Lunedi Lunacy

Tuesday night was variety night on television when I was growing up - and chief source of the variety was The Garry Moore Show.  I was never sure what talent Garry Moore himself had other than the ability to be a genial and charming host but he surrounded himself with some of the best and some of the up and coming best in the entertainment business.  Durward Kirby, Marian Lorne (before Aunt Clara), Dorothy Loudon, Jonathan Winters and, of course, Carol Burnett were to become household names and the list of guest stars was the who's who of New York entertainment.

In this little number Broadway stars Julie Andrews and Gwen Verdon join Carol and the Ernie Flatt Dancers (a fixture on both Garry and Carol's shows through the years) in a little jab at the exercise fad that was gripping North America in those days - THOSE DAYS?????

Its dedicated to my friends MJ, Bev, Michael, Esteban and all the other gym rats I know and love.

I gather the Santa Claus outfits have something to do with the fact that this was broadcast at Christmastide 1961 and the JFK reference was in league with the President's Fitness Programme - yep even back in 1961 the obesity thing was a concern.  And that would be Garry Moore himself at the end donating to the cause.

February 3 - 1947: The lowest temperature in North America - -63.9c - is recorded in Snag, Yukon.

You Should Wake Up In the Middle of the Night....

I only saw the great Yiddish actress/singer/composer/writer Molly Picon on TV. Back in the '60s, when stereotyping was a form of shorthand, she made guest appearances on Car 54, Where Are You? as Mrs. Bronson, the Yenta of Yentas. She was in her mature years but still had a pixie charm and a way with a raised eyebrow.

What made me think of her tonight? At a briefing for Foreign Service employees and spouses today the subject of our fears and concerns about our postings abroad came up. I mentioned that not only would Laurent and I have to learn to live together again after three years but we would be doing it in the foreign city. One of the participants, who will be leaving his wife behind as he heads out to Kabul, asked me what I was looking forward to most when we are reunited. I repeated a line of Mrs. Bronson's when she opened up a matchmaking service for older couples:

It's nice, you should wake up in the middle of the night and be thirsty, there's someone you can nudge , they should get up and get you a glass of water.

You got it Mrs Bronson!