Philosophy
This is the 50th anniversary of Johnny Carson taking over the Tonight Show. Steve Allen and Jack Paar made the show an important part of the television landscape, but Carson turned it into an American institution. Even after his departure, the next generation of hosts -- David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Conan O'Brien -- maintained a sense of relevance for the slot. But with the proliferation of entertainment and media options, have these programs lost their place in our culture?
For the last bunch of election cycles, appearing on them was essential. Bill Clinton playing the saxophone on Arsenio is as iconic a political broadcast moment as the Checkers speech or the Kennedy/Nixon debate. For comedians, playing Carson was the gateway to a career. But the stature seems to have been lost.
Is this the case? Are late night humor/interview shows no longer the cultural powerhouses they once were? If so , why? Is it the hosts? the writing? Is it the technology? the times?
- The Feast Of Saint John
My Fellow Comedists, This weekend would have been the 52nd birthday of John Belushi, the Hunter S. Thompson of comedy. He was born in Chicago to first-generation Albanian-Americans in Chicago, growing up just outside the city. In high-school, he was a...
- Passing The Plate: Take My Wife...please Edition
My Fellow Comedists, It is time to pass the plate again. Other religions ask you to donate money, but in Comedism we tithe jokes. So, dig deep and give to the worthiest of causes. In honor of TheWife's and my anniversary, let's do marriage jokes...
- He Who Laughs Last, Votes Best (part 1 Of 2)
For the complete article -- beautifully formatted with color photos, see e Pluribus Media. (Special thanks again to kfred, Cho and everyone over at ePM.) Forget ?Soccer moms,? ?NASCAR dads,? and ?value voters,? the operative bloc in the midterms were...
- Rachel Louise Carson...a Natural Patriot
International Year of Biodiversity Rachel Louise Carson May 27th, 1907 to April 14th, 1964 Over 40 years ago we were introduced to environmental issues via the works of Rachel Carson. Rachel Carson [Wikipedia] The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson Read...
- Where Is The Spirit Rachel Carson?
Rachel Carson May 27th, 1907 to April 14th, 1964 Forerunners of ecology and environmental movements have long been forgotten...the likes of Henry David Thoreau and John Muir and even Rachel Carson. Why Carson...she was probably the first person to become...
Philosophy
Are Late Night Talk Shows Obsolete?
This is the 50th anniversary of Johnny Carson taking over the Tonight Show. Steve Allen and Jack Paar made the show an important part of the television landscape, but Carson turned it into an American institution. Even after his departure, the next generation of hosts -- David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Conan O'Brien -- maintained a sense of relevance for the slot. But with the proliferation of entertainment and media options, have these programs lost their place in our culture?
For the last bunch of election cycles, appearing on them was essential. Bill Clinton playing the saxophone on Arsenio is as iconic a political broadcast moment as the Checkers speech or the Kennedy/Nixon debate. For comedians, playing Carson was the gateway to a career. But the stature seems to have been lost.
Is this the case? Are late night humor/interview shows no longer the cultural powerhouses they once were? If so , why? Is it the hosts? the writing? Is it the technology? the times?
- The Feast Of Saint John
My Fellow Comedists, This weekend would have been the 52nd birthday of John Belushi, the Hunter S. Thompson of comedy. He was born in Chicago to first-generation Albanian-Americans in Chicago, growing up just outside the city. In high-school, he was a...
- Passing The Plate: Take My Wife...please Edition
My Fellow Comedists, It is time to pass the plate again. Other religions ask you to donate money, but in Comedism we tithe jokes. So, dig deep and give to the worthiest of causes. In honor of TheWife's and my anniversary, let's do marriage jokes...
- He Who Laughs Last, Votes Best (part 1 Of 2)
For the complete article -- beautifully formatted with color photos, see e Pluribus Media. (Special thanks again to kfred, Cho and everyone over at ePM.) Forget ?Soccer moms,? ?NASCAR dads,? and ?value voters,? the operative bloc in the midterms were...
- Rachel Louise Carson...a Natural Patriot
International Year of Biodiversity Rachel Louise Carson May 27th, 1907 to April 14th, 1964 Over 40 years ago we were introduced to environmental issues via the works of Rachel Carson. Rachel Carson [Wikipedia] The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson Read...
- Where Is The Spirit Rachel Carson?
Rachel Carson May 27th, 1907 to April 14th, 1964 Forerunners of ecology and environmental movements have long been forgotten...the likes of Henry David Thoreau and John Muir and even Rachel Carson. Why Carson...she was probably the first person to become...