We've Been Down This Road Before

 

Okay, on one hand, I am ecstatic.  A streaming service, in this case Hulu, producing a classic old-style sitcom complete with a live studio audience.   This is music to my ears.   I applaud the existence of "Mid Century Modern."   I hope it keeps going.

Despite the fact that it really offers nothing new.   And feels like a tire that lost its treads years ago.   The main problem with that is in the creative team is just repeating what they know.   This new sitcom comes to us from the writers (Kohan and Mutchnick) and director (James Burrows) of "Will and Grace."  They found a comfortable sofa and, by gosh, they are going to sit on it.

Indeed, "Mid Century Modern" also owes its plotline to another classic, "The Golden Girls."   The elevator pitch would be "Golden Girls meets Will and Grace."  It is that much of a copy.  Three people living together in a house and one of them is accompanied by a mother.  My God, even the sets look like they were done by the set designer for "The Golden Girls."

Then, you get the "Will and Grace" knock-off element.   All three guys are a version of the swishy Sean Hayes character.   Nathan Lane is the older, chubbier Sean Hayes.   Nathan Lee Graham is a Black Sean Hayes.  Matt Bomer is the younger, more stud-like Sean Hayes.  All the lines sound like they are coming from...wait for it...Sean Hayes.   And, with the inclusion of actors-running-rampant direction of the grossly overrated James Burrows, it's all Sean Hayes on steroids.

But, like "The Golden Girls" where every scene was stolen by Sophia (Estelle Getty), so, too is "Mid Century Modern" by the wonderful and sadly late Linda Lavin as Nathan Lane's mother.   Every thing Lavin does sounds much more original than any of the other dialogue.

Of course, as you probably know, Linda died unexpectedly after completing seven out of ten episodes.  Somehow they have stitched her into an eighth episode and I sure hope they didn't use any AI to do so.  Nevertheless, the hole that will be created by this character's likely death is going to be a tough one to fill as Lavin shines with every appearance.

Don't get me wrong.   I will keep watching.  And there will be a giggle or two.   But it all seems so unoriginal in its alleged originality.   Indeed, the recent reboot of the now-cancelled "Frasier" was a much better entity.  They are allegedly looking for a new streaming home and, for that matter, I hope Hulu is successful enough with "Mid Century Modern" that they will take on the likes of "Frasier" as well.

Dinner last night:  SPO from my freezer.

This Date in History - April 2

 

Happy birthday, Al Weis.   You helped the Mets win the 1969 World Series.  Have a Rheingold.

1513:  SPANISH EXPLORER PONCE DE LEON FIRST SIGHTS LAND WHICH IS NOW FLORIDA.

And would then spend the next ten winters there.

1792:  THE COINAGE AGE IS PASSED, ESTABLISHING THE US MINT.

And, then, ultimately some Wrigley's gum flavors.

1800:  LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN LEADS THE PREMIERE OF HIS FIRST SYMPHONY IN VIENNA.

At least, he finished this one.

1805:  AUTHOR HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN IS BORN.

Once upon a time...

1863:  FOOD SHORTAGES INCITE HUNDREDS OF ANGRY WOMEN TO RIOT IN RICHIMOND, VIRGINIA.   THIS IS KNOWN AS THE BREAD RIOT.

No Wonder.

1865: UNION TROOPS CAPTURE THE TRENCHES AROUND PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, FORCING CONFEDERATE GENERAL ROBERT E LEE TO RETREAT.

Advertising its final and closing week.

1865:  CONFEDERATE PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS AND MOST OF HIS CABINET FLEE THE CONFEDERATE CAPITAL OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

Jumping on the band wagon.

1872:  INVENTOR SAMUEL MORSE DIES.

Dot dash dot dash dash dash dot dot dash.

1900:  THE US CONGRESS PASSES THE FORAKER ACT, GIVING PUERTO RICO LIMITED SELF-RULE.

Because you certainly can't trust them with full self-rule.

1902:  ELECTRIC THEATER, THE FIRST FULL-TIME MOVIE THEATER IN THE US, OPENS IN LOS ANGELES.

Naturally.

1908:  ACTOR BUDDY EBSEN IS BORN.

Whee-doggie.

1911:  THE AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS CONDUCTS THE COUNTRY'S FIRST NATIONAL CENSUS.

I count seventeen.  Done.

1912:  THE RMS TITANIC BEGINS SEA TRIALS.

Let me know how this works out.

1914:  ACTOR ALEC GUINNESS IS BORN.

Have one.   A Guinness, I mean.

1917:  SINGER LOU MONTE IS BORN.

Lazy Mary, get out of bed.  We need the sheets for the table.

1917:  US PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON ASKS CONGRESS TO DECLARE WAR ON GERMANY.

Achtung.

1920:  ACTOR JACK WEBB IS BORN.

This is the city....

1930:  HAILE SELASSIE IS PROCLAIMED EMPEROR OF ETHIOPIA.

And Lassie is proclaimed the dog of Jon Provost.

1938:  BASEBALL PLAYER AL WEIS IS BORN.

He hit just seven career home runs, but clouted one to help the Mets win Game 5 of the 1969 World Series.

1939:  SINGER MARVIN GAYE IS BORN.

Hey, Mrs. Gaye, what's goin' on?

1945:  BASEBALL STAR DON SUTTON IS BORN.

A Hall of Fame pitcher and, oh, yeah, a Match Game panelist.

1956:  AS THE WORLD TURNS AND THE EDGE OF NIGHT PREMIERE ON CBS TELEVISION.

Tune in tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that....

1972:  BASEBALL STAR GIL HODGES DIES.

Dropped dead during Mets spring training after a round of golf.  

1972:  ACTOR CHARLIE CHAPLIN RETURNS TO THE US FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE BEING LABELED A COMMUNIST. 

He came to get a well-deserved Special Oscar.

1975:  THOUSANDS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FLEE THEIR COUNTRY.

Did you see the pictures?  Can you blame them?

1975:  CONSTRUCTION OF THE CN TOWER IS COMPLETED IN TORONTO, CANADA.  IT BECOMES THE WORLD'S TALLEST FREE-STANDING STRUCTURE.

Not including Wilt Chamberlain.

1986:  ALABAMA GOVERNOR GEORGE WALLACE ANNOUNCES THAT HE WILL RETIRE FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

Yeah, take a walk.

1987:  DRUMMER BUDDY RICH DIES.

Bang this.

1989:  SOVIET LEADER MIKHAIL GORBACHEV ARRIVES IN CUBA TO MEET WITH FIDEL CASTRO IN AN ATTEMPT TO MEND STRAINED RELATIONS.

Don't expect him to shave for the occasion, Gorby.

1992:  MAFIA BOSS JOHN GOTTI IS CONVICTED OF MURDER AND RACKETEERING.

That's all?

1994:  ACTRESS BETTY FURNESS DIES.

Unlike refrigerators, caskets aren't that easy to open.

2005:  POPE JOHN PAUL II DIES.

Is the funeral over yet?

2006:  OVER 60 TORNADOES BREAK OUT IN THE US.

Auntie Em, it's a twister!

2013:  ACTRESS JANE HENSON DIES.

Wife of Jim.   Her son died a short while later.   They're dropping like frogs.

2013:  ACTOR MILO O'SHEA DIES.

At least he made it to another St. Patrick's Day.

2022:  ACTRESS ESTELLE HARRIS DIES.

Mother Vanderlay.

Dinner last night: Leftover Korean chicken thighs.

Moron of the Month - April 2025

 

Well, it is April 1.   Let's start with a real fool.

This is Texas Congresswomen Jasmine Crockett and, honey, the glasses have to go.  Those alone should have prevented from being voted into office.  But, clearly, the specs are the only things to have about this dope.  The fact that the Lone Star State had enough voters to elect her is unfathomable.  

Big Mouth Jasmine has been promoting herself with abandon these days as the Trump hatred runs rampant through the Democratic party.  She claims she is a person of the people but her past spells E-L-I-T-I-S-T.   At the same time, she has a vocabulary that's clearly from the gutter.  One F-bomb after another.  Remember when you had respect for our elected officials?  Not anymore.  The viler, the better.   And there's nobody that gets down into the gutter like this slob.

Her worst offense last week came when she called the Governor of Texas "Governor Hot Wheels."  Tame?  Er, no, once you consider the guy is confined to a wheel chair.

Real class act, this asshole Jasmine.  

Sadly, she's one of the lunatics that has hijacked the Democratic Party, which is too stupid apparently to realize a golden opportunity when they see one.  The country is clamoring for a moderate, middle-of-the-road voice from government.  But, apparently, it's the far left kooks like Crockett that are getting the air space.   Politicians who are as stupid as the voters that elected them.

It's all very sad.  America swirling down the bathroom porcelain seat one more time.

Fools. indeed.

Dinner last night:  Sandwich. 

Monday Morning Video Laugh - March 31, 2025

Our TV Blooper month wraps up with this classic gag reel from the Mary Tyler Moore Show.  Priceless.

Dinner last night:  Korean Chicken Thighs.

The Sunday Memory Drawer - Wrestling with TV

 

Here's famed 60s wrestling villain Jerry Graham pulling one of his dirtbag moves on an opponent.

My grandmother was probably yelling at the TV screen.

"Kill that son of a basket!"

She meant "bastard" and it always came out "basket." I never knew why.

Nevertheless, heavyweight wrestling was the preferred spectator sports of my grandparents and they loved to get wrapped up for two hours every Saturday night. These relatively mild-mannered folks would suddenly turn into crazed fans, shouting instructions to their favorite wrestlers grappling on the TV screen. Sometimes in German.

"Watch out, Bruno, he's got something in his trunks."

"Uh oh, goodbye, Bobo."

"Hit him with a chair! Hit with a chair!"

Absorbing all this as a youngster, I loved watching Grandma and Grandpa watching wrestling. And, it was my favorite way to spend a Saturday night. Channel 5, Metromedia in NY, carried two hours worth of matches and the three of us were exhausted by the end. I can remember all the nuances. The arena. The announcer who would interview champ Bruno Sammartino and let him speak for several minutes in Italian. And, for some inexplicable reason, I can recall one of the commercials that always ran during this program. For some liqueur called Cherry Kijafa.

"Joseph, more Cherry Kijafa please!"

I once asked my grandmother what that stuff was. She waved me off.

"Jews drink that."

Duly noted.

Eventually, things changed. My grandfather died and, almost at the same time, Channel 5 stopped running wrestling.

In lots of ways, the world was ending in our house. I felt compelled to spend even more time watching the boob tube with Grandma. But, amid all the shows we enjoyed together, there was no heavyweight wrestling.

And then there was sudden hope. A local station picked up the broadcast and we were in seventh heaven. Wednesday nights at 830PM. The only problem? It was on a UHF channel. In Spanish. Lucha Libre!

"Canal 47...Newark, Paterson, Linden."

Desperate for some matches, we didn't care. Except that, with ultra high frequency television, tuning it in required the assistance of a technician from NASA. That was the strange other dial on your TV that you rarely touched. And, to get Canal 47, you had to be ultra precise. A nano-dial twist one way or the other and you could lose the signal, which was always snowy at best.

The process of tuning in usually started 30 minutes prior to wrestling. My grandmother, sitting on a little stool in front of her pre-remote control era television, working feverishly to get as much static from the screen as possible. Some weeks it was virtually impossible to watch and we'd experience the worst depression since 1929.

One week, I walked through her living room about an hour before wrestling. She was seated comfortably in her chair, listening to a talk show. In Spanish. With some lady in white socks and high heels. Myrta Silva, the Ellen DeGeneres of Puerto Rico. And my grandmother was staring at the screen. I asked the obvious question.

"You don't understand this. It's in Spanish."

Grandma shrugged.

"Yeah, but I got a good picture and I don't want to lose it."

No other wrestling fan has gone to such lengths in order to watch Arnold Skaaland beat up Crazy Lou Albano.

Dinner last night:  Sandwich.

Classic Musical Comedy Production Number of the Month - March 2025

Woo hoo!  A five Saturday month means we get to enjoy a classic movie musical moment.  And since we are close enough to Easter...  Bravo Judy and Fred!

Dinner last night:  Japanese hot dog at Dodger Stadium.

The Great Unwashed of Walmart

 

"Well, it fit when I tried it on in the dressing room."

"Well, it looked good in the box."

No one in Beverly Hills would be caught dead in this get-up.

Happy Valentine's Day from your friendly neighborhood pimp.

Let's just hope it's stained from the outside and not the other way around.

"Excuse me, what aisle can I find the man groomers?"

Dinner last night:  Monte cristo sandwich at Cafe 50s.