Tuesday, November 10, 2020

At War With the Toons

Began the morning with breakfast and Looney Tunes wartime shorts on disc 2 of the Looney Tunes Gold Collection Volume 6, which I would continue after I did some writing and got organized. Warners threw themselves harder into the war than any studio except for maybe Fleischers/Famous. The zany, hard-edged war years were perfect for the shorts' tough brand of humor and reliance on violence and wisecracks. While Bugs gave real-life Nazi officer Herman Goring the run-around in "Herr Meets Hare," Daffy drives them daffy in "Daffy the Commando." Most shorts focus on one-off characters like the Russian gremlins in "Russian Rhapsody" or a plow horse who is desperate to join the Army in "The Draft Horse." Even Warner's earliest shorts star, Bosko the Talk-Ink Kid, found himself fighting World War I as "Bosko the Doughboy." 

Headed to work shortly after I finished lunch. It was on-and-off busy, more than yesterday, but not overwhelming. Still, I was tired and not really up to dealing with any type of crowds. Most people were pretty decent, but I made a lot of mistakes and messes. I was so happy when my relief was right on time, and I was able to race the dark home.

Continued writing after I changed and took out the trash. Gene comes into Richard's cabin to ask him why he's in such a bad mood. He claims he's working on something, but is being really evasive about it. He also doesn't seem happy when Gene claims he's a good friend and he trusts him...

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Gene shows off his new suede shoes with a few dancing movies in the opening for Match Game '74, while Richard admits that he knows Liberace well as he was his younger son Gary's godparent. Things got even nuttier on one of the best episodes of Match Game PM. Jamie Lee Curtis (fresh off of Halloween) got to admire Gene's new red shoes while Richard Paul, Brett Somers, and Charles Nelson Reilly hit the stage to hear if Paul's "Eyes of Texas" suggestion for the Audience Match comes up as the top answer. Charles and Brett were especially funny in this episode, and even the bemused contestant got in a quip or two (and ended up in Jamie's lap after the Audience Match!). 

For the second day in a row, the women dominated Sale of the Century. The one man barely got in there. Once again, the lady bought two Instant Bargains, won two Fame Games, blew everyone away in the Speed Round, and won the Bonus Round with time to spare. Baked Honeybee Cookies - "The Vermont" cookies from that cookie cookbook Lauren sent me a few years ago with honey instead of too-expensive maple syrup - while the show ran.

Finished the night online with At War With the Army in honor of Veteran's Day. I go further into the first starring vehicle for Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Saluting the Troops - At War With the Army

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