sonny bono

In my backyard

What a day! It’s the day that most know as “Groundhog Day.” As the legend goes, if a ground hog sees his shadow, we’ll have six more weeks of winter. Honestly, I don’t care. I could go either way. What is important, to me, is we get to celebrate these adorable creatures. Every year we get at least one in our backyard. But there were also standout years where we had a mama groundhog and BABIES!

“Groundhog Day” is also a hit movie in pop culture. It’s the day when Bill Murray wakes up every single day to Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Back,” having to re-live his life until he gets in right. (Not such a bad deal though, it’s a great song and aren’t Sonny & Cher just the cutest?!)

In music history, there are two bands that got it right on this day in 1981, Duran Duran released one of their best songs ever — “Planet Earth.”

And Talking Heads released “Once in a Lifetime” on this day, also in 1981. (The lyric, “Same as it ever was” can relate to Bill Murray’s dilemma in “Groundhog Day.” Synchronicity strikes again!)

But February 2, 1979, was not such a good day for Sid Vicious. It was the day he died of an overdose at age 21. There are so many fabricated stories about Vicious, one may be confused as to what to believe. Did he really kill Nancy? Did he really strangle a cat? And then there’s the assault on Todd Smith, which really happened. It’s all so disturbing and it makes you not like the guy, though on the flip side Steven Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees said that before Sid got into drugs, he was the funniest guy and also sweet. His bandmate John Lydon said that Sid wasn’t too bright and that the best aspect of his character was his humor.

During my last two years of high school, 1980 and 1981, on February 2, I wore a black dress to honor Sid Vicious. I loved The Sex Pistols, even though Sid didn’t play on their first album. Later came “The Great Rock & Roll Swindle” and there were songs that Sid sang, “My Way,” “C’mon Everybody,” and “Something Else.”

And I got a B grade on an essay I wrote about The Sex Pistols…

Happy Groundhog Day!

🐿

If you like this blog, feel free to support me at: https://ko-fi.com/maryannechristianomistretta

Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.

“The Gypsy Smiled” is now available in Barnes & Noble stores! https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1132781418

“So You Think You Know the Jersey Shore?” is available at: https://omni-pub.com/product/so-you-think-you-know-the-jersey-shore/

And while we are celebrating, here is a wonderful article about the book: https://www.mypaperonline.com/beautiful-ride-in-maryanne-christiano-mistrettas-front-row-seat-to-the-jersey-shore.html

“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit: https://www.amazon.com/Be-Extra-Ordinary-Ways-Become/dp/1733546227

“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You

Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.

And for positive messages, visit Be YOUnique, the Anti-Bullying You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLq6J9MSvcjd-haQ30ycLWA/videos

Visit my business page, Pear Tree Enterprises, at: https://peartreeenterprises.wordpress.com/

Need a cat sitter in North/Central Jersey? Maryanne is a 5-star cat sitter: https://meowtel.com/cat-sitters/NJ/kenilworth/purrrrrfect-paws-cat-sitting

American Idol is another show I was late jumping on the band wagon for. I was first intrigued after seeing a clip of Adam Lambert performing. My sister was a huge fan. One day I was at her home. All the women were in the living room watching Adam Lambert videos that my sister compiled. We were all so intrigued another woman was stuck in the bathroom (the door was jammed) for 20 minutes before anyone realized. Yeah, Adam is a hottie.

Then the following year I watched the show because Steven Tyler was a judge. I’ve been an Aerosmith fan since I was 13, and I was friends with Steve Tyler’s late wife Cyrinda Foxe. I attended her funeral and met Tyler. When I offered my condolences, he thanked me for my kind words and gave me a big hug. So, hell yeah, I made sure I watched every episode that Steve Tyler was on. And he delivered. He was funny as hell, sincere and encouraging to the kids. As great on screen as he is off.

Thanks to Steve Tyler, I fell in love with American Idol. Those young performers were terrific. The judges had a great chemistry. It just worked. For two years I was a part of what I was missing since the show debuted almost a decade prior.

Last night I watched a mere five minutes, with the new judges (except for Randy Jackson) and all I saw was bickering between Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj. Was this drama real or fake for publicity? I don’t know, but I didn’t like it.

To me, bickering between judges takes away from the talent of the kids. And remember, this is a family show.

I am almost 50-years-old and miss the variety shows I loved growing up. The ones I remember were “Sonny & Cher,” “Tony Orlando & Dawn,” “The Dean Martin Show,” “The Tom Jones Show.”

These shows were extremely entertaining. Yeah, if you have them on DVD some of the old jokes were corny, but everyone came across as professional. If there ever was any drama, you may read about it in the tabloids, it wasn’t in your face. You could disappear into a fantasy world for one hour and pretend that everything was good and everyone liked each other. You didn’t even know Sonny & Cher were going through a divorce. They gave the audience what they wanted, a beloved couple that knew how to entertain with talent and not resorting to taking the low road.

What was that old saying in show business, and a Queen song as well? The answer is: The show must go on! If Sonny & Cher could do it, why can’t these judges just shut the hell up and act like professionals?!

“American Idol” is the closest thing this generation has to a good old fashioned variety show. It has it all: talent, comedy and fashion. And I love the mini documentaries on where the kids came from and what their story is. Some are heart-breaking and all are inspiring. But, sadly, now the Fox network show is low-balling the audience with drama and taking away from the kids and their performances.

Is this supposed to give the show higher ratings? Probably. This is what seems to be the American way. We seemed to have reached a pinnacle in TV Land where innocence is lost on all levels and unless there is *bleeping* words out left and right and people are trashing each other, our attention is lost.