What Might've Been: Bridget Loves Bernie (1972)

 To paraphrase the Batman, network executives are a superstitious and cowardly lot. Cowardly in that they caved to pressure from Jewish groups opposed to the interfaith union of the title characters in CBS' 1972 entry, Bridget Loves Bernie.

Bernie Steinberg (David Birney) is a cab driver who's also trying to establish himself as a writer. He meets & falls in love with Bridget Fitzgerald, an Irish Catholic (Meredith Baxter), and the couple are married before the first month of the season.

The supporting cast has a few familiar faces, including character actors Harold J. Stone and Ned Glass, and future icons Audra Lindley (later of Three's Company) and David Doyle (Charlie's Angels). Doyle had already been making the rounds, one of his earliest appearances coming seven years earlier in The Trials of O'Brien, also for CBS, starring Peter Falk.

Bridget Loves Bernie had strong ratings, hammocked between established hits All in The Family and The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the front end of CBS' powerhouse Saturday lineup. Unfortunately, back in those days, marrying outside of your faith was frowned upon. Perhaps not so much now, I'm not sure.

We bring this forward because of a marathon that aired Saturday on Catchy Comedy (formerly Decades)

Edit, 2/8/24: Had to change the video. Here's a sample from the opener:

A year after the series ended, Birney & Baxter were married in real life, and both moved on to other series. Birney, for example, was cast in the fictionalized adventures of Serpico, and, if memory serves correctly, he was also on St. Elsewhere for a bit. Meredith Baxter Birney struck gold with back-to-back hits with Family and Family Ties.

Rating: B.

Notes from around town

 Albany Broadcasting's Sunday public affairs programs are in reruns this week, and it seems to be the case that one or both are in reruns every other week.

News, Views, & Interviews, currently under the aegis of Aaron Mair, replayed last week's episode this morning. The other problem with this series, which dates back to sometime in the 50's under original host Art Mitchell, is that while it's programmed for 30 minutes, commercials included, it airs for no more than about 20+ on WROW (Magic 100.5/AM 590), sans commercials, and Mair hasn't gotten clue one about it, as it appears he's recording the show for one of the other stations (i.e. JAMZ 96.3).

Albany Street, which follows, has caught another case of rerunitis, this time with current host Brian Cady, who took over in October 2022. A 2-part interview was stretched out over 4 weeks with no explanation. Cady is also the morning drive host on Sundays (7-10 am), and apparently may only be taping Street every other week. As a veteran of local radio, Cady knows that's not a good look.

What Mair needs is a moderator to help keep him on track, like Joe Condon did before he retired in 2022. Cady will be fine.

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Disaster was averted in city politics in the last 24 hours.

With Carmella Mantello set to be inaugurated and sworn in as Troy's 1st female mayor tomorrow, the Troy GOP stupidly decided to have former Rensselaer County elections commissioner Jason Schofield join the team as an assistant to city clerk Maria DeBonis, and announced on Friday that Schofield was taking the position, despite pleading guilty a few months back to voter fraud, which got national attention.

On Saturday, however, Schofield withdrew after the GOP caught some major backlash from the Democrats. Noting that he's still to be sentenced in the voter fraud case, local Democrats felt the optics were just terrible, and that DeBonis and incoming GOP majority leader Tom Casey took a page from the national Republican playbook. Speaking of bad optics....!

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Herbie's Burgers has become a big thing in the 518 in this past year alone. 

After starting with a location on Lark Street, the local chain has added locations in Troy (the former Black & White Taxi stand on Fulton Street), Schenectady, and now, the Empire State Plaza, just a short distance from their Lark Street location. Fittingly, Herbie's is replacing McDonald's at the Plaza.

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We talked about this at Tri-City SportsBeat on Friday, but it bears mentioning here, too.

The Troy School District laid out some major cash to upgrade the balcony seats at Zotto Memorial Gym, as well as adding a concession stand, which moves up from the cafeteria, but they're not really doing enough to help their basketball program.

1st year women's coach Will Harris, a former star at UAlbany, has just 1 official assistant, Mia Landor, also in her first season. I'm told that former coach and current assistant principal Ryan Meikle, who was moved up to administration last season, is helping Harris as much as possible, but it wouldn't hurt to add a 2nd assistant to help the women get through game nerves.

1st year men's coach Josh Pelletier could use some extra help, too. The two Troy hoops teams have combined for 3 wins in the 1st month of the season. So not Troy basketball. They may need a psychologist for the women if things don't change. Just sayin'.

No, this is not another choke job: Ohio State loses another bowl game

 The downfall of this year's Ohio State football team started with the loss to Michigan last month. 3rd straight year that the Buckeyes had lost their regular season finale. Earlier this month, receiver Marvin Harrison, Jr., son of the former Colts & Syracuse star, declared he would not play in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, which took place last night. Quarterback Kyle McCord decided, for whatever reason, to transfer to Syracuse, rather than play in the Cotton Bowl.

And that would come back to bite the Buckeyes. Big time.

One of the most prolific offenses in the Big 10 was shut down by Missouri on Friday night. The Tigers erased a mere 3-0 deficit with 2 fourth quarter touchdowns to upset Ohio State, 14-3. 3rd string QB Devin Brown, in his first career start, was injured early, and coach Ryan Day had to go to the bench when it was clear Brown couldn't finish. Unlike San Francisco's Brock Purdy in the NFC title game last January, there would be no miracle rally.

Right about now, Ohio State fans are picturing McCord in a certain Dr. Pepper ad.....

Ohio State administration decided to wait until after the Cotton Bowl to see who they could find in the transfer portal. Now, it's job 1 in the off-season. While we don't know who got in McCord's ear to get him into the portal, we do know that was a costly decision for Ohio State.

This is how you preserve a classic: The Jack Benny Hour (1966)

 Jack Benny moved to NBC in the 60's, but instead of an all new weekly series, a series of specials would serve nicely until the eternal 39 year old's passing in 1974. 

In this installment, dubbed The Jack Benny Hour, Jack is joined by the Smothers Brothers, Phyllis Diller, Trini Lopez, and 10 beauty queens from across the globe, back when these ladies were given primetime in pageants themselves.

We've already seen Sy (Mel Blanc) and the Tijuana Strings, and the American Motors ad with Peter Hansen (General Hospital) & Frank Nelson. Now, you get the whole enchilada.

I get that Benny wanted to prove he could do a standard variety show without his usual troupe, and announcer Bill Baldwin is no Don Wilson. In fact, Blanc & Nelson were the only members of his repertory company to appear.

No rating. This is in memory of Tom Smothers, who passed away on Wednesday.

This week in GOP stupidity

 When the going gets tough, the pseudo-tough run away.

That's exactly what Colorado Misrepresentative Lauren Gropert is doing, leaving her home district, the 3rd Congressional District, for the 4th, to avoid a rematch with Democrat Adam Frisch, contingent, of course, on whether or not she'd survive a Republican primary.

Gropert is angling to claim the seat being vacated by fellow Republican Ken (Spend a) Buck upon his retirement. However, there are other claimants on the GOP side in the 4th district, too, but the Mile High Airhead doesn't care. She's afraid of losing her portal of fame, and is ducking the 3rd district, despite the fact that not even a lot of registered Republican voters in her state like her, period.

Farron Cousins explains:

Assuming Gropert loses, the next place you'd likely see her is in a traveling burlesque show. Just sayin'.

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Choo-Choo Charlie Kirk played his idiot card the other day. His target, once again, is singer Taylor Swift.

While most of the country is rightly chewing out FS1 bloviator Skip Bayless for his accusation that T-Swizzle is a distraction to beau Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs, Kirk took things even further, going so far as to claim that the relationship, just a few months old, is just for show.

Now, I'll submit that Kelce, who has landed endorsement deals with Pfizer, Lowe's, Campbell's Chunky Soup (with brother Jason, a lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles), and joining coach Andy Reid & Patrick Mahomes in shilling for State Farm, this season alone, is the envy of millions of guys everywhere who want to be in his shoes with the leggy Swift, who has raised the ire of Kirk and other right wing cementheads because she "dared" to encourage her fan base to register to vote, if they hadn't already done so. 

The way I see it, Kirk probably can't get any, so he's taking it out on Taylor. While CBS' Tony Romo has been caught with a case of foot-in-mouth disease twice this season, the most recent case coming Monday in the loss to Las Vegas, Kirk and Bayless had better hope Taylor doesn't write a song about them. 

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Pity poor Marjorie Taylor Greene.

The Georgia Misrepresentative's Christmas was ruined, as least as she claims, when she was targeted for swatting on Monday by some dipstick here in New York, who claimed he was going to commit suicide at Greene's home. I doubt that guy would even know how to find her house, much less use a road map, because it seems like Greene was targeted by some drunken idiot with nothing to do.

Then, to learn that on Tuesday, Greene's two adult daughters were also targeted for swatting. By her count, Greene says she's been swatted 8 times. Well, I hate to say it, but you brought it on yourself by being an embarrassment to Congress three years running, being in Washington as a means of kissing up to the oldest toddler in the country. If you actually bothered to do the job you were elected to do, instead of being a Paris Hilton wanna-be, you wouldn't have this happening.

In other words, you reap what you sow.

A fake Christian claims the President, a Catholic, isn't "religious enough". Pass the Pepto! Diaper Don lies again!

 Call it deflection, call it projection, call it whatever you wish. Donald Trump, who had his books ghostwritten for him, and clumsily held up a Bible for a lame photo op 3 1/2 years ago, had the utter gall to accuse President Biden, a devout, practicing Catholic, of not being "religious enough". I would venture to say that Biden actually attends Mass every chance he gets. Walking into a church, period, is anathema to Trump, who continues to pander to not only the evangelicals, but also his low-information, easily gullible base.

Farron Cousins discusses the latest of Trump's many, many sins.

Where I attend church, here in the 518, we have a small congregation of about 20-25 people. Most of them, along with the pastor, were on the Trump train. Can't say for sure now. How can anyone continue to support a man who doesn't follow any of the 10 Commandments, is a habitual liar, a grifter, and a lifetime Weasel, but can't quote any scriptures from memory because he can't be bothered to read anything.

To make matters worse, as Farron noted, Trump is still conning his marks into thinking he made it legal to say "Merry Christmas". No, he didn't. The faux "War on Christmas", ginned up by Fox No News for so many years, is as fake as Trump's belief in God. Trust me, God will have the last word on Trump......

NFL this 'n' that

 It seems as though CBS analyst & Sketchers shill Tony Romo was wishing he was assigned to Nickelodeon's alternate coverage of Monday's Chiefs-Raiders game.

Twice in the 1st quarter, Romo made some Peanuts jokes regarding the sloppy play on both sides. They could've queued up "Linus & Lucy" as background music, and it would've helped. It would have also made him fit right in with the cut-ups over on Nick. However, and this was something I missed as I was preparing dinner, Romo again put the cart before the horse, and mistakenly referred to singer Taylor Swift as Travis Kelce's wife, not girlfriend. 2nd time in a month that's happened. 

CBS, of course, felt obligated to do reaction shots of Swift in the skybox every time Kelce made a play.

After the game, a 20-14 Raiders win, FS1 bloviator Skip Bayless had the lack of brains to suggest that Swift has become a distraction to the Chiefs. Apparently, someone must've mixed some egg nog into Bayless' peanut butter that morning.

Count on this. CBS has the Super Bowl and the NFL Honors in February. Bank on Swift getting an invitation to the latter, even if the Chiefs don't make it back to the big game.

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What turned the game around for Las Vegas were two defensive touchdowns in the span of just 7 seconds of game play. Two consecutive offensive plays by the Chiefs ended in points for the Raiders.

First, Patrick Mahomes coughed up a fumble, leading to a scoop & score, as they say today. After the ensuing kick-off, Mahomes gave up a pick-six. A late KC touchdown wasn't enough to get them back into the game.

We can't tell if Mahomes is looking for divine intervention. Photo courtesy Yahoo!.

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Brock Purdy was the last man drafted in 2022 in the NFL Draft, making him "Mr. Irrelevant". 

He played like it Monday, throwing 4 interceptions in a loss to Baltimore that prevented San Francisco from locking down the #1 seed in the NFC. Baltimore, on the other hand, still has to hold off Miami for the top spot in the AFC.

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Like clockwork, there are complaints about questionable officiating in some of this week's games.

Former NFL Officiating head Dean Blandino, now with Fox, disagreed with a pair of questionable roughing the passer calls in 2 separate Sunday games, which of course will only add to suspicions that there might be something shady going on behind the scenes due to the growing popularity of online betting.

On Monday, Giants lineman John Michael Schmitz, Jr. was called for a false start, and the officials working Giants-Eagles ignored Philly's Jalen Carter jumping offside, triggered, perhaps, by the ever so slight movement of Schmitz. The correct call would've been offsetting fouls and replay the down, but, nope, the Giants get hosed as they have now lost 11 straight in Philadelphia. The rematch is January 7 at the Meadowlands.

Is the NFL hiring referees based on if they've watched WWE lately? Just asking for a friend.

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We might as well call it now. The Jests won for the final time this season in disposing of Washington on Sunday. The Commanders finished 0-3 vs. the NYC teams, having been swept by the Giants. The Jests close with Cleveland on Thursday, and New England January 7, and the Patriots, locked in the AFC East basement, are looking for another sweep of Gang Green in what could be Bill Belichick's final game. 

Despite owner Woody Johnson's declaration that coach Robert Saleh & GM Joe Douglas will return in 2024, don't hold your breath on it. Just sayin'.

Countdown to Christmas: Christmas with Johnny Cash & family (& friends)(1970)

 The following video comes from a Johnny Cash Show fan channel on YouTube, so we'll see if Sony puts in a copyright claim.

Anyway, Johnny invites viewers into his home to visit with his family, including brother Tommy ("Six White Horses"), and son John Carter. The Statler Brothers were series regulars, and this show also features the Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison.

Rating: A.

Merry Christmas!!

Countdown to Christmas: The Ray Conniff Christmas Special (1965)

 For many people growing up in the 60's & 70's, Ray Conniff and his vocal group defined "easy listening". Locally, WROW was among the stations that had Conniff in heavy rotation until the station began to evolve away from the likes of Conniff & the 101 Strings back in the 80's.

In 1965, Conniff was given a Christmas special. What is not entirely certain is if it was on a network or in syndication. Alan Young (Mister Ed) is a special guest.

A year later, the Ray Conniff Singers scored their biggest chart hit with "Somewhere My Love". "Here we Come A'Caroling" is heavy airplay on radio this weekend, to be sure.

Rating: A.

What Might've Been: The Texan (1958)

 One of the benefits of the Grit network returning to Spectrum Cable in the 518 is the addition of Rory Calhoun's 1958-60 oater, The Texan, a 2 season Desilu entry for CBS.

Calhoun not only stars, but serves as co-executive producer with business partner Victor Orsatti. Calhoun plays gunslinger Bill Longley, who travels here and there, but trouble always seems to follow.

After the series ended, ABC acquired rerun rights, airing weekdays at first, then on Saturday mornings. However, aside from Grit and other cablers, it hasn't seen the light of day in years.

Following is the season 1 episode, "No Tears For The Dead", with Beverly Washburn ("Old Yeller") and a pre-Bonanza Ray Teal.

A sharp decline in ratings from season 1 to season 2 resulted in cancellation.

Rating: A.

Countdown to Christmas: Chrissy The Christmas Mouse (1992)

 I heard this song for the first time this morning. I'm not kidding. This was recorded in 1992, and didn't get enough radio airplay. Until now.

Donald O'Connor & Debbie Reynolds, who'd co-starred in some movies a couple of generations ago, reunited to record a Christmas album, and the first single references "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer", except that "Chrissy The Christmas Mouse" was an entirely new creation. 

To think this comes 21 years after Lynn Anderson's parody, "Ding-a-Ling The Christmas Bell". Here's "Chrissy":

Yeah, it's audio only. We'll probably hear "Chrissy" a few more times between now & Christmas Day (Monday).

YouTube Theatre: Gidget Grows Up (1969)

 Despite the fact that the series had flopped in its only season, ABC & Screen Gems decided to try Gidget again.

It took a year before "Gidget Grows Up" made the air as an ABC Movie of The Week, loaded with familiar faces. Sally Field was busy with The Flying Nun, so Harry Ackerman brought in Karen Valentine to assume the role of Frances "Gidget" Lawrence, now a college graduate, returning to the states after 2 years in Europe. Keep in mind, this was filmed a year before Valentine was cast in Room 222. Jeff "Moondoggie" Griffin (Paul Peterson, ex-The Donna Reed Show) has a brief reunion with Gidget before leaving for military service in Greenland.

Our cast includes Bob Cummings, taking over for Don Porter as Gidget's father, Edward Mulhare (The Ghost & Mrs. Muir), and Paul Lynde (Bewitched, Hollywood Squares).

A little bit of sunshine before Winter officially begins tomorrow night.

There would be another TV-movie or two before Gidget went back on the shelf until 1986's The New Gidget & Caryn Richman.

No rating. Just a public service.

The paranoia runs deep in the oldest toddler in America

 We are, of course, referring to Donald Trump, who, three weeks before the end of his civil fraud trial in NYC, may have intentionally (?) misidentified a New York Post reporter assigned to cover the case as the son of Judge Arthur Engoron.

Said reporter, Ben Kochman, had to come forward to clear the air after Trump, noticing that Kochman had a beard, mistook him for Engoron's son, a lawyer, in a post on Truthless Social after he'd gotten it from conspiracy troll Loopy Laura Loomer.

File photo courtesy Yahoo!.

At 77, Trump is too far detached from reality to recognize when he's committed a case of mistaken identity, intentionally or not, and Loopy Loomer's not helping. She's feeding the beast, if you will, and, in turn, Trump is issuing dog whistles to his brainless supporters. His paranoia over not being able to run for president next year is affecting his thinking, more so than normal.

Trump's brave front is just that, but the facade is crumbling. You know what he gets for this latest gaffe:

He can gift-wrap it for Loopy Loomer as a Christmas present.

Musical Interlude: Cry For Help (1991)

 Rick Astley made a bit of a career change with the release of 1991's "Free". The title referenced the fact that he had left the tutelage of the producing team of Stock-Aiken-Waterman, which had produced his first two CD's for RCA.

"Free", also on RCA, produced Astley's final top 10 single in the US, "Cry For Help", which peaked at #7. Swimming against the tide of the revived dance music phenomenon he was a part of just four years earlier, Astley, backed by the Andrae Crouch Choir, found himself on the adult contemporary charts with "Cry For Help":

Rudy Goofiani has to pay for his lies. He's still lying

 On Friday, America's Disgrace, Rudy Goofiani, was ordered to pay Ruby Freeman & Shaye Moss, a mother-daughter team of election workers in Georgia, to the tune of $148 million for defaming them.

Defiant, and unwilling to admit he's wrong, Goofiani continues to defame the pair, leading to a newly filed suit demanding, well, that Goofiani cease & desist, preferably yesterday.

Brian Tyler Cohen explains:

It does seem as though Goofiani actually believes he's telling the truth, but, no, he's not. He's gaslit himself into believing his own falsehoods in service to his pal, Diaper Donald Trump.

We must, again, factor in Goofiani's advanced age. He's close to 80. He should've retired when he had the chance. Now, his career is irretrievably destroyed, and he has himself-----and Trump----to blame.

What Might've Been: Code Red (1981)

 It had been six years since Irwin Allen's last series for ABC, an adaptation of Swiss Family Robinson, had aired. By 1981, Allen had switched his tack from 20th Century Fox to Columbia Pictures Television, and sold one final entry to ABC. 

However, the network didn't do Allen any favors by placing Code Red on Sunday nights, where three previous Allen series---Swiss Family Robinson, Land of The Giants, & Voyage to The Bottom of The Sea, had finished their runs. We have discussed a number of times in the past about networks scheduling shows on nights where certain personnel, usually actors, had thrived in the past. Allen never sold another series after Code Red was cancelled.

Code Red was framed as a family drama set against the backdrop of a fire company. Lorne Greene was accustomed to family drama (Bonanza, Battlestar Galactica), and played the fire chief, whose two oldest sons (Andrew Stevens, Sam J. Jones) were part of his battalion. An adopted younger son (Adam Rich, fresh from Eight is Enough) became a junior member of the team.

Let's take a look at the series opener.

Had it been on any other night, maybe it succeeds. ABC had tried a half hour series, Firehouse, on Thursdays seven years earlier, and that failed. 60 Minutes was now firmly entrenched on Sundays over at CBS, despite frequent delays for football overruns. Ballgame over.

No rating. My folks preferred Disney or syndicated programming.

Countdown to Christmas: Merry Christmas to The Force on Patrol (The Naked City, 1958)

 Naked City was just a half-hour series, under the handle, The Naked City, in its first season. ABC cancelled the show, but sponsors managed to lobby for a revival, albeit in the 1 hour format that we're all familiar with.

John McIntire and James Franciscus were the stars that first season, but when the series returned, both were gone. McIntire, as memory serves, moved on to Wagon Train. Franciscus would return in Mr. Novak.

Frank Sutton, six years before Gomer Pyle, USMC, guests in "Merry Christmas to The Force on Patrol":

McIntire chose not to return, preferring to return to his ranch, but as we know, Wagon Train and a stint on The Virginian changed that.

Rating: A.

Christmas goes metal: O Come All Ye Faithful (2006)

 Twisted Sister released their first Christmas CD as their final studio record in 2006. The first single is a rendition of "O Come All Ye Faithful", as the band pay a call on a bickering couple. That it took them two decades plus to make this record makes us wonder if they could've done it sooner.....

Countdown to Christmas: Lucy, The Choirmaster (The Lucy Show, 1965)

 From season 4 of The Lucy Show:

Lucy Carmichael (Lucille Ball), newly settled in California, decides to have carolers at the bank where she works for Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon). Mooney, though, ends up having to join a children's choir when one of the kids is unable to perform, and has to take instruction from Lucy (hence the episode title). 

No rating, just a public service.

Dunce Cap Award: Rudy Giuliani

 You're a former US Attorney out of NYC. You were "America's Mayor" 22 years ago. Today, you are a disgrace to the legal profession because you hitched your wagon to a hopeless cause, supporting a fellow geriatric whose mental state is worse than yours, and he's younger than you.

Your name is Rudolph Giuliani, and it's about to be mud.

Facing a defamation suit in Atlanta for falsely accusing two election workers of trying to sabotage the 2020 presidential election, Goofiani did what his fellow head case, Pecos Pampers, often does, and gets the attention of the media----and doubles down on the lies, like a total idiot.

Brian Tyler Cohen explains:

With all of his legal experience, you'd think Goofiani would know better, as Brian suggests, but advancing age will do things like this. His own attorney said he can't control what Goofiani says outside the courtroom. Yes, you can, fella. The only other alternative I can think of is, well, Bellevue.

You know what Goofiani gets for this:

I think a meeting with Dr. Zigmund Ziff is in order.........

Countdown to Christmas: Jennifer's Christmas (WKRP in Cincinnati, 1979)

 From season 2 of WKRP in Cincinnati:

Jennifer (Loni Anderson) hosts a Christmas party for the staff when they learn she's going to be all alone at Christmas. George Gaynes (pre-"Police Academy", Punky Brewster) guest stars.

In a way, WKRP was the radio answer to The Mary Tyler Moore Show (from the same studio & network), with the locale moving to the east from Minneapolis to Cincinnati. The ensemble cast does become very much an extended family over the course of the series.

No rating. Just a public service.

Countdown to Christmas: It's Christmas (All Over The World) (1985)

 Somehow, the lone single from "Santa Claus: The Movie"'s soundtrack doesn't get a lot of airplay, and didn't really when it was first released in 1985.

Sheena Easton recorded "It's Christmas (All Over The World)" (not to be confused with the Tom Petty song of a similar title), and, honestly, I'm looking at the video for the first time as well.

Sports this 'n' that

 Until recently, it was rare for an offensive player to be called for offsides, or, encroachment, but it is being called a lot more this year in the NFL.

Sunday, it cost the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs against arch-rival Buffalo. 

In the 4th quarter, Patrick Mahomes threw a pass to Travis Kelce, but anyone watching at home could see a flag already flying before Mahomes could get the pass off. Kelce then lateraled to Kadarious Toney, who scored what the Chiefs had hoped would be a game-winning touchdown.

As ESPN's Lee Corso would say, not so fast, my friends.

Toney, the former Giant, was called for offensive offsides because he lined up in the neutral zone. Mahomes & coach Andy Reid raged at the officials after the game, but there was no point to the dispute. Just sour grapes from the champs, who've now lost two in a row.

I imagine Mahomes wishes he could do this to Toney:

At least Kelce could get some TLC after the game with Taylor Swift......

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Shohei Ohtani is staying in Southern California.

The two-way superstar, who won't pitch in 2024 due to elbow issues, signed a 10 year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend, worth upwards of $700 million. Dave Roberts might finally have the piece of the championship puzzle he was looking for.

To make room for Ohtani, it appears JD Martinez may be on the move again. Picturing Ohtani sandwiched in between Mookie Betts & Freddie Freeman in the Dodger lineup next year alone is scary.

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The Dallas Cowboys are a perfect 7-0 at home this season, looking to go unbeaten at home for the 2nd straight season. 

The 'Boys forged a tie for 1st in the NFC East after beating Philadelphia, 33-13, handing the Eagles their 2nd straight loss, and elevating San Francisco into the top seed in the NFC with a month left in the regular season.

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Prior to Saturday's Army-Navy game, CBS announcer Brad Nessler found himself in an unfamiliar place.

A wrestling fan, Nessler appeared on Friday Night Smackdown, and was invited to sit in with announcers Michael Cole, Kevin Patrick, & guest analyst John Layfield (sitting in for Corey Graves due to this episode being the 21st edition of Tribute to The Troops) for a match involving former military champion Bobby Lashley.

No word on whether or not Cole returned the favor.

Countdown to Christmas: The Littlest Angel (1969)

 From the Hallmark Hall of Fame, as first shown on NBC:

The Littlest Angel, an adaptation of a story by Charles Tazewell, first written for radio broadcast in 1939, then released as a book in 1946, found its way to the Hallmark anthology series in 1969, and would remain a holiday staple during the 70's, with its all-star cast, including Fred Gwynne (ex-The Munsters), Tony Randall (a year away from The Odd Couple), Connie Stevens (ex-Hawaiian Eye), John McGiver (ex-Many Happy Returns), and, in the title role, Johnnie Whittaker (Family Affair). As if there wasn't enough musical talent (Randall, Stevens, Whittaker), Cab Calloway is also along for the ride.

When Tazewell wrote his original story 30 years earlier, his protagonist was a 4 year old. That certainly couldn't work for the TV audience of 1969, hence Whittaker being cast. I cannot speak to whether or not Johnnie did any singing on Family Affair, but he would do so quite a bit in Sigmund & The Sea Monsters, also for NBC (1973-5). Still, he starts us off.

I do have memories of seeing this, but, at the time, it was a school night, and I went to bed before the show was over.

No rating.

Countdown to Christmas: Last Christmas (2022)

 The Backstreet Boys announced yet another return, if you will, within the last year or so. 1993 happens to be their 30th anniversary year, and they first marked it with an endorsement deal with Procter & Gamble (Downy Rinse & Refresh) on TV & radio. Last year, though, came a cover of Wham!'s "Last Christmas". The 5-part harmonies are still there.

Since Brian Littrell recorded some Christian music during the band's hiatus, maybe their next album will lean in that direction?

Diaper Don whines and lies again because he's in a losing battle, and he can't stand it

 I'm going to let Farron Cousins start this off.

Long story short, Donald Trump's gaggle of legal beagles fumbled right at the start, and he's still trying to cover for their incompetence, trying to swing things in his favor, but it isn't working. Trump has gaslit himself and his base into believing he's the victim----he certainly isn't-----but his act is so stale, a month old muffin looks better by comparison.

You know what's going to happen when Diaper Don walks into court on Monday. More whining, crying, & lying to close the defense's case, and, then, ballgame over. The remaining dominoes will fall soon after in Georgia & Washington, DC.

For all of Trump's threats to use the presidency to effect revenge on his "enemies" if he is re-elected next year, it ain't going to happen. You have Counterfeit Kash Patel going on Steve Bannon's podcast to promote those threats, instead of going to mainstream media. Bannon himself should be in jail now, but he, too, has a phobia of imprisonment.

I say, if you're guilty, as Bannon was of contempt of Congress, for example, there is no avenue for appeal, and you should serve your sentence ASAP. No questions asked. Trump should be escorted to prison, or, in his case, given his advanced age and deteriorating mental state, a psychiatric hospital, in a custom straitjacket and muzzle.

Keep whining, Diaper Don. Let the whole world see you are not fit to be president ever again. Let your supporters see the truth about you, discovering what we already know, that you're not the tough guy you made them believe you are, but rather, a weak, insecure man-child with self-esteem issues. 

Norman Lear (1922-2023)

 He was a renaissance man in television in the 70's, but Norman Lear had already made his mark elsewhere.

Lear served in the Air Force in World War II, and flew over 50 missions in the Mediteranean theater. After that, and after a stint as a salesman, Lear began his comedy career writing a simple 7 minute skit for Danny Thomas that caught the attention of agent--and later, producer---David Susskind, which led to gigs writing for Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, Martha Raye, George Gobel, and others.

Photo courtesy Yahoo!.

Turning to television, Lear co-created the Western, The Deputy, with Henry Fonda as its star, though Allen Case had the lead role. It lasted two seasons, but it was the beginning of a prolific career as a writer & producer of television.

In 1971, Lear adapted the British comedy, 'Til Death do us Part, into the smash hit series, All in The Family, which ran for 9 seasons before morphing into Archie Bunker's Place for another four. Family also spun off a whole family tree of sitcoms that, in turn, also led to spin-offs. Maude, for example, begat Good Times. The Jeffersons led to a short-lived series for Marla Gibbs' character, Florence, in Checking In, which lasted a month. Over at NBC, Sanford & Son, adapted from another British series, Steptoe & Son, begat the short-lived Grady. When Redd Foxx left for ABC and a short-lived variety series, Sanford & Son became The Sanford Arms, but that, too, failed.

There were the clunkers, too, but Lear balanced it out by writing for movies. His scripts led to "Come Blow Your Horn", "Divorce, American Style", and Dick Van Dyke's 1971 opus, "Cold Turkey". Lear produced a pair of films directed by former Family co-star Rob Reiner, "The Princess Bride" (1987) & "Stand by Me" (1986), and also produced 1991's "Fried Green Tomatoes".

With the Moral Majority gaining power in Washington, Lear founded People For The American Way as a counter, which led to his being condemned by Moral Majority founder Jerry Falwell as an enemy of the people, which he was not. Falwell and others like him had been corrupted by the temptations of political power.

Lear was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor in 2017, but threatened to boycott the event if then-president Donald Trump attended. Trump passed, so Lear accepted his award in person.

Norman Lear passed away on Tuesday at 101, a long, full life completed. Rest in peace.

Countdown to Christmas: The Flawed Magi (Insight, 1978)

I don't know exactly how many Christmas episodes were produced for Insight during its run, but it's worth looking into.

Bo Svenson, who made his singing debut 10 years earlier on Here Come The Brides, plays a country singer bringing Nashville and the Gospel to a prison. Normann Burton (Wonder Woman) and Albert Reed (ex-Chase, The Secrets of Isis) co-star in "The Flawed Magi".

The one original song in the episode was written by Svenson.

No rating. Just a public service.

Musical Interlude: Go Now (1965)

 Denny Laine was the lead singer of the Moody Blues when "Go Now" was released in 1965. He'd later leave the band before they become progressive, or, art rock icons a couple of years later with Justin Hayward succeeding Laine on vocals.

Laine later returned to the US charts as a guitarist with Paul McCartney and Wings in the 70's. This is in memory of Laine, 79, who has passed away after a long illness. Rest in peace.

Weasel of The Week: College Football Playoff Committee

 This one was just too easy.

"An elephant would be scarier."---Nick Saban to Deion Sanders in an AFLAC commercial currently in heavy rotation.

Apparently, the College Football Playoff Committee agrees with the Alabama coach, whose Crimson Tide captured the SouthEastern Conference (SEC) title Saturday, dethroning 2-time defending champ Georgia. Less than 24 hours later, the committee determined that Alabama would represent the SEC in the Playoff, which begins New Year's weekend.

That leaves ACC champion Florida State out in the cold, despite an undefeated record. Alabama is one of two 1-loss teams in the tournament. The lone team that beat them, Texas, back in September, is the other. Florida State lost their starting quarterback, Jordan Travis, to a leg injury last month in a tomato can squash, and the committee decided that Travis' injury was justification to eliminate the Seminoles.

Ah, but what if Louisville had beaten Florida State Saturday for the ACC title?

The committee's response? Crickets. They found an avenue to get the Tide into the Playoff, and took it. Screw the semantics.

Florida State administration is up in arms. Senator Rick Scott is looking to Congress to investigate (what a shock). Governor Ron DeSantis, who's not at fault at all, is being blamed for the travesty by a certain bloviating lunatic we don't need to name.

So, then, what is the committee's motivation?

Television ratings, of course. Alabama & the SEC are still a ratings draw, even as the league's TV deal with CBS has expired, and they'll move their Saturday showcase games to ABC/ESPN next season. Saban has had his private phone number leaked online, and has gotten dozens of anonymous calls from idiots who can't read between the lines in the last 24+ hours since the pairings were announced.

Let me try to make this as simple as possible for the simpletons hassling Saban. All of the teams played their hearts out. They worked hard from training camp to now. The committee members only saw dollar signs from ad revenues generated from the broadcasts, and it wouldn't be a surprise if they somehow manipulate things so that Alabama gets a chance at revenge against Texas January 8.

Oh, by the way, here's that AFLAC ad. 

Needless to say, a box of Weasel ears are headed to the committee. They deserve them.

Musical Interlude: Jessie's Girl (1981)

 It had been nearly 10 years since Australian-born Rick Springfield had climbed the pop charts. Accumulating a resume as an actor in the intervening years, including landing a plum gig on General Hospital, kept his profile out there, and RCA took a chance on him in 1981 (he'd previously been with Columbia).

"Jessie's Girl" was the 1st single off "Working Class Dog", and rocketed to #1, spurred on, to be sure by the GH audience, even though Dr. Noah Drake (Springfield) didn't swap his stethoscope for a guitar on the show.

Today, "Jessie's Girl" is in rotation on local oldies channels.

Classic TV: A modern day Paul Revere? (Room 222, 1971)

 From season 2 of Room 222:

A lone student's crusade against pollution may get him in some serious trouble. Kurt Russell (ex-The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters), by this time known for the "Medfield College" series of movies for Disney, guest stars. Keep an eye open for a young Ed Begley, Jr. as a Whitman High student.

Pollution isn't as big an issue today as it was in 1971, but it's still an issue.

Countdown to Christmas: Christmas With Jack Benny (1938)

Let's take a trip back in time to the Golden Age of Radio with Jack Benny, whose radio show at the time was known as The Jell-O Program as part of a deal with General Foods. The sponsor would shift to Grape Nuts 4 years later due to a wartime sugar shortage.

The 1938 Christmas show would be the last time singer Kenny Baker would spend the holidays with the Benny troupe. He left the series soon after, to be succeeded by Dennis Day. The plot here is Jack is holding an open house for Christmas......

Benny would remain with General Foods until 1944, and the radio series would soldier on into the 50's, as we've previously documented.

Rating: A.