My Real Friends

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if all your favorite TV stars lived in a big house together and sang loving songs to each other. Well, WONDER NO MORE:

This video raises more than a few questions. Like, what the heavens is this? Was it a stage show? A TV special? Why don't networks do this anymore (Can you imagine Jeff Probst singing a song with the cast of The Good Wife?) What is Marla wearing? Does it kind of seem like Bea and Nell are singing about their lesbian relationship?

But most importantly, it raises the question: what does it mean when my favorite sitcom stars of yesteryear tell me that they will "be there for me?"Can I really call on Nell Carter or Charlotte Rae in a time of need?

My wife teases me a lot because I tend to have imaginary relationships with people I don't really know in real life, some of whom are fictional. Like I feel like Peter and Christina from Parenthood would really get me and we could hang out together and commiserate about the woes of job-loss and raising kids with special needs. And I imagine that Tami Taylor would give me the pep-talk I need when I am getting down on myself (I don't want a pep talk from Coach - he scares me a little bit.) And I laugh and talk about funny things that my friends on The Chew said today. (I think Carla and I would get along best.)

And it isn't just imagined relationships with TV characters. I listen to a lot of podcast on my morning commute and frequently mention things I heard as though they were things I discussed with friends over lunch. I'll say to my wife "You know, my friend Lian was talking about this parenting idea where you..." and my wife will remind me that Lian isn't really my friend. She's Lian Dolan of The Chaos Chronicles podcast. A woman who I have never met and who couldn't spot me out of a line up. Or I will mention that I am going to try something in my workout that Jillian told me to do. Well, Jillian didn't really tell me to do it. She is Jillian Michaels (of the Biggest Loser) who has her own podcast. And I feel like Steve, Julia, Dana, John, David and Emily of the Slate Podcasts are my smarter, more informed, east coast pals.

What does it say about me that many of my friends are fictional or people I have never met? Maybe I don't want to go down that psychological rabbit hole. Maybe I just want to live in a safe, pastel colored world where Bea Arthur wears over sized sweaters and Charlotte Rae bakes me cookies. Seems like a pretty great place.

And at least when times get tough, I know just who I will call: Punky Brewster.