THURSDAY and Another Edition of...............

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon.

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

    

1)        I was truly saddened by the news of Elizabeth Edwards (nee Anania---probably a better way of recalling her) who survived a long battle with cancer and a marriage with class until the end of both.

2)        It’s just wonderful that there are people who can honestly say when being told of some bad acts by others----“.. it’s over and move on now since they are not going away and neither are we.  Tolerance is a word that comes to mind---with great effort.

3)        I am always delighted, honored---and truly surprised at my good fortune---to have met and engaged in conversation and friendship (with many) with so many people because of TRADITIONS & SUNDAY SIMCHA.

4)        Facebook was a stroke of genius to its creator and a truly misleading thing to those who think they really made “friends”.   “Sounding Boards”, “Customers”, and “Targets for Ads” would be a better term.

5)        Advertising has changed from the days of “Mad Men”---a whole new and abbreviated way of communicating.  Some truly technically and electronically creative and yet not literarily creative.   The  question is would the real BBDOs(Batten Barton Durstine Osborne), Y&Ms(Young & Rubicam), O&M (Ogilvy and Mather), DDB (Doyle Dane Bernbach) haver rolled with it or just their initials since they are long gone and we now live with a world of initials.  As Shakespeare said –“...full of sound and fury signifying---NOTHING”.

6)        If TV is a “ wasteland” as Newton Minnow once, so famously said, it has truly changed----into  a “barren desert”.  That applies to the “networks”—Cable is getting more creative---and, ecologically important given all their re-cycling---of older material that had some merit when the networks were still a “wasteland”.

7)    The seat countdown for the Buskin & Batteau (with Marshall Rosenberg) is shrinking rapidly---only 20 left at this writing---and they are FREE.  Best to call 845 359-2244 so see if you can still find a place to park your fanny for this event.

8)   NYC is really cracking down on unpaid parking tickets so a helpful  hint and I am not Heloise----plead not guilty via mail and you will either be fined 50% less that billed or--if you can back up your story--have it dismissed.

                                                   

THURSDAY--Another Edition of......:

The weekly flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon .

NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......




1) It always surprises me when you see some educated people you expect to know certain things---and don’t and then find people less educated—and they do. One of the true cliches in this world has to do with books and their covers. It also works for books.


2) However the NY archaic divorce law debate ends it just proves Robert Klein’s brilliant song last week (HBO) correct with regard to gay marriage---they should be allowed to be as unhappy as anyone else.


3) It’s getting to look a lot like recent old times with this administration. Charismatic leadership and dynamism ended with Harry Truman (which was begat by FDR) and briefly resurrected by Ronald Reagan (in the passing of time which is now history).


4) Yesterday was Bloomsday---obscure but commemorated over the world. I wish I had known James Joyce since an aunt and uncle did and he was, besides, a great writer a humanitarian who effected the saving of many—well, some—Jews from that nasty Adolf.


5) Oh glory the Shinecock Indians are now recognized as a tribe and they can now fulfill their dreams by going back to their traditional way of life---Casinos. Oh glory to the great spirit.


6) Don’t “Day Traders” have something in common with “Day Gamblers” in Vegas and AC? Don’t call them investors unless you want to call the Vegas crowd “wheel” or “card” investors.


7) Do new ideas for TV programs really run out? Given this period it seems so---and you do not have to look even past 10-15 years.


8) PBS is to be congratulated for having no commercials---merely fund-raisers every other week recycling past programs and appearance by guys in bad hairpieces. I always look for the copyright date on their credits---if it is within the past 2 years it is truly an arousing moment. Yep---you got it right!


9) Alex Trebeck has no great talent and that is his great talent which has kept this program (Jeopardy) on since the first contestant---not sure if it was before his time---I believe it was Abraham who talked a bit about Sarah and the desert in his brief interview. A very “shtubbable” lady who blessed him with many children---and they all got into the college of their choice—only one available at the time—as he stated. CDU---Canaan Desert University. They had a major in sand. They also had a nice radio station==WCDU---followed thousands of years later by one with very close call letters and located next to many “Lantsmen”.


10) More questions about some Dylan lyrics—it was already asked about How Many Roads Must a Man Travel until he gets a GPS, The Answer is Blowing in the Wind---but, what is the question—and now one has to wonder about that Blue Eyed Son---everything that happens to him causes a Hard Rain to Fall. Would that he had an umbrella---or a helmet since this could be a hailstorm. So many questions and so few answers for such a deep thinker.

THURSDAY---Another Edition of......

The weekly flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

1)      Do retired cops, besides receiving over the top pensions, still get angry when one disagrees with them?  Oh, that controlling and wearing of a uniform is something hard to get rid of.  You know that's personal---right?

2)      Thinking of the above comment makes you thankful that Germany did not win WW2 but we now know that human nature (which includes the U S) is only steps away from the same nature---sadly, human nature.

3)      Think of 3 people at a table and each one is texting---talking about one of the others.  Whole new definition of having dinner with people.  

4)      I am always impressed by folks who, no matter their age, continue to go to educational courses and open themselves up to new ideas.  Would that people who only see things in black and white do that.

5)      Seems like Teabaggers see things in black and white and you have to wonder if they would have been involved in the original Tea Party unless, of course, there had been a Palin type shrew leading the cause---for a hefty fee.

6)      Why do people use Debit cards when they can use Credit cards and let the issuers give you a free monthly ride and if you overdraw a Debit card you may end up paying 37.50 for that 2.50 slice of Pizza you were so hungry and salivated over.

7)      Wasn’t it a wonderful time when telephones made telephone calls and did not become an entertainment center and a venue to pay e bills?

8)      If you don’t see money then you don’t realize you are spending it.  Las Vegas knew that years ago when you purchased chips.

9)      People of age are leaving the stage; as usual.  Whitney Harris died at 97.  The last of the prosecution team at Nuremberg after WW2 and the founder of the first International Criminal Court.  Unfortunately, the crimes go on.

10)                    One has to wonder how it is ever possible to hold anyone responsible of anything in the corporate and industrial world given all the intricate chains of ownership.  Seems like only the person who robs a 7/11 store or mugs someone in the street gets the original version of justice.  Justice for the large gang is elusive---Madoff, excluded---he did get his comeuppance. 

11)                    What a delight to see Pete Seeger (and Fred Hellerman and Ronnie Gilbert) still active and mesmerizing at those grand old ages.  Would that we all had such verve and drive.   Happy 91 on May 3 to Pete Seeger.

12)    Do join me Sunday on TRADITIONS when we celebrate Pete Seeger's 91st.(5/3), mine (5/2)---a bit before that, and re visit a wonderful show of last week in Tarrytown.

More Than Just A Review

While making mention of this on the May 9 Sunday Simcha program and, surely, this Sunday (May 2)when we commemorate the 91st Birthday of Pete Seeger (5/3) and yours truly---not quite there yet-- this is something that has to be mentioned even sooner. A glorious evening that was billed as a concert---and a memorable one it was--but was in fact a most touching and wonderful surprise 50th Birthday Party for a family by the name of Wolofsky and organized by their wonderfully sentimental and caring children. Amazingly it was a surprise---which was a great surprise to me. How do you keep it a secret that you are going to Tarrytown Music Hall from Canada and on that stage will be----Pete Seeger, Fred Hellerman, Work O The Weavers, The Klezmatics---and the biggest surprise to them---Theresa Tova (you have heard her on Sunday Simcha)--along with the perfect image of Woody Guthrie--Rob Tepper (you have heard him on Traditions)? Not to mention some great monologues by Nora Guthrie since this was also a benefit for The Guthrie Archives and for the sloop Woody Guthrie.

More than just a review because those are the basics.  What transpired on that stage was, besides an historical event, a wonderful musical celebration.  From the moment Pete Seeger took the stage the audience was mesmerized and, as it always is with Pete Seeger, involved.  Followed by The Work O The Weavers who keep that wonderful tradition alive and keep updating it and then having Fred Hellerman come on was surely a homecoming for many.  Fred Hellerman calling on Pete to join him ("...I am not used to being alone on a stage") was a brilliant moment as they did an old ---hardly  remembered--favorite, "The Frozen Logger".

While the Work O The Weavers were still on stage an intruder came up----Woody Guthrie.  Had you not known he had passed on you would have seriously believed that Rob Tepper WAS Woody Guthrie.  If one can see his full production (When The Curfew Blows) it is not to be missed.

There you see what I am writing of.   Woody Guthrie re-incarnated.  Or, as Nora Guthrie state--"...I am freaked".  That says it all.

After intermission at this grand old entertainment palace that still lives on we were regaled by The Klezmatics who surely know how to blow a house down.  The big surprise of the evening--for the Wolofsky family at least was the person who joined The Klezmatics for a great rendition (among other things) of Kisses Sweeter Than Wine---in Yiddish.  Prior to that the big surprise of the evening was the elder Mr. Wolofsky running up on to the stage to hug Tova---and idol of his for many years.  The Klezmatics then continued with music that made the rafters ring and the spirits soar.

For a final ending I have to close with this description of it and follow it with the photo you saw at the top since this was a truly historical and personal event---and also benefited some wonderful works of historical meaning---The Guthrie Foundation and The Sloop Woody Guthrie.

For that grand Finale which started with This Land Is Your Land and then had Pete Seeger signalling all the others to come forward; then leading them in Goodnight Irene and have them (Pete signalling) for them to sing the last chorus as the slowly walked off the stage-----What An Evening.  

THURSDAY and ANOTHER EDITION OF........

A tip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

1)    With all the TV channels available the main content is commercials.  Add to that, mostly, repeats of old programs and you have to wonder if less was not better.

2)   Let’s see if I have this right---the farmer raises a crop and the manufacturer makes a product but the financial interests move paper around, create shadow companies, collapse and then the taxpayers who raised crops and made products bail them out but no one bails out the taxpayers who created wealth and product.

3)    Oh WAMU how you and your investors got screwed.  Oh Chase what nice gifts you got for the holidays. Oh Obama administration how wonderful that the creators of this problem are resolving it in their best interests.

4)   It was so sad to hear of all the deaths on the Polish airplane that carried so many of the Polish hierarchy---but given the age of the plane, the instructions to the pilot, and the fact that all those important people were aboard it turns out to be a very Dark Polish Joke---especially given the destination and the timing.

5)   The father of the Trampoline died.  He was 96.  When the writer of The Hokey Pokey died I wonder if he was able to keep his left foot in and then his right foot out and then turn them all about before they closed the casket.  Hard to do.

6)    Who recalls when, before WNET Channel 13 was PBS, they presented The Play Of The Week?  A live play re-played for the week---some great classics with some great artists. 

7)    Since it is easier to be struck by lightning than to win the lottery I wonder if anyone ever won the lottery and then got struck by lightning since it happens more often.

8)   If you are in a bracket where you do not pay income tax does that mean you don’t own a piece of things like submarines, jets, governmental agencies, etc;?

9)   There was a time when you needed a horse and buggy to get around.  Now you have to pay $50 for a 20 minute ride in Central Park---and you do not go anywhere you need to go.

10)                    It has to be asked why people buy cars like certain models of Mercedes Benz that require $300.00 oil changes (special oil) and have the transmission dipstick locked so that no gas station can check the fluid.  The lock has to be cracked to open and then—guess what---you have to buy a new lock.  Whatever happened to “simple is better”?  But then you don’t get a mint on your dashboard along with a big thank you---or is it Danke Schoen?