Thursday, January 13, 2011

Boogie Nights and Sniff'n the Tears. More Opium? Fill my Bowl

The Tucson thing is still the topic, non stop topic, on talk radio and "news" television. It seems just last week we were all concerned about TSA employees looking at someones cock. I suppose it is safe to say that I am nauseated now. I have before stated that as a centrist I can point fingers of blame at those exploiting this horrible tragedy to the utmost and I will so point said fingers. The "professional" (and otherwise) left in this country are beating their drums and blowing their horns to the point of insanity. I really question whether some of these folks are really as soulless as they sound. Perhaps I exaggerate. There really seems to be very little in the way of remembering the victims of this awful episode and a whole lot of vicious, sick, vitriol. Nuff said on that I suppose.

I again find myself filling my bowl with the finest opium in the way of the one hit wonder "Sniff'n the Tears" with  their classic "Driver's Seat." This song certainly brings back memories for me personally. When this tune was popular I was stranded in Alameda, Ca. in USCG basic training. Really it was not all that hard for me and I wondered at some at the pussies who had trouble adjusting to military training. What did they think was going to happen in boot camp? A birthday party? At that time Coastie basic was twelve weeks of hell. This was before it was shortened and became coed training. Ask anyone with any knowledge of such matters and they will tell you it was every bit as hard as Marine Corps basic. Who says that drill instructors didn't smack you around a bit in the late 70's basic? Who says? At any rate, the song reminds me of sitting in my "rack" during some rare time off with the barracks radio blaring this tune through the roof. Just like it was yesterday I tell you. I loved it then and I love it now. You know, this song had a resurrection somewhat in the incomparable 1997 film "Boogie Nights." The scene where "The Colonel" (Roger Ridley RIP) greets Floyd Gondolli (Phillip Baker Hall) at the big NYE party. Great Great Great. The song was playing in the soundtrack. It is interesting that Boogie Nights was a watershed film for quite a number of actors who have gone onto stardom and semi stardom. Boogie Nights resurrected the film career of Burt Reynolds somewhat. Marky Mark was propelled to stardom. Don Cheadle as "Buck" is classic as is John C. Reilly as "Reed Rothchild." Phillip Seymour Hoffman has since become a force in films also. There are more; Melora Walters has gotten some good roles and of course Thomas Jane (Todd Parker) has made inroads in the movie game. Good for them. There are still more of course. This truly was a film with an all star cast. William Macy, Heather Graham, Julianne Moore as "Amber Waves," Luis Guzman, Alfred Molina and Joanna Gleason all had a role in this film. Even some of the stars of the "adult" biz had roles. Nina Hartley, Lil Cinderella, Tony Tedeschi, Sky Blue and Summer Cummings were featured. Who can forget the lovely Veronica Hart as the "Judge?" If you remember (well maybe you don't) she was one of the darlings of the "Golden Age of Porn" prior to the video revolution. After all the "early days" of commercial pornography is what the film is really about. Why else would Ron Jeremy be a consultant? Of course he was a young man at the time portrayed and it probably would have been better to get one of the Mitchell Brothers (one is still alive I think) or Gerard Damiano (RIP) for a better view of the "business" Oh well. The things one thinks about when trying to find distraction from the craziness that has befallen our nation. Wonder what's next.

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