Thank You for Being a Friend

Someone once asked me what my favorite thing in the world was, and I responded “a day in bed with reruns of Golden Girls!” So now you’re asking why this one of my favorite things?  Well here it is: I am not ashamed to say it, my name is Ashley Aikens and I am completely taken with this show that is a piece of television history. In fact, I watch it every single day. No matter what is going on in the world, I can turn the “Golden Girls” on and it will always make me laugh! There is no show that has that powerful of an impact on me! The sitcom may be retired, like the girls themselves, but the jokes are still very relevant!  Talk about some excellent writing!

For as long as I can remember, “The Golden Girls” has been on the air entertaining countless households across America.  Officially, the show ran 7 years (1985-92) of original episodes, followed by nearly two decades of cable syndication. So, if you do the math, that’s 21 years of my life! You could catch the ladies on WETV and Hallmark channel  three times a day (8am, 12pm, and 6pm in the DC area) proving that I’m not the only one tuning in to this golden classic comedy. Shamelessly, it appears that I am not alone in my fandom, just go on the web and check its social media pulse! On Facebook alone, there are over 500 (539 to be exact) fan pages/groups dedicated to the show. Go one step further to YouTube and discover 1120 video clips and fan made tributes for the ladies, not to mention the countless dedicated “Golden Girls” threads across Film and Entertainment forums all over the web!

I recently spent an entire Sunday doing my favorite thing – relaxing on the coach while watching rerun after rerun of the “Golden Girls.” Although I was excited to see all of my favorite episodes, the experience was bitter sweet. The episode marathon aired to honor Bea Arthur’s recent passing, the talented actress who made the character of Dorothy unforgettable in so many ways.  Although, it was a bit sad to watch, it was comforting to know there were fans tweeting about their love for the Golden Girls too! The marathon allowed fans to once again relive their favorite memories ranging from when Sophia reminded Dorothy over and over again that she was knocked up in the back seat of a Studebaker in high school then married a dumb bachagalupe, to Rose’s countless St. Olaf stories, to Blanche catering to herself while thinking nothing of it.  This could be the last marathon for a while, but luckily, I still have Facebook fan groups, 1120 YouTube clips, and twitter followers that can take me back to that house in Miami! 

The “Golden Girls” may be in syndication, but the power of social media platforms like Facebook and others allow this amazing show to live on in our hearts forever!  So Dorothy, Sophia, Blanche and Rose Thank you for being a friend!