Author Archives: dcaligari

May 21, 1992 –Bette Midler, the last scheduled guest, sang a touching impromptu duet with Johnny Carson, on the Tonight Show, on this date. (This was the apex of TV. It hasn’t gotten any better than this.) This penultimate show was immediately recognized as a television classic, and Midler would win an Emmy Award forContinue reading “Johnny Carson’s last guests”

May 21, 1971 – Regarded as one of the landmark recordings in pop music history, and one of the greatest albums of the 20th century, Marvin Gaye’s eleventh studio album What’s Going On, was released on this date. The What’s Going On album takes on many issues, including the environment (Mercy Mercy Me) and povertyContinue reading “What’s Going On released”

May 20, 1921 – Noble Prize winner, Marie Curie visited the White House on this date. She did not ask to visit any broom closets with the president. And so it goes

May 20, 1956 –The first hydrogen bomb to be dropped from the air was exploded over the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific (Operation Redwing), but it was a much earlier (July 1, 1946,) non-aerial atomic detonation that originally inspired the bikini swimsuit. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, $90 million has been appropriated byContinue reading “Operation Redwing”

May 20, 1967 –The Young Rascals’ (later to be known just as the Rascals,) had their second No. 1 hit Groovin’ in America, on this date. This was the second of three #1 hits for The Rascals, after Good Lovin‘ and before People Got to Be Free.

May 20, 2015 –Dave said his final goodnight when Late Night With David Letterman aired the last new episode (episode no. 4,261 – the 6,028th episode on late night television,) on this date. For weeks, just about every writer on staff prepped for what would be said by 10 different celebrities, delivering one line aContinue reading “The final Letterman Show”

May 20, 1993 –The last episode of the series Cheers aired on this date. While the gang was smoking cigars and discussing the meaning of life, Frasier Crane’s voice started trembling, as he sounded somewhat emotionally distraught while trying to finish his sentence. Given the fact that the series finale did not end with SamContinue reading “Cheers Finale”

May 19, 1994 – After eight seasons, the final episode of LA Law aired on NBC-TV on this date. The series ended their last day of shooting their final episode the morning of May 10, 1994. Actor Corbin Bernsen called into the Howard Stern Show about a half hour before they wrapped for the lastContinue reading “L.A. Law finale”

May 19, 1951 – The first in the series of the transvestite Bugs Bunny, the ever clueless Daffy Duck and bestiality minded Elmer Fudd’s “Hunting Trilogy“, Rabbit Fire was released on this date. Chuck Jones fondly recalled voice artist Mel Blanc improvising hilariously as Daffy when he was trying to think of another word besidesContinue reading “Rabbit Fire premiered”

May 18, 1974 –India became the sixth nation to explode an atomic bomb when they conducted their first nuclear test (project Smiling Buddha) in Pokhran, India on this date. Though the yield of the device detonated at Pokhran is debated, it is believed that the actual yield was around 8-12 Kilotons of TNT. The highlightContinue reading “First Indian Nuclear Test”