My new best Friend, Michael Gross

I have had many friends in my lifetime, but none have been so dear to me as the dad from 'Family Ties.'

I'll be honest with you. I never really liked 'Family Ties.' It played more like one of those boring adult dramas than a sitcom and I never cared for it's preachy tone.

I tried to get into it after I saw Back to the Future but I still wasn't feeling it.

I tried again when started watching 'Cheers' which was on the same channel, but that didn't work.

I wanted to get into it when I saw that TV commercial where Michael J. Fox xeroxed a Pepsi can and then rolled the paper up like a Pepsi can and drank from it. Actually, I don't think I tried to do anything but xerox cans after I saw that.

I remember reading a MAD parody of the show called "Family of Ties." In it you had a liberal bow tie and his son who was a conservative necktie. They also had a goofy looking kid who was one of those bolo ties.

Or maybe that was a dream.

Speaking of a dream, let me tell you about the day I met my new best friend, Michael Gross.

I was at a horror convention in Seacaus, New Jersey, and who do I spot but TV's Michael Gross.

Michael was there to promote one of the Tremors films.

"Hey, a Dodger fan!" he shouted.

Remembering that I was a Dodger fan and was wearing a Dodger jersey I responded "Yup."

Micheal then asked what I was doing in Secaucus. We talked and talked. He told me he was originally from Chicago and he loved watching games at Wrigley Field, too. I tried to sound as knowledgeable about baseball as possible, but I was distracted by one thought:

I AM TALKING ABOUT BASEBALL WITH THE DAD FROM FAMILY TIES!!!!!

Wow, Micheal Gross was really cool. In a venue where minor celebrities badger you for $20 Micheal Gross just wanted to chat.

It was odd talking to Micheal Gross. I kept wondering if he could relate to what I was saying.

I told him I liked to watch Cubs games when I got WGN on cable and then I started to wonder...

Does Micheal Gross know what WGN is? Does he have cable? Does he hire someone to sit next to him and change the channel?

I certainly hope so.