Sunday, July 16, 2017

HANKERING -- RETRO -- SANITY


Had an unexplainable hankering recently for a chili dog -- a culinary concoction  I probably haven't eaten for a couple decades or more.   Recalled a nearby fast food drive thru featuring hot dog varieties so I indulged myself.   The chili wasn't as tasty as what I made, but I'm not about to warm up my kitchen by cooking.  We had a slight cool down outside for a couple days, but we're back to another three digit heat wave again.

The retro dog created a mind set that caused me to be susceptible to a bit of binge viewing of a long ago TV series, "Laugh-In", I coincidentally noticed being featured on current TV one recent day. I had seen some of the broadcasts when they originally aired, but missed many shows given my busy life those years, 1968-1973.   Prime time viewing, traditionally 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., might benefit even now for a similar weekly sketch comedy variety show.  The only comparable sketch comedy program for many years since is NBC-TV's "Saturday Night Live" currently airing well after prime time hours.

"Laugh-In" featured numerous comedic talents, celebrities and even politicians.  The show was fast-moving; colorful; full of comedy skits; outlandish costumes; humorous songs, dances, poetry;  numerous jokes often described as "one-liners" -- brief, and to-the-point on every subject imaginable.

A comedian, Henny Youngman who lived to be 92 was referred to as the King of One-Liners with his classic: "Take my wife......Please!"

Another of his many jokes:

The Doctor called Mrs. Cohen saying, "Mrs. Cohen, your check came back".     
Mrs. Cohen answered: "So did my arthritis!"

Laugh-In's primary hosts were a comedy duo, Dan Rowan and Dick Martin.  Numerous featured comic talents whose careers flourished in the entertainment world after "Laugh-In" ended.  Some of those performers include:  Ruth Buzzi, Judy Carne, Jo Anne Worley, Arte Johnson, Lily Tomlin, Goldie Hawn, Henry Gibson, Alan Sues, Gary Owens, Chelsea Brown, Richard Dawson, Robin Williams.

Flying Fickle Finger of Fate,  one of the shows segments with a serious but humorous twist was an award given "saluting actual dubious achievements by the government or famous people. A breakthrough in TV broadcasting" as defined by the Urban Dictionary.

Here's the first award in a brief  54 sec. video:



Recent news items continue to raise questions about our considerably less than transparent U.S. Administration and President's namesake son.

I can hear Lily Tomlin's little girl character, Edith Ann saying after each of  his new stories  and seemingly never-ending revelations: "And that's the truth!" followed by her making the raspberry sound.



One of Arte Johnson's characters would likely react thusly:



Perhaps this bit of humor will tide me through whatever new insanity may emerge in the week ahead.

21 comments:

  1. I was never a fan of Laugh-In but my husband was so I saw them all. It sure gave a lot of comedians a wider audience than they'd had before.

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    1. Obviously, as your comment notes, the show didn't appeal to everyone, but it sure tickled my funny bone much of the time.

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  2. Well, sock it to me, Joared.
    Cop Car

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    1. Yeah, that was a bit of old-fashioned slap-stick comedy, kinda like from vaudeville days.

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  3. I used to watch Laugh In, too. It seemed silly and fast-moving and often ridiculous, but always entertaining. Lily Tomlin and her characters were always my favourite, and I still enjoy her work.

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    1. The fast-moving action often left me feeling I'd missed something as there seemed to be so much going on. It truly was silly sometimes -- refreshingly so, to escape some of the madness in the world then.

      Lily Tomlin is a favorite of mine, too. Twice I saw the live stage performance of her second Broadway one-woman show, "Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" when she appeared in Los Angeles many years ago. Had excellent seats so could clearly see her subtle facial expressions.

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  4. Did your chili dog hankering go away now? I never had that particular hankering, but I have had some and was almost nuts until I could kill it!
    We do need more levity.
    I'm getting tired of our daily or weekly lie.

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    1. Yes and no -- I actually bought another chili dog in the midst of writing this post yesterday. Maybe the hankering has passed now, 'cause just got tempted by fresh pork ribs being grilled outdoors in front of one of my markets when I was there this morning -- first I've known them to do this in several years and was just a coincidence I was there as he was firing up the briquettes.

      Considering we've been subjected to the mendacity beginning with the campaign (probably even before) and ever since, is very tiring, indeed.

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  5. Welcome to the club. I keep hankering for something or the other every now and then and will go to any length to satisfy that urge. The latest was discovering that we had run out of a particularly tasty ingredient that we use in some curries and I sent for it from the inner city at some inconvenience to an Aide. It was duly cooked yesterday and now I am plotting on something else.

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    1. Good for you! Important to cater to our whims of fancy every so often. Good luck on what you're plotting next.

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  6. Talking of retro, a lot of people here have old vintage cars from decades ago, which they lovingly maintain and keep sparkling-clean. I must say those old cars had a lot more character than today's cars, which are so bland and similar you can barely tell one make from another.

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    1. We have organized antique car clubs here, too. I received an invitation to one such gathering just recently. One of our restaurants used to sponsor a weekly event of such a gathering which had been occurring for years. Some other businesses complained that parking spaces were being taken that adversely affected their businesses, so the car displays ceased. I think it was a mistake and didn't help their businesses much, if at all. I do agree the old cars were more easily distinguishable one from another than now when they mostly all look alike. My perspective of many of them has changed somewhat when I actually drive one of the older cars again, as often many feel like I'm navigating a tank compared to the car I drive today, though it's 1999 vintage, foreign to U.S. automakers.

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  7. EVERY Monday night! Something to look forward to every week

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    1. Thanks for visiting. Indeed, "something to look forward to..."

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  8. This entire blog is a coffee spitter - luckily a roll of paper towels was nearby to clean my display. You made the obvious connections that had eluded me - LOL - Laugh in was a great show and as you point out, plays well with the insanity of today.

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    1. Glad you had a few laughs and could clean up after yourself.

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  9. "One ringy-dingy!" Oh, my -- how I loved Lily Tomlin as Ernestine, and her conversations. I don't remember much more about the show, but I know we watched it, and laughed ourselves silly. If I were to go back and watch a few videos, I'm sure it would all come back, and I just might do that. It would be a nice change from the overwrought D.C. dramas.

    I wonder if your sudden hankering for a hot dog was related to the fact that it was national hot dog day this week? There were articles and radio commercials galore around here, and I found myself thinking about a hot dog for the first time in years. In fact, I may still make a run over to James Coney Island this weekend and get one. Doesn't this menu look good?

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    1. Now that you mention it, I do recall hearing mention about national hot dog day. That may be what triggered my thinking about those wieners. Menu looks good -- better get yourself over to James Coney Island.

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  10. Those old cars were far better at spearing pedestrians than the wimpy cars of today. My big food craving of the moment is watermelon!

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