Believe it or not, I was one of the first people in the world to hear of the Cable News Network before it covered a single story. WAAAAAAAAY back in 1979, I was researching a term paper on the history of what was originally called the Radio Corporation of America and shortened to RCA Corporation as it had become one of the major diversified companies of the late 20th Century, when I happened on a few news report that outspoken yachtsman/baseball team owner/media mini-magnate R.E. "Ted" Turner who had already shocked the world by turning tiny independent station WTCG Channel 17, Atlanta into SuperStation WTBS , was about to challenge the Big Three Networks' stranglehold on TV news with CNN, the world's first 24-hour all-news network. I wrote them for some promotional material on what made them different from RCA's crown jewel, NBC, and they happily complied. This was also the unofficial beginning of a beautiful friendship between Yours Truly and CNN's small, but mighty, New York team at a building that could hardly be called "small," One World Trade Center. When CNN officially hit the ground running on June 1, 1980, I was introduced to a veritable plethora of talented reporters not just from CNN New York and its content provider Independent Network News (a division of local powerhouse WPIX), but from networks all over the world such as the BBC (and ITN, now ITV News), Italy's RAI, and, after much arm-twisting on CNN's part, Russian state TV before it adopted a Western-style business model. From coast to coast and border to border, CNN had become a force to be reckoned with, debuting an international service by the end of the 80's and moving into radio in addition to starting CNN 2, which has since evolved into Headline News. CNN soon outgrew the WTC and moved to 5 Penn Plaza, right across from Madison Square Garden, The World's Most Famous Arena, and Macy*s, The World's Largest Store, with the Empire State Building watching over them. The area proved a better fit for CNN, which, in addition to its already-popular financial news show MONEYLINE (anchored by Lou Dobbs, later to become one of the most popular pundits at a competing network), challenged ET with SHOWBIZ TODAY (later SHOWBIZ TONIGHT), originally anchored by Bill Tush and Liz Wickersham, and later anchored by (at various points) Bella Shaw, Laurin Sydney, Lee Leonard, Jim Moret, and A.J. Hammer, with a team of entertainment experts including (every so-often) the man who shook up Top 40 radio the way Ted had shaken up TV news, Scott Shannon, as well as sports coverage,(with two reporters being my erstwhile friends Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick) talk shows,(including LARRY KING LIVE) and breaking news ,the most significant story happening on September 11,2001, when two planes flew into the World Trade Center and CNN became the go-to network in the days and weeks to come, as it had been during the first Gulf War. In 1995, Ted, after attempts to buy CBS and fending off advances from other networks, agreed to let Time Warner Inc. buy the percentage of CNN (and its fellow divisions of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. such as Cartoon Network and Hanna-Barbera Productions) it didn't already own, thus marrying it into a family that already included Warner Bros., HBO, DC Comics, and MAD Magazine, and five years later, America Online, the internet service pioneer, purchased TWI, lock, stock and CNN camera. Despite all attempts to portray AOL Time Warner as one, big happy family, the initials AOL were dropped from Time Warner's corporate name, and AOL was spun off a few years later.
Despite increased competition, CNN has held its own after all these years as it continues to make and cover the news from its studios in Manhattan's Columbus Circle area, just a short walk away from Lincoln Center, with next-gen reporters Frederica Whitfield, Brooke Baldwin, Carol Costello, and Anderson Cooper.What next for the network once derisively known as "Chicken Noodle News" as its parent has agreed to be acquired by AT&T who already owns Direct TV and the telephone business that put it on the map? The sky's the limit,but then, hasn't it always been?
Steve
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
BREAKING NEWS
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are breaking up after Angie has cited irreconciable differences, including Brad's responsibility, or apparent lack thereof, for their kids.
And THIS is breaking news why?
The world should be focusing on global security after the latest terrorist bombings in my home town of New York and at a Marine Corps run/walk in Seaside Heights, NJ, and outgoing President Barack Obama's address to the UN General Assembly on the refugee situation. What the fork is going on?
By the way, THAT was my sneaky segue into a review of THE GOOD PLACE, Thursdays at 8:30 PM Eastern and Pacific/7:30 PM Central and Mountain on NBC and anytime on http://www.nbc.com and the NBC app. The Good Place in question is,of course, Heaven,, and Kristen Bell is Eleanor Shellstrop, an ordinary woman who gets sent to aforementioned Good Place through a clerical error. (She belongs in the Bad Place.) and tries to convince the architect, Michael (Ted Danson), her soulmate Chidi, (William Jackson Harper), her neighbors Tahani (Jameela Jamil) and Jiyanu (Manny Jacinto) and information specialist Janet (D'Arcy Carden) that she can get her act together. One habit she's forced to change is cursing. She DOES have to turn THAT around, and that's no bullshirt! Part satire, part fantasy, part feel-good TV, you would be a great big ash-hole not to spend Thursday nights in THE GOOD PLACE! It may not solve all the world's problems, but, hey, it should motivate you to be a part of the solution!
Bye Buckaroos!
Steve
P.S.: If you prefer your cuss words undiluted, check out the 20th season of SOUTH PARK on Comedy Central. I'm not exactly a fan of EVERYTHING they do, but if that turns you on...
And THIS is breaking news why?
The world should be focusing on global security after the latest terrorist bombings in my home town of New York and at a Marine Corps run/walk in Seaside Heights, NJ, and outgoing President Barack Obama's address to the UN General Assembly on the refugee situation. What the fork is going on?
By the way, THAT was my sneaky segue into a review of THE GOOD PLACE, Thursdays at 8:30 PM Eastern and Pacific/7:30 PM Central and Mountain on NBC and anytime on http://www.nbc.com and the NBC app. The Good Place in question is,of course, Heaven,, and Kristen Bell is Eleanor Shellstrop, an ordinary woman who gets sent to aforementioned Good Place through a clerical error. (She belongs in the Bad Place.) and tries to convince the architect, Michael (Ted Danson), her soulmate Chidi, (William Jackson Harper), her neighbors Tahani (Jameela Jamil) and Jiyanu (Manny Jacinto) and information specialist Janet (D'Arcy Carden) that she can get her act together. One habit she's forced to change is cursing. She DOES have to turn THAT around, and that's no bullshirt! Part satire, part fantasy, part feel-good TV, you would be a great big ash-hole not to spend Thursday nights in THE GOOD PLACE! It may not solve all the world's problems, but, hey, it should motivate you to be a part of the solution!
Bye Buckaroos!
Steve
P.S.: If you prefer your cuss words undiluted, check out the 20th season of SOUTH PARK on Comedy Central. I'm not exactly a fan of EVERYTHING they do, but if that turns you on...
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Friday, July 15, 2016
Steve's Top 10 Cool Places To Take The Kids Next 4th of July
I know, I know, we just recovered from THIS 4th of July (and, on a more serious note, the violence that has been rocking the country), but it's never too early to start planning! A VERY good friend wants me to write a children's travel book about American history-related 4th of July vacations, but these days, you CAN'T have a travel book for kids, adults, or...I don't know, SMURFS, without web addresses, information about which airline goes to what airport, or ANY of that important stuff, and if you aim it squarely at the little rugrats, they're liable to take your wallet while you're off in Dreamland, disarm the security programs on your computer, go on to the web, and run up a bill equivalent to the national debt of a banana republic, and we don't want that, now do we? PLUS, even though my opinion of Donald Trump (and, to a similar extent, Bernie Sanders) is best reserved for another blog, he does have a point. and NOT just on his pointy little head: THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED! The European-owned publishers (and British-owned Penguin Random House, or, as I like to call it, Pungent Rancid House) that control the American book industry only publish books by established best-selling authors and celebrities that have signed gazillion-dollar contracts and kick the rest of us to the curb UNLESS you give them all your personal belongings and they (haha) "SELF-publish" it and sell it on Amazon. (Why in the name of Benjamin Franklin is it called "SELF-publishing" if somebody else does it? You REALLY want a self-published book? You take your manuscript to your local copy shop, get 100 copies, and sell it yourself to your friends and neighbors.) But, Buckaroos and Buckarettes, blogspot.com has given me the freedom to say what I want and share it with the world without jumping through a lot of hoops. So, with all that in mind, check your appointment books, give the little ankle-biters some incentive, fasten your seat belts and hold on to your hats, cause it's time for (Drumroll, please.)
STEVE'S TOP 10 COOL PLACES TO TAKE THE KIDS NEXT 4TH OF JULY
10. NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM (http://www.baseballhall.org ) 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326 1-888-HALL-OF-FAME info@baseballhall.org twitter.com/baseballhall facebook.com/baseballhall instagram.com/baseballhall google.com/+baseballhall youtube.com/baseballhall
To the untrained eye, Cooperstown, NY may seem like just another small town where you might want to spend just one day and then move on to the big city, but look closely and you'll find opera, ballet, museums, one of the largest Christmas Villages in the country, and, OF COURSE, baseball. With so many people watching, talking, and playing America's National Pastime, they don't call this "The Town Where Baseball Lives" for nothing! The National Baseball Hall Of Fame traces the game's beginnings and possible (English!) inspirations, continues through the many "base ball" clubs that popped up in the 1840's and 1850's and continues to the present day. Don't be surprised if your favorite mascot or player pops up in person (or in creature!). but, unfortunately, the closest (minor league) team playing today's game is the Tri-City Valley Cats in Troy (The other two cities are Albany and Schenectady.), a Houston Astros farm club playing in the New York-Penn League. (Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, 80 Vandenburgh Avenue, Troy,NY 12180, http://www.tcvalleycats.com ,twitter.com/valleycats , facebook.com/valleycats, You can see "Bull Durham" or "Pride of the Yankees," listen to a playlist ranging from "Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?" by Natalie Cole to "Centerfield" by John Fogerty, and even see exhibits concerning your particular favorite team. There's no ONE official hotel for the Hall, but there are a whole lot of nice small hotels and B&B's owned by people who really love the Grand Old Game. (Check your favorite hotel site for the best hotel for the money.) Trailways, Greyhound, and Adriondack Trailways have a lot of nice buses for Cooperstown leaving from Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC and Union Station in Albany. PLAY BALL!
9. HERSHEYPARK (http://www.hersheypark.com) 100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, PA 17033
844-330-1813 twitter.com/hersheypark facebook.com/Hersheypark, instagram.com/hersheypark,
Take the Amtrak Keystone Special from Penn Station in New York, Newark Penn Station in New Jersey, or30th Street Station in Philadelphia, to Harrisburg, PA where your special Hersheypark shuttle awaits and you may see a bustling small city, but looks CAN be deceiving! You can run out of things to do VERY quickly and the young 'uns may seal themselves off in their hotel room and threaten bodily harm if you bother them before the "SpongeBob" marathon is over. But take that Hersheypark shuttle to your official Hershey hotel (More on them later!) and you'll see a fantasy world which may be smaller than Six Flags but closer than Disney and just as magical. Ride their legendary roller coasters (IF YOU DARE!), get wet on the Boardwalk, an entertaining mashup of the Coney Island, Rehoboth Beach and Atlantic City boardwalks, and shake hands with a giant Hershey's Kiss, and no, you're not getting a hallucination from a chocolate OD! But the fun doesn't stop there! You can spend the night(s) at The Hotel Hershey (100 Hotel Road, Hershey PA 17033,1-884-330-1711, http://www.thehotelhershey.com), or Hershey Lodge (325 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033,1-884-330-1802, http://www.hersheylodge.com), have a nice lunch at Friendly's, Bob Evans,or Houlihan's in downtown Hershey, or take in The Hershey Story, a multimedia exhibit on the founder of the town, the park, and the chocolate empire that made it possible, Milton S. Hershey (Go to Google or Yahoo! for more information.) and the school that also bears his name, see a classic car museum, or shop till you drop at Tanger Outlets, featuring Skechers, Famous Footwear, and Disney, among others. How can such a small town have so much fun? (BTW, if you live in NYC and get homesick for Broadway, there's the Hershey Theater at 15 East Caracas Avenue (717-534-3412),hosting everything from its own symphony (playing the best of John Williams) to a full slate of Broadway musicals, (http://www.hersheyentertainment.com/hershey-theater for more information) to Weird Al Yankovic. (Oh, well, nobody's perfect!)
8. SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS (http://www.salem.com)
When this reporter took the Salem trolley in 2008, he wore a T-shirt featuring the then-current, and, sadly, final cast of the TV series CHARMED, (about three sister witches who tried to live normal modern lives while protecting the human world from black magic in San Francisco),Alyssa Milano (Phoebe),Rose McGowan (Paige),Holly Marie Combs (Piper), and Kelly Cuoco (Billie), and the operator observed, "Sir, there are witches on your shirt." Since this city was once the site of the most notorious witch hunt in American history, and therefore, a dark period in Colonial American history, I WOULD have been worried that the operator would throw me right off the trolley were it not for the fact the Salemites love the Charmed Ones as if they were real people living right in their neighborhood, but my choice in T-shirts did not escape her eye. She said, "Excuse me, sir, you have witches on your shirt." Well, it only stands to reason, as Salem has witches on its street signs, police department uniforms,public parks, and college campus. Not surprisingly known as The Witch City, Salem is just a drive or T ride away from South Station in Boston (More on THAT later!) and ready to share its magic. Not only are there more witch museums than you can wave a wand at, but you can park your broom and hang your conical (or pointy, if you prefer) hat at the Hawthorne Hotel (http://www.hawthornehotel.com ,18 Washington Square West,Salem, MA 01970, 1-800-SAY-STAY, facebook.com/hawthornehotel, twitter.com/hawthornehotel,, pinterest.com/hawthornehotel), a must-see landmark hotel. You can also see art from all historical periods at the Peabody-Essex Museum, see a live reenactment of the Salem Witch Trials, and take a ferry to Boston. Although Halloween is a long ways away, they won't mind if your little angel decides to dress in public as Glinda or Elphaba, (Just wanted to make sure all you WICKED fans were reading!), as a matter of fact, they encourage it with a veritable plethora of costume shops open and ready to attend to your every need any WITCH way it can! (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Whether you want to find out about author Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of Salem's most famous residents and the author of the timeless classic, THE SCARLET LETTER, take George Santayana's advice and relive a tragic time in our history before we are all doomed to repeat it, or just plain love witches, Salem, MA is the bewitching destination for you. (For the record, when a comic shop owner in San Francisco asked me how I was and I said, "CHARMED, I'm sure!" she just gave me a blank stare.Guess they think when you've inspired one TV show you've inspired them all!)
7. THE BERKSHIRES (http://www.berkshires.org)
Staying in the Bay State, the Berkshire area (Pittsfield-Great Barrington-Lenox-Lee-Stockbridge) is a delightful study in contrasts, from college sports, comprehensive art museums, restaurants on a par with those in Boston and New York, landmarks related to historical figures from Herman Melville to W.E.B. duBois to Arlo Guthrie (who's very much alive and ready to meet you at Alice's Restaurant in Stockbridge) to factory outlets for Nike, Reebok, Nautica, and other 5th Avenue brands and Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, its own jazz festival, and pop superstars like homeboy James Taylor. Take a Bonanza bus down the road a piece and have a slam dunk day at The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame (http://www.hoophall.com, 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue, Springfield, MA 01105 1-877-4-HOOPLA @hoophall on social media) in Springfield where hardwood history comes alive from the days of a peach basket and a soccer ball to the Beethovens and Mozarts of the NBA such as Jordan, Ewing,Kareem, and, oh yeah, LeBron. From small towns to small cities, the Berkshires have it all for the 4th. After all, isn't variety what America is all about?
6. WALT DISNEY WORLD (http://www.disneyworld.com) World Drive, Orlando, FL 32830 407-W-DISNEY facebook.com/WaltDisneyWorld twitter.com/WaltDisneyWorld
Yeah, I know, the crazy ISIS A-hole had contemplated WDW and they've had to write Louis the Sachmo-inspired alligator out of their "Princess And The Frog" spectacular after the tragic alligator incident at the Grand Floridian Hotel, but the Disney brand is nothing but resillient, and I'm sure things will be back to normal by next July 4th. There's usually a great patriotic Audio-Animatronic show at EPCOT Center, the Hall of Presidents, an outgrowth of Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln, features a special appearance from "Barack Obama" and a stirring narration by none less than Morgan Freeman, although that could change next year. Take a bus to Disney Springs to see the latest movies (from Disney and other studios) at their AMC theatre, enjoy Cirque du Soliel, and dine at a smorgasbord of restaurants including Rainforest Cafe. (Of course, you can still meet Mickey and Minnie, but if you want a taste of American history, Pocahantas holds forth at Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Princess show at Disneyland City Hall, and no, I don't mean Elizabeth Warren, and you can call the guy with the silly hat and long ears Goofy, not her!)
We're at halftime, and our Canadian readers as well as the millions of American voters planning to move to Canada for four years no doubt want to know the Top 3 Cool Places To Take The Kids Next Canada Day (July 1st), soooooooo.
3rd Cool Place in Canada: ROGERS CENTRE (http://www.rogerscentre.com) One Blue Jays Way,Toronto, ON M5V 1J1 (416) 341-3000
Since its 1989 debut as "SkyDome," the "Rog" has become a cherished part of the Toronto skyline and heaven on Earth for sports fans.Under the leadership of Rogers Communications (SportsNet Canada, City tv Toronto,and a veritable potpourri of great radio stations) since 2005, this multi-purpose arena has enjoyed record attendance for Toronto Blue Jays baseball, Toronto Argonauts (and occasional Buffalo Bills) football, family events including Disney's World On Ice, monster truck shows, and even traveling carnivals. You can take a guided tour, work out at GoodLife Fitness (If you're a member of 24 Hour Fitness, you can work out absolutely F-R-E-E, my favorite four letter word starting with F!), even get a mobile phone at the Rogers store if you're on a carrier that doesn't work in Canada. If the Rog isn't reason enough to holiday or live in Canada, I don't know what is!
2nd Cool Place in Canada: HOCKEY HALL OF FAME (http://www.hhof.com) Brookfield Place, 30 Yonge Street,Toronto, ON M5E 1XB (416) 360-7765
Sure, Torontonians in particular and Canadians as a whole like football (NFL and CFL) and baseball, but if you really want to understand them, you have to understand their national game which started on frozen ponds in Canada before moving inside in 1875 at Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal, I refer, of course, to ICE HOCKEY. Although the Hockey Hall Of Fame is a distinctly Canadian institution, as much a part of Canadian life as Cooperstown is of American life, don't be surprised if you see more than a few guests wearing T-shirts and hockey jerseys bearing the logos of their fave American teams, and when the Stanley Cup isn't skating across North America with your favorite team, you can say hi to it at the Hockey Hall. This is one GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL it should be easy to achieve! (And they also have players, coaches, and TSN talent on hand to teach the kids how NOT to be hockey pucks when it comes to teamwork!)
AND THE COOLEST PLACE TO TAKE THE KIDS NEXT JULY 1ST:
CANADA'S WONDERLAND (http://www.canadaswonderland.com) 9850 Jane Street, Vaughn,ON L6A 1S6 905-832-8131
SplashWorks AND Planet Snoopy in the same place? Good grief! Actually, you can check your grief at the door, take a chill pill at the Best Western Plus Toronto North York Hotel and Suites nearby, take the fam to see "Robinson Crusoe 3D" at the Action Theater,ride an authentic carousel from the turn of last century,see Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang in great live shows,and buy outstanding "Made In Canada" merchandise at True North Gifts. Get on the ball before Lucy pulls it away and check this place out!
And the countdown continues...
5. GRAND OLE OPRY (http://www.opry.com) 2804 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN 37214 1-800-SEE-OPRY
Country music is the soundtrack of America, and it's highly unlikely popular music as we have come to know it would exist without it. Longtime readers of Welcome to Steve Country (http://www.welcometostevecountry.com) know that the original broadcasts of the Grand Ole Opry radio program live from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville introduced beloved artists from Hank Williams and Johnny Cash to Carrie Underwood and Chris Stapleton into the mainstream. Today, what started out as a live local broadcast on The Legend 650 AM WSM has become an American institution heard around the world on US Army bases and its own app. There's a full slate of concerts and live broadcasts every week of the year, and, of course, backstage tours.and you can hang your 10-gallon hat at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center (now owned by Marriott, but don't let that stop you) just a two-step away. Y'all pay 'em a visit, y'hear?
4. WASHINGTON, DC (http://www.washington.org)
Sure, PBS' "A Capitol Fourth" isn't exactly perfect, but as you are bound to find out when touring the White House and the office buildings for both houses of Congress, (Security is understandably tight, so stay tuned to the local media for information that may affect your visit, We The (Imperfect) People do our best with what we've got, and it's served us well for the past 240 years. More than 75 museums welcome you, including the Smithsonian and the US Holocaust Museum, the famous monuments are definite must-sees, and restaurants such as Ben's Chili Bowl and the near-legendary Four Guys. I'm Steven Eisenpreis, and you'll approve this city!
3. COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG (http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org) P.O. Box 1776, Williamsburg, VA 23187, 888-965-7254
You can read about history in a book, or you can see it up close and personal in Colonial Williamsburg. If you choose the latter option, you and the entire family are in for a treat. The "Interpeters" are aware of recent trends in live entertainment and the decline of college interest in American history courses, and they are doing everything humanly possible to make sure that Colonial Williamsburg continues to fulfill its promise "That the Future May Learn from the Past." Add hotels for every pocketbook, a PGA-quality golf course, and proximity to Busch Gardens The Old Country (where your little patriots can meet those Great Americans, Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, and an AUTHORIZED, OFFICIAL Elmo, not one of those Times Square knockoffs!), Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Odditorium,and brand name shopping, and you have a completely revolutionary way to spend the 4th! (You can also take a bus to Jamestown, where legend has it that if you listen very carefully, you can still hear Pocahantas sing "Colors In The Wind." OK, I got that confused with Disney, but you can STILL see a comprehensive Pocahantas exhibit! You can also spend a great beach day in Yorktown, and get some history with your tan!)
2. BOSTON,MA (http://www.cityofboston.gov)
Before I go any further, I would like to apologize to my fellow New Yorkers (http://nycgo.com) if I've given the Big Apple short shrift, because Fraunces Tavern is an important part of American history as is Richmondtown in Staten Island and the New York Stock Exchange and we DO have the best and biggest fireworks show in the country,but Boston IS where America as we know it took shape with the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and the Boston Tea Party. Boston's Fourth Of July celebration is virtually unchanged from its original format in 1776, and the highlight has always been the Liberty Address, which has been delivered by luminaries from JFK to Julia Child. The Boston Red Sox play a traditional home game at "America's Most Beautiful Ballpark," Fenway Park (where you can get a selfie with their mascot Wally the Green Monster, named for the centerfield wall where pitches go to die), and the Boston Pops put on a show for the rest of the country with fireworks and a variety of local and international talent. Like the song says, "PLEASE come to Boston!"
Before we reveal the coolest place to spend the 4th of July, it has come to my attention that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is planning to move to New Zealand if a certain candidate becomes President. The best place to join her for holidays in the early part of January (The closest thing Australasia has to the 4th of July) is RAINBOW'S END (http://www.rainbowsend.co.nz, Two Clist Crescent,Manakau, Auckland, New Zealand, Mailing Address: Private Bag 76-924, Manakau, Auckland,2241.) Rai n Bow, the official greeters,have no intention of building a wall around THEIR magic Maori kingdom to keep anybody out, and Princess Sapphire,Sir Prised A Lot, Rover The Dog,and Iris The Fairy are all happy to meet kids of all ages,and not one of them has a combover! Count on the Bumper Boats and Go-Karts for YUGE family fun,and magic shows make your blues disappear faster than Trump Airlines, Trump Steaks, Trump Magazine...you get the picture! ANZ and Qantas have the wings, YOU have the fun!
AND THE COOLEST PLACE TO SPEND NEXT FOURTH OF JULY,
PHILADELPHIA,PA (http://www.visitphilly.com)
Cradle Of Liberty, Birthplace Of America, need I say more? Actually, I can. The week before the 4th proper, Wawa Welcome America has tons of free events including concerts, meet and greet events with historical interpeters bringing Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, George Washington, and friends to life,but the crown jewel is the Celebration Of Freedom outside Independence Hall on the 4th of July.
This year, I had the pleasure to see Leslie Odom, Jr. from HAMILTON read an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence and a special ceremony honoring Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, the fathers of The Sound Of Philadelphia made famous by artists such as Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, the Intruders, the O'Jays, the Three Degrees, and MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother). The Phillies knock one out of the park at Citizens Bank Park in South Philly, and you have your choice of dining options from Chick-Fil-A and McFadden's Bar and Grill (an offshoot of a Citi Field fave in NYC) at the Park to Geno's Steaks across the street at Xfinity Live. You can also run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art like Rocky (and take a picture with "him"outside),catch up with your reading at the Free Library,catch a cool science show at the Franklin Institute, even see a Broadway play at the Academy of Music, Kimmel Center, or Walnut Street Theater. (I saw SISTER ACT at the Walnut. It was the most divine night I spent at the theater!)
So, there you go! Some great 4th of July suggestions, without benefit, if you can call it that, of publishers! (I hear that an editor is about to kill another super hero. Will they ever learn?) If any other rejected authors are as mad as you know what and not gonna take this anymore, shoot me an email at steveneisenpreis@gmail.com, and we'll show those pompous publishers that our First Amendment right to be published is nothing to be trifled with!
God Bless America and the brave men and women in blue and olive who protect her at home and all over the world!
Steve
STEVE'S TOP 10 COOL PLACES TO TAKE THE KIDS NEXT 4TH OF JULY
10. NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM (http://www.baseballhall.org ) 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326 1-888-HALL-OF-FAME info@baseballhall.org twitter.com/baseballhall facebook.com/baseballhall instagram.com/baseballhall google.com/+baseballhall youtube.com/baseballhall
To the untrained eye, Cooperstown, NY may seem like just another small town where you might want to spend just one day and then move on to the big city, but look closely and you'll find opera, ballet, museums, one of the largest Christmas Villages in the country, and, OF COURSE, baseball. With so many people watching, talking, and playing America's National Pastime, they don't call this "The Town Where Baseball Lives" for nothing! The National Baseball Hall Of Fame traces the game's beginnings and possible (English!) inspirations, continues through the many "base ball" clubs that popped up in the 1840's and 1850's and continues to the present day. Don't be surprised if your favorite mascot or player pops up in person (or in creature!). but, unfortunately, the closest (minor league) team playing today's game is the Tri-City Valley Cats in Troy (The other two cities are Albany and Schenectady.), a Houston Astros farm club playing in the New York-Penn League. (Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, 80 Vandenburgh Avenue, Troy,NY 12180, http://www.tcvalleycats.com ,twitter.com/valleycats , facebook.com/valleycats, You can see "Bull Durham" or "Pride of the Yankees," listen to a playlist ranging from "Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?" by Natalie Cole to "Centerfield" by John Fogerty, and even see exhibits concerning your particular favorite team. There's no ONE official hotel for the Hall, but there are a whole lot of nice small hotels and B&B's owned by people who really love the Grand Old Game. (Check your favorite hotel site for the best hotel for the money.) Trailways, Greyhound, and Adriondack Trailways have a lot of nice buses for Cooperstown leaving from Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC and Union Station in Albany. PLAY BALL!
9. HERSHEYPARK (http://www.hersheypark.com) 100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, PA 17033
844-330-1813 twitter.com/hersheypark facebook.com/Hersheypark, instagram.com/hersheypark,
Take the Amtrak Keystone Special from Penn Station in New York, Newark Penn Station in New Jersey, or30th Street Station in Philadelphia, to Harrisburg, PA where your special Hersheypark shuttle awaits and you may see a bustling small city, but looks CAN be deceiving! You can run out of things to do VERY quickly and the young 'uns may seal themselves off in their hotel room and threaten bodily harm if you bother them before the "SpongeBob" marathon is over. But take that Hersheypark shuttle to your official Hershey hotel (More on them later!) and you'll see a fantasy world which may be smaller than Six Flags but closer than Disney and just as magical. Ride their legendary roller coasters (IF YOU DARE!), get wet on the Boardwalk, an entertaining mashup of the Coney Island, Rehoboth Beach and Atlantic City boardwalks, and shake hands with a giant Hershey's Kiss, and no, you're not getting a hallucination from a chocolate OD! But the fun doesn't stop there! You can spend the night(s) at The Hotel Hershey (100 Hotel Road, Hershey PA 17033,1-884-330-1711, http://www.thehotelhershey.com), or Hershey Lodge (325 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033,1-884-330-1802, http://www.hersheylodge.com), have a nice lunch at Friendly's, Bob Evans,or Houlihan's in downtown Hershey, or take in The Hershey Story, a multimedia exhibit on the founder of the town, the park, and the chocolate empire that made it possible, Milton S. Hershey (Go to Google or Yahoo! for more information.) and the school that also bears his name, see a classic car museum, or shop till you drop at Tanger Outlets, featuring Skechers, Famous Footwear, and Disney, among others. How can such a small town have so much fun? (BTW, if you live in NYC and get homesick for Broadway, there's the Hershey Theater at 15 East Caracas Avenue (717-534-3412),hosting everything from its own symphony (playing the best of John Williams) to a full slate of Broadway musicals, (http://www.hersheyentertainment.com/hershey-theater for more information) to Weird Al Yankovic. (Oh, well, nobody's perfect!)
8. SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS (http://www.salem.com)
When this reporter took the Salem trolley in 2008, he wore a T-shirt featuring the then-current, and, sadly, final cast of the TV series CHARMED, (about three sister witches who tried to live normal modern lives while protecting the human world from black magic in San Francisco),Alyssa Milano (Phoebe),Rose McGowan (Paige),Holly Marie Combs (Piper), and Kelly Cuoco (Billie), and the operator observed, "Sir, there are witches on your shirt." Since this city was once the site of the most notorious witch hunt in American history, and therefore, a dark period in Colonial American history, I WOULD have been worried that the operator would throw me right off the trolley were it not for the fact the Salemites love the Charmed Ones as if they were real people living right in their neighborhood, but my choice in T-shirts did not escape her eye. She said, "Excuse me, sir, you have witches on your shirt." Well, it only stands to reason, as Salem has witches on its street signs, police department uniforms,public parks, and college campus. Not surprisingly known as The Witch City, Salem is just a drive or T ride away from South Station in Boston (More on THAT later!) and ready to share its magic. Not only are there more witch museums than you can wave a wand at, but you can park your broom and hang your conical (or pointy, if you prefer) hat at the Hawthorne Hotel (http://www.hawthornehotel.com ,18 Washington Square West,Salem, MA 01970, 1-800-SAY-STAY, facebook.com/hawthornehotel, twitter.com/hawthornehotel,, pinterest.com/hawthornehotel), a must-see landmark hotel. You can also see art from all historical periods at the Peabody-Essex Museum, see a live reenactment of the Salem Witch Trials, and take a ferry to Boston. Although Halloween is a long ways away, they won't mind if your little angel decides to dress in public as Glinda or Elphaba, (Just wanted to make sure all you WICKED fans were reading!), as a matter of fact, they encourage it with a veritable plethora of costume shops open and ready to attend to your every need any WITCH way it can! (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Whether you want to find out about author Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of Salem's most famous residents and the author of the timeless classic, THE SCARLET LETTER, take George Santayana's advice and relive a tragic time in our history before we are all doomed to repeat it, or just plain love witches, Salem, MA is the bewitching destination for you. (For the record, when a comic shop owner in San Francisco asked me how I was and I said, "CHARMED, I'm sure!" she just gave me a blank stare.Guess they think when you've inspired one TV show you've inspired them all!)
7. THE BERKSHIRES (http://www.berkshires.org)
Staying in the Bay State, the Berkshire area (Pittsfield-Great Barrington-Lenox-Lee-Stockbridge) is a delightful study in contrasts, from college sports, comprehensive art museums, restaurants on a par with those in Boston and New York, landmarks related to historical figures from Herman Melville to W.E.B. duBois to Arlo Guthrie (who's very much alive and ready to meet you at Alice's Restaurant in Stockbridge) to factory outlets for Nike, Reebok, Nautica, and other 5th Avenue brands and Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, its own jazz festival, and pop superstars like homeboy James Taylor. Take a Bonanza bus down the road a piece and have a slam dunk day at The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame (http://www.hoophall.com, 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue, Springfield, MA 01105 1-877-4-HOOPLA @hoophall on social media) in Springfield where hardwood history comes alive from the days of a peach basket and a soccer ball to the Beethovens and Mozarts of the NBA such as Jordan, Ewing,Kareem, and, oh yeah, LeBron. From small towns to small cities, the Berkshires have it all for the 4th. After all, isn't variety what America is all about?
6. WALT DISNEY WORLD (http://www.disneyworld.com) World Drive, Orlando, FL 32830 407-W-DISNEY facebook.com/WaltDisneyWorld twitter.com/WaltDisneyWorld
Yeah, I know, the crazy ISIS A-hole had contemplated WDW and they've had to write Louis the Sachmo-inspired alligator out of their "Princess And The Frog" spectacular after the tragic alligator incident at the Grand Floridian Hotel, but the Disney brand is nothing but resillient, and I'm sure things will be back to normal by next July 4th. There's usually a great patriotic Audio-Animatronic show at EPCOT Center, the Hall of Presidents, an outgrowth of Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln, features a special appearance from "Barack Obama" and a stirring narration by none less than Morgan Freeman, although that could change next year. Take a bus to Disney Springs to see the latest movies (from Disney and other studios) at their AMC theatre, enjoy Cirque du Soliel, and dine at a smorgasbord of restaurants including Rainforest Cafe. (Of course, you can still meet Mickey and Minnie, but if you want a taste of American history, Pocahantas holds forth at Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Princess show at Disneyland City Hall, and no, I don't mean Elizabeth Warren, and you can call the guy with the silly hat and long ears Goofy, not her!)
We're at halftime, and our Canadian readers as well as the millions of American voters planning to move to Canada for four years no doubt want to know the Top 3 Cool Places To Take The Kids Next Canada Day (July 1st), soooooooo.
3rd Cool Place in Canada: ROGERS CENTRE (http://www.rogerscentre.com) One Blue Jays Way,Toronto, ON M5V 1J1 (416) 341-3000
Since its 1989 debut as "SkyDome," the "Rog" has become a cherished part of the Toronto skyline and heaven on Earth for sports fans.Under the leadership of Rogers Communications (SportsNet Canada, City tv Toronto,and a veritable potpourri of great radio stations) since 2005, this multi-purpose arena has enjoyed record attendance for Toronto Blue Jays baseball, Toronto Argonauts (and occasional Buffalo Bills) football, family events including Disney's World On Ice, monster truck shows, and even traveling carnivals. You can take a guided tour, work out at GoodLife Fitness (If you're a member of 24 Hour Fitness, you can work out absolutely F-R-E-E, my favorite four letter word starting with F!), even get a mobile phone at the Rogers store if you're on a carrier that doesn't work in Canada. If the Rog isn't reason enough to holiday or live in Canada, I don't know what is!
2nd Cool Place in Canada: HOCKEY HALL OF FAME (http://www.hhof.com) Brookfield Place, 30 Yonge Street,Toronto, ON M5E 1XB (416) 360-7765
Sure, Torontonians in particular and Canadians as a whole like football (NFL and CFL) and baseball, but if you really want to understand them, you have to understand their national game which started on frozen ponds in Canada before moving inside in 1875 at Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal, I refer, of course, to ICE HOCKEY. Although the Hockey Hall Of Fame is a distinctly Canadian institution, as much a part of Canadian life as Cooperstown is of American life, don't be surprised if you see more than a few guests wearing T-shirts and hockey jerseys bearing the logos of their fave American teams, and when the Stanley Cup isn't skating across North America with your favorite team, you can say hi to it at the Hockey Hall. This is one GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL it should be easy to achieve! (And they also have players, coaches, and TSN talent on hand to teach the kids how NOT to be hockey pucks when it comes to teamwork!)
AND THE COOLEST PLACE TO TAKE THE KIDS NEXT JULY 1ST:
CANADA'S WONDERLAND (http://www.canadaswonderland.com) 9850 Jane Street, Vaughn,ON L6A 1S6 905-832-8131
SplashWorks AND Planet Snoopy in the same place? Good grief! Actually, you can check your grief at the door, take a chill pill at the Best Western Plus Toronto North York Hotel and Suites nearby, take the fam to see "Robinson Crusoe 3D" at the Action Theater,ride an authentic carousel from the turn of last century,see Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang in great live shows,and buy outstanding "Made In Canada" merchandise at True North Gifts. Get on the ball before Lucy pulls it away and check this place out!
And the countdown continues...
5. GRAND OLE OPRY (http://www.opry.com) 2804 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN 37214 1-800-SEE-OPRY
Country music is the soundtrack of America, and it's highly unlikely popular music as we have come to know it would exist without it. Longtime readers of Welcome to Steve Country (http://www.welcometostevecountry.com) know that the original broadcasts of the Grand Ole Opry radio program live from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville introduced beloved artists from Hank Williams and Johnny Cash to Carrie Underwood and Chris Stapleton into the mainstream. Today, what started out as a live local broadcast on The Legend 650 AM WSM has become an American institution heard around the world on US Army bases and its own app. There's a full slate of concerts and live broadcasts every week of the year, and, of course, backstage tours.and you can hang your 10-gallon hat at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center (now owned by Marriott, but don't let that stop you) just a two-step away. Y'all pay 'em a visit, y'hear?
4. WASHINGTON, DC (http://www.washington.org)
Sure, PBS' "A Capitol Fourth" isn't exactly perfect, but as you are bound to find out when touring the White House and the office buildings for both houses of Congress, (Security is understandably tight, so stay tuned to the local media for information that may affect your visit, We The (Imperfect) People do our best with what we've got, and it's served us well for the past 240 years. More than 75 museums welcome you, including the Smithsonian and the US Holocaust Museum, the famous monuments are definite must-sees, and restaurants such as Ben's Chili Bowl and the near-legendary Four Guys. I'm Steven Eisenpreis, and you'll approve this city!
3. COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG (http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org) P.O. Box 1776, Williamsburg, VA 23187, 888-965-7254
You can read about history in a book, or you can see it up close and personal in Colonial Williamsburg. If you choose the latter option, you and the entire family are in for a treat. The "Interpeters" are aware of recent trends in live entertainment and the decline of college interest in American history courses, and they are doing everything humanly possible to make sure that Colonial Williamsburg continues to fulfill its promise "That the Future May Learn from the Past." Add hotels for every pocketbook, a PGA-quality golf course, and proximity to Busch Gardens The Old Country (where your little patriots can meet those Great Americans, Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, and an AUTHORIZED, OFFICIAL Elmo, not one of those Times Square knockoffs!), Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Odditorium,and brand name shopping, and you have a completely revolutionary way to spend the 4th! (You can also take a bus to Jamestown, where legend has it that if you listen very carefully, you can still hear Pocahantas sing "Colors In The Wind." OK, I got that confused with Disney, but you can STILL see a comprehensive Pocahantas exhibit! You can also spend a great beach day in Yorktown, and get some history with your tan!)
2. BOSTON,MA (http://www.cityofboston.gov)
Before I go any further, I would like to apologize to my fellow New Yorkers (http://nycgo.com) if I've given the Big Apple short shrift, because Fraunces Tavern is an important part of American history as is Richmondtown in Staten Island and the New York Stock Exchange and we DO have the best and biggest fireworks show in the country,but Boston IS where America as we know it took shape with the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and the Boston Tea Party. Boston's Fourth Of July celebration is virtually unchanged from its original format in 1776, and the highlight has always been the Liberty Address, which has been delivered by luminaries from JFK to Julia Child. The Boston Red Sox play a traditional home game at "America's Most Beautiful Ballpark," Fenway Park (where you can get a selfie with their mascot Wally the Green Monster, named for the centerfield wall where pitches go to die), and the Boston Pops put on a show for the rest of the country with fireworks and a variety of local and international talent. Like the song says, "PLEASE come to Boston!"
Before we reveal the coolest place to spend the 4th of July, it has come to my attention that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is planning to move to New Zealand if a certain candidate becomes President. The best place to join her for holidays in the early part of January (The closest thing Australasia has to the 4th of July) is RAINBOW'S END (http://www.rainbowsend.co.nz, Two Clist Crescent,Manakau, Auckland, New Zealand, Mailing Address: Private Bag 76-924, Manakau, Auckland,2241.) Rai n Bow, the official greeters,have no intention of building a wall around THEIR magic Maori kingdom to keep anybody out, and Princess Sapphire,Sir Prised A Lot, Rover The Dog,and Iris The Fairy are all happy to meet kids of all ages,and not one of them has a combover! Count on the Bumper Boats and Go-Karts for YUGE family fun,and magic shows make your blues disappear faster than Trump Airlines, Trump Steaks, Trump Magazine...you get the picture! ANZ and Qantas have the wings, YOU have the fun!
AND THE COOLEST PLACE TO SPEND NEXT FOURTH OF JULY,
PHILADELPHIA,PA (http://www.visitphilly.com)
Cradle Of Liberty, Birthplace Of America, need I say more? Actually, I can. The week before the 4th proper, Wawa Welcome America has tons of free events including concerts, meet and greet events with historical interpeters bringing Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, George Washington, and friends to life,but the crown jewel is the Celebration Of Freedom outside Independence Hall on the 4th of July.
This year, I had the pleasure to see Leslie Odom, Jr. from HAMILTON read an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence and a special ceremony honoring Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, the fathers of The Sound Of Philadelphia made famous by artists such as Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, the Intruders, the O'Jays, the Three Degrees, and MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother). The Phillies knock one out of the park at Citizens Bank Park in South Philly, and you have your choice of dining options from Chick-Fil-A and McFadden's Bar and Grill (an offshoot of a Citi Field fave in NYC) at the Park to Geno's Steaks across the street at Xfinity Live. You can also run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art like Rocky (and take a picture with "him"outside),catch up with your reading at the Free Library,catch a cool science show at the Franklin Institute, even see a Broadway play at the Academy of Music, Kimmel Center, or Walnut Street Theater. (I saw SISTER ACT at the Walnut. It was the most divine night I spent at the theater!)
So, there you go! Some great 4th of July suggestions, without benefit, if you can call it that, of publishers! (I hear that an editor is about to kill another super hero. Will they ever learn?) If any other rejected authors are as mad as you know what and not gonna take this anymore, shoot me an email at steveneisenpreis@gmail.com, and we'll show those pompous publishers that our First Amendment right to be published is nothing to be trifled with!
God Bless America and the brave men and women in blue and olive who protect her at home and all over the world!
Steve
Friday, June 24, 2016
Can't We Just Talk It Over?
We here at Steve's Blog Central love our many UK readers and we've had the pleasure to prepare some blogs just for them.
But we have one word regarding the succession from the European Union, or as it's better known, the "Brexit," a combination of "British" and "Exit:"
WHY?!?
I know what you think of the French, the Germans, and the football yobs in a lot of those other countries, but just voting your way out of a body designed to promote European unity?!?
Yes, we ARE living in a global economy, but when you guys were part of the EU, it kept financial markets around the world stable, allowed you to supply services from SKY News to Shakespeare-related educational materials for libraries Europe-wide, and work out your differences in forums other than the theater of war.
Here's how I see the problem: Two words: DONALD. TRUMP.
Not only does the Don contribute to your economy through his golf courses including the one he just opened, but the way UK and US politics have always been intertwined, now more than ever, the anti-established movement he has fomented has spread to your borders, causing the heretofore pent-up hostilities against the policies of the EU to rise to the top. (As my friend Scott Shannon used to say, "Sooner or later, the crazy always comes through.")
I know, what's done is done and can't be undone, but PLEASE remember the economic stability of the EU years and how citizens of Britain felt like citizens of all Europe. (I STILL remember taking the Chunnel from Paris to London. It was surreal, but I was pleasantly surprised when I turned on the radio and I heard voices talking in English when we made dry land. Sure, travel to London from New York may be more affordable, and I'm all for that, but I'm going to miss finding out how my stocks did at home on CNBC Europe and Man Utd football camps at Disneyland Resort Paris, but, more importantly, the security of the knowledge that my visit to Europe was protected not only by Britain's finest service people, but also those of its EU partners. I'm with J.K. Rowling who said on her Twitter feed that if there ever was a time Britain (and the world) needed magic, it's now.
PLEASE consider the consequences of your actions.
Steve
But we have one word regarding the succession from the European Union, or as it's better known, the "Brexit," a combination of "British" and "Exit:"
WHY?!?
I know what you think of the French, the Germans, and the football yobs in a lot of those other countries, but just voting your way out of a body designed to promote European unity?!?
Yes, we ARE living in a global economy, but when you guys were part of the EU, it kept financial markets around the world stable, allowed you to supply services from SKY News to Shakespeare-related educational materials for libraries Europe-wide, and work out your differences in forums other than the theater of war.
Here's how I see the problem: Two words: DONALD. TRUMP.
Not only does the Don contribute to your economy through his golf courses including the one he just opened, but the way UK and US politics have always been intertwined, now more than ever, the anti-established movement he has fomented has spread to your borders, causing the heretofore pent-up hostilities against the policies of the EU to rise to the top. (As my friend Scott Shannon used to say, "Sooner or later, the crazy always comes through.")
I know, what's done is done and can't be undone, but PLEASE remember the economic stability of the EU years and how citizens of Britain felt like citizens of all Europe. (I STILL remember taking the Chunnel from Paris to London. It was surreal, but I was pleasantly surprised when I turned on the radio and I heard voices talking in English when we made dry land. Sure, travel to London from New York may be more affordable, and I'm all for that, but I'm going to miss finding out how my stocks did at home on CNBC Europe and Man Utd football camps at Disneyland Resort Paris, but, more importantly, the security of the knowledge that my visit to Europe was protected not only by Britain's finest service people, but also those of its EU partners. I'm with J.K. Rowling who said on her Twitter feed that if there ever was a time Britain (and the world) needed magic, it's now.
PLEASE consider the consequences of your actions.
Steve
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Why Miranda Lambert Should Win ACM Entertainer Of The Year
Steve's Blog Proudly Presents Our Special Guest Blogger, CBS New York's Erin Duvall. Take it away, Erin!
Why Miranda Lambert Should Win ACM Entertainer Of The Year: She won Female Vocalist of the Year title at the ACM Awards for the sixth consecutive time and saw 'Little Red Wagon' hit the Top 5.
Why Miranda Lambert Should Win ACM Entertainer Of The Year: She won Female Vocalist of the Year title at the ACM Awards for the sixth consecutive time and saw 'Little Red Wagon' hit the Top 5.
Friday, March 25, 2016
It's Steven Eisenpreis' Appreciation of Garry Shandling
When a fictional character talks directly to the audience, it's known as "breaking the fourth wall," referring to the unseen wall that separates fantasy from reality. Garry Emanuel Shandling didn't just break the fourth wall...He OBLITERATED it.
Garry was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1949 before moving to Tuscon, Arizona so his older brother could be treated for cystic fibrosis.When Garry graduated from Palo Verde High School, he attended the University of Arizona where he pursued a year of postgraduate studies in creative writing.In 1973, he moved to Los Angeles where he sold a script to the popular situation comedy SANFORD & SON. He also wrote for WELCOME BACK KOTTER and attended a story meeting for THREE'S COMPANY, but, frustated by the formulaic writing of sitcoms, he performed his first stand-up at Mitzi Shore's Comedy Store in 1976, where he was the only comic who didn't go "on strike" to protest the Comedy Store's policy of not paying comics, which convinced Mitzi to give him a regular gig. In 1981, he became a regular fill-in for Johnny Carson on NBC's TONIGHT SHOW until 1987 when he premiered IT'S GARRY SHANDLING'S SHOW on Showtime.
GARRY'S SHOW(co-created by SNL writer Alan Zweibel) took off on everything Garry hated about sitcoms but won four CableACE awards and a Television Critics Award for outstanding comedy show. In short, the show was conceived as a sitcom that knew it was a sitcom, but it went on to be one of the masterworks of the genre.
In 1992, Garry moved to HBO where he created THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW, a program that took everything he knew about latenight talk shows, turned it on its head and poked fun at it. He had to turn down offers from NBC and CBS to keep doing LARRY, and he also did stand-up specials for HBO and SHO.
He also wrote and starred in the movie WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM? and was an active member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (having appeared in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER and the upcoming CAP: CIVIL WARS) as well as his voiceover work in movies such as DreamWorks' OVER THE HEDGE.
He will be remembered for his put-upon, distracted persona and his "average Joe" style.
On March 24,2016, he noticed he had all the signs of a heart attack. He called 911 to report a health emergency, but when he lost the ability to speak, the Los Angeles Police Department traced the call to his residence in the Hollywood Hills, and rushed him to the hospital, where he left the stage for the last time.
Sure, George Burns, Bugs Bunny, and others talked to the audience before Garry came along, but he turned it into even more of an art form than it had ever been. I give the last word to Garry's Larry Sanders persona on his last show, after he ran out of reasons for his listeners to not "touch that dial:"
"NOW you can flip."
Steve
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Scott Shannon Is Rejoining The Z-Morning Zoo On April 1st
And that's NO April Foolin'. (For one thing, this post is reaching you BEFORE April Fool's Day, and for another, this is not a joke. Scott gave up on April Fool's jokes after he told the listeners he was moving to L.A. to play country music and he got calls saying, "DON'T GO! DON'T GO!")
On April 1st, Scott Shannon and his current morning crew on the WCBS-FM 101. 1 Big Show (Patty Steele, Joe Nolan, John Elliot, Louie Louie Pulice and Kermit the Wonder Frog) will welcome the original Z100 (WHTZ) Morning Zoo crew of Ross Brittain, Claire Stevens, Jonathan B.Bell and Captain Kevin Smith. (They might even get a phone call from Assistant Public Service Director, Part Time Editorialist, and Full Time Lime Green Lovin' Machine, Mr. Leonard!)Whether you were a Z100 listener anytime between August 2,1983 (when the station signed on) and July 1989 (when Scott left for L.A. to start Pirate Radio 100.3 FM KQLZ), or you just want to hear the biggest hits of the Awesome 80's the way they were originally played on the radio, make sure your radio is locked on 101.1 FM on April 1st between 6 and 10 (As they used to say, "LOCK IT IN! AND RIP THE KNOB OFF!"), or, if you're outside the New York Tri-State Area, make sure your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone has the Radio.com app for four hot-rockin', flame-throwin', butt-kickin' hours of radio at its best, or better yet, log on to http://www.wcbsfm.com, http://www,facebook.com/ScottShannonWCBSFM or http://www.twitter.com/ScottShannonCBS to find out how you can join the party LIVE and IN PERSON!
I have had the pleasure to know Scott since he signed on the air in New York. In all the time since he won over the toughest media market in America, people have come and gone, formats and technologies have changed,but one thing has always stayed and will always stay the same: Michael Scott Shannon will always be on the air to give New Yorkers, to paraphrase a certain sailor man, a musical "edjamakayshkun!" Keep it hot, Scott!
Steve out!
On April 1st, Scott Shannon and his current morning crew on the WCBS-FM 101. 1 Big Show (Patty Steele, Joe Nolan, John Elliot, Louie Louie Pulice and Kermit the Wonder Frog) will welcome the original Z100 (WHTZ) Morning Zoo crew of Ross Brittain, Claire Stevens, Jonathan B.Bell and Captain Kevin Smith. (They might even get a phone call from Assistant Public Service Director, Part Time Editorialist, and Full Time Lime Green Lovin' Machine, Mr. Leonard!)Whether you were a Z100 listener anytime between August 2,1983 (when the station signed on) and July 1989 (when Scott left for L.A. to start Pirate Radio 100.3 FM KQLZ), or you just want to hear the biggest hits of the Awesome 80's the way they were originally played on the radio, make sure your radio is locked on 101.1 FM on April 1st between 6 and 10 (As they used to say, "LOCK IT IN! AND RIP THE KNOB OFF!"), or, if you're outside the New York Tri-State Area, make sure your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone has the Radio.com app for four hot-rockin', flame-throwin', butt-kickin' hours of radio at its best, or better yet, log on to http://www.wcbsfm.com, http://www,facebook.com/ScottShannonWCBSFM or http://www.twitter.com/ScottShannonCBS to find out how you can join the party LIVE and IN PERSON!
I have had the pleasure to know Scott since he signed on the air in New York. In all the time since he won over the toughest media market in America, people have come and gone, formats and technologies have changed,but one thing has always stayed and will always stay the same: Michael Scott Shannon will always be on the air to give New Yorkers, to paraphrase a certain sailor man, a musical "edjamakayshkun!" Keep it hot, Scott!
Steve out!
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Not So Long Ago, In A Theater Not So Far Away...
...I saw STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, and while it wasn't as great as A NEW HOPE (or the original STAR WARS, if you've been hiding out in a cave for the past 38 years), it was nowhere near as bad as THE PHANTOM MENACE. (Jar Jar Binks?!? Come On, Man!) The problem with MENACE, THE CLONE WARS, and REVENGE OF THE SITH, as well as RETURN OF THE JEDI, is that George Lucas didn't take the franchise seriously enough, while J. J. Abrams, the creator of ALIAS, LOST, PERSON OF INTEREST, and the mastermind behind the STAR TREK reboot, takes it a tad TOO seriously. Still, serious Force acolytes can take heart that Disney hasn't added any (pardon the expressions) goofy or mickey-mouse modifications like the Ewoks or the aforementioned Mr. Binks. (Kudos to Bob Iger for NOT saving Mr. Binks!) Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford magnificently reprise their roles as GENERAL Leia Organa and Han Solo.
Joining the cast are Daisy Ridley as Rey, the spirited young freedom fighter intent on meeting the legendary Luke Skywalker, John Boyega as Finn, a stormtrooper for the dreaded First Order who defects to the light side of the Force, Oscar Isaac as flying ace Poe Dameron, and Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, the son of Han and Leia who defects to the dark side. At times, FORCE tends to mimic its predecessors and come off as derivative, but most of the time, it proves to STAR WARS fans and newbies alike that it can dish out that combination of Saturday-afternoon-edge-of-your-seat excitement and high tech magic. For me, the highlight is when Han steps onto the Milennium Falcon and says, "Chewie...WE'RE HOME!" Longtime STAR WARS fans will also feel at home, although it COULD use a SKOSH more remodeling.
If I were down to my last and I could ONLY buy either a ticket for this movie or a sandwich, I'd buy a ticket.
Live long and...OOPS! I mean, MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!
Steve out!
Joining the cast are Daisy Ridley as Rey, the spirited young freedom fighter intent on meeting the legendary Luke Skywalker, John Boyega as Finn, a stormtrooper for the dreaded First Order who defects to the light side of the Force, Oscar Isaac as flying ace Poe Dameron, and Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, the son of Han and Leia who defects to the dark side. At times, FORCE tends to mimic its predecessors and come off as derivative, but most of the time, it proves to STAR WARS fans and newbies alike that it can dish out that combination of Saturday-afternoon-edge-of-your-seat excitement and high tech magic. For me, the highlight is when Han steps onto the Milennium Falcon and says, "Chewie...WE'RE HOME!" Longtime STAR WARS fans will also feel at home, although it COULD use a SKOSH more remodeling.
If I were down to my last and I could ONLY buy either a ticket for this movie or a sandwich, I'd buy a ticket.
Live long and...OOPS! I mean, MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!
Steve out!
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