CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — more than 90 paintings and drawings by Henri Matisse & Richard Diebenkorn are on display at the Baltimore, Maryland Museum of Art through January 29th.
Moves to San Fran in MarchHAIL and FAREWELL to the veteran character actor Fritz Weaver— the star of two memorable Twilight Zone episodes, and a 1970 Tony Award winner for his role in Child's Play — who has died at the age of 90.
Plus, the Taiwanese man who created the very popular Chinese restaurant item General Tso’s Chicken, chef Peng Chang-kuei— believed to have invented it while cooking for a 1952 banquet in honor of US Seventh Fleet commander Admiral Arthur Radford — who has died at the age of 98. It’s high calorie and cholesterol-laden, I know …… but dang if it wasn’t so delicious.
As well as the baseball pitcher Ralph Branca— most known for throwing the pitch that resulted in the 1951 pennant-winning home run — who has died at the age of 90. I’m glad that in 2001, it was revealed that the opposing team had stolen the signs (so that Bobby Thomson knew what pitch was coming) yet Branca had never complained about it. My father was an old NY Giants fan, yet always spoke warmly about Branca.
In citing comforting words that his Jesuit priest told him (that God had chosen him to bear that burden) came the story that his mother was a Hungarian Jewish emigrée and thus Branca can be considered a Jew: I very much like the concluding sentence from an essayist in Commentary Magazine — "There is no question that no matter which group can lay claim to him, he was always a mensch".
And in more recent years, the release of the film 42— about Jackie Robinson’s debut season in baseball that ended formal segregation — I was glad to see it mentioned that Ralph Branca was one of the few teammates that welcomed Robinson right from the start.
THURSDAY's CHILDREN are named Stuart & Tigger the Cats— with a family glad to see long-time pet Stuart warmly accept Tigger (a 22 year-old shelter kitteh with kidney trouble) as his new buddy.
Stuart & Tigger the CatsIN SOUTHERN BRAZIL there is a community of descendants from Poland— whose delis sell pierogis and where one can still hear Polish being spoken on the street.
YOUR ‘MUST-READ’ ESSAY for this week: an award acceptance from the current Washington Post editor (and former editor of the Boston Globe who was featured in the film Spotlight) Marty Baron— who speaks of the responsibilities of journalists, especially with the advent of you-know-who.
CHEERS to a pleasant long Thanksgiving weekend. Two of my three siblings from the other-side-of-the-aisle were at their in-laws, and the third one (whose home I stayed at) kept a political-free dinner. My fourth sibling is on our team, thus no issues ….. so it was all good.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Samson the Cat— a North Carolina kitteh who went missing for over a year, finally sent home … via his microchip.
Samson the CatBRAIN TEASER - try last week’s Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC, as well as this week’s edition.
THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a look at the successful defense of the men’s world chess championship by Norway’s Magnus Carlsen— in a sudden-death victory (via a pseudo-queen sacrifice) on his 26th birthday — and how his taking on a pro-Putin Russian opponent reminded me of watching the 1972 Boris Spassky-Bobby Fischer match at the height of the Cold War.
OLDER-YOUNGER BROTHERS — former Gov. Mitt Romney and cult film star Bruce Campbell (“Evil Dead” series).
Mitt Romney (born 1947) Bruce Campbell (born 1958)...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… Nancy LaMott became a star on the New York cabaret circuit during the 1980’s, born nearly sixty-five years ago in Midland, Michigan (or as she termed it, a suburb of Dow Chemical). She started publicly singing with the big jazz dance band of her father (trumpeter Jack LaMott) in 1966 at age 15, blessed with a sweet voice.
But she was not blessed with normal health, as in her late teens she developed Crohn's disease, a serious bowel disorder that often caused her to be hospitalized. While becoming a name singer in New York and recording, she often had to be on cortisone and prescription pain killers for her disease, and addictive patterns and eating disorders became common.
Finally she underwent an ileostomy operation (at age 42) to remove part of her small intestine – and finally freed, she continued performing at places such as the Oak Room at New York's Algonquin Hotel and recording new albums. The famous New York disk jockey Jonathan Schwartz became a fan, as did Kathie Lee Gifford. Nancy sang at the White House twice, became a favorite of the Clintons, and life seemed on the upswing.
Until two years after her operation, when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer in January, 1995. Unlike her previous lingering disease, this one spread quickly: defying hormone therapy, a hysterectomy and chemotherapy. She performed right up until early December, 1995 – appearing on the Charles Grodin Show to sing "Moon River".
But it turned out she had only days to live – and in her final hour on earth, she was married to her boyfriend Peter Zapp. Nancy LaMott died in December, 1995 … just days short of her 44th birthday. She was awarded a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs a few months later. In 2003, family and estate issues were resolved, resulting in the reissue of her six albums (and a new live album as well).
Nancy LaMott in her youth and near the end of her lifeI have many favorites from her, especially her version of It Might as Well Be Spring - from “State Fair” by Rodgers & Hammerstein. As mentioned, a number of times I have commented upon a post by someone on DK or Facebook - from people urging peace, or stating that all that matters is how we treat each other. And with these election results: we need that more-then-ever.
To me, her song We Can Be Kind – written by her producer, David Friedman – expresses that feeling best. And below you can listen to it, coming from Listen to my Heart - her last album of all-new recordings.
Nobody really wants to fight … nobody really wants to go to war … If everyone wants to make things right ... then what are we always fighting for?
Does nobody want to see it? Does nobody understand? The power to heal is right here in our hands
We can be kind …..We can take care of each other
We can remember that deep down inside … We all need the same thing … And maybe we'll find … If we are kind to each other …. that together we'll weather .. whatever tomorrow may bring
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