How The Fuck Did I Just Now Find Out That Bill Laimbeer Was A Sleestak On "Land Of The Lost"?!?
In the long, sordid history of Boston sports villians, Bill Laimbeer is undoubtedly among the most hated of all time. But even as dirty as the bullying big man was when he was the Detroit Pistons longtime center, he never prematurely ruined All-Star/HOF careers (to my knowledge) so he probably doesn't crack the Top 5. However this isn't a blog about about that.
This is a blog to inform and/or remind you that Bill fucking Laimbeer played one of the menacing, scary-as-fuck Sleestaks from "The Land of the Lost" TV show that entertained terrorized children of the '70s.
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Yes, these fucking things.
Kids who watched it spent equal time trying to figure out what the fuck was going on and shitting their pants. Like a lot from the 1970s, it was weird and unexplainable yet somehow alluring.
I had no idea about this obscure fact until the other day. After watching the excellent Beastie Boys doc on Apple TV+, I was sent a piece explaining the meaning behind some of their obscure song references. (Hand up here, I 100% thought "Well, just plug me in just like I was Eddie Harris" was a MAJOR LEAGUE reference but I don't think you can blame me after they dropped the gem that is "And I've got more hits than Sadaharu Oh" a few years prior. Also, 20-year-old me knew shit about jazz.) While scrolling through the article, I shockingly came across this:
Laimbeer, Bill (“Tough Guy,” Ill Communiation)
An NBA great who played primarily for the Detroit Pistons, Laimbeer retired a year before Ill Communication’s release. He also played one of the Sleestaks in Land Of The Lost and later coached the WNBA team Detroit Shock.
Before menacing the best hoop players on the planet for 14 years, Bill Laimbeer did the same to the country's children. Of course he did. But at least he had a laugh about it all these years later and managed to not clothesline anybody while doing so.
Obligatory Johnny Most post:
Bonus interview with Laimbeer and Most:
Also, fuck Bill Laimbeer.