Nothings says ‘Happy Fourth of July’ like a skull and crossbones.
(This is a kids tee in a NYC storefront.)
Whacky holidays!
Posted in Children, Design, Holiday, Humor, Life
Tagged bizarre holidays, children, clothing, Fourth of July, holidays, Independence Day, photography
Happy 4th of July, everyone!
You’re no doubt gathered with family and friends around a grill laden with burgers and hot dogs, enjoying a cold beverage and awaiting the start of your local fireworks display.
…or, at least, that’s what every image you see on television and in movies would have you believe.
But did you know that there are 155 television marathons planned for the 4th of July weekend alone? Fans of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Monk,” “The A Team,” and even “Silent Library” can watch episode after episode of their favorites over the next three days.
Do you think these marathons are planned for folks standing around the charcoal briquettes? “Gather the kids, Grandma — there’s 12 hours of ‘Ugly Betty,’ and the family wouldn’t want to miss it!”
I don’t think so.
The TV networks program marathons over the holidays because so many people don’t have that idealized, family scenario. They may just be hanging out, enjoying their free time…or they may be lonely as hell.
It’s just funny to think the folks who sell the idea of what the 4th of July holiday is all about also sell the substitute…
Just in case.
Posted in Entertainment, Holiday, Humor, Movies, Television, TV
Tagged 4th of July, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, entertainment, fireworks, grilling, hamburgers, Holiday, holiday weekend, hot dogs, Humor, Independence Day, July 4th, Monk tv series, Movies, Silent Library game show, Television, television marathon, The A Team tv series, TV, Ugly Betty tv series
Today is Tom Cruise’s birthday. He turns 47.
You may hate his politics, his religion and maybe even some of his movies, but ya gotta admit — the guy has had more than his share of winners:
Risky Business
Top Gun
The Color of Money
Rain Man
A Few Good Men
The Firm
Jerry Maguire
Minority Report
Tropic Thunder
And his latest film belongs on the list as well — “Knight and Day” with Cameron Diaz.
It hasn’t banked the box office of his other action movies — like the “Mission Impossible” series — but it is a ton more fun. The comedy chops he displayed in “Tropic Thunder” are very much in evidence here, but more subtly used as the story requires.
Cruise and Diaz are a terrific combination — almost a male and female version of each other in energy and screen presence — and the script never lets them or the audience down. I just wish more people would go see it.
It’s movie fireworks — perfect for the July 4th weekend.
Enjoy!
Posted in Entertainment, Holiday, Humor, Movies
Tagged A Few Good Men movie, action movie, Cameron Diaz, entertainment, Holiday, Humor, Independence Day, Jerry Maguire movie, July 4th, Knight and Day movie, Minority Report movie, movie box office, Movies, Rain Man movie, Risky Business movie, The Color of Money movie, The Firm movie, Tom Cruise, Tom Cruise birthday, Top Gun movie, Tropic Thunder movie
Dear Major Network TV Exec’s:
Perhaps you’ve already begun your holiday weekend, seated at centre court Wimbledon. Or on a private island whose location you’ve only tweeted to the paparazzi.
Or maybe you’re one of the true working stiffs, stuck in a conference room, trying to resurrect your ratings.
I don’t really care where you are; I just care what you do.
Please save the brilliantly funny “Party Down”…’cause Starz is letting it die.
Executive VP of Programming Stephan Shelanski said Starz is ‘committed to aggressively expanding our original programming lineup’…but then they canceled their brand new suicide drama “Gravity,” too.
Sounds like what they really have is a commitment issue….or not enough money to back up their big plans.
Again, I don’t really care.
I just want “Party Down” to have a second chance…with a network that can afford to keep it on the air. It’s a far better show than a lot of the shlock that’s out there now — we’re talking absurdly funny, with guest stars used in truly creative ways.
So, come on people — let’s work together and solve two problems at once. Save “Party Down” and fill one of your slots with quality TV.
Okay? Okay.
Now go out and play. It’s a holiday, for cripes sake.
Posted in Business, Entertainment, Holiday, Humor, Sports, Television, Travel, TV
Tagged Business, Gravity tv show, Holiday, Humor, Independence Day, July 4th, paparazi, Party Down tv show, Sports, Starz, Stephan Shelanski, Television, television comedy, television drama, television lineup, television programming, television ratings, Travel, TV, TV network executive, tweet, Twitter, Wimbledon, Wimbledon centre court
Looking for the perfect 4th of July family holiday destination?
This one’s a GAS.
Only in the South — land of my birth — would folks erect a museum dedicated to beans. That’s right. Bush Brothers & Co., the baked bean guys, are opening a museum and visitors’ center this weekend in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee, at the site of the company’s original general store.
Cool beans.
Granted, the television commercials for Bush’s Baked Beans — you know, the ones featuring Jay Bush and his sneaky yet lovable dog Duke — are pretty funny. That alone may spark some curiosity about the place.
But the museum doesn’t sound like it has as much of a sense of humor about beans as Jay and his dog do. The attractions sound fairly standard — a theater showing the TV ads; a display of the original canning tools; a kiosk where you can put yourself in a photo with Duke; and a giant replica of a bean’s journey from field to can.
That’s it? A bean museum that doesn’t poke even a little fun at itself? No innuendo — implied or overt — about the bean and its relationship to the more, well, smelly aspects of our person? Heck, they could have at the very least had Beano sponsor the visitors’ center.
Let’s face it, the movie studios have made several small fortunes laughing at pee, poop and farts. I hate to see the first bean museum lose out due to good manners.
Posted in Foods, Health, Holiday, Humor, Travel
Tagged baked beans, bean museum, Beano, beans, Bush's Baked Beans, Bush's Bean Museum, Chestnut Hill Tennessee, cool beans, Duke the Dog, farts, food, gas, Health, Holiday, Humor, Independence Day, Jay Bush, Jay Bush and Duke, July 4th, product placement, South, television commercials, Tennessee, Travel, tv ads, visitors center
Where’s the love?
There’s a whole lotta hatin’ going on Facebook and Twitter about tomorrow’s Royal Wedding.
It’s almost as annoying as NBC’s promotion of The Voice.
But how can Americans spew such bitterness upon these nuptials, when we typically lavish such love on all things British?
It’s so proper. It’s soooo not us.
And don’t we love the actors and actresses who hail from the British isle, with their superior dramatic training and — most importantly — their glorious British accents?
Didn’t we just bestow the Best Actor Oscar on the very worthy Colin Firth for his performance in The King’s Speech? We love him ‘exactly as he is’ — for his Mr. Darcy-ness — a quality that could not be achieved if he were not British.
You know it’s true.
So, America, try to recapture some of the love for the British that was in your heart when you gave The King’s Speech the Best Picture Oscar…when the very prickly, very American The Social Network clearly deserved to win.
It’s there. You’ve just forgotten.
(Ad campaigns will do that to you.)
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Posted in Academy Awards, Advertising, Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Family, History, Humor, Internet, Life, Movies, News, Oscars, Politics, Television, TV
Tagged 4th of July, Academy Awards, advertising, Americans, Americans love British, Best Actor Oscar, Best Picture Oscar, British, British accent, British isle, celebrities, Colin Firth, commentary, Duke and Duchess of Kent, entertainment, Facebook, family, Humor, Independence Day, Internet, Kate and Wills, life, Movies, Mr. Darcy, NBC, news, Oscars, politics, royal wedding, Royal Wedding 2011, strawberries and cream, Television, tennis whites, The Kings Speech movie, The Social Network movie, The Voice promos, The Voice tv show, TV, Twitter, US Open tennis, Wimbledon finals, Wimbledon tennis