It’s been colder than hell in New Orleans this week. It’s not Wisconsin cold but it’s fucking cold. We had some electrical issues that one of my Spank krewe mates fixed. It’s good to know “people who need people” I understand they “are the luckiest people in the world.” I cannot believe I just went there. In order to salvage my cool cred, here’s some Oscar Peterson:
It’s election day in the Gret Stet of Louisiana. I’m cautiously optimistic that Blue Dog Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards will be re-elected. I hope the voters will remember that Coach O wants them to vote for the Governor. Geaux, Tigers. Geaux, Team Blue.
This week’s theme song was written in 2003 by Rodney Crowell. It’s the opening track of his Fate’s Right Hand album and features one of his finest couplets: “Life’s been good, I guess. My ragged old heart’s been blessed.”
We have two versions of Still Learning How To Fly for your listening pleasure. The original with a full band and a live acoustic rendition.
While we’re in mid flight, how about a song with a similar title by an equally great artist?
It’s time to land. See you on the other side of the break.
I’m going to keep our second act relatively brief. Between watching the hearings and dealing with household issues, my Odds & Sods time was oddly diminished, which reminds me of a song. Everything reminds me of a song. It’s my curse. Ain’t it funny how time slips away:
Ain’t it funny how badly YouTubers spell. It’s G-R-E-E-N without an E. Oy just oy.
Peter Morgan & The Crown: If you’re a hopeless Anglophile like me, you’re excited that The Crown is back. What’s not to love about Olivia Colman as Elizabeth and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret? As an admirer of Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, I cannot wait to see Jason Watkins play him. It’s the swinging Sixties, baby.
Giles Harvey of the NYT Magazine has an extended profile of writer-show runner Peter Morgan. It’s as woody as all get out.
Just in case you think I’m a hopeless royalist, here’s a brief musical interlude:
Let’s move from the upper echelons of society and examine what’s underfoot in New Orleans. And I”m not talking house cats, I’m talking the water system.
Down The Drain is a series by WWL-TV news dealing with the state of our drainage system. Recently, anchor Thanh Troung and my friend, cameraman Steve Wolfram, took a dive into the drainage system. Here’s part one of the story as it aired on the tube:
Here’s how Steve described the tumble he took:
Pictures, Steve. I want pictures, dude.
The last word of the segment goes to Little Richard:
Separated At Birth asked to be separated from this week’s post and I went along with this dubious charade. Not sure that I should believe the bit about its grandmother dying. I’d believe it if it said “the dog ate my homework.” Dogs get mighty hungry, y’all.
We belatedly begin our third act with a newish regular feature.
The Movie List: Last week’s Meryl Streep list made me want to keep it contemporary and skip the dead stars and directors. Ain’t nobody mo better, mo contemporary than Spike Lee. He’s made a few fine documentaries but I’m sticking to his fictional films.
My Top Ten Favorite Spike Lee Movies:
- Do The Right Thing
- Malcolm X
- BlackkKlansman
- She’s Gotta Have It
- Summer Of Sam
- Crooklyn
- Inside Man
- Clockers
- School Daze
- Mo Better Blues
Saturday GIF Horse: We’re sticking to Spike Lee in this segment. Spike is a passionate and hopelessly misguided New York Knicks fan. The teevee people love to catch him emoting:
That was a year that the Knicks didn’t suck. Anything is possible.
Weekly Vintage Video: For some reason, this 1992 video gives me cravings. Constantly:
Let’s shut this gin joint down with some soul music.
Saturday Classic: It doesn’t get more classic than this great Al Green album from 1972:
That’s it for this week. The last word goes to the subject of this week’s Bayou Brief column. LSU’s Ed Orgeron:
