Happy 100th Birthday, Lucille Ball

Today, 100 years ago,Lucille Désirée Ball was born.

She was a pioneer female comedian who wasn't afraid of using her physicality for a laugh.

She got her start as a model in 1929 and went onto radio before performing on Broadway and launching a movie career.  Her I Love Lucy television series launched in 1951.  It was the first scripted series ever to be filmed on 35mm film in front of a live audience.  This was done because Lucy needed a live audience to fuel her comedic energy.  Most shows at the time were filmed in front of one camera while Lucy's show had multiple cameras which allowed for sequential filming, like a play.

When Lucy became pregnant, they wrote the pregnancy onto the show.  Her character delivered "Little Ricky" the same night that Lucy delivered her child.    To give Lucy the postpartum rest she needed, they decided to rebroadcast earlier episodes, giving birth to the popular television rerun.

Paired with her husband, Desi Arnaz, she became one of the most influential women in Hollywood.

Her comedy was ground-breaking and paved the way for such great female comedians as Carol Burnett.

Happy 100 Lucy!

Happy 100th Birthday, Lucille Ball

Today, 100 years ago,Lucille Désirée Ball was born.

She was a pioneer female comedian who wasn't afraid of using her physicality for a laugh.

She got her start as a model in 1929 and went onto radio before performing on Broadway and launching a movie career.  Her I Love Lucy television series launched in 1951.  It was the first scripted series ever to be filmed on 35mm film in front of a live audience.  This was done because Lucy needed a live audience to fuel her comedic energy.  Most shows at the time were filmed in front of one camera while Lucy's show had multiple cameras which allowed for sequential filming, like a play.

When Lucy became pregnant, they wrote the pregnancy onto the show.  Her character delivered "Little Ricky" the same night that Lucy delivered her child.    To give Lucy the postpartum rest she needed, they decided to rebroadcast earlier episodes, giving birth to the popular television rerun.

Paired with her husband, Desi Arnaz, she became one of the most influential women in Hollywood.

Her comedy was ground-breaking and paved the way for such great female comedians as Carol Burnett.

Happy 100 Lucy!

Vincent Price Born Today in 1911

Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vincent Price.  I wanted to post this hilarious video of Mr. Price on What's My Line where he is the Mystery Guest.

Not only does he sing his replies, but he sings in French!  Enjoy!

Vincent Price Born Today in 1911

Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vincent Price.  I wanted to post this hilarious video of Mr. Price on What's My Line where he is the Mystery Guest.

Not only does he sing his replies, but he sings in French!  Enjoy!

Tune In This Tuesday!!

Mark your calendars for February 9, 2010.  The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist are going to be on Oprah!!!

They are a young order (founded  13 years ago on February 9--coincidence...?!) whose average age is only 26.  Their apostolate is education and they have 100 sisters in California, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan, Arizona and Texas.

This is an exciting opportunity to spread the gospel via the secular media and to get recognition to this beautiful order of young women who have given their lives to Christ.

Tune In This Tuesday!!

Mark your calendars for February 9, 2010.  The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist are going to be on Oprah!!!

They are a young order (founded  13 years ago on February 9--coincidence...?!) whose average age is only 26.  Their apostolate is education and they have 100 sisters in California, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan, Arizona and Texas.

This is an exciting opportunity to spread the gospel via the secular media and to get recognition to this beautiful order of young women who have given their lives to Christ.

Who is the King?

It seems that everyone has weighed in on the recent death of Michael Jackson. (Except, Oprah, apparently, and the conspiracy theories abound.)

I wanted to talk about something that I observed during the televised memorial "service". The memorial was an odd combination of concert, funeral and eulogy. As these things go, especially with someone in the public eye, I thought it was a moving tribute.

I've been trying not to jump on the "people think MJ is God" bandwagon--at least not without some real proof. That was before I watched his memorial on television.

Many of those who stepped forward to eulogize Michael Jackson, spoke directly to Jackson as if he were present. I can certainly understand this. People of various faiths believe that the human soul lives on after death. Too, Jackson's casket was literally right below them in front of the stage (more on that later.)

What concerned me was the (as I see it) misplaced Christian references used during the funeral. There has been a troubling blurring of the line between worship of God and  media-fueled "worship" of a pop star.  I did not watch the entire broadcast, so I only noticed two specific instances.

Rev. Al Sharpton came forward and spoke in a rather subdued (for him) manner about Jackson and his legacy. At one point, he was gearing up, using emotionally charged rhetoric common to his particular oratorical style. He started chanting, "THANK you, Michael! THANK you, Michael!" in much the same way as a preacher might exclaim, "THANK you, Jesus! THANK you, Jesus."

The other moment came in the very beginning of the event. A gospel choir was on stage and began to sing, "Soon and Very Soon (We Are Going to See the King.") Immediately, I knew how some in the audience would take this. I was right. They began cheering and clapping.At that point , I noticed the surviving Jackson brothers wheeling in Michael's casket under a blanket of flowers and placing it in front of the stage. It was then, that I realized that the organizers of this memorial probably did not decide on this particular song being used as the pseudo-processional by accident. (Jackson, remember is called "The King of Pop".)

I literally gasped.

People are now using hymns written about the Divine Creator to refer to dead human beings. I can understand the impulse to use bits and pieces of one's religious heritage during times like these even when one may no longer believe. What I can't fathom, though, is using references to God to refer to the deceased, much less praising the deceased as if he were God.

I wonder if the general public honestly knows the difference.

Who is the King?

It seems that everyone has weighed in on the recent death of Michael Jackson. (Except, Oprah, apparently, and the conspiracy theories abound.)

I wanted to talk about something that I observed during the televised memorial "service". The memorial was an odd combination of concert, funeral and eulogy. As these things go, especially with someone in the public eye, I thought it was a moving tribute.

I've been trying not to jump on the "people think MJ is God" bandwagon--at least not without some real proof. That was before I watched his memorial on television.

Many of those who stepped forward to eulogize Michael Jackson, spoke directly to Jackson as if he were present. I can certainly understand this. People of various faiths believe that the human soul lives on after death. Too, Jackson's casket was literally right below them in front of the stage (more on that later.)

What concerned me was the (as I see it) misplaced Christian references used during the funeral. There has been a troubling blurring of the line between worship of God and  media-fueled "worship" of a pop star.  I did not watch the entire broadcast, so I only noticed two specific instances.

Rev. Al Sharpton came forward and spoke in a rather subdued (for him) manner about Jackson and his legacy. At one point, he was gearing up, using emotionally charged rhetoric common to his particular oratorical style. He started chanting, "THANK you, Michael! THANK you, Michael!" in much the same way as a preacher might exclaim, "THANK you, Jesus! THANK you, Jesus."

The other moment came in the very beginning of the event. A gospel choir was on stage and began to sing, "Soon and Very Soon (We Are Going to See the King.") Immediately, I knew how some in the audience would take this. I was right. They began cheering and clapping.At that point , I noticed the surviving Jackson brothers wheeling in Michael's casket under a blanket of flowers and placing it in front of the stage. It was then, that I realized that the organizers of this memorial probably did not decide on this particular song being used as the pseudo-processional by accident. (Jackson, remember is called "The King of Pop".)

I literally gasped.

People are now using hymns written about the Divine Creator to refer to dead human beings. I can understand the impulse to use bits and pieces of one's religious heritage during times like these even when one may no longer believe. What I can't fathom, though, is using references to God to refer to the deceased, much less praising the deceased as if he were God.

I wonder if the general public honestly knows the difference.

RIP Ed McMahon

Tonight Show side kick, Ed McMahon has died at the age of 86 in Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. He popularized the phrase, "Heeeeeeere's Johnny" and "Hi Yo!" on his 30 years on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

He said in an interview with Archive of American Television, that the first 10 years of the Johnny Carson Tonight Show have regrettably been destroyed by a myopic television executive.

In the same interview, McMahon said that the Tonight Show Theme, "Johnny's Theme" was written by Paul Anka for the very first show.

McMahon talked about the classiness of Johnny Carson and how things have changed for television.

I'm not a big fan of what you can say on television anymore. I'm of the old school. You don't say bad words when you are broadcasting. I don't say them in real life so I won't make a mistake. I trained myself that way.

Mr. McMahon was a fighter pilot during World War II. He was returned to active duty during the Korean war and retired from the marines as a colonel in 1966.

May he rest in peace.

RIP Ed McMahon

Tonight Show side kick, Ed McMahon has died at the age of 86 in Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. He popularized the phrase, "Heeeeeeere's Johnny" and "Hi Yo!" on his 30 years on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

He said in an interview with Archive of American Television, that the first 10 years of the Johnny Carson Tonight Show have regrettably been destroyed by a myopic television executive.

In the same interview, McMahon said that the Tonight Show Theme, "Johnny's Theme" was written by Paul Anka for the very first show.

McMahon talked about the classiness of Johnny Carson and how things have changed for television.

I'm not a big fan of what you can say on television anymore. I'm of the old school. You don't say bad words when you are broadcasting. I don't say them in real life so I won't make a mistake. I trained myself that way.

Mr. McMahon was a fighter pilot during World War II. He was returned to active duty during the Korean war and retired from the marines as a colonel in 1966.

May he rest in peace.

Important New Information!

Thanks to Darrell over at Southern Conservative, I have learned an exciting and valuable piece of new information today. For those of you who are as out of the loop as I am, Hugh Laurie (House) is BRITISH!!! I honestly didn't know that! In spite of my sometimes posing as a "TV hating elistist" to quote Darrell, I am a fan of House. I'm still flipping out from watching the clip below of his wonderfully accented acceptance speech. Wow!

Important New Information!

Thanks to Darrell over at Southern Conservative, I have learned an exciting and valuable piece of new information today. For those of you who are as out of the loop as I am, Hugh Laurie (House) is BRITISH!!! I honestly didn't know that! In spite of my sometimes posing as a "TV hating elistist" to quote Darrell, I am a fan of House. I'm still flipping out from watching the clip below of his wonderfully accented acceptance speech. Wow!