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OMG! Like how did I miss Square Pegs on DVD… like totally

There isn’t much that I am obsessed with in life except for getting some classic TV shows and films from my younger days on DVD. One that I thought I would never see is finally out. Square Pegs was a TV show about high school life that was broadcast on CBS for one season in 1982. The show hit a chord with me and I have nothing but fond memories of it. Until recently memories was all I’ve had. Of course I hate it that I found out seven months AFTER it was released.

It was created by Anne Beatts, who had worked on Saturday Night Live in its early days and the plots centered on Patty Greene (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Lauren Hutchinson (Amy Linker), two awkward teenage girls desperate to fit in at Weemawee High School. Their lives interacted with their friends Marshall Blechtman (John Femia) and Johnny “Slash” Ulasewicz (Merritt Butrick) and with the cool kids Jennifer DiNuccio (Tracy Nelson), the quintessential buxom Valley Girl, her boyfriend Vinnie Pasetta (Jon Caliri), a handsome greaser hood, and LaDonna Fredericks (Claudette Wells) and preppy Muffy B. Tepperman (Jami Gertz).

The show spoke to me because I was in the social place that Patty and Lauren are in. I wanted to be popular and although I didn’t try to be one at all costs like they did, I sympathized with their plight. Cliques in school were not a good thing because for some it causes too much stress at such a young age but this show had a funny take on the topic.

The DVD finally came out when Sarah Jessica Parker’s movie version of “Sex in the City” was released. Except for Parker, Tracy Nelson, and Jami Gertz none of the rest of the cast have done much more than this series. In the Wikipedia entry it even says that the actor who played Vinnie has disappeared off the face of the earth and his current whereabouts are unknown.

Merritt Butrick, who played Johnny, died in 1989 from AIDS. He was also known for playing Capt. Kirk’s son, Dr. David Marcus, in the Star Trek II and III films.

The other note on the DVD issue that is an issue with a lot of the old shows is they stripped out a lot of the pop music due to licence issues. It seems that sometimes the cost of using the music costs more than putting out the DVD so the show owners replace the music with something generic.

All the episodes can also be viewed on the HULU website. “Muffy’s Bat Mitzvah” is one of my favorites, mainly because DEVO makes a guest appearance as the band at the party.

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Chick Singers who I have liked

Back in my college days, a friend of mine remarked, after seeing my music cassette collection, that I had a thing for chick singers. I looked at him funny and said “What?” and he said that most of my tapes were of female singers. I looked them over and sure enough most of them were. My favorite chick singers back then, and still are, Blondie, Pat Benatar, the Go-Go’s and Madonna.

Why female singers? I really don’t know. I just seem to like a woman’s voice singing.

Blondie

My first recollection of Blondie was seeing them on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve in 1978 or 79. It was at that time I learned they had come up from the Punk scene of New York performing at CBGB’s along with the Talking Heads and other soon to be stars of the 80’s New Wave scene. Of course Debbie Harry was easy on the eyes but the music is what made me a fan.

Although I love “Heart of Glass” my favorite Blondie song is “Dreaming” with the staggering drum line by Clem Burke leading the charge.

Pat Benatar

The first female singer I fell in love with was Pat Benatar and who wouldn’t. She was hot. I owned every single album through “Seven the Hard Way:. Her music was so popular it garnered a mention in the cult classic “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”. Her voice was so powerful – having trained awhile in classical music – and the music rocked. She also had a great drummer – Myron Grombacher who added flair to the music.

My favorite song is “Heartbreaker”

Go-Go’s

A whole band of chick singers who came up through the punk and club scene in LA. Their music had a dash of Surf music in it and that’s probably why I liked it so much. It is ironic that their videos showed them as wholesome while in real life they partied hard – very hard.

My favorite song has to be “Head Over Heels” from the album “Talk Show”

Madonna

Seeing Madonna vamp around on the gondola in the video for “Like a Virgin”, I knew she would be a star. I just didn’t think she would still be popular some 20 years later. She was fierce, independent, and not afraid to reinvent herself from time to time. She came up through the disco and club scene in New York so most of her early music is dance music. I am still a fan of the early albums even after she moved on to more “adult” tones and content.

My favorite song is “Holiday” off the album before “Like a Virgin” called simply “Madonna” issued in 1983.

I still like women singers but only if they are similar to the women mentioned above. That is they have real talent and aren’t just eye candy who “sing”.

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Cleveland Browns: At least we aren’t the Detroit Lions

Well this picture from Sunday’s game says it all. Cleveland Browns fans have had a bad year following our favorite team but at least we aren’t fans of the Detroit Lions. Our team seemed to have gained momentum after the 10-6 season last year but this year it started off bad and got worse.

I kind of knew things were going to be bad when they had so many injuries during preseason. The team just couldn’t get back on track. Starting 0-3 was bad. Having Pro Bowl QB Derrick Anderson either throwing an interception, into the ground, or having his wide outs drop everything – that was bad.

The offense just stunk up the place aside from lineman Joe Thomas. When an opposing team can stack the box knowing the passing game sucks then the running game stinks. After Sunday’s game the announcers said Cleveland has gone 20 quarters without an offensive TD.

Even Phil Dawson has had off year kicking field goals.

There is a clamoring for coach Romeo Crennel to be fired and that may happen but they also need to get rid of some dead weight.

In one game Braylon Edwards was dropping every pass coming his way and they still threw to him several more times after that. If I was coach I would bench Edwards for the dropped passes until he showed he could hang on to them.

The defense has been the only bright spot for the team but the offense needs to put points on the board.

Oh, well… maybe next year…

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David Letterman has been on game shows before

The other night on his show David Letterman made the comment about Regis Philbin saving television again by hosting the new Million Dollar Password on CBS that debuted Sunday night. What may not be well known by anyone less than 40 years old, Letterman use to guest star on game shows during the late 70’s and early 80’s before he got the Late Show on NBC in 1982. The one I remember him best being on was Password Plus, hosted by the late great Allen Ludden.

Here is a clip from a bonus round on an episode Letterman guested on:

The other game show I thought he did great on was called “Liars Club”, but I can’t find any clips on YouTube.

Letterman also tried to host a game show in 1977 called The Riddlers which wasn’t picked up by the networks:

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CBC Windsor to be removed from Findlay Time-Warner lineup in January

While surfing the Internets tonight I came across a brief notice posted on the local news section of WFIN’s website:

Subscribers to Time Warner cable systems in northwest Ohio will be missing some familiar channels beginning in mid-January.

New regulations affecting the carriage of out-of-market over-the-air TV stations will result in the loss of Channel 10 from Columbus and CBC Channel 9 from Windsor, Ontario in Findlay. Time-Warner will add WLMB, a low-power religious channel from Toledo.

Fostoria customers will lose Channel 3, WKYC from Cleveland, and WPTA from Fort Wayne, Indiana will disappear from the Ottawa system. Three low-power Lima stations may be added in Ottawa and other Time-Warner systems.

Other changes affect cable channels being dropped and others being added, according to a letter from Time Warner’s Pat McCauley.

Time-Warner changes will mean the loss of some familiar TV stations

I confirmed it on the Time-Warner website with the change to happen on or about January 14th.

This is very sad in a sentimental way.

In 1972, cable TV came to Findlay. Our family signed up and of the 14 or so channels available included Channel 9 out of Windsor and at the time WTVN Channel 6 from Columbus (which is now WSYX). Some years later WBNS Channel 10 replaced Channel 6.

I grew up on the CBC as it showed some interesting programs over the years. It was through the CBC that I learned about and became a fan of Curling as well as Hockey Night in Canada and the CFL. I also enjoyed The National with Peter Mansbridge and The Fifth Estate magazine show. Then there was the The Edison Twins and Degrassi Junior High.

I remember when Time-Warner first aquired the cable system in Findlay they tried to drop the CBC and protests ensued forcing them to continue to carry it. Now under the cover of “new regulations affecting the carriage of out-of-market over-the-air TV stations”, I doubt the change can be stopped. I am also upset because there are 50 billion shopping channels and religious channels on the system yet they plan to drop two good stations for a low power religious channel out of Toledo?

Columbus and Windsor are about 100 miles from Findlay, in these days of broadband digital broadcasting distance doesn’t mean anything. I can, and do, watch The National over the Internet for free. Too bad Time-Warner wants to give up getting subscriber money for quality programing. Do they still carry WKBD out of Detroit or WEWS from Cleveland?

My cable system in Columbus has over 500 channels. Is Time-Warner really unable to find a place for Channel 9 and 10 on the Findlay system?

Just sad.

*Update* It seems that Time-Warner and Viacom are having a spat so come Jan 1 all of Time-Warner could lose all the Viacom owned cable channels like Comedy Central. For more info see this link: http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/happy-new-year-time-warner-cable-to-yank-mtv-nickeodeon-comedy-central-off-the-air/

*Update 2* Time-Warner and Viacom reached an agreement early Thursday 1/1 so no one should lose any channels.

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