by John Walters
Happy Birthday to the Angel next door, Cheryl Ladd (64 today).
Starting Five
1. Enjoy the Lulls
My favorite TV show that is not on TV? Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee.” Here Jerry is joined by Stephen Colbert as they go out for coffee in Montclair, N.J. It’s refreshing to see a comic who is both as intelligent and grounded as Jerry. You get the feeling that this was one of Seinfeld’s favorite shows to film.
2. Amy Schumer Destroys Football (with a little help from Josh Charles)
This bit from Inside Amy Schumer titled “Football Town Nights” is exactly why satire is the most dangerous form of comedy. Near the end of the riff, the new coach with the strange rules inspires the Bronconeers with this halftime message: “How do I get through to you boys that football isn’t about raping?!? It’s about violently dominating anyone that stands between you and what you want. Now you gotta get into the mindset that you are gods. And that you are entitled to this!”
3. Dave and His Amigos
Our favorite retiree, David Letterman, makes a cameo appearance at a show in San Antonio featuring old buddies Steve Martin and Martin Short looking happy, tan, and with a beard. “We met at a Scientology mixer,” Dave quipped. Then he read a Top Ten list about Donald Trump.
4. Tennis’ Great American Hope?
You love Roger, Rafa and Novak, and so do I. And maybe it isn’t a coincidence that none of them are Yanks (Swiss, Spanish, Serbian), although Andy Roddick did shine in his debut as a commentator (and nobody was surprised).
Anyway, there was an American male who held a Wimbledon trophy aloft this weekend. His name is Reilly Opelka, he’s 17 and he won the Wimbledon Boys Singles title on Sunday morning. Opelka, who is from Palm Coast, Fla., is 6’10”. He turns 18 next month and he has already turned pro.
5. “Today Was a Good Day”
That’s all that my former SI colleague and friend Josh Elliott tweeted yesterday, but you can see why. Josh, 44, and a budding figure at NBC, married local New York City WABC anchor Liz Cho, also 44, in California. Congratulations to both of them.
Music 101
Even If It Breaks Your Heart
This is the Eli Young Band from Texas. An old friend introduced me to them and to this song, released in 2012. I used to sing “Peter Paul guitar” to the lyric “beat up old guitar.” I realize my line makes absolutely no sense.
Remote Patrol
Running Wild with Bear Grylls
NBC 10 p.m.
The networks have finally woken up to the fact that cable produces more creative original programming. So what do they do? They poach cable’s stars and give them platforms similar to their cable programs. Tonight survival expert Bear Grylls takes Kate Hudson hiking in the Dolomites in Italy. Well, who doesn’t want to do that?