BW Manilowe

You mean Hulu?

Wow... I’m not sure what to say, except I’m sorry it seemed Grace apparently felt less valued & more left out as time went on, & she seemed to resent Peter commenting about her departure in a nice way (as opposed to describing anything negative that could’ve been going on involving Grace); yeah, maybe he shouldn’t have said anything on her behalf (at least not without checking with her), but I also get why he did it (I think). I dunno. I guess maybe I’m disappointed in how she looks back on her time on the show now, as opposed to how she used to talk about it when she did it; maybe I also feel like (my opinion) maybe she’s coming off a little bitchy about her experience than she used to, which saddens me, though I’m not a Pollyanna about stuff like this; really I’m not. And I wanna know that mysterious reason she won’t talk about that’s attached to why she left. I almost forgot. Here’s the link to the Entertainment Weekly version of the article.

From The New York Times: Marin Mazzie, Broadway Musical Star, Tony Nominee, Dead Due to Ovarian Cancer at Age 57 Posting this here because Ms. Mazzie was DDK’s leading lady, Anna Leonowens, when he played the King of Siam in The King and I on Broadway, at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center, during an H50 summer hiatus a few seasons ago. A photo of them in character accompanies the obit.

Martin Sheen actually had elective quadruple bypass surgery about a week before Christmas, 2015 (they were apparently on their December holidays hiatus from filming S3 at the time; the linked article said they’d return to filming after his surgery, & presumably after Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year’s Eve/Day). Martin was released from the hospital 2 days before Christmas.

I finally broke down & am doing a month-long trial of Netflix. They still have TWW. I’m also (finally, though I’m still only in S1) watching Grace and Frankie, the Netflix Original show with Martin, Sam Waterston, Jane Fonda, & Lily Tomlin where Martin & Jane & Sam & Lily are longtime married couples (around 40 years, according to the Pilot), the women are sort of rivals, & the men are law partners who (using the same “if I tell you something you won’t like in public, you’ll have to take the news well & not make a scene over it” tactic Leo tried—& failed—to use with Sam & CJ when he hired Ainsley Hayes to work at the White House) use a dinner double date involving the couples to tell their wives that they (the men) have been secretly in love with each other for 20 years, & each man wants a divorce from his wife so they can then get married to each other. I like the show; I have no problems with subject matter in media I watch, listen to, or read even being remotely related to LGBTQ issues/themes. But I admit, in the 1 brief, really barely nothing, scene which included a short kiss between Martin & Sam’s new characters I saw it like Jack McCoy (from Law & Order) was kissing Jed Bartlet. As I watch the show more, I’m sure I’ll get used to any PDA’s between the characters as they happen. I thought my reaction was unexpected though.

Chelsi Smith, Former Miss USA and Miss Universe, Dead of Liver Cancer at Age 45

Miss America 2019 Top 5: Florida District of Columbia Colorado Idaho Louisiana Massachusetts Nebraska New York Connecticut ************ Miss America 2019 Winner & Runners-Up: Massachusetts—4th Runner Up Florida—3rd Runner Up Louisiana—2nd Runner Up Connecticut—1st Runner Up New York—Miss America 2019

Miss America 2019 Top 10: Florida Minnesota District of Columbia Colorado Idaho Wisconsin Louisiana Indiana Massachusetts Washington Nebraska New York Connecticut Oklahoma Alabama

Miss America 2019 Top 15: Florida Minnesota District of Columbia Colorado Idaho Wisconsin (woo-hoo!—1 bff’s home state) Louisiana Indiana (woo-hoo!—my home state) Massachusetts Washington Nebraska New York Connecticut Oklahoma Alabama (double woo-hoo!—state of my birth)

Tonight’s the night! Who do you think will succeed Miss America 2018, Cara Mund, the first winner from North Dakota? Will she be from your home state? How do you think the changes to the competition (the swimsuit & evening gown competitions have both apparently been eliminated) will affect it? How will the other controversies surrounding the competition (the sexist & demeaning phone calls about past & some then-present contestants, followed by the resignations of those in charge of the organization, who were implicated in the phone calls, & the board members at the time; & the subsequent reorganization of the competition by former Miss America—1989, I think—& former Faux News Channel anchor, new MAO CEO Gretchen Carlson, along with a new Board of Directors), as well as very recent charges by tonight’s outgoing Miss America & a number of her MAO “sisters” (past winners) that, among other things, they have been bullied by Gretchen Carlson & forced to spout “talking points” that focus on Carlson in interviews, including her connection to the “Me Too” movement (when she was at Faux News Channel, having nothing to do with her having been Miss America), making her “the face” of the competition, as opposed to the current titleholder & her platform.

At least Castle, Bones, & Hawaii Five-0 used to be on before L&O. The newest in the NCIS franchise is a whole new addition to the network & schedule. Plus, they’re moving around Five-0. It used to be pretty solidly scheduled on late Thursday nights/early Friday mornings until L&O was supposed to air. Now I think they’ve changed the late night/early morning timeslot at least twice in the last 2-3 weeks. I forget which day it’s on this week.

They did it last week, I think. For stupid NCIS New Orleans repeats, whenever they did it.

From The Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, IN): Academy Announces Governors’ Awards, Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award Recipients

On Etsy there’s a shop called Once Upon a Custom (I think it is). They make custom Funko figures of most, but not all, of the major characters. They’re probably a bit pricey (mid two figures), for what they are but I thought people might like to see them. And wish Funko would add TWW figures to the regular product lineup.

It’s on Antenna TV every so often; at least it has been. Unfortunately it’s not on there now unless they bring it back to commemorate his passing.

She actually died in mid-January this year. The current reports of her cause of death, by drowning in a bathtub in connection with alcohol intoxication, are apparently the findings of a coroner’s inquest into the circumstances of the death that were announced in the last day or so.

From USA Today: Netflix Revives Kiefer Sutherland’s Designated Survivor After ABC Cancellation They start production later this year for a premiere in 2019. Netflix will produce 10 new eps (so far) for the upcoming season (the show’s third). Also, the first 2 seasons will be available exclusively on Netflix this fall.

If she’s running, it won’t be until 2020. Governor Ducey appointed former Senator John Kyl, who served with Senator McCain, to replace him. Kyl said he’d be happy to serve through the end of this Congressional session. Beyond that/until 2020 is uncertain.

From People—Meghan McCain Absent From The View After John McCain’s Death: ‘Her Dad Was Her Beet Friend’

From CNN: Mike Kennedy, Longtime Drummer for George Strait, Dies At 59 in Auto Accident From CNN: Claire Wineland, Inspirational Speaker and Social Media Star, Dies at Age 21, 1 Week After a Lung Transplant Followed by a Massive Stroke From CNN: Aretha Franklin’s Family Slams Pastor for ‘Offensive’ Eulogy From People—100 Pink Cadillacs and a Final Outfit Change: What You Didn’t See At Aretha Franklin’s Funeral From People—Lawyer Confirms Aretha Franklin Died Without a Will: ‘I Tried to Convince Her’

From ET Online: Susan Brown, General Hospital Actress, Dead At 86 She played a female psychiatrist, Dr. Gail Adamson (the name of her character when she was introduced) at the fictional hospital in the show, who was also the former foster mother/mother figure of Dr. Monica Quartermaine & (of course) the best friend of Monica’s enemy at the time, Dr. Lesley Webber. Gail would go on to marry Lee Baldwin, the widower town lawyer, eventual mayor & maybe some things I’ve forgotten, & become the stepmother of Lee’s son, Scotty. Later on, Lee & Gail & Lesley & her then-husband, Dr. Rick Webber (the person who caused the enmity that originally existed between Lesley & Monica Quartermaine), would become in-laws for awhile after Scotty Baldwin married Lesley & Rick’s daughter, Laura Webber (who eventually would abandon & divorce Scotty after falling in love with—& eventually marrying—the then town bad boy, Luke Spencer; he was the brother of then GH nurse Barbara Jean [Bobbie] Spencer).

I know you said “rhetorical”, but I decided to answer anyway. You’re talking about Jason Smith. He’s from Kentucky, a school cafeteria manager, & he won both a recent edition of The Holiday Baking Championship & a recent edition of Food Network Star (1 of the 2 most recent editions). He’s also (or has been) a judge on The Best Baker in America. I know Jason seems like a caricature, & it’s up to you to like or not like him, but having been born, & having spent a lotta time, in the south I can tell you there are a lotta people—both male & female—in that part of the country who you could call “caricatures” or “stereotypes” of southerners. If you remember her, country comedienne Minnie Pearl was also 1 (but in real life, she was the genteel, wealthy, southern matron Mrs. Henry [Sarah Colley] Cannon—absolutely nothing like “Minnie Pearl”). Yes, she was another celebrity I got to meet when I was involved with the March of Dimes—which is at least 1 reason I know she was vastly different in reality from the character she played on Hee Haw & various other programs whose target audience was country music lovers.

According to this, from a local Phoenix media website, Bridget McCain read Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (at least part of Ecclesiastes 3 is the basis for the song “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by The Byrds)—which I said upthread I thought had happened, although I only heard, & didn’t see it yet, & I’ve never heard Bridget McCain speak, so I was just going by a feeling. After former Vice President Biden spoke, Andrew McCain read 2 Timothy 4:6-8. I have to add to your props for Meghan McCain. She did manage to get through the public/televised events while likely being just on the edge of losing it (I thought particularly towards the end of her eulogy). Meghan seems to be the most emotional of all the now adult children over this; they must’ve been particularly close.

I think (I was listening to the TV & not watching it) Bridget was the person who quoted part—I’m pretty sure not all—of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (aka the song “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by The Byrds) at the Phoenix memorial service.

For anybody who’s forgotten, coverage of Senator John McCain’s memorial service from the Washington National Cathedral is scheduled to start, on TV & online livestreaming (on sites including the online news channels for the major networks), at 9AM Eastern Time (CBS will have preliminary coverage starting at 7AM Eastern Time). The major networks & the all-news cable networks should be covering it; apparently CNBC will also, as Comcast owns NBC & since there’s no financial programming on weekends—especially holiday weekends (it’s Labor Day weekend in the US)—they’re using the channel as another place to see the funeral. Hopefully it won’t last as long as Aretha’s Homegoing did.