Saturday, June 21, 2014

SBTB 03.21 - No Hope with Dope

So, remember when we covered Guys Next Door from the "Date Auction" episode? Well, it seems that another member of that group infiltrated SBTB. Nope, it wasn't Ox.
Eddie Garcia
Johnny Dakota is played by Eddie Garcia, one of the members of Guys Next Door. Both shows ran on NBC; I guess we shouldn't be surprised to see some crossover. He makes other appearances on screen, but I am more interested in the roles he has filled: "Miracles Dancer," "Dancer," "Mexican Dancer," "Hot Traxx Dancer," "Hip Hopper," and "Lotus Land Dancer." It should be pretty clear that he is a dancer. Even better, he is a choreographer, which means he tells people how to dance.

Hopefully Eddie Garcia didn't choreograph the dancing in the final video or else I would think way, way less of him. What dancing, you ask? Well:
Notice here how Zack and Co. are out of the shot with the NBC executive and then they all mosey in after his speech. This is supposedly the take they like.

Then:

The final program shows Zack already in the frame as the NBC executive waltzes in, and then the rest of the cast shuffles in after his speech. Shoddy continuity work, fellows. Shoddy.

But who is this NBC executive? Would you believe that this is the tried-and-true CEO of NBC at the time, Brandon Tartikoff?

Of course you would. It is. This man helmed NBC during its heyday, when NBC released long-running, memorable shows. Examples: "The A-Team," "Knightrider," "Cheers," "The Cosby Show," "ALF," and many, many others. And, because it deserves to be in a class on its own, he also was around for "Seinfeld." We owe this man so much! Sadly, Mr. Tartikoff would die at 48 from cancer, but we can remember him for being a great television business man who okayed our SBTB.

Feel free to share what stood out to you in the comments below.