When Icons Meet: A Bob Hope Comedy Special (1969)

 After the Chrysler Theatre signed off in 1967 after 4 seasons, Bob Hope remained with NBC for a series of monthly specials, 8 per year. for the next several years. The specials followed a particular formula. A Hope monlogue, followed by a sketch, then a musical interlude, in the case of this 1969 show, with Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, and another skit or two, plus one last musical number.

The icon he meets? Golf legend Jack Nicklaus. Also on the bill are Jane Wyman, Louis Nye, Tina Louise (ex-Gilligan's Island), Henry Corden (ex-The Monkees), Reta Shaw (The Ghost & Mrs. Muir) and additional musical attraction Patti Page. 

As for the Plymouth "Tells it Like it is" spots, I don't know who the voice behind the "visual aid" is in the 2 bits. Mike Farrell, a year before The Interns, does the last Plymouth ad, but around that time, the audio ends up ahead of the video. Plus, Michael Rye narrates a Road Runner ad for the iconic bird's Plymouth namesake.

Rating: B. The 1st skit dragged, plus the audio issues.

Once upon a time, Republicans wanted the youth vote..............

 Amidst all the furor over GOPers clutching their pearls, as they say, over Taylor Swift, one needs to remember that nearly 25 years ago, they didn't seem to have a problem reaching out to the youth of the country.

Vince McMahon, then-owner of the then-World Wrestling Federation (now WWE), mounted an ad campaign in 2000 to "Smackdown Your Vote" (italics mine) in order to get fans to the polls. Regardless of which side of the moral fence they presented themselves to be back then, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Lita, Stephanie McMahon, and others appeared in the commercials, such as this one, with Stephanie & Lita at the forefront.

As we know, George W. Bush won his first term. The WWF/E ad campaign would continue for a few more years, ending, if memory serves, prior to the end of Bush's 2nd term. Today, Vince McMahon is out of WWE & TKO Holdings in disgrace, and the GOP would rather bow to a false god (Donald Trump) than encourage the youth vote. Let us not forget that Linda McMahon ran unsuccessfully for US Senate out of Connecticut in 2010 & 2012, and spent 2 years as the head of the Small Business Administration under Trump.

I wonder what percentage of today's wrestling fans in the youth demo would take the above video to heart.......

Right wingers need to take a sedative

 Ok, so the Super Bowl is set for February 11, with Kansas City seeking to become the first team in 20 years to repeat as NFL champions, facing San Francisco. You know who has a problem with that?

Right wing space cadets like Jesse "Dirty" Watters (Fox No News), Charlie Kirk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and the rest of the usual suspects, all because of the right's current #1 bogeywoman, Taylor Swift. All because Swift has galvanized her fan base to register to vote in the last couple of years. Ramaswamy claimed the AFC title game was rigged. No, it wasn't, dumbass. The Baltimore Ravens' 2nd half collapse enabled the defending champs to win the game. No wonder Ramaswamy bailed out of the GOP primaries. He's not as smart as he thinks he is.

Jen Psaki breaks it all down, as seen last night on MSNBC:

For Watters, Ramaswamy, and the rest of the idiots, I recommend taking a sedative every few hours, then prescribe 300 ccs of reality. You really need to re-embrace society as we know it today.

It's not 100% certain Swift will be in Las Vegas for the Super Bowl due to her tour schedule. If she's there, conservatives will need to be strapped down and sedated for sure. It's either that, or skip the game and play tiddly winks......

Video Valentine: Angelia (1989)

 With Valentine's Day a shade over 2 weeks away, let's start with this year's Video Valentines. Leading off is Richard Marx with "Angelia", from 1989's "Repeat Offender" CD.

This was the age where soft ballads like this routinely were also aimed at the Adult Contemporary (formerly Easy Listening) chart in addition to the Top 40. Expect this to get a ton of airplay over the next two weeks.

Weasel of The Week: Michael Roman

 Michael Roman is one of 19 defendants in a criminal case being brought by Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis. Nearly 2 weeks ago, Roman alleged that Willis was in a supposedly inappropriate relationship with one of the prosecutors on her team. Of course, Empty-G and Diaper Don picked up on this, and tried to apply added pressure, but as Farron Cousins tells us, it seems that a certain set of divorce papers being unsealed at the request of Roman, it would appear, may have exposed the fact that Roman was just looking to weasel his way out of jail........

It begs to ask. What are Republicans so afraid of that they would resort to this kind of covert operation to undermine a legitimate case against the former president and several allies, including Rudy Goofiani?

For attempting to defame Willis and sabotage her case against all 19 defendants, himself and Trump included. Michael Roman is a Weasel. It fits.

NFL Conference Championship preview

 And, then, there were four.

Sunday's conference championships will decide who advances to the Super Bowl two weeks later, on February 11. If you think you know how these games will play out, you may be in for a surprise.

AFC Championship: Kansas City @ Baltimore (3 pm ET, CBS):

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes checked off "road playoff win" from his professional bucket list in defeating Buffalo. Now, it's on to Baltimore, and the top-seeded Ravens , who blew out Houston to reach the title game.

Most experts are assuming that Baltimore will reach the Super Bowl for the first time since beating San Francisco more than a decade ago. They fail to take into account the obsessive media interest in Taylor Swift, who may or may not be in Baltimore for the game to cheer on her beau, Travis Kelce, and the Chiefs.

Back to the game. You'll have Mahomes and his Ravens counterpart, Lamar Jackson, running all over the place to help the offenses. Baltimore gets receiver Mark Andrews back from injured reserve, and they can use the extra help. Kansas City needs receiver Kadarius Toney to finally play like a pro, not like he's back in Pop Warner. If he screws up again, coach Andy Reid may pay him in Snickers bars.

Prediction: the league will want to ride the Swift train all the way to the big game. Chiefs repeat as AFC champs.

NFC Championship: Detroit @ San Francisco (6:30 pm, Fox):

The time for being "happy to be here" is over for the Lions. It's been more than 30 years since they last played for a chance at the Super Bowl. That last opportunity was in 1992, where they lost to Washington, which went on to beat Buffalo. Jared Goff's motivation to get to the Super Bowl is to make up for blowing it against New England a few years ago. Detroit may be wise to bring distinguished alumni like Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson to Santa Clara for the game to provide extra incentive.

San Francisco just needs to make sure Brock Purdy is healthy for the entire game. That didn't happen last year, leading to the Niners losing to Philadelphia. They have to hope Deebo Samuel's shoulder is 100% come game time. Maybe Jerry Rice can loan Samuel some Copper Fit.

For 2nd year pro Aiden Hutchinson, it's an opportunity to duplicate what San Francisco's Matthew Stafford did two years ago, win the big one after his alma mater, in this case, Michigan, won the national title. Sorry, but that ain't happening. If the 49ers get out to a big lead early, it's over.

Prediction: Purdy & the Niners advance by a last second field goal.

Of course, I could be wrong.

The more he talks trash, the more he pays: Donald Trump ordered to pony up an extra $83 million+ to E. Jean Carroll

 For the 2nd time in less than a year, Donald Trump has found himself on the losing end of a defamation suit filed by journalist and former 90's cable personality E. Jean Carroll.

Earlier today, a jury determined that Trump, already on the hook for $5 million in damages from last year's case, now has to pay an additional $83 million plus, all because he just couldn't keep his mouth shut, either in person or via Truth Social.

I'll let Glenn Kirschner take it from here:

Trump's very public temper tantrums are political theatre for his marks, and, of course, he had to whine about it after the verdict was announced.

"WAAAAHHHHH!!! I'm the victim, not her! WAAAAAHHHH!!!"

Wrong again, Fraud Fauntleroy. 

We can chalk up his claim that he "didn't know" Carroll due to the advances of old age affecting both of them. He can't reconcile that this is the same woman he'd freely been photographed with in the 90's, at the height of Carroll's fame. Worse, it is another symptom that, at 77 (he'll be 78 in June), Trump is more in cognitive decline than he thinks President Biden is. He deflects and projects his failings and flaws on others because of his vanity. He is not the "tough guy" his base thinks he is, deceived by his facade created for The Apprentice nearly 20 years ago.

Even worse than that, attorney Alina Habba was exposed once and for all as being way over her head and far away from her actual field of expertise (she's handled parking garage cases in Florida), hand picked by Trump because she's telegenic, attractive, and, most importantly, malleable. Her career has been irrevocably destroyed by her association with Trump, just like Sidney Powell, L. Lin Wood, John Eastman, Ken Chesebro, and Rudy Giuliani before her.

The bottom line: The Republican Party cannot continue to blindly support Trump all the way to November. It's time to cut bait, and time for the party to get younger in terms of their presidential candidate. Trump has regressed and degenerated to having the attitude and comportment of a undisciplined toddler, which explains this:

Names making news

 I think we all knew that the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) into the mainstream would cause problems.

Predictably, it has gotten the hosts of a podcast in trouble because they didn't dot all the i's & cross their t's when planning a recent special.

Will Sasso (ex-MadTV), who has largely fallen off the radar since 2012's "Three Stooges" film, and podcast partner Chad Kultgren are being sued by the estate of the late actor-comedian George Carlin over the unauthorized use of Carlin's likeness via AI for the special, George Carlin: I'm Glad I'm Dead. For legal reasons, Sasso & Kultgren can't reveal who created the AI Carlin, but that isn't going to help their case.

George Carlin. The man. The legend.

The podcast, Dudesy, also has a YouTube channel, and therein lies the motivation behind the special. It's not so much clickbait, as Kelly Carlin, the comedy icon's daughter, suggests, but, rather, just calling attention to the podcast, which is meant to be a comeback vehicle for Sasso.

Maybe Sasso should have done his due diligence, and checked with the Carlins before forging ahead.

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Earlier this week, Endeavor/TKO Holdings, the parent company of WWE & UFC, had landed a deal to move Monday Night Raw to Netflix beginning next year. Raw ends its 2nd run on USA Network September 24 (we think), and will be off the air, anywhere until January 2025. Netflix paid $500 million for the rights.

On Tuesday morning, executives, including Paul "Triple H" Levesque, Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, Ari Emanuel, and the newest member of the TKO board, the People's Movie Star himself, Dwayne Johnson, were at the NY Stock Exchange. 

Two days later, TKO is facing the prospect of sending McMahon, 78, packing once and for all.

A former WWE employee, Janel Grant, is alleging that McMahon and former associate John Laurinaitis had engaged in sexual abuse and trafficking with her. Grant signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement in 2022, around the time that McMahon had resigned and retired pro tempore from the company, returning one year ago this month amid much controversy.

Now, Grant says, she was only paid 1/3 of an amount promised to her by McMahon, and alleges that a prominent wrestler was also involved in the scheme. The name is out there, but we'll not use it here.

This is going to get messy in a hurry. Commenters on Reddit began speculating that McMahon's return last January, followed by daughter Stephanie's decision to return to retirement herself, had some underlying issues.

I am reminded of a skit on Raw, circa 2007, that poked fun at McMahon's alleged serial philandering in the midst of a story arc surrounding the kayfabe affair that suggested he was the father of Hornswoggle (Dylan Postl), though that was later debunked. As Triple H brought out not just women whom McMahon was, in storyline, alleged to have had affairs with, but a number of male co-workers were brought out as well. That was enough to convince Stephanie and her brother, Shane, to bail, but not before Stephanie pulled back the kayfabe curtain of her own, giving Levesque a loving kiss. Their real-life marriage became WWE canon in 2009.

This also brings to mind the Attitude Era, and The Rock (Johnson) subtly trying to draw the attention of Lillian Garcia, who served as a backstage reporter on Smackdown in addition to being Raw's ring announcer, with references to "The People's Strudel", which was in reference to, well, if you didn't figure it out then, it'll probably be brought up as this case plays out in court and in the media. 

Some Redditors have said they want nothing further to do with WWE. Wrestling journalist David Bixenspan is calling for people to put questions before Levesque following tomorrow's Royal Rumble event in Tampa, which they're not going to be able to do.

Ye scribe's take: McMahon wore out his welcome a long time ago. WWE had a chance to quietly send him away as much as 11 years ago, but he didn't want to leave. A missed opportunity has come back to bite the company.

If you're waiting for the other shoe to drop, wait a while. So far, McMahon has managed to avoid being ensnared in other legal issues involving other captains of industry, including his friend, former president Donald Trump, and Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein. But what if McMahon was on Epstein's infamous list that was revealed lasst week?

Stay tuned.

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Speaking of Trump, word is that ESPN bloviator Stephen A. Smith wants to debate the Orange Toddler. That would be good fodder to expose both as being poor debaters.

Musical Interlude: Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma & Alexander Beetle (1971)

 From the series finale of The Ed Sullivan Show:

Sullivan was one of the first victims of CBS' "rural purge" of 1971, with reruns airing through June of that year. In the finale, among the guests was singer-songwriter Melanie, with Ed making the intro in between "Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma" & "Alexander Beetle":

Ed also interviews Melanie after the latter track.

In memory of Melanie, who passed away Wednesday at 76. Rest in peace.

If the GOP wants the White House back, they cannot continue to follow Trump

 I've often read comments online stating that former president Donald Trump behaves like a mob boss.

This would explain why, in another insomniac rant on Truthless Social, the Bully Who Never Grew Up warned that anyone who donated to Nikki Haley's presidential campaign would not be welcomed by Team Pampers even if the Orange Brat won the GOP nomination. Said the same thing to people donating to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' campaign before DeSantis withdrew last weekend.

The problem is, the mob boss Trump is emulating, if you could call it that, would be this guy:

The Blob & son, enemies of Sugar Bear in the 60's.

The Blob, voiced, presumably, by Bob McFadden doing a mimic of Vaughn Meader's JFK impersonation in commercials, was a bully himself, but always was defeated by Sugar Bear. What is not certain is if Blob was a misogynist, like Trump.

Back to Trump. If there's anything we've learned over the last year and change, he can't stand it when confronted by women either in positions of authority (Letitia James, Tanya Chutkan), or standing up to him (E. Jean Carroll, Nikki Haley). He even turned on former press secretary turned Fox No News hostess Kayleigh McEnany when she tried to give him some constructive criticism on the air, calling McEnany a RINO (Republican in Name Only).

But, at the same time, it makes one wonder why so many Republican lawmakers remain loyal to this immature senior citizen with the IQ of a 2 year old.

All that being said, the GOP's best hope of regaining the White House lies not with Trump, but with Haley, the former UN Ambassador & Governor of South Carolina, who called out Trump's recent mental gaffes at recent rallies, confusing Haley with Nancy Pelosi, and getting former President Barack Obama confused with current President Joe Biden. We can chalk that up to Trump's advanced age, but he'd rather try to sell voters on the fact that Biden, 3 1/2 years Trump's senior, is in mental decline. That's classic deflection right there. For 518 traitor Elise Stefanik (Schuylerville) to lie about Trump's verbal miscues is laughable. Why lie when the evidence is there for all to see?

People like to compare Trump to Hans Christian Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes, but the truth is, it's also easy to remember a famous advertising slogan from years gone by to explain Trump's mental failings of late.

"The mind is a terrible thing to waste".

When in doubt, call a friend: Jon Stewart returns to the Daily Show

 After his Apple+ series, The Problem With Jon Stewart, ended last year, the comedian-talk show host-activist had a void to fill.

Then, Paramount Global called him about returning to The Daily Show, which has been without a full time host since Trevor Noah left at the end of 2022.

It was announced earlier today that Stewart will return soon to the comedy news series that he turned into must-watch for political content after he took over Daily Show from Craig Kilborn when the latter left for CBS.

File photo courtesy Variety.

Stewart will anchor the Monday show, and serve as executive producer for the 5 nights a week series, which has been a staple of Comedy Central since the 90's. A rotating group of correspondents will fill the anchor chair Tuesday-Friday.

If this scenario is remotely familiar, ESPN had the same problem after Max Kellerman was booted from First Take more than a year ago to placate the ego of Stephen A. Smith. They still have a rotation of debate partners for Smith 5 days a week.

Stewart left Daily Show in 2015, and missed the Trump administration. You can bet he would've dropped the hammer on Trump as frequently as his fellow late night comics. The thin-skinned former president had best be prepared to take more abuse than ever before, and like it.

Jon Stewart took a satirical send-up of the evening news, and turned it into a phenomenon. He's about to do it again.

One Stooge and two wanna-be's: Roast Beef & Movies (1934)

 Everyone knows that in between stints in the Three Stooges, Shemp Howard had a series of solo shorts, and the Glove Slingers series, at Columbia, before rejoining brother Moe and Larry Fine after brother Curly retired from the act.

While there's no record of Moe going solo, Curly, billed as Jerry Howard, took a break from being with Ted Healy to co-star with George Givot in 1934's "Roast Beef & Movies" for MGM. The idea here is that Givot was to be the leader, a la Moe. Howard is filling Fine's spot, and Bobby Callahan is the lovable goof that Curly normally is.

Note how Howard pulls the buttons off Givot's jacket and eats them. I wonder of those were made of licorice or something. Apparently, Healy was on his way out at MGM, and the studio thought Givot would become a big star. We know the rest of Curly's story.

Rating: B--.

Musical Interlude: Rhiannon (1975)

 From their self-titled album in 1975, here's Fleetwood Mac with "Rhiannon", which is still getting heavy airplay on oldies channels nearly 50 years later.

A little of this and a little of that

 An institution in the 518 has closed its doors.

Jack's Oyster House, at the corner of State & Broadway in Albany, had actually closed a while ago, while its owners were trying to figure out whether or not it's still viable.

In the last few days, they've thrown in the towel, and have decided to put the restaurant up for sale. The building, which housed WRGB's auxillary studio in Albany for a time in the 90's, is being priced at just over a million dollars.

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This month marks 31 years since WWE launched Monday Night Raw on USA Network as part of a company programming overhaul which also saw the debut of a Saturday morning highlight show, WWF Mania, hosted by ex-WFLY morning host Todd Pettengill. Mania gave way to Livewire after 3 1/2 years, and that series was gone by the turn of the millenium.

USA had dumped Raw in the fall of 2000. Now, 24 years later, it's saying goodbye again.

On Monday, it was announced that WWE had sold the rights to their flagship primetime program to Netflix for a staggering $500 million. NBC-Universal-Comcast, USA's parent company, could've ponied up just as much to make Raw exclusive to Peacock, but was outbid.

WWE had issues with ratings for the Monday programming, fluctuating as it has the last several years, especially during football season. They say you can't run away from your problems, but apparently, Nick Khan and Ari Emanuel have other ideas......

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Emanuel on Monday also welcomed aboard the People's Movie Star, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, to TKO's Board of Directors. One wonders if this leads to TKO buying a stake in UFL 2.0 prior to its relaunch at the end of March. Just sayin'.

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To the absolute surprise of, well, no one, there have been the usual complaints about officiating during the NFL playoffs. For the uninitiated, let's make this really simple.

During the post-season, game officials have more of a tendency to let the teams play, and ignore a lot of penalties. It's been a thing for years. In other words, they let the teams play the game playground style as needed. However, because of heightened tensions because of referee miscues throughout the season, with the NFL partnering with online betting sites as one of the alleged reasons why, we're going to keep seeing complaints every Monday until NFL owners and commissioner Roger Goodell are convinced that things need to change.

There's a better chance of Taylor Swift adorning the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue, absent the long running mag being bounced from store shelves before it happens, before the owners actually do something noble for Joe Fan.

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A few inebriated sore losers decided to rain down some snowballs on Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes after the Chiefs eliminated Buffalo on Sunday night. Look, I get the frustration. KC avenged a December loss to the Bills with the playoff win on Sunday, but it's that post-season monkey that the Bills need to toss aside that's bothering the fan base.

Parody camp: The Winged Avenger (The Avengers, 1967)

 In the US, ABC was home to both Batman and The Avengers, but the twain would never meet, with Avengers having been imported from England.

Still, in February 1967, the producers of The Avengers decided to tweak Batman with "The Winged Avenger", in which a comic book character is brought to life as a serial killer. British artist Frank Bellamy was the actual artist whose illustrations appear in the episode.

This was one of the first episodes I'd seen when we first got cable in the early 70's. Looking back at the fight scene on the ceiling between Emma (Diana Rigg) and the Winged Avenger, it was just weird seeing this the first time around, despite knowing the series was on the same network as Batman.

50 years later, DC published a miniseries that brought Emma Peel & John Steed together with Batman & Robin. No mention of this oddball adventure.

In memory of musical director Laurie Johnson, 96, who passed away over the weekend. No rating out of respect.

Names making news

 Two days before the New Hampshire primary, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has withdrawn from the GOP race for president, leaving just former president Donald John Narcissus Trump, professional bully, and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, competing for the nomination, which most media types have presumed will end up with the Orange Bloviator.

"Maybe next time."

DeSantis, like Vivek Ramaswamy before him, endorsed the oldest baby in America.

So, it begs to ask. Why does Trump, with more felony charges than Baskin Robbins and Heinz have flavors combined, still curry favor with GOP voters?

It's because the suburban voters, including those in the district of 518 traitor Elise Stefanik, have bought into Trump's facade that he is a fighter, an illusory image that has been there from the go. Stefanik bought in to advance her career. They ignore the fact that the image crumbles with the very real visual of Trump, whining all the way, having a public temper tantrum on a seemingly daily basis. Of course, he'll take a victory lap, and brag, exaggerating as he goes, on Truthless Social, but if he thinks he's got it easy on Tuesday with just Haley challenging him, think again.

Meanwhile, Fox No News drone Laura Inkblot called for DeSantis to drop out of the race. The Archduke of Affluenza has regained his coveted favored nation status with Fox No News, as witnessed by an interview he gave to Spam Hannity last week.

But, what happens if Trump ends up convicted in any of his criminal trials that could conclude before the GOP genuflection conference in August?

That question will be answered then, to be sure.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson is on the hot seat. What a shock.

After Johnson announced that he and the Democrats were able to further delay a government shutdown, which extremist GOPers like Rusty Gaetz, Empty-G, Goofy Gosar, and others, have demanded, because of their own stupidity, they turned on Johnson, and have threatened to have him ousted as speaker, three months after he was selected to replace Kevin McCarthy. It bothers these screwballs that Johnson was using logic and common sense to come to an agreement. The GOP extremists want the government shut down to put pressure on President Biden. What purpose would that serve?

If the government is shut down, no government employee gets paid, and guess what? That includes Empty-G, Gaetz, and the rest of the idiot squad. They're hating on Johnson because of the simple fact that he did something they don't want to do. He thought things out.

In other words, he made them look like exactly what they are. Morons.

As the popular phrase of the moment goes, play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

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On Friday in Moline, Illinois, Disturbed frontman David Draiman gave fellow singer Taylor Swift her props, and fans at the show weren't having it, which led them to be scolded by Draiman. Maybe some of these folks are still salty over T-Swizzle teaming with 80's metal icons Def Leppard for an episode of CMT Crossroads back in 2008. Good on Draiman to set them straight.

Draiman should be getting an invitation to join Taylor in the studio real soon.

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After the Philadelphia Eagles were eliminated Monday from the NFL playoffs, center Jason Kelce had to deflect rumors that he was set to retire. Not yet, he says.

I think that before he does retire, and he wants to leave Philadelphia, Kelce could consider joining brother Travis in Kansas City to finish his career. Jason earned his first commercial endorsement this season, teaming with Travis to pitch Campbell's Chunky Soup, while Travis can also be seen in ads for DirecTV, Pfizer, and State Farm, among others.

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The last thing WWE needed, with the Royal Rumble right around the corner, was to lose a key player to an injury.

World champion Seth Rollins tore his meniscus and a partial tear of an MCL ligament in a match on January 15 vs. Jinder Mahal. Rollins spent the 2nd half of 2023 competing despite some back issues that would've otherwise required him to miss some time. He'll address the WWE fans to open Monday Night Raw to discuss his options. He's likely to have to sit out a few weeks, and still be ready for a big money match at Wrestlemania in April vs. CM Punk. He wouldn't have had the leg injuries if he actually took care of his back (not 100% storyline) when he actually needed to. Just sayin'.

Forgotten TV: Daniel Boone (1960)

 Four years before Daniel Boone became a hit for NBC, Disney had their own adaptation as part of the Disneyland anthology series.

Set in the years prior to the later series, this iteration tells how Boone (Dewey Martin) moved his family from North Carolina to Kentucky. As opposed to the 1964-70 series, Daniel has two sons instead of one. Kevin Corcoran, a Disney regular at the time, co-stars.

Walt Disney intros the 1st chapter, "The Warrior's Path":

As we know, CBS & 20th Century Fox tried to revisit Boone's early years in 1977, but it bombed.

No rating. Just a public service.

NFL Divisional round preview

 Once again, we have proof positive that the oddsmakers in Las Vegas are slightly off this post-season. No, it's not because the Raiders flopped again. It's because they are ignorant of a little something called momentum.

As we'll see in the Divisional Playoffs this weekend, those so-called geniuses either will be proven right, or humiliated yet again.

Saturday:

Houston @ Baltimore (4:30 pm ET, ABC/ESPN): 

There's a reason sportscaster Ric Renner, when he worked in the 518 a few years ago, referred to Las Vegas as "Lost Wages". It's not just the gamblers putting their money on the line, it's the oddsmakers themselves. The first evidence we have is this meeting of the AFC North & South champions.

After Houston blew away Cleveland last Saturday, how could the dimbulbs running the sportsbooks be that disrespectful toward Houston yet again? They're again sleeping on Houston's rookie quarterback, CJ Stroud, who torched the Browns for nearly 300 yards. It's another veteran vs. young gun match, this time with Baltimore's Lamar Jackson as the veteran. Vegas is clearly hoping he doesn't end up like Cleveland's Joe Flacco or Dallas' Dak Prescott, and lay an egg.

No, what I see here is a likely track meet between the Texans & Ravens. Opening odds of 9 1/2 points in favor of the host Ravens is too big a number, in this writer's opinion. Yes, it's going to be cold in Baltimore, and they'll likely keep things on the ground, but that doesn't justify an oversized point spread.

Pick: Baltimore by 4.

Green Bay @ San Francisco (8:15 pm, Fox):

Again, the Vegas dimwits installed the NFC #1 seed, the 49ers, as a 9 1/2 point favorite. Did they not pay attention to the Packers' dismantling of Dallas on Sunday? Jordan Love had been an understudy to Aaron Rodgers before Rodgers took his anti-vax diatribes to New York, and further embarrassed himself. San Francisco's Brock Purdy is looking to make good after an injury-plagued finish to his rookie campaign.

Most experts think this all leads to a rematch in the Super Bowl between San Francisco & Baltimore, and these are the first steps in that direction.

Pick: San Francisco by 7.

Sunday:

Tampa Bay @ Detroit (3 pm, NBC):

Baker Mayfield has seen a career resurgence in Tampa Bay after being brought in to succeed Tom Brady. All of a sudden, coach Todd "Salad" Bowles doesn't look like a deer in the headlights as a head coach like he was with the Jests a few years ago.

The point spread is not as obscene as the two Saturday games, with Detroit favored by 6 1/2, but you don't know if Jared Goff can play two solid games in a row in the clutch. Tampa got hot at the right time. Goff wants to get back to the Super Bowl to make up for flopping with the Rams against Brady & New England a few years ago. After a hot start, Detroit has been on the see-saw the last few weeks. To borrow from "Forrest Gump", the Lions may not be a box of chocolates, but you don't know what you're going to get from one game to the next.

Pick: Tampa Bay.

Kansas City @ Buffalo (6:30 pm, CBS):

Bills fans have been waiting for this one ever since Josh Allen and the Bills lost to Kansas City in overtime two years ago. Overtime rules have since changed for the playoffs, ensuring that each team gets at least one possession, because sudden death isn't so fun for today's fans.

Buffalo has been, ah, buffeted with snow this week, and the Bills were forced to play on a Monday against Pittsburgh. That one less day of rest is going to come back to bite them. It won't be quite as cold in Orchard Park for the Chiefs as it was when they played in -30 temperatures last week at home, and they'll feel right at home.

Of course, there will likely be a pool on how many times CBS cameras pan to the visiting skyboxes, looking for Taylor Swift, so that should tell you what the league and/or its media partners would rather see moving into the conference title game.

Pick: Kansas City.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Musical Interlude: Spanish Eddie (1985)

 Laura Branigan barely cracked the Top 40 in 1985 with "Spanish Eddie", which peaked at #40, but got to #29 on the Adult Contemporary chart. A mix of "West Side Story", aerobics, and crime drama. To be fair, this is the first time I've actually heard the song.

Musical Interlude: The Tide is High (1980)

 Blondie went straight to #1 with their cover of the Paragons' "The Tide is High", off 1980's "AutoAmerican". The funny thing is, the original "Tide" was a b-side, released in 1967. This video uses a send-up of Darth Vader, and it's clear they're using a green screen for some scenes.

Weasel of The Week: Alina Habba

 "In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes."----Andy Warhol

Prior to the start of the current defamation trial between Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll, Trump's dimwitted attorney, Alina Habba, addressed a conservative "Christian" online ministry run by Amanda Grace, and tried to claim that there are "demonic forces" at work against Trump.

Like, there are reasons her fellow attorneys don't like Alina all that much. Trump hired her largely because she's telegenic, not so much for legal smarts, which she clearly doesn't have, as she's way out of her depth in defending the oldest baby in America. Habba also claimed today that Carroll was trying to "get famous" at Trump's expense. 

That's not entirely true. As noted above, Carroll was well known in the 90's, then faded from public view. Her legal battle with Trump brought her back into the spotlight.

Farron Cousins explains:

Alina is getting her 15 minutes of fame by being associated with Trump, so we'll say she's doing some deflecting here. What she's also getting is a set of Weasel ears for flat out lying to her audience on YouTube. In turn, she helped Amanda Grace get some attention, because, well, I didn't know who she was until today.

Soap suds: As The Stomach Turns (The Carol Burnett Show, 1968)

 Ah, the days when variety shows were plentiful, and nothing was safe from satire & parody. Today's audience has Saturday Night Live, which picks the best of each week to repurpose the following week in primetime, and that's it.

As The Stomach Turns was a recurring feature on The Carol Burnett Show, with the first skit airing in the spring of 1968, at the back end of season 1. In addition to playing various characters, series regulars Lyle Waggoner (until he left for Wonder Woman) and Harvey Korman alternated as announcers. Korman brought the high energy hype of a radio announcer. Waggoner went in the other direction, and emulated the style of veteran Ken Roberts (Love of Life).

It's a laugh a minute in the season 3 opener, as Tim Conway, not yet a regular, offers a prototype of his "Oldest Man" character in this chapter with guest Ken Berry (Mayberry RFD):

Korman would also dress in drag occasionally, including in a memorable bit with Paul Lynde. Not many chapters are available on YouTube, and those that are are mostly on a Burnett fan channel.

Rating: A.

How do you defame your accuser when you don't have your phone? Diaper Don's at it again!

  Fresh off winning the Iowa caucus Monday, Donald Trump flew to New York this morning for a fresh defamation trial brought against him by journalist and former cable personality E. Jean Carroll. Trump maintains he "didn't know" Carroll, that she wasn't his type, but during last year's trial, he mistook a picture of Carroll for then-wife Marla Maples, forcing attorney Alina Habba to correct him. At the time, I chalked that up to memory issues caused by his advancing age (he'll be 78 in June).

However, several months later, as this new trial begins, Diaper Don is still lying, claiming Carroll was a stranger to him, even though there are photos that exist of the two being the same function, including one with Carroll's then-husband.

For those of you who've only seen Carroll as she looks today, let's take a time trip nearly 30 years into the past.......

Yes, she was a doll back then.

To explain the subject line of this entry, it has been reported that while Trump was in the courtroom this morning, sans phone, meaning he had no access to Truth Social, someone posted on his behalf several false messages about Carroll, and all the usual blather coming from a man who makes Baron Munchausen look like a saint. My guess is that Trump had dictated the posts, and arranged it so that they'd be posted while he was in the courtroom to get people talking. Trump's current press parrot, Steven Cheung, would be the likely culprit if this is true.

Trump has already lost one case to Carroll, but can't stop with the lies, and so, he's going to lose again. A prospective juror was booted this morning having admitted to attending a Trump rally, and, by extension, being pro-Trump. There are just 6 jurors, or, half the size of a normal criminal trial. 

The dominoes will begin to fall, and Trump will wind up on the losing end, such that not even being the GOP nominee will save him.

Dunce Cap Award: Jesse Watters

 Fox No News may have bounced their highest rated primetime host, Tucker "Tabloid" Carlson, last year, but that hasn't stopped them from continuing to propagate National Enquirer-worthy "news".

Take, for example, Carlson's successor, Jesse "Dirty" Watters.

One night last week, Watters came up with a real whopper, claiming, without evidence, of course, that singer Taylor Swift was somehow recruited by the government for a "psy-op" to explain away the increase in voter registration among teens & 20-somethings.

Like, seriously, Jesse? That the best ya got?

Here's the thing. The Republicans & Fox No News don't want young people to register to vote. Fewer voters means a better chance for GOPers to win elections, which is funny considering that nearly 25 years ago, Vince McMahon and the then-WWF were doing the same thing, encouraging their fans to get the vote out. Remember that, Jesse? Of course not. While McMahon is an acknowledged Republican, and, back then, it was okay for the party to do some recruiting, now, it isn't, at least in the warped minds of today's GOP "leadership", which is consisting of brain damaged types like Donald Trump and his sycophants like Stephen Miller, Empty-G, Goofy Gosar, and the rest of the idiot squad.

Farron Cousins explains Watters' attempt at black humor.

At least the Pentagon has a sense of humor about this. Personally, I don't think Watters wants to be too close to a Kansas City Chiefs game any time soon. Just sayin'.

Watters may have taken one too many stupid pills that day. You know what he gets:

It fits.

Musical Interlude: All I Need is You (1994)

 From season 5 of Family Matters:

Eddie (Darius McCrary) considers foregoing college in favor of a career a a singer-songwriter, especially after one of his songs is recorded by special guest Shanice.

The episode ends with Eddie & Shanice dueting on "All I Need is You". The closing credits begin to play about halfway through.

Now, I don't know if McCrary ever appeared on Soul Train, but he should've been there at least once.

NFL this 'n' that

 As noted over at Tri-City SportsBeat, today's Bills-Steelers playoff game in Orchard Park has been pushed back to Monday at 4:30 pm (ET) due to weather and a travel ban imposed by Governor Kathy Hochul in Erie County, where Buffalo & Orchard Park are situated. Hochul is erring on the side of caution after conferring with Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Goodell could've used Hochul's help, though, to deal with NY Rep. Pat Ryan, who sent letters to Goodell & officials at NBC-Universal-Comcast, parent company of Peacock, which had exclusive streaming rights to last night's Dolphins-Chiefs game. Ryan argued that the league's decision to experiment with such exclusitivity in the postseason isn't fair to fans. He didn't specify exactly how those fans would be affected, as I'd imagine most have computers or can access Peacock on their phones. That said, I suspect it's about the prospective loss of revenue in bars across Ryan's district, who were unable to show the game.

To that end, Ryan was fighting a losing battle, because the deal was made well before the 2023 season began.

And here I was thinking this would've been something for NY GOPers to whine about.

=================================================

Add Chiefs-Dolphins. In -30 degree temperatures in Kansas City, Chiefs coach Andy Reid's mustache actually froze over, which, of course, went viral, giving fans something to talk about besides the game and the Chiefs' #1 fan of the moment, that, of course, being singer Taylor Swift.

We asked an expert on cold climate about Reid:

"Py Yiminy! That's really cold!"

If you're of a certain age, you might know Wally Walrus from some old cartoons with Woody Woodpecker, Andy Panda, & Chilly Willy.

================================================

And as for T-Swizzle, the puffer jacket she sported at the game was designed by Kristen Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Can we get them to Fashion Week in NYC this year?

The other noteworthy item was that it was cold enough, such that QB Patrick Mahomes had to use a replacement helmet after he had one shatter on him during the game. That might be a first.

================================================

Saturday's opener saw AFC South champion Houston eliminate Cleveland, 45-14. Rookie QB CJ Stroud threw for a post-season record 236 yards in the 1st half alone, and finished with 275 for the game.

It does make those Las Vegas oddsmakers look like fools for making the Browns a road favorite. The handicapping panel in the Albany Times-Union, including WNYT's Rodger Wyland and Spectrum News 1's Jackson Wang, took the bait, and got burned. The panel was split on the Dolphins & Chiefs.

Cleveland QB Joe Flacco, making a late bid for Comeback Player of The Year, threw pick-6's on back-to-back possessions in the 3rd quarter that iced the game for Houston.

Today's doubleheader should be just as exciting.

If you don't pay your bill, that doesn't mean cancellation

 But try telling that to Mike Lindell, the embattled CEO-founder of MyPillow, who whined on his website and on Steve Bannon's podcast on Friday that Fox News pulled his ads off the air----again. Lindell claims he's being cancelled. He's not, but, following the Donald Trump playbook, he's lying to his audience.

When was the last time this guy got any sleep?

In reality, Fox News pulled the ads because, as the subject suggests, Lindell hasn't paid his bills in several months. Given his legal troubles over relentlessly lying about the 2020 election, and claims that he might not have enough money handy to pay what he owes, this is understandable.

Lindell destroyed his reputation by hitching his wagon to the Trump Train, falling for the con that Trump was a Christian (he's not), which Lindell should've seen through. MyPillow was pulled from retailers such as Walmart, Bed, Bath, & Beyond, and others either because they weren't moving a lot of units, or because of Lindell's association with Trump, take your pick.

Lindell speculated that because he hired on former CNN & Fox Business host Lou Dobbs, that's why Fox dumped him. No, that's not even close to the truth, because Dobbs, while he, too, was implicated in the election fraud lies, had nothing to do with Fox News' decision to pull advertising.

It's just business. What Lindell needs now is divine intervention, but I hear God left him on hold........

And, lo, the silly season begins

 The NFL postseason begins on Saturday. Six games across three days, four networks, and accompanying streaming services. Can your heart stand it?

 Wild Card round:

Saturday:

Cleveland @ Houston (4:30 pm ET, NBC):

The uncertainty of availability of Houston's rookie QB, CJ Stroud, is why the idiot oddsmakers have Cleveland as a 2 point road favorite. I don't usually discuss point spreads here, but I wanted to make note of the stupidity of the oddsmakers. Stroud has made the Texans fun to watch. Myles Garrett and the Browns' defense will have a long day.

Pick: Houston.

Miami @ Kansas City (8:15 pm, Peacock):

They're predicting below zero temperatures in Kansas City on Saturday night, such that it'd be dangerous to play this game, but the league won't move it to a neutral, warmer climate. It's too bad NBC/Peacock is not using Al Michaels for the playoffs. I remember he opened one NBC playoff a few years back with "Welcome to Ice Station Zebra", in reference to the movie by that name. And that was in Minneapolis, which is known for conditions like this.

The Dolphins are reeling. Getting swept by Buffalo cost them the AFC East title, while the Chiefs won their 8th straight West title. There's likely a pool on how many times the cameras will find the Chiefs' team skybox looking for Taylor Swift, assuming she shows up. Tyreek Hill returns to KC, where he began his career and won a Super Bowl before leaving for Miami prior to the 2022 season. This likely will replay on NFL Network on Sunday.

Pick-Kansas City.

Sunday:

Pittsburgh @ Buffalo (1 pm, CBS):

With Bill Belichick out in New England, succeeded by one of his former players-turned-coaches, Jerod Mayo, Mike Tomlin becomes the longest tenured coach in the NFL, along with Baltimore's John Harbaugh. How Tomlin is able to keep the Steelers above .500, despite injuries to QB Kenny Pickett and other key players, is a miracle. It's likely Mason Rudolph starting for Pittsburgh. Josh Allen & the Bills figure to shred this generation's Steel Curtain, given the questions about TJ Watt's availability due to an injury last week. This will be fun.

Pick-Buffalo.

Green Bay @ Dallas (4:30 pm, Fox):

Mike McCarthy coaches against his former charges in the postseason for the first time. Dallas was undefeated at home this season, still seeking their first title since Barry Switzer's only Super Bowl win. The Packers got hot the last few weeks, but Jordan Love will have his hands full with Dallas' defense. Green Bay's offensive line will not hold back Micah Parsons, Demarcus Lawrence, and friends for very long.

Pick-Dallas.

Los Angeles @ Detroit (8:15 pm, NBC):

Jared Goff & Matthew Stafford were traded for each other a few years back. Stafford has won a Super Bowl. Goff would like to be the one to take the Lions to the big dance, as they are the last pre-expansion NFL team to make it to the Super Bowl if they do. It's Detroit's time.

Pick-Detroit.

Monday:

Philadelphia @ Tampa Bay (8:15 pm, ABC/ESPN):

The Eagles limp into the playoffs having lost 5 of 6, including a loss to the Giants last week. Jalen Hurts has a finger injury, meaning Marcus Mariota could start if Hurts can't go. Baker Mayfield and the Bucs are hot at the moment, and rose above .500 to win the NFC South. Oklahoma fans will have a hard time figuring out which of their former QB's will advance. I don't. I already have the answer.

Pick-Tampa Bay.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Musical Interlude: Luka (1987)

 Suzanne Vega's 1987 CD, "Solitude Standing", produced two big hits. The 2nd, "Tom's Diner", didn't really take off until three years later after it was remixed by DNA.

Prior to that, though, Vega broke through with "Luka", which was her story of being abused as a youth.

Names making news

 Donald Trump's civil fraud trial in New York is expected to conclude today. The former president wanted to speak in his own defense in closing arguments, but Judge Arthur Engoron would not allow it after Trump and his attorneys, from the firm of Dumb, Dumber, & Dumbest, would not accept specific conditions, such as, Trump could not make a political speech or recycle the same, tired, false claims about election fraud dating back to at least 2020.

"WAAAAHHHH!! I was robbed! It's true!! WAAAHHHH!"

No, it's not, Diaper Don. Take your medicine like a man for once.

Down in Atlanta, Trump ambulance chaser and co-defendant Michael Roman is pushing to have the case there dismissed, alleging misconduct on the part of DA Fani Willis, specifically, Willis being in a relationship with one of her aides. While Roman has no evidence to support his spurious claims, Trump and, of course, Empty-G (Marjorie Taylor Greene) are jumping on the bandwagon, looking for any excuse at all to eliminate Willis and the Georgia case altogether.

"She's out of line! WAAAHHHH!"

No, she isn't, Orange Beavis. There's no problem with the relationship as it has nothing to do with work. Roman, like Trump, is that desperate to avoid going to jail, knowing his career is in the toilet.

Prediction: Willis will stay on the case, and gain convictions of Trump, Roman, and other co-defendants, as well as unindicted co-conspirators like Rudy Goofiani.

====================================================

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie withdrew from the 2024 presidential race, hours before Florida Governor Ron DeSantis & former UN Ambassador & South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley were to debate on CNN. Christie's legacy, though, was left behind with Haley & DeSantis, as they finally took the offensive against Trump. What took them so long?

=====================================================

The NFL coaching carousel is moving slower than usual as the playoffs approach. We reported on Monday that Atlanta had sacked coach Arthur Smith after the Falcons choked their way out of the post-season and a division title.

Later Monday, Washington dumped coach Ron Rivera, but, two days later, blocked the Kansas City Chiefs from a reunion with offensive coordinator Eric "Sleeping With" Bienemy ahead of their playoff game Saturday vs. Miami.

Since then, Tennessee bounced Mike Vrabel after 6 seasons. Seattle decided to turn Pete Carroll from head coach to an advisor of some kind, and New England, as has been speculated, is moving on from Bill Belichick after 24 seasons and 6 Super Bowls. Belichick, if he doesn't coach again, and retire, will have finished with 8 titles total, 2 of them as an assistant under Bill Parcells with the Giants.

=====================================================

After 17 seasons and 6 national titles at Alabama (he also won 1 at LSU before an ill-fated run with the Miami Dolphins), Nick Saban retired late Wednesday. Apparently, his assumption in an AFLAC commercial with Deion Sanders that "elephants are scarier" came back to haunt him after Alabama lost to Michigan on New Year's Day.

No word as to whether or not Saban, 72, will continue as a commercial spokesman for AFLAC with Sanders, or if "Coach Prime" goes it alone next season.

That time when the Muppets marked 30 years (1986)

 Following a trio of feature films, and five years after The Muppet Show ended, Jim Henson's merry troupe of Muppets were feted on the franchise's 30th anniversary.

CBS acquired the rights to air The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years, which was a collection of commercials, including for Wilkins Coffee, movie & television clips, including The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, The Jimmy Dean Show, Sam & Friends, and guest appearances with Cher and Ed Sullivan, just to name a few.

I missed this when it first aired, so there isn't going to be a rating. Just posting for public consumption.

Poor Fozzie. It must feel embarrassing knowing you keep getting upstaged by Statler & Waldorf even at this party.

If it hasn't worked before, why try it again?

 "It", in this case, is Citizen Pampers (Donald Trump) making false claims about political rivals, and claiming they're not eligible to be president.

Throughout Barack Obama's 2008 campaign and his subsequent administration (2009-16), Trump insisted that Obama, the 1st African-American elected President, wasn't born in this country. Even after officials in Hawaii produced documents that proved Obama was born there, Trump persisted with his lies. 

"WAAAAH! He's not a true American! WAAAAHHH!"

During the 2016 primary season, after Raphael "Ted" Cruz won the Iowa Caucus, Trump accused him of cheating, and made spurious claims about Cruz's citizenship, since the Texas Senator spent part of his formative years in Canada. Today, Cruz is just another GOP sycophant, picking online fights he can't win and engaging in culture wars, usually with characters from Sesame Street. It's fair to say he's fallen in line.

Four years ago, during his re-election campaign, Trump turned his attention of California's Kamala Harris, and the birther nonsense started anew. As we all know, Trump is still in denial about losing to Harris and President Joe Biden to this day publicly. For the 2nd time, a Democratic candidate made history, as Harris, with her multi-national background, became the 1st female VP.

It's also fair to say that Trump and his Legion of The Brainwashed won't be satisfied unless the Orange Toddler is back in the White House. However, former South Carolina Governor & UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, because her parents are from India, has become Diaper Don's latest target.

"Her parents weren't born here, so she can't run! WWAHHHHH!"

He made the same argument against Harris, and that failed, so what makes him think it'll work this time? Haley's parents, like Harris' parents, are naturalized citizens. Both Harris & Haley were born in this country, so they are eligible.

So why is he going after Haley this close to this year's Iowa Caucus, on top of all of his legal troubles? Because at his core, he's a scared little boy who is finding out---and denying----that a lifetime of pampering & privilege won't do him any good anymore. Haley has picked up steam in Iowa & New Hampshire, to the point where she could win in both states.

16 years ago, the Republicans put up Sarah Palin as a prospect to be the first female VP. That failed. Nikki Haley is in a position to be the 1st female president, giving the Republicans a chance to be on the right side of history.

If only they could keep this child quiet:

"WAAAAH! WWWAHHHHH! WAAAHHH!"

Musical Interlude: Need You Tonight/Mediate (1987)

 INXS' 1st single from 1987's "Kick" was really like a Certs breath mint, if ya will. Two tastes in one.

"Need You Tonight" was the 1st single off the album, mixing animation & live-action in the video, but video viewers got a bonus treat with "Mediate", the band's tribute to Bob Dylan's legendary "Subterranean Homesick Blues". Now, aside from INXS & "Weird" Al Yankovic, who else has honored Dylan?

Deflections of a desperate former president. Film at 11

 As much as Republicans from Donald Trump on down want to paint the picture of President Biden being in "cognitive decline", it's just a mass case of deflection, because while he's a few years younger than Biden, Trump is the one who's actually demonstrating signs of cognitive decline via visual evidence as seen at recent rallies.

And as much as Trump rants and whines that he has immunity from prosecution, which he in reality doesn't, he wants you to believe that if he doesn't, then Biden, more so than himself, is in trouble. This is what happens when the Orange Insomniac is up in the middle of the night whining like a deranged lunatic on Truthless Social. Farron Cousins explains:

Who in their right mind would be posting at 2 or 3 in the morning, anyway, if they're not on the overnight shift? He purposely misleads his base to keep them riled up, and before the end of today, he'll likely have more reason to whine and cry like a baby if the court denies his claims of immunity.

"WWAAAHHHHH!!! I'm immune from prosecution! I can't go to prison!! WAAAAHHH!!"

Behave like that, fella, and you're more likely in a psychiatric ward. I recommend one here in the 518. The Capital District Psychiatric Center on New Scotland Avenue in Albany. They'll put you in solitary, take away your phone, and we won't see you again until doomsday, if that.

NFL this 'n' that

 The Jests & Giants aren't going to the playoffs, but they did close out their seasons on high notes on Sunday.

As the snow was flying in Foxborough, the Jests snapped a 15 game losing streak to hated rival New England with a 17-3 victory. You'd have to go back to at least 2016 for the last time the Jests took down Bill Belichick & New England.

Is this the last image of Belichick in New England?

Belichick had been fighting a cold all week leading up to the game, and watched Bailey Zappe throw two interceptions, unable to get the Pats into the end zone. 

Now, all that's left is whether or not Belichick returns for a 25th season with the Pats.

Meanwhile, the Giants spoiled the Philadelphia Eagles' chances of winning the NFC East, as they upended the Eagles, 27-10. 2 Saquon Barkley touchdown runs, and a TD toss from Tyrod Taylor to Darius Slayton had Big Blue up, 24-0, following a Mason Crosby field goal in the 1st quarter, at halftime.

Philadelphia falls to the #5 seed in the NFC playoffs, which begin Saturday, and travel to NFC South champion Tampa Bay, which shut out hapless Carolina, 9-0.

=========================================================

Atlanta had been dueling with Tampa and New Orleans for the South title, but their collapse was completed in a blowout loss to the Saints, 48-17. A perceived show of disrespect by the Saints' players with 70 seconds left in the game had Falcons coach Arthur Smith fuming. He refused to shake hands with his New Orleans counterpart, Dennis Allen, after the game.

Allen did the right thing by apologizing, and saying that the players did this on their own to give running back Jamaal Williams a touchdown in the season finale.

By the time the Miami-Buffalo game ended after 11 pm (ET), Smith was out of a job, dismissed by the Falcons due to the late season collapse that saw Atlanta finish at 7-10.

=======================================================

Speaking of the playoffs, here's the lineup for Wild Card weekend, extended to 3 days for the Martin Luther King Day holiday:

Saturday:

AFC:

#5 Cleveland @ #4 Houston (NBC), 4:30 pm (ET).

#6 Miami @ #3 Kansas City (Peacock exclusive), 8:15 pm.

Sunday:

AFC:

#7 Pittsburgh @ #2 Buffalo (CBS), 1 pm.

NFC:

#7 Green Bay @ #2 Dallas (Fox), 4:30 pm.

#6 Los Angeles @ #3 Detroit (NBC), 8:15 pm.

Monday:

NFC:

#5 Philadelphia @ #4 Tampa Bay (ABC/ESPN), 8:15 pm.

Baltimore & San Francisco, as their conferences' #1 seeds, get 1st round byes. We'll make our predictions on Friday.

On The Shelf: Planet of The Apes gets a comics prequel, and another Archie hero gets a makeover

 Most, if not all, of us, have seen the original feature film version of "Planet of The Apes", loosely based on Pierre Boulle's novel, which was adapted for the screen by no less than Rod Serling.

Since acquiring a new license for the franchise, Marvel, through its 20th Century Studios imprint, has already released a successful miniseries, set closer to the more recent films. This time, though, it's time to go back to the beginning, or, actually, prior to it. Beware The Planet of The Apes is not only a prequel, but an old school love letter to Marvel's first go-round with the franchise in the 70's. By this, I mean, they've gone back to the all-caps lettering of those halcyon days. Artist Alvaro Lopez also applies a more old school approach to his work, interpreting the script of veteran comics & TV writer-producer Marc Guggenheim. If you ever wanted to have an idea of just what led those astronauts to find the Apeworld in the first place, here you are.

Rating: A+.

When Archie Comics revived the Mighty Crusaders in the 80's, they gave the team more of a feminine touch with the sorceress known as Darkling, who was curiously absent from recent reboots of the Crusaders.

As writer Sarah Kuhn sees it in the 21st century, Darkling is being repackaged as a human college student named Darla Lang (she'd previously been from another dimension), whose cape is part of her everyday wardrobe (don't ask). To make a long story short, she has to help her fellow students against a few demons. 

Better than recent 1-offs that, unlike Darkling, were under the Archie Horror imprint (Darkling is not).

Rating: B+.

Mike W. Barr must've been a fan of the 80's series, Moonlighting. He had to use the series as one of his inspirations, along with the likes of Mr. & Mrs. North, Remington Steele, etc., to develop The Maze Agency back in the day, first for Comico, then Innovation.

Fast forward to December 2023. Jennifer Mays and her partner/boyfriend, Gabe Webb, are back in an all-new adventure from Scout Comics. What isn't clear is if this will be an ongoing series again, or a series of 1-offs. As a fan of the original series, I'm happy it's back, and as good as ever.

The plot here is a send-up not just of the "Scream" series of movies, but slasher films in general, and the Hollywood tropes & attitudes that go with it. Just go with the flow, kids, although Barr could've gotten a better artist, like, say for example, Adam Hughes or Alan Davis, though Silvano Beltrano does his best to honor the legacy. More please!!

Rating: A.

The current Titans series has spawned a spin-off miniseries, Beast World, with some attendant miniseries accompanying it. Long story short, Beast Boy morphs into Starro to stop an alien threat, with some major consequences (natch). You may never look at the Titans the same way again, and, predictably, DC has to include Amanda Waller, now their all purpose big bad, into the mix. Events like this have me reaching for some Listerine, because it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If you're not into the current series, avoid this like the plague.

Rating: C--.

========================================================

I'm hearing that a well known artist from the 90's could be doing some work for Dynamite down the line. Not going to divulge anything else until it's official. Certain licensed characters could wind up getting some serious artistic upgrades as selling points. Just sayin'.

After working mostly for DC the last few years, local artist Greg Capullo is returning to Marvel comics interiors, working on a Wolverine project. One wonders if regular creative partner Scott Snyder is also involved.......

What Might've Been: Unsub (1989)

 Unsub was a winter-spring replacement series for NBC in 1989. Still another entry from prolific writer-producer Stephen J. Cannell, this series about a team of forensic investigators predates current franchises like NCIS & CSI by a few years, but also brought a pair of icons together as part of an ensemble cast.

Unsub marked a return to series television for David Soul (ex-Starsky & Hutch, Here Come The Brides), who hadn't done anything resembling a series since Salem's Lot. Kent McCord (ex-Adam-12, Galactica 1980) would reunite with former Adam-12 co-star Martin Milner six months after Unsub ended in the cable series, Nashville Beat. Also, comic Richard Kind, later of shows such as Spin City, Carol & Company, and Gotham, had a supporting role. Curiously, it's not listed on Kind's Wikipedia page, which tells you something about how badly Unsub performed in the ratings opposite Dallas.

Let's check a sample episode:

In memory of David Soul, 80, who passed away earlier this week. No rating.

Classic TV: In Living Color (1990)

 We had this up before, then took it down when the last video we used was bounced due to copyright reasons.

Fox added to its developing Sunday lineup in the spring of 1990 with In Living Color, the brainchild of actor-comic-filmmaker Keenan Ivory Wayans ("I'm Gonna Git You, Sucka"), and an avenue for not only the Wayans family, but also future stars like Jamie Foxx, Tommy Davidson, and Fly Girls Jennifer Lopez and Carrie Ann Inaba. Rosie Perez was the Fly Girls' choreographer before getting into acting herself. Jim Carrey (ex-The Duck Factory) raised his profile as one of the core cast before leaving to get back into movies.

Yes, it was a pre-taped, inner-city answer to Saturday Night Live, albeit in a more compact half hour format, and it lasted just four seasons, but its legacy stands to date.

Among the features in the opener are a send-up of Love Connection, with Jim Carrey filling the Chuck Woolery role as host, and the debut of the Homeboy Shopping Network sketches with Keenan & Damon Wayans.

There were crossovers of a sort with other Fox series, too. For example, Ed O'Neill (Married...With Children) appeared in a game show skit based on "The Dozens".

The theme song, as if you couldn't guess, was performed by Heavy D.

Rating: A-.

What Might've Been: Extreme Dodgeball (2004)

 In its early years, Game Show Network experimented with a lot of ideas. Building a game show around a common game that we've all played in the gym and on the playground should've lasted longer than it did.

In all, Extreme Dodgeball ran for 3 seasons over the course of a 17 month period (June 2004-November 2005), and could've been farmed out to ESPN. Ex-SportsCenter anchor Bil Dwyer and Zach Selwyn (ex-Dream Job) called the action.

Today, the show sits in GSN's vaults, as it hasn't aired since it was cancelled in 2005. Since I didn't add digital cable until well after this series ended, I can't fairly rate it.

Following is a sample episode from season 2.

This week in GOP stupidity

 Colorado airhead Lauren Gropert is now trying to claim that "Hollywood money", from the likes of actor Ryan Reynolds and music icon Barbra Streisand, among others, is what's driving her out of Colorado's 3rd Congressional District and into the 4th. As we talked about last week, Gropert fails to see that she has a rougher road in front of her in the 4th district, and she's scapegoating to avoid admitting she's making a mistake.

Bottom line: Gropert is too dim to realize we can see right through her whiny excuses this time. Stick a fork in her come November. She's done.

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Texas Governor Greg (Hey) Abbott is still busing migrants out of his state and out into places like Chicago, New York, and Jersey City, all because of his misguided approach to handling the border crisis, and placing blame & responsibility on the Biden administration. Regardless of who's been in the White House in recent years, migrants are still entering the country, bypassing customs out of desperation to get away from the oppression in their native lands.

Abbott is refusing to take the responsibility himself, and is effectively passing the buck. To that end, the Department of Justice in Washington filed suit against Texas on Wednesday to block a recently signed law that allows Texas law enforcement to arrest migrants regardless of citizenship status. They could amend the suit to also punish Abbott for what amounts to human trafficking of the migrants. Abbott began busing migrants to New Jersey to do an end around on an executive order signed by NYC Mayor Eric Adams.

Abbott just doesn't care what happens to the migrants after they leave Texas. He thinks he can "own the libs", but he's the one who'll be owned. Soon.

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More proof that Donald Trump has the evangelicals snowed came at a party at Mar-a-Lame-O on New Year's Eve. Wife Melania was away tending to her ailing mother. So the former president, no stranger to philandering, had telegenic attorney Alina Habba-Dabba-Doo at his side, as he did at a recent UFC event.

Farron Cousins finds this weird, and wonders where Trump's priorities are at in regard to his family.......

If Trump can't be bothered to actually show he cares about his mother-in-law, it tells you all you need to know about his hypocrisy, socially, morally, etc..

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Aaron Rodgers was on the field not even 15 minutes for the Jests this season, as their playoff chances died over the last few weeks.

Then, he goes and makes the same mistake a lot of right wingers have, and raised the ire of ABC late night yakker Jimmy Kimmel.

See, Rodgers, on Pat McAfee's yak-fest the other day, made some comments regarding a list belonging to the late Jeffrey Epstein, and made a snide crack about Kimmel. Whooops!!!

Kimmel fired back on his talk show, and has raised the prospect of litigation against Rodgers. McAfee, realizing his role in all this in enabling Rodgers to channel his inner moron, made an apology on-air, perhaps cognizant of the fact that Disney, which employs him & Kimmel, may not be too thrilled.

Rodgers, for his part, should've done his homework, considering that Kimmel has skewered GOPers like Trump, Timex Cruz, Empty-G, and others on his show. Maybe if Rodgers finally consents to getting a vaccine, they should also give him about 200 cc's of intelligence.