Sam the Red Snowman

Folk singer and actor Burl Ives was a Communist sympathizer who cooperated with HUAC; however, Ives’ most enduring legacy is almost certainly his narration of 1964’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

A tip o’ the Dog Rat toupee to twinster Jeanie Beanie for letting me know that Rudolph is returning to NBC after decades at CBS, for a special 60th anniversary airing.

Jean and I have a possible connection to Burl Ives through our maternal grandfather. Our parents met at Eastern Illinois State College, where our grandfather, Eugene Waffle, was an English professor and later chairman of the department.

Eugene Waffle, Eastern Illinois State College (now University)

The connection with Ives is explained at this link:

However, during a “Beowulf” lecture in his English class, Ives decided to stop pursuing his degree and he wanted to become a singer. He left in the middle of class. Allegedly, the teacher made a nasty remark about him as he left and Ives slammed the door behind him, shattering the glass.

https://www.dailyeasternnews.com/2021/10/04/the-person-behind-burl-ives-studio-hall/

My grandfather became an English professor at the college in 1926, as seen here:

https://thekeep.eiu.edu/archives_faculty_sz/259/

With Ives attending the school from 1927-30, I wouldn’t be surprised if my prickly grandfather was the English professor who made the snide remark.

J.R.R. Tolkien lectured on Beowulf, having completed his translation of the epic poem in 1926. I wonder if anyone ever walked out of his class?

We Shall Never Be Beatless

There is no record of Walt Disney saying anything about the Beatles. A Hard Day’s Night was released on August 12, 1964 and Disney’s Mary Poppins arrived on August 27.

I was eight when the Beatles arrived in America, and fourteen when Paul made the breakup official. Six short years, but in those years I went from being a little kid in the third grade to being an adolescent in the ninth grade.

“All of you youngsters out there,” as Ed Sullivan would say, may not even be aware of the Beatles, let alone appreciate their significance. But having lived through it and grown up with it, the effect and influence of THE BEATLES cannot be overstated.

“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, ‘The Beatles did’.” – Kurt Vonnegut, 1997

A Bloomin’ Onion

This has gotta make Alex Jones’ eyes sting and water up.

https://news.yahoo.com/onion-says-bought-alex-jones-142338329.html

Satirical publication The Onion said it has bought Alex Jones’ Infowars at a bankruptcy auction for an undisclosed price, with the backing of the Connecticut families of eight victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and one first responder.

Republicans are so worried about the books that kids might read, but where’s the concern they could be shot to death in class? I won’t live long enough to see Gen Z reach middle age. How many from the generation of school shooting kids will fight to restrict access to guns? How many will follow the example of Trump, who has made it okay to bully and lie your way through life?