I've never seen the slightest logic behind the claim that legalizing Gay Marriage will destroy traditional, heterosexual marriage.
However, banning Gay Marriage can and has destroyed hetero marriage in the state of Texas.
Rogue Warrior
A couple of folks have written me to say, approximately, "I think Sarah Palin is awful but let's be honest. There is an accepted definition of 'going rogue' that doesn't quite fit the definitions you posted." They're right.
Just for fun, I tried to find an online definition of the phrase, "going rogue." The ones I found were all about not wearing underpants or engaging in anal sex. That's so much better.
Actually, even defining "going rogue" the way Ms. Palin and her handlers presumably define it, it's not a very flattering term. Going rogue from what? The first time I heard the term in connection with her, it was to say that she might not toe the lines the McCain campaign wanted her to follow during the campaign. The context was that when she signed on to be his running mate, she agreed implicitly or explicitly to join a team and follow their battle plan. And when it was said she might "go rogue," what they meant was that since the McCain-Palin ticket was down in the polls, she might put her own agenda and self-promotion ahead of that plan and begin undermining it.
Or maybe she thinks she's been "going rogue" from the way people expect a female politician or a governor to act. That might not be a bad thing if it meant being uncommonly honest or candid. I don't think too many people think that of her. For one thing, we generally expect elected officials to serve out their terms.
I didn't see the Oprah interview or the entirety of any others she's done. Has anyone asked her what she thinks she's "going rogue" from?
Today's Video Link
Twin baby pandas. Nothing cuter…
A Word A Day
I probably won't get around to reading Sarah Palin's book, Going Rogue, for…oh, I don't know. Maybe the rest of my life. I don't think much of the lady and from what I can see, not many people do. All but two of my Conservative friends think she's doing their cause a lot more harm than good…and the two who profess to like her are doing an unconvincing (to me) job of it. The same two folks don't convince me they really wish George W. Bush was still president, either. There are exceptions to this but it seems to me that Liberals are a lot better than Conservatives at admitting when their "leaders" disappoint them. We may, in fact, be too good at it.
Anyway, a reader of this site who asked not to be credited sent me a message that suggested I look up "rogue" in the online Merriam-Webster dictionary. I did…and I've copied that listing for your edification. Makes you wonder if Ms. Palin even knows what the word means, doesn't it?
Mark's Day
And the day in this case is yesterday. Woke up around 8 AM. Did a little work on an issue of Groo and some last minute prep on the day's recording session for The Garfield Show.
Left the house at 9:30 and arrived at the recording studio about 9:45. We recorded two half-hour episodes of the show with a sterling voice cast — regulars Frank Welker, Gregg Berger, Wally Wingert and Jason Marsden, along with guest stars Jack Riley and Grey Delisle. I had to let Wally go at 2:30 so he could scurry out to Burbank and do his announcing work for that night's episode of The Jay Leno Show. The rest of us finished at 3:00.
On the way home, I stopped at a local Petco to buy supplies for the menagerie of strays in my backyard, then scurried home to work more on Groo and climb into fancier clothes. Then at 5 PM, I drove to FedEx to send off Groo pages. Shipping them turned out to be the hard part of the day. 5:30 is the cut-off time for Eastern and International send-offs, and people kept showing up with parcels in those two categories and the counterfolks there (there were two of them, working as fast as they could) would wave them ahead of us.
About 5:27, a burly gent with a huge crate on a dolly marched in and went past all the folks waiting with things to ship. Someone told him to go to the end of the line. Motioning to his package, he yelled out, "My job depends on getting this shipped out today so I don't give a damn about your line. I'm mailing this next." If he'd asked to go ahead of us, I suspect we'd all have said it was okay…but a rather nasty argument broke out, lasting until the clerk was ready to take his box, which she did. The next person in line, when he got to her, complained that since she saw darn well what had happened, she should insist he go to the end. She said, "We're told to take some customers ahead of others if there's danger of missing a cut-off time." Then she added, "If I'd made him go to the end, he's have caused trouble. Who needs trouble?" The debate was still going on when the other clerk was ready to take another customer. I rushed up, had my package processed and got the heck outta there.
Then it was off to the Magic Castle for the evening. Our dinner party consisted of Leonard and Alice Maltin, Gregg and Dora Berger, Earl and Denise Kress, and my friend Carolyn Kelly. Oh, yeah…and I was a part of it. Then we adjourned to the Inner Circle of the Castle, an especially magical place where comedians, cabaret performers and other non-magicians have been known to perform.
For the last two nights, it's been two of my favorite folks…Hunter and Stan Freberg. Stan, as you know, is the great satirist, actor, maker of funny records and commercials and cartoon voice performer. Hunter is his spouse and partner. For 90-some-odd minutes, following an impromptu introduction by me, they told stories of their lives together and tales from Stan's multi-layered career. There were anecdotes about him voicing Warner Brothers cartoons. Some of his commercials were played. He re-created a bit of his first record, "John and Marsha" and sang "Take an Indian to Lunch" from the greatest comedy record ever made (I think), Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America, Volume One.
The crowd loved every minute of it…and by the way, it was nice to see so many readers of this blog there, as well as friends like Paul Dini and Misty Lee, Mark Nelson, Milt Larsen and many others.
Got back here just before Midnight…and that's why I didn't post more yesterday. And why I'm going to bed now. Good night, Internet! See you in the morning.
Today's Video Link
You may hate me for this, not because you won't like it but because you may have to use an explosive device to get this tune out of your head. It's "Hallelujah," as performed by singer Gali Atari with the group, Milk and Honey. This song won many awards in Europe but never made it big in America, despite a nice, heavily-promoted recording of it by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme. (Steve and Eydie didn't put their names on the original U.S. release, figuring that Top 40 disc jockeys just might play it if they didn't know it was by them. But it was the worst-kept secret in the business, possibly because Lawrence and Gorme kept going on The Tonight Show and singing it.)
And in case you're interested, here are the same folks performing it in Hebrew…
Shots in the Dark
I like a lot of what Bill Maher has to say about politics, especially when he's talking about the kind of folks — politicians, pundits — that he comes into contact with due to his show and speaking engagements. It's when he gets into talking about nutrition and medicine that he goes all Orly Taitz on us…or maybe worse because Ms. Taitz, at least, has the value of being consistently and obviously wrong. Maher sometimes sounds like he knows what he's talking about with regard to diet and health…and if you can do that and you have a TV show, you can be dangerous.
He's posted a lengthy, rambling blog post about vaccination, trying to walk back some of the stuff he's said about vaccinations, particularly the current flu shots. He says we need to have a discussion about this kind of thing and he's right. I had mine with my doctor. If you have a physician you trust, have one with that person. Don't listen to a professional comedian…or anyone else on TV, for that matter.
Just because someone can get on television doesn't mean they know what they're talking about. Years ago when I worked on a so-called reality show (I say "so-called" because nothing is less realistic than a reality show), I learned about Quote Whores. That's the industry term for them. They are, basically, people with some credentials who'll say darn near any damn thing you want if it'll get them on television. Today, if you and I were producing a show with even a modest audience and we wanted to have someone with a degree and impressive credentials come on and say that eating Tootsie Roll Pops will regenerate a severed limb, we could find one. We could get a doctor or some reasonable approximation of one to come in say that for our cameras.
And of course, even when someone who does know what they're talking about says it on television, that's generic advice they're giving out. It's not meant to apply to you, in particular. Just most people. And you're not most people. You're you. Take a look at your driver's license if you don't believe me.
You may not want to read the Maher piece. If you do, please remember that I'm not linking to it because I think he's right about most things. I just think it's interesting that he's dug himself into a bit of a hole here and he's throwing dirt in all directions, trying to get himself out. In that sense, I guess I respect the guy a lot more than the ones who dig themselves into one of those holes, realize it…and think they can get out by pressing on, trying to shovel their way to China.
Go Read It!
This article offers up 70 Facts You Didn't Know About Marvel Comics. Well, almost. There's one deliberate fib in there and a couple of errors…like Jim Steranko was not the artist on Doctor Strange, and Stan Lee didn't write the Spider-Man/Hulk comic that was printed on a roll of toilet paper. There are also a few others that are arguable but most of it's correct.
Today's Video Link
A moment from Pat Paulsen's Half a Comedy Hour, which ran briefly on ABC in 1970. Brace yourself for a cameo appearance by Tiny Tim and his Miss Vicky…
The Nutty Broadway Director
Some time ago, Jerry Lewis announced that his 1963 movie, The Nutty Professor, would be transformed into a Broadway musical with him as the director. With a mix of rooting interest and skepticism, we've been watching for any trace of it…and lo and behold, there is one. An industry reading was recently held — cast members, friends and investors in a rehearsal hall, performing the material as it currently stands, minus sets or costumes or big orchestra. I'm not going to link to it but one of the investors recently posted to the net a gallery of photos taken that day. They show Jerry, of course…and also Marvin Hamlisch, who's doing the music, and actor Michael Andrew, who has the lead. Paul Shaffer and Richard Belzer were also in attendance as, one assumes, friends of Jer's.
So something's happening with it. Stay tuned for the next installment. I'm starting to think there may be one.
Today's Political Rant
The latest Gallup Poll says approval of Congress is creeping up slightly…from the previous 21% approval to a whopping 26% approval. If you had a restaurant where only 26% of your customers approved of the food, you'd burn the place down for the insurance money.
But the thing is: I don't know what the 68% disapproval rating means because the pollsters don't ask that question. How many of the disapprovers are mad about the direction Congress seems to be heading in and how many are mad about that they aren't there yet? My friend Roger is pissed at Congress because he thinks it's going to pass Health Care Reform. I'm ticked because I think they're going to pass a watered-down, ineffective bill that will help the big insurance and pharmaceutical companies a lot more than it'll help people who are suffering. I'm also annoyed they haven't done even that so far.
We both disapprove and if asked by a pollster, that's what we'd say. Why don't more pollsters try to separate out those kinds of disapproval?
Loose Ends
As several of you have informed me, the strip club in Las Vegas has discontinued its stripper-in-a-box promotion. No longer are they driving trucks up and down The Strip with bikinied women dancing for the pleasure of passers-by. This is a shame. I mean, what else is there to look at in Vegas?
A couple of folks have written in to say they're highly allergic to peanuts so it's a good thing more restaurants don't fry their french fries in peanut oil. Okay, fine. But as one who has dozens of food allergies — though not that one — I still wish a few more restaurants did their fries that way.
My friend Joe Brancatelli writes, "The best way to fry a french fry is in olive oil. You just haven't lived until you've had fries done in olive oil." I guess I haven't lived, then. So where do they do their french fries in olive oil?
I'm probably not going to write anything here about Sarah Palin's new book. It's not even out yet and the consensus seems to be that if you love her brand of politics, then every single word is sacred and that those who suggest otherwise are just trying to suppress her free speech because she's a Conservative and a woman. And if you don't like her politics, even the punctuation marks are full of lies. I don't see anyone moving very far off either position.
Lastly: Several folks have written to say there's a key difference between the two beauty pageant winners we noted who might well have parlayed scandal into lucrative careers. Unlike Carrie Prejean, they note, Vanessa Williams has demonstrated some genuine talent. Probably true…though I'm even willing to give Ms. Prejean the benefit of the doubt and admit that she might still find some place to show she can do more than parade about in a bikini and give embarrassing interviews.
Today's Video Link
As noted here, my pal Sergio Aragonés had an exhibit of his work for several months up at a museum in Ojai. The folks there were smart enough to ask him to do it and also to let him draw on the walls.
In conjunction with the showing, Sergio did some lectures there about his work. We have here a long (about an hour) video of a talk he gave there on August 30. The video isn't the greatest and you may not understand everything he says…but that's okay. He's been my best friend for over 25 years and I don't understand everything he says. Still, if you're an aspiring cartoonist, you couldn't spend a better hour of your life than trying to figure it out…
Shel Dorf…and an Interesting Aside
R.C. "Bob" Harvey has a fine website on which he covers the world of comic books and strips, and if I haven't recommended it here lately, I should have. He's just posted a remembrance of our friend Shel Dorf and if you knew Shel or are interested in him, it's a must-read. He talks about Shel's attempts to sell a syndicated newspaper strip (one of which was nicely drawn by Bob) and offers up some samples of those strips, plus other Shel-related visuals.
Getting to it may be a bit tricky but it's well worth the effort. Bob ordinarily charges a modest fee for access to his articles…also well worth it, by the way. But if you don't want to shell out the cash right now, you can still read the piece (and sample his other fine articles) as long as you do it in the next two weeks. Go to this page and start reading. When you reach the point where you have to be a subscriber to continue, enter the following and make sure you type it with the capital letters but without the quotation marks. For User Name, enter "Jingle" and for Password, enter "Jangle" and that will get you in…for the next two weeks or so.
By the Way Department: One of the visual treats Bob has put up is a poster for the 1977 San Diego Comic-Con — a drawing of Shel and committee chairman Richard Butner in a scene out of Don Quixote as drawn by the great Filipino cartoonist, Alfredo Alcala. There's kind of an interesting story behind this ad. No one asked Alfredo to do it. He just, on a whim, sat down one day and drew it, expecting (and receiving) no compensation. He sent it to Shel and it became the main advertising art for the convention that year…
At the time, the great animation director Chuck Jones was making a brief foray into the world of syndicated strips. He was writing and drawing a feature called Crawford. One day, an exec from his syndicate was visiting Chuck and an associate of his, a writer named Marian Dern. They were discussing business-type matters when the syndicate exec received a phone call from his office informing him of a problem with one of the syndicate's other strips, the western feature, Rick O'Shay. The problem — and it was a biggie, obviously — is that its creator-writer-artist Stan Lynde had just decided to quit.
The syndicate had the right and desire to keep the strip going so when Chuck asked, "Something wrong?", the exec said, "Yeah, I've got to find someone to write and draw Rick O'Shay."
Chuck pointed to his friend Marian and said, "How about having her write it?"
This was discussed for a few minutes and the guy from the syndicate said, "Well, that might work…but who could we get to draw it?"
Chuck looked around his office and spotted the poster Alfredo had drawn, pinned up on a bulletin board. He had no idea who Alfredo Alcala was or if the artist was available…but Chuck said, "How about that guy?" The syndicate fellow liked the drawing so Chuck phoned Shel Dorf and got Alfredo's phone number.
Now, if you look back a few days on this site, you'll see a photo I took of Alfredo with a man named Zeke Zekley. Zeke for a time had produced the hallowed PS Magazine for the U.S. Government…the army comic once done by Will Eisner. To get it drawn each month, he had sponsored Alfredo's immigration to the United States. Alfredo was perfect for the project but even with him on the team, Zeke found the magazine too much work to get done every thirty days. After a while, he sold the government contract to someone else…which left Alfredo in America but without work.
So Alfredo was sitting in his little apartment, about two miles from Chuck Jones's office, worrying about finding a job. He had to because based on the conditions of his immigration, he'd be deported if he couldn't show gainful employment. Then the phone rang and it was the fellow from the syndicate asking if he was interested in drawing the Rick O'Shay newspaper strip. Alfredo was, of course, extremely interested…and that's how the Rick O'Shay strip came to be produced for a year by the parlay of Dern and Alcala. (Eventually, Mel Keefer took it over, Alfredo secured enough work from DC Comics to stay in the U.S. and Ms. Dern married Mr. Jones.)
One of the many things I love about that big annual convention down in San Diego is how it puts people together…how careers and friendships and relationships, both long-term and short are made. Here's a great example of how even the convention's advertising did that. Amazing.
Burgers and Black
Last evening, I journeyed with two buddies of mine — Alan Burnett and Gordon Kent — to the city of Cerritos, which is located about thirty miles south of Los Angeles.
First stop was an outlet of the Five Guys hamburger chain. As I've mentioned here, these places are popular in the East and South but almost non-existent (so far) in California. There are three in the state, one of which is on a Naval Base that is not accessible to the general public. But they serve the best "fast food" burgers I've ever had and the best french fries of any kind, so when I'm in any city that has 'em, that's where I head. Alan, Gordon and I were going to see Lewis Black at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts and, knowing there was a Five Guys about four miles from there, I persuaded my friends that was the place to dine.
They agreed with my opinion of the hamburgers and especially of the fries. Five Guys uses fresh potatoes at each of its locations and fries them in peanut oil. They're so good, I can't understand why every restaurant doesn't do that. When you taste one, you just know that's the way a french-fried potato is supposed to be.
Then it was over to the Performing Center. As usual, comedian John Bowman had the thankless task of opening before an audience that hadn't come to sit through an opening act. He easily won the crowd over by talking about, among other things, the fact that he wouldn't get paid unless he did his twenty minutes…so we were stuck. He also did a great impression of Lewis Black.
The genuine article then took stage and held a full house captive for about 75 minutes, all of which was new to me. Topics included the economy, why he thinks marijuana should be legalized, why he thinks anyone who supports either the Democratic or Republican party is an idiot, what it's like to follow Vince Gill on stage, Sarah Palin, Lew's parents, and what his (my) generation is leaving for the next one in line. None of it was particularly quotable but all of it was either funny or too painfully true to be funny.
Black's delivery is, of course, half the show. Someone else delivering the same lines wouldn't have the same impact, in part because Black sounds so sincerely indignant about it all. He has a way of connecting with the audience, getting us all on the same wavelength of outrage and cynicism to the extent where the audience starts laughing at the setups, never mind where he's going. If you've never seen the guy in person and you get the chance, don't let it pass you by. I try to go every time he's in Southern California — especially when he's near a Five Guys.