Monday, January 26, 2009

Pet Peeves

Caftan Woman is grumpy.

It's not Etta James' classic At Last. It is Harry Warren and Mack Gordon's classic ballad At Last. If you like Ms. James' version of the song - fine.

It is not Crazy by Patsy Cline. It is by Willie Nelson, who would probably be the first to tell you that Patsy made a wonderful record.

Willie Nelson would probably be the first to tell you that he did not write his hit record of Blue Skies, that was a fellow named Irving Berlin.

Channel surfing can be surprisingly annoying.

I came across an entertainment program (probably on E!) wherein the peppy young announcer informed me that Reese Witherspoon was descended from one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence - John Wilkes Booth! For shame on the dozens of people involved in putting on that program for not realizing the true notoriety of John Wilkes Booth. FYI: Dr. John Witherspoon was a Presbyterian Minister and representative of New Jersey and signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Again with Witherspoon - Entertainment Tonight announced the release of the most recent version of The Importance of Being Earnest by describing it as a "romantic comedy set at the turn of the century". Let's not mention Oscar Wilde. Oh, no. Whoever heard of him?

When the movie Finding Neverland was released I happened upon star Kate Winslett being interviewed by Diane Sawyer on Good Morning, America. Not once during the interview did Ms. Sawyer mention the name Sir James M. Barrie. Instead, she always referred to the character played by Johnny Depp as "the man who created Peter Pan". Toward the end of the interview Ms. Winslett brought up the name Sir J.M. Barrie. I believe she said it through clenched teeth or perhaps that was me shouting at the television.

A note to mainstream media: if you treat people like idiots then they will become idiots.

6 comments:

  1. We can go on a crusade! Will the masses appreciate it? Will they want to know they are being cheated? Crusades can be problematic.

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  2. Bless you, CW. You can feel for what I deal with in the classroom...making kids aware of what is out there but doing so in a way that isn't condescending. Also problematic . . .

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  3. Kids are another thing altogether. They like to think they know everything already and hate to have that bubble burst. How to get them to have pride in being intellectually curious? You have taken on a mighty task, guesswho. All I have to do is sit back and be grumpy.

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  4. Oh, I agree that kids are another story altogether. It's the parents that are more of a challenge, I think. Some of them have the idea that they know precisely what is going on. Sigh. I may be clueless on the outside, but when I hit my classroom, I am in the zone.

    P.S.- John Wilkes Booth? Not even close!!

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  5. A couple of years ago some random singer asked Jim to transpose some charts for her for a bunch of "Diana Krall tunes". The sheet music, which had been professionally produced, was for "Diana Krall's Devil May Care" and "Diana Krall's Peel Me A Grape". There were no writers credits at all The fit I threw when I saw that may have been my performance, and it may have been heartfelt, but looking back now I think you deserve the writer's credit for my rant because you taught me to be aware of the SOURCE and indignant on the source's behalf.

    Grumble.

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  6. Ah, MissTracey, that I have in any way contributed to another grumpy woman on the planet is an honour! Let's keep giving credit where credit is due.

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