Saturday Shout Outs!

Greetings and Salutations from Tampa! It's been a while since I shouted at you- October 3rd, 2015 was the last time- and so the time is right for shout outs, random ramblings and other things designed to make you go "hmmm..."  If this goes well I might keep blogging next week. So no pressure to comment or anything!

• It's a quiet weekend here at Chez Jones. Marilyn, Will, Michelle and Lisa are all at Disney with Michelle's family for what promises to be a crazy couple of days! They are all dining together tonight at Tony's Town Square, so if you happen to be at the MK keep your eyes and ears peeled for the wild party. For those of you who know why I am not with them, I should tell you that my appeals to the powers that be at WDW have so far fallen on deaf ears. But hope springs eternal!!!
• Lisa Kraus Spires informs me that her mom, Carol Kraus, will be undergoing some medical work this week. Please keep Carol in your prayers.
• Our Tampa Bay Lightning keep hanging in there in this series with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not only are the Bolts the underdogs, but they are playing without 2 of their best players. It's a fun time in this area- hard to believe a Florida city can get so excited about a hockey team! #GoBolts
• It seems to me that electing Donald Trump as president is very similar to asking a cat to drive your car. We know it's a terrible idea, and we have a really good idea what the outcome will be. Yet people keep getting in the car. Toonces- look out!!!    

• Seeing my former youth group students from all over the country share pictures of their own families on Facebook is an amazing way to share in their journeys as parents. I am so proud of so many of them. But it is also a very effective way to remind me I am old. So it's a mixed bag!
• My trip to NC at the end of April was a blast, and there is just something special about reconnecting with my oldest friends. It was especially great to get time with Beth McGalliard and Denise Langley and to toast my mom with them. Mom loved that old New Garden youth group so much. It was also great to see Mark & Martha Farlow, Carl & Diane Semmler, Alan Brown, Chuck & Tammy Foster and Susan Tuggle at a cookout at Martha's house. Great friends, a bowl of margaritas, a fruit salad made with olives, and doing shots of Fireball in honor of Beth and in memory of Lisa Moran- it just doesn't get any better! So who is planning the September 2017 reunion trip?  Anyone? Anyone?
• And speaking of reunions, hey Kissimmee peeps!!!  When, where and how- not if- are the questions. It's time to start planning!!!
• Did you see the new Jungle Book movie?  Will and I both give it 3 thumbs up. That's right, three. It was so good we grew new thumbs!!!
• Speaking of movies, it's been an interesting Spring at the theater. Captain America: Civil War may be the best superhero movie ever made, while Batman v. Superman may be the worst. Zootopia was awesome, while Angry Birds commercials just make me angry. The one thing for sure is that from Star Wars through Civil War, Disney Studios are on a roll!
• Will turns 21 in less than 2 months. Take that all of you former students who make me feel old!  Ha!
• The tweets and articles coming out of the General Conference meeting of the United Methodist Church over this past week reminded me once again that there may be no greater oxymoron than "organized Christianity."
• If someone gave you $1000 and told you to "spend it on something special- on something that makes you happy" - what would you do with it?
• Some of the TV show cancellations hit me hard this past week. Lisa got me hooked on Castle and CSI:Cyber and now they are gone. I loved The Muppets and NPH's Best Night Ever and they will not return. And ABC also snuffed out Agent Carter and Galavant, two of my January favorites. What shows did you lose that you will miss?
• While I was in NC, Denise and I drove out to Quaker Lake and saw some of the new facilities and reminisced about the old ones and our days at summer camp. So many wonderful memories, so many wonderful people are part of my life because of that special place. My prayers are with Heather and the 2016 staff as they prepare for another summer of changing lives in positive ways.

And that seems like a good place to stop. I'd love to hear from you, dear readers, and catch up with what's going on in your lives. Have a wonderful weekend and treasure those you love- and be thankful for those who love you! Peace, my friends!

Because of Jesus,

Goodnight, David Letterman

Tonight is David Letterman's last night on late night television after 33 years. So much has been written and said about Dave and his legacy, and it seemed fitting for me to (mostly) let the words of his peers be my tribute to him today. When Dave's dear friend (and kissing buddy) Julia Roberts made her final appearance last week, she summed up in one sentence my deepest feelings about Dave: "I just want to say David Letterman I love you, and I thank you for all of the joy and the laughs and the intelligence you have brought to us for 33 years."

You see, it occurs to me that it is indeed his intelligence that sets Dave apart from his modern peers. I love Jimmy Fallon, I watch his show quite often and he will be my go-to guy in the days to come- but the truth is I don't want to live in a world where Jimmy is the "King of Late Night." Jimmy's Tonight Show does sketches and broad comedy gags better than anything SNL does anymore, but his interviews consist of fawning all over his guests and telling us that their new horrible movie is "just the best." Dave was just the opposite. As Julia Roberts said to him recently, "Stupid people annoy you." And it's true. In just the past few weeks Dave did lengthy and in-depth interviews with former President Clinton, President Obama and Michelle Obama- and we learned things. He inspired us after 9/11; he shared a heart attack and personal scandals with us in very courageous ways. Letterman has often joked over the years that the road to the White House went through the Ed Sullivan Theater- and he was only partially kidding. His interviews could make or break a candidate. But even while being intelligent, Dave always made us laugh. In these past few weeks we saw Tina Fey rip off her dress, announcing that in honor of Dave it was the last dress she would ever wear. We heard Cher tell Dave that she loved him, but that he is "still an a**hole." We witnessed George Clooney handcuff himself to Dave and tell the startled host, "You ain't going anywhere!" The audience gasped as the great American actor Al Pacino made an unannounced appearance just to read the numbers for a Top 10 list. Not the actual list; just the numbers! We watched as the comedian Norm MacDonald wept while telling that Dave that he loved him. Last night we watched Bill Murray jump out of a cake for the final "regular" show. And this same mixture of comedy, intelligence and emotion has been going on for 33 years. So one last time, I want to say #ThanksDave. It's going to be weird knowing you aren't there. And as promised, here are some things others have said as we bid him a fond farewell...

In their own words...
“He was, for me, and I think many comics of my generation, an incredible epiphany of how a talk show or how entertainment or how television could… for God’s sake, the man put a camera on a monkey. There are so few people that can innovate that format. And then…to be an innovator with longevity, I mean, damn. The list is Dave. I think the list is Dave.”  - Jon Stewart on The Daily Show

"As I write this, there are only 10 shows left before the funniest, most inventive and smartest man who ever wore an Alka Seltzer suit goes fishing for good. None of us who discovered Dave on our own and claimed him as our own will ever be able to satisfactorily explain to the younger people who didn’t what he did, what he meant and what he means. I guess it doesn’t matter. It’s only an exhibition, not a competition. Thanks Dave. For whatever it’s worth, you’re my favorite. (And Paul, I love you too.)"  - Jimmy Kimmel in Time Magazine

"Dave was a true revolution- and I believe his innovations are up there with the light-bulb and the Twix Bar." - Conan O'Brien in Entertainment Weekly

“David Letterman gave us 33 years of innovation, fun, and just plain weirdness… but mostly fun, and he opened our eyes to the type of comedy that could be done on television...he taught us that comedy could be both smart and stupid." - Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show

Adam Sandler sang this tribute after telling Dave that long ago he, Spade, Farley, Rock and the rest had realized that Dave was better than they were:

(While speaking to Dave on the show) “When I heard you announce that you were retiring I thought, ‘he’s got to be joking.’ And then I remembered, ‘wait, you’re not funny.’” - Steve Martin

"And as far as I'm concerned, just for me, that's what is happening here now. May 20th will be the day the comedy dies. Yeah." - Ray Romano (referencing the song American Pie on is last appearance).

Jay Leno could not be reached for comment, but if he had said something it would have been something someone else (probably Howard Stern) already said. Because that's what Jay does.

(On The Late Show Monday night) "Like everyone else here, on Thursday I'm just unplugging the boob tube and ripping out the cord. I can watch anything else I need to see in 7 minute clips on YouTube." - Tom Hanks

"Of all the great opportunities and great moments we have had because of this show, our first time on Letterman has to be right at the top."  - Mike Greenberg on Mike & Mike In the Morning

(While speaking to Dave on the show) "Let me just say this. The truth is, what you have meant to all of us- all of us as fans- and I'm going to tell you why I'm going to say it. I've watched you , Dave- I've been at home, I've watched you in my underwear. There are not many men I have watched in underwear. Here's the thing- what you've meant to us- all of us- with so many of the laughs and everything else, but also walking us through the times when we didn't know what to do- like 9/11 and where we weren't sure when we could laugh again. You may be going off the air, but you belong to us for the ages, my friend." - George Clooney

And that's just about all there is to say. I am a big fan of Stephen Colbert, and I hope he will do well. But to be honest, "I wouldn't give his problems to a monkey on a rock!" Following David Letterman is a lot like following Babe Ruth. There is only one Greatest of All-Time. Dave, of course, would say it's Johnny Carson. But it's Dave. Norm MacDonald said it...so it's got to be true! 

Goodnight Dave. 

Farewell, Dave!

Monday night my family sat down together for a rare chance to watch a TV show as it was actually being broadcast. This momentous occasion was created by the airing of 90 minute special honoring the career of the great David Letterman. We all LOVE Dave and are sad to see his 35 year run on television come to a close, and so we gathered to celebrate his genius. In some ways these last 13 shows are like a farewell tour for a family friend. Why do we love Dave? Let me count the ways...

My own relationship with Letterman began sometimes in 1980 when I stumbled across The David Letterman Show, an NBC morning talk show that aired at 10 am. I was immediately mesmerized. There is a very vivid memory of Dave calling someone out of the studio audience and talking about their job with them. He got the phone number of the woman's boss and called him at the office. After some small talk and outing the employee for being at his show instead of work, Dave demanded a raise for the woman, threatening to have her quit if the employer failed to comply. The boss was confused, the woman terrified and the audience on the floor laughing. It was all so wrong- and yet it was amazingly funny. Dave started his career way ahead of his time. The morning show only lasted just over a year, but it won 2 Emmys and set Dave on the path to stardom and Late Night with David Letterman.

It didn't take long for Late Night to turn the talk show world upside down. Nothing Letterman did was normal; from Top 10 Lists to Stupid Pet Tricks. His interviews were neither fawning nor condescending; in fact, Cher called him an "A-hole" on air. There were skits and recurring characters, like Chris Elliot's Man Under the Seats who "lived" in the theater. He destroyed things with great comic effect, like dropping watermelons from the top of 30 Rock or launching bowling balls through TV screens. He also began a career-long tradition of bringing us music and bands we couldn't see anywhere else. The show was edgy and unpredictable, and was a cult smash among college students- which at the time included me.

When it came time for Dave's idol and mentor Johnny Carson to retire in 1993, Letterman was clearly Johnny's choice as his successor. NBC saw things differently and allowed Jay Leno (who has never once done anything original) to snake the show away from Dave, and make no mistake- the "nicest guy in show biz" did indeed steal The Tonight Show. So Dave headed to CBS for The Late Show with David Letterman and we went with him. His first show on CBS was August 30, 1993 and featured Bill Murray (one of my favorite people) and Billy Joel (my wife's favorite musician). The date is stamped in my head, because we stayed up late on our 7th wedding anniversary and watched live. One of the highlights of the night was the late Paul Newman standing up in the studio audience to a great ovation before asking Dave, "Where the hell are the singing cats?" and announcing he was in the wrong theater. Dave had moved, but not much had changed. There were still wacky antics and crazy game shows like Will It Float? and Know Your Cuts of Meat. He gave away canned hams to audience members. The monologue got longer and the interviews got better, but the spirit of Late Night remained intact. For several years we would use the old VCR and record Dave each night and watch him the next evening. That ended as Will became a toddler and our lives changed, but we watched whenever we could and were always comforted knowing Dave was still there to make us laugh and bring us the absolute best in musical acts. Eventually, we began to DVR shows again and Will became a huge fan as well. We were with Dave though 9/11 and his heart attack, through his scandals and his triumphs. In the early 2000s I was n the studio audience at the Ed Sullivan Theater on 3 occasions, and each one is a treasured evening. Dave was part of the family.

If we made Dave a part of our family, he included us in his as well. We got to know Paul, Biff, Tony the Cue Card Boy, Stephanie the Intern, Alan the Announcer and other crew members through the years. He introduced to the neighborhood and such memorable people as Rupert Gee, Mujibar and Sirajul. He took us out the streets of NYC to goof on locals and tourists alike. His friends, like Murray, Steve Martin, Michael Keaton, Don Rickles, Regis Philbin, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks and so many others were always anxious to spend time in the chair next to Dave. He both touted and tortured politicians and leaders. And he never let us forget about "that thing on Donald Trump's head..."

There were so many amazing moments. The 1982 night Andy Kaufman and wrestler Jerry Lawler got into a "fight" on the old show. His ongoing feud with Oprah and his "Oprah Journal." The 1994 Norway Olympics when Dave sent his Mom as a special correspondent and she was truly amazing, The night in 2008 when John McCain lied to Dave about his reasons for backing out of an appearance on the show and Dave proceeded to destroy him over the next three weeks until McCain finally showed up and admitted, "I screwed up." The night Paul McCartney played the marquee of the Ed Sullivan theater in a free concert for the people of NYC. Drew Barrymore dancing on Dave's desk before flashing him. The Christmas traditions of Darlene Love singing Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) and Jay Thomas telling the Greatest Talk Show Story Ever Told before trying to knock a pizza off the the top of the Christmas tree with a football. It would be difficult to pick a favorite moment, but if forced it might be Dave's interview with Rush Limbaugh in 1993. After trying to get Limbaugh to stop his disparaging comments about the Clinton administration and talk about himself, Dave finally looked at Limbaugh with exasperation and said, "Hey Rush- do you ever get up in the morning and think, Geez I'm full of hot air?" Shutting up Rush Limbaugh is no easy task- but Dave did it! Or it might be the night that Sixpence None the Richer performed and Dave called Leigh Nash over to the couch to talk and explain their name. The two of them talked about C.S. Lewis, faith and hope. And then Dave finished by saying, "Well God bless you and what you are doing." It was a magic moment.

The best way to judge David Letterman is through the affection of his peers. Old SNL cast members used to wait outside the stage door at NBC just hoping to met him. He is a hero to all of his contemporary late nights competitors- Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert, Stewart and Conan. They freely admit that without Dave, their lives would be vastly different. Kimmel worships him and Fallon steals from his old shows on a regular basis. In last week's Entertainment Weekly Conan had this to say: "Dave was a true revolution- and I believe his innovations are up there with the light-bulb and the Twix Bar." Musicians adore him as well. Dave Grohl, former Nirvana drummer and lead singer of the Foo Fighters had this to say to EW: "We've done a lot of those shows, but nobody has the heart that he has. Not even close." Presidents and presidential candidates from both sides of the aisle have come on the show because they know the power of Dave. Comedians lobby for a few minutes of air time. After his retirement, Carson made several appearances on The Late Show, even taking time to write jokes for Dave on occasion. The Late Show was seldom the most watched show in late night, but it was ALWAYS the most important.

And now it's about to be over. In this last year I confess we have watched Fallon more often, in part to start the grieving process. We will miss Dave very much. When Ed Sullivan did his last show in the same theater back in 1971, nobody knew it was his last show. It was cancelled after the end of the season- so no one got say, "Thanks Ed,  for all those years of amazing entertainment." That was a shame. And we should not let it happen again. Do not let May 20th pass without saying, "Thanks, Dave- for changing everything." So THANK YOU, David Letterman, for being the most creative and lovable curmudgeon ever. You will be missed.

My Reflections on #SNL40

In light of my posts and my general state of excitement leading up to celebration of the 40th anniversary of Saturday Night Live last Sunday night, a number of friends and readers have enquired as to what I thought of the actual show. My family sat together and watched all 3.5 hours of it as it aired; that in and of itself is a miracle. We also recorded it on the DVR and have watched a few sections numerous times already. So the short version of my review is simply that WE LOVED IT! Some things on a DVR you like so much that you grant them Save Until I Delete recognition. The #SNL40 special gets my first Save Until I Die status. It was that amazing. And here are a few of my thoughts from that great night...

• 1975 was a long time ago, and Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtain, Lorraine Newman and Garrett Morris are all quite old at this point. But WOW was it great to see them on stage again! 
• He has done so much in the field of entertainment, from music to serious movies to being a best selling author, that it is easy to forget that in the late 1970s Steve Martin was simply the funniest man in the world. The night was a great reminder of that fact, beginning with the "battle" over who should be the host. Martin wins in a landslide on my ballot!
• I loved the rap Fallon and Timberlake did with catchphrases, and it was a great opening to the show. I was a bit sad that they never got to come back and do a live Barry Gibb Talk Show will all sorts of celebrity guests...
• When you peel back all the garbage that often surrounds her and give her a great song, Miley Cyrus can REALLY sing. I am a huge Paul Simon fan, and her cover of 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover was dead on. Later on I confess to being very happy when Paul, as Twitter suggested he might, didn't cover Wrecking Ball. But more on that later...
• Paul McCartney and Paul Simon sang a snippet of I've Just Seen a Face as their "audition" to be hosts of the special. This sent me running to iTunes to purchase the song off of the Wings Over America album. Great song!
• Jim Carrey doing Matthew McConaughey in the Celebrity Jeopardy skit was simply brilliant. That whole sketch had Will and I falling out of our seats laughing.
• Many critics complained that McCartney's performance of Maybe I'm Amazed sounded rough. Allow me to say in my nicest possible angry voice, "SHUT UP!!!" Paul McCartney sang on a comedy show. Twice. That makes it awesome, rough or not.
• The salute to New York City was panned by some critics as a "filler," but I thought it was nearly perfect. NYC has always been a cast member at SNL, not just a location. I loved that tribute.
• Martin Short may well be the funniest man alive. He and Beyonce (Maya Rudolph) hosting the segment featuring musical skits gave us looks back as so many great moments. And his trying to stay on stage in the face of Beyonce's wind machine was a bit only Martin Short could have pulled off.
• And speaking of the musical sketches...Bill Murray brought the house down with his new song, Love Theme from Jaws. It was classic Murray, classic SNL and yet brand new. For many of us it was the standout moment of the night. "You bastard, Jaws!"
• Does anyone know whatever became of Rob Schneider? His buddies Spade, Meadows, Sandler and Farley all got some recognition, but the Richmeister was nowhere to be found. I didn't even see him in the background of a clip.
• In a WTH moment for women all over the world, Betty White got to make out with Bradley Cooper during The Californians. Classic SNL shock value!
• It was great so see Eddie Murphy on stage in studio 8H again, but disappointing that he chose not to do a character. I wanted Buckwheat or Mr. Robinson so bad I could taste it. Or even Stevie Wonder- after all, Joe Piscopo did his Sinatra impression. It could have happened. Just as an added note, in my mind, Piscopo is one of the all-time underrated cast members. He was a stalwart not a star, like Aykroyd before him and Hartman and Hammond later on. They played so many roles and set up so many great sketches.
• Besides Eddie's non-performance, my biggest disappointment was the lack of love for Toonces the Driving Cat. A true SNL legend totally ignored...
• Mike Myers and Dana Carvey have not changed at all. Wayne's World was awesome, especially the dueling Lorne Michaels impressions. I also loved the "sit down Kanye" jokes and the shout out to the crew.
• Unfortunately by that time we got to Wayne's World, Kanye had already performed. It was the only section of the show I will never watch again. What a waste of 5 minutes- and the perfect place for a Toonces retrospective!
• Adam Sandler & Andy Samberg's new digital short was very well done, as they took us through time to see some of the moments when cast members broke character and dissolved into laughter just like the rest of us. Of course half the video consisted of shots of Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz losing it. Truly funny stuff.
• The tribute to the cast and crew who are no longer with us was touching, and missing John Belushi, Phil Hartman, Gilda Radner, Chris Farley, Jan Hooks and the rest brought a tear to my eye. But just as quickly, they made me laugh again. The very much still alive Jon Lovitz was listed among the dead for the second time that night, and then Bill Murray announced that they had just learned that Generalissimo Francisco Franco was still dead- a joke from the original Weekend Updates with Chevy Chase on the 1975-76 season. Priceless.
• How do you close a celebration of 40 years worth of Saturday Night Live? With Paul Simon, of course. He has been both host and musical guest a number of times over the years and has probably been a part of as many iconic moments as anyone. In November of 1976 (season 2) he opened the Thanksgiving show by attempting to sing Still Crazy After All These Years while wearing a turkey costume. I was a high school senior, and I watched that show from the Hotel Tudor in NYC on my first ever trip to the city. It is etched in my mind. Fast forward 39 years and Paul sang the same song to close out the show. Still Crazy After All These Years. It was a perfect description of the show, and gives the song the honor of having been an iconic SNL moment TWICE. 

So there are few of my thoughts. It wasn't quite everything I hoped it would be, but it sure was close. I only wish the after party had been televised so we could have seen all the impromptu all-star jam sessions that took place at the Plaza Hotel, with Fallon serving as a manic MC. Maybe some bootlegs will leak later. All in all it was a great night for comedy, for NYC and for me. Good times...good times...

40 Classic SNL Moments (Part 2)

My Top 40 moments in Saturday Night Live history continue with #21...

*  Not Gonna Phone It In Tonight- In my mind this is the single greatest cold opening to the show in its 40 years of existence. Steve Martin and the entire cast mock their own complacency. The clip is nearly 7 minutes long, so so TOTALLY worth it. "Live from New York...LINE?"  (1990)



*  The Star Trek Convention- Host William Shatner attends a Star Trek convention and addresses the Trekkies. He admonishes them to "get a life" and "move out of their parent's basements"  even as the attendees bombard him with ridiculously trivial questions. A bold and brilliant sketch. "Have you ever kissed a girl, son?  I didn't think so..." (1991)

*  Family Feud- It's the CBS all-stars verses the NBC all-stars in celebrity Family Feud! Host Jimmy Fallon plays Jim Parsons in full character as Sheldon Cooper, captain of the CBS team. Justin Timberlake plays Fallon, captain of the NBC team. Timberlake's Fallon impression is so over the top that Fallon loses it completely on a few occasions. A seriously funny sketch from 2 of the guys whose guest appearances have made the show watchable these past couple of years. "This is so great. Soooo great. So great. Celebrities playing games. Nothing better!"(2013)

*  Buckwheat Has Been Shot- Leaving 30 Rockefeller Center after appearing on SNL, the great Buckwheat (Eddie Murphy) is shot by an unknown assailant who yells out "Hey Mr. Wheat" as he is getting into his limo. What makes this ongoing sketch (it had several episodes the first week and continued on through his death the following week) hilarious is they way they parodied the ridiculous coverage of the night President Reagan was shot in 1981, showing the clip of the shooting over and over again. Joe Piscopo as Ted Koppel was brilliant. "For those of you just joining us, Buckwheat has been shot." (1983)

*  Chippendales- This consistently ranks in the Top 5 SNL skits of all-time on pretty much every list I have ever seen. The brilliance of Chris Farley has never been more evident. "I mean in straight on dancing and presentation ain't no way I'm better than him!"  (1990)



* Master Thespian and His Mentor- Master Thespian (Jon Lovitz) was one of my favorite characters, and in late 1985 we got to meet his mentor, Baudelaire, played by host John Lithgow. They keep fooling each other (Acting! Genius! Thank You!) until Baudelaire can take it no more and thinks he has killed Master Thespian, but he's just acting. Baudelaire he was merely pretending to kill him, but once again, the master prevails. "For it is I who have fooled you. I am dead, and merely acting alive!" And Baudelaire gives the proper response- "GENIUS!" (1985)

* Palm Beach- Quite possibly my all-time favorite skit because of the soap opera setting for some classic SNL political satire. It is December 2000, and in the year of the hanging chad the presidential election is still undecided. All of the major players from the drama in Florida- George W. Bush (Will Ferrell), Kathryn Harris (Ana Gasteyer), Al Gore (Darrell Hammond) and Jeb Bush (host Val Kilmer) have gathered in Palm Beach to await the final tally of votes as Tom Brokaw (Chris Parnell) reports. There is intrigue, romance and hilarity as W. confesses he didn't know being president would last 4 years and Jeb confess that his brother is "special." Brilliantly done from start to finish. "Hey Hey, it's me...hey...uh Jeb...the computer's doing that thing again. Can you fix it for me so I can finish my game of Tetris?"  (2000)

*  The French Chef- Dan Aykroyd (for my money the MVP of the original cast) portrays Julia Childs doing a cooking show. During the scene she cuts her finger and blood begins to shoot everywhere. As she tries to stop the bleeding, she also tries to continue to prepare the food. Finally, after great blood loss, she faints. "Save the liver!" (1978)

*  Stephon's Valentines Day Tips- Bill Hader's character Stephon was a regular visitor to Weekend Update, teaming with Seth Meyers to give tourists suggestions on things to do in New York. I loved these sketches, and this one is a particular favorite. "New York's hottest club is Booooooooof..." (2011)



*  The Nerds Broken Fridge- Nerds Todd and Lisa (Bill Murray & Gilda Radner) are up to their usual tricks, harassing each other and dealing with the Noogie Patrol. Meanwhile, Mrs. Loopner (Jane Curtain) has bigger problems. Her trusty old Norge refrigerator is on the fritz, and repairman Dan Aykroyd arrives- complete with his plumber's crack- to fix it. Sadly, the Norge must be taken away- but not until Todd & Lisa have had plenty of laughs at the repairman's expense. The censors told Aykroyd he couldn't keep his pencil in his butt crack. They were wrong... "Egg salad for everyone!" (1978)

*  Choppin' Broccoli- British musician Derek Stevens (Dana Carvey) knows his drug-plauged career hangs in the as he sits down to perform new music for record company executives played by Sigourney Weaver and Phil Hartman. There's only one problem- he hasn't actually written any new music. So he begins to play and sing The Lady I Know, making up the lyrics as he goes. The song has become known by its familiar and extended chorus- "Choppin broccoli." It is a brilliant performance by Carvey, and a true send-up of the music business- the 2 execs LOVE the new song! "There's a lady I know, and if I didn't know her she'd be the lady I didn't know..." (1986)

* More Cowbell- In an episode of Behind the Music, the rock band Blue Oyster Cult is in the studio hoping to record a new hit song, Don't Fear the Reaper. Legendary producer Bruce Dickinson (host Christopher Walken) is ready to make a gold record. The band (Chris Parnell, Chris Kattan, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell and Horatio Sanz) begins to record, but lead singer Parnell is distracted by the cowbell playing of Ferrell and stops the take. Walken comes in and disagrees with Parnell, saying that he "needs more cowbell." This continues until a fight breaks out between band members, with Walken finally uttering this all-time classic line: "I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!" The sketch is great, and is yet another time Fallon totally loses character and cracks up during a skit. This sketch gets quoted EVERYWHERE! "Babies, before we're done here ya'll be wearing gold plaited diapers." (2000) 

* King Tut- Steve Martin stunned everyone with this tribute to the Egyptian boy king. This song was so big it was actually played on Top 40 radio. "Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia, King Tut."  (1978)



*  Bass-O-Matic- Dan Aykroyd did a number of commercials for the fictional company Rovco and their wide assortment of odd products, but nothing ever topped the Bass-o-matic, which was actually just a blender. Ackroyd explained how to use the product: Here's how it works: Catch a bass, remove the hook, and drop the bass - that's the whole bass - into the Super Bass-o-Matic '76. Now, adjust the control dial so that the bass is blended just the way you like it. [turns blender on and grinds it to a pulp] Yes, it's that simple!  He then pours a big glass of the disgusting fish shake and gives it to Lorraine Newman., who takes a gulp and says, "Wow! That's terrific bass!"  We had never seen anything like that on tv before. "We've got fish here, fast, easy and ready to pour!" (1976)

*  Black History Minute- I keep remembering all of these great Eddie Murphy moments that should not be left off my list. Here's another favorite. "So I messed up. Shut up!" (1984)



*  Celebrity Jeopardy- There were lots of great moments for this recurring sketch featuring Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek, but my favorite was the one where the contestants were Burt Reynolds (Norm MacDonald), French Stewart (Jimmy Fallon) and the ever-present Sean Connery (Darrell Hammond). The show gets off to a flying start as Connery insults the host and Burt Reynolds announces that he want to be called Turd Ferguson. The categories include such difficult topics as Animal Sounds, Sharp Things and Movies That Start with the Word Jaws. There is also a category featuring French phrases called A Petite Dejeuner, which Trebel warns them not to try.. As always the contestants are idiots and get nothing right, not even on final jeopardy when all they have to do is write a number. Any number. And they fail. These skits never failed to make me laugh out loud. "Why don'tcha give me Ape Tit for $200?" (1999)

* Steve and Gilda-  Way before Bruce Springsteen's song. Steve Martin and Gilda Radner did a sweet yet hilarious dance routine called Dancing in the Dark. The year was 1978. A decade later (1989) Martin was in rehearsals to host again when word came that Gilda had lost her fight with cancer. The clip was shown again and introduced by Martin as a tribute to the brilliant actress. A rare moment in SNL history- a sketch that was perfect TWICE...

*  Belushi Does Beethoven- I could have gone with a Samurai , a "But noooo!" or even the classic Dueling Brandos. The Thing That Wouldn't Leave is another favorite of mine. John Belushi was just amazing. I even thought about the Don't Look Back in Anger short film. But in the end I decided to go with Beethoven because is a little less known and incredibly funny. The scene below is actually the third section of the skit, following one where the pianist composed the great Temptations song, My Girl.  "Baby it's alright..."  (1977)



*  Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker -  John Belushi had few peers when it came to physical comedy, but Chris Farley was his equal. We lost them both way too soon. The first appearance of Matt Foley found him trying to inspire David Spade and host Christina Applegate at the request of parents Phil Hartman and Julia Sweeney. Spade has said that many of the mannerisms you see from Farley were things they had not seen in dress rehearsal, thus the laughter from the 2 actors. This was ranked by Rolling Stone as the greatest SNL skit of all time. "Well la-dee-freakin'-da!"  (2003)



That's 40. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. I can't wait for Sunday night and the 40th anniversary special on NBC, but for now, let me quote Dennis Miller- "That's the news and I am outa here!"

40 Classic SNL Moments (Part 1)

From it's very beginning in 1975 Saturday Night Live has been a thermometer of what was happening in the world around us. Whether through parody, political satire or the Weekend Update news report, SNL reflected what was happening - and it reflected it immediately. This has been constant, even in years when the show was not all that good. But at its best the show was more than a thermometer- it was a thermostat, actually exercising some control over popular culture and political debates. And it did it all with humor. For 40 years now, SNL has made us think, talk and laugh out loud. This Sunday NBC will host a special celebrating 40 years of the show and some of its greatest moments. I can't wait to see what they come up with for us. But today (and tomorrow) I want to share with you 40 of my favorite moments from the past 40 years. Some are sketches and and events that all SNL fans will remember. Some are ones that are just stuck in my head. I hope you enjoy this walk through time. Here are the first 20, in no order whatsoever.

*  The First Appearance of the Landshark- For months after we met Chevy Chase as the villainous door-to-door shark we all walked around knocking on doors and saying, "Candygram." (1975)

*  Buckwheat Sings!- "Wookin pa nub in aw de wong places..."  My very favorite Eddie Murphy moment. Until Buckwheat was shot...(1981)

*  The Job Interview- Chevy Chase finishes an interview with Richard Pryor by doing a word association exercise that gets very racist very quickly, and ends with Pryor being hired as the highest paid janitor in America. This skit could NOT be done today. (1975)

*  Debbie Downer at Walt Disney World-  In what was intended to be a skit about Debbie Downer and her unique ability to shed darkness on even the happiest of moments, a sound effects cause first Rachel Dratch (Debbie) and then fellow actors, Jimmy Fallon, Lindsey Lohan and Horatio Sans to completely lose character. I've seen it dozens of times and it still cracks me up. (2004)

*  Synchronized Swimming - A great skit with Martin Short and Harry Shearer. In many ways it was the first SNL Digital Short. Words fail me, so just watch. (1984)  

*  Rev. Jesse Jackson Reads Green Eggs & Ham-  Just a few says after the death of Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, Rev. Jackson appeared on Weekend Update and gave the classic Green Eggs & Ham the dramatic reading it has always deserved. It was a moment I have never forgotten. (1991) 

* Memoirs by Richard Nixon- The original cast (including Aykroyd as Nixon, Belushi as Henry Kissinger and Gilda Radner as Pat Nixon) relive Nixon's final days in the White House. Highlights include Nixon forcing Kissinger, who was Jewish, to pray with him, and Nixon yelling at a picture of JFK. "You had sex- in the White House! That NEVER happened while Dick Nixon was president...never...never...never..." (1975)

*  The Hanukkah Song- Adam Sandler gives us a holiday song for the ages, as well as a list of Jewish celebrities. This was another "I can't believe what I just saw" moment for me. Absolutely hysterical. "O.J. Simpson- not a Jew..."  (1994)

* The First Show After 9/11/01 - New York's Mayor Rudy Giuliani is joined onstage by representatives of the police and fire departments to assure the nation that New York is open for business. After a very moving opening, including Paul Simon singing Homeward Bound, Lorne Michaels appears and the Mayor welcomes back to the air SNL, one of the city's great institutions. Michaels thanks Giuliani and then asks, "Can we be funny?" The Mayor pause a beat and replies, "Why start now?" And the show was back. (2001)

*  Sarah Palin- In 2008 John McCain picked Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate and Saturday Night Live could not have been happier. Tina Fey, who had left the cast by then, returned a number of times to play Palin in a variety of skits. She nailed her mannerisms, her look and her voice, and Palin continued to give them great material to work with through the campaign and beyond. This was SNL at its political best. "I can see Russia from my house!" (2008)

* The Sweeney Sisters Meet Paul Simon- The Sweeney Sisters (Jan Hooks and Nora Dunn) were one of my favorite recurring sketches in the late 80s, and on one occasion they got to treat the great Paul Simon to a medley of his own songs. It was priceless.. "And like a bridge over troubled waters- you have laid yourself down!" (1987) 

* News for the Hard of Hearing- As a feature of Weekend Update, Chevy Chase would introduce Garrett Morris, headmaster of the New York School for the Hard of Hearing, to repeat the top story of the night. Another one that would be too politically incorrect for our world today.  (1976) 



*  Schweddy Balls- A Christmas skit in which sexual innuendo, great timing and three great actors (Alec Baldwin, Molly Shannon & Anna Gasteyer) keeping straight faces when it would have seemed to be impossible made for SNL history. (2003)

*  James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub- Eddie Murphy does James Brown better than James Brown does James Brown as he invites us all to spend time in the hot tub. "Should I get in the hot tub? Will it make me sweat? Well, well, well...HOT TUB!" (1983)

* Andy Kaufman Does Elvis- The late (maybe?) great Andy Kaufman appeared on SNL a number of times in the first few years, including the very first episode. He was goofy and occasionally funny, doing his Mighty Mouse act and Foreign Man (which eventually became Latka on the tv show Taxi). One night Foreign Man was doing terrible impressions of various celebrities when he announced that now he would "do the Elvis Presley." What followed was without a doubt the best Elvis impression I have ever seen, and Studio 8-H went wild for Andy. A great, great moment. (1976)

* Coffee Talk featuring Barbara Streisand- With original host Paul Baldwin (Mike Myers) still out with shpilkis in his genechtagazoink, Linda Richmond (also Myers) continues to sit in. His guests are two Jewish friends played by Madonna and Rosanne Barr, and they all idolize Barbara Streisand. "She's like butter. Like a big hunk of butter." At the end of the skit, Babs makes a surprise appearance stunning everyone. A classic moment! (1992)

*  Ebony & Ivory-  Frank Sinatra (Joe Piscopo) joins Stevie Wonder (Eddie Murphy) at the piano to jazz up the classic song Ebony & Ivory. The result is comedy gold. (1982)



*  Aerosmith Visits Wayne's World-  As Wayne and Garth (Mike Myers & Dana Carvey) visit with their roadie (Tom Hanks), Aerosmith is hanging out in Wayne's breakfast nook. All is well until Wayne's mom joins them. The band eventually comes to the basement and does their own version of the Wayne's World theme song. "Check, check...sybellince...sybellince..." (1990)

*  D*ck in a Box-  Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake take the Digital Short to a whole new level with the Christmas song about a special gift they want to give their special someones. And it comes with instructions for those of us at home. "1- cut a hole in the box. 2- put your junk in that box. 3- let her open the box. And that's the way you do it..." (2006)

* Strategery- No one provided SNL with more comic material over the years than George W. Bush, and no one did a better Bush impression than Will Ferrell. A classic moment that my son and I often quote comes from a 2000 sketch depicting a debate between Al Gore (Darrell Hammond) and Bush. When asked to give one word to describe what his presidency will be like, Ferrell responds "Strategery." A made-up word for a guy who would spend the next 8 years making things up. Priceless and prophetic! (2000)

So that's it for today. Come back tomorrow for 20 more...if you dare!!!

A Very Funny Addiction

My friends, today I need to confess to you that I have a problem. It's been growing for several days now and it is only going to get worse. It is taking too much of my time and occasionally rearranging my entire day. The good news is it will be over in a couple of weeks; the bad news is by then I may be too far gone to help. What could be such a major addiction in my life? The 19 day long, 24 hour a day, every stinkin' episode SNL Rewind marathon currently airing on VH1 Classic, of course! It's got me in its clutches. I need it bad...

The Original Not Ready for Prime Time Players

The very first episode of NBC's Saturday Night (the original name) aired on October 11th, 1975- five days after my 16th birthday. George Carlin (still one of my all-time favorite comedians) was the first host. The timing was perfect to lure me in, and I have been with the show pretty much ever since. In college there would be parties to watch, including campus wide viewing events when Steve Martin would host. SNL was just part of my life. There have been some down years and a few outright awful years (like season 6, season 11, season 21 & right now!) but much like the show itself I have never given up. And now Saturday Night Live is about to have a huge party celebrating 40 years on the air, and to lead up to that VH1 Classic is doing this rewind marathon, beginning with newer episodes and working backwards to the beginning. I am watching way too much and loving every minute of it. And a few things have surprised me along the way. Including remembering that we get VH1 Classic...

Sometime in the early 90s

Oldtimers like myself tend to overvalue the past and underrate the present, and that happened with SNL and me. Watching the 2003-2012 episodes one can't help but marvel that people like Rachel Dratch, Bill Hader, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Tina Fey, Will Forte, Amy Poehler, Jason Sudeikis, Maya Rudolph, Tracy Morgan, Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg were at various times in the same cast. Those years produced some really funny stuff that I missed the first time around. It also strikes both myself and my son Will that no matter how bad an episode has been over the years, Weekend Update is almost always worth watching because the news is most always funny. As the rewind continues I find myself looking more and more forward to the late 80s and early 90s shows. It is common to consider the original cast to be the greatest because they were so groundbreaking. But the truth is I think that the 1988-1992 casts are my favorites. Just think about the names. The casts included Jon Lovitz, Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Victoria Jackson, Dennis Miller, Nora Dunn, Mike Myers and Kevin Nealon. In 1990 the featured players had names like Farley, Sandler, Spade, Rock, Sweeney, Schneider and Meadows- all of whom became major cast members as time passed. The talent level was unbelieveable and the percentage of great skits was sky high. When they reach that time period on the rewind there will be very little sleep and a very full DVR in my life. I can't wait.

I have also been reminded that SNL is never better than when it is doing political satire and doing it well. From Chevy Chase as Gerald Ford, Dan Aykroyd as Nixon to Dana Carvey as both daddy George Bush and Ross Perot the cast has skewered many a President and presidential candidate. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton were simply brilliant, and Will Ferrell turned his George W. Bush impression into a Tony Award winning one man show on Broadway. Darrell Hammond as Clinton and as Dick Cheney (not to mention his great work as Chris Matthews, host of Hardball) were also favorites of mine. At its best the show turns the mundane politics of the day into humorous skits we will actually remember. Watching all these old shows brings back so much history. And then there are the musical guests. And the fake commercials. And Mango...

So anyway...you get my point. I love Saturday Night Live and this marathon is taking over my life. In a good way. All of my favorite years are still to come. Over the next couple of weeks before the big party on February 15th I will be sharing a few lists of my favorite cast members, skits, recurring characters, hosts and more. I'd love to include your thoughts too, so please share them in the comments. People often talk about their lives passing before their eyes. In many ways, I am watching the last 40 years of my life for the these 19 days. What they say is true- life is funny.

Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow!

My Favorite Christmas Movies & Specials

Now that Thanksgiving is over (and all of those "Black Friday" commercials have mercifully ceased) I can get into the spirit of the Christmas season! I am a serious Christmas lover in every way. I love the music, I love the shopping, I love Santa, and of course, I love Jesus! One of the things that helps gt the Jones family in the holiday spirit each year is our collection of Christmas movies and specials on DVD and blu ray. So today I thought I would share with you my list of "must-see" Christmas movies and specials. Ready? Here we go:

• Four Christmases-There is nothing so funny as other people's families at the holidays...
• Jingle All the Way- A Christmas movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger- what could be cooler that than? Includes the classic Arnold line, "Put that cookie down!"  Awesome!
• The Lighting of the Tree at Rockefeller Center- The show is really pretty hit and miss, but it's a Jones family tradition to watch!
• Christmas With the Kranks- One of the those rare movies that I liked better than the book it was based on, John Grisham's Skipping Christmas. Tim Allen is the king of Christmas movies. Free Frosty, Free Frosty!!!
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer- The classic original! It's a great story with great music and Yukon Cornelius and The Bumble- what else could you ask for!
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York-I like this sequel even better than the original (which for some reason we do not own.  This must change.). Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as the "Sticky Bandits" are my favorite part of both movies.
• The Nightmare Before Christmas- Tim Burton's classic look at what happens when you try to "do" Christmas without "getting Christmas. Yay, Sandy Claws!
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas- The animated version with Boris Karloff narrating is amazing, but we also like Jim Carrey's live action Grinch as well.
• Elf- We're just walking around the house saying today saying, "Buddy the Elf- what's your favorite color?" There is also a great message about believing when those around you do not...
• The Santa Claus- I actually liked all three of these, but the first one is still my favorite. You gotta' love the elves!
• Saturday Night Live Christmas- There are actually 2 of these specials now, but we own the older one of DVD and watch it every year. So many great skits, including the all-time classics A Dysfunctional Family Christmas, Schweddy Balls & The Night Hanukkah Harry Saved Christmas. "On Herschel, on Moshe, on Schlomo!!!"
• Scrooged- Bill Murray is great, Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present just cracks me up, and the story is timeless. A very underrated movie.
• Christmas Vacation- I feel a certain connection with Clark W. Griswald. We both manage to screw up most everything, but we mean well! And the lights-  ohhh the lights!
• It's A Wonderful Life- Well, DUH!!!
• The Toy That Saved Christmas- The first and best of the Veggietale Christmas stories. The Veggie's learn the true meaning of Christmas from Buzzsaw Louie. And after a sledding accident Bob the Tomato gets to utter these great lines: "Mousetrap.  I wanted to play Mousetrap. You roll your dice, you move your mice- nobody gets hurt!"
• A Charlie Brown Christmas- More people have heard the Christmas story as told in the Gospel of Luke from Linus than from any other single media source in history. Think about that...
• A Muppet Christmas Carol- Easily number one for all of my family. The music is awesome, the story is terrific, and it has Muppets. What else do you want? We own the VHS, the DVD, and the CD of the music. "After all there's only one more sleep 'til Christmas..." And BTW- we're seeing the new Muppet Movie this afternoon!  I can't wait!

So there's my list. I know many of you would include A Christmas Story but I don't share your love of that one. What else would you add? Let me hear from you. Enjoy your favorites, but don't let the reason for the season slip away from you. Listen to Linus- the little dude with the blanket knows what he is talking about!

Because of Jesus,

Craving Catoons

I woke up this morning and had a longing to watch some classic cartoons. Well good luck with that. We have 9000 channels to choose from- and no decent cartoons. As I recalled some of my favorites from the 60s and 70s, I found myself singing theme songs. That was followed by a trip to YouTube. And now you get to share in my bliss. This post should probably been called An Old Fart Saturday, but I strive to be family friendly! Enjoy...and have a fun-filled weekend!

30/30: My Top 5 TV Shows...EVER!

Today's 30/30 Vision Blog Challenge is to list my favorite TV shows of all time. And only 5. No ties allowed. I have to admit that this one is like having a day off for me. It's just not that difficult. There are very few television series that I have truly LOVED in my 54 years, and pretty much all of them were situation comedies. For the purposes of this prompt I have chosen to not include any show that is still on with first-run episodes, which is why The Big Bang Theory is not on this list. It will be here someday. The only question is how high up the list it will climb! But for now, here are my top 5 TV shows...EVER! I know my list is unique to me and includes none of the trendy dramas so popular over the last decade or so- because I have never watched any of them! So educate me- what are YOUR favorites?

1. How I Met Your Mother
2. Seinfeld
3. M*A*S*H*
4. Cheers
5. That 70's Show

Have a wonderful weekend!