Starting off with a couple of housekeeping items today.
Slow down, drive safe. We want you back here next week, A few extra minutes is worth it. Trust me on this one. I send way too many tow trucks to pick up after folks in all too much of a hurry. Oh, and put down the cell phone and drive. There’s enough distractions on the road with out you adding another one to them.
If you were one of the folks who made it to Oakland’s Paramount last Friday night, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. While I might have missed a few folks out front, the entertainment inside should have made up for it. We were treated to an immaculate print of “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea” – direct from the Disney vaults. According to the folks from the Paramount, that evening was only the third time that print had been through a projector. Sadly, the print of “Waikiki Rabbit” was poor to say the least, but enjoyed nonetheless. And Jim Riggs was outstanding as always on the mighty Wurlitzer, complete with a great Cole Porter medley, and a rousing rendition of “Whale of a Tale” to finish off the night. Coming up next, on September 17, will be Robert Reford in “The Candidate” for those especially interested in a real “ deja vu ” experience with all of the scenes filmed in the theater. The fall/winter schedule is still being determined, but should be a great series of evenings.
When we kicked off the new site a while back, I promised some prizes for the best new topics over on the JHM Message Boards. So, in no particular order, Beth139 starts the parade with a great review of the book. “Walt Disney’s Epcot”, winning a Hallmark “Walt’s 100th Photoholder”. Next up was prschnebs with his topic. “The Nike Tennis Teenies Commerical and Popeye”, winning a Windows copy of Hoyle’s “Friday Night Poker” game. wltdzny started a fine topic that no one has responded to as of yet, “Trip Planning for Universal Studios Hollywood”. Someone out there must have a suggestion or two to make? But in the meantime, that one wins a DVD copy of MGM’s Special Edition release of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” complete with a 34-page storybook! Last but not least, Murazor started a topic entitled, “What Is A Theme Park?” and wins a DVD copy of Disney/Pixar’s “Finding Nemo”. (To claim your prize, simply send me an EZ Board message!)
Now there is a lot of discussion going on about the boards, but we can always use a new topic from anyone out there. So, stop by and contribute something already?
Changing gears, how about a “real” extreme sport? Would you believe the Second Annual International Jousting Championship? It’s true! But Sonora? California? The ad that caught my eye had this tag line: “This Ain’t No Dinner Show!” That’s next weekend, September 11 and 12. If that’s not your cup of tea, how about racing of another kind? Camels, anyone? Absolutely! In Virginia City, Nevada, yet!
From the web site, the history of how this came to be:
“ Though camels were first reintroduced into America by the U.S. Army as early as 1856, they were actually brought to the Comstock Lode in September, 1861 as salt carriers for the silver reduction mills. In 1876 camels faded from the Virginia City scene. Townspeople and horses had been repeatedly frightened by the unfamiliar camels and so eventually a law was passed which stated that camels were not allowed on state highways between dawn and dusk.
In 1959, Bob Richards, who as the editor of The Territorial Enterprise , wrote a fictitious account of the city’s Camel Races to fill in some unwanted white space. The following year, he informed his readers of the upcoming races and was challenged by the San Francisco Chronicle , who had taken his article seriously. Also challenged were the Phoenix Gazette and the Indio Chamber of Commerce. Camels were leased from the San Francisco Zoo and the first race was held on C Street. This unique event gained immediate notoriety because Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable, who were nearby (in Reno) filming “The Misfits”, joined director John Huston for a day at the races. The San Francisco Chronicle’s camel, piloted by John Huston, collected the trophy in the first ever Virginia City Camel Race.”
The rest is history, and it’s an event worth a stop on the Comstock if you’re in the neighborhood. And speaking of the film, PBS did a great documentary, The Making of “The Misfits”, a few years back. It’s available on DVD as well as book of the same name by James Goode (which relates a version of the Camel Race tale). Sadly, it’s out of print, but worth a good read (I have read my copy many times over). Check eBay and various resellers for it, too.
Following up on Jim’s piece this week on Save Disney and Michael Eisner’s comeback (of sorts), last Sunday, the San Francisco Chronicle had an interesting interview with another CEO under fire – Safeway’s Steven Burd. His troubles aren’t over yet, and it’s a good read with a fair number of parallels to the Disney story.
Speaking of troubles, I watched the premiere of “Father of the Pride” on NBC on Tuesday night. Admittedly, I went in with lowered expectations and it managed to drop right down to those levels. Even shown with out commercials, this wasn’t anything to be proud of. Did you ever see a show that had a “Best Shown By” date on it? Well, you have now…
I suspect NBC will use it for all it can as it’s paid for. Tim Goodman, from the San Francisco Chronicle puts it best. “Money can’t buy funny.” Here’s his full take. As the headline says, “Let’s hope ‘Father of the Pride’ is on the road to extinction.” Hey, I don’t have anything personal here… but adult humor is more than mating jokes. For a show that’s being sold as just that, someone in Marketing at NBC owes us all, folks! What’s next? Gags about exotic fertilizer for sale in the gift shop at the Mirage? Leave the poo jokes to someone who knows his stuff like John Kricfalusci and his upcoming events at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theater.
Meanwhile, back here in Livermore, the folks from the Golden Gate Disneyana Club will be getting together at “Where The Magic Begins” on Saturday, September 11 from noon to five. Should be a good time, so stop by!
Well, looks like another tough weekend ahead for folks in Florida with Frances knocking on the door. Lot’s left to do from Charlie and now this!
If you’re of a mind to help, lots of folks continue to need your generosity. The American Red Cross will put your donations to work in the best possible ways there for some time to come. So if you’re in the mood, that will be the place to drop a few bucks some time to come!
Next week: A look at a classic Presidential connection in Oakland you can enjoy anytime!