Big Leather Couch

So this past weekend the weather here was abysmal. Rain...wind...rain...tornadoes in the area...and the tornado sirens going off all day and night it seemed.

Except, strangely for me it was not totally the case.

I have said before, that working and living in NYC most of my life, I never heard police sirens or fire sirens when walking the streets of Manhattan. You just don't.

That is until September 11, 2001. As most of you know I was in NY that day and lived the horrors that occurred. But that is not the point of this.

The point is that, after that day...I heard EVERY police or fire siren. They might have been 10 blocks away, but I was aware of them.

Three and a half years ago I moved to Memphis. About a year into my time here, I hear a siren for the first time. It was not noon and the area I lived in did not have volunteer firemen that the sirens of my youth used to call out to so they could drive in their cars and safe someone's home.

No this was a new siren for me. It was a tornado siren!

That particular storm actually produced some severe tornadoes - one touching down about a mile or so from my apartment and taking out part of a shopping mall. (No one was hurt thankfully)

Since then the sirens have gone off numerous times here in Memphis.

But this weekend I found I was not hearing the sirens like Nancy was. It made me think about the strangeness of the situation. I am, once again, not hearing these warnings. have I become so used to them?

I am not sure, but luckily my ignorance of these warning sirens did not result in my having to escape a tornado.

I did spend a good part of Saturday doing some renovations to my blogs. beginning with two of my new sites, I found a new template that will work across the board.

I want to have a cohesive look to all five - yes I said FIVE - blogs. This will be the last one to go through the reconstruction as it will take the most time. But if you want to check out the new sites and the template I have chosen - you can see the upper right sidebar here and the links contained there. Really only MUSIC ON THE COUCH and TUNEAGE TUTELAGE are ready for viewing...but I would love to know what y'all think.

Tonight on the Radio Happy Hour with Doc, Collette and Burl, Joan Benedict Steiger longtime star of stage, screen and television will be joining. Her career has spanned for decades, starting with notable appearances on shows like the original “Candid Camera” and “The Steve Allen Show.” She went on to along career on soap operas. She is the widow of Academy Award winning actor Rod Steiger.

And then, Eric Blake who has gone from the notorious streets of South Central Los Angeles where he experienced the “hard knock” life of gangs, drugs, and violence to a 15-year career as a renowned stand-up comedian will be on with the gang.


I'll see you tomorrow....

Was turned onto this blog yesterday by an old college chum...very cool music stuff and the commentors are some of the biggest names in the industry.

It is called The Lefsetz Letter. Bob Lefsetz has been writing this for over 25 years, first as a hard copy, then emails and now a blog. This is a brilliant post on the Grateful Dead inspired by Bob's visit to the new Grateful Dead exhibit at the New York Historical Society.

I highly recommend your checking it out if you love music.

Now I received this from Mom Joan who received it from an old family friend....this guy is hilarious and hits some of these out of the park...enjoy

There is music as they do their thing...give it about a minute and a half and then be amazed.

If these girls were not inundated with wedding proposals, I would be as amazed as I was when I watched...

Remember to check out the Radio Happy Hour tonight at 8pm eastern...Doc, Collette and The Burl will welcome Comedian Frank Nicotero who hosted the hit syndicated show “Street Smarts” for 5 years.

On his new comedy album Frank brings his street smarts to the stage, letting us all know what he thinks about cops, colonoscopies, cell phones, Cialis, and condoms.

Then, Annie Kim, Paul Cenetti, and Derron Walker are Love and Logic: a trio from New York City that combines elements of rock, pop, and classical music to create a truly unique and versatile sound.

And finally, Justin Gignac is a New York City artist who creates art of of 100% authentic NYC garbage.

The trash is hand-picked and arranged in Lucite cubes that are signed, numbered, and dated. Today, over 1,200 cubes have been sold to over 25 countries

Of course I am talking about the infamous, funny, delightful ANNIE & BURL!!!!

They brought along the funny, sweet Kimmehkins who took these pictures and there were also some of her, but she refuses to share...pout pout

We met at my hotel and then headed over to The Cheesecake Factory across the street where we laughed for the next two hours. There were people sitting on both sides of us and I can guarantee that they went home that night and discussed those "four insanely weird people" they were seated next to.

The subject ranged from Blogtalk radio to the drunk show to whether Kim and Annie would get crazy on each other in the restaurant to whether Burl and I would get crazy on each other in the restaurant. No, there was no hot sex in the restaurant...but maybe there was some outside the restaurant! But I will never tell, because what happens in The Cheesecake Factory (or it's parking lot) stays in The Cheesecake Factory.

BUT --- there are pictures!

Our first meeting at the hotel


We are all friends...grab away


That is Annie's hand reaching for my ah... (she was three feet away)


One last picture on the bench



Friends for life...

Tonight on The Radio happy Hour...

Yvette Nicole Brown plays “Shirley Bennett” on the hit NBC sitcom Community. She also appears in the recently released “Repo Men” starring Jude Law.

Previously, she was best known for her role in “Drake and Josh” on Nickelodeon.

http://www.YvetteNicoleBrown.com

Sultan Sharrief is the director behind the Sundance Film Festival break out hit, Bilal’s Stand. The Hollywood Reporter is calling it “bursting with heart” and Filmmaker Magazine said the film is “full of performances that are rough around the edges but as authentic and appealing as any I’ve seen at the festival (Sundance) thus far.”

Bilal’s Stand, the movie that just played Sundance Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival is based on Sultan’s journey and tells the story of Bilal, a Muslim Black Detroit high school student and his struggle to pursue his dream of higher education over continuing the family taxi stand business.

http://www.bilalsstand.com/

Sarah Dillon is the president of GoGirl, a company that sells the GoGirl female peeing device. The funnel like device allows women to pee standing up.

http://www.go-girl.com/



Join Doctor Blogstein, Collette, The Burl and I...along with Shawn Amos and the Pop Culture Quiz

My Nancy was traveling all last week and she was so very sick with chest congestion and sour stomach and for a time she could hardly even speak from laryngitis.

Well on Sunday she showed how much she loves me by letting me have some of her illness. She is so good like that, sharing and all. I was out of the office yesterday and slept a good portion of the day.

Made me wonder if I was going to make the show last night, but I am a trooper and I will be there (writing this at 5:00pm...show at 9:00pm).

I have to echo a statement by JAY of "Cynical B**tard" who spoke yesterday about Twitter enhancing the Olympic viewing pleasure. He and I going back and forth during the hockey game on Sunday and also demanding begging for one of those moose hats with the flashing lights from the closing ceremony was fun.

OK, NBC is getting a ton of well deserved crap for leaving the closing ceremony to air that horrible Marriage Ref...but honestly, the ceremony was decending into a parody of itself.

I could not tell if I was watching the Olympics, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, or a really lame episode of Second City. The bit with Shatner, O'Hara and Fox was pitiful. The writers should be taken out to one of those frozen lakes and dropped into the water.

But even more pitiful was Jerry Seinfeld's return to TV. Dude...that show is the crap. The people who appear on there and fight over whether the family pet should be stuffed and displayed or whether a stripper pole (well, it IS exercize!) in the bedroom are really at the lowest level of the totem pole...well except they are getting vacation cruises for making themselves look like fools...HEY NANCY, can we get on there???

Thank you to those who are listening to Music On The Couch. Remember, even if you are not available on Monday evenings, you can download the show from the player at the top of the left sidebar.

You can not watch the Food Network (one of my favorite things to do) when your stomach is rolling around like the ocean after an earthquake.

NO, I do not believe the 2012 end of the world crapola (Man, I am saying that word a lot today!)...but you have to wonder what the heck-a-doodle is going on these days.

See you tonight on the Radio Happy Hour when we will welcome the cast of The Buried Life - an MTV reality show focusing on four friends; Duncan Penn, Ben Nemtin, Dave Lingwood, and Jonnie Penn as they travel across America to complete a list of “100 things to do before you die.”

For every item they complete on their list, they help a stranger achieve one of their dreams and encourage others to go after their own lists.

Everywhere they go they ask the question: What do you want to do before you die?

AND...Chris Illuminati,the coauthor of Assholeology: The Science Behind Getting Your Way and Getting Away with it.

OK, man could I get snarky about that and someone I used to know...

See y'all tomorrow...

Yup, this is my 1,000 post. Never even thought I would get to this point. And in a few short weeks, we celebrate the 4th anniversary of The Couch.

It all began as a place to do some American Idol posts and to rant and rave over the crap that was happening in my life...what it ended up being is a cozy little spot for me to share my words, share my love of music, post some of my fiction and basically meet a bunch of cool folks.

Some of you are relatively new here, some have been here since day 1 and some have come and gone over the years for a variety of reasons. That last group is sad, since you never want to lose friends.

But hey, just like real life, on occasion someone you liked and respected becomes a turd-carrier and you move them out of your life. Sometimes they return...sometimes not.

To those of you reading me today, I thank you for sticking around through the good times and the bad...for sharing the sorrow of leaving my son Matt behind when I moved to Memphis.

For sticking around and listening to my rants over dating...for sharing the incredible courtship and my marriage to the most awesome Nancy...

I will continue to write here and share new music and I hope you also join me over on Music On The Couch and MANGIA Y'ALL.

I hope to have another 1,000 posts and more here over the next few years.

And, of course, I will be on The RADIO HAPPY HOUR this evening at 9:00pm eastern with Doc, Collette, The Burl and our guests; Comic Adam Ray and pop singer Karlee

Well, are you watching the Olympics? Personally, I think I enjoy the winter Olympics more than the summer games. I think it is because of the skiing and the bobsledding. Not a huge ice-dancing fan though...

I saw a feature this weekend that talked about the fact that women are not allowed to ski-jump in the Olympics.

It seems that the Olympic committee has decided that there is not enough interest in the sport. The case went to the higher courts in Canada and the women who compete in this sport around the world were denied.

This Olympic committee has some power, don't they. These men and women who sit in judgment of athletes around the world decided on what sport is popular and what sport is not.

This year we get Ski-cross....what? huh? OH it is one of those sports to come out of the X-Games, ESPNs brainchild to get kids to do crap that scares the bejebus out of the rest of us.

OH, but baseball and softball? Those are not real world-wide sports, so we kicked them out of the Olympics. In 2012 we get golf and rugby. I love golf, but during the Olympics??? Is rugby really a more played sport around the world than baseball?

In the meantime, let's not cover those metal beams on the luge course until after someone gets hurt, ok? If that wall had been erected before the games began, Nodar Kumaritashvili might be resting comfortably in a hospital right now with a few broken bones...

I really like the French Onion flavor of Sun Chips...tickles my taste buds they do

Pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training today...yes there is still snow on the ground in most of the USA, but this is a clear sign that SPRING IS COMING!!!!

I want to thank y'all who are listening (either live or in the archives) to MUSIC ON THE COUCH...for last week - first on the air - MOTC was 13th out of 451 music shows on BlogTalk Radio, based upon chat room audience and downloads. Made me feel all tingly inside...indeed it did!

This week on the
Radio Happy Hour:



Alison Brie plays “Annie Edison” on NBC sitcom Community
and “Trudy Campbell” on AMC’s Emmy Award winning drama Mad Men.
http://twitter.com/alisonbrie
http://www.nbc.com/community/


Former Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress Amber Benson
and author Anton Strout each have new urban fantasy books
releasing next week and are touring the country together promoting.

Amber Benson releases “Cat’s Claw“, the newest installment
in the Calliope Reaper-Jones series
while Anton Strout is coming out with his
third Simon Canderous book, “Dead Matter“.

http://amber.hollywood.com/
http://amberbensonwrotethis.blogspot.com/
http://antonstrout.com/

Also this week:

• Collette McLafferty, lead singer of edibleRed, cohosts
  

• Co-host Vinny Bond sits on his Big Leather Couch to chat live with the listeners

• The Burl of Annie and Burl Live works behind the scenes as pro-doucher

• Shawn Amos tests our Pop Culture IQ

• and we’ll take your calls at 646-652-4804

Congrats to the New Orleans Saints and their win on Sunday. It was a great game with a lot of back and forth until a dropped pass and then an interception to seal the fate of the Indianapolis Colts.

Peyton Manning is one heck of a QB and I figure he and Drew Brees might just meet up in the big one again within the next few years.

The commercials really have lost many of their luster, They are not a part of the event for me any longer...they are just what they are commercials.

The theme this year seemed to be that you can rag on men all you want. It felt like half the commercials made men to be idjits.

Woke up Monday morning with almost 6" of snow on the ground. It was not expected at all and began at 4:00am and was over by 7:00am. Roads were pretty bad so I stayed home and worked from here.

Began to rain in the afternoon and as I write this it seems that it will rain until the temps drop and then we will get more ice and snow, so might be working from here tomorrow also.

This is the first winter where it is like winter since I moved down here. I can do without it to be honest. I also realized I do not own a snow shovel so clearing the driveway was impossible. Have to make a note to buy one of those - and then it will not snow ever again!

I hope it went well last evening on MUSIC ON THE COUCH and to those of you who listened live and spent time in the chat room - I thank you greatly. As I am putting this post together 4 hours before show time, I am guessing it went well! LOL

LIVE BROADCAST:
February 9, 2010 @ 9 PM ET


This week on the
Radio Happy Hour:

Grace Helbig and Michelle Vargas are “Grace N Michelle“, vlogging comedy team.
http://www.gracenmichelle.com/

Troupe Gammage is the lead singer of Speak.
He’ll be kicking off their “Speak Week” album launch on the Radio Happy Hour.
http://www.myspace.com/hearspeakhere

Also this week:

• Collette McLafferty, lead singer of edibleRed, cohosts
  

• Co-host Vinny Bond sits on his Big Leather Couch to chat live with the listeners

• The Burl of Annie and Burl Live works behind the scenes as pro-doucher

• Shawn Amos tests our Pop Culture IQ

• and we’ll take your calls at 646-652-4804

LIVE BROADCAST:
February 9, 2010 @ 9 PM ET

PODCAST AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD:
Immediately following the live broadcast

CLICK HERE! –> All from this link <–CLICK HERE!
Become a Radio Happy Hour subscriber


for free !

Just a little common sense information on the upcoming census I received and thought I would pass along...

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a hand-held device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home.

Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.

REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

The Census Bureau has decided not to work with Acorn on gathering this information. No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.

Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org

I am flabbergasted by these member of the Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian, Idaho, and the East Side Baptist Church in Twin Falls, Idaho who thought they had a right to take 33 children and try and get them out of Haiti.

They say they were helping orphans, but some of these kids still had parents who were alive. They did this without the proper authority and without any paperwork whatsoever.

Their detained spokeswoman, Laura Silsby, conceded that she had not obtained the proper Haitian documents, but told the AP from detention that the group was "just trying to do the right thing" amid the chaos.

The 33 kids, ranging in age from 2 months to 12 years and with their names written in tape on their shirts, were being sheltered in a temporary children's home, where some told aid workers that they have surviving parents. Lassegue said the Social Affairs Ministry was trying to find them.

"One (9-year-old) girl was crying, and saying, 'I am not an orphan. I still have my parents.' And she thought she was going on a summer camp or a boarding school or something like that," said George Willeit, a spokesman for the SOS Children's Village.

Now, because of the dismantled court system in Haiti, they may be sent to the US for trial. I am hoepful they all get some sort of discipline other than a mere slap on the wrist and I also believe they should all lose their passports so they can't go on any other 'charity missions' in the future.

LIVE BROADCAST: February 2, 2010 @ 9 PM ET



This week on the
Radio Happy Hour:

Ayla Brown is a former American Idol contestant, current senior guard
on the Boston College Eagles woman’s basketball team and was
recently declared “available” by her father, newly-elected
Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown.
Ayla has just released her latest EP Circles, on Thursday,
three months earlier than planned!
www.AylaBrown.com



Charles Horn is an Emmy-nominated comedy writer (Robot Chicken) and a
Princeton PhD. He just released a new iPhone app called Comedy Vocab
to help adults expand their vocabularies through comedy.
www.learningisfunny.com

Also this week:

• Collette McLafferty, lead singer of edibleRed, cohosts
  

• Co-host Vinny Bond
  sits on his Big Leather Couch to chat live with the listeners

• The Burl of Annie and Burl Live
  works behind the scenes as pro-doucher

• Shawn Amos tests our Pop Culture IQ

• and we’ll take your calls at 646-652-4804

LIVE BROADCAST: February 2, 2010 @ 9 PM ET
PODCAST AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD:
Immediately following the live broadcast
CLICK HERE! –> All from this link <–CLICK HERE!
Become a Radio Happy Hour subscriber

for free !

Having your lunch made by the one you love, who then puts a little note on your napkin, is a wonderful thing...

All I can say is...'whatchutalkinboutwillis?'
Yup, he is in trouble with the law again...

OK, so I understand when myspace and Facebook began kids loved to put stuff up there to be seen by their friends, not thinking of the consequences. Then school officials began monitoring the sites to see what their students were doing and took actions against those who were showing themselves to be three quarts shy of a gallon...

Parents caught on and began watching what little Johnny and Janie were up to...even local police opened up accounts using false names to see who might be causing trouble or breaking laws in their town.

So you think that after so many years, kids would learn - HECK-A-DOODLE, not only kids, but young adults.

Folks, employers look at your Facebook and myspace accounts like 3 seconds after your resume hits their desk.

And the latest advent of 'let's make fun of these knuckleheads' is LOLONMYWALL.COM. Here the authors of this site repost the most ridiculous posts on facebook and make sure you don't miss one of them...

Keep posting pictures of yourself drunk and peeing your pants...or talking like you have a 2nd grade education cause it be hip and all dat...I hear Jack in the Box is hiring...

LIVE BROADCAST: January 26, 2010 @ 9 PM ET


This week on the
Radio Happy Hour:

Jessica Sierra was a tenth place finalist in the fourth season of American Idol. She later appeared on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew after pleading “no contest” in a Tampa, FL courtroom to assault and cocaine possession.

Now, with two years of sobriety under her belt, Jessica is back in the studio recording music
and recently gave birth to a new baby boy, Kayden Cash, on December 5, 2009.

www.JessicaSierra.com


Jason Sadler returns to the Radio Happy Hour,
once again wearing a Got Blogstein? T-shirt.

As he did in 2009, Jason, now with his t-shirt buddy Evan White, is spending 2010 getting paid to wear shirts. Each day of the year is sold at face value, so January 1 was $1 for Jason and $1 for Evan and December 31 is $365 for Jason and $365 for Evan.

Since Tuesday is Got Blogstein? Day, Jason and Evan will spend the day blogging, twittering, facebooking and making videos all about Dr. Blogstein’s Radio Happy Hour
and all in their Got Blogstein? T-shirts.

www.iWearYourShirt.com

Also this week:

• Collette McLafferty, lead singer of edibleRed, cohosts
  

• Co-host Vinny Bond sits on his Big Leather Couch to chat live with the listeners

• The Burl of Annie and Burl Live works behind the scenes as pro-doucher

• Simone Sinclare of EstablishedMen.com and HDNet’s “New York Confessions” discusses Do’s and Dont’s for Valentine’s Day Gifts

• Shawn Amos tests our Pop Culture IQ
  

• and we’ll take your calls at 646-652-4804

LIVE BROADCAST: January 26, 2010 @ 9 PM ETPODCAST AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD: Immediately following the live broadcast

CLICK HERE! –> All from this link <–CLICK HERE!

Become a Radio Happy Hour subscriber

for free !