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Petula on Nashville

Posted a few minutes ago by Petula Clark on her Facebook page:

I feel the need to express my shock and disbelief at the Christmas Day explosion in our beloved Music City. I love Nashville and its people.
Why this violent act – leaving behind it such devastation?
A few hours later – I was told that the music in the background of that strange announcement – was me – singing “Downtown”! Of all the thousands of songs – why this one?
Of course, the opening lyric is “When you’re alone and life is making you lonely you can always go Downtown”. But millions of people all over the world have been uplifted by this joyful song. Perhaps you can read something else into these words – depending on your state of mind. It’s possible.
I would like to wrap my arms around Nashville – give you all a hug – and wish you Love, a Happy and Healthy New Year – and, as we sometimes say in the U.K., steady the Buffs! (Look it up!)
Love,
– Petula

Mike

Michael J. Fox is a great guy who saved my wife’s right breast. How’s that for a blog post opener? No, I won’t explain what’s behind that statement, except to say that it relates to the biological marker initiative he mentions in this video.

Parkinson’s Disease affects its victims in different ways and at different rates, but it is unrelentingly progressive. Mike’s movements are noticeably more dyskinetic than they were when Rush Limbaugh stupidly made an accusation about his medications.

Dyskinesia doesn’t result from not taking Parkinson’s meds, it’s a side-effect from taking them a long time. Rush Limbaugh says he has incurable cancer. He is one of only three people who, when they are gone, I will say good riddance. The person who awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom is another.

My wife co-wrote this booklet, and I drew the cover.

I was told to draw it in color, but unfortunately in print that turned out to be only blue.

Pinky Black

TCM recently showed Pinky, a 1949 film with Jeanne Crain playing a young black woman returning home after passing for white in Boston, where she graduated from nursing school. This video of the complete movie is set to start at a point that I assume pushed the limits of what the censors allowed.

One of the assailants states the obvious. “What a build on her… oh, you’re pretty… you’re pretty… you’re real pretty.” Maybe it’s possible to be not only too white, but too beautiful for a role, because film critics have said Crain was miscast, despite her Academy Award nomination for best actress.

Director Elia Kazan was a founder of the Actor’s Studio, and he favored emotive acting, so of course he didn’t care for Crain’s understated portrayal of Pinky. But Crain was on the set before Kazan, who was hired after Ethel Waters had John Ford fired.