Show Biz

Media Spectacle

BREAKING NEWS: CNN beclowns itself...again.

So a mere handful
of idiotic Democratic congressmen (but I repeat myself) have decided to stage a protest fund-raising stunt by "sitting in"
in the House chamber (which is odd, since they're legally allowed to be there anyway).


The ridiculousness of the action itself aside, the media circus it has created, which is treating this as some sort of "historic" civil rights moment, is truly disgusting. After all, what the Democrats are actually demanding would result in the denial of civil rights to American citizens. And doing this would accomplish precisely nothing (the Orlando shooter, for instance, wasn't on any "watch" lists and passed background checks when purchasing the weapons he used).

"In other words, you're saying the media is in the tank for progressives?"

Not "in other words"...those would be the exact words...

Cruise Update

My best friend Skip and his wife Elaine are crossing the north Atlantic today, on their way to the next stop on their trip (Ireland)...

Seven Seas Voyager in the north Atlantic

"That's a really big boat."

Yes, it is...Skip says it has excellent stabilizers, though...

Happy Birthday!

Original 1979 "one sheet" poster

On June 23, 1927 Robert Louis Fosse was born in Chicago. Known professionally as Bob Fosse, he would have a legendary career as a theatrical dancer, choreographer, and director. He would also achieve distinction in motion pictures as an actor, screenwriter, and director.

In his career Fosse won eight Tony Awards for his choreography, more than any other person in Broadway history. In 1973, he became the only person ever to receive a directing Oscar (for Cabaret), a directing Tony (for Pippin), and a directing Emmy (for a Liza Minnelli TV special) all in the same year.




One of my all-time favorite movies is Fosse's semi-autobiographical All That Jazz, released in 1979. The film won four Oscars and was nominated in five other categories, including for Best Picture (it lost to Kramer vs. Kramer, my nominee for Worst Best Picture Winner Ever).

"I still can't believe that miserable piece of dreck actually won."

Me either...and it didn't just beat the Fosse film, it also won over Apocalypse Now, Norma Rae, and Breaking Away, all of which were MUCH better films...

Ain't It the Truth?

From the indispensable comic strip Non Sequitur, by Wiley Miller, which you should read every day, as I do (even though Wiley is a squishy liberal).

Until Next Time...

One of the greatest pleasures of my adolescence was Top 40 radio. Back in those days, pretty much every kind of popular music could be heard on a Top 40 station. I shall always be grateful for having lived at a time when rad

The group that launched Motown Records into Top 40 stardom Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.

Original 1965 45 rpm single

On June 23, 1965 the group released
a single that quickly became a fixture on Top 40 stations. "The Tracks of My Tears" peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, and is one of the most popular R&B ballads of all time.

The song is ranked No. 50 on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. It was also selected for the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007. A year later it was selected for the National Recording Registry curated by the Library of Congress.

"The Tracks of My Tears" was selected for the Songs of the Century project done jointly by RIAA and the National Endowment for the Arts in 2001, and was selected for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll list in 1995. It has been recorded by other artists many times, notably a fine 1975 version by Linda Ronstadt.

Today's send-off is a lip-sync TV performance of the song. Enjoy