The Best of MASH Season 1

Source:CBS- Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake.

Source:The New Democrat

I've been asked a lot in my lifetime all thirty-eight years of it by people who know me, but perhaps not very well, people who I'm friendly with. "How do you describe your sense of humor"? Because if I'm friendly with you and we get along and open up with each other, my humor will come out of lot because it is a big form of communication for me. Because I use it to basically let people know how I'm doing and how I'm feeling.

I have a real good friend who I met in high school over twenty years ago. (Damn! That makes me feel old!) Who gets the same question, actually her sister asked him that the same question. Actually she asked us together one night when we were hanging out together. And I'm going to give you the same answer as I gave her and my buddy feels the same way. Because we essentially have the same sense of humor. Actually he stole mine, and I'm borrowing someone else's, but anyway. We both have a low-tolerance for stupidity, stupid questions or people acting stupid. And we use our spontaneous sense of humor to let people know what we think of that.

I posted the video of M*A*S*H in this blog because that show had the same sense of humor. Looking for funny moments in life wherever possible and doing it in the worst circumstances possible. Thousands of miles away from home in a land they perhaps never heard of before the Korean War. And having to try to save as many lives as possible in the heart of this war. When they could've been killed at any time, but using that humor to keep their sanity. And joy for life as much as possible as so many people around them lost their lives.

What makes M*A*S*H the best sitcom of all time is the writing and this style of humor. And Alan Alda who in many ways was playing himself when he was playing Captain Dr. Benjamin Hawkeye Pierce the Chief Surgeon of this 4077 M*A*S*H Unit. Unlike a lot of the sitcoms of today that are cookie cutter and use each other's material. Or lines they picked up from the last hit movie comedy or latest hit comedian. M*A*S*H used their own lines that hadn't been written before or only heard by very few people. And the humor was based around finding the funniest and stupidest things in a horrible situation. To keep their joy of life alive.
Source:CBS

The Phil Donahue Show: Jane Fonda's Anti-War Speech & Interview (1972)

Source:Garett Dicembre-

Source:The New Democrat 

Jane Fonda at her highest peak as an anti-war New-Left political activist. Calling members of the American military criminals, murderers, including the President of the United States Richard Nixon and perhaps President Nixon's predecessor Lyndon Johnson as well. The wing of the American Left the New Left people who are called McGovernites for their support of U.S. Senator George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign took over the Democratic Party in the late 1960s and early 1970s. And gave the Democratic Party a real bad name for over twenty-years.
Source:Garrett Dicembre

Merv Griffin Show: Jane Fonda-Roger Vadim Interview (1967)

Source:Merv Griffin Show- Roger Vadim and Jane Fonda, on Merv Griffin in 1967.

Source:The New Democrat 

“Jane Fonda and her husband, French director Roger Vadim, are interviewed by Merv Griffin in January of 1967 while promoting their film “The Game is Over (La Curee)”. They talk about their farm in France, Jane’s cooking, and Vadim’s experiences filming iconic women.

Merv Griffin had over 5000 guests appear on his show from 1963-1986. Footage from the Merv Griffin Show is available for licensing to all forms of media through Reelin’ In The Years Productions:Realin The Years." 

From the Merv Griffin Show

I would be lying if I said I had any idea who the hell Roger Vadim is other then what I got out of this video. And I only like to lie when I’m in trouble. You know being questioned by police, on the stand being cross-examined. And if you are wondering how I get away with that. I cross my fingers when I’m put under oath and say: “I do”.

But Jane Fonda is very well-known and for good reasons. A beautiful baby-face adorable actress with a very quick wit and sense of humor. As well as intelligence that allows for her to play all sorts of characters that her career indicates that she has.

The Woody Allen Show: William F. Buckley & Woody Allen Exchange Humor

Source:Metrazol Electricity-

Source:The New Democrat

As conservative, snobby and Anglo-Saxon waspy as Bill Buckley came off at least came off as, he had a damn quick and good sense of humor. He wasn't so preppy and full of himself and thought he knew it all about everything that he couldn't take a joke and fire one back right on target and get a reaction and even laugh out of the people he was talking to. And I think that comes off in this quick little interview between two of the best wisecrack artists who ever lived in Woody Allen and Bill Buckley.
Source:Metrazol Electricity

Ed Sullivan Show; Jim Morrison & The Doors- Light My Fire (1967)

Source:Ed Sullivan Show- Jim Morrison & The Doors, on The Ed Sullivan Show, in 1967.

Source:The New Democrat  

"On this day in 1967, The Doors were banned from The Ed Sullivan Show for breaking an agreement with the show’s producers...

From The Mad Music Asylum

"The Doors Light My Fire Ed Sullivan 1967. I do not own this video." 

From Kill Matic 

The Lizard King (or The Leather King) Jim Morrison and The Doors, on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1967. This performance is memorable for a couple of reasons: Jim Morrison standing up for the First Amendment and refusing to be censored and leaving in the lyric higher. But also because he really put out there, stuck it out there really, with the big boner sticking out of his skin-tight leather jeans. I guess he was just too excited to be on Ed Sullivan. There was a rumor that the producers stuck the camera on Morrison so people could see his erection, just to embarrass him. I can believe that.

Source:Ed Sullivan- The Lizard King Jim Morrison and The Doors, on The Ed Sullivan Show, in 1967.

"In July 1967, The Doors scored their first No. 1 on the US singles chart with an edited version of Light My Fire, which spent three weeks in the top spot. The country loved the song so much that even the full six-minute and fifty-second album cut eventually made its way to the radio airwaves. 

As a testament to their success, a few months later the psychedelic rockers were invited to perform the single live on The Ed Sullivan Show – a right of passage for any up-and-coming artist of the era. It would be a legendary appearance, and their only appearance when it ended with the Doors’ infamous banning from The Ed Sullivan. 

The incident was ignited by Jim Morrison’s refusal to change the lyric “Girl we couldn't get much higher” despite producers’ requests due to the word “higher” being deemed inappropriate for a family show. Forever the rebel poet, Morrison defied the advice, concluding, “we’re not changing a word.” 

Just 22 seconds into the performance, Morrison delivered the offending lyric without hesitation, eliciting a telling smirk from guitarist Robby Krieger. But Sullivan wasn’t smiling. The show’s stoic host was equally unwavering in his post, with a producer delivering the news directly after the band’s performance that “Mr Sullivan wanted you for six more shows, but you’ll never work The Ed Sullivan Show again.” To which Morrison famously replied, “Hey, man. We just did the Sullivan show.” 

Source:Ed Sullivan Show- Jim Morrison and The Doors, on Ed Sullivan in 1967 

From I Likey Our Old Stuff

"Up Close and Personal With The Lizard King Jim Morrison, on Ed Sullivan in 1967", is what the title of these photos should be. I guess The Leather King was simply too excited before he went out on stage that night and The Ed Sullivan Show made sure the world got to see that up close on national TV.

Before I make Jim Morrison look real bad here I'll say that this was one of The Doors best performances ever even as short as it was. The Lizard King (and I say that for a reason) was at the top of his game with the vocals and everyone played very well.

But if you watch the video (and you are not blind) you see something real obvious and may get to thinking: "What the hell" (Or something stronger than that) Because you see Morrison in his classic black leather suit. Nothing strange there from him, but with a big fact erection sticking out of his leather jeans.

I don't know how you go out on stage with that sticking out and that is assuming you are sober. And perhaps The Lizard King wasn't and this was one of the reasons why he was The Lizard King because he was so out there and not just wore the black leather jeans at most of his performances, but his leathers were so skin-tight and revealing that anything that got him excited sexually was going to be seen by a lot of people and this case being on Sullivan by millions of people.

And this  happened to The Lizard King in one of the most public places possible on Ed Sullivan on national TV on Sunday night in 1967.

Kanaal Van Datruiktumeneer: The Doors at The Roadhouse (1968)

Source: Karen McGibbon- The Lizard King Jim Morrison.

Source: The New Democrat 

At least the early part of this concert sounds like the Oliver Stone version of The Doors from 1991 with Val Kilmer playing Jim Morrison. With The Lizard King drunk and wasted and barely being able to stand up and move around without losing his balance. And giving an awful performance in Miami, Florida and finally getting frustrated and starts cursing at the audience. Which is a true story and one of the few things that the Oliver Stone movie portrayed accurately. The New Haven concert would be another one. The actual Live in London concert was very good and you get to Jim Morrison and The Doors (as I call them) at their best. With The Lizard King at his best in his classic rock and roll uniform the black leather suit, concho belt and cowboy boots that he put on the rock and roll map himself. Which is about an hour long that I have on DVD. They play everything and Morrison is brilliant on the vocals and very entertaining as well.

Source:Kanaal Van Datruiktumeneer

Phillip Lowe: Kevin Pollack as Captain Kirk

Source:Phillip Lowe- Kevin Pollack as Captain James T. Kirk. 

Source:Phillip Love

Star Trek is clearly not the best show of all time (also this just in the world of the obvious if you take a shower you're likely to get wet) but Star Trek was definitely a very entertaining show. I would describe it as a sci-fi/comedy where you had basically a comedian for the captain in Bill Shatner. With a great cast to go around, including a first officer played by Len Nimoy who knew everything about everything except for what it was like to be a human. He seemed to lack certain feelings and emotions that the rest of us had making him somewhat distant (even for space Travel). Which is saying something since this show took place on a spaceship.

Well most likely the USS Enterprise was not a real spaceship up in space. No not a spaceship underwater in case you were wondering that. (Good guess Captain) You had the chief engineer played by a drunk Scotsman. (is there any other type of Scotsman) Who never met a problem he couldn't freak out about. With Scottie gee thats a surprise a Scotsman named Scottie, I wonder if there are any italians named Angelo or Spaniards named Jose. Maybe I'll google that and Captain Kirk telling Chief Scottie, dammit Scottie (or something to that effect) you must calm down man and handle the situation! Which was like Chief Scottie's magic potion or whatever. Because they of course operated in a perfect world up in space where the good guys and girls always won.

You had the chief medical officer called Bones played by Jimmy Carter, I mean Deforest Kelly (who reminds me of President Jimmy Carter) who was basically in charge, well the health care on the ship naturally. But in his spare time to make sure there was someone always there to freak out (when Scottie wasn't available) with his famous line, "dammit Jim I'm a doctor not God!" Star Trek was again a very entertaining show because again you had basically a comedian as the captain in Bill Shatner. Who I'm sure did a lot if improvising and improv on that show, hell I know I would've done the same thing.

Because the show wasn't built around great writing, of course you know its a spaceship where people can live on it year round so none of the plots were believable. (Unless you've been drinking and been high for two weeks straight and started seeing things like Klingons or Jerry Fallwell in a hip hop video as the performer. Or Pat Robertson coming out for same-sex-marriage or whatever the fantasy may be) But is was a show with an excellent cast that took place in of course in a galaxy unknown.

This was Star Trek, they had to make to funny because it wasn't believable. They would go to other planets millions of miles from Earth where the people looked human and of course spoke perfect English. )They could teach some of our immigrants how to speak English as well) This is how realistic this show was. And they did a great job with what they had and comedian Kevin Pollack does as good of a Captain Kirk as Bill Shatner one comedian making fun of another.