Random Friday Thoughts — April 16, 2021

The weekend is upon us and I hope you have fantastic plans.

I’m working part of it, but will make the most of it!

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

AGATHA CHRISTIE

Okay, I’ll kick off with an astounding statistic that might blow your mind! (There’s a theme here for me to kick off with a writer that’s been dead for 45 years, the same year her last novel, “Sleeping Murder”, came out.)

English writer Agatha Christie, who’s mostly known for her 66 detective novels, has had more than 2 billion (that’s with a “B”) copies of her work published!!!

In 2019 alone, she moved 2 million copies!!!

She’s only been outsold by the Bible and the works of William Shakespeare!

Jokingly, some could say that “fiction sells”! 🙂

ARMIE HAMMER

34-year-old Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award nominee Armie Hammer is still under investigation for sexual assault by the Los Angeles Police Department.

This comes after multiple women came forward earlier this year about abuse they had allegedly experienced during relationships with Hammer.

His wife of ten years, Elizabeth Chambers, announced their separation in the summer of 2020 — before the allegations surfaced.

He’s now been dropped by his talent agency and his publicist is no longer with him. He’s also been fired/dropped out of several new movies, including one with Jennifer Lopez.

If that sexual assault allegations weren’t bad enough, texts with “disturbing sexual fantasies” involving cannibalism surfaced!

“DEATH ON THE NILE”

So, what does this mean for the blockbuster release of the Kenneth Branagh-directed movie, “Death on the Nile”, which Hammer co-stars alongside Gal Gadot (“Wonder Woman”), Annette Benning (“The Kids Are All Right”), and Branagh?

The movie opening has already been delayed, at least, six times.

It was originally scheduled for December 20, 2019, and was pushed back to October 9, 2020. Then with COVID-19, it was pushed back to September 17, 2021.

Last month, it was rescheduled once again to February 11, 2022! And, I’d bet money this was due to the Hammer scandal!

COSTLY SCANDAL SOLUTION

What I think will happen is that unless Hammer’s role is a major one, his scenes will be re-shot this summer with a new actor.

This happened with Kevin Spacey in “All The Money in the World”.

After his sex/rape scandal, his scenes were re-shot with the late Christopher Plummer. Plummer earned an Oscar nomination for his performance.

If you don’t remember the story, gay actor Anthony Rapp, a star of Broadway’s “Rent” and the CBS All Access’ series, “Star Trek Discovery”, alleges that back in 1986, then 26-year-old Spacey invited him to a party at his Manhattan apartment, when Rapp was only 14!

Rapp told “Buzzfeed” Spacey tried to seduce him and that “I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually”.

It was then that Rapp says that Spacey “sort of stood in the doorway, kind of swaying. My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk … He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don’t, like, squirm away initially, because I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ And then he lays down on top of me.”

Spacey’s career disintegrated and he was written out of the final season of “House of Cards”. I absolutely loved that show and would still watch it again with Spacey, but it would a little cringy.

However, my main draw to the show was always Robin Wright as Claire Underwood.

“CALL ME BY YOUR NAME”

Now, with Hammer, I’m torn because the LGBTQ+ classic “Call Me By Your Name” with Hammer and Timothee Chalamet was my favorite movie of 2018!

I know I’ll still watch it, but just like listening to the music of Michael Jackson, I still do it. It just adds creepiness to it!

MOVING ON!

THEY SAID WHAT???

GEORGE H.W. BUSH (then Republican National Committee Chairman, in his August 6, 1974, diary entry three days before President Nixon resigned, on President Ford and President Nixon): “this era of tawdry, shabby, lack of morality has got to end… I will take Ford’s decency over Nixon’s toughness because what we need at this juncture in our history is a certain sense of morality and a certain sense of decency.”

LEGENDARY DIRECTOR MARTIN SCORSESE (about Glenn Close, who was recommended to play Tony Montana’s (Al Pacino) mistress in “Scarface” by Oliver Stone in his book, “Chasing The Light”: “She’s got a face like a horse!”

Um, WTF? Glenn Close is beautiful! Well, definitely not in “Hillbilly Elegy”! 🙂

Darren Franich (in The Bullseye “Entertainment Weekly” March 2021): “‘Clarice’ is a ‘Silence of the Lambs’ spin-off about… who cares, ‘Hannibal’ is on Netflix.”

“JUSTIFIED”

I just finished binge watching the 2010-2015 FX series, “Justified”, with Timothy Olyphant, and absolutely loved it!

It’s tells the story of U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Olyphant) having to go back to his home state of Kentucky in the Appalachian Mountains as punishment for shooting a Miami thug in a questionable manner. (Givens has his own set of justice that doesn’t set well with his bosses!)

I’ve had the biggest crush on Olyphant since I saw him in Greg Berlanti’s 2000 LGBTQ movie, “The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy”.

His character, Dennis, did have major flaws though — he wasn’t into commitment, he definitely got around, AND, worst of all, he hated the Carpenters! 🙂

Fast forward ten years or so –this is how you rock your 40s (from “Justified”)!

And, there’s been industry buzz that the team behind the series may be bringing it back in some form with the Emmy-nominated Olyphant rumored to be coming back!

Final note: if you want to see a more comical side of Olyphant, he was amazing in the three seasons of the Netflix’s comedy “Santa Clarita Diet” with Drew Barrymore.

BEWARE OF HARLAN COUNTY

Since much of “Justified” took place around Harlan County, Kentucky, “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive” was featured prominently in five of the six season finales. (Only season three didn’t use it.)

It’s an amazing and haunting song. Brad Paisley’s version from his 2001 album, “Part II” is amazing and was used in the season one and season two finales.

However, my favorite version of the song is by Patty Loveless from her 2001 album, “Mountain Soul”.

“HIS VERY BEST, JIMMY CARTER, A LIFE”

Final comments from Jonathan Adler’s must read 2020 biography…

Nine months before Islamic Revolution “students” seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, on November 4, 1979, and kept 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, they briefly took over the embassy nine months earlier on Valentine’s Day, but released them!

President Carter sensed allowing the exiled Shah of Iran to stay in the U.S. could cause Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini and his radicals to take over the embassy again. In March 1979, President Carter asked his Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, “What are you guys going to advice me to do if they overrun our embassy and take our people hostage?”

After the Soviets invaded Afghanistan over Christmas 1979, it led a longshoreman group’s members to refuse to load ships with grain headed to the Soviet Union. While high ranking officials in Carter’s administration was behind a grain embargo, Rosalynn (Jimmy’s wife and one his closest advisors) and Vice President Walter Mondale was opposed.

President Carter went along with it and that decision was later compared to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. When Johnson signed that into law, it turned the Democratic South “red” (Republican) just as the embargo did for the farm belt states!

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 9, 2021

Easter is now behind us, so there’s no doubt that spring is here! However, it’s still snowing across parts of country.

So, here’s my last thought on winter 2020-2021!

Don’t get me wrong. Summer is my least favorite season. I just thought it was funny.

With warmer weather settling in across the country, more and more activities will take us outdoors, so I appreciate you taking the time to check out my random thoughts!

BEING A LITTLE PERSONAL

My friends, thank you for the wonderful feedback and messages last week!

Instead of “Random Friday Thoughts”, I shared a rather personal blog about my life, some challenges and disappointments, and a look toward the future.

For those that took time to read it and share in my life, I appreciate it.

If you didn’t get a chance, here it is. (If you click on the link, it SHOULD open in a new window, so you won’t lose your place in this week’s blog!)

If it doesn’t, you can always hit the back arrow once you read it and you’re back to today’s blog. (Word Press changed that. It used to be simpler!)

https://anthonypeoples.wordpress.com/2021/04/02/feelings-as-i-look-to-the-future/

SPIKE IN COVID-19 CASES

While better than it was earlier this year, we’re now seeing a spike in Covid-19 cases.

I guess that doesn’t really come as a surprise following spring break. But, I don’t think that is the only reason.

I know people are getting a little too comfortable or lazy!

Last week, I stopped at a convenient store in my hometown of Mayfield, Kentucky, and the store was very busy.

One employee was wearing a mask, but the others were not. The only three customers that were wearing masks were me, my sister, and her boyfriend!!!

You can’t tell me that everyone in there was fully vaccinated!

Come on people, let’s get most of the country (and the world) vaccinated before we become complacent and comfortable!

MY OSCAR PICK FOR “BEST ACTRESS”

The Academy Awards show is now just weeks away and the only category that I’ve seen all of the nominees is “Best Actress”. (Does that shock you with my affinity to women in entertainment?) 🙂

We’ve all heard the old saying about saving the best for last and in this case, it’s true.

I absolutely love Viola Davis (“How To Get Away With Murder”) and I’d watch her read a phone book and Vanessa Kirby (“The Crown”) deserved the nomination based on the first 24 minutes of her movie. These were the first two of the nominees I saw and I was leaning toward Davis.

Then, I saw Frances McDormand, who is just too amazing in everything she does, and Andra Day as Billie Holiday the same weekend. Day was my pick and it was a contest between her and Davis for my vote, until….

I saw Carey Mulligan in “Promising Young Woman”. I was mesmerized by her performance and I loved the downer of a movie. I can’t wait to see it again!

So my pick for Best Actress is Carey Mulligan!

“Promising Young Woman” is up for four other Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

In a recent blog, I gave the movie an “A”!

“LIFE ITSELF: A MEMOIR”

I really enjoyed reading film critic Roger Ebert’s 2011 autobiography, “Life Itself: A Memoir”.

Some of things I learned is that he’s from Central Illinois (Urbana) and went to college at the University of Illinois (Champaign) before moving away to work at the “Chicago Sun-Times”.

While they often disagreed and would get into very heated debates, he was very close to his longtime work partner Gene Siskel. He says that Siskel was very private with his health condition when he became ill and then died.

After discovering cancer from the 1980s had come back in 2006, Ebert believed he had himself to blame for his three failed surgeries that disfigured his face causing him never to eat, drink, or talk again.

(I won’t say why in case you want to read the book. All I’ll say is that he didn’t take the medical advice he likely should have!)

Ebert died in April 2013.

I definitely want to see the 2014 documentary about Ebert’s life.

FRIDAY FLASHBACK

For some reason, “Forget Me Nots” popped into my head earlier this week.

It was Patrice Rushen’s only Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached #23 in the summer of 1982 and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

The song fared much better on the R&B (#5) and Dance charts (#2).

In her career, she accumulated eight hits on the dance charts and seven on the R&B charts.

“HIS VERY BEST, JIMMY CARTER, A LIFE”

More from the amazing 2020 biography by Jonathan Adler…

President Carter changed the role of Vice President. Before Carter, it was basically a useless role — other than becoming the leader of the free world in the case of the president died or became incapacitated.

But, President Carter made Vice President Walter Mondale’s role real. He invited him into meetings, gave him real responsibilities, and valued his opinions.

At a farewell dinner before President Carter left office in 1981, Mondale said, “Never once did you put me down. Never once did you fail to treat me with dignity.” He made a toast and added, “We told the truth. We obeyed the law. We kept the peace.”

And, once Carter visited Camp David in Maryland, just outside of Washington D.C., he spent almost one-quarter of his presidency there — basically every other weekend and prolonged holidays. (However, this was a working “White House”, unlike Mar-a-Lago!)

“TYRANT”

If you’re missing “Homeland” and want a new Middle Eastern drama, I enjoyed this three-season series.

I saw season one a few years ago and then real life got in the way. Recently, I found it on Hulu, so I decided to check watch it in its entirety.

It tells the story of Barry, who lives in the U.S. with his wife and two teenagers, as they return to his Middle East country for a wedding. This is his first time back since leaving as a teenager.

Adam Rayner (Bassam “Barry” Al-Fayeed) and Moran Atias (Leila Al-Fayeed) are my favorite characters in the series and they’re both DDG (drop dead gorgeous)!

I loved the addition of Melia Kreiling (Daliyah Al-Yazbek) in seasons two and three.

Warning: I got the feeling that the season 3 finale was shot as a season finale and not a series finale since it was not renewed for a fourth season.

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Feelings As I Look To The Future

It’s now spring and with more and more people getting the COVID-19 vaccination, there’s the promise of a new day (Hey Paula Abdul!)!

I’m ready to put this miserable pandemic behind us! I’m also finding myself being more reflective to the future rather than being retrospective! Is that even possible for me????

This is me looking out at the world — actually looking down at a koi pond from from my hotel room in Xi’an, China, in 2016!

Since moving to Decatur April 1, 2020, (happy one year anniversary!) I’ve spent much of my time away from work reading books while walking 12-16 miles each day. While walking and reading gives me a chance to expand my knowledge and keeps me healthy, I do it mostly to keep from thinking!

I’ve always thought too much and I think about many things at the same time.

Even lately, my attention span to binge watching television series and watch movies has diminished because I feel I should be walking and reading.

However, this obsession is also keeping me from gaining weight and is helping me stay on the wagon from my eating disorder. While bulimia is a daily fight I’ll wage until the day I die, I’m happy to say it has been in check for a year now! 🙂

The only concern I have now is that one obsessive destructive disorder (bulimia) is being replaced by another obsessive compulsive disorder (exercise and burning off more calories than I consume)!

One day, I may find a balance!

(Speaking of balance — a balance beam — this is one of my 1980s crushes — Olympic gold medalist Mitch Gaylord. Please tell me I’m not the only one that went to see his movie acting debut in “American Anthem”!)

Outside of work, which I absolutely love — my schedule is amazing and it’s great to get to do what I enjoy — I have no life. Sadly, while I can blame COVID-19 for that for the past year, this started in 2017 when my former life crumbled and I left the Quad Cities.

In the year I was Panama City, Florida, I didn’t go on one date!

However, I was fortunate to make three incredible friends: Diane, from my apartment complex, and Gerard and Cathy, who started the Panama City PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) chapter.

After that, I spent two years in Duluth, Minnesota. I was forced (joking) to go out to the two gay bars in Superior, Wisconsin, one time with my crazy colleague, Dan. I had a great time.

Yet, it was Katie, my evening newscast director, and her mother, Mary Kaye, and Kass, one of my neighbors, who became my three dearest friends there.

I spent both of my Thanksgivings and Christmases in Duluth feasting with Katie and Mary Kaye (and Duke, the golden retriever).  We also made it a point to have each other over for Saturday night dinners almost monthly.

And, Kass regularly hosted cocktail hour at her place for the two of us to enjoy each other’s company and talk over a drink (or two)!

Back to the point — since leaving the Quad Cities in May 2017, I’ve gone on two dates and both were in the summer and fall of 2018 in Duluth! That’s two dates in almost four years!

Two words sum it up — sad and pathetic!

If the dates with Brian had moved toward a relationship, it would have been nice. While it didn’t, a great friendship developed!

To quote the iconic Donna Summer, “in another place and time”!

LIVING ALONE, BUT NOT LONELY

A very dear friend, now in her late-70s, lost her husband when she was around my age now. While her kids were grown and she had small grandchildren, she never dated again and never even thought about it.

She summed it up jokingly (or half-jokingly), “I’m too old to train another one!” 🙂

So, this a rhetorical question. Again, don’t answer!

Is it bad to only be 56-years-old and want to give up on meeting someone and forge ahead into another possible relationship?

At the same time, while we can’t turn back time (only Cher can do that) and start over, I’m not sure I want to give up on the possibility of meeting someone new!

Although the dating scene has changed so much with apps (and not for the better), there’s a part of me that does want to go out on dates again!

It might be fun again getting to know someone and share dinners, wine, and champagne and listen to Sade!

I’ll close out with Donna Summer again from that beautiful and unappreciated 1990 album with “Love’s About To Change My Heart”!

I’m just ready to live again — post-divorce and post-COVID-19!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — March 26, 2021

Spring is here and it’s hard to believe we’re down to the last few days of March!

Make the most of your weekend and thank you for checking out my random thoughts.

COVID-19 VACCINATIONS

As we head into the second year of the Coronavirus pandemic, I’m so excited that 14.1% of Americans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

In Illinois, that number is at 14.5%!

And, more than one in four (26.8%) Illinoisans have had at least one dose.

Earlier this week, I joined that group with the Moderna vaccine!!! (One shot down and one shot to go in April!)

Sadly, in the United States, there are more than 30 million reported cases of COVID-19 with 545-thousand-plus deaths!

REMEMBERING GARRY BOWIE

While that death toll rate is staggering and in any situation, one death is one death too many, I want to take a moment to remember Garry Bowie.

Like most of you, I didn’t know of the LGBTQ activist until he died in early April 2020 from COVID-19.

As the former executive director of Long Beach AIDS Foundation, Garry worked tirelessly helping people fight HIV and AIDS in the Greater Long Beach and Los Angeles areas.

What makes his death even more heartbreaking is that he was one of the longest living survivors of the AIDS epidemic. He was diagnosed with HIV in 1983, back when having HIV (and AIDS) was pretty much a death sentence!

Garry was 59.

“THE GREAT BELIEVERS”

I just read the most amazing book, 2018’s “The Great Believers” by Rebecca Makkai and it fits in perfectly with the previous thought.

It tells the story of how the AIDS epidemic decimated Chicago’s gay community in the early-1980s. While fiction, it felt so real — especially if you or your friends lived through that era watching your friends die.

Makkai’s story is so well researched and touching. It had you rooting for characters that you knew were doomed by the “gay cancer” and President Ronald Reagan’s blind eye.

The book isn’t just about a group of friends dying and struggling to stay alive in 1985 Chicago. It also takes you to 2015 Paris and ties the two stories and timelines together!

As a former Chicago transplant (I lived there two years in the 1990s and two more years in the early-2000s), it was fun hearing the names of places I hadn’t thought about in years (Nookie’s and Ann Sather).

Amy Poehler is adapting the book into a television series. I can’t wait to see who is cast as Yale, my favorite character. As I was reading it, I could definitely see Yale in my younger self!

“The Great Believers” is the best fiction book I read in the past year!

SPRING & SUMMER BBQS

On a lighter note…

It’s time to start firing up those grills, so remember the rules for wine pairings.

While it’s recommended you serve white wine with chicken and fish and red with beef, here’s how it used to be! 🙂

“PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN”

What an incredible movie and it’s now at Redbox!

The dark comedy/drama is up for five Oscars: “Best Picture”, “Best Actress” (Carey Mulligan), Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

Mulligan is fantastic in this compelling and heartbreaking movie with a very strong #MeToo message.

It features an all-star cast, including Connie Britton (her one scene is powerful).

GRADE: A

“9-1-1: LONE STAR”

After finding this season’s 16 episodes of “9-1-1” and “9-1-1: Lone Star” on my DVR, I binge watched all eight episodes of the new season of each show, which were amazing.

And, WOW, the last 3 minutes of the winter finale of “9-1-1: Lone Star” brought tears to my eyes and it ended on a shocking out-of-nowhere cliffhanger!

While diversity is a staple of series from Ryan Murphy, I have to hand it to “Lone Star” for probably being one of the most diverse.

There’s a Muslim woman, a transgender man (trans women make up most of the few transgender characters on television), a Cuban woman, two Hispanic men, and then there’s Rob Lowe! 🙂

Also, in the main cast, you have two gay men (one white and one Hispanic) and they’re beautiful together.

MORE JIMMY CARTER

Last week, I sang high praises for Jonathan Alter’s 2020 biography, “His Very Best, Jimmy Carter, A Life”. I also shared a few things I didn’t already know.

Today, I’m sharing a few more tidbits:

Freshman Delaware Senator Joseph Biden, then 33, was the first Senator to endorse Jimmy Carter in his presidential run in early 1976.

John Hinckley Jr., who was obsessed with actress Jodie Foster, planned to assassinate President Carter in the fall of 1980 to impress her.

In September, he followed the president to Dallas and even shook his hand in Dayton, Ohio! But, he had decided that he’d kill President Carter in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 9th. (For the record, but not from this book, Hinckley was arrested at the airport in Nashville for possession of three firearms hours after President Carter arrived there!)

But, the book says that Hinckley had already decided that Carter would lose the 1980 presidential election, so he changed his mind to kill future President Ronald Reagan. He attempted that in March 1981!

Finally, famous celebrity chef and TV star Ina Garten (“Barefoot Contessa”) was an analyst in the Office of Management and Budget in the Carter administration to study nuclear weapons!!!

ONE MORE THING ABOUT INA GARTEN

“Southern Living” says Garten always keeps these three things in her freezer: vodka, vanilla ice cream, and bread!

Those are definitely three of my favorites! (Well, I love flavored ice cream and flavored vodka!)

ONLY NINE MONTHS AWAY!

The countdown is on to Christmas!

It’s only nine months away and this spring, Reba McEntire is getting into the holiday spirit by shooting a Lifetime Christmas movie!

The movie is tentatively titled, “Christmas In Tune”, and will feature a new Reba song.

Here’s the plotline from the press release: “Christmas In Tune tells the story of Belle, a marketing executive who is worried she may lose her job.  She decides to reunite a singing duo for a charity Christmas concert in order, but the problem is — the singers are actually her parents and they have not spoken to each other in years! Soon the at-odds couple is helping Belle get her life in order and she begins her own romantic duet with the new man in her life.”

“THIS IS JUST MY FACE: TRY NOT TO STARE”

This is the 2017 autobiography from Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe (“Precious”).

Things I learned from Gabourey:

False reports of her death started on Facebook and then spread to other outlets. About Facebook, she wrote, “You know, that social-media site you use to spy on your ex and find out at election time which of your family members are racist.”

She’s funny as hell and shares many hilarious stories!

At one point she talked about “a girl like me”. Whatever you do, don’t mistakenly think about her being fat or black. She won’t take fat-shaming sitting down or hesitate calling you a racist!

She responds, “Fat-shaming racists make me sick! Just kidding.” You know she’s kidding, right? (Well, personally, my ex used to tell me, “there’s a little bit of truth to your jokes!”)

Sidibe is very serious about calling it like it is, whether you can handle it or not!

At one point in the book, she told of the time she was having a “poor-off” with a really handsome guy that she didn’t know well and she made the comment, “Oh, yeah? Your family ever wait in line for government cheese?”

This really made me laugh!

My personal story: We were very poor growing up, but we didn’t have to wait in line for our government cheese. That’s because my aunt volunteered at the hand-outs and brought ours to us! 🙂

And, let me tell you, it was the best damn cheese I had until I tried international cheeses in my later adult life! 🙂

One other thing that Gabourey and I have in common: we’re both recovering bulimics.

SPEAKING OF…

March 31, 2021, marks my one-year anniversary of being back on the wagon after falling off in the 2019 holiday season through late March 2020!

One year later and one day at a time, it’s a struggle. But, I’m winning!

“PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN” SOUNDTRACK

The soundtrack is phenomenal!

The first song in the movie, “Boys (DROELOE remix) by Charli XCX is so much fun!

It also features a very different remake of “It’s Raining Men” from DeathbyRomy and a very haunting instrumental version of Britney Spears’ “Toxic”.

And, in a very cute romantic scene in a store, Paris Hilton’s “Stars Are Blind” is played. Am I one of the few that absolutely disliked Hilton, but loved that song???

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — March 19, 2021

As I post this Friday morning, it’s the last day of winter across the Northern Hemisphere!

If you read this after Saturday morning at 4:37 a.m. Central time, it’s spring!

So, to honor spring since I’m not in Las Vegas to enjoy it in person, here’s the view of a beautiful hummingbird in the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. This is always a must-see when I’m in Vegas!

Thank you for taking the time to check out my random thoughts and feel free to share yours, too. If we disagree, do it diplomatically!

THANK YOU, 45!

In an NPR/NewsHour/Marist survey earlier this month, 30% of those polled said they WOULD NOT get the COVID-19 vaccination! While that number may surprise you, it’s down from 44% last September.

Less surprising, of those surveyed that say NO to the vaccination, 49% were Republican men and 47% supported Donald Trump in 2020!

After growing calls for him to speak out in support of the COVID-19 vaccination, on Tuesday, Trump said, “I would recommend it, and I would recommend it to a lot of people that don’t want to get it.”

He went on to say, “But, you know, again, we have our freedoms and we have to live by that, and I agree with that also… But it’s a great vaccine, it’s a safe vaccine, and it’s something that works.”

I’ll take what little he gives to get more Americans vaccinated!

SUMS UP LIFE & NEW STIMULUS CHECKS

I saw this on Twitter and Facebook and I laughed. I kept laughing, so I wouldn’t cry!

Don’t get me wrong! I’ve always been gay and I’m a proud gay man that’s accomplished everything I’ve wanted to in life. It’s not that. 🙂

However, the part about not crying is that I personally know people that are racking up a small fortune with each stimulus check and are not working. They’re basically choosing NOT to work!

Case in point — a married couple with four kids gets $8,400 with the latest stimulus check. So, for some, why work? The sad thing is, other than a roof over their head, the kids are not even benefiting from it!

While I know there are so many people that NEED this money AND I’m happy they’re getting it, I also know that aid packages throughout our government’s history have countless flaws and abusers, too!

Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox!

FUNNY DVR STORY

I was just talking to my colleagues about cable being included in my rent, so all I pay the cable provider for is internet and DVR.

I said that I should drop DVR because I never use it. The last program I recorded was the CNN special about Jimmy Carter being a rock & roll president.

So, last week, I clicked on my recorded shows to see if it was still there. I was pleasantly surprised to find 41 episodes of “9-1-1”, “9-1-1: Lone Star”, “Prodigal Son”, “Snowpiercer”, and “The Good Doctor” waiting for me to watch!

Those are shows that I had programmed last spring to record, so it recorded the new episodes of this season!

I’ve watched the first seven episodes of the new season of “9-1-1” and the first five episodes of “9-1-1: Lone Star” season two and both series are excellent this season!

“HIS VERY BEST, JIMMY CARTER, A LIFE”

This 2020 biography by Jonathan Alter was amazing! Even if you’ve read Carter’s books or biographies about the 39th president, this one is a must read!

Three things I learned that I didn’t already know about my idol:

He and Berry Gordy, Jr., the founder of Motown, share the same great-great grandfather; he wore his wristwatch face down because when he was in the Navy that’s how he’d see the time holding onto a periscope; and he doesn’t like contractions! (That’s one thing I disagree with President Carter! I love contractions (and exclamation points!!!!) 🙂

During his four-year presidency, President Carter appointed 262 federal judges, more than any other president. Of those, 55 were people of color and 40 women (five times more than all of the presidents before him — COMBINED!)

One of those was Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who became a Supreme Court Justice under President Bill Clinton in 1993. (In his four years, Carter didn’t get a chance to place anyone on the Supreme Court.)

When asked after joining the Supreme Court if she always wanted to be a judge, RBG replied, “My answer is that it just wasn’t in the realm of the possible until Jimmy Carter became president and was determined to draw on the talent of all the people, not just some of them.”

LILLIAN CARTER FUNNY

This is still one of my favorite stories about President Carter’s mother Lillian.

When running for president, Carter said he would not lie. When pressed on that statement, his mother, Lillian, said the family may tell “white lies”. The female reporter asked her to define a “white lie”.

Lillian responded, “Remember when you knocked on the door and I went to the door and said I was glad to see you?”

“ALL THE WOMEN I AM”

Last weekend, on YouTube, Reba released her 2011 “All The Women I Am” concert from the Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana, from that November.

I saw the show when it passed through the Quad Cities, in Moline, Illinois, a month earlier.

Since the concert is no longer available on YouTube, here’s my video of her last solo #1 hit, “Turn On The Radio”, from that show.

“KILLING EVE” — LITERALLY!

The fourth season of the incredible, award-winning AMC spy series, “Killing Eve” will be its last!

Earlier this week, it was announced production on the eight episodes will begin this summer and will air in 2022.

However, AMC added that there a “number of spin-off ideas” being developed.

Let’s hope the one they choose is all about Villanelle/Oksana Astankova (Jodie Comer)!

ENTERTAINMENT SPATS

In its October 2020 Fall TV Preview issue, “Entertainment Weekly” featured some of the best spats in entertainment.

My favorite was the love-hate relationship (mostly hate) between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.

It was no secret that these two icons hated each other. It started in 1935 when Crawford married Davis’ love!

When they were making 1962’s “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane”, there’s a scene when Davis had to carry Crawford up the stairs. It’s been reported that Crawford wore weights on her legs to make herself heavier for Davis to carry!!!

Davis once said that Crawford “slept with every male star at MGM — except Lassie.”

And, in 1977, when Crawford died, Davis supposedly said, “You should never say any bad things about the dead, you should only say good. Joan Crawford is dead. Good!”

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — March 12, 2021

Spring is inching closer and next week, the Irish and those just wanting to eat corned beef and cabbage and drink green beer will be celebrating.

Since beer isn’t really my thing, here’s a flashback picture from my August 2013 Cancun trip of my favorite drink (green).

Not sure if it had a name, but it was a heavy pour of Smirnoff Vodka, melon liquor, a splash of sour mix topped off with a little blended (not frozen) pina colada.  It was incredible! 

Thank you for taking the time check out my random thoughts. Feel free to share yours, too!

Oh, back to that picture — how did get so old in the past eight years? That’s rhetorical. Don’t answer!

TIRED, LAZY MORNING NETWORK NEWS

For morning network news shows, “Breaking News” is so five minutes ago! (CNN still uses it in overkill!)

The new tired cliché is “Bombshell”! Stop now! (Unless, of course, you’re talking about the movie about Megyn Kelly, Roger Ailes, and Fox News!)

Let’s get beyond this. If you have an interview and someone says something you didn’t know, while newsworthy, that’s called “reporting”!

Case in point — earlier this week, all three morning shows, “Today”, “Good Morning America”, and “CBS This Morning” were all talking about the Harry and Meghan interview with Oprah Winfrey. And, all three had a chyron with the word “Bombshell” in it at the same time!

I’m not a fan of the Royal family (except on “The Crown”), nor do I care about Meghan Markle’s life. (I agree that some of the things she discussed bears further discussion. Otherwise, I could care less about her life in that family!)

It’s NOT a “BOMBSHELL“ in the 2020s to learn that British Royal Family is mean. Google “royal family”+”Lady Diana”!

To quote Ariana Grande, “thank u, next”!

AND, THE CATEGORY IS “SADNESS”!

One of my favorite shows is coming to an end! 😦

The upcoming third season of the critically acclaimed and fan favorite FX series, “Pose”, will be its last!

The cutting edge drama’s final season premieres May 2, 2021.

The networks says this season will take place in 1994.

“Entertainment Weekly” reports that Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) is struggling a balancing act of being a mother, being in love, and being a nurse’s aide.

Also, from “EW”, “the AIDS crisis becomes the leading cause of death for Americans aged 25-44, and Pray Tell [Emmy winner Billy Porter] grapples with his related health burdens — all while the rise of a fresh, new house forces the Evangelistas to consider their own legacy.”

As Pray Tell says, “THE CATEGORY IS LIVE.WORK.POSE.“

“I CARE A LOT”

This Netflix black comedy is incredible!

It’s the story of Marla Grayson, a con artist who makes a living by convincing judges that many of her “clients” are not competent enough to take care of themselves and she’s awarded guardianship.

It freaked me out a bit because this can happen even without YOU being present in court!

Anyway, I thought, how can this con be sustained over two hours? Well, that happens when they choose a “cherry”, an older person with a lot of money and no family interference, that really isn’t who they think she is.

Rosamund Pike is incredible as the icy, conniving Marla. She won the Golden Globe this year in the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical category. It’s a well-deserved win!

Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”) was incredible, too, but I really didn’t need to see him naked! (Oops, spoiler alert!)

GRADE: B+

CISSY HOUSTON

Last month, I talked about Cissy Houston and her 2013 book, “Remembering Whitney: My Story of Love, Loss, and the Night the Music Stopped”.

I had no desire to read the book because of her reaction to Oprah Winfrey while she was promoting it.

In the interview, Oprah read an excerpt that implied Whitney may have had a relationship with her assistance, Robyn Crawford, and she asked Cissy, “Would it have bothered you if your daughter, Whitney, was gay?” and she replied,  “Absolutely.”

I avoided the book for eight years because of her close-minded response, but in February, I wrote, “After reading Robyn’s book [“A Song For You: My Life With Whitney Houston”], I’m going to read Cissy’s book, even if I cringe through it — to see if she mentions the gay rumors!”

Well, I read it and she didn’t spend much time talking about Robyn and Whitney and the details of their intimate (or not) relationship. She made no bones about disliking Robyn.

Actually, she spent most of the book talking about herself! It was basically a Cissy Houston biography with details about her daughter.

Yes, she felt she didn’t do enough to help Whitney, but the book was empty and I spent much of the time reading it and wishing I hadn’t. I didn’t care for Cissy Houston before reading the book and I definitely care for her less after it!

I’ll stop now because I’m keeping my honest, unkind thoughts to myself. If you haven’t read it, DON’T!

“A SONG FOR YOU: MY LIFE WITH WHITNEY HOUSTON”

Crawford’s book was much better, more honest, much more in touch. If you want to know the real Whitney, read this one instead of Cissy’s book!

MY THIRD FAVORITE WHITNEY HOUSTON SONG

MY SECOND FAVORITE WHITNEY HOUSTON SONG

MY FAVORITE WHITNEY HOUSTON SONG

NEED TO BUY A HOUSE AND INSTALL THIS

“YEAH, I SAID IT”

Comedian Wanda Sykes’ 2004 book, “Yeah, I Said It”, is so hilarious.

She definitely needs to follow it with another one just like it!

While she takes many shots at then-President George W. Bush and the Iraqi War, she also ranted about his predecessor, Bill Clinton.

I won’t quote all that she said about Clinton (whom she supported, but still called him an “idiot” and that she was “disappointed by him”) because it’s a few pages long and very adult in nature. 🙂

About Clinton lying and then recanting his story about his sexual encounters with Monica Lewinsky once they pulled out the blue dress, Sykes says, “A little DNA. Bill’s not smart. They had DNA, blood, a glove, two dead bodies, a limo driver, a barking dog, and O.J. still said, ‘I’m one hundred percent not guilty.’ Stick with the lie.”

And, Lewinsky didn’t escape unscathed. Sykes said the judge should have thrown the case out of court because she kept the dress.

Sykes: “I should throw you in jail for being nasty, Miss Nasty Ass! What else you keep, some old Q-tips and some tissue? How old are those drawers you wearing, Miss Nasty Ass? Bailiff, wipe all this off where she was sitting, too.”

Also included in the 247 pages of hilarity, she also listed the thirteen things you’ll never hear her say!

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — March 5, 2021

Happy March!

Soon, we’ll start seeing budding trees and blooming flowers and bushes!

For much of the country, the weather is finally starting to warm up. I know that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re done with snow and cold yet, but it sure feels nice.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my random thoughts. The first two are a little heavy.

So, if you don’t agree with me and you want to comment, that’s fine. Just do it diplomatically!

KEEP YOUR DAMN HANDS TO YOURSELF!

More sexual misconduct allegations are coming out against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Three women are now accusing him of inappropriate advances.

Sadly, we live in a country where men feel they can do whatever they want — even “grab ’em by the p***y”!

In a culture where the last president of the United States is accused of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment by more than two dozen women, this needs to stop — now!!! Actually, it should never have started!

Men (and women), regardless of profession, unless you’re asked to touch or kiss someone, keep your damn hands and lips to yourself!

“No” means “No”!

And, if you don’t understand printed or verbal words, maybe a song will help you understand better. Here’s the one hit wonder, The Georgia Satellites’ #2 1986 hit, “Keep Your Hands to Yourself”!

BUSINESS AS USUAL IN TEXAS!

Note to self: AVOID TEXAS until I get vaccinated!

Texas Governor Greg Abbott earlier this week announced that the state is lifting its mask mandate.

Texas is now the largest state to end an order intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Additionally, the state will no longer limit the number of diners that can be served indoors!

Even during the worst outbreak of the pandemic, over the past months, restrictions across the Lone Star state were only lightly enforced.

More than 45,000 Texans have been killed by the pandemic and only two states, California and New York, have had more COVID-19 deaths than Texas!

And, what makes this change even more shocking is that over the past two weeks, Texas has seen a 31% increase in the number of daily new cases!!!

After Texas made the announcement, it should come as a shock to no one that Mississippi got on the bandwagon, too, announcing it would be dropping mask restrictions and businesses opening to 100% again!

GOLDEN GLOBES HITS

Last month, I said that season four of the “The Crown”, the award-winning Netflix series, was my absolute favorite. I added, “Even if you haven’t watched the first three seasons, watch this one. You don’t need to see their first three to follow the storyline.”

I guess the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) agrees because “The Crown” was a smash hit at this year’s Golden Globes!

The series won for Best Television Series Drama and my girl crush, Gillian Anderson picked up the Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or TV Movie award as Margaret Thatcher.

Also, sexy Josh O’Connor and Emma Corrin both came away as winners in the Best Actor and Best Actress in a Television Series Drama categories as Prince Charles and Lady Diana.

Sadly, with Corrin’s win, that means Laura Linney, one of my favorite actresses, lost as Ozark’s Wendy Byrde.

DREAMING OF… DEXTER!

After an eight-year absence and that disappointing series finale, America’s favorite, sexy serial killer Dexter Morgan is coming back this fall.

As fans already know, production for the ten-episode, ninth season is underway in New England. While nothing is known about the storyline and what’s happened since they show wrapped in 2013, here’s the sexy new look Dexter is sporting!

Good riddance, 2013 lumberjack Dexter!

While I can’t wait for the new season to debut later this year, I did see Michael C. Hall off-Broadway in January 2015 in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”. It was a fantastic show and he was so damn sexy as the genderqueer East German rocker!

“THE UNITED STATES vs. BILLIE HOLIDAY”

This Hulu original is very compelling, even at over two hours. I never realized how messed up legendary singer Billie Holiday was with her heroin addiction.

Also, just another reason to despise J. Edgar Hoover, it amazes me the lengths the FBI went through to trap and falsely imprison Holiday because she refused to stop singing the controversial song “Strange Fruit”.

Why was it controversial and scared the government so? It focused the spotlight on the lynching of Black people in the South!

Andra Day was amazing as Holiday and won the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Golden Globe last weekend.

GRADE: B+

“NOMADLAND”

This is one of the most critically acclaimed movies of 2020 and will get many Oscar nominations later this month. Ahead of the Golden Globes, I watched it last weekend.

I can’t imagine living the life of a nomad (someone in a community without fixed habitation that regularly moves from place to place), but I can see the freedom of it.

Frances McDormand is excellent and heartbreaking as Fran, who loses her job and her husband. When the town, Empire, closes down, too, she hits the road.

I definitely feel that the movie deserves its Best Picture Drama win at last weekend’s Golden Globes.

While McDormand is excellent in everything she does and I think this role is definitely worthy of an acting nomination, I don’t feel that it deserves the top prize! (I guess the HFPA agrees. Oscar voters may disagree!)

So far, I’ve seen four of the five performances for the Best Actress Drama category for the Golden Globes and I think that Andra Day (“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”), Viola Davis (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), and Vanessa Kirby (“Pieces of a Woman”) all deserved it more.

P.S. I wrote these last two paragraphs before last Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards ceremony!

You can see it on Hulu.

GRADE: B+

MY NIGHT WITH MADELEINE ALBRIGHT

In 1999, while working as a reporter and weathercaster in Youngstown, Ohio, I interviewed Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. (Following 63 old white guys, she became the first woman Secretary of State (1997-2001) during President Bill Clinton’s second administration.)     

Albright was so gracious and kind and, at the time, she was the highest ranking political figure I’d ever met.

I interviewed her about several things, but we focused on Serbian President Slobodan Milošević.

Once I got back to the station, I practiced saying his name over and over so that it’d roll off my tongue easily when I did my live report. It did!

However, I then flubbed a simple English word that followed Milošević’s name! 🙂

“MADAM SECRETARY”

Last summer, I finally got around to reading Albright’s autobiography, “Madam Secretary”.

What an incredible read! Here are a few things I learned:

She was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in May 1937. Her real name is Marie Jana Korbelová.

Her grandmother nicknamed her “Madla” and her mother modified it to “Madlen”, but most of the time she was called “Madlenka”. However, while learning French at the age of ten, she chose “Madeleine”.

Three of her grandparents died in the Holocaust.

One of her favorites treats and something I’d love to try is “Knedliky” — “Czechoslovak fruit dumplings swimming in melted butter, cover with sugar and ground nuts”.

At the age of 40, after earning her Ph.D., she began working in President Jimmy Carter’s office under his National Security Advisory.

Since Albright, there have been two more female Secretary of State — Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

MISSING RIHANNA?

You might not have even thought about it, but I bet it crossed your mind now. 🙂

While her last album was 2016’s “Anti” and she says her new album is complete, there is no release date.

Earlier this week, I heard a new dance song that sounds a lot like Rihanna and I love the lyrics, “I got a bed, but I’d rather be in yours”!

Enjoy the new song from David Guetta with Joel Corry and RAYE! It’s my new favorite right now!

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — February 26, 2021

The shortest month of the year is almost over and that means spring is right around the corner!

Thank you for taking time to check out what I’m thinking about this week!

I always value your opinions even if we disagree. Just do it diplomatically!

DOGNAPPING AND SHOOTING!

UPDATE: A woman brought the two missing dogs into the LAPD’s Olympic station in Koreatown Friday night UNHARMED!

Two of Lady Gaga’s French Bulldogs were stolen and the other one, Asia, escaped after the dog walker was shot in West Hollywood early Wednesday night. 

The 30-year-old victim was taken to a local hospital and CNN reports that he is recovering well.

While they were missing, TMZ reported that Gaga was offering a “no questions” asked $500,000 reward for Koji and Gustav’s safe return!

FORGIVING STUDENT LOANS

Many in Congress want President Joe Biden to cancel up to $50,000 in student debt.student

Biden told a town hall group in mid-February that he was prepared to write off $10,000, but not $50,000.

He added that community colleges should be free and that “any family making under $125,000 whose kids go to a state university they get into, that should be free, as well.”

I’m totally against forgiving $50,000 of debt! Why?

When I went to college and earned my degree in 1989 and I went back to school for three more years in the early-2000s for another certification, I paid for my education both times all by myself. My parents didn’t assist me financially and the government definitely didn’t erase my debt.

And, once I got my degree, it took more than a year (fall 1990) before I was offered a job in my field of study (television news). I wasn’t even able to take that job, which would have only paid a measly $13,000 a year!

After that, it wouldn’t be until the summer of 1996 that I was finally able to start my career. The offer, again, was $13,000!

With that being said, you can see why I have a problem just forgiving student loan debt!

ONE MORE THING…

Did you know that only 1.25 million students were enrolled in college in 1938?

With the G.I. Bill following World War II, nearly 7.8 million of the 16 million veterans that served in the armed forces decided to take advantage of the bill and go to college!

“ARMY OF THE DEAD” IS FINALLY COMING!!!!!!

“Army of the Dead”, Zack Synder’s highly anticipated zombie heist movie, finally has a Netflix release date of May 21st and the first trailer dropped Thursday! I’m so excited because it takes place in my favorite U.S. city!

It follows a group of mercenaries plotting a Las Vegas casino heist during a zombie outbreak. 

The ensemble cast includes Dave Bautista (“Guardians of the Galaxy” series), Garret Dillahunt (“Fear The Walking Dead” and “Justified”), and Raúl Castillo (“Looking”).

While I wouldn’t want it to happen with the real places, it’s fun seeing Planet Hollywood, Paris, and the iconic “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” sign crumble in a disaster flick!

“THE HUNT”

This is the movie that got Republicans and Donald Trump in an uproar — before any of them even saw it!

It’s a very sadistic and crazy survival story!

If you love “The Purge” series, you’ll enjoy it and Betty Gilpin (“Glow”) was amazing.

It was my #11 movie of 2020.

GRADE: B

“MRS. AMERICA”

This nine-episode FX on Hulu miniseries focused on the fight for women’s rights in the early-1970s with an all-star cast.

Uzo Aduba won an Emmy Award for her Shirley Chisholm, the first black candidate for a major party’s nomination for President of the United States.

Cate Blanchett was incredible as the mean, close-minded Phyllis Schlafly. (Her Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations are pending!)

I know it was the ’70s, but I still can’t understand how women (a lot of homemakers) could be against equal rights for women. And, about Schlafly again, it shocks me that she’d be opposed to gay rights with a gay soon. Sadly, she’s not alone. It still happens today!

One complaint I had about the series (unless I missed it somehow), how can you have a series about women’s rights and the ERA and not mention Helen Reddy and “I Am Woman”?

GRADE: B

THEY SAID WHAT???

Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd U.S. President (in 1807): “The appointment of a woman to office is an innovation for which the public is not prepared, nor am I.”

Supreme Court Justice Joseph Bradley (in 1873): “The paramount mission and destiny of women are to fulfill the noble and benign offices of wife and mother. This is the law of the Creator.”

“GROCERY”

All month long, in February, I’ve been sharing fun things from Michael Ruhlman’s awesome 2017 book, “Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America”.

Here are the final mind boggling or interesting things I learned:

Sugar Crisps cereal was introduced in 1949 by Post. It was the first cereal to be covered in sugar and now some cereals are more than 50% sugar!

Frito-Lay started putting 5% fewer chips in the bag and this added as much as $80 million dollars to the company’s bottom line since chips are a $1.6 billion a year business.

Apples are held in vast warehouses filled with oxygen and carbon dioxide, which puts them “to sleep”. When needed, companies “break the room”, thus “if you’re buying a ‘fresh’ American apple in August, it was harvested late last year.”

Between December and May, as much as 90% of fresh domestic tomatoes come from south Florida.

Americans eat 10 billion pounds of cheese each year!

And, one more fun fact!!!!

A 200-pound man uses 30% of his calories to feed his three-pound brain!

STORMY DANIELS BARES IT ALL

“Full Disclosure”, Stormy Daniels’ autobiography, came out in the fall of 2018 to critical success.

What a compelling story!

I’m not talking just about the encounter with Donald Trump and the subsequent threats on her life after her involvement with 45 came out.

From her very painful childhood to working in a strip bar while still a teenager in high school, Daniels is an incredible story teller.

While the book is a great read, her Twitter account is even better and wittier!

And, speaking of that…. In November, I tweeted Stormy to let her know I enjoyed reading her story and she “liked” it!

(By the way, while thunder and lightning are weather terms, it’s also what she calls her boobs!)

“AFTER VISITING FRIENDS: A SON’S STORY”

I just read this 2013 book by “GQ” editor Michael Hainey’s, which tries to find answers about his father’s death.

As a six-year-old, Hainey always believed that his 35-year-old father died of a heart attack in 1970.

However, as an adult, reading the three Chicago newspapers obituaries of his journalist father didn’t add up, so he started inquiring about the mystery decades later.

Great book!

“THE WOMAN WHO LOST HER SOUL”

Bob Shacochis’ 2013 book is fiction, yet it covers five decades of tragedies based on real-life events — rape and murder in World War II Europe as the Germans invaded small countries, murder in the Middle East and Turkey in the 1980s, to destitution in war and hurricane-ravaged Haiti in the 1990s.

It was interesting to see how the story would be weaved together with Haitian voodoo.

The book is a lengthy one at 715 pages and it’s definitely not happy feely with only one semi-redeeming character!

And, I wouldn’t call it a “masterpiece” as is quoted on the cover!

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — February 19, 2021

The weekend is almost here and while we’re still shivering, relief is on the way.

Thank you for taking the time to check out what’s on my mind!

LOVE SNOW, BUT NOT THE COLD!

When I started putting this week’s “Random Friday Thoughts” together, I was going to share a humorous joke about the cold and snow.

However, after two powerful ice and snow storms across Texas that has left millions without power and heat, I put it at the bottom of the blog.

I know we experience power outages across the country when we have severe weather (ice storms, heavy wet snow, tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms), but to this magnitude is mind-blowing.

Come on Texas Governor Greg Abbott, get your act together and help these people.

Stop blaming the failure of renewable energy sources (wind and solar power).

Leave politics out of it for now!

COUNTRY WITH A RAINBOW TWIST

Last week I talked about a racist (or just a drunken, closet racist) country music star that people still want to support financially by buying more of his music than he was selling before his racist slip-up. Well, enough about him!

At basically the same time as this story was blowing up, another country music star was sharing his personal truth in a beautiful way.

While his family and personal friends already knew, 36-year-old T.J. Osborne, the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the country duo Brothers Osborne came out as a proud, gay man.

Big deal, you think, because people are gay! However, in a very ageist, sexist, racist, and homophobic genre, J.T. is the only openly gay artist signed to a major country label!  

Brothers Osborne have charted nine country radio hits, two of which have hit the Top 5 — their 2015 hit, “Stay a Little Longer” reached #2 on the Country Airplay chart and they were featured on Dierks Bentley’s #2 2018 Country Airplay hit, “Burning Man”.

Other than the fact that I thought T.J. was so dreamy and hot, I never thought he might be gay.

However, my gaydar went off with the “Stay a Little Longer” video, which featured same-sex couples kissing! Of course, it caused controversy! 🙂

And, here’s a little fun trivia about Brothers Osborne. T.J.’s name is Thomas John and his older brother and band mate is John Thomas!

“THE CROWN” — SEASON 4

The latest season of this incredible, award-winning Netflix series was my absolute favorite.

I loved the first two seasons with Claire Foy and Olivia Colman and Josh O’Connor are great in season three, but season three just seemed so disjointed to me.

However, season four with my girl crush Gillian Anderson as tyrant (oops, Prime Minister) Margaret Thatcher took the series to a whole new level.

Even if you haven’t watched the first three seasons, watch this one. You don’t need to see their first three to follow the storyline.

Anderson (Thatcher), O’Connor (Prince Charles), Emma Corrin (Princess Diana), Colman (Queen Elizabeth II), and Helena Bonham Carter (Princess Margaret) all got Golden Globe nominations.

The series was also nominated.

“THE WHITE TIGER”

This incredible Netflix drama is set in India and drives home the stark difference in lives of the haves and the have nots!

Adarsh Gourav is amazing as Balram, a dirt poor stone crusher in a small village, who dreams of becoming a chauffeur.

As an intelligent kid that had to drop out of school, he was told her was a “white tiger”, one person that’s born to each generation.

Once he lands a job as a driver, all goes well until a tragic turn of events one night leaves Balram having to make a life-changing decision.

The biggest English speaking star in the movie is Priyanka Chopra Jonas (“Quantico”).

GRADE: A

“THE WEST WING”

As much as I love politics (politicians, not so much), believe it or not, I never watched “The West Wing” during its seven-year run on NBC from 1999-2006.

It’s one of my dear friend, Katie’s favorite shows. She was always on me in Duluth to watch it, so I started. I got through season three, but was always finding other things to watch.

And, in November, she dropped the bombshell that it was leaving Netflix Christmas Eve! Guess what I did in all of my free time in those five weeks? Yes, I binge watched and finished the series.

Final thoughts: I loved the Christmas episodes, you definitely saw a quality change in the show after creator and writer Aaron Sorkin left, and while I still enjoyed them, seasons six and seven were my least favorites.

Oh, Donna, Josh, and C.J. were my favorite characters!

IF YOU MISS SORKIN’s INTELLIGENCE…

Definitely check out his latest, his directorial debut, “The Trial of the Chicago 7”, on Netflix!

It was my #3 movie of 2020 and it’ll rack up several Oscar nominations this year! Here’s what I said about it in November:

“The Whole World Is Watching!”

It’s sad that a movie about the riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago resonates so strongly in the United States in 2020!

The movie and Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay and directing are definite shoo-ins for Oscar nominations.

While there are many compelling performances, I think Yahya Abdul-Mateer II, as Bobby Seale, National Chairman of the Black Panther Party, has the best chance of getting a nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Seale was the eighth defendant and not part of the “Chicago 7”.

The Whole World Is STILL Watching!

GRADE: A

“KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON “

David Grann’s 2017 book subtitled “The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI” is so compelling and it was one of the best books I read in the past year.

It tells the story of the Osage Indians and how they had to continually move from place to place so the white man could expand on their land.

Finally, they were given rocky, useless land in Oklahoma. When oil was discovered there, they became the richest people in the world per capita. Then, one by one, they ended up dead — murdered!

The book also tracks the up and coming career of the young FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover.

When Mollie Burkhart’s sister Anna was murdered in the 1920s, it was common to charge the Osage close to $6,000 for a funeral. That’s equivalent to about $80,000 today! It was because the white man knew the Osage had all the oil money!

How pathetic!

While the murders continued, one Osage member replied, “It is a question in my mind whether this jury is considering a murder case of not. The question for them to decide is whether a white man killing an Osage is murder — or merely cruelty to animals.”

The book is currently planned for production as a film directed by Martin Scorsese with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro set to star.

MORE FROM “GROCERY”

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a few interesting tidbits from an incredible book I read last year, Michael Ruhlman’s 2017’s “Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America”! I’d definitely recommend it!

Who would think to write an entire book on just how groceries came to be, the changes grocery stores have to make to accommodate how quickly we change our eating habits, and just how small the profit margins are in the grocery business?

While I gave up eating beef more than a decade ago, Ruhlman shares some very interesting information about cattle and what would happen to them if we stopped eating beef. Intriguing!

Here are a few more things I learned:

Beef makes up about 40% of a grocery’s meat section (almost half of that is ground), chicken makes up 20%, pork 11%, and lamb 2.5%.

Before cows were fed corn (89% of it genetically modified which eventually makes the animal sick), it took them about four years to grow to the weight needed to slaughter. Now it only takes fourteen to seventeen months to attain that weight!!! Disgusting. I’m so glad I gave up beef!

If we didn’t use pigs, chicken, and cows for meat, eggs, and milk, the author claims they would only exist in the wild and “We would likely get rid of them for being a nuisance, scarcely different than rats and mice, the lives of which most seem to have moral qualms about extinguishing.”

And, a decade after World War II, the 1950s, frozen foods would become a $50 billion industry in the U.S. ($300 billion worldwide). This is all thanks to Clarence Birdseye: “Birdseye discovered in the 1920s that peas quickly blanched before being frozen result in a vividly green pea.”

GROUNDHOG HUMOR

After two bitterly cold weekends across Central Illinois and the Midwest, I’ll state it again, “I love the snow, but not the bitter cold“!

Thanks Punxsutawney Phil, you damn rodent!

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — February 12, 2021

Happy Valentine’s Day weekend!

To us single people, it’s just another day or the day we prepare to get leftover chocolates for half-price the next day. 🙂

Thank you for taking time to check out my thoughts. It’s fine to disagree with me, just do it diplomatically!

BEING RACIST — NO PROBLEM TO SOME!

Country music star Morgan Wallen is “embarrassed and sorry.”

Earlier this month, after a night out on the town in Nashville, Wallen returned home and was yelling back to his friends that were leaving, “take care of this “p****-ass mother******” and then says, “take care of this p****-ass n*****” .

Once TMZ shared the video and story, iHeart and many country radio stations stopped playing his music, CMT dropped his videos, and his record label suspended his contract indefinitely.

Admitting he was embarrassed and sorry, Wallen went on to tell TMZ, “I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better.”

So, you’d think his career would be pretty much over? Hold up!

Sadly, a large number of country music fans don’t seem to have a problem with his racist stupidity. I’m not speculating. In the wake of his rant, they’re still buying his music!

Earlier this week, a week after TMZ broke the story, Wallen still had 12 of the Top 100 most downloaded songs in the U.S. on the all musical genre chart, not just country.

He had an astounding 26 of the Top 100 country downloads with six in the Top Ten!

That says more about the people continuing to support this man than his racist stupidity!!!

HOW TWISTED!

Enough about him!

It’s hard to believe that the Oscar-winning “The Silence of the 🐑 Lambs” came out 30 years ago this weekend.

And, what’s more twisted about that — it came out on Valentine’s Day 1991!!!

It’s still one of my favorite movies of all-time!

CHINESE NEW YEAR

Xin nian kuai le! Gong hei fat choy!

February 12th is the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Ox!

By the way, “Xin nian kuai le” is Mandarin for “Happy New Year” and “Gong hei fat choy” is Cantonese for “Congratulations and wishing you prosperity.”

I learned those from reading the three-book “Crazy Rich Asians” series by Kevin Kwan!

REMEMBERING WHITNEY HOUSTON

It’s hard to believe that Whitney Houston has now been gone nine years!

On February 11, 2012, the 48-year-old singer was found dead in her room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, one day before the Grammy Awards. 

The autopsy showed that she drowned in the bathtub and subsequent toxicology reports attribute that to heart disease due to chronic cocaine use.

“A SONG FOR YOU: MY LIFE WITH WHITNEY HOUSTON”

Leading up to the anniversary of Whitney’s death, I read Robyn Crawford’s 2019 book, “A Song For You: My Life With Whitney Houston”.

Crawford was Whitney’s personal assistant and creative director for much of her career. Whitney and Robin met in New Jersey when they were teenagers.

There was always gossip that Whitney’s relationship with Crawford was more intimate than just working together. In this book, Crawford confirms that they together in every way!

You can tell in the book that Robyn definitely cared for and loved Whitney. She didn’t shy away from their use of drugs that started out with marijuana and then progressed to harder drugs. While Robyn cleaned up her act and left Whitney’s circle, Whitney couldn’t break the cycle.

What was astounding was how Whitney’s parents closed their eyes not only their daughter’s relationship with Robyn, but more detrimentally, her drug dependency.

A couple of things that I learned that I couldn’t believe slipped by me from being a fan of almost four decades:

Jermaine Jackson was tapped to produce Whitney’s 1985 debut album! The horror!

I recently listened to their duet, “If you Say My Eyes Are Beautiful” again. If that recording would have been any indication of her first album, her career probably wouldn’t have reached the stratosphere as it did!

Also, I was shocked that Whitney was close to marrying another “bad boy” when Bobby Brown came into her world — Eddie Murphy!

CISSY HOUSTON’S “REMEMBERING WHITNEY”

In early 2013, Whitney’s mother, Cissy Houston, now 87, released her book, “Remembering Whitney: My Story of Love, Loss, and the Night the Music Stopped”.

I refused to read it because of how Cissy responded to a question from Oprah Winfrey while promoting the book.

In the book, Whitney’s mother writes, “I knew I didn’t want Robyn around my daughter, and I told [Whitney] that. There wasn’t much I could do though. [Whitney] liked Robyn. She was past the age when I could forbid her from seeing someone. Kids have a mind of their own when they get older. They want to experiment with all kinds of things. And I don’t know if it was more than that.”

In the interview, Oprah read that excerpt and asked Cissy, “Would it have bothered you if your daughter, Whitney, was gay?” and she replied,  “Absolutely.”

At the time, I tried to be objective because Cissy was 79-year-old and religion played a big role in her career and life. However, it still bothered me.

In my January 2013 blog about book, I closed with “All I know is that my God, the one I pray to each night, loved Whitney for what she was, his child — straight, gay, or anything in between.  And, he’s happy to have her with him now.”

After reading Robyn’s book, I’m going to read Cissy’s book, even if I cringe through it — to see if she mentions the gay rumors!

MARDI GRAS

While it’ll different again this year, February 16th is “Mardi Gras”!

As much as I love New Orleans, I’ve never had a desire to be there for this event. However, I’d definitely take part in Blue Bell’s fan-favorite Mardi Gras King Cake ice cream!

Doesn’t this sounds amazing: “cinnamon cake flavored ice cream, tasty pastry pieces and a colorful cream cheese swirl with festive candy sprinkles”?

“THE PROM”

Let me first say that I enjoyed this Ryan Murphy/Netflix musical.

Really, how could you go wrong with Meryl Streep and one of my girl crushes, Nicole Kidman (as Angie Dickinson — the name alone is so campy!)

It tells the story of a group of down on their luck, self-centered New York City entertainers looking for a “cause” to support to help change their image.

They find it in a small town Indiana lesbian banned from attending prom with her girlfriend by the incredibly close-minded mother of one of the girls (played with such villainy by the gorgeous, very open-minded Kerry Washington).

A couple of the numbers were fun, but it wasn’t worth waiting an hour into the movie to see Kidman perform a solo number.

Last week, it picked up two Golden Globe nominations — one for the movie in the musical/comedy category and one for James Corden for actor in the musical/comedy category.

GRADE: B-

“HILLYBILLY ELEGY”

This “white trash” movie barely made my top 20 movie list (#19) of 2020 solely on the incredible performances by Amy Adams and Glenn Close.

Both are Oscar nomination-worthy performances and last week, Close earned a Golden Globe nomination in a supporting role.

Would I watch this movie or “The Prom” again? No!

Am I glad I watched them once? Yes.

GRADE: B-

WHITNEY’S GREATEST

In honor of Whitney Houston, here are my six favorite Whitney Houston songs. Why six, no reason! 🙂

And, you’ll notice that there are no ballads! WOW!

My favorites would be “The Greatest Love of All” and “I Have Nothing”.

“IT’S NOT RIGHT, BUT IT’S OKAY”

“MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE”

“QUEEN OF THE NIGHT”

“HOW WILL I KNOW”

“SO EMOTIONAL”

“I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (WHO LOVES ME)”

What are your favorites?

THAT’S IT

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

Anthony