TV reminds you to drink responsibly this New Year's
Today is New Year's Eve -- or, as some call it, Amateur Drunk Night. As we close the books on 2008, it's likely that a fair number of us will be knocking back a glass of champagne or five, or perhaps a couple of nice cocktails.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, provided you're not driving and provided you don't overdo it and end up with a tongue-fuzzing, eye-reddening, dear-lord-why-won't-everyone-just-be-quiet hangover.
I'm not going to go all The More You Know on you or anything, but I thought it might be helpful to share a few examples from recent TV history about what happens when you overindulge.
Beverly Hills, 90210 - "U4EA"
The story: This Very Special Episode of the original 90210 finds the gang heading to a rave that Emily Valentine (in one of her earlier appearances, before she came back with the really weird haircut) knows about. She slips a mickey -- the Ecstasy stand-in referenced in the episode title -- into Brandon's drink, which causes him to get so loopy that he has to leave his beloved car at the club, where it's vandalized. Also, David downs a bottle of whiskey, but only Kelly seems appalled. (Link is to the full episode, which has some embedded ads.)
The lesson: While at an underground club populated by your new friend's sketchy acquaintances, make sure you keep your drink in your hands. Plus, make sure you bring your egg to the right convenience store.
Gilmore Girls - "To Live and Let Diorama"
The story: While Stars Hollow wonders (OK, snickers) at the new town museum, Rory, Paris and Lane -- each of them feeling down on love -- partake of a few cups of Miss Patty's leftover Founder's Day punch, which Rory says "is used to remove tar from construction sites." Paris ends up wandering the streets barefoot, Lane discovers Zach is in a bluegrass band, and Rory finds herself on Lorelai's bathroom floor, still despondent. Kirk, meanwhile, gets sideways on sugar and needs a Pop-Tart hair of the dog the next day.
The lesson: Stay away from any beverage that can also be used as a solvent, but if you don't, greasy food will help.
The Bachelor: London Calling - "Episode 1"
The story: Opening-night jitters have gotten the better of several Bachelor contestants over the years, causing them to overdo it on the champagne and make slurry spectacles of themselves on national television. Few have done that as spectacularly, though, as Stacey Elza, who got very handsy with Matt Grant, shoved her underwear into his hands and babbled on about discovering a drug to cure a disease no one even knows about yet -- before passing out. The relevant clips are about seven minutes in here and at the start of this one.
The lesson: Eat something before the limo picks you up. And don't go on The Bachelor.
Friends - "The One in Vegas"/"The One After Vegas"
The story: Before "What happens in Vegas ..." became a tourism-board tagline and an Ashton Kutcher movie vehicle, this season finale/season premiere two-parter put the lie to that, while also illustrating a lesser-known maxim: It's all fun and games until someone with a fake beard drawn on her face gets married to the guy who said her name when he was marrying someone else. (Although I do love the "Hello, Mrs. Ross!" "Hello, Mr. Rachel!" exchange.)
The lesson: When you're married in Las Vegas, you're married everywhere.
The Simpsons - "Boy Scoutz 'N the Hood"
The story: After finding $20, Bart and Milhouse go on a Squishee- and candy-fueled bender (Broadway style!) that ends with the two of them enrolled in the Junior Campers. I'm actually not a fan of the episode's second half -- despite the presence of Ernest Borgnine, Homer is a little too aggressively stupid for my taste -- but the first part is absolutely brilliant. The Squishee scenes can be found here, as well as below.
The lesson: You need to cut your Squishee syrup with some kind of mixer, and never, ever go camping with Homer.
Happy New Year, everyone!!
Famous faces who have left us in 2008
A roll call of notable people in arts, entertainment and popular culture who died this year:
(Cause of death cited for younger people if available.)
January
- Milt Dunnell, 102. Legendary Canadian sports journalist known for his deft turn of phrase and encyclopedic breadth of experience. Jan. 3.
- Bill Belew, 76. Costume designer, created Elvis Presley's jumpsuits. Jan. 7.
- Johnny Grant, 84. Honorary Hollywood mayor. Jan. 9.
- Maila Nurmi, 85. TV's spooky, sexy "Vampira." Jan. 10.
- Dusty Cohl, 78. Credited with taking the Toronto International Film Festival to an international level. Jan. 11
- Brad Renfro, 25. Actor; played title role in The Client. Jan. 15. Drug overdose.
- Allan Melvin, 84. Actor; Sam the Butcher on The Brady Bunch. Jan. 17.
- Lois Nettleton, 80. Actress; had long career on Broadway, television. Jan. 18.
- Suzanne Pleshette, 70. Beautiful, husky-voiced actress; sardonic wife on The Bob Newhart Show. Jan. 19.
- John Stewart, 68. Member of Kingston Trio; wrote Monkees hit Daydream Believer. Jan. 19.
- Heath Ledger, 28. Actor nominated for Oscar for Brokeback Mountain. Jan. 22. Drug overdose.
- Margaret Truman Daniel, 83. Harry Truman's only child; a singer, TV personality, mystery writer. Jan. 29.
February
- Shell Kepler, 49. Actress; gossipy nurse Amy Vining on General Hospital. Feb. 1.
- Barry Morse, 89. Canadian actor played the relentless detective in 1960s TV series The Fugitive. Feb. 2.
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, around 91. Beatles' guru; introduced transcendental meditation to West. Feb. 5.
- Phyllis A. Whitney, 104. Novelist whose suspense tales (Feather on the Moon) sold millions. Feb. 8.
- Roy Scheider, 75. Two-time Oscar nominee (The French Connection, All That Jazz); police chief in Jaws. Feb. 10.
- Steve Gerber, 60. Comic-book writer, created Howard the Duck. Feb. 10. Pulmonary fibrosis.
- David Groh, 68. Played Valerie Harper's husband on sitcom Rhoda. Feb. 12.
- Perry Lopez, 78. TV, film actor (Chinatown.) Feb. 14.
- Robin Moore, 82. Wrote The French Connection, The Green Berets. Feb. 21.
- Mike Smith, 64. Lead singer for British band Dave Clark Five. Feb. 28.
March
- Jeff Healey, 41. Rock, jazz musician (Angel Eyes). March 1. Cancer.
- Gary Gygax, 69. He co-created Dungeons & Dragons; hailed as father of role-playing games. March 4.
- Dave Stevens, 52. Comic book artist, created "The Rocketeer." March 10. Leukemia complications.
- Ivan Dixon, 76. Actor; Kinchloe on Hogan's Heroes. March 16.
- Anthony Minghella, 54. Oscar-winning director, turned literary works (The English Patient) into acclaimed movies. March 18. Hemorrhage.
- Paul Scofield, 86. British actor; won Oscar for A Man for All Seasons. March 19.
- Arthur C. Clarke, 90. Visionary science fiction writer (2001: A Space Odyssey). March 19.
- George Gross, 85. Founding sports editor of the Toronto Sun and considered by many a legend in the sports journalism field. March 21.
- Neil Aspinall, 66. Longtime Beatles friend; managed their business enterprises. March 23.
- Sherri Wood, 28. Vibrant Sun Media entertainment writer, after a courageous 11-month battle against brain cancer. In four short but dynamic years with Sun Media, she interviewed everyone from Kim Cattrall to Coldplay and reviewed everything from music to movies. March 24.
- Richard Widmark, 93. Hollywood leading man; made sensational debut as a giggling killer (Kiss of Death). March 24.
- Abby Mann, 80. Socially conscious screenwriter, won Oscar (Judgment at Nuremberg). March 25.
- Sean Levert, 39. A third of 1980s R&B trio LeVert (Casanova). March 30. Natural causes.
- Dith Pran, 65. Cambodian journalist whose harrowing story inspired The Killing Fields. March 30.
April
- Wayne Frost, 44. Hip-hop pioneer known as Frosty Freeze (Flashdance). April 3.
- Charlton Heston, 84. Oscar winner (Ben-Hur). April 5.
- Ollie Johnston, 95. Last of Disney animators called "Nine Old Men" (Fantasia). April 14.
- Hazel Court, 82. Actress in 1950-60s horror movies (The Raven). April 15.
- Danny Federici, 58. Keyboard player for Bruce Springsteen (Hungry Heart). April 17. Cancer.
- Al Wilson, 68. 1970s soul singer (Show and Tell). April 21.
- Albert Hofmann, 102. Discoverer of LSD, which influenced music, art in 1960s. April 29.
May
- Jim Hager, 66. One of Hager Twins on Hee Haw. May 1.
- Eddy Arnold, 89. Country singer known for his mellow baritone (Make the World Go Away). May 8.
- Larry Levine, 80. Recording engineer; helped Phil Spector create Wall of Sound. May 8.
- John Rutsey, 55. Original drummer and co-founding member of the seminal rock band Rush. May 11.
- Robert Rauschenberg, 82. His use of odd and everyday articles made him an art world giant. May 12.
- John Phillip Law, 70. 1960s actor (Barbarella). May 15.
- Alexander Courage, 88. Emmy-winning composer (Star Trek theme.) May 15.
- Jack Duffy, 81. Actor and singer best known for playing charades on the popular 1970s TV comedy show Party Game. May 19.
- Dick Martin, 86. Zany co-host of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, which took television by storm in 1960s. May 24.
- Sydney Pollack, 73. Oscar-winning director, a Hollywood mainstay (Tootsie, Out of Africa). May 26.
- Harvey Korman, 81. Emmy winner for The Carol Burnett Show. May 29.
- Lorenzo Odone, 30. His parents' battle to save him from rare disease inspired Lorenzo's Oil. May 30.
June
- Yves Saint Laurent, 71. One of the most influential, enduring designers of the 20th century. June 1.
- Mel Ferrer, 90. Actor (War and Peace), producer of movies starring then-wife Audrey Hepburn. June 2.
- Bo Diddley, 79. A founding father of rock 'n' roll, known for "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm. June 2.
- Bob Anderson, 75. He played young George Bailey (James Stewart) in It's a Wonderful Life. June 6.
- Jim McKay, 86. Wide World of Sports host who told Americans about killings at 1972 Olympics. June 7.
- James Reaney, 81. Governor General's Award-winning poet, author and dramatist of three famous plays about Ontario's Donnelly family. June 11.
- Tim Russert, 58. Host of Meet the Press whose personality and passion made him beloved in Washington. June 13.
- Stan Winston, 62. Oscar-winning special-effects maestro (Jurassic Park). June 15.
- Cyd Charisse, 86. Dancer turned actress; starred in musicals with Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly. June 17.
- Kermit Love, 91. Costume designer; helped create Big Bird, other Sesame Street characters. June 21.
- George Carlin, 71. The dean of counterculture comedians who taught us "Seven Words You Can Never Say On TV." June 22.
- Dody Goodman, 93. Daffy comedian (Jack Paar Show, Grease) June 22.
July
- Larry Harmon, 83. He turned Bozo the Clown into a show business staple. July 3.
- Evelyn Keyes, 91. She played middle O'Hara sister in Gone With the Wind. July 4.
- Dorian Leigh, 91. 1950s supermodel, made Revlon's super-red "Fire and Ice" lipstick famous. July 7.
- Les Crane, 74. Innovator in talk radio, TV; hosted show opposite Johnny Carson in 1960s. July 13.
- Jo Stafford, 90. Singer; topped charts in early 1950s (You Belong to Me). July 16.
- Larry Haines, 89. Actor on Search for Tomorrow for nearly its entire 35-year run. July 17.
- Estelle Getty, 84. Actress; played the sarcastic Sophia on The Golden Girls. July 22.
August
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn, 89. Nobel-winning Russian author who chronicled Stalin's slave labour camps. Aug. 3.
- Bernie Brillstein, 77. Agent, studio head; guided Saturday Night Live stars. Aug. 7.
- Mahmoud Darwish, 67. Palestinian poet who eloquently told of his people's experiences. Aug. 9.
- Bernie Mac, 50. One of "Original Kings of Comedy" who connected with audiences across a wide spectrum (Ocean's Eleven). Aug. 9. Pneumonia.
- Isaac Hayes, 65. Soul crooner who laid groundwork for disco; won Oscar, Grammy for Theme From Shaft. Aug. 10.
- George Furth, 75. Actor-playwright; wrote Tony-winning book for Company. Aug. 11.
- Jerry Wexler, 91. Record producer who coined "rhythm and blues". Aug. 15.
- Dave Freeman, 47. Co-author of 100 Things to Do Before You Die. Aug. 17. Accidental fall.
- Pervis Jackson, 70. Bass singer in 1970s R&B group The Spinners. Aug. 18.
- Fred Crane, 90. Actor who gave opening line in Gone With the Wind. Aug. 21.
September
- Jerry Reed, 71. Witty country singer (When You're Hot, You're Hot) and actor (Smokey and the Bandit). Sept. 1.
- Bill Melendez, 91. Producer-animator who gave life to Snoopy, Charlie Brown in Peanuts TV specials. Sept. 2.
- Anita Page, 98. Co-starred in 1929 Oscar-winner The Broadway Melody. Sept. 6.
- Gregory Mcdonald, 71. Wrote Fletch mysteries. Sept. 7.
- Richard Monette, 64. Actor and the longest-serving artistic director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Sept. 9.
- David Foster Wallace, 46. Author famed for complex, darkly witty works (Infinite Jest). Sept. 12. Suicide.
- Charlie Walker, 81. Grand Ole Opry star (Pick Me Up on Your Way Down). Sept. 12.
- Richard Wright, 65. Founding member, keyboardist for British band Pink Floyd. Sept. 15.
- Connie Haines, 87. Big-band singer; performed with Frank Sinatra. Sept. 22.
- Paul Newman, 83. Oscar-winning actor/race driver/philanthropist who never lost the heartthrob cool of his anti-hero performances. Sept. 26.
October
- House Peters Jr., 92. TV actor; the original Mr. Clean. Oct. 1.
- Frank Kerr, 52. Lead singer of Hamilton punk band Teenage Head.
- Nick Reynolds, 75. Founding member of Kingston Trio. Oct. 1.
- Eileen Herlie, 90. Stage, TV actress; Myrtle Fargate in All My Children, Oct. 8.
- Neal Hefti, 85. Trumpeter; composed themes for The Odd Couple, Batman. Oct. 11.
- Edie Adams, 81. Singer-actress; partnered with husband Ernie Kovacs. Oct. 15.
- Jack Narz, 85. Longtime game show host, unwittingly involved in quiz show scandal. Oct. 15.
- Levi Stubbs, 72. Dynamic Four Tops frontman (Baby I Need Your Loving). Oct. 17.
- Dee Dee Warwick, 63. Soul singer; performed with sister Dionne. Oct. 18.
- Rudy Ray Moore, 81. Raunchy, influential black comedian (Dolemite). Oct. 19.
- Mr. Blackwell, 86. Designer whose worst-dressed list skewered fashion felonies. Oct. 19.
- Estelle Reiner, 94. Had famed line in When Harry Met Sally -- "I'll have what she's having." Married to Carl Reiner and mother of director-actor Rob Reiner. Oct. 25.
- Gerard Damiano, 80. Directed Deep Throat, 1972 porn film that became unlikely hit. Oct. 25.
- William Wharton, 82. Painter-turned-author whose novel Birdy won National Book Award. Oct. 29.
November
- Shakir Stewart, 34. He succeeded Jay-Z as head of Def Jam Recordings. Nov. 1. Suicide.
- Michael Crichton, 66. Best-selling author whose books became blockbuster films (Jurassic Park). Nov. 4.
- Maria Elena Marques, 83. Actress (The Pearl). Nov. 11.
- Mitch Mitchell, 61. Drummer with Jimi Hendrix Experience (Purple Haze). Nov. 12
- Kenny MacLean, 52. Bassist for the 1980s band Platinum Blonde. Nov. 24.
- Patricia Marand, 74. Broadway actress ("It's a Bird ... It's a Plane ... It's Superman.") Nov. 27.
December
- Paul Benedict, 70. Actor; played English neighbour Harry Bentley on The Jeffersons. Dec. 1.
- Odetta, 77. Folk singer with powerful voice who inspired civil rights marchers. Dec. 2.
- Forrest J. Ackerman, 92. Editor, literary agent; credited with coining term "sci-fi." Dec. 4.
- Beverly Garland, 82. Actress in 1950s cult hits (Swamp Women). Dec. 5.
- Nina Foch, 84. Oscar-nominated actress (Executive Suite, Spartacus). Dec. 5.
- Dennis Yost, 65. Lead singer of 1960s group Classics IV (Stormy). Dec. 7.
- Robert Prosky, 77. Prolific character actor (Hill Street Blues). Dec. 8.
- Bettie Page, 85. Beauty who daringly bared it all in the straitlaced '50s. Dec. 11.
- Van Johnson, 92. Boy-next-door Hollywood star (30 Seconds Over Tokyo). Dec. 12.
- Sam Bottoms, 53. Actor who had small but memorable roles in Apocalypse Now, The Last Picture Show. Dec. 16. Brain cancer.
- Majel Barrett Roddenberry, 76. Star Trek actress (Nurse Christine Chapel); widow of creator Gene Roddenberry. Dec. 18.
- Robert Mulligan, 83. Oscar-nominated director of To Kill a Mockingbird; helped launch Reese Witherspoon's career. Dec. 20.
- Eartha Kitt, 81. Sexy singer (C'est Si Bon), dancer and actress who preferred Broadway to movies. Dec. 25.
- Ann Savage, 87. Actress who earned a cult following as femme fatale in such 1940's pulp-fiction films as Detour. Dec. 25.
- Delaney Bramlett, 69. Singer-songwriter-producer who penned classic rock songs (Let It Rain) and worked with George Harrison and Eric Clapton. Dec. 27.
Hail to the Leaf: CBC campaign pitches a Cancon playlist for Obama
Barack Obama has proclaimed himself a fan of music both old-school and new, but a new CBC Radio campaign specifically aims to get some Canadian content onto the U.S. president-elect's radar for Inauguration Day.
On Monday, CBC Radio 2 is officially launching a campaign inviting music lovers to craft a definitive Canadian playlist as a gift to the incoming U.S. president.
After accepting submissions for one week, producers will determine the top 100 nominated songs and release a shortlist on Jan. 12. Five days of public online voting will determine the final tally of "49 songs from north of the 49th parallel" for Obama — to be revealed on Jan. 20, Inauguration Day.
"One of the best ways to know Canada is through the depth and breadth of our artistic expression," said Denise Donlon, executive director of CBC English Radio.
"We're excited about the new president, and we want him to be excited about us."
Early suggestions: from Bach to rap
A few CBC personalities and Canadian cultural figures have already weighed in with suggestions.
After reading that Obama enjoys Bach, pianist Angela Hewitt suggested the president-elect listen to a particular recording of Grosser Herr, o starker Konig from the composer's Christmas Oratorio, featuring "one of Canada's greatest artists, the baritone Gerald Finley."
Rick MacInnes-Rae, host of CBC Radio's Dispatches, picked the song Saskatchewan by Drummondville, Que., band Les Trois Accords because "Obama needs to know Quebec has moved on from Expo 67. And how to spell Saskatchewan. So do Canadians, come to think of it."
Canadian rap pioneer Maestro Fresh Wes listed his own song Stick to Your Vision among his choices because "it's a song dealing with perseverance and inspiration. Obama has inspired millions with his perseverance."
Obama an eclectic music lover
Obama has been described as an avid and eclectic music fan.
Last summer, when he and Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain were asked for their top 10 songs, Obama offered a wide-ranging list that included Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter, Bruce Springsteen's I'm on Fire, The Fugees' Ready or Not and Aretha Franklin's Think.
Also during the campaign, he revealed that Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé and Earth, Wind and Fire are among the other musical acts that get him dancing.
'Sesame Street' is 40 but young at heart
Ah, Sesame Street. Big Bird. Bert and Ernie. Grover. The Cookie Monster. The good old days.
The street is still hot. It celebrates its 40th year in 2009 with its largest audience: 8 million viewers on 350 stations in 120 countries.
Not wanting to be left out of the fun, hundreds of celebrities have visited TV's most famous boulevard over the years. Sarah Jessica Parker appeared to discuss the art of sighing, first lady Laura Bush stopped by to read, and Robin Williams waxed eloquent on the wonders of feet.
Now a book, the first out of the gate to mark the anniversary, is arriving in stores. Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street (Viking, 384 pp, $27.95) is by Michael Davis, a former columnist for TV Guide who spent many happy hours wandering Sesame Street with his children.
"It touched me in a very profound way," Davis says.
Davis spent five years reporting and writing the story of the longest-running children's show in TV history, which was the brainchild of Jim Henson, the late Muppets creator, and entrepreneur Joan Ganz Cooney. Davis refers to the show as "a confluence of genius" and dubs Henson "wondrously human."
Sesame Street began on Nov. 10, 1969, as an educational children's show and evolved into a sophisticated program that combined education and entertainment.
Carol-Lynn Parente, Sesame Street's executive producer, has been with the show 20 years and sees the magic firsthand.
"There are times that some of what makes this work is mysterious even to us," Parente says. "But the essence of what has made us as successful as we've been is our ability to evolve. The life of a preschooler today is much different than it was in 1969."
Davis believes the show will go on forever. "They still approach each season as an experiment. As long as they do that, they will grow and change as children grow and change and the culture grows and changes."
Some 40th-anniversary highlights scheduled in 2009:
• A panel discussion Jan. 30 featuring the show's contributors at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J.
• Another book, Sesame Street: A Celebration of Forty Years of Life on the Street, by Louise Gikow (Black Dog & Leventhal, fall).
• A Sesame Street: 40th Anniversary two-disc DVD (November release).