Some Kind of Wonderful

Let’s set some ground rules: We respect Will Farrell, but we are by no means an unabashed fan; the first Anchorman was disappointing, even if we live in Stay Classyville; and Ron Burgundy hosting a real North Dakota newscast isn’t as good as it ought to be.

But if you can make it to the story about the Black Friday shoplifter being chased out the store and almost running down the employee who blocked her car, then you’ll respect the challenges faced by a local newscast when there isn’t any news.

Which, given that this is Bismarck, is probably most days.

And we’re not just pissing on them from the Big City. Our first job out of college was at a thrice-weekly paper in McMinnville, Oregon, where we always had a camera handy if the police scanner reported a fender-bender, where we talked to a nice couple who were tired of sport parachuters crash-landing outside their kitchen window, and where the major ongoing story was the siting of a new dump.

It was a great practical education in the profession — so great that after eighteen months we quit the job, not to mention journalism itself, and ran away to join the circus.

So you won’t find us ironically snickering at the shopping pleasures to be had in Downtown Minot, or the airport luggage-coat piece that looks like a dress rehearsal for an SNL sketch. We’re just happy for the timely reminder that thirty years ago, we made the right decision.

[via Lisanti]

Makeup by Merle Norman Cosmetics, Wigs & Hairpieces

17 Comments

You’ll be gratified to know that little has changed in Mac–now they’re debating whether to expand the landfill or close it.

Now Martin Bashir has gone. Not surprised but saddened. Hasn’t been on for about 2 weeks.

@Mistress Cynica: And one major change: You have Internet.

Stuck in McMinnville, with only letters and phone calls to reach the outside world, was My Own Private Idaho. I still needed to Escape From Journalism, but thirty years ago there was no relief.

@Benedick: Look on the bright side: There goes Baldwin’s whiny argument about Bashir getting off with only a slap on the wrist.

@nojo: If Baldwin is fired can Bashir be far behind?

It’s too bad. I thought he was very smart. And of all those shows it was the one we tended to watch in between re-runs of Two an a Half Men. He did suffer from chronic Palin Derangement Syndrome, mind you.

It seems that Ronan Farrow is bringing the gay glamor to MSNBCin’ ya in Jan.

@Benedick: Well, I only watch Rachel. Chris is a nice boy who bores me to tears, and I can’t switch off O’Donnell’s smug face fast enough.

He’s also broadcasting curling in Canada City.

@ManchuCandidate: That’s better than (from what I hear) SportsCenter, although I guess ESPN is sort of mandatory at this point. But the offbeat appearances are inherently more interesting than major media.

@nojo:
True. It is curling which is big among folks up here.

Considering that TSN (the dumber (yes dumber) Canada City version of ESPN) just lost the rights to hockey for the next decade or so, Ron Burgandy might be their only highlight for a while.

@Benedick: Roman Farrow is the hawt. TEH HAWT. Plus, he has “I am a bottom and love it” written on his forehead in that secret invisible language only tops can see.

@Tommmcatt Says Pull My Finger: There’s more to life than lube. I admire him for his brains.

Plus I loved his grandma.

@ManchuCandidate: Curling? It’s like the lawn bowling my grandparents used to do. Minus the mad excitement.

@Benedick: @Tommmcatt Says Pull My Finger: Those eyes. My money is definitely on his being the son of Sinatra, not Allen.

We got the Xbox One, by the way. It works perfectly.

@Mistress Cynica: Oh hey, Mr. ¡A! and I just got hooked on the most superb new show that I think you’d enjoy: Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Filmed in Melbourne and set in the Roaring Twenties, the series features some of the best writing, acting–and oh sweet FSM–incredibly beautiful, lavish costumes that I’ve ever seen. Witty and absurdly literate, each episode feels like a treasured feature film. Detective Phryne Fisher’s glamorous flapper dresses are a knockout–whomever costumes that show is an absolute genius. (How’s Phryne–pronounced “Fry-nay”–for a proper Bri-tish name?)

@Mistress Cynica: One look at that naughty bottom Rowan’s eyes, and it’s clear he’s Frankie’s boy all the way.

Programming Note: I’m refraining from doing a post on the faux-tea-bagger outrage that Shelley Oh! jerked the leash on the new First Puppy who knocked over a 2 year old at some Xmas tree event. I am so excited about Nojo’s burst of energy posting, but I realized I couldn’t say anything funny or fresh about the predictable Shelley-hating that erupted.

(She hates 2 year old white girls! Oh wait, she almost hit that four year old with the walker trying to stop the dog – why does she hate the disabled Timmay’s of the world! Oh wait, she jerked on Sunny the dog’s leash, why does she hate puppehs?! Oh that was a black puppy, I guess she hates black children and dogs!)
/head hurts

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