Fabulous Friday Fun Because We Deserve It (Video)

Ah, Friday. The end of the week. The end of a long NaBloPoMo week of writing a post a day. Of writing and editing. Publishing and sharing. Commenting and tweeting. Liking and emailing.

I feel like Bill Murray in "Groundhog Day." Every morning I wake up, grab some coffee and begin writing another new post. Today is a new day.

NaBloPoMo forces me to write more than usual. Not only for the websites I am paid to write for, but also for my blog. Writing a little bit every day is an important exercise toward becoming a better writer. At least that's the theory. It's been challenging, overwhelming, exciting and productive..

So today I'm giving myself a treat because, well, I deserve one! And I think you do too.

Part of my personal wellness program.

Over the years I found my own wellness program, a way of putting the world on hold by jumping into a fictional Nirvana. So if I'm feeling tired or stressed I do one of two things (aside from eating some chocolate).I read a good book, or I watch something that takes me away. Either a classic film or an old television program.

It feels good when I don't have to think or do anything.

There have been times over the years when my MS caused me to spend many days at home. Books, classic films and TV shows were my refuge. They helped me through some difficult times, becoming good, dependable friends who helped me escape my circumstances for a few hours. I am thankful for that; they are on my gratitude list.

So here's a little Friday fun because we all deserve it.

First is a vintage TV commercial as part of The Donna Reed Show (which I liked) promoting another program I loved, "That Girl" starring Marlo Thomas and Ted Bessell.

Diamonds, daisies, Broadway, That Girl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4jl_PSS-Ic

Whenever I want a good laugh I turn to Don Rickles. I miss the best talk show host ever, Johnny Carson. If I want to watch my favorite singer, there's no one like Frank Sinatra. Here's an episode of The Tonight Show when Don surprises Frank and Johnny. Classic TV.

I know this movie by heart. It simply makes me happy. It's "The Philadelphia Story" starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart about a divorced socialite who is about to remarry when her ex-husband shows up.

In this scene drunk newspaperman James Stewart visits with ex-husband, Cary Grant. Watch Grant's face when Stewart improvises with hiccups. Cary Grant later said he almost broke out laughing.The Academy must have liked it because Stewart won the Oscar for his performance.

"The Philadelphia Story" was later remade into the musical "High Society" starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra. I loved the music (of course) but the movie was no comparison to it's predecessor.

What unique wellness plan do you have?

Why I Want To Remember Cary Grant On His Birthday

The other day as I was driving into Manhattan, I turned on my favorite XM radio station called Radio Classics. I instantly recognized the actor speaking and thought to myself, “Perfect timing.”

My copy of a 1971 LOOK Magazine featuring Cary Grant

Despite bumper-to-bumper traffic, crazy drivers and torrential rain, nothing bothered me. That's because I was listening to an episode of Suspense starring my all-time favorite actor, Cary Grant.

In honor of Cary’s January 18th birthday, (I feel funny calling him Mr. Grant because he seems so familiar to me, and also because readers might be confused by thinking I’m referring to Mary Richard’s boss) they were playing back-to-back episodes of his radio appearances.

I’d like to briefly explain why I’ve always been in love with Cary Grant. I know there are millions of others who are in love with him, but I’m the one who has, in all honesty, loved him the most.

At first, it was his dashing good looks that caught my eye, and of course his wit and charm as well. But as I got older, I recognized there was so much more to him.

He is, and always will be, the greatest comedic actor of all time. Let me prove it to you. Watch his performances in His Girl Friday or Arsenic and Old Lace. His comic timing is pure genius, and his pratfalls and back flips (perfected during his youth when he was an acrobat) are adeptly intertwined into the movie dialogue with rhythmic precision.

You can’t help but laugh.

My collection, so far, of Cary Grant movies.

There’s also his dramatic acting. I can watch him, over and over, in any Alfred Hitchcock film and notice something new, some tiny nuance, that I hadn’t noticed before.

Watch his eyes carefully, and the way he reacts to the other actors. Don’t take your eyes off of him for one second. You’ll not only learn about good acting, but also why he was so successful at his craft.

You’re never quite sure if he’s trying to kill Joan Fontaine. You're unsure if he'll stop harassing Ingrid Bergman while she’s being secretly poisoned by Claude Rains.

No matter what the outcome may be, you'll remain on his side because he's always a likable character.

That’s why he’s the consummate performer.

I’ll never understand why he never won an Academy Award, or why he was only nominated twice (Penny Serenade and None but the Lonely Hearts) despite his long and varied career.

In 1970, the Academy awarded him with an Honorary Oscar for, “his unique mastery of the art of screen acting with the respect and affection of his colleagues.”

After Frank Sinatra presented him with his award, he wiped the tears from his eyes as the audience continued with their standing ovation.

He was a private man who would never grow old in his movies, quitting Hollywood at the age of 62 to focus on fatherhood for his newborn daughter, Jennifer.

In the age of YouTube I sometimes catch glimpses of Cary at various tributes, like The American Film Institute or The Kennedy Center Honors. He’s always smiling, always laughing, and still handsome with his silvery hair and black glasses.

He seems kind, sweet and gracious.

There’s one last reason why I’ve fallen more in love with Cary Grant with each passing year. His performances take me away, to a place where I can forget the demands and stresses of my world and place me smack in the middle of his.

When my husband or I have a bad day, we have a ritual that’s evolved over the years. We watch His Girl Friday and laugh out loud while marveling at Cary’s brilliant rapid-fire repartee with Rosalind Russell.

So a very Happy Birthday to Cary Grant. I hope that, wherever you are, you know how much you’ve meant to millions of movie lovers over the years.

But remember that I loved you the most.

Who is your favorite actor?

How TV And Movies Have Added Extra Fun And Laughter To My Marriage

“Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” ~Oscar Wilde

How did it all start? The quick barbs my hubby and I often exchange. The ones that somehow evolved into a race to be the first one to blurt out a funny quote from a TV show or movie.

After all, we’re part of the TV generation.

We also grew up when it was common for parents to let their kids go to the movies unchaperoned.

When I was five, my mother drove my two older brothers and me and dropped us off at our local movie theater to see “Mary Poppins.” Today that’s unthinkable. If you did that, you’d probably risk someone reporting you to the DYFS child protection agency.

So hubby and I have stored up quite a collection of quotes over the years.

There are some couples that, after being married for a long time, begin to finish each other’s sentences. Instead, we use TV and movie quotes, written by accomplished writers as if they were our own. Many times we say them in unison, giving ourselves a good laugh.

Photo: Wikipedia

Early this morning, my husband commented on the “hairstyle” of my naturally curly, sometimes Don King-like-looking hair. At that time of day, it can look pretty scary before combing it and using some hair gel. He glanced at me and sarcastically said, “Your hair looks lovely.” My quick response was, “My hair is a gift and a curse.” The obsessive-compulsive TV detective Adrian Monk (from the series “Monk”) would be proud I used his line.

Faneuil Hall, Boston, 1977. I should have used hair gel in college. What was I thinking?

We’re constantly reusing clever witticisms, finding great pleasure in reusing humor that gave us a good chuckle when we first heard it.

Once when we were out to dinner with a group of friends, the conversation turned to gun control. The intensity of the topic became heated, and it wasn’t going well. I decided to inject a slight Hawkeye Pierce brilliance for levity:

“I will not carry a gun, Frank. When I got thrown into this war I had a clear understanding with the Pentagon: no guns. I’ll carry your books; I’ll carry a torch, I’ll carry a tune. I’ll carry on, carry over, carry forward, Cary Grant, cash and carry, carry me back to Old Virginia. I’ll even ‘hari-kari’ if you show me how, but I will not carry a gun!”

When I was finished, I could swear I heard the sound of crickets. Then suddenly, everyone exploded with laughter. It was a good segue.

There have been times when hubby and I are out with others, and we’ve uttered a familiar quote during the conversation. We pause, quickly glance across the table at each other and smile, knowing we’ve shared a secret known only between us. It’s always a sweet moment.

You may all collectively say “Aww” now.

Here are some lessons and laughter from the talents of many gifted writers we’ve come across over the years. I thank them for their carefully chosen words and for showing me that, indeed, life DOES imitate art:

Sexuality - (“The Golden Girls”):
Rose: “I don’t know what to wear on a cruise."
Blanche: "A life jacket and a great big smile.

Male Anatomy – (“My Favorite Year”):
(Alan Swann has blundered into the wrong restroom)
Lil: This is for ladies only!
Alan Swann: (unzipping his fly) So is this, Ma’am. But every now and then I have to
run a little water through it.”

Sensationalism in Journalism: - (“His Girl Friday”):
Walter Burns: “Look, I don’t care if there’s a million dead. No, no, junk the Polish Corridor. Take all those Miss America pictures off page six. Take Hitler and stick him on the funny pages. No, no, leave the rooster story alone. That’s human interest."

The Bible – (“The History of the World”):
Moses: “G-d has given us these Fifteen – (after dropping one of the tablets) – Oy - Ten Commandments!”

Diet – (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”)
Rhoda: “I don’t know why I should even bother to eat this. I should just apply it directly to my hips.

Woody Allen’s Point of View on Sex – (“Annie Hall”)
Alvy Singer: “It’s mental masturbation!”
Annie Hall: “And you would know all about THAT, wouldn’t you?”
Alvy Singer: “Hey, don’t knock masturbation! It’s sex with someone you love.”

Anxiety – (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show):
Mary: “Oh, Rhoda, chocolate doesn’t solve anything.”
Rhoda: “No, Mare. Cottage cheese solves nothing. Chocolate can do it all.”

What quotes do you remember and use from time to time?

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