I am saddened to learn of the recent deaths of Frank Gorshin, best known for his impressions (his Kirk Douglas was a gem) and his portrayal of "The Riddler" on the old Batman TV series, and of Thurl Ravenscroft, best known as the voice of "Tony the Tiger" and the man who sang "You're A Mean One, Mister Grinch" in the 1966 TV special "How The Grinch Stole Christmas."
Ravenscroft was born in Norfolk, NE, by the way. >>sigh<< Another great one gone.
It's weird how the strands of fate and history intertwine. I hope that Jim Carrey is lighting candles for both these eminent performers--after all, by playing The Riddler in a Batman movie, and the Grinch itself in that movie, he owes a lot to both of them.
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On the subject of riddles, here's a political one: when is a victory/compromise neither a victory nor a compromise?
When the "solution" does nothing to solve the problem. Witness the recent US Senate shenanigans, wherein 14 (7 GOP and & 7 Dems) senators agreed to let the entire Senate do an up-or-down vote on at least 3 of Dubya's judicial nominees in exchange for no filibusters (except under "extraordinary circumstances") nor use of the "nuclear option" to demolish the filibuster.
The truth be told, one man's "extraordinary circumstances" are another man's "walks in the park."
Besides, Senator Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader, has said the agreement doesn't apply to him. Furthermore, he's getting ready to use a filibuster to block Senate action on the House's proposal for expanded stem cell research funding.
Why aren't more people outraged at the blatant hypocricy of these people? "When you do it, it's bad and sinful and against the will of the people, but when I do it, it's a principled use of the reins of power" seems to be Frist's motto.
I would like to remind the GOP's extreme right and its supporters that (1) the judiciary is a co-equal, independent branch of the government, not some toy the winners get to play with. Furthermore, their argument that stalling Dubya's nominees is against the will of the majority is specious. Our entire system is set up to protect the minority from the will of the majority running roughshod over it. Doesn't anyone teach civics anymore? (2) What about the majority of the people who favor expanded funding for stem cell research?
It's no wonder so many people in this country do not vote. What's the point, when all you get for your trouble is partisan sniping and no genuine statesmanship?
Gads, I want to crawl under a rock and not come out!
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Have you seen the Burger King commercial wherein the Burger King and Darth Vader have a mask-to-mask staredown? A good friend of mine says the first thing he thought of was "Quien es mas macho?"
Please don't make me explain the reference; it will just remind me how old I am.
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Speaking of Burger King commercials . . . I was struck by conflicting emotions when I saw the one wherein Darth Vader tells the man who just won $1 million in the Burger King scratch-off game that Vader is his father . . . no, his uncle.
Believe me, I understand marketing ploys. And the commercial IS funny. But it is also sad, because we've taken one of the all-time great cinema bad guys and reduced him to a money-grubbing panderer. George Lucas, did you really need to OK this?
On the other hand, the dark chocolate M&Ms commercial, wherein Vader "convinces" Red and Yellow to go to the dark side, is extremely funny and entirely appropriate. The material is silly, but Vader does nothing out of character.
I have to put in my 2-cents'-worth and note that I didn't think either Star Wars Episode I or Episode II were as bad as a lot of the critics said. I have yet to see Episode III, but it looks good, entirely befitting the creation myth of the ultimate movie monster. Which in turn makes the monster's redemption in Episode VI all the more poignant.
I still get chills when I hear Darth Vader's theme in lento pianissimo pizzacato violin.
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