Go ask Alice

at the Tempe Mall

Admit it, you just sang that in your head in Grace Slick’s voice.

But about today’s Tabs gif, which is probably why you are here…

The video clip is from the sitcom Alice, which ran first on CBS from 1976 to 1985. The show was based on the highly-acclaimed 1974 comedy drama film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, for which Ellen Burstyn won an Oscar for Best Actress.

Burstyn indicated she was not interested in reprising the role for television (or perhaps she was not offered the opportunity—reports seem to vary on this) and so Linda Lavin was cast as the title character. Lavin sings “There’s a New Girl in Town” song in the sitcom intro, which was re-arranged several times over the course of the show’s run, including a lyrics change after the second season.

The show centers around, and is mostly set in, Mel’s Diner in Phoenix, AZ. Recently-widowed single-mother Alice has taken a job as a waitress at Mel’s after her car has broken down on her way to pursue a singing career in Los Angeles. The gruff, tight-fisted Mel Sharples (played by Vic Tayback) runs the kitchen while fellow waitresses ditsy, big-hearted Louise Gorman (Beth Howland) and the sassy, flirtatious Florence “Flo” Castleberry (Polly Holiday) keep things moving on the customer side. Flo in particular keeps Mel in line with her trademark “kiss my grits!” catchphrase, oft-repeated by schoolkids of the era to uproarious results. Or maybe that was just me.

Frequently throughout the series, movie and TV stars of the era would make an appearance as customers in Mel’s, either as themselves or other outside figures associated with the main characters. Your gif clip today features Adam West (and NOT Christopher Reeves, as I incorrectly told Rebecca earlier!) as Mr. Turner in Season 1 Episode 7, “Sex Education.” Mr. Turner is Alice son’s Tommy’s sex education teacher visiting the diner in an attempt to quell Alice’s concerns about curriculum content.

You can watch the clip here on YouTube: