Yeah, it’s Friday! I took the half day off to check out the Alumni Law School’s program on Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the subject of the new biography by Joan Biskupic. It felt like a nice sequel, so to speak, to the Justice Blackmun program, the subject of the Linda Greenhouse book – I mean, both Biskupic and Greenhouse were there! – so it was very, very cool. I so want to read both books. But, I’m not planning to get the books for awhile yet. (supposedly, to stay consistent with my whole idea of not buying too much stuff this 2006).
The passing of Franklin Cover, the actor best known for playing the character Tom Willis, the Jeffersons’ neighbor (whose tv marriage was one of those few bi-racial marriages celebrated on tv, I must say); Tom, George Jefferson’s foil/best friend/son’s father-in-law. A tv thing to note, I guess, but then again, I used to watch way much of the Jeffersons.
I watched Harrison Ford on Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley last night. Interesting interviews – none of the annoying tabloidy feel, more like conversation. Ford’s really no spring chicken – he really looked his age and he seem very realistic, telling Charlie Rose that he’d like to do more character roles and being very gracious to Tavis Smiley, who was being such a fan (well, apparently, it was his first interview with Harrison Ford, so the enthusiasm was genuine). If Hollywood isn’t kind to aging women actors, it’s no less kind to aging male action heroes. I’d like to see Harrison Ford do more than the usual Indignant Man Forced By Circumstances To Be A Hero. I think he might have it to be a character actor, especially when it’s not that believeable for him to jump off cliffs like he used to do (an aging Indiana Jones? Doesn’t anyone realize that getting Sean Connery to play Prof. Jones, Indy’s dad, was a little odd, since he’s not that old enough to be Harrison Ford’s dad?). Good luck to Harrison Ford.
Ooh, the New Doctor Who is going to be on Sci-Fi channel (the 9th Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston). Funny thing is, the 1st season was already shown in Canada and Britain, and they’ve already gotten a 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant (who played a strange character in the latest Harry Potter movie). See, I’m not a Doctor fan at all (only saw the FOX movie with the 8th Doctor), but I like hearing about a sci-fi franchise that won’t die. (as opposed to the franchise to which I keep sticking by, somehow).
Will there be snow this weekend? I so want to go out tomorrow night to see the whole gang…
And, last but not least, time for the Olympics! My VCR will tape the end (?) of “Arrested Development.”