Weekend Happenings

A sampling of weekend goings-on to keep your eyes shining, your toes tapping and your ears happy:

* “National Performance Network: Live and On Stage” is a performance showcase in support of the NPN’s annual arts conference, which Knoxville is hosting this year. NPN is also celebrating the 40th anniversary of their only Tennessee member, The Carpetbag Theatre. The multimedia show will be 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 11 and 12, at the Bijou Theatre. National and regional performers in the areas of storytelling, poetry, music, dance and African drumming will entertain the public and conference attendees. For tickets, call the Tennessee Theatre box office, 684-1200, ext 2.

* Broadway Sound will host the rescheduled appearance of world-renowned “gypsy-jazz” guitarist Frank Vignola 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at their store at 2830 North Broadway in Knoxville. Vignola is the real deal. He’s been awarded Les Paul’s regular NYC Iridium club gig since Paul’s death back in August, and it’s a good bet Vignola will be knocking the socks off of all the folks lucky enough to snag a ticket at Broadway Sound’s intimate event by calling them at 637-1644. Vignola will also be holding a guitar clinic earlier on Saturday at 1 p.m. for those students of swing who’d like to get an up-close-and-personal lesson with the master, so bring your Gibson.

* The Fountain City Art Center is having an open house and sale for their Parkside Open Door Gallery. The open house will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, and will kick off their Christmas sale which will be running through Dec. 23. The work of many local artists will be available at 10 to 20 percent discounts. Come by for some free popcorn and hot chocolate!

* Rounding out your musical options for Saturday, Dec. 12, is Tennessee Schmaltz, Knoxville’s favorite klezmer band. Rob Heller and the folks in Tennessee Schmaltz will be at the Laurel Theatre at 8 p.m. for a show that’s sure to please. After all, they’ve got tour stories and a Bonnaroo show under their belts since they last appeared at the Laurel in 2007. Get tickets at www.knoxtix.com or call 523-7521. Like their poster says, there’ll be “something oldish, something newish, something borrowed, something Jewish.” You can’t go wrong with that!
Playlist:
1. Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite — The Beatles
2. Born in a Trunk — Judy Garland
3. Turn the Beat Around — Vicki Sue Robinson
4. Guitar Man — Bread, Cake, or Elvis Presley
5. Minor Swing — Stephane Grappelli
6. Color Him Father — The Winstons
7. Open House — Bombay Bicycle Club
8. Drink Me Hot — Chris Joss
9. Don’t Let the Schmaltz Get in Your Eyes — Mickey Katz
10. Mazel Tov Cocktail — Meshugga Beach Party

Cuckoo for Culture

If you go cuckoo for culture in K-town, you’ll have an excellent chance to see and hear tons of it this weekend. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4-5, the Arts and Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville will host its fifth annual Emporium Holiday Extravaganza. At the beautiful Emporium Center at 100 S. Gay Street (corner of Jackson Avenue and Gay Street), the Extravaganza will feature loads of great holiday ideas from area artists and museums. Handmade items will include home accessories, ornaments, stationery, jewelry, paintings, drawings and more.

9"x9" giclee prints of "Fish on a Leash" by Knoxville Illustrator Lesley Eaton are available at the Extravaganza. Lesley is an accomplished children's book illustrator who works with painted paper collage and mixed media. To see more of her fanciful artwork, visit her website at www.pepperedpaper.com.
Here’s a great way to kick-start your Christmas spirit this year: check out all the fantastic artwork at the Extravaganza while awaiting the downtown WIVK Christmas parade, which begins at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Browsing is free, and there just might be some yummy holiday goodies on hand to help you get in a festive mood.

As if this feast for the eyes (and tummy!) weren’t enough, the Extravaganza is also a great way to catch live performances by some of Knoxville’s most popular groups like the Knoxville Children’s Choir, Circle Modern Dance and Smoky Mountain Harmony A Capella Show Chorus. Log onto www.knoxalliance.com for more info, schedule of performances, directions, parking, etc., or call the Alliance at 523-7543. Extravaganza hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
On the off chance that the Extravaganza can’t provide the unique present you’re looking for, you can always get that special someone a Culture Cash gift certificate good at more than 40 of Knoxville’s local arts and culture organizations. Have fun playing Santa and supporting Knoxville artists.

Playlist:
1. Arts and Crafts — Maceo Parker
2. See Me, Feel Me — The Who
3. Downtown — Petula Clark
4. Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied) — B.T. Express
5. Get Up and Go — The Rutles
6. Right Here Right Now — Jesus Jones
7. Suddenly I See — KT Tunstall
8. It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year — Andy Williams
9. Because — The Beatles
10. The City is Here for You to Use — The Futureheads

James and John: Good as Gravy

It’s the centennial anniversary of the birth of two giants of American creativity: James Agee and Johnny Mercer.
Had they lived this long, Knoxville-born author James Agee and pop lyricist Johnny Mercer of Savannah, Ga., would have turned 100 this month.
I recently discovered something else these two southern gentlemen had in common: they both had occasion to appreciate gravy.
James Agee included some local incarnations of gravy in his 1941 book “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men.” Agee mentioned this pork-infused staple of poverty-stricken southerners as one of the “… true tastes of home.” And Johnny Mercer praised gravy in the verse to his song “Lazy Bones,” which begins “Long as there is chicken gravy on your rice, Ev’rything is nice.”
Maybe it’s because I grew up in the South, but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like gravy – myself included. And these acknowledgements of the Everyman’s ambrosia just reinforce why I so like their work.
Both Agee’s and Mercer’s words evoke images of the small-town South during the first half of the 20th century. You can almost feel the humidity and smell the magnolia blossoms in their writing.
Mercer’s lyrics don’t always speak directly to a Southern experience, but you can tell he’s from here. Most of his standards indirectly attest to his down-home roots: talk of trains, breezes, moonlight and meadows all help paint a sentimental picture of love lost or unrequited.
The miracle of saints James and John was in their storytelling of the common ground that connects all humanity. They remind us of childhood, nature, the richness of living simply and a time when no matter what else was happening, at least there was gravy on the stove. And it’s as true today as it was then – somehow everything’s the better for that.
Playlist:
1. Gravy Waltz — Oscar Peterson
2. Sharecropper’s Son — Ralph Stanley
3. That’s What I Like About the South – Phil Harris
4. Going Back to Georgia — Nanci Griffith
5. Arkansas Traveler — Michelle Shocked
6. Southland in the Springtime — Indigo Girls
7. I Wanna Go Back to Dixie — Tom Lehrer
8. Poor Old Dirt Farmer — Levon Helm
9. Good Brown Gravy — Joe Diffie
10. Feels Like Home — Bonnie Raitt

Craft Fair a Fall Tradition

The prestigious Foothills Craft Guild will host its 43rd annual Fine Craft Fair this Friday through Sunday at the Jacob building in Chilhowee Park. The amazing original artwork of more than 140 artisans and craftspersons will be featured.
A partial list of media includes woodwork, pottery, stained glass, basketry, printmaking and jewelry.

I caught up with Guild member and woodturner Bob Klassen of Farragut, who will be working booth No. 129 at the show this weekend. He’s a happy part-time retiree who enjoys mastering the fine art of the wood lathe. His woodturnings are also on display at the Art Gallery of Farragut.
Leilla White has worked with beveled glass for almost two decades and enjoys the Fine Craft Fair as an opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones looking for that special holiday gift. She makes candleholders, sun-catchers, window pieces and even tables. Her work is currently showing at the Highland Craft Gallery in Gatlinburg.
The Fine Craft Fair is a great place to learn about a huge variety of arts and the local artists who create them. There will be a fun hands-on booth for kids, and everyone can enjoy demonstrations of basket making, whittling, chair caning and corn shuckery. I didn’t know it was called shuckery. There – I’ve learned something new already!
So if you haven’t yet treated yourself to this autumn tradition, bring the kids and make a day of it. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Cost is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and free for children 6 and under. Visit www.foothillscraftguild.org for more info. See you there!

Playlist:
1. Autumn Almanac — The Kinks
2. Tradition — Fiddler on the Roof
3. Art in Me — Jars of Clay
4. Sugar Craft — Medeski, Martin & Wood
5. Mona Lisa — Nat “King” Cole
6. Scarborough Fair — Simon & Garfunkle
7. Pictures at an Exhibition — Ravel/Mussorgsky
8. Portrait of my Love — Steve Lawrence
9. Turbulent Indigo — Joni Mitchell
10. Harvest Festival — XTC

KSO Gives Tuneful Treat to Area Kids

Last week, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra treated kids from Knox County and surrounding schools to a wonderful program of music with a “Musical Superheroes” theme as part of the KSO’s popular Young People’s Concerts.
KSO Resident Conductor James Fellenbaum was in control and at ease with the skill of a master storyteller. He provided lively, concise introductions noting each composer’s “super power,” hamming it up for the delighted audience.
The “Star-Spangled Banner” kicked off the concert of selections familiar and not-so-familiar. The Civic Auditorium was full of the sound of thousands of toes tapping during the second movement of Haydn’s “Surprise” Symphony.
Seventeen-year-old flutist Laura Kappa joined 14-year-old harpist Naomi Falconnier as soloists on a concerto by Mozart. Both are members of the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra.
There were squeals of recognition as the first strains of Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony” came from the stage. Dancers from Go! Contemporary Dance Works provided a beautiful, moving tableau to illustrate Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.”
For the percussive blast of an excerpt from Stravinsky’s “The Firebird,” Maestro Fellenbaum encouraged the children to use their imagination to picture themselves triumphing against evil in their own scary adventure.
Rounding out the show was the “Theme from Superman” by John Williams, for which the conductor donned a Superman shirt and cape. At the risk of having an English teacher admonish me for ending a sentence with a preposition … the kids ate it up!
KSO Director of Education and Community Partnerships Jennifer Barnett works closely with the Knox County Public School System to make exciting live musical performances part of kids’ learning experience. For more info on the KSO’s educational outreach program, call Jennifer at 521-2305 or visit www.knoxvillesymphony.com
Playlist:
1. Heroes - David Bowie
2. Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy - The Tams
3. American Tune - Paul Simon
4. Little Child - The Beatles
5. Leader of the Band - Dan Fogelberg
6. Mr. Brightside - The Killers
7. Talk about the Passion - R.E.M.
8. I've Got to use my Imagination - Gladys Knight & the Pips
9. Superman - The Kinks
10. That's Really Super, Supergirl - XTC

Big Band, Big Fun

Last week I heard some world-class jazz at the Bijou.
Vocalist Deborah Brown and the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra performed selections from the Great American Songbook featuring Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin and others.
It was an unforgettable evening.

Deborah Brown is an internationally renowned singer who has worked with bands and arrangers the world over and appears on numerous CDs. This is her third time performing with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. Good things come in threes. KJO, Deborah Brown and some of the nicest arrangements I've ever heard, some being sung live by Brown for the first time, combined for a tasty mix of swinging classics.
Award-winning trombonist Don Hough conducted an expanded KJO that included selected players from the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Hough joked that it was a thrill to be working with “real musicians.” In my book, they’re all cracker-jack; the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra is in its 10th season of wowing audiences with their top-flight big-band sound. I knew right away that it would be a very special show.
Deborah Brown has a voice like very good, very old whiskey: warm, pure and infinitely satisfying.

The sound is a triple threat all its own: the sassy lightness of Natalie Cole, beautifully controlled phrasing reminiscent of a young Sarah Vaughan and the impeccable fluidity of Ella Fitzgerald. The latter was best shown off when Brown doubled the sax section for intricate breaks on “Mood Indigo” and “Our Love is Here to Stay.” She made it look easy.
The rock-solid rhythm section of Rusty Holloway on bass and Keith Brown on drums was impressive, especially on “Just in Time,” which sent us careering to intermission at the break-neck speed of a thoroughbred horse.
It’s a good thing I was sitting alone in a press box – I’m sure my constant toe-tapping would have driven someone crazy if they’d had to sit next to me!
Notable also was the sheer force of the KJO brass section. It rushed forth with the power of a Waimea wave; it was a living, breathing sound of masterly precision. This was better than a recording. There’s nothing like live music to remind you of what it's all about: the genius of talented composers, arrangers, singer and musicians all coming together at the top of their game.
Hear the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra this fall at one of its “Jazz Lunch at the Square Room” shows at noon on the first Wednesday of the month, or catch the popular program “A Swingin’ Christmas” on Tuesday, Dec. 22. Go to www.knoxjazz.org for details.
How's this for a note-worthy trio: the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, your favorite tunes and you!

Playlist:
1. Unforgettable — Nat “King” Cole
2. Easy to Love — Ella Fitzgerald
3. Thank You Girl — The Beatles
4. Sing, Sing, Sing — The Benny Goodman Orchestra
5. Sing a Song — Earth, Wind & Fire
6. Dancing Shoes — Arctic Monkeys
7. Blow Gabriel Blow — Martha Tilton
8. Too Marvelous for Words — Frank Sinatra
9. Get Rhythm — Johnny Cash
10. Three is a Magic Number — Blind Melon

A Day at the Fair

What a time I had at the Tennessee Valley Fair! It’s such a visceral experience. In this age of “virtual reality” (ironically meaning just the opposite), it’s nice to participate up close and in person, using all your five senses. Some highlights I couldn’t have enjoyed near as much if I’d had to rely on YouTube:
* The serious and determined look of a small child trying to pick out which merry-go-round horse he was going to ride. This was a big decision!

* Livestock exhibitions. For a city gal like me, it’s a thrill to see live animals besides cats or dogs. You can even get close enough to touch some of them. The odors just remind me of the real, backbreaking work involved in caring for these creatures! From the complacent cattle to the achingly adorable bunnies, it’s a labor of love. And oh, I never knew roosters had such a varied and interesting repertoire of crows!

* It was a feast for the eyes as I drank in exhibits by skilled artists and crafters young and old: photography, book-making, quilting, carving, watercolors and so much more.
* The sound of music. With a nice variety of different kinds of live music entertainment, there’s always something going on so you can rest a spell, have a listen, tap your toes, get up and dance or sing along!
* The mouth-watering smell of a dizzying array of food choices: hot dogs, corn dogs, hamburgers, barbecue, Philly cheese steaks, chicken kebabs, tacos, egg rolls, gyros, fries, onion rings. What you need to do is come to the fair hungry, that’s for sure.
* I finally settled on the good ol’ reliable funnel cake. It tasted as comfortingly good as the first one I ever had.
Maybe that’s the real and enduring draw of the fair. It’s a window to our past, a time to stop and say howdy to neighbors and to appreciate the way things used to be. Many East Tennesseans remember the Tennessee Valley Fair from decades ago, and there’s a lot that hasn’t changed since then. It’s still makes a great family outing. And there’s nothing like it for down-home fun. I had a blast!
Playlist:
1. A Most Unusual Day — June Christy
2. State Fair — Los Straitjackets
3. Got To Be There — Michael Jackson
4. Little Red Rooster — Howlin’ Wolf
5. Moving Pictures — The Kinks
6. Sideshow — Blue Magic
7. Let’s Take an Old-Fashioned Walk — Frank Sinatra
8. Deep Fried Twinkies — Terry Hanck
9. Old Folks — Lou Rawls
10. The Good Life — Tony Bennett

Mad about "Mad Men"

I’m a big fan of the TV drama “Mad Men.” And since I sometimes run across those tacky pop-culture magazines and entertainment blogs, I not only know the latest earth-shatteringly important activities of Kenny Chesney and Paula Abdul, I also know that I’m one of nearly 3 million people who are glued to the set every week to luxuriate in the stylish AMC original series.
What is it about this show that makes middle-class baby-boomers like me go gaga?

* Where the Boys Are: It’s about a fictitious Manhattan ad agency in the early 1960s. It’s got the most gorgeous art direction this mid-century Modern junkie has ever seen. Every detail is spot-on. You’ll think you’ve died and gone to a Heaven full of Eames chairs and George Nelson credenzas.
* Baby, It’s You: If the look of the sets isn’t enough, you can always feast your eyes on the gorgeous cast that populates them. Never mind that the awkwardly-cadenced dialogue wanders a bit aimlessly sometimes. Not since the fins on a 1960 Eldorado has something looked so good while making so little sense.

* This Magic Moment: Watching “Mad Men” reminds us of our childhoods. It’s as if the feel of the era has been washed clean with a kind of sophisticated sentimentality. And yet the mood of the show is very dark. In reality, conversations weren’t so curt and straightforward; putting a good face on everything was the rule of the day. Some hot-button issues are touched on, but never enough to make you forget that the series is essentially “Peyton Place” redux.

* Wonderful World: The series is a love letter to a time when Americans were riding the crest of a wave of innocence that would never return.
All the mistakes we were making hadn’t caught up to us yet.

There’s rampant sexism, the nonstop omnipresence of cigarettes and alcohol – but these only seem to harken back to a time when everything was just much simpler.
Truth is, that era was no better than any other. It’s just that we boomers were there, so it touches a nerve. Tune in to this dreamy hit show on Sunday nights at 10 p.m. on AMC. It’s replete with images both rose-colored and sinister, as our memories often are.
Playlist:
1. Mad Mad Me — Maria Muldaur
2. The Way We Were — Barbra Streisand
3. Lush Life — Nat “King” Cole
4. Pretty In Pink — The Psychedelic Furs
5. Rose-Colored Glasses — John Conlee
6. The Look of Love — Dusty Springfield
7. The Times of Your Life — Paul Anka
8. People Are Strange — The Doors
9. This is the Beginning of the End — Frank Sinatra
10. It’s All Over Now — The Rolling Stones

Born to be Mild

I’m as big a nature-lover as the next guy, but not in the sense that I want to actually be in it. I usually appreciate wildlife from the pages of a magazine or on TV from the comfort of my recliner. It may be a once-removed experience, but that way I avoid pesky things like snakebites, hypothermia and that nagging feeling that any minute Jason from “Friday the 13th” is going to slash through my shiny new LL Bean Eddie Bauer Model X3000 tent and stab me to death.

Growing up, the most I remember of the great outdoors was the rare picnic at “The Y” in Townsend, and that memory mostly involves the hamburgers and potato salad, not any direct interaction with any wild animals (except for the kind that yell “Watch this!” as they jump off the cliff into the churning rapids and jagged rocks below).
I admit it. I’m an urban nerd.

I’m more Woody Allen than woodsy, more Bob Fosse than Diane Fossey. More National Lampoon than national forest. But even this city gal needs an occasional respite from the noise and smog. A break from the linear confines of buildings and technology and responsibilities.

So despite my trepidation, last week I ventured out into nature. My best friend and I rented a rustic cabin along the Pigeon River in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
And by rustic, I mean there was no Internet and no cable TV. Imagine not being able to check the Web for instant identification of flora and fauna, for the lyrics to that annoying song in my head, or for answers to my crossword puzzles. Now that’s roughing it!
I’ll tell you what was nice, though: watching the rainbow trout glide by as I floated in the cool, clear waters of the big swimming hole. Also staring into a cozy fire as the rain beat down on the tin roof, and inhaling the rich, wet earthy air after the storm had passed. And maybe best of all: no clocks or cell phones anywhere in sight.
I won’t be hiking the Appalachian Trail any time soon, but I enjoyed the heck out of my relaxing week in the semi-wilderness, and I’d do it again in a New York minute. Next time I might even leave the iPod at home.
Playlist:
1. Wild Thing — The Troggs
2. Stoned Soul Picnic — The Fifth Dimension
3. Real Wild Child — Jerry Lee Lewis
4. Mountain Music — Alabama
5. Nature Boy — Nat “King” Cole
6. Wild Mountain Thyme — Liam Clancy
7. Float On — The Floaters
8. Hot Fun in the Summertime — Sly & The Family Stone
9. Let the River Run — Carly Simon
10. Don’t Worry, Be Happy — Bobby McFerrin

Flexing Memory Muscles

I think my age has caught up with my intellect. More frequently than ever, I find myself walking into a room and suddenly thinking to myself, “now why did I come in here?”

You’ve heard of putting a string around your finger to help you remember something? Once I did that and couldn’t for the life of me remember why that string was there!
I’m constantly writing myself little notes; otherwise I lose stuff amongst the crowded cobwebs of my multitasking mind.

They say that self-imposed cerebral challenges help you keep your mental edge. My favorite brain-power booster is the New York Times crossword puzzle. I subscribe online and print out a bunch at one time so I can use any down-time to stretch my synapses with a verbal workout.
For the uninitiated, each day of the week features a slightly more difficult crossword puzzle. Monday’s is fairly easy.

Saturday’s is for brainiacs. Sunday’s has about the same degree of difficulty as a Thursday, only it’s bigger.
I don’t think I’ve finished more than a half-dozen or so Wednesday puzzles. But that doesn’t mean I stop trying!

And delving into the etymology of those unfamiliar words and phrases can be a great history lesson. And talk about puns! Some puzzles are chock-full of brilliantly constructed witticisms. My neurons are firing faster just thinking about them.

There are tricks to improving your solutions. By doing the crosswords regularly, I’ve gotten to know the most often-used letters and the arcane words they form.
Words unique to crossword puzzles are interesting to know, but they don’t help much in social situations. In my experience, the word “apse” has never come up in conversation. And when was the last time you heard the name Theda Bara mentioned outside of a crossword puzzle? Or Pola Negri? Or Mel Ott?
No, crosswords definitely won’t get me any dates. They’re solitary exercises between me and my own gray matter, which I can hopefully keep in better shape as a result.
Now, if I could just remember where I put that folder full of puzzles!
Playlist:
1. Crossword Puzzle — Sly & The Family Stone
2. Words — Bee Gees
3. The Letter — Joe Cocker
4. Saturday’s Child — The Monkees
5. Sunday Morning — The Velvet Underground
6. My Friend, the Dictionary — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
7. Crossword Puzzle — Roberta Alexander
8. Play The Game — Queen
9. The Word — The Beatles
10. Remember — Billie Holiday

Staycation Decadence

My Fourth of July celebration this year was all about treating myself like a rock star. By my standards, it was a wild weekend full of excess and indulgence.

How very American!
It began on Saturday with early check-in at a downtown hotel. By 12:15, some pals and I were headed to the pool with our Starbucks iced cappuccinos. Nothing short of pure extravagance must have taken complete hold of me as I grabbed not one but two big hotel beach towels on the way to a comfy chaise-lounge.
That afternoon, we splashed around like fools. Waves of tension slipped away as I paddled around in my own little clear blue slice of heaven.

I may not have looked very stylish as I first walked into the hotel with my plastic grocery bags, but my entourage and I sure enjoyed our “poor-man’s room-service” of festive food as we got ready for the KSO concert and fireworks show. Call me a rube, but there’s something about being in a nicely appointed hotel room that elevates the mundane to the spectacular. Just crank the AC and languish under a long, hot shower. Never mind the KUB bill! Add food that I wouldn’t ordinarily buy and, well, it’s not just key lime pie – it’s a vacation!
The hedonism continued down at the festival as we wandered and people-watched. I forked over $6 for a big juicy cheeseburger. Worth every penny.

We were back in the suite just as the fireworks started. We drew open the curtains and gazed happily at the pyrotechnics while feasting on fresh fruit, brie, Pepperidge Farm cookies and the knowledge of how very fortunate we were to be Americans.
Up in Washington, our legislators are doing their best to untangle old messes. In brutal faraway lands, our valiant soldiers are fighting hard in the name of democracy. And here in Knoxville, my friends and I relaxed in the lap of luxury.
Plenty of food and fun, and the time to enjoy it without fear. We are very fortunate indeed.

Playlist:
1. My Lost Weekend — Martin Newell
2. 4th of July — Shooter Jennings
3. Soak up the Sun — Sheryl Crow
4. So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star — The Byrds
5. Rip It Up — Little Richard
6. This Place Hotel — Michael Jackson
7. Rock ’n’ Roll Lifestyle — Cake
8. Good Day Sunshine — The Beatles
9. Holiday — Green Day
10. Fortunate Son — Creedence Clearwater Revival

Past Imperfectly Perfect

There’s a certain managing editor at the Shopper-News who recently tipped me off to an old game show that’s re-run on the Game Show Network every morning at 3 a.m.: “What’s My Line?” I’ve programmed my Comcast digital video recorder to automatically record every episode while I sleep. I can then watch it at my convenience, usually the following evening.
Little did I know that I’d become completely hooked on this show! I’ve got it bad. Let me tell you why.
Games shows of the ’50s and early ’60s were the reality shows of their day. If you want to see the way real people looked and acted back then, here it is, encapsulated into a half-hour history lesson. I find it fascinating. You baby boomers out there may even remember seeing these shows the first time they aired!
If you’re not familiar with the “What’s My Line?” format, contestants answer “yes or no” questions so that a panel can determine their occupation. Ten “no” answers meant the player won the game. The prize? A now-paltry $50. Imagine someone today competing on a game show for even 10 times that! Nowadays, there always has to be more money, the chance of a grand prize, the possibility of getting the big bucks. The low prize amount on “What’s My Line?” was a novel idea: the money was secondary to the fun of just playing the game. And it’s quaintly low-tech; contestants sign in on a chalkboard, and when a point is earned, the moderator hand-flips over a cardboard sign. No laser-light show, no music blaring. Aaahhhh … can you hear me sighing nostalgically?
Refreshing, too, is the slow pacing of the show, which is in marked contrast to today’s “I need it yesterday” media deluge. There’s a sort of dignified grace to the way the people move, the way they finish thoughts before moving on to the next ones, and – most importantly – the style with which they articulate those thoughts.
Everyone on the show from members of congress to plumbers is refined and respectful. Some contestants may not have college educations, but they are still well-informed and capable of speaking clearly and coherently. Compare that to something current like “American Idol” – a show that’s about as subtle as a hand-grenade in a bowl of oatmeal. “What’s My Line?” proves that TV shows could be intelligent as well as entertaining. I really miss that!
Another thing I love about “What’s My Line?” is the panel, usually comprised of three regulars and a guest. The regulars include newspaper columnist Dorothy Kilgallen, actress Arlene Francis, and publisher Bennett Cerf, and they’re as personable, witty and erudite a group of folks as you could ever hope to find!
But look closely and you’ll see something else about those panelists that you wouldn’t see today. Take Arlene Francis, for instance. Right now, I’m watching a close-up shot of her, and I’m seeing something … what in the world? I’m not sure, but I think it may actually be … a wrinkle! A frown line, a laugh line, call it what you will. And her fellow panelists have equally normal qualities like non-plastic-surgery-type faces, receding hairlines and gaps in their teeth. Hallelujah! A program that shows the way people really look and doesn’t make an issue out of it!
Botox? Not on this show! Whitening strips? Never heard of ’em. Warts and all, these people held substance over style, and in so doing managed to maintain a true sense of style that went beyond the surface. They had class – naturally. And they aged – naturally. What a concept!
And whereas irony and insult now rule the airwaves, it’s nice to see lines delivered with kind regard and absolutely no guile. While I don’t advocate living in the past, can you blame me for escaping for a half hour or so into this kinder, gentler “alternate universe”?

Playlist:
1. Those Were The Days – Mary Hopkin
2. Games People Play – The Spinners
3. Imitation of Life – R.E.M.
4. Playing The Game – Gentle Giant
5. The Way Love Used To Be – The Kinks
6. Just the Way You Are – Billy Joel
7. Work 'n' Play – The Zombies
8. It's All In the Game – Tommy Edwards
9. For Free – Joni Mitchell
10. Even Better Than the Real Thing – U2