Blog Archives
Jimmy and Justin’s Sketch is IN SYNC
What do you call a “Throwback Thursday” from 1993 at a campsite with a (“future,” in quotes) pop superstar, a late night talk show host, a special guest and a sketch comedy aficionado?
Words cannot describe this bromance for the ages. But this popular Tonight Show sketch tries its best.
There’s something really great about sleepaway camp in the summertime when you’re around twelve years old…with a beard. And if you have some spare time, think of a favorite childhood memory and then recall the particular clothing style, lingo and musical hits.
Then write call email text tweet at Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake, Billy Crystal and Keegan-Michael Key.
Don’t worry if you tweet late at night because, odds are, they’ll be awake.
Friends Forever
For those wondering, the title refers to the show, not the song. However, both are equally awesome.
(Bonus points if you can name the show that featured the aforementioned song)
When lightning in a bottle happens, specifically regarding sitcoms, there’s an eternal fascination with everything involving the show. True story (name the character and/or sitcom!). The shelf life is forever. The stories, characters and the tone often define entire decades, generations and/or certain parts of the country from a treasured moment in time for millions of viewers. And as soon as the sitcom series finale airs, there’s a strange juxtaposition of sadness and uplifting nostalgia from fans.
I know because I’m one of these fans.
There’s a personal investment to learn everything from these shows that was an treasured part of growing up. These facts include interesting tidbits from in front of the camera, as well as from behind the camera.
Just when you thought there was nothing new to learn about Friends…
With this brand new behind-the-scenes story in August of 2017 (series finale was in 2004), it’s safe to presume that a Friends super fan now knows everything about this show in a genuinely comprehensive sense. You could even say a Friends super fan knows Friends like the back of their hand.
Wait, their hand or that Las Vegas blackjack dealer’s hand?
(Double bonus points if you can name the actor who played that Las Vegas blackjack dealer!)
Time for a Cookie
President Donald Trump.
That is a real sentence, ladies and gentlemen.
January 20, 2017 will go down in history as the day when Donald Trump (yes, that Donald Trump) was officially sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America. This really happened. Major policy decisions at the federal level will be significantly influenced by President Trump, the businessman and reality TV populist who became the leader of the free world. What will the next four years look like?
Who knows?
Many Americans (and leaders abroad) are a bit nervous of how President Trump will act and make decisions on the world’s stage. Fair enough. Populism, thus far, has not earned the megaphone anywhere nearly as powerful and influential as the American presidency in its burgeoning movement around the world. So, this will be an interesting domestic and global experiment, to say the least.
Accordingly, people are slightly on edge about President Trump due to his controversial rhetoric on the campaign trail. Specifically, this concerns his comments that fall into the category of race relations. Rightly or wrongly, the following classic scene from a popular sitcom catapulted its way to the front of my mind today as the peaceful transition of power took place with protestors in the background.
Who should we turn to in this hour of anxious anticipation? Washington? Lincoln? Reagan?
Seinfeld?
Ladies and gentlemen, Donald Trump is officially the President of the United States of America. Bringing up a scene from Seinfeld during this admittedly bizarre moment in American history is absolutely fair game…and, quite frankly, appropriate.
The American people hired Mr. Trump to be the president. And in four years, President Trump will experience life on the other side of the boardroom table.
Until then, all I can say is find a bakery with Jerry’s favorite cookie.
Will’s Coming Back…with Grace
A must see revival is in the works.
“NBC has ordered a 10-episode limited revival that will reunite stars Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes, and Megan Mullally during the 2017-2018 TV season, the network announced at the Television Critics Association’s press tour on Wednesday.
Original series creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan will act as showrunners and executive producers, while prolific director James Burrows, who directed every episode of the show during its initial eight-year run, is on board to direct and executive produce.”
–Natalie Abrams, Entertainment Weekly
This kind of return for Will & Grace may combine the best of both worlds:
Satisfying fans of the revered sitcom with a return of the original cast and crew, as well as making the updated walk down memory lane a limited comeback as to not overstay their welcome that’s powered almost entirely by nostalgia (you’ve seen those hilarious reruns on TV).
Recreating lightning in a bottle has proven to be a nearly impossible feat, even for beloved sitcoms of the same era as Will & Grace (ie – Girl Meets World, Fuller House, the Seinfeld non-reunion reunion). The one difference with Will & Grace is that the cast were full-fledged adults during the height of their success and impeccable comedic timing…and the cast of Will & Grace are still full-fledged adults who proved their timing is still gold with their recent reunion in a video posted online a few months back.
Amazingly, the structure of their triumphant return to network TV on NBC by way of a 10-episode stint is, ironically, modeled after the highly successful cable television model of 10-episode seasons for some of the most successful and groundbreaking TV shows in the modern era.
This experiment by NBC, a TV network clearly aware of the evolving realities, struggles and competition with the likes of HBO, Netflix, Amazon, original shows by Apple (really) and a laundry list of cable TV networks, could become a bellwether for the future of revivals regarding other popular shows from the past that people want to see years later.
Frasier? Cheers? Dare I say it…Friends?
For Ted Danson’s sake, a 10-episode revival would put him in an actual good place on NBC.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 