Daily Archives: December 15, 2011

iPhoneography: The Christmas “Situation”

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Yep, it’s time for more Christmas stuff. You remember how this works, from way back when we were finding oddball Halloween masks, costumes and decor. The Christmas selection is a little less oddball, but there is some offbeat stuff.

Not the least of which is that ornament above, of the guy from MTV’s “Jersey Shore” who calls himself “The Situation.”

I mean, really, who wouldn’t want this guy on their tree? Because really, nothing says the holiday season quite like drunken tanning.

Now this is more like it: A Hallmark ornament depicting the cover of “Avengers” issue number 4, with Captain America leaping out in three dimensions.

That particular issue — the first comic I ever owned, given to me by an older neighbor — was famous for re-introducing Cap, in an arctic deep freeze since the end of World War II.

For a warm and fuzzy feeling, how about pink bunny slippers, part of the ensemble Ralphie’s aunt made for him in “A Christmas Story?” Now you too can feel like a deranged rabbit.

Ah, “Peanuts.” You are synonymous with Christmas for many of us of a certain age. This set of Charlie Brown and friends figures can be purchased separately but, when gathered together, play holiday classics.

As for stocking stuffers, how about Santa Claus’ brother-in-law, Caramel Claus?

And last but not least, you just know Walmart had to get into the Christmas village thing. This village square version of Walmart is a lot more quaint than your typical big box store, however.

More next time!

Can new ‘Dallas’ recapture the magic?

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I’m not saying my friends and ever did this, but you could turn the old “Dallas” series into a pretty good drinking game.

During much of the original run of the series, which appeared on CBS on Friday nights from 1978 to 1991, my friends and I made watching the primetime soap a part of our “getting into the weekend” ritual. Before we would go out to a movie — often a midnight show — or otherwise fritter away our lives, we would gather at a friend’s house and watch the latest exploits of J.R., Bobby and the other Ewings.

Again, I’m not saying we did this, but you could get pretty hammered if you took a drink of some beverage every time one of the Ewings did. It was a given that the minute J.R. or Jock or Bobby or Sue Ellen — especially Sue Ellen — walked into the living room at Southfork Ranch, they would head for the bar tucked up against one wall. They would pour themselves a drink and settle in for some talk about the oil “bidness” or the latest family intrigue.

The show was a ratings sensation, of course, and its impact was global. I visited a friend in Vancouver, Canada in 1984 and talked to people who — kind of jokingly, kind of seriously – thought “Dallas” was an accurate depiction of the typical American family.

I’m looking forward to seeing TNT’s “Dallas” revival series next summer. Many of the actors will be back, not just Patrick Duffy and Larry Hagman, but favorites like Linda Gray as Sue Ellen and Steve Kanaly as Ray Krebbs, family patriarch Jock Ewing’s illegitimate son.

Of course, much of the focus will be on actors playing John Ross and Christopher, the children of J.R. and Bobby. I wish we could see some obscure favorites like Val and Gary Ewing and Punk Anderson. And we need to see a trip to the Cattlemen’s Club for lunch at least a couple of times.

I’ll be watching “Dallas” next summer. I won’t be playing a drinking game, even though I’m hoping the sudsy action sends the Ewings to the bar frequently. And I’m hoping the show is enough fun to entertain a new generation of fans.