Day: February 23, 2021

Gas, grass or, sassafras — t r e f o l o g y

When I travel abroad, in order to deter theft, I always make sure to have several different wallets on me at all times. *** One in each pocket of my clothes. *** It’s like a shell game for pick-pockets. *** In one pocket there is a wallet with all my money & credit cards in […]

Gas, grass or, sassafras — t r e f o l o g y

David Bruce: The Funniest People in Movies — Food, Gambling

Food

• Movie star Mario Lanza insisted for one of his movies that the crew and extras be served the same meals that the stars were served instead of the simple meal of a slice of prosciutto and a hard roll that they had been eating. The movie studio charged Mr. Lanza for the extra cost. He said, “At least, I don’t have to sit around choking on my food because everyone is watching me eat.”

• People in Russia and in the former USSR had it rough — even famous figure skaters had trouble getting food. Figure skater Alexander Zhulin remembers watching a movie about a prison, and he says that “all I could concentrate on was the prisoners were eating all this wonderful food.”

• When Allen Ludden and Betty White moved to California, actor Pat O’Brien, their new neighbor, wasted no time in introducing himself. Carrying a cup of sugar, he walked over to their house and said, “I thought I’d save you the trip next door to borrow this.”

• Famous insult comedian Groucho Marx once went to a restaurant, where he saw a woman seated by herself. He asked her, “Are you alone?” When she answered yes, Groucho told her, “Then there must be something terribly wrong with you.”

• George Lucas, the writer and director of American Graffiti and Star Wars, likes his privacy. He once was recognized in a restaurant — that was the last time he ate there.

Friends

• Movie writer-director-actor Kevin Smith met Bryan Johnson when they were teenagers hanging out at the local community center. Bryan had just broken up with his high-school girlfriend, and Kevin asked him, “Can I have her?” This made Bryan laugh, and they became friends. Bryan plays obnoxious comic-book fan Steve-Dave in several of Kevin’s movies, including Mallrats and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

• The young Audrey Hepburn was once asked to wear a padded bra for an advertisement. At first she didn’t want to, but Frederic Mullally (her press agent) convinced her to do the ad. Mr. Mullally saved a copy of Ms. Hepburn’s ad and inscribed it, “Audrey Hepburn — and friends.”

Gambling

• Chico Marx loved to gamble and so he never saved a dime of the hundreds of thousands of dollars he made and thus had to be supported in his old age by his thriftier brothers, Groucho and Harpo. One day, Salwyn Shufro (Groucho’s financial advisor) asked Chico to guess how much money he had lost through gambling. Chico replied that he could tell exactly how much money he had gambled away, then asked how much money Groucho had in the bank. The reply came back: “Approximately $750,000.” Chico smiled, then said, “That’s how much money I’ve lost gambling.”

• Paul Newman played the role of pool shark “Fast Eddie” in the movie The Hustler. Ever since the movie came out, people have challenged him to compete in games of pool — for money. Often, someone says to him, “Hey, we don’t have to play for much — what do you want to play for?” When that happens, Mr. Newman looks the person straight in the eyes and replies, “How about your house?” The would-be hustler then backs down, and Mr. Newman is able to keep his money in his own pocket instead of transferring it to the hustler’s pocket.

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Copyright by Bruce D. Bruce; All Rights Reserved

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Music Recommendation: Irene Peña — I Won’t Budge”

BRUCE’S RECOMMENDATION OF BANDCAMP MUSIC

Music: “I Won’t Budge”

Single: Big Stir Single No. 118​​.​​5

Artist: Irene Peña 

Record Company: Big Stir Records

Record Company Location: Burbank, California

Info:

“It’s been ten years since the release of her debut album NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU, and singer-songwriter Irene Peña remains on the scene, delivering a re-issue of ‘I Won’t Budge,’ a story of sheer stubbornness tied with a neat little bow of jangly pop sensibility. It’s not far off from the dedication with which Peña has conducted her career in the decade since. She started as she meant to go on, and now it’s time to celebrate: the re-release is out on February 28th replete with new artwork and accompanying storytelling from the artist herself. And it’s just the start.”

“Big Stir Records presents the finest music from the global pop rock scene on CD, vinyl, and digital downloads. Based in California and featuring artists from the US, UK, Sweden, and Germany, BSR also curates a weekly Digital Singles Series, hosts live shows in the US and UK, and publishes Big Stir Magazine. Pop outside the box with Big Stir!”

Price: $1 (USD) for song

Genre: Pop

Links:

“I Won’t Budge”

https://bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com/album/i-wont-budge-big-stir-single-no-118-5

Big Stir Records

https://bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com