News of the Week: Hall of Fame Toys, Masters of the Air, and Baskin-Robbins Has a New Thanksgiving Ice Cream

Ken is the Rodney Dangerfield of Toys

Barbie, the acclaimed fashion designer/flight attendant/scientist/doctor/teacher/singer/Olympic figure skater, was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame back in 1998, but Ken has once again lost out in this year’s voting, even though he starred in a popular movie (and was played by Ryan Gosling). He lost to baseball cards, Cabbage Patch Kids, Nerf toys, and the Fisher-Price Corn Popper.

I’m amazed that none of those toys weren’t already in the Hall of Fame. Sand – yes, sand – was inducted in 2021.

This Thanksgiving Ice Cream Actually Sounds Good!

Don’t worry, it’s not one of those bizarre concoctions, like turkey and gravy soda or turkey dinner candy corn.

The new, limited-edition flavor from Baskin-Robbins has a sweet potato/autumn spice base, and then they mix in chunks of cornbread and a cranberry swirl. You can get it until the end of the month.

Viva Magenta!

Hey, they have a lot of other “of the Year” awards every year, so why not one for the Color of the Year? The Hustle has the backstory on what it is and who picks it.

Masters of the Air 

It’s the new Apple+ World War II series from Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman. Here’s the trailer.

Uploaded to YouTube by Apple TV

Something I Learned This Week

Even as a longtime viewer of M*A*S*H, I never gave any thought to the dog tags that Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) wore around his neck. I just assumed they were props. Oh, how wrong I was.

RIP Frank Borman, Robert Butler, Conny Van Dyke, and Shirley Jo Finney

Frank Borman was a former NASA astronaut who later went on to be the head of Eastern Airlines. He died last week at the age of 95.

Robert Butler directed the pilot episodes of Star Trek, Batman, Hill Street Blues, Moonlighting, Hogan’s Heroes, and Remington Steele, along with episodes of many other shows, including Columbo, I Spy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Untouchables. He died earlier this month at the age of 95.

Conny Van Dyke was a singer and actress who appeared in such movies as W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings and Framed and TV shows like Adam-12, Police Woman, and CSI. She died Saturday at the age of 78.

Shirley Jo Finney played runner Wilma Rudolph in the 1977 TV movie Wilma and was also a theater director and teacher. She died last month at the age of 74.

This Week in History

Holland Tunnel Opens (November 13, 1927)

It has not only been designated a National Historic Civil and Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil and Mechanical Engineers, it’s also an official National Historic Landmark.

Luke and Laura Get Married on General Hospital (November 16, 1981)

It’s one of the most-watched TV weddings of all-time. (They later got divorced. Sorry!)

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Armour Ham (November 15, 1947)

Are you a ham family or a turkey family? (We’re the latter.)

Things to Make for Thanksgiving

You can start with Classic Deviled Eggs, adapted from The Silver Palate. They’re not only easy to make, but your guests will look at them and utter “Wow, fancy!” Two other appetizers you can try are these Pull-Apart Pigs in a Blanket and this Caramelized Onion Dip, both from The Pioneer Woman.

I’m just about to watch a documentary about Julia Child so I thought you could make Julia Child’s Deconstructed Turkey, her Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and her Fluffy Pumpkin Pie, which is actually her Aunt Helen’s recipe. And if pumpkin isn’t your thing, make a Mince Pie and learn the history of it too, courtesy the always terrific Kate McDermott.

By the way, Julia always served goldfish crackers at holiday meals, so if you don’t want to make the above appetizers, you can always buy a box of those. She would serve them with an Upside-Down Martini.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

Macy’s Parade (November 23)

The 97th annual parade airs on NBC at 8:30 a.m. ET. It’s followed by the National Dog Show at noon.

NFL Football (November 23)

The Green Bay Packers meet the Detroit Lions at 12:30 p.m. on Fox, and at 4:30 on CBS the Dallas Cowboys play the Washington Commanders. At 8 p.m. on NBC, the San Francisco 49ers meet the Seattle Seahawks.