Happy August! This year is really zipping by.
I think it’s because I’m getting older. While true, it might also be that I worked a lot over the past two months.
NEVER TOO EARLY!
Thank you for taking time to check out my random thoughts.
HISTORY DOES REPEAT ITSELF!
Those words are from the sixth President of the United States John Quincy Adams in September 1840!
What would he think about the 2016 and the 2024 presidential election if he were alive today?
JEAN SMART
Actress Jean Smart is coming up on 50 years in the entertainment business and she’s always been an ally to the LGBTQ+ community.
Her late-1980s/early-1990s series, “Designing Women”, was one of the first to address HIV and AIDS.
Earlier this year, while accepting an award from the Human Rights Campaign, Smart deeply touched me when she told the crowd, “in a world where children are starving and dying because of war, it seems insane and beyond understanding that any of us should be concerned with someone else’s sexuality.”
2024 OLYMPIC GAMES
Three of the reasons I know the 2024 Olympics are going on: Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, and the opening ceremony drama some took as a mockery of Christianity.
I didn’t watch it, so I read about it and I wasn’t offended. And, yes I pray every night.
Organizers apologized, “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group… we really did try to celebrate community tolerance… We believe that this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence we are, of course, really, really sorry.”
Almost a week later, it’s hardly even being talked about it anymore. I have two things to say: Pet a cute puppy or a bunny and move on.
Or, just think of Jean Smart’s quote from above, “in a world where children are starving and dying because of war, it seems insane and beyond understanding that any of us should be concerned with [insert woe here that doesn’t affect you directly]!”
LOVED THIS RESPONSE TO THE CONTROVERSY
ANOTHER REASON I KNOW THE OLYMPICS ARE GOING ON
“HACKS”
Back to Jean Smart: If you haven’t seen her incredible award-winning series, “Hacks”, I highly recommend it.
She plays Deborah Vance, a legendary Las Vegas stand-up comedy diva needing to change her act so she doesn’t lose her residency at the Palmetto Casino.
Ava (Hannah Einbinder), her young comedy writer, is amazing, too.
While season three of “Hacks” has already aired on Max, I’m waiting for it to come to DVD to watch.
I’m hoping season three features more of sexy Damien (Mark Indelicato), Deborah’s personal assistant.
Smart is a five-time Emmy Award winner (two for “Frasier”, one for “Samantha Who?” and two for “Hacks”). Interestingly enough, she was never nominated for “Designing Women”!
GRADE: A- (Seasons 1 & 2)
FIRST CONCERT IN ALMOST FIVE YEARS
My last concert, pre-pandemic, was Paula Abdul in Las Vegas in December 2019.
It was a fantastic, fun show.
And, as she was making her way through the crowd singing “Forever Your Girl”, she hugged me!
Last weekend, I saw Straight No Chaser at the Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater in Decatur, Illinois.
The A cappella band is on its “Summer: The ’90s Tour”.
It was an entertaining time with their versions of some of the biggest songs from my 20s and 30s: Britney, the Spice Girls, the Backstreet Boys, Hanson, Ricky Martin and an encore of some of the biggest dance club hits of the ’90s!
While “Africa” is an ’80s song, I was hoping they’d sneak it in and I held out for an off-season Christmas song. Why?
Straight No Chaser is probably known more for their several Christmas albums than their pop music, which I enjoy.
If you get a chance to see the band, do so! What a fun group of guys!
Hello there Jasper, Mike, and Luke Bob!
And, opening act Jon McLaughlin was very talented, entertaining, and sexy!
“OPPENHEIMER”
I finally got around to seeing last summer’s blockbuster, “Oppenheimer”, that grossed almost a billion dollars ($977 million) worldwide.
The movie earned a leading 13 Academy Award nominations, making it Christopher Nolan’s most Oscar-nominated movie.
It won for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score.
It was an incredible movie, even with a running time of almost three hours. That’s the reason I waited to see it at home. I will NOT go to a theater and sit for any three-hour movie!
While amazing, from the acting to the cinematography, when I post my favorite movies I saw this year in January 2024, it won’t be #1 or maybe even in the top five. WHY NOT?
In addition to the quality of a movie, a bigger factor for my movie ranking for the year is, “Would I watch it again? And, again?” The answer is: NO.
GRADE: B+
STRAIGHT NO CHASER — CHRISTMAS!
With Christmas now just over four months away, here’s a little holiday taste from Straight No Chaser!
THAT’S IT
With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!
Anthony
What's Peeps Thinking About Now? It's Probably Random! 