Random Thoughts

Is there a bigger schmuck on the planet than Adam Sandler? How does this guy do it? Makes one bad movie after another and people keep on paying to see him. Apparently, his signature comedic move is getting hit in the family jewels and then making really grimacy faces. He actually had the cohones to star in a remake of Frank Capra's "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town", originally starring Gary Cooper. That's like Tommy Sands filling in for Frank Sinatra.

Big flap in NYC over whether people who shovel out a parking space in the snow are entitled to save it by placing their garbage pails in the spot when they are not in it. Letters to the Editor of the Daily News are around 70% No, 30% Yes. Nobody owns the streets and it would be hard to justify saving a spot you had shoveled. On the other hand I'd be hard pressed to pull into a space I knew my neighbor had cleared.

Petty dictators like Hosni Mubarek should be on notice that sooner or later they will be toppled. Egypt's population in young and impatient with the old ways. They want freedom and jobs and futures for their families. Maybe other countries under the rule of despots will take heart and find the courage to do what must be done. It will unsettle this region to be sure, but it might help loosen the grip that fundamentalist Islamic clerics have on this part of the world.

There was an item in today's Staten Island Advance about Ray Larsen, a local man who was tragically killed while celebrating the New York Jets last win. After the game he went outside for a sleigh ride on the hill in front of his house. He traveled down the hill into the street into the path of a passing SUV. At a recent memorial family dinner at the Marina Cafe here in the neighborhood, the family was surprised and touched when the restaurant owner picked up the check for the 60-70 family members gathered there. "Ray was a regular here, a kind and good-hearted man" said the restaurant manager. It does my cynical heart good to read stories like this. There are still many good people in the world.

HBO ran a special on the great Sid Caesar, one of the most original and creative comedians of all time. Sid was smart enough to hire writers like Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Larry Gelbart and Neil Simon to provide quality scripts for "Your Show of Shows" week after grueling week doing the show live...no do-overs. Its hard to believe that Sid was knocked off the air by Lawrence Welk. As middle America got television sets, they just didn't get Sid's humor, but soaked up Welk and his Champagne Music Makers. What a loss.

Every year the Super Bowl hype grows. Over 100 million watched this year's event and saw a good game between two old NFL rivals. The super audience has created a buzz for TV commercial makers. There are people who watch just for the ads, some of which have been great in past years. This year's event was disappointing, from Christina Aguilara's "Star Mangled Banner" to a crop of disappointing commercials. The mini-Darth Vader was cute but it was clearly the best of a bad lot. C'mon Mad Men, you can do better.

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