Monthly Archives: June 2015

Bernie Sanders is currently polling higher in Iowa than anyone seeking the Republican nomination.

I don't think that means he has a real shot at the presidency. I mean, being one of two or three candidates is a lot more advantageous position than being one of around ninety. It may just be a function of how many people in Iowa are leery of Hillary Clinton. I do think though it means that Sanders deserves a lot more press coverage and attention than he's gotten.

Of course, today no one who's running for president is getting anywhere near as much press coverage and attention than Caitlyn Jenner. You know, I admire Mr./Ms. Jenner's courage in some ways but I recall when someone else who had a gender conversion said something like, "My goal in going public with this is to help move America to the day when no one will care about this kind of thing." Well, just speaking for myself, I'm already there.

This is a little hard to watch but Tracy Morgan was on the Today Show this morning, giving his first interview since the ghastly freeway accident that injured him severely and took the life of fellow comedian James "Jimmy Mack" McNair. I suspect this appearance had a lot to do with the surely-huge monetary settlement that he just accepted from the Walmart company. Morgan had his attorney with him to prompt him on things he wanted to or had to say. It sure sounds like that as a condition of the settlement, he had to make this public appearance — and maybe others — and say what he said about Walmart. One assumes it's sincere.

It's just sad to see a funny man like that suffering…though comforting in a way that he's mended enough to make even this appearance. But everyone's rooting for this guy and I'm imagining one of the biggest ovations in the history of television when he's well enough to make even a tiny cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live.

I met Betsy Palmer briefly at a thing called the Game Show Congress which was out in Burbank in 2006. Since she just passed away at the age of 88, that would mean she was 79 then. She sure didn't look it. She looked maybe fifteen years older than the last episode of the original I've Got a Secret instead of 39 years older. That was probably my favorite game show and she was an integral part of it.

She's known for that and her roles in the Friday the 13th horror movies. She should also be remembered for all the acting she did on stage and screen, including stints on Broadway shows like Same Time, Next Year and Cactus Flower. She also did a lot of regional productions of South Pacific and Annie, Get Your Gun and a few other shows that required a strong, forceful female lead who could sing. I never saw her in any of those but the reviews said she was pretty darn good in them.

I really don't have anything to say about her except that she was charming when I met her and charming on the screen. With the passing of Bess Myerson last year, Jayne Meadows not long ago and now Betsy, it means everyone who was ever a regular panelist on the original I've Got a Secret is gone. How sad.