NOT A DAY GOES BY.... I TRY TO SEARCH FOR THE SUN

AT CARRIE'S HOUSE IN THE MID-1990S. THEY WERE DOING A COVER SHOOT FOR ME AND I STEPPED IN THE SHOT WHEN THEY WERE ON THE SLIDE IN CARRIE'S FRONT YARD

BRAVO TO MEGAN KELLY, NEW HOST OF "THE TODAY SHOW"

I AM SO HAPPY THAT NOW THERE IS SOMEONE TO WATCH ON "TODAY." It's a great platform for her. I am hoping they give her free reign on what to do with that hour. I really don't want her saddled with typical "Today" weather reports and correspondents the way it has been. I want to see something fresh.

If they put her in the 9 a.m. hour, she competes against Kelly Ripa, and I always want Kelly to do well. I think the shows are quite different and it should be fine. I doubt that "Today" will move Hoda and Kathie Lee to 9 a.m. They are established at 10 and doing great.

Tamron Hall

Al Roker

Tamron Hall and Al Roker are good people, but that 9 a.m. hour always seemed like a throwaway without a clear identity. The addition of Billy Bush didn't help. At least they got rid of him fast enough. I'm sure "Today" from 7-9 a.m. will use Tamron well, and keep Al doing what he's doing.

ALEXANDRA DWEK'S FRIENDS WITH CAUSES----VISTA DEL MAR EVENING

I'VE DECIDED ALEXANDRA SHOULD BE CALLED "THE HOSTESS WITH A HEART." FRIENDS WITH CAUSES IS A DINNER PARTY SHE HOSTS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR WHERE WE ALL BRING GORGEOUS POT LUCK FOOD AND A CHECK TO GIVE TO A WONDERFUL CAUSE. REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CAUSE ARE THERE AND GIVE US AN UP-CLOSE, PERSONAL PRESENTATION SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE OUR DOLLARS ARE GOING. IT IS ALWAYS A STIMULATING AND WARM EVENING OF FRIENDSHIP AND GIVING BACK.

The latest dinner was for Vista Del Mar, a charity founded in 1908, that is still going strong. Our particular area of interest was their effort to transition their 18-year-old residents into main stream society or adult group homes. Check out the Vista Del Mar website. They do incredible work in so many areas.

Stella Pawley and Georgia Spogli

Mary McCoy and Vista Del Mar Godmother Dana Sigoloff

Jeanine Borhill and Jenny Kim

One of three of Alexandra's beautiful tables

Donna Antebi, Stefanie Powers and Kate Edelman Johnson

Arlene Sidaris, Anne Archer and Donna Isham

Mary McCoy, Allison Betts and Donna Antebi

Arele Sidaris, Kate Edelman Johnson, Katy Strouk and Cathy Corell

The food that is brought can feed an army, and all of the massive leftovers are taken right away to My Friends' Place, a shelter for homeless teens in Hollywood.

I DON'T LIKE THIS WORLD RIGHT NOW

I am not a political party person. I am one of those who decides candidate by candidate, and issue by issue. I am not beholden to any agenda, right or left. I'm a reasonable person in the middle. If you look across the country, I believe most people are like me.

Come election time, I watch each candidate and look for brains and experience. I have voted for both Republicans and Democrats for president, senate, and congress all my life. I am also not a one-issue voter. For me, I want to look at the whole and then make a choice

But, our world has gone off its rocker.

I don't want to see a school drop-out pop star yelling f--k on TV  and saying she wants to blow up the White House. I don't want to see ultra conservatives yelling discriminating epithets against people because of gender, race or skin color. I happen to believe in our constitution that all people are created equal. (and they should be paid equally if they are doing the same job!)

I don't want to see Americans yelling at each other and cutting each other out of their lives if they don't agree politically. What happened to "it's a free country?"

I don't want to see any innocent, defenseless White House child of a president bullied on the internet and print and TV media. And, this has happened to most children of most presidents. Maybe there was no internet during Lynda Bird and Lucie Baines Johnson's time in the White House, but you all know what happened. Amy Carter? Chelsea?

I'm sick of the anger in this world. One thing that is comforting, is that we move in cycles. The good AND the bad of the 60s protests evened themselves out. I'm hoping that our current times will do the same. But the problem now is that everything is so public, and the violence and anger inside people have risen to the level of civilians hitting, spitting, and even shooting each other if they disagree on a political issue.

In the 60s, whatever insanity was going on only appeared on three or four TV channels, and, obviously there were no pictures on radios Nowadays, the insanity is on 24 hours a day, instantly world-wide via phones and internet. This wide-spread coverage, I believe, incites more violence. When you see something repeatedly on the media, it normalizes it. You become numb to it and cease to react to the horror.

And, speaking of the Constitution, our right to free speech in paramount. It's what makes America, America. But, in exercising my right of free speech, I can say I don't like the unbridled hate and invectives being hurled around.


Does anyone wonder why I'm spending more time in Palm Springs playing croquet, tennis, and golf and watching HGTV and The FOOD Network?

I've HAD IT.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG = LA LA LAND WATCH TCM

WATCH "UMBRELLAS" ON TCM TOMORROW NIGHT(WED) 7 P.M WEST COAST TIME AND YOU'LL SEE DAMIAN CHAZELLE'S INSPIRATION FOR "LA LA LAND." HE DID A BRILLIANT JOB, BUT LET'S REMEMBER JACQUES DEMY, WHOSE IDEA IT WAS IN THE FIRST PLACE. I'M GLAD "LA LA LAND" HAS BROUGHT ATTENTION BACK TO JACQUES. I HATE IT WHEN PIONEERS ARE FORGOTTEN. 

If you watch "la La Land" carefully, you'll see a shop in the background of one of the dance numbers that says, "Parapluies." That means "umbrellas" in French and was Damian's inside joke.

Thanks, Damian

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY DEATH THREATS????? THIS IS CRAZY

I DON'T CARE WHO'S BEING INAUGURATED. WHAT KIND OF WORLD DO WE LIVE IN THAT A PERFORMER RECEIVES DEATH THREATS FOR PERFORMING AT A GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTION??????

THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND DISGUSTING. THESE PEOPLE WHO THREATEN SHOULD LOOK IN THE MIRROR. THAT WILL SHOW THEM THE ANSWER AS TO WHAT'S WRONG WITH OUR WORLD RIGHT NOW

WHY AM I BINGE-WATCHING 'ONE DAY AT A TIME ON NETFLIX?"

YES, PEOPLE, I CAN'T STOP WATCHING THE NEW NETFLIX "ONE DAY AT A TIME COMEDY SERIES.

• I DIDN'T CARE FOR THE ORIGINAL WITH BONNIE FRANKLIN.
• I CANT STAND BEAT, BEAT, PUNCHLINE SITCOMS.
• I CAN'T STAND SITCOMS WITH CHILDREN.

YET, HERE I AM...AND SO SHOULD YOU BE.

This 2017 version, still executive produced by Norman Lear and now with (director) Pam Fryman and with new producers and developers Gloria Calderon Kellett and Mike Royce, is laugh-out loud funny. That hasn't happened to me in years.

Let's talk about stars Justina Machado and Rita Moreno--

I first noticed Justina in "Six Feet Under," and never forgot her. Her acting in that show was gifted and authentic. What a dramatic talent, I thought. Then Justina continued to work in movies and TV, but in "One Day at a Time," she lights your TV screen on fire. What a brilliant comedienne AND, thanks to a deep character and good writing, her dramatic talents are on display as well. And, boy, can she dance!

Now pair that with Rita Moreno an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony-winner)..

Rita is an 85-year-old-going-on-20-year-old who has found the part of a lifetime at this age--or almost any age. To watch her is sheer joy. The mother-daughter scenes between Justina and Rita are brilliant, moving, and funny at the same time. Wait til you see her making breakfast. That's all I can say.

As is typical with Norman Lear, who did shows about issues before anyone else, it still happens here, whether it is equal pay or does God exist----but it's sooooo funny.

I also want to mention how much I like the children, played by Isabella Gomez and Marcel Ruiz. They are so good, I might even watch if they had their own show.

So......I am as shocked as you reading this about my love for a 70s sit-com reboot that I never liked before.

And, what's so great, is that I totally forgot that they changed the cast to Latinos. Funny is funny, and that's the whole point.

"THE YOUNG POPE" IS DIVINELY AWFUL-----WHAT FUN!

"GOD LIVES NEXT TO THE BIG DIPPER. HE HAS HALF A DUPLEX WITH A SWIMMING POOL," was actually one of the lines that came out of Jude Law's mouth as the Pope. I get that some of the camp is intentional. I always support that. What I can't stand is the pretentious, precious ponderous dialogue said by Jude as well as Diane Keaton as Sister Mary. I have no idea how Diane can keep a straight face and say those lines.

The script is laughable. The direction and cinematography is totally a steal from all the "Godfather movies"---tons of close ups of face in candelight surrounded by infinite black backgrounds. Jude Law acts like he's a zombie in every scene. I think I'm going to have to rewatch "The Talented Mr. Ripley" as an antidote.

And the score!!!!! It is just as silly...with drum beats, pulses under dialogue that are hilarious, too. Good Lord.

So far, I'll keep watching, but if I stop laughing, I'll press delete.

BRAVO TO MARIAH CAREY AND SHAME ON ABC AND DICK CLARK

I MAY BE CRYING ALL THE TIME RIGHT NOW, BUT I STILL CAN GET ANGRY.

No matter what you think of Mariah Carey (and her voice can be astounding), to have a singer keep telling a network and production company that her earpieces are faulty and she can't hear---REPEATEDLY BEFORE SHE WENT ON--- and that tech crew NOT fixing it when they said they should, is appalling and unprofessional. Stars travel with their own earpieces but it is up to the sound company to make them work. How dare ABC and Dick Clark do that! Shame on them. I think she should sue.

She handled it well, telling the audience the truth. "I can't hear anything. I need my monitors."
There is one caveat. She said on stage, "We missed the tech rehearsal." If that's true, everyone is at fault. That needs to be cleared up.