Cal Jam October 2017 on the left – Innings Fest February 2022 on the right
This past Friday was spent as part of our Spring Break days with my family and BFF. We happened to be at the house for what started as a super-sized Hallmark Drinking Game night but it changed slightly to include some badminton fun in our neighborhood park, re-watching Studio 666, the Foo Fighters recent campy horror movie, and then some Hallmark Christmas flicks…and lots of wine.
We made it through most of the night with lots of laughs. It wasn’t until I looked at my phone and scrolled Instagram to see the news that Taylor Hawkins, the Foos’ beloved drummer, had passed away. I had to look at the post over and over again before saying anything because I literally couldn’t believe the statement that I was reading. How could that be possible?! They were on tour and we just saw them a month before at Innings Fest in Tempe. I then told everyone and my BFF and I doomscrolled to see all the news unfold online. Fans as devastated as we were with non-stop posts. No news of what happened. Just the statement from the Foo Fighters that he was gone and at a very-young-age of 50.
Where do you go after 26 years of music? After being one of the biggest bands in the world and you lose your drummer, and in Dave’s case, your best friend? For starters, they’ve canceled the rest of their tour. And I bet they don’t play again for a long time or if ever again. It’s not about finding someone else to beat the drums. Taylor was a crucial piece of the amazing puzzle and rock giant that is the Foo Fighters.
My BFF and I have reminisced since Friday about how fortunate we’ve been to have seen the Foo Fighters perform many times and as crazy as the recent Innings Fest was on February 26, we’re so glad we were there. We literally battled the masses because of our love of the Foo! Taylor sang an awesome Queen cover that was unforgetable with Dave at the drums. It was an awesome set and we were there among the thousands of crazy drunkards. My favorite time seeing them though was at Cal Jam in October 2017. The Foo resurrected this big music fest and it was awesome. We had the best time and discovered so many cool bands and experienced old favorites, too.
I’ve been sad about other musicians passing. Prince and George Michael both got me. Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell, too. But with Taylor’s passing, it’s a different level of sadness. For more than a decade, the Foo Fighters have been my favorite band. I’ve had many favorites over the years but they filled that role for me most recently. And, accepting the fact that even if they do come back to perform again, it will never be the same and that’s tough. Tougher though is being in their shoes and Taylor’s family’s shoes, too. What a terrible, terrible loss.
I was listening to the Lithium channel on SiriusXM earlier this week and caught their Taylor Tribute. Fans were calling in and saying how much they were kicking themselves for passing on seeing them live. “We’ll see them on the next tour.” As I told my BFF, we’ll never be in that category. We saw them, over and over, and will continue to show up for them and other bands we love because you never know what tomorrow will bring. The Cruise Director life for me, always. Don’t wait. Just go and experience live music and see your favorites. There’s nothing like it.
RIP Taylor and thank you for all the years of rock and roll. May your family, bandmates, friends and fans hold on to all the awesome memories you’ve made for them forever. You will always be My Hero.
2022 is really serving up a lot of great TV and movies and more to come very soon. That just means lots of quality time will be spent with my couch and my doggie Alvin is a-ok with that, since he’s my TV buddy. The minute I breakout the blanket, here he comes.
I read somewhere that this show was like Downton Abbey crossed with the Real Housewives and that pretty much nailed it. Really great cast and show set in the 1880s in New York. I hope the costume designers receive lots of awards – the dresses and their materials are very different from the typical dresses during that period, at least for a few standout cast members. Really awesome and unique. Looking forward to the season with new episodes every Monday.
I was so glad this show was green lit for a Season 2, which started last Wednesday! It’s hilarious. The writing is so fun. I think it’s one of Alan Tudyk’s best roles to date.
I dug the original movie with Chris Pine and the show is really awesome too. Now in its third season that just started recently, the action drama all set on a train is full of great cast members, including Daveed Diggs from the original cast of Hamilton on Broadway. New episodes every Monday.
For Sports Fans:Phoenix Suns on Bally Sports, ESPN and more
Last year the Suns made a run for the playoffs, making it all the way to the finals. Even though they ultimately lost the big trophy, it was the most fun that basketball has been to watch since the Barkley days, at least for me. Some might say that some other players on their roster later on were just as fun – meh, maybe. Barkley and the boys were just solid and crazy fun. This season the Suns are quietly leading the league with the best overall record. I say quietly, because you’d never know it since they don’t receive many prime time games, not like some of those other yahoos like the Lakers. They’re a ton of fun to watch and I wish my pop was still around to see them play so well again. Fingers crossed they Rally for the Valley again and see playoff time! It’s looking pretty good so far. P.S. Their Twitter account is awesome – one of my favorites to follow.
For Night Time Soap Fans: Promised Land on ABC and Hulu
Hot take – I don’t watch network shows for a series of reasons but mainly because they’re typically just not as good as the non-network shows. Every once in awhile I give one a chance and did this week with Promised Land. It’s pretty good so far. New episodes are on Mondays. The first two episodes are on Hulu. It has the feel of Scandal, which I loved, and has one of their stars, too, Bellamy Young. She’s honestly the reason I gave it a chance. Plus, it’s set in the California Wine Country so pretty awesome scenery. New episodes every Monday.
Now in its third season, this show is always intense and spooky fun. If you’re a fan of M. Night Shymalan, this is a show not to miss. It’s so creeptastic! New episodes drop every Friday.
Part one of the fourth and final season recently kicked off. This show is one of my favorites. It’s a close second to Breaking Bad. Dark, murder, mayhem, money laundering, excellent cast, the works! Really excited to see how it ends, once they drop the second half later this year. Actual date hasn’t been announced but hopefully they don’t make us wait too long!
This movie may have been on Netflix but it was very Lifetime-esque. Based on a Nora Roberts novel, Alyssa Milano stars. The hot detective that lives next door to her is pretty great, too. It’s a fun ride and cool to see her again. It’s been a long time!
Just Because:Pretty in Pink on pretty much anything you watch TV and movies on
Another hot take – this is my favorite John Hughes movie, hands down. Always has been. I know it’s not the most popular one but I love it. And my pop loved watching it with me. It’s another one of those movies that shows up on my movie channels from time to time and I know my pop is hanging out, wanting to see it again, so I always watch. Jon Cryer’s Otis Redding scene is worth watching the movie alone. We lost John Hughes far too soon in 2009. I imagine he’d still be making awesome movies today, new brat pack esque flicks for the latest generation to obsess over, too. P.S. I recently bought Andrew McCarthy’s new book and will be reading it soon. If you’re a fan of the brat pack era, check it out.
Look at me, Ma! Another week and another post. So many good shows and movies and we’re only just getting started with 2022!
For Lord of the Flies Fans:Yellowjackets on Showtime
Season 1 just wrapped on Sunday with ten episodes. And, Season 2 was greenlit awhile ago. They’ve received some award nominations for a reason. This show is something else. Set in present day New Jersey with flashbacks to highschool in 1996, the Yellowjackets, the girls’ soccer team, make it all the way to the State Championship but don’t actually get there since their private plane crashes. And the wheels fall off more than the plane from there. Great flashback sequences to what went down as they attempted to survive in the wilderness and then follows present day team members that made it back, dealing with 25 years of trauma and unfinished business of sorts. Awesome cast with some favorites like Juliette Lewis and Melanie Lynskey. Definitely a binge-worthy show.
There’s been mixed reviews about this show but I’m a fan. I dig that Sex and the City got a revival no matter how old they are or if Samantha isn’t there. It’s just fun but it is different from the original series. It’s always funny to me how much people don’t really appreciate shows for what they are and want them so badly to be like the originals, wrapped up with a nice little bow. I just appreciate being entertained by some favorite characters of mine. Second chance shows are some of my favorites, being the nostalgic crazy that I am. There will ultimately be ten episodes for the limited series, ending on February 3. They’ve had some talks about a second season but we’ll see. Cosmos all around for Carrie and the girls!
For Romantics with a Twist: Wolf Like Me on Peacock
My hubby laughs at me all the time that I just watch shows because of the cast, no matter what the show is about. I say damn straight I do – isn’t that what Hollywood is hoping for?! I saw ads for this show and it looked intriguing right out of the gate and yes, it had some cast members I dig – Josh Gad and Isla Fisher. Six episodes and it hasn’t been greenlit for more but with any luck it will. Really fun and different. And I’m not saying anything more because you just have to see it and discover the secret.
Funny lady Bridget Everett’s new show that just debuted on Sunday. It’s really good and not laugh a minute by any means. Laughter-through-tears sort of show with her struggling through some family trauma in a small town in Kansas where she grew up. It’s charming more than anything. New episodes every Sunday. Give her a watch!
I love Retta since her Parks & Rec days. This show was really fun and only five episodes. My hubby and I watched it and realized what some people think is ugly we actually like, the ol’ one man’s trash is another man’s treasure mantra. There are some unique houses out there that just need a little TLC but not a complete makeover. The winner on the show received a $150k renovation by a famous HGTV crew. And, it looked like a lot more than that. Check it out and see what house gets the works!
If you’re a fan of Channing and the boys like me, then this show is for you. After the popularity of the movies, they opened a couple of live shows, one being in Vegas. So this show is about finding a new member of the cast and $100k for the winner, too. Ten guys competed for the top spot with some drama along the way. Cool celebrity guests popped into episodes too. Seven episodes total and lots of hotness.
When the series was abruptly cancelled, fans rallied for more and the cast realized just how popular the show really was. Liev Schreiber who plays Ray couldn’t believe it. The rally cry was enough to get a final movie so that the show got a proper wrap-up. Sure, it wasn’t a full season like they had planned but nearly two hours is better than nothing. I dug it – it was a solid way to finish the show. If you haven’t watched Ray Donovan, there’s seven binge-worthy seasons. It’s one of my favorite shows.
For Campy Horror Fans:Scream at the actual movie theater
It’s been 25 years since this franchise started with now a fifth and likely final movie. It honored the original movie really well. The OG cast, or at least the ones that weren’t killed off along the way, all made an appearance with the new cast. It was also the only movie of the five that Wes Craven wasn’t apart of, since he passed away in 2015. I think he would have liked it. The duo directors did a nice job with it. So venture out and see it at the movies – it was the first big release of the year that actually happened. So give your favorite theater some love. There’s really nothing like the experience of seeing a movie in the theater. Just the best!
That’s what I got – another week, more recos. Enjoy and if you don’t like anything here, welp, I don’t have a letters to the editor option so keep it to yourself.
For the record I don’t believe in New Years’ resolutions because for the exact reason I’m about the explain.
Every year I go crazy and think this is the year I write more. This is the year I finally put my college education to the test, having been a full-time adult since 2000. This is it! And guess what – I spit out a couple of posts and go on my way. On my way back to too much social media, too much TV, movies, etc, etc, etc.
Last year I didn’t even write one post – not one! Just fucking lazy, always. I will say I did spend some of 2021 writing a bit of the long-awaited book. Long-awaited by me and my ma, to be clear. Someday it will make an appearance and all five of you will get it on clearance at your local bookstore.
Anyway, I’ve never called them resolutions. I like to think of them more as pacts with myself.
To be fair, January has already been a little touch and go, even though it is my birthday month so my motivation to get rolling on writing has been meh. Here we are on the 12th and it already seems like a three-peat to the last couple of glorious dumpster fires we’ve experienced. And, I don’t know about y’all but I only like three-peats in sports!
So as I enter my 44th year (yep, 44 at the end of the month- yeehaw!), here I go again! Fingers crossed this is my year to keep with my “loose” promise to myself.
I’ve gathered you all here today to share a regular series of posts about my TV and movie recommendations. I’ve been inspired for a long time with TVLine‘s daily “What to Watch” email. Their site is awesome and one of my favorite resources for finding out what’s coming up. Now, I have no intention of posting daily. That’s just bananas. But, I will attempt to post more often then once or twice a year.
And, this is for my handful of friends and family who always tell me 1) I need to figure out how to make money at this and 2) they always appreciate my mountains of recommendations.
This cute little series dropped on Prime in December. It’s very Hallmark movie-esque but dirtier, which wouldn’t take much since Hallmark is basically G-rated. It’s a lot of fun and follows a great family through the annual holidays. Only 5 episodes. No word just yet if there will be a Season 2 but here’s hoping.
I honestly don’t know why this show has so many haters. It’s really fun. Lily Collins (as in Phil Collins’ daughter) is so lovable and it’s in Paris, with amazing French actors or ones that are acting like they’re French. It’s also created by Darren “Sex and the City” Star.
It’s full of fashion, romance, drama, comedy. AND, it’s already been greenlit for Season 3 and 4! So, even though there are A LOT of meanies out there, there’s a lot of folks like me watching it. Netflix is ruthless and doesn’t greenlit just any show for not one but two seasons right as Season 2 barely came out. Ok, Emily in Paris soap box OVER. Watch it though – it’s fun and light-hearted and fuck me do we need as much light-hearted as possible these days, AMIRIGHT?! 10 episodes each for Season 1 and 2.
For Drama Queens:Yellowstone, Paramount Network, Paramount+
Two words: Beth Dutton. That’s all you need to know. Others could argue with me that Kevin Costner is all you need to know but nope, Kelly Reilly, who plays his daughter, is a force of nature. She actually referred to herself as a tornado in an episode and she was not kidding. Season 4 just wrapped so you’ll have plenty of time to have a glorious binge of this ridic family drama. It’s like a western Sopranos with beautiful scenery. The Season 4 finale broke records so chances are good you may already be watching but if you’re not, get on it.
It’s no secret that the fans were not happy with the finale of the original Dexter series. I didn’t love it but I wasn’t furious like most. But, when word broke that 10 years later the creators were putting another season together to give the fans a proper wrap-up, man I couldn’t jump on the Dexter and his Dark Passenger Train fast enough – choo choo!
Ten episodes later the finale just aired on Sunday. It was great and definitely left the possibility for more. The new season broke Showtime records, as it should. If it really is the end, I’m ok with that too. It was serial-killer greatness.
I don’t know about you but I never had Jon Favreau on my Bingo card for being not only the master behind Iron Man but the nostalgic flair of Star Wars, too. Would you have ever thought the funny dude in Swingers was going to do ALL THIS?!
First, he killed it with The Mandalorian and I mean KILLED IT. Now, Boba. One of the most beloved characters from the original series finally gets his full story told. It’s nerdom at its finest. So well done. Only seven episodes total, dropping weekly on Wednesdays, through February 9. For us 40 – 50 somethings who grew up with Star Wars it’s a nostalgic ride and then some.
Assfleck, and no, I didn’t stutter, is awesome in this! Based on a memoir, which is probably even better than the movie, his nephew and their crazy family, the grandfather being Christopher Lloyd (YES! DOC BROWN!) live their lives in the 70s and 80s with lots of family drama and a great, GREAT neighborhood bar. It’s so good. Assfleck has racked up a few award nominations for it already and really hoping he wins.
For Reality TV Fanatics: Dirty Jobs, Discovery Channel, Discovery+
Mike Rowe is back and better than ever. Back for Season 9 after a 10-year haitus, Mike’s still finding hard-working Americans to shine a spotlight on every week. It’s always so fun – he’s such an entertainer and just a good human. It airs Monday nights and it’s unknown how many episodes we’ll get but there’s a few so far in January. Enjoy Mike getting dirty…again!
Danny McBride. That’s it. Just watch. It’s ridiculously funny. If you don’t like his movies, then it’s not for you and you’re wrong. Just like bacon. There’s no not liking it. John Goodman is in it too and Adam Devine, just to name some more star power. And Walton Goggins. Look him up, Justified fans. He’s worth watching in ANYTHING. Season 2 just started on Sunday. It’s already been greenlit for Season 3. If you have trouble with people making fun of religion, well too fucking bad – this shit is hilarious! Watch and laugh!
December 31st was really tough losing America’s sweetheart Betty White. She was literally days away from her 100th birthday. A special movie was made to celebrate the milestone, which is still debuting in theaters on her birthday, January 17. Get your tickets! And, donate to your favorite animal rescue, zoo, charity, anything to support animals and make Betty’s birthday a great day for her furry friends.
So if you’re like me and loved her so, Hulu has all the Golden Girls episodes for you to relive again. I’ve watched them a lot over the past few years and will continue to. Hot in Cleveland is another awesome show and lady cast with Betty starring. So, so funny! Have a marathon with both shows! The long weekend is coming up so I’ll be celebrating Betty’s birthday how I know best – in front of the TV, mostly.
For Bob Fans:Bob Saget Stand-Up Specials, HBOMax, Amazon Prime, Comedy Central
We lost a comedy legend over the weekend at the far-too-young age of 65, Bob Saget.
Now, most people of course know him from Full House but he’s actually a really funny and really dirty comedian, too. Like the polar opposite of the dad he played on TV.
My BFF and I were fortunate to see him once at a comedy club in Denver. He’d been on my comedy bucket list for years because I’d seen the stand-up shows and heard the rumors that he was unreal. And he was – so funny. A dude tried to heckle him and lost miserably, totally white-girl wasted and got booted from the club. It was a pretty epic scene that Bob used to his benefit and worked into his act the entire night. It was a ton of fun.
I believe all the comics who have posted tributes of him, saying he was the kindest and nicest human being, too. Just a good dude that wanted to make people laugh. He will be so missed by so many, just like Betty.
Some of his stand-up specials are on Amazon Prime and HBO Max but the really funny stuff is some of his Comedy Central Roast work with other fellow comedians. They are raw and ruthless to whomever they’re fileting and they’ve roasted sooo many. Some of the funniest shit EVER. Check them out.
Just Because: The Cutting Edge, Showtime, and I’m sure other streaming services, too
Since my pop passed away in 2003 (fuck you cancer!), any time this movie is on I have to watch. It’s been on Showtime recently and I’ve watched it at whatever place in the movie I happen into it. It was one of his favorites. For being a tough S.O.B. you would never think it would be a movie he would have dug but he did. I think it’s been showing up recently because of the Winter Olympics being just around the corner but I always like to think it’s because my pop is around and needs to get his romantic comedy fix. Toe Pick forever, Pop!
That’s all she wrote, for this time anyway. Hope you enjoyed and maybe found something you’d like to check out. And if you didn’t, well, I can’t please everyone. I’m not bacon.
Being the pop culture nerd that I am, I like to find any reason to watch certain movies because they’re tied to current events, they celebrate milestone anniversaries of their theater debut OR because they occasionally are to honor a hashtag holiday. This year, I’ve embraced all these reasons even more since there’s not as much to do so I’ve really risen (or fallen, to-ma-to, toe-ma-to) to new levels of Coach Potato-ism.
The recent election, that seems like a million years ago but was in reality only 2.5 weeks ago, gave me more than an unhealthy obsession with watching CNN and an unnatural tendancy to doomscroll Twitter. It bubbled up a few favorite presidential and patriotic movies I haven’t thought about in awhile. So if you’re looking for something to watch and aren’t ready for your holiday favorites just yet, give these a go. P.S. I’m counting down to January 20 when my president and vice president takes over. Couldn’t be more thrilled for Joe and Kamala. 2021 already feels like it will be better and the bar is super low. Dumpster Fire 2020 has been fan-fucking-tastic.
This gem of a movie just celebrated its 25th anniversary on November 17. AND, I ironically watched it two days before, not even realizing the upcoming milestone. The cast includes some of the best in the biz, with Michael Douglas, Annette Bening and Michael J. Fox, to name a few. Aaron Sorkin wrote it and Rob Reiner directed it, two of my favorites behind the screen too. It’s a feel good movie and always makes me cry but if you talked to my daughter, just about everything I watch these days makes me cry. What can I say – I’m easily moved OR just getting old.
I don’t watch a ton of documentaries but this one I could watch over and over again and will. Former Chief Official White House Photographer Pete Souza documented the photographic journey of both Obama and Reagan’s administrations. His eye for detail in capturing all the things you wouldn’t normally see within their lives was awesome. He always seemed to be in the right place at the right time because he was. The hardest working photographer job maybe ever or at least shortlisted with a few others. His love for these two leaders and their families was immense and felt through his photography. I too went through many tissues watching this one and get weepy thinking about it as I type this. Pete’s Insta account is great too, if you’re not already following him.
Woodward and Bernstein were my journalism heros growing up. They likely had a lot to do with why I wanted to go to journalism school, along with Walter Cronkite. This movie chronicles the Watergate scandal during the Nixon presidency. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman play the famous duo working for The Washington Post. It still holds up since debuting in 1976 as one of the best political thrillers, winning four Oscars. I don’t recall it ever making me cry the many times I’ve watched but there’s always next time.
A dramedy I’ve seen more times than I can count. John Travolta stars as a politician running for president only to have some of his scandalous skeletons in the closet make their way to the news outlets, as they always do. The rest of the cast is awesome too including Emma Thompson and Kathy Bates. There are definitely some weepy moments in this one as I recall.
Michael Keaton and Gina Davis play speech writers working for opposing candidates on the campaign trail. It’s so much fun. I love these two in any of their films. They’re always solid actors with comedies being some of their very best work.
I nearly forgot about the amazing Joan Allen and this flick. It’s been a bit since I’ve seen it but man, is it good. She plays a senator in line to be VP but again, some not-so-great information from her past resurfaces, causing her some major drama.
Eddie Murphy plays a conman who masquerades as a Congressman in D.C. Bet that’s never happened in real life. This movie is classic Eddie with lots of laughs and a fun cast.
I’ve missed two things the most during Dumpster Fire 2020: Going to concerts and going to the movie theater. I’ve been known to have a pretty packed concert calendar and luckily, most of the shows that I was going to see have been postponed and not just outright cancelled. So that’s a good thing – just a little longer to wait, in some cases, clear until next year. But, they’re still coming to town so I will be there with bells on.
How they accomplish pulling off a concert when they want everyone to social distance is another story. Same goes for the movie theaters but you can easily block seats out for a movie to keep it at limited capacity, I suppose, but what do you do with concert venues? You’re packed in like sardines, typically, AND with GA tickets, it’s a free-for-all in the Pit. And, a lot of previous shows have been sold out for a long time so how will that work? Multiple days they have to perform to limit the seating? Hmmm, it’s a predicament. So yeah, not sure how that’s all going to shake out but here’s hoping they figure out what to do. I’ll show up in a mask all…day…long.
I’ve been following Dave Grohl’s stories throughout this whole shit show and loving all his writing. He posted this one the other day that made me think of writing my own version and reminiscing more about past awesome concerts I’ve attended, in particular back when I worked with the radio station. It’s ironic, and a tad creepy, too, that as I write this, I’m listening to SiriusXM 90s on 9 and The Smashing Pumpkins are playing. It’s the perfect segway to tell you about one of the most awesome experiences I’ve been lucky enough to lock away in my concert memory.
As I told you before, I slowly started gaining the respect of the Edge radio station crew and they started having me go to more shows with them, continuing to document everything with my fancy digital camera to post on the website. One show in particular was truly a treat. Like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Smashing Pumpkins were going on a back-to-their-roots tour, playing at dive bars and venues they originally performed out early in their band career. The only way you could attend any of the shows was to win tickets from local radio stations. It was limited to about 20 people total. A couple of winning fans and the radio station people. Whatever you could squeeze in to that number. The dive bar that had been on their roster for the Phoenix area was Boston’s in Tempe. A real pit of a place, near the Big Surf water park. Many famous bands had graced its stage back in the day but man, it was a hole. This would clearly be the most action this place had seen in a long time. And, I was asked to attend with the DJs, the head of promotions and the couple fans who won tickets. It was beyond cool.
They set up a small stage out back in their open patio area. It was February 10, 2000 so the weather was perfect. I was maybe 10 feet a way from the stage as Billy Corgan glided up there, neck to toe in a heavy canvas black dress, one of his signature “looks”. He honestly looked like he floated, just by the way he carried himself and the fact that the dress went all the way to ground, over his Doc Martens. His bald dome was gleaming in the sunlight. And, we could hear the insane amount of people freaking the fuck out on the other side of the fencing, just hanging out in the parking lot to listen. The fence was high, not chain link, so no one but the handful of us within the patio could see the band. But oh, you could hear them. It was fantastic. The lady bass player was awesome, as was the lead guitarist and the drummer too. But man, Billy as the lead. He was something. They came back to town that year on May 19 and the promotions girl who ended up being really, really good to me over time, gifted me tickets to take a friend of mine to see them at the Mesa Amphitheater, since she never had experienced their awesomeness. It wasn’t the same as the back patio of an old dive bar but was still grand.
I carry this memory and many, many other awesome live concert experiences with me to this day and really hope, fingers crossed, the experiences continue on. Seeing live music is good for the soul. There’s nothing like it. Sure, you can listen to their music or watch a recorded show on YouTube but live, with your friends and family, beer in hand, and thousands of others that dig them too, is a special kind of situation. There’s really nothing like it. And I need to damage my hearing just a little more. 42 years worth hasn’t been nearly enough. Cheers to live music and getting back out there! Fuck the Rona!
I watched the first two episodes of The Last Dance, the ESPN Chicago Bulls docuseries, all about Michael Jordan’s reign as the king of the team, the championships, the works. It was a walk down memory lane, not because I’ve ever been a big fan of the team but because of the era it all came from. The era I played a lot of basketball, in junior high and high school. The era I was a die-hard NBA fan. The era I watched so much basketball that it brought me and my family to Phoenix to see the Suns play the Bulls and then to college at ASU in 1996 and I’ve been here ever since. The era my dad and I didn’t miss a game because when Sir Charles Barkley was on TV there wasn’t anything else that would pull us away. Those games were an event at our house.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I loathed the Bulls because of my devotion for the Suns. But, I appreciated Michael. I knew he was literally a game changer and arguably the greatest of all time. Sorry Kobe and LeBron fans. It’s just a simple fact. Neither of them had that signature tongue and finger roll, nor were they asked to star in one of the greatest movies of all time, Space Jam. I mean, co-starring with Bugs Bunny?!! COME ON! All kidding aside, he was awesome to watch and I can say I got to see him play live, one time, in the rafters of the then America West Arena in downtown Phoenix with my pop and ma, where we learned about one-way streets in my pop’s Ford 350. You likely aren’t surprised to know that when you’re barreling down a street, the wrong way, in the equivalent of a small bus, other cars pull over and honk. We learned really fast how to properly roll in the big city.
I think it was February 1994, around President’s Day weekend, when I had an extra day off from school. I was a sophomore in high school. We made the big trip to Phoenix, about a 10-hour drive. I hadn’t done much research on colleges yet and my pop, no joke, when we got to town, said he’d seen freeway signs as we were driving for a nearby college and did I want to check it out. Sure. We followed the signs that led us to University Drive in Tempe. The ASU campus, to a country bumpkin like me, was something I’d really never imagined. And it had been snowing back home in Bishop, California so seeing kids in roller blades and shorts sold me on the school. It was the only college I applied to. Now, the Cinderella in me would love to tell you that I got a basketball scholarship and that’s all she wrote but nope, I was no Michael Jordan or even close. Just a stocky power forward that did however learn how to throw up threes in a pinch, sort of Dan Majerle-esque, to get away from the towering Amazons that I typically played against.
After checking out Tempe and a little bit of the ASU campus (mostly Mill Ave, to be honest:)), we toured around downtown Phoenix and saw the sights like Hooters at the Arizona Center and found Marjele’s Sports Grill too. I think we ate there or maybe tried to and it had been packed – can’t remember.
Game time was everything I had hoped and then some compared to the TV broadcast we were all so familiar with. Our seats were up in the nose-bleed section with all the die-hard fans who even at that time couldn’t afford to sit downstairs because tickets were already pricey. It honestly didn’t matter. I would have sat in the janitor’s closet if there was a view of the court. We quickly bonded with fellow Suns fans around us as that yelled out things like “Sit down Sea Hag!” for Scottie Pippen. If you’re familiar with the old Popeye cartoons, you’ll remember that character, an enemy of Popeye and his crew, and Scottie does have a nose that is very similar to the sea witch. But, although there was a ton of disdain for the rest of the Bulls line-up, you didn’t hear people trash talk Jordan. It was hard to do when the guy was so fucking good. It was a love-hate relationship for most basketball fans or at least for my family. As much as we loved the Suns team, we had to respect Jordan and the increased level of play that he brought to the court, brought out in his teammates and all the teams they came up against.
The Suns played hard, as did the Bulls, and if memory serves and my research is correct, the Suns won by one point. It was a crazy ending, as I remember, and Marjele threw up many successful three-pointers, so many in fact that the commentators at the game and on the news said they’d be serving drinks on “trays” at his bar. We walked that way after the game and the bar wall-to-wall fans, spilling out onto the street. Out front, in the parking spot right on the street, was a black Mercedes with the license plate “Nine”, his number and probably one of many cars he owned. There wasn’t a chance to actually catch a glimpse of him inside because it was a mob scene but he’d surely be partying with his teammates well into the wee hours of the morning.
Seeing Sir Charles play and the rest of the team was great. And, for the Suns to press the Bulls as hard as they did was heaven. Jordan scored a ton of points, as he always did, and it was great to see them all battle it out on the court. Basketball was insanely good then to watch and be a fan. Our trip to the big city was very memorable and in August 1996, when I got to ASU for my freshman year, that was also the first year that Sir Charles went to play with the Houston Rockets. Go figure. He clearly didn’t get the memo that his number one fan was finally in town. We did get to see the Suns play one more time against the Utah Jazz before Sir Charles left and it was another crazy fun time.
I’ve been to a few games in recent years and it’s really never been the same for me. The Jock Jams music, the Suns Gorilla and the vibe in that arena is still there but the team has had big shoes to fill for a long time. The retired jerseys hanging from the ceiling, along with the Western Conference Championship banners are full of memories. I did enjoy watching Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire and Grant Hill play in later years. But, they were still a close second to Barkley and team.
I’m looking forward to the rest of The Last Dance and my continued walk down the NBA Memory Lane. I honesty didn’t know much about what was going on with the Bulls and the wild internal struggles they faced as they entered that last championship year in 1998. ESPN has done an awesome job with the series and I’ll keep soaking it up. I heard Sir Charles makes an appearance because they interview all the greats from the Jordan era. I’ll have my tissue box ready since I know I’ll be weepy. Blame it on the Rona or just my old age. Nostalgia chokes me up the older I get and when I remember awesome family memories. Cheers to basketball and the Jordan era. Thank you for entertaining us and bringing all that magic to the court. The teenager in me will never forget it.
The past two years have been like a Christmas miracle. One of my favorite sitcoms, Will & Grace, came back for another run. It really has been a TV gift and a love letter to the fans.
Only until recently, since I’m at home with more time on my hands then usual, has it finally sunk in that it’s coming to an end, a real end this time. Thursday, April 23, is the final episode. I plan on making quarantinis in honor of my favorite quartet and, of course, for Karen Walker. And, I won’t pour one out for my homies, since that would be wasteful. I am my father’s daughter
A week ago, a special episode aired. They performed a tribute to I Love Lucy, showcasing scenes from some of the top episodes and fan-favorites including Lucy Does a TV Commercial (Vitametavegimin), Job Switching (The Candy Factory) and Lucy’s Italian Movie (The one where she goes grape-stomping). Each actor played different roles and switched during the episode. It was fantastic and the amount of time spent researching and watching the physical movements of the original characters was crazy – it was frame-by-frame perfect with some additional Will & Grace cast ad-libbing.
Growing up, I was a huge I Love Lucy fan. It was a show that my grandma and I could watch together and laugh for hours. It was tough finding much of anything that my grandma liked. She was a tough old broad, what you would call a Grumpy Cat these days. This show helped to lighten her mood and we never missed watching all the reruns together. She bought me a VHS series of the best of the best and we watched those over and over again during her visits to my house and I’d take them with me to watch at her house too. It was our thing. Aside from occasionally fishing together, those were the best memories I had of my grandma enjoying something. There was likely no better actress than Lucille Ball who could have broken down grumpy barricades. And, since I wasn’t a fan of Lawrence Welk, my grandma’s other favorite show, I Love Lucy was our common ground.
My grandma passed away in 2010, a few months shy of her 92nd birthday. She had a really great run, as they say. The other night, while watching the Lucy tribute episode, I’m sure she was laughing along with us. There’s zero chance she missed it. I saved the episode to rewatch, it was that good. I know I’ll need more Lucy and Will & Grace laughs before too long. It’ll help balance out all the horror shows I watch and death metal I listen to.
Big thanks to the cast and crew of Will & Grace for tackling that iconic comedy. You too are in the iconic comedy category and I’m sure Lucy was impressed. Cheers to you and eleven seasons of laughter!
I’m a huge Foo Fighters fan. My bestie and I were actually supposed to be at the opening show of their 25th Anniversary Big Red Van Tour on Easter Sunday night, seeing Dave Grohl and the boys rock out with us Phoenicians. Luckily, it will now be an early Christmas present in December and they didn’t have to cancel our tour stop.
Aside from the awesome tunes that Dave writes, he started an Instagram account of Dave’s True Stories during this dumpster fire. They are so great and so funny. I’m hoping he collects them for a book or keeps writing after everything is back to the new normal. But, it’s inspired me to put some of my own stories down on this blog, how I have in the past, but in particular, a few that fall into the rock ‘n’ roll category. Yes, there actually are some of those. So here goes nothing. This one’s for Dave.
I had an internship at a dot com my last semester of college at ASU. I was graduating with a B.A. in Journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in May 2000. My guidance counselor helped me get the internship at AccessArizona.com and it was paid which was really hard to come by so I was thrilled. I wouldn’t have to work an extra job – just that one. It wasn’t exactly front page, ambulance-chasing news like I wanted but lots of fun entertainment stuff that I dug. They gave me a lot of freedom to create fun new sections of the site like Downtown Amy Brown where I wrote a column reviewing the latest music venues and local bands around town. It was fun. And, after being there one month, I turned 22, so was still in my newbie legal drinking-mode. It was perfect for hitting the town on the regular.
In addition to running a few entertainment channels of the website, I was also gifted the “Webmistress” title for running the Edge’s website. Now, the Edge was all alt-rock radio station in Phoenix that sadly no longer exists. It was awesome in its hayday. We had a number of partnerships with local radio stations where in exchange for us running their websites, they’d give us free advertising for our website. Seemed like a good tradeoff, one would think. But man, those radio personalities could be a handful.
For example: I’d be driving to work to Downtown Phoenix from my condo in Mesa, so a bit of a drive. This was in 2000 so not as much traffic as we have now but still Rush Hour. I’d be listening to the morning show and they’d say things like “This will be on our website within the next 10 minutes so check it out!” Yeah, good times. I was more like their radio bitch a good chunk of the time but all-in-all, it was still a ton of fun especially at 22 years old. And, when I finally broke through the barrier of their too-cool-for-school attitudes, I became close with a number of the DJs and the promotion folks, letting me tag along to shows because they wanted to make sure they got photo slideshows of everything. So the “Webmistress” was finally part of the gang and not just some dumb college kid (who then graduated and got a full-time gig with AccessArizona, BTW).
That summer after I graduated, they had their big annual EdgeFest, a full afternoon and night of bands at what’s now Ak-Chin Pavilion. I think it was in June or July, so nice and hot. I usually avoid that music venue in the summer but I was the Webmistress and ready to rock out with my trusty digital camera. I don’t recall all of the line-up but I remember some of the highlights – Cypress Hill, Bush and Everclear.
Pistol Pete, one of the DJs, was my very favorite. I loved paling around with him – he was ton of fun and such a character. He had a ginormous crush on Gavin Rossdale, the frontman for Bush (and now ex-husband of Gwen Stefani). He told me leading up to the fest that his goal was to find him, have him sign a poster and was very hopeful for a big hug too.
That night, in between snapping photos of the other bands backstage and the sidestage where there were all the pre-show interviews, we walked by tour bus after tour bus yelling “GAVIN! WHERE ARE YOU, GAVIN??!!” like the couple of crazies we were. We weaved our way in and out of the buses, dodging bodyguards and security. We had official backstage passes so that was excuse enough for us to be super-coo-coos. Bush was the second to last band before Everclear would close out the night. And the band before them was on stage right then.
We struck out with the tour buses and decided to head inside to the green room. And sure enough, there was Gavin in the hallway, tall and hot as ever, talking to some fans. I’m pretty certain Pete nearly passed out when he saw him and he grabbed my arm and squeezed.
“Oh. My. GAWD, honey, it’s HIM!”
I got my camera at the ready and we walked as slowly as we could up to him, not being too neurotic, but picking up the pace as we saw that he was ending his coversation with the couple of fans and starting to walk away. I wasn’t going to miss out on Pete getting that autograph on his poster and most importantly, that hug. I also wanted to fangirl a bit and at least get my ticket stub signed.
I honestly don’t even remember the conversation we had – I just remember how nice and gratious he was, especially to Pete, who had turned three shades of red and did get that autograph and hug he had been dreaming of. I snapped multiple photos that I’m sure Pete printed and hung up everywhere he could. I remember one being in his office at the radio station.
They went on stage shortly after and we ran out front to watch, both of us grinning ear-to-ear. They were awesome – I hadn’t seen then perform before so it was a real treat. And, that we’d just met Gavin, made it even sweeter. They could have sung nursery rhymes. It didn’t matter – we’d achieved Pete’s goal and that was that.
We then went backstage and watched Everclear from Stage Left. It was beyond surreal to look out at the crowd when I was always used to being in the crowd. The sound of the fans and the loud music combo was overwhelming, not to mention the heat exhaustion and all the beer I’d had. It was one of the best nights of my life. I think I slept for a full 24 hours, once I got home at around 5 a.m. It’s tough partying like a rock star. The cliche is so fucking true. That was the first night of a few more memorable shows I was fortunate to be invited to. Pete was always so great to let me be his sidekick and I loved him for that.
Years later I saw Bush open for Nickelback. Yes, I’m a huge fan of Nickelcrack, as my bestie and I call them, and proud of it. And no, I don’t care that a pickle has more fans then they do. I still dig ’em.
When Bush took the stage at the Pepsi Arena in Denver, I couldn’t help but smile and remember that epic summer night. It would never fade, no matter the years or excessive drinking. It was locked away in my memory forever, as it should be, and came back in a rush as soon as they started playing Glycerine. Thanks, Gavin, for the sweet, sweet memory and Pete, for everything.
So there really are no words to describe what all has happened but I’ll try.
First of all: What the actual FUCK?! Did y’all think something like this could ever happen?! Did you ever think that Disneyland would close for an indefinite amount of time?! Man, it just feels like a bad movie. Like a Lifetime bad movie. There are literally days like today where I wake up thinking, and forgetting, this dumpster fire is still happening and yep, I have to first remember what day it is, because that’s a struggle and then second yep, remind myself that this shitshow is REAL. Then, I decide if I’m going to really “get ready” or just throw on a hat. You decide what’s my typical daily routine. My “Chaos Coordinator” trucker hat has seen a lot of action.
When this all started, I decided to be lazier than usual but try something new, since ya know, got some time on my hands. I’ve been rambling on a pseudo podcast. I’ve got the writing thing down, or at least I think I do. You tell me?! BUT, I’ve wanted to try the spoken word for awhile and with a face for radio, a podcast was born. Originally, Syd had wanted to try one this past summer. I gave her the opportunity to do it now but no go – now that she’s 13, she’s too cool for school and her mom most of the time. That’s ok though – I’ve been enjoying it and it’s mostly for me because I think I’ve gotten a handful of people listening. It’s just stupid shit, things to do and watch, my comedy, blah, blah, blah.
Anyway, if you’re interested, you can check it out here. I hope to get some “special guests” on there at some point but that would require me to plan a little bit and right now I’m just flying by the seat of my pants. I have a little notebook that I jot down funny things, entertainment updates, things to do and anything else I think of to collect for my daily rants and that’s about it. The notebook does say “Girl Power” on the front so there’s that. Super low budget. So we’ll see about roping some of my friends and family into the mix…if they’re willing.
Otherwise, for me, being an extreme extrovert as in I was given the title “Cruise Director” long ago because I’m the planner for my friends and family, this whole COVID-19 disaster has been super-shitastic. Concerts and events cancelled or postponed, the movie theaters shutdown, restaurants and local businesses just trying to keep afloat (but knowing most won’t be able to reopen), people suffering and dying…fuck…just the world on pause and having to take everything one day at a time, and a day at a time that feels like years. I can’t wait to go to an event again, actually sit down in one of my favorite restaurants and bars, see a movie in a theater, and most importantly, see my mom and my friends all in person.
I’ve managed to continue to be a shopaholic from the comfort of my own home and get tons of shit from my fam because of all the packages that keep arriving but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. And I’m supporting local, GOD DAMNIT! I’ve even done some baking which means pigs have officially started flying, along with a hellmouth opening up next to my pool. Betty Fucking Crocker, right here. FML.
The meme game is stronger than ever right now too – it’s amazing to see how clever people are. There are A LOT of funny peeps out there. Give ’em a quarantine and they go to town! And that Tiger King shitshow on Netflix, that brought out a whole new batch of crazies. What a show! Meme after meme and GIF after GIF. It’s crazy fun! It definitely helps to pass the time and laugh. Laughter is the best medicine after all and the ONLY medicine I want to have at this point…well, that and beer. There’s always beer.
Speaking of beer, has that not been the strangest thing you’ve witnessed at the grocery store during this mess? The TP is gone yet the booze aisle is still fully stocked. Makes zero sense and it’s still like that every week we go! That’s what I’m hoarding, just saying.
The free entertainment is at an all-time high. Bands performing from their livingrooms, late-night talk show hosts doing the same. New shows coming out left and right on streaming services and movies on VOD. It’s hard to even keep up there’s so much to check out. It’s awesome to see everyone helping people stay home. And, the gifting and donations is beyond wonderful! Everyone pitching in to help. No matter what anyone says because the White House is run by a reality show assclown, Americans still do what they need to in a time of crisis and all on their own – they just dig in where they need to. Not all heros wear capes.
Well, there’s not much more to say than stay the fuck at home, stay safe and wash your fucking hands. Three step process. That’s it and then maybe we can finally go back to normal, whatever that normal will be now. Just as long as I can start filling my calendar up again, that’s all I ask. I’ve got shit to do, people to see and places to go. Oh the places we’ll go. Thanks, Dr. Seuss.
From Rushia With Love 