AS SEEN ON TV: TIM TEBOW

For the last "As Seen On TV" spotlight of the year, I'm dedicating this one to my brother Tim, who's a big Broncos fan....

TIM TEBOW

AS SEEN ON:
'Saturday Night Live'

AS PLAYED BY:
Taran Killam

TV DIMENSION:
Skitlandia

From Wikipedia:
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow (born August 14, 1987) is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and played college football at Florida.

Tebow played quarterback for Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and was ranked among the top quarterback prospects in the nation as a high school senior. He ultimately chose to attend the University of Florida. As a backup to starter Chris Leak and a key situational contributor, Tebow helped the Gators win the national championship during the 2006 college football season. Tebow was the Gators' starting quarterback during the 2007 season and became the first college football player to both rush and pass for 20 or more touchdowns in a single season. Consequently, he became the first college sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. In 2008, Tebow led Florida to a 13-1 record and its second national championship in three years, and was named the offensive MVP of the national championship game. The Gators again went 13-1 and finished with a top- ranking in 2009, Tebow's senior year.

Tebow was selected in the 1st round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos. He started the last three games of his rookie season and became the Broncos' full-time starting QB beginning in the 6th game of 2011. His team was 1-4 before Tebow began playing regularly, but immediately began winning with him on the field, often by coming from behind late in the 4th quarter.

Tebow is known as a dual threat quarterback, adept at both rushing and passing the football. At the conclusion of his college career, he held the Southeastern Conference's all-time records in both career passing efficiency and total rushing touchdowns, appearing second and tenth (respectively) in the NCAA record book in these categories. With his unorthodox NFL QB skillset, frequent expressions of religion, and ability to help his team win, Tebow has attracted unprecedented praise, criticism, and attention from the sporting media and beyond. Commenting on Tebow's play and the attention he has garnered, many football players and observers have said that they "have never seen anything like it."

BCnU!

THE FLEETS ARE IN!

"Hi. My name is Larry.

This is my brother Darryl. And this is my other brother Darryl."

Larry

'Newhart'

One other point of interest from that "Mayberry Band" episode of 'The Andy Griffith Show' which I wrote about yesterday - Joseph Sirola was one of the guest stars playing a traveling musician named Freddy Fleet. By the way Andy and Barney greeted him when his band arrived in town, they had met before.

Bobby Fleet One

The Mayberry wikia would have you accept that Freddy Fleet was the same guy named Bobby Fleet who made two previous visits to Mayberry - in "The Guitar Player" (played by Henry Slate) and in "The Guitar Player Returns" (played by Herb Ellis). And they're only doing it because that's what the show wanted you to think. (Who had any idea back then that there would be DVDs and all-day marathons on TV Land?)

But as you might expect from a recastaway situation, none of them looked alike; and of course there's that matter of Sirola's Fleet having a different first name.

Freddy Fleet

Because of that quote at the top of the page, you may have already figured out where I'm going with this. As was the case of Larry, Darryl, and Darryl, these three Fleets were all brothers. And two of them had the same first name.

This situation isn't limited just to these two sitcoms. Over in the Wold Newton Universe, there are thee James Moriarty's to splain away certain discrepancies. I believe there are three Captain Nemo's as well for the same reason.

It could be that since the first two brothers are known as "Bobby", only one of them has "Robert" as his Christian name. The other could be "Robin", "Robinson", or even "Bobbitt".

Bobby Fleet Two

If this theory works, then the second Bobby took over "Bobby Fleet And The Band With The Beat" - probably because something happened to his older brother. And when Freddy showed up in Mayberry (and not for the first time, based on the dialogue), he may have taken over the band from Bobby Two. But I prefer to think that since we didn't see Jim Lindsey with the band, and the name of the band was not printed on the side of the "bus", then Freddy had started his own band.

And to splain away the Zonk of the characters greeting the second Bobby as though he had been there for that first episode, it could be chalked up to a matter of confusion - a mental lapse. We all get them. ("I could have sworn it was you who....")

And Bobby Two was too polite to correct them.

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: RUDYARD KIPLING

RUDYARD KIPLING

AS SEEN IN:
'The Time Tunnel'

AS PLAYED BY:
David Watson

TV DIMENSION:
Not Determined

STATUS:
Recastaway

From Wikipedia:
Joseph Rudyard Kipling (30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936) was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature. He was born in Bombay, in the Bombay Presidency of British India, and was taken by his family to England when he was five years old. Kipling is best known for his works of fiction, including The Jungle Book (a collection of stories which includes "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"), Just So Stories (1902) (1894), Kim (1901) (a tale of adventure), many short stories, including "The Man Who Would Be King" (1888); and his poems, including Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The White Man's Burden (1899) and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major "innovator in the art of the short story"; his children's books are enduring classics of children's literature; and his best works are said to exhibit "a versatile and luminous narrative gift".

The Civil and Military Gazette in Lahore, the newspaper which Kipling was to call "mistress and most true love," appeared six days a week throughout the year except for a one-day break each for Christmas and Easter. Kipling was worked hard by editor Stephen Wheeler, but Kipling's need to write was unstoppable. In 1886 he published his first collection of verse, Departmental Ditties. That year also brought a change of editors at the newspaper; Kay Robinson, the new editor, allowed more creative freedom and Kipling was asked to contribute short stories to the newspaper.

During the summer of 1883, Kipling visited Shimla (then known as Simla), a well-known hill station and summer capital of British India. By then it was established practice for the Viceroy of India and the government to move to Simla for six months and the town became a "centre of power as well as pleasure." Kipling's family became yearly visitors to Simla and Lockwood Kipling was asked to serve in the Christ Church there.

Rudyard Kipling returned to Simla for his annual leave each year from 1885 to 1888, and the town figured prominently in many of the stories that he wrote for the Gazette. He describes this time: "My month’s leave at Simla, or whatever Hill Station my people went to, was pure joy—every golden hour counted. It began in heat and discomfort, by rail and road. It ended in the cool evening, with a wood fire in one’s bedroom, and next morn—thirty more of them ahead!—the early cup of tea, the Mother who brought it in, and the long talks of us all together again. One had leisure to work, too, at whatever play-work was in one’s head, and that was usually full."

Back in Lahore, some thirty-nine stories appeared in the Gazette between November 1886 and June 1887. Most of these stories were included in Plain Tales from the Hills, Kipling's first prose collection, which was published in Calcutta in January 1888, a month after his 22nd birthday. Kipling's time in Lahore, however, had come to an end. In November 1887 he was transferred to the Gazette's much larger sister newspaper, The Pioneer, in Allahabad in the United Provinces.

It was in 1886 when Kipling met time travelers Tony Newman and Doug Philips. I'm still not certain whether or not Tony and Doug were also crossing over into parallel time-lines, which could splain away why the historical figures they met looked different from other portrayals in various TV programs.

Today would have been his 146th birthday.....

BCnU!

ANDY TAYLOR - MAYBERRY MALFEASANT

J'ACCUSE!

Here's a little item that caught my eye while home for Christmas......

If you google "Sheriff Commits Fraud", you'll find plenty of news stories archived where the town sheriff is accused of bank fraud, mail fraud, insurance fraud.....

But did you know that in Toobworld, the most beloved sheriff of all should be tarred with that same brush?

In a third season episode of 'The Andy Griffith Show', Mayor Stoner refused to sanction the financial under-writing of the Mayberry Band's trip to the state capital for the annual competition. His reason? They suck.

So Andy forces a visiting band of professional musicians, by threatening them with trumped-up charges (so there's another crime!), into acting as ringers in the marching band in order to deceive the Mayor.

Mayor Stoner doesn't realize he's been duped until the band's bus pulls out of town.

Here are the relevant clips from that episode:

Now, had this been real life, Andy would have lost his job as soon as he got back to Mayberry. But in the Tooboworld reality it was apparently okay as it was all for a "good cause". Of course, that cause entailed drinking, carousing, and probably even whoring by only an elite few from Mayberry. And all on the town's dime.

The dark underside of small town life......

It's as Sherlock Holmes said in "The Adventure Of The Copper Beeches":

"It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.…

"[L]ook at these lonely houses, each in its own fields, filled for the most part with poor ignorant folk who know little of the law. Think of the deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on, year in, year out, in such places, and none the wiser."

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: THOMAS à BECKET

On this date in 1170, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II; he subsequently becomes a saint and martyr in the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

THOMAS à BECKET

AS SEEN IN:
"Who Killed Thomas Becket?"

AS PLAYED BY:
Guy Henry

From Wikipedia:
Thomas Becket (also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London, and later Thomas à Becket; circa 1118 – 29 December 1170) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He engaged in conflict with Henry II of England over the rights and privileges of the Church and was assassinated by followers of the king in Canterbury Cathedral. Soon after the death of Thomas Becket, Pope Alexander III canonized him.

You can read the Wikipedia account of Becket's assassination by clicking here.

And to see a dramatization of Becket's death, film-maker Andrew Chater's website has about six salient film clips from the documentary.

One of my favorite "historical" quotes comes from this event:

"Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?" - Henry II

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: DENZEL WASHINGTON

DENZEL WASHINGTON

AS SEEN ON:
'Saturday Night Live'

AS PLAYED BY:
Jay Pharaoh

From Wikipedia:
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, 'St. Elsewhere', playing Dr. Philip Chandler for six years. He has received much critical acclaim for his work in film since the 1990s, including for his portrayals of real-life figures, such as Steve Biko, Malcolm X, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, Melvin B. Tolson, Frank Lucas, and Herman Boone.

Washington, has received two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe awards, and a Tony Award. He is notable for winning the Best Supporting Actor for "Glory" in 1989; and the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2001 for his role in the film "Training Day".

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: GERARD DEPARDIEU

GERARD DEPARDIEU

AS SEEN ON:
'Saturday Night Live'

AS PLAYED BY:
Chris Farley

TV DIMENSION:
Skitlandia

From Wikipedia:
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu (born 27 December 1948) is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor. He also won the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in "Green Card" and was nominated for an Academy Award for the title role in "Cyrano de Bergerac".

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: JOHN WALSH

JOHN WALSH

AS SEEN ON:
'Saturday Night Live'

AS PLAYED BY:
Phil Hartman

TV DIMENSION:
Skitlandia

From Wikipedia:
John Edward Walsh (born December 26, 1945) is an American television personality, criminal investigator, human and victim rights advocate and formerly the host, as well as creator, of 'America's Most Wanted'. Walsh is known for his anti-crime activism, which he became involved with following the murder of his son, Adam, in 1981; in 2008, the now dead serial killer Ottis Toole was named as the killer of Walsh's son. Walsh is part owner of the Museum of Crime & Punishment in Washington, D.C.

BCnU!

TVXOHOF, 12/2011 - SANTA LARRY

Last year, we wrote about Santa Larry, and promised that one day he would be inducted into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame. As it's Christmas, that day is now.

Larry was a professional Santa Claus representative who seemed to have incredibly bad luck all across the country, from Seattle to Washington, D.C., into America's heartland with a gig in the town of Orson, and then back East to Philadelphia.

After writing up that story on Santa Larry, it appears that he finally got his wish to actually "become" Santa Claus. Actually, it looks as though he was chosen by the real Kris Kringle, old St. Nick, to serve as a "Santa soul-clone"*, in which he was given the ability to create some Christmas magic on behalf of the Jolly Old Elf.

His first mission proved to be a success, as he helped a few teens in California to re-discover the true meaning of Christmas:

He claimed to be Wesley Guttelson, a door-to-door door salesman, but by the end of the episode, we saw the evidence that he had been granted that Christmas magic as a Santa soul-clone.  And although it did come with a few bumps and bruises, Santa Larry probably felt it was worth it - and besides, he definitely had suffered worse in years past!

As for this Christmas season, things were looking good for Santa Larry as he continued the tradition of helping the real Santa Claus. As an example, he gave advice and approval to a gift selected by a guy for his girl-friend:

From this blipvert, we can see that Santa Larry has been promoted to being one of the many Santa soul-clones who actually carry out the delivery of gifts all across the world so that it all gets done in one night. Santa Larry was finally in "the Game".

But then... the trouble started once again.....

Poor dude just can't catch a break!

Don't these women realize how this will cause a retaliation against them come next Christmas? They all deserve to be on the real Santa's naughty list. And they should get coal in their stockings!

But at any rate, Santa Larry has added more appearances to his Toobworld resume and is more than qualified to be a member of the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.

HoHoHo!

* The soul-clone theory was developed by Chuck Loridans in regards to Dracula. I didn't think it worked for the many televersions of Dracula, but with a slight adjustment (to be something more beneficent), I think we can use the term to apply to the many "real" Santas in Toobworld who don't look like Charles Durning, the official Santa Claus of Earth Prime-Time.

FROM ALL THE WHOS DOWN IN WHOVILLE.....

Welcome Christmas, Yahoo Dorais!

Since 2006, we've had the tradition of a special Christmas episode of 'Doctor Who' and tonight will be no different.

To get you in the mood - as if Whovians, the tall and the small, haven't been eagerly anticipating this for week! - here are a seiies of videos to lead up to the big broadcast. (Here in the United States, the show begins at 9 pm on BBC-Americia)

And hopefully that should tide you over until tonight's presentation of 'Doctor Who' - "The Doctor, The Widow, And The Wardrobe"......

Merry Christmas!
 



AS SEEN ON TV: THE CHRISTMAS SCHNOZZ

JIMMY DURANTE

AS SEEN IN:
"Frosty The Snowman"

AS VOICED BY:
Jimmy Durante

TV DIMENSION:
The Tooniverse

From Wikipedia:
James Francis "Jimmy" Durante (February 10, 1893 – January 29, 1980) was an American singer, pianist, comedian and actor. His distinctive clipped gravelly speech, comic language butchery, jazz-influenced songs, and large nose helped make him one of America's most familiar and popular personalities of the 1920s through the 1970s. His jokes about his nose included referring to it as a "Schnozzola", and the word became his nickname.

Jimmy Durante is known to most modern audiences as the character who narrated and sang the 1969 animated special "Frosty the Snowman". He also performed the Ron Goodwin title song to the 1968 comedy-adventure "Monte Carlo or Bust" sung over the film's animated opening credits. There are numerous Durante depictions and allusions in animation. Pumbaa does a brief Durante impression while singing "Hakuna Matata" in "The Lion King". A character in M-G-M cartoons, a bulldog named Spike, whose puppy son was always getting caught by accident in the middle of Tom and Jerry's activities, referenced Durante with a raspy voice and an affectionate "Dat's my boy!"

In another Tom and Jerry episode, a starfish lands on Tom's head, giving him a big nose. He then proceeds with Durante's famous "Ha-cha-cha-cha" call. A Durante-like voice (originally by Doug Young) was also given to the father beagle, Doggie Daddy, in Hanna-Barbera's "Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy" cartoons, Doggie Daddy invariably addressing the junior beagle with a Durante-like "Augie, my son, my son," and with frequent citations of, "That's my boy who said that!" In the 1933 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes short, "Bosko's Picture Show", there is a scene where he is chased by Adolf Hitler with a meat cleaver.

Many 1940s Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoons had characters based on Durante. Two examples are "A Gruesome Twosome", which features a cat based on Durante and "Baby Bottleneck", which in unedited versions opens with a Durante-like stork. "Book Revue" shows the well-known (at that time) 1924 Edna Ferber novel "So Big" featuring a Durante caricature on the cover. The "so big" refers to his nose, and as a runaway criminal turns the corner by the book, Durante turns sideways using his nose to trip the criminal, allowing his capture. In the Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoon named "Hollywood Daffy", Durante is directly depicted as himself, pronouncing his catch-phrase "Those are the conditions that prevail!". One of Durante's common catch phrases, "I got a million of 'em!", was used as Bugs' final line in "Stage Door Cartoon".

A Durante-like voice was also used for Marvel Comics superhero The Thing in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon 'Fred and Barney Meet the Thing'. In a 1993 episode of 'The Simpsons' titled "Lady Bouvier's Lover", after Grampa cries out, "Good night, Mrs. Bouvier, wherever you are," the Blue-haired lawyer announces himself in charge of Jimmy Durante's estate and therefore puts a halt to Abraham Simpson's "unauthorized imitation" of Durante. The voice and appearance of Crispy, the mascot for Crispy Critters cereal, was also based on Durante.

In the main TV Universe of Earth Prime-Time, there are certain movies that have been "abducted" from the Cineverse and absorbed into the main Toobworld. I don't see why the same cannot be true for The Tooniverse - and therefore, "Hollywood Daffy" can be considered a prequel of "Frosty The Snowman", in that Durante's character in both are the same man, his own self just separated by 22 years.

BCnU!


MERRY CHRISTMAS!





MERRY CHRISTMAS (FROM 221-B BAKER STREET)

Here's our Christmas TV episode. A little something out of the ordinary......

And here's a comparison between two versions of "The Blue Carbuncle" - one with Peter Cushing as Holmes and Brett as the Great Detective.

Merry Christmas!

THE JOLLY OLD CHEVY SALESMAN

Probably the best series of Christmas commercials this year comes from Chevrolet. A Chevy salesman named Nick, who has the most fantastic white beard I've seen, is being confused for the real Santa Claus. The things he says and does give that impression, but his actions also seem to indicate he's just a guy named Nick with a white beard.....

That last one is my favorite of the bunch, because the customer reminds me of a guy I used to work with named Ruxton.

As far as I'm concerned, he is just a guy named Nick and this is the type of confusion he's had to face ever since his hair turned white and he decided to grow the beard. And that takes nothing away from how funny these commercials are.

BCnU!

CHRISTMAS IN BEDROCK

Here's a little Christmas story preview from LONG before the Christ Child was even born!  (But things are always different in the Tooniverse.....)

"I WISH IT WAS CHRISTMAS TODAY-AY!"

This group made a most welcome return to 'Saturday Night Live' when Jimmy Fallon hosted the last show of the year......

BCnU!

"THE BOLT WHO SCREWED CHRISTMAS"

In this naughty but nice parody of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas", most of the voices represent a 'Lost In Space' reunion: Jonathan Harris (his final performance), Marta Kristen, Bill Mumy, and Angela Cartwright.  Tress MacNeille tightens the nuts as Cindy Loose Screw.......

HoHoHo!

AS SEEN ON TV: ROD SERLING

Submitted for your approval: Toobworld's greatest serlinguist would have been 87 years old on Christmas Day.....

ROD SERLING

AS SEEN ON:
'Saturday Night Live'

AS PLAYED BY:
Norm MacDonald

TV DIMENSION:
Skitlandia

STATUS:
Recastaway

From Wikipedia:
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form television industry standards. He was known as the "angry young man" of Hollywood, clashing with television executives and sponsors over a wide range of issues including censorship, racism, and anti-war politics.

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

On this date in 1970 – The North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York City is topped out at 1,368 feet (417 m), making it the tallest building in the world.

THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

AS SEEN IN:
'Life On Mars' (US)

TV DIMENSION:
Earth Prime-Time
(Induced Dream State in 2035)

From Wikipedia:
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new skyscrapers and a memorial to the casualties of the attacks. As of November 2011, only one skyscraper has been completed, with four more expected to be completed before 2020. One World Trade Center will be the lead building for the new complex and is expected to be finished by 2013. A sixth tower is still awaiting confirmation to be built. At the time of their completion, the original 1 and 2 World Trade Center, known colloquially as the Twin Towers, were the tallest buildings in the world.

Groundbreaking for the World Trade Center took place on August 5, 1966. The North Tower (1) was completed in December 1972 and the South Tower (2) was finished in July 1973.

For Sam Tyler to be able to see the Towers, even though he was having a dream in suspended animation, the storyline that was playing out for him took place after July 1973.

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: BARBARA BILLINGSLEY

BARBARA BILLINGSLEY

AS SEEN IN:
'SCTV'

AS PLAYED BY:
Catherine O'Hara

TV DIMENSION:
Skitlandia

From Wikipedia:
Barbara Billingsley (December 22, 1915 – October 16, 2010) was an American film, television, voice and stage actress. She gained prominence in the 1950s movie "The Careless Years", acting opposite Natalie Trundy, followed by her best–known role, that of June Cleaver on the television series 'Leave It to Beaver' (1957–1963) and its sequel 'Still the Beaver '(1985–1988, retitled in season two as The New Leave It to Beaver).

In 1952 Billingsley had her first guest–starring role on an episode of 'The Abbott and Costello Show'. The part led to other roles on 'The Lone Wolf', two episodes of 'City Detective', 'The Pride of the Family', 'Schlitz Playhouse of Stars', 'Letter to Loretta', 'General Electric Summer Originals', 'You Are There', 'Cavalcade of America', 'Panic!', 'Mr. Adams and Eve', 'The Love Boat', 'Silver Spoons', 'Parker Lewis Can't Lose', 'Mike Hammer', 'Empty Nest', among many others. She reprised her June Cleaver role three times, in 'Amazing Stories', 'Baby Boom' and 'Roseanne'. She also guest-starred on an episode of 'Make Room For Daddy', in which Thomas's character is a widower. The producers reportedly considered casting her as his second wife, but later decided against it, and Marjorie Lord eventually got the role.

After an absence of 17 years from the public eye (other than appearing in two episodes of 'The F.B.I.' in 1971), Billingsley spoofed her wholesome image with a brief appearance in the comedy "Airplane!" (1980), as a passenger who could "speak jive". She became the voice of Nanny and The Little Train on 'Muppet Babies' from 1984 to 1991.Billingsley appeared with Robin Williams and Pam Dawber in a 1982 episode of 'Mork & Mindy'. She appeared in a 'Leave It to Beaver' reunion television movie entitled "Still the Beaver" in 1983. Hugh Beaumont had died the year before of a heart attack, so she played his widow.

'SCTV' may have been afraid of lawsuits with this sketch, because all the names of the actors were slightly altered, but they were still supposed to have starred in 'Leave It To Beaver'.  But Toobworld Central doesn't accept onscreen credits to be part of the Toobworld Dynamic.

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: JANE FONDA

JANE FONDA

AS SEEN ON:
'Saturday Night Live'

AS PLAYED BY:
Betty Thomas

From Wikipedia:
Jane Fonda (born Lady Jayne Seymour Fonda; December 21, 1937) is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as "Barbarella" and "Cat Ballou". She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an actress. After 15 years of retirement, she returned to film in 2005 with "Monster in Law", followed by "Georgia Rule" two years later. She also produced and starred in over 20 exercise videos released between 1982 and 1995, and once again in 2010.

Fonda has been an activist for many political causes; her opposition to the Vietnam War and associated activities were controversial. She has also protested the Iraq War and violence against women. She describes herself as a liberal and a feminist. In 2005 Fonda worked alongside Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem to co-found the Women's Media Center, an organization that works to amplify the voices of women in the media through advocacy, media and leadership training, and the creation of original content. Fonda currently serves on the board of the organization. Since 2001 Fonda has been a Christian. She published an autobiography in 2005, and in 2011, she published a second memoir, "Prime Time".

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: KIM JONG IL

Perfect timing for a "Two For Tuesday!"

KIM JONG IL



AS SEEN ON:
'Saturday Night Live'

AS PLAYED BY:
Amy Poehler

TV DIMENSION:
Skitlandia

AS SEEN IN:
'30 Rock'

AS PLAYED BY:
Margaret Cho

TV DIMENSION:
Earth Prime-Time(?)

From The Los Angeles Times:
REPORTING FROM SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, the mercurial strongman extolled at home as the “Dear Leader” and reviled abroad as a tyrant, has died at 69, North Korean media reported Monday.

Kim’s death was announced by state television from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. No cause of death was reported, but Kim was believed to have suffered in recent years from diabetes and heart disease.

The diminutive leader was believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008 but nonetheless appeared in numerous photos released by state media as he toured state facilities and in recent months embarked on rare trips outside North Korea -– to China and Russia.
-- Barbara Demick and John M. Glionna

Interesting how both of these portrayals were by women.  Just sayin', is all......

BCnU!

MARKED "FRAJEELEE"

On average, when a TV show does its Christmas-themed episode, they usually do a variation on Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" or Capra's "It's A Wonderful Life". Okay, sometimes there's a spoof of the Dr. Seuss character of the Grinch, and 'Dream On' even pulled off the birth in a manger story.

The 'Warehouse 13' Christmas episode this year fell into the "Wonderful Life" category where a character sees what the world would have been like had he never been born. This time, Warehouse agent Pete Lattimer came into contact with a artifact that once belonged to Philip Van Doren Stern. (Stern's story "The Greatest Gift" was the basis for the plotline of "It's A Wonderful Life".)

What was great about the revised timeline for the Warehouse was the shout-out to the rich inventory previously seen in the series - like the bloodstone from the pilot or DeMille's riding crop. Plus there were mentions of other characters like Hugo, Dr. Vanessa Calder, H.G. Wells, Claudia's brother and Artie's father. Best of all, Pete's new timeline brought James MacPherson back from the dead, played by guest star Roger Rees.

At the Warehouse, all of the Christmas-themed artifacts were kept in their own aisle. I would imagine the snow globe from the Christmas episode of 'Haven' will eventually end up there (especially since most of the other Syfy shows, like 'Eureka' and 'Alphas' have made connections to 'Warehouse 13'.) The snow globe would join other artifacts like that brush and a skein of red yarn (properties unknown).

But the best Christmas artifact in that particular section of the Warehouse was the leg lamp from the movie "A Christmas Story". Unfortunately, we never learned its special properties - unlike Stern's brush, there was no problem with Pete making contact with it.

In the TV Universe, the movie "A Christmas Story" is a movie as well - characters from 'One Tree Hill' compared their situation to the movie once, and lots of characters have quoted the classic line: "You'll shoot your eye out, Kid."

But did you know "A Christmas Story", at least within the TV Universe, was based on a "true" story? Back in 1976, we saw the "real" life of Ralphie Parker as a teenager in the PBS production "The Phantom Of The Open Hearth". The basic plotline had Ralphie maneuvering the minefield of prom dates in the late 1940's.

"A Christmas Story" was based on Ralphie's life as a child earlier in that decade. (I figured it to be 1940 or '41, due to the presence of characters from the 1939 movie "The Wizard Of Oz" in the town's Christmas parade.)

The incident with the leg lamp (a major award!), which occurred later in Ralphie's teen years, was appropriated for inclusion in the movie.

The leg lamp we see at the Warehouse is not the "real" lamp from Ralphie Parker's home - that was of a different design. This lamp is one of the standby props used for the movie. (The main lamp was eventually broken in the movie.)

I'm wondering what special property is held by this movie prop now that it's become an artifact.

My guess?

It only activates on Christmas Eve, when it can make you relive the same two hours of your life over and over again for 24 hours - just like TBS reruns "A Christmas Story" for a full day.

BCnU!
(And be sure to drink your Ovaltine......)



AS SEEN ON TV: APPIUS CLAUDIUS PULCHER

APPIUS CLAUDIUS PULCHER

AS SEEN IN:
'Ancient Rome: The Rise And Fall Of An Empire'

AS PLAYED BY:
David Warner

From Wikipedia:
Appius Claudius Pulcher was a Roman politician of the 2nd century BC.

Son of Gaius Claudius Pulcher (who was consul in 177), he was appointed consul in 143 BC, and, to obtain a pretext for a triumph, attacked the Salassi, an Alpine tribe. He was at first defeated, but afterwards, following the directions of the Sibylline Books, gained a victory.

On his return the celebration of the triumph was refused; but he triumphed at his own expense, and when one of the tribunes attempted to drag him from his car, his daughter Claudia, one of the Vestal Virgins, walked by his side up to the capital.

Next year he was an unsuccessful candidate for the censorship, though he afterwards held that office with Quintus Fulvius Nobilior, probably in 136 BC. He allied with Tiberius Gracchus who married his daughter Claudia. Appius backed Tiberius' land reform bill and in 133 BC with Tiberius and Tiberius' brother, Gaius Gracchus, was chosen commissioner for the division of the lands. Their post allowed them to survey the ager publicus, publicly owned land that Tiberius wanted to distribute among veterans of the Punic War.

Another faction in the Senate opposed them and Tiberius was assassinated in 132 BC. Appius lived at enmity with Publius Scipio Aemilianus. He died shortly after Tiberius Gracchus, probably in 130 BC.

He was one of the Salii, an augur, and princeps senatus. Cicero, says that his style of speaking was fluent and vehement. He married Antistia.

BCnU!

CHRISTMAS WITH THE NELSONS

Sorry, Kelly....  Different Nelsons......

On January 11th of this year, David Nelson passed away at the age of 74. Along with his parents, Ozzie & Harriet, and his brother Ricky, the Nelson family shared their televersions' lives with the Trueniverse audience for more than 14 years on the air. And in that time they had quite a few Christmas episodes.

For our Advent Sunday Christmas episode here at Inner Toob, I'd like to share three of those episodes with you....

BCnU!

HANGIN' WITH MASTER COOPER: A CINEVERSE CHRISTMAS

Well, this star-studded museum piece full of past members of the League of Themselves belongs in the Cineverse.  But since Jackie Cooper passed away earlier this year and he was such a major contributor to Toobworld both in front of and behind the camera, and besides.... 'tis the season......

Good Night and may God bless.....

CHRISTMAS PRO BONO

Since the Christmas season wouldn't be complete without its ghosts of Christmas Past, here's one from the past of recent 'Dancing With The Stars' contestant Chaz Bono, featuring one of my childhood icons - TV Crossover Hall Of Fame member Captain Kangaroo........

BCnU!