Brian!!!

Photos by Brian Lombard; please do not copy without permission

Terrific non-TV Toys: "Flash Gordon" Pop! Album with Freddie Mercury, Funko, 2022

How is it that these Funko Pop!s keep gravitating toward BRBTV headquarters? They seem to come from far and wide, and we've featured quite a few of them on the two collectible series of the BRBTV channel. For this one, we've got our longtime friend, whom we refer to as the Mysterious Claw Game Avenger Who Shall Remain Nameless, to thank. He knows when he sees something Freddie Mercury or Queen, we've got to have it. So he snagged this one in August 2023 at a Metro Detroit store. This is part of Funko's Pop! Album series, and there are some others out there that you can look up online. There's even another Queen one that looks absolutely awesome, and you'll see a pic of it at the end of this episode.

See the other episodes in the Terrific non-TV Toys series.

Six Feet Under Hollywood: Philip McKeon

When this author first saw the grave image from pal Brian's blog post, I had to wonder, knowing Philip McKeon, of course, from the TV show "Alice" ... did he and his father die at the same time? No, it turns out. His father died a few weeks earlier, and the two were buried together with this grave marker. Interesting. At any rate, you can get the story of McKeon and his career at the Six Feet Under Hollywood blog .....................
Six Feet Under Hollywood: Philip McKeon:   Philip Anthony McKeon was born in Westbury, New York on November 11, 1964.  When he was four years old, his parents took him and his sist...