Fantastically UnFOURgettable!

 First of all, I have nothing against the new SUPERMAN movie, the buzz it generated, and I CERTAINLY have nothing against its contributions to the economy and cultural history of the great city of Cleveland, OH, the Birthplace of Rock & Roll and a city that, while others have chosen the legendary phoenix as a symbol of rebirth, has adopted the Buzzard, the cocky mascot of WMMS 100.7 FM, the station as much a part of Cleveland as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame it helped bring to town, but just as he was for most of his "life", the Man of Steel has seemed like an unattainable ideal. While Everyman would like to be Superman, one super hero movie shines the spot on four heroes who are closer to Everyman and Everywoman. I refer, of course, to THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, starring Pedro Pascal (MATERIALISTS) offering an Oscar -worthy portrayal of  the leader, scientific genius Reed "Mr. Fantastic" Richards, Vanessa Kirby (NAPOLEON) as a mightier, stronger iteration of his wife Susan Storm Richards, the Invisible Woman (the "Invisible Girl" nickname seems like a misnomer), Joseph Quinn (STRANGER THINGS) as the hot-tempered speed demon, and Sue's kid brother, Johnny Storm, only the second hero to be named the Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who brings his unique personality and gastronomic knowledge that made him a hit on THE BEAR to the character of bashful Benjamin J. Grimm, a/k/a the ever-loving blue-eyed Thing. Set on Earth 820 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an Earth that bears more than a passing resemblance to New York of the 1960's, (David Crosby to the contrary, I DO remember the 60's and I WAS there.) FIRST STEPS is a loving tribute to the original books by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby who created a more realistic form of super hero, one with more imperfections than Superman and his buds, one who tried his/her best, although they didn't always succeed, as well as to the 60s themselves. (Long time Marvelites will recognize the characters and events referenced, even, SPOILER ALERT, the FF cartoon shows produced by Hanna-Barbera, DePatie-Freleng,and Marvel Animation for FOX Kids. Could a new FF toon show be too far behind? Please say no, Disney+!) Although the FF are clearly why you came, the most dramatic performance belongs to Julia Garner (INVENTING ANNA) as Shalla-Bal, a completely reimagined version of Lee and Kirby's greatest tragic hero , the sky-spanning Silver Surfer. (If anybody  even thinks of calling her "Surfette." they should also think of calling an ambulance!) The special effects are dazzling, the acting is possibly the best in a Marvel movie, Michael Giacchino contributes another stirring music score,and the MARVELous pop tradition continues with music from the Fleetwoods and Brenton Wood,to name just two.

Whether you grew up with the WABC all-Americans,the WMCA Good Guys,or the Merry Marvel Marching Society or you're just discovering 60s culture, F4 FIRST STEPS is the best step any comic book movie fan,nay,any MOVIE fan can take.

Excelsior!

Sturdy Steve

Steve's Smorgas-Blog

What's Up Steven Universe! (Google It or "Cartoon Network")

I know it's been a long time, but here we are again, and I'd like to start by wishing a happy Canada Day and a  happy 4th of July to all those who celebrate, and despite EVERYTHING, and I do mean EVERYTHING that's happened, especially between both of our countries, that should be a lot!

This time, we're going to try something COMPLETELY different: a Smorgas-Blog! (Hope it doesn't leave you Smorgas-BORED!)

APPETIZER: A Bronx Tale

THE SCENE: Yankee Stadium,One East 161st Street, The Bronx,New York

THE DATE: June 4,2025 (On Earth-2)

On both Earth-1 and Earth-2,Congregation Emanu-El of the City Of New York, America's leading Reform Jewish temple,is celebrating 180 years of history and growth from a simple building on Grand and Chrystie Streets in Manhattan's Jewish Quarter to a magnificent structure on Fifth Avenue and East 65th Street, and, to mark the occasion, the home standing New York Yankees have invited key representatives of Emanu-El, including Senior Rabbi Joshua N. Davidson (who performs the invocation,) Cantor Sara Anderson (performing the National Anthem and "God Bless America" in a handsome version of the official Yankee pinstriped jersey emblazoned with her honorary number,1 1/2, more on that later) with her husband Peter and beautiful baby Golda Grace (Number 2 1/2) in tow,and members of the Men's Club (including a handsome devil named Steven Eisenpreis,why DOES that name sound so familiar?!?) who perform the time-honored ritual of throwing out the first pitch after they stroll onto the field waving their Yankee caps at an insanely applauding audience as a video of Temple history unspools, Thanks in no small part to Emanu-El's presence, the Yanks go on to beat the visiting Cleveland Guardians, formerly the Indians, (LONG STORY!)by a 3-0 margin.

THE DATE: June 4,2025 (As it actually happened right here on Earth-1)

The Men's Club buys its tickets to the game like EVERYBODY ELSE,they don't even get a plug on the Fan Marquee (That honor goes to the Manhattan JCC, darn it!),a marching band from Joisey plays the Anthem after the pre-game parade, of Little League teams, the Yanks DJ spins the recording of the late,great Met Opera star,and honorary number 1 1/2 Robert Merrill (In the aforementioned alternate reality, Cantor Anderson, a devout Broadway and opera fan, would be paying homage to Bob by wearing his number.) singing "God Bless America", and some other lucky sons of guns throw out the first pitch. At least (A) the Yanks beat Cleveland in THIS reality as well,(B) we were serenaded by a marching band,and (C) we saw a live sporting event IN PERSON, and how cool is THAT?!? Besides, the aforementioned Rabbi Davidson is a loyal METS fan as are most of the clergy at Emanu-El.

THE MAIN COURSE: Speaking of Cleveland...

...That's where I'll be for July 4th Weekend. Everybody LOVES to pick on Cleveland, but in addition to being immortalized by fellow Steve Steven R. Gerber and Ohio native Val Mayerik in Marvel's surreal, classic "I-Can't-Believe-It's-Not-Underground" epic HOWARD THE DUCK, comedian Drew Carey on his epynomous ABC sitcom, and writer Harvey Pekar and Robert "Fritz the Cat" Crumb in a comic classic that IS underground, AMERICAN SPLENDOR, it's the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and where DJ Alan Freed coined that very term. CLE, as its residents call it, is also where Al Roker got his start as a weatherman,Don Imus, who lost his job in New York over a notorious racist, sexist slur, achieved national fame as a National Guard officer who called a McDonald's to order "!200 Hamburgers To Go",and also the home of the Guardians of Traffic, (Now you know where the team got its name!) and the movies MAJOR LEAGUE (made when they were STILL the Indians) and DRAFT DAY (starring Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, and, unfortunately, Diddy). I'll also take a day trip to the Akron-Canton area, home of NBA star LeBron James (The Akron Hammer) and the Pro Football Home of Fame. 

SIDE ORDERS: A Hall of A Band

The Rock Hall is ALREADY spiritual home to Dolly Parton,Cyndi Lauper, Bon Jovi, and ABBA, and I'm sure Brian Wilson, the leader of the Beach Boys,  Sly Stone of the Family Stone, who have recently passed,are already inducted, as well they should be. Sadly, Robert Cabot Sherman Jr., better known by his nickname, Bobby, was also taken from us by kidney cancer. To be perfectly honest, I don't think he qualifies as HOF material because a few of his hits were featured on a show a lot of you young 'uns never heard of called SHINDIG in the 60's and the majority of those hits charted very high in the 70s and he was VERY limited by his bubblegum label,but his hits, "La La La (If I Had You)", "Oklahoma City Times", "Cry Like A Baby",and "Turtles and Trees", to name a few, WERE the soundtrack of a lot of lives in the 70s. (At least Bobby deserves an Honorable Mention or Participation Trophy, if the HOF gives out such things.)

DESSERT: Groovy Movies

The Summer Movie Season looks very promising with SUPERMAN (Did I mention I'll also visit a shrine to the Man Of Steel's creators, Clevelanders Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster?), FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS,and SUPERGIRL (formerly SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW. LOOOONG story!) on the horizon,but already I've seen Wes Anderson's THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, starring Benicio del Toro as an eccentric millionaire and promising newcomer (and Kate Winslet's daughter) Mia Threapleton as the sole heiress, who wants no part of material wealth and prefers a vocation as a Bride of Our Boy, the Late, Great J.C. of Biblical Fame, in a fast paced bruised-forearm epic reminiscent of the Indiana Jones epics, and even Carl Barks' classic Uncle Scrooge stories, and Disney/Pixar's ELIO, which TRIES to measure up to the lofty standards set by TOY STORY, CARS, THE INCREDIBLES,and A BUG'S LIFE,but doesn't QUITE make the cut. (Still a good ninety minutes in an air-conditioned theatre, nonetheless.)

CHECK,PLEASE! Hope all of you reading in the East Coast made it out of this EXCRUCIATING heat wave in one piece, and that you say a prayer for our troops keeping the peace in the Middle East and Europe and our police officers doing the same here at home.

Talk to you from Cleveland!

Steve

DON'T Give My Regards to Lancaster, PA!

 If you've never been to the Sight & Sound Theater (formerly the Millenium Theater) in Lancaster, PA, keep it that way, OK?

Long story short: it began in 1976 with a slideshow presentation for the American bicentennial with equipment rented from the Amish-leaning Lancaster Bible College , and evolved into theatrical interpretations of Biblical stories.

If you live in New York, Philadelphia, Wilmington, or its home market of Harrisburg (including Hershey, which is WAY worthier of a visit, and not just from chocoholics!) no doubt you've seen spots for their latest production, a 30th anniversary revival of NOAH: THE MUSICAL. Frankly, I'm surprised it didn't take the gargantuan bath its namesake took in Torah!

I have no kick against the Amish, I respect their right to worship as they see fit, and I remember the nice chicken dinner an elderly couple served me and a bunch of tired, but happy, Ranger fans on our way home from Hersheypark, but let's not kid ourselves, gang, under those antiquated outfits are the biggest bunch of hypocrites the world has ever known. These people claim to abhor modern culture, yet with musicals such as NOAH and its newest monstrosity, an adaptation of the book of DANIEL now playing in Branson, MO, they try to emulate the better-known, and better, productions of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Alan Menken, and my fellow Steves, the late great Mr. Sondheim and the Wicked cool Mr. Schwartz.

To be honest, I have no desire to see NOAH, (One of the things S&S likes to boast about is live animals on stage and in the audience, and if NOAH indeed has two of every animal, all that stench for two hours is not worth the schlep!) so,with Purim right around the corner,I watched their must-miss production of QUEEN ESTHER (so you don't have to),and it failed to tick any of the boxes. No memorable numbers, (Think "Popular," "Defying Gravity", "The Room Where It Happened," etc.) no comic relief, (Think "You'll Be Back," "Hakuna Matata," or the traditional Purimspielen, or Purim plays, filled to overflowing with public Haman shamin' and pop culture references built around the common theme, "They kicked our butts, we kicked their butts, let's eat.") no superstars, (Maybe it's all for the best.) and worst of all, no sense. (Why is Hadassah, the nice Jewish girl who will be queen, wearing a chador at the beginning?) I guess the reason why the filmed version has no credits is that they 're all in Witness Protection.

I will spare you the agony by NOT linking you to the website or giving you directions by plane,train or automobile (There IS another S&S in Branson MO. There are a LOT of better dinner -theaters there.)

Long story short: If any of your friends ask you if you want to see NOAH at the Sight and Sound,ask them back,"Do you mind if Amish it?"

Steve out!

 

2024: The Year In Review

 2024, as a year, wasn't very funny,

But we got it, babe, just like Cher had Sonny.

Kamala and Tim carried the ball from Joe,

But we have four more years of that other shmoe.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed the fire to cease,

But, once all the hostages come home we'll truly know peace.

New York's WCBS 880 stopped reporting the news,

And the Giants and Jets kept giving loyal fans the blues,

But, in college sports, the Columbia University Football Lions,

After more than sixty long years of unsuccessfully tryin',

Won their second Ivy League championship,

But, alas, they can't make a postseason National Champ trip.

The Yankees, all year, gave hope to a divided New York City,

But the Dodgers won the Series, and more is the pity.

Madison Square Garden, The World's Most Famous Arena,

Undoubtedly had never ever seen a

Rally like the one held by, I won't say his name,

But GLADIATOR II, set at the Second Most Famous Arena, won the box office game,

As did WICKED, which caused quite the social media crush.

At least you can't say they got the Baum's Rush!

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD, I mean DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE,

Was another box office hit that caused quite a scene.

New York loves the energy of the Garden's Knicks,

And the Rangers may very well satisfy their Stanley Cup fix.

The charts were populated by Sabrina Carpenter, and  Jelly Roll too.

And fickle fans started asking, "Taylor Who?"

No matter what happens in Twenty Twenty Five,

May you and your loved ones be happy and thrive.

Pay no attention to the trolls and their tricks.

And I hope we all make it to Twenty Twenty Six!

Good News, Bad News

 In the indiepop classic "Closing Time," the group Semisonic sings, "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." 

After 23 years on 1050 AM and 12 years on 98.7 FM,ESPN New York, operated under licence granted by The Worldwide Leader In Sports by Good Karma Brands, is moving up the New York radio dial to the clear channel frequency of 880 AM,previously occupied by legendary all-news station WCBS, effective Monday,August 26.

As the leader of the Temple Emanu-El Gather Sports Fan Group and a long time fan of ESPN since it adopted a 24/7 program schedule in 1980, I should be happy that ESPN New York is moving down the dial and gaining a larger presence on the radio band along the Eastern Seaboard, bringing local personalities like Michael Kay, Don LaGreca, Rick DiPietro,and Anita Marks  and Knicks, Rangers, and Mets games to a larger audience,and providing a strong argument for AM/FM car radios in 2024 or later model automobiles, and I am.

But, and that's a very big BUUUUUUUUT,it comes at the expense of 57 years of broadcast history as All-News 88 says goodbye. Not only will I miss WCBS because it was my link to the world during Nixon's resignation,the reign of Donald Trump,and the tragedy of 9/11, among others, (and because, on a more personal level, my friends Mary Alice Williams, Patty Steele, and Anita Bonita, graced it with their intelligence, humor, and news savvy) but also because of the sports expertise of Pat Summerall, Spencer Ross, Jared Max, and, one of the few holdouts from the old order, Howie Rose, to name but a few. I understand that even radio giants like Audacy, WCBS' parent company, are struggling as new sports news media arise and professional sports  teams try to stay current, but too many of the stations that made radio the important medium it has been have been falling by the wayside and too many talented people must either seek employment elsewhere or retire. WCBS was that trusted New York neighbor, who told us what modifications we had to make on our way to school or work, or whether to just skip a day and wait until things blew over.

To those writers,reporters,producers,and engineers who always made sure WCBS was "More Than Just The Headlines," may God bless you and protect you in your future endeavors. To Team ESPN, good luck filling WCBS' Wilt Chamberlain-sized shoes. Something tells me you MIGHT need it.

FOLLOW UP: Saw the 2011 remake of FOOTLOOSE. What I said about the original stands. It's STILL a classic. Nuff said.

Steve out.

FOOTLOOSE (1984) An Appreciation

 When my congregation, the gorgeous Emanu-El of New York City, announced they would close out their summer movie series with FOOTLOOSE, I was of two minds. I mean, this was FOOTLOOSE, an 80's movie classic with a top-notch cast, a ton of Billboard Hot 100 hits, and the inspiration for a musical that sold out night after night on Broadway before flying across the Big Pond and bringing   West End audiences to their feet, I mean, what's not to love?

I thought, plenty. The bad guy, played by John Lithgow who plays them the way Louis Armstrong played the trumpet (like a master), is your standard Bible-thumping fire and brimstone preacher, and his daughter, played by Lori Singer with the sturm und drang that was also perfected by Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, and the Brat Packers of the day,is a rebel who prefers the degenerate rock and roll of the time to Reverend Daddy's lessons from Scripture.

But then, I had an epiphany, while we're using religious analogies: This movie was a stinging, scathing, and well-produced indictment of the conservatism that had swept the USA since Ronald Reagan took office. The hold Lithgow's character. the Rev. Shaw Moore, had upon the local school and the library, was not only very real back then, but also reminiscent of the Louisiana government making posters of the Ten Commandments mandatory in every school, religious or public, and banned books (and,in a few areas, book burnings), are still a thing. (If I may digress, #VelshiBannedBookClub has a lot of, as the kids say, awesome recommendations of books that Louisiana and Florida deem too hot to handle.You can also get them on Ali Velshi's self-titled MSNBC weekend gabfest, or wherever you get your podcasts.) Kevin Bacon, of Six Degrees fame, delivers one of his all-time great performances as Ren McCormick, a Chicago kid who moves with his mom to this boring town, and his best performance in the entire movie, bar none, is when he makes a case for dancing and rock and roll by quoting Scripture, i.e., Ecclesiates. ("It's OUR time to dance.")

While FOOTLOOSE is one of the quintessential 80's movies, it also resonates with today's audiences, as evidenced by the kids who were brought along to the screening at Emanu-El last night who couldn't help but move while sitting. (As one of the big kids in attendance, I certainly agreed.)

You can get loose with FOOTLOOSE on Paramount +, Freeform (ironically, formerly CBN Family Channel. That's a tale for another time.)or Prime Video. Don't worry, Mom and Dad, it's rated PG,which doesn't make it one of those pornographic pieces of trash Rev. Moore wants banned. Great movies never go out of style, and, despite my initial qualms, I believe FOOTLOOSE qualifies as one of them.

Steve out!

ANGELic or Just Plain Ick? You Decide This Summer!

 As I write this, Angel Studios, the scrappy independent studio that rose from the ashes of VidAngel, a streaming service that showed major motion pictures without all the sex,violence and cuss words, much to the chagrin of the Big Boys,is livestreaming ILLUMINATE 2024, the annual meeting of the Angel Guild whose members greenlight motion pictures and television shows that tell "stories that amplify light," and buy tickets for people who can't otherwise afford movie tickets through an initiative called "Pay It Forward." Having enjoyed most of those stories, the first three seasons of the award-worthy THE CHOSEN, the biography of New York 's original wonder woman,Mother Francesca CABRINI,YOUNG DAVID,a prequel to Angel's Thanksgiving 25 musical about the boy king,and HIS ONLY SON,a retelling of the story of Isaac, I anticipate SIGHT, starring Gregg Kinnear and telling the incredible story of a Chinese opthalmologist who escaped the Maoist regime and continued his practice on this side of the world,but the other Angel Summer of 24 release? Not so much.

Unfortunately,not even a studio named Angel is perfect,and they turned out a huge clunker in THE SHIFT, turning the Book of Job into a multiversal mishmash and nearly ruining the careers of otherwise talented people like Liz Tabbish and Sean Astin. It WAS approved by the Angel Guild which lends credence to the phrase, "Nobody ever lost money underestimating the American public." That could also be applied to the Halo-wood studio's 4th of July release,SOUND OF HOPE,a defacto sequel to the controversial SOUND OF FREEDOM,which, despite its noble intent to tell the story of the American lone wolf who broke up a Colombian child sex trafficking ring,espoused the QAnon agenda and received high praise from He Who Must Not Be Named. From what I have seen in the trailer despite HOPE 's subject matter,a sex trafficking ring in Possum Trot,TX,it seems to me like a case of Same Stuff Different Day. While I recommend SIGHT,and I can't wait to use my Angel freebie tomorrow to see it,(Full review to come!) stay FAR,FAR AWAY from SOUND OF FREEDOM. You'll thank Heaven you did!

Steve out!

2023 The Year In Review

 As the calendar pages head Back To December,

Here are the events we will always remember.

Elon Musk did once again try

To become Bigger Than The Whole Sky,

But, as usually has been the case,

Look inside his head, you'll find a Blank Space.

This year there was a lot of Bad Blood

Between actors and producers, both should be called mud,

And those producers and writers who words make us smile,

But their stoppage has stopped. Late night is back in true Style.

The weather really gave us a Cruel Summer,

And the Yanks and Mets combined? One big bummer.

Dear Reader, we must say a prayer

For Israel and the innocent hostages there

As the Star of David flag is proudly unfurled

And the Jews ever search for A Place In This World.

Donald Trump,once America's Anti-Hero,

Has been knocked down to a giant zero.

But his election rhetoric he still will cough.

Hey, Don Baby, Shake It Off!

Ron deSantis, You Need To Calm Down

And let the Mouse be the Man in Orlando Town.

As you all know, 'Tis the Damn Season

To wish you the best, whatever the reason.

And Ms. Taylor Swift, a few words for you.

Glad you had a great year, but Look What You Made Me Do!

Steve

Two Things I Should Never Blog About

 There are two things I have been told I should never blog about, but this week I will:

Religion and Politics.

We' a ll get to Religion in a minute, sorry, Lord, but first...

I would not allow a canine-American to endure what this country, Heck, this whole world, has gone through in the past thirty days. Unless you've been living in a cave, (in which case, are you taking in boarders?) you've heard that the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hamas chose October 7, the Jewish festival of Simchat Torah, little more than a month ago as I write this, to deliberately attack the young attendees of a music festival in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv just for the crime of being Jewish. And all this while the House of Representatives bobs in the water like a ship without a captain until they name a MAGA-centric speaker in Mike Johnson of Louisiana. As the season of "Peace On Earth, Goodwill Towards All" grows ever closer,this blog, which stands with Israel, hopes that the terrorists will see the evil of the ways and that Israel and Palestine will continue to live and work in peace.

As for Religion,Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York,of which I am a proud member,has many exciting programs, one of which is  a Zoom course on"Women of Faith," and not only are we examining Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Leah and all those sheroes who followed in their footsteps,but also New Testament characters, such as one particular Saint Mary of Magdala, better known as Mary Magdalene. To make sure I don't sound like a world champion dork when I get the urge to ask questions either on camera or in chat,I'm currently binging a historical drama which has been lauded by the Christian community, but which also resonates with many Jewish viewers, myself included. I refer to THE CHOSEN, described by its creator and executive producer Dallas Jenkins as the first multi-arc portrayal of the life of Jesus Christ, or,as we Reform Jews call him, "Our boy the late great JC of Biblical fame." Jonathan Roumie doesn't play Jesus as a Superstar, or a Super-Salesman,   but as a Super-Rabbi,one well-versed in the ways of Torah, but willing to add his, or as they like to say on the show, His own special modifications, and he leads an impressive cast including Shahar Isaac as Simon Peter,Erick Avari as Nicodemus, and Elizabeth Tabish as the subject of this upcoming class, Mary Magdalene. Unlike other portrayals that cast Mary as the ultimate Fallen Woman, Elizabeth plays Mary as an ordinary woman who just makes a few BIIIIG mistakes, none the least of them being possessed by demons. (I HATE when that happens!) Assuming the name of Lilith, she falls in with the underworld until Our Boy JC rides to her rescue and she becomes an invaluable member of his group of followers.

THE CHOSEN is clearly up there with Zeferelli's 1970's miniseries JESUS OF NAZARETH (Full disclosure; Rabbi Albert Friedlander, an old friend of the family, was a historical advisor for Zeferelli's production.), a low-budget musical by a little-known composer named Andrew Lloyd Webber, and, believe it or not, Mel Brooks' HISTORY OF THE WORLD,PART 2, a hilarious mashup of the lives of Jesus and John Lennon, who claimed to be bigger than poor old Hey-Zeus,when it comes to a retelling of the New Testament in an entertaining manner. You may not totes agree with the message, but if you enjoyed the aforementioned entertainment entities, or just want to know either how the other half worships, choose THE CHOSEN which happens to be available on its own website, http://www.thechosen.tv, http://www.angel.com, Netflix,Tubi, Amazon Freevee,Fubo,Philo,Peacock,YouTube,YouTubeTV,Hulu,FOX Nation, Crackle, and your local The CW station. (WHEW!) No matter how you find it, find it, Worth the trip, and pardon my bad taste, but it WON'T make you cross. (Sorry, just couldn't resist!)

Until next time, shalom shalom. (Twice the peace, which, I believe we can ALL use!)

Steve

It Sure Looked Good On Parchment

 A baby is sent to a strange land by victims of a dying civilization to become a champion of good. A man possessed of incredible strength shirks his responsibility and dedicates himself to righting wrongs no matter what the odds. A princess uses her wits to take down one bad hombre and a femme fatale and becomes a shining example for her people and women everywhere. 

Scripture? Pop culture? If you guessed either the stories of A) Moses, B) Samson, and C) Esther or the stories of A) Superman, B) Spider-Man, and C) Wonder Woman, you're right. That's how much of an impact Scripture has on our culture, our politics, OUR LIVES. That's the general idea behind the Museum of the Bible, one of the top tourist attractions in Washington, DC,and one boasting the largest collections of Torahs and New Testament Bibles in the United States, a Broadway-quality auditorium equipped with the latest tech,(The musical on the writing of "Amazing Grace" had an out-of-town tryout there.)a Kosher cafe,a Nazarene village inspired by Colonial Williamsburg,even a ride through American history inspired by "Soarin' Over California" at Disneyland. Your Obedient Servant and his Dear Old Mom are scheduled to make Amtraks (A nod to the late, great Guardian of the Grammatical Galaxy, NBC News correspondent Edwin Newman.) to the aforementioned Washington,where the Union of Reform Judaism is holding its first in-person conference since the Pandemic. I thought it would be cool if I broadcast one of the Daily Sunset Services I conduct for GORGEOUS Congregation Emanu-El in the City of New York (Sunday-Thursday at 5:30 PM Eastern on http://emanuelnyc.org/broadcast and search emanuelnyc on Facebook Watch and YouTube,no purchase necessary,your mileage may vary.) live from the Museum (In the interest of fair,balanced, impartial journalism, here's a link to their site: http://www.museumofthebible.org .) with a sermon on the topic of Judaism's role in American history and a heads-up on upcoming Museum events with one of the "villagers", but our fearless leader Jonathan Slaff regretted to inform me it was financially,if not technologically (or so I thought) impossible. I still thought it was a great Museum (or,at least, idea for a Museum in the right hands. More on that in just a few.) and the idea of a self-produced TikTok  that I could send to the Rabbis and my fellow Emanu-El members kicked around in my head,but Mom had seen an article in the New York Times, not exactly the newspaper of choice for the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene,Lauren Bobert,Ron (deSanctimonious) deSantis,outgoing (And the quicker going out, the better!) Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy,or attempted President Tronald Dump ,(Thank you, Chris Christie, for calling him Donald DUCK, although I believe a word that rhymes with that, which I will refrain from using because I love my audience, is more appropriate.) laser-focusing on the Museum's connection to people who subscribe to that school of thought,particularly its founder Steven Greene, its principal sponsor Hobby Lobby (which Greene founded), and members of the board of directors including Dump-era Secretary of (Under)Education Betsy DeVos (Google her!) and expressly forbade me from visiting that particular institution. (Truth be told, given the reams of information available on that institution, anybody who really wants to visit that institution oughta visit another kind of institution, as in Bellevue.) I can't honestly say I blame her! True, a museum of the Bible  and its influence on the world is a noble idea and one worth supporting,buuuuuuuut as long as it's led by a consortium of legitimate governing bodies for the world's religions (INCLUDING the Muslim faith, to address a major criticism of the Museum) and not by a blustering battalion of blowhard buttheads who get their news from the alt-right press and obviously don't get the whole concept of "separation of Church and State". It has been said, the saddest words are "what might have been",but, in this instance, I'm happy what "might have been" never was! My feelings about this kinda crowd could be best summed up in a classic scene from Norman Lear's GOOD TIMES when a preacher who almost fleeced the Evans family was knocked off the air by technical difficulties and Florida (the incredible Esther Rolle) made a power fist and said, "RIGHT ON, LORD!"

For now, friends, the Blog is over. GO IN PEACE!

Steve

On The Road Again

 Greetings from beautiful Providence, Rhode Island, New England, Northeastern United States of North America, the Western Hemisphere, Earth Prime, the Milky Way Galaxy, the Multiverse, the Eye of God.

WHEW! Just got started and I'm ALREADY tired!

Now that the formalities are out of the way, I hope you guys are having a great Summer so far, (Although wherever you are right now, it's either too hot or, as it is here in the Northeast, too cold, and, to be honest, I think it's our bad. Whatever happened to the Goldilocks days. End of political commentary, for now.) I'm off to a great start here in Providence where I'm representing GORGEOUS Temple Emanu-El (And I'm comfortable in my masculinity, thank you.) at the Men of Reform Judaism's centennial convention, but before that, I have done A LOT of sightseeing. 

MONDAY, JUNE 19

After a three-hour ride from the brand spanking new Moniyhan Train Hall at Penn Station, I took a Lyft to the former Providence Biltmore, now rebranded Graduate Providence and targeted to the students, faculty, and alumni of Brown, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the University of Rhode Island. (Graduate has similar locations in other cities, for example, Roosevelt Island, a small town tucked away between Manhattan and Queens.) I was informed that I would not have a room for an hour. Hooray. All that work just for nothing. If I knew it was going to be like this, I would be just as happy to stay home and wait until just before the 4th of July and taken one of many Greyhounds to Cleveland to visit the Rock and Roll and Pro Football Halls of Fame as I had originally intended. Disgruntled, I trudged over to 7-Eleven, then ate the tuna salad sammich I had just purchased at Kennedy Park, the site of their Intermodal Transportation Center, a rink in the winter and a soccer field in the summer, and a police station, which was apropos, because I thought the way the hotel had just treated me was a crime. I tried calling my contact in Providence, my old friend Naomi Marie diClemente Salvatore who I met when she was the newsreader, as they say in the UK, on the legendary Scott & Todd in the Morning show on the late, great 95.5 WPLJ (Visit stevesspecialblog.blogspot.com for "The Day The Power Died," a tribute to that radio legend.). I kept trying to call her and text her, but she never acknowledged. FINALLY, the hour passed, I got my room, and I made a CVS run (They started in Boston, but they currently operate out of Woonsocket, so I patronized the home industry, more or less.) for the essentials, such as utensils and the all-important toothbrush. (Remember earlier when I said I was disgruntled? I went to sleep, very gruntled, thank you.)

TUESDAY, JUNE 20

I visited the State House and,dodging a tribe of rugrats , took the self-guided tour and saw the House, Senate, State Library, and Salon, boasting a portrait of George Washington (Yep, THAT George Washington!) painted by Rhode Island native Gilbert Stuart. I also visited Providence Place, one of those malls that was cool in the 80s,now less so thanks to the pandemic, the economy, and, much as I adore Target and Amazon, those guys. Anywho, I used a nice, crisp 100-dollar bill Mom gave me as a birthday present at PP's Macy's to acquire a nice Polo by Ralph Lauren shirt which I will DEFINITELY wear when I officiate Emanu-El's Daily Sunset Services (Sunday-Thursday, 5:30 PM Eastern on http://emanuelnyc.org/broadcast and Facebook and YouTube. Just wanted to sneak in a quick plug!) in the weeks and months to come. STAY TUNED! That evening I returned to Prov Place, Showcase Cinemas to be exact, to see Ezra Miller as the Flash. His character may be the Fastest Man Alive, but he did little to save this crazy, confused, confusing mess of a movie. Although everybody was talking about Michael Keaton returning to the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne and Colombian-American Providence resident Sasha Calle as a Supergirl from an alternate reality, (and rightly so) the best thing about this otherwise mumbo jumbo movie was an all-too-short appearance from Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. (She can read the PHONE BOOK in character and still put on a great show!)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21

It was going to be either the Roger Williams Park Zoo or the Providence Public Library. The Library won, and I got a nice two-hour guided tour for the amazing low price of FREE! I saw their extensive collections of newspapers,  nautical memorablilia, art, and, oh, yeah, BOOKS. (Although I'm right in the middle of Red Sox country, I noticed that one of the books the staff recommended was on legendary Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.) BUUUUUT the BIG STORY turned out to be Naomi herself finally returning all my messages! We finally met at the hotel and we played catch up. She's been doing a lot of work with The Pro Show, a local lifestyle show (like HODA & JENNA or LIVE WITH KELLY& MARK) on CBS affiliate WPRI 12, her husband Bob has grown a successful CCTV security business, and her sons have grown up to be strong, strapping young men. Not too shabby! After we said Goodbye, I walked over to Federal Hill, kinda like Providence's answer to the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, and since I AM on a diet, I enjoyed a nice avocado salad at a funky little place called Julian's, before walking back to the hotel. Not too shabby!

Unfortunately, I can't end this blog without sending my thoughts and prayers (I know, the phrase is WOEFULLY overused, but hear me out.) to the tourists in the submersible visiting the Titanic and wishing them a safe and speedy return to dry land.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play? But seriously, folks, have a great day, and whether you're on vacation, daycation, or staycation, have a great summer!

Bye, Buckaroos!

Steve

The Holiday Spirit and WrestleMania

 Just when you thought you were ready to clean the wax from the menorah and put the artificial tree in the basement, here come the holidays again, this time, Easter and Passover,and again, tis the season to be helpful and give a little time to those less fortunate. This year I'm contributing by helping a few nonprofits recommended by New York Cares, who some of you may know from those tearjerking spots showing Miss Liberty cowering in a blizzard as veteran newscaster Chuck Scarborough reminds us, "New York Needs Coats." I always knew they were there,but when Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul officially kicked off the Partnership for New York City's WE ❤️ NYC campaign, on March 21, which is celebrating New York business ("WE ❤️ that NYC does more before 8 than Boston does all day," declares one of the many ads.),theatre,sports,food (including dollar pizza,for which you need two extra quarters),and especially,volunteers. I went to http://welovenyc.nyc and found some volunteer openings that were in my wheelhouse: serving food to seniors and the needy. This past Monday,I helped out at the Stanley Issacs Center, a housing project in the Yorkville section of Manhattan,and it made HELL'S KITCHEN (Gordon Ramsay's cook-off,not the West Side neighborhood where I'm working next week) and FX's THE BEAR seem like sleepy elevator music,and at the Salvation Army Astoria Corps in Queens,and although the attendance left something to be desired,it was nice showing the guests to their tables as my fellow volunteers (Unfortunately,none of them in those cool unis) handed them their food. Just like the winter holidays, Easter and Passover are more about sharing than matzos,eggs,or bunnies (NOT the girls at the Club!),and volunteering is the perfect way to share your love. Take it from me, you'll ❤️ it!

Not only is this the holiday season, it's also the time of year when World Wrestling Entertainment celebrates it's biggest and baddest grunt-and-groaners. I COULD talk about such fan faves as Alexa Bliss (Lexi Kaufman Cabrera), Charlotte Flair (Ashley Fliehr) and the twins formerly known as Bella (Nicole and Breanna Garcia), but the name I would like to drop is Abraham Josephine Reisman. I know what you're thinking: WHO? ONLY the author of the definitive biography of the Walt Disney/P.T. Barnum of sports entertainment, Vince McMahon," RINGMASTER,Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America",as well as a mutual friend of Rabbi Andy Kahn of Temple Emanu-El. Not only does this page turner trace the rags to riches story of a true American original (Even if he DID, spoiler alert, contribute to the success of a certain indicted pretender to the presidency), but it also examines how the WWE,like it or not,remade the world in its own image.(Case in point,at the aforementioned Emanu-El's 2021 Chanukah Party in Central Park,WWEish pyrotechnics shot up from the dance stage,much to the disgust of some of the other Rabbi's ) On a scale of pick it or kick it, this book is DEFINITELY a pick it! I pre-ordered it from Amazon last June, and I suggest you order it either from them or wherever you get your books, because it's bound to sell out faster than a WWE match at the Garden!

Chag Pesach Sameach!

Hoppy Easter!

Bye Buckaroos?

Steve

A Long-Range(r)ing Post

First of all, congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on winning Super Bowl LVII (Grumble,grumble.) and the Philadelphia Eagles on a job well-done. (Sob!) Also, Happy Presidents Day and,to our neighbours to the north, Happy Family Day,eh?

It's a good time to be a Ranger,and I don't mean at Yellowstone, although that particular show and it's spinoffs ARE going great guns! I refer to the New York Rangers, currently in third place in the NHL Metropolitan Division but very likely to zoom up to the top spot,and another team of good guys in brightly colored uniforms,the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Although they made their official debut in 1975 on Japanese TV as Go Ranger ("The Five Rangers"),they exploded onto the American scene twenty years ago this year,and show no signs of going away anytime soon. Not only are Nickelodeon and it's co-owned free streamer Pluto TV celebrating with such POWERful iterations as Space Patrol Delta, Operation: Overdrive and Dino Thunder, but also introducing the original (subtitled) Japanese series to American audiences. My favorite is Hurricane Rangers,the predecessor of Power Rangers Ninja Storm, with Time Ranger,or as statesiders know it, Power Rangers Time Force,coming in a close second. Some differences between the Japanese and American series may be interesting, (Hurricane Rangers begins with a warning:"Watch TV at a distance in a well-lit room!" When the American version was shown on Jetix,the successor to Fox Kids International,the warning was that the Power Rangers were fictional characters (Really?!?I had no idea!) played by professional actors and impressionable youngsters shouldn't attempt their moves themselves. Whatever keeps the little ankle biters safe!) or disgusting,  (The original Japanese predecessor of Dino Thunder shows a very racist and xenophobic portrayal of a Black baseball player which is acknowledged on this side of the International Date Line.) but the American Rangers series,for the most part,stick to the original Japanese concept while not alienating American and European viewers.

Some Rangers series in both canons have been either Morphinomenally good or powerfully bad,but,thanks to pop culture production house Shout! Factory , you can see the original five little Rangers and how they grew. Anytime is Morphin time for this limited time,and it won't cost you a dime. Just please don't karate chop your boss after the weekend!

LET'S GO  (POWER) RANGERS!

And may the Power protect you!

Steve

We Are Family

For many years, my Fourth Of July vacations took me to uniquely American landmarks such as Walt Disney World,Salem,MA, Williamsburg, VA,or the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. I had planned to visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland,OH in 2018, but on October 27,2017, after the joy of Rosh Hashanah and solemnity of Yom Kippur had disappeared,the Tree of Life Synagogue and two other temples that shared the same building were invaded by a lone gunman who hated then-President Trump, but also espoused the Anti-Semitic, Anti-Immigrant,in short, ANTI-AMERICAN philosophy that had driven his supporters. Although I love rooting against Pittsburgh like any good New York sports fan, I have friends there and I admire their sense of community and brotherhood. I doubt that it's any coincidence that a preacher named Fred Rogers chose that particular city to expand his ministry of love to children's television (If Boston is the city where everybody knows your name, then Pittsburgh is the city where every kid and former kid knows the residents of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood of Make-Believe, and quite frankly, we can use more Mister Rogerses.) or that city has adopted Philadelphia soul belters Sister Sledge's "We Are Family,' originally played at Pittsburgh Pirates games at the request of star slugger Pops Stargell has become the unofficial city song of the Burgh Town. While reliving the shooting is not an easy prospect, HBO Max's cinema verite documentary "A Tree of Life" (TV-MA for Violence and Language) brings the memory of that tragic chapter in American Jewish history closer than ever. As this movie so beautifully illustrates, this massacre affected everybody, even the Muslim community. (One mustn't-miss highlight is "Healing Tones," an original composition by Hannibal Lokumbe performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra and featuring an awesome shofar solo, and i don't just mean that to sound cool. by shooting survivor Audrey Glickman.) We are indeed family, and we need to listen more often to God or our neighborhoods than to give Trump the satisfaction of reelection. Kudos to Shark Mark Cuban and actors Michael Keaton and Billy Porter for getting  this  movie off the ground and even Olivia herself, Mariska Hargitay,who gets a well-deserved, albeit too brief, shout-out in the credits. On a scale of "Skip It" to "Stream It," STREAM IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Oh, by the way, when I visited Tree Of Life's temporary headquarters on Pittsburgh's Fifth Avenue,

I told the cantor, who officiated the Sabbath service, everybody at Temple Emanu-El in New York was thinking of them, instead of a kind "Thank you" or "Shabbat Shalom," I got a gruff "WHO'S YOUR CANTOR?!?" For the record, it was Mo Glazman who,today,shares cantorial duties with Associate Cantor Sara Anderson and Cantor Emerita Lori Corrsin, I was more than a little taken aback  by his apparent Pittsburgh 'tude towards Noo Yawkers. Other than that, and the building security being limited to one freelance security agent and an attack dog, I had a beautiful time that evening.)

Shalom!

Steve                                              

Friends, Readers,Steve Fans, Lend Me Your Ears!

 I came to my last blog to praise Temple Emanu-El, its cantors, their High Holy Days playlist on Spotify, and the late,great 95.5 PLJ, not to bury Christianity. I firmly believe in Freedom of Religion and I respect the right of our brothers and sisters to worship as they choose. (Or, as the Doobie Brothers put it, "Jesus Is Just Alright With Me.") I was just trying to put in a good word for the playlist, which is positive and encouraging in its own way, and vent my continued frustration over the end of a trailblazing station like 'PLJ. Like last time, I apologize if I have stepped on any toes. 

Sorry Steve

Open Letter To K-Love

 To The People Who Unceremoniously Eliminated The Best Songs On The Radio From 95.5 FM In NYC:

Although I'm aware our High Holy Days are about to begin and we're about to ask the Lord for forgiveness, I will neither forgive or forget your parent, the Educational Media Foundation's purchase of New York's legendary 95.5 PLJ and other great radio stations then owned by Cumulus Media, which required the total elimination of all secular pop music and a commitment to what you guys billed as Positive! Encouraging! Christian music (I DO love Amy Grant, Jump 5, and Michael W. Smith, but mostly when they sound more like real, honest-to-Billboard pop music.). If you guys want to get back the PLJ listeners you shooed away on May 31,2019 at 7:00 PM EST, you should take a cue, pun intended, from Temple Emanu-El  Associate Cantor Sara Anderson and Cantor Mo Glazman and their playlist, "We Return: Emanu-El Cantors' HHD 5783 Playlist"

While it DOES include music from contemporary Israeli performers and hymns such as "Aveinu Malkenu (Our Father, Our King)" and "Kol Nidrei", it also includes music that used to be part and parcel of the PLJ playlist (Florence and the Machine, Justins Timberlake and Bieber, One Republic), and even going back to 'PLJ's days as New York's Best Rock. (The Byrds, David Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust period, and my close,warm,personal friend, Judy Collins.) In short, pop music doesn't have to be all about Our Boy The Late Great J.C. Of Biblical Fame to be positive or encouraging, or even religious. (I refer to a lot of your current songs which tend to hit those of us who don't accept Hay Zeus as our Lord over the head with their message.) To hear what I mean, I strongly suggest you type "We Return" on the Spotify app (from Google Play, the Apple App Store, or the Microsoft Store, unless you believe such modern technology is against your religion) or visit http://www,emanuelnyc.org and get a link from their High Holy Days portal. Once you click on and listen (THREE HOURS OF COMMERCIAL-FREE MUSIC AND ZERO TALK! Kinda makes you nostalgic for those old 'PLJ days, doesn't it? Hint,hint!), you, and the geniuses at Cumulus, will find out the egregious mistake you made when you got rid of all that great, already positive and encouraging music, and don't we all need some positive encouragement at the start of a New Year?

L' Shanah Tovah!

Steve

P.S.: Also wishing you Peace Love and Joy! (See what I did?)

Oops!

I forgot to add the words "since Queen Victoria" when referring to Queen Elizabeth's reign as a widow. My bad!

The Queen Is Dead, Long LiveThe King

 Elizabeth Alexandra Mary,(21 April 1926-8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms from 6 Feburary 1952 for a total of 75 years and 214 days, the longest reign of any British monarch and the second longest of any monarch of a sovereign country.

Enigmatic to the end, we knew less about Queen Elizabeth II's beliefs and convictions than we did about those of  her son and heir, King Charles III, and her many children-in-law, especially the former Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, who was embroiled in the child molestation case against Trump supporter Jeffrey Epstein. 

The first British monarch ever to address a joint session of the United States Congress and the first monarch to reign as a widow or widower, Elizabeth II presided over a transitional era which saw Rhodesia declare its independence and change its name to Zimbabwe, Argentina try to reclaim the Falkland Islands (las islas Malvinas, as they were originally called), and Australia grow closer to the USA in political and economic terms (They dropped the pound in favor of the Australian dollar. and citizens have been entertaining the idea of an Australian Republic.)

In the 1960's she made headlines when she awarded the Beatles the MBE, the highest civilian honor in Britain, (Paul McCartney caused a bit of a stir when he sang,"Her Majesty is a pretty nice girl." in a throwaway ditty at the end of the ABBEY ROAD album, but it was nothing compared to his songwriting partner John Lennon's decision to return his MBE as a result of British involvement in Northern Ireland and Biafra and the punk legends the Sex Pistols  raining on the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977 with their own version of "God Save The Queen."

Unfortunately, her long and illustrious career was plagued by many illnesses, including COVID 19, which led to either attending state events virtually or skipping them altogether. On September 8,the world came to a halt when it was announced that the Queen's health was declining and the presence of her children at her bedside was required. A few days prior, she seemed her old robust self as she welcomed Britain's new Prime Minister, Liz Truss,but the reign of the monarch who brought the UK into modern times came to a tragic end,as, after 96 years of life, the Queen left historic Balmoral Castle and a grieving world, in a peaceful fashion. We wish King Charles III the best of luck as he steers Britain through its most challenging economic and political period in recent memory, as well as as his sons William and Harry and their wives Kate and Meghan as they train their progeny for whatever the future may bring.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to our British readers and to this author's many British friends.

The Queen is dead, but not the memories.

Long live, and God save, the King.

Steve

Excuse Me While I Scrape All This Egg Off My Face (And Put My Foot In My Mouth)

 I would like to profoundly and profusely apologize to the clergy and management of Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York for comments I made in my last post. I am aware that there are more important things in the world than a fictional comic book character inspired by Greek mythology, many of which have to do with daily life. I realize that I have made a mountain out of a molehill (a beautiful, powerful, smart molehill, but a molehill nonetheless) and I wish The Streicker Center all the best of luck with its upcoming offerings including evenings with Justice Elena Kagan, Gloria Steinem, and Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. (For info on THOSE, visit http://www.streicker.nyc.) I'm sorry for not only releasing my inner huckster but also my inner Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, and Comic Book Guy (a little inside joke for all you SIMPSONS fans out there. I promise I will place events such as the WONDER WOMAN screening in their proper perspective, and, to my fellow members of the sports fan group, I will stick to sports. (Except when the conversation turns to real life super heroes like the president of Ukraine.)

Shame-Faced Steve

PS That last post has been deleted, never to darken your door again.

Steve's Sidebar Blog: If You Love TAKE ME OUT, You'll Also Enjoy...

 SHORESY, a slightly blue but very funny hockey comedy from the producer of the Canadian sitcom LETTERKENNY, about an inexperienced coach who must save the woeful Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs from total oblivion. Watch for cameos from actual NHL stars and talking heads including Jay Onrait from TSN SportsCentre. (Hulu)

BROCKMIRE, starring Hank Azaria as a flamboyant pastiche of practically every play-by-play guy out there. Amanda Peet runs the minor league team whose antics he must chronicle when a scicious vanadal (in-joke for all you Capital Steps fans out there) costs him his job in the "show". Bob Costas, Joe Buck, Michael Kay, and other baseball voices round out the cast. (AMC, AMC+)

EASTBOUND AND DOWN, from the comedy genius of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay,follows former Seattle slugger Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) from riches to rags (How raggy does a spokesman for a BMW dealership  and a public school phys ed coach in the deep South sound to you?) in an HBOnly sports classic only the creators of Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby could pull off. Despite the heavy presence of under 10-ers, parental discretion is MANDATORY!

S