Classic Quote of the Day

“I need sex for a clear complexion, but I'd rather do it for love.”

-- Joan Crawford

Do You Know? No, Do You?

The best show on television that you're probably not watching is Rob & Big - a reality show that chronicles the life of pro-skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and his bodyguard-slash-best friend Christopher "Big Black" Boykin. The opening scene from last night's season premiere is the perfect example of what makes the show so brilliant: they are the modern-day odd couple in that they look so starkly different, yet they have fun together, even at the risk of looking stupid in front of each other.

If Your Husband Ever Finds Out...

I'm so jealous...her hair has all that body.
[Vintage Ads]

Crushing on James Garner

Must-See Movie: Bachelor Mother

Bachelor Mother (1939)
Ginger Rogers is perfect and David Niven is winning in this screwball comedy of mistakes and assumptions. Rogers, mostly known for her dancing, does little footwork but keeps you on your toes with her fantastic comedic timing and stunning beauty.

Polly Parish (Rogers) is a department store salesclerk about to be laid off after the Christmas holiday when she passes an orphanage just as a woman is leaving a baby on the doorstep. Concerned the baby will fall off the stoop, she picks the baby up as the door opens, and so the orphanage assumes that Rogers is the mother. No one believes that she isn't the baby's mother, especially when the baby stops crying every time Polly holds him. David Niven plays David Merlin, the playboy son of the store owner, J.B. Merlin (Charles Coburn), who is outraged at Polly's denials and so makes it his personal responsibility to keep the single woman and "her" baby together. And when J.B. Merlin gets involved, chaos ensues, as the older man thinks that the baby is his grandson.

A story like this would never fly today. First of all, orphanages, police stations, and hospitals now have a "no questions asked" policy when children are abandoned. And now with DNA testing, all Polly Parish would have to do is say, "You don't believe me? Here, take a blood sample."

But putting that all aside and remembering that this is set in 1939, the movie is charming and has some real funny moments. I especially love how Polly develops a real love for the little guy; so much so that she begins to agree that he is, indeed, hers. And, I have to agree, the little tyke is adorable...and Ginger Rogers is charming as she improvises from the baby's natural responses.

Crushing on Peter Lawford

Donald Duck in "Applecore"

Ah! The one I was looking for in the first place! Dedicated to Pixie, Volcano, and Monkey, as it's their favorite.

Donald Duck in "Up a Tree"

High-quality version of the classic battle between a duck and two chipmunks. (Runs a little over 6 minutes.)

Thursday's This & That: Disney Style

As I massage my Wii muscles that have been overworked by video bowling and tennis, let me bring you the latest news around the web...

Get your t-shirts with inside jokes of Disneyland park. T-shirts read "Real Men Shoot Hippos" and "We Want the Redhead!" The t-shirt company that makes them, Cryogenically Frozen, refers to the urban legend that Walt Disney requested his head be frozen upon his death.

Mercury News reviews 3 new "Disney Treasures" released to DVD. I personally bought Disneyland: Secrets, Stories and Magic expecting some great insight in to the park that I haven't read about before. (A far stretch of the imagination with all I've read up on the subject.) But what really made me excited was the description of the plot on Amazon.com:

Steve Martin, a former Disneyland cast member, takes viewers through the history of Walt Disney's original theme park in Anaheim, California, while being constantly interrupted by the stubborn but hilarious Donald Duck.

Unfortunately Amazon's plot outline is completely inaccurate. So is their mention of stars such as Sammy Davis, Jr. making an appearance. There was nothing on either of these discs that featured Steve Martin or any big stars' appearances. Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen are shown wandering through the park as it's being built, as well as Annette Funnicello singing at the park, but those have been featured elsewhere (another Disney Treasures DVD compilation entitled "Disneyland USA"). In fact, there's a lot of overlap between the two sets. Worse yet, it's a bit dated by some awkward screen time by Michael Eisner (ptooey ptooey!).

What it turns out to be is a great look back at Disneyland from the 50's to the 60's...with a great commentary by Leonard Maltin and imagineers and other creatives who worked on the project. But as far as any insight or a secret, behind-the-scenes look at the park, it falls short.

2008's This & That

2008 is guaranteed to be one helluva year. For one thing, it's a Leap Year, giving me one more day to drink and frolic with my low-cut tops and high-cut bottoms. But less importantly, there are a few interesting things that are supposed to happen this year:

Apparently the end of the world is this year. Yes, friends, once again the apocalypse has been prophesied. Hope you've prepared your souls, heathens.

According to Isaac Asimov's short story "Franchise," this year the U.S. president will be selected by a computer program looking for the "most representative citizen". Should be promising...

The wonderful show of "Futurama" has told us that suicide booths are invented this year, as well...maybe in time for people to escape Earth's destruction.

So there's a lot to look forward to! I hope you are excited about these events as I am!