Random Friday Thoughts — April 27, 2018

It’s crazy to believe that we’re already heading into May!  Here’s to a great weekend and thank you for taking the time to check out my “Random Friday Thoughts”.

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

While a sad occasion, Barbara Bush’s funeral last weekend brought out the best of both sides.

Sadly, President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn were unable to attend.

The Carter Center announced that the former president was “on a private trip overseas, and although she is recovering, Mrs. Carter is not yet able to travel following her recent intestinal surgery.”

THAT DON’T IMPRESS ME MUCH!

Canadian country and pop superstar Shania Twain was at the center of a social media storm last weekend.

I admit that I, too, was flabbergasted when she said she would have voted for Donald Trump in 2016!

Twain told “The Guardian”, “I would have voted for him because, even though he was offensive, he seemed honest. Do you want straight or polite? Not that you shouldn’t be able to have both. If I were voting, I just don’t want bullshit. I would have voted for a feeling that it was transparent. And politics has a reputation of not being that, right?”

Okay, everyone has a right to their opinion.  But, just because you’re “honest” doesn’t mean your views are on the right side of history!  And, it doesn’t mean you’re qualified!

Well, needless to say, there was an internet uproar that ranged from “No”, “she’s a has been”, “who”, and this popular meme.

By Sunday afternoon, Twain was in damage control posting four messages on her Twitter page.

My last thoughts on the matter is that new stars get media training to know how and what to say and what not to say.  She’s not a newcomer, so if that question was awkward, she could have danced around it.

Finally, I still love her music, I’m glad I saw her in concert, and that she was my first awkward attempt at a selfie.

It helped me be more experienced for the selfie that truly mattered. 🙂

AVICII — DEAD AT 28

Last Friday, I was shocked to learn of the sudden death of Swedish electronic music DJ Avicii in Muscat, Oman.

At the time, the family said, “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii… The family is devastated…”

While not publicly announced, sources close to family now says Avicii died from an apparent suicide.

“Entertainment Weekly” obtained this statement, “Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions… When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most – music. He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace.”

I know he had experienced health issues and anxiety in the past that prompted him to give up touring in 2016.  But, this is still a shock.

Avicii worked with artists as diverse as Madonna, Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull, and Coldplay.

His debut album, “True”, was my #11 album of the 2013 and “Wake Me Up” was the biggest hit of his career.

BONUS — AVICII + MADONNA (“GIRL GONE WILD”)

So young and so sad!

SHOCKING PRESIDENTIAL BEHAVIOR (PART 2)

In her “Reporting Live” autobiography, CBS News and “60 Minutes” reporter Lesley Stahl, talks about the time George H. W. Bush, after a contentious interview with Dan Rather, made a rather rude comment comparing her to Rather.

While the microphone was still open, Bush said, “The bastard didn’t lay a glove on me”, adding that Rather made “Leslie Stahl look like a pussy.”  (Normally, I’d not spell that word out, but Stahl was brave enough to do it in her book.)

Bush’s camp told Stahl that he meant to say “pussycat”.

However, Bush’s public apology only made matters worse.  He said, “If I had known the microphone was on, I wouldn’t have done it at all.”

What?  He only apologized because the microphone was still on and not for his juvenile vulgarity?

“LOOKING”

Last week, Comcast gave its customers free access to HBO and other networks.  The last time they did this, I caught the first season of “The Leftovers”.  I still need to see seasons two and three.

This time, I binge-watched seasons one and two (18 30-minute episodes) of the LGBT series, “Looking”, and “Looking: The Movie”, which wrapped up the cancelled-too-soon series.

It’s the story of three friends, Patrick (Jonathan Groff), Agustin (Frankie J. Alvarez), and Dom (Murray Bartlett) as they navigate life in San Francisco’s Castro District.

The supporting cast was amazing, too.

Doris (Lauren Weedman), Dom’s roommate and best friend from childhood, was too funny, and Patrick’s boyfriends (over the two seasons), Richie (Raul Castillo) and Kevin (Russell Tovey) were too sexy.

While the eighteen regular episodes were entertaining and funny, “The Movie” was incredible.

Spoiler alert:  This “movie” trailer might give something away that happened in seasons one and two!

It brought back a lot of memories of me and my party days of my 20s and 30s.

It made me miss one of my friends that’s a space cadet and was never good at keeping in touch and my former “best friend” that chooses not to stay in touch.  Bummer!

“THE SHAPE OF WATER” WORDS OF WISDOM

“Never trust a man even if he looks flat down there!”

FINAL “SCANDAL” THOUGHTS

Here’s another funny quote between President Mellie Grant (Bellamy Young) and her former Chief of Staff Elizabeth North (Portia de Rossi).

Mellie:  “You don’t like me!”

Liz:  “I don’t like people!”

I never bought into mild-mannered Gladiator Quinn Perkins becoming a B-613 killing machine.

When Huck, Charlie, and Quinn would torture and/or kill “bad” people or people they needed information from, the whole wrapping them in saran wrap was either paying homage to or ripping off “Dexter”!

Which brings me around to sharing this one again — after all Christmas is about eight months away! 🙂

BOOKS #12, #13, & #14

After giving up on “The Walking Dead” following the season eight finale, I just finished reading my twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth books of the year.

This is a technicality — I just finished “The Walking Dead” Compendium One, Two, and Three that I got for Christmas two years ago.

The mammoth books, literally weighing in at around five pounds each, cover the graphics novels from issues 1 through 144.

It was interesting to read them since some characters on the TV series are still alive and they are dead in the books and vice versa.  Also, there are some characters in the TV show that are not in the books.

Toward the end of the third book, we’re introduced to “The Whisperers”, which was an interesting twist.

However, it’s not enough to bring me back for season nine of the AMC series!

“AUTOMATIC” “LOOKING” BONUS

The Pointer Sisters took “Automatic” to the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984 (#2 Dance).

The song, by Ultra Nate, appeared in a nightclub scene in the “Looking” movie (2016).  However, her version topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs Chart in 2007.

It’s just one of her 20 Top Ten Billboard Dance hits! (Seven have reached #1!)

And, check out this hot video.

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — April 20, 2018

While winter is relentless for my friends in the Midwest, spring is finally in the forecast.

Enjoy your weekend and thank you for taking the time to check out my “Random Friday Thoughts”!

BARBARA BUSH (1925-2018) 

Former First Lady Barbara Bush passed away earlier this week at her Houston home.

The 92-year-old had been battling Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure.  She’s also suffered from Graves’ disease, a thyroid condition, since the late-1980s.

My thoughts go out to the Bush family.

BARBARA STUNS THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT…

In 1990, former PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) President Paulette Goodman asked for support from the First Lady.

Ms. Bush sent a personal response, “I firmly believe that we cannot tolerate discrimination against any individuals or groups in our country.  Such treatment always brings with it pain and perpetuates intolerance.”

Needless to say, the “religious right” went ballistic.

AND, DON’T MESS WITH HER FAMILY

During the 1984 campaign season, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro continued her attacks on then Vice President George H.W. Bush.

Barbara had had enough and referenced Ferraro by saying, “I can’t say it, but it rhymes with rich!”

The former First Lady apologized for that comment.

REBA STILL STUNS!

Back in 1993, when she performed “Does He Love You”, a #1 hit with Linda Davis, gasps were heard across the world with Reba’s “red dress” and its plunging neckline (right below)!

At the time, Reba said she got “more press off that dress than if I’d won entertainer of the year”.

At last Sunday night’s Academy of Country Music Awards, she performed the same song with her daughter-in-law, Kelly Clarkson, and she wore the same dress from 25 years ago (left above)!

SHOCKING PRESIDENTIAL BEHAVIOR

We know about Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky, but there’s been other shocking presidential behavior that just isn’t as widely known.

Lyndon B. Johnson was being badgered by reporters over why the United States was in Vietnam.

With a simple, unmistakable off-the-record gesture, the president unzipped his pants, pulled out his “Johnson” and said, ”This is why!”

Could you just imagine a president doing that today???

GOODBYE OLIVIA POPE & “SCANDAL”

I’m probably in the minority here, but I felt the “Scandal” series finale was anti-climatic and the wrong person died in the final episode!

It’s sad to say goodbye to Olivia Pope, the Gladiators, and both President Grants (oops, spoiler) after binge watching seven seasons of the ABC drama — 124 episodes.

However, there were many great moments in the seventh and final season, but this one had me laughing out loud.

I think the reaction from Kerry Washington (Olivia) is authentic and that she was really cracking up with Bellamy Young (Mellie)!

Warning:  Adult content!

“Olivia, there’s a famine in my lady bits…”  (Still laughing!)

And, another dramatic and hilarious scene is this confrontation between Olivia and her terrorist mother, Maya!

“You can either be my mother or a bitch!  What’s it gonna be?” and Mama’s reaction, “Girl, if you don’t sit your dramatic ass down…”

GOT MY CHRISTMAS “SCANDAL”

As you know, Christmas is my favorite time of the year.  I was so thrilled to get a “Scandal” Christmas in season five.

Although it was a tense and heavy episode, it ended with Olivia in a happy place!

This is going to be me this Christmas!  Like Olivia, I’ll find my happy place this year!

GOOD RIDDANCE “THE WALKING DEAD” 

After eight seasons, I’m giving up on AMC’s “The Walking Dead”.

The seventh and eighth season were painful and I didn’t find them enjoyable.

I guess I’m not alone.  The season eight finale had the lowest ratings since the season one finale!

About 8 million people watched this season finale.  The season four and five finales both had about 16 million viewers!

Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), I’ll miss you, but I can’t take the show anymore!

KYLIE HITS #1 AGAIN!

My girl Kylie Minogue hits #1 again with her latest album, “Golden”!

The album topped the charts in Australia, Ireland, Scotland, and the U.K.

It started out in the Top 5 in Austria, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland.

It’s definitely “Raining Glitter” for Kylie fans with the new music.

I can’t wait for her to announce her U.S. tour dates to promote the album!

ROSE MAKING A COMEBACK

Over the past few years, drinking rose has been growing at a much higher rate than other wines.

Dry rose almost went extinct in the 1970s when sweet White Zinfandel was introduced in California.

In France, Provence makes more than 140 million bottles of the crisp pink wine.

Spain and Italy are also prime producers of rose!

“ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD”

a.k.a. “The movie that went through drastic, last minute re-shoots with Christopher Plummer in the role that was originally played by Kevin Spacey!”

a.k.a. “The movie that “USA Today” reports that Mark Walhberg got $1.5 million for the re-shoots, while Michelle Williams was only paid less than $1,000!!

WTH on the second a.k.a. — Yes, there’s definitely still a big pay discrepancy between men and women in Hollywood (and the U.S.)!

It’s the story of J. Paul Getty, once the world’s richest private citizen, and the kidnapping of his teenage grandson in Rome in 1973.

At first, the elder Getty (Oscar nominee and former winner Plummer) refused to pay the $7 million ransom, even though that was just pocket change for him!

GRADE:  B

“TRUST” ON FX

Hollywood is mining the Getty kidnapping story with the movie version, “All The Money In The World” and the FX television series, “Trust”.

In the FX series, Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner Donald Sutherland plays the elder Getty.

His kidnapped grandson is played by Harris Dickinson, who earned rave reviews from me (and other critics) in the incredible “Beach Rats”, my #3 movie of last year!

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — April 13, 2018

Happy Friday the 13th!  Are you superstitious and think scary things happen on this day and date?

For me, I instantly think of Jason Voorhees!

I hope “Friday the 13th” doesn’t spook you because we have another one coming up in July!

Thank you for checking out my “Random Friday Thoughts”!

SECURITY BREACHES

It seems like every day now we hear of another security breach at some large company that many of us do business with on a regular basis.

None of us want our personal information, especially our banking account information, out there in the world.

I make it a daily point to check my banking account online to make sure no unexpected charges are there and that my money is still where it should be.

However, sadly, it’s becoming such a regular thing that it’s really not all that shocking anymore!

It’s much easier these days for hackers to get our information than it is for companies to build firewalls for our security!

So, while Taylor sings “haters gonna hate”, I say be vigilant with your personal information online because “hackers gonna hack”!

MARIAH CAREY’S REVELATION

On the cover of the new “People” magazine, pop icon Mariah Carey discusses her long battle with being bipolar.

“People” reports that Carey was diagnosed with the disorder in 2001 after being hospitalized with a mental and physical breakdown.

I’m sure you might remember the whole ice cream cart debacle on MTV around that time.

Carey tells “People”, “Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me.  It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love — writing songs and making music.”

She’s currently in therapy and on medication.

MY FAVORITE MARIAH CAREY SONG 

And, since I’m talking about Mimi, here’s my favorite Mariah song.

Ironically, it’s “Emotions”, a three-week #1 hit from the fall of 1991.

MOVING ON

It’s no secret now…

… but I’m leaving Florida and heading back north to four distinct seasons (although winter seems to last longer). 🙂

I’m moving to Duluth, Minnesota, to take a Chief Meteorologist position (a first for me) at the Fox affiliate for the Northland.

You can read the more personal story here.  It’ll open in a new window.

https://anthonypeoples.wordpress.com/2018/04/09/ill-let-you-in-on-a-secret/

GOING COUNTRY ON THE DANCEFLOOR

It’s great to have Kylie Minogue back.

Her new album, “Golden”, take us back to the dance floors.  And, it does so with a country twang to it.

The first taste of that new sound was the lead off single, “Dancing”.

I love that song and my other favorites are “Every Little Part of Me”, “One Last Kiss”, “Low Blow”, “Shelby ’68”, and “Raining Glitter”.

“Golden” is definitely a different sound for Minogue, but a fresh one!

GRADE:  B+

“REPORTING LIVE”

I just finished reading my 11th book of 2018, “Reporting Live” by Lesley Stahl, who’s now on “60 Minutes”.

While she shared some interesting stories on the presidents she’s covered — from Richard Nixon to George H. W. Bush — it wasn’t an easy read.

First off, there’s no set up of getting to know Stahl before she got her audition for CBS News in 1972.

We learned about her husband, Aaron, who suffers from depression.  He gained famed as the screenwriter for “Urban Cowboy” with John Travolta.

We also learned about her daughter, Taylor, and her parents and brother.  Yet, there’s very little about Stahl growing up in New England and nothing about her first marriage in the 1960s.

What I came away with from the book is that the now 76-year-old was not only a tough interviewer for “Face The Nation”, but also rather “bitchy” at times!  (I feel comfortable saying that because she used the “b-word”, too, in an indirect self-referential way.)

Stahl was very rough on the presidents.  It was hard reading her 50-plus pages on Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter because I idolize them so much.

However, she was fair.  She had no love loss for Nixon and Reagan either after fawning over Reagan for part of the Carter chapter.

Stahl also told an interesting story about Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush.

Apparently early on in the Reagan presidency, the First Lady and the Second Lady were going to an event together and both were wearing red dresses.

One was told to change dresses and basically to never wear red again.

This went on through 1988 when Vice President Bush was running for president and Ms. Bush started wearing red again and getting away from her Barbara blues!

WOMEN’S WINE PREFERENCE

Do you prefer red or white wine?

A “Food & Wine” magazine Facebook poll shows that women prefer red over white about two to one!

Me, I prefer white.  Give me a Moscoto and I’m very happy.  I might even share the bottle with you.  Again, I “might” share. 🙂

In 2017, the Top Five brands by volume sold were #5 Carlo Rossi, #4 Sutter Home, #3 Robert Mondavi, and #2 Barefoot.

At #1, my favorite!

Much to my chagrin when I moved to Florida, you can only buy 3-liter boxes of wine (back in Illinois, I was used to 5-liter boxes).

Here’s hoping that Minnesota or Wisconsin sells 5-liter boxes!

SHRIMP

Behind desserts, shrimp is probably my favorite food.

I love shrimp cocktail and shrimp scampi.  And, check out this tasty photo of my homemade shrimp ceviche!

I’m not alone.

“Eating Well” reports that in 2012, Americans ate about 1.2 billion (with a “B”) pounds of shrimp.

But, only about 10% of it is farmed and wild-caught here in the U.S!  Most comes from shrimp farms in Asia and South America.

Another interesting fact, the average seafood consumption has been on the decline since 2004!

While I gave up beef many years ago, I’ll continue to do my part in keeping those shrimp and seafood numbers from dropping too much more!

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

 

I’ll Let You In On A Secret!

“I’m tired of living day-to-day and hand-to-mouth/This could be the day I finally find my way out”

“I’m gonna climb that mountain high/I’m gonna see what’s on the other side/I’m gonna kiss this town good-bye/I’m gonna climb that mountain”

“How I arrived here, heaven only knows/Seems more like the kind of place the devil would’ve chose…I know somewhere down the road my dreams will come true”

“Climb That Mountain High” is from Reba McEntire’s 1990 album, “Rumor Has It”.  It was one of the first CDs I bought and my first from Reba!

That song has always been a beacon of encouragement for me.  It was there when I was looking to launch my television news career and every time I was awaiting my next move.

I’ve been listening to the song again daily for weeks now!

“CHANGE”

Almost a year ago (in “Change”), I shared details of some big changes in my life that would take me to Panama City, Florida, “So, as much as I love Midwestern snows, I’m trading it all in for the occasional hurricane and tropical storm!”

What the hell was I thinking — giving up snow and four distinct seasons?

In my “Christmas Update” blog on December 18, 2017, I pontificated, “I’m miserable… life is too short to feel this way and if things don’t change soon, I’ll make a change for myself and not just accept a “Band-Aid” to cover something that needs more attention – my happiness.”

In a talk after the holidays with my fantastic news director Tom Lewis, he agreed that life’s too short to be unhappy.  I said I’d start looking to return to Midwest and if I didn’t find a job, I’d be gone by Halloween!

In February, I contacted some stations across Illinois to try to get back closer to my sister and my friends in the Quad Cities, where I spent 11.5 years before the ill-fated move to Florida.

Sadly, there were no openings and many “we’ll keep you in mind when we have a position available”.

“CHANGE 2.0”

In television news, like most professions, talent and experience are major factors to be considered.  However, timing and luck also play huge roles.

I contacted a station about an opening that was posted just after Thanksgiving.  I wondered why, four months later, the position wasn’t filled.

It turns out they were not in any hurry to fill the position and were waiting for the right person.

And, now back to that “timing and luck”.

The news director was at the end of his search.  He and I started corresponding and eight days later, I was offered the job and I accepted it.

My friends, in June, I’ll be the Chief Meteorologist at the Fox affiliate in Duluth, Minnesota, seven hours north of the Quad Cities.

I’m getting my four distinct seasons and my snow back!

From Wikipedia: “At 85″ per year, the port city of Duluth has the highest average snowfall total of any city in Minnesota”!

Two last weather notes:  I’ll have to get used to the bitter cold again.  The record low there is -41°, but it’s never reached 100° (97° is the record high).

I honestly feel like George Bailey in Bedford Falls at Christmas in “It’s A Wonderful Life”! Pottersville (Panama City, for me) was just an alternate universe!

While some love it here and many love visiting the beaches (they think Panama City and Panama City Beach are the same), I just didn’t connect with the area.

At the beginning, from a dating standpoint, I wasn’t looking for anything since I was still reeling from the big changes in my personal life.

But, not one date in a year!!!

I’m now at the point where I’m ready to find my knight on a white horse like Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman”).

“I would pretend I was a princess, trapped in the tower by a wicked queen. And then suddenly, this knight, on a white horse, with these colors flying, would come charging up and draw his sword… and I would wave, and he would climb up the tower, and rescue me.”

However, I did find two dear friends here — Cathy and Gerard Rifenburg.

Cathy founded the Panama City PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) chapter.

A month after I moved here, they graciously invited me to a function they were hosting at their house.

Since then, we’ve enjoyed dinners and parties together, including Christmas Day.

Cathy and Gerard, I’ll miss you dearly.

Another highlight of my move to Florida was an early Sunday morning road trip last July to Plains, Georgia, to meet my childhood idols, President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter!

One thing I definitely won’t miss — this mentality! (Disclaimer: I know not everyone fits into this category!)

By the way (and this had no influence in my decision, but it makes me happy), Minnesota has only voted “red” once in my life time!

In 1972, it went along with 48 other states to re-elect Richard Nixon.  Yes, Reagan and Trump lost Minnesota!

So, I’ll proudly display my faded sticker on my car. (I did so in “red” Bay County, Florida, too!)

Anthony

 

Random Friday Thoughts — April 6, 2018

Welcome to the first week of April!  By now, it’s starting to feel like spring for some.  But, I know my friends in the Midwest are still shivering with cold and snow!

Thank you for taking the time to check out my “Random Friday Thoughts”!

LEFTOVER EASTER CANDY

Are you like me and buy too much half-price candy after the holidays (Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas)?

If you bought Cadbury Creme Eggs, here’s something you can dazzle your family with. 🙂

Crust Bros., a restaurant in London, England, makes a pizza called Fior-egg-tina, which is a dessert pizza based on their classic Fiorentina pizza.

The original pizza is made with tomato, mozzarella, spinach, and egg.

But, the sweet treat pizza used macerated strawberries, mascarpone, mint, and, of course, Cadbury Creme Eggs!

Bon Appetit!

AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS

Here’s something that may surprise you.

Three out of four American college students with credit cards are unaware of late-payment charges!

While that statistic may have changed some since “Time” reported it in late 2015, that’s just crazy.  But, at the same time, it’s not totally shocking to me.

First off, I think it’s the parents fault for not instilling a sense of “real life” in their kids when it comes to the value of money.

In a former life, I saw some of that first hand.

It’s easier to understand if the parents are constantly handing over cash, bailing their kids out, or paying delinquent credit card bills!

CHINA

In 2000, 46% of Chinese workers were in the agricultural field, well ahead of industrial jobs and the services industry.

By 2011, the number working in fields dropped to an astounding 3%, while industrial jobs and the services industry both jumped to 47% each!

That blows my mind!

In a country with almost 1.4 billion (with a “B”) people, that’s a lot of food to import to feed its people!

“THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE” AFTERTHOUGHTS

If you didn’t watch this “American Crime Story” series on FX, you missed stellar acting from Darren Criss and Judith Light.

You also missed Criss’ (ass)ets!

Also, in the club scene when Andrew Cunanan (Criss) meets Navy man Jeff Trail (his first victim — played by Finn Wittrock), one of my twenty ALL-TIME favorite songs is playing.

So, I’m sharing Company B’s only Top 40 hit in America, 1987’s “Fascinated”.

It reached #21 on the Hot 100, but it topped the Billboard Dance chart!

“EXPOSING MYSELF”

I just finished reading my 10th book of 2018, “Exposing Myself” by Geraldo Rivera, all 482 pages!

This book came out in 1992, so a lot has happened for the lawyer turned journalist that turns 75 this year on the Fourth of July!

It was very interesting hearing his take on his career path and how he never felt he was respected as a real newsman at ABC, even when he broke huge stories and won countless awards.

He boasted many times about his million dollar salary, which today would be around three million dollars with inflation!

Rivera talked about his sexual conquests just about as much as he did about the news business!  More power to him!

However, I wanted to go to an STD clinic to be tested just from reading about all the women he slept with!

I admit that he was a sexy man in his younger days!

Forget monogamy with him — he cheated on all four of his wives through the publication of this book!

“GOOD GIRLS”

When I decided to record this new NBC series that debuted in late February, I thought it was a comedy.

After finally watching it, there were a few funny moments, but it’s definitely a drama.

It’s about three women down on their luck (one has a cheating husband and is about to lose her house, her sister is about to lose her daughter to the child’s father, and the other has a sick daughter who needs a transplant and medication to treat the little girl is $10,000 out of pocket).

They decide to rob the grocery store where one of the women works.  Well, the $30,000 they thought they’d get turns into one-half million dollars in crime money and the manager recognizes the tramp stamp on his employee/masked robber.

He then blackmails her into sex and when she refuses, he tries to force himself on her and it gets more out of hand.

How’s that for comedy?

The cast is incredible, especially Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”).

There are funny, touching, and dramatic moments, but it doesn’t really excel at any of them.  It just doesn’t gel for me.

I decided to quit midway through the third episode!

GRADE:  C+

REMEMBER THIS ONE?

In the spring of 1976, Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot was preparing the release of his June album, “Summertime Dream”.  It would become his fourth #1 album there and reach #12 in the U.S.

In his native country, he had already scored 16 Top 40 hits.

In the U.S., Lightfoot placed four hits on the Billboard Hot 100.  Three of those reached the Top Ten:  “If You Could Read Mind” (#5, 1971), “Sundown” (#1, 1974), “Carefree Highway” (#10, 1974).

“The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down/Of the big lake they called ‘gitche gumee’/The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead/When the skies of November turn gloomy”

In August 1976, those haunting opening lyrics from “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, the first single and a song clocking in at almost six minutes (almost unheard for Top 40 radio), wound end up becoming a signature song for Lightfoot.

The song tells the story and tragedy of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank on Lake Superior in a severe storm on November 10, 1975, killing all 29 crew members.

Lightfoot considers the song his finest work and it still haunts me to hear the song all these years later.

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony