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

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon.

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

   

1)           I could have waited but wanted to alert all that on the May 1 program of Sunday Simcha you will hear “Rumania,Rumania” as you have never heard it before---tune in to find out who this great artist is who supplied me with a recording that he did live in a tribute to his father and is not recorded anywhere.

2)           Maureen Dowd really hits things on the head---first (well, not first since she has been doing this a long time) Dylan and now in the past few days the nonsense about the searches at Airports---always a day late and a dollar short.  For some reasons the Israelis have gotten it right for over 50 years.

3)           Judges should be elected---period.   Leave an elected official to appoint a judge and I do hope you don’t have a relative the politico does not like and you have a case before his honor of little honor.

4)           Does anyone recall the time when you opened a business, say, restaurant, and the city (of NY) and the unions were not part of making the whole thing into political fracas?  

5)           Why do people who work a long day doing whatever they do want to come home and watch “reality TV” when they spent their day in reality and might want some “escape” entertainment with some cultural significance.  Admittedly, you won’t find much of that on TV---years ago you did and the re-runs might well be worth the view.

6)           Why oh why does anyone give a damn about the “royal wedding”?  I, many times, try to avoid invitations to people I know---I don’t know these people and don’t care to know them.   A book—many years back—talking of radio and hype talked of the public as “The Great Unwashed”.  They await this event with baited breath (since they never bother with a breath freshener or a good diet)---heard a woman in a MD’s waiting room expounding (not a word she knows) on how “...great this will be---cannot miss it.”  Wish I had asked her to show me her invitation.

7)           The article in the NY Times about Kiryas Joel (in Orange County  NY) and its alleged “poverty” might well have been headlined “Truly poor or very rich in schemes”?.  Religious groups of all denominations have some truly creative ways of avoiding taxes and still hold local political influence.

8)           When they lowered the deceased into the ground with his cell phone in hand as was requested he really did not respond to the calls of “can you hear me now” that he thought might resurrect him.

9)           It brings us to the question---why Good Friday?---seems it was not all that good. Next would come “not such a bad Saturday”-- one supposes.

  10)     Equal time for deep religious is only proper so        since it is the Passover season best to quote Lewis Black (you do need the angry voice)—“....kind and loving God—right---“He Abe bring the kid over I have a few requests---and Moses---guess what---you ain’t getting in after all”.   And as to the Seder Service---for years I have poured a cup of wine for Elijah---now, it seems, he has a female companion –Miriam—and she too has some wine waiting.  No one has entered yet but burglers and they did not drink the wine---something about being diabetic and Manischewitz would not be a    wise choice for one in that condition.

                                

THURSDAY--ANOTHER EDITION OF.......

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

   

1)       I do hope you will be joining me on both SUNDAY SIMCHA & TRADITIONS this weekend---Passover celebration and an amazing Comedy Corner on SIMCHA.  TRADITIONS has a few surprises, commemorations and, of course, the favorite features---and we are going to end it with something very special---well, to me and, hopefully, for you as well.   If you are not there I get lonely.

2)       Mike Burstyn is back in his wonderful role as Hershele Ostropolyer in The Adventures of Hershele  Ostropolyer in a limited run –May 15-June 26.  In Yiddish with English Supertitles---having seen it I can say DO NOT MISS THIS---it is a tour de force for him and the rest of the cast.   Here is a shot of Mike as the lead character---

                                        

   

                       

3)       Maureen Dowd really hits nails on their heads in telling “it” like “it” is.  No beating around bushes for her.

4)       “At the end of the day”---an expression that I am still trying to understand since every talking head uses it over and over again.  If, everything is resolved or decided at the end of the day then what the hell were they doing the rest of the day?   Having an expensive lunch and thinking of “the end of the day”?

5)       Here is idealism for you---a man received a 50.00 ticket via traffic camera and is fighting it.  His legal expenses are well over 500.00 and if he wins he gets back his 50.00.  Idealism personified ---or plain old stubborn.   His claim that the yellow light does not stay yellow long enough to react to it.   Good point!.

6)       If you are amongst those who admire Hamlet it would be nice to know which interpretation of The Soliloquy you felt had the most meaning---I was surprised to find (while scouring You Tube) one that surprised me. Not Branagh or Olivier good as they are.  See if you know who it is---hint---someone I and many others surely find offensive---but talent can surprise one.

7)       Donald Trump may well be endorsed, at some point, by The Bad Hair Weaving Institute of America. They know a winner with bad hair when they see one---the slogan “Bad Hair to go with Bad Ideas”. And a personality to boot.

8)       You have to hand it to police unions---they just gave an “officer of the year” award to the cop who shot and killed that Pace student---and this is still in the courts.  Oh---get thee behind me Satan, I’m a Union Man.

9)       You have to read about Bill Clinton’s views of the “new” (and Bloombergized and Disneyfied) Times Square---that is why he is a great politician and sowed his wild oats in Arkansas (and, probably in Times Square of yore).

   10)   Years ago there was a play in NY and in LA in          which you went from room to room following a character you wanted to follow---disjointed for sure.  Now there is a wordless version of Macbeth done in the same way which presents a few problems to me----Shakespeare was about words---not about bloody nudity in bath-tubs.  He was also about a central plot and not a melange of paying voyeurs chasing from room to room and at some point seeing a power hungry naked Lady M with that believing mate also in his birthday suit.  

 For poetry as a review (from reading of it) I would utter this---“...how many defecatory moments can   theater offer/let me count the ways..”

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

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon.

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

   

1)       Societies are different and one has to wonder how it is that the Japanese have so much more caring for the elderly than we do. We had “founding fathers”---bet we would have put them into a “home” and avoided them.  Ben could really be a pain in the ass.

2)       There is a convention celebrating typewriters---bless them. Frankly, I love being able to type this, overwrite, delete, and move on.  I had typewriters---and correction fluid and, like Jerry Steinfeld says in his routine---The Chinese had Chopsticks and they knew of forks and knives---so.  Bottom line---I like this---and now to save the ecology I am able to delete and not erase with rubber on pristine paper when I can distribute this over the truly magical internet for my reader---there is only one I guess.  Anyway rubber has better uses now given the AIDS situation.

3)       As the song said---“...how many roads must a man walk down, etc;...” which makes me wonder how many roads he must walk down before getting old and redundant.

4)       If the government shuts down (and the animals in the Zoo do get fed) how is it that the IRS refund checks are held up but not the electronic collection process? Or the late filing penalties?

5)       History sure does repeat itself.  Think back to the strife between David Ben Gurion (Hagannah) and Begin (Irgun).  Now think of PLO and Hammas---there will be a result---but more splintered than the Israeli one was those many moons ago.

6)       Whatever happened to people wanting to assimilate into the nation of their choice---their dream of being in that place?

7)        Always the proper and pragmatic thing to back those who are underdogs---the only thing is how do we know who they are. 

8)       Whether or not you agree with Capitol Punishment you do have to wonder why, when it is the law, there is this great concern about the drug(s) used when the killers did not think of the pain and suffering they caused. 

9)       Sad that Manning Marable died on the eve of the publication of his greatest work about Malcolm X.

10) Whatever happened to “appointment TV”?  Quality programs that had some resemblance to intellect as opposed to the “reality”, the “coupon” and the weight loss programs.  Not to mention all the other---dare I say it “crap”---- from Dancing With The Stars to Idol?

11)  On a positive note it has to be said that PBS will be airing the latest version of Upstairs/Downstairs starting this Sunday---and there are always the re-runs of the best Police drama ever---Homicide on Centric

12)    Speaking of Television---all those chef shows---why?   Does anyone really care?
 Rhetorical question---of course people do which is why they watch and then go to Wendys.

13)  If Al Capone was sent to jail for tax evasion how is it that the government cannot find a reason to prosecute Pastor Jones for something that does not interfere with his Freedom of Speech rights---in his case Freedom of Hate and Freedom to Garner Publicity rights?  How about littering---he has polluted the airwaves (certainly with the help of media)?

14)   Artificial Intelligence is still something that is being worked on.  How is it that my computer does what it wants when it wants and I sit around watching paint dry while it does whatever it does?   Only good thing---it does not need to be walked and does not need house-breaking since I was not going to clean up if it messed up around here.

                                 

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

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon.

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

   

1)           You have to wonder about getting involved in uprisings when it isn’t knows who the participants are---or what they stand for.  There might have been a time when it was thought the maniacal Colonel was a good one to back---and, as it is said in that area, so it shall be=---praise to whoever.

2)            The crises that keep arising made me take note of some of the subtle changes in prices---forget gasoline.   The oil problems amongst others have really had an impact on the grocery items---higher prices or smaller sized packages. 

3)           Geraldine Ferraro will surely be missed and let us never forget—to put it plainly---she was bright, on point, and everything that Sarah Palin, who inherited her groundbreaking achievements, is not.

4)            Science has now found that “cavities” in teeth can be transmitted from one to another by kissing.  So---stay away from the person with the bad teeth and bad breath---find a breath alert monitor—if there is such a thing. 

5)           What an amazing thing---no one dies.  Well, they don’t on You Tube as we slowly move away from reality and real time.  Check out a great comic—deceased—Dennis Wolfberg. You can also see a clip on my blog.

6)           This whole Internet and You Tube thing is playing havoc with seances---messages from the dead just keep on coming—provided they had a video-cam.

7)           A complimentary comment or two for the hosts at WFDU is called for.  As Si Kahn said to me that “...it is a wonderful thing that there is such a station on the dial since it gets people and music to people who not otherwise hear it anywhere else.”  While he was speaking of me and TRADITIONS and SUNDAY SIMCHA I can assure you that most every host of a program on WFDU is well versed and knowledgeable in what is presented---and presented in a most entertaining way.  As I like to say on SUNDAY SIMCHA---the “Eclectic Weekend Sound” of WFDU even though the rest of the week is just as eclectic---and I did say “most” –nothing is ever “all”

8)           This coming SUNDAY SIMCHA is not to be missed-----The creators of the very special Passover Program starring Tovah Feldshuh (and an all star cast) will be my guests. We follow with the extended Comedy Corner (THE CAPITOL STEPS) April Fools Edition---exclusive to this program in the NY NJ CT area.  Do not miss the Bill Clinton segment---even though it is all riotous.

9)           How is it that this country had Founding Fathers but so many others had overthrown monarchs or coups by maniacal dictators.  Could there be a semantic or cultural divide here?

10)            Did any nation have founding mothers?

                              

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

A flip of the fedora to Jimmy Cannon.

 NOBODY ASKED ME BUT......

   

1)       “Trust” is a word in the title of many banks.  Given their propensity for self interest (plus the interest they charge vis a vis what they pay out) the use of that word combined with “bank” is an Oxymoron.

2)       That was a truly moving piece on NPR about the returning Veteran and his PTS and the truly professional police response to the incident that occurred. Now one does have to wonder why his father thinks keeping an arsenal in his house is such a good thing, how it is that an emotional and very professional female police officer can calm the situation, and best of all not have anyone shoot this poor soul.   He is now recovered thanks to judicial intervention to get him into a VA facility.   One other thought----where was the Govt or the VA prior to all this?

3)       With the 100^th Anniversary of the tragedy at the Triangle Shirt Waist Factory it is good to see so many tributes and, yet, it was a tragedy that need not have occurred.  Watch the wonderful documentary on the subject on HBO and also the honest comments by a descendant of the partners who owned the place.

4)       You have to love it when the NYPD decides to personally apologize for a bicyclist’s speeding ticket---he was going 25 MPH when bikes are limited to 5 MPH (in 1911).  In fact the limit is 25 MPH—just like cars.

5)       The Book of Mormon sounds like a really “fun” show with a clever concept.  Can you imagine a spoof musical about Islam getting produced and, better, not having a Fatwa placed on the writers and cast?

6)       Why do people keeping so much money to see a show that never seems to open?  They can see a car crash for free if they wait on the street long enough and would be just as entertaining as Spiderman.

7)       True story I was reminded of recently while doing a radio interview---

                 Many years ago there was a comedian who I knew---Dennis Wolfberg.  He won a few stand-up awards after he gave up teaching and started performing.  One of his great routines was about taking his South Bronx students on a field trip---his dialogue with a student follows (loses something if you do not hear it)---

               S(tudent)—Hey, Wolfshit, where we goin’?

               W(olfberg)—First of all my name is WolfBERG---and to you it is Mr. Wolfberg

                S-----Hey, man, I didn’t know you was married.

          Dennis Wolfberg died very young—just when he was at the start of a great career.

                     

Some Insights from March 20 Playlist

As was noted in the comments at the start of the Playlist for Traditions of March 20 (link is above) the audience for both Sunday Simcha and Traditions are truly knowledgeable in the music that is offered on the programs.  It made me realize that while you are listening I am also getting an education in much of the material offered by your comments, suggestions, and also your questions. As an aside---your calls yesterday were certainly uplifting except for one caller (who some of you picked up on when I answered your calls---that person is in serious need of medical/mental intervention).

You will recall that yesterday I asked for which of the 3 versions of Rivers of Babylon that were played was the most popular among you.   Having rcvd 10 votes I can tell you that it was close but by this tally---
FULL FRONTAL FOLK   4
BONEY M                         3
LAURA WETZLER           3

You see who came out on top.  But amongst all the calls there were some interesting comments regarding many other versions and one caller requested Bob Marley (which was not  in our library and I did not have with me) and another pointed out that he believed that the original version was done by THE MELODIANS.  All good points and I will on April 3 play some of those for you---So many others have recorded this gem---Don McLean, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Sinead O'Connor, Linda Rondstadt, and---you know--the famous many others.

It started out in  1970 when written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton for their group---The Melodians (a Rastafarian group) and its metaphorical interpretations have been used in many faiths (it is based on Psalm 137 of the Jewish Liturgy) and that is what attracted me to focusing on this piece.  It is now used by Reform Jewish Congregations, Unitarians, Rastafarians, and more.  Just as Amazing Grace, it transcends one particular culture or faith.  You can be assured that it will get played (as it has) in one version or another on Sunday Simcha as well.

Since it was not possible to honor the requests yesterday on Traditions (on air) it will be featured next time as I said; but, in the meantime---the original group thanks to the input by one of our loyal and knowledgeable listeners---which is what this kind of radio station and programming is really all about:




If you have any particular piece of music in the format (which is pretty wide) for either program that you would like to have a focus in depth please let me know via e mail or comments on this page.

Since Rivers of Babylon and Babylon are metaphorical and there was a request for Bob Marley (which could not be  honored) let us give a listen now to Bob Marley doing Babylon ---and its metaphorical meaning for all of us---even at this time of more wars in the Middle East


Stay In Touch---Stay Well!!