"Sesame Street" is old and so are you, deal with it

"Sesame Street" turned 40 this month, an anniversary that made me think, “Really, 40 years??”

I still distinctly remember the first episode. I really do. There were cows in it and funny little characters and I was hooked from day one.

I learned all kinds of things from that show, like everyone can be friends no matter if they are tall or in a garbage can or red or blue or yellow. I learned letters and shapes and how to count to 10 in Spanish. I sometimes wish I had learned more of another language as a yongerser, I think it would have stuck with me a lot longer.

"Sesame Street" was my gateway show to all other television programming, since it is the first show I can remember watching.

Some other favorite kid shows were "Mr Dressup" with Casey and Finnegan on the CBC out of Winsor. Mr Dressup was a mellow "Mr. Rogers", if there could be anyone more soft spoken the the Rog. I loved "Mr. Rogers" too, I even had his complete albumn collection, a fact I finaly don’t care about mentioning anymore.

"Mr Dressup" intro

It's from Mr. Rogers that I learned how how to spell friend. The song "You are Special" spelled it out, and my constant singing of the song helped me sort out the “i before e” issue in spelling tests. I’d conjure up the phrase “F-R-I-E-N-D, special you are my friend, you’re special to me” and get it right every time. I wish more spelling had been set to music.

Of course there was Captain Kangaroo, and the clowns-"Bozo", who was the nation's clown,( insert your own "nation's clown" joke here) and "Oopsy" who was a Detroiter. And the zany shows like "The Electric Company" from the '70's (which is being revived) and "Zoom" we really had alot goin'on back in the day.

I look at some of the shows kids have now and I feel bad for them, ha ha.

Some great old school Detroit sites:

Detroit Memories

Detroit Kid's Shows

Monday music-what songs take you back?

Wrapping up last week’s TV week and on to this week’s flavor…music.

Everyone has ‘em…whether you’re into music big time or only a causal listener. The Songs That Take You Back. You know what I mean, the tunes that transport you to “back in the day”, suddenly remind you of a past place in such a vivid way that if you close your eyes and turn up the volume, you’re almost there.

The first dance in junior high, the first album you bought, the first band you saw in concert, the first kiss, The one song you played over and over again until someone in your household told you to knock it off.

We all have ‘em, and we forget. I have songs that remind me of my elementary days, my high school days, my radio days, when I lived in Ohio, when I lived in New Jersey, etc etc. Half the time, I forget they’re around, as they lie dormant in the back of my full of useless information head.

The other day I actually found myself driving and horror of horrors in a bit of traffic jam. I did what people do when stuck in a non-moving vehicle…fiddle with the radio. And lo and behold, I forgot for a moment I was stuck in Seattle somewhere, and instead was transformed to the Bonaventure Rolling Rink, full of popcorn, frozen cherry coke and dreams while jammin’ with my friends. All while on roller skates.

The song? “ Best of My Love” by The Emotions. I had the 45 and as I cranked the volume way past 11, I could see the Columbia label in my head. I did a little seat dance, (arms and head only, as I was still in a car), sang the lyrics as loud as I could and as the traffic began to move, hardly noticed people were looking at me like I was crazy.

What song takes you back?

Fall TV part deux

The other day I covered my TV viewing suggestions for Fri-Mon. I forget to mention again of course I watch “ Mad Men” Sundays on AMC, but I don ‘t always watch when scheduled. AMC does a great job of posting the show On Demand for free.

An On Demand digression…

NBC charges for On Demand, only 99, that’s just ridiculous. If the networks want us to watch their shows…they should post all of them to On Demand for free, with the spots (commercials) in it and everything. And watch their total viewership go up.

End of rant.

Now I'm getting to the core of the TV viewing week, the days my beloved DVR is truly living for.

Tuesday’s means only two shows for me. "Melrose" and "Wife"

Melrose Place

I was never a "90210" fan only "Melrose Place", which is something I can’t explain; it's just the way it is. Melrose is a gianormous guilty pleasure I’ve never gotten over, so obviously I’ve been looking forward to the reboot since it was announced. And it has not disappointed.

Slicked up for the 00’s, the music is contemporary and the outfit so right now.The characters are not completely memorable but appropriate to the spirit of the show and the crazy casting of the bug-eyed, creepy Simpson-Wenz girl sort of works, she DOES look like Sydney. I’ll give her that. The addition of Michael, Sydney and now Jane seems rather seamless. Of course, I’m looking forward to the return of Amanda, it just seems appropriate.

“Relationships are complicated, cooking comes with instructions, " Auggie. It’s lines like this that make the guilt go away, ha ha. It’s trash TV people, not fine lit, so take it or leave it.


The Good Wife

For me, a big surprise this Fall Season is “The Good Wife”. I’m honestly not a Julianna Margulies fan or foe, there being that fine line between love and hate that both imply emotion.

And frankly I think Chris Noth is over-exposed, playing all his characters the same exact way in different shows. Not that I don't think he’s hot

But back to JM- she does a wonderful job playing the part soft spoken when it could easily be screechy and hysterical. I see now her ER character was annoying to me and also she was mackin’ on Geogre Cloony. This is a personal blog people, not a high minded critical writing spot.

At any rate, it's many members of the remaining cast that makes me happy.

I'm glad to see Josh Charles, playing JM's former colleague and new boss. Josh, formerly of the critcally acclaimed, never watched by anyone but my hubby and I, “Sports Night” seem to immensly help the careers of Felicity Huffman and Peter Krause but Josh Charles, who was “the star” disappeared. At any rate, it's good too see him.



Christine Baranski too, is another actress I really enjoy. Loved her in "Cybil" and “The Bird Cage” She's one of those character actors its just nice to run into.

I finally had to google the woman who plays an assistant at the law firm JM works at because it was driving me nuts, and I couldn't figure it out. It's Archie Panjabi who played the older sister in Bend It Like Beckham

Toss in the Rory’s last boyfriend on "Gilmore Girls"Matt Czuchry, and this show is full of actors I enjoy. The writing isn’t bad, the “ripped from the headlines” topical nature behind the storyline is not too overwrought. The husband’s a slime ball politician who actually went to jail in this one, and the wife went back to work. Her character isn’t defined so much as what we see now, but I think despite the fact we need another lawyer show like we need another hospital show, the "Good Wife" will do good.

Comin' up....two new shows for Wednesday

Some call it Fall season, I call it TV season

Sunday

The former night of the wholesome “The Wonderful World of Walt Disney” and of course my beloved “Hardy Boy/Nancy Drew Mysteries” is now “Family Guy”/”American Dad “night, which I catch if I can. I love Seth MacFarlane. I used to watch “Desperate Housewives and “Brothers & Sisters” for a bit…but honestly all you have to do is watch the promos and you pretty much keep up with these shows. I can’t be expected to watch everything for heaven’s sake.


Monday

This is “Gossip Girl” night, which I know has some harebrained storylines, but I can’t help it. It’s a GP (guilty pleasure). I’ve come to realize I watch it mostly for the stunning scenes of the show’s co-star-NYC. Recently, Serena and Blair were sitting on the steps of my favorite place in the world, the Metropolitan Museum and I just, welled up a bit, but then smiled through my tears. That’s what TV does to me sometimes.

I generally actually watch the CBS “comedy” line-up, and then DVR “Gossip Girl” Certain people in my household will not tolerate any shows on the CW.

Most sitcoms are hardly funny anymore, with the great exception of the supremely under rated “How I Met Your Mother” HIMYM is superior to “30 Rock “and so much funnier than “ 2 ½ men “ which I think is just OVER with a capital “O”. And Jon Cryer will always be Ducky from “Pretty in Pink”.

“Accidently on Purpose” the new Jenna Elfman vehicle, is more accident than purpose. I never got her appeal. But I will admit to warming up to “Big Bang Theory” which I thought was awful at first, but the nerdy characters are really growing on me. After that I generally watch “CSI Miami” the only CSI show I ever catch. For some reason I tend to fall asleep early on Monday’s, not sure if it's the show lulling me to sleep, or my weekends wear me out. Probably a bit of both.

Coming up next week-Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday viewing and new show recommendations!

I love USA!

The network... Well and the country, of course.

I came to this fascinating and startling conclusion the other night while watching the season 2 premiere of “In Plain Sight”-a show about a pair of U.S Marshalls in New Mexico and the madcap mayhem that happens on the job. The male Marshall is named “Marshall” which my “punny” humor just loves. The female lead is played by Mary McCormack, formally a “West Wing” cast member, (In fact USA seems to employ a lot of former “West Winger’s” which I find incredibly amusing as well) **

At any rate, while watching, a promo comes on for a new USA show starting in June called “Royal Pains” starring Mark Feurstein, he of “In Her Shoes” (a once top-secret favorite Recovering DJ movie, now obviously that’s out)

“Royal Pains” also co-stars Campbell Scott, a fave of mine in the David Mamet classic “The Spanish Prisoner” and of course the Seattle singles scene in “Singles”. Add in the fact that the story sounds fun and I am hooked.

Another promo comes on later for “Burn Notice” featuring the hottest spy in the world played by Jeffrey Donovan and this is when I exclaim to my husband, startling him away from his Kindle, “ I love this network!”

He nods knowingly, his wife is a TV junky and her new fix is now within easy reach on one channel.

I got hooked on USA last year when I started watching “Monk” every day to catch up on the show. The network does such a good job of promoting all their shows that I began to watch more and more. It doesn’t hurt that I am a marketer’s dream, pretty much swayed by slick production and quirky characters.

Yes, I watch too much TV.
I guess admitting it is one step towards recovering though, right?

**What makes USA the “West Wing” Network? (File under things only I care about.)

• Mary McCormack on “In Plain Site” played Kate Harper, deputy national security advisor

• Dule Hill on USA's “Pysch” played Charlie, the President’s assistant.

• Bradley Whitford-Josh on WW guest stars on “Monk”

• Richard Schiff who played Toby on WW had a two episode story on “Burn Notice” when I checked him out on IMDB it states he also guest stars on “Monk” and “In Plain Site” crazy!

Kindle 2: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)

I LOVES me da Globes...

The Golden Globes. Celebs from all walks of entertainment in one room…drinking and table-hopping. I would love to be there just once...what a blast!

I love watching the tables between the awards to see who is talking to whom. This year you saw Bruce Springsteen sitting next to Mickey Rourke, Robert Downy Jr. & Tom Cruise at the same table, and Susan Sarandon & Ralph Fiennes made a fine couple I thought. I know they were all in movies together, but still…I’m sure they don’t have to sit at the same table if they don’t want to.

I got on the “30 Rock” bandwagon a little bit. I groaned when Tina Fey won AGAIN-but her speech made up for it. When she said, “I love the Hollywood foreign press, I have all the action figures…” I LOST IT. What a hoot! I got a Facebook post and Twitter status out of that comment…BONUS!

I love award shows probably in part because I never got over my childhood dream of becoming an actress. I tossed that fantasy and went into something more financially rewarding and chock full of job security…radio…heh heh heh.

It’s after an award show I feel a stronger tinge of “I wish I was in the radio again.” It was such a blast to pontificate on what happened…who did what, etc. Radio is the lowest form of entertainment, so the only thing jocks can do is poke fun at those above. ☺

A few more random globalicious globs:

Why are they delayed on the West Coast..??? So annoying. I have to stay off the Internet for a few hours, which probably is at the root of my aggravation.

Laura Linney’s speech was great...she is such a pro. (“Recount” was excellent by the way) I’ll never understand how people can be ACTORS but they can’t speak in public off-the-cuff…drives me nuts! I wanted to smack the overrated Kate Winslet for her awful speech and stage presence.

And that “Happy-Go-Lucky “ babe Sally Hawkins was hideous. Someone should have just dragged her off the stage, what an idiot. That movie isn’t even playing around here, which is rather sad.

Ricky Gervais was hilarious. People in Hollywood don’t get him at all I don’t think. I think he was making some references to an episode of “Extra’s” (super duper funny show).

I am so over the tweens-Jonas Brothers and Billy Ray Cyrus’s kid. (I know her name, but she don’t need no more press ;)

Paul Giamatii looked weird, but still love.

What is up with Rita Wilson’s hair?

And what was going on with Jessica Lange & Drew Barrymore??

Ugh, how hideous was Mickey Rourke??

“Slumdog Millionaire”…yay!!! Can’t wait to see it!

Why wasn’t"Gran Torino" nominated for Best Picture or Clint Eastwood for Best Actor??!! The Academy’s better straighten that out!

If you missed the show EW has a great little play-by-play.

The Globes. Bringin’ out the diva in all of us!

It's the First Post-Finally!

           Song of the Day

        “ A Little Less Conversation a Little More Action” 

          Elvis Presley 

My name is Susan, and I am a Recovering DJ.  

For over 10 years, I made a living turning on a microphone and speaking into it between songs and commercials.  

Doesn’t sound so glamorous when you put it that way eh? 

For a cornucopia of reasons I’ve been attempting to get a blog up for AGES. 

I started this one:  Sleeping Pretty Good in Seattle

But for a myriad of motives, I inexplicably dropped it. 

For the last 18 months or so I’ve been reading books and articles and other blogs on how to blog-

but not actually blogging.   

I am very easily distracted. 

Lots o' Conversation with Li'l Action. 

So why am I a recovering DJ? Well I don't work in radio anymore.

But for me, I have finally admitted  radio is like the love you never really got over.   

I say I am over it.  I tell everyone I am.  

But every once in awhile when I am not paying attention it creeps out.  

The secret devotion lingering in the back cupboard of my cluttered mind.  

This blog is an attempt to fill that void.  To babble and entertain, to ramble and perchance to amuse.   A radio break via blog. 

I have spent many many a day trying to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life,

and it is time to start doing something, however small, however insignificant.

I’ll pontificate on the latest pop culture that suites ME-the "Blog Runner" the "Former Talent."

The writing is sophomoric and the grammar is atrocious.  But I have seen worse out there in the blogasphere.  

And with that, for now I say” Good Day, and May the Good News be Yours."