Hello, all,

I thought it would be fun for us to discuss how we know we are real fans of "I Spy". I can start out with example #1 of my own proof I'm a Real Fan:

After I got the DVD set and finally was able to watch all 89 episodes in a serious, concentrated fashion, I was incredibly enthralled with the show and with Robert Culp. Thus, at age 46, after never having had any jewelry on my hands, I felt an unendurable compulsion and and went out and bought a pinky ring. It's a silver and opal ring, not a big black ring, but a pinky ring nonetheless, which I wear proudly on my left hand. The first ring I've ever had in my life!

I'd love to hear how others know they are Real Fans...

Mona

Lovely idea, Mona!

I'll add one right off the bat ..... and it is one I am sure others share!!




You know you are a real I SPY FAN when ....


you BUY A DVD PLAYER (your first) just so you could play the I SPY DVDs when they came out.
(Yes, buying one even before the DVDs were for sale.)







Who's Next ....??

As always,

Tatia

~~~~

... when I proudly stood up in front of my 5th grade class and said that my biggest wish was to grow up and be a mom so I could name my kids Kelly and Scotty.

Cate, I love your answer! Did any other kids in your class know what you were talking about? My own list is at http://www.network54.com/Forum/172251/message/1096492634/, but I’m happy to repeat it here. You know you’re hooked on I Spy when:
	You can recite the dialogue in your favorite episodes by heart.
	You always think of Robert Culp and Bill Cosby as Kelly and Scotty, no matter what roles they’re playing.
	You have a penchant for wraparound sunglasses, sheepskin-lined jackets, and black T-shirts with white jeans.
	You write protest letters when your local TV station stops airing the reruns.
	You frequently say “True, true” in conversation.
	You buy a DVD player just to watch the series.
	Your address book has names like Tatia and Jahbad in it.
	The ringer on your cell phone plays Earle Hagen’s theme music.
	You plan your vacations to visit locales where scenes were shot.
	You call your best friend Stanley (unless his name really is Stanley, in which case you call him Herman).

But the surest way to tell you’re a true I Spy aficionado is—you’re here at the Forum.

Regards—

B-L,

Love your list!

I'm pretty sure the kids in my class didn't have a clue. It was 1983, and they were more interested in Ewoks. I don't have my own kids yet, but I'm working on it.

I did go out on a date once with a guy named Scott mostly because his best friends name was Kelly. As you can imagine, that didn't last too long, but I did get to say (once), "I'm going to hang out with Kelly and Scotty!"

I wore white jeans almost every day throughout high school, and to this day my family still refers to white Keds as I Spy Shoes because that was the only acceptable way to refer to them.

I have a weakness for men in black turtleneck sweaters and t-shirts. A big weakness!

Cate

Yes Tatia, the purchase of my first player also came about because of the release of the I Spy DVDs, though not before. I didn’t know they existed until a friend, knowing of my interest, gave me the first volume as a gift. That was my first DVD and led to the player, which I guess is only natural, proper and just.

This is a reiteration of my very first post on this forum, but I was inspired by Scotty to change from wearing Converse to those Adidas running shoes with the three stripes which I thought were cool beyond words. This must have been around 1970 when I was deeply into the show via syndication. I was never tempted by Kelly’s white canvas slip-ons. I doubt if I could have found them in the slightly provincial small town I grew up in. I can’t think of any other time when I consciously modified my wardrobe based on something I saw in a TV show. Subconsciously—who knows?

Did your fifth grade wish come true Cate? Kelly and Scotty are good names, and Kelly can swing either way. Think of all the poor fifth graders into Star Trek who wanted to name their kids Spock and Bones.

Jimmy

I must warn you, I started a thread like this once in a forum for another TV show and it went on for several hundred messages! Anyway, here are some of my real-life answers, though I can relate to many of those already posted:

- 1970's: You stay in the hotel room in Las Vegas while your parents go out to dinner because the Las Vegas TV station airs "I Spy" and your hometown TV station doesn't

- 1980's: You hope your baby wakes up for a 3 a.m. feeding so you can catch the nightly "I Spy" reruns on Nick at Nite

And in general ...

- You name your dog Kelly (yes, I did)

- You have watched everything that Mr. Culp and Mr. Cosby have appeared in for decades, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kelly and Scotty still in there somewhere

- You can't wait to go to bed at night so you can reward yourself with an "I Spy" DVD in quiet solitude

- You can't watch any TV show from the '60's or early 70's without seeing someone (in front of or behind the camera) that you can connect back to "I Spy"

- You bid on "I Spy" memorabilia on eBay, even though you can't afford it

- You send a fan letter to Robert Culp after all these years, even though you know you won't get a reply

~ Becca

(P.S. - Can anyone tell me how to make more room in my "realm" to upload more pictures? Thanks!)

I wanted to post this in my last message but it didn't work. Anyway, here are a couple of photos of my dog Kelly, who sadly is no longer with me. Truly one of the greatest dogs of all time ...

There’s a distinct resemblance.



Regards—

Awwww ... I'm honored. (My) Kelly was such a great dog. She also shared many of (our) Kelly's traits - brave, loyal, fun-loving, devoted - and she could be fierce when the situation called for it. I think she did her namesake proud

Becca

LOVE the "You Know You're A Real Fan of "I SPY" when ....


but Cate, I agree with Bulwer-Lytton, your entry deserves some sort of award!!







B-L and Becca both summed it up to perfection!!
... plus we can't leave off Mona's pinky ring,
and how "I SPY" influenced Jimmy's "cool" shoe fashion choices ....






And I guess Tatia's travel plans have been slightly influenced by "I SPY" ... just a wee bit!!







I heard from Suite 635 the other day. He is off to Hong Kong this week - wonder what influenced him?? Hopefully, he'll send back some shots we can turn into more THEN & NOW "I SPY" photos. I'll keep you posted.


Becca - your Canine Kelly was beautiful and looked like he upheld the charming traditions of "Kellys" !!

O.K. you lurkers out there - come on in and add your favorites to Mona's "You know You're A Real 'I SPY' Fan When" ... this is a perfect place to start!


As always,
Tatia

~~~~~~

I bought the initial, overpriced, two episode disc Image put out, with "Few Miles West of Nowhere" and I don't even remember the other episode that was on it now, priced at $24.95!!!! Considering the box sets are like 39 bucks now, that was a pretty deep investment! Why they picked those two episodes to test the waters with is beyond me....

I bought "I Spy Returns" even though I don't really like it!

I picked up all the paperback novelizations on ebay!

I got the soundtrack cd directly from film score monthly!

and, while slightly off topic, I knew i was a Robert Culp fan when I bought the godawful "Name for Evil"...and the near-awful "Turk 182"...and the semi-adequate "Flood"....and so on!

So all my evidence is of a consumerist nature....I won't even mention that Cosby/Culp raincoat ad ripped out of a magazine that pops up on ebay every now and then...yes, I got one!

Well, I guess this counts as being a Real Fan...

I was the keynote speaker today of a ceremony we do when a class of medical students begin entering into our school's out patient clinic and naturally felt compelled to slip the word "wonderfulness" into my speech. It worked out great!

Mona

On the same wave-length, Mona!

A few years ago, I had to give a presentation at an awards ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria for my boss.

During the speech, I paused and slowly enunciated "I say this truly from the heart ... " in my very best "Culp/Kelly Robinson-ese." I got the intonation just right! (I left out "I throw it at you feet. You are not Samurai!" - the lines following it from "Tigers of Heaven.")

Well, after it was over, some woman came up to me and said - when you said that part about “coming from the heart,” I almost cried .... (Ahhh, well, Tatia learned from the master!! )

As always,

Tatia

~ ~