November 14 is National Pickle Day.

An immodest pickle

Celebrate National Pickle Day with pickle candy canes

I’m in a dilly of a pickle. You see, I’ve posted a lot about pickles in the past, and I’m plum out of pickle post ideas for National Pickle Day. So here are some pickles I’ve highlighted in previous posts.

First, there is Pickles Sorrell, a character from The Dick Van Dyke Show. Pickles was married to Buddy Sorrell (Morey Amsterdam). She was a former showgirl whose real name was Fiona. Though mentioned often, Pickles only appeared in a few episodes. She was played by Barbara Perry in two episodes (1961-62) and by Joan Shawlee, pictured here, in three (1963).

Next, let’s turn our attention to pickles that yodel. It’s possible you may have seen or heard of the yodeling pickle marketed by Archie McPhee. But have you ever done the Yodeling Pickle Dance? Below, two people perform it unabashedly in their kitchen.

The Yodeling Pickle Dance

Do you like storks? Do you like Groucho Marx? Then you’ll love this vintage Vlasic pickle commercial, which features the Vlasic Stork and other animated characters doing Groucho Marx impressions—including a little old lady and a Japanese man (who does his impression in Japanese). Each takes a noisy bite out a pickle, then wags it like a cigar and says “Now that’s the best tasting pickle I ever heard!”

Vlasic pickle commercial (1983)

Some people get pretty darn upset over pickles that aren’t crisp. In the Heinz pickle commercial below, a pickle lover goes berserk and completely trashes a restaurant when presented with a dull, soggy pickle. The violent pickle lover is played by Ruth McDevitt, who played a million character roles in the 60s, including the pet store lady in The Birds, the summer camp leader in the original version of The Parent Trap, and a neighborhood cat lady in Bewitched.

Heinz pickle commercial (1965)

You know who doesn’t want any kind of pickle at all? Arlo Guthrie. That’s right, the folksinger-songwriter famously expresses his indifference to pickles in “The Motorcycle Song.”

Arlo Guthrie, “The Motorcycle Song,” Alice’s Restaurant (1967)

I don’t want a pickle
I just want to ride on my motor-cicle
And I don’t want a tickle
I’d rather ride on my motor-cicle
And I don’t want to die
I just want to ride on my motor-cy-cle

But if, unlike Arlo, you do want a pickle, go ahead and have one! And have a happy National Pickle Day.