It was a different world! LOL! Hold steady. My newsletter this week is a "seasonally appropriate" flash memoir item. I think you'll find it amusing. Heh.
Such an awesome, wholesome story. Meeting one of your childhood heroes AND he signed your drawing that you did when you were a kid. I can't imagine what that would have felt like! That'd be like me meeting Toby Maguire. Thanks for sharing such an awesome story Andrew!
Is that Bad Hulk? That guy was scary! If you're interested in writing something about your dad's work on the Hulk, I'd be happy to collaborate, maybe on a brief history of the show centered around your dad's contributions.
I'm not sure I'm that qualified. Like most of their writers, he was a freelancer and only wrote a handful of episodes. You see, the concept of a large writer's room was a fallacy even back then save for a handful of shows. There were three staff writers who would mostly edit scripts bought from freelancers like my dad.
I didn't watch the Lou Ferrigno show, although I really kinda want to now; my Hulk stories were the Marvel movies. I always loved that moment in the Edward Norton Hulk movie when he transforms in that walkway and then jumps out in full view of everyone and does the roar. "Now she'll see," as General Ross says. Classic. Also I'm pretty sure Lou was in that one as a security guard!
Also I liked Mark Ruffalo's Hulk as well in the ensuing movies. I only watched the Eric Bana Hulk movie once. I never finished it. It's the only superhero movie I never finished, which says something.
Yikers! I don't think I've seen the Bana Hulk yet, and maybe I'll just hold out a bit longer. There's so much great stuff out there! The OG Hulk show is the pinnacle of late 70s sci-fi/fantasy television, which is to say it's just about completely unwatchable by today's standards, but the focus on character building is different and notable, and the show was certainly clever for its time! Let me know if you end up checking it out.
I love that somehow your parents photographed your Hulk fortress. Pre-digital phones that feels almost unthinkable, but yet here it is! I'm here to confess that for a time in my life Pumping Iron was my favorite movie ever. My friend and I watched it in college, and then she and I used it inspiration when we would go pumping iron. Forget AhhNold, Franco Columbu was the man for me!
There are some not so nice accusations out there about Ferrigno right now. Hopefully untrue. That photo is epic, and his quip to you even better.
Yikes. I didn't do any research on Lou's personality before writing this, simply because it was such a huge event for me, personally.
Regardless, Pumping Iron nearly single-handedly created the modern gym culture we have today! It's pretty wild to watch the original Gold's Gym and to understand it was a crowded hotbed, but you notice right away how tiny this place is. SO much has changed.
Reminds me of old-school BJJ gyms in Brazil. You'd maybe expect for a place where living legends trained to be huge and modern, but most of the older places are little holes in the wall, like 1/10 as big as one of my gyms!
I'll try to pepper more of these in there. It's always tough for me to talk about myself, but I am opening up more and more here. Glad you enjoyed this one!
I don't remember watching The Hulk as much as I do other shows. I mean, I can recall watching it at daycare, but not in primetime the way I did ChiPs or Dukes of Hazzard.
Apparently CBS thought that "Bruce" was a "homosexual" themed name, so they gave Banner my name instead.
I understand Lou was not comfortable with this.
Wait, what?
And a wonderful trip down Memory Lane this is! It's so fun to see how our stories are unique and yet relatable.
You've got to tell some stories from growing up! I do, too. Working on it.
It was a different world! LOL! Hold steady. My newsletter this week is a "seasonally appropriate" flash memoir item. I think you'll find it amusing. Heh.
Outstanding! I loved the show, too! 💪
It was really clever! And, it helped fuel my young imagination. Glad you enjoyed this, Whitney!
Such an awesome, wholesome story. Meeting one of your childhood heroes AND he signed your drawing that you did when you were a kid. I can't imagine what that would have felt like! That'd be like me meeting Toby Maguire. Thanks for sharing such an awesome story Andrew!
Jeff, I'm really happy you enjoyed this one. It was... well, it was surreal.
This moment brought to you by my dad. He wrote a few episodes but he always liked this one best. Season 4 episode 5.
https://youtu.be/MDIqjaTw6ew?si=64hFUGH5fOLYhdRu
Is that Bad Hulk? That guy was scary! If you're interested in writing something about your dad's work on the Hulk, I'd be happy to collaborate, maybe on a brief history of the show centered around your dad's contributions.
I'm not sure I'm that qualified. Like most of their writers, he was a freelancer and only wrote a handful of episodes. You see, the concept of a large writer's room was a fallacy even back then save for a handful of shows. There were three staff writers who would mostly edit scripts bought from freelancers like my dad.
"I'm not sure that qualified," says the only guy any of us know whose dad wrote episodes of The Incredible Hulk.
"Nothing to see here. Move along!"
This is so classic. The Hulk signed your drawing. You just blew my mind.
Yeah, that's right. Network television executives have never been shy about expressing prejudicial viewpoints...
I didn't watch the Lou Ferrigno show, although I really kinda want to now; my Hulk stories were the Marvel movies. I always loved that moment in the Edward Norton Hulk movie when he transforms in that walkway and then jumps out in full view of everyone and does the roar. "Now she'll see," as General Ross says. Classic. Also I'm pretty sure Lou was in that one as a security guard!
Also I liked Mark Ruffalo's Hulk as well in the ensuing movies. I only watched the Eric Bana Hulk movie once. I never finished it. It's the only superhero movie I never finished, which says something.
Yikers! I don't think I've seen the Bana Hulk yet, and maybe I'll just hold out a bit longer. There's so much great stuff out there! The OG Hulk show is the pinnacle of late 70s sci-fi/fantasy television, which is to say it's just about completely unwatchable by today's standards, but the focus on character building is different and notable, and the show was certainly clever for its time! Let me know if you end up checking it out.
This was both beautiful and hilarious. Thanks for lighting my Friday up.
Yay!
Ditto. It is ultra-epic!
This was a fun story to tell.
Trey and I met Lou also. I don't remember what year but Trey probably does.
Everyone loved the Hulk!
I love that somehow your parents photographed your Hulk fortress. Pre-digital phones that feels almost unthinkable, but yet here it is! I'm here to confess that for a time in my life Pumping Iron was my favorite movie ever. My friend and I watched it in college, and then she and I used it inspiration when we would go pumping iron. Forget AhhNold, Franco Columbu was the man for me!
There are some not so nice accusations out there about Ferrigno right now. Hopefully untrue. That photo is epic, and his quip to you even better.
Yikes. I didn't do any research on Lou's personality before writing this, simply because it was such a huge event for me, personally.
Regardless, Pumping Iron nearly single-handedly created the modern gym culture we have today! It's pretty wild to watch the original Gold's Gym and to understand it was a crowded hotbed, but you notice right away how tiny this place is. SO much has changed.
Reminds me of old-school BJJ gyms in Brazil. You'd maybe expect for a place where living legends trained to be huge and modern, but most of the older places are little holes in the wall, like 1/10 as big as one of my gyms!
This is badass, I love that particular incarnation of The Incredible Hulk and he signed your drawing! Great Sci-Friday piece!
Thanks, Brian! This was ridiculously fun, and a really great moment in my life.
Art is important. I love how you rendered ol greenie. And speaking of illustration, check out my Sci-Friday on some of my childhood faves.
Those were good picks, Jon!
I love this dive into your past.
I'll try to pepper more of these in there. It's always tough for me to talk about myself, but I am opening up more and more here. Glad you enjoyed this one!
I loved hearing about your childhood connections with The Hulk
Thank you, Jan!
I don't remember watching The Hulk as much as I do other shows. I mean, I can recall watching it at daycare, but not in primetime the way I did ChiPs or Dukes of Hazzard.
We're really close in age, right? What year did you graduate high school?
I think so? I graduated in '93.
Yep, same.