by John Walters
A Medium Happy 70th to Diane Sawyer (It’s “Sexy Septuagenarians Week” in the MH birthday department)
Starting Five
4 to 6 inches of snow fell in Spokane yesterday
1. Will This Winter Ever End???
Skiers, rejoice. Parts of the Sierras in California received TWO FEET of snow yesterday. Resorts in northern California are reporting 96-98% capacity. It’g going to be a white Christmas in the Pacific Northwest and northern California.
2. The Nation’s Leading Scorer Is < 6′
Daniel scored 39 against William & Mary
Thi is James Daniel III, a 5’11” junior for the Howard University Bison. Daniel, from Hampton, Va., leads all scorers in Division I by averaging 29.3 points per game. Daniel has already had five games north of 30 points this season.
You can catch Howard live if you are in New York City next week (at Columbia –and not the Philippines– on Dec. 28) or in Honolulu over New Year’s (at Hawaii, Jan. 2)
3. Did He Try ‘The Move’?
On this season of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, one of Jerry Seinfeld’s guests will be a guy who has spent plenty of time in front of an open mic, and often in front of a more hostile room than The Comedy Cellar.
The vehicle was a 1963 Corvette Sting Ray and both men took turns driving it around the White House portico. Coffee was slurped in the White House basement. As Kramer would say, “Oh, YEAH!”
4. Maxim’s New Maxim
Alessandra Ambrosio, catching up on tan lines and headlines
In February Maxim brought in Kate Lanphear to be its new editor-in-chief. Then, in October, Lanphear was fired. Glenn O’Brian, formerly of GQ, was brought in to succeed her and this is his first cover. The Victoria’s Secret model, Ambrosio, is posed atop a hotel in Monte Carlo. Lad mags are going the full 007.
5. Sorry, Not Sorry
Fey: Take me…ore leave me.
Tina Fey: We did an ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ episode and the Internet was in a whirlwind, calling it ‘racist,’ but my new goal is not to explain jokes….
“”I feel like we put so much effort into writing and crafting everything, they need to speak for themselves. There’s a real culture of demanding apologies, and I’m opting out of that.”
Thank you.
A friend of mine takes the view that no one should bring harm into the world, and for that reason Fey should listen to her critics. I understand where she is coming from, but to me nothing is more nefarious than suppressing someone’s right to express themselves. No matter who finds it offensive. Besides, usually nothing is more offensive than the truth.
If you don’t like what someone is saying? Don’t listen. Or, speak up with an opposing view. Easy.
Music 101
Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
If you listened to yesterday’s tune (“Beach Baby,” by First Class), take note: the lead singer on that song, Tony Burrows, is also the lead singer on this one. The hastily assembled band, Edison Lighthouse, was basically formed in order to lip-synch this tune on Top of the Pops. Burrows was a session singer who fronted both bands just for these tunes. This is back when 45s and hit singles were a far bigger deal than they are today. The song hit No. 1 in the UK for five weeks in early 1970, and No. 5 here in the States. This is a very Hollies-type song, which is probably why I have a weak spot for it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqJAaO_zoj4
Remote Patrol
The Year: 2015
9 p.m. ABC
April’s earthquake in Nepal claimed nearly 9,000 lives
The promo reads “The most iconic and memorable moments of 2015 are recalled.” Something tells me that the producers are going to need to make a last-minute addition. Isn’t that right, Miss Colombia?
“…nothing is more nefarious than suppressing someone’s right to express themselves…”
I doubt the Jews in Germany & later, the rest of Europe between 1930-1945 would agree…
On a happier note, did you set a record with your current Name Chain? There’s 9!
Susie B.,
I’m not John, nor will I try to speak for him.
“Suppressing someone’s right to express themselves..” was said with the idea of speaking one’s mind. Nazi Germany murdered individuals because they didn’t hold the same beliefs.
It’s really not a comparison, and I feel like your thought lacked the perspective needed in this situation. I don’t know — just MY thought.
Give ‘me hell, Jason!
Before Hitler began murdering Jews, he took over the German media and made it a crime for Jews to own businesses. He suppressed free speech as his first step.
And if Hitler had NOT been able to “express himself” by spreading hatred & fear? This is MY point – that sometimes freedom of speech & the “right to express themselves” can BACKFIRE in the most horrendous & EVIL ways.
Also, the majority of those murdered by the Nazis were not killed because they tried to “express themselves”. They were killed because they EXISTED & were blamed for all of Germany’s economic problems after WWI.
This time of year, I prefer the song “Love Grows Where My Mistletoe Goes”.
But nobody knows like me.