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November 29, 1944 –The first open heart surgery was performed at Johns Hopkins hospital, on this date. A surgical fix for a fetal heart defect, tetralogy of Fallot or blue baby syndrome, was first performed at Johns Hopkins by surgeon Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas, a black assistant who actually perfected the procedure. Thomas’ contributionContinue reading “Vivien Thomas”

Merriam-Webster has announced its Word of the Year for 2022: Gaslighting. Merriam-Webster defines gaslighting as “the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s own advantage.” Merriam-Webster noted, “2022 saw a 1740% increase in lookups for gaslighting, with high interest throughout the year.” So now you know.

November 29, 1950 –Jean Cocteau’s beautifully lyrical, Orpheus, opened in the US on this date. Both Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo were approached about playing the mysterious Princess. Both declined.

November 29, 1945 –Remarkable for it frank portrayal of alcoholism (for it’s day), The Lost Weekend, opened in Los Angeles on this date. Billy Wilder claimed the liquor industry offered Paramount Pictures $5 million not to release the film; he also suggested that he would have accepted had they offered it to him personally.

November 28, 1978 – Atlantic Records released the album Briefcase Full of Blues, the debut album by The Blues Brothers (Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi) on this date. The album reached no. 1 on the Billboard 200 and went double platinum. It is among the highest-selling blues albums of all time.

November 28, 1943 –Randall Stuart Newman, singer/songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist was born on this date. Newman has been nominated for twenty Academy Awards, winning twice. He has also won three Emmys, five Grammy Awards, and the Governor’s Award from the Recording Academy.

We have just been notified that it is Cyborg Monday, oh no, run for your lives. Wait – an update – it’s Cyber Monday. Continue to run for your lives!!! The term “Cyber Monday” was dreamt up in 2005 by by a young public relations executive named Ellen Davis at Shop.org, a division of theContinue reading “This just in!”

November 28, 1985 –Ahmad Rashad proposed to Phylicia Ayers-Allen on live TV during NBC’s halftime coverage of the Detroit Lions-New York Jets football game, on this date. Ayers-Allen, was in New York for NBC’s coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, was rushed to network’s New York studio and looked at Rashad over a videoContinue reading “A live wedding proposal”

November 28, 1981 –The short-lived series (only 12 episodes were shot), Open All Night, starring George Dzundza, Susan Tyrrell, Sam Whipple, Bubba Smith, Jay Tarses, and Bever-Leigh Banfield premiered on ABC-TV on this date. The US TV version of the show was somewhat based on the hugely successful British sitcom, Open All Hours which ranContinue reading “Open All Night premiered”

November 27, 1980 – The sitcom Bosom Buddies, staring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari premiered on ABC-TV on this date. (Yes, I know, this is not the original theme song – the production company lost the rights to the song.) The producers pitched the series to ABC as a relatively straightforward buddy comedy in theContinue reading “Bosom Buddies premiered”