A gathering of icons: The Danny Thomas Show (NBC, 1965)

 Danny Thomas had ended his self-titled sitcom in 1964. A year later, he was at NBC, producing specials on a frequent basis, as a second iteration of The Danny Thomas Show. After the first such special presented a reunion of his sitcom cast, Thomas opted for a standard variety show format this time around, loaded (and I do mean loaded) with guest stars, including Andy Griffith, Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks (doing their 2000 Year Old Man routine), Mary Tyler Moore, and cameos by Dick Van Dyke, Walter Brennan, Bill Dana, & George Burns. 

Highlights: 

Andy performs some musical numbers, including a bluegrass jam of "Mountain Dew" with the Stoneman Family. Andy, Danny, & Mary use a cloth for some "impersonations", including Van Dyke, Brennan, Dana, & Don Knotts. If you think Danny's actually mimicking Groucho Marx, think again. It's actually Rich Little, who appears during the closing number. 

Danny & Mary recount Mary's audition for The Dick Van Dyke Show in a fictionalized skit, but then, Mary also leads a chorus line of Charlie Chaplin impersonators (also including Danny).

Enough spoiling. On with the show!:

Rating: A.

This week in presidential stupidity

 Donald Trump, after having the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) dismantle the Institute of Peace earlier this year, now wants the agency rechristened after himself.

Trump's sycophants, like Secretary of State Marco "Polo" Rubio, will claim this honors "the greatest dealmaker in history", who has a record of having declared bankruptcy several times when his casinos were tanking. The truth is, Donnie Diapers wants to leave his mark in Washington any way he can, and screw the consequences. 

The next Democratic president, and there will be one, trust me, will reverse this, especially after Orange Narcissus is consigned to the trash heap of history

Then, Trump went on a bonkers rant, claiming "affordability" is a scam, just a month after he'd declared himself the "affordability president". Farron Cousins explains:

Also, Trump painted Somalis with an extra wide brush, claiming---without evidence, of course----that Somalis are "garbage". Sounds to me like head troll Stephen Miller wrote his press briefing.

The panel on The View weighs in.

Finally, Donnie whined and cried about Colorado Governor Jared Polis being unwilling to release former election worker Tina Peters, serving a 9 year sentence for fraud. As usual, Donnie lied about the Democrats, deflecting the truth away from himself and his allies for the zillionth time. Well, too bad for you, bub. That's really on you for refusing to publicly admit you got your butt whupped 7 ways to Sunday 5 years ago, and you're holding a grudge against the Democrats because you can't let go of 2020.

Bellevue will be waiting in 2029.

Countdown to Christmas: A Christmas Story (Bonanza, 1966)

 Wayne Newton returns to Bonanza for his 2nd & final appearance as Andy, a former ranch hand who left with dreams of being a singer. Film star Jack Oakie plays Andy's uncle. Mary Wickes (ex-Dennis The Menace) & Dabbs Greer also guest in "A Christmas Story":

You can look for this to appear on Me-TV later this month.

Sports this 'n' that

 This season, Jersey Mike's subs hired former Giants QB Eli Manning to do a series of commercials with their primary pitchman, Danny DeVito (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), where the paranoid DeVito thinks Eli's been hired to take his job. Shouldn't worry, though, as Eli has the personality of dead wood, which is why Toyota dumped him and his X-Men wannabe ad campaign a few years back.

While the ads are getting sillier and sillier, and DeVito is channeling his Taxi character of Louie DiPalma, DeVito was invited to join Eli and brother Peyton on ESPN2 last night during Monday Night Football, as the Giants took another loss, this time to New England. Now, we'll see if either Manning shows up on Sunny at some point.

TNA Wrestling is leaving corporate sibling AXS TV (both owned by Anthem) in January, and moving to, of all places, AMC.

The change takes effect January 15 with a live show in Dallas that will also stream on AMC+. One clout chasing "reporter" falsely claimed that the shift in networks also spells the end of the talent sharing with WWE's NXT division, but TNA president Carlos Silva said that's not true.

Appearing on Busted Open Radio earlier today, Silva affirmed that the WWE-TNA agreement remains in place into 2026. They initiated a new invasion storyline last month at Bound For Glory and on Impact the night prior, and there's no way that arc dies stillborn.

First, it was Juan Soto & Clay Holmes. Now, it's Devin Williams.

Williams, the erratic closer, left the Yankees after 1 season, like Soto, and signed a 3 year deal with the Mets on Monday. Reports say Williams is open to being a set-up man, assuming the Mets can convince Edwin Diaz to stay in Flushing, after another erratic reliever, Ryan Helsley, signed with Baltimore over the weekend.

Stay tuned.

Medical Mondays: One For My Baby (Trapper John, MD, 1979)

 From season 1:

Trapper (Pernell Roberts) has not one, but two issues, as he treats a widow with stomach cancer, unaware that her son (Patrick Lab(y)orteaux, Little House on The Prairie) has taken to drinking to deal with the stress.

Here's "One For My Baby":

The Labyorteaux brothers added the 'y' in later roles, such as Patrick appearing on JAG, NCIS, & a guest shot on Yes, Dear.

In two weeks: A Christmas episode, if we can find one......

And another one bites the dust........

 A Federal appeals court ruled earlier today that another of President Pampers' pet ambulance chasers, Alina Habba, is disqualified from her role as US Attorney for New Jersey due to lack of qualifications.

Being telegenic isn't enough.

Donald Trump refuses to hire attorneys who'd talk back to him. He wants less experienced barristers such as Habba and Lindsey Halligan because they're telegenic, and Trump wants to see them on TV, while his inner child is wishing they were his babysitters growing up. The appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that slapped Habba with a DQ due to Trump and Pam Bondi refusing to follow protocols in the president's insane obsession with prosecuting perceived political enemies. Habba was a traffic court attorney in Florida defending clients who had parking tickets when Trump found her. Halligan was DQ'd in Virginia late last week, though that case may be pending an appeal that would be a waste of time.

What Trump wants is an attorney who will do what he wants without question, regardless of experience or lack of evidence. What he needs and deserves is a reality check.