Comforting Persona

Next to PBS, my favorite television network is probably Turner Classic Movies. TCM has been a staple on most cable line-ups for nearly twenty years, and part of its allure (besides the excellent programming of classic film and the no-commercials policy) is the venerable long-time host, Robert Osborne. A film historian of great repute, Mr. Obsorne provides the introductions and exiting remarks to every movie aired on TCM during the evenings. He is returning to the network tomorrow night after an almost five-month hiatus due to health reasons. I, for one, am more than pleased.

There's something special about TCM. The aforementioned attributes of programming, hosting and lack of commercials create the perfect storm of television so comfortable that tuning-in is like slipping into a pair of comfy slippers. Robert Osborne adds so much to this mix. His knowledge of film is outstanding, and his demeanor is personable and, dare I say it, comforting. Whether he's approaching the camera with his assured gait, or sitting down letting us slowly come in for a close chat, Osborne smoothly puts you in the mood for the movie you're about to watch, and provides information about the plot and filmmakers that is always interesting.

It's been an all right time during Robert Osborne's absence these past few months. Many notable persons have stepped-in to contribute hosting duties. Robert Wagner, Ben Mankiewicz, Tippi Hedren and Leonard Maltin have been some of the best folks to fill-in. But none have been able to truly fill Osborne's shoes. It will be a welcome sight to see him return to his regular hosting duties. He is an integral part of what makes TCM so wonderfully unique.

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Yesterday's Restaurants

The local newspaper has a feature from one of Champaign-Urbana's most legendary restaurateur's, John Katsinas, on what his favorite area restaurants were that have now since closed (or will soon be closing). It's a nice little read, and has made me stop and think about the restaurants that have come and gone that have left an indelible (and edible) impression on me throughout the years. Here we go....

Watching The Hours

A Twitter friend named Paula has asked for folks to submit ideas for a blog-a-thon about what we think will be the classic films of the future. In other words, what relatively recent movies (namely, from the 21st century), do we think will be considered classics in the decades to come, possibly airing on such venerable stations as Turner Classic Movies ? While a number of films come to mind for such a category, one in particular stood out from the rest, and thus is my entry for Paula's blog-a-thon.

She's Madonna

Today we're going to talk about something very important. We're going to talk about Madonna. "Madge," as she's affectionately known around the gay scene, has been making music for over thirty years. I grew up with her songs, many of them pop classics. In recent years, it can be arguably said that her popularity has waned a bit. During the past decade, Madonna has put out seventeen singles. Of those, three have charted in the US Top 40. Ten Failed to chart at all on the Billboard Hot 100. We now have at least one possibility offered as to why Madge's chart power is waning: Ageism. At least, that's what Diplo (just, Diplo), a producer of some of the tracks off her latest album, thinks . I know it's difficult to be objective about something you've worked on -- whether you were the producer or the artist -- but, as a listener/fan, I have to say that Madonna's most recent work has simply not been that good. Still, we'll hear what

Left to my own devices

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