"Gabriel's Message" is based on a hymn originally written in the 13th century. Sting recorded this song initially for "A Very Special Christmas" in 1987, and has since reissued it on his own CD, "If On a Winter's Night". Snidelywhiplash uploaded this clip to YouTube:
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Countdown to Christmas: Rev. Linus Van Pelt explains the true meaning of Christmas (1965)
Most of us may have gotten our first Bible lesson in 1965's A Charlie Brown Christmas and didn't realize it. Over the years, Peanuts creator Charles Schulz used Linus to recite various Biblical passages. In this clip, Linus, without the aid of the Bible, recites a passage from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 2.
Amen!
Amen!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Countdown to Christmas: Cricket on the Hearth (1967)
Here's a Rankin-Bass production that somehow has been lost to the mists of time, having not gotten as much airplay as the rest of the R-B line. Cricket on the Hearth is based on a story by Charles Dickens ("A Christmas Carol"), and, as with virtually every other R-B special, is star-packed, with an all-star cast headlined by Danny & Marlo Thomas. Marlo was starring in That Girl around this time, so this might've aired on ABC, I'm not sure. The cast also features actor-singer Ed Ames (Daniel Boone), Abbe Lane, and Roddy McDowell as the titular cricket. Also, Hans Conreid reunited with Danny Thomas, as he'd been a regular on Make Room For Daddy before turning to animation.
Right now, let's take a look. Turns out this was a collaborative effort between Rankin-Bass and Danny Thomas' production company he had with Aaron Spelling.
Seeing as how I've never seen this show, I cannot rightly give it a rating. It is, however, available on DVD in a compilation package.
Right now, let's take a look. Turns out this was a collaborative effort between Rankin-Bass and Danny Thomas' production company he had with Aaron Spelling.
Seeing as how I've never seen this show, I cannot rightly give it a rating. It is, however, available on DVD in a compilation package.
Countdown to Christmas: Christmas with the Monkees (1986)
In the early years of MTV, back when they played music 24/7, it was a tradition to have an artist shoot a Christmas music video in the studio with the VJs and other staffers. One of the best was this bit with the Monkees. Davy Jones, Peter Tork, & Micky Dolenz were touring as a trio, marking the 20th anniversary of their TV series. The 4th Monkee, Mike Nesmith, opted against it, and was all but retired. However, you'll see him before this medley is done. Antifrodis uploaded this clip to YouTube:
Now, don't Davy & Martha Quinn make a cute couple? A few years later, the two would be reunited, doing an informercial for one of those Time-Life CD compilations. Apparently, "Downtown" Julie Brown didn't know her campy antics nearly killed the video.
Now, don't Davy & Martha Quinn make a cute couple? A few years later, the two would be reunited, doing an informercial for one of those Time-Life CD compilations. Apparently, "Downtown" Julie Brown didn't know her campy antics nearly killed the video.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Blake Edwards (1922-2010)
Word has just come across the wires of the passing of writer-producer-director Blake Edwards at 88.
The mere mention of Edwards' name will have people thinking of any number of hit films, including the original "Pink Panther" series, "Victor/Victoria", "The Days of Wine & Roses", "Breakfast at Tiffany's", "The Great Race", & "10", as well as an iconic television series from the early years of that medium, Peter Gunn. At the time of his passing, Edwards was in the process of developing a Broadway production based on "Panther", as well as an original work.
Rest in peace, Blake.
The mere mention of Edwards' name will have people thinking of any number of hit films, including the original "Pink Panther" series, "Victor/Victoria", "The Days of Wine & Roses", "Breakfast at Tiffany's", "The Great Race", & "10", as well as an iconic television series from the early years of that medium, Peter Gunn. At the time of his passing, Edwards was in the process of developing a Broadway production based on "Panther", as well as an original work.
Rest in peace, Blake.
Weasel of the Week: Sal Alosi
If you're a football fan, this one's pretty obvious.
Alosi is a heretofore anonymous strength & conditioning coach for the New York Jets who became public enemy #1, at least in the eyes of the press and the Miami Dolphins, on December 12 when he leaned out from the sideline with his knee to trip up the Dolphins' Nolan Carroll. What was his motivation? I get that it's a long-standing rivalry between the two teams, but this just goes beyond common sense. Carroll could've been seriously injured, but he wasn't, and he re-entered the game later on. Miami won, 10-6, to split the season series (the Jets won at Miami earlier in the season).
The Jets, knowing they're under more scrutiny from the New York media than usual after appearing on the HBO pre-season series, Hard Knocks, not to mention the fact that their 2nd year coach, Rex Ryan, has become a media magnet, took action, suspending Alosi indefinitely after it came out that Alosi instructed some of the players to form a wall on the sideline to prevent Carroll or anyone else on the Dolphins from seeing what he was planning to do. The next likely step is Alosi being fired, probably before the end of the regular season.
Yahoo! Sports referenced a college game from years ago as a precedent set for Alosi's actions, but the only other incident that I can think of in the college ranks was when Ohio State coach Woody Hayes assaulted a Clemson player several years ago. That ultimately led to Hayes leaving Ohio State, having soiled his reputation and that of the university. What Alosi did was similarly uncalled for, adding more fuel to the fire between the Jets & the Dolphins, who don't play each other again until next season. By then, Alosi's folly will be a distant memory, punctuated by the weasel ears he gets for further tarnishing the Jets' collective image, as if it wasn't already soiled this season.
Alosi is a heretofore anonymous strength & conditioning coach for the New York Jets who became public enemy #1, at least in the eyes of the press and the Miami Dolphins, on December 12 when he leaned out from the sideline with his knee to trip up the Dolphins' Nolan Carroll. What was his motivation? I get that it's a long-standing rivalry between the two teams, but this just goes beyond common sense. Carroll could've been seriously injured, but he wasn't, and he re-entered the game later on. Miami won, 10-6, to split the season series (the Jets won at Miami earlier in the season).
The Jets, knowing they're under more scrutiny from the New York media than usual after appearing on the HBO pre-season series, Hard Knocks, not to mention the fact that their 2nd year coach, Rex Ryan, has become a media magnet, took action, suspending Alosi indefinitely after it came out that Alosi instructed some of the players to form a wall on the sideline to prevent Carroll or anyone else on the Dolphins from seeing what he was planning to do. The next likely step is Alosi being fired, probably before the end of the regular season.
Yahoo! Sports referenced a college game from years ago as a precedent set for Alosi's actions, but the only other incident that I can think of in the college ranks was when Ohio State coach Woody Hayes assaulted a Clemson player several years ago. That ultimately led to Hayes leaving Ohio State, having soiled his reputation and that of the university. What Alosi did was similarly uncalled for, adding more fuel to the fire between the Jets & the Dolphins, who don't play each other again until next season. By then, Alosi's folly will be a distant memory, punctuated by the weasel ears he gets for further tarnishing the Jets' collective image, as if it wasn't already soiled this season.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Weasel of the Week: Rev. Fred Phelps
"How do I know you're not sick? You could be some deranged lunatic!"--The Fresh Prince (Will Smith), "Parents Just Don't Understand", 1987.
Yesterday, Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of former Presidential hopeful John Edwards, was laid to rest, but if you thought that was the end of the story, you're in for a surprise.
Yes, it's after the fact, but the hate mongers of Westboro Baptist Church are back in the news. They're among the top searches on Yahoo! today, after announcing on Thursday that they were planning to picket Mrs. Edwards' funeral, claiming there are matters in her personal life, aside from the breast cancer that ultimately led to her passing, that these people find offensive. The article I read on CNN's website doesn't specify exactly what these venomous hypocrites are referring to, but the mere fact that Rev. Fred Phelps and his congregation decided to extend their 15 minutes of infamy yet again at someone else's expense is really all you need to know.
The tabloids had a field day when it was revealed that John Edwards had had an affair, so you'd think Phelps would've targeted him. Uh-unh. I'd say Phelps is nuttier than a can of cashews, but then again, that would be an insult to cashews and other nuts of the edible variety.
Phelps claims to be an "old time" minister. No preacher that I've known, heard, or seen on television preaches hate. In the case of Fred Phelps, hypocrisy wears weasel ears, and thus, the bad reverend becomes the 2nd person to have achieved Weasel status twice. Can someone direct the Westboro flock to the nearest sensitivity training course? Reality has called, and they don't want to answer.
Yesterday, Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of former Presidential hopeful John Edwards, was laid to rest, but if you thought that was the end of the story, you're in for a surprise.
Yes, it's after the fact, but the hate mongers of Westboro Baptist Church are back in the news. They're among the top searches on Yahoo! today, after announcing on Thursday that they were planning to picket Mrs. Edwards' funeral, claiming there are matters in her personal life, aside from the breast cancer that ultimately led to her passing, that these people find offensive. The article I read on CNN's website doesn't specify exactly what these venomous hypocrites are referring to, but the mere fact that Rev. Fred Phelps and his congregation decided to extend their 15 minutes of infamy yet again at someone else's expense is really all you need to know.
The Prime Minister of Haterizing.
The tabloids had a field day when it was revealed that John Edwards had had an affair, so you'd think Phelps would've targeted him. Uh-unh. I'd say Phelps is nuttier than a can of cashews, but then again, that would be an insult to cashews and other nuts of the edible variety.
Phelps claims to be an "old time" minister. No preacher that I've known, heard, or seen on television preaches hate. In the case of Fred Phelps, hypocrisy wears weasel ears, and thus, the bad reverend becomes the 2nd person to have achieved Weasel status twice. Can someone direct the Westboro flock to the nearest sensitivity training course? Reality has called, and they don't want to answer.
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