Author Archives: dcaligari

March 2, 1933 – RKO Studios, on the brink of bankruptcy, gambled the studio on a filmed puppet show for kids, releasing the film King Kong on this date. In the original film, the character’s name is Kong — a name given to him by the inhabitants of “Skull Island” in the Indian Ocean, whereContinue reading “King Kong premiered”

Please don’t wipe the the smudge mark off your friend’s forehead – Today is Ash Wednesday, and you’re not being helpful. (Anyway, did you find the plastic baby in the King Cake yesterday? ) Hominem te esse memento! Memento mori! – So begins forty days (remember that the six Sundays between today and Easter don’tContinue reading “Don’t be an asshole”

March 2, 1989 –Like A Prayer became the first hit song to debut in a commercial when it is used in a 2-minute Pepsi ad starring Madonna. The spot is called “Make A Wish,” and shows Madonna watching her 8-year-old self at her birthday party. The commercial airs in prime time around the world, theContinue reading “Madonna’s Pepsi Commercial”

March 1, 1954 –The first hydrogen bomb was detonated on this date. Even though the bomb was hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bomb exploded there in 1946, no islanders were evacuated this time. Almost 300 people suffered radiation exposure. The test was so successful that it blew the once happy island intoContinue reading “US Hydrogen Bomb tested”

Bon temps roulez, mes amis – No one needs to disrobe, it’s much too cold, we’ve got plenty of beads, (unless you like to disrobe in public and then, it’s between you and your maker.) Today is also know as Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, which heralds the beginning of fasting in Lent. On thisContinue reading “It’s Mardi Gras!”

March comes in like a the Screaming Hairy Armadillo and goes out like an Ice Cream Cone Worm. The name of March comes from ancient Rome, when March was the first month of the year and called Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war. In Rome, where the climate is Mediterranean, March is theContinue reading “The breezes is loud and shrill”

March 1, 1981 –NBC-TV aired the made-for-TV film Elvis and the Beauty Queen, starring Don Johnson and Stephanie Zimbalist on this date. Ronnie McDowell provided the vocals to all of Elvis‘ songs, including A Very Precious Love, which Don Johnson and Stephanie Zimbalist sang as a duet.

With all that is going on in the world: There are 20 days until Spring! (Christmas is in 300 days) And so it goes.

February 28, 1979 –Mr. Ed, the talking horse, died. This was not the horse who actually starred on the TV show, but another horse who did publicity work as Mr. Ed. The original Mr. Ed (Bamboo Harvester) died in 1970. But what do you care. Demand Euphoria!

February 28, 1989 – America started following the goings on at with Minnesota State University Screaming Eagles football team when Coach, starring Craig T. Nelson, Shelley Fabares, Jerry Van Dyke, and Bill Fagerbakke premiered on ABC-TV on this date. The Coach theme song was performed by the Iowa State University Cyclone Football “Varsity” Marching Band.Continue reading “Coach premiered”