I Found Some Blog

a division of the Chersonian Institute

Page 89 of 112

The Captain & Tennille Show

January 15, 2009 / / 0 Comments

CandtshowFor Christmas, among other things (like the awesome Carol Burnette "Went with the Wind" doll), I received a collection of the Captain & Tennille variety show episodes which aired on ABC on Mondays from September 1976 to March 1977.

I can’t help but compare this show to The Sonny & Cher Show running at the same time. In the episodes I’ve seen so far there are far less skits on C&T and more musical numbers, sometimes more experimental (there was a word jazz segment with Penny Marshall, Tennille and Ron Palillo –Horseshack- and Lawrence Hilton Jacobs -Freddie Washington- from Welcome Back Kotter which was good) but for the most part the show is heavy on Tennille singing alone or with musical guests, including an amazing duet with Dionne Warwick. The Captain actually speaks on the show and is actually pretty charming and has good comedic timing. I like him. They’re talented to be sure. And I do love variety shows, pretty unconditionally, including this one. Trouble is, the show lacks something sparkly that S&C had, despite all the required rhinestones on Tennille’s dresses.

And in the premiere episode they go through a long joke setup with Jackie Gleason, mistaking each other for other iconic celebrities of the time culminating in Gleason confusing them with Sonny & Cher. Which was probably the big elephant in the room. “We’re not Sonny & Cher” the joke seemed to say.

Which is something all new variety seems to feel compelled to say, especially if co-hosted by a man and wife. Nick and Jessica Simpson were emphatic before their TV special a few years ago — we’re not trying to be Sonny & Cher.  Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne also recently declared their new show would not be a new Sonny & Cher. It’s kind of a back-handed compliment. They’re saying simultaneously, we’re not trying to copycat what has become known as the standard of couple-variety shows and we intend to be much cooler than that.

And that’s the fascinating paradox of Sonny & Cher. When they hit town in the 60s, they were hyper-cool, then in the mid-60s they were perceived as waning-cool. Then in the late 60s definitely not cool due to their anti-drug stance and the changing musical culture. Back on TV, they were cool kinda but not cool kinda because older people were now watching them.

Continue reading

Holiday 2008

January 9, 2009 / / 0 Comments

Franz-flagstaffThings have been a bit hectic lately and I’ve had trouble getting back into the swing of the day-to-day. My bf, the furkid and I went to Flagstaff for Christmas to kind of hole up…with some snow. It was much fun – our furkids first snow. We lavished him with Christmas gifts, which included a bounty of rawhides shaped like Christmas items. Soon, he was throwing up on the hotel carpet.

From Christmas to New Years I spent organizing my office. Not pleasant but it had to be done. And now I’ve got a long list of to-dos and touch-bases for the New Year which is keeping me quite busy. Plus the wedding stuff. We’ve organized a website and done drafts of the invitation and found a photographer. Personally, I’m a mess. My skin and hair and nails (and figure). So I’m implementing a beauty and exercise regime for the year. I’m annoyed at how much time it takes to maintain these things. I’d rather be reading.

But enough about me. There are oodles of Cher stuff to catch up on. Here we go – we have LOTS to cover so let’s get 2009 started!

Sonny Stuff (Festivals and Stamps)

January 9, 2009 / / 0 Comments

Stamps-sonny-cher Sonny Palms Springs Film Festival Vision:
Here's an excellent essay from mydesert.com from Bruce Fessier on The Palm Springs Film Festival highlights through the years,  the celebrity drama, the very immediate impact Sonny's death had on the 1998 festival, and the big successes in showcasing some awesome movies.

I actually forwarded this article to two of my film-buff friends because the more I read the piece the more I realized it was an awesome Netflix list of great foreign and independent films of the last 20 years.

Also, it illustrates how important the festival momentum depended on fiscal management, donors, and gala events with red carpet attendance.

And how many films launched there went on to win Oscars:

"It illustrated how the festival circuit begins at Sundance and ends at Palm Springs just before the Oscar nomination announcements."[Fessier]

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090104/EVENTS01/901020330/-1/lifestylesfront

The Sonny Stamp

I had a late-Christmas party last night with some friends (we were all too busy over the actual holiday to meet). We met at West Coast Subs in the Palms area of LA for boba and dinner and this is where my friend Christopher informed me that Cher and Mary Bono Mack were joining forces to petition for a Sonny Bono memorial stamp.

Awesome.

Shorenuff, Liz Smith confirms:

Cher, the one and only, tells us that she is lobbying the U.S. Postal Service to commemorate her late ex, Sonny Bono, with his own stamp. 

Cher says she would join forces with Congresswoman Mary Bono-Mack, who was married to Sonny at the time of his death, to make this honor a reality. And the U.S. Postal Service is keen to the idea. One high-up said, “A Sonny Bono stamp would be a lot of fun, especially if Cher would attend the dedication for it.

First of all:  the one and only? – that phrase is dated, pointless and dorkey. By now there are actually many other Chers in the world. I know this because their blog entries clog up my RSS feeds.

Oooh…I’m envisioning sending oodles of mail with Sonny stamps.  Do you think it will be 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s Sonny?

Stamps above from the site Stamp Magnets: http://stampmagnets.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?type=search&search=minor&minor=Entertainers+-+Music&shop=stamp-search&amount=10&num=20

  

Bloggers on Cher Music

January 9, 2009 / / 0 Comments

There’s been lots of blogging activity on Cher music. And I have to tell you, I love stuff like this. People talking about Cher music.

Hos Heart of Stone: http://boppingelf.blogspot.com/2009/01/cher-heart-of-stone.html – just a quickie overview of the players and perspective on her love life at the time.

The album was recorded in late 1988/early 1989, during the third year of Cher's relationship to Rob Camilletti; She dedicated the album to him. The record is still regarded by many fans as one of her best.

[I’m not one of the many but I would argue that it’s the best album of her Bon Jovi period.]

Lh Love Hurts: http://billsmusicforum.blogspot.com/2008/12/trivia-corner-mr-mister-cher.html -
Info on the players (which is actually pretty impressive list for the time).

Other familiar guests to melodic rockers will recognize the work and backing vocals of Richard Page (Mr. Mister) on the hit track "Save Up All Your Tears" and her duet, "One Small Step". "World Without Heroes" has songwriters as diverse as Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons (Kiss) and Lou Reed, with Steve Lukather on guitar (Toto) and Richard Marx on backing vocals – can you imagine all those folks in the same studio at the same time?

[No, because I’d bet your ass they weren’t.]

Bangbang Bang Bang (the song): http://condensedpop.blogspot.com/2008/12/66-beatles-cher.html - lots of very kewl covers listed here:

The Russian-flavored "Bang Bang," which features some fevered fiddling, was written by Sonny during a lull in the duo's fortunes; though Cher was initially reluctant to record it, it became her fastest-selling solo hit to date. It was soon covered by Nancy Sinatra in a version later used by Quentin Tarantino in the opening scenes of Kill Bill Volume 1; and her father, Frank, made it a staple of his concert appearances, also recording it twice. The song has also been covered by Stevie Wonder, Petula Clark, Vanilla Fudge in their signature slowed-down style, The Jam's Paul Weller, and Carla Bruni, the first lady of France. Cher has continued to perform it in nearly all her concert tours.
  

Weird Cher Magazine Pages

January 9, 2009 / / 1 Comment

Wig Two Cher scholars sent me interesting Cher advertisements last year and I thank them.

The first was an article of star "hair-dos" of the month which dates back to the 60s sometime. Anyone want to take a guess at the actual date?

As Aunt Mabel might say, “What in heavens name is that on her head?

The next ad below. Well…I don’t know what to make of it. I’m quite speechless actually. If anyone knows what to make of it, please let me know.

Bible

“It’s that kind of book.”

Cherity News

January 9, 2009 / / 0 Comments

CherprayIs this the second stroke of The Cher Cheritable Foundation? Where’s the website? How do I send benjamins?

Cher is working for orphans in Nepal. Here’s the first notice in Las Vegas Weekly: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/blogs/luxe-life/2008/dec/11/strip-scribbles-chers-mission-mercy-nepals-orphans/

According to Contact Music, Cher decided to fly to Nepal and launch a charity mission for South Asian orphans. This is the second time she has donated time and money for a children’s orphanage in a foreign country. Earlier this year, Luxe Life reported that her last-minute donations saved an African orphanage run by a British couple from going under when funds dried up. Cher also works hard behind-the-scenes on a U.S. charity dedicated to the medical care of brain-damaged children born with facial deformities anywhere in the world.

Cher World also had the scoop: http://www.cherworld.com/news/?p=669

  

Merry Christmas Cherkids!

December 18, 2008 / / 10 Comments

S&cxmasThis will probably be my last posting before Christmas. And here I wanted to get to the latest Cherity news and some neato blog posts out there. Oh well, maybe in a few weeks we can get to those.

In the meantime, it’s a bit gloomy this year as holidays go: what with nobody having any money, all the financial scams being exposed (in both the private and government sectors), pitiful economy news day after day, shopping homicides (!), less sunlight, post-election withdraw, too many parties and obligations between Thanksgiving and the big day, right-wingers still insisting we all say the word Christmas, Christmas, Christmas 40 times a day because they’re inherently intolerant of sharing their holiday with other belief systems (where is the love, y’all?), a barrage of slashed-priced store sales reminding us how desperate the retail industry is, and my favorite holiday grievance–poorly strewn holiday lights on front lawns. I really hate that. I can’t stress this enough. I think subliminally it makes us all very grouchy. (for an example of bad Christmas decorating, see the Sonny & Cher Show set below; who hung that red garland so sloppily?) And people who can’t manage to string up their lights properly are always too lazy to take said atrocities down in a timely manner–which is January 1st people; it’s why you get the day off.

Day off/Lights off: just remember that.

Here are some Cher-related Christmas activities for you to do this week:

Continue reading

The Mustangs

December 5, 2008 / / 5 Comments

Mustangwithdog The Sonny & Cher Ford Mustangs are up for sale again next February, 2009. I’m so glad they never split up these two cars into separate foster homes. But I could swear I’ve seen them come up for sale before, maybe twice – hmmm  – maybe it’s the toy model versions I’m thinking of.

Anyway, if during this depression you find yourself with disposable cash for Cher stuff, please give it to Detroit car companies instead or save it to substitute for the next car loan you probably won’t get. Then again, these cars are symbols of The Great American-Made Car. Okay, go ahead and buy them if you must. But only as a political statement. 

The car stats:
These cars were customized by George Barris in 1966 and “are rolling tributes to the over-the-top style of the 1960s.” Groovy! You supposedly see them in Good Times but I can’t recall where.

From http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=136629:

“The Sonny car has an eye-opening Murano Gold Pearl exterior color, dark brown side panel and orange-and-gold "fadeaway" color treatment on the wheelwells and grille. The Cher car is a Hot Pink Pearl and Candy Red blend with deep red side panels. Should that combination seem too staid, a look at the interior should seal the impression of rococo '60s splendor. Sonny's Mustang has bobcat fur, buffed leather and "rustic suede" trim inside. Cher's is dripping with white ermine, hot pink suede and "Scottish leather" upholstery. Did we mention the 3-inch-long Mouton carpet — gold in the Sonny mobile and pink for Cher's car?” 1000dollarroadster

How to get them:
The cars will go on the block at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center over the weekend of February 6-8.

More on the mustangs: http://www.themustangnews.com/people_08/1208-sonny-cher-mustangs-chambers-133.htm (aww look! They got snowed on!)

More on the model kit: http://www.hieroglyph.net/chermodelkit.html

    

« Older posts Newer posts »

Cher Scholar reserves the right to modify or delete any comments deemed inappropriate at our discretion.

Email Cher Scholar

© 2026 I Found Some Blog

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑