Dobie Gillis

Dobie Gillis is dead. He seems to have been a nice enough man. And he could always get a giggle from televiewers.
But an icon?

He reminds me of Alfred Newman (of "what me worry?" fame), a perfect image of innocence -- and cultural vacuity. Gilligan's Island, along with hours and years of empty sitcoms, put America to sleep. Maynard Krebs sanitized beatniks -- when we were in deparate need of nasty, smelly poets. Michael Moore is as close as we get these days.

Dobie Killis died just as Katrina waked up the narcolepsy-inducing media. Let's see if NBC can stuff consciousness back in the box.