40th Anniversary of The Final Episode of The Fugitive

Because of time constraints, I didn't get the chance to post this on Wednesday. However, I would be remiss if I didn't make note of the 40th anniversary of the day the running stopped... the final episode of "The Fugitive".

Since I wasn't born when it first aired in the U.S. on August 29th 1967 and "The Fugitive" was rarely syndicated I was growing up, I didn't see the final episode until the early 1990s when A&E started showing reruns. After hearing about it for years and only seeing a few clips on various retrospectives, I have to say that the final episode lived up to its hype. To me, it would have been a disappointment for the show to end without Dr. Richard Kimble getting the chance to clear his name and catch up with the One-Armed Man.

Below is the climax of the series finale of "The Fugitive". Even though I've seen it several times, it is still exhilarating to see Dr. Kimble finally get justice after being on the run from Lt. Philip Gerard for so long.

Thursday Thirteen #10: 13 of My Favorite Musical Guest Appearances

I guess you can call this my "With A Little Help From My Friends" edition of the Thursday Thirteen. Many times an artist will backup a fellow artist in the studio. Since they often do this without receiving label credit, you might say to yourself, "Wow, that sounds like______". Other times there is no mistaking the singing/playing style of the person doing the cameo. Below are some of my favorites.

1. Eddie Van Halen plays the guitar solo on Michael Jackson's "Beat It" (1983)

2. Kate Pierson of the B-52s sings backup on the R.E.M. hit "Shiny Happy People" (1991)

3. Jr. Walker performs the sax solo on Foreigner's "Urgent" (1981)

4. The Sweet Inspirations sing backup on "Glory Glory" by The Rascals (1970)

5. Chaka Khan does background vocals on Stevie Winwood's #1 hit "Higher Love" (1986)

6. King Curtis plays the sax on "Charlie Brown" by the Coasters (1959)

7. Lou Rawls sings backup on "Bring It On Home To Me" by Sam Cooke (1962)

8. Andy Taylor (of Duran Duran) plays the guitar solo on "Mad About You" by Belinda Carlisle (1986)

9. Billy Preston plays the organ solo on Luther Vandross' "Til My Baby Comes Home" (1985)

10. Michael McDonald sings backup on the Christopher Cross hit "Ride Like the Wind" (1980)

11. Jerry Lee Lewis plays piano on Carl Perkins' "Put Your Cat Clothes On" (1956)

12. Stevie Wonder plays harmonica on "There Must Be An Angel" (Playing With My Heart) by Eurythmics (1985).

13. The Temptations sing backup on the Marvin Gaye hit "Try It Baby" (1964)


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

1. Lori
2. Susan Helene
3. Sandee (Comedy +)
4. Denise Patrick
5. Lori (A Cowboy's Wife)
6. Silencer 76
7. Gattina
8. 2 Boys 2 Teach
9. No Nonsense Girl
10. LA Day
11. Robin
12. Lori's Old School Mix
13. Jessica the Rock Chick
14. Kathy
15. Nap Warden
16. Mo Mhile Gra
17. Jennie
18. Amazing Gracie
19. Movie Girl
20. Haley-O


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Happy Birthday Michael Jackson

Wednesday, August 29th is Michael Jackson's 49th birthday. I find it hard to believe that he is almost 50! It's easy to poke fun at all of his eccentricities and how he's disfigured himself. I have been guilty of taking my jabs at him as well. Because of the sordid details of his personal life, Michael's status as one of the greatest entertainers of all time sometimes gets overlooked. As a result, I'm going to take this opportunity to talk about the magic of the man formerly known as "The Gloved One".

When I was a kid, The Jackson Five were it... with little Michael leading the way. Although I liked them all, Michael was always my favorite. Even then I thought it was amazing that someone Michael's age possessed such raw talent. Along with two of my older siblings, I used to watch The Jackson Five's animated cartoon show every Saturday morning in the early 70s. We also had one of their "cereal box records" (remember those?) from the back of a box of Alpha Bits. Songs like "The Love You Save", "Sugar Daddy", and "I'll Be There" were a big part of the soundtrack of my childhood.

One of my favorite TV memories is the "Motown 25" special. Although the telecast had many highlights (The Temptations/Four Tops showdown, Marvin Gaye's performance, etc.), the reunion of Michael and his brothers was what I was anticipating. Little did I know that Michael was going to top that before the night was over. When he did the "Moonwalk" during his solo performance of "Billie Jean" (check out the You Tube clip below), I couldn't believe what I saw! I'll bet that millions of other viewers felt the same way.

After "Motown 25", Michael Jackson went from being a star to a megastar. He dominated the Billboard charts and his electrifying music videos helped to put MTV on the map. His hand in MTV's success and vice versa is ironic given the fact that the music channel initially did not play videos by black artists. It wasn't until Michael's record label threatened to pull all of their videos from MTV that the music channel waved the white flag (no pun intended) and played "Billie Jean". Before "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Thriller", a majority of music videos were primitve and mediocre at best. Michael helped to transform the music video from a mere marketing tool into a form of artistic expression.

For a few years in the mid 80s, Michael Jackson was everywhere. On the game show "Press Your Luck", he even had his own "Whammy". However, as his fame grew, he naturally pulled back on his TV appearances. Outside of his music videos, there were times when you didn't see him all that much. As a result, this made his TV appearances even more special. One of the most memorable ones was when he made a surprise appearance on "The Arsenio Hall Show" to present Eddie Murphy with an MTV award.

I believe that the worst thing to happen to Michael professionally was the success of "Thriller". His previous album "Off the Wall" (which, by the way, I think is the better of the two) was big... but "Thriller" was gigantic! Because of the unprecedented success of "Thriller", I think that Michael felt that he had to top himself with each subsequent release. As a result, the time span between albums increased. Since "Thriller", Michael has only released three albums which consisted entirely of new material (HIStory, was sold with some of his greatest hits included as an extra CD).

To date, one of Michael's last professional triumphs was his 30th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in 2001. Once again, the highlight for me was Michael's reunion with his brothers. It's something about seeing them perform songs from the Jackson Five/Jacksons eras that does it for me every time.

Although Michael will never reach the heights of the "Thriller" era again, I have a feeling that there is still some magic left in him. I always thought that Michael should put together a special along the lines of the acoustic series "Unplugged". To me, it would be cool as hell to see him on an intimate stage with a small band performing stripped down versions of classics like "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin".

Even with all of Michael's personal troubles, one thing you could always say was that he never failed to dazzle the audience with his vocal and dancing skills. Ice-T said it best when he remarked that Michael Jackson could make the hardest gangbanger squeal "Ooh, it's Michael Jackson!" My only hope is that Michael goes into the studio or takes the stage once again so that those gangbangers (along with anybody else who wants to) get the opportunity to squeal once again.

Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal
Uploaded by Tina007

Miss South Carolina Gives Her Thoughts On Geographic Awareness

Late Monday night, a friend of mine sent me the following clip from the recent Miss Teen USA 2007 pageant. During the final question round, actress Aimee Teegarden (Friday Night Lights) asked Miss South Carolina (Caitlin Upton) why she thought that 1/5 of Americans couldn't locate the United States on a world map. Ms. Upton's response is interesting to say the least. I have watched the clip several times and it never fails to make me cringe. Is Miss South Carolina's incoherent answer due to nerves or just plain stupidity? You be the judge.

Happy Birthday Downtown Julie Brown!

While watching "Pardon the Interruption" on Monday, I learned that it was "Downtown" Julie Brown's 44th birthday. Talk about a blast from the past. For awhile, it seemed like you couldn't turn on MTV without seeing "Downtown" Julie Brown in one of her wild outfits. Later, she expanded her horizons with hosting duties at Super Bowls XXV and XXVI as well as commercial endorsements for Pepsi and MCI.

She then gradually faded away, doing occasional TV guest shots and small roles in movies like "Spy Hard" and "B*A*P*S". The funniest line I heard about the downward spiral of her professional life was by David Spade as part of his "Hollywood Minute" segment on SNL: "Wubba, wubba, wubba. My career's in trubba, trubba, trubba".

New Addition To My Blog: The Weekly Poll

Blogger recently added poll capabilities which will allow me to ask you to vote on a variety of pop culture topics. This is your opportunity to make your voice heard and have fun at the same time. This feature will be in the upper left hand corner of the page. My first question is one that I am sure many of us wish we could actually make happen. So go ahead and exercise your right!

In Praise of Fats Domino

A couple of weeks ago, I was reading an article in Entertainment Weekly titled "Back From the Brink". It talked about the efforts of the New Orleans arts community to turn things around in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. One of the musicians quoted in the article is arguably the most famous one to come out of The Big Easy... Antoine "Fats" Domino. As you may already know, Fats is a lifelong resident of New Orleans and his home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Because he had not been heard from since before the hurricane hit, it was believed that Fats was one of its casualties. Fortunately, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued Fats and he still performs in New Orleans to this day.

When it comes to the rock 'n' roll stars of the 1950s, it's easy for some to overlook Fats Domino due to his unassuming persona. Elvis had the swivel hips and the swagger, Chuck Berry had those classic guitar licks to go with his duckwalk, and fellow ivory ticklers like Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis spiced up their piano skills with theatrics (playing with their feet, jumping on top of their pianos or setting the damned thing on fire).

Another reason that people sometimes forget about Fats Domino is that he is one of the few rock legends who hasn't had any scandals or controversies played out in public. With the exception of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy, I can't think of a news story I've heard about him that wasn't music-related. To the best of my knowledge, there aren't any stories of drug abuse, arrests, or a marriage to a 13 year old cousin in the history of Mr. Domino.

The things that Fats did possess are what's really important: great songs, a winning personality, and a driving, boogie-woogie style of piano playing that produced hit after hit. As a matter of fact, with the exception of Elvis, Fats Domino was the most successful rock 'n' roll artist of the 1950s. He had 33 hits on the Billboard pop charts (including ten that reached the Top 10). On the R&B charts, he was the most successful artist of the entire decade (34 Top 10 hits, 9 of which went all the way to #1). With all of Fats Domino's chart success, he never had a #1 pop hit. However, Mr. White Buck Shoes himself (Pat Boone) topped the charts with his cover of "Ain't That A Shame". Indeed it is!

I first got into the music of Fats Domino by listening to oldies stations during my early teens. He is one of those artists that when I hear his music, it's hard for me to sit still. Try listening to tunes like "Whole Lotta Lovin", "I'm Ready", and "I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday" without tapping your feet, clapping your hands, or bobbing your head... you can't! His music also never fails to put me in a good mood. Even with a wistful ballad like "Walkin' To New Orleans" I can smile because I know that as soon as Fats gets back to his birthplace, all will be right in this world.

On Tuesday September 25th, "Goin' Home: A Tribute To Fats Domino" is scheduled to be released. Some of the artists doing their take on classic Domino tunes include: Sir Elton John (Blueberry Hill), Sir Paul McCartney (I Want To Walk You Home), Tom Petty (I'm Walkin ), Willie Nelson (I Hear You Knockin'), B.B. King (Goin' Home) and Neil Young (Walkin' To New Orleans). The sales from the CD will help raise funds specifically for instruments to be donated to New Orleans public school children. The money will also go toward the rebuilding of Fats Domino's home and to create a community center in the city's Lower 9th Ward.

If you wanna see Fats Domino in his prime, check out the clip below from the 1956 film "Shake, Rattle, & Rock". In the clip, do recognize the future TV star who appears at the 1:31 mark?

Spin City Playlist For 8/25/07

4 pm hour

You Give Love A Bad Name- Bon Jovi
Bootzilla- Bootsy Collins
Yes I Am- The Emotions
Time (Clock of the Heart)- Culture Club
Don't Let Go- Wang Chung
Cisco Kid- War

Common Thread segment: Remakes of songs from the 1950s
Rockin' Robin- Michael Jackson
Don't Be Cruel- Cheap Trick
Oh Lonesome Me- The Kentucky Headhunters
Come On, Let's Go- Los Lobos
Chantilly Lace- Jerry Lee Lewis

Touch A Hand, Make A Friend- The Staple Singers
Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)- Joe Tex
Tarzan Boy- Baltimora
Whodunit- Tavares

5 pm hour

Kiss Me Deadly- Lita Ford
Ghetto Life- Rick James
Happy- Brick
Ohio- Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young
Drive Me Wild- Vanity 6
Policy of Truth- Depeche Mode
Caravan of Love- The Housemartins

On the Flip Side segment:
Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose- Teddy Pendergrass (the B-side to "Close the Door")

Get Up & Boogie- Silver Convention
Wildflower- Skylark
Mary, Mary- Run DMC
Ladies First- Queen Latifah
For the Love of Money- The O'Jays
Jimmy Loves Mary Anne- Looking Glass

6 pm hour

Jungle Love- The Time
Birthday Suit- Johnny Kemp
Listen Like Thieves- INXS
Cruel To Be Kind- Nick Lowe
Stick Up- The Honey Cone
Working Together- Maze feat. Frankie Beverly
You're the Only Woman- Ambrosia
Tears- John Waite
Walking Down Your Street- The Bangles
Keeper of the Castle- The Four Tops
Love Or Let Me Be Lonely- Friends of Distinction
Talk Talk- Talk Talk
A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)- Romeo Void
Boys Don't Cry- The Cure
Superfly- Curtis Mayfield

Did any of your faves make this week's playlist?

Man About the House: The British Version of Three's Company

While searching the website TV Shows On DVD, I found that the series (the British TV equivalent of a season) 1 & 2 set of the highly successful Britcom "Man About the House" was released on Tuesday. As many of you may know, "Man About the House" was the inspiration for "Three's Company". In "Man About the House", the Jack Tripper character was named Robin Tripp and his roomies were Chrissy Plummer and Jo (who for some reason wasn't given a last name). One of the differences between the two shows is that in "Man About the House", Chrissy was the smart brunette and Jo was the ditzy blonde.

"Man About the House" ran from 1973-76 and is one of the most successful sitcoms to come out of the U.K. Just like "Three's Company", it also spawned two spinoffs: "George & Mildred" (the British version of "The Ropers") and "Robin's Nest" (which was "Three's A Crowd"in the U.S.). It even had a feature length film version (also called "Man About the House").

Unfortunately, "Man About the House" isn't seen in reruns over here too often. I have only seen clips here and there. Maybe networks are afraid that viewers will consider it a ripoff of "Three's Company", which is too bad. If you would like to make comparisons between the two, check out the clip below from the pilot episode of "Man About the House". Fans of "Three's Company" who have seen its pilot will notice the similarities.

Adam Levine Discusses Why He Broke Up With Maria Sharapova

According to Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine, he broke up with tennis superstar Maria Sharapova because she was a "terrible lover" who refused to move or moan during sex. The couple dated for a short time in 2005 after meeting at Sharapova's 18th birthday party. However, the relationship soon fell by the wayside.

Levine told Russian magazine "Exile" the following: "She wouldn't make any noise during sex. I can't tell you how disappointed I was. I really thought, like a lot of guys, that she'd be the loud screaming type. But instead, she just lay there like a dead frog. She even got angry if I started to moan, said it 'ruined her concentration.' It was so disillusioning that I went on Paxil (an antidepressant) for a month afterwards. Really, it was much more of a shock than when I found out there's no such thing as the Easter Bunny."

Personally, I find Levine's comments a little hard to believe. If you've ever seen Sharapova in action on the tennis court you know exactly what I mean. However, the validity of the story is beside the point. To go to the media and discuss a former lover's sexual prowess (or lack thereof) is pretty low in my book. Sharapova must have done something to piss off Levine because he was pretty harsh. As I think about it, I wonder if this might backfire on Levine. In the past, he has dated such celebs as Kirsten Dunst, Paris Hilton, Jessica Biel, and Natalie Portman. Do you think the ladies will be reluctant to get involved with Adam for fear he might put their "business in the street"?

Note: A rep for Adam Levine is now denying that the singer made the above comments about Maria Sharapova's lovemaking skills.

Steven Seagal Wants the F.B.I. To Apologize

According to the L.A. Times, action star Steven Seagal is demanding an apology from the F.B.I. over allegations the bureau made against him that he feels ruined his career. The FBI affidavit accused him of hiring a former private eye to threaten a freelance reporter who was working on a story about the actor's possible ties to organized crime. Although Seagal was never charged, the bureau has not issued any statement clearing him.

Maybe Seagal should blame his career woes on himself for basically playing the same character in nearly all of his films. As for apologies, there are probably moviegoers who feel that Steven should say he's sorry to them for "On Deadly Ground"... and for "The Glimmer Man"... also "Fire Down Below"...

Foxy Brown: BlackBerry Beatdown

Early last week Foxy Brown turned herself in to face charges of felony assault, menacing, harassment and criminal possession of a weapon. The charges stem from a July 30th incident in which the 27 year old rapper is accused of using her BlackBerry to assault a neighbor during an argument. The 25 year old victim filed a complaint with authorities after reportedly receiving treatment for loose teeth, a swollen lip and swelling of her right eye.

Just think if Hollywood ever decided to remake the Pam Grier blaxploitation flick "Foxy Brown", Foxy Brown herself would be perfect in the lead role. If you ever saw the 1974 film, you may remember that part of the opening credits sequence features the live action Pam and her silhouetted image doing karate moves. The opening credits of the remake could have Foxy attacking unsuspecting foes with her BlackBerry! Hey, Hey, Hey Foxy. Aw Miss Foxy Brown...

Spin City Playlist For 8/18/07

4 pm hour

The Show- Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew
I Need A Man- Eurythmics
Keep It Coming Love- KC & the Sunshine Band
Thanks For Saving My Life- Billy Paul
Ego Tripping Out- Marvin Gaye
Driver's Seat- Sniff & the Tears

Common Thread segment: Singers with famous parents
Say You're Wrong- Julian Lennon
Fear- Lenny Kravitz
Mr. Melody- Natalie Cole

Baby Come Back- Player
Darlington County- Bruce Springsteen
I Wanna Get Next To You- Rose Royce

5 pm hour

When the Going Gets Tough (The Tough Get Going)- Billy Ocean
Chain Reaction- Diana Ross
Panic- The Smiths
Fame- David Bowie
Runnin' With the Devil- Van Halen
If You Want Me To Stay- Sly & the Family Stone
Encore- Cheryl Lynn
Word Up- Cameo

Now & Then segment's featured artist: Paul McCartney
Ever Present Past (from his new CD "Memory Almost Full")
Jet- Paul McCartney & Wings

City Country City- War
Shadows of the Night- Pat Benatar
Take It To the Top- Kool & the Gang
Little Walter- Tony, Toni, Tone

6 pm hour

Burning Love- Elvis Presley
Butter Boy- Fanny
I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson- DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
Cool It Now- New Edition
It Must Be Love- Madness
I Don't Know If It's Right- Evelyn "Champagne" King
Rubberband Man- The Spinners
Europa & the Pirate Twins- Thomas Dolby
Love Is Like Oxygen- Sweet
Circles- Atlantic Starr
They Don't Know- Tracey Ullman
Brother Louie- Stories
Rode By the Place (Where We Used To Stay)- David Ruffin
Party Train- The Gap Band
Summer Nights- John Travolta & Olivia Newton- John

Amy Winehouse Says Yes, Yes, Yes To Rehab

British singer Amy Winehouse has cancelled the remainder of her concerts for this month due to "severe exhaustion". According to reports, she checked into a rehab clinic... checked out shortly thereafter... then checked back in to the facility. However, Blake Fielder-Civil (Amy's husband) says the two of them only left the clinic to get Amy's guitar. Call me cynical, but I didn't realize that a guitar was so heavy that it took two people to retrieve one.

Anyways, it appears that Amy is back in the clinic and getting the help she needs. She is scheduled to begin a tour of North America in September.

Correction: One Life To Live Says Goodbye To Asa Buchanan

While channel surfing during a commercial break of the Tigers/Yankees game, I turned to SoapNet to catch some of the encore presentation of Thursday's "One Life To Live". I was surprised to see the characters of Llanview bidding farewell to Asa Buchanan! Although the sources I used stated that former characters would appear in the 10,000th episode (which airs Friday August 17th), they didn't mention that they would actually return on Thursday.

If you have SoapNet and missed Thursday's episode, they will repeat it at 2 am and 8 am EST on Friday morning. You can also catch it on Sunday morning as part of the One Life To Live marathon when all of the previous week's episodes will air. For scheduling information, please visit SoapNet.

Thursday Thirteen #8- Quotes About Elvis Presley

Since August 16th is the 30th anniversary of his death, I decided to make this week's TT about the man known as The Pelvis. The quotes (some of which are not too kind) are followed by the person who said them.

1. "His kind of music is deplorable, a rancid smelling aphrodisiac."- Frank Sinatra, 1956

2. "He was an instinctive actor...he was quite bright...he was very intelligent...he was not a punk. He was very elegant, sedate, and refined, and sophisticated."- Walter Matthau, who co-starred with Elvis in the film "King Creole". From a 1987 interview.

3. "You know, Bush is always comparing me to Elvis in sort of unflattering ways. I don't think Bush would have liked Elvis very much and that's just another thing that's wrong with him."- Bill Clinton, during the 1992 Presidential campaign.

4. "Elvis is my man."- Janis Joplin

5. "Elvis was a hero to most, but he never meant shit to me."- Chuck D (from the Public Enemy song "Fight the Power").

6. That's my idol, Elvis Presley. If you went to my house, you'd see pictures all over of Elvis. He's just the greatest entertainer that ever lived. And I think it's because he had such presence. When Elvis walked into a room, Elvis was in the fucking room. I don't give a fuck who was in the room with him, Bogart, Marilyn Monroe."- Eddie Murphy

7. "Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail."- Bob Dylan

8. "God, it was awful. He can sing, but he can't do much else."- Natalie Wood

9. "Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger, and all the others only followed in his footsteps."- Rod Stewart

10. "I didn't think he was as good as the Everly Brothers the first time I ever laid eyes on him."- Chuck Berry

11. "I wasn't just a fan, I was his brother. He said I was good and I said he was good; we never argued about that. Elvis was a hard worker, dedicated, and God loved him. Last time I saw him was at Graceland. We sang Old Blind Barnabus together, a gospel song. I love him and hope to see him in heaven. There'll never be another like that soul brother."- James Brown

12. "Elvis Presley wound up looking on the outside like what he always was on the inside- an overrated slob."- Joan Blondell

13. "There have been many accolades uttered about his talent and performances through the years, all of which I agree with wholeheartedly."- Frank Sinatra, 1977


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Happy Birthday Danny Bonaduce!

After thumbing through the book "Chase's Calendar of Events", I learned that Danny Bonaduce's birthday is on August 13th. Although it's late in the day, I would be remiss if I didn't make note of the 48th birthday of the red-headed kid who inspired many wannabe musicians to strap on a bass.

Below is a clip from a 1971 Partridge Family episode titled "Soul Club". If you have never seen this episode, I wouldn't blame you for thinking that I am making this up. The plot centers around The Partridges winding up in a ghetto in Detroit due to a booking mixup. Once there, they learn that club owners A.E. and Sam Simon are in danger of losing their business to a loan shark. A.E. and Sam are played by comedy icon Richard Pryor and future Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr!

Shirley learns that the Temptations were supposed to play at the club and that the booking mixup wasn't a mistake, but was planned by the loan shark so that A.E. and Sam couldn't make their last payment. In order to help, the Partridge's give a free concert. However, the loan shark and his musclemen make sure that no one shows up.

The next day, Shirley comes up with the idea of having a block party to save the club. Keith lends a hand by working up a new song ("kind of an Afro thing"... his words, not mine) with A.E. titled "Bandala". Partridge Family manager Reuben Kincaid pitches in by getting the DJs to announce the event and Danny convinces a group of tough-looking martial artists to get an orchestra together. The block party is a resounding success and the money earned give the Simon brothers more than enough to pay off the loan shark. The Partridge Family hops aboard their psychedelic bus and rides off into the sunset (OK, I did make up the riding off into the sunset part).

Bandala:

It's A Given, Pop Culture Style

On the Monday morning broadcast of "It Is What It Is" (which airs on Sports Radio 1130 WDFN) host Sean Baligian did a segment called It's A Given. For the segment, he asked listeners to chime in with things that are inevitable in the sports world (for example, one emailer said that it's a given that the Detroit Pistons will make it to the Eastern Conference Finals every year).

I decided to run with the "It's A Given" idea and apply it to the world of pop culture. Below are some pop culture-related things that you can count on happening, just like the sun rising every morning.

1. A week will not go by without a member of young Hollywood having a run-in with the law.

2. A reality dating show will have a token black contestant, who will be gone within 2 weeks (sorry Lakeisha, no rose for you).

3. Will Smith will star in a movie that will debut at #1 at the box office. In a side note, Kevin Costner will star in a film that won't.

4. MTV's lineup will be dominated by programming that has little (if anything) to do with music.

5. Every few years a "new" Tupac CD will be released.

What are some of your pop culture "givens"?

One Life To Live Says Goodbye To Asa Buchanan

On the 10,000the episode of "One Life To Live", the citizens of Llanview pay their final respects to bourbon swilling billionaire Asa Buchanan. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the ABC daytime drama decided to kill off the long-running character when actor Philip Carey refused to go off contract and appear on a recurring basis. Carey's last appearance on the show was on April 26th.

Asa's funeral allows for the temporary return of several fan favorites from One Life To Live's past. James DePaiva (Max Holden), Dan Gauthier (Kevin Buchanan), John Loprieno (Cord Roberts), Tonja Walker (Alex Olanov), and Nathan Fillion (Joey Buchanan) have all signed on to reprise their roles for the occasion. The 10,000th episode of One Life To Live airs on Friday August 17th.

Spin City Playlist For 8/11/07

4 pm hour

Is There Something I Should Know- Duran Duran
Georgy Porgy- Toto
I Got Ants In My Pants- James Brown
Mixed Emotions- Rolling Stones
Stay Gold (from the movie The Outsiders)- Stevie Wonder
Found A Cure- Ashford & Simpson
Love Rollercoaster- Ohio Players

Common Thread segment: 52nd birthday tribute to Joe Jackson
Is She Really Going Out With Him
Look Sharp
Steppin' Out

Right On Time- Brothers Johnson
Human Beat Box- Fat Boys
I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)- Alicia Bridges
Babylon the Bandit- Steel Pulse

5 pm hour

Bad Time- Grand Funk
Kung Fu- Curtis Mayfield
Saturday Love- Cherelle with Alexander O'Neal
I Didn't Mean To Turn You On- Robert Palmer
Ready For Love- Rascals
Look What You've Done To Me- Al Green
Beat It- Michael Jackson

The Guilty Pleasure of the Week:
Make It With You- Bread

Make Yours A Happy Home- Gladys Knight & the Pips
White Lines (Don't Do It)- Grandmaster & Melle Mel
Shock the Monkey- Peter Gabriel
You're All I've Got Tonight- Cars
Hot Stuff- Donna Summer
I Didn't Know I Loved You ('Til I Saw You Rock & Roll)- Gary Glitter

6 pm hour

On the Dark Side- John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band
Hide & Go Seek- Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Emma- Hot Chocolate
Let's Groove- Earth, Wind, & Fire
Square Pegs (full version)- Waitresses
Nobody's Business- Billy Idol
One Nation Under A Groove- Funkadelic
Honey Please, Can't Ya See- Barry White
Roll On Down the Highway- Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Peace Frog- Doors
What's Love Got To Do With It- Tina Turner
Once In A Lifetime- Talking Heads
Rent- Pet Shop Boys
Rockin' Roll Baby- Stylistics
The Time Warp (from the Rocky Horror Picture Show)

Desperate Housewives Star and A Golden State Warrior Are Reportedly An Item

The ladies of Wisteria Lane apparently have a thing for NBA point guards (and vice versa). Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher is rumored to be dating Baron Davis of the Golden State Warriors. The pair reportedly were introduced by San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker at his wedding to Eva Longoria over in Paris last month. They apparently hit it off quite well, talking and dancing for most of the night. After returning to the states, Teri and Baron were spotted dining together in Hollywood.

Since ABC is the home of "Desperate Housewives" and Sunday afternoon NBA games, the network would love it if Baron and Teri are an item. Lord knows they never let us forget that Eva and Tony were a couple. If Baron and Teri are dating and someone was to ask him nicely, do you think he would confirm whether or not "they" are real AND spectacular?

Thursday Thirteen #7- TV Shows That I Would Love To See In Reruns Again

Thirteen TV Shows That I Would Love To See In Reruns Again
As a longtime TV fan, there are a bunch of shows that I have followed over the years. Unfortunately, many of these shows have faded from syndication. On the other hand, you have some (I Love Lucy, Friends, The Brady Bunch, etc.) which get rerun to death. Come on TV Land, instead of showing reruns of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", how about dusting off some of these shows? For the titles in dark type, you can click on the link to watch the opening credits or promo for the show. In the case of The Mothers-In-Law, you can also watch about 7 minutes of an actual episode.

1. The Wild, Wild West- Robert Conrad as a 19th century James Bond, with the late Ross Martin as his sidekick, master of disguise Artemus Gordon.

2. Route 66- I used to watch this all the time during the early years of Nick At Nite. Tod and Buz roaming the country in a Corvette to the sound of one of the best theme songs in TV history.

3. House Calls- Based on the Walter Matthau/Glenda Jackson movie, this sitcom starred Wayne Rogers (who I think got a raw deal on M*A*S*H) as Dr. Charley Michaels. Ironically, during its primetime run, it aired after M*A*S*H on Monday nights.

4. Up & Coming- I haven't seen this show since it originally aired on PBS in the early 1980s. It was a solid drama about a black middle-class family living in San Francisco. Playing the role of the teenaged daughter was Cindy Herron, who went on to multi-platinum fame as a member of the female singing group En Vogue.

5. Doogie Howser, M.D.- Remember how Doogie's horndog pal would always climb through Doogie's window? How about when Doogie would write in his electronic diary on his PC at the end of every episode?

6. The Mod Squad- I still haven't figured out who or what Pete, Linc, and Julie were running from in the opening credits sequence!

7. Too Close For Comfort- Ted Knight was hilarious as Henry Rush, the cartoonist for Cosmic Cow. His lovely daughters (Jackie and Sarah) weren't bad to look at either!

8. Riptide- I remember that this show, about private eyes Cody Allen and Nick Ryder, used to air right after The A-Team. Nick and Cody were helped on their cases by the nerdy genius Boz (he built a robot called "Roboz").

9. Herman's Head- This was back when the Sunday night lineup on FOX was one of the best on TV (The Simpsons, ROC, In Living Color, etc.). Every week, we were treated to the 4 conflicting aspects of Herman's personality. The 4 personalities appeared in human form (their names were Wimp, Animal, Genius, and Angel). Appearing as one of Herman's co-workers was Yeardley Smith (aka the voice of Lisa Simpson).

10. The White Shadow- Another great series with an awesome, funky theme song. This show did an excellent job of mixing drama with comedic situations. It also featured a character with one of the all-time great nicknames... Salami.

11. The Mothers-In-Law- Thanks to You Tube, I was able to watch snippets of an episode. Other than that, I haven't seen this show in well over 30 years. This late 60s sitcom starred the great Eve Arden (one of my all time favorite actresses) and Kaye Ballard (sometimes referred to as the poor man's Martha Raye).

12. ABC After School Special- Child abuse, adoption, divorce, teenage alcoholism... these specials covered all the hot topics! I also remember that alot of commercials for Bic pens and the Trapper Keeper (remember those?) aired during these specials. One of the segments that sticks out is the one titled "Please Don't Hit Me Mom". It starred Patty Duke Astin as an abusive mom. The object of her abuse was played by her real-life son Sean Astin. Also starring in this episode was "Facts of Life" star Nancy McKeon as the neighborhood babysitter who uncovers the deep dark secret.

13. Room 222- How many of us wished our high school's faculty included caring adults like teachers Pete Dixon and Alice Johnson, guidance counselor Liz McIntyre, and principal Seymour Kaufman? Richard Dreyfuss, Glynn Turman, Rob Reiner, Kurt Russell, and Teri Garr are just a few of the soon-to-be stars who did guest shots as high school students on this comedy-drama. Also, who can forget Bernie's gigantic orange fro?

Links to other Thursday Thirteens! (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

1. Silencer76 lists 13 wrestling greats.
2. Amy (author of The Real Bee Log) tells you 13 things you need to know about jury duty
3. Ed's TT tells you about a software tool he is developing
4. The Crux lists 13 U.S. political scandals/flaps
5. Gattina's TT is all about things you should never say when "making the beast with two backs"
6. Lori's Old School Mix shares with us 13 voices that she misses
7. Mama Lee tells us about 13 of her favorite things
8. Jessica the Rock Chick gives us 13 reasons to send her to the A-list
9. Puss Reboots shares 13 pics from preschool graduation
10. Marina lists 13 of her favorites from the world of literature
11. Jessica Morris gives us 13 reasons why things between her and Mr. Coincidence couldn't have worked out.
12. Noelle tells us 13 things about herself
13. Boliyou lists 13 movies that she owns... and why


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Running With the Devil Again... The Return of Van Halen

According to reports, Van Halen are announcing next week that they will be reuniting with their original lead singer David Lee Roth for a 50 date tour of America. The tour is set to launch in October and will reunite Roth with Eddie Van Halen on guitar and his brother Alex Van Halen behind the drum kit. Subbing on bass for original member Michael Anthony is Eddie's son Wolfgang.

This has the makings to be one of the most lucrative and tempestuous tours of the year. A friend of mine sent me an email this morning about the the impending reunion of Van Halen. The subject line was "We'll see how long THIS lasts." A fellow music fan who works in the same building as me doubts that the tour will last beyond the first 20 shows. I told them both that if I was a fan who had tickets for one of the dates late in the tour, I would be just a little nervous.

So what do you think... will the reunion survive for all 50 shows? What other group(s) would you like to see set aside their differences and hit the road for old times sake... and boat loads of money?

VH-1's List of The 100 Greatest Kid Stars of All Time

Not too long ago, I was IM'ing with a relative and we were discussing the greatest child stars of all time. In particular, we were talking about the list of the 100 Greatest Kid Stars that VH-1 compiled a couple of years ago. Since I didn't have a blog when this special 1st aired, I'll take this opportunity to vent.

After looking at VH-1's list of the 100 Greatest Kid Stars, it reminded me of something that might soil the shoes of a matador. You can pretty much guess that the people who compiled it grew up in the 70s and 80s. However, if you are going to do a list like this, you should at least know your entertainment history. In case you are wondering, Gary Coleman came in at #1. No doubt he should be ranked, but not that high. As for who I would rank at #1, I'll get to that later.

From the looks of the list, you were a shoo-in if you were a child star who appeared on an 80s sitcom. How else do you explain the inclusion of Amy Linker (#89)? Are you asking yourself, who is Amy Linker? Unless you are a pop culture junkie like me, you may not recognize the name. Amy, along with a bespectacled Sarah Jessica-Parker, starred in the 1982-83 sitcom "Square Pegs". Now don't get me wrong. "Square Pegs" was one of my favorite shows back in the day (me and my sister used to watch it every Monday nights at 8 pm) and Amy was really good in her role as Lauren Hutchinson. However, she still doesn't belong on this list.

Another child actor who inexplicably made the cut is Peter Ostrum (#78). Sure, he starred in a film that was a big part of many of our childhoods (he played Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). But come on... that's the only major credit on his resume'! Amy Linker and Peter Ostrum are just two of the names that shouldn't be on the list. Trust me, there are many others.

VH-1 did manage to get some things right with this list. I was pleased to see Ron Howard ranked at #7. I don't think he gets alot of credit for his work on "The Andy Griffith Show". To get an idea of how good Ron Howard was, check out the AGS episode where Opie accidentally kills a mother bird with his slingshot.

Since "Family" rarely appears in syndication anymore, I was pleasantly surprised to see Kristy McNichol on the list (#49). Last year I purchased the Complete First and Second Season DVD set for the ABC drama and was reminded at how excellent Kristy was in the role of Buddy Lawrence. Some of the other deserving performers who made VH-1's list include: Melissa Gilbert (#31), Fred Savage (#27), Keshia Knight- Pulliam (#19), and Emanuel Lewis (#6).

As I mentioned earlier, it's a safe bet that the people who came up with the list were children of the 70s and 80s. As a result, there is a lack of child stars from the pre-1970 era. I understand that VH-1's primary demographic is probably in the 30-49 age range. Still, I don't see how you can compile a list like this and leave off people like Elizabeth Taylor, Jerry Mathers, Judy Garland, Jackie Cooper, and (in my opinion) the greatest child star of all time... Shirley Temple.

Back in the 70s, Channel 50 in Detroit used to show Shirley Temple movies almost every Sunday morning. However, I had zero interest in taking a ride on the Good Ship Lollipop. When it came to old movies that I enjoyed as a kid, I was more into Our Gang (aka Little Rascals), The Three Stooges, and Abbott & Costello. With that being said, I would still rank Shirley as the greatest child star of all time. During her time at Fox (1933-40), she was the studio's biggest star. Not only that, but she even ranked as the top-grossing box office star in America for four straight years (1935-38).

For Shirley Temple not to be ranked #1 on a list of the Greatest Kid Stars is ludicrous to me. To leave her off completely makes absolutely no sense. It's like putting together a list of the greatest stand-up comics and leaving off Richard Pryor!

Who do you think should and shouldn't have made the list? To view it, please visit the following link:

100 Greatest Kid Stars

Cuba Gooding, What the Hell Is Going On?!

While watching TV on Sunday morning, I saw an ad for an upcoming comedy starring Cuba Gooding Jr. At the end of the ad, they announced the title of the film... "Daddy Day Camp", the sequel to the Eddie Murphy hit "Daddy Day Care".

After doing some research I found that Cuba plays Charlie Hinton, the role held by Eddie in the original movie. I also learned that none of the original actors signed on for the sequel. Regina King (who played Eddie's wife Kim in the first movie) normally does a good job of selecting roles, so the fact that she took a pass on "Daddy Day Camp" doesn't surprise me. However, Eddie Murphy's resume is littered with cinematic treasures such as "Vampire In Brooklyn" and "The Adventures of Pluto Nash". How bad must the script to "Daddy Day Camp" have been for Eddie to say, "Thanks, but no thanks"?

It's puzzling how Cuba can go from Oscar winner to taking Eddie's leftovers in a little over 10 years. I've heard some people refer to winning the Best Supporting Actor/Actress Oscar as the career kiss of death. However, I don't buy that. Sure, there have been people like Gig Young and Mira Sorvino who have seen their movie careers take a nosedive after winning the statuette. On the other hand, performers such as Goldie Hawn and Denzel Washington have been able to avoid this alleged curse.

Cuba Gooding does have a prominent role in the upcoming film "American Gangster", which also stars the aforementioned Washington as well as Russell Crowe. Hopefully, this will help Cuba avoid having to resort to doing such potential misfires as "Snow Dogs 2" or "Daddy Day Nursery".

Spin City Playlist For 8/4/07

4 pm hour

Hollywood Swinging- Kool & the Gang
Start- The Jam
Life Begins At the Hop- XTC
Then Came You- Dionne Warwick & the Spinners
Crazy Horses- The Osmonds
Fancy Lady- Billy Preston
Cars- Gary Numan

Common Thread segment: songs written, produced, and feat. guest vocals by Rick James
Standing On the Top- The Temptations
I'm Just A Sucker For Your Love- Teena Marie
Party All the Time- Eddie Murphy

Pieces of April- Three Dog Night
Nothin' At All- Heart
Shake & Dance With Me- Con Funk Shun

5 pm hour

Wild Thing- Tone Loc
Strip- Adam Ant
992 Arguments- The Ojays
SOS-ABBA
Drama- Erasure
Dreamtime- Daryl Hall

Now & Then segment featured artist: Chaka Khan
Shining Star (from the Earth, Wind, & Fire tribute CD "Interpretations")
Tell Me Something Good- Rufus

Flying High- The Commodores
Money's Too Tight To Mention- Simply Red
Clean Up Woman- Betty Wright
Wheel In the Sky- Journey
Tell Me What- Fine Young Cannibals

6 pm hour

TNT- AC/DC
Black Cat- Janet Jackson
Escape (I Need A Break)- Whodini
Chick-A-Boom (Don't Ya Jes' Love It)- Daddy Dewdrop
Crazy Little Thing Called Love- Queen
A Love Bizarre- Sheila E.
Sign Your Name- Terence Trent D'Arby
Dream Police- Cheap Trick
Sweet Caroline- Bobby Womack
N.Y. You Got Me Dancing- Andrea True Connection
Let It Whip- The Dazz Band
Be Good Johnny- Men At Work
It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)- R.E.M.
Are You Lonely- Labelle
Lookin' Out My Back Door- CCR

While I'm Busy...

Dear readers: Since I am hard at work prepping this afternoon's radio show, I haven't had a chance to post anything for the last day and a half. In the meantime, (if you haven't already) please feel free to dig through my archives. You never know, there may be a post or two that you missed. Until next time...

Stevie Wonder To Tour For the First Time In Over 20 Years

On Thursday, it was announced that Saginaw native Stevie Wonder will be launching his 1st U.S. tour since 1986. The 13 city tour, titled "Wonder's Summer Night" is scheduled to open in San Diego on Aug. 23rd and wrap up on September 20th in Boston. However, the Motown legend stated that more dates may be added.

When I first read this story, I was somewhat surprised. Because Stevie performs so many one-off concerts, it never occurred to me that he hasn't done an actual tour in such a long time. Below are the scheduled dates for what will possibly be one of the hottest tours of the year.

    DATE       CITY                VENUE
Aug. 23    San Diego, CA       Humphrey's
Aug. 25    Lake Tahoe, CA      Harvey's Amphitheatre
Aug. 26    Concord, CA         Concord Pavilion
Aug. 28    Santa Barbara, CA   Santa Barbara Bowl
Aug. 30    Portland, OR        Edgefield Amphitheatre
Aug. 31    Woodinville, WA     Chateau Saint Michelle Winery
Sept. 4    Saratoga, CA        Mountain Winery
Sept. 5    Los Angeles, CA     Greek Theatre
Sept. 10   Chicago, IL         Charter One Pavilion
Sept. 12   Detroit, MI         Meadowbrook Theatre
Sept. 14   Atlanta, GA         Chastain Park Amphitheatre
Sept. 16   Baltimore, MD       Pier Six Pavilion
Sept. 20   Boston, MA          Bank of America Pavilion

Thursday Thirteen #6- Favorite Live Performances




Thirteen Memorable Live Performances Seeing a live performance is one of my favorite things to do. For a small venue, it offers the opportunity to see an artist up close and personal. On the other hand, the arena sized shows gives you the chance to party with thousands of other fans. Below are some of my favorite live shows (in no particular order). 1. Run DMC/The Beastie Boys in 1987- Not only was this a cool show, but it was also my first ever concert! I think I still might have the concert T-shirt buried somewhere. 2. Lollapalooza 92- among the artists in the lineup for this show were The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ice Cube, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Ministry. While standing at the top of the hill during Ministry's performance, a swarm of people surrounding a small-statured man headed in my direction from the left. I stuck my hand out and gave the small-statured man the "soul brother" handshake. That man was Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. 3. The Temptations in the late 1980s- The Tempts were the featured act for the annual U.P. Sports Festival (held in Marquette, MI) that year. Although the outdoor show was in July, the temperature dipped down to 36 degrees that night! Since our apt. was in walking distance, me and my girlfriend went home to get our winter wear before the show started. I remember that The Tempts had the lapels on their suits turned up because it was so cold. 4. R.E.M. in 1995- For rear stage seating, our view was pretty good. Lead singer Michael Stipe also turned around on occasion to play to those of us not facing the front. Directly behind us were some teenyboppers who were shrieking, "We love you Michael Stipe!" It was funny without being annoying. However, it did give me the feeling that I was at an NKOTB concert as opposed to an R.E.M. show. 5. Patti Labelle/Gerald Levert in 1998 or 1999. Patti was in superb form as was to be expected. During the show, she went on a rant regarding the poor service she received at Fishbones (a popular Detroit restaurant). Ironically, that is where me and my then girlfriend had dinner before the show. Luckily, we didn't run into the problems that Ms. Labelle did. The surprising thing about the concert is that the late Gerald Levert outperformed Patti... which isn't easy to do. You could tell that Gerald learned alot about live performing from his dad Eddie (of the Ojays). 6. Def Leppard/Journey in 2006- One of the funny things about this show is that the singer who replaced Steve Perry was sick and didn't perform. That meant that we saw a replacement for the replacement. However, the stand-in did a helluva job. Joe Elliot of Def Leppard sounded as good as he did during the Pyromania days. As side entertainment, there were 2 ladies (I called them The Banger Sisters) in the row in front of us. Wearing their sequined tops and shaking their teased hair all over, they were partying like it was 1987! 7. Daryl Hall & John Oates in 1996- Although I have seen them 3 times in 3 different years, I chose the 1st show as my favorite. Since it would be next to impossible for them to include all of their hits, I forgive them for omitting "Private Eyes" (one of my personal favorites). They more than made up for it with a mix of classics and tunes from their then upcoming CD (Marigold Sky). During their encores, they also covered such classics as "Hot Fun In the Summertime" and "Me and Mrs. Jones". 8. Chris Rock in 2003- There were no pyrotechnics or booming PA announcer to introduce Chris, he simply walked onstage to thunderous applause. I found this to be a pretty cool effect. I read in an interview that Chris picked this up from a U2 show that he saw. Chris had us cracking up all night with jokes about late night trips to ATMs, the reality show "The Bachelor", and the Detroit Lions among others. He definitely gave my stomach muscles a good workout. 9. The Police just 2 weeks ago- Since I wrote about this show in great detail the day after the concert, I won't rehash it. However, the concert was such that I had to include it on this TT. You can click here if you would like to read about it. 10. Living Colour & Candlebox in 1994- Since this show was in Kalamazoo, MI, I had to travel a few hours to see it. Because I had worked earlier that day and didn't get a chance to take a nap, I fell asleep briefly during the Candlebox segment (those theater seats were comfy as hell). However, I did wake up in time to see all of Living Colour's set. One of the songs that they performed was "Elvis Is Dead". At the end of the studio version of this tune is the line, "Elvis has left the building". For the live version, lead vocalist Corey Glover proclaimed, "Elvis has left the bleepin' planet!" 11. Felix Cavaliere's Rascals in 2002- Felix sang and played his ass off that night! One of the highlights was a medley of classic oldies that he mixed in by other artists such as Chuck Berry and Marvin Gaye. Since Felix had forgotten one of the lines in "Maybellene", he sang about this fact in place of the line and didn't miss a beat. After the show, I got a chance to meet Felix and get his autograph on the booklet for my copy of the 2-CD set "The Rascals Anthology, 1965-1972". 12. The Lovin' Spoonful in 2001- Since she knew I was a big fan of The Spoonful, a dear friend and former co-worker asked if I wanted to go with her to a free concert they were giving in Flushing, MI. Since John Sebastian (the original lead singer) was no longer with the band, I was somewhat skeptical. As the show was about to start, orig. drummer and current lead singer Joe Butler strapped on the autoharp (which was a trademark of Sebastian). When I saw this, I said to myself, "These guys mean business." The band seemed to really enjoy playing for us. In addition to their hits, they also played some of their lesser known tunes that only a Spoonful freak such as I would know. They also did a medley of tunes by some of their folk-rock contemporaries like The Mamas and Papas, The Association, and The Byrds. 13. India.Arie in 2006- One of the benefits of my job is that recording artists often come to the office building where I work. One of the things that struck me is that India was smaller than I expected. She performed songs from her then upcoming CD "Testimony Vol. 1- Life and Relationship". India mentioned that the singular form of "relationship" in the title was intentional. Seeing India perform in an intimate setting was perfect for her style of music. After the performance, I got her autograph on my copy of her 1st CD... as well as a hug! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!) 1. Lori does her best Heloise impersonation and shares 13 helpful household hints. 2. Ben Clapton provides 13 reasons you should have a cup of joe. 3. Mama Lee offers an extended and hilariously twisted TT this week. She lists rejected Dr. Seuss titles and Little Golden Books that never made it. 4. Pay a visit to Lori's Old School Mix... she also lists 13 of her favorite live shows. 5. Robin tells us about 13 things she has planned with her 3 1/2 year old daughter while her husband and son are visiting the U.S. 6. Ed lists 13 of his faves from the small screen. He even includes You Tube links as well! 7. The Gal Herself has a TT that deals with the perils of dog fighting. 8. Dana tells you about 13 things that she wouldn't want to live without. 9. The Crux shares 13 quotes by "The Sage of Baltimore", H.L. Mencken. 10. Holly lists 13 of her pet names. 11. Yoshi has a TT that'll make your mouth water! 12. The Rock Chick tells you how an illness of hers was misdiagnosed 13 times! 13. Book Mama shares 13 things she did on her one week vacation.




Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants



Racist or Clueless? You Be the Judge

I found the above Intel ad courtesy of the blog The Field Negro, who in turn received it from Truth Seekers. When I first viewed the ad (you can enlarge the image by clicking it), I saw 6 black men bowing at the feet of the white boss man. Come to think of it, that is what I continue to see. From the comments I have read, an overwhelming number of people feel the same way.

Apparently, the ad is meant to demonstrate the speed of the new processor (hence the sprinters). However, I feel that Intel could have used a much smarter approach to convey this message.

Perception can be a funny thing. Is this the work of Intel ad execs without a clue of what is and isn't racially insensitive or are people like me who find this offensive being too touchy?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this ad.