MNN - Mother Nature Network

 

 

The 8th annual TV Land Awards was a nostalgia fest of cast reunions, tributes and music performances expected (Blondie) and not (David Hasselhoff), and a parade of incredibly well-preserved stars. Part of the fun is seeing how well (or badly) the stars of classic TV shows have aged, but the still stunning former Charlie’s Angels Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd fall squarely in the former category. Accepting the Pop Culture Award from Pamela Anderson before a clip tribute to late co-star Farrah Fawcett, they acknowledged Fawcett and other departed colleagues, John Forsythe, David Doyle and producer Aaron Spelling. “We were not just a cast, we were a family and friends,” Ladd said. Their friends’ absence made the honor bittersweet but no less significant for both women, who are making green strides at home and work. “I grew up on a farm -- that’s what we did. I was green before it was chic,” Ladd told MNN after the taping. “In everything we do for my line at Kmart, we try to be as sustainable as possible,” added Smith.

 

Oscar winner Tom Hanks embraced his sitcom roots, reuniting with the cast of Bosom Buddies to accept the Anniversary Award for the short-lived 1980s series in which he and Peter Scolari dressed in drag to live in a women-only building. “All we did was laugh for 39 measly episodes,” said Hanks. He and Scolari are still buddies; Scolari was to have a role in Hanks’ next movie Larry Crowne but had to bow out due to a schedule conflict with the off-Broadway play he’s doing, White’s Lies. “My understudy is going on today,” he told us.

 

Scolari, a diligent recycler, breaks down boxes, binds his newspapers and soaks labels off glass containers before recycling them. Similarly conscientious, Buddies bombshell Donna Dixon has done a sustainable remodel on the home she shares with husband Dan Aykroyd and espouses “awareness on a daily basis” by recycling and growing her own vegetables. “I have a beautiful kitchen garden that I planted and I go out and pick what we’re having, fresh from the garden,” she said.

 

“My wife and I live in a lovely home, paid for by Aaron Spelling,” declared Bernie Kopell as he and his Love Boat co-stars Ted Lange, Lauren Tewes, Fred Grandy and Charo accepted the Fan Favorite Award from Betty White, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick, stars of the upcoming TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland. Earlier, actor-turned-Congressman Grandy, “a practicing and devout vegan,” gave us his green solution: “Want to keep the planet green? Don’t eat things that are red.” (And he didn’t mean tomatoes.)

 

Former Kate & Allie moppet Allison Smith, now 40, conserves energy at home and on the road. “We have a Civic hybrid and a Prius. We’re crazy recyclers. And we don’t use our heat, air conditioning or our lights much during the day at all. I have two small children, so there’s a lot of talking about saving Mother Earth. We’re doing a project now, seeing what we can make out of recycled clothes. It’s an ongoing thing.”

 

“What do you think we could get on eBay for these?” quipped Mel Brooks as he and Carl Reiner accepted their Legend Awards. Other honorees at the Tim Allen-hosted kudofest, which TV Land will telecast on April 25, included Everybody Loves Raymond and Glee, winner of the Future Classic Award. “Being honored like this is the icing on the cake,” said Mark Salling on the red carpet. “It’’s a little bit of pressure, but that’s good — we’ve got to live up to the hype and the expectations and awards. We feel that we owe it to our fans to keep it original and fresh week to week.”  

 

Along with the casts of other Fox shows, Salling and his Glee colleagues recorded a series of green tips for the network’s “Green it. Mean It” Earth Day campaign (viewable at www.fox.com/earthday). His tip? “Write to your representatives in Congress and in the state legislature. Urge them to support actions that reduce carbon pollution, save energy and expand the use of renewable energy.”