Saturday, December 08, 2007

What You See Is What You Get


It was January, 1970, when we moved from St. Paul, Minnesota to Durham, North Carolina. Johnny Cash was always playing on the AM radio and later that year, when I was transferred to the newly integrated Walltown School just as the streets were being paved for the first time ever and I walked to school each day from a mostly white neighborhood, Flip Wilson helped break the ice. "The Devil made me do it," I'd say if confronted at the water fountain over some 5th grade matter. "What you see is what you get," I'd quote. Thank you for helping me adjust to the new situation on Tar Heel ground, Johnny and Flip, and happy birthday, Flip Wilson -- RIP. Ebony and ivory living in -- if not exactly harmony, at least in a ceasefire zone of mutual acquaintance.


Sean Connery and "Bond Girl" Kim Basinger, all of 54 today. Never say never, indeed.


9 1/2 Weeks. Yeah. Let's not forget her Detroit mother role in 8 Mile, either.


Jim Morrison (1943-1971), No One Here Gets Out Alive! He said it, man, not me.


Gregg Allman -- at 60, been married six or so times (including to Cher), he's outlived Duane (1946-1971) by a long shot. Laid back or plain crazy?


"Bond Girl" Teri Hatcher, 42. Well, from BG to desperate housewife, not looking too desperate here.


Vanessa Lorenzo. I know, I know -- her birthday was yesterday. What the hell, what the heck, another picture a day later. I swear: The Devil made me do it! What you see is what you get!

Today's Rune: Harvest.

Hasta la vista!

5 comments:

Lana Gramlich said...

"No One Here Gets Out Alive" was an enlightening work. It completely wiped out the miniscule respect I had for Jim Morrison to begin with. Ray was the real talent in that band. Head-shaking groovy!

Sidney said...

I watched "Flip" every Thursday night in those days. It was always loads of fun. I always loved his Rev. Leroy stories and Geraldine's talk of her boyfriend "Killer", and Flip always had great jokes on "The Tonight Show" too.

Johnny Yen said...

I loved the Flip Wilson show as a kid!

Nobody Gets Out of Here... was a fascinating book. It was a real snapshot of the sixties.

Anonymous said...

Time, the King.

Charles Gramlich said...

I'd almost forgotten about Flip Wilson but I used to watch it all the time too. Great memory.

Hard to believe Kim Basinger is 54.