Mike Lookinland Stars in Johngy's Surreal Life

Everyone in my age group (actually, all age groups) is familiar with The Brady Bunch.  We all grew up watching it.
Like most shows, the actors seemed far away and so out of our realm.  I would never think that one day I would be meeting so many of these celebrities, let alone having real conversations with them.
Thanks to the celebrity meet-and-greet conventions like Motor City Comic Con, these celebrities are now completely accessible.  How cool is this?!
I have met the three of the Brady kids (Peter, Bobby and Cindy), as well as cousin Oliver.  Barry Williams and Maureen McCormick have done similar shows, so I think I will eventually meet them, too.
This never stops being surreal for me.  I stare at the picture below and think about sitting in my house as a kid and watching Bobby Brady get into all sorts of mischief on the screen.  Larger than life.  Miles away.  A completely different life.
Yet, there we are.  Johngy and Bobby.  John and Mike Lookinland.
Especially cool is that Lookinland was very nice.  He even did a Johngy promo (which is in the right column on this page).  Over the few times I have met him at various cons, we have talked about his life, the conventions and other stuff.  I even witnessed him and Susan Olsen bantering back and forth like, well, like two siblings.  And I was right in the middle of it.
I don't know why I get such a rush from this.  Maybe a psychologist can answer that for me.  Instead, I will just continue to attempt to meet these favorites of mine and continue having a fun time.
Eve Plumb...where are you?

Mike Lookinland and me in Novi, MI-May 2011.

Mike Lookinland Loves Johngy's Beat

As I have previously written, I have met Mike Lookinland a couple of times.  Earlier this year at the Motor City Comic Con, Lookinland recognized me from a previous convention.  I have had some celebs remember me from other cons before, but usually it is after meeting them several times.  I had only met Lookinland once and it had been at least a year and in a different city.
We talked to Lookinland about doing these conventions and he expressed an interest in doing more.  He enjoyed meeting the fans and seeing his old Brady Bunch mates.  At the MCCC, Susan Olsen was the only other Brady.  They showed a normal sibling relationship by drawing on each other's 8x10's.
After talking to Lookinland for a bit, we asked him if he would do a promo for Johngy's Beat and he agreed.  That promo can be seen below and also has taken its rightful place in the "Testimonials" section on the right.

Half of the Brady Bunch

Collectors Shows are great for unique photo opportunities.  At the Hollywood Celebrities Show a couple years ago, three of the six Brady kids and cousin Oliver were all seated at one table.  They were signing autographs and posing for pictures all day.
You had any option you would want for pictures.  They would pose in any combination.  I imagine the logistics were a bit difficult.  ERach time someone wanted a group photo, they would all have to walk to a ide area and pose with the fan.  The tricky part was sometimes a fan would want them all, but sometimes just the boys or just the "real" Brady kids (sorry Oliver) or sometimes just the youngest...well, you get the point.
I have to say it all ran very smoothly, despite the potential mind-numbing possibilities.  The stars were also very patient and willing to make everyone happy.
Shows like this are great for the hobby and the collector.  Walking away feeling like you got what you wanted will probably lead to return visits.  I know I have been going to their shows for about 10 years!

Chris Knight, Robbie Rist, Mike Lookinland and Susan Olsen in Rosemont, IL-Fall 2008.

Johngy Was Not a Brady

A few weeks ago, I wrote about meeting Cousin Oliver (Robby Rist) who was supposed to breathe new, cute life into the Brady Bunch. New life was needed partly because the previous young cute kids, Bobby and Cindy, were starting to grow into young adults.
I talked about this with Mike Lookinland (Bobby Brady) when I met him at the Hollywood Celebrities Show. He said the writers just wanted to concentrate on the same old stories and Bobby and Cindy were starting to get too old for that. Instead, the writers should have started developing stories for the ever-aging Brady kids all along.
It's really an example of the writers not changing with the times. The Brady family could not be stuck in a time-defying universe.
Those in charge got everything they could out of the Brady concept and then just let it go without trying something new or different. I wish they were more creative and/or had a little more faith in the abilities of the young adults playing the Brady siblings.
As for Lookinland, he was fun to meet and seemed to have fun meeting everyone. He has done some acting post-Brady, including a role in The Towering Inferno. By all apearances, he seems to have avoided the common pitfalls of a child actor.

Mike Lookinland and me in Rosemont, IL-Fall 2008.