President Obama's favorite television shows, according to the New York Times

By Jack Brummet, Entertainment Ed. and Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Ed.

Over the years, we've had tantalizing hints about BHO's downtime entertainment.  We know he loves Al Green, and even sang a few bars of a tune by the Reverend.  He told the press at one point that his favorite Bob Dylan song was "I ain't going to work on Maggie's farm no more."  He's mentioned other songs, performers, and movies he likes.  Recently, his television viewing was chronicled in these excerpts from Michael D. Shear's article in the New York Times:

Obama’s TV Picks: Anything Edgy, With Hints of Reality

"Mr. Obama is … a devotee of Showtime’s 'Homeland,' which offers an eerily familiar mirror to the president’s own foreign policy adventures: terrorism, Iranian nuclear negotiations, drone strikes, and an intelligence agency struggling for legitimacy with Congress and the American people.

"It may be a fool’s errand to psychoanalyze anyone — let alone a sitting president — based only on the books he reads or the music he listens to, or the television shows he watches." - Michael D. Shear

"And the list of heavies continues. Mr. Obama has told people he is a big fan of 'Game of Thrones,' a brutal imagining of the wars in medieval Europe. He has raved about 'Boardwalk Empire' and the BBC’s 'Downton Abbey,' two period dramas that document the angst and difficulties that people faced during those times. And he has worked his way through the DVDs of AMC’s smoldering 'Mad Men' series, telling friends that the character of Peggy Olson has given him insight into what it must have been like for his strong-willed grandmother in a world dominated by men.

"These days, when Mr. Obama retreats to the White House residence after a long day on the other end of the colonnade, he is working his way through the DVD box set of AMC’s 'Breaking Bad,' the award-winning TV drama about a drug-dealing high school teacher. The show just ended after five seasons, but the president is way behind and frequently reminds those around him not to give anything away."

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J. Fred Muggs, TV's most famous chimpanzee, still alive and well in Florida at age 61

By Jack Brummet

The year I was born, one of the big stars of that fairly new medium television was a chimpanzee—J. Fred Muggs.

J Fred Muggs with Dave Garroway and Phoebe B. Beebee

J. Fred Muggs (born March 14, 1952) was the chimpanzee mascot for NBC's Today Show from 1953 to 1957.  Dave Garroway's show faltered in the ratings race (there was one?), but with the addition of Muggs, viewership soared and ad money started pouring in.  Muggs appeared—for obvious reasons—in diapers, 

The Russian newspaper, Izvestia, described J. Fred Muggs, as "a symbol of the American way of life", and said, "Muggs is necessary in order that the average American should not look into reports on rising taxes, and decreasing pay, but rather laugh at the funny mug of a chimpanzee."

A finger painting by Muggs appeared on the cover of Mad #38, and was the first celebrity to be featured on the cover of that magazine. However, around that time the chimp bit Mad editor Al Feldstein, and was apparently blacklisted.

J Fred Muggs is now 61 years old and lives with his longtime girlfriend Phoebe B. Beebe in Citrus Park, Florida.

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"Heil honey, I'm home!"--a twisted TV pilot

By Jack Brummet, SitCom Editor

[Thanks to Jeff Clinton for passing this along]

Hitler stars in a very strange and twisted TV pilot from 1990.  Sort of "holocaust meets the Honeymooners."  It's hardly a wonder this show did not get past its pilot episode.

"The setup is both simple and totally insane. Adolf Hitler stands in for Ralph Kramden, with his trusty wife Eva Braun going bam-zoom right to Berlin. His day-to-day consists of being Chancellor of Germany's National Socialist party and hiding his plans for global domination from the Allied forces. Across the hall, two Jewish tenants, Arny and Rosa Goldenstein, Hitler’s the nosy, overbearing neighbors, make the Führer’s life a living hell." (From Splitsider.com).

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Music in NYC 1972-1977

I am reading a fascinating book about the NYC music scene from 1972-1977--Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever.  I arrived in NYC in '77.  The book details the emergence of hip hop and rap, the loft jazz scene, salsa, punk, the new serious music a/k/a/ classical of Steven Reich and Phillip Glass, and the new wave.  

It was pretty cool to be there and catch the tail end of it.  Anyhow, this reminded me of one night in 1977 when Kev Francis Aloysius Curran and I went to the opening of Hilly Crystal's new club in the East Village, CBGB 2nd Avenue, in an old Yiddish theater on 2nd Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets.  On the bill that night: The Talking Heads, The Ramones, Television, and Blondie.  The Hell's Angels, who lived across 3rd street from my future brother in law Colin, were out front of the theatre selling acid and nickel bags. The theater was almost 2,000 seats...way bigger than CBGBs proper.   Looking at who was playing, it's just stunning that it wasn't a sell out.  OK, rambling now. 

One of the most interesting facts in the book I'm reading is that the Talking Heads lived three doors up from our loft at 181 Chrystie Street in the East Village.  Keelin and I sublet a place there for three or four months.  I never saw any signs of the Heads, but we saw a lot of other weird stuff.   I still often listen to the Heads, Ramones, Blondie, and other bands from back then, but tonight I went back and listened to a couple of my Television CDs.  I'd forgotten just how good these guys were. . .

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Ten most memorable TV cameos on Zencollegelife.com

By Mona Goldwater, Television Editor

We like these guys.  Zencollegelife.com  recently published an article on the ten most memorable TV cameos.  Our only complaint is that they didn't include Richard Nixon's famous appearance on Laugh-in, where he famously uttered their catch phrase "Sock it to me."

Bob Dylan on Dharma and Greg:

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The Golden Times music video of "Let It Be"

By Jack Brummet
Social Mores Editor

Wow. This is a must see. This is so bizarre and random, and somehow sort of sweet.  The video has B-listers, has-beens, active celebs, and even at least one dead one...all performing Let It Be. The video apparently promotes a Norwegian TV show "Golden Times". Huh? Golden Times seems to be a show on the theme of "where are they now?"

I don't watch many viral videos--or not all the way through to the bitter (and often disappointing) end, but this one. . .I found myself  watching all the way, just to see who, and what, came next.

I can't even explain why I find this compelling.  But that's why you need to watch it yourself.

 
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The Egg Trick

A lot has happened in 30 years, both to us, and on television.  There is a certain intangible sweetness and innocence here in this sktech/performance piece. 


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The Sargeant and Gomer Pyle - a hi-fi clip from a show I watched in my youth

Oddly enough, Jim Nabors (Gomer), who was (is?) a good pal of Burt Reynolds, got his start on the Andy Griffith Show (or was it called Andy of Mayberry?). This show was his spinoff/star vehicle. It's right up there with some of the other shows we watched, like My Mother The Car, Car 54 Where Are You. Gomer Pyle was something else. Someone mentioned this show on the WFMU blog, because this is the Sargent's 85th birthday...


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Hollywood Squares answers

I don't remember ever enjoying any of the quiz shows except Hollywood Squares. It was always interesting to see all these B list celebrities, and the screamingly campy, gay men that Americans hadn't even realized were gay. This show was tawdry, and depressing if you were a glass half-empty type, and hilarious if you could just accept it for what it was: good, clean knucklehead fun. The show, and the celebs liked to claim that their answers were completely spontaneous and unscripted. It's clear they were not. Here are a few of the gems that have surfaced on the 'net.

Peter Marshall: Paul, can you get an elephant drunk?
Paul Lynde: Yes, but he still won't go up to your apartment.

Peter Marshall: In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say "I love you"? Vincent Price: No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty.

Peter Marshall: According to Cosmo, if you meet a stranger at a party and you think he's really attractive, is it okay to come out directly and ask him if he's married?
Rose Marie: No, wait until morning.

Peter Marshall: Which of your five senses tends to diminish as you get older?
Charley Weaver: My sense of decency.

Peter Marshall: Prometheus was tied to the top of a mountain by the gods because he had given something to man. What did he give us?
Paul Lynde: I don't know what you got, but I got a sports shirt.

Peter Marshall: What are "Do It," "I Can Help" and "Can't Get Enough"?
George Gobel: I don't know but it's coming from the next apartment.

Peter Marshall: What are "dual purpose" cattle good for that other Cattle aren't?
Paul Lynde: They give milk and cookies...but I don't recommend the cookies!

Peter Marshall: If you find someone lying unconscious in the street, should you do anything?
George Gobel: I'd probably crawl around him, I guess.

Peter Marshall: Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather?
Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.

Peter Marshall: Charley, you've just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during your first year?
Charley Weaver: Of course not, Peter. I'm too busy growing strawberries!

Peter Marshall: In bowling, what's a perfect score?
Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy.

Peter Marshall: Eddie, according to the Institute of Motivational Research, a wife should be beware if another woman takes an interest in a certain item of her husband's clothing. What item?
Ed Asner: Well, shorts immediately springs to my mind...

Peter Marshall: It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics. What is the other?
Paul Lynde: Tape measures.

Peter Marshall: True or false...a pea can last as long as 5,000 years.
George Gobel: Boy it sure seems that way sometimes...

Peter Marshall: Is there a weight limit for bags on airline flights in this country?
Charley Weaver: If she can fit under the seat, she can fly.

Peter Marshall: During a tornado, are you safer in the bedroom or in the closet?
Rose Marie: Unfortunately, Peter, I'm always safe in the bedroom.

Peter Marshall: Can boys join the camp fire girls?
Marty Allen: Only after lights out.

Peter Marshall: When you pat a dog on its head he will usually wag his tail. What will a goose do? Paul Lynde: Make him bark.

Peter Marshall: True or false, George...experts say there are only seven or eight things in the world dumber than an ant.
George Gobel: Yes, and I think I voted for six of 'em.

Peter Marshall: If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to?
Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark.

Peter Marshall: According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people?
Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army!

Peter Marshall: It is the most abused and neglected part of your body; what is it?
Paul Lynde: Mine may be abused but it certainly isn't neglected!

Peter Marshall: According to Movie Life magazine, Ann-Margret would like to start having babies soon, but her husband wants her to wait a while. Why?
Paul Lynde: He's out of town.

Peter Marshall: Dennis Weaver, Debbie Reynolds, and Shelley Winters star in the movie "What's The Matter With Helen?" Who plays Helen?
Charley Weaver: Dennis Weaver - that's why they asked the question.

Peter Marshall: Who stays pregnant for a longer period of time, your wife or your elephant?
Paul Lynde: Who told you about my elephant?

Peter Marshall: When a couple have a baby, who is responsible for its sex?
Charley Weaver: I'll lend him the car. The rest is up to him.

Peter Marshall: Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmly believes in them and has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What are they?
Charley Weaver: His feet.

Peter Marshall: If you're going to make a parachute jump, you should be at least how high?
Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it.

Peter Marshall: Do female frogs croak?
Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water.

Peter Marshall: You've been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or a woman?
Don Knotts: That's what's been keeping me awake!

Peter Marshall: In a very famous movie who said, "God, what a dump?"
Paul Lynde: Dumbo.
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Mercer's Maidens, Or, How Seattle Imported Women For The Lonely Pioneers And Sourdoughs

In the 1860's Seattle was between a hard place and a rock. Women here were outnumbered by males ten to one). A Seattle founder, Asa Mercer, went back to Boston and convince some of the "surplus" females there to come west, with their journey to be paid for by subscribers in Seattle who hoped to become their husbands. He met with opposition in Boston (duh!), but found more willing pickings in Lowell (Jack Kerouac's hometown), where many of Mercer's Maidens came from.

After a long long journey that included crossing the Panama isthmus, and a rest stop in San Francisco, they arrived on Seattle's waterfront on May 16, 1864. All of the girls, except one (who got sick and died), rapidly found husbands (although nowhere near all of the men who financed the adventure actually snagged a wife). A television show, Here Come The Brides, based on the story aired in 1968, starring teen heartthrob Bobby Sherman, and David Soul, among others. The show was a megahit in French Canada...and did OK here.

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