Mr. Belding Is Doing Pretty Well, Actually

10.21.11 Written by Matt

Haskins and former With Leather editor Josh Zerkle

Dennis Haskins, the actor who played Mr. Belding on “Saved by the Bell,” now earns a comfortable living making appearances at bars around the country, where the kids who watched the ’90s TV staple are now disillusioned adults who crave whatever slice of pop culture nostalgia the world can offer them. From Fox 411:

Today, Haskins has managed to parlay his Mr. Belding brand into a lucrative business making appearances at bars around the country.

“The markets I play the best in are the ones with people 20-35. Mr. Belding is universal,” Haskins told Fox411 in an interview about his bar and club business. “Personal appearances are a way many actors from older shows supplement their income, and it is a blessing.”

Some people may think it’s sad that a 60-year-old man has to live in a role he last played 11 years ago in order to make a living, but I think it’s cool that he’s having fun with it. I mean, it’s a little sad, but not as sad as Jaleel White trying to break into other roles and asking people not  to call him Urkel.

And there’s more:

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‘HEY HEY HEY, WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?’

02.09.10 Written by Matt

Any time we get too caught up in how retarded today’s kids are, it’s only fair that we also look at the idiotic youngsters of yesteryear. And there’s no better proof of how stupid young people in the early ’90s were than “Saved by the Bell.” The unfunny laugh track- and cliché-driven time capsule of terrible fashion and bad hair decisions has maintained cultural relevance only because an entire generation of young morons watched it — myself included. I deserve my own derision, and more.

All of this is a way of introducing the above video, a compilation of Dennis Haskins’s Principal Belding saying “What’s going on in here?” Now, plenty of shows are hacky enough to have a character who has a catchphrase, but only “Saved by the Bell” was crappy enough to have a character with a catchphrase that isn’t even memorable. Like, this is the first time I ever realized he always said that. But then again, I was dumb enough to be watching the show in the first place.

[via Hot Clicks]

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OH JESUS NO

08.21.09 Written by Matt

dennis-haskins

Dennis Haskins, whom we all remember as Mr. Belding on “Saved by the Bell” (probably because he still calls himself Mr. Belding), is releasing an album of him singing karaoke songs.

This CD/DVD combo package contains an audio CD with 7 karaoke songs [see track list below]. The purchaser can choose to sing along with Dennis,

Lucky us.

or sing solo to the additional instrumental tracks. The CD can be placed into a CD-G karaoke machine and lyrics will appear on the screen. The DVD contains interviews with artist and producer Dennis Haskins and behind the scenes footage of recording the project.

You know what?  I was all set to tear him to shreds for this, because it’s pretty pitiful to make a career out of clinging to your place in pop culture history — c’mon, at least re-invent yourself on “Celebrity Rehab” — but then I stopped myself.  Why?  Because this still isn’t as embarrassing as Elizabeth Berkley in Showgirls.

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FALLON WANTS ‘SAVED BY THE BELL’ REUNION

03.30.09 Written by Matt

Jimmy Fallon may not be as funny as Conan O’Brien (or at all), but the man knows how to organize an Internet hubbub (such as making a random audience member a Twitter star).  Now he’s organizing an online petition to reunite the cast of “Saved by the Bell” to celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary. Dennis Haskins, AKA Principal Belding, has already committed to the reunion, because it’s not like his day planner is super-crowded.

I think this could happen.  Mario Lopez will do anything for publicity, and most of the rest of the cast shares the same underpass of the 405 freeway.

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