The Year in "Celebrity" Pictures: The Final Chapter

Sorry for the delay. Aside from building suspense, I had to wait a few days because I sent some cards late. But they should all be where they need to be by now. So, here is the exciting conclusion to The Year in "Celebrity" Pictures 2007.

3. Ernest Thomas, Danielle Spencer, and Haywood Nelson

I almost split this year's Holiday Greeting list in three to accommodate this photo, but I couldn't break with tradition. And so this photo loses its chance at immortality because of a strong 2007 for "celebrity" photos. And it kills me. I feel certain that if God had been willing to let Fred Berry, Shirley Hemphill, and Mabel King live long enought to be able to attend the 2007 Fall Chiller Theatre convention, and thus provided the opportunity for a full "What's Happening!!" reunion photo, things would be different. So blame God.

I do, however, like how the cartoon Rerun and Shirley rest comfortably on my left shoulder in the picture. And how Dee looks ever so slightly disgusted that I'm touching her.

1. (tie) Gary Coleman

So much exciting about the photo. First, it's Gary Coleman. Second, he was not nearly as disgusted to be at a convention as I thought he would be. Third, it completes the Jackson (Drummond) Brothers exacta started last year with the photo with Todd Bridges. Sweet.

A fun behind-the-scenes tidbit: if you look closely you can almost feel my trepidation about what to do with my left arm. It was an uncomfortable moment. As I waited for the picure to be taken, I flashed back to a scene in "The Surreal Life" (if I had a nickel for every time I did that...), where Monty Hall is standing next to Emmanuel Lewis and he pats him on the head like Emmanuel is five years old. I couldn't make that same mistake. And so I just put my arm behind my back so it didn't get any funny ideas.

1. (tie) Danica McKellar

Always a thrill to have an actual female in the Holiday Greeting; I think she's only the second (Reba being the other...a wax Ivana Trump was also in one if I remember correctly). I had to buy a book about math for middle-school girls to get the picture, but you make sacrifices in life. Plus, now it will be easier to pick up middle-school girls.

The book signing was kind of a sad affair, as the first few rows weren't exactly overcrowded with females. No, there were a lot of guys by themselves with desperate looks in their eyes, anxious to see how Winnie Cooper turned out. The guy on my left kept complaining because the event didn't start on time, and the guy on my right was talking to the people behind him about how he went to school with Danica's sister, who, as we all know, played Becky Slater on "The Wonder Years" (and it's an unpopular opinion, but I thought Becky Slater was cuter than Winnie...yeah, I said it). This came in handy later when he asked Danica about her sister and she said she was around somewhere. So, now I have a copy of a book about math for middle-school girls signed by both McKellars. Who's the man? Oh, not me? Fair enough.

I should also note that despite background appearances to the contrary, a cop wasn't assigned to the event to keep an eye on me. Though I didn't ask Crystal McKellar for a photo just in case the fuzz was waiting to pounce.

And so ends the Year in "Celebrity" Pictures 2007. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up, but if this is the last year for the "Celebrity" Holiday Greeting, at least I went out with a bang.