The Details that Matter are Often Overlooked

It’s often difficult for us as a culture to confront the death of a popular celebrity head on.  When people we grew up watching on television or listening to on the radio pass away, it sort of reminds us of how old we are getting.  However, the recent passage of Jerry Reed, age 71, sent me skimming through articles and news blurbs for details about his many accomplishments in life.  To be honest, I found myself experiencing a bit of nostalgia as his role in films like “Smokey and the Bandit” and his work with such musical legends as Chet Atkins and Elvis Presley were brought to bear upon my mind.  But, as I continued to sift through reports from large media outlets like CNN and the Associated Press, it was what I was not seeing show up in these articles that left me a little disappointed.

Now, I understand that some of my readers may be a bit too young to remember this, but back in the late 70′s and early 80′s, one way to become an icon of television was to be a guest on the Scooby Doo cartoon.  And Jerry Reed was one of the few celebrities whose names can be found on the Scooby Doo guest list.  Usually, this meant that you would appear in two back to back episodes.  Although, certain celebrities, such as The Three Stooges and the Harlem Globe Trotters, met up with Scooby and the gang more than once.  How cool is that?

Even though Jerry Reed put on a great performance of Pretty Mary Sunlight, he was only fortunate enough to get to meet Scooby and the gang once.  If he had received the honor of meeting Scooby and the gang more than once, I believe he would have turned out to be a far bigger success in the entertainment industry.  Just think of all the celebrities you got to know better thanks to Scooby Doo.  People like Davey Jones, Cass Elliot, Phyllis Diller, and even agent 86 himself, Mr. Don Adams, just to name a few.  So, the next time you find yourself wondering what it really takes to become popular as a musician or an actor, just remember it’s the little things like making sure you are good enough to meet Scooby and the gang that makes all the difference.