Daily Dirt: This is a day to celebrate Sterling Archer and Jane Seymour, plus wondering if Mark Jackson is out of his mind

By For those of you who may not be familiar with Peter Griffin, well … you need to be. Welcome to today’s three thoughts and Vol. 243 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Growing up, I was never been huge fan of cartoons, but that all changed later in life with the rise of the adult form of comic animation.

Shows like “The Simpsons,” “Archer” and “Family Guy” took laughter — and animation — to an entirely different level. Here are my all-time favorite shows from this genre:

• 1. “Archer”: Little known fact to some, I’m sure, is that Aisha Tyler, who voices Lana on “Archer” later co-starred on the highly popular “Criminal Minds” whodunnit on CBS. Minute for minute, this might be the funniest show on television. While Archer is unequivocally the program’s centerpiece, each and every member of the supporting cast is outstanding. This is secret agency as you have never seen it.
• 2. “Family Guy”: If I were a cartoon character, I would be Peter Griffin. Or at least I would want to be.
• 3. “The Simpsons”: The show is now a little long in the tooth (it’s been around since 1989), but remains funnier than than the majority of the traditional (human) sitcoms were are subjected to on a nightly basis.
• 4. “King of the Hill”: Bobby Hill, son of propane salesman Hank, is one of the classic figures in this category of entertainment. Ironically, the voice of Bobby is provided by Pamela Adlon. One of the best-ever lines from this show was when Hank once said, “That boy ain’t right”.
• 5. South Park: Two words: Eric. Cartman.
• 6. “The Critic”: The show that revolved around film critic Jay Sherman was well ahead of its time in the mid-1990s. Jon Lovitz was perfect as the voice of Sherman.
• 7. “Bob’s Burgers”: The voice of Bob Belcher is provided by H. Jon Benjamin. Yes, THAT H. Jon Benjamin, who also provides the voice of Sterling Archer for us.
• 8. Daria: She was the queen of dry humor in the late 1990s.
• 9. Beavis and Butt-head: At one time, the dynamic duo would have been medal worthy, but since the show’s reincarnation a decade ago they have never seemed quite as funny as before.
• 10. “The Cleveland Show”: An offshoot of “Family Guy,” this show was set in Stoolbend, Va. Seriously, Stoolbend, Va.
  

2. My wife and I took two of our grandkids out to eat one evening earlier this week, opting to go to Fazoli’s because we all like some form of Italian cuisine — and inside dining was again available at the popular eatery.

To be honest, there were some glitches in the service, and a rather long wait to get our meals. And we weren’t the only table experiencing the delay(s), but you know what? No one was complaining, and those working there repeatedly apologized. I think all those in attendance were simply glad to be able to be eating out again, and those working there were glad to be doing just that.

I would say the large majority of such sites are now open again, overcoming staff shortages and other problems as everyone works to get back to “normal” — or adopt as best possible to the “new normal”. The one exception to this theory? Hmmm …. let me give you a hint: Golden Arches. (C’mon, McDonald’s. Enough is enough. I think it’s safe to say we are all tired of the drive-throughs and want a return to the availability of all-day breakfast.) 

3. As I grow older, my appreciation of actresses and other female entertainers over the age of 60 continues to grow.

Here are my top 10 personalities from that age bracket:

• 1. Jane Seymour, 71: The accent. The look. The on-screen presence. Seymour may be the ultimate poster girl for the baby boomer generation.
• 2. Christie Brinkley, 68: For those teenage boys of the 1970s who waited all year for the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, Christie Brinkley will always be a poster girl. And she still likes to show off off that cover-girl figure in a bikini..
• 3. Sigourney Weaver, 72: For all of her accomplishments, she will always be best known for her role of Ellen Ripley in “Alien”.
• 4. Susan Sarandon, 75: One of my favorite actresses my entire adult life, accented by her role as Annie Savoy in “Bull Durham”.
• 5. Meryl Streep, 72: For decades, she’s arguably been the classiest lady in Hollywood.
• 6. Cybill Shepherd, 72: When I was a freshman at Bowling Green State University, I saw Shepherd in “The Heartbreak Kid”. I’ve kind of been in love with her ever since.
• 7. Olivia Newton-John, 73: … and I’ve been in love with Oliva Newton-John even longer.
• 8. Mary Steenburgen, 69: One of the silver screen’s most underrated stars since the late 1970s.
• 9. Sally Field, 75: She’ll always be “The Flying Nun” to me.
• 10. Sharon Osbourne, 69: If for no other reason, I admire this woman for sticking by husband Ozzy all these years.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Steve feels NBA analyst Mark Jackson is one of the best on the business, but was scratching his head earlier this week when Jackson said Lakers backup center Dwight Howard is one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history. What?