Author Archives: dcaligari

Today is National Inane Answering Machine Day, observed on January 30th every year. This holiday encourages you on this day to bring an end to all of the mindless and endlessly long answering machine messages that annoy and waste the time of callers. Or, you could leave a long, drawn out, insane message on someone’sContinue reading “Does anyone still have a stand-alone answering machine?”

January 29, 1880 –Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake. W.C. Fields, vaudevillian, film actor and juggler was born on this date.

January 29, 2000 –The PBS series In the Spotlight presented Steely Dan, showcasing selections from Two Against Nature, their first new studio recording in more than 20 years, on this date. This is the Home Version of Steely Dan’s PBS In The Spotlight Special, with additional documentary footage, (I didn’t think anyone would complain.)

January 29, 2018 –The Marvel film Black Panther directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis premiered in Los Angeles on this date. While in London promoting the film, Martin Freeman introduced his young son Joseph to his co-star Danai Gurira who playedContinue reading “Wakanda was put on the map”

But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,Who is already sick and pale with grief,That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she. William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet was probably first performed on this date (unless it wasn’t).Continue reading “A plague o’ both your houses!”

January 29, 1981 –Dolly Parton’s theme song for the film 9 to 5 went to No. 1 on the Billboard Charts on this date, In a 2009 interview with 60 Minutes, Parton talked about the unlikely inspiration for this song: her fingernails. She had very long, acrylic nails, and discovered that when she rubbed themContinue reading “9 to 5 topped the charts”

January 28, 1995 –TLC started a four week run at No.1 on Billboards singles chart with Creep, the group’s first US No.1 hit. The song made No.6 in the UK the following year. This was written and produced by the Atlanta-based producer Dallas Austin. Though he had already made a name for himself working alongsideContinue reading “Creep topped the charts (Not the Radiohead version)”

January 28, 1956 –Elvis Presley appeared on the Dorsey brothers’ TV program Stage Show, singing Shake, Rattle and Roll, on this date. It was Elvis‘ first network television appearance.

January 28, 1953 –J. Fred Muggs joined NBC’s Today Show on this date. Please note: any resemblance between Mr. Muggs and any of my nephews is purely coincidental.

January 28, 1977 –Star of TV’s Chico and the Man, Freddie Prinze has a violent allergic reaction to lead on this date. Despondent over his upcoming divorce and battling a major drug addiction, Prinze, shot himself in the head days earlier, died on this day. He was 22 years old.