Thursday, November 17, 2011

Budget Cuts You Can BELIEVE In! The GOP Candidates! Regis Philbin! Jimmy Kimmel & Facebook!!!

Our Republican candidates for the presidency have made it clear that if they're elected, they will be on a mission to be doing some serious budget cutting. We've also heard a lot about the Fanny and Freddie folks seeming to be out of control and they should be eliminated. The fact that wasn't done earlier is apparently a very good thing for one of the loudest candidates calling for the "Off with their heads!" solution. That would be Newt Gingrich who we now learn has collected close to two million dollars from the "Freddie" folks. WHY?!? According to Gingrich, it was for advice he had given them.

Hmmmm....

And while you think about that, please know that candidate Michele Bachmann has been all over Gingrich about this and she's accusing Newt of "hypocrisy".

Newt Gingrich? A hypocrite?!? The same Newt Gringrich who was screaming about the lack of family values being shown by (then) President Bill Clinton and while Newt was doing his pious preaching, ol' "family values Newt" was cheating on his wife while she was in the HOSPITAL?!?

Say it ain't so, Newt! But you can't! And ya know what? Most folks probably wouldn't have cared that much if you had kept your mouth shut about Clinton and didn't expose yourself as just another two-bit family values phony.

And now this "Freddie Mac" business? As Governor Perry might say, "Oops!"

Say "Good night!" Newt!

BACK TO THE BUDGET CUTS BUSINESS:

Mike Baker, a Bay Area reader (San Francisco area) was kind enough to send me some money numbers we might all be interested in.

Retired U.S. Presidents: $450,000 a year for life!

House/Senate members: $174,000 For Life!

Speaker of the House: $223,500 For Life!

Majority/Minority Leaders: $193,400 For Life!

Average salary for a soldier deployed in Afghanistan: $38,000

Average income for seniors on Social Security: $12,000

Reader Mike Baker then adds these words: "I think we found where the cuts should be made."

And Mike Baker, I think you're right!


THE "OCCUPY" CROWD:

Gang, you regular readers know that I began telling you about the quiet "drum beating" that I had been made aware of several months ago. That quiet drum beating has turned into the "occupy" crowd(s) that we've been hearing a lot about. A few days ago, city officials in a number of cities decided to get tough and "move" these Occupiers.

Does anybody really think that these "Mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" people are just going to meekly walk away?

Serious business, folks. And if our so-called political leaders don't begin to "get this", we are definitely gonna have whacha call, "Trouble in River City".

NEXT REPUBLICAN DEBATE?

This coming Saturday, November 19 and it won't be on television. You can watch at http://www.citizenlink.com/ Three days later (November 22) another Republican debate will take place on CNN.

THE SUPREME COURT:

You've probably heard about this, but in case you haven't.....A few months from now, the U.S. Supreme Court is going to listen to arguments for and against what most folks refer to as "Obama Care", but is in fact, the "Affordable Care Act". A ruling figures to be made a few months or so before the next presidential election. How's THAT for high drama?!?

JIMMY KIMMEL AND FACEBOOK:

In case you hadn't heard, Jimmy Kimmel is encouraging his fans to "lose" a large number of "friends" on Facebook because it's a monumental waste of time and no one, but no one has "two thousand friends".

Short commentary: Amen, A-Men, AMEN!!! Full disclosure: Yes, I've had the privilege of participating on that fun show of his several times, but I would be doing the "Amen" thing even if I had never done a few "bits" on his show.

THE MORE I THINK OF THIS PENN STATE BUSINESS....

Children, a much older assistant coach, a legendary head coach who did virtually nothing as simple as calling the police, higher-up Penn State officials who seemingly did nothing while some very wrong things seem to have been allowed to occur and re-occur....Am I the only one who's thinking vigilante solutions? Yes, I know that would be wrong, but I'll guaran-damn-tee-ya that a father or two of those kids is thinking thoughts like that.

ENTERTAINMENT STUFF:

Demi Moore has announced that she is divorcing Ashton Kutcher.

We told you last week that we thought this was going to happen, but Billy Crystal being the host of the Oscars for the 9th time is official.

Here's something we didn't think would happen; Ricky Gervais will be brought back as host of the Golden Globes on January 15.

More terrific episodes this past week of "The Good Wife", "Homeland", "Boss", "Dexter" and especially "Parenthood" and "Revenge". The shows "Homeland", "Boss" and "Revenge" are new shows and they've all been renewed for a second season. Gang, I know that there are a lot of other good shows on television, but to me, the six I've mentioned here are the "gold standard" shows.

Last night, I saw a 1995 film on Encore that I hadn't seen since I saw it in a theatre. "The American President" starring Michael Douglas, Annette Bening and Martin Sheen. I loved it in '95 and I loved it again last night.

I'm a huge Clint Eastwood fan, but I'm sorry to say that I was disappointed when I saw his latest film a couple of days ago. "J. Edgar" is about the legendary FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover who is played by Leonardo DiCaprio. An outstanding supporting cast of actors are all good (as is DiCaprio), but the film "isn't", in my view. I can't help but think of the line, "If it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage" and I believe that's the problem with this film. We're told it cost only 35 million to make this film and I can't help but wonder if this film will break even.

Meanwhile, George Clooney's new film, "The Descendants" opens tomorrow and it has gotten great reviews. Many critics are saying this is Clooney's best film performance ever and some critics are saying a 19-year old actress named Shaileen Woodley who plays Clooney's 17-year old daughter, steals the show with her "big chip on her shoulder" attitude.

My closing topic is Regis Philbin:

As you probably have heard, tomorrow (Friday, November 18) will be Regis Philbin's final show on ABC. He leaves the show with a record that will probably never be duplicated. Most hours on television.

Regis Philbin was the first guy who put me on television. It was a small game-show that he was hosting in St. Louis. Early 70's. Why did he put me on his show? Who knows. Fast forward 8 years or so and I'm in Los Angeles which is where I still am. I was the nightly sports anchor on a television station here. It was the first of two stations here that I did sports anchor work at. Regis Philbin was also here in Los Angeles and he was hosting a very popular television talk show. Soon, he would move to New York and do a lot of shows with Kathy Lee Gifford and a lot of shows with Kelly Ripa. From his studio here in Los Angeles, he decided to call me. He congratulated me for the work I was doing but he wanted to let me know something that needed fixing. He said I wasn't being "lit" properly and he told me exactly what to tell the person who was responsible for the "lighting". I gently brought it up to the "Light Guy", he agreed with Regis's observations and my reaction was, "Wow!". I mean, Regis Philbin taking the time to do that for me? WHY? It was simply a case of Regis being Regis.

Gang, I've been here in Los Angeles doing the show biz thing for more than 30 years. There are a lot of "poseurs" in this town and they're pretty easy to spot. The real deal performers aren't that easy to spot because their "goodness" is a constant. I am very proud to say that I experienced the goodness of a real deal guy twice! I have no idea what Regis Philbin will do next, but Regis, whatever you choose to do or not do, I am one happy camper who will always be grateful for you coming into my life.

THOUGHTS AND OR COMMENTS? Please write to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net and will respond to you ASAP. Don't write to the blog because there's no way for me to know your email address which means I wouldn't be able to respond to you. All "Anonymous" emails are ignored.

THE NEXT BLOG? Good question. Next Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. As of now, I might write a new blog then, but if I don't, the next new blog will be Friday, November 25th or Thursday, December 1st.

Have a great weekend everybody and I hope all of you have a very Happy gobble-gobble Thanksgiving!

GOOD LUCK, REGIS annnd

AMERICA FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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