Valentine’s Day Post-What A Joke!

I share lots of Dad jokes here at the ol’ blog, jokes for every occasion. I see no reason why Valentine’s Day should be any different. Here are a heart shaped box full of funnies to make you giggle. Also, if you haven’t gotten anything for your sweetheart, print these out and give them to him/her in a card. Way better than flowers. Trust me. Actually, no, don’t do that.

Here’s the jokes, folks:

-Who always has a date on Valentine’s Day?
A calendar.

-Why didn’t the skeleton get a present for his Valentine?
His heart wasn’t in it.

-What did one piece of toast say to the other?
“You’re my butter half!”

-What did the couple say after getting struck by Cupid’s arrow?
“Ouch!”

-What did the tortoise say on Valentine’s Day?
“I turt-ally love you!”

-Two antennae met on a roof, fell in love, and got married on Valentine’s Day. Their wedding ceremony wasn’t fancy, but the reception was excellent.

-What is an octopus’s favorite love song?
“I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Hand, Hand, Hand, Hand, Hand, Hand, Hand.”

-Why did the cannibal break up with his girlfriend?
She didn’t suit his taste.

-Did you hear about the bed bugs who fell in love?
They’re getting married in the spring!

-Why was the ghost sad on Valentine’s Day?
Because he didn’t have a boo.

-Why did the astronaut couple break up?
They needed space.

-What did the thread say to the needle?
“I’m sew into you!”

-Did you hear about the vampire wedding?
It was love at first bite.

-Did Adam and Eve have a date?
No, they had an apple.

-Why do Valentines have hearts on them?
Because spleens would look pretty gross.

-What’s the difference between a $25 steak and a $55 steak?
February 14th.

Okay, that’s it for this week. I’ll be back next Monday with more stuff, although there may be a tiny update this weekend. Stay tuned.

Elvis And Me

Let me tell you all about Elvis. No, not that one. This one’s smaller, scrappier, and furrier. He would also look better in a sequined jumpsuit, although that’s probably not going to happen. Also, this Elvis is actually ALIVE. Although, honestly, that was touch and go for a bit.

Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me go back a few weeks and start over.

Okay, so the first thing you need to know is that my wife and I are very much fans of adopting our pets. Well, the furry ones anyway. The turtle is another story. Anyway, all of our furry friends have been shelter animals. We had some discussions about the next dog we adopt being a Senior dog, since they don’t tend to be adopted very quickly and can spend quite a long time caged up while the cute little puppies go to a new home in a matter of days. I mean, sure, I get that. But Senior dogs still make good pets and there’s no reason why a healthy dog shouldn’t be able to spend its last four or five years in a loving home instead of a shelter.

This has tugged on our hearts for a while, and the thought was that after the current dog goes (something we hope doesn’t happen for a good, long while), we’d look for a Senior dog. Then, of course, we started thinking about getting a second dog, and pretty much decided against it, since the time, effort and costs involved seemed like they’d be a little much. However, we decided to keep our eyes open, just in case. You see where this is going, right?

Just a few days after Christmas, I searched the shelter pages on my phone, as I would randomly do every other month or so just to see what was what. I stumbled on a picture of a cute little guy that kinda stole my heart, and his story convinced me. His name was Melvin (not Elvis. Yet.), he was a nine year old terrier mix, he was described as a “cuddle machine”, and also as being deaf. I showed the listing to my wife, and we agreed that he’d be worth taking a chance on. So I went down to the shelter after work on Dec. 28th to meet the doggo possibly bring him home.

When I met him, he seemed pretty chill, and quite definitely deaf. The shelter said I could take him on a two week foster because of his deafness, and not have to pay anything or officially adopt until the trial period was over just in case a deaf dog wound up being too difficult for our household to manage. Seemed like a good deal to me, so I left with Melvin in tow. When I called Valerie to tell her I was coming home with the dog, she was happy, but mentioned that she wasn’t too thrilled about the name, since we already have a Mel in the house, and two didn’t sit right. So we tried a few names out over the phone, and she hit upon Elvis pretty quickly, since it has a lot of the same sounds involved and, let’s face it, is a way cooler name.

So we brought him home, had him meet our current dog Zoey, and the kids, and everything seemed all right. We were able to communicate through stomping on the floor or using a flashlight to get his attention, and were working on hand signs for simple commands as well. The first day and a half or so went really well. I even posted his picture on my Facebook page to talk about this cute little doggie we were fostering and possibly adopting. Everything was awesome!

Then it all changed. Elvis started sleeping a lot more, but I didn’t worry about that, he’d been through a lot recently, I figured he was just tired. His tiredness kept on, and he was acting disinterested in everything. We were beginning to think we got a dud of a dog. He was showing no signs of personality at all. Next thing you know, he didn’t want to eat. Between the two of us, we had enough experience to know that a dog not eating is a bad sign. So we figured he was sick.

On Jan. 6th we called the shelter back, and they had us bring him in for an exam. Yup, he had an infection. They sent us back home with some medicine and a special dog food diet. For two more days we fed him as best we could and got the medicine in him, but it wasn’t helping. In fact, he got worse. Even if you got down on the floor and spoon fed him the little guy wouldn’t eat. His poor little nose was running non stop and affecting his breathing. He wasn’t a “cuddle machine” at all-more like a snot machine. Valerie could pick him up and he was a lifeless lump in her arms. We were honestly worried that he wouldn’t make it through the night for two nights in a row. So we had to make he decision to surrender him back to the shelter two days later, even though it made us sad to do so. I was sure to tell them though that if he was to get better we would still be interested, and they said that they would give a call when/if he got better.

After a week went by, I decided to call the shelter and inquire about the dog, just to see if he was even still among us. I was told that he was much sicker than they had originally thought (duh), and that they had to up his medication. They gave him fluids as well, give him nose drops, and were keeping him in a room with a nebulizer. Poor little dude was going through it! The person I talked to seemed to think Elvis could still make it, and they’d let me know if he did.

On January 14th, we got the call. Elvis was ready to come home if we still wanted him. Well, yeah, of course. They were kind enough to restart the two week foster period, just in case, but we were free to come get him. So, with renewed hope, but low expectations I went and picked him up again. This time I was definitely not posting on Facebook about it, because I didn’t want to jinx it-and I didn’t talk about it either-just in case.

Elvis is alive-and almost a completely different dog! First of all, that whole not eating thing is a thing of the past. This is the most food motivated dog I have ever known (and that’s saying a lot) so much so that we actually have to hide food from him. He also likes to jump up on the couch for cuddles (not exactly a “machine”, but still nice), and he enjoys exploring the back yard. He’s also a little mischievous, but in a cute way. Turns out he’s a digger, which isn’t great, but he is going after the mole hills in back which is pretty great, so good boy I guess.

Oh, and we’ve also discovered he’s NOT DEAF. He may be a little bit hard of hearing, since there are some sounds he won’t respond to (or maybe he just doesn’t want to-he could be playing us, still not sure), but he does respond to our voices, and any type of package opening because it could be food.

So far, there hasn’t been too many problems between Elvis and Zoey either. They are both a little jealous of the other when it comes to pets. Zoey, sweet girl that she is, has always gotten all the pets, and she wants ALL THE PETS. Turns out Elvis wants ALL THE PETS too, so there is a bit of a minor rivalry going on there, and I am learning how to successfully pet two dogs simultaneously.

Elvis has snapped at Zoey a few times over food, but he is overly skinny and we think a little bit food insecure. Again, this is pretty minor and we are able to stop anything from getting out of hand. It’s only natural for there to be a little skirmish or two among the two of them as they figure out the pecking order, and Elvis gets used to how things work around here. Besides, they seem to get along pretty well otherwise. Zoey is a Huskador, and is quite a bit bigger than our little Elvis, so he does constantly get biffed in the face by her ever wagging tail, but he doesn’t seem to be too bothered. I have also seen him lick her on occasion as he walks by. So I don’t think there’s too much to worry about there.

As for the rest of us, well we are getting used to him and him to us. He does seem to like us a whole bunch, and we like him back too.

So much so that today we made it official. January 30th, a full month plus since we had our two week trial, Elvis is officially part of the family. He’s a Brink! We look forward to lots of fun and love from our new little buddy.

That’s the scoop for this week see you next time for more MonDAVES. Oh, and to my regular readers I say tank you. Thankyouverymuch.

Sorry. Had to.

Winter Jokes

We are well and truly into Winter here in the STL, and with a snowstorm expected tomorrow night, I thought it might be a fun to share a few Winter themed jokes,

Joke #1

Did you hear about the big Winter storm in New York? It got so cold the bankers were walking around with their hands in their own pockets.

Joke #2

A wife texts her husband on a cold Winter’s day: “Windows frozen. Won’t open”. So the guy texts back, saying “Pour lukewarm water on it”. The wife texts back “Computer’s really messed up now”.

Joke #3

Why are we only concerned about snowmen and not snowwomen? Because only a man is dumb enough to stand out in the cold without a coat.

Joke #4

Last Winter I went bobsleighing with the family. Killed 37 Bobs.

Joke #5

What do you call ten Arctic hares hopping backwards through the snow together? A receding hare line.

And finally, my favorite:

Joke #6

A baby polar bear goes up to his father and says “Daddy am I a Polar Bear?”

The dad says “Of course you’re a polar bear. I’m a polar bear, your mom’s a polar bear, you are a polar bear. Now get outta here and quit asking stupid questions.”

So the kid goes up to his mom and says “Mommy, am I a Polar bear? I mean, really and truly a polar bear?”

“Well of course you are, sweetheart” the mama says. “I am a polar bear, you’re father’s a polar bear, so that makes you a polar bear too. Now why would you ask such a question, dear?”

Kid says, “Because I’m FREEZING.”

Ha.

See you next week.

MonDAVEs Top Ten Records of 2022!

Well, it’s that time of year again, when all us music geeks get to talk about their favorite records of the year. 2022 was kind of an interesting year for me as far as my musical purchases go. There were only a few records I thought were excellent, but there wasn’t anything that I particularly despised either. Most records were just kind of somewhere in the middle for me. Maybe I’m getting older and a little bit jaded. Maybe it was a slow year. Maybe I’m just tired.

Anyway, here’s the top ten new release discs that kept my ears occupied this year.

10. Drive-By Truckers-Welcome To Club XIII
DBT is one of my all time favorite bands so it’s pretty rare when one of their albums doesn’t find its way into one of my top ten lists. This album is full of nostalgia for the band’s early days, reflective in tone, yet still somehow reflective of our time now. All the elements of the best Truckers records are on display from their alternative country style to an appreciation of Southern R&B, classic rock licks, and a punk attitude. This one came together in just a few days and was recorded quickly. Sometimes that can make for a great album, sometimes not. Welcome To Club XIII lands somewhere in between. There are some fine moments, no doubt, but a number of these songs feel like they could have been fleshed out a little more. Still, the high points are more than enough reason to keep returning to the club.

9. The Cult-Under The Midnight Sun
The Cult are one of those hard rock bands who have been around for a long time but flown just under the radar of massive popularity-though they have had their share of cult (no pun intended) success. They are mostly known as a hard rock outfit with wailing guitars by the underrated Billy Duffy and the Jim Morrison/Dave Vanian style lead vocals of Ian Astbury. They have always mixed AC/DC riffs with semi-goth imagery and pseudo-mysticism. It’s an interesting package for sure, but this album is a bit of a departure for the band. The hard rock side has been quite toned down here in favor of moodiness and slow grooves. It’s proven somewhat divisive among fans but the more time I spent with this album the more I liked it. It’s a grower for sure, but worth the effort.

8. Rolling Blackouts C.F.-Endless Rooms
I just discovered this group earlier this year while poking around the Sub Pop records store at the Seattle airport and looking for something new to listen to. This record was being pushed heavily, so I took the bait, and I’m glad I did. Rolling Blackouts C.F. (Coastal Fever) is an indie rock band who sound like American guys trying to sound British. Turns out they are Australian, which legitimizes it somehow. Anyway, the sound is somewhere between R.E.M. and Joy Division, minus the interesting front man and keys. RBCF instead has three guitarists and vocalists. While I am unfamiliar with their early work, this album uses these attributes to create an aural palate that is both familiar and fresh. It never quite works itself up into an all out rocker of an album, but it is an enjoyable and interesting listen.

7. Def Leppard-Diamond Star Halos
Like any band that has been around for decades, Def Leppard have made some really great albums and some really bad ones, with most falling somewhere in between, but more winners than losers I think. Diamond Star Halos is very nearly great, but it is also maddening when it falls short. First, the good stuff. Never ones to hide their influences, this album is at its best when the 70’s glam rock touches are focused on and come shining through. There are even a few riffs that recall the band’s pre-megastar days. There are a few surprises musically with Eastern influences and a bit of psychedelia mixed in here and there, and most of the ballads hit their mark expertly. The downside? Well, there’s a little bit too much of a cheese factor to a few of these songs, even for Def Leppard. The album is also far too long. By the time we get to the end of the record, the last few really good tracks suffer because the listener is just worn out. I’m also suspicious of the drums on some of these tracks-I think the original drum machine demo tracks were used in a few songs instead of using Rick Allen’s drum tracks. Granted, Allen plays a (mostly) electric kit, but there are at least two songs where it doesn’t sound like a human being playing at all-and believe me there is always a notable difference between man and machine. I could be wrong, but that’s the vibe I get. Still, the first half of this record is every bit as good as anything the band has put out in thirty years and is lots of fun. The second half not as much, but there are highlights to be heard throughout and it’s a great record to listen to in your car, way too loud, on a Summer’s drive. And if that isn’t reason enough to dig a Def Lep record I don’t know what is.

6. Sloan-Steady
I have heard Sloan referred to as Canada’s finest power pop band, and while I won’t disagree, I feel that descriptor to be both limiting and misleading. Sure, there’s lots of great hooks, but these songs are also smart. All four members write and sing lead, so with any Sloan record you’re liable to hear a hook filled sing along sing followed by a punchy, riffy rocker, then a thoughtful alternative piece, topped off with some AM gold. Then song #5 kicks in. The various writing styles are all obviously different, yet the songs fit together perfectly. Sloan have made a career out of delivering well crafted, clever rock songs and Steady continues that tradition. Well worth checking out for fans and newbies alike.

5. Nikki Lane-Denim And Diamonds
My favorite alt country record this year. Nikki Lane sings with a voice that sounds like a smoky club, and her songs speak of confidence brought on by mistakes made, lessons learned, and a quick witted irreverence flying in the face of what the world expects her to be. While this record is a little bit less country than her previous collection, it’s in there all the same. This record was produced by josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age, and his presence is felt early on, for better or worse. However, once he gets out of her way Nikki Lane makes some honest, observational music that makes this record a treat to listen to.

4. Off!-Free LSD
This is the punk rock record I didn’t know I was waiting for. This is aggressive music with intelligence, and a bend towards the artistic. The band consists of veterans from the hardcore scene, most notably the bands Circle Jerks and Redd Kross. While not quite as fast and angry as their debut, this record certainly carries that spirit. It also features some industrial noise style connecting tracks throughout the album in what I like to think of as punk rock’s Metal Machine Music, which I hope would make Lou Reed proud. This is a great record, and I am so happy these guys are back.

3. The Linda Lindas-Growing Up
For those who may have been living under a rock, the Linda Lindas are a pop punk band made up of teenage girls aged 12-18. They garnered national attention when their performance of “Racist, Sexist Boy” at the Los Angeles Public Library went viral and appeared on national news. While this album may have a little more polish on it than I would like, and indeed more than their EP and early singles had, there’s no denying the strength of the songs. They mix modern pop punk with early ’80s new wave structure and riot grrl attitudes. This is an album full of Girl Power anthems for Gen Z, and I am here for it. The Linda Lindas have gone from small gigs around LA to national tours, and I genuinely hope more big things are in their future.

2. Dropkick Murphys-This Machine Still Kills Fascists
Who ever thought that Celtic punks DKM would release a mostly acoustic, country tinged album of left over folk songs, and that said album would be one of their best? Nobody. probably, but here we are. The lyrics are unused pieces by the late great Woodie Guthrie. Since the band had covered some of his songs in the past to great success (Shipping Up To Boston, anyone?), Guthrie’s grand daughter Nora invited the band to go through the archives and see what they could find. Armed with a group of lyrics, the band set about writing songs that would honor Woody’s style, yet still be great DKM songs. They succeeded. Not only is this a welcome change to the catalog, but it’s just a really good, fun record that has been in constant rotation since I first heard it.

1. Eddie Vedder-Earthling
This is just a great record. Vedder is in fine voice throughout, and it actually sounds like he’s having fun making the album. These songs are all great, and the sound is fresh and upbeat, even when the lyrics might not be. Eddie brings in friends both famous and not to perform on the tracks, and the creative energy between them is felt on every song, which is infectious to the listener. Earthling is better than the last two Pearl Jam records combined, and it is hoped that some of this energy will spill over into the next PJ record so we can get another classic out of them. For now though. this will more than fit the bill and is absolutely deserving to be my record of the year.

Okay, so that’s the top ten. There were a few others I enjoyed this year that almost made the list, and I’m sure I’ll retroactively discover a record that should have made it (i always do!), but this is a pretty good representation of the music I enjoyed in 2022. Here’s to more great stuff next year and beyond!

Hey, since we won’t talk, have a happy and safe New Year’s celebration, and I’ll see you back here in 2023 for more MonDAVEs.

A Very MonDAVEs Christmas (Part Three)

This week I’ll be wrapping up this series on Christmas TV specials by looking at four classics that are practically guaranteed to make anybody feel like a kid again. Give them a view this week and get into the jingle mood!

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)

About ten or twelve years ago, one of my wife’s relatives had temporary custody (long story) of a young child who looked exactly like Hermey the elf. No exaggeration. Exactly like him. Hermey in human form. Iused to talk to him about what he wanted to be when he grew up and try to talk up the field of dentistry. I think about him this time of year and wonder if it stuck. I really, really hope so.

Anyway.

Rudolph the television show was based on Rudolph the song which was based on Rudolph the story written in 1939(!) by Robert L. May. Initially a storybook handed out for free by Montgomery Ward department stores, Rudolph has become an icon of Christmas, and quite a lucrative one, no doubt. Rudolph the song followed ten years later in 1949 and is still sung every year. In 1964, the Rankin/Bass company delivered the stop motion animated classic Rudolph television special, which is arguably his most popular adaptation. Rudolph appeared in cartoons, comic books, View Master reels (remember those?), and scores of other products but it is this special that most people think of whenever the red nosed reindeer is brought up.

Interestingly, the producers of the show didn’t have a copy of the original book when making the show. With only the song as a guide, Rankin/Bass added in a fairly wild original story where after being ridiculed for his shining nose Rudolph runs away from home with Hermey the elf who longs to be a dentist. Along the way they meet up with Yukon Cornelius (my favorite character, hands down) who is digging for gold, er, peppermint, and also hunting the Abominable Snowman because of course he is. Somehow or other the gang winds up on the Island of Misfit Toys (featuring toys such as a Charlie In The Box) before making their way back to the North Pole during a dense fog, prompting Santa to ask Rudolph to use his shiny nose to help guide the sleigh and save Christmas.

Nuts, right? But it works.

The reason it works is because Rudolph is all of us. We all feel like misfits to one degree or another and America loves an underdog story, so when Rudolph saves the day and finally gains acceptance we all cheer him on. Even Hermey and Yukon get accepted back into the community and everybody gets a happy ending. Even the misfit toys get picked up by Santa and delivered to grateful kids, although not originally. The special ends with scenes of Santa and Rudolph delivering toys while the credits roll. However, audiences were not satisfied with the unresolved ending for the misfit toys, so the credits were changed to show Santa delivering them to kids as well.

If you haven’t seen it for a few years, you may be surprised that the first part of the special can be a little difficult to watch, especially when the other reindeer are so cruel to Rudolph (with Santa being, well, oblivious at best) and Hermey gets into trouble with the head elf. However, the high points pull it all together nicely.

Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (1970)

After the success of Rudolph it was only natural the Rankin/Bass made a special featuring the big man himself. While it hasn’t quite attained the classic stature of Rudolph’s show, I think this special is every bit as good if not a little bit better, at least on the technical side. The animators have really improved the stop motion style on this one, and the story is sweeter overall.

This one is a version of the Santa origin story. It details how he fell in with the elves, why he goes by two names (Kris Kringle and Santa Claus), how he fell in love with Jessica, or Mrs. Claus as we know her today, and how and why the whole giving toys at Christmas bit started. The songs are quite catchy in this special as well, if not quite as classic.

It also features voice work by the late great Paul Frees, perhaps the only voice artist to give Mel Blanc a run for his money. Apart from doing voice work in numerous Rankin/Bass productions he worked for Jay Ward productions by voicing Boris Badenov and Inspector Frnwick in Rocky and Bullwinkle, also providing voices in Tom Slick and Super Chicken among others. Frees also narrated The Manchurian Candidate, did multiple voices for Disney projects, and played both John Lennon and George Harrison in The Beatles cartoon. Google his resume, it will knock your socks off. Frees at work is always a treat and he is on full display here.

Okay, so the whole “sit on my lap and give me a kiss a toy” song doesn’t work really well in today’s climate, but that’s not what the writers meant and you know it, now get your mind out of the gutter for cryin’ out loud. Then, sit back and enjoy this big hearted, slightly overlooked and underrated gem.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

What can be said about this one, other than it’s pretty much perfect? With a story by Dr. Seuss, narration by the great Boris Karloff, and wonderful animation directed by Chuck Jones of Looney Tunes fame, you can’t miss.

The first third of the film is actually my favorite part, when The Grinch hatches his evil plan of stealing Christmas from the Whos down in Whoville (in order to stop all the noise they make which, to be fair, as an adult I kinda see his point) and goes about his preparations. The animation is most reminiscent of the Looney Tunes cartoons here and is a treat to watch, especially the interactions between Mr. Grinch and his so-cute-I-can’t-even-deal-with-it dog Max.

Then, of course, he sets his plan into motion. The animators do an excellent job at coming up with clever ways for old Grinchy-poo to go about his business…and then THAT SONG kicks in. Sung with what can only be described as glee by the deep voiced Thurl Ravenscroft (who, with that name should have been like a wizard or something) and the special goes to a whole new level.

After seeing how devious and awful The Grinch can be, especially when lying through his crooked teeth to the adorable Cindy Lou Who, his eventual and, let’s face it, inevitable transformation is rivaled only by that of Ebenezer Scrooge himself. This is a wonderful little cartoon and has definitely earned its place in the pantheon of great Christmas specials. It is also a million times better than the live action movie, don’t even talk to me about it, get outta here with that nonsense. The original is where it’s at!

A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)

What is the greatest Christmas special ever made, and why is it A Muppet Family Christmas?

Let me make the case.

There have been many entries in the MCU (Muppets Christmas Universe), but this one tops them all and is a show for the ages. The premise is about as straightforward as you can get. Fozzie Bear has decided to surprise his mother by coming home for Christmas and as a bonus he brings all of his “weirdo showbiz” friends with him to the old farmhouse. Trouble is, Mama (Emily) Bear has planned a Christmas vacation in Malibu and rented out the house. Everyone arrives at Emily’s doorstep at the same time and hilarity ensues. There are a few side plots as well. One features the Swedish Chef attempting to cook the Christmas turkey, which is bothersome for him since the turkey is quite naturally against the idea. Another is the fact that Miss Piggy is running a bit late to get to the farmhouse, and there’s a massive storm coming. There’s also a cute sub plot featuring Fozzie where he finds a new partner for the act.

This is enough to set the stage for a quality Muppet venture, but then Jim Henson and company up the ante by introducing the Sesame Street gang into the mix as carolers, and of course more guests for Mrs. Bear. They also use this opportunity to stage a Christmas pageant which is genuinely hysterical. Watching the characters from both worlds interact is delightful, and it’s filled with meta humor, even though back in the 80’s that wasn’t really a thing. We are also treated to a song from the non-cartoon Muppet Babies via an old home movie, and a version of Jingle Bell Rock by Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem that may well be my favorite version ever.

But wait, there’s more! Remember those would be renters I told you about? Well, they are none other than Doc and Sprocket from Fraggle Rock! Does that mean the Fraggles will make an appearance too? Of course it does, and the original song featured in their segment stays in my head each year until roughly June. Not a complaint.

I’ll be the first to admit that, as much as I love them, Muppet productions can be pretty hit and miss. Not this one. All the jokes land. Every beat is hit. It warms your heart and tickles the funny bone in equal measure. This special is highly quotable, and I never get tired of it.

The thing is though, you’ve got to look for it. Due to all the music involved (and there is a lot), licensing this thing for home use proved to be a nightmare. A version did appear on home video years ago, but due to those licensing issues some of the aforementioned songs, and at least one major scene involving Fozzie wound up being left out. This makes the callbacks to that scene and the resolution of the “double act” plotline ineffective. So in order to watch this production in all its glory, you gotta go to You Tube, and make sure you have selected the “full” special. There is even one option that lets you watch the original broadcast with ads.

This largely unknown special is well worth searching out. It’s a classic around our house, and once you see it, I hope it will be a classic at yours as well.

Okay, that’s the Christmas Specials Round Up for you. I know there are many shows I didn’t touch on, many of them absolutely deserving mention, but I can only do so much. Also, I gotta save something for next year.

Here’s wishing a Merry Christmas to all my readers. Enjoy the happiness and peace of the day.

And if you celebrate other holidays this time of year, I hope they are full of joy and meaning for you as well.

See you next week.