This is one of more offbeat, strange and special TV ads you’re likely to see. And one of more offbeat and strange pieces you're likely to see from Mike Nichols and Elaine May. It’s Nichols and May, early in their careers doing what is almost a two-minute, high-British drama sketch advertising GE refrigerators.
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If you didn't see Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on Sunday, the Main Story was about Deep Sea Mining. It's an extremely fascinating piece, that deals with a subject that has the potential of being an ecological disaster. That they make it as funny as they do is just a bonus. If you didn't see Jon Stewart's Monday hosting on The Daily Show, he did a virtuosic takedown of corporate self-congratulatory, but weak support of Gay Pride month -- and then expands it to corporate support for any cause...or pretty much anything. It's detailed, pointed and extremely funny. If you didn't see Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on Sunday, his Main Story was on corn. Yes -- corn! It's actually a very interesting report. Full of a lot of humor, of course (how could it not be, given the topic...) -- but also serious about government policies, subsidies and significant environment concerns that impact the planting and health issues and more that revolve around the subject. And just for the heck of it, here is a bonus. A brief excerpt of the opening song, "Corn," from the Tony-nominated 2023 musical, Shucked. Because HBO changed their posting schedule for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, I forget that it now goes online on Thursdays, so I forgot to post it then. I'll do my best to get back on schedule, but for now here's the Main Story from last week. And it's excellent. It's something I've long been aware of, but not the depth of the problem. I only thought it was a sort of usury-type issue with food delivery services like GrubHub and Postmates, but it is far more pervasive and deceptive. The report tells it well with get detail and a lot of humor. This week, recorded live from Maine, the ‘Not My Job’ segment of the NPR quiz show Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, the guest is Stephen Smith, CEO of L.L. Bean. It’s a fun, light-hearted conversation with host Peter Sagal about him getting hired for the job, as well as a funny exchange with the panel about the store’s open return policy. A personal side note. Back in 1989, I worked on the movie Pet Sematary, that filmed in Ellsworth, Maine, and one of my go-to spots was Freeport, Maine, a town that is literally made up of outlet stores sprouting everywhere. And the centerpiece of Freeport is the corporate store of L.L. Bean which is open 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, with an outlet store connected to it. The main Bean store is huge, and my favorite thing there was that they actually had a cobbler working on shoes out in the open for people to watch. I still have a great bathrobe and cashmere vest sweater that I bought at the Bean Outlet for peanuts that are both in great condition. (In fairness, I don’t wear them regularly, because I want to keep them in great condition…) Even though the drive was about 2-1/4 hours each way, and I don’t like driving, I nonetheless made the drive several times – and once stayed at Bean’s browsing around until probably 11 PM, just because the store was so wonderful and fun, and it was a treat being in a store so late without worrying about hearing an announcement that it would be closing so. All the while knowing that I had a 2-1/4 hour drive back. This is the full Wait, Wait… broadcast, but you can jump directly to the “Not My Job” segment, it starts around the 19:30 mark. |
AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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