Video Fun: Ron Howard Transforms Into Opie, Richie for Obama Ad

Ben Kallen — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:20:00 GMT

Boy, Ron Howard must really want you to vote for Barack Obama. Decades after evolving from a kid sitcom star to a ridiculously successful producer and director, he was willing to dress his 54-year-old self up as The Andy Griffith Show's Opie Taylor and and Happy Days' Richie Cunningham for a political ad on FunnyOrDie.com. And it isn't even Halloween yet!

He brought a couple of old friends with him, too. It's always great to see Andy Griffith -- though maybe he should have learned something about celebrities trying to influence politics back when he made the classic film A Face in the Crowd -- and Henry Winkler, who still looks remarkably Fonz-like when he puts on a '50s wig.

As for the content of the video itself -- well, it's not all that funny, and it isn't likely to convince anyone to change his or her choice of presidential candidate. (Maybe all the best writers were busy with Saturday Night Live.) But we applaud Howard for standing up for his convictions, even to the point of extreme embarrassment.

Note to Scott Baio: No, we aren't interested in seeing you as Charles in Charge.

Here's the video:

Previously:
Straight From Video: Jeffrey Tambor Confirms Arrested Development Movie Is a Go
Happy Days Are Here Again, in Bronze

The Weekly Rewind: We Want Our Fun TV

Ben Kallen — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:35:00 GMT

The Olympics are coming to an end, and the new TV season hasn't started yet. What the heck can we do with all that extra free time? Maybe we should just sit back, relax, and spend it on the highlights of the week:

We learned that George and Izzie are TV's most annoying couple, but then we remembered Ross and Rachel.

We were alternately thrilled and disappointed by Michael Phelps, and Bigfoot.

We heard Hurley sing, and it was awesome.

We remembered the most terrible game shows of all time, and it kind of made us want to watch them again. But the most memorable moments in TV history? Eh, seen 'em.

We heard that Kelly Bundy's just fine, and that made us happy.

We saw what The Bachelor's ex Shayne Lamas is like at a party, and it's pretty much what we figured.

We discovered that many TV stars don't watch TV, because they're too busy sipping expensive champagne with fashion models.

We figured out how to get MTV's original stars cable-ready again.

We wondered why this statue of Fonzie looks so much like Christopher Walken.

We learned why Canadians think the beaver is a proud and noble animal.

We learned who might be on Dancing With the Stars this season, and hoped Kim Kardashian wouldn't have center-of-gravity issues.

We discovered that the Internet is nothing but a gathering place for Knight Rider and Baywatch fanatics. But then, we knew that already.

Previously:
The Weekly Rewind: The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of TV

The Remote Island : Fonzie

Video Fun: Ron Howard Transforms Into Opie, Richie for Obama Ad

The Weekly Rewind: We Want Our Fun TV