IJBFC Chat - December 20, 2015
(Name of message originator above the comment)
having trouble using chat
ok, it's working now
Hi Judy
hi steve
small crowd tonight!
finally it works!
lol. helps to have a new computer
Were you having trouble
with this new software or the previous software?
the new. my old computer
had a lot of problems.
I have to say I like this
much better than that one with the many virus warnings and the halloween
year-round background
so true
Well, glad you are up and
running
i'm still learning more on
the windows 10. so different
thanks
Oh, I haven't upgraded to
Windows 10, I am slightly afraid I'll never find anything again.
it's tricky. i'm so used to
windows 7. now i'm lost on so much change
Yes, Windows 7 does what I
need it to, so why they practically force you to upgrade I don't understand.
Hi Kathy
Hmmm. I wonder
if everyone else is out seeing that new Jet Benny movie there is so much fuss
about.
hello Steve and Judy! Turns
out I can't stay more than a second tonight. But my good news is that I will be
liberating the old 1932-33-34 Benny radio scripts and look forward to having
details about them for the group, after Jan 11. Hooray! Please ask Laura how the
trip to Cuba was, the photos are fantastic!!!! And I have a question
for Laura, is there anything else she wants photos of in the UCLA colleciton. In
my wildest dreams I would find Oscarine....
Hi folks
Hi Kathy - I think your
mark has been made in the transcript. Sounds great about the scripts
Hi Hookie
What's Oscarine? Margarine
for your academy award?
Sheesh. Tough
crowd.
Skinny chat tonight?
How are you Hookie?
Fine, I almost forgot about
tonight
Judy R was here and
disappeared
Then Kathy had to bug out
No Laura?
Not yet, got an email from
her yesterday or so ...
but didn't chat about the
chat
She can't be still
jetlagged
Hi Denny
Hi Denny
Maybe Laura's driving the
Maxwell to the chat and is still 40 miles away.
So, in about two hours
or this time tomorrow!
That's right, there's no
second
Or maybe she's just where
Dennis was
I'll be back...
Nothing on Facebook
happy hoildays all! *hugs*
Huh. Welcome
back Judy!
sorry, lost connection
Hi Judy
hey all!
I'm getting ready to APB
Laura...
finally able to get into
the chats. we had to get a new computer.
Well, while we wait anyone
interested in seeing pics of the theater where Jack did his Palm Springs
broadcasts?
I was down there two weeks
ago and took some snaps. I'll see if I can make this work.
yea
Sure
PTP_plaque.jpg
160K
my maternal grandmother
used to live over in palm desert. it was beautiful until they built it up too
much
Jack's mentioned on the
plaque
wow. the plaza is still
there?
Yeah! I had no
idea till I ran into it.
I had seen it a couple of
thimes when out that way
times . lol
that's been a long time
Oddly though Jack doesn't
have a star on the Palm Springs walk of fame.
That needs correcting
that's strange. you think
he would have one
It is about 2:25 Monday
morning here in Paris.
Especially considering all
the people who DO have stars!
yea
Oh my Denny! Early
(or late for you). Do you live there?
brb
I use Jack's
"Christmas Shopping" show in my British and American Humor classes.
Yes, I have lived in France
for 38 years now, but I worked for 13 summers in the U.S.
Great choice.
Everyone here still sends
lots of good thoughts and love to the folks in Paris.
back. had to feed a brat
cat.
Besides the worksheets (to
help with comprehension), I have the students vote on who they think the voice
of Bugs Bunny is. Rochester, Dennis Day, and Frank Nelson (the floorwalker)
usually win!
How funny!
yea, she's a very pushy cat
What do the students think
of the show? Do they find it funny or dated?
I'm lucky... Penny's
sleeping
ba dum dum
Christmas Shopping I think
is such a great introduction to Jack's humor
yea. his trying to find a
gift for don is funny
They seem to like the show,
although I know they are put off by it being in black and white. Also, it is
very different from other comedy shows that they are used to, like "How I
Met Your Mother," "Malcom in the Middle," "Fawlty
Towers," etc. because Jack does not tell any jokes. Of course, this is one
of my objectives in using the show.
The students like "I
Love Lucy" very much, so they have seen a black and white show before.
like with me. the kids at
my job have no idea who jack or the others were. but, some of my older customers
and I do have great conversations about our favorite shows
What age are the students?
I think comedy is one of
the hardest things to translate across language and cultures. Of
course Lucy has a lot of physical humor, but the verbal is so much harder.
even the comedy of jerry
lewis in some places.
Stepping out for a
moment...
They are young adults, most
are working for a Master's degree in either business or engineering. One of the
main purposes of the required language courses is to help them understand
everyday English.
I am chuckling at the
thought of a bunch of young French people walking around saying
"Well!" and "Now cut that out!"
lol
If that happens we'll
return the favor by having a bunch of young LA Thugs walk around like M. Hulot.
You are correct, Steve,
about humor from other cultures being hard to understand. But this is one of the
most popular English courses offered. It provides a break from the theoretical
brain-loading and it is FUN!
relieves some of the
tention of the studying
Steve Archer
I am certain it is fun,
sounds like a class I would love to take.
If they get into Jack you
can introduce them to the episode where Jack goes to Paris and tries to learn
French.
that one was funny
We also do Monty Python
(Dead Parrot Sketch), Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First,"
"The Big Bang Theory," etc.
with Maurice Chevalier
I always thought the dead
parrot sketch would have worked with Jack and Frank Nelson. Can you
imagine?
ah, Maurice Chevalier. I
loved him in "Gigi"
hmm.
or jack and fred allen
I don't know that one about
Jack coming to France! What season? Where can I get it???? Quick!
But Polly would have to be
sacrificed.
Let me see if I can find it
on youtube
lol. mel doing his
rendition of Taps
why am I picturing this?
Ah, it doesn't seem to be
on youtube. Laura has it in the club library so she can get it for
you.
Sometimes I also do one or
2 of the "Cy? Si!" sketches with Mel Blanc and Jack. I just have them
read the dialogues in pairs. They almost fall on the floor laughing!
lol
Someone tells Jack how to
say "I am Jack Benny, star of stage, screen and television": "Je
suis Jack Benny, je conduis un camion a ordure" (although shouldn't it be
"d'ordure"?)
been too long since frech
calss
sorry french
"camion d'ordures"
is probably correct French.
24 March 1957 is the date
of the show
the rest of the show has
people running away from Jack when he tells them he drives the garbage truck.
it mentions the episode on
dvd of jack benny in france at internet movie database
Thanks for that date! I'll
send an email to Laura. I have already purchased several DVDs from her. I don't
recall seeing this episode on any of the Jack Benny DVDs or videocassettes on
sale on Amazon.
season 7 episode 14
Around that time there was
a series where Jack went to Europe, all good episodes. Jack goes to
Italy and London as well. The Italian show has a very young Sean
Connery in it as a porter.
I think I saw the show
where Jack was in London or Scotland, but that was YEARS ago, like when I was a
kid and it was first aired!
Yes, he gets locked in the
Tower of London because he can't tear himself away from looking at the crown
jewels.
lol.
The "I Love Lucy"
gang also went on a European tour around that time, including a visit to Paris
and to Italy, where Lucy tried her "foot" at crushing grapes!
"Waiter, there are
snails in this food!"
brb
What does "brb"
mean?
"Be right back"
back
what would have been funny,
is if jack were to have met someone like Hercules Poirot in a skit.
I guess there was the
Charlie Chan skit.
yea, I think there was a
legal thing about that
Well, not sure what
happened to Laura, we're almost at the hour mark here. I wonder if
we'll get rescheduled?
Many years ago I used
episodes of "The Lucy Show" and "Here's Lucy" with Jack
Benny. "Lucy Gets Jack's Bank Account" and Lucy and her family rent
Jack's home in Palm Springs.
i think laura mentioned
about that some time back
Yes, Earl Derr Biggers'
widow sued the show.
yea.
The bank account one is a
classic. "Here's Lucy" didn't seem to get rerun as much as
the Lucy Show.
they show "Here's
Lucy" on one of the analog channels here.
All the characters (or
almost all of them) in "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy Show"
were very funny. Lucy's children didn't strike me as all that funny, although I
didn't see that many episodes.
"I Love Lucy" was
better
No, and the format had
really grown repetetive and tired by that series.
my favorite was the one
with Harpo Marx
Lucy needed at least Vivian
to play off of rather than guest star of the week and Gale Gordon.
true
Gale Gordon was too stiff.
He was good in "Our Miss Brooks" though
I recall seeing an
interview with Lucy and she said that when she watched the reruns she
"watched it for Viv", and I kind of have to agree, she's great
"grounding" for that show and gives it believability.
I've used the episode with
Harpo Marx several times, but "Job Switching" (wrapping chocolates)
and "Vitameatavegamin" are gems! I've seen "Job Switching"
at least 50 times (NO exaggeration!), and I still laugh. Same with
"Christmas Shopping"!
Oh, yes, love "Our
Miss Brooks". I was so happy to meet Gloria McMillan this year,
she's a sweetie.
you have to admit though
too, the egg in the shirt was hilarious too
eggs
I am also loving the
thought of young French people reenacting "Vitameatavegamin"!
oooh yea
The reason I use "Job
Switching" the most is because it is a perfect example of "Fish out of
Water" and reversals.
The Pioneer Women one is
fun too. I like the dynamic between the two couples as much as the
physical stuff.
OK... back
I use "Christmas
Shopping" a lot because of all the different characters in the episode.
welcome back hookie
Hiya Hookie. We've
temporarily become the Lucille Ball chat.
and our miss brooks
Hmmmm... you guys got some
spainin' to do!
yea, we's been bad.
What show are you referring
to -- Pioneer women?
lol
No, I'm fine with it
That is the episode where
the "girls" go back to doing things the old-fashioned way (with the
giant loaf of bread that comes out of the oven)
Yes, I know that one.
jack with bob hope doing
the skit "Road to Nairobi". that one busts me out laughing every time
i watch it
yea steve
BIG oven
All those ad-ibs would be
really challenging for a non-native speaker.
Our Miss Brooks would be
great though, she's so persnickety about the grammar!
Gracie Allen would be tough
to translate.
the "Our MIss
Brooks" episode with the messed up movies.
Ah Gracie. There was
genious
Gracie's last
"appearance" was on Jack's program in a voice cameo the year she died.
I just remembered that for
some reason.
What was the messed up
movies episode of OMB Judy? I'm not remembering that.
She could reall ymess up a
person's mind
I have used Burns and Allen
a few times, but the radio programs. I have bought many DVDs of their TV shows,
but none of them have their routines at the end. When I was a kid, it was their
routines at the end of the show that I liked the best.
I recently watched the two-parter
where she was hypnotized into being a genius. Great stuff.
Denny, most of those
self-contained "routines" were in the later seasons of their show. Most
of what is on DVD are the first two live seasons which are in the public domain.
yea, steve. the OMB had one
where the students got a movie called "The Lady in the LAke. The School
board memebers get one that shows gambling
A lot of the later ones are
on you tube now.
Oh, OK, now I am
remembering that one Judy.
yea. the students kept
rewinding the film.
They really screwed up the
TV OMB when they took her out of Madison High though and revamped the format. I
can't watch those episodes.
i like the radio shows, and
have the movie on video tape
The movie is cute.
Well...any thoughts on
Yosemite show #2?
well, time for me to beat
feet and get some sleep. it's been a long work week for me. *HUGS* and Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
I was listening to it
earlier, enjoyable
Bye Judy. Well,
maybe we'll get rescheduled when Laura comes around.
Steve Archer
It's a Jack Benny Jell-O
Epic tale!
Yeah, I wonder where Laura
is
Well, good night, folks!
See you next time!
I didn't get a chance to
listen to it.
OK, well, I suppose I shall
beg off too. I'll shoot Laura a message. Good chatting with you
Hookie, and Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année Denny!
Same to you!