What am I Reading? - April 2021 - Turning the Tables

 

It started with a table flip, and ended with a ride home from a federal prison... I was very familiar with the story of Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Giudice, a seemingly short-tempered, cash-flashing housewife. In Turning The Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again, we hear more of the nuance of the story, concluding at the time of her release from prison in 2016. A collection of old stories, musings, and journals let us into the inner psyche of the woman, whose husband, "Juicy Joe" left  to begin his own sentence at the beginning of her freedom

The most straining part of this story was to see two people that seemed like they used to be so in love, now so broken. When reading about their heartfelt calls and visits at the Danbury correctional center, when  compared to the reality of their draining separation, I felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle. Granted, both have served prison sentences, lost parents, and Joe was deported back to Italy by ICE since he was technically an illegal immigrant as a child and never got a green card.  I really have to thank Co-author K.C, Baker for whatever she did for this book, which I suspect is turning it from half sentences and incorrectly used phrases, and making it easy for a human to understand. Watching her speak to her friends and family on TV can be a stressful experience if you like to hear people speaking the Queen's English, but I digress..., I now can see some shred of humanity to this woman that I hadn't seen before. She cares deeply for her friends, her kids, and her family. She also believes in the importance faith, fitness, and being a polite housemate. I think her time away taught her some humility and patience, which she was in short supply of up until that point. After all, she did almost black out in rage and flip over a table in the middle of a restaurant... As Countess Lu says, "Money can't buy you class."

via GIPHY

I give it a 4 out of 5! Minus a point for Juicy Joe, just as person. 

What am I Reading? - March 2021 - Natural Disaster

 

My bookshelf gained a new book this month! Over the pandemic, I have fallen in like with ABC's Chief Meteorologist, Ginger Zee. She forecasted and broadcasted from her basement for most of 2020, letting her hair's natural curls take center stage and  parenting while on live TV when her kids interrupt her reports, as seen in this clip  from Access Hollywood. 

I began following/stalking @Ginger_Zee on Twitter early in the pandemic because she seemed  like a relatable person on-air. I quickly learned that people direct message and @ her daily, dumping on  her fashion and hair choices (as Stephanie Tanner says, "How Rude!") She takes this abuse with grace and poise, reaching out to the fans and defending herself and her fashion choices. She wants to make every hater into a follower, and she does this well. 

In early Winter 2020, I discovered the  Narcolepsy 360 podcast, where a recent guest was, you guessed it, Ginger Zee. I learned she has suffered from the disease since her teen years, and had battled it while working through on-site storm coverage and 10+ weekend shifts earlier in her career. I immediately ordered myself this book, which catches us up to the present.  

Through reading this story, I learned about a courageous woman whose love of storms in her childhood propelled her to study meteorology in college. I had no idea schools offered degrees in meteorology. The chapter about her work covering Hurricane Katina is heartbreaking, and shows her heart and courage.  I give it 5 out of 5!

2020 Through the Lens of Ryan and Kelly

Today, Live with Kelly and Ryan ended their look back at 2020 and remembrance of the first day of lockdown. I've collected my favorite memories from the 2020 shows as a way to mark time. As an at home worker, I have relied on their show each weekday to get motivated for my morning, except on Tuesdays, because Kelly points out the low energy of the staff at the start of each Tuesday show. If this was a medical show, the exhaustions of the staff would be shown with short scenes, representing each month of the pandemic. Below, I have supplied my literal TV screen shots, representing each month. 

MARCH 2020

After a brief hiatus, Kelly and Ryan return to the show from their remote "home" locations. Kelly spends most of March and all of April and May locked down in a rental house in the Caribbean, stuck on vacation. This remains a secret to the public for some time. Ryan stands at his kitchen counter in L.A. Bathrobes and pajamas are common. 

APRIL 2020

Kelly's husband Mark jumps in as
 co-host and guest (4/20/20). 

As the Ripa-Conselos family remains secretly trapped in the Caribbean, Kelly reveals she is only speaking to one of her three kids while in quarantine. Even paradise seems to be boring in lockdown. My guess has always been Joaquin was the good child, but see the below haircut segment with her eldest son, Michael. 

At home haircut lessons with the Live Team (04/30/20)

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MAY 2020

Mark returns as a guest (again) on 05.01.20. Mark then returns as guest host (05/18/20) after Ryan appears unwell on screen the day before. Seacrest still manages to film this show and host American Idol and do his radio shows from home. I manage to make myself three meals, work all day, and take a walk. Kelly and Mark's eldest son will not have a real college graduation, and he is still out of the country at the time of his college zoom graduation.  

Zoom prom with DJ Pauly D (05/29/20).

JUNE 2020 

The Ripa-Conseulos clan returns to New York. The public is pissed when they find out where the family has been this whole time. Ryan admits he and his on/off girlfriend Shayna have broken up again and he and his dog are lonely. 

JULY 2020

We catch a rare glimpse of the Ripa-Consuelos home in June before they move to former producer Albert's guest house in the Hamptons for the summer. We learn this is because their wi-fi connection is not very strong and is making the zoom feed skip. Photo 1: (07/09/20).

Photo 2: Many outdoor activities are conducted for the 4th of july. Outside BBQ tips are celebrated all week and we learn the Gelman family may practice hula hooping every day. We are also introduced to Kelly's  nephew, Sergio, a frequent summer visitor.  The press speculates that Ripa is in her central park-adjacent backyard, which does not exist. (07/03/20) 

AUGUST 2020 

How does one entertain while keeping their food at a social distance? Kelly and Ryan introduce the phrase "river of salami" to separate cheeses on a charcuterie board. I am inspired for my upcoming outdoor wine and cheese party.  Photo 08/13/20

SEPTEMBER 2020

Welcome back to the studio! We meet a family running Teddy's BBQ in Texas and  an adorable toddler steals the interview. Photo 09/08/21

OCTOBER 2020

While it wasn't the 50th birthday trip to Disney World Kelly was hoping for, she was treated to a day of celebration and balloon arches for her 50th birthday. A giant Carvel CookiePuss cake is wheeled out by Ripa's close friend and World News Tonight anchor David Muir. Photo 10/02/20

NOVEMBER 2020

 Kelly celebrates 30 years with ABC/Disney. We are treated to visits with ghosts of her past careers. A reunion with All My Children casemates goes well until Walt Willey gets creepy. 

During the Hope and Faith cast reunion, Ted McGinley's wife presents the Ripa-Consuelos family with a creepy portrait of Kelly and Mark on the beach. Photo 11/05/21

DECEMBER 2020

The Holiday mug has arrived for at-home holiday trivia. Ryan takes a vacation and Kelly is joined by her two favorite men, Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper. Cohen spends a long time obsessing about the holiday mug, while Anderson tries dippin' dots for the first time. 

 Both Andys celebrated the holiday season and talked endlessly about their new dad lives. For Bravo exec Cohen, it was the struggle to find the correct car seat for his upcoming trip (with his son) to host the the Atlanta housewives reunion. News reporter Cooper spoke about his son's top clappy the bear and the toy's demeaning chant to "clap your little hands." Both Andys went on to host their own NYE program a block apart from Seacrest, and their program was far more entertaining.  

  LEFT: (Cooper,  12.17.20)

BELOW: (Cohen, 12.15.20) 

Andy gets deep into a viewer's holiday traditions. 

(Holiday sweater party with Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn (12.18.20)

EP Art Moore spins
 the holiday trivia wheel. (12.2020)

Ryan laments about hosting NYE
 in a mostly empty Times Square (12.30.20). 

 

GRAMMYS 2021: A New Type of Awards Show?

 One major thing happened at the 2021 Grammy Awards. I know what you're thinking.  No, it's not just the first time Trevor Noah  dressed in more than a hoodie and left his house in months. No, it's not the random appearance by a very tired-looking and grammy-less Beyonce and Jay-Z. 

I'll tell you what happened: Music was actually celebrated on music's biggest night!

via GIPHY

 Yes, most music award shows these days are glorified over-the-top performances that look like they belong at halftime of the big game. With a small, intimate audience outside the STAPLES center in a still locked-down Los Angeles, artists could have been left scrambling. Some of them haven't performed in the last year and now they're relegated to a closed indoor set without the limited show audience to cheer them on. What's a musician to do? 

They had to perform for (brace yourself) each other.  Performances and interview videos of the most nominated artists of the year went in a  round-robin style, 2 to 3 in a row. Artists sat near their performance spaces after, often with drinks in their hands, making eye contact with their fellow nominees, making me believe that is is just an honor to be nominated. Gone are the days of Taylor sitting front row and dancing with her model BFF's like they're at the club.  Gone are the days of  people wiping tears from their eyes while they pretend to be moved by an Adele song. And I'd like to think that with this new feeling of inclusion, there will be less camera catching Chrissy Tiegan falling asleep during the Oscars.  Here was a night of actual human connection, and about 4-5 televised awards. We may still be in the middle of the pandemic, but this was more of a real celebration than any other awards show I've seen.  

Notes from the Supermarket: Ice Cream

 

 

In searching for a delicious ice cream sandwich at the supermarket, I just came across this gem, Good Humor's WWE-themed cookie ice cream sandwiches. I hope they are strong enough to sustain a hot day, or being crushed by a chair....