This has nothing to do with todays blog, but its almost Christmas, and I know my Mom, myself, and all the rest of us miss my Dad lots. Dad wrapped up in a Carolina Panthers blanket three years ago after Steve’s oyster roast is memorable, because Mom was thrilled about first white Christmas in 25 years, Dad just kept saying “I’m cold.” It’s 71 here today, I’ll think about him on my bike ride.
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From beginning to end, last nights Saturday Night Live! Christmas show was an ultimate reminder of why we’ve continued to try watching it during 30-plus years, when it wasn’t that good and often seemed just a vehicle to run commercials. Give Justin Timberlake and host Jimmy Fallon’s multiple appearances as much credit as you want, the major difference was shorter, punchier skits, one’s that didn’t go 5 minutes before a weak exit.
(W)rapper skit as intro was cool, Robin-Barry Gibbs talk show with Madonna and Congressman Paul Ryan characters was okay, even if some of Fallon’s jabbering got lost. Family Feud with Fallon as ‘Big Bangs’ Sheldon and JT as Fallon was fast and relevant, the 89 point answer to “What makes a man sexually exciting?” being Justin Timberlake, with a knowing wink from the man himself, spot on. The entire female cast as hotties singing about desire to get it on back in their childhood bedrooms was sterling! and Weekend Update bang-bang-bang funny, with Fallon acknowledging passing the baton to his late night show to Myers and NYC Mayor Bloomberg’s straight-faced, “I’m just looking forward to a small soda and hanging out on a non-smoking beach” understated and righteous. Oh, that China’s moon rover was searching for a place to put menus was the zap! stuff we remember fondly.
A ‘Christmas Story’ skit that showed Scrooge as clueless about being gay watching Past wasn’t overlong, a dippy one of Chloe Kardashian and Kanye okay, Fallon’s sexual take on classic ‘Baby its Cold Outside’ terrific. Musically, Timberlake was superb with a laser show-fast footed jamming first set solo, interesting in a personal guitar and string orchestra backup second. Really, everything to like about the newer cast members and a great memory about why you have to at least check it out if you’re home between 11:35 and 1 a.m. on a Saturday night. Talented as JT and Fallon are though, I have to wonder where the HELL writers who could knock out a funny skit have been for most of last two decades.
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On a totally unrelated front, we’ve been crushing it sales-wise since that Charity Day fiasco. My last two days production were $4200 and $4415, which counts towards after Christmas paycheck. Customers do ask how things are going, and my eagle eye view on economy from register level says while heavily discounted product has been an obvious pull, people aren’t as scared as they were in Sept. Maybe there’s still a prospect the country DOES go over a cliff when budget negotiating opens in early 2014, but a lot of people will have their ‘stuff’ for the holidays.
Glenn S.
CDTalent Enterprises 