Joe Average Person probably doesn't realize that yesterday, December 30th, was “National Bacon Day!” (I know I sure didn't ... but that's why it's always cool to have a guy like Chuck Buell around to point out these kinds of things to us!!!)
CB (in this case "Calendar Boy" ... or should that be "Crispy Bacon" Boy???) tells us that we still have one last special event to celebrate on New Year's Eve before yet another Holiday Season passes.
Here is his sizzling report ...
Everything
‘Tastes Better with Bacon’ on, in, under, over, around or at least near it!
And
to mark this special occasion, I’ll be starting my morning with Bacon and Eggs
for Breakfast; then for Lunch, a Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich, and for
Dinner, a Bacon-Wrapped Steak. But I’ll draw the line at Bacon-flavored Ice
Cream for dessert!
Meanwhile,
here’s Linda and me from last year enjoying my Celebratory Bacon from the Grill!” ( OK, I more than her perhaps! )
And
here’s my ideal Gift Box! ( Just in case
you need an idea for my upcoming Birthday! )
Now
then, here’s a “Buell Bacon Bonus!”
My Special “BLT Bacon Weave Sandwich” that places Bacon edge
to edge and corner to corner for the assurance of a tasty Bacon-filled bite every time! ( A True Proven Concept! )
The
Pre-Cooking Preparation ~~~
The
Result ~~~
Oh,
yeah!
Now, the only thing that might make this world a better place would be a Bacon Restaurant.
Oh. Wait!
There IS one! In Mile High, Bacon
High Denver!!!
Oh,
yeah!
And with that . . .
Wait!
What’s this that just was spotted in the parking
lot of the Forgotten Hits Worldwide Headquarters?!!
And
with THAT, the Ole Clock on the Wall sez anytime is Bacon Time!
Happy
Holidays to all Bacon-Lovin’ Forgotten Hitters!
CB
( which stands for “Crisp-Bacon Boy!” )
(
Today’s Forgotten Hits CB “National Bacon Day Segment” was brought to by “Bacon!” )
12/29/63 – The Chicago Bears
defeat the New York Giants by a score of 14-10 to win the NFL Championship
game.
(Hey, cut me some slack ...
We don't get to celebrate like this very often!!!)
***
Back to 2023 for a moment ... (by way of 1968) ...
[check it out ... Tommy even gets name-checked in the lyrics!]
It was on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour that we first
saw the film clips for “Hey Jude” and “Revolution” …
It was the hippest show on television at the time.
I can remember SO many great moments ...
Musical – they had the
biggest names in rock appearing on their program;
Hysterical comedy bits thanks
to their own way with a song, which rarely ever got completed without at least
one interruption by Tommy;
And even their throw-backs to the great days of
variety television, where they often featured guests that our PARENTS enjoyed more than
we did!!!)
How about Pat Paulsen’s run for the Presidency.(“If nominated, I will not run … if elected,
I will not serve.”)
The “Honey House” …
A drum kit overloaded with explosives that permanently damaged
Pete Townshend’s hearing (and even drove bits of shrapnel into Keith Moon) …
Grace Slick performing in black face with Jefferson Airplane
…
Bobbie Gentry singing her massive #1 Hit “Ode To Billie Joe”
to a family of cut-outs …
Mason Williams, the program’s head COMEDY writer, showing off an entirely different side of his incredible talent by performing
the beautiful “Classical Gas,” a Top Ten Hit in 1968 …
Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, The Buckinghams, Buffalo
Springfield, Cream, The Doors, Steppenwolf, Simon and Garfunkel … and so many
more …
In addition to Mason Williams, their writing staff also consisted of a very young, wild and crazy guy named Steve
Martin (with brown hair!), Bob Einstein (he was Officer Judy before he was Super Dave!), the previously mentioned Pat Paulsen, Rob
Reiner (enjoying his first big break in television), Don Novello (the future Father Guido Sarducci), Leigh French, Jim Stafford,
Lorenzo Music, David Steinberg and more … Tommy Smothers himself was intimately
involved with virtually EVERYTHING that went on the air … and was quite
outspoken about what they were trying to achieve.Several of these writers also appeared in
skits or did solo performances … it was a “community” show in every sense of
the word.
I’m not sure CBS ever really believed in the show … they
stuck it on the air opposite the television juggernaut “Bonanza” … but then, as
word of mouth got ‘round, we saw it starting to regularly beating The
Cartwrights on Sunday Nights. Constant battles with the
censors led to conflicts and then cancellation.The conflict only pushed the writers to come up new ways to slip in material that
sailed over their collective heads (in the hippest way possible, so that WE still got the joke, even
though the censors had no idea what they were talking about some of the time.)
Despite DECADES now of anticipation, The Best of Season One
never came out video … maybe now it finally will.(For some insane reason that I’ll never
understand, the series was released in BACKWARDS order … I bought Seasons Three
and Two immediately, as soon as they were released … but have been waiting for
Season One ever since!)
I owned every single one of their albums … and some of these
routines are permanently etched in my mind.A lifelong regret is that I never got to see them perform live.(I was just too young at the time and,
looking back, I’m kinda surprised I “got them” as well as I did.)We loved ya, Tommy.(kk)
Tom was not only the loving
older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind
creative partner.I am forever grateful
to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60
years. Our relationship was like a good marriage – the longer we were together,
the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed.
-- Dick Smothers
Hello Kent,
I so enjoyed your tribute to Tom Smothers and the
Smothers Brothers. I felt very sad when I heard that Tom had died. I loved the
three videos you chose. I, too, grew up with The Smothers Brothers. They were
so unique and so funny. It was also nice to see Mama Cass, Johnny Carson, and
Ed McMahon. The added bonus of getting to listen to Rewound Radio was a nice
touch.
Thanks for the memories. I don't feel as sad now.
Stacee
It really hurts to read the death
announcements in the blog, but it feels so good to read the tributes. I have
Smothers Brothers records and absolutely adored both of them. They were
representative of the friends I hung around with in high school and college.
Humor is one of the best ways of dealing with reality, and bringing facts to
light in ways people will hear. Always in my heart Tommy.
Shelley
Also from Shelley …
I saw that Arlo Guthrie posted this …
I heard this morning, that my friend, Tommy Smothers left this
world. I had spoken with him on the phone a couple of weeks ago. He called me
out of the blue. We caught up on things. He sounded good, just like his normal
self. It's funny, but I can still hear his voice.
I did The Smothers Brothers TV show in 1970. That's quite a long
time ago - Over 50 years. They were pushing the envelope, at least as far as
what you could do or say on TV. Mild by today's standards, but back then it was
radical. For example, they invited Pete Seeger on their show. Naturally, they
were cancelled. I had fun with those guys! Never forgot.
Arlo
Kent,
With the passing of Tommy Smothers, the only
record (single) they made that made our local top 40 radio survey was JENNY
BROWN in 1963 on Mercury Records.
Larry
It was the only Top 100 chart hit they had, period.“Jenny Brown” went to #82 in Music Vendor,
#84 in Billboard and fell short at #105 in Cash Box.A couple of years later, they “bubbled under”
again for two weeks (peaking at #146 this time) with “The Toy Song,” which I
actually HAD as a 45.(And with a
picture sleeve to boot!)God only knows
how long THAT record has been missing from my collection!(I used to play the B-Side, too … “Little
Sacka Sugar!”kk
Whew ... some sheet today - I'll
be reading for hours - HAPPY NEW YEAR!
D
Well, it’s been building up inside of me for oh, I don’t know
how long!!!
Happy New Year to you as well … let’s make it a great
one!(kk)
LOTS MORE COMING UP ...
MAKE IT A POINT TO STOP BY AND VISIT EVERY DAY ...
YOU'LL ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING GOING ON IN FORGOTTEN HITS!
