Showing posts with label pop culture lesson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pop culture lesson. Show all posts

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Lawrence Welk is really Jamie Foxx....who knew?

The following is from People Magazine for the week of August 16th. In a section titled On Another Note this week, various celebrities are asked what is their hotel alias.


Comedian, actor and musician Jamie Foxx's alias when checking into a hotel? Lawrence Welk!

His quote, "My grandfather loved Lawrence Welk because there was one black dude on the show and he danced really well."

Well Jamie, that would be Arthur Duncan.


Hey, whenever one of today's A list stars appreciate the Maestro's legacy....it's a wunnerful thing.


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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Pop Culture Lessons - Musical Family Magazine Covers

As you may or may not know, I have a nice collection of vintage celebrity fan magazines.

And 99.9 three fifths of them have Lawrence Welk and or members of his Musical Family on the cover.

They provide a look back at the Hollywood celebrity gossip in the pre-TMZ, pre-ET days, long before the internet and blogs were invented. Like today, many of the stories were either embellished or just plain made up.

So don't take any of these too seriously, it's kinda like a pop culture history lesson that is so cheesy you might want to put it on a Ritz cracker.

Or just have a chuckle or two....starting with this cover of the August 1972 TV Star Parade



It's a very nice informal picture of Cissy, Tanya, Lawrence and Mary Lou. I like that fact that Cissy is shown wearing glasses, which I can relate to (I wear glasses).

On another note, I hope those rumors about Jim Nabors have been put to rest.

Here's the cover of Photoplay magazine from March 1969



The title may be exaggerated, but it talks about the trials and tribulations concerning love and relationships amongst the Musical Family that have been cultivated on the show.

But I think some of you are kinda curious about Chuck Heston's nude love scene....

The next two are from TV Picture Life, starting with the March 1970 cover....



Turns out the secret was that even though the Maestro was already a grandpa, this was the first grandchild to carry the Welk name and legacy. (Lawrence Welk the Third)

And the Lennon Sisters never did split by the way....so you Lennon fans can relax.

Finally, this next TV Picture Life from July 1970 also trumpets the arrival of a Musical Family kid....



Actually, the article mentions that 95 percent of pregnancies are normal resulting with a perfectly healthy baby....Sandi's was one of them in the 95% range.

By the way, it's a girl. That is little Jenni Griffiths with Lawrence, Papa Brent and Mama Sandi.

And why oh why would Hollywood give Glen Campbell the cold shoulder?

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Friday, January 18, 2008

It's hip to be square y'all

Once again in the world of television, you'll never know when references to Welk will pop up.

Last night, while channel surfing, I stumbled upon the Independent Film Channel and saw this mockumentary titled CSA: The Confederate States of America. It's basically alternate American history under the premise of if the South won the Civil War and what has happened since.

I did enjoy watching it, it was well done...but I do have a bone to pick....

During the segment where the narrator mentions that CSA culture never evolves from "government-inspired propaganda"....they used refrences to the Lawrence Welk Show.

I know it's true that according to mainstream media, that the Maestro was never considered hip like the fellers, and has a reputation of being square.....

and yes, I must admit that I had a good chuckle....I always enjoy good parody, but come on....there's a lot more entertainment icons so many that can be deemed as un-hip.

And since this was supposed to be America under the South's infuence in the movie, I was thinking that CSA culture would be more that of "Mama's Family", "Hee Haw", "The Dukes of Hazzard" and of course "The Porter Wagoner Show".

Still, whenver Lawrence Welk refrences pop up on television, it's always an exciting thing!
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