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Saturday, May 10, 2014

Despicable Me 2

Okay, so this is the final theme day change of the week as we inch closer and closer towards that third year anniversary of "A POP CULTURE ADDICT'S GUIDE TO LIFE". 

Yes, Saturdays are the brand new home of all movie discussions - previously known as the "Monday Matinee".

Now, why I decided to move the movie day to Saturdays instead of Mondays is because of a couple of reasons.  One, I figure that more people are likely to go out and see a movie on a Saturday than a Monday.  And, secondly, I wanted to name the theme day after a television show on TVOntario that featured two or three classic movies based around a particular theme.  The show debuted in March 1974 and ran for an astounding thirty-nine years before budget cuts silenced the series forever.  The final episode aired on August 31, 2013.

I'm hoping that all of you will enjoy the change of scenery for movie discussions, and I think that we're going to have a lot of fun with this new theme day.  In fact, in celebration of this day, I think we should all feel a little bit happy!



I mean, seriously.  It's the #1 song on the charts right now.  Why wouldn't you get happy over that!

Well, actually, there's a reason why I posted this particular song by Pharrell Williams.  You see, this song comes from a movie that was released just this past summer.  Although this movie is technically a sequel (of which I did a blog on the original film some time earlier), it is still enjoyable enough for me to not only recommend it to other people, but to christen the new Saturday Night at the Movies theme day with! 

Yeah, that sentence made so much more sense as I was typing it just now.  Not to self.  Do not start a blog entry immediately after working an eight and a half hour shift at your day job!

And, hey.  The movie does have a little bit of a Mother's Day theme, as one of the plots of this movie involves the main character of the film experiencing the joys of dating for the first time in well...ever.  But, you have to understand, he has childhood insecurities stemming from all the other kids in the playground rejecting him.  Believe me, I know that feeling all too well.

I mean, forget the fact that he used to be a super-villain who plotted the Great Moon Theft of '10!  He's a changed man since he took on the role of father to Agnes, Edith, and Margo, and he's all family man now.  But what happens when he has to dust off his book of villainy and face a new adversary in hopes of saving the world? 



That's the question Gru has to ask himself when he stars in "Despicable Me 2", which debuted in theatres on July 3, 2013.  There's more laughs, there's more slapstick comedy, and there's more minions than ever before!  10,400 of them, to be exact!



Well, at least, that's what the poster claims to show anyway.  I never did count them all. 



And yes, almost all of the voice cast returns to the film.  Steve Carell returns as Gru, Gru's three daughters are once again voiced by Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher, and Russell Brand returns as Dr. Nefario - who has a really interesting role in the sequel.  But if you haven't seen this movie, I won't exactly reveal what that is.  I can't spoil things too much, you know.  But let's just say that Dr. Nefario sees Gru's minions and their manufactured true colours.



And, apparently that colour is purple.  But alas, I've said too much.

When we last left Gru, he and his minions were absolutely happy with how their lives were going.  Agnes, Edith, and Margo loved Gru with all their hearts and fully accepted Gru as their father.  And Gru seemed to have left his villainous ways behind him, instead deciding to become a legitimate businessman selling a line of gourmet jams and jellies - which are probably some of the most disgusting flavour combinations that anyone has ever seen.  Okay, so maybe Gru will never win any cooking awards any time soon.  The fact is that he's not willing to go back to being a villain so easily.




So, when a woman named Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) is snooping around Gru's neighbourhood, Gru thinks that she is up to no good, and tries to use his patented freeze ray on her.  That doesn't work.  Instead, Lucy uses her lipstick taser to knock out Gru and two of his minions and kidnaps them all.  They are taken to a secret underwater hideout - the location of the Anti-Villain League (AVL).  Lucy happens to be an agent with the group, and the group itself is lead by Silas Ramsbottom (Steve Coogan), who explains why they kidnapped Gru.  Prior to the film's beginning, a mysterious event took place near the Arctic Circle.  A secret laboratory was physically stolen by a gigantic magnet, its contents holding a powerful mutagen known as PX-41.  What it does is beyond description.  But needless to say, it's very scary.

And very purple.

The AVL believes that Gru is the perfect person to try and find out who stole the mutagen because of his dabbling in villainous ways in his past life.  At first, Gru refuses, citing his commitment to his new family as being more important than anything else.  But after a major change in the hierarchy of Gru's crew, Gru has no choice but to team up with Lucy to try and find out where the mutagen is and who has it.

The clues all point towards a shopping mall in the middle of town, and Gru observes all of the mall merchants, narrowing their focus to two different people.  One suspect is wig merchant Floyd Eagle-san (Ken Jeong), and the other is Mexican restaurant owner Eduardo Perez (Benjamin Bratt).  And, Gru has reason to believe that Eduardo is the man they are looking for because he matches the description of a villain that disappeared during an evil mission nearly two decades ago.  Nobody knew of what happened to him, but given that his last mission involved a shark and a volcano, it is believed that he is dead.

Or...IS he?



As if that weren't enough for Gru to worry about, Agnes believes that Gru is lonely and that he needs to marry someone so that she can finally have a mommy, and she seems to believe that Lucy is that woman.  Gru, meanwhile, has to deal with the fact that everyone is trying to set him up on a date with every shallow woman in America.  Is there anyone that can love Gru?  And will Gru let love distract him from achieving his mission?

Also, several minions disappear periodically throughout the film.  What happens to them?  And, when Gru sees what happens to them, how will he find a way to save them?

And perhaps every father's worst nightmare comes true when he finds out that Margo has been seeing Eduardo's son, Antonio (Moises Arias).  How does he accept the fact that his daughter is growing up?  And, is it happily ever after for Margo and Antonio?

Well, those questions will remain unanswered for now.  If you haven't seen the movie, I can't reveal too much more than that.

But how about some trivia to whet your appetites?  I'll even do the trivia portion in purple font...you know...just because I can.

1 - The film became the second highest grossing animated film of 2013, with only "Frozen" surpassing it.

2 - It is also the third highest grossing overall film of 2013.

3 - It broke the record for the most profitable film in the century old history of Universal Studios.

4 - The total amount of money the film earned?  Just thirty million dollars shy of one BILLION dollars!

5 - Kristen Wiig is the only cast member to play two different roles in both Despicable Me films.  In the first film, she played Miss Hattie, the woman who ran the orphanage where Margo, Edith, and Agnes lived before being adopted by Gru.

6 - Al Pacino was originally scheduled to play Eduardo, but quit the film over creative differences in May 2013 - just a few weeks before the film was set to premiere!  Benjamin Bratt had to work on timing his voice with the already animated Eduardo because the animators had already animated his character to Pacino's voice! 

7 - The film debuted in Australia on June 5, 2013 - a whole month before the movie was released worldwide!  Lucky Australians!



8 - A "Despicablimp" was launched in March 2013 to promote the movie.  It was designed to look like a Minion!  Cool, huh?

9 - The telephone number that Lucy gives Gru in the movie is 626-584-5723.  I don't know if the number is still in service, but people who dialed the number around the time the film came out were treated to a prerecorded message recorded by Kristen Wiig as Lucy!

10 - You know those yellow jacketed people in the opening scene of the film?  Believe it or not, those were what the Minions were SUPPOSED to look like in the first film.  Due to a budget crunch though, the Minions had to be changed to their current look.  It was a decision that worked out best in the long run!  The Minions are supposed to have their own film the summer of 2015!

11 - A lot of Gru's facial and hand expressions are gestures that Steve Carell has made in real time.  In fact, the actors were all filmed while reading their lines to give the animators more to work with.

12 - Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig ad-libbed several of their lines during the recording of their performances.

13 - Watch the scene closely at the Build-A-Bear store in the mall scenes.  You recognize the boy who has his bear blown up by the store clerk?  It's the same boy who had his balloon animal destroyed by Gru in the first film!  Isn't continuity grand?  

Friday, May 09, 2014

This Foodie Friday Post is Sponsored by COOKIES!

I am not Wolfgang Puck.

I am not Anthony Bourdain.

And, I sure as hell am not Gordon Ramsey, Lidia Bastianich, Rachael Ray, Mario Batali, Nigella Lawson, Guy Fieri, or even that guy who does the Papa John's commercials.  Let's see, what was his name again?  Oh, yeah.  Papa John.

Truth be told...I'm a disaster in the kitchen.  My cookbook is basically the ingredients listed on a standard microwave-only "dinner for one"...which is pretty pathetic when you consider that half the ingredients sound like something that you could probably find in floor wax.  If I attempted to cook up something on a stove, I would likely burn down fifty per cent of the entire city.  I don't even have the confidence to prepare ice correctly!



So, why in the world would I even attempt to start up a brand new theme day entitled "Foodie Fridays"?  Well, there is a slight ulterior motive here, which I will get to in a few minutes.  But first, I'd like to explain what "Foodie Friday" is. 

Now, over the near three years that I have done this blog, you might say that I have covered almost all the bases.  I've done blogs on television, movies, music, video games, toys, sports, history, geography, social issues, and yes, even a couple of blogs on religion and politics (against my better judgment, but I digress).

But one of the topics that I haven't really brought up a whole lot in this blog is food!  And, that really shocks me, given that every single one of us on this planet eats food.  After all, if we don't eat, we die.  And, well...dying would suck.

So, I decided that I would come up with one day per week where the discussion would be all about food!

Initially, I was thinking that it would be a great topic to supplement the blog.  After all, there are a lot of memories from my childhood that have to do with food, restaurants, and even school lunchboxes.  From breakfast cereal to leftover chilled Kentucky Fried Chicken, I could dedicate a whole month to food entries if I so desired!

But then it hit me.  I could do that...but I could also incorporate viewer feedback into this blog as well.  In fact, what if I had a way for all of you to be a part of this blog as well, sharing ideas to others?

You see...this isn't just going to be a discussion on food.  No way.  In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think that a recipe swap is in order.

Seriously, what I need from you guys is your favourite recipes!  They can come from a cookbook, or from the side of a Kraft Dinner Box!  They can be recipes that have been in your family for hundreds of years, or they can be brand new creations that you came up with just by accident.  Heck, they can even be hot eats or cool treats!  I'll treat you right!



(And sound like a Dairy Queen commercial in the process...)

If I decide that your recipe is tasty enough for consideration, I'll base a food related story around the recipe (either a personal memory, or a historical piece on the significance of one of the ingredients used in the recipe), and I will give the person who submitted it total credit!  Think about it!  The blog gets an average of 500-600 page views per day.  That's the potential of 500-600 people looking at and trying your recipe!  Now imagine them sharing that recipe with 500-600 people themselves!  Trust me, it's a beautiful thing!

And, because I'll be providing you with full credit, you will share all the glory...or face a huge lawsuit if you stole the recipe from someone else without crediting THEM for it.  But, that's the chance you take, I suppose.  Just in case though, please cite the source of the recipe.  You know...just to cover ALL our butts!  Merci beaucoup!

I'm actually very interested in seeing how this is going to turn out.  I want to see what kind of recipes that we're going to see here.  And, hey...if some of the recipes are simple enough, maybe it'll give me the motivation to try and attempt some of these at some point...with a fire extinguisher present in case I royally screw up.

(Now, see...that's the sound of ulterior motive.  It really should have it's own musical leitmotif.  Too bad I can't compose music.)

But I can compose blog entries.  And, to kick off the inaugural Foodie Friday post, I'm going to be talking about one of my all time favourite baked goods.  In fact, I think I'm going to need help from one of my favourite Sesame Street buddies with this one. 

Take it away, Cookie!



Yes, today's blog post is all about COOKIES!  And, at the end, I'll be posting a recipe or two for cookies!



Truth be told, I've always been a kind of a cookie monster.  Although, I'm sorry to say that when I was a kid, some of my favourite cookies were the store-bought ones.  But, hey...I was a kid.  Your taste buds mature as you age. 

Regardless, I did love some of the cookies from a box or a bag growing up.  I think my favourite were the Double Stuf Oreos, and I'll be the first to admit that at nearly 33 years old, I could definitely still eat an Oreo or two or thirty-six.

Chips Ahoy was also a huge favourite, and I remember trying each variety of Chips Ahoy at least once.  I liked the original ones, the Chewy ones, the Chunky ones, and the ones that had the rainbow coloured chocolate chips.  I honestly have no idea if Rainbow Chips Ahoy are even made any more.  I haven't seen them in ages.



Of course, my all time favourite Chips Ahoy cookie was the "Striped Chips Ahoy", which was a mainstay for the late 1980s.  It was basically a Chips Ahoy cookie that had chocolate stripes drizzled over top of them.  They were so good, but so short-lived.  I would pay any amount to have Nabisco or Christie or whatever company makes Chips Ahoy bring back the Striped Chips Ahoy cookie.  Trust me...they were that good.



I also had a tendency to try cookies that were novelty shaped.  I did enjoy my animal crackers back in the day, and Teddy Grahams were certainly a snack treat that I smuggled into the school playground each and every recess.  I think I even remember trying to make some of the cookies that were featured in the Sesame Street Treasury books.  Some of them turned out great (like the Surprise Cookies), while others were duds (like the stained glass lollipop cookies that tasted like plastic).  But, hey...it was worth the effort.

Of course, as I grew older, the more I began to appreciate freshly baked cookies, and as I matured, I found that home-baked cookies were FAR better than any cookie you could purchase off the shelf.  My mother and grandmother used to make some of the best cookies, and some of the recipes that they used have been in the family for years.

My grandmother passed away when I was ten years old, but I remember her always making a whole lot of cookies.  I do think that I remember her making chocolate chip for me (my favourite), and for everyone else in the family, she made her very special Jam-Jam cookies which were basic shortbread cookies that had a jam center.  I do have the recipe for those cookies, but because it's a "family secret", I cannot post THAT recipe here.  But if you know how to make basic shortbread and have a jar of strawberry jam in your pantry, you could make your own version.

(Coincidentally, that was the one reason why I couldn't eat Grandma's Jam-Jam cookies.  She always used strawberry jam, and I am allergic to strawberries.  But even before I discovered my allergy, I didn't like strawberry jam anyways.)

But you know, with my grandmother's passing, my mother is now the one who bakes almost every baked good under the sun.  She makes her own cookies, brownies, banana bread, and apple pie (though she does buy pre-made pie crust because she doesn't like making her own).  And, I can say from experience that her cookies are definitely the best cookies ever.  I brought some to a charity dinner that my workplace was having and they disappeared very quickly.  My mom also makes cookies for my nephew's hockey team (HAPPY SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY, SHANLEY!) and they always get rave reviews.  And, seriously, as we get closer to Mother's Day, I have to say that I love my mom's cooking, and I am so appreciative that she puts a lot of love into everything she bakes. 

I also tell her that she missed an opportunity to rent a storefront and open up a bakery.  She could have done so well!

So, I thought that I would end this blog entry off by posting a cookie recipe from my mother's treasure trove of cookbooks.  Trust me, I know she has a lot.  My sisters and I have each given her at least two or three of them!

And, you know what they say about cookbooks?  The ones that are always the most dog-eared and worn out are the ones that contain the best recipes!  I'm guessing that this one is probably that cookbook!



Okay, so admittedly, this cookbook is from 1962 (which actually predates myself and my two siblings, come to think of it), and you'll see that it's barely held together with scotch tape.  But I'm sure that the ingredients in this recipe are still around in 2014!  At least, I hope so.

Here's the recipe I promised, courtesy of the "Guide to Good Cooking with Five Roses Flour - c. 1962 - Twentieth Edition"!

BUTTERSCOTCH COOKIES

1 cup butter
1/2 tbsp. salt
2 cups light brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tbsp. baking powder
2 eggs, unbeaten
3 1/2 cups Five Roses Enriched Flour (or any brand)
1 tsp. vanilla

NOTE:  When eggs are expensive, use only one, and add 2 tablespoons of milk.

Sift soda with flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix as directed.  Chill the mixture VERY thoroughly, as the dough is soft and difficult to handle otherwise.  Make cookies by rolling the dough or cutting the dough very thin.  Place on greased baking sheet, decorate as desired, and bake at 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit.

For a cookie that is less sweet, use 1 1/2 cups brown sugar instead of 2.


Bon appetit!  Until next week, keep cooking, everyone!

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Tube Talk Thursday - Brought To You by Hans S.

Hello, everyone!  And, welcome to the brand new home for all television discussions!  It's a theme day that I like to call "Tube Talk Thursdays".  And, in Tube Talk Thursdays, anything that has ever aired on television is up for grabs.

So, what are some of the topics that could come up in Tube Talk Thursdays for discussion?  Well, I'm glad you asked.

CARTOONS
SITCOMS
SOAP OPERAS
PRIME-TIME DRAMAS
REALITY SHOWS
CABLE CHANNELS
TALK SHOWS
NEWS PROGRAMS
KIDS SHOWS
GAME SHOWS
PROGRAMMING FROM OVERSEAS
VARIETY SHOWS

And, so much more!  The reason why I decided to do this is so I could give equal attention to all different types of television - not just one.  You'll notice that I have exactly twelve different topics up for possible discussion.  This means that I can go in a twelve week cycle featuring one different kind of show per week.  I certainly hope that you enjoy the new twist on an old favourite!

In fact, I have a confession for all of you.  I decided to start with a discussion on a cartoon series because I was given the idea by one of the readers of this blog!  (Thanks again,
Hans S.!)  He sent me a message through the Facebook Fan Page for this blog (which you can all join if you use Facebook simply by clicking HERE), and we had a great chat about a particular cartoon that he not only used to watch, but is in the process of seeking out quality copies of the program.

Now, I hear what you're saying.  Considering that hundreds of cartoon series can be readily purchased on DVD or Blu-Ray, you're thinking that the discussion that Hans and I had deals with a program that is incredibly hard to find.  And, you're absolutely right.  It is hard to find.  I honestly haven't seen one episode of the cartoon series, yet, strangely enough the name of the series rings serious bells.  It's as if I remember it, but I don't remember it.  You understand what I'm saying?  Yes?  No?  Maybe so?



Have you ever heard of a cartoon series called "Mighty Orbots"?  Well, judging by the entry that I looked up on Wikipedia (seriously, there are literally no other sources where I can find any information on the series), it was a collaborative effort between Japan and the United States, and it originally ran for thirteen episodes at the tail end of 1984.

(Wow...no wonder I don't remember it.  I was all of three years old back then.)

Though, just based on the premise of the show - a group of six robots using their powers to battle against the evils of the world (circa the 23rd century).  When all six robots are formed together, they have the power to become the Mighty Orbots, capable of standing up to any foe in the quest for peace and harmony. 



By the way, the six robots, in case you were wondering, were named Tor, Bort, Bo, Boo, Crunch, and Ohno.

Of course, Mighty Orbots was one of those programs that was quite controversial in its short run.  Whilst doing research for this television show, I discovered that a lawsuit was actually filed against the creators of Mighty Orbots by Tonka Toys!  Apparently, Tonka accused the creators of the show of stealing ideas from their GoBots line of toys - which were adapted themselves from Bandai's Machine Robo line.  It just seemed like it was too much of a coincidence that one of the robots in the cartoon had almost the same exact colours as the Godmars toy from Bandai - even though the colours were later changed.  Though I'm unaware of how that lawsuit ended (I couldn't find any information on any sort of aftermath), I can say that the lawsuit likely spawned the premature ending of the show after just thirteen episodes - and was one of the few cartoons of the 1980s to have a definite series finale.

At any rate, I kind of wish that I was old enough to remember this show.  Judging by the premise of it, it did look like something that I would have been interested in seeing it.  And, some of the voice actors who were a part of this program either already did some iconic voices, or went on to do iconic voices.  Barry Gordon and Jennifer Darling were both principal cast members of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", and of course, the late Don Messick was the voice of Scooby-Doo for nearly three decades!

But you know, just talking about "Mighty Orbots" got me thinking about other cartoon shows that I remember watching as a kid that I haven't thought about in years.  Shows that have only lasted a season or two that I remember really liking but had too short of a shelf life to get really attached to.

Take the show "Camp Candy", for example.  The cartoon aired on NBC for just a couple of years before NBC became the "Saved By The Bell" channel, and I loved that show.  I thought the idea of John Candy becoming a camp counselor to a bunch of children was an ingenious one, and I definitely wish that series would be released on DVD at some point because I would love to be able to watch it again.

Or, how about "Galaxy High", the show where two high school students from Earth are accepted into the only intergalactic school in the solar system?  It was a brilliant show which showed us all that sometimes the top dog of the school will have to start all over again...and that sometimes the biggest nerd in the school can become popular.

And of course I loved "My Pet Monster".  To me, it seemed like that show lasted longer than a year as it was always on television.  But, how could I not watch it?  How could I not love a monster that ate garbage, befriended three kids, ran away from a gigantic evil monster named Beastur, and scared the neighbour's dog in a variety of different ways?  I tell you, that's another show that I want to try and find on DVD format. 

(Don't judge me.  I already have a lot of childhood cartoons in my DVD collection.  If I ever have kids, they'll come in handy someday.)

Wednesday, May 07, 2014

Who Am I Wednesday - The Debut!

All right.  I've been keeping this secret from you long enough.  It's time to reveal the second brand new theme day that will be sticking around for the foreseeable future.  It's a theme day that I have purposely kept from you because I didn't want to spoil all of the secrets at once.  And besides...once I explain what this theme day is, I'm hoping that the secrecy was well worth it.



Welcome to the very first edition of "WHO AM I WEDNESDAY"!

Now, here's the $64,000 question.  What exactly IS Who Am I Wednesday?

Well, this is a day that is going to work as a bit of a game of sorts.  It'll be a combination between a diary entry and the board game "Guess Who?"

You see...while I was doing research on my blog for previous entries, somehow I happened to stumble upon the personal thoughts of your favourite musicians, TV stars, movie stars, fictional characters from books, TV, and film, and even cartoon characters!

(Well, okay...in all actuality, these are diary entries that I myself have written as if I were the characters themselves.  But the part about doing the research on the characters is one hundred per cent true!)

Yes, Who Am I Wednesday is a chance for me to really channel my creative side and take on the writing styles and personality traits of some of your favourite people (real or make-believe), WITHOUT revealing who the character is.  I'll drop a few hints here and there, and if possible, I'll try not to reveal too much blatant information.  I won't reveal a city name (e.g. New York City), but I might mention landmarks or street names).  I'll also try not to mention actual proper names, but sometimes I may not have much of a choice.

And, sometimes I'll really throw you off the track by putting a date from the past...it'll really make you think harder as to who the person might be.

Now, each 'Who Am I' diary entry will feature one of the following categories.

FICTIONAL CHARACTER
TELEVISION ACTOR/ACTRESS
FILM ACTOR/ACTRESS
RECORDING ARTIST
CARTOON CHARACTER

(I'm trying to keep it pop culture oriented for now.  If this is a success, I'll add more categories.)

Now, I won't reveal who the character is just yet.  I'll give you readers a chance to solve the puzzle for yourselves first.  The first person to solve the puzzle will get their name mentioned in the blog for next week.  I wish I could offer more of a prize for you, but I am not rich enough to be able to do that every week.  At least...not yet, anyway.

So, shall we begin with the very first edition of WHO AM I WEDNESDAY to get things started?

Okay, just to make it easy, this first one will feature a FICTIONAL CHARACTER.  And, it looks like this first entry goes back quite a bit.  The question is...WHO AM I?

January 20, 1993



You know, I'm sitting here in my bedroom watching the lights shining across the city.  They really are beautiful.  Especially around that building that is shaped like one gigantic triangle.  I think they call it something like the Transatlantic or Transvestite or some sort of building that starts with the word Trans.  I knew I shouldn't have cut geography class with Kathy Santoni today.  That girl's going to get me in a lot of trouble.



Anyway, I'm sitting here eating what's left of my birthday cake.  Yes, yesterday I turned sixteen years old, and my cake was made out of hash browns and ketchup.  Not exactly the best flavor combination for a cake, but it was sort of made at the last minute.

In fact, my whole party was kind of a last minute thing.  I suppose it can't be helped, given that my best friend actually forgot my birthday! 



Oh, I have to tell you, I was so angry with her last night.  And it wasn't because she forgot my birthday (although I have to admit I was mad over her for that as well).  It was because she thought that I was jealous of her new boyfriend.  I mean, how could she have said such a thing?  I supported them when they got together when we went away on that summer long trip to Spain we both went to.  I think that he's a great guy, and I was so happy that my friend found someone she really liked.  That's what hurt the most over the whole thing.  I'm glad that she found love.  I just missed spending time with her.  She was spending so much time with her boyfriend that I felt like I was competing against him to spend time with my best friend.

We had a really long talk, and she eventually apologized and we're now making plans to go to the mall next week where she will be treating me to a real birthday celebration.  And, as much as I was angry at her for saying such things, I know that it'll take a lot more than that to break up our friendship.

And to be honest, I know that my friend really tried.  When she invited me to her house (which as you know is right next door to mine), she did attempt to throw me a party.  Though, I should have caught on when I saw all the Christmas, Valentines, Thanksgiving, and 4th of July decorations hanging up all over the place.  But I was also told by everyone there that my birthday was such a special day that it should have been made a holiday.  And yeah, I totally bought into it.

And all of her family were there to try and cheer me up.  There was Mr. T, Hairboy, the two Squirts also known as her sisters, and that guy who always talks with that woodchuck puppet.  All of them were there, and they really tried.  Even though it was a mercy party, I like the fact that they tried.  They make it out as though I am a nuisance all the time, and they act really annoyed whenever I come by.  Maybe they really do care for me after all?

And hey, it's not the first time that a birthday party for me has been wrecked.  I completely remember my 12th birthday when I brought these two dumb girls from a junior high school who totally brainwashed me into abandoning my best friend...only for them to ditch me at the mall when they met two guys.  I suppose my friend didn't really appreciate me going around school the next day telling everybody that she was a 'geekburger'.



Sheesh.  Geekburger.  How old was I when I made THAT remark?

Anyway, through it all, I think our friendship will survive.  We became really close when her mom was killed in that car accident six years ago, and we've been inseparable ever since.  And she's really been on my side through all of the wacky things we've gone through.  She stuck by me when I accidentally handcuffed her to her little sister.  





Or the time that we got in trouble for cutting school to get some autograph from some forgettable star from the '80s.  I think her name was Stacey Q?  Oh, and there was also the time that I accidentally threw their living room television over the staircase railing.  We won't get into that.

The point is that through all of the fights we had, we always make up.  And, I think that we're going to continue to do exactly that.  To me, she's like a sister to me.  I don't know what I'd do if she wasn't in my life.  I don't even want to think of how my life would have gone had she not been there.

Maybe there is such a thing as guardian angels.  And maybe mine just happens to be named Donna Jo.

Anyway, I should probably get to bed so that I have enough energy to power nap through geometry class tomorrow.  And, I still don't understand why my parents got me an entire case of Odor Eaters foot powder.  Are they trying to tell me something? 

Tuesday, May 06, 2014

May 6, 1961

The Tuesday Timeline is definitely one of my favourite entries to write because I always learn so much based on the amount of research that I do in order to write one every week.  I'm also interested in reading about some of the events that took place on specific dates throughout history.  That was one of the motivations behind keeping the Tuesday Timeline going for another year.  I genuinely love doing them.

But, considering that I am trying to make May a month of changes, I'm going to be doing the Tuesday Timeline entries for the month of May a little different.  Sure, I'll still be posting the historical events and celebrity birthdays for this and every Tuesday this month...but the twist is that for every single Tuesday Timeline this month, I will be featuring a celebrity birthday.

And, to challenge myself, for each of these celebrity birthdays, I'll attempt to find one piece of trivia for each year that they have been alive.  Like, for instance, if the topic subject was Roma Downey, who turns 54 years old today, I would have to find fifty-four different pieces of trivia about Roma in celebration of her life.

But, just to make things clear...today's subject is NOT Roma Downey.  So, let's discover who this Tuesday Timeline IS about.  Of course, we'll start with pieces of history that took place on the sixth of May.

1682 - Louis XVI of France moves his court to the Palace of Versailles

1757 - Two conflicts - The Konbaung-Hanthawaddy War and The Burmese Civil War - end

1835 - The first issue of the New York Herald is published by James Gordon Bennett Sr.

1840 - The Penny Black - the world's first adhesive postage stamp - becomes valid for use in Great Britain and Ireland

1844 - The world's first mechanically frozen ice rink - The Glacarium - opens

1861 - The community of Richmond, Virginia becomes the official capital of the Confederate States of America

1889 - The Eiffel Tower opens to the public

1915 -   Film legend Orson Welles (d. 1985) is born in Kenosha, Wisconsin

1916 - Twenty-one Lebanese nationalists are executed in the Martyr's Square, Beirut by Jamal Pasha, the Ottoman wali

1929 - Paul Lauterbur (d. 2007), the man who was responsible for the development of the MRI is born in Sidney, Ohio

1937 - The Hindenburg zeppelin catches fire and is completely engulfed in flames after just one minute; 36 lose their lives

1940 - Author John Steinbeck wins the Pulitzer Prize for his novel "The Grapes of Wrath"

1941 - Comedian Bob Hope performs the first of many USO shows at California's March Field

1945 - The final major battle of the Eastern Front during World War II - The Prague Offensive - begins

1954 - Roger Bannister becomes the first person to run the mile in under four minutes

1964 - Actress Dana Hill (d. 1996) is born in Encino, Los Angeles, California

1966 - Myra Hindley and Ian Brady are sentenced to life imprisonment for the Moors murders in England

1983 - The Hitler Diaries are revealed to be a hoax after experts examine them

1994 - Paula Jones files a lawsuit against then president Bill Clinton, accusing him of sexually harassing her three years prior

2013 - Ariel Castro is taken into custody after three women (Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight, Gina DeJesus) are found alive in Cleveland, Ohio more than a decade after they went missing

And, here are a list of the celebrity birthdays that unfortunately I will NOT be featuring in this edition of the Tuesday Timeline.  But do help me in wishing Willie Mays, Larry Gogin, David Friesen, Bob Seger, Alan Dale, Mary MacGregor, Jeffery Deaver, Gregg Henry, Fred Newman, Tony Blair, Lynn Whitfield, Tom Bergeron, Roma Downey, Leslie Hope, Martin Brodeur, Marc Chouinard, Mark Eaton, Kerry Ellis, Nicole Brunner, Edyta Sliwinska, Kyle ShewfeltAdrianne Palicki, Gabourey Sidibe, Naomi Scott, and Emily Alyn Lind a very happy birthday!



Okay, so what date will we be going back in time to this week?  Well, how about May 6, 1961?

That was the day that a particular actor was born.  An actor who made a career in both film and television.  An actor who women have swooned over for the better part of a quarter-century.  An actor who until recently was considered to be Hollywood's most eligible bachelor (well, prior to his engagement to Amal Alamuddin).

I suppose that I don't need to make much more of an introduction here.



Today just happens to be the fifty-third birthday of movie and television actor George Clooney.  And, in celebration of his birthday, here are fifty-three pieces of trivia that you may or may not know about this man.  So, sit back and grab a beverage as we dig a little deeper into George's life.

1 - George was born in Lexington, Kentucky on May 6, 1961.

2 - He is the son of Nick Clooney (a former anchorman/game show host) and Nina Bruce (former beauty pageant queen/city councilwoman)



3 - Singer/actress Rosemary Clooney was his aunt.  She died in 2002.

4 - George's aunt Rosemary married actor Jose Ferrer, and they gave birth to five children, Miguel, Maria, Gabriel, Monsita and Rafael Ferrer.  You might recognize Miguel from his current role in NCIS: Los Angeles, and Rafael does voice acting.  Seems like acting runs in the family!



5 - Another interesting fact is that singer Debby Boone is related to George by marriage.  George's cousin Gabriel married her in September 1979.

6 - When George was in middle school, he developed Bell's Palsy - a condition that partially paralyzes the face, which subjected him to teasing and bullying from classmates.  Fortunately, it went away within a year.

7 - He attempted to become a professional baseball player in his youth, trying out for the Cincinnati Reds in 1977, but he was cut after the first round.

8 - His very first acting role was as an extra in the 1978 TV miniseries "Centennial".

9 - Everyone remembers George Clooney for his role as Dr. Doug Ross in the NBC drama, ER.  Many don't remember that he was in a separate show called E/R which was a sitcom that aired on CBS for the 1984/85 season!  Imagine the weirdness, starring in two shows with almost the same exact name. 



10 - George Clooney was also a regular on "The Facts of Life" for the 1985-1986 season.  He played the role of George, a handyman who helped the girls construct the "Over Our Heads" store.  His character was written off the show after he went on tour with a character named Cinnamon (Stacey Q).



11 - He also had a prominent part on the sitcom "Roseanne", playing the role of Roseanne and Jackie's supervisor Booker Brooks during the show's debut season.

12 - George Clooney also appeared in the movie "Return of the Killer Tomatoes"!



13 - George stayed on ER for five seasons, departing in 1999.  But he did return for the final episode of the series, which aired in 2009.

14 - The first film that George Clooney appeared in was 1996's "From Dusk 'Til Dawn".

15 - He is directly involved with the "Not On Our Watch Project".

16 - He is also a staunch supporter of gay rights, even appearing in a performance of Dustin Lance Black's play "8" - which is based off of the controversial Proposition 8 bill being passed.

17 - He was arrested in March 2012 outside the Sudanese Embassy for civil disobedience due to his advocacy for resolving the Darfur conflict.



18 - Despite his long-standing bachelor status, Clooney was married once.  His marriage to actress Talia Balsam lasted four years.

19 - He has also been linked to Lisa Snowden, Ginger Lynn Allen, Celine Balitran, Sarah Lawson, Stacy Kiebler, and Elisabetta Canalis, and has reportedly dated Kelly Preston, Renee Zellweger, and Krista Allen.

20 - George's next door neighbours are Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber.

21 - George Clooney was injured in a motorcycle accident in September 2007 when a car slammed into him.  Both he and his then girlfriend were fine.



22 - George Clooney once owned a black, potbellied pig named Max, a gift from then girlfriend Kelly Preston.  Clooney owned him from 1988 until his death in 2006.

23 - Clooney stated that Max actually saved his life by waking him up just moments before the Northridge earthquake caused major damage in January 1994.



24 - Is one of only three people to be named People's "Sexiest Man Alive".  Clooney won the honour in 1997 and in 2006.

25 - Clooney was also named one of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World for three years straight (2007-2009).

26 - Is a two-time Academy Award winner.  He won the award for "Best Supporting Actor" for 2005's "Syria", and seven years later was honoured when 2012's "Argo" won Best Picture - a film that Clooney helped produce.

27 - He has also won four Golden Globes between 2000 and 2012.

28 - His middle name is Timothy.

29 - His height is listed as five feet, eleven inches.

30 - Both Nicole Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer bet Clooney ten thousand dollars that Clooney would at least have one child before his fortieth birthday.  Needless to say, when the deadline came and went in May 2001, both actresses sent him the money via personal check...

31 - ...but Clooney returned the money and bet both of them double or nothing that he still would be childless by the time he reached his fiftieth birthday.  I wonder if that bet went through, given that George is still childless at 53.

32 - George once appeared as a guest star on "The Golden Girls", playing a police detective.

33 - George Clooney opened up a new production company with Grant Heslov - Smokehouse Productions - in 2006.

34 - He served as best man at Richard Kind's wedding.

35 - Launched a boycott of "Entertainment Tonight" after the show filmed Clooney without his permission.

36 - When Rosie O'Donnell's talk show first debuted in the summer of 1996, Clooney was her very first guest!

37 - Clooney and "Three Kings" director David O. Russell nearly broke out in fisticuffs after Clooney reportedly took issue with the way that Russell was treating the extras.



38 - Because of his desire to work with the Coen Brothers, he committed himself to 2000's "O Brother, Where Art Thou" without even reading the script!

39 - Clooney didn't perform "live" in "O Brother, Where Art Thou".  His voice was dubbed in during the editing.

40 - He once rode a bicycle to auditions while he was struggling to get his big break.



41 - Voiced the role of Stan's gay dog, "Sparky" in an episode of "South Park".  Part of the reason why Clooney wanted to do it was because he was a huge fan of the show.

42 - Auditioned five times for a role in "Thelma and Louise" - a part that would eventually go to one of his dear friends, Brad Pitt.

43 - Clooney lived in some strange places while he was a struggling actor.  He even reportedly lived in a friend's walk-in closet!

44 - Was seriously injured on the set of 2005's "Syria".  Although he made a full recovery, he suffered from back pain, headaches, and temporary memory loss.

45 - He became the sixth actor to play Batman when he appeared in 1997's "Batman & Robin".

46 - His famous "Roman Haircut" hairstyle of the mid-1990s was actually created by accident!  He had wanted the unique cut to make his character in "From Dusk 'Til Dawn" seem really crazy.  The only crazy thing was that it became as popular as "The Rachel"!

47 - Had George Clooney turned down "Batman & Robin", he would have taken over Michael Keaton's role in "Jack Frost".

48 - Although George Clooney was once a smoker, he quit for good following his uncle's death from lung cancer.

49 - He has appeared on the cover of GQ Magazine at least four times.

50 - Worked in the shoe department of a department store in the late 1970s.



51 - Although he and actress Sandra Bullock have been friends for at least a quarter of a century, the first and only time they've appeared in a film together was 2013's "Gravity".

52 - Got into a little bit of a controversy when he poked fun of Charlton Heston being diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and refused to apologize for it at first.  Though he would later write a note to Heston and his family in 2008 - the same year that Heston passed away.

And...

53 - The most that George Clooney was paid for one film role was $20,000,000...a sum he earned filming "Ocean's Eleven" in 2001.



Happy birthday, Mr. Clooney!