News of the Week: Jeopardy! Locked-Up SPAM! There Might Be a Candy Shortage This Halloween!

And the New Jeopardy! Host Is …

… the same as the current Jeopardy! host(s). Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik will continue to co-host the show when the new season premieres in September.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! The show needs to choose one host to become the face of the show, like Alex Trebek was. Nothing against Bialik (well, maybe a couple of things, which I’ll get to in a minute), but Jennings has this show in his bones. He was a great contestant and he’s a great host. If he wants to work on the show full-time, they should give it to him.

As for Bialik, she’s … fine? She’s not as smooth as Jennings, not as funny, not as comfortable. I can picture her doing the new Celebrity Jeopardy! that will run on ABC or some tournaments, but as a regular host, even switching off with Jennings? No thanks (though I’m certainly not going to boycott the show as some people say they’ll do).

Please Stop Stealing the SPAM

The thoroughly revamped loss-prevention regime at the Port Authority Duane Reade has finally created something of beauty, a sort of Jeff Koons homage. pic.twitter.com/gtlpzY2l9G

— willy 🌜💧 (@willystaley) July 28, 2022

That looks like a collectible you might get on eBay or at an auction, but it’s actually the reality in some stores in New York City because of shoplifting.

Could There Be a Candy Shortage This Halloween?

Well, I seriously doubt it. There’s plenty of candy out there, from various companies. But Hershey’s is warning that it may not be able to meet consumer demand for candy products this Halloween and Christmas.

RIP Bill Russell, Vin Scully, Nichelle Nichols, Stuart Woods, Burt Metcalfe, Pat Carroll, Mo Ostin, Paul Coker, Mary Alice, Faye Marlowe, and Bernard Cribbins

Bill Russell just may have been the greatest professional athlete ever. He had an impressive number of achievements in his career, both as a basketball player and coach for the Boston Celtics, and was a leading voice for civil rights. He died Sunday at the age of 88.

Russell was the focus of two articles in the Post, the first in the January 18, 1958 issue, where he hoped he’d become a better player (!), and one in the January 18, 1964 issue, where he talked about racism and other problems he faced playing in the NBA. He received death threats over the latter column.

Vin Scully was the legendary announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers for almost seven decades. He died Tuesday at the age of 94.

Nichelle Nichols played Lt. Uhura on Star Trek and several of the big-screen movies. She almost quit the role after the first season but was talked out of it by Martin Luther King Jr. She died Saturday at the age of 89.

Stuart Woods was a bestselling writer of thrillers and mysteries. He died last month at the age of 84.

Burt Metcalfe was best known as a producer, writer, and director on M*A*S*H, but he was an actor before that. He starred in the early ’60s sitcom Father of the Bride and appeared on The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Perry Mason, and many other shows and films. He died last week at the age of 87.

Pat Carroll was known to certain audiences as the voice of Ursula in The Little Mermaid, but before that she won an Emmy for her work on Caesar’s Hour in 1957. She was also a regular on The Danny Thomas Show and appeared on Laverne & Shirley, Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, The Love Boat, ER, and many game shows. She died Saturday at the age of 95.

Mo Ostin was the head of Warner Bros. Records who worked with everyone from Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. to Prince and R.E.M. He died last week at the age of 95.

Paul Coker Jr. was a designer and illustrator on such classic holiday specials as Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, Frosty the Snowman, and The Year Without a Santa Claus. He also worked for Mad Magazine and wrote for Esquire and Good Housekeeping, and even designed greeting cards for Hallmark. He died last month at the age of 93.

Jimy Sohns was the lead singer of Shadows of Knight, the garage band that had a hit in the ’60s with their version of “Gloria.” He died last week at the age of 75.

Mary Alice won an Emmy for the TV series I’ll Fly Away and a Tony for Fences. She also appeared in such films as Awakenings, The Bonfire of the Vanities, and The Matrix Revolutions, as well as the miniseries The Women of Brewster Place. She died last week at the age of 85.

Faye Marlowe starred in the classic film noir Hangover Square, as well as The Spider, Rendezvous with Annie, and The Thief of Venice. She died in May at the age of 95.

Bernard Cribbins was a British actor who had roles in such movies as Frenzy, The Railway Children, and three of the Carry On films, as well as TV shows like Doctor Who, David Copperfield, and the children’s shows The Wombles and Jackanory. He died last week at the age of 93.

This Week in History

Einstein’s Letter to Roosevelt (August 2, 1939)

The scientist’s letter to the president concerned uranium and its possible uses.

TRS-80 Goes on Sale (August 3, 1977)

The computer sold at Radio Shack (TRS stood for Tandy Radio Shack) was one of the first successful home computers.

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: MOR ad (August 5, 1944)

MOR was one of SPAM’s competitors, along with other meat-in-a-can products like Bif, Prem, Treet, and Gork (I made up one of those).

The Joys of the Jellygrill

August is National Sandwich Month, but instead of linking to recipes for various sandwiches you probably already know how to make, I want to focus on just one I came across during my regular web surfing. Dinner Is Served 1972 has the ad and recipe for The Jellygrill, a mixture of Velveeta cheese and grape jelly on white bread.

Yes, you read that right. Velveeta cheese and grape jelly.

Now, as a journalist I should probably test out this sandwich first, but I figured that you’d think it sounded so delicious you’d want to try it first. So go ahead! Let us know how it is.

And if you want to add a slice of SPAM, it might actually improve it.

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

International Cat Day (August 8)

You could wish your cat a happy International Cat Day, but if they’re like most cats, they probably won’t care.

Perseid Meteor Shower (August 9)

It peaks on the night of August 11-12 but you should watch it a couple of nights before that.