The Merrill Dubrow Blog

So there I am walking on the streets of Chicago with a co-worker on our way to the conference hotel. As we were walking I asked R.W. if he had ever eaten at the Billygoat Tavern. He said he hadn’t and I followed up with do you know what it is? After he gave me that perplexed look I explained it was the restaurant that was featured in the Saturday Night Live (SNL) Skit “hamburger, cheeseburger” over 30 years ago. He remembered that and we chuckled at how funny Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, Bill Murray and Gilda Radner were in the skit

Our conversation then morphed into what are the funniest SNL skits of all time? When I think about that a few more come to mind:

The Chippendales dancers featuring Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze was absolutely hysterical. I still crack up thinking about it.

The other one I remember was Christopher Walken and Will Farrell with Blue Oyster Cult in more cowbell – very creative and funny! Watching Farrell dance around pounding the cowbell…is well…ridiculously funny!

• What are some of your favorite skits of all time?
   
• What do you think of my choices?
   
• Who were your favorite characters on SNL?

I look forward to reading your comments.

Posted in Entertainment | Post Comments (21) »

Both shows are on TV late night. The "Tonight Show with Jay leno" and "Late Show with David Letterman" feature a number of the same things:

• Opening monologue
   
• Guest interviews
   
• Musical guest or a stand up routine

David Letterman has his top ten list and is located in NY, while Jay Leno does Jay Walking, headlines and is located in Hollywood. Clearly both Dave and Jay are professionals and are very good at what they do. They have mastered their craft and rarely stumble on TV. In fact, sometimes they even are so funny they crack themselves up.

• Who do you like better?
   
• Whose personality do you like better?
   
• Who do you think is funnier?
   
• If you are going to watch or TIVO only one which one is it?
   
• Does anyone miss Conan?

I look forward to reading your comments.

Posted in Entertainment | Post Comments (10) »

I was watching the Academy Awards earlier this month and was looking at Alec Baldwin and thinking about his brothers Daniel, William and Stephen.  What a family of actors. It gave me a chance to think about other Hollywood families and after thinking about it and doing a little research came up with a few:

Baldwin

• Brothers and actors Alec Baldwin, William Baldwin, Stephen Baldwin and Daniel Baldwin; Alec was formerly married to actress Kim Basinger, and William is currently married to singer Chynna Phillips.

Penn

• Actress Eileen Ryan and writer-director Leo Penn were the parents of two actors (Sean and Chris Penn) and a musician (Michael Penn). Sean was married first to Madonna and later to Robin Wright Penn.  Michael is married to musician Aimee Mann.

Barrymore

• Actress and producer Drew Barrymore is descended from a renowned acting family: Her parents are actress and manager Jaid Barrymore and actor John Drew Barrymore, who was the son of renowned classical actor and playboy John Barrymore. She is also the great-niece of Ethel Barrymore and Lionel Barrymore.

Douglas

• Actor Kirk Douglas is the father of actor Michael Douglas and producer Joel Douglas by his first wife, actress Diana Dill; and of producer Peter Douglas and late comic and actor Eric Douglas by his second wife, actress Anne Buydens. Michael is the father of actor Cameron Douglas by his first wife, Diandra Luker, and is currently married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Bateman

• Actor Jason Bateman is the brother of actress Justine Bateman; their father is producer Kent Bateman. Jason Bateman is married to the daughter of Paul Anka. Televangelist Dr. (Rev.) Miles Bateman is a distant cousin.

Cusack 

• Actors John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Ann Cusack (The Jeff Foxworthy Show), Bill Cusack, and Susie Cusack are all siblings; their father Dick Cusack also took to acting late in life.

I must admit I do like a few of these families. I really like Joan and John Cusack and I always liked Stephen Baldwin from his performance in The Usual Suspects. My favorite is hands down the Douglas family. I love Kirk and I also really, really like Michael. Both great actors!

• Who is your favorite Hollywood family today and what about years ago?
   
• Who do you think is the number one Hollywood family of all-time?

I look forward to reading your comments.

Posted in Entertainment | Post Comments (7) »

I had lunch yesterday with AB and RW and during the discussion we talked about what TV shows you watch every week. The conversation led us to "If you could only watch three shows every week–not channels but shows–what would they be?"

I gave it a little time to pause and am almost embarrassed to say what my three shows are:

1. The Office – I like the goofiness of the cast and especially the character that Steve Carell plays in Michael Scott. I love the dry sense of humor and the flow of the show.
    
2. Survivor – I really enjoy the challenges, the competition and strategy of the game. I have been watching it for ten years and truly do enjoy the show.
    
3. Deal or No Deal – I like Howie Mandel and the way he gets the contestants into the show. I also enjoy trying to figure out what the banker is going to offer prior to him offering it. Ok I will admit it I always liked math!

Not sure what it says about me that I picked these shows. Interesting that I picked a reality, comedy and game show!

Ok your turn.

• What do you think of my choices?
   
• What are the three shows you would watch every week?
   

I look forward to reading your comments.

Posted in Entertainment | Post Comments (14) »

Fun question for a Friday. Since most of us watch TV I thought today’s topic could be a fun and enjoyed posting. Simply who are some of your favorite TV Characters?

• Are you a fan of Barney Fife?
   
• What about George Costanza?
   
• Or tough guys like Jim Rockford, Jack Bauer, Tony Soprano, or Dan Tanna?
   
• And who can forget loveable Coach from Cheers?
   
• Or funny and goofy characters like Chandler Bing, John Cage and Earl Hickey
   
• And of course there are all characters with super powers like Bionic Woman, Steve Austin and Wonder Woman
   
• And no one can leave out sweet Pam Beesly

For me I tend to gravitate towards two types of characters: funny and detectives. So for me I always loved characters like Robert Urich in Vega$, and Ally McBeal and John Cage were so funny. I also still laugh a ton when I think about Sergeant Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes and liked the cleverness of Colonel Hogan from the same show.

So I ask you on who are some of your favorite TV characters?

I look forward to reading your comments.

Posted in Entertainment | Post Comments (10) »

Every week I get asked to write about different topics.  Today’s post is no different. Well maybe a little. As I was getting my haircut, we (thanks S.Y.) were discussing the new movie that was coming out, New Moon. Much to everyone’s surprise I had NO idea what they were talking about! Quickly they asked me what I thought of the movie Twilight, and besides having a puzzled look on my face I had little to no response. I may have heard of that movie but I don’t remember and I know for a fact I never saw it.

When I don’t know something about a particular blog topic I will do some research. For this one I decided not to do that and have the readers inform me on what I am missing. I have NO idea who stars in the movie, what the movies are really about other than it involves vampires. I have no idea who the director or producer is–in fact I couldn’t even tell you the city in which the story takes place. I didn’t even know until they screamed at me, about the books that were written. Clearly I have been living under a rock and missed all the hoopla. I have noticed people wearing New Moon shirts but that was after getting laughed at while I was getting my haircut.

So please fill me in.

• What are the movies about?
   
• Have you read the book?
   
• Was the sequel any better than Twilight?
   
• Is there another movie planned?
   
• Were you one of the first to see the movie?

I look forward to your comments and seeing what I am missing.

Posted in Entertainment | Post Comments (10) »

Last night I was flipping around the stations (like most nights) and landed on Grease. I will admit it I love that movie and the music. During the scene I was watching, Sandy (Olivia Newton John) and Danny (John Travolta) were at a drive-in movie. He was trying to get his ring off as a sign to go steady and then in a minute or two Danny breaks out in a song that starts "stranded in a drive-in, branded a fool" or something like that.

This gave me a chance to pause and thinking about my childhood and going to drive-ins. I remember there was a drive-in theatre in Braintree and Westboro MA as well as a number of them down the Cape. What great memories. Would go with my friends and have a ton of fun. We would go and watch a double feature and laugh all night. Since we didn’t have a ton of money, I remember bringing in our own food and drinks and taking forever to figure out how to get the volume right in the car. Those were the days! 

Frankly I miss going to the drive-in. I think if there was one close I would go. 

• Do you miss going to a drive-in theatre?
   
• By any chance is there one near you now?
   
• What is your favorite drive-in movie story?

 I look forward to reading your comments.

Posted in Entertainment | Post Comments (7) »

Over the years all of us have probably watched thousands and thousands of TV shows and noticed lots of different things. For me I always enjoyed what cars the actors and actresses were driving.

Do you remember the A-Team’s GMC C-Series van? Who could forget the Ferraris in Miami Vice – used to love to see Don Johnson driving fast in the streets of Miami while wearing his white suit with white shoes.  Of course Tom Selleck also drove a Ferrari in Magnum PI. And of course there were the funky, crazy Batmobile, the Munster Koach and the Partridge Family bus.

For me there are two shows and cars that were my favorite. I really like James Garner who starred in the Rockford Files. Great show and I really liked the Pontiac Firebird he drove, I also loved the show Vegas. Dan Tanna played by Robert Urich drove a really cool, sleek red 1957 Ford Thunderbird. I must admit I thought Dan and the car were the greatest.

Ok your turn.

• Did you watch a TV show because of a car?
   
• What was your favorite car/van/bus on a TV show?
   
• Did you ever purchase a car because you saw someone on TV drive it?

I look forward to reading your comments.

Posted in Entertainment | Post Comments (10) »