Although he is celebrated as one of North Dakota’s favorite sons, I have it from a reliable source that he hardly once looked back in his rear view mirror after he left the farm for the big city. Even though the neighbors fixed up the farmstead and set it up as a museum, he refused to go back for its dedication and even went so far as to donate money to the city of Strasburg with the stipulation that none of it went to the museum. I also have it from a reliable sources that Lawrence was faking it when he would say, “wunnerful, wunnerful.” He was perfectly capable of saying, “wonderful, wonderful” with perfect elocution. He was a wily businessman and he learned early on to give the people what they wanted. And if they wanted him to sound like he just got off the boat, then that’s just what he was going to give them.

Apparently his family values first attitude wasn’t an act.

He fired one of the shows favorite champagne girls, Alice Lon, at one point because she was “showing too much leg” and his was a wholesome family show. I was never a big fan of his champagne music, but millions were. Maybe if I had had a little more bubbly...