Rachel Maddow on Late Show with David Letterman, April 3, 2013

Rachel Maddow Turns 40

Image from source, AfterElton

I've long been a Rachel Maddow fan, since her Air America Radio days, as part of Unfiltered with Lizz Winstead and Chuck D. Unfiltered was political, but was also part comedy show which is sort of what Rachel still does, having a knowing, impish snark layer on top of serious topics. I miss some of her old bits, like Poking the Underbelly (doink!), but I've remained a fan through her rise on MSNBC to becoming their top star. I know that FOX "News" fans* look down their noses at Maddow and her network, and I kind of get it. They see the flip side of their favorite "news" source. I emphatically don't see it that way, but I get it.

What I don't get is having any affection for, or kinship with media figures like Sean Hannity or Bill O'Reilly. They have prickly (ahem) personalities and confrontational, irascible styles. Plus, Hannity is a moron, but that's not my point. My point is that while I don't feel any loyalty for a corporate entity like MSNBC or Comcast, I do feel a great deal of affection and kinship for Rachel Maddow. She's the kind of person I'd love to have as a friend. So, happy birthday, Ms. Maddow! May your next 40 years bring much more success!

[Excerpt]

Happy 40th Birthday, Rachel Maddow! Here Are A Few Great Clips Of Her Greatness
Happy 40th birthday to Rachel Maddow, the one person who makes talk show hosting seem like an awesome, important extension of the Fourth Estate. We can toast her for her fabulous commentaries and consummate sense of class, but let's take a moment to remember she has been totally out of the closet since the minute we'd first heard of her, and she's remained stalwart and smart about LGBT issues ever since. . . 

Read more (with video) at: AfterElton


*On a side note, I'd like to make a suggestion to FOX "Fans" who comment on stories about Maddow. Get some new material. Virtually any internet story about her--if it gets right-wing commentary, and they usually will--contains these types of comments: a) she looks masculine and/or is a guy ("so why is a guy named Rachel?") b) calling her Mad Cow or Man Cow, c) making a crass lesbian joke. Seriously guys, you always act like you're the first one to crack these "jokes," and you also seem to think you're hilarious. It's tired, it's unoriginal, an it comes back around to that meanness that seems to radiate from Right Wing World, the same meanness that makes O'Reilly and Hannity so unlovable.

Happy 91st Birthday, Betty White

Still sassy after all these years. Image from Jezebel.

I started to type that Betty White has been famous and popular ever since I've been alive. But that's pretty much true for everybody. Like everyone, I watched her on Mary Tyler Moore, but unlike everyone, I also watched her on The Betty White Show. That one didn't take. I especially remember her (I mean, before The Golden Girls) from her guest spots on game shows like Password and The Liars' Club. The bubbly, sweet, kinda goofy, and kinda bawdy gal she is today she was then--as much as 70s television would allow anyway. And then of course, add Betty's sitcom and movie triumphs from the 80s to today (if you forgive The Golden Palace), and there's a career of making more people happy than just about anyone, ever. So, happy birthday, Betty!

[Excerpt]

Betty White Turned 91 Today, Let’s Celebrate the Nonagenarian by Talking About Her Rad Life

Not just anyone is celebrated with a birthday special featuring Bill "Hillary's Husband" Clinton*, but that's what happens when you're Betty White. . .

Read more at: Jezebel

What Happens in Vegas: Michael Jackson Birthday Bash

Last night, I attended a real Las Vegas show, something I've done very little of during my 15 years living here. The show was Las Vegas Celebrates the Music of Michael Jackson, and it occurred on what would have been Michael Jackson's 51st birthday. Yeah, I know many are on Michael overload, but I'm really glad I went.

There are a few reasons I decided to attend. Number one, I'm a friend (and former roommate) of the man who ran Jackson's Neverland Valley Ranch amusement park for around 15 years. Secondly, one of the performers, Nick Kenkel, is a cousin-by-marriage, and he not only danced but choreographed the Peepshow segment of the show. Otherwise, I may not have gone. But having had the privilege of having worked at Neverland myself, and Jackson's impact on my generation (class of 1984), I had extra incentive.

The show was plagued by some audio-visual problems, and even a prop failure at the beginning. The sound system was super heavy on the low range, with sub woofers threatening to overwhelm the performances (particularly the bass drum). But outside of the technical problems, the show was simply fantastic.

One standout was Terry Fator (America's Got Talent) doing a great Jackson/Paul McCartney duet with a puppet, concluding with a spot-on Ben performance. There were wonderful tributes by cast members of Zumanity, The Jersey Boys, Human Nature, The Sirens of TI, Clint Holmes, Holly Madison of Peepshow and especially Erich Bergen, one of The Jersey Boys, who was the host of the show.

I'm not much of a theater guy, especially of the musical variety. But I had a great time. It was also a treat to see Kenkel's Peepshow cast dancing to his moves, and the man himself among a bevvy of beauties. Way to go, Nick! I'm so impressed.

Sadly, though I got to attend the VIP after party, most of the casts were already gone. Clearly, on a Saturday night, they had their usual shows to do. It was fun being in the company of my Neverland friend, who is something of a celebrity himself, at least among the fandom. Thanks to him, I got to see one of the producers of the show, journalist Steve Friess; as well as Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Norm Clarke. Oh, and Robin Leach, but. . .whatever.

Afterward, we attended a special screening of Moonwalker at the Brenden Theater at the Palms. The movie is something of a rarity, never having been screened in US theaters, and only available thus far on VHS videotape. The movie starts out as something of a retrospective musical documentary, and segues into a surreal storyline of sorts. It's tremendously entertaining, but completely surreal. It works in the videos for Leave Me Alone, Smooth Criminal and a cover of the Beatles song Come Together. But the storyline (once it starts) is rather meandering. It reminds me of a dream, where a person exits one scenario, and then enters a related but vastly different one. Still, it was a treat to see. A question-and-answer session followed, with Friess, Vincent Paterson (longtime choreographer and dancer) and co-star Kellie Parker.

All-in-all, it was a tremendous night out on the town, with the added benefit of having a slight "in" with the whole subject. I'm very glad I didn't pass on the opportunity. I sneaked a few cell-phone videos, but sadly all of them fail to upload to anything tolerable. Soundtracks gone, pictures fuzzy. I tried, but I failed. Serves me right for trying to be a pirate.

Happy 51st Birthday, Madonna!

It's something of a shock when you realize that most of your favorite music artists seem to be over 50. Last year, Prince turned 50, Michael Jackson did too (RIP, Michael), and Madonna--one of my long-time favorites--turned 50 as well. Amazingly, she's stayed relevant, and continues to churn out hit albums and singles. Already another year has gone by, and though the press is constantly making fun of her for her arms or her outfits, and declaring her "over," they still keep writing about her, don't they?

My favorite Madonna tunes and videos will always be those she produced between 1983 and around 1990 or so. There are exceptions, like Deeper and Deeper, Don't Tell Me, Hung Up and a few others. But for me, anything from her first greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection, or almost any track from True Blue, Like a Prayer and I'm Breathless still make me just as happy as they did when they came out.

Last year I posted several of my favorite videos, all of which have been removed from YouTube. But, aha! There are some new ones up (for now), so here they are. Watch 'em before they disappear.

Happy Birthday to Me: All About April 19th

Today is my birthday, though for some reason it doesn't really feel like it yet. Perhaps it is because there hasn't yet been an office party, or maybe it's because I got birthday wishes a week ago when I was back home in Ohio. Whatever it is, I'm still a year older, officially, than I was yesterday. 43. Forty-three.

It really doesn't sound so bad. I can still play the doubling game, where you figure out how old you'll be at twice your age: 86. Not entirely likely, but not impossible either. I could get there. And most of my friends and co-workers are older than me, so 43 sounds just fine.

April 19th isn't a particularly happy day in history, despite its meaning to me. Here are just a few of the bad and/or very serious things that happened on my birthday:

- 1775: "The shot heard 'round the world," the first shot of the American Revolutionary War fired. Sure, it ended up OK, but somebody was on the other end of that shot!

- 1861: Baltimore Riot in the American Civil War.

- 1927: Mae West sentenced to ten days in prison for indecency!

- 1961: Bay of Pigs invasion.

- 1989: 47 soldiers killed on USS Iowa.

- 1993: Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas is raided, then burns to the ground.

- 1995: Domestic terrorism of Oklahoma City bombing.

Then again, some good and/or interesting things happened on April 19th too:

- 1775: That American Revolutionary War thing is good, of course.

- 1892: First automobile driven in the United States.

- 1935: Actor Dudley Moore born.

- 1946: Actor/singer Tim Curry born.

- 1971: Charles Manson sentenced to death. . .so why is he still alive?

- 1987: The Simpsons debuts as a short, recurring cartoon within The Tracey Ullman Show (on my 21st birthday, and I was watching!).

- 2005: The current Pope was named. Ambivalent about this one.

Other birthdays today include Kate Hudson, Jayne Mansfield, Hayden Christensen, Ashley Judd and Suge Knight. Deaths on this date include Charles Darwin (1892), Pierre Curie (1906) and Benny Hill (1992).

And did you know that my birthday is also: Bicycle Day, Venezuala's Independence Day, "Feast Day" of several Roman Catholic saints, and this year it's Orthodox Easter! My birthday has occurred on ordinary Easter three times during my life, and never will again, unless I live to be 105. Fancy that!

Source for much of this frivolity: Wikipedia.org

Happy 50th Birthday, Madonna!

It's something of a shock when you realize that most of your favorite music artists seem to be over 50. This year, Prince turned 50, Michael Jackson is on the cusp, and Madonna--one of my long-time favorites--turned 50 yesterday. Amazingly, she's stayed relevant, and continues to churn out hit albums and singles.

But my favorite Madonna tunes and videos will always be those she produced between 1983 and around 1990 or so. There are exceptions, like Deeper and Deeper, Don't Tell Me, Hung Up and a few others. But for me, anything from her first greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection, or almost any track from True Blue, Like a Prayer and I'm Breathless still make me just as happy as they did when they came out.

Here are a few of my favorite Madonna videos, all from my favorite Madonna era (or eras--she seemed to have a different incarnation with each album). Yes, I've posted them before, but since YouTube has left all of these videos available, I couldn't resist posting them again in honor of the Material Girl's milestone birthday. Enjoy.

Happy Belated Birthday, Cloris Leachman!

I missed her birthday yesterday, but I can't let today pass without passing on my best wishes. It's hard to believe that she's 82, since she seems so vibrant in every appearance. Here's hoping she has many, many more birthdays (and performances) ahead of her. Long live Frau Blucher (and Nurse Diesel)!

P.S. Sorry there aren't better YouTube clips available, but what can you do?

Happy 61st Birthday to Susan Sarandon!

You'd expect me, a far-left loony blogger, to be offering Susan Sarandon birthday wishes, because I agree with her political ideology. You wouldn't be entirely wrong. I do agree with some of what she and her husband, Tim Robbins have to say. Sure, they can get strident, and like Richard Gere (and countless other FOX "News" punching bags) don't always come off in the best light.

Thankfully, as a liberal, I am free to be a fan of Susan Sarandon's politics and acting without a binary, all or nothing attitude. If she's said something particularly wacky, I don't have do disavow what she said, or stop being a fan. It's that nuancy, shades-of-grey thingy at work. Same thing goes for Jane Fonda and Barbra Streisand.

But leaving politics aside, my favorite Susan Sarandon moments will always be from the 1975 cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She spent years trying to live it down, but these days embraces the role. So, to combine politics with frivolity, here she is, in all her 70s glory!




12/26/07 UPDATE: A warning folks, but is wont to happen with these clips, FOX has apparently pulled many of their videos. While all of these are still here, they've pulled all of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Simpsons clips. I fail to see why, as all these YouTube clips do is keep interest going in their projects, and raise the profile of their properties. My site has made a whopping 81 cents since it debuted, and I can't even cash that out. I am not putting a dent in Rupert Murdoch's profits. Anyway, it probably won't be long until these are gone too.

Moon Unit Zappa is 40!

I went to high school in the 80s (1980 -1984 to be exact), and few songs had as much impact on teen life at the time than Valley Girl by Frank and Moon Unit Zappa. Of course, back then a name like "Moon Unit," was so bizarre, it was half the story. Today, parents seem to be in a competition to name their children unusual things (example: my nephew Lux).

The song introduced the whole concept of a valley girl, and added words to the lexicon, such as "bitchin'," "tubular," "omigod," and prases like "totally tubular," and "gag me with a spoon."

Moon (in the song) was the quintessential Valley Girl, but I'm not sure that the fans of the craze the song inspired ever caught on to the irony of the song. Moon & Frank were definitely riffing on the ridiculousness and shallowness of teens of the day. Maybe Moon and Dweezil should revisit the idea, as we are now more shallow than ever.

Another place irony was never acknowledged was Solid Gold, an awful (but popular) show in the 80s. Here is Moon's performance in a craptacular bit on Solid Gold. Check out Marilyn McCoo's headband! Oh, and happy 40th, Moon!

Meat Loaf's 60th Birthday is on Thursday

I know, I know, meat loaf again? Yes, Mr. Loaf is turning 60 on Thursday, so get your old Bat Out of Hell CD out, (or Part II, but not Part III--hey, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad), put it in the player, and repeat after me:

"On a hot summer night, would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?" Happy birthday, Mr. Loaf!