Steel Kaleidoscopes

Let's Make a Deal

Door number 1, door number 2 or door number 3?

Whatever Happened to...

Florence Henderson?

Henderson, best known for her role as Carol Brady in "The Brady Bunch," is 78, still working and lives in Palm Coast, Fla. She hosts her own talk show, "The Florence Henderson Show," on RLTV, and will appear in an upcoming episode of "Happily Divorced" with Robert Wagner on TV Land.

Henderson made a special appearance in May, 2012, on "The Price Is Right" with Drew Carey. In 2010, Henderson competed on "Dancing with Stars." 

Henderson married Ira Bernstein in January 1956, and the couple had four children.  In 1985, she divorced Bernstein after almost 29 years of marriage. She later married Dr.  John Kappas, a hypnotherapist, whom she met while battling depression in the mid 1980s. Henderson studied hypnotherapy and is a licensed therapist.  Kappas died in 2002.

Henderson, an accomplished singer, has been in several movies, making her film debut in "Song of Norway." Henderson began her career on stage, performing in the touring productions of "Oklahoma!" and "South Pacific." Her best-known Broadway role was the long-running "Fanny," in which she starred in 888 performances.

Henderson was the first woman to guest host "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."

Henderson, the youngest of 10 children, was born in Dale, Ind.

The Launch of MTV

I remember the fascination when MTV launched its programming in the summer of '81.

I was working at Coughtry's  Supply on Central Avenue in Albany, and my colleague Rick Miller and I would take our lunch break to sit in this tiny restaurant/pub to watch actual music videos.

It was the next best thing to going to a concert. And way better than listening to the radio.

There, in living color on a big-screen TV, were our music idols and a lot of musicians who weren't yet on our radar.

Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, J.J. Jackson and Martha Quinn would lead us through video after video as we watched the likes of Pat Benatar, Duran Duran and Van Halen.

We'd have a sandwich, sometimes a beer on Fridays, and watch videos on our lunch break.

 Another time and place.

Phyllis Diller

No disrespect to the Diller family, but did anyone think Phyllis Diller was still alive?

God bless her soul.

Retro Humor

Isn't that special.

Clay Aiken Dissed Again

In 2003, an unknown singer named Clay Aiken dazzled the competition but finished as a runner-up to Ruben Studdard in the second season of "American Idol."

He recently made his return to national TV competition as a participant on "Celebrity Apprentice." For those who really hadn't seen him beyond what he's accomplished as a singer, expectations were probably low.

How was this kid from North Carolina going to compete in a business/marketing format where the winner had to demonstrate leadership and the ability to navigate through complex personalities to accomplish a goal?

Well, he did just fine. Like "American Idol," he made it to the final against former talk-show host Arsenio Hall. Clearly, Aiken seemed the stronger player throughout the season, showing street smarts, business savvy and delivering results with passion and, at times, a firm hand.

So when Donald Trump hired Hall, Aiken was dissed again.

Surprising.

Money Matters TV Appearance

On a hot September evening in 2004, I entered the CN8 studios on Comm. Ave to appear on a career advancement panel for the TV show "Money Matters Today."

I was told there would be two other panelists. Problem was, they ran into travel issues and couldn't make it in time. Looks like it was up to me to fill the entire half-hour segment.

I found this out at the last minute.

No worries. Other than a lot of "it's very important" and "it's very critical" utterances, I hung in there.

Roll the tape (there are three segments):

 

And more:

 

And even more:

 

Porkchops and Applesauce

"Ain't that swell."

American Idol: Hiatus

Two years ago, I wrote in this space that I wouldn't be reviewing "American Idol" because of other priorities. After reviving my reviews last season, I am taking another hiatus from singer critique.

It really is about priorities.

Instead of watching the likes of Jessica Sanchez and Joshua Ledet, the potential finalists, belt out unique versions of Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder classics, I was helping my 6-year-old floss her teeth. (Yeah, I caught up through the wonder of DVR after 10 p.m.)

Before that, it was answering her questions about classroom reading etiquette. Then there was the project of  going through all of her old DVDs and watching her make the emotional choice of which ones stay in the family room and which ones are retired to the basement. "Monsters, Inc." and "Finding Nemo" were retired; "Enchanted" and "Tangled" stayed.

A bath, brushing teeth and flossing can easily take an hour.

Then there's math and spelling homework.

From time to time and when inspiration hits, I'll share my views on the singers to watch.

But for now, the keyboard is silent.

Impolitically Correct

Sometimes the changes in our culture are so subtle, yet so magnifying.

Take, for example, the lyrics to Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime."  Ray Dorset sings in 1970, "Have a drink, have a drive, go out and see what you can find."

We were watching the pilot of  "The Brady Bunch" the other day (part of an effort to share nostalgic TV shows with the little person who lives in our house) and Florence Henderson tells Robert Reed to "take a tranquilizer" to ease his nerves before their wedding.

Different times.