I will be honest with you. I had no intentions of watching the new Muppet Show that aired on Disney. The reason for this was because I remember that terrible mockumentary style show that ABC aired in 2015. That was just painful to watch and many (including myself) were disappointed in how the characters were portrayed.
All I really knew about this new reboot was that Seth Rogan was the executive producer and that it was going to air as a special. When I think “special,” I think 2 hour movie type thing. I was surprised to see that it was simply a 30 minute show, just like the original. Then I began to see trailers which showed the original set. My interest was peaked, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to watch it when it first became available.
After the show aired and became available to stream, I started to see reviews and comments. The main complaint I heard was about how Kermit’s voice was different. Well, Jim Henson has been dead since 1990 and his voice (and other characters that he voiced) has been different since then. Ernie and many Sesame Street Muppets have had a different voice since 1990 and I don’t recall people ranting about that.
I digress. I began to see reviews of the show. I would say 98% of them were positive. Many raved about the show. Then a few of my friends reached out to ask if I had seen it. They were raving about it, too. So, I decided to check it out along with my son.
The show opened just like it did in the late 70’s – with Kermit saying, “It’s the Muppet Show with our very special guest …” followed by the instantly recognizable Muppet Show Theme. It is almost a shot for shot copy of the original opening. It was so close to the original that I got goosebumps. Kermit that comes out on stage and begins to talk about how it’s been awhile and how they have a great show. From there, it was standard Muppet Show. It easily could have aired along with episodes of the original run.
The show had the typical backstage chaos, Miss Piggy competing for more time than the female guest star, and of course, Statler and Waldorf shouting insults from the balcony. The show went from act to act and finished in a traditional Muppet finale. When it was over, I was wanting more. My son laughed a lot too.
The word is that this “special” was a trial run pilot. In other words, if the show does well, it might get picked up for an entire season or two. I really hope that they do make more. It was entertaining from both a child and adult standpoint – just like the original show. There are plenty of really great stars who I could see doing the show. I would imagine that they’d want to jump at a chance to be on the show. I know where I’d want to be if I was on the show…
The show did so well that it got 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. There were more positive reviews online than negative, and the negatives were nit picking at little things. Seth Rogan did the Muppets right! Jim Henson would be thrilled at the way the new show was presented. I am one of many who loved every minute of it. So all I can say is, “More Muppets, Please!!”
Sorry I am late. I was off yesterday and just now am getting around to writing …
It was 6 years ago yesterday that my first and only daughter was born. At that time, I remember the excitement and all of the unknowns. Six years later, she has blossomed into such an amazing little girl. She is smart as a whip, a friend to all, a comedian in the making, and everything a dad could want in a daughter!
I got to spend the majority of the day with her, which was awesome. Her school has a program called Watch DOGS. Dads, big brothers, uncles, grandpas, etc … can volunteer at the school for the day. I signed up for her birthday and a day a month afterward.
I got to spend the morning in her classroom before shuffling to a couple other rooms later in the day. I also got to eat lunch with her, which she thought was cool. I got to go through the line with her, order some dry chicken tenders and then go out to recess with her.
After school, she had girl scouts. My wife took her there. Her cookie orders were in. We have a lot of cookies to deliver!
After girl scouts, she got to choose where she wanted to eat dinner. She chose Applebee’s. She wore her birthday hat there, so they all new it was her birthday. When she found out that she got a free dessert, she was so excited. She had to order the Triple Chocolate Meltdown.
After chowing down dinner and dessert, we made our way home. Normally, the kids are in bed early, but dinner took us a bit longer. You would think that a full meal and dessert would have filled her up. Well, she reminded us that she hadn’t had her cake yet.
Nana made her a Wicked cake, which fit the theme from the Daddy Daughter Dance last weekend.
We wrapped up the night by singing her happy birthday and, of course, having a piece of cake. I love the way this picture came out.
As I tucked her in last night, she told me it was the “best birthday ever!” I was so glad to be able to spend the day with her and that the family all got to share in her special day.
For Tune Tuesday, I have to feature one of the artists that was introduced to me by my dad. He and my Godfather grew up together and loved listening to music together. They listened to blues stuff from Jimmy Reed, Motown, and plenty of R&B artists. Back in the day, local artists actually got airplay and did very well in their hometowns. If they were lucky enough, they’d nab a national hit. One of those artists was Nathaniel Mayer.
Nathaniel Mayer was born on this day in 1944. He was born in Detroit and found fame on the Fortune record label owned by Jack and Devora Brown. At Fortune, he was a label mate of another favorite of my father’s – Nolan Strong. Nathaniel stayed with the label for about 6 years. In 1962, at the young age of 18, he had his first Top 40 Record – Village of Love.
Nathan would record and release other songs for Fortune, but none of them achieved what Village of Love did. He left the music business before returning in 2002 and recording with a couple different labels. He would go out and tour in support of his music, but after a return from Europe he had numerous strokes which left him hospitalized. He passed away on November 1 (coincidentally, my dad’s birthday) in 2008.
In 2014, he was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
Happy Birthday to a hometown hero – Nathaniel Mayer.
I have a handful of movies that will always make me laugh. Animal House is one of them.
I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t think of Animal House when they think of college fraternities. Granted, when I was in college, everyone was pretty subdued compared to the folks of Delta House. The movie features the antics of John Belushi, Tim Matheson, Steven Furst, Thomas Hulce and more. It was college chaos!
The film also features one of the great movie soundtracks, too. It features Sam Cooke, Stephen Bishop, Paul and Paula, and, of course, Otis Day and the Knights. It also features one from birthday boy, Bobby Lewis.
Bobby Lewis was born on this day in 1925. The story of his hit Tossin’ and Turnin’ is one of being in the right place at the right time. According to Songfacts.com:
After several unsuccessful auditions, R&B vocalist Bobby Lewis stopped off at the office of Beltone Records in Manhattan. The already signed Ritchie Adams, lead singer of the Fireflies, recognized Lewis from a gig they’d both appeared in at the Apollo theater and suggested he record his composition “Tossin’ And Turnin’.” The single was released at the end of 1960 and rose to the top of the Billboard charts selling 3 million copies.
It is one of only six songs from the 1960s to spend at least seven weeks in the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100. His follow up, One Track Mind, was a top 10 record, but Bobby didn’t do much on the charts after that.
He passed away in April of 2020 at the ripe age of 95.
Most versions of the song start with a cold intro:
When Bobby played the song live, he would add the prelude to the song. Here is the song/prelude.
Tossin’ and Turnin’ remains one of my favorite tunes from the 60’s. Happy Birthday, Bobby!
Last night, my daughter went to the Daddy Daughter Dance. She’s been excited since she heard about it. She was even more excited when she heard the theme was “Wicked.”
My wife got her dressed up and even put on a splash of perfume. She was super excited to show me her dress. She looked beautiful and once again humored me by posing for pictures.
The dance was sold out and there were plenty of people complaining about not getting tickets online. It sells out every year, so I am not sure why folks were surprised.
I’ve done this a few times now, so I know that once you check in, you go get the professional photo taken before the line gets too long. It is also smart to get some of the other activities done early.
Ella was super excited to run into a friend from her preschool class. They hung out all night. They never stopped moving and kept me and her dad busy going from place to place.
The City Queen was there and Ella had to get a picture with them. There was a photo op that was made to look like a hot air balloon that we did before going into the dance itself.
We were in and out of the dance so the girls could make friendship bracelets, color, play Bingo, and snack on cotton candy and cupcakes. We also had them make a keychain with our picture in it and took pictures at the Photo Booth.
Most of the music was stuff I only knew because Ella sings it in the car, or it is in a movie she watches. The kids loved it and were singing along loudly. They ran around dancing with each other and had a blast.
9 o’clock came too fast for them. They wanted more dancing, but the DJ had to shut it down. I’m sure they could have gone another hour or two. My aching feet were glad to hear the music stop.
She’s already asking if we’ll be going next year! We absolutely will be!
This is one of those books that I found fascinating. It is written by Jeff Abraham, who I follow I Facebook. He has a lot of interesting Hollywood stories and an amazing vinyl record collection. The Show Won’t Go On, as morbid as it might seem, was very interesting.
Before I tell you my thoughts, here is the short Goodreads synopsis:
There has never been a show business book quite like The Show Won’t Go On , the first comprehensive study of a bizarre performers who died onstage. The Show Won’t Go On covers almost every genre of entertainment, and is full of unearthed anecdotes, exclusive interviews, colorful characters, and ironic twists. With dozens of heart-stopping stories, it’s the perfect book to dip into on any page.
Prior to reading this book, I was only familiar with one celebrity who died on stage – Dick Shawn. He was known for his roles as Sylvester in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, the Snow Miser in The Year Without a Santa Claus, and his role in Mel Brook’s The Producers. He was also a very popular comedian who was known for doing insane things during his act. A search of YouTube will bring you many clips of him on variety shows and such.
In April of 1987, he was in the middle of his act when he fell face first to the stage after having a heart attack. The audience initially assumed that it was part of his act. After he had remained motionless for several minutes, a stage hand examined him and asked if a physician was present. He died on stage at age 63.
I had no idea that there were plenty of other performers who had also died while performing. This book is loaded with those stories. The book is very well written and researched. It is full of names that you’ve heard of and some you don’t know, but the stories will intrigue you.
Tomorrow night, I’m going on a date. I will have a beautiful girl on my arm once more! It is a day that my daughter and I look forward to every year! It is time for the annual Daddy/Daughter Dance. As soon as she heard tickets were on sale, she made sure I knew to get them!
Our first one was in February of 2023. It was close to her birthday, so she always knows when her birthday is near, so is the dance. We have copied our pictures every year.
Here is 2003, 2004, and 2005.
This year, I’m not sure I’ll be able to pick her up! She’s getting so big. I hope that she is never too old to recreate these pictures, especially the kiss on the cheek pose.
The amazing Red Buttons was born today in 1919. He was the comedian and actor who hosted “The Red Buttons Show” on TV from 1952-1955. He later appeared in many movies, including “The Longest Day”, “The Poseidon Adventure”, and “Hatari!” He won an Academy Award for his role in the movie Sayonara.
He also won a Golden Globe Award during his career. He starred on both The Garry Shandling Show and The Larry Sanders Show and had a recurring role on ER. He was a favorite on the Dean Martin Roasts doing his famous bits “never got a dinner” and “I was there”!
After Red passed away, I believe it was Norm Crosby who said that what made Red so amazing was he continued to write and rewrite material using the themes “Never Got a Dinner” and “I was there”! The bit ALWAYS got laughs. He even did the bit on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
While some of these lines are a bit dated – They still make me laugh. Some of the lines also show what was acceptable back then, but may not be so acceptable now. Please keep in mind the time and situations where these lines were said.
When Red would take the dais at a Friar’s Club Roast or on the Dean Martin Roast, he would always ask the question “Why are we giving (guest of honor) a dinner?! Some of the most famous people in history never got a dinner!”
Here are some of my favorite Red Buttons Roast Lines:
Abraham Lincoln, who said, “A house divided … is a condominium.” Never got a dinner!
George Washington, who said to his father, “Dad, if I never tell I lie, how am I ever gonna become President?” Never got a dinner!
Cain, whose wife divorced him because he wasn’t Able. Never got a dinner!
Alexander Graham Bell’s wife, who said to Alex on their wedding night, Your three minutes are up. Never got a dinner!
Rip Van Winkle, who said, Don’t make the bed; I’m just going to the bathroom. Never got a dinner!
John Wilkes Booth, who said, Sorry, I thought he was a critic. Never got a dinner!
Uncle Remus, who said to Uncle Ben, You’re a credit to your rice. Never got a dinner!
Goliath’s mother, who said to Goliath, “Stop running around with David! You’re always coming home stoned!” Never got a dinner!
Gandhi, who went to Wendy’s and asked, “Where’s the belief?” Never got a dinner!
Dr. Spock, who said, “Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected.” Never got a dinner!
Joe Torre, who was to chicken to play catcher and switched to first base because he didn’t want to go through life as Chicken Catcher Torre. Never got a dinner!
Bluebeard, who said to Scotland Yard, How do I know how many wives I’ve killed? I’m not an accountant! Never got a dinner!
Venus de Milo, who said to Colonel Sanders, That sure is finger licking good! Never got a dinner!
Simon Peter, who embarrassed the other disciples at the Last Supper by asking for seconds. Never got a dinner!
Jack the Ripper’s mother, who said to Jack, “How come I never see you with the same girl twice? ” Never got a dinner!
Noah’s wife, who said to Noah, “Don’t let the elephants watch the rabbits.” Never got a dinner!
Dean Martin’s great-great-uncle, Ebenezer Martin, who said to Eli Whitney, I see the cotton, but where’s the gin? Never got a dinner!
Ray Charles, who said to Stevie Wonder, Maybe we’re white. Never got a dinner!
John Travolta, who said, “My Saturday night fever was nothing compared to my Sunday morning rash.” Never got a dinner!
Romeo, who said to Juliet, For a better romance get off the balcony and get on the pill. Never got a dinner!
Julius Caesar’s wife, who said to Julius, We are not naming our son Sid! Never got a dinner!
Nostradamus, who PREDICTED he would never get a dinner! Never got a dinner!
Adam, who said to Eve, “What do you mean you have nothing to wear?” Never got a dinner!
Stan Musial, who said, Why didn’t they make me the first Polish pope? I was such a good Cardinal. Never got a dinner!
Burt Reynolds, the great sex symbol of the movies, who said, I owe it all to one great part. Never got a dinner!
Aunt Jemima, who once said these hotcakes are selling like hotcakes. Never got a dinner!
Eve, who asked Adam, “Does this fig leaf make me look fat?” Never got a dinner! (Got an apple, but never got a dinner.)
The Puerto Rican doctor, who wrote all his prescriptions with spray paint. Never got a dinner!
Michelangelo’s girlfriend, who said to Angelo, Forget the paint – let’s put a mirror on the ceiling. Never got a dinner!
Maid Marion, who said to Robin Hood, “I will not live in a house with a Little John.” Never got a dinner!
Adam, who said to God in the Garden of Eden, “I’ve got more ribs, do you got more broads?” Never got a dinner!
Ponce de Leon, who said when he discovered the Fountain of Youth, Where the hell are the paper cups? Never got a dinner!
Henry Ford, who despite his immense wealth never owned a Cadillac. Never got a dinner!
Moses, who said to the Children of Israel, “Wear your galoshes, I never did this trick before… and stop calling me Charlton!” Never got a dinner!
Flash Gordon, who said, “No, that’s not how I got my name” Never got a dinner!
Venus de Milo’s mother, who once said to Venus, You never call me. Can’t you pick up a phone? Never got a dinner!
Amelia Earhart, who said, “Stop looking for me, see if you can find my luggage” Never got a dinner!
Lot, who said to his wife as she was being turned into a pillar of salt, Stop shaking! Never got a dinner!
Sophia Loren, whose new baby asked her, Is all that for me? Never got a dinner!
President Jimmy Carter, who said to Pope John Paul II, “Next time bring the missus” Never got a dinner!
William Tell’s son, Telly, who said as his father was pointing the bow and arrow at the apple on his head, There’s gotta be an easier way to kill worms. Never got a dinner!
King Henry VIII, who said to his lawyer, “Forget the alimony, I’ve got a better idea” Never got a dinner!
Joan Rivers, who said to Marcel Marceau, Can we talk? Never got a dinner!
King Soloman, who said to his thousand wives, “Who hasn’t got a headache?” Never got a dinner!
Queen Elizabeth who said, “Not now I’m on the throne!” Never got a dinner!
Aladdin, who said to his wife, “I know it’s not a lamp, keep rubbing!” Never got a dinner!
Saint Christopher, who said, Where can I get a Frank Sinatra medal? Never got a dinner!
Orville Wright said to his brother, “Wilbur, you were only in the air for 12 seconds. How could my luggage be in Cleveland?” Never got a dinner!
Alexander the Great, who said on his wedding night, It’s only a nickname. Never got a dinner!
Lot, who said to his wife we’ve got plenty of salt, its coffee we need! Never got a dinner!
The captain of the Titanic, who said to room service, Who sent for all this ice? Never got a dinner!
Noah’s wife, who said to him after 40 days and 40 nights, It’s your turn to spread the papers on the floor! Never got a dinner!
Dracula, who said while they drove a wooden stake into his heart, Boy, I sure hope this is heartburn. Never got a dinner!
I am currently reading the book Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino. I love to read about historical events. In high school we read John Hersey’s book Hiroshima and it was eye opening. Ghosts of Hiroshima is just as eye opening as it follows many of the survivors after the bombs were dropped. More on that when I finish the book.
The reason for this post is that in the book it mentioned Mitsuo Fuchida. For those who don’t know, he is the Japanese pilot who led the raid on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He was considered a hero in Japan. What I had never heard was that after the war, he became a Christian. He chronicled his story in his book, “From Pearl Harbor to Golgotha” (later entitled, “From Pearl Harbor to Calvary.”
I found, and listened to the audio book (which was about 2 hours long). Before I go one, here is what Goodreads had to say about it:
Mitsuo Fuchida was a Captain in the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service who is perhaps best known for leading the first air wave attacks on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Fuchida was responsible for the coordination of the entire aerial attack working under the overall fleet commander Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo. After World War II ended, Fuchida became an evangelist, Christian preacher and frequently traveled to the United States to minister to the Japanese expatriate community. He became a United States citizen in 1966. His autobiography was originally released in 1953, and this edition was published to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 2011.
The old saying goes, “God works in mysterious ways,” and you can see that in Fuchida’s story. There is a brief synopsis of it in Ghosts of Hiroshima, but Fuchida’s book gives a bit more info. As you hear the story, you see how three people’s lives and the Bible bring it all together.
Spoiler summary:
First, there is the daughter of missionary parents who are killed by the Japanese, who goes to Japanese POW camps and treats prisoners with love and kindness. Next, you have an American who bombed Tokyo with his squadron, only to run out of gas and become a POW. The prisoners asked for a Bible to read. Each man got to have it for three weeks and during his stay in solitary confinement, the Bible opened up to him. The story of the American POW was printed on pamphlets and distributed in Japan. One of those ended up in Fuchida’s hands. That lead to him purchasing a Bible and his conversion.
It was truly amazing to read how God’s Word changed Fuchida. The conversion led him to befriend that American POW whose story was in the pamphlet. Together they visited the other’s country (Fuchida in America, and the POW in Japan) to share their story and preach the message of peace and love.
The audiobook I listened to (on Hoopla) had an interview with the American POW and another with the POW’s wife). Those took what Fuchida wrote and expounded on their impact and friendship. It was amazing to hear how these two men, who once had so much hatred for the other nation, were able to set everything in the past behind them and move forward as friends and fellow ambassadors of the Gospel.
I’m not trying to preach here, but as I listened to this book, I was reminded of something a pastor once said. He said that “you don’t read the Bible. The Bible reads YOU.” In Hebrews 4:12 is reads: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
64 years ago today, entertainer Danny Thomas opened St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Along with Danny, there were 9000+ people in attendance for the opening. From that day forward, they have worked nonstop to save the lives of children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
It was back in 2001 that I first visited the hospital. Our radio station became part of the Country Cares for St. Jude Kids radiothon family. We would go on to host a two day radiothon every year to raise money for St. Jude. The trip was part of our training in preparation for the radiothon.
During our trip, we visited some of the laboratories and heard what they were working on. We also met with teams of doctors who shared stories, both happy and sad. We watched many seminars with country music stars who had worked with St. Jude over the years. Most importantly, we met patients and their families. The entire experience allowed me to bring back things that I could share on the air during the radiothon.
Danny Thomas was born here in Michigan. When he first started out in show business, it was a struggle. During my visit they shared the story of how the hospital came to be.
About 70 or so years ago, Danny was a young entertainer with a baby on the way. Work wasn’t easy to come by, and his despair grew. He turned to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes, and vowed: “Show me my way in life, and I will build you a shrine
That prayer marked a pivotal moment. Soon after, he began finding work, eventually becoming one of the biggest stars of radio, film and television in his day. He was on Make Room for Daddy, later known as The Danny Thomas Show. Danny used his fame to fulfill his vow, and, in 1962, St. Jude opened, changing the lives of thousands of children and their families.
In 1983, he received the Congressional Gold Medal from President Ronald Reagan for his work with St. Jude.
St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Through groundbreaking treatment and research methods, expert staff and our community of supporters, St. Jude provides customized care for some of the world’s sickest children regardless of their race, ethnicity, beliefs or ability to pay.
That was the thing that was most amazing to me – the patient and their families will NEVER receive a bill for the treatment they receive. My medical bills alone can be overwhelming. I cannot imagine wondering how I would pay for cancer treatments for my child. What a burden lifted for these families.
They not only treat cancer, but also treat blood disorders, immune disorders, infectious diseases, neurological disorders, and genetic predisposition syndromes. All of the research done at the hospital is shared freely throughout the world.
Here are just some of the stats:
St. Jude has helped raise the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to over 80%!
Survival for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has risen from 4% to 94% since the hospital opened. Medulloblastoma survival rates are 85%.
The hospital has treated children from all 50 U.S. states and worldwide.
On average, 7,800 active patients visit the hospital annually, with roughly 260 treated daily.
The facility operates 78 inpatient beds.
St. Jude is the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children.
The Pediatric Cancer Genome Project has sequenced more than 800 patient genomes to understand the origins of pediatric cancer.
25 official international partner sites exist in 17 countries.
St. Jude freely shares its groundbreaking discoveries, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists can use that knowledge to save thousands more children around the world.
St. Jude creates more clinical trials for cancer than any other children’s hospital and turns laboratory discoveries into lifesaving treatments that benefit patients – every day.
Danny Thomas once said, “No child should die in the dawn of life.” That has become the visionary motto for the hospital. Their hope is to find a cure for all types of cancer. One staff member said during my visit, “The greatest day for us will be when we can close the doors, because we have succeeded in curing cancer.”
During my first visit to the hospital, my first child was yet to be born. Parents often worry to the extreme during pregnancy, and I was that way. I went to every OB visit to make sure everything was ok. When I returned home from my trip, I remember having a great sense of comfort knowing that if, for any reason, I needed St. Jude, they were there.
The cost to run the hospital PER DAY is about $2million. Everything they do and are able to do relies on donations and support from others. 64 years later, St. Jude continues to make strides in discovering new treatments and I am proud to donate to the cause on a monthly basis.
For more information, statistics, and how you can help, visit their website.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 