News of the Week: The Blizzard of ’26, TV for Dogs, and the Great Peanut Butter Cup Controversy

Random Notes

I’m someone who loves the winter, but with yet another big storm last Monday — a blizzard, with 60 mph winds, flooding, and power outages — even I’m sick of it and ready for warmer temps. Of course, ask me again in July when I’m complaining that it’s 89 degrees and humid and I’m killing ants.

If the saying “You are what you eat” is true, I am 40 percent pasta, 30 percent tea, and 30 percent chocolate.

I bet you don’t know what the old saying “the real McCoy” means. Well, now you do.

There’s a prescription medication commercial running right now that says, “Don’t give to children less than two.” Less than two? Shouldn’t that be “younger than two”? It’s one of those grammar things that, even if it is technically correct, we shouldn’t do.

When I took out the trash Monday at 4 a.m., I noticed fresh animal tracks in the snow on the stairs. Different animals, too. I’m guessing skunk and coyote, neither of which I want to meet at 4 a.m. on a Monday morning.

Wasn’t Skunk and Coyote one of the Looney Tunes cartoons?

You Got Compound Coatings in My Peanut-Butter-Style Crème!

Much of the 30 percent of chocolate that I eat is from Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Do they seem different to you?

That’s the complaint from Brad Reese, the grandson of H.B. Reese, the inventor of the candy. In a letter to Hershey, Reese says the company has replaced the chocolate with “compound coatings” and replaced the peanut butter with “peanut-butter-style-crème.” He says they’re using cheaper ingredients and harming the reputation of the company.

It’s funny but … I’ve noticed a change too. At first I thought that maybe my taste buds had changed, and that’s why they didn’t taste quite the same. Not that they’re not still great! But I do notice a difference, though I can’t put my finger on what is different.

But maybe it’s just my imagination. The company says there has been no change to the regular peanut butter cups (well, besides their size, but that’s another rant). The regular ones are made the same but some of the other Reese’s products and their seasonal/holiday ones that come in different shapes are made from different ingredients. (For the record, I think their Christmas tree-shaped peanut butter cups are great!)

I’m at WKRP in …

Baby, if you ever wondered. Wondered what you would do if you owned the rights to the radio call letters WKRP? Well, they’re for sale.

It’s weird that no station in the Cincinnati area has ever used them in the past 45 years, isn’t it? The first thing the winning station should do is have a big turkey drop.

Television for … Dogs?

Did you know there’s a streaming network called DogTV? It’s content to make our dogs content.

I don’t know what’s on it, but it would be a shame if they didn’t air nonstop reruns of Lassie and Rin Tin Tin.

RIP Eric Dane, Robert Carradine, Lauren Chapin, Bill Mazeroski, Linda Seger, Edward Hoagland, and John Wheeler

Eric Dane played Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy and had roles on Euphoria, The Last Ship, and Charmed, as well as roles in films like X-Men: The Last Stand and Marley & Me. He died last week at the age of 53.

Robert Carradine starred in such films as Revenge of the Nerds, Escape From L.A., The Big Red One, Orca, and Coming Home. He was also Lizzie’s dad on Lizzie McGuire. He died Monday at the age of 71.

Lauren Chapin played youngest Anderson child Kathy on Father Knows Best. She died Tuesday at the age of 80.

Bill Mazeroski hit one of the most famous home runs in baseball history, a walk-off homer against the New York Yankees that gave his Pittsburgh Pirates the World Series championship in 1960. He died last week at the age of 89.

Linda Seger was an acclaimed script consultant and author of several books on screenwriting. Her methods helped people like Ron Howard, Ray Bradbury, and Peter Jackson. She died earlier this month at the age of 80.

Edward Hoagland was called one of the best essayists ever by people like John Updike and Philip Roth. He wrote about nature, his travels, and ultimately his blindness. He died Tuesday at the age of 93.

John Wheeler was a character actor who appeared on Star Trek, The Odd Couple, The Brady Bunch, ER, and The Dukes of Hazzard, and in films like Apollo 13, Mame, and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. He also appeared on Broadway, played Santa in several movies, and was the manager in a famous McDonald’s ad. He died earlier this month at the age of 95.

This Week in History

Your Show of Shows Premieres (February 25, 1950)

This live, 90-minute variety show is somewhat forgotten today, unless you’re of a certain age or a fan of TV history. But it was quite popular and influential and had an amazing cast of actors (Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, and Howard Morris) and writers (Neil Simon, Mel Brooks, Selma Diamond, and Danny Simon).

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Born (February 27, 1807)

He wrote the famous poem “Paul Revere’s Ride,” among others. It’s memorable, even if a lot of it is inaccurate.

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Frigidaire (February 21, 1959)

I remember having a freezer that would get encased in frost and ice. When it got really bad, you had to chop the boxes of Birds Eye out like an Arctic explorer.

March Is National Frozen Food Month

You can’t have recipes that incorporate frozen foods without one from my favorite cookbook by one of my favorite writers, Peg Bracken. From her terrific I Hate to Cook Book comes this recipe for Hellzapoppin’ Cheese Rice.

By the way, Bracken was a regular contributor to the Post from the 1940s to the 1960s, including this piece from the December 1, 1962, issue, “Why Husbands Die Young.”

Allrecipes has a recipe for Chicken Pot Pasta, Birds Eye has a Chuckwagon Beef and Bean Skillet, and Weight Watchers has this Chicken, Broccoli & Tortellini Soup.

And if you have a premade frozen pie crust in your freezer — preferably Oreo or graham cracker — you can make this no-bake Frozen Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie from Food Folks and Fun.

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

BNP Paribas Open (March 2)

Also known as Indian Wells, this is one of the bigger tennis tournaments outside of the four Grand Slams. Tennis Channel will have full coverage.

National Anthem Day (March 3)

Lawyer Francis Scott Key wrote a poem titled “The Defence of Fort M’Henry” after witnessing the British attack Fort McHenry in Baltimore. The lyrics were later set to the music of “The Anacreontic Song.” It was officially named the National Anthem of the United States on March 3, 1931.

There are actually a lot more words to the song than what you hear at sporting events. Thankfully, nobody sings all the verses.