According To Jim — Drugs are funny!!!

Did you even know that “According to Jim” is still on the air? Last nights episode prompted me to write. Does anybody remember the old “Dick Van Dyke” episode when Rob took some of Laura’s pain killers? He acted crazy, it was funny and gave the message that you do NOT take other peoples prescribed medicine. This was 40 + years ago. People weren’t knowingly addicted to pain pills, oxy, Valium, codeine and all the other wonderful inventions that make them feel no pain. (or feelings, guilt, responsibility etc.).

This newest episode was about Jim hurting his back and being on pain pills. He was so funny and nice on pain pills. Andy loves him. The kids confess their crimes and all is okay. He’s pleasant and funny and a pleasure to be around.

Then the meds wear off and Jim becomes total dick. So, what does Andy do? He wrestles (yeah, right) with the idea of drugging him. Nice scene with him “making up his mind” if he should drug his BIL so he stops being an ass. After all, Jim is mad that Andy spent a company credit card to get a car to take out a hooker!

After one more huge yell, Andy drugs Jim’s drink and he is cheerful and pleasant again. Everybody happy.

Then the drugs wear off. Cheryl figures out what is going on (Andy can’t keep a secret) and she realizes she wants Jim drugged for her Cake Party that she’s having (even though she knows Jim hates parties and is always very rude to the guests.)

However, Cheryl, having such a big conscious and really caring about her loving husband, doesn’t want to give Jim pain pills for no reason. If he’s not in pain it’s “wrong.”

“Let’s make him in pain again so it won’t be wrong!!” says loving wife, Cheryl. She gets a cake box and puts a cinder block in it and tells Andy to have Jim (because if she tried to trick him it would be wrong) take it to the garage. Once Jim lifts it, he will hurt his back again and need the pain pills. Isn’t this fun!

Jim picks up the box and the cinder block falls out. He gets Andy to confess everything that’s going on and then Jim takes all the pain pills and flushes them in the sink. He replaces them with tic-tacs and it’s time for the party!!!

The rest is predictable as hell. He acts wasted. He falls in a cake. He admits he as faking. “How dare  you!!” He forgives her. Kiss and make up.

Hours later I was watching “Chelsea Lately” and I laughed at a drug joke. They were discussing the story about Lindsey Lohan not being able to pay for a manicure. Ross Matthews said. “I’ve lent Lindsey money and I will never do it again!” Someone asked, “How much, ” and he said, “how much does a bag of blow cost?”

Why is this joke funny to me but “According to Jim” offends me?

“Chelsea Lately!” is on at 11:00 at night and is geared for adults.

“According to Jim” is on at 8:00 during prime-time and is a “family show” with kids in the cast and children as viewers.

Dick Van Dyke is an alcoholic. Jim Belushi’s brother died of a drug overdose.  Why is this funny? Have TV sitcom writers not evolved in over for 40 years enough to realize that glorifying drug use is detrimental to society? Don’t they realize that teens are raiding their parents and grandparents medicine cabinets searching for “pain meds” or anything that might alter their state-of-consciousness for free? Watching Jim Belushi having fun while being drugged has got to make some kid think, “didn’t my mom have pain pills when she hurt herself last year? Those pills are still there. They won’t even notice.”

Disney-owned ABC and Jim Belushi should be ashamed. I’m sorry I watched it.