I don’t know why this slice of my life started rolling around my head this weekend. But it did. Everybody has moments of supreme embarrassment. This is one of mine. It was the Christmas season. I was in fourth or fifth grade. (I’m not working very hard to nail it down.) Our music teacher was … Continue reading How Animal Got Me Back On The Horse
In 1964, NBC aired a Christmas episode of their weekly anthology series “The General Electric Fantasy Hour.” It was a stop-motion animated adaptation of the book and song “Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer.” NBC aired the Rudolph hour every year until 1971, when CBS snapped up the rights. And for over half a century, that’s … Continue reading Rudolph Revisits The Peacock
It’s my favorite holiday movie. I first saw it on television in the 80’s. Then one Christmas I got a VHS copy. A couple of Christmases later I got a super-fancy deluxe edition with shooting script, soundtrack CD and VHS. At this point, I have purchased this movie in one form of media or another … Continue reading 12 Things I Love About “White Christmas”
Over the years, KCOW’s basement tenant Bob S. Bestos and I have cooked up a lot of radio nonsense. For the last several years our major annual project has been the Halloween special…but in 2015 we created “The Bestos Christmas Yet”, a holiday special which aired on KCOW. I figured Bob was worthy of the … Continue reading The Bestos Christmas Yet
Before we begin, allow me to put on my “I appreciate The Muppets on a much deeper level than you” T-shirt. I am, as many of you already know, an absolute Muppet freak. And Christmastime is a bonanza of Muppet awesomeness. There’s “Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas”, a show that manages to be a Christmas … Continue reading W/O/C: “A Muppet Family Christmas”
Boy, that Charles Dickens didn’t a have a clue what he had unleashed upon the world. There have been, oh, let’s say, 487, 211 film and television adaptations of “A Christmas Carol.” Here are 5 I like. Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol If artistic and musical quality were the only qualifiers, “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol” would … Continue reading Wenty’s Top Christmas Specials Volume 2 (“Whoops! All Christmas Carols” Edition)
(INT: The Bailey home. Friends and loved ones are coming to George’s aid. The bank examiner and Sheriff have even joined in the festive atmosphere. Just when things seem to have reached their peak of excitement, war hero Harry Bailey rushes in to cheers and ballyhoo.) MARTINI: I bring some wine!HARRY: Good idea Mr. Martini! … Continue reading It’s A Wonderful Something Or Other
2014 was quite a year for creating fun radio stuff. It was KCOW’s 65th anniversary year, and our big anniversary push that summer featured a contest based on the notion that Kalin Krohe had built a working time machine out of a ratty old pair of bunk beds. (Another story for another day.) We also … Continue reading A Christmas Serial
So, let me tell you about my friend Elaine. Elaine is one of the smartest people I know. She has directed me in an abundance of community theater plays since 1999 or thereabouts, and puts up with my general ineptitude where stage blocking is concerned. (I’ve only walked through the wrong door in 5 plays! … Continue reading Christmas Songs! (A Nice, Noncontroversial Topic)
I just got off the phone with Pappy Wentworth. Aka “Big Dave.” I had been chatting with my sister Johanna about the likelihood of my not traveling home for Christmas this year. But talking to Dad about it, and hearing him agree that this was not a good year to do it, put a finality … Continue reading Home For The Holiday (Easter Perhaps. Or Memorial Day.)
