Random Friday Thoughts — August 25, 2023

Wow, Christmas is just four months away!

Does that take your mind off the heat wave baking the country?

Thank you for taking time to check out my random thoughts today!

PAUL RUDNICK

If you love comedy movies, Paul Rudnick is likely a household name.

Rudnick is a New Jersey playwright, screenwriter, and author that I’ve enjoyed for decades now.

His play “Jeffrey” was made into the 1995 movie that I absolutely love and he was spot-on with humor and one-liners in his screenplays for “Addams Family Values” (1993) and “In & Out” (1997).

It was interesting reading his 2009 memoir, “I Shudder (and other reactions to life, death, and New Jersey)” to see how much of his life made it into his movies (especially “Jeffrey”) and into his books, like his new one that I love, love, love!

“FARRELL COVINGTON AND THE LIMITS OF STYLE”

Earlier this year, I read a blurb in “People” magazine that Rudnick was releasing a new novel, “Farrell Covington and the Limits of Style”.

I expected it to be funny, but I didn’t realize how beautiful and touching it’d be!

The story begins at Yale in 1973 when aspiring writer Nate Reminger, a middle-class Jewish kid from small town New Jersey, comes face-to-face with the drop dead gorgeous and insanely rich Farrell Covington.

The two are total opposites, but fall in love. However, it’s not meant to be — not because of their differences, but Covington’s close-minded, homophobic Kansas family.

Once Farrell’s family forbids them from seeing each other, I was captivated and wondered how the story would play out!

How would their lives be apart, would they ever cross paths again, and would the AIDS epidemic in the early-1980s touch them?

It’s an honest, naughty, fun, and touching read! I highly recommend it.

SEEING MYSELF IN NATE, SO WHERE’S MY FARRELL?

While Nate is a decade older than me and I’m not Jewish, I related to him and we shared many similarities.

I grew up in a small town (Kentucky) and went to college there (early-1980s). I was a television news performance major that dabbled in theater (acting).

I spent my college years living my fullest gay life even in the face of AIDS and death.

When you’re young, you think every man is going to be a prince and you’re going to fall in love. Okay, I did!

I’ve been in three long-term relationships. I found love, married, and divorced.

Now that I’m much older, I hope I find my Farrell. He doesn’t have to be insanely rich, but I wouldn’t complain though!

CHRISTMAS IS NOW JUST FOUR MONTHS AWAY

Santa, I know you’re heading into a busy time of the year.

Oh, who am I kidding — the elves are making the toys, the reindeer are exercising to build up their strength to be able to haul your butt around the world, and Mrs. Claus is baking treats to fatten you up.

I digress, my apologies.

Since I now have my little crazy pug, Xanadu, I only want one thing for Christmas since peace on earth is not a realistic ask!

Oh, hello James Marsden. You’re aging beautifully!

MY “COMING OF AGE” FAVORITES

Since I felt connected to Nate in Paul Rudnick’s “Farrell Covington” novel, here are my favorite “coming of age” club songs from when I started sneaking into Club DV8 in Paducah, Kentucky, when I was underage.

While I loved pop radio and Whitney Houston, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jody Watley, Jermaine Stewart, Debbie Gibson, and Lionel Richie (and, you too, Stacey Q) in the mid-1980s, these club hits blew me away.

How many do you remember or know?

ERASURE — “OH L’AMOUR”

TAFFY — “I LOVE MY RADIO”

COMPANY B — “FASCINATED”

NICOLE — “DON’T YOU WANT MY LOVE”

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY — “NO FRILLS LOVE”

UPTOWN — “(I KNOW) I’M LOSING YOU”

MIQUEL BROWN — “SO MANY MEN, SO LITTLE TIME”

HAZELL DEAN — “SEARCHIN’ (I GOTTA FIND A MAN)DON’T YOU WANT MY LOVE”

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

I’m Ready for a Little “Tension” In My Life, But Really…

Merriam-Webster defines tension as “inner striving, unrest, or imbalance often with physiological indication of emotion” and tension means “mental or emotional strain” in the Oxford English dictionary.

Late this spring, I realized I was ready for a little “Tension” in my life.

Okay, “Tension”, as in Kylie Minogue’s upcoming 16th album, which arrives September 22nd.

However, it’s what came after that date reveal that’s causing me real tension, mental, and emotional strain. Let me explain!

You can’t imagine my excitement when the worst kept secret ever was finally announced — Kylie would be headlining her first Las Vegas residency at the Venetian Resort’s new 1,000-seat venue, Voltaire.

At a thousand seats, I definitely thought they were underestimating her cult following in the U.S. (I once read about Kylie having a “cult following” here in the States.) I thought it was funny — I’m in a “cult”, so just call me Kimmie Schmidt!

Well, the first ten shows — 10,000 seats — sold out within hours and fans crashed the very substandard website the resort used for tickets sales.

You’d get to the ticket ordering page and click on “Standing Room Only” ($200) and it’d just spin.

Then, if you made it to the next page, you’d get kicked off and see an asinine screen telling you you’re now in line and the wait was more than 1,800 hours.

Umm, what patience???? Then, it’d refresh and the wait jumped to 3,000 hours! And, then “SOLD OUT”!

I was bummed, but I was very confident more dates would be announced and I was right.

Another ten shows — another 10,000 seats — were announced through May 2024!

I was super stoked and prepared. However, that feeling quickly passed within 30 minutes of the tickets going on sale as the new dates sold out!

20,000 seats and I couldn’t snag one “standing room only” ticket that was bumped up to $250!

I don’t usually allow things to get me down, but I was very sad and agitated the rest of that day.

While she’s not a huge star in America (our fault), Kylie is an iconic international superstar!

Who knows, maybe they’ll announce another ten dates!

And, maybe, just maybe, some “Green Fairy” dust and luck will blow my way!

I’m so ready to head to Vegas and fulfill my concert “bucket list” and see Kylie in concert. I’m ready to get wild and go out “Dancing”.

Until then, the “Tension” album release is just one month from today! Here’s the track listing, but I’m ordering the Deluxe version with three extra songs.

This excites me and makes me smile.

Meanwhile, if I win the lottery, I’ll buy a table of four package deal!

More realistically, they’ll announce more concert dates and I’ll score a ticket this time!

Actually, I have a solution to the ticketing nightmare and “It’s No Secret”: The Venetian could throw a lot of money Kylie’s way and add Wednesdays to the ten weeks of Fridays and Saturdays already scheduled.

It’s Vegas and you can sell those thousand seats every night!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — August 18, 2023

It’s still summer, but I’m definitely ready for the shorter days, longer nights, and cooler weather.

Oh, I’m really craving an apple cider doughnut, too! Extra cinnamon sugar, please!

SPEAKING OF APPLE CIDER

On my first trip back to Las Vegas in June 2021 once vaccinations made travel possible again, I met someone for a drink at the Salt & Ivy Patio at the ARIA.

I had a drink called “Everything That Glitters Is…”. It was ginger vodka, apple cider  , cinnamon syrup, and lemon  juice. While pricey ($17, it’s Vegas baby!), it was so delicious!

Thank you for checking out my random thoughts this week!

ANOTHER MISS XANADU UPDATE

While spaying is a major abdominal surgery for girl puppies, it’s a common procedure.

Leave it to my problem child to have an allergic reaction to the stitches and develop an infection! We’re definitely on the mend now with the antibiotics kicking in.

Stitches were taken out earlier this week, but it’ll take another week or two for the wound to totally heal.

The cone I bought from the vet was a total waste of $11 since she ripped it off each time in less than a minute.

The onesie from Amazon worked better. However, sizing in China (where it was made) is much different than in the U.S. “Medium” is a tight fit for the pug.

I can’t wait for her to be totally healthy again, but she’s already back to full pug craziness!

SUMMERTIME TREAT

Last week, my boss, Clay, brought an ice cream truck to the station and treated us to tasty treats.

It definitely wasn’t our childhood ice cream truck with pre-packaged sandwiches, Push-ups, and popsicles.

I ordered a peanut butter-banana milkshake to share with Xanadu and my sister, Tammy, and I shared a banana split.

It was so delicious. I haven’t had a banana split since I lived in Mayfield, Kentucky, almost 30 years ago!

ANOTHER SWEET TREAT

Rumor has it that the Peanut Butter Crunch McFlurry is now at McDonald’s!

It’s a combination of vanilla soft serve ice cream with crispy cereal mix and chocolate peanut butter cookie pieces.

“THE CELEBRATION TOUR” RESCHEDULED

Earlier this week, Madonna celebrated her 65th birthday.

She also posted the new dates for the North American leg of “The Celebration Tour” that was postponed from July after her emergency stay in the hospital.

You know I love Madonna. I’ve seen her in concert four times and I’d love to see this show.

So, I’m saying this with love and not out of spite.

I really hope she revamps the show and lets her dancers do the grueling work. Otherwise, there’ll be many cancellations or postponed shows if she goes all out like a typical Madonna show. This happened with injuries on her “Madame X Tour”.

And, it’s already going to be taxing on her body since the U.S. shows start just a week after 27 concerts in the U.K. and Europe from October through December!

There are 51 scheduled dates in North America from December 2023 through April 2024.

“BOSTON STRANGLER”

If you’re a fan of true crime stories, you likely know the story of Albert DeSalvo, the man notoriously called the “Boston Strangler”. He’s suspected of killing 13 women in the early-1960s.

However, this 2023 Hulu movie, focuses on Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley), a lifestyles feature reporter for the “Boston Record-American” newspaper and how she broke the story of the Boston Strangler.

Carrie Coon played Jean Cole, another reporter that worked on the Strangler series with McLaughlin.

It was a solid movie that focused more on the reporting and investigation of the crimes and how the two women were constantly disrespected by the Boston Police Commissioner and male reporters.

GRADE: B

CAROL BURNETT

Recently, I spent some time with comedy legend Carol Burnett by reading her 2010 biography “This Time Together” and the 2016 follow-up, “In Such Good Company”.

The 90-year-old comedienne has won six Primetime Emmys, a Grammy, and a Tony.

I remember watching “The Carol Burnett Show” as a kid and I just saw her as a funny woman. I didn’t realize just how beautiful she was out of character.

She shared many funny stories in the two books.

The funniest involved her great friend, Julie Andrews in Washington D.C., in the 1960s. Let’s just say she met First Lady “Lady Bird” Johnson in a hilarious way!

Burnett is the mother of three daughters. Her oldest, Carrie, died of cancer in 2002 at the age of 38.

ERIN HAMILTON

Burnett’s youngest, Erin Hamilton, turned 55 earlier this week.

In 1999, she released a dance-oriented album “One World”. I loved it!

It produced two Top 20 Dance hits — remakes of Gary Wright’s #2 1976 hit “Dream Weaver” and Cheap Trick’s 1988 #1 smash “The Flame”.

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — August 11, 2023

August is moving along and that means we’re one day closer to fall.

There are rumors that Wendy’s may be introducing a new Frosty flavor this autumn — pumpkin spice.

Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, created a “light chocolate” Frosty as one of the five original items in 1969.

In 2006, a vanilla flavor was introduced and the chain can only have two flavors at a time.

In the summer of 2022, strawberry replaced the vanilla, and last fall, peppermint replaced vanilla. I’ve only had chocolate, but would try the pumpkin spice.

Thank you for checking out my random thoughts.

XANADU’S RECOVERY

Last Friday, Miss Xanadu went through a puppy “rite of passage” and was spayed.

All went well and the little critter was so pathetic when I picked her up.

While she’s feeling well, she developed an infection, an adverse reaction to the stitches, and is now on antibiotics. Also, once it got infected, she discovered the surgical spot on her tummy, and started licking it.

She’s now white-trash bandaged and will wear the “cone of shame” while in the crate when she’s unattended. This is not going to be pretty!

Before the infection, she did experience her first rainbow last Sunday.

She has a lot in common with my sister — not following medical advice. She still wants to jump and run.

TAMMY’S RECOVERY, TOO!

Speaking of my sister, Tammy had a stroke about two weeks ago and finally went to the emergency room days later because her arm was still numb (she thought she slept on it the wrong way).

Tests showed one carotid artery was 99% closed up, which caused the stroke.

A risky surgery (with her history of heart attacks and COPD) was performed and the surgeon cleaned it out. She’s feeling better now.

The aftermath of the surgery makes her look like a hapless survivor of Michael Myers in a “Halloween” movie.

Like every time before when a major medical crisis occurs, she was told she has to stop smoking, eat healthier, and exercise.

I desperately want my BFF to prove me wrong and do it this time. Otherwise, like every time in the past, it’s “blah blah blah”!

ONE YEAR ALREADY

I can’t believe it’s already been a year since Olivia Newton-John passed away after a long battle with breast cancer.

I was fortunate enough to see her in concert in Las Vegas in 2014.

“CALL ME CRAZY”

It was also one year ago today that actress Anne Heche died six days after a horrific car accident and fire in Los Angeles.

This 2001 memoir came out after her high-profile relationship and break-up with talk show host/comedienne Ellen DeGeneres and her psychotic break with reality in Fresno, California.

After reading about her childhood and her Emmy-winning years on a soap opera, I can definitely understand her mental breakdown especially after the way the press badgered her and Ellen after their coming out as the most famous gay entertainment couple and their breakup.

I’ll also be reading her 2023 follow-up “Call Me Anne”.

“ON NIXON’S MADNESS: AN EMOTIONAL HISTORY”

I just finished this new book from Zachary Jonathan Jacobson.

It was informative, but, overall, not a fun read because it came across as too clinical.

Here are some of the interesting takeaways:

In his first debate in the 1960 presidential race against John F. Kennedy, seeing Nixon’s flop sweat and his shifty and darkened eyes and cheeks, his mother thought him “sickly” and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley exclaimed, “My God, they’ve embalmed him before he even died!”

Former President Harry Truman called Nixon a “shifty-eyed, goddamn liar” and a “son of a bitch”.

In 2014, Bob Woodward, who helped bring Nixon down as a reporter for the Washington Post said, it “was a White House full of lies, chaos, distrust, speculation, self-protection, maneuver, and counter maneuver”. He added Nixon’s regime had “a crookedness that makes Netflix’s ‘House of Cards’ look unsophisticated.”

Near the end of a television news conference in the fall of 1973, after a nuclear scare in the Middle East, Nixon was getting agitated and he was asked about his “rumored disturbed temperament” and the president replied, “Don’t get the impression that you arouse my anger. You see, one can only be angry with those he respects.”

“9-1-1: LONE STAR” & “9-1-1”

I finally got around to watching the fourth season of “9-1-1: Lone Star” and the second half of the sixth season of “9-1-1”.

While I enjoy both of them, “Lone Star” is my favorite. A lot of it has to do with the diversity of the cast and the character’s lives.

And, I just can’t get enough of T.K. and Carlos!

And, getting back to the second half of the last season of “9-1-1”, I just didn’t care about the characters any more!

Do you watch the two series? If so, which is your favorite?

“DOG DAY AFTERNOON”

I decided I’m going to start checking out some classics, so I started with the Oscar-winning 1975 movie, “Dog Day Afternoon”.

Academy Award-nominee Al Pacino plays Sonny, an amateur bank robber trying to steal enough money for his “wife”, Leon, to have a sex change operation.

Leon was played by Oscar nominee Chris Sarandon (former husband of Susan).

The movie definitely captured the grittiness and dirtiness of 1970s New York City and 34-year-old Pacino was smoking hot!

While entertaining, the outcome was too predictable — especially with who lived and died!

GRADE: B

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — August 4, 2023

August is here and that means fall is just around the corner. Oh wait, decorations are already in stores, so I must be right.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my thoughts. You can definitely disagree, just do it diplomatically.

RETIRE NOW & LIVE YOUR LIVE!

I’m a realist! I’m no longer a “spring chicken” and for the first time in my life, I’m starting to think about retirement. (It’s still years away!)

While I love being a television meteorologist, I also think about what life will be like to enjoy not working and having fewer responsibilities!

With that in mind, I want to talk about politicians not knowing when to leave the party before death takes them out of the game and I’m being non-partisan here.

With recent meltdowns of 81-year-old Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 90-year-old U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California making news, it’s time for them to retire and spend time with their families.

Seriously, these are people making laws that affect all of us and they need to be mentally competent!

And, it doesn’t stop there. Both front runners for the next presidential race will be 81 (President Joe Biden) and 78 (Donald Trump) on Election Day 2024!

WORST KEPT SECRET EVER & I’M VERY HAPPY

Rumors have been swirling since last November that iconic superstar Kylie Minogue would be doing a Las Vegas residency.

In May, Kylie announced her new album “Tension” would arrive in September. It features “Padam Padam”, her first hit in America in almost 20 years.

One song stood out when the track listing of the new album was revealed. The song “Vegas High” confirmed to me she’d be doing a Vegas residency.

Late last week, the worst kept secret became official. Kylie announced her residency at the Venetian Resort as the Voltaire nightclub’s first act.

It’s being billed as “More Than Just A Residency” with Kylie performing most weekends in November, December, and January!

“VEGAS HIGH” — I’M READY!

In that announcement, we got a first listen to “Vegas High”. For years now, I’ve been wanting to see Kylie — it’s the last concert on my bucket list!

I’m so ready to buy my ticket and head to Vegas.

The last time I was there was in September 2021. I went twice that summer once the pandemic eased a bit when vaccines became available. (I didn’t visit Vegas in 2022 because I made the mistake of visiting Atlantic City, New Jersey instead!).

Anyways, back to Vegas. Seeing Kylie would be my first concert since the pandemic.

In December 2019, I saw Paula Abdul and it was a great time. It was also during that visit that I last ate at the Wicked Spoon, my favorite dining experience in Vegas.

So, I’ve already got my trip planned, I just don’t know the dates yet — win big on the slots, bottomless mimosa brunch at the Wicked Spoon, see Kylie and maybe another show, and come home to my crazy pug, Xanadu!

JACKIE KENNEDY & CLINT HILL

Secret Service agent Clint Hill was on First Lady Jackie Kennedy’s detail on that fateful day in November 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

He worked for five presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Gerald Ford.

Once he retired from the Secret Service in the mid-1970s, he kept his silence about the Kennedy assassination.

However, he started writing books with Lisa McCubbin (now his wife) in 2012. He’s now written four books.

I went on a Clint Hill reading spree, but I didn’t read them in order. I’d highly recommend them all. They’re very informative and easy to read. If you want gossip and dirt, you won’t find it.

I read them in this order: “Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford” (2016); Five Days in November (2013); “Mrs. Kennedy and Me” (2012), and “My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy” (2022).

Some stories overlap, but you still learn new things.

“THE DIPLOMAT”

Now that Hollywood writers and actors are on strike, we have the chance to binge watch shows we’ve been wanting to check out.

I just finished the first season of “The Diplomat” on Netflix with Keri Russell (“The Americans”). She picked up an Emmy nomination in the Best Actress Drama category.

Kate Wyler (Russell) and her husband, Hal (Rufus Sewell) are both career diplomats. She is sent to U.K. to smooth over an international crises –a British aircraft carrier was bombed in the Persian Gulf killing 41 service members. Iran is the main suspect.

What she doesn’t know is that she was chosen instead of her husband because the American president is wanting Kate’s profile raised because he’s going to replace his vice-president with her.

And, I absolutely loved every scene with the very stunning and sexy Austin Dennison, the U.K. Foreign Secretary (David Gyasi) and his sister, Cecilia (T’Nia Miller).

Oh, by the way, who tailors his suits? Peachy! 🙂

“The Diplomat” was renewed for a second season.

GRADE: B

“THE NIGHT AGENT”

This was a very enjoyable and action-packed political thriller.

Sexy Gabriel Basso was easy to watch over the ten episodes and the show has a great creative force behind it, Shawn Ryan (“The Shield”).

Basso plays Peter Sutherland, Jr., an FBI agent working at the White House as a Night Action telephone operator. He answers the phone for “Night Agents” — undercover agents and spies for the government.

One night a call comes in that exposes a major conspiracy inside the White House.

“The Night Agent” was renewed for a second season.

GRADE: B+

“NOT THAT FANCY”

Just in time for my birthday in early October, Reba McEntire will be releasing her new book, “Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots” (October 6th). An album will accompany that book.

The album will be acoustic versions of some Reba’s biggest hits.

It’ll also feature 3 new classic stripped-down songs that have never been released. It’ll also feature a brand new song, “Seven Minutes in Heaven.”

Since I didn’t buy Reba’s 2021 triple CD “Revived Remixed Revisited”, maybe I’ll get this one.

I really wish Reba would release a new CD of all new music.

However, after country radio totally ignored her incredible Grammy Award-nominated, “Stronger Than The Truth” album in 2019, why would she put out another album of new material — except for fans!

“THE HAMMER”

I should have seen the red flags flying when “A Lifetime Original Movie” popped up on the screen.

While I enjoyed Reba on season three of ABC’s “Big Sky” as Sunny Barnes, this one is worth skipping — unless you just want to see Reba and Melissa Peterman (Barbara Jean on the “Reba” TV series).

GRADE: C

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony