This is the 2000th post in Blogalicious history, so I'll recognize that milestone by writing about a much larger one: how we left the house on Thursday as a two-person family and returned on Monday as a three-person family.
Before Thursday - The wife had appointments on Monday and Wednesday, the upshot being the baby was pretty damn big (estimated 9 pounds 14 ounces) and had to come out. Induction was planned for Thursday, causing us to scramble a bit to tie up loose ends and make ourselves marginally less ill prepared for being parents.
Thursday - Got to the hospital at 7 am, and by 7:30 the wife was hooked up to IVs delivering, among other things, oxytocin, a hormone used to kick-start labor. Prior to this we did have a discussion with the OB on call regarding c-sections, as he had some concerns related to the potential size of the baby and potential injuries from shoulder dystocia. We decided to give induction a go and see where it led.
It led nowhere, or at least to a place in its neighborhood. After 12 hours, there were no contractions to speak of, only some back pain. While you hear that labor with the first baby is long, this was a little dispiriting. The new OB on call came in and went back over the issues we'd talked about in the morning, allowing us to weigh the options between continuing induction or going with a c-section. We finally decided to go with a c-section, thinking that the results of the induction was a sign that a standard delivery might not be the best choice.
Once the decision was made, things moved swiftly. The c-section, paraprhasing the description given to us, was five minutes of prep, five to ten minutes to get the kid out, and a half hour of putting my wife back the way she was found. The wife was wheeled to the OR, and during her prep I got to put on scrubs. Let's just say that there are apparently not that many large surgeons, or if there are they get their scrubs to order. The best fitting part of the entire outfit were the booties I put over my shoes, a bad sign indeed.
I went into the OR, where most of the wife was flanked by surgeons and nurses, so I (thankfully) did not get to see what was going on there. I was seated up by her head, where there was a drape up to keep us from seeing the gory bits. I fought to keep myself from sliding off the stool - scrubs and polished metal seats don't interact well - while the wife was trying to scratch her nose against the inside of the oxygen mask. We were quite a pair.
And, as described, within ten minutes of my arrival we had a baby (sadly, if it had been later we would not have gotten him for free). And, as my wife thought, we had a boy with a pretty full head of hair (pregnancy heartburn signifying hair is apparently not an old wives' tale). He was crying away, which is understandable given that things were now awfully cold and bright.
But the first thing I really noticed about him was his umbilical cord. It was huge. The doctor who delivered him compared it to a garden hose in size, and the nurse in charge of cutting it was a bit puzzled at first with how she was going to do it (I wanted no part of it, as I've never quite bought into the dad cutting the cord thing). Once that got done (and once he celebrated his own arrival by shooting off his personal water cannon, so to speak), we were off to the nursery.
Once there, they confirmed the OR staff's statements that we did, indeed, have a big baby. He weighed in at 9 pounds 6 ounces, and while that was a half pound off of the ultrasound estimate, it's safe to say that he was big enough that a standard delivery would have been harrowing for mother and child alike. At some point both of us wound up back down in recovery with the wife, and after a few minutes of getting acquainted we all made our way up to the room we'd call home for the next few days.
Friday - During our first round of doctor visits, our OB stopped in and asked how Thor was doing.
Thor?
Turns out that when the delivering doctor asked us what we were going to name our son, the wife said Thor, spoofing on his size (though he does not have long, blonde hair, nor does he wield a hammer). The doctor went and put that on the chart, in what I hope was him going along with the joke. Then again, with some of the names bestowed upon kids now, Thor might not be that bad.
Still, it did raise a point - we had not yet decided what to name the kid. By the time we made a decision, the kid had three nicknames - Thor, Jethro (courtesy of my brother) and Cheeks, which was given by one of the nurses given his big, round cheeks. After some discussion, we did what my dad did with me, and used the reverse of the paternal grandfather's name, landing us with Joseph John Coen.
The rest of the day was spent resting and getting used to young Joe's rhythms for eating and excreting. We got a first-hand introduction to meconium (NSFLunch) that night, and after I changed the diaper solo Joe gave us a second first-hand intro twenty minutes later, one that was a three-person job to remedy. This, in combination with the Egypt-themed book I was reading would lead to a fourth nickname, Poopenkhamun. I still use this when the dreaded "curse" has claimed another innocent diaper.
Saturday - Another day resting and getting used to our son. The wife was recuperating pretty well, and was able to move around much more than the day before. We had our first spate of family visitors outside of my in-laws, who'd come down on Thursday morning in anticipation of a new grandchild. We also made the decision to bottle feed, which was difficult given the strong preference given to breastfeeding in our birthing class and in pretty much every pregnancy publication out there. I will give big ups here to the nurses and lactation consultants at the hospital, as they worked hard to help us get to a decision and fully supported it once it was made.
Sunday - We were all getting a little bored with the hospital by this point, and while we could have stayed until Tuesday, we decided to leave on Monday. I'll admit to being a little worried about not taking our full compliment of days, as I figured one more day of nurses to help with the baby and take care of the wife's incision couldn't hurt. But with the baby getting a clean bill of health and the wife recovering well (by this point managing post-op pain with ibuprofen only), there wasn't much point in staying.
This being our last night, we got to enjoy the hospital's traditional celebration dinner, which is a couple steps up from their regular fare (though their regular food wasn't bad, certainly better than what you'd think of from hospital food). I can't say I ever expected to have rack of lamb at a hospital, but they did a nice job with it.
It was also my last night sleeping in the convertable chair provided so dads can stay over. I did stay every night, more for the wife's sake than the baby's, as the baby went back to the nursery for overnights. That's apparently a somewhat controversial practice, as there's a strong school of thought that the parents should room in with the baby as much as possible. My thinking is that the last thing the wife needed while on the mend was the baby waking her up at some ungodly hour. There'd be enough time for that once we got home.
Anyway, the convertable chairs aren't particularly comfortable, but I've slept in worse.
Monday - There's an odd feeling to leaving the hospital with a baby. Both the wife and I were expecting that someone would stop us before the maternity ward doors, knowing that we're not as prepared as we'd like to care for a newborn. But as we pushed the call button to let us out, no one came running to save the baby from his parents. The doors swung open, and we walked out into our new life together.
21 May 2009
13 May 2009
Book Log 2009 #16: From Time to Time by Jack Finney
This is the sequel to Time and Again, an illustrated novel about a man who goes back to 1880s New York as part of a government-sponsored time travel experiment and winds up staying. In the sequel, he's called upon by the project's leaders - who get back in touch with him with some difficulty - to travel again in an attempt to prevent World War I.
As with the first book, there's lavish period detail and a fun story. Unlike the first book, though, the sequel gets a little too caught up in the detail, and the illustrated parts sometimes feel like they've been included because we expect them.
Still, if you've read the first book you'll probably like this one.
12 May 2009
Book Log 2009 #15: Greasy Rider by Greg Melville
The cross-country drive that forms the basis of this book comes with an environmental twist, as Melville and an old college friend try to drive a Mercedes retrofitted to run on used cooking oil from Vermont to an alt-fuel friendly filling station in Berkeley without burning a single drop of fossil fuels (or, if I remember correctly, paying for any fuel at all). Along the way, Melville get a series of tasks from his friend that he must complete after the trip is over, which include visiting a wind farm and checking to see just how sustainable a lifestyle Al Gore leads.
It's an entertaining though occasionally uneven mix of road trip and eco-primer, and one that shows the possibilities that are already out there to lead a more green-friendly lifestyle. My only quibble is that there were times I wished that the interaction between the author and his friend were less peculiar, though I suppose that can't be helped. Or at least not without theraputic and/or pharmaceutical intervention.
The cross-country drive that forms the basis of this book comes with an environmental twist, as Melville and an old college friend try to drive a Mercedes retrofitted to run on used cooking oil from Vermont to an alt-fuel friendly filling station in Berkeley without burning a single drop of fossil fuels (or, if I remember correctly, paying for any fuel at all). Along the way, Melville get a series of tasks from his friend that he must complete after the trip is over, which include visiting a wind farm and checking to see just how sustainable a lifestyle Al Gore leads.
It's an entertaining though occasionally uneven mix of road trip and eco-primer, and one that shows the possibilities that are already out there to lead a more green-friendly lifestyle. My only quibble is that there were times I wished that the interaction between the author and his friend were less peculiar, though I suppose that can't be helped. Or at least not without theraputic and/or pharmaceutical intervention.
08 May 2009
Book Log 2009 #14: Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley
Buckley turns his satiric eye towards the judiciary in this, his latest novel, as a highly unpopular President, unable to get his nominees for a Supreme Court opening confirmed, gives the Senate Judiciary Committee a metaphorical middle finger by nominating Pepper Cartwright, a plain-talking Texan who hosts a popular TV court show. Perhaps unexpectedly, the stunt works, and Cartwright is given a seat on the court.
Once on the court, it's a non-stop run of problems, both judicial and personal, as Cartwright has to figure out her new job, peculiar colleagues and sort out a messy personal life.
I didn't quite see the parallels between Cartwright and Sarah Palin that some drew, and as the book was published well before Palin became nationally prominent it's a comparison that may not hold water. Instead, I think Buckley may have ripped me off.
However, I do feel like an idiot for not figuring out that the character that chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee was based on Joe Biden, as in retrospect it makes a certain sense.
Highly amusing as always and well worth the read.
Tomorrow is apparently National Train Day, so in honor of that I declare that if the baby arrives at any point during the day, we're naming it Casey Jones Coen.*
*pending the wife's approval, and you can imagine the likelihood of that
*pending the wife's approval, and you can imagine the likelihood of that
01 May 2009
If the doctors are to be believed, we're less than three weeks away from the arrival of Little Coen. So it's time for everyone to get in the pool!
The Blogalicious Baby Pool
Very simple, five questions:
1. What will be the baby's gender?
An important but simple question, given the binary nature of things, and thus worth 10 points. To help you handicap, here are the results of various gender-predictors:
Chinese Baby Gender Chart - girl if I did the Chinese age thing correctly. Using the wife's actual age, it's a boy.
Heart Rate - inconclusive, I think, as the heart rate was routinely above 140 early in the pregnancy but is now just below.
Old Wives Tales Quiz - came up 53-47 that we're having a girl, though I did it once before and it was 60-40 for a boy, so I may have changed one of the answers by mistake.
Another Test - says 77 percent chance it's a boy.
Childbirth.org - their test says 52-47 girl, though there were a couple questions I couldn't answer.
2. What day will the baby be born?
Pretty straightforward, 20 points if you're right, 1 point off for each day you miss by. We've been given a due date of May 19. Past history is inconclusive; the wife was born three weeks early and was her mom's first child, while I, as my mom's fourth, was pretty much on time.
3. What time will the baby be born?
Also straightforward, guess a time and if you're within the hour you'll get 20 points, with 1 point off for each half hour you're off by. And while I don't think the information is of much help, I can tell you that I was a mid-afternoon baby, while the wife was mid-morning.
4. What will be the baby's weight?
Entries here should be in pounds and ounces, with 20 points available if you're spot on, losing a point thereafter for each ounce you're off. Our last weight estimation, which was about three weeks ago, had the kid at 7 pounds, 1 ounce. I came in a six pounds even, the wife below that.
5. What will be the baby's length?
The guess here should be in inches, with 20 points if within one inch, losing a point for each inch you're off from there. The wife was in the high teens, while I think I was 24 inches long, though that looks too long to me.
Anyway, send your entry along or post in the comments. Good luck!
The Blogalicious Baby Pool
Very simple, five questions:
1. What will be the baby's gender?
An important but simple question, given the binary nature of things, and thus worth 10 points. To help you handicap, here are the results of various gender-predictors:
Chinese Baby Gender Chart - girl if I did the Chinese age thing correctly. Using the wife's actual age, it's a boy.
Heart Rate - inconclusive, I think, as the heart rate was routinely above 140 early in the pregnancy but is now just below.
Old Wives Tales Quiz - came up 53-47 that we're having a girl, though I did it once before and it was 60-40 for a boy, so I may have changed one of the answers by mistake.
Another Test - says 77 percent chance it's a boy.
Childbirth.org - their test says 52-47 girl, though there were a couple questions I couldn't answer.
2. What day will the baby be born?
Pretty straightforward, 20 points if you're right, 1 point off for each day you miss by. We've been given a due date of May 19. Past history is inconclusive; the wife was born three weeks early and was her mom's first child, while I, as my mom's fourth, was pretty much on time.
3. What time will the baby be born?
Also straightforward, guess a time and if you're within the hour you'll get 20 points, with 1 point off for each half hour you're off by. And while I don't think the information is of much help, I can tell you that I was a mid-afternoon baby, while the wife was mid-morning.
4. What will be the baby's weight?
Entries here should be in pounds and ounces, with 20 points available if you're spot on, losing a point thereafter for each ounce you're off. Our last weight estimation, which was about three weeks ago, had the kid at 7 pounds, 1 ounce. I came in a six pounds even, the wife below that.
5. What will be the baby's length?
The guess here should be in inches, with 20 points if within one inch, losing a point for each inch you're off from there. The wife was in the high teens, while I think I was 24 inches long, though that looks too long to me.
Anyway, send your entry along or post in the comments. Good luck!
27 April 2009
Book Log 2009 #13: Final Salute by Jim Sheeler
Regardless of how you feel about our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, it would be well worth your while to read this incredibly moving book detailing all aspects of what the military calls casualty notification. The book mostly focuses on Major Steve Beck, a Marine who, like most casualty notification officers, has little to no training on how to deliver the news or support the families now missing a child or spouse. Unlike some who are tapped to perform this duty - no one is permanently assigned to do so - Beck has a skill for it, thanks in no small part to his empathy for the families and understanding of how to truly honor the fallen.
One of the most moving parts of the book, though, comes when Sheeler spends time with the soldiers who accompany the caskets of their comrades back to their families. At the time the book was written, this typically happened on commercial flights, meaning that the accompanying soldier, often a friend or unitmate of the deceased, had the added burden that came when fellow passengers realized why the soldier was on their flight. The emotion here is at a completely different level than that of the families, at times more raw at the loss of a friend while at other times thankful that there are other passengers who provide comfort or support (thankfully, few passengers seem to seize the opportunity to voice their opinion on the war, one way or the other).
At times the book does get a little mawkish, which I think comes from the need to find material to bring what was originally a featured series in the now-departed Rocky Mountain News to book length. Even so, these periods are few and don't detract greatly. I don't know if it would change anyone's views on the wars, but I do think it helps to provide focus to what has been, for most of us, war held at arm's length.
Regardless of how you feel about our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, it would be well worth your while to read this incredibly moving book detailing all aspects of what the military calls casualty notification. The book mostly focuses on Major Steve Beck, a Marine who, like most casualty notification officers, has little to no training on how to deliver the news or support the families now missing a child or spouse. Unlike some who are tapped to perform this duty - no one is permanently assigned to do so - Beck has a skill for it, thanks in no small part to his empathy for the families and understanding of how to truly honor the fallen.
One of the most moving parts of the book, though, comes when Sheeler spends time with the soldiers who accompany the caskets of their comrades back to their families. At the time the book was written, this typically happened on commercial flights, meaning that the accompanying soldier, often a friend or unitmate of the deceased, had the added burden that came when fellow passengers realized why the soldier was on their flight. The emotion here is at a completely different level than that of the families, at times more raw at the loss of a friend while at other times thankful that there are other passengers who provide comfort or support (thankfully, few passengers seem to seize the opportunity to voice their opinion on the war, one way or the other).
At times the book does get a little mawkish, which I think comes from the need to find material to bring what was originally a featured series in the now-departed Rocky Mountain News to book length. Even so, these periods are few and don't detract greatly. I don't know if it would change anyone's views on the wars, but I do think it helps to provide focus to what has been, for most of us, war held at arm's length.
Book Log 2009 #12: The Somnambuilst by Jonathan Barnes
I liked this book more than I expected, but still felt that there was some unrecognized potential in its story of a magician who, with his mute assistant, investigate a murder in Victorian London that turns out to be much more than a simple killing.
My expectations were set on the low side fearing something derivative from The Prestige or The Illusionist, and while there are some similarities, the book travels in very different circles than either of those movies. The book is much less about magic or the magician (heck, the book is named for the assistant), and uses the supernatural in a very different way. The narrative structure also took a little getting used to, but in the end I found it enhanced the story quite a bit.
But I think there was some added potential to give background on several characters, and perhaps on the event that is responsible for the killing that kicks off the book, as I think it would have clarified some of what takes place in the conclusion, which was a little muddled for me. On the other hand, Barnes has apparently written a sequel, albeit set in modern times, which may help to clarify things (akin to how Stephen Carter's Palace Council helped to explain things about his previous books). At least I hope so, as I enjoyed this book well enough to want to read the sequel.
24 April 2009
Book Log 2009 #11: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8. Lee
I'll admit to never really considering where fortune cookies came from, but it's just that question that gets Lee started down a path to find out how Chinese food became such a hit in the US and around the world. Along the way she visits the hometown of General Tso/Gao, documents New York's menu wars and DC's kosher duck scandal, and tries to find the best Chinese restaurant (outside of China) in the world.
There's a lot to like about this book, from the historical research into Chinese food origins (including a discovery about the genesis of the fortune cookie that I imagine would rankle the Chinese) to Lee's personal reflections about balancing American and Chinese cultures. The chapters dealing with the struggles to run restaurants and the shadow work force that travels the country to staff them are eye-opening, and provide thoughtful contrast to the less serious stuff. Definitely recommended.
I'll admit to never really considering where fortune cookies came from, but it's just that question that gets Lee started down a path to find out how Chinese food became such a hit in the US and around the world. Along the way she visits the hometown of General Tso/Gao, documents New York's menu wars and DC's kosher duck scandal, and tries to find the best Chinese restaurant (outside of China) in the world.
There's a lot to like about this book, from the historical research into Chinese food origins (including a discovery about the genesis of the fortune cookie that I imagine would rankle the Chinese) to Lee's personal reflections about balancing American and Chinese cultures. The chapters dealing with the struggles to run restaurants and the shadow work force that travels the country to staff them are eye-opening, and provide thoughtful contrast to the less serious stuff. Definitely recommended.
Book Log 2009 #10: The Fifth Floor by Michael Harvey
When Michael Kelly is hired by an ex-girlfriend to trail her no-good husband, the last thing he expects to stumble upon is a murder apparently connected to the Great Chicago Fire and, unluckily for him, the city's powerful mayor (whose office location gives title to the book).
I liked the book quite a bit. I always enjoy mysteries when they turn historical (there's a stretch where it kind of becomes History Detectives with a body count), and there's a balance between noirish and comedic aspects that work better than expected.
This is the second book to feature Kelly, and as there appear to be spoilers to the first book (The Chicago Way) at the start of this one, it would make some sense to read these in order. Unlike me, who'll be reading the first book in the next week or so.
When Michael Kelly is hired by an ex-girlfriend to trail her no-good husband, the last thing he expects to stumble upon is a murder apparently connected to the Great Chicago Fire and, unluckily for him, the city's powerful mayor (whose office location gives title to the book).
I liked the book quite a bit. I always enjoy mysteries when they turn historical (there's a stretch where it kind of becomes History Detectives with a body count), and there's a balance between noirish and comedic aspects that work better than expected.
This is the second book to feature Kelly, and as there appear to be spoilers to the first book (The Chicago Way) at the start of this one, it would make some sense to read these in order. Unlike me, who'll be reading the first book in the next week or so.
22 April 2009
Finally, getting back to things here, with the hope of playing catch up with everything in the coming weeks so that I can get monumentally behind once we increase the population of our household by 50 percent.
So what have I been up to?
Baby - we finished our birthing classes a couple of weeks ago with some Q&A with parents who were in the last class. It wasn't as horrifying as the movies (thanks to the lack of pictures), and the parents did confirm two themes that have developed as the months passed: expect whatever plan you have for the birth to go wildly askew and don't plan on sleeping once the kid comes home.
I followed this up with a Saturday morning session of daddy boot camp, where we dads-to-be met up with some new dads to talk about parenting and get some practical experience with things like changing diapers, feeding, etc. I won't say it was the most useful three hours, but it was good to get some perspective, and we even got a "five wiper" from one of the kids, though thankfully not of the "up the back and all over the clothes" variety.
We've been making our appointments and had another ultrasound, with another estimate suggesting we're having a big baby (estimated weight is about three weeks ahead of the average for the week we're on, and we're still ahead of average if you take off the pound that seems to be the upper end of the margin of error).
Otherwise, things are going about as well as can be expected, though the wife is at the point where she'd be happy to stop being pregnant.
Wedding - the sister in law got married last week, and while I wasn't particularly involved it did take up a fair amount of time given the influx of relatives from England who came over (some of whom stayed with us, and others of whom we saw over Easter) and whatever assistance was needed to help the wife with errands and whatever (mostly related to running around the day of when people were getting ready).
All in all it went off very well, and the cakes as centerpieces idea worked better than expected.
Throw in back-to-back registration periods at work and the looming graduation in May and that's pretty much my life the last two weeks, sad as it is.
So what have I been up to?
Baby - we finished our birthing classes a couple of weeks ago with some Q&A with parents who were in the last class. It wasn't as horrifying as the movies (thanks to the lack of pictures), and the parents did confirm two themes that have developed as the months passed: expect whatever plan you have for the birth to go wildly askew and don't plan on sleeping once the kid comes home.
I followed this up with a Saturday morning session of daddy boot camp, where we dads-to-be met up with some new dads to talk about parenting and get some practical experience with things like changing diapers, feeding, etc. I won't say it was the most useful three hours, but it was good to get some perspective, and we even got a "five wiper" from one of the kids, though thankfully not of the "up the back and all over the clothes" variety.
We've been making our appointments and had another ultrasound, with another estimate suggesting we're having a big baby (estimated weight is about three weeks ahead of the average for the week we're on, and we're still ahead of average if you take off the pound that seems to be the upper end of the margin of error).
Otherwise, things are going about as well as can be expected, though the wife is at the point where she'd be happy to stop being pregnant.
Wedding - the sister in law got married last week, and while I wasn't particularly involved it did take up a fair amount of time given the influx of relatives from England who came over (some of whom stayed with us, and others of whom we saw over Easter) and whatever assistance was needed to help the wife with errands and whatever (mostly related to running around the day of when people were getting ready).
All in all it went off very well, and the cakes as centerpieces idea worked better than expected.
Throw in back-to-back registration periods at work and the looming graduation in May and that's pretty much my life the last two weeks, sad as it is.
10 April 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
November 23, 1997: Monsignor Martinez utters his first "Vaya con Dios."
Well before Ugly Betty made telenovelas sort of mainstream, the folks at King of the Hill mined them for comedy gold with the incidental appearance of Los Dias y Las Noches de Monsignor Martinez, whose title cleric has a penchant for violence, most of which is heard rather than seen.
Someone found these bits amusing, as Fox did consider a live-action spinoff for the 2001-02 season. How they passed on a sitcom about a murderous priest I'll never figure out, as it seems like it'd be right up their alley.
November 23, 1997: Monsignor Martinez utters his first "Vaya con Dios."
Well before Ugly Betty made telenovelas sort of mainstream, the folks at King of the Hill mined them for comedy gold with the incidental appearance of Los Dias y Las Noches de Monsignor Martinez, whose title cleric has a penchant for violence, most of which is heard rather than seen.
Someone found these bits amusing, as Fox did consider a live-action spinoff for the 2001-02 season. How they passed on a sitcom about a murderous priest I'll never figure out, as it seems like it'd be right up their alley.
09 April 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on TV
April 22, 1988: Teenage girls in an all male Catholic high school? Wacky!
Just the Ten of Us was a spin-off of Growing Pains that took the recurring character of Graham Lubbock, a gym teacher played by Bill Kirchenbauer and sent him, his wife and their eight kids off to California so he could teach gym at St. Augustine's Academy, an all-male Catholic high school.
Part of the deal, though, is that Coach Lubbock's four teenage daughters would also get to go to St. Augustine's. Considering that Lubbock took umbrage when boys would look at his daughers at whatever suburban high school Growing Pains had, you can imagine how it went when his daughters were the only girls in school. The powers that be at the school didn't care for the arrangement much either, but made it work thanks to the school's headmaster, Father Frank Hargis (played by Frank Bonner, known to most as Herb Tarlek on WKRP in Cincinnati).
The thing I never got about this arrangement was why the girls couldn't go to public school. Or whatever sister school St. Augustine's had. I know, hard to believe an '80s sitcom would be so contrived. I also don't know if the Lubbocks were actually Catholic (not that it's a deal-breaker for attending Catholic school). Then again, they did have eight kids.
The show did reasonably well, but ABC apparently cancelled it because they wanted the TGIF lineup they were cooking up to have shows all from the same production company. Which is how the Alphabet turned in a solid performer for Going Places, a TV show about TV show writers who also happen to share a house (contrivance being widely abundant, apparently). It never caught on, and with good reason.
Just the Ten of Us also gave a couple of actors and early stop on their career, as one of the Lubbock daughter was played by the toothsome Jamie Luner (Savannah, Melrose Place) and Dennis Haysbert (24, The Unit) played Coach Lubbock's assistant.
April 22, 1988: Teenage girls in an all male Catholic high school? Wacky!
Just the Ten of Us was a spin-off of Growing Pains that took the recurring character of Graham Lubbock, a gym teacher played by Bill Kirchenbauer and sent him, his wife and their eight kids off to California so he could teach gym at St. Augustine's Academy, an all-male Catholic high school.
Part of the deal, though, is that Coach Lubbock's four teenage daughters would also get to go to St. Augustine's. Considering that Lubbock took umbrage when boys would look at his daughers at whatever suburban high school Growing Pains had, you can imagine how it went when his daughters were the only girls in school. The powers that be at the school didn't care for the arrangement much either, but made it work thanks to the school's headmaster, Father Frank Hargis (played by Frank Bonner, known to most as Herb Tarlek on WKRP in Cincinnati).
The thing I never got about this arrangement was why the girls couldn't go to public school. Or whatever sister school St. Augustine's had. I know, hard to believe an '80s sitcom would be so contrived. I also don't know if the Lubbocks were actually Catholic (not that it's a deal-breaker for attending Catholic school). Then again, they did have eight kids.
The show did reasonably well, but ABC apparently cancelled it because they wanted the TGIF lineup they were cooking up to have shows all from the same production company. Which is how the Alphabet turned in a solid performer for Going Places, a TV show about TV show writers who also happen to share a house (contrivance being widely abundant, apparently). It never caught on, and with good reason.
Just the Ten of Us also gave a couple of actors and early stop on their career, as one of the Lubbock daughter was played by the toothsome Jamie Luner (Savannah, Melrose Place) and Dennis Haysbert (24, The Unit) played Coach Lubbock's assistant.
08 April 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
April 8, 2005: John Paul II's funeral is seen live worldwide
When Paul VI and John Paul I both died in1978, their funerals were televised, but the most anyone outside of Italy saw of the ceremonies were on tape and likely during the evening news. That would not be the case 26 years and change later, when John Paul II's funeral was seen live across the globe.
I couldn't find viewership totals, but there's an assumption that this was likely the most-watched funeral ever, surpassing that of Princess Diana. If it didn't, it's safe to say it was the most-watched Catholic funeral ever, thanks to the combination of technology and JP2's long reign.
But it was also interesting television, given the number of people who'd never seen a Papal funeral before and the fairly unprecedented turn-out by secular and religious leaders. The pope is a head of state, of course, but you'd not expect somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 world leaders to show, a number from not particularly Catholic countries. On the religious side, I don't think you'd have had such a showing of Protestant, Orthodox, and non-Christian leaders for anyone else.
So between the pomp, novelty, and chance to watch probably the only event ever that would have the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox church, and the Queen of Norway in attendance, it was something to see. Or so I heard; I slept through most of it, catching the last 20 minutes or so.
April 8, 2005: John Paul II's funeral is seen live worldwide
When Paul VI and John Paul I both died in1978, their funerals were televised, but the most anyone outside of Italy saw of the ceremonies were on tape and likely during the evening news. That would not be the case 26 years and change later, when John Paul II's funeral was seen live across the globe.
I couldn't find viewership totals, but there's an assumption that this was likely the most-watched funeral ever, surpassing that of Princess Diana. If it didn't, it's safe to say it was the most-watched Catholic funeral ever, thanks to the combination of technology and JP2's long reign.
But it was also interesting television, given the number of people who'd never seen a Papal funeral before and the fairly unprecedented turn-out by secular and religious leaders. The pope is a head of state, of course, but you'd not expect somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 world leaders to show, a number from not particularly Catholic countries. On the religious side, I don't think you'd have had such a showing of Protestant, Orthodox, and non-Christian leaders for anyone else.
So between the pomp, novelty, and chance to watch probably the only event ever that would have the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox church, and the Queen of Norway in attendance, it was something to see. Or so I heard; I slept through most of it, catching the last 20 minutes or so.
07 April 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
April 13, 2005: It may be the end of the world as we know it, and I feel like I wasted six hours
A TV show based on the End of Days doesn't seem like a winner, which may be why Revelations turned into a six-episode miniseries. It probably does not explain why it was such an incoherent mess.
Your basic plot: scientist Richard Massey (Bill Pullman) is a skeptic of the highest order, and when his daughter is killed by a Satanist, he is integral in his capture and return to the US, where he is imprisoned awaiting trial. Massey is not a man of faith, which makes his later pairing with Sister Josepha Montafiore (Natascha McElhone) a bit of a chore.
Montafiore spends her time criss-crossing the globe looking for signs of the Second Coming, at the behest of a private, and very conservative, organization. Her work, often at the fringe of organized religion, puts her at odds with mainstream religious folks.
So what you wind up having is The X Testament, with Massey as Scully and Montafiore as Mulder. They get mixed up in some sort of plot launched by the Satanist character to either prevent the second birth of Jesus or hasten the rebirth of Satan. I don't quite recall from memory, and I don't think it was particularly clear at the time, either. All I do know is that it involved the kidnapping of Massey's son so he could spend a lot of time with a character played by Fred Durst. There was also some subplot involving astronomy that required the involvement of a professor played by Jonathan Rhys-Davies, who spent most of his time "lecturing" Harvard students in the most grandiose way possible, spouting generalities and nonsense.
(If that reminds you of Mohinder Suresh and his pointless narration on Heroes, it's not an accident, as the shows share at least some DNA thanks to producer James Chory.)
So to sum up, the plot was confusing, the characters often ludicrous and in the end it wasn't really clear what had happened. To some extent that's a decent metaphor for the book of the Bible after which the miniseries was named. Just one that isn't particularly fun to watch.
April 13, 2005: It may be the end of the world as we know it, and I feel like I wasted six hours
A TV show based on the End of Days doesn't seem like a winner, which may be why Revelations turned into a six-episode miniseries. It probably does not explain why it was such an incoherent mess.
Your basic plot: scientist Richard Massey (Bill Pullman) is a skeptic of the highest order, and when his daughter is killed by a Satanist, he is integral in his capture and return to the US, where he is imprisoned awaiting trial. Massey is not a man of faith, which makes his later pairing with Sister Josepha Montafiore (Natascha McElhone) a bit of a chore.
Montafiore spends her time criss-crossing the globe looking for signs of the Second Coming, at the behest of a private, and very conservative, organization. Her work, often at the fringe of organized religion, puts her at odds with mainstream religious folks.
So what you wind up having is The X Testament, with Massey as Scully and Montafiore as Mulder. They get mixed up in some sort of plot launched by the Satanist character to either prevent the second birth of Jesus or hasten the rebirth of Satan. I don't quite recall from memory, and I don't think it was particularly clear at the time, either. All I do know is that it involved the kidnapping of Massey's son so he could spend a lot of time with a character played by Fred Durst. There was also some subplot involving astronomy that required the involvement of a professor played by Jonathan Rhys-Davies, who spent most of his time "lecturing" Harvard students in the most grandiose way possible, spouting generalities and nonsense.
(If that reminds you of Mohinder Suresh and his pointless narration on Heroes, it's not an accident, as the shows share at least some DNA thanks to producer James Chory.)
So to sum up, the plot was confusing, the characters often ludicrous and in the end it wasn't really clear what had happened. To some extent that's a decent metaphor for the book of the Bible after which the miniseries was named. Just one that isn't particularly fun to watch.
06 April 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
September 24, 2002: Donna Pinciotti gets sent to Catholic school
As punishment for her running away to California with Kelso, Bob Pinciotti decides that his daughter Donna needs some structure. So he takes her out of Point Place High and enrolls her at Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow.
Eric Foreman, Donna's boyfriend, doesn't like that this will cut into the time they get to spend together... until she comes over to his house after her first day at the new school, still in uniform. That changes his tune. Quickly.
I don't know how long they kept this plot line going, but it probably wasn't long enough.
September 24, 2002: Donna Pinciotti gets sent to Catholic school
As punishment for her running away to California with Kelso, Bob Pinciotti decides that his daughter Donna needs some structure. So he takes her out of Point Place High and enrolls her at Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow.
Eric Foreman, Donna's boyfriend, doesn't like that this will cut into the time they get to spend together... until she comes over to his house after her first day at the new school, still in uniform. That changes his tune. Quickly.
I don't know how long they kept this plot line going, but it probably wasn't long enough.
04 April 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
December 10, 1979: Father Mulcahy finally gets promoted to captain
The recurring subplot where Father Mulcahy gets passed over for a promotion finally gets it resolution, as the padre gets his captain's bars. It's the one reasonably good thing about this lousy episode, wherein Hawkeye, BJ and Charles wind up running Rosie's Bar while Rosie has to recuperate from a bar fight-related injury.
These won't all be about Mulcahy from here on out, but don't be surprised if he shows up again.
December 10, 1979: Father Mulcahy finally gets promoted to captain
The recurring subplot where Father Mulcahy gets passed over for a promotion finally gets it resolution, as the padre gets his captain's bars. It's the one reasonably good thing about this lousy episode, wherein Hawkeye, BJ and Charles wind up running Rosie's Bar while Rosie has to recuperate from a bar fight-related injury.
These won't all be about Mulcahy from here on out, but don't be surprised if he shows up again.
Book Log 2009 #9: American Nerd by Benjamin Nugent
There's a fair amount to like here, between the history of nerddom and visits to various nerd subcultures (sci-fi fans, high school debaters, anime conventioneers, etc.). This is intertwined with Nugent's personal experiences growing up as a nerd, which at the end of the book blossoms into a full-on apology for his turning away from his nerd friends. I wasn't as crazy about that part; getting paid to write and achieve some sort of theraputic goal is all well and good, but I didn't feel like it added enough to the book. I'm sure others will feel differently.
Anway, a worthy read about the story of what Nugent calls "my people."
There's a fair amount to like here, between the history of nerddom and visits to various nerd subcultures (sci-fi fans, high school debaters, anime conventioneers, etc.). This is intertwined with Nugent's personal experiences growing up as a nerd, which at the end of the book blossoms into a full-on apology for his turning away from his nerd friends. I wasn't as crazy about that part; getting paid to write and achieve some sort of theraputic goal is all well and good, but I didn't feel like it added enough to the book. I'm sure others will feel differently.
Anway, a worthy read about the story of what Nugent calls "my people."
03 April 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
Sometime in 1974: Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser creates the Humanitas Prize
Founded as an award for television writers, the Humanitas Prize honors "stories that affirm the dignity of the human person, probe the meaning of life, and enlighten the use of human freedom. The stories reveal common humanity, so that love may come to permeate the human family and help liberate, enrich and unify society."
The first awards were announced on Today in 1975 by Fr. Kieser, Ray Bradbury, and Robert Abernathy (none went to sci-fi programming, odd given the membership of that group). They originally gave award to programming of 30, 60 and 90 minutes in length, but would later branch out into children's progamming, public/cable shows, and feature films (both generally and for films in competition at Sundance).
Winners get prizes of either $10,000 or $25,000, as well as a snazzy trophy.
Sometime in 1974: Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser creates the Humanitas Prize
Founded as an award for television writers, the Humanitas Prize honors "stories that affirm the dignity of the human person, probe the meaning of life, and enlighten the use of human freedom. The stories reveal common humanity, so that love may come to permeate the human family and help liberate, enrich and unify society."
The first awards were announced on Today in 1975 by Fr. Kieser, Ray Bradbury, and Robert Abernathy (none went to sci-fi programming, odd given the membership of that group). They originally gave award to programming of 30, 60 and 90 minutes in length, but would later branch out into children's progamming, public/cable shows, and feature films (both generally and for films in competition at Sundance).
Winners get prizes of either $10,000 or $25,000, as well as a snazzy trophy.
02 April 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
January 1, 1979: Notre Dame rallies to beat the University of Houston in the Cotton Bowl
On an unusually cold day in Dallas, Notre Dame rolled out to a 12-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Houston, getting the wind at their backs for the second quarter, put up 20 unanswered points. When the teams came out of the locker rooms for the second half, Notre Dame's star QB Joe Montana was nowhere to be found.
Montana was back in the locker room, where he had both the flu and a touch of hypothermia. The ND training staff, desperate to get him back on the field, turned to chicken soup for help in a fit of panic-induced ecumenicism.
This worked, as Montana was able to return to the game but faced a 34-12 defecit. With just over seven minutes left in the game, Notre Dame blocked a Houston punt, returning it for a touchdown. Montana hit Vagas Ferguson for the conversion, making the game 34-20. Houston punted on their next possession, and Montana led the Irish down the field again, running in a touchdown and throwing another two point conversion to get the score to 34-28.
Notre Dame got the ball back again, and were driving until Montana was stripped and Houston recovered. The ensuing Cougars drive stalled, and with a fourth-and-one on their own 29, coach Bill Yeomans decided to go for it. To quote the knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, "he chose... poorly." The Houston runner was stuffed, and the Irish got the ball back with 28 seconds on the clock.
But that was just enough time for Montana to finish the job. He scrambled for 11 and then threw for another 10, giving the Irish a first down on the Houston 8 with six seconds to play. Montana threw away a pass, taking the clock to four seconds. On the game's final timed play, he found Kris Haines along the sideline in the end zone. Tie ballgame. Kicker Joe Unis gave the Irish the win (on his second kick, as ND was offsides on his first).
This wasn't Montana's first comeback win, and it certainly wasn't the last, but it's the one that put him on the map, I think. It's also the first college football game I really remember watching, for what it's worth.
January 1, 1979: Notre Dame rallies to beat the University of Houston in the Cotton Bowl
On an unusually cold day in Dallas, Notre Dame rolled out to a 12-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Houston, getting the wind at their backs for the second quarter, put up 20 unanswered points. When the teams came out of the locker rooms for the second half, Notre Dame's star QB Joe Montana was nowhere to be found.
Montana was back in the locker room, where he had both the flu and a touch of hypothermia. The ND training staff, desperate to get him back on the field, turned to chicken soup for help in a fit of panic-induced ecumenicism.
This worked, as Montana was able to return to the game but faced a 34-12 defecit. With just over seven minutes left in the game, Notre Dame blocked a Houston punt, returning it for a touchdown. Montana hit Vagas Ferguson for the conversion, making the game 34-20. Houston punted on their next possession, and Montana led the Irish down the field again, running in a touchdown and throwing another two point conversion to get the score to 34-28.
Notre Dame got the ball back again, and were driving until Montana was stripped and Houston recovered. The ensuing Cougars drive stalled, and with a fourth-and-one on their own 29, coach Bill Yeomans decided to go for it. To quote the knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, "he chose... poorly." The Houston runner was stuffed, and the Irish got the ball back with 28 seconds on the clock.
But that was just enough time for Montana to finish the job. He scrambled for 11 and then threw for another 10, giving the Irish a first down on the Houston 8 with six seconds to play. Montana threw away a pass, taking the clock to four seconds. On the game's final timed play, he found Kris Haines along the sideline in the end zone. Tie ballgame. Kicker Joe Unis gave the Irish the win (on his second kick, as ND was offsides on his first).
This wasn't Montana's first comeback win, and it certainly wasn't the last, but it's the one that put him on the map, I think. It's also the first college football game I really remember watching, for what it's worth.
01 April 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
Sometime in 1965: Tom Lehrer debuts "The Vatican Rag" on That Was the Week That Was
Based on a British show of the same name, TW3 was the first notable attempt to televise a satirical news program on US network TV. It was a qualified success, as its notable cast (including Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Alan Alda and Buck Henry) didn't keep it from a short run, airing from January 1964 to May 1965 on NBC.
One of the contributors to the show was Tom Lehrer, a Harvard-educated musician and mathematician who specialized in parodies using well-known tunes with new lyrics. He contributed several songs to the program, and in honor of Vatican II he came up with "The Vatican Rag," which really doesn't have much to do with the council but is pretty damn funny regardless.
You can watch his performance of the song here.
Sometime in 1965: Tom Lehrer debuts "The Vatican Rag" on That Was the Week That Was
Based on a British show of the same name, TW3 was the first notable attempt to televise a satirical news program on US network TV. It was a qualified success, as its notable cast (including Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Alan Alda and Buck Henry) didn't keep it from a short run, airing from January 1964 to May 1965 on NBC.
One of the contributors to the show was Tom Lehrer, a Harvard-educated musician and mathematician who specialized in parodies using well-known tunes with new lyrics. He contributed several songs to the program, and in honor of Vatican II he came up with "The Vatican Rag," which really doesn't have much to do with the council but is pretty damn funny regardless.
You can watch his performance of the song here.
31 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
December 4, 2005: A hustler plays the Pope
In 1969, Jon Voight earned an Oscar nomination for playing Joe Buck, a male prostitute trying to survive on the streets of New York City in Midnight Cowboy. So it made perfect sense that, 35 years later, he'd play Pope John Paul II in a CBS biopic.
Granted, 35 years is a long time, but it's a juxtaposition that's hard to ignore. It's also fitting with regards to some of the other casting. Carey Elwes, known mostly for humorous roles (such as Westley in The Princess Bride or the title character in Robin Hood: Men in Tights), was cast as the young Karol Wojtyla, and Christopher Lee, whose played baddies from Dracula to Scaramanga to Count Dooku to Sauruman played Polish cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, whose work in conclave led to Wojtyla's election (I suppose he'd be the Ratso Rizzo analogue?).
The movie itself was made with some level of cooperation from the Vatican, as it was started before John Paul II died. It garnered an Emmy nod for Voight, and, not surprisingly, did boffo box office in Poland, where it was released theatrically. Just with fewer propositions than Midnight Cowboy.
December 4, 2005: A hustler plays the Pope
In 1969, Jon Voight earned an Oscar nomination for playing Joe Buck, a male prostitute trying to survive on the streets of New York City in Midnight Cowboy. So it made perfect sense that, 35 years later, he'd play Pope John Paul II in a CBS biopic.
Granted, 35 years is a long time, but it's a juxtaposition that's hard to ignore. It's also fitting with regards to some of the other casting. Carey Elwes, known mostly for humorous roles (such as Westley in The Princess Bride or the title character in Robin Hood: Men in Tights), was cast as the young Karol Wojtyla, and Christopher Lee, whose played baddies from Dracula to Scaramanga to Count Dooku to Sauruman played Polish cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, whose work in conclave led to Wojtyla's election (I suppose he'd be the Ratso Rizzo analogue?).
The movie itself was made with some level of cooperation from the Vatican, as it was started before John Paul II died. It garnered an Emmy nod for Voight, and, not surprisingly, did boffo box office in Poland, where it was released theatrically. Just with fewer propositions than Midnight Cowboy.
30 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
February 28, 1983: Father Mulcahy gets an unwanted souvenir from the war
Word of an impending cease-fire causes an escalation in fighting, with the 4077th becoming innundated with casualties and prisoners of war alike. It eventually becomes a target, and as bombs fall on the compound, Father Mulcahy runs out to free the POWs, who are at risk as they are being held in an outdoor enclosure. He succeeds, but is felled by a bomb blast. Turns out he has no major injuries, but he is now deaf.
For the rest of the episode, Mulcahy fakes it as best he can, hiding his condition from all but BJ, who diagnosed the hearing loss. With the war over, he plans to return to Philadelphia and minister to the deaf. He apparently doesn't do that for long, as he shows up on AfterMASH to get an operation to restore his hearing, and winds up staying to work with Potter and Klinger at a VA hospital in Missouri.
February 28, 1983: Father Mulcahy gets an unwanted souvenir from the war
Word of an impending cease-fire causes an escalation in fighting, with the 4077th becoming innundated with casualties and prisoners of war alike. It eventually becomes a target, and as bombs fall on the compound, Father Mulcahy runs out to free the POWs, who are at risk as they are being held in an outdoor enclosure. He succeeds, but is felled by a bomb blast. Turns out he has no major injuries, but he is now deaf.
For the rest of the episode, Mulcahy fakes it as best he can, hiding his condition from all but BJ, who diagnosed the hearing loss. With the war over, he plans to return to Philadelphia and minister to the deaf. He apparently doesn't do that for long, as he shows up on AfterMASH to get an operation to restore his hearing, and winds up staying to work with Potter and Klinger at a VA hospital in Missouri.
29 March 2009
Book Log 2009 #8: Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by Paul Theroux
I've been neglecting to update the Book Log, what with all the Lentorama postings, so time for some catching up.
This book sees Theroux go back through Asia, retracing the route he took over 30 years ago that became his first travel book, The Railway Bazaar. It's not totally exact - he detours into central Asia after he can't get a visa to enter Iran, and he skips other parts of the voyage where it'd be too dangerous (Pakistan) or not of enough interest for him to justify a return.
The resulting voyage is a nice mix of the new (such as his first-hand account of life in Turkmenistan, the former Soviet republic where the leader renamed days and months after family members) and updated looks at some of his favorite places (many of which, to his dismay, haven't changed for the better, if at all).
My favorite parts, though, reveal more about Theroux's personal life. He writes a bit about the circumstances surrounding the original trip and the results of going on it (the end of what was, even when he left, a problematic marriage). There are a number of places where he writes about getting older, and in a few places we clearly see how being older changes the way he travels (for example, he decides not to enter a sex club which he knows, in his younger days, he'd have stopped into). I also think there's less of an edge to the writing, which I ascribe to age-related mellowing.
I enjoyed the return trip immensely, though I did think the return trip through Russia and eastern Europe was too short. Worth a read, though I'd suggest reading The Railway Bazaar first if you haven't yet.
I've been neglecting to update the Book Log, what with all the Lentorama postings, so time for some catching up.
This book sees Theroux go back through Asia, retracing the route he took over 30 years ago that became his first travel book, The Railway Bazaar. It's not totally exact - he detours into central Asia after he can't get a visa to enter Iran, and he skips other parts of the voyage where it'd be too dangerous (Pakistan) or not of enough interest for him to justify a return.
The resulting voyage is a nice mix of the new (such as his first-hand account of life in Turkmenistan, the former Soviet republic where the leader renamed days and months after family members) and updated looks at some of his favorite places (many of which, to his dismay, haven't changed for the better, if at all).
My favorite parts, though, reveal more about Theroux's personal life. He writes a bit about the circumstances surrounding the original trip and the results of going on it (the end of what was, even when he left, a problematic marriage). There are a number of places where he writes about getting older, and in a few places we clearly see how being older changes the way he travels (for example, he decides not to enter a sex club which he knows, in his younger days, he'd have stopped into). I also think there's less of an edge to the writing, which I ascribe to age-related mellowing.
I enjoyed the return trip immensely, though I did think the return trip through Russia and eastern Europe was too short. Worth a read, though I'd suggest reading The Railway Bazaar first if you haven't yet.
28 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
August 15, 1981: Mother Angelica brings EWTN to cable television
It's hard to talk about the Eternal Word Television Network without talking about Mother Angelica, as without one you'd not have the other.
Ironically for a network that would become increasingly conservative, the idea for EWTN came from Mother Angelica's TV work with Protestants, as she worked on TV shows with both Episcopalians and with televangelists like Pat Robertson and Jim Baaker. Her growing experience with TV led her to want to build her own studio, which she did on the grounds of her monastery in Irondale, Alabama (which she founded after a promise to God when it looked like she may have been permanently crippled in an accident).
The network was originally a mix of religious and secular programming, with the religious programming coming from a variety of Christian sources. Over time, the secular programming was dropped, and the religious programming became more strictly Catholic, including daily mass and other services.
At the same time, Mother Angelica and the network made its conservative shift. The nuns started to wear traditional habits, and the televised mass began to include parts in Latin, and later reverted to having the celebrants face east, with their backs to parishoners, a practice that the bishop of Birmingham banned in a decree that specifically mentioned televised services.
The most obvious outlet for this change was Mother Angelica's program, as she used her platform to rail against the non-traditional and liberal elements in the church. She's dressed down more than one bishop, and even went after a cardinal, Robert Mahoney, when she felt that a letter about the eucharist that he put out didn't hit on transubstantiation enough. She was pressured to apologize, and did so in a fairly half-hearted fashion.
This sort of thing drew more attention from the Vatican, and in order to prevent direct intervention with the network, Mother Angelica resigned from its board in 2000, leaving the network in the hands of laypeople. As it turns out, this has kind of pissed off the conservative and traditional fans of the network, who find that a more liberal element has crept into some of the programming. Mother Angelica herself no longer tapes new shows for the network, but she appears regularly in repeats.
August 15, 1981: Mother Angelica brings EWTN to cable television
It's hard to talk about the Eternal Word Television Network without talking about Mother Angelica, as without one you'd not have the other.
Ironically for a network that would become increasingly conservative, the idea for EWTN came from Mother Angelica's TV work with Protestants, as she worked on TV shows with both Episcopalians and with televangelists like Pat Robertson and Jim Baaker. Her growing experience with TV led her to want to build her own studio, which she did on the grounds of her monastery in Irondale, Alabama (which she founded after a promise to God when it looked like she may have been permanently crippled in an accident).
The network was originally a mix of religious and secular programming, with the religious programming coming from a variety of Christian sources. Over time, the secular programming was dropped, and the religious programming became more strictly Catholic, including daily mass and other services.
At the same time, Mother Angelica and the network made its conservative shift. The nuns started to wear traditional habits, and the televised mass began to include parts in Latin, and later reverted to having the celebrants face east, with their backs to parishoners, a practice that the bishop of Birmingham banned in a decree that specifically mentioned televised services.
The most obvious outlet for this change was Mother Angelica's program, as she used her platform to rail against the non-traditional and liberal elements in the church. She's dressed down more than one bishop, and even went after a cardinal, Robert Mahoney, when she felt that a letter about the eucharist that he put out didn't hit on transubstantiation enough. She was pressured to apologize, and did so in a fairly half-hearted fashion.
This sort of thing drew more attention from the Vatican, and in order to prevent direct intervention with the network, Mother Angelica resigned from its board in 2000, leaving the network in the hands of laypeople. As it turns out, this has kind of pissed off the conservative and traditional fans of the network, who find that a more liberal element has crept into some of the programming. Mother Angelica herself no longer tapes new shows for the network, but she appears regularly in repeats.
27 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
January 5, 1964: The Singing Nun appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Looking back, it's a fairly unremarkable episode of the best-known variety program in US television history. Dieter Tasso performed his juggling and balancing act, Johnny Hart did magic, a flamenco dance troupe did its thing, and Jane Powell did a song and dance routine based on movies. The Count Basie Orchestra and Keely Smith were the big acts of the night, performing solo and with each other.
Tucked into all of that was a Belgian nun, Sister Luc Gabriel, also known as Soeur Sourire or, to Americans, the Singing Nun. She was the time's most unlikely one hit wonder, as her single "Dominique," a tribue to St. Dominic, the founder of her order. While the song had found a niche in the US, it went into heavy rotation in the wake of the Kennedy assassination, eventually landing at number one on the Billboard pop chart, the only song by a Belgian artist to hit number one.
For the show, the Singing Nun did three songs, all taped in Belgium. They almost didn't air, as her mother superior wasn't a fan of the song or of the idea of a singing nun in general. Sister Luc would give up music soon after "Dominique" ran its course on the charts, but would pick it up again and, in 1966, she left the convent and took up music full time. She'd never have the same chart success, and would run into trouble with the Belgian tax authorities, who wanted their cut of her earning, most of which she donated to her former order (but without getting receipts, apparently).
Facing mounting financial troubles and a career that looked to have run its course, the former sister and her partner of ten years both took the ultimate deduction and committed suicide. The sad news got even sadder when the Belgian equivalent of the RIAA announced that she was due roughly $300,000 in back royalties, which would have more than covered her debt. How this never wound up an episode of Behind the Music I'll never know.
I usually post something announcing a Frozen Four pool, but this year opted to handle announcements by email and Facebook, as I figured everyone who stops here would likely see the announcement via one of those avenues. But just in case, if you think you can complete the bracket in the next hour or so feel free to send it along (or comment your picks, I suppose).
26 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
July 12, 1997: We first meet Oswald State Correctional Facility's resident nun, Sister Pete
I never got around to watching Oz, as we didn't have HBO and I never quite got around to locating the DVDs. In fact, I had no idea there was a nun character on the show, as I didn't really equate nuns with prison sodomy. But there she is, Sister Peter Marie, played by Rita Moreno.
From what I can tell, Sister Pete came to her vocation later in life (she had a husband who was murdered, which gets worked into the plot at some point), and is more of the streetwise nun. She's also a psychiatrist, and provides therapy for prisoners, both in individual and group sessions. Part of her job calls for her to determine if inmates are allowed to have conjugal visits, so there's a nice layer of irony to her work.
She's also against the death penalty, though in at least two cases she argued for a prisoner's execution (once for a prisoner who was sick, the other for a guy who wanted to be stoned to death). Not surprisingly, she thinks about quitting the habit (you knew I was going to use that pun at some point this week), but sticks with it throughout the series.
Sister Pete is apparently based on Tom Fontana's older sister, a nun who has done volunteer work in prisons. Holidays must be interesting in the Fontana household.
25 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
January 22, 2006: Gaby Solis and Sister Mary Bernard throw down
In the early days of Desperate Housewives, Carlos Solis went to prison for some financial shenanigans, and secured early release after getting involved in a program for Catholic inmates, through which he met Sister Mary, who as attached to the church in Fairview. After his release, Carlos started to spend increasing amounts of time with Sister Mary due to an apparently genuine interest in religion.
This was not seen as a positive development by Gaby Solis, as it both interfered with Carlos getting back to his highly compensated (and hopefully now legal) and meant he was spending to much time with a "knockout" nun. It's not clear that there was any physical attraction between Carlos and Sister Mary, but she was very skilled at manipulating Carlos for her own purposes.
All this came to a head when Carlos, at Sister Mary's urging, Carlos presents Gaby with an ultimatum - have kids or get an annulment. Seeing Sister Mary's hand in this, Gaby goes to the church, but rather than confront her Gaby winds up in confession, where she tells the priest that Sister May and Carlos are having an affair. Next thing you know, Sister Mary is reassigned to Alaska.
This would be enough for most women. But it's not enough for Gaby. She returns to the church and rubs the transfer in Sister Mary's face. When she gives a parting shot related to Sister Mary's floor scrubbing (more punishment, I assume), Sister Mary snaps and throws her scrub brush at Gaby. Gaby walks back, slaps the nun, and believes that's it. But it's not. The two have a knock-down catfight that results in Sister Mary's arm catching on fire after she's pushed into a display of votive candles. Gaby puts the fire out, which prompts Sister Mary to bite Gaby on the arm. They continue to tussle until a priest breaks things up.
There aren't enough nun fights on TV. You think Fox would have built a show around that.
January 22, 2006: Gaby Solis and Sister Mary Bernard throw down
In the early days of Desperate Housewives, Carlos Solis went to prison for some financial shenanigans, and secured early release after getting involved in a program for Catholic inmates, through which he met Sister Mary, who as attached to the church in Fairview. After his release, Carlos started to spend increasing amounts of time with Sister Mary due to an apparently genuine interest in religion.
This was not seen as a positive development by Gaby Solis, as it both interfered with Carlos getting back to his highly compensated (and hopefully now legal) and meant he was spending to much time with a "knockout" nun. It's not clear that there was any physical attraction between Carlos and Sister Mary, but she was very skilled at manipulating Carlos for her own purposes.
All this came to a head when Carlos, at Sister Mary's urging, Carlos presents Gaby with an ultimatum - have kids or get an annulment. Seeing Sister Mary's hand in this, Gaby goes to the church, but rather than confront her Gaby winds up in confession, where she tells the priest that Sister May and Carlos are having an affair. Next thing you know, Sister Mary is reassigned to Alaska.
This would be enough for most women. But it's not enough for Gaby. She returns to the church and rubs the transfer in Sister Mary's face. When she gives a parting shot related to Sister Mary's floor scrubbing (more punishment, I assume), Sister Mary snaps and throws her scrub brush at Gaby. Gaby walks back, slaps the nun, and believes that's it. But it's not. The two have a knock-down catfight that results in Sister Mary's arm catching on fire after she's pushed into a display of votive candles. Gaby puts the fire out, which prompts Sister Mary to bite Gaby on the arm. They continue to tussle until a priest breaks things up.
There aren't enough nun fights on TV. You think Fox would have built a show around that.
24 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Televisionb
November 20, 1992: Sister Wendy's first show about art debuts.
Sister Wendy Beckett joined a teaching order of nuns when she was 16, and taught in Britain and South Africa until 1970, when health problems forced her out of the classroom. After spending time translating medeivel texts, she turned her attention to her personal passion, art. She spent the two hours each day when she as not in prayerful solitude working from what resources she had on hand and correspondence with art museums. The articles she produced drew some attention, and in 1992 she aired her first TV series, Sister Wendy's Odyssey, whose six ten-minute episodes focused on hidden treasures in museums around Britain.
The success of this series led to new ones, that saw her travel to continental Europe and the US to talk about specific works of art and painting in general. She developed a loyal following, which expanded greatly when PBS started to air her various series in 1997.
Sister Wendy gained fans for her forthright manner in discussing art and artists, often in terms that traditional art critics would avoid (such as her frank assertion that Da Vinci only ever had emotional attachments with boys). Fans were also drawn to her as an unlikely TV host, between her traditional habit, thick glasses, and prominent accent/speech impediment.
For all of her popularity, Sister Wendy couldn't ignore who she really worked for, and decided in 2001 to return to her contemplative life. She returned to the Carmelite monastery she's called home since returning to Britain, and still writes on art, but is through with TV.
23 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
September 7, 1967: Sister Bertrille first takes to the air
(It's Nun Week here at Lentorama, as all of this week's entries will feature these creatures of habit, real and fictional.)
Elsie Ethrington was the only non-doctor from a Chicago medical family, the source of some friction. When Elsie got arrested at a protest in New York City, there was apparently only one recourse: pack her off to the Convent San Tanco in Puerto Rico to become a nun. The only problem is that Elsie - now Sister Bertrille - only weighs 90 pounds, so when the coastal breezes catch her heavily starched cornille, she lifts off.
Thus was the set-up for The Flying Nun, which somehow milked three seasons out of having a nun solve her problems by becoming airborne. The popularity of the show fell squarely on Sally Field, whose sunny personality and positive attitude wasn't limited to playing Gidget.
Not that it was always easy. Field was pregnant during the show's last season, a condition not normally seen in nuns. Many of the tricks used today to hide a pregnancy on screen - close shots of the head and upper body, long shots using a double, lots of strategically-placed plants - were also used then.
That the show lasted three seasons was a testament to its writers, who had to scramble to find new ways to get Sister Bertrille into situations where flying would be helpful. They apparently handled the subject with some grace, as the show did get kudos from some Catholic groups for humanizing nuns and the religious life. Of course, this was just after Vatican II, so the plaudits for a lightweight sitcom might not be too surprising.
21 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
April 8, 2008: Rev. David Ajemian pleads guilty to stalking Conan O'Brien
Looking to become O'Brien's version of David Letterman stalker Margaret Ray, Rev. David Ajemian started writing the talk show host in late 2006, and signed at least one letter as "your priest stalker." He also sent O'Brien a DVD and got in touch with his parents.
Which was all well and good, at least until Ajemian tried to actually attend a taping. When his ticket requests were denied, Ajemian continued to write, and eventually took things into his own hands. In November 2007 he tried to force his way into the show, and was arrested. This came not long after Ajemian was removed from his parish posting, which he blamed on NBC's contact with the Archdiocese and some level of continuing surveillance by the network. Not surprisingly, it came out that he was being treated for mental illness during this time.
While out on bail, Ajemian went missing in Boston for a day, using at least part of his alone time to try to get into the studios for WHDH, the NBC affiliate in town. Once located he was hospitalized and observed.
For all the crazy, Ajemian was found fit to stand trial, and (wisely) pled guilty to disorderly conduct, resulting in a fine and a two year restraining order. Priest shortage or not, he's not returned to active clerical duty.
Adding to the fun was the revelation that Ajemian and O'Brien had overlapping tenures at Harvard. And you thought it was creepy when old college classmates try to friend you on Facebook.
20 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
February 3, 1998: Father Sal Garelli dispenses some Old Testament justice
While the main plot of this night's episode of NewsRadio focused on an election for station manager that neither Dave nor Lisa wanted to win, a subplot involved Joe Garelli and his brothers planning a surprise birthday party for his brothers. Not surprisingly, the Garelli boys like to kid about each other's manhood, which leads to fighting. The solution? Call in the oldest brother, Sal, who is now a priest.
And Sal is an old-school priest, which is obvious in two ways. First, he wears a cassock, which traditionally-minded priests tend to opt for over the more common clerical suit. Second, within the folds of his cassock he carries a baseball bat, which appears to be his atonement instrument of choice. Sal gets his brothers to stop fighting, uniting them in their desire to not get whupped.
(You can see Father Sal in action here.)
Not a particularly important moment in the series, really, but I mention it as Sal is played by Robert Hegyes, best known for playing self-described Puerto Rican Jew Juan Epstien on Welcome Back, Kotter. Hard to pass this up, between the change of religions and getting to mention a second Sweathog this week. Though he'll be the last; neither Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs nor Ron Palillo have taken the collar for television.
February 3, 1998: Father Sal Garelli dispenses some Old Testament justice
While the main plot of this night's episode of NewsRadio focused on an election for station manager that neither Dave nor Lisa wanted to win, a subplot involved Joe Garelli and his brothers planning a surprise birthday party for his brothers. Not surprisingly, the Garelli boys like to kid about each other's manhood, which leads to fighting. The solution? Call in the oldest brother, Sal, who is now a priest.
And Sal is an old-school priest, which is obvious in two ways. First, he wears a cassock, which traditionally-minded priests tend to opt for over the more common clerical suit. Second, within the folds of his cassock he carries a baseball bat, which appears to be his atonement instrument of choice. Sal gets his brothers to stop fighting, uniting them in their desire to not get whupped.
(You can see Father Sal in action here.)
Not a particularly important moment in the series, really, but I mention it as Sal is played by Robert Hegyes, best known for playing self-described Puerto Rican Jew Juan Epstien on Welcome Back, Kotter. Hard to pass this up, between the change of religions and getting to mention a second Sweathog this week. Though he'll be the last; neither Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs nor Ron Palillo have taken the collar for television.
19 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
April 22, 1994: Father Ted debuts on Channel 4
Father Ted was a show about Irish priests, starring Irish actors, created by Irish comedians, with location shooting in Ireland, that was made for and aired on a network in Britain, a country not exactly known for embracing the Catholic faith.
The show followed the exploits of three priests relocated to Craggy Island after each ran into trouble in their previous assignment. Father Ted Crilly was caught using funds meant for a childrens' pilgrimage to Lourdes to pay for a trip to Las Vegas. Father Dougal McGuire, who is kind of dim and not particularly religious, precipitated an unexplained incident involving a group of nuns and a ferry. The elderly Father Jack Hackett was a foul-mouthed boozer with an eye for the ladies, sent to the island after an inappropriate encounter with a bride he had just married off.
Together, the three deal with the requisite wacky locals while trying to get themselves out of scrapes, often the result of Father Ted's schemes to make money or get transferred off of the island. There's also an ongoing rivalry with the priests from Rugged Island, a kind of ecclesiastical version of the Cheers-Gary's Old Town Tavern rivalry.
As is common with British shows, Father Ted enjoyed a very short run, lasting only 25 episodes over three seasons. It was very popular, though, with the last episode becoming Channel 4's most-watched program ever. It would be shown in Australia and (fittingly) Ireland, but it never quite made it across the pond in any formal fashion (as far as I can tell). The show apparently helped further the career of a number of British actors, but the only one I've heard of is Graham Norton, whose talk show currently runs on BBC America. Sadly, the actor who played Ted, Dermot Morgan, never got the same benefit from the show, as he died of a heart attack the day after the show finished taping its last episode. Not the way Father Ted wanted to get off the island, I'd wager.
April 22, 1994: Father Ted debuts on Channel 4
Father Ted was a show about Irish priests, starring Irish actors, created by Irish comedians, with location shooting in Ireland, that was made for and aired on a network in Britain, a country not exactly known for embracing the Catholic faith.
The show followed the exploits of three priests relocated to Craggy Island after each ran into trouble in their previous assignment. Father Ted Crilly was caught using funds meant for a childrens' pilgrimage to Lourdes to pay for a trip to Las Vegas. Father Dougal McGuire, who is kind of dim and not particularly religious, precipitated an unexplained incident involving a group of nuns and a ferry. The elderly Father Jack Hackett was a foul-mouthed boozer with an eye for the ladies, sent to the island after an inappropriate encounter with a bride he had just married off.
Together, the three deal with the requisite wacky locals while trying to get themselves out of scrapes, often the result of Father Ted's schemes to make money or get transferred off of the island. There's also an ongoing rivalry with the priests from Rugged Island, a kind of ecclesiastical version of the Cheers-Gary's Old Town Tavern rivalry.
As is common with British shows, Father Ted enjoyed a very short run, lasting only 25 episodes over three seasons. It was very popular, though, with the last episode becoming Channel 4's most-watched program ever. It would be shown in Australia and (fittingly) Ireland, but it never quite made it across the pond in any formal fashion (as far as I can tell). The show apparently helped further the career of a number of British actors, but the only one I've heard of is Graham Norton, whose talk show currently runs on BBC America. Sadly, the actor who played Ted, Dermot Morgan, never got the same benefit from the show, as he died of a heart attack the day after the show finished taping its last episode. Not the way Father Ted wanted to get off the island, I'd wager.
18 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
November 1, 1987: Father Dowling solves his first mystery
The creation of Notre Dame professor Ralph McInerny, Father Dowling was the ecclesiastical equivalent of Jessica Fletcher, an amateur with a knack for solving crimes. Unlike Fletcher, who was the angel of death in her small Maine town, Father Dowling lived in a gritty neighborhood in Chicago, where crime isn't exactly unknown. The comparison to Murder, She Wrote is also fairly apt as the man tapped to play Father Dowling, Tom Bosley, played Cabot Cove sherrif Amos Tupper.
Father Dowling was assisted in his crime solving by Sister Stephanie "Stevie" Oskowski (played by Tracy Nelson), a streetwise nun who grew up in the neighborhood, and thus knew its characters as well as certain skills, like how to hot wire a car. Father Philip Prestwick (James Stephens) worked for the Archbishop, would often drop in to keep an eye on Father Dowling, often when housekeeper Marie Murkin (Mary Wickes) was serving dinner.
While the pilot aired in 1987, the series didn't begin until 1989 due to a writers' strike, and after its first abbreviated season NBC decided to drop it. ABC stepped in and picked it up, giving the show two more full seasons before excommunicating it.
(On a personal note, my dad was a big fan of the show, and today would have been his 70th birthday. Good thing I didn't use this earlier on.)
November 1, 1987: Father Dowling solves his first mystery
The creation of Notre Dame professor Ralph McInerny, Father Dowling was the ecclesiastical equivalent of Jessica Fletcher, an amateur with a knack for solving crimes. Unlike Fletcher, who was the angel of death in her small Maine town, Father Dowling lived in a gritty neighborhood in Chicago, where crime isn't exactly unknown. The comparison to Murder, She Wrote is also fairly apt as the man tapped to play Father Dowling, Tom Bosley, played Cabot Cove sherrif Amos Tupper.
Father Dowling was assisted in his crime solving by Sister Stephanie "Stevie" Oskowski (played by Tracy Nelson), a streetwise nun who grew up in the neighborhood, and thus knew its characters as well as certain skills, like how to hot wire a car. Father Philip Prestwick (James Stephens) worked for the Archbishop, would often drop in to keep an eye on Father Dowling, often when housekeeper Marie Murkin (Mary Wickes) was serving dinner.
While the pilot aired in 1987, the series didn't begin until 1989 due to a writers' strike, and after its first abbreviated season NBC decided to drop it. ABC stepped in and picked it up, giving the show two more full seasons before excommunicating it.
(On a personal note, my dad was a big fan of the show, and today would have been his 70th birthday. Good thing I didn't use this earlier on.)
17 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
February 26, 1976: A Sweathog opts for the priesthood
On the last episode of Welcome Back, Kotter's first season, we learn that Vinnie Barbarino has promised his dying grandmother that he'll become a priest. When she finally expires, Barbarino trades in his jeans for a white robe and spends his time blessing and forgiving everyone. He also becomes even less studious, prompting this exchange with Mr. Kotter:
Vinnie: The reason I'm here is to talk to about yesterday's quiz you flunked me in. I forgive you.
Gabe: Don't forgive me, Vinnie, okay? Just study.
Vinnie: Mr. Kotter, the Lord is my shepherd. Do sheep study?
But his piety has its limit, such as when he tries to give his blessing to Bambi rather than ask her out. He cracks, and reverts back to his woman-killing ways, to no one's surprise.
The big surprise of this episode? Its air date. Give how popular Welcome Back, Kotter was, it's a little hard to believe that the season ender was in February. Of course, if it aired now the entire season may be compressed into three months, so perhaps it's not that odd.
February 26, 1976: A Sweathog opts for the priesthood
On the last episode of Welcome Back, Kotter's first season, we learn that Vinnie Barbarino has promised his dying grandmother that he'll become a priest. When she finally expires, Barbarino trades in his jeans for a white robe and spends his time blessing and forgiving everyone. He also becomes even less studious, prompting this exchange with Mr. Kotter:
Vinnie: The reason I'm here is to talk to about yesterday's quiz you flunked me in. I forgive you.
Gabe: Don't forgive me, Vinnie, okay? Just study.
Vinnie: Mr. Kotter, the Lord is my shepherd. Do sheep study?
But his piety has its limit, such as when he tries to give his blessing to Bambi rather than ask her out. He cracks, and reverts back to his woman-killing ways, to no one's surprise.
The big surprise of this episode? Its air date. Give how popular Welcome Back, Kotter was, it's a little hard to believe that the season ender was in February. Of course, if it aired now the entire season may be compressed into three months, so perhaps it's not that odd.
16 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
May 13, 1978: Father Guido Sarducci makes his first appearance on Saturday Night Live
The gossip columnist and rock critic for L'Osservatore Romano, Father Guido took form early in the 1970s, when comedian Don Novello bought components of a priest's outfit from a St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop. He would make occasional appearances on Laugh In and The Smothers Brothers Show, but he would make his biggest mark stating on this night when, on an episode hosted by Richard Dreyfuss, he would appear in a skit about how one could pay for their sins. Suffice it to say that there's a price for everything, and it adds up.
Father Guido would go on to make 31 appearances on SNL, the most of any recurring character, mainly on segments of Weekend Update. He would also cut two albums of his own and make spot appearances on others, and popped up in a variety of TV episodes and movies. He's even crossed over into mainstream religious coverage, appearing on Al Franken's radio show to cover the death of John Paul II and appearing on an episode of Countdown to discuss The Da Vinci Code. The comic appeal of a chain-smoking priest wearing tinted glasses never dulls.
May 13, 1978: Father Guido Sarducci makes his first appearance on Saturday Night Live
The gossip columnist and rock critic for L'Osservatore Romano, Father Guido took form early in the 1970s, when comedian Don Novello bought components of a priest's outfit from a St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop. He would make occasional appearances on Laugh In and The Smothers Brothers Show, but he would make his biggest mark stating on this night when, on an episode hosted by Richard Dreyfuss, he would appear in a skit about how one could pay for their sins. Suffice it to say that there's a price for everything, and it adds up.
Father Guido would go on to make 31 appearances on SNL, the most of any recurring character, mainly on segments of Weekend Update. He would also cut two albums of his own and make spot appearances on others, and popped up in a variety of TV episodes and movies. He's even crossed over into mainstream religious coverage, appearing on Al Franken's radio show to cover the death of John Paul II and appearing on an episode of Countdown to discuss The Da Vinci Code. The comic appeal of a chain-smoking priest wearing tinted glasses never dulls.
14 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
September 18, 1997: Nothing Sacred premiers on ABC
If Robert Blake was an inappropriately violent priest and McLean Stevenson an inappropriately comic priest, then Kevin Anderson would be the inappropriately sexy priest. Anderson, known best for playing Julia Roberts' non-abusive love interest in Sleeping With the Enemy, starred in Nothing Sacred as Father Ray, the new head of St. Thomas parish in an unnamed urban area. He was joined by fellow clerics Father Leo, an older priest who could offer wise counsel, and Father Eric, newly-ordained and not yet wise to the workings of a parish. There was also Sister Maureen, who would later flirt with defecting to the Episcopals so she could become a minister, Sidney, who kept the parish books, and J.A., the youth pastor.
The show was geared to demonstrate the difficulties in running a modern parish, from lack of money to the conflict between the church's teaching and popular opinion on a wide range of social issues. In several cases this involved Father Ray's personal life and his struggles to remain relevant and, on occasion, celibate.
When ratings didn't materialize, two new characters were added. Father Martin was sent by the diocese to keep an eye on everyone due to complaints about the parish's lack of orthodoxy, while Justine Judd was the recently graduated divinity student brought on to run the religious education program. Justine was played by Jennifer Beals, which suggested some further temptation for Father Ray closer to the rectory.
While the show won both a Peabody Award and a Humanitas Prize for its exploration of modern faith, it drew a fair amount of ire from traditional Catholics, who didn't like the equivocation on issues like abortion. Above all, though, the show never drew enough viewers (airing opposite Friends didn't help), and it was cancelled before completing a full season.
September 18, 1997: Nothing Sacred premiers on ABC
If Robert Blake was an inappropriately violent priest and McLean Stevenson an inappropriately comic priest, then Kevin Anderson would be the inappropriately sexy priest. Anderson, known best for playing Julia Roberts' non-abusive love interest in Sleeping With the Enemy, starred in Nothing Sacred as Father Ray, the new head of St. Thomas parish in an unnamed urban area. He was joined by fellow clerics Father Leo, an older priest who could offer wise counsel, and Father Eric, newly-ordained and not yet wise to the workings of a parish. There was also Sister Maureen, who would later flirt with defecting to the Episcopals so she could become a minister, Sidney, who kept the parish books, and J.A., the youth pastor.
The show was geared to demonstrate the difficulties in running a modern parish, from lack of money to the conflict between the church's teaching and popular opinion on a wide range of social issues. In several cases this involved Father Ray's personal life and his struggles to remain relevant and, on occasion, celibate.
When ratings didn't materialize, two new characters were added. Father Martin was sent by the diocese to keep an eye on everyone due to complaints about the parish's lack of orthodoxy, while Justine Judd was the recently graduated divinity student brought on to run the religious education program. Justine was played by Jennifer Beals, which suggested some further temptation for Father Ray closer to the rectory.
While the show won both a Peabody Award and a Humanitas Prize for its exploration of modern faith, it drew a fair amount of ire from traditional Catholics, who didn't like the equivocation on issues like abortion. Above all, though, the show never drew enough viewers (airing opposite Friends didn't help), and it was cancelled before completing a full season.
13 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
March 29, 1977: Fonzie gets baptized
When Fonzie survives a wreck during a stock car race, he begins to think about what might happen if he were to not survive the next one. He seeks guidance from Al, who suggests talking to his brother, Father Anthony Delvecchio, the preist at St. Barnaby's. Fonzie takes him up on the offer and, after talking with the father, decides it's time to get baptized.
With Howard and Marion Cunningham as godparents (which I assume makes them Catholic, too), Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli is given his dousing, after which he makes a small speech. Richie, Potsie, Ralph and Joanie provide musical accompaniment, singing the hymn "Faith of our Fathers."
This episode ended the fourth season of Happy Days, the season which saw the start of the wussification of the Fonz. In this season the Fonz sees a shrink for anger management, is outed as being afraid of beef liver, gets his high school diploma at night, and gets a small white dog named Spunky. From there it's not long until we get the Fonz jumping sharks and working as the Dean of Boys at the George S. Patton Vocational High School.
March 29, 1977: Fonzie gets baptized
When Fonzie survives a wreck during a stock car race, he begins to think about what might happen if he were to not survive the next one. He seeks guidance from Al, who suggests talking to his brother, Father Anthony Delvecchio, the preist at St. Barnaby's. Fonzie takes him up on the offer and, after talking with the father, decides it's time to get baptized.
With Howard and Marion Cunningham as godparents (which I assume makes them Catholic, too), Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli is given his dousing, after which he makes a small speech. Richie, Potsie, Ralph and Joanie provide musical accompaniment, singing the hymn "Faith of our Fathers."
This episode ended the fourth season of Happy Days, the season which saw the start of the wussification of the Fonz. In this season the Fonz sees a shrink for anger management, is outed as being afraid of beef liver, gets his high school diploma at night, and gets a small white dog named Spunky. From there it's not long until we get the Fonz jumping sharks and working as the Dean of Boys at the George S. Patton Vocational High School.
12 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
October 12, 1964: WIHS-TV airs its first broadcast
The archdiocese of Boston aired its first televised mass on January 1, 1955, celebrated by Cardinal Cushing. This would mark the start of the archdiocese's involvement in television, later formalized in the creation of the Catholic Television Center, originally located on Granby Street.
Looking to get its own air, the archdiocese obtained a broadcast license. When WIHS debuted, it was an early, if not first, Catholic-operated TV station that showed both religious and general entertainment programming.
Two years after its start, though, the license was sold to Storer Broadcasting, who would continue to operate on WIHS's channel but with a name derived from its stock ticker symbol. Thus was born WSBK-TV, channel 38, Boston's first independent TV station and the first widely popular (and accessible) station in UHF.
While WSBK would continue to show some religious programming, the Catholic Television Center would continue to look for its own venue. In 1983 it would move on to cable as Boston Catholic Television (BCTV), and then go for a more national audience in 2006 when rebranded simply as Catholic TV, though it lags behind EWTN in reach. But more about EWTN later.
October 12, 1964: WIHS-TV airs its first broadcast
The archdiocese of Boston aired its first televised mass on January 1, 1955, celebrated by Cardinal Cushing. This would mark the start of the archdiocese's involvement in television, later formalized in the creation of the Catholic Television Center, originally located on Granby Street.
Looking to get its own air, the archdiocese obtained a broadcast license. When WIHS debuted, it was an early, if not first, Catholic-operated TV station that showed both religious and general entertainment programming.
Two years after its start, though, the license was sold to Storer Broadcasting, who would continue to operate on WIHS's channel but with a name derived from its stock ticker symbol. Thus was born WSBK-TV, channel 38, Boston's first independent TV station and the first widely popular (and accessible) station in UHF.
While WSBK would continue to show some religious programming, the Catholic Television Center would continue to look for its own venue. In 1983 it would move on to cable as Boston Catholic Television (BCTV), and then go for a more national audience in 2006 when rebranded simply as Catholic TV, though it lags behind EWTN in reach. But more about EWTN later.
It' s been a big week for baby news, with today being the fourth day in a row of various appointments.
Monday saw us attend our first birthing class. We're one of six couples, all first-timers, who are looking to get the low down on how this is going to play out. We're the only couple who doesn't know our child's gender, while there's another couple who are the only one going the natural childbirth route.
And by the information imparted in our first class, good luck to them. We didn't even get into pushing and it already looks painful. Suffice it to say that if the purpose of the class is to ease our fears about the birthing process, it's not being wholly successful.
We were also given homework, and what better way to do it than solicit feedback on the Internet? For those of you out there who've been through this, what relaxation techniques or practices did you use during labor?
Tuesday was a follow up visit that I didn't attend.
Wednesday was yet another ultrasound, where we got estimated weight and they did a check on the level of amniotic fluid. Not sure why our doctor asked for that, though given the estimated weight of 3 pounds, 14 ounces, he might have worried about there being enough room. Compare that weight to the average for week 30. Of course, I've also read that fetal weight estimates from ultrasounds can be up to a pound off. Let's just hope in our case it's not a pound low.
I've slowly become resigned to the fact that the ultrasounds are never going to be as clear as I would like. Still, facial features were a bit more obvious this time around, which is something.
Today we're back to our OB (actually the practice's midwife, our doctor is on vacation), and we're apparently moving into visits every 2 weeks now. No surprises expected, but I guess you never really expect a surprise, do you?
Monday saw us attend our first birthing class. We're one of six couples, all first-timers, who are looking to get the low down on how this is going to play out. We're the only couple who doesn't know our child's gender, while there's another couple who are the only one going the natural childbirth route.
And by the information imparted in our first class, good luck to them. We didn't even get into pushing and it already looks painful. Suffice it to say that if the purpose of the class is to ease our fears about the birthing process, it's not being wholly successful.
We were also given homework, and what better way to do it than solicit feedback on the Internet? For those of you out there who've been through this, what relaxation techniques or practices did you use during labor?
Tuesday was a follow up visit that I didn't attend.
Wednesday was yet another ultrasound, where we got estimated weight and they did a check on the level of amniotic fluid. Not sure why our doctor asked for that, though given the estimated weight of 3 pounds, 14 ounces, he might have worried about there being enough room. Compare that weight to the average for week 30. Of course, I've also read that fetal weight estimates from ultrasounds can be up to a pound off. Let's just hope in our case it's not a pound low.
I've slowly become resigned to the fact that the ultrasounds are never going to be as clear as I would like. Still, facial features were a bit more obvious this time around, which is something.
Today we're back to our OB (actually the practice's midwife, our doctor is on vacation), and we're apparently moving into visits every 2 weeks now. No surprises expected, but I guess you never really expect a surprise, do you?
11 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
October 3, 1992: Sinead O'Connor implores us to fight the real enemy
In warm-ups for her appearance on Saturday Night Live, O'Connor performed an a capella version of Bob Marley's "War," holding up the picture of an African child at the end to dramatize the song's stand against racism. But when she performed the song live, she replaced the word "racism" with the phrase "child abuse," held up a picture of Pope John Paul II when singing the word "evil," and then tore up the picture while saying "fight the real enemy."
The changes, inspired by then-current sex abuse scandals in the church (I assume this one, primarily), resulted in a surge of sentiment against O'Connor. NBC, who claimed to not know about her changes, was inundated with angry phone calls, and to this day rebroadcasts of the episode include her warm-up performance (though the picture-tearing version is shown on a DVD compilation of SNL music performances). O'Connor would also encounter hostile crowds at shows, while her act would be fodder for later SNL parody, including Madonna's tearing up a picture of Joey Buttafuco and Jan Hooks playing an apologetic O'Connor.
For all that O'Connor was ahead of the curve as far as sex abuse in the church goes, the incident more or less capped her popular music career, and marked the start of significant personal changes. In the late 1990s she was given priestly ordination by a schismatic Catholic group, and not long after that she outed herself as a lesbian. She would later waver on both accounts, as she developed an interest in Rastafarianism after spending time in Jamaica in 2004, and she would describe herself as only one-quarter gay in a 2005 Entertainment Weekly interview.
October 3, 1992: Sinead O'Connor implores us to fight the real enemy
In warm-ups for her appearance on Saturday Night Live, O'Connor performed an a capella version of Bob Marley's "War," holding up the picture of an African child at the end to dramatize the song's stand against racism. But when she performed the song live, she replaced the word "racism" with the phrase "child abuse," held up a picture of Pope John Paul II when singing the word "evil," and then tore up the picture while saying "fight the real enemy."
The changes, inspired by then-current sex abuse scandals in the church (I assume this one, primarily), resulted in a surge of sentiment against O'Connor. NBC, who claimed to not know about her changes, was inundated with angry phone calls, and to this day rebroadcasts of the episode include her warm-up performance (though the picture-tearing version is shown on a DVD compilation of SNL music performances). O'Connor would also encounter hostile crowds at shows, while her act would be fodder for later SNL parody, including Madonna's tearing up a picture of Joey Buttafuco and Jan Hooks playing an apologetic O'Connor.
For all that O'Connor was ahead of the curve as far as sex abuse in the church goes, the incident more or less capped her popular music career, and marked the start of significant personal changes. In the late 1990s she was given priestly ordination by a schismatic Catholic group, and not long after that she outed herself as a lesbian. She would later waver on both accounts, as she developed an interest in Rastafarianism after spending time in Jamaica in 2004, and she would describe herself as only one-quarter gay in a 2005 Entertainment Weekly interview.
10 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
May 15, 2005: Bart Simpson wants to become Catholic
After getting expelled from Springfield Elementary for a prank he did not commit, Marge enrolls bart at St. Jerome's Catholic School. He's resistant due to the school's strict discipline, but comes around after he talks with Father Sean (voiced by Liam Neeson), whose less than ideal childhood and comic books about the lives of saints does the trick. When Homer goes to the school to talk to Father Sean, he winds up wanting to convert as well (such is the power of pancake suppers and Bingo).
From there, Marge enlists the help of Reverend Lovejoy and Ned Flanders to bring Bart and Homer back to the one true faith (the Western Branch of American Reform Presbylutheranism). She fears that she'll be in Protestant heaven (full of croquet-playing WASPs) while they'll be in Catholic heaven (full of Irish step dancing and pinatas).
The conflict culminates in a showdown at a Protestant youth festival, where Bart brings peace by noting that Christians should be united by their big stupid similarities, not separated by their small stupid differences. Which, a thousand years later, leads to two sects of Bart-worshipers to go to war over his true message: love and tolerance versus understanding and peace. Perhaps not as unlikely an ending as we'd like to believe.
May 15, 2005: Bart Simpson wants to become Catholic
After getting expelled from Springfield Elementary for a prank he did not commit, Marge enrolls bart at St. Jerome's Catholic School. He's resistant due to the school's strict discipline, but comes around after he talks with Father Sean (voiced by Liam Neeson), whose less than ideal childhood and comic books about the lives of saints does the trick. When Homer goes to the school to talk to Father Sean, he winds up wanting to convert as well (such is the power of pancake suppers and Bingo).
From there, Marge enlists the help of Reverend Lovejoy and Ned Flanders to bring Bart and Homer back to the one true faith (the Western Branch of American Reform Presbylutheranism). She fears that she'll be in Protestant heaven (full of croquet-playing WASPs) while they'll be in Catholic heaven (full of Irish step dancing and pinatas).
The conflict culminates in a showdown at a Protestant youth festival, where Bart brings peace by noting that Christians should be united by their big stupid similarities, not separated by their small stupid differences. Which, a thousand years later, leads to two sects of Bart-worshipers to go to war over his true message: love and tolerance versus understanding and peace. Perhaps not as unlikely an ending as we'd like to believe.
09 March 2009
A bit of a Lentorama extra today, as there's word of this report noting that the number of Catholics in New England has dropped quite a bit. Since 1990, there was a 15 percent drop in the number of people who self-identified as Catholics, while in that same time the number of people who didn't identify with any religion went up 14 percent.
Nationally, the number stayed about the same, thanks in large part to Hispanic immigration, which is also considered to be the main factor in the growth of Catholic populations in the south and west. Perhaps I should start doing the Lentorama in Spanish?
Nationally, the number stayed about the same, thanks in large part to Hispanic immigration, which is also considered to be the main factor in the growth of Catholic populations in the south and west. Perhaps I should start doing the Lentorama in Spanish?
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
March 29, 1983: Father Ralph and Meggie break at least one commandment on The Thorn Birds
A multi-generational story of love and loss set (primarily) in the Australian outback, The Thorn Birds focused on the relationship between Father Ralph de Bricassart (Richard Chamberlain), a priest sent into the wild due to past transgressions, and Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward), the neice of sheep station owner Mary Carson (Barbara Stanwyck).
When Father Ralph rejects Mary's advances, she (seeing his developing relationship with Meggie) leaves her substantial fortune to the Catholic church with Father Ralph as executor. This will secure his rapid advancement, but only if he leaves Meggie behind. His ambition trumps his heart, and he leaves. Meggie would fall into a loveless marriage, bear a daughter, and eventually move away from the station.
Years later, Father Ralph returns and joins Meggie while she is away from home, and at the end of their time together they finally consummate their relationship. Nine months later, Meggie has a son, Dane, who is understood to be Father Ralph's son, although he's not aware of it - even when, as an adult, Dane travels to Rome to become a priest under his father's tutelage.
Not surprisingly, ABC ran into a little trouble with sponsors over the adulterous priest angle of the story, with some sponsors either dropping ads altogether or only advertising during earlier, non-adulterous episodes. That the miniseries aired during Holy Week was also a point of contention with Catholic organizations. And while it wasn't known at the time, you have to figure that a couple people were retroactively irked when Chamberlain finally outed himself.
None of this stopped the viewers from tuning in, as the miniseries averaged a 41 rating and 59 share, with this episode ranking as one of the most-watched broadcasts in TV history. Thus reinforcing the adage that there's no such thing as bad publicity.
March 29, 1983: Father Ralph and Meggie break at least one commandment on The Thorn Birds
A multi-generational story of love and loss set (primarily) in the Australian outback, The Thorn Birds focused on the relationship between Father Ralph de Bricassart (Richard Chamberlain), a priest sent into the wild due to past transgressions, and Meggie Cleary (Rachel Ward), the neice of sheep station owner Mary Carson (Barbara Stanwyck).
When Father Ralph rejects Mary's advances, she (seeing his developing relationship with Meggie) leaves her substantial fortune to the Catholic church with Father Ralph as executor. This will secure his rapid advancement, but only if he leaves Meggie behind. His ambition trumps his heart, and he leaves. Meggie would fall into a loveless marriage, bear a daughter, and eventually move away from the station.
Years later, Father Ralph returns and joins Meggie while she is away from home, and at the end of their time together they finally consummate their relationship. Nine months later, Meggie has a son, Dane, who is understood to be Father Ralph's son, although he's not aware of it - even when, as an adult, Dane travels to Rome to become a priest under his father's tutelage.
Not surprisingly, ABC ran into a little trouble with sponsors over the adulterous priest angle of the story, with some sponsors either dropping ads altogether or only advertising during earlier, non-adulterous episodes. That the miniseries aired during Holy Week was also a point of contention with Catholic organizations. And while it wasn't known at the time, you have to figure that a couple people were retroactively irked when Chamberlain finally outed himself.
None of this stopped the viewers from tuning in, as the miniseries averaged a 41 rating and 59 share, with this episode ranking as one of the most-watched broadcasts in TV history. Thus reinforcing the adage that there's no such thing as bad publicity.
07 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
September 20, 1978: McLean Stevenson puts on the collar.
None of the actors who left M*A*S*H early were able to find anything close to that show's success in later projects. About the best any of them did was Wayne Rogers, who found his greatest success not on stage but in the market. McLean Stevenson was no different, as his first post-Henry Blake role, as Father Daniel Cleary in the short-lived NBC sitcom In the Beginning attested.
Father Clearly was a traditional priest who would have much preferred a sedate parish to the storefront church in Baltimore that he finds himself at in the show's pilot. He's teamed with a streetwise nun who grew up in the neighborhood, and for all of her success in dealing with the locals he spends most of his time trying to get out from serving with "Atilla the Nun."
The show lasted a month before getting the axe. It was no Hello, Larry.
September 20, 1978: McLean Stevenson puts on the collar.
None of the actors who left M*A*S*H early were able to find anything close to that show's success in later projects. About the best any of them did was Wayne Rogers, who found his greatest success not on stage but in the market. McLean Stevenson was no different, as his first post-Henry Blake role, as Father Daniel Cleary in the short-lived NBC sitcom In the Beginning attested.
Father Clearly was a traditional priest who would have much preferred a sedate parish to the storefront church in Baltimore that he finds himself at in the show's pilot. He's teamed with a streetwise nun who grew up in the neighborhood, and for all of her success in dealing with the locals he spends most of his time trying to get out from serving with "Atilla the Nun."
The show lasted a month before getting the axe. It was no Hello, Larry.
06 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
March 2, 1989: Madonna's "Like a Prayer" video debuts as part of a Pepsi ad.
I'm not clear why Pepsi thought a Madonna-based ad airing during The Cosby Show would be a natural fit to begin with, but when you throw in stigmata, burning crosses, and an apparent affair between the singer and Saint Martin de Porres, it really doesn't make sense.
Not surprisingly, the backlash came quickly, leading Pepsi to pull the ad and put the kibosh on the two other ads called for in their $5 million deal with the singer. She got to keep the cash, and the publicity didn't hurt her album of the same name, which sold 11 million copies worldwide.
The video would debut on MTV the following day (the network being immune to backlash, as it's clearly run by heathens), and would go on to win the Viewer's Choice Award at that year's VMAs, and would later crop up on pretty much every list of the greatest/most daring videos of all time.
March 2, 1989: Madonna's "Like a Prayer" video debuts as part of a Pepsi ad.
I'm not clear why Pepsi thought a Madonna-based ad airing during The Cosby Show would be a natural fit to begin with, but when you throw in stigmata, burning crosses, and an apparent affair between the singer and Saint Martin de Porres, it really doesn't make sense.
Not surprisingly, the backlash came quickly, leading Pepsi to pull the ad and put the kibosh on the two other ads called for in their $5 million deal with the singer. She got to keep the cash, and the publicity didn't hurt her album of the same name, which sold 11 million copies worldwide.
The video would debut on MTV the following day (the network being immune to backlash, as it's clearly run by heathens), and would go on to win the Viewer's Choice Award at that year's VMAs, and would later crop up on pretty much every list of the greatest/most daring videos of all time.
05 March 2009
I would like to think that I had something to do with this result. Well, something more than just voting for it several times.
I will say that I'm surprised that ten times as many people voted for the memorial than Old Ironsides. That just seems wrong. I would be interested in seeing the complete vote totals, though they don't seem to be available on the state's website.
I will say that I'm surprised that ten times as many people voted for the memorial than Old Ironsides. That just seems wrong. I would be interested in seeing the complete vote totals, though they don't seem to be available on the state's website.
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
February 5, 1953: Bishop Fulton J. Sheen wins his first Emmy Award
For someone working for one of the least progressive organizations, Bishop Fulton Sheen had a keen sense of how technology could impact religion. Well known for his studies in theology and philosophy, Sheen supplemented his teaching work with a radio show, The Catholic Hour, that ran from 1930 to 1950. In 1951, when he was made auxiliary bishop of New York, he decided to move into the new medium of television.
His show, Life is Worth Living, saw him discuss religious questions and issues of the day, all from a Catholic point of view. He quickly became one of the best-known figures on the DuMont Network, and even after its collapse he found a home at ABC, where his program aired until 1957. He would have his own syndicated show in the 1960s, using basically the same format.
But back to his Emmy win. He won the Emmy in 1953 for Most Outstanding Personality, beating out Lucille Ball, Jimmy Durante, Arthur Godfrey, Edward R. Murrow, Donald O'Connor, and Adlai Stevenson (who apparently couldn't beat anybody), which is a pretty impressive group of people.
On the down side, Sheen did popularize the use of television to prostelytize, opening the door for anyone who could figure out a way to use Bible quotes to get viewers to send them money. Not everyone is holding this against him, though, as there's a movement afoot to canonize Sheen. I assume the miracles credited to him will involve fixing wonky vertical holds.
February 5, 1953: Bishop Fulton J. Sheen wins his first Emmy Award
For someone working for one of the least progressive organizations, Bishop Fulton Sheen had a keen sense of how technology could impact religion. Well known for his studies in theology and philosophy, Sheen supplemented his teaching work with a radio show, The Catholic Hour, that ran from 1930 to 1950. In 1951, when he was made auxiliary bishop of New York, he decided to move into the new medium of television.
His show, Life is Worth Living, saw him discuss religious questions and issues of the day, all from a Catholic point of view. He quickly became one of the best-known figures on the DuMont Network, and even after its collapse he found a home at ABC, where his program aired until 1957. He would have his own syndicated show in the 1960s, using basically the same format.
But back to his Emmy win. He won the Emmy in 1953 for Most Outstanding Personality, beating out Lucille Ball, Jimmy Durante, Arthur Godfrey, Edward R. Murrow, Donald O'Connor, and Adlai Stevenson (who apparently couldn't beat anybody), which is a pretty impressive group of people.
On the down side, Sheen did popularize the use of television to prostelytize, opening the door for anyone who could figure out a way to use Bible quotes to get viewers to send them money. Not everyone is holding this against him, though, as there's a movement afoot to canonize Sheen. I assume the miracles credited to him will involve fixing wonky vertical holds.
04 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
January 20, 1999: Josiah Bartlet is sworn in as President of the United States
Bartlet was born to a Protestant father and Catholic mother, and raised in the latter's faith (apparently to the dismay of his father). He bypassed Harvard to attend Notre Dame, as he was interested in the priesthood. While at Notre Dame he met Abigail Barrington, which put an end to his clerical plans. They would marry and have three daughters, while he would go on to become an economist of note (sharing a Nobel Prize), professor, and eventually entered politics (a not surprising choice as he is related to the New Hampshire signatory of the Declaration of Independence of the same name).
Bartlet's faith was best seen more in personal moments than in policy, though you could argue that his interest in promoting and protecting human rights was influenced by it. While not strictly Catholic, perhaps the best moment showcasing religion was his clarification of the First Commandment (about halfway through the clip).
While there's a common sentiment that The West Wing and Bartlet were popular because they gave us the President we wanted rather than the one we had, you can also make an argument that they gave Catholics the follow-up to JFK that we wanted rather than the ones - John Kerry and, egads, Pat Buchannan - we could have had.
January 20, 1999: Josiah Bartlet is sworn in as President of the United States
Bartlet was born to a Protestant father and Catholic mother, and raised in the latter's faith (apparently to the dismay of his father). He bypassed Harvard to attend Notre Dame, as he was interested in the priesthood. While at Notre Dame he met Abigail Barrington, which put an end to his clerical plans. They would marry and have three daughters, while he would go on to become an economist of note (sharing a Nobel Prize), professor, and eventually entered politics (a not surprising choice as he is related to the New Hampshire signatory of the Declaration of Independence of the same name).
Bartlet's faith was best seen more in personal moments than in policy, though you could argue that his interest in promoting and protecting human rights was influenced by it. While not strictly Catholic, perhaps the best moment showcasing religion was his clarification of the First Commandment (about halfway through the clip).
While there's a common sentiment that The West Wing and Bartlet were popular because they gave us the President we wanted rather than the one we had, you can also make an argument that they gave Catholics the follow-up to JFK that we wanted rather than the ones - John Kerry and, egads, Pat Buchannan - we could have had.
03 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
February 12, 2009: Callie Torres offers an unexpected lesson in praying
In case you didn't see the big Grey's Anatomy-Private Practice cross over event, it centered on Addison's brother, Archer, needing surgery to remove a number of worm-filled cysts that were in his brain. In the course of things, she wound up in the chapel but found herself unable to pray because, as a WASP, she only goes to church on Christmas.
Enter Callie Torres, who kneels down and prays out loud as an example to Addison. The content, however, is about the kiss she shared with pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins, and how she'd like to see where it might lead, except that Arizona's hotness is countered by her perkiness and proclivity for wearing scrubs with butterflies on them. So Callie asks God to help her get over the butterflies (both the ones on the scrubs and the metaphorical ones that have kept Callie celibate since Erica's abrupt departure).
I'm not sure how you balance the example with the content, but I think Aquinas wrote something on prayer and hot lesbians.
February 12, 2009: Callie Torres offers an unexpected lesson in praying
In case you didn't see the big Grey's Anatomy-Private Practice cross over event, it centered on Addison's brother, Archer, needing surgery to remove a number of worm-filled cysts that were in his brain. In the course of things, she wound up in the chapel but found herself unable to pray because, as a WASP, she only goes to church on Christmas.
Enter Callie Torres, who kneels down and prays out loud as an example to Addison. The content, however, is about the kiss she shared with pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins, and how she'd like to see where it might lead, except that Arizona's hotness is countered by her perkiness and proclivity for wearing scrubs with butterflies on them. So Callie asks God to help her get over the butterflies (both the ones on the scrubs and the metaphorical ones that have kept Callie celibate since Erica's abrupt departure).
I'm not sure how you balance the example with the content, but I think Aquinas wrote something on prayer and hot lesbians.
02 March 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
February 16, 2004: Mel Gibson gets theological with Diane Sawyer
In an interview promoting The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson went on Primetime Live and talked about his personal struggles with addiction, his faith, and the movie, which was about as interesting as you might expect. At least until he mentioned that is was possible for non-Christians to get into heaven, which you think would be at odds with his Traditionalist beliefs, which look to roll back much of what was put in place after Vatican II.
Gibson also got to stick it to the Vatican a bit over whether or not the pope had seen the movie, which I guess would make him feel better for making All Dogs Go to Heaven that much closer to a documentary.
February 16, 2004: Mel Gibson gets theological with Diane Sawyer
In an interview promoting The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson went on Primetime Live and talked about his personal struggles with addiction, his faith, and the movie, which was about as interesting as you might expect. At least until he mentioned that is was possible for non-Christians to get into heaven, which you think would be at odds with his Traditionalist beliefs, which look to roll back much of what was put in place after Vatican II.
Gibson also got to stick it to the Vatican a bit over whether or not the pope had seen the movie, which I guess would make him feel better for making All Dogs Go to Heaven that much closer to a documentary.
28 February 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
December 6, 1977: Father Tim Flotsky checks into the Pussy Cat Motel with Corinne Tate on Soap
Originally childhood friends, Corinne Tate developed an interest in Tim Flotsky as an adult. Unfortunately for her, this blossomed after he became a priest. This didn't stop her from trying to woo him away from the church, making confessions that would double as come-ons and telling him about her plans to move in with tennis pro Peter Campbell.
This strategy eventually worked, and just in time. While they were engaged in their less than hoy sacrament, Peter was murdered. Corinne was a leading suspect, based on Peter's infidelity and her threat to kill him if he cheated. She at first said that she was alone at the time of the killing, in order to protect Tim, but she later admitted their affair.
Tim would leave the priesthood and he and Corinne would move in together. Corinne would get pregnant shortly thereafter, delivering a baby six weeks after learning she was pregnant, apparently because the baby was posssessed by the devil.
And for all that, this probably still only the eighth-strangest plot in the show's history.
December 6, 1977: Father Tim Flotsky checks into the Pussy Cat Motel with Corinne Tate on Soap
Originally childhood friends, Corinne Tate developed an interest in Tim Flotsky as an adult. Unfortunately for her, this blossomed after he became a priest. This didn't stop her from trying to woo him away from the church, making confessions that would double as come-ons and telling him about her plans to move in with tennis pro Peter Campbell.
This strategy eventually worked, and just in time. While they were engaged in their less than hoy sacrament, Peter was murdered. Corinne was a leading suspect, based on Peter's infidelity and her threat to kill him if he cheated. She at first said that she was alone at the time of the killing, in order to protect Tim, but she later admitted their affair.
Tim would leave the priesthood and he and Corinne would move in together. Corinne would get pregnant shortly thereafter, delivering a baby six weeks after learning she was pregnant, apparently because the baby was posssessed by the devil.
And for all that, this probably still only the eighth-strangest plot in the show's history.
27 February 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
September 11, 1985: Robert Blake dons the collar
It makes perfect sense - if you need a guy to play a priest on TV, get Baretta. That's a summary of the thinking at NBC when they cast Blake, best known for playing cops, cowboys and other tough guys as Father Noah "Hardstep" Rivers, an ex-con turned preist who is looking to bring peace to his east LA parish, one sacrament at a time.
It didn't quite hit the mark with viewers, probably because they were confused at why it wasn't the nuns who were doling out the corporal punishment. Hell Town aired its last episode, fittingly, on Christmas Day in 1985.
Blake would not land another regular acting job after this, only making occasional appearances in TV, film, and news coverage of the criminal and civil trials following the murder of his second wife.
September 11, 1985: Robert Blake dons the collar
It makes perfect sense - if you need a guy to play a priest on TV, get Baretta. That's a summary of the thinking at NBC when they cast Blake, best known for playing cops, cowboys and other tough guys as Father Noah "Hardstep" Rivers, an ex-con turned preist who is looking to bring peace to his east LA parish, one sacrament at a time.
It didn't quite hit the mark with viewers, probably because they were confused at why it wasn't the nuns who were doling out the corporal punishment. Hell Town aired its last episode, fittingly, on Christmas Day in 1985.
Blake would not land another regular acting job after this, only making occasional appearances in TV, film, and news coverage of the criminal and civil trials following the murder of his second wife.
26 February 2009
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
September 26, 1960: John Kennedy takes on Richard Nixon in the first-ever televised Presidential debate.
I don't think I need to go into specifics here, but if you don't know how this turned out, this page will give you a decent synopsis.
Catholics haven't fared so well in Presidential politics since, but we are currently a heartbeat away from our second Catholic president. I was reminded of this yesterday when I saw Joe Biden, complete with ashes on his forehead, on NBC Nightly News. And two heartbeats away there's Nancy Pelosi, who is also on the team. All that being said, it may not be a bad idea this Lent to say an extra prayer for the health and safety of President Obama.
September 26, 1960: John Kennedy takes on Richard Nixon in the first-ever televised Presidential debate.
I don't think I need to go into specifics here, but if you don't know how this turned out, this page will give you a decent synopsis.
Catholics haven't fared so well in Presidential politics since, but we are currently a heartbeat away from our second Catholic president. I was reminded of this yesterday when I saw Joe Biden, complete with ashes on his forehead, on NBC Nightly News. And two heartbeats away there's Nancy Pelosi, who is also on the team. All that being said, it may not be a bad idea this Lent to say an extra prayer for the health and safety of President Obama.
25 February 2009
It being Ash Wednesday, it's time to start 40 days of...
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
As you might have guessed from the question mark, some of these moments may not qualify as great in the normal sense. And considering that I only have about three-quarters of my list complete, these moments may devolve into an extended biography of our first subject...
November 16, 1976: Fr. Mulcahy performs a tracheotomy using his Tom Mix pocket knife.
Reminded by a patient that he's more at the war than in it, Fr. Mulcahy goes with Radar to an aid station, where he gets a more front-line view of the fighting. When a patient they are bringing back to the 4077 stops breathing due to a constricted airway, Hawkeye talks Mulcahy through a tracheotomy by radio, with the father using his trusty knife and the tube from his bottle of eye drops to get the soldier breathing again.
I always enjoyed the M*A*S*H episodes that were Mulcahy-heavy, and this one is in my top three for him. As a plus, the padre jumped ahead of all those TV doctors who perform the same procedure in hospitals with appropriate equipment, training and support staff. I'd like to see Mark Greene try to open an airway using the stuff in his pockets while assisted by a woozy corporal.
Lentorama 2009: Great(?) Moments in Catholics on Television
As you might have guessed from the question mark, some of these moments may not qualify as great in the normal sense. And considering that I only have about three-quarters of my list complete, these moments may devolve into an extended biography of our first subject...
November 16, 1976: Fr. Mulcahy performs a tracheotomy using his Tom Mix pocket knife.
Reminded by a patient that he's more at the war than in it, Fr. Mulcahy goes with Radar to an aid station, where he gets a more front-line view of the fighting. When a patient they are bringing back to the 4077 stops breathing due to a constricted airway, Hawkeye talks Mulcahy through a tracheotomy by radio, with the father using his trusty knife and the tube from his bottle of eye drops to get the soldier breathing again.
I always enjoyed the M*A*S*H episodes that were Mulcahy-heavy, and this one is in my top three for him. As a plus, the padre jumped ahead of all those TV doctors who perform the same procedure in hospitals with appropriate equipment, training and support staff. I'd like to see Mark Greene try to open an airway using the stuff in his pockets while assisted by a woozy corporal.
24 February 2009
Book Log 2009 #8: The Secret of Annexe 3 by Colin Dexter
The new year brings a new mystery, as one of the attendees of a hotel's New Year's Eve party turns up dead the next morning. Morse and Lewis get the case, and have to work against the hazy memories of staff and guests - among other obstacles - to find the killer.
I can't say I liked this one as much as earlier entries in the series, but I also think I rushed reading it a bit.
The new year brings a new mystery, as one of the attendees of a hotel's New Year's Eve party turns up dead the next morning. Morse and Lewis get the case, and have to work against the hazy memories of staff and guests - among other obstacles - to find the killer.
I can't say I liked this one as much as earlier entries in the series, but I also think I rushed reading it a bit.
20 February 2009
I keep forgetting to mention that next year will mark the follow-up to the popular state quarters program, as we'll start a new series of quarters featuring a national park or historic place/thing from each state/territory/DC. And unlike the state quarter process, which saw us in Massachusetts get stuck with this uninspired result, we get to vote on what'll be on our national park coin.
But we've apparently replaced a dictatorship with anarchy, given this list of candidates. Nice to see that each county is represented, but a little extra winnowing would have been nice. I'm not familiar with the city halls in Worcester or Chicopee, but I'm not sure I'd want them on my quarter. Same goes with the Balch House, which even with the dose of homerism seems a little obscure to be on a quarter.
Picking a top 5 candidate list is a little fraught, but if you forced me to I'd go with:
1. Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial. Perhaps not the most representative choice for the entire state, but I think it's a good choice based on its nod to the state's fishing industry and because it'd be less open to design nonsense.
2. Minuteman National Historical Park. Were I designing it, I'd come up with something centered on North Bridge, which is scenic (bridge, water, trees) and connected with the "shot heard 'round the world" in Emerson's "Concord Hymn."
3. USS Constitution. This seems like as close to a no-brainer on the list as anything else. But after the aforementioned Rhode Island and Maine quarters, picking a ship may be a little derivative.
4. The Ether Dome. I think we can all get behind celebrating the birth of operations under anesthesia.
5. Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. I have no idea how they'd make a design on this that's something other than people dancing and the name "Jacob's Pillow" somewhere, but I'd like to see someone try. My alternate Western Massachusetts pick would be Al's Diner in Chicopee, which I know nothing about but think would be fun to have on a coin.
So there you are. Voting continues through next week, and you can vote as much as you like, so feel free to stuff the ballot box for your favorite.
But we've apparently replaced a dictatorship with anarchy, given this list of candidates. Nice to see that each county is represented, but a little extra winnowing would have been nice. I'm not familiar with the city halls in Worcester or Chicopee, but I'm not sure I'd want them on my quarter. Same goes with the Balch House, which even with the dose of homerism seems a little obscure to be on a quarter.
Picking a top 5 candidate list is a little fraught, but if you forced me to I'd go with:
1. Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial. Perhaps not the most representative choice for the entire state, but I think it's a good choice based on its nod to the state's fishing industry and because it'd be less open to design nonsense.
2. Minuteman National Historical Park. Were I designing it, I'd come up with something centered on North Bridge, which is scenic (bridge, water, trees) and connected with the "shot heard 'round the world" in Emerson's "Concord Hymn."
3. USS Constitution. This seems like as close to a no-brainer on the list as anything else. But after the aforementioned Rhode Island and Maine quarters, picking a ship may be a little derivative.
4. The Ether Dome. I think we can all get behind celebrating the birth of operations under anesthesia.
5. Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. I have no idea how they'd make a design on this that's something other than people dancing and the name "Jacob's Pillow" somewhere, but I'd like to see someone try. My alternate Western Massachusetts pick would be Al's Diner in Chicopee, which I know nothing about but think would be fun to have on a coin.
So there you are. Voting continues through next week, and you can vote as much as you like, so feel free to stuff the ballot box for your favorite.
13 February 2009
Book Log 2009 #7: The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry
The latest Cotton Malone thriller sees him dash around Europe and down to Antarctica to solve a puzzle involving Charlemagne and the possible existence of an advanced civilization that may also provide insight into the death of his father, a submariner. His foe is an ambitious Navy admiral whose is paving his path to the White House with the corpses of anyone who may get in his way - Malone included.
I think I liked this book more when I was actually reading it than I do now. The actual pursuit was not particularly involved, though it did feature historical structure-damaging gunplay, which is apparently required in this series. Rather than bring in the supporting characters from previous books, Malone goes on the pursuit with two sisters whose father also died in the sub accident that claimed Malone's dad, and that whole part of the book feels kind of clunky. To top it off, Malone never faces off with the book's real villain, a task that's seconded to Malone's former boss at the State Department and a White House national security deputy, who are likely to be married by the sixth installment of the series (as yet unnanounced, though it'll have a title like The Burgundian Deceit).
So while I don't know if I'd really recommend the book, if you've read others in the series I don't think you'd be particularly disappointed.
The latest Cotton Malone thriller sees him dash around Europe and down to Antarctica to solve a puzzle involving Charlemagne and the possible existence of an advanced civilization that may also provide insight into the death of his father, a submariner. His foe is an ambitious Navy admiral whose is paving his path to the White House with the corpses of anyone who may get in his way - Malone included.
I think I liked this book more when I was actually reading it than I do now. The actual pursuit was not particularly involved, though it did feature historical structure-damaging gunplay, which is apparently required in this series. Rather than bring in the supporting characters from previous books, Malone goes on the pursuit with two sisters whose father also died in the sub accident that claimed Malone's dad, and that whole part of the book feels kind of clunky. To top it off, Malone never faces off with the book's real villain, a task that's seconded to Malone's former boss at the State Department and a White House national security deputy, who are likely to be married by the sixth installment of the series (as yet unnanounced, though it'll have a title like The Burgundian Deceit).
So while I don't know if I'd really recommend the book, if you've read others in the series I don't think you'd be particularly disappointed.
12 February 2009
I've not followed all this A-Rod steroids nonsense too closely, but it has raised the question again of whom to blame. And while various people are lining up various villains, I have yet to hear the name of the one person who is clearly to blame for the steroids mess.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Go back to 1995. Baseball is back after a season cut short by a player's strike. No World Series, no Tony Gwynn chasing .400, nothing. Fans are angry, and attendance figures are down. The national pastime is getting passed by football and basketball in popularity. Baseball is in trouble.
Then September 6 happens, Ripken passes Lou Gehrig to take the record for consecutive games played. The game is aired on ESPN and becomes one of its highest-rated games ever. There's a 22 minute standing ovation and a victory lap, with both President Clinton and Vice President Gore in attendance.
That, I think, is when the light bulb went off over various heads. The league and owners realize the power of having milestone records broken, and players see how breaking them will give them adulation in the short term and lasting fame - in the record and in an increased likelihood of making the Hall of Fame - in the longer term.
And what records are the most cherished in baseball? The ones involving home runs, of course. From there, we get andro, creatine, cream, clear, and a hierarchy that's more than willing to turn a blind eye to even the scant rules then on the books.
So thanks, Cal. This mess is all your fault.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Go back to 1995. Baseball is back after a season cut short by a player's strike. No World Series, no Tony Gwynn chasing .400, nothing. Fans are angry, and attendance figures are down. The national pastime is getting passed by football and basketball in popularity. Baseball is in trouble.
Then September 6 happens, Ripken passes Lou Gehrig to take the record for consecutive games played. The game is aired on ESPN and becomes one of its highest-rated games ever. There's a 22 minute standing ovation and a victory lap, with both President Clinton and Vice President Gore in attendance.
That, I think, is when the light bulb went off over various heads. The league and owners realize the power of having milestone records broken, and players see how breaking them will give them adulation in the short term and lasting fame - in the record and in an increased likelihood of making the Hall of Fame - in the longer term.
And what records are the most cherished in baseball? The ones involving home runs, of course. From there, we get andro, creatine, cream, clear, and a hierarchy that's more than willing to turn a blind eye to even the scant rules then on the books.
So thanks, Cal. This mess is all your fault.
05 February 2009
Book Log 2009 #5 and #6: The Areas of My Expertise and More Information Than You Require by John Hodgman
Hodgman, a Former Professional Literary Agent turned Famous Minor Television Personality for playing "PC" in a series of Apple Computer ads, professed to provide us with COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE in The Areas of My Expertise, but then managed to find more knowledge - enough to fill an even longer book - which he imparted in More Information Than You Require. You might have expected a book of COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE would not allow for a sequel. But it did, thanks in large part to all of the knowledge in both books being completely made up (expect for the list of US Presidents who also had a hook for a hand, which is based in FACT).
Both books are recommended if you like humor, random CAPITALIZATION, and have a burning desire to learn about hobos or the Molemen, for whom Hodgman shows surprising sensitivity and interest. PERHAPS TOO MUCH.
Hodgman, a Former Professional Literary Agent turned Famous Minor Television Personality for playing "PC" in a series of Apple Computer ads, professed to provide us with COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE in The Areas of My Expertise, but then managed to find more knowledge - enough to fill an even longer book - which he imparted in More Information Than You Require. You might have expected a book of COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE would not allow for a sequel. But it did, thanks in large part to all of the knowledge in both books being completely made up (expect for the list of US Presidents who also had a hook for a hand, which is based in FACT).
Both books are recommended if you like humor, random CAPITALIZATION, and have a burning desire to learn about hobos or the Molemen, for whom Hodgman shows surprising sensitivity and interest. PERHAPS TOO MUCH.
02 February 2009
About yesterday...
Game - that was the oddest Super Bowl in some time. Consider that it included:
Ads - unlike the game, these were less entertaining than expected. The best ad according to USA Today's Ad Meter was the Doritos ad where a guy uses a crystal ball to get free Doritos. It was apparently made by two guys with no advertising experience. Someone's getting fired today.
Meanwhile, the brain trust at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management tabbed the Monster.com ad as the best of the bunch. Considering I had to check what this ad was about when I first read about this (and then had to check again before writing here - it's apparently the ad that had a guy sitting under the rear end of a deer), this may not be the best choice.
And to muddy things ever further, the GoDaddy "enhancement" ad was apparently the most-watched ad of the night. I assume it has to do with the promise of seeing boobies if you go online to watch the rest of the ad.
All that being said, three ads that I liked better than the AdMeter folks were the Pepsi "MacGruber" spot, the Hulu ad with Alec Baldwin, and the Audi ad (mostly for the way Jason Statham doesn't even try to use a Lexus to make a getaway).
Puppies! - and yes, I did watch some of the Puppy Bowl, both before the game as a time killer and during halftime (which managed to sync up with PB's all-kitty halftime). I'd have been more interested had there been a daschund involved, but I did like the touch of using a Chinese Crested as a streaker.
Game - that was the oddest Super Bowl in some time. Consider that it included:
- the longest play in Super Bowl a history, a 100 yard interception return for TD to end the first half
- a safety, the first since Super Bowl 25
- the first Aussie to play in a Super Bowl (punter Ben Graham)
- a missed opportunity to invoke the Tuck Rule at the end
- the NFC winning its 12th Super Bowl coin toss in a row
- the Arizona Cardinals
Ads - unlike the game, these were less entertaining than expected. The best ad according to USA Today's Ad Meter was the Doritos ad where a guy uses a crystal ball to get free Doritos. It was apparently made by two guys with no advertising experience. Someone's getting fired today.
Meanwhile, the brain trust at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management tabbed the Monster.com ad as the best of the bunch. Considering I had to check what this ad was about when I first read about this (and then had to check again before writing here - it's apparently the ad that had a guy sitting under the rear end of a deer), this may not be the best choice.
And to muddy things ever further, the GoDaddy "enhancement" ad was apparently the most-watched ad of the night. I assume it has to do with the promise of seeing boobies if you go online to watch the rest of the ad.
All that being said, three ads that I liked better than the AdMeter folks were the Pepsi "MacGruber" spot, the Hulu ad with Alec Baldwin, and the Audi ad (mostly for the way Jason Statham doesn't even try to use a Lexus to make a getaway).
Puppies! - and yes, I did watch some of the Puppy Bowl, both before the game as a time killer and during halftime (which managed to sync up with PB's all-kitty halftime). I'd have been more interested had there been a daschund involved, but I did like the touch of using a Chinese Crested as a streaker.
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