I survived the Katrinaversary with a little help from my friends. The pace of my life has slowed since my major illness, but my social calendar was full yesterday. I felt almost like social butterfly but who the hell wants to be a butterfly? They don’t live long, and I plan to be around for years to come. If I’m not around to yell at drivers who go the wrong way on my one-way street, who will?
That opener obliges me to provide a brief health update. I’m in relatively rude good health instead of merely being rude. My bloodwork was good, so I’ve been cleared to have cataract surgery. It can’t come soon enough. In the last week, I’ve had a preview of what it would be like to go blind. In contradiction to the old blues song, I’d rather not go blind.
The featured image has an odd genesis. It was inspired by this tagline:
Dedicated to my fellow New Orleanians, past and present. In the title I quote Joan Didion quoting William Butler Yeats.
The image in question is an abstract nautical painting by WB Yeats’ kid brother, Jack Butler Yeats. It’s of a vessel called The Creole. That struck me as appropriate for this day after the Katrinaversary post. I also dig Jack’s work as well as songs with his name in them.
This week’s theme song was written by Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb in 1967. It was written for Cliff Richard but he didn’t record it so the Bee Gees put it on their Horizontal album and had a hit with this oft covered number.
We have three versions of Words for your listening pleasure: The Bee Gees studio OG, Roy Orbison, and Shawn Colvin.
Was that introduction too wordy? Discuss amongst yourselves.
Before moving on, some Gibb brothers lagniappe:
We begin our second act with a look at the wreckage caused by the MAHA fantasies of Bobby Junior.
Kennedy Family Blues: Bobby Junior may be popular with President Pennywise, but his views are loathed by most of his kinfolks. He’s violated Joe Kennedy’s prime directive: Kennedys Always Stick Together.
His relations are most offended by how the former junkie has attacked our health care system thereby undermining the work of his Uncle Ted and Aunt Eunice. He didn’t even intervene to save a program with Eunice Shriver’s name attached to it. Why? It helped the mentally disabled for whom the aunt cared deeply and the nephew disdains.
Repeat after me: Bobby Junior is a selfish asshole.
This month’s dead tree edition of New York Magazine takes a look at the state of the Kennedy dynasty. It’s shaky and shaken by Bobby Junior’s apostasy. His Uncle Ted was a flawed giant who was passionate about health care. Bobby Junior is taking a chainsaw to Teddy’s legacy.
I commend two pieces to your attention:
Hijacking The Kennedys by Reeves Wiedemann.
Keeping Up With The Kennedys by Paula Aceves.
Repeat after me: Bobby Junior is a selfish asshole.
The last word of our second act goes to Lyle Lovett:
We begin our third act with our favorite stolen feature.
Separated At Birth Casting Edition: This week, a rather blurry picture of three actors who played Robert Kennedy: Steven Culp, Martin Sheen, and Jeffrey Donovan.
I didn’t post a picture of Bobby Kennedy because you know what he looked like. His face is still with us: It’s unfortunate that the selfish asshole son is a clone of his father but what can ya do?
Your Weekly Oscar: I still have water on my mind. Here’s OP’s cover of a Tom Jobim classic:
Have I told you lately how much I love Oscar Peterson?
The Best Of Cavett: We have a clip of a bona fide insult comedian, Mr. Warmth DBA Don Rickles.
He was much funnier than Bobby Junior’s asshole boss.
Saturday GIF Horse:Â My motto for this segment is, when in doubt post some Buster.
Toon Time: A K20 cartoon from the Picayune’s Walt Handelsman.
Let’s close down this virtual honky tonk with some more music.
Saturday Closer: I alluded to this song at the top of the post. Here’s the woman who was the first to record this blues classic, Etta James. Hit it, girl:
With all due respect to Etta, I’d rather not go blind.
That’s all for this week. The last word goes to the Bee Gees circa 1963:
Good morning my brotha! So, so glad your health is now trending in the right direction. I too hope you stick around for years to come.
Ef
Thanks. Back atcha.