New Year's Resolutions

Have a safe, healthy, and happy new year. May it bring joy to each and every one even if we may disagree in some places politically.

Now for the resolutions:
1. Stick with comedy
2. Advertise the Kentucky Democrat better
3. Get good grades
4. Continue establishing Hollywood contacts
5. Re-write all comedy sketches and stand-up bits
6. Eat healthy
7. Start an improv troupe
8. Get a car
9. Obtain a summer internship with a campaign or office and hope I get paid for it.
10. Visit another ballpark and presidential historic site
11. Write more sketch comedy
12. Start performing at open mic nights at comedy clubs
13. Write to more comedians
14. Don't drink any caffinated beverages
15. Record a comedy album
16. Take another trip to Chicago and see Second City.
17. Go to the new Busch Stadium
18. Write the screenplay that I meant to write last summer.
19. Be present when Senator Evan Bayh announces that he will run for president whether I have school that day or not.

Paying Tribute

This year we lost quite a handful of people (I've listed family and family friends).

Gerry Tolman, longtime manager of Crosby, Stills, and Nash (CSN), died December 31 at the age of 52.
Patrick Cranshaw, an actor best known as Blue from Old School, died December 28 at the age of 86.
Vincent Schiavelli, actor, died December 26 at the age of 57.
Roy Stuart, actor, died December 25 at the age of 70.
Jimmy Boyle, a former basketball coach, died December 23 at the age of 63.
James Dungy, son of Tony Dungy, died December 22 at the age of 18.
Elrod Hendricks, a baseball coach and former catcher, died December 21 at the age of 64.
John Spencer, actor, died December 16 at the age of 58.
Darrell Russell, a football player, died December 15 at the age of 29.
Rodney Whitaker, an author, died December 14 at the age of 74.
Robert F. Newmyer, a movie producer, died December 12 at the age of 49.
Richard Pryor, comedian and actor, died December 10 at the age of 65.
Eugene J. McCarthy, senator and presidential candidate, died December 10 at the age of 89.
Mary Jackson, an actress, died December 10 at the age of 95.
Leon H. "Bud" Carson, a retired coach, died December 7 at the age of 75.
Adrian Biddle, a cinematographer, died December 7 at the age of 54.
Ed Masry, activist lawyer who mentored the real-life Erin Brockovich, died December 4 at the age of 73.
Gregg Hoffman, producer, died December 4 at the age of 42.
Mary Hayley Bell, actress, died December 1 at the age of 94.
Jack Colvin, an actor, died December 1 at the age of 73.
Jean Parker, an actress, died November 30 at the age of 90.
Vic Power, one of MLB's first Latinos, died November 29 at the age of 78.
Jack Concannon, a former quarterback and set history when ABC used instant replay, died November 28 at the age of 62.
George Best, a former soccer player, died November 25 at the age of 59.
Pat Morita, actor best known for The Karate Kid, died November 24 at the age of 73.
Bob Enevoldsen, a musician, died November 19 at the age of 85.
Ralph Edwards, host of This is Your Life, died November 16 at the age of 92.
Steve Courson, a former football player who was trying to save his pet dog when a tree he cut down fell, died November 10 at the age of 50.
Link Wray, a rock and roll guitarist, died November 5 at the age of 76.
John Fowles, author best known for The French Lieutenant's Woman, died November 5 at the age of 79.
Sheree North, an actress, died November 4 at the age of 72.
Edward Zimmerman, friend of the family, died November 2 at the age of 44.
Skitch Henderson, the first bandleader for The Tonight Show, died November 1 at the age of 87.
Al Lopez, the last White Sox manager to take them to the World Series, died October 29 at the age of 97.
Lloyd Bochner, an actor, died October 29 at the age of 81.
Bob Broeg, a writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and a recipient of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award in 1972, died October 27 at the age of 87.
Wellington Mara, owner of the New York Giants, died October 25 at the age of 89.
Rosa Parks, civil rights icon, died October 24 at the age of 92.
Shirley Horn, a jazz musician, died October 20 at the age of 71.
Bill King, a broadcaster for the Oakland Athletics, died October 18 at the age of 78.
Jason Collier, a basketball player, died on October 15 at the age of 28.
Angelo Argea, a former caddie, died October 10 at the age of 75.
Louis Nye, a comedian, died October 9 at the age of 92.
Charles Rocket, a former SNL cast member, died October 7 at the age of 56.
Harold Leventhal, a concert promoter, died October 4 at the age of 86.
Ronnie Barker, comic best known as half of the Two Ronnies, died October 3 at the age of 76.
Nipsey Russell, the poet laureate of television, died October 2 at the age of 80.
Hamilton Camp, a folk musician and Second City alumnus, died October 2 at the age of 70.
August Wilson, a playwright, died October 2 at the age of 60.
Jerry Juhl, a writer, died September 27 at the age of 67.
John McMullen, a former owner, September 26 died at the age of 87.
Don Adams, actor best known as Maxwell Smart, died September 25 at the age of 82.
George Archer, a golfer and tallest Masters' winner, died September 25 at the age of 65.
Simon Wiesenthal, Nazi hunter, died September 20 at the age of 96.
Donn Clendenon, a former baseball player, died September 17 at the age of 70.
Robert Wise, a movie director, died September 14 at the age of 91.
Chris Schenkel, a sportscaster, died September 11 at the age of 82.
Stanley Dancer, a harness driver, died September 8 at the age of 78.
Patricia McQueeney, a longtime talent manager and former host of “Today,” died September 4 at the age of 77.
William H. Rehnquist, chief justice of the US supreme court, died September 3 at the age of 80.
Bob Denver, actor best known as Gilligan, died September 2 at the age of 70.
R.L. Burnside, a Mississippi bluesman, died September 1 at the age of 78.
Robert Moog, inventor of the synthesizer, died August 21 at the age of 71.
Tonino Delli Colli, a cinematographer, died August 17 at the age of 82.
Alexander Gomelsky, a basketball coach, died August 16 at the age of 77.
Joe Ranft, Pixar’s head of story, died August 16 at the age of 45.
Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe, a former baseball player, died August 11 at the age of 103.
Carl Harmes, an actor, died August 11 at the age of 94.
Barbara Bel Geddes, an actress, died August 8 at the age of 82.
Gene Mauch, a former MLB manager, died on August 8 at the age of 79.
Peter Jennings, newsman, died August 7 at the age of 67.
Sue Gunter, a retired LSU basketball coach, died August 4 at the age of 66.
Pat McCormick, a comedy writer for Johnny Carson and Don Rickles, died July 29 at the age of 78.
Danny Simon, a comedy writer and brother of Neil Simon, July 26 at the age of 85.
James Doohan, actor best known as Scotty on Star Trek, died July 20 at the age of 85.
Geraldine Fitzgerald, an actress, died July 17 at the age of 91.
Mickey Owen, a retired MLB catcher, died on July 11 at the age of 89.
Alex Shibicky, the first NHL player to use a slap shot, died July 9 at the age of 91.
Evan Hunter, author better known as Ed McBain, died July 6 at the age of 78.
Hank Stram, a former Chiefs coach, died July 4 at the age of 82.
June Haver, an actress, died July 4 at the age of 79.
Gaylord Nelson, a former Wisconsin Governor and Senator, died July 3 at the age of 89.
Ernest Lehman, a screenwriter, died July 2 at the age of 89.
Luther Vandross, musician, died July 1 at the age of 54.
Renaldo "Obie" Benson, a member of the Four Tops, died July 1 at the age of 69.
Domino Harvey, a model-turned-bounty hunter, died June 27 at the age of 35.
Jaime Sin, Roman Catholic cardinal, died June 21 at the age of 76.
Simon “Si” Waronker, founder of Liberty Records, died June 7 at the age of 90.
Anne Bancroft, actress, died June 6 at the age of 73.
Leon Askin, an actor best known for Hogan's Heroes, died June 3 at the age of 97.
George Mikan, the NBA's first superstar, died June 1 at the age of 80.
Eddie Albert, actor best known for Green Acres, died May 26 at the age of 99.
Chico Carrasquel, MLB's first Latin-American all-star, died May 26 at the age of 77
Ismail Merchant, film maker, died May 25 at the age of 68.
Thurl Ravenscroft, a voice-over actor, died May 22 at the age of 91.
Frank Gorshin, actor best known as the Riddler in the original Batman tv series, died May 17 at the age of 72.
Jimmy Martin, A bluegrass musician, died May 14 at the age of 77.
Herb Sargent, a comedy writer, died May 6 at the age of 81.
Percy Heath, a musician, died April 28 at the age of 81.
John Mills, actor best known for his Oscar winning role in Ryan's Daughter, died April 23 at the age of 97.
Howard Morris, a comedian, died April 21 at the age of 85.
Sam Mills, a retired NFL linebacker, died April 18 at the age of 45.
Clarence "Big House" Gaines, a former basketball coach, died April 18 at the age of 81.
Johnnie Johnson, a rock and roll musician, died April 13 at the age of 80.
Rose Hummel, first cousin twice removed, died April 12 at the age of 89.
Andrea Dworkin, feminist and antiporn crusader, died April 9 at the age of 58.
Prince Ranier III of Monaco died April 6 at the age of 81.
Becky Zerlentes, an amateur boxer, died April 5 at the age of 34.
Saul Bellow, Nobel prize winning author, died April 4 at the age of 89.
Pope John Paul II, Karol Joseph Wojtyla, died April 2 at the age of 84.
Robert Coldwell Wood, a former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, died April 1 at the age of 81.
Mitch Hedberg, a comedian, died March 30 at the age of 37.
Johnnie Cochran, lawyer best known for his work on the O.J. defense, died March 29 at the age of 67.
Paul Henning, creator of The Beverly Hillbillies, died March 25 at the age of 93.
Barney Martin, a comedian best known for playing Morty Seinfeld, died March 21 at the age of 84.
John Zachary DeLorean, auto executive, died March 19 at the age of 80.
Prentice Gautt, a former football player, died March 17 at the age of 67.
Glenn Davis, the 1946 Heisman Trophy winner, died March 9 at the age of 80.
George Scott, a member of the Blind Boys of Alabama, died March 9 at the age of 75.
Debra Hill, a movie producer, died March 7 at the age of 54.
Chuck Thompson, a broadcaster for the Baltimore Orioles, died March 6 at the age of 83.
Johnny Sample, a football player, died February 26 at the age of 67.
Simone Simon, actress best known for Cat People, died February 22 at the age of 93.
Reginald Henry "Reggie" Roby, a punter and a three-time Pro Bowler, died Feburary 22 at the age of 43.
Jewel Smith, a country musician, died February 21 at the age of 61.
Jimmy Young, a heavyweight boxer, died February 20 at the age of 56.
Sandra Dee, actress best known as Gidget, died February 20 at the age of 63.
John Raitt, a Broadway star, died February 20 at the age of 88.
Hunter S. Thompson, journalist, died February 20 at the age of 67.
Nicole Dehuff, actress in Meet the Parents, died February 16 at the age of 31.
Daniel O'Herlihy, an actor, died February 17 at the age of 85.
Dick Weber, a professional bowler, died February 14 at the age of 75.
Nelson Briles, a former pitcher, died February 13 at the age of 61.
Arthur Miller, playwright, died February 10 at the age of 89.
George Herman, a former CBS News correspondent and "Face the Nation" moderator, died February 8 at the age of 85.
Jimmy Smith, a musician, died February 8 at the age of 76.
Joan Weidman, president of production at International Film Guarantors, died February 6at the age of (not disclosed).
Ossie Davis, actor, died February 4 at the age of 87.
Max Schmeling, boxer, died February 2 at the age of 99.
John Vernon, actor best known as Dean Wormer in National Lampoon's Animal House, died February 2 at the age of 72.
Eric Griffiths, member of the Quarrymen, died January 29 at the age of 64.
Philip Johnson, architect, died January 25 at the age of 98.
Johnny Carson, talk show host, died January 23 at the age of 79.
Yetta Abroms, 1st cousin twice removed, died January 21 at the age of 92.
Virginia Mayo, an actress, died January 17 at the age of 84.
Thelma White, an actress, died January 11 at the age of 94.
Jimmy Griffin, a member of Bread, died January 11 at the age of 61.
Rosemary Kennedy, sister to President John Kennedy, died January 7 at the age of 86.
Will Eisner, an comic book artist, died January 3 at the age of 87.
Frank Kelly Freas, illustrator, died January 2 at the age of 84.
Paul Manning, an Emmy-winning writer-producer, died January 2 at the age of 45.
Robert Matsui, Congressman from Calfornia, died January 1 at the age of 63.
Shirley Chisholm, first black woman in congress, died January 1 at the age of 80.

SNL cast changes soon?

Someone at Tv.com has learned that Darrell Hammond, Chris Parnell, Maya Rudolph, and Horatio Sanz will not be back after the season ends in May. Can anyone confirm this?

Mr. Pibb and Red Vines equal Crazy Delicious

It appears that the digital short has become a cult favorite. EVERYONE is talking about it and not just the non-SNL watchers. The Rocky Mountain News picked up the NY Times story which I completely forgot to blog about.

At SNL they found a kind of kindred spirit in Parnell, who has used the program's "Weekend Update" segment to deliver highly inappropriate rap tributes to some of the show's comelier female guest hosts. On the evening of Dec. 12, the four wrote a song about "two guys rapping about very lame, sensitive stuff," as Samberg described it. They recorded it the following night in the office Samberg shares with Schaffer and Taccone at SNL, using a laptop computer that Taccone bought on Craigslist.

Then, while their colleagues were rehearsing and rewriting that Saturday's show, the group spent the morning of Dec. 15 shooting their video with a borrowed camera.

Schaffer spent the next night - and morning - editing the video and working with technicians to bring it up to broadcast standards.

Finally, around 11 p.m. Dec. 17, the four learned from Lorne Michaels, executive producer of SNL, that Lazy Sunday would be shown on that night's show.

By the next morning, the video had burrowed its way into the nation's cultural consciousness. "It brought a breath of fresh air to the show," Parnell said. "It's something the likes of which we haven't seen on SNL any time recently."

He said the video's success will continue to pay dividends for his young collaborators. "It encourages Lorne and everybody involved with the show to trust them more and to put their stuff out there."

Schaffer, who has written just two live sketches with Taccone that have survived the Darwinian SNL dress-rehearsal process and made it onto the air, said that he appreciates the attention Lazy Sunday has received but that he expects no special treatment when the show's staff resumes work in January.

"The thing about SNL, Schaffer said, "is that all of this could happen and we could still come in on Monday morning with zero ideas."

That's like two weeks work done in one day. I know because I took an RTV class in the fall and I am still an RTV minor which I may drop because a class conflicts with student government meetings.

While he was named the biggest star of all time (which means that people could care less for the bigger stars like Marylin Monroe), Tom Cruise also took home a ward for being the most irritating. I stopped liking Tom Cruise as soon as he started bashing Brooke Shields but also because he started going out with someone that is less than half is age! Speaking of Katie Holmes, she doesn't want to get married until after she gives birth. I'm sorry but I think she needs to get married before she gives birth. That kid will get so much flack for being born out-of-wedlock.

The Hollywood Reporter pays tribute to actors who have fallen. I'll be doing something along those lines tomorrow.

B.B. King is alive and well.

What if computers were Jewish?

Jim Breuer is ready for 2006. But he gets another interview in before the end of the year.

TVGuide.com: What were the circumstances of your 1998 SNL exit? Did you leave them, or vice versa?
Breuer: It was a little bit of both. The show made me really ugly, changed my whole personality. When I went into it, I already understood the situation. I knew I could leave and be a stand-up, so I didn't put my whole life on it, but.... It was sort of like showing up for a swordfight without a sword, and people were bringing dirty weapons. I was like, "I don't want to fight like this." The guys who really wanted me there, they quit my second year, and then life was miserable for me. If you watch the show, I couldn't get in many sketches after that, so what I did was start aiming myself for places they couldn't touch me, like the Update desk and the monologues.

TVGuide.com: I always figured Weekend Update served as a sort of clearing house for one-offs not worthy of full sketches.
Breuer: Right. Comedians often go there because that's the only realm where they really can't touch you, where the writers are completely different. The way to describe SNL is as the best experience I ever had, it really was....

TVGuide.com: But it made you see the light about some things?
Breuer: A lot of things.

TVGuide.com: When was the last time you watched? Have you caught the current incarnation?
Breuer: No, I really haven't. Tina [Fey, now headwriter] came in the second year I was there and she was great. But see, when a girl like Tina comes, it's like bringing brownies to a homeless shelter — that s--- is gone before she makes it past the first door. And unless you're willing to literally harass her, you're not even going to get close to her. You have to fight like an animal to protect your stuff and get your stuff, and then hope they don't mangle it.

The State of SNL

I have been doing a lot of reflecting since the episode hosted by Jack Black with musical guest Neil Young. It was a great show and "Lazy Sunday" was exactly what the show needed to give the punch it has been missing for a while.

Andy Samberg is a great comedian who was discovered via the internet. Another featured player that I enjoy watching is Jason Sudeikis, a Kansas native and nephew of George Wendt. Just a few years ago, Jason was on the mainstage at Second City Law Vegas. Now, he is a featured cast member. He's going places. I can feel it. Bill Hader is someone that doesn't seem to be used that much but he has potential. He was scouted at a grad show at Second City Los Angeles. I know that because I know someone who was a level behind Hader at Second City's Training Center. I also think that Kristen Wiig is great addition and she adds to the females on SNL. The females are in the minority with Maya Rudolph on maternity leave.

We are halfway through the season and a lot can still happen. The average length for cast members are six seasons and it seems that a lot of been there for that long. Rumor has it that we will be losing Chris Parnell, Darrell Hammond, Rachel Dratch, and maybe some others at the end of the season. It would be hard to imagine SNL without Darrell Hammond. Like the late Phil Hartman, he is a man of 1,000 voices.

Second City and SNL are both in my future but I just want to live through the next few campaign seasons. We have three years of campaigning in a row. I may have to work behind the scenes and then play it by ear as to what I want to do the rest of my life. Stand-up comedy gets people seen the fastest but Second City is where it's at. It's my calling. Will I pull an Al Franken and run for office after a career in comedy? You betcha!

In other news today, A Lot Like Love somehow managed to find it's way into my home. Why? I don't know! He's on first and that line's already been used. But, seriously folks...Ashton Kutcher is the worst actor I have ever seen. I didn't like him when he hosted SNL and there was a reason he was not credited in Cheaper by the Dozen a few years ago.

A whole lotta improv is going down in the Bay area. Make sure to check out Sketchfest in San Francisco:

First, the SF Sketchfest has announced its biggest and best sketch comedy festival yet. Opening Jan. 12 and running through the 29th, the festival includes performances by: Mr. Show's Bob Odenkirk and David Cross; Kids in the Hall's Dave Foley; Saturday Night Live's Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch and Horatio Sanz; Arrested Development's Will Arnett; The State's Michael Showalter and David Wain; and The Daily Show's Rob Corddry.

Holy Lewis, Batman! Comedian Robin Williams is going to make a run for the presidency. You wish. It's the plotline of an upcoming movie with social comedian, er, commentator Lewis Black.

Next up for Black is another aspect of showbiz. He's scheduled to be moving to the silver screen, with roles in Accepted, a high-school comedy in which he plays a character's uncle, and in Man of the Year with Robin Williams. In Man of the Year, Williams plays a late-night political talk show host who runs for president. Which makes us imagine what it would be like if late-night political talk show comic Lewis Black ran for president — now, those are debates we'd be jazzed about watching.

That's a movie I'd pay to see. I wonder if they get Jon Stewart to cameo in that movie. You can find Lewis Black at the Mohegan Sun Cabaret from January 6-8.

I'm still here...

I hate re-using titles from months ago so I am suffering from title-block.

Not that I even watch Mad TV despite the fact that I have seen Frank Caeti in person and I've heard that Keegan Michael-Key does a better Cosby than Bill Cosby himself, but it looks as if Fox wants to be a serious player in late night television. They just hired Todd Yasui as their new late-night boss. He was with the Late Late Show on CBS. In terms of late night for me, it's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart followed by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno or The Late Show with David Letterman depending on who is being interviewed and that's all followed by Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Saturday night is blocked off for Saturday Night Live.

One show that already seems to have an inside track on the slot would be a pilot called Talk Show With Spike Feresten, which is under consideration as a late-night property, according to trade reports.

Feresten, who has had little experience in front of the camera, is an established comedy writer, having written for everything from The Simpsons to David Letterman's Late Show and Seinfeld. He is even credited with writing the beloved Soup Nazi episode of the classic sitcom.

Conan O'Brien was a writer before he was a performer. He wrote for Saturday Night Live.

Mr. Pibb and Red Vines equals crazy delicious. I wouldn't know for sure but I just linked to an article dealing with SNL's Andy Samberg, a featured player this season. His quote deals with what his mother thought.

"She’s like, "So is it actually about weed?...It makes you think it’s going to be about weed, but then it's actually just about ‘Narnia.’"

There are two more days left in the year and I am surprised that no other blogs picked up on the fact that David Hale is running for Congress.

Quick update....

Back home now.

Stephen Stills turns 61 next Tuesday. SNL's Seth Meyers celebrates his 32nd birthday today while Stan Lee turns 83.

Will Ken Lucas return? I don't know nor do I claim to.

Just Jew It

Breaking: David Hale for Congress

Sources close to the Kentucky Democrat are saying that David Hale has hired a campaign manager and will most likely be a candidate for Congress.

UPDATE: Typo has been fixed...

Much Ado about...finish the sentence

I may be on winter break but that will not stop me from blogging or working on humor.

"Lazy Sunday" is the next Cowbell sketch since just about everyone is talking about it. Even an article coming from CT...

For most aspiring rappers, the fastest route to having material circulated around the World Wide Web is to produce a work that is radical, cutting-edge and, in a word, cool. But now a pair of Saturday Night Live performers turned unexpected hip-hop icons are discovering that Internet stardom may be more easily achieved by being as nerdy as possible.

In "Lazy Sunday," a music video that had its debut on the Dec. 17 broadcast of SNL, two cast members, Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg, adopt the brash personas of head-bopping, hand-waving rappers. But as they make their way around Manhattan's West Village, they rhyme with conviction about subjects that are anything but hard-core: They boast about eating cupcakes from the Magnolia Bakery, searching for travel directions on MapQuest and achieving their ultimate goal of attending a matinee of the fantasy movie "The Chronicles of Narnia."

It is their obliviousness to their total lack of menace that makes the video so funny, but it is the Internet that has made it a hit. Since it was originally broadcast on NBC, "Lazy Sunday" has been downloaded more than 1.2 million times from the video-sharing Web site YouTube.com, and it has cracked the upper echelons of the video charts at the iTunes Music Store. "I've been recognized more times since the Saturday it aired than since I started on the show," said Samberg, 27, a featured player in his first season on SNL.

But Samberg is already well aware of the Internet's power to transform relative unknowns into superstars. In 2000, when he and his childhood friends Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, both 28, who wrote "Lazy Sunday" with Samberg and Parnell, were still struggling comedy writers living together in Los Angeles, they created a Web site, the Lonely Island, to house their self-produced skits and video experimentations.

Someone sent me the video as I refuse to use iTunes. Also makes me wonder as to whether or not I should start up my own comedy writing blog or continue to use this for that purpose. I'm still going to blog here and the focus on politics will remain whether or not I go the comedic route.

MySpace is still growing.

It's easy and startling to see MySpace.com grow. Just log in at peak traffic times, click the "refresh" button on your Web browser, and watch the number of members jump by the 4,000 or 5,000 users who just registered. That explosive growth soon will push MySpace's membership to 42 million — and the site is less than 2 years old.

It's that vast reach that helped take comedian Dane Cook from relative obscurity a year ago to hosting Saturday Night Live.

I signed up last year and I do have Dane Cook as a friend on MySpace.

Alan Colmes does indeed have a backbone. It was not broken recently when two members of the right wing lost a fight to the law.

Alan Colmes was in rare form last night during a Hannity & Colmes discussion of Bush’s unauthorized spying on Americans. FOX News tried to frame the discussion as a national security debate but Colmes and civil rights attorney Michael Gross refused to budge from the position that the issue is about following the law.

The Hannity & Colmes website makes it pretty clear that FOX News is trying to spin the controversy away from Bush's illegal actions. "Will there be a Congressional investigation into who leaked the NSA secret spying story? Should there be? Isn't this story just as important as the Valerie Plame/CIA leak?"[...]

Then it was Alan Colmes’ turn. He started off by demanding, "Tell me, exactly, what law or cite the passage of the Constitution that gives the president the right to do this without a warrant. Where is that? I’d like to know."

Christie started to explain that Article 2 of the Constitution grants the president the power to protect and uphold the Constitution.

"You’re avoiding the issue… The Fourth Amendment is the operative Amendment here and you don’t want to acknowledge that it talks about warrants specifically." He added that Tom Daschle has stated that the president had sought "domestic capability," had been denied it by Congress, then did it anyway.

I'm split on this issue. I like Jon Stewart as a comedian. I'd like to see his late night show brought to CBS or one of those but ABC failed the last time and ended up with Jimmy Kimmel. However, look at what the Indy Star wishes for.

12. Our wish list: That once ABC kills the terrible new version of Nightline, the network gives that valuable slot to Jon Stewart and his Daily Show crew. That we never have to hear, read, see or otherwise experience any coverage of Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie or any of the cast members of Laguna Beach in 2006. That all of our favorite shows are available on demand, for free, all the time, anywhere.

Evan Bayh should make it official this upcoming year.

Will he run? This is the Big One. Will Evan Bayh make it official? Will he take the chance of chances and make a run for the White House? He's been running unofficially for months, traipsing lately through key nomination states such as New Hampshire and Iowa. But until now, he's just been one of many politicians gauging their chances.

By the end of 2006, we should know more. Bayh has said repeatedly he will make his decision after November.

He's already proved himself capable of raising money. But next year, he needs to find a way to distinguish himself from the pack. That could be difficult for Mr. Careful. A fight against video games isn't going to sway the party's most faithful. But he is clearly a credible contender. We'll see whether his likable call for a less divisive America sells.

A dog who took the Senate floor many years ago has passed away. I offer my condolences.

An objection had been raised -- anonymously at the time -- by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), a stickler for procedure. The Senate had no formal rule allowing guide dogs into its chamber.

It had, however, voted two years earlier to require Congress to live by the workplace rules it had imposed on other employers. Those include the Americans With Disabilities Act, which guarantees that workers with guide dogs can bring them to the office under most circumstances.

It soon became clear that any argument for excluding Beau from the chamber was a dog.

Wyden quickly introduced a resolution to allow disabled people to bring "supporting services," including dogs, onto the floor.

"A guide dog is a working dog, not a pet," Wyden said from the Senate floor. "...I had hoped that there would be no need to offer this resolution, but I am forced to because discrimination still persists here."

Other senators rallied to the cause. The next day, the Senate passed a resolution by then-Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) opening the door to Beau and setting in motion a rules change permitting service dogs in the chamber.

"He was a really excellent guide dog," Shea, 50, now a communications manager at the Government Printing Office, said the other day. "He was very stoic, very professional, very aloof. He had a charisma. He just had something about him that I've never seen in another dog...He developed a following. People react[ed] to him."

Are my Chicago readers looking for something to do this Saturday evening? Then check out that link to see what's happening at the improv theatres.

Social/political satire

Fun with Dick and Jane was a hilarious film. If you aren't a Jim Carrey fan, my sincere condolences. If you are a fan, go see it.

The ending credits are hilarious. They thank all the companies where executives were corrupt and list all the people that got indicted and/or went to prison.

If you saw Rumor Has It and then thought someone looked familiar, you are correct as Richard Jenkins is in this feature film as well.

True that it was a remake but Jim Carrey is one heck of a comedian.

The latest

Dr. Ted at the Bridge has the latest in the local scene.

Keep your eye on the Features in the C-J tomorrow.

100,000 ALL-TIME HITS

Thanks for a great year. Someone, I don't know who, became the 100,000th all-time hit.

I'm off to see Fun with Dick and Jane soon.

Hmmm....

The Courier-Journal was supposed to run something on facebook today but I do not know what happpened.

I should break 100,000 all time hits today.

It is true. Rockers are against racism.

Guess what historic figure high schoolers will soon be learning about? Monica Lewinsky.

Had John Belushi lived, he would have retired to Martha's Vineyard. No one associates the vineyard with comedians. John was a great talent and was taken away too soon like Farley and Hartman. I just can't imagine seeing Belushi without the sunglasses on.

Belushi, who died at 33, is buried only a few minutes from the house he and Pisano owned.

''We were driving by here the last time we were on the island," Pisano says, pulling up to the cemetery. ''And I said, 'I'd like to be buried here.' He said, I'd like to have a Viking funeral.' "

Pisano gave that serious thought when Belushi died, but his mother objected. Instead, Pisano observed the first anniversary of his death by setting on fire a dinghy that held various Belushi mementoes, then putting it out to sea near Gay Head.

The gravesite is simple: a bench, a large beach stone bearing the name ''Belushi," and a Puritan-style headstone with skull and crossbones and his dates. So many people visited the site it was moved from the center of the cemetery to over near the entrance.

Visitors still come, Pisano says. ''They leave things. Stones are the big things, but there are cigarette butts and liquor and recently I found a doobie. People will leave coins, too, or a penny or whatever. I say, why not leave dollars!" Today, someone has left an urn with artificial flowers. There are also beer cans and a bottle.

This is the one time Pisano's high spirits fade. Asked if she wants to join the reporter and photographer at the gravesite, she says she'd rather stay in the car.

How ironic. I just watched The Blues Brothers yesterday.

Larry Bigbie is looking forward to a new era.

Sitting near Bigbie in the training room, DeJean asked if he was happy. Bigbie, in the process of going hitless in seven at-bats in the 2005 season's final six weeks, answered as best he could. The outfielder recalls DeJean reassured him by telling Bigbie there were two things he had to do in his career:

"No. 1, play for the Cardinals," Bigbie recited when asked about the conversation last week. "No. 2, play for Tony La Russa."

Evan Bayh sees a flu pandemic as a threat. I do too. Apparently, my family has been stocking up on bread and milk. Not to mention duct tape. Where's the underground bunker? No clue.

Chanukah, oh, Chanukah

Night #1: Comedy Caravan
It was a hilarious night with Adam White, Dario Konjicija, Big John Richardson, and Tim Northern performing.

I have to agree with this article. Especially this year. Chanukah is a MINOR holiday, yet it's under-rated this year due to Bill O'Reilly and his fake war.

Adam Sandler's 1995 "Hanukkah Song," in which he enumerates Jewish (and semi-Jewish) celebrities, is the closest thing to a mainstream Hanukkah tune.

"I think Sandler was the catalyst for a lot of this," said Robert Smigel, the voice (and hand) behind Triumph, after his performance on Sunday. "A lot of that was him asserting himself as a Jew."

It's so true. You'll see him pop in around Chanukah time every now and then on SNL. He made his 3rd song just in time to promote Eight Crazy Nights, which appears on ABC family at 8 PM tonight.

Dino Rossi is not running for Senator anytime soon.

Dusty Sanders comes up with holiday gifts for celebs.

Jon Stewart - A one-on-one interview with President Bush.

Happy 50th Birthday, Evan Bayh!

Wishing the Senator the best as he reaches a milestone birthday.

Quote of the Day

"No real people are portrayed in this film. This is a fictional film,
inspired by something that supposedly happened a long time ago."
--credits from Rumor Has it

GO SEE THIS FILM!

Once again it's on-akah, the miracle of Chanukah

Doesn't Adam say it best at this time of year?

You may be surprised as to why I am blogging on this day. It relieves my stress for one. Not to mention that my mom's side is skipping Chanukah...again.

Steve Carell was a break-out actor this year. He became another Daily Show alumni when he was cast in The Office and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

Jack Colwell writes what people should be recieving for the holidays.

Evan Bayh -- Frequent flier miles good for 100 trips to Iowa and New Hampshire.

Al Cross does a similar thing here in Kentucky yet he leaves off State Treasurer Jonathan Miller.

Is it time to impeach Bush? I honestly don't know but President Dick Cheney would scare me to death.

Rep. Ben Chandler, D-6th District, Kentucky's only Democrat in Congress, said last week, "I would have to see the particulars" before deciding whether impeachment of Bush was warranted.

"I don't think anybody wants to go through an impeachment process," Chandler said, but added he was "appalled" at the NSA spying.

"They instituted impeachment hearings against (then-President Bill) Clinton. I don't think what Clinton did was particularly worse than what this fellow (Bush) did," Chandler said. "When you go around spying on your own citizens, it's pretty bad."

"This is a country founded on the rule of law," Chandler continued, "and (Bush) goes around talking about establishing the rule of law around the world, then he flouts the rule of law here on grounds that he's got to do it to fight terror... We're giving away some of our basic freedoms if we continue to flout the law."

AIPAC gives it to Bush on the White House on the policy with Iran. I'm not surprised since I'm upset at the way things have been handled.

Rock veterans released new albums this year.

Rumor has it that I am seeing a movie similar to the Graduate.

Some Chanukah humor

A repost from last year--and one of my favorites...

Well, Chanukah starts tomorrow night on the 24th day of Kislev. I thought I would share one of my favorite jokes. Keep in mind that Chanukah is a minor holiday so I will be on the PC except for on Shabbat. For some Jewish humor that has been circulating the net:

Now, if anyone asks you what the difference is between Christmas and Chanukah you will know what to answer!

1. Christmas is one day, same day every year, December 25. Jews also love December 25th. It's another paid day off work. We go to movies and out for Chinese food and Israeli dancing. Chanukah is 8 days. It starts the evening of the 24th of Kislev, whenever that falls. No one is ever sure. Jews never know until a non-Jewish friend asks when Chanukah starts, forcing us to consult a calendar so we don't look like idiots. We all have the same calendar, provided free with a donation from either the World Jewish Congress, the kosher butcher, or the local Jewish funeral home.

2. Christmas is a major holiday. Chanukah is a minor holiday with the same theme as most Jewish holidays. They tried to kill us, we survived, let's eat.

3. Christians get wonderful presents such as jewelry, perfume, stereos...Jews get practical presents such as underwear, socks, or the collected works of the Rambam, which looks impressive on the bookshelf.

4. There is only one way to spell Christmas. No one can decide how to spell Chanukah, Chanukkah, Chanukka, Channukah, Hanukah, Hannukah, etc.

5. Christmas is a time of great pressure for husbands and boyfriends. Their partners expect special gifts. Jewish men are relieved of that burden. No one expects a diamond ring on Chanukah.

6. Christmas brings enormous electric bills. Candles are used for Chanukah. Not only are we spared enormous electric bills, but we get to feel good about not contributing to the energy crisis.

7. Christmas carols are beautiful...Silent Night, Come All Ye Faithful.... Chanukah songs are about dreidels made from clay or having a party and dancing the hora. Of course, we are secretly pleased that many of the beautiful carols were composed and written by our tribal brethren. And don't Barbara Streisand and Neil Diamond sing them beautifully?

8. A home preparing for Christmas smells wonderful. The sweet smell of cookies and cakes baking. Happy people are gathered around in festive moods. A home preparing for Chanukah smells of oil, potatoes, and onions. The home, as always, is full of loud people all talking at once.

9. Women have fun baking Christmas cookies. Women burn their eyes and cut their hands grating potatoes and onions for latkas on Chanukah. Another reminder of our suffering through the ages.

10. Parents must deliver gifts to their children during Christmas. Jewish parents have no qualms about withholding a gift on any of the eight nights.

11. The players in the Christmas story have easy to pronounce names such as Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. The players in the Chanukah story are Antiochus, Judah Maccabee, and Matta whatever. No one can spell it or pronounce it. On the plus side, we can tell our friends anything and they believe we are wonderfully versed in our history.
12. Many Christians believe in the virgin birth. Jews think, "Joseph, Bubela, snap out of it. Your woman is pregnant, you didn't sleep with her, and now you want to blame G-d. Here's the number of my shrink".

13. In recent years, Christmas has become more and more commercialized. The same holds true for Chanukah, even though it is a minor holiday. It makes sense. How could we market a major holiday such as Yom Kippur? Forget about celebrating. Think observing. Come to synagogue, starve yourself for 27 hours, become one with your dehydrated soul, beat your chest, confess your sins, a guaranteed good time for you and your family. Tickets a mere $200 per person.

Better stick with Chanukah!

Saturday Night's Alright...

Now if only an SNL rerun were on. I mean, seriously, is there any programming on for us Jews? I remember when, on the 25th, I knew half the people at the theatre. These days, I'm lucky if I know three families at the theatre.

Apparently, "Red Scare" is no longer running at The Second City. A new review with much of the same cast that I saw is starring in "Iraqtile Dysfunction" as I read the Tribune. Second City is hilarious. I saw Tour Co in the fall of 2003 and I took my family to a mainstage show this summer. Chicago is the mecca of improv. If you're on vacation there sometime, check them out. Or Improv Olympic.

This is a new, mainly young cast. And while they've come up with some stellar material, they still need to snag a consistent acting style. Here you've got a couple of performers -- Matthew Craig and Molly Erdman -- who tend to slightly underplay and need more attention. And in the cheerfully ebullient Maribeth Monroe, the show has a woman capable of creating splendidly eccentric characters -- the kind beloved by Saturday Night Live devotees -- but they all tend to be a just a tad overcooked. She should fix that.

Antoine McKay and Claudia Michelle Wallace create a knockout piece of satire wherein "mystical black people" (familiar from Hollywood movies) solve white people's problems when white people are unable to solve them on their own. They find a much better balance of style. And I suspect the others will mesh in time.

But this show totally belongs to a new performer -- Brian Gallivan, who dominates the night. He reads as a good bit older than the typical mainstage discovery (nothing wrong with that), but, boy, is he a major talent. Thin, arch and intriguingly introspective at times, he can look like he just stepped out of Queer Eye. But then he can veer on a dime to the opposite place -- at one hilarious point, he plays a guy from the Catholic Church weeding out possible gay priests.

Even before Al Franken will announce that he will run for Senate, it's no surprise that Norm Coleman is running for re-election. Coleman is expected to retire when Franken beats him the election.

G-d willing, I will recieve one of them. I did get an e-card only because I signed up on the email list.

The Democrat's political campaign has mailed 30,000 cards to friends, family, supporters and people the Bayhs have met across Indiana and the nation, according to his office.

"This is more than last year," said spokesman Dan Pfeiffer, "but the list goes up every year." He said cards were sent to folks from Iowa, New Hampshire and the 20 other states Bayh visited.[...]

Both Bayh and Lugar used photos of their family on their cards. Both paid for their mailings with political funds. And both used nonreligious holiday greetings.

The Bayhs sent "warm wishes for a joyous holiday season and a healthy and happy new year."

Needless to say, I made sure to mail out his birthday card as soon as I got home from campus.

Walt Jocketty has been busy during the off-season. The St. Louis Cardinals just signed Juan Encarnacion and Junior Spivey. Encarnacion has agreed to play for a 3-year, $15-million deal. Spivey signed a one-year contract worth $1.2 million.

Cardinals' projected 2006 lineup
A look at what the club's regular batting order may look like next year:
SS: David Eckstein
LF: Larry Bigbie*
1B: Albert Pujols
3B: Scott Rolen
CF: Jim Edmonds
RF: Juan Encarnacion*
2B: Junior Spivey*
C: Yadier Molina
P: Starting pitcher

Not a bad lineup.

Josh Levin at Slate gives his take on the Narnia rap featuring Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell.

If you haven't seen Saturday Night Live's Chronicles of Narnia rap, then you don't have any friends. Or at least any friends with Internet access. The two-minute video, which debuted on SNL last Saturday before resurfacing as a much-forwarded "digital short," has accomplished what seemed impossible a week ago—making Saturday Night Live a cultural touchstone for the first time since Christopher Walken pleaded for "more cowbell." The popularity of the Narnia rap might augur a reawakening at SNL—in fact, there are already T-shirts that parrot the song's catchphrases.

The Cowbell sketch was one of the best ever. No one could forget Will Ferrell plating Gene Frenkle and Christopher Walken as Bruce Dickinson. Will played the character once again during the last show he hosted. Needless to say, Will is a talented comedian.

Kentucky vs. Iona

The annual game at Freedom Hall will not be live-blogged because I WILL BE THERE!

Arrested Development to Showtime

Jonathan Safran Foer has a nice Chanukah gift in the New York Times. I must warn my non-Jewish readers that some paragraphs may be offensive so there's your disclaimer.

Arrested Development, cancelled by FOX already, maybe Showtime-bound. I watched part of it last season when American Dreams moved to Wednesday but then they moved Arrested to Monday thus my not watching this season.

Will the pay-TV environs of Showtime be a friendlier place for the Emmy-winning comedy "Arrested Development," which just got canceled by Fox?

Word around town this week is that Showtime is in talks to pick up the comedy about a chaotic family. Sources stressed that the talks are still exploratory and that it would be a big financial commitment on Showtime's part to pick up the show in its current form with a large ensemble cast that includes Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, Portia de Rossi, Jessica Walter and Will Arnett.

"Arrested" was an instant hit with critics following its debut on Fox in late 2003, but the show never pulled in much of a crowd, even after it won the Emmy for best comedy series in 2004. Last month, Fox threw in the towel, cutting its episode order for "Arrested's" third season from its initial 22-episode ticket to 13.

Representatives for Showtime, and the series' producers 20th Century Fox TV and Imagine TV declined comment late Tuesday.

Good news from New York: The strike has ended.

Top 10 Things Bill O'Reilly hopes to never say

Top 10 Things Bill O'Reilly hopes to never say
10. "Good evening, welcome to The Daily Show, I'm filling in for Jon Stewart."
9. "This just in. Vice President Dick Cheney has been sworn in as president following the president's impeachment. This story is developing but tune in to the liberal media for that."
8. "Joining us today on this cold 2007 morning is former President George Walker Bush."
7. "This just in. Hilary Clinton was elected president today."
6. "Joining us today is current Senator Al Franken of Minnesota."
5. "The Democrats have retaken the Senate and the House."
4. "I'm a candidate for president."
3. "My book was banned in the Arab countries"
2. "My book was banned in the blue states."
1. "Happy Holidays."

Two more days...

The festivities begin in two days. That's right, eight crazy nights to celebrate the festiival of lights. The most commercialized Jewish holiday only because of when it is observed.

The Patriot Act has now been extended for one month instead of the planned 6 months.

Tom Daschle penned an op-ed in today's post and here is some reaction to it. Here is the actual editorial.

Just before the Senate acted on this compromise resolution, the White House sought one last change. Literally minutes before the Senate cast its vote, the administration sought to add the words "in the United States and" after "appropriate force" in the agreed-upon text. This last-minute change would have given the president broad authority to exercise expansive powers not just overseas -- where we all understood he wanted authority to act -- but right here in the United States, potentially against American citizens. I could see no justification for Congress to accede to this extraordinary request for additional authority. I refused.

The shock and rage we all felt in the hours after the attack were still fresh. America was reeling from the first attack on our soil since Pearl Harbor. We suspected thousands had been killed, and many who worked in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were not yet accounted for. Even so, a strong bipartisan majority could not agree to the administration's request for an unprecedented grant of authority.

The Bush administration now argues those powers were inherently contained in the resolution adopted by Congress -- but at the time, the administration clearly felt they weren't or it wouldn't have tried to insert the additional language.

All Americans agree that keeping our nation safe from terrorists demands aggressive and innovative tactics. This unity was reflected in the near-unanimous support for the original resolution and the Patriot Act in those harrowing days after Sept. 11. But there are right and wrong ways to defeat terrorists, and that is a distinction this administration has never seemed to accept. Instead of employing tactics that preserve Americans' freedoms and inspire the faith and confidence of the American people, the White House seems to have chosen methods that can only breed fear and suspicion.

If the stories in the media over the past week are accurate, the president has exercised authority that I do not believe is granted to him in the Constitution, and that I know is not granted to him in the law that I helped negotiate with his counsel and that Congress approved in the days after Sept. 11. For that reason, the president should explain the specific legal justification for his authorization of these actions, Congress should fully investigate these actions and the president's justification for them, and the administration should cooperate fully with that investigation.

In the meantime, if the president believes the current legal architecture of our country is insufficient for the fight against terrorism, he should propose changes to our laws in the light of day.

That is how a great democracy operates. And that is how this great democracy will defeat terrorism.

The St. Louis Cardinals are now going after second baseman Junior Spivey.

Will Forte performed a comedy benefit at his old training grounds of the Groundlings Theater this past Monday with other comedians.

To answer some questions that were privately emailed to me the other day. The focus of this blog will not change - we have an election year. I will try and mainly delegate Friday as "comedy days" on the blog when I try out some new material such as one I about to post.

Supreme Court settles case

It's been a bit over a year since the 2004 election and the case has finally been settled by the Kentucky Supreme Court. The following is a statement from Virginia Woodward's lawyer, Jennifer Moore:

The Kentucky Supreme Court issued its ruling a few moments ago in the Stephenson v. Woodward case. We won!! We are thrilled the Court placed the Constitution above power and politics. The Court in a 5 to 2 decision affirmed the permanent injunction against Stephenson prohibiting her from serving in the State Senate as she is not qualified under the Kentucky Constitution. Now, it is up to the Governor to call a special election immediately so the citizens of the 37th district will finally have the representation they deserve.

Thanks for your support over the past year. I especially want to thank Virginia Woodward who has stood so strong and honorably in the face of such fierce opposition. The Democratic Party and the Commonwealth should be extremely proud of her today. Thank you.

For all you Saturday Night Live fans, I am sorry to inform you but there is no rerun this Saturday. However, you can find reruns on E! at 10 PM and 1 AM.

Hoosiers, soon, will have a harder time paying for health care. If there's anything more than world peace that we need, it's affordable health care and education.

Reaction was similar from Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind. All Senate Democrats and five Republicans opposed the bill.

"I believe very strongly that we need to get our deficits under control, but this bill reflected the wrong priorities for the nation and broke the American promise by cutting funding for those most in need," Bayh said in a statement.

About 13 percent of Indiana's population, 838,136 Hoosiers, were enrolled in Medicaid in June.

Democrats were able to strip out a proposal that would have granted hospitals that receive Medicaid money a liability waiver if they refuse medical care to the poor.
As a result, the House must return for a second vote. The House adjourned early Monday after passing the budget package.

Had Bush not had his tax plan passed, this would never have happened.

For every negative thing that people say about Senator Joe Lieberman, there is always something positive to say. Lieberman is a conservationist and he, like myself, cares deeply about the environment. I'm glad that he took a lead on this. The military spending bills were held hostage by a Republican Senator who now may be retiring from the Senate after his 25th failed attempt for Alaskan drilling.

"We won because we were right," Lieberman said. Lieberman said that drilling in the refuge in northern Alaska is wrong because it perpetuates a "dangerous myth" that America can drill its way out of dependence on foreign oil.

And, Lieberman said, it was right to oppose those who would try to hold the military budget hostage during a time of war simply to win support for a pet project.

"It would have been a terrible precedent that would haunt the Senate for years to come," Lieberman said.[...]

"LCV praises those members who stood with the majority of the American people in rejecting this abuse of power and protecting one of our national treasures," said League of Conservation Voters President Deb Callahan. "In particular, we would like to acknowledge Sen. Joe Lieberman for his leadership and tireless work in fighting to protect the refuge."[...]

During a morning debate, Lieberman said he had opposed drilling in the Arctic since entering the Senate in 1988.

"Over the last 17 years, we have had good, fair fights on this issue according to the rules," Lieberman said. "What they have done this year is attempted to suspend those rules."

Lieberman assailed proponents of drilling, saying it was audacious and disrespectful to attach the measure to the military spending bill.

"If we yield to this tactic this time on ANWR, next year it will be someone else's pet project," Lieberman said. "If you support our military and want security of funding for it, you will vote against cloture."

MediaChannel.org lists some of their favorite quotes from 2005.

21) "I had no idea that if you wanted a show canceled, all you had to do was say it out loud." --Jon Stewart, on CNN's decision to cancel of "Crossfire," three months after his brutal exchange with host Tucker Carlson
10) Jon Stewart: "Finally, the moment we've all been waiting for — the official halfway point of the Bush presidency."
President Bush: "I George Walker Bush do solemnly swear..."
Stewart: "At which point 49 percent of the country also solemnly swore."

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION AIMED AT THE GREEN PARTY!!

Interview

I just finished an exclusive interview. You can read it at Victory06.org.

Sandler says it best...

It's time for Chanukah...come Sunday night.

The patriot act has been extended for 6 more months.

Senator Russ Feingold, who took the lead on this issue, released a statement:

"Today is a victory for the American people and the bipartisan group of Senators who have been fighting against efforts to extend the Patriot Act permanently without protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens. I am pleased that the Republican leadership backed down from their irresponsible threat to let the Patriot Act expire and agreed to a 6-month extension of the provisions that would have sunset at the end of this year. This will allow more time to finally agree on a bill that protects our rights and freedoms while preserving important tools for fighting terrorism. Those of us who stood up to demand modest and reasonable protections of our liberties never wanted to stop Patriot Act reauthorization. We just want to get it right this time around.

"We could have avoided these last-minute negotiations if the House had just adopted the Senate version of the Patriot Act that passed unanimously earlier this year. As we move forward, I hope that the Republican leadership in the Senate and the administration will continue down the path they started on tonight so that we don't find ourselves in this same situation 6 months from now. One thing is clear - what happened in the Senate over the past few weeks shows that this conference report is dead."

Senators Bayh and Hagel have asked UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to condemn the Iranian president's remarks.

"Words matter. The United Nations, and indeed all international organizations, must not accept hateful, anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism as business as usual," Senators Bayh and Hagel wrote in their letter. "We respectfully urge you to … marshal the international community against these falsehoods and to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons."

Mark Warner has final say on whether Mark Warner runs for president.

Open Thread

Discuss amongst yourselves.

To Potential advertisers: I have raised the prices for ads. The new prices do not apply to current advertisers. Please consider advertising your website, organization, blog, etc. I am a college student and this is mainly my job until I get into the real world (reminds me, I do plan to find a summer internship preferably in a gov't office doing PR work).

To people in the General Assembly: For the sake of everything holy, legalize slots so what happens in Kentucky, stays in Kentucky! Caesars is getting money that would otherwise go to Kentucky if we legalized slots! You think I like driving an hour or so?

Chris Carpenter honored in New Hampshire

Chris Carpenter was honored by his native state of New Hampshire. That got my mind off of some traitor who will not be mentioned. Not only was it Chris Carpenter Day at Trinity High School where he went to school but Gov. John Lynch declared the day to be Chris Carpenter Day in New Hampshire as a reader tells me:

Today, Gov. Lynch proclaimed "Chris Carpenter Day" during a brief ceremony honoring the Cy Young winner. The announcement came at the start of this morning's meeting of the Governor and Council at the State House in Concord.

Carpenter also received honors from the state senate and from the Board of Selectmen (sort of a town council) from his boyhood home town of Raymond, NH.

The United States Senate has condemned the Iranian president's remarks.

The Senate passed the measure by unanimous consent last Friday, condemning Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recent calls for the destruction of Israel and his denial of the Holocaust.

But Democrats required two other statements — seeking self-determination by the people of Iran and seeking a national referendum there — to be withdrawn.

Secretary of State Condi Rice says hat speculation of an attack on Iran is not helpful. In my defense, I never said we should attack them but I asked what we should do about them. When I said we, I mean America.

"I think the speculation is not really very helpful," Condoleezza Rice told the Associated Press last Friday. "Israel is, of course, a sovereign state and we’re not in the habit of telling the Israelis how to defend themselves. However, we’ve said to everybody that this region is very volatile and it’s best — and I think the Israelis have said this, too; Prime Minister Sharon has said this — it is best to resolve this issue through diplomatic means, and that’s where we’re all focused."

The international community is pressing Iran to roll back its nuclear program. Israel fears Iran’s road to a nuclear weapon could be irreversible as early as March.

Once again, someone is predicting that Jon Stewart will take over for CBS Evening News.

In a surprising move, the Manchester City Democrats have invited Rev. Al Sharpton to keynote the first annual Lionel Washington Johnson Dinner on Thursday, January 12th. Perhaps Al Sharpton will run for president again? Let's hope, if he does, that he files the proper paperwork this time after the fiasco from 2004.

Because I CAN!

I posted this last year because I thought it was fun and I thought I would do it again this year. It has nothing to do with the spotlight not being on Chanukah because it shouldn't be. Someone tried to kill us, we survived, and so we eat latkes and spin the dreidel. Enough about that, there's going to be so much original and unoriginal humor over the next few weeks to keep my mind off of cursing at Bill O'Reilly.

One--One--Two--One--Two--Three--Four!
I don't care what your mother says-
Chanukah is fu-un!
I don't care what your father says-"
Chanukah is nee-ear!"
All I say is that Judah rules
We're making our way to the Promised Land!

I don't care what the Prez Bush says-
Chanukahis full of chee-eer!
I don't care if you think it's a lie-
Chanukah was just a hee-ere!
I don't care about the F.B.I--
I don't care what the calendars show!
I wish it was Chanukah today!
I wish it was Chanukah today!

Forget that card

Since last year, I had given a lot of thought to buying a Johnny Damon rookie card. Not anymore. I could care less about him right now. The Red Sox should more pissed about letting Theo Epstein go. Theo would NEVER have gotten rid of Johnny Damon. I'm still digesting it like the rest of Red Sox nation but remember I am a St. Louis fan first and foremost. But the Yankees?!?

Indiana state employees have recieved an early holiday present. Gov. Daniels has authorized a 2% pay raise.

Schleping through the snow on two tired feet, looking for your friends with no place to ride...

As New York City suffered through Day One without subways or buses, even the high and mighty - well, with the possible exception of Donald Trump - were not immune from the consequences.

As for the fabulously thatch-roofed real-estate impresario and reality-television star, "Donald is a unique person, because he lives in the building he works in, so he doesn't have a commute," a Trump spokeswoman revealed yesterday.

So the Donald is lucky but what about everyone else?

"Saturday Night Live" comic Darrell Hammond: "I normally take the 1 and the 2 downtown to do standup, because it's much faster. Today I am doing the shared cabs, where they can stop and pick up four fares, but it's not easy to find one. I'm trying to get to the East Side, and it's a parking lot. I'm not mad at anyone. I think you'll find a more meaningful dialogue as talks continue. New York is a special place."

I had the chance to see Hammond live in person and I missed out on it. One of my biggest regrets ever.

Sidney Ponson, just out of jail, has signed a one year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals are expected to continue fleshing out their pitching staff by signing reliever Felix Rodriguez to a one-year deal as well. Should Rodriguez sign, general manager Walt Jocketty could project a 12-man staff for the first time since the majority of his bullpen and Morris filed for free agency or retired following last season. Octavio Dotel, whom the Cardinals had courted, signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees on Tuesday.

It's bipartisan, stupid! The GOP would be playing very unfairly on national security issues if they attack us for being partisan on the Patriot Act as four of there own are against it. Who are the four? Let's find out:

The four Republican rebels -- Larry E. Craig (Idaho), Chuck Hagel (Neb.), John E. Sununu (N.H.) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) -- have joined all but two Senate Democrats in arguing that more civil liberties safeguards need to be added to the proposed renewal of the Patriot Act. The law makes it easier for FBI agents to monitor phone calls, search homes and obtain business records of terrorism suspects. The four stand calmly at the center of a political storm that soon will determine whether the law, enacted soon after the 2001 terrorist attacks, is renewed in a modified form or allowed to expire in 11 days.[...]

It would be easier for GOP leaders to shrug off the mini-rebellion if it came from the well-known moderates of Maine and Rhode Island who often defy the party on fiscal and social issues. Instead, the four could star in a "Big Tent" ad proclaiming the Republican Party's diversity. They include a dyed-in-the-wool conservative (Craig), a rising star and presidential aspirant (Hagel), and two second-generation Republican achievers (Murkowski and Sununu).[...]

Hagel appears equally sanguine. "I took an oath of office to the Constitution, I didn't take an oath of office to my party or my president," he recently told reporters.

Sununu, whose father was a New Hampshire governor and White House chief of staff to George H.W. Bush, took issue with Bush's ultimatum. "How can the president justify vetoing the [temporary] extension?" Sununu said. "That suggests that he thinks the country is better off without any Patriot Act provisions in place than with a three-month extension. And that makes no sense at all."

US District Judge James Robertson has resigned. He's one of 11 people that serve on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, or FISA.

The Tom McCall forum at Pacific University will be on February 22nd with speaks Tom Daschle and Pat Buchanan.

WISH-TV takes a look back at 2005 in Indiana politics.

Jon Kyl is the Senator with no respect.

Expect light blogging until I get back to campus. It's a downside of sharing a pc with several people.

Johnny Damon betrays Red Sox, joins Yankees

From Boston.com:

The Boston Globe's Gordon Edes is reporting that centerfielder Johnny Damon has agreed to a 4-year, $52 million contract with the Yankees. The agreement is contingent on Damon passing a physical.

How ****ing sad.

Lazy Sunday Transcript

I watched the video a few times and was able to transcribe the lyrics of "Lazy Sunday." Here's the transcript:
Andy Samberg: "Lazy Sunday, wake up in the late afternoon, call Parnell just to see how he's doin'."
Chris Parnell: Hello?
Andy Samberg: What up Parnz?
Chris Parnell: Yo Samberg, what's crackin'?
Andy Samberg: You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?
Both: NARNIA!
Andy Samberg: Then it's happ'nin'.
Chris Parnell: But first my hunger pangs are stickin' like duct tape!
Andy Samberg: Then let's hit up Magnolia, and mack on some cupcakes!
Chris Parnell: No doubt that bakery's got all the raw frosting.
Andy Samberg: I love those cupcakes like McAdams loves Gosling!
Chris Parnell: Two!
Andy Samberg: No, six!
Chris Parnell: No, twelve!
Both: Baker's Dozen!
Andy Samberg: Yo, I told you that I'm crazy for these cupcakes, cousin!
Chris Parnell: Yo, where's the movie, playa?
Andy Samberg: On the west side, dude!
Chris Parnell: Well, let's hit up Yahoo! Maps to find the dopest route.
Andy Samberg: I prefer MapQuest!
Chris Parnell: That's a good one, too!
Andy Samberg: Google Maps is the best!
Chris Parnell: True dat!
Both: Double True!
Andy Samberg: 68th and Broadway!
Chris Parnell: Step on it, sucka!
Andy Samberg: What you wanna do, Chris?
Chris Parnell: Snack attack, muthaf-----!
Both: The Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
Yes the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
We love the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
Pass the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
Andy Samberg: Yo stop at the deli, the theatre's overpriced!
Chris Parnell: You got the backpack?
Andy Samberg: Gotta pack it up nice!
Chris Parnell: Don't want security to get suspicious!
Andy Samberg: Mr. Pibb and Red Vines equals crazy delicious.
Chris Parnell: Reach in my pocket, pull out some dough.
Andy Samberg: Girl actin' like she never seen a ten befo'.
Chris Parnell: It's all about the Hamiltons, baby!
Andy Samberg: Throw the snacks in the bag!
Chris Parnell: And I'm ghost like Swayze! (Pause) Roll up in the theatre,
Andy Samberg: Ticket buyin's what we handle?
Chris Parnell: You can call us Aaron Burr
Andy Samberg: From the way we're droppin' Hamiltons.
Chris Parnell: Bust up in our seats, Movie Trivia’s the illest!
Andy Samberg: "What Friends alum starred in films with Bruce Willis?"
Chris Parnell: Answer so fast that we're scary!
Andy Samberg: Everyone stand to know when we scream
Both: MATTHEW PERRY!
Andy Samberg: Now quiet in the theatre or it's gonna get tragic.
Chris Parnell: We're 'bout to get tickets to a dream-world of magic.
Both: The Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
Yes the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
We love the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!
Pass the Chronic- What? -Cles of Narnia!

Reviewing the 2005 resolutions

Original post here.

1. Officially declare a minor in Radio-Television DONE!
2. Advertise the Kentucky Democrat better DONE!
3. Get good grades DONE!
4. Continue establishing Hollywood contacts DONE!
5. Continue establishing political contacts DONE!
6. Re-write all comedy sketches and stand-up bits (Working on it!)
7. Make my stand-up debut (I've made my acting debut already at Bradley) DONE!
8. Eat healthy DONE!
9. Join an improv troupe (Working on it!)
10. Officially decide on a career path and STICK with it DONE! (I chose comedy then broadcasting again then back to comedy, but then there was music and that lasted til September before going back into politics and then three months later went back into comedy)

The Latest Controversy

My opinion on the recent news. All in all, there is a seperation of religion and state. There are going to be people excluded if only one version is posted. I'm a religious person and I believe the Ten Commandments should not be posted on government property. Like I said last year, I have a major problem. Which version? It makes no sense to repeat myself.

Guess who was named the DLC Democrat of the Week? Jonathan Miller, the Kentucky State Treasurer. Mazel Tov, Jonathan!

Senator Tom Daschle speaks out on the recent spying.

Even with some of the more troublesome - and potentially illegal - details omitted, I still raised significant concern about these actions. As such, I am surprised and disappointed that the White House would now suggest that none of us informed of the program objected.

As a result of the significant legal and security concerns raised by the President's actions, I believe it is incumbent on the President to explain the specific legal justification for his actions, for the Congress to fully investigate these actions, and for the Administration to fully cooperate with that investigation.

Jason Jones interviewed Illinois State Rep. Ron Stephens over the emergency contraceptive pill. Jason said it was a staring contest.

"This is my kudos to you: No one has ever broken me before, but you broke me," Jones said to Stephens after the interview.

If the mood was light-hearted, the Greenville Republican said his message is serious. He's in favor of allowing Illinois' 10,000 licensed pharmacists to choose individually whether to fill prescriptions for Plan B, commonly called the morning-after pill.[...]

Stephens said he's aware that "The Daily Show" is a humor program, given to editing interviews so that serious answers can be played for laughs.

"The purpose of this was to prove to the world that I don't take myself too seriously," Stephens said. "I take my job seriously, but not myself."

Open Thread

I've got a busy day of catching up with the big screen and renewing my license.

Props to Jeff Noble for his editorial this morning.

'Unnecessary name-calling'
As a Democrat in the 3rd District, I appreciate David Hawpe's frustration that a candidate has not emerged to his liking. After all, he was part of the group that endorsed U.S. Rep. Anne Northup two years ago. Anyone who endorsed her should be feeling some remorse.

While I share Hawpe's views on a variety of subjects, in his Dec. 14 column, perhaps out of frustration, he took an unnecessarily sarcastic swing at two of Kentucky's active and interested young Democrats, Dan Borsch, a 29-year-old worker's comp attorney trained in environmental issues, and Daniel Solzman, a 21-year-old undergraduate student at Northern Kentucky University, both Louisville residents. Ad hominem attacks from politicians and hacks are to be expected. From a journalist who probably neither knows nor has spoken to these men, I found the comparison to Rex the Wonder Donkey uncalled for and, frankly, juvenile. Hawpe must have been desperate for some joke, but it didn't work.

Solzman's Web-blog, "The Kentucky Democrat," was just one of a handful of groups that found a possible Borsch candidacy something to be praised, not ridiculed. I hope the unnecessary name-calling does not discourage future participation by youthful, intelligent people. Hawpe should address his remorse in a more positive way, encouraging those who wish to retire Northup from the Congress.

JEFF NOBLE

David Ashe

The Blog to End All Blogs interviewed David Ashe, a military veteran and a candidate for Congress. Great read.

Alan Benes rejoins Cardinals organization

I saw Alan Benes when he pitched for the Louisville Redbirds so it pleased me to hear that he has signed a minor league contract for the St. Louis Cardinals. Reported at the Only blog celebrating the inevitable St. Louis Cardinals 2006 World Series Championship and the Birdwatch.
Yahoo reports:

RHP Alan Benes , 33, has been signed to a minor league contract. Benes, a promising pitcher for the Cardinals in the late 1990s, has been trying to battle back after having had several shoulder surgeries.

The in-depth post

As you can tell from the post below this, I got bit by the comedy bug and I got bit really hard. Harder than the bird flu.

Steve Greenfield, one of the primary candidates in the New York Senate race, has deemed the month beginning December 26th as a refund for peace. It's an interesting idea and I'd say is similar to that of Buy Blue. Basically, he is asking for people to take gifts back and donate to anti-war candidates.

John Mayer is changing directions from pop to blues. Never thought I'd see that one coming. John Mayer, Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino, members of the John Mayer Trio, performed a song, most likely a new single, from the CD, "Try!" I'm watching it right now. It's definitely unlike his prior songs that I've been forced to listen to. By forced, I mean having my brother put the Top Adult 40 radio station on when he knows I prefer classic rock or oldies.

Ron Kampeas writes about the reaction to the latest religious resolution. I'm a Jew. I'm a member of the tribe. Now why are religious conservatives not all-inclusive. There's a reason as to why I use "Happy Holidays" around non-Jews. I'd rather play it safe.

"Did something happen when I was not looking?" asked Ackerman, known as one of Congress’ quickest wits. "Did somebody mug Santa Claus? Is somebody engaging in elf tossing?"

More seriously, other Democrats accused Davis, a Virginian known for her closeness to the pro-Israel lobby, of trampling over the sensibilities of non-Christians.

"Our country has come simply to be tolerant of the fact that we are from many faiths, and we do not want to insult anybody," said Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.). "And I say to you that, far from references to Christmas needing to be supported, they are glorified, and we all know it."

Norton chided Davis to "understand how ‘happy holidays’ developed. It developed out of a country, first and foremost, where there was rampant anti-Semitism."

Two New York Jewish Democrats, Reps. Anthony Weiner and Steve Israel, asked Davis to amend the resolution to include Chanukah, Kwanzaa and Ramadan.

She said no, and Weiner waxed almost Shakespearean. Or maybe Seussian.

"The symbols of Chanukah are not valuable?" Weiner said. "Sure, they are, I think. The symbols of Kwanzaa are not valuable to some? Sure, they are. I cannot imagine why the gentlewoman who is the sponsor of this, who says that she speaks from a sense of inclusion, would not want to include those. Are those not worthy of being protected? What is the message that is being sent?"[...]

Whatever the case, Davis said that adding other holidays was not the point — the threat was to Christmas, not the other holidays.

"Nothing says you have to call a menorah a holiday candle, like you call a Christmas tree a ‘friendship tree,’" she said. If Jews did feel Chanukah was under threat, she said, she would happily support a resolution.

Within two days, Rep. Israel was there for her: On Friday, he formally submitted H. Res. 615 which replicates Davis’ bill exactly, substituting Chanukah, Ramadan and Kwanzaa for Christmas. It has yet to come to the floor.

Davis seemed at a loss over the Jewish objections to the resolution — she said she had run the language by her close Jewish friend, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and he approved, with a small amendment, adding the phrase "those who celebrate Christmas" to the bill’s language to make it clear the intent was not to force the holiday on those who did not celebrate.[...]

That’s not quite how Engel remembered it, although he warmly reciprocated Davis’ friendship.

Instead, Engel said, he suggested the modification only after he realized he could not persuade Davis to back away from the resolution.

"It would be better if we didn’t have this bill to vote on, it would be better to keep Congress out of religion, it would be better if it were to go on a voice vote," Engel said, referring to Davis’ insistence on a roll call, a tactic used to embarrass lawmakers if they vote in the minority on a popular resolution.

Somone should tell Rep. Engel that it is the Republicans that started this phony war. Rep. Engel clearly knows that he is right and she was wrong to write the resolution. Now why did he vote for it? This resolution is clearly a violation of religion and state if you asked for my opinion. If there is anything we now know, it's a list of the Jewish members in the House of Representatives. I would have voted no on this amendment.

Jewish Representatives voting ‘Yea’ on H. Res. 579: Berman (D-Calif.), Davis (D-Calif.), Filner (D-Calif.), Lantos (D-Calif.), Schiff (D-Calif.), Sherman (D-Calif.), Waxman (D-Calif.), Cardin (D-Md.), Frank (D-Mass.), Levin (D-Mich.), Berkley (D-Nev.), Rothman (D-N.J.), Engel (D-N.Y.), Nadler (D-N.Y.), Weiner (D-N.Y.), Cantor (R-Va.), Sanders (I-Vt.).
Jewish Representatives voting ‘Nay’ on H. Res. 579: Harman (D-Calif.), Wexler (D-Fla.), Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Ackerman (D-N.Y.).
Jewish Representatives voting ‘Present’ on H. Res. 579: Israel (D-N.Y.), Lowey (D-N.Y.), Schwartz (D-Pa.).
Jewish Representatives who did not cast a vote on H. Res. 579: Emanuel (D-Ill.).

Senator Joseph Lieberman released the following statement when he voted against cloture on the USA Patriot Act reauthorization:

"I am deeply concerned that the Conference chose not to follow the Senate’s example and craft a bipartisan bill that was able to garner unanimous support. I believe that the government must have the tools it needs to fight the war on terror, but I am convinced that adequate protections for civil liberties will not dull the sharpness of those tools. I am hopeful that we will be able to reach a more bipartisan compromise."

Oh, crap. This cannot be good. I have an appreciation for classic rock and I'm only 21!

First, let's detail the Stones' decline: This week, Bang fell to No. 125 on Billboard's Top 200 after moving just over 390,000 copies. That means, unless something drastic happens, the album won't come near the sales level of the Stones' last two studio CDs — 1997's Bridges to Babylon (1.16 million) and 1994's Voodoo Lounge (1.8 million). Though Bang wipes the floor with those disks creatively, it's been selling more like one of those rote live albums the band churns out after every tour.

McCartney has a lower bar to measure himself against. He hasn't broken the gold (or 500,000) sales mark since 1997's Flaming Pie, which sold 674,000 platters. His last two CDs — 1999's Run Devil Run and 2001's Driving Rain — moved 232,000 and 400,0000, respectively. The new one has sold 357,000 discs in 12 weeks. With the new Grammy nod, it should nudge up to gold. But given its glowing notices, that's still a muted response.

Clapton has suffered a more severe fall. He started to slip with Riding With the King, the CD he did with B.B. King in 2000, which moved 2.1 million copies. Its followup, 2001's Reptile, sold only 620,000, and 2004's Me & Mr. Johnson dipped to 560,000.

The last figure was still strong, considering that Johnson was an all-blues affair. But Clapton's latest, Back Home, has no such excuse.

The pop CD has sold just over 223,000 copies in the last three months, and now gasps at No. 151 on Billboard's Top 200.

Raitt's last work to go platinum was 1994's Longing in Their Hearts (1.6 million); 1998's Fundamental moved 553,000 platters, while her 2002 disc, Silver Lining, pushed a paltry 140,000. This week, the new Souls Alike falls to No. 174 after sales of just 193,000.

Raitt's and Clapton's albums can't claim the artistic resurgence of the Stones or the McCartney CDs. They're tepid works that largely deserve their fate.

Perhaps this is due to people failing to respect copyrights and frequently download illegally.

Comedy Bites Again

I was originally bit by the bug in summer of 2003. Got active politically in fall 2004, and the bug bit me the 2nd time in winter 2004. The music bug bit right after my history of rock music class. Politics came back in 9/05, and I got bit by the comedy bug after seeing the recent SNL episode hosted by Jack Black with musical guest Neil Young. What to do...

At work right now, in-depth posting later!

Clinton wanted to spy...

AHiddenSaint wanted to get increased wiretap authority but the Republican Congress would not allow it.

Look here:

Over one year ago President Clinton asked Congress for legislation to strengthen our ability to combat international terrorism. On April 24th the President signed S. 735, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 into law. Congress included many of the Administration's proposals in their bill, giving our law enforcement officials tough new tools to stop terrorists before they strike, and to bring them to justice if they do. The legislation bans fundraising in the United States that supports terrorist organizations. It also allows U.S. officials to deport terrorists from American soil without being compelled by the terrorists to divulge classified information, and to bar terrorists from entering the United States in the first place.

Nevertheless, as strong as the bill was, it should have been stronger. For example, President Clinton asked the Congress to give U.S. law enforcement increased wiretap authority in terrorism cases. But the Congress refused. After the President proposed that the Secretary of the Treasury consider the inclusion of taggants in explosive materials, so that bombs can be traced more easily to the bomb makers, the Congress exempted black and smokeless powder -- two of the most commonly used substances in improvised explosive devices.

President Clinton had the decency to go to Congress.

Why is it that when Republicans control Congress that the President is scrutinized by Congress yet GWB gets away with practically anything until the MSM reports it.

Holiday Gifts?

Evan Bayh in 2008

Jack Black Hosted Saturday Night Live

Last night's show was interesting. I expected there would have been a King Kong sketch but there was not.

A Holiday Message from the Vice President - Interesting sketch featuring Darrell as Dick. This sketch pretty much was a slam on the Bush administration with kids (Rachel Dratch, Andy Samberg, Amy Poehler) wanting holiday gifts such as staying the course, Alaskan oil drilling, etc. Will Forte does LFNY.

Monologue - Jack Black sings the King Kong theme song that was rejected by director Peter Jackson.

Stuart Little Mouse Removal Kit - Interesting commercial to take care of the rat problem.

Sbarro - This sketch was at a restaurant where the wind was very windy causing havoc and Jack Black to get upset. Also in this sketch were Amy Poehler and Rachel Dratch. Rachel had a dummy in this season and it was easy to tell.

Appalachian Emergency Room - One of the recurring sketches. Neil Young is the son of Darrell Hammond and Amy Poehler's characters. Also featured is Seth Meyers as the receptionist, Chris Parnell, Jack Black, and making a cameo appearance is Johnny Knoxville.

Christmastime for the Jews - Robert Smigel's cartoon was hilarious and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart was mentioned. I was not surprised as Eric Drysdale was a writer of the cartoon. I was cracking up during this sketch.

Channel 5 Photo Shoot - Jack Black's character was upset that no one was pointing at him. Other cast members in this: Jason Sudeikis, Kenan Thompson, Chris Parnell, and Amy Poehler. Jack Black was poked in the eye by Chris Parnell.

Lazy Sunday (film) - The highlight of the night was "Lazy Sunday," a digital short featuring Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg. It was frickin' hilarious and I am not a rap fan. My guess is that it was created by the members of The Lonely Island as Andy is a member of that. The Lonely Island features Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone and Andy Samberg. Heck, they even have a blog! All three are involved with SNL.

A Very Downer Christmas - The recurring Debbie Downer sketch featured a parody of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch." I think Jack Black played Santa Claus in this one--which is ironic because he's a member of the tribe (Jewish). Debbie recieved a gift of medical disease oddities.

Space War 2148 - Based on the old Glirk sketch that can be found here. Glirk was Andy Samberg and Jack was the space man lost in space after a collision. It's pretty much the same as the original sketch.

Two A-Holes Buying a Christmas Tree - Jason Sudekis and Kristen Wiig are the A-holes buying a tree at the lot. Jack is the cashier. Jason and Kristen play people who clearly do not know what they want.

Spelling Bee - Chris Parnell is the judge. Forte is hilarious. The word he gets is business. He spells it Brdtfklmghrkwtfnylkpqwqrtdfplmkqkwqqqqqqqqq ... qqqstfjrqmtsdtqmprftdpdplhrktetf. Jack Black plays Will as an older person by singing another song.

The goodbye's are split between Neil Young inside and the cast at the ice skating rink outside of Rockefeller Center.

I admit that, after last night, part of me still wants to go into entertainment. The other part wants to stay in politics.

Horatio Sanz was noticeably absent last night. Tracy Morgan did cameo during "Weekend Update." I thought that would have meant that Jimmy Fallon and Chris Kattan would have made an appearance again to do their annual song. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil Young sung "It's a Dream" and "He Was The King."