Happy Birthday to the following…..
Evander Holyfield, 1962. He must get a plethora of gifts with his 37 children.
Jon Favreau, 1966. “Couples Retreat” was a mistake big guy.
Chris Kattan, 1970. The king of laughing at himself on SNL.
Keith Foulke, 1972. The uncrowned MVP of the 2004 World Series. Never gets the proper credit for all he did in 2004 for the Red Sox. I appreciate you buddy.
Michael Young, 1976. Keep up the good work, beat the Yankees.
Oh and one more person……
Me. 34.
Last night was the premiere of HBO’s newest gangster/period drama, Boardwalk Empire. HBO had been pushing the hell out of this, promo’s started a while back. It’s pretty clear that they think they have a winner here. You can debate what the “Best HBO Show” is of all time… I know everyone loves the Wire (I haven’t watched it yet), the ladies love “Sex and the City”, but the most recognizable HBO show is the Sopranos. It may not be the “best”, but it is certainly the most famous. Boardwalk Empire is Sopranos during the prohibition era.. both series take place in the Garden State, and both are about organized crime. The series was created by a fellow named Terence Winters, want to guess what show he is most famous for writing on….. the Sopranos. Want more Sopranos connections? How about the star of the show, Steve Buscemi. While Buscemi’s resume includes lots of films, one of his best roles was…. on the Sopranos. Normally, I would think that this show was going to suck, like the execs at HBO were so desperate for a new show that they just took an old show and changed it up a bit. Well, after one episode, that just isn’t the case.
Boardwalk Empire looks like it is going to be the real deal. Of course it was nice that the pilot episode was directed by Martin Scorsese, but this show has unlimited potential. I won’t cover too much plot in case you missed it, consider this a my attempt to get you to watch. This show is not pure fiction, there are real historical figures, but the lead role seems to be a play off of a real person. Buscemi plays Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (the real guys last name was Johnson), who is the treasurer of Atlantic City at the dawn of prohibition. With most of the HBO shows you have a signature character, and Nucky is it for this show. It will be interesting to see how many liberties the writers take with actual history. As I said, in the first episode you get introduced to famous real life gangsters, so with little google-ing you can see what really happened to these figures. After 1 episode I don’t know how true to history they are going to be, but I would assume that they will stay within the script. Nucky has a lot of Tony Soprano in him. Both of them had two sides to their character. Tony had his life as a father/husband and his life as a gangster. Sure those lines were crossed many times during the show. Still, Tony’s family never knew the depth of his crimes. Nucky has his public front as treasurer, but then he has his underworld life as well. I have six seasons worth of material to analyze Tony, and only 1 episode to discuss Nucky, so it’s not fair to go to in depth. Still, you can tell that they both share the “larger than life” trait.
Any first episode of any show has the challenge of introducing you to new characters and their place in the story. If you go back and watch season 1 of the Sopranos, it’s a very different show than it became. Season 1 introduced Tony’s world through his sessions with Melfi. If you go back and watch early Sex and the City, Carrie talks directly into the camera for background info to the viewer. So for the first episode here, you just get throw right in. I will say that it was a little confusing, but you have to imagine that everything will be explained as the season goes on. (Random note, one of the greatest all time first episodes is Mad Men. You had the entire episode to meet Don Draper. He works, he drinks, he bangs broads, all during the course of the work day. Then, at the very end of the episode the guy goes home to his family… HE IS MARRIED? Oh my, that was a great one). In Boardwalk, you get introduced to a lot of characters, but right away you know that there are two very important people. Nucky is number one, but number two appears to be his driver(/protege?) James “Jimmy” Darmody. You learn that Jimmy was a student a Princeton, but dropped out to join the military and fight in WWI. Jimmy is played by Michael Pitt, who I only recognized from Finding Forester. There is clearly a relationship between Nucky and Jimmy, but just how close the two are is not really defined in the first episode. However, it doesn’t take Madame Cleo to foresee that these are the two most important characters on the show.
This show could go on to suck, but I am willing to bet it won’t. Buscemi is great actor, who because of his awkward looks, is able to pull off a certain amount of intrigue. Now more than ever, the best entertainment is on TV. Movies have gone down the toilet. Boardwalk has a chance to be another great show. Again, it’s only 1 episode and I don’t want to ruin the plot, but this show has the look and feel of a winner.
I can’t watch the NFL network, or ESPN. I can’t check my favorite websites, or even talk to some friends after the shameful effort put out by the Patriots. There is nothing good to say. No Patriot deserve praise, every patriot should be ashamed to collect their pay check. The worst part is that they enabled the Jets to walk the walk. Expectations are low. The Patriots had a lead a half-time and then just checked out in the second half. It angers me to even keep talking about it, but know that I saw this coming. Check out my article at Bleacher Report…
Seriously, to any of my readers…. give me something non NFL related to write about. Your wish is my command. I am open, If I have any readers, now is the time for you to let me know. Pick a topic that you want to hear my opinion on, and I will write something.
Before the opening of the NFL season, both Saints and Vikings players walked onto the field and held up their fingers. Apparently, this was a gesture of unity for the upcoming NFL lock out. One problem, had the players not told the announcers about this gesture, then it just would have been a stupid gesture. Memo to the NFL players and Owners, these are tough times and seeing millionaires bitch about millions of dollars doesn’t fly. When the CBA expires and the lock out ensures, there will be ZERO public support. The NFL will take a hit in popularity that will take time to overcome. Without the fans, athletes would be nothing, and owners would have to find other money making endeavors.
So nice gesture millionaires, I hope there is a lock out so you can see what it’s like to not collect those seven figure pay checks. Also, memo to the owners, you are not innocent either. Come to a compromise (you know… like the one that you will eventually sign once you start not collecting those gate receipts) because sports are a wonderful distraction from the problems of the world. We don’t need you to add another problem. Labor negotiations are by far and away the most stupid thing in this country, just make a compromise you fucking spoiled bitches.
