#and every time he was one of the biggest arseholes I've ever met

[tuttle-did-it]

M*A*S*H was constantly attacked because it was far left, pro-equal rights, pro-queer, anti-gun, anti-establishment, anti-US government and the gross futility of war. For 11 years, Hawkeye and everyone else railed against war, trauma, the incredible incompetence of governments who use people like tissue paper, the impossible and sadistic cruelty humans were capable of, and the senseless death of every war. Every week, they all got more and more trauma just trying to survive.

Mary Tyler Moore Show was the first mainstream American television show that explored the life of a single career woman. She struggled with relationships in a changing world, workplace sexism and the limitations society put against women. Mary smashed against the glass ceiling every week, and the spin-off Rhoda was the first mainstream American television show that explored the life of a divorced woman.

Frank Burns and All in the Family’s Archie Bunker were the the representations of the Republican American man— and he was the repressed, absurd, sadistic, sexist, bigoted, incompetent, hateful buffoon that was mocked, argued with and defeated every week.

These shows mattered. They changed lives, they changed hearts, and they tried, desperately, to change minds.

Trump is the incarnation of Archie Bunker — but sadly, unlike the actors Carroll O’Connor who played Archie, and Larry Linville (Frank Burns on M*A*S*H) two delightful, incredible humans, who played Frank Burns, Trump has no concept of how evil he really is.

Norman Lear, James L Brooks, Burt Metcalf and Larry Gelbart did more for television and audiences than Jerry Seinfeld ever did.

Every week, these shows tried to say something about something- racial rights, LGTBQIA+ women's rights, the futility of war, the importance of connecting with other people, the dangers of human cruelty-- they TRIED to say SOMETHING.

And Seinfeld? Seinfeld was, famously, about nothing. They said nothing. They did nothing. Which means it means NOTHING.

Oh, and by the way, Jerry— the M*A*S*H finale ‘Goodbye Farewell and Amen,’ had more than 106 million people watching in 1983— and there were a LOT of parties who got together with a big party (HUGE parties) so that’s a low estimate.

More people watched 'Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen' than the moon landing. It is still the most watched television episode of ALL TIME.

It was such a massive event that it caused a city-wide water pressure problem in New York City. Alan Alda wrote,

"the city's water supply was strained at every commercial break because so many hundreds of thousands of toilets were flushed at the same time."

An estimated million viewers in New York City alone used the toilet after the show ended, pouring 6.7 million gallons of water through the city’s sewers, United Press International reported at the time. “In speaking to engineers who’ve been around 30 or 40 years, they haven’t encountered anything like this before,” Peter Barrett, a spokesman for the city Department of Environmental Protection, told UPI.

Seinfeld only got 76.3 million viewers in 1998 compared to M*A*S*H's 106 million. And there were a lot more people in 1998 than there were in 1983, so percentage-wise, it's probably even more significant difference than it looks.

So maybe you didn't make nearly as big an impact as you thought, Jerry.

May 15, 1998: (huge thanks to @mimi-kkyutie for jumping the paywall for this article!)

Article from The Patagraph, Bloomington illinois reads above:

As "M*A*S*H" star Mike Farrell spoke at the Evening of Stars benefit in Bloomington-Normal, millions of viewers were glued to their television sets watching the final, much-hyped episode of "Seinfeld." Farrell was not taping it. While he was careful to insist he meant no offense to the cast or viewers, he said at a news conference earlier in the day that "M*A*S*H" had a far bigger impact on people's lives. "Popular shows come and go," he said. "'Seinfeld' is a show about nothing, as they describe it. I'm proud to be a show about something." For a show to really reach an audience and to make an impact, he explained, it had to have a powerful, lasting theme that resonates with viewers. "M*A*S*H did that," Farrell said. "And continues to do so in reruns. Seinfeld has not. And never will," Farrell said. "These shows come and go. They just try to attract people's attention for a certain period of time and you can do that by making a fool of yourself. For a little while. Then people get tired of you and appropriately so." M*A*S*H was effective on many different levels," Farrell noted, "including comedy and drama. And it carried a great message: the portrayal of people doing a job they didn't particularly like, but which had to be done. And despite difficult circumstances, they did it well, often with great humor and courage."

"That's a terrifically admirable characteristic and people across the country and across the world understand that," he said. Farrel added that there has been far too much hype surrounding the final episode of "Seinfeld," especially when one considers that much of it is self-generated But he understands why. "We have to remember we're talking about selling a product. The network is selling itself as a product. It's ending amid a flurry of publicity, and they're going to use it to wring every drop, every last rating point they can get out of it. That's the nature of the business." Farrell's speech at the Evening of Stars, which benefited the McLean County chapter of the American Red Cross, was held at the Radisson Hotel in Blooming-ton. However, his appearance there was closed to the media. But he said earlier that his message was going to be a simple one: that people matter, and that he was disturbed by the increasing lack of care and concern for those who suffer around the world. "When we make heroes out of people who stand for nothing, as opposed to people who stand for something, we are doing ourselves a disservice," he said.

Farrell currently serves as the co-chair of the Western Regional Branch of the Human Rights Watch in California. He also is the spokesman for CONCERN Ameri- 5 if If -r "MASH" star Mike Farrell, shown second from left in this photo from the taping of the show's final episode in January 1983, believes his show had more significance than "Seinfeld." ca, an international refugee aid penalty, Farrell also has debated and development organization. and spoken about the issue as a lifelong opponent of the death many occasions.

Seinfeld was the empty calories you eat because you want something in your mouth. It's what you put on to kill 22 minutes. But it means absolutely nothing.

I have every episode of M*A*S*H memorised. I have every episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show memorised. I have most of All in the Family memorised (but frankly, America having a president just like Archie Bunker makes it much too real, these days). Why? Because these shows were all so damned good, I thought about the episodes for days and had to rewatch them. And over 40 years later, I am still rewatching them.

I cannot recall a single episode of Seinfeld, save the clip-show of a finale in which it was reiterated what horrible people they all were. And even that is the most I can tell you about it. Because it means NOTHING. Frankly, I forget that Seinfeld ever existed until someone mentions it.

I would take the worst episodes of M*A*S*H, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and All in the Family over the best episode of Seinfeld any day because they were TRYING to say SOMETHING. Even the few episodes that didn't quite land or work-- they were TRYING.

"When we make heroes out of people who stand for nothing, as opposed to people who stand for something, we are doing ourselves a disservice." -- Mike Farrell

“In a new interview with the New Yorker ahead of his 70th birthday on Monday, the comedian explained his theory about why there’s no “funny stuff” to watch on TV anymore. “Nothing really affects comedy,” he said, “People always need it. They need it so badly and they don’t get it.” Instead of getting sitcoms like M*A*S*H, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and All in the Family, audiences miss out, he said, as a “result of the extreme left and P.C. crap, and people worrying so much about offending other people.” […] A look back at some of his earlier comments on a similar subject adds some context, if not clarity. In 2015, Seinfeld sat down for an episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd podcast, where he explained his aversion to performing stand-up on college campuses. “I don’t play colleges, but I hear a lot of people tell me, ‘Don’t go near colleges. They’re so PC,’” he said on the show. After giving an example of his teenage daughter using the word “sexist,” he concluded that young people “just want to use these words: ‘That’s racist’; ‘That’s sexist’; ‘That’s prejudice.’ They don’t know what they’re talking about.””

—

Jerry Seinfeld Draws Right-Wing Praise for Comments on ‘Extreme Left’

This is such a bummer. Tell me you’re a privileged, entitled, myopic Boomer without telling me you’re a privileged, entitled, myopic Boomer.

It’s interesting to me that he says these legendary sit-coms, none of which were cruel, punching down, or hurtful, but were actually satirizing power, celebrating women, changing societal norms through representation, and using comedy to do it all, wouldn’t exist if “the extreme left” had anything to do with it.

Umm. Who does he think created these shows? And is he really that ignorant? Has this guy never read a single interview with Norman Lear? Or literally anyone in the cast of Mary Tyler Moore? I mean. Come on, man!

Teenagers and college students don’t know what they’re talking about when they tell a privileged, entitled, multimillionaire Boomer that his “jokes” can be hurtful, and maybe he could use his tremendous talent to do comedy that is just as funny without being hurtful. Okay. Got it. Keep saying that, and see how far it gets you, buddy.

Hey, Jerry Seinfeld: when blue checks on Twitter are celebrating you being a dick, it’s not because you’re so funny and such a brilliant comic; it’s because they love how you’re validating what garbage they are. You can’t see that, or don’t care, and that’s such a huge bummer.

[gremlin-girly]

My lovely @stargazingfangirl18 - I accidentally deleted my response to the ask when it prematurely posted not realising I couldn't edit ooft.

ButI just KNEW someone else would see that quote with Ran as much as I did 🤣💀

Both if your prompts actually inspired stuff today so without further ado...

Sweater Trouble

Pairing: Ransom Drysdale x f!reader

Tags/warnings: FLUFF, mentions/description of a panic attack and claustrophobia, literal forced proximity, semi-nakedness and thoughts of sex (but no smut sorry :( ), childhood friend Ransom, misunderstandings at the end ;)

Not beta'd and I do not give permission for my work to be reposted, copied, translated or put through an AI Machine. Remember all of my work is 18+ anyway!!

Summary: Both you and Ransom avoid a bothersome member of his family in a closet only to get locked in.

Word count: n/a on mobile sorry!!

This is a request for the 20's Challenge

Navigation | 20's Masterlist | Ransom Masterlist

House parties with the Drysdale's are never dull. In fact, they're always weekend-long parties, often drama-fueled and gossip-laden, that usually end in a fist fight or a number of family members not speaking to one another.

You tended to avoid them at all costs but this time your mother, a long standing friend of one Linda Drysdale, had managed to wrangle you into coming. You'd managed, thus far, to avoid any conflict; remaining polite, and a bit of a wall flower.

Endless talk of you and Ransom playing together as kids, not-so-subtle hints from your mother and Linda that you'd be such a good influence on him now made your head swivel. The comments didn't stop with them. Every family member or friend you bumped into mentioned Ransom to you; either invasive questions on whether he really was a sweet kid or more personal, asking if you'd kissed or if he was your first crush. The more alcohol flowed the more questions you recieved.

However, you made a bee-line for the nearest closet when you heard Linda mention that Ransom was almost at the party.

"Fashionably late," she sighed, slightly slurring her words as she ambled to the door. "And I'm sure he still has that God awful car."

You hide away in the closet for what feels like an age, but it's feels so so nice. No bickering siblings, no snarky remarks or faux-politeness, no setting you up with a guy you haven't seen in years.

You hear Linda's voiced and a flurry of steps and you wonder if someone discovered your hiding spot. The door flings open and a body lurches inside shutting the door behind it. There's a few beats of silence and you hear a sigh.

"Um, this closet is taken." You joke but you're met with a startled yelp.

"Jesus Christ." The stranger hisses.

You blink at the darkness before you. "Ransom?"

There's a miniscule pause and then a gentle, "Y/N?"

Talk about coincidence.

"Why are you in the closet?" You guffaw,

"I could ask you the same thing." He sighs. "Hiding from my mother. You?"

"The same thing."

Ransom snorts and you shift on your feet awkwardly. You wanted to avoid seeing him but it turns out the universe had other plans.

"I've been here for the last twenty minutes." You say, trying to make out Ransom's face in the darkness. "Get your own closet to hide from Linda."

"This is my closet. In my house." Ran huffs.

"I was here first." You point out with a sigh. You consider your options; leave and risk bumping into a drunk, oddly please-date-my-son-orientated Linda or be stuck in a closet with your childhood crush who is now arguably the biggest arsehole you've ever met. The former was a far better option.

"But if it means being trapped with you? I'm leaving." You try the door knob but it doesn't budge. You wriggle it and try again.

"Why aren't you leaving?" Ransom's voice is an octave higher than usual. Something nags at your brain. Why did this seem familiar?

"The door's jammed." You sigh, dropping your hand.

Ransom all but shoves you out of the way and rattles the door and sure enough, it doesn't budge.

"Oh my God," he heaves. "Oh my God."

You can feel the black mass next to you almost curl in on itself and Ransom's breathing is laboured near your ears. Then you remember what had nagged at you; a memory from when you were kids, hide and seek gone wrong when Ransom had locked himself in a toy trunk for hours until you'd found him and consoled him, swearing up and down to keep it secret that he'd cried.

"Calm down," you say gently, and in the darkness of the closet you can feel Ran glowering at you. "You're only going to work yourself up more."

"Calm down?!" He squeaks. "I'm stuck here in the dark with-"

You're sure he's about to say you when you switch your phone's torch on, illuminating the small space in a blinding white light. You can see Ransom's eyes adjust, blinking rapidly before taking in your form before him. He blinks again.

"What, and I cannot stress this enough, the fuck is that?"

"It's my sweater," you say pulling the edge of the wool garment shyly. Years of love and care went into this misshapen mishap and you love it beyond belief. "My grandma made it for me."

"It's so ugly." Ransom blurts, your sweater shocking him out of his panicked state, and he collapses into laughter when you glare at him.

Although, he screams like a baby when you switch your torch off.

When you flick it back on, you're looking smug, and Ransom pouts at you. Even after all these years, he's still handsome and you're annoyed his face still makes your heart beat a little faster. It's his fault you haven't seen eachother. Not yours.

"I'm sorry," he huffs, waving a hand dismissively at your beloved sweater. "But it's so...."

You give him a warning glare.

"Frumpy." He sighs. "It just... sits. It doesn't show off your body or accentuate anything."

You raise an eyebrow curiously and he rolls his eyes.

"You have this nice figure and you wear that." There's a little pink to his cheeks as speaks but he's not even looking at you, folding his arms close to his chest. "You should just take it off."

"I can't." You say in a hushed tone, your own cheeks growing pink. Ransom looks at you with a frown.

"Why not?"

"Erm..." you suddenly wished this conversation wasn't happening and considered kicking down the door. "I-I don't want to?"

"Very convincing." He snarks. "I've told you it's ugly and you'd look better with it off."

"Aha," You chuckle nervously. "No, Ranny, I can't."

"Don't call me that," he snaps before holding out his hand. "Give me the phone and take off the sweater. Whatever you're wearing underneath can't be ug- worse than that."

You shake your head vigorously but squawk in surprise when Ransom bear hugs you, peeling your sweater away in one swift motion. He looks victorious for all of five seconds until he realises why you'd been so apprehensive to remove your sweater.

You only had a bra on underneath it.

Your arms wrapped around your chest and you glared daggers at Ransom, your face red with anger and embarassment but Ransom's were focused elsewhere.

He shouldn't be staring as much as he was. No, he definitely shouldn't be tracing the delicate lace that kissed the swell of your breasts. Or how it would look better on the floor. Too shocked at his own thoughts and the sight before him, Ransom had to be brought back to reality by you stamping his foot.

"Give it back, asshole." You snarl, one hand making a grab for your ugly sweater.

"I - uh - no." Ransom stammers under your furious gaze.

"No?" You almost screech, and smack at him with your phone hand, causing a strobe effect to encompass the closet.

"Give. It. Back!"

Ransom pulls off his own sweater hurriedly and throws it over you, stopping your hits temporarily as your blinded by heavy wool. You're surrounded by the scent of Ransom, expensive cologne and a light mothball musk that smelled like old book pages. Your head appears and you watch Ransom roll up one sleeve and then the other. His movements are quick but gentle, his hands soft and warm against your skin.

Ransom's cheeks are burning now, just like yours as you scan his t-shirt clad torso, that's far more toned than you recall.

Ransom is first to break the silence.

"You look a lot better in that." His voice is quiet and his move along your body slowly. "There's more shape and the colour matches better with your jeans."

"Yeah." You blindly agree, still trying to wrap your head around what just happened.

Ransom reaches for the doorknob again and shakes it so hard you think the door may come off its hinges. Alas, the door opens and warm light explodes into the closet.

Ransom steps out first with a deep breath and you follow suit. Unluckily for you both, you step out as Linda turns the corner catching you and Ransom exit the closet with you wearing his clothes and the both of you rosy cheeked.

Linda looks a mixture between horrified and ecstatic.

"I knew it! She shouts, alerting more family members, as you bury your face in your hands.

Ransom hushes his mother rapidly approaching her, hissing about keeping her voice down.

You can't make out much of their conversation but it's clear with the way Linda keeps looking over at you and squeaking excitedly, you're the topic of conversation. Linda makes her way over to you with wide arms and an even wider grin.

"You really had me going!" She croons, wrapping you in a tight hug. You hug her back confused and raise an eyebrow at Ransom, who tactfully turns his back to you. "I knew the two of you were together!"

You quickly put up a false grin when she pulls away but you can feel your heart rate spike in horror.

"Yeahhhh."

Ransom claps his hands together and smiles at his mom but you can see the falseness of it where Linda can't.

"Like I said, we're trying to keep it quiet for now. We've only just started dating." You'd be concerned about how quickly he lied if you hadn't grown up with him. You shoot him a glare from behind Linda's shoulder and mouth "just?!"

You're only response is a half hearted shrug and a smug grin. This would be a long weekend.

End

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A/N: is this maybe Sweater Weather Ran and Reader? 👀 tbh this could be their origin - it was so fun to write!

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