June 2008 Archives
(NOT “small world!” believe it or not, I actually DID get stuck on that ride- it ground to a halt- but only for a minute, so I wasn’t totally brainwashed!) With this Friday off, and the three-day Fourth of July weekend this year, I’m guessing a lot of people either will be bailing out early this week- or just taking the week off.
I had a busy past few days- Friday we were in the studio, taping a bunch of stuff, Saturday was, of course, Flashback Weekend (more about that in tomorrow’s blog) and Sunday was the one day off I had to try to catch up on the usual weekend chores- so, getting that extra day later this week actually will be a welcome thing…
For a lot of people, the Fourth of July is kind of a warning day- that summer is already about a third over, and you’d better start taking advantage of it- or it will be gone faster than
the last cheeseburger left on the grill. Mmmm-cheeseburger. Speaking of which, I recently got some chipotle ketchup that is the perfect condiment for those cheeseburgers. Believe it or not, it comes from the barbeque and restaurant company owned by WWE wrestling announcer Jim “Good Ol’ J.R.” Ross. He also has some tasty barbeque sauces and even beef jerky-none of which leaves you with the sensation of being hit in the mouth with a steel folding chair-quite the opposite. If you’d like to check it out, go to jrsbarbq.com .
I always have enjoyed grilling- started doing it at my folks’ house, and they had a great built-in gas grill by their patio.
We’d cook all sorts of stuff there, and I liked doing the cooking.
I still enjoy it- though it almost seems that I do more of it when we’re on vacation than when we’re at home! I love to do barbeques country ribs- the ones without the bones. Another favorite is kabobs- with beef, chicken, or especially scallops.
Barbequed chicken and steaks are always a welcome addition to the diet…granted, the steak is not something I should have a lot, as a person with heart problems, but, once in a while…like…when I’m on vacation…I’ve even done barbequed salmon, which is much healthier for me, on the grill…but NEVER- I repeat NEVER- rubber chickens. Enough with that already!
So- let’s count down the few days until that 3-day weekend. Don’t worry- there will still be a Sven show in the air Saturday, holiday weekend or not!
I’ve made no secret of the fact that our great
deal to bring you loyal Sven viewers the Universal classics- generously carried
out by our boss Neal Sabin- would not last forever. In fact- it will be
expiring at the very end of next month.
It’s been so great to be able to once again
host these flicks- the monster movies that, as many people said, we were
introduced to and grew up on, on television- that had been absent from local
broadcast TV for well over a decade. I’m happy that we’ve introduced the
originals to kids and teen who had NEVER seen them before. The response of you
viewers has been exactly what we expected- you’ve been enjoying reliving the
memories with these classics.
Yes, we’ve gotten complaints- from people who
didn’t like repetition of some flicks too close together. Yes, we’ve gotten
complaints that there hasn’t been enough “Svensurround.” Yes, we’ve gotten
complaints that there has been too much black and white. And, yes- we’ve had
people complain that wee weren’t showing the really shlocky 80s and 90s stuff.
But, overall, the response has been fantastic.
So- what’s next? WHAT’S NEXT?!
Here’s your answer, Sven fans- first of all,
August will bring a variety of classic Sven shows, a couple of our
well-received “TV Graveyard” shows, and more- as we move into September, we’ll
repeat a few Universal flicks, thanks to a new contract that retains a handful
of the Universal movies (sorry, no biggies with Frankenstein, Dracula, the
Creature from the Black Lagoon, etc.)-THEN- be prepared for a variety of great
stuff!
We’ve gotten a load of movies from
Sony/Columbia- that include some Ray Harryhausen stop-action classics, like
“Earth VS the Flying Saucers” and “10 Million Miles to Earth” featuring the
incredible Ymir!-and on to his “Sinbad” and “Jason” (not the hockey masked one)
flicks! We get some cool William Castle flicks, some with the dangerous Joan
Crawford,
Plus “Thirteen Ghosts”- the cult classic “Mr.
Sardonicus”-and
Vincent Price in “the Tingler!”
But wait- there’s more- you’re going to see
–the ORIGINAL “Blob!” And- how about “The Howling?” Or “John Carpenter’s
‘Vampires’? And even – “And Now For Something
Completely Different”?! (Well- it IS something completely different!)That’s
just a taste of what we’ll having coming up for you in the next
couple of years!…hey- I guess that means I
might still be around here that long! Woo hoo! # # #
Okay- one more brief plug- I’m at Flashback
Weekend in Rosemont TODAY-starting at 2 pm-(get details, as always, at
www.flashbackweekend.com)
It’s always a great time, and a highlight of every year for me. You can see a
few scenes from last year’s Flashback Weekend during tonight’s show, in fact-
speaking of which…
Tonight at 9 on “the U” (1 am on “Me-TV”) it’s
another 1950s Universal classic- as a large prehistoric preying insect that’s
been frozen in the Arctic ice for years is suddenly freed- and even a huge
No-Pest strip won’t stop- “the Deadly Mantis!”
This 1957 insect invasion has lots of stock
footage in it- footage of the frozen north, of military bases being built, of
fighter planes hitting the air- all woven into the story of the titanic mantis
reviving, and heading south to warmer climates like it was used to back in the
prehistoric times. We get the dashing Craig Stevens as our military hero- you
might know him from “Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde”-but
most likely more from the “Peter Gunn” TV series.
Our lead scientist hero is another familiar
face to classic TV viewers- William Hopper, who was Raymond Burr’s co-worker
Paul Drake on “Perry Mason!” These two team up to fight the mantis that makes
its way from the frozen north towards the U.S., snacking on Eskimos, pilots,
and even bus travelers.
While the film “Tarantula” used a lot of magnified
shots of a real tarantula, the mantis is usually an artificial construction in
this flick- watch for the one REAL mantis scene as it climbs the Washington
Monument!
We’ve got the usual Sven fun mixed in as well,
including a favorite song parody- of Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab!” Plus, as I said,
some highlights from LAST year’s flashback- hopefully, we’ll have shots from
THIS year in a future show!
Okay, and here’s a little warning and/or hint-
if you like the movie “straight”- that is, as presented in the theater- watch
it or tape it this week- BECAUSE- in a couple weeks, Universal had it scheduled
to run again (I know-so soon?)- SO- for the people who have been BEGGING us for
a “Svensurround” fix- well, let’s just say, you’ll be getting your wish. ‘Nuff said,
as Stan Lee used to say…
All right! Hope to see you at Flashback
Weekend today- and/or- hope you see ME tonight with the “Deadly Mantis!”
By the way- come back here tomorrow for a
special announcement about what we’ve got in store fro you, once our Universal
movie contract expires! # #
#
The convention goes from today-Friday June 27- through Sunday June 29- and I’ll be there Saturday afternoon ONLY.
An entrance fee for the convention is required, but, believe me, you will get more than your money’s worth, with all the great guests (the one and only Elvira-Mistress of the Dark- George Romero and a “Night of the Living Dead” reunion, Angus Scrimm – “the Tall Man” - and Don Coscarelli of “Phantasm” fame- Rob Zombie’s “Halloween” reunion- and so much more!)- events, AND the huge dealer room, chock full of horror merchandise- this is definitely the place to get great horror items you might not find elsewhere!
Right now, here’s our schedule- we will be signing autographs, posing for pictures, etc, from 2-4 pm. (Fair warning-PLEASE try to get in line early, because, if the crowds are anything like past years, we don’t want to turn anybody away. With that said, how would it be to have NO Sven fans show up this year, and I’ll be sitting at that table, with the sound of crickets in my ears, and a tumbleweed rolling through the atrium? I kind of doubt that will happen, just from the e-mails I’ve been getting…)I know our sponsor Horrorbles will be there every day, and be selling magazines, rubber chickens, etc.-and, last I heard, they will have Ted Okuda and Mark Yurkiw- the authors of the fine book “Chicago TV Horror Movie Shows: from Shock Theatre to Svengoolie” at the convention Sunday for a signing! And, yes, we will bring a limited number of Sven t-shirts for sale…not to mention free “U” and “Me-TV “ buttons! Then, around 4:15, I’ll head up on stage- hopefully have time for a brief question and answer session-not to mention making the first real announcement of what we’ll be showing AFTER the Universal package expires and then I’ll host the always amazing, always fun costume contest! I’m always astounded by the great creativity that our contestants
show in designing impressive horror costumes. Get a seat early for this one (AND the “Zombie Pin-Up Contest that will follow!)
I hope to meet YOU at Flashback Weekend tomorrow! Get all the information at www.flashbackweekend.com - and don’t forget to bring your camera!
Naturally, I’ve got people arriving to visit me and all the other cool people and events at Flashback Weekend (more on that tomorrow- comeback and check it out!) There are old friends, loyal fans who have watched me since the “old days” when I was “Son of Svengoolie”, new fans who have just gotten into the show, people I have become acquainted with via e-mailed messages that I will have the opportunity to met in person for the very first time, folks who have never seen my show, but have read about it, seen on-line clips, and are looking forward to meeting me, people in the business that I only get to see occasionally, like Nick DiGilio of WGN, old friends who help stage the event…always a great time, and a great time to be in the Chicago area.
Also going on, just down the block from the Crowne Plaza, is the yearly Wizard World comics convention. Wouldn’t you know it- at the same time I’m occupied at Flashback, my pal Alex Ross is over there! Some of my other friends from the comics and entertainment industries will be there as well-here’s hoping they’ll be able to steal a few moments to come visit us at Flashback!(And hey- bring me some cool comics stuff!)Speaking of Alex, rumor has it he will be appearing with my friends Steve and Johnnie tonight on WGN Radio (720AM)
around 11:30 or so. Make sure you listen!
And- this weekend is the beginning of the city’s biggest summer party- the Taste of Chicago in Grant Park! Plenty of food, fun and fireworks every year- not to mention some of the worst displays of tank top/shorts combinations ever. Plus, you’ll be surprised by how many foods can be served on a stick. As I’ve mentioned before, most of my time spent at the taste has been while I was there working for radio or TV, and, no, I won’t be doing either there this year, to my knowledge.
We’d always get some very tasty stuff there- and while the whole idea was to try new dishes, when we were working and had to grab something in a hurry, we’d usually opt for a good old Chicago style Vienna hot dog or some Bacino’s heart-healthy pizza. I always remember the Bacino’s guys showing how to spin and flip pizza dough, and they’d provide me with a rubber pizza dough circle (much like our rubber chickens, I guess) so I could practice, and, of course, totally louse it up.
Wow- looks to be a great weekend, and, in fact, some great weeks of fun coming up. Check back here for more info on where I’ll be appearing this summer-as I said, tomorrow, lots of info on Flashback Weekend!
I’ve been getting a lot of feedback regarding the late George Carlin- obviously, he was a favorite of many people, most of whom seem to know him mainly from his hip “counter-culture” persona, whereas old guys like me have fond remembrances of him as an early- mid 60s stand-up comic in a suit and tie, as well as his later, even greater career.
Regarding his being influenced by Lenny Bruce, we discussed that the timeline seemed off, since Bruce died in 1966, and George didn’t adopt his more free-wheeling, hip image until around early 1970 (he said he first grew his beard while in the hospital for a hernia operation!) My pal Dean Richards from WGN also concurs that, while George didn’t change his act overnight upon seeing Bruce’s act, it was an influence that he took seriously years later. In yesterday’s Sun Times, there was even a picture of Lenny Bruce being arrested at a night club in Chicago, with what appears to be a young George Carlin, age 25, right behind him! (In a side note, the guy next to Lenny, who may be a detective or something, looks sort of like a young Bill Murray!)
I mentioned how I loved George’s original first solo album back in the mid 60s –“Take Offs and Put Ons”- which included great bits like his deejay spoof “Wonderful Wino”- the “Indian Sargent” – his idea that the Native Americans depicted in cowboys shows must’ve had an organizing force, like in the Army- a great game show parody bit, and, of course, “the Hippy Dippy Weatherman.” I have a reprint copy of the vinyl album, reissued years later, with a cartoon drawing of the bearded Carlin- but, a fried of mine had the original pressing, and I always loved the cover- it was a big bunch of those photo strips you used to get from the photo booth machines- you know, four poses for a quarter-and all of them were George, in his suit and tie, making different faces. I could look at it endlessly- the different faces were hilarious, and, each one was conveying a different sort of character. It just reminds me what a great legacy he has- he made us laugh. A lot. Another giant has left us.
Meanwhile, for us mere mortal bottom-feeder comics, don’t forget that I’ll be appearing this weekend on Saturday afternoon at the Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention- at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare in Rosemont.
Come back for more information in a future blog- or, get all the info now at www.flashbackweekend.com …if you’ve been wanting to meet me- get my autograph- or get your picture taken with me-plus- meet other great horror genre personalities and browse tons of cool horror merchandise- here’s your chance! As I said- more to come…
their Chicago-pedia yesterday- it’s a feature where they give local words or phrase that, as they put it define how our city lives. Yesterday’s entry was- Berwyn! The definitions – 1.a working-class bungalow-laden suburb just west of Cicero.
2.A North side avenue that boasts a Red Line L stop. 3. Punch line to a long running gag by “Svengoolie”- on locally produced Saturday night horror and sci-fi movie show. Whenever Sven says Berwyn, he’s echoed by a resounding “BERRR-WYNNN!”
It’s always cool to be considered a part of the fabric of this city- not to mention- Berwyn…
Now, on to our main subject- the passing of comedian George Carlin. He passed away Sunday at he age of 71, a victim of heart disease- something I have, unfortunately, become well acquainted with.
I first heard George back in the 60s, when his “Hippy-Dippy Weatherman” bit was so popular; it was even played on the Top 40 rock and roll stations. It was a cut off his comedy album “Take-Offs and Put-Ons”-which had a number of very funny bits on it. Back then, he was a typical, dark tie, white shirt, and dark suit wearing stand up comic, with slicked back hair-and was hilarious. He was also a radio guys, having been a partner at one point with Jack Burns (who later paired with Avery Schreiber, and did the taxi-cab bit with the “Huh?” “Yeah!” “Huh?” “Yeah!” hook in it.)He and Jack both did the same big-mouth guy voice, so that, if one if them got to the station late, the other guy could do the voice in bits, so it sounded like they were both there! He went on to do stand-up by himself, and hit it big with his “Al Sleet- the ‘Hippy-Dippy Weatherman” bit, in which he was a cool, somewhat stoned weather anchor.
Eventually, he dropped the suit and tie, let his hair and beard grow, and became a more observational comic, lacing his act with some obscenities. He became a counter-culture sensation, getting big fame for his wordplay bits, including his famous “7 Words You Can’t Say on Television” bit, which also got him into trouble here and there. Carlin said that he decided to evolve into the hipper, more scatological comedy persona after seeing Lenny Bruce on stage here in Chicago! That doesn’t quite make sense, since Lenny Bruce died in 1966, and Carlin didn’t go “long hair” until around 1970 or so- but, I’m sure the Lenny influence was there, nonetheless.
A lot has been made of Carlin’s drug use, which may have contributed to his long-time battle with heart disease.
I have one really vivid memory of Carlin- he was on some talk show, where they had a bunch of comedy people on, taking phone calls- someone called in and asked Carol Burnett what he should do, to become a comedian. “Well, of course, you should go to college…” she said, at which point Carlin jumped on the line and said “hey, this is George-you don’t have to go to school to become a comedian- you have to do comedy- do whatever you can to perform and work on your act.” I’m sure carol was just presenting the idea that, you should finish school to have something to fall back on if your comedy career never makes it- but, it was cool that George suggested that the ay to become a comedian- is to do comedy. That’s what he did- and he was tremendous at it.
I’ve been getting a lot of questions regarding “what’s next?” on our show, as far as what we’ll be running when the Universal
Classics package expires at the end of July. Well, I plan to make an announcement about what the future holds when I’m on-stage at Flashback Weekend this Saturday- but, if you can’t make it, never fear- I’ll spill the beans right here in the blog shortly after. I think you’ll like what we have coming up for you starting this fall. Our boss Neal Sabin, who worked very diligently for a long time to get the Universal stuff, continues working to get truly decent features for the show-
and is STILL working to get more for when the next stuff runs out! I hope you appreciate his solid support of the Svengoolie program.
People also ask about Sven shirts- will there be a new design?
FYI-we’re working on it- but, right now, our best–selling shirt ever- the “It Came from Berwyn” design-continues to sell extremely well. (By the way- the one question we always get about upcoming shirts- “will they glow in the dark?”-seems to indicate to us that we should retain that quality!) Meanwhile, nobody seems too interested in my idea of marketing “Svengoolie’s Rubber Chicken Jerky”…
I got a puzzling letter from a Milwaukee viewer, asking that we send him a “Svengoolie information packet.” I don’t think we’ve ever mentioned such a thing, much less offered one. Anybody know what he’s referring to?
A viewer asked me recently what might be the stupidest question I’ve been asked (other than THIS one, he specified!)
I think one of the front-runners was the one that started “How long were you Wizzo?”
A couple things that I’ve noticed when I do appearances- before, about one in ten people had a camera- nowadays, everybody has a camera! Plus, more people have chickens, etc, for me to sign. Just so you know, to make sure I get to the maximum number of people, there are sometimes events where they ask that I only sign ONE item per person. They just want to make sure that we won’t have anyone waiting in line who gets shut out, without an autograph, I always try to specify that they should have a line –stopper- in the event there’s a continuous line, and when it’s getting close to my scheduled departure time, that they station someone at the end of the line, who will politely tell people that the line ends there, and we can’t sign for anyone further. We do our best to make sure nobody stands in line, only to be told that Mr. Goolie has to leave before they get to the front.(Hint- get in line early to guarantee you’ll get to see me!)
It’s Berwyn versus Cicero!!!
I guess I was not aware that there was such a rivalry- but the two nearby suburban towns have been at odds for years, I’m told. When I made my Friday night appearance at the Cicero American Fest (and thanks for the hospitality, everyone!)-there was a rival Berwyn Centennial festival going on in the next-door town. Many of the Cicero folks mentioned the on-going friction between the two towns- please, can’t we all just get along? Both places are full of hard-working, down to earth people- who have shown me great kindness and affection. Both places keep trying to raise the bar, as far as cultural offerings for their citizens (remember my blog about the mummy exhibit they were trying to bring to Cicero?) I’ve had some good times-and some great food- in both Cicero and Berywn! And, though I’ve probably spent more time in Berywn,
I’d be very happy to be invited back to Cicero…and, no, you won’t be hearing the cry of “CICERO?” replacing “BERWYN?” on our shows… Meanwhile- if you didn’t get to visit with me there last Friday- don’t forget that this Saturday, I’ll be at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention in Rosemont- if you didn’t see the info on the show, check out my blog later this week- or just go to their website- www.flashbackweekend.com !!!
The White Sox/Cubs rivalry continues this summer, both parks almost equidistant from Cicero and Berwyn…I’ve been asked to appear at White Sox park a few times, including that one “Turn back the Clock” night where I had the honor of meeting Jack Brickhouse- and meeting Jerry “the Beaver” Mathers and Ken “Eddie Haskell” Osmond for a second time (they didn’t remember the first time-when they did both a full morning of radio with me, and an evening event at a nightclub-but, it was about 6 years previous to the Sox game!)
I was kind of disheartened to see them making fun of fans who came to see them (once the fans had left) and telling each other “okay, it’s your turn to be “on” when the next ones come over.” They seemed to be very tired of meeting the fans- but, when that’s the only way they’re making any money at this point- you’d think they’d have a little better attitude about doing it. If I EVER get to that point, that’s when I’m going to hang up the rubber chicken. (At this point- Barbara Billingsley would ask me-“Oh, Sven- aren’t you being a little too stern the Beaver?”)
Bud and Lou graduate from detective school- and end up alternating between trying to clear a boxer who’s been framed for murder- and turning him in! Things are complicated by the fact that the boxer uses the original potion used by the “Invisible Man” himself- as played in the classic film by Claude Rains- to become transparent and escape the police- but, as he uses his invisibility to find the truth about who framed him and actually committed the murder he’s accused of- the negative effects of the invisibility formula begin to work on his mind!
There are some funny scenes with Lou pretending to be a boxer, with the invisible pugilist supplying the actual fisticuffs- and some familiar sights as well. Watch for the place Bud and Lou go to, to find the doctor with the invisibility potion- it’s the same house later used as the Munsters home!!!
Also, you’ll see the actor-producer Sheldon Leonard-who made a career of playing tough guys and gangsters-not to mention the bartender Nick in “It’s a Wonderful Life” (“Out you pixies go- out da door or t’rough da window!”) who later produced shows like “I Spy!” You’ll also see William Frawley- more familiar as Fred Mertz in “I Love Lucy!”
This film was originally supposed to be part of the over-all ‘Invisible Man” series-coming after “Invisible Agent” and “Invisible Woman”- but, once Bud and Lou had so much success with their classic “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein”- Universal wanted to continue raking in the cash by pairing them up with characters on their monster roster. Somebody must’ve thought that their brief brush with the Invisible Man at the end of the Frankenstein flick wasn’t enough- although it would have been pretty cool to have Vincent Price, who voiced that Invisible Man, play him in this flick! Nonetheless, the original script was re-written to feature Abbott and Costello, and they even re-use a few scenes from
“Invisible Man Returns” (which DID star Price) in this one.
We again show how the invisible effects were done-especially the black and white “luma-keying” effect- so, you can learn while you laugh when you tune in “Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man”-tonight on Svengoolie!
Meanwhile, right next door in Berwyn- some strange things are happening. Shaynie, who lives in Berwyn and always watches our program along with her husband, sent me an
e-mail with some disturbing news.
Over the past few days, there have been three reports of- gasp-BAT BITES IN BERWYN!!! Yes, innocent Berwyn residents being bitten by bats. Shaynie says that one of them was a neighbor of hers (the bitten person, not the bat.)The neighbor was walking from her house to her car, and a bat flew at her and bit her on the neck. YES- on the neck! As Shaynie says –“It Came from Berwyn, indeed!”
Okay- is this the beginning of a perfect b-movie? I can see it now- “Bats Over Berwyn!” The lovely little town is going about its usual business, when suddenly- there are these little incidents of citizens being nipped on the neck. Seems innocent enough- until those bitten start to show a strange tendency towards avoiding sunlight-and their tastes change from the traditional Berwyn mushrooms to- human blood! Yow- it’s an increase in vampirism, and the townspeople begin to fear the attacks of bats and bloodsuckers!
Obviously, the town needs help- so they call on the one person they know of who has the most knowledge about vampires-the
legendary local TV horror host- Svengoolie! Sven comes out to Berwyn, making the horror collectibles store Horrorbles his base of operations- and sets out to discover where the original bats are coming from- and who has sent them to plague the town!
Eventually, Sven discovers that a local developer, fairly new in town, who seems intent on changing local shopping centers, is actually a descendant of-Dracula! He is, however, from the Bohemian branch of the Dracula clan- hence his attraction to Berwyn. He decides to attack Sven by sending gradually larger and larger vampire bats after him, finally attacking him himself, in the guise of a huge bat! Sven uses a hastily constructed silver spike to skewer first the Dracula bat, then the others, in decreasing size. Soon, the plague is over- and Berywn has a new “Spindle” structure- but this time, with bats instead of cars!
We’ll get this into production as soon as financing becomes available, unless the bat bites actually subside. Hmmm… or, should I use the financing to open a fast food place- “Bat Bites?” Or a computer store- “Bat Bytes?”…I think this whole thing bites…
June 20- See You in Cicero Tonight-and Berwyn Bat Bites?!
It’s the Cicero American Fest-and yours truly will be there for the big kick-off- at 6 pm. I’ll be there to sign autographs, take pictures with you, make a few announcements from the stage,
and enjoy the Cicero hospitality. Please note- Sven t-shirts will NOT be on sale there, but you can stop by at our fine sponsor Horrorbles, in Berwyn on Roosevelt Road right near Oak Park Avenue, and pick up a shirt to wear proudly and/or have me sign! I’ll be at the Fest from 6-8pm…so please make sure you get there early enough to guarantee that you’ll be able to get an autograph, just in case there’s a lengthy line (optimistic, ain’t I?!) The fest is located at 50th Avenue at 25th Street.
Last I heard, classic rocker Rick Derringer will be making an appearance later that night at the Fest! His long-standing career includes being part of the McCoys of “Hang On Sloopy” fame- recording “Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo”- and the WWE entrance theme for Hulk Hogan –“Real American.” He also produced parodyist Weird Al Yankovic. So, all in all, it should be a great night in Cicero- and I hope to see you there. If you can’t make it, remember that we’ll be at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention in Rosemont on Saturday afternoon, June 28th- more info to come on that next week…
Meanwhile, over the border from Cicero in Berywn-just in time for the celebration of Berwyn’s 100th year- a surprise find has been made. If you’re like me, you’re constantly misplacing important documents, even though, when you first put them wherever, you think, “I’ll always remember where this is!” (Fat chance!) Well, an employee was cleaning out a closet in Berwyn City Hall-and found, wrapped in a blanket, an old framed document. It was dated June 6,1908-and said it was the city’s certificate of incorporation! At first, nobody, including the Mayor, thought it was legit- but it was soon verified as authentic- and, since it was in kind of rough shape, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office spent about four months to restore the fragile document to its original condition! From here on in, the certificate will be stored safely in a fireproof cabinet- and a reproduction certificate will be on display at various functions.
So- quick- where is YOUR birth certificate? In a closet, wrapped in a blanket?(Kind of makes sense-if you wrap a baby in a blanket, you could also wrap its official birth papers in one…)
Stan started out trying to be an actor! He then got into make-up, and then all the visual effects creation, with his work earning him four Oscars. He truly created magic and worlds we never would have seen as clearly without him. Here’s to Stan-he will not be forgotten!
A couple blog readers have taken me to task for not mentioning a “significant” milestone- a couple days ago, we passed the date at which I have officially played the Sven character for twenty-nine years. Granted, I have NOT been on the air with a continuous program for twenty-nine years- but, since I first put on the top hat back in 1979, there has not been a time when I was completely away from playing the character. Even in the non-“regularly scheduled Sven” TV times, people had me appear as Sven (actually “Son of …”)
For public appearances, radio and TV guest shots, etc. As I’ve often said, it’s all the people who would recognize me in the non-Sven years who would tell me how much they loved the show and the character, and ask me when I’d bring it back, that are the reason that I’m still here in the Goolie business.
A lot has changed since I first became the successor to the Svengoolie legend- I’ve (ahem) gained weight (hey- at least I still fit in the coffin)- I’ve lost that stick-on fake moustache, green disco scarf and odd chain I used to wear-I’ve switched stations and jobs numerous times-and my personal life has changed in a lot of ways- ways I’d never expected. And- I can honestly say that I never expected to be doing Sven twenty-nine years from that first appearance, where the movie was “In the Year 2889” (marked down from 29.95!)
So, next year, at this time, I’ll hopefully be celebrating a full thirty years of Svengooliness. Right now, there are no signs of that not happening. I’ve got an audience of people who watched me back then- along with their kids, and even their grandkids. To all of you- let me again say thank you- because, seriously, you’re the reason we’re still doing it- successfully-that we’re still on the air (with equal thanks to Weigel Broadcasting)- and still having a great time!!!
Opened the Sun Times yesterday, and saw a huge two-page ad
That shows jerks are already setting up their scams to take advantage of the government switch to digital TV signals!
No doubt you’ve read or seen the news that all TV signals will be switched to digital February 17, 2009.If you have a cable box, or dish, you have nothing to worry about- but if you get your signals via broadcast- have an older TV without a digital tuner-and use an antenna- you’ll need a special digital converter box to get the TV signal. The government will send you two coupons worth 40 dollars each on the purchase of these boxes, making them cheaper to buy.
Anyway, here’s this big two-page ad for a “Miracle” converter box. Why wait for that government coupon, trumpets the ad-
When this company will send you the box for FREE? Oh, wait, slight addendum- it’s free as long as you “cover” the 5-year warranty protection- at just 59 DOLLARS?! If you need more than two boxes, they’ll send you more at EIGHTY-EIGHT DOLLARS each…but the first two are “free”- at 59 bucks each for that keen warranty.
Oh, and they do state there’s a seventy-two hour deadline- after that, you’ll just have to get that government coupon, and end up paying…oh…maybe TEN or TWENTY bucks for a box- instead of the 59 BUCKS these geniuses are charging you for their “free” box.
Their ad is very pretty- big picture of an older gentleman, looking like a relative of the Empire Carpet Man, gleeful holding the paperwork for that 5 –year warranty, next to his TV set, which has a phony picture on it of a bogus newscast. What clarity on that picture! Must be thanks to the 59 dollar warranty box! There’s also a big picture of the Miracle TV box…and, a large certified stamp that includes the “free claim code: CV153”- and says the box is certified by the official-sounding “U.S. Department of Commerce -National Telecommunication & Information Administration!” Google that, and you’ll get the website for the National Telecommunication & Information Administration…which has the info for getting the government coupons, so you can purchase the box for ten or twenty bucks- and there’s no mention of the fine 59-dollar “free” box.
Hopefully, not many people will fall for this “free” box offer- though it probably falls into the gray area of legitimacy, it appears to be trying to fool under-informed and confused people into making this purchase- which will cost them MORE money-and, let’s face it- a five year warranty- don’t you think you might buy a NEW TV within the next 5 years, with a digital tuner- so you won’t need the “Miracle” box or any other box?! # # #
That shows jerks are already setting up their scams to take advantage of the government switch to digital TV signals!
No doubt you’ve read or seen the news that all TV signals will be switched to digital February 17, 2009.If you have a cable box, or dish, you have nothing to worry about- but if you get your signals via broadcast- have an older TV without a digital tuner-and use an antenna- you’ll need a special digital converter box to get the TV signal. The government will send you two coupons worth 40 dollars each on the purchase of these boxes, making them cheaper to buy.
Anyway, here’s this big two-page ad for a “Miracle” converter box. Why wait for that government coupon, trumpets the ad-
When this company will send you the box for FREE? Oh, wait, slight addendum- it’s free as long as you “cover” the 5-year warranty protection- at just 59 DOLLARS?! If you need more than two boxes, they’ll send you more at EIGHTY-EIGHT DOLLARS each…but the first two are “free”- at 59 bucks each for that keen warranty.
Oh, and they do state there’s a seventy-two hour deadline- after that, you’ll just have to get that government coupon, and end up paying…oh…maybe TEN or TWENTY bucks for a box- instead of the 59 BUCKS these geniuses are charging you for their “free” box.
Their ad is very pretty- big picture of an older gentleman, looking like a relative of the Empire Carpet Man, gleeful holding the paperwork for that 5 –year warranty, next to his TV set, which has a phony picture on it of a bogus newscast. What clarity on that picture! Must be thanks to the 59 dollar warranty box! There’s also a big picture of the Miracle TV box…and, a large certified stamp that includes the “free claim code: CV153”- and says the box is certified by the official-sounding “U.S. Department of Commerce -National Telecommunication & Information Administration!” Google that, and you’ll get the website for the National Telecommunication & Information Administration…which has the info for getting the government coupons, so you can purchase the box for ten or twenty bucks- and there’s no mention of the fine 59-dollar “free” box.
Hopefully, not many people will fall for this “free” box offer- though it probably falls into the gray area of legitimacy, it appears to be trying to fool under-informed and confused people into making this purchase- which will cost them MORE money-and, let’s face it- a five year warranty- don’t you think you might buy a NEW TV within the next 5 years, with a digital tuner- so you won’t need the “Miracle” box or any other box?!
We’re a little more than ten days away from an annual Chicago tradition- as Grant Park gets overloaded with visitors,
turkey legs, and pickles on a stick-yes, it’s the Taste of Chicago!!! I wonder how the current economy, plus gas prices, will affect the turn-out…or, if it even will!
According to the latest press releases, the cost of those wacky food tickets for taste of Chicago will again be going up-with the increase including a 33 percent rise in the city service tax. Here’s the deal- last year, you got 11 tickets for 7 bucks, plus a $1.50 surcharge. THIS year, you’ll get a strip of 12 food tickets for 8 bucks- which includes a two dollar per strip charge for city services. Those services include removing trash (not the human kind that also shows up there) and making an effort to recycle. If you want to avoid that two buck service charge, you can purchase tickets at a certain grocery chain’s stores BEFORE the festival of food, fireworks, and freakazoids begins.
The problem always seems to be how many tickets it takes to get a food item. While twelve tickets sounds like a lot- if that Kentucky-fried wombat gizzard sandwich will cost you five or six tickets- if you’d planned on taking a smorgasbord tour of the 300 items of food available, you’d better have visited the ATM before you start eating.
There is often discussion of how, when the Taste first started, the idea was to have small samples of all kinds of local cuisine served by unique Chicago restaurants available- but that went by the wayside early on. Now, such exotic local fare as McDonald’s thrives among the other restaurants selling full portions of food- not just a taste for a ticket or two.
I think I’ve mentioned in previous years that, except for my very first time there, every time I’ve been at the Taste, it’s been in a working capacity. I spent an afternoon broadcasting live with the late Bob Collins from the WGN booth. I did a couple weeks of live “Koz Zone” shows from the Fox stage- which included a guest appearance by the beloved “fighter of filth” superhero Capt. Dustpan (let’s see YOU put on a mask made out of a dustpan in 85 degree heat!) I’ve been out there for Taste preview shows, Taste fireworks shows, and even did a weather broadcast from the Taste during a news show. I also ended up being an “on-the-spot” reporter the day that a microburst hit Grant Park during one of our “Koz Zone” broadcasts, giving the anchor live reaction to the horrific weather that closed down the Taste- and nearly lifted our protective tent high off the ground!
Of course, I also made appearances at the taste at the WCIU booth- the first couple of years that our station hit the air as “the U!” Believe me, Sven being out in a sizzling Grant Park is enough to par boil a rubber chicken right on the pavement.
There won’t be a “U booth” at the Taste this year-but I’m hoping for slightly cooler weather this Friday night- when I’ll be appearing at the Cicero American Fest from 6-8 pm in-where else? Cicero! (Just east of Berwyn, of course…) The festival is located at 50th Ave. and 25th Street. Save yourself a trip to Grant Park amidst the sweltering throng, and have some food and fun Friday with yours truly !!! # # #
To all the dads out there, a happy Father’s Day-hopefully, you won’t be the recipient of a tie you don’t need (and won’t need to be tied up- Hulk smash!) Being a father is an awesome responsibility- though I do see quite a few dads who don’t seem to be taking that seriously. We get an almost daily earful of the celebrity fathers, from Jessica Simpson’s dad to Hulk Hogan, who haven’t seemed to play their parental part as well as they should have. So, we salute the fathers who have stepped up, taken care of their offspring the right way, and know what it really means to be a dad.
We’ve encountered some dads in our Universal offerings- just recently, we saw a son of Frankenstein being advised by his father’s “ghost.” Now THAT’S dedication- still coming back to
send junior in the right direction, in spite of the slight handicap of being dead!
We saw both the Son and Daughter of Dracula, and what a dysfunctional family THAT was- Sonny Bat ...I mean Boy…
Honoring his father by continuing the vampiric traditions
that his poppa instilled in him (although doing so under the
Backward “Alucard” alias)-while Sis went in the exact opposite direction, trying to shake the blood-imbibing habits of her father, and honoring him by setting his body on fire to grant him eternal rest…which must not have worked very well, in view of all those sequels-though the flames did change his appearance from that of Bela Lugosi to John Carradine- then back to Bela in time to meet Abbott and Costello.
We never got a son of the Mummy (maybe because his princess love passed away before he could sire any mini-mummies with her.) There were never any Wolf Man cubs either- Larry Talbot was too busy whining and howling to
breed a pack. The Invisible Man? Heck, he might have had kids- how could we tell? We can’t see them (going against the old adage that children should be seen, but not heard-with Invisi-kids, it’d be the exact opposite!)And- while Dr. Frankenstein certainly sired a couple sons, one of whom had a daughter- the Frankenstein Monster and his lovely hand-crafted Bride never got to the point of making little chips off the old blockhead.
As the former Son of Svengoolie, I certainly followed in the footsteps of my TV dad- who showed me the ropes of handling
many aspects of radio, television, and the varied facets of show business. The rest- I learned from my actual real-life dad, who has always known what it takes to be a father. Thanks, Dad! # # #
Okay, tonight on Svengoolie, we’ve got one of our most-requested songs, featuring a rather fetching mummy, plus Abbott and Costello out to fetch a mummy –in (what else?)
“Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy!”
This was actually the LAST “Abbott and Costello Meet…” movie- in fact, it was the last Universal Abbott and Costello movie, period. The boys volunteer to accompany a mummy being shipped from Egypt to America-but, the cult that serves the bandaged body in question- and keeps it alive!-kidnaps the mummy (called “Klaris” instead of the usual “Kharis” as in the bulk of the Universal mummy movies)-putting Bud and Lou on the spot for the murder of the professor who had planned to ship the ancient one stateside. Along the way, they come into possession of a special medallion that will lead to a hidden tomb that holds great treasure- and are pursued by an evil woman and her nasty cronies. Eventually, they all run rampant in the tomb, with the murderous Klaris-worshipping cult, the crooked tomb robbers, multiple mummies, and the two dummies!
There are familiar faces in this flick- like Richard Deacon- the beloved Mel Cooley of “the Dick Van Dyke Show”(seen on Me-TV) –as, surprisingly, the sinister high priest of the cult. You also find Michael Ansara- 60s TV actor and former hubby of “I Dream of Jeannie” star Barbara Eden! We even get Costello’s daughter in a bit part, acting with her old man –we’ll point it out on the show!
One thing that you’ll notice about this movie is that Bud and Lou are constantly calling each other by their REAL names-rather than their character names- throughout the film! For the record- their characters are Pete and Freddy…
You’ll get plenty of Sven gags in this show, with the mummy theme stretched to its unwrapping point- and- that music video we promised- the popular parody of “Gold-Digger”-featuring our lovely friend Candi-who you can now hear weekends on KISS-FM, and see m.c.ing many Chicago Sky games- and, an adorable mummy played by our former co-worker, Sarah! We get many requests form people asking us to play it again- so, here it is- in the movie in which we first presented it. Get those vcrs/Tivos/dvrs rolling for it! Tune in tonight at 9 on WCIU, and 1 am on Me-TV.
Please remember-Sven appears in Cicero next Friday night-
6-8 pm! More details coming in the blog next week! # # #
June 15- Fodder for a Father’s Day Blog
To all the dads out there, a happy Father’s Day-hopefully, you won’t be the recipient of a tie you don’t need (and won’t need to be tied up- Hulk smash!) Being a father is an awesome responsibility- though I do see quite a few dads who don’t seem to be taking that seriously. We get an almost daily earful of the celebrity fathers, from Jessica Simpson’s dad to Hulk Hogan, who haven’t seemed to play their parental part as well as they should have. So, we salute the fathers who have stepped up, taken care of their offspring the right way, and know what it really means to be a dad.
We’ve encountered some dads in our Universal offerings- just recently, we saw a son of Frankenstein being advised by his father’s “ghost.” Now THAT’S dedication- still coming back to
send junior in the right direction, in spite of the slight handicap of being dead!
We saw both the Son and Daughter of Dracula, and what a dysfunctional family THAT was- Sonny Bat ...I mean Boy…
Honoring his father by continuing the vampiric traditions
that his poppa instilled in him (although doing so under the
Backward “Alucard” alias)-while Sis went in the exact opposite direction, trying to shake the blood-imbibing habits of her father, and honoring him by setting his body on fire to grant him eternal rest…which must not have worked very well, in view of all those sequels-though the flames did change his appearance from that of Bela Lugosi to John Carradine- then back to Bela in time to meet Abbott and Costello.
We never got a son of the Mummy (maybe because his princess love passed away before he could sire any mini-mummies with her.) There were never any Wolf Man cubs either- Larry Talbot was too busy whining and howling to
breed a pack. The Invisible Man? Heck, he might have had kids- how could we tell? We can’t see them (going against the old adage that children should be seen, but not heard-with Invisi-kids, it’d be the exact opposite!)And- while Dr. Frankenstein certainly sired a couple sons, one of whom had a daughter- the Frankenstein Monster and his lovely hand-crafted Bride never got to the point of making little chips off the old blockhead.
As the former Son of Svengoolie, I certainly followed in the footsteps of my TV dad- who showed me the ropes of handling
many aspects of radio, television, and the varied facets of show business. The rest- I learned from my actual real-life dad, who has always known what it takes to be a father. Thanks, Dad! # # #
June 16- Getting a Taste of Chicago…and Cicero!
We’re a little more than ten days away from an annual Chicago tradition- as Grant Park gets overloaded with visitors,
turkey legs, and pickles on a stick-yes, it’s the Taste of Chicago!!! I wonder how the current economy, plus gas prices, will affect the turn-out…or, if it even will!
According to the latest press releases, the cost of those wacky food tickets for taste of Chicago will again be going up-with the increase including a 33 percent rise in the city service tax. Here’s the deal- last year, you got 11 tickets for 7 bucks, plus a $1.50 surcharge. THIS year, you’ll get a strip of 12 food tickets for 8 bucks- which includes a two dollar per strip charge for city services. Those services include removing trash (not the human kind that also shows up there) and making an effort to recycle. If you want to avoid that two buck service charge, you can purchase tickets at a certain grocery chain’s stores BEFORE the festival of food, fireworks, and freakazoids begins.
The problem always seems to be how many tickets it takes to get a food item. While twelve tickets sounds like a lot- if that Kentucky-fried wombat gizzard sandwich will cost you five or six tickets- if you’d planned on taking a smorgasbord tour of the 300 items of food available, you’d better have visited the ATM before you start eating.
There is often discussion of how, when the Taste first started, the idea was to have small samples of all kinds of local cuisine served by unique Chicago restaurants available- but that went by the wayside early on. Now, such exotic local fare as McDonald’s thrives among the other restaurants selling full portions of food- not just a taste for a ticket or two.
I think I’ve mentioned in previous years that, except for my very first time there, every time I’ve been at the Taste, it’s been in a working capacity. I spent an afternoon broadcasting live with the late Bob Collins from the WGN booth. I did a couple weeks of live “Koz Zone” shows from the Fox stage- which included a guest appearance by the beloved “fighter of filth” superhero Capt. Dustpan (let’s see YOU put on a mask made out of a dustpan in 85 degree heat!) I’ve been out there for Taste preview shows, Taste fireworks shows, and even did a weather broadcast from the Taste during a news show. I also ended up being an “on-the-spot” reporter the day that a microburst hit Grant Park during one of our “Koz Zone” broadcasts, giving the anchor live reaction to the horrific weather that closed down the Taste- and nearly lifted our protective tent high off the ground!
Of course, I also made appearances at the taste at the WCIU booth- the first couple of years that our station hit the air as “the U!” Believe me, Sven being out in a sizzling Grant Park is enough to par boil a rubber chicken right on the pavement.
There won’t be a “U booth” at the Taste this year-but I’m hoping for slightly cooler weather this Friday night- when I’ll be appearing at the Cicero American Fest from 6-8 pm in-where else? Cicero! (Just east of Berwyn, of course…) The festival is located at 50th Ave. and 25th Street. Save yourself a trip to Grant Park amidst the sweltering throng, and have some food and fun Friday with yours truly !!! # # #
Will today be good or bad luck? Do you even believe in the superstition? If so- what do you do to avoid bad luck? I know people who carry around some “lucky” object…and others who actually try to avoid doing anything out of the unusual, just to be safe. Here are some handy hints to avoid bad luck:
-do not travel on tollways. You will invariably end up in a cash only line if you have an I-Pass, or, in an I-Pass lane if you don’t. Make sure you smile for the camera as you pass through the toll gate, branded as a scofflaw.
-do not go grocery shopping. You will inevitably end up with the shopping cart that has one wobbly wheel. (That would be ALL of them…)
-do not buy a lottery ticket. You will lose. Just like you do every single day. Every. Single. Day.
-do not eat any leftovers in your fridge-seriously. How long has that chicken leg been sitting in there? When exactly did you first have that meatloaf as a meal? Do you think it’s just coincidence that those French fries are now fossilized?
-do not take advice from anyone’s blog.
Hopefully, these handy hints will make YOUR Friday the 13th
a big bowl o’ Lucky Charms-just don’t pour the milk on it, it might be spoiled…
Hello, good evening (morning? afternoon?) and welcome- here are the news…it’s “Bike to Work Week” in Chicago- in which folks are encouraged to use a bicycle as transport. This brings a question to mind- why aren’t there movies with killer bikes? We’ve had killer cars and trucks (for a killer car, watch for “the Car” –reappearing soon on the Svengoolie video highway)-why no two-wheeled terror?
Many food purveyors have dropped tomatoes- not because they’re clumsy, but because the tomatoes have been a source of salmonella. Is this art becoming reality- “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes?”
Dateline-Sydney, Australia- a judge halted a drug conspiracy trial after some jurors were found to be playing Sudoku while evidence was being given. He was tipped off when he saw jurors writing vertically, instead of horizontally. Well, maybe, like water goes down the drain counter-clockwise below the equator- Aussies take notes up and down instead of across-IF water does indeed go down the drain counter-clockwise below the equator. Sounds like the whole trial will be going down the drain.
Dateline- the Wisconsin Dells- after the disastrous weather in the area, Lake Denton- the lake upon which the ever-popular Tommy Bartlett water show has been presented for years- has completely drained after a levee gave way. With the lake dried up, at least 22 water skiers from the show are now out of a job.
Dateline-Beijing- low-lying areas in one town struck by the big earthquake were flooded this week by engineers trying to avert disaster. The disaster- possibly putting MORE water skiers out of work?
A personal note- a good friend, now a hockey sportscaster, once worked at Tommy Bartlett’s water show- he said Bartlett was a big radio personality, beloved by ladies-when TV got going, Bartlett switched to that- and was not as well received, since he wasn’t the image his audience had in mind- he was a slightly heavy set guy, not a matinee idol-looking fellow. After seeing asking exhibition during one show, he decided to go north to Wisconsin, and started the water show that launched a thousand bumper stickers on visitors’ cars. All this huge success, brought about by simply having a face for radio.
That’s all the useless news and commentary we have today- come back soon for more- Svengoolie News and Commentary (I’ll leave it to you to tell which is which!)
June 12- Svengoolie News and Commentary
We learn a lot about Jack Finney, who wrote the original story-and about other stories he authored. You learn that, for all the talk about its meaning, and the story being an allegory about conforming, or Communism, etc, Finney actually never intended that- it was just a story to him! Reading about him has made me want to search out some of his other works- as well as the movies made based on them- like “Assault on a Queen”- about guys who work to raise a sunken sub to rob the Queen Mary! Some of the stories seem fascinating, and ideas that would make for perfect “Twilight Zone” episodes- like “the Woodrow Wilson Dime”- in which a guy gets a dime with the visage of said president on it- that leads to a parallel reality!
We also learn about the actors in the classic original film and its remakes- especially the great Kevin McCarthy, who appeared in two of the films- obviously, the first one, where he was the main protagonist of the pod people, and the second, where he makes a brief appearance, running away from a group of pod people. McCarthy is a fine actor, and his sense of humor is very much in evidence as he talks about the films, and the people involved in the making of them. I understand that Horrorbles is bringing Mr. McCarthy to town in July for a special screening of the film at the portage Theater, as part of their monthly horror movie showcase- you can find more info at www.horrorbles.com …
We find out a lot about the Philip Kaufman remake from the 70s with Donald Sutherland- and the less-than-beloved recent remake. It also tells about differences between the movies and the original story- the written story had a great ending –and how the ending of the remake was a surprise to everyone!
The book is “Invasion of the Body Snatchers: a Tribute”- edited by none other than Kevin McCarthy (!) and Ed Gorman. If you’re a fan of sci-fi classics- please take the time to READ this book! Come on- you remember how to read, right? I mean, a whole book?
Hanging on the cubicle partition to my right- a Three Stooges lobby card for “In the Sweet Pie and Pie” that was graciously given to me by author Ted Okuda, who wrote a great book about the Columbia film shorts- and was co-author of the lovely “Chicago TV Horror Movie Hosts: from Shock Theatre to Svengoolie” book. Also hanging from it are a small Native American “dream catcher” and a plastic skeleton who, when you pull him down, chatters his bony jaws as he goes back up his string. Nearby hangs a rubber, and rather crazed looking “good luck” monkey. Not sure how much good luck he’s brought me, but you don’t see me taking him down, do you?
On the facing cubicle partition, there’s a variety of buttons- one says “I heart Berwyn” which I received when I attended the parade last week- there are more pictures, including a shot of the US Cellular Field scoreboard screen proclaiming “White Sox Welcome Rich Koz” (what? No welcome to Sven?! Why do I even have this up?)-and, in fact, a phony baseball card-like photo of the “Weigel All-Stars”-featuring Koz holding a microphone at the Cell. Way too many pictures of him around here…
There’s a “month at a glance” calendar with all sorts of scrawling on it, including the titles of each week’s Sven movies and Stooge shows- and-there’s mail. A LOT of mail.
Stacks and stacks of mail! Just some of the bunches and bunches of mail I get every week from you great fans of my shows. It’s very hard to keep up with, and, yes, I know sometimes your requests fall through the cracks amidst the stacks- but, as I always say- it’s true- I personally look at and read everything that you send in. So, if something you requested was never fulfilled- PLEASE- try again. I may have just been overwhelmed, and misplaced what you sent!(That’s why I say- god bless e-mail! It’s so much easier to answer- hint: if you’d like a quicker response- try e-mail. Not that the sheer numbers of that don’t occasionally overwhelm me as well…)
My mouse pad is one of those cool ones that looks like one of the Universal Monsters commemorative stamps- it’s the Wolf Man! I have a few others in my on-deck (or on desk) circle- Stooges ones, Simpsons ones, etc.-along with other items too numerous to mention. Did I bring up the stacks of mail?
Okay- let’s wind this up- you now have an idea of what’s all over the top of my desk. Now, if I can start a blog ort two or six about what’s in the desk drawers…