Hi everybody. I don't feel like doing a whole, involved, blog right now, so I'll just give you some random thoughts.

We had a nice Thanksgiving. I really enjoyed the 4 days off. It worked out best for everybody to have our Thanksgiving on Friday, so we spent most of Thursday cleaning the house. Thankfully, my great family helped.

The menu on Friday: turkey, stuffing, corn casserole, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, cherry pie, brownies, and ice cream. I decided not to push myself. This was all pretty easy.

On Sunday we had the annual Hanging of the Greens service at our church. It's one of my favorite special services. We're doing it different this year, and have lit garlands hanging from beams going across the sanctuary, instead of just along the side walls. It's very pretty. But now the garlands cover part of the screen if you sit in the back. We have the words to the songs on the screen. It's not too bad, and they can always move up.

We watched a bunch of movies on TV over the weekend. I can't even remember what all we watched, that's how good they were. But, I wanted to let you know that one of my favorites is now available on hulu.com. Return to Me was available, at least over the weekend. I just looked and found that it expires in a few hours. Bummer. It's a romantic comedy made by Bonnie Hunt. I like her sense of humor. I wish her sitcoms had lasted longer. Of course, now she has a talk show, but I never see it, since it's on when I'm working.

This Date in History: OK, I can't resist imparting a little knowledge. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus, sparking the American Civil Rights movement. Who knew such a small act could change so much? Makes you think, doesn't it?

World AIDS Day: Today is also World AIDS Day, designed to bring awareness to this horrible pandemic. The good news is that the number of new cases has decreased 17% since 2001. However, between 5 and 6 people die of AIDS every minute; 25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981; and there are 14 million AIDS orphans in Africa. Wear your red ribbons proudly.

Just for Fun:


I LOVE this picture of some of the NCIS cast


Who is this celebrity?

Level 52, 32%

Hi, everybody. Happy Thanksgiving to all! I know it's a little early, but the way I've been blogging lately, this will probably be my last chance to bring you Thanksgiving greetings before the holiday. It's a time for harvest and to remember how much we have been blessed. I try to be thankful every day of the year. Today's quote comes from a show that aired in the 1990s and 2000s. Who said:

"These are my Thanksgiving pants!"

? If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Thanks for leaving a comment.

Congratulations to AprilFox, who was the only one who knew that Emily of The Bob Newhart Show said "Does his name rhyme with stockefeller?"

It's from an episode called "Who Is Mr. X?" where Psychologist Bob reveals in a TV interview that he has treated a political figure. The rest of the episode everybody is trying to find out who it is, but Bob won't tell.

This season reminds me of one of the most famous scenes in the history of The Bob Newhart Show. In the 4th season episode "Over the River and Through the Woods", Emily goes to see her family for Thanksgiving, leaving Bob to spend the day drinking and watching football with his single guy friends. Here's the most famous exchange (Newhart does a great drunk):

(all the men are drunk)
Bob: (into phone) Hello. Is this the House of Hu? I'd like to order some Chinese food. (to men with him) What do you want?
Jerry: Howard wants pizza.
Howard: No I don't. I want some Moo Goo Gai Pan.
Bob: (into phone) Did you hear what Howard wants? Oh. Moo Goo Gai Pan.
Jerry: That's what I want, too. Dr. Jerry Robinson wants Moo Goo Gai Pan.
Bob: (into phone) And more Moo Goo Goo Goo.
Jerry: Did you hear what you said, Bob? You said, "more Moo Goo Goo Goo." You said "Moo Goo Goo Goo."
Howard: That's right. You said "Moo Goo Goo Goo."
Bob: Maybe I'm ordering Chinese baby food.

I couldn't find the clip on YouTube. If anybody finds it let me know and I'll add the link.

I Hope It's Back By Pi Day: FYI, there has been a shortage of pumpkins in some parts of the US this year. Ergo, you may not be able to find my favorite Thanksgiving vegetable, Canned Pumpkin, this holiday season. Cool, wet weather during the growing season has produced puny pumpkins. I may have to turn to my favorite fruit instead, apple pie.


How pumpkin pies are really made

TV.com News: There has been some trouble with the levels, but mine finally went up after several days, so it might be OK now. I haven't been submitting all that much, so it's hard to tell. One thing I noticed is that at least two times I added a recap to a show I edit and it did not post immediately. It showed up by the next day, but still…

Auction News: If you're in the market for a bumper boat or antique oxen yoke, have I got a deal for you. Holiday World amusement park in Santa Claus, Indiana, is auctioning off their surplus items this Saturday. No word on whether St. Nick is on the block.


"Dear Santa, For Christmas I want a sense of sty1e."

Cool Site of the Blog: YOU MUST TRY THIS! Myoats.com

Quiz Answers: This was a tough one. Here are the quotes from Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg, correctly formatted with the name of the person who said each one.

1. Martin Short: When I was fourteen I had, I had an applause record, that I had made a loop from, "Sinatra at the Sands." And I had a reel-to-reel type [tape player], of course, and I had taken a big applause section and I looped it and looped it and looped it, and that became my loop for my own imaginary TV show that I had.

2. Ray Romano: Yes, 'cause when I know my wife, when the mood's there and we're ready, I'm very careful. I don't want to say the wrong thing. Oh, it's like, it's like having sex with Humpty Dumpty.

3. Roseanne: I don't know where that line between mental illness and just being Jewish is.

4. Bob Newhart: You have no control, so I pretended like I knew what I was doing and went out, did my three routines and came off, walked by the maitre d', and he said, "Go back out, they're, they're still applauding". And I said, "Well, that, that's, that's all I have." And he said, "Well, go back out." So I went back out and I said, um, "Which one would you like to hear again?

5. Mike Myers: (on being influenced by Monty Python) Being able to do, and recite Python sketches in kitchens at parties is a form of birth control.

6. Garry Shandling: I have never, in my entire life, taped a sexual experience. Because it just requires too much time in the editing room.

7. Jon Stewart: (on getting started in stand up comedy) I went on for two years at the Comedy Cellar, at 2:30, 3:00 in the morning, as the last guy. And it was me, and the wait staff, and a table of drunken Dutch sailors. And I learned how to be myself. It was the thing that made me want to be good.

8. George Lopez: I bought a house in Pebble Beach, and we moved in, and the neighbors came to see who was living there. They looked at me--'cause I was standing there in my front yard just taking it all in--and the neighbor looked, like, "Look, the movers left one guy behind."

9. Larry David: I did a set at the Improv one night and I come off stage, and this guy comes up to me, and he says, "I'm, uh, I'm Jim McCauley. I'm the, uh, talent booker at the 'Tonight Show,' and, uh, I just want you to know, uh, you can never come on the show. Johnny wouldn't like you."

10. Jerry Seinfeld: No, I don't get that, but what I do get is people trying to be funny. I don't know why. I don't need you to be funny for me, I don't want to be entertained. I don't know, maybe they're trying to return the favor or something.

Just for Fun: Here are some presidential Thanksgiving pictures from Google Images LIFE Magazine collection.


Franklin Roosevelt serves up Turkey at a White House Thanksgiving dinner for victims of polio


Dwight Eisenhower carves the bird for his family's Thanksgiving dinner

Level 52, 29%

Hi, everybody. I haven't been around as much as usual lately. I hope you are all doing well. We still don't have the new power cord for our laptop. After waiting 2 weeks they told us that it is on backorder. Sigh*. So, we are still a one-computer family. I don't want to talk about it. Let's move on. Today's quote comes from a show that aired in the 1970s. Who said:



"Does his name rhyme with stockefeller?"



? If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Be sure to send a pm through tv.com. I won't see it if you send it in Movietome or Gamestop. Thanks for leaving a comment.

Congratulations to MarWash and AprilFox, who knew that Cameron of Modern Family said "There's a fish, in nature, that swims around with its babies in its mouth. That fish would look at Mitchell's relationship with his mother and say, 'That's messed up.'"



20 Years Ago: Today is the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Our younger readers will only know about the Wall from history cla$$ but it was a large part of the news and television during much of my life. All the spy shows had their heroes go behind the Iron Curtain at some point. Mission Impossible had a lot of episodes involving Communism and the Cold War.

HERE is a tribute to the fall of the Berlin Wall made for a school project. I think the girl who did it did a great job.



A Little Quote Quiz: After reading chuckdreyfuski's blog, I was reminded of the show I edit called Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg. It was a really good interview show, but only lasted 2 seasons. I started looking through the guide, and decided to give you some of the quotes from the episodes. Keep in mind that these are answers to questions, so the first part may not make sense out of context. Match the quote with the comedian who said it.

1. When I was fourteen I had, I had an applause record, that I had made a loop from, "Sinatra at the Sands." And I had a reel-to-reel type [tape player], of course, and I had taken a big applause section and I looped it and looped it and looped it, and that became my loop for my own imaginary TV show that I had.

2. Yes, 'cause when I know my wife, when the mood's there and we're ready, I'm very careful. I don't want to say the wrong thing. Oh, it's like, it's like having sex with Humpty Dumpty.

3. I don't know where that line between mental illness and just being Jewish is.



4. You have no control, so I pretended like I knew what I was doing and went out, did my three routines and came off, walked by the maitre d', and he said, "Go back out, they're, they're still applauding". And I said, "Well, that, that's, that's all I have." And he said, "Well, go back out." So I went back out and I said, um, "Which one would you like to hear again?

5. (on being influenced by Monty Python) Being able to do, and recite Python sketches in kitchens at parties is a form of birth control.

6. I have never, in my entire life, taped a sexual experience. Because it just requires too much time in the editing room.

7. (on getting started in stand up comedy) I went on for two years at the Comedy Celler, at 2:30, 3:00 in the morning, as the last guy. And it was me, and the wait staff, and a table of drunken Dutch sailors. And I learned how to be myself. It was the thing that made me want to be good.

8. I bought a house in Pebble Beach, and we moved in, and the neighbors came to see who was living there. They looked at me--'cause I was standing there in my front yard just taking it all in--and the neighbor looked, like, "Look, the movers left one guy behind."

9. I did a set at the Improv one night and I come off stage, and this guy comes up to me, and he says, "I'm, uh, I'm Jim McCauley. I'm the, uh, talent booker at the 'Tonight Show,' and, uh, I just want you to know, uh, you can never come on the show. Johnny wouldn't like you."

10. No, I don't get that, but what I do get is people trying to be funny. I don't know why. I don't need you to be funny for me, I don't want to be entertained. I don't know, maybe they're trying to return the favor or something.

A. Larry David
B. George Lopez
C. Mike Myers
D. Bob Newhart
E. Ray Romano
F. Roseanne
G. Jerry Seinfeld
H. Garry Shandling
I. Martin Short
J. Jon Stewart

Some photos from a site called CrazyPicsfromAfrica.com:



Level 52, 27%

Hi, everybody. I realized that lately I've been starting every blog with words such as "It's been two weeks since my last blog," which makes it sound like I'm going to confession. I'll try not to apologize. After all, they say it's a sign of weakness. I've been busy at work, and we're down to one computer at home for a while. The power cord for the laptop started sparking, so we stopped using it. Since we just got the laptop last Christmas, it's still under warranty, so they're sending us a new one. Oh, and I want to give a shout out to BuskieBoy for making my Halloween banner. He made it a couple of years ago and updated it for the new look. Thanks, my friend! And congratulations on being in the community Spotlight! Let's move on to the quote, shall we? Today's quote comes from a current show. Who said:

"There's a fish, in nature, that swims around with its babies in its mouth. That fish would look at ______'s relationship with his mother and say, 'That's messed up.'."

? I left out a name so it won't be too easy. If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Be sure to send a pm through tv.com. I won't see it if you send it in Movietome or Gamestop. Thanks for leaving a comment.

Congratulations to mackymacaspac, who what the only one who knew that Angel of Angel said " I had to sing Barry Manilow." It was during a karaoke scene.

TV.com News: I'm slowly making my way up the Level 52 ladder. I heard on the radio news one morning this week that Vic Mizzy died. I recognized the name immediately. He wrote the TV themes for The Addams Family, F-Troop and Green Acres, as well as several other things. I found some info about him and wrote up a bio for his guide.


VicMizzy.com

THIS JUST IN: I heard this morning that Soupy Sales died last night. I remember seeing him on TV when I was very young, although his famous children's show was before my time.



TV Facebook: Perhaps because I spend a lot of time either watching TV, on tv.com, or on Facebook, I started to think, "What would it be like if some of my favorite TV characters were on Facebook?" It might look a little something like this…

Chuck Bartowski (Chuck) just gold-starred "Tom Sawyer" on Rock Band! Woot! Morgan Grimes (Chuck) My best friend is a god!!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ziva David (NCIS) joined the group "I Know a Thousand Ways to Kill a Man with a Spoon"
----------------------------------------------------------
Cory Matthews (Boy Meets World) sent Topanga Lawrence a Precious Heart

See 37 more similar stories
----------------------------------------------------------
Natalie Teeger (Monk) joined the group "My Boss is Driving Me Crazy." Natalie recruited Pam Beesley (The Office) to the group "My Boss is Driving Me Crazy."
----------------------------------------------------------
Shawn Spencer (Psych) Free dinner tonight at Chili's to the first six girls who can tell me what color underwear I'm wearing right now.

Burton "Gus" Guster (Psych) I'm not paying for that, Shawn.
----------------------------------------------------------
Anthony DiNozzo (NCIS) loves it when the boss is gone and I can goof off. ... He's standing right behind me, isn't he?
Anthony just earned a 250k Star Medal in the NEW Bejeweled Blitz!

Timothy McGee (NCIS) Busted!
----------------------------------------------------------
Please add some of your own to your comment.

More from Awkward Family Photos.com:

Grandma's Hair

You should see it when Grandma wears her hair up.

Pajama Men

This family prefers to dress for both bed and a job interview.

Level 52, 23%

Hi, everybody. It's been two weeks since my last real blog. I've been spending my evenings running kids back and forth, watching TV, posting on facebook and playing The Sims. Who has time for tv.com with so much going on? I really need a vacation. Today's quote is from a show that aired mostly in the 2000s. Who said:

"I had to sing Barry Manilow."



? If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Be sure to send a pm through tv.com. I won't see it if you send it in Movietome or Gamestop. Thanks for leaving a comment.

Congratulations to AprilFox, tvking1, fireballil, BuskieBoy, dogisms13, Les_Nessman, Hoeech, and jokipper, who knew that Colonel Robert E. Hogan of Hogan's Heroes said "You sure he's a German Shepherd?"



This is the LIFE: Big News! Google now has a collection of LIFE Magazine at Google Books. According to this article, more than 1,860 issues from 1936 to 1972 are available for viewing online. I find it difficult to read the small type, but it's fun to see the old ads. To keep things TV related, an article from the December 6, 1948 issue called Salute to Television reports that the infant medium of television "lacks radio's polish but is a lot more fun." This joins the LIFE photo collection already available at Google Images.



OmbamaRama: Maybe I'm a little behind the times, but I just recently heard about this. There is an Obama Chia pet. I thought it was a joke at first, but apparently it's real. LOL. CLICK HERE



New TV Season: I'm enjoying Castle, The Middle and The Big Bang Theory. I have to miss parts of some of my favorite shows because I have to pick up my son from school at 8:45 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Bummer. I've only seen one full episode of NCIS, and that's because I caught it online.

Cheers Quiz Answers: With comments from the site where I found the quiz, FunTrivia.com.

1. Cliff grew the thickest beard in the beard-growing contest competing against Sammy, Woody, Norm, and Dr. Crane.
b. False. Although Cliff won the contest, his beard was not his own. He affixed a phony beard to his face using industrial strength glue after enduring weeks of ridicule from the rest of the gang for his paltry "Wolfman" whiskers.

2. What is the name of the fictitious drink that Sam and Woody created to stump a hotshot bartender whom Rebecca brought on board?
b. Screaming Viking. Although the recipe for the Screaming Viking was never revealed, it is garnished with a bruised cucumber.

3. According to Cliff, what part of the body of all Clavin men is as delicate as "that of a baby's bottom"?
b. Feet. Norm convinced the gang at Cheers to invest in a "Tan 'N' Wash". And to try to drum up business for the struggling venture, Cliff turned himself into a walking billboard by undergoing a tanning session. However, he wore his socks when he did it to show off the contrast of before and after and also to protect his delicate feet.

4. Which of the following IS NOT contained in Sammy's 'Babe Kit'?
d. Lucky bottle cap. Sam's lucky bottle cap comes from his last beer after overcoming alcoholism. The 'Babe Kit' made its appearance in only one episode.

5. What popular song from Rebecca Howe's high school years unleashed the wild woman in her?
b. "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" by the Righteous Brothers. While digging into Rebecca's past, Sam discovered the power of this song as well as her old nickname, "Back Seat Becky."

6. Cliff is famous for being a know-it-all. For which of the following did he specifically demonstrate his "knowledge" for the gang at Cheers?
d. Karate. In order to avoid fighting a bully, Cliff claims that he knows Karate and that his hands are "lethal weapons". No one believes him and he is forced to prove his martial arts mastery with a demonstration where he breaks several boards--one with his head! Cliff doesn't really know Karate and asks Diane to get him to a hospital immediately.

7. What is the name of Cheers' cross-town rival?
a. Gary's Old Towne Tavern. The fierce rivalry between Cheers and Gary's Old Towne Tavern was the basis for several episodes. Bloody Mary contests, bartender kidnappings, faked deaths...nothing was too extreme when it came to competition.

8. While pursuing his acting career, Woody once portrayed which literary figure?
c. Mark Twain. Woody Boyd was a farmboy from Hanover, Indiana. Ironically, Woody Harrelson earned his degree in theatre arts at Hanover College in this same state.

9. What was Norm's favorite restaurant?
b. The Hungry Heifer. Sid, the owner of the Hungry Heifer, was portrayed by Sheldon B. Leonard. Norm loves their Carnivore Platter that consists of a steak, topped off with pork chops. On Thursday nights they do a tribute to swine. Mr. Bartley's and Full Moon are actual restaurants in the Boston area. The Bucket is a legendary Los Angeles burger stand that has been around for over 60 years that Norm would be likely to endorse.

10. According to the sign that kicks off each show, in what year was Cheers established?
c. 1895. The Boston Red Sox, established 1901, hadn't won a World Series title since 1918, which was the same year Ted Williams was born. Fenway Park opened in the year 1912. ["And I hope the Red Sox win the pennant!" -Norm Peterson] The Red Sox finally won their World Series in 2004.

Awkward Family Photos: A funny site that I found through facebook is AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com. Here are a couple of my recent favorites.

Camo Wedding

This wedding was so well hidden only three of the guests could find it.

The Pacifist

"Step away from the kittens."

Oh, and a hearty CONGRATULATIONS to my friend jekyll who surpassed 50,000 submissions to become a Contribution god (I just can't bring myself to use a big g).



Level 52, 16%

On this date in 1982 the c1assic comedy Cheers premiered. Can you believe it's been 27 years?

As a tribute, here is a quiz I found at Fun Trivia:

1. Cliff grew the thickest beard in the beard-growing contest competing against Sammy, Woody, Norm, and Dr. Crane.
a. True
b. False

2. What is the name of the fictitious drink that Sam and Woody created to stump a hotshot bartender whom Rebecca brought on board?
a. Tequila Mockingbird
b. Screaming Viking
c. Boston Brewin'
d. New England Rum Chowder

3. According to Cliff, what part of the body of all Clavin men is as delicate as "that of a baby's bottom"?
a. Cheeks
b. Feet
c. Back of the knees
d. Elbows

4. Which of the following IS NOT contained in Sammy's 'Babe Kit'?
a. Picture of Sam and Elvis
b. Little Black Book, 1st ed.
c. Members Only jacket
d. Lucky bottle cap

5. What popular song from Rebecca Howe's high school years unleashed the wild woman in her?
a. "How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee Gees
b. "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" by the Righteous Brothers
c. "Can't Help Falling IN Love" by Elvis Presley
d. "Could It Be Magic?" by Barry Manilow

6. Cliff is famous for being a know-it-all. For which of the following did he specifically demonstrate his "knowledge" for the gang at Cheers?
a. Knot tying
b. Ice carving
c. Tap dancing
d. Karate

7. What is the name of Cheers' cross-town rival?
a. Gary's Old Towne Tavern
b. Hog Head McDunna's c. O'Sullivan's Pub
d. Pat O'Shea's Mad Hatter

8. While pursuing his acting career, Woody once portrayed which literary figure?
a. John Steinbeck
b. Herman Melville
c. Mark Twain
d. Henry David Thoreau

9. What was Norm's favorite restaurant?
a. The Bucket
b. The Hungry Heifer
c. Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage
d. Full Moon

10. According to the sign that kicks off each show, in what year was Cheers established?
a. 1918
b. 1901
c. 1895
d. 1912

Hi, everybody. I hope you can take time away from the new TV season to check out this blog. Things are good with me. My husband and I are singing a couple of songs in a concert at our church on Friday night. They are supposed to record it for a CD. Should be fun. And nerve wracking. Today's quote comes from a show that aired mostly in the 1960s. Who said:

"You sure he's a German Shepherd?"

? If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Be sure to send a pm through tv.com. I won't see it if you send it in Movietome or Gamestop. Thanks for leaving a comment.

Congratulations to AprilFox, MarWash, and mackymacaspac, who knew that Barney Stinson of How I Met Your Mother said "When will you guys realize that the only difference between my real life and a porno is my life has better lighting?"

The Emmys: So, what did you think of the Emmys? I thought the broadcast was one of the best awards shows I've seen in a long time. Neil Patrick Harris was a great host. I know musical numbers in these things are often lame, but NPH's opening musical number was terrific. I also liked how he introduced people, referencing one of their earliest, least known, and perhaps most embarrassing appearances, such as an episode of an After School Special. I know many of the winners were repeats, but I'm OK with that.

Culture Corner: While researching an episode of Great Performances I came across a video of Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth performing a song from the comic opera Candide. She really gets to show off her amazing voice. As I understand it, her character has been asked to become a rich man's mistress. She knows it is wrong, but is tempted by the finer things in life the man offers. Note that at about the 3:40 mark she goes into a part of the song that was used as a TV theme. Can you tell me what show/person used it?



New TV Season: Things are heating up in the new TV season, with premiers all this week. I watched How I Met Your Mother, Accidently on Purpose, and The Big Bang Theory Monday night. IMO TBBT should be on at 8:00, with HIMYM much later, after the "Family Hour" if there is such a thing anymore. However, they all had their share of not-so-family-friendly moments. I didn't care for Accidently on Purpose, and the other shows are too far apart (8:00 and 9:30) to watch when I don't like what's in the middle. I think I'll go back to watching House. I missed NCIS because of a meeting, but caught NCIS:LA. I think I'll throw it back! Am I wrong, or are these kids playing without supervision? Macy, the one who was in charge of the unit when it was showcased last season during NCIS was nowhere to be found. Linda Hunt was around in some kind of authoritative role, but really, nobody seemed to be the Boss. They need a Gibbs!

Web Site of the Blog: A great site was made accessible to the public this week. This article tells about the Emmy TV Legends web site where some 200 interviews with actors and industry insiders (of 600 recorded) are available for viewing. I plan to spend a lot of time there. Last night I watched the first half hour of a 3-hour interview with Mike Post, prolific TV theme composer. Did you know he played guitar with Sonny & Cher? I didn't. He also created the group The First Edition, adding newcomer Kenny Rogers to the group with some reluctance because he didn't thing he was as good as the other members of the group. I hope you can find something entertaining and useful there.

NFL Pick 'Em League: We are 2 weeks into the new season and I'm near the bottom of the pack. Congrats to my friend BuskieBoy for a great showing this week! Tommy (Les_Nessman) is away on vacation, so there won't be any Lester Awards this week. I hope he will double up next time.

Beatlemania: Congrats to everybody for doing so well on my little Beatles Quiz. OK, it was pretty easy, but I wanted to make you feel good about yourselves. Following are the answers.

1. What German city did the group perform in before they became famous? a. Hamburg. Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison (first with Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best, later with Ringo Starr) performed in a number of Hamburg clubs regularly from 1960 to 1962.

2. Who wrote "Twist and Shout"? d. None of the Beatles. It was a cover of an Isley Brothers hit.

3. What was the flipside of the American "I Want To Hold Your Hand" single? a. "I Saw Her Standing There." In the UK the B side was "Boys," which is a really fun song to sing on Beatles Rock Band, btw.

4. Which of these songs did Paul record by himself with no other Beatle participating? d. "Yesterday," which is said to have the most cover versions of any song ever written, with some 3,000 versions recorded.

5. What instrument did George Harrison play on "Norwegian Wood"? d. Sitar. He was introduced to the instrument by David Crosby.

You Can't Be Too Careful Department:



Level 52, 8%

I'll try to do a real blog later, but I'm going to a women's retreat this weeekend, so I don't know when I'll get the blog done. My brother and his wife are moving to a differnt apartment this weekend (one that doesn't smell like smoke) and I have to miss it. Darn!

If you are part of the TV.com Yahoo NFL Pick 'Em contest be sure to vote for your preference of when the cut off should be. Vote today. I'm not sure how long the comish will keep the voting open.

And speaking of football:

Onion News

Hi everybody. I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that TBS has renewed My Boys, and it will return in 2010. The bad news is that Jim Gaffigan will not return. I'll give it a try, but it won't be as funny without him. See Variety

I took a trip to beautiful Corydon, Indiana, over the weekend. It is in the southern part of the state, near Kentucky. That area has lovely rolling hills, a feature we miss upstate.

Corydon was the first capital of Indiana.


First capitol of Indiana (capital is the city, capitol is the building. I looked it up.)


Constitution Elm The first constitution of Indiana was signed under this tree. The tree died in the 1920s, but this monument holds it up.

BTW, the weather couldn't have been better this weekend. God smiled on us. One more thing - Congrats to Finalsequel for a great week in the NFL Pick 'Em contest. I got off to a bad start with 9 points.

Hi, everybody. Hope you had a good weekend. In the U.S. many of us had Monday off for the Labor Day holiday. I had meant to do some yard work, but the NCIS marathon called and I just didn't get it done. Now to todays quote. This line is from a current series. Who said:

"When will you guys realize that the only difference between my real life and a porno is my life has better lighting?"

? If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Be sure to send a pm through tv.com. I won't see it if you send it in Movietome or Gamestop. Thanks for leaving a comment.

TV.com News: You may have noticed that I have a new avatar. I checked my old blogs and found that I have been at level 51 since early December 2008. I have finally reached level 52. It is my custom to change avatars every time I change levels, so it is time to say good bye to Jordana Spiro and say hello to Zachary Levi, who plays Chuck. I found the one I'm using as my avatar at Zachary-Levi.com. I also like this one of Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski



Level 52 is called Guzzlefish (Ode to Snide). Snide was a member of the tv.com staff when I joined. He was the one who kind of kept us informed about things. Like Jaxiecracks used to do. From what I understand, he was the co-founder of a site called Guzzlefish.com in which users could enter their collections (books, CDs, etc.) to keep track of them. That site no longer exists. Snide left tv.com at the end of 2005. According to one of his last posts on his tv.com blog (Dec. 2006), he created the website ComicVine.com, which is a comic book data base and review site. He probably has a bunch of other projects by now as well.

Beatlemania: The big day is almost here! Wednesday, 9-9-09, The Beatles Rock Band will be released. Best Buy had a preview of it a couple of weeks ago, and my son and I got to play it. It was so much fun to be able to sing those great songs. Maybe you've seen the commercials for it. I especially like the one where fans join with The Beatles as they cross Abbey Road. CLICK HERE



On the same day a collection of remastered CDs will be released with the entire Beatles catalogue. This is the culmination of a 4 ½ year project at Abbey Road studios. With today's technology, these new CDs reveal sounds the musicians made that haven't been heard before outside the studio. Pretty amazing. There's a good article about it HERE.

To celebrate, let's have a…

Beatles Quiz: Adapted from a quiz found at Fun Trivia.

1. What German city did the group perform in before they became famous?
a. Hamburg
b. Berlin
c. Frankfurt
d. Munich

2. Who wrote "Twist and Shout"?
a. Ringo Starr
b. John Lennon & Paul McCartney
c. George Harrison
d. None of the above

3. What was the flipside of the American "I Want To Hold Your Hand" single?
a. I Saw Her Standing There
b. All My Loving
c. This Boy
d. She Loves You

4. Which of these songs did Paul record by himself with no other Beatle participating?
a. Here There and Everywhere
b. For No One
c. Got to Get You Into My Life
d. Yesterday

5. What instrument did George Harrison play on "Norwegian Wood"?
a. Lead Guitar
b. Hammond Organ
c. Rhythm guitar
d. Sitar

Level 52, 1%

USA Network is airing a Monk marathon all day today (Friday), a House marathon Saturday, a Law & Order: SVU Marathon Sunday and an NCIS marathon Monday.

I will be unavailable tonight and Monday. I wish today were a holiday as well as Monday.

Hi, everybody. Hope you are doing OK. We're starting to get into a routine. So far the new school year is going well. My older son is still looking for a job, but meanwhile he's doing housework and cooking dinner once or twice a week. That makes it pretty nice for Mom. My younger son is enjoying college. Some cool guy on campus called him "Bro" so he feels like he's been accepted into the college scene. Now to today's quote. This line is from a current series. Who said:

"How many times do you have to be a hero to realize you are 'that guy'."

? If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Be sure to send a pm through tv.com. I won't see it if you send it in movietome. Thanks for leaving a comment. Congratulations to AprilFox and Hoeech, who knew that Venus Flytrap of WKRP in Cincinnati said: "Somewhere there's a Volkswagen without seat covers." He said it to Herb, when he walked in wearing one of his plaid suits. I know I just used a WKRP quote not too long ago, but I saw this episode and this quote was too good to pass up. Let me know if I missed anybody.




TV.com News: I'm moving right along. I'm creeping up on Level 52 and should be there soon. I didn't notice until now, but sometime last Thursday I surpassed 5,000 submissions and gained the Contributor Sensei emblem. Yay me! Most of my subs these days are for Great Performances. I'm finding that I entered a lot of episodes without cast and crew, so I'm going back and doing that now. Most of the episodes are on the PBS site, although you can't find them by just using their search function. A google search will usually find them, although I haven't tried any older episodes, like from the '70s or '80s.

Fall Schedule: TV.com has provided a handy Fall 2009 TV Schedule. Check it out and plan your life accordingly. Watch for the tabs for different nights at the top. Here are my thoughts, for what they're worth.

Monday: Monday nights are crazy good. And when Chuck comes back in the spring it will be even crazier. Once again House is up against my favorite CBS sitcoms, so House will probably lose. He's also against Dancing with the Stars, which I may watch this time because Donny Osmond is one of the contestants. So sue me.

Tuesday: Tuesday is all about NCIS and NCIS: LA. Nothing else interests me.



Wednesday: Meh. I might check out Glee, but I'm afraid it's for teeny-boppers.

Thursday: NBC has lost me at 8:00 with their SNL repeats and Parks and Recreation, but I'll be back at 9:00 for The Office and Community, which sounds really good. Then The Mentalist. Yay! But, hey! Where's 30 Rock?

EDITED TO ADD: HERE'S an NBC Sneak Peek at The Office's new season (SPOILERS).



Friday: Monk and Psych while they last, then Numb3rs for the rest of the season. I'll have to find something else to do during the early part of the evening.

Saturday: Unless you like sports, the networks are just phoning it in on Saturdays, and I won't go along. Verizon On Demand, here I come!

Sunday: I haven't been watching much on Sunday nights for a couple of years, and this season will be no different. I'm glad Cold Case is coming back, but I don't always remember to watch it.

How Did You Do?: I won't give you a new quiz right now. Maybe next time. Here are the answers from the last one.

Obsessed With TV Quiz

1. What happened to Steve Urkel in the final episode of Family Matters?
He became an astronaut

2. Which of the following actors, who all played students on the 1989-1993 series Saved by the Bell, portrayed a teacher in the 1999-2006 sequel, Saved by the Bell: The New C1ass?
Dustin Diamond (Screech)

3. "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" is a famous cliff-hanger episode on The Simpsons. Who is the guilty party?
Maggie

4. On Twin Peaks, what is the first name of the mysterious woman known as "the Log Lady?"
Margaret

5. Which famous athlete hosted a short-lived 2002 game show called The Chair?
John McEnroe

6. The first Emmy Award for "Best Children's Show" was presented in 1949. Which was the winning series?
Kukla, Fran & Ollie

7. The 1991 mini-series A Woman Named Jackie starred Roma Downey as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Who played Jackie as a young woman?
Sarah Michelle Gellar

8. What science fiction series is set "in the third century of the second calendar"?
Blake's 7

9. What golden-age television personality had a hit record in the 1940s with "Too Fat Polka (She's Too Fat for Me)"?
Arthur Godfrey

10. Which recurring character on The Simpsons is voiced by Kelsey Grammer?
Sideshow Bob

Football Pick 'Em: If you would like to play in the tv.com group and have not yet been contacted about it send me a pm. Time is short. The first game is not September 13, as I first thought, but Thursday, September 10.



Level 51, 93%

Hi, everybody. Hope you are doing OK. I’m in a good place. Let’s get to today’s quote. This line is from a series that aired in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Who said:

"Somewhere there’s a Volkswagen without seat covers�

? If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Thanks for leaving a comment. Congratulations to AprilFox and mackymacaspac who knew that Phil of Better Off Ted said: "We are not mad scientists, Ted, regardless of what our bowling shirts might say." I only just discovered this show recently and am really loving it. It’s definitely one of the best comedies currently on the air. Let me know if I missed anybody.

TV.com News: Thankfully, the problem with the comment box has been fixed. That was annoying. I have been making more submissions to “The-Guide-That-Never-Ends,� aka Great Performances. Besides making sure I have included all episodes of Great Performances at the Met (I’m not an opera buff), I have started to go through old episodes to add links to tv.com pages. For example, the authors of many of the plays that were produced in early episodes have tv.com guides, which I linked to in the summary. Remember, Jaxiecracks told us last spring we could add links like that. Doing little things like that has raised my level ever so slightly.

Obsessed With TV: My family went to the mall the other night and I remembered that I had a gift card from Barnes & Noble in my wallet. I wandered around the store for a while before I asked somebody where their TV section was. They had one little section next to a large section on movies. However, I found the coolest book! It’s called Obsessed With TV: Test Your Knowledge of Every Channel. There are 2,500 questions in ten categories. The cool part is it’s interactive. There’s a little electronic gizmo built into the book that let’s you play the game with one or two players. The default mode gives a random question number (1-2500). You turn to that number and read the question and four possible answers. Then you push a button for a, b, c, or d to give your answer and it tells you if you’re correct or incorrect. If you missed the question it gives you the right answer. It also keeps track of how many questions you’ve answered, how many you got right, and your winning percentage. Isn’t that cool? There are instructions for altering the gizmo so you can put in a question number and it gives you that question and those following, but I haven’t taken time to figure that out yet. Each two-page spread features one question, with a couple paragraphs of background to set up the question and a picture. I have found a few small errors. One of the shows in a featured question had some wrong information, but I can’t remember which one it was. Also, a couple of times it gave us an answer we knew was wrong, but it could be that we looked at the wrong question. (My whole family has been playing the game, btw.) The only thing I don’t like about it is that the answers are not listed anywhere in the book. They are only in the electronic device.



Test Your Knowledge: Here are 10 questions that came up in the random mode. The numbers are just for clarity. They are not numbered the same in the book.

Obsessed With TV Quiz

1. What happened to Steve Urkel in the final episode of Family Matters?
a. He became a father
b. He became an astronaut
c. He graduated from college
d. He married Janet Jackson


2. Which of the following actors, who all played students on the 1989-1993 series Saved by the Bell, portrayed a teacher in the 1999-2006 sequel, Saved by the Bell: The New C1ass?
a. Dustin Diamond (Screech)
b. Mark Paul Gosselaar (Zach)
c. Lark Voorhies (Lisa)
d. Elizabeth Berkley (Jessie)

3. “Who Shot Mr. Burns?� is a famous cliff-hanger episode on The Simpsons. Who is the guilty party?
a. Lisa
b. Apu
c. Homer
d. Maggie

4. On Twin Peaks, what is the first name of the mysterious woman known as “the Log Lady?�
a. Sarah
b. Lynette
c. Judith
d. Margaret


5. Which famous athlete hosted a short-lived 2002 game show called The Chair?
a. Laila Ali
b. Wayne Gretzky
c. John McEnroe
d. Joe Montana

6. The first Emmy Award for “Best Children’s Show� was presented in 1949. Which was the winning series?
a. Time for Beanie
b. Kukla, Fran & Ollie
c. Cyclone Malone
d. The Small Fry Club

7. The 1991 mini-series A Woman Named Jackie starred Roma Downey as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Who played Jackie as a young woman?
a. Sarah Michelle Gellar
b. Lori Loughlin
c. Claire Danes
d. Jennifer Love Hewitt




8. What science fiction series is set “in the third century of the second calendar�?
a. Space: 1999
b. Torchwood
c. Red Dwarf
d. Blake’s 7

9. What golden-age television personality had a hit record in the 1940s with “Too Fat Polka (She’s Too Fat for Me)�?
a. Jerry Colonna
b. Arthur Godfrey
c. Steve Allen
d. Herb Shriner

10. Which recurring character on The Simpsons is voiced by Kelsey Grammer?
a. Ned Flanders
b. Sideshow Bob
c. Chief Wiggum
d. Mr. Burns

It turns out that there’s a whole series of Obsessed With… books. Including books about Star Wars, Hollywood, Baseball, Football, and Golf. BTW, the price on Amazon is less than what I paid at Barnes & Noble, even with my $10 gift card.

Football Fevre: It’s time, once again, for our annual Pro Football Pick'em Contest. You may remember that, through some fluke, yours truly won the little contest last year. If you would like to play in the tv.com group and have not yet been contacted about it send me a pm or contact HelloStuart. Time is short. The first game is September 13.



Level 51, 82%

Hi everybody. One thing I didn't mention last time, after telling you that my youngest is starting college, is that my older son has had to drop out, hopefully temporarily. He went through the savings we had and the loans he can get won't be enough to cover tuition. We were hoping he'd get a job through the summer, but he still doesn't have anything. These two events are dominating our lives right now, along with health problems with our extended family. And of course the big problem is all these reality shows.



In the News: The USPS has released new postage stamps to commemorate cla$$ic TV shows. According to CNN:

The U.S. Postal Service has just entered "The Twilight Zone."

The cla$$ic show appears on one of 20 stamps released this week, featuring 1950s hit television shows.

The first-cla$$ stamps include images of "Dragnet," "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Honeymooners," "I Love Lucy," "Lassie," "The Lone Ranger," "Ozzie and Harriet" and "Perry Mason."

"All of the cla$$ic television shows represented on these stamps represent the collective memory of a generation well deserving of entertainment," said James C. Miller III, a Postal Service board member. "It was a generation that survived the Great Depression and fought World War II. They were pioneers -- creative geniuses -- who brought television shows of the 1950s into our homes, breaking new ground to provide entertainment for everyone."

The retro-sty1e stamps, featuring black-and-white images of the shows, were designed by Carl Herrman, an artist from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Photo from USPS.com
Sometimes it's hard to avoid forbidden words.

PS @ Hooech: Thanks!

Level 51, 79%

Hi, everybody. Hope you are doing OK. We are finally having some hot, humid weather. Thank goodness for air conditioning. We had Vacation Bible School at my church last week, so I wasn’t on the computer as much as usual. It was a really easy VBS for me this year. I mostly worked in registration and made a couple of flyers for the kids to take home. I usually teach, so this was a nice break for me. Now, on to today’s quote. This is from a current show. Who said:


"We are not mad scientists, Ted, regardless of what our bowling shirts might say."



? If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Thanks for leaving a comment. Congratulations to Hoeech, alias571, and Ladylnque who knew that Dexter of Dexter's Laboratory said: "Omelette du fromage." It was a pretty good episode where, for some reason, That line was all he could say. Let me know if I missed anybody.



TV.com News: Is it just me? Whenever I go to a friend’s blog and click in the comment box the screen shoots up to the top of the page. The only way I can comment is to hold down the mouse so the words “add a comment� are highlighted. Then, maybe, I can type my comment. If I haven’t left a comment lately on your blog that may be why. If you don’t leave a comment below I’ll assume you’re having the same problem. And not that you don’t like me anymore.


I also wanted to say how glad I am that WGN America is once again airing episodes of Barney Miller. They only air 2 each Sunday, so they are still in the first season, if you want to join in. Speaking of WGN, HERE'S a video of what their news anchors do during commercial breaks. Pretty funny.

College Bound: I took a day off last week and went to an orientation at the local college with my baby. He’s all signed up for his cla$ses. It looks like he’ll be able to get some spending money by doing something he’s been doing for 4 years. Apparently at the college level members of the pep band are paid $50 a game. Nice pocket change. I hope he can also get a job on campus during his off hours. Wasn’t it just yesterday that he was in pre-school?



Videos to Watch: I have a few videos to bring to your attention. Weird Al Yankovic is at it again. His “Internet Leaks� are previews of songs that may or may not be released in an album next year. Some have videos, such as this one by Jibjab called CNR. It is in the sty1e of The White Stripes and is about Charles Nelson Reilly. It talks about him like the Chuck Norris jokes that were popular a few years ago talked about Chuck Norris.



There are other songs available too: Craig’s List, which is in the sty1e of The Doors, and Skipper Dan, which is about a trained actor who is working in a theme park.

I also wanted to share a group of videos on YouTube that feature Whose Line Is It Anyway? In many episodes the guys latched onto a funny line or bit near the beginning of the episode and made it a running joke throughout. This guy on YouTube has put together the running jokes in what he calls the “inside joke collection.� Here’s one based on one of the funniest moments on the show, when the keyboard malfunctioned during Wayne’s song. The title here is HORWARD.



Vote in the Memmys: Memmys voting is open until August 16. Go to mackymacaspac's blog.

Level 51, 78%

Hi everybody. In case you're into that folky stuff, I just wanted to give you a heads up about an episode of Great Performances that begins airing tonight (watch your local listings). It's Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday Celebration from Madison Square Garden. Lots of musicians are on hand to pay tribute. HERE'S the promo from PBS.



I know. His banjo looks older than he is.

For contrast, here's what Pete looked like in 1963. Same banjo?

I posted this blog earlier today and it has vanished. It may come back and there will be two the same. Who knows?

Hi, everybody. Just a quick blog today, since I'm at work. Today's quote is from a show that aired in the 1990s and early 2000s. Who said:



"Omelette du fromage."



? If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Thanks for leaving a comment. Congratulations to Hoeech, AprilFox, Woolsey, BuskieBoy, SparkleFarkle and Carolee99, who knew that Baby Sinclair of Dinosaurs said: "Hi! I'm the baby, gotta love me!" This show had the weirdest ending for a comedy ever. It was sad and made you think. Let me know if I missed anybody.



TV.com News: I haven't been around as much lately. It's a pain to have to log in and out every time, which is what I have to do if I go back and forth from tv.com to facebook. Everybody else seems to have forgotten about the crossover, or the Facebook Fiasco, as I call it, but it still bugs me. I wrote a note to danmod, but he hasn't responded. Maybe I'll try sending it to the New Blood. I did make an entry for Joel Zwick, prolific director of shows like Laverne & Shirley, Full House and Bosom Buddies. He was good friends with singer Carole King during high school. In fact, he was her first boyfriend. I found this out by reading Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon--and the Journey of a Generation. It's an interesting book (I'm still reading it), about those three singers/songwriters and how they kind of represented women of their era.



Vote in the Memmys: The main reason I'm blogging today it to get you to go to mackymacaspac's blog and vote for the Memmys. He's put a lot of work into this and he's making it a lot of fun.

If the link is broken, go HERE for the Memmys ballot.

Level 51, 70%

I don't want my real name and facebook profile pic on tv.com. I want to keep them separate. I canceled the tv.com app in facebook.

To guess "Who Said It?" see my July 2 blog.

Hi, everybody. Hope you are having a great summer/winter (depending on where you live). Happy Canada Day (yesterday) to my friends from the north. In the USA we will be celebrating our independence this weekend. Of course that means cook-outs and fireworks. How do you celebrate? Today's quote is from a show that aired in the 1980s. Hint: This line is from a flashback scene. Who said:



"Oh, Mommy! My President is being impeached! How could you expect me to continue living the life of a normal second grader?"



? If you have a guess you can send it to me in a PM or give it in your comment below. Thanks for leaving a comment. Congratulations to Hoeech, and madison1314, who knew that Special Agent Timothy McGee of NCIS said to Abby: "Why are you showing me mold porn?" Let me know if I missed anybody.



Old Business: In my June 24 blog I showed you a picture of some TV dads. Congrats to all who could recognize any or all of them. Here's the picture again along with Hoeech's list, since he got them all right. Remember, the men on the ends are the 2 event organizers.







Back row: Bill Paxton - Big Love, Jon Cryer - Two and a Half Men, Patrick Duffy - Step by Step (he wasn't a dad in "Dallas" or "Man from Atlantis"), Stephen Collins - 7th Heaven, Reggie Vel Johnson - Family Matters
Frong row: Dick Van Patten - Eight is Enough (unless you're Octomom), Dick Van Dyke - Diagnosis Murder (in which his ACTUAL son played the role of his television son....you thought I'd go with "Dick Van Dyke Show", didn't you?), Michael Gross - Family Ties



What's Up?: The Sears Tower Ledge opens today. They have built a glass-enclosed deck that juts out of the 103rd floor. Not for the faint of heart.







Another Celebrity Gone: Actor Karl Malden passed away Wednesday at the age of 97. He was a successful character actor in films such as On the Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire before coming to TV as Lt. Mike Stone in The Streets of San Francisco, one of my favorite shows. He may be best remembered for his 20-year stint as spokesman for American Express. "Don't leave home without it."







Mini-Musical: A web site called CollegeHumor.com doesn't sound like something I'd normally like, but I recently found an original musical they made called Web Site Story. Since I love the music from West Side Story, and I'm hip to Facebook , I really enjoyed it. See what you think.



Have a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by! Exclamation point!

Level 51, 62%