Here’s a second Graham Norton post right after yesterday’s, but if you haven't listened to or watched this episode of Wanging On, I wanted to bring it to your attention. Now that his chat show has resumed, Maria asks him about it and he reveals that without the teleprompter he’s apt to forget the names … Continue reading Forget Me Not
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John and Elia and Florence and Zoe
In 1952 John Steinbeck published his novel East of Eden, which became a huge bestseller, although critics were rather lukewarm on it. Then again, who cares what critics think? It’s a massive novel describing two families over multi-generations beginning during the Civil War, going through the end of the first World War, and with echos of … Continue reading John and Elia and Florence and Zoe
Those Were the Good Old Days
In the spring Broadway will see a new production of Damn Yankees, the first one in over 30 years, and not only that but the book will be revised to move the 1950s musical into the beginning of the 21st century. I guess that’s to make it more relevant? Whatever. As long as they don’t … Continue reading Those Were the Good Old Days
John Oliver Talks Ken Paxton
On Sunday evening John Oliver devoted most of his opening to a discussion of Ken Paxton as only John Oliver can. I couldn’t help but pass it along.
Capriccio Italien
When I was growing up, we had a record album from the Reader’s Digest called The Festival of Light Classical Music. It had pretty much what you might expect. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, The 1812 Overture, Bolero, all the famous, easily digestible pieces. And it had Chaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien. Though, like nearly everyone else, it mis-transliterated Chaikovsky’s name. Chaikovsky had … Continue reading Capriccio Italien
The Day the Network Died
Have I ever told the story of what composer Max Reger wrote to a critic who gave him a negative review? He wrote: “Ich sitze in dem kleinsten Zimmer in meinem Hause. Ich habe Ihre Kritik vor mir. Im nächsten Augenblick wird sie hinter mir sein!” (“I am sitting in the smallest room of my … Continue reading The Day the Network Died
Trust No One
A while back I did a few posts about the biblical Herods, and I had intended to follow up with one about Herod Agrippa, the last of the biblical Herods, but I never got around to it. If you ever watched the TV series I, Claudius or read the books that it’s based on, then you're … Continue reading Trust No One
Dummy With the Wig on Top
Time for another Randy!
My Top Ten TV Shows of the 20th Century – #10
This is the tenth and final post of a series. The previous posts are: #1: The Howdy Doody Show#2: 77 Sunset Strip#3: The Edge of Night#4: The Defenders#5: That Was The Week That Was#6: The Dick Van Dyke Show#7: The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour#8: The Mary Tyle Moore Show#9: St. Elsewhere#10: The West Wing I … Continue reading My Top Ten TV Shows of the 20th Century – #10
A Trip to CVS
I went to CVS to pick up some prescriptions and get some eye drops. Because we’re in the big, bad city, many of the items are locked up behind glass doors, and one has to summon someone to come and unlock the door in order to retrieve the desired item. So it is with eye … Continue reading A Trip to CVS