West Seattle, Washington

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Non-snow news: Local celebrity at West Seattle Taco Time

December 20, 2008 11:21 am
|      36 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Via Twitter, James reported a film shoot of some kind at the West Seattle Taco Time (map). Via Facebook, Amanda reported seeing Pat Cashman and crew filming a commercial there. Not sure if they’re still there – advise if you’re in line-of-sight (or line-of-salsa), while our roving crew heads that way. 12:06 PM UPDATE: Co-publisher Patrick‘s back with the photographic proof (above). If you are new to Seattle and want to know what Pat C’s famous for – many things but most notably (to us as 1991 arrivals, anyway) the long-gone and much-missed local TV comedy show “Almost Live!” which aired on KING every Saturday night till about a decade ago. When we got here, it was our primer – and an uproarious one – to Seattle neighborhoods. Many have lost much of the character for which “Almost Live!” spoofed them but our nostalgia burns bright. Here’s a sample of Pat C’s work from AL via YouTube:

Another long-gone staple of Seattle life … the never-ending rug-shop going-out-of-business sales in Pioneer Square. Lots more “Almost Live” clips on YouTube, including the all-time favorite Ballard Driving Academy. And KING still shows re-re-re-re-runs after Saturday Night Live. The show was so hot in its heyday, KING was allowed to delay SNL a half hour to run AL first after the 11 pm news.

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36 Replies to "Non-snow news: Local celebrity at West Seattle Taco Time"

  • ellenater December 20, 2008 (11:25 am)

    “line-of-salsa”

    …nice one!

  • GenHillOne December 20, 2008 (11:27 am)

    With all due respect to Pat Cashman, I need to know if the talking cactus is there before I traverse the ice :)

  • paul December 20, 2008 (11:41 am)

    OMG, that is too funny!
    I was watching TV and for the new Taco Del Mar (isn’t that the place in westwood) I think they used that location for the new commercial…

  • cjboffoli December 20, 2008 (12:01 pm)

    There has been a steady stream of comedy coming from our favorite WSB editor in the last few days (excepting the tragic tale of Psycho Pleco). If this is the result of cabin fever I say let it snow!

  • pigeonmom December 20, 2008 (12:18 pm)

    I LOVE Pat Cashman! I continue his “Rein of Terror”
    as I stroll down the cake mix aisle.
    (his old radio show would have us turn boxes of
    pineapple upside down cake upside down on store shelves)

  • WSB December 20, 2008 (12:20 pm)

    I was the self-appointed humor columnist for the college newspaper. There’s still (to paraphrase Luke in Star Wars Episode 6) a little good in me … the news has not driven it from me fully.

  • ichiban December 20, 2008 (12:20 pm)

    Pat Cashman should have hit the big time somehow, like Joel McHale and Bill Nye did. He’s too brilliant, charismatic and talented to be doing fast food commercials. I miss the morning radio show he had in the late 90s too.

  • hopey December 20, 2008 (12:27 pm)

    Almost Live reruns are still broadcast late Sat night/Sun AM on KING5. I snag ’em all with my Tivo! :)

  • Kayleigh December 20, 2008 (12:35 pm)

    OMG–The Lame List and the High-Fivin’ White Guys made me laugh out loud again. I loved that show.

  • WSB December 20, 2008 (12:37 pm)

    Ichiban, totally agree. The 2 you mention are OK but not nearly the same amount of talent.

  • AD December 20, 2008 (1:16 pm)

    When I drove by and saw all the filming equipment and the cactus I started laughing. :D I’m not a fan of Taco Time though, and wish it was a Taco Bell. Actually, I take that back, that would be a bad thing (for my thighs)…

    West Seattle is bustling with pre-Holiday & storm shopping and everywhere I drove I found things amusing.The Met Market parking lot…took me 5 minutes to get a spot! At least everyone seems to be in good spirits.

  • wingme December 20, 2008 (1:41 pm)

    Kent and Lynwood regularly took memorable and hysterical beatings from those guys too.

  • JT December 20, 2008 (1:54 pm)

    Pat Cashman deserves a statue in this city! I grew up in Lynnwood, wingme. We all DID have that horrible Lynnwood hair, and it hasn’t really improved much. Old yearbooks are a walk of shame.

  • Aim December 20, 2008 (2:04 pm)

    THANK YOU WSB for the reminder. We’re now watching YouTube videos of AL.

    Seattle used to have SUCH a great self-deprecating sense of humor. What the heck happened to us that we now take ourselves so seriously?? I miss the Toe truck and all the other whimsical things that used to mean Seattle.

    Does anyone know if there were any West Seattle based AL skits? We’re searching, and not finding.

  • MrJT December 20, 2008 (2:14 pm)

    Aim – there was one where Steve Wilson was wrestling with Richard Simmons down at the Luna Park Cafe. They were filming it one day when we were there for lunch. Not West Seattle directly, but there was a guy named Jim that did some skits with the regulars, one being a spoof on how they reheated the hot dogs at the Kingdome.. by putting them in his armpits. He was the manager at my first apartment in West Seattle.

  • carraig na splinkeen December 20, 2008 (2:24 pm)

    Must mention my favorite from Almost Live: “Innefective Middle Management Suck-ups”

  • Helen December 20, 2008 (2:34 pm)

    And don’t forget the “Mind Your Manners!” sketches…I miss AL.

  • cami December 20, 2008 (2:35 pm)

    Tracy — Is it big snow?? We’re trying to decide if we want to catch Bill Maher’s movie at the Admiral.

  • cami December 20, 2008 (2:44 pm)

    Folk Songs Of The Slightly Inebriated

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRg6CgxM0T8

  • cami December 20, 2008 (2:46 pm)

    small flakes at Alki!

  • miws December 20, 2008 (2:50 pm)

    I too have been a long time Cashman fan, both on AL, and his radio shows.

    .

    Not only a very talented and funny guy, but a real down to earth and humble person as well. Though it’s been several years, I’ve had the privelege of meeting him in person many times, at various events. He has a genuine appreciation for his many stalkers fans. ;)

    .

    Not only was it fun to wake up to his radio show over the years, but very comforting to hear his voice on the radio on the morning of September 11, 2001.

    .

    I miss hearing him on the radio every day, but enjoy seeing his talents in the Taco Time commercials, and picking out his voice in other commercials he doesn’t make a physical appearance in.

    .

    I thoroughly enjoyed, twice, the recent J.P, Patches 50th Anniversary Special on KCTS, that J.P. and Pat hosted through a pledge drive. (never enjoyed a pledge so much. Ok, ever!) It was great seeing my two favorite local celebs interacting.

    .

    Mike

  • P December 20, 2008 (2:57 pm)

    As a non native person, I find that turning cake box upside down thing pretty darn funny!

  • Kayleigh December 20, 2008 (3:10 pm)

    Aim, I totally agree. Maybe a 2009 Almost Live would help us take ourselves less seriously. I regularly see stuff that’s ripe for parody. The Bauhaus coffee shop on Capitol Hill comes to mind.

    PS It’s snowing now. :-(

  • wingme December 20, 2008 (3:30 pm)

    wildly swirling tiny snow specks

  • wingme December 20, 2008 (3:32 pm)

    …and prairie home companion providing a context!

  • WSB December 20, 2008 (4:05 pm)

    Belated answer to Cami if she checks in again – we just posted the link to the latest NWS briefing. Still expected big snow, about half a foot around here. Again. Atop the LAST half-foot. Wow.

  • Richard December 20, 2008 (4:13 pm)

    Regarding “Almost Live” I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and switch on the TV. At least a couple of times in the past two months, I have caught reruns of “Almost Live” from the mid nineties. It was either on the Seattle channel or King/Kong.

  • Forest December 20, 2008 (5:09 pm)

    Has the weather cancelled this weekend’s dragging seatbelt awards at Ballard Driving Academy?

  • FabulousEm December 20, 2008 (5:22 pm)

    I worship Pat Cashman! He could have made it big, I mean HUGE, but I think he likes this area too much. I can’t imagine him in LA. On a side note, I’m thrilled for Joel McHales success, he’s so funny. All that snark was honed on AL.

    I am also a rein of terrorist. The Roxbury Safeway is my frequent target. Wahhhhhaaaaa!

  • Onya December 20, 2008 (6:29 pm)

    I remember the morning when he was so pi**ed because his wife had jerked her decorative bed pillows from under his ‘greasy head’. It was impossible to discern whether he was madder at her description of his person or that she woke him so long before he had to get up at 3:00 to go to the radio station.

    Pat Cashman is one of the truly great gentlemen of this city, especially in his support of local charities, and one of the most brilliant performers in this country.

    WE LOVE YOU, PAT!

  • miws December 20, 2008 (6:31 pm)

    Hi FabEm!

    .

    (Seeing your posts here the last several days, I had a hunch you were that FabEm!)

    .

    miws-AKA mike in west seattle

  • fiz December 20, 2008 (6:32 pm)

    Pat, that was me – not Onya.

  • fiz December 20, 2008 (6:33 pm)

    I remember the morning when he was so pi**ed because his wife had jerked her decorative bed pillows from under his ‘greasy head’. It was impossible to discern whether he was madder at her description of his person or that she woke him so long before he had to get up at 3:00 to go to the radio station.

    Pat Cashman is one of the truly great gentlemen of this city, especially in his support of local charities, and one of the most brilliant performers in this country.

    WE LOVE YOU, PAT!

  • JH December 20, 2008 (7:49 pm)

    Yes, Pat is funny. But did anyone catch the JP Patches special this past week? Pat wouldn’t even let JP talk! I was seething…

  • FabulousEm December 20, 2008 (8:08 pm)

    Hi Mike! I am indeed, THAT FabEm (don’t tell anyone) :) I haven’t been on the Pat Pack board for ages. In fact, I haven’t ever posted on the WSB until all this crazy weather! But they have an admirer for life, now. This blog has been a godsend. Sorry I missed Pat at Taco Time. Stay Warm, Mike!

  • miws December 20, 2008 (9:51 pm)

    Don’t worry, FabEm, your secret’s safe with me! ;)

    .

    Yeah, I kinda like this place too. Much like the Pat Pack, the people that post here on WSB’s main Blog, as well as it’s Forum have done great things for the community, as well as other Blog/Forum participants.

    .

    Of course, this never would have come about without our great Fearless Leaders….TR, Patrick, and JMoT, up at WSB World Headquarters! :)

    .

    You stay warm too!

    .

    Mike

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