Saturday, January 16, 2010

Coming Soon...

Later tonight or maybe tomorrow, I'm going to post a very long essay here about the Leno/O'Brien wrassling match. I want to preface it by saying that I don't think those battles have even 1% the seriousness of the situation in Haiti. Part of me almost feels guilty to even think of other things when so many human beings are dead, injured or homeless.

And then the rest of me remembers that apart from donating cash and urging others to do so, I can't do a damn thing to make it any better in Haiti. I can sit here and get depressed about it, especially if I watch the news coverage, but I can't make it any better down there. So partly to distract myself, I wrote and am now tweaking this lengthy piece about what I think went wrong at NBC. You'll see it here whenever I think it's done.

• Posted at 2:14 PM · LINK

Sin City Sentinel

Back when I used to go to Las Vegas every month or so, I had a Vegas Guide on this site, giving tips on hotels and shows and places to eat. As my trips became fewer and farther-between, it got so far outta date that I took it down. Now, when someone writes me for advice, I direct them to my best source of info about that fair city...the Las Vegas Advisor.

The Las Vegas Advisor is a monthly newsletter that reports on what's going on there and it reviews restaurants and entertainment and most of all, it tells you where to get the best deals and coupons and special offers. When I started subscribing to it a few decades ago, it was literally the only place, apart from one or two travel guides which weren't updated often, where I felt you could read about Vegas without the influence of advertising. Every other publication, including the Vegas newspapers, would tell you that every show was the greatest, every restaurant was superb, every hotel was a palace, etc. They were all just informercials for the casinos there. But the LVA accepts no ads and is a pretty independent and reliable source.

There are now a few websites that also give non-promotional info, and the newspapers in Las Vegas do seem to be developing a bit of integrity in this area. But the LVA is still a valuable tool. Their website is full of great info and you can get a subscription to the non-public parts which will enable you to read each issue of the newsletter online. And just to show you what it's like, this month you can read the current issue for free at this link.

• Posted at 11:45 AM · LINK

Rest Stop

If the Internet's getting to you, there's a place you can go to calm down. Stay Unconnected.

• Posted at 11:42 AM · LINK

By the Way...

That Creep video was suggested to me by David Goodman. Thanks, David.

• Posted at 3:32 AM · LINK

The Lowdown on Creep

I love how I can post a question here and get an answer, often within the hour. Scott Reboul informs me that the four gentlemen who sung as "Creep" were Jack Brown, Bob Miller, Jim Farmer, and Keith Boone, all of whom were members of the ensemble on the TV show, Sing Along with Mitch. Scott adds, "One of these guys — I think it was Bob Miller — was one of the original Texaco Singers on Milton Berle's radio and television shows. I don't know much about Bob Warren other than that he wrote 'Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Mitchell, and Dean' and was the piano player featured on the recording." He further informs me that Creep appeared on the episode of Mike Douglas Show that featured Moe Howard and Soupy Sales and which was taped August 14, 1973.

Thank you, Scott. I knew someone would know.

• Posted at 1:51 AM · LINK

Today's Video Link

In 1973 when the Watergate hearings were Must See TV for myself and my friends, a catchy little novelty record came out called "Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Mitchell and Dean." Those were, of course, the names of the four main Watergate conspirators, all of whom were soon behind bars. The record was a teensy hit — I think it briefly reached like #110 on the Billboard Top 100 — and it was written by someone named Bob Warren and performed by "Creep." That was a common acronym/nickname for the Committee to Re-Elect the President, which was the group that ran Nixon's '72 campaign. The tune was issued as a 45 RPM record by a company called Big G Records and both sides had the same song pressed onto them.

And that's everything I know about this record and who made it. I have no idea who the four singers were, who Bob Warren was, any of that. If you do, lemme know.

Meanwhile, I find that someone has made a little music video out of it. Here it is for your dining and dancing pleasure...