I Will Love Zack Morris Forever

No one can wear blocks of color, acid wash jeans, and blonde hair quite like Zack Morris. I will admit that by the time I fell in love with Zack, he was already off the air. But do not mistake my late-to-the-party-ness for lack of affection. I was only two when the show started, cut me some slack. I fell in love with him at an appropriate age during after school re-runs. Between his suave pick up lines, his winks into the camera, sly grin and bleached hair, what girl could possibly resist the wiles of Zack Morris? And don’t forget the cutting edge cell phone, billowy patterned 80s shirts, and his stop-at-nothing love for Kelly. Didn’t every girl wish he would throw a fake prom outside the real prom for her, like he did when Kelly’s dad lost his job and she couldn’t go to the real prom? They did. And if you say no, you’re lying.

Maybe this is the source of my love for skinny preppy white boys… Hm. Sorry Hubbster. I love you, but you’re really skinny and you look great in sweater vests. I have a type.

I even loved the show post-high school, when it had become painfully obvious that ‘Saved by the Bell’ was ridiculously cheesy and unrealistic. Seriously, how can they only have one hallway in the school? And why would you have dances at a burger joint across the street where there’s no room for people to dance? And for the love of Buddha, if Jessie is so smart, why is she in the same classes as all of you? These are the things I choose to ignore, and instead admire Zack’s ability to freeze the activities of those around him by calling a time out. So talented…

My junior year of college, the Hubbster gave me seasons 1&2 on dvd for my birthday. It was probably one of the greatest presents ever. Especially when we decided to play a ‘Saved by the Bell’ drinking game. I’ll say up front, it is not for the faint of heart. We were all pretty drunk halfway through the first episode–and they’re only 22 minutes long. So take heed. The rules are simple: Every time they use the laugh track, drink. It’ll get you schwasted faster than shouting Scorsese at the Oscars this year (in case you were lucky enough to miss the Oscars, “Hugo” won about a bazillion awards, and everyone was predictably gushing over Scorsese in all of their acceptance speeches. The moment where Melissa McCarthy and Rose Byrne yelled out “Scorsese!” and whipped out mini bottles of vodka from their cleavage was the only good part of that boring-ass show).

Even the glass-breaking awareness of the laugh track hasn’t deterred my love for Zack Morris and Bayside. Yesterday I discovered that all 6 seasons are available for streaming on Netflix. Yesssssssss. Every once in awhile I get a little reminder like this, and I knew I had to share my love with all of you. And in searching for a picture of my beloved Zack to don the top of this post, I found this little nugget of awesomeness. It’s old, but I don’t care. I didn’t see it when it aired because Jimmy Fallon is on late, and I was in college and much too preoccupied with drinking on weeknights to catch the Late Late Show. Enjoy!

Did anybody know that Jimmy Fallon is really funny? He’s really found a good groove outside of SNL. I may have to start DVR-ing him.