Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice…

And here I was taking Krav all these years from punks. I should’ve gone out and found a hero to show me the ropes; or is that rope-a-dope?

 

Bye Bye Love

Some of you may know, some not, that my father was a studio musician in Nashville. He worked with a lot of entertainers, but to me most of them were just people who existed in theory, not reality. I never met most of them, or when I did it was fleeting and had little impact on me in the long run. Some I desperately wanted to meet, and others I could have given less than a penny for. But there was one I bragged about knowing, not due to his fame, but because he was someone I cared about, and considered a mentor— Phil Everly.

Thru most of my high school and college days, the Everly Brothers were a big part of my life. My father was on tour, or recoding with them, almost constantly during that time. In a way, they paid for my education, the food on my table, and the day to day parts of my life. When the summers came around, my brother or I would go on tour with my dad, but more so my brother. He was older so less likely to get in the way, and he had an interest in the music industry; I didn’t, so I was usually bored on the road. The only thing I enjoyed about it was seeing Phil. He was the one who wouldn’t snarl at me if I came into his dressing room to hang out, I never felt ignored, in his way, or a bother. Phil never talked down to me, rather to me. He seemed interested in what I was doing, the girl I was in love with (that week), or my own dreams. In a lot of ways he was a second father thru those years. I remember him giving me advice on girls, how to ask them out (but it never seemed to help, as fat guys rarely get the girl- doesn’t tv teach us that?), and I remember him taking the time to teach me how to tie an actual bow tie. People didn’t wear them at all back then, but I always loved how the Everlys would come out on stage, decked out in those bow ties, and by the end of the show the ties would be hanging around their necks, all hip looking. I thought it was cool— very 60s lounge act kind of cool.

The first time I ever really knew who he was, was from a tv game show. I had heard the name being bantered in the house by my dad, but he was just a name until I saw him on “Make Me Laugh!“. The premise was that a comedian would try to make a contestant crack up, and they won money for keeping a straight face; Phil was one of those “stars” playing for a charity, sort of thing. I still remember watching him almost lose it, but holding it together long enough to win. The first time I met him, I asked him about it. He cranked out that giggle of his, that classic smile came across his face, and his soft voice with the gritty tone to it just said “Oh yeah, I almost lost it, man, that guy was hilarious!”. Then he giggled some more, put his arm around my shoulder, and started chatting with my dad. We just stood there, I don’t remember what they were talking about, I didn’t utter another word, but I never felt I wasn’t part of the conversation. It may seem insignificant, but the fact he didn’t brush me off, took the time to answer my silly kid question, and made me feel like I belonged there, it really hit home with me. 

I can’t possibly say we were friends, but I idolized Phil, just as a kid does an uncle. In truth that’s how I saw him, as an uncle. It’s in that way I think of him, it’s in that way I’ll miss him. I’ll miss his humor, his laugh, his talent, and those Christmas cards of his. When we didn’t get one this year, I knew something wasn’t right. I should have called, but in my mind, he was giant, and you don’t bother a giant without a good reason. I wish I had. 

This was the sort of goofy card he’d send out, something my wife and I looked forward to every year; this one was our personal favorite. 

If you want to know about Phil Everly’s hits, or his life, read a news site. All I can tell you is I thought he was a good man, a caring guy, and that he will be missed. I know that for a fact, because I’m missing him now. 

Bye bye love, say hi to my dad for me. I miss you both. 

PS- careful with this one G, it hurts. 

 

Seriously?

This story kind of ticks me off, because — honestly— who does it offend? We’re not talking about a marker at Arlington cemetery, this is just a regular graveyard in Ohio. Considering how many negative impressions children have about death, funerals, and cemeteries, plus the  popularity of zombies in media right now (and don’t send hate mail- I love me some Walking Dead), doesn’t it seem like a good idea to do anything that might abate some of the fears attached to cemeteries for children? If the concern is how it affects people, then maybe we should rethink all the naked-child/cherub statues and weeping angels (which any Dr Who fan can tell you is now ultra creepy to see anywhere)! I would think as a child, seeing a pleasant image like Spongebob during an event as sad as a funeral, would be comforting instead of… hell, I don’t even know— what is the complaint? If the family doesn’t find it disrespectful, then who are we to say it is for them? I’m annoyed that society feels it can tell a family they can’t have a cartoon headstone for their murdered child, but it doesn’t do anything to the parents of a boy that illegally gets on a plane and flies to another state after he just rammed a stolen truck into a police car! Sorry— tangent.

Here’s a pic of the headstone, courtesy of Cartoon Brew, where you can also read more about this. Look at the friendly smile… offensive, isn’t it? Nay verily.

I think it’s just other people operating from a stand point of jealousy, but then most reactions humans have to something are either out of that… or fear. If Spongebob can help one kid with the fear thing, isn’t that reason enough to keep it? Not to mention the rights of the family to celebrate the life of their daughter as they want to. I’m not condoning statues of people being slaughtered (although the Romans covered that), or people having sex (I think they did that one too). Seriously, it’s friggin Sponge Bob people. Get a grip.

Either way, speaking as part of a family that spent a similar amount on the marker of my own father back in 92, I’d be pissed as hell to be told I couldn’t celebrate his life the way I wanted.  A monument is supposed to mark, celebrate, and remember the life of the person it’s for. When my father passed, I wanted to shout at the world, and remind them of what he had accomplished in his life, but we thought this pretty much covered it.

Miss you Dad.

 

Worst … idea… ever (period)

Some stupid Disney exec, who’s never been to a Pixar film with kids in the crowd, came up with this…

Yeah, I can see this working as an addition for the home market to keep kids interested in a film for a third, or fourth, viewing, but in a theater? How annoying are cell phones in cinemas to begin with? Those screens lighting up every twenty seconds when some idiot texts to their friend about “how cute so-n-so is”, or what “they’re wearing to the party tomorrow night”, or how they “wanna sneak liquor out of their grandparents house”? Now you want to encourage small children (who have no sense of manners) some landing strip lights to flood out the movie with?! As if sitting behind someone who’s 7′ tall isn’t bad enough, now to have an illuminated billboard popping up randomly during the important bits of a film? Telling kids it’s ok to scream at each other over a game, with a constant “tap,tap,tap”, and telling Mommy how David cheated? With “Look at my high score!”, or “Mom, mom, mom, mom, did you know…mom, mom, mom, like, the fish, he’s a flounder, did you know that? Huh? Mom, mom, mom…”.

Seriously, you think this is a good idea? Why? Because movie theaters with rambunctious kids aren’t annoying enough as it is? Your solution is to get them all riled up with other activities?! Will that solve your attendance problem? Really? Perhaps it’s the fact adults can’t enjoy films because kids aren’t being controlled as they should? Between the noise and “superfund sites” that parents leave behind, why pay a minimum of $30 for a parent, a kid, and a box of popcorn when a Disney DVD is only $24? Maybe it’s that theater owners don’t do enough to make cinemas about watching a movie, and not about “hanging out”, or letting parents treat the rest of the audience as a free “babysitter” for two hours? If you really think distracting children more when they’re supposed to be sitting, watching a film, is a better idea, then why not give them a free large mountain dew and box of sugar babies with every app download? Then we can see if it’ll make their heads explode and be done with it!?!

Ugh. Thanks to Cartoon Brew for the heads up.

Episode 05

And now the conclusion to “Overreaction Theater”…