Routine better than lockup
I have a close family member who lives in a retirement residence in Ontario which, thank goodness, doesn’t have a case of COVID-19. He’s locked in, which is driving him nuts because he can’t go about his daily routine which includes buying a newspaper at the convenience store (even though he can have it delivered at a cheaper rate than newsstands), going to Tim Hortons and then to McDonald’s.
But, what he misses most is quality sports entertainment. Ordinarily, he’d be watching the Masters this weekend. In April and May, it would be basketball and hockey playoffs and the Toronto Blue Jays.
I suggested watching some of the old classic games that are being replayed but he, like me, finds it boring to watch a game when he knows what the final outcome will be.
We are all in this together.
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Trivia: Who holds the Academy Awards record for having sung the best original song in three different movies? Bonus points if you can name the movies. Read on.
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I studied television production in college and we dabbled with projects involving a live audience. (We had to bribe our friends with free pizza to get them to come in for an hour to watch one of our shows.
Looking back, our productions were “SCTV” quality, without the humour. I find it interesting how the late-night hosts are handling social distancing. So far, they’ve done a pretty good job.
The biggest challenge will come when “Saturday Night Live” returns to the airwaves, without an audience, and following social-distancing rules. My guess is they will nail it. With the presidency of Donald Trump, SNL hasn’t been this good since the glory days of the 1970s with John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and “The Mr. Bill Show.”
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Trivia answer hint: Two of the three songs were duets and both went to No. 1.
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Pat “Whitey” Stapleton — the greatest defenceman who is not in the Hockey Hall of Fame — was on the ice when Paul Henderson scored the golden goal in the 1972 Summit Series and he continued to give back to his community in retirement as a coach and goodwill ambassador. Stapleton died Wednesday at age 79.
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Happy 13th birthday to anthem singer and future pop superstar Scotty Berg of Kelowna and a belated happy 65th birthday to Penticton city council watchdog Lynn “Mama Bear” Kelsey. I hope you both have a great day!
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I would like to thank our readers for their steadfast loyalty and unconditional love for print journalism during the COVID-19 crisis. You’ve stuck with us. THANK YOU!
For the first time in years, we’ve experienced a noticeable increase in both online and print subscriptions. Much of it, I’m sure, is due to the fact that people are shut in, bored and looking for something to do.
Other people want as much information on COVID-19 as possible. Print still presents the stories in a concise, organized and easy-to-read format — and don’t forget the puzzles and comics. Whatever your reason, I thank you for your support and appreciate your patience during challenging times. I also thank the businesses willing and able to advertise with us. Finally, thank you to the production team that puts our newspaper together, the drivers and of course the carriers.
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Trivia answer: Jennifer Warnes. “It Goes Like It Goes” (Norma Rae); “Up Where We Belong,” with Joe Cocker (An Officer and a Gentleman); “I’ve Had the Time of My Life,” with Bill Medley (Dirty Dancing).
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In closing, I wish everyone in the Okanagan a happy and joyous Easter weekend.