The Academy Awards were first presented in 1929. The ceremony was held at a hotel, with 270 people attending. The presentations lasted fifteen minutes. Obviously that is a far cry from the modern televised spectacle attended by a few thousand people and viewed on television by millions. For various reasons that you don’t need to know or understand The Sammy Awards will be using this information as inspiration to scale back our presentation. It is likely that we will get back to our full scale tomfoolery next year, but at this moment in time we humbly extend sincerest gratitude for tuning in to our imaginary awards show, a labor of love dating back more that a decade & a half. This is our way to honor, mock, cope with, and say a thankful farewell to the last year. In the past we’ve had delusions of grandeur, imagining the imaginery, if real, might be televised on HBO or TBS, or perhaps streamed on Netflix or Amazon Video. This year might be more of a Tubi or Crackle kind of show.
At any rate, because we love irony, The Sammy Awards is proud to introduce a comedian well known for his crowd work to host our awards show with no crowd. Please give a warm welcome to Matt Rife!!
After some insightful commentary from Mr. Rife it is time for our first presenter. Actually he will be presenting several awards. We had a really great lineup of guests, but life happens and availability became an issue. Ben Affleck & Jennifer Lopez were suppose to present together, but circumstances changed. Ellen Degeneres didn’t leave a forwarding address. P. Diddy declined to join us but offered to host an after party. Justin Timberlake really wanted to participate but couldn’t find a designated driver. Former Governor Rudy Giuliani is meeting with his financial adviser. President Biden is on vacation, gearing up for one final round of treasonous money laundering in Ukraine before he leaves office…physically…in a couple of weeks (he checked out mentally a long time ago). Nick Cannon is still celebrating multiple Christmases with his children. We could’ve had an EPIC program, but we’ll soldier on and do the best we can, which includes one of the best kickers in the NFL. He is no stranger to giving life affirming speeches, and is eager to share his wisdom, particularly with the ladies of The Manoverse. His team just finished their regular season, and we appreciate him squeezing us in before the playoffs begin. Please give a warm welcome to Kansas City Chiefs All Pro Harrison Butker!!
The Thrill of Victory Award Nick Saban & Bill Belichick
After a coaching career that spanned a half century and led to seven National Championships, Nick Saban walked away from the Alabama Crimson Tide last January, citing the new reality of college football…NIL, realignment, etc….as a valid reason for just being tired of all the BS. While The Tide predictably regressed a bit under new leadership, Saban found a new home on ESPN’s CollegeGameday and is better at the whole TV thing than most would’ve predicted. Meanwhile, after winning six Super Bowls in 17 years with the New England Patriots…often with questionable ethics…Bill Belichick realized, along with the rest of us, that most of the credit belonged to QB Tom Brady (and cheating of course), who went on to win a Super Bowl without Belichick in Tampa Bay while his wife was being planked by her personal trainer. Belichick’s Patriots were 29-38 after Brady bolted, so the coach departed New England last January. Shockingly enough he was not hired by an NFL team, which provided him the opportunity to boink a gal young enough to be his granddaughter. The North Carolina Tar Heels were so impressed by Belichick’s skill in recruiting college kids that they’ve hired him to be their coach.
FavoriteTelevisionShow GeneralHospital
I don’t watch much television anymore, which is odd considering the quantity of content is greater than it’s ever been. I won’t even criticize a dearth of quality programming, because I am quite certain there are a bunch of great shows that I am missing out on. The truth though, is that outside of wrasslin’, ball games, and my stories, the dramas & sitcoms available just don’t interest me to the point of even investing time to check them out. And with streaming, more often than not I’d rather watch an old favorite that I’ve seen dozens of times. That being said, GeneralHospital is my old reliable. I’ve been watching since grade school, which is longer than I care to ponder. 2024 was a bit different, because GH was always an experience I shared with my sister. I’ve missed our phone calls & texts kvetching about all the latest drama in the fictional town of Port Charles. I realize soap operas are kind of silly, but so are alot of other things. I learned many years ago not to take stuff too seriously most of the time, so entertainment really boils down to what tickles your funny bone, engages your imagination, or helps you escape the challenges of real life. Since the early 80’s GeneralHospital has done those things for me.
Favorite Sportscaster Scott Van Pelt
ESPN isn’t what it used to be, and I’ve grown weary of the debate shows that I used to enjoy. However, the reality is that “The Worldwide Leader” in Bristol, CT remains the driving force in televised sporting events. While I don’t mind tuning into a game on ESPN, I mostly avoid their other programming…except for SVP. If Sportscenter is coming on and he is hosting, I’ll stick around. Van Pelt is versatile, as I also enjoy when he’s part of the broadcast team for golf. He is fun & flippant, but also possesses the journalistic chops to ask tough questions and offer gravitas when a situation demands it. He strikes me as fairminded, not cheerleading or being overly critical of any specific teams, players, or coaches. I respect anyone who is funny, fair, and excellent at their job.
FavoritePodcast State of Mind
My goal of becoming a podcast kind of guy hasn’t come to fruition just yet. I don’t have the attention span I used to, and find the plethora of intriguing choices a bit overwhelming. What usually happens is I’ll hear about a particular podcast or perhaps see a snippet of it on social media and think “That seems cool…I need to check it out.”, then I simply don’t. Perhaps I can do better in 2025, but let’s not get too excited. Anyway, of the podcasts that I’ve given more than cursory attention to, State of Mind, hosted by Maurice Benard, rises above the noise. Benard is an actor best known for portraying mob boss Sonny Corinthos on GeneralHospital. He has not been shy about his very real issues with bipolar disorder, and for the past few years has invited guests onto the pod to open up about their own struggles with mental health. It’s one of those topics that alot of folks, whether it be an old school Baby Boomer, strong & silent type of guy, or a youngster who thinks they’re way too cool, avoid dealing with or admitting to, even to themselves. StateofMind illustrates that mental illness does exist, it needs to be dealt with, and it’s okay to talk about it.
FavoriteApp Spades *
I jumped back onto the Spades bandwagon in 2024, just with a different app than I was using a few years ago. I probably waste too much time on such activities when I should be doing something productive, but sometimes one simply needs a mindless distraction from all the noise.
Favorite Foodie Mr. Food
Okay, so first things first…it’s not actually Mr. Food. The OG Mr. Food was Art Ginsburg, who I vaguely recall hosting brief cooking segments during the news when I was a kid. Ginsburg sadly passed in 2012, but his legacy continues with Howard Rosenthal, who worked with Ginsburg for many years. Rosenthal introduces himself as “Howard, from the Mr. Food Test Kitchen”. Of course things are a little different these days, because if one misses whatever show the segments air on in your local television market you always have the option of finding the latest recipes online. I’ve actually made a few things I saw on Mr. Food, and if I may paraphrase his beloved tagline…oooh, they were pretty good. Mr. Food was actually way ahead of the curve, because these days who has the time or inclination to invest in a 30-60 minute cooking show presented by a high end chef who prepares dishes we common folk cannot successfully duplicate?? I’d rather watch Howard’s two minute presentation that still looks rather tasty and feel good about trying it in my kitchen.
This seems like a good time to take a brief timeout. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of the downsized yet still delightful Sammy Awards!!
Annnnnnddddd we are back!! The Sammys are thrilled to kick Awards Season into high gear, as we give a spotlight to the highs & lows of 2023. Please check out Part 1 & Part 2, then come back for the exciting conclusion of our show.
Our host, Bert Kreischer, has some hilarious thoughts about Jameis Winston, Jimmy Kimmel, and Michelle Obama, and then it’s time to move on.
To present our next award we’re happy to welcome back an Emmy & Golden Globe winning and Oscar nominated actor as well as a fiery social media shit stirrer. Please give a rousing ovation to James Woods!! And the nominees are:
Favorite Movie
Shotgun Wedding What do you get when you cross an action flick with a rom-com?? Apparently Die Hard at a Wedding. J-Lo has been a bride onscreen more than she has in real life, which one would think impossible. She’s charming, as is the rest of the ensemble, but it adds up to forgettable fluff. A promising premise & talented performers can’t quite save the production as a whole.
Champions Woody Harrelson is a disgraced minor league pro basketball coach who receives community service after a DUI arrest. His assignment?? Coaching a special needs basketball team. The plot is rather predictable, including the redeemed coach inevitably getting an opportunity to move on to bigger & better things, the romance with a player‘s sister, and even a game winning shot at the end of the climactic ball game. However, it’s all quite amusing & affable so the cliches can be forgiven.
You People When a young black woman introduces her white fiancé & his parents to her family it doesn’t go well. I get the whole culture clash thing. Race. Religion. The Generation Gap. Those subjects can be comedy gold mines…but they can also be land mines. With an ensemble that includes Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jonah Hill, Nia Long, and David Duchovny you’d be right to expect greatness, but the humor lacks subtlety. I feel like social commentary requires finesse, not a billy club.
Paint Imagine beloved TV artist Bob Ross as a sensitive ladies’ man who bangs all of his female co-workers in the back of a van. Owen Wilson essentially cosplays Ross in this weird lil movie that I don’t hate but don’t quite get.
No Hard Feelings Jennifer Lawrence is one of those actors that I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t vibe with in real life, but her work can be rather delightful. Low key comedy is her wheelhouse, and in this rom-com she portrays a down-on-her-luck Uber driver struggling to make ends meet when a unique opportunity presents itself. A well-to-do couple hires her to romance their socially inept son before he heads off to college. It’s a vaguely inappropriate relationship on multiple levels, but somehow the movie ends up being mildly humorous & charming.
The Holdovers A surly history teacher gets stuck overseeing a group of students who can’t make it home from their snooty boarding school during Christmas break. When all of the students except one receive an opportunity to leave the professor bonds with the troubled young man, as well as the school’s head cook, who recently lost her son in Vietnam.
Maestro A biopic of legendary composer/pianist/conductor Leonard Bernstein. Bradley Cooper will undoubtedly receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, but the movie is kind of dull.
Wonka If you’re a fan of the 1971 classic Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (or the 2005 remake starring Johnny Depp), based on the 1964 book Charlie & The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, this is a prequel origin story for the character. Is it as good as its predecessor?? That’s difficult to determine in the moment and probably an unfair yet inevitable comparison. It is delightful enough, but not quite as enigmatic. I suppose we’ll be able to make a better assessment in a decade or two.
JesusRevolution Based on a true story about an evangelical movement led by hippies in 1960s California. I think it’s the kind of movie that you need to watch a few times to really absorb the message. I’m a big Kelsey Grammar fan, but his role isn’t as significant as one might assume.
Best Christmas Ever When a moderately unhappy couple & their two children are inadvertently snowbound at the posh home of an old college frienemy, silly yet heartwarming hijinks ensue. The cast is likable enough, but it’s about a half step above a Hallmark movie, with less romance and some alleged comedy thrown into the recipe.
and the Sammy goes to…..
The Holdovers. It’s not a traditional Christmas movie, but we are presented with a mellow concoction that takes full advantage of its ingredients, unlike some of the more boisterous competition. Academy Award winning director Alexander Payne and Emmy & Golden Globe winner Paul Giamatti first teamed up two decades ago for the delightful Sideways, and though this movie is more melancholy and shares cinematic DNA with the 1989 Robin Williams classic DeadPoetsSociety, it is nevertheless a worthy metamorphosis.
Here at The Sammys we always hope to entertain the masses with a fair-minded, non-controversial appreciation of the past year, and one thing we love is music. So, get up on your feet and dance in the aisles as we welcome, here to perform his #1 hit TryThatinaSmallTown, quadruple platinum selling artist Jason Aldean!!
Thank you Jason!! We don’t even like country music around here, but it never hurts to shake up the formula occasionally. To present the final award of the evening it is an immense pleasure to welcome back author & outspoken commentator Candace Owens!! And the nominees are:
Biggest News Story
Biden’sClassifiedDocuments Last January more than two dozen classified documents dating back to Joe Biden’s time as a Senator & Vice President were found haphazardly stored in an office and in his garage. Whereas, in a similar circumstance, former President Trump’s home was raided by the FBI as if he’d committed a heinous crime, Biden’s situation was presented as no big deal and has been largely forgotten.
Ohio Train Derailment In early February 2023 a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, OH, affecting water & air quality and the health of thousands of residents. Federal response was weak, and of the two individuals who will likely be vying for the White House in the very near future, only one appeared to give a damn.
Ukraine I won’t pretend to be an expert on foreign politics. I will opine that neither country or their “leaders” appear to be good guys, and the billions of dollars U.S. taxpayers are involuntarily sending to Ukraine seem more like kickbacks that are somehow filtered into the pockets of certain politicians. International relations cannot be ignored….I get that. However, I believe in helping our own citizens before funneling money to fund a war in which the United States is not directly involved.
GenderIdeology To each their own. Live & let live. However, it is odd that the same people who preached “follow the science” during the Covid Pandemic are so willing to toss aside biology. Gender dysphoria is a mental illness that should be treated as such. Especially when it comes to children, such instances need to be confronted with compassion & kindness, but surely that can be done without indulging a grade schooler to the point that they irrevocably alter their life on multiple levels.
TrumpIndicted In 2023 former President Trump faced multiple indictments on nearly a hundred charges ranging from falsifying business documents to mishandling of classified documents to answering for January 6, 2021, an event that some leftists have tried to sell as being more tragic than WWII & 9/11. Clearly all of it is a pathetic attempt by The Establishment and their cronies in the media to hinder Trump’s 2024 Presidential campaign. The sad thing is it just might work, despite the charges being way overblown. No one is saying Donald Trump is a terrific human being, but those that have spent the last several years trying to destroy him are pure evil.
SpeakeroftheHouse Their policies may be hot garbage, but atleast Democrats are unified. At a time when the country is worn out by Covid & its aftermath, billions of dollars being sent to Ukraine, leftist agendas on climate change, identity politics, & racial division, and inflation, one could fairly assume that the a new path would be an easy sell. Unfortunately Republicans can’t stop battling each other long enough to focus on saving a nation on the brink. California’s Kevin McCarthy became Speaker of the House of Representatives (third in line to the Presidency) in January 2023, but it took more rounds of voting than any such selection process since 1859. He only lasted until October before being ousted, the first time in the history of the House that a Speaker was successfully removed. It then took four days of cajoling before Louisiana’s Mike Johnson received the gavel, with Democrats laughing the whole time.
MiddleEastUnrest In October 2023 the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas invaded Israel. The surprising thing has been the amount of pro-Palestine protests here in the United States. I cannot present an authoritative history lesson on The Middle East, but I know that Israel is God’s Chosen People and an American ally. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised any longer by the effects of our modern “progressive” education system.
Canadian&HawaiiWildfires The 2023 wildfire season saw the most area burned in Canada’s recorded history, beginning in March and intensifying in June, with an ongoing, record-setting series of fires affecting every province. In early August 2023, a series of wildfires broke out in Hawaii, predominantly on the island of Maui. The wind-driven fires prompted evacuations, caused widespread damage, and killed at least 100 people. But don’t worry…billionaires Oprah “Satan’s Favorite Talk Show Host” Winfrey & future President Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson were on the scene with a plan to rebuild Maui with YOUR money while they get all the glory.h
and the Sammy goes to…..
Ukraine. I don’t know…something smells fishy. It’s become quite fashionable to put the Ukraine flag on social media profiles to show how compassionate a person believes themselves to be, as if they’re supporting the local soup kitchen or saving cute little puppies. However, the truth is that Ukraine, led by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a former comedian & actor with a fondness for comfie sweatshirts, isn’t that much better than the evil Russian Empire, led by Vladimir Putin. I don’t think most American citizens have any clue what they’re supporting, and I am damn sure that none of us know what all those billions of dollars we’re passing out like candy is really being spent on.
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (the first female to serve on The Court)…..legendary game show host (The Price is Right), actor (Happy Gilmore), & animal rights advocate Bob Barker…former First Lady Rosalynn Carter…groundbreaking television writer & producer Norman Lear (All in theFamily, The Jeffersons, Sanford&Son)…singers/musicians Jimmy Buffett, Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, Gary Rossington (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Jeff Beck, Charlie Thomas (The Drifters), David Crosby, Robbie Bachman (Bachman-Turner Overdrive), Wayne Shorter, Fred White (Earth, Wind, & Fire), Harry Belafonte, Gordon Lightfoot, Sinead O’Connor, Robbie Robertson (The Band), Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake), Steve Harwell (Smash Mouth), Mylon LeFevre, Roger Whittaker, and Rudolph Isley (The Isley Brothers)…infamous talk show host Jerry Springer…former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger…comedian Shecky Greene…NFL Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown & NBA Hall of Fame player/coach/executive Willis Reed…astronaut Ken Mattingly (portrayed in Apollo 13 by Gary Sinise)…daredevil Robbie Knievel…heiress & singer Lisa Marie Presley…former pro football executives Bobby Beathard (Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers), Dick Haley (Pittsburgh Steelers), and Gil Brandt (Dallas Cowboys)…actresses Suzanne Somers (Three’sCompany, Step By Step), Melinda Dillon (A Christmas Story, Slap Shot), Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley, AmericanGraffiti), Raquel Welch (TheThreeMusketeers, RighttoDie), Jaclyn Zeman (GeneralHospital), Arleen Sorkin (Days of Our Lives, Batman: The Animated Series), Stella Stevens (The Nutty Professor, ThePoseidonAdventure), Lisa Loring (TheAddamsFamily, As the World Turns), Gina Lollobrigida (a variety of Italian films), Annie Wersching (GeneralHospital), Carole Cook (SixteenCandles), Barbara Bosson (Hill StreetBlues, TheLastStarfighter), Inga Swenson (Benson), Nancy Frangione (AnotherWorld), Cindy Morgan (Caddyshack), Piper Laurie (TheHustler, Carrie, TwinPeaks), and Frances Sternhagen (Cheers, Doc Hollywood)…Ted Kaczynski (aka The Unabomber)…NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough…Grammy winning musician (The Eagles) & songwriter (Take it to the Limit) Randy Meisner and songwriter & drummer (Kool & The Gang) George “Funky” Brown (Celebration, Ladies’ Night)…NHL Hall of Famer Bobby Hull (Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets), MLB Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson (Baltimore Orioles) & Sal Bando (Oakland A’s), and NFL Hall of Famers Dick Butkus (Chicago Bears) & Joe Kapp (Minnesota Vikings)…televangelists Pat Robertson & Charles Stanley…poker champion Doyle Brunson…pastor & author Tim Keller…songwriters/composers Barrett Stone (I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone), Burt Bacharach (There’s Always Something TheretoRemindMe,The Look of Love, ISayaLittlePrayer, RaindropsKeepFallin’ On My Head, Arthur’s Theme, That’s What Friends Are For), Jim Gordon (Layla), Bobby Caldwell (TheNextTimeIFall), Cynthia Weil (You’veLostThatLovin’ Feelin’, SomewhereOutThere), Gary Wright (DreamWeaver)…sportscasters Stan Savran, Billy Packer, Tim McCarver, and Ken Squier…actors Matthew Perry (Friends, FoolsRushIn), Alan Arkin (LittleMissSunshine, The Santa Clause 3, EdwardScissorhands, GlengarryGlenRoss), Tyler Christopher (GeneralHospital), Richard Moll (NightCourt), Adam Rich (Eight is Enough), Billy Miller (TheYoung&Restless, GeneralHospital), Lance Kerwin (James at 15), Tom Sizemore (Striking Distance, SavingPrivate Ryan), Robert Blake (Baretta), Richard Belzer (Law & Order: SVU, Homicide: LifeontheStreet), Michael Lerner (Eight Men Out, Elf), Treat Williams (1941, Once Upon a Time inAmerica), Nicolas Coster (SantaBarbara, All the President’s Men), Julian Sands (Ocean’sThirteen), Frederic Forrest (ApocalypseNow), Marc Gilpin (Jaws), Paul Reubens (TheBlues Brothers, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse), Johnny Hardwick (King of the Hill), Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us), Maurice Hines (TheCottonClub), Sir Michael Gambon (Harry Potter), Richard Roundtree (Shaft), Burt Young (Rocky), Joss Ackland (LethalWeapon2), Andre Braugher (Homicide: LifeontheStreet, BrooklynNine–Nine), Tom Wilkinson (TheFullMonty, Recount, ThePatriot), Kamar de los Reyes (OneLifetoLive), and Ryan O’Neal (LoveStory, PaperMoon)…cartoonist Chris Browne (Hagar the Horrible)…astronaut Frank Borman…Food Network host Bobby Rivers…pro wrestlers Terry Funk, “Superstar” Billy Graham, The Iron Sheik, Jay Briscoe, “Leaping” Lanny Poffo, Windham Rotunda (aka Bray Wyatt), Jeff Gaylord, Butch Miller (The Bushwhackers), Darren Drozdov, “Exotic” Adrian Street, Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey, Brett Sawyer, Killer Khan, and promoter Jerry Jarrett…comedian & musician Tom Smothers…engineer Gaston Glock (creator of the Glock pistol)…former U.S. Congresswoman Pat Schroeder (Colorado), former Connecticut Governor & Senator Lowell Weicker, former New Mexico Governor & UN Ambassador Bill Richardson, former mayor of San Francisco & U.S. Congresswoman Dianne Feinstein (California), and former U.S. Senator (Wisconsin), Milwaukee Bucks owner, & Kohl’s Department Store founder Herb Kohl…former basketball coaches Bobby Knight (Indiana Hoosiers, Texas Tech Red Raiders), Chris Ford (Boston Celtics), Terry Holland (Virginia Cavaliers), Billy Hahn (WV Mountaineers), Denny Crum (Louisville Cardinals), Brendan Malone (Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors), & Joey Meyer (DePaul Blue Demons) and former football coaches Vince Tobin (Arizona Cardinals) & Hall-of-Famer Bud Grant (Minnesota Vikings)…authors John Jakes (North & South) & Cormac McCarthy (BloodMeridian, NoCountry for Old Men, TheRoad)…former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson…TV director Peter Werner (Academy Award winner in 1976 for Best Live Action Short Film)…Dancing with the Stars judge Len Goodman…former NFL referee Art McNally…stuntman George Wilbur (Halloween)…Heisman Trophy winners & former NFL players Johnny Lujack & Charles White, former NFL players & TV pitchmen Conrad Dobler and Walt Garrison, retired NFL players Ryan Mallett (New England Patriots), Clark Haggans (Pittsburgh Steelers), Sean Dawkins (Indianapolis Colts), Alex Collins (Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens), Mike Williams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Russ Francis (New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers), and Frank Wycheck (Tennessee Titans)…political satirist Mark Russell…Bob Lee (founder of CashApp)…former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi…former PGA golfers Don January & Andy Bean…cinematographer Bill Butler (Jaws, Grease) & Oscar winning screenwriter Bo Goldman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Scent of a Woman)…journeyman NBA players Felton Spencer & Eric Montross…The View producer Bill Geddie…comedian Pat Cooper…former WV Supreme Court Justice Warren McGraw…former MLB players Dick Groat (Pittsburgh Pirates), Tim Wakefield (Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox), & Vida Blue (Oakland A’s) and manager Pat Corrales (Cleveland Indians)
A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..
Apparently a reboot of The Office is happening, and I will tentatively say “I’m in!!”. However, while I think the concept is perfect for a reboot, I do not believe it’d be wise to simply resume with the original cast working at Dunder-Mifflin in Scranton, PA. Most of those actors have moved on to other phases of their career, and within the fictional setting I don’t think any employees would realistically still be working in the same place. It’d make sense for the documentary company that chronicled the daily work life at a paper company to do a sequel, but surely they’d move on to a new business in a whole different industry located in another town. By the way, I’ve had a similar opinion for years about The West Wing…ideal framework for a reboot, just a whole new cast of characters working at The White House. I wouldn’t dare presume success for either “new” show, but if the writing is good & the casting director does a great job then why not give it a whirl??
Ignoramuses who blindly follow leftist ideologies love displaying “Free Palestine” or the Ukraine flag on their social media. The chasm has grown exponentially beyond Democrat vs. Republican or Liberal vs. Conservative. Those petty disagreements seem rather quaint nowadays.
Weird opinion: I do not enjoy Meet & Greets. While it’d be an exaggeration to say that I have social anxiety, I am somewhat socially awkward and simply don’t know what to say to folks in those situations beyond “Hi…nice to meet you”. It’s uncomfortable. I realize “famous” people are human beings who put their pants on one leg at a time like you & me. It’s not a matter of being star struck. Hell, I don’t even know names of most of my neighbors in my apartment building. I’m quiet & somewhat introverted. I keep to myself and am more effective with written communication than verbal interaction. There’s also the fact that meet & greets usually involve pics, and I hate being photographed. I’ve never been buff & sexy, but these days I am absolutely disgusted by my own appearance. Calm down…I’m not going to dive into the whole weight loss rabbit hole right now, but it is an issue. Honestly, I just prefer to sit in my spot, keep to myself, enjoy the show, then head home to bask in my solitude. Your mileage may vary, and that’s okay.
I was taught by my parents to be polite & respectful. Throughout my life I’ve tried to treat people with courtesy. However, sometimes a person just cannot take a hint. They lack the self-awareness to understand when they need to leave or when I simply do not want to be bothered with their foolishness. So I have had to force myself to be quite direct or even rude on occasion. It isn’t my comfort zone, but sometimes it becomes necessary to protect one’s own peace above all else.
Speaking of reboots…
When it was first announced that a Frasier reboot was in the works I was SO excited. A decade agoFrasier was firmly ensconced as one of my favorite TV shows of all time, and that opinion hasn’t changed. To be honest I became a little less excited when none of the original supporting cast signed on for the new show. I knew that Frasier’s brother Dr. Niles Crane would especially be missed, but actor David Hyde Pierce, who so brilliantly brought Niles to life, decided he did not want to reprise the role. In the end my initial enthusiasm trumped those secondary misgivings, and I’ve eagerly consumed the first few episodes. To say that reviews have been mixed is being kind, but I would not be deterred. That being said, I did lower my expectations. However, I’m glad to report that what I have seen so far is satisfactory. It isn’t a perfect show, and its predecessor casts quite the shadow. Comparisons are inevitable but a little unfair for many reasons, not the least of which is we get a ten episode season to digest this incarnation as opposed to two dozen Season 1 episodes for the original. Streaming is still weird for this old dude. Anyway, I like the Frasier reboot and think it has room to evolve into something we can hopefully enjoy for a few years. If you’re a fan of the old show don’t be hesitant to give the new one a chance…just be realistic with hopes & assumptions.
A semi-regular attempt to address some of life’s minutiae that might otherwise be overlooked…..
On 12/8/21 I bought a dozen eggs at the grocery store for $1.29. That same purchase right now costs $3.49. Someone needs to inform the deranged leftist dictator currently occupying the Oval Office that Americans care much more about this problem than we do about Ukraine, climate change, a “vaccine” that not only doesn’t work but is probably killing people, transgender BS, or anything else his evil administration has been gaslighting us with the past two years.
I’m not interested in a ten minute story about your cat. Please shut your piehole 🙄.
I saw this post in a couple of Facebook groups and didn’t feel like I could freely express my opinion since the “January 6th” silliness has been used as a convenient excuse to turn social media into a fascist dictatorship in which any opinions the “fact” checkers disagree with is suppressed. At any rate, let’s be honest…this list was obviously compiled by an airheaded black millennial. 12 out of the “top” 18 shows have black leads and/or a predominantly black cast. There’s nothing wrong with that, except it is intellectually dishonest to call entrants like Martin, Girlfriends, Black-ish, & Living Single great in any way, shape, or form. The Cosby Show was fantastic, as was The Jeffersons. I won’t even push back too much on Sanford & Son or Diff’rent Strokes, although they are ranked far too high. Also, where is The Andy Griffith Show, Frasier, either of Bob Newhart’s two sitcoms, MASH, and a plethora of others more deserving than half of the shows listed?? Look, I realize these things are largely a matter of opinion, and we are all a product of our generation & our worldview. That being said, perhaps anyone compiling such a list should feel somewhat compelled to respect the readers, respect the genre they’re writing about, and have a shred of common sense.
I still have no idea what the hell pickle ball is 🤷🏻♂️🤔🥒.
I can’t respect the thought process of anyone who thinks drag shows are acceptable entertainment for children and refuses to admit that it is blatant grooming. I respect a person’s right to have an opinion, but that does not extend to the opinion itself. It is particularly troubling when someone who holds such beliefs has daily access to large groups of young people. Public schools in America need investigated & reformed. They’ve become breeding grounds for intellectually vacant activists who seek to normalize deviance for kids. Whatever happened to reading, writing, math, history, & science?? That’s what used to be taught in schools.
The Manofesto 