So good to have John Oliver back now that the writers’ strike has been settled. Here’e the main story from last night, but if you can, tune in to see the whole show because the recap of the previous five months when they were off the air is priceless!
Television
Learn Something New Every Day
Although I intensely dislike iMDB, I find that I still find myself using it. Not the app, which is totally unusable, but with a suitable ad blocker the web site is at least tolerable. Anyway, one of its many annoyances is all the misinformation that is to be found in its trivia and goofs sections, … Continue reading Learn Something New Every Day
A Ducky By Any Other Name
David McCallum, who died yesterday at the age of 90, shot to fame in the 60s playing the role of Ilya Kuryakin in the spy spoof The Man from U.N.C.L.E. He continued his acting career with over 100 other roles and finally found a home in the last 20 years as Dr. Donald Mallard, nickname “Ducky”, … Continue reading A Ducky By Any Other Name
Sondheim in 2010
Almost exactly forty-nine years after the interview that I embedded a few days ago, on October 13, 2010, Stephen Sondheim spoke to Matthew Cain in Great Britain for a wide ranging chat. He discussed many topics including the difference between the theater scenes in New York and London and his disappointment that musicals now vastly … Continue reading Sondheim in 2010
Sondheim in 1961
This is a fascinating video. It was broadcast on Sunday October 15, 1961, but it was recorded a few days before then. It’s a WCBS production, so I don’t think it was ever broadcast nationally, but I really don’t know. Moreover, this is the raw tape with a false start and a do-over. Would commercials … Continue reading Sondheim in 1961
Graham on The View
Graham Norton just resumed hosting his radio show in Britain, highlights of which can be heard on a podcast, and Maria asked him about his appearance on The View. You can watch Whoopi and the other women grilling him because they’ve posted it on YouTube: Meanwhile, on the podcast Show Chef Martha Collison has a … Continue reading Graham on The View
Gary Gerani Commentaries
As I’ve been watching Twilight Zone episodes and listening to the commentary tracks from the blu-ray edition of the show, I’ve learned to avoid commentary tracks recorded by one Gary Gerani. He seems to be one of those guys. You know what I mean. One of those guys who has to prove that he’s the smartest … Continue reading Gary Gerani Commentaries
Smile! That Cop’s On Candid Camera!
“Watch the policemen on the street,” said my mother. She had hustled my sister and me into the car and driven to Reading without explanation, which was strange, as we usually did any shopping in nearby Lebanon, whereas Reading was over a half hour drive away from Richland. My mother had a habit of being … Continue reading Smile! That Cop’s On Candid Camera!
Bob the Barker
My first memory of Bob Barker turned out to be a bit off. What is stored in my memory banks is this: Truth or Consequences had been on television for some time with some old dude as its host, and I had been a reasonably loyal viewer. Then one day, the old dude introduced a young … Continue reading Bob the Barker
The Best Is Yet To Be
Last evening I watched one of my favorite episodes of The Twilight Zone. In fact, it might be my absolute favorite episode. I hadn’t seen it since it first aired in April of 1962, and yet I could remember it as if it were, well, perhaps not yesterday, but I recalled all the essentials of the … Continue reading The Best Is Yet To Be