Friday, January 19, 2024

At Home On a Snow Day

Began my morning by peering out a window. Yep, there it was. Two inches of clean, white snow, and it was still coming down hard. I knew I wasn't going to make it to the Cherry Hill Mall, or anywhere else, in that storm. Thank heavens I already had off work today. I'd have to call out anyway. I went back to my bed and laid down for another hour.

When I was ready to get up, I began the morning with breakfast and Jem on Tubi. The Holograms make a "Journey to Shangri-La" to add a more mystical sound to their music. In this show, it's where all music and arts stem from. Naturally, the Misfits just have to follow them. When Pizzazz and Roxy get sick, it's up to the Holograms to find the music at Shangri-La that will cure them. 

Switched to Buzzr for Press Your Luck. I came in as the second round commenced. The Whammies slammed a young woman, allowing a gentleman with a mustache and curly hair to win a boatload of prizes, including a fur coat apparently made right in Camden. The guy didn't do so hot in the second episode. He was defeated by a younger man there.

I'm glad Buzzr returned Split Second to the schedule. I have a soft spot for this lightning-fast Monty Hall-hosted syndicated quiz show from 1987. Monty asks three people a multiple-choice question with three answers. If all three contestants get the right answers, they get $10 in the first round, $20 in the second. If only two answer, it's $20 in the first round and $50 in the second. If one person answers, they get the whole $50 or $100. In the last round, contestants are given a set number of answers they must get based on how they came up in the previous round. If they win, they choose five boards to see if they pick up a car or something else, like money or a trip.

Both the games I saw today were terrific, literally down to the wire. The young woman who said she wanted to be a director came from behind in the last round to win. Her win in the second episode was less dramatic, but everyone was still really close. I always liked hearing Monty talk to the contestants during the first half of the show. The lady who says she collects pigs in the second episode came in for some mild ribbing from Monty.

The Let's Make a Deal 60th Anniversary "marathon" concluded with two big deal wins. One couple picked up a car right away in the first episode. In the second, a woman dressed as a cat with blue ears and a red bow and her husband traded in money to get the Big Deal of the Day, a gorgeous piano and a huge, luxurious fur. 

Switched to WKRP In Cincinatti while job hunting. I actually applied for a data entry job at a consulting firm in Moorestown. It at least says it has health insurance. Don't know if I'll get it, but it's something. 

Ran the last disc of the set to finish off the first season. "I Do, I Do....For Now" says Jennifer when a former boyfriend from  her home in West Virginia (real-life country singer Hoyt Axton) comes claiming she promised to marry him when he was younger. She claims Johnny's her current husband to ward him off, then has to appear to be married when he sticks around.

I went out to help a friend shovel her driveway and sidewalk around 4 PM. It continued to fall heavily, and had continued all day and would continue into the night. The original 2 to 4 inches were starting to look more like 7 to 10. At least it was light, fluffy snow that was easy to clean. Even so, she has a long driveway that curves downwards, and my right wrist is still really sore. It was hard to push on the snow shovel and get everything up like I should have. Neighbors from across the street ended up helping out.

Finished up WKRP when I got in. "Young Master Carlson" is Arthur's 11-year-old son, who runs away from military school when he's denied an officer's commission. Arthur's mother insists on the boy learning the ropes at the station. All he does is go through Jennifer's desk drawers and insult everyone in firing range. When he calls Venus a racial slur, his father finally lays down the law with the boy and reminds him that, military or not, he has to treat people the way he wants to be treated.

"Fish  Story" gets more than a little, well, fishy, when Herb dresses as a carp to be the station's mascot. He and Les get into a fight in a men's bathroom with the pig mascot from their crosstown rival WPIG. Bailey tries to break it up, but they all end up arrested. Meanwhile, a highway patrol officer tests Johnny and Venus' reflexes by having them drink between records. While Venus can't handle his beer, Johnny, for whom "drinking was something of a hobby," actually has better reflexes when he's drunk.

The season ends with "Preacher." Many listeners are calling in complaining about Little Ed Pembrook (Michael Keenan), a former wrestler who does their Sunday religious programming. Seems not only is he pushing his own church a little too fiercely, but he's selling Bible-themed merchandise on the side. His huge size intimidates everyone at the station but Andy and Bailey, who finally decide to hit him in his one sore spot - his wallet. 

Worked on writing towards the end of the episodes. Even after the group manages to get across, a huge bear-tiger beast tries to attack them. Avery manages to scare it off with a roar, even though he passes out after having done so.

Watched Match Game '76 during dinner. Scoey reminds everyone in the beginning that he could be doing less fun pursuits when they joke about the movie he was appearing in. Charles is even less happy when Richard does his own imitation of him.

Continued with Match Game '79 while having dessert. The first episode begins with Gene claiming Barbara Rhodes hadn't been there before and getting a kiss, when she appeared on the show many times before. Dick Martin ends up with a kiss, too! In the second, Barbara talks about her upcoming show, Mr. Dooley...which never arrived. This Norman Lear comedy about a black congressman had its title changed to Mr. Dugan before being scrapped all together after real black politicians considered it offensive. 

Finished the night on Netflix with the original Chevy Chase Fletch from 1985. Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher (Chase) is a reporter who uses a multitude of goofy disguises in his pursuit of the next big scoop. While posing as a bum on the beach in order to work on a story about drug smuggling, dying millionaire Alan Stanwyck (Tim Matheson) hires Fletch to murder him and make it look like a robbery. Fletch agrees to it, but doesn't trust a word the man says. He has every right not to. Turns out the guy is not only in perfectly good shape, he and local police Chief Karlin (Jon Doe Baker) have a stronger connection to Fletch's drug expose than he originally surmised.

This is one of those movies Dad loved when I was a kid, but I really didn't get. It's still pretty weird nowadays, what with Fletch imagining himself into a Lakers game and dodging goons in a wide variety of weird costumes. At the least, Chase, who later called this one of his favorite roles, seems to be enjoying himself. There's a few nice lines and jokes, especially when Karlin starts pursuing Fletch and he has to avoid the cops. If you love Chase or comic mysteries, you'll have a fine time figuring out who Fletch is going to appear as next.

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