MisenPopic Update 10/31

Happy Halloween! I had a fantastic time last night at the Chiller Show, and was able to score the interview with Clayton Rohner that I was hoping for. I have a lot of good stuff for you coming this week including a review of the show, and my interview with the man who played Rick Morehouse in Just One Of The Guys. If I can figure it out, it may be the first audio file on the blog, and I might have just figured out to do my podcast. :) Hopefully on Monday, I'll be back up and running.

Mikey

Happy Halloween 2009!

Halloween is now officially a holiday for adults. Remember when it used to be about the kids? Not no more, not no more. More and more adults are dressing up these days. Bars and nightclubs are profiting with their annual Halloween costumes. Nerdy guys are hooking up with girls dressed like hookers only because their costumes are so original. Halloween has become a big time business. Just count all of the Halloween Warehouses that have sprung up in your local mall. Within a 2 mile radius, I've counted four Halloween shops. So as more and more adults are spending mad money on costumes, the kids just don't seem to care anymore. When I was a kid, I spent hours trick or treating, and we had so many kids come to our house that my mom would send me out to the store for more candy. Nowadays, I'll buy one bag of candy, and be lucky to have one person ring my doorbell. So I end up with a whole bag of candy bars for myself. It must just be because their parents are too hung over from their own Halloween costume parties the night before that they can't find the time to take their kids out on the town.

Every year I convince myself I am going to dress up for Halloween, and it usually never happens. I always have plenty of great ideas, but don't really have the time or money to shell out for a costume. Well that's going to change. I am making a vow right now that for my kid's first Halloween next year, I am going full throttle and dressing up. But for shits and giggles, let's say I was going to dress up this year, what would be my some costume ideas? Here's what I came up with:

1) Paul Stanley- This one is too obvious, but it also would be lot of fun. Buy the spandex pants, put the make-up on, and adorn a rock and roll wig that they now sell at Spencers for $10. Remember a few years back, it cost triple what it costs now to dress up.

2) Walter White from Breaking Bad- I'd wear a flannel shirt, a gas mask, tighty whitey underpants and pair of boots. That would be it. I'd probably go with a foam head covering, and go out as the "badass" Walter White. I've always wondered if you can get away with wearing tighty whities out to a club? I'm sure the girls would flock your way, but you'd have to probably stuff the front of your underwear. You'd also have to have a tight butt to make it work, and more importantly those briefs better be free of skidmarks.

3) Dexter- I've wanted to be Dexter two years in row, but it's not going to happen this year. Ironically, you can now buy the kill shirt for $35 on-line, so I guess people are thinking the same way as me. I would also spray blood dots on my head, wear latex gloves, and hold a fake dagger.

4) Freddy Rumsen from Mad Men- I'm all about the obscure costumes, because seriously who wants to be like everyone else and wear one of those tasteless costumes they sell at Spencer Gifts? I'd simply wear a three piece suit, with the water stain near my crotch. If you are fan of Mad Men, you'd know what I'm talking about. I would also dress up as a Pete Campbell or Roger Sterling. Don't be surprised to see a lot of Mad Men costumes this Halloween.

Jeez, I am losing my touch. These are the best ideas I can come up with? Maybe it's better I just fantasize about dressing up than actually doing it. Oh well, until Halloween 2010!

Little Nuggets

Do you remember the 80's classic movie Lucas starring Corey Haim? If you do, that's awesome, so sit back and relax for a second. If you haven't, let me give you a quick premise. The movie is about a scrappy nerd named Lucas (played by one of the Coreys, Mr. Haim) who falls in love with the new girl in school, and decides to join the football team so he can become popular and win her affection. Like all high school movies back in the 80's the jocks were really mean to the nerds and came up with some crazy nicknames. Well, Lucas got stuck with the nickname of "leukoplakia". When asked by the hot girl (did I mention she was played by Kerri Green) to Lucas' friend what this term means, we find out it that it means cancer of the mouth. That term always stuck with me especially since I probably have the disease (no not literally, don't get nervous!). I can blabber on and on about random facts, and it probably comes across in my writing. I associate my inability to keep my mouth shut as a sign that I may have leukoplakia! In fact, it's happening once again. So I figured I'll keep things short and sweet today and just provide some bullet points of what I'm thinking at the moment.

--Don't tell me you haven't seen it coming already, but the 90's music nostalgia is going to hit us like a freight train this upcoming summer. Third Eye Blind, Everclear, Hanson, Sublime (who announced they are reunited, and this makes sense how?), Goo Goo Dolls, and the other commerical 90's acts are going to be all over the news. Trust me on this one!!!

--This Is It, the new Michael Jackson movie is now playing in theatres all across the country, and is getting rave reviews. I think I'll wait til the hype dies down to go see it. It has already made 2.2 million on it's opening night. When all is said and done, it will be one of the top 10 grossing movies of all time. Michael Jackson fans should be happy the movie is being released. Yet it sickens me how Sony makes a profit on his death, but didn't care to promote his last album when he was alive. Jermaine Jackson stays relevant for another day.

--RATT has announced their new album, Infestation, will hit stores in March. It's their first album since 1999, and features original members Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMArtini, and Bobby Blotzer. Carlos Cavazo from Quiet Riot is also on board, as is Robbie Crane who has played bass on the road with them the past few years. I hope they celebrate the 25th anniversary of their classic album Out Of The Cellar in style, and put out a great album. Since Dokken and Motley Crue were successful recreating their old sound, I'm sure we'll get the same from Ratt. Now the question is, when is the new Cinderella album coming out?

--I just finished reading Hulk Hogan's new book after three days spent in Barnes & Noble. Got to feel for the Hulkster, he's had it rough the past few years. Unlike his last book which was done through the WWF, this book bares more of Hogan's soul. Hogan reveals some interesting facts about his wrestling career, but the main purpose of the book is to clear his soul and totally trash his ex-wife, Linda. Obviously, it's only one side of the story. But from what the Hulkster wrote, got to feel bad for the guy. He almost was another wrestling casualty. Hulk goes into detail about his depression and how he almost ended his life. Things are all good now, and he claims he's now saying his prayers and eating his vitamins. Highly recommeded, a good read indeed.

--I have this $50 gift card, and have to decided what to use it on. I think the Dexter action figure will look good next to my John Locke doll on my wall. Yes, I'm still a loser.

--The deal to interview Clayton Rohner from Just One Of The Guys might have fallen through, but I'm going to do my best. I still should be able to get an interview with my new friend, Geri Reischl. For those who haven't brushed up on their trivia, she was the "fake Jan Brady" on the Brady Variety Hour. Check it out:


--I got Fletch and some AC/DC related movie called Thunderstruck sitting on my living room table that I still have to watch. Yay, Blockbuster finally shipped two movies in the same week. Plus I've been going through the first season of Friday Night Lights like water.

--Remember the days when you would subscribe to a magazine and read it cover to cover? Or buy the USA Today and read each and every column and stat line? This was all before information overload took over, and now I struggle just to read my own blog.

On that note, I'm off to cram some more pop culture down my throat. So much time, and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it. How am I going to manage tagging my music, watching my TV shows, spending hours upon hours at a time reading books at Barnes & Noble when that baby arrives in April? Hey God, are you there, it's me Mikey!!!

"Here We Are Face To Face, A Couple Of Silver Spoons": The Influence of Erin Gray

When the conversation arises as to who my first TV crush was on, I usually answer that it's either Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar) or Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani-Amber Theissen). But after spending some time really thinking about that question, those two lovely ladies are not the correct answers. Going through my incredible brain full of memories, I realized there was a beautiful woman who graced my TV screen eight years prior to meeting Winnie and Kelly. An older woman who probably would have caused me to make a mess in my underoos if I could back in 1982. She actually was the first TV star that I was madly in love with and made me realize at a young age that I wasn't going to be gay. Her name was Erin Gray.

Most people know her as Kate Summers from Silver Spoons, but I first laid eyes on her in the legendary 1982 classic film, Six Pack. This is a forgotten gem that made us see how bad an actor Kenny Rogers, but introduced us to Diane Lane and Anthony Michael-Hall. She played Kenny Rogers' love interest, and she was gorgeous. With that wispy dark hair, and those sweet blue eyes, mama!!! I thought some of the girls in my nursery school class were okay, but they couldn't compete with Erin. I was attracted to a real woman; an older woman; somebody who could portray my mother in a future TV movie about my exciting life.

Erin Gray was also the female lead on Buck Rodgers in the 25th Century with Gil Gerard. She played Wilma Deering, a spunky smart space chick. She was even more smoking hot on this show wearing a skin tight one piece space outfit. Erin Gray has stated in interviews that the outfit was so tight, she had to be sewn into it. If you rewatch old episodes of the show, you might notice that the goofy robot sidekick Tiki was occasionally sporting robotic wood when following Erin around the space station. She also used her fame on Buck Rogers to appear on Battle Of The Network Stars trying to upend Lynda Carter as the hottest competitor. Judge for yourself:


After Buck ended, she landed on one of my favorite sit-coms of all time, Silver Spoons. It always bothered me that Mr. Stratten took such a long damn time to seal the deal with her. Ricky's antics were always fun, and I could deal with Alfonso Ribeiro's dancing, but the best reason to watch Silver Spoons was to see my Erin.

When Silver Spoons ended in 1987, Erin Gray's career pretty much faded. She guest starred on a few TV shows, appeared in a Friday The 13th movie, and did some Lifetime movies. Then she just disappeared from the mainstream. No Playboy pictorials to rejuvenate her career, or B-level reality shows. Erin was happy to put her career on hold to be a mom. Apparently she now has her own casting agency in which he books former science fiction and fantasy stars for conventions. Ironically, I would get the chance to meet her at one of these conventions.

Usually when you attend these pop culture conventions, the guests can sometimes be obnoxious and charge ridiculous prices for an autograph or a photo with them. I met Erin Gray, and we had such a great conversation about her work that I didn't even mind spending five bucks. You didn't read that wrong, it only cost five dollars, and the money was for a good cause (breast cancer research). She was so pleasant and down to earth, and even admitted that she gets star struck from time to time when she appears at these conventions. I of course bombarded her with questions, and she was more than happy to answer them all. Yes, that train did really work on the Silver Spoons set, and the video games were also so real that Ricky Schroeder spent way too much time playing them during breaks. She still kept in touch with Joel Higgins who played Edward Stratten, and ironically ended up appearing in a play with him a few years ago. Kenny Rogers never sang to her on the set of Six Pack, and doesn't think his wife would go for it if he happened to serenade her at a concert with the smash hit from the movie, Turn Your Love Around. Erin Gray was a class act, perhaps one of the nicest celebrities I have ever met. Although she has aged over the years, she still is so attractive as you can see from the photo below. If she only knew that she was my first crush when I was a little boy, because I didn't have the balls to admit that to her, rightfully so. :)

Out There!: Reunited by Greg Kihn

As I continue to expand this blog, occasionally I will add some of my past writings. Below is the first feature I wrote for my good pal Mike Heyliger's music blog, Sonic Clash. If you are a big fan of music and want to read some great album reviews or analysis on what's hot in the world of pop, definitely check it out at www.sonicclash.com. You might also enjoy some of my blogs about some random music from my past.

The Greg Kihn Band is one of the forgotten bands of the 80’s whose hits included The Break-Up Song (OH OH OH OH OH OH OH!) and Lucky. And of course they are probably best known for their iconic video, (My Love’s In) Jeopardy which still gives me the creeps even to this day. Although the video is now dated, it still ranks as one of my favorite music videos of all time. Everlasting images from this classic video include a couple joined at the hip by a cheap piece of plastic (got to love those 80’s special effects), the wedding guests turning to zombies, a huge creature with a tentacle attacking the groom (played by Greg Kihn in a non-Oscar winning performance), and Kihn fighting off the monster with a ripped off wooden piece from a pew. You have to wonder what kind of budget the director was working with to be able to make such a masterpiece. 80’s Cheese at it’s best! With the lack of creativity in today’s pop culture world, I’m surprised a hip hop artist hasn’t sampled this tune or filmed a video that pays tribute. They don’t make ‘em like they used to. Anyway…

At the end of the video after Greg Kihn has gone through this ordeal, he runs out of the church with a bottle of champagne and into his cadillac. He sees through the corner of his eye a girl who looks creepily like Pat Benatar leaving the chapel across the street. It appears she also is having second thoughts about taking the plunge into marriage as she throws her veil to the ground outside the chapel across the street. He nods at her to come with him. She hops into his car, and they drive on down the highway. Where did they go? We found out in the follow-up video for Greg Kihn’s rarely known next single, Reunited?

When this video debuted on MTV in 1984, I was five years old. Surprisingly, my memory is very good and and I remember seeing the video premiere back then and liking the tune. I also was happy the video wasn’t as creepy as Jeopardy, but happy the video was as cheesy. It would be another twenty plus years until I would see the video and hear the song thanks to a rapid music search two years on Youtube. The video contains even more cheese than Jeopardy although it looks there may have been a larger budget as the production values were a little better. The actual song has a great hook and a simple melody that makes you feel like bobbing your head to the beat just like the characters in the video. Unfortunately for Greg Kihn, the song quickly came and went. Although it went to #9 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart, it couldn’t even crack the Top 100 Singles chart.

As a music completist, I needed to find out more about the tune and of course add the song to my collection. A task easier said than done. Reunited was not on iTunes or any other on-line music service. I could have purchased the actual physical copy of the greatest hits album, but that would have been too easy. I wanted to get my hands on the actual album, Kihntagious, but it was near impossible to find. Amazon listed it as an import but had no copies available. No record shops had it, and I sure wasn’t going to find any of his non-compilation albums at my local Best Buy. Thanks to somebody who might have transferred it from vinyl to MP3 on a peer to peer network, I was able to get a version for my collection.

Reunited must be on the list of Top 100 Forgotten Songs Of The 80’s. For you music enthusiasts out there, it might be a song you have forgotten about that you should add to your collection. It’s a five star song in my book. If the song isn’t your cup of tea, at least enjoy the music videos above!

MisenPOPic Update 10/26/09

If you haven't noticed already, the blog is continuing to blossom. I'm still trying to tweak things, but also have to be more careful not to go overboard with what I write. Be warned there might be occasional foul language on here, and this isn't going to be your blog to read about the usual crap that appears on TMZ or Access Hollywood every day. It's going to feature personal stories about my love of pop culture, and features on musicians and actors who I appreciate who most others would throw their hand in air and say who?

The banner you see will probably be updated every two weeks. It will feature random TV characters, movie characters, rock stars, writers, wrestlers depending on my mood. The first one that's currently up features some of my favorite television characters. I have a buddy of mine working on a sharper graphic which should hit soon. I'm still trying to get a podcast going, but that might take some time.

I have noticed that I have been watching a lot of television over the past few months. My remote control is quietly jumping up the charts to be my new best friend. I'm enjoying Friday Night Lights at the moment. I also recently developed an urge to buy pop-culture T-shirts which I'd love to wear a new one every day of the week. In due time, in due time.

Anyway, keep on reading, and any feedback is most appreciated.

Mikey

Eyes Of A Panther: The Greatness Of Steel Panther

"Cause my heart belongs to you
my love is pure and true
My heart belongs to you
but my C**K is community property!"

I haven't been this excited about a rock and roll band since I laid eyes on Andrew WK's infamous album cover back in 2002. The band that has my panties in a bunch is Steel Panther and I'm not even a metal chick. I've been hyping this band up for the past few months on Facebook and to all my friends, but figured another quick little blog might make you pay attention. Their music is definitely not for the faint of heart, and should be avoided by your grandmother, parents, and children. Steel Panther's songs spoof the 80's LA metal scene with potty-mouth lyrics about strippers, groupies, drugs, and sexually transmitted diseases. After months and months of building anticipation, Steel Panther finally released their new album Feel The Steel on October 6th. You would think that a band with lyrics about catching gonorrhea or thanking a stripper for paying their rent would be stupid and cheesy. But if you truly listen to the album and ignore the foul mouth lyrics, you'd be shocked to hear that this band has written some great rock & roll songs with killer hooks. The album was spot-on in terms of production and presentation. Steel Panther might be a gimmick band, but it's a gimmick that works because they are masters of their craft. Much funnier than Spinal Tap also!

The lead singer is Michael Starr, who you could say is a chubby version of David Lee Roth or a skinny version of Vince Neil. On lead guitar is Satchel, who I see as a beefed up version of Nigel from Spinal Tap. On bass is my personal favorite Panther member, Lexxy Foxx. The joke on him is that because he is the bass player, he isn't that important to the band and always gets in the way. Of all the Steel Panther members, he best exemplifies the hair metal gimmick with long blond hair flowing to his ass filled with tons of hair spray and looking like a chick. On drums is Stix Zadinia (yes, read that again! ) He is the quiet member of the band who keeps the beats coming. The band actually started as Metal Skool, a metal cover band playing weekend shows in Los Angeles. Through word of mouth, they started making a name for themselves on the club circuit. Soon enough, celebrities like Vince Vaughn and Pink were coming out to see them. Also other hard rock singers like Justin Hawkins from The Darkness were jumping on stage to sing with the band. Universal Records saw something in them and signed the band. The first album has done fairly well on the charts, even hitting #1 on the comedy albums chart. I'm not sure that people realize that the band isn't 100% what they appear to be. I'll let you in on a little secret. Although they are a comedy act, I still classify them as a hard rock band.

A few weeks ago, I trekked out to Mexicali Live in Teaneck, New Jersey to see Steel Panther in action. Considering the cost of admission was $15, how could I pass up an opportunity to see them play? This was their only concert apperance on the east coast. The crowd was made up of mostly metal heads, chicks who haven't escaped the 80's, and 32 year old rock and roll fans like myself. Hey, sometimes I need a night out with their pals to have a drink and enjoy some good music while trying to relive my youth. When you see the Panther live, not only do you get to listen to great tunes, but they provide a lot of comedy as well. They have no hesitiations making fun of each other, the audience, or the sluts in the crowd. Lexxy Foxx is always looking in his mirror to make sure he is looking good, and has his can of Aquanet to make sure his hair is top-notch. Satchel was rolling off guitar melodies ranging from hard rock anthems to Broadway tunes. I got more for my money at this concert than I have at other big arena shows which I shelled out over $100. Simply a good time, and I would go see them again in a heartbeat the next time they come to town. The Steel Panther concert may have been the first time in as long while that I hit a concert and didn't feel like an old man.

Here's the link to the band's website.

http://www.steelpantherrocks.com/

The aforementioned website is definitely worth checking out, and should provide you with a good laugh. It provides more information that really makes you understand what Steel Panther is all about. The writeups on their website provide more laughs than even I can try to replicate in this blog. Because rock and roll should be all about fun, and Steel Panther truly represents nothing but a good time.

Now I have to go out and buy a Steel Panther T-shirt.

Mikey

MisenPOPic Movie Review: Saw VI

It's that time of the year again; the end of October when the latest Saw movie hits the theaters. Although each consecutive sequel has made less money than the previous one, Lionsgate still keeps rolling these movies out. You'd figure it must cost a lot of dough to create all of the gadget and contraptions. Yet, they are able to make these movies on the dime with lesser known actors. I assumed Saw VI was going to be the last Saw movie. I'm so wrong. Rumor has it that Saw VII, VIII, and IX are on the way, with one of them possibly being filmed in 3-D.

I have to give credit where credit is due. Unlike other horror franchises like Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday The 13th, and Halloween, each movie in the Saw series stays consistent with the overall theme. When you watch each individual Saw movie, you are seeing the overall puzzle being put together one piece at a time. To really grasp this psychological drama, you have to start with the first Saw and work your way to the latest one in the series. Unfortunately, some of the Saw movies are really good while others are stinkers. Before giving you my take on Saw VI, I would have to rate them in the following order:
1) Saw II
2) Saw III
3) Saw I
4) Saw V
5) Saw IV

Saw is getting a little political on us. In Saw VI, a big theme in the movie is the state of insurance in the U.S. and how it chooses who lives and who dies. Even though Jigsawhas been dead since the fourth installment, he still plays a huge part in Saw VI. I don't really want to give anything away, so I'm going to make this review nice and quick. Even though it's mindless filth (or so it seems to the public), I enjoyed the movie and get off watching these crazy bastards stuck in horrible situations in order to determine if they have the will to live. I was worried that the Saw franchise was spinning off the tracks and had no reason to continue. Saw VI has me confident it's back on cue. Of course, it ends on another cliffhanger that keeps you at the edge of your seat. I simply can't wait until next October to find out what happens next. Saw VI is a definite improvement over Saw V, and the torture scenes were pretty intense. If you're a Saw fan, I'm sure you already have plans to see it. If you never have seen a Saw movie, don't waste your time just yet. Go back and rent the other movies first to determine if Saw is for you.

Final Grade: B+

Times Of My Life: Paul Anka's Influence On Mikey Hersh

Paul Anka's music has been a staple of the Hersh household ever since I was a little boy. I remember those long family car rides to and fro in which we would listen to Paul Anka's greatest hits cassette on constant repeat. His music also has played an integral part of my growing up; songs that make up the soundtrack of my life. "Times Of Your Life' was the featured song for my Bar Mitzvah and the song I danced to with my mom that night, "Having My Baby" was the tune I hummed to let my family know that my wife was pregnant, and "Lonely Boy" was a song I would constantly sing to myself whenever I was ever stuck in an uncomfortable social situation. Anka not only had a multitude of hit songs in the 50's, 60's, and 70's, but also was a proficient songwriter. Here's a quick roll call of songs that were hits that Anka wrote for other artists: She's A Lady by Tom Jones, Jubilation by Barbra Streisand, My Way by Frank Sinatra. He also wrote the theme for The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Anka is the 21st highest selling musician of all time, with 3 #1 Billboard Singles (Diana, Lonely Boy, & Having My Baby), 33 Top 40 Billboard hits, and 42 million sales of his LP's and singles. In 2007, he even released a tongue in cheek album in putting his own spin on rock and roll classics like Eye Of The Tiger and Smell Like Teen Spirit. This album actually was one of Anka's best-selling albums in his history. Sadly, most people ages 40 and under still don't have a clue who this legend is. Although that may change in a few weeks when Michael Jackson's new song This Is It hits the charts. Guess who wrote it? That's right, Mr. Paul Anka.

Last night, I had the privilege to see Paul Anka live at The State Theatre in New Brunswick with my wife, parents, and in-laws. Me and my wife's presence must have brought the total average crowd age down from 75 to 73. All kidding aside, Dawn and I were the youngest people in the house. Just goes to show you how ignorant people can be. Now hard rock is my cup of tea, but as somebody who appreciates the whole spectrum of pop culture, I have a soft spot for the musicians that also were big parts of my mom and dad's life. Being at the show made me proud of my appreciation for the oldies, and it didn't bother me in the least to be the youngest. It meant I wouldn't need worry about the smell of pot in the air, drunk and obnoxious people, or long lines to go to the bathroom. The show went on for almost two hours and Anka still has that classic voice. He did most of his classic hits early in the set like Put Your Head On My Shoulder, Lonely Boy, Diana, and You Are My Destiny. Unfortunately perhaps due to lack of time or to rest his voice, he only did mini-versions of these songs. Anka also seemed to cater to the orchestra section which meant for a lot of the key moments in the show, us balcony dwellers had to strain our necks to catch the action. The crowd was kind of dead, and although Anka thrilled the crowd with some joke telling, he didn't do a good job of getting the crowd up and dancing. I know you are probably thinking that none of these crooners have the energy anymore. Not true, I've also seen Frankie Valli and Tom Jones, and both of whom still had more oomph in their step. The personal highlight of the concert for me was Anka sining Hold Me Til The Morning Comes, an obscure favorite tune of mine that he co-wrote and dueted with Peter Cetera in 1983. It brought me a lot of joy to hear that song. Of course, I had to serenade my wife when Anka did Having My Baby, although once again he only did a shortened version. Anka also dropped the ball when he sang a totally reworked version of Times Of Your Life, the 90's Bar Mitzvah theme song and my personal favorite Paul Anka song. To end this paragraph with a funny memory from last night, Paul sang his own version of Van Halen's Jump expecting the crowd to actually go nuts. But with all the hip replacements and heart monitors in the crowd, that sure didn't happen.

I'm definitely glad that I went, it was an experience. Seeing the pleasure in my father's eyes watching one of his favorite singers was worth the price of admission alone. What the concert also did was bring back the memories of those car rides from when I was little boy. Paul Anka did well for a 70 year old man, but should have gotten the crowd more active. At least he performed the key songs from his catalog not leaving out any major classic I could think of. Paul Anka is a legend, and in my mind one of the most proficient song writers of all time. I'm thrilled I got the chance to see him perform live and truly appreciate his mark on pop culture. But c'mon, it was no AC/DC or KISS concert. :)

Final Grade: B-

MisenPOPic Update 10/22/09

Baby steps, baby steps. I'm getting into a rhythm as I attempt to bring it from one to two posts a day, and then two to three, and then enough posts to become a full time blogger trying to establish a blog that's a bit unique and different. I've realized it's so tough now that everybody and their mother are doing pop culture lists and what not, so I'm thinkin of sticking with personal stories about pop culture and also doing interviews with lesser-known stars from the 70's and 80's. I should have two or three interviews lined up which will be coming soon.

I plan on introducing you to a new TV show on Friday, and then I'm off to see Paul Anka in New Brunswick. His songs are timeless, and it might get a little dusty in the theatre when he sings "Times Of My Life", a staple of all Bar Mitzvah videos made in early 90's.

Looks like Survivor is going to be memorable tonight, which is good because this season has been all over the place. Also have a new episode of The Office, and still trying to determine if Flash Forward is worth watching every week.

Mikey

MisenPOPic Movie Review: Big Stan

Rob Schneider's movies will never make critics top 10 lists, but some of his movies have made me cry very hard with laughter. Schneider uses simple comedy bits in his movies to get a laugh, even though he gets criticized for exactly that. It's either hit or miss with Rob Schneider. I never get tired of watching the two Deuce Bigelow movies or his supporting roles in his buddy Adam Sandler's movies like You Don't Mess With The Zohan and Big Daddy. Yet, I want to throw my remote control into my TV screen every time The Animal or The Hot Chick appears on Starz.

I'm currently a member of Blockbuster Online Express, for which I have another month of free service until I switch to Netflix. This service allows me to keep on getting movies sent to my house or I can take out 5 movies a month at any Blockbuster Store. A few weeks ago while scanning the new releases, a Rob Schnieder movie happened to catch my eye called Big Stan. I didn't recall seeing this movie out in theatres, but the premise looked good. It finally came to my house yesterday, and I found some time to give it a screening.

In a nutshell, here is what the movie is about. Schneider plays Big Stan, a scheming salesmen who cons people into buying timeshares. While trying to get an old lady to buy a timeshare, he is arrested by police and has to show up in court. Stan remains calm and thinks he is above the law. The court finds him guilty, and his sentencing will take place the following day. He fires his lawyer, and calls an ambulance chaser (played by the gret J. Emmitt Walsh) to try and bribe the judge to reduce his sentence. The plot backfires, and Stan is sentenced to 1-3 years in prison. Stan is scared (as he very well should be) that he is going to be raped. His new lawyer was able to postpone his start date for six months so Stan could get his affairs in order. Stan makes various attempts to get in shape to no avail, and decides that he will let his wife rape him first to know what it's going to feel like. After experiencing the pain and deciding he won't be able to deal with it, he decides to take karate with a bunch of little kids. He gets his ass handed to him, but meets an old karate master outside the dojo (played by the late David Carradine) who agrees to teach him the ways of kung fu. After extensive traning from The Master, Stan is ready and heads to prison knowing he will make it through. Stan makes his presence known by beating up the rapists and gang leaders to ensure that he is the toughest guy in the joint. What eventually happens is that he takes his role to heart and builds a community with the other inmates establishing rules to no longer rape others and to get along. Seriously, I'm not making any of this up.

Rob Schneider also directed the movie, and got some press for passing out on set due to heat exhaustion. Perhaps he was looking for this to be his Shawshank Redemption. The movie has some funny bits, but it's nothing to write home about. Nice surprise cameos by Randy Couture, Bob Sapp, Don Frye, and even Ahman Green. Usually these movies are about85 minutes, this one was an extra twenty minutes too long. Unless you like Rob Schneider's other movies, I would stay away.

Grade: C+

MisenPOPic Update 10/21/09

I've always been such a huge critic of my own writing. Most people will enjoy it and tell me I need to keep doing it. I will keep doing it, but I'm going to do it a lot better. I read my stuff, and sometimes I feel like a 10 year old kid wrote it. I try to write with my heart, and in this day and age of immediate gratification, I seem to do everything so fast including writing. As I learn how to manage my time better, the articles are going to become clearer and more focused.

This blog is supposed to be about my random grumblings and appraisals of the current television programs, music, movies, books, and stuff. As of now, most of what I wrote has been about sports and my personal experiences. Every now and then, I'll write a piece about a random memory, but it's always going to be attached to pop culture somehow. No more sports stuff for awhile. I'm here to tell stories, and to spark conversation about what's going on in pop culture. Feedback is always appreciated, good or bad, so I can grow as a writer.

More tomorrow,

Mikey

Worldwide, Baby, Worldwide!: Mikey Does Minnesota Part 2

It's a little known secret that the night before a game in the Metrodome, the Vikings all stay over at the downtown Hilton. My brother-in-law got the scoop, and was able to get us a room at the same hotel as where the players were staying. Maybe I would be able to share some chicken fingers with Sidney Rice, sit in the hot tub with Adrian Peterson, or ride the elevator with Brett Favre? It felt good to be surrounded in the hotel lobby by other Vikings fans, and I was able to get the scoop that the players would be arriving around 6 o'clock at night after practice. They attend a team meeting around 7:00, and sometimes come down after the meeting to chill until their curfew of 11:00. Bryan, Ken, and I stuck around for an hour talking to other fans who had come from Iowa, North and South Dakota. We got off listening to their stories about not understanding the culture of black people, their lack of things to do in their states besides hunting and fishing, and how one of them didn't see anything wrong with shooting pheasants during a casual car ride and then bringing it home for dinner. Although there were a lot of autograph hounds in the lobby, compared to what it usually is when there is a Yankee or NY Giant around, it really wasn't too bad. It wouldn't have been a huge deal if some of the lesser known names could take a few minutes to meet the fans. The players would drive up in their expensive cars to the hotel entrance, have a valet park their car, and be secretly escorted into the hotel to avoid the fans. I got to see Ryan Longwell and Jim Kleinsasser outside from a distance, but this really wasn't too exciting. Talking to my fellow Vikings fans was fun, but it really didn't look like I would get any photo opportunities or have a chance to lounge in the lobby with the players at this time. Also through the grapevine, I was told that Brett Favre did come to the team meetings through a private entrance, but didn't even stay at the hotel with the other guys. I figured we should go out to grab some dinner, and return after the Vikings team meeting to hope the crowds left so we would have the opportunity to schmooze with some of the lesser-known players on the team. We had no idea at the time that we would soon have actually have a great conversation with some members of the Vikings.

After dinner at a themed restaurant called the News Room, we returned back to the hotel to see that the crowds had died down. Still, there weren't too much action going on in the lobby. I did manage to ride the elevator down with a player who we found out was just a scrub defensive player, #98 Letroy Guion. After revisiting a conversation with this lady who was your typical superfan who knew the ins and outs and thought she could give Adrian Peterson a photo album for his daughter, I spotted Nafu Tahi. I got my photo with him, and I think he was so grateful somebody knew who he actually was that he dropped his ipod on the ground while getting ready to pose. I told him he had better block for Adrian tomorrow, to which he gave me a big smile. At least I got one photo opportunity with a player, that was good enough for me. I highly doubted I was going to see any of the big guys like AP, Favre, Jared Allen, Antoine Winfield, or Chad Greenway. So I resigned myself to sit down in the hotel bar with Ken and Bryan and watch the Yankees game. I'm pretty sure Percy Harvin was in the hotel bar with his entourage, but wasn't 100% sure and walked past him. Bryan and Ken were sitting next to three guys also watching the game. While eavesdropping on their conversation, it appeared they were somehow connected with the Vikings. Bryan and one of the guys started chatting about the Yankees, and soon enough we started talking about the Vikings. These guys were playing it off that they had driven in for the game tomorrow, so I as a fan started bashing Tavares Jackson and the pass defense of the Vikings. As our conversation deepened after we started about living in New Jersey, we found out the one guy who doing the most talking was Kevin Rogers. Rogers is the Vikings QB coach (although right now he isn't doing much coaching with Brett Favre on the team). He had grown up in Sparta, and spent time as a coach and coordinator for Notre Dame, Army, and Syracuse. He was responsible for preparing Donovan McNabb for the pros while the offensive coordinator at Syracuse, which eventually got him the job for the Vikings due to his connection with Brad Childress who had coached McNabb in Philly. He was brought to Minnesota to help develop Tavares Jackson, the same guy who I was trashing a few minutes ago. Luckily, Kevin had a good sense of humor, but it just goes to show you that you never know who you are going to meet and you have to be careful what you say to strangers. We had a great conversation about sports, and he was telling us things that we wouldn't expect somebody in his position to talk about. He also offered to buy us some drinks which we politely declined. Before turning in for the night, Kevin told us to enjoy the game tomorrow. We said our goodbyes, to which I stupidly forgot his name and called him Steve. Duggh! Okay, maybe we didn't get to hang out with Brett Favre, but having a real conversation with a Vikings coach was pretty darn special.

Sunday morning! Gametime baby! We ate some breakfast and walked the streets with my fellow Vikings fans towards the Metrodome. It was such a tremendous feeling being surrounded by fans of all ages sporting their Purple and White jerseys. A few of the people we spoke with indicated that they truly believed they were going to eventually lose their team. The state government has no interest in building a new stadium for the team, and it wouldn't be a shock for the Wilfs to move the team considering they also had no real ties to Minnesota. Zygi Wilf, chairman and owner of the Vikings, is a big real estate mogul from New Jersey who has been fighting to get the city to fund a new stadium. The thought of Minnesota without a football team would be horrifying, although I don't live there so it wouldn't hurt as bad if they moved to Los Angeles. Although come to think of it, the team's history would be tarnished, so I hope it doesn't happen. The Metrodome is over 50 years old and is located in the cruddier part of town. Let me tell you that the Vikings experience as opposed to a Giants/Jets experience is a totally different can of worms. There are really no drunk and obnoxious fans, in fact there is no tailgating before the game. The stadium is right in the middle of the city, and except for one little parking lot, most people either walk through the city or take the train which arrives right there. The food of choice that people munch on while hanging outside are cheese curds, not burgers on the grill or pretzels. Very strange indeed. Outside the stadium has the feel of a county fair with tents lined up supporting the community, face painting for kids, and games for prizes. Getting into the stadium was painless, there were no lines or mass hysteria involved. Unfortunately, you aren't allowed to bring your guns to the stadium, or says the dozen or so signs outside the stadium. The feeling outside the stadium was very old-school, I felt like I was a little kid again in the 80's going to a NJ Cosmos game outside Giants Stadium. It was time to enter the Dome and get ready for the game.

Wow, The Metrodome! This is the where the Vikings have played their home games ever since I've been a fan. This is where Kirby Puckett played. This is where the 1991 World Series Games 6 & 7 were played (the two best sporting events I've ever watched). And finally, I was here in person to take it all in. To read the history of the Vikings on the walls, to see the photos commemorating the 1987 & 1991 Twins, to buy a Vikings program for only $6. It was like being in a dream. Unlike Giants Stadium, you could buy a Red Bull here. If I was still a drinker, the cost for me to enjoy a beer was only five and a quarter. The men's restrooms had piss pots, not actual urinals. Only in the midwest! We got to our seats, and my brother-in-law really came through. Not only were they the best seats I've ever had for a football game, they may have been the best seats I've ever had at any event. I was eight rows up from the Vikings bench, at the 35 yard line. I could see the player's facial expressions, their interactions with each other, the practical jokes they played on each other. I could see Ryan Longwell's field goal prep, and Brad Childress ready to call another conservative play on the sidelines. I could see Brock Lesnar and Sable on the sidelines and figured out they were there to blow the Vikings horn before the game. I'm not going to bore you with the actual play by play of the game, but it turned out to be a real barn burner. The Minnesota Vikings were cruising until the fourth quarter. It came down to a missed Ravens field goal during the waning seconds of the game to ensure the Vikings won the game 33-31. They were now 6-0. There was no way my first Vikings experience was going to be a loss, my being there may have had an effect on the outcome of the game. To be there was great, to be there for a Vikings win was even more special. As I left the stadium after the game, I was ready to write again. I was inspired, and realized that life sometimes can be exhilarating!

To sum it up, I was so blessed to be able to finally visit Minnesota. The entire weekend was magnificent, and I have to gave super thanks to Bryan who made it all happen. The people of Minnesota are really nice, the atmosphere is laid-back and calm. I'd rate Minneapolis as one of my top 5 cities to have visited, and there is no way in hell that it's going to take another twenty years to return. You couldn't ask for better weather because had it been as cold as Minnesota as known for, it could have been miserable. Minneapolis is a city that has nice restaurants and bars, and it's not as congested as New York City or Los Angeles. Did I also mention that there are a lot of cute girls in Minneapolis? If it wasn't so damn cold in the winter, I would move here. Minneapolis treated me very well, and I hope the state keeps their doors open for me, because I'm coming back very soon.

Worldwide, Baby, Worldwide! : Mikey Does Minnesota

The question that I always seem to get asked is why do I root for the Minnesota Vikings? Why can't I support the hometown New York Giants or New York Jets? Maybe if I lived in East Rutherford or went to games at Giants Stadium as a little kid, I might be a fan and actually care. But I just never really had any interest in the home teams. I'm not taking anything away from people who root for their home teams, but I never got why it's frowned about if people cheer for an out of town team. I think that people just stay loyal to their local team because it is expected of them per society's rules. Also, maybe because it's easy and convenient, and many people don't like to explore the unknown. Sometimes, I wish people would think outside the box.

Anyway, here is the big answer to the mystery as to why I became a hardcore fan of the Vikings. It all started back in 1989. I was a big fan of Kirby Puckett and the Minnesota Twins in baseball back then, and Kirby's #34 jersey number held a special meaning for me. It might have just been a regular number to the average person, but to me it was a number of prestige. I also liked Herschel Walker because his first name sounded like my last name, which any 12 year old would think was neat. My brother had seem him play for the NJ Generals of the USFL in 1985 and gleefully told me he was amazing. Walker also happened to also wear #34 and when he was traded to Minnesota, I began to turn my attention to the Vikings. Wouldn't it be fun to root for the baseball and football teams in the twin cities? My mom also told me that my cousin's brother was Mike Lynn, who was the general manager of the Vikings that had pulled off the infamous trade with the Dallas Cowboys to get Herschel Walker. Of course, true NFL fans know that Mike Lynn will always be remembered for this bonehead trade that gave Dallas a bunch of #1 draft picks which they used to draft key players that would be cornerstone players for their championship teams. Those draft picks ended up being Russell Maryland, Darren Woodson, Kevin Smith and Emmitt Smith. Herschel Walker's career in Minnesota was less than mediocre, and probably cost Mike Lynn his job. My quote on quote cousin later created the World League before fading into obscurity. But the fact that I was somehow related to the GM of the Vikings sealed the deal regardless that Herschel Walker turned out to be a bust. And for the past twenty years, I have stayed loyal and have rooted for the Minnesota Vikings, the only professional sports team I remain passionate about.

I'll admit that it has been hard to be a Vikings fan. I've been there through a lot of the crap: the 15-1 season in 1998 that didn't end in a championship, Gary Anderson's missed field goal in the 1998 NFC Championship game after not missing one all year, Mike Tice's horrible coaching, Randy Moss and his criminal ways, the love boat incident, Korey Stringer's death due to heat exhaustion in training camp, Dante Culpepper's knee breaking in three pieces, Onterrio Smith and the Whizzinator, Bubby Brister, Spergon Wynn, missing the playoffs on the last play of the season against Arizona, and of course the 41-0 spanking from the Giants in the 2000 NFC Championship Game. During my life on this earth, the Minnesota Vikings have not only never won the Super Bowl, but they have never even played in the big game. Also I have never had the opportunity to hit the Twin Cities to see a game played at the Metrodome. The excuses were always lack of interest, lack of money, and the obvious being that it's too damn cold. But that all changed in 2009, thanks to my brother-in-law who was able to score some tickets to the Vikings/Baltimore Ravens game. Thanks to my frequent flier miles, and Bryan's travel rewards program, I was off to Minneapolis with my dad and brother (in-laws) for a free ride. This was a special trip twenty years in the making and with my father-in-law Ken Boardman along, how could it not live up to the hype? Expectations were high for this to be one of the biggest vacations of my life.

Besides the Metrodome and the Mall Of America, there isn't much to see in Minnesota. In terms of pop culture references, the only thing to check out was the spot where the Mary Tyler Moore Show infamous opening credits scene was shot. "Love is all around, no need to fake it, we're gonna make it after all!" Not try to get that song out of your head. Pretty cool, but unfortunately the show was before my time. I never was much of a fan of Mary Tyler Moore, although I will secretly admit she was pretty damn hot in the 80's. To simply add to my pop culture attraction photo collection, I posed in front of the statue honoring the classic moment. Okay, so maybe there was only the mall and the stadium to check out, but these are pretty special places that I have waited a long time to see in person with my own two eyes. Analyzing and ranking shopping malls is a hobby of mine, and it was finally time to see if the Mall Of America would live up the hype.

Simply put, the Mall Of America is like the Palisades Center on steroids. There is a full blown amusement park on the first floor of the mall. There are four levels of mall packed with your typical corporate branded stores like The Gap and Abercrombie & Fitch. A total of two food courts and I'm happy to express there was an Arbys in one of them!! What makes the mall unique is the plethora of sports stores dedicated to Vikings gear. I think we counted fifteen stores featuring the hometown team. In one spot, there also was a Packers store with an interesting assortment of tasteless T-shirts. One of which featured a bare Minnesota Vikings trophy case covered in spiderwebs. If you wanted to buy some cheese and the Packers cheesehead, this was the place. The mall has a lot of kitschy specialty stores that you probably wouldn't find at any mall in the metro area. Some other random observations about the Mall Of America: No CVS or Rite-Aid, only one large Barnes & Noble but no small bookstores, no Dave & Busters, no Hard Rock Cafe.

Chris Rock sure was right when he said the only black people in Minnesota were Kirby Puckett and Prince. I counted only of a handful of black people, many of which weren't even African, but from the Carribean. In fact, there were no other people from other cultures. Minnesota is like a wintergreen Life-Saver, pure white. Totally a far cry from a typical walk in New York City or even the local malls here in Jersey. Interesting, but very sad that there is little diversity in Minnesota. Two special guests were signing their latest books at Barnes & Noble: America's hero Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger (the dude who safely landed the 747 airplane into the Hudson River) and Christian Siriano (the Season 4 Project Runway Winner). What does it say about our society when Siriano's line was triple the size of Sully's. The youth of America cares more about a reality TV fashion designer than a real American hero. Pathetic! Of course, I made sure that we covered the entire mall, which we were able to accomplish in four hours of which I have the blisters on my toes to prove it. Because my wife is the #1 shopper in the world, I had to buy her a Queen Of The Mall shirt from the biggest mall in the United States. And I spent a little bit on myself purchasing a new jersey to wear with hopes that Jared Allen isn't leaving the team anytime soon. The Mall Of America did live up to the hype, and I'm proud to say it might be the best mall I ever went to. Although the ranking might only be as such because of all the Vikings merchandise all around me.

Part 2 tomorrow including a breakdown of the Metrodome, the attitude of the fans and their fear of losing their team, a review of the city of Minneapolis, and a story of how I almost insulted the Minnesota Vikings QB coach while watching the Yankees game on Saturday night. Good times, indeed. Part 2 promises to be a lot more to fun to read, I promise.

MisenPOPic Update

I had a great time in Minnesota this past weekend and made a lot of observations that I can't wait to share on this blog. But like all returns from vacations, it does take me a while to adjust and get caught up on all of the stuff that I missed. I should be up to speed by the time I go to sleep and ready to roll tomorrow with a full report from the Twin Cities with photos and all.

Mikey

P.S. How about those Vikings? True, they were very fortunate to escape with a win, but I'll take the wins any way we can get them.

Album Analysis: KISS's Sonic Boom (Or perhaps it should be called Sonic Thud!)

Now that I have had the new KISS album for a bit and truly listened to it, it's time to get down and dirty to provide a quick analysis. The album isn't bad. The album isn't good. The album just is, if that makes any sense. Sonic Boom isn't memorable, it's just another album to add to the KISS album collection. You mean to tell me that I waited eleven years for this??? Everybody knows about my huge man crush on Paul Stanley, that he can do no wrong in my eyes. Well, as a singer, songwriter, artist, and human being, he simply is amazing. But as a producer, he needs to hand over the reigns to somebody who knows how to oversee production on a great album. Lest we forget that the only other KISS albums that Paul produced were 1984's Animalize and 1986's Asylum, both of which didn't meet the standards of other great albums. If they really wanted to recapture the classic KISS sound from the 70's couldn't Gene and Paul put their egos aside and hire Bob Ezrin or Eddie Kramer who were responsible for producing their best albums (Destroyer, Revenge, Alive, Love Gun)? You also probably know by now that Ace Frehley and Peter Criss are yet again out of the band, replaced by two musicians who have the undaunting task of being dictated by Gene Simmons to wear Ace and Peter's make-up and costumes. Though Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer may be better overall musicians that Frehley and Criss, the fact that they were not able to create their own identities or for that matter even not wear make-up at all bothers me tremendously.

Sonic Boom doesn't really have any songs that could stand up as a true KISS classic. Of the 11 songs on the album, there are no 5 star songs, and only two 4 star songs. Modern Day Delilah, the first single on the album, is a fun song but not as memorable as other opening tracks on previous albums. The other good tune is the third track, Never Enough, which has a nice little melody with Paul singing his heart out. But it's a good thing that Poison front man Bret Michaels is a KISS fan, because he could sue them for blatantly stealing the melody from Nothing But A Good Time. The four songs with Gene on lead vocals are pure garbage. No memorable hooks, just sounds like crap that probably didn't make it on Gene's infamous 1978 solo album. The album sounds like it was produced in two weeks, which Paul stated in interviews that in fact it was. The fact that KISS didn't include any of the new tunes in their live setlists with the exception of Modern Day Delilah indicates that maybe deep down, the band knows these songs aren't going to go over with their dedicated fans. For example, one of the tunes on the album is called Danger Us, with lyrics as silly as "Danger Me, Danger You, Danger Us!" I wish I was making this up. The band was never known for their lyrics, and I've never seemed to mind the tongue in cheek word style of their previous songs. But Danger Us, and other tunes like All For The Glory and I'm An Animal are really awful. On a positive note, I will applaud Tommy Thayer who seems to be the only band member who seemed motivated on the album. Thayer cowrote a bunch of the tunes with Paul and Gene and his guitar work really shines on the album.

Like all KISS albums that are about to hit the record stores (or exclusive at your local Wal-Mart; the retail giant that I now refuse to ever step foot into again after having no choice but to purchase Sonic Boom and a $6 bag of KISS M&M's), Paul and Gene love to overhype and overpromote, and have claimed this is their best album since 1976. I got sucked into the hype, but after listening to it over and over like I do for every KISS album, it's a slap in the face to the true fans of the band. Revenge in 1992 was better than this muck, as was 80's classics like Creatures Of The Night and Lick It Up. I can't justify this album even being one of their top 20 albums. If you haven't already picked it up, go out and buy Ace Frehley's new solo record, Anomaly. It's ten times the album that Sonic Boom is, with better melodies and production. I applaud KISS for going into the studio to record new songs, but they need to go back to the drawing board, or perhaps it is best to stop recording and continue to bore us with the same act they have been doing for the best 13 years since they put the makeup on.

Maybe their next album will appropriately be called "Rock & Roll All Night, Sell Out To Wal-Mart Every day!"

Final Grade: B-

Blast From The Past: A Tribute To Kirby Puckett

Until I come back and swing for the fences, here is another archived piece for your enjoyment. Considering that I'm off to Minnesota this weekend, I feel it's appropriate to run my tribute to Kirby Puckett that I wrote upon his death a few years ago.

Now batting third, number 34, KIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRBBBBBBBBYYYYYYYY Puckett!

I first laid eyes on Kirby Puckett in my Fleer Panini sticker album in 1985 in the Rookies portion of the book. The defintion of rookie I did not know at the time, so I assumed it just meant he was one of the best players. This Puckett guy had a unique look and a really strange name. His sticker was only a head shot, so I didn't even realize at the time that he was short and stocky. Well, people always forget that Kirby didn't fatten up until 1987, so really he was just small, not yet the stocky smiling guy I would soon call my idol. I'd always smile when I got a Kirby Puckett card in a pack of Topps or Donruss, and when people asked me who my favorite player was, I'd spew off the usual names of Daryl Strawberry, Jose Canseco, Joe Carter, and of course Kirby Puckett.

Right after I became a man at age 13 after having my Bar Mitzvah and getting hell for being considered a front runner because I also had loved Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco and the Oakland Athletics, I decided that I would start rooting for the Minnesota Twins. And of course Kirby Puckett was now number one all to himself. I would buy, or trade for any Kirby Puckett card I could find. I begged my mom to spend $200 on the tough to obtain Kirby Puckett 1984 Fleer Update card. I owned four or five Kirby T-shirts, had a sweet Kirby Puckett jacket (it's probably worth a lot now!) and even called myself Kirbman. I wouldn't leave my house when the Twins were playing the Yankees because it was the only time I got to see Kirby play. I was obsessed beyond obsession with Kirby. He was fun to watch, he was always smiling, and he just made you feel good when you watched him play. I never saw Kirby get upset when he struck out, or ever argue with an empire. He was always happy, whether in the dugout, on base, or joking at the plate with the opposing team's catcher.

In 1991, Kirby Puckett provided me with the greatest sports moment of my life, (until the Vikings finally win a Super Bowl!). The Twins had made the ALCS, and I was so nervous they wouldn't make it to the World Series. Being the Jewish kosher kid I was back then, I actually prayed with my mother on a Sabbath before the ALCS. I guess it worked because the Twins made the World Series, and Kirby Puckett was the ALCS MVP. In perhaps the Greatest World Series I had ever seen, the Braves were up 3-2, and one win away from winning the championship. Kirby put the team on his back to make sure there would be a game 7. He made the famous catch against the glass to save a run. And in the tenth inning, he hit the home run to bring on game 7. Never in my life had I been so overcome with emotions from a sporting event of any kind. Boy, was I so happy that night! Jack Buck's "We'll see you tomorrow night" still sounds great fifteen years later! We all know the Twins won the World Series, and it was pure bliss.

I'd still cheer for Kirby and keep on collecting his merchandise. I even got my ear pierced and had the jeweler make me a #34 earring which I wore in my ear for senior year high school portrait. I'd get ribbed for being a fan of the fat guy, but I'd always stand my ground against the other kids in my class. When Kirby was a free agent and was possibly going to be a Red Sox or Phillie, I chewed on my fingernails so hard, they were bleeding. How could Kirby play for any other team but the Twins? Kirby actually took less money so he could stay in Minnesota where his heart was. I was so happy.

In June of 1996, after working a grueling job at FootAction (a summer job I needed to keep my busy after my freshman year of college), my mom picked me up and informed me that Kirby Puckett had been forced to retire due to glaucoma. My brother was in the car, and told me the news even made him cry (which was a surprise because he always had to chime in that Ken Griffey Jr. was better). Torn apart the entire care ride home I was, as I would no longer be able to enjoy watching Kirby Puckett play. Was his career good enough to be inducted in the hall of fame? That dreadful day in May was the last day that I ever cared about baseball again.

In 2000 as the Hall Of Fame inductees were to be named, I was refreshing ESPN.com every ten minutes so anxious to know if Kirby Puckett was going to make it. I figured if he didn't make it on his first try, he wasn't ever going to get in. My worries vanished when it was confirmed he made it. Of course this meant I had to be there for his induction in August of 2001. I'm proud to say I was there to cheer on my hero in Cooperstown. Seeing the exhibit honoring the newest inductee while being with my friends BS and Jason was pure magic. I was also so proud to be the only one wearing the Kirby blue retro 1984 jersey while walking the Cooperstown streets!

A few months later, Kirby was in the news, and not because he was signing autographs for a kid. We'd find out he beat his wife, had a mistress, fondled a woman in a restaurant, and that he didn't really care about the kids and that it was all an act (well this only comes from Kirby's ex wife and an explosive SI article a few years ago). This really got to me and made me question my love for this man. He also had pissed me off a few years back when I sent him a three page letter and card to be signed, and never got a response, but his latest actions made me sick to my stomach. Well, I forgave Kirby Puckett. Besides, I really had loved Kirby for what he did on the field, not off it.

On Monday, March 6th, I lost my hero. He meant so much to me, he represented a big part of my childhood. I've read so many tributes about him today, and there's nothing I can write now that hasn't already been said. I'm not much of a poet, and only a so-so story teller, so really all I can write is that I loved Kirby Puckett, and the world is a much sadder place with him gone. Thanks Kirby for giving me someone to look up to as a kid, for always making me smile, for representing what is great about sports, and for being my hero. I'll keep on wearing my Kirby jersey with pride(and try not to cry everytime I put it on!), and will be proud to tell stories about you with my kids. I don't think Dawn will let me, but I'd love to name my son Kirby! Rest in peace, and thank you for the memories, Kirbman!

The Mick Returns

Back in 1999, before this whole internet blogging and social network craze began, I had a little website where I wrote about my interests in pop culture while also paying tribute to the cast of characters I met at New Paltz. It was really just a side project for me, but I spent a lot of time writing and adding photos and I actually started to get people that I didn't even know to read the website. Then it stopped as I became inundated with work, marriage, and whatnot. I've tried every now and then over the past few years to start writing again, but it just never came to be. Until now. I'm serious about working on my time management skills and finding the time to do the things that I want to do which included writing about what's going on in today's world of pop culture. If the guy who can name every Oscar winner from 1970 from memory, or jumps on TV shows before they become phenomenons isn't blogging, there is a problem.

I do realize that I'm not as creative as I thought I was, and there is a saturation of blogs on the web that I'll never be able to compete with. But that conversation is for a future post. Had I stayed with my blog back in 2001, who knows where it would have led me, perhaps I could have been the next Bill Simmons of ESPN fame. The mission of this blog is to stimulate conversation about current trends, obscure trivia, and my feelings on the lack of creativity and loss of interest in a lot of things due to a variety of factors. I'll be talking about the current TV shows, awards shows, the state of the music industry, pop culture lists, and maybe even my life experiences that were influenced by pop culture. The other mission of this blog is to enhance my writing skills and get into a groove so it becomes secondhand for me to do this. I figure since I've been keeping lists since I was 7 years old of favorite movies, theme songs, etc, it's time to share my thoughts.

I'll be putting up some archived stuff this week, and the mission begins on Monday after my return from the Twin Cities.

Be warned, I will curse, I will stammer, I will bitch. And the reason being is because I'm not just misenthropic, but I'm also misenpopic (trademark pending!).

Blast From The Past: An Interview with Steve Mond from Different Strokes

Different Strokes has always been a favorite show of mine, and there has been one character on that show that I always enjoyed to watch. Whatchoo talking about, Mikey? No, I'm not talking about Arnold, Willis, Mr. Drummond, Pearl, or even the bicycle shop owner who molested Dudley. I'm talking about Arnold's "other" pal, Robbie Jaysen. With his bright red hair, and nasal voice, he always seemed to stand out for me. He was the kid who introduced drugs to Arnold, the kid who played in Arnold's band, the kid who participated in the ususal mischef with Arnold and Dudley. When the show ended, we never heard about him ever. I was on a mission to speak to him and ask the questions that nobody else could. Back in 2000, I was able to find his email address on a 80's Where Are They Now? website, and figured it was worth a shot to email the actor, Steven Mond, and see where life has taken him. What you see below is the results of my interview with an obscure 80's TV star. Enjoy!





























When did you get your big break into acting?

There really wasn't a "big break." I started when I was about 3. I got thefirst commercial I auditioned for Playskool toys. I did lots ofcommercials after that. For kids that young, producers are really looking for someone that won't freeze up or start crying around lots of strangers with cameras and microphones, so the resume slowly built and built.

Have you appeared in anything before or after Diff'rent Strokes?
Lots of commercials. I was also in a TV miniseries called "Murder in Texas," and the Spielberg film "1941." Also there's a couple bit parts in Chips and some other TV shows and movies. I'm proud to say that my TV parents and stepparents included Farrah Fawcett, Cybill Shepherd, Sam Elliott, Catherine Ross, Ned Beatty, and Lorraine Gary.

What year did you join the cast of Diff'rent Strokes?
1980 was the year of my first episode.

How did the producers decide on you for the role of Robbie Jayson?
I wouldn't have any idea. There wasn't anything unusual about the casting process - just an audition and a callback, like anything else. I think that they liked that I was short for my age. I could deliver lines better than younger kids, and could still stay in a 2-shot with Gary.

Do you still keep in touch with any members of the cast?
Not really. Shavar Ross and I got in touch via e-mail a few years ago (shortly after the DS website had current e-mail addresses for us). We actually met up for lunch in LA shortly thereafter. But I haven't really kept current with him. Other than that, I haven't spoken to anyone from the show.

If Gary Coleman walked right by you in a shopping mall, do you think he would recognize you?
Probably not. I think I look pretty different now (for which I'm eternally grateful). I also think Gary's quite reticent to be reminded of the DS days. On the other hand, several years ago my sister saw him at a video arcade that he was managing/appearing at. She mentioned my name, and he seemed pretty friendly about remembering me. So I guess if I saw him and introduced
myself, he'd know.

Why did you decide to give up on acting after the show was canceled?
I had decided long before the end of DS that it would be my last acting role. I was into some pretty heady academics, and by about 8th grade I knew that my future lay there, not in acting. I just couldn't afford to give up a few afternoon hours a week for auditioning, in addition to the occasional full week off school to do DS. My family and I considered DS a commitment that we wanted to honor, so we told my agent that I would do a show if asked, but not audition for other roles. So when DS was canceled, I was "retired."

What was your favorite episode that you appeared in?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar guest starred in an episode I was in. I've always been a huge sports fan, so that was a big thrill.

What were your thoughts on the infamous "Gordon Jump" episode in which the bikeshop owner molested Dudley?
I really don't have any thoughts or insights on that particular episode. Sorry.

Was Nancy Reagan easy to work with on the infamous "Just say No" episode?
Other than to actually film her scenes, she wasn't really around, except for 1 or 2 rehearsals the day before we shot. I only spent a couple minutes with her other than in a rehearsal or filming. But she generally remembered her lines and was fairly pleasant, so I guess that makes her easy to work with.

Did you ever see any negative behavior from Dana Plato on the set?
Not at all. She was always very sweet - probably to the point of naivete. The closest thing to problem behavior that I knew of was that she chose to go skydiving the weekend before we shot the last episode of one particular season, rather than waiting a week when we'd be on haitus for the summer. Sure enough, she injured her leg, was in a cast, and that particular episode had to be rewritten to put her behind desks and couches in every scene.

Was there ever talk of a spin-off show featuring Robby?
Not a single time.

How many total episodes did you appear in?
I've lost count, but I think between 20-30 lies the truth.

How did you feel when they brought another cute red-headed child onto the show (Danny Cooksey)?
I wouldn't consider us competitors in any way. Bringing in Danny and Dixie Carter opened up new story lines, and with Todd Bridges's role reduced, it kept the older brother-younger brother dynamic. Danny was already an accomplished country singer when he joined the cast, so I think the producers liked that he could bring that element to the show. For other folks' thoughts on adding the new characters to the show, see jumptheshark.com. :)

Any good behind the scenes stories during the tapings of the show?
Not really. My best memories are just generally goofing off with Gary and Shavar and Nikki between rehearsals, sometimes ad libbing things, and so on. We also shared a part of the Universal lot with Silver Spoons, Jeffersons, Facts of Life, Who's the Boss, so I had a kind of "eye-contact"/acquaintance friendship with most of the people from those shows. My wife and I ran into Kim Fields recently at an airport, and she remembered who I was. That was nice.

What made you decide to study law, and give up on acting?
As I said, I was much more into academics, right on from junior high. Law was just the direction I chose after college. And I've since moved on to a graduate program in sport management (just graduated). So I guess I now have enough letters after my name to play scrabble.

If there were a reunion show, would you be up for appearing on it?
Absolutely. Although the chances of that ever happening went from slim to none after Dana passed away.

Are you amazed at your acting skills when watching the reruns?
In which direction? I wish I had more acting skills - the reruns would be less painful to watch. I also wish my allergies weren't so prevalent (still a problem to this day).

What would you tell your kids about your experiences on the show?
That I had a great time, met a lot of interesting people, and that it was a lot of hard work also.

What are you doing at the present time?
Just finished my master's degree, and my wife and I are waiting to see where life takes us next. I'll update the DS website as soon as we're there.

Do you do a lot of gambling in Vegas? How about getting a stage act in one of the big casinos doing stand-up jokes?
No and no.

What do you think a Steven Mond autographed item would go for on ebay?
Probably about 50 cents. If my parents buy a computer and get on ebay, maybe $1.