The Golem Universe

The Golem Universe: A Retrospective

2010-02-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

The people, places and events that shaped a blog.

Play me off, Keyboard Cat.

Farewell (Almost) from The Golem

2010-02-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

I just want to thank everyone who has followed this site for the past year or so. It’s been great fun to do, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it.

I wanted to give this site a proper finish. I didn’t want it to just fade away due to boredom, or because I became "too busy" to update it. So I arbitrarily picked an end date (Super Bowl Sunday) - although I never realized that date would come so quickly!

Feel free to drop me a line, or check out my Twitter account.

Look for a special video tribute coming up later tonight.

Thanks again.

Squirrel Nut Zippers - "The Ghost of Stephen Foster"

2010-02-06T13:31:00.000-08:00

Here's the fully-animated video for "The Ghost of Stephen Foster" by Squirrel Nut Zippers from their 1998 album Perennial Favorites.

Animators from The Simpsons did the video.

Bert Parks

2010-02-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

Back when the Miss America Pageant still meant something (1976) - host (and old fraud) Bert Parks attempts "Let 'Em In" by Paul McCartney and Wings.

Old Logos

2010-02-05T20:40:00.000-08:00

And now, for your amusement, we present a collection of old Golem Universe logos - suitable for framing (or wrapping fish).

The following prototypes were never used:
Eternity
Eternity (wide)
Eternity (wide) minus Eternity
2001 Baby
2001 Baby (left)
2001 Baby (left; nicer font)
2001 Baby (left; nicer font and PBS logo)

The following logos were used, but have since been retired:
First Official Logo
Moon
Moon (Earth moved a bit)

The following are variations on the current logo:
Phillies
NRA
Halloween
Thanksgiving

The Blogs That Got Away

2010-02-05T19:42:00.001-08:00

I was browsing my Picasa Web Albums tonight (that's where Blogger stores all the graphics uploaded for its sites), and uncovered a treasure trove of old graphics and folders devoted to this and other blogs I have attempted over the years.

Since it's getting very near the end (of this blog)... here is an overview of others I have considered, started, aborted and/or accidentally deleted.

Marvelous Mondays
Every Monday, I write about a different classic Marvel comic. Never got any further than the logo.

Paul is Dead / I Bury Paul (above)
I take a look back at all the "Paul is Dead" clues. This was the logo I finally settled on.

Superman: As Seen On TV
I write about each and every episode of The Adventures of Superman. I have the complete series on DVD, so why not? Got as far as this logo and an outline of the first episode. Surprisingly, it was not as much fun to do as you might think.

Golem's Incredible Hulk
I write about every issue of The Incredible Hulk. (Have them all on DVD-ROM). Here's the logo.

Golem's Amazing Spider-Man
Kind of like Golem's Incredible Hulk. Logos are here and here.

MacDade Boulevard
I write about a street near and dear to my heart. This was up and running for some time, and then I accidentally deleted it. In retrospect, it would probably make a better Facebook group. (Don't look at me to start one).

The Three Stooges Blog
I write about the Three Stooges. At one point, it was to be called "All the Blog's a Stooge". Actually, I still plan on doing this.

Golem and Company
One of those "me posing as a bunch of fake contributors" blogs. A lot of fun, but a lot of work. Early logos can be enjoyed here, here, here and here.

It's Golem Time
This actually exists (in fact, it's what the redheadedgolem.com URL points to) - but I only update it about twice a year. Early logos can be seen here and here.

Here is a parody ad for Mickey Rooney's Tabas Hotel in Downingtown, and an aborted Spider-Man parody that I really must go back and finish. (I only wish these were bigger and more legible).

Go-Go Golem
Interestingly, this was the original version of The Golem Universe. I really like the logo, except the colors are fixed at red and black.

The New Golem Times
I think this was supposed to be a "funny" take on the news. Graphics indicate I wrote some things about Obama and Mike Huckabee before bailing on it. Here's the logo.

I also attempted two "geek" blogs with (IMHO) great names - "Hour of the Geek" and "Golem: Invasion Earth 2007". These were going to be devoted to computers, comic books and Doctor Who. Never got further than their titles, but here was a proposed graphic from the latter.

Joey Bishop - "Your Cheatin' Heart"

2010-02-05T09:18:00.001-08:00

Here's a cut from comedian Joey Bishop's horribly ill-conceived country album Country Western - which I vaguely remember him plugging on 70's talk shows while the hosts looked on in horror.

Not sure if this was some kind of Andy Kaufman-esque joke (doubtful, this is Joey Bishop after all) - but isn't it amazing how many bad records were made in the 60s and 70s by non-singers like Leonard Nimoy, Jack Klugman, etc...? It's almost like they foresaw the Internet, and how much fun sarcastic bloggers would get from posting about them.

Thanks to April Winchell for the MP3, and all the great MP3's over the last few years.

Squirrel Nut Zippers - "Put a Lid On It"

2010-02-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

I am reminded today of Squirrel Nut Zippers - one of my favorite bands of the 90's.

There was a "swing revival" in the middle of that decade, and although the Zippers denied being a retro act - they were at it's forefront. They looked and sounded like a swing band, and lead female vocalist Katherine Whalen (above) sang in a style similar to Billie Holiday.

They broke up in 2001 (numerous band departures, and a divorce for founding members Whalen and Jimbo Mathus) - but reunited in 2006, so we haven't heard the last of them.

Here's "Put a Lid On It" - one of their most successful songs from the album Hot.

Devo - "Jerkin' Back n Forth"

2010-02-04T08:44:00.001-08:00

The first live concert I ever attended was Devo at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, Pa. They did an entire show similar to this 1981 appearance on Fridays - which is to say they did the entire show on moving treadmills.

They actually perform two songs here. The first, an instrumental, is called "(Theme from) Adventures of Smart Patrol" - at least that's what it's called these days. The second is "Jerkin' Back n Forth". Devo is wearing their "New Traditionalists" gear - which is basically a boy scout uniform and plastic hair based on John F. Kennedy's "pompadour".

For additional information on Fridays (the show that gave us Larry David and Michael Richards) - check out this informative article at TV Party.

Japanese Commercial (1978)

2010-02-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

Here is a Japanese commercial for (??? - it looks like tuna, but it sounds like they're saying "cheese chicken").

It contains characters and themes clearly based on a rather popular movie of the time. See if you guess which movie I'm talking about.

The Origin of the Golem (Short Version)

2010-02-03T18:56:00.000-08:00

I’ve been the Red-Headed Golem since 2000.

In the early part of that year, I was obsessed with the word Golem. Probably influenced by its use in an episode of Batman Beyond - a favorite DVD at the time - and ignorant of it’s origins in jewish folklore; I assumed the word was synonymous with "boogeyman" or monster. I liked how it sounded.

Some people assume it’s a misspelling of Gollum - the character from Lord of the Rings. It doesn’t help matters that my original blog had Gollum in the header image. That was just a coincidence.

Anyway, in 2000 I was working as a project manager for a local I.T. consulting company. For complicated reasons (see the Long Version), the company thought it would be a good idea to dump their existing clients and replace a lot of their experienced employees with MBA types, most right out of college.

Some managers stayed on; I was one. But a lot of good people were let go. If you want a good idea of what the company soon became, check out the Simpsons episode "I am Furious Yellow". We were just like the fictional Better Than TV, with a lot of noisy slackers, and stock options dispensed like toilet paper.

There was some tension between the old guard and the next generation. Nothing serious, but a lot of mutual mistrust.

Anyway, a friend of mine - one of the employees that had been let go - sent me an e-mail asking how the company was doing. "Okay," I replied, "but the new kids stare at me like I’m some kind of red-headed golem."

So that’s where the name came from.

Yellow Submarine comic book

2010-02-03T15:21:00.001-08:00

In 1968, Gold Key published a 60+ page Yellow Submarine comic book for the princely sum of 35 cents. Never reprinted, back issues - if you can find one - start at around $300.

What's most interesting about the comic is that its creators (writer Paul S. Newman and artist José Delbo) had to produce it without a finished script. So the story within the comic is quite different from the story in the movie. The artwork is impressive however - very much in keeping with the style of the film.

I've always wanted to see this Yellow Submarine comic. I'm not a collector - I'd be perfectly happy reading a good reprint. Lo and behold, a blog called Cartoon SNAP has made my dreams come true. You can read it here online (in some confounding tiny-window format) or download the whole thing as a PDF.

Lost: 5 Seasons in 10 minutes

2010-02-03T11:59:00.001-08:00

I've never seen Lost. Not even for a few minutes between flipping channels. Besides the fact that it involves castaways on a deserted island, I know nothing about the storyline of the show.

I've avoided it for a reason. First, deliberately mysterious shows like this this almost never pay off (see Twin Peaks), and when they do (see Life on Mars, U.S. version, ) it's too literal, or terribly disappointing.

Second, I've avoided Lost because if and when I do decide to watch it on DVD - I don't want the story spoiled for me (see Battlestar Galactica, another show I've never seen, and probably won't because I know too much about what's going to happen.)

For those who've missed out on Lost, but wish to catch up - here are the first five seasons in ten minutes, courtesy of The Reduced Shakespeare Company.

I haven't watched this, so it might be complete bollocks.

Enjoy!

The Joey Bishop Show

2010-02-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

Between 1967-69, Joey Bishop hosted a 90-minute talk show on ABC, competing with Johnny Carson's Tonight Show on NBC.

Despite much publicity, and the occasional visit from fellow "Rat Pack" guests like Sammy Davis, Jr, Peter Lawford and Dean Martin (but never Frank Sinatra, interestingly enough) - Bishop flopped against Carson, and was replaced by Dick Cavett in 1969. (Who also flopped, as did Merv Griffin - who ran a competing show on CBS).

Bishop's sidekick was Regis Philbin. Yes, that Regis Philbin (above, left) - making his first big splash on national television. Regis actually walked off the show one night, in response to negative reviews from critics - citing that the network was against the idea of hiring him in the first place. (This was one of the only episodes to top Carson in the ratings.)

Here's a clip from the show on a night when Joey and Regis wore Nehru jackets - a gift from guest Sammy Davis, Jr.

Leeroy Jenkins

2010-02-02T15:24:00.001-08:00

One of my all-time favorite YouTube videos is Leeroy Jenkins. There's nothing better than seeing super-serious Worlds of Warcraft gamers being upended by a clueless moron.

The video is spoofed - almost verbatim - in a deleted scene from the movie Year One. Since it's doubtful anyone is buying or renting that particular DVD - I present it to you here.

Keyboard Cat

2010-02-01T20:28:00.000-08:00

Here is Keyboard Cat (above) "playing off" a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? who was unlucky enough to blow the first question.

The key to these "Keyboard Cat" videos being especially funny is to the show the cat in preparation for the pending failure.

Bob Dylan - "Things Have Changed"

2010-02-01T17:38:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite "modern" Bob Dylan songs, "Things Have Changed" was from the soundtrack to the film Wonderboys - hence the cameos from Spider-Man, Michael Douglas and Downey, Jr.

Pee Wee Herman's iPad

2010-01-31T14:51:00.001-08:00

Pee Wee gets an iPad - while the Playhouse Gang recite the anti-IPad schtick we've all heard since the product was announced this week, including that its name sounds like a tampon. (Pee-Wee is back to working blue in his old age).

I guess Pee-Wee was keeping the puppets (Globey, Chairy, etc...) in storage all these years, hoping for a comeback?

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace

2010-01-30T09:12:00.000-08:00

Adult Swim (aka Cartoon Network) has brought back Garth Marenghi's Darkplace to run during its late-Friday block of British comedies (which also includes The Mighty Boosh and The Office)

In this clip, Garth (Matthew Holness) defends against charges of racism in the episode "Scotch Mist", although actor Todd Rivers (Matt Berry) offers no apologies.

Scott Meets The Family Circus

2010-01-30T06:52:00.001-08:00

Scott Gairdner meets The Family Circus - hilarity ensues. (I wonder if litigation will ensue? Stay tuned.)

Selleck. Waterfall. Sandwich.

2010-01-29T15:20:00.001-08:00

No explanation necessary.

Beginning This Weekend...

2010-01-28T18:44:00.000-08:00

J.D. Salinger (RIP)

2010-01-28T15:40:00.000-08:00

When The Catcher in the Rye was first released, numerous offers were made to adapt it for the screen (with Sam Goldwyn, the producer of My Foolish Heart, among them.) In a letter written in the early fifties, Salinger spoke of mounting a play in which he would play the role of Holden Caulfield opposite Margaret O'Brien, and, if he couldn’t play the part himself, to “forget about it." Almost fifty years later, the writer Joyce Maynard definitively concluded, "The only person who might ever have played Holden Caulfield would have been J. D. Salinger." Despite this, Salinger told Maynard in the seventies, "Jerry Lewis tried for years to get his hands on the part of Holden," and luminaries ranging from Jack Nicholson to Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio have since made efforts to make a film of Catcher.

Source: Wikipedia (I think)

Devo - "Girl U Want"

2010-01-27T19:55:00.001-08:00

"Girl U Want" is one of my favorite Devo songs, and one of their best (and strangest) videos.

The decision to shoot it in a nightmarish green/purple hue, and load up the audience with Plain Jane extras - borders on genius.

Hopefully, the Devovision channel on YouTube will contain more of their classic old video clips.

Nia Vardalos plays "The Larry King Game"

2010-01-26T19:25:00.000-08:00

I promise this will be the last link to a clip from Kevin Pollak's talk show (for today, anyway).

Here, Nia Vardalos plays the "Larry King Game" (which we saw Dana Carvey play in a previous post).

Her entry is short, but sweet - and also terribly not safe for work.

Dana Carvey plays "The Larry King Game"

2010-01-26T06:53:00.001-08:00

Guests on Kevin Pollack's internet show are invited to play "The Larry King Game" - which is doing an impression of Larry King casually making an embarrassing revelation about himself.

There are a number of these on YouTube, but I laughed out loud at Dana Carvey's.

Update: It's probably too late now, but I probably should warn you that the above clip is incredibly not safe for work.

Kevin Pollak and Dave Coulier

2010-01-25T19:47:00.000-08:00

From Kevin Pollak's internet talk show, Pollak and guest Dave Coulier do two impressions you just don't hear often enough - Albert Brooks and Super Dave Osborne.

"Baby Mine" (Dumbo)

2010-01-25T11:29:00.000-08:00

One of the classic movie scenes the Golem is unable to watch without crying.

Make sure you bring a hanky.

The Beach Boys - "Good Vibrations"

2010-01-23T09:25:00.001-08:00

Am wondering when you see "The Beach Boys" perform live these days, who exactly shows up?

Assuming we can rule out anyone with the last name "Wilson" appearing on stage - who do you get? The "David Spade" looking guy (Al Jardine) or Mike Love? I believe I read somewhere that they were both doing rival "Beach Boys" shows. (This would indicate Mike Love has the rights to the name, but the conclusion is somewhat vague).

And where does Bruce Johnston figure into all of this? He tours with something called "The Beach Boys Band".

Anyway - here's to happier times. The band, with two Wilsons out front, and a third behind the curtains - performing one of their greatest songs on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1968.

Unlikely Guest Stars™

2010-01-22T21:02:00.000-08:00

Today's unlikely guest stars are Richard Pryor and Lou Gossett, Jr. who made a very unlikely appearance on a popular sitcom in 1971.

Jay Leno is...

2010-01-22T12:20:00.000-08:00

I saw this today on Facebook, and had to check it out for myself. [Click image to enlarge]

The best analogy I saw about Leno returning to The Tonight Show is that it is like putting toothpaste back into the tube. Whether you're "with Coco" or not - the prospect of Leno getting 11:30 back just seems horribly wrong to me.

Golem the Psychic

2010-01-21T21:50:00.001-08:00

Sometimes the Golem's uncanny psychic powers stagger even the Golem himself.

Kook's Tour

2010-01-21T12:39:00.001-08:00

Kook's Tour was the very last thing the Three Stooges ever did as a team. It was a pilot for a travel-themed television series that never sold (and was never really completed) due in large part to Larry Fine's stroke in 1970. (The pilot was shot between '69 and '70).

A finished Kook's Tour was eventually released in the Cartrivision format (a pricey home video format that came and went in the early '70s), and on 8mm film. It is also available on DVD.

Kook's Tour was designed to give the Stooges something a bit more dignified to do in their golden years. As you can see (if you watch this clip) - Moe and Larry wear their "regular" hairstyles, and there is no slapping or eye-poking to be found. Since Moe was about 72 when this was shot, and Larry not much younger, it was probably a good idea.

Mad 411

2010-01-20T12:35:00.000-08:00

One of things I remember most about the weeks following 9-11 was the surprisingly touching and patriotic cover of Mad #411 (above).

Turns out this was a last-minute replacement for the original cover, which was deemed inappropriate in light of the tragedy.

According to Mad artist Tom Richmond's blog - this was not the first time the magazine had to substitute a cover to avoid controversy.

Jay Leno's New Tonight Show

2010-01-20T08:06:00.000-08:00

Here we see a promo for the new Jay Leno Tonight Show courtesy of Jay's old friend David Letterman.

The announcer is Edd Hall - Jay's original announcer.

Donovan and The Smothers Brothers - "I Love My Shirt"

2010-01-19T14:59:00.000-08:00

Continuing the Smothers Brothers kick - here, they perform "I Love My Shirt" with the song's composer - Donovan.

According to the book Dangerously Funny, Donovan had agreed to appear as a regular on a horoscope-themed summer series that would have run between the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour's third and fourth seasons. Alas, the show was canceled by CBS before the summer series or the fourth season could be produced.

Jimmy Fallon

2010-01-19T13:13:00.001-08:00

I was critical of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon when it debuted, however I had the chance to watch it every night last week (I stayed up to watch Conan every night, and then just stuck around) - and I must say the show is noticeably looser and funnier.

I saw two things that especially made me laugh - Head Swap (which I understand is a recurring bit), and Neil Young performing "Pants on the Ground" (above; a song made famous on American Idol last week).

Even Fallon's monologues - which are sometimes devoid of laughs - don't bother me as much anymore.

The Smothers Brothers - "My Old Man"

2010-01-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

Well, I actually came away from reading Dangerously Funny with the opinion that the Smothers Brothers deserved to be fired by CBS.

Even though the brothers successfully won a breach of contract suit against the network, they did (or more specifically, Tommy did) deliberately withhold master tapes so CBS couldn't preview (and edit) them in time before air. CBS really didn't need that aggravation, so it was bye-bye Tom and Dick.

If they had just lasted a few seasons longer, they probably would have fit right in with the "new CBS" of the '70s - and all those deliberately controversial Norman Lear shows.

The saddest part about the whole Smothers controversy is the knowledge that the censored shows aired uncut in Canada. As Michael Palin once said, "so much for America being the land of the free"

Still, they were funny - and here's "My Old Man" to prove it.

The Jay Leno Special

2010-01-18T13:22:00.000-08:00

Even in 1986, Jay Leno was a hot property at NBC. Frequent funny appearances as a guest on David Letterman's Late Night earned him a long-term development deal with the network that eventually evolved into the full-time hosting gig on the Tonight Show.

When The Jay Leno Special aired in 1986 - NBC probably hoped the show would spawn a series - possibly even replacing Saturday Night Live, which it pre-empted for one night. This was back when NBC allegedly offered the SNL slot to David Letterman - who wasn't interested.

Turns out the Leno special was disastrously unfunny (the New York Times called it a "clumpy mess"), and nothing ever became of it. For some bizarre reason, it was taped at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia - an outdoor venue. The audience was DEAD throughout, and I'm pretty sure it rained during the taping.

What I find most interesting about the special is that there is almost no evidence that it ever existed. There are no clips of it on YouTube, or mention of it on anybody's resumes at IMDB.com. (And the show featured David Letterman and Vanna White as guest stars).

Rajah's Bollywood: "Chaiyya Chaiyya" (Dil Se)

2010-01-17T15:52:00.000-08:00

Note: The Golem is still on hiatus from the site (...although he is expected back tomorrow). In the meantime, good friend Rajah Ebert is filling in with essays about his favorite Indian films...

In 2003, BBC World Service conducted a poll to choose the ten most popular songs of all time. The song from today’s clip - "Chaiyya Chaiyya", from the 1996 film Dil Se - was voted ninth.

Shahrukh Khan dances here, atop a moving train, with model/dancer Malaika Arora (above). That’s her only scene in the film - but it’s a memorable one, and a memorable film (especially the ending).

Khan is certainly the biggest star in India, and may well be the biggest star in the world (depending on how you measure such things).

Both the film and song were big hits in the U.K., demonstrating the crossover potential of some of the better Indian musicals.

Rajah's Bollywood: "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja" (Caravan)

2010-01-16T19:37:00.000-08:00

Note: The Golem is still on hiatus from the site. In the meantime, good friend Rajah Ebert is filling in with essays about his favorite Indian films...

Helen (above) celebrates the joys of alcoholism in today’s clip - "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja" from 1967’s Caravan.

This is a beloved scene in Bollywood circles, with the “Monica - oh, my darling!” line considered a classic.

The reason the woman in the audience looks scared to death is not because she’s trapped in a bizarre cabaret that looks like the Country Squire Diner - she thinks Helen is trying to kill her.

Rajah's Bollywood: "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai" (Khal Nayak)

2010-01-15T09:23:00.000-08:00

Note: The Golem is still on hiatus from the site. In the meantime, good friend Rajah Ebert is filling in with essays about his favorite Indian films...

Another favorite of mine is "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai" from Khal Nayak. This scene caused quite a stir when the film was first released due to its opening line - "What’s behind the blouse?". The answer was a beating heart, of course - but some of the more prurient minds in the audience looked at lovely Madhuri Dixit (above) and thought otherwise.

Madhuri, by the way, is probably the most popular actress of all-time in Bollywood. She's in semi-retirement now, living in America. Maybe she should appear in an episode of 24, or on House as a sexy oncologist.

The song is dynamite, and the melody is unforgettable (bordering on hypnotic) - as is the dancing, which is to be expected whenever Madhuri is on screen.

The guy dressed like a pirate is Sanjay Dutt.

Rajah's Bollywood: "Teri Ore" (Singh is Kinngh)

2010-01-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

When I first laid eyes on Katrina Kaif (above) performing Teri Ore in Singh is Kinngh - I thought I had discovered the total package - a world-class beauty that can sing and dance with the best of them. This was before I learned that Bollywood actors use “playback singers” to do their singing for them. (The actual singer is Shreya Ghoshal, who is also no slouch in the looks department). Also, after witnessing some really good dancers (Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai come to mind) - it becomes evident Katrina’s actually no great shakes in that department, either.

But she’s still a world-class beauty. (She was voted Asia's sexiest woman in 2008 and 2009, and was Google India's most-searched celebrity both of those years as well).

And even though this song is the best thing about an otherwise frivolous movie, it's a great song that - should you choose to actually watch it - you won't soon forget.

The guy with Katrina (as if you'd notice) is Akshay Khanna.

Rajah Ebert

2010-01-14T13:23:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm Rajah Ebert - film critic for the Hindustani Sun-Times.

The Golem is busy for the next few days attending to various worldwide humanitarian efforts, so I've offered to help out by pinch hitting for him. The next few posts will be written by yours truly - and if you're not down with that, you might want to just check out NewsFromMe for the next couple of days. I'm sure they've got lots and lots of links to Fred Kaplan for you to read.

El Santo

2010-01-14T08:15:00.000-08:00

El Santo (above) was a masked wrestler, film star and Mexican folk hero. He wrestled professionally for six decades (from the '30s to the '80s).

In addition to popularizing wrestling in Mexico, a comic book series with his name ran continuously for 35 years, and he starred in 52 films.

This clip is from Santo Contra el rey del Crimen (Santo vs. The King of Crime) - which is indicative of Santo's '60s films.

American Red Cross

2010-01-13T16:07:00.000-08:00

To make a donation, click here.

Monty Python - "Lumberjack Song" (in German)

2010-01-13T09:02:00.000-08:00

The Monty Python team did two 45-minute specials for German television in 1971 and 1972; both called Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus.

The specials consisted almost entirely of new material, some of which (a parody of the olympics, and a fairy-tale sketch come to mind) were good enough to be recycled later.

Interestingly, the first of these was done entirely in German - with the Pythons reciting their lines phonetically. The second was done in English (dubbed in German) - and as such can be enjoyed by English-speaking audiences as a pretty good "lost" episode. (The German specials were released on DVD, but rarely ever play on British or American TV).

Today's clip is from the first special. It is one of the few (only?) non-original bits - a German-language version of the "Lumberjack Song". Note how the words "bra" and "pa pa" are replaced by "Büstenhalter" and "Uncle Walter".

For those who are interested, the entire first German special is available on YouTube starting here.

Conan's statement

2010-01-12T17:11:00.000-08:00

I cheered today when I read Conan O'Brien's statement with regards to NBC moving The Tonight Show to 12:05 to make room for The Jay Leno Show.

He's a class guy, and should distance himself immediately from the network that disrespected him so publicly.

Personally, I would rather have had Jay do the honorable thing and step down from this fiasco (instead of acting like he's the "victim" being moved to 11:35).

There's still hope that this could work out Conan's way - but not much.

The Who - "My Generation"

2010-01-09T20:29:00.000-08:00

Here's the (in)famous performance of "My Generation" by The Who on the second season of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1967. I believe the clip is from the film The Kids are Alright, and not the actual broadcast - but it's footage from the original show.

A few things you may or may not know about this performance:

The explosion (at 4:06) was considerably more powerful on the air than it had been in rehearsal due - reportedly - to drummer Keith Moon's encouragement of the pyrotechnics expert. It probably contributed to Pete Townshend's partial deafness and tinnitus, and reportedly caused Bette Davis (who was watching in the wings with fellow guest star Mickey Rooney) to faint.

The bit at the end where Townshend smashes Tommy Smothers' acoustic guitar was planned.

The Singing Midget

2010-01-09T16:36:00.001-08:00

Perhaps you saw The Singing Midget in our "Found on Facebook" post the other day and wondered what he sounded like.

Wonder no longer. Here he is (Lowell Mason - now getting top-billing above The Crusaders) singing Our National Anthem.

The Funny Manns

2010-01-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

Proof-positive that everything will eventually find its way onto YouTube - here's a clip from The Funny Manns, one of my earliest memories of television.

All I remember about the show is the title, the premise (silent movie clips) and - for some reason - its host, Cliff Norton.

The show originally aired in syndication in 1961, but must have kicked around for quite some time. I wouldn't have seen it until at least '67 - probably later.

Jay back at 11:30, Conan Out ...at NBC?

2010-01-07T13:33:00.000-08:00

According to TMZ, Jay Leno will get the 11:30 p.m. slot back, Conan O'Brien will either move to midnight, or get the axe.

Moving Leno to 10:00 p.m. has been a huge disaster for NBC.

Artie Lange

2010-01-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

It was revealed today that Howard Stern sidekick Artie Lange attempted suicide over the weekend.

Today, Stern struggled with speaking about it on the air. Very honest and emotional stuff.

I was a big fan and supporter of Lange's when he first started on the show as a regular (in 2001..?). His personal problems have been more of a distraction to the show lately (including a few ill-advised public appearances). I can only hope he's able to pick up the pieces and get back to doing what he does best.

Poochinski

2010-01-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a pilot from 1990 - starring Peter Boyle - called Poochinski.

Boyle plays a "tough, ill-mannered cop" who is reincarnated as a dog - a robot dog from the looks of things.

Not sure what the source of this clip is, but it appears to be a special on bad TV shows.

Found on Facebook

2010-01-06T09:33:00.001-08:00

Found on Facebook

2010-01-06T09:29:00.001-08:00

Pete Seeger - "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy"

2010-01-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

Here's Pete Seeger performing an anti-war song "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy" during a second-season episode of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

Seeger had been largely off television and radio since the early '50s due to blacklisting. His influential folk group - The Weavers - raised the suspicion of the FBI by performing too many protest songs and publicly supporting labor unions. In 1955, Seeger refused to testify at the House Committee on Un-American Activities hearings.

During his first appearance on the Smothers show, CBS refused to air this song. His performance for the studio audience never aired. On his second appearance, however, CBS had become a bit more amenable to the show (and its high ratings) - and Seeger was allowed to do "Big Muddy".

"The Big Fool" referenced in the song was interpreted by many to be then-President Lyndon Johnson, and the "Big Muddy" as Vietnam (not World War II as the lyrics indicate).

The performance was viewed by 12 million households - and not long after it aired, Lyndon Johnson withdrew his candidacy for re-election. I'm sure it wasn't a direct result of this appearance, but it sure couldn't have helped.

Hippie Ads (Part 3 - "Hippies Loved T-Shirts")

2010-01-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

Hippies loved t-shirts - especially ones with pot and sexual references on them.

Even the freakin' company's name (Roach Studios) sounds like the punchline to a "Share a Little Tea with Goldie" sketch.

I've always felt these types of shirts look interesting when grouped together, but are slightly less effective when seen individually. ("Makin' Bacon"...? Jeez.)

The details are hard to see in this scan, but clicking the image gives you a bigger picture.

Shirley Ghostman channels "The Colonel"

2010-01-05T10:33:00.001-08:00

Comic Marc Wootton's psychic friend "Shirley Ghostman" channels the spirit of Col. Sanders of KFC fame.

Wootton starts his own show on Showtime later this month.

Boxter™

2010-01-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

Here's Boxter™ - one of Richard and Mayumi Heene's failed projects prior to the "Balloon Boy" debacle that landed them in jail.

Looks like they were aiming for a Barney / New Zoo Review vibe.

Hippie Ads (Part 2 - "Sex Sells")

2010-01-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

Here's an Audio World ad from the January, 1973 issue of National Lampoon.

The two-page ad is badly scanned (blame the PDF copy of the magazine on the DVD collection I own) - but it says "five great reproduction systems...". Numbers one through four are stereos, and number five is a naked woman.

Since National Lampoon was never shy about showing naked women in their magazine, I guess Audio World figured they'd get into the spirit of things.

This is the type of ad that would never fly today. Audio World would have the National Organization for Women on their asses, and National Lampoon would probably have to cease operation.

Sexy ads like this were positively de rigueur in 1973 - especially aimed at the free love crowd.

You can click for a bigger view. But yes, I did pixelate the naughty bit.

Pepsi Throwback

2010-01-04T11:39:00.000-08:00

Pepsi has brought back its "Throwback" product - regular Pepsi with "real sugar" in
place of High Fructose Corn Syrup - for another limited (eight week) run.

This time around, they've also brought back the classic can design (left) and packaging.

Not sure if drinking Pepsi Throwback is actually any healthier than Pepsi - but I've convinced myself that it tastes better, and am willing to drink it with impunity and to excess.

Also being thrown back - Mountain Dew - in cans that feature the "hillbilly" motif from whence it's name originates, and something called Heritage Dr. Pepper which gives you all the agony of drinking a modern Dr. Pepper without the corn syrup.

Update: A very young Rubik's Cubicle enjoys some Throwback - at that time simply known as Pepsi.

Hippie Ads (Part One)

2010-01-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

I've been looking through old issues of National Lampoon magazine lately - fascinated by the ads. They really capture a bygone era when rolling papers and stereo equipment seemed to be the top priorities.

The stereo ads are especially interesting. I've attached one today. (You can click the image to make it bigger).

Note how you need a masters degree in sound engineering to begin to understand how the phonograph needle works. (You did realize it was an ad for a phonograph needle, didn't you?) In fact, I think (not sure) it's a needle that can play quadraphonic (4-track) vinyl records, and we all know how popular they turned out to be.

"This phenomenal cartridge will track any record below 1 gram and trace all the way to 50,000 Hz..". Well that's good to know!

Note also the R.Crumb-inspired "Keep on Trackin'" and zany cartoon style so popular with "heads" at the time (1974).

Jean Carroll

2010-01-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

Jean Carroll - a pioneer female stand-up comic who was most popular in the '50s - passed away at age 98.

If you watch her in this clip from The Ed Sullivan Show in 1959, you can see that her delivery likely influenced Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller and others that came later (especially Wendy Leibman).

Babe Ruth ...again!

2010-01-02T16:19:00.001-08:00

Yes, there are an alarming number of Babe Ruth movies on YouTube.

Here's one from 1932 called Fancy Curves featuring a bevy of League of Their Own style female baseball players and the Bambino as himself.

Babe was remarkably comfortable in front of a camera, and might have had a career as a character actor had the baseball thing not worked out so well.

If you ever wanted to see Babe in semi-drag... stick around for the twist ending.

Smothers Brothers - "Boil That Cabbage Down"

2010-01-02T09:37:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading Dangerously Funny - David Bianculli's story of the Smothers Brothers and their controversial CBS variety show. One of the sad things about the Smothers show is that it's never shown on TV anymore, and even the recent DVD sets are incomplete "Best Of" packages.

Well, there's always YouTube. Here we have the boys performing "Boil That Cabbage Down" with the Boston Pops on a (presumably PBS) '80s TV special. It's the same song they recently did - in animated form - on an episode of The Simpsons.

War of the Gargantuas

2010-01-01T21:51:00.001-08:00

There's not much to dislike about this clip from 1965's War of the Gargantuas.

First, we have the song ("The Words Get Stuck In My Throat") from Carol Burnett's (real) sister Kipp Hamilton. Then we have some crazy-ass visuals featuring Twin Peaks' Russ Tamblyn and a guy in a monster costume terrorizing Japan.

And if that's not enough, we have the shock ending.

Is it any wonder why Devo performed this song at their live shows?

Devo - "Don't Shoot"

2010-01-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

This is a new song from Devo - from a forthcoming CD, their first new studio album in twenty years.

The album - which should also include 2008's "Watch Us Work It" - is looking decent.

Doctor Who

2010-01-01T11:05:00.001-08:00

If all goes according to plan, the world will have a new Doctor Who later today.

The show smartly introduced the concept of the title character's "regeneration" as a means of keeping things going even after the actor playing the lead role leaves.

David Tennant announced his intent to leave the series, so tonight (on BBC in the U.K., and tomorrow night on BBC America) his Doctor will presumably be killed off - and regenerate into a newer model played by Matt Smith.

The previous regeneration scene, in which Tennant replaced the outgoing Christopher Eccleston - is one of my favorite scenes in the entire run of the series, old or new. (It also features the thoroughly decent Billie Piper as "Rose").

George Harrison - "Ding Dong"

2010-01-01T00:21:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year.

It's time for this song again.

And the (RIP) rest...

2010-01-01T00:03:00.000-08:00

Note: Arnold Stang (above) died after my initial Top 30 list was already compiled.

Robert Novak, Patrick Swayze, Natasha Richardson, Paul Harvey, Ron Silver, Don Hewitt, Al Martino, Ken Ober, Al Alberts, Steve "Mr. Movie" Friedman, Dallas McKennon, Sammy Petrillo, Bob Stupak, Robert Ginty, Army Archerd, John Hughes, Allen Klein, Ted Kennedy, Billy Mays, Gale Storm, David Carradine, Bud Collyer, Danny Gans, Mark Fidrych, Irving R. Levene, Steve Doll (aka Steven Dunn), Philip Carey, Clint Richie, Ingemar Johansson, Andrew Wyeth, Pat Hingle, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams

Update: Dorothy Coonan, Joseph Wiseman

"Good day!"
-- Paul Harvey

Don McLean

2009-12-31T22:34:00.000-08:00

Here's why (creator of TV series Monk and radio host) Andy Breckman won't play Don McLean's hit "American Pie" on his radio show... with a rebuttal from Don McLean himself.

Top 30 Celebrity Deaths of 2009 (Part 6 of 6)

2009-12-31T00:03:00.000-08:00

1. Harry Kalas (above)
So much a part of my youth and overall enjoyment of the game of baseball. I considered myself blessed to grow up in a city with such commentators as Kalas and Rich Ashburn.

2. Bea Arthur
Deadpan comedienne, hilarious in two classic series - Maude in the '70s and Golden Girls in the '80s.

3. Jose "Pepe" Gonzales
Influential comic artist - brought a cinematic quality to his artwork, most notably as primary artist on Vampirella in the '70s and '80s.

4. Mollie Sugden
I do believe that had she worked in America, Mollie would be a celebrated comedienne on a par with Lucille Ball.

5. Ricardo Montalban
In Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, Fantasy Island... Montalban was good at everything I've seen him do.

Babe Ruth (again)

2009-12-30T20:17:00.001-08:00

Here's Babe again - reading some stuff-shirt the riot act for teaching a bunch of kids their multiplication tables when there's baseball to be played.

You tell 'em, Babe.

Alfred E. Neuman

2009-12-30T11:27:00.000-08:00

The story of Alfred E. Neuman - where the name and image originated - from the creator of Mad himself, the late, great Harvey Kurtzman.

By the way - the image above is the picture that Mad Magazine sent you for 25 cents (or whatever the fee was) - which was famously "suitable for framing or wrapping fish". They ran the ad in the letters page of just about every Mad issue in the late '60s and '70s usually with some misleading headline ("None Left!" ... that's right, none left the warehouse because nobody wanted any).

Babe Ruth as Santa Claus

2009-12-30T07:31:00.001-08:00

Here's footage from 1947 of Babe Ruth playing "Santa Claus" to a group of children.

The Bambino is a bit grouchy ("These whiskers are gettin' me down!") - but we'll forgive him because he's obviously near the end of his run here. (In fact, he won't be around for the following Christmas).

Adding to the depression - the kids all have polio.

Top 30 Celebrity Deaths of 2009 (Part 5 of 6)

2009-12-30T00:03:00.000-08:00

6. Walter Cronkite
There was a time when the news wasn't "official" until you heard it from him at dinner time. I'm old enough to remember the last of the Apollo missions - which will always be recalled via his coverage of them.

7. Dom Deluise
Dependably hilarious funny man, whose presence guaranteed laughs in TV and movies for decades.

8. Brittany Murphy
One of the most entertaining young actresses in Hollywood. She could do comedy and heartbreak as well as any (Check her out in Girl, Interrupted).

9. Ed McMahon
Johnny's (...and sometimes Jerry's) sidekick. A big part of Carson's decade-spanning run on The Tonight Show.

10. Wendy Richard (above)
Played lovable working-class characters in comedy (Are You Being Served?) and drama (Eastenders).

Tomorrow: The Top Five.
New Year's Day: ...And The Rest

The Odd Couple

2009-12-29T20:00:00.000-08:00

Jack Klugman and Tony Randall perform the definitive comedy rendition of Carly Simon's "You're So Vain".

Could there possibly have been a good reason for making this record?

Christopher Lee

2009-12-29T19:53:00.000-08:00

The "Hammer" Dracula - Christopher Lee - terrorizes our ears with a tone-DEAF German-language version of "Mack the Knife" from The Threepenny Opera.

Jew or Not Jew?

2009-12-29T09:11:00.001-08:00

For anyone who's ever wondered if, say, Lisa Kudrow is jewish (she is) - there's Jew or Not Jew a site dedicated to debating, identifying and rating the jewish-ness of famous people - real (Jason Schwartzman) or imagined (Max Fischer - Schwartzman's role in Rushmore).

Of particular interest is the debatable jewish-ness of Simpsons newscaster Kent Brockman. One episode reveals Brockman's on-air name was "Kenny Brocklestein" in the late '60s, but there are others showing Brockman attending church on Sunday. Go figure.

The 20 Most Popular Posts in 2009

2009-12-29T08:20:00.000-08:00

Barring a miracle in the next two days, these will be the twenty most viewed posts on the site in 2009.

1. Superstar Pro Wrestling Game
Became incredibly popular when somebody linked to it on a Pro Wrestling forum. For a while, my site traffic increased ten-fold. Then, almost immediately, I went back to Jay Leno-sized ratings.

2. Can't Stop Eating
So popular I had to go back and update the link - which had become obsolete.

3. Wanda Sykes Living in Delco
A real juggernaut. It must come up in Google's top five when doing a search on this. (By the way - I saw Sykes strolling around Media this past summer, so story confirmed).

4. SNL Calculator Sketch
For the longest time, people were finding this sketch on Hulu through me. Probably because I seem to be the only person in America who liked it.

5. Casey Wilson on Fallon
My reaction to Casey Wilson's horribly unfunny comedy sketch on Jimmy Fallon's Late Night. Link is long dead, so you'll have to take my word for it.

6. Bill Clinton's Nose
Last year's winner. Gets popular again whenever Clinton appears on a talk show.

7. Raymond J. Johnson, Jr.
You doesn't have to call him Johnson.

8. Sherco Grand Slam Baseball
9. Strat-O-Matic Baseball
My baseball board game phase.

10. Post 666 - Lovitz as Satan
I'd like to think this was attracting Jon Lovitz fans, and not devil worshipers.

11. Political Yearbook Photos
Is popular - I think - because I used an awkward high school picture of Michele Obama to illustrate it.

12. Beatles Box Sets
Something I actually put some effort into writing made the Top 20? Something must be wrong here...

13. Solo Cups - Red Ones
One of my dumbest posts ever continues to make the top list.

14. Starship Size Comparison Chart
Star Trek = hits.

15. Dove - the Band of Love
One of many Devo posts. This one was popular last year, too.

16. Beatles perform Shakespeare
I think this clip is why God created YouTube.

17. Marilyn Chambers
I was certain this would be #1 - what with her being a porn star and everything.

18. Michael Saxton
The fondly-remembered Michael Jackson-themed wrestler from the '80s.

19. Letterman interviews Mike Singletary
Link to a sketch - get hits.

20. Top 20 Famous Deaths of 2008 (Part 3 of 4)
Why this particular entry, I do not know.

Top 30 Famous Deaths of 2009 (Part 4 of 6)

2009-12-29T00:03:00.000-08:00

11. Patrick McGoohan
Forty years later, The Prisoner is still ahead of its time.

12. Michael Jackson
King of Pop

13. Dan O'Bannon
Worked on Star Wars, Alien, Heavy Metal and other films that impressed me greatly. His comic "The Long Tomorrow" influenced the movie Blade Runner.

14. Farrah Fawcett
Phenomenally popular sex symbol in her day.

15. Henry Gibson (above)
Noted alum of two influential institutions in my life - Laugh-In and St. Joe's Prep (in that order).

Sing Along with Mitch

2009-12-28T20:01:00.000-08:00

Sing Along with Mitch is a show I distinctly remember seeing as a child, but the date of its run (1961-1966 on NBC) makes it likely that I am remembering a repeat (I was born in '65, but anything's possible).

Lots to see in today's clip. There's the always insincere and belligerent Milton Berle. Car 54's Joe E. Ross (dressed as a policeman?) and, of course, Mitch himself. Also, among the background singers is Bob McGrath - aka "Bob" from Sesame Street, and Leslie Uggams.

Mitch, who as a big-shot at Columbia Records passed on Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly (He disliked rock 'n roll) is still alive at age 98.

Update: Due to overwhelming demand, here's the (brief) Joe E. Ross cameo.

Most Violent Stooges Sequence Ever?

2009-12-28T14:38:00.000-08:00

Here's a scene from They Stooge to Conga (1943) wherein Moe gets a spike in his head, eye and ear - in that order.

To desensitize viewers from the carnage, sound effects make the spike being removed from Moe's skull sound like a champagne cork popping.

I've always found Moe's retribution (it involves a blow torch) particularly harsh.

The Three Stooges

2009-12-28T11:32:00.000-08:00

A reminder that the team of Fine, Howard and Howard (aka The Three Stooges; above) will be featured in a ridiculously long marathon on AMC all-day 12/31 and into the new year.

It's nice to see an American cable network devote a marathon to something worthwhile instead of the usual Law and Order and Monk repeats.

It looks to be all-Curly, which is a good or bad thing depending on your tolerance of Shemp. For me, it's a bad thing - but we'll always have YouTube.

Jimmy Snuka on Piper's Pit

2009-12-28T10:11:00.000-08:00

I've been a wrestling fan for over twenty-five years now, and today's clip is what got me hooked.

Note how Vince McMahon (who looked only slightly less human in 1984) introduces the clip with all the gravitas of the Hindenburg disaster.

Top 30 Famous Deaths of 2009 (Part 3 of 6)

2009-12-28T00:03:00.000-08:00

16. Blossom Dearie
Sublime swing singer. She was so much more than the Schoolhouse Rock songs for which she will likely be remembered.

17. Lou Albano
Quintessential heel wrestling manager.

18. Fred Travalena
Solid comic with integrity. Always good for a chuckle in the days when impressionists were still welcome on talk shows.

19. Gordon Waller (above, right)
The other half of Peter and Gordon - performers of many a British Invasion classic; a few of which weren't written by Paul McCartney.

20. Karl Malden
Accomplished actor (A Streetcar Named Desire, On The Waterfront) and American Express pitchman.

1000th Post

2009-12-27T08:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of you who have ever taken the time to look at my site!

16 Magazine

2009-12-27T07:59:00.001-08:00

Here is a nice selection of 16 Magazine covers.

Even though 16 looks like nonsense, it is often credited by those in the publishing and entertainment industries as a primary influence on shaping rock journalism (or so says Wikipedia).

Top 30 Famous Deaths of 2009 (Part 2 of 6)

2009-12-27T00:03:00.000-08:00

21. Soupy Sales
Zany comedian; noted thrower of pies. May have been the first entertainer to prove you can do a perfectly good kid's show - for adults.

22. Larry Gelbart
Driving force behind M*A*S*H when it was good.

23. Mary Travers
Folk legend and genuine product of Greenwich Village. Her powerful, clear voice defined the folk era.

24. Estelle Bennett
Original member of the Ronettes - one of the greatest rock n roll girl groups ever.

25. Lou Jacobi (above)
Character actor with impeccable comic timing and delivery. Made a few notable guest appearances on '70s sitcoms - including Barney Miller.

Julee Cruise - "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart"

2009-12-26T21:22:00.000-08:00

Julee Cruise hit it big around the same time Twin Peaks debuted on ABC. Her 1989 album Floating Into The Night contained a handful of songs used on the show (including the theme) all with lyrics from David Lynch and music by Angelo Badalamenti.

I loved the album and listened to it regularly, long after Twin Peaks was cancelled.

Here's Julie (looking alarmingly like Lady Gaga) on a 1989 BBC-2 television program, performing "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart".

Top 30 Famous Deaths of 2009 (Part 1 of 6)

2009-12-26T14:29:00.001-08:00

So many famous people died in 2009, I've bumped the countdown list from 20 to 30 this year. As with last year, we'll run down those who didn't happen to make my Top 30 on New Year's Day.

Ranked in order of how much I appreciated their work:

26. Gary Papa (above)
Eminently likable Philadelphia sportscaster. Watching him battle cancer over the last few years was both inspiring and sad.

27. Ellie Greenwich
Composer of many songs on the Golem's iPod - including "Be My Baby", "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)", "Da Doo Ron Ron", "River Deep Mountain High" and others.

28. Vic Mizzy
Composer of many TV show themes - most notably for The Addams Family and Green Acres - two of the absolute best.

29. Edward Woodward
Star of one of my Dad's favorite TV shows - The Equalizer. I have fond memories of watching it with him.

30. James Whitmore
Dependable and likable actor - dubbed "King of the One-Man Show" for his stage portrayals of Harry Truman, Mark Twain and others.

Noble Rot

2009-12-26T09:56:00.001-08:00

At the time of his death, John Belushi was writing a script (with Don Novello, aka Father Guido Sarducci, above) for a new film called Noble Rot.

After all these years, the script for Noble Rot can be viewed online here.

It might have been a classic, or it might have been another Continental Divide. You decide.

Merry Christmas, Everybody

2009-12-24T16:01:00.000-08:00

Have a safe happy holiday.

Here's that great Christmas moment again.

Chris Elliott - "Late Night with David Letterman"

2009-12-23T21:03:00.001-08:00

Here's Chris (father of Abby) Elliott portraying "Marlon Brando" on David Letterman's old NBC show.

Elliott was a writer on the show, and Dave let him do bizarre (but funny) bits like this on a regular basis. (He still appears - less frequently - on Dave's CBS show).

Note: When Chris mentions "Foster Brooks" here, he's actually referencing Dave's interview with a seemingly drunk Oliver Reed.

Foster Brooks

2009-12-23T16:22:00.001-08:00

It's time for "The Twelve Drunken Days of Christmas" from that "Lovable Lush" - Foster Brooks.

Warning: This is exactly what you would expect it to be.

SCTV - "What's My Shoe Size?"

2009-12-23T08:19:00.000-08:00

Here's a good example of what made SCTV so good. It's a sketch called "What's My Shoe Size?" from 1978.

This aired on the episode where SCTV was celebrating its (bogus) 30th anniversary. The cast was looking at clips of "old" shows - and this was one of them - an obvious parody of "What's My Line?".

SCTV had one of those rare comedy casts where everybody was great. Watch and laugh.

Drew Friedman - "The World, The Flesh, & Robot Monster"

2009-12-22T11:29:00.000-08:00

In honor of Arnold Stang - here he is in Drew Friedman's 1984 cartoon "The World, The Flesh, & Robot Monster" (originally appeared in Heavy Metal magazine). I remember it well.

"Go away, you nut! You're nuts!"

(Click for big version)

Arnold Stang

2009-12-22T08:35:00.000-08:00

Sad to report the passing of Arnold Stang, 91.

He was the voice of Top Cat, and co-star of Hercules in New York. He was also a popular guest star on many variety shows of the '50s and '60s - especially noteworthy for heckling Milton Berle.

Pee Wee Herman

2009-12-21T19:53:00.000-08:00

Here's evidence that Pee Wee Herman did an anti-drug PSA, presumably sometime before he became a pariah in Hollywood.