Presently rattled, troubled, worried and angered by current events and definitely not planning to read The Plague by "Big Al" Camus anytime soon, we shut-ins at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog find that the first order of business is to select St. Paddy's Day films to watch - and also make good on the promise to not spend the day (and night) swilling green beer.
What would St. Patrick's Day be without leprechauns hawking Lucky Charms cereal? That leprechaun looks hungover from drinking green beer!
This leprechaun-filled cartoon directed by former Disney ace animator Bill Tytla is one of the better Famous Studios Noveltoons, even though it would have been more interesting if both the little guys and the emaciated super-villain of the cartoon flaunted the Production Code by drinking green beer throughout.
The best cartoon ever made featuring leprechauns was created by Chuck Jones and his crew at Warner Brothers. . .
There are terrific St Patrick's Day flicks. Saw one of the best, the ultimate St. Patrick's day film, John Ford's The Quiet Man, in big screen glory at Palo Alto's Stanford Theater.
21st century viewers may find Ford's nostalgic ode to Ireland and 19th century patriarchal culture rather dated, but this blogger is always happy to watch it because, among other things, the wonderfully fiery Maureen O'Hara kicks the asses of both Victor McLaglen and John Wayne in the same movie.
Also love The Quiet Man because everyone, including the entire John Ford stock company, is at least five sheets to the wind on Guinness throughout. No green beer in that pub!
And that brings us to Irish comedians. My dad's favorite was The Jack Benny Program's Irish tenor and comedian (both on radio and TV) Dennis Day, the funniest guy he ever saw. Dennis performed an act in the 1950's and 1960's that combined songs and comedy routines penned by Jack's writers. My father's seven word review, "Dennis had 'em rolling in the aisles!" While it does not appear there are any filmed records of Day's standup comedy act, here's Dennis, singing with gusto, wit and more than a touch of blarney.
As far as Irish songs go, Bing Crosby simply had to get into the action on his hit White Christmas album - and did so brilliantly.
While the comedy programs of the U.K. that made it to American television tended to hail from England and were frequently creations of The Pythons, our local public television stations did periodically present shows featuring excellent comedians from Ireland as well. One Irish comic who had much success on BBC television was the satiric monologist and storyteller Dave Allen.
Barely squeaking into the 20th century pop culture focus of this blog is standup comedian Graham Norton, who has been hosting his hilarious talk show since 1997.
Here's Graham interviewing one of the outstanding comedy writers and actors of the 20th and 21st centuries, Stephen Fry (Blackadder, Jeeves & Wooster, A Bit Of Fry & Laurie) and also doing a funny bit about the 1990's versions of cell phones.
Although the phrase "Hot Diggity Dog" will not be heard around here anytime soon, these movies, cartoons and cheesy St. Patricks Day commercials will help.
Strict (and long overdue) avoidance of TV news and social media is also highly recommended. The following editorial cartoon by the excellent Nick Anderson says it beautifully and much more eloquently than this blogger can.
Instead, the gang at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog shall listen to rock n' roll, "new wave" and blues-rock bands - and that stirring music shall make the nervous 2020 St. Patrick's Day at least okay enough. Let 'er rip, U2.
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Cheers and a pint of Guinness to Jimmy Cagney and Frank McHugh! Then it's time for some green beer!
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