Mushroom Soup Monday

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Mushroom Soup Monday is a newsfromme tradition dating back to the late 1800's. It's a day when the proprietor of this website tries to get other more pressing (i.e., paying) jobs done and feels a tad less guilty that he hasn't posted anything here. Just what this has to do with Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, no one can say.

A few loose ends before we start. A number of folks wrote in about that unaired Woody Allen film. A couple, like Bill Freiberger, noticed the presence of an intriguing cast member. Here's Bill…

In the list of actors who appear in Men of Crisis, you left one out, Richard M. Dixon. Dick Dixon was a Nixon impersonator who appeared in all sorts of things during the Nixon presidency. He was in posters, ads, movies, and TV shows such as this one. Although most of the news footage is actually Nixon, in the scenes where Woody Allen interacts with the President, it's Dixon. Dick had a nice run appearing as the President up until Watergate basically ended his career. At that point, he opened one of the first comedy clubs in the country, Richard M. Dixon's White House Inn, on Long Island. Many comedians got their start at his club including Eddie Murphy, Rosie O'Donnell, and Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling. I also started my comedy career there but to a much lesser degree. I thought your readers might want to know a bit more about this unique character actor who only played one character.

There's usually one of those guys for each White House occupant — there were a couple of prominent George W. Bush impersonators including George W. Bush — but I haven't seen one frontrunner Obama imitator. Maybe there's still time in this administration. I may take a cue from John Boehner and sue the president over this. It would make at least as much sense as his actual lawsuit.

I got some nice comments on my long piece about Al Feldstein but was especially pleased by one posted on Facebook. It was from Al's widow, Michelle…

Thank you Mark, for a very real look at my husband. Your article is so right on. Yes, you knew him. Often people who would meet him would say to me I expected him to be funny and he isn't. My daughter's friends would expect funny and be disappointed. However, he was wonderful and the last 25 years of life he felt were the best. His funds have been put to good use with the animal rescue program here at the ranch. He fully funded this and was the first to look at an animal and say, "Have you called a vet yet?" Thank you again, Mark. I also know how much he respected you and always looked forward to seeing you at cons.

And I should have mentioned that a number of the links I've posted here — some of the real Liberal ones — were sent to me by Al. He was quite a firebrand that way, especially when he came across a news item in which some guy who was already a billionaire had figured out a barely (but shouldn't be) legal way to wrest more cash from really, really poor people. Once in my presence, someone asked Al if he regretted leaving the editorship of MAD. His answer went something like this: "Most of the time, no. But every now and then, I read some news item that gets me so incensed, I wish I could call in a writer and Mort Drucker and do a story about it."

Lastly for now, a couple of folks have written to ask where I'll be during Comic-Con. I always think that's a funny question because everyone who attends gets a Program Guide listing all the panels. If you're there and you have one, you can always look at it and see where I'll be for at least sixteen of the hours that the convention is open.

During the other hours this year, I have some meetings and some interviews to do. During Comic-Con, I always get tagged to be videoed for four or five documentaries on comic book history, at least one of which is eventually completed and released.

On Friday morn from 10 AM to 11 AM, Sergio Aragonés and I will be signing copies of Groo Vs. Conan at the Dark Horse Comics booth. Other times, Sergio Aragonés will be at Table I-7 in the hall and occasionally, I will be right beside him at table I-8, which I'll be sharing with my longtime pal, Scott Shaw! I don't like to sit much during a convention but when I do this year, that's where I'll usually be.

And now, on with Mushroom Soup Monday! I'll be back today — just not very often…