CHRISTMAS SPECIAL! - The 12 Days of Pop Culture

For my final post of 2012, I thought I would do something special for Christmas (as it is in two days!).  I wanted to go through some of the things our wonderful Pop Culture has given us that are influences in my life.  Some of them are franchises, some of them are TV shows and some of them are just good plain fun!  So without further adieu, here is my special:

THE 12 DAYS OF POP CULTURE!

ON THE 12TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

12 Star Trek Movies

There is a theory that certain Star Trek films (Wrath of Khan, Undiscovered Country, First Contact) are better than others (The Motion Picture, Generations, Insurrection).  And though I don't really disagree, overall I would say this franchise has certainly made me quite happy (flaws and all!).  And with the 12th Trek film (Star Trek Into Darkness) coming out in Summer 2013, I will certainly be one of the "Trekkies" standing in line on opening day!

ON THE 11TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

11 Disney Princesses

Growing up with Disney as a major influence in my life, I certainly cannot ignore the numerous Princesses they have in their film line-up.  It was in the early 2000s though that someone in the Disney Marketing Department decided to turn these singing ladies into a diabolical money-making franchise.  They started with six initially (Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Belle and Jasmine).  They soon added Pocahontas and Mulan to the mix (despite the former only "technically" a Princess and the latter not being one at all!!!).  With the recent releases of The Princess and the Frog and Tangled, in came Tiana and Rapunzel.  And now with the Disney/Pixar flick Brave, lead character Merida will be added to the group come the new year.  (For those who agree with me and don't like counting Mulan, you can throw Enchanted's Gisele in her place despite that being mostly a live-action Disney film!)

ON THE 10TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

10 Seth MacFarlanes

It seems like Seth MacFarlane is everywhere now!  He had a hit movie over the summer (Ted) and will be hosting the 2013 Academy Awards (censors be on guard!!!).  And, of course, we cannot forget his immensely popular TV empire: his FOX Animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show.  Within this empire, MacFarlane himself voices 10 regular characters on all three shows together.  On Family Guy, he voices Griffin family members Peter, Brian and Stewie along with neighbor Glenn Quagmire, Carter Pewterschmidt (Peter's father-in-law), newsman Tom Tucker and Quahog's resident physician Dr. Hartman.  On American Dad!, he voices lead characters Stan Smith and alien Roger; while over on spin-off Cleveland Show, he voices neighbor Tim the Bear (if you've never seen the show, don't ask!).  That's a lot of personalities for one man to have inside him (and yes, I know what I just said!).

ON THE 9TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

9 Christmas Specials

In my childhood, Christmas was a time to watch some great Holiday TV.  And there were 9 Animated ones that were musts in my family.  There was A Garfield Christmas and A Claymation Christmas Special that were new during my childhood.  There were always the Rankin/Bass specials, of which 3 were the best: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and Frosty the Snowman.  There were two very important Animated versions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol: Mr. Magoo's and Mickey Mouse's. But the two that were the most important were Dr. Seuss' classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas (not the Jim Carrey one!) and the beloved A Charlie Brown Christmas.

ON THE 8TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

8 Harry Potters

He's protected a stone, escaped a secret chamber, hidden a prisoner, "gobletted" his way through a tournament, joined an order, studied a half-blood prince and even faced death itself.  No matter how you cut it, we're just wild about Harry Potter!  Though J.K. Rowling only wrote 7 books, the people at Warner Brothers decided to split the final book into two installments.  Therefore, they gave audiences 8 chances to put the boy wizard with the lightning scar and his friends in film franchise history as the biggest money-making movie series of all time.  However, this has now spawned a bunch of copycats in that they want to split a book (or a series' final book) into two or three films (see Twilight, The Hunger Games and The Hobbit!).

ON THE 7TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

7 Star Wars Movies

Growing up, George Lucas' first three Star Wars films (Episodes IV through VI, if you're counting!) were like a religion in my household (thanks to my brother!).  And while the prequels have gone down as paling in comparison to the glory that is the original trilogy, I was still there on opening day of all three of those bastards!  And even though the Animated Clone Wars film made me want to throw an Ewok off the Endor moon, I'm still excited by the possibility of yet another Star Wars movie now that Disney has picked up the franchise and future development rights.

ON THE 6TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

6 Different Bonds

I already spoke this year about my appreciation for the James Bond films.  And on that list, there was at least one film of each of the six actors who have taken on the role of the superspy (especially in George Lazenby's case!).

ON THE 5TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

5 Muppet Show Seasons!

This one is fairly self-explanatory (and if it isn't, you can all brush up on your Googling!).

ON THE 4TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

4 Jack Sparrows

Who knew Disney could manage to make a lot of money and some pretty exciting films (though the fourth one is kind of a tedious vehicle!) based on a singular Disney ride?  The popular attraction has now resurrected Johnny Depp as a bankable movie star and produced some very interesting characters (from Orlando Bloom's Errol Flynn-like Will Turner to Keira Knightley's lovely Elizabeth Swann or Geoffrey Rush's opportunistic Barbosa to Ian McShane's wicked Blackbeard!).

ON THE 3RD DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

3 Frodo Films

With the first of Peter Jackson's three Hobbit prequels out this month, I was greatly reminded of Jackson's brilliant trilogy which basically began the 21st Century.  All three films got nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award in their respective years and the final installment triumphed in winning all 11 of the categories for which it was nominated (including Best Picture!).

ON THE 2ND DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

2 Brothers Grimm

This one has a double meaning!  It is true that there were two Grimm Brothers (Jacob and Wilhelm) who helped to popularize the classic folk and fairy tales for Western Culture.  And it has been said that the two brothers were completely different in personality.  It is believed that elder brother Jacob, the philosopher, had an affinity for the darker side of the tales; while younger brother Wilhelm had a yen for the romantic side of them (as Romanticism was becoming quite popular throughout Europe at the time!).  And now it seems that things have come full circle as two extremely popular and extremely different drama series air on TV.  On NBC, Grimm modernizes the tales and fits them more into a dark and gritty crime procedural that Jacob might have enjoyed.  Meanwhile over on ABC, Once Upon a Time's modernization is mixed with the romanticism (and serial soap opera-style) of the fairy tale world that would have appealed to young Wilhelm.

AND..

ON THE 1ST DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

A Road Made of Yellow Brick!

And what Holiday season would be complete without a trip over the rainbow?  During my childhood, L. Frank Baum's glorious and magical land of Oz was quite a favorite of mine.  It was brilliantly showcased on the big screen in 1939's classic movie musical (a gem for all to see!) and has been adapted in several ways from books (novels and comic books!) to the stage (see Wicked!).  Sometimes I feel all I need is a walk down a Yellow Brick Road to make me feel in good spirits.  Perfect for any season (Holiday or no Holiday!).

HAPPY CHRISTMAKWANZUKUH!

AND SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR!

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS: Tell Me Lies...

We've heard them all.  People use them all the time.  In fact, the advent of new kinds of media has been accused (accurately or inaccurately) of increasing the volume of them.  I'm talking about the art of telling lies. It goes back as far as Adam and Eve (you know when Eve asked Adam if her fig leaf made her look fat and he told her "No.").  Entertainers, Celebrities, Athletes and (duh!) Politicians have lied to us so many times that it's become "old hat" in our culture.  They've even told lies upon lies.  Some of them have become very inventive and creative in their lying that you just have to marvel at their dishonest artistry.  In my years as a so-called "Pop Culture Critic," I have deciphered that there are 7 types of lies that are the most common.   They also get used so often that they have become the hardest types to tell if they are in fact lies.  And for a Special Note, just to show that there is no form of political bias: ALL Politicians on both sides of the aisle have used EVERY one of these types of lies making neither side superior to the other.

The Flat-Out Denial - This is the obvious one.  It's like when the kid breaks his mother's vase and says: "I didn't do it."  Or when a notable criminal, who they have clear evidence of committing the crime, pleads "Not Guilty" in court.  It is fairly straightforward, but it is a type of lie nonetheless.

The Lie by Omission - Another really common one.  It's when a person withholds certain (most likely pertinent) information that is often in some shady gray area on the moral compass.  It probably stems from the hostile and antagonistic relationship between interrogators and suspects (you know: Anything you say can be used against you... or Just state your Name, Rank and Serial Number... and the like).

The Lie of Definitions - This is a term I coined myself when I was in High School.  Another term for it could be "Mincing Words."  And those who know me, know that I love a good "Word Mince."  Two of the best examples of it that I can think of are both political and were both in the 1990s (and were the impetus for the coining of the term!).  President George H. W. Bush infamously said in a speech that there would be "No New Taxes."  The important word in that statement being "New."  He didn't create new taxes, he just raised a lot of the older, already established taxes...for the middle and lower classes.  Later that same decade, President Bill Clinton sparked a national debate on the definition of "Sex" when he was asked if he had sex with intern Monica Lewinsky and said "No," meaning that he did not have sexual intercourse with her which (technically) was true.  He had, however, engaged in oral sex with the woman in the confines of the Oval Office.  In both cases, the Former Presidents weren't (technically) lying based on what they said, but the spirit of their statements were torpedoed by the actual truth.

The Little White Lie - This one is probably the most common as we all have done it.  And usually, it is not done with malicious intent.  More often it is done to spare someone's feelings or keep the peace between certain people (like families, friends or co-workers!).  The best example is when you go to see a friend's concert or stage performance and it is not very good, but you tell them they did a "Good Job!" just so they don't feel bad.  Its also often called "the tiny little fib."  It is not to be confused with...

The Snowball Lie - Also known as "The House that Jenga Built."  This is when you tell what you think is a little fib, but then you have to tell another lie to keep up with the original.  And then another.  And another.  And another until it becomes a lie to big to handle.  Conspiracies tend to fall in this category as, in most cases, they are made up of small (and sometimes NOT so small) lies to cover up one huge and usually illegal truth.  Sorry to say kiddies, but the whole "Santa Claus" myth tends to fall under this category.  Rather fitting when Santa and Snowballs come together!

The Inference Allowance - This one is often a combination of some of the types I've already mentioned.  And its such a gray area that it needs its own special category.  Its basically when you allow somebody to think something you know for a fact is not true, but you just don't correct them.  It can happen through omission, denial or pure semantics (re: mincing words!), but it does happen.  In popular culture, it often happens when a famed celebrity couple divorces.  Our media is so hungry for there to be a "bad guy" in the situation that one of the couple (most often the guy) allows the media to paint them as say a cheater or a deadbeat or an emotionally distant jerk.  Therefore, the public infers what they think is the truth (or more precisely what they've been told is the truth) and it is just never corrected.

The Lie to the Telemarketer - I do this one all the time...and I don't feel one twinge of remorse about it.  This is the most acceptable of all types of lies!  Who cares if one lies to a Telemarketer?  Its not like they're gonna come after you.  And even if they did, you could probably gather a whole group of people who would be on your side and they'd lie to protect you!

Now, you may be wondering: "What the hell does all this mean anyway?"  You're thinking that a lie is a lie and it doesn't matter whether its by omission or mincing words or a tiny fib, its still wrong.  And on some level, you're right.  But the purpose of all this is that in this day and age where everyone tends to lie (and even lie about lying!), dissecting the different types of lies might bring us all to a better understanding and weed out those who lie for their own gain (cause lying to a Telemarketer will always be acceptable!).  Now, for your listening and viewing entertainment, watch Fleetwood Mac's 1980s hit "Little Lies" because...well I need to finish this article with something!

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS: What Will Be Remembered?

Over this past weekend, I was on a little trip for a family gathering and a very interesting question was posed that I felt just had to be the topic of my next post: What media works of today will be remembered in about 50 years?  Now initially the question was referring to Television programs, but I decided to expand it into Movies, Music artists and (being a Broadway Baby!) Broadway shows.  In order to answer this question, I had to think of what (in each of those categories) is considered the most memorable and compare contemporary works to the legacy of those most memorable (it seems a bit unfair, but it is the best way to do it!).

Let's begin with Television.  When it comes to TV, no show will probably ever have the legacy that I Love Lucy has had.  Thanks to years of constant reruns and a multitude of people (especially women) singing the praises of Lucille Ball and her comic antics, the show has gained an iconic status that really no other TV series (sitcom or drama) will ever touch.  When you think of other shows over the years that can even come close, the "usual suspects" crop up: Bonanza, All In the Family, The Cosby Show, Seinfeld and even The Simpsons.  And of all of those, only the latter still has new episodes currently airing.  So what other shows of today even have a shot of being remembered in even 20 years?  Two of the first shows that popped into my mind (basically because of their unique qualities that are now trying to be copied on rival networks!) are the critically favored cable drama Mad Men and the extremely popular musical dramedy Glee.  But because of behind-the-scenes drama (on both shows!) and sagging storylines, the shows are showing signs of  trouble living up to their earlier successes and therefore may just end up becoming footnotes in the history of early 21st Century TV.  The same can be said for shows like 30 Rock or Modern Family (each universally considered two of the best sitcoms on Television today!) as they have had some trouble keeping the same "fire" they had in their respective first seasons.  And when it comes to dramas, most of the shows that are popular are police procedurals or part of a "franchise" like Law & Order or CSI.  Of the Reality TV contingent (cause let's face it, Reality TV will be remembered in some way or another!), the one with the clearest shot at memorability is American Idol as it has spawned a number of copycat shows which have become equally popular (re: The Voice or The X-Factor).  Only time will tell if any of these shows will even come as close to Lucy's legacy (or even Seinfeld's!).  The thing that has had a bigger impact on TV in the last ten years and will most definitely be remembered will be the advances in online viewing, in particular YouTube.  But that is probably a topic for another day, so on to the Movies!

When it comes to the classics in film, Oscar-winners like Gone With the Wind and Casablanca are two of the biggest icons.  In the late 20th Century, they were joined by films like The Godfather and Star Wars.  But of the films of today, the ones that make money are the surefire fan-based blockbusters like Avatar or the Harry Potter films or current box-office champ The Hunger Games.  And the ones that win awards lately have tended to be more charming or poignant independent fare like The Artist or The King's Speech or The Hurt Locker (the latter has the lowest box-office take of any Best Picture winner!).  Like I Love Lucy above, Gone With the Wind was a game-changer.  And when it comes to film, the game-changers get remembered.  Too many of the ones I just listed from the last 10 years are copying the same trends in which Hollywood studios just love to take part.  And when it comes to trends, just take a look at the Music business!

Elvis is the first name on a long list of Music icons we will never forget.  Among other members of that list include Michael Jackson, Madonna and, of course, The Beatles.  Like in movies, game-changers get remembered.  But does Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber count as game-changers.  Lady Gaga has the multitudes of Twitter followers, Bieber has the legacy of YouTube in his backstory and someone like Taylor Swift has the love and support of millions of little girls (despite the accusations of using auto-tuning!).  Compare them to the likes of more talented performers like Adele or Rihanna.  Or compare them to more controversial (yet still talented) artists like Kanye West or Bon Iver.  When it comes to Music these days, critical acclaim is taken into account as much as popularity.  And with so many possibilities, its hard to decipher which group or artist will be remembered with the likes of Elvis, MJ or even The Beatles.  

And on Broadway lately, money seems to be the all-important factor in being remembered.  Hell, its even the all-important factor in getting the big awards (Tony voters tend to chose the shows that will have the best chance of touring well!).  So the question becomes: Will a big hit with critics and audiences like The Book of Mormon ever be remembered in the same way as landmark musicals like Oklahoma!, West Side Story, Fiddler On the Roof or even long-running (and still going!) champ The Phantom of the Opera?

The ultimate point in all of these cases is that the shows, films and artists of today may never have the iconic status that their respective predecessors have had, but you can tell which ones have the best shot at getting into the proverbial "Time Capsule."  And trends are important.  Without them, pop culture would not be what it is.  However, it does seem to be the work that steps away from the trends (or perfect them in a way!) that get their place in the Pantheon of Great Media.

10 FAVORITES (48) - 2011: A Year In Review

Well everyone, Christmastime is upon us and we are almost at the end of 2011.  But what were the most important events that occurred in our culture over the last year?  This week's 10 FAVORITES is a special 2011 review, picking the 10 moments that shaped the entertainment and pop culture world over the last 364 days (give or take a few!).

2011: A YEAR IN REVIEW

EASTERN CHANGES

The Deaths of Bin-Laden, Gaddafi, Kim Jong-Il and the Resignation of Mubarak

The Middle Eastern region was given quite an uproar over the last year.  First, Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak resigned in disgrace after over two weeks of riots and demonstrations against his questionable leadership.  Then, after years of hunting him down, President Barack Obama announced at the end of May that justice has been served as a US Seal team had found and assassinated Al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama Bin-Laden.  After a long summer, Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was killed by rebels after NATO took down his forces.  And if all that wasn't enough, recently from the Far East, North Korea revealed that their "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-Il had passed away (from unknown causes!).  Could it be that these once troubled nations will live in peace with the rest of the world?  Or are they in a deeper abyss of despair than they once were?  Only time shall tell.

WINNING!

Charlie Sheen's Meltdown

Talk about a method to leave a hit network show!  Former Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen seemed to be on a downward spiral since his very public arrest last year at Christmastime.  But halfway through his firing from the CBS ratings bonanza, he informed us all that he is not like us.  No, he has "tiger-blood" and "adonis DNA," so you cannot apply the same rules to him as you do us mere mortals.  By all accounts (according to Sheeen!), he is clearly "Winning!"  And with those statements, the Charlie Sheen meltdown was off and running.  He, of course, tried to use it to his advantage by launching a critically panned lecture tour and signing on for a new "sitcom" with a cable network (where apparently he doesn't have the "creative" restraints that a broadcast network has!).  If this is "Winning!" Mr. Sheen, then, by all means, have at it.

A ROYAL WEDDING

William and Kate Make It Official

30 years after his parents had their lavish and hard-to-compete-with Royal wedding, Prince William married his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton.  With this marriage, they are now officially referred to as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  The wedding was watched in almost every country by millions upon millions, and in this 24/7 Internet age the wedding was watched over and over again.  Now, almost 8 months after the wedding, the rumors are flying (marriage in trouble, Kate's baby bump, etc.).  But despite all this, the couple seem happy in their new life together.  Let us hope they can weather the storm that is the media hype and the "Royal fishbowl" together in health and happiness.

GOODBYE AND A-HA!

Oprah's Farewell

After 25 years of laughs, tears, screams, celebrities, favorite things and A-ha moments, talk show queen Oprah Winfrey aired the final episode of her show at the end of May.  There was a lot of build up to that final hour.  The two days before were devoted to a "Surprise Spectacular" that was held for Ms. Winfrey at Chicago's United Center where every celebrity from Tom Hanks to Will Smith to Madonna to Beyonce to Aretha Franklin paid homage to the woman that has shaped our culture for the last quarter of a century.  On the final day, there was just a chair and Ms. Winfrey speaking to her audience (both in studio and not) about what this journey has meant to her.  She did not say "Goodbye," but she did say "Until we meet again."  And, of course, with her new network OWN, we shall be seeing her again.  But thanks to her daily talk show, our culture was never the same.

THE MAGIC ENDS

Harry Potter Casts His Final Spell

7 books plus 8 movies equals a pop culture phenomenon.  J. K. Rowling's sprawling fantasy series about the boy wizard with a lightning scar has been read by billions.  Her last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was wisely turned into two movies by Warner Brothers (the company that had been producing the other 6 films!).  Part I premiered in November of last year and Part II became one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the last decade.  On July 15, the world watched as the cast (which has been mostly the same since the first film!) played their parts for the eighth and final time.  The movie was a box office smash making almost $400 million in the U.S. and triple that worldwide (cementing the Harry Potter film series as the highest grossing film franchise of all-time!).  The reviews for the film were among the best any of the others within the series.  And thanks to DVD (and countless TV airings), the series shall live on forever.

A FAIRY TALE WEDDING (AND ITS UNHAPPY ENDING!)

Kim Kardashian Weds (and Divorces!)

There are just no words people!  This is our culture these days!  And I blame all of you.  Just so you know.

FALL TV 2011

All the Single Ladies!

The ladies certainly made good this Fall TV season.  Several of the new shows centered around women (mostly single!) and each of them had varying degrees of success (and others just flopped!).  FOX sitcom New Girl starring the charming Zooey Deschanel became the surefire hit of the new season garnering praise for its star and its style.  The show received top nominations at the Golden Globes (for Best Comedy Series and Best Actress for Ms. Deschanel).  Other female-centric sitcoms that hit it big were NBC's Up All Night (starring Christina Applegate and SNL alum Maya Rudolph), ABC's Suburgatory, and CBS' 2 Broke Girls (co-created by comedienne Whitney Cummings, whose other sitcom NBC's Whitney received renewal!).  Then there are the female-lead dramas.  The biggest ratings hits were CBS' Unforgettable (starring Without a Trace's Poppy Montgomery) and ABC's Revenge (featuring a deliciously wicked Madeleine Stowe), the latter garnered a Golden Globe nod for Lead Actress (Ms. Stowe).  Other dramas included ABC's Sunday package (alongside their outgoing hit Desperate Housewives!): the fantasy-themed Once Upon a Time and the 60's era stewardess tale Pan Am.  And the CW had a string of female-lead dramas (The Ringer, Hart of Dixie and The Secret Circle), all of which received renewal from the 5th place network.  As for ABC's reboot of Charlie's Angels and NBC's 60's era The Playboy Club (each female-lead!), the axe fell pretty quickly when the ratings were not high.  And unfortunately, NBC also cancelled the high quality American reboot of Prime Suspect, which featured a powerful and nuanced performance from star Maria Bello.  This Fall certainly was all about the Ladies!

THE RAINBOW RETURNS

The Muppets Make a Comeback

I have said so much about my love for The Muppets.  And this Thanksgiving, I got the wish I had been wishing for for over a decade.  A brand new theatrically-released Muppet movie (simply titled: The Muppets).  The movie was such a nostalgic throwback for me, yet still had enough modern sensibility that it could thrill children today.  All of my favorites were there: from Kermit the Frog to Miss Piggy to Fozzie Bear to The Great Gonzo to The Electric Mayhem!  And each character had their moment to shine.  There were certainly moments when my eyes welled with tears (remembering the happiness with which these colorful characters filled my childhood).  And there, of course, were moments where I laughed so hard that I could cry.  The Muppets are back and I hope it won't be too long before I see them again!

THE G.O.P. DEBATES

Political Pundits Remain Flummoxed

After a few months of debates between the high-profile Republican party Presidential candidates for next year's election, there still is no clear front-runner as far as the major media outlets are concerned.  Some say that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich leads in the polls.  A lot of the Republican experts still favor former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.  And many of the Republicans I know personally have claimed they will vote for Ron Paul.  And with the dropping out of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and the scandal that forced Herman Cain to suspend his seemingly successful campaign, many Conservatives are concerned they will not find someone who can take on President Obama in the 2012 General Election.  In the next coming months, as we have more debates and several states begin their important primaries, we shall see which one of these people shall emerge as the GOP's candidate for President.

IN MEMORIAM 2011

Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Falk, Amy Winehouse, Andy Rooney & Steve Jobs

We lost a lot of great people in 2011.  Among the most notable included 60 Minutes icon Andy Rooney, troubled pop singer Amy Winehouse, TV's Columbo Peter Falk, Apple founding "genius" Steve Jobs and Hollywood's ever-glamorous leading lady Elizabeth Taylor.  They live on for us through their contributions and their impact on the culture.

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS: For the Glory of 11-11-11

It's all over the Internet so I cannot see how anyone could have missed the coincidental date today, but just in case: November is the 11th month and today (Veteran's day) is the 11th day of November AND it is the year 2011.  Therefore, the date on all the calendars reads: 11/11/11.

In honor of it being Veteran's Day, I am taking a break from pontificating in a long, drawn out column this week.  Instead, I want to dedicate this post to all the Veterans of the United States Military (all branches!) and thank them for their sacrifice and their service.  

For your viewing pleasure, here is a song from the Broadway musical The Civil War (by Frank Wildhorn, Jack Murphy and Gregory Boyd) accompanied by photos of what the sacrifice our Veterans have made and what it means to this great nation.

HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY ON THIS 11/11/11!

Top 60 Sitcoms...In 30 Days! - The Best Sitcom of All-Time

Well, here we are!  30 days ago, I started my list of the 60 Greatest Sitcoms of All-Time.  Now, we have arrived at the moment of truth.  The Sitcom that has earned the honored position of #1.  Before I reveal the beloved series, take a "quick look" below at the 59 other Sitcoms you have seen over the past few weeks.  After that recap, you shall see which highly acclaimed Sitcom was so deserving of the #1 spot in our Countdown.

THE 60 BEST SITCOMS

QUICK RECAP:

60. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

59. Community

58. Coach

57. South Park

56. Scrubs

55. Head of the Class

54. Parks and Recreation

53. Diff'rent Strokes

52. Welcome Back, Kotter

51. The Drew Carey Show

50. The Office

49. 3rd Rock From the Sun

48. Family Matters

47. NewsRadio

46. Benson

45. Modern Family

44. The Bob Newhart Show

43. WKRP In Cincinnati

42. The Honeymooners

41. Wings

40. The Big Bang Theory

39. Designing Women

38. Mad About You

37. Family Guy

36. Perfect Strangers

35. How I Met Your Mother

34. Three's Company

33. Arrested Development

32. Newhart

31. Maude

30. Married...With Children

29. Laverne & Shirley

28. Hogan's Heroes

27. Will & Grace

26. The Andy Griffith Show

25. Bewitched

24. Soap

23. Roseanne

22. The Odd Couple

21. Family Ties

20. 30 Rock

19. Taxi

18. The Dick Van Dyke Show

17. The Jeffersons

16. Happy Days

15. The Mary Tyler Moore Show

14. Barney Miller
13. Murphy Brown
12. Frasier
11. I Love Lucy
10. Everybody Loves Raymond
9. Night Court
8. Seinfeld
7. Friends
6. The Golden Girls
5. The Simpsons
4. All In the Family
3. The Cosby Show
2. M*A*S*H

AND NOW...

THE BEST SITCOM OF ALL-TIME

1. Cheers, NBC (1982-1993)
What made this Sitcom so great?  Was it the eleven years as a highly respected program?  Was it the delightful cast whose careers became synonymous with their characters?  Was it the multiple upon multiple Emmy Awards and nominations the series received throughout its critically acclaimed run (even after Kirstie Alley took over for original star Shelley Long halfway through!)?  Or was it just the fact that many hilarious memories can come from just thinking of that quaint Boston bar (which has now become a "tourist mecca" in the New England metropolis!)?  Growing up in the 1980s, Cheers was the Sitcom to watch.  It was (even then!) considered the definitive in sophisticated writing, quirky characters, entertaining ensemble and perfect storytelling.  The finale (in May of 1993) was as much of an event (especially on NBC!) as any other program I had ever seen.  The relationship between former baseball pitcher-turned bartender Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and snooty waitress Diane Chambers (Ms. Long, who departed the show midway through its run) became the standard that all other great TV couples have been measured against.  Characters like Carla Tortelli (the spunky Rhea Perlman), Cliff Clavin (PIXAR fave John Ratzenberger), Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer, who successfully lead his own spin-off series!) and Norm Petersen (the brilliantly funny George Wendt) became a part of our lives.  The show even launched Woody Harrelson's successful career (two Oscar nods is not bad for the boy who started playing a dim-witted hick bartender!).  Though not the ratings juggernaut it soon became in its run, critical praise and tons of Emmy love (plus lots of support from NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff!) kept the show on people's radar enough to make it one of the most beloved programs both in its initial runs and during syndication.  I guess people always "want to go where people know people are all the same."  I guess we just "want to go where everybody knows your name."

There you have it.  The #1 Sitcom of All-Time is a show I grew up with being praised left and right.  All of these Sitcoms have influenced so much of what is on TV today.  I hope you enjoyed this list and if you disagree with the choices, that's okay!  We are all allowed our own opinions.  Each of these shows (no matter where they ranked here!) have earned a place in someone's heart.

Top 60 Sitcoms...In 30 Days! - Part V(d)

We only have 3 Sitcoms left in our Countdown.  Tomorrow, I shall reveal which one has the coveted #1 spot on our list.  But today, let's take a look at the two Sitcoms that came down to the wire to earn the bronze and silver medals on our list.

THE 60 BEST SITCOMS - PART V(c)

Click here for Part I: #'s 60-49.

Click here for Part II: #'s 48-37.

Click here for Part III: #'s 36-26.

Click here for Part IV: #'s 25-16.

15. The Mary Tyler Moore Show

14. Barney Miller
13. Murphy Brown
12. Frasier
11. I Love Lucy
10. Everybody Loves Raymond
9. Night Court
8. Seinfeld
7. Friends
6. The Golden Girls
5. The Simpsons
4. All In the Family

3. The Cosby Show, NBC (1984-1992)
Comedian Bill Cosby had several TV projects under his belt -- each of them with varying degrees of success (I Spy, Fat Albert and The Electric Company among the more notable of them!) -- by the early 1980s.  But when Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner (former executives at ABC) wanted to start their own production company, they knew they wanted someone like Mr. Cosby to star in the series to launch that company.  What they came up with was not only a great Sitcom, but a groundbreaking one.  It was Cosby's decision that the family portrayed in his new Sitcom be a family of financial means.  He would play a doctor and the wife (played by the multi-talented Phyllicia Rashad) would be a lawyer.  We had seen smart and intelligent African-American parents on TV before this (see Good Times or Julia).  But this was one of the first times in Television History that an African-American couple would be portrayed as extremely well-educated and fairly financially independent.  As Cliff and Clair Huxtable, Cosby and Rashad had an amazing chemistry.  They were loving, tender, caring and sensible not only with their children but with each other.  The Huxtables had 5 children: Sondra (Sabrina LeBeauf) was a student at Princeton; Denise (Lisa Bonet) was a typical high school student who became a college student during the run (which spawned the successful spin-off A Different World); Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) was (at the beginning) a 15 year-old boy who wanted nothing in life but just money and women; Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) was (at first) the pre-teen learning about the typical teenage problems and was often in trouble with her mother as years went on; and Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) was the baby of the family at 5 years-old when the series started (she too went through some of the same pre-teen problems Vanessa had encountered towards the end of the series).  Each of the kids had a special bond with their parents that made the family that much more relatable to audiences.  The show was an instant success and was a #1 show off-and-on for most of the decade.  The series not only inspired other shows that prominently featured African-Americans (like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air or Family Matters), but it also inspired NBC and the other networks to look for more shows they could base on a comedian's family life (see Roseanne, Home Improvement or Everybody Loves Raymond).  This Sitcom was truly a favorite of mine growing up and cemented NBC's extremely powerful (and marketable) Thursday "Must See TV" line-up.

2. M*A*S*H, CBS (1972-1983)

Only 2 Sitcoms share the most Emmy nominations for Best Comedy Series (both shows getting nominated each of their 11 seasons!).  The other one, obviously, you will see tomorrow.  But this was the first one to gain that record.  It also managed to set some other records in the TV History books.  Developed by former Sid Caesar writer Larry Gelbart, it was one of the first successful TV shows to be based on a film (a critically acclaimed and Oscar-winning film for that matter!).  It was also among a crop of Sitcoms (along with All In the Family and Maude) that constantly blurred the lines between Comedy and Drama, much like the film had.  In fact, because of its setting, M*A*S*H so naturally blended those lines that it is now considered (by many within the industry!) to be the forerunner to "the Dramedy."  In the series, Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers took on the roles that Donald Sutherland and Elliot Gould had made famous in the film, Captain Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce and Captain "Trapper" John McIntyre, respectively.  The two surgeons passed their time in Korea by flouting authority and commenting on the senselessness they felt was around them.  They were the constant thorn in the side of their imbecilic tent-mate Major Frank Burns (the late Larry Linville) and his off-and-on paramour head nurse Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Hoolihan (the delightful Loretta Swit).  As the show went on (over three times as long as the actual Korean War!), Rogers' Trapper John left the series and was replaced by Mike Farrell as Captain B. J. Hunnicut.  And for the seriousness of the war to hit home with audiences, they had one of their lead characters (Colonel Henry Blake, played by McLean Stevenson) killed by enemy fire as he was on his way home to the United States (all off-screen, mind you!).  The series broke further ground by taking chances with the style of some of their episodes.  They did episodes that were done in documentary-style.  They did an episode in "real time" (meaning the occurrences within the episode happened within exactly a half-hour!).  They did an episode from the point of view of one the soldiers wounded and sent to the 4077th.  And in their finale, the CBS Network pulled out all the stops and asked for a 2 and half-hour movie (directed and co-written by Alan Alda!).  The finale (which aired in February 1983) became one of the most watched programs of all-time.  It is considered (by many!) to be the most memorable finale in Television History (we all remember the iconic "Goodbye" laid out in rocks as Alan Alda rides out of Korea on a helicopter!).  The show changed the way we think about Sitcoms to this very day and will always be remembered for its challenging style.

Only one show could earn the #1 spot on our list.  Tune in tomorrow (even if you've figured it out already!) to see what successful Sitcom will hold the honor of the Best Sitcom of All-Time.