Muhammad Ali faced major bouts throughout his lifetime. He fought his way to the Gold in the 1960 Summer Olympics. He brawled his way to multiple heavyweight titles. He fought the effects of Parkinson’s Disease. He dealt with severe financial difficulties borne of excessive charity. He dealt with three years of being banned from professional boxing after dodging the draft.
But of all of Ali’s battles, his most memorable may be his fight against… Mr. Tooth Decay.
A recording made in 1976, with aid of Howard Cosell, Frank Sinatra and Ossie Davis, it featured a patriotic song in which Ali is given “credit” for breaking the Liberty Bell (to tie in with the Bicentennial) and then proceeds to a story in which Ali hunts for his enemies, a personification of tooth decay and his sugar-based sidekick. Ali is hunting for the villains but is easily distracted by a small group of kids and decides to go wandering around with them instead. Howard Cosell narrates, as the gang go to visit Frank Sinatra who has set aside his lifestyle as the unofficial ruler of Las Vegas to sell ice cream at a local store. Warned away from the hazards of such treats, Ali instead takes them to Ossie Davis, who teaches the kids about the beauty of organically raised produce.
The next time someone tells you that many recreational drugs were consumed during the 1970s… believe them.
Question of the night: what’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?
