THE JOKER

A friend, let's call him Jocular John, posted this on Facebook recently.

It brought back old memories of days on the road with my good buddy, Baseball Steve, so I copied and sent it to him.

Then I went looking for the song and found it, thanks to the Omniscient Omnipotent Google.

So from back in the 70's, let's hear it, one more time.

MEMORIAL DAY 2022

 Remembering those who died while preserving our freedom.

MY MOVIE CAREER

 Over the years, I have written at various times on this blog about my 30-plus years career in broadcast journalism.

It began as a college radio disc jockey but soon evolved into a news reporter on radio in North Dakota (Minot) after a brief period as a newspaperman there. 

Then a television jack of all trades (sports anchor, weatherman, news anchor, host of various programs) in a small station in Aberdeen, South Dakota,

Later back to North Dakota (Bismarck) as a radio and television news reporter and anchorman on both stations; later still as the news director for both stations.

Then after a lengthy period on to Indiana (Indianapolis) where I was a radio news reporter and broadcaster.

(Met and married SWMBO there!)

My next move was to Phoenix, Arizona where I spent my longest career-posting as a newscast producer, reporter, and field producer for a television station.

A number of years later I returned to broadcasting for several years at a tiny radio station in Prescott, Arizona.

So that's my life in a nutshell (or a nut's hell, as I often thought of it).

What I may NOT have written about is my illustrious film career.

That took place with a fellow who has been in the headlines recently, Mr. Johnny Depp.

He had come to Texas in 1993 to make a movie called "What's Eating Gilbert Grape".

Here's a scene from that picture, featuring the two of us.

Young (25) Johnny, playing the title character, is center-screen, visiting a big modern grocery store to pick up a birthday cake for his about-to-be 18 year old brother.

That character was played by another big-name actor nowadays, Leonardo DiCaprio.

At the start of his Hollywood career he was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe award for his role in this movie.

Oh, and me?

That's me behind Depp, the shopper leaving the store with a bagful of groceries.

I know what you're thinking.

"Look at that purposeful stride . . what a thespian!"

So I was only an extra, one of those non-speaking background people just hired to fill out the scenery.

And truth be told, I had not realized until I saw the film on television recently, that Depp was even in this scene.

I had walked out another door of the store, past young DiCaprio, directly toward another camera, hoping that my loping walk would launch me to Tinsletown.

But whatever was shot by that camera ended up on "the cutting room floor" as the plot stayed with Depp.

Still, I had my moment.

Depp and DiCaprio have had their ups and downs since then while I have avoided the cacaphony that comes with a career "in the picture business".

Oh, y'know I did have one other "star turn".

That's a (newly shaven) me on the right, playing an aide to the governor (the late Dennis Letts) in "A Perfect World", a movie starring Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood and Laura Dern.

Eastwood also directed it and was standing just a few feet from me behind the camera in my triumphant scene.

By the way, for those of you thinking of following my path to a movie career, this was my only scene in the movie and I later tracked it on a television viewing.

I was on camera for one-quarter of a second!

One other story about this: I mentioned "newly shaven" above.

I had a full beard in those days and when I showed up on set the "lady" casting extras went ballistic!

This film was supposed to originate from "back in the day" and aides to governors didn't have beards then.

I said, "Well, shave it off. I don't care."

And that's exactly what happened.

I'm still waiting for Hollywood to call.

SKY VIEW

 

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Well H'lo.

Fancy meeting you here.

But let's face it.

I'm a fanciful kinda guy.

So since we're all here, let's take a look past these cobwebs and into the Comedy Vault and see what we can find.

Oh, I think it's the Proverbial Battle of the Sexes.

Well, if you're not laughing by now you may be somebody's significant other.

If you are, you may be as sick as I am!

Now try to put those evil thoughts aside (ladies) and endeavor to get along for a couple of days.

In other words, try to have a spectacularly fine weekend!

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(oh, yeah)

A QUIET DAY AT THE FARM

FOODIE ALERT

 We had a little gathering here last night.

L-o-n-g time friends Tom and Lana Cochrun were visiting from California.

Gayle, aka The BRD, joined us from Prescott.

And where are the pictures of this happy group?

In spite of the presence of two former video journalists and multiple cameras, not a single photo of the people survived.

Instead we have several photos of the food prepared and served by my beloved chef Judy, aka SWMBO, with her customary elan.

A variety of crackers, and salami-and-cream-cheese roll-ups.

Several varieties of olives, and baked bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese.

And the pièce de résistance, a huge platter containing sliced kiwi, watermelon, cantaloupe and red grapes adorned with mint leaves.

Oh, and how did I forget and miss photographing, two chicken liver and mushroom pâtés topped with chopped chives.*

For dessert, homemade lemon shortbread cookies and spiced pecans.

Also served were wines from California, Chili and France.

As Judy put it, "Just some picnic snacks."

As Tom, many years ago, called such a fête, "A Feast Among Friends."

It was all delicious, convivial AND we have left-overs!

(*Just to let you know, I have long resisted pâté or any liver dish. But these were scrumptious and I had three helpings!)

CLOUD CREATURES

 What do you see?

WATCHFUL

 A lookout.

STOICISM

 Sometimes the Catalyst smiles.

Sometimes he doesn't.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Wella, wella, wella, how's your week been so far?

It's been fairly busy here but nothing much to report.

I don't know about you but I'm ready for a weekend.

Not that every day isn't a weekend for someone of my advanced years.

But, you know, you have to keep up the tradition.

Now I know that some of you will groan in agony when I say this but I feel a bit ready for a whole day of pun-ishment.

So here goes.

Gadfrey, I can hear the moaning and groaning from here!

You really must try to be better sports about the whims of your wizard.

I'll leave you to work on that but in the meantime have a wise and weird and wonderful weekend!

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(...yup, like father, like pet...)

SYTTENDE MAI

 If you can't read the title of this post, I'll forgive you.

But for all of my fellow Norwegians who are celebrating their Constitution Day today we'll tell you that's Norwegian for May 17th.

Pretty big deal in the motherland.

THE HEAT IS ON

 

Our temperature topped 90 degrees yesterday.

It was the first such day of the year.

Today is forecast to be much the same before a low pressure trough from the West Coast drops highs back down into the 80's next week.

I see where Phoenix, 80 or so miles to the south of us, is facing a record high temperature for this date of 107 degrees.

I might remind you that the date is May 15th.

Ah, the Ides of May.

And we still are facing June, July, August and September.

What will summer bring except months of scorching heat and little or no rain.

But we who live in this torrid climate love the heat.

Don't we?

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Well, as you can probably tell by the quiet on this blog the past couple of days, it's been a week of nearly constant wind blowing but not from your faithful curator.

Yesterday was Judy's birthday once again and we marked it with a meal out and the final two episodes of Inventing Anna.

Like I said, quiet.

But that has not kept my various contributors from supplying me with the goods for a little laughter.

I've said this before and I'll say it again: I am only the aggregator for said laughter.

I have many laugh loving friends who send me the cartoons and memes that make up The Friday Funnies.

(And some that, for obvious reasons, never see the light of day here!)

So enough with all the gratitude and loquaciousness.

Let us begin.

So, it's messy.

But at least some of them had to have you chuckling, chortling, snorting, guffawing and generally engaging a genial smile.

Now the rest is up to you.

Have yourselves a right dandy little weekend.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .