I'm not sure what the hell is going on lately, but it seems that some of our most talented celebrities are dropping like flies. From Charles Bronson to Johnny Cash... then Wesley Willis and John Ritter.

Wait a minute here... John Ritter...???

This is completely insane. I can honestly say I haven't been this affected by a celebrity death since George Harrison. One minute he's starring in a successful new sitcom with Peg Bundy and some hot, blonde piece of ass playing his teenage daughter--the next minute he's gone.

I never even got the chance to watch his new show. I've pretty much avoided sitcoms since "Friends" became the template for all future comedy shows in 1995. The only thing interesting about that show is Jennifer Aniston's perpetually hard nipples. (You men out there know
exactly what I'm talking about.) But the writing just doesn't do it for me. It's always about the set-up and the punchline, as well as the overly "clever" dialogue. The simple fact is, they just don't make sitcoms the way they used to.

I grew up on "Three's Company" and have almost the entire catalogue of episodes on tape. The main reason I love it is directly because of John Ritter himself--that show was anything but intellectual, but he always made it work with his effortless charm and his true gift at physical
comedy. I'd defy anyone to watch Jack Tripper get knocked in the face by a slammed door and not laugh.

People sometimes look down on me when I say I'm a "Three's Company" fan. They give the attitude of "Oh, that show is so stupid. It's always the same plot... someone overhears a conversation and gets the wrong idea."

That may be true, but so what?? Sitcoms are supposed to make you laugh, and that's exactly what "Three's Company" did. And if you want my personal opinion, John Ritter was one of the most underrated comedic actors of all time. Nobody played a lovable, horny guy like he did. And did you EVER hear somebody say a negative thing about him? Nope, everybody who knew Ritter loved him and said what a joy he was to work with. It's a shame that his death won't get the attention it deserves because of the stigma surrounding "Three's Company". But I'm not afraid to say it... the man was a true genius. "Three's Company" spent seven years as a top ten show, in a very large part because of John Ritter. He also took home an Emmy for his role as Jack in 1984, in case any of you forgot.

This is truly a sad day. Who would have thought that Mr. Furley (Don Knotts) would outlive Jack? Certainly not me... and now I'm faced with the fact that I'll never get to see a "Three's Company" reunion show. This really sucks... hell, even "The Dukes of Hazzard" had two reunion movies. But when John Ritter died, so did that old sitcom that I love so much. Because he WAS "Three's Company". And a man I've loved since I was a child is gone forever.

R.I.P. John. You were only 54 years old, which is way too soon for anybody to leave this earth--but in your case, it was a crime. Thanks for the laughs and the memories. There's a lot of sad people in the world tonight--and I'm one of them.

Okay, everybody... meet me at the Regal Beagle. Drinks are on me.

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