Where were you on this day in 1982 when you found out John Belushi died? I don’t remember exactly, but I do remember thinking it totally sucked. I started watching SNL in elementary school in the late 70’s, Saturday night sleepovers were filled with the Killer Bees, Land Shark, Roseanna Roseannadanna, Samurai Fatabam the original Weekend Update (Jane, You Ignorant Slut!) and of course – the Blues Brothers. Bill Murray was always my favorite, I loved him as the Lounge Singer and can still hear “Hello, Mrs Lupner” – but John Belushi was the craziest.

Animal House came along in 1978 and then The Blues Brothers (the movie) in 1980. Belushi was a junkie and it didn’t take long for his drug use to kill him. The hotel where he died is a landmark in Hollywood, we drove past it in 1995 and I couldn’t believe he had been dead for over a decade. Fast forward to 2012 and I can’t believe it’s been 30 years. Sometime these things make you feel old, but this one makes me realize everything Belushi missed. Too many “celebrities” preceeded Belushi, and too many are still killing themselves with prescription drugs, illegal drugs, booze. I hate to call it cliche, but it is. There was something totally out of control about the 70’s and 80’s says Penny Marshall, that’s what I remember from that time period too. It was a different world, but some things never change.

Unfortunately Belushi never got the chance to become Senator Blutarsky, but he sure did make us laugh like hell! Let’s always asked ourselves “Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?? Hell no, it ain’t over now!”

Where’s the Guts??? May we all draw from our inner Bluto.