[Vintage Toast from 8-11-03, my Aunt's house, stuck in notebook...lost to time because there is no internet at said house and discovered only because I was trying to find my Week in Iowa post]

David Schwimmer was on "The Wonder Years"?

I may be almost in Minnesota, but I'm still catching "Classmates." Sure, it's 11 at night, but at least I don't have to go through completely withdrawl this week.

What? You haven't heard about this show? (Or--more importantly--my absolute adoration of its cheesiness?) "Classmates" is based on the website with the frequently obnoxious pop-up ads of the same name. Person A ("Jimmy") calls up the ClassmatesTV hotline and tells them he wants to meet up with Person B (an old girlfriend, the chick he never had the courage to ask out, a long-lost pal, jerk bully, etc). Classmates then sets up the meeting *without* telling Person B who Person A is.

Naturally, this means Person B often hopes Person A will be someone that they aren't (and frequently spend the pre-meeting time saying things about "Boy, I really hope it isn't Jimmy" when it is, etc) and is in for a shock. For instance, on the show tonight, Tina (Person A) was meeting a high school bully who used to throw acorns (!) at her and spent all her pre-meeting time complaining about what a jerk Joe (Person B) had been to her. Meanwhile, Joe spent his time fantasizing about what ex-girlfriend wanted to get back together ("I'm single, so...!") and ending with "It better not be Tina, that girl was crazy."

Though it started out as a "huh?" pause while flipping through channels, "Classmates" has become my favorite show of the summer season. I bet it's on while I'm in class, just to be that way. I can't imagine going nine months without anymore bully confrontations, weird celebrity trivia, "we've never even dated, but will you marry me?" conversations, and awkward questions about relationship status. "Classmates:" the classy person's Jerry Springer.