Daily Dirt: We’ll miss you, Cousin Itt — but are you ready for some football?

Daily Dirt for Aug. 1, 2021

A moment of silence, please, for Cousin Itt while you peruse Vol. 24 of the Daily Dirt.

1. Since I was a child, I have been one of Baskin-Robbins’ most loyal ice cream customers. My all-time favorite flavors have been pralines-n-cream and jamocha almond fudge. While I have never ventured too far away from those selections, I have always been intrigued at the variety of choices offered. In the coming year I am hoping to try the following flavors:
A. Mango Tango
B. Quarterback Crunch
C. Love Potion No. 31
D. Chocolate Mousse Royale
E. Baseball Nut
Some of these flavors may be seasonal and/or regional, so be patient if you are like me, an ice cream hunter.

2. You may have missed these notable celebrity deaths this year with so much of the daily news dominated by the never-ending pandemic.

A. Tawny Kitaen: The actress was 59 when she died in early May of undisclosed causes. Kitaen rose to fame in the 1980s as a “video vixen,” and was arguably best known for her role in Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” video in 1987. Kitaen had marriages with Whitesnake singer David Coverdale and former MLB pitcher Chuck Finley.

B. Les McKeown: One of the front men for the Bay City Rollers, the popular 1970s rock group. McKeown, who was featured on such Rollers hits as “Saturday Night” and “I Only Want to be With You,” died in late April at age 65 of undisclosed causes.

C. Lloyd Price: The singer-songwriter behind such hits as “Personality” and “Stagger Lee” was 88 when he died in early May from complications from diabetes. Price is given credit for helping lay the groundwork for the rise of rock-n-roll.

D. Felix Silla: He was the man underneath the “Cousin Itt” suit on “The Addams Family” in the 1960s. He was 84 at the time of his death in early April. Of all the wacky characters on this show, Cousin Itt was always my favorite. 

E. Tanya Roberts: A former cast member on Charlie’s Angeles and later a James Bond girl, Roberts died of sepsis at age 65 in January.

3. For those planning ahead, the first NFL Sunday night game of the season has the Chicago Bears visiting the Los Angeles Rams. The opening Monday night game sees Baltimore venturing to Las Vegas. Opening weekend is roughly six weeks away.