Giant George

I got an email the other day about the world's tallest dog. Well being the skeptical one I am about most things found in emails and online I did some checking and was able to find out its true and he is called Giant George.
He stands 3 and a half feet tall at the shoulder. This is one big Great Dane.
He does have his own facebook and twitter pages but who doesnt these days.

Ripley's Believe It or Not

This is why Richard Pryor was a genius

and waaay ahead of his time, socially and in comedy. This is from the short lived "Richard Pryor Show" that aired 4 episodes NBC in the fall of 1977. I dont recall watching it but according to what I found it was up against "Happy Days" and "Laverne and Shirley" on ABC and I was 10 at the time and that was what we watched at my house. That ratings juggernaut on ABC was one of the many reasons it bombed. Here is a good overview of the whole mess from TVParty.com.
I may need some help here but there is so much talent in the following clip, like Marsha Warfield and Tim Reid. I recognize a couple of others that went on to some fame but there names wont come to me.

Here is Richard Pryor at the 40th and first black US President. When I watch this it makes me laugh out loud everytime. His remarks about the NFL are the best and almost psychic.

Pernell Roberts R.I.P. Part 2

Today the New York Times and the LA Times had their obituaries for Pernell Roberts.

The LA Times

The NY Times

Pernell Roberts R.I.P.

Just saw the email that Pernell Roberts has died in Malibu at the age of 81.

I will have the fill obituary posted here tomorrow.

From KTLA - A brief article

From CNN - another update

Beef & Boards Theater

Once again we attended a play at Beef & Boards Theater in Indianapolis and it was tremendous. This time it was "The Foreigner" by Larry Shue.
It starred wonderful funnyman Jeff Stockberger as "the foreigner". The other cast memebers were just as good and at points even better. I laughed and really enjoyed this play that I had never heard of but I knew from previous plays like "Run For Your Wife" that this group knew how to do the farce and do it very well.
This was enjoyable for the whole family, I havent heard my girls laugh out like that except for "Family Guy" and "Seinfeld".
Here is a brief preview of the play with the Beef and Boards cast.

TV Flashback

Here is a look at "Welcome Back Kotter". This ABC sitcom ran from September 1975 to June of 1979 and introduced the world to future movie star John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino. The main focus was on former student now teacher Gabe Kotter coming back to his old high school to teach an unruly group called the Sweathoggs which were led by Vinnie Barbarino, Juan Epstein (Robert Hedges),Freddie"Boom Boom"Washington (Lawrence Hilton Jacobs III) and Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo).
Here is part of the first episode aired on ABC. This is not the pilot as it was aired as the 3rd episode of the first season. If you notice the debate team leader is James Woods.

Top of the Pops!

This weeks Top of The Pops! is goes back to this week in 1983 and it would be one of the only times that a super duo of Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney did not see the top spot together.

Lets get started.

#5 - Africa - Toto
This group may have been named after a famous movie dog but there was no doubt about their success as this song proved. On the way to the top they make a quick stop this week at #5.


#4 - Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye
Here is the comeback smash for Motown legend Marvin Gaye. This would peak #3 and would also spend 10 weeks at the top of the Soul chart making it the longest running #1 on the that chart for the 1980s. Sadly this would his last hit song as he would die tragically in 1984.


#3 - Dirty Laundry - Don Henley
Peaking this week in the 3rd spot is the Eagles drummer/lead singer with his first solo hit.

#2 - The Girl is Mine - Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney
The first single off of the now legendary "Thiller" album. It wasnt liked by the critics but the fans loved it enough to send it to the #2 spot and go platinum. It was the song that dethroned Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" on the Soul/R&B chart after 10 weeks.


#1 - Down Under - Men At Work
In its second of 4 weeks as the biggest single in the US, this was the second #1 hit for the Australian group Men at Work. This was a big week for the group as they had the biggest single in the US and UK as well as the #1 album (Business As Usual) in the US and UK. This had not happened since 1980 when Barbara Streisand had the big four spots.
Men At Work would go on to win the Grammy for Best New Artist of 1983.

Rachel Alexandra wins Horse of Year over Zenyatta

Rachel Alexandra wins Horse of Year over Zenyatta - More Sports - SI.com

2009 saw the 2 greatest fillies ever in Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta and they have yet to face each other on the track. Hopefully 2010 will brings us the meeting that all horse racing fans want to see.

Happy Birthday Jean Stapleton

Today is the 87th birthday of TV legend Jean Stapleton. Known to generations as Edith "The Dingbat" Bunker she had a long, successful and varied career on the stage,in movies and on television.
Ms Stapleton won 3 Emmys (1971,'72 and '78) and 2Golden Globes (1971 and '72 which she shared with Cher)for her role as Edith Bunker.

Here is probably one of the funniest episodes ever for Edith.
It's from January 8th 1972 called "Edith's Problem". She is going through "the change" and giving Archie fits which led to a boatload of laughs.

The Golden Globe Awards

Well this to me was one of the best Golden Globes ever, chief reason being that Ricky Gervais was hosting. He didnt spare anyone and did what he does best, make people laugh. He defied orders from NBC (like anyone listens to them anyway) and didnt clean it up and avoid offending anyone.

article in the UK Daily Mail about the show with a good video clip of the show.

TV Flashback

Today in 1972 it was a Friday night and tv viewers watching NBC got to see the premiere of a new show by Norman Lear, who brought "All in the Family" to CBS.
Sanford and Son hit the airwaves at 8pm Eastern and never left. Starring "blue" comedian Redd Foxx as grumpy, widower junk man Fred Sanford and Demond Wilson as his only son, the show was based on the british sitcom "Steptoe and Son".
Fred Sanford was touted as NBC's answer to Archie Bunker and soon became a huge hit for NBC and the #2 overall tv show for 3 straight seasons after being #6 the first year.
It couldnt dethrone "All in the Family" which was #1 from 1971 to 1977.
Also a big hit was the theme to "Sanford and Son" which was composed by Quincy Jones. The title was "Streetbeater" which was released as a single in 1973.

Teddy Pendergrass RIP

Early this morning the music world lost a great voice in Teddy Pendergrass. Although paralyzed from a car accident in 1982 he was able to perform again.
Read the full LA Times obituary here
Here is the song that made him famous in 1972, "If You Don't Know Me By Now". Teddy was the lead singer of Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes and made this song legendary and took it to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the fall of 1972.

Trailer Park

Today its a double feature of upcoming movies for 2010.
First up is the movie on the girl rockers "The Runaways". It chronicles the rise, and fall, of the group that gave the world Joan Jett and Lita Ford and became a somewhat legendary group in the underground rock scene of the late 70s.



Next up is the new movie for Jim Carrey, "I Love You Phillip Morris". This based on the real life events in the life of con artist Steven Jay Russell.
This has a little bit of everything with comedy,drama,a gay sex scene with Jim Carrey and lots of men kissing men. Be prepared.

Jan Gabriel RIP

You probably dont know the name but you know what he made famous: "SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!"
Jan Gabriel died on Sunday ironically, but left us his legacy advertising drag racing outside of Chicago.

here is a video profile of Mr Gabriel done by WTTW's Bob Sirott.
sadly the video advertises the fact that Mr. Gabriel was very sick and needed a kidney transplant.

Oliver Stone...Crazy? or Crazy like a fox?

Article about Stone's upcoming new series on Showtime.

Read it here

Top of the Pops!

Today our Top of the Pops! goes waaaay back to commerate the 75th birthday of the King of Rock N Roll, Elvis Presley.
Here is the top 5 for the week ending April 21st 1956.
This was an odd top 5 because 2 of the hits were instrumentals and very little if any video exist of the original artist performing or in this case conducting their orchestras.
This was the week that rock n roll made it clear that is was not going away but getting bigger.
Lets get it started!

#5- Lisbon Antigua - Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra
A former #1 hit that spent 4 weeks at the top in February/March.


#4- Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
This was written by Carl Perkins and it topped out at #2 and beat Elvis' version to the charts.


#3- Poor People of Paris - Les Baxter
Another former #1 that was knocked off by Elvis Presley and his first #1. This spent 4 weeks at the top in March and April. This song had followed Nelson Riddle's "Lisbon Antigua" into the top spot and was the only time in the rock era that 2 instrumentals would be back to back #1 songs.


#2- Hot Diggity - Perry Como
One of the few times a Perry Como song didnt reach the top of the charts, but he had the misfortune of hitting #2 behind that new sensation Elvis Presley. Even Mr. Smooth couldnt budge the future King of Rock N Roll from the top.


#1- Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
Here is the first #1 single for Elvis Presley and was the first of his 17 to top the Billboard Hot 100. This was released on January 27th and when it reached the top on April 21st it would stay there for 8 consecutive weeks. This was Elvis' first recording for RCA Victor and it would be the biggest
selling single of 1956.

Ripley's Believe It or Not

Song of the Week

Today to honor the passing of Redbone lead singer Tony Bellamy we have their #5 hit from 1974 "Come and Get Your Love".
Tony Bellamy died on Christmas morning 2009 at the age of 69.