A question dressed in sheep's clothing
Q: I received an email picture of a pig that looks like it's wearing sheep's clothing. According to the note, it is not Photoshopped -- it's a real photo. Have you ever heard of such a thing? -- M.L., Rock Hill, North Carolina
A: To be honest with you, no, I never have. Then I did some research, and there really is such an animal. Curly coated mangalitsas really do resemble wooly sheep. According to the experts, this is the only pig that does so. Originally, the pig was bred in Europe as a lard pig. Because of the decrease in the demand for lard, the popularity of this breed of pig has declined, and they are now regarded as rare. There are approximately 60,000 mangalitsas worldwide.
Q: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers recently played on Thursday Night Football. The initials M.G. were on their uniforms. What is that about? -- J.I.B., Portland, Maine
A: M.G. stands for Malcolm Glazer, the team owner. Glazer purchased the Bucs on Jan. 16, 1995; he passed away May 28, 2014. The Buccaneers won the Super Bowl for the first time in the team's 27-year history on Jan. 26, 2003, after his team defeated the Oakland Raiders 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII.
LET'S LEARN ENGLISH
In the U.K., they say "about-turn"; in America, we make "U-turns."
In the U.K., they eat "butties," while in America, snack on "sandwiches."
EXTRA: A "butty bar" in the U.K. is a "sandwich shop" on this side of the ocean.
Q: I was fortunate to see Sammy Davis Jr. in Las Vegas on several occasions. He was often billed as the "greatest living entertainer in the world." How old was he when he died? He seemed young. What was the cause? At one time he wore an eye patch. What was the issue with that? -- B.K., Ocala, Florida
A: Samuel George Davis Jr. was born Dec. 8, 1925, and died of complications from throat cancer on May 16, 1990, at age 64. He lost his left eye in a car crash on his way to the recording studio in 1954 and wore an eye patch to hide his glass eye. Supposedly, Humphrey Bogart convinced him to remove the patch, which of course he did.
DID YOU KNOW? Tobey Maguire injured his back while filming "Seabiscuit," making his appearance in "Spider-man 2" (2004) questionable. Jake Gyllenhaal was set to play the title role, but Maguire recovered in time.
Q: In the late 1950s, I used to listen to radio announcer Cousin Brucie on WINS in New York City. He wasn't on the air very long, maybe a year, and then he was gone, but not totally forgotten. Recently, there was a special or an infomercial of old rock-n'-roll music on TV. The voice of Cousin Brucie was featured for a segment. WOW! Talk about a nostalgic trip. Whatever happened to him? -- G.S., Utica, New York
A: Bruce "Cousin Brucie" Morrow was born Oct. 13, 1935, (though some sources say 1937) in Brooklyn, New York, as Bruce Meyerowitz. He began his radio career in Bermuda. When he came stateside in 1959, he joined WINS, a New York City Top 40 station. A year later, he moved to Miami, but quickly returned to WABC in New York City, another Top 40 station. Later, he switched to WNBC. In 1974, he teamed up with Robert Sillerman to form Sillerman Morrow, which owned a group of radio and television stations. His voice can be heard on several TV shows and in films. He's written at least three books and is currently a host on XM Radio. Over the years, he's won numerous awards, including being inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1988.