ANNE BANCROFT

On Thursday, my friend Sarah had a link to a film that starred Anne Bancroft, which started me thinking about what a fabulous actress she was, and the first time I ever saw her in a film called The Pumpkin Eater way back in 1964, which was also the year she married Mel Brooks. The following videos show her versatility, two that were unknown to me, amidst the amazing catalog of her theatrical and film work. The Pumpkin Eater was my favorite film drama of hers, but at the end of her career, my favorite was a comedy, a nostalgic look back at a family with all their dysfunctions and love. It's called Home for the Holidays. It has a memorable cast, and I watch it every year at Thanksgiving, to remind myself of my own seriously interesting family!

The gorgeous young Anne.

Anne and David Susskind in a spoof called BIMBO

Anne in a skit from 1970... a real tongue twister!

This is a wonderful clip of her many many faces... Love you Anne...

I hope you enjoyed these clips, and that you remember Anne Bancroft fondly. To me, she stood alone, completely separate from any other performer, not only because of her acting skill, but for her great wit, her sense of humor, that revealed her joy in living and her gift to us all.

Jiva

OUTSOURCING MENTAL HEALTH

I think this is the funniest joke!


Subject: OUTSOURCING MENTAL HEALTH

I was depressed last night so I called Lifeline.

Got a call center in Pakistan .


I told them I was suicidal.

They got all excited and asked if I could drive a truck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(drumroll... cymbal crash...)

Jiva

DIANA KRALL ~ IS THERE ANYONE BETTER...

There is no one like the Perfect Diana Krall.

The finest jazz singer today.

Diana Krall sings Do It Again with a full orchestra.

This woman simply knocks me out.

Jiva

2008 OLYMPICS

WELL, HERE WE ARE WITH THE 2008 OLYMPICS UPON US, AND I HAD BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE EXCITING OPENING CEREMONIES LIVE FROM CHINA, BUT APPARENTLY THAT IS NOT HAPPENING!

So, in lieu of this disappointing news, I decided to present a few really nice photos I found on the Internet, because I think we all need something to make us feel connected to this great event, and the Opening Ceremonies.

AT 9 PM TONIGHT, NBC WILL BROADCAST A REPEAT OF THE OPENING CEREMONIES, SO BE SURE TO WATCH, AS IT SHOULD BE SPECTACULAR!

Jiva

BROADWAY AND THE BOSTON POPS

TONIGHT ON PBS WE HAD THE BOSTON POPS DELIVERING BROADWAY STARS!

It was a lovely show, and I enjoyed hearing not only the songs, but the stories that went with each star's presentation. My idol is TOMMY TUNE, who's life I've studied from the beginning of his career. And of course, BARBARA COOK is amazing. The greatest star of the Broadway stage was shown to sing a medley of songs, including the one she said made her famous: I've Got Rhythm: The fabulous ETHEL MERMAN.

It was a delightful hour and a half, and I hope they present it again.

Jiva

Bonnie Raitt

Ethel Merman

Tyne Daley

Tommy Tune

Kristin Chenoweth

Joel Gray

Bernadette Peters

Barbara Cook

Carol Channing

Carol and Orchestra

Pearlie Mae and Arthur Fiedler

Boston Pops Orchestra

Bernadette Peters sings Broadway Baby

ROSALIND RUSSELL ~ DYNAMITE ACTRESS

">WHAT'S MY LINE?

Last night on TV, Turner Movie Classics played both AUNTIE MAME and GYPSY starring the fabulous ROSALIND RUSSELL. My favorite film of hers was always THE WOMEN, where her comedic talents were displayed to the hilt. In 1942 she played in a film called MY SISTER EILEEN, and then in 1953 she played the same role in the hit Broadway show called WONDERFUL TOWN, and won the Tony Award for her starring role. If there is one thing ROSALIND RUSSELL was, it was versatile.

THE WOMEN

The middle of seven children, she was named after the S.S. Rosalind at the suggestion of her father. She was a wonderful woman in a wonderful town.

Jiva

IT'S ALL ABOUT AGE !!

Eartha Kitt 1927
Julie Christie 1941
Lena Horne 1917
Elaine Stritch 1926
Julie Andrews 1935
Barbara Cook 1927
Barbara Walters 1929
Marian Seldes 1928
Angela Lansbury 1925
Dorothy Dale Kloss 1924
Judy Dench 1934
Helen Mirren 1945




Don't you just love it? Stars in their sixties, seventies and eighties out there booking those gigs! Marian Seldes said "80 is the new 40" and I believe it. I say that to myself every day... I constantly meet people who are so magically younger than springtime! It's all about energy and positive thinking... it's all about setting aside those cliches from the past and filling your brain with possibility!

I rest my case.

Jiva

HERE IT IS FOLKS! HERE'S THE OBAMA'S !!

This is the picture that has everyone in an uproar! On the cover of a magazine no less. And a major magazine at that, THE NEW YORKER. The publishers are saying it is satire and should be construed as such. Pro Obama supporters are both horrified and shouting foul, while others are saying it's satire, keep calm. But many people in America don't think it's satire. There are a lot of people who believe this is the real face behind the Obama facade. There are people who are truly afraid of this man, but no one seems to want to talk about that. Obama himself has said that he has a tough skin after campaigning all this time, and that it isn't bothering him at all, he sees it as an illustration that is coming across differently than it was meant, but that it is just human error, not anything malicious. So, what do you think? Do you think free speech is ok even when it may be libeling people? Or is satire a great way to libel people and get away with it. Or is it really satire? I don't know the answer. I think we may never find out if McCain is elected; and if Obama is elected, then, we will find out for sure! Remains to be seen.

Jiva